Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12:1

THe evill dayes] Namely old age, which being grievous and burthensome enough of it selfe, by reason of the diseases it brings along with it: there is no reason it should be overburthened or oppressed with bitter Repentance for youth mispent. Or his meaning is, that the securest way is not to put off amendment of life, untill extreame old age: at which time it is very hard to doe it, and is seldome done then in truth and sincerity.

Ecclesiastes 12:2

The Sunne] A figurative description of the defects of old age, and by this first he meaneth the weakening of the superior faculties, as the judgment, the understanding, the memory, and the imagination: And have the same correspondencie with the body of man, as these celestiall bodies have with the earth The Clouds] The defluxions which fall upon the breast and stomacke, they likewise returning to the braine matter enough to breed more.

Ecclesiastes 12:3

The keepers] Namely the hands and the armes Strong men] Namely the reines, The grinders] The teeth Cease] The Italian Shall faile] Namely in number, or strength Those that]Namely the eyes.

Ecclesiastes 12:4

The doores] Italian, The two doores] Namely the eye liddes, shriveled and hanging downe in old men Is low] Namely when the hearing grows weak which hearing is caused by two bones within side of the eare whereof the one stands still, and the other moves like to two stones of a Mill At the voice] Italian At the sound] Hee seemes to meane the dry cough with which old men are troubled, & doth break their sleepe The daughters of Musicke] All the Organs of the voice, will grow weake and dull.

Ecclesiastes 12:5

They shall bee] The Italian Man shall bee] That is to say the poore trembling old man, shall be afraid to goe up into any high place, for feare of falling downe The Almond Tree] His head shall grow white The Grashopper] His legges which were active and handsome Desire] To eate, and to enjoy their corporall pleasures. See 2 Samuel Chapter 19. ver. 35 Because] At that age man runnes towards death, and the grave The mourners] Namely the deceased mans friends and kinred, or the hired mourners, according to the custome of those times, Job Chapter 3. verse 8. Jeremiah Chapter 9. verse. 17 shall goe about the hearse.

Ecclesiastes 12:6

The silver,] The golden] These termes are to signifie the excellency of the Organs of mans body Cord] A similitude taken from Wells: to signifie the generall oeconomie and Fabrick of mans body, by which if it be kept entire, and in its just temper, the body draweth life from the soule which is as it were the hidden spring of it: and if that be loosed, the body dies.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

The dust] Namely the body, which was at first framed out of the earth Shall returne] For to appeare before him, either to be gathered up into the mansion of the blessed, or to be abissed into eternall damnation.

Ecclesiastes 12:10

Acceptable] Or pleasing and delightfull to the soule.

Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words] The word of God revealed by his holy Prophets, is unto the Church, not onely in stead of pasture, but also in stead of an inclosure, that it may not goe astray after false doctrines and vaine thoughts and inventions, even as a sheepfold is for sheepe From one] Which is the everlasting Sonne of God, the Churches chiefe and supreame Shepheard, Iohn Chapter 10. ver. 1. 1 Peter chapter 5. verse 4. by whose spirit all the Prophets have spoken, 1 Peter Chapter 1. verse 11. and 2 Peter 1:1-21. ver. 21.

Ecclesiastes 12:12

By these] Namely by the words of wise men inspired by the Holy Ghost Bookes] Of humane sciences, the infatiable curiositie of which yeelds nothing even to the best wits, but a labour altogether unprofitable for the obtaining of eternall happinesse.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

The conclusion] The whole subject of this book: is summarily comprehended in this point that man shall lead his life in the feare and obedience of God. So that after this hee may enjoy everlasting happinesse, subsisting before God, through faith and innocency.

Ecclesiastes 12:14

Shall bring] Hee shall cause every worke to come in, at that judgment, when he shall judge all secret things, good or bad.