Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:1

I said] The summe of this Chapter is well set down in the Great Annotations.

I will prove thee with mirth] Missing of his expected good from the knowledge of the creature, he now resolveth to search what good may be found in the use and fruition of it; And first in the sensual pleasure of it: In mirth, here. Which most men count the only life, to sing all sorrow and care away; and melt in mirth, jollity, and jovizansses, which emasculates the spirit, and drawes out, and draines away the very vigour and vivacitie of it: when they indulge to themselves, and give up their heart to it, and make it the businesse of their life to pour out themselves in delights, and wallow, and drown themselves in them. This sort of men after Epicurus was borne, were called Epicureans.

Ecclesiastes 2:2

mad] And indeed many mad men are very merry. But it is but like the crackling of thornes, chap. VII. 6. and hath sorrow in the bottome of it.

Ecclesiastes 2:3

wine, yet acquainting] He would trie, by mixing wisdome and wine together, mitigating the grief of the one with the pleasure of the other.

till I might see] This the end of his inquirie by this experiment; whether this voluptuous course of living were best, to sweeten the mortal life of man, during all his dayes.

Ecclesiastes 2:4

I made me great works] He shewes what magnificent and royal provisions he made in order to his foresaid designe. Not trifling ones; but adequate acts, and objects to his person and state, as Ester I. 4. These things he had as materials for his wisdome.

houses] Besides what David had formerly built, 2 Chron. II. 3.

Vineyards] Cant. VIII. 11, 12. Besides what David had, 1 Chron. XXVII. 27.

Ecclesiastes 2:5

gardens and orchards] Cant. VI. 2. and chap. IV. 12,—15. as paradises for amenitie and delight. We read of Hortus pensilis, a garden hanging in the aire, made by an Assyrian King for the pleasure of his Queen.

Ecclesiastes 2:6

pooles] Chap. IV. 15. and VII. 4. These are Princely works, 2 Kings XX. 20. Neh. II. 14.

the wood] Of Forrests; and likely in those Gardens and Orchards, which for their spaciousnesse might be called woods.

Ecclesiastes 2:7

servants, and maidens] See those servants, mentioned, Ezra II. 58. Neh. VII. 60.

cattel] More then David had, 1 Chron. XXVII. 29, 30, 31.

Ecclesiastes 2:8

silver and gold] In all abundance, 2 Chron. I. 15.

men-singers] See 2 Sam. XIX. 35. he laboured to take all pleasure in pleasures.

Ecclesiastes 2:9

also my wisdome] Verse 3. by wisdome to minde what real good could be extracted from them. Thus he heeds his maine end.

Ecclesiastes 2:10

I with-held not] Luke XII. 19. cleane contrary to that, Rom. XIII. 14.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked] In the serious review he findes all to be but a feeding upon the winde; nothing but labour for his paines and gaines, he catcheth but a Butter-flie, with much vexation and all his toile.

Ecclesiastes 2:12

And I turned] To his first enquirie, to see if his second thoughts therein might prove the wiser.

what can] True, without boasting. None can go beyond him; trie who will.

Ecclesiastes 2:13

wisdome excelleth follie] Foolish, sensual pleasures, which perish in the using, and leave a sting behinde them. Though the most excellent humane wisdome is vaine also, as to this maine end, and in order to it to attaine true happinesse.

Ecclesiastes 2:14

The wise mans eyes] He shewes the great difference of worth between these two contraries; And the antithesis and opposition of them serves to illustrate the nature of them both. The wise man sees, fore-sees, fore-casts, ponders things past, present, and to come, he casts and considers; is vigilant and circumspect. The foole hath neither sight nor light; his eyes are any where rather then in his head; he is inconsiderate, rash, carried headlong in blindnesse.

and I my self perceived] Though the one so farre excelling the other; yet both alike in this; no difference herein; but one event happeneth to them all; as two wayes meet at the same Inne; and Ships from several Coasts meet at the same Haven; and Counters after casting summes, are put into the same bag.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

And why was I then more wise?] To what purpose, as to the maine point?

Ecclesiastes 2:16

no remembrance] Chap. VIII. 10. Prov. X. 7. Psal. CXII. 6. and XLIX. 11, 12. Jer. XVII. 13.

and how dieth] As oblivion, so death, equal and common to both, Psal. XLIX. 10. Ezek. XXI. 4. Only piety maketh the difference, John XI. 25, 26.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

Therefore I hated life] He saw little valuable or desirable in it. He was wearie of living to so little purpose: and withal, that sufficient to the day was the evil thereof.

Ecclesiastes 2:18

all my labour] As being so vaine and vexatious. No felicitie and true happinesse in this life being to be gained by any creature-comfort.

leave it] Psal. XLIX. 10. and XXXIX. 6. And so Luke XII. 17. ere he was a day elder.

Ecclesiastes 2:19

A wise man, or a foole] How Rehoboam proved, is well known, chap. VI. 2.

Ecclesiastes 2:20

Therefore I went about] Fetcht a compasse, by a reflex act of my minde, as Ephraim, Jer. XXXI. 18, 19. and the Prodigal, Luke XV. 17. as those, 1 Kings VIII. 47. And being wearied in this round, I was brought to a despondencie of spirit, and a despair of attaining to my purpose and search, as being fruitlesse and unseazable; these emptie things only abusing and deluding me.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

For there is a man] This particular did so pinch Solomon, that he thinks he can never say enough of it, he cannot give it over. And it is a judgement threatened, that it shall so fall out, Prov. XIII. 22. Yea, leave it to a stranger, and enemie; as Nabals was to David; Hamans to Mordecai; the Canaanites to the Israelites.

Ecclesiastes 2:22

what hath a man, &c?] A meere nothing; a coffin perhaps to his grave. Then all the world is gone with him, Psal. XLIX. 17. Eccles. I. 3. and III. 9 and V. 15

Ecclesiastes 2:23

are sorrowes] In the abstract. And those pluraly, Job V. 7.

not rest in the night] Though he lie upon a bed of downe, yet these gnats will not suffer him sleep; his heart doth not rest, in that time of rest, Job IV. 13. as the clock cannot stand still while the plummets hang at it. Grace only cures these cares, and procures this quiet rest, Phil. IV. 6, 7. Ps CXXVII. 2.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

nothing better] Chap. III. 12, 13, 22. and VIII. 15. as to the happinesse of this life attainable by all study and industrie in worldly things and affairs; and so to free our selves from this vanitie and vexation of them; and specialy from that disease, verse 21.

the hand of God] It is not alwayes in our power, 26. Chap. III. 13. and V. 19. Acts XIV. 17. God is then to be sought to, in whom only felicity is to be found, Psal. CXLV. 15, 16. Eccles. IX. 7, 8, 9.

Ecclesiastes 2:25

For who can eate? ] Who else can prove it by his own experience better then I? verse 12.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For God giveth] To get these worldly things rightly, and to use them rightly, and comfortably; giveth this peculiar blessing to this person, the proper subject of it, Chap. III. 12, 13.

but to the sinner] To scrape, and rape, chap. IV. 8. Hab. II. 6. Psal. XXXIX. 6. Luke XII. 18.

give to him that is good] Job XXVII. 17. Prov. XIII. 22. and XXVIII. 8.