The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Ver. 1. _The words._] Golden words, weighty, and worthy of all acceptation; grave and gracious apophthegms, or rather oracles, meet to be well remembered. Solomon's sapiential sermon of the sovereign good, and how to attain to it; Solo... [ Continue Reading ]
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity. Ver. 2. _Vanity of vanities._] Or, Most vain vanity: therefore, no happiness here to be had but in the reverential fear of God, Ecc 12:13 and this is the sum of the whole sermon, the result of the discourse, the impartial... [ Continue Reading ]
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Ver. 3. _What profit hath a man?_] What durable profit? _Quid residui?_ what excess? what more than will serve to satisfy back and belly? Our life is called, "the life of our hands," Isa 57:10 because it is maintained by the la... [ Continue Reading ]
Ecclesiastes 1:4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. Ver. 4. _One generation passeth away, &c._] Therefore, no happiness here, because no assurance of life or long continuance: - “ _Omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo:_ Et subito cas... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose._ Ver. 5. _The sun also ariseth._] That sweet and swift creature (the Persians deified it); so sweet that Eudoxus professed himself willing to be burnt up by the sun presently, so he might be admitted to come so... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits._ Ver. 6. _The wind goeth toward the south, &c._] It is a little very small thing at first, a vapour rising out of the earth; but, by circuiting... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again._ Ver. 7. _All the rivers run into the sea._] And the nearer they come to the sea, the sooner they are met by the tide; sent out, as it were, to take their tribute due... [ Continue Reading ]
All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ver. 8. _All things are full of labour._] _Labor est etiam ipsa voluptas._ Molestation and misery meet us at every turn. The whole world is a "sea of glass" (for its vanity... [ Continue Reading ]
The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. Ver. 9. _The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be._] History, therefore, must needs be of noble and necessary use; because, by setting... [ Continue Reading ]
Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. Ver. 10. _Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new?_] _Hoc ego primus vidi,_ saith Zabarel. But how could he tell that? Many men have been so befooled. We look u... [ Continue Reading ]
Ecclesiastes 1:11 [There is] no remembrance of former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after. Ver. 11. _There is no remembrance of former things._] None to speak of. How many memorable matters were never recorded! How many... [ Continue Reading ]
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Ver. 12. _I, the Preacher, was king over Israel._] And so had all the helps that heart could wish, the benefit of the best books and records that men or money could bring me in, the happiness of holy conference, beside mine own plentiful experience,... [ Continue Reading ]
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. Ver. 13. _And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom._] God had given Solomon a large heart, and great st... [ Continue Reading ]
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit. Ver. 14. _I have seen all the works that are done._] I have seen them, and set down mine observations of them. 1Ki 4:33 Pliny did somewhat like unto this in his Natural History; which work of... [ Continue Reading ]
Ecclesiastes 1:15 [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. Ver. 15. _That which is crooked cannot be made straight._] Most men are so wedded and wedged to their wicked ways, that they cannot be rectified but by an extraordinary touch from the ha... [ Continue Reading ]
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. Ver. 16. _I communed with mine own heart, saying, &c._] Here Hugo de Sancto Victore p... [ Continue Reading ]
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. Ver. 17. _And to know madness and folly._] That by comparing of contraries, I might the sooner find and fish out what I sought for. _Sed frustra fui,_ but I disquieted myself in vain... [ Continue Reading ]
For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ver. 18. _For in much wisdom is much grief._] And herein children and fools have the advantage; as they want wit, so they want woe; as little is given to them, so little is required of them. _Nihil scire vita iu... [ Continue Reading ]