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The divine providence is to be observed. CHAP. VIII, IX. Like things happen to good and bad.

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therefore the heart—is fully set in them] In the original, 'their heart has filled them," they are presumptuous, to do evil. Dr. S. Clarke.

15. Then I commended mirth, &c.] Then I resolved that it is good for man to be cheerful in his calling, and in the good and holy use of God's blessings. Bp. Hall. We must well remember, that when he in this manner "commends mirth," he speaks of reasonable pleasures, which proceed from a moderate and lawful use of the good things which God has given us, which have nothing in them irregular and contrary to piety.

Ostervald.

17.—that a man cannot find out &c.] For there is little or nothing that any man can know of the secrets of God's counsels, or any of his works; which are inscrutable to us, whatever pains we take: nay, though

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Raven to declare all this, that heart. all this I considered in my + Heb. I gave, heart even

the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

Ps. 73. 3, 12,

2 a All things come alike to all: a Mal. 3. 15. there is one event to the righteous, 13. and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

the wisest man in the world make it his constant business, he will still be forced to confess his ignorance; and the height of his knowledge will be to know, that God's ways are past finding out. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. IX. ver. 1.-no man knoweth either love or hatred] No man knows or can know the love or hatred of God towards particular individuals, "by all that is before them;" that is, by all that befalls them visibly. Dr. Wells.

2. All things come alike to all:] There is no certain and constant distinction made between one man and another, in the distribution of things in this world; but they all fare alike in public calamities especially. Bp. Patrick.

and he that sweareth,] The character of "him that sweareth" is here mentioned as blamable; but Solomon does not mean to disapprove the taking of an oath on any occasion whatever; but only to commend the fearing or avoiding of any oath, whenever it can be avoided, consistently with other obligations. Abp. Secker.

3. This is an evil &c.] There is this evil in all which is done under the sun, that "there is one event" unto

A necessity of death unto men.

Before CHRIST

ECCLESIASTES.

4 ¶ For to him that is joined to all about 977. the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

+ Heb. See, or, enjoy life.

5 For the living know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under

the sun.

7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oint

ment.

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of b Chap. 2. 24. thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

& 3. 13. & 5.

18.

all men; whence arise errours in their notions concerning the living, and with respect to the dead hereafter. Dr. Hodgson.

4. For to him that is joined &c.] If we compare the state of the living and the dead, with respect to the present world, that of the living is the best; for, while we here live, we may still be in hope, either of amending or of receiving further graces and blessings, both of which are cut off from the dead: and, according to a common proverb, the most vile and contemptible animal, as a dog, that is alive, is better than the most generous of all beasts, the lion, when dead. Bp. Hall.

5.

but the dead know not any thing,] When men are gone from this world, they become perfect strangers to all things here, and can no longer enjoy any benefit of their labour, the fruit of which falls into the hands of other men, who think not what is become of them. Bp. Patrick.

neither have they any more a reward;] It is not meant that there is no reward after death for the righteous in heaven; but that, after death, there will be no enjoyment of any worldly felicity, as he himself explains in the next verse. Collyer.

7. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy,] Therefore, shaking off all anxious cares and perplexing thoughts about God's providence, excite thyself, by the remembrance of death, to a cheerful enjoyment of those good things present which thou possessest; believing, that if thou hast approved thyself to God in the rest of thy works, it is acceptable to Him that thou shouldest thus rejoice in those gifts which his benevolence has afforded thee. Bp. Patrick. Solomon's design is, that we should improve the advantages of life, and make a wise use of what we have in possession; but we must beware of abusing this notion, and imagining ourselves to be at full liberty to indulge in worldly joys and pleasures, and to say with the ungodly, "Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die." Ostervald.

God's providence ruleth over all.

Before CHRIST

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is about 977. no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when Prov. 29. 6. it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom

8. Let thy garments be always white;] In opposition to the habit of mourners. The meaning is, Live not sordidly and sadly, but entertain thyself at all seasonable times. Bp. Patrick.

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10. Whatsoever thy hand &c.] That is, the work that is before thee, which is most proper for thee to propose to thyself, as the great end and design of thy life, the province and charge appointed to thee. Do it with thy might;" that is, set about it with great care, use all possible diligence and industry for effecting and accomplishing it. He enforces his precept by the consideration that this life is the proper season of activity and industry, of designing and doing those things which tend to our future happiness; and, when this life is ended, there will be no further opportunity of working, and nothing will remain but to receive the recompense of that which we have before done. Abp. Tillotson.

11. I returned, and saw under the sun, &c.] I saw and observed that here on earth all things do not fall out according to the probability of second causes, but by the appointments of an over-ruling Providence: the swiftest does not always win the race, nor the strong prevail in battle, &c. but every one in his time hath a several issue, according to the determination of the Almighty, beyond or contrary to his own hopes. Bp. Hall.

- neither yet bread to the wise,] Meaning, that the most learned and able men are not always secured against poverty and want. Abp. Tillotson.

but time and chance happeneth to them all.] That is, There is a secret providence of God, which sometimes presents men with unexpected opportunities, and interposes accidents which no human wisdom can foresee; which grants success to very improbable means; and defeats the swift, the strong, the learned, the industrious, and those who are best versed in men and business, of their several ends and designs. Abp. Tillotson.

Observations of

Before CHRIST

CHAP. IX, X.

delivered the city; yet no man re- | faileth him, and he saith to that he is a fool.

about 977. membered that same poor man.

d Prov. 21. 22.

ch. 7. 19.

+ Heb. Flics of death.

+ Heb. his heart.

16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

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15. — yet no man remembered that same poor man.] This little parable sets forth the depraved and malignant nature of mankind, who in extremities and straits commonly fly to men of wisdom and courage, whom they before slighted; but, as soon as the storm is over, they become unthankful wretches to their preservers. Lord Bacon.

17. The words of wise men &c.]. The words of a wise poor man, though spoken softly, out of a fearful and lowly kind of bashfulness, are worthy of more respect than the imperious loud clamours of him that ruleth among fools. Bp. Hall.

Chap. X. ver. 1. Dead flies cause &c.] This is a wellknown fact, especially in hot climates, that dead insects cause syrups, and other such preparations, to ferment and putrefy, which makes it necessary to be careful in preventing flies from coming to them. Scheuchzer.

so doth a little folly] In the same manner, in however good reputation a man may be for wisdom and honour, yet some one foolish humour and weak miscarriage of his will mar and stain his reputation. Bp. Hall. A little folly in a very wise man, a small sin in an honest man, and a slight indecency of manners in a man of courtly behaviour, often greatly derogate from their fame and reputation. Lord Bacon.

2. A wise man's heart is at his right hand;] That is, ready to be employed with dexterity and effect. Parkhurst. Herein a truly wise man's worth is discovered, that his judgment never fails him in the greatest difficulties, in which he not only resolves right, but takes things by the right handle; whereas a fool mistakes in his aim, and stumbles so much in the easiest business, that he commonly miscarries. Bp. Patrick.

3. Yea also, when he that is a fool &c.] Yea, let a fool but walk by the way, and his very motion and gesture shew what he is, and proclaim his want of

wisdom and folly.

one every

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth + from the ruler:

Before CHRIST about 977.

+ Heb. from before.

6 Folly is set in great dignity, Heb. in and the rich sit in low place.

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

great heights.

a Prov. 30.

22.

Prov. 26. 27,

8 b He that diggeth a pit shall fall b Ps. 7. 15. into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a + babbler + Heb. the is no better.

master of the tongue.

c Prov. 10.

12 The words of a wise man's 32. & 12. 13.

sense; much more do his words and actions betray him. Bp. Hall.

4. If the spirit of the ruler &c.] If thy prince_be angry with thee, quit not the duty of a subject. Bp. Patrick.

5.

- an error which proceedeth from the ruler:] An errour which proceeds from princes in the ill choice which they make of those whom they promote; for (ver. 6) "folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place;" that is, those who are truly able, both for their parts and their estates, and are well worthy of eminent places, are neglected and disregarded. Bp. Hall.

7.- servants upon horses,] In the East, to ride on a horse is deemed an honourable circumstance, and ideas of stateliness are always attached to it. The Turks at this day, when they ride on horseback, proceed in a very stately manner: it is contrary to their dignity to advance beyond a footpace, and they are attended by a number of servants. Harmer.

8.-whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.] By this men are warned, that the overthrowing of an established government and settled laws is often fatal to those that attempt it, Other proverbs to the same effect are given at ver. 9. Dr. Wells.

10.- but wisdom is profitable to direct.] Wisdom will still find out how to make it execute its office. Dr. Hodgson. Wisdom does, as it were, whet the edge of the axe, and direct men to do that with ease, which otherwise cannot be achieved without much labour. Bp. Hall.

11. Surely the serpent &c.] Surely the serpent will bite, if it be not hindered by enchantments: and a babbler, or one that secretly traduces his governours, and irritates the people against them, is no better; for he injures thereby his governours as much as the serpent does one whom he bites. Dr. Wells.

Observations of riot, slothfulness, &c. ECCLESIASTES.

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Directions for charity.

NAST thy bread † upon

CAST

the wa

Before CHRIST

mouth are + gracious; but the lips of ters: for thou shalt find it after about 977.

a fool will swallow up himself.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 A fool also + is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be ; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

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15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness !

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and 8 wine +maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20h Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

CHAP. XI.

1 Directions for charity. 7 Death in life, 9 1 Directions for charity. 7 Death in life, 9 and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on.

12.-the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.] The words of a fool will be the occasion of his own undoing. Bp. Hall.

15.- because he knoweth not how to go to the city.] Because out of simplicity he wanders about over untracked ways, and does not so much as know the beaten road to the city. Bp. Hall.

16.thy princes eat in the morning !] That is, spend in riot and revelling that portion of their time which ought to be set apart for the administration of justice. Bp. Hall.

18. By much slothfulness the building decayeth ;] In like manner a whole kingdom is ruined by the sloth and inattention of those who have the government of it. Dr. Wells.

19. A feast is made &c.] There are proper times for the feasting and mirth of kings, and those who have the care of the government; but then care must be taken that too much money be not spent on such occasions, so as not to leave enough for the publick supplies of the kingdom. Dr. Wells.

Chap. XI. ver. 1. Cast thy bread &c.] Bestow thy beneficence on those from whom there is no probability of a return of kindness; for He that seeth in secret will, when thou hast forgotten it, restore it unto thee with a happy increase. Bp. Hall.

a

many days.

+ Heb. upon

waters.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also the face of the to eight; for thou knowest not what a Deut. 15. evil shall be upon the earth.

10.

Matt. 10. 42.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they Prov. 19. 17. empty themselves upon the earth and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether + shall prosper, either this or that, or Heb. shall whether they both shall be alike good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun :

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9¶ Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in

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2. Give a portion to seven, &c.] Be not narrow and confined in thine alms, but bestow them liberally on all that have need. Bp. Hall. See the note on Job v. 19. 3. If the clouds be full of rain, &c.] In this verse, Solomon illustrates the duty of charity, and the reason for the timely exercise of it: the former by the clouds, which are a fit emblem of charity, in pouring down general plenty on the earth; the latter by the trees, which can bring forth fruit no longer than they continue joined to the earth by their roots, as man can no more be fruitful in good works, when he has ceased to live. Bp. Patrick.

4. He that observeth the wind shall not sow ;] Let not every circumstance of vain fear discourage thee from doing good and distributing; he that is too curious in observing every wind that blows, will never find an opportunity of sowing. Bp. Hall.

6. In the morning sow thy seed, &c.] That is, take all proper occasions of exercising thy charity, as long as thou livest; for thou knowest not what occasion may suit to do the greatest good to others, and to bring the greatest blessing on thyself; and whether all occasions may prove equally beneficial. Dr. Wells.

9. Rejoice, O young man, &c.] When thou art inclined, Ö young man, to rejoice in thy youth, &c. know, that is, remember, that for every sin committed "God will bring thee into judgment.'

The Creator is

Before CHRIST

CHAP. XI, XII.

sight of thine : but know thou, eyes: about 977. that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

| Or, anger.

a Prov. 22. 6.

| Or, the

10 Therefore remove | sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity.

CHAP. XII.

1 The Creator is to be remembered in due
time. 8 The preacher's care to edify. 13
The fear of God is the chief antidote of

vanity.

a

to be remembered.

and those that look out of the windows
be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in
the streets, when the sound of the
grinding is low, and he shall rise up
at the voice of the bird, and all the
daughters of musick shall be brought
low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: be

REMEMBER &now thy Crea- cause man goeth to his long home,

tor in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong grinders fail, men shall bow themselves, and || the grind little grinders cease because they are few,

because they

10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart,] Sorrow is here put for the cause of sorrow. Live not so in youth as to bring sorrow in old age.

Chap. XII. Solomon, to prove that a future state of retribution was the object which he held out through the whole of his exhortation, as the only adequate sanction of virtue, the only sure prop of religion, closes this admirable work with the solemn admonition, "Remember now thy Creator," &c. Then, after describing, with singular beauty and philosophick precision, the symptoms of decay preceding that awful hour, when "the dust shall return to the earth as it was," &c. he imprints upon the heart, in the two last verses, that great truth which it was his chief object to promulgate

and enforce. Dr. Graves.

Ver. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,] "Remember thy Creator;" that is, honour, fear, love, obey, and serve Him; in a word, act as becomes one who is mindful of God, and bears Him continually in his thoughts. Abp. Tillotson.

thy Creator] The Hebrew is, "thy Creators," in the plural. The plural is employed to shew the plurality of Persons in the unity of essence, namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. For these three Divine Persons consulted together concerning the creation of man, Gen. i. 26. Jones of Nayland, Parkhurst.

2-7. While the sun, &c.] The striking description of old age which here follows may thus be paraphrased. Before thine eyes grow dim with age, so that thou dost not clearly discern the sun, moon, and stars; and before the evils and miseries of age succeed one another in a woeful vicissitude: before the time that thine arms, which are the guard of this thy house of clay, shall tremble with palsies; and thy legs, which are thy strong supporters, shall bow themselves; and thy teeth grind slowly and with difficulty, because they are few; and thine eyes, which are as glasses in the windows of the head, are dusky and darkened: when the street doors shall be

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put upon thee, as now retired to thine own home, without care of others' visits or business; when thy slow feeding shall make thee unfit for other men's tables: when every little noise, even that of a bird, shall wake thee out of thy sleep; and when thy spirits shall be so dull and dejected, that thou shalt take no pleasure in hearing the most melodious musick: when thy decrepit age shall make thee so unfit to move, that thou shalt be afraid of every rub or clod that lies in thy way; when the white blossoms of age shall cover thy head, and every light thing (though it be but the weight of a grasshopper) shall seem burdensome to thee; and all those lusts and desires, which haunted thy stronger times, are now gone and past; for there is no way but this one; man goeth to his long home the grave, and the mourners in hired formality go about the streets : before all thy natural and vital spirits be utterly exhausted, and all the functions and offices of life be quite discharged, which shall be in the last act of death; for, as when the cord is loosed and the bucket broken, and the pitcher broken at the well, or the wheel at the cistern, no water can any more be drawn; so, when these vital parts fail, there can be no further prolongation of life: when this frame of man's body shall thus be dissolved; then shall the dust, of which it was formed, return to the earth, and the soul or spirit shall return to the God who gave it. Bp. Hall.

Hence let us learn to bestow on each part of our composition that portion of our time and attention, which, on a just consideration of their relative value, they may be found to deserve. Bp. Horne.

6. Or ever the silver cord &c.] The expressions of this verse are by many understood (in a sense differing from that of Bp. Hall, just given) to bear allusion to different parts of the human body. The "silver cord" is thought to mean the thread of life, the spinal marrow; the "golden bowl" to express the heart; and "the wheel at the cistern" the tubes and arteries about it. Bp. Herne, Dr. Hodgson.

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