Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſ. 1. KEep thy foote when thou goest to the houſe of God, &c.] Two ſeverall wayes we may conceive of Solomons inſerting that which here followes concerning the worſhip of God; for, 1. His aime might be by teaching men how to worſhip God in a right manner; to imply a higher and ſtranger vanity then any he had yet ſpoken of, namely, the vanity that may be in the manner of mens worſhipping God. So true it is, that all things under the Sunne are vanity, that if they look not the more narrowly to themſelves, even in their Religion and worſhipping of God, there may be much vanity found: And this Solomon doth here covertly intimate, by giving men this caveat, that they ſhould beware of this vanity; Or 2. His aime here may be to preſcribe the only true remedy for all the foregoing vanities; Having ſhown that all things under the Sunne are meere vanity and vexation of ſpirit, by declaring that neither knowledge, nor pleaſures, nor honours can make a man truly bleſſed, or yield a man compleat tranquility of mind, no not the royalty of Kings and Princes, which is the higheſt he could goe for worldly felicity, he makes here a digreſſion to ſhew, wherein notwithſtanding we may attaine happineſſe and tranquility of mind, not only hereafter, but alſo in this life, and that is by the true feare of God, one chiefe part whereof is Gods worſhip. Only we muſt then be carefull that we worſhip God in a right manner; leaſt otherwiſe our very worſhipping of God proves no better then vanity: To which end he gives us this Caveat, Keep thy foote when thou goeſt to the houſe of God, that is, either to the Temple, or the Synagogues, and by keeping the foote is meant, that becauſe men are apt to erre and offend in duties of Gods worſhip, therefore when they goe to the houſe of God, they ſhould watch carefully over themſelves, to obſerve in what manner they enter upon and performe holy duties, and to look to it that they doe no way offend therein; even as men that goe in dangerous wayes, are wont to look very warily to their ſteps that they doe not ſtumble and fall, ſo they that undertake to worſhip God in the holy aſſemblyes of his people, muſt be very carefull that they goe thither with due preparation of heart, that they behave themſelves there with all reverence, modeſty and ſobriety, that they refraine all worldly and ſinfull thoughts, and take care that their ſenſes and outward behaviour, their hearts, thoughts, intentions, and affections, be ordered in a right manner: yea and there may be alſo in this expreſſion an alluſion to that cuſtome of the Prieſts waſhing their feete when they went into the Tabernacle or Temple, Exod. 30.19, 20. Whereby was ſignified with what pure hearts and undefiled conſciences, purged from the pollution of ſinne by faith and repentance, men ſhould enter upon the holy duties of Gods worſhip; men of uncleane ſpirits being as unfit to enter into Gods houſe, as men with uncleane dirty feete are fit to goe into the neateſt roomes of a Princes Palace: And be more ready to heare, that is, to heare and learne and obey the word of God, then to offer the ſacrifice of fooles, that is, of wicked men, voyd of grace and true underſtanding; who are ſaid to offer the ſacrifices of fooles, becauſe there can be no greater folly, then to think ſo ſillily of God, as that he minds ſacrifices in themſelves, or is pleaſed at any time with the hypocriticall ſacrifices of thoſe whoſe hearts and lives are wicked; yet ſome underſtand this alſo of thoſe that are not carefull to learne from the word of God, how they ought to worſhip him, and then to keep cloſe thereto, but think to pleaſe God with their own inventions; for they conſider not that they doe evill, to wit, in giving God ſacrifices without obedience; ſo that indeed they doe they know not what, they never think how they diſpleaſe God with ſuch hypocriticall ſervices, yea think that they doe very much pleaſe God with their ſacrifices, whereas indeed he loaths and abhorres them.
Verſ. 2. Be not raſh with thy mouth, &c.] To wit, In praying to God in his houſe and Sanctuary (for having ſpoken in the foregoing verſe, of hearing and obeying Gods word, here he gives direction for another part of Gods worſhip, which is prayer) Let not thy tongue run before thy wit in praying, doe not ſpeake curſorily and unadviſedly, but prepare thy ſelfe before hand, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, that is, doe not only avoyd uttering any thing raſhly, which you never thought of before you ſpake it, but beware alſo of blurting out any thing in prayer ſo ſoone as ever it comes into your thoughts, but with ſerious and mature deliberation think well before…hand of what you meane to ſay to God, and ſo ſet your thoughts in order with trembling and feare; All which is enjoyned that men may not beg any thing of God thorough raſhneſſe and unadviſedneſſe, that is unlawfull, inconvenient or hurtfull, nothing but what is according to his will, and in ſuch a manner as he requires, with faith and fervency of ſpirit, with all humility, modeſty, ſobriety and reverence; For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, that is, there is an infinite diſtance and diſproportion between God and thee; God is the moſt high God, the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, Iſa. 57.15. whereas thou art a poor, earthly, vild wretch, a weak fraile creature, made of the duſt, and dwelling on the duſt. This I ſay is the chiefe thing that is intended in this expreſſion. But yet God being in heaven, may alſo imply, 1. that God is omniſcient, from above beholding all things that are done here below, Pſal. 11.4. and therefore ſee how all men behave themſelves in his preſence. 2 that he is Almighty, ruling and governing the whole world and the fulneſſe thereof, 2 Chron. 20.6. and therefore able to puniſh at his pleaſure all that behave not themſelves in his ſervice, as they ought to doe; and 3. that he is infinitly Holy, therefore one that will be ſerved in a pure and holy manner, Iſa. 57.15. In all which reſpects it is fit therefore that men ſhould avoyd all raſhneſſe and unadviſedneſſe in calling upon God, therefore let thy words be few; As if he had ſaid, That thou mayeſt the better avoyd all raſh uttering of any thing that may be offenſive to God in thy prayers, be carefull to avoyd all tedious prolixity, and all heartleſſe and unneceſſary repetitions in praying; Neither often nor long praying, nor yet frequent repetitions in prayer, ſo they come from a holy & fervent ſpirit, are here forbidden; for we are expreſſely commanded to pray without ceaſing, 1 Theſ. 5.17. And we find that our Saviour did ſometimes ſpend whole nights in prayer; and we find that the holy ſervants of God have ſometimes preſſed the ſame requeſt againe and againe in prayer, as we may ſee, Dan. 9.18, 19. Even our Saviour himſelfe did ſo, when he prayed before his paſſion, that if it were poſſible that cup might paſſe from him, three ſeverall times, ſaying the ſame words, as the Evangeliſt hath expreſſely noted, Matth. 26.44▪ See alſo, Joh 17.14, 16. That which is here forbidden therefore is only this, that men ſhould not lengthen out their prayers with a great deale of vaine babling, and with a clamorous and vaine ingeminating of the ſame thing, as thinking that God is pleaſed meerely with the length of our prayers, or is moved with the meere preſſing of our requeſts with many words, which is that our Saviour alſo ſaith, Matth. 6.7. When ye pray▪ uſe not vaine repetitions, as the heathen; for they think that they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking.
Verſ. 3. For a dreame cometh through the multitude of buſineſſe, and a fooles voice is known by multitude of words.] As if he had ſaid, As multitude of buſineſſe produceth uſually many vaine and fooliſh dreames, ſo multitude of words doth as uſually produce and diſcover much folly: ſee the Note, Pro. 10.19. whereby is implyed, that if men endeavour to lengthen out their prayers, as thinking therewith to pleaſe God, being the while ignorant and heartleſſe hypocrites, that pray without underſtanding and ſanctified affections, there will be much fooliſh and vaine babling in ſuch prayers.
Verſ. 4. When thou voweſt a vow unto God, deferre not to pay it, &c.] See the Notes, Deut. 23.21. & Numb. 30.2. For he hath no pleaſure in fooles, that is, he is highly offended with ſuch men, as thus neglect to make good their promiſes to God. And theſe he termeth fooles, becauſe it is egregious folly in men, to be of ſuch a vaine fickle ſpirit, as to be very forward in making vowes to God, and then afterwards to be altogether careleſſe of performing what they have vowed: 2. Becauſe ſuch men doe no leſſe then mock and deceive God, and it is therefore moſt groſſe folly by doing thus to hazard Gods diſpleaſure, who is able every moment to deſtroy them for it, eſpecially to think to pleaſe God with that which will ſo highly provoke him; and 3. Becauſe it is ſinfull and wicked; their raſhneſſe in vowing diſcovereth, that they never thought reverently enough of God; if they be ſlack in paying their vows, this ſheweth their dead-heartedneſs and cold affections; and if they pay them not at all, this is an evidence of their deep hypocriſie and contempt of God. Even the great men of the world will not endure thus to be mocked.
Verſ. 5. Better is it that thou ſhouldeſt not vow, then that thou ſhouldeſt vow, and not pay.] To wit, Becauſe men are before they have vowed free whether they will vow or no, and therefore not to vow will be no ſin, whereas to vow and not to pay, will be a great ſin. As for that which is ſaid, Pſal. 76.11. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God (which may ſeeme to imply that vowes are enjoyned) the meaning of that is no more then if he had ſaid, If you make any vowes to God, be ſure to pay them: even as that of the Apoſtle, Eph. 4.26. Be ye angry, and ſin not, may be underſtood thus, If ye be angry, be ſure that you ſin not in your anger.
Verſ. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſin, &c.] That is, Reſtrain thy mouth, which of it ſelfe is ſo apt to overflow, and ſuffer it not to bring the guilt of ſin upon thee, to wit, by raſh vowing, or by excuſing the breaking of the vowes, which thou hadſt raſhly made; for as in the foregoing verſes Solomon urged the carefull performance of vows made, ſo here he preſſeth the care of avoyding all raſhneſſe in vowing, whereby men doe often make unlawfull vowes, and often repent of what they have vowed, and then think by ſome ſhifts or other, to evade the obligation of the vow, and to excuſe themſelves: Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſin; As if he ſhould have ſaid, Suffer not ſo little a member of thy body to bring ſin (and ſo ruine) upon thy whole man, both body and ſoule: for fleſh is here taken for the whole man by a Synecdoche; as in that, Rom. 3.20. By the deeds of the Law there ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight. And this expreſſion may ſeeme to be uſed, to intimate, either 1. that men ſhould not be over-haſty to vow, becauſe men thorough the weakneſſe of their nature are over-apt to breake their vowes, though the ſpirit be ready yet the fleſh is weake, and ſo their vowes prove no better then ſnares to them; or elſe that when they have broken their vowes, they muſt not think to excuſe their ſin herein by alledging the ſtrength and prevalency of their fleſhly corruptions: or 3. that raſh vowes are uſually made, not upon ſerious and ſpirituall grounds, but for carnall and fleſhly reaſons, not that men may advance the glory of God, or that they promote their own ſpirituall good, but that they may gratifie themſelves in ſome carnall intereſt, and carry on ſome ſinfull deſigne. As for the following words, Neither ſay thou before the Angel, that it was an error, that may be underſtood ſeverall wayes; for 1. By the Angel, may be meant the holy Angels (the ſingular number being put for the plural) that are appointed to attend Gods people, and ſo obſerve all our behaviour in Gods worſhip. And then we may conceive thus of this clauſe, that as in 1 Cor. 11.10. women are enjoyned to have their heads covered in the publick Aſſemblyes, leaſt they ſhould otherwiſe give offence to the Angels, ſo here all are enjoyned to take heed of thinking to excuſe the breaking of the vowes they have made, by pretending that they erred in making thoſe vowes, leaſt the holy Angels ſhould be grieved at this their folly. Or 2. by the Angel, may be meant the Lord Chriſt, the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. See the Note, Exod. 23.20. and then the meaning is this, Say not before Chriſt, who is preſent in all the Aſſemblyes of his people, and who underſtands fully what thy intention in vowing was, that it was an error, that is, think not to excuſe the not performing of thy vow, by ſaying, I made this vow unadviſedly, or ignorantly, it was a miſtake, I did not think it would have been ſo hard a matter to have kept it. Or 3. by the Angel may be meant the Prieſt, who is called the Angel, or the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts, Mal. 3.7. towards the people; And then we muſt underſtand it thus; Becauſe the Prieſts were to require of the people the performance of their vowes, and becauſe when men had ſworn raſhly and unadviſedly, they were by the law of God to carry a peace offering to the Prieſt, which for their atonement was to be offered to the Lord, (for which ſee the Notes, Lev. 5.4, 5.) therefore men are here enjoyned that when they have made a vow, and then afterwards begin to repent and to grudge at what they have vowed, they ſhould not then think to ſalve up the matter by going to the Prieſt, and confeſſing that it was an error that they had ſo vowed, and ſo ſave ſomewhat by giving a peace-offering inſtead of ſome greater matter they had vowed, expecting thereby to be abſolved from their vow; and that becauſe it would be moſt egregious folly and wickedneſſe thus to think to delude God, and to abuſe his Meſſenger and Miniſter. See the Note alſo, Pro. 20.25. Wherefore ſhould God be angry at thy voice; that is, at theſe thy vaine excuſes, and deſtroy the work of thine hands? that is, all that thou haſt gotten with the labour of thy hands; and ſo by withholding a little thou ſhouldeſt bring ruine upon thy whole eſtate: Or it may be meant of Gods croſſing and diſappointing him in all his enterprizes and affaires; or particularly in thoſe his endeavours, for the proſpering whereof he had made thoſe inconſiderate vowes.
Verſ. 7. For in the multitude of dreames and many words, there are alſo divers vanities, &c.] See the Note before, verſ. 3. For as there we are adviſed to avoyd raſhneſſe and forwardneſs in ſpeaking, leſt that produce in prayer much vaine babling; ſo here alſo, that thereby we may avoyd raſhneſſe in vowing: and that becauſe in raſh vowes there is uſually much vanity, as that mens vowes are many times ſinfull, fooliſh and unprofitable, and that they often repent of what they have vowed, and keep not faith with God; and ſo by that meanes, the Lord is offended, men are ſcandalized, and ſome calamity befalls thoſe that have thus vowed. As for the laſt clauſe, But feare thou God, (which ſome alſo conceive is ſpoken with reference to the Angel mentioned before, ver. 6. to wit, the Lord Chriſt,) this is preſcribed as the meanes whereby men may be brought rightly to performe all religious worſhip, and ſo particularly that of making vows; for they that truly feare God, will neither vow raſhly, nor be careleſſe of performing what they have ſo ſolemnly promiſed to the Lord.
Verſ. 8. If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poore, &c.] Two wayes I find given by Expoſitors for the connexion of theſe words with that which went before; and they are both very probable: The firſt is this, that having in the foregoing part of the Chapter preſſed men to feare God, and to worſhip God in a right manner, as the only remedy of that vanity, to which men are ſubject here in this world, and the only way wherein true happineſſe is to be found, becauſe againſt this it might be objected, that a mans tranquility may ſeeme hereby to be little mended, in regard the poore, eſpecially thoſe that are religious, are ſo uſually wronged and oppreſſed by thoſe that are too mighty for them; and if they fly to the Magiſtrates and Courts of Juſtice for remedy, there they ſhall find Juſtice perverted, and their oppreſſions rather encreaſed then eaſed, this objection is here anſwered, by ſhewing that God doth take notice of this, and therefore will undoubtedly right them in his own due time. The ſecond is this, that having hitherto in this Chapter taught men to prevent the vanities that are frequently found in mens performing the duties of Gods worſhip, ſo here now he teacheth them to avoyd the vanity of being diſcontented and diſcouraged with the oppreſſions and injuſtice that are found in the world. If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion if the poore, and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a Province, marvell not at the matter; that is, be not amazed or aſtoniſhed, as if it were a ſtrange thing that this ſhould be, or that God ſhould ſuffer or order it to be ſo; marvell not at it, ſo as to think hardly of God, to be diſcontented and diſcouraged, to diſtruſt his providence, or to grow weary of his ſervice; For he that is higher then the highest, regardeth, that is, God, who is higher then all the Potentates of the world, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Higher then the Kings of the earth, Pſal. 89.27. doth from heaven, his high and holy place, take ſpeciall notice of all ſuch things, and will in due time right the poore againſt their oppreſſors; And there be higher then they, to wit, the holy Angels, whom God ſets as his ſubordinate Miniſters over Kings and Kingdomes, to defend the righteous, and to execute his judgements upon tyrants and oppreſſors.
Verſ. 9. Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all, &c] That is, That which ariſeth out of the earth by the labours of the husbandman in the tillage and planting of his grounds, and the breeding of cattell, is for the ſupply of all ſorts of men, and all things that are neceſſary for the ſubſiſtence of men. Many nations have been without money, but the fruits of the earth they could never be without; The King himſelfe is ſerved by the field, that is, he and his are ſupported and maintainted by ſuch proviſions as ariſe from the labours of the husbandman: For the right underſtanding of Solomons aime in theſe words, we muſt know, 1. that he doth here returne to his former diſcourſe concerning the vanity of all things under the Sunne. Having in the foregoing part of the Chapter inſerted a paſſage concerning the fear and worſhip of God, as that which can only render men happy, and remedy the vanities whereto the life of man is incident; after this Digreſſion he returnes againe to what he was before ſpeaking of, and falls upon diſcovering the vanity of all kind of riches, wherein very many doe look for happineſſe: Only firſt by way of tranſition, he ſheweth here the excellency of husbandry above all other wayes of gain whatſoever, by ſhewing the benefit that redounds to men by the fruits of the earth, above all pecuniary poſſeſſions whatſoever: and then afterwards he diſcovereth the vanity of both: and 2. that withall there may be in theſe words ſome reſpect alſo to that which was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, concerning the oppreſſion and injuſtice of thoſe that are in high places; this which is ſaid here in the commendation … husbandry, tending to ſhew, that the greateſt that are, ſtand in need of the meaneſt amongſt the people; as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 12.21. The head cannot ſay to the feet, I have no need of you, ſo that when great ones oppreſſe the poore, by whom the earth is tilled, they doe they know not what, becauſe both King and Nobles too muſt needs want bread, and other neceſſaries, if husbandry be deſtroyed.
Verſ. 10. He that loveth ſilver ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver, &c.] Divers learned Expoſitors hold, that the drift of theſe words is to prove the excellency of the fruits of the earth above money, in that theſe yield a real benefit to thoſe that take paines for them, whereas ſilver and gold can never fill a mans belly nor cloath his back, &c. And accordingly they underſtand alſo the following clauſe, nor he that loveth abundance with increaſe, that he that loveth abundance of money, can never be ſatisfied with the increaſe thereof; he may ſtarve for hunger and dye for cold in the midſt of all his heaps of gold and ſilver: But I rather underſtand this of the inſatiableneſſe of covetous mens deſires; He that loveth ſilver, ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver; that is, he will never think he hath enough of it, (that ſheweth the vanity of that kind of wealth) nor he that loveth aboundance, with increaſe; that is, he that loveth abundance of all other things wherein conſiſts the wealth of rich men, will never be ſatisfied, though his eſtate be never ſo exceedingly encreaſed: which may alſo be intended more peculiarly to imply the vanity of mens ſeeking to increaſe their eſtate by the oppreſſion of others.
Verſ. 11. When goods increaſe, they are increaſed that eate them, &c.] To wit, becauſe the greater eſtates men have in their hands, the more ſervants, and the greater families they muſt needs have, the greater reſort there will be to their houſes of friends and others that will hang upon them; and indeed no man had greater experience of this then Solomon had, concerning whoſe numerous family and huge expences, ſee 1 King. 4.22, 23, 26, 27, 28. And what good is there to the owners thereof, ſaving the beholding of them with their eyes? Which may be underſtood two ſeverall wayes; either firſt that the owners thereof have no other benefit by their eſtates, but the ſeeing of them ſpent by others; himſelfe enjoyeth the leaſt part of them, only he ſeeth others conſume them; which as it may be ſome comfort to him, if he be of a free and generous ſpirit, it being a more bleſſed thing to give then to receive, Act. 20.35. ſo on the other ſide, if he be of a baſe and ſordid ſpirit, it muſt needs be a vexation to him, to ſee his goods ſo waſted and conſumed; Or ſecondly, that they enjoy no other good by their abundance, but only the beholding of them, to wit, as their own, that they can look upon their houſes, and lands, and goods, and ſay in their hearts, All this is mine; for otherwiſe a ſervant or ſtranger may pleaſe himſelfe with looking on his houſes and gardens, and all other his poſſeſſions as well as he.
Verſ. 12. The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet, whether he eate little or much, &c.] To wit, Becauſe if he eate little, yet being wearied with hard labour, that will make him ſleep ſoundly, and if he eate much, by reaſon of his healthfulneſſe and labour his ſtomack will digeſt it, and ſo his ſleep will not be broken with crude and hurtfull humours, fuming up from his ſtomack into his braine. And beſides, his labour doth ſo take up his thoughts, th…by this meanes his mind is much freed from thoſe earking thoughts and coveting deſires, which render other mens ſleep leſſe ſweet unto them, as it followes in the next words, But the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep; to wit, the abundance of his wealth, which, through much buſineſſe, anxious cares and feares, and gripes of conſcience, when they have been gotten unjuſtly, doth break his ſleep; or, as may ſeeme by the former clauſe, to which this is oppoſed, the abundance that he eats, wherewith overcharging his ſtomack, he is much diſtempered thereby, and either cannot ſleep at all, or at leaſt ſleepes very unquietly.
Verſ. 13. There is a ſore evil, which I have ſeen under the Sun, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Amongſt the many evils and miſeries incident to men in regard of their riches, this is above others an evil diſeaſe, or a ſore evil, a very grievous and bitter evil, namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt, to wit, either becauſe they prove an occaſion of much ſin to them, making them proud, idle, luxurious, &c. or, becauſe they are much vexed and afflicted with cares and fears concerning their riches; or becauſe they expoſe them to envie and violence and rapine, inſomuch that many times they loſe their lives by …eaſon of their riches, to wit, by thieves and robbers, by tyrants, and ſometime by the treacherous violence of their own children and ſervants. Now when a man ſhall hoard up and with much care keep his riches, as expecting much happineſſe thereby, and to live joyfully without any fear of want for himſelf, or for his children, and quite contrary to his expectation they ſhall prove the occaſion of his ruine, this muſt needs be eſteemed a ſore evil.
Verſ. 14. But thoſe riches periſh by evil travel, &c.] As if he had ſaid, But beſides this forementioned evil, that riches are uſually kept to the owners hurt, there is another vanity whereto riches are ſubject, and that is, that many times too they cannot be kept, but they periſh by evil travel; the meaning whereof is, either that they periſh and come to nothing, though a man doth extreamly afflict himſelf with ſore travel and toil both to encreaſe and advance his eſtate and to preſerve what he hath gotten; or elſe that they periſh by his own folly and improvident courſes, or by his ſucceſſeleſs travels, and the loſſes that befall him in his trading and dealing in the world, when nothing that he undertakes thrives in his hands, or by the fraud and violence of others: And he begetteth a ſon, and there is nothing in his hand, that is, the father when he dieth hath nothing to leave his ſon, (and this muſt needs be very grievous to him, fathers being uſually more ſollicitous for their children then for themſelves) or, the ſon hath nothing to live upon, when his father is dead, which indeed is moſt grievous to the ſons of rich men, becauſe they are ſeldom brought up to labour, or to any way or trade of living, whereby they may know how to ſuſtain themſelves.
Verſ. 15. As he came forth of his mothers womb, naked ſhall be return to go as he came, &c.] This is added as another vanity in riches, to wit, that though men do not loſe their wealth whilſt they live, yet to be ſure they muſt part withall they have when they die: they ſhall carry nothing with them of that which they have gotten by their hard labour.
Verſ. 16. And this alſo is a ſore evil, that in all points as he came, ſo ſhall he go; &c] As if he had ſaid, Though thoſe before mentioned verſ. 13, 14 be the greater evils, to wit, when a mans riches are kept for his hurt, or when he lives to ſee them all loſt and gone, yet it is a ſore evil alſo, (to wit to a covetous man, that loveth and truſteth in his riches) that when he dieth he muſt part with all he hath, that his riches will not keep him from death, nor can be any advantage to him in death: And what profit hath he, that hath laboured for the wind? that is, for that which is nothing, or that which ſoon comes to nothing; As he that catcheth at the wind, he graſps the air that will be found to be nothing, ſo he that laboureth for riches, wearieth himſelf for that which hath no ſubſtance of true felicity in it; And as it is not poſſible for a man to keep or hold the wind, ſo neither can a man keep his riches, when he hath gotten them: Or he that heapeth up riches may be ſaid to have laboured for the wind, becauſe he hath laboured for thoſe things, that will be gone in an inſtant, as if they were blown away with the wind. See the Notes Prov. 11.29. and Job. 15.2.
Verſ. 17. All his dayes alſo he eateth in darkneſs. &c.] That is, even whilſt he lives he doth not enjoy himſelf or his eſtate with any comfort, but lives ſordidly and miſerably in the midſt of his abundance, baſely and wretchedly, like one that is a true priſoner and ſlave to his riches: inſomuch that whereas at meat men love however to be chearful, it is not ſo with him, but even then he eateth in darkneſs, that is, in ſecret, alone by himſelf, as being aſhamed that any body ſhould ſee how mean and miſerable his proviſion is, and loath that any body ſhould have any ſhare with him; and ſo lives like a poor man, that he may die a rich man; Or, he eateth with continuall ſolicitous care, vexation and fretting; grudging at the very meat which himſelf is forced to eat, though it be as courſe and little as may be, and many ways diſquieting himſelf about his eſtate; And he hath much ſorrow and wrath with his ſickneſs, where if by his ſickneſs we underſtand, as ſome do, onelyonly his coveteouſneſs, then the meaning is onelyonly this, that this ſpiritual diſtemper doth bring upon him a great deal of ſorrow and anguiſh of ſpirit, a great deal of wrath and anger, fretting and diſcontent, as namely at his loſſes and croſſes, his expenſes and miſcariage of buſineſſes; But if by his ſickneſs be meant bodily ſickneſs, then we muſt thus underſtand this clauſe, either that his coveteouſneſs doth not onelyonly work in him much grief and anger and vexation, but alſo by this means much weakneſs and ſickneſs; or elſe, that when he comes to be ſick, he is grieved, and angered and diſquieted with himſelf, becauſe he cannot toil to encreaſe his wealth, as he uſed to do; or rather, becauſe he ſeeth he muſt die, and part with his wealth which he ſo dearly loveth, and it even vexeth him to ſee his children and friends ſtand gaping for what he muſt leave behind him, and it may be to think how he hath puniſhed himſelf to encreaſe that, which now will be laviſhed away by others.
Verſ. 18. It is good and comely for one to eat, &c.] For this and the next verſe, See the Notes, Chap. 2.24. and 3.12, 13, 22.
Verſ. 20. For he ſhall not much remember the dayes of his life, &c.] This may be read, according as it is in the Margin of our Bibles, Though he giveth not much, yet he remembreth the dayes of his life, becauſe God anſwereth him in the joy of his heart; and the meaning then is, that though God giveth the man before mentioned in the foregoing verſe, that makes uſe of what he …th, but a ſmall portion of theſe outward things yet he remembreth that he hath but a few dayes to live, and ſo a little will ſerve his turn, and that, as he finds by experience, God can give gladneſs with a little food, as well as with a great deal, Act. 14.17. and ſo he chearfully take; his part of that little he hath; Or, he remembreth that all his dayes God giveth him comfort and joy in that little he hath, which ſweetneth his ſmall pittance to him, Pſal. 37.15. and Prov. 17.1. and ſo he with a glad and contented mind makes uſe of that which God hath given him. But if we read it, as it is in our Tranſlation, then we muſt underſtand it thus, for he ſhall not much remember the dayes of his life; that is, He that doth in this manner chearfully enjoy the eſtate that God hath conferred upon him, he ſhall not be overmuch troubled; firſt with remembring the labours, and ſorrows, and afflictions of his life, either what he hath gone through in the time paſt, or what he doth for the preſent endure, or what may befall him hereafter; it cannot be but he muſt needs be in ſome degree ſenſible of theſe things, but he ſhall not be much perplexed nor diſquieted with theſe things, not ſo far as to make the dayes of his life ſeem tedious and irkſome, and weariſom to him; Or ſecondly, with remembring the ſhortneſs of his dayes, and conſequently with the fear of his approaching end; becauſe God anſwereth him in the joy of his heart; that is, becauſe God fully ſatisfieth his deſires in the joy and chearfulneſs that he affords him, in making uſe of what he hath to his own and others good, and to Gods glory; or, becauſe God anſwereth all his labours with contentment and joy proportionable thereunto, and which are a full compenſation of all the pains he hath taken, and ſorrows he hath gone through; So that the meaning of this paſſage is briefely this, that the man to whom God gives power to make uſe of his eſtate, as occaſion requires, is ſo intent upon the delight he takes in his preſent enjoyments, that this expels all ſuch ſowre thoughts, as are before mentioned, out of his mind; His joy and hearty contentment in his preſent eſtate makes him forget the trouble of his travels paſt or preſent, and freeth him from all vexations, cares and fears about what is to come.