Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Verſ. 1. THere is an evil which I have ſeen under the ſun, &c.] Some Expoſitors conceive that Solomon here proceedes to ſpeak of another vanity, beſides what he hath ſpoken of before, that doth commonly attend riches to wit, that rich men many times do not onelyonly make no uſe of what they have, but beſides that they gather their eſtates, as it proves in the concluſion, for thoſe that are meer ſtrangers to them, as is expreſſed in the following verſe. But I rather think that he doth here further declare what he had ſaid before chap. 5.19. to wit, that it is not in mans power with comfort to enjoy what God hath given him, but that this alſo is the free gift of God, namely by ſhewing that it is a common ordinary thing in the world for men to have abundance of theſe outward things, and never to take any comfort in them, as is largly ſet forth in the following words.
Verſ. 2. A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, &c.] That is, ſubſtance and goods of all ſorts, together with honour and great place in the world; So that he wanteth nothing for his ſoul of all that he deſireth; that is, he hath abundantly enough of all things that his ſoul can deſire; though through coveteouſneſs he may never think he hath enough, yet the truth is he hath ſtore of all things that he can reaſonably and juſtly deſire, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof; that is, God in his juſt wrath and diſpleaſure againſt him gives him not a heart to enjoy any part of what he hath for his comfort and delight, but out of a baſe niggardly mind, inceſſant cares and labours, and jealouſies and fears, and diſquiet in his family, he cannot eat his bread in quiet, or at leaſt he will not take any pleaſure in any thing he hath, but a ſtranger eateth it, that is, whereas he hath not power comfortably to make uſe of ſome part of what he hath, a ſtranger comes and devours, and waſtes and ſwalloweth it up all; which may be meant of ſome enemy or man of violence that ſpoileth him of his eſtate, or rather of one that was no way allyed to him, nor ever known by him, and ſo one that never laboured for it, that after his death cometh by ſome means to poſſeſſe all his wealth, which he with ſo much penuriouſneſs had ſcraped together, This is vanity and it is an evil diſeaſe, that is, thus to do is not onelyonly a vain and fruitleſs thing, but it alſo brings upon a man much wo and miſery. See the Notes alſo chap. 5.17.
Verſ. 3. If a man beget an hundred children, &c.] Having ſpoken of covetous men, that having no children leave their eſtates to ſtrangers, here he ſheweth that in caſe ſuch men have never ſo many children and live never ſo long, yet this renders their condition never a whit the better, but rather the worſe. So … indeed conceive that Solomons aime here is to ſhew the vanity of many children, and long life; when men are ſo poor, that they have not wherewith to ſuſtain them and theirs whilſt they live, nor to provide for a decent buriall when they are dead. But I think it is clear that Solomon goeth ſtill on in ſetting forth the miſery of the covetous miſer, that hath enough, but cannot find in his heart to ſpend any thing in a manner of it. If a man beget an hundred children, that is, if he have never ſo many children; In thoſe dayes when men had many wives, they had oftentimes exceeding many children; as we read that Ahab had threeſcore and ten Sons. 2 King. 10.1. and Gideon as many, beſides Abimelech. Judg. 8, 30, 31. and that Rehoboam had fourſcore and eight Sons and daughters. 2 Chro. 11.21. But here a definite number is put for an indefinite, as Pro. 17.10. A reproof entreth more into a wiſe man, then a hundred ſtripes into a fool. A covetous mans having many children yields him no comfort, but onelyonly encreaſeth his cares; and live many years, ſo that the dayes of his years be many, that is, ſuppoſe alſo that ſuch a man live to be a very old man (in the expreſſion that Solomon here uſeth, he ſeems by way of correcting himſelf to call long life many dayes rather then many years;) and his ſoul be not filled with good, that is, if notwithſtanding ſuch a man out of the inſatiableneſſe of his covetouſneſſe thinks he hath never enough, or by reaſon of his penurious pinching of himſelf or ſome curſe of God upon his eſtate, he never enjoyeth any comfortable ſatisfying portion of what he hath; and alſo that he have no burial, that is, no decent burial; to wit, either becauſe out of baſe covetouſneſſe he neither living nor dying provided for it, and being a hated man, his heirs, that onelyonly gaped after his goods, do wholly neglect it; or becauſe falling into the hands of thieves and robbers he is by them drowned, or ſlain and caſt into a ditch, as was foretold concerning Jehoiakim, that in regard his eyes and his heart were not but for his covetouſneſſe, he ſhould therefore be buried with the burial of an aſſe, See Jer. 22, 17, 18, 19. or becauſe for ſome crime he is ſentenced thereto, or it may be through covetouſneſſe doth make away himſelf, or ſome other ſuch like reaſon; I ſay, that an untimely birth, that is dead born or dieth as ſoon as ever it is born, is better then he, that is, in a better condition to wit, in regard of outwards reſpects, and that becauſe ſuch a man enjoyeth not the comforts of this life any more then the abortive, but then on the other ſide he endureth a great deal of miſery in the world which the other doth not, and it is better to be born and die at once, then to live long in vexation and miſery, and to die without an honourable burial, as is more fully explained in the following verſes.
Verſ. 4. For he cometh in with vanity, &c.] Here the reaſon is ſhown why an untimely birth is in a better condition, then a covetous muck-worm that taketh no comfort in what he enjoyeth, and is obſcurely buried, yea though he have many children and live many years, namely becauſe the abortive untimely birth, though he enjoyeth not the benefit of this life, yet he is not withall troubled with the miſeries of this life, and ſo as Solomon concludes in the end of the next verſe, he enjoyeth more reſt then the other doth, for he, that is, the abortive, cometh in with vanity, to wit, in that he ſeems in mans judgement to have been conceived and born in vain and to no purpoſe, becauſe he reapes no good of his being conceived and born, but is as nothing, and as if he had never been, See the Note, Job 3.16 and departeth in darkneſſe, to wit, as dying in the womb, or preſently after it is born, and ſo paſſing from the darkneſſe of the womb to the darkneſſe of the grave, is privately put into the earth and buried, no body in a manner taking any notice of it, and his name ſhall be covered with darkneſſe, that is, he is preſently quite forgotten, as if he had never been.
Verſ. 5. Moreover, he hath not ſeen the Sun, &c.] This alſo is ſpoken of the abortive, to wit, that never living to behold the light, he never felt in himſelf, nor ſaw in others the corruptions and miſeries, that all men under the Sun are liable to; as he never enjoyed any good in the world, ſo neither did he endure any evil, at leaſt his miſery began and ended together; nor known any thing, to wit, in that he never had uſe either of ſenſe or reaſon, and ſo as he never experimentally knew what was good, ſo neither likewiſe what was evil; and as he never enjoyed good, ſo he never deſired it, and conſequently was never afflicted becauſe he had not what he deſired. See the Notes, Chap. 4.2, 3. this hath more reſt then the other, as if he had ſaid, In theſe regards, the untimely birth is in a better condition then the covetous man before mentioned verſ. 3. to wit, becauſe the untimely birth hath more reſt then he: ſeeing he is at reſt from the very womb, whereas the covetous man lives a toilſome, unquiet life all his dayes.
Verſ. 6. Yea, though he live a thouſand years twice told, &c.] Becauſe it might be objected, that long life is in it ſelf a bleſſing, and that therefore the covetous man is at leaſt in this regard in a better condition then the abortive child, becauſe he out-lives him ſo many years, to this Solomon anſwers here; yea, though he live a thouſand years twice told, that is, ſuppoſe a man could live ſo long; yet hath he ſeen no good that is, ſuch a man doth never live one chearful hour in all that time, nor never taketh any true delight or content in any thing, but his whole life is ſpent in continuall vexation and miſery; and conſequently therefore his life is no advantage to him, but the lengthening of his dayes doth onelyonly lengthen out his miſery; do not all go to one place? as if he ſhould have ſaid, And beſides to the grave he muſt at laſt come as well as the abortive, and then, conſidering that his riches cannot ſecure him from death, and that he can carry nothing with him of all that he hath gotten, there is no difference betwixt him and the abortive; or if there be any difference, the covetous man that lived ſo long is in the worſt condition, becauſe it is ſuch a vexation to him, when he goes to the grave, that he muſt part with his wealth, upon which for ſo many years together his heart hath been ſet. And why then ſhould men toil and pine themſelves to heap up riches? were it not much better with content and comfort to make uſe of that eſtate which God hath beſtowed upon them?
Verſ. 7. All the labour of man is for his mouth, &c.] That is, All that man gets by his labour, or all that man aims at in his labour, is for his bodily ſuſtenance and the ſupport of his life by providing things neceſſary & convenient for him: For all things requiſite for the neceſſary maintenance of mans life, which the Apoſtle diſtributeth into thoſe two particulars of food and raiment, 1 Tim. 6.8. are here comprehended under this one expreſſion, that all is for his mouth, and that becauſe food convenient, meat and drink is of all things moſt neceſſary a man will ſell the very houſe he dwells in and the clothes upon his …k to get bread to eat. See the Note, Pro. 16.26. yet the appetite (or, as it is in the Hebrew, the ſoul) is not filled, the meaning whereof is, either, 1. that mans appetite can never be ſo ſatisfied with meat and drink, but that within a while his hunger and thirſt will return again, nor will it be ſo ſatisfied, but that ſtill it will be affecting new variety of dainties. And then the drift of the words may be to imply the vanity of mans labor here in this world, or the vanity of riches even then when the owners thereof do make uſe of them, in that all being for the mouth, there is no end of mans labor, nor of mens ſeeking to ſatisfie their appetite with what they have, in that it will be only ſatisfied for a while: Or ſecondly, that mans covetous deſire after the things of this world is inſatiable, though he hath abundantly enough to ſupply all his neceſſities, yet his inordinate deſire after riches is never ſatisfied, but that ſtill he is toiling for more, and is ſo greedy to advance his eſtate that he cannot finde in his heart to ſpend any thing in a manner of what he hath. See the Note, Cha. 4.8. And if we thus underſtand the words, then Solomons aim therein may be to ſhew the folly of man, in that all being for the mouth, for the ſupport of mens preſent life, they ſhould ſo eagerly toil for ſo much, where ſo little would ſerve; being ſtill ſo greedy after abundance, that they even defraud their mouthes, for which they ſhould labour, and the more they have, the more ſtill they deſire: Or thirdly, that however, the rational ſoul of man cannot be ſatisfied with ſuch things: they may ſupply the body with food and clothing and other ſuch like natural comforts, but they can never ſatisfie the ſoul; and a great vanity it is, that the divine and immortal ſoul ſhould onelyonly be intent upon ſenſuall and tranſitory things.
Verſ. 8. For what hath the wiſe more then the fool? &c.] This is added as a proof of what he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that riches cannot ſatisfie the deſires of man: becauſe wiſe men, that are moſt likely to find it out if it were there to be had, do enjoy no more good by their wealth then fools do; what hath the wiſe more then the food? as if he ſhould ſaid, nothing at all; wiſdom doth far excell folly in regard of internal worth, See the Note, Chap. 2, 13. But in regard of the outward uſe of riches, in regard of the common events of this life and the diſcommodities thereof, the wiſe man hath no priviledge above the fool: and that becauſe the fool may have all ſorts of riches as well as the wiſe man, and he may live as comfortably and plentifully, he may eat as good meat and wear as good clothes as the wiſe man can; and in all this he doth but provide for back and belly and ſuch other neceſſities of nature, and ſo may the fool do that is rich as well as he: As the wiſe man is ſubject to hunger and thirſt as well as the fool, ſo the fool may have wherewith to ſupply, and may as readily ſupply, theſe and other the like neceſſities of nature, as the wiſe man: The wiſe man cannot prevent death by his riches, nor carry any thing with him when he dies nor ſatisfie the deſires of his immortal ſoul with his wealth, no more then the fool can: What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living? that is, that knoweth how to get a livelihood amongſt men, as being induſtrious and prudent, and one that underſtands how to carry himſelf towards all men with whom he converſeth both in publick and private fairly and diſcreetly, ſo as to be well eſteemed amongſt them, and to gain their favour, by all which means he makes a ſhift to gather ſome competency of eſtate, though it be but little, and ſo he is reputed ſtill but a poor man; what hath this poor man? that is, ſay ſome Expoſitors, what hath he leſſe then the rich man hath, whither wiſe or fooliſh? He hath as much profit by his little as the rich man hath by all his abundance, in that he hath wherewithall to preſerve life and liveth comfortably thereon and the rich can do no more. But I rather think that the word more, which is in the firſt clauſe of this verſe, muſt be again repeated here, thus, what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to live amongſt men, more then the rich covetous churl, that lives retired by himſelf, and enjoyeth not the ſociety of men? as if he ſhould have ſaid, Both do but live and both muſt die, the one as well as the other. Or rather thus, what hath this poor man, that by his induſtry and diſcreet carriage of himſelf amongſt men gets a competent livelihood, more then a poor ſimple man that hath not ſo good abilities to provide for himſel, ſeeing even this man alſo doth ſome way get bread to eat, and makes a ſhift to rub through and to live in the world, and the other can do no more.
Verſ. 9. Better is the ſight of the eyes, then the wandring of the deſire, &c.] Divers of our beſt Expoſitors doe take this to be the covetous churles anſwer to that Queſtion before propounded by Solomon, What hath the wiſe more then the foole, &c. Yes, ſaith the covetous man, It is better for a man to have an eſtate in his poſſeſſion, in his eye, (ſee the Note, Chap. 5.11.) as the rich man alwayes hath, then to be in continuall want of thoſe neceſſaries, which the body naturally calls for, and ſo to be alwayes wiſhing and craving this and that for the ſupply of his neceſſities. And then they take the following words to be the cenſure which Solomon paſſeth concerning this anſwer; This is alſo vanity and vexation of ſpirit; that is, to have riches, only to look upon them, and not to uſe them; to wit, becauſe this yields the owner no profit, neither can it ſettle or ſatisfie the deſires of the ſoule, but muſt needs be accompanied with great cares and diſquiet of mind; ſee the Note, Chap. 2.11. But I rather conceive that this is likewiſe added to ſhew the folly of the covetous mans eager purſuit after earthly things: Better is the ſight of the eyes, then the wandring of the deſire, or, as it is in the Hebrew, then the walking of the ſoule, that is▪ Better it is comfortably and contentedly to enjoy and make uſe of what a man hath in his poſſeſſion, then to be ſtill deſiring and ſeeking after more and more; ſometimes one thing and ſometimes another which he hath not. Since the poore man enjoyeth as much ſubſtantial benefit by his ſmall portion of theſe outward things, as the rich man doth by his abundance, in that he hath food convenient, and thereby lives and enjoyeth health, and ſince the wiſeſt can fetch no more reall good from their riches then fooles, it is therefore doubtleſſe farre more comfortable with contentation of mind to enjoy the eſtate a man hath, then when a mans mind is ſtill going out and wandring this way and that, in the purſuit of that which he hath not, when he is ſtill longing, and wiſhing and plotting for ſeverall things which he hath not, and ſtill hopes to attaine, which if he doe not attaine, he is diſcontented, and if he doe attaine them, he is for all that unſatiſfied, and ſtill deſires more and more: This is alſo vanity and vexation of ſpirit; that is, this neglecting to make uſe of what a man enjoyeth, and to have his ſoule ſtill wandring in the affecting and ſeeking after greater things, is to no purpoſe in the world, but doth rather encreaſe his labour and miſery.
Verſ. 10. That which hath been, is named already, &c.] This is added to make good the foregoing cenſure, namely, to prove the vanity of the endleſſe wandring of mens deſires and endeavours after greater things then what at preſent God hath afforded them; which is done by ſhewing, that nothing that men can attaine, in regard of theſe outward things, can exempt or ſecure them from thoſe manifold miſeries whereto the humane nature is generally ſubject; and that by the unreſiſtable decree of God; and likewiſe (as many of our beſt Expoſitors conceive) that every mans condition is pre-aſſigned him by the eternall decree of God, and that therefore all ſollicitouſneſs about their future eſtate is needleſſe and vaine. That which hath been, is named already; that is, Whatever the condition of any man hath been, or is, whether he be rich or poore; honourable or baſe, it is that which God hath purpoſed and decreed concerning him; As that which belongs to his nature and being, ſo that which concernes his outward eſtate, even every thing that therein befalls him, hath been determined by Gods immutable and unreſiſtable counſell; and therefore he cannot change his condition, he cannot make himſelfe rich, when God hath determined he ſhall be poore, he cannot adde the leaſt to that which God hath determined ſhall be his portion; ſo that it were farre better for every man contentedly to enjoy what God hath given him, reſting upon his providence, who from eternity hath known him by name, then anxiouſly and greedily to ſtrive for that, which if it be contrary to what God hath decreed, he ſhall never attaine: Or rather thus; That which hath been, is named already; As if he ſhould have ſaid, Whatever the man be that hath been, or is, whether he be wiſe or fooliſh, rich and honourable, or of a meane and low condition, and however it hath been with him both in regard of the poſſeſſion and making uſe of riches, yet the name that God hath already given him, even from his firſt creation, Adam, ſheweth what he is, a lump of clay, made of the earth, and therefore a poore fraile creature, that muſt returne to the earth out of which he was taken, and that from his birth to his death is ſubject to many and manifold miſeries; And it is known that it is man; that is, What ever he be in other reſpects it matters not much, this to be ſure is knowne by proofe and experience, that what ever he is, he is but a man, a poor, fraile, mortall creature, ſubject to variety of vanities, as hath been ſhewed already; every man may feele this in himſelfe, and obſerve it in others; and though therefore in other reſpects, there is a great deal of difference betwixt the rich and the poore, the wiſe man that makes uſe of his wealth, and the foole that pincheth himſelfe in theſe things, yet in this they are alike, that they are but men, poore, weake, periſhing creatures, that have their whole dependance upon God; Let men advance themſelves to never ſo high and great an eſtate, yet as they were men before, ſo they are men ſtill; their riches and honours cannot ſecure them from thoſe evills and infirmities whereto the humane nature is ſubject; ſuch as ſickneſſe and griefe, ſinne, and the wrath of God as the puniſhment of ſinne; from the earth they came, and to the earth they muſt goe: Neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he; that is, with God. And the meaning is either 1. that it is not for man to murmure againſt God, or to argue with and implead God for ſubjecting man to ſo much miſery; and that both becauſe God is blameleſſe herein; he made man happy, and it is man that by his ſin hath brought theſe miſeries upon himſelfe, and likewiſe becauſe when God undertakes to puniſh men for this their boldneſſe in contending with him, he will be found too ſtrong for the proudeſt and ſtouteſt of men; or rather, 2. that it is in vaine for men by labouring to heap up wealth in abundance, to think to free themſelves from that vanity and miſery whereto God hath adjudged man; all mens endeavours this way will be but loſt labour, and a ſtriving againſt the ſtreame; by ſuch greedy covetouſneſſe they will but provoke God to puniſh them, who will be then found too ſtrong for them, and will ſoone make them feele they are but mortall creatures; but to free themſelves in the leaſt from the vanities and miſeries of man, they will never be able.
Verſ. 11. Seeing there be many things that increaſe vanity, what is man the better?] This may be taken as a further proſecution of his former arguing againſt mens greedy purſuing after abundance of theſe earthly things, namely, by ſhewing that abundance of theſe things doth but encreaſe mens vanity; the more men have, the more trouble they have many ſeverall wayes, the more are their feares of looſing them, the more their cares for keeping them, and for conveying them to their poſterity, yea the more is their greedy deſire ſtill to be getting mor… …nd more, in that abundance doth not extinguiſh but encreaſe covetouſneſſe, even as the laying on of more and more wood, doth not quench but increaſe the fire; and therefore in true judgement men are nothing the better for them; when they dye they can carry nothing away with them of all their abundance, and whilſt they live, they have no reall advantage by their riches more then they had before; then they had food and cloathing, and the greateſt abundance they can get, can yield them no more. Yea and if men goe about to caſt the blame upon God for ſubjecting them to ſuch variety of vanities and miſeries, to be ſure, thereby they will no way better themſelves, but rather provoke God to lay his hand the heavier upon them. But I rather conceive, as in the Annotations of our Divines the learned Author of thoſe upon this Book hath ſingularly well obſerved, that here Solomon gives us the concluſion of all that hitherto he hath ſaid to prove the vanity of all things under the Sunne, which was the propoſition he undertook to demonſtrate in the beginning of this Book, Chap. 1, 2, 3. namely, that ſeeing there are ſo many things that doe encreaſe vanity, knowledge, wiſdome, and folly, pleaſures, honours, and riches, as hath been ſeverally ſhowne, in regard of reall happineſſe and true contentment man is never a whit the better, either for any of theſe ſeverally, or for all of them joyntly together.
Verſ 12. For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, &c?] Two reaſons are added in this verſe to prove that men are no whit the better, for thoſe vaine things, wherein they are naturally prone to ſeek for happineſſe; The firſt is in this firſt clauſe; For who knoweth what is good for man in this life? The meaning whereof is, that no man knoweth by himſelfe, nor can any man tell him, what of theſe outward things, which he deſires may be for his good, when he doth poſſeſſe them, nor whether this or that which he doth, in the diſpoſing of any thing he enjoyeth, or in the managing of any of his affaires, will prove advantageous or hurtfull to him: No man knoweth whether it will be beſt for him to be poore or rich, to be in place of publick imployment, or to live a cloſe or retired life, to have children or to dye childleſs, &c. Thoſe things from which men have expected much benefit and comfort, and thoſe undertakings and actions which they judged likely to produce much good to them, have often proved the occaſion and meanes of much ſorrow, and vexation, and miſery to them; and on the other ſide, thoſe things which men doe moſt feare and decline, doe many times prove bleſſings to them, and occaſions of great rejoycing. As for thoſe following words, All the dayes of his vaine life, which he ſpendeth as a ſhadow; Either they are added, 1. to imply that one reaſon amongſt many others why men doe not know what is good for them, is the ſhortneſſe and the ſickleneſſe of mans life, by reaſon whereof they have not time enough experimentally to underſtand wherein their good conſiſts, and how to order all they doe for the beſt: or 2. the folly and vanity of man, that having ſo little a while to live, knoweth not how to ſpend that little parcell of time for his own beſt advantage; or 3. to imply, that though a man ſhould enjoy what his heart could deſire in theſe outward things, yet becauſe of the many other vanities and miſeries, whereto the poore life of man is ſubject, and particularly becauſe of the mutability, the ſhortneſſe and tranſitorineſſe thereof, and that men are therefore ſo ſuddenly taken away from what they enjoy, it muſt needs be but a ſ…ow of good, which he can reap by any of his enjoyments in this life, which is ſo vaine and which paſſeth away as a ſhadow; for which laſt expreſſion, ſee the Notes, Pſal. 102.11. & 109.23. & 144.4. The ſecond Reaſon is in the laſt clauſe; For who can tell a man what ſhall be after him under the Sunne? The meaning whereof is, that as men have themſelves little good by theſe outward things whilſt they doe enjoy them, ſo they can take as little comfort in thinking of any good that they ſhall yield to thoſe, to whom they ſhall leave them, and that becauſe they cannot know what will be in after-times when they are gone; which if they did they might the better know how to diſpoſe of them. See the Notes, Chap. 2.18, 19. & 3.22.