The vanity of riches.

Before

CHRIST cir. 977.

11 Cor. 11, 10.

k Acts 5, 5.

CHAPTER VI....VII.
neither say thou before the angel, that it was an
error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice,
and destroy the work of thy hands?

1

Remedies against vanity.

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and
"
yet the appetite is "not filled.

8 For what hath the wise more than the fool?
what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the
living?

Before CHRIST

cır. 977

m 1 Tim. t

n John &,

26.

7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words Rev. 2, there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wan 1 ch. 12, 14. violent perverting of judgment and justice in a prov-dering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation o Mat. 5, fi ince, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher of spirit. m Ps. 12, 5. than the highest "regardeth; and there be "higher n2 Kings than they.

19, 3.5.

Dan. 12, 1. 9 Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

47.

Gen. 1,

2 Chr. 26,

10 He that P loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with inp Ps. 52, 7. Crease. This is also vanity.

16

1 Tim. 6,10.

21 Kings Prov. 30,15.

r T's. 43, 17. Nah. 5, 17.

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whe-Remedies against vanity are, a good name, patience, and ther he eat little or much : but the abundance of the

15" As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came so shall he go and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and Esther 3, he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him; for it ts his portion.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end ¢ Jer. 18, 2 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 mourn ing 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.

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning Lake 1, thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the 2 proud in spirit.

9 Be not " hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

m Phil. 4,5

n Jon. 4, . James 1,19.

23.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the for- o Judges, mer days were better than these? for thou dost not Jer. 44, 17. inquire wisely concerning this.

11 I Wisdom is good with an inheritance; and P Job 1, 11 by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

r

12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a qJob 1, 16 defence but the excellency of knowledge is, that Pr. 14,20 wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

r

34.

Isa. 14,27

13 Consider the work of God: for who can s Ps. 107, make that straight which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity "consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

u Deut. 28, 47, 48.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: x1 Kings 3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live there is a just man that perisheth in his righteous- 21, 13. many years, so that the days of his years be many,ness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth Isa. 57,10. and his soul be not filled with good, and also that

f

f Job 21, 23. he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he :

g 1 Sam.

31, 19.

2 Kings 9,

$5.

Jer. 22,19.

b Ps. 51, 4.

i Pr. 10, 7.

Job 14, 1. 6 Yea, though he live 'a thousand years twice told,

16 Be not righteous' over-much; neither make tny- a kom. 12, self over-wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over-much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time ✦ 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thy hand : for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than

1 Is 65,20. yet hath he seen no good : do not all go to one place?? ten mighty men which are in the city.

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. 23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said I Mat. 7,1, will be wise; but it was far from me.

i Titus 3, S.

2.

1 Rom. 1, 22.

m Pr. 30, 2.

24 That which is " far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness o Rom. 11, and madness:

n 1 Tim. 6, 16.

$3.

Eph. 3, 18.

p1 Kings

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands whoso pleaseth God shal! escape from her; Judg. 16, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

11, 3, 4.

18.

27 Behold, this have I found, (saith the Preacher,) counting one by one, to find out the account;

8

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among 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

u

u Gen. 1,25. man upright; but they have sought out many x Gea. 3, 6, ventions.

7.

X

15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath Acts 20, 21 no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to y ch. 2, 14. drink, and to be merry; for that shall abide with him 31. of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes :)

FOR all this I considered in my heart, even to a Mat 4, 6 declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise in-and their works, are in the hand of God: no man "knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked
in prosperity.

WHO

a

C

20.

Rom. 8,

Rom. &, 16.

2 All things come alike to all: there is one event John 3,24 to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, and Rev. 14, 13. HO is as the wise man? and who knoweth to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrithe interpretation of a thing? A man's wis-ficeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, Mark 6, dom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that his face shall be changed. feareth an oath.

Acts 6, 15.

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in
an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
and who may say unto him, 'What doest thou?
5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel

1 Kings 18, no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth
Job 34, 18. both time and judgment.

18 & 20,42.

4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. & Esth. 6, 5 For the living know that they shall die: but Ezek. 29, the dead know not any thing, neither have they any e Luke 2, 6 Because to every purpose there is time and judg-more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 23 6 Also their love and their hatred, and their envy, f Job 14,21 is now perished; neither have they any more "a por- 1.Cor. 15, tion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit, 7' Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink g Isa. 49, k Num. 14, to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day thy wine with a merry heart; for God now acceptof death; and there is no discharge in that war; nei-eth thy works. ther shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 8 Let thy 'garments be always white; and let thy 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto head lack no ointment. every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

i Luke 19, 42, 44.

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: 1Acts 5,21 for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

m Rom. 8,
20, 21.
1 Cor. 7, 29.

n 1 Cor. 16,

10.

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou Eph. 5, 16. goest.

14.

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, o Amos 2, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; p1 Sam. Lut time and chance happeneth to them all.

17,50

13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, nei- 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the Hag. 1,5 ther shall he prolong his days, which are as a shad-fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds ow; because he feareth not before God. that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men

s Luke 17,

16.

1 Thes. 5, 2,

S.

t 2 Sam. 20, 15.

2 Kings 7, 1.

a i Pet. 5, 8.

x Mat. 2, 20.

13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14 There was a little city, and few men within it ;

Directions for charity.

bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which
hath wings shail tell the matter.

CHAPTER XI.

1 Directions for charity....9 The day of judgment to be
thought on.

a

Before CHRIST cir. 977.

and there came " a great king against it, and besieged CAST thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt a toke

it, and built great bulwarks against it.

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

a

16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and y Pr. 11,11. his words are not heard.

z Isa. 53, 3.

12, 15.

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet, 2 Chr. 20, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Prev. 18, 10. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but b Mark 6,2,one sinner destroyeth much good.

3.

e Josh. 7, 5.

James 2, 10.

£ 2 Sam. 19,

1.

CHAPTER X.

Observations of wisdom, folly, riot, and slothfuiness.

DEAD fies cause the ointment of the apothecaryning not Wanhy, seed, and in the eve

to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little Chron. 19, folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a b Mat. 6,33. fool's heart at his left.

or, wind, John 3, 8.

f Ps. 139,

14.

g Hosea 10,

ning withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not 12 whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

h

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing hJob 22,28 it is for the eyes to behold the sun :

k

John 1, 7.

1 Tim. 6, 18

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him 'remember the days of dark- Luke 16,1. 4 if the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee,ness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler;

f

6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

h

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and Est. 7, 10., Whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt there

k Judg. 9,

53.

2 Sam. 15,

12.

11 Kings 3,9.

2 Chr. 19, 5.

m 2 Chr. 13,

4.

n Eph. 4, 29.

o Ps. 53, 1.

with; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered

REMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of
while the evil days come not, nor the
years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchant-stars, be not darkened; nor the clouds return after
ment; and a babbler is no better.
the rain:

10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the
edge, then must he put to more strength: but' wis-pleasure in them;
dom is profitable to direct.

P

m

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are" gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is p Acts 24,1. foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

m Rom. 2, 6,
11.

Rev. 18, 7.
2 Cor.7.1.

2 Tim. 2, 22

27.

c

Lam. 3,

Hos. 7, 9.

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall Ps. 76, 5 tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened;

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low; and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird; and all the daughters of 12 Sam. 15, music shall be brought low:

ل

35.

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almondtree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the eJob 17, 13

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the t Ps. 72, 1. son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, forstreets: strength, and not for drunkenness !

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern:

g Phil. 1,23

7 Then shall the 'dust return to the earth as it was; f Gen. 3, 19. and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. g 8 IVanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is h Ps. 62, 9. vanity.

9 And, moreover, because the Preacher was wise,

The church's love unto Christ.

SOLOMON'S SONG.

k

Before CHRIST

The hope and calling of the church. Before he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave { 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: CHRIST good heed, and sought out, and set in order, many { of making many books there is no end; and much proverbs. study is a weariness of the flesh. 10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable 13 I Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mat- 29. words: and that which was written was upright, eventer; Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this 17. words of truth. is the whole duty of man.

cir. 1014.

a 1 Kings

4,32.

k Luke 16, 2 Tim. 3, 16,

1 Mat. 12, 36.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, Acts 17, 3. with every secret thing, whether it be good, or Rom. 216whether it be evil.

¶ The SONG of SOLOMON.

CHAPTER I.

deformity.

2 Cor. 4, 5. m Isa. 28 17.

Micah 7, 9.

4 He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his Rom. 14, 16

d

1 The church's love unto Christ....5 She confesseth her banner over me was love.

a

HE Song of songs, which is Solomon's.

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: bJohn 5,29. for thy love is better than wine.

c Eph. 5, 25.

e

3 Because of the "savour of thy good ointments, 42 Cor.2, thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

14.

e Phil. 2, 9.

1 Cor. 15, 58.

1 Cores: 10

2 5, 10.

17.

7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye not up, nor awake my love, till he please. 8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh 'eaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the 5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Je-window, shewing himself through the lattice. rusalem; as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of 10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, 12 Solomon. my love, my fair one, and 'come away.

4 Draw me, we will run after thee. The King Rev. 14,4 hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

ĭ Pet. 5,6,7 h John 10,3 i Luke 19, Acts S 20,

21.

k John 1,1 1 Rev. 22,

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of 20. the " singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

13 The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

m Rev. 13,7 n Rev. 15, S.

o 2 Cor. 2,

15.

18.

14 10 my dove, that art in the P clefts of the rock, p Mat. 16, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil & Rev. 15, the vines for our vines have tender grapes.

S

16 1 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

a

17 Until the day † break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved; and be thou like a roe, or young hart, upon the mountains of Bether. CHAPTER III.

The church's fight and victory in temptation.

14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire BY night on my bed I sought him whom my soul

in the vineyards of En-gedi.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou ullab. 1, 13. art fair, thou hast doves' eyes.

Phil. 3, 7.

u

16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: 1 Gal. 4, 25. also our bed is green.

Col. 46

J Pet. 1, 23.

X

y

17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our 2.ph.1, 20. raiers of fir.

b

r Ps. 137, 9. s Gal. 2, 20

Heb. chap. 4,16

blow on,

1 Thes. 5, 5.

2 Pet. 1, 19.

1 2 Sam. 2,

29.

a ch. 5, 2, 3. Rev. 2, 22.

bLuke 18,1. James 5, 16.

Rom. 15, $0.

c Isa. 56, 10.

loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2 I will rise now, and go about the city; in the streets, and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, " Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? d Mat. 2, 3, 4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into e Gen. S2, my mother's house, into the chamber of her that Prov. 4, 15 §' conceived me.

CHAPTER IV....V....VI.

A description of Christ. Before 7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore & drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, CHRIST valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

9 Thou hast † ravished my heart, my sister, my 16 His mouth is † most sweet; yea, he is alto- sweetnesser, spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one ofgether † lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.