A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. VI.

THis Chapter beginneth as the other ended, for there he having pronounced it to be a rich mans portion, to live comfortably upon his wealth in this life; now * 1.1 on the contrary side, he sheweth it to be a great misery not to doe so, but to live sparingly, and at the last to dye full of wealth, and honour, his goods coming into the hands of strangers, as it often falleth out, which is to be understood for want of Children of his owne to inherite them, for which he saith.

If a man beget an hundred Children, and liveth many yeares, and his soule be not filled with good, and also that he hath no buriall, an untimely * 1.2 birth is better then he; For hitherto, since Chap. 4. 8. he hath spoken of a cove∣tous man without Children, now he speakes of one, that hath many Children, and he speakes of it, as a great blessing, for so specially under the Law it was, and to be without Children, a reproach; but he that injoyeth this blessing, and the blessing of long life also, if he be a covetous wretch, and cannot bestow a sufficient part of his goods upon himselfe, to live joyfully hereupon, and when he dyeth, to spare char∣ges of a Funerall, will be put into the ground, without any solemne meeting of friends and neighbours to accompany him to his Grave, an untimely birth is better then he; or as some expound it, is so dealt withall by his Children, or falling into enemies hands, and being slaine, and let lye in the fields without any buriall: Je∣rome expounds it either way; for such, as God honoured of old, were honourably buried, as Abraham buried Sarah, his two sonnes, Isaac and Ishmael buried * 1.3 him, and Jacob and Esau, Isaac, all the sonnes of Jacob, him, all Israel, Samuel, &c. therefore it is some part of unhappinesse in this world, in an ordinary course to be without a buriall; but if extraordinarily through persecution the Saints of God for his sake suffer this reproach, it is an honour unto them, wherein they may glory, if they know that they shall be thus used, as the Apostle Paul gloried in his sufferings, and said, God forbid that I should glory in any thing * 1.4 but the Crosse of Christ, to be hanged upon which, in an ordinary course, was a curse: but for his sake to be thus, or otherwise disgraced any way, a great favour of God, and an honour.

For he cometh in with vanity and departeth in darknesse, and his name * 1.5 shall be covered with darknesse. This and vers. 5. are generally understood alike of Abortives; but Carthusianus and Hugo understand this, as spoken of the co∣vetous * 1.6 mentioned before, that wanteth a buriall, he cometh into the world with vanity, or in vaine, according to the vulgar, for what vainer thing can there be then such a man? his coming into the world, but living altogether in a toylsome course of life, and then departing in such a manner, is worse then if he had been an Abortive; and that it is spoken of the covetous Miser appeares, because he saith,

His name is covered in darknesse, whereas untimely births, or still borne Chil∣dren * 1.7 have no names, neither can they be said to come into the world in vanity, and to depart, for they depart before they come in; it is therefore most probably spo∣ken of such a Miser, further to set forth his misery and basenesse in life and death, being without a buriall, when he hath lived long, and laboured for goods, as take∣ing no pleasure of his gettings; for a life so led is in vanity, and such a departing is in darknesse, according to the letter, because he is so put into the ground in the night, and there being no Sepulchre provided for him, he lyeth in obscurity, as if he had never been, not so much as his name being remembred a short time after, no more then an Abortive that had no name.

Aorcover he hath not seene the Sunne, neither knoweth any thing, this * 1.8 hath more rest then the other; That is, herein is the wretched man before spoken of worse then an Abortive, not only that he cometh in vaine, and departeth in darknesse, and now hath no name, or is not remembred any more then such an one, but also for that the Abortive never saw the Sunne, not knew any miseries of this life, as he hath long done, but beginning to live, and then dying againe, it is at rest; whereas such a man never rested, but alwayes toyled and travelled, neither being dead hath he rest, but is in that utter darknesse of the damned, in weeping and goashing of his teeth through torment without end in that burning Lake of fire, and this may goe for a twelfth vanity, further amplified, vers. 6.

Yea, though he live a thousand yeares twice told, yet hath he seen no good, * 1.9 doe not all goe to one place? He had before spoken of a covetous mans living long, but not being filled with good, now he mentioneth a farre longer time, then ever any lived here, or can live, two thousand yeares, if his many yeares before spoken of could be so many, yet in all this time he seeing, that is, injoying no good, through the miserablenesse of his minde, why he is now worse then an Abortive Childe? for all, both long livers, and such as instantly dye, after life received, goe to one place; That is, to the earth, and he goeth not thither without much sorrow and labour first indured, this untimely birth without any.

All the labour of a man is for his mouth, yet the soule is not filled; That is, * 1.10 for meat and drinke, and other necessaries of this life, for which a moderate estate will suffice; but the covetous man, as if he might want hereafter, is not satisfied, although he be well provided for, but still would have more, yet he makes no liberall use of that which he hath, he eates and drinkes so sparingly, that he dares not fill his belly for feare of want afterwards, and so he is unsatisfied two wayes; 1. In respect of his appetite, which by reason of his empty belly is ever crave∣ing. 2. Of his minde, which is still desirous of more.

What hath the poore, that knoweth to walke before the living? Having shew∣ed * 1.11 the end of all mens labour about worldly things, to what end it is, viz. for their bodie, in getting which things yet the soule is not satisfied; now he cometh to distinguish men into wise and foolish; further describing the wise man, who not∣withstanding his wisdome may be poore, although he knoweth how to carry him∣selfe discreetly before the living; That is, men living together with him, and by an interrogative he doth most earnestly assevere, that neither of them hath ought but vanity, if things here below be their only ayme; for a man may be wise this way, and yet poore, although of a very civil and commendable carriage a∣mongst men, and a Foole may be rich; That is, one that knoweth nothing but how to get riches, or hath them left him by his friends, to keep and increase them by injustice, and wrong, or to spend them upon sensuall pleasure, which being so, it followeth, that one is not more happy then another for these transitory goods, that we may not esteeme of them any otherwise, then as of vanities; and if we desire to be happy indeed, seeke after the true treasure, which will make us perfectly happy, of which our Lord speaketh, saying, Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven.

Better is the sight of the eyes, then the wandring of the desire, this also is * 1.12 vanity. The vulgar, It is better to see that which thou desirest, then to desire that which thou knowest not; but this is altogether from the Hebrew, and

agreeth not to the sence of the place, New Translation is word for word accor∣ding to the Hebrew, only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 walking is rendred wandring, but it is all one, the meaning is, it is better to rest contented with that which a man hath, although he * 1.13 seeth that he hath but little, then to be covetous of more, which not being able to attaine unto he is discontented; or if he attaineth to it, his desire still goeth after more without end.

Thus Lavater, who also saith; That some understand it of knowledge in things Spiritual that is sound, that a man plainly seeth by the word, that this is the truth, then a fond desire after new revelations, which is in phanaticall men, who thinke, that there are other truthes yet unrevealed in the word, whereby they are mise∣rably [Note.] carried away into grosse and pernicious errours, a thing too common in these our miserable times, heretofore in other Countries, now in England, to the ma∣king of infinite Schismes in the Church, which should be all as one, and walke by one rule.

Lastly, Some take it to be an Objection, is not the sight, that is, a mans fore∣sight * 1.14 and providence, against the time of old age, to lay up somewhat against that time, better then to desire only to be then provided for, that a man may not want, without this providence, which is wanting in many, and so in old age they come to misery? To this Salomon answereth, this is vanity, because it is but a pretext of covetous men to colour over their covetousnesse; this is a truth, but the words will not beare it here, because they are plainly an affirmation, not an interrogation, and here is no word signifying not; for the former, it is also a truth; but whether these words be so to be extended I make a question, because he speaketh here only of worldly things, and not of Spirituall, otherwise there will be no coherence with the former, whereas it being the first way understood, cohereth very well, for so much as no man hath in the end more then another of these worldly goods, for all came * 1.15 naked, and shal goe naked; therefore it is best to be content with that which we have, and not covetously still wander in our desires after more and more, for this, as hath been before shewed, is vanity, and vexation.

That which hath been is named already, and it is knowne that it is man, neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he. Against that which * 1.16 hath been said of the vanity of the Covetous, that is never content, but still desi∣reth more, these words are opposed, as if he had said; It is vaine and impotent man, that wandreth so in his desire of worldly goods, with whom the Lord by his Spirit in me, striveth to rake him off from this his Covetousnesse, by right and wrong stirring him up to increase his wealth; neither ought he by going on in this evil course, to strive against God, who is mightier then he, whose wrath he incur∣reth by so doing. And to imply his weaknesse, he speakes of his name Adam, earth, wherein what strength is there, when a vessel is made out of it, in respect of the Potter that maketh, and breaketh it at his pleasure.

Upon this Lavater briefly toucheth, but he followeth another, namely, that * 1.17 every man is knowne unto God by name before he is, and therefore having made him, he will doubtlesse take care to provide for him, and therefore he shall not need so greedily to desire and seeke after worldly meanes; and if he doth contrary to his will, as the covetous Oppressour doth, he greatly over-seeth himselfe, for in so doing he striveth against one mightier then he, which no wise man will doe, for then he shall be sure to goe by the worst. That when the Lord speaketh of knowing man by his name, he meaneth, that he takes care to provide for him, he proveth by Esa. 43. Feare not (O Israel) for I have redeemed, and called thee by thy name, thou art mine. And Esa. 40. He calleth all things by their name; and here he alledgeth the example of great men amongst the Romans, who had their Nomenclatores, or remembrancers of mens names of the City, that they might call every one by his name, the more to ingratiate themselves with them, and to draw their affections to them; and of Augustus Caesar in particu∣lar, who used to salute every Senatour, when he came to their house, by their names; but for so much as not names, but one name, only Adam, Hebr. (which is the common name of all men, and hath been of old ever since the Creation) is

spoken of, I rather preferre the first exposition, only I adde in saying, It is knowne that it is man, Adam, it is man in the state of corruption, that doth, as hath been before said, because that by Adam comes sinne upon all men, and till we be rege∣nerated, corruption of Nature hath the predominancy in us, to make us in seeking to get worldly goods to goe even against the Almighty.

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? * 1.18 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, &c. for who can tell what shall be after him under the Sunne? The vulgar, There are many words, and that having much vanity in disputation; and then it separateth, ver. 12. from this Chapter, making it the beginning of Chap. 7. but Hebr. it is both distin∣guished from Chap. 7. and made part of Chap. 6. and although the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be used, signifying as well words as matters, yet there is no ground of making out the Translation so, it being word for word, for there is a multiplica∣tion of words, multiplications of vanity, what remaineth to man? the mean∣ing being in reference to ver. 10. Neither may he contend with him that is * 1.19 mightier then he; if any man shal dare to contend with that mightier, who is the Almighty, he may indeed in so doing multiply words, but in so doing he doth but shew himselfe the more vaine, that will thus take upon him to dispute with God, and what will remaine, or come hereof to fraile man? surely nothing, but the more wrath and indignation from God.

Then another reason is added, ver. 12. For who knoweth what is good for man? That is, what man, that striveth, as was said before, knoweth, whether it will be good for him, if by hooke and crooke he could get a great estate in this world, labouring in this way all the dayes of his life, which is but as a shadow, that soone vanisheth, for he haply makes account thus; That he shal set up his house to stand, and flourish after his decease: but who can tell him whether it shall be so or no, seeing all things to come are to us uncertaine, and many times the Father increaseth to very great wealth, but his Children coming after him wast and consume all.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.3

  Lavater.
• * 1.4

  Gal. 6.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.6

  Carthus. Hugo Card.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.9

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.10

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.13

  Lavater.
• * 1.14

  Bibliander.
• * 1.15

  1 Tim. 6. 6.
• * 1.16

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.17

  Lavater.
• * 1.18

  Vers. 11. Vers. 12.
• * 1.19

  Rom. 9.