p Of wicked men, ſuch as the generality of Mankind are. q Ei- ther 1, of grief, upon this occaſion. Or, rather 2, of wickedneſs, as appears from the next clauſe, and by comparing this place with Eccleſ. 8. n. r Upon this account they go on madly and deſperate- ly in evil courſes without any fear of an afrer=reckoning s After all their mad and wicked pranks in the whole courſe of their life, they diz in the ſame manner as the beſt men do. So hitherto there is no
difference. For Solomon here forbears the conſideration of the furure'
Tife. Only he ſeems to intimate that as the madneſs,ſo the happineſs of the wicked is ended by_Death, which is more fully expreſſed in the following words. b, | 4 Forto him that is joyned toall the living s, there is hope «: fora living dog isbetterx than a dead lion. # That continueth in the Land and Society of living Men: - Or, according to the reading of the Hebrew Texr, That is choſen or allot=
' red to Life, whom God hach appointed yer to live in the World, when he hath appointed that many others ſhal die;or who are writ- |
ren among the Livmg, as the Phraſe is, Iſa; 4: 3. which is borcowed from rhe cuſtom of Cities, where men are firſt choſen and then in= rolled Citizens. « He hath not only ſome comfort for the preſent, but alſo hopes of further & greater bappineſs in this World, which men are very prone to entertain and cheriſh in themſelves, Yea,they may have the hopes of a better life,if they improve their opportu- nitics, But he ſeems to confine himſelf herero the preſent life-x 7:e, Muchihappier,zs to the comforts and priviledges of this Werld, though in other reſpeQs Death be bercer than Life,as was ſaid, Eccl. -- : 5 For the living know that they ſhal die y: but the dead know not any thing z,neither have they anymore areward 4,for the memory ofthem is forgotten b.
y Whereby they are taught ro improve Life, whilſt they have it, ro their greateſt comfort and'advantage. « To wir of the ations and events in this World,as this is limited in the end of the next Verſe, Compare Job 14: 21. 1s. 63. 16. # The rewardor fruit of their Jabours in this World, which is utterly loſt as ro them, and enjo; ed by others. See Eccleſ: 2; 211 For otherwiſe, that there are
-
cellary and convenient food By which he excludes exceſs, g Cheats
and grief for the occurrences of this World. 41s gracious te thee, hath bleſſed thy labours with ſucceſs and alloweth thee a comforta- ble enjoyment of his bleſſings. :
8 Let thy garmentsbe always ; white L; and let thy
' head lack no ointment J.
| 7 Inall convenient times and circumſtances; for there are times
' of mourning, Eccleſ: 3:4; and 7: 2, Compare Prov: 5:19. k Decent
| and ſplendid, as far as is ſuitable ro thy condition. The- Eaſtern
| People of the beſt ſortuſed white Garments, eſpecially in times of rejoycing, as Eſther 8; 1«: Compare Revel; 3: 4, 5: & 6; 111 But
by this whiteneſs of Garments,he underſtands a pleaſant and chears
ful converſation. 1 Which upon joyful occaſions was poured upon
mens Heads, Amos 6: 6, Luke 75 46. John 12: 3,
* 9 tf Live joyfully with the wife whom thou loveſt mm, + Heb:(#; all the days of the life of thy vanity », which he hath or, jy given thee under the ſun,all the days of thy vanity: * #*. for that js thy portion 0 in this life p, and -in thy labour x.
- | 4:& 3:14, which thou takeſt underthe ſun. & 5:18, 7 So he limits him to Jawful delights, Whereby it is evident thar Se/omondoth not ſpeak this in the Perſon ef an Epicure, as ſome underſtand it, » Of this vain and fraillife, Which exprefſion he induſtriouſly uſeth ro moderate mens affeQions even towards lawful p pleaſures,and to mind them of their duty 2nd intereſt in making {ure of a better life, and more ſolid comforts. « Allowed to thee by God, and the beſt part of worldly enjoyments. p By which ad- dition he is again admoniſhing him ofſeeking another portion in the future life. ro Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do 9,do # with all thy might 7; for there is no work,nor device, nor know- . ledge, nor wiſdom in the + grave s whither thou goeſt. fHeb:keit 9 What thou haſt opportunity and ability to do in the duties of 996, thy calling and in order to thy comfort and benefit. r With unwea- ried diligence,and vigour and expeditions Whereby he again diſ- covers that he doth not perſwade men to an idle and ſenſual life, but only to a ſober enjoyment of his comforts in Gods fear & with an induftrious preſecution of his vocation.s Thou canſt neither de. gn nor att any thing there tending to thy own comfort or adyan- cage: Therefore ſlip not thine only ſeaſon, -
11 1 returned,andſfaw t under the fun, that the race # is not to che {wift,nor the batrel x to the ſtrong; nei- theryet bread to the wiſe,nor yet riches to men of un- derſtanding y,nor yet favour & to men of skill a,buttime
andchance hapneth to them all b.
+ This may have ſome reſpe& to the foregoing Verſe. For hae ving prefſed men to labour with all their mighr, he now adds by way of caution, that yet they muſt not be confident of their own ftrength, as if they were ſure of ſucceſs by it, but in all, above all to look up to God for his bleſſing without which all their endeae vours will be in vain. But it ſeems chiefly ro be added,cither x. as another inſtance of the liberty and power of Gods Providence in the diſpoſal of humane affairs,of which he'ſpake above, wv: x, 2, 3i Or, 2. as another of the vaniries of this preſent life. « Either ability to run, or ſucceſs and v:&ory in running. x« The viQtory in Battel. y Who yet are moſt likely to ger and to keep riches. x Good accep- tance and love from men, « Who know how to manage themſelves and all affairs, whereby they are neceflary and ſerviceable to others, and therefore moſt likely to find favour in their eyes. b There are ſome times or ſeaſons, unknown and caſual to men, but certain and determined by God in which alone he will give men ſucceſs.
12 For man alſo knoweth not his time c;as the fiſhes
that are taken in an evil net d,and as the birds that are «p,,.,,s caught in the ſnare ; ſo are the ſons of men * ſnared in yk...
an evil time,wherr it falleth ſuddenly upon them e.