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 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 Collection of Puritan Literature. 
 
 Division 
 
 Section 
 
 Number 
 
 ^3c50 
 
 
 )a 
 
 U^-' 
 
ANEW 
 
 PARAPHRASE 
 
 UPON 
 
 ECCIESIASTES, 
 
 WITH AN 
 
 Analyfis and Notes. 
 
 PROVING, 
 
 That the Preacher introduces a Refined 
 
 Senfualifti to Oppugn and Invalidate his 
 Penitential Animadveifions and Exhorta- 
 tions. 
 
 By F.rCJRD, Dean of Achonry. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 tinted for Tho. Bennct^ at the H.ilf Ahon\n$i Pauls 
 Church-yard, i^l P^rj^^r, at the Uiw/Vor/j, under the Piazra of 
 the Royal Exchange, Peter Buck, ar the IVw/^/**, near the Inner 
 Ternple-g.itt, Flcctilrect ; and £. Cap:,i\'iX\.6cotUnd yard-gj^e^ 
 Charing Crofs. i 7 o I.. 
 
 1i 
 If 
 
M J^- (i^c^^ 
 
T O 
 My moft Honoured Patron, 
 
 William buncombe of Battlefc/e?2^ Efq;^ 
 SIR, 
 
 IT is ahoitt twelve Tears Jificc I finljjjed this Book 
 in joftr HoJtfc. Tour Library 2vas my hclf^ the 
 TrafiqHility^ which yon procured me from the begin^ 
 ning dlmojl of my Refuge^ my Friends^ by your houn^ 
 ty in my behalf^ being in no want, my fe If in plenty ^ 
 and even fare of the future, being fur e of your favour y 
 which accordingly has Jince provided for me : That 
 TranqHiHty gave me the opportunity of applying my 
 fclf entire to the reading of the Script ire, und fo occa- 
 fioned and fivoured the expofition of this part of it. 
 In fine, when^ by my being in the Country, and a 
 Stranger^ I had hardly any opportunity to communi- 
 cate my Thoughts, you favoured my Work fo far, that 
 yoH honoured me with the hearing of my Minutes Sheet 
 by Sheet, as they were fjnifljed, and always encouraged 
 me with your approbation, which, tho given ivith great 
 Modefly , had a firong influence upon me. aU this^ 
 Honoured Sir, which I think gives you a true right to 
 this Traci, I as willingly achiowledge, as I heartily, 
 prefent yon with what is my own in it, not as a pay- 
 ment of your real favours to me^which can Lc done only 
 
 A 2 bjf 
 
The Epiftle Dedicatory; 
 
 by a Life anfvpcrahle to the Jlation you have procured 
 me in the Churchy but as a Civility ^a refpe^iuous Duty^ 
 an Honour Iwip, to a Kind^ Honourable and War* 
 thy Patron. 
 
 I entertain a tender memory ^/Baftleton V Evening 
 Conversations vrithyotir honoured Father^ Sir John, 
 your fe If and your Noble Lady 5 and indeed I may 
 dofo, for they were my beji Comfort at my coming 
 from Sir William Coventry'/, my fir ft friend in 
 England, for whom I was then mourning ^ Sir John 
 was to me rrhat Sir William has been ^ your filial love 
 at his deaths joyned with ability^ fuperceded^ and gave 
 no room to my Efieem and Gratitude^ to exprefs 
 themfelves upon hir Monument. But give me leave 
 tofayherey that Sir John ^^<^ ajfembled in himfelf 
 Breedings Wifdom and Equity ^ and to add^ fortes 
 Creantur fortibus 8c bonis. 
 
 May it be always fo in your Family^ that the Court 
 and the Nation may find there Worthies to employ ^t hat 
 it be always the San&uary of Strangers^ and the Sup^ 
 fort of the Poor^ and that their Tryals being meafured 
 to their Patience your Profperity may be according 
 to ihi ufage which you have made of it , // the 
 Prayer of 
 
 Moji Honoured Sir^ 
 
 Tour mojl obliged and devoted Servant^ 
 
 F* Ycard. 
 
PREFACE* 
 
 THe name of an Autlior, the occafion of his Writing^ 
 and thccnd which he haspropoled to hiinfelf, the 
 nature of the work (if Prole or Vcrfe) and between 
 thele two finds what fort ofdilcourie it is ; and in 
 fine, the order and divifion , (after the knowledge of the 
 Tongue) are among the general Lights, the greatcit that one 
 can have, for the inteUigence of ail Ibrts of Writings. 
 
 Thele three things, in relped: of the Book of Eccle/tafies, will 
 make the principal fubje^it of this Preface; but as I cannot 
 take them but from the Book itfelf, the Author having left 
 no prelude where he has noted them to us ; that there are in a 
 dilcourfe Ibme Modes which reign there, which, like the air 
 ofpcrlons, are formed from the Col Icdion of a great number 
 of little things which one conceives, and cannot exprcfs j that, 
 in fine, it is but from tlie entire fcnfe of a Book, which filL^ 
 and pcrfwades us, that one can draw certain conlequenccs 
 touching general qucRions, like thofc, which I propole to 
 treat of here. I ought not, in my opinion to do it, but by way 
 of Introdud^ion, that the Reader may not be quite a liranger 
 when he comes to the Paraphrafe, and the Notes, whillf from 
 this Lection he draws an entire pcrfwafion of what I lliall i;iy 
 in this place. 
 
 The Author of the Book of Ecclcfajfes^ names himfelf 
 S^mof Davidj Kingoi J eruf^i I em-, and verle 12. he calls him- 
 Jclf, fjKakin^in the firft pcrlon, King of IJracl. The two 
 tiril Titles, S(^n of i^^W, Kingof Jcr/z/W^w, cannot, to fpeak 
 properly, agree but ^^'[lh Solomon, but the laR, King of Ifr/iely 
 caniiotablolutcly, being ioyned with the two precedino;, be 
 givy but to him alone ; for every one knows that after the 
 dt^ttn oi Solomon , the ten Tribes having feparated, the;r Kings 
 took the name of Ifrael, whereas the Delcendanrs of David 
 louk that C'f J«./^, l>ecaufe they reigned afterwards but over 
 
 A 3 thai 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 that the Tribe, and apart of that of ^fw;>w/;/; Tothisriiay Ic 
 joyned, 
 
 Fir 11, the Conformity which is found between the circum- 
 ftanccsof tlie Hiitory of Solomon^ and what is laid of the Au- 
 thor of this Book ; for all that the Holy Hiftory lays of Solo- 
 mon^ of his Knowledge, his Witdom, Debauchery, Buildings, 
 Riche?, Magnificence, &c. the Author of this Work fays of 
 himielf, from the 12th of the firll Chapter to the nth of the 
 lecond, noting among other things, ch. i. 16. ch. 2. p. that he 
 had ra s'd himlelf above all thole vvdio before him had reign'd 
 iii Jcrufalcm I which cannot agree but with him alone, whole 
 Delcendants were much infcriour to him in all things, and 
 particularly in the extent of their ftate, which tonliikdbutin 
 two Tribes, whereas he had reigned over twelve ; and bef/des, 
 what theHifiory remarks of 60/0 wo«, that he had compoleda 
 great number of Proverbs, i K. ^. 2. being faid in this work 
 of the Author, luitably to the Book which we have of them. 
 
 Andin theiccond place, the Rile; for the Fhrale of it 19 
 fententiousand iliort, like that of the Book of i'rot/er^j-, moft 
 pari of the thoughts are lb many leniences, one fees there in 
 leveral places; and particularly ch- 5. 1,6,7,8. ch.7,11, 12, 
 2p.a pcrfecl knowledge oF the fubtilttcs of the heart of man, 
 as in tLicBook of Proverbs, one lees there a profound medita- 
 tion upon the works of froviderce, ch. i. 4. to the iithch. 
 ?,. I. tothepthch. v. 7. to v. 14. an.d ch. 8. v. 6, 7, 8,p, 10. 
 In fine, like as in all the works of this Prince, one fees a cer- 
 tain delicacy of wit, which reigns every where, and is not 
 found eliewhere. ' Let one vvTigh the terms -which ch. 8. i. he 
 makes ule of to give the Pidure of a perfect Miniftcr of a 
 Prince, it isuot pofFible that any other but Solomon did it; 
 but itislurc that it is very worthy of a K'ng, who without 
 W:us , as was Sdonion had known how to render his 
 Neighbours his Tributaries, and become the objecl of the curi- 
 ofity of the moildiiknt Nations. 
 
 Tliis beii g laid down, that So!o??ion is the Author of this 
 \Voik, let it be remcmbred that the Hifbry fays, i iC. 11. 
 that in his elder years, God ihcenled, fays, that for fo much 
 as he had done all this evil, Ipcaking of his Idolatries, he would 
 tear his Stale and give it to his Servant, and that that fliould 
 hapren after his death, in the Pvcign of his Son, to whoii'^r 
 VdZJid's liikc he fnould leav^ one Tribe ; that fince God having 
 laiicd him two great Wars, the one by Hadad, King of Uu- 
 trca, the other by i^t^/rt, King of Syria ^ Vv'ho, (nystheHifto- 
 |7, did grcatcvils to Jfrnd, and thai ^%'<i/? the Prophet hav- 
 ing 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 iiig foretold Jcroh^.m that lie fliould Reign over the ten 
 Trite, Solomon having known it, and Iceking topiitliimto 
 death, Jerohoam had defended himlelf, had caulcd a Civil 
 War, and after many evils done to the State, had eicapcd 
 and wa? fled into E^pt : For that is ahiioft the time -when 
 Solomon writ this Work, fince Jeroboam had fled ; which ap- 
 pears by the 4laft verles of the i^.th Chapter, where he Ipeaks 
 of an old King conceited of himlelf, who becomes poor upon 
 the Throne on which he was born, whom he oppoics to a 
 young man poor, but who has fcnie, who is to return from 
 the Houle of Fugitives to Reign; and of a young Prince, Son 
 of the old King, 'to whom all'the world makes court , becaufe 
 they apprehend that he is quxkly to fucceed to the Crown, 
 but with whom hefaysthat thcv fhould not always be eafie; 
 for if one fubftitutcs the name of Solomon to the^placc of the 
 old King, that of Jeroboam to the place of the young poor 
 man, and that of Rekohoam to the place of tlie young Prince, 
 whom the w^orld runs after, one ihall Ice, that in (hewing 
 in a general manner the faults of Princes who govern, and 
 the evils which they draw on themfelves by their impru- 
 dence, or that the people create to them by their change, one 
 fliall lee, I fay, that he makes a tacite, but fenfiblc allufion to 
 thofc whounderftand Hifiory, to himfelf, calling himfelfa 
 concited man and a fool j fo Jeroboam, w horn he prefers be- 
 fore himlelf, to Jeroboam his Son, to the evils he had already 
 iuffered in the VVais I have fpoke of, and to the future de- 
 cay of his Houle, as well as to the elevation of Jeroboam ; this 
 is cjq^lain'din a more cxteniive manner, in the Remarks upon 
 this place : fotliat without flopping any longer, 
 
 I draw this confequcnce, that Solomon writ this in fuch vex- 
 atious ciraimftances, tliat bcfides the Characters of the Spirit 
 of God, which fliine in it by a folid piety, ch. 5. i. as w^ll 
 as by an ardent Charity, ch. 4. 2:5. ch. 1 1 , 1 2. to the 6th, he 
 • fhewsa horrour for the paflion which had caufed his fall, ch. 
 7. 26, 28. exhorting efpeciallych. 12. 3. to turn betimes to- 
 wards our Creator before old age arrives; it is manifelt that 
 under the favour of thefe evils which Gcd vifited him with, 
 hekne^v the vanity of the world, acknowledg'd himfelf; and 
 having made his peace with God, laboured to make others ac- 
 knowledge in preaching tothem, that which had touched him 
 hihifelf, the vanity of this life, the ill day which had overta- 
 ken him, and which he prefTes fo Rrongly, ch. 3. 7. toch. 3, 
 J3, 14. ch. II. 3. to the 6th, the iiidgmcntof God wh'ch h? 
 t^rcfents inccflantly. In a word, allthat he had been affc6led 
 
 A 4 with. 
 
Tie PREFACE. 
 
 Iirith, intliis, doing like David, P£ <. Give me the fpirit of I 
 liberty, and I /hall teach thy ways to the (Inner s, after hav.ngJ 
 praCJiic d before what the fame Prophet fays, Pf, up. if 
 
 For the reft ; What I conclude herefrom the converfion of 
 Solor/3on, is confirmed by a^ftroke of the Holy Hiftory, 2 ch. ii, 
 15. which puts Solomon among the good and pious Princes, 
 joyning him particularly to David ; and what I fay touching 
 the circiunftances he was in when he writ this Book, is con- 
 firmed, not only by the lentiment of the Chaldee Paraphraft, 
 who at the head of his work, fays that Solomon compofcd this 
 Book, when by a prophetick Spirit he knew that his Kingdom 
 fliould be divided after his death, and that a great part fhould 
 h\l'intothth3.nds of Jeroboam; but again, by I know not 
 how many other circumftances of the Book itfelf, as the 
 Picture which he makes, ch. 12. of old Age, and its evils, 
 where it appears that this fentiment has a great affinity with 
 what he fays of his Buildings, ch. 2. which fhewsthat he had 
 finifhedthem, and if one takes the pains to reckon them ac- 
 cording to the years of his Reign, one (hall fee that he muii 
 not have been very far from his end, when he had finifhed 
 them ; and in fine, by two particularities which he relates of 
 himfelf in the fame chap, that he had hated his works, and 
 had defpaired of them, becaufe he muft leave them to him 
 who fhould come after him, whom he knew well to be jfero- 
 hoamy who profited of all that was out ofjuda and Benjamin. 
 
 In this place I fhould anfwer thofe who have doubted that 
 this work was Solomons, but as the only Books to help me in 
 this explication, are a Paraphrafe of the Lord Bifliop of Elys, 
 and the little Criticks exceping a Polyglot and feveral Con- 
 cordances: that the firfl, who is the Bifhop or Ely, quoting 
 the Dodtors ofihcTalmptd, who attribute this work to Eze- 
 chiaj', R. Mofes Kin;chi, who attributes it to Ifaiah, and the 
 l-Q?.:ncdGron;^, who thinks it was compofed in -^oroWe/'s 
 time by fix perlons, who by his order calle6ted- the Sentences 
 of this Work, and made the Applications of them to Solomon, 
 does not mention thereafons of the firft, and that he fays, that 
 Crocitis alledges but one, which is, that he had found in this- 
 Eook fome Chaldaick terms, and that the abridgment of the 
 Criticks fpeaks but of (jro^/W, and of the reafon which I have 
 iic'vlpoke of, citing thefe CW.'/^fc^' terms, which are four. 
 
 I have only to fay, that having examined thefc terms, I 
 
 have fonud that of four there are three whicii have their Pvoots 
 
 n ihe Hebrew, and which might Vv'ell be //<'/'r^n?,thoexcepLing 
 
 this Bcok, we do not fiiid them but in E/dras and Daniel ; for 
 
 every 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 everyone Apprehends tluit all the Hebrew words whidiwerc 
 formerly in ulc, arc not contained in the Sacred Books, aiid 
 ihatif it iliould he true, that they iliould be piirtlv Chaldaici^ 
 M is not at all Rrangc that tliey were known h)' Solomon, who 
 might have learnM them cither of fhangcrs who frequented 
 his Cotirt, or of one of liis Wives; for amongft the great 
 numbers that he had, it is not poflible that there was none of 
 them ChnlL.uis ; that l>cride? he was of a genius not to confine 
 .liimlclf to the Linguage of his Country • that the Chaldaick 
 was more eafv and ncceiTary to him than any other, as well 
 bccaule it is but a dialed of the HehreWy as that Chaldea was 
 a boundary o[ Ifraely and that in a word , there is nothing 
 io common among Atuhorsas to borrow terms of a Foreign 
 Language, efpecially when they approach our natural Tongue, 
 that being pradifed chiefly in the molt Polite Courts, where 
 the affluence of Strangers inflames curiofity, and infallibly 
 communicates iome of their cxprefTions. 
 
 I know thatthofe who have read this Book with attention,' 
 tho they do not doubt that it is Selomons, will move me a 
 difiiculty upon this, that ch. 12. v. 11, 12. to the 15th, it is 
 fpokejof the Preacher, who is Solowon/m the third pcrlon, that 
 his encomium is made in a manner which would not have 
 been decent for *Sb/c;wo» himfelf; and that in fine, in three le- 
 veral places of the Book, ch. 12. ch. 7. 28. ch. 12. 20.thefetwo 
 words, hys the Preacher, are inferted, which being in the 
 third pcrfon it docs not feem that Solomon himfelf dictated 
 them. But let any one go th.e Notes upon cii. 1 2. 1 1. and one 
 fhall find this difficulty refolvcd; only let it be obfcrved here 
 by the way, in refpedofthefctwo words, fays the Preacher, 
 that they arc inferted in three difl^erent places, the beginning, 
 the middle, and the end of the Work, and that fo, whoibever 
 they are, thcv fiippofethat the Preacher fpeaks alvv^ays. 
 
 Thi^ luflices in lefped of the Author; let us come to the 
 Nature of the Work, and to be as lliort is it is polTible to 
 me. 
 
 Of the 3\(jtHre of the 'BooJ^ of 
 Ecclefiaftes* 
 
 r Et one rcprcfent to ones fclf a Prophet, who preaches, 
 ^ and a Worldhnglcnlual and prophane, a Copill and a 
 Mocker \v ho hears him. 
 
 The 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 ' TheFirR 5 the Prophet who gives to the Worldling, whry 
 might reaton in his loul,. the liberty to realbn in effedl, tho 
 that interrupts the thread of his difcourfe; and the Worlding, 
 who profiting of this liberty, fpeaks from time to time, and 
 under this mask, leeming to eiiterinto his Sentiments and fol- 
 low his Plan, embroils this by his interruptions, and alters, 
 enfeebles, and turns the fecond by his Ironies, his additions, 
 new propofitions, ambiguiters orotherways. 
 
 In fine, the firfl, the Prophet, who before his beginnin«y 
 having laid a Plan, purfues him without troubling 'himfcl'f 
 with what the Worldling lays in feme places, only if what 
 Ire advances may raiic fome difficulty, turning afide to anfwcr 
 him, in fome others where the thing is not of fo great a conle- 
 quence, contenting himlelf to overturn hisfenfe, and in others 
 giving him lome laflies, in fliewing him that his follies are un- 
 worthy of an anlwer ; and the Worlding on the contrary, 
 having nothing but his paflion and h\s impetus for guide, fpeaks 
 according as this pafTion puflies him, and the Prophets dilcourle 
 provokes him. 
 
 This thought, whereby I fuppofe that Solomon preaches, and 
 that heintroduces a Worldling that hears him, and whoin co- 
 pying him, thruds himfelf iuto his difcourfe, to embroil and 
 render him abfurd, I cannot judify, but by the favour of two 
 things. 
 
 The I ft, which is the explication of the pafTages, where I 
 ilippoie the Worldling fpeaks, which I cannot give but in the 
 Paraphrafc, and in the Remarks, becaufe that depends on the 
 Text, on what proceeds and what follows. 
 
 The 2d, which is the feries and conneclion of Solomons pro- 
 per difcourfe, which may be luch, that it may appear that 
 what I attribute to the Worldling, arefo many interruptions 
 which I cannot fhew but in the third point, which 1 propofe 
 to handle in this Preface, which is the Order or Analynsofthe 
 Book ; fo in expectation of that let it be obfervcd, 
 
 iff, that by the Idea which I give here of the nature of the 
 difcourfe, the grcateft diffcul ties of this Book difappear. 
 
 We know that there are places which leem Foreign, whofc 
 literal fenfe appearing clc:irly, one does not however know 
 what thev mean, by the means I propofe one iliall find their 
 place: for example, the 3 fi^ft verlesofch. 10. in which .So/o- 
 9?fon fays , that a grain of Folly ruin<^ the greatcft Wifdom, 
 that a fool takes all on the left, that when hc\valks the Streets, 
 at every Hf-p he makes, he tells thau he meets: that he is a 
 JFool, the literal fenfe is all clear: but if one docs not know 
 
The Preface. 
 
 licba? iull fpoke and icafoned foolifhly, one cannot cx)mprc- 
 hend what tnclc fentcnccs mean. 
 
 Further, one finds in this Book fen timents loofc in all rc- 
 fpectsasarethelc words ofch. 3. 12, n. fo often rcpcated,that 
 there is nothing Ixrttcr than to cat and drink,and rc;oice,that one 
 has a difticulty to attribute to Solov:on, one fees that thcfe lenti- 
 mcnts are oppofitc to a great number of others which are a- 
 grceable to rii;ht reafonand piety, as thefe words, ch. 2. 2. 1 
 laid to laughter thou art a fool, and of mirth what is that; 
 one cannot conceive that a lame Author has advanced things 
 Iboppofite ; by tlie way which I propofe, one is no more in 
 pain, one lees that it is the Worldling who makes this remii- 
 nels, andcontradids^b/owo/i. 
 
 In fine, one finds much confufion in tiiis Book, one thinks 
 that Solomon , (peaking prelently of the vanity of the world, 
 ought to terminate this Article, andpafs to lome other thing; 
 yet when he begins, ch. 5. to exhort us to fear God, we Ice 
 vanities return'about the end of the chap, as alfo in the 6th ; 
 and when he has begun, ch. 8. to exhort us to honour Kings, 
 there are vanities which appear again about the end of the 
 ch. and in the 9th, lo that one knows not how to range thefe 
 things ; by the way which I propofe, one fliall be under fhel- 
 ter from this trouble, for one lliall fee that it is the worldling 
 who does it. 
 
 A fecond reflexion . Solomon quits his proper name and 
 takes that of a Preacher, upon the account of w^liich I am to 
 lav, that one fliall find the Grammatiationof it at the head 
 of'the Remarks. One fees, 1 fay, that Solomon takes the Ti- 
 tle of Preacher, and one tortures ones felf ; why, it is, fay 
 they, bccaufe the Matter is purely of the Chair, or elfe that 
 Solomon had a mind to fhew his zeal; that may be fomething ; 
 but if one obfervcs that the dilcourfes, where divers perfonsare 
 introduced, are more lulccptible of metaphorick Titles than 
 others : knowing that this is of this number, one lees clearly his 
 thought. 
 
 Let me add to that, that it appears by the Canticles that So- 
 lomon was no Enemy of liich works, where divers pcrfons 
 are introduced. 
 
 That what he does here would :happen everyday, if when 
 11c preaches, the Worldings had the liberty to anlwer. 
 
 In fine, that it is probable that Soloman had in view the 
 people of his Court, whole converfion was probably the firfl 
 in his mind. Now^ let one think what the Charadkr of this 
 Court ought to be, it was filled with women, Sohmm h2i± 
 
 no 
 
Tie PREFACE. 
 
 no left than a thouland for himfelf, it Was the Rendezvous 
 of curious ftraiigers, Solomon was himfelf not only learned and 
 able to govern a State, but of that delicacy of wit, which I 
 ' have made obfervable, that draws and wins hearts ; and in 
 fine, he had plunged himlelf into all forts of Debaucheries, 
 and we know what the example of a great King, able, and in 
 reputation of a wife man can do ; what to conclude : but that 
 this Court was both debauch'd and polite, two things which 
 are always followed, with the prophanation of allthatismofl 
 Holy and Sacred, Prophets and their Sermons; and if one ^id 
 that Solomon when converted w^as not perhaps exempt from 
 their fport, one fhould not much miliake. To touch fuch 
 Hearts, what does Solomon ? he preaches the vanity of the 
 World, and exhorts to fear God; but at the fame time he 
 makes the Worldling preach, if I dare fpeakfb, and gives him 
 himfelf the mask that he generally takes, that his own Pidure 
 may ftrike fhame and horror together into him, for it is ex- 
 adly as he draws them, as he is in effedl odious and ridicu- 
 lous. The 3d point, which is the order of this Book, will 
 give to all this a little more light. 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 General Idea and Divifion. 
 
 IN the ^dand laft part of this Book Soloman concluding, re- 
 capitulates all that hehasfaid in the two preceding VerfeSy 
 in thefe three Propofitions, contained chap. 12. verle 10, 15, 
 and 16. 
 
 All is vanity. 
 
 Fear God and hep his commands. 
 
 For God [hall bring every norl into judgment. 
 
 Of which the firli, all is vanity ^ which is the foundation of 
 the 2d, for he rfho loves theivorid, the love of the Father is not in 
 him, i]o.2. 15. isthefubjedt of the firfl part, contained in 
 the 4 firft Chapters. 
 
 And the 2d, fear God and hep his commands, makes t he 
 Matter of the 2d part, wherein ibWo;? employs the 3d pro- 
 pdfition, that God brings every rfork into judgment, as a reafon 
 which he joyns to each of his Exhortations, ch. 5. 2, 6, 8. ch. 
 7. 13, 14, IS, 16, 17. ch 8.6. to V. 16. ch. 10. 19. ch. 11. 2. 
 ch. 12. 1. This 2d part begins with the 5th ch. and continues 
 tothepth vsricinclufivelyofthe 12th ch. where the conclu- 
 
 fion 
 
Tk PREFACE. 
 
 fion commences, which is included in they bit verfes of tlic 
 la(t Chapter. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 That all is Canity. 
 
 Divifion. 
 
 npHc firit part, wherein »Sb/owo;i proves that all is vanity^ has 
 -*- two Principal Poin is: Thcfirft, wherein he proves the 
 vanity of hte in itfclf, is contained in the tw^o firli Chiiptcrs, 
 and in the 1 5 firft vcrlcs of the 3d. The 2d, wherein he Ihews 
 tlic niifery of Life, which is more than vanity in relation to 
 the Society of mcji, by lb much the greater that Man cannot 
 iive without Man, which is contained in the reft which per- 
 tains to the Hrrt part, to wit, from the 15th verfe of the 3d 
 chapter to the end of the 4th. 
 
 Firji Pointy touching the vanity of life in it f elf. 
 
 In the firR point, to prove tlie vanity of Life in itfelf, So- 
 lomon employs but this only propofition, all the labours of 
 man profit hmi nothing, which he advances, ch. i. v.3. repeat- 
 ed, ch. 2. II. and 22. and in fine, which he re-aflumcs for 
 the laft time, ch. 3. 9. 
 
 This Propofition, that the labours of man profit him no- 
 thiii^^, he proves tw^o ways. 
 
 By Reafon, and 
 By Experience. 
 
 Reafoning, he alledgestwo things, which he includes in two 
 Propofitions. 
 
 The fird, contained ch. 1.4. Generation pades, Generation 
 comes, which reigns tothe nth v. of the lame ch. where he 
 draws his conclufion , that there remains no re- 
 membrance of what has been, and that there lliall remain none 
 of wliat iliail be, the Generations going andcomnig, the one 
 deliroying what the other has done, and a 3d or 4th re-cita- 
 blilhing it, which is the lame as if he laid that all the labours 
 of man profits him nothing. 
 
 The 2d, contained ch. 3. i. there is a time for all, for evil 
 as well as for good, which reigns to the 9th verlc of the lame 
 ciiag. where he concludes likew^ile, that the labcuirs o[ man 
 prohtshim nothing, in this, that during his life h:can do 
 liothing lo h^ppy i;or latisfasitory, \\\rc\\ lias not a time di- 
 ledtly contrary to luine all his joy. Com- 
 
Ue PREFACE. 
 
 Coming to Experience, which he al ledges between thefe 
 two reafons, without doubt, becaule the Worldlings laugh, 
 generally at thefe forts of reafonings, Generations paffes, Ge- 
 neration comes, under pretext that they enjoy the prelent, 
 and that he thought that he ought quickly to fhew them that 
 thisprefent, and all it bears, is nothing. Coming, I fay,, 
 to Experience, Solomon mzk^s from the 12th v. of the firlt ch. 
 to the 23d of the 2d, both verfes inclufive, he makes, I fay, a 
 Hiftory of the Experience he had made of the Goods of tne 
 world, and notes, that he had proved them in three refpecls, 
 in themfelves or in tlieir en;oyment, and that he had found 
 in this refpe6lthat they were vain, and th2t they profited no- 
 thing, which is contained in the laft part of the ill ch. and 
 in the 8 1 firft verfes of the 2d. 
 
 In refpe^l of death, and that he had found that they were 
 weak againfHt, this is contained ch. 2. v. 12. to the i6th in- 
 clufive. It is true, that in this place he fpeiks but of wifdom, 
 which he fays has no more power againft Death than Folly^ 
 the Wife dying as well as the Fool: but the conlequencc is 
 veryeafy; forif Wifdom can do nothing againll death, what 
 will other Goods do. 
 
 And in fine, in refpe6l of the heart, what thefe Goods pro- 
 duce upon it, and that he had found that they threw him into 
 loathing, vexation and defpair • this begins ch. 2. 17. and con- 
 tinue to the 23d inclufive. 
 
 This is the Prophets reafoning: Now here is what the 
 Worldling does. 
 
 At the end of this Hiftory, becaufe Solomon had fhewed that 
 all the Goods of Life do profit nothing, and that he had faid, 
 efpecially,ch. 2. 2. that laughter is a folly, and of mirth he 
 did not know what it was. At the end, I lay, of thisHifto- 
 ry, V. 24. he lays by way of mockery, no it is not good that 
 man fhould eat, drink, and make his Soul enjoy good, to 
 which 5c/o7;?o» anfwers in an auilere manner. This, lays he^ 
 in the lame verfe, comes alfo from the hand of God, meaa- 
 ing, that he has left us in his anger to our diffolutenefs, to 
 make us fenfible of the punillimbnt of our firfl Parents gor- 
 mandife, alledging, v. 25. that none has liirpaiTed him in 
 that, meaning to eat and drink, and that lb none can better 
 judge of it than him ; to which the Worldling replying, v. 26. 
 in abufing the Scripture, Solomon quits him as unworthy of an- 
 fvver, with thefe oiily words, that is alio vanity and^ gnaw- 
 inp^of mind, if one goes to the notes^ thereafon of this imerr 
 pretation will be fccn 
 
Ue PREFACE. 
 
 After tins Dialogue, in the 3d ch. when Solomon Ins co*- 
 rludcd, V. p.tlutthc Liboiir of nun profits bini nothing, n . 
 VV\uldling comes again, v. 12. and continues to the i^t^ ij:- 
 clufive: and inthcic 4 vcrlcs he gives his judgment upnn all 
 that Solomon had laid; he had ilicwcd in his Hiibry, t' 'CjU 
 the Goods of the World are nothing, and v. 12,^: 13. he 
 comcsto tell a^, that he knowsthat there is no r.ood for man 
 but to eat, drink, and rcioyce. Solomon had faid of i rovi- 
 dence, Generation pafc, &c. There is a time for ail, &c. 
 and the Worlding lays, v. 13, 14. that lie knows that vvh.c 
 God does is invariable, that what has been l"hall be, as Snlo^ 
 nion had laid, pretending to conclude, thatVcrtuc nor Vice 
 could alter nothing in Providence, and that ib one has no- 
 thing to do but to divert one Iclf, butthis laft difcourfe of the 
 Worldling has a kind of Introduction, which is a rcflect'on 
 which Solomon mikes, v. lO, 11. He had proved in the S firfl 
 verles, that there is a time for evil as well as for good ; aniiii 
 thele two verfes, having a mind to pals to the 2d Point, where 
 he is to Ipcak of the conduil ot men, he lays, that he has con- 
 lidcr'd all their Occupations to know them, and that he hi\s 
 oblcrvedthat they are io blinded by the Love of the World, 
 that they will never perceive the work of God, whereby he 
 makes Evil to fucceed (jooJ, w^hich fuits very well with the 
 Language of blindncfs, which ihe WorldUng afterwards holJs^ 
 and Rill better, with what heisgoing to fay, v. 16. and the 
 following: whence it comes, that having faid fimply, v. 10. 
 ( have fee n, he continues v. 16. inlaying, and moreover I 
 iiave leen, conneding fo his fecond \m\M with the firll, as 
 well by particles, as by the connection which is found in the 
 Iciile. 
 
 SECOND POINT. 
 
 Touching the wi fir y of LiU', in refpccl of the Society, which mex. 
 arc forced to entertain amon^ themfelves. 
 
 TN the fccond Point, to prove the mifery of Life, in relpc6l 
 -^ to Society, which wc arc obliged to entertain one with ano- 
 tiicr, Solomon alledgcs 3 oblervations which he had made. 
 
 TheFirft, That the Seats of Juftice, the Tribunals arepof- 
 iclTed by wickedncfs, wdiich, with f une reflcdtions tiia: he 
 inakcs thereupon, takes up the 16, 17, and 18 verles of the 3d 
 ch. and the 3 tirll of the 4th. 
 
 The 
 
TkPREEACE. 
 
 The 2d, That in each Profeffion the Mafter-pieces of Art arc 
 anobjcil ofenvy from their Fellows, which is contained ch. 
 4. v. 4, 5,6. ^ ■ . 
 
 And the 3d, That in the Government of States, there is no- 
 thing butimpradeijce on thepart of Princes who govern, and 
 inconlimcy and agitation on the part of Natioiis, which is 
 contained m the 4 laft verfes ofthe 4th chap. 
 
 Whcieupon, if one refleds, that our Goods, Honours, and 
 Life, depend on the obiervation of La ws, that every one ought 
 to have, generally fpeaking, a Profeflion ; and in fine, that 
 where-ever one is, one muli make a part of ibme Government, 
 and by confequence, be fenfible of what there is Good or Evil, 
 it is clear, that if in all thele things there is nothing but dil- 
 orders, ours Life is a fource of mifery; and this again is the 
 reafoning of the Prophet. Here is that ofthe Worldling. 
 
 Upon the firft obiervation, Solomon having laid, v. 18, that 
 God exercifing even in this Life his judgment upon men, 
 permits them to tear one another like Bealb, the Worldling 
 taking opportunity by the lock, fays, that in effecl they are 
 butBeafts, either in refpecl of the Body , or in refpedl- of the 
 Soul, fo leaving us to apprehend that there is no judgment of 
 God to be feared, againfl: ivhat Solomon had iaid, v. 17. he con- 
 cludcs,that one has nothing by coniequencc 10 io but be merry; 
 this is contained, ch. 3. v. ip. to the end of the chap, and up- 
 on the fecond obiervation, Solomon Jiaving Ipoke, ch. 4. y. 4, 
 5,6, of Profeffions, and of envy wnich reigns there, which is 
 but little favourable to Society, theWorldlinj^comes, ch. 4. v. 
 7. to the 1 2th, and to the purpofe of ProfefTions, he alledges 
 an odious Example, of certain laborious, hard and melancho- 
 ly Milers, who by an infatiable grecdineis, working continu- 
 ally, deprive themfelves.not only of all Society, of Marriage, 
 and the comfort of a Family, but even cfwhat is ncceffary to 
 their fubfiifence, pleading under the favour of ihis Rug. Ex- 
 ample for Idlenefs, good Cheer, and good Company, upon 
 which he evaporates liimfelfin a manner, which renieis him 
 ridiculous; and'this istheRcaion why Solomon does.not an- 
 fwerhcre no morr than in other places; for, as he does not 
 introduce the Worldling, but that he may render himfelf ri- 
 diculous and odious; Vv'hat he fays, I niean the Worldhng 
 appearing Uich, w^hen one has diicovered that it is he that 
 Ipeaks, it is not neceflary that be Ihould reply. 
 , To finil"hwhat refped'ts the firl^ part, let 'the Reader col- 
 ledlon one fide the obfervations which Sdhmon brings in the 
 2d Point. Let ^j:m on another colledl what the Wcrldling 
 
 fav3. 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 fays and let him :i(tcnvnrJs pvn the two Points, and make 
 the entire opjxMltion of SolorKons DiVtrinc \vith that ot the 
 Worldhng, and he will perceive of u* hat weight Inch an 
 op^x)iition i<, whether Solomons Dodhincisnot the ir.ore llii- 
 ning, and that ot the Worldlinc; more odious and ridiculous 
 by it. Whatl lay here is to lervetoran Advcriilcmcnt lov 
 ihc reft, as well as for this hrit part. 
 
 SECOND PART. 
 
 That rfe onojit to fear God and keep his C.on:?Han.li. 
 
 T*Hc Iccond part has feur Principal Point?. 
 
 -*■ ill. Where'm Solomon exhorts us to ^'ear God, ch. 5, 6, 7. 
 
 2d. Wherein he exhorts us \o honour the Kin (r^ ch. 8,9, 10. 
 
 ^jd. Wherein he exhorts us to Charity to the poor y which is con- 
 tained in the6firft vcrlcsofch. j i. 
 
 4th ly. Wherein he exhorts us to a fpccdy Convcrfon from our 
 youth. 
 
 This laR Exhortation b<:j;in?, to fjx^.ik properly, ch. 1 2. v. 3. 
 but as Solomon pafTes there under the favour otan objection, 
 which the Worldling makes in the two laftvcrles of ch. 11, 
 one may lay that begins ch. 11. v. 7. and continues to the 9th 
 vcrfeof the 12th. 
 
 Here, before we go further, let a refle61ion be made upon 
 the Order and Extent of tliele 4 Points ; for one ihall lee, that, 
 lx:lides that each is in its rank, they embrace, taken togcthei: 
 the entire Bixly of Religion, the Laws Divine and Humane, 
 the Works of Charity, Nvhereby Piety ought to appear • and 
 in tine, that the Icrvice of God is not of o::c time, or one age 
 only, but of the whole Life, as it is of him that we have re- 
 ceived it. 
 
 FIRSTPOINT. 
 
 ThatTf sought to fear God. 
 
 TN the Firfl Point, Solomon exhorting us to fear God, dwells 
 •*• upon two things. 
 
 The Divine Service 
 
 Providence. 
 
 In refpcdl of the Divine Service, he exhorts us topradice it 
 
 with rclped and finccrity, which is contained inthelevcii 
 
 firft verlcsofch. «5. And in rclncct of Providence, he exhorts 
 
 us to acknowledge it in all, and never to controulit,quotinc: 
 
 a the 
 
Ue PREFACE. 
 
 liic ciicumiianccs of Life, as are Dignities, ofthe di(inbu:ion 
 niicicof lie v.ill not have us complain under feigned appear- 
 ances of Ri^^hteouihels. 
 
 Riche?, the partition whereof, accordin© to him, ou^ht not 
 lo trouble us, iuperfluity bein^ a Vanity and a corroljon of 
 mindjch. 5.9, 10,12. Adverfity, which we ou^ht to look 
 upon as coming from the hand of God, without murmuring, 
 which is contained, ch. 7. 10. Profperity, wherein he '.cach- 
 es us to forget neither God nor our lelves, having relpedt to the 
 evil day,ch. 7. II, 12, 13, 14.. and in fine, this par:icular 
 i'rovidenceofGod, whereby hevifits Ibmetimcs the juft, and 
 Supports or does £;ood to the wicked. This is propoicd ch. 7. 
 V. 15. as an objcclion which the WorldHng make% who pre- 
 tends by that to ruin all that Solomon lias laid ; biit as Lr ison€ 
 ofthe things whereupon Solonjon ought to have adrertifed us 
 to adore Frovidence, it is clear that he makes it propofcd by 
 the Worldling, but to fiiew the better his impiety, and to. 
 have more reaion to combat it ; and thus he docs it. 
 
 i(h He exhorts us, ch. 7. v. 16. not to be wife, above what 
 we ought to be wife. 
 
 2. N;t>t to befooliili above meafurc, and carry our extrava* 
 gance to defend our Crimes, in controuluig the wildom of 
 Cjod, this with fbme Advertiiemcnt which he adds, is con- 
 tained cl).7. 17, 18, ip, 20. 
 
 3. To have for the fecrets of God the fam.e refpedt which wc 
 h.ivc (or thole of men, ch.7. 21,22. 
 
 And, in fine, to forget nothing upon fci important a fubieft^ 
 after having faid, that' he had likewile lubtilized and 
 pj.My'd the captioiiSj he advertife us, that tie mort dangerous 
 i-f all p.illions in thisrcfpcd, is that of women, that we all 
 wrangle., hardly amonga tlioufand there beiiig one who yields 
 to tiie truth, tho he knows it, and that in a word itisby^ So- 
 l^liiilry th.at fin is cntred into the World ; this is contained 
 inthe^td ofch. 7. beginning v. 23. 
 
 It lias beer. d(nibtiefs]y oblervcd, t]iat to give the entire 
 
 ^riinumcration of tlK'circumfb.nces of Providence, which Solo- 
 
 vy/i lon.ci'i.e? \n ihisixnnt, 1 have pafl'ed from the 1 2th Verlc 
 
 of il-.c 5ih chap, to v. 10. ofihf 7tl] ; here is what is between 
 
 t <?tn. ' . . , 
 
 A dijconrfcofthc Worldlin*;^ vyhich is included in the laft 
 rart di ch. 5. beginning r. 15. and in the whole 6th_chap. 
 ' And ;-Ttanl\v\:r of Snlon;on^ contained in tlie 9 firft verfes. 
 I ' ch. 7. whiclj lias tiiis common with wl;at I have laid in the 
 : fnjl ''cricP.Oi l!'.; ic. that tho ail :l]e Sentences be. cle;u, aud 
 ' " in- 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 include a very fine fcnfc, they would be foreign, ifthcy lud 
 
 noi relation with what ilic Worldling lavs l^lorc, one may 
 
 ice the aflinity otit in the Paraphrale; for 1 lliall lay no moic 
 
 it here ; and as for that which regards the Worldhngs dil- 
 
 . nrie, I have only to lay that it has two Parts. 
 
 Tlic I . wherein he conilxits a fi rdid Avarice; to concludc,tha; 
 
 nemulhnake afine expencc- which is contained in the laf} 
 
 -If otch. «^. 
 
 J tlie 2d, wherein he combats the Avarice of great men, 
 
 ' r nmbicion, doubtlclsly that 5y/owo;i , whole prcach- 
 
 • bly did iio^ picale htm, might have his prt in his 
 
 . ic, vvbicliis coniaiuedin ch. 6. quite out, what Solo- 
 
 v^ apainit Avurirc in geiieral, in cli.^.v. lo, ii, 12. 
 
 : tivCM him the opportunity , one mui\ have patience 
 
 • .co:iietothe Paraphrale and the Remarks, to havcau 
 
 xpoiiiion of this. 
 
 SECOND POINT. 
 
 That we ought to Hononr the Km^. 
 
 TN the fecond Point, wherein Solomon cxiiorts us to honoui 
 ■*• the King, he docs 3 things. 
 
 1. i.e ;eiichesus what ought to be the qualities of thofe who 
 approach Princes, ch. 8. i. 
 
 2. He notes to u? what we ou2;lit to do, to watch the 
 mouth of Kings to obferve their orders, ch. S. 2. 
 
 3. What we ought to avoid, wliich he makes to confifi in, 3 
 :hings. 
 
 Not to revolt. 
 
 Not to fpeak openly. 
 
 And in lecret, not even to think ill of our Princes. 
 
 The firRofthefQthing5,which isnottorevoltdias 3 branches. 
 
 Not to revolt ujX)n light pretexts, which, with the rcafon- 
 ings upon tliislubject, is contained ch.B.3. ^^^^he 3d inclufivc. 
 
 Not to revolt, tho the Prince b;: inccnlcd againlt us, and 
 prepare.^ to oppi els us, but rather to endeavour to appealc hnn^ 
 chap. I D. 4. 
 
 In fine, not to revolt, tho he does not lliare his einpfoys 
 ^vith equity, ch. 10. 5. to the loth. 
 
 The 2d thing whicli we ouii.ht to avoid, which is to (peat 
 
 .'•enlv at^uir.fl C/ur Kings and. the Goycnunent, is ci>fitaincd 
 
 dj. ID. v. 1 1. i«> ihe 15th inclufivc, cither to carry us iIkmhoic 
 
 fco venerate tJ)',-. Cjrv^nuncnt, 01 to. ^ive to Prince^ Hienilclvcg 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 thoii:;ht5 worthy of tlicirGranduer. Solomon falls into a fine 
 tranfport, v. \6 8i 17, where he exprefe the happinelsorun- 
 happiiicls ofa Land, according as its Princes take or not take 
 care of their Condud, which oivcs him occafion, piiriuing 
 his digrcihon, to give lomc advice to Prinxe<?, v. 18. & 19. 
 
 The Jaff, that we ought not even to think ill of oiir Kings, 
 is contained ch. 10. 20. 
 
 I hivcdoncherealmoftas in tlic firH: point. Ihavepaffed 
 over a good part of what is in tlie middle, becaule that as in 
 that Solomon permits the Worldling to interrupt him, and 
 that he turns afide to anlwer him, he does in this the 
 fame thing, the Worldling Ipeakingfro n the ijth verfeof the 
 Sth ch. totlie end of the 9th, and anfwering him in the 3 firR 
 i-erfcs of ihe icth. This conformity is remarkable in the 
 Worldlings difcourle, who, as I have laid, begins ch. 8. v. 14. 
 and continues to the end of the pdi. There are two things an 
 irruption of the Worldling, who doubtlelsly benig incenled at 
 the inefFrng dilcourie of Solomon^ touching tlie punifhment of 
 the wicked, ch. 8. v. 11, 12, i3.repeatingin lubltance what he 
 had laidch. 7. v. 15. that there are righteotis who perilli in their 
 rigliteoulneis, and wicked to whom it happens according to 
 the work of the righteous, concluJe?, that one has nothing to 
 do but to be merry, that is contained, ch. 8. v. 14. & i*^. and 
 afterwards a compoied dilcourfc, having a prelude and four 
 p:r:s, wherein he combats all that Solomon has laid from the 
 7tb ch. 
 
 The Prelude is contained in the two lafl verfcs of ch. 8. 
 
 And as frr the pjrr.'^, the firR i<, to prove again this impious 
 thought, that the iull and the WMcked have the fime lot,a- 
 gainlt wiiat Solomon had laid, ch. 8. 11, 12, 13. wdiich is con- 
 tained in the two firft verfcs of ch. 9. 
 
 Tl c 2d, .That Uk is better than Death, Feifl? than Mourn- 
 ing, and Inch tliincs, againd; which Sofnmoi had fpoke in the 
 2 and 3 firil verfcs of ch. 9.^Yhich iscontained ch. 3, to the icth 
 jiiclufive. 
 
 The 3d, wherein iccming to fay as Sokmon diJ,ch. 8. v. 7. 
 fsi 8. that there is a time which often makes our cnterprizcs tt> 
 fill, or punilli us for them, he, lays that there is a time which 
 rcguhtes all, and adds, that there is a chance, ch. 9. 1 1, iSc i :, 
 Let this lubtiltv be oblervcd. 
 
 And the laft, wherein he does not openly combat what 59- 
 lon-on fias fiid, ch. 8. 2. that we ought to watch the mouth of 
 our Kings, to obtervc their orders, and to favour the Goverti- 
 i-kiert': but he makes a parabl: ofa poor man, who bv his 
 
 wifdotn 
 
Tkc PREFACE. 
 
 wi(ilom having delivered a little City tliat a Great King would 
 take, was ill recommenced by the publick, chap. 9. 13, 14. 
 The dilcrect Reader will make his reflcdions upon thi^ lubtil- 
 t)\ which Solomon comlxits as it delervcs. 
 
 For in the anlwtrs contained in the 3 ftrft vcrfes ofc.io.which 
 I have brought cUewlicre, he does nothing, but, asl have fiiJ, 
 give him lome laHics, which note that there is nothinj^but 
 folly in what he lay?, and thatitis no longer neccfTary to an- 
 fwer him; but to prove to the Fool his folly, which appear 
 by his Ikps. 
 
 THIRD POINT. 
 
 TLu lYc ou^h: to hf cktriLMc to the Poor, 
 
 'T'He tliird Point, touching Charity to the poor, w^hich as 
 ■*- I have laid, i? contained m the 6 firfl vcrlcs of ch. 1 1. is 
 
 io clear and lliorr, that there i? no need of divifiDn. 
 
 FOURTH POINT. 
 
 To repfftt betimes. 
 
 T'His has nothing per]')lCTced, it begins ch. 11. v. 7. andconti- 
 •*- nuing to tl.e 9th verfe ot^the 1 2th, has 3 parts. 
 
 An Introdurtion, which confilis in one or two propoHti- 
 ons ofthe WcrKIling, and Siilowon^ anfwer, which is contain- 
 ed in the two lail verk-s ofch. 11. and in the two firit verfcs 
 ofthe r2tli. 
 
 The Exhorf.tion in itfclf included inthefe 3 words, ^«wf«f- 
 biT thy Crc.vor ir. the dnys oUhyyfimh^ cotitauied ch. 1 2. v. 3. 
 
 And in hnc, the region for which *-Wowo.i ftrcngthcns this 
 exliortation, wh'ch is ihe evils of old afie, and death, which 
 beginsch. 12. 3. ;ir,d continues to the 9th verlcinclufive. 
 
 THIRD PART. 
 
 Conclufion, 
 
 T 
 
 'He 3d part is inrlp. jcd in the 7 lafl vcrfes ofthe Book, and 
 
 it contains. two tim;?:s. 
 A pio[x:r conclufion,which confiHs in a recapitulation of 
 '1 that has Ixcn laid. I Ijavc fpoke of it at the beginning of 
 ihis Ai.alyfis, and this recapitulation b Contained ch- 12. 10, 
 I5''indi6. 
 
 Ani 
 
lUie PREFACE. 
 
 And an Encomium of Solowon, which is contained in tli^ 
 verfe between the lothandthe 15th. I lay nothing here of 
 thisdivifion, becaufe it is palpable, and for Solomon s Encomi- 
 um, it will be Icen in the Notes upon this place what I think 
 of" it. 
 
 Thefe are the three things of which I have fiid from the: 
 beginning, that they would make the principal iiibjeCt or tliii 
 Preface ; here is now what refpedb the order and dilpofition 
 of my Work. 
 
 I have divided the Paraphrale in fo many parts as I have laid 
 the Analyfis that this Book contains, each part I have divi- 
 ded in its principal points, and in each point I have dirtin- 
 guifhed ^SbWow from the Worldling, and all that by Titles; 
 and in fine for a greater diftindlion in the places where it has 
 been neccflary to infcrt fomc conne6lion, I have feparated it by 
 an a capite from the Paraphrale of the Text. 
 
 Upon this I have an Advertijenient to give the Reader, 
 
 TT is, that if, when he has once read the Paraphrafc, he reads 
 "* again all in a Series, what 5o/o;feo?? fays in his own perlbn, 
 excluding the anlwers which he makes to the Worldling, ex- 
 cepting what he anfwers to v. 15. ofch. 7. where, aslhave^ 
 laid, the Worldling makes an obicclion upon the lubjedl, of 
 which Solomon thought himfelf ty'd to give us fomc Advcr- 
 tifements,. and which by confequencc ought to make part of his 
 own dikourfe .♦ If, I lay, he reads all in a Series, Solomons dif- 
 courfe, he will find an entire Sermon, which has all its parts^ 
 and he will fee, that, as I have laid, what the Worldling ad- 
 vances in fcveral places, arc nothing but io manv interrup- 
 tions, and his anfwers, I mean Solomons, of the things which 
 belays occafionally, and which, to Ipeak proper ly, make not 
 a confiifence with his firft Plan, which will not ierve a little 
 to confirm what I havefaid of the nature of this Book. Per- 
 haps, might it be thought that this oblervation would be bet- 
 ter in the place where I have fpoke of the advantap.cs whicl\ 
 one draws from this difcovery, that in this Book Solomon in- 
 troduces 3, Worldling that fpeaks, but let it be obiervcd that 
 one, not having read yet the Analyfis, might have fome dif- 
 ficulty to undcriland me ; Ircturn to his Order. 
 
 As I haveparaphrafed upon the Hebrew Text, and that ou; 
 Tranflation deviates lomctimes, under the Text of our vcrhon, 
 I have put in tliefc places aver fum of mv awn head, that one 
 raight prdtntly lie thercalon why my'lcnic is different, from 
 
 thit 
 
 i 
 
T^ PREFACE. 
 
 tint w Mchonc mi.e,ht pihcr from our Tianflitioii. Now 
 m fius vcrfion which I have given, 1 h:ivc gencnilly follow 'd 
 ihc iincrlineary of Pa^^nmuiy or oi' driAs MontgatUj , aiid 1 
 ba^ c loiiictinics tranflated the whole verfe, lometimes parr,. 
 Icmcii'.ucsiomc word? oiily; lometimes I luvc ufcd lomcZ^- 
 tM terms, whciuhc Idiom agreed better withtbAtof the //*- 
 Arf»' than our Phrale could nave done; lometiiiKS ^^ ^hat 
 Specially in the difeult place?, I have ransed the terms, as 
 the Hehreiv is in the Oi!s;inah I have varied in thisrcfpe(5t,as 
 I thouoht I might give more infightand certitude ; one muft 
 only obicrve that in the places where I have tranflatedbut 
 part of the verlc or fome terms, I have put figures upon the 
 part, on the terms which ought to be changed. 
 
 That not lufficin^ to prove the fenfe of the Paraphrafc, 
 which itfelf could not contain all that there was to fay in fome 
 ^ ! cc^, I have made Remarks upon each ch. noting by Letters 
 wlxh I haveptitin the Margent, the verlcs Avliich they arc 
 upon, lo that there where one lliall fee no Letters, one may 
 conclude that there is no Note, and there w^here one fliall lee 
 any, one has nothing to do but to go to the fame, the fame 
 Letter and the lame Verfe. 
 
 The Notes run upon divers fiibjc^bjbut the principal arc the 
 places where the Worldling Ipeaks , to prove that it is he that I 
 have?alwa\s brought in at the firit verfe, where tliereare many. 
 
 I have made none upon the Figures o^ the Phrafc, as the 
 Paronomalc?, the Hypcrbatcs, the Abbreviations, or fuch 
 things, Ix-caule that mi£,ht have been ufelefs for thofc who do 
 not undcrfbnd the Original, and that thofe who ^underftand 
 may lee it. 
 
 As lor the (jrammatication , I have not dwelt upon it ; but 
 whenl havetrandatcd otherwifethan others do, or when in 
 f^ Howling the Lame fenfe, itfeemedto me that I law another 
 turn. 
 
 In fine, I have put all thefc Notes togeti:er at the end of 
 the Book, bccaufe molt part of the chs. having a neccfiary 
 connecVion one with another, I have a mind that the Para- 
 plirale may be read without any interruption, and that be- 
 lides, one has as l(X)n turned 20 or 30 Leaves as 6. I might 
 lay, that tliis realon has hindred me to put Arguments at the 
 head of each chap, according to cuftom, out having thought it 
 ncccflary to G,ive an entire Analyfis as I have done , there was 
 no inoieroum for Arguments without entring into Minutics, 
 %hich would have bccnof vcrv little ufe. 
 
 Pfr^ 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 Perhaps ought I to fay fomething upon this, that in thcPa- 
 raphraleone will find pretty frequent repetitions of iome par- 
 ticles, as and, for, and Iome others; but the Reader, who will 
 .apprehend that in a work where one has followed a road fo lit- 
 tle common as I have held in this, one ought to have much 
 more of exaaitude than in other occurrences, wiJI;udcre with- 
 out difficulty, that generally that proceeds from thil, that I 
 had a mind to keep as much as Icouidtothe Original. 
 
 the Author being in Ireland, it is not to be admird that 
 ' faults have flipped, of which thefe are the moft ii^aterial, 
 
 the reft the Learned will eafily find, particularly by his 
 
 IJehrewBibk, 
 
 CHap.i.verfe 1 1 .metapbmcal t tnet^hyfia^l : ch i.v.p. draught ./ 
 Science.x.firoh likewife: ch.7. arg.re^roving.x.r^ummgiVAS.U^ 
 circum^jentrealmtr. ch.8.v.l>. rchfses.x.th. fcer: cli9.v.9/*^^-'«;'; 
 
 zh.ily.^.trifiing,r.Mllings. Qa the Remarks. Page ^9-^f^l^'^: 
 
 P A 
 
ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Text. 
 
 Vcr. i.n^ II E 
 Ji ivords 
 of the 
 Pre^icher, the Son 
 of D.iZ'id, i^i»^ of 
 Jerfifalem. 
 
 Ver. 2. P^anity 
 
 of vanities, faith 
 the Pre.icher, vani^ 
 ty of vanities, all is 
 vanity. 
 
 VcT.-^AVhat profit 
 hath a wan of all his 
 labour which he tai^ 
 *th under the Sun i 
 Vcr. 4. One fe- 
 neration pajfcth a- 
 -Kay and another 
 j^eneration corr.eth , 
 h:tt the earth ahi- 
 4fth for ever. 
 
 Tarapbrafe. 
 
 THESE arc for the fubftance, tlit 
 worJs which the Soil of David , 
 King of Jcrufalem prcich'J, when 
 God had given him grace to acknowledge 
 his fin?, which accordingly he directs to 
 the finner, preaching, and cryino; with ^ 
 loud voice in this Book , as ir he had 
 f^^oke to him by word of motith. 
 
 All thing?, lays the Preacher, (and let 
 liis word? fink down into your e;irs) have 
 only a vain llicUjand norellity in them; 
 it is vanity it iclf, and fomethijig yet 
 more vain than that, vanity of vanities, 
 of which the very nothingneis cannot 
 liifficiently be trcprefs'd, tho' one Hiould 
 repeat this a hundred and a hundred 
 ^imes, lb in one word, vanity of vani- 
 ties, all is vanity. 
 
 Let a man undertake here on earth 
 whatever you pleafe to imagine, what 
 good will return to him from it ? 
 
 One Generation, that is to fav, all the 
 men that live in one Age , and all that 
 they do p^ijlesaway, and as that pailcs a- 
 way ai'.Qther Generation comes, and with 
 it all things new ; i tlujrd follows this as 
 B dole, 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. I. 
 
 clofe, and fo on in the lame manner per- 
 petually, without interruption or ^;e(h 
 The Eatth only lemaim hxt to br tli€ 
 Theatre, upon which all thele changes 
 are to be. 
 
 Ver. 5. TheSm 
 alfo arifeth, and the 
 Sim g oetJ? down^and 
 h^fittij to kis place 
 T^herc he arofe. 
 
 Vcr. 6. The ki?jd 
 ^oech forward tie 
 SoHihy and tu7-Kcfb 
 aho:it to fh Kcfth^ 
 it v;hir!eth rhom 
 continnally^ and the 
 T^'md returneth a- 
 j^ain acccrcUng to 
 his Circtiits. 
 
 Ver.y. All the 
 Rivers run into the 
 Sca^ yet the Sea is 
 not full', unto the 
 place from wh'ehce 
 the Rivers con^e , 
 thither they return 
 again. 
 
 OsnncftioH. This tliien betng ^.whs^t 
 profit can a n:an receive of* all his hif- 
 
 bour? -. ' V 
 
 Have you taken notice of what the Sun 
 does ? it rife aitd lets,' and as after its ri- 
 fing it makes harte to go down into night, 
 lb after it is Iqu it makes hade in like 
 manner, and7-)ant5 aTter its niif.g apol'n. 
 
 While thus he gives us Night and Day, 
 ttrrnifig from year to year so^^ti the 
 South^j and making our Wi liter, and in 
 like manner, • from year to year turnifi^ 
 toward the NIorth, and giving iis Sum- 
 mer.- r • 
 
 Have ydn confider'd the Wind, hotv 
 that turning round like a drunken man, 
 it blows to day from the North, to morr 
 row from the South, a third day from the 
 Es^fl, and another day from the ^Vef^, 
 going and comiing, and in this, manner 
 continually ending and beginning again 
 its Circuits. 
 
 ' Lafily, have you obfcrved the courle of 
 the Waters? All the Rivers in the world 
 empty themfelves together and at the lame 
 inftant into the Sea, and neverthelefs the 
 Sea is not IwelTd lb as to rile above its 
 iliore j Vv'hlch is ib for this reafon, that 
 the Rivers, or the Waters of which they 
 confiR, come from the Sea, and that there- 
 fbiT, when we fay that they go thither, 
 (if we would fpeak fhiclly) tve llioukl 
 fay, they return thither to come out a- 
 gain. 
 
 Con. In thefe yoti have the images of 
 the liicccffion of Ages and Generations. 
 
 Ver. ». 
 
4re fkliof iahkry a 
 man cannot ntter 
 it ; tht Eye is no: 
 fat is fie d :Ti:h Jce- 
 ifi^ , no7- the Ear 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. I. 5 
 
 V^x.^. All things AJlisnoiliing but labour, painful and 
 vexatious labour, above what any man 
 of the greatcd: clorjucncc and invcntioa 
 can cxprels ; for as the Sun, ihc Wind and 
 the Waters rowl f\viti:iy on, without in- 
 ifig , nor ti)e t.ar tcrruption and without retl, and yeC 
 fiid wiih he^rin^. aftei a thoulandand a tliouland ttirnings, 
 there remains no real cfted of their mo- 
 tion ; Ages and Generations go round in 
 the fame manner, and after a thouland 
 Kcvolutions, notbir.g of all their luccefTi- 
 on remains but meer labour. 
 
 The Eye is never filfd with feeing, nor 
 the Ear with hearing; for as the Hyc is 
 never weary, but delires and [\\\\ covets 
 to lee, as the Ear does to hear new things^ 
 which in the bottom are nothing but mccr 
 liiiokc; Generations lucceed one another 
 with a greediness ibmewhat like it, after 
 new clianges, without cifci^ and without 
 Fruit. 
 
 Con. What profit then ilia II a man Irive 
 of all his labour, be it what it will P for 
 if that of all Ages coiries only to this, and 
 that there is nothing but labour that re- 
 jnainsand abides after all, what can that 
 of oae particular man come to ? 
 
 V. 9. The thinjr 
 that hath heen^ it u; 
 that If hie h (hall he^ 
 And that nhich is 
 done^ is that nhich 
 Jhall be done^ fJid 
 there is no new 
 thing under theSpin. 
 
 Con. But to give a clear Idea of that, 
 which thele Revolutions of Ages produce, 
 and to fhew at the lame time, that as I 
 have laid, they are nothing btit pure la- 
 bour v.'ithout any advantag:. I lay in 
 the Hrii place, and with confidence; 
 
 That that which has been lliall be, and 
 that wliich has been done vvill be clone 
 again, that there is nothing now under 
 ific Sun. I mean, that as the minds of 
 men have their bounds,* lo the tl'iin2;s 
 which they invent and do, have their li- 
 mits too, going and coming, and making 
 a kind of circulation, luch certain inven- 
 tions being in vogue at one time ; which 
 B 2 after 
 
V. 10 
 a}7y 
 
 
 -it may be fitd, fe 
 this is neiv f it hath 
 hi'cn alrciidy cf old 
 time ivhich n-as bc- 
 forc U.S. 
 
 V. IT. rh^r^ i-s 
 no r€rf;tnihrayi.ce of 
 jor?ncr thin^^s^ nei- 
 ther fhrdl there be 
 ^.ny rerneTrbrancc cf 
 thing:, th.tt are to 
 cGK';e^ni:h thoft that 
 II 
 
 xiu tmic alter, 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. I. 
 
 after liaving been forgot for fome Age?, 
 in couric of time come about again, as 
 ;\ve lee in the cafe of Dreflcs and Build- 
 ings, that they bring up the old ways, 
 and of this I am lure. 
 /•• there I delpair of ever feeing any thing ncvf 
 nhereof be it what it will, and if there was any 
 thing which any one would venture to 
 callluch, I would be bold to fay, it had 
 been lome other time ; tor belides that 
 (as I have already hinted) it is the geniiTs 
 of the things of this world, to return to 
 the point where they Avere at firft. 
 
 We Ice n;anilc(tly, that thole which 
 have been before us, are entirely blotted 
 our of the memory of men, Hiltories giv- 
 ing us but a liuall number of events, 
 which are very far from being an ex- 
 ad: account ot -what pals d before our 
 time. 
 
 So tliat what has already happened is 
 a certain lign of what lliall come to pais 
 hereafter; I mean, that as the world is 
 always the lame, if that which is pafsM 
 is forgotten and loft as to us, the things 
 that Ihall happen for the future, will Ix! 
 lo too to thoic that come after ; and that 
 therefore, and as I would have it confi- 
 der'd in the fccond pkice, all things va- 
 nilh even to tlie very memory of tliem. 
 Con. For if thele two things are put to- 
 gether, that tliere are a certam number (»f 
 Events and Dilcoveries , which come 
 round in the courle of Ages; and that 
 thele Events and Dilcoveries are loft, and 
 vanilL one after an.other otit of the memo- 
 ries of Men, it is very evident, that the 
 courfe of Ages and their Revolutions , 
 lervc only to employ that motion that is 
 in the Creatures, and confequently is no- 
 thing but labour , but unprofitable la- 
 bour. 
 
 TIat 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. 1. 5 
 
 That -which thcfc Rc\'ohitioiis, wiiich 
 happen in the fucccirion of A<;cs and (jc- 
 aicrations, do prove in lb convincing a 
 manner , namely, that there is no profit 
 to be cxpe(itcd from any thing whatever, 
 thclaii;ic do thoic wliich lia^^pcn in every 
 particular Age, in every (jeneration, in 
 the life of every man, confirm with no I els 
 ftrengthjbut as the worldly fcnlualif^'^jwho 
 make a God of tlicir Belly, and place 
 their chief good in their filthy plealures, 
 do under pretence of eating and drinking, 
 and taking their other plealures, com- 
 monly turn thele kinds ot dilcourlcs into 
 ridicule, I Ix'lievc, that I iliall nor do 
 amils to wave this lalt thnig for a while, 
 and enter firlt into the Hiltory of niy 
 life, in which it niay be leen, not by me- 
 taphorical realbn?, but by the experience 
 I my lelf had of all tfie plealures of the 
 world, that there is noihingrcal in them, 
 no profit to be expected from tiicir enjoy- 
 ment, I mean no Iblid latisfadion. 
 
 Vcr. 1 2. / the Let evcrv one then that reads tliis know, 
 
 Pre.uher )T.t< A'/V?^ that I ^vlio j^rcacli in this dilconrle, was 
 
 over Ijr.i:l in Jc no Preacher by my profcihon, bin a King, 
 
 riij.iUm'. and a Knig not ol" any little Ihte, but of 
 
 the Kingdom ot Ifr^.t I , ot whicli Jcvyifa- 
 
 iem (where I had my Court) was the 
 
 chief City ; For if this be well v/eiglied, 
 
 that I was not a Preacher but a Kijig, and 
 
 the greatnels and glory of my Reign be 
 
 rcmembred, with'thehimc I had got for 
 
 Wiidom and Knowledge, it will Ix; ealy 
 
 to conceive, that as in that winch I am 
 
 ^oing to lay to you, ti'cre is nnthin^ of 
 
 bigotry of Profelhon , as the irreligious 
 
 term it, anv mure than there is ot' an^*" 
 
 preiudicc taken againll Lite, having no 
 
 occaiion for either, my judgment ought 
 
 not on any account to L^ dclpiiel; 
 
 know then , I lay , that it is I who 
 
 B 3 preach 
 
ECCLESIASTBS. Chap. L 
 
 Ver. 13. ^nd I 
 gaz'e my heart to 
 Jeek andfea-rch out 
 by wifdoTK^ concern^ 
 ing all tkrigs that 
 are done u?hier Hea- 
 ven ; //'// fore tra- 
 vel harh Gcd given 
 to the Sons of men, 
 to he exercifed ther^- 
 7ykh. 
 
 '^tY. 14. I have 
 feen all the norh 
 that are done under 
 the S'.m, and behold 
 all is vanity and 
 vexation of ffirit. 
 
 VtY. 15. That 
 Tfhich is croaked can- 
 not be ntade Jlralght^ 
 and that which is 
 vranting cannot he 
 ntiwbred. 
 
 preach now, and who was King over IfrA 
 I gav€ my mind to the ftudy of natuil 
 things^ confidering all the Creatures thl 
 are under the Heavens, from the greatc 
 of them to the kail, from the Cedar 
 the H}^op, I ^. 4. 33. fearching ai 
 picking out, with all the exaclnels thj 
 a true judgment couLd give me, their firl 
 principles, and theii' moft hidden virtues' 
 this ftudy, which one ought rather to ca 
 a Thorn, a fretting toil, has God givei 
 to Man, that he might conilime both hi 
 body and mind in the exercife of his vaii 
 curiofity ; for the pimifhment of that oj 
 the firft man, who being defirous to kno 
 good and evil, and by that means t 
 make himlelf equal with God , boldl 
 ventur'd to lay his hand upon the fruit 
 of the Tree of that name, tho it w^as for- 
 bid him. I fay, I have given my mind 
 to the ftudy of liatmal things, &c. 
 
 I confjder'd all that is done under the 
 Sun ; and take notice of that which I fay, 
 all thefe things, nay more than that, the 
 very 'ftudy of them is vanity it felf ; va- 
 nity- did i lav ! 'tis the very 'crucifixion of 
 the fpirit, a worm that gnaws, and that 
 gnaws without getting any thing by it, ^ 
 
 For after one has wafted ones lel^ if 
 one would go about to make any ufe of 
 that which one has lear^i'd, if one would 
 endeavour to reftorc an Eye that was loft, 
 or clear up an Ear that was thick of hear- 
 ing, one ihould lucceed neither letter nor 
 worfe, than if one undertook toftraighten 
 a crooked old Trunk of a Tree; but that 
 which is worft of all is, that thele Evils, 
 for which no ranedy can be found, are 
 ih many, that it is'impofllble to reckon 
 them; one only part of our Bodies, as 
 our Eyes or our Ears, being liibjcd to an 
 infinity of milchicls. 
 
 Con. 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. I. 
 
 V. 16. I com- 
 muned vdth mine 
 fi9H hearty ftying^ 
 Ij J ^n: comt to 
 *reai* Et}Mtt j^ and 
 have j^otten more 
 
 . hetfi hi- 
 in Jeruf^ 
 
 'or J 
 
 h 
 
 m : y.ii^fKy /H.-rc 
 
 enee oj fAfdem and 
 
 Vcr. 1 >. ^»^ / 
 - ■-:.' m\ heart to 
 '••<..' wiji^ff}, And 
 te know THadnef^and 
 jolly ; / perceived 
 that this alfo is ve^- 
 A'.ion of ipirit. 
 
 Lou. Aticr this liuJ\, in which (as I 
 have laid) I iouud lo little bencHt, and 
 fo iniicli trouble comins; to my fclf, and 
 reflecting upon my condition, 
 
 1 realoii a with my kit" after this man- 
 ner. Here I am brought up in o^rcat a- 
 bundamce cf Riches, in Power, in Au- 
 thority, in Glory , and particularly iii 
 Wildom,2bovc al! thole that h^ive reign'd 
 in Jerufalem before me ; and the truth i§, 
 I am known enough 10 be able to fpeak 
 it, without fearing to bt: iulpeCled of va- 
 nity, Iliad a very dilcevniug judgment to 
 relolve the moit intricate tilings, and 4 
 great deal of infight into all manner of 
 knowkdge. ' 
 
 Ccn. What iliall I do then, did I f:iy 
 to my lelf? were it not better I lliould 
 turn ir.y thoughts to iomething more pro- 
 fitable, to the government ol my Kino;- 
 dom, aiid the good ordering of my Fami- 
 ly? douUlel?., laid I, itAvould: 16 
 ' I apply'd my l^f to thc^ Irudy of \yif- 
 dnm, and of Nbdncls or Foil- 5 rlie hrl^, 
 which conhiis in ihe knowledge ni" our 
 true iiitereik, of that which advances 
 them, arid that which is againli: them; 
 and ihig, I mean madnels or folly, which 
 confiltsin the forgethilnels and ignorance 
 both of one and the otl -cr ; and I call this 
 forgetluhicis, or this ignorance, madnels 
 or folly, becaule our true intereft has 
 fomeihing io clexr in it, and of that im- 
 portarKc together, that as one mii(f be 
 quite ihipid not to p'::rccive ir, io one 
 nnili be mad to make iio reRcction upon 
 it, or 10 dclpile it if (UK does: I apply'd 
 my ielf, I lay, to this i^udy, compiring 
 the mikarriageF, and t!ic lad consequences 
 of folly, tnthe clcarnels and the advan- 
 tage of Wildom, and endeavouring c- 
 B 4 qually 
 
8 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. I. 
 
 qually to find out the principles of both, 
 that I might know peifedlly, what oige 
 ought to avoid in the one, and what one 
 J fhould do to follow the rules of the other ; 
 
 biit alas, by the trial I made, I law tliat 
 ^ this ftudy too as well as the other was a 
 
 vexation of Spirit, in which a man gnaws 
 and preys upon himfelf 
 Vcr. i8. For in For as a great Inheritance is infeparably 
 much mfdom is attended with a great deal of labour, and 
 much grief ', and he that one cannot enlarge on£S Eftatc with- 
 that increafeth wif- out cncreafiug ones trouble ; fo wiidom 
 dom increajethfor-r and knowledge are very clofely united 
 rov, to uneafmels and pain. He who is the 
 
 wifeft man, and has the beft underftandr 
 ing of his own Interefts, wherein it lies, 
 of what ought to be done to promote it, 
 / how many Iprings and wheels mult be fet 
 \ at work , to fet this Engine on going ; 
 and to how many accidents, that may 
 either throw it off, or m.akc it run back- 
 ward, it is continually cxpos'd : this man 
 y who knows mo(i:, has for that very realon 
 ^ the moft to diftuvb him • fo that he who 
 wafteshimlelf in his ftudy to imiprovc his 
 knowledge, does by that means mukiply 
 his doubts, and with his doubts, his dil- 
 Quiets. 
 
 Con. But I leave this difcourfe to go on 
 w^ith my ftory : after I had cxercifed and 
 tormented my felf in tbele two enquiries; 
 my mind, as you may judge, by what I 
 have told you, finding no comfort, and 
 on the other hand having none from God; 
 for as you may imagine by this which I 
 tell 3^ou, I had fbriaken him, and he on 
 his part, had in like manner left me to 
 my lelf ; my Soul, which like that of all 
 other men, who having a notion of hap- 
 pinefs, withciit knowing wherein it con- 
 lifts, turn round like blind people, and 
 grope about on every fide; my Soul, I 
 Jay, blindly Iceking this happmels, and 
 
 not 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. If. 9 
 
 not finding it cither in my kiiowlcdgc 
 or my worldly prudence, I rclolvcd to 
 try in could not find it any where cllc, 
 
 and T entertained my Iclt' thus. 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 Text. Paraphrafe. 
 
 Vcr. I. I /aid in T Said to my Heart I have condraiiicd 
 
 my hearty comenow -*• thee with application to (hiay and 
 
 I Ttill prove thee mediuition, thclc thoughts have not fuf- 
 
 with mirthy there- fered thee to follow thy natural inclina- 
 
 forc enjoy ple.ifure, tions: I wi!lcon!i:rain thcc no more- on 
 
 and behold this alfo the contrary, I will try whether by the 
 
 Js vanity. mirth and plcafure which thoii dolt na- 
 
 Heb. turally look for, thou canit find fomc 
 
 Jfaidinnfyhcart latisfadion. Go, lay I, tafle, enjoy, 
 
 and fee into ^Qod. whit they call tlie good things of 
 
 life, and lee if there is in them any iblid 
 
 plcafure ; and look, this, as well as the 
 
 ihidy of natural things and of wil Jem 5 
 
 this, I lay^ isa pure vanity. 
 
 Con. For in the heigluh of joy and 
 pleahire, even when my Soul wasiJitoxi- 
 cated with them, 
 Ver. 2. I [aid I laid to laughter thou art a fool and 
 of laughter is is lencdcls, who, without knov/ing why 
 n.ad^ and of TKirthy t!iou unliingeit the machine of the Body 
 nkatdocs it f by contorfion?, which arc little different 
 
 Hcb. from convullions ; ar.d likewilc of mirth, 
 
 / f.iid of or to tho more trani. nil, alter liaving fcarched 
 laughter y fool; and what it Avas, finding nothing but a vain 
 of mirth y nhat U l,^.age: I laid, what does it fi lenity .^ 
 that doin7 ^ 
 
 Con. But toaufe, if I contented my 
 fclf wiih this, men woul 1 not fail to 
 I ell mc , that I was too haify in the 
 
 judg- 
 
10 
 
 BCCLESIASTES. Chap. w. 
 
 Vet.}\ 1 fought 
 
 mdgtnent that I bore of theft thines- T 
 wxir relate in particular all that I rfi/ 
 to try .f there w^sno true latisSiL fn' 
 the^en^oyment of the good things of the 
 
 SlU:ttAg ,,£t ^"^ ^-^i^. "T P^-^^-e alone 
 
 Heaven JZdt] S^nnfi" '' V.r^^^ T' ^^^^^ ^ ^^^ 
 ^^/A^*^ //•/-. ^ pot confine my felf to that, I foti^t to 
 
 ^ ^nd Imllfeek 
 
 in my heart to 
 
 ftretch n:y flefh 
 
 ^it^orhyWlne'ani 
 
 ^If^^/ guiding it 
 J elf mthwifchm, 
 
 ^W to lay hold on 
 jolly y till I n?i?ht 
 J^e -what is 20oi^ to 
 the Sons of n?en , 
 ^hat they (hall do 
 under the Heavens 
 ^he nun:hr of the 
 
 try in general aU the Others. 
 
 ^^ys of their life. 
 
 Ver. 4. / ,„ac{e 
 ^^, great mrh, I 
 f^flt me Houjes, I 
 planted me vine- 
 yards. 
 
 1 made me magmi^cent works for the 
 convemcnceoriife, for without fpea kin « 
 of the Cities I built, of the Wall ot J?. 
 rMfaem which I railbd, ofthe Temple of 
 vjod; which lam not to fpeak of here 
 lince I relate only what I did for my 
 convenience and pleafure, 2 Cor. 8. and 
 fl^^gsg 10. I buitt me Houfes for my 
 ie t, and for my Wife, the Daughter of 
 Pharao, i King;s p. 2^. I planted Vine- 
 J-nrds, 
 
 Vcr. 
 
BCCLESIASTES. Chajx II. it 
 
 Vcr. 5. / w^if 
 me Gardens and Or- 
 cLtrds.and IpUnt- 
 td tM. ibent Trees of 
 4llimis of Frniu. 
 
 V. 6, Inudf me 
 
 pools of WauTS :o 
 TXAtertkert vfith the 
 Wood v^hkhhtingeth 
 fjrlh Trees. 
 
 V. 7. / got me 
 firvMUs AiUAlaiA- 
 e/is, and had Scr- 
 vants born in my 
 koufey aljb I had 
 ^reat pofjejfions of 
 great andjmallCat- 
 tcl, above all that 
 ■acre in Jerufalem 
 kfore me. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Hoiife Childi'en, 
 
 V.8. leathered 
 
 me alfo ftiver and 
 
 goldyvid thcpeckljar 
 
 I made me delicious Gardens and Or- 
 chards, and took care to fill them uitb 
 Fruit-trees of all ibrts of fpecies. 
 
 Con. And for the m^iintenancc of 
 thtui, 
 
 1 iJ-w-dc mc Pools of Waters, •vvhcrc,by 
 Channels, oi." otherwise, they >vatcrcl 
 tlie Trees to m;ikc tlv:m llioot. 
 
 Con. Sccoiidly, For the fcrYice of the 
 Fioulc, as well as lor its conduct and 
 iuaijUen.*iKC, 
 
 I liO'i Scrvantj^ Maids, Stewasds, OfH- 
 ccrs, great and fnull Cattel for tlie 
 Plough, the Cart, or for niy Table, and 
 of all that in greater abundance, thr.n 
 nil thole who liad reigned before aie in 
 Jernjalcm. 
 
 Con. In fine, for abundance, magnifi- 
 cence, rarity and delights, 
 
 2n4 tlQcp\ 
 trcafure of Kin^s 
 dnd the Provinces : 
 I got me mtn-(mgers 
 a)id vomen-fMgers^ 
 
 I heaped imraenfe Treailires of Gold 
 and Silver, and with theie Trcafure-, I 
 heaped too what they call the riches of 
 Crowns, which are proper and peaili.ir 
 to Kings, as are rich Puruiturcs of Ve^lels 
 of Gold, for there was none of Slveir in 
 my Houie, i Kings 23. 21. Jewels and 
 and the delights cf Precious Stones, and all that can be tbund 
 thejonsoffren^m;*- rare in the Provinces, as well thole of 
 my State as of Foreigners, i Kngs ic. 
 II, 22,27. ^ h^^ all forts of Coiifbrtr, 
 among others, of the fijicll voices thai 
 one can find of both Sexes, men anl wo- 
 men ; and above all , that which the 
 Sons of men make t heir chief delight, I 
 had young Beauties in abundance, lor I 
 had no lefs tlian joo Wives, Princefie.% 
 
 /ical inthuwcnts , 
 >:nd that of all forts. 
 Heb. 
 Pcculium Re- 
 gum ^-Provincia- 
 rum, and the de- 
 lights of fU fons of 
 men , Captivaiu 
 «S:Captivas,main- ai;d 300 Concubines, 1 A'. lo. i 
 
 > J- 
 
 matam 
 
j2 ECCLESIASTES. Chap.IJ. 
 
 matam & mam- 
 jnatas , a young 
 rKaidy young maids. 
 
 V. p. §0 I Tvas 
 treaty and encrea- 
 Jed more than all 
 jvhoTPere before me 
 f/zjerufalem, alfo 
 my mfdom remain- 
 ed with me. 
 Heb. 
 
 Infupra lapien- 
 tiamea. 
 
 Vcr. 10. And 
 
 Tvhatever my eyes 
 defred I kept not 
 from them, Iivith- 
 held not my heart 
 from any joy , for 
 my heart rej'oyccd in 
 all my laho:4r ; and 
 this -was my portion 
 tsfall my labour . 
 
 V. II. Then I 
 ioohd on all the 
 yvork vehich hands 
 tvroughtj and on the 
 labours which I had 
 laboured to do, and 
 behold all was va- 
 nity and vexation of 
 fpirit, and there 
 vpas no pro ft under 
 the Sun. 
 
 And to ipeak all in a word, I railed 
 and aggrandized my fel-f in all thinp 
 above thofe who before me had reigned m 
 Jerufalem; my worldly wildomin the 
 mean time ( Ipeaking by the way) re- 
 maining in me. I mean that in the 
 heighthofmy elevation, when I did all 
 the things which I have jui\ related, I 
 remembrcd ftill my firii defi^^n, w^hich 
 was to try the things of this hfe, to know 
 what might be moft advantageous to 
 men ; in a word, I raifed and aggrandized 
 my felf 
 
 And I gave my felf in all things an 
 ciitire fatisfadion, I never refufcd my 
 Eyes any thing , never did I oppx)le 
 the ;ov of my Heart, either comtating 
 its dcfires, or refufnig it that whicli 
 might fatisfy it ; and I fay, that I did 
 not oppole againit mirth, bccaiife the 
 truth is, my Heart diverted itlel fin what 
 I did, for I did not travcrfe its plealiire 
 by any ill humour out of feafon , and 
 certainly I did that wtU , for that is 
 all the return w^hich I had of my la- 
 bour. 
 
 Then coming to confider my works, 
 I fay, my works; for my Fcafts and 
 my other plealures -were vanilliei into 
 Imoak ; coming , lay I, to confidcr my 
 Works, Buildings, Gardens, Orchards, 
 Ponds, all thefe things of w^hich I had 
 taken fo much care and pains, all ap- 
 peared nothing to me but vanity, I 
 found nothing Iblid in tlicm, great ap- 
 pearance and nothing real. What do I 
 layPvainty; I found that all thcie things 
 w^ere nothing but a corrofion of mind, 
 either to make them or preferve them, 
 r.nd that a^ I have laid, there is no pro- 
 iit lior advantage to be expected of what- 
 t\ er is under the Sun. Con. 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap.ri. 15 
 
 Con. Thisdilcovcry, which (as .my one 
 may iinai;ui) threw inc into no Imall 
 lurprizc, it r^iit into my minJtocoiifidcr 
 in what conliiis the advantage of worldly 
 Cioods, above the ^>rivation of them, for 
 faid I in my felf, if all thcfe Goods are 
 nothing but vanity and corrofion of 
 mwid, wliencc comes it , that we cftecm 
 tliem fo lii^li, what advantage can they 
 have ot their contraries ; but as it had 
 Ix^cn of too Jong a difcuflion to fall into 
 particulars, to oppofe , for example , 
 urcngth to weakncfs, riches to poverty, 
 knowledge to ignorance, that among all 
 good things wiidom carries it witJiout 
 contraiiiction above all; I propofed to my 
 felftolRx folely u\)on this, andfettingit 
 in oppofition to tolly, to fee in what it 
 is that it carries it from this laft. 
 
 So I ttrrncd me tcnvards wifdom, I 
 viewed it as well as folly and madnefs4 
 to difcover in what it is that the firlt 
 carries it above this, whence it comes 
 that wecfieem the one fo hi^^h above the 
 other, for I could add nothmg to what 
 I had done to find Avhat was mo(t ad- 
 vantageous to man, whether there is not 
 lomething in the world which can pro- 
 cure him lomc fatisfadion, and I am 
 liire that another who is not King, as I 
 was, will not be able to add to my cn- 
 
 t. 12. And I 
 turned rr.y felf to 
 behold nifdom and 
 mudnefs and folljy 
 for what can the 
 man do, who comes 
 A^'ter the King f thixt 
 Vihich has ken al- 
 ready done. 
 Hcb. 
 
 And It fir Bed my 
 face there, to fee 
 nifdom and madnefs 
 and folly, for nhat 
 is the man who /hall 
 come after the King, 
 -what already they 
 have done. 
 
 V. i:^.Then 1 
 faw that nifdom ex- 
 cels folly, as far as 
 hght excelleth dark- 
 nefs. 
 
 V. 1 1. The nife 
 mans ry* are iji 
 
 quiriej* ; for what i"hall he do ? that which 
 other men have done, and there is none 
 of them has exceeded me. 
 
 And in this enquiry, I faw that as. 
 mucTi as light carries it above darknels, 
 io much docs w^ildom carry it above folr 
 ly. For, 
 
 The wife man la 1 his eyes in his 
 head, li^iean tUt what he docSj hcdxrs 
 
 tHS 
 
its head^ hm the 
 fool VFalks in dark- 
 ffvjsy and I my felf 
 pLTcdvcd alfo, that 
 tm event happen- 
 ttb te thtf» aIL 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 Ver. 15. Tkn 
 faid I in my he^n^ 
 A6 it happens to tie 
 fool, fo it happens 
 to nre ; and why K^As 
 J then TTore -pcife i 
 then J [aid in my 
 heart, that this (il- 
 fo is vxnity. 
 Heb. 
 
 Acording to the 
 tvent of the fool al- 
 fo mil it happen to 
 me- and to what 
 good have I been 
 aift' f then the ad" 
 VAntage^ 
 
 V . i6. For there 
 7! no ren-jc'/nhrance 
 af the wife wore 
 ihan 0/ the fool foy 
 4ver ; feeing that 
 rchich nonv is, in the 
 days to come jhall all 
 
 Chap. ir. 
 
 it with jude,iircntj and difcretion , lie 
 ices what he does , to what end , for 
 what rcafons, how he can make it fiic- 
 ceed, and what can traverfe it, whereas 
 the fool is no more nor leis, than a man 
 who walks in the dark, who does not lee 
 
 where he 
 
 nor where he o;oes, wh.^ 
 
 gropes hke a Bhnd , guiding himlelf by 
 rooliOi conjectures, to which he makes no 
 application, to examine if they have any 
 foundation ; but as I faw this great ad- 
 vantage which wifdom has over folly, I 
 law too, that the wife and the fool will 
 have the lame lot, I mean, that they l"hal I 
 both equally dye ; the firft, with all his 
 illumination, not having in this refped 
 any advantage above the other who lies in 
 the dark. 
 
 What fay I in my lelf ? the fame lot, 
 the lot of the fool 'ilia 11 be the rule of 
 mine ; to what purpole have I laboured 
 to become wife? xvhat will fignify then 
 (when we are eiqual) the advantage which 
 I have had over him ? So I laid in my 
 heart, wiidom with all its light is entirely 
 as other things are, a pure vanity. 
 
 For when the wife atid the foc4 are bu- 
 ried, their memory is buried with thera 
 for ever,and the pne is no more remembrei 
 than the other ; *for that is, as 1 have laid. 
 Chap. 1. II. the lot of all things which 
 have been, that the days which follow ob- 
 literate them, and for certain the wife 
 le for.gpt • tind how fhall dye a^ well as the fool, and by con- 
 disth the wifs rMn ieql^endr #iall be forgot Jikejiim. But f 
 ^ the fool i Hcb. 
 
ECCLESIASTES 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 /V no mtm^y of 
 the nife nith toe 
 fool for tvcr^ inaf- 
 mmlj .IS thdt nhich 
 jfirrjtdy the d^xjs to 
 come^itii thdt is for ^ 
 ^ot • arid how /hill 
 dye the nife-^mth the 
 fwli 
 
 V. 17. therefore 
 J h.tted life, btcnttfe 
 ihe Tvork that is 
 Ttrtfu^ht nndtr the 
 Srtn is grievous to 
 m:, for aU is vaui- 
 ry and vexAsitn of 
 spirit. 
 
 Hclx 
 And Ihite Iff, he- 
 caufe evil ftpon me^ 
 the work nhich is 
 done under the Shh, 
 becAMJ'e Jill vjinity 
 /ind gnamng of 
 T^irul. 
 
 Ver. 18. Tea I 
 iyatedallmy Ubour, 
 trhich / had taken 
 under the Sun, he- 
 cnHJc I JJmII leave 
 it to the man, who 
 fhoM he after me. 
 
 Chap. IL rj 
 
 cannot lay this without iighing, iiow is 
 it pofTiblc that the wile ihoiild dye as wdl 
 as tlic tool ? 
 
 Con. After this meditation, and all my 
 other dilcovcrics, I fell into a Itrangc con- 
 dition. 
 
 FirlV, Life became odious to me, bc- 
 caule that all that one docs under the Sun 
 here belovv^ in the world puts one into 
 paiUyindthat forthisrcaibn,tlutI lay,that 
 one drew no profit of any thnig what- 
 ever, that all was reducd into fmoalc, 
 and that our owni works Icrv'd for no* 
 thing but to torment us. 
 
 In the fccond place, my works tlicm- 
 fclvcs, tor which I had taken fo much 
 pains during, my life, and which, as every 
 one knows, are always very dear to thofc 
 who have made them j my works thcm- 
 lelves, lay I, became odious to |«e, be- 
 caule that having made them for my own 
 plcaliirc, or for my glory, I law that in 
 dying, 1 mu(t leave them to him who 
 lliould liaccced, I know not who. 
 
 Who knows whether he Oiall be a wile 
 man or a fool, who governs himiclf by 
 his foojilli fancy, wliatfoeycr he is, he 
 fliall be abfolute matter of my labour, up- 
 on which I iiave dilplay'd all my w^idom, 
 and by which I had propo&'d to my Icll 
 in I have labour d , to prelervc Ibnie memory of my name j 
 MiU therein I have ana as matter, looking upon it as his own, 
 
 V. 19. Andveho 
 kfions whither he 
 jhail be a irife man 
 era fool, yet /hall he 
 have rule over all 
 nty labour , nhere- 
 
i5 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. II. 
 
 Jhevd my filf nije I mean as his poiTefrion,and not as his worlc^ 
 
 under the Shu ; this 
 is alfo vanity. 
 
 Ver. 20. There- 
 fore I vpent iiyoHt to 
 caufe my heart to 
 defpair of all the 
 labour v;hich I took 
 under the Sun. 
 
 V. 21. Tor there 
 is a man irhofc la- 
 hour is i)i wifdomy 
 and hnor^ledge^ and 
 equity ,* yet to a nran 
 Tvho ha^ not lahotird 
 therein , Jhall he 
 leave it for his por- 
 tion^ this alfo is va- 
 nity^ and a great 
 evil. 
 
 V. 22. For T^hat 
 loos man of all his 
 labour^ and of the 
 vexation of his 
 hearty jr herein he 
 
 heivill (Hipole of it at hispleafure, with- 
 out having any regard to my intentions : 
 certainly this alfo is a vanity,that we mu(t 
 leave our works, and in leaving them, 
 leave alio the right of them to others, 
 who will d if pole of them asMafiers, and 
 not as Founders. 
 
 Con. In fine, this thou^^lit threw mcin- 
 to anoilier, which, tho not lb violent, 
 w:is liulc lefs m.elancholy : itis^ 
 
 That I loH: all the hopes I had conceiv'd 
 of them, I mean6f m^rworksj I had flat- 
 tered my lelf in maknig them, that tliey 
 ^vouid lerve to make me known, and to 
 render my name famous : but feeing thev 
 miift l)e]eft, and left, aslhave laicl, tot 
 know not who ; and that he, wlioever I>e 
 isj being maftcr of them, fliould difpofe 
 of them at his will, I conclude, that there 
 tvas no hopes to build upon them: and I 
 was in the right of that. 
 
 For how many are there, whofe woi'ks 
 are done with wiidom and prudence, with 
 knowledge and addreis, fo that they have 
 ail the perfection that humanely one can 
 give tliem; who dying, leave thciu to 
 people, who have had no part in doing 
 them, who have not even any natural 
 I'ight to them, tvhofe portion and heri- 
 tagCj however they become to difpole of 
 at'their will ; certainly , this alfo is 
 a vanity in the things of the world; 
 what do I fi}-, a vanity, it is a great 
 evil, which cannot but occafion a mortal 
 grief 
 
 For to finilli here my Hiftory, becaufe 
 I projx^fed to my felf to prove, what re- 
 turn a Man has of all that he does under 
 the Sun, and from the corrofion of his 
 heart. 
 
 h4^ 
 
ECCinSlASTES. Chap. ir. 17 
 
 h.u Uboffrd under 
 the Sun. 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 For vhM beincr or 
 exijling for man 
 in allhii labour , 
 and of the knajvinjf 
 of his hearty that 
 himfelfLtbours him- 
 felf and. r the Sm. 
 
 Vcr. 23. For all 
 his days are forrorvs 
 and his travel griefs 
 yea his heart taketh 
 no re/} in the night, 
 this is alfo vanity. 
 
 V. 24. There is 
 nothing better for a 
 many than that he 
 fhokld cat and drinl, 
 and that he jhould 
 make hts Soul enjoy 
 good in his labour. 
 Heb. 
 
 Not good for man 
 that he /hould eat 
 and drink y and fijerv 
 his Soul good in his 
 labour. 
 
 Solomon. 
 
 This alfo I farvy 
 TfAi or tsfrom the 
 hand of God. 
 
 I fay from the corrofion of Iiis Iicarti 
 for all the days of his life arc days ofan- 
 guilli, his labour is a labour, I mean at 
 continual fubjed of vexation, even in the 
 night, his heart is full of care and agitation, 
 not able to find any calm; that (I mean) 
 the labour of man, and the corrofion of 
 his heart is, as I have faid leveral times, 
 vanity it lelf, ^vhencc he draws not any 
 profit. \ 
 
 Senfual Worldling. 
 No, it is not good for man that he 
 fliould eat and drink, and that he iliould 
 give his Soul a relilh of pleaiure in his 
 labour. 
 
 Solomon. 
 i have confidcr'd this, as I have obler- 
 ved ill my Hiftory, and I have lecn, that 
 not only it is a vanity, as 1 have iaiJ, 
 but likcuile that it comes, even as the 
 ihidy of natural things. Chap. i. 13. from 
 ihcjiiccns'd hand of God, for, as for the 
 punilluncnt ot the criminal curiofity of 
 C the 
 
^3 
 
 V. 25. Fcr Ti-ho 
 cjin eat^ cr Tfho elfi 
 can h.tl:cn 
 tktn I, 
 
 ECCLBSIASTES. Chap. II. 
 
 tht fivii mnn, when to make Iiimfeif e- 
 (|ual to him, he would eat of the prohibit- 
 ed fruit , and know good and evil ; he 
 delivers him to that Itudy, in which he 
 ufelefly coniiimes hirafelf, ' for the puniflv 
 ment, even of the gluttony he fliew^d in 
 this criminal a6lion , he has given him 
 over to his diflblutencls, wherein by the 
 evil he contracts, he punillics himlclf by 
 his own fin, in the commiflion of it. 
 
 For to anf^ver the fool according to his 
 folly, who ihall eat more than I ?^who is 
 he that iliall exceed me in that > and of 
 conlequencc, who lliall know better than 
 I, whether this be advantageous or pre- 
 judicial. 
 
 >/ 
 
 ore 
 
 V. 26. For God 
 
 gives to a man nho 
 is ^^ood in his fight ^ 
 mjdo^y ctnd hior- 
 Icdge^ and jo-y -. hnt 
 to the ftmier he gives 
 travel^ to gather 
 and to heap up^ thai 
 he 77: ay give to him 
 that IS pood bi-^cre 
 Col "^ 
 Solomon. 
 That is alfo ^'^- 
 nity and vexation 
 of}jiyit. 
 
 Thefen/nal Worldling. 
 That is, in effecl from the hand of God,' 
 for he blclTes him who is agreeable to him, 
 giving himwildom, undcrftandmg, and 
 even content, -^vhereas he gives the fmner 
 labour and trouble, to gather and heap, 
 that afterwards he may give it to him who 
 is agreeable in his eyes, as when he gave 
 the flocks of unm{\ Laban to his beloved 
 Jacob, 
 
 CHAP. 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. III. 19 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Icxt. 
 
 1 . To every thinz^ 
 there is A feafon , 
 and a time to every 
 purpofe under the 
 Heaven. 
 
 Par.iphnjfc, 
 
 COln??:on. For this eftcd, I obfcrvcd firfl^ 
 *^ that all the events of life, thole which 
 rcfpcCt Nations in general, and thole that 
 regard Families and Peilons in particular, 
 each depends on tlic dilpoiition of things, 
 which include an infinite number of cir- 
 cumibnccs , among which the will of 
 man has but a ver^' little part, and often 
 none at all • and fccondly, that the dil- 
 pofit'ons of things , which with realbn 
 may be called times or leafons, fmce they. 
 are the caufe of that which happens in 
 the world: God, who has the times in 
 his hand, hasrang'd them almoft like the 
 lealbns of the year, in oppofition the one 
 to the other; on this foundation, I lay, 
 that under the Heavens there is a time for 
 all, however oppofite It be ; I mean, that 
 if there is a time of alealbn, which pro- 
 duces good or cs^il, of whatlbcver nature 
 It be, the contrary' evil or good, will 
 have arother time, another icalon, which 
 will ^ive it its birtli. 
 
 Con. This has no need oi^ argument, 
 experience alone demonl^raics it. 
 
 In all men the time of birth 1ms its con- 
 trary, to wit, the time of death, as well 
 as in the Herbs of the Garden ; that of 
 planting, has in oppofit'on that of pul- 
 
 2. ^ ii^r.c to be 
 born find a tin:e to 
 dyCy a time to plant, 
 and ii time to pltick 
 
 up that which ts ling ^p*^ when their fniit or their leaves 
 planted. having been gather'd, there remains no- 
 
 thing "but their Hock and their leaves, 
 
 which cumber the ground. 
 
 .d 
 
2C 
 
 3. A time to kill y 
 ariR (I tirj^e to he.d, 
 4ri time to break ^ and 
 .1 tirr^e to hmld up. 
 
 4. A time to TTcepy 
 c ti?7it; to Uui^h, a 
 :iThQ tc mourn ^ and 
 a ti?fjc to dance. 
 
 < A ti^ie toCi'.jt 
 i^ixay jiQnes^ and a, 
 rime TO feather (lones 
 tojrethiTy a ti?t:e to 
 C77:brice^ and a time 
 tn rcU-aiu from cm- 
 hracin^. 
 
 6. A time to^et^ 
 and a ti??/e to lofe, 
 atipi-e'ro hep, and 
 a time to ca^ avpay. 
 
 7. A time to rent^ 
 and a ti?7je to Jon', 
 a time to hep fi- 
 hncey and a time lo 
 /peak. 
 
 ECCLESIASJ'ES. Chap. III. 
 
 A inong Nations, the irruptions of Ar- 
 mies of their Eneinie?, often irccoinp:ini- 
 cd with inortahty or plague ; this time of 
 kiihngor dcniolil"hing has its time oppo- 
 litc, the days of heahh and peace, in 
 which the Country re-peoples , and the 
 Ciric? vaifc thcmfelves again. 
 
 In allFamihes and all Kingdoms their 
 misfortunes ; as are in Kingdoms, the lofs 
 of good Princes, or of their lucceflbrs; or 
 m Families, the lofs of Father or Mother, 
 Wife or Children ; this time of tears or 
 mourning, has its oppofite times of mar- 
 riages or of" births, which arc followed 
 with Feafts and Dances. 
 
 In our temperament, youth, in which 
 man ordinarily ruines, and if one may fb 
 fay, demolillics his Houfe, and difperfes the 
 Stones of it, as hegiveshimlelf up to all 
 manner of Luxury- this time of prodiga- 
 lity and debauchery has its oppofite time, 
 an age of maturity, in which this fame 
 man heaps again his fcatter'd Stones, rai- 
 Ics his Houfe again, and begins to be 
 iiaiileatcd with his filthy pradtices. 
 
 In commerce, a time of gaining and 
 to put in relerve, has its oppofite time of 
 lofing, and even of throwing away ones 
 Merchandizes into the Sea, to fave life in 
 a tempeft. 
 
 In rcfpc6l of our Goods, our Reputati- 
 on, Dignities or Employs j in a word, of 
 all that concerns us in life, overwhelm'd 
 fomctimcs by the number, Ibmctimes by 
 the credit, the power and authority of cur 
 enemies, it happens fometimes, that both 
 we and otir Inheritances arc torn in pieces, 
 and that a breach is made upon our rights 
 and priviledges; this time of fuftering 
 and to be fdent, i Sam. 1 5. 27. i Kin. 1 1 . 
 J J, 1:5, 31. '2A7;7^j 17. 21, has its oppo- 
 fite time, in which raifmg our lelves a- 
 gain, we break filcncc, defending boldly 
 
 our rights , repair the 
 
 breaches which 
 were 
 
S. A time to love J 
 and .1 time to htiW, 
 d time of nar, and 
 a time of peace. 
 
 :iri. 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. III. 21 
 
 ^vcrcmade upon us, and niciid oiirrcntv 
 
 Con. Ill fine, for I lliould never have 
 done, if I would allcdgc all examples j 
 and bcfidc?, thole whicli 1 cite arc of lo 
 orcat an extent, that tlicrc arcfewcircum- 
 ibnccsin life, nhich they do not regard, 
 in fine, lay I, 
 
 In rclpe(St of the relations which are 
 between men, either t,encrally among 
 Nations, or between Famihes and Per- 
 Ibns, the circtmiiimces of time, which is 
 the caule that they contract acqiuintance 
 and habitudes, whence they pais to friend- 
 iliips and alliances, which among fi- 
 milies are the bands of fotiety and frc- 
 quentation • and amom; Nations , 
 of peace ; thele times of friendfhip 
 and peace have their oppofitc times, loiue 
 vexatious circumibnccs which cre.\te in- 
 difference and hatred, Avhich among par- 
 ticulars pals even to quarrels, and amoii:> 
 States to war : now to refiime ^mv argu- 
 ment, and draw for the laft time my con- 
 fequcncc, that there is no profit for mm 
 to be expccied , of whatlocver he docs 
 here below under the Sun, as it app.earshv 
 the examples which I have ju(t alledg\l ; 
 there is no time nor Icalon, favourabij 
 or grievoa^;, which has not its confJiv 
 leaion- that we cannot enjoy any i^ood, 
 nor do any evil, bur that the oppoiiLc 
 good or evil will h^^-^pcn lomc da v. . 
 
 What rcuun docs a man make, even 
 he who applies himlelf wit'i the utmol't 
 care to whatjhe does? wha'c return h i^ h ■, 
 I lay, of thjt KJiiLh he labours in with 
 the moft pains. 
 
 Con. The animal man does not compre- 
 hend this, for to add to the vanity ot hs 
 labour this draught of Scieiicc, \\'.i'\j',\ ui 
 another hand will be a uay to his crimes, 
 extravagances and vice<i, by wliicii I prr- 
 C 3 p. .e 
 
 9. What profit 
 js he that Txorks in 
 '\u wherein he la- 
 
22 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 10. / have feen 
 the tr^.vcl vphichGod 
 ka^ given to the Sons 
 of men, to be exer- 
 fifed in it. 
 
 II, He hath made 
 every thing beauti- 
 ful in his time J alfo 
 he has fet the world 
 in their heart , fo 
 that no man can or 
 fhall find out the 
 y>;orlthatGod n:aketh 
 from the beginning 
 to the end. a capi- 
 te ad Ca Icem. 
 
 12. I how that 
 there is no good in 
 them y. h.'it for a 
 man to rejoycc, and 
 to. do good in his life, 
 
 1-^. And alfo '.hat 
 every man jhould 
 eat and drink, and 
 enjoy the good of all 
 his labour, it is the 
 oift of God, 
 "^ ^ Hcb. 
 
 And a!fo,or in ef- 
 fcEl, every man, let 
 him eat and drink, 
 and fee good in all 
 
 Chap. III. 
 
 propofe to prove again the vanity of the 
 %voiId. 
 
 I have generally feen all that they em- 
 ploy themlelves in ; for as every one 
 knows, it is by adtions, rather than by 
 any other thing, that the heart difcovers 
 its inclinations^ I have feen , I fay, all 
 that they employ themfelves in, this hea- 
 vy penible and affiidting labour, which 
 God has delivered to the Sons of men to 
 do, to torment themfelves in doing it. 
 
 Con. This God, juft and wife. 
 He has rendered all things aimable, he 
 has made them beautiful to their eyes in 
 their lealbn ; w^hat do I lay, he has fet, 
 he has plac'd the .world it lelf in their 
 heart, delivering and abandoning them to 
 the love of the w^orld ; ^o that being full 
 of this paff.on, the man docs not feck, 
 find, nor will ever find the work of Goi, 
 the work of his wifdom, that lame wl-ich 
 appears in the tbijigs which his provi- 
 dence has already made, which from one 
 end to another is, and lliall always be 
 liid from him. 
 
 The Senfual Worldling. - 
 I knoAv already, I have no need to b': 
 inftrudled in that, that among men there 
 is no good whatever it be, but that of 
 cheering ones heart, or to lead, or make 
 a merry life of it. 
 
 For in effect, that is tl:e hjU of God, 
 that every man may eat and dnnk, and 
 treat himielf well in all his labour, for this 
 gift does not lb muchconfili iii the goqd« 
 themlelvci^, as in the agreeable uie we 
 may make of them. 
 
 V.i 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. Ill, 
 
 his Lthour ; ^jfr of 
 
 1 4. / knorv^ that 
 Tthatevfr God docs, 
 it fhAll he for cvtr : 
 nothing c.in he put 
 to />, nor Any thino^ 
 taken from it ; and 
 God does it, that 
 n:- v fi'.'fld fe^r he- 
 ■ :re l.ir/;. 
 
 1^. Th^n :v!:i:h 
 h.ti heen is now, iind 
 th.it nhirh is to be, 
 h^< iilrezdy been , 
 «7»j./ God requires 
 that Trhich isp.r.f. 
 
 16. And more' 
 over, 1 faiv finder 
 the Sftn the place or^ 
 judgment thj.t wick- 
 ednef wras there, and 
 the pi are n^' rijhte- 
 OfifncJ?, that iniqui' 
 ty vfas there. 
 
 17. I faid in my 
 heart , God fhjill 
 jud^e the ri^^hteous 
 an -i the wicked, ^or 
 there r a time thtre 
 for e'j'.r^ 
 and ^.'jr every work. 
 
 pt'trpvfe 
 
 I know already, that what Cnxl doc?, 
 of what nature Ibever, is always the lame, 
 tliat one can add nothing to it, no ijiorc 
 than retrench from it, Deut. 12. 32. Prov. 
 t^o. 6. Rev. 22. 18. I mean, that wliathc 
 does in condud and government is un va- 
 riable ; that man doing <;oo J or evil, by 
 vcrtiie or vice, cannot introJuce aiiv al- 
 teration ; that is the foundation of Reli- 
 gion, Ciod who is immutable in himielf, 
 bcmglbtoo in his ways, that wc who arc 
 liibiccl to lo many revolutions, may al- 
 ways tremble in hisprefeiicc. 
 
 What lias lx:en formerly wc lee now, 
 and lir<c\vilc what Hiall l>c h.creaftcr has 
 been already: Ciol civin^acontiniiil cir- 
 cular motion to all thin^^s, wherein to 
 create new ones, he docs but rcca 1 1 thole 
 which had been lonp; time bclbrc, atid 
 were eftaccd out of the memory of men, 
 f/.ur. 1.9. 
 
 SoloTron. 
 
 I have fecn moreover the (eat of ;ud>;- 
 mcnt and iuftice, the Tribimals where 
 they iudue Criminals, Aduitcrcs, Rob- 
 bers, Murtherers the Sacri!ci;ious , and 
 v.licre are examined the luits and difre- 
 rcnces which rile amons; men, to i^ivc 
 every one his rio;ht ; and lee here, on 
 thel'e Tribunals lits wickcJnels idclf, A- 
 dultery, Tliievcry, Murthcrs, S.icrile-I_£:c, 
 the preference ot pcilons and cxtortiop.. 
 Whereupon, 
 
 I laid in mv felf, ccrtiinly (jol will 
 iujge the world, the L;ood anJ the 'vick- 
 ed llmll appear before him, tor there is 
 a time 'or all things, an I for everv work, 
 there likcwifc mull: be a time of h'li;- 
 )ncnt, wherein theic un*'.i:'f ju ly>s, who 
 n\ls,Q now with lomuc'i ini.:uity rii.i io- 
 julbce, lliall tiiemlclvcs be lUJ^ed in ihur 
 turns. 
 
 c ^ 1 >;> 
 
24 ECCL 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 I fay in my heart, 
 God/Jpall jndge the 
 jufi and the mchcd, 
 for there is a time 
 for every thin^, and 
 ti^on every rporh 
 there. 
 
 1 8. If aid in my 
 heart concerning the 
 ftate of the Sons of 
 men/hat God might 
 manifeji them, and 
 that they might fee ^ 
 that they themfelves 
 are heafis. 
 Heb. 
 
 I fay in my heart 
 upon the matter of 
 the fons of men, for 
 topy.rge them, God, 
 and that they may 
 fee that they heajis 
 themfelves to them- 
 felves, 
 
 1 9. For that vchich 
 hefals the Sons of 
 men htfals heajis, 
 even one thing he- 
 fals therr/ ; as the 
 one dies, fo dies the 
 other, yea, they have 
 all one breath , fo 
 that a man has no 
 J^rehe77nnence over 
 ''%heafi. 
 
 Heb. 
 For there is an 
 event for man, and 
 there is an event for 
 heajis , and it is a 
 fame event for all ; 
 Hi this dies, fo dies 
 
 ESIASTES. Chap. ILL 
 
 Con. But not only that, befides this 
 judgment to come at this prefent. God 
 
 Say I in my heart, prefiding over the 
 affairs of men, and all their deportment; 
 God, I lay, judges and revenges their 
 malice, by their malice it fclf, he gives 
 them the loofe one againil another, to the 
 end, that dettroying one another, they 
 may purge and enhghten themfelves, in 
 tearing themfelves up like weeds, and that 
 they themfelves may fee, that they are 
 nothing lefs than men -, bmte Beafts ra- 
 ther, either in themfelves by their brutal 
 and fanguinary inclination?, or in their (b- 
 ciety, living among themlclves likeWolves 
 v;hich tear one another. 
 
 Senfual Worldling. 
 For in relpedt of the boJV, man is iub- 
 jed^ to an event, and the beaii is liib/CCt 
 to an event likewifc, and tins event is in 
 the lame manner for both 3 it is death, flor- 
 as the beaft dyes, lo dyes man, their breath 
 is entirely the iamc ; i-ow where is tl'c 
 difference ? has< man any advantage in 
 that ? none at all ; for rs they lay^ ''\\\ is 
 vanitv. 
 
 rL-.-, 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. Hf. 25 
 
 ^hat, and there is <i 
 fame hreAih for all. 
 And nbdt Advan- 
 tA^e hath niAH a- 
 hovebea/i; )ionc,fiir 
 Allisvdnity. * 
 
 20. All go to All thcMin and tlicBcafl f;oiii9; to the 
 
 one place ^ all are of fimc place, tint is to lay, to the £;ravc, 
 
 the Huft , and aU and lo falling to nothing, according to 
 
 turn to dujl again, that Scripture, all was made of dull, and 
 
 all iha 11 return toduR. 
 
 21. Who inoTvs 
 the fhirit of Adan 
 nhicKf goes upveard^ 
 ^nd the sfirit of the 
 Bcaj} nl'ich goes 
 domiward. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Jf the sfirit of 
 
 Jlf,in is tli^.t Txhich 
 
 ajcends , and the 
 
 spirit of the Bcafl 
 
 'r'At which defccnds. 
 
 22. Whnfcre I 
 
 ferceive^ thr.t there 
 
 is nothing btttcr , 
 
 :h,tn that a r^an 
 
 JhoM rejoice in his 
 
 o,\n n-orks^ for that 
 
 is his portion ; for 
 
 who Ihallbrinjr (:i;n 
 
 to fee Tihat (hall hi 
 f f ■ J 
 
 I 
 
 And I Live Jeen 
 ik^t there is r,o ^ood 
 excej't^ 6cc. ^ ' 
 
 Con. And as for the Soul, in which it 
 is pretended, there is an efl'cntial diftc- 
 rence, 
 
 Who is he that knows this difference ? 
 who knows, it Avhen the Man and the 
 Bead dye, and give up their lafl: breath, 
 which is the lame in all thingsjif the breath 
 of the man is that which alcends, and the 
 breath of the bcaft, that which delccnds 
 into the duf^ with its body, which re- 
 turns to it. 
 
 ail. 
 
 or mv 
 
 part, I luivc not known 
 
 It. 
 
 I hr.vc fccn that there is no other goo.!, 
 or rather that it is the only one, that Man 
 ihonld make his Heart merry in all that 
 he docs, iKcaiile that 's his Portion, Ifis 
 Dowry, his Legacy, his Inheritance, after 
 which he has nothing to expert ; for lup- 
 pofc he does not divert hunlelf durir.g 
 ins life, and that he torments himielf to 
 gather wealth, when he is dead, who 
 iliall bring him again from the grave, to 
 enjoy what he ilia II have left after him ? 
 
 CHAP. 
 
26 ECCLESJASTES. Chap. IV. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Text. 
 
 Solomon. 
 
 I. So I retunid, 
 md conjlder d all the 
 tppreffions that arc 
 done under the Sun : 
 and behold the tears 
 vf juch as -were op- 
 frejfed , and they 
 had no cawforters • 
 afkl on the fide cf 
 iheir opprejjors there 
 yoas poxaer, bat they 
 had no comforter. 
 Hcb. 
 
 No con;fort for 
 them. 
 
 2. Wherefore I 
 prat fed the dead who 
 are already dead, 
 more than the living 
 ypho are yet alive. 
 
 3. 7>^, better is 
 he than loth they, 
 who has not yet been, 
 who has not fcen the 
 evil werk which ii 
 done under the Sun. 
 
 'Hcb. 
 And good more 
 than bothy Scc. 
 
 Paraphrafe. 
 
 Solomon. 
 T Turn d mc , and confider'd that I 
 -■• might underftand the effedls of their 
 tyrannyjall the oppreflions which are com- 
 mitted in the world, of all kinds, and 
 of all degrees, without excluding any j 
 and thefe are they whom they oppreis, 
 the Poor, the Orphan and the Widow. 
 I law them all at once abandoned and co- 
 ver 'd with tears, not one Soul who took 
 care to wipe them, and yet Icfs, to put 
 a cefTation to the caufe of them, in takuig 
 up their defence. No comforter for them • 
 and on their opprefl'ors fide, there I law 
 power, but power alone with all its ri- 
 gour, without pity, without mercy, and 
 none who durft, I do not lay oppole, but 
 even take part in the liifferings of thofe 
 whom they oppref'ed ; and fo, once again, 
 no comforter for them. 
 
 How happy, laid I, arc the dead now ? 
 yes the dead, even thole who are already 
 dead of a long time, more happy than 
 the living, even thole wlio are yet living. 
 
 But more happy, yet jnore happy than 
 both the dead and the living, he who has 
 never been, and who has not lecn what is 
 committed under the Heavens. 
 
 Con. But I piirfuc continuing my me- 
 ditations, and from thofe who are railed 
 in authority, to thole who have none one 
 over another. 
 
 4. Ac^i'i^ 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IV. 27 
 
 1 c:iit my eye? on all itirts of ProfcrTions* 
 and in every one I iiw that the Mutcr- 
 pieccs of Art, which ou^ht to be a liib- 
 jcd of admiration and elTcem, arc to him 
 that made them a matter ot envy from 
 thole of his ProfcfTion ; certainly this is a 
 vanity in the works of Men, and not on- 
 ly a vanity, it is a corrofion of minJ, a 
 lubiect ot melancholy , that what one 
 does of good, draws but evil upon us. 
 
 4. yf/4in / con- 
 fdered JlirAvel und 
 
 ■ - ■ ^'' Ttork, 
 
 .1 m.tn 
 i. i/iiuii of his 
 Nfij^hbofir, this is 
 alfo VMnity jnd zrx- 
 jnon of (hirit. 
 hob. 
 
 j4nd Ihuze feeny 
 /, a/l trAvdj and all 
 rfElitstdf or pcrfe- Con. An al" le man in his Trade works, 
 6lion of norky that and after having dilplay'd all his dextcri- 
 that envy to the ry in his work,\v hen he has happily luc- 
 many or is envy for cceded, comes 
 the man from his 
 
 companion ; this va- 
 
 nity, 
 
 kc. 
 
 5. The fool fold- 
 eth his handsy and 
 eateih hisorrn fiifh. 
 
 Heb. 
 A fool fcldin^^ 
 his hands, and ear- 
 ing his fit fJ?. 
 
 6. netttr is a 
 handful ni:h q'4u:t- 
 
 •J?, than bow the 
 
 An extravagant Loytcrcr, his hands 
 folded, ajid often in lo great milery, that 
 
 he cats his owi 
 Says he, 
 
 delli out of pun 
 
 liunger. 
 
 fte 
 
 .,. J 
 
 All the hibour in the w^orld is not 
 worth a momcr.t nf rctl: tlie hollow on- 
 ly of tlic har;d full of rtii, is worth more 
 ti.ari labour by handtulj, with tlie corro- 
 .vidvexa:i(maf fion of mind which it create^^. I3 not 
 tlierc the maita piece w ell paid ? 
 
 hands f'^llyV.ithtra- 
 
 lleb. 
 'f-r.Vr is rrorth 
 ^xR hollo'jx of the 
 i of rcjly than 
 the tvo fijis ef 
 •<r 0: mind and 
 o-ion. 
 
 7. Then I rc- 
 ifdyand f.irtva- 
 V undir :hc Sun. 
 ' ^ Heb. 
 --in.i I turned me. 
 
 A.nd I turned n.e, and confdcring at- 
 tentively, I iiiw a vanity under the Sun. 
 
 s. r. 
 
 ere 
 
28 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IV. 
 
 8. There is one 
 fllone^ and there is 
 not 4 fecond, yea he 
 has neither Child 
 nor Brother , yet is 
 there no end of all 
 his lahour , 7ior is 
 his eyefatisfied with 
 Riches ; nor fays he^ 
 for Tfhom do 1 la- 
 hour ^and hereavemy 
 Soul of good ^ this 
 is alfo vanity^ yea^ 
 it is a fore travel. 
 
 2. Tv;o are let- 
 ter than one, hccaufe 
 they have a food re- 
 Tcard for their la- 
 hofir. 
 
 ^ 10. For if they 
 
 fall, the one mil lift 
 
 tip his fellow, hut woe 
 
 to hun nho is alcnc 
 
 rhen he falls, for 
 
 he has not anotljtr 
 
 to lift him up. 
 
 ' Heb. • 
 
 For jf they fall 
 
 the one or the other, 
 
 the one v;ill raije 
 
 his fcllovpy and , or 
 
 hut noe to him irho 
 
 is alone, that he falls 
 
 It is that there is fuch a man who h 
 alone, without Wife as well as without 
 Children or other Relations, Brothers or 
 Sifters , in whofe labour there is neither 
 end nor relax, and who works too with fb 
 much grcedinefs and blindnefe, that as his 
 Soul is never latiated ^vith gain, be is not 
 neither capable ofmakingrerledHonin him- 
 felf,and to lay, for whom do I do this.^ and 
 for whom is it that I confume my felf, 
 and rob my body, not only of its plea- 
 lures, but of its iubfiftence too ? that is 
 alio, Juft as it has been laid on the fub- 
 jed of envy, that is a vanity, that one 
 iliould kill and conlume ones felf with 
 labour, without giving ones lelf any relax 
 any more than pleafure ; what do I fay, 
 that is what ought to be call'd an afflidt- 
 iiig labour, a vexatious ill occupation. 
 
 Con. 
 
 Poor creature?, who deprive them- 
 
 felves, not only of lociety, but of a llie 
 companion too , if they knew how to 
 count but tv,o, for they would fee that 
 
 Two are better than one, fmce at leaft 
 they draw from their labour a tolerable 
 good lum, whereas the Salary of one alone 
 is nothing : and what they lay of the Sa- 
 lary of thofe v%'ho work by the day, one 
 mav lay of all other things. 
 
 For riot to Ipeak but of thole which arc 
 familiar, if it happens that they fall, the 
 one or the other, lie who has not fallen 
 will help- his companion to rife; but on 
 the contniry? woe to him who is alone, 
 put the caic that he falls, and here alone 
 as he IS, tliere is none to help him to rile 
 ao.iin. 
 
 stnd 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IV. 
 
 ftcond 
 
 29 
 
 jind no jecond to 
 rAifc him, and here 
 is no body to help 
 him :o rife. 
 
 11. A^AJn, if 
 tm lye together ^then 
 they have heaty but 
 horv can one he 
 varm alone *" 
 
 1 2. And if one 
 prevail a^aifzjrhim, 
 two fhall irithjland 
 hin;, and a three- 
 fold cord is not eaftly 
 broken. 
 
 15. Better is a 
 poor and nife Child 
 than an old and 
 foolifh King^ who 
 If ill no more be ad- 
 ^f^ni/hed. 
 
 14. For out of 
 rrifon he comes to 
 reign, vehereas alfo, 
 he who IS born in his 
 Kingdom becomes 
 poor. 
 
 15. / confiderd 
 all things living 
 under the Smu with 
 the fecond Child that 
 pall iland up in his 
 /ieadl 
 
 Likewife, if two lye together they will 
 be ^\ ann, but he wiio lies alone , how 
 Gin he keep himlclf warni ? 
 
 1 2. And in fine, if it happens that any 
 oneinaqtiarrel, befironger than he who 
 is alone, two will relilt him, and if they 
 were three, better f-lill ; for as they fay, a 
 tieblc thread refii^s, and docs not cafily 
 break. 
 
 Solomon. 
 
 Cm. I come to Kingdoms in general, 
 to the. manner how Kings govern, and 
 how Nations carry them fe Ives under 
 them ; and I fay, in rcfpcd of tlic firf^, 
 without alledging what I have leen, fori 
 have an odious example for my I'clf, and 
 nearer than thole that I could ioM . 
 
 That even a King, he who is ^^rown old 
 upon the Throne, and w^ho ordinarily is 
 a weak conceited Man, who knows not 
 what it is to take Counlel, is not worth a 
 young and a poor Child who lias fbmc 
 ienle. 
 
 For this fame, this poor Child, from 
 the place where tl;ey imprifon Fugitives, 
 lliall come out of Fetters to reign^ and 
 they fiiall experience him one day in thif 
 ftate, whereas the firli, this King conceit- 
 ed of himlclf, becomes milcrable upon the 
 Throne it lelf, on which he was born. 
 
 Qn. But as to tiie fub;edl of Nations, I 
 fhall fay here, that 
 
 I have feen all the people w^ho are in a 
 fhte, wliO live and walk under the Sim, 
 lurround tlicyoungPrince who is thcHeir 
 of the Crown, and neglecting, and Icavins: 
 the old King to hnguilli upon the Throne 
 
3C ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IV. 
 
 he fits upon 5 likewife the re(pc6b and 
 •vviilics are for this Child, who is to iiic- 
 cced him. 
 
 16. There is no 
 end of all the People, 
 even of all that have 
 been before them , 
 they aljo that come 
 after [hall not rejoice 
 in him^ jnrely this 
 aljo is vanity and 
 vexation of fbirit. 
 Hefi. 
 
 No end to all the 
 feopUj or nith all 
 the people ^vpith thofe 
 reho have been be- 
 fore thefe, likeroife 
 ^Tfith thofe who fhall 
 come after ; they 
 [hall not rejoice in 
 him^ or fhall take 
 m pleasure in him. 
 \.z,this yoimgPrince 
 
 Con. But let him not take advantage, 
 this young Prince whoever he is. 
 
 With the Nations no end of changes, 
 always they are moving, ; their Fathers 
 did what thele do, their Children will 
 do the fime. No, this young Prince is 
 now their Idol, he will not always pleale 
 thcni; the time will come, when far 
 from being agreeable to them, they will 
 do more than neglect him ; for this, a 
 Scepter or a Crown, has no more privi- 
 Icdge than other things of the world, than 
 the work of a Tradesman, ver. 4. j\xi\ as 
 they are, it is a vanity, afource of corro- 
 fion of minds. 
 
 Con, Imprint this in thy Iieart, O man, 
 among thy fellows, whom thou canftnot 
 feparate thy felffrom ; thou oughteft to 
 cxpecl nothing but inconftancy c^nd folly, 
 even there where piTidence ought to be, 
 -J^. 1 6, J 3. but envy and calumny, v. 4. but 
 iniuffice and but wickednefs it lelf, where 
 jutticeou^ht no be feared, chan.'^^ 16. thy 
 labour will profit thee nothing, no not to 
 draw any true pleafure from it, chap. 3. p, 
 all is vanity. Fear God, lo 
 
 CHAP. 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. V. 31 
 
 (SHAR V. 
 
 Solomon cofftwui^g^ and hcgitinhtg thefe Exhor- 
 tations in this Chapter^ to the end ofthcfeventb 
 Exhorting to the fear of G fid. 
 
 Text. Paraphafe. 
 
 1. Keep thy foot TlZHcn thou entrcil into the Hoiifc of 
 vrhefi tl^u^oefl in- V V Q^j^ ^^l^^, i^^cd of thy foot, nei- 
 to the houje of God, ther mn nor 2;o heavily, do as when thou 
 and be vjore ready cntreR the Kind's Clo'ict ; God, who in- 
 to hear, than to offer habits this place, dwells in a Itill final! 
 the facrifice of fools; found, and not in the wind or carth- 
 for they con/idernot cjiiakc, i Kings 19. 1 1, 12. The Angels 
 that they do evil. there fing Hymn? in his prelcnce,- if thou 
 
 makeit a noifc, and troubleit their Harmo- 
 ny, they will throw thee into the outer 
 darknels ; be ieized therefore with a holy 
 dread, and approach not to lacrificc Jike 
 fools, who know not what thev do ; that 
 they do evil when they factince, but to 
 hear the words of eternal life which come 
 from his mouth, for to hear God Is better 
 than facrifice. 
 
 Con. And taking heed to thy foot ncg- 
 Ic6l r.nt thy tongue. 
 
 2. Be not rafJp Let not thy mouth flutter, and let not 
 vith thy moMthyand thy heart hafhn to utter words ill digcft- 
 let not thy heart be cd, lor this living God, before w hole eyes 
 haj^y to utter any thou oughtefl to tremble, is in licaveji, 
 thing he fore God, for that is his Throne, and thou arc upon 
 God is in Heaven, Earth, which is but the foot-fbol oi his 
 ^.ndthou upon Earthy Feet, therefore let thy words be counted, 
 therefore let thy and in a linall number. 
 
 Tfords be few. 
 
 2. For 
 
32 ECCLBSIASTES, Chap. V. 
 
 For a dream 
 
 3- 
 
 cowes 
 
 >uj htifi- 
 Tjefsy and a fools 
 voice is inonn .by 
 
 through the 
 TKultitude 
 
 the TK'A 
 rfords. 
 
 Itittide 
 
 For without alledging other reafon; 
 it is with abundance ot" words an 
 long dilcourfes, as with a great deal o 
 knotty bufineis • thcie make a man drean 
 in deep, and the firll, the great number 
 ofwords throw into extravagancy, tak« 
 heed not to appear iuch before God, wil- 
 dom it lelf. 
 
 4. When thou 
 'uovpcjla V07V to God, 
 defer not to pay it, 
 for he has no pica- 
 Jar e in fools, pay that 
 which thou haji vovp- 
 ed. 
 
 <. Better it isj 
 that thoti JhotildcJ} 
 not vow, than that 
 thopi fhouldeji z'orv 
 and not pay, 
 
 6. Spiff er not thy 
 mouth to caufe thy 
 flefh to fin, neither 
 fay thoti before the 
 ■^.ngcl, that it rpas 
 .in errour : where- 
 fore (hould God be 
 itngry at :thy voice, 
 and defiroy the ixorh 
 of thins hand. 
 
 Con. In the heat of thy long dilcourfes 
 it often happens to thee to engage thy 
 lelf by folemn Vows, however vain thy 
 words are do not deipife them. 
 When thou haft vowed any thing toGod, 
 not only do not fail to perform it to him ; i 
 but do not even defer, God will not be 
 mocked, his Soul takes no pleafure in 
 fools, who make a game of his fervice; 
 do not play upon him as thoudoft on thv 
 Fellows, whom thou refcrreft from one 
 day to another, and whom thou often 
 dofl: not pay ; perform, and without de- 
 lay, what thou haft vowed. 
 
 It is better thou lliouldeft make no 
 vow, which often God does not ex- 
 a6tof thee, than to make any, to engage 
 thy felf lolemnly, and that of thy own 
 motion, without any conftraint, and af- 
 terwards not to accomplilli it. 
 
 Give not then thy mouth the liberty by 
 its precipitation to make thy Fleili to fin 
 thro weaknefs, watch over thy difcourle?, 
 and confult thy ftrcngth before thy 
 making of a vow, and when thou halt 
 made it, do not amulc thy lelf to excule 
 it before the Prieft of the Lord, who is 
 
 his Angel for us. I 
 
 miftook, It IS an .er- 
 
 ror in me, I thought I had more itrength 
 than in etfe6t I have. Wretch ! why wilt 
 thou even by thy words enfbme the 
 wrath of God, and why wilt thou engage 
 him to diff.patc the works of thy hands, 
 the labour thou haft taken in thy Field, 
 or thy Vineyard. 
 
 7. For 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. V. 
 
 53 
 
 7. For- in the 
 multitMde df drearrs 
 and mahy fiords , 
 there dre .iljh di- 
 vers vanities : hut 
 fcdr tho^ God. 
 Htb. 
 
 For in the mxlti- 
 :!4de of dreams and 
 vanities^ 1. c. *ind 
 mftltitude of vani- 
 ties, and in many 
 sfords^ i .e. many va- 
 nittes. 
 
 8. // thoH Jces 
 the oppre/fion of the 
 poor , and violent 
 perverting of ff^d^^- 
 Tfjent and jujfice in 
 ti Province, marvel 
 not a: the matter^ * 
 ''r he that is H^^her 
 :han the highej} re- 
 c;^-:rdeth, and there 
 he higher than they. 
 
 Hcb. 
 * For he vtho is 
 higher than this 
 hii'h one obfervcs, 
 and there are higher 
 than they. 
 
 9. Aioreoverthe 
 profit of the earth is 
 f')r all, the Kirig 
 himfelf is Jervcd 
 by the Field. 
 
 Hcb. 
 ^'^nd the profit 0^ 
 the Earth in all 
 things it, A King 
 cr the King is fer^ 
 van: to or f>^ 'iV 
 
 For \\ hat mean all thclc cxcufcs. In the 
 nuiltitiiJc of dreams which wc nuke, the 
 molt p.irt are v:iin, and there arc but a 
 t'c^v ot them which fi^2,nific any thing , 
 and m the multitude oi' words, it is that 
 there i? much of this vanity, and that 
 there are tew of them which mean any 
 thin^ ; but do not abuic thy Iclf 5 fear 
 
 goj: 
 
 Con. Or if thou art near the Altar, or elfe- 
 where, let thy fear regulate thy dilcourie. 
 
 If in any Provmce or Kingdom, or any 
 other parts whatever they be, thou doft 
 oblerve that they opprels the pcu-^r, and 
 that judgment and ;ulHce arc perverted 
 in Extortion or Rapine : do not evaporate 
 thy felf in exclamations or in admirations 
 upon whiz thou leeft ; for the high one, 
 
 from the height of his Throne of Heaven 
 where he inhabits, watches or regards. 
 Yes, the mod: high prefides even over 
 thole who commit thele Evils, he kno\«* 
 why he does it, he has not put thee in 
 their place; that is thy pain; ifthouwert 
 there, thou would'fl net perhaps be iuikr 
 than thcv. 
 
 And as for the goods of the Earth, the 
 fubiect on which thru talkefl v»itli i?t 
 little refpec} for GoJ,- complaining conti- 
 nually of their partition. As for the goovU 
 of the Earth, I lay, without reproadi- 
 ing thee , w/th thy frivolous dilcourfe?, 
 know that there arc no others, but that it 
 lelf in all relnects, and that w^hen thou 
 dolt poi'cfs lulhcicntlv for thv entertain- 
 ment of tbeie o(x\\s nhich it r,ives, thou 
 ivDn'efielt all Riches ; a King, (or cxam.ple, 
 vho among ail men, is he who inighr 
 create thee" the m-jft ?f:aIouiy, wh'at doll 
 D ihou 
 
34 ECCIESJASTES. Chap. V. 
 
 thou tlnnk he is? but a fervant of this 
 Earth, of thefe Fields which are plowed, 
 or lerve for pafture, that he works fome- 
 times with his hand, and whofe entertain- 
 ment and cultivation, he is obliged to 
 make his firit and principal care," fmce 
 without that he cannot live, neither he 
 nor his people. 
 
 Money does not feed, nor does it fatis- 
 fie ; he who loves it fhall not have his fill 
 of it, ahdin a covetous heart, the Fruits 
 likcwile turn into Mettal, he who loves 
 abundance Ilia H not belatisfied with Re- 
 venue, this abundance, this revenue is as 
 well as many other things which I have 
 Ipoke of, a vanity, whence is no retui'n 
 of profit. Forfiippofe 
 
 T 0. He who loves 
 filver^ fhall not he 
 fitisfied vpith fdvcr, 
 mr he that lo^eth 
 abundance nith in- 
 creafc^ this is alfo 
 vanity. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Not be nouri/hed 
 hy fhcr ^ nsr he 
 vaho loves abun- 
 dance jjyallnot he fa- 
 tisfied, to r^it^ hy 
 the revenue. 
 
 11. When goods 
 increafe , they in- 
 creafc that eat the?^;, 
 and nhat good is 
 there to the OirnerSy 
 fave the beholding 
 then; r/ith their 
 eyes. 
 
 Hcb. , 
 In aygymntmg 
 an Ej'latc^ thoje who 
 eat it augment^ and 
 rfhat reilittide^ i. c. 
 advantage for the 
 Trailers., the f:eing 
 thc?n or the fight of 
 their Eyes. 
 
 1 2. 7 he fleep of 
 a labouring man is 
 j-^eet , rfhether he 
 €At little or r,;tich^ 
 hut the ahpindance 
 
 That an Eftate docs augment the num- 
 ber of people which keep it up, and by 
 confcquence, who fpend it mult be aug- 
 mented; now what advantage does the 
 mailer draw from it, but to ice with his 
 eyes that they confume it ; add wljat thou 
 maylt call a corrofion of mind. 
 
 That the labourer is of a ftrong confti- 
 tution, let him eat much or little, he 
 flceps no lefs all night, whereas the Rich 
 is a weak fiomach , whofc repletion is a 
 burden, which weighs upon him, and 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. V. 
 
 55 
 
 if the Rich rvill not 
 jaffcr him to Jlecp. 
 
 ^^rmits him not to find any red ; thou 
 doll not undcrlbndmc pcrh.ips, the firfi-, 
 poor or rich cnioys ionic iiuistaction in his 
 life, whereas the abundance of this man 
 deprives him even of ilccp. 
 
 Senffi/d WorlJIinjr. 
 There is in the world a vexatious evil, 
 not only for ihofc who arc leiz'd with it, 
 but even for thole who think on it; it is 
 the tiiry of heaping Trealure upon Trea- 
 iure, out of this conceit, only of acaunu- 
 iatins; them for what happens?* I have 
 often Icen under the Slui, that thefe Trea- 
 liires he.ipVl and kept witli mofl carCjferv'd 
 to the ruinc of their niaftevs, drawing up- 
 on them either the Heel or poylon. 
 
 13. There is a 
 fire evil Ihuvefien 
 under the Sim , 
 Riches kept for the 
 on tiers toereof to 
 their hurt. 
 Heb. 
 
 There is 4 fad 
 evil /havefeen tm- 
 der the Sun, Richjs 
 kept for the hurt of 
 their M^xftcr, 
 
 1 4. But thefe 
 Riches peri fh by evil 
 travel, and he be- 
 gets a Suriy * and 
 there is nothing in 
 his hand. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 j^nd the Riches 
 ptrip^ by ill pracli- 
 ces, ^ and he has 
 nothing in his hand. Con. But if none of thele accidents 
 Oiouid betal him, 
 
 does not happen, w'hac 
 {■lecomes of thefe Riches } 
 il' practices, a litigious 
 
 ;art ir. the prolpecU;f cn- 
 
 Son that he has brou2,ht 
 
 find? his hands empty, 
 
 And if that 
 would you fay, 
 they perilh by 
 
 wrangler makes his prey of them, and the 
 avaricious man, who hadkcptthcm with 
 fo much care, p: 
 riching an only 
 into the world, 
 having notlnn^ 
 
 K^.yishe came out 
 'his mothers nof^jb, 
 ftaked /hall here turn 
 to go as he CtWiC^and 
 p.yalltake nothing of 
 his Libour, vehich he 
 may carry an ay » ;//; 
 him. 
 
 16. And 'lis i^i- 
 fois a [ore evil, that 
 :i ►.'// points as he 
 ,Amc fo p;all he CO, 
 
 This avaricious man , fuch as he is 
 come out of his Mother's womb, naked, 
 iuch fjiall he return to leave this world, 
 as lie came into it : vcs, with all bis b. - 
 hour, let hnn kill himielf if he will with 
 labouring and heapin?;, he will cirry a- 
 nay nothir.g to take with him into the 
 other world, he will go away with emj - 
 ty hand?. 
 
 And certainly thif. V-. that which one 
 
 m;»v call an evil, thrt after haviiig lived 
 
 \\\ ib preat an abnnJ:\nce, and havim; 
 
 l:en fo covcrous of::, he departs fro^n 
 
 D 2 and 
 
F.CCLESIASTES. Chap, V. 
 
 
 ihin^ of his lahom-^ 
 v:kich he nu-ry carry, 
 AVPtiy in his hand. 
 
 1 7. ^ill his days 
 alfo he eats in ditrk- 
 Hcfsj and * he has 
 much forroTV and 
 nrath with his jlcl- 
 ?ufs. 
 
 Hcb. 
 And !Treat choler 
 and -^ 
 1 1 cafe or 
 
 or Jon'o:v ^ 
 
 pves 
 mfor it is his por- 
 
 fnry. 
 
 \%. Behold that 
 which I have Jeen , 
 Jiood and co??7ely for 
 cue to eat and to 
 lirinhj and to mioy 
 tf'e POod of all his 
 hboKr that he takes 
 tmder the Sfffi^ all 
 the days of his life 
 which God 
 hi 
 tion. 
 
 ^ Ikh 
 7his is that 
 nhich 1 have fccn, 
 jrood and fine, it is 
 to cat tind drini- , 
 And to enjoy goud in 
 ^11 ones lahom; 
 
 I p. Ez'sry njari 
 alfi^ to M'/'-iV;:; God 
 ha.'h riven R:chis 
 Knd ]Vcahh,and has 
 fiven hinx power to 
 cat thereof, and to 
 take his portion, and 
 to rejoice in his la- 
 h-4r, it is the gift 
 of God. 
 
 this life quite naked , juft as he came: 
 for what profit, pray, for him to labour as 
 he docs, for wind or for fmoak. 
 
 Adding, that inftcad of feeking in his 
 labour, iome refrefliment and repofe a- 
 lone, in fonie lad Hutt all the days of his 
 Jifc, he eats in darkncfs, belaboured on 
 one fide with a corroding melancholy, 
 fiom the regret which he has that he can- 
 not fave ;^ and on the other with his mad- 
 nefs and fury of continually heaping. 
 
 This is that which I have learnt by the 
 deportment o thele Wretches ,1 have feen 
 that all that there is good and fine in the 
 world, it is, that man amongft what he 
 does upon earth, lliould eat and take his 
 plealiirc as long as his days laft, becaule 
 it isthefc plcafures wdiich are his portion ; 
 the only thin^ that he draws from the 
 world or this life. 
 
 I have even known, that if God gives 
 Ricljcs and Subflance to any, whoever he 
 is,' and that with thcle Goods, he gives 
 him over tlicm a true title, a happy tem- 
 perament; by the favour whereof, being 
 difingag'd from their tyranny , he may 
 cat and take his part of them, and rejoice 
 in his labour; it is in that that con fifts 
 tl-c gift of God, I mean, the loveraign 
 ^ood. 
 
 20. For 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VI. 37 
 
 For in lb living, tlic man will agreea- 
 bly forget liinifclf, llic pall, the future, 
 and their cruel rerteclions will djiri^x^te 
 from his mind, beciulc Goi aiilwcrs 
 him, and gives him not only according 
 to his dcfire, but according to all the joy 
 of hislicartj which he fills himielf with. 
 
 20. For he JhMl 
 not much remember 
 the days of his life^ 
 hecaufe God /«- 
 fixers him in the joy 
 tfhis heart. 
 Heb. 
 
 ForAfmuch a! 
 God is anfwerin^ 
 dccordiny to the joy 
 Q ^ his heart. 
 
 Con. Tiiis Dodrine is natural, and the 
 truth of it iseafie to be ai^prchended, and 
 more to be pradiled. Yet there are a 
 great many whom Gol does no: blcls 
 enough tor that, for to give again an ex- 
 ample o{ thoilc who make an ill ufe of 
 riches, and at the fame time to add fomc 
 advertilements on this liibiecl, bcfides 
 thele wretches whom I have talked of, 
 that live after a manner lb oppoGtc to 
 thele Precepts. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Text. 
 
 1 . There is an e- 
 vil nhich I h^ve 
 
 Jeen wider the Sun, 
 and 'tis con:n;on a- 
 mon^ men. 
 Heb. 
 // nrtmcrofis or 
 il ifdies itjclf'Ap' 
 on men, 
 
 2. yi man to 
 nhom G)l has pi- 
 vni riches, wealth 
 andhonnnr, Jo that 
 he If ants noihin'r 
 for his SohI, of all 
 
 Paraphrafe. 
 
 npHerc is an evil which I have fe:n un- 
 •*■ dcrthe Sun, and a contagcou,; evil, 
 which makes a ravage among men. 
 
 It is that there is fucli a pcr(im in 
 whom God giv<^ riches, lublhnce and 
 glory, lb that his Soul can wiil\ nothing 
 that it does not pof/eis, and to whoiu 
 however he giyes not over thclc Gv>od-, 
 this true title I have Ipoke of. x. ^r/. 
 D 5 //v/ 
 
38 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 that he defres ; yet 
 God gives him not 
 poner to eat thereof^ 
 ^ hut a fir anger eats 
 it ; this u a vjmity^ 
 and it is an ez/il 
 
 difeaje, 
 
 Heb. 
 For^ (rr 'hecaufe 
 it great fir anger , 
 
 1^. If a man he^et 
 A hundred Chil- 
 dren, and live ma- 
 ny years, fo that the 
 days of his years he 
 many, and his foi4 
 he not filled rvith 
 good, and alfo that 
 he have no hidrial ; 
 / fay that an un- 
 timely birth is let- 
 ter than he. 
 
 4. Tcr he cometh 
 in vnth vanity, and 
 departs in darlnefs. 
 And his name jhatl 
 he covered with 
 darlnefs. 
 Heb. 
 
 Is come. 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 this happy temper, by the favour where- 
 ofdilengaged irom their tyranny, he may 
 eat of it and enjoy ihimielF, becaufe widy- 
 out doubt God referves them for fome 0- 
 ther , who is more agreeable to -l-ttm, cih. 
 2. 26. fome Foreign Captain, who one 
 day will poflefs *iinifcli of all that the 
 firft preferves with fo much care, [and 
 profiting of hislavings, lliall eat and en- 
 70y iiimfelf with them; this is that 
 which ought to be called a vanity, and 
 a fad evil, that one fliould heap, fave, 
 and rob ones lelf for a Foreigner who pil- 
 lages you. 
 
 Suppofe if you will, bcfides all that I 
 have laid of Goods, Riches and Glory ; 
 let this great man bring into the world a 
 hundred others fuch as he, for it is in 
 the glory of his Family, that he makes 
 the greateft part of his own conllft, and 
 above all in the preiervationof his name, 
 flippofe that he lives as longasyoupleale, 
 for they ordinarily call his avarice- a lo- 
 briety, which they pretend prolongs his 
 days, if his Soul has not been fully fati- 
 atcdwith good thing?, and that he has 
 not had a decent interment; I mean, 
 that he is not buried in delicacies, and 
 has not io finiflied his days ; I iay, that 
 I make not any account ofallthat lie has 
 poflefTed, of his Children, nor of his long 
 life, and that I holdhim leis happy than 
 an Abortive. 
 
 For. this, I mean , the Abortive ts 
 come into the World in vanity , as a 
 Fruit which was not come to its matu- 
 rity, which can ferve for noth'pg; and 
 lb likewile he is gone into darkncls with- 
 out having appeared among men , and 
 hi? name has ten covered with ^dark- 
 nefs and obicurity ; he was never talked 
 of, nor ever will l^ talked of, %vliereas 
 thispcrion, he Is known, he is famotis 
 in the World, and this name is nothing 
 
 but 
 
 ■^' 
 
ECCLESUSTES. Chap. VI. 39 
 
 5. Moreover he 
 has not fee n the Sun 
 nor inojfn any 
 thing ; this has more 
 nft than the other. 
 
 Heb. 
 ylnd has hnojvn 
 n re;} , meaning 
 that there is more 
 lor this than for the 
 ether. 
 
 6. Teaj tho he 
 live a thoufand 
 years tnice told , 
 * yet has he Jecnno 
 goody do not all go 
 to one place. 
 
 Hcb. 
 If he has feen no. 
 
 7. ^irt!:e la- 
 hour of man is [or 
 his MOfithj and yet 
 his appetite is not 
 
 filled. 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 And alfo, yet, or 
 rcith all that the 
 Soul [hall not he fil- 
 led. 
 
 8. For nhath.ts 
 the nife more than 
 'be fool, nhat has 
 'he poor that knows 
 r'oiv to walk before 
 .he living. 
 
 9. Better is the 
 fight of the eyes, 
 than the viand ring 
 of the defire, this is 
 alfo vanity and 
 
 but d vain iinoak, -vvhiLli has Iiad no- 
 thing real nor IbliJ, fincc he hascn;03'cd 
 no pleaiiirc. 
 
 And more, the Abortive has not fccn 
 the day, he has not known what is Iweet- 
 ncLs or rcpofc, lb that there is more of it 
 for him than for the other, who has lecn 
 it, and known it, and has not taftcd of 
 it. 
 
 But the fir ft , fty they, lives a lon^ 
 while, twothouland years, if they will, 
 and he lives witliout picalute ; anil inuft 
 he not dye ? and botii he and the abor- 
 tive, do not thev go to the fjinephce.^ 
 A life without pleafinc is not life, tiut 
 ought to be accounted for nothing. 
 
 All the labour of man, generally nil 
 that he does in the world,- is only tnrlii> 
 mouth, and for all that his Snul lliall 
 never be perfedly fatiated ; befides, its 
 grccdinefs, it will make to itfelf JJefs 
 ofReputation, Grandeur, Science, Wii- 
 dom, poor head. 
 
 For the w'fc man, fuchas tlii^ pet ion 
 I (peak of, the wife man, I fay, with all 
 his wifdom, what advantage has he above 
 the fool, I would fain have it told me, 
 what is the happinels of a poor neceHltous 
 man, thn ingeuioii<^, an-L v^-ho knows 
 liow to liveinihc VVoild. 
 
 A gooi Moricl ; whjt do I fiy, the 
 figlu alone of a goiol rcpall, is worth 
 more than ali the Curvais of tljcS.ud ? 
 Thele incxhiiftiblc defirc?, or thclir fine 
 dreams tliat it makci upon tiic Stars, ^r 
 D 4 '^'.-.v- 
 
40 ECCLESIASTES. Ghap. VI, 
 
 Vexation of Spirit, 
 
 Heb. 
 T'han the walks 
 of the Scul. 
 
 to. That vphich 
 has been is named 
 dlrcddy , and it is 
 known that it is 
 fnan^ nor ?nay he 
 contend mth him, 
 that is mightier 
 than he. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Quid quod fiiit 
 jam nominatum 
 vel celebratum no- 
 men ejus & notum 
 eftquodipfehomo 
 &:nonpOLerit con- 
 tendere cum illo 
 que d\ fbrtior vel 
 durior fe, fortis vel 
 durus prxle. 
 
 II. Seeing there 
 he many things that 
 encreaje vanity , 
 Tvhat is man the 
 letter. 
 
 Heb. 
 For it is a mul- 
 titude of words 
 "which multiply va- 
 nity. What advan- 
 tage for man. 
 
 1 2. For v,-ho knows 
 -what is oood for 
 ?ran in this life, all 
 the days of his vain 
 life uhich he fpends 
 as a 
 
 in matters of Government? Theie imagi- 
 nations, I have a famous Author for war- 
 rant, EccL 14. 17. are but vanity and 
 corrofionof mind. 
 
 Con, And as for reputation, which tfiis 
 great perfbn makes his all of. 
 
 What is it that already long ago his 
 name is famous, and that they talk of it 
 every where ; they know very w^ell that 
 it is a man, and that he cannot contefl, 
 or appear at the bar againfthim who is 
 ftronger than death, which fpares none. 
 I cut fliort. 
 
 For it is a multitude of word?, ch. 6. 
 7. that I will not imitate, which does no- 
 thing but multiply vanities, all this tat- 
 tle bein^^ vanity itfeif ; for what profit 
 returns from it to man. 
 
 For ojKcagam ; tlicbuhiiels is, not to 
 kjiow wlietlicr there arc vanities in the 
 w orld ; every one agrees upon that : The 
 Qtiefiion is, what is mod advantageous 
 to man in this life, durini^thc (mail num* 
 Ixr of the days of the life of his vanity, 
 7vI:o can tell a man and lo much tlie more ^vorthy to be cal- 
 
 2) hat 
 
 fhadow , 
 
 ^or 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap.VIL 41 
 
 vrh.1t fhjll he after Jcd days of vanity, tlut they pafs and 
 limuuder the Sun, confumc like a fliadow, -vvhicli lias but 
 an oblciirc appearance without reality. 
 Rendes what will happen after us in tiie 
 world, that thereupon we might take our 
 mealures ; or who is it among the Preach- 
 ers or the Prophets that knows the firfi-, 
 and can fbretcl the iecond. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Solomon arjfwerhtg and reprov'wg his Dif* 
 coitrfc. Verf. 8. 
 
 Text. 
 
 I. A good name 
 Ts better than preci- 
 ous ointment , and 
 the day of death bet- 
 ter than the day of 
 •nes birth. 
 
 1. It is better to 
 ?o to the hotife of 
 n;0Hrning than to 
 the hotife offeafiing^ 
 for that is the end 
 nf allmen^ and the 
 living Yvill lay it to 
 liU htart. 
 
 3, Sorrow is bet- 
 ter than iivjrhter ^ 
 for by the fidnefs of 
 thecotinienanie the 
 
 Paraphrafe, 
 
 A Fine name is nothing, fay they, ch. 
 -^ 6. TO. and death, as ifit were a great 
 evil, wnllconie to dclhoy tliem ; and I, 
 fay , that a fine name i? better than the 
 bell perftimc, that the day of death is 
 better than the day of birth, and that he 
 who dies with this fine name, the repu- 
 tation, of an h.oneft man, i? happier than 
 he who is bom amongfl incenfc. 
 
 Nohappincls, lay tlicy, but in goo.l 
 clicar, ch. 5. i8, 19. ch. 6. 3. and 6. and 
 I lay that the Houfe of Mourning i? better 
 than that ofFcalHng, becaufe that in this 
 the man forgets himiclf, whereas in tlie 
 firii: he fees an example of his end, and oC 
 that of his fellow?, ;uul tliis finks into 
 his heart , and obliges him living to think 
 of dying. 
 
 In joy, fay they, ch. 5. 18. confifls 
 felicity : and' I fay, that care and the 
 moit gnawing ladnefs is Ixttcr tlnui the 
 moil noify laughter ; the mind cvai>oratcs 
 
 heart 
 
42 ECCLRSJJSTES. Chap. VII. 
 
 beart u mAde bet- 
 ter. 
 
 4. The heart of 
 the mfe is in the 
 houfe of mournings 
 hut the heart of 
 fools is in the houfe 
 of mirth. 
 
 Heb. 
 The heart of wif- 
 dom, 
 
 5. It is better ta 
 hear the rebuke of 
 the mfe, than for a 
 man to hear the 
 Song of fools, 
 
 Hcb. 
 Better is the cor- 
 reBion of the. 
 
 6. For ' as the 
 cradling of thorns 
 under a pot, fo is 
 the laughter of a 
 fsol, this is alfo va- 
 nity, 
 
 7. Surely oppref- 
 fon males a mfe 
 man mad, and a 
 gift dejiroys the 
 heart, 
 
 8. Better is the "^ 
 end of a thing than 
 the beginning there- 
 of, the patient in 
 fpirit is better than 
 the proud in fhirit. 
 
 Heb. . 
 Of a dijcourfe, 
 
 9. Be not hajly 
 in thy fhirit to be 
 
 by this, whereas even thedej(3(5^ioftof the 
 countenance difTipates part of our paffions^ 
 and fo renders the heart better. 
 
 The heart of the wife, either with com- 
 pafTion for the affli6led to comfort them, 
 or to learn better to number their days, 
 carries them into the Houfe of Mourning • 
 that of fools, to forget all that is impor- 
 tant and folid, carries them into the Houfe 
 of Mirth ; what can one think of thofe 
 who make their foveraign good confift in 
 it. 
 
 They play upon, and fatyrize the wife, 
 eh. 6. and it is better t® bear the cenfiires 
 of the Wife, than to hear the ^ Songs of 
 Fools w^^ho fatyrize tliem. 
 
 For what is the offensive noife of 
 Thorns which are burnt under a Pot, 
 fiich is the laughter and the f ongs of Fools 
 for the ears of the wife : This, this Laugh- 
 ter, and thele Satyrs area vanity, as well 
 as the other things I have fpoke of. 
 
 For,opprcfricn makes a wife man lofe 
 his judgment ; what will it do with tlie 
 laughter of the fool ? and profperity, as 
 well as the gift which is made to a Magi- 
 flrate, ruines the heart, and this laughter 
 proceeds but from too much eafe. 
 
 The end in all things is better than the 
 beginning, it is that which the wife re- . 
 gards above all when he f peaks. A man 
 of fenfe, patient and moderate, who hears 
 and thinks, is better than thefe fierce and 
 haughty fpirits , w^hich fo eafily take 
 fire. 
 
 Do not trouble thy felF, nor be too 
 
 hafty to be angry at every word which is 
 
 angry, for ^ anger faid, there are none but Fools, in whole 
 
 bread anger makes its feat, who are net- 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 rejis in the hofom of 
 Fools. 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VIL 
 
 43 
 
 Toirrip^cta^er, 
 
 10. S,n notthMt 
 what is ike cM^Je 
 ihut the former 
 days wen better than 
 rhefc, for thou do ft 
 not en.jidre vifcly 
 conccntin^this, 
 
 11. ]Vifd9m is 
 !^oodrritb an inhe- 
 ritance ^ and hy it 
 there is profit to 
 them that fie the 
 Sun. 
 
 12. For rfifdom 
 * is a defence, and 
 nwney is a defence, 
 but the excellency 
 0^ knowledge i/, that 
 Ti ifdom ^ives life to 
 them that have it. 
 
 Heb. 
 In thejhadow of 
 rrijdom. 
 
 1:5. Con fid cr the 
 Tfork iff God , for 
 rvho can make that 
 flrait ivl.'ich he has 
 made crovkcd. 
 
 tied at every thing; hear then patiently, 
 for to that \^hK:h I have faid, r^. 5.8,9. 
 toiichii\^ the complaints upon the di- 
 iiinCtioii which God makes bct^vcen n:cn, 
 in the partitic^i t^ hich he makes of Dig- 
 nities and Ricl)e?, 1 will yet add fome- 
 thing of die wavs of fpcaking, in rclped: 
 of nrolpcrity md ndvcrlity, in this 
 
 Do not lay, as thou doli ordinarily, 
 whence coincs this, that the days of our 
 Fai*hers havei^een better and happier than 
 ours; for there is neitlier wiidom nor 
 piety in this ejucftion, thou thinkell of 
 the time and of the fcaions, tliink on God 
 who regulates them ; and on thy fms, 
 which aretiic cauic that they are evil. 
 
 Wifdom, laylt thou in other Occafions. 
 I mean in thy fai-r days ; wildom is a good 
 thing with a good Inheritance: it isthcr^ 
 that there is profit for thole who lee the 
 Sun. 
 
 For unr^xrthe lliadow of wifd©m, un- 
 der the iliadow of money ; for all that 
 thou layfi, one lives undifturbd under 
 the fliadow of money and of wildom ; 
 but with this difference, that the advan- 
 tage is all on the fide ot'thc knowledge of 
 Vw'ildom, whiich alone makes him live 
 who po&fles it ; for bcfidcs that, there is 
 not a more kire defence, ch.ver. ip. it is 
 when one is truly wile, that onccanfiy 
 that or.e dives; the life of fools not being 
 a life. 
 
 Look, confider attentively the work of 
 God, this work of his wildom which I 
 have Ipokcof, ch. 3. 11, by which he has 
 dilpofcd the things of the world, lo that 
 there is a time for all, for evil as well as 
 for good ; lor wh.o fhall change this order ? 
 whu ilinll redrels the times of the hfc of 
 Man, which lie has io rcndred irrcr^idar 
 and op.pofitc the one to the other. 
 
 i^.ln 
 
44 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VII. 
 
 ^ 14; In the day In the day of good and profperity thou 
 ^ prosperity he joy- wilt not refled ? enjoy thy lelf, I con- 
 fiily but in the day fent, but in the day ot adverfity look on 
 ofaivyftty confider^ the work of God, which thou mayft fee 
 God ^Ifo hath Jet the perfed , the day of evil being come to 
 ruine that of good ; and confider of what 
 ufe thy mirth has been , if thou hadft 
 room to fay, that one lives undifhirbcdly 
 under the lliadow of Money. This day 
 of evil, God hath made it, as 1 have faid. 
 In the day ofmd in oppofition to the day of good • to the 
 he in ^ood^ and in end, that ruining profperity by adverfity, 
 the man maj^ not find any thing after him, 
 I ipeak of God, (nothing excepted) he a- 
 lone , in whom he can put any confi- 
 dence. 
 
 Senfual Worldling, 
 
 During the days of my vanity, for life 
 
 is no more nor leis than a lliadow, I have 
 
 confider'd all things, to know what man 
 
 was to do, ch,'^. 12. I have particularly 
 
 taken heed to all thele precepts, touching 
 
 the fear of God ; and I have obferv'd , 
 
 that there is a juft man who practices them, 
 
 'n7a}i that prolongeth who not only dyes, but even periihes 
 
 his life in his y^ick- miferably in his righteoufnefs, and that 
 
 ^dnejSi there is on the contrary, a wicked man, 
 
 who prolongs his days in his wickednefs. 
 
 one over again/I the 
 §ther,td the end, that 
 fffa-' fhoHii find no- 
 thing after him. 
 Heb. 
 
 the day of adverfity 
 tdhfider alfo. 
 
 Worldling. 
 . 15; All things 
 loave I feen in the 
 days of my vanity^ 
 there is ar^/I nian 
 ihat pcri,^iS in his 
 'righien'AJacfs, and 
 there is a rpjched 
 
 Be not ri^h- 
 mtich , 
 
 Solomon. 
 t6. 
 
 if'dfis over 
 
 hoy make thy f elf 
 
 bver rrife , why 
 
 fhouldeji thoH dellroy 
 
 ihyfelf 
 
 Solomon anfwering. 
 Thou haft confider'd all things, and in 
 particular all thefe precepts upon the fear 
 of God , that is well ; but upon that 
 which thou fayft of the ruine of the iuft, 
 and of the long life of the wicked, I have 
 three advectilcments to give thee ; the firft, 
 that thou take care not to pretend to an 
 overliraijied righ.teoulnefs, no more than 
 of a wifdom which excels, why through 
 too great ^rcat an elevation of thoughts in 
 things which are above thy rcach,niould(l 
 tiiou throw thy Soul into' confuiion and 
 trouble, and perhaps into defpair, or 
 why lliouldeft thou engage God to pour 
 
 upon 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VII. ^ 45 
 
 upontlicc in hisan;;cr a I'pirit offlupiiity, 
 as he 'lid on thole nilli men, who woulj 
 build the Tower oiUM. 
 
 17. Be mt over 
 ffiuch nicked, nor 
 be thou fooli/h : ivhy 
 flpouUej} thstt dye 
 be fere thy time. 
 
 iS.Itis^ood that 
 thou fhouTdej} take 
 hold of this, yea al- 
 fo from this veith- 
 draiv not thy hand, 
 for he srho fears 
 God jhall come out 
 cf them all. 
 
 Ver. 19. Wifdom 
 fir engt hens the wife 
 n;or€ than ten migh- 
 ty men nho are in 
 the City. 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Governonrs. 
 
 20. For there is 
 notajnfi man th^it 
 does good, and fins 
 not. 
 
 2 1 . Alfo take no 
 heed to all nords 
 that are fpoke, lefi 
 
 Con. The fccond, {?^ which proKihjy 
 tlioii \\.\[\ \x\oi\ need, is that thou take 
 heed , 
 
 Not to be wicked to cxccf?, nor foohfl) 
 to extrava£;ance, to add to thy crimes and 
 lolhcs, the impiety and folly of defends 
 ing and authori:!ing them , in controuf^ 
 ing the jullice and wifdom of God. He 
 waits for thy repentance, wMiy iliouldcli 
 thou urge to extremity his patience, and 
 force him to anticipate thy judgment, and 
 make thee dye before thy time. 
 
 Think on tliis, it is good andfakitary 
 for thee to retain this \A\, and never to 
 quit hold of the firfl ; for he who feats 
 God, and by an cft"c6l of this fear keeps 
 himlcif from' falling into this excel?, liiall 
 get out and deliver himfelf happily frpi^^ 
 all theie evils. 
 
 Wifdom, wdiich is this fear which J 
 fpeak of, gives more fircngth to the wiie^, 
 and puts him in a grerter fccurity, than 
 the lupport often Governours would do, 
 who are cilabliihedin the City where Ik 
 inhabits. Dent. i6. i8. ^;/. 4. 2. 
 
 For upon earth there is not a jnft mao^ 
 even among thofe, that thou fay eii, rhoi^ 
 haft fcen peri Ih, whodoesgood, and doc? 
 not fin too, andwhobyconlequence doc$ 
 not render himlelfworihy of the heavenly 
 vengeance, from which the fear of(joJ,and 
 not the favour of thele ten Governours^ 
 teaching him to foften his anger can only 
 deliver him. The third adVertilcmcntI 
 give ihcc upon this fubjcct is, that 
 
 Thou apply not thy heart to hear wh^t 
 every one lays in fccrct, for fenr thy cur'o- 
 lity lliouldte ill rccompcnccd, and \^ iw 
 
46 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VII. 
 
 thotf hear thy fir- hear thy own DomcfHcks curfe thee. 
 
 'vant curfe thee. 
 
 22. For oft times For likewife many times thy heart 
 
 alfo thy onn heart knows it, that thou hall alfo curled o- 
 
 inovfSy thoH thy felf thers. 
 
 likewife hafi curfed 
 
 ethers. Cm. Thou doft apprehend without 
 
 doubt wlmt I mean, liavc at lealt for 
 God and for his lecrets the lame difcreti- 
 on that thon haft for thy fellows j the 
 evils with which he vifits the juft, and 
 the good that he does to the wicked , 
 ivhere the reafons of his conduit in this 
 refpeci: are of this nature, they are fecrets 
 for us, which it has not plcafed him to 
 reveal to us ; if thouentrcft too curioufly 
 therein, fear left thou, who blalphemeft 
 him openly and infecrct, hear that in-his 
 lecret council he curfes thee likewife. 
 
 All this, this elevation of thoughts, 
 V. 1 6. this criminal cunofity,^^. 21. which 
 differ but in this, that the one is a pride, 
 the other an irreverence, and this over- 
 ftrained wickedneis, v. 17. to feek by 
 falle liibtilties in controlling Gods orders, 
 to defend and authorize gnes ow^n crimes ; 
 all this, I (ay, I have tryed, and have 
 ti-yed it with wifdom, I mean that be- 
 fjdes that I have applied all the care pof- 
 fible, I had befides Ibme defign which 
 leemed plaufiblc, for I Ibught to know 
 what was moft advantageous to man , 
 ch. 2. 12, J. I rhall be w'lle, faid I, in 
 reiped of thefe things , as thou fayeft , 
 •2/. 15. that thou haft feenall; lihall be 
 wife, I will raifemy felf, I will confider 
 the Iiigheft things, and found the moft 
 fccret, but alas! it is then that wiidom 
 departed from me, and that I fell into 
 the confufion wdiich I fpoke of, v. 16, 
 my Soul findins; no more reft-. 
 
 That which is fir and profound, fuch 
 
 is far and exceedinr as the reafons of Gods conduii, when \\t 
 
 deep, rfho cm find vifits the juft, and \s\ki\ he docs good to 
 
 it out, ' the 
 
 27^,All this have 
 J proved hy nif- 
 dom, Ifaidy I mil 
 he nifcy hut it nas 
 far from me. 
 
 24. That vfhich 
 
25. Idpplitd my 
 itdrt to hiotr »md 
 tpfearchy and tojcek 
 out TV if dom, ami the 
 7'eafon of things ^and 
 to knoiv the ^ vick- 
 ednffs of folly, even 
 of foolijmifs and 
 madnefs. 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 And fuhtilty or 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VII. 47 
 
 the wicked, which is hid in the mo(l le- 
 crct rcccls of the hearts of incn, and in the 
 infinite views of providence, which em- 
 braces the pall, the future, and an infi- 
 nite number of circumilanccs in refpedl 
 of the prefent, who is it that fhallfind 
 it. 
 
 I turned me in refpedl: of the fecond, I 
 and my heart, I tormented my lelf to 
 know, to grope out, and to feck wifdom, 
 and all lorts of fubtilties of inventions and 
 Hiifts, luch as tliolc which thou uicft, 
 and that I have reproached thele w^ith, 
 V. 17. and to undcrlhnd; for everyone 
 knows how much I plunged my felf in 
 them, the wickedncls of men, and the 
 extravagance to which their folly carries 
 them. 
 
 ^jince ofn:adnefs, 
 
 26. And I find 
 more hitter than 
 death, the noTjuin 
 •ffhofe heart isfnares 
 and nets, and her 
 bands as hands , 
 Tvhofo pleafeth God 
 Jhall efcape from 
 her, but the /inner 
 Jhall he taken by 
 her, 
 
 27. Behold this 
 I have found,] fays 
 the Preacher, onehy 
 one to find out the 
 
 HCCOMHt. 
 
 28. Which yet 
 myfoulfeeis, hxt I 
 find not, one man 
 among a thoufaud 
 have 1 foHnd, hut 
 A rfoman among all 
 thefe have t not 
 found. 
 
 And I find that by both, Woman who 
 is craft iilclf, and whofc heart is nothing 
 but fallacy, feekinsiinceflantly real Nets 
 to circumvent, whole hands, when llic has 
 furprized, are fo many Cords, wMiicii 
 one cannot get off. I find, I lay, tliat 
 woman is more bitter than death ; he 
 who is agreeable to God, lliall efcape her 
 by his Grace, but the fmner and the impi- 
 ous fliall be lurprized by her. 
 
 Look, confider this attentively, I have 
 found, lays the Preacher, counting one by 
 one, to find out well the account. 
 
 And my foul fecks it yet; for it is not 
 poffible that there is not one of them, but I 
 have not yet found her. I have found, I 
 fay, aftiong a thouLand men, Ibmeone in 
 whom there was fbme fmceritv, lome pu- 
 rity, but among all thele womc'n, 1 hav^: 
 not found one on Iv. 
 
 V 
 
48 
 
 ECCLESIASTES- 
 
 Heb. 
 
 Chap. VIII. 
 
 1 
 
 all 
 
 And among 
 iheje women. 
 
 29. Lo this only 
 have I foundy that 
 God has T?:ade man 
 upright , hyJ they 
 have fought out 7?:a- 
 fiy inventions. 
 Hcb. 
 
 Only fee what I 
 have found • * mul- 
 t it fide of fihtilties 
 6r cavellations. 
 
 Only look on this again ; I have found 
 that when God created man , he made 
 him upright, pure and fincere, but that 
 on their fide they have turned from this 
 reditude, and have fought fubtiltics and 
 fhifts, of vain realbnings to pervert them- 
 felvc?,with iom.e Ipecious appearance of the 
 right iway whijch God had prefcribcd 
 tliem. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Solomon Exhortwg to obey IZings, 
 
 Text. 
 
 Ver. I. Who is 
 as the wife man, and 
 r^ho knoivs the in- 
 terpretation of a ^ 
 t'hingy a mans wif- 
 dom makes his face 
 fofhine^and the hold- 
 vefs of his face Jhall 
 he changed, 
 Heb. 
 
 Word, 
 
 Paraphrafe. 
 
 VXT'Ho is the wife man, and to whom 
 ^^ can he be compared: if any one 
 pretends to this quality, let him know- 
 that with aperfcvt knowledge of the moft 
 ablirule things, he ought to have a pro- 
 found penetration to unravel the moft 
 difhcult and moft intricate ; but above 
 all, Jet him know that wifdom has this 
 advantage, that it enhghtcns and makes 
 the countenance luminous, and that difli- 
 pating all the clouds of care and vexation 
 whicii mean ipirits lliew, it changes a 
 fierce and haughty countenance into a 
 iweet and attrading air. Whoever thou 
 art, that dotft approach the Princes pcr- 
 lon, or pretendclt to the ouality of his Mi- 
 
 nifter, mould thy felf by this pattern. 
 
 2J 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap.VIff. 49 
 
 2.1c0k/ifcltljffto Limthc Kings iTiDiith ; watch this 
 hep the Kings com- mouth, after the fear of God, it is the 
 mand^ and tlyat in firft quality of a fubicvrl, and above all of 
 aMmidcr. Receive liis orders with carcj 
 tliariiotone fill to the Ciround ; execute 
 tiiciTi without delay, and with exactitude^ 
 It is the Lord's Anointed, and thou owefl 
 him this obedience, not only tor rcafon$ 
 of policy, but for thole ofihelolemn oath 
 which thou haft made before G(xl, ;o be 
 ol^dient and faithful to him, upon his 
 exaltation on the Throne. 
 Be not hafry to Too much lubtiltv is rn evil every 
 jro out of his fight ^ where, but with a Prince nicety is a folly. 
 
 regard of the oath 
 
 o'Cod. 
 
 ' . Hcb. 
 
 / the ntouth of the 
 King; Tvatchy and 
 hecaufe of the oath 
 of God. 
 
 Jiandnotin an evil 
 thinly for he does 
 ft hat ever jdeafes 
 him. 
 
 4. Where the 
 nord of a King is 
 there is f oner, *and 
 T^ho mny fay to him 
 nhat doe.'t thou f 
 
 Heb. 
 A'Athorityy 
 pi re. 
 
 5. Whofo 
 the command 
 feel no evil thing, 
 and a veife mans 
 heart difcerns both 
 time and judgment. 
 
 6. Btcatip to e- 
 very purpoje there is 
 tm.c and judgment, 
 therefore the mi [try 
 ^Jman i< great np- 
 tn him. 
 
 Em 
 
 leens 
 Ihall 
 
 do not be over-li?ity to quit iiis Icrvicemv 
 on thehghteft lubjcci, and do not pcrfift 
 in ill pradice?, for he will doagainftthee 
 whatheplcales. 
 
 His words are fo many decrees, he needs 
 but to Ipcak, his Armies marchr and ujv 
 on Earth, none is above l.im. Who is ic 
 that when he has dc/hoycd thee, lliall 
 come to demand him a reaion of what he 
 has done. 
 
 The Law is not for the iuft, he who 
 keeps the command Dial] not even Icnow 
 what evil is, and the heart truly wife 
 lliali know what time and jtidgmcnt is^ 
 not to expofe himlclf to it. 
 
 For, for every afiVir ; and above n I f^' 
 for thcle wicked pr.'.diccs, there is a time 
 and a iudzmcnt rclcrvcd tor the vengeance 
 of it, ch. 7,. 17. for the evils of man raul- 
 ti ply ai^.d fall upoTi him in a throng. 
 
 7. For he hivrr; For he knows no: what Oiall happen; 
 
 not that nhich P;all for v/ ho ihall declare rr cilcover to him 
 
 ie.fi.r v:ho can tell how things will pal^ and what flnll be 
 
 ( im TKhcn iifyall 1;^ . the event of his enterpiizc^ 
 
50 
 
 Hcb. 
 How. 
 8. There is m man 
 
 that has porrer over 
 the Spirit to retain 
 tht Jpirit : ?cr has 
 he pdu'er in the day 
 0^ death, and no dif- 
 char^e in t hat i^ar, 
 nor (hall Tvickedntjs 
 deliver ^ thofc rtho 
 arc 2iven to it, 
 ^ Hcb. 
 
 Its n-aihr, 
 
 9, All this have 
 Jften^ and ^applied 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. VIII. 
 
 Man does not rule over his fpirit to re- 
 tain it when it is re-demanded him, andihc 
 has no authority over the day of death, 
 and iiodifcharge for him in that day, no 
 more than in a day of Battle, and in a 
 worJ, wickednefs will not deliver the 
 wicked from it, whom itlerves. 
 
 AUthisisgrotmded not only on reafbn, 
 but on experience too ; I have feenit, and 
 my hear: to every tlrat^ri applying ftrongly my heart to all 
 ->vork thac is done that is done in the world, lb that there is 
 no room to doubt of it ; there is a time in 
 which one man triumphs over another to 
 his om^n rume. 
 
 ffnder the Sttn, there 
 ts a tifKe when one 
 .man rides over ano- 
 ther to his hurt. 
 Heb. 
 * //; 
 heart. 
 
 10. And fo J 
 Cm the vpt^ked bu- 
 ried ytho had come 
 rom the 
 
 giving my 
 
 id gone 
 
 And thus it is that I have feen the 
 wicked buried in their own iniquirs^ and 
 by that alone they have entred ; I have 
 feen it, into the place of the holy and 
 placed f the holy yand jui}, whom they had driven out; and 
 they vi^tre forgot in they went out again of it at the fame 
 time: and yet in the fame place, where 
 they had committed their iniquity, they 
 have been forgot, lb that without remem- 
 bri ng their punilhrnent men contrive the 
 fame crimes. This is alio a vanity, and a 
 mark ©f weaknefs, and of Uttle good Icnfe ; 
 that 
 
 Bccaufe it happens fc^metimes that the 
 fentence or judgment againft ill Actions 
 is not done prekntly after they are com- 
 mitted, for this fole'reafon the heart of the 
 Sons of men is full of deure to do ill ; as 
 for me, 
 
 the City vphere they 
 had fo done, 
 Heb. 
 And they came 
 and tx^ent from the 
 holy pLice. 
 
 11 
 
 Becn'ife ftn- 
 \{l an evil 
 Tyt-rk IS not exeCH- 
 led fpeedily, there- 
 fore the hearts of the 
 Sons c: men , it 
 
ECCLESIASTES, Chap. VIII. i\ 
 
 pjlyjctm thcpi to 
 do evil. 
 
 12. Tho A finner 
 do evil a fmmired 
 tintfSy and his days 
 be molonocd y yet 
 fkrely 1 know tthuit 
 JMJ he ncll mth 
 them : ha: fear God. 
 
 1:5. But it jhall 
 not bif ncll ivith the 
 vicked, nor jhall he 
 prolonjr his days 
 ixhich are as a fh - 
 r/ow, hecaufe he fears 
 710 1 before God. 
 Worldling. 
 
 I i^n'here is a vani- 
 ty Trhich is done upon 
 the earthy that there 
 are jui} men to ixhom 
 it happens according 
 to the ixorh of the 
 Tricked, and there 
 are ixiched to nhom 
 tt happensy accord- 
 in:^ to the nork of 
 ihe ri^^h icons ; If aid 
 'I? at this alfo is va^ 
 
 15. Then 1 cctn- 
 mended n.irth be- 
 caufc a man has no 
 better thing under 
 I he Snn, than fo eat 
 and drink and to be 
 nerryy ^or that p^ all 
 abide ni:h him of 
 his labour y the days 
 of hts life, nhtch 
 
 Let th^ finncr fin nM only one but a 
 hundred times, and let him prolong his 
 (lays in fin, that docs not lluke mc, for 
 I know loo on thcctiicr fide, that all ihalt 
 go well for thole who fear God and 
 tremble in his prelcncc. 
 
 But tho that be, that the finner docs 
 prolon£,in his lin, there will be no Peace 
 to the wicked, hisdavs he lliall not- pro- 
 long no more than a fliadow, becauieh.C 
 is not filled with this fear of God, which 
 enlightens and fills ail thiwgs. 
 
 Saifual Wor Idling;. 
 
 Rcaforjn^ on the mort part of thcf 
 thui^s which Solomon has already fiid, 
 elpccially all tliat he has faid from the be- 
 ginifmgof the 7th Chapter. 
 
 1 here paffcs upon lEarth things which 
 area pure vanity; it is that there are 
 rigiiteous to whom it happens , accord- 
 ing to tlic work of the wicked .• and 
 wicked to whom ilhapperiS, according to 
 the work of the righteous; lb that the 
 firf}, the iuft iiiffcr often what thele 
 ought to liirtcr, and that thcfe, I mean 
 the wicked, receive often the Goods which 
 might belong to th.e juli I have ol> 
 Icrved that, and when I did it, I fiid 
 in my felf, that it isasmany other things 
 which I have Ipokc of, it was a vanity. , 
 
 And drawing my conicoucnccs, as I 
 Iiave dorie from c^dicr vanities, I appl.^ud- 
 cd the mirth which is taken in^ Feaits 
 and good Company, becaule in effect, un- 
 der the Sun there is noticing better^ for 
 man, than to eat and drink, and divert 
 himi'df , pnd that it is tlrat which will 
 fcrve him for Company and Conlolation 
 in his labour, durir.g the Jays of hi? life 
 which God gives him upon the Eartji. . 
 T. 2 60.1 
 
52^ ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 God'^izes him un- 
 der the Sim. 
 
 Chap. Vin. 
 
 t6. "^Whenl^.p- 
 plied my heart to 
 knowvrifdom^ and to 
 
 Con. And in fine , this confequence t 
 have not drawn at random , but after 
 a ripe refle6lion. 
 
 In the fame manner as others, v. g. I 
 have given my heart to know wifdom, 
 and to Ice this vexatious labour which is 
 fie the hufacfs that done upon Earth, all thcic revolutions 
 done upon the which men are Hibjedt to ; for likewife he 
 that Ices, gives neither day nor light fleep 
 to his eyes, ch. 2. 2,3. as in cfte6l it is the 
 only way to attain to wifdom ; I have in 
 the fame manner given my heart to know. 
 
 is 
 
 earthy for aJfo there 
 ts that neither day 
 iior night jlccps -riiih 
 his eyes. 
 
 fJeb. 
 In the fame man- 
 ner "^ the occupations 
 V hich co??jc Hpon the 
 earth , ^ the Seer 
 fleeps not. 
 
 17. Then I be- 
 held all the vporl of 
 Gody that a man 
 cannot find out the 
 ircrh that is done un- 
 der the Sun^hccaufe 
 tho a man lahottr to 
 fceh it otit^ yet he 
 /hall not find^ yea 
 further J tho a mfe 
 man think to Inow 
 it, yet [Jsfafl he not 
 he able to find it. 
 Keb. 
 ^nd I have feen 
 rll .'he liorh of God ^ 
 that man fhall not 
 find the wcrk nhlch 
 is 'done under the 
 Sun^ hccaufe of thaty 
 man fhall Irlour to 
 /'}?/•, and he [J^all 
 not find^ rnd if he 
 (ays 1 nil! play the 
 
 And iult as others, thavcleen all en- 
 tirely this work of God by which he 
 makes a liiccefTion of evil to good, to the 
 end, that man may find nothing after 
 him, ch. 7. 13, 14. And I have found that 
 man lliall never find nor difcover this 
 work, ch. 3. II. For that, I mean, to 
 learch this work, man fliall labour and 
 torment himfelf, and he iliall not find, 
 ch. 7.25. And if even with a flrong re- 
 folution he fays, I will play the wife to 
 know and to nndcrlhnd • for all that, he 
 will not be able to find, ch, 
 
 Con. I make life of the 
 which have been imployed. 
 
 7. 23, 24. 
 fame words 
 
 :o 
 
 \ri TV 
 
 nill 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IX, 
 
 rvill not be Able to 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Text. 
 
 I. For all this I 
 confidered in my 
 heart, even to de- 
 clare all this , that 
 the righteous and 
 the rtij?, and their 
 Ttorks are in the 
 hands of God ; no 
 man knows either 
 love or hatred by dll 
 that is before tham. 
 
 2. All thin'Ts 
 some alike to all , 
 there is one event to 
 the righteous and tQ 
 the wicked ; to the 
 good and to the 
 clean, and to the 
 unclean ; to him 
 that fieri ficethy and 
 to him that pcrifi- 
 ce.h not : as is the 
 ^ood. fo is the fin- 
 ner : iini i;e that 
 
 Paraphrafe. 
 
 PJ'Or, all that dilcourfe I have imprint- 
 *^ ei in my heart, and I have done it 
 in profpeit: not only to profit by i:, buc 
 to draw light from it too tor others, anl 
 to declare all this that I am^oii.g to fay, 
 which 13, that the ju(t who rcg ilatc their 
 lives by the law of God, the wile wh.) 
 guide themfelvcs by the way of wildom, 
 they and all their fervice, for fubjeCtin^ 
 thcmfclves n^?; they do the praOiicc cf r.a 
 infinite number of Precepts, tlicy arc Uit 
 little different firom flaves ; they, I fay, 
 and their Icrvice, are in the hand of GoJ^ 
 who dilpoies of them at his will, and that 
 all that he does in reipect to them, either 
 ^ocxl or evil, all being bclbrc their eyes; 
 men cannot, however , underiiind the 
 work of God, and know whether he has 
 any love lor Ibme, and hatreifor othgr?. 
 All is the fame in all; there is but onz 
 (olc event , or chance for thj juit, 
 ai d :or the wicked,, for the good or pure, 
 asror the impure, i'o): him who ficrHcc-^ 
 anl for the impious who docs notlacriffce, 
 yes in reipect of goods, and evils, no ajr- 
 rcrcnce which proceed > Iron i ;uliice or ini- 
 ijuity, luch as is i!)C lioncit man, h.ippy 
 or unhappv, lucii is tlieiinncr , lii^h i;ih'c 
 blalphemtr or the pwrjiirei, luc!i is he 
 Av ho fears an oath, >v ho fears to makc'ir^ 
 and yet more to break ir^ c\ v !> '^> ^'' ^'•'* 
 
 E3 J>vc.:-: 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IX. 
 
 as he thnt 
 
 S4 
 
 fears an oath. 
 
 3. This is an evil 
 ATTong all things 
 tha: are done under 
 the fun ^ that there 
 is one event unto all: 
 yea^ alfo, the hearts 
 of the fins of men is 
 full of evil , and 
 rnadnefs is in their 
 
 This is an evil without doubt in all 
 things which pals under the fun, that 
 without diftinction of vertue or vice, 
 there is but one fole event, which is the 
 fame for al!, and with that , for to rea- 
 Ibn exadtly, onemuft colledt them; there 
 is another, which is, that, as k has been 
 laid, ch. 8. 1 1, and as it is true, the hearts 
 of men are full of wickednels and folly; 
 
 heart Tyhile they after w^hich among the dead. 
 live, and after that 
 they go to the dead, 
 4. For to him 
 that is joy ned to all 
 the livings there is 
 hope : for a living 
 dog is better than a 
 dead lyon. 
 
 <, ' For the living 
 Incw that they fhall 
 dye : hit the dead 
 inoiv notany things 
 tieither have they 
 Anymore a renard^ 
 for the TKerKOry of 
 them is foj-gotten. 
 
 c5.» Alfo their 
 love and their ha- 
 tred and_ their envy 
 is nOTT pcrifh.''d , nor 
 have they ar.y TKCre 
 A portion for ever 
 
 For to rcafon exa6lly upon this laft, be- 
 fore we draw any conlequence from both, 
 which is he that one would chooie ? one 
 alive,whoie heart is fiiU of evil and folly ; 
 or one dead. A^: for me , I find no room 
 tohefitate, in all thole who live, there 
 IS ibme confidence to be taken, one may 
 make Ipme ufe of them; for as a living dog 
 is good for fomething,whercas a dead lyon 
 with all his courage is good for nothing, 
 the firft is belter than this, and io like- 
 "^vifethe mof^ mifenble and wretched of 
 all men, wlio live? yet, is worth more 
 than he who is dead, thohe has reigned. 
 
 For tiiC living know fomething , at 
 leaft that they ihall dye, whereas the dead 
 know nothing ; this' knowledge which 
 they make h great a Hncw ot' during their 
 lifei is nothing after their death, no more 
 commerce for to make , no more Ships 
 to fend to Tarffhy for not only they bur 
 their memory, that name whereof^ thev 
 often make all their glory, is committed 
 to oblivion. 
 
 So their friendiliip which they fell fo 
 
 dear, when they are railed upon the 
 
 Throne, their haned which they make 
 
 men feel in fo hard a manner, their jea- 
 
 iouiy and tlieir envy, whi<:h make th.eni 
 
 perieaite all thole who have any veaue 
 ... • . . . ' . ' •• j^ 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. IX. 55 
 
 in anything \tLn is 
 done Hndcr the Snn. 
 
 7. Go thy 
 fa: thy bread 
 
 wine 
 
 hearty for God nojv 
 Mccepis thy rtorks. 
 
 n^'iih 
 and drink thy 
 rvith a merry 
 
 8. I^t thy g^r- 
 TKents be alnays 
 nhire, and let thy 
 no oint- 
 
 he4d Ixck 
 mem. 
 
 Ttt 
 
 p. Live io)f'4!ly 
 
 ththe 
 
 rrl. 
 
 Txj e TTfjom 
 
 thft lovefi , all the 
 days of the life of thy 
 vanity , which he 
 hath liven thee un- 
 der the fttn, all the 
 days of thy vanity : 
 for that is thy porti- 
 ■ in this life, iind 
 
 and merit, all perifhcs with them in their 
 death, and in thole who arc near the 
 Grave, it is perillied already. In a word, 
 nor the dead nor tholc who draw near 
 their end, tho they had governed the 
 %vhole world in their life time, they have 
 no more fliare in this world in any thing 
 which is done under the Sun. 
 
 Con. Wilt thou then Ix^lieve me, for I 
 come to my conclufion : Since all ^xri flies 
 with man when he dies, and that io, life, 
 however it is dclcribed, carries it infinite- 
 ly over death, fincc there is but one lame 
 ^^ event for all men without any diftindion, 
 and without any refpcct to tiieir vcrtuc, 
 or their vice, tlieir iullice or their ini- 
 (juity. 
 
 Go on, purfiic thy VvMV, let not any 
 thing they lay againli: Fcall?, ch. 7. 2. Hop 
 thee, eatlhy Bread with icy, and drink 
 merrily thy Wine, for fincc God has 
 Wcflcd thee according to the ioy anddcfire 
 of thy heart, r/i. 5. 20. in giving thcc liib- 
 f^ancc, it Icems that thy works arc ai;rcc- 
 nble to him. 
 
 They talk of Houfes of Mourning, as of 
 Houlcs ofPlealijrc, ch. 7. 2. bchcve mc, 
 never be in mourning Cioaths v.-Jiich mav 
 grieve thy heart , let tl.y G^rb l>c 
 ahvnys white, and let thy Head be al- 
 ways perfumed. 
 
 Thev l;iy, ch. 7. 26. tliat womnn Is 
 bitterer than death ; whoever licard Inch a 
 word : believe me.durinc the d.ivsoftl'clitc 
 of thy vanity, without taking a conceit N)r 
 the vain, tn make thee cinr.nc thy deport- 
 ment, profit of this lire with tlie womnn 
 thou lovefi , which has been given tlice 
 under the Sun, to Ixrthy compnif-on all 
 the days of t!ic ii!e of thy vaniiv, tor 
 thif, I mean, the v/cnL-^n, ini the gooJ*; I 
 E 4 ' :n 
 
^6 BCCL 
 
 in thy Lihour nhtch 
 thou takeft U7idsr the 
 jn'ti. 
 
 Keb. 
 
 10. Whatfoevcr 
 
 ESIASTES. Chap. IX. 
 
 have fpoke of, and which I have exhorted 
 thcc to enjoy, are thy portion, the only 
 thing thoucanil cxped, as well in hfe, as 
 in the labour that thou doed under the 
 Sun. In a word, 
 
 All that fliaU fall under thy hand to 
 
 thy Lvid findeth to dq^ fo that thou mayelt have Tome fan 
 dOy do it Tt'uh thy 
 
 n:i 
 
 nobi 
 
 f-Gr 
 
 th 
 
 :re ts 
 
 cy in it, do it with all thy power, with- 
 out retreating out of any' Icruple, for in 
 nofr.ori^Kor'^dtvice, the Sepulchre where thou goert, there are 
 neither luperb Buildings nor other works 
 to makcjuor fubtilty tofit off, nor Science 
 to aquire, nor Wildom to exerciie. 
 
 :}}'''r ■c^iQiih'dc^ey nor 
 ^ifh J in the grave 
 
 ii .otre thoH ^oej}. 
 He6. 
 S^ihtiltieSylavm- 
 tkns: 
 
 1 1 . / returned , 
 aid [aiv under the 
 f'in, that the rACcls 
 not to the fi) iftj nor 
 the battel to the 
 JironjT , neither yet 
 hxjdtothe yiffe^nar 
 niches to men of Ptn- 
 derilandin^^ nor yet 
 jtivnnr to 7?i:n of 
 'Jill, hit time and 
 choince h.^[per.c[h to 
 thcf?t all. 
 
 lieK 
 
 Cf'ancc cr UKhap- 
 
 JJyZ 
 
 cut. 
 
 '■■ic^e'^h not his tirj^e ^ 
 /i tut fp/l^' :ha: Are 
 
 Con. From the confideration of the work 
 of Goi, ch.^ .16. as well as from the exami- 
 nation that T have made of death and life, 
 to know w'hich of the two was moft ad- 
 vantageous, ^'.4. becaufethat, r/;. 8. 6. they 
 inenacc us with a time and judi^ment a- 
 ga in dill pradices. 
 
 I turned lue towards the A6tions of men 
 to examine tlic fuccefs which they h^VQ^ 
 and whence it comes that they fucceed, or 
 not liiccccd ; and in this examination I 
 have ieen under the Sun, that the prize of 
 the courle is not always fortiiofc who run 
 hell, that victory in a day of Battel is not 
 f)r thoic who are the ftro'm^cll: : that Bread 
 and the Commodities of life are not;- tor 
 thcwilei-t; tlut Trcaiiirco axe noi: foi;. the 
 mo;t prudent ; nor, in fine, Favour £pr 
 thole who are the molt enlightened and 
 knowing;, becaufe there is a time and 
 thince,^a vexatiotis event, to which 3II 
 ihole who have moft vertue and merit 
 rrc lubjcit, which depriving them of that 
 winch r.ccording to appearance then* ♦ojd 
 <.iuliiics pirmilc them, puts them ii\to 
 the hands of thoic w ho :^c the moft unwor- 
 llivoftliem. 
 
 And fcjfivicF, bccaulc. man doc? not ki^ow 
 Ills time, tiiat as it ha^ Ix'cn iaid^ ch.%.,y. 
 t? knO'.vs rot what fhali happen j, fox juli 
 
ECCLESIJSTES. 
 
 faien in an nil nety 
 .vid AS thi birds 
 SMiv^h: in the 
 fnare : fo ^re the 
 fons of men Jnarcil 
 in 4n evil time^^xhen 
 t: falleth juddenly 
 upon them. 
 Heb. 
 In the jam e man- 
 ner it nil I fall Jud- 
 denly upon them. 
 
 T T^Tkis rvifdom have 
 Jjeen a!fo under the 
 Jun^ arid it Jeemed 
 rrea: to me. 
 
 ^^.Toere :rJi a lit- 
 tle city^and few ?Ken 
 mthin it^ and there 
 c.i.me a great King 
 J^ainji it, and It- 
 jieged it, and hailt 
 great b;iLr.irI:: 
 "f'.infl it. 
 
 .^.Now there vas 
 ;'>ioid in it a poor 
 rtife man, iVid he by 
 his :rifdom deliver- 
 ed the city : yet no 
 V^an remen.br cdthjit 
 
 'V7: poor n:,in. 
 
 Chap. IX. 57 
 
 as Filli arc taken in an ill net, and th^ 
 Birds by a fnare, io thcfc, tlic SiSiis of 
 men arc fharcd in an ill time ; in tl>e 
 fame manner as the Net falls iiiddcniy 
 and uncxpcvhtedly upon Fiili, lo this ill 
 time fills, and uill fall upon men, >vhcii 
 they Aviil think Icaft of it; (o that all 
 their dexterity and prudence cannot war- 
 rant them from them; in fine, as to 
 thofc fine advertifements, which arc f;i- 
 ven us, ch. 8.12,5. and the follownig, 
 lo make the Courtiers watch the moutli 
 of Kings, to gather their words: In :^ 
 word, not to "breath but for them and 
 for the publick. 
 
 I have fecn alfo under the Sun this 
 wifdom, I mean, that that w^hich I am 
 going to fay that I have leen, includes 
 confc(;uences which arc of a profound wil- 
 dojn, and as for me they have Iccmei 
 very confdcrable. 
 
 It is thatthcrc wasa fmall Citv, weak 
 of itlclf and yet weaker by the fmall num- 
 ber nf Inhabitants, that there was to de- 
 fend it, againfi which a great King came 
 with.ili hisForc:s,who beficged it withliis 
 Army, and railed great batteries .igainQ it. 
 
 Happily in this City there was ,\ poor 
 man, wile and able, who by his vviidom 
 iavcd and guarded it from tlie han^i of 
 the Eiicmv; but what happened? When 
 the Siege was raifcd, aiid that the City 
 tong delivered, the wildom of this poor 
 man was no loiir^cr ncccfTary, they no. 
 more rcnicmbjcd hli-i, nor his iCrviccthat 
 he had rcndcixd. f'cficsin*' 
 
 his povertN' 
 
 Con. Til? '.x-!n;';, llriking mc, T 
 IT J, !e !(fl:.cri i:s (41 it, and bcfdcs t(.M-. 
 I w.w bv ti-j; ^iiat ilic i^nblick i;^ an :!l 
 
 \ 
 
5* ECCLESUSTES. Chap. X. ' 
 
 z6 Then f aid I^mf- I laid in my heart, propofing to my 
 dpfK h better than felf to remember it, wildom is better than- 
 ftrength : never the- ftrength, but the wildom of the poor man 
 tefs^ the poor mans is delpiled, and they don*t even heat 
 ypifdofn is defpifedy what he fays. 
 and his Tvords are 
 itot heard, 
 
 17. The words of 
 ■* mfe men are 
 mat din quiet y more 
 than the cry of him 
 that ruleth 
 fools, 
 
 Heb. 
 of the mfe in 
 quiet, 
 
 18. Wifdom /j 
 tetter than weapons 
 cfvuar : hut one fin 
 
 The words of the wife in quiet and at 
 eale are better heard than the crys of the 
 Captain of fools. 
 
 among 
 
 IS 
 
 in fine, 1 lay wifdom is better than 
 InftrumentsofWar,but one fole wicked 
 man ruins much good, and if he is dex- 
 ner deftroyeth much trous and exalted, liich as perhaps might 
 good. ' be a great King , yet more. 
 
 GHAP. XL 
 
 Solomon Afjfwering and Reproving his Dtj- 
 courfe^ iottching the Obedience vphicb is due to 
 Vrinces. 
 
 Text. 
 
 Solomon. 
 Ver. I. Dead 
 
 flies caufe the oint- 
 ment of the Apothe- 
 cary to fend forth a 
 jiinking favour : Co 
 doth a little folly 
 him that is in repu- 
 tation for -ppifdom 
 
 Paraphrafe. 
 
 "pNEad Flics which fall into Perfume, 
 •*-^ when the Perfumer compounds it, 
 make it ferment and finell ill ; a grain 
 of Folly which confounds itfelf with 
 wifdom, and the glory which follows it, 
 makes it lofe all its value; what can one 
 think of a difcoufi^e full of extravagances? 
 
 4ind 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. X. 
 
 5f 
 
 Koncur. 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 yi little folly ts 
 
 more preciPM^ than 
 
 K.fdom Mnd ^^lory. 
 
 2. A nije mans 
 
 hf.frt is At (its rigkt 
 
 /, hut A fools 
 
 t is At his If^t. 
 
 3. Tr^y n!fo T^hcn 
 he that u a fool, 
 Tvalhth ly the nay^ 
 his Txifdom fails 
 him J and he fiys to 
 
 The wife man tnkcs all on the rioi^t 
 ffde ; he lias his heart at his right, but th§ 
 fool has his heart at his left; he takes ajl 
 the contnry way, tell him, I Ipcak of the 
 fool, that a man prevented by his paHloft 
 for the world, fliall not find the work of 
 God, tliat work whereby he has made ^ 
 time for all, ch. 3. 11. or tell him that th? 
 depths of the wildom of God in refpcd of 
 evils, wherewith he often vifits the iuil^ 
 and ofgoodthinp wherewith lbmetime§ 
 he favours the wicked, can never be foui;d= 
 ed, that one fhall not find them, f/:>. 7. ?<. 
 he will conclude from it, that one canrr e 
 find the work ofGod , nor by all tha| 
 he doc? , whether he loves iuflicCj 
 or hates iniquity, ch. 8. ly.ch.o. i.telf 
 Inm that death, confidering our Rate of 
 miieiy and fni, is better tlian life, ch.j. 
 1. he will fay, one can do nothipo; witfl 
 a dead man, that a dead lyon is not 
 worih a living dog, ch. 9. 14. tell h\ri^ 
 rhatlhcrc is a time and a Jn.igmcnt foF 
 J 11 ill p-aiticcs, rh. 8. 6. h,c will lay, tha| 
 there is a timeand chance which ruins the" 
 rnoli able and dextrous, ch. p. 12. Inhnc^ 
 itarn liim to manage himlcU- in the world, 
 especially about tlie Prince, bid him to 
 f^ivour his dcilgns, anl to execute his or- 
 ders, ch.S. I. andtlie following, he Avill 
 ttllyou a tale ofa poor wile man, wh^ 
 after having krvcd the publick, and iz-. 
 vcdthe City from the hand of a potent 
 Lnem}', languillics in hisnovcrty. 
 
 Kut what do I Liy, in ttic Sticas, fool 
 as he is, as he walks his judgment cva^x>rt 
 rates, and at every Ikp he makes, hctellj^ 
 every one tliat he meet? that he is a fool, 
 thole who have more lci:ie than he, will 
 
6o ECCLESIASTES. Chap. X. 
 
 ever) one that hers 
 
 X. I J thcfpirit 
 of the ruler rife up 
 ii?air7il tk e, have 
 nO:' thy pLloe • for 
 ^cldhi^ l^acijieth 
 gr:atojfi-nc.s. 
 
 S. 1 irre is a.'i 
 
 H-fd r 
 
 n ^errG'ir y^lrd:) 
 
 apprehend that I mean, that not only h: 
 takes wrong what one fays to him, but 
 that even without any neceflity of an an- 
 fwer, hisownreafoning, as well as his 
 ftcps betrays him,and proves }his folly ;jfor 
 when he fays that one cannot know by 
 that which God does, whether he loves 
 or hates, whether he loves juftice or hates 
 iniquity, ch g. i. if his memory was a lit- 
 tle happier, he would remember what he 
 heard a moment before, ch. y. 1 6, ly. and 
 the following ch. 8. lo, ii, but in this 
 reipcdlone muft not demand too great ef- 
 forts from him; the faculties of the Soul 
 are a little weak, when he lays concern- 
 ing man, ch. p. 4. that a living dog is bet- 
 ter than a dead lyon, if he had not loft his 
 own fenfe or fpirit, he would dilcera 
 that of man, and when he calls chance, 
 ch. 9. 12. that which ought to be called 
 judgment, if he had any he would difcern 
 it. In fine, when he concludes from the 
 ingratitude of the publick towards a man, 
 that one muftlay afide the care of it, tf^. 
 p. 15. he had done as well to conclude, 
 that one muft renounce the tillage of the 
 Ground, becaufe there are barren years ; 
 liiat is palpablc,and I fhouldmake a ufclefs 
 ibp to make it obfervabic : I return to 
 myfubjecl:; I have given thee notice, ch, 
 8.13. not to quit the fervice of thy Prince 
 at random. 
 
 Now I t:ll thee more, ifit happens that 
 lie not only takes diftaftc, but that his 
 mind grows bitter, and riles againft thee 
 to opprefs thee, do not trouble nor vex 
 tny fclf, ne!t;ner to let go thy poft, there 
 is a remedy for all, and if one knows how 
 H) clv^k a ulcful one, it will cjlm ihc 
 grc:i1cft fill: is. 
 
 Thcie i"^ under the 5un an evil which 
 I navefccn, anl that I linvc looked on as 
 aiur'our, v^'hich com Cis from the Prince 
 andhisCcUiKil. 
 
/ 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 'cecds from the 
 ruler, 
 Hcb. 
 
 * Or lot * from 
 
 Chap. X« 6t 
 
 Cm. Thou oughtef^ to prepare tliyfcff 
 for it, for there arc faults committed eve- 
 13- Avhcrc, have a care lc(i thy heart for 
 >vant ofrcflcdron be offended with it. 
 
 thef,ue of the ru- 
 lers. 
 
 6. Folly is fet in 
 ^reat dignity , and 
 ihe"^ rich ft in Ion 
 pl4ce. 
 
 Heb. 
 * Thofe nho hxue 
 •crervithal. 
 
 7. / have feen 
 jtrvants upon korfes 
 Mnd princes naliine; 
 asferzants upon the 
 tarth. 
 
 8. He that digs ,1 
 pit, Jhall fall into 
 tt ; and vfhofo breaks 
 a hedge a ferpent 
 fJpall bite him. 
 
 9. Whofo remozes 
 /tones, flyall be hurt 
 therenith : and he 
 that cleaves rrood 
 ffyall be endangered 
 ' ereby. 
 
 Itis that thehighcft employs ivcrc filled 
 by thofe who are the moil incapable and 
 moft unworthy of them, folly itlclf hold- 
 ing the upper end, whilfton the contrary 
 the inoft confiderable and mofllionoura- 
 ble amonc^ the people, were with their 
 feet creeping in the dull:. Yc?, 
 
 I have iecn Servants on Horfebnck, 
 proudly mounted as Prince? ou^ht to bcy 
 and PruKCswalk on foot like Servants. 
 
 Con. Once again, be not offended st 
 that no more than of any other thing, and 
 do not take cccafion of revolt; rcmenibcr 
 our maxims. 
 
 He who digs the pit iliali fall into it,and 
 the Serpent lliall bite him who cut downs 
 the inclollirc ; the pit which thou di2:gcll 
 for thy Prince may fcrvc thcc for a 
 Grave, and in ehterpizing upon his rights, 
 or encroaching on hispriviledses, it may 
 happen ,that trying to cut this thick ani 
 lirong inclofurc, there may come out lome 
 fnake to give thcc a mortal wound. 
 
 The Stones which mark tlic bounds of 
 Fields and Parillies are irregular and he:'- 
 vy • he who removes them cannot doit 
 without difficulty and pain; andfowho- 
 ever cleaves wood, runs fome riek ; tfy^ 
 bounds of Government are irregular rtcHefj 
 and heavier than thofe of the Fields; l^ 
 afraid left they crulli thee if thou removcll 
 them, and if thou runneft a ri^k in cleav- 
 ing Wood, becaufe of the hardnefs v^ it, 
 and of the Iron which thou handled; 
 what dnnaer wilt thou not am, ifthoii 
 unde^tDkell to break the Royal Authoritv 
 ■\v.'l Power, m.crecompad than ihcharu- 
 
id. If the iron 
 he Utiht^ a nd he do 
 
 fiot Tvhet the edge^ 
 *fhen ir.ujl he p^t to 
 9H6re flrength : hut 
 ^mtdom istirofitMe 
 
 hcb. 
 * And that he 
 ffddiihle his efforts, 
 Md the excellence 
 §frcEitfying it^ hxc 
 feipientia. 
 
 il. Surely the 
 
 Jerpent mil bite 
 %ithopit enchant' 
 hieht^ and thehah- 
 hler is no better. 
 Hcb. 
 if the ferpent 
 Uits, 
 
 12. Therpordsof 
 Mmfe mans month 
 are gracious^ but the 
 iips of a fool mil 
 fnallovpHp himfelf. 
 
 13. The begin- 
 hing of the words of 
 his mouth is fooli/h- 
 ncfs^ and the end of 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. X. 
 
 e(t wood, and againft which thou caiift 
 do nothing but by the fivour of Iceland, 
 fire, whole flame and falle edge may well 
 turn againtt thy head. 
 
 If the Iron is blunted, and he ivho 
 cleaves wood, inftead of Hiarpcning the 
 edge of it, perfifts, and rccbllcding his 
 flrength redoubles his blo-vvs^ what w^i 11 
 he do ? and it is^ better to mend and fet 
 the edge : It is wifdom. 
 
 Con. Addrefs is better than ftrength, 
 efpccially with him who is ftronger 
 than ones felf. Make ufc 0^ good lenie. 
 with thy Prince, and do not give thy felf 
 up to a lilly and obfHnate violence. Have 
 a care ofthofe who perfwade thee the con- 
 trary, or tliat only dare to dctradl the 
 Government. 
 
 If as thou thinkeft the Serpent bites 
 when one does not ufe a charm againlt 
 it,know that the babbler or the calumnia- 
 tor, for I do not diftinguifli them one from 
 another, is no lefs to be feared, if thou co- 
 mefl near him, thou wilt bear fome of his 
 marks, and perhaps wilt partake with him 
 his puniflimcnts. 
 
 Con. I have told thee, ch. 8. i. that tht 
 countenance of the wile who approaches 
 a Prince, ought to be iwcet and attracting; 
 Now I tell thee, that 
 
 The words which come froin the mouth 
 of the wife, are Grace itlelf in the prc- 
 fence or abfence of thcPrince,hisdifcourles 
 draw nothing but favour and benevolence, 
 whereas the iips of the fool fwallow him 
 up and ruin him ; follow the traits 
 ot the h'rrt, and do not ruine thy felf with 
 this man. 
 
 His difcourfc, I fpcak of the fool or bab- 
 bler , begins generally with drolleries^- 
 which flatter the ear, and engage before 
 one is aware ; do not follow this bait, 
 
 hit 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. X- 
 
 63 
 
 -is talk ii mifchic- 
 ■JOHS madnejs. 
 
 14. yi fool aljo 
 is full of Kfords • <f 
 a man cannot tell 
 vhatfhallhf ; and 
 7fhgt/b*tll be after 
 tim, rvfjo can tell, 
 
 Hcb. 
 yiftd the fool will 
 mr.ltiply his j^ords-, 
 tnan does not know 
 Tvhat it jhall /><• ,pro 
 vcl a poRcrioribus 
 c;us, btfore he fi- 
 nifhes nhs fhall de- 
 clare it to him. 
 
 15. The labour 
 ofthefoolifh iveari- 
 tth every one of 
 them , becaufe he 
 knovBS rM how to go 
 to the City. 
 
 Heb. 
 The labour of 
 the fools nill tor- 
 ment them , by fo 
 much the more that 
 he knojvs not to go 
 in or thro the city. 
 
 \6. Woe to thee, O 
 land^nhen thy Kin^ 
 thy 
 eat in the 
 
 IS a chilly an 
 
 princes 
 morning. 
 
 for when he is heated, hcpafles to a ma- 
 lignant and prejudicial extravagance, the 
 Prince, his Council, the GoVcrnnieut, 
 nothing is Ipared; there is his conclufion. 
 There is more, in his lieat he will heap 
 word upon word, he will animate him- 
 lelf, he will animate others, he that hears 
 him does not know what will follow, 
 what do I lay? He knows not; who cai^ 
 fbretel him what it will come to before Ke 
 finifhes? how many tunes has not the 
 Sword been laid hold on in this babble. 
 
 Such a man, though he {hould have no^ 
 thing to be afraid of; the labour of fool?^ 
 idlcnels with its companions, heavinel?^ 
 inquietude, vexation, defpair; the labour 
 of fools, I lay, will torment him, for it is 
 an ignorant creature who does not abfo-r 
 lutely know how to do any thing, no not 
 to walk the Town, he does not know the 
 Streets of it, and in his incapacity and ig- 
 norance, delivering himlelf up to babble 
 andidlenel?, he delivers himlelf up to all 
 the evi Is which follow them . Do i>ot iim^ 
 tate his example. 
 
 Con. But why fb many rcalbnsof tlic 
 relped, for that which in the whole 
 world, after the fear of God, is what is 
 moft important. 
 
 Woe to thee, O land, how fertile 01 
 well fcituated loever thou art, w^hcn thou 
 ha^t a Child for Knig, or rather who has 
 the fenicof one, Jf.7,. 4. and when thy 
 Princes, the Kmg himlelf, or his Mini- 
 fters, cat in the morning, and from the 
 Bed, inihadof llic Oolct or Counfcl, go 
 to Table, i*^. Bicf- 
 
6^ ECCLESIASTES* Chap. X. 
 
 17. Blefed art 
 thouj O land, nhen 
 thy King is the fon 
 cf nobles y and thy 
 princes eat in due 
 feafon, for firength 
 and not for drunken- 
 nefs. 
 
 iS. By much fioth- 
 fulnefs the building 
 dccdyethy and thro 
 idlenefs of hands 
 the hoHJe drops thro. 
 
 Happy Land, ^vhen thy King carries 
 in his blood the nobility of foul, and thy 
 Princes, the King and his Minifterseat,in 
 time and place, to fortify themielves and 
 not to banquet. 
 
 The Floor, thb \ht Beams be never fo 
 thick, well joiced, and well bound, will 
 link with the folc weight of Ouggillinel?, 
 and the Houlc will take water if the hands 
 be ever io little flackencd of the car^ that 
 one muft continually take of the covering. 
 Princes, that which is moft firm and 
 ftrongcft in your ftate, will tumble by 
 negligence, and the Enemy will enter on 
 all fides, if you liiipend your cares ever io 
 little. But 
 
 Thofc v/ho prepare for you to eat, pre- 
 pare for your mirth too ; and Wineyout 
 diliciousDrinksare to wakenthe fpirits,and 
 diflipate fadnefs, join to thefe two things 
 a third, which anfwers and latisfies fot 
 it, it is Money, ycu pay for thefe Feafis and 
 thefe Drinks; you are too wife not to draw 
 yourfelves the confcqucncc, after having 
 eat, drunk, and ncgledted the care of 
 your people, God muft be reckoned with 
 and payed. 
 
 Con, And thou Subjeft, to finifii this 
 matter, and add this laft word to all that 
 I have laid of thy indilcrcet difcourfcs a- 
 gainR the Government, 
 'io. Curfe not the Do notblalpheme againft thy King e- 
 King^ no^not inthy ven in thy conlcience, no more than a- 
 gainft the Princes of the people, his Mi- 
 nirters, in the inoft Iccret part of thy Bed- 
 chamber, for the Bird of the .air which 
 
 157. A feajl 16 
 ^ade for laughter, 
 and Tvine wakcth 
 merry ^ but fnoney 
 4nfmrs all things. 
 
 thofijiht, and curfe 
 
 r.ot the rich in t/oy 
 hed-car/;hcr^ for a 
 bird of the air JJpall 
 carry the voice, and 
 that irhich ha^ 
 Tfinp-s jhdl ti'll the 
 7?;atUr. 
 
 flies with a cutting wing, will go in the 
 moment, borrowing thy voice and thy 
 words to chatter, aih'd make Songs of thy 
 difcouries to tlieir carsj even the Stoneg 
 will Ibtak ofthein, .Lu. 10, :?o. Con. 
 
BCCLESIASTES. Chap. Xt. 65 
 
 CuK. Honour then thy Soveraign evert 
 in thy heart, and adding th.is vcrtue to 
 the tear otGod, as one ofhis commands, 
 make it followed -svith a tender and 
 abounding charity towards il)c poor^ 
 which is no Ids agreeable to him. 
 
 CHAR XL 
 
 Solomon Contitmrng and Exhort l fig to ChdrU 
 ty toiv.trdf the Poor, 
 
 l"ext. Parapkrafc, 
 
 Vcr. I. Cij^ thy 'T'Hy bfcad which thou doe(i thy ahnj^ 
 
 bread npotf the i\a- -*- Aviih, throw as if ont: may fay ic^ 
 
 ters^ for thou /hilt hc.idlonii; into the water, nor upon the 
 
 find it afier many earth, but on the f^.cc of the water?, as 
 
 d^ys. if It Avas to l>c loll ; for theic Trcalurcs that 
 
 in a time of War or Plague thoii iiidei'ij 
 
 to prefcrve and to re-take them after thelc 
 
 Scourges, arc not ib lure to tbcc asthi'* 
 
 l*read which thou givefl, wliieh thou lliait 
 
 find again \\\ time, not only many year^;, 
 
 nut even m^uy a^es after. 
 
 2. Give n [':rti(.n This Krcad thoullurelHn thy Family, 
 
 tjfeven^and *ilfo to and glvclt a portion of to each of thy 
 
 ei^^ht^for thou knovp- Chi IdreiJ, look on the poor as i f they ^verc 
 
 r!t not rfhiit evil cf the niimbsr of them, give ilicm likcwiic 
 
 fh:i!l htr upon the a portion of it to Icven, /';o. \ 25. giv(; /.I 
 
 e^rih. of it to tight, thou undcrliandcft mc, I 
 
 donor prefcribc to thee any number, fcr 
 
 how doll thou knoAv Vw^har inav happen 
 
 upon the Eiirth, tb.efc fricods \vho ari 
 
 Cods, wliich thou wilt make tliceby thy 
 
 alms, will be of greater weight in the e- 
 
 vil day, than thoi'e whom thou preparclt 
 
 fb thy iclfbv thy Fcalb, lu. 14. 12 
 
 f 3. !f 
 
6S 
 
 3. If the clotids 
 hcyAl of ram, they 
 empty thenjfilves 
 upon the earthy and 
 
 ill 
 
 to- 
 or 
 
 if the tree fa. 
 nard the fontk^ 
 toprard the north ; 
 in the place where 
 the tree falleth^thcre 
 itjhallbc. 
 
 4. He that oh- 
 fcrvcs the mnd [l?all 
 not fovp^andhe that 
 rc/ards the clouds 
 Jhall not reap. 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. Chap. XI. 
 
 Lcx)k in the Clouds, if they are full, 
 they empty themfelvcs to enrich the earth, 
 in diftiifing rain upon it, do the fame, 
 pour of thy fulnefs upon the poor, thofe 
 barren and dry lands which open their 
 mouths after thee, to receive fome refrelli- 
 ment: If thou art afraid that that which 
 thou ilieddefl: is Co much loft , confider 
 theiedead Trees which are in the Wood 5 
 if any one of them falls before that be- 
 caule of tliy abundance thou haft been 
 able to cut it, let it fall to the South or lo 
 the North, in the place where it falls this 
 lime Tree lliall be there, nothing is loft, 
 icfs yet a good deed than any other thing. 
 Jet it be no more confiderable than a dead 
 Trunk which falls at hazard ; and let one 
 do it without defgn, where it falls there 
 it will be found; what may one think of 
 Alms which thou difRifeft inafpirit of 
 charity, let them fall either to the South 
 or to the North , they will be there for 
 th::c or for thine. Thcfe confider ations 
 which I propofe to thee to make are com- 
 mendable; there are many who rim even 
 into Icrupulofity w^ho arenot fo. 
 
 A man, who in the time of fowing, 
 
 w^hich cannot be remitted, oblerves the 
 
 wind?, and does not low, but when they 
 
 arefuch as he defires them , will not fow 
 
 and another, who in the time of 
 
 at ai 
 
 HarvcR, when the Crop is ready, looks 
 fcrupulouily on the Cloud?, and takes 
 not the Side but then wdien he fears no 
 change of weather, will not reap. When 
 the poor is at the door^ which is thy time 
 of iow^ing, if thou Icrupuloufly confider- 
 
 blow, and turncft 
 numerous Family, 
 
 net 
 
 As tJ.o'f h:ow' 
 
 the v^ay of 
 
 cfi: the winds which 
 
 t!)y icif t( -wards thy 
 
 the (plendour wliich thou liveft in, that 
 
 whicii thou alp: reft to for thee or for thine, 
 
 thouftialt not fow, nor reap neither. 
 
 As thou knowcft not by what means 
 
 the body i? uumiated, how the Bones arc 
 
 ^ the 
 
ECC.L^SIASTES. Chap. IX. 6j 
 
 fhe fpirir, nor how 
 the bones do ^rojv /// 
 the nowl? 0^ her rh<r.t 
 is ivj:h child y even 
 Jo thoH inowe/l not 
 the works of God 
 vIm maheth aU. 
 Hcb. 
 * ShAll do all 
 thefe things. 
 
 6. In th'e 'morn- 
 ing forv th) feed, and 
 in the evening with- 
 hold not thy hand; 
 for thoH hnovpcj} not 
 whether fhallprofper 
 either this or that^ 
 er whether iheyfljall 
 '•^ '' Ic alike good. 
 
 /ir f ('.'■, and a plea- 
 J^nt thing it is for 
 the eyes to hshld 
 
 * S. But }\t n:an 
 e many years, and 
 ■>ue in them idl^ 
 Ut I'i^j rf^ic/t:- 
 
 formcdand harden in tlie Belly <^Vi big 
 woman, tliou lliaJt not know ilic worlc 
 of GoJ, which Oiall do all tliclc iL-ingsi 
 I mean, that ll:ou ilia It r.ot know that 
 work whereby he makes evil liicccci --ooJ, 
 ch.7^. 11,7. ij. 14. to know when it is 
 that the evil day lliall happen; it is he a- 
 Jonc, without the participation of any, 
 who will make the goal ar.d the evil Jay ♦ 
 and at Inch a moment wilt thou rctlilc to 
 do mercy, when thou art upon the point 
 of having need to have it doiicto thee? if 
 thou dolt not know then what God fhall 
 do, do on thy fide what thou oughteft, 
 that \\Q. may do what thou derutli:. 
 
 Sow in the morning, and let not thy 
 har.d flackcn at night ; ni the morning of 
 thy youth low thy. aim?, and do not let 
 thy hand withdraw and relax in thy oJcl 
 agc; tor, as thou knoweft not, when thoii 
 fo weft grain, w^hithcr that of the evening 
 will (uccecd, or if it will be that of the 
 morning, whether one or both together 
 iiiaJl prof|xr ; aaid that it is f.-^r this rcafoii 
 that thou loweft without diilindion and 
 dilcontinuation mornir.?, and night, leav- 
 ing to God the care of llicdding his bene- 
 didion ^vi thy {^iqI. Thou kr.owefl no 
 more neither , whether tlie alms of thy 
 youth will not be render'd thee in the 
 night o^ thy age ; whether thole of old 
 age lliall not be render'd to thy children,* 
 or whether th^ one or the otherwill not be 
 rcndredboth to thee and thine. 
 Senftial [Vor I tiling. 
 
 And that it is iwcet to enjov the iii:ht,' 
 and that it "is a great pica lure for the eyes 
 to fee the Sun ; life, life is an agreeable 
 thing. 
 
 For if a man in cs a good nunibcr ti 
 
 vciirs, he will make himlclfir.erry during^ 
 
 that time, and reinembrin^ tlic days of 
 
 darknef'^, that time wliich parCS away af- 
 
 F :^. kr 
 
he many. 
 'Hcb, 
 
 For 
 
 i7e 
 
 mil 
 
 bn: 
 
 CQnics. 
 
 or 
 
 vanity 
 
 62 ECCLESIASTES. Cliap. XI. 
 
 ^ir the days of dark- ter hrs death, in which there will be no 
 nefs^ for they Jhall iiiore any thing to do for him, he w^ill pro- 
 fit of the life which he enjoys, ch. 9. 5,6, 
 10. for thcfc days, I Ipeak ofthofc w4iich 
 pals away after 'death, will be in great 
 rejoice ana rcwcm- number, in comparifonof thoic which he 
 lias to live. 
 
 All that come?, or to fpeak more cl ear- 
 ly, the future, thele days w^hich w^c are 
 lent to, to gather the fruit of our Alms, 
 V. I. 6. the evil which we are menaced 
 with, that which they iay, may happen 
 to us, I, 2. this fillen Tree, that they fay 
 one Ilia 11 find after its fall , v. :^. the 
 work that God lliall do, that we are igno- 
 rant ot\v. 5. all that,it is a futurity w^hich 
 is a vanity, theprefent isall. 
 
 Solomon. 
 
 9. Re Joyce , O 
 yoyj7i^ 7?j.in^ in thy 
 youth, and let thy 
 hc^.rt cheer thee in 
 the days of thy youth, 
 And nalk in the nays 
 of thy he art J and in 
 the /tjrht of thine 
 eyes ; but know thou, 
 that for ■ all theje 
 things , God will 
 hring thee into 
 tid'jmi'Ut, 
 
 Solomon anfwering, and from his an- 
 fwcr taking occafion to exhort to a fpeedy 
 conver/ion from ones youth. 
 
 Young man that talkeff, for there is 
 nothing but thy age, and thy humour of 
 youth which can put thefe words into thy 
 mouth, doft thou think that I am an ene- 
 my to thy plcallire, thou miliakeil; in 
 the beginning of thy age,which retains yet 
 fometliing of childhood, emoy thy lelf, 
 leek good Company, and good Tables; 
 and in thy youth, the fpring of thy life, 
 let thy heart, full of heat and gayety, 
 make thee tafte of all that is called good 
 in the w^orld, let thy Garments be always 
 w^hite, and thy head aUvays perfumed, 
 and crowned w^ith Garlands, follow the 
 way which this heart lliews thee, with- 
 out traverfing its lentiments, withatire- 
 fome morality, do all that it fhall infpirc 
 into thee, walk according to the fight and 
 ccncupilcence of thy eyes, ch. o. 7,8, 9, 
 10. only know^ that asihefiagitious, hands 
 and feet ty^ed, are brought l^iore theMa- 
 giftratcs to render an account and receive 
 the pnnifliment of their Crimcs,Godwiil 
 
 make 
 
ECCLESIASTES. Chap. XII. 69 
 
 jnakc tlice come into judgment before him 
 for all thcle iuvcnilitlcs. 
 
 But 1 cannot play upon thee, pierced as 
 I am -with thy ruinf, do therefore this, 
 take away vexations from thy heart, thcle 
 motions of anger which rife in thy bread 
 when one inftru6"ls thee, f^. 7.9. render 
 thy fclf docile to the voice of God, and 
 that of thy Guides, ajid at the fame time 
 diffipate evil from thy flclli, mortify the 
 Deeds of tiie Body, ch. 7. 26. for Child- 
 hood, Ciluttony and Drunkcnncfs, youth 
 withal! its filthincflc?, area vanity, as 
 fmoak which dilTipates of iilelf, and tbat 
 time eftacc?, ch. 3. 5. 
 
 I " Thfre^orc re- 
 ffJOi'€ * forrou from 
 thy hedrt^ ^nd put 
 dwayez'il ^rom thy 
 flcfhy for childhood 
 find jOMth ."ire vAni- 
 
 Hcb. 
 * Vexation. 
 
 CHAP. xri. 
 
 TCKt. 
 
 V". i.^Rememher 
 nnvi thy Cr enter in 
 the daysofthyyONthy 
 vhilc the evil d^:)s 
 come not , nor the 
 years dr.vr nic^h , 
 yvhen thou fh.il: /liy, 
 / h.ivc no plcafire 
 in tliem. 
 
 Hcb. 
 
 And 
 
 2. While the fun, 
 ortheli^ght, or the 
 moon^ or the (iurs he 
 not darkened , nor 
 the clonds return af- 
 ter the rain. 
 
 Paraphr^tfc. 
 
 yl Ndalx)vc all remcnVoer,but ^vith a re- 
 "*• mcnibrancc of Lcnderncls and love,LO 
 adore and icive him, remember thy Crea- 
 tor, and that betimes in thy youth,' wliilit 
 the evil days do not Cv^.me, and the yeaip, 
 for it is all one, (evil days ar.d multimde 
 o[ years) do not reach thee, tor thefe are 
 dayswhicli thou llialt judge unw.uchy of 
 thy felf, much more by cf.nJCiiucr.ce of 
 tliy Creator, in v/hich thou il'.altlay, my 
 ioul t;^kes no more pleijiare in tliem' 
 
 Co/;. Ye?, remember tliy Creator. 
 
 Whilft thcle evil dav^, more >blcu'-c 
 than thofeof theblackelhempjlt, do p.<x 
 come, whilR thy Life, thi- Sun and ilds 
 1-iiiiht that thou hndclt fo fwcei, ch. 11. 7. 
 the Moon and the Siars be not ila)knci, 
 and that one abyfs cillint^, anoLJtcr aln (^, 
 dilcafes likcfomuiy flormrluccecJin'tioi'e 
 F 3 ' * ai.'j 
 
7-0 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 3. In 
 
 'i\'hen the 
 
 the days 
 keepers of 
 
 Chap. Xn. 
 
 another, ^vithout difcontinuation and in- 
 terval, tall not in a croud upon thee. 
 
 In the da}^ that the Guards of thy houfe, 
 thy unflcady arms will tremble, that the 
 the hoiffefhatl trenj- ftrong and robuft men, thy reins in which 
 hle^ andjhcflrong is included all thy ftrength will betray 
 thee, that thofe which grind thy nouriih- 
 ment, the teeth, redticed to a fmall num- 
 ber, will interrupt their adion, and that 
 thofe which look through the Windows, 
 they eyes wall grow dark. 
 
 n7pn fJyall hovr them- 
 selves , and the 
 grinders ceafe he- 
 caufe they are fijp, 
 and thofe ihdt look 
 
 eut of the mndows 
 he ditrkned. ■ 
 Heb. 
 
 ^ Shall he per- 
 verted^, 
 
 4. And ^ the 
 doors [hall he (l?Ht in 
 the ftreets, when the 
 found of the grind- 
 ing is loWy and he 
 [hall rife up dt the 
 voice of the bird, and 
 all the daughters of 
 mu 'id fball he 
 hroughtloTX , 
 Heb. 
 
 ylnd that the tno 
 leaved gate flmll he 
 fhut at the Market ^ 
 mth ahatement of 
 the noije of the 
 grinding, and that 
 one raife one JAf to 
 the voice of a tittle 
 hird , or fparrOjv, 
 and the da tighter sot 
 flnging fhall be 
 hroHfrht lord. 
 
 5 ^tlfo 'A hen 
 they fli>a 
 
 of that Txhich n 
 high , and fears 
 ^^Ji^iif$ the Tpay^ 
 
 That in the Market, the Palate of the 
 mouth, the two- leafed door, the month 
 itlelf -will fhut with a fmall noife, with- 
 out that crafhing of teeth which thou ma- 
 keft a parade ofinthy Debaucheries, and 
 that one iliall heave to the voice of a Spar- 
 row, fothat inftead of crying, one Ihall 
 do nothing but chirp, and that thele 
 Daughters of Songs, thefe warbhngs, and 
 thele trlflngs .of the voice , whereof 
 thou makeft the ragout of thy Feafts fhall, 
 be abafed. ' .■ " 
 
 When t^c nged f>ial I tremble at the figl]t 
 
 // he afraid of every thijvg that is a little high, t6f 
 
 fear of loll ng hi^ Breath ; when the wgty,; 
 
 how fmootli and eafic foever it be, Will- 
 
 leem hard and gravel lv,n'hcn the Almtind- 
 
and dcfrrc Ih. ill fail ^ 
 hccaufe n:A?i /oeth 
 to his lonrr homCy 
 and the fro 'vners ^o 
 about the "^ /freets. 
 HcR 
 /^ Attricior.es in 
 via, * or Afarht 
 flace. 
 
 6. Or ever the 
 ftlver cor.i be Ion fed 
 cr the c^olden bonl 
 be broken , or the 
 pitch -r be broken at 
 the fountain^ or the 
 nheel broken at the 
 iij'hrn. 
 
 ECCLESIASTES, Chap. XIL 71 
 
 ^nd the almond' tree, liis whitehead, li;\liy and impatient, 
 tree Jhall fiot^ri/hj i"hall vex and fret itlclf with it> Nvc.ikiiclsi 
 and the ^ra!hopper when the Grall^oppcr, his Body bent, 
 fhatl be a burden^ lean and nigged by 11? IJones, llrall gio^v 
 heavy and fink, and wlien all its cager- 
 nels to ad, all its lalx)ur iliall be vain, 
 becaulehcis going, this man, towards the 
 Iioufe of Eternity) theGrave, and lamen- 
 tation? inftead of thy Songs ihall go in pro- 
 celTion in the Streets, and in the Siiiares iu 
 i"nourninj;,crying ha, ha, Brother, i Ki>i^s 
 i^.^O. Jfr.p. 17. Alatt. p. 23. 1 1. 17. Yes, 
 liav, in fine, remember thy Creator. 
 
 W'hilihhe Silver Cord, tlic marrow of 
 the Vertebers, more precious and whiter 
 than that MettaJ, which like a Cord reigns 
 from the Head to the Fundament, tiiat 
 Cor 1, whereof all the Nerves of the Body 
 are but Branches, docs not llickin while 
 the Viol of Gold docs not break, and the 
 Cruiie, the refcrvcr of tiic Blood, tlic 
 great Vein whicf] carries it to t!ie Heart, 
 does not fall to pieces and brenk upon the 
 brink of this Foi:i:tain,and the Wheel, the 
 great Artery, which forces the Blool from 
 the he:irc like a (Irong Engine, andinikjs 
 it rowl unto all the other parts of the bo- 
 civ, does not break at the Mouth oi' th,a!: 
 Ci.'krn. 
 
 And whilil, in fine, thcdufT, thy mi- 
 fcrable body , returns to FarLh as it 
 was taken kom it, and the Spirit, thy 
 Sc;iu t;.)God who gave it. 
 
 Gwrlpifion. 
 Vanity of vanities, lays the rrc-che-,. 
 r.ndtakeheed for the lift time to -rs Do- 
 ctrine ; tor belidcs that there is !;or!ii ig 
 which llicws lo well the vanuv of n'l 
 ;hnig5, as the decav ot m.-n i:i L'.s oU 
 .-tge, jind h.is fall in his death, the Preacher 
 rc-al"^umes and abridgrs here !:i? dilcourtp, 
 >anity of vanir'cf, fivsl.ethe!\ to C"^i>** 
 dude, van'tv of vanir:ie^', .lU i.5>ai.i:v. 
 
 ? 4 9 ' -^ 
 
 7. Then fhali the 
 duj} return to the 
 earth as it naa^nnd 
 the jpirit /hall r"- 
 titrn unta God v. ho 
 rave it. 
 
 8. I'^anity of 
 vani:ies, fays the 
 Treacher y all is 
 1 Anity. 
 
73 ECCLESIASTES. Chap.XIt. 
 
 But moreover , for perhaps thou that 
 
 Iccaufc tf)e preacher 
 r^as vrije , he ftdl 
 taught the people 
 inonledge, }'iw, he 
 gave good heed^and 
 fought oy.t^ and fet 
 in order many pro- 
 verbs. 
 
 , Heb. 
 And has applied his 
 ears, r^eigh^d and 
 fiught proverbs in 
 great numbers. 
 
 r... 
 
 10. TheprSiichr 
 fought to find out 
 acceptable tvords , 
 and that v;hich Tvas 
 Ti'rittcnwas upright 
 ^'un words of truth, 
 
 11. The r^ords of 
 the rpifc are as goads 
 and as nails fa/tned 
 hy the fjfa/fers ofaf- 
 fctrhlies whi'~h are 
 .?iven from one fl^ep- 
 'herd. ■ ^: 
 
 P!eb; ■' ■ 
 
 J he maiti'rs, oi a f- 
 [('Tphtjes are si'ven 
 
 rcadef^, -who cinfl not but be iiirprizcd 
 with the profound wifdom of this Book, 
 wouldli: thou believe that that of the 
 Preacher is all included in it. Moreover, 
 I lay, the Preacher, wife as he was, has 
 likewife taught knowledge, and to whom ? 
 to the People, to the Prince, and the 
 Subjcd ; to the Father and the Servant ; 
 and to the Matter , or Magiitrate , and the 
 Citizen; to the Merchant and the La- 
 bourer ; io the Rich and the Poor ; to the 
 People: in a word, ofwhat condition, in 
 what ftate focver he is,hc ha? taught him to 
 vy-alk before God as well as among the liv- 
 ing//;.6.8. he has,as he has £iid many times 
 in his Book, given his heart to all that is 
 done under the Sun, he has looked on all, 
 lias heard all, and from this profound 
 
 wifdom which he had 
 
 acquire 
 
 L he has 
 
 laboured with application, he has (tudi- 
 cd to fet in order a great nmnber of Pro- 
 verbs, fententious words, which include 
 a vaft and profound ienle infewwordsy 
 w^herein he has included this knowledge 
 ofGod and ofMcn. , 
 
 Yes the Preacher applied himfelf ftrong- 
 iy to find words of fatisfadion and 
 aelight, a perfect manner of writing 
 w^ords of truth, to wdiat can fuch dii- 
 courfes be compared. 
 
 The word? of the wife are Goads which 
 excite and animate fo the way of wildom, 
 what do I lay, they arc powerful Nails 
 fixt by a robulr arm, which penetrating 
 into the decpeit of the heart, Heb. ^, 12. 
 cannot \^ pulled away; he who is once 
 reached by them, cannot kick againft their, 
 points, Aci <}. 5. tlaat is, the Finger of 
 Cjod ; the Mailers of the Afl'emblies, tlie 
 Prophets, men as this fage, who preach 
 ---1' ^-uidethe Flock of the Lcr4 arc given; 
 
 fron^ 
 
ECCLBSIASTES. Chap. XII. 75 
 
 from Hc.ivcn, tVvmthcloIc Sovciaign T.l- 
 
 And thou my Son, devout Soul, 
 Avlio art a? dear to mcas thole who arc il- 
 lii'd out of my bowel?, my Son, who 
 readcli thcfc tiuag?, b-c the more admonilli- 
 cd bv them, IctaI them both tar anJ 
 l-kart; to make Books, and to make of 
 them ill abiuubncc is conceit wh-'ch \ns 
 IK) end, to read rh cm has none neit'ior, 
 and vvhatdoesagrc it deal o\ Lc^hwcir} 
 it conhmic? our^Body, and oiu- Heart bc- 
 coiTiC^ not the better/ l-leur 
 
 The end, and even the icope of tl-c dif- 
 couric which thou ha(l juli: heard, the 
 Prc.xher, to collect the fenlc of it in few 
 words, after \yhat he lays, v. ic. that rill 
 is vanity, finilnes with thcle, fear Gol 
 and oblervc h-^ Commands, for that is the 
 whole man; Reading, Riches, Glorv,are 
 nor, nor do nuke the man, it is the fole 
 fear of God, andobediencxr tohisLaw. 
 
 For Ixfidcs that, the Image of the Cre- 
 ator, which makes the whole man, con- 
 fiih in this obedience and this fear, Gc.d 
 will bring him into judgment, to render 
 an account oftvcry work witliont excep- 
 tion, which hehasdone, even that which 
 is the inoft hid, the molt iccrct thoughts' 
 of the heart, whethc]^ good or evil, this, 
 judgment will extend overall, and m:'n 
 iliall he nothing then but that which ju-- 
 ftice or iniquity iliall make him; happy, if 
 Icisfoimd !u(f, and eternally imhappy if' 
 I * is wicked. 
 
 I 2. And further y 
 by thffe , my fon he 
 adman i/hed : of rr.a- 
 kingmany hookstlxn 
 is no trid, ay.dniuch 
 
 ofthefiep;. 
 
 15. I^t us hctir 
 the concUfhri of the. 
 Ti hole matter, fear 
 pod, and keep his 
 commandments J for 
 this is the jfhole 
 duty of man. 
 
 ' " Heb. 
 
 Whole man. 
 
 14. For God /hall 
 hrin^ every ixork in- 
 -to judgment with 
 every jecret tkii\^, 
 ■whether it beoood, 
 or Tf hither it /v e- 
 vil. 
 
 %- 
 
74- R E M A RKS. Chap. I. 
 
 9^mar^ on the 'Bool^ of Ecclefi- 
 aftes, particularly to clear and 
 j*iliify the Taraphrafe, 
 
 GHAP. I. 
 
 'T^He Words of the Preacher; the Original lias H^np^lD"! 
 _-*■ of which the lafttermis that which we \m\{\. ftopatD^np, 
 is a Participle Feminine of the Prefent of K^il, or of the Acrtf 
 ^ "hrs? which fjgnifies properly toaflemble, or convocatean 
 Or to call the Afieinbi^^ ot people, or itt Heads, it is in this Icnfc, 
 'u^ryvpord in that it is empIo3''ed, Ex. 35. i.And Alojes affem- 
 Englilli. hied all the congregation of IJrady and faid unto them 
 to. I cite but this fok paflage, but if one will inform ones 
 lelf by a greater number, one needs but coniiilt Hehrevp Con- 
 cordance?, and one lliall find, that there is not almoftany, 
 where it is not taken determinately in this fenfe ; to follow it 
 to the utmoft rigour pVr.p would fignify concionatrix, ilie 
 that aflembles, or who is accuftomed to af'emble ' or convo- 
 cate the people ; but before our determining lo, lcttheL^./» 
 Vhr^ih concionem habere be rcmcmbred, in its hrf I and proper 
 
 fignilication : it means as well as n'7np ^^ ^^^*^^'^ ^^^ AfTembly 
 or convocate it : And yet becaufe thofe who convocate the 
 AiTemblics, as Kings and Governours do it, for no otha* end 
 but to fpeak to them, it takes thisfecond figniiiauion which 
 IS more ordinary than the firft,/o fpeak to the Affi'nrhly^ or be- 
 fore an Aficmblyjthat is , a publick AfTembly, or which reipct^ts 
 the publick : Among the Greeks it is the i\\\-\t iKKKn^n^eiv 
 as well as 7np fignifics properly to affemb I e or convocate' 
 a publick Ailcmbly; but from this proper fignilication itpal- 
 iesto the (econd, andis employ'd commonly to fpeak to the 
 AlTembiy, or before it ^np P^^'^iably ought to do the fame 
 
 tlri>» 
 
REMARK S' Chap. I. 75 
 
 ihing among tlic Hcbrcvrs^ bv ib nuicluhc imuc, tliat in the 
 p.ilTagc of ExoJui, which I have citeJ, and in molt pjrt of 
 Its parallel?, it is always cither laid orimdcrllood, that Mojrs 
 or Solomon ^ ox i'oiUQ otiier, who aP.cmMed the people, diiiito 
 Ipeak to cni,or confer with 'em or with their heads ; according 
 to this interpretation Jl^Hp iliould I ignify conriorhitrixfl^c who 
 Ipcaks or is accuftomed to ipeak to the pcoplc,anci it is as it were 
 indubitable, that in this fcnfc it is, that it is taken in this 
 Book; for one cannot doubt, as I have fliewed in the Pre- 
 face, that Solomon is not the Author of this Book, that ibthis 
 name of n'7np is not a borrowed name, which he takes upon 
 occafion of this dilcourle, that even apj'^ears in this, that ch. 
 7. 27. this term is not taken for a proper name, but for an ajv 
 peilative, whofe Gender is followed ; for the Verb -which is 
 conftriied unth it, is put in the Feminine '7npn ma!5. Now it 
 liein^ fo, that iSbWo^/ takes this name upon the occafion of 
 this Book, and in the whole difcourfc there being nothing 
 which relpeds tlie manner which Afl'cmbiies ouglit to be 
 convocatcd in, or the order which ought to be kq^t in ga- 
 thering the luftVagcs , all being a continued difcourle, which 
 contains nothing but things which one might and ougf it to 
 lay to an Afl'cmblv. It is clear, that it is to the dilcourle and 
 nottotiieconvocati-.n, that Solomon has hadrclpc^l, intTkin"^ 
 rills name, there is more, chap. 22. 11. fpeakinr, oC S;)hmoi 
 under the name of n^p.p it is laid, thatjbefides this Rook, he 
 taught the jx^oplc knowledge in Trovcrbs ; what means that, 
 teaches knowledge, and the people, and that Aid of H'^Hp is 
 rl^ere anv aliufion madetiicreto the convocation of an 0.^0:11- 
 i^ly, and is it not made onlv to the dilcourfe which is hcU, 
 rh.u, to my thinking, admits no difTicultv, lb that T de er- 
 mine on this la(tin:erprctatio;i ro;ji:/o?7»t:r/.v; I will only adi 
 rhat Avhich in my opinion, will not be conceded mc, tliat as 
 this d'lc^urle regards not things Folirical, that all rclncs pro- 
 perly to Silvation, we mtifl iindcvdmd the co:jciQ:TiVrix ^ 
 tvliich 1 nuke ulcof,not in a boundlels manner toany afTcmbly 
 whatever, but to that of the Church, to which refers pcrfcd^ly 
 the term of Pr<?achcr, wliich our Tranflitors made Tile of, ex- 
 cepting that this 'S malculinc, and the fir It feminine; but I 
 ijiall coTne to that. Having, lo cxpliincl wh;it this name 
 wliich Svlf>/7;on trkcs here fig niHe«=, wenUilr come to the rca Ion, 
 why in tills book he dots riottnkc his proper n:ime, as in the 
 Provrhs, and wliy He takes this, which ircms fl.e who 
 preaches, and in p.-rij^-iila; why the feminine term fl^.culd be 
 Ulc4. 
 
76 REMARKS. Chap. L 
 
 As to the firfl of tlicfc queftions, it is eafie to fee that Solomon 
 has not pretended to hide himfclf, fmce he has taken his two 
 other titles of Son of David and King of Jerufalew • and that 
 befides he has laid fo many things which cannot agree but with 
 him alone : but perhaps there might be found fomc ill found 
 in the colicflion of four names, Solomon, H^Hp Son of Dnvidy 
 King of Jerufalem ; and above all , it is probable , 
 that he had a mind to enliven tlie mind of his Rea- 
 ders by fomcthingftrong and touching, which lliould make 
 them remark with Avhat ardour hefpokc to tlicm, as if he liad 
 faid, that hedelpoyled hunfelf of what he had formerly been, 
 to become what he appeared to them in this difcourfe ; and in 
 this view this name (toanfwerto the fecondqiieftiun) related 
 very well to his defip^n ; for what more ttrong than to rcpre- 
 lent ones felf as a mother that preaches, for it is that which 
 the feminine term leads to, w^hich ferves to refolve the third 
 queftion : What ftronger, I fay, than to reprefent him to 
 ones felf as a mother that preaches, with the lame afliduity, 
 the fame tendernefs, and the fame ardour ; joyn to this, i . that 
 as be has often in the Book of Proverbs introduced w^ildom 
 ipcaking like a tender mother, it lecms that he would repre- 
 sent this fame wifdom, or his own, as a mother preaching and 
 crying with open Throat after her Children to work to their 
 converfion: there remains one thing to be faid upon that ; 
 which is, that as the name of the Author palled to the work, 
 that io one fees that this Book is called rhT\'\> from that which 
 he fays, that they are his words, as wc fee that the -wtitings of 
 Jffai. Jercm. Amos, &c. bear their name. He defigned that 
 this Book ihould be called fowfw;?^/r/.v, as well in reference to 
 the wifdom which fpeaks there, as in reference to the matter 
 and the form of this work, which has fbmething very fingu- 
 }ar, and m tliat which it has fmgular, feems to have given 
 birth to that name. 
 
 Let it not be made a difficutty to me upon this, that a Noun 
 Ferhinine does not well agree with names of men ; for in all 
 Tongues, there are of the fame, as in Latin Scriha, and many 
 others ; and in Hebrew, one fees proper names in great num- 
 ber, with a feminine termination, as well Plural as Singular, 
 fee Efdras 2. ^±, 57. iChron. 7.8. 
 
 Let not any oe made me neither upon this, that this name 
 is one while conftrued in the Mafculine, as ch.i. 2. and ano- 
 ther while in the Feminme, :\.%ch.'j. 27. in the Hch. 7^. 28. 
 forbeins, taken as a proper name of a man, it is not furprizmg 
 that It inould be conflrucd us a Maiculincj and being taken 
 
 ac- 
 
REMARKS. Chap. I- 77 
 
 according to its proper lii;iiituation, in relation to the rciiloii 
 iorwiiicliit is taken as \\ ildiuu Ipcaking, it is not iiirprizing 
 that it ihoukl be conlhueJ as a I'emininc. 
 
 And as lor this, tliatuc have every where trandated it 
 Picacher, and that Ilia vc iul lowed in my Paraphralc this 
 Tranflati on, which di cs not exactly denote that which 1 have 
 /iiltiaid ; \ anlwcr, that I would notrailc difficukies in the 
 minds or pcrlons, to wliom I coLild not reiolvc them, for a 
 o;rcat number of tlioie who will read the Paraphralc, will not 
 DC in a condition to lud^e of what I lay here. 
 
 B. 2. Vanity of vanities, i.e. the greate(t of all vanities, as 
 when it is laid tlie Heaven of Heavens, to fay the highcR and 
 vaikllofthcHLivens, Xch. g.6, ioihc Canticles, to lay tUc 
 firl^, the molt noble. 
 
 C. :;. Advantage; the//r^. wordfignificsgencrally all that 
 caa admit the name of good. 
 
 Hclalvurs, the flib.'is^ helliall labour, as I have remark- 
 ed under the Text by the Paraphralc: And the Hrit part oiihc 
 vcrle ha*^ no Verb m tl^c Original, as one may lee in the f?.me 
 place ; lo tlut that which ought to be liipplied, ought to Ix 
 put in the fiiturc, as is this, he ihall labour, which is exprel- 
 ied; and this is the rcaion of the ttirn whiclil have given to 
 the Paraphralc. 
 
 D. 4. Always : Thi.s term ought ijot to be taken iji a meta- 
 phoiical and forced knlc, as li Solomon would fay, that the 
 Earth contlnue^, and will cternaJlv contiiiuc ; he has nothing 
 lelsin view, tlianto lay that the Earth Hiall or lliall not be 
 eternal , he fpeaks morally ; one generation pafics, another 
 comes, and the Earth continues always, that is to fay, du- 
 ring thcle revolutions. 
 
 E. 6. The wind. This word which has been put at the begin- 
 ning of the verle,is not Icen but at the ciid ; the Hch, is,as'onc 
 may lee all along by the Paraphrale, going towards tlie South, 
 anJ turning towards the North, turning, turning the wind, 
 and returns to its circuits, which plainly llicws that the firft 
 part of this vcile ought to be joyned with the piccedent, and 
 underlWxl of the Sun, w hole two courfes Solomon hasreirarJc- 
 cd, the one upon tl:e Ecliptick from Ealt to VVcf}, and the 0- 
 ther upon the Zodiack from North to South, and from South 
 to North. 
 
 F. 9,10,11. If one would take what is contaii^.ed mtheic 
 three verles in its full rig( u^ , it would not be ealy to lave it ; 
 for, to fay that there i? not! mg new, to Ipeak properly that i< 
 not true : Mijlsand Printing are new things • tt) fay likewiic 
 
 thir 
 
78 REMARKS. Chap. I. 
 
 that there is no memory of all that has been ; that is not tniil 
 neither; for there are events which will never be forgot, the 
 deluge, the oift of the Law, the coming of Jeliis Chrifl, the] 
 preaching of the Gdfpel will never be effaced out of the memo-i 
 ryof men ; but to take thefe propofitioris in a moral fenfe, the! 
 greater number, when it exceeds infinitely the other, being ta- 
 ken for the all, thev are moft true; for there is nothing fo 
 true, as that, generally fpeaking, all things are in the world 
 the lame that they were, and that J:hey are all forgot, thoft 
 wdiole mem.ory has been preferved, being nothing in compa- 
 rifoii of thole whole remetnbrance has not been prelervcd. 
 
 Con. G. I have nothing for a reafon of the connection that 
 I have made in this place but probability alone, but it feemcd 
 i'o natunil to me, and to fill the interruption fo exa6tly,which 
 appears in this place, like that which is between the end of 
 the kconci, and the beginning of the third Chapter, that I 
 have not wavered to make ule of it. 
 
 H: 13. All that IS done under the Heavens: I have ex- 
 plained this of natural things, fiappohng that it was the 
 firft f^udy v/hich Solomon fixed upon, and my reaibn was 
 
 I. That Ifaw that he had diitinguifli'd this fhidy, and that 
 \vhich hefpcaks of in the verle 16, 17. as that appears by the 
 particle alio. I have known, fays he, that that alfo is a gnaw^- 
 ing ofmind ; for what means that alfo, if it is not, that as he 
 had laid of the firft in the 14 verfe, that it was a gnawing of 
 mind, he had found that it was fo likewile \vith the Ic- 
 cond. , • 
 
 2: That this ftudy being diftinguiiVd from the fecond,' 
 which he (peaks of t/. 16. one could not underfland it of any 
 ibprobablvas ofthisof natural thing?, as well becaule' that 
 the reaion he employs, v. 15. that which is crooked cannot be 
 made (hait, belongs properly to natural things; for that is 
 plainly taken from old Trees, which, Avhcn they are drooked, 
 Ciuinot be flraitned, as becaufe he fays of it, v, 1 3. it is a vexa- 
 tious occupation tliat God has given to mortals, that thev may- 
 employ themielves in them, agrees better to the f-^udy of^natu- 
 lal things, than to any other ; for it is clear, that in this 
 place he alluJcs to the fin of the firftm.an, when he eat of the 
 forbitkicnFriut toknow^ good and evil, that is to fay, tliat 
 which in the univcriefhoald be advantageous or prejudicial 
 to him, loth.eenci, that having acquired this knowledge he 
 might be indipendant, and have no need but ofhimfelf alone; 
 ind that it n^ay not be lurpriziug that J unJcrfland thelc 
 Vvords of phyfiCc:.} ?cod and evil, ^nd not mcral; for yVIofei 
 
 hi;n1ij5f 
 
 W 
 
REMARKS. Chap. I. 79 
 
 iifclf takes them inthislenlc, Dent. ^9. your cliilJicn,1ays 
 . , Ipcakiiig ofthe little chilJrcn oi' Ijraei when they went 
 out of-^^^>pf, your children, lays he, know neither ^<\-)l 
 nor evil, that is to fay, what might do them ^ood oriiurt ; 
 which is the firfHud tne molt natural knowledge. Now it\ 
 as it is clear, Solomon makes allufion to this Hrlt tault ot'man, 
 and if this fault conlilled , as I have laid in tliif, that man, 
 willing to beindejxndant, defired to know to the bottom, all 
 that might augment or diminilli his natural advantage?, to 
 the end to make ulc of them, or keep himlelf from them witii- 
 out having any na-d but of himlelf, who docs notice that tht 
 ihidy to whicn he has engaged him to puniih him for this 
 firft fault, ought to bcthis lameftudy of natural things; let 
 lis add, tliatas this punilhment ought to have rclpccted the 
 firft man rather than any other, fmce it was he who had com- 
 mitted the fault, it mull neccflarily be the i\udy of natural 
 thingF, fmce then he had no other to apply himlcli to : what 
 do I lay, fmce it was in refpeot of iilc, that which was 
 only nectfl'ary to him, for bemg alone with his Wife in the 
 World, he had no great need of the lecc^nd, which Sohnjo^i 
 rpeaksof, which conhih in knowing how to manage our in- 
 tereihamongthe reft of men. 
 
 5. In fine, I have given this fcnle to thefe words, bccaufe 
 I law that it agreed very well with that which is faid of So- 
 lomon^ I Kings 4. 3:5. that he had ftudied nature, and the vir- 
 tues of Plants from theCcdartothe Hyflbp. It will be objected 
 to me, that I may give thele words the fcnfe which I give tliem, 
 but that I ought'not to reftrain em to natural things,fince they 
 are io general, that they include not onlv what is natural, but 
 alio all that men dooftheirown motion, and where tlicir 
 deliberation has the prir.cipal part, by i'o much the more tiiat 
 they are employ 'd,f/;. 5. laft veric, inthis large and cxtcnfive 
 fenle : To which laniwer, that the refledion tltat 1 make, I 
 make it dihcx Solomon , for if he has diftinguilhcd , as I have 
 provcd,this ftudy from the ftudy of worldly wildom, which 
 rclpeds our Intcrells, lo far as we are to manage thcjuamon.fy 
 men, it is caly to apprehend, that hclpokehereof this where 
 the will and deliberation of manhas no part, by (o much the 
 more that the other things which I have alledged confirm my 
 thought. 
 
 And as for the extent of this expreflTion, it muft be obfervci 
 that in all Tonguc5,men have general wavs nf Ipe^kirig, whic'i 
 the circumftances of the dilcourle rellrain ; for cximpb: • 
 The tcrmof \Vorld ^entrilly includes tlit Univerlc^all il :i i> 
 
8o REM A R KS. Chap. [. 
 
 contain dill it, and all that is done in it, yet according to the 
 circumiianccsof the dilconrfe, itwiJl fignifie one while the 
 
 -tmnncr how one hvcs in the world, as when I lay of a man, 
 that he has no experience of the world, and another while the 
 order and diipoiition of the parts of the world, as when I lay 
 ofa Philofopher, iliat he has given m a lyfkm of the world ; 
 loif in the place that I explain, the circimaftances of the 
 difcotirie reiirain thcie general exprelfions, it ought not to Ix 
 lurprizingiflrellrain iheiti. 
 
 It troubles me to Iwell thefc remarks, but as this place is 
 explained very varioufly, to difTipateasmuch as I can the dif- 
 ficulties which might vile againlHhe lenle that I have given, 
 I lliall add, that when I fay that this verfe ought to be under-^ 
 Itood of the iiud}^ that Solomon made of natural things, I 
 do not prctc]id to luppoie that he gave himlclf up to it in liich 
 
 .a manner, as to. neglect the care of his Houle , and the Go- 
 vernment of the Scate. 1 look upon Solomon as a val^ Genius, 
 ivho, without Ipcaking of the influences of the Spirit ofGod, 
 had naturally a great difpofition to penetrate into all things 
 in which the mind of man employs klclf. and at the fame 
 tinie a great capacity of Soul, which could iupply for all, to 
 think, con liilt with his Council, and to act for the good of 
 the State j and however, to have a particular Ikidy, liich as 
 this of natural things, wdiich 1 believe he here Ipeaks of, to 
 which he gave an entire application at the time he fet apart 
 for it, or when the indifpenfable affiiirs of his Houle or his 
 State gave 1:1 lu the liberty ; for wdth this remark one may^'p- 
 prehtnd that the application which he ^^ave to affairs of State 
 and of his Houle, w^as an application of necelTity, whereas that 
 which he gave to his (1 udv, was an application of choice, and 
 thatlo, thohedidnot negledt tlie Government, it ought to 
 be laid, that the only fkidy which he then made was of na- 
 tural things ; ar^d in the mean time one may perceive by that, 
 that tho this Itudy was, as I have laid, hb application of 
 choice , yet he proiitcd much in the Science of Government, 
 by the neceffity wdiicli he w^as under to ffick to it, 
 which in a genius like his, could not fail to gire him byway 
 of advance, great Idea's and Principles which rcfpecied this 
 wildomof the world, to which he afterwards applied him- 
 lclf; which illuffratcs what he lays, v. i6. ot" which an ob- 
 jection is made againit my explication, that wdien he came 
 to apply himielf to the (ludy of wifdom, he had already acqtii- 
 YcJ a great deal, for that does not mean, that he had applied! 
 himielf to it before as to a lludy of choice, as I hav? laid, but 
 as to a HCcelTary practice. ? 6- My 
 
REMARKS. Chap. II. 8i 
 
 16. My heart lias Iccn ; this term of lecii, I have tikeii it 
 for to |X)ffeIs, lb Pfal. 4.2/. 6. who will llicw io much ^ood. 
 If the idle would make ulc of what is laid here to conclude, 
 that he is to live without (Hidy and care, IcL him take heed to 
 thccomparifon which I have infcrted in the Varaphralc of a 
 great inheritance; for as a man does not renounce his Lands, 
 Ix-cuuie he niu(l have more Servant^, and take niore c ire 'h m 
 if one had but lomefmall parcel: 16 however vexitious wifdom 
 be, and however troiiblclom Science is, one ou^Ih. not to rc- 
 nour.ce them, the one and the other are as neccfV.iry as an in- 
 heritance, and if they create vexation and diipleifu/c, as So- 
 Wo« lliews, it is like the ground, which fi nee the maledicti- 
 on, does not bear its tillage. 
 
 GHAR II. 
 
 ZJE^' I ^^id in my heart, ^0 now I will try thee with mirth, 
 •*^ and fee into good ; and Ice, this alio is vanity. 
 
 To underftand well thefe words : ift, one mult rank them, 
 2dly, ibme words muft be undcrltood, 3dly, onemuft weii;h 
 and obferve the iententious manner which they are cxprcflei 
 in. 
 
 Theorder which they mull be ranked in is this, I faid in 
 my heart, go now and iee into good, I lliall or will try it with 
 mirth. What is underftood, and ought to be liipplied is, lee 
 into goo J, what is good. 
 
 As for the fententious manner which the words are exprePicd 
 in, and thei'- energy, it muft be obferved, that thele words, 
 I will try thee wtli mirth, are a Parenthefis, by which Solo- 
 wo« notes his defjgn, and whereby he interrupts the dilcouric 
 which he makes to his heart , which is of a great force ; for iu 
 interrupting the thread of ihc dilcourfe, he gives a lively idea 
 of ihis, that he will have his heart to lee intogood, and thele 
 terms, go lee into goad, to try mirth, are full oflenfe, that of 
 good, elpecially, is taken for all lorts of plealiirc^, as ch, 6. 6. 
 of this lame Book, he has notenioy'dany good; to fiy he has 
 nottaftedof anyplcafure, and that of, to dc, (ignihes loej- 
 joy. See the NoiQ'i above ^ch. i. 16. - 
 
 G 
 
82 REMARKS. Chap. II. 
 
 2. If the turn which I have given to this Vcrfe is fiir- 
 prizing, let theorii^inal b$ coniulted. 
 
 Ur.dc): thcle two terms of .laiis,hter and mirth, Solomon 
 comprehends all the agreeable motions which can be felt in 
 the enjoyment of the goods of the world, of w^iatever na- 
 ture they _are, for they can at moRbtit give us that tranquil 
 content, inwhith we (lill poflels our Iclvc?, or that other 
 noiiy one, which is exprelTed in laughter, wherein w^e are 
 in lomefort out of our lelvcs. 
 
 Heb. And I will learch in my Heart to extend my Flefli 
 with Wine, and my Heart ^aiding itielf withWildom,andto 
 Jay hold on folly till I iliall lee that which is good to the Sonsof 
 men, what they lliall do under the Heavens, the number of 
 the days of "their life. 
 
 The original being fuch word for word, let thefe words be 
 feparated. which ought to be looked upon as a Parenthefis, 
 tind my heait guiding itlelf with wildom, and one ihall find 
 that tliole which precede and follow being joyned, the fenle 
 appears clear, that Solomon (ays that he feeks with care to ftuff 
 his body with w^ine and meat; for it is eafie to apprehend, 
 that imderthe term oi^ wane, he means generally meats as well 
 as drinks, and that he gave himfelf to folly, or laid hold ofit, 
 to ule his own terms, liippofing that debauchery- is a real mad- 
 rcis : and that he did it tor a time, till he coulddifcover that 
 which is good and advantageous to the Sons of men, and that 
 they are to do wdii ill: they are upon earth ; and as for the Paren- 
 thefis, (and my heart guiding it lelf witli wdfdom) it appears 
 that Solor/:on has inierted it, to note, that wdien he gave him- 
 Iclf up to theie exceRes of Debauchery, to this madnefs, he 
 preferv'd his wnidom ; or to fay better, that he gave himlclf 
 up to thele Dtbai'.cl -erics , this madnefs, by an effect of wif- 
 dom, leeking to discover that w^hich might give fome fatif- 
 fadtion to man wdiilll he is tipon Earth; almolt in the lame 
 Icnie, that he he inlcrts one like it at the end of the vcrfe p. 
 in the middle of the relation, that he makes of all things that 
 he had made to fatisfy himlelf ; and my wiidom continued 
 in me, ineaning, that even then, wdien be did all that he re- 
 lates in that place, he had hi? eye open to fee w^h^t good there 
 might be in tlu'twdiich he did', or that he did it defignedly, 
 through an effe^l of wildom, to try all. 
 
 Ae'ibr the way of Ipeaking, to ftretch the flefli with Wine, 
 we !:ave none in EngUih that I know of, to anlwer to it ; the 
 J. a tin e^ hpT'C, ^^"^^ r-sthev fay, dilrtntiZ L^.Be capclU l^ir , Eccl. 
 or ^\^Q. injiattim hef^crno veiia^ ur ferKper Jaccko, Eccl. 6. one mav 
 
REMARKS. Cliap. II. 83 
 
 Heb. Children of the Houic : I liavc not wavered to explain 
 this of Stewards of the Hoiile of Solor^wn, inlkad of Scrvaius 
 born in the Houlc, as our tranllation has it, bccaulc the Ht- 
 hrnv Idiom imports the famc^ (ox they fiy for example, Son 
 of fatnels, to lava fertile place, If. 5. i. the Son of the Floor, 
 to (ay Wheat, y/^. 21. 10. fothat hcic likewife, Solon: on {^Q\k' 
 iiif, ofperlons which he had in his lervicc; and after having 
 named Servants and Maids, adding immeJiately after, and 
 Children of the Houlc ; this way of Ipeaking, Children of 
 fomething, mark Avhat is mo(t confiderable in that thing , it 
 is clear, \\\zx Solonjo?i would fpeak of his Servants who were fet 
 over the others, as well to watch over their Carrian;e, as to 
 order them what they had to do tor his Icrvice, of whom it is 
 Ipoke I Kwz^s c). 10. iChron. S. 9, 10. 
 
 -3/. S. bf the mod precious Jewels which are found froin a- 
 mong Kings and Provinces, the Hcbreiv, which can be little 
 I'jettcr render^ than by the Latin, which is in theinterlineary 
 Bibles, pscy.lium Regum & Provincur'/.my which yet has not 
 the energy nor extent of the Orioipuilj imports in relpcj^t of 
 r^'^AD^ "vvhich is render'd pcc;///;/w, a thing rare, precious, 
 proper and peculiar to lome one, Ex. 9. 5. now this being ap- 
 plied to the two terms which follow, that of Kings and that 
 of Provinces, it cannot be taken but as I have done it ; for 
 the Treaiures of the Crown, as they fay, and the Rarities 
 which are brought from foreign Countries. 
 
 The two Ia({ words of this verfe which is moR difficulty I 
 have turn'd them in the Explication I have given o.'them, by 
 Captivam and Captivas, and by Afammatam and M^Wimjitas , 
 and in the Paraphrafe I have taken them for a great number 
 of young women, which is very different from our TranQa- 
 tion, which explains thefe two Terms of all forts of In- 
 ftruments of Mufick. 
 
 I fhall not ftop here to refute this laft Explication toeffa- 
 blifh mine , I ihall only fay the reafons which have deter- 
 min'd me ; the terms of the Oilginal have appeared to me, to 
 derive from one which fignifies pillage, or from another whicii 
 fignifiesbreali, and I have particularly follow'd this la(i, lup- 
 rofing ih2i Solomon meant to Ipcak of ycunj women, whole 
 Brearts l:)egin to come , to denote thofe of all women, which 
 are held the mofl amiable : I am confirmed in my thorght, 
 bccaufe I have leen, Hof. 16. 7. where God rcprefcntnig iiis 
 ''"i^urch like a young Maid who groves in i>e.;uty, has plzn 
 
 u to mark c\-prdly wl^n licr BViiiLs was K:rj:i\i, b:r; i! iC 
 which apixar u 10 mo liiOng^U, i-, 
 
 CI ? 
 
84 REMARKS. Chap. I. 
 
 1. That what Solomon fpeaks here, of that which he fays is 
 the delight of the Sons of men, cannot (to fpeak properly) ht 
 faid, but of women, or at Icaft, but be ipoke with more rea- 
 fon thanof Inftrumentsof Mufick. 
 
 2. That the term of Sons of men, feems to have fome par- 
 ticular relation with women, of whom I fiippo^ he fpeaks 
 afterwards ; . that this term imports fomething carnal, and 
 that it would not agree fo well to thofe ^t^ho love Conforts of 
 Mufick. 
 
 3. That Solomon recounting here all his Pleafures that he had 
 taken in the world, ought n:ot to have pals'd this under fi- 
 lence ; and that if he had done fo, he might have given room 
 to theWorlding to tell him, that he had not tafted them aJI, 
 and that the vanity or fome was not a coniequence a<^ainft 
 others. ^ 
 
 After this, I ought to fay fomething of the Idiom which 
 Solomon makes ule oF, ^ which is, that he has uicd a fmgular 
 and a plural, in joining them by a connexion H^IU^^ rTW 
 pulleam & pudlas I upon which it mtill beobferv'd ; 
 
 1. That in relpect of the fmgular and plural join'd toge- 
 ther, it is as Judg, 5. 30. where the fmgular and the dual are 
 Joined, and that by an elegance, whofe delicacy one perceives 
 much better than one can or ought to exprefs here. 
 
 2. 1 hat the conjuncrion imports augmer.tation as an imOy 
 and in our Tongue, or to wit -, for it is as if there was puellam 
 imopHclLis, I leave it to the Reader to judge, if there is any 
 delicacy in his manner. 
 
 The con;un6lion that I have made here is not fupported like 
 the others, but upon probability, btit is very natural ; for 
 what is miore natural , than when Solomon had difcover'd 
 the vanity of the Goods of the world , it comes into his 
 mind to ieek, wherein it is that they carry it above their 
 contraries, by fb much the more, that they led him to lay as 
 he does , that if Goods have' in life ibme advantage above 
 Evils, they are equal in this, that they can avail nothing a- 
 gainfi: death, or probably he had a mind to guide us, lliewing 
 us, that all the Goods of the world in their enjoyment are but 
 vanity^and their end death. . ^ 
 
 1 2. 1 he firft word of this verfe according to the force of 
 the Original, fignifies as I have obferv'd, I faced or turned my 
 face : And as for what is faid in the end, and that our Tranl- 
 lation has included in a Parenthefis, fee how I have conflru'd 
 it ; for what Ovall the man do who comes after the King, where 
 I luppofe the word ihnll do, bccaufe, that by the other parr 
 
 of 
 
REMARKS. Chap. I. 85 
 
 cftlic Sentence, it ap^xiars tliiit it is iinJcrlboJ, even that 
 ivhich they have done, to lay, another who is not Kiii,^ Ikill 
 not do kit that which other men have done, when they try 
 the (roods ot the World, who after a King, lu^ch as I am, are 
 luuhins;, and by coniciuiciicccan add iioihing to what 1 luvc 
 done : I can hardly relolve mylclf, ihii Solomon Ipcaks here 
 cf worldly wildom, for the thing appears of it lelf. 
 
 15. The firfl part of this verle has nothing dirticult, the 
 iccond, that I have tranllated fo, to what end have I been 
 wile, then the Advantage, I have taken it in tliis manner ; it 
 is that I bring the Adverb which I have tranllated, to what 
 end, in two place?, :\s if Solomon had laid, to what end have 
 I l^cn wile? to what end then, when we ihall be equal, the 
 advantage that I have had over him with my wildom. 
 
 I c. 1 o find the lenfe of this verle, there needs but to fupply 
 the verb />, in the place where one lees it is manifcftly undeu- 
 liood. 
 
 22. Hfb. For what being or exifting for man ; one may 
 fuppolea Noun SubUantive w^hich may bejoin'd to the Par- 
 ticiple, luch as profit, good, or Ibme other, and tranCate ib, 
 what good, or what profit ; the Participle in this relpcd be- 
 ing ot a great weight, in that it imports a thing really exifi- 
 ing, and that there being nothing in the labour of man which 
 is luch, I mean exilttng ; this ferves but to give a greater Idea 
 of vanity, or elle we may take the particle alone for things 
 cxifHng, 'which makes the lame effed that I lull oblcivd, 
 both the one and the other having a great relation to what is 
 laid, ch. 18. that all is nothing but labour ; I would not 
 exprels this in the paraphrale of this verfe, becaulcthe lenii; of 
 the verfion is almoft the feme, tho it is not lo fbong, and 
 that I have met with difficulty to exprels my lelf ftrongly and 
 in few words. 
 
 Forthereli, fee how I haverank'd the words j for what is 
 there exiRing for man in all his labour, that himlelf lalxiurs 
 under the Sun, and in the gnawing of iiis heart, tranlporting 
 thcle words; and in the gnawing of his Heart which are be- 
 fore he himlelf labours under the Sun, and puuing them at 
 the end ,• for it is cafie to apprehend tliat the wov.l labour, 
 and that he himfelf labours, ought to be joined, as tliey aic 
 generally in the other places of this Book, which arc parallels 
 to this, and. in this iamc ch^p.i^. v:r. 19, 20, and in this 
 manner T have made the 23d verfe dc{xmd on this term of- 
 gnawing, us a rc^fon which lliews why Solomon has ib expref- 
 Icd himlelf. 
 
 G 3 __ _ 2| 
 
U REMARKS. Chap. 11. 
 
 2^. There is nothing better for a man, &c.' the original 
 has it ^vord for word, not good for man to eat and drink, and 
 fhcw good to his Soul ; which, to put it according to the 
 Idiom of our Tongue, is the fame thing, as it is not good for 
 man to eat and drink, and to flievv his Soul good • {o that it is 
 a Negative, which imports an Aflirmative in putting ill in- 
 iiead of good, as if one had faid, it is ill for man, &c. 
 
 Our tranflation has taken it in the fenle of the 12th verfe 
 of the third chap, nothing better than to eat and drink, &c, 
 but for that, they mud luppole thefe two Particles Cj ^3 
 which are in the pafiage, whence it borrows this interpreta- 
 tion ; and one may fay, that it is inventing and not tranfla- 
 ting ; fo that one muft iuppofe, as I have laid, that it is a ne- 
 gative, which imports an affirmation. 
 
 After that let it be oblerv'd, that fctting afide the negation, 
 this pafiage is parallel to the 12th and 13th Verfe, and to the 
 laft of the 3d chap, to the i8th and ij?th of the 5th, to the 5th 
 of the 8th, and to the 7th of the pth, that in thefe pafTages, 
 thcfe terms only which reign there, are thefe, to eat and drink, 
 to lee good, orH^ew his Soul good, to do good in his hfe, and 
 to be merry, and that thefe t(^rms are fynonymous, fb that one 
 alone imports them all; for one may lee it in the laft verfe of 
 the 3d chap, where w^e find for all tbeothei^ but that of being 
 merry, for by thatwemav conclude , that in this pafiage up- 
 on which I make thele Remarks, though vvx find none but 
 thelc terms, to eat, drink, and to fliew his Soul good, it is as 
 if all the others were there, and in particular that , to be mer- 
 ry, which being luppos'd, it cannot be denied, that fetting a- 
 dide the negation, this paf]age is not of the lame parallel to 
 the fir ft verfe of this chap, come let mc try thee now with 
 mirth, and enjoy pleafures, which in the Hehrevp is word for 
 ■word : go now, 'l will try thee with mirth, and fee into 
 good ; underflanding again the word good, as if there war^ 
 fee good in good; now thispaflase, I Ipeak of that which I 
 have jufi: quoted, and to which I compare that which I ex- 
 pofe; thispaffage, I lay, ought to be underfiood generally of 
 all Irnfiial pleasures, Solonwn i3.yiu% to his Heart, which was 
 no better fatisfied with the ikidy which he had made of natu- 
 ral things, than with that of worldly wildom, that he would 
 try, if not finding his fatisfa^tion in thefe Emplo^-mcnts of 
 mind, he might not find it in the pleafures of the body, as 
 that appears, by all that which he fays-afterwards, where he 
 makes a commemoration of all the Icnlual pleafures that he 
 had, or rather which might be tried; and fo it follows, that 
 
 this 
 
REMARKS. Chap. II. 87 
 
 thif; which I cxpofc ouaht to Ix: lui icrliixxl of Scnliial I'lci- 
 iurcs. For ifit ispanllcl to the Hill vcric, aiiJ thai ilic Hrit 
 vcr(c,is undciliooJ of ScniiKil llcalurcs, this ouulit tobcio 
 hkc\Yile ; whence we imiit, condiidc, that this pvopoi'itioii 
 Icii)^ negative, it dcnjcs directly that it. is if,00vl tor man to 
 take his plcalures, und ihat l^ins, lo, how fiiouLl we rcani- 
 ak it with the firlt vcrie? lluill wc lay as the iicslation im- 
 piuts that u is directly denied, that ic is g,oo 1 to t;iv'e ones 
 lelf up tothelc fcnfiial pljaliircs, that is out of Sea lb n ; for 
 Solomon has concluded lu at v<^r. 1 1. layin», tiiat all is vanity, 
 and that man cannot draw any pioht of wlKvtjiocver he docs: 
 but not only at vcr. 1 1. h.e juft concluded it in th.e two iin-. 
 nicxliately prcccedi ng vi;rfcs ; io tliat tlic rjpe.ition would ho. 
 ulclels and tedious. Bciides, how lliall we reconcile it w^ith 
 the lallz/of this f. where we lee plaiiily the pretend el goo J nels 
 and luiHcc of thefc Ijnlual plcaliircs , this denies ^^at it is go:xl 
 to follow thole Senfual Piealures, the la.'l: vcrjc proVwS it; 
 where is the reconciliation? in fine, how llrall wt recot^'ile 
 it with all the other paffagcs which 1 have quoted, which are 
 parallel to it, the 12th and i3ih, and the hi\ verjl' of ihc 
 :5d chap, the iSth and 19th of the 6th and the others; thele 
 hi\ lay not only that it is good, but that there is nothing 
 better than to folloAv ones Senlual Piealures, and this denies 
 k flatly ; it is not good ; or that is ill. 
 
 Tlie only way is to luppoie that this propofition is, as I. 
 oblerved. in the Paraphral^, an irony of Senliial Worl Hings, 
 who making particular allufion to one verfe^ Avhere Solomon 
 lays, that he will try the Pleafurcs of the World', and to its 
 conclufion, wherein he has (aid, that there is nothing which 
 profits man, that all is vanity; plavupon him,lccaiingto ad- 
 here to his fentiments; for lo all is reconciled without diffi- 
 culty; in relpeiit of that which prececdsj there is no ulelels 
 repetition, in refpect of the lalt verft, it is not ftrange for 
 one to prove, what had been dcny'd bv wjn of ironv. 
 
 And in rcfpecl: of the other parallel |»a{Tagcs , it is not 
 fhange, neither to deny in one place by irony, that whidi 
 in another one fays in good, c-arncli 
 
 I have Icen that, //c/^. has ;t word fnr.word; allp this I 
 have Iccn that from the hand of C^od ; Uirdcrllandiii.g is, 0\' 
 clle, as that is ordinary with the TL'brejvf^ fi that it is/ as if 
 there was this: or in refptctof this,. ! h.irc Icen'tliatit isj or 
 that It comes from the tianvi of tjivl, where it isnervfiiry to 
 oblcrveto.what i| is, that, this *t//^ may aTluJe r jf is .^ pa.-, 
 tide of rcfembla?: '• ■!' ( f fee nothing bcf' • : "tr r ;. f.i.r '\ 
 
 G 4 
 
88 REMARKS. Chap.l. 
 
 come from the hand of God, but that which we read chap. i. 
 
 13. this vexatious labour, fpeaking of the ftudy of natural 
 things, this vexatious labour God has given to man, to the 
 end he may torment himlelf in it; which fhews that thele 
 words ought to be taken, as well asthoie of this verfewhkh 
 I have cited, m a lenle of judgment or vengeance ; which is 
 lomiich the more natural, that gluttony and diflblution, in 
 which this nores, that the hand of God appears or exercilcs 
 itlelf, in delivering us over to them, has had its origin in 
 the lame action , in which man by his criminal airiofity , 
 willing to know good and evil, to make himlelf ec.ual with 
 Goj, drew this puniilim.ent • that God gave him up to the 
 heat of this curiolity, that it might torment him in defiring 
 to latisfy it ; for in this fame lenfe the woman coveted the 
 forbidden Fruit, not only becaufeit was defirable becaule of 
 knowledge, but alfobecaufe it was fine and good to eat. 
 
 . 26. For who fhall eat, or who can haften more than I ? 
 Heh. For w^ho lliall eat or haften further? which is the fame 
 thing as if he had laid, who fhall eat more than I, or haften 
 furiher than I ? which can receive no other lenfe than to van- 
 cjuifh me, ftiall furpafs me to eat that which is Ipoke of be- 
 fore, the pleonafm., further beyond, fjivingemphafisand ener- 
 gy to th:? way of fpeaking, which is not, as 1 know of, the 
 GeniiiS oi our Tongue, which notes, that none wholbever 
 fhall liirpais him, as we lay, not an inch. 
 
 26. Here, as I have noted, the Worldling? keeping up their 
 mocking humour, abufe the exprefllon oiSolomomivcr. 24. 
 this comes from the hand of God; for w^hereas Solomon has 
 faid, that ourdifblution is a conlequcrce of the Judgment of 
 God, his revenging hand being upon us in this relpedt, un- 
 der pretext that he expreftes it briefly, and that he lays only, 
 that that comes from his hand, and turning it in their lenle, 
 juft: as in the 19th ch. where under pretext that he hath laid 
 at the 1 8th, that God exercifing his vengeance uponu=, topu- 
 nilh our malice by our malice, lets us loofe one againft ano- 
 ther, to the end, that in tearing our felves we might fee, 
 that we are nothing but brute Beafts in rage and cruelty ; 
 they turn this term of Beafts, and prove or endeavour to 
 prove, that man is aBeaftin effedl: in his nature, different in 
 nothing from the Brute, either in body or in mind; where- 
 upon I defire thofe who underftand the Original to oblerve, 
 'that not only the turn has the famecharader of mockery, but 
 alfo, that the particle of the reafoning is the fame. 
 
 For 
 
REMARKS, Chap. II. 89 
 
 For tlic rd\y thcic words Iccm to be an abulc of what one 
 reads, Job 27.17. nhicli arc yet ncVctlic llrongcr, to prove 
 whatthc Worldlings prcicivJ, no more than the rcilon that 
 ^/m?. allcdi^cs Jp-7' !-• ^^'bcn the l^opl.ct ofoii.g .1 iign, 
 he dclpiling u, covors his contempt with tliat which th.e 
 Scripture lays , thou Oialt not tempt the Lord thy (jod. , };qv 
 how can one cfhblilli the abule of the Creatures? liowIuP/i 
 ote put them on the tor-t of the lovcraign oood ? as it is that 
 which is agitated here, of the goodnels of the Creator ^vh) 
 orders us it. 
 
 As for thefe words, that alio is vanity and gnawing of 
 mir.d, that I attribute to Solo?>;on ^ as his aniwer to the ui- 
 fiancc that the Worldlings liavemadc; 1 will but make it 
 noted, that if it is not taken in my lenle, they mud- be rc- 
 ferr'd to thole wliich precede immediately ; that God gives 10 
 the wicked bulincls to gather and heap, that he may give it 
 to him who is agreeable to him, meann.gGod himlelf; for if 
 ( nc docs io, oi^.e luppolcs that Solomon Ik'.s called vanity that 
 which God doe? in his judice againlt the wicked, and in his 
 xncrcy for the iui^, which is but little better. 
 
 1 hnilli my «e narks on this r/»4p. with thefe general obfer- 
 vations on thcfe three veries, and on the lenie which I have 
 given them. 
 
 I. Let it be obferved, that I have notliippole l nor fupply'd 
 any thing whatever, that I have not done any violence to 
 the words, no more than to the conftriK^iion ; that the lenle 
 is entire, agreeing with what has been treated before, and 
 with what I fuppole, that the Worldlings lay afterwards, 
 for all that is not found in a forced fenfe. 
 
 3. That thcle three veries have no connexion with what fol- 
 lows immediately alter, and that that which thcv have witlt 
 that whicli precedes is not abloluiely neceflary; I grant that* 
 that which Solomon treated of before, to nit, whither tJicrc 
 were no good things in this world, whence one might draw 
 lomc proht, or fome lolid latisfaCtion , ends at vcr. j2^. lo 
 that thcle three T'fr/f^ might be parted fiom the Text, t!iC rea- 
 Joning not lofing any thing of its force; for by that iciippears 
 th^Lt Solomon has inlcrted this, to iliew us in what n.amur the 
 Wcrldlings take what he had laid before, and in diicovcring 
 their jxrnxious Icntiments, as likewile their amning, to make 
 hcmallvamed of themfclves, and to give pious pcrlons a hor- 
 ror for them. 
 
 CH.\P. 
 
JO REMARKS. Chap. III. 
 
 Vet 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 'X^O inake evident what I have faid in the Paraphrafe, I 
 •*- Ijhall rank this vcrleand the following, where the times 
 are fpoke of, according to the order I have leen them in lome 
 Hehrerv Bibles. 
 
 A time to be born, and a time to dye. 
 
 A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. 
 
 A time to demolish, and a time to build. 
 
 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. 
 
 A time to mourn, and a time to leap. 
 
 A time to dilperle Stones, and a time to gather. 
 
 A time to embrace, and a time to reftrain from embracing. 
 
 A time to fesk, and a time to lofe. 
 
 A time to keep, and a time to rei-cl. 
 , ^ A time to tear, and a time to few. 
 
 A time to be filent, and a time to fpeak. 
 : A time to love, an(^ a time to hate. 
 
 A.timeof war, and a time of peace. 
 
 Thefe times being ranked in this manner , let it be obfer- 
 ved, that in each verfe there is a double rank of times, and 
 that one of thofe above ,^ is relative to another of thole be- 
 low ; and generally, the firit of the firft rank, with the firft of 
 the fecond rank, and thefecond of the firit rank likewilc, with 
 the fecond time of the lecond rank ; lb that the t^o firft in each - 
 verfe ydiit but one lame time denoted by two adions ; or how- 
 ever, very relative one to the other ; for example, ver. 3. the two- 
 firft times of two ranks, a time to kill and a time to demolilli, are 
 but one time, which is exprels'd by two, becaule in a lame time 
 one does two different things 5 and it is the time of war and ir- 
 ruption into the Country, where one kills and demofiilies • 
 and likewilea time to heal and to build, are almoft the fame 
 time ; the time of peac^ , in which the woimd given the 
 Country by mortality, or the Sword when they kilfd , is 
 healed; and that time, which is the time when one enioys 
 reft, is the time to build and repair what had been ruin'd in 
 %var ; ver. 5. a time to throw aw^ay Stones, and the time to 
 embrace are one only time, which is youth, in which man 
 
 mines 
 
REMARKS. Clinp. III. 91 
 
 mines his houfc, and gives liimfcif up to all lorts of l^ruul 
 actions; anJ on the contrary, a time to gather, or hc.I[>agMfii• 
 tIK• Stones difpcrlcJ, and to retire from embraces, are a lame 
 time, the age of maturity and a httic bevo n J, w herein man 
 l.ibours to recover his l-!oiile, and retires froin hisHhhy \uih; 
 what I have iuft oblcrv'd in rclpCv^l of thcle Iwoverfcs, one 
 may obfcrvc of all the others, excepting in the Sth vrr. where 
 tlic two rank^ may be reduced to one, a^^ in tlic others; but 
 ^vith this difference, that the firlt of tbcfiril: rank, agree but 
 with the lalt time of the fecond rarik, time to love and time of 
 pence ; jni\ as tlic laR of the Hrll rank, with the firlt of the 
 lecond, time to hate and time of war, wliich indeed are not 
 always the lame, for one often hates wiihout making w.ir; 
 but the one is a way to tlic other, and thev have a great afii- 
 r.itv, and if is probable, that in this reipccr there was no my- 
 ileries .- and that as this order ^vas not of an abfolute necefil- 
 ty, 5bWo;2 (without, con ftraining his Pen) writ as the words 
 came to him, probably as they talked then : for it may be 
 that it WMS a common way of fpeaking, in which thcv put 
 Avar before peace, time of war and time of peace ; wlvch he 
 ivould not change, cither not to alter the cuRom, or bccanle, 
 - 1 have faid, there was no necefllt}', orbccaulc the relation 
 \vas not difficult to dilcover. 
 
 To this Ex'ception 1 ilia 11 join anotlicr, that one may ob- 
 ferve at the fecond vcr-Jc. 
 
 A time to be born, and a time to dye. 
 
 A time to plant, and a time to pluck up. 
 
 Where, according to the remark which I have made, a 
 time to be born and a time to plant, whjch are one above 
 another, on "Jit to be a fame time, as the time to dye and 
 the time to pluck up, where yet one lees a notable ditierence, 
 but this is it ; it is manifefl:, that Solomno Ipeaks in this place 
 but of times of man, or of what happen? to man, without 
 troubling himfelf with the times of other" Creatures -and their 
 a Iterations, fb that it is eafie to comprehend, that he Iiid no- 
 thing lefs in view than to Ipcakof Pl;\ntr, and that wiiat le 
 lay?,^ has been to givcan image of that w^hichhjppcn.s lo mar, 
 in his birth and death, Ixing in this, no more nor no leis 
 tlran a plant, which one plains to gather the fruit or leaves 
 of it, and that one plucks up when it has loii its venue ; fo 
 that time of birth, and tijne to plant, arc the fame by com- 
 pirifon, as well as time of dying, and of pulling upV I go 
 now to 'uftiH;- rl:c itnte v^I.'cli 1 have dvcu to ivvo o'7 thdb 
 
 6: \ 
 
92 REMARKS. Chap. III. 
 
 6. A time to feek. I have in the Paraphrafe taken the 
 t -jii to Icck, for, to get, becaule the term oppofite is to lole, 
 ivhich is oppoiite to, to get, and not to, to kek. 
 
 7. According as I have obferved upon all thele verfes in ge- 
 neral, that the two fiiR and the two laft times of each rank 
 of oppofition make but one, in this, the time to tear, and 
 time to be lilent, which are the two firft, ought to be but one 
 time • and the two la([, time to few and time to fpeak, ou^ht 
 to make another ; io that if one can find the fenle of the firft 
 rank oppofite, time to be filent and time to fpeak, it will r.ot be 
 diificulc to dilcover the firft ; for this effect, let it be remem- 
 bred, that in this place Solomon proves by examples, that there 
 are times in the life of men, which are oppoiite one to ano- 
 ther, without troubling himfelf to tell us, Avhat we are to 
 do at that time ; but it is not that which is in queftion ; for 
 that being io, one may know that this Sentence, time to be 
 filent, and time to fpeak, is not employ 'd here in a Icnle of 
 inlhudionor exhortation to be lilent, or to fpeak to the pur- 
 pofe ;. but rather to fliew^, that as there arc times to get and 
 to lole, there are times when one is forced to patience and 
 filence ; and fometimes more favourable, when one fpeaks 
 with liberty, boldly defending ones right ; it is laid i Sam. 10. 
 27. that after the ele61ion cf iS'W, fome Sons of ^^//.r/ defpi- 
 fmg him, and not willing to acknowledge him for King, laid, 
 bow^i}^all this lave us ? and made him no prelerits : But, adds 
 the lacred Hiftorian, Saul held his peace, that is to lay, did 
 ■Jiot lecm to regard this contempt ; probably it was not of the 
 ]cdi\ of the State, and himlelf, he was of one of the leaft 
 Tribes of Ifraely and he was not yet eltablifli'd, or at leaR firm 
 upon the Throne; that was a time to be filent, and it is of 
 like to that which Solomon fpeaks of in this place, from which 
 one may kilow^ the oppofite pimes when one may Ipeak with 
 liberty. 
 
 . This laft Sentence explain'd, one fees plainly, that this 
 w^hich precedes, a time to tear and a time to lew, of which 
 tlie metaphor is a little remote, can receive no other fi:nfc but 
 that which I have given, taking for to tear, that w^iich hap- 
 pens to us, when iome breach is made upon our Reputation, 
 our Goods or Privi ledges ; and for to lew^, that which we do 
 to-redrels or repair the breaches which have been made, otir 
 own Metaphors having great affinity to theie, for to rcdrcis 
 and to lew are little different, and to tear, when our Reputa- 
 tion is coDcern'd is the fame ; and thele others, to make a 
 breach and to repair, have a very great relation to to few, 
 
 and 
 
REMARKS. Chap. II. 95 
 
 and to tear; tor the rcti, tliii>aTm lo tc;ir, which I t;.kc hen-, 
 to iiukc 1 breach on our goods or our privikdocs, in a word, 
 in all that cvnccins lis, ibukcnahnothna laniclcnic, i S.wj. 
 15. 27. as well as iKin^s 17. 21. Pja. 25. 15. but that uliich 
 isllrongdt is, that when Ciod adveriisd Solomon o( what he 
 proixDs'd to do againlt him, i Kinz^s 11. 11, 12, 13. He ules 
 thele lame term?, lo that u lecu.s, that it is to that that he 
 here makes alliifion. 
 
 f^cr. 10. I haveconfidcr'd, the Original has it, I havefeen, 
 as w^ell ^svcr. 16. which l'>cgins alio, by I have Iccn, pre- 
 ceded with thele two particles, and more, wlicli iliew that 
 thele two verjes are relative, this occupation wMiich Goi 
 hath given to the Sons of men; this z/i7-/f and that which 
 follows, contain a reflcdion which Solomon makes upon what 
 he has already laid in this chap, that there is a time for -.ill, 
 for evil as well as for gooJ, which renders ulclels the lilx^ur 
 of man, which conlills in this, that confidering the occupa- 
 tions of men to know their inclinations, he has obierv'd that 
 they are too buficd with the love of the world ; that tho' the 
 work of God, by which he makes evil iucceed good be ma- 
 nifell, and that fo they might learn to dclpile Plealiires, 
 their paflion blinds them however io lirongly, that they can- 
 not know it, as meaning that what he jull had preach d, 
 wasulelels in reiped of the Sons of the World. 
 
 Now as that makes allufion to that which precedes, he 
 does the lame to that w^hich follows, tor it is a very Hne in- 
 trodudion to that which the Worldling is going to lay, vlt. i 2. 
 and following ; and betides, that refers very well to that 
 which he is going to fay himlelf, ver. 16. and following, 
 teaching the condud of men towards one another ; lo that 
 one may lay, that this reflection, by which iS'o/owvO^ concludes 
 , his fidt point, is a tranlitioa to the lecond ; for it is not 
 (h-ange, that if men do not confider this work of God, the/ 
 be unjull, envious, imprudent, inconliirit, as Solomon lliews 
 in his lecond poiiit that they arc. 
 
 1 1. He has let tiic world in their heart, tlie Original has it, 
 he has given the world to th.eir heart, wiiich is the lame 
 thing, as that he has given their heart to the world, Rom. 1. 
 14. to comprehend the work which God has made ; as to 
 the fubjcct of this work, lee what is laid upon the preccc 'n^ 
 z/fr/f, efpccially chap. 7. n. 
 
 Among men ; in ihtlleh. there is v^3 m tiicm, or 2\v'.^' t 
 them, and I have undei(b(>d men, b^'^^'ufe in t-'c p c-;;!'- ". 
 chap. ver. 2^. there is the lame coiiihu'-^iv?:!, a:-d ihc •-•.: ' 
 tive i? ccprclsM. 0-|i<i '■ 
 
94 REMARKS. Chap. III. 
 
 13. To render the fenle clear and out of all ambiguity, I 
 have found in this veyfe the particle of conjunction, and, be- 
 ciule in cffc^ii, it is that which the Worldlings call the gift of 
 God, that man has power over his Eftate to eat of it, I mean, 
 that his appetite be not travers'd by any foolilli fancy of ava- 
 rice, or if you will of vertue, for in rcfpect to them, vertue 
 on this matter would be as extravagant as avarice. See ch. 5. 
 19. 6, 2. 
 
 14. Onecane cannot but add, nor but diminilli thefe paf- 
 lages quoted in the Paraphrafe, and. which I Oia 11 quote here 
 again, Dcfit. 12. 32. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 20. 18. ihew that this 
 manner of fpeaking is the fame as if one faid immutable, 
 unalterable, invariable; what I have added touching vertue 
 and vice, that the "VVorl.Hings pretend, that they cannot in- 
 troduce any change in that which God' has rciolved to do, 
 was naturally underitood, fuppofing it be the Worldling 
 Tvholpe;iks. 
 
 15. Upon this verfe I have nothing to fay, but to ask why 
 it is repeated word for word from the firft chap, if it is not 
 by way of mockery. 
 
 Here I Iliall do as I have done at the end of my remarks 
 upon the three laft verfis of the preceding chap, let it be ob- 
 lerv'd, that I have neither fupply'd nor fuppofedany thing, 
 but that which appears as much wathout ipeaking it, as in 
 fpeaking it. That the connexions of the language, the par- 
 ticles which oiii one lenfe to another , the force of the 
 terms, the relation of thefe paflages with their parallels, 
 the affinity of the whole fenfe of the fix verfes together, with 
 ^hat which precedes and follows ; what do I fay, the relati- 
 on of each verfe in itfelfj that which is before or after, all 
 that is found in the fenle, which I give without any violence, 
 arid I do not know, whether it can be poflible after that, 
 that it can be falle. Thefe Notes are already but too iong, 
 yet before I finiili them, I ought to anfwer to that which 
 will be asked me here by moftpart of the world, whence it 
 comes that Solomon docs not aiiUver to that which the World- 
 lings fay, or docs not prove th.U it is falfc, to which I fay, 
 that what the Worldlings fay here is not propofed as objedi- 
 ons ; that it is ratlier a Doctrine notorioufly falfe ; which is 
 propofed to the end it may refute it fclf, as we fee that 
 SiPafd, I Cor. 15. 32. propofcs this difcourfe of the World- 
 lings: let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye, to render 
 it odious by itfclf : for in tffec-f let the paraphrafe be rcrd, 
 when one ha? cxaivfiifd the true i'crde. and ont Oiall fee wl-i- 
 
 tltr 
 
R E ^f A R K S. Chap. III. 95 
 
 Micr this impious dilcourlc, flir from having need of an m\- 
 Iwcr, docs i.ot (trikc motions of h:\ticd and horror againU: 
 thole who Ipeak ; but Ix^fulcs all the ilrongcfl that Solomon 
 a^uld lay, he had laid and llicwn by his experience what 
 Ihould he have added? thatthcy twilled Ins lcnle,^'. 4.againft 
 providence, ai:d they twilt that of the Scriptures, it had 
 lx:cn already twiltc<l.'f/;. 2. 26. lx:lidcs, that there are things 
 naturally palpable, for ^vhich one cannot ailed ge better rea- 
 lons than thcmlelves, becaulc it Iccms that in provmg them, 
 it is to luppole that one mav doubt of them ; for example, 
 Avhat the Worldlings lay in this lame f^M/>. vcr. 21. that the 
 Suul oi man and that of beafts is of a lame nature, ought that 
 to be put into dilpute ? can one only lufter the }uopoiition ? 
 doe^s not the heart rile againlt it when it is made ? Now ;ult 
 io, that which is alledgcd hercz^fr. 14. that one can alter no- 
 thing in that whicli God doc?, that let a man be either g(H>i 
 or wicked, it will be always the lame, God changing nothing 
 in his condud iji favour of vertuc or againfl: vice, ifonemuft 
 l"hcw that that is falfe, it mult firitbc iLewed that there is a 
 Gv)d lull aiid wile, for one cannot be in Itich a doubt, but 
 whilitone doubts whether there is a God, and whither he be 
 wile, and iuli, and holy: very tar then, that this ought to 
 [tc a dirticTilty that Solomon docs not anfwer ; that on the 
 contrary, it is here that the heart appears full of God, and 
 not of the world ; that it is lb filfd with God and his illur 
 minations, tiiat he troubles himfelf no further to prove theic 
 ienfible things to a pious Soul, than we lliould trouble our 
 ielves to prove that the Sun lliiiics when it does. 
 
 18. Concerning the Hate of the Sons of men ; the Hchrev 
 on the word of the Sons of men, and this term of word ge- 
 nerally fignifics affair; fo that it is as if it were on the afr- 
 fair or bulinefs of the Sons of men , which probably figni- 
 fies that which concerns men, what is done or pafTes among 
 them; it is true, that when the two terms Avhich are in the 
 Hdren are together, H'^^T'^y generally they mean byrealon, 
 Ixrcaulc, or lomething like, as ch. 8. 2. but in givhig it this 
 fcnfe, that of the whole verfe is neither lb clear nor pcrfci!:f, 
 for it is as if there was on the iubjec^ of the Sons of men, 
 which would mean nothing, becaule in the preceding 
 verjes^ Solomon has already (poke of them ; I have taken the 
 terms according to the proper fignification of eacli of thenj, 
 and have fupppolcd, that this ought to be joined with that 
 \\ hich follows, to purge them, God, putting lb together t'cfe 
 Vs\o d}ings,upon llic bufuicls of men t-j purge ihcm,] r '-hT 
 
 bri: g 
 
96 REMARKS. Chap. III. 
 
 bring many examples of this fort, one only will be flifficient 
 ch/ip, 5. C:;:ni'7y CiDTilDJl'. which word for word means the 
 high Oiics over them, underfhnding neceflarily, are, as for the 
 word, to p^irge, which, to Ipeak properly, repreients what 
 one does, when one tears up weeds; the metaphor hasfeem'd 
 tome very natural to cxpreis, that already in this world, 
 God, who prefides oyer all that which regards men, purges 
 them, or tliat he prefides over all that regards them, to purge 
 and tear them up like weeds ; and this being laid, after hav- 
 ing Ipoke of the wickednels and iniquity of thole, who are 
 railed to authority, who oppreis others ; elpecially, it being 
 added that God lliews them by that, fpeak-ng of the Sons of 
 men, that they are brute beafts in relpecl of one another ; 
 and in fine, chap. 4. 8. Solomon^ when he reafiumes this mat- 
 ter, faying, that he has feen the wrongs and injulticcs that 
 men rais'd to authority did, and that he law the tears of 
 thole who were wronged, adding ver, 2, j. that this fight 
 had made him efteem the condition of the aead, or rather of 
 thofe who had never ken life, happier than that of the liv- 
 ing; I thought that the lenle could be no other but this; 
 that already in this world, God is or prefides over the bufi- 
 iiels of theSonsof men, to purge them, or to tear them up, 
 one by another, which cannot be but by flacking the reins, 
 to their malice one againlt another. 
 
 And that they might fee, I have tranflated that they may 
 fee the difference is not notable, and thofe who underRand 
 the original know, that one muft in this verb follow the 
 lenfe, which is given to that of to purge; in fine, the laft 
 term, to themlclves cannot to my thinking, admit any other 
 lenfe than to lay, that they ufe one another like beafls, only 
 one muil obicrve, that there is a repetition of this pronoun, 
 them, which notes that Solomon fpoke with warmth, as if he 
 had laid, to the end they may fee that they are beafts, they 
 to themlelves, and one againfl another. -^ 
 
 ip. To lliew that thefe four liilverfes are as I have fiid in 
 the connexion , that I have made of this , with the i8th 
 which precedes it, a Dilcourfe of the Worldling who takes 
 the word; I lliall not tye my lelf to lliew the vice which is 
 included in the laR, every one fees, and I have faid it more 
 than once that it is parallel to ver. 12. no more than that 
 of the pcnultime , where it is advanc'd , that one cannot 
 know the diRin6i:ion between the Soul of man and that of 
 a beaR, whither the firR afcends up, or this delcends down. 
 
 Every 
 
REMARKS. Chap. III. c^y 
 
 Every one Ices that, I wifli only, to be as ftiort as I can, 
 that it Ix; oblcrved. 
 
 I. That thdc four laft verfes arc reduced to two propor- 
 tions. 
 
 Tlicfidt, that Man andBeaft, Body and Soul equally dye. 
 
 The Second, that therefore one ought to enjoy ones Iclf, to 
 cat and drink, &c. which taken together, are the lame thing 
 as, let usc.it and Jrnik, for to morrow we dye, 
 
 22. That the three preceding verfes, i6, 17, 18. and the 
 three firit of the 4th clup. relpect the lame fub;ed; in the 
 three firll, Solomon, after having (aid in the i8th, th.it he lias 
 feen wickednels featcd upon the Tribunals of the Earth, by a 
 jui\ motion of indignation and horror, declaring, i. That 
 for certain God iliall judge the \VorKl,t[ic good and the wick- 
 ed, it is at ver. 17. 2. That already, God exercifes his ven- 
 geance againft the Sins of men, letting them looie one againft 
 another • ib that they tcarthemfelves like brute heart?, wV. 18. 
 and in the three laft, turning himlelf to conllder the mifery 
 of thofe who are opprefied, he rcprcfents and deplores their 
 misfortune with lo much tendernels, that he thinks them 
 happy who are never born, and have not ieen thefc evils. 
 
 3. That the four ve-rfes which wc are now upon, which 
 are towcen thefe fix, very far from having any connexion 
 witli them, are diredly oppofite, they are reduced, as I have 
 laid, to this, let us eat and drink for to morrow^ we dye ; 
 and how can one reconcile that with the three Ri'(^. verfes o£ 
 the fourth ch^tp. where Solomon lliews lo much grief upon the 
 account of thofe wdio are opprefied ; and for the three others, 
 how can one make to agree that which .is laid of a judg- 
 ment to come with the death of the Soul, andefpecially, how 
 inall one reconcile the mirth of this, let us eat and drink, 
 which is exprels'd in the laft verfe, with the terror which 
 the ver. 17 and 18 throw one into. 
 
 After thefe remarks, let it be obferv'd, that if thefe four 
 verfes cannot find room in theDifcourfc, when 'tis fiippoici 
 tlut they are of the Worldlings, they iocak oF a Julgment 
 and a Providence, which exercifes already ]ullicc upon the 
 Sons of men, they laugh at, or will laugh at thele thoughts, 
 what do they do ? as in ver. 26. of chap. 2. abulmg as I Inve 
 laid, the ambiguity of the word /?*?//rf, w^hich Solomon had 
 uicdver. 24.. to continue their irony; here likewile, becaule 
 Solomon, ver. iS. fiid, that God in his iuffic?, left men to cx- 
 ercife their rage apainfl one another, lu thut the.- mi -lit T-! 
 
 H 
 
98 R E MA RK S. Chap. IV- 
 
 that tliey wcrc l^ute beaib in cruelty, turning this term of 
 bcaft into a proper lenle. 
 
 They pnne, that in effea, there is no difference between 
 MmandBeaff, the Soul and the Body dying equally; and fo 
 iupix>fing, as I have noted, to that which had l>een laid of 
 tiic laft Judgment, add, that there is nothing, better than to 
 cnjoy ones lelf, and lo turn into ridicule, that which is moil 
 formidable in 5'<9/owo??'sDi(courie. 
 
 I concinde my Remarks with the difference which appears 
 in the Stile- for indeadoFanaiTumingdccifiveair, as one fees 
 in the three preceding verfes, here the thought is trivial, and 
 the experience tedious ; for thcfe five words repeated, are the 
 matter which this great verfe is built of. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 A 3. /pr>2fy/-f 25.22. Ifithsfo, fays i^eZ'frr^, when the Twins 
 ^ Jacob and Efa^i Itruggrd in her Womb ; if it hefo^ lays 
 (he, why ami; Gen. ^6. 30. let me dye now, fays Jacohy 
 when he f?w Jofeph again, let me dye now, fince I have feen 
 thv fice; JiKoh^ who was 16 glad to fcQ Jofeph again, did he 
 w]{\\ then to dye ? and is it not rather a tranfport of his Soul, 
 which raviih'd with plcafure, thinks that he cannot receive 
 any hke it in his life; the complaint of Rebecca likewife, is 
 an effccl: of her mortal grief, to lee that her Children iliould 
 hate one another, and ihould ftruggle one with another, and 
 not that Hie was willing to dye and lofe her fruit: here hke- 
 wile, Solowon does not tax the, Wifdom of God, no more than 
 his goodness to liave made man, for to render him unhappy ; 
 and vet lefsdocs he think, that he who has never been, is 
 iinppicr than he who lives in the fear of God, and the hopes 
 of Iceing his fice, but tranfported with grief at the fjght of 
 the evils, which thofe that are oppreffed fuffer upon earth ; 
 this. Earth fccms to him Inch an odious abode, that without 
 mining reflection upon any other thing, he would if it were 
 j^oO'iblc never have been upon it. 
 
 B. 4. Every right work, the Hebrew has it, the redlitudc 
 r,r perfection of work, which according to the Idiom of our 
 'J c?-iiue, agrees w th Mallerpicce. 
 
 •• ' " C. 5. 
 
REMARK S. Chap. IV. 99 
 
 C. S. This z/^t/^ and the follow mg, relatc5 to that w'iic|i 
 is ^id in the preceding , that every man is envied by his 
 neighbour tor what he docs well; for thcfc word? of vanity 
 and gnawing of mind, arc an irruption of .Wowow, who, be- 
 fore hi< faying; how Avhat one does be(t in the world, is ex- 
 pos 'd to the ra^illcry of thole who are the moft worthy of con- 
 tempt, cxpreflcs his dilcontcnt igainft envy, chap. 2. i. 
 
 D. 7. To know whether I have realon to attribute this 
 place to the Worldling, and not 10 Solowon, let it be examin- 
 ed here with me, r.nd let application afterwards be maJe to 
 the lubici.^^ he trcacs of Theie iix vtrfes, and the following 
 to the 1 2th, inclufively include two principal things. 
 
 The firlf, contained z-er. 8. is^ that there is fuch a man, 
 wl.o is alone, without Wife, Children, Brothers or Relations, 
 for among the Hebrews , the word Brother , is the linnc as 
 Relation, who' tho alone, lalx)urs without ceifing, and can- 
 not latisfie himfelf with gain, without haviiig the lenle to 
 make this reflection, for whom is it that I labour, and de-. 
 prive my Soul of good? luppofing that he robs hunlelf of 
 part of his nourishment. 
 
 The lecond, contained i^fr. 9, 10, 11 and 12. is that after 
 having laid dow^n ver.g. that two are better than one, that 
 they draw fome advantage from their fociety, it is proved by 
 three things in the three verfes which follow. 
 
 Of the hrft of thefe thing?, it is (aid beforehand, ver. 7. 
 that it is a vanity, and after having repeated it, ver. 8. it is 
 added, that it is an ill and afflicting labour. 
 
 Of theiecond, it is faid, ver. 10. not only that it is a mis- 
 fortune to be alone, but it is faid w^ith exclamation, woe to 
 him who is alone. 
 
 In fine, the fccond is a reafbning which is made upon the 
 account of the firil ; for as it is faid of this greedy, laborious 
 and hard man to himlelf, that he is alone,'and that he lus 
 neither Wife, nor Children, nor Relations, pafTing afterwards 
 to prove, that company is of fome advantage : It is probable 
 that it is luppoled, that this covetous man does not marry, 
 and that he remains alone, without calling any of his Rela- 
 tions near him, out of an eager defire to augment his lub- 
 Ihnce, or out of diftruft of want, or both together. 
 
 Whether the^ realoning is ju(l or not in itlelf, I lliall not 
 fay any thnigfor thepreient; but I cannot but obferve, tha^ 
 it is not fo by any means in reli>ect of the lubicdl, upon th 
 wlrch it is made, or at leaft, that it ought not to come t'|j 
 afi er manv orhi^rs'; Li who is th^-rc who combating rl::: v'c.. 
 
 ii 2 nhi <: 
 
ICO REMARKS. Chap. IV. 
 
 which IS fpokcot ^'fr. 8. that ilioiild at fir ft have taken thi 
 into his Head, it wotiid have been much more natural to 
 combat it by tbegreedineisof this Miier, who tho alone, ha- 
 ving by conlequence lels need of good, than thoie who have 
 a ^reat Family, is notxvithilanding iniatiable ; the effeds of 
 this greedineis would have been urged ; the hardnefs that it 
 throws a man into againrt himfeif, and the diftruft of provi- 
 dence 5 but to prove that two are better than one, and that 
 for rhe whole reafoning againil this fury ; I confefs, if there is 
 not there (bme particular reafbn to make one take it wrong 
 dei^gntdly, I fee no exaclnels of realbning;. 
 
 Ltt us come now to the application ot this, to the fiibjs6^ 
 vrh\chSoI.07/7Dfir.xc3itsof. I have laid in they^^^/>7/^, and one 
 may fee it clenrly by the thing it ielf, that from the 1 6th verfe 
 of the preceeding Chapter, to the end of this, Solomon proves, 
 tfiar in thefbcieey of men, w^ho however, cannot live without 
 one another-, that in their fociety, there is neither iecurity nor 
 latisfaction to be expe.^ted, and that by thefe three vices which 
 reign among them, Iniuftice among the Magiftrates, ch, 3. 16, 
 Envy among partiaiLars, without diftin6^iori of Rank or Sex, 
 ch. 4. 4. and in fine, in the government of States, Impru- 
 dence and IncoD(bncy, this among the People, and the firft 
 among Frinccs: Now that being lb, what fignifics to this de- 
 fign, ttie evil which is here fpoke of, ver. 8. Every one fees 
 that it is very little common, at leaft in comparifon of other 
 vices, and that befides it does no harm, but to him who is 
 caught by it, if we except the ill example that it gives; to 
 what end then to Ipeak of this, rather than of felf-murther, 
 or of fbme other ; and to Ipcak better, what necefTity was 
 thereto introduce any, wiiateverit was, unleis it had ferved 
 to the general defign, and to prove that there is no Iecurity to 
 be hoped among men ; in refpeCt of Solomon ^ I fee no rcafon 
 for it. 
 
 As for the reafoning, it is reduced, as I have faiJ, to prove 
 that two perlbns who are together, draw fome advantage 
 from the company o^ one another ; I have lliewed that there 
 is no natural connexion wqth the iubjccl: upon which it is 
 made, which is a great prepofcifion not to attribute it to So- 
 lomon, io much the rather, that it is little probable, that his 
 Piety would have let him pais in filence the greedinefsof this 
 Mifcr, and his diftrnft of providence, to ftick only to prove 
 that two are better than one ; but let us pais that, he proves 
 that there is neither lccnrit\^ nor reft to be expected among 
 men, especially, hebas jiift'fhe'.ved that envy reigns among 
 
 them ; , 
 
REMARKS, Chap. I\^. foi 
 
 ihcni; now he comes to (ay, that two |_xnK.ni5 tof^ctficr Jnw 
 grcii aJ\MntJH.e5 from the coiii|rir!y ot one ancalicr, that a* 
 grccs btit little, not to lay, tliat it conir.ulicb it Iclf. 
 
 Let us continue; it is laid in this realoning in fiivour of 
 company, that it is a n)isfi>rtunc to want it ; it is hid with 
 exclamation, woe to him that is afonc ; what denotes \\idi 
 an elevated Stile, if it is not, that it is fno^xMed tltat Cv>in- 
 pany is a happincfs, and tliat there is no iafety without it, 
 that agrees but little once a?,ain, with that which Suk^:m has 
 faid of the vanity ot the world, k Is yet with tliat which he 
 fiys in pirticular to laughter, thou ait n\id, and of inirtji, 
 what is it? chap. 2. 2. and ef^xrcially, not to by tlrat it is a 
 lightncls which is not worthy of a wiic man, it is not of a 
 devout Soul, which makes its greateft plealure of a rcneat to 
 be in iccret with Go«i. 
 
 In fi!]o, to what end, in this place, this repetition of vanity, 
 is this a greater vanity than Envy, of which Solomm has laid 
 lo but vwQQ. J this vice however, is leis o;eneral and Icfe prcju- 
 dicirl to the publick ; and as for the itron^ epithet which i^; 
 apply'd to it, that it is an ill and afflicting labour, I iec that 
 it IS the laine with that which SohmonmxVf^ ufe of f^. 3, 10. 
 but with an addition of the word had, which alio makes one 
 fufpccl:lbme aftedation, which does not agree with the cha- 
 rader of Solomon, and one falls more eafily into this Icnic, 
 when one lees through all the I'efl, that this difcoiufe docs 
 not fiiit with him ; let us now turn our lelves towaris the 
 Worldling, and fee if this Dilcouric might not better fuit the 
 affectation, which appears in the repetition of the woid vani- 
 ty, efpecially to make it to march firR, is the fame as ch. 6. 7. 
 f^. 8. 14. for in thefetwo places, where I lliall llic\t thLithe 
 fpeak?, he begins with it, or with fomc Itronger term. 
 
 And it one reflects on it, one may remark that that is the 
 charader of a SophiR, who either to render more ridiculous 
 what he copies, or to make it more credible, that he runs in- 
 to the Sentiments of thofe,| whom he makes a Ihew to imi 
 tatc, does not make one (iiy for thefc forts ot" Ornaments of 
 pilcourlc, no more than* he is niggardly of them ; and that 
 fo the Worldling being introduced in this Boc>k copyin.g Soh- 
 Tftorjy it is very probable tliat it is he. 
 
 The Epithet of ill and afflii^Ving labour, fcems a manitelt 
 allufion, full of irony, to the cxprcfTion which Solopff^n^ as I 
 have laid, made uie ofch. 3. lo. and in this relpcct it luit? 
 with it perfectly. 
 
 H 3 The 
 
102 REMARKS. Chap. IV. 
 
 The vice which he combats, raifes as great a horror in him, 
 as it could do in a devout Soul. 
 
 In fine, the realoning in favour of company, particularly 
 this fine exclamation, woe to him who is alone, has a great 
 affinity with this jovial humour which he ihews, ch.'^. 1 2, 22. 
 which is not found in retirement, and that one can find but 
 little in good company ; let it be to the llibjed^ or not, it 
 makes to his, he does not pretend to too much exadnefs in his 
 rcaioning. 
 
 Eut it is a vice which he combats; willfomefay, it is true 
 as well as chap. 6, he combats virtue : Should not a man who 
 lores repofe and good chear, combat the inclination of cruel 
 and languinary people. This reafon itfelfperfwades that it is 
 the Worldling who Ipeaks ; for there is no doubt,that to weaken 
 what one can layagainflhim, he is over joy 'd to find himfelf 
 ion^ething to blame, which one cannot conteil him. 
 
 Bui what does this make, will it be faid again, to Solomons 
 dilcourle ? it will be feen^ when I fhall have faid what it makes 
 to the Worlding. i . Solomon having given, in Ipeaking of En- 
 vy, an odious idea of the idle, and an advantageous ofa labo- 
 rious and able Artifl:, the Worldling endeavours to dettroy 
 loth the one and the other, by an odious example offome 
 ptrlons who labour with a fpirit of greedinefs and avarice; 
 for we know that when two Ideas are linked together in the 
 fame lubied, as Labour and Avarice are here, the horrors of the 
 firf^ can (:>e little favourable to this. 2. Th2it^vh'\ch Solomon 
 fays of Envy, has a conlequence againf-l: Company, for one can 
 little hope to find fatisfadion in it, when Envy reigns there, 
 and the Worldling, to ruin this thought, brings an odious ex- 
 ample of lome, who by the fame fpirit of avarice live in foli- 
 tude, giving advantageous imprefjions ofthis under the favour 
 of the horror that one has, as I have faid, for the firfl, whence 
 he takcFoccafion to make the encomium of Company. In fine, 
 he diverts himielf upon iSb/owo» in copying him, and on thofc 
 who labour and who live in retirement, in putting them in 
 the rank oftliis frantick Mifer, whofe example he alledges. 
 
 As for that which this makes to iSbWo«s difcourle ; i.He 
 difcovers the fentiments of the Worldling for idlcnefs againft 
 labour, for difTolutionagainfta regular life, and for Company 
 againft Retirement, which, as everyone knows, does him lit- 
 tle honour, and one cannot doubt that 'tis not his thought, 
 when onehasdifcovcrcd that it is he who fpeaks. 2. Hemakes 
 him cxprefs his lentimcnts with trar.fport, and fo makes him 
 difcover his pafiion bv thefe Epithets of vanity, of ill and 
 
 afflia- 
 
REMARKS. Chap, IV. 103 
 
 .ifflictinf; labour ; for wlicn one has dilcovcrcl that it Is he that 
 Ijxxiks, one Ices that it is Kilwur, and the ivant of good nior- 
 ids, and the defect of good Company, which for him is in ef- 
 fect an evil and affiiciino labonr. 3. He makes him diicover 
 the tricks which he makes uil or', when he has a mind to in- 
 spire his Sentiment?, and infiiuutc his Vice, which arc to make 
 them appear under fine outfides, in fpeakin* of the tolfrcs of 
 men. 4 .He produces the ci^d of his palfion, ni llicwin^; that he 
 hides it himlelf when he l^xiaks ; for what one hides is always 
 greater than one IIkws it : In fine , he gives it a ridicu- 
 Jousair, in making it appear under the name of a wile man 
 who dogmatizes, and of a kind oi^ fille Prophet who under- 
 takes to pronounce or toretel woe, wee 'to him who is alone, 
 expofmg him lo much the more to contempt and indignation, 
 that he produces him as a Copift copied, whole mixrkrng air, 
 like a Mask dropt and taken again, Icrves for nothing but to 
 cover him with ihamc. 
 
 I conclude with defiringthe Reader to do two things,- the 
 fird to compare this place with the 10 firfi Verles of the 6th 
 Chap, in which the' VVorldhng is introduced combating the 
 grcateft men in the world, who, tho in abundance and gloiy, 
 retrench their fenfual pleafures ; for one I'hall lee that in this 
 place they blacken perlbns, there likcwife they falUnx)u thofc 
 who have moil vertue ; that;uft as here they make Ufle of a 
 crying vice to tarniOi a vertue, there to larniih the vctluc of 
 great men, they ule a fiile grandeur of foul, which is infiT^v 
 portable to the whole earth ; that in the one and tlic oiher 
 they garnilli themlelvcs with a falle appearance of- morality, 
 ana that by both it ap^^ars that the elevation and gra nJcur of 
 Soul is equally infiapportable to them with lalx^nrs^ their true 
 character beingthat of Souls loofcand enervated by fcnfualitv; 
 to labour or think beinga martyrdom to them; to cat, drink 
 and laugh lacing their only delights. 
 
 The 2d, not to be obliged to return upon that fub^ecl at the 
 end of the chap, to joyn the laft ^:art of the preceding ch^ip^ 
 ter=5, from the i6th vcrfc inclufively with this wliolcone, and 
 diltingtiilliing what Solomon lays from that which the World- 
 ling lays, toobfervethe wifdom and fanitity of thertrft, and 
 the extravagance and vice ofthc others, and iovnifig aftervards 
 both together to remark the efi'cct they pro.luce in thcl'Cart; 
 for in mv opinion, one lliall Ixrlcnfihlc that the contradictions 
 of the Worldling, tho without reply, krvc but to give a con- 
 tempt and indignation for him and his (entim'*nts, an^l to ren- 
 der what Solomon lays himlelf more convincing, more "pT- 
 fwafive and adorable, ti .[. F 
 
I04 REMARKS. Chap. IV. 
 
 E In the preceding remarks, not to tire the Reader in one 
 
 Elace, I have laid nothing of this reafoning in it felf, let care 
 e taken therefore now, that in the bottom what Solomon lays 
 of Envy continuing true, it is by this reatoning much ftronger, 
 becaule if we cannot live alone, and that Envy reigns among 
 us, we are conttrained to a vexatious necelTity ; and befides, 
 the argument may be overthrown,ruppormg that Envy reigns, 
 for then one may lay, woe to him who is in company, for 
 his companion will pufh him into lomc precipice, and one 
 has but too many examples of it ; it troubles me to lofe time 
 to make the meanncfs of the realbns, which are alledg d obfer- 
 vable, the little piety which appears there, how much they 
 lavour of the loofenefs of thole that Ipeak ; in fine, it leems 
 to me to write without nccelHty, to fay, that fociety is as all 
 other things of the world, necefTary and noxious, the hand of 
 God is upon this, as upon our feafts, ch. 2, 24. upon our ftu- 
 dies, ch. i. 13. upon tillage; in fine, upon all that we do : 
 Now Solomon dilcovering thele vanities, to which our fins 
 have expos'd us, in kindling the anger of God upon us ; is it 
 not a pity that man will ruine thefe forts of realbnings, 
 which may difingage his heart from the world, in fhewing 
 the miferable advantages that one draws from thele things, 
 againfl: which however, the wife man does not run. 
 
 F 13, 14. The key of thefe two verfes is, that Solomon him- 
 felf is the King, who is here Ijpoke of, and Jeroboam the Child, 
 to know it, let us make their application to that which is 
 laid of the one and the other : 
 
 Firft, in rel]pe6l of this King, he is liippos'd advanc'd in 
 years; Solomon was old and near his end when he composed 
 this Book, I have fihew'd it in the Preface : It is faid of this 
 Kino;, that he is foolifh or weak, and that he is not capa- 
 ble of receiving coimfel ; Solomon was fallen into Idolatry, 
 I Kin. II. 5. and it is not ftrange that he was conceited of his 
 Grandeur and Glory, and above all of his Wildom, fo that 
 he did all with a high hand, without fuflfcringcounlcl, and 
 yet Jefs contradidion ; and it is fo much the more probable, 
 that it is of him that this ought to be underftood, that it is 
 he who fpeaks , that this is a difcourfe which he compos'd 
 after his repentance, which probably did not permit him to 
 fpare himfelf ; in fine, it is faid of this King, that he becomes 
 poor upon the Throne it lelf, upon which he was born ; Solomon 
 was in Ibme fort born upon the Throne, fince he was Son of 
 a King, and liicccedcd to the Crown by his birth, and after 
 having enjoy d a Glory, as great in all' relpeds, as a Mortal 
 
 could 
 
REMARKS. Chap. IV. 105 
 
 criild be raised to, Go.l inrcns'd by his Idol.urv, nis'd liiin 
 three great Hncmics, //.:./././ in Idionia^ Rf^inxn Syrir.^ and 
 ferohojw in his own SlUc, I A'iw. ii. 14,23, 26. whcreoif 
 ilictwofirrt, fays the Scripture in the lame place, did iniicli 
 damage to JjrM, I0 that the i^lory of the State, and t!iat of 
 Solovron himlclF, diminil'h'd without doubt much ; add, tlia.t 
 .!> it is the courfe of Providence, God who raised him thc;e 
 Kncmte?, prolxibly permitted his Wiidom to deceive him i>r 
 fail him, that he michi give them himiclfoccajlon to take up 
 Arms, that is at lealt cxprelly laid of the laR. 
 
 As for the Child, the Original is 1^% '^vhich is noi on'v 
 underfiood o^ a little Child,'^ but alio of a young man who n 
 m the flower of his age, \qq Rntb i. 5. Jcrobo^ir^JWAS Inch when 
 Solomon writ this Book, for he was not made King till after hi i 
 death, and he reigned no lefs than one or two and twenty 
 ye:ir?, i Kin. i«^. 0, 2'^. this Child is liippofed poor and wife, 
 and it is laid of Jcrohoawy i Kin. 1 1. 26,^ 23. that he was noL 
 railed, but l^ecaulc the Kingobferv'd in him wit and courage; 
 it is laid of this Child, that he Iball come out of the Houfe 
 of Fugitives, for it mull I'm: fo tranilated and not priion, fi^r 
 the original has it aniDH np;j and the word anTQi^ 
 comes from that of "l^Q wMiich fignifies to retire or fly, Ifa. 49. 2. 
 miQ is employed to fay Fugitive. Jeroh^am ^ in the time 
 that Solomon writ this Book, was probably a Fugitive in Egypt ^ 
 for I Kin. II. 40. itisfiiJ, \.\\ji\. Solomon having a mind to put 
 him to death, he was fled thither, and had remained there till 
 lie had le.irn'd his death ; now it is probable, that when Solo- 
 mon fought to put him to death, it was before his repentance, 
 forit would have l^een ill repenting to attempt the life of a- 
 iiother, cfpccially up^n a Subjedl:, mch as that which he had, 
 and which I am going to relate; lo that this Book being 
 writ after his repentance, there is no doubt, that it was not 
 during the retreat or flight of Jeroboam ; in fine, it is laid of 
 this Child, that he fhould come otit of the Houle of Fugi- 
 tives to reign, and it i*^ that which happen'd to Jrrohnam, 
 xvhowas recairdfrom his retreat, to this end and this cffecl, 
 for he %vas made King upon the rcfufil Rchohoam made the 
 people, to diminifli the Taxe?. winch tiis Father had impos'd 
 on them, i Kin. 12. 16, 22, 2iiM\ Solomon was not ignorant of 
 what was to hap|X:n; God liimfclf had toll him, that he 
 would take from him the nrcatelt part of his Sta^c, and leave 
 but one Tribe to his Iticccflors, 1 Kin. 11. 12, 1:5. and efj^e- 
 cially the preaching of the Prophet ^/ji/.t/;, by which he had 
 foretold Jeroboam, that he fliould reign over the ten Tribc>, 
 
 W.j^ 
 
io6 REMARKS. Chap. fV. 
 
 was known to him ; for the Scripture notes that it ^^ras far 
 this rcafon that he fought to put him to death, i K. 11.40^ 
 what is moft particular and intimate in thefe two verfes be- 
 ing difintangrd, it IS not difficult to difcover the general Idea, 
 which Solomon proix)led to himfelf to give us, that with his 
 Age and his Wildom, he had neverthe) els been fiiH of him- 
 fcff, fo far as not to lufter advice to be given him, and that 
 with fuch a condud, he had drawn upon himlelf and his 
 State Enemies, Avho had diminilli'd his Ulary, and had made 
 his People lufter 5 he Ices on the contrary a young man, whole 
 wit and courage, and above all the blelTing of God had given 
 fiim fome jealoufy, he is very fure ; for it is very likely that 
 he doubted neither of the predid^ion of the Vio^htt Ahij ah , 
 nor of that which God had told him himfelf, that this young 
 man lliould be recall'd from his flight to be ir :.dc King -'lipon 
 this he makes a general Sentence, ver. 13. whereby under the 
 favour of the double fjgnification of the word Child ^ which 
 as I have noted in the Hebrew^ imports equally a Child of few 
 years, or a youn» man , according to the place where it is 
 nied; under the favour, I fay, of this ambiguity, he expreifes 
 liis fecret thought, that Jeroboam was better than he, for as 
 St Paul laid, that he was the chief of fmners, it is very natu- 
 ral to apprehend, that Solomon in his repentance, by the know- 
 ledge he had of his weaknefs, for the wile man defpiies him- 
 felfeven then when he is admired, not knowing what Jero- 
 loam lliould do afterwards, and not having obierved in him 
 till then, any thing but vertue, angry againft himfelf, he ac- 
 aifes himfelf, as wife and as much a King as he was, for hav- 
 ing lels wifdom than his Enemy, though young and mifera- 
 ble ; w^hat do I fay, under the favour oi this fame ambiguity, 
 he puts himfelf beneath a Child of few years and poor, and 
 at the fam.e time he ranks there other Princes, and lets us fee 
 that as he had faid, that he had feen wickednefs on the Tribu- 
 nals of Magiflrates, fo one may fee often conceit upon the 
 Throne, and if he does not fay it by a, / have feen, as chap. 5. 
 16. and in this ver. 4. it is becaule he had a nearer example 
 than that which is taken by the Eyes j befides, that his Indig- 
 nation, as I have faid, againff himlelf, did not permit him to 
 life this length, as that of this Dilcourfe would have been, I 
 have lecn the feat of prudence, and I have obferved what it 
 would have pleafed him to add : Something more fhort and 
 cutting was necefl'ary to his heat ; better is a Child poor and 
 ^\■lk,&c. Having Ibexprcfs'd his fecret thought, his indignati- 
 on and contompt of himlelf,and at the fame time inffmcfed his 
 
 Reader 
 
REMARKS. Chap. IV. 107 
 
 Reader as he proPolcJ to Jo, he proves both the general Idea 
 which he had )ii(t given, and liis own pavtiailar one : for in 
 •'ic vcrlc Id, under the favour of this word, Houicof Fugi- 
 :ves, which taken literally rcferr'd to his fenlc, but in a 
 metaphorical Icnte, imports Houlc of Slaves or Criminals; 
 clhews that it is true what he has laid, the Trincc ruining 
 imfelf often and his State, whiKt the poor but wile Chili 
 comes out of mifery, and that it is again true in relpecl to 
 Iiim, his Glory Ixring diminillVd, and his Enemy bcuig tore- 
 turn from his flight, to take polTcffion (and by the order of 
 God) o^ the grcateR part of his Kingdom. 
 
 G I s, 16. The Kev of thefe two b(l verfcs is not fo hid as 
 that of the two preceding, specially after that which I have 
 jui\ laid; everyone fees methinkc, that itisofhimfelf in par- 
 ticular that Solomon fpeaks of Rcbobo.im, his Son and of his 
 people, but always in a lenle o(^ application to the general, 
 that appears in the relative and dcmonRrative Pronouns, if 
 I may ufe thefe terms Oi Grammer in its phicc, ver. 15. 
 they iliall not reioice in him, for thefe two pronouns his and 
 /j/w, are very different from indeterminate particles, fiich as 
 thefe which are made ufe of, when one Ipcaks of any one m 
 general, without having any particular view; and for the 
 red, this wants no probability, for Rehohoam was forty one 
 years old when he began to Reign, iomuch in a condition of 
 a long time to take cognizance of aftairs, and to apply himlelf 
 to get the benevolence of the people ; and bcfides, it may be ; I 
 have no proof of it, but probability is there, that in the la(l 
 years of Solomon the three different Enemies which he had, 
 vanced inas I have faid , troubling him , he being ad- 
 years , had been confkained to repofe himfelf upon his 
 Son, perhaps oi^ the care of his Armies, or of part, or of 
 things of a like niiportance, fo that either by reafon of op- 
 jX)rtunity, or through neceffity, Specially through incondan- 
 cv, the people or the Courtiers had turned towards Rohoam^ it 
 is that that he fays v. 15, in making an application generally 
 to all Kings, whofe Children are fo many Clouds which ob- 
 fcure their glory; not to fay, that they extinguiih it, accord- 
 ing to this layino, that one turns rather towards the riling 
 than the fcttingSun. 
 
 Whatisfaidatv. 16, demands a partiailar reflcilion; for 
 bcfidesthat, by this Snlon:nn fuppolesthat it is the temper of 
 people to change, and that that which happcn'd to him would 
 happen to hisiSuccefTore, and likewife to all Princes general- 
 ly fpeaking, let one oblervc two flrong expreffions that are in 
 
 this 
 
io8 REMARKS. Chap. IV. 
 
 this verfe ; no end with all the people ; and this, they fhall 
 not rejoice in him : for whence comes it that he Ipeaks fopo- 
 fitivcly, they fliall not rejoyce in him, as if he fawit, and 
 whence comes again this cutting decifion againft the people, 
 no end for them ; as if he laid, that they were inairable in 
 this refped:, that they are always moving ; for tho all that be 
 true, morally fpeaking, yet if he had meant to fpeak only ctf* 
 the change of Courtiers, or of ^ihe people, from the Father to 
 the Son, and almort as it happened tohimfeif, I cannot ima- 
 gine that he lliould have exprefled himielf fo ftrongly ; I 
 doubt that -what he hadjuft laid of the return of Jeroboam to 
 reign, was prefcnt to his mind, and that if he did not pretend 
 toiforetel what happened to his Son, when after his death the 
 ten Tribes remedied him, it is very probable that he liiipedts 
 and forefees it. Let one collecl: now thefe remarks upon 
 theie 4 laft verfes, let it be obferved how Solomon in the two 
 firft fpeaks to his own prejudice, and againft his manner of 
 governing his State, even in his old age, when he ought to 
 have had moll experience ; and in the lecond place now in 
 the two others, in reprelenting the mist'^ortune of Princes, who 
 experience foon or late the inconftancy of people, he delcribes 
 thisinconftarcy, fo as togirerealbn to apprehend more than 
 flights among them, which are not only confequential againft 
 Princes, but alio againft the people themfclves; fo that if 
 one fees here that Solomon fliews that the Soveraign good is not 
 found upon the Throne, on another fide he Aews, that in 
 thefe relpedls, either from Princes, or from the People, the 
 People themfelves cannot hope for true reft, which joyn d, as 
 I have infinuated more than once, wnth the verfe 4. of this 
 Chap, and the 16 of the ^^^ makes a hideous compound of the 
 Society of men. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
REMARKS. Chap. V. 109 
 
 GHAP. V. 
 
 A I ^TpOuchin^ what Solomon fays oftlie Sacrifices of the 
 "■■ wicked, whom he calls tools, for there is no greater 
 folly than wickedness and impictv, and the oppofition that he 
 makes between hearing and lacrihcing, lee PjaL 15. 22. 
 
 B6. The MeiTengcrs of (jod, tl>c Original is Angel. That 
 appears m this that this Angel is Ipokc of upon occafion of 
 foine vow which one lias broke, and upon the account of 
 which one accules onesielf : Now it was before the Priert that 
 that was done, for he was obliged to facrificc for the fin of er- 
 rour, I^v. «).45- ^^r the relt one may fee that before Solomon., 
 even before there were Prieils of the race 0^ Aaron, thofe w^ho 
 comforted and prayed for the fick are called Angels, Job. 33. 
 23. and fmce Solomon,MMachi 2.7. fays in fiill as many words, 
 that the Prieil or Sacrificer is the Angel of the Lord. 
 
 C 7. Our words as well as our dreams arc fo many lies; this 
 thcgrcateitpart of the verfe imports, excepting that therein 
 lefs roughnefsin the expreffion o^ Solomon ; for without inju- 
 ry he gives an idea of the excufc which is Ipoke of before, as 
 cfafalfe image which has no reality, contenting himfelf^ 
 when he has faid of dreams , that there are vanities , ap- 
 plying that 10 words, to Ipeak fimply, and in few words, 
 without adding tlie word vanity, nor many, that which is 
 exprefTed ierving in two places, as ifthere was, and in many 
 words there are llkewife many vanities, but this reticence is 
 methinks, f longer than all that I add to explain it. 
 
 D8. For a higher than the highelt regards, and there be 
 higher than they. 1 have rendered that, for the high one on 
 high regards or watches, and the high ones above them, to fa)^ 
 the moft high prefides over them. Let one lee, to find the truth 
 of tiie fenle which I give, that it isconfelTcd by all, that this 
 laft particle, CD'H^) the high ones, is taken for the fuperla- 
 tive, mo(t high, meaning God ; one may lee the rcafons which 
 Criticks give for it, to which I ilia 11 add, that as the //c'^re ivi 
 callGod :^'»n^Sn which tof|>eak properly iignifiesthc (hong, 
 in the plural, tolay themoiUhong. It is not at all lurpri- 
 zing, that they call him likewilc the high ones, tolay, the 
 moft high, that Uing luppolcd tlut ii is of God tliat *s IV ktr 
 
no REMARKS. Chap.V. 
 
 of in this hi{ word, let the relation be obferv'd that there is be- 
 tween n3^ tljc high and 3)\n3^ the high ones, or eire,to wit, 
 tlic high ones, or the moil high, does it not feem that it is as if 
 there was CD\'^x'7n the j(trong,to wit, the moil Itrong ; in fine. 
 Jet it be obferved, that ^]Jt^ which is after roy is the fame 
 thing as the ffiper of the Latins. As for the entire fenfe, let 
 itbeoblerved, that in the preceding verie Solomon has juft re- 
 prelcnted our diicourfes under the image of dreams, and that 
 upon occafion of theexcule of him who has broke his vow, 
 that in this he advifes us to lay afide certain admirations which 
 we uie upon account of inju(Hce which Magiltrates do : is it not 
 clear that he puts their admirations in the fame rank with his 
 cxcufe,who has broke his vow ; in a word, ©f dreams. Now in 
 relpcd of what can he admire thefe admirations of vanities, or 
 if you will uie them as fables and dotages, which cannot a- 
 bule any, and bears their vicioufnefs on their Forehead, un- 
 lefs it be that they are fo many acculations again ft God, and 
 moreftill, jealoufiesthat wearenotas much raifed as others, 
 pretending to be more capable and worthier of fuch employs 
 thantliole vhom we condemn. 
 
 E p. theprofitof the earth is for all, the HehreTv h:xs it, in 
 all, which relates to profit or lubftance, and it relates to the 
 earth, to fay, tliat it Is it alone, which gives all manner of 
 riches. 
 
 As for the entire fenfe, let the conjundtion, and, be ob- 
 ferved, wdnch is at the beginning, for by that it appears, that 
 this ought to have fome connediion with what precedes, and 
 I do not know, where one ftiould take it, if one did notfup- 
 pole, that as ill the preceding verle Sohmon rej^Toves us for the 
 dili:cfpe6lful difcourie, which we hold againftGodtoour ad- 
 vantage upon the account of Dignities, in this hefpeaksupon 
 the account of thofe which wx hold upon Eftates, and on the 
 difterence, which is anions; men, lome pofl'eflTing in great abun- 
 dance, and fome others being nccefTitous. 
 
 The fiift part of the vcrfc being cleared, if the fenfe which I 
 have given is natural, there is no room to hefitate upon the 2d,but 
 befides to what purpole lliould Solomon fay here, that the King 
 is Servant of the Field, for the w^ords cannot be otherwile tran- 
 flated, to what purpole do I fay, Ibould he Ipeak lo, ftiould it 
 beto applaud the Country hfe ; that which follows, no more 
 than that which precedes, does not tend to that, and the general 
 defign of Solomon., is not at all to ilievv us the advantages of 
 one Ibrt of life rather than of another, hehas nothing in his 
 view, but to Cntw us the vanity of all things , and aRer 
 
 having 
 
REM A R K S. Chap. V. m 
 
 Laving given us adifguli of the lovcot'thc wovlJ, to cxlioit 
 us to the fear of God, and to detain us from all that wc fail 
 jn, asto this fear, which he does from the lx^ginninf;oftiris 
 vhap. Now >vhat does that make for a Country hfc? No- 
 thing at all. As for what 1 have laid, that Kmgs lalxuir 
 lometimcs with their own hands in tilla9y, let it Ix: oblcrvcd, 
 that I liippole that it is Svlor?jm who Ip.aks, and that io it 
 is to his limes and not to ours, that following histliought, I 
 makcallufion, for it is well known tiiat even many agesaf^ 
 tcr Solomon : and note, that the world relaxes according as 
 it grows old, many aecs after SoIotkch amono, the Greeks, and 
 among the Ron!.:ni\ Ctce7'0 de Scncclute^ there have been the 
 grcateft men who have applyed thcmfelves to tillage, and 
 particularly we fee that in 7/r^f/, or rather in JW.?, 2Ch, 2d, 
 10. it is laid ofKing Uz^ziuh, that he loved Husbandry, af- 
 ter having faid that he had much Cattel, Shepherds and 
 Vineyards, which comes near to what I havchifinuated. 
 
 I 10. Tlic Original imports likewifcfometlung likea great 
 train as well as abundance, for fometimes it fignifies noife, 
 and probably he was glad to infmuatc both the one and tbc 
 other. 
 
 G II. Thofe who read the original, ifthey are fur prize 1 
 that ]VW2 which properly fignifies reditude, is turned here 
 for profit or advantage, let tlitm conlult in this Book the 
 nth chap. 6. they will fee that the Verb 1!I;D whence this 
 word comes is ufed in the like fenfe. 
 
 H i^. This verfe, and thofe that follow to the end of 
 the chap. I have attributed to the Worldling; one can- 
 not doubt of the 3 laR, which are parallel with the 1 2th and 
 13th of the third chapter, the difficulty is in refpcctofthe^ 
 others, which precede^to wit, 1 3th, 14th, i<>th, i6th,and 17th. 
 
 In the five they do not fpeak againft Avarice in general, 
 thofe w^ho are greedy of wealth, and fhadea fine exucncedo 
 not find any thing here againlt them, they are levell'dfolely 
 againfl thole Mifers, who heap Treafure upon Treafure, v. 13. 
 and live in oblcurity and vexation, gnauuigand devouring 
 t emfelves inceflantlv, v. 7. and at the head of this difcourfc 
 there is made a kind of prelude; there is a vexatious evil, 
 V. M. meaning this greedinels to heap up Trcafures without 
 makins anvuleofthem. 
 
 This evil cannot but be vcrv odiou« to Sol-owon, but it is io 
 nqlcf«to the\Vorldlin;:,whofeek= nothing but sood cheirr.nvi 
 nvnh, to which of the two iLall we attribute ths ^I'l 
 
 mk ? 
 
ti2 REMARKS. Chap. V. 
 
 So far that ofSoIomonis a continud feries upon the account 
 of the fear of (jod, which he treats of from the beginning of 
 thechap. ; he teaches us nevTr to murmur a^ainft the difpen- 
 lation which lie makes of dignities and riches, v. 8 and p. 
 and making rcfledion. upon thefe,I mean, Riches without af- 
 fectation and exaggeration, he lliews the vanity of them, 
 V. IT. and the gnawing of mind, V. 12. which has a pcrfeiiit 
 aflinity with the manner in which hefpeaksof other vices or 
 of other evils. 
 
 To luppofe that it is he who continues, befides that it is 
 making him to change his method,and from avarice in general 
 to oblige him to pals to this kind of Milers whom he here 
 Ipeaks of, it muft be faid becaufe ofthe prelude which is fcen 
 at the head of this difcourfe, and that with new reafonings he 
 comes to combat thefe Mifers who live in darknefs and ob- 
 Icurity, that would not be extraordinary in another work, 
 where one lliould not introduce divers perlbns, and efpeci- 
 ally if one did not draw from thence confequences as pernici- 
 ous as thofe we fee in the laft 3 verfes ; but in this Book, 
 where, as I have already proved in divers places, Solomon 
 introduces other perfons, and perfons, who making a ihcw 
 to clofe with his fentiments, endeavour to ruin them, and 
 to turn them into ridicule. This dilcourfe ferving manifeft- 
 ]y to level the way to confequences \rhich are afterwards pro- 
 ]3ofcd, it cannot but be concluded that it is the fame World- 
 ling who has already fpokefeveraltimes, who under pretext 
 of clofmg with Solomons aim, and to fpeak againtt Avarice, 
 deturns the dilcourfe, falls upon thele Mifers, who are as o- 
 diousto him, as to tlTc mofl pious Souls, that in inveighing a- 
 gainft the obfcurity and melancholy they live in, hisconfe- 
 CjUencesin favour of good cheer and mirth, may appear more 
 natural and plaufjble. 
 
 liliall not dwell upon the affe6lation which appears in 
 tlie prelude, as well as in verfe 16. I do not fpeak o'i it but, to 
 the end it may be rcmembred, as I have made it obfervable 
 in the preceding chap, vetfe 7. that thefe external marks by 
 which itappearsthatit is the Worldling that fpeaks, are not 
 wanting here; but I wifh it may be obferved, ifi That 
 iS'c'/oz?'W introducing in this Book the Senflial Worldling, who 
 under pretext of imitating him, endeavours to ruine his 
 Dodirine, could not make him fpeak more to the purpofe; 
 for the Avarice which he Ipeaks of in the preceding verfes, 
 gives him a fine occafion to dogmatize, and to draw hiscon- 
 lequenccs for good cheer and mrrih, in combating this kind of 
 
 Avarice, 
 
REMARKS. Chap.V. 115 
 
 Avarice wliicli heaps Treafiirc upon Trcafuic, duA makes not 
 anyulcot tlicni. 2illv, let the conr.ection of the rcaloning 
 anatheconlc(iucnce which thcWoriJling draws be obierveJ, 
 for as one can lee nothing that rcrcniblcs him better, 
 no more can one lee any thing more extravagant or more 
 ridiculous, v. 13, amilerthat onepoignards in Ins bed, or 
 upon a liigh way, to take his trealiires from him whereof 
 he makes his loveraign good, is delcribed, v. 14. ex[X)lcd to 
 fallc teihmcnts, falle donations, and all the tricks which are 
 Icen in Julhce ; and, in fine, he is let in view, v. 15. naked 
 anddifpoyled o^ his goods, going to the Grave with empty 
 hands, and this great realoning which in a heart wcllconi- 
 poled, ought to draw tears from ones eyes, is turned into jol- 
 lity, they will have it by conlequence, that there is nothing 
 lo fine, nor honourable, as to eat, drink and be merry, there 
 muft be no leis than having onis heart on the left, Eccl. 10. 
 2. torealbn after this manner. 
 
 In fine, Idcfire that thisChapterbe divided, that the 12 
 firit verlcs which Solomon fpeaks himlelf, be read all in a 
 breath, and that afterwards the relt be read, as a dilcourfe 
 which theSenlual Worldling makes, and that after having 
 made ones felf an Idea oftheie two dilcourles, they be compa- 
 red with one another; for on one fide one lliall lee a wile 
 man, as I have laid cllcwhere, of a Divine wildom, w ho 
 gives us a perfect Idea of the relpeclml fear which we ought 
 10 have for God, and his wildom, teaching us to bring to his 
 Altars a I.cart relpectlul, humble, wnleand hncere, and in 
 all the other occalions of our life, a Soul full oi^ veneration 
 and fubmiffion for his providence, and on the other a 
 Dodor of no worth, wdio alter a grave auflcre, and even hard 
 rcaloning, draws a mad conlequence, inviting toFcallsand 
 Mirth, bccaule we delcend naked into the Grave, or beciiile 
 there arelome people whofc madnels, ihcruit of tb.cir Gold 
 and their Silver, makes them live in dark'nels and a continual 
 torment. I will lay nothing of the difference which is be- 
 tween the Idea wliicli Solomon gives of the Riches of the 
 Earth fo natural and fcnfible, and the rigour of thcle fen- 
 rcnccs, that Riches bring the Ponyardtothe brcait of their 
 Makers, or cxpole them to falfe contracts. One mutt ent r 
 into too great a particularity, if I would lay open ail tic 
 Beauties which appear in thisoppofition, I content my i-i:. 
 to makeit obfcrvablc, that in lucha dilccuvle as thif^Avh.f.^ 
 Solomon has a mind to difcover tiie extravagances ofthcSci 
 lual Worldlings inmj.king them J]^cak thcniiclves,, he \v?.\\< 
 
114 REMARKS. Chap.VL 
 
 thanfpcak in this place fo much to die purpoie, and that in 
 giving tlicm their duQ Charadcrs, he does not only render 
 them\idiculous , but lie gives to his own Dodlrine a new 
 lulhxr. 
 
 K 19. The original here is well rendered, but ifoneob- 
 lervcsthat theWorldling will have fomcthing more than t» 
 be difinga2;ed from the Riryofihe mifer , that will in eflfeel 
 cat of his Goods one lliall find that it was necefTary to give 
 fbme notion of the temper which he willies. That is the gift 
 o" Gcd : this term of the gift of God, taken in all its extent, 
 as it is here, cannot fignify lefs than felicity, happinefs, John 
 7. 10. if thou kne weft the gift of God- lee the notes upon the 
 3d Chap. V. 1 2. 
 
 Ai 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 . T Have faid nothing in the preceding Chapter, touching 
 -*• the tranhtion which I have added to the laft verle, 
 becaufe that depends on thisChap. in which if theWorldling 
 (peaks, as I liippoie, one has nothing to lay againft the con- 
 ne6lion, unlels one conceives that one has a more natural 
 than mine, which I am not againft. Now^ it appears that it 
 is theWorldling w^ho Ipeaks, and that in the whole chap. 
 in as much as the dilcourfe being plainly on the fame fuhjeAy 
 befiJes the aftedlation which one lees in the two firft verfes, 
 w^hcrein the propofition begins and ends, upon which runs 
 all the reft with ih'ong exprefllonsof evil, and contagious e- 
 vil, which multiplies vanity, and luch like things; we find 
 V. the 3d and 6th, ways of (peaking, parallel to thole which 
 theWorlJling makes ule of v. 18. and in the 3d v. 1 2. and 13 
 thefe ways ot Ipeaking are, that his Soul was latiated with 
 good, that he has fecn or enjoyed good, which are advanced 
 in the fame fenfe, as in the places which I have juft quoted, 
 as if felicity and the Soveraign prod confifted in that alone; 
 what is laid of burying, v. 3. confirms this, /or this burying 
 is fuppoled as one of the condirions of beatitude, which li- 
 terally taken, cannot a^ree wath^Sb/owo^ 1. or with theWorld- 
 ling; andin themetaphorick fenle, which one cannot deny 
 to be very natural, it cannot fuit but with the worldling on- 
 iv. 
 
 The 
 
I 
 
 REMARKS. Chap.VT. 115- 
 
 The oblique lenle of this propofition; all ilic 1.ilx3ur of 
 man is for Ins mouth, coiuainci mv^ 7. what is laid v. 1. 
 better i? the fight of the Eyes than the wandrings of the 
 Soul, the ironick alUifion which is made v. n. to what 5a- 
 lomonlud laid in the preceding chap. v. 7. whereby uGng 
 the fametenns with 5(yWo«, that there are a muliituJe of 
 words which multiply vanities, to fay that Solomon's diicouvic 
 was nothing but a vain babble, ihe whole reaioning whereby 
 from the 3d V. to the loth inclufivcly, it is proved that a hue 
 Family, a long Lite, Reputation and Wildom are nothing ; 
 to cat and drink, on the contrary, making the lolc happinels 
 of the man. 
 
 And in fine, their allufions which apj^ar pliinlyin the 
 anlw^cr of Solomon m the following chap, and thit I lluli 
 make obfervable,to what the Worldling lay? in this chap, or 
 at the end of the preceding inconteftably prove that it is he 
 that fpeaks here. I am luccincl , becaule I defire to be fo, 
 and that I hope with the help of the paraphrale, and tlie 
 connection of wlur precedes with what follows, there will 
 be no difHcultv to apprehend mc. 
 
 To fay now as I have done in the other places where Solo- 
 mon has'introduced the Worldling, that he makes him ipcak 
 much to the purpofe would be very uielels, if I have hit the 
 fenfe , becaule by the reading only of the paraphrale, one 
 may fee that theWorldling taking the opportunity which So- 
 lomon s^wcs him, by what" he laid againft Avarice in the nrc- 
 C: ling chap, is overioy'd to combat the Grandeur and Ele- 
 vation of the Soul, jult as before he had combated its mean- 
 nefsto heap Treaiurc upon Treafure without making any ule 
 of them. 
 
 But I cannot pals in filence, that in making the Worldling 
 fpeak as he does here, he makes him dilcover the meanneis 
 and malignity of his Soul, in a more palpable manner, than 
 if he had accufed him himfelf q^^ all that he makes hunlay, 
 for he makes him Ipeak ill of all that is greatcll in the 
 world upon a fuppofition which is not generally true, that 
 great men are Slaves of their Elhtcs; for it is well known 
 thatit is not their governing palfion, and that if they h.ave 
 this weaknels with the rcrt cl men, to enrich thcmfclvcs 
 and their Families, it is not lb (irong in them as in a private 
 Citizen : adding, that tho it were true that they were ex- 
 treamly greedv of Wealth, this greedinefs, in (heabun^iance 
 which the Worldling luppMcs them in himlelt', would noi 
 hinder them from latisfyint^. their n.outii, if it wns :hc;rra'- 
 
 I 2 fio • , 
 
n6 REMARKS. Chap, VI. 
 
 iion , fincc they nccl not, without cxpotliig themfelvcs to 
 greater cxpcnccs, but lire, as, oftentimes manV of their Do- 
 mcfticksdo, and that, in tine, this wcaknels not being, as I 
 liavc faiJ,in j^reat men greater, nor 16. great as in thole who 
 are infinitely inferiour to them, it ought not even to becon- 
 fidcreJ, feau.fe of their great vcrtiies, but the greatncfs 
 of Soul trotiblcs them, ai>d it muitbe beat down right or 
 wrong, by cakimniating it, or otherwise, and lb their mean- 
 nefs anddetradtion appeirs evidentbv in thegrofsof thedif- 
 courre,and when onepaflesLO the particularities one fees that 
 they ellecm nothing but the life of a Hog, a fine Family, a 
 long and qtiiet Life. W i Id om, and high Reputation are to 
 them Ids confiderable than a day of Debauchery, : let men 
 multiply after the manner of Beaits, let them be educated as 
 they are in lenfuality, let them not know the difference be- 
 tween the righ.t hand and the left, let a man be fenfible to 
 nothir.gbut what may tickle the Palate, that is their ambit'* 
 on, and all that api:>ears info delicate a manner, that r- • 
 perceives in their mofi: loftned expreffions the greatcif vio-- 
 lences oftheir pafTion, which, compared with what Slmw^H- 
 lays before or after, upon the accotuit of the fear of God, and 
 particularly what he lavs of Riches, gives to any one who 
 hasanylenfe ofVirtueand Piety, a love for his Doctrine, 
 and a horror for the Worldling, and for his. 
 
 This is what one may learn in general from this place, but 
 let one enter into the circumltanccs which Solomon was in, 
 one fees very well, that in making" the Worldling hold the 
 Language which he. liolds in thischap. he probably has relpe6l 
 to his Courtiers and to himfelf; what his life was is known, 
 by what he lays chap. 2. of this Book, and probably accord- 
 ing to the lentence, Rejrls ad exemplum, totm componitur or- 
 hls, his Courtiers had not been more moderate than hi mielf, 
 liisconverfion Avas to be a check to tlieir dilTolutenefs, lb that 
 he docs not doubt but that thev would endeavour to turft 
 liisown difcourle againic himlclf, fo he prevents them and 
 iiKikcsit a ffiame to them, in dilcovcring Vv'hat they fhould 
 think and lay about 4iim. This great man, and all that is 
 laid of him , his Goods, his Riches, his Glory, his long Life, 
 Reputation and Wifdom cannot be underlbdd of any more 
 ju/ljythan ofhim; what i? laid, y. 2. that a (Granger and a 
 great manlliould pillage and devour the Goods of the firrt, 
 Icems to have rclpecl to what I have laid upon v. 13, 14. of 
 the 4th chap, that Jcrohcnm ib.ould . come one day and 
 plunder his Goods: Wliat 5^/?»o^li»ppofo" that the World- 
 lings 
 
R E M ARK & Chap. VL j 17 
 
 lings of liis time ihoitld lay of bim, aiulw li.it is ii\l v. ^. 
 that if this ^reat miiii has no Grave or Diirial, he is cftccir.cd 
 JciS happy tfian an abortive, has a pcrlc.^l relation with the 
 Uilcouile which the W'orLihngs ihciild hold aW^ut hini,«f»;o. 
 ante obtham fsli,\\ It is true, lie paile I liappHy p.nt ot his 
 days, but he ends thw'in uuierably, an ill end ruins the Hneit 
 lite. 
 
 I) 2. But a Stranger, I havetranOateJ, for a Foreigii Cap- 
 tain, tl;c ^D oftliC orii;inal is more generally taken for, tor 
 than for, but, and in this place it is toinv thinking more na 
 tural and (irongcr ; the term of Captain whic!i I make ul' 
 of is in the originah^^' vi^. wl.ich figniHes a n^an of mc 
 rit ; and as I have already fiid, this making allufion io Jcro- 
 bo.im^ or in general to fome Warriour, who Ici/es t!ic Elrate 
 of this great per lon which I here r[x:ak of, I tliought 1 ought 
 to expreis my Iclf lo. 
 
 For the ref^, the whole Icntence, that f inc Foreign Perfba 
 ll"iould eat the Go(xls of the firft, has iome relation with w^IuL 
 one Ices every where, and which was fo elpecially mlfiacl^ 
 :rsone of the ^rcateft temporal evils, that ftrangers Hiouki 
 pilLigcyou, fee Pf. 119. 11. If. 62.8. but efpecially the fine 
 Icnlcotthelc words of vvifdom, 6. 6. potentes patenter torTj.enta 
 pa tend fir. 
 
 C 3. And if he has no burial, Ice the notes upon the firfi 
 vcrle. 
 
 D rc. I have tranflated thisverfc in La:in, beciufelcouli 
 iirido it word forword otherwife: let the original be exa- 
 mined, let the liibieii: be oblervcd which is handle.!, and the 
 ailulion tfuit i'o/t/wc/// makes in the following chap. v. 1. to 
 what is laid in this, and one lliall Hnd in mv opinion, that 
 my fenfe is very natural and much to thefubjeil. With him 
 tl^at is mightier than he : ourtranflation is very exa61 in this 
 p'ace, foY the Hib.v^^rjnr"U; is an abreviationofc]^prnS^^'hich 
 tho it ha,^ its origine'i^r/'T^/r/-,is properly chaldaick j tor we Ite 
 ii frequently in J/V/;/V/,whcrcas we do not find it any where 
 elle of the whole Teltiment but in this place, according to 
 the lenle which D.micl ufesitin, it fign.ifieslirongand hard, 
 luch as Iron, D.m. 2. 43. which agrees perfectly with death, 
 which I have underftood this word of; but befides, Ibjlieve 
 Solomon had a mind to exprcfs theSatyrical refledion which 
 they made upon the Taxes wh.icli he had impoled on his j)eo- 
 ple, asifonclaiJ, he cannot dilputc a^ainii death, '.vhici) 
 isftrongerand harder than he, giving it to be underftood 
 •^^* '^r ?'i| been hard, wherein probal by 5"'^ WO/T pre- 
 
 I ^ tendc i 
 
ii8 REMARKS. Chap. VII. 
 
 tended to tax and accule himlelf of hardnefs and rigour. 
 E II. See the remarks upon the firft verle. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 A 5.^T^Hen to hear the Songs of fools, fome tranflate quam 
 -*- vir aadiens, then the man hearing, the word u;K 
 which is in the original, fjgnifies indttdman, but it fjgnifies, 
 lome one, I cannot accomn odate my lelf with either, Prov. 
 18.24. Solorr.on ules it tor ;y^ to be, and in that place the 
 Ckaldce laraphraR has taken it in' this lenle,having tranflated 
 JI'X ^^ has not done the fame thing in this place , but it 
 ieeras to me that Solomon himlelf having uied this word in 
 this fenfe, and the tranfljtion being very eafie and very na^ 
 tural It would be well to tranflate quam ejj audiens, then to 
 be 1 eariiig,I fay this, to the end reflection may be made on it. 
 So chap. I c. 3. where probably it is an abbreviation again of four 
 words :n one lole one, ^•'ODPi'n "It^JI '13 whereof the three 
 firfl are better diflirguifl.ed,chap. 12. 7.I am not lure of this, 
 I would have ftronger proofs, but, as I have faid,t!ierc is fomc 
 probability that thole who have infjght into the//e^re»Tongue 
 may make reflexion on it. 
 
 By. Surely, the original is ''"1 w^hich ordinarily fignifies 
 for, and the lenie which I have g^ven in the Para phrale,fhews 
 that this is a realbn of what Solomon has jufl faid in the pre- 
 ceding verfe. 
 
 Cp. To knew that the delp'te and choler which is here 
 Ipoke of, ie as I note it, this chokrofthe finners w^ho cannot 
 lufferto berebukeijletit be compared with the 2d verle of the 
 1 2th chap, ior tbeterm.s are the fame, and there is but this 
 difference that Solomon fpeaks here with a kind of larcalm, 
 whereas in the other he Ipeaks in earned and with tender^ 
 ncls. 
 
 D 10. In this verfe I have iiippofed that Solofron reproves 
 hisdifcourie, let the thing be examind, and let the verfe 8. 
 and 9. of the 5ih chap, be colle61ed with this and thole 
 which follow, and one fhall Ice the connection • for in this 
 pbce of the 5th chap. Solon.on learns us to keep our Tongue 
 by J mxotivc of the fear of God, lo that we do not murmur a- 
 gainfl tic dilh'ibution which he makes of Dignities and Rich- 
 es. Here he Jearns us net to hold certani diicourics which we 
 ufein piofperity and advtifity^ and lor the reft he ules ways 
 
 of 
 
REMARKS. Chap. VII. 119 
 
 of fpcaking wliich arc the i.imc, fays he, in that XTrfc 8. 
 wonder not, and in this lay not, itistnie in the preceding 
 vcrle, thcrcis a Hke way ot fpcaking, but the lenie l}icvv> 
 that it is a lei|ucl ol the other verlc. In rtnc^wlicn vveili.ill 
 come to the icth chap, one ("hall fee th.^t Solo7fhvi d^s^i in 
 that place Avhat he docs here ; tor as in this chap, he refute^ 
 HrRthe WoridHngs, and ules them with fliarpnelsand ctm?- 
 tempt, afterwards rc-adumin^ his Hrlt diicourlc iii the i^^th 
 chat), he likcwiieaniwcrs,or rather p'ay5uiK>n the War Idhnr; 
 with indignation and contempt, umn the account f»f' what 
 he had laid in the 9th chap, and then he re-aflume« the dil- 
 courle he liad l^gunin tlic Sth, upon the account oftl.e obe- 
 dience which is due to Princes. 
 
 E 12. I have liippofcd in this verfc", that the n»nni iliafl 
 vivify relates to what is faid before under the fVa low of wil- 
 dom, imder the iliadow of Money, Solon:nn having ch^mged 
 the future, of A'^/ into tliat of Pihdy and inUead of fiying he 
 Ihallhvc, having faid, l"hall vivific. 
 
 For the ' el^, the tranilation which I have given the HODnn 
 nirn knowledge of wifdom, is the lame with that of the in- 
 tcrlineary verhon, and according to the rules of Grammar, 
 and in the Paraphrafe I have rcndred Jiat, by the knowleJgc 
 which Wildom gives, becaule I had a mind to make it ini- 
 deritood, that the bufinefs is not of a Hmple fpeailativc Idea 
 of wildom, but of thole Lights, which true wildom and the 
 fear otGod give when it has taken root in the heart. 
 
 F I J. Confidcr the work of God, I have liipps'd that the 
 'v\'ork nere Ipoke c^^ is the fune with that whicli is (poke of 
 chap. J. 1 1, becaufe the exprclTion is the fame, and that in the 
 following vcrle Solon:on lays of this work, what he hai laid of 
 the other, that God has made a time for all. 
 
 G 15. In thisverle, tlie feries of thedilcourfeis interrupt- 
 ed by an, I have leen, the w^ords which follow, the lite of 
 my vanity, are an affectation, the tliought is impious, and 
 the lame with that o( chap. s. vcr. 14. and of chap. 9. \i. 
 where it will clearly appear that it is the Worldling who 
 fpeaks, there is no need of any more, in my opinion, to 
 prove that he fpeaks here. 
 
 For the rei^, Solomon having reproached us for our irreve- 
 rence to God, when he Ipcaks of the partition which he has 
 made of Dignities and Riches, chap. 5. 8,9. and of the alte- 
 rations of our life bv prolperity and adverfity, vcr. it, 12. 
 he could not make the Worldling Ipeak more to tlie pin pole 
 tlianto make him objedV, what it would Ijave been necefiarv 
 
 I 4 b? 
 
I20 REMARKS. Chap. VIII. 
 
 to have rcproach'd him \^ith, by lb much the more, that 
 what is laid here, is the greateft of all our irreverences to- 
 ivarJs God, and that making it appear hkc an objeclion, he 
 takes occafion from thence to combat it w^th more force. 
 
 H 10. This verfe appears plainly linked with that which 
 foliows,and the Ol alio, which is at the head of the 21ft verfe, 
 iLewstbat they ought to go together, that has made me lay, 
 that Solo?nonhd.A a mind to give three advertiiements, that the 
 Djfcourle might appear the clearer. ' 
 
 I 19. Ten Governours ; let the paflages quoted in the Para- 
 phrale be examined, one fliall apprehend by that, whether 
 my fenfe is exa6l in this refpc6L 
 
 K 23. And the realbn of all things, I have tranflated Hib- 
 tilty, invention ; and to know whither I have been in the 
 right, one needs but obferve that the term of the original is 
 the fame with that of the 1 alt verfe, wdiich we have tranflated, 
 Difcourlc, which is-oppofite to redlitude, fpoke of in the lame 
 veric, and which plainly imports the fune thing, 2iS Solomons 
 reproaching man, ver. 17. with being wicked aud foolilli to 
 excefs, maintaining his Impieties and Follies, in controuling 
 the wifdom and juftice of God ; in fine, the fame term is 
 uled 2 Chron. 26. 15. to fay Engines, Machines, or inch things. 
 L 28. What I have faid in the Paraphrafe of this verfe, that 
 it 15 not pofTible but that there muft be fome pious woman, I 
 take it from the verfe itfelf ; for fmce Solomon fought yet whi- 
 ther there was none, it is plain that he thought fo, for one 
 does not feek, what one knows one cannot find ; and in fine, 
 the Pronoun which he joins with the word 7yo;?^e«, tkeje^ con- 
 firms the interpretation ; as the interpretation confirms this 
 thought, that he fpoke but of the w^omen of his Court, or 
 others whom he had known. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 A I. T^ITHO knows what means, thin^^ the Hihreveh^s 
 ^^ it, who knoAvs the interpretation of words, that 
 3S to fay o[ ff^ni^mas, for it was formerly one of the firft qua- 
 lities of the Sages, i Kin. 10. i. 2 Chron. p, i. which pafs'd 
 into denomination. 
 
 The boldiieis of his Countenance, the original contains the 
 fame way of fpe.iking that Solomon ufes, Prov. 21. 29. and if 
 one examines this paflage con;ointly, with that of Dent. 28. 50. 
 
 and 
 
REMARKS. Chap. VIII. 121 
 
 mdo^ D.in. 8. 23. one lliiilliiiul that tins denotes PriJc, Ar- 
 rogance, ImpiiJcnccanJ Roui;Iuiels, oi lucli things. 
 
 II 2. The C'onfoimity between what is laid here of the Oath 
 oFGixl, and what avc read 2 S.ir?;. 21.7. llicws that it is an 
 Oath wc arc now upon, and the' we do not find that it is 
 laid, that the people Iwore U[\-)n the Coronation of their 
 Ivings, that docs not hinder it to be lb iinderltood, bccaufc\ve 
 find things C(]iiivalent, for i Chrpn. ir.3. when D,ivid was 
 cibbHlli'd King over all Ifr^el, it is laid, that thechcif of 7/^ 
 •..v/ Ixingcomctohini to Hvlrori, where hehadreign'd feveu 
 vcars l^ctbre all the reitof thcKir.gdom hadacknowiedg'd him 
 for their Prince, he made a Covenant with them, which ge- 
 nerally was accompanied with an Oath; Gni. 21. 23, 26, 28. 
 md tliat likewile in the Coronation oi Sulomo/iy 2 Chro. 25?. 14. 
 It is (aid, that all the Princes and Grandees of the State gave 
 him the hand, which was as it is ye:, the fign of an Oath, 
 Ezrk. 17. 18. 
 
 C 3. Be not hafly to go otit of his fight, (iand not in an evil 
 thing; thcunderibn lingof theie words, or rather of the ori- 
 ginal, depends on iheHehrnv phrafe, llare coram vd nd faci- 
 cm^ to be in the prelcncc, which the //f/^rcn-j make ufc of, to 
 denote decently the employment of confiderable perfbns atfoiit 
 -1 Prince, as are theMini(krs of State, or about lomc extreme- 
 ly elevated perfons, Elijah, Eli/ha, i.King. 12. 6. 2 Chron. 
 ' D. 6. Jer. 52. 12. Dcut. 1.35. 2 King. 8. 9. for one may re- 
 nark, that Solomon has feparated thefc two terms which are 
 ;oined in this phrafe, and has put one of them in each part 
 of this Sentence rj^n rjiJU ^H^P'^S that it is the firlf where 
 the rj^O is what is important yn 1313 "^OyH'Vx there is 
 the lecond, where again it is upon the loyp that we muit 
 ffop ; how if one obierves the Icnfe, which thefc two terms 
 have in the fird phrafe, as one mu(t neccflarily do, bccaufe 
 It is plain that Solomon alludes to it , ouq cannot tmder- 
 Ihnd what he fays here, but as I have rendered it in the 
 paraphrafe; do not f]uit his lervice, and do not perfif! in ill 
 practices, where to perfiH:, notes, becaufc of the oppolition 
 which one mui\ make of it, with to quit, that one ought not 
 even to enter into it, and when I oppofe to quit, to to perfiff, 
 mv thought is to oppofe. nSp to IQpn 
 
 P 6,7,8. Tliele three veiles relate icparately to the 5th, 
 ^vhich precedes them ; the wife man, fays .S^?Wo;z, about the end 
 '1' the fifthjwill know both lime and ;udgmcnt, for, fays he, in 
 the 6th tliere is a time and nidgment, meaning, that fmce 
 there is one, or becaule there is one, the wife manapplys and 
 
 ouclit 
 
122 REMARKS. Chap. VfIL 
 
 ought to apply himfelfto know and avoid it, ver. 7. beaufe 
 he does not know -vvhatlliall happen, for if he is ignorant of 
 what will happen, he will take fo much the better care of 
 what he does, and of the time, and the judgment which may 
 fall upon him ; and in fine, becaufc he perceives that death 
 does not depend of him, it is at the 8th verfe; for if he con- 
 fiders well , that his life is not in his hand to preferve it, 
 lie will open his eyes to avoid this time and judgment, in 
 which it might be taken from him ; I have not cxprcfTed this, 
 as well becaufe it fcem'd not difficult to me, to be apprehend- 
 ed , as becaufe it feem'd to me, that I fhould make Solomons 
 Difcourfe lofe much of its beauty, which principally confifts 
 in this accumulation of reafons, which tho ifhort, cutting and 
 join'd without any thing whatfoever that fepafates them, 
 make an effed upon the mind, that a circuit which one can- 
 not avoid in a connexion makes them Iole,befides that the re- 
 fledlion which the mind is obliged to make to find it, which 
 it does without difficulty, gives it a pleallire, and makes it 
 enter more perfeclly into the fenfe. 
 
 E p. And apply'd, the original imports, and to give or in 
 giving, let the lame exprellion befeen, If^, 37. 157. and after- 
 wards let it be obferved, that the fenfe this way is fo natural, 
 that It can*t be more. 
 
 F 10. This place to the end of the 9th chap. I have attri- 
 buted to the Worldling 5 1. Becaufe it is agreeable to the a- 
 ther places, where I have jfhewn that he fpeaks. 2. Becaufe, 
 as one fliallfee in the Paraphrafe and by the Remarks which 
 follow, it is oppofite to all that SoloTrrxi has faid before, elpe- 
 cially from the 7th chap. ; for as I fh ill make it remarkable, 
 his reafonings are followed ftep by ttep.to combat them. 3. Be- 
 catife the three firft verfes of the loth chap, appear plainly a 
 reply of Solomon^ againft all this extravagant Difcourie. 
 
 For the reft, I leave it to the Reader to make the reflections, 
 which I have made him fenfible of in another place, which 
 he is to make when the Worldling fpeaks ; whether Solomon 
 makes him fpeak to the purpofe, if what he makes him lay 
 fuits with his Sentiments, his Subtilties, and his Copift Ge- 
 nius, and in fine, the effccl which his Doitrine produces, 
 join'd with that of Solomon, 
 
 • Only I (liall fay, that as hel"hall introduce him but once 
 more, and that he will make him fay but few words, he 
 makes him recollcvfl here all his Doctrine, wc are going to 
 fee how. 
 
 G16. 
 
REMARKS. Chap. VIM. 12? 
 
 G i6.This vcrlclx-j^ins with tliis advcrlntyiD'/'-^'^^-*- ''^;<''^^'^> 
 or rather ^«o fnim n:oh,{o\ it docs not only note the conformi- 
 ty of acHons or thing?, but imports Ibmcunusthc rcalbn ; fee 
 ill what Icnfc it is employed, chap. S- I4- i" ^^^^ ^'^-^P- '^vhich 
 follows vtr. 2. and in 1 1/5. it is uled only to denote Iblcly tlie 
 rcicmbbnce or conformity; I have contented my (eU\vith 
 this only, bccaiilc I could not cxprels my felf as I willicJ, 
 l-jccaule of tlie/or which follows, and which I could not for- 
 ger, as wcare goin.^ to lee, and that Ix^fiJcs, as mtich a^ it is 
 poiTible, in laving the fcnlc, one mult HOt too much preis the 
 fl^nihcationof a term when it is not common, but let thole 
 who underfbnd it reBcv:!:. 
 
 For the red, I have lookVl upon this adverb in the fame 
 manner a? an allufion to what Solomon had ]u(l: laid vcr. 9. 
 the thin^in my opinion is without diipute, that which fol- 
 lows will perhaps be more contelled. For alio the Secr^ gives 
 neither night nor day reft to his eyes, in my opinion, we re- 
 member that SoloTKon was called the Seer, i Sam. 9, p, i r, ip. 
 und if one recals that to mind, and obferyes what Solomon. 
 has already laid, I know not how many times, that he has 
 leen, writing P'eacher like that exhorts he liippofcs that the 
 Worldling rallying upon his account, would make an ec]ui- 
 vocation of this word ^i-fr, and fb he makes him make it to 
 render him rcdiculous, in expofing to the light hinilclf, what 
 he fuppoled would be laid j let it not be conteftcd, if one per- 
 ceives one? heart touched. 
 
 In fine this, that the Seer flceps neither day nor night, is 
 an allufion, which the Worldling makes by way of mockery 
 to what Solomon had faid, and probably thinking on himlclf, 
 chap. 2. 27,. 
 
 H 17. I have quoted in the Paraphrafe the places of Solo- 
 ;;fo;2's Dilcourle, to which he alludes, I have but to fay, that 
 all his point rims ujyin the equivocation of the word, iliall 
 find, which Solomon had ufed chap. ;. 11. and chap. 7. 25. 
 in the firf^f peaking of the work of God, which is luch, that 
 tlerc is a t'me'for all, for evil as well as for good, he lavs, 
 that man blinded as hei^ fliall not difcover that : and in the 
 feco nd , fpeakiiig of this profound wifdom of Providence, 
 which rcfpcds the e\'ils wherewith God vifits the iu:f, and 
 the goods wherewith lie favours the vvicke<-l, he liatli faid that 
 m^n fhoul 1 not dilcover it, what is for and deep, as he fpcaks, 
 not being to be found, and now under the fivour of the c(iui- 
 vocation of thia term, the Worldling come? 10 tell us, that 
 man Ihall not, nor fliall Ic able to find this work of^God, 
 
 meaning. 
 
124 REMARKS. Chap. IX. 
 
 meaning, as he is goin§ to explain it in tlicfollo^'ving vede, 
 not that man l>iall not find it through liis bhndncfs, but that 
 having found it, he Ihall not difcover thereby the cauie of this, 
 work, whither it comes from love or hatred, whither Gol 
 makes any diftindion between tlie luft and the unjuil • I have 
 not noted this in the Paraphrafe, as well bccaufc in my opini- 
 on, the fenl« remaining fufpended for lome time, is line and 
 ilrikes more, when one comes to dilcover the equivocation by 
 the following verle. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 A 4. p O R to him that is joined, the Hebrew has 
 
 "*" which word for w^ord fjgnifies, nam q-Ats digetur vet 
 eligatur, ejl being imderdood, who Ihali be, or Inould be chofe, 
 which as every one lees, without doubt, relates very w^U to 
 thelubjecl and the thought of the WorldHng, w^ho probably 
 wouldcombat what ^o/o/-»o« lays chap. 7. ver. i. that the day 
 of death is better than the day of birth ; He iliews it Ukewile, 
 by what he fays in the Series, that there is hope or aflurance 
 to be taken in thofe who are alive, Hippofmg that one ought 
 to chufe them rather than the dead. 
 
 It is true, that in fome Editions, there is, Ihall be joined 
 inftead of fhall be chofe, which i^ not very dilhnt from the 
 true fenfc, for according to this Edition which our Tranfla- 
 tors have followed, this would fignific, who w^ould take part 
 wath them, to wat, the dead • but the firft fcems to be more 
 nauiral, and if I dare lay it, the only natural, the odier be- 
 ing very conftrained. . ^ 
 
 B 5. I have fuppofed that in this verfe, the Worldling in 
 proving that thofe wdio are alive are better than the dead, af- 
 fedsto alledgc things which regard Solomon dirc6lly, as the 
 wifdom and commerce which he had not nc^le»5lcd. 
 
 C 6. In this, I have fuppofed the lame thing as in the pre- 
 ceding verfe, it is that the Worldling alludes to Solomon, and 
 particularly, that what he fays of jcalouly or envy, regards 
 that which Solomon had conceived agiinft Jcrohoa??!. 
 
 D S. As for what is faid here of white Garments, fee Eh 8. 
 15. Rev. 3. 4, 5. and as for what is faid of want of no Oint- 
 ment, SzQ.Luk,j.^6. Joh,\2. 3. Prov. 27. p. _ 
 
 E 9. which he has given thee, which in the Original is o- 
 therwifc, which has, the woman which is given thee, and 
 
 this 
 
REMARKS. Chap. IX. 125 
 
 'Am 1? lb much tlic better rendci'd, tliat inliead of^nj I would 
 .ciu'^nD^^r tho one mull not dcfoilc the punduLition, one 
 ' iiot on ilic other lidc put it alxnea natunil lenlc, clpc- 
 V when one finds no other, unlels lomc term be uiiacr- 
 ih\K{, which is not ordinarily underlloovl, and that the con- 
 .'*'>u4-ni, 1 . {^-aincd, lor it isthat which happens here, fbj: if 
 verb in A'<t/, according to the pund^iation,God 
 itood, tho" he is not Ipoke of, neither in this 
 I he preceding, nor in tliat which follows, and 
 : ordinary ; lome will have it that the T^^ which is 
 
 • ipg refers to days, and mot to woman, but this would 
 
 .:.>lenle in the verle, for what would thi'^ mean, live joy- 
 lully with the woman thou lovell all the days ot the life of 
 thy vanity, which days God hath given thee under the Sun 
 all the days of thy vanity, lo we nnil-l: dctermin in favour of 
 our tranflation, which with the remark I have iurt made, is 
 ivithour dilpute. Oncniall find it flrange perhaps, that the 
 Senlual Worldling fpeaks lo reafonably, as to retrain himtclf 
 to the woman which Go^l hath given him for a Companion; 
 but let it be oblerved, that he has a mind to have his Doctrine 
 received in loftning it, and not rendering it plainly vicious; 
 bcfidcs, if one takes heed, there is ambiguity ni his dilcourfe, 
 belay?, the woman which thou lovefl:, and that may well be 
 imdcrftood of any whatlbever • he adds, which has been gi- 
 ven thee under the Sun, I am much deceived, or in this 
 place he fpeaks of woman in general, and that he means in 
 making a malignant allufion to what God fays in Gen. let us 
 make him a help, that woman, without (peaking of this or 
 that, is tlic com^xinion of man. 
 
 In fine, in this difcourfe, where the vanity of the world 
 - preached fb flrongly, it appears, that he who comes from 
 ipeaking in this manner, has more poifbn than he lliews, 
 fince inficad of fuch thoughts, he ought to be full of thole, 
 which Solomon hath given him of the nothuignefs of all 
 things. 
 
 F 10. All this contains a malignant allufion againll 
 them. 
 
 G 1 1. I leave it to the Reader to make his reflevftions, only 
 Jet him oblcrve his lupplenels, he follows tlie icnle of 5&/o- 
 «?•», excepting one word, with which he mines it. 
 
 H 14. I iiilpect this Parable alludes to Jn-obou7?t^ who 
 
 perhaps hr.d Icrv'd the State or (omc City in partiiTilar, in 
 
 ibme flgnal occafion, where they was in fome danger ; 1 havr 
 
 ' flron7crrcafon for it, than what I have ahcadvmade oh- 
 
 Icvval-. , 
 
126 REMARKS. Chap. IX. 
 
 Icrvable, that I fee, that the mott part of what is faid here, 
 has Ibmething proper and particular, which relates to the 
 very time that the Book was writ in. 
 
 1 17. This yerle in Solorm}i\ mouth would mean, that words 
 of the wile faid w^ith tranquility are more worth, and carries 
 a greater blow than all the cries of a fool ; but in the World- 
 ling's mouth one mult oblerve his affeded equivocations, and 
 for that one needs but obferve that the term nriD which figni- 
 fiesrert, fignifics alfo eafe, prolperity, Ifa. 30. 15. but what 
 is Ih'onger, is, that the fame term fignifies depofttum fercnhmy 
 a good dil"h. Job 1^6. 16. whk:h imports, that the Epecurcans 
 at their Table ate more worth, than he who is the Captain of 
 fools, alluding always to Solomon^ I would not precifely note 
 that in the Paraphrale, becaufe fome perlbns look upon that 
 as lo many iubtilties, or not to fay worfe, Idea'e. 
 
 K 18. What the Worldling fays here, alludes in my opi- 
 nion to Solomon, whom he will liippofe to have done many 
 evils, elpecially againft good people, at leaf!: I fufpecl that 
 that is his aim ; let it be true or not, I look upon thefe words 
 as a difcourfe ivhich Solomon puts into the Worldling's mouth 
 to fatyrize him, and that in this view to make him exprefs 
 his malice, and yet not to fpeak himfelf ; for as he fays 
 chap. 7. there is not a jull man who does not fm, and having 
 wandred from the lervice of God as he had done, one may 
 believe that he had committed many faults in his rambhng, 
 as for what is general in the verfe, they will fhew that the 
 wildom which Solo7mn fo much extolfd, efpecially chap. 7,. 
 ver. I. profits nothing by this reafon, that an ill man, will 
 ruinein a moment the laws and good order ofa State, which 
 was not eftabliilied without the labour of many wife perfons, 
 which has but a falfe glittering ; for as the vaoii wicked agree, 
 theproiperity of'aState, humanly fpeaking, depends on the 
 Laws and good order, the more danger there is for it to be 
 ruin'd by a wicked man, the more it is neceflary to provide 
 againfl: it, and to prevent this evil, which is thefource of all 
 others. 
 
 Tor the refl, I have faid fo often that the Worldling goes 
 ©n to his ends under fpecious appearances, that I hav^e forgot 
 to fay, that in this verfe, he Ipeaks neither againft w^ildom 
 nor againft Solomon^ but in taking the charader of a man 
 who dkems wiTiom above ftrength, and acknowledges and 
 deplores the misfortune of the World, that one only Sinner 
 ruines what it does beft • that ought to go before. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
REM A R K S. Chap. X. 127 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 A I. CP Rima fMpUmiA jhltitU ^Mrnijfe, 
 
 •*• B 3. When he who is a fool, I have tranllated m 
 the lame manner that he is a fool ; let one coniult the ori^- 
 nal, and iee the notes upon chap. 6. lo. 
 
 C 4. Yeild not thy place, one muft go to the original, and 
 to underftand the word HSP , which fignifies to let go, 
 let this place be compared with chap. 7. 18. chap. 11. 16. 
 where the fame term is uled. 
 
 As for the term which wchavctranflated yeilding, it fig- 
 nifies properly remedy, and let the Hebrew Concordances be 
 coniiilced, every w^here it is ufed for a proper Remedy,a Me- 
 dicine, metapnorical, or the means which are uled to repair 
 and reftore any vexatious thing that has happen'd; yeild- 
 ing in this place may be one of the remedies, but it does 
 not include them all, in a word, it is not the fenfe of the ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 And to take well that of tl.e whole verfe, one muii join 11 
 as I have done with the Paraphraie, with the 3d verle of the 
 Stlichap. for one fees by that, i\mt Solo/jion means, that not 
 only one muR not lightly quit the lervice of a Prince, but 
 that even when he is incenled, one muft not take offence k) as 
 to be exalpcrated, nor to be troubled fo as to diicouiage ones 
 fclf, but to fctk the means of appeafing him, all other ways 
 not being a remedy, but a ruine, as he has already infinuated, 
 chap. 8. and as he is going to prove in the Series. 
 
 D 6. And the rich, the' truth is the term, which is employ- 
 ed in the original fignifies rich ; but i. Let the oppofition be 
 obferved, which Solor/;on makes here between folly and the 
 Rich. 2. Let one obferve, that in the laft vcrfe of this chap, 
 the fame term is employed as a Synomime of King, and here 
 ae a Synonime of Lords or Prince?, which arc Ipokc in the 
 following verfe. 3. That P/?/. 45. 13. it is employed, to 
 fay the firfl-, or if you will the Princes of the People, and 
 that Ifa. 53. 9. it IS again in the fame fenle in this famotis 
 pafTage, ipcaking of J". C/;r. with the rich in his death, wIktc 
 It is plain, that one iimil not underftand by that fimp'y a 
 man that has wealth and riche?, but an honourable r-er n, 
 which appears by the oppofition v/hicli is mndc of it '■ ':■''> 
 
128 REMARKS. Chap. X. 
 
 the wicked Avho is fpokc of before, that fo the matter is ofper- 
 lonsofthc hio,hel]: Birth and pcrlonal Merit. • 
 
 E 7. To know what means this riding on Horles, here 
 fpoke of, one needs but to read, £/?. 6. 8, 9. Jer. 17. 25. Ez,€. 
 23. 23. 
 
 F 1 1 . S:c Pf. 5S. 4. and Jerem. 8. 17. Ill thole places as well 
 as here it is Ipokc of Serpents, againft which they ufed tome 
 Charm, I have looked upon that as 2il\-\m%^v\\\(z\\ Solomon 
 Ipcaks of according; to the thoughts of the vulgar, and not ac- 
 cording to liis own' 
 
 G 12. Swallow him up, Job :i,j, 20. Ifmanlpeaks hclhall 
 be Iwallow'd up, and oblerv^e that this is faid upon the ac- 
 count of the man who dares conteft againft God ; the ienfe is 
 alike to controul thewifdomof God, or that of ones Prince. 
 It is the way to make one lelf fwallowcd up by God for eter- 
 nity, and by the Prince for this life. 
 
 I iliall not apply my felf here to prove that in this and in 
 the preceding;, or thole which follow, 6'ij/<?;3^ow propofes to 
 himlelf to learn us never to fpeak indilcreetly of the Govern- 
 ment, the liibied he handles, and this term to fwallow up, 
 lliew it, for it is chiefly detrailion among Princes which has 
 fuch fatal conlequences. 
 
 H. What Ilia 11 be after him, I have tranflated before hefi- 
 niflics, let the Original be conliilted, onefliall fee that it is 
 the lame thing as prdu pofteriorihus Juisy orelle^ termor ihns fais^ 
 which is little different, but in this place com.es all to one; 
 for it is the lame*as to fay one cannot guels what will be the 
 iduc, or end of the Babblers difcourfe, or elle what they wil I 
 come to before the end of his difcourfe. 
 
 As for the entire fenfe, I have luppofed, as one may fee by 
 the Paraphrale, that Solomonhzsz mind to give an apprehen- 
 (ion for the Society of a Babbler; for this reafon, that there 
 is danger, that from iiich entertainments one does not come 
 lolomcthing worle, as wehavean example lin the exaltati- 
 on of ^i'^^, 2 Kinjrs 9.13. 
 
 .:I 15. The TraiVllation which I have given of this verfe 
 fuppoled^ to my thinking, one could not "otherwile under- 
 ilcivA this labour of f^ols, Ipoke of at firft, but in taking it 
 foridleneis, which belide?, that it is the root o'i all evils, fa- 
 tigues more than the moil penible labour. This appeared to 
 m"e xoh^SclomonsiQwk. 1. Bccaule chap. 4. 4. he reprefents 
 a Loyterer imdcrthe name of a Fool who folds his hands in 
 Ijisbolom., fothat fuppofing in that place, that the labour 
 of tlic Fool is to do nothing, when he. Ipcaks here of tl^c 
 
 la- 
 
REMARKS. Chap. X. 129 
 
 i.i.uui- of Fools, he ouglit to have undcilbod the liinc thing. 
 2. Bccaule that idknels Ix^ing the principi 1 caule, and die ink- 
 parable Companion ot Babble, clpccially of" this Detraction of 
 Court, which Solomon Ipeaksofinrhis place; it is probable, tha t 
 it is of it that he had a mind to Ipeak in thisverk, the evils 
 which follow It being no kls to be fcajcd by a man of Icnk, 
 than the moit cruel punillimcnt that a Prince can inllict • 
 and that, in fine, in mewing the misforumc ot the Babbler, 
 one cannot render him n.orc rediculous nor more worthy 
 of contempt, him and his cackling, than in iLewing that lie 
 is a la^y lor, who talks only Ixcauie he has not, nor knows 
 what to do, for in the kcond part of the verle, as one may 
 lee Solomon joins his ignorance with his idlcnei?, as being th;^ 
 true caule of it. As l^r the la(l part of the vcrle, who kuows 
 not how to go to the City ; which ought not to be taken, as 
 if a man coming from tl:c Country went to the City, for it 
 would not be a very blaniabk ignorance, unlcis it was th.e 
 Proverb of the Suburb, but from home in the rcil of the 
 Town, which happens but to young Children , who lole 
 themklvcs in the Streets bccauie they do not know then], 
 this relates to luch Proverbs Avhicli arc every where ; wrhat is 
 moft fecret here, that I would not put in the Paraphralc, 
 becaute thek Icrts of things ought always to be undcrftood to 
 preferve their grace, is tliat Solomon uks in this place this Pro- 
 verb rather than another, bccauie ordinarily thcie Babblers run 
 always from quarter to quarter, and that he was glad to note 
 their ignorance by a Proverb, which is at the lame time a 
 Goimter verity, which covers them with confufion, for there 
 are few inclinations worthier of mockery and contempt than 
 that. 
 
 K 20. Of the Rich, fee what I have faid in the notes up- 
 verfe 7. of this Chap, the Hyperbole of the Birds, which lliall 
 carr^^ the news of the fecret dilcourle of the detractor to the 
 cars of his Prince and his Miniiters , is nr.rural and com- 
 mon enough to have no need of explication, See Habb. 2. 1 1. 
 Luk. 10. 39. the lenk is, that there is nothing lecret which 
 is not difcovered, Luk.^. ly, all Ipeaks to betray a Sinner, 
 the walls have ears. 
 
 pi-VP. 
 
I30 R E MA RK S. Chap. XI. 
 
 CHAR XI. 
 
 A I. "D Read, fee Prov. 22. p. lie gives his bread to the poor, 
 -^ ib this only word is taken here for Alms. 
 
 Upon the waters, the original, upon the fice of the \v^aters, 
 liithe lame ienleas we lay to throw any thing into the Ri- 
 ver, to lay, to drown it, in which Icnle Mich. 7. 19. it is 
 faid, that Go 1 will caft our fnis into the bottom of the Sea, 
 U'Canino;, tluit Ijc will drown them, that no more may be 
 iaid of them: the term of the original, upon the face, de- 
 notes, that Alms ought to be di (per fed in a Ipirit of difinte- 
 rtiitdneis, as if being thrown into the waters, one hoped 
 nothing from them, but ipread on all fides, A^um. 11. i^i. 
 the Quails were to the heighth of two'Cubits upon the face of 
 the Earth, to lav, far avA wide. 
 
 , B 3. The lalit word of this Verb isjj<'nT ? which I lii- 
 fpedl to be an abbreviation of in"^ ^ot r^y;^^ a;nd of j^^n 
 iothat it is as if there was ^^^ y;^^ which was retrench- 
 ed becaule of the cacophony, the firll: n andthelecond T, -or 
 eh^e the lecdnd 1 and the lecond n ? I only lay this by liilpi- 
 cion, that thoie who underfland the Tongue, and have Ibme 
 life of thcfe ways of the Hebrews may make lome refleClion 
 upon it. 
 
 As for the fenfe which I have given to the laft part of the 
 verfe, it is reduced to this, tliat there is no good deed loft, 
 which refers very well to what Solomon fiys to cxprels it, that 
 there where a dead Tree tails it will be there ; for this word, 
 which taken literally , would be ridiculous, becomes fine in 
 this Icnfe, that even a dead Stock fallen at adventure, a good 
 deed of no confequence, done without dehgn, fhall be found 
 in tlie place where it was fallen, it will not be loft, one fhall 
 OIK day draw fomc recompence 'of it; arid for the reft, this 
 inte^"pretation isconfirnfd by the manner which iSoW;r/» rca- 
 lonsin in the two preceding verles; for as in each ofthefe 
 \ cries he joins to the exhortation, which he makes a realbn 
 which fortifies it; that at the lecond verfe, when he fpeaks 
 ■of giving a portion to fevcn ar»d to eight, he add?, for realon 
 r-hr,t onedoc'^nol know ^vhat iTiall happen ; that in the firft 
 
 t^diortin::: 
 
REMARKS. Chap.XI. 131 
 
 exhorting to cilt ones bread uix)n the face of the waters, lie 
 l.iys, for a realon that one finds it again, here likcwUc, ex- 
 horting to imitate the Clouds, he adds a reafon, which is, 
 that one Iliall not lole the E^ood that one does. 
 
 C 7, S. The firil of rhcle two verics is without dilputc, oi 
 the Worldling, the dirticult)- is upon the lecond, wh'ch is 
 taken awav, if one obicrvcs the original, whereof the fir(l: 
 part is word for word : For if man fives many years, he llr'll 
 rejoice all thelc years, where op.e may fee, as well by the far- 
 tide for, asby the thing it iclf, to wit, that man living lonn, 
 lliall rejoice during that time; what has been faid is proved 
 in the preceding vcrfe, in favour of life, and tliat lo it ought 
 to be the lame Perlbn. 
 
 What follows in the fame verfe, that he lliall rcmcml>cr, 
 fpeaking of man, the days of darknels, as a realon ot the 
 mirth that he is to take during his life, is in the bottom the 
 lame thing wnth what the Worldling lays before, chap. 9. ^j 
 6, 10. and it is uled in the lame Icnlc, which llie^vs again 
 that it is he that Ipcaks. 
 
 And as for the laft words, all that comes is vanity, they 
 have fo natural a lenlc, lo as I have render'd them in the Pa- 
 raphrafe; and lb prcpoftcrous and forced, if one takes ihcni 
 otherwile, that to my thinking, one can no more douU of 
 this explication, than of the lenle in which one tikes the 
 DTiOil common cxpreffions ; this is not a realon fome will lay ; 
 well, let us examine them, what docs this mean, all that 
 comes being laid upon the occafion of a diicourle, wherciii, 
 as it is done in the preceding verles, the time 10 come is fpoke 
 of, upon which it is li^ppoled one ought to have ones eyes, 
 can one undcrftand that otherwile than of this lame futu- 
 rity, and if in that which precedes immediately before, the 
 time which mns away after death is plainly fpoke of, and 
 iliat the words here Cannot Ix; under Hood of it, as it appears 
 )y the words themlelvcs, can oiie dcubt that it is not ot 
 thelelame things to come fpoke of, that this ought to be un- 
 dcrftood , efpccially when it is faid of this futurity , that 
 It is a vanity , and that one fees that he who fpeak- 
 three words before, is a perlon who has already appear'd nr.\ 
 ny times in this work, and has contradicted all that the .^ ■■ 
 tiior haslaid of mofl hn!y and facrcd: tor my part, one 
 ,i;ain, I fee no realon ro heht.Ue in thir: Inicvprcction. 
 
 If it bea-ked now, wliat this .inkis to the fulyeJt w!i:i[7 
 .:.''>tW.tf/j treats of, lanluer, '<h nit does nc)! rekueat all ' 
 .iiidih::i he introdn;e*'.i.t Worl.iji!:^'., !».. kij.^z :"^he di 
 
132 REMARKS. Chap. XI- 
 
 this vcrfc, to llicw tlieir extreme paHion lor life and its plca- 
 luics, as perfoiis tired n'ith a lerioiis and \yife difcourfe, in- 
 terrupt hull by a motive of weaiinefs and difquiet, almoll as 
 if tliey laid, kt them talk as long as they plcareof our duties 
 to our i rmces, and to the t^oor, all thefePreceps are tedious 
 and incommoding to us, Lire, Life is the foveraign good, to en- 
 joy it with all the'plealures it can give, that is telicity, which, 
 as every one fees, lerves but to render their lentimient smore 
 ridicuJousj in this, that it appears , that advancing them 
 out of leajon and through paifion, there is nothing in them 
 but conceit. This is what refpecls that wdiich precedes; but 
 as for w^liat follows, Solomon makes ule of it as a tranfition to 
 come to the exhortation, which he begins at the 3d verle of 
 the following Chapter, for having reprelented the World- 
 lins; ipcaking as he does in theic verles, and thereupon, as 
 he IS going to do in the two fid\ verles of the Chap, which 
 folluw?, having taken cccafion to give an apprehenfion to 
 young people, who are thole who have the moll: conceit for 
 life and its plealurcs, of the judgment of God, he makes ufe 
 of it to exhort them to a fpcedy repentance from their youth, 
 iLcwipigthem the evils of old Age w^hich attend them. 
 
 D Q. Reioice m thy youth, I have underitood by this youth 
 
 the time of greedinels, to eat and drink like children, who 
 
 eatahvays, Solomon himlelf lb underftanding it, chap. 10. 11. 
 
 .w^hen thy King is a child, this youth being in the lame verfe 
 
 explain'd by eating and drinking. 
 
 The days of thy youth, this I have taken for the time of 
 Luxury and Concupiicence, this diiUnu^ion appears by the 
 terms of the Original. 
 
 According to the fight of thy eyes, chap. 2. 10. I have de- 
 lucd my eyes nothin^?^ in fine, the whole verfe is a manifeft 
 allufion to what the Worldlitig fays, chap. ^. 7, 8, p, 10. 
 
 E 10. Sorrow,the term of tiie Original, is the lame with that 
 of chap. 7. p. which we ha\"e tranflated deipight ; now as in 
 that place Solomon reproves the Worldling, becaufe he frets 
 and chafes when one ccrreds him, it is very eafy to appre- 
 hend that in this place, ufingthe fame expreifion inalmolta 
 fame lenfe, he had a mind too to fay the lame thing. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
REMARK S. Chap. XII. 15^ 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 A r. LJ Ere Ix: gins tiiC touith anl Kili cxliinr.uio:i of Solo- 
 n. f^jori^ wlicrern he applies liimjcU to brins man to a 
 IpceJy converlioii towards Goi hoin liis yt)uth, "\vhicb hn in- 
 cludes in thcic two words, remember tfiy Locator, iniilin.g 
 puticularly on the realon which he allcdgcsfor it, wlii^h is 
 the evils ol'dd Ai;c, which end by death. 
 
 I have endtavour'd to make the force ot this word remcm- 
 heVy lenfible in tlic Paraphralc , and 1 will add but thefe 
 Text.-jAvhich may, it one rctledsiipon them, confirm my ienfe, 
 Exod. 20. 8. remember the Sabbatii day to lan^^tifie it,' where 
 the term,toremcml'>er, is explain d by the addition which is 
 tiierc made, to wit, tofanCtitie it, Juii. i6. 28. O Lord God, 
 it is Sa??jpfon who ipeaks, remember mc 1 prav ihec, and 
 itrengthen me I pray tJiec this once ; where one Ices that he 
 asks a remembrance c^ love and luccour; in HriC, L^fk. €3. 42. 
 the goodTh cf Ipcaks in thefe terms to ]. Chr. Lord rcmcir.bcr 
 mc when thou comell into thy Kingdom : what rcmembraiice 
 does he ask, but a remembrance of love, which may niakc the 
 Saviour drawing him from mifery, ii^troiuce him into his 
 glory ; in proportion, the matter is now of a remembrance of 
 the lame nature, Solor/.on will have the man remember liis Cre- 
 ator, with a remembrance of love and acknowledgement, 
 which may bring him to his fervice ; tl^c term of Creator is ia 
 the plural in the original, as chap. 5. 8. God is called the high 
 ones, to fay the moft high, for io this word Creator, ouoht to 
 be taken for loveraign Creators. 
 
 Thereafon which SnloTron alled2;es, is that which we miift 
 infilt upon with him, in my opinion, it is not neteflary fov 
 mc to4y, that Death is an cloriuent mailer in iel))ed of the 
 Icrviceand fear of God, and that in propDition, the evilfof old 
 Age proJuce again in tiiis reipcit lome change in our hearts j 
 even' one knows th it if v/e will live i 11, at Ic \[\ would we dye 
 well, when we arc at handy blows with death, we would 
 even then have lived well, there is no vexation, remorlc or 
 fear, which docs not ftir at this moment ; and in propirxion, 
 during the evils of old Age; io that if in the grcatell evils of 
 
 K 3 youth; 
 
134 REMARKS. Chap. XII. 
 
 youth, one could repreient to ones felf perfedly, the ftate which 
 one fhall fill into, it is certain that the wicked would be very 
 far fro^. carrying his crimes lb far as he does; fo one may per- 
 ceive that Solomon could {\y nothing flronger,and one may add, 
 more to the purpole; he has made thcWorldUn^ fliy all the 
 extravagances which dilTolute youth falls into, and what more 
 to the purpole, than to fliew to this Youth old Age, the time 
 which isoppOiite to it, eipeciall^' in this work, having fpoke 
 lo on of the work of God, whereby he makes a time tor all. 
 
 But the Reader will make himlclf thclc reflections, I come to 
 that Vv'hich is difficult in this place, and I am going to juttifie 
 my Icnic, or at IcaR to alledge the realbns I had for it ; one 
 ought to obiervc that Solomon reprelents old Age at 3 different 
 repriles, which appears by the repetition of thele two words, 
 yhn "ii; whllft, or before that, verfe 3, 4,and 8. 
 
 In thefiril, ver. i. he reprelents old Age in calling it by 
 the name of evil days, and laying that the years draw nigh. 
 
 Inchcfecond, ver. 2. to the fifth inclufively, hereprelejits 
 It firft under the image of a tcmpelt, wherein the Sun, the 
 Moon and Stars are obicur'd,by thick clouds which hides them, 
 ^cl. 27. 20. St Luie fpeaking of this gtcat tempeR, which he 
 was e^'pos'd to with St Paul, when they conducted him to Rome, 
 he lays, that for many days they law neither Moon nor Stars, 
 the ftorms lucceeding one another without mterval ; which is 
 io much the more to the purpofe, that befides, that thefe Itorms 
 which lucceed one another without interval, repreient very 
 well the dileafes which old age is expos'd to ; this oblcurity of 
 the Sun, Moon and Stars, which in the Scripture is often ufed to 
 repreient days of affliction and anguilli, as Ifa. 12. 10. £^. j2. 
 7, 8. is a manifefi allufion to the idea which the Worldling 
 had given of life, chap. 11. 7. that he had reprefented under 
 that of light, Solomon Ihewing that what he called light changes 
 into oblairity and darkncls. 
 
 And in thefccond place, by a Hieroglyphick delcription of 
 the lols of the corporal ficulties, or at lealf of their diminuti- 
 on, as of tirength, teeth, fight, ver. 5. of the voice, ver. 6. of 
 adiion ormotion, ver. 7. 
 
 And, in tine, in the 3d. making ufe always of emblems, he 
 reprefentsthc laft dllTolution which happens, eipccially in the 
 death of all our faculties, even the realonablc, by that of our ■ 
 Nerves, our Brain, and our Heart, and of the Veins and Arte- 
 ries which correlpond to them, which he does ver. 8. in the 
 r?th, noting the Iq^aration of the Soul from the Body, this de- 
 iccndin" to theeaith, the firfl "oing to God : After this Ana- 
 
R E M A R K S. Chap. XII. 135 
 
 lyfc, which will lervc mc for a tbundation, I am golno to 
 mltihethccTphcaiion which I have j»ivcn,ot'the places where 
 I think foiiic oirtkiihics miqht be made to me. 
 
 D4. P.cforc all thir.i^s, let one divide this vcrlc ir.to two 
 p.irts, the Hrllconiprilcd in thcie words, and the two leaves 
 oFihe d(H^rs lliall be lluit towards the fticct, or at the :n.irkct 
 place, with abatcmrnt of the iound of the Grind-llonc. 
 
 And thelccord in thele, and one Ihall rile at the voice of 
 the Bird, or as I havetranllated, and one (hall raile ones kh] 
 or heave to the voice ol: a Bird; the Singer^lhall be abate), or 
 the Daughters ot Mulick fhall be brought low. 
 
 After tl.is divifion, let one remark, tiiat the lali: member 
 of each o|" thcle parts, notes inconfilfable tlie abatement Oi 
 iome Iound or lome voice, in the firf}, to that of the voice of 
 the grinding or Grindlbne, and in the other, that of the 
 Daughters of Mufick. 
 
 Andbeiides, let it be remanbrcd that Solomon In? made 
 Worldlings flpeak in this Book, that not only their S.»ngs 
 Abort in their Fea{^s, but alio their extravagance to make 
 their Teeth cralli, makeone of their PIcalures, and that one 
 cannot render them more ridiculous than in oppofmg thele 
 follies to the lad ihic thevare reduced to in old Age, eipecial- 
 Jy ifthis Itite isdclcribed inaaittingmanncr, which carries 
 lome Salt, as it is not here wanting : for that being laid down, 
 Thisfirtt bears no contefiation, nothing more natural tlian 
 to reprelent the mouth, I Ipeak of the outfide, the Lips and 
 the Jaws, by a Door with two Leaves, and the whole Mouth 
 by a Market place; lo the Teeth having been rcprciented un- 
 der the image ofthofethat grind, it is ealy to apprehend tfiat 
 the grinding or nibbing of the Grind-ltones, Ipokc of here, 
 ought to be undcrltood of the action of the Teeth Avhen they 
 malli, or thatin pre(Tin2;and rubbing them one againft ano- 
 thee they craili. This hrlt is not remote, but it liaving b^cen 
 Ipoke ol before in the preceding vcrfe, to my thinking one 
 ought to infi(iu[v>n tliclecond, Solomon reproaching tafitcly, 
 the Worldling with his extravagance, indelcribing to him 
 the fbte he llialllx^in, wh.ichhas iomething very ridiculoi.'s 
 ■when one makes the application of it to ayoui^g I'ool, w!x) 
 athouland times has made a Parade of the Ihcngth of his 
 Teeth or his Jaws: For the re(f, as the Teeth lervc to the 
 iircngth and articulation of the voice, tiiis tends to tint 
 which Solomon is going to lay, that tl-e old man when h? 
 forces himlelf to cry out, or fmg, will chirp or peep ; but I 
 mult prove tliat it is thclcnle of 5o/(?wc>^/, bucr: ^ "•'■ "• 
 on It. K 4 
 
136 REMARK S. Chap. IX. 
 
 The Original has ^^pV CD'^\)^^ which word for word, & 
 f'^r^et in Vocem^^.s ihcLati?jcs {xy^fHrgere in cnfef>!,to exprefs what 
 a man docs,ivhcn to ^ivc a great blow, he raiies'lx)Lh his Heels 
 and his Arms : ior lo, ihisfanere in voccm^ which I cannot 
 cxprels without pariphrafis, denotes this effort of a man, who 
 having a mind to fmgor cry, opens, railes himiclf, and takes 
 air tn pufh his voice the better, perhaps iome examples may 
 tt asked me o^ inch a manner of Ipeaking in Hebrew ^ 
 let there be one given me, if it can be, of the ordinary expli- 
 cation, firgere ad vQcem avm^ at the voice of the Bird. 1 have 
 lun over all the cxiimples that T^^A-fflr/theSon cites, in his He- 
 Z'rfw? Concordances ol the verb dp which we are upon, con- 
 ftriicd A^•ith a Noun, preceded with a ^ and have found but 
 one which comes j)nly near this fenfe. Onthecontrar^^, I 
 have leen that the /in thele places denotes always an end for 
 which one railcsonefelf either for or againft, when the con- 
 cern is of pcrions, as P/^/. p4. 1 6. Ntmh. i6. 2. or el fe for 
 lomething which one will do, asCew. 15?. i. which has affi- 
 Tiity with my interpretation ; but let us prels thefe two places, 
 Pfd. -](". 10. in raifing himfelf, fpeaking of God, to judgment, 
 '^er. 40. 4. fur git e in fr£VvAm^ rife to the Battel, or for the 
 Battel. 7 his in judicianj^ ?iivMnfrAliv.m, is it very different 
 from in vocenj, and if it be laid that Jnrgere in voccm avis is 
 rot very n?.tural, that if there was in vocem L^onis^ that 
 would have fome probability. I anfwer, that in this place 
 k is that which iTiCws that it is the trueienie ; for iC fnrgere 
 in vGcem Lcoii-s could fignify to roar like a Lyon, in this place, 
 wh.ere would befiiewed the vain efforts of a man who would 
 cry out ; one cannot better exprels it, for the Surgerc in vo- 
 cem notes the efforts , and Avis which is added, "which fjg- 
 Tiifics too very often Sparrow : I mean the Hebrew word 
 notes the vanity of the effort 5 let one jovn to this, that this 
 explication liiits with what is laid immediately before in the 
 fame veiic,oftl)C abatement of thenoileof the grinding, and 
 yet better with what follows, with the fall of the Daughters 
 of Sorg orMufick, whereas the ordinary interpretation does 
 ii:;t do fo. 
 
 Asfbr ihcfe laR words, the Daughters of Song or Mufick, 
 if they do not fignify the warblingsand the thrillings of the 
 voice, which thofe which fing with me'hod practice , and 
 th.it a'f every oj^c knows are among the Daughters that this 
 Arthas jtjade knov/n of the moft confiderable. I do not 
 linow how one can turn naturally this metaphor, for toap- 
 J>h- that to the Or?^an?- of the voice, if to call Daughters thole 
 
 wh^k 
 
REMARKS. Chap. XII. 1^7 
 
 whoarcto be called Mothers; and for the F>ars, it is true tluit 
 Mufickisfbr them, kit to lay that they are t4icir Daughicrs, 
 there is the lame proportion as iF one laid that the nioutli is 
 the Daiii;htcr of Bread. 
 
 E5. In this vcrlc there is no diihailty m thcfefirR n-ords, 
 alio they (hall be afiraid of that which is on hit;h,only let the 
 Reader ol Icrvc, that it apjKars by that that Solomon ipcaks of 
 motion a(tcr havini: ipoke of the voice. 
 
 Tlielc words, and tears fnallbe in the way ; I have render- 
 ed them, & attritiofies in via,uv)dc\ihndmoy crnnt ^ I have in 
 that followed -/?;/.v:orf, who in hi? Dictionary and Concor- 
 danceSjtraFiflite- the word CDTirnP'^ fori was notable to l.i- 
 tisfy my Itlf by ; ny cthu place of the Script me, having found 
 no other wliere the iame term is iifed.Now it Icemed to mc'to 
 be more natural to liippoie tliat Solomon had a mind to lay, 
 that old men find the way hard .ind gravelly, than to fay 
 that they iliall Iv fris;hted, which would be but a repetition of 
 what he has laid, that they filial llx: aflraid of that wliichis 
 high; for there would bebuttliisdif|-ercnce,that he would fay 
 that they Hiould Ix: af^Vaidinan even and plain way^ as in 
 an alcenr, which lecms cold to me, whereas the red carries this 
 Salt whicii is lenfible , every where cite in the Writings of 
 Solorr.on ; for it is to reprelent the old mnn that v/alks, as a 
 man that goes upon Thorns, and as the preceding denotes 
 that helliall want refpiration, thefe note the lejifibility or de- 
 Jicaq'ofthe Nerves by the Gout or Inch Evils. 
 
 Tl<at whiclf f.^llov.s, and tlK' Almond-Tree Diall flouriili. 
 I will ccliplc it till 1 have Ipoke of that which comes atler ; 
 and the Grallioppcr fliall be a burden, in effect t'lc term of 
 the Original '7'DDfjgnifies to carry a burden, Hhhf^acl pro- 
 Iwbly to be loaded, I lay probably, for I have not been able 
 to find this word but in this only padage, I mean In Jilih' 
 pael. Now to my thinking it is very natural, to conceive 
 that S(jlon:oa^ willing to give of man an Idea of contempt 
 in rtfpcd of his walking in his olJ ape, reprefents him un- 
 der the image of a great Gra(]ioppcr, the biggef} l^ngvcry 
 little, who is (o heavy that it cannot any longer either 
 leap or fly, which is io much the niore ridiculous in rcf^^^^of 
 irtan, that th.e'Grafliopper is extremely haffy in ii«^ motions^ 
 and that fo he fiippole? an oLl man hafly, wlio ?e lv*an and 
 yellow as a Gralliopper, fliall be a burden to himlclf, io that 
 lie will not l:<: able to move without much inC'Mivenience. 
 
 That lo explained, I dcfiretocome to the wor Is ihat I have 
 ecliplcd, let ii bo obfcrved, ti^a: as in ilic bcg-nning of the 
 
 veric 
 
lid REMARKS. Chap. XIL 
 
 verle Solomon fpeaks of the motion of the man, he fpeaks z- 
 gain of it in this place, fo that the words which are between 
 both, which are tranflated, the Ahnond tree iliall ffourilli, 
 ought probably to have fome relation to this motion, for o- 
 therwile, how fliould two words be inferted, which make one 
 lolethe Idea, to raife it again when one deftroye^it, that is 
 iiot ordinary with Solomon ; at leaft, I know that one fiiall 
 fiJid no ex'amples of it in this book, that goes already againll 
 this explication ; but here is what is ftronger. 
 
 The term which has been tranflated, fFiall flomifh, is in 
 the- original v^'^^y which rxcordingto the radical Letters, can 
 Gomc but from liW which has never fignified to flourilli, nor 
 any thing near it, to fave that, this future is made to come 
 from ^y and why ? it is bccaufe Oiie Avill find a fenle, for 
 no example is brought of an ^m the middle of a Hehrew word 
 incerted between the two princ-pal radicals, fb either by the 
 feries of the difcourfe, that which precedes immediately be- 
 iorcj, and that which follows, or b}'- the fjgnification of the 
 word it idfy the interpretation of the word, fhatl flourifli^ 
 inuft be renounced. 
 
 I iliall not combat many other interpretations which are gi-- 
 vcn, that would carry me too far, and befides one may fee by 
 what one has already read of this Book, that I have only pro- 
 pofed to eliablifh my own ; I have tranflated tfie Almon<i-tree 
 iliall fret, and one cannot diiavow that th« words do not fig- 
 nifie that fame, it is true that the fenle feems ridiculous, but 
 let it be obferved, that man being reprefented uiftier the image 
 of' an Aimond-trce, becaufe it flouriflncs early, that befides the 
 Afmond-trec in the Hehrew language fignifying hafty or rigi- 
 lant^ its name coming from its being hafty toflourilli , it is no 
 moreftrange that Solomon fhould have a mind to reprefent a 
 white and ha% head which will do all, and which not being 
 able, rexes and torments itfelf ; Reader, thou art not content, 
 I am not quite neither, this however, feems to be moft reafbn- 
 able, and for the reft, if we caiinot accommodate our ielves 
 with fiich a fenfe, it may proceed from thi?^ that we are not 
 aceuftomcdto ufe Emblems as ilicj were formerly, efpecially 
 of Trees to reprefent Men, whereof one fees lo many examples 
 in the Scripture, for it might be that this term of Almond-tree 
 was in ulc, to fay an oli man, or a map who has a white 
 bead, and if it was fb, the fenle would be very natural. 
 
 The words wl)ich follow, defire {haVi fail, which I have 
 trnnflated, the appetite fliall be vain, ought to be, according 
 tn ;nc, taken in this general lenfe,. tbit all.jhe dcfires of an 
 
REMARK S. Chap. XII. 159 
 
 old manihalllx: vain, ;uul that lie Ilia 11 not be in a (late to 
 accomplilli any oftl^cm, which is more namral than onetran- 
 llatcs the word —^3^38 by Opp-tris, for that denotes butc^nc 
 thing, whcxc^s Solomon havins. rcprclcntcJ man ltripto[" all 
 his Faculties, he cannot Hnilh letter than in reprclenting hiin 
 full of vain and ufelcls defircs, which he has not Itrcni'th to 
 Jatisfy,oblervc only that this term rn2V38.ca)™5 thcLlca of 
 thedcliresofa Beggar, which leipc^t an infinite number of 
 thinp, with the lamt fervour, and as ulclclsly. 
 
 F6. In this! have tound nothing; difikult as to tlic gram- 
 matication, allthcditHcuky is in the ienle, whichloasall 
 the Authors now give it; tor there is notliing o{ mine here, 
 is very natural, for what more prolxible, than in a deicripri- 
 on like this, toconceive that the Silver Cord ought to be the 
 Marrow ot the Vertcbers, whole lengtii, roundncfs, colour 
 and functions, relate lo well to thole of a Bow-lhing, lup- 
 ]X)nng of Silver, which continues in its natural lituation 
 whillt it isfiretcht, and is goo J for nothing when it is llick- 
 iicd. 
 
 The Golden Bowl or Viol, reprcfent very wtII tliefHead, 
 becaule of its figure, its value, for the colour of the Mem- 
 brane which invelops the Brain, which is called pi,i r^atcr^ 
 does not feem to me yellow, or Ihining enough to be thecaulc 
 of this Epithet, it may be however, that Solomon ufed it the 
 rather, that in denotmg the value of the Head , what he 
 lays, has lome relation to the colour of this Membrane, the 
 term he makes uie of to denote its Figure, which is iranHated 
 Bowl, and I have rendered Viol, onlv to make the fir(l: better 
 imderiiood, fignifies properly a Lentil), and becaule of the 
 velemblance a Viol, elpecially anOyl Viol, round and a lit- 
 tle flat, which has a great conformity with the head, which 
 IS rarely perfectlv round. 
 
 In fine, the Pitcher, or Cruife, and the Foimtain , the 
 Wheel and the Cilkrn rcprelcnt pcrfe6i;ly the Heart, with 
 the great Vcni and the great Artery, which aniwer to the 
 two Ventricles and their functions, but Ifliall not enlarge 
 iijxju it, nefntor ultra crepidas^ I have not knowledge enough 
 in Anatomy to ipeak exactly of it, as one ought, anyone 
 whodefnes more light, may latisfy himlelfby what an infi- 
 nite number of Autl^orshave laid, but much better in fee- 
 ing the things themlelves in the difTeclion of iome living 
 Animal, only I iliall lay tliatnne lees here the truth of what 
 Solomon himiclflays, chap. i. that there is nothing new under 
 the Sun, and that all is forgot : for tl:c dilcovcry of the cir- 
 culation 
 
I40 REMARKS. Chap. XII. 
 
 cuhtion of the Blood, ought not to be attributed to our age, 
 as a thing entirely new, fince it appears that Solomon knew 
 it, and that it has been but new for us, becaufe our Fathers 
 bad forgot it. 
 
 I have faid nothing of the reafons that probably Solomon 
 has had to make thisdelcription unJcr Emblems, in my o- 
 pinion every one perceives that ifhe had fail fimply, that 
 man in his old age lofes his Teeth, that his fight and voice 
 weaken, that his Lungs fmk, and his Blood languili-ies, that 
 be grows yellow and lean, and fuch things, his dilcourle had 
 been cold and languid, which one fees every day, how llrong 
 and important focver, has need offcafoning, that it may 
 ftrike, and the Emblems which Solomon has ufed, have this 
 particular, that raifmg the value of our ficultics when they 
 arc in their Rrength, they fhew fb much the better our mis- 
 fortune in their decay, add, that a little oMcurity which is 
 in the Emblem, wakens the mind, and the conformity that it 
 meets with what it reprefents, when it has once found it, 
 giving it fatisfadion , makes it to imprint itlelf inthe^heart, 
 and that what otherwife would not have touch'd it, makes 
 itthink and meditate. 
 
 G8. This verfe, asl have noted in the Preface, if one ex- 
 cepts thefe two words, fiys the Preacher, ought to be joyned 
 with what is faid in the laft part of the 15th, and in all the 
 j6th in this manner. 
 
 Vanity of vanities, ^llisvanity,fcarGodand keep his Com- 
 mands, for that is all the man, for God lliall bring every 
 work into Judgment, efpecially what is hid, either good or 
 evil, fothatbefides that thefehril words, vanity of vanities, 
 have a manifeft relation w^ith what is laid immediately be- 
 fore of the death of man, onemuft look upon the whole as a 
 fhort recapitulation of all that the Book contains, which in 
 died is reduced to thefe three propofitions, that all is vani- 
 ty, which is proved to the end of the 4th Chapter. 
 
 That we ought to fear God and keep his Commands, to 
 yx\\\ch Solomon exhortsusfrom the beginning of the 5th Chap. 
 What is faidjChap. 8th,of the obedience which we own to our 
 Princes.Chap. 1 1 . Ofthe Charity we ought to exercife towards 
 the Poor, being ofthe numbers of his Commands , the ex- 
 hortation which is made to us inthischap.topradtice betimes 
 thefe precepts, beingfomuch the more ofthis number, that 
 as often as we defer fo long, we do the contrary of what God 
 commands ; and in fine, will bring all our works into judg- 
 ment, 
 
REMARKS. Chap. XIL 141 
 
 mcnt, winch indeed lias no Article amrt , but the propofi- 
 tioiiis cilablilhcd every where, and Solomon ules it couuiiual- 
 Jy, to turn us froni lin , and bring iis to the obedience ot^ 
 God, as chap. 3. 17,18. chap. 5. 6, 7. chap. 7. 13, 16, 17. anJ 
 foUowini; chap. S. 5. to the 13th iiiclulively, chap. 10. 8>9- 
 ip. cha^\ 12. I. 
 
 As Ibrthelc two words, lays the Preacher, we arc going to 
 fee what I think by what I am going to lay in general 
 on the verfes which follow, and arc mlcrtcd between the 
 wordsof this concluGon, or recapitulation. 
 
 H 9. And moreover, what means this, and, where is that 
 which ought to precede , it' it is not thcfe two words, lays 
 the Preacher, and tor this, moreover, where is the politivc, 
 if 1 may lo Ipcak, lo that which we are going to lay, is 
 \yhat ought to be added , but where is that to which it 
 ought to befo, if it is not again thcle two words, lays the 
 Preacher. I conltrue then in this manner, vanity of vanities, 
 all is vanity. There is what the Preacher fays, and be fides 
 that, this vanity which he has preached, he alio taught, 
 CTc. and I luppole that he who Ipeaks continues hisdiicourle 
 to the place which I have noted of the i «;th vcrle, fear God, 
 that to my thinking is vifible, one needs to underlhnd it, 
 but to make the dilftdion of thisdigreirion, for I look upon 
 it lo, in reipectof the Book itlelf In this verfe, and the fol- 
 lowing it is laid with Encomium, that the Preacher, befides 
 what he has writ in this Book, taui^ht the people knowledge 
 in Proverhsy alluding to the Book wliich bears this name, and 
 that his manner of writing and Ipeaking was perfect, above 
 all, full of truth; in ver. 13. a rcHeCtion is male upon the 
 words of the Sages, and on the grace of God when he gives ii, 
 and in the 14th the Reader is exhorted in a tender manner to 
 profit by theleinltruCtions, without loiing his time on other 
 iorts of reading. In the beginning of the 15th verfe, he that 
 Ipcaks, giving an advice of the lall words of the Preacher, and 
 by this means uQng them as a reafon, which confirms what 
 he had laid in the 14th ; for as I have iniinuited inthePara- 
 phrale thefe words, the end of what has been heard being 
 ;oir.cd withthelcof the 14th verle, my Son be admonilLed,and 
 what follows contains a manifclt rcaioning, which is, th.it 
 this exhortation is confirmed by the words, with which the 
 Preacher finilhcs, as it islo in etfcCf. 
 
 Nov/ to connect my confequence, who, obferving the natu- 
 ral ftrriejy >vhich is between the things contained in thisdi> 
 courk, to wit, in the ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. and befijes thn: .1 
 
142 REMARKS. Chap. XIL 
 
 ftmguii"hes carefully what the Preacher fays ver. lo. and what 
 he lays vcr. i «^. and 1 6. does not apprehend that this cot\c!:i- 
 lion contains two things ? 
 
 The firft a recapitulation of all that is contained in this 
 Book, as I have already laid upon ver. lo. 
 
 And the leconJ, an Encomium of the Preacher, and his 
 manner of writing, joined to another of the Dilcourles of the 
 Sages in general, and to an exhortation to profit byluch in- 
 ftructions. 
 
 The dilHculty now is, to know who is the Author of that 
 which I have called adigrelTion, there is no likelihood that it 
 n Solomon^ he is Ipoke of inthe thirdperfon, forafinuch as it 
 .B laid, the Preacher was wife, and he w^hen he fpeaks of him- 
 lelf, he Ipcaks in thefirl^, chap. i. 12. I the Preacher, he who 
 Ipeaks diilinguilLes what Solomon fays from what he lays him^ 
 kU, the Preacher, fays he, ver. 10. and 15. the end of what has 
 been heard, but that which is ftrongelt is, that he w^ho fpeaks 
 prailes Solomon as much as can be m few w^ords, his words, 
 lays he, are Goad's Nails fixed, for tho it be laid of the words 
 of: the wile in general, it appears that Solomon is alluded to, 
 iince it is upon his account ; it is true, that St Panl praifed 
 liimlelf, but he had a firong realon for it, Solomon has none, 
 and I lay that he has none, becaule he does not fay fo, for the 
 commendation of ones lelf has fomething fo nice, that the wile 
 man cannot praile himlelf, without lliewing, ^sSt Paul, that 
 he has been tbrced to it, 2 Cor. 12. 11. I fay ftirther, Solomon 
 h:id a ftrong realon in this Book not to praile himfelf, he whites 
 particularly againii the Senfual Worldlings, he turns them in- 
 to ridicule ni making them fet out all their follies,he even liip- 
 poles, by ^vhat he makes them fay chap. ^. that they will faty- 
 rize.him, what occafion would he not give them if he praifed 
 himlelf, ns lie who Ipeaks here prailes him, fo there is no ap- 
 pearar.ce that theie words are his; let the laft chap. of Dent. 
 be confider'd, wiiere the death of Mofes, and efpecially his bu- 
 rial is delcribed, which cannot be of his hand, let the fame 
 thing be obferved in refpeit of Jojhua, inthe laft verfesof the 
 ]jii\ chap of his Book : let it be remembred, that thofe who com- 
 Y,oihd the Chronicles, and the hiftory of the two Books of King^^ 
 of whole Diviniiv we cannot doubt, were probably perfons 
 whom God entertained continually in hisChurch, as Prophets 
 orPriefls, who one after another, e?.ch waiting what pilled in 
 his time, have bv tlieir care lefi usa compleat Hilbry, or at 
 k.iflthc m?nT.>ri:'^i'poii wiiich it has been vc^-d^K. - thele, who 
 luuk thccarc of ;hiM, trcJ liiitory, who probably collected 
 
 alio 
 
REM A R K S. Chap. XIL 145 
 
 aifotlie Biioks of iIk; Saints, are ihofls wlioone may ju.b.eto 
 liarc ma«.lc thcic iorts of additions to the Books which the 
 Saints left, and m particular to this, for one can not doubt, tliar 
 bctbrc puttini;thcin nmon^ the Sacred Books, they did not ex- 
 amine tlicni witli application, and it is very rea Ion able, that 
 ^vhat the ijcredAuthors had not iK'cn able to write thcinlclvcs, 
 as their death, what they on^ht not to have writ, as their En- 
 comitm:^ they added to render the work entire and coniplcar, 
 with the lame liberty that thev writ themfelves the Sacred 
 Hilkiry. 
 
 I iinil"h,in drawing this Lift con leqiience, that if, as it ma- 
 iiifeltly appears, thele fuir vcrfes are not 6'oWow s, thcle t^v(> 
 words, lays the Preacher, inlerted in the i oth ver. having w rtli 
 them a neceflary connexion, as I have lliewed, the lame onglrt 
 to have inlerted thele lame words, chap. i. 2. chap. 7. 27. thai 
 one might make a partiaiiar attention upon thele placc*^, 
 -which oudit no more to make it doubted xh^x Solomon is the 
 Author of this Book, than the laft Chap, of DititeronomycjUdL 
 make it doubted that the reft is of Alofes. 
 
 I forgot to fay upon this vcrlc, that thefe word?, gave %ck\1 
 heed, wliich I have render 'd, has applied his ear, are in the 
 Original exprels'd by a term which fignifics, to lend orgiv: 
 ear, and I h.ivercferr'd ilihio Solo??ion himlclf, grounded up- 
 on what follow?, that he lou^ht, Q/c. for it is very clear, that 
 thele two Vcbs being relative one to tlic other, refer to thr 
 lame adion ; the firft, as I have laid in theParaphrale, rioting 
 the principle, whence Solon:on had drawn all that he had laid 
 in this Book, and in that of the Proverbs-^ and the lecond, the 
 care which he had took to reduce what he had learned, into 
 Sentences or Maxims. 
 
 I II. TheMaftersof theAfl'emblies; the CW^ee Paraphi air 
 tranllates theMalkrsof the^'^^zWr/w, thcDo(5lors of the way^ 
 andof dilcourles, which refers intircly to the lame fenie^ Ix-- 
 lides, let one oblcrve theconfbrm'ity ^which is between thi- 
 name and that which is lo frequent in the Gofpel, theM.ifkr 
 orchief of the Svnagoguc, the one \z Greek and the other }},-- 
 brew J but their fignification even m the origin is the lam •, tr 
 is the lame Nation, and who does not lee that the Sncrcd Wil- 
 ters who writ in Greek, have accommodated the Creek tcvm- 
 to the Hehrev, and that if in Greek they call their Guides* the 
 Chiefi, Princes or the Mafters of the Synagor^uc-, it coinci 
 from this, that in Helrevi tl^cvcall t!:c'nthe lame. 
 
 In fine, to all this let u« ?• n what is'laid rf thefe Mi^.-- 
 of the Afl'cmbiics, who arc givcia h\ one SHcphcrd^ for n- ' 
 
144 REMARKS. Chap. XII. 
 
 this Shepherd, is it not God? as he is called, P/^/. 80. who is 
 one, or the only great Shepherd, who provides with Guides 
 the divers AiTemblies of bis Children -, now why is he here 
 called Shepherd rather than by fome other name, is it not to 
 prefer vc the relation which there ought to be between the So- 
 veraign Pafbr, and thofe whom he ordains under him, and 
 by confequence, thatby thefe Maliers of the Aflembhes, one 
 ought to underiland thofe whom God raife* and eltabhdies, by 
 an ordinary or extraordinary vocation to the conduct of his 
 Church. 
 
 K 15. The whole of man, I have tranflated all the man, 
 bccaule there is not C31Hn">3n but aiSD~^D without n 
 before ^ befide8,that the figure is yet finer to lay, that the fear 
 of God,and obedience to his commands are and make the man 
 the image of God, as I have faid in the Paraphrafc of vcr. i6. 
 which makes the man, confifting properly in that. 
 
 
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