The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Annotations 4
ANNOTATIONS.
[a] V. 1. oppreſſions] There are more evils than one, that ariſe from the ill adminiſtration of publick Affairs. For they are either external or internal. And the external are two; either from Superiors, or from Equals and Inferiors. Thoſe from Superiors he ſpeaks of in this Verſe, and calls by the general name of oppreſſions. Which comes from a Root in the Hebrew, that ſignifies indifferently to oppreſs (or rather to ſqueeze others, and utterly cruſh them) whether it be by forcible violence, or by extortion in traffick, or by fraud, circumvention and falſe accuſation. If it refer to any one of theſe, more than to another, it is to the laſt. And therefore the LXX. though they tranſlate it by ſeveral words, importing bearing down others by main ſtrength, yet by none ſo frequently, as by foreign, to undo others by calumny.
[b] V. 4. envied] Thoſe evils which come from Equals or Inferiors, he ſpeaks of in this Verſe, and calls by the general name of Envy; which is a word in the Hebrew, that ſignifies, when it is taken in an ill ſenſe, all thoſe vicious affections, which are the cauſes, or the effects of envious emulation, at the good qualities or proſperity of another perſon. Which St. James calls foreign, bitter zeal or envying, III. 14. and St. Paul is wont to expreſs by two words, foreign and foreign, ſtrife (or making bate) and envying, XIII. Rom. 13. ſtrife and envying, e. i. contentious or factious emulation, I. Philip. 15. Envy and ſtrive, i. e. invidious contention.
[c] V. 5. foldeth his hands] Here he paſſes to thoſe evils which I called internal; which come not from others, but from our ſelves. For ſome (ſeeing the forenamed oppreſſions; or the envy that attends upon mens induſtry and good ſucceſſes) grow idle and leave off all buſineſs (expreſſed here by folding the hands, ſee VI. Prov. 10.) becauſe it is to no purpoſe to get, what another may preſently take away; or if he keep, it raiſes him other Enemies, who grudge to ſee him ſo happy.
By this means ſuch a man brings himſelf to extreme poverty: ſo that Phraſe, Eateth his own fleſh, ſignifies. One that is ready to die with hunger: and whoſe Wife and Children (called in Scripture a mans fleſh) are in danger to ſtarve with him. There are other Explications of this Phraſe, upon which I have touched in the Paraphraſe, which admirably expreſs the folly of him, that undoes himſelf, to avoid being undone by others.
[d] V. 6. better is an handful] Which though it be a very abſurd reſolution; yet he wants not Apologies for it. Nay, as if he were the only Wiſe man (ſapientum octavus, wiſer than ſeven men that can render a reaſon, as Biſhop Sanderſon ſpeaks) he utters Sentences (but it is like a Parable in the mouth of a Fool, a Speech full of reaſon in it ſelf, but witleſly applied) and ſays that better is an handful with quietneſs, &c. Wherein he makes a ſhow, of being the moſt contented Soul that lives; but is far from it: deſiring and coveting as much, as the moſt toiling and moiling Wretch in the World; if he might but have it, and never ſweat for it.
Thus ſome underſtand this ſixth Verſe: which others take to be Solomon's advice to the envious ſpoken of before, or to the covetous, ſpoken of afterward, that they would be contented with their condition: moderate riches having fewer cares; which a great Eſtate brings along with it, in abundance. Unto all which I have had reſpect in the Paraphraſe upon this Verſe.
[e] V. 8. one alone] And as this is the fault on one ſide; ſo, on the other, there are thoſe who turn their thoughts altogether, to ſave what they can: pinching themſelves, by a penurious way of living; both that they may ſeem poor and not worth the ſqueezing; and likewiſe, that they may have a ſecret reſerve of unknown Treaſure, in caſe they be oppreſſed. This he deſcribes here, by the example of a man, who hath neither Wife, nor Child, nor Friend, nor Companion; but lives ſolitarily in a houſe by himſelf; where he ſpends little, and yet thinks of nothing but getting riches: which he enjoys not at all, but only looks upon them, and wiſhes ſtill to ſee more.
One, not a ſecond] is properly a man without an Heir, or a Succeſſor; as v. 15.
[f] V. 9. &c.] Upon the occaſion of the foregoing Obſervation, v. 8. (the better to repreſent the folly of that ſottiſh humour, he there deſcribes) he ſets forth the benefit of Society, which Greg. Thaumaturgus here calls foreign, living in fellowſhip, and communion together. This he ſhows is profitable, firſt, to procure us greater happineſs; which is the Subject of this 9th. Verſe. Secondly, to preſerve us in the enjoyment of that happineſs, when we have attained it: as he ſhews by three inſtances. Firſt, To deliver us out of dangers, v. 10. Secondly, To fortifie us againſt them, v. 11. Thirdly, To repel them, when they actually aſſault us, v. 12. Where is a Proverbial Saying, of a triple Cord, or Thread; like to which there are many in other Authors: but I forbear to fill this Paper with them, and leave thoſe alſo who have a mind to allegorical applications of theſe three things, to ſeek for them in other Books. For my buſineſs is only, to give a brief account of the literal ſenſe; which is this in ſhort: That a Companion will afford us his help and aſſiſtance many ways; and, if there were no other benefit to be reaped from him, this would be an exceeding great comfort; to have one, in our adverſity, into whoſe boſome we may exonerate our ſorrows; which will be the lighter, if we ſee there is any Body that ſympathizes with us in our calamities.
[g] V. 13, 14.] And thus having repreſented the miſerable effects of power abuſed to oppreſſion: which bereaves men of the ſweeteſt comforts of life; making them avoid Society: he returns to conſider the wretched eſtate of ſuch Oppreſſors, though never ſo mighty. Both from their own folly, v. 13, 14. (where that expreſſion is very remarkable, he is made, or becomes poor in his Kingdom, as Dr. Hammond well expounds it upon I. Matth. not. a) and from the fickleneſs and inconſtancy of the peoples affections; which creates a great many troubles even to good Governours, v. 15, 16. Where there are many difficulties in the Hebrew texts; but not ſuch as makes the ſenſe obſcure: and an account is given of them by many Authors, and therefore I ſhall only note what the Lord Bacon hath obſerved, for the illuſtration of the 15th. Verſe, and what de Dieu hath noted upon the 16th.
[h] V. 15.] This Verſe ſets out the vanity of the people; who are wont to preſs and flock about the deſigned Succeſſors of Princes; the root of which Vanity, ſaith the Lord Bacon (L. VII. Advanc. of Learn. Ch. 2. Parab. 20.) is that frenzy in the minds of men, which inclines them, with too extreme an affection, unto their own projected hopes. For the man is rarely found, that is not more delighted with the contemplation of his future hopes, than with the fruition of what he poſſeſſeth. Another thing is, that novelty which is pleaſing to man's nature, and earneſtly coveted: now in the Succeſſor to a Prince (called here his ſecond, he that is next to him) theſe two concur; Hope, and Novelty. Which make more men (as Pompey ſaid to Scylla, and Tiberius afterward touching Macro) adore the riſing, than the ſetting Sun. And though Princes perhaps, who are in preſent poſſeſſion, be not much moved with this fond humour, nor make any great matter of it (as neither Scylla nor Tiberius did) nay they ſmile, it is poſſible, at the levity of men; and do not ſtand to fight with Dreams (for Hope is but the Dream of a man awake) yet it cannot but inwardly vex them, to ſee themſelves ſlighted, even by thoſe on whom they have beſtowed many benefits, merely in hope of receiving more from their next ſuppoſed Succeſſor. For they cannot reaſonably expect more, perhaps, from him that now reigns; and therefore they make timely applications to the next Heir. He hath done enough for them; and therefore they betake themſelves to him, who hath yet done nothing. And beſides, old men grow tenacious, moroſe and ſowre; whereas Youth is commonly liberal, jocound, without care, and ambitious to do great things; eſpecially at his entrance upon the Kingdom. This, ſaith another learned Writer, makes the long life of Princes, and their power, troubleſome and grievous, both to Courtiers and people: of which they that live at Rome, do not want ocular demonſtration.
There is nothing more needful for the explication of this Verſe, but only to obſerve, that the Child or Youth, who is here called the ſecond, doth not ſuppoſe another Child or Youth that is firſt: but only ſignifie, that this Youth is ſecond in the Kingdom. Not ſecond, in reſpect to another Son, but ſecond, in reſpect to his Father; who reigns before him; and when he dies this Son ſucceeds him.
[i] V. 16.] The firſt words of this laſt Verſe, L. de Dieu ſeems to me, to have expreſſed better than any other Interpreter: they running thus, word for word, in the Hebrew; There is no end to any people. That is, no end of their fickleneſs, no bounds to their inconſtancy; but one Nation is as ſubject to it, as another. And as this Age follows the former, ſo the next will follow this; in its levity and mutability. And therefore thoſe young Princes, who are tranſported with the acclamations of the people, do but feed upon Wind (as ſome, I obſerved upon the firſt Chapter, tranſlate thoſe words, which we render vexation of Spirit): For their applauſes are like to their affections, as changeable as the Wind; which will turn another way, to ſome other perſon, when this preſent Prince grows old, or he rules ill, or the peoples fancy and humour alters. And then it will indeed be a ſore affliction to him, to ſee himſelf deſpiſed, by thoſe who formerly cried him up as if he had been their Darling.
It may be referred alſo, to the very Government it ſelf; with which the Iſraelites were not pleaſed. For when they were under Judges they deſired a King: and then they were not pleaſed with the Monarchy, but wiſhed for the old Ariſtocracy again: Though that in truth was the moſt exeellent Monarchy, which they would not underſtand, under the immediate Government of God Himſelf.