Ecclesiastes 10

The Lord has enclosed this day for his own worship, and they lay God's day common: God has set a hedge about this commandment, Remember, and they break this hedge. But he who breaks a hedge, a serpent shall bite him (Ecclesiastes 10:8). The Sabbath-day in England lies bleeding:…

(John 3:31.) He that is of the earth, speaks of the earth: as it is a sign of godliness to be still speaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan. (Ecclesiastes 10:12.) The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious. He speaks as if he had been already in…

He suggests not reasons only to persuade, but sets them on with words of affirmation and persuasion suggested along with them. Just as in argument a weak spirit is often borne down by a stronger, not by force of argument so much as by strength and violence of spirit — for many,…

Moses without fearing the King's wrath, went and led all the people away. And so must every one of us do: although dangers come, we must not fear, but stand fast in our profession, and go on in the duties of our calling: Ecclesiastes 10.4, If the spirit of him that rules rise up…

The tongue of the just is as choice silver (Proverbs 10:20). Gracious words drop as silver from him to the enriching the souls of others (Ecclesiastes 10:12). The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious.

It is a sign a man is of a reprobate sense, when he is implacable and stiff; when life is gone, a man is stiff, not easy to be entreated. Thirdly, if it be that he has offended another man, he is easy to yield, and to acknowledge that he is in a wrong (Ecclesiastes 10:4). There…

And the truth is, that these vices are so contagious that they infect the whole body. To rise betimes, signifies as much as to do something carefully, as it is said in Solomon, Woe to the people whose Princes eat in the morning, that is to say, who place their chief care in feed…

He knows not how to put on those Garments; neither do they fit him. Ecclesiastes 10:15. It is Labour of the Fool, wearies every one of them; because he knows not how to go to the City.

And when it is so, not only does the Spirit work internally, but Providence also works externally in order to their reduction. The ways of sin are not only made bitter unto them, by the remorse of Conscience, but by those afflictive rods upon the outward man, with which God also…

Now all things without life are put into a degree, into a class or form below and inferior to those that have life. It is true that money answers all things (Ecclesiastes 10:19), money is equivalently sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels. Money is equivalently bread, and meat,…

The second way how he explains and illustrates this, is more particular, by two comparisons, yet keeping still the former manner of expression, by way of question and admiration: The first is, how much better is your love than wine! Wine may be looked on in two respects, 1. As i…

1. A nobleness and greatness in respect of birth, that the Bride is honorably descended: From which we may learn, That believers (whatever they be in respect of the flesh) are of a royal descent and kindred, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), sons and daughters to the Lord God Al…

But where a people are so happy to be governed by those magistrates who have a whole constellation of divine attributes shining in them, magistrates that are just and merciful, wise and holy, they ought to give to them the greatest reverence that can belong to creatures, and to…

This must be especially remembered and observed by as many as are under the yoke; who will certainly have most comfort in meekness, and patience, and silent submission not only to the good and gentle, but also to the perverse. It is good in such cases to remember our place, and…

The angel rebuked Hagar for flying from her mistress, though she dealt hardly with her, and obliged her to return and submit herself under her hands (Genesis 16:6, 9). If the spirit of any ruler rise up against you, and you be chided for a fault, leave not your place, as an infe…

Christian prudence is very much the beauty and strength of Christian piety. Though it will secure the welfare of our own souls if we walk in our integrity, yet it is necessary for the preserving of the credit of our profession, that we walk in wisdom, that wisdom of the prudent…

To preserve a good name, it will be meet for a husband or wife, wisely and seasonably to give one another notice of that good fame which is raised of them, thereby to provoke them both to give glory to God for the same (as the Apostle thanks God for that report which was spread…

And again — Et me mihi perfide prodis? Me mihi prodis? ait — And from there this word is taken, which is here used by the evangelist, [in non-Latin alphabet], or idle babbling over the same thing. And the Scripture represents this vain going over of the same things (Ecclesiastes…

2. The quantity, thousands, that is, thousands of pieces as that addition is used (Psalm 68:30): They shall submit themselves with pieces of silver, or talents, as the Chaldean Paraphrase expounds it. Money answers all things (Ecclesiastes 10:19); it can command all things in th…

That this is the common case of Jew and Gentile, that is, all men, the Apostle assures us (Romans 3:9-11). Yes, men themselves declare it; and I may say of man, as Solomon does of the fool (Ecclesiastes 10:3), when he walks by the way, he says to every one, that he is a fool; th…

4. One omission makes way for another; he that under pretense of unfitness to duty puts it off, makes himself fit for nothing more than to omit again (qui non est hodie, eras minùs aptus erit) he prepares and fits himself to be unfit for, and to omit duty: much and too long fast…

Wisdom gives subtlety to the simple, and sharpness to the idiot (Proverbs 1:4). Your dullness and heaviness should increase your diligence and endeavor and not discourage you when the tool is dull men [illegible] to more strength (Ecclesiastes 10:10). Every thing must have a beg…

A rotten conversation (when the constant tenor and frame of a man's course is corrupt and [reconstructed: vile]) it [reconstructed: declares] to all the world, who have wisdom to [reconstructed: discern], there is a reprobate, and an [reconstructed: ungodly] disposition within.…

All the guests shall be linked together with the golden chain of charity. Fourth, it will be a great supper in regard of the holy mirth (Ecclesiastes 10:19): A feast is made for mirth. At this supper there shall be joy, and nothing but joy (Psalm 16, last verse).

What a pity that this excellent soul should be made a vassal and put to grind in the mill, while the body sits in a chair of state! Solomon complains of an evil under the sun (Ecclesiastes 10:7): I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth. Is…

As soon as Christ was risen from the grave, he was speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, Acts 1. 3. No sooner is a man risen out of the grave of Unregeneracy, but he is speaking of heaven, Ecclesiastes 10. 12. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious: He s…

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his own conceit, he said to Hopeful whisperingly, “There is more hope of a fool than of him.” (Proverbs 26:12) And said, moreover, “When he that is a fool walks by the way, his wisdom fails him, and he says to every one that he is a fo…

1. Gold. The Sun does not shine so bright in our eyes as gold; 'tis the mirror of beauty, money answers all things, Ecclesiastes 10.19. But grace weighs heavier than gold; gold draws the heart from God.