Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2:1

I will prove th] I will seek to give thee some content, which thou couldest not find in thy oyall dignity, by giving my selfe over to bodily pleasures And behold] I quickly gave over this iutention, as foolish and bruitish.

Ecclesiastes 2:3

I sought] In stead of this voluptuous kind of life, I have be thought my selfe of a meane; namely, to temper the severity of my wisedome, and the weight of my charge, with honest and lawfull pleasures To give my selfe unto wie] The Italian, To passe wa my life pleasantly in continuall 〈…〉ng] Hebrew, To draw out my flesh in wine Acquainting my heart]. The Italian,Governing my heart] fixing my selfe inwardly in the course of t〈…〉 high and sevre wisedome, yet glancing mine eye and outwardly framing my selfe to the foolish wayes of Worldly men (especially great ones) concerning the pleasures of this life Till I might] Untill at last I could resolve my selfe upon an uniforme manner of living, on which I might wholly rest.

Ecclesiastes 2:6

That bringeth forth] Hee seemeth to mean young nurseries of Trees, whether fruit Trees, or other that have more need of watering.

Ecclesiastes 2:8

Musicall, &c.] The Italian, Single musick, and musick in consort] The Hebrew words are very obscure, and of uncertaine signification; yet this seems to be the most probable.

Ecclesiastes 2:10

I Kept not] He seemes to meane his exsses in delights, beyond his first intent And this〈◊〉] I have reaped, no gathered no other fruit of these painfull pleasures, but onely a little transitory enjoyment of them.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked] The Italian, But having considered] Being weary of this voluptuous life, I hive fallen againe to the severe and wise execution of mine office Profit] Namely, there was no found nor permanent good, after the transitory pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 2:12

Wisedome] See Ecclesiastes 1:17 What can] The Italian, What are other men] That is to say, it hath been possible, and not altogether unfitting for mee, that have beene so wise and mighty a King, to alter my manner of living in thi kinde, to the end I might finde out one, in which as most perfect, happy and secure, I might settle my selfe and teach it to others, wherein I am not to be imitated by private persons, whose condition bindeth them to goe on in that course of life which they have once begun, and have not the power to make new triall, often, and therefore I am to be believed, in mine experiences, which others may not try so well as I.

Ecclesiastes 2:13

I saw] Indeed I have found that for the conduct and guiding of worldly affaires, that politick wisdome is very good: but seeing the wise man cannot avoyd death, I see this wisedome participates of the corruptibility of all other worldly things: and therefore the soveraigne good cannot consist therein.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

And why] The Italian And what will it availe me] seeing the aime of all man his actions is to purchase happinesse, to which nothing seemeth to be more adverse than death: what good will it do me to have been wiser than other men, in worldly wisedome, seeing I could not thereby free my selfe from dath? This also] Namely, all that secular wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 2:16

For there is.] If any one should say, that a wise man at the last gets renown, which makes him live after his death, I answer that this smoak of glory is most vaine, and in a smal time vanisheth awy and how] An exclamation of wonder, and disdain of 〈…〉nall sence, which is wholly fixed upon the bare consideration of the course of the world and nature.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

I hated] My life hath beene displeasing to me, which otherwayes is so pleasing and sweet, seeing all the actions of it are toylsome, and do bring forth no permanent happinesse.

Ecclesiastes 2:18

Yea I hated] All those goodly and excellent things which I have done or made, have been displeasing unto me, whether they were materiall things, or things belonging to wit, reason, or understanding I should leave it] he meaneth that the comfort w〈…〉 men have by having children, in which they seem to live againe after their deathes, and to whom he leaves the enjoyment and fruition of all his labours, is but a very weak one; by reason that one is so uncertain whether they will prove vertuous or no: which if they do not they will lose, and dissipate all what their father hath gotten. Peradventure Solomon did already fore-see the vicious inclination of his son Rehoboam.

Ecclesiastes 2:20

To despaire] And consequently to forgoe all such things as I perceived did not bring forth such fruit as I desired.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

For there is] Those who do as I have done, namely that set their hearts upon worldly businesse, though it bee in a vertuous way, to have all things in good order; yet they never rest from their labours and enjoy not that sweet fruition which they leave to their idle successors. Now if he that labours, hath no intent to enjoy the fruits of his labours, it is vanitie: and if he do desire it and cannot attaine to it, it is a griefe, and trouble to him.

Ecclesiastes 2:22

Man] The Italian Such a man] He means those of what vocation soever, that are continually busie, and in action.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

There is nothing better] The Italian, Is it not good for] If they say that man may if he will take his rest, and enjoy the fruits of his labours, I answer that the power of so doing doth not lie in himselfe; but that God alone can grant him the grace so to doe.

Ecclesiastes 2:25

For who]f so 〈◊〉 that had depended upon ns will, I had the meanes to doe it, 〈◊〉thn ny other, and seeing I could not doe it, it is manifest, that if it proceed from God onely, and not from man.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For God.] God alone through his grace so worketh in the heart of his elect, that they can enjoy the fruits of their labours during this life in joy, and tranquillitie, and deprives evill livers of this gift, giving them over to unsatiable desires. Salomon seems to impute the cause of his wanting contenment of minde, amidst so great wealth, and plenty of goods nto the faults and errors he had committed.