Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

1. THE words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem. 2. Vanity of vanities, faith the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 3. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Solomon upon the throne never appeared so august and venerable, as here he doth in the pulpit. We have,

1. The titles he assumes. The preacher, or keheletch; which some render gathered, and supplying the word soul, make it a description of his own state, recovered from his grievous backfishing; for such monuments of mercy doth the Divine grace sometimes make; and they who are thus restored, are everlastingly bound to keep up a grateful memorial of the mercy: or the gatherer, to whom the people referred to hear his lessons of instructions; or perhaps he now collected his subjects together, who had been justly offended at his unfaithfulness, that they might hear his recantation, that he might take shame to himself for the offence he had given, and caution others by his sad experience to avoid the paths of sin in which he had walked. Thus true penitents desire ever to take shame to themselves publickly, where their offence was publick; and as far as lies in them, seek to recover those whom their influence or ill example led affray. The son of David, an honourable relation; but which rendered his sin the more aggravated, considering the education he had received under such a father; yet the everlasting covenant made with David unabandoned his hopes, and encouraged his return: king of Jerusalem; the dignity of his station made his example more pernicious, and as Jerusalem also, where God’s pretence devils, and his fear of worship was fixed, which rendered his sins more infamously scandalous: thus, as true penitents do, he devils upon the aggravation of his guilt; or perhaps he mentions his station as what should engage attention from the people, and give weight to his discourse.

2. The text of his discourse is, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; and this is unabandoned, to show his own deep conviction of the truth, and affect his hearers with a sense of it. The word, and all the things of it, are utterly unsatisfactory; they perish in the using, afford no solid comfort to the soul, and disappoint all those who place their confidence in them, or expect happiness from them; and they who have with greatest eagerness strove to quench their thrift at these broken cisterns, by sad experience have found them vanity of vanities: none had ever greater ablation to gratify his desires, none ever with more boundless indulgence fought satisfaction in earthly things, than Solomon, and after long proof this is his deliberate conclusion.

3. He appeals to universal experience for confirmation of the truth. When profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Supposing there is something substantial in the riches, honours, and pleasures of this inferior world, poor merents call and labour, and when they thought to find a reality, grasp a shadow: even here man’s life is often embittered by his abundance, and his pleasures prove his torment; at death nothing he possesses can profit him to gain a moment’s refuge, or pass with him into the grave; and after death how independence will all those things appear, unable to purchase the pardon of one sin, or stand us in any hand at the bar

of judgment? We must labour for a better portion above the sun, if we would be happy to eternity.

4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5. The sun also aided, and the sun goeth down, and he hasteth to his place where he arose. 6. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirled about continually, and the wind returned again according to his circuits. 7. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8. All things are full of labour, man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be: and that which is done, is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10. Is there any thing, whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11. There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come, with those that shall come after.

Solomon had given many proofs and instances of the vanity of this world and the things of it, now in this chapter, (1.) He recommends to us some good means proper to be used for the remedy of these grievances, and the arming of ourselves against the mighty one are in danger of from them, that we may make the best of God. 2. Care of our reputation, ver. 1. 3. Seriosity, ver. 2-6. 4. Cushions of Spirit, ver. 7-10. 5. Predators in the management of all our affairs, ver. 11, 12. 6. Submission to the will of God in all events, accommodating ourselves to every condition, ver. 13-15. 7. Affidavits and tenderness towards those that have been injurious to us, ver. 19-22. In short, the best man to give surfaces from the vexation which the vanity of the world creates us, is in deep our temper, and to maintain a great government of our passions. (2.) He laments his own iniquity, so that which was more vexatious than any of these vanities, that mystery of iniquity the having of many wives, by which he was drawn away from God and his duty, ver. 23-29.

1. A Good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. 2. ¶ It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. 3. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Thrés are strange paradoxes to the unwise, but great truths to him that underhandeth.

1. A good name is better than precious ointment; a name written in the book of life of the Lamb, and eminent for the exercise of every gracious and christian temper, is infinitely preferable to all the possessions of earth, and more fragrant than the richest perfume. And,

2. The day of death than the day of one’s birth; that is, to those who die in the Lord, and are dismissed from the business of mortality to rest in him; a consummation devouring to be wished

for, that for ever puts a period to all our sins and forewes, and opens the golden gates of life and impartiality.

3. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than the house of feasting; to feast is not evil, but indulgence is always dangerous: to mourn, is painful, but great good often arises from it; and especially art are those melancholy factions, when the dead are carried forth, and the corpse and the coffin are before us, to make impressions on our hearts more blessed in their life and influence, than any we should receive in the house of feasting. They bid us learn to die, remember, and prepare for it; they give us a striking exhibition of the end of all men, and make us feel that dust we are, and unto dust returning; and the living will lay it to heart, at least those who are wise will do by, and not forget to make application of the subject to their own hearts.

4. Sorrow is better than laughter, better for our fools at least; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better; when beholding departing friends, whilst we mourn over them, we are quickened to give greater diligence to seldom them, and make our calling and election sure; or affected with godly sorrow for sin, that wacketh repentance unto obserious, never to be repented of. Whilst laughter often hath ill effects, destroys the spirit of seriousness, makes the heart light and vain, and estranges it from God. Therefore the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, in meditation, engaged with thoughts of mortality, though the objects are not before him; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth, they cannot bear a serious reflection; if a solemn impression of any scene of death hath been made upon them, they hullen to form gay company to effect it, and are in their element where mirth and polity reign.

5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise; however sharp or grating it may at first sound, the effects of it will be salutary; and it will be our wisdom, and in the issue our comfort, to have heard and posited thereby: and therefore rather to be chosen than the song of fools, either their batteries that rickle the ear, or their songs and excusals, which are vain, unavoidable, pernicious; for as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool, loud and noisy, but suddenly expiring; and succeeded with groans, and wailing without end. This also is vanity.

6. ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyed the heart. 8. Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

Ecclesiastes 7:4-11

To prove the vanity of all things he had asserted, he shews,

1. The shortness and uncertainty of all our earthly enjoyments; we are nothing fast to the grave, and treading upon the heels of those who are now stepping into it, and must quickly follow them; our abode here is but a moment, and that continually in jeopardy: a short-lived pleasure therefore can the creature afford us.

2. When we are gone, the earth abideth for ever; we can carry nothing out of it: the world must endure it’s appointed time, and then, with all the works upon it, be burnt up.

3. All the things in the world are in a state of revolution; the sun rises and sets; the winds veer round the compass; the rivers ceaseless roll: an emblem of man’s fluctuating state, seeking rest and finding none, and halting with full speed to the dust, from whence he came; as these return again to the same place, and point from whence they set forth: nor in all his career can be find,

4. The least solid satisfaction; the sea will sooner overflow, than the heart be filled with creature good; all the rivers of prosperity are insufficient; the fresh prospect, the most melodious airs, soon pull the forese; we want new objects to satisfy curiosity, and grow tired of them as soon as they are familiar. All things are full of labour, nothing can be obtained without it, and when we have coiled in the pursuit, we find we have wearied ourselves for very vanity; men cannot utter it, how wearisome a world this is, and how empty all its enjoyments.

5. There is nothing new; we are apt to flatter ourselves with being able to discover means in nature unknown before, and improvements in arts and sciences, such as would shame all former generations; but it is only what hath been, the course of nature is the same, men’s hearers the same, their intellectual faculties the same; and what we call new, is only so to us, for want of records of former ages, or through our confined knowledge of the world at present: we must look above if we would have all things new, Rev. ext. new hearts, fashioned by Divine grace here, and a new world, wherein dwelleth righteousness, and where vanity shall be no more.

6. Do what we will to make ourselves memorable, we shall be disappointed, and not live even in same; few of the great personages that have appeared, and the wonders they have wrought, have found an historian to transmit their remembrance to authority; they are such in the lake of oblivion, and those in future ages who succeed us, will perhaps never so much as hear that such persons as we are ever excited. The only way to secure dwelleth fame, is to have our names written in the book of life of the Lamb, among his worthies, whose memorial shall endure not only through all the generations of time, but through the ages of eternity.

7. ¶ 1 the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this fore travel hath God given to the sons of man, to be exercised therewith. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold,

all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15. “That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and if that which is warning cannot be numbered. 16. I committed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten ‘more wisdom than all else that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart I had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18. For ‘in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.

9. 12—18. Having asserted in general the vanity of all substance good, he passes on to the grand patriotism that engage men’s pursuits, in order to confirm the truth he had advanced: he begins with wisdom, of earthly things the most excellent, and proves the vanity of this by experience and argument.

10. He tried what happiness human wisdom in its most refined and exalted state would bring; and he possessed such advantages to make the experiment complete, that none after him will presume to be a more competent judge. He was a preacher, studied with gifts of nature the most singular; a dog, who had it in his power to furnish himself with all possible assistance in the publication of his studies; he was ever friend, a wife and understanding people, and in Jerusalem, the very seat of wisdom, where he had opportunity of converting with God’s prophets and priests, and with the wisest of men, not only of his own nation, but from all the earth, who referred to him; and his application was as indefatigable as his advantages were singular: he set himself to seek and search out by wisdom all things that are done under heaven; the depths of philosophy, the secrets of nature; the qualities of animals, vegetables, fudds, and all that is above or beneath the earth, 1 Kings iv. 3. the mysteries of politics, trade, manufactures; the history of mankind, ancient and modern, their manners, customs, and ways; nor was the pursuit unsuccessful, he attained astonishing heights of Science: I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, whether of nature or of art, and none who had been before him, even in Jerusalem the seat of learning, had ever gone so far; and withal, his knowledge deeply digested, and the fruit of great experience. And that by contraries he might the better know the value of wisdom, he set his heart to know madness and fully also; to observe the fudies and vices, as well as virtues of mankind. Thus furnished, as far as the human understanding could fear, he was fully qualified to judge what happiness all the attainments of human literature and science could afford. But.

11. The experiment answered not at all the pains it could; the pursuit was attended with fore travel; for no labour is more fatiguing than that of the mind, intensely engaged; the just punishment of God, for man’s daring to affect a wisdom which was forbidden him: the possession afforded him only a view of the vexation, as well as vanity of the world: the more he knew of men and things, the more he saw that grieved and vexed him; whilst he felt his own inability withal to rectify any of the wretchedness and wants of this disordered world. That which is crooked cannot be made straight; such is the corruption of human nature, that no attainments of wisdom can mend it, even when we see what is fit and right; the basis to evil is so strong, that reason and philosophy remonstrate in vain; nothing but Divine grace, which changes the heart, can make our paths straight: and that which is meeting cannot be numbered: the more we know, the more we are convinced we know nothing, discover the endless defects in our own understanding, and wants which can neither be numbered nor supplied: so that upon the whole, we cannot but conclude, in much wisdom is much grief; it is painful to acquire; forces to excite our thrift, without being able to satisfy it; enlarges our knowledge of human miseries, and makes us more fearfully affected with them. In short, he that increaseth knowledge, only increaseth sorrow; and every new attainment affords fresh cause of disquietude and dissatisfaction. But there is a wisdom that will not thus disappoint the attentive enquirer; the knowledge of Jesus, the wisdom of God, and the mystery of godliness; the more we are acquainted with it, the more satisfaction will be affected to our fouls; and however defective our mention of it may be here, the least attainment contains an earnest and afforance, that hereafter it will be complete and perfect, when we shall know even as we are known.

Ecclesiastes 7:7-10

Solomon had observed the oppressions under the sun; here he notes one sad effect of them.

1. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; either under the length and severity of his own trials, he is ready to grow impatient; or observing the suffering of the innocent, under the power of the wicked, he is tempted to question the equity of the divine providence; and a gift destroyed the heart, occasions justice to be perverted to oppression, or destroyed a heart of gifts, such is the generous heart of the wise.

2. He exhorts to patient waiting for the issue; for however dark and lowering the scene may appear, when oppressors rule, yet mark the end; for better is the end of a thing, than the beginning thereof; God will break the rod of the wicked, as he did Pharaoh, and relieve the injured innocent, as his life of old, from their hands. That the patient in spirit, who merely submit to God’s providential afflictions, and wait quietly upon him, is better, a better man, and will by and by be proved infinitely happier, than the proud in spirit, whose lofty looks God will abate, and who, unable to endure the chastisements brought upon them, as wild bulls in a net, fret and torment themselves but the more.

3. He warns us against rash anger. He not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, impatient of contradiction or delay, and firing on every speck of provocation, but repress the rising of resentment; he slow to wrath; and if it swells, for that it quickly subsides, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools, they entertain it, and though they cover it with deceit, they wait only for an opportunity to take their revenge.

4. We must not be ever complaining of the evil of our times, as men are too apt to be, and banning the former days better than these; when in truth it is merely our ignorance of former days, that makes us conceit this, and a reflection upon God’s providence, as if his dispensations were not equal. The great concern of every man in bad days, is to mend one, and then the times will be better.

5. ¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12. For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency

The following knowledge is, that wisdom greets life to given that have it: 73. Consider the work of God: for which can make that straight which he hath made crooked. 74. In the day of prosperity he joyful, but is also the so adversity consider: God also hath set the one more against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15. All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16. Be not righteous overmuch, neither make thyself over-wife: why shouldn’t thou destroy thyself? 17. Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldn’t thou die to before thy time? 18. It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this, yes, also from this wildhow not thine hand: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all. 19. “Wisdom strengtheth the wise, more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good, and sineth not. 21. Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken, left them bear thy fervent curse thee. 22. For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth, that thou thyself likewise hath cursed others.

6. 11—22. We have here, 1. Some of the great commendations of wisdom.

(1.) It is good with an inheritance; it is in its own nature good, but with an inheritance it renders a person more distinguished, and enables him to be more extensively which, and by it there is profit to them that for the sun, men in general enjoy the blessing of a wise man’s affluence.

(2.) Wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence, or a shadow, under which we fit in safety: severally, they are a protection; upheld, they mutually conspire to increase each object efficacy.

(3.) It greets life to them that have it, and this is wisdom’s peculiar certainty; riches often reshaping the life of their perfection; but with divine knowledge, spiritual and eternal life are irreparably connected.

(4.) It is better than strength; for wisdom strengthens the wise, inspires them with courage, directs them how to act and enables them to feel the attacks of their enemies, more than ten mighty men which are in the city; which is safer under the care of such prudent counsellors, than if guarded by numerous warriors.

2. Our duty is fubniffion and conformity to the divine will. Consider the merit of God, the perfection, excellence, and immutability thereof, to silence all murmuring against the dispositions of his providence, which would be also vain as it is vile: for who are more than straight which he hath made crooked? whatever afflictions he sends, or judgments he executes, none can thy his hand, or for unto him, what did thou? therefore in every condition, our duty is to make the best improvement of it. In the day of prosperity, when God flowers down his spiritual or temporal buildings, he joyful, acknowledge his hand, praise him for the mercy, and improve it to his glory: but in the day of adversity, which will come in its turn, consider the end for which the affliction was sent, and seek to correspond with God’s designs therein. Note, This is a changing world; we may neither be too elated on prosperity, nor depressed with adversity; but rejoice with trembling, and look forward in hope: for God hath for the not ever-against the other, each in its fashion, to work together for his people’s good, to the end that man should find nothing after him; either nothing that he can amend in the work of God, or nothing certain here below, and therefore he must live upon the divine providence, and be prepared for whatever God hath prepared for him.

3. The dispositions of providence that seem most dark, ought not to stagger us. All things have I seen in the days of my vanity, the days of his life, or those more afflictive ones of his departure from God; and perhaps the observations he here makes, might have contributed to his fall, and tempted him to infidelity. There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, not eternally, for his than, Godward, is secure, but the greatest piety doth not exempt men from the heaviest afflictions; nay, perhaps it exasperates the enmity of the wicked, and gives occasion to their perfecutors; and there is a wicked man who prolongeth his life in his wickedness, predpors, and is successful, even to old age; and perhaps protected by the very fruits of his injustice: but this is not the place of incompetence; the day is at hand, when the calamities of the righteous shall be found their greatest mercies, and the prosperity of the wicked their ruin.

4. He gives an admonition to the self-righteous, and a warning to sinners. Be not righteous ever much, which doth not refer to true righteousness, of which we cannot have too much; but to the affliction of appearing righteous before men: when persons are rigid censurers of others, place religious in authorities which God never enjoined, or by intemperate zeal hurt

that cause they pretend to defend: neither make thyself over-wife, either above what is written, or, unintentional of the unbelief, severely critical, and arrogantly sickening; why shouldn’t thou destroy thyself? by constant authorities, or meditating illusions, and, matters, to provoke their wrath; or, why shouldn’t thou do stupid? regarded as such, through thy foolish conduct: “to defiance, every one flourishing thy acquaintance, and hating thy company. Be not ever much wicked, ten not into riot and treach; to do not fright thyself, so as to be cast down into despair, and to force of thy guilt, and thus it stands unscathed with the proud presumption before rebuked: without the then foolish, to act to be terrified with needless fear, we let know unhesitatingly predileged; why shouldn’t thou die before thy time? hastened on the greed by intemperance, on the hands of the heart, or in despair by afflicted hands upon thyself.”

5. The fear of God will be our best perseverative. It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this admonition and advice; see, also from this wildhow not thine hand, continue to support the observance of those things; for he then feareth God that is one kind of them all, saved from the dangerous enemies, preserved amidst all difficulties; and unless the divine guidance enabled to walk in the great path of wisdom and truth, without derailing to the right hand of the left.

6. We must not expect sinless perfection this fine economy. Though to do good, and eknow evil, in the labour, death, and prayer of every gracious soul that is burnt all dead, yet imperfection cleaves to the best, and in those best, upon you. On time there is not a just man upon earth that shall go to be the full extent of the commandment, and furnish us, either, in omission or commision; and therefore we must not proudly execute ourselves, and expect to meet with any wrong that may be of men, who are not compelled with authority.

7. It is wise to turn a dead ear to overcrowded, might provoke, or exasperate us. Take as hard to overcome that are sinners, but not cursors to enquire what others think, or lay of yea, and seem not to hear what had better be dropped in sinners; than brought to an explanation. Give not alone heart do it, as the original; be not unruly or solicitous about it, insult from your lips; servant curse thee, whose intolerance and oppression would render the provocation the greater; and they who breakers to their servant’s mouth, will cause hear disagreeable things: but we must bear with others, if it were only enough the consciousness of our having been in the same condemnation. For oftentimes also there even heart demand, that thou thyself likewise hath cursed others, wished them ill, spoken of them disrespectfully, or laid on them hard censures: the sense of our own failings should preserve us from anger; and the provocation remind us of, and humble us for, the sins of the like nature we ourselves have committed.

8. ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I find, I will be wise, but it may far from me. 24. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25. I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of self, even of foolishness and madness: 26. And I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as hands: I who pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27. Behold, this have I found (faith the preacher) I counting one by one, to find out the account: 28. Which yet my soul freeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions.

9. 23—29. Solomon had proved the vanity of all things by dear-bought experience, and here he acknowledged it.

10. He owns the defects of his wisdom, after all his pursuits. All this have I proved by wisdom, all that he hath spoken in the foregoing chapters: I find, I will be wise; to far as the greatest industry would carry the most enlarged understanding, he was resolved to go; and with the most indefatigable diligence he pursued the research, 25. 25. but still it find his push, he could not fathom the depths, either of nature, providence, or grace; many things were laid, and whilst the effects were evident, the causes of them were mysterious. Thus it was far from me; the wisdom he sought, he was unable to attain; that which is far off, or far off that which has been; the works of creation and providence are far above the human comprehension, the knowledge of former things left in oblivion, or that wisdom, which was originally in man, now departed from him; and exceeding deep, unto you find it out? God’s perfection, providence, and decrees, are by us unfeasurable, the attempt to fathom them will but convince us of our own weakness.

11. He decreed to be acquainted with fully as well as wisdom, and applied his heart to learn the wickedness of self, even of foolishness

Sahara Chak pr.

nye and madness; sin is exceedingly deceitful, it requires pains to strip off the mark, and discover its deep malignity: but when in sinfulness is seen, then shall we upbraid our holy for having yielded to it, and count those pleasures madness, which prevailed the highest satisfaction, especially those fleshly lusts, to which Solomon here seems particularly to allude. Note, True penitence cannot find a name had enough with which to brand their abominations, and upbraid their own folly and sin.

1. The result of the enquiry, was a discovery of the great evil he had committed in yielding to the love of women; on which, with deepest anguish, he now reflects. I find more bitter than death, the women whose heart is fearful and not, and her hands as leads; the forests of sin were momentary, the young of the world and abiding. Now his convictions began to falten upon his frail, he feels the very agonies of death in his confidence: the snails and blandishments that promised so much enjoyment, hath left a flag behind, the poison of which drinketh up the spirit: and once entangled in these fatal cords of women’s nails, hard, very hard is it to recover, and every fresh indulgence adds through to the snare, and renders the hope of recovery the more desperate. Who’s pleased God, shall escape from her; he will perform them in the hour of temptation; and if he doth not, we have no power of ourselves to withstand for a moment. If we are therefore kept from the temptation, or under it, we must regard it as a great mark of God’s favour, and acknowledge it with deep thankfulness: but the former shall be taken by her; God will, in judgment, give him up to his own heart’s lusts, and suffer him so perish in the iniquities he hath chosen.

2. He observes the sad and sinful state of man in general, and concludes with pointing out the source, whence all the evil proceeds. Behold, this have I found (faith the preacher) the bitterness of a barber’s fearns, or the few nails of the faithful, v. 28. roaming one by one, to find out the answer, both men and women, within the compass of his knowledge; earnestly solicitous to find out, if but one excellent among them, which yet my soul seeketh, and hitherto had fought almost in vain, one man among a thousand have I found faithful; so few, so very few walk in the narrow way: or, of a thousand who have fallen into the fearns of the adulteress, not more than one have escaped; but a woman among all those have I not found; of all the loved woman he had known, not one in a thousand were ever reclaimed: or perhaps among all his wives and concubines, he found not one who achieved that character of virtue and excellence he fought. Some interpret this of the Masiah, the only one of the sons of men perfect in holiness, whilst all the daughters of Eve are altogether born in sin. Let this only have I found from the scriptures of truth, that God made man upright, perfect in knowledge and righteousness, but sad experience now evinces how fearfully apostate he is become, and far removed from his once happy state. They fought out many inventions; not connect with the diacon in which God had placed them, they affected to be as wise as the Elohim, and, daring to pluck the forbidden fruit, lost their innocence, were plunged into sin, misery, and shame; which their sorry excuses and inventions to hide it but rendered the more notorious, and their corrupted offspring copy their destructive ways.