all is Vanity 4. The Lord hath not as in justice he might wholly deprived man of his Dominion over the Creatures but hath left in them some inclination to be subject to him and upon his pains and labour about them serviceable and comfortable to him that when the Earth yeilds him fruit or any other Creature serves him he may acknowledge the Mercy of his makes who hath not altogether for faulted those to him and thereby may be brought to consider how sweet that Estate was whence he is fallen to seek Reparation of it in Christ and so to be the more ingaged to his Obedience For here Solomon with Labour and pains hath the best of the Creatures serving him yeilding him matter of Comfort and Praise and ingaging him to his makers Obedience and all this abundance he reckons out as for other Reasons so for this that he may commend Gods Goodness in vouchasing that upon him which he did abuse I made me great works I planted I builded I made me pools and I got me men Servants c. 5. The Lord who hath made of one Blood all nations of men Act. 17.26 and doth not respect outward differences in offering and bestowing his Grace Gal 3.28 hath so ranked men as to their outward State and Condition that some of them should be Servants to others and others should be Masters and have many under them that his indifferent offering of his Grace to both sorts and bestowing it often upon the meanest may the more commend the freedome thereof that these whom his providence hath subjected outwardly unto others may seek true spiritual freedome and to be equal sharers with their Masters of spiritual priviledges and these who have many others under them may be the more ingaged to serve him and if they do not he may have the moe witnesses against them for so doth providence dispose here that Solomon hath servants and maids and servants born in his house 6. The observation of the Lords Liberality even in the most common and ordinary proofs thereof were it but in the bestowing of cattel the increase and preservation of them should not be thought an Exercise unsutable for the greatest Spirits and the most eminent Persons who stand in need of these things for their cloathing nourishment and delight Men prove themselves brutish in their disposition who being served by the beasts do not take notice of the Lords bounty and how far he proves his Liberality to them in that and things of that nature beyond others for here this penitent man reflects upon this and relates it as a proof of the Lords bounty toward him and that with grief considering it had been abused by him that he had great possessions of great and small cattel above all that were before him in Jerusalem 7. Were men never so great and eminent in the World they should not keep an idle train of Servants and attendants meerly for the maintaining of their Grandure much less for serving of their Lusts they should keept none but these for whom they have both maintainance and Imployment for Solomon hath many Servants but he hath much Work for them he hath great buildings to make Vinyards to dress Cattel great and small c which require many hands and much service and therefore he hath servants and maids and servants born in his house 8. The Lord is absolute owner and disposer of all the Riches and Treasures in the World he can direct men to the Bowels of the Earth where Riches ly and can take away the Treasures of Kings and Provinces from them who have them and Inrich others with them at his pleasure they that want such things should depend upon him for their supply who can if he think it fit bring them to their hand and these that have them should imploy them for his Glory who can strip them of them when he will for so Solomon acknowledges I got me silver and gold and the peculiar Treasure of Kings and Provinces 9. The Lord may cast plenty of outward things to the hands of men who he knows will abuse them which dispensation of his is Holy seeing he withholds only that influence for the right improving of them which he is not bound to give and in the Issue proves Gracious to his own discovering their corruption in their abuse of these things for their humbling and commending his Mercy in pardoning of them the consideration whereof should make these who want such things Submissive and construct well of the Lord us intending their good thereby and these who have them in abundance suspicious of themselves least they abuse them and fearfull of snares to their Souls in them for it is clear that all these great houses buildings c. were abused by Solomon 1 King 11 7.8 And yet after he was corrected and humbled Mercy was manifested to him 10. So empty are all the Creatures and unable to give satisfaction that when man hath his eye fullest of the most delectable sights that they can afford him his taste and smell refreshed with the most delicious of them and hath under his hand abundance of all sorts of Riches to provide him with things necessary for the time to come his heart will readily be frequented with sad thoughts in the midst of all and many cares and fears will readily mix themselves with all his injoyments Therefore after Solomon hath all the former he must provide Singing men and singing women and musical Instruments of all sorts to divert his heart from sad thoughts incident to him in the midst of his pleasures 11. The Children of men as such are prone to place their cheif delight in these things that satisfy their outward senses only the Children of the Lord having the presence of his Spirit can delight themselves in him and make his Praises and spiritual Exercises their Recreation for Solomon speaking of this Musick of the voice and Instruments made use of to sweeten the forementioned comforts he calls it the The delights of the sons of men Verse 9. So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem also my wisdom remained with me HAving at large branched out his earthly injoyments he comes now to shew what Observations after serious reflecting he made upon himself and his courses The First is concerning his outward estate and condition in the World and this he expresses 1. Positivly that by the abundance of these outward injoyments formerly mentioned he was Great the word signifies both to be brought to a very high pitch of Worldly Excellency and Dignity of any sort and likwise to have a great deal of esteem and weight in the mindes of others in the World 2. He expresses the same Comparativly that he had more of both these added to him than any of his Predecessors and that through the blessing of God upon him and his affaires in Reference to which this word increased is usually taken in Scripture Ps
forced to speak this Language one time or other I find it more bitter than Death 4. When Sinners are left to the power of their Lusts they are very studious to ensnare others those that are weakest before Temptations are often strongest to ensnare and hold others fast in the Snare with them and they are plagued with subtility of Wit for that end For the whorish Womans Heart and Hand go together her Heart is Snares and Nets and her Hands Bands 5. As the Temptations to the Sin of Uncleannss especially from lascivious and light Women are subtile and not easily discerned so when Men are once entangled in that Sin they are often made absolute Slaves to it and held fast in it it is not an easie matter to reclaim any such only God's Wisdom must discover the Net and the Snare and His Power must loose the Bands For as her Heart is Snares and Nets which are set so as they are not seen so her Hands are as Bands 6. If Men intangled with the pleasures of Sin especially the base Bewitching inticements of Whorish Women could look right upon their own case they would see themselves like silly Birds or Fishes deprived of their true liberty and Caught in the Devils Net to be preyed upon but such Slaves think their Bondage Liberty For her heart is Snares and Nets and her hands Bands 7. As it is a great sign of Gods special Favour and delight in a person to be kept from sinful Snares or to be liberat after they are intangled with them so the best way to be kept free of them or to escape from them is to make the pleasure of God our Pleasure So should Men find as much true Pleasure in Gods Service and Communion with him as would make sinful pleasures loathsome to them For saith he whose pleaseth God the Words signifie either one Favoured by and pleasing to God or one that studies to please him shall escape from her 8. It is not so much Mens natural disposition to Chastity their Education fear of Shame or Censure their own Vows Resolutions or Crosses as it is Gods taking Pleasure in them and his setting them in the way that pleases Him to which their Preservation or Deliverance from Temptations is to be attributed For saith he Whose pleaseth God shall escape from her 9. Those who habituat themselves to other Sins suppose them less and more secret and make a Trade of Living in them are ordinarily given up to those more gross disgraceful and vile Sins of Fornication Whoredom and the like For the Sinner who as was cleared in the Exposition is one giving up himself to a Trade of Sinning shall be taken by her Ver. 27. Behold this have I found saith the Preacher counting one by one to find out the Account 28. Which yet my Soul seeketh but I find not One Man among a Thousand have I found but a Woman among all these have I not found HEre is the Second Branch of the success of the pains which Solomon took to know the evil of Sin and it is that he had observed it a very rare and consequently a difficult thing for one insnared with the pleasures of Sin especially the Lusts of the Flesh to make an escape therefrom or recover themselves by true Repentance And to make his Testimony in this have the more weight and credit He 1. calls all to consider it as experimentally known to himself 2. He mindes them again of his Calling which did fit him and oblige him to search and hold forth what might be most profitable for the Church 3 He shews how exact a survey he had taken of many particular persons and their Cases not as a man would determine the number of some great Flock by taking a general view of them but as one that Counts them all One by One. 4 That he was yet upon that Search very desirous to find examples of Gods power and Mercy in reclaiming Sinners and delivering Satans Captives but with grief he regrates he could find few or none 5. He shews some success that he had even in this inquiry he had found ONE among a Thousand by which ONE may be meant some few whom he had observed to be reclaimed by Gods Grace Or by this One he may understand Himself who was a Penitent But a Woman among so many he had not found this is not spoken to derogat from the one sexe more than the other for both are alike impotent in order to their recovery out of Temptations Rom. 3.23 Gal. 6.3 And Solomon himself did know some Gracious Women 2 Chron 9.1 And frequently commends such Prov. 19.14 and 31 30. But he seems to speak of these Idolatrous and Whorish Women of the Moabites Ammonites and Egyptians who had stollen away his heart from God For 1 King 11.3 it is marked that there was such a number of those as is here mentioned and it seems he hath not observed any of them all Penitents though he doth not determine but some of them might be so Or we may take him here to speak only of Women under this particular consideration as Inticing and drawing away Men to Wickedness according to the Description given of them in the former verse and of such he had observed few or none reclaimed from their Vileness Hence Learn 1. The Lord hath vouchsafed upon his Church the help of the experience of the Pen-men of Scripture to commend his Truth that Men may be the more afraid to slight it considering that those who deliver it may be Witnesses against them upon a double account both that they have spoken in the Lords name and that they have spoken their own experience Behold this have I found saith the Preacher 2. Hearers of the Word had need to mind often the warrand and Authority of the Speaker lest they take the Word as the word of a Man only For it is not without cause that Solomon mentions his Ecclesiastick Office here again This have I found saith the Preacher 3. They that would have their Experiences well grounded must go thorow many particulars and consider many persons and cases wherein they have observed the Conclusion they draw to be verified As for example they that would be perswaded of Gods willingness and readiness to Pardon and Comfort humble Sinners they must count all the instances they can in Scripture or otherwise of such particular persons as he hath pardoned and comforted and so they that would be confirmed and confirm others of the Truth of this that there is such a power in Temptations and such impotency in persons once inslaved with them that few or none of them escape in comparison of those who remain Slaves till they Perish they must go thorow many instances to see this Truth verified For so did Solomon here counting One by One to find out the Account 4. True Penitents are very desirous to see other Sinners especially those who have been their Companions in Sin mercifully
sinfully pursuing earthly delights saith My Heart rejoyced in all my Labour the Word signifies Toil and Pains even unto weariness 6. Though men oftentimes think it a good enough Warrand to hold on in their sinful way that their Heart prompts them so to do and that they can take joy in their way yet when the Lord awakes the Conscience it will appear to be so far from a Warrand of their way that it will increase their grief that they should not only have followed their sinful wayes but likewise should have had Hearts to rejoyce so much in them for Solomon gives this for a reason prevailing with him under his distance from the Lord to give up himself to his earthly Pleasures but now aggravating his guilt and his grief That his Heart rejoced in all his Labour 7 Although there be nothing less allowed to Believers for their Portion than the Lord himself his Favour and Fellowship which alone is able to satisfy them Psal 16.5 6. yet when his Spirit is withdrawn from them they will seek after and satisfy themselves with the perishing delights of this earth as their portion for the time which will exceedingly augment their grief when the Lord reclaims them for this other reason is a part of that which Solomon found now to be vexation of Spirit to him that he had looked upon his earthly injoyments and his joy in them as his portion And this saith he was my Portion of all my Labour 8. As men deserted of God go on in their own wayes and never turn their face seriously to reflect upon what they have done so when his Spirit whom they have grieved is pleased to return again they will make it their exercise to look back upon what they have done comparing it with the Rule that they may find matter of Humiliation from it for so is it here with this penitent then I looked or as the Word is in the Original I turned my face importing he had before this time gone on and never looked back upon all the Works that my hands had wrought 9. When a Prodigal Child of God is come to himself he will see and be very desirous that others should see that every thing he hath sought after as his Portion hath been empty and void of any true satisfaction that every thing he hath poured out the delight of his Heart upon beside the Lord and Fellowship with him hath but eaten up his Spirit and left him nothing there but the gnawing worm of an accusing Conscience so that he hath nothing of true profit remaining nay nothing at all beside that disappointment and vexation And if it be thus with men pursuing excessively pleasures in themselves lawful how much more with these who pursue things sinful For this is penitent Solomon's Censure and Judgement past upon all his earthly Pleasures which he calls all to consider Behold all is vanity and vexation of Spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Verse 12. And I turned my self to behold Wisdom and Madness and Folly for what can the man do that cometh after the King Even that which hath been already done THis Penitent Preacher having with Grief related and censured the principal courses which he followed during his distance from the Lord for attaining to Happiness Namely the contemplation and study of all created things and the plentiful injoyment of creature Comforts He doth now compare both together and shows first how serious he was in so doing he turned his face from other things to contemplate Wisdom whereby is meant mainly the knowledge of things Natural and Moral or whatever mans wit without the special conduct of the Lords Spirit can find out for attaining to Happiness And Madness and Folly by which he means all these sensual Delights formerly mentioned wherein men place their Happiness As he had looked upon both apart so now he considers both joyntly and cannot pass from his former Sentence of both And next because he did foresee that many Inferior to him would presume to find Happiness where he had been disappointed therefore he put this question to them What can the Man do that cometh after the King Which hath the force of a denyal as appears by the answer here subjoyned viz. That no man after Solomon himself should ever be able to do any thing to lead him nearer an earthly Felicity by trying the like courses than he had done And the ground of this is supposed that none can expect to have more advantages and helps to make them profit in such a study and successful in such an attempt And this is both a Reason of his painful study taken from his fitness and many advantages for it and likwise an Argument to make his Judgment and Censure past upon such courses have the more weight And so to draw others from essaying to seek Happiness in the like way Besides what was observed from some expressions Chap. 1 17. We may learn 1. While the Heart of man is not fixed upon the Lord and taken up with that sweetness which is to be had in his Fellowship and Service it will be still wandring from mountain to hill forgetting its resting place which proves to some a just correction in displeasure for their folly and to others a merciful exercise to make them return to their first Husband For Thus doth Solomon beginning to be reclaimed from his defection represent himself as one frequently turning himself about Having said in the former verse He turned his face he saith here again and I turned my self to behold c. 2. They that would attain to any degree of sound knowledge and right apprehension of things which may be profitable for themselves and others they must not only have their Hearts diverted from other unprofitable things and be frequent and serious in their thoughts of these that may profit but after they have looked upon every one of them apart they must consider them joyntly and compare one of them with another For here Solomon that he might root this experimental knowledge in his own Heart concerning the insufficiency of all the Creatures humane endeavours about them and the fullest injoyment of them for bringing about mans true Happiness after he had considered all his Courses for that end apart he turns his face again importing his seriousness to consider them jointly I turned my self to behold Wisdom and Madness and Folly 3. The utmost of Comfort that Creatures can yeild when Happiness and Contentment is sought in them may soon be attained It is no such depth but that it may be sounded by these who will put it to the tryal which yet they shall do to their great grief and vexation One man may in a short time find out so much thereof as that he may defy others after him to find more Whence appears a manifest difference between Heavenly and Earthly Consolations the Heavenly being still upon the growing hand and incomprehensible by any of the Saints
till in Heaven they be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 2.9 For here Solomon at the direction of the Spirit of God professeth himself to have been at the bottom of earthly delights so as none after him could go deeper What can the man do that cometh after the King 4. The Lord hath not only assured us by his Word that if we seek Happiness in any thing beside himself we shall meet with disappointment and vexation but also hath given us experimental Testimonies thereof under the hand of these who to their grief have essayed it whose Testimony we cannot in reason question seeing we cannot rationally imagine to equal much less to excel them in advantages for attaining to that Happiness For here is the Testimony of one who excelled all meer men in Wisdom and many other things also giving us in the Lords Name warning that it shall be folly for us to make a new essay of finding Happiness where he was disappointed What can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done 5. So bent are the Hearts of men naturally upon an Earthly Happiness Psal 4.6 and so strongly conceited of their own ability to attain it Job 11.12 that though they hear the persuit of it condemned as vain and vexatious by these who wanted nothing to gain credit to their Testimony yet will they still except the Lord change their Heart intertain hopes of attaining it and presume to do something more for that end than any others have done before them For this Question is to check mens vain hopes and presumption of doing some new thing and more effectual than what hath been done before for attaining to Happiness in things Earthly What can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done 6. As it is no sinful arrogancy nor violation of Christian modesty to commend our selves when the same may commend the Truth and is done for that end so when it is necessary for men to speak any thing may savour of their own praise or preference to others they should not only be sure that they speak truly and have a good Warrand for what they say but likewise should evidence their Modesty and Humility in so doing by keeping within the bounds they might surpass in commending themselves For Solomon here as he doth to the advantage of the Truth commend himself so he doth not say all that he might have said upon the Warrand of Gods promise to him and testimony concerning him 1 King 3.11 but modestly imports that others should find nothing more in this matter than he had found What can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done 7. The more fit qualifications and advantages the Lord hath given men for attaining to the knowledge of the Truth as they should be the more diligent in improving them and that they may provoke themselves thereto should be the more frequent in humble reflecting upon any thing wherein the Lord hath made them to excel others so should the same gain the more weight in the minds of People to the message they carry for this question may safely be taken both for a reason why Solomon was so serious in the study of the way to Happiness and likewise why his Doctrine should have weight with all that hear it I turned my self to behold and what can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done 8. It is the Lords way who searches and knows the Hearts of men to meet with the most secret motions and inclinations thereof by his Word and therefore it should be the study of all his Ministers so to apply his Truth as the same may discover the hidden wickedness of Peoples Heart Isaiah 58.1 And so should it be the great desire of people to have the secrets of their Heart discovered to them by the Word 1 Cor. 15.25 For Solomon here clearly meets with that deceiving fancy of mens Hearts which makes them think that albeit he had missed Happiness in his way yet possibly they might come after him and find it out while he saith What can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already â—ine Verse 13. Then I saw that Wisdom excelleth Folly as far as Light excelleth Darkness 14. The wise mans Eyes are in his Head but the Fool walketh in Darkness And I my self perceived also that one event happeneth to them all SOlomon having compared together these two principal wayes wherein the most part of men seek to attain Happiness and whereof Himself had tryed the outmost and having declared them equally insufficient for that end least he might be thought to undervalue the one viz. the study of Natural Wisdom or Moral Prudence in all other respects as he had done in order to its leading the Students of it to true Happiness He doth here commend it as a good Gift of God fit to be a handmaid to saving knowledge and mainly as it serves for the advantage of humane Society and prefers the study of it to the other viz. The voluptuous or sensual Life which is spent in Carnal pleasures which he calls Folly because it doth much darken mens reason and turn them Sottish who give up themselves to it And this preference of the one to the other He illustrats by the similitude of Light which far excels Darkness vers 13. And proves the same by Reason taken from the effects of both to wit That the man indued even with this common sort of Wisdom hath his Eyes in his Head The meaning whereof is that he is by it much enabled to foresee the hazards and advantages of his Civil Conversation to guard himself against the one and provide for the other and so in some measure to walk equitably and soberly for the good of humane Society while as on the contrary the Sensual man who hath drowned his wit in his Pleasures is as if his Eyes were in the soles of his feet and so he walks inconsiderately and is ready to run into many hazards unawares as one that is walking in the dark Now though all that is here said to the commendation of this Wisdom doth truly and far more ominently agree to saving knowledge yet by what he spoke of this Wisdom Chap. 1. ver 17.18 and by what he speaks afterward of the woful effects of it in this Chapter it doth clearly appear that he intends not a commendation of that Heavenly Wisdom And having shown wherein the one of these courses doth excel the other he comes to show in the next place wherein they both agree whereby he proves the vanity and weakness of that Wisdom for leading man to Happiness which he had commended before in other respects The first thing wherein they agree is That the same events are common to these that are Wise and to these that are Foolish in
The Lord in Wisdom and much mercy to his Church and People hath moved the most eminent of his Saints to Registrate not only their own failings that were gross and visible but likewise some of their most secret sinful suggestions that others inferior to them may take warning to watch over their hearts and that Souls vexed with the thoughts of their own matchlessness in guilt because of such inward sinful suggestions as frequent their hearts may thence have some relief and comfort Therefore is Solomon here directed by the Spirit of God to express his own rash and sinful apprehensions Then said I in my heart And why then was I more wise 8. Whatever conflicts the Children of the Lord may have with temptations they will at last get the victory when his Spirit returns with his lively Operations and then they will pass censure upon their own rashness see Psal 77.10 and will be content to publish the sinful Language of their heart for the Glory of God their own further humiliation and the warning and comfort of others For Solomon having said in his heart Why was I then more wise he saith he said in his heart again that this also is vanity Verse 16. For there is no remembrance of the wise more then of the fool for ever seeing that which now is in the dayes to come shall all be forgotten and how dieth the wise man as the fool HE inlarges further the ground whence these sinful suggestions mentioned in the former verse had the rise in his heart namely the equality of events befalling the Morally Wise and the Sensual Voluptuous Man whereof he giveth here two instances which have very useful Truths in them though they do not bear the Conclusion which his corruption while he was estranged from God drew from them to wit The condemning of himself for the study of Mâ—â— Wisdom The first instance is That both those sorts of men formerly mentioned and all their enterprizes for Happiness are equally obnoxious to Oblivion Which is not to be understood of their future and eternâ—â— state wherein they shall be for ever remembred by a sin persuing God for the continuance of their torment who seek not their Happiness in Reconciliation and Fellowship with him through Christ But it is to be understood of their remembrance during the time of this Life and among men like themselves after they are gone And is mainly intended against that sort of Wise Men who do more strongly affect the perpetuating of their Memories and endeavour the same by leaving behind them Monuments of their Wit than Sensual Epicures who care for nothing but the enjoyment of their present Pleasures And however some of this sort of Wise-men have been and may be long and much remembred among men yet with the far greatest part of them it is not so for ordinarly others arise after them who darken their memory and eclipse their esteem And the remembrance of all of them being considered as they did affect and endeavour the perpetuating of it viz. as some piece of their chief Happiness doth so perish quite and at least they shall be all of them so disgraced at the last day that they shall thenceforth eternally lose all their renown And then this shall be fully verified of all the wicked There shall be no remembrance of one of them more than of another unto all Eternity And this instance as it is verified in time He proves by the universal forgetfulness wherein both the Persons and Actions of the present Generation will be buried in the future Seeing that which now is saith he in the days to come shall all be forgotten Which likewise is to be applyed only to the subject matter in hand and in the sense presently mentioned seeing the remembrance of God and his Works will be kept up in his Church while time endures Psal 45.17 The next instance is that this wise man he speaks of shall die like the fool Which is held forth in a Question importing his admiration and indignation viz. while his Heart was estranged from the Lord that it should be so Now this equality of these two sorts of men the Morally wise or sober and the Sensual fool in reference to their Death is not to be understood of the particular kinds of their Death or the circumstances thereof which use to be various in differing persons but that all the Wisdom of the former sort shall neither be able to prolong their Life nor give them any more true Comfort in Death seeing they have lived without the study of saving knowledge than they have who never cared for such Studies as these have been ravished with And though this Question may be concerning the certainty and kind of Natural Death incident to the Godly Man as well as others yet as to the quality of his Death he doth not die as they do for his Death is the beginning of his eternally blessed Life and he shall live after his Death with God in everlasting remembrance But for these wise Men and Fools here spoken of every one dies as another they are at Death equally separated from their fancied Happiness and Death is to all of them the Port and Entrance into their Eternal Torment Hence Learn 1. Though the desire of esteem among men especially the continuance of it after death be of it self vain Gal. 5.26 yet the Wisest and Best of men destitute of saving Light and Grace do strongly incline to pursue it even as their Chief Happiness and can with more difficulty than any others be convinced of their Vanity in so doing For it is this sort of wise Men that the Spirit of God here equals with the fool and labours so much to convince of Vanity in counting themselves more truly Happy than others because of their Wisdom while he saith There is no remembrance of the Wise more then of the Fool for ever 2. The more wit men employ in pursuing any thing as their Happiness beside Gods Favour and the more earnestly they pursue the same the more will the Lord walk contrary to them and set himself to blast their courses for attaining to it For the Spirit of God directs his Speech here mainly against these Wise men who had much more to perpetuate their Memories by and did more for that end than these with whom he doth equal them They are such whom he here certifies of that which is very vexatious to them to consider as will appear by what Solomon saith in the following verse of himself while he had somewhat of their temper There is no remembrance of the wise more then of the fool for ever 3. The present Generation and all that live in it should look upon themselves and all their outward Enjoyments as not only fading and of short continuance but as shortly to be quite forgotten and should apply the same consideration to themselves and their particular Idols in the enjoyment whereof they place their Happiness the
the heart from earthly Delights that is tyed to them as its portion A man must bestir himself in the use of all means and must busie his heart to find out motives effectual for that end for so did Solomon here as is imported in this expression I went about to cause my heart c. 3. As men destitute of the special Operations of the Lordâ— Spirit may manifest much Skill Prudence Experience Ingenuity and Uprightness in their acting and yet be seeking but an earthly Happiness and never minding the great end of all their Undertakings the Glory of God their own and others Spiritual Good So the more of these Gifts or Virtues men do exercise and manifest in their interprises if they seek no further the more will their anxiety and vexation be increased were it but upon this ground that they cannot dispose of all their Purchase to men after them according to their own inclination and pleasure for Solomon here speaks with a main eye to himself and his own Disposition and Carriage while he was at a distance from the Lord and so acting as a natural man may do while he saith There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not Laboured therein shall he leave it This is a great evil 4 While these prime Motives which should prevail to alienate mens hearts from sinful courses are either not minded or have no Power for that effect the Lord can and sometimes doth make use of common and more inferior Motives for bringing about the same and therefore every frame of Spirit is not to be looked upon as bad because it hath been wrought by some Considerations which are common and have in them a mixture of Ignorance and Corruption For Solomon should have caused his heart to despair of Happiness in the Creature because he was created for injoying a Felicity of a higher nature than all the Creatures could afford and because true Happiness is only to be had in Reconciliation and Fellowship with God but he doth not attain at this time whereunto he here relates to these thoughts and yet this more inferior Consideration is blessed to bring his heart to this frame that There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave all c. 5 Men are naturally more prone to be anxious what shall become of their possessions after them and afraid that they be not imployed according to their mind than they are now to improve them in their own time for the best advantage the honour of God their own good and the good of others Which is as if a servant should be more solicitous how his Master should dispose of the fruits of his Labour and afraid least they fall into the hands of some evil servant after him than he is how to improve his pains in the mean time to his Masters best advantage For Solomon was much troubled with this that a man who hath laboured in wisdom should leave all to him that hath not laboueed therein Which cannot be justified seeing the Lord cannot but dispose well of all things into whose hand soever they fall and how bad use soever men make of them 6. The Lord in his wise Providence sees it fit that great things of the World should fall for a portion to men who have neither Wit nor Experience for purchasing or improving of them that all may be convinced that these things are not infallible signs of his love Eccles 9.1 and that men who get them may be allured to their duty by them or the more severely punished when he reckons with them Rom. 2 45. For there is a man whose labour â—s in wisdom and knowledge and equity and yet to a man who hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion 7. It is both the sin and misery of men to spend their time and abilities in seeking their Happiness in things which they must leave to others not knowing how they shall be used nothing but disappointment vexation and torment of Conscience when God awakes it can be the result of a mans forgetting his one thing needful and Labouring though in wisdom and knowledge and equity for things earthly as his Happiness which he must leave to another that hath not Laboured therein For this is the thing that Solomon here pronounceth Vanity and a great evil Verse 22. For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the Sun 23. For all his days are sorrows and his travel grief yet his heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity SOlomon here giveth the Reasons of his censure past in the former words upon mens pains for an earthly Happiness The 1. is that man hath no real advantage or true comfort by all his toil of Body and vexation of spirit about things earthly Which is not spoken to the prejudice of any lawful diligence about humane affairs for the right end but only to convince natural men of the fruitlesness of all their pains in order to the true â—atisfaction of their souls And this reason he doth propound by way of interrogation that he may the more effectually rouse up himself and others to consider the vanity of seeking Happiness in â—he creatures and by it also he doth as it were challenge all who â—eglect to seek their Soul-satisfaction in Reconciliation and felâ—owship with God in Christ to condescend if they can and with all supposes that they cannot upon any advantage they have by all their toil and pains The question hath the force of a negative as was cleared from the like Chap. 1. ver 3. Whence that which is here understood may be thus supplyed what profit hath a man of all his Labour The 2. Reason is that whoever choises any earthly thing for his portion shall be so far from any true profit or satisfaction that may compense his Pains that by the contrary all his days shall be sorrows and his travel grief which is mainly to be understood of men of greatest Spirit and Parts who take most pains for Happiness in things earthly not as if such men might not have many days of Carnal pleasure and joy but that they have no good days no days but such as yeild them matter of sorrow no imployment but what affords them matter of grief and such Sorrow and grief as is not easily exprest therefore he useth several words here to the same purpose and these in the abstract and in the plural Number The 3. Reason which may be taken for an instance or illustration of the former iâ— that even in the time which God hath appointed for the rest of mens Bodies and Spirits such men are often so hot in the pursuit of their Idols of Riches Honour or pleasure that they cannot get rest or as it is in the
that all this to wit all lawful creature comforts the power to make use of them and find sweetness in them and especially the Grace to use them so as the Souls good may be thereby promoved All this was from the hand of God whereby is meant his liberality inlarged toward man in allowing these Comforts upon him and his powerful Blessing causing him so to use them see Psal 104.28 And Thirdly to gain weight to his testimony concerning this matter he shows he was inferior to none for plenty of creature Comforts and opportunity to make use of them speedily without much labour to him and therefore was to be believed in this That Happiness was not in the injoyment of outward Comforts alone but only in such a Holy and Chearful use of them as might be subservient to the Souls good which consists in Fellowship with the Lord. Hence Learn 1. Though the publick Ministers of Christ ought to deliver the whole Counsel of God to the People as they have ability and opportunity Act 20.20 27. Yet is it Wisdom in them while they have to do with these that are strangers to Communion with the Lord especially such of these as are ravished with Earthly Delights to bring forth in the first place such Truths as may probably be most taking prevalent and have best acceptance with them such as these are that do concern the Lords large allowance of as much comfort even in outward things as men can in reason desire That Soul-ravishing sweetness is only to be found in Spiritual Exercises which will make all sinful Delights loathsome and refine the lawful Sweetness that is in the Creatures And so that Religion is a friend both to the Bodies and Spirits of men For this is Solomon's method here who without doubt is directed to frame this Book mainly for the convincing and gaining of Men who are in the way that he himself was in before his recovery from his defection He doth not at the first deliver the â—â—lictest of these Precepts which afterward he presseth in order to Happiness but speaks as if he conceded much to men concerning the use of sensual Delights only minding them of their Souls good which they could not in reason slight while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 2. It is dangerous to leave men under Convictions of the evil of their Courses and Apprehensions of certain misery abiding them except there be also some intimation of a probable way for them to be made Happy and the same in some measure cleared up to them least they either return to their wonted sinful Delights as Israel would have gone back to Egypt or choice to die in Despair not daring to go back and not knowing how to go forward Therefore Solomon having spoken somewhat concerning the Insufficiency of the most plausible and promising courses which men destitute of the Lords Spirit can take for satisfaction before he proceed further he inserts here some discovery of true Happiness that men may have the clearer thoughts of it while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 3. As it is to be acknowledged for a great Blessing of God to have plenty of Creature Comforts and withall Power to make use of them and find Sweetness in them and not to be hindered therein either by inward exercise of Spirit Job 33.19.20 such as the Lords withdrawing of his wonted comfortable Presence Psal 102.9 and 42.3 by outward Crosses imbittering the Spirit 1 Sam. 30.26.27 by excessive fears of outward Hazards Psal 107.18 by groundless scruples of Conscience Act. 10.13.14 or by miserable Sparingness c. So it is to be looked upon but as the smallest part of our Happiness and as no part of it at all unless in the use of these things the Soul be injoying good sutable for it for as Solomon commends Eating and Drinking in the sense formerly mentioned so he doth not commend it alone but as it ushers in and promoves some true good to be injoyed by the Soul of man There is nothing better then that a man Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good 4. Ministers when they confute the abuse of things Lawful and the Excess of Mens Affection to them should withall assert and clear the lawful liberty of Christians lest Hearers who are ready to run from one sinful extream to another from making provision for the Flesh in the excess or pampering of it to fulfill the Lusts thereof unto a neglecting of the Body to the prejudice of the Spirit may apprehend Religion to be an Enemy to their Bodily Health and to the true Cheerfulness of their Natural Spirit contrary to Prov. 3.8 Or may be without ground challenged for taking what is the Lords Allowance to them Thereforefore Solomon after he hath condemned the excess of sensual Delights doth here commend the right use of them which is consistent with and subservient to the Souls injoying of its true good in Fellowship with the Lord. There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good c. 5 The outmost of that Happiness which is attainable in this Life by the Children of the Lord wants not its own Imperfection and mixture of Trouble and Toil with it The Lord so disposeth that men may long for that State where their Happiness may be full and unmixed In Heaven there shall be no use of the Creatures for Eating Drinking and the like Rev. 7.16 which take a great part of a mans time to provide and use so frequently But in this Life There is no better of it than to be at the pains of Eating and Drinking and that way to keep up our selves that our Souls may injoy good of our Labour 6. The right use of Creature Comforts such as Meat Drink and the like is not only consistent with but subservient to the Souls injoying of that true Spiritual good which is suitable to it when we are by the use of these things led to think upon and long for better and when the strength we receive thereby is imployed in the Praise and Service of the Lord for this Eating and Drinking here commended carries along with it and promoves the Souls injoying of Good and if man Eat and Drink and neglect to make his Soul enjoy good he is worse than the Beasts that perish There is nothing better then to Eat and Drink and make the Soul injoy Good 7. Though the Soul and the matters of it should be first and principally cared for Mat. 6 33. yet it is not the Lords mind that our seeking the good of our Souls should make us careless of our Bodies but rather that we should out of respect to our Souls and the good thereof respect the good of our Bodies in a Sober
and Holy manner So that to respect the Body and care for it in reference to the Soul that by the Body the Soul may be served in serving its Creator and not to neglect the Soul or any Duty relating to the welfare thereof for indulgence to the Body is that golden path wherein men may expect some measure of that Happiness which the Lord allows upon his Children in this Life for saith he There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink and injoy good of his Labour 8. Every expression in the Scriptures is not to be looked upon apart but some are to be considered jointly with others sometimes with such as go before sometimes with such as follow after else men will be in hazard to wrest the Scripture to their own Destruction For if we consider the first expression in this verse There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink without considering what follows it might seem to express the Sense and Mind of Epicures But if we joyn it with the Expression immediatly following of the Souls injoying good then we come to understand the Eating and Drinking here commended to be such as prejudge not the Spiritual and Eternal good of mens Souls There is nothing better for a man then to Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good 9. To have the outward Comforts of this Life the Power to use them and to find Sweetness in the use of them and especially the Grace to use them aright so as the use of them may not hinder but promove the good of the Soul all this is from the Liberality and Providence of a good God and in it our Fathers allowance our Redeemers purchase and our Comforters presence and teaching are to be acknowledged for so saith Solomon here that All is from the Hand of God the Name God is in the plural number minding us of the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity 10. Whatever Ministers say to the Lords People they should Labour to see it by the Light of the Word and Spirit of God and likewise by their own experience whereby they put these Truths they deliver to the proof and labour to find the Power of them upon their own Hearts for saith he I saw that this was from the Hand of God 11. Whereinsoever the Lord makes any of his Servants to excel for outward Injoyments or Priviledges they should Labour so to carry themselves in the use thereof that from their own experience they may teach others how to use these outward Advantages for the Spiritual good of their Souls considering that People who place their Happiness in these things are ready to think that if men knew Experimentally the worth and sweetness which they fancy to be in them they would not so undervalue them For that Solomon may convince all that their is no true Happiness in the use of these things except they be made subservient to the Souls injoying of that true good which is in Fellowship with God he doth by this question incite all to consider that he who asserts this Truth was inferior to none for plenty of outward Comforts and conveniency of speedy injoyment of them while he saith Who can Eat or who can hasten thereunto more then I Verse 26. For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy but to the Sinner 〈◊〉 giveth travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God This also is vanity and vexation of Spirit HAving given a short sum of that True Happiness which is attainable in this Life he doth here describe the Blessedness of them that seek after it and the misery of these that slight it And this he brings in as a reason to move men to fall in love with it As for the man that takes the right way of seeking Happiness whom here he calls the man that is good in Gods sight which signifies one freely favoured and delighted in and so a justified person through the Righteousness of Christ and one who is sincerely studying what is good or well-pleasing not in the sight of the World but of God The Lord giveth and giveth freely and in giving makes sure and firm to him as the word signifies Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy Whereby is meant nâ—t only skill to purchase a Competency of things Worldly with Prudence to manage and use the same aright together with chearfulness in the use thereof which cannot be excluded here seeing the same was exprest before as subservient to that Happiness which is attainable in this World But mainly an increase of saving knowledge which is set forth by two words because there are many degrees of it and an increase of Spiritual joy flowing from the Faith of Acceptation with God through Jesus Christ I say the words are to be understood of the increase of these things because they are promised to the man who is bâ—fore favoured and so hath the first Grace Next As for the man who continues in his mistake concerning the way to true Happiness whom he calls here the sinnerâ— not 〈◊〉 if the other formerly spoken of or any other in the World did not deserve that name but because such an one is given up to the slavery and servitude of his lusts in an unreconciled state as the Word Sinner often signifies in Scripture when it is opposed to the Good or Righteous 1 Pet. 4 18 and as the Original Word here signifies One that errs from the Scope i. e. who is mistaken in the Main concerning True Happiness is pursuing the same in things of this Earth To such an One God giveth in His justice and displeasure as his sure portion if he continue in that way sore travel or as the word signifies Painful Servitude and slavery in gathering and heaping which Words import him to be both successful and unsatisfyed that which he must leave behind him to be possest by these for whom he intended least even to one that is good in Gods sight Which is not to be understood as if every Wicked man should make some Godly man his Heir for then the Godly should be the Richest in the World but that often the Fruit of the wickeds pains redounds to the advantage of the Godly or rather that his purchase and estate is at the Lords disposal to give to whom he pleases and thinks good enough for receiving such trifles And this excessive pains of men for these things which they can neither long injoy nor transfer to others as they please he censures as Vanity that is a sinful course and such as will in the end produce nothing but torment to mens Spirits Hence Learn 1. The consideration of the Lords large and comfortable allowance to His Own should move All to take them to His Way of seeking after Happiness and therefore this allowance should be much insisted on by his servants and often viewed by People
to others ought to be much in the observation of His way with themselves and others that they may see in His Dispensations His truths verified and so may avow their own experience when the same may tend to the advantage of the truth For here Solomon holds out this as experimentally known to himself I have seen the travel which God hath given 7. Gods great End in all the various Changes of Dispensations from Comforts to Crosses and on the contrary is to keep man in exercise that under the sweetest he may think it his Duty to be exercised in Praise and in preparation for sadder And under the saddest to be exercised in Prayer and the use of other means for support direction and comfort and so may be alwise busie For if men were still under sad Dispensations they would sink in discouragement Isai 57.16 And if still under prosperous and comfortable Dispensations they would fall a sleep in deep security Psal 30.6 Therefore This travel God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it 8. All the various Dispensations of the Lord with the Children of men and the Exercises which these Dispensations call them to aim at their further Humiliation Sweet and comfortable Dispensations are to humble them in the sense of their unworthiness of them and inability to Praise for or walk suteable to them Sad Dispensations are for their humbling in the sense of their sins procuring these and deserving worse and the Exercises to which these call them should also humble them considering their inability to go about them for one Word signifies To be Exercised and to be humbled importing That as all His Dispensations tend to the Exercising of men so both Dispensations and Exercises suitable to them should produce more and more Humiliation This travel hath God given to the sons of men to be exercised in it or as the Words may be rendered To be humbled by it Ver. 11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time also he hath set the world in their heart so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end THe Fifth Consideration serving to work the hearts of men to contentment under various changes of Dispensations is That God hath made every thing beautiful in its season Though this have a truth as to the Works of Creation every one whereof hath its own beauty Gen. 1.13 And likewise as these actions which are most deformed in the hands of men seeing even these as they are in Gods hand and ordered by His Providence have their own beauty Gen. 50.20 Yet it is mainly to be understood of these Divine Dispensations or Works of Providence formerly mentioned not only these of them which are most desirable to men such as Planting building up healing peace c. But plucking up breaking down killing war c. have a beauty in them to a spiritual discerner who can find out by the light of the Word and Spirit the Mind of God in these and see them brought to pass by His Providence in the seasons fittest for attaining His ends and can read these attributes of His Wisdom Power Love and the like which are written upon them and so they are worthy to draw mens hearts to delight in the consideration of them and chearfully to submit to them And if it be inquired how it comes to pass that the most part of men do not see this beauty and so do not willingly submit unto but vex themselves and repine at these sad Dispensations of His The Preacher giveth Two Reasons hereof 1. The Lord hath set the World in their heart that is He hath justly left their hearts to be wholly taken up with their gain Glory and pleasure Worldly seeing they choise these things for their portion And hence it comes which is the Second reason that they cannot find out His work that is His mind in His Dispensations by comparing one of them with another and looking upon them all as one intire piece of work in His hand Therefore they see not the beauty of them and do not chearfully submit unto them Hence Learn 1. Not only the Works of Creation have a lustre and beauty in them in so far as the Glorious Wisdom Power Goodness and other Attributes of the Creator shine in them Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 But even these Works of Providence which seem blackest unto men have a great deal of ravishing beauty Josephs being sold Job spoiled and plagued Daniel in the Lyons Den Christ betrayed and nailed upon the Cross These and the like although being looked upon as in the hand of instruments they seem to have nothing but deformity in them yet being looked upon as Gods Workes and according to His intent and the result of them they have a ravishing beauty in them and many of His fair Attributes written upon them For saith the Wise man He hath made every thing beautiful in his time However we would have our tryals delayed longer and our deliverances coming sooner than they do yet these and all other Dispensations of the Lord fall out in their appointed time and in the season which is fittest for them and the observing of them as wisely timed and trifted with the fittest opportunity they could have fallen out in doth serve much to discover the lustre and Beauty of them For He hath made everything beautiful in his time 3. It is the sight of the beauty that is in Divine Dispensations and the Observation of the fitness of the season wherein they fall out that makes men chearfully submit to them so that when we murmure at and weary of Dispensations it is because we see not the beauty that is in them or do not look upon them as falling out in the season fittest for them For this is a consideration held out to quiet and comfort the hearts of men under sad Dispensations That he hath made every thing beautiful in his time 4. Although the Lord be free of mens sin and doth nothing to induce them to any thing contrary to His Will Jam. 1.13 yet when men contrary to His revealed Will and their own light choise the things of this earth for their portion He doth justly give them up to serve their idols arid though they do not injoy them yet to pour out their desires and affections upon them for it is of Gods Judicial giving up of men to serve their Worldly lusts who have chosen the same for their Portion that Solomon here speaks while he saith He hath see the World in their hearts 5. Men that are excessivly in love with Mammon or any thing Worldly whose prime desire is to obtain their fears to lose and delights to enjoy the same they can never discern the beauty that is in the Lords Dispensations they are so bent upon the service of their idols that they have neither leasure nor pleasure to study His mind in His working for after the Preacher hath asserted
are ordinarily in Solomons Writings set forth by the name of Fools to wit That they give up themselves to Idleness and rather compose themselves to do nothing than expose themselves to the Worlds Envy and this is set forth by the folding of the hands Whereby is meant both mens deserting of the Duties of their Ordinary Calling and likewise their shaking off of their pains in Religious Duties by reason of discouragement because in stead of the applause they looked for they meet with mens Envy For the Scripture by this and the like expressions of Folding or Suffering the Hands to hang down expresseth both Idleness of all sort and sinful discouragement of Spirit Prov. 6.9.10 Heb. 12.12 Next he sets forth the woful consequence of mans giving up himself to the neglect of his Duty calling it an Eating of his own flesh which is as much as to say he proves cruel to himself and to these whom he should love as his own flesh an enemie to his own true peace which he might have by his Activity in his Duty notwithstanding of the Worlds Envy and so in effect is no less cruel to him self than if he did eat his own flesh Ver. 5. Thridly He gives a farther consideration serving mainly to work contentment under Oppression to wit That the Little left to the oppressed Godly is much sweeter and more advantageous as the Word translated Better signifies seing it hath the peace of a good conscience with it than never so much to the Covetous Oppressours who have no less toil of Body and Anxiety of Spirit in keeping and increasing their wealth than if they had nothing at all and therefore it is the wisdom of them that would have true Contentment to hold on in their Duty notwithstanding of the envy and oppression of the World Hence learn 1. Men void of the saving knowledge and of the fear of the Lord will not readily abide at their Duty when they meet with opposition and discouragement therein from the World and get not that poor reward of Worldly applause and approbation which they expected For when the Fool seeth this that for every Right work a man is envied of his neighbour then he folds his hands together and sits by idle and discouraged as the expression imports 2. He that forsakes his Duty for fear of others Envy is a Fool in Gods esteem seing the Lords approbation and reward is sufficiently able to make up all that others Envy can bring upon him for so doth Solomon design the man who deserts his Duty for others Envy The Fool folds his hands together 3. Although the Godly may he found sometimes in the posture of Idleness Security and Discouragement as well as the Wicked yet do they not give up themselves willingly and resolvedly to that way as if it were needless for them to do otherwise For it is here given as the proper Character or Description of the Wicked The Fool foldeth his hands together 4. Albeit the Godly have the Lords assurance for a competency even of things Worldly Psal 84.11 Yet it is the Lot they may look for by reason of the Worlds Envy and Oppression of them for following of their Duty to have but an Handful or a very small portion of things Worldly For while he commends their allowance he calls it an Handful and yet it is a Satisfying Measure as the Word is in the Original They must thank God for one Handful after another and not be vexed though they have but an Handful 5. As true contentment is consistent with a very mean portion in the World while the same is seen to be from the love of a Father Matth 6.32 and accompanied with abundance of the True Riches Jam. 2.5 So it is this Contentment which makes a mean Portion of Worldly things both sweeter and more profitable than never so great abundance of the World without it Better is an handful with contentment than both the hands full c. 6. Abundance of the World even as much as men can hold with both their Hands cannot satisfy them without peace with God and their own consciences they have nothing but toil of Body and Vexation of Spirit by their Cares to increase and Fears to lose what they have as is imported here while it is said Better is an handful with Quietness than both the hands full with Travel or as the Word signifies Wearisome and wasting Labour and Vexation of Spirit Ver. 7. Then I returned and I saw vanity under the Sun 8. There is One alone and there is not a Second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his eye satisfyed with riches neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good this is also vanity yea it is a sore travel THe third consideration serving to draw mens beâ— from seeking Happiness in things earthly is concerning the woful case of those who have chosen Mammon for their God And in seting out this he doth First by way of Preface shew that he bended his thoughts another way to wit from the Slâ—thful who had given over diligence to the Covetous Wretch who is all business about the World and findes his course vain sinful and empty of true satisfaction Secondly he describeth the Covetous 1. By his Solitariness he is One alone and there is not a Second without Child or Brother He supposes him to have none either by a direct or collateral Line descending from him to whom he might leave his substance Which is not to be understood as if every Covetous man were so or as every One who is thus alone were Covetous But the meaning is that such is the nature of that sin of Covetousness that he who is under the power of it though he have none of these Relations which tye men to diligence in some lawful imployment 1 Timoth. 5 8. he is not the less taken up with his idol Mammon 2. He is described from his boundless excessive pains there is no end of all his Labour to wit while he hath time or strength he doth out of measure or Infinitly as the word is translated Joh. â—2 5â— lay out himseif in pains about things earthly 3. From his insatiable desire after more his Eye is not satisfied By the Eye is meant the desires of the Soul 1 Joh. 2.16 These are not filled with more than abundance as the Word Riches signifies 4. From his want of Consideration and of the right use of Reason He is so intent upon and so transported with the love of his God Mammon that he cannot admit of these Considerations which are most obvious and might abate his earnestness in pursuing after Riches As 1. He communes not with his own heart for whom he is heaping up his Riches And 2. He considers not how great a Loser he is by his carriage depriving himself both of the comfortable use of outward Enjoyments and of sweet Communion
with God which is the true Good of the Souls of Men. 2 Pet. 3.10 And Lastly he passeth sentence upon this Mans Course as upon the former that it is the Man's Sin or a proof of his Vanity and it is also a sore Affliction or a part of his Punishment Hence Learn 1. As the vain and sinful Courses which Men take for Happiness in this Earth are so many and various that let a diligent Observer turn himself never so often to what hand he will he shall always see more and more of them So those who would promove the Work of Mortification in their own hearts ought to search them all out and study the Vanity of one of them after another For so doth Solomon here after he hath made many Observations upon the Vanity that Men are subject to he saith I returned again and saw Vanity under the Sun 2. The Lord 's publick Messengers must not only point out the Way to true Blessedness and the Priviledges of those who take themselves to it but must trace the several ways that Satan and Mens Corruption do put them upon to their own Misery and Ruine and in their Doctrine discover the Vanity of these in particular For so doth Solomon after he hath before pointed at the Way to true Happiness and Contentment he goes from one of Mens vain Courses to another and demonstrates the Vanity thereof Then I returned and saw vanity under the Sun There is One alone c. 3. All the vain and sinful Courses which Men take for Happiness in this Earth though they lead all to one Black End yet are they very farr different one from another some of them being upon one extreme some upon another so that Men have no ground to please themselves if they be out of God's Way though they be not walking in the Way that others are in as they are ready to do Luk. 18.11 seing there are moe ways to Hell than one or two For in the former Words Solomon described one Man going to Hell with his hands folded and doing nothing here he describes another going the same way with great activity and much business There is One alone c. and there is no end of his labour 4. Although the multitude of those for whom Men are bound to provide can never warrand their neglect of the main Business that concerns their Souls Prov. 31.26 30. Yet the greater Mens charge of that sort be the more careful and diligent in lawful pains they ought to be and more than those who have fewer to provide For while the Sin of the Covetous Man is aggravated by this that he hath neither Child nor Brother and yet there is no end of all his labour It is imported that if he had had these Relations he had been less guilty than now while he hath neither Child c. and yet there is no end of all his labour 5. When the Lord in His Providence so ordereth that Men of great Substance and Riches in the World have few or none of near Relation to them to whom they may leave the same it should much abate their earnestness in the pursuit of these things and make them bestow more of their time and labour about things Spiritual and Heavenly and think of imploying their Wealth for the Poor and other Pious Uses For he makes it an Aggravation of Man's guilt that having neither Child nor Brother there should be no end of his labour 6. Though Men be ready to cloak their excessive care and pains about things worldly with their love to Posterity and respect to those of near relation to them yet the truth is that excessive Care of theirs flows not so much from any true love to those as from the innordinate love of Riches themselves and so is to be Fathered upon Mens Corruption For the Spirit of God to point out that which is natural to all who are not seeking the true Riches Doth bring in the example of One alone who hath neither Child nor Brother and yet there is no end of his labour 7. Natural Men who soon weary of any exercise that concerns their Souls good Amos 8.5 will end their Time Spirits and Strength before they make an end of their excessive pains for Trifles For so saith the Spirit of God here There is no end of his labour 8. So large is the capacity and appetite of a rational Soul and so great emptiness is there in the Creatures that not only the greatest things they can enjoy cannot satisfy them but all that their Eyes can see cannot do it how foolish are Men who spend not their labour for that which can satisfy even the Graces and Consolations of Gods Spirit Ps 36.8 For while Man seeks other things as his portion His Eye is not satisfied with riches 9. When Men have given up themselves to the Slavery of any worldly Lust their thoughts are so taken up with it that not only the matters of their Souls are neglected but even these thoughts which are most obvious and common are banished For there is nothing more ordinary among Men than to consider for whom they are taking pains yet when a Man hath once given up himself to the service of that Idol Mammon he hath not so much leasure as to say to his own heart For whom do I labour 10. Although Men that are acquiring and encreasing a great worldly Estate cannot know certainly who shall be their Heirs yet it is fit they should seriously consider what sort of persons they are like to prove who probably will succeed to them that if they have small ground to think they will improve what they get to advantage they may abate their pains or dispose of their purchase some better way For it is here given as a proof of their Vanity and Folly that they say not for whom do I labour 11. As the inordinat love and earnest pursuit of things worldly deprives Men of the comfortable use of the Creatures and of the true good of Communion with God so the consideration of this their loss is a powerful mean to abate the eagerness of their love to and pursuit of these things as is imported in this consideration which they neglect here suggested unto them Neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good 12. The cause why Men are so mad in the pursuit of worldly things as their Happiness and for them neglect their Souls is that they never retire within themselves as it were to commune with their own Hearts and put Questions to their own Consciences concerning all the fruit of their pains and the loss they sustain by the same For this may be taken for the cause of the Covetous Mans endless labour He saith not for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good 13. It is both Mens great Guilt and their sore Affliction to choise and pursue earthly things as their Happiness and to neglect Righteousness the
they have which are so many Messengers to warn them of their Folly in choosing such a God to serve as cannot give his Worshippers a sound and sweet Sleep and in neglecting to serve him who will give his Beloved Sleep when it may be good for them For saith Solomon the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to Sleep 7. When mens hearts are so distracted with cares and fears about things Worldly that they are thereby deprived of the ordinary Rest and Refreshment which God allows to the Sons of men in the night time then it is evident Mammon is their Idol and their Abundance is a curse and snare to them For Solomon gives it for a mark of the Covetous his Abundance will not suffer him to Sleep Ver. 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt THe sixth Argument serving to alienat the hearts of men from the excessive love of things Worldly is that they prove often hurtful to the Owners exposing them to many hazards from others and being occasion of much sin to themselves as shall be shewn in the Doctrines And this Solomon regrates as a woful evil and yet evident to him and very ordinary among men that they do pursue these things which prove Hurtful to them as if their chief Happiness were in the injoyment of them Hence Learn 1. The Lords Ministers should be much in the Observation of the event of mens sinful courses that none of the Lords disappointments of men therein may escape them that so they may hold out his truth as verified in their own Experience So will they have the more confidence in speaking and their Doctrine will have the more weight with people For so did the Preacher who is in many things of this sort a pattern for ordinary Preachers he holds forth the danger of Covetousness as a thing which he had observed ordinary among men There is a sore evil which I have seen namely Riches kept to the Owners thereof for their hurt 2. A spiritual Discerner will look upon mens sinful Courses which tend to their Ruine not with pleasure as the sinners themselves do but with grief and compassion They will look upon sinners as men pining away under some grievous sickness while they are with full delight serving their Idols For so doth Solomon This is a sore evil or as the word signifies a deadly Disease or sorrowful Evil Which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 3. Though sometimes the Lord blasts Worldly mens substance and possessions by a secret Moth Hos 5.12 And sometimes by sending Spoilers at noonday upon them Jer. 15.8 to testifie his displeasure with their placing Happiness in so base things and preferring them to his favour and fellowship Yet at other times he doth suffer them to injoy their Idols safely and even then is not the less displeased with them for so had Solomon observed Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 4. Though wicked men have not a sanctified title to their possessions seing nothing is given them from special love yet they may be called the True Owners of them both by human or Civil Right and by a Divine also so that none may take their Estates from them except Magistrates in the Execution of Just Laws under the pain of Gods displeasure Job 9.24 Hab. 2.6 Nor is it suitable to Scripture Language to deny all wicked men to have any true Title to their possessions and to look upon them as belonging to the Saints for the Spirit of God speaks of them as the Masters and Owners of these things I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof c. 5. That which wicked Men account their chief Good namely the keeping of their Possessions and Riches is truly their great Hurt not only in so far as these things expose them to be the Objects of others Malice and Envy which may befal the best 1 King 21.6 7 8. But mainly because they prove Snares to their Souls occasioning many Temptations to them 1 Tim. 6.9 and particularly marring their love to and profiting by the Word Mat. 13.22 The consideration whereof should guard Mens Hearts against the immoderate love of these things For it is here brought as an Argument to that purpose I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their Hurt Ver. 14. But these Riches perish by evil travel and be begetteth a Son and there is nothing in his hand SOlomon having reasoned against Covetousness from the Hurt that Worldlings sustain by their Riches while they enjoy them he giveth here a Seventh Argument against the same from the hazard of losing these things which they have kept for a long time he speaks of what frequently falls out and that by evil Travel that is the Lord either blasts them by some sore Judgement for the Word Travel is often Translated Affliction or leaves the Person that hath long kept them foolishly and sinfully to waste them Unto which and many other Casualities Riches being subject they are not to be sought after as a Man's Happiness And this Argument he illustrates by shewing the consequence of the Perishing of these Riches after this manner namely that the Son of this Covetous Wretch hath nothing to wit of Patrimony which his Father with the hazard of his Soul did conqueise in his hand that is in his Power and Possession as the Expression frequently signifies in Scripture Dan. 2.38 seing all is now supposed to be perished by evil Travel So that this Expression He begets a Son and there is nothing in his hand cannot be understood of the ordinary case and condition wherein all Children are born of which he speaks as a new Argument in the following Words but of the poor Case that the Son of the Covetous is oft in after his Fathers Riches are Perished and this as an Argument to disswade from Covetousness seing thereby Men take the nearest Way not only to Hurt their own Souls but to lose their Estates and make their Posterity miserable Hence Learn 1. They who immoderatly love the things of this Earth do not only hurt their own Souls by their so doing but likewise they take the most effectual Course they can to destroy that which they would most gladly keep and so to impoverish themselves and their Off-spring for even these Riches which Solomon had observed to have been for a long time kept to the Owners hurt he here asserts to be subject to Perish by evil Travel 2. The sinful Courses that Men take to preserve their Estates such as Oppression Isa 5 8. Lying and Dissimulation Act. 5.1 2. c. Serving the time by making Ship-wrack of a good Conscience 1 Tim. 6.10 Do often prove in Gods Righteous Judgement a Mean to make all they have Perish The observation whereof may make Men who love their Estates best hate to take
Maker about the way of attaining to Happiness For there may be safely conceived a consideration held forth in his Name to disswade him from that course which is a Contending with God It is known to be Man neither may he contend with him c. 9. Who ever walk contrary to the Lord shall find him Stronger then they to blast their Courses and destroy themselves except they submit in time and follow his way Neither may be Contend with Him that is Mightier than he Ver. 11. Seing there be many things that increase Vanity what is man the better 12. For who knows what is good for man in this life all the days of his vain Life which be spendeth as a shadow For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the Sun IN these words Solomon doth First resume his former purpose while he saith Seing there be many things that increase Vanity the meaning is seing there are so many vain Courses that naturally Men take for attaining to Happiness in the Earth and so many just Dispensations of God whereby he disappoints them as hath been shewn in the former purpose And Next He draws several inferences therefrom which may alienat Mens Hearts from things Earthly And these he holds forth in three Questions The First is What is man the better The meaning whereof is he is not the nearer to his Happiness for the Question hath the force of a Negation yea it imports that he is much the worse and much farther from his Happiness than if he had never attempted to seek it in these Courses The Second is Who knows what is good for Man in this Life c. Which imports not only that Man is uncertain what Condition in the World whether to be Rich or Poor to be in Honour or Obscurity makes most for the satisfaction of the Mind which he aims at But mainly that there is not one of the Children of Men till he get Eye salve from Christ that can Know or inform another wherein the true Good which is only in Fellowship with God doth consist far less how to attain unto it And to this he subjoins such a Description of Mans Life from the brevitie and incertainty of it as may teach him not to seek Happiness in things on Earth The Third is Who can tell him what shall be after him The meaning whereof is that not only future Events which may befal a Man before he depart this Life are hid from him or others that might inform him so that his Happiness cannot be here But mainly that none can inform a Man how these things upon which he spends his Body Spirit and time shall be imployed after him whether his lawful Heirs or Strangers shall possess them whether they shall be imployed well or not by either Which consideration though it be true also in Reference to the Godly yet it is only a Vexation to them who know not of a better Life and who place much of their Happiness in perpetuating their own Fame and securing great things to their Successours Hence Learn 1. As they who have a calling to deliver the Mind of God to his Church ought to propose some certain scope to themselves to which they should make all that they deliver subservient so it is not in vain for them after proof and clearing thereof to resume and repeat the same especially when they are therefrom to draw some practical uses which may be profitable for their Hearers For Solomon who is a Precedent for our ordinary way of Preaching having in the entry proposed this for one main part of his Scope in this Book to prove all created Things and humane Courses about them vain and insufficient for bringing Man to true Happiness he doth here as in several other places of this Book recapitulat and repeat the same and draw several Uses from it Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is man the better c. 2. Till men be set upon the new and living way of true Felicity which is the study of Reconciliation with God thro' the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.19 20. their Sin and Misery is still upon the growing hand the more they multiply their Courses for Happiness the more Sinful and Miserable do they render themselves if they seek it not where it is be found as is imported in this first Question drawn from the former purpose here resumed Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is Man the better i.e. he is much the worse 3. Though fallen Man by all his pains about things Earthly can come nothing nearer his lost Happiness but on the contrary is still put to a greater and greater distance from it yet is he very unwilling to cast up his Account and consider what Advantage or lose he hath by his pains he must be put to this by the word and Messengers of God For this Question imports that he is nothing the better but much the worse of the many vain Courses he takes for Happiness and that he cannot condescend upon his Advantage though he apprehend it to be very great Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is Man the better 4. Men without renewing Grace are not only unable to attain unto any thing that is truely good for them by all their Pains but they are also Blind and cannot see that Good till they get Eye-Salve which is vouchsafed but upon a very few For this Question is put concerning all men in nature Who of them knows what is good for Man in this Life 5. The Cause why Men are not the Better of their Pains for Happiness is their Ignorance of the nature of that true Good which is attainable in this Life consisting only in Obedience to Gods Commands and submission to his Correction Lam. 3.26.27 in Praising of him for his Goodness Psal 92 1. And so injoying fellowship with him Psal 73.26 and the like what wonder then men know not what is their Good in the other Life For this Question may be looked upon as containing the Reason of that which is imported in the former that Man is nothing the Better by the vain Courses he takes for Happiness For who knows what is good for Man in this Life c. 6. That only is to be esteemed truely Good for a Man in this Life which can continue with him and may be Injoyed by him all the Days of his Life whether he be in adversity or prosperity And that is only to be in Favour with God the proofs whereof his Favourites may promise to themselves shall follow them all their days Psal 23.6 For it is clearly imported here that if Man know not what is Good for him All the days of his Life he doth not know what is truely Good for him in this Life at all Who knows what is Good for a Man in this Life all the days of his Life 7. Mans natural Life and duration
going about it The other doth in some measure know both as Solomon asserted in the close of the former Verse For that which he called Judgement before he calls now that which shall be which according to the Hebrew Dialect is put for that which should be and makes the ignorance of this peculiar to the Man destitute of Saving Knowledge as the cause of much Misery upon him The misery of Man is great upon him for he knows not what shall be 5. It is the misery of Man void of Saving Knowledge that being ignorant of what shall be he hath nothing to give him true Comfort against what may be and against what he is apt to apprehend shall be and so must vex himself with his own Apprehensions And it is the comfortable Priviledge and Happiness of the Man indued with Saving Wisdom that though he be ignorant of future Events yet he doth in some measure know what is his Duty under and what is his sutable Consolation against the worst that can fall out For it is here set down as the cause of much Misery peculiar to the Man destitut of Saving Knowledge that He knows not what shall be which cannot be taken simply for his ignorance of future Events seing the Godly Man is ignorant of these but that he knows not what is his Duty and that he is so ignorant of what shall be as that he hath no sutable Comfort against what may be and what he apprehends shall fall out His misery is great upon him for he knows not what shall be 6. The Man that is not taught of God and makes not Saving Knowledge from the Word and Spirit of God his study is one that no Man can inform all the Men in the World are to him as if they were ignorant as himself For this last Question Who can tell him when it shall be is not as if there were none that could inform him of Times and Seasons so far as is fit for him to know for there are such to be found but because he himself is void of Saving Knowledge and doth not imploy Christ to open his blind Eyes and because he cannot receive instruction from any therefore he speaks of him as if there were none to tell him that which might prevent his Misery And who can tell him when it shall be Ver. 8. There is no Man that hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of Death and there is no discharge in that war neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it THe Preacher giveth here a farther Argument for the study of Heavenly Wisdom and proveth the Misery of them that are destitut of it The Argument is taken from the necessity of the Death of all Men which though it be true of both good and bad yet it is here spoken of as a peculiar Misery upon those that are destitut of saving knowledge they being both unwilling to dy and unprepared for Death and having nothing to comfort them against it as the Godly have The words may be looked upon as one special instance of these Events spoken off in the words immediatly preceeding whereof no Man can know the time and may be taken with a special Reference to the foregoing purpose as an Argument to disswade Men from Rashness in hazarding themselves under the stroak of humane Justice from Magistrates and to move them for that end to keep themselves within the bounds of their Duty toward them seing as he hath shewn before they have power to reach Men easily that provoke them and being once apprehended and Sentence past against them there is no power in them to retain their Life But it seems most agreeable the Scope to take the words more largely as an Argument to evidence Heavenly Wisdom by timeous preparing for Death because of the necessity of it and this he sets forth in three Expressions The First that man hath no power over the Spirit to retain it may be understood of mans Impotency to retain his Soul or Breath as the word Spirit is in the Original which is often held out in Scripture by this name Jam 2.22 And that relating to the moment when Gods time is come to call for it no Man then hath power to keep it longer in the Prison as the word Retain signifies The Second Neither hath he power in the day of Death may be understood of Mans Inability about the time of his Death not only to resist Death but to do any necessar Duty he hath ordinarily no power for any Action toward that time The meaning of the Third There is no Discharge in that War is that Man can Discharge no Weapons to weaken the force of Death for the word Discharge signifies Emission or sending forth as it is used Ps 78.49 as Men casts Darts or discharge Musquets or the like Engines of War they have no Arrows to shoot at Death Or there is no Dimission of this charge no forelose as the common word is to shift this Combate which Men must have with Death Thus he sets out the necessity of it and Mens Impotency to shift it And because wicked Men who by many sinful shifts put by hazards yea Death it self for a time which as they think would have come if they had not followed these Courses do think themselves in a manner in Covenant with Death that it must spare them while the Godly perisheth in his uprightness as Solomons expression is before therefore that he may terrify and reclaim such he doth assure all whether Magistrats or Subjects that none of their wicked Courses wherein they are restless and whereunto they have wedded themselves shall be able to prevent their Death or prolong their Life as the last words of the verse signifie Doct. 1. All the Prudence Power and Policy of Men all the Creature Comforts the Cordials and preservatives of Life that Men may provide and use cannot keep in the Immortal Soul in the Body a moment longer then Gods time is come to call for it Man hath some power over his Spirit to turn it while his Life lasts to restrain it from many things he lets it out upon and to put it upon many better things but he hath no power to keep it beyond the Moment fixed by the Lord for taking his Spirit into his hand to dispose of it eternally as he pleases For saith he no Man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit 2. Man should so exercise his witt in the study of Reconciliation with God while he hath any power over the Motions of his own Spirit and should so spend his affections the desires and delights of his Soul upon things of a spiritual and eternal concernment for the Glory of God and the good of his own Soul that he may be every Moment ready to let his Spirit go willingly and to resign it into the hands of the Father of Spirits who gave it
to most distinct apprehensions of the Truth and such clear Conceptions of these Observations which ought to be made upon the Lord's Dispensations as they may be able to inform and instruct others thereanent ought not to satisfy themselves herewith but must reflect upon their own knowledge of these things that they may get their Hearts affected sutably to those Impressions of the Wisdom Power Justice Love and other Properties of God which may be seen in his Dispensations and must enrich themselves with particular instances of the things they know and have observed concerning the Lord's dealing with particular Persons in such and such Cases that their knowledge may become experimental For this is to know Wisdom to which Solomon gave away his Heart When I applied my Heart to know Wisdom 3. They that would grow in Saving Knowledge must not only study the Scriptures and Works of Creation Col. 3.16 Ps 19.1 but they must also Apply their Hearts to the serious consideration of God's Works of Providence in the World that they may see how consonant these are to the Word how Threatning and Promises are by these daily fulfilled and likewise to the consideration of the Carriage and Businesses of Men both their painful toil and labour in their sinful Courses that they may see their folly and detest their way and the pains of good Men in what is right that they may approve thereof draw matter of Praise there from and be provoked to imitation For all this is comprehended under the object of Solomon's study And to see the Business that is done upon the Earth 4. Not only are Men who serve Mammon and their Lusts excessive in their pains and for love to their Idols cruel to themselves but even the best of God's Children in their most approven Studies are sometimes in hazard to exceed in pains also partly through love to their own Credit and partly for want of humble dependance on God which abates the anxious intention of their Spirits and sweetens their Study For as this Expression which seems to import some excess in pains seing the Night is appointed for Man's rest and then the Lord useth to give his Beloved sleep is true of wicked Men so may it be taken here especially in reference to Solomon himself in regard of his pains in his study There is that neither Night nor Day seeth sleep with his Eyes 5. It is Wisdom in Men to relate modestly their own pains for attaining to Knowledge and not to speak of themselves as if they were singular therein though their pains were never so great lest they appear to be seeking their own Commendation and so marr the success of their great pains For Solomon speaking of himself speaks as it were of others as no less painful than he There is saith he that neither Night nor Day sees Sleep c. 6. They that would become truly Wise and would gain experimental and heart affecting Knowledge by studying the Events that fall out in the World they must not stay their Thoughts upon Men Instruments and second Causes but must raise their Minds to the first Cause and exercise their Thoughts mainly upon his Work that they may see what Properties of his are written upon all Events as they are His Work and what use should be made of them for stamping the Heart with a Holy Fear of offending him and for encouraging his People in his Service seing these are mainly intended by him in his working and must look upon all things that fall out as one intire Work in God's Hand so shall they see that what is Foolishly Sinfully and Unjustly acted by Instruments the same is Wisely Holily and Righteously managed by the Lord For when Solomon applied his Heart to know Wisdom and to see the Business that is done upon the Earth then saith he I beheld all the Work of God That was his main Study 7. Though the sincere Student of Saving Knowledge may be sure of success and progress in that Study Hos 6.3 and some sweetness to compense his pains Ps 92.4 and 111.2 and even the study of common and natural things that are within the compass of a Mans station uses to be blest with Divine Instruction Isa 28.26 yet none can expect in this Life fully to comprehend all that may be known of God in any of his Works or to find them out so as to satisfy their Carnal Reason but must still be humble and reverence the unsearchable depth of his Wisdom For this is it which Solomon found after his most serious search that a Man cannot find out the Work that is done under the Sun 8. As the Man that hath found his own inability to find out in a comprehensive and satisfactory way any Work of God hath found something worth his pains to humble him and make him reverence God's Wisdom so even this much cannot be found out till after great pains and especially till we study Events as they are God's Work While one Man studies the Business of another he may easily think to find him out and to reach and over reach by his Wit the work of one like himself For Solomon speaks of this as some considerable success of his pains which he had after Applying his Heart and beholding all things as God's Work that he found at last That a Man cannot find out the Work of God 9. Suppose a Man to be never so indefatigable in pains and study to have never so vast and comprehensive an Understanding to have very great confidence of success which sometimes much advances it and never so great Desires and fixed Purposes of Heart to grow in Knowledge he must if he know himself aright after all his pains be humbled in the sense of his Short-coming and when he hath sounded deepest by his Witt whether Natural acquired or infused must still acknowledge he cannot find the bottom of the unsearchable depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God which is to be seen in his Dispensations For this Solomon found in his own experience and by relating it here labours to bring others to the acknowledgement of it That a Man cannot find out the work of God because though a Man labour to find it yea though a wise Man think to know it he shall not be able 10. The cause of Man's inability to find out clearly the Mind of God in his Works is to be found in himself whose Understanding is darkened and ruined by the Fall and is but in repairing during his abode here the Vanity and Corruption of his Mind and Affections draws him still back from profitable to the study of unprofitable things and his Body being so weak that it cannot sufficiently assist his Mind in the use of means necessary for making progress in Knowledge For Solomon here doth often mind Man of his inability and weakness as the cause of his not finding out the work of God while he saith A Man cannot find out the work of God
all things come alike to all which is not to be understood as if the Lord did not sometimes put a difference between the Godly and the Wicked even by his Dispensations by exeeming the Godly from these Judgements which often take away the Wicked as is clear in the Examples of Noah Lot Nahab and others but the meaning is that the Godly and the Wicked are alike prosperous and alike afflicted and rather the Godly are under the sadest of Dispensations and that he speaks of outward Events or as the Word Event signifies Occurrences of Providence is yet more clear by the following words There is one Event to the Righteous and the Wicked c. in which words he giveth several Denominations or Tittles of them that are in a state of favour and them that are not pointing at their different state and qualifications by which they may discern themselves and others also so far as is fit for them to judge whether they be in a state of favour or not although they cannot judge of this by outward Dispensations As for the Godly they are called 1. Righteous not for any perfect and personal Righteousness but for the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and inherent Holiness begun in them 2. They are Good pointing at their Bountiful or Edifying Disposition as the word signifies which makes them study to do good to others thereby resembling their Heavenly Father and this is the Mark of a Justified Person 3. They are Clean not from all Sin as before Chap. 7.20 but they are Clean from the guilt of Sin and are daily setting about the cleansing of themselves from the Pollutions that are in the World 4. They are such as Sacrifice that is they are conscionable Attenders upon God's Worship whereof one part which was the principal in Solomon's time is put for the whole And 5. They are such as are afraid to offend by Rash or False Oaths or neglecting to perform Lawful Vows and Engagements to God or Man and by these Qualifications they may know themselves to be beloved of God who cannot know it by outward Events And Next For the Wicked they are designed by so many contray Names as clear their state and temper 1. They are Wicked or as the Word signifies restless in their sinful Courses 2. They are Vnclean under the guilt of their by-past Sins and still wallowing in new Pollutions 3. They are such as Sacrifice not that is they either neglect or slight the Worship of God 4. They are Sinners that is devoted and given up to their Sins otherwise all deserve that Name And 5. They are such as profane the Name of God by Rash or False Oaths or otherwise contrary to the Third Command Hence Learn 1. The unsearchableness of the Wisdom of God manifested in his Dispensations and our shallowness and weakness of Wit to comprehend the same fully ought not to discourage us in the study thereof but should stirr us up to give our Hearts away so much the more to it For Solomon having in the close of the former Chapter asserted that No Man can find out the Work of God not the most painful and wise among Men he saith here For all this or notwithstanding of all this I considered in my Heart c. 2. As all that give their Hearts away to the study of the Mind of God manifested in his Word and Works especially those who have an Office in the House of God to teach others should make this one end of their pains that they may attain to what may be profitably held forth and communicat to others for their good and not knit up their Observations like a Talent in a Napkin So whatever any in their stations and places bring forth to others they should study to do it with clearness and plainness For Solomon considered all this in his Heart even to declare it the Word signifies to make it Plain as upon a Table that he that runs may read Hab. 2.2 3 However the Godly are apt to apprehend themselves misregarded by the Lord Ps 31.22 and their Service rejected by him Ps 22.2 yet their Persons and their imperfect Service are in his Hand their Persons to be provided for protected and preserved till they come to Glory Joh. 10.28 29. and their Service is in his Hand to purge it from the dross of it to accept of it and reward it Rev 8.3 For the Righteous and the Wise and their Works are in the Hand of God 4. It is only they who are fled to the Righteousness of Christ and are studying what is Righteous in his Sight and for that end are endued with Heavenly Wisdom and studying progress therein who can take the comfort of this that they and their Service are thus in his Hand Therefore are those to whom this Priviledge belongs thus described The Righteous and the Wise and their Works are in the Hand of God 5. Although the Lord's outward Dispensations are sometimes so favourable that they may serve to confirm and clear those who are otherwise confirmed concerning his Love and respect to them Psal 41.11 And sometimes they are so terrible that they speak plainly his displeasure to them that are walking contrary to him Ezek. 21.17 yet no outward Dispensation be it never so favourable and sweet can be the prime or infallible evidence of the Lords favour and Love neither can any Dispensation how sad and terrible so ever be an infallible sign of his hatred or rejection of any and therefore they are injurious to God and to their own Souls who because of any favourable Dispensation would conclude that the Lord approves and favours them as the worst of men are ready to do Hos 12.8 or who conclude his displeasure and loathing of them because of hard Dispensations as the best are ready to do Isai 49.14 For saith he No man can know Love or Hatred by all that is before them 6. Those who were differenced from all eternity in Gods Counsel and decree whereby he purposed good to some and past by others who are differenced in time by their effectual calling and other priviledges and who shall be differenced at the last day as far as the Right and Left hand differ those I say may be alike dealt with in regard of outward Dispensations The Godly may be crossed afflicted tormented with Sickness Poverty Disgrace exile Heavyness of Spirit and the like as well as the Wicked And the Wicked comforted with success Credit Riches Ease and Cheerfulness of Spirit no less yea sometimes more than the Godly the Lord would not have the better or the worse of these things valued by men as their Happiness or their Misery For this is Solomon's third observation which he declares to the Church All things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked 7. When we see the Godly afflicted as Wicked Men deserve to be and Wicked Men comforted by outward favours as according
which is also proportionally the Duty of the Wife Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest 11. The Love of the Husband to the Wife and consequently of her to him is so sutable to the Light of Nature and so expresly commanded in the Word of God that there should not be great need to press it much upon any Christian that hath any thing of the Knowledge or Fear of God For Solomon here supposes and takes for granted that Love is not wanting only he presses the effect or proof of it cheerful conversing together Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest 12. There is no time of Life wherein this Duty of Love and cheerful conversing together doth not oblige married Persons especially the Husband who should preceed in it neither Age Infirmity decay of Beauty Strength nor the want of any other thing which possibly was the first attractive of his Affection should marr his Love and cheerful conversing with his Wife in the Fear of the Lord. Therefore saith he Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou louest all the days of the life of thy Vanity 13. As Men in the midst of their most comfortable Injoyments which they have in this World should have frequent thoughts of the shortness of their Life and the Comforts of it that so they may use these things as if they used them not and as being shortly to leave them So the consideration of the Vanity and Shortness of their Life and of the Miserie 's incident to it though it should not provoke them to excess of sensual Delights as it doth Epicures 1 Cor. 15.32 yet it should incite them to a more cheerful use of these Comforts that seing their time is short they may have the more strength and encouragement to serve the Lord cheerfully For while Solomon is pressing upon Men a cheerful and free use of outward Comforts he minds them twice of the Vanity of their Life which in the midst of these things they are ready to forget and makes the same a Reason pressing the cheerful use of their Allowance All the days of the life of thy Vanity which he hath given thee under the Sun all the days of thy Vanity 14. When we think upon the Vanity of this Life we should consider the same as carved out to us by the Lord to humble us in the sense of our Sinfulness to wâ—an our Hearts from it and make us the more thankful for any Comfort we have in it For speaking of Man's Vain Days he calls them The Days which God hath given 15. Though the Children of the Lord should think the best of their earthly Enjoyments unworthy to be their satisfying Portion Ps 73.25 26. and should esteem them all miserable who have no better Ps 17.14 yet are they to look upon their outward Comforts such as Meat Drink Cloathing and any comfortable Society with those of their Relations as a sufficient temporary Reward of all their lawful pains about things worldly they should thank God that suffers not even their Labour of that sort to go unrewarded and should not repine or marr their own Comfort by Discontentment because they have not a greater measure of these things For this is the last Reason of the Cheerfulness which he presses That is thy Portion not their best but their temporal Portion or Reward of their Pains in the duties of their lawful Callings in this Life and in thy labour which thou takest under the Sun Ver. 10. Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest THe Preacher giveth here a second Direction for making the Life of the Godly comfortable unto them and for their right improving of the Comforts of it mentioned in the former namely that Men should vigourously prosecute the duties of their Calling in the due season thereof Whatsoever thy Hand finds to do saith he do is with thy might He doth not hereby proclaim Licence to Men to do any thing that is in their power seing Men have often power and opportunity to act the greatest Impieties Mic. 2.1 But the meaning is that the outmost of that Ability which God gives especially the strength and comfort which is received by the use of his Benefits should be put forth in the vigorous going about of the Duties of our particular Stations in the season and opportunity thereof And this he presseth by a Reason For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave c. which is not to be understood as if there were an end of Men at Death as there is of the Beasts but the meaning is that in the state of separation of the Soul from the Body there is no ploting nor acting for the Honour of God or promoving of our own Happiness as now there is And seing every Man is Posting as the last Word in the Verse signifies toward that State therefore he should improve all his Strength and the Comforts of this Life for incouragement in his Duty Hence Learn 1. The Lord's Liberality to Man manifested in the variety of the outward Comforts of this Life should be improven for making him serious and diligent in the duties of his Calling watching every opportunity thereof and laying out all the strength and cheerfulness of Spirit which he hath acquired by the good things of God in doing him Service else his Table is a Snare to him and his Comforts are turned into Curses For this is inferred upon the former large Allowance of God which he prest Men to make use of cheerfully Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do do it with thy might 2. Men have often both opportunity and power of doing Good which they thrô neglect and carelesness are ready to let slip which is a very bad return to God for his Liberality Therefore the Spirit of God finds it necessary to stirr Men up to take hold of every opportunity of Duty as a proof of their thankfulness to God for his Bounty Whatsoever thy Hand finds to do do it c. 3. The outmost of our Ability is to be shewn in the discharge of every commanded Duty considering what is the hazard of negligent doing the Work of the Lord Jer. 42.10 and that the more Fervent Serious and Vigorous we are in walking in the Ways of the Lord the more our Strength will grow Prov. 10 29. Therefore saith he Do it with thy might 4. As the opportunity of these Duties whereby we Honour God and promove our own and others Salvation is confined within the bounds of this Life so the consideration hereof should make Men sharpen their Wit in Ploting ways of Honouring God and doing good to their own Souls and others and put forth the outmost of their Abilities for these Ends For he gives this as a Reason of Mens seriousness and diligence in their Duty while they have opportunity That There is no work nor
the work of God which maketh all Ver. 6. In the Morning sow thy Seed and in the Evening withhold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether they shall be both alike good THese words may be safely taken for an Exhortation to the speedy and constant performance of all Duties of Holiness in general seing the same is often prest in Scripture under this Metaphor of Sowing Hos 10.12 Gal. 6.7 only it seems most sutable to the Scope to take them with a special reference to the Duties of Charity and so while he saith In the Morning sow thy Seed and in the Evening withdraw not thy hand the meaning is that we should be frequently at our Duty taking hold of every opportunity thereof that we should enter the way of Wel-doing in the Morning of our Life and not weary of it even when the Evening of Old Age is come and particularly that we should be frequent and indefatigable in the discharge of the Duties of Charity And this he presseth by a Reason For thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that c. which is not to be understood as if the Lords people were uncertain of any fruit or success of their Duty seing he hath assured them in his Word that in due season they shall Reap if they faint not and consequently there can be no ground here for that Gloss which Popish Interpreters put upon this Expression as if the meaning were that there could be no comfortable assurance of Gods accepting or rewarding of our Duty attained to in this Life but it is to be understood of our Ignorance and uncertainty of the Success of every Duty as to the particular effect intended by us As for example if it be applied to the success of Duty in general The meaning meaning is that we are uncertain whether that Comfort and Satisfaction we aim at shall be found in this or in the other particular Performance or in both of them or in none of them but in some other than that wherein we mainly expect it or if it be applied to the Duty of Charity the uncertainty is in reference to the right improvement or use making of our Charity by the party to whom it is given and to the Lords testifying of his Acceptance of this or the other particular act of Charity And if it be enquired What strength hath the Argument drawn from our Ignorance or Uncertainty of these to enforce the Duty of Charity It may be answered 1. That the words suppose an uncertainty only of Success as to every act of Duty but do suppose a certainty of Success in some For he saith not thou knowest not whether any thing thou doest shall prosper but thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that And 2 It is an Argument in so far as our being uncertain but that there may be success of every act of Duty is ground and reason of going about Duty at all occasions seing Acceptance in the general and the future Reward is made sure to us Hence Learn 1. A Christians following of commanded Duties is fitly compared to the sowing of Seed it being a painful exercise in the mean time and seeming rather a Losing than a Gaining there being no present appearance of Fruit and it will at last where it is sincerely gone about bring a rich Increase For under this Metaphor is Duty here and elsewhere in Scripture prest In the Morning sow thy Seed c. 2. Every commanded Duty is so contrary to our unrenewed Part and we are so prone to think much of the least thing we do that we are very ready to sit up and give over our Duty after we have begun fair and made some good progress therein unless by the word enlivened by the Spirit of him that spoke it we be frequently quickened and excited to our Duty for to work some sense of our pronness to sit up and to incite us to perseverance and frequency in Duty especially such as take any thing of our worldly substance from us is this Exhortation given In the Morning sow thy Seed and in the Evening with-hold not thy hand 3. Our Obligations to God are so many and the strength allowed us so sutable to what may be accepted and the Reward promised so glorious that we should never think we have done enough in any Duty but even to the Evening of every day and to the very Evening of our Life we should still be ready to do some farther service to God In the Morning sow thy Seed and in the Evening with-hold not thy hand 4. Although the Lord have given his People abundant incouragement in his Service by assuring them that he doth accept and will reward the same yet he hath left them uncertain as to the temporal sucess of particular Duties or as to the effect they intend upon others by them As for Example Whether a Minister shall by this or that Sermon or part of his pains Convince and Convert such and such Souls or whether this or that particular Act of Charity shall provoke the party on whom it is bestowed to Praise And this the Lord doth that he may try the sincerity of our Obedience to his Commands and the reality of our Faith in the promised Reward For in the forementioned sense is the Uncertainty here spoken of mainly to be understood Thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether they both shall be alike good 5. Our uncertainty of the desired success of every particular Duty should be so far from making us neglect the discharge thereof that on the contrary the same should make us more assiduous and frequent therein since we are sure of Gods approbation and a Reward at last of all our Pains in his Service if the Merchant whose hopes have the instability of Fortune to struggle with doth adventure some part of his Stock in several Vessels and the Husband-man who is not certain that every grain he sows will grow up yet both hold on in their duty in hope of success How much more should Christians who have better grounds of certainty that their Labour shall not be in vain be assiduous and constant in their duty how doubtful soever they be of the temporal success of this or that particular duty For this he makes a motive to provoke those who have the promise of success at last to constancy and frequency in duty thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that whether they both shall be alike good Ver. 7. Truely the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun 8. But if a man live many years and rejoice in them all yet let him remember the days of Darkness for they shall be many all that cometh is vanity IN this second part of the Chapter which is the beginning of the last part of this Book the Preacher applies his whole Doctrine and presseth the
peace and comfort in their Spirits to make up the loss of any comfort they can renounce for his sake Isai 57.18.19 for which and the like reasons we may conceive the Lord as Creator recommended to the remembrance of Men who have strongest Lusts unsubdued and apprehend greatest difficulty in renouncing the pleasures of them Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth 3. It is not possible to get the Heart drawn from Earthly delights and so ingaged to the fear and obedience of the Lord unless it be stayed upon him and replenished with frequent thoughts of his properties which will bring in so much Holy aw of him and such apprehensions of sweetness to be bad in him that sinful pleasures will appear to be but Husks or Swins food in comparison thereof and the Soul will not dare to feed upon these Husks if it have clear and frequent thoughts of the soveraignity and power of God the Creator for having disswaded from carnal pleasures in the close of the former Chapter and being afterward in this to recommend to the study of living in the fear of obedience of the Lord as the only way to true Happiness he doth here press this Remember thy Creator as the best way to divert the Heart from the one and ingage it to the other 4. The time of Youth is the fittest time for the study of Reconciliation with God and walking in his fear and obedience then the wit and memory are ripest and the affections most vigorous and therefore should be spent in that study which only is worthy of them especially considering that it is but just with God to reject Men though they should offer themselves to him when they have given the flower of their time Wit Strength and affections to the service of Satan and their Lusts and that if he should accept of them the remembrance of their mis-spent Youth will be extreamly heavy and will readily occasion in the best fears of off-casting in old age compare Ps 25.7 with Ps 71.18 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth 5. As there is a natural propensitie in all to forget God and to shift serious thoughts of him and therefore all Men have need of a Remembrancer to mind them often of this great duty prest in the Text so of all others Young men are most apt to forget God and put off serious thoughts of him and their own Souls their Lusts being strongest and their Hearts most capable of the sweetness of Earthly delights so that the Ministers of Christ though they have often least hope of success in dealing with Wanton Proud Insolent and furious Youth yet must they press this Duty upon them and urge them in the name of the Lord to make use of the present opportunity for it Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth 6. However days of affliction Old Age and Infirmity be good Days to those who have made their Peace with God Hab. 3.17 Rom. 8 2â— yet are they evil Days in themselves and will prove no better than a begun Hell to them who still defer the study of making their Peace with God For so the Preacher describes the times of Affliction which befall Men especially toward Death calling the same evil Days while the evil days come not 7. While Men have Health and Strength and immunity from Trouble they should be forecasting evil Days and unpleasant years that so in the Summer and Harvest of Youth and Strength they may be making Provision for the Stormy Winter of Affliction and Old Age Prov. 10.9 by ensuring the pardon of their Sins thorow the Blood of Christ which else will readily compass them about as unpardoned in such times Psal 49.5 And so making clear their interest in God which is the only Consolation in Evil Days Hab. 3.17 For Solomon supposes here every Young Man to have Evil Days and Years of Trouble before him which he should forecast and thereby be moved to prepare timously for them Remember c. while the Evil Days come not and the Years c. 8. The Lord will once make Earthly Delights tastless and loathsome to Men before they go out of this Life he doth it to the Godly 2 Sam. 19.34.35 that divine Consolations may relish the better with them and they may long for the pleasures that are at his right hand And to the Wicked also Dan. 5 5.6 that they may see their Folly in satisfying themselves with these things only which cannot give them any comfort when they have most need of it And so often gains a Testimony from both good and bad that Earthly Delights are unworthy to be delighted in For Solomon supposes here that there is a time for every Man wherein he shall say I have no Pleasure in them 9. Christs Ministers should be so well acquainted with the Language of dying Men both by their daily observing of the case of such and their study of the Scriptures which will inform them of it Prov 5.11 1 Thes 5.3 that they may be able to inform Men who have least mind of Death what sentence they will pass in their own Conscience and what Language they shall readily utter to others concerning their sinful pleasures when they shall be drawing near to the Gates of Death that so they may the more effectually prevail with them to renounce in time these Sinful Pleasures For Solomon here represents to the voluptuous Young Man who is cheering up his Heart in his Sins and banishing the thoughts of Death what he shall say of his Youthly Pleasures when Sickness comes and Death draws near Thou shall say I have no Pleasure in them Ver. 2. While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened nor the Clouds return after the Rain THe Preacher doth here farther describe negatively the fittest opportunity for the study of Reconciliation and Peace with God and withal doth more particularly describe the Miserie 's incident to Old Age as to the loss of outward Comforts and frequent returns of Diseases at that time This being clear and generally agreed upon by Interpreters to be the Scope of this place we need not be very anxious concerning the particular application of the Allegories here made use of to set forth this purpose First By the Darkening of the Sun the Light the Moon and Stars may be safely understood the ecclipsing or withdrawing of all earthly Comforts seing the Scripture sets out a comfortless state this way and it may comprehend particularly 1. The darkening of the dying Mans bodily Eyes And so 2. Of all external Lights to him as to any Comfort he may reap from them As also 3. The decaying of his Reason and such Faculties of his Soul as are in a manner answerable to the Celestial Lights And likewayes 4. The failing of all outward Comforts both greater and lesser It is clear the loss of all these accompanies dying Men and so they may be
which God is ready to give him So the Word of the Lord faithfully Preached and accompanied with his Blessing will give Men no ease in their security and neglect of necessary duties but will be still Goading them thereunto by serious Exhortations and Obtestations though they should spurn against their Teachers by severe Threatnings if they continue Lazy and negligent it will leave wounds in their Consciences Act. 2.37 It will divide between the Joints and Marrow that they may be forced to fly to Christ the good Samaritan that He may pour Oyl in their Wounds and by solid refutation of their errours and mistakes it will cut them sharply Tit. 1 13. For this efficacy of the word faithfully Preached and accompanied with the powerfull Blessing of the chief Sheep-herd is here set forth under this similitude the Words of the Wise are as Goads 3. When People are ingaged to Christ and in some measure established in the Truth and at their Duty they are prone to make defection therefrom And therefore the Word serves to fasten them to Him to confirm them in the Truth and in their Duty to unite them among themselves by Love that they may not be henceforth Children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine distracted from Christ by their Idols or rent one from another by Schisms and Divisions And consequently Christs Ministers should not slightly pass the pressing of their Duty but by earnest pressing of the Truth and frequent inculcating of their Duty by Scripture Arguments and Motives should drive home the same as a Nail in a sure place that so what they deliver may be as Nails fastened 4. As the Lord hath appointed that there should be Meeting-places for his People to Assemble themselves together in for upholding his visible Glory before the World the mutuall upstirring of his people in his service and that the same Word and Ordinance may do good to many at once from which Assemblies none of his people ought to withdraw themselves Heb. 10.25 So his pubick Ministers ought to be the principal Actors in the Worship performed there they ought to see that these Assemblies be frequented that order and decency be kept in them that the Worship be rightly managed and all things done in the House of God according to his own command in which respects Ministers are here called the Masters of Assemblies 5. Jesus Christ is the only One or chief Sheep-herd of the Flock who alone hath power to perswade and lead the same in the paths of Righteousness by the still runing Waters Psal 23.2.3 who will deal tenderly with the weak Lambs and the Sick of the Flock Isai 40.11 and who only hath laid down his Life for His Sheep for He is here called that One Sheep-herd 6. Then only the Truth hath the forementioned effects when Christ is the Dispenser of it by the Power of His own Spirit conveying it thorow His sent Ministers to His People and therefore none should take upon them publickly to deliver the Truth but they who are given to the Church from Him Truth should be both delivered and received as that which is given from him Ministers should beware of delivering any thing but what they are sure they have received from Him and people should try both whom and what they hear for both of the persons and of the words which have the forenamed effects this last Clause may be understood which are given from one Sheep-herd Ver. 12. And farther by these my Son be admonished of making many Books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the Flesh THe third Article of the Conclusion of this Book contains an Exhortation to the right use making of the whole as sufficient to admonish Men of their Danger and Duty wherein all other Writings come short and in pressing this he doth First Take up every Hearer under that very warm and loving Relation of a Son that so he may gain the better acceptance to his Message Next He shews the principal use to be made of the things he had Written and not of these only but of all the Words of the Wise commended in the former verse that is of every message of any sent Minister of Christ to wit that by these Men should be admonished the word signifies to be Inlightned that is informed and consequently according to the sense of our Translation made Cautious and wary that they mistake not in so great a matter as this the discovery of the nearest way to their true Happiness Thirdly He presseth this by two Reasons The 1. Is in these words for in making many Books there is no end which cannot be understood of the Writting of many Books like this in hand to wit Books of Scripture seing after Solomons time there behooved to be many Books of this sort made for so he should seem to have condemned the Writting of more Scripture and likewise there is an end put to the making of Books of that sort by closing these Books with a Curse upon any that should add to them Rev. 22 18. but the meaning is that if Men do not satisfy themselves with that light and these admonitions which are held out in this Book and other Scriptures they will become vain in their Imaginations and every Man will fancy a new and nearer way to Happiness than another and out of his boundless desire of vain Glory will make no end of his Enquiry but will spend the best of his time and strength to vent his own Notions and commend his vain Imaginations about the way to true Happiness and to confute others as it is clear natural Men of the most refined Wits have done in many written Volumns and consequently it is clear he doth not condemn the Writting or study of other Books beside the Scripture providing they be Consonant thereunto but only of such as oppose the Scripture in so far as they pretend to point out a way to Happiness contrary to what is held out therein by the study whereof Mens Souls can never have true rest nor quietness till they close with such Truths as are held forth in this Book which are as Nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies fixing and establishing the Hearts of those that receive them concerning this main Querie where their true Happiness is to be had 2. The second reason is that much study is a weariness to the Flesh he speaks of every Study opposite to the Study of the Truth formerly commended and the meaning is that he who will apply himself to any other Study for attaining to true Happiness may well weary his Flesh he shall do no more good to himself he shall bring no true profit or satisfaction to his Soul and therefore it is the part of every Child of Wisdom to apply himself to the making use of these Truths formerly commended Hence Learn 1. When Ministers have held forth Light and given warning to People concerning their Duty and Danger they
Labourers of the Ground have nothing for their pains but what is absolutely necessary for their Subsistence by reason of the rigid Exactions of their Superiours they have not then what the Lord allows upon them which is the Profit or as the Word signifies the Increase the Abundance or Overplus to wit something to provide for their Posterity and to imploy for pious Uses When they have scarce Subsistence though the Earth yields Abundance their Superiours cannot clear themselves of Oppression For this is an Argument to disswade from Oppression that the Increase or Overplus as the Word is of the Earth is for all 5. Proud Oppressours look upon the Profit and Increase of the Poors Labour as if it were only appointed for them and the Poor were only their Slaves and Servants to lay all up for their use and often would allow nothing to them but that they see they cannot have their Service nor acquire any thing to themselves except the Poor did some way subsist For this may be looked upon as contradicting the opinion of proud Oppressours That The Profit of the Earth belongs only to them The Profit of the Earth is for All. 6. Kings and Great Men in the World should consider how they are furnished with Food and Cloathing even by the Field Blessed from Above and Cultivated by the Poor that so they may acknowledge their Superiour without whose Blessing they would starve and may be comfortable to not Oppressours of their Inferiours For to this end is this said The King himself is served by the Field Ver. 10. He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase this is also Vanity 11. When goods increase they are increased that eat them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes IN this second part of the Chapter he disswades from Covetousness or the inordinat love of things Worldly as one main hinderance in the way to Blessedness concerning which he gave directions in the former part And this he doth by several Reasons The First is That there is no satisfaction to a mans minde in things Worldly whether Silver under which is comprehended all Coin or precious Mettal for which men may get other necessaries or Abundance to wit of any other earthly Commodity though the same Increase to never so great a height whence he inferrs that for men to give away their hearts unto such things as their Happiness neglecting the way held forth in the former directions is Vanity that is it proves to them disappointment and emptiness of Satisfaction The Second Reason which also proves the former is that as men grow in Riches of any sort ordinarily They are increased that Eat them either their Children Friends or Relations are multiplied or at least Objects of Charity upon whom Gods calls them to lay out some of their Substance so as they cannot with a good Conscience hoard up their Abundance And Thirdly Though they should they have no real Advantage by their so doing even the Rich Master hath nothing more than the Poor Servant who hath Food and Raiment except only the Naked sight of what he hath which is unworthy to be esteemed his Happiness Hence Learn 1. The Immoderat love of Riches is a sin which hath its Judgement in the Bosom of it the more any one attain of these things the more insatiable they are in thristing after more The Lord hath given the Spirits of men so large Appetites as nothing can satisfy them but himself who is All in All For he that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver 2 They that are moderat in their desires after Worldly things may get a satisfactory measure of them and though that measure be but small they may account it sufficient and best for them yea if they have the true Riches which are sufficient for their Happinss even an interest in the Lord they may be satisfied there with For it is only He that loves Silver and loves Abundance that Solomon saith shall not be satisfied with either 3. Every adorer of Mammon doth not lay out his love and desires upon the same particular Objects some worship Money Others who more undervalue that make their store of Cattel others their Merchandice and others the Fruits of the Ground their Idol Men cannot free themselves of that sin though they be free of serving some particular Idoll that others serve seing there are variety of Objects for the Covetous Man to pour out his heart upon and all of them alike unsatisfactory Therefore doth the wise man here speak of not only Silver but the Abundance of any other earthly commodity He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver not he that loveth Abundance with increase 4. Not only is the greatest measure of Silver or Abundance of other things that any can have unable to give satisfaction but the growing Increase of things of that nature is as far from giving Satisfaction to the heart of him that neglects to seek it in Gods favour and fellowship For not only is he that loves Abundance without any Satisfaction in the Abundance he hath but he shall not be satisfied with Increase Or a growing income of more and more of that sort 5. It is a great proof of mens Vanity and proves a great disappointment and misery to them in the end that they spend then Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfies not For this is the Censure and sentence of the Spirit of God past upon such a course This also is Vanity 6. So unreasonable is that lust of Covetousness that it makes men who are under the power of it apprehend Satisfaction to be had in that which could not but Increase their Anxiety if they had it They imagine if there were none but themselves to injoy things earthly they would be happy and if it were so how miserable would they be For this their imagination is imported while it is given for a Reason of their unsatisfaction that the contrary of it comes to pass As goods increase they are Increased that eat them 7. It is a clear mark of a Covetous Worldling who hath Mammon for his God that he desires to enhaunce all to himself and cannot willingly give out any thing to an other though of nearest Relation to him or such as God calls him to give out unto without great Vexation and Increase of his Unsatisfaction For this is a Reason why His Abundance satisfies him not because Providence orders it so that When his Goods are increased they are increased that eat them And this Increases the covetous mans Vexation 8. That which doth increase the contentment of a man mortified to the World increases the Anxiety of a worshipper of Mammon It is a great comfort to a Child of God when Abundance of the World is laid to his hand that Providence offers him many
fit Objects upon whom to imploy it But to the Covetous Worldling it is a Vexation to see the number growing to whom he ought to give and from whom he cannot with a good Conscience withhold and yet cannot get an heart to give as is imported in this Reason of his unsatisfaction with his Increase that when Goods increase they are increased that eat them 9. God doth never give a man Riches and abundance of things Worldly to hoard up beside him but when soever his Providence brings in to him Abundantly of these things the same Providence affords Objects upon whom he is bound to lay out a part thereof Either his Children are multiplyed or the number of his Servants and Followers is increased or the Poor run and flock about him or some occurrences of Providence meet him that will if he do as he ought eat up a considerable part of his increase for this is a general truth as Goods increase they are increased that eat them 10. Beside what men make use of for their subsistence and that which they are bound to give out to others or imploy for necessary uses there is no true pleasure or profit by all that men have in the World yea they have nothing but the naked sight of them which signifies little the consideration whereof should make men see their Vanity in seeking these things as their chief Happiness For this is the last Reason to this purpose what is there to wit beside what is necessary for a mans subsistence and to bestow upon approven uses To the Owner beside the beholding of them with his Eyes Ver. 12. The sleep of a Labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or much but the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to Sleep HEre are two farther Arguments to disswade from the immoderate love of things earthly The one is taken from the advantage of moderate diligence about these things The Sleep of a Labouring man is sweet saith he By the Labouring man here spoken of is meant mainly 1. Such an one as for all his Labour hath but little of the World among his hands as appears by this that he is opposed to the Rich who hath Abundance Yet 2. He is such an one as is supposed to be Labouring also for the true Riches otherwise if he were a Covetous Wretch his want and care to get would make him as unquiet as the others Abundance but being moderate in diligence about his outward calling and serious in seeking the true Riches he hath sweet Sleep and Rest both to Body and Spirit and this he hath though he have but a light Supper his painful Labour and his good Conscience makes his Sleep refreshful and if he eat more the Blessing of God upon his Healthy constitution makes digestion easie and so however it be with him his Sleep is Sweet The other Argument is taken from that Anxiety which ordinarily attends the Abundance of things Worldly in those who seek them as their best portion But the Abundance of the Rich saith Solomon will not suffer him to Sleep By the Rich must be understood not simply every man who hath Abundance for Godly Rich men such as Abraham and Job were have rest to Body and Spirit allowed upon them But the Covetous Rich who thorow excessive love to the World cares and Anxieties about keeping and fears of losing deprive themselves of the Lords allowance to men And both the expressions in this verse are to be understood of what doth Ordinarily fall out seing the Lord may correct and exercise his own dearest people with unquietness and may and doth sometimes plague the Rich with false peace and rest of Body and Spirit Hence Learn 1. Oftimes these who doth most painfully and honestly Labour in their Callings remain Poor in things Worldly not only because such are often preyed upon by Oppressours but because the Lord having provided better things for them will have them by the want of these outward things stirred up to seek for better and to depend upon him for their daily Bread For Solomon opposeth the honest Labourer to the Rich who hath Abundance as if the Poor and Labourer were one as ordinarily they are The sleep of the Labouring man c. But the Abundance of the Rich c. 2. Natural rest or sound Sleep not interrupted by Distempers of Body or Soul is a sweet Mercy of God whereby men are separat from the sight and feeling of the Miseries of this life And the same being sanctified they are by it refreshed and recreated in Body and Spirit for the farther service of the Lord For as a Sweet Blessing to the poor Labourer that fears God it is here spoken of The Sleep of the Labouring man is sweet 3. The busier men be in honest and moderat Labour in their Callings the Sweeter ordinarily is their Rest and Sleep which God vouchafes upon them their diligence disposes their Bodies for Rest and their moderation and honest Labour prevents challenges which Conscience might suggest to marr their Rest The consideration whereof should make men digest the pains of lawful diligence and make them beware to take a surfet of it or to marr the peace of their Conscience which may marr the Sweetness of their Rest and Sleep which God allows upon them For it is of him who Labours painfully and moderatly that Solomon here saith The Sleep of a Labouring man is Sweet 4. As any man especially a Labourer ought sometimes to take a more sparing measure of the creatures as when providence orders their success to be less then ordinary or calls them to distribute a part of their allowance to some others of his poor people so may they at other times make use of them more liberally always keeping themselves within the bounds of Sobriety as when the Lord Blesses their Labour with greater success and in his providence carves out more work for them for which their Bodies must be proportionally upheld and strengthned by the Creatures For Solomon here supposes the Labourer upon good Grounds to eat sometimes More sometimes Less while he saith his Sleep is sweet whether he eat little or much 5. The Lord can make it go as well with the Bodies of his poor Labouring people and with their Spirits also when they have little to eat or find themselves obliged to eat more sparingly as at othertimes when they have Much and may eat more liberally so that their Rest and quietness of Spirit is to be attributed not to the things they make use of but to his Blessing the light of whose Countenance makes their Sleep sweet and sound Psal 4.8 For the sleep of a Labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or much 6. Beside eternal Torment and Unrest abiding men who have chosen their portion in this World they have oft the earnest of that everlasting unquietness given them in this life many unquiet nights and vexing thoughts about the keeping and increasing of what