As First, Surely though thou shouldest gain the world, and yet be a man that art like to perish at last, thou hast gotten but little; and it appears first in this, that all those that ever came to have true wisdom, and that are in Scripture commended for men of true wisdom, they have looked upon all the things of the world as very poor things: — First, What do you think of him that was the wisest man upon Earth (mere man) even Solomon? that had the greatest experience that ever man had, of what good, the honours, or pleasures, or profits of the world could do; and yet after ⟨p. 344⟩all his experience, see his testimony of all, in Eccles. 1.2. Vanity of vanity, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Observe these five things in it: — First, The things of this world are not only vain, but vanity in the abstract: — Secondly, They are an excessive vanity, vanity of vanities, — Thirdly, A heap of vanity, vanity of vanities, — Fourthly, All is vanity, — Fifthly, He adds his name to this, Saith the Preacher; Now the word that is translated here Preacher, in the Hebrew, as those that know the tongue, know, it signifies one gathered, and it is in the feminine gender, and so some think it notes the soul of Solomon, that gathered wisdom after he had been gathering vanity so long: But this is the result of it, that all things in the world are only vanity, and that vanity of vanities, heaps of vanity; or else a soul gathered to God, after all his departure from him, He saith it is so; herein Solomon is like a man that hath gotten to the top of an high hill, such a hill as there are perhaps hundreds of people of a strong conceit, that upon the top of the hill are very rich treasures to be had, and they are all scrambling up the hill, and treading even one upon another that they may get up the hill; Now Solomon had got to the top of the hill before the rest, and he seeing men keeping a stir to get up out of s••h a conceit, cries out to them, Sirs you are all deceived, you are persuaded that if you could get estates, and honours, and promotions, that then you should have a great deal of content, why, I am got upon this hill, and I find there is nothing but dirt here, there is nothing here that will answer all your toil, and trouble, and expectation, but you will be utterly deceived; this is the meaning of this Scripture:
As First, Surely though thou shouldest gain the world, and yet bee a man that art like to perish at last, thou hast gotten but little; and it appears first in this, that all those that ever came to have true wisdome, and that are in Scripture commended for men of true wisdome, they have lookt upon all the things of the world as very poor things: — First, What do you think of him that was the wisest man upon Earth (meer man) even Solomon? that had the greatest experience that ever man had, of what good, the honours, or pleasures, or profits of the world could do; and yet after ⟨p. 344⟩all his experience, see his testimony of all, in Eccles. 1.2. Vanity of vanity, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Observe these five things in it: — First, The things of this world are not onely vain, but vanity in the abstract: — Secondly, They are an excessive vanity, vanity of vanities, — Thirdly, A heap of vanity, vanity of vanities, — Fourthly, All is vanity, — Fifthly, Hee adds his name to this, Saith the Preacher; Now the word that is translated here Preacher, in the Hebrew, as those that know the tongue, know, it signifies one gathered, and it is in the feminine gender, and so some think it notes the soul of Solomon, that gathered wisdome after hee had been gathering vanity so long: But this is the result of it, that all things in the world are onely vanity, and that vanity of vanities, heaps of vanity; or else a soul gathered to God, after all his departure from him, Hee saith it is so; herein Solomon is like a man that hath gotten to the top of an high hill, such a hill as there are perhaps hundreds of people of a strong conceit, that upon the top of the hill are very rich treasures to bee had, and they are all scrambling up the hill, and treading even one upon another that they may get up the hill; Now Solomon had got to the top of the hill before the rest, and hee seeing men keeping a stir to get up out of s••h a conceit, cries out to them, Sirs you are all deceived, you are perswaded that if you could get estates, and honours, and promotions, that then you should have a great deal of content, why, I am got upon this hill, and I finde there is nothing but dirt here, there is nothing here that will answer all your toyl, and trouble, and expectation, but you will bee utterly deceived; this is the meaning of this Scripture:
