Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Verſ. 1. REmember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, &c.] Having in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter diſwaded young men from youthful luſts, here he exhorts them to a conſtant fixing of their minds upon God, as a powerful means not onelyonly to reſtrain them from evil but alſo to quicken them in the doing of that, which God requires of them; and the argument that he uſeth to preſſe them hereto is covertly couched in thoſe words, thy Creator; for 1. Becauſe God made us, and we received our being from him, and ſo are wholly his; and 2. Becauſe he hath given us ſuch an excellent being, making us after his own image, enduing us with reaſon and underſtanding, that ſo we might know him and have a ſpecial intereſt in him; 3. Becauſe he made all the creatures for our ſake, and ſo all that we enjoy in the creatures we have from him, 4. Becauſe by the ſame power whereby we were created, we are continually preſerved, and 5. Becauſe conſequently he is able every moment to deſtroy us; therefore it is moſt equal that we ſhould love, and fear and obey him, and conſecrate our whole lives to his ſervice, eſpecially out youth, which is the firſt fruits of our years, the flowre and beauty of our time, wherein we are able to do him the beſt ſervice, all the faculties both of ſoul and body being then in their prime; And the rather alſo ſhould men be mindful of doing this, becauſe in youth, men are moſt apt to forget God, & as they then begin to frame their lives, ſo they are like to continue, in regard that being once accuſtomed to ſin, they will hardly afterwards be brought to leave it, while the evil days come not, to wit, the dayes of old age, wherein men are ſubject to many and manifold miſeries and ſorrowes, nor the years draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſay, I have no pleaſure in them, that is, wherein men grow weary of their lives, and are ever full of complaints. The drift of all that is here ſaid is to ſhew, that it is not fit that young men ſhould put off the care of their eternal good till they come to be old, becauſe old age being ſo full of infirmities and miſeries, they will not then be able to do the good they have neglected in their youth, nor will ſcarce find freedom of ſpirit enough ſeriouſly and ſincerely to mind the great work of repentance, and of making their peace with God; Nor is it fitting to over-burthen that age with the bitter ſorrow of repenting for the ſins of youth, which is already unable to bear the heavy load of ſo many weakneſſes and ſorrowes as it lies under; but rather that men ſhould by the early piety of their youth, ſtore up thoſe graces and comforts that may allay the bitterneſſe of their old age.
Verſ. 2. While the Sun or the light, or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened; &c.] Some Expoſitors conceive that by the light here is meant any artificial light, as the light of a torch or candle; But doubtleſſe it is the light of the Sun that is here intended; and this I conceive is particularly mentioned, either the more fully to expreſſe how the Sun is darkned to old men, to wit, becauſe they cannot diſcern the light thereof; or elſe becauſe the light of the Sun is to be ſeen, when the body of the Sun cannot be ſeen, as in the twilight both of morning and evening, and when the Sun is covered over with clouds. And many Expoſitors do underſtand this of the blindneſſe or dim-ſightedneſſe of old men, to wit, that when old age comes that doth ſo darken mens eyes, that they can ſcarcely diſcern the light either of the Sun, Moon or Stars, it is dark with them even at noon day. And ſo alſo accordingly they underſtand the following clauſe, nor the clouds return after rain, that is, even when the heavens are clear (as they uſe to be after rain,) yet they are ſtill cloudy to old men by reaſon of the darkneſs of their eyes, even the cleareſt aire to aged men being duskiſh and miſty; young men may have ſome diſtemper in their eyes and and yet recover their ſight again, but old mens eyes are clouded without hope of ever ſeeing clearly again. But becauſe the dimneſſe of the eyes is mentioned in the following verſe, therefore I rather think that by the darkning of the Sun and the light of the Moon and the Stars is meant, either 1. The weakening of the vigour of the ſuperior and rational faculties of the ſoul, the underſtanding, judgement, memory and fancy, which do in old age become more dark and dull, then they were in mens youth; or elſe 2. The darkneſſe of many and manifold miſeries and ſorrowes that do conſtantly attend old age, to wit, that the proſperity and joy of their former days is then turned into affliction and ſorrow, all their former comforts, both greater and leſſe, do then fail them, they take no delight in thoſe things wherein others do chear and refreſh themſelves, but both by day and by night, they are in continual anguiſh and ſorrow; which may ſeem the more probable, becauſe uſually in the Scripture proſperity and joy are compared to the Sun and to the light; ſee the Notes, Judg. 5.31. & 2 Sam. 23.4. and on the other ſide grievous afflictions, ſuch as do ſwallow up all former joy and proſperity, are compared to the darkening of the Sun, Moon and Stars, as in Joel 2.10. The earth ſhall quake before them, the heavens ſhall tremble, the Sun and Moon ſhall be dark, and the Stars ſhall withdraw their ſhining, and ſo alſo, Iſa. 13, 9, 10, 11. and in many other places. And accordingly alſo we may underſtand the following clauſe, nor the clouds return after rain, either 1. Of the vapours that do continually in old men aſcend from the ſtomack to the head and brain, and the defluxions of rhewme and flegme by the eyes, noſtrils and mouth, which are as the ſhowres of rain that fall from the head, to wit, that as in winter, though it rain very much, yet the skie is ſtill overcaſt with clouds, the very rain that falls returning back vapours into the air, that do again fill the skie with freſh clouds, ſo in old men though there be a continual voyding of flegme and rhewme, yet the defluxions that fall upon the breaſt and ſtomack do ſtill ſend back to the brain matter enough to breed more; in young men after colds taken, rhewmes may be dryed up, and ſo the brain may become dryer and clearer again; but in old men they continue alwayes, and are never dryed up; Or 2. As a Proverbial ſpeech ſetting forth the continual ſucceſſion of ſeveral diſeaſes, pains, and miſeries that come thick and threefold upon old men, without any intermiſſion of trouble, even as in winter no ſooner doth it leave raining, but preſently the clouds gather again, whereas in ſummer after ſome ſhowres of rain are fallen, the heavens are uſually cleer and bright again.
V. 3. In the day when the keepers of the houſe ſhall tremble, &c,] That is, The hands and armes ſhall ſhake with palſies; for theſe they are that are here called the keepers of the houſe, becauſe therewith men keep off all hurt from the body and provide meat and clothing and all things neceſſary for the upholding and preſervation of it. I know that by the keepers of the houſe, ſome underſtand the ribs, wherewith the vital parts within the body are fenced and ſecured from danger; and others the outward ſenſes, or the head, where the ſenſes are, as watchmen in a tower, and which do watch over the body for its ſafety, and give timely notice of any danger approaching; and others the inward faculties of memory, wiſdom and underſtanding, which do indeed contribute much to the ſafe guarding of the body; and all theſe in old men may be ſaid to tremble, becauſe by old age they are much weakened and ſhaken. But the firſt Expoſition is moſt proper; and the ſtrong men ſhall bowe themſelves, that is, the legs and thighes, which are as the two ſtrong pillars that bear the whole weight of the houſe of the body, according to that, Cant. 5.15. His legs are as pillars of marble, ſhall then fail them through feebleneſſe; and ſhall ſtagger, crinkle and buckle under them; whence it is, that old men uſe to go with ſtaves, that therewith they may help to uphold themſelves. This alſo ſome underſtand of the back, which is indeed the ſtrongeſt part of the body for the bearing of burdens, and doth uſually bow in old age; But becauſe Solomon ſpeakes of the ſtrong men in the plural number, and the legs do indeed bear up both the back and its burdens, I queſtion not but it is meant of the legs and thighes, wherein very much of the ſtrength of men doth lie; according to that of the Pſalmiſt, He delighteth not in the ſtrength of an horſe, he taketh not pleaſure in the legs of a man, Pſal. 147.10. and the grinders, that is, the teeth, or more particularly thoſe teeth which we more eſpecially call the grinders, dentes mol…res, the great jaw-teeth, ſhall ceaſe to chew their meat, becauſe they are few, becauſe they rot and fall out, and when the teeth in one jaw are gone, thoſe in the other jaw that were right againſt them are of no uſe; Or, if we read this clauſe as it is in the margin of our Bibles, and the grinders fail, becauſe they grind little, then the meaning is, that the teeth are not imployed as formerly they have been, both becauſe being worn out, and becoming weak and looſe, they are of little or no uſe, as likewiſe becauſe in old age men have but little appetite to their meat: and thoſe that look out of the windowes be darkned, that is, the eyes that look out through the eye-lids wax dim. Some by the windowes through which the eyes look out underſtand the ſpectacles, which aged men becauſe of the weakneſſe of their eyes are wont to uſe; and others that chriſtalline humour that is in the eyes; But the moſt underſtand thereby the eye-lids, or the holes of the ſcull through which the eyes look forth, of which the Prophet makes mention, Zach. 14.12. and their eyes ſhall conſume away in their holes.
Verſ. 4. And the doors ſhall be ſhut in the ſtreets, &c.] Very many Expoſitors underſtand this firſt clauſe litterally, … wit, that in old age men are wont to ſhut up themſelves within doors becauſe of their many infirmities, not ſtirring forth into the ſtreets or into any place of publick meeting, where the younger ſort delight to be; yea and ſome conceive that in the following clauſe, when the ſound of the grinding is low, there is a reaſon given why old men ſtir ſo little abroad, but keep themſelves ſtill within doors, namely, becauſe eating ſo little through weakneſſe of appetite and digeſtion, their ſtrength is ſo far impaired thereby, that they are not able to go forth to follow their buſineſſe as in former times, nor are fit to eat at other mens tables, but onelyonly at home where ſuch meat may be provided for them, as they are able to maſter. But becauſe all the other expreſſions in this deſcription of old age are underſtood allegorically, as alluſions to ſome decayes in the houſe of the body, it cannot be with any probability thought, but that this muſt be underſtood ſo likewiſe. And therefore indeed the moſt underſtand this alſo figuratively; though in applying the particulars they are very various; for ſome by the doors ſhut in the ſtreets, underſtand all the outward ſenſes and the organs thereof, by which the good that is in all outward objects is conveyed unto the ſoul; which in old age are obſtructed and decayed: others more particularly the eye-lids, which in old men will through weakneſs be ſhriveld and hang down over the eyes; and others the ears, which in old age are ſtopped and grow deaf; and this they judge the more probable, becauſe in the following words, when the ſound of the grinding is low, they conceive there is alſo an alluſion to two bones in the inſide of the ear, that are the cauſe of hearing, whereof the one ſtands ſtill, and the other moves like the two ſtones of a mill. But moſt ordinarily this clauſe is underſtood of the difficulty of old mens ſpeaking or ſwallowing their meat; And accordingly by the ſtreets, they conceive are meant thoſe paſſages, whereby the air is conveyed to the lungs, and returned back again by men in their breathing, and whereby the meat is conveyed to the ſtomack, the throat, and the wind-pipe, and ſo alſo by the doors in the ſtreets, the mouth or the jaw-bones without, or the two lips, which David indeed cals the door of his mouth, Pſal. 141.3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, by which both meat and air enters that is conveyed inward; as likewiſe within, that epigloſſis in the larinx, which doth open and ſhut ſeaſonably to cover the wind pipe; and theſe are ſaid to be ſhut in old men, either becauſe through weakneſſe they eat ſo little, being ſcarce able to open their jawes to receive their food, and much leſſe to chew any harder meat being alſo forced to keep their lips cloſe, leſt for want of teeth, as they roll it to and fro, it ſhould ſlip out of their mouthes; or becauſe old men, by reaſon of the decay of the lungs, the ſhortneſs of their breath, and the ſtopping and weakening of the inſtruments of ſpeech are not able to ſpeak ſo loud, ſo clearly, readily and plainly, as when they were young. And this laſt Expoſition many Expoſitors do the rather follow, becauſe the teeth do contribute ſo much both to the ſpeech and the ſwallowing of the meat, of whoſe grinding Solomon ſeems clearly to ſpeak in the following clauſe, when the ſound of the grinding is low, to wit, becauſe the teeth ſtand thin and looſe in old men, and for the moſt part they chew their meat with their gums, and ſo the grinding can hardly be heard, and he ſhall riſe up at the voice of the bird, that is, the old man, being weary of his bed through infirmities and aches, ſhal riſe with the Lark, being up aſſoon as the earlieſt of birds are ſinging: or, he ſhall ſcarce ever ſleep ſo ſoundly, but that the crowing of a cock, the chirping of a ſparrow, the chattering of a ſwallow, or the ſinging of any ſmall bird early in the morning will preſently waken him, and ſo he ſhall riſe out of his bed, or at leaſt riſe up in his bed ſome way to eaſe himſelf, and all the daughters of muſick ſhall be brought low; and the meaning is, either 1. That old men are not affected with muſick, as not being able to diſcern and to judge of the diſtinction & harmony of ſounds, as old Barzillai ſaid of himſelf, 2 Sam. 19.35. can I hear any more the voice of ſinging men and ſinging women? (and if we underſtand this clauſe ſo, then by the daughters of muſick are meant, either the ears that delight in muſick naturally as children delight in their parents, which are ſaid to be brought low, becauſe they grow deaf, or at leaſt loſe much of their exquiſite ſenſe in judging of muſick: or elſe all kind of muſick whether of voices or inſtruments, which may be ſaid to be brought low, or abaſed, becauſe old men regard them not;) Or 2. That old men are not able to ſing, as formerly they have done. And then by all the daughters of muſick are meant all the natural organs and inſtruments of ſinging, as the lips, the teeth, the wind pipe, the lungs, &c. which are ſaid to be brought low, becauſe they fail old men, ſome being weak and ſome wanting, as in an old untunable inſtrument.
Verſ. 5. Alſo when they ſhall be afraid of that which is high, &c.] That is, ſay ſome, they ſhall go ſtooping downward, as if they were afraid, leſt ſomething on high ſhould hit them. But rather the meaning is, that in old age men are afraid, either, firſt, to goe up any high ſteep hills, ſtairs, or ladders, becauſe of the faintneſſe and unweild…neſſe of their bodies, the ſtiffneſſe of their joynts, and the ſhortneſſe of their breath; or, ſecondly, to go or ſtand upon the top of any high places, when young men are venturous and bold, yea or ſo much as to look upward towards ſuch high places, becauſe of the giddineſſe of their heads; yea, and thirdly, they are wont to be afraid of every knobby hillock, or ſtone, or clod that lyes in their way, leſt they ſhould ſtumble at it. Which is farther amplified in the following clauſe, and feares ſhall be in the way; that is, they ſhall go ſlowly, and tremblingly, as if they were afraid; or rather, where ever they goe they ſhall goe in feare; Being through age feeble and unwieldy, and unable to help themſelves, they are afraid of ſtumbling, ſlipping and falling, or they are afraid leſt any dog or other creature ſhould run againſt them and caſt them down, or leſt they ſhould be juſtled down or hurt by people that go up and down haſtily and careleſſely; be their way never ſo ſmooth and plain, they will be ſtill fearfull of ſome evill or other that may befall them: And the Almond tree ſhall flouriſh; that is, their heads ſhall ſuddenly be as white with gray haires, as the almond-tree is, when it bloſſomes: for to the almond-tree, Solomon compares the hoary head of the old man, rather then to any other tree, either becauſe it uſeth to be full of bloſſomes, and the bloſſomes thereof are very white, or becauſe it floureth and flouriſheth betimes, as ſome ſay in January, before other trees, (whence it was that by the appearance of the rod of an almond-tree, Jer. 1.11. the ſuddenneſſe of the Judgement, that was coming upon Gods people, was fore-ſhown to the Prophet, and ſo as the bloſſoming of the Almond-tree was a ſure ſigne of the ſprings faſt approach, ſo the gray haires of the old man, thoſe Church-yard flowers, as ſome have called them, are fore-runners of death: And the graſhopper ſhall be a burden; that is, the lighteſt thing that is, ſhall be ſuch a burthen to them, that they ſhall be impatient of bearing it; Or it may be underſtood as an allegoricall expreſſion, ſignifying that in old age, their legs and other limbs ſhall become leane, and dry, and withered, like thoſe of the graſhopper, and ſo become a burden to them: And deſire ſhall faile; that is, the deſire of meat, and drink, and marriage, yea the deſire of all thoſe pleaſures, wherein they much delighted whilſt they were young, ſhall then leave them. And becauſe theſe laſt decayes of old age mentioned hitherto in this verſe, are ſuch as betide men in their decrepit yeares, when they are almoſt at their journeyes end, therefore doth Solomon here adde the following words, Becauſe man goeth to his long home; that is, to the grave, (whereinto old men ſeem to have ſet one foot already) or to his eternall ſtate after death, wherein the dead muſt continue as long as this world laſts, until the day of the generall reſurrection, and not flit about from one place to another, as they did whilſt they lived here upon the earth: And the mourners goe about the ſtreets; that is, kindred and friends ſhall goe weeping in the ſtreets, becauſe of the ſad condition wherein the dying man lyeth; Or, they ſhall with great ſolemnity and with the attendance of many mourners carry his body through the ſtreets to his grave; And amongſt theſe mourners ſuch are to be included, as were wont in former times to be hired to make lamentation at funeralls. See the Note, Job 3.8.
Verſ. 6. Or ever the ſilver cord be looſed, or the golden bowl be broken, &c.] Some underſtand this verſe alſo literally; to wit, that by the ſilver cord, and the golden bowl, here is meant all kind of chaines, and bracelets, and rings, and jewels of ſilver and gold, wherewith the richer ſort both of men and women are wont to adorn themſelves: And ſo likewiſe in the following words, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the ciſtern, under thoſe tearms of the pitcher at the fountain, and the wheel at the ciſtern, they conceive all requiſite proviſions and accommodations for the ſupport and well-being of this preſent life are comprehended, both ſuch as are more obvious and eaſie to be gotten, even as a man by ſtooping down at a ſpring may preſently fill his pitcher with water, and likewiſe ſuch as cannot be attained without ſome more labour and coſt, as when water muſt be drawn up by a wheel from ſome deep well; And ſo they conceive the drift of this place to be as if Solomon had ſaid, Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth, before firſt old age, and then immediately death ſeiſeth upon thee, when all thy goodly and precious ornaments will be looked upon as broken, worthleſs things, and thou wilt caſt them away, as not worth the minding; yea when the moſt needfull helps and commodities of this life will be to thee as if they were not, becauſe thou canſt not make any uſe of them. But then againe others hold, that Solomon doth here ſtill proceed to ſet forth under theſe allegoricall expreſſions, how man is at laſt diſſolved by death, after old age hath by degrees weakened and waſted the vitall parts of the body; for to this purpoſe they conceive, that the life of man is here compared to a fountain, from whence water is taken up by a pitcher, or drawn up by a wheel, a bucket, a cord, or a chaine, to be powred into a ciſtern; and ſo the drift of theſe words to be only this, that as when theſe things are broken at a well, there is no more drawing up water thereby; ſo when the vitall parts in a man, that ſhould convey nouriſhment and life and ſenſe and motion to all the body, which is the ciſtern, are broken and made uſeleſſe, there is no hope that life ſhould any longer continue. Yea and beſides the moſt of Expoſitors doe more particularly apply the ſeverall particulars here mentioned; as 1. By the ſilver cord that is looſed, may be meant the pith or marrow of the back-bone, which comes from the braine in the back part of the head, and ſo is drawn along as a cord quite thorough the back-bone to the very bottome of it, only at the four and thirty joynts of the ſaid bone, it ſeemes to be tyed together with ſo many links or knots; which, becauſe it is white, or is included in a ſmooth, bright skin, like to ſilver, is therefore called the ſilver cord; yea and this may be extended alſo to the nerves, which thorough the ſeverall joynts of that bone doe ſhoote forth (as the ſhaggy threds of this cord) and ſpread themſelves thorough the body, and are the inſtruments of ſenſe and motion, and appear like ſo many white ſtrings in the fleſh. And now becauſe when this marrow of the back-bone, together with the nerves, the branches of it, become lax and looſe by cold humors from the braines, men are uſually taken with the dead palſey; hence this expreſſion ſeemes to be taken, Or ever the ſilver cord be looſed. 2. By the golden bowl broken, may be meant the heart, which becauſe of the blood and ſpirits it containes, may be compared to a golden bowl; or rather the skull or brain-pan, or that thin membrane or ſinewy skin, compaſſing the brain like a ſwadling-cloath, or the inner rind of a tree, which is uſually called the Pia mater: It is called a bowl, becauſe it is round, and a golden bowl, becauſe it containes the brain, which is ſuch a precious part of mans body, upon the ſafe-guarding whereof the life of man doth ſo much depend. And becauſe theſe, the heart and the brain, are the principall vitall parts in man, therefore when men dye, this golden bowl is then ſaid to be broken. 3. By the fountain here may be meant, either the head which is the fountain of the animal ſpirits, ſenſe and motion; or the heart, which is the fountain of blood and vitall ſpirits. And 4. By the pitcher at the fountain, and the wheel at the ciſtern, are meant thoſe inſtrumentall parts, which convey nouriſhment, life, ſenſe, and motion into the body, which is the ciſtern; as thoſe milky veines in the Meſentery, which (after the digeſtion of meat in the ſtomack, and the diſcharge of it from thence into the ſmall guts) doe draw into them the concocted chyle, and convey it by a peculiar veſſel, called Ductus chyl… Thoracicus, into the maſs of blood, which together with the blood is carried to the heart; and 2. the arteries, whereby the blood, together with the vital ſpirits, is diſcharged from the heart into all parts of the body, to give life, heat and nouriſhment to the whole; and then the veines doe againe returne it to the heart, and the arteries doe again returne it to every part of the body by a perpetuall circulation (in regard whereof theſe inſtruments of life, may the more fitly here be compared to a Wheel, that is alwayes turning round) and 3. the nerves or ſinews, by which from the brain, (where the vitall ſpirits, brought by the arteries from the heart to the brain, are digeſted and turned into animal ſpirits) the animal ſpirits, which give ſenſe and motion, are carried forth into all parts of the body. And all theſe are ſaid to be broken, when they looſe their drawing and diſtributing vertue, and ſo blood and ſpirits, and heate, and ſenſe, and motion doe all faile in the body. Some I know would have the pitcher broken at the fountain, to be the bladder, when the urine ceaſeth to iſſue from thence according as in an orderly way it uſeth to doe; and ſo likewiſe the wheel, broken at the ciſtern, to be the lungs, which are as a wheel, tranſmitting the aire in and out, up and downe, and may be ſaid to be broken, when they come to be taken off from their motion. But the former application of theſe figurative expreſſions, I conceive is moſt proper.
Verſ. 7. Then ſhall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the ſpirit ſhall return unto God who gave it.] To wit, That it may appear before Gods tribunal, by him to be ſentenced either to heaven or hell. Or, the meaning may be, that the ſoul returns to God, to live for ever with him in heaven: for, ſay ſome Expoſitors, becauſe Solomon is ſpeaking here to the people of God, therefore he ſpeaks of the ſtate of the ſoul after death no otherwiſe then as paſſing preſently to heavenly glory. However, the drift of Solomon in mentioning this is to ſhew, that therefore it behooves men whilſt they live and are in health to provide for eternity, becauſe when once the ſoul and body are parted, there remaines then nothing but judgement.
Verſ. 8. Vanity of vanities (ſaith the Preacher) all is vanity.] As if he had ſaid, And hereby, as by all likewiſe that I have formerly ſaid, it appeares to be moſt unqueſtionably true, which I ſaid at firſt, that all things under the Sun are exceeding vain, yea vanity it ſelfe. See the Note, Chap. 1.2.
Verſ. 9. And moreover, becauſe the Preacher was wiſe, &c.] The drift of theſe words is to encourage men very attentively to reade, and regard, and give credit to this booke, to the due conſideration of the Author, the Penman of it; 1. Becauſe he was a man upon whom God had conferred a high degree of wiſdome above other men, ſee 1 King. 4.29, 30, 31. and withall, when he wrote this book, a true penitent, and reconciled to the Church, both which are comprehended in theſe words, becauſe the Preacher was wiſe; ſee the Note, Chap. 1.1. 2ly, Becauſe he ſtill taught the people knowledge; that is, he was one that was ſtill taking every opportunity to inform his people in the knowledge of things, thereby approving himſelfe both truly wiſe and truly penitent; and the more himſelfe increaſed in wiſdome, the readier he was to teach others (for ſo the words may be read, as our Bibles have it in the Margin, And the more wiſe the Preacher was, he ſtill taught the people knowledge.) 3. Becauſe he was very exact in marking well what he received from others, and what he gathered from his own ſtudy and obſervations, and in weighing and pondering well every thing that he wrote, and did with much diligence uſe all meanes for the informing of himſelfe in thoſe things which he ſought to know, all which is implyed in thoſe words, Yea he gave good heed and ſought out: And 4. Becauſe he had formerly given proofe of his great wiſdome and his deſire to profit others in the Proverbs which he had compoſed, digeſted into order, and publiſhed for the good of the Church, And ſet in order many Proverbs; ſee the Note, Pro. 1.1.
Verſ. 10. The Preacher ſought, &c.] Here Solomon commends this Book to men from the nature and quality of the doctrine therein contained; The Preacher ſought to find out acceptable words, or, as it is in the Hebrew, words of delight; that is, he laboured both by ſtudy and prayer, to write thoſe things that would be cauſe of great delight to thoſe that were able truly to judge of them, wholſome and profitable doctrine, ſuch things as were worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15. and that would yield reall refreſhing and comfort to mens ſouls, and withall delivered in ſuch expreſſions as might alſo delight the readers: And that which was written was upright; that is, it was not written to flatter men, or to tickle a carnall eare and fancy, nor any otherwiſe to pleaſe men, then as might be for their ſpirituall benefit and edification: it was written in ſincerity, without favouring men in any corrupt way, and to make men upright in all their wayes; See the Note, Pro. 8.8. Even words of truth; that is infallibly certain, and free from all error and falſhood.
Verſ. 11. The words of the wiſe, &c.] Here Solomon commends his doctrine (and ſo occaſionally and conſequently the doctrine of all other divine and ſacred Writers) from the vertue, efficacy and authority thereof, The words of the wiſe; to wit, the Penmen of the Scripture, that were infallibly inſpired by the only wiſe God, and thoſe that from thence doe inſtruct men, to make them wiſe unto ſalvation, are as goads; that is, ſharp and pungent, to awaken and rowſe up the drowſie, to attend to what is taught them, to pierce mens hearts with godly compunction and ſorrow for ſin, and with feare of Gods wrath, (as it is ſaid of the Jewes, that upon the hearing of the Apoſtles preaching they were pricked in their heart, Act. 2.37.) to reduce thoſe that are gone aſtray, into the right way, and to quicken and ſtir up thoſe that are dull and ſluggiſh, by exhortations, promiſes and threatnings, by feare of puniſhments and hope of reward, to be ſtill proceeding forward in the way of well-doing, yea with alacrity and livelineſſe to run the way of Gods commandments; not flattering men in their ſins, nor tickling their itching ears, but, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 4.12. Quick and powerfull, and ſharper then any two-edged ſword, piercing even to the dividing aſunder of ſoul and ſpirit; And as nailes, whereby is meant, either, 1. ſuch ſtakes or pins, wherewith ſhepheards doe faſten their hurdles or ſheepfolds, by driving them into the ground, that ſo their ſheep may in thoſe incloſures be kept in together, and then this implyes the efficacy of the words of the wiſe, to keep men from going aſtray after falſe doctrines, and ſinfull courſes, and to retain them in the unity of one and the ſame faith, and in mutual love one to another; or 2. the nailes, wherewith Carpenters and others doe faſten their work together, implying likewiſe the efficacy of the Scripture to pierce and enter into the ſouls of men, to make them ſtediaſt, conſtant and unmoveable in the wayes of truth and righteouſneſſe, to unite them to God, and to Chriſt, and in mutuall love one to another; faſtened by the Maſters of Aſſemblies; that is, the Penmen of the Scripture, and others that are ſent forth to be teachers in the Church, whoſe work it is to drive in theſe nailes, by exhortation and faithfull application, and to faſten them ſo in mens hearts, that they may never be plucked out again; and who are therefore called the Maſters of Aſſemblies, becauſe God hath authorized them to call the holy Aſſemblyes, Act. 6.2. and to be ſpirituall Rulers in his Church, Heb. 13.17. Which are given from one Shepheard; to wit, God in Chriſt, the chiefe and ſupream Shepheard of our ſouls, Joh, 10.11. 1 Pet. 2.25. & 5.4. (ſo called here in purſuance of the former metaphor of goads and nailes, whereby heardſmen doe prick forward their oxen, and ſhepheards doe faſten their ſheep-pens.) who hath been in all ages the only teacher of his Church, in regard that it was he that by his Spirit did infallibly guide the Prophets and Apoſtles, and other holy men of God in writing the Scriptures, 2 Pet. 1.25. & 1 Pet. 1.11. and he it is that hath in all ages given the Church Paſtors and Teachers, to ſhew them the way of life, Jer. 3.15. & Eph. 4.11. furniſhing them with gifts, and aſſiſting them by his Spirit in the faithfull diſcharge of their calling and work.
Verſ. 12. And further, by theſe, my Son, be admoniſhed, &c.] That is, By theſe holy inſtructions contained in this book, wherein the whole duty of man is briefely delivered in a few words; or by theſe and other the writings of the wiſe Penmen of the Scriptures, be informed and warned wherein to ſeek for true bliſſe and happineſſe, not by ſeeking after and ſetting thy heart upon the vaine periſhing things of this world, but by a quiet dependance upon Gods providence here, in a comfortable enjoyment of the portion that God hath here allotted us, and ſerious ſeeking of thoſe things that are eternall.
Of making many bookes there is no end, and much ſtudy (or, reading) is a wearineſs to the fleſh] That is, It waſteth and weareth away mens ſtrength, heating the brain, conſuming the ſpirits, and drying up the moyſture of the body, and ſo makes their reading and ſtudy irkſome and tedious to them: The ſcope therefore of Solomon in this whole verſe ſeems to be either, 1. To ſhew that he could have expreſſed that which he hath written in this booke far more largely, many bookes might have been written of this ſubject; but that he conſidered that much reading is weariſome, and that this which he had delivered briefely would be ſufficient to inform men of the truth herein contained; or 2. to perſwade men to content themſelves with the directions given here, and in other bookes of the holy Scripture, without ſeeking any further, and that becauſe, if men ſhould look into other humane writings to learn how true happineſſe is to be attained, they might weary themſelves with endleſſe toil and labour, the books being ſo infinite, and the opinions of men therein ſo different, but never reap any profit or ſatiſfaction hereby, as to this enquiry; and that becauſe theſe are the perfect rule of faith and manners, ſo that only in theſe and ſuch other bookes as are agreeable to theſe, and grounded on theſe, the way to the attainment of true happineſſe is to be found: Or 3. to invite men to the reading of this and other parts of the Scripture, which teach men the way to life eternal, rather then other humane bookes concerning other ſciences, which may diſtract the mine and weary the body, but cannot yield that full ſatiſfaction, which from theſe divind writings may be attained.
Verſ. 13. Let us heare the concluſion of the whole matter, &c.] That is, of all the foreguing diſcourſe, concerning the vanity of all earthly things, & concerning the attainment of true happineſſe. That which may be drawn from all that hath been ſaid, and that whereto all that hath been delivered tends, the ſumme and ſubſtance of all may be comprized in theſe two ſhort directions, (wherewith I may therefore well end this book, there being no need of adding any thing more) Feare God and keep his Commandements; This is a ſhort abridgement of all that is required to make a man truly happy: under which we muſt know that faith in Chriſt is neceſſarily comprehended, becauſe it is by faith in him, that the love of God to us is ſhed abroad in our hearts, whereby our hearts are purified, and we are brought to love and feare God, and ſo to endeavour ſincerely to keep all his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man, or as it is in the Hebrew, the whole of man. In this the whole ſafety and happineſſe of man doth conſiſt; After all the enquiry that can be made, this will be found to be the ſumme of all the meanes that can be uſed for the obteining of true happineſſe.
Verſ. 14. For God ſhall bring every work into judgement, &c.] To wit, At the great day of Judgement, whereof Solomon had made mention before; ſee the Note, Chap. 3.17. every work of man ſhall then be examined, and ſentenced, there will be no avoyding it; With every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evill; to wit, not only thoſe actions of men which were done ſo privately and cloſely, that there was never any notice taken of them by others, but alſo the thoughts, affections and intentions of mens hearts, which are knowne only to God. And this is added here as a ſtrong motive of the foregoing Exhortation, to feare God and keep his commandments.