John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 7:6

Verſ. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot] Much noiſe, little fire; much light, little heat: So here is much mirth, little cauſe; a blaze it may yeeld, but is ſuddenly extinct; this blaze is alſo under a pot; the gallantry of it is checkt with troubles and terrours, it is inſincere many times, it is but the hypocriſie of mirth, as one calls it. It is truly and trimly here compared to a handful of bruſhwood, or ſear thorn under the pot.Apul. Ecquando vidiſti flammam ſtipula exortam, claro ſtrepitu, largo fulgere, cito incremento, ſed enim materia levi, caduco incendio, nullis reliquiis, ſaith Apuleius: a very dainty deſcription of carnal joy, and agreeable to this text.Pſal. 58.9 And herewith alſo very well ſuits that of the Pſalmiſt, Before your pots can feel the thorns, hee ſhall take them away with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath: Fools themſelves are but thorns twiſted and folded together, Nahum 1.10. briers, Micah 7.4. brambles, Judg. 9.14. Their laughter is alſo fitly compared to thorns; becauſe it choaks good motions, ſcratcheth the conſcience, harbours the vermine of baſe and baggage luſts. And as themſelves (like thorns) ſhall bee thruſt away, and utterly burnt with fire in the ſame place, 2 Sam. 23.6. So their joy ſoon expireth, and proves to bee rather deſolation, than conſolation; as lightning is followed with rending and roaring; as Comets out-blaze the very ſtars, but when their exhaled matter is waſted, they vaniſh and fill the air with peſtilent vapours. The Prophet Amos telleth the wicked, that their Sun ſhall go down at noon-day, chap. 8.9. Surely as metals are then neareſt melting, when they ſhine brighteſt in the fire: and as the fiſhes ſwim merrily down the ſilver-ſtreams of Jordan, till they ſuddenly fall into the dead Sea, where preſently they periſh: So it fares with theſe merry Greeks, that flear when they ſhould fear, and laugh when they ſhould lament.Luk. 6.25 Pſal. 118.1[illegible: 1 letter] Woe to you that laugh, ſaith Chriſt: How ſuddenly are they put out as the fire of thorns!