The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
ARGUMENT.
This Chapter begins where the foregoing ends; the Wiſe man proceeding ſtill to juſtifie what he had obſerved, about the moſt puzling Queſtion in the World: Why the good and bad fare all alike, without any conſtant viſible diſtinction? His reſolution, cautions, remedies, about this matter, will appear ſo plainly in the Paraphraſe and Annotations, which I ſhall annex to it, that I will give no large account here of this Chapter; but only note that the ſumm of it is this: That the confuſion of things here below, ſhould not move us to diſcontent; much leſs incline us to irreligion: but rather diſpoſe us, with thankfulneſs and ſobriety, to enjoy freely that portion of good things, while we have them, which God hath given us. Neither ſlackning our diligence, nor trusting to it alone; but depending on Gods wiſe Providence, which, notwithstanding that ſeeming confuſion, governs all events: diſappointing many times the most likely and applauded means; and again ſucceeding the most unlikely and contemptible. Which ſhould move us to commend our ſelves and concerns unto God; and then, above all things, to value and study true Wiſdom and Prudence, in the management of all Affairs: as far excelling mere power, of which we are fooliſhly ambitious.
1. FOR all this I conſidered in my heart even to declare all this, that 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.
1. THis is no raſh Aſſertion, for I Solomon affirm again (VIII. 16.) I have deeply conſidered all that belongs to this matter, with earneſt deſire and endeavour to give a clearer account, and fuller reſolution of it, than this, which is all I can ſay: that though good men and prudent are under the care of God (which muſt ſatisfie them in all events) by whoſe ſpecial Providence, both they and their undertakings and affairs, are approved, directed, governed and defended; yet (ſuch a Secret there is in it) they prove ſometimes ſo unſucceſsful, that no man can know by any thing that befals them, or others, how God ſtands affected towards them: but will conclude very falſly, if he judge that God loves him who hath all that his heart deſires; or that he hates him, who is ſorely afflicted. See Annot. [a].
2. All things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous 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.
2. For there is no certain and conſtant diſtinction made between one man and another, in the deſtribution of things in this World; but they all fare alike, eſpecially in publick calamities: a righteous man, for inſtance, periſhes in a Battel as well as the wicked; he that keeps himſelf pure and undefiled dies in a Peſtilence, as well as the filthy and unclean; he that worſhippeth God in ſincerity and truth ſuffers by Storms, Shipwracks and Inundations, &c. as well as a prophane perſon or an Hypocrite; and on the contrary a Blaſphemer of God, nay a perjured Wretch proſpers and thrives, as much as he that dreads the holy Name of God, and dare not raſhly, much leſs falſly, take it into his mouth. See Annot. [b].
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.
3. This (it muſt be acknowledged) is one of the moſt grievous things in this lower World, that all things being thus blended together without any diſtinction, ſome draw from thence this lewd and wild Concluſion, That there is no difference between Vertue and Wickedneſs; and therefore take the greateſt licence to do evil confidently and boldly all their life long: purſuing their own luſts and paſſions ſo furiouſly, that they haſten their end; and Death, which ſpares no Body (but is the moſt common of all other things) ſeizes on them, before they think of it. See Annot. [c].
4. ¶ For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
4. But who would chuſe to be a Companion of theſe mad men, who run themſelves ſo faſt out of all hope? which ſtill remains (in the midſt of all our changes here) as long as a man remains in the number of the living; but is loſt when he is dead: in which reſpect the meaneſt and moſt contemptible perſon here in this World, hath the advantage of the greateſt King, when he is gone out of it. See Annot. [c].
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.
5. For while men live and are well, they have ſenſe and reliſh of ſuch things as they poſſeſs; and, knowing they muſt die, are taught thereby to uſe them with a ſober freedom: becauſe when they are gone from hence they become perfect Strangers to all things here, and can no longer enjoy and benefit of their labours (IV. 9.) the fruit of which falls into the hands of other men, who never ſo much as think what is become of them.
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.
6. Nor doth it then ſignifie any thing, whether a man was loved, or hated, or envied by them; but all theſe paſſions are ſo extinguiſhed with them, that no body courts their favour, nor fears their ill will or diſpleaſure: for, though they have been never ſo powerful, they have nothing more to do with us here in this World; nor can we, if we would, tranſmit any of our enjoyments to them, in the place where they are.
7. ¶ Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
7. And therefore ſhaking off both all anxious cares, and alſo all perplexing thoughts about God's Providence (v. 1.) excite thy ſelf, by the remembrance of Death, to a cheerful enjoyment of thoſe good things preſent, which thou juſtly poſſeſſeſt: uſe them while thou haſt them, with a well-pleaſed, contented, nay joyful mind; believing, if thou haſt approved thy ſelf to God in the reſt of thy Works, it is very acceptable to Him, that thou ſhouldſt thus rejoice in his love; who hath made all things here for the ſervice of man, and bleſſed thee with a comfortable portion of them. See Annot. [d].
8. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
8. For which reaſon, do not live either ſordidly or ſadly; but, at all ſeaſonable times, entertain thy ſelf and thy Friends liberally, with ſuch pleaſures as may recreate and refreſh thy ſpirits, after thy honeſt labours: for innocent mirth, ſuitable to thy condition, is as becoming thoſe that are good, as the filthy delights of men lewdly voluptuous are abominable. See Annot. [e].
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 thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takeſt under the ſun.
9. Flee therefore Adultery and Fornication, but ſolace thy ſelf exceedingly with thy own Wife; and, loving her with the moſt tender and conſtant affection, take all the comfort her Society can afford: for it is the greateſt God hath provided for Mankind, in this troubleſome life; and therefore both ſeek for ſuch an one as thou canſt love; and, when thou haſt her, delight thy ſelf in her Company with ſuch unalterable kindneſs, as may help to ſweeten the afflictions to which we are ſubject in this World: for thou canſt reap no other fruit of all thy toil in this life, but to take an innocent pleaſure, with tranquility of mind, in ſuch good things as theſe, which the Providence of God beſtows upon thee. See Annot. [f].
10. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt.
10. In which, that thou mayſt take the ſincereſt pleaſure, let it not make thee ſlothful, much leſs diſſolute; but diſpoſe thee rather to be vigorouſly induſtrious, in doing all the good that is in thy power: for which end, lay hold on every occaſion that preſents it ſelf, and improve it with the utmoſt diligence; becauſe now is the time of action, both in the employments of the Body and of the Mind; now is the ſeaſon of ſtudying either Arts and Sciences, or Wiſdom and Vertue; for which thou wilt have no opportunities in the place whither thou art going, in the other World: Which is deſigned for reſt from our preſent labours; and for the reward of them. See Annot. [g].
11. ¶ I returned and ſaw under the ſun, that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel 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.
11. But do not preſume merely on thy own induſtry, though never ſo great, for good ſucceſs in thy undertakings, nor fanſie that nothing ſhall interrupt thy pleaſures, but look up unto God, and leave all to his Providence: For (to return to what I ſaid about events, v. 1.) I have obſerved that they do not depend upon our Will and Pleaſure, but upon his: we being apt to think, that he who, for inſtance, can run ſwifteſt, will certainly carry away the prize; and that he who hath the greateſt Forces will win the Victory in a Battel; when it falls out quite otherwiſe, that both of them loſe the day: And more than that, the Wiſe and the Learned in their Profeſſion, cannot ſometimes get their bread, but men of greateſt reach are poor, and ingenious Artiſts not at all regarded, or encouraged, according to their deſerts; for there are certain ſeaſons, wherein by various accidents which unexſpectedly ſtart up, all mens nimbleneſs, ſtrength, valour, wit, cunning and dexterity, prove ineffectual. See Annot. [h].
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 it falleth ſuddenly upon them.
12. For no man can foreſee many evils that befal him, no not the time of his death; which ſurprizes him unawares, when he thinks no more of it, than the ſilly Fiſh, or Birds do, of the Net or the Snare, wherein they are caught to their deſtruction: nay, as they are intangled, when they ſwim or fly ſecurely, in hope to catch their prèy; ſo do men periſh by thoſe very counſels and actions, from whence they expected the greateſt advantages; and are undone, by ſome ſudden and unavoidable miſchief that ſeizes them, when they thought themſelves at the top of their hopes. See Annot. [i].
13. ¶ This wiſdom have I ſeen alſo under the ſun, and it ſeemed great unto me:
13. But though events be not in our power, being overruled by a higher Providence, we ought not therefore to imagine, there is no uſe of prudent counſel and forecaſt: for that ſort of Wiſdom, which we call Political, how mean ſoever it may ſeem in ſome mens eyes, is with me of greater price than Wealth and Riches. And this ſingle Obſervation ſhows that I have reaſon for it: See Annot. [k].
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:
14. There was a City of ſmall Circuit, ill fortified, and mann'd by a very ſmall Garriſon; againſt which a mighty King with numerous Forces, made his approaches: and, having intrenched his Army, and drawn a ſtrong Line about it, and raiſed his Batteries, doubted not to take it ſpeedily, or to have it ſurrendered into his hands.
15. Now there was found in it a poor wiſe man, and he by his wiſdom delivered the city; yet no man remembred that ſame poor man.
15. When by a ſtrange Providence of God, there unexpectedly appeared a Wiſe man, but he ſo poor that no body minded him, who ſaved the City from this imminent danger; and that not by Money, for he had none; nor by Arms, for the Beſiegers were far ſuperior in ſtrength: but merely by his wiſe counſels, contrivances, ſtrategems and conduct, wherein he excelled the greateſt Warriours: And yet, O foul ingratitude! his Citizens, who ought to have recorded his Fame, and preſerved it to all Poſterity, ſoon forgot their Deliverer; and, becauſe he was poor, regarded him after this memorable ſervice he had done them, no more than they had done before. See Annot. [l].
16. Then ſaid I, Wiſdom is better than ſtrength: nevertheleſs, the poor mans wiſdom is deſpiſed, and his words are not heard.
16. Which notwithſtanding ought not to diſcourage worthy men from ſerving their Country; for Wiſdom and Counſel, from ſuch Examples as this, will be preferred by all judicious and vertuous perſons, as well as by me, before mere power and ſtrength: Becauſe ungoverned Forces deſtroy themſelves, when a little Force, under skilful conduct, archieveth the greateſt things: and therefore it ought to be highly valued, in the moſt obſcure perſon, though the ſenſeleſs Multitude (as if Wiſdom borrowed all its credit from him that poſſeſſeth it) deſpiſe the counſel of a poor man; and oft-times ſuffer this puniſhment of their folly and ingratitude, that, ſhutting their ears to his wholeſome advice, they fall into many and great calamities. See Annot. [m].
17. The words of wiſe men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
17. An intolerable fault this is. For the modeſt ſpeeches of the meaneſt wiſe man, delivered gently, and without noiſe, are far more worthy to be heard, and, if they meet with a patient ear, and a ſerene mind, free from the tumult of pride and paſſion, will be more regarded, and prove more efficacious, than the moſt clamorous, and imperious Language of a powerful Fool: as appears by what the poor man propounded for the ſaving of the City, which prevailed more, in their diſtreſs, than the furious outcries of the greateſt Commander, ſwaggering among his Troops of ignorant Souldiers. See Annot. [n].
18. Wiſdom is better than weapons of war: but one ſinner deſtroyeth much good.
18. I cannot therefore but again commend Counſel, and wiſe Conduct, and prefer it before the greateſt Forces, and all manner of warlike Preparation; for it ſometimes ſaves whole Armies, nay Countries, from deſtruction, which have been utterly ruined by the raſh boldneſs and forwardneſs, or other errour, of ſome mighty man; who hath overthrown wellſettled Kingdoms and States, and brought them into many miſeries: for it is a known thing, that many have been undone by the fault of one; as by one mans prudence, many have been delivered. See Annot. [o].