The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Annotations 3
ANNOTATIONS.
[a] V. 1. ſeaſon] The Hebrew words Zeman and Gneth, ſignifie either that point of time, when things, being ripe, come forth of themſelves, by the conſtitution of their ſeveral Beings; as all natural things do: or that occaſion which ſerves our voluntary actions; and is fit for effecting what we deſign. The Hebrews obſerve that Solomon here reckons ſeven oppoſite Seaſons, of each ſort: as a complete demonſtration, by induction, of the truth of this General Propoſition in the firſt Verſe. Which bolds good even in Vertue it ſelf: which is not proper, but in its place. For Fortitude hath not always been ſucceſsful, (as the Lord Herbert obſerves) nor Temperance ſafe; nor Juſtice opportune: the fury and inſolence of the outragious people, having in ſome inſurrections grown to that exceſs; that is hath been greater Wiſdom to paſs by a while, than to puniſh them. And it is very apparent alſo in our Councels, when they are conducted merely by humane Wiſdom; which is not able, without a Divine direction, to chuſe the moſt fortunate (as we call them) and happy Seaſons for undertakings. Brutus, Cicero, Hertius Panſa, all thought to reſtore the ancient eſtate of the Roman Commonwealth (as Melancthon notes) but were deceived; and after the ſame manner many are ſtill, and will always be deceived. Then buſineſſes proceed, when we obey his Divine directions, and He aſſists: and yet then ſometimes more, and ſometimes leſs difficultly.
[b] V. 3. kill] In the third Verſe I have taken the liberty of following my own Judgment in expounding the first part of it: which I have not referred to puniſhing and ſparing Offenders, as Interpreters do; but to the condition of Diſeaſes that are in our own Bodies. For, though the other be an excellent ſenſe, yet, this ſeems to be more agreeable to the Wiſe mans meaning. Becauſe he is hitherto ſpeaking of things Natural; and the word heal alſo directs rather to that ſenſe, which I have given of killing, than the common one. The ſame may be ſaid of the next part of the Verſe; there being a crazineſs in Buildings, as well as in the Body of man: and ſome Weather ſo improper to raiſe a Fabrick, that the parts will not hang together; but that which cements them moulders ſo faſt away, that that time were better ſpent, in pulling down an houſe, than in building it up.
As for the reſt of the Calender or Ephemeris (as the Lord Bacon calls it) which the Wiſe man hath made of the diverſities of times and occaſions for all actions; I need give no further account of it here, than I have done in the Paraphraſe.
[c] V. 9. What profit] Nor is it hard to expound the inference he makes in this Verſe, from the foregoing induction: which I have expreſſed as fully as I could in the Paraphraſe; and more largely in the Argument of this Chapter. Gregory Nazianzen thinks, he only intends to reflect upon the great inconſtancy, as of all earthly things, ſo of humane actions (ſometimes, for inſtance, men are madly in love with a Woman, and in time they as much hate her; now they are eager to get, and at another time they profuſely ſpend, ſometimes they kill, and ſometimes are killed, ſometimes do nothing but talk, and at another time have not a word to ſay, &c.) and therefore all his labours are vain. But I have extended it further, with a reſpect to other things, which the forenamed induction ſuggeſts to us.
[d] V. 11. world in their heart] There is greater difficulty in this Verſe, if we connect it with the reſt of the Diſcourſe; as we ought to do. Which I have endeavoured to explain by taking the word Haolam, the World; for the preſent ſtate of things, in this Age wherein we live (which is a genuine ſenſe of it) whereof God hath given us ſome underſtanding; but not ſo perfect as to be able to give an account, of the reaſon and ſcope of every thing, that we ſee happen in this World; becauſe we are ignorant of what went before, and of what will follow after, when we had or ſhall have no Being here.
It is commonly underſtood of the works of Nature. And in this ſenſe the Lord Bacon (in the beginning of his Book of the Advancement of Learning) hath admirably expounded it; in this manner: In theſe words, He hath placed the world in mans heart, &c. Solomon declares not obſcurely, that God hath framed the mind of man, as a Mirrour, or Looking-glaſs, capable of the Image of the whole World; and as deſirous to receive it, as the eye is to entertain the light: and not only delighted in beholding the variety of things, and the viciſſitude of times; but ambitious to find out and diſcover the immoveable and inviolable Laws and Decrees of Nature. And though he intimate, that this whole Oeconomy of Nature (which he calls, The work, that God hath wrought, from the beginning to the end) cannot be found out by man; it doth not derogate from the capacity of his mind, but is to be imputed to the impediments of Learning, &c.
There is one Interpreter (Corranus) who by Olam, World, underſtands the Circular motion of things for the ſervice of man. But I can find no ſuch uſe of the word any where; elſe, the ſenſe would be elegant enough, which ariſes from thence; viz. that this revolution being remote from our knowledge, and a ſecret to us; who cannot tell, what day or hour it will be: we ought not to trouble our ſelves about this; but make uſe of the preſent, and refer the reſt to God.
Melancthon alſo hath an unuſual Interpretation; which is, that God made things ſo, that we ſhould ſweetly enjoy them (that he underſtands by placing the World in mans heart) but men make the uſe of them unpleaſant, by their wandring deſires, by their vain ſolicitude, by their diffidence; which makes them long after new things, and meddle with that which is unneceſſary. Like M. Anthony, who when he had gotten the moſt flouriſhing part of the Empire, could not be content; but, out of an unquiet Nature, deſired the whole, and ſo loſt all. This he makes the ſenſe of the latter end of the Verſe; which he thus tranſlates, Man cannot find out the Work of God, neither the beginning nor the end of it Therefore, as I ſaid juſt now, it is Wiſdom to ſatisfie our ſelves with what we have; for the preſent only is that, which is in our own power.
[e] V. 12, 13.] And ſo it follows in theſe two Verſes; the ſenſe of which Gregory Nazianzen (Orat. LIII.) hath thus briefly expreſſed, The greateſt Good of man, I perſwade my ſelf to be, foreign, cheerfulneſs of mind, and beneficence, or doing good to others: and this ſhort pleaſure alone the Divine indulgence beſtows upon us, if righteouſneſs conduct all our Affairs.
[f] V. 14, 15.] And with this we muſt reſt contented, for with all our toilſome thoughts, we cannot alter the courſe of things: which God, he here ſhows, hath immutably ſetled; on purpoſe that we ſhould be ſenſible of a power above our ſelves. Which it is our Wiſdom to ſtand in ſuch awe of, as not to contend with it, but ſubmit unto it: that ſo we may obtain all the favour from Him, which in ſuch a ſtate of things, as his Wiſdom hath appointed, can be indulged to us. And here, I think, Melancthon hath very pertinently obſerved, that Solomon doth not merely recite, the vain complaints and endeavours of Mankind, after the manner of Philoſophers and Poets: but lays down a Rule of life, as the beſt remedy that can be found, for our Diſeaſe. Which, is not to truſt to our ſelves, nor to indulge our own curioſity and appetites; but to be ſenſible of our own infirmities, to fear God, to obey his commands, to keep within the Bounds of our vocations, to beg and expect the help of God, and to acquieſce in his holy will and pleaſure.
[g] V. 16.] Unto theſe things it is better for us to apply our ſelves, than it is to endeavour to be great and mighty (which is another vain deſire of man, fanſying he can thereby keep off many evils) for few can be at the top of all; and ſo there muſt be ſtill greater than we, by whom we may be oppreſſed: And our vexation will be ſo much the greater, when with all our power we cannot hinder it. As for thoſe that are in the very higheſt places (if they have not that fear of God before-ſpoken of, v. 14.) their power doth but betray them, to do the more miſchief unto themſelves and others; and thereby encreaſe the miſery of Mankind. This ſeems to be the dependance between the foregoing Verſes and this. Wherein the Wiſe man paſſes to the conſideration of the Third thing (mentioned upon Chap. I 12.) unto which ſome aſpire, as the higheſt happineſs, viz. Greatneſs, Power, and Honour. Which if a man be bad, make him ſo much the worſe himſelf, and the World by his means: and if he be good, will trouble him very much, to find there are many abuſes, which by all his power he cannot remedy. For Solomon himſelf ſaw ſeveral groſs impieties committed (as he tells us in this Verſe) even by them who were appointed to be the Guardians of mens lives, liberties and enjoyments; which he, as great a King as he was, wanted ability wholly to redreſs: but ſtill they went on ſo confidently in their wicked courſe of perverting Judgment, that he was fain to leave them to be judged by the ſupreme Judge of all, God Almighty. And if it were ſo, in the Reign of a good and wiſe King; what could be hoped for, in the Reign of thoſe who were impious and injudicious; as moſt of the Kings of Iſrael and Judah were? For ſuch pervert all things, by their covetouſneſs, ambition or folly; ſo that their Subjects can have no Juſtice, nor enjoy any tranquility. And beſides, they permit (as he ſhows afterwards, Chap. V.) many corruptions to creep into the Divine Worſhip; and ridiculous rather than religious Ceremonies to be introduced, &c. whereupon always follows a great decay of all moral Vertue.
In ſhort; this is a great part of the Vanity and miſery, to which we are here ſubject; that, as Melancthon well notes, there are many things done unjuſtly, even under juſt Governours; becauſe they are not able to look unto all things themſelves, but muſt manage them by other men: many of which are negligent, others wicked, and ſwayed by depraved affections; and yet crafty enough to cover their own guilt. Here is the only comfort, That God notwithſtanding preſerves Government, and Political Order; ☜ and in his time will judge, even the Kings and Judges of the Earth.
[h] V. 17.] The laſt words of this Verſe, may, in my judgment, be thus moſt literally tranſlated out of the Hebrew: There is a time for (judging) every purpoſe, and every work there, viz. in thoſe corrupt Courts of Judgment: every thing that hath been tranſacted, in the Judicatures he had been ſpeaking of.
[i] V. 18.] Theſe words, which follow the former, are variouſly interpreted: but they have a perſpicuous ſenſe, if they be taken in coherence with the foregoing (as in reaſon they ought to be) without fanſying, as ſome have done, that they are ſpoken in the perſon of an Epicure. And ſo I have conſidered them; as intended to take down the vain opinion thoſe Great Men have of themſelves (which makes them tyrannize over their Inferiours) by repreſenting to them (or rather, deſiring God would effectually repreſent to their minds) how little they differ from Beaſts: ſave only in that, which they do not at all value, or regard, viz. their immortal ſpirits.
The word Lebaram, to manifeſt them, is commonly expounded of Gods manifeſting them unto others; but I have taken it for his ſhowing them to themſelves; agreeable to the word that follows, Lireoth, that they might ſee, &c. The whole may be thus tranſlated —that God would clear their minds, that they may ſee, &c. For it comes from a Root which ſignifies ſuch an accurate ſeparation of one thing from another; that the difference may be perſpicuouſly diſcerned.
[k] V. 21.] And thus it ſeems alſo moſt reaſonable to me, to expound this laſt Verſe, in connexion with all the reſt; and to underſtand the firſt word of it, Who; concerning thoſe perſons mentioned in the beginning of this Diſcourſe. Who among thoſe unrighteous Judges, &c.