David, king in Jeruſalem 6. a Who was not only a King, but alſo a Teacher | of Gods People. which he did both by Words, up- on” on ſome folema occaſions, and by Writings, Who having ſinned grievouſly and ſcandalouſly in the Eyes of all tte
World juſtly thought himſelfobliged ro Preach or Publiſh his
true Reptnrance for all his folly and wick<dneſs, and to give Pub-
lick warning and wholſom counſels to all Perſons to avoid thoſe |
Rocks upon which he had ſplit, The Hebrew properly ſignifies eirher gathering or gathered, and fo it fignifies, eicher 1- a Preacher, aS it 45 commonty rencred, whoſe Office it is to garher in Souls un- to God'or his Church, Or 2. A Pemtent or Convert, or, one ga» thered, or brought back by true Repentance ro God, and to * his Caurch, from which he had ſo wickedly reyolted. b This is added partly asa deſcription of the Perſon or Authorof this Book, Solomon, who was the only Man that was borh Sor of David, properly fo called, and King in Jeruſalem; and partly as an aggravation of his ſin, becauſe he was the Son of David,a wile and godly Father ; who had given him both excelleat Counſel, and for his general courſe, a good Example 3 and for the evil Example wich he gave him in the matter of Uriah, that alſo, conſidered with his hearty and effe- Qual Repenrance for ir;8 the dreadful puniſhments of it upon his Perſon and- Family, was a'fair warning and powerful inftru&t.on to him ro lobe by his Fathers Examaple, and becauſe ne was « King, notby Birth, for he was not Vavid's eldeſt Son, but by tie ſpecial fa- voar & deſignation of thar God whom he had now ſo ill requited, & that in Jow/slem, an Holy City, the place 'of Gods ſpecial Preſerice a2d of his Worſhip, where he had: daily Opportunities to know, and Obligations to pradtiſe berter rhing: qwhich place he had defiled by his horrid-ſins, 'and thereby made 1r, and all Goi's People, and thetrue'Religion, and the Name ofthe bleſſed God,odious and con- temptible amongſt all the Nations round about him. 2 * Vanity of vanities c, faith the preacher d, va-
of vanities, f * all e zs vanity f. -
"c Not only vain, but vanity in Abſtract, which notes extream Vanity, eſpecially wh:-re the word is thus doubled,as a Kirg of Xings
all. ©" 3s the chief of Kings,and # Servant of Serwants is the vileſt of Servants, = * Rom: 8: and Song of Songri 1s # moſt excelent Song, d Upon deep conſide-
ration and long Experience and by divine Inſpiration. This Verſe contains the general Propofition, which le intends particularly to demoriſtrare in the whole following Book. e All worldly things, and all mens Defigns, and Studies,and Works abour them. f Nor 18'themſeclves'for ſo they are Gods Creatures and therefore good and really uſeful 5n their'kinds, but in reference to men, and to that IC ekich menſeek and confidently expect to find in them. So they are unqueſtionably vain,becauſe they are not what they ſtem roibe;and perform not'what they promiſe, content and fatis!/ation, butinſtead of rhat are commonly rhe caufes or occaſions of inumera- ble cares;and fears, and ſorrows,and miſchiefs,and becaule they are altogether unſuiteble to the noble Mind or Soul of Man,both in na- ture. or quality, - and in duration, as being anſtable and periſhing things, *And this vanity 'of them is here repeated again and again, partly becauſe it was moſt deeply fixed,and perperually preſent in S»lomon's Thoughts;partly ro ſhew the unqueſtionable cerrainty and
vaſt:iimportance of this trurh,8& partly thar he mighfmore through- | withſtanding all rhe 2bundance of Creature Comforts: ' q Either 1« 7h, Rivers
' unto the Sea: from whence' they are ſuppoſed to return into their o, thither
ly awaken the dull and ftupia mindsof men to the conſideration of it, and might wean mens Hearts from thoſe rhings upon which Le knew they exceflively doted- * $746 ; |
3 * What profit'g hath a man of all his labour þ
"x Or, a: others tender it, What remainder? What real and abi- ding benefit hath a Man by ir ? Noneart all, All is unproficable as to the attainmenit of that happineſs which Solomon here 15,and all men in the World are enquiring afcer. þ Heb. his toilſom labour, both of
ly things # In all ſubiugary or worldly marters, which are uſually tranſacted in the day-tiine,or by the light of the Sun. By this Re- ſtriction he implies thar thar profit and happineſs which'in vain 1s ſought for in this lower World is really and only to be found in
Jeave all-rheir-p+{:Minns ro the ſucceeding Age,and therefore they cannot be happy. here. bec:uſe happineſs muſt needs be unchangeable and ererna]; or eiſe tie perpetual f-arand certain knowledge of rhe 2pproachiag loſs of all rhefe chings will rob a Man of all ſolid con-
tenement inthem.:7 z. e. Through all ſucceſſive Generationsof men: |
—Q_
- the ſtudy of thei, as is noted hereafrer, Ur 1 : ſibly and unconceivably great. s As there are many things 18 tae
| a perpetual R:ciprocation ;
}
are not ſarisfitory, bug Men are conſiantly dcluing
: the glori-sand comforts which Le enjoyed init he 1 him to be poſſefled by others. MENG 0100s every behind
5 The ſun alfo ariſzth, and the ſun goeth down,and
+ haſteth to his place where he aroſe », mTheSun is in perpetual motiop,ſomerimes ariſing,and ſometimes ſetting and then ariſing again,and fo conſtantly repeating its Courſes
+ Heb!
panteth,
1n all ſucceeding Days,and Years,and Ages; and the like he obſerves concerning the Winds and Rivers,v. 6,7. And the deſign of theſe ſimilitudes ſeems to be, either 1, that by repreſenting the conſtanr changes and reſtleſs motions of theſe particulzr things he might irti. mate thar-it is ſo with all other earthly things;and therefore no Man can expett fatisfaCtion from them. Or 2. that by comparing the Sun and Wind,and Rivers, as v. 4: he compared the Earth with Man
he might ſhew thar Man, conſidered as mortal,is in a more unhappy condition than theſe things, becauſe when the Earth abides, Man goes; and when rhe Sun ſets,be rifeth again, and ſo the Wind and