Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes 7:1

A Good name is better then precious ointment] Proverbs 15:30. and Proverbs 22:1. Which is both pleasant and profitable.

the day of death, then the day of ones birth] Because a mans birth brings him into a miserable life, which death brings him out of.

Ecclesiastes 7:2

It is better to go to the house of mow ning] Where we may see the and of God, and learn to examine our lives.

Ecclesiastes 7:3

Sorrow] Or, anger.

Ecclesiastes 7:5

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, then for a man to hear the song of fools] Proverbs 13:18. and 15. 31, 32.

Ecclesiastes 7:6

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot] Which crackle for a while, and profit nothing, psal. 58. 9.

crackling] Heb. sound.

Ecclesiastes 7:7

oppression maketh a wise man mad] A man that is esteemed wise, when he seeth riches come in apace by oppression, is transported with fury to get more: or, over-much oppression makes even wise men to be as besides themselves.

and a gift destroyeth the heart] Deuteronomy 16:19.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

Better is the end of a thing] He taxeth their lightnesse, which enterprise a thing, and suddenly leave it off again: or, then a thing is better, when it is brought to issue by a man that hath patiently waited for the accomplishment of it, then when it is first imagined by him that glories in his conceit, as if he had done it, 1 Kings 20. 11.

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Be not hastie in thy spirit to be angry] Proverbs 14:17. and Proverbs 16:32.

Ecclesiastes 7:10

thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this] Murmure not against God, when he sends adversitie for mans sins, for it is folly so to do. This is just the complaint of ignorant papists; Former times were better, therefore their religion was better. This complaint comes not from wisedom, Jerem. 44. 17, 18.

wisely] Heb. out of wisedom.

Ecclesiastes 7:11

defence] Heb. shadow, or for a shadow.

wisedom giveth life to them that have it] Wisedom will free a man from deadly dangers, when riches cannot.

Ecclesiastes 7:13

who can make that straight which he hath made croked?] Chap. 1. 15.

Ecclesiastes 7:14

but in the day of adversity consider] Consider what was said, v. 13, That thou canst not alter thy condition, though it please thee not.

set] Heb. made.

to the end that man should finde nothing after him] That man should not know what may befall him, whether he shall continue in the same state or no, and so may not be proud in weal, nor out of heart in wo.

after him] Or, after it.

Ecclesiastes 7:16

Be not righteous overmuch] Censure not good men, because God suffers them to be afflicted, v. 15. nor presume not to be wicked, v. 17. because wicked men prosper, v. 15. Keep both these instructions, so shalt thou shew that thou fearest God indeed, by avoiding both extremes of censoriousnesse, and profanenesse, v. 18. Psal. 37. and 73. Job 21. Jer. 12. 1, 2.

destroy thy self] Heb. be desolate.

Ecclesiastes 7:17

before thy time?] Heb. not in thy time.

Ecclesiastes 7:18

shall] Or, will.

Ecclesiastes 7:19

Wisedom strengtheneth the wise] Proverbs 21:22. and Proverbs 24:5. Chap. 9. 16.

Ecclesiastes 7:20

For there is not a just man upon earth] 1 Kings 8. 46. Proverbs 20:9. 1 John 1. 8. Or, Surely: For this verse seems to have no relation to that which went before, nor to that which follows after.

Ecclesiastes 7:21

take no heed] Heb. give not thine heart.

unto all word] Take not to heart every thing that men speak of thee, no, though thou shouldest over-hear thy servant sometimes speak evil of thee, Proverbs 19:11.

Ecclesiastes 7:22

thou thy self likewise hast cursed others] Considering that thou thy self mayest have been faulty in the like kinde towards others.

Ecclesiastes 7:23

I will be wise] I will understand all other things, as I do this.

Ecclesiastes 7:24

That which is far off] Things far off, or deep in the ground, are hardly gotten; so is wisedom: or, some things are so far off, or so deep in the earth, that they cannot be attained to: no more can the knowledge of all things by man, Job 28. 1, 11.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

I applied mine heart] Heb. I and my heart compassed.

even of foolishnesse and madnesse] Heb. madnesses: that is, all sort of, or the maddest pranks of wicked men.

Ecclesiastes 7:26

And I finde more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is snares, &c.] Proverbs 22:14.

whoso pleaseth God] Heb. he that is good before God.

whoso pleaseth God, shall escape from her] It is a great favour of God, for a man to escape the subtill allurements of an harlot.

Ecclesiastes 7:27

saith the preacher] Or, say I.

counting one by one, to finde out the account] Or, weighing one thing after another, to finde out the reason.

to finde out the account] That is, to come to a conclusion.

Ecclesiastes 7:28

one man among a thousand have I found] I have found out the depth of the policie of some one man among many, but never of a crafty woman, v. 29. Or, I have seen one man among many seduced by harlots, repent, but never any of those seducing strumpets.

among all those] Or, with all these qualities.

Ecclesiastes 7:29

this onely have I found] Onely I know, that their wicked craft comes not by creation, but by their own manifold devices.

that God hath made man upright] Genesis 1:27.