John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 9:3-4

Verſ. 3. This is an evil] Hoc eſt peſſimum (ſo Hierome, the Vulgar, and Tremellius renders it) this is the worſt evil, this is wickedneſs with a witneſs: ſcil, that ſith there is one event to all, graceleſs men ſhould therehence conclude, that ſith there is one event to all, graceleſs men ſhould therehence conclude, that it is a bootleſs buſineſs, a courſe of no profit to ſerve God. Hence they walk about the world with hearts as full as hell, of lewd and lawleſs luſts. Hence they run a madding after the pleaſures of ſin, which with a reſtleſſe giddineſs they earneſtly purſue: yea, they live and die in ſo doing, ſaith the Wiſe-man here, noting their final impenitency, that hate of Heaven, and gate to Hell.

Ex primis per [non-Latin text not transcribed] eorum ſermones. Lav. Joh. 24. Sic Benedic. 9. Alexand. 6. & Leo. 10. Verſ. 4. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope] Theſe are the words of thoſe wicked ones, whoſe lives and hopes end together, whoſe ſong is, Poſt mortem nulla voluptas, when life ends, there is an end of all. (Is there not ſuch language in ſome mens hearts? who knows whether there bee any ſuch thing as a life to come? &c. Now I ſhall know, ſaid that dying Pope, whether the ſoul of man bee immortal, yea or no: and whether that tale concerning Chriſt have any truth in it. Oh wretch!

So a living Dogg is better than a dead Lion] But ſo is not a living ſinner better that a dead Saint; for the righteous hath hope in his death; and they that dye in the Lord are bleſſed, Rev. 14.13. how much more if they alſo dye for the Lord? theſe love not their lives unto the death, Rev. 12.11. but go as willingly to dye, as ever they did to dine: being as glad to leave the world, (for a better eſpecially) as men are wont to bee to riſe from the board, when they have eaten their fill, to take poſſeſſion of a Lordſhip.

Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis?Lucret.