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A52356 An exposition with practical observations upon the book of Ecclesiastes written by Alexander Nisbet ... Nisbet, Alexander, 1623-1669. 1694 (1694) Wing N1168; ESTC R3204 421,927 628

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destitut of Saving Wisdom considering their ignorance of the time thereof their unwillingness to and unpreparedness for it and having nothing to uphold their Hearts against it which ought strongly to disswade them from inconsiderat throwing themselves upon the Sword of the Magistrat and for that end move them to perform their duty towards them since no Man hath power to retain his Soul in his Body whe● God by the sentence of the Magistrate or any other way calleth for it or to 〈◊〉 any thing at that time either to resist or shift Death And that continued i● wickedness shall not make their escape from it ver 8. And in closing this pa● of the Chapter he confirms his former Doctrine anent the Happiness of them th● were indued with Spiritual Wisdom and the Misery of them that were destitute of it from his own experience of the truth of both obtained partly by his own observation of and diligent search into the Works of God's Providence that were within the reach of his elevated Understanding And partly by the Illumination and Inspiration of the Lord's Spirit for communicating thereof unto the Church ver 9. In the Second part of this Chapter the Wise Man by so many Arguments proveth the Vanity of worldly Greatness especially where it is accompanied with the want of Heavenly Wisdom and a constant course of Sin tending to prevent the stumbling of the Saints and to encourage them under their Sufferings from such Men. The First is taken from his own observation of the Misery of some that have been highly advanced in the World while by the abuse of their power they not only prejudge others but often brings Temporal and always if not by Repentance prevented Eternal Wrath upon themselves ver 9. II. He evidenceth this That notwithstanding the high advancement of such Men in their frequenting the places of and concernment in publick Judicatories and Religious Worship yet they should be buried and put under the Earth wherein they placed their Happiness and their Memories which they designed to perpetual after Death shall be forgotten among Men. ver 10. Which he amplifies by giving the Reason why such Men are so bent upon their sinful Courses and oppressing ways namely because the declared Threatnings in Scripture are not presently after their committing Sin put to execution against them ver 11. III. That he may farther shew the Vanity of worldly Greatness without Saving Knowledge and that sinful Courses are not sure ways to preserve from Evil and to guard the Hearts of Saints from stumbling at such Mens Greatness and encourage them under their Oppressions by them he publisheth to the terrour of all such wicked Men especially oppressing Rulers That notwithstanding their fancying that by their long Life affluence of outward Comforts and their multiplied Transgressions they should escape the Judgement of God ver 12. Yet tho he certainly concludeth the Welfare of them that sincerely Fear God and His Goodness for which wicked Men did persecute and oppress them ver 12. he in a powerful and pathetick way denounceth Wrath against them both in general That it shall not be well with them where more is meaned than expressed and in particular That tho' he may have a long Life compared with others yet shall he not prolong his days either to that length he desired or to an Eternity of Happiness ver 13. Which he amplifies First By a description of the Life of such wicked Men that it is but a shadow not so much for the brevity of it as that it is driven on without that substantial and solid Life of Grace and Comfort and as last shall totally as a shadow evanish And Secondly By setting down the cause of all the Wrath that comes upon those wicked Men which also is the Mother of their other Sins to be the want of a Filial Fear of God ver 13. As also he amplifieth the former consolation given to the Godly First By setting down the ground of their discouragement to be That ordinarily tho' the Reason of it be not generally obvious to Men it falleth out in providence not without the Fore-knowledge wise Ordering and Permission of God that the Godly are dealt with in the World as to their outward lot no better than the worst of Men and the wicked as if they were the best of Men in the World which he censureth as a Vanity not as reflecting on the Wise and Holy Providence of God but as it is the fruit of Mens corruption especially wicked Rulers who are instrumental in it and as it proves the Vanity of any earthly condition for affording Men true Happiness ver 14. And Secondly He affordeth a Remedy against discouragement from and stumbling at these Dispensations namely the exercise of Spiritual not Carnal Mirth or Rejoicing ver 15. Which he commendeth partly from the advantage of it that it is the best of it in this Life even under sad Dispensations to be cheerful in the lawful and sober use of the outward Comforts be they great or small which God allows upon them ver 15. And partly from the security of it to them as being God's constant allowance upon them the sometimes through their own default they may be without it which if they will in the way of Duty seek after and improve they shall not be deprived of as much at least of it as may occasion their Joy in Him during the whole time of their Pilgrimage under the Sun ver 15. IV. And Lastly That he may humble the greatest Searchers into Wisdom and various Providences He giveth a modest account 1. Of his serious and extraordinary care and diligence experimentally and affectionatly to know the Affairs both Humane Business and Divine Dispensations upon Earth ver 16 17. Then 2. Of his success in that Study that even the Godly much less the Natural Man with all his Gifts notwithstanding all their pains and advantages of the Word and Spirit Opportunities Abilities Resolutions and strong Endeavours to reach it cannot attain to the full and satisfying Knowledge of the Reasons of God's various Dispensations on the Earth but must sit down and Admire and Adore the depth of His Wisdom in and be humbled under the sense of his ignorance of them ver 17. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. Who is as the Wise Man and who knows the intepretation of a thing a Mans Wisdom maketh his Face to shine and the boldness of his Face shall be changed SOlomon being in the first part of this Chapter to give several Directions for the manifesting of Heavenly Wisdom in a Christians Conversation in order to the true Peace and Tranquility of his Mind He doth in this Verse First commend the person indued with that Knowledge Who is as the Wise Man The Question may be explained by a Negation There is none to be compared with the Man that hath that excellent Knowledge which Paul commends Phil. 3.8 there is not his Match or Peer in all the
attaining to what is prest in the former namely the removal of Sorrow from the Heart And put away evil from thy Heart 10. Men will never rightly reform the Ills of their practice especially Sins of their Youth till they be sensible of their Original Pollution which doth encline them to sinful Courses even from the very Morning of their Life or as the Word translated Youth signifies the breaking of the Day of their being in the World For Original Sinfulness is held forth in this Expression which is brought in as a Reason why Men should be serious in reforming their actual Transgressions For Childhood and Youth are vanity 11. The sinful Delights of Youth are transitory and those hot furious Motions of Passion Lust and the like will soon evanish the consideration whereof should move Men to the study of Mortification timously that they may leave their Lust ere their Lusts leave them For the Vanity here spoken of is mainly to be understood of the transitoriness and speedy evanishing of youthly Pleasures and the same is brought as an Argument for the study of Reformation For Childhood and Youth are vanity CHAP. XII THE ARGUMENT IN the First Part of this Chapter contained to the 8 Verse the Preacher continueth his purpose begun in the end of the last Chapter which is to stirr up Men to a serious and timous preparation for Death and Judgement And in order thereto doth 1 press the exercise of a Duty very fit and necessary for that end to Remember their Creator c. ver 1. where 1 we have the Duty it self which is to Remember a Word importing a clear up-taking of God and His Attributes an affectionat and cordial Trusting in Him and an Engagement to the Duties of New Obedience ver 1. 2. The season fittest for discharge of that Duty not only the present Now but the time of Youth ver 1. And 3. The Argument whereby he presseth this Duty taken from the sad Condition that every Man is to expect under Old Age with reference to the Trouble and Afflictions incident to it and the continuance of these Afflictions upon him and the Language that such will have at such a time far different from what they had in their Youth ver 1. 2. He doth negatively describe the fittest Opportunities for the performance of these Duties necessary in order to the preparing for Death as that it should not be deferred till the Miseriei of Old Age creep on nor till the frequent Returns of outward afflictions especially Diseases ver 2. In the dimness of the bodily Eyes the usefulness of external Lights and the fatling of the Reason held forthly the Allegories of the Sun Moon and Stars being darkned and in the continual succession as one Cloud or Shower after another cometh in time of Winter of one Trouble after another ver 2. 3. The Preacher positively evinceth the time of Old Age not to be so fit an Opportunity for making peace with God in order to preparation for Death as the time of Youth and Health an old Mans Body being so beset with Death as a beseiged Castle that the Arms and Hands called the Keepers of the House do shake the Legs and Thighs the strong Men grow feeble the Teeth the Grinders turn few loose and unfit for preparing Meat for the Stomach and the Eyes which took out at their Holes as Windows grow dim and weak ver 3. 4. He by several other Metaphors describeth the dissolution of this House of Clay or earthly Tabernacle as by the Shutting of the Doors in the Street importing the unfitness of the Mouth and Lips to speak or Throat which are the Doors of the Tabernacle to let down Meat By the low sounding of the Grinders holding out the small noise Old Men throw want or weakness of their Teeth make in their Eating by his rising at the Voice of the Bird thereby signifying the unsoundness of his Sleep and by the Daughters of Musick brought low thereby discovering the weakness of all these Organs of the Body made use of either in uttering or receiving of melodious Sounds ver 4. By Old and Dying Men their being afraid of that which is high and their Fears in the way insinuating their want of Strength and Courage by the flourishing of the Almond Tree holding forth the increase of Gray Hairs as a sore-runner of Death by the Grashoppers being a Burden shewing their Weakness to be such as that the weight of a Flie shall be a trouble to them And by the failing of the Desire both after lawful and unlawful Objects ver 5. The ground of all which is because Man is going to his unchangable Estate ver 5. and his Friends have given him over for dead and begun their mourning for him ver 5. By the loosing of the Silver Cord holding forth the decay of the natural Life and Spirits or Marrow of the Back-bone and Arteries of the Heart which thence convoy the Spirits to other places of the Body By the breaking of the Golden Bowl whereby is meant the Skin containing the Brain which having the Pores of it much opened to admit of what is prejudicial fortokeneth a Decay of the Body in old age By the Breaking of the Pitcher at the Fountain by which is meaned the obstruction of a Vein in the form of a Pitcher coming from the Liver here called the Fountain betokening Decay and Death ver 6. and by the Wheel broken at the Cistren by which is meant the Lungs which as a Wheel are in continual motion till by watry Humours and Flegm falling down in the Stomach they be impeded and so brings Decay and Death ver 6. All which drives the Preachers Scope in the ver 1. to prepare for Death in time before these things fall out by remembring their Creator in the days of Youth And 5. This First part of the Chapter is shut up in giving a short sum the Tabernacle being dissolved as is before described of Mans future state both as to the Body that it being Dust in its first original returns thereto till the Resurrection and also as to the Soul called here the Spirit because of their immaterial substance and resemblance to God that it shall return to God to be disposed of eternally by Him Which also may perswade to the Duty of preparing for Death ver 7. In the Second Part of this Chapter from ver 8. to the end the Preacher sums up this purpose and the whole Book wherein 1. He asserts as the substance of this Book the vanity and insufficiency of all humane Things for directing Man to true Happiness ver 8. 2. He commends the purpose contained in this Book 1. From the Preacher himself and his qualification of Wisdom ver 9. As from the Improvement he made of this for the good of the Church ver 9. As from his Diligence and Assiduity in his Work ver 9. As from his not resting in any measure attained but seeking out carefully
God who gave it SOlomon having at length described the Dissolution of the earthly House of our Tabernacle after Death He giveth here a summ of Mans future State after Death in reference to the two principal parts whereof he is made up And First For his Body which he calls Dust because it was Formed out of the Dust Gen. 2.7 and being separat from the Soul is the most vile and loathsome piece of Dust of any other he saith it returns to the Dust because it is ordinarly laid there to remain till the Resurrection and because it is in effect the same substance with it And Next For his more noble Part his Soul called here the Spirit because of the immaterial substance thereof and its Resemblance to God the Father of Spirits it returns to him who gave it There is no Ground to think he speaks only of the Souls of the Godly but rather of the common state of the Spirits of all Men after Death neither is there any necessity to think that therefore every Soul must go to Heaven seing the Scripture is so clear to the contrary But every Soul is said to return to God because in the very moment of its separation from the Body it must sist it self before him the Supream Judge to be eternally disposed of according to his pleasure who will sentence it according to the state it shall be found in at Death And these considerations also have great influence in exciting Men timously to make their peace with God that he may favourablie intertain their Spirits at Death and they may lay down their Bodies in the dust in hope of a Glorious Resurrection And this is the reference which this verse hath to the Scope exprest in the first words of the Chapter Hence Learn 1. Although our Bodies have some Beauty and Majesty imprinted on them while the Soul resides in them and they are acted by it for which cause they were set out by these excellent similitudes formerly mentioned yet of themselves they are but Dust and will appear when the Soul is separat from them to be very loathsome Clay the thought whereof should keep Men from being Proud of their Bodily Strength or Beauty Jer. 9.23 it should make them admire the Lords condescending to have correspondence with such Dust Gen 28.27 his Marvelous Art and Power in framing so Beautiful a piece of Work as our Bodies of the Dust Ps 139.24 especially his assuming so frail a Being as a human Body in a personal union with the Diety Ps 8.4 c. It should be made use of as a ground of Confidence to obtain pity and help from him to frail Dust Ps 103.14 And of submission to hardest Dispensations Isai 45.9 it should make us careful to get the Ornament of his Grace which makes base Dust truly Beautiful 1 Pet. 3.4 It should banish the fear of all flesh which is but Dust like our selves Isai 51.7.8 and shoul make us long for the time wherein Christ shall change our vile Bodies and make them like his Glorious Body Philip. 3.21 all which are the uses the Scripture makes of this consideration that we are Dust the Dust c. 2. The Bodies of Men at Death go not as their Spirits to that state wherein they must be Eternally but as they were at first taken out of the Earth so they must go thither for a time the Lord hath so ordered that whereby he may prove and Exercise his peoples Faith concerning the Resurrection For saith he The dust shall return to the Earth as it was 3. The Souls of Men die not nor go to Corruption as their Bodies do but subsist after their separation from the Body which should make Men careful to see to the Eternal well-being of them for Solomon here supposing the body or Dust to be gone to the Earth he speaks of the Soul or Spirit as now subsisting whereby it appears that the immortality of the Soul hath been Preached to the ancient Churches The Spirit returns to God who gave it 4. Men receive not their Souls from their Parents as they do their Bodies nor are they formed of any preexistent matter as the Spirits are which Beasts have Gen. 1.20 but are Created of nothing and immediatly infused into the Body by the Lord For saith the Preacher the Spirit shall return to God who gave it 5. Our Spirits are Gods free gift and therefore all the powers and faculties thereof ought to be imployed to the Honour of the Giver Rom. 11.26 He is to be depended on and acknowledged for the preservation of them Job 10 12. And all Crosses upon Body or Spirit to be submitted unto Heb. 12.9 For saith he The Spirit returns to God who gave it 6. As the Spirits of Men even the greatest on Earth are in Gods hand to be moved by him while they are in the Body as he pleases Prov. 21.1 So when they go out of the Body they must sist themselves before him to be disposed of at his pleasure who will throw the Spirits of the Wicked into the Lake that flames with Fire and Brimstone and will bind up the Spirits of the Godly as his Jewels in the bundle of Life for in reference to both this is verified The Spirit shall return to God who give it Ver. 8. Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher all is Vanty IN this and the following Verses is contained the last part of the Chapter and the close of the whole Book wherein the Preacher doth briefly Summ up and by several Arguments commend the purpose contained in it which for Methods cause we may take up in four Articles or Heads of Doctrine The first which is in this Verse contains the Summ of the first Principal part of the Book namely that all Created things and human endeavours about them are vain or insufficient for leading a Man to his true Happiness And this having been frequently held out before is here necessarly Repeated that all may assent unto it as a Truth now abundantly proven and which the Preacher himself loved to meditate upon and writ again and again and with this Repeating of it he mentions his calling to be a Preacher as that which should gain weight to every Truth delivered by him and to this in particular Beside what hath been observed from this purpose before We may Learn 1. Necessary Truths must not be cast by after they are clear to us and sufficiently proven to be Truths by many Arguments neither will they become loathsome to a Holy Mind but ought to be intertained and meditate upon till we find motions sutable thereunto wakened in our Hearts and some Fruits in our practice answerable to them which may evidence we do truly know and believe them and the more clear such Truths are to a Gracious Sool the sweeter they will grow and the more delight will the Soul have to dwell upon them Therefore doth Solomon after he hath fully proven and cleared this Truth and
that it is done that they may see themselves to be Beasts and so may loath themselves and thank him that they are not destroyed but preserved that they may seek Mercy and a change of their nature 7. What ever is discovered to be the Lords intention and aim in His Dispensations His people ought to concurr therewith by their serious desires and wishes that it may be brought about thereby testifying their approbation of His purpose as Holy and Good For this may be also taken for Solomons hearty Wish and the worst he desired to befall these Wicked men That God might manifest them and they might see themselves to be Beasts 8. The consideration of those many Resemblances that are between Man and the Beast As 1. That many Events or or occurrences depriving them equally of the satisfaction and pleasure they take in sensual delights are common to both 2. That Death is alike certain to both 3. That the breath or natural Life of both is alike easily cut off And that in all these and the like respects Man hath no preeminency above the Beasts The consideration of these I say should in Reason powerfully convince Men of their Brutishness in seeking Happiness in such things as are in some sort common to them with Beasts such as The bearing down of others inferior to them The satisfying of their sensual appitite and the like For these Resemblances are here reckoned out by Solomon as so many Arguments to convince Man of his Brutishness in thinking himself Happy for his power and place in the World without fellowship with God and living in his fear and Obedience For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the Beasts c. 9. They that would deal effectually for convincing sinners of the evil of their way would make use of such motives as probably may most prevail with them though these be not such as are of themselves the most cogent For Solomon here being to convince Men in power abusing the same of their Brutish and Beastly disposition doth not specify the Resemblances which may from Scripture be condescended upon between the inward disposition and carriage of the one and the other but only compares them as to outward Events and the issue of their Bodily condition wherewith such Men are supposed to be only taken up and so are probably most powerful to disswade them from seeking Happiness in things common to them with Beasts That which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the Beasts c. 10. Scripture Expressions are not always to be looked upon a part and separat from the Scope of the place where they are else Mens corrupt hearts will father many absurd and impious things upon the Scripture contradictory to it self For this that man hath no preeminency above a Beast taken without respect to the Scope and matter in hand savours of Atheism and agrees not with the following truth that Man hath the preeminency of a reasonable Soul above the Beast but taken with Reference to the Resemblances here mentioned that Man is neither exeemed from several outward Events nor from death it self it hath a clear truth in it Man hath no preeminence in these and such as these above the Beast 11. When the emptiness of all created things and humane endeavours about them in regard of any true contentment they can afford to a mans Spirit and their insufficiency to make him truely Happy is seen and well pondered Man will easily assent to this truth that they are really Brutish who seek their Happiness in those things and choose them for their best Portion which have no proportion to their immortal Souls For as a clear proof that they are beasts who so seek their Happiness thi● general assertion is brought in For all is Vanity 12. Men as well as other living Creatures inferior to them are in a continual motion toward Death nor can they halt in that course which should be considered by them who are also posting toward Eternal Destruction that their hearts may be weaned from seeking Happiness in these things from which they are so quickly passing For this Word in the Original in the present time notes a continual motion all go 〈◊〉 one place 13. The Lord did choise a part of the basest matter in the universe whereof to form the Bodies of Men as well as of Beasts not only to commend His Wisdom and Power in making such a curious piece of Work as Mans Body out of such indisposed matter as Dust but likwise to keep Man humble considering the baseness of his Original to dissuade him from oppressing others inferior to himself in Worldly respects seeing he is made of the same mettal with them and to mind him of a necessity of going to the dust again with them For which causes mainly it is here asserted all are of the dust and all turn to dust again Ver. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth Solomon having shown such Resemblances between Man and the Beast as may serve to dissuade Man from satisfying himself with the Beasts Happiness and may prove him very Brutish if he do he comes now to show wherein Man hath the preeminency and this is mainly in respect of his spirit which goes upward Whereby is chiefly meant the Immortality of Mans Soul seeing he speaks of the state of it after the Body is gone to the Dust as is clear by the Words immediatly preceeding and by the parrallel place Eccles 12.7 And though the expression seems mainly to respect the Souls of the Godly that by Ascending Ascend as the Original bears yet may it be taken in Reference to the Souls of the Wicked also Not as if they went up to Heaven but in so far as after Death they must sist themselves before their Maker and Judge to be disposed of according to His pleasure Who though He be every where present yet it is often set forth in Scripture as above us in the highest Heaven And because the spirits of the Godly do really by Ascending Ascend as a spark of fire riseth upward toward Him who is in the high and Holy place As for the Spirit of the Beasts which is nothing else but their Breath as the Word often signifies their vital or Animal Powers it is said to go downward not as if it did subsist or remain after it leaves the body but having spoken of the going downward of the Body and the perishing of it he is directed to set forth the perishing of their Spirits such as they are by their going downward in opposition to the substance and Elevation of the Spirits of Men which he sets forth by their going upward And this difference between the Spirit of Man and Beast he sets forth in a Question Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward and the spirit c. Not as if he doubted if it were so or as if it could not
be known For such Questions in Scripture are used of such things as may be and are by some certainly known though considered by few Psal 90.11 And so by the Question he regrates Mens Ignorance of this truth and that few do seriously consider it which is both another evidence of their Brutishness that they consider the future state of their Souls as little as the Beasts do and likewise one chief cause why they provide so litle for it Hence Learn 1. The Spirits of Men are Immortal and after separation from the Body have a subsistence For having told that Mens Bodies return to the Dust as the Beasts do he speaks of their Spirits as yet existing and moving upward who knows the spirit of man that goes upward 2. God who is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 in regard He doth create and immediatly infuse them into the Body Zech. 12.1 And orders all their motions while they Act therein Prov. 21.1 Hath also the absolute dominion and disposal of of them at His pleasure after their separation from the Body and they must sist themselves immediatly before Him to be disposed of as He shall think fit For which cause it is that the Spirits of good and bad are said to go upward 3. As there are but few of those who have Immortal Souls within them and so have power to reflect upon them that ever do seriously consider either the nature or future estate of their Souls or the necessity of their appearance before the Judge so their not considering hereof is both an evidence of their Brutishness and the cause why they choise not things of a higher nature for their Happiness than Beasts take pleasure in And why they carrie one toward another as Beasts do by their oppression for this question imports the thing known or considered by few and the same to be the evidence of mens Brutishness and oppression who knows the spirit of man that goeth upward 4. It is the consideration of the Immortality of the Soul of the Lords Dominion over it and especially of the joyfull motion of the Souls of the Godly at death toward God and Blessedness with Him that draws men to live in the fear of God and makes them affraid to hazard the loss of their Souls by provocking Him to whom they must go to be disposed of as he pleases For as a mean to restrain men from these wicked courses formerly spoken of he here leads them to thoughts of this That their spirits go upward 5. Mens ignorance and inconsideration of the nature and future estate of their own Souls is a thing to be sadly regrated by them that know and consider the same They cannot but pity such and bewail so great an evil as the cause of many others For so doth the Wise-man here sadly regrate mens Ignorance and Inconsideration of this Who knows the spirit of man that go's upward 6. The Beasts are not made for any further or higher end than to be useful and servicable to Man in serving his Maker to which man should be ingaged by the consideration of his preeminency above the Beasts and of the service he hath of them after which there is no more of them For when that is done The spirit of the Beast goeth downward or goes to nothing as their Bodies 7. Men may go to their Beasts and learn that which may be useful for their Souls and should be minded by them not to choise sensual pleasures for their Happiness seeing there is a difference between the future state of the one and the other The spirit of man goeth upward and the spirit of the Beast downward Ver. 22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works for that is his portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him FRom the former considerations of the Lords fixing a season for all Dispensations the certainty of His Judging Mens Injustice the Immortality of the soul and the like The Preacher draws a Conclusion which he saw did very clearly follow therefrom viz. That the highest Happiness attainable in this Life is to be had in a chearful following of Duty to God under all the changes of His Dispensations formerly mentioned For by a Mans own work wherein he should rejoice cannot be meant any thing in it self sinful though that be most properly a Mans own Work nor any Action of Man never so lawful being done in his own natural strength and not referred to a higher end than the attaining of an earthly Happiness seeing the Scripture expresly condemns Rejoicing in such things Jam. 4.16 and Solomon had before proven the same to be Vanity and Madness Ecles 2.10.11 But by his own Work is here meant a mans proper industry and pains in following the Duties of his general and particular Calling as means for attaining to that Happiness which God allows upon him in this life and that whereby he may honour God in his Generation and these are called his own Works Not because they are done in his own strength or for his own pleasure Glory or profit but because these only are the Works suitable to Men who have Reasonable and Immortal Souls and mainly because the renewed faculties of the Soul are the immediat Actors of them And so consequently this rejoicing in a Man 's own Work is not to be understood in opposition to Rejoicing in the Lord but to Rejoicing in what is sinful or unsuitable for Reasonable Creatures and marrs the comfortable use of what they have thorow the Blessing of God upon their own industry and pains attained unto and their chearful following of their Duty to Him which is here commended And this he presseth by Two Reasons First That this is a Mans Portion Which is not to be understood as if this were the furthest or sweetest that man hath to expect seeing that never entered into his heart 1 Cor. 2.9 But as it is the Lords allowance to Man a temporary reward of his Labour and the best recompence of his pains that he is capable of in this World The Second is That when a Man shall as of necessity he must which is implyed here leave all behind him there is no possibility of his returning to see or as the Word may be rendered to Enjoy any of these outward Comforts which is the force of this Question and therefore it is his best to use all as incouragments to a chearful following of his Duty to God From this we may Learn 1. That all the Exercises of Mens wit in the discourses of their mind and meditation upon the Lords Dispensations ought alwayes to resolve in some practical Conclusion for engadging their hearts to such Exercises of Piety and Holiness as many honour the Lord and to chearfulness in going about these else our contemplations and discourses though never so clear and satisfactory are vain and fruitless in order to the promoving of our True
Affairs as these are under the dominion of Providence seing most of the instances he gives in this Book are of that nature Thirdly He enters upon the second part of the Chapter to prove the Vanity of Worldly greatness and doth particularly confirm what he spake concerning the misery of them that are void of Saving Knowledge and that Wickedness will not deliver them that are given to it in the former words by giving an instance in his own Observation of that Dispensation which the Godly are most apt to stumble at to wit the Advancement of Wicked men to greatness and power in the World And proves them miserable notwithstanding that the hearts of the Godly may be guarded against envying of them while he saith one Man Rules over another to his Hurt he means their abuse of of their power and greatness draws on often temporal and always if they Repent not Eternal misery upon them Beside what hath been observed before from his commending his Doctrine from his own Experience and from his pains in acquiring the knowledge thereof Learn 1. Dispensations are never so dark but spiritual Discerners may see the Blessedness of the Godly and the misery of the Wicked even when they are sadest to the Godly and seem most favourable to the Wicked they that have the Heavenly Wisdom may see the Godly feeling no evil thing and the Wicked injoying their Prosperity to their hurt For the Scope of the words before and after implyes the time here spoken of to be very sad and yet Solomon saith he saw these sweet effects of Heavenly Wisdom and the woful case of them that want it which are formerly mentioned All this have I Seen 2. Even those who have attained to the greatest measure of the Knowledge of God and His Ways are not exeemed from streatching their Wit and strength to the outmost for growth and progress therein that which is to be known of God in any of His Dispensations being a Depth that none can sound For even Solomon who had before an extraordinary measure of Wisdom saith I applied my Heart to every work 3. They that would judge aright of any one of the Lord's Dispensations must be careful Students of them all they must not slight any work of his because all though they be many to us make up but one intire Work in God's Hand and every part of that work is a commentary clearing the nature and use of the whole and God's intent therein Therefore did Solomon apply his Heart to every work under the Sun 4. As the Lord doth for wise Ends permit wicked Men to come to Authority over others in the World so hath He the time when they shall come to it fixed and how long they shall have it For it is clear by the consequence of this Ruling to the person who hath it that he speaks of wicked Men and the word Time signifies a set and fixed season wherein One Man rules over another 5. As wicked Mens power tends always to the hurt of these over whom they are set Eccl. 10.16 So it is especially for their own hurt giving them fairer opportunity to shew the latent wickedness of their Heart than they had before whereby they procure to themselves Temporal and Eternal Wrath from the Lord. There is a time when one Man rules over another to his own hurt 6. This Hurt which is incident to men of Place and Power in the World should wean mens Hearts from affecting worldly Greatness as any part of their Happiness For we may look upon this as a proof of the Vanity of such Greatness that it is often found One Man rules over another to his own hurt Ver. 10. And so I saw the Wicked buried who had come and gone from the place of the Holy and they were forgotten in the City where they had so done this is also Vanity HE doth farther illustrat the Misery of Men void of saving Knowledge how great soever they may be in the World And this he doth for the Comfort of the Godly who are opprest by them There are three things wherein such Men place much of their Happiness namely in an Honourable Burial when they are Dead a great Esteem among Men while they live and in the preservation of their Memory after they are Dead As for the First Solomon saith he observed them to have it I saw the Wicked Buried it seems he means a sumptuous and Honourable Burial like the Rich Mans Luk. 16.22 even such an one as so great a Man as himself hath countenanced For the Second they may have that also they may Come and go from the place of the Holy By the place of the Holy may be safely understood both the place of publick Judicatur● where the Holy God is said to stand and Judge Ps 82.1 And likewise the place of publick Religious Worship where the same Holy One is in a special way present and his Saints or Holy Ones meet together for his service Isai 64.11 By Coming and Going he means their frequenting and conversing in both these places mainly for upholding their Credit and Worldly interest and it is probable this expression the place of the Holy is so framed as may comprehend both these because meer Politicians and corrupt States-men doe ordinarily make both Justice and Religion a Cloak for their Wickedness And for the Third the Esteem of themselves which they desired should be kept up after they were gone he denies them to have gotten that as to his Observation they were Forgotten among Men not as if it were of it self a Misery to be forgotten among the most part of Men seing it is incident to the Best Eccles 9.15 But he speaks of it as a proof their Misery because they place a great part of their Happiness in perpetuating their Memory as is clear from Psal 49 11. and so the mentioning of their being Forgotten may serve to make them see the Vanity of their temper And this affectation of Worldly greatness and a name among Men which hath this consequent and all the pains Men take to obtain the same he pronounces to be Vanity in the close of the verse this is Vanity saith he which cannot be applyed to their being Forgotten seing it is clear he speaks of such as can leave nothing behind them Savoury or worthy to be remembred Hence Learn 1. The Lord may long spare Wicked men in their Sinful Courses and may not only along their Life heap upon them more eminent proofs of common favour than upon the Godly Psal 73.5 But likwise may suffer that respect to be shewn to their Bodies while their Souls are in the Pit which is sometimes denied to the Bodies of his dearest Saints Psal 79.2 For saith he I saw the Wicked Buried 2. This is the best that can be said of many Wicked men after their Death that they are now put under the Earth the things whereof they sought for their Happiness and this may put
heart to despair of ever finding Happiness in them ver 20. Especially considering that men of the greatest parts behoved to leave all their Purchase to others that never took pains about it ver 21. Which course he censures also as Vanity and as a great evil both of sin and punishment ver 21. Of which censure he gives this reason that man by all his outward pains and inward vexation about earthly things is so far from any real profit or true comfort that on the contrary he shall have sorrow and grief and by his violence in this pursuit bereave himself of his nights rest ver 22 23. And this also he censures to be vanity that a man should thus torment himself in so hotly persuing after that which can hardly be overtaken and if overtaken cannot give him comfort but really grieve him And 7. In the last 3 verses of this chapter to clear that the intent of this Doctrine concerning the vanity of earthly things in order to true Happiness was not to deprive men of the lawful use and comfort of the creatures he doth before he proceed further in that subject give a short sum of the true Happiness which is attainable in this life Where 1. He discovers somewhat of the nature of that true Happiness attainable in this life about which he had ver 3. inquired so much being afterward to give a fuller description of it to wit That it consists much in a sweet conjunction of these two the one 〈◊〉 relation to the Body is the sober and cheerful use of all lawful earthly delights The other relating to the inner man is that the soul injoy some Good suteable and satisfactory to it which can be no other that the chief good ver 24. Which he confirms from his own knowledge ver 24. And from the advantages he had as of injoying creature comforts so of opportunities to seek and improve them beyond many others ver 25. 2. The more to conciliate mens respect to and endeavours after this true Happiness he describes both the blessed condition of them that search after it ver 26. And the miserable condition of them that neglect it ver 26. By all which it is evident which is the scope of the Chapter How insufficient the persuit and injoyment of earthly Delights is to afford that true Happiness which is needful for man Ecclesiastes Chap. II. Verse I I said in mine heart Go to now I will prove thee with Mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is Vanity II. I said of Laughter It is mad and of Mirth what doth it SOLOMON having proven from his own Experience the insufficiency of the natural Mans understanding improven to the outmost in the contemplation of all Created things and humane endeavours about them for producing the least degree of true Peace and Happiness to him while he remains a stranger to fellowship with God he doth here give a further instance from his own Experience also to prove how far short the use and enjoyment of the choicest of created delights is to bring him any nearer to that Happiness which he seeks after And for this end he doth First relate with how much deliberation and with what bensill of Spirit he had pursued sensual delights and by repeated commands had prest his own Heart as if it had been too slow in the pursuit to try the outmost that creature comforts could do for satisfying of him Go to now saith he I will prove thee with Mirth therefore enjoy pleasure whereby cannot be meant his provocking of his Soul to spiritual Mirth and pleasure in Communion with God and in his Praises which was the Exercise he should have been upon as his Father had been often before him for that would have had a sweeter Issue and more comfortable effects than he found this to have in his own Experience therefore by this Language of his to his Heart is signified his giving up of himself to the excess of Earthly and sensual delights which now he is relateing with grief And this Communing with his Heart seems most fitly to be referred to the beginning of his defection from God as being that frame of Spirit whence his more grievous falls had their rise whilst he was neither enjoying that spritual Soul-ravishing pleasure and Mirth which sometimes he had in fellowship with God especially when he Wrote that excellent Song of Songs for then he could not have perswaded his Heart to seek pleasures of another nature nor yet was come to that hight of Wickedness which he was left unto before his recovery as appears by comparing this verse with the third where he saith that he was acquainting his heart with Wisdom his Heart was only beginning to be Inflamed with the love of sensual delights and his defection from the Lord fast growing Secondly That all who read this may take it for a penitents relation of his former sinful frame of Spirit and so may be affraied of falling into the like before he inlarge it further he subjoyns his Censure of it inviting all to consider that the Issue of this dangerous resolution of his to pursue Carnal pleasures had proven to him in his sad Experience nothing but emptiness or disappointment of any true satisfaction Verse 1. And Thirdly He inlarges that censure which he past when he came to himself as a true penitent upon his former sinful frame considering it both as it did break out visibly in the expressions and gestures of the outward Man here called Laughter and as it did affect his heart within while he delighted himself in sinful speculations which he calleth Mirth pronouncing the former to be Madness or as the word signifies vain Glorious Boasting of that which is matter of shame to any endued with the Exercise of Holy Reason and the Latter to be of no worth or doing nothing at all for bringing to Man any true satisfaction but rather much to the contrary And that Men transported with their pleasures may be made apprehensive that this will be the Issue of their course he useth a very moving strain of Speach directing the same to that Idol Pleasure and that by Interrogation what doth it or what doest thou Thereby as it were giving a challenge to the Conscience of all sinful Men to condescend if they be able and the expression imports they are not upon any true profite they have by their way Hence Learn 1. As the Lord hath given this preeminence to Man above all other Creatures in the World that he can reflect on by his by past temper and Actions and Commune with his own heart for the Future which he should make use of for restraining himself from sin Neh 6 11. For reclaiming himself therefrom when he is fallen into it Jer 8 6. For encourageing his heart in duty Ps 42 5. Especially to trusting in God Ps 16.2 And to praise him Ps 103.1 In which and the like places there are Holy Soliloquies of a
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 Lord● 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 ●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 ●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 ●he creatures and by it also he doth as it were challenge all who ●eglect to seek their Soul-satisfaction in Reconciliation and fel●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 i● 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 ●●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 n●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 b●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 sinner● 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
as they resemble the Beasts in their disposition and carriage especially in their preying one upon another by their Injustice and seeking Happiness in their earthly and sensual delights And because this Holy Man having this Holy Purpose of God manifested to him could not but go along with with it in his desires therefore this that he said in his heart concerning the state of the sones of men that God might manifest them c. May be taken for his hearty wish or Prayer to this purpose O that God might manifest them and that they might see themselves to be but Beasts And so it is clear that this serves both to humble such men and reclaim them from their way And to quiet the hearts of the Godly who are opprest by them considering how base and beastly they are for all their Eminency and that it is Gods purpose to manifest them to be such Ver. 18. And next he holds forth such Reasons as are most effectual to convince them of their brutishness to wit that they as well as the Beasts are subject to many accidents or as the Word translated Befalleth signifies Occurrences of Providence interrupting them in their injoyment of these earthly delights wherein they place their Happiness And particularly that they are both alike subject to death man having one and the same vital breath or Animal Spirit with the Beast and being as easily cut off as the Beast so that in these things men have no preeminency above the Beast though in respect of their rational and immortal Souls and their condition after death whereof he speaks afterward there be a vast difference Thirdly He confirms this proof by a general assertion concerning the Vanity or emptiness and insufficieency of all created things for bringing True contentment or Happiness to Man and therefore it is a brutish thing for Men that have immortal Souls to seek their Happiness in Worldly greatness especially upheld by Oppression and Injustice Ver. 19. And Fourthly he doth further inlarge and illustrate the resemblance betwixt them and the Beasts by this that they are all in a motion toward the same place to wit Corruption or the state of the dead and that because Man is of the same Original or mettal with the Beast as to his earthly or material Part his Body And so must be dissolved as the Beast into the dust again Ver. 20. Hence Learn 1. This is one of the Holy Designes of God in permitting Wicked men to have that power and these places of trust in the World which they abuse by oppression and Injustice that they may manifest that Wickedness which was before latent in them hid from the World and themselves also while they had not such opportunity and Temptations to vent it 2 King 8.13 The consideration whereof may abate Mens Ambitious Desires after Worldly Eminency and greatness for while they are receiving the same they are but ascending the Stage whereupon men do ordinarily act in the view of others and proclaim to the World their own folly and perversness And likewise it should make Men in the first place Study the mortification of these Evils which great places often discover to the disgrace and ruine of the Persons advanced to them For upon this Solomon saith he did meditate as Gods purpose and design in permitting that which he observed in the former verse I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them that is that it was his purpose to let them show what they were 2. That which should mainly take up the hearts of the Lords People while they consider His Dispensation of suffering Wicked Men to have power and Authority and Innocency to be opprest and Justice perverted by them is the Lords intention and purpose therein so far as by the light of His Word and Spirit they may attain to the knowledge of it This when it is seen being able to quiet their hearts seeing all His purposes are to bring Glory to himself Prov. 16.4 And good to His Own at last Psal 25.10 For upon this design of God in suffering men to sit in Judgment seats who act unjustly there is Solomons meditation Exercised and therewith also is his heart quieted I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sones of men that God manifest them 3. Though the Wickedness of Men especially Men in place and power ought to be grievous to the Godly as it is the Lords publick Dishonour Psal 119 158. Yet the manifestation of their Wickedness and Injustice as it is ordered and made use of by His holy Providence to make them more hateful and to undeceive others who have been ensnared by them and may possibly tend to make them vile to themselves and ashamed of their evil ways it ought to be a comfort to the Godly against their own particular sufferings from them For the consideration of this That the Lords design in suffering such men to have power who do abuse it is to manifest their Brutishness to the World and themselves is here held forth as comfortable to the opprest Godly I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them c. 4. However Wicked Men in Eminency are apt to Deifie themselves Dan. 6.9 And people also are ready to applaud them in so doing Ast. 12.22 yet while they abuse their power and Authority for promoting of Wickedness and bearing down of Piety and Equity they prove themselves to be Brutish seeing they seek no higher Happiness than in things wherein Beasts take pleasure 2 Pet. 2.12 they wax wanton and insolent against God by their Prosperity as the Beast fed upon a fat Pasture Deut. 32.15 and employ their power to oppress the innocent and weak as the Beasts do Ezek. 34 20 21. And so by all their pleasures and prosperity are but fatted for the day of slaughter Prov. 7.22 For it is here implyed that if they Judged aright they would esteem themselves no better seeing it is the Lords mind To manifest them And that they might see themselves to be but Beasts 5. Wicked men by Reason of their blindness self love and prejudice at the truth of God do not ordinarily see the brutishness of their own disposition and baseness of their way till they be left of God to manifest to the World the latent Wickedness that is in their hearts For this second Branch of this Lords design in suffering Wicked Men to have power who abuse it may be looked on as promoved by the first They are by providence brought to Eminency that they may be manifested to others And this is done that they themselves might see that they are Beasts 6. Wicked Men may see that in the Dispensations of God even these that are most grievous to them may contribute much for their good if they make a right use thereof For while he is manifesting them to the World they ought to think
the word signifies Foaming Anger not as if there were any Passion or Fury in God as uses to be in man but his just displeasure is so exprest because we cannot fear it as we ought except we take it up under the similitude of a mans Rage which makes him Foam with Anger and desire to be avenged upon his Enemy And he puts this Reason in a Question thereby pressing the Rash and Inconsiderat man to consider his hazard Neither is the Question to be so understood as if the Lord had no Reason to be Angry but by it he would have Men convinced of their Folly in adventuring so rashly upon His Displeasure and making so light of that which so highly provokes Him The Fourth Reason is taken from the effect of God's displeasure and that is the Destruction of the work of mens hands the meaning whereof is that hereby men provoke God to blast and turn to nothing their most serious undertakings and Works wherein they take most pleasure even by their rashness in Vowing and slighting of their guilt in so doing The Fifth Reason is that there are many sins and consequently many sorrows and disappointments attending this one sin of rash Vowing both which are signified by this word Diverse Vanities and this is illustrate by a similitude which hath this force as in the multitude of mens Dreams there are many vain and vexing Fancies So in many words especially in multiplying rash Vows there are many sinful Vanities and grievous Disappointments following thereupon For frequently in Scripture when two Sentences are thus coupled together a Comparison or similitude between them is imported see Isai 53.7 Prov. 17. ● Lastly He prescribes the true remedy of this rashness which is that men study to keep their hearts under a holy fear of offending God the want whereof is the cause of the forementioned Miscarriage And this may safely be looked upon as a Fifth Direction for attaining to true Peace and Contentment of Spirit Hence Learn 1. So great is the force of unmortified Corruption in Men who have not the powerful Restraint of God's Grace and the use of sanctified Reason to bridle their Passions that the very Members of their Body have a great Propension to serve the corrupt inclinations of their Soul And when one Member is given up to act any Wickedness it hath as it were a constraining power to carry all the rest along with it to concur with and be subservient to it in committing more Iniquity see Jam. 3.4 5. c. For Solomon speaks of the Mouth as strongly inclining to speak Rashly and of the same having done so as having a commanding power over the rest of the Members which must flow from the Corruption of Nature while he saith Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin 2. Men are so proud of their own Wit naturally and so unwilling to be esteemed Rash and Inconsiderat that when they have proven themselves to be so in their Words they will rather prove themselves to be so also by their Deeds in executing what they have rashly resolved than by their forbearance thereof seem to take with their own Rashness For it is here supposed that if once a Rash Vow escape the Mouth it will readily carry the whole Man to the execution of it and that very forcibly while it is said Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin 3. They that would entertain true Peace and Tranquility of Mind must be very careful to Bridle their Tongues and set a watch before the door of their Lips and for that end to watch over their Spirits that their Affections and Passions swell not over the Banks which often occasions their rash Purposes there being nothing that more ordinarly marrs the peace of those who are otherwise tender Walkers than Rashness in discourse 1 Pet. 3.10 For this is a farther Direction for entertaining true Peace and Contentment of Spirit Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin 4. The difficulty of Mens restraining themselves from the execution of their rash Purposes should make them very serious and deliberat in taking on Vows that if they cannot get them kept from stirring within they may shut their Mouths and hold them within Doors for being once out they will readily Cause or imperiously Command the Flesh to execute them as this expression emphatically runs in the Original and may be looked upon as having a Reason in the bosome of it for disswading Men from venting their rash Purposes taken from the force and power which these have upon their Wills in order to the execution of them Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin 5. When Men cannot altogether deny their Guiltiness they are very prone to extenuate the same and to give their Sins very favourable Names that they may not disturb their own false Peace nor put themselves in fear of that Wrath which will certainly follow and might be fled from if they would look upon their Sins in the own Colours and cloathed with the own Aggravations thereof For that it is ordinary with Men so to do is imported in this second Branch of the Disswasive Neither say thou it was an Errour 6. Jesus Christ the Mediator and Great Angel of the Covenant Who hath a more Excellent Name than any created Angel Heb. 1.4 is a present Witness not only of Mens Actions but of their Words even such as are most rash and which they themselves think scarcely worthy to be taken notice of and not only of their rash Words but of their Extenuations of the same the consideration whereof should be a powerful Motive to make Men watchful over their Words For this is a Reason of the Disswasive from rash Vowing especially from extenuating of it that it is done before him Neither say thou before the Angel that it was an Errour 7. It is no less a Provocation of God to extenuat Sin than to commit it Yea it is a greater it being a new Sin added to the former for covering of it yea a defending of it in a great part For this third Reason is especially to be referred to the second Branch of the Disswasive from the extenuating of Sin Why should God be angry at thy Voice 8. Though there be no Passion in God as uses to be in men Isa 27.4 yet they that speak or act contrary to His Will may find such dreadful Effects following upon His just Displeasure as Men use to apprehend upon the incensed Fury of those who are inraged against them and so ought they to set forth His Wrath to their own Hearts for deterring them from Sin Therefore is His Displeasure here set forth by a word signifying Foaming Anger which is only incident to Men when they are beyond measure commoved with Passion Why should God be Angry c. 9 The Terrour of the Lord as well as His Loving Kindness should be considered by His People for restraining their Hearts from
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
the Lord for other uses some for the poor Eccl. 11.2 some for publick Religious Uses Isai 23.18 some for mens near Relations 2 Cor. ●2 14 especially their Posterity and those of their Houshold 1 Tim. 5.8 So the Lords allowing a man a part for himself which he may use comfortably should be the main Ground whereupon he takes comfort in the use thereof For this word his Portion signifies that part which is separat from other parts of the Fruit of his Labour and is given as a Reason why he should take that chearfully seing it is carved out to him by the Lord For this is his Portion 10. As mens Wealth and Riches are Gods Gift So the power to use these for strengthening them in his service is a second Gift and Wisdom to take their own due Portion neither defrauding themselves of their own allowance nor others to whom they are bound to give a part of theirs is a third Gift And the Grace to comfort themselves in so doing is a Fourth And so the Lord should be acknowledged and depended upon for our daily Bread for our Appetite after it for the heart to take and use it for Wisdom and Grace to take neither more nor less than our own allowance of it and to take that chearfully For we find many Gifts here spoken of every man to whom God hath given Wealth and hath given him power to eat and to take his Portion and to Rejoice this is the Gift of God 11. Men may have a right to Abundance of Riches and have them in their possession also and yet not to be Masters of any thing they have but held as Captives to their Wealth and not be able to use it For this expression And hath given him power to Eat thereof is in the Original to make him Master or Lord or give him the Dominion over what he hath This must be a New Gift of God superadded to his Abundance else it doth him no good 12. The Child of God hath not only matter of rejoicing in the success of his Labour and profit of his Pains but in his very Labour it self though never so painful not as it is his own Labour but in so far as he is strengthened for lawful and honest diligence and the same is blest with success to make him subsist for farther Service to God in his Generation For this is one of the Gifts which God bestows upon his Child that he should not vex himself because he hath not farther success but Rejoice in his Labour it is the gift of God 13. As it is Man's duty and a special part of Heavenly Wisdom to be mindful of the shortness of his days and the Miserie 's incident to him that he may timeously provide for a better Life by making sure his Reconciliation with God Ps 90.12 So it is a great Sin to be anxiously careful and solicitous how to subsist for the time to come Mat. 6.34 to be so vexed with the apprehension of future sad days as to discourage our selves in our present duty and marr our Comfort in the Lords Allowance for the time For it is here spoken of as a special advantage which comes by Man's chearful taking of his Allowance in following his duty That he shall not much remember the days of his life 14. The way to sweetten Man's short and sorrowful Life to banish the sad thoughts of by-past Crosses and the fearful forecasting of future is much correspondence with God frequent praying for Refreshment from Heaven and taking every comfortable passage of Scripture or Providence which chears the Heart in God's Service for a Joyful Answer from God For it is he that shall not much Remember the days of his life whom God Answers and God's answering presupposes Correspondence with or Prayer to Him 15. To Rejoice in following our present duty and commit future Events to God is the way to get a good account of our Prayers Then the Heart is put in such a Bles● Frame that nothing is sought nor esteemed matter of Joy but what may Please and Honour God and then God Answers that Man according to the Joy of his Heart to wit the Man that Rejoice in his Labour that is his Duty to God takes his Allowance from God chearfully and is not anxious concerning the dayes of his Life CHAP. VI. THE ARGUMENT SOLOMON in prosecution of the former purpose doth in this Chapter First Discover jointly the Sin and Misery of the worldly minded Man unto the 9. Ver. And I. That in his serious observation and experience he had found it common and frequent in the World That the Covetous Wretch tho the Lord had in the course of His common Providence bestowed on him variety and plenty of outward things even as to the substance of them according to the desire of his heart yet was he deprived of the comfortable use of these Enjoyments which often is reserved for those who had no interest in him or were enemies to him Which condition he censureth as void of true satisfaction and a plague consuming both Body and Spirit ver 1 2. II. That this wretched Worldling tho he have both a numerous Off-spring and long life yet wanting the true good and comfort of the Creatures and the chief good of his Soul and possibly not honoured with a Burial sutable to his desires or condition An untimely Birth on many external accounts not mentioning the future or eternal estate wherein an untimely Birth at the worst hath also the advantage of the Covetous Man it preferable unto him ver 3. In regard 1 of his Birth For he cometh into the World not only loa●ened with Sin but for no good end and purpose to himself bearing the sad effects of his Original Guilt within time which an untimely Birth the guilty also of Original Sin doth not and hath it sadly charged home upon him ver 4. 2 As to his Death which as it may be very obscure and Comfortless here so doth it lead to utter Darkness hereafter ver 4. 3 In respect of his Name which shall be unsavoury both with God and Man ver 4. 4 On the account of the restlesness and perplexity of his condition being distracted with these cares and fears which an untimely Birth is not capable of ver 5. 5 Tho he should have the continuance of Life for thousands of years added to all his other Enjoyments yet being a Stranger to God and Fellowship with him wherein Man's true Good consisteth he is but still a miserable Man ver 6. And 6 In respect that notwithstanding all his advantages yet he and the Abortive or any other whom he judges miserable in regard of himself must tryst all in one place the grave or state of the Dead ver 6. III. That notwithstanding all the advantages this Worlds-Worm hath yet the great design and result of all his Undertakings and Pains is low and base being for the Mouth and other carnal ends which as he
farther illustrate the Sin and Misery of the Covetous Worldling whose Portion is in this present Life And for this end he First supposes such an one to have yet two farther Degrees of his fancied Happiness The 1. is A numerous Off-spring to possess what he hath gathered If a Man saith he beget an hundred Children he puts a definit number for an indefinit an Hundred for many according to an ordinary way of speaking in Scripture 1 Cor. 14.13 And by supposing him to be in a case which is not possible he labours to awake him out of his Dream of finding Happiness in a case far inferiour to that which is supposed The 2. is a long Life If he live saith he many years so that the days of his years be many by doubling the Expression he supposes his days and years to be as many as ever any had or can have So he supposes him to have these things which he pretends as a Defence of his eager pursuit and sparing use of things worldly to wit many Children to leave these things to and Old Age to provide for Next He supposes the Covetous Man to want other two things 1. That his Soul injoys no good that is He neither hath the comfortable use of his Riches nor doth he make sure any Spiritual or Eternal Good to himself And 2. That he hath no Burial He supposes him to want Burial not as if all Covetous Wretches were deprived of this favour Luk. 16.22 Nor as if the having of it could in the least contribute to their Happiness but because Covetous and Ambitious Men do oft make more preparation for a sumptuous Burial than for their Eternal Wel-being Isai 22.16 And because none of them can be certain if ever they shall have Burial seing the Lord sometimes in displeasure deprives the Wicked thereof Jer. 22.19 Therefore he supposes them to want it Thirdly Upon supposition that he have the former and want the latter priviledge he doth assert v. 3 and set forth his Misery by comparing with and preferring to his case the case of an untimely Birth as Better in outward Respects specified afterward for of the future eternal state of the Abortive he speaks nothing though the worst that can be supposed thereof must be more tolerable than the Covetous Mans. Fourthly He shews particularly wherein the Misery of the Covetous is greater then the Ab ortives As for the Covetous 1. He comes into the World with Vanity that is to no good purpose for himself or rather he comes in with a load of original Guilt which is not to be understood as if there were any who are not born in the same case but because it is charged upon him now going out of the World therefore he speaks of it as peculiar to him Then 2. His Death here called Departure is comfortless and an entrance into utter Darkness And 3. For his Reputation or Name in the perpetuating whereof he placed one part of his Earthly Happiness that shall not be Remembred with God or good Men for any advantage to him ver 4. And for the Abortive who hath not had the most common Benefits of this Life to see the Sun or to have the Exercise of Reason and so is not guilty of Abusing these and the like Favours as the Covetous is this hath more rest than the Covetous Not as if properly such an one could be said to have any rest in this World or as if the Covetous could have the least degree of true Rest as the comparing of them would seem to import but that this untimely Birth is never vexed with such distracting Cares and Fears as the Covetous Worldling is tormented with Fifthly He inlarges the Supposition of the Covetous mans long Life by supposing that which is impossible to wit that he should have a Thousand years twice told superadded to all his other Earthly advantages of Riches Honour numerous Off-spring and the like and this he doth that he may drive him from the apprehension of Happiness in any thing that he can attain to in this World And Lastly he proves by several Reasons that notwithstanding of this long Life with all the forementioned advantages of it he is still a miserable man providing he seek not Happiness of a higher nature than can be had in things Earthly The First Reason is that he remains all his time a Stranger to the sweetness of fellowship with God It is safe to understand Solomon so here while he saith he hath seen no good seing he had learned of his Father that mans true good consists in that Fellowship Psal 4.6 The Second is that this man supposed to be so near his imaginary Happiness must go to the same Place with the Abortive or those he Judges most miserable he must meet with them in the Grave or State of the Dead which is here called that One Place whether All men go And so what ever it be belonging to this Life only that differenceth one man from another that cannot make him a happy Man ver 6. Hence Learn 1. Men destitute of saving Wisdom are very Ingenious to find out pretences and seeming Excuses for their sinful Courses and therefore they that would reclaim such must trace them thorow these and discover the Vanity of them For Solomon here supposeth the Covetous Worldling swelling in Riches to cover his excessive love to the World and his depriving himself of lawful comforts with the pretence of providing for his numerous Off-spring and his Old Age and proves that neither of these doth lessen his Sin or his Misery For saith he Though he have an hundred Children and live many years c. Yet he is but a miserable Caitif 2. The Lord may manifest his Bounty to wicked men by heaping upon them the choice of outward Blessings and may draw out his long suffering patience toward them in great length by giving them many Days and Years while they are walking contrary to him that by his so doing he may reclaim some of them and make the rest the more inexcusable For having before supposed the Covetous man to have abundance of all sorts of Riches he here supposes him to have many Children and to live many Years so that the days of his Years be many 3. As those may have variety of outward Blessings who yet Injoy nothing that is truely Good for their Souls so mans happiness is only to be estimat according to his Souls injoying of that Good which is sutable to it namely the favour of God his Grace and a right to everlasting Blessedness all other things are but Good to his Body and in some sort common to man with other Creatures inferior to him For Solomon supposeth here that a man may have a Numerous Off-spring and a long Life beside his Riches and yet be a miserable Man if so be his Soul injoy no Good 4. Though Man be bound to esteem it a Blessing of God to have many Children Begotten in
have spent a long Life in seeking Happiness in the Earth will notwithstanding of all former disa●●ointments still apprehend they would find it if they had longer time to seek it and yet they are but deluded Fools in so thinking For if they should live Methusalem's days twice told and more they will never see any Good in things worldly nor can they see Good till they get Christ's Eye-salve Though he live a thousand years twice told yet hath he seen no Good 17. Though length of days should teach Men Wisdom to prepare for Death and Eternity yet Men who have it without saving Grace make a contrary use of it even to banish the thoughts of Death in so much that they who have lived longest and so are nearest to their Death are often most forgetful of it never considering that they are shortly to meet with those who have been early taken away Therefore doth the Wise Man here put this Question to them to move them to meditate upon Death Do not all go to one place 18. The consideration of this That within a little time we shall all meet in one Place namely the Grave or the state of the Dead should keep Men from magnifying themselves for these temporary things wherein they excel others and when Men account others for the want of these things miserable in comparison of themselves they forget the Meeting Place Death which will equal all For Solomon gives this for a Reason why Men should not account themselves happy because of these things or more happy than others who want them Do not all Go to one place Ver. 7. All the labour of Man is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not filled 8. For what hath the Wise more than the Fool what hath the Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living SOlomon giveth here some farther Reasons of the misery of the Covetous Worldling notwithstanding of his long Life and other Advantages formerly supposed The Third in order is Because the end of all the Undertakings of such a Man and the effect of all his pains is very bale it is for his outward Man only one part whereof the Mouth is here p●t for the whole How can he then be Happy suppose he have Riches Honour Posterity and long Life seing he neglects his better part the Soul The Fourth is Because all he hath doth not Sa isfie his desires and therefore being still a dissatisfied Man he must be still in so far a miserable Man till he take another course for his Happiness And the Last is Because the Wisest in the World without saving Knowledge hath no more have what he will that brings him any nearer to true Happiness than the Fool who hath not that Wisdom But lest the Poor in the World hearing so much spoken to prove the Misery of the Covetous Rich Worldling might account themselves happy especially if they have any measure of Prudence to walk right among Men for of saving Wisdom he speaks not but only of that which teaches how to Walk in an approven way before Men Living in this World Therefore he puts the question concerning these What hath the Poor that knoweth how to walk before the Living Importing that these also if they be destitute of saving Wisdom and the Fear of the most High are not the nearer to true Happiness that they want the Temptations of Riches Honour and the like which others have nor yet that they have the advantage of humane Wisdom or Prudence which many that have Riches Honour and other things of that sort want So that the Summ of these Verses as also of the former seems to be That whatever outward Advantages or Excellencies one Man hath above another whatever Rank or Degree Men be of whether they love long or not whether they be Rich or Poor Honourable or Despised Wise or Foolish and so forth If they be void of saving Knowledge they are all alike far distant from true Happiness and Satisfaction Hence Learn 1. However some unrenewed Men may seem to have more Pure and Refined Designs than others 2 King 10.16 and to be much taken up about things of a higher nature than what relates to their Bodies Luk. 18.10 Isai 58.2 yet neither their designs nor pains can reach higher than their outward Man and Estate in this Word They cannot be for their Souls or the true Good thereof For of all such Men Solomon saith All the labour of Man is for his Mouth 2. They are strangely deluded who think if they had more of things worldly their desires would be then satisfied Till the Soul of Man close with and rest upon that infinit Soul-satisfying Good God reconciled to them in Christ give it never so much of other things the Appetite will still cry Give Give the consideration whereof should convince Men that they are miserable who seek Satisfaction in these things wherein it is impossible to find it For saith he The Appetite is not filled 3. Though common Wisdom or humane Prudence may be instrumental in gaining Men great Riches Honours and the like wherein often Men who have that Wisdom excel those who want it yet he that hath most of that sort of Wisdom being destitute of that which is from Above remains as far distant from true Happiness as he that hath least of it The consideration whereof should make Men long for that excellent Knowledge Phil. 3.8 and not account any other Wisdom their chief Good For it is in reference to the attaining of true Happiness that this Question is put What hath the Wise Man more than the Fool 4. As the Lord dispenses common Gifts variously as well as Spiritual giving to some a greater measure of humane Wisdom and Prudence to whom he gives less Riches than to others So those who have that sort of Wisdom without worldly Riches when they hear much spoken against the Vanity of such Riches and of the misery of the Covetous they are ready to pronounce themselves happy and so to be proud of their poverty For here is a poor Man supposed to have Wisdom to Walk aright before Men and yet to put him off the opinion of his being happy without the saving Knowledge of God in Christ this Question is put concerning him What hath the Poor that knows how to walk before the Living to wit nothing to make him happy except he know the way of Reconciliation with God and how to Walk aright before Him in the Land of the Living 5. Though Men be ready to conclude themselves very happy if they can Walk so before those among whom they live as nothing can be blamed in their carriage and so as they may gain their approbation yet unless they know also how to Walk with and before the Living God in His Favour Fear and Obedience they are not the nearer to a state of true Happiness For this Question imports that such Men apprehend themselves very happy and that is but an apprehension
frequently testifying his displeasure against their Impiety And from the other they may read that Men only are to be blamed for all the Sin and Misery that is come upon them while they may be observed ordinarily Sinning against their light and the checks of their Conscience and omitting much good which is in their power to do For these two are here exprest as Observations which Solomon made upon Gods wise way with Men and Mens perverse way before the Lord This only have I found that God made Man upright but They have sought out many Inventions 3. That which we should mainly aim at in our Observations of the Lords Dispensations and Mens carriage before him is to find cause of justifying and exalting God and of condemning and debasing Man For saith Solomon this Only or Mainly have I found That God made Man upright but They have sought out many Inventions 4. When Man came first from the hand of him that formed him there was no deformity in him he was made Straight as the word Vpright signifies not only as to the structure of his Body whereby he excels other Creatures and should be taught to mind things Heavenly and not to ly groveling like a beast upon the Earth in sensual Pleasures common to him with the beast but mainly in respect of the constitution of his Soul he was Vpright his mind or thoughts and conceptions being clear and his will and affections conform to the will of his Maker The Lord hath done nothing since to deface that frame Satan and Mens Corruption have done all that so that God is free of all that ruine that is come upon Man For God made Man upright 5. Before renewing Grace make a change upon Men they are not only prone to welcome and yeild to Temptations when they are offered and to follow the Sinful Inventions of others before them but they are all of them very Ingenious and have much Art to devise new ways of Sinning against God and covering the same with fair pretences and are very active to put the same in Execution For so doth Solomon here represent the temper of fallen Men They have sought out many Inventions 6. There is not any of Adams Posterity descended from him by ordinary Geneneration who is free of this infection of Original Sin the Virgine Mary is not excepted The Second Adam only is free who is not come of the first as others of his Posterity are Luk. 1.35 For speaking without exception of any he saith They have sought out many inventions 7. The first Man Adam was a publick person representing all that were to come of him see Rom. 5.12 So that what he lost was lost to all his off-spring who are but parts of him and that vitious frame of Spirit which he contracted is proprgat to all his Posterity For Solomon having said Man or as it is in the Original Adam was made upright he changes the person supposing all his Posterity to have fallen in him from that uprightness They have sought out many Inventions CHAP. VIII THE ARGUMENT SOLOMON in the 1 part of this Chapter to ver 9. being to induce to the study of heavenly Wisdom and to direct to the evidencing of it in the conversation in order to solid peace of Mind Doth I. give a high commendation both of the persons indued with it as far better being compared with them than those that that are void of it and as being the for number few yet for capacity able in some measure to take up the Mind of God in His Word and rightly construct of His Works according thereto and in their station to teach and explain them to others ver 1. And likeways of this Saving Wisdom it self partly from the Beauty and Lustre that it puts upon the outward Deportment and partly from the renewed strength and courage to go on in duty against Difficulties which it affordeth ver 1. II. He directeth as a special evidence of this Spiritual Wisdom unto the giving of due obedience unto the lawful Commands of lawful Magistrats ver 2. Which 1 he urgeth by an Argument taken from the obligation Men are under either in general by Oath and Covenant with God tying them to the Duties contained in the Fifth Command or in particular by the Oath and mutual Covenant betwixt the Magistrat and People obliging them thereunto which he confirms by calling it the Oath of God being commanded and allowed by Him made unto and before Him and who will reward the Keepers and punish the Breakers of it ver 2. 2 He disswadeth from some Evils contrary to this lawful obedience As First from rash and sudden casting off the yoke of due Allegiance and Subjection to lawful Magistrates by going out from them either to rebel against them or join with their Enemies ver 3. And Secondly From persisting in that course of Rebellion when engaged in it ver 3. Especially considering the absolute Power the great Terrour and uncontrolable Disposition that Princes ordinarily have for enabling them to reckon with those that offend them ver 3 4. And 3 setteth down positively the best way of walking towards them that are in lawful Authority and for escaping trouble from them or enduring it with a good Conscience when called to bear it to be a conscientious obedience unto the Commands of God the Supreme Law-giver and unto the Commands of lawful Authority as they are conform thereunto ver 5. Which he presseth on the account that as this if it do not ward off outward trouble yet will make that nothing of that kind they meet with shall be an Evil to them but work effectually for their Good so shall it be a choise evidence of Spiritual Wisdom in discerning the fit times and seasons either of doing or suffering and understanding the just grounds and right manner of managing either of them ver 5. 4 He layeth before Men with a special Eye to their carriage towards those in Authority the woful case both in regard of guilt and punishment of those that are void of Saving Wisdom as a strong inducement to the study of it Evidenced First from this That altho' there be times and seasons for both doing and suffering ver 6. yet in regard of Man 's own ignorance and his conceited inability in others especially when God keeps it up to teach him his duty and the right manner of going about it or the things that shall befall him so far as by the light of the Word and Spirit he may and is fit for him to know or what ground of consolation he may have whatever future events be he is ready to run himself headlong into a great deal of guilt and misery taking Light for Darkness in missi●● his purposes and actions in misjudging of things and mistaking the right way of going about that which is good in it self ver 6 7. Secondly From the certainty of the Death of all Men as a peculiar part of the misery of those
Disadvantages of the state of the Dead considered as hath been formerly exprest and only mentions such as point out the privation of Natural Comforts because these will weigh more with Men who seek their Happiness in this Life than if he should tell them of the Torments of Hell or separation from God's Favour The First is That the Dead know not any thing to wit of the estate of Affairs here As for Example how it fares with their Relations and the purchase they made in the World and so he doth not deny the Beeing of the Soul after separation from the Body nor consequently the essential properties of it such as the exercise of Reason and the like 2. They have no more a Reward he speaks not of the future Reward of their Wel-doing and Evil-doing which certainly abides both Good and Bad Mat. 25.46 but of the temporal Fruit of their Labour and Pains which they have taken in this World at Death they have an end of that 3. The memory of them is forgotten to wit among Men on Earth which is a reason of the former they placed some Happiness in perpetuating their Fame and Memory therefore they are much forgotten and so lose that Reward they looked for 4. Their Love Envy and Hatred are perished which is not to be understood as if these Passions and Affections of the Soul were extinguished at Death the Soul after that retaining its own Nature and doubtless there is perfect Love which casts out all Fear in the Souls of Just Men made perfect and there is also in the Souls of the Damned Hatred and Envy against God and good Men and against one another but he means that these Passions and Affections of the Soul are at Death gone as to the exercise of them upon things in the Earth which they are spent upon while Men live here And because it were long to reckon out all particulars of this sort he closes with a general Neither have they any more a Portion of any thing that is done under the Sun which also explains the former that he denies their Knowledge their Reward their Memory and their Affections only in reference to things under the Sun they have no more to do with these things All which Considerations may wean Mens Hearts from this Earth and may make the Godly content with a small measure of these things seing they that have most of them must after a little time part with them and never enjoy them any more Hence Learn 1. Every Living Man should associat himself with others not in Evil but to receive Good from others and to communicat Good to them For thus he describes every Living Man he that is Joined to the Living 2 How hard soever any Mans Condition may be in this World so long as God continues Life with him he should not altogether cast away his Confidence nor lose his Hope but that there may be a Mitigation or Out-gate nor should any quite hopes of others nor labour to break off their hopes but that their Condition may be better while God continues Life For saith the Wise Man To him that is joined to all the Living there is hope 3 Even this that there is some ground of Hope for every Living Man that there may be a Mitigation of an hard Condition and an out-gate from it and that there is a possibility of Ensuring a better Life should make Men cheerfully submissive to the worst Condition that God's Providence carves out to them Wherefore should a Living Man complain of his Lot seing to him that is joined to all the Living there is hope 4. Necessary Truths may be illustrat by some pertinent Proverb or Similitude commonly used among Men that thereby the Mind may be for a little so diverted from the serious purpose to think of another more common which hath some resemblance with it and represents it of new to the mind that it may shortly turn again recreated to the consideration of it For here Solomon makes use of a Proverb which seems to have no farther Mistery in it than to commend Life though it be mean and afflicted as desirable and so to be made use of for making sure a better A living Dog it better than a dead Lyon 5. They that are in the most abject and despicable condition in the World should esteem their life a desirable Blessing of God seing while they have it they may have ground of hope to do yet farther service to God to attain to a better condition and especially to prepare for and make sure to themselves a better Life therefore doth he commend Life by such a proverb as is applicable to the most base and contemptible Life that any can have in the World a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon 6. The main business of our Life and the special use we should make of it is to mind Death and prepare for it yea it should sweeten our Life though many ways miserable to us that we know we must Die and have opportunity of preparing for Death For however most mens disposition and carriage be as if they did not know that they were to Die but rather as if they were perswaded that they should live here eternally yet because it is so unsutable for mortal men not to mind Death and prepare for it he speaks of it as a thing granted that all know it and as an advantage and commendation of Life that they know so much and have time in their life to consider it for the living know that they shall Die 7. Though Souls departed have undoubtedly the exercise of reason the damned to increase their Torment Luk. 16.27 and the Glorified to increase their Blessedness Heb. 12.23 Yet all of them are without the knowledge of the things of this life wherein Worldly men seek their Happiness as how their affairs are managed how it fares with their Friends and Relations on Earth The damned are so taken up with aggravating their guilt and with thoughts of their Torment and the Spirits of Just men made perfect are so taken up with the Praises of their Redeemer that they consider nothing of things here below whence it follows clearly that they cannot be our Intercessours For the Dead know not any thing 8. Though there be no question of a Glorious Reward of wel-doing after this Life Rev. 13.14 Nor of a just recompense of mens Wickedness Rom. 2.6 yet Death puts an end to all these things which Worldly men take for a Reward of their pain● in this life such as Earthly pleasures Credit Riches and the like For in this sense Men after Death have no more any Reward 9 Though it be incident both to good and bad to be forgotten among Men yet it is a peculiar punishment to the Wicked that after Death they shall not be remembred by the Godly but with detestation Prov. 10.7 Nor shall the Lord ever think on them to give them any comfort or ease
Luk 16.25 For this is spoken with a special eye to the Wicked as vexing to them that they must want these things they value so much The Memory of them is forgotten 10. As wicked men carry their sinful passions and delights namely their inordinate love to the World their hatred of God his people and ways to the very gates of Death with them and can carry the same no farther as to any effects which these may have here so the consideration of the perishing of these at Death should abate and moderate their Affection to things Earthly restrain their Hatred and envy at the Godly and should also make the Godly not value much their favour nor fear their hatred or envy but cheerfully submit to want the one and be the object of the other considering that after a little time this will be truly said of them Also their Love and Hatred and their Envy is now perished 11. They that humbly and seriously study the Scripture will still find a key beside the darkest place to open up the meaning thereof so far as may be profitable and something in the bosome of these places which are most obnoxious to mistakes to guard against these For least Solomons words may be thought to savour of denying the immortality of the Soul while he saith at Death mens Love and Hatred are perished he explains himself in this last expression and maks clear that he speaks of these passions and affections only in reference to things upon the Earth Neither have they any more a Portion for ever of 〈◊〉 thing that is done under the Sun 12. Men that seek their Happiness in this Earth do put the thoughts of Death so far from them and are so little serious in considering their latter end that Christs Ministers had need to insist much in representing to them the necessity of their parting with their Earthly Enjoyments whereupon they spend their spirits Therefore doth the Spirit of God direct the divine Preacher to give so many instances of these things whereof Death will deprive them The Dead know not any thing their memory is forgotten their Love Hatred and Envy are perished and after these leads them to think upon the loss of all their outward injoyments while he saith Neither have they any more a Portion of any thing that is done under the Sun 13. It is Wisdom in the Ministers of Christ to make choise of such Aguments to commend truth and duty to their Hearers as may be most prevalent with them for that end and to insist most upon these tho' there be others more weighty and of greater force as to the inferring of the point intended For Solomons main scope being to wean mens Hearts from seeking Happiness in the Earth to stir them up to use life well and to prepare for Death he doth not describe the Torments which the Wicked feel in Hell nor the Joyes of Heaven which they lose but because they think it a Hell great enough to be deprived of these Earthly Comforts wherein they placed their Heaven in this life Therefore he insists upon these They know not any thing their memory is forgotten their Love Hatred and Envy are now perished neither have they any more a Portion of any thing that is done under the Sun Ver. 7. Go thy way eat thy bread with Joy and drink thy Wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works 8. Let thy Garments be always white and let thy head lake no Oyntment 9. Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity which he hath given thee under the Sun all the days of thy vanity For that is thy Portion in this life and in thy labour which thou takest under the Sun THe Preacher here prescribes a remedy for that discouragement and vexation of Spirit which is ordinarily incident to the Godly upon the consideration of their hard lot in the World and particularly the equality of events formerly mentioned And that is the holy and cheerful use of outward comforts upon spiritual grounds that so this life may be in some measure sweetned to them And this cheerful fruition of the Lords allowance he presseth in several instances and by several Arguments The first instance is that men should eat their Bread with Joy and drink their Wine with a merry Heart in which words he doth not excite to sensuality or excess of carnal Pleasures but to the sober holy and cheerful use of that measure of the Creatures which is appointed for strengthening and refreshing nature in Gods service and which is sutable to every mans rank and condition And so it is the same in substance with that which is spoken of the primitive Christians that they did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart Praising God c. Act. 2.46 47. And this appears by the first Reason whereby he presses this which is a ground purely spiritual For saith he God now accepteth thy works whereby it is clear that he speaks to a reconciled person who by these outward Blessings is encouraged in the duties of his calling and is in some measure confident that God is well pleased with his sincere pains in serving him and upon that ground hath the more spiritual Comfort in making use of outward Comforts The Next instance is in the matter of apparel and the outward deportment of the Body Let thy Garments be always white whereby is meant no farther but such decency and comeliness of Apparel which may be in the use of the coursest cloathing as every ones rank and condition permits and may express their spiritual Joy and cheerfulness even under their crosses and this he expresses in terms taken from the Customs that were used in these Countries at festivals or times of rejoicing Est 8.15 And the same he holds forth in another expression and let thy Head ●icke no Oyntment whereby he doth not justify the lascivious persuming of the Body used by proud Gallants which is like Flowers spread upon Dead-Corps their being often most of these Powders and Oyntments put upon the Head where there is least Grace or Honesty in the Heart But only he presses the keeping comely of these parts of the Body especially which are exposed to the sight of others that so things Honest may be provided in the sight of all Men And this he expresseth also in terms taken from a Custome among the Jew●● of anointing the head in times of rejoicing Joh. 12.3 From which they did abstain in times of Humiliation Dan. 10.3 The Third Instance is Of the use of Conjugal Society Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest c. he speaks of honest and chast Love which married Persons have and adds two farther Reasons The O●● is that the days of this Life are Vain that is subject to many Miserits and this he repeats twice to make it take the deeper impression and to incite Men to Praise Him who hath
Name upon them Exod. 22.28 He will have His people tender of their Safety and Reputation which should engage Magistrates to Love and Obey Him and make them ashamed when they do not so For it is of that King and those Princes who are inriching themselves with the spoil of the poor Godly and spending the same upon their Lusts as the former words make clear that he here speaks while he saith Curse not the King c. Curse not the Rich c. 3. The Holy Law of God prohibits not only the external acts of Sin but the inward motions thereof and not only the gross and open out-breakings of Sin which are scandalous to others but the secret acting thereof in mens greatest Retirements Mens Thoughts have a Language in God's Ear and their secret Chamber practices are naked to His Eye Therefore after he hath disswaded from deserting of Duty even to wicked Magistrates from treasonable Plotting open Reviling and the like to the offence of others he here disswades from Thoughts of Revenge and secret Imprecations Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the Rich in thy Bed-chamber 4. The Lord can easily discover the most secret Wickedness that can be either plotted or acted by Men sometimes He hath done it when His way of working was more extraordinary than now by revealing it to His Servants that it might be published to others 2 King 6.11 12. and ordinarly doth it by leaving those who intertain wicked motions in their Hearts to manifest them in their practice especially by speaking inconsideratly to others what hath been long harboured in their Hearts either under promise or from hope of secrecy even to such as will make it known Prov. 18.2 And though wicked Motions and Practices should never come to the Worlds notice they are all naked before the Lord. Heb. 4.13 And so the Metaphor of the Birds carrying of them is too slow to set forth their speedy discovery in this sense and he shall at last make all plain before Men and Angels and so shall one time or other manifest every Wickedness in as swift and unexpected a way as if the Bird of the air did carry the voice and that which hath wings did tell the matter 5. Though respect to the Commands of God Ps 119.2 Love to Him 2 Cor. 5.14 and such spiritual principles should be the prime restraint of the Lords people from what is offensive to Him yet they may make Sin hateful to their own Hearts and restrain themselves therefrom by other inferiour Arguments and Motives and the same may be made use of by Christs Ministers such as the hazard of divulging the most secret Sins some way or other For such a Reason is here held out by this heavenly Preacher to be made use of by all Curse not the King c. for a Bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter CHAP. XI THE ARGUMENT THis Chapter hath two parts In the I. whereof contained unto the 7 ver Solomon holdeth forth the Grace and duty of Charity towards the poor as one step of the right way towards true Happiness In order to which he I. presseth the duty 1. In figurative terms importing that they would cheerfully seasonably and believingly distribute of these good things which God hath given them to the poor for the supply of what maybe most needfull comfortable and useful for them ver 1. And this he presseth by an Argument taken from the Gracious Return that the consciencious performance of this duty will in due time have from the Lord either in the same kind or the equivalent or transcendent value of it ver 1. 2. In more proper terms exhorting to the expression of their proportionable Charity even when Objects may be multiplyed ver 2. Which he presseth by a motive taken from the uncertainty of the continuance of ability and opportunities of doing good that way ver 2 2. He setteth down several other motives to this duty of Liberality towards the poor The 1. Taken from the bounty of God in furnishing the Creatures for Mans use instancing in the Clouds expending their Treasures upon the Earth to make it fruitful and serviceable to man ver 3. The 2. Is taken from the benefit that redounds thereby to the person giving whatever the object be and as from the obedience he owes to his Maker So also from the Eternal Estate of our Souls which shall be according as they are found at death held forth by the similitud of a felled tree which whatsoever way it falls yet as it is profitable to the owner and is passively obedient to him to be employed at his pleasure so where it falls there it lyes and it to be found ver 3. He obviats these Objections which ordinarly men plead for denying or delaying these Works of Charity arising from such emergents in their Condition as may occasion want and misery to themselves before they die 1 By shewing the folly of looking upon future events as Husband men by too much fearing the appearance of Wind and Rain forbear sowing and reaping so as to discourage from this or any other duty ver 4. 2. By shewing that tho' they see not the good and success of this duty nor how the promise annexed to it will be made out even as men tho' it be near to them yet are ignorant of the way how their own Souls were formed how united to the Body how they exist and act there and when and how they are separated from it and how the Body its self is fearfully wonderfuly made in the Womb yet they would not neglect the duty nor despair of the performance of the promise notwithstanding the small appearance thereof all which to effectuat is easy to the Creator of all things ver 5. And 5. He again exhorteth which may be extended to other duties of Religion to the frequent seasonable and diligent performance of that duty of Christian Charity to the poor by the similitude of an indefatigable sower of Seed ver 6. which he presseth by an argument taken from the uncertainty tho' the house of Jacob seeks him not nor goes about that or any other duty in vain of temporal success of the duties or of some particular duties or of the effects intended by us to our selves or others ver 6. In the 2d part of this Chapter which begins the last part of the Book Solomon maketh Application of all his former Doctrine by pressing a tymous and serious preparation for and minding of Death Judgement and Eternity 1. Generally upon all That whatever sweetness or pleasure held forth by Light and the Sun there be in the enjoyment of Creature-comforts in this life ver 7. And however these pleasures be continued during a long life ver 8. Yet it is their duty to remember Death and the Eternity of Misery that is to be to the wicked after it ver 8. And that so
much the rather that long life and all the comforts of it if they be not sanctified and well improven are as empty of true Satisfaction as they are ineffectual in order to procuring true Happiness being but vanity ver 8. And 2. He doth more particularly press home this exhortation of tymous and serious preparation for Death on young men who ordinarly mind nothing less and are violent in pursuit of their lusts and pleasures ver 9.10 Where He offers to these young men 1. His Council spoken by an Irony which is a figure in a Holy manner mocking their sinful jovialty incident to youth ver 9. 2. He gives them a sad check to stay their sinful mirth by perswading them of the certainty Severity Strickness and Terribleness of a day of Judgement which allarum he g●ves them very ho●e and particular by Thou and Thee ver 9. And Thirdly He draweth a Conclusion from all ver 10. Wherein he presses the exhortation from several motives That in the end the neglect of it will be grief to the Heart hurtful to the Body and an evidence of great vanity intimating that as neglect of duty and sinful courses tho' pleasant will be grief to the Soul and trouble to the Body so youth is a very slippery time and obnoxious to many vain and foolish courses CHAP. XI Ver. 1. Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many days 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the Earth IN the first part of this Chapter Solomon presseth the duty of Charity or Liberality to the Poor as one step of the way to true Felicity And this he doth First in borrowed Terms Cast thy Bread upon the waters whether we take the Metaphor or Similitude made use of in the words for clearing of the Duty to be borrowed from Merchants who adventure their Estates upon the Waters or the Sea expecting a rich In-come Isa 23.3 Or from the Husbandman who casts his Seed upon the Land so well watered that he seems to cast it upon the Water Deut. 11.10 11. Isa 32.20 in hope of a good Crop or Harvest under which Metaphor Charity is frequently prest in Scripture 2 Cor. 9.6 Gal. 6.8 Or by Waters understand the Poor because what is given to them seems to be lost as if it were cast into the Sea and we are to look upon them as Waters that pass away and never return to give us Thanks for our Charity it is all one as to the purpose in hand For it is clear that Charity and Beneficence to the Poor is the Duty here prest and the supply to be given them is called Bread because in Scripture all that is necessary for humane Life is ordinarly comprehended under that name Mic. 7.12 Mat. 6.11 And because Bread is most necessary for the Poor and most common among all to be distribute and this Bread must be properly their own who give it The First Reason whereby this Duty is pressed is taken from the gracious Reward promised to the Performers of it For saith he after many days thou shalt find it not as if the same very thing which is given in Charity would return again to the Giver but as the Husband-man is said to get his Seed again though he get not the same Grains which he did sow So the Lord doth assure liberal persons that they shall not be Losers by their Liberality but shall get their own with Increase either in the same kind if He see it fit to bring them to poverty or in a better seing they have lent to Him He will repay though He do not presently give the Harvest after the Seed time Ver. 1. Next He presseth the same Duty in more proper terms Give a portion to seven and also to eight where a definit number is put for an indefinit which is a form of Expression frequent in Scripture Job 5.19 Mica 5.5 and the meaning is that we must not be wearied out of our Charity by the multitude of the Poor while the Lord continues His Liberality to us only he calls it a Portion because it ought to be proportioned to the number of these that call for our Charity And he gives a second Reason to press the same Duty taken from the uncertainty of what Calamities may come Thou knowest not what evil may be upon the Earth The meaning whereof is thou knowest not how soon thou mayest be deprived of Ability or Opportunity to do good with what thou hast and put to live thy self upon the Charity of others Hence Learn 1. Though our Charity or Liberality to the Poor cannot merit any thing from the Lord seing we can only give what He hath first freely given to us 1 Chron. 29.16 Luk. 17.10 yet the same is a step of the way to Felicity wherein the Lord will have His People to walk And therefore he who would use the outward Blessings of this Life so as his true Happiness may be promoved thereby must not only have a Heart to use them liberally and cheerfully so far as may consist with Sobriety and Holiness for his incouragement in his Masters service but he must also have a Heart to give out a part thereof to others in necessity For Solomon having frequently prest the former in order to Mans Happiness he comes here to press the latter in order to the same end as is clear by referring this to his general Scope which is to direct miserable Man in the right way to his true Felicity Cast thy Bread upon the Waters 2. Though the Lords People have the only true Riches consisting in Knowledge Wisdom and the like yet the Lord sees it fit that many of them be very poor as to the World and destitute of outward Injoyments not having so much of their own often times as Bread to eat or Raiment to put on that He may try others Charity and respect to His Commands the faith and patience of his own and may evidence that these outward things are not his best Gifts For it is supposed in this Exhortation that there will be many very poor among His dearest people whose supply He mainly calls for here and promises largely to Reward while he saith Cast thy Bread upon the Waters and give a portion to seven and also to eight 3. The Lord doth not make all His people alike Poor at once in things worldly but while some want Bread and other Necessaries comprehended under it there are others who have the same and may spare some of it for the supply of others as is likeways supposed in this Exhortation Cast thy Bread upon the Waters 4. Though humane Laws do not ordinarly injoin Charity and so do not punish for neglect of it yet Gods holy Law doth such is His respect to His Poor that He pleads for them with the Rich and consequently will plead in displeasure against the Rich if they respect not this Command
of His Cast thy Bread upon the waters give a portion to seven and also to eight c. 5. Men should give in Charity that which is their own either by Civil Right or as the Fruit of their Industry when Servants give out their Masters Goods though for the supply of the Poor they are not giving obedience to this Direction Cast thy Bread not anothers upon the waters 6. Though there be no more probability of Advantage to be had by what we give in Charity in regard of any Recompense from the Objects themselves than if the same were cast into the Sea to feed the Fishes as the most part of Men esteem of all they give to the Poor yet that should not bind up our hands from giving to the Poor we should Give looking for nothing again from the Poor Luk. 14.14 in obedience to Him who thus Commands Cast thy Bread upon the waters give a portion c. 7. Nothing is lost that is given out for God in obedience to His Command and particularly what is given to His Poor is lent to Him Prov. 19.17 who doth here bind Himself by His promise as it were Surety for the Poor that it shall come back again and the return must be with much advantage seing He is so Noble and Liberal a Surety After many days thou shalt find it 8. The promised Reward of Duty doth not appear immediatly upon the discharge of it and particularly the Harvest of that Seed which is sown in ministring to the necessity of others requires a time to ripen that we may live by Faith and draw our incouragement to Duty from the promise annexed to it which will certainly be performed For saith he After many days thou shalt find it 9. The multitude of the Poor whom Providence casts in our way should not outweary our Charit 7. if the Lord hath shewn His Liberality to us though after a great number there come a greater in our way calling in Gods Name for the supply of their Necessities we must not repine but give a portion to Seven and when we have so done give a portion also for eight 10. Our Charity should be proportioned not only to the Lords liberality toward us 1 Cor. 16.2 But to the multitude of those whom we are called to help lest if our Charity which should be like a runing Fountain not an impetuous Flood run out too liberally upon some few we soon exhaust it and prejudge others therefore saith the Preacher give a portion or as the word signifies an equally divided part to seven and also to eight 11. God hath vailed future Calamities from the knowledge of men that they may not by the fear thereof be put from present duty but prepare for the worst and yet by the hope of better be moved to do good while they have opportunity For they know not what Evil shall be upon the Earth 12. Those especially who have abundance of the World among their hands should live mindful of Calamities that may come upon them and should be incited to duty especially to the Exercise of Charity and Liberality to the poor by considering that they may shortly be disabled to give and forced to crave supply from those who now crave from them And that those whom they now supply may be enabled to pay them home again For this is a Reason to press Charity Thou knowest not what Evil shall be upon the Earth 13. The same Argument that Covetous Worldlings make use of to hinder themselves from their duty they who are taught of God will make use of to stir themselves up to theirs The Covetous Man makes this a Reason why he should give nothing to the Poor that he knows not but evil times may come and he may have nothing left to himself yet the Spirit of God here teaches his people to make a contrary use of this Argument Cast thy Bread upon the Waters and give a Portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what Evil shall be upon the Earth Ver. 3. If the Clouds be full of Rain they empty themselves upon the Earth and if the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be HEre Solomon presseth the duty of Charity by some farther Arguments The First seems clearly to be taken from the Lords bounty and liberality in making his Creatures serviceable and comfortable to Man whereof he giveth one instance for many if the Clouds be full of Rain they empty themselves upon the Earth that is the Clouds keep not the Rain to themselves but pour out the same freely and plentifully upon the Earth that it may yeild Bread to Man whereby the Lord proves his Liberality towards him And therefore he should willingly give of his Bread to the Hungry And this appears to be the meaning by other places of Scripture where Charity is set forth by the same similitude as in that of Christ pressing upon Men bounty to others he makes the rain to fall upon the just and unjust Mat. 5.45 And that of Solomon He that Watereth shall be watered also himself Prov. 11.25 The next Argument held out under the similitude of a Tree lying where it falls is more dark because it is variously applied to the purpose by Interpreters And yet all that variety serveth to press the same duty of Charity As 1. It makes for the scope if we take it thus as the Tree what way soever it falls lyeth to be useful for the owner so shall it be in the matter of Charity where the intention is honest and due Caution observed in the giving of it whatever the persons be whether good or bad upon whom it is bestowed it shall redound to the benefit of the giver Or 2. Thus As a Tree is serviceable to Man and lyeth under a kind of passive obedience to him to be disposed of as he pleases so should Man be moved thereby to act in obedience to his Maker and let out a part of what he freely receives from him for the good of others in obedience to his command Or 3. If we apply it thus as a Tree what way so ever it fall there it lyes and so it is to be found even so is it with Man as to his Soul he shall be for ever in that Estate wherein he falls at Death and therefore he should in his life be doing good that Death may find him at his duty Hence Learn 1. The Lords liberality to man manifested in the ordinary course of his providence making the Clouds to pour down Rain in abundance to make the Earth fruitful and the fruits thereof to wait upon him to be disposed at his pleasure should move him to Liberality toward others who are in necessity else he may expect that these Creatures which he abuses shall witness one day against him in his Conscience Jam. 5.3 And therefore from the Creatures whether these that are above his
head serving him or these that ly at his feet ready to be imployed in his service he should learn his duty to his Maker for so doth the Wise Man reason to press this duty of Charity If the Clouds be full of Rain they empty themselves upon the Earth and if the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where it falleth there it shall be 2. When a Man finds any of the Creatures in a passive obedience to him ready to be imployed by him for his use and as it were offering their Service to him as a fallen Tree doth that should make him active in his duty to his Maker especially seing the Creatures do not fly from him who is naturally a fugitive from God nor fight against him who is a Rebel to his Maker he should move the more cheerfully in his obedience For so much may be drawn from the similitude of a Tree lying for Mans use where it falls here made use of as an Argument to Charity whether the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where the Tree falls there it shall be 3. Though there be discretion required in Charity to know the worth of the persons upon whom it is bestowed Ps 112.5 Yet where the intention of the Giver is Honest and endeavours to discern what manner of persons they are to whom he gives though he may be mistaken and let his Charity fall upon the worst his reward shall be no less than if it fell upon the better sort for thus also may this similitude be turned into an Argument for Charity as holding forth the certainty of the reward thereof whether the Objects of it be good or bad If the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where it falleth there it shall be 4. The consideration of this that the eternal estate of our Souls shall be according to the condition they are found in at Death and that Judgement will find us as Death leavs us should make us study to lead a good life and particularly it should stir us up to the duty of Charity that so while we are here we may make to our selves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when we fail they may receive us into Everlasting Habitations Luk. 16 9. For so may this similitude also be applied as a motive to Charity that in whatsoever condition we are when Death by its stroak makes us fall in that we shall be to all Eternity If the Tree fall toward the North or toward the South in the place where it falls there it shall be Ver. 4. He that observeth the wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not not reap 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all SOlomon having prest the duty of Charity with several Reasons doth here discover the weakness and insufficiency of these pretences or Objections which Men often make the ground of their delaying or neglecting altogether that duty And these Objections are taken from the probability which Men imagine of such sad accidents to befall them as make them fear want and Misery to themselves if they give of their substance to the Poor as the word of God presseth The Weakness of all which the Wise Man clears and proves First By a Proverbial speech borrowed from foolish Husband-men the force whereof amounts to this that as he who upon every appearance of Rain or Wind when he would not have them doth forbear Sowing or Reaping will never it is propbable either Sow or Reap The Application of which similitude is not exprest but may be easily gathered from the Scope thus Even so he who looks to all future contingencies which may discourage or hinder him in his duty will readily never set about it And particularly he that neglects Charity to others when God calls him to it because of every Suggestion that his Fortune may soon be exhausted will never cast his Bread upon the Waters and so never reap the reward promised to the performers of that duty Next He shewes the Weakness of that sort of Reasoning to deter Men from their Duty and proves they should not neglect it though the appearance of success be never to small by an Argument taken from the unsearchable depth of Gods Wisdom manifested in his ordinary operations and that Men may be convinced of their Ignorance and so not despair of the performance of what God hath promised though they see no appearance thereof he instances two things very near to every Man and yet clearly understood by none The first instance is that Men know not the way of the Spirit that is they are ignorant how their own Souls are formed and united to their Bodies how they exist and act while they are in the Body and when they are separat from it The other is that none knows how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child that is none doth clearly understand that wonderful Work the forming of his own Body in the Womb and from mens Ignorance of these things he doth infer that they cannot distinctly conceive the way of Gods working for performing his promises to them that venture upon commanded duties when there is no probability of reward for so doing And to help them the more confidenty to expect the promised reward of duty though there be no appearance of it be represents the Lord under the notion of Creator who gives a Beeing to Things that are not And therefore Men may cheerfully follow their Duty to him and particularly give of their substance for relief of his poor People though they see no probability of Recompense for so doing Hence Learn 1. A faithful Minister must not only press Duty and enforce the same by Reasons but also he must carefully forsee what Reasons people may pretend to hinder them from Duty or discourage them in it and demonstrat the Levity and Weakness of every thing that may have weight with them to make them delay their Duty or neglect the opportunity thereof For so doth this heavenly Preacher here after he hath by several Reasons prest the Duty of Charity he discovers the Hinderances thereof and confutes these Objections which Men ordinarly make against it whereupon they neglect or delay it while he saith He that observeth the Wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap c. 2. We may expect that there will be often great Appearances of bad success in the way of 〈◊〉 Duty and but small of the performance of Promises that are made to the following of it that so the sincerity of our respect to the Command and the liveliness of our Faith in the promise of Reward may be manifested while notwithstanding of such Discouragements we hold on
all comprehended here as parts and enlargements of one and the same sense of the words Next By the Returning of the Clouds after Rain seems clearly to be understood that continual Succession and frequent returning of one Shower of Trouble after another which befall dying Men And the Allegory or Similitude seems to be borrowed from the tempestuous and stormy Seasons of the Year when it is not as in Summer that after a Shower clears up again and becomes fair and Warm which represents the time of Youth in which ordinarily after some fit of Sickness and Distemper comes Ease and Health again But as it is in Winter after one Shower the Clouds presently gather for another so will it be in the time of Old Age. As for that Particular which many condescend upon as intended here to wit the frequent falling down of Rheums or Catarrhes from the Head like so many Showers upon the Lungs that seems to be but one Instance of this general to wit the frequent recurring of one Fit of Distemper after another incident to dying Men. Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for Men to have general Apprehensions of their Mortality and the certainty of their Death but it is necessary that their Thoughts be stayed upon the Distinct and particular Apprehension of the Case they shall be in at that time while the several Pinns of their Tabernacle shall be a loosing that by a serious and considerat view of their Case then they may be stirred up to provide sutable spiritual Consolations against the removal of every one of their outward Comforts Therefore is it that Solomon after a general Intimation in the former Verse that Death and Trouble are before Men he comes here more particularly to lead them to distinct Thoughts of the Case they shall be in then While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 2. The benefit of our Eyes and of the Light of the Sun as also our Reason and other Faculties of the Soul together with the Comforts we have by the use of all these are excellent Mercies of God and while they are continued with us do put us in a good capacity to prepare for Death While we have the use of our bodily Eyes and our Reason we may contemplat the glorious Works of God and read his Word whereby we may attain to the Knowledge of God in Christ and Fellowship with him For which end all these Lights whether of our Eyes our Reason the external Lights of Heaven or whatsoever may be set forth by these Names are given to us For this is a part of the description of that Opportunity to be made use of for remembering our Creator While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 3. We should use our Mercies and Priviledges which are common to us with other Men to wit our bodily Sight our Reason and all other Comforts which may be signified by the Lights here mentioned so as we may be still mindful of the decay and failing of them at Death and often think with our selves what a Comfort it will be to see by Faith Him that is invisible favourable to us to behold Christ the Son of Righteousness shining in Mercy upon us and to have the Day-star His Spirit arising in our Hearts never to set again even when all other Lights and outward Comforts will be darkened the ensuring whereof to our selves should according to Solomon's Scope here be our great study While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 4. Although no Man can promise to himself fair Weather in this World but ought to resolve for one Shower of Affliction after another yet the Lord is pleased to give unto Men now and then breathing times from outward Troubles and some Seasons wherein there is a clear Sun-shine after Rain and no present appearance of Trouble that they may with the greater Tranquility of Spirit prepare for the same For it is here supposed that they may have some times of fair Summer Weather While the Clouds return not after the Rain 5. Every Man may expect that frequent Troubles shall assault him when Old Age comes and Death draws near like one Shower Pouring down immediatly after another is over till he be carried in to Eternity as with a Flood Ps 90.5 For it is imported that it will be thus with him when Death draws near while his Case in some Health is thus described Nor the Clouds return after the Rain 6. Every Intermission of Trouble should be improven for making preparation for the last Storm by storing the Heart with such Thoughts of God reconciled to us in Christ as may prove comfortable to us when Death comes For this is a part of the description of the Opportunity to be made use of for that end While the Clouds return not after the Rain Ver. 3. In the day when the Keepers of the House shall tremble and the strong Men shall bow themselves and the Grinders cease because they are few and those that look out at the Windows be darkened THe Preacher comes now positively to describe the time of the dissolution of this Tabernacle as not so convenient an opportunity as the time of Youth and Health for making Peace with God And for this end he illustrats the Case of a Man assaulted by Death by the Similitude of a besieged House or Castle whose Guards and Watches become feeble and desert their Duty As for the Keepers of the House and the strong Men however many parts of a Man may be understood by these whether the outward Senses or the inward Faculties because they all look to the safety of the whole Body yet it seems most proper to take the Keepers for the Arms and Hands because they are most active to keep the rest of the Body from hazard and it is known that Palsies and Shakings agree best to them and by the strong Men to understand the Thighs and Legs because the Scripture attributes Feebleness or bowing to these Isa 35.3 By the Grinders are meant the Teeth which prepare and make small the Food for the Stomach these cease from this Duty being few and unfit for it in Old Age And by these that look out at the Windows are to be understood the Eyes which stand in their Holes as Watches in their Towers to elpy Hazards and Advantages which may befall the Body the Darkening here spoken of makes it clear that he speaks of the Eyes and not of the other Senses though by consequence the decay of these bring along with it a decay of Sight also Hence Learn 1. Mans Body is of a wonderful Constitution and very curiously framed like some stately Edifice or Garrison having the Arms and Hands as Keepers which can move towards all the Airths for defending of it the Legs as strong Men to carry it out of one Countrey to another to escape hazard which no Castle