Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5:1

KEep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God] With what affection thou comest to serve God, as men take heed of sliding in slippery ways, psal. 39. 1.

Keep] Or, Observe, or, Look 10.

when] Or, as.

then to give the sacrifice of fools] 1 Samuel 15:22. Psalms 50:8. Proverbs 15:8. and Proverbs 21:27. Meaning, of the wicked, which think to please God with outward worship, without faith or repentance.

for they consider not that they do evil] Because they know not how to worship God aright; or, think not well of what they go about.

Ecclesiastes 5:2

Be not rash with thy mouth] Either in vowing, or in praying: meaning, that we should reverently and advisedly go about either, psal. 2. 11. Hebrews 12:28.

thing] Or, word.

for God is in heaven] An heavenly King: and subjects must be brief and discreet in their petitions.

in heaven] Matthew 6:9.

therefore let thy words be few] He heareth thee not for thy many words sake, or often repetitions, but considereth thy faith, and fervent minde. And also vow no more then thou mayest comfortably perform.

be few] Proverbs 10:19. Matthew 6:7.

Ecclesiastes 5:3

For a dream cometh through the multitude of businesse] Speak little, because many words are a signe of folly, or like dreams.

Ecclesiastes 5:4

When] Or, Assoon as.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it] Deuteronomy 23:21.

for he hath no pleasure in fools] Such as vow rashly, are accounted fools with God.

pay that which thou hast vowed] Psal. 16. 13, 14. and 76. 11. He speaketh of things vowed sutable to Gods word, and serving to his glory.

Ecclesiastes 5:6

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin] Cause not thy self to sin by vowing rashly, as they do which make a vow to live unmarried, and such like.

before the angel] That is, before Gods messenger or minister, when he shall examine thy doing: as though thy ignorance should be a just excuse, Job 33:23.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

at the matter] Heb. at the will, or purpose.

for he that is higher then the highest, regardeth] Meaning, that God will redresse these things, and therefore we must depend upon him.

there be higher then they] Either he means the holy Trinitie, or the angels.

Ecclesiastes 5:9

the profit of the earth is for all] The revenues of the earth are better then riches, which will not feed us, v. 10.

the king himself is served by the field] Kings and princes caunot maintain their estate, if there be no tillage. This commends husbandry.

Ecclesiastes 5:11

When goods encrease, they are encreased that eat them] A man must spend his riches on many servants, and they must be fed by it as well as he: so that he gets onely the sight of his money more then they do, chap. 4. 8.

Ecclesiastes 5:12

the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep] Yea, his care to keep his riches, or surfetting, hinders his sleep, when poor men sleep quietly: so that he is not the better, but the worse for his riches.

Ecclesiastes 5:13

riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt] Many men lose their lives for their riches, Proverbs 1:19. 1 King. 21.

Ecclesiastes 5:14

But] Or, Or.

But those riches perish by evil travel, &c.] Or, those riches getten by evil travel perish, so that he bath nothing to leave his son.

Ecclesiastes 5:15

As he came forth of his mothers womb, naked shall he return to go as he came] Job 1:21. Psalms 49:17. 1 Timothy 6:7.

Ecclesiastes 5:16

what profit hath he that laboured for the winde?] Chap. 1. 3. Meaning, in vain, and without profit; for he leaves all behinde him when he dies, Hosea 12:1.

for the winde?] Hosea 12:1.

Ecclesiastes 5:17

All his days also he eateth in darknesse] He hath had much affliction and grief of minde, to get what he cannot keep: it had been better then that he had taken his part of them with comfort, v. 18.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

it is good and comely for one to eat and drink] Chap. 2. 24. and 3. 12, 13. Heb. there is a good which is comely, &c.

all the days] Heb. the number of the days.

Ecclesiastes 5:19

and hath given him power to eat thereof] Heb. and hath made him ruler of it. So that God may give a man riches, to whom he hath not given power over it: and covetous men are slaves to their wealth, at least; have no power over it.

Ecclesiastes 5:20

For he shall not much remember] Or, though he give not much, yet he remembreth, &c.

For he shall not much remember the days of his life] He will take no great thought for the pains he hath taken in time past, because in his old days he comfortably eats the fruit thereof with ease.