Eccles. 12 Early piety recommended before old age come on and death be near: old age described, and death, Eccles. 12:1–7. The conclusion: all is vanity, Eccles. 12:8. The preacher’s end in this book, Eccles. 12:9–12.

Remember, to wit, practically, or so as to fear, and love, and faithfully serve and worship him, which when men do not they are said to forget God, Ps. 9:17, Ps. 106:21, and in many other places.

While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars be not darkened, Heb. While the sun, and the light, and the moon, &c. That clause, and the light, seems to be added to signify that he speaks of the darkening of the sun, and moon, and stars, not in themselves, or in their own bodies, but only…

The keepers of the house, i.e. of the body, which is oft and fitly compared to a house, as Job 4:19, Ps. 119:54, 2 Cor. 5:1; whose keepers here are either, 1.

The doors be shut in the streets; or, towards the streets; which lead into the streets. This is understood either, 1. Literally; because men, when they are very old, keep much at home, and have neither strength nor inclination to go abroad. Or rather, 2.

They shall be afraid; the passion of fear is observed to be most incident to old men, of which divers reasons may be given. Of that which is high; either, 1. Of high things, lest they should fall upon them. Or rather, 2.

This verse is to be understood either, 1. literally, of the ornaments of life, such as chains, and jewels, and vessels of gold and silver, and of the instruments by which the necessary provisions and supports of life are conveyed to us, such as fountains of water, and pitchers, &c.

The dust; the body, called dust, both for its original, which was from the dust, and to signify its vile and corruptible nature, Job 4:19, Job 30:19, Ps. 103:14. Return to the earth as it was; whence it was first taken. He alludes to that passage, Gen. 3:19.

This sentence, wherewith he began this book, he here repeateth in the end of it partly as that which he had proved in all the foregoing discourse, and partly as that which naturally and necessarily followed from both the branches of the assertion now laid down, Eccles. 12:7.

The preacher was wise; which he affirmeth not out of vain ostentation, but partly to procure the more credit and acceptance to his doctrine and, counsel here delivered; and partly to declare his repentance for his former follies, and God’s great mercy in restoring his wisdom to him.

Acceptable words, Heb. desirable or delightful, worthy of all acceptation, such as would minister comfort and profit so the hearers or readers. Written by the preacher in this and his other books. Upright, Heb.

The words of the wise; not of secularly or politicly wise men, but of the spiritually wise and holy men of God; of which, and not of the former, this whole context treats.

By these; by these wise men, and their words or writings, of which he spoke in the foregoing verse. Be admonished; take your instructions from them, for their words are right and true, as he said, Eccles. 12:10, whereas the words of other men are false, or at best doubtful.

The conclusion of the whole matter; the sum and substance of all that hath been said or written by wise men, so far as it is necessary for us to know. Fear God; which is synecdoically put here, as it is very frequently in Scripture, for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust,…

For God shall bring every work into judgment: this is added either, 1. As a reason of what he last said, this is the whole of man, because all men must give an account to God of all their works, and this alone will enable them to do that with joy, and not with grief. Or, 2.