John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 7:15

Verſ. 15. All things have I ſeen in the dayes of my vanity] i. e. of my life, which is ſo very a vanity, that no man can perfectly deſcribe it, or directly tell what it is. He came ſomewhat near the matter, that ſaid, it was a ſpot of time betwixt two eternities.

There is a juſt man that periſheth in his righteouſneſſe] The firſt man that dyed, dyed for Religion. How early did Martyrdome come into the world? How valiant for the truth, and violent for the Kingdome have Gods ſuffering Saints been ever ſince, preferring affliction before ſin, and chooſing rather to periſh in their righteouſneſs, than to part with it? Ignatius triumphed in his voyage to Rome to ſuffer, to think that his bloud ſhould be found among the mighty Worthies; and that when the Lord makes inquiſition for bloud, hee will recount from the bloud of righteous Abel, not only to the bloud of Zacharias ſon of Barachias, but alſo to the bloud of mean Ignatius. Bleſſed are they that are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake,See the Note there. Mat. 5.10.

And there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life] This (as the former event likewiſe) proves a great ſtumbling-block to many: to ſee good men periſh, bad men flouriſh and live long in ſin, with impunity, credit, and countenance, as Manaſſeh (that Monſter of men) who reigned longeſt of any King of Judah. Jeroboam lived to ſee three Succeſſions in the Throne of Judah. Thus the Ivie lives, when the Oake is dead. David George (that odious Heretick) lived to a great age, and dyed in peace and plenty. Anne Stanhop Dutcheſſe of Somerſet (Wife of the Protector Edw. Seymor) after ſhe had raiſed ſuch Tragedies about precedency with Queen Katherine, Camd. Eliz. fol. 356. and cauſed the ruine of her Husband, and his Brother the Admiral, dyed Anno 1587. being ninety nine years of age. Length of dayes is no ſure rule of Gods favour. As Plants laſt longer than Senſitive Creatures,Ut victimae ad ſupplicium ſaginantur, ut hoſtiae ad poenam co[illegible: 1 letter]o nantur. Mi[illegible: 1 letter].-Foelix. and Brute Creatures out-live the reaſonable; ſo amongſt the reaſonable, it is no news (neither ſhould it trouble us) that the wickedly great doe inherit theſe worldly glories longer than the beſt; It is all they are like to have, let them make them merry with it. Some wicked men live long, that they may aggravate their judgement: others dye ſooner, that they may haſten it.