Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

CHAP. II.

Being disappointed in his expectation from the knowledge of the Creature, he now resolveth to search what good may be found in the use and fruition of it, and so sets himself to try what content either sensual, or rational pleasures could bring to the heart; which he doth, from vers. 1. to ver. 12. and finding that he had changed for the worse, he goes back again to the consideration of wisdom and madness, and finding as much disappointment the second time, as he had done the first, vers. 12—23. He concludeth, that there is no comfort nor tranquility to be found in the use of Creatures, till by the favour of God it be sweetened unto us, Vers. 24, 25, 26.

BEing disappointed in his expectation from the knowledge of the Creature, he now resolveth to search what good may be found in the use and fruition of it, and so sets himself to try what content either sensual, or rational pleasures could bring to the heart; which he doth, from vers. 1. to ver. 12. and finding that he had changed for the worse, he goes back again to the consideration of wisdome and madnesse, and finding as much disappointment the second time, as he had done the first, vers. 12—23. He concludeth, that there is no comfort nor tranquility to be found in the use of Creatures, till by the favour of God it be sweetned unto us, Vers. 24, 25, 26.

Go to now] It is an adverbial form of exhorting ⟨p. 49⟩and quickening his heart unto such a course.

I will prove thee with mirth] Or, by mirth, as by the instrument of enquiring after happiness, Judg. 6.39. 1 King. 10.1. I will make trial another way whether pleasures will content thee, Psal. 26.2. the word being derivable from another root, admits of another sense, but to the same purpose, I will pour out my self in delights, or I will abound in delights. Pleasures do melt and pour out the soul; hence Reuben is said to be unstable as waters, Gen. 49.4. Ezek. 16.15. Lusts have a greediness and excess in them, Eph. 4.19. I will wholly give my self, my heart shall flow forth into delights, I will fully gratify my senses, and indulge my fancy in all pleasing things.

I will prove thee with mirth] Or, by mirth, as by the instrument of enquiring after happinesse, Judg. 6.39. 1 King. 10.1. I will make tryal another way whether pleasures will content thee, Psal. 26.2. the word being deriveable from another root, admits of another sense, but to the same purpose, I will pour out my self in delights, or I will abound in delights. Pleasures do melt and pour out the soul; hence Reuben is said to be unstable as waters, Gen. 49.4. Ezek. 16.15. Lusts have a greediness and excess in them, Eph. 4.19. I will wholly give my self, my heart shall flow forth into delights, I will fully gratifie my senses, and indulge my fancy in all pleasing things.

therefore enjoy pleasure] Or, see good. To see, is to enjoy, Isa. 53.11. Psal. 34.8. & 4.6. Live plentifully, indulge to thy self all delights, restrain not thy self from any desire of thine eyes.

V. 2. I said of laughter] By laughter, he meaneth any excess of joy, and merriment, when the heart is so full, that it cannot contain its delight within, but it breaketh forth into the face, voice, and outward behaviour, Gen. 21.6. Psal. 126.2. Luke 6.21.

or I said to laughter, Thou art mad] By a Prosopopoeia. Excess of joy transporteth the mind, and as it were displaceth reason, argues much levity, vanity, incomposedness of judgment. True joy is a severe and serious thing, keeps the heart always in a stayed and fixed condition, but the joy which breaks forth into laughter, is like the crackling of thorns, Eccl. 7.6. and hath a sorrow at the bottom of it: as a mad-man, the more merry he is, is the more miserable, Prov. 14.13. Jam. 4.9.

or I said to laughter, Thou art mad] By a Prosopopoeia. Excess of joy transporteth the mind, and as it were displaceth reason, argues much levity, vanity, incomposedness of judgment. True joy is a severe and serious thing, keeps the heart alwayes in a stayed and fixed condition, but the joy which breaks forth into laughter, is like the crackling of thorns, Eccl. 7.6. and hath a sorrow at the bottom of it: as a mad-man, the more merry he is, is the more miserable, Prov. 14.13. Jam. 4.9.

and of mirth, what doth it?] What good or profit bringeth it with it? Job 35.6, 7. Matth. 20.32. The interrogation bids a challenge to all the masters of mirth, that were to produce any one satisfactory fruit which it affordeth. Thus we see by the example of Solomon, that the heart cannot stay long on any one enquiry wherein it meeteth with dis-satisfaction, but it quickly hasteneth unto another, as a Bee flieth from flower to flower, when there is not enough in one to satiate it, as a sick man that removes from one bed, couch, chamber, unto another for ease, and finds none, Isaiah 57.10. Jer. 2.23, 36. 2. That in such kind of changes usually the heart goeth from better to worse, […] here Solomon from wisdom to pleasure• 3. Here is observable the nature of sensual ⟨p. 51⟩mirth, it tends towards excess, and so towards undecency and madness: for here is not condemned moderate, but excessive pleasure, when a man gives up his heart to it, and makes it the business of his life.

and of mirth, what doth it?] What good or profit bringeth it with it? Job 35.6, 7. Matth. 20.32. The interrogation bids a challenge to all the masters of mirth, that were to produce any one satisfactory fruit which it affordeth. Thus we see by the example of Solomon, that the heart cannot stay long on any one enquiry wherein it meeteth with dis-satisfaction, but it quickly hasteneth unto another, as a Bee flyeth from flower to flower, when there is not enough in one to satiate it, as a sick man that removes from one bed, couch, chamber, unto another for ease, and finds none, Esay 57.10. Jer. 2.23, 36. 2. That in such kind of changes usually the heart goeth from better to worse, 〈…〉 here Solomon from wisdome to pleasure• 3. Here is observable the nature of sensua

V. 3. I sought in my heart] Upon serious deliberation, and further exploration of that good which men may in this life attain unto, finding that neither wisdom alone, nor pleasures alone, could bring me unto it, I purposed to temper them together; and since I found that wisdom and knowledge was accompanied with grief and sorrow, I intended to mitigate those griefs with bodily delights: and yet so, as that my wisdom might restrain those delights from any excess, and from disabling me in the duties which I owed to God or men.

V. 3. I sought in my heart] Upon serious deliberation, and further exploration of that good which men may in this life attain unto, finding that neither wisdome alone, nor pleasures alone, could bring me unto it, I purposed to temper them together; and since I found that wisdome and knowledge was accompanied with grief and sorrow, I intended to mitigate those griefs with bodily delights: and yet so, as that my wisdom might restrain those delights from any excess, and from disabling me in the duties which I owed to God or men.

to give my self unto wine] To draw my flesh with wine. Or, to draw forth my flesh unto wine. Abstinence doth shrink and contract the body, and keep it under, 1. Cor. 9.27. Dan. 1.10. feasting and mirth doth draw it forth, Psal. 73.7. That leanness or wasting of body which by hard studies I had contracted, I now purposed by more delicacy of living, and indulgence to draw forth into freshness, fullness and beauty again. Or, to draw with wine, to spend more time in feasting, banqueting, and delights then formerly ⟨p. 52⟩I had done. So drawing signifies sometimes continuance and prolongation of a business, Psal. 85.5. Isai. 13.22. Ezek. 12.28. So the glutton, Luk. 16.19.

to give my self unto wine] To draw my flesh with wine. Or, to draw forth my flesh unto wine. Abstinence doth shrink and contract the body, and keep it under, 1. Cor. 9.27. Dan. 1.10. feasting and mirth doth draw it forth, Psal. 73.7. That leannesse or wasting of body which by hard studies I had contracted, I now purposed by more delicacy of living, and indulgence to draw forth into freshness, fulness and beauty again. Or, to draw with wine, to spend more time in feasting, banqueting, and delights then formerly ⟨p. 52⟩I had done. So drawing signifies sometimes continuance and prolongation of a business,

unto wine] (i. e.) By a Synecdoche, unto all kind of delicates in eating and drinking, in banqueting and feasting. As bread signifies all necessaries, Amos 7.12. with 6.11. so wine all delicates, Prov. 9.2. Cant. 8.2. & 2.4.

yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom] Or, leading my heart by wisdom, resolving to keep such a temper, as to carry my self not licentiously, but wisely in the use of pleasures, to keep my self from being captivated unto, or swallowed up of these carnal delights, as using them not sensually, with a brutish excess, but critically and rationally to find out what real content they do afford unto the heart of an intelligent man. I did so give my flesh unto wine, as though I kept my heart for wisdom still.

yet acquainting mine heart with wisdome] Or, leading my heart by wisdom, resolving to keep such a temper, as to carry my self not licentiously, but wisely in the use of pleasures, to keep my self from being captivated unto, or swallowed up of these carnal delights, as using them not sensually, with a bruitish excesse, but critically and rationally to finde out what real content they do afford unto the heart of an intelligent man. I did so give my flesh unto wine, as though I kept my heart for wisdom still.

and to lay hold on folly] By folly, he meaneth those pleasures, the laying hold on which he found in the event to be nothing but folly. Thus to lay hold on them is fully to possess a mans self with them, and to embrace and apprehend them with all one• strength, Isa. 56.4. 1 Tim. 6.19. Phil. 3.12, 13. It may likewise seem to intimate thus ⟨p. 53⟩much, That he held folly from mixing with his pleasures, or coming into his heart along with them, to hold it as a man holds an enemy from doing him any hurt, Judg. 12.6. & 16.21.

till I might see what was that good for the sons of men] This was the end of his enquiring; it was not to drown himself in sensuality, but to discover what kind of course was that, which would render this present mortal life more comfortable to a man. He did it not viciously, but to make an experiment only. Solomon found in himself emptiness and indigency, he felt strong opposition after some good which might supply those wants; and he had active principles of reason to enquire what that good was, which Nature did so much want, and so greatly desire. And this reason and habitual wisdom he employed to the uttermost, to discover that good under heaven which might most perfectly satisfy the wants and desires of the reasonable soul.

till I might see what was that good for the sons of men] This was the end of his enquiring; it was not to drown himself in sensuality, but to discover what kind of course was that, which would render this present mortal life more comfortable to a man. He did it not vitiously, but to make an experiment only. Solomon found in himself emptiness and indigency, he felt strong opposition after some good which might supply those wants; and he had active principles of reason to enquire what that good was, which Nature did so much want, and so greatly desire. And this reason and habitual wisdome he imployed to the uttermost, to discover that good under heaven which might most perfectly satisfie the wants and desires of the reasonable soul.