Gods Works upon supposition of his decrees and in respect of man whose wit and power is but short and on consideration of their holy ends are absolutely perfect and compleat and so not to be murmured against ver 14. 9. That man being so absolutely at Gods disposal ought to exercise himself with a Holy and Reverential fear before him under all the turnings of Providence in his Condition and thereby attain to True Contentment with it ver 14. 10. That the saddest Dispensations the Lords People are or can be under are no other for substance efficient cause and holy ends than the Saints have formerly been exercised with whatever difference there may be in regard of some circumstances and instruments ver 15. 11. That God in due time will inquire after and in his own way avenge the injuries done to his oppressed and persecuted People which may contribute much to quiet their hearts under their saddest troubles ver 15. 12. That however the Saints oft times get not fair justice from men in place and power upon earth yet there is a set and fixed time wherein God will pass righteous judgement absolving and rewarding the Righteous and condemning and avenging upon the Wicked the wrongs done to His People and reversing their unjust sentences against them ver 16.17 13. That Gods holy purpose and end in permitting Wicked men to have that power and trust in the World which they abuse to injustice and persecution of the Godly is That they may be discovered both to themselves and others to be that which they were not known to be while they wanted fit opportunities to show their Wickedness And that they themselves may see how nearly as to their disposition and carriage especially their preying upon the Poor they do resemble the very beasts of the feild ver 18. And to convince such unjust and oppressing Rulers of their Brutishness Solomon doth illustrate and amplify the resemblance between Them and Beasts in regard that the like accidents and occurrances to interrupt their Works of injustice and deprive them of the delight they have in Earthly things do befall them with the Beasts ver 19. That they are both equally Subject to death having one and the same Vital breath or Animal life in regard of which they have not preeminence above the Beasts which he further confirms by a general assertion of the Vanity of all created things ver 19. And that they and the beasts also are all in a motion and tendency the same way to wit toward Corruption and the state of the Dead Both man as to his Body and the Beast being of the same mettall and matter even the dust and so both must be dissolved into dust again ver 20. And 14. That though cruelly oppression and sensuality in men doth make them much to resemble Beasts yet in regard of the better part the immortal Soul they have the preeminence of the Beasts which duly considered may divert them from seeking Happiness in things common to them with Beasts and move them to submit to any condition of life that may be subservient to the good of the Immortal Spirit ver 21. And then from all these considerations the Wise man draws a certain Conclusion That the highest Happiness attainable in this Life is a chearfull and ready following of the Duties of Piety toward God and Righteousness toward Men even under all the vicissitudes of a mans Lot This being the best Portion he is capable to enjoy within time And seing he must once Leave and not return again after Death to the beholding or enjoying of these outward things It is therefore His Wisdom to improve all his outward comforts as incouragments to a willing and chearful obedience to God ver 22. From all which it is evident that a man is not to seek or expect True Felicity in any outward enjoyments But in the favour of God through Christ Jesus and following of his Duty in obedience to the Command of God And in a subserviency to this is obliged to study a silent and conscientious submission unto and contentment with all the times and various providences that pass over him in the World CHAP. III. Verse 1. To every thing there is a Season and a time to every purpose under the Heaven THis verse contains the first consideration serving to quiet the Hearts of the Godly especially against the many sad changes that are in this World to wean their hearts from seeking Happiness in things Earthly As also to move all to observe the fittest opportunity of their Actions and purposes and to depend upon Him who hath the times in his power The sum whereof is That every event whether it fall out in humane and voluntary Actions which seem to be most in mans own power or in the daily working of Gods Providence both which are here to be understood not only because of the largeness of the expression To every thing there is a season But mainly because the following instances respect both hath a season the Word signifies A fixed appointed or foredetermined Time and is so translated Esth 9.27 Ezr. 10.14 And this fixing of the season of every thing is to be understood in reference to Gods eternal decree foreordaining all Events as is clear by comparing this with ver 11. where he saith God hath made every thing beautiful in his season This same consideration he doth in another expression apply to mens purposes or resolutions especially such as men have complacency and delight in as the Word translated Purpose signifies See Gen. 34.19 Even for these there is a Time the Word also signifies a set time Neh. 2.6 out of which men cannot so much as conceive or resolve the doing of any thing much less act it The Words also may be looked upon as pointing at mans Duty to observe a fit time and season in all his Actings Hence Learn 1. Though future Events the time whereof cannot be known in their natural causes he wholly uncertain to us Prov. 27.1 Yet are they all clearly foreseen and certainly foreappointed and that from Eternity Act. 15 18. by the infinitly wise Lord so that they cannot fall out sooner or later than in the time that he hath appointed for them for in reference to his Eternal Counsel mainly is this to be understood To every thing there is a season 2. Mans will is not an Independant thing man is not absolute Master of his purposes nor doth the Lord look through the prospect of mans Free Will to see that will fall out according as it shall of it self encline But he in his Eternal Council hath wisely ordered all the motions thereof for There is a time for every purpose The Word signifies Volition or the very act of the Will and may be understood of humane purposes as several of the following instances must also be understood 3. Though there be no season or time allowed for sinful Actions or purposes since negative precepts oblige in every
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
that all this to wit all lawful creature comforts the power to make use of them and find sweetness in them and especially the Grace to use them so as the Souls good may be thereby promoved All this was from the hand of God whereby is meant his liberality inlarged toward man in allowing these Comforts upon him and his powerful Blessing causing him so to use them see Psal 104.28 And Thirdly to gain weight to his testimony concerning this matter he shows he was inferior to none for plenty of creature Comforts and opportunity to make use of them speedily without much labour to him and therefore was to be believed in this That Happiness was not in the injoyment of outward Comforts alone but only in such a Holy and Chearful use of them as might be subservient to the Souls good which consists in Fellowship with the Lord. Hence Learn 1. Though the publick Ministers of Christ ought to deliver the whole Counsel of God to the People as they have ability and opportunity Act 20.20 27. Yet is it Wisdom in them while they have to do with these that are strangers to Communion with the Lord especially such of these as are ravished with Earthly Delights to bring forth in the first place such Truths as may probably be most taking prevalent and have best acceptance with them such as these are that do concern the Lords large allowance of as much comfort even in outward things as men can in reason desire That Soul-ravishing sweetness is only to be found in Spiritual Exercises which will make all sinful Delights loathsome and refine the lawful Sweetness that is in the Creatures And so that Religion is a friend both to the Bodies and Spirits of men For this is Solomon's method here who without doubt is directed to frame this Book mainly for the convincing and gaining of Men who are in the way that he himself was in before his recovery from his defection He doth not at the first deliver the â—â—lictest of these Precepts which afterward he presseth in order to Happiness but speaks as if he conceded much to men concerning the use of sensual Delights only minding them of their Souls good which they could not in reason slight while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 2. It is dangerous to leave men under Convictions of the evil of their Courses and Apprehensions of certain misery abiding them except there be also some intimation of a probable way for them to be made Happy and the same in some measure cleared up to them least they either return to their wonted sinful Delights as Israel would have gone back to Egypt or choice to die in Despair not daring to go back and not knowing how to go forward Therefore Solomon having spoken somewhat concerning the Insufficiency of the most plausible and promising courses which men destitute of the Lords Spirit can take for satisfaction before he proceed further he inserts here some discovery of true Happiness that men may have the clearer thoughts of it while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 3. As it is to be acknowledged for a great Blessing of God to have plenty of Creature Comforts and withall Power to make use of them and find Sweetness in them and not to be hindered therein either by inward exercise of Spirit Job 33.19.20 such as the Lords withdrawing of his wonted comfortable Presence Psal 102.9 and 42.3 by outward Crosses imbittering the Spirit 1 Sam. 30.26.27 by excessive fears of outward Hazards Psal 107.18 by groundless scruples of Conscience Act. 10.13.14 or by miserable Sparingness c. So it is to be looked upon but as the smallest part of our Happiness and as no part of it at all unless in the use of these things the Soul be injoying good sutable for it for as Solomon commends Eating and Drinking in the sense formerly mentioned so he doth not commend it alone but as it ushers in and promoves some true good to be injoyed by the Soul of man There is nothing better then that a man Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good 4. Ministers when they confute the abuse of things Lawful and the Excess of Mens Affection to them should withall assert and clear the lawful liberty of Christians lest Hearers who are ready to run from one sinful extream to another from making provision for the Flesh in the excess or pampering of it to fulfill the Lusts thereof unto a neglecting of the Body to the prejudice of the Spirit may apprehend Religion to be an Enemy to their Bodily Health and to the true Cheerfulness of their Natural Spirit contrary to Prov. 3.8 Or may be without ground challenged for taking what is the Lords Allowance to them Thereforefore Solomon after he hath condemned the excess of sensual Delights doth here commend the right use of them which is consistent with and subservient to the Souls injoying of its true good in Fellowship with the Lord. There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good c. 5 The outmost of that Happiness which is attainable in this Life by the Children of the Lord wants not its own Imperfection and mixture of Trouble and Toil with it The Lord so disposeth that men may long for that State where their Happiness may be full and unmixed In Heaven there shall be no use of the Creatures for Eating Drinking and the like Rev. 7.16 which take a great part of a mans time to provide and use so frequently But in this Life There is no better of it than to be at the pains of Eating and Drinking and that way to keep up our selves that our Souls may injoy good of our Labour 6. The right use of Creature Comforts such as Meat Drink and the like is not only consistent with but subservient to the Souls injoying of that true Spiritual good which is suitable to it when we are by the use of these things led to think upon and long for better and when the strength we receive thereby is imployed in the Praise and Service of the Lord for this Eating and Drinking here commended carries along with it and promoves the Souls injoying of Good and if man Eat and Drink and neglect to make his Soul enjoy good he is worse than the Beasts that perish There is nothing better then to Eat and Drink and make the Soul injoy Good 7. Though the Soul and the matters of it should be first and principally cared for Mat. 6 33. yet it is not the Lords mind that our seeking the good of our Souls should make us careless of our Bodies but rather that we should out of respect to our Souls and the good thereof respect the good of our Bodies in a Sober
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
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
them If therefore thou be one that livest near God I beg thy Prayers in their behalf that their fruit may be answerable least if otherwise because of their Barrenness the Kingdom of God should be taken from them and the things which belong to their peace hid from their eyes Pray likewise for a poor unworthy Instrument and Labourer for a while in the same part of Gods Vineyard who now hath succeeded and during his time must endeavour to follow so many great Men and Patterns though alace He doth it non passibus aequis Pray for him that though his Talent be not so great as theirs yet he may be Faithful to lay it out for his Masters use and that God may strengthen his hands bless prosper and give success to his Labours As he also Prayeth that the Lord may Bless the following Treatise for thy Souls good and comfort as being at least desiring to be A Servant of Christ and thine for his sake Pa Warner Irvin Sept. 14. 1693. AN EXPOSITION ON ECCLESIASTES CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT THE great scope of the Spirit of GOD in this Book being to point out to miserable fallen Man the right way to recover his lest Happiness of Favour and Fellowship with GOD and to convince him of the Vanity of seeking it in earthly things The Holy and Wise Solomon by divine Inspiration in this Chapter after the inscription of the whole Boâ—â— ver 1. Bearing a description of the Pâ—n-man from his Ecclesiastick-Office natural Descent and civil Dignity for conciliating the more reverence and attention to the subiect doth shew â— Negatively wherein true Happinest is not to be found to wit not in worldly Things or any endeavours about or succese in them And in order to this â—e first layes down this Position to be made out all is Vanity Veâ—s 2 And secondly Provâ—â— it by so many Arguments taken 1 from the unprofitableness of a Mâ—nâ— pains about these outward things vers 3. 2. From the frailty of Man himself who though these things could profit him yet 〈◊〉 sâ—ay long with them which he asserâ—â— vers 4. and illustrates it comparing Mans frail â—â—ition with other 〈…〉 Creatures as the Faith Sun Wind and Waters vers 4 5 6 7. 3. From the wearisome told and labour that Maâ— hath in the pursuit of outward things before he attain unto them vers 8. 4. From the emptiness of Satisfaction in these things when injoyed even to the outward â—ensâ—â— of Saâ—ing and 〈…〉 sought Happiness to them vers 8. 5. From the Determination of GOD that iâ— shall 〈◊〉 better with them who afterward shall take the same course who shall find â—s nâ—w thing in these delights vers 9 10 6. From the transitory and evanishing condition both of these things in themselves and of their remembrance with Men vers 11. 7. From Solomon's own experience after serious search of the Disappointment Vanity and Vexation of all things under Heaven vers 12 13 14. 8 From the impotency and insufficiency of all the Creatures and all humane Endeavours about them to restore Man to his lost Happiness vers 15. 9 From the short reach and uncomfortable issue of the most sedulous exercise of the wit of Man about Natural and Moral things without the Light of the Word and Spirit of GOD notwithstanding all the Advantages he may have for that study vers 16 17 And 10 From the sad increase of Grief and Sorrow as the fruit of all the Pains and witty Contrivances of Men about these things while they neglect the study of Reconciliation and Fellowship with GOD which is their true Happiness vers 18 From all which it is evidently proven that was proposed vers 2 That all earthly Things are Vanity in order to the making of a Man truely Happy and that Man is vain in seeking Happiness in them neglecting the study of Reconciliation and Fellowship with GOD in His Son Christ Jesus Ecclesiastes Chap 1 Vers 1 The Words of the Preacher the Son of David King in Jerusalem THIS Verse contains the Inscription of the whole Book wherein the Pen-man labours to gain Reverence and Attention to the following Purpose by holding forth several considerations of himself As First His Ecclesiastick Office whence he is called the Preacher or Ecclesiastes a Stile as it is here expressed in the Original only given to Solomon no where found in Scripture but in this Book and doth signifie 1. One that hath a Calling to assemble the Church and declare the mind of GOD to Her And so it agrees well to Solomon as a Prophet 2. One Reconciled or Re-united to the Church and thus also it agrees to him who by his grievous defection from the Lord had separate himself from that Blessed Society 1 King 11.5.9 Now being restored again he is Ecclesiastes a penitent Soul preaching his Repentance to the Church the Word is of such a Form as necessarly requires something of this kind to be added to it for making it plain in our Language and sutable to the Original we find the like added in the Translation Psal 16.2 Secondly He describes himself from his Parentage or descent according to the Flesh He is the Son of David a Man in high esteem with GOD Act. 13.22 and with his Church 2 Sam 23 1 a Type of Jesus Christ Psal 89 20. and his Progenitor according to the flesh Acts 13 23 Solomon doth design himself thus not to make any ostentation of his Royal Birth but rather to raise our minds to expect much good from him as the answer of many Prayers put up for him Ps 72.1 c. The Fruit of a Holy Education Prov. 31.1 And many wholesome counsels given him by his Father 1 King 2.2 And to call the Church to mind of the Messiah the true Solomon who was known to the Church of the Jews by this stile the Son of David Mat. 22.42 compared with Ps 89.35 36. and is now speaking to the same in this Book by his Type Thirdly He describes himself from his civil place and Dignity that he was a King and so had many advantages whereby he might abound in Knowledge and a King in such a place as Jerusalem then the imperial Seat of Judea and Israel afterward divided into two Kingdoms the prime publick Residence of GOD in His Ordinances with the only visible Church He had in the World And so he had many occasions of being acquaint with the Wayes of GOD with His Church and People All which calls for Attention to the ensuing Purpose of this Book Hence Learn 1. Whatever a publick Messenger of GOD may have to commend Him and gain acceptance to His Message yet a Calling from GOD to Preach Truth in His Name ought to be his chief incouragement to undertake any part of his imployment and should also add more weight to his Message in the minds of People than any consideration of him they can have even though he were a King For Solomon before any other stilâ—
of all these Works of God which he had been Studying he had found that Man Living out of Fellowship with God can find nothing by them but disappointment or emptiness of satisfaction which is Vanity and a gnawing of his Conscience or feeding of his Soul upon the Winde which is the Vexation of Spirit here spoken of Verse 14. As for the time when Solomon hath been Exercised in in this painful Study here spoken of it may be either referred to the time of his defection and estrangment from God when he was imploying his wit which even then remained with him Eccles 2.9 to the utmost for finding out an Happiness beside fellowship with God and so it makes to his proposed scope seeing he is now a penitent sadly reflecting and at direction of the Spirit of God passing sentence upon his former follyes Or this painful Study of his may be referred to the time of his nearness to God whether before his defection or after his recovery from it and so the purpose agrees no less to the same Scope considering that his end in that Study was to see what Man 's wit could attain unto in or about the Creatures for making him truly Happy that so he might the more effectually convince his own and the Hearts of others of Vanity in seeking Happiness that way Beside what was observed from Solomons description of himself verse 1 We may hence Learn 1. The eminency of a Mans place and Employment whether Ecclesiastick or Civil as also the dignity and priviledges of the People over whom he hath Charge should be so far from making him slack and negligent in pains for bettering of his Gifts as if his measure of these were sufficient already seeing he is so employed that on the contrary the consideration thereof should stir him up to the greater pains and diligence that he may Grow in Abilities for the more faithful and successful discharge of his Employment for the consideration of Solomons Office in the Church and State of Jsrael may be looked upon as here mentioned by him as a special motive to that exceeding great Diligence afterward described I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusalem 2 As these who have a calling to point out the way of Life and Blessedness to others and to disswade them from following Lying Vanities should Labour for the Experimental knowledge and feeling of the Power of the truths they deliver themselves that with the greater affection and confidence they may speak them to others so when the Lord sends Preachers who may in Charity be Judged to speak from their own experience People may take advantage of the consideration of the Messenger to move their own Hearts to receive the truth with a special measure of attention and reverence for here Solomon draws an Argument to gain weight to the truth from his own Experience who Preached it I the Preacher gave my Heart to seek and search out by Wisdom c. 3. Although these extraordinary and Infallibly assisted Men who Wrote the Scripture had much of the minde of God revealed to them immediatly and without their pains and Study for acquiring the knowledge thereof 2 Pet 1.21 yet were they not exeemed from ordinary pains but rather called to more than ordinary Diligence for further clearing to themselves and confirming of their own hearts in the Faith and Experimental knowledge of these truths so immediatly revealed and for acquiring the knowledge of other truths see 1 Pet. 1 10. Which both warrants and obliges ordinary Ministers not to spare their pains for profiting in knowledge and edifiying the Church of God for even this extraordinary man Preacher and King in Jerusalem gave away his heart to seek and to search by wisdom 4. The Lords People should be so far from disapproving the pains and study of Ministers or disliking the message which by much labour and premeditation is fitted for them as Enthusiasts do such pains being commanded 1 Tim. 4.13.16 and having the promise of a Blessing Prov. 10.4 that by the contrary these Lessons which are the fruit and result of much serious diligence in the Preacher should be received with the more attention and acceptation by the Hearers For so doth Solomon here commend the Purpose in hand and labour to gain Attention and Respect to it by this that it had cost him so much pains and study in the acquiring of it I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom c. 5. They that would grow in that knowledge which may be profitable for their own Souls must give their Hearts away to the study of it by diverting their minds frequently from other Studies and labouring to get their Hearts in love with that knowledge they aim at as conducing to their Happiness so will the whole Man concur in the study to which the Heart is applied Pains will be sweetned and Success will be certain Prov. 2.2 c. for this course did Solomon take and I gave my heart saith he to seek c. 6. For attaining to that knowledge which may be profitable for the Saving of a Mans Soul there must be variety of means used such as bending of the Wit in searching of the Scriptures and meditating upon them Prayer to God and use making of all the helps we can have from others for encrease of our knowledge adding one degree of diligence to another even when after many Essayes there remains unsatisfaction with the measure attained and the whole course of a Mans study in the use of these means must he so ordered as his imploying of divine Help and consulting of the Scriptures may ordinarly go before the use of other means For the former of these two words here used to express Solomon's pains in Seeking signifies a Mans own secret Diligence which is especially Prayer and Meditation the other signifies to ask the help of others and likewise an orderly disposing of his pains in his Study I gave my heart to seek and to search out c. 7. As the Lord doth not bestow at once all that measure of true and sound knowledge which he intends to give to his Children but lets it out by little and little so one degree or measure of the same is the best guide to direct a Man in seeking after more of it in so much as none can move to any good purpose in the study thereof till they be first prevented with the free gift of some measure of that knowledge it being that only which makes them capable of further 1 Cor. 2.14 and sets them upon the fittest means of attaining thereto Eccles 10.10 For here it is clear that Solomon had one degree of his Wisdom before another and that the Former was his guide in seeking after the Latter I gave my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom 8. The greater measure of knowledge any attain unto they will be the more desireous of more the more acurate and serious will their search
be made streight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred Verse 16. I Communed with mine own heart saying Lo I am come to great Estate and have gotten more Wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem Yea my heart had great Experience of Wisdome and Knowledge Verse 17. And I gave my heart to know Wisdome and to know Madness and Folly I perceived that this also is Vexation of Spirit THe preacher giveth here a second Instance of the weakness and Insufficiency of Mans Wit as it is Exercised especially about things Morall or the practical affairs of Men to direct him how he may recover his lost happiness the sum whereof is that himself after much pains taken to see how far a Mans wit without the special Illumination and conduct of the Lords Spirit can possibly lead him right and how far it ordinarly leads him wrong in reference to the matter of his true Happiness he had found the Issue to be nothing else but Vexation and sorrow instead of true contentment And this may be taken for the Ninth Argument to prove his Scope Now that this Instance from his own Experience may have the more weight he doth first show how he did acquire it not by a slight and careless inquiry but by his most Serious communing or deliberating with his own Soul Secondly he showes what Advantages or Furtherances he had to fit him for profiting in his Study and did reflect upon for his encouragment therein to wit 1. Much Worldly Greatness such as Riches Honour and the like for however most abuse these things yet it appears that he made them his encouragment in his Study 2. Rare inward qualifications such as Wisdome which being considered comparativly made him to excell all that had been before him or as it is in the Original before his Face in Jerusalem And experience of Wisdome and knowledge which is acquired by observation of particulars and bringing of knowledge to practise Thirdly he specifyeth the Object of this Serious Study of his to which he did apply his heart being incited by these Advantages And that was 1. To know Wisdome whereby cannot be meant his Study of saving knowledge as a renewed Man for that Study could not be censured as he doth this in the following words that it proved Vexation and encreased his greif seing himself had declared Prov. 2 10. and 3.17 that that Study brings much Pleasure and Peace to the Soul but by this Wisdome which he Studied to know is meant the wisest of these courses that the wit of a Man unrenewed and destitute of the speciall guidance of Gods Spirit can sett him upon for attaining Happiness especially the Exercise of his wit in the Study of Morall vertues such as Equity Charity Meekness Temperance and the like although even this Wisdom as he Studied it was subservient to his progress in saving knowledge 2. His Study was to know Madness and Folly whereby he doth not mean that he studied to know the case of these who are deprived of the Exercise of natural Reason seeing such are often very free of Vexation nor doth he speak here of his Sudy of the Wickedness and perversness of his own Heart in order to the mortifying thereof because that Study also is Blest with much Peace and quietness of Spirit But by this Madness which he Studied to know is meant these violent sinful courses such as oppression unjust conquest and the like which Men take for attaining to Worldly Riches and Honours and wherein wicked Men use to Glory as if they were renouned by them as the Word signifies and by Folly these sensual and Beastly pleasures whereunto Carnal Men give up themselves He studied the outmost in both these courses which might seem to promise or bring about any Happiness to Man and this he did that he might the more effectually convince all that true Happiness was not to be found in these wayes And Fourthly He passeth the same Sentence and censure upon these courses which he did upon the former viz. that the outmost that any Man neglecting the Study of Reconciliation with God in Christ and of Living in his Fear and Obedience can attain unto whether in the Exercise of Moral vertues or by giving himself up to the satisfaction of his Fleshly Lusts shall be so far from bringing him true Happiness and contentment of Spirit that on the contrary it shall Eat up his Spirit and as the original word signifies consume it with Vexation at Last From this purpose Learn 1. They that would reclaime Sinners from pursuing their Happiness in things Earthly must not think it sufficient to inlarge themselves in General Doctrine proving that all Earthly things are Vain and unable to bring about Mans Happiness but must give particular instances of them especially of these things wherein the greatest show of Happiness is and wherein Men do most diligently pursue it and must Labour to convince them of the Madness and Folly of their way in pursuing of it in these seeing that Doctrine which Men will be pleased with in the General they will not willingly apply to themselves in particular 2 Sam 12.5 For after that Solomon hath by many Arguments in the former words proven in General the Vanity and insufficiency of all the Creatures and Humane endeavours about them to lead Man to his true Happiness he doth here and in the three verses immediatly preceeding give particular instances of these courses which have taken up the best of natural Men wherein they do most strongly apprehend their Happiness to be and do most eagerly pursue it to wit the Study of the Workes of Creation and Providence of which the former instance is given and of things moral and the practical affairs of Men whereof this is mainly to be understood I communed with my own heart saying Lo c. 2. They that would make progress in the Study of that knowledge which may be profitable for themselves and others in order to the attaining of true Blessedness as they must be much in consulting of the Word Ps 119.24 And of the Spirit for light John 16.13 And of others also who can give them information in that way Jer. 50 5. So must they not neglect to Commune with their own Hearts by putting them to ponder what the Word holds forth for their direction in that way Luk. 2 19. To bring to remembrance what they have formerly Learned of it Rev 3.3 To consider the wonted Goodness of God to them which may engage them to walk in his way Ps 77.6 c. To find out Grounds of comfort against their discouragments Ps 4 4. And frequently to consider the hazard of mistaking the way or sitting up in it Heb 4 1 For Solomon while he was upon such a Study as doubtless he made use of other Means so he was often speaking with his Heart as the words are in the Original which are here translated I Communed with my own Heart
issue and result of their Courses shall be the same even Misery and Vexation seeing the former sort place their Righteousness in their Wisdom 1 Cor. 1.22 Rom. 10.3 And the latter their Heaven in the satisfaction of their Lusts 2 Pet. 2 13. For this which Solomon saith he perceived to be Vexation of Spirit cannot be meant of his own Study of these presently mentioned because that was at the direction of the Spirit of God but of the result of the several courses which unrenewed Men take for Happiness here set forth by the names of Wisdom Madness and Folly I perceived saith he that this also is vexation of Spirit 12. However the Lord may so far favour the study of natural Wisdom and moral Vertues as to make Men find some kind of Sweetness and Contentment therein that thereby they may be diverted from courses more dishonourable to him And may also suffer men who have given themselves up to all vileness to be for a time free of vexation by reason of the scaredness of their Conscience 1 Thess 5.3 Yet will he assuredly execute the Sentence here past upon all who misken or neglect the new and living way to Blessedness through the Blood of Christ sometimes in this Life by crossing the wisest of their Plots which being effectuate would have contributed to their earthly Contentment as he did to Achitophel sometimes striking them in the midst of their Pleasure with his Terror and other Judgments as he did to Belshazar Dan 5.6 Nabal and others and all of them at last by tormenting them with the Worm that never dies so that they all shall find this to be Truth of God whether they be seeking their Happiness in the Wisdom here spoken of or in this Madness and Folly their course shall prove Vexation or as the word signifies A gnawing or eating up of the Spirit Verse XVIII For in much Wisdom is much Grief and he that encreaseth Knowledge encreaseth Sorrow SOlomon here gives a Reason why the unrenewed Mans Wit can not lead him the right way to his lost Happiness The summe of it is that the more Wisdome any Man who neglects the Study of Reconciliation and fellowship with God can attain unto he shall still have the more grief or as the Word signifies Irritation of Spirit and the more progress he maketh in any other Study while this is neglected he shall but heap the more Sorrow to himself The truth whereof is evident if it be considered that the more knowledge of that sort a Man have he doth but see more clearly these many inconveniences and Miseries whereunto he is Subject especially in this Life which these of meaner capacities and of less proficiency in knowledge do not apprehend and so have less Vexation and yet can never see the true remedy of these nor any sutable Consolation against them And consequently till saving light come in upon his mind the more his knowledge of other things grows he must still see himself the further from true Happiness Now Solomon cannot be understood as speaking here of saving knowledge considering that in other places of his writings he doth attribute contrary effects to that Namely that it brings much Joy and Peace to the Soul that hath it Prov. 2 10. 3.17 And yet this is not spoken to deter from or discourage in the Study of things natural or Civil so the right end not only to convince Man of his folly in apprehending any Happiness in such Studies while he neglects better and so to ingadge him to the Study of that knowledge which brings much sweetness to the Soul Ps 104 34. And is able to sweeten every other lawful Study which is made subservient to it Ps 111.2 And so the words may be looked upon as the Tenth Argument to wean Mens hearts from seeking Happiness in this Earth seeing grief will be the Issue of all their endeavours that way Hence Learn 1. While Men are void of the saving knowledge of God in Christ which makes them live in his fear and Obedience the clearer insight they have in other things they draw the more grief and Sorrow upon themselves The more clear thoughts they have of their duty to God and of his properties whereof something they may know by natures light Rom 1.19.20 they cannot but have the more horrour of Conscience Act 24 25. seeing their Conscience cannot but accuse them for going against their light in many things Rom 2 15. And they in the mean time being ignorant of or not heartily closing with the way of Reconciliation with God thorow Christ 1 Cor 2.8 9. the more clear their thoughts he anent the immortality of their Souls they cannot but have the more grief seeing they are uncertain concerning the future State thereof and can have no well grounded hope that it shall be well with them Ps 49.14 And the more progress they make in knowledge they cannot but find themselves the more Obnoxious to the envy of these whom they do excell 1 Sam 18 9. In all which and many other respects the truth of this is evident That in much Wisdome is much grief and he that encreaseth Knowledge encreaseth Sorrow 2. Although these that are endued with saving Knowledge and are growing therein have ordinarily some Grief growing also Namely Godly Sorrow upon their more clear discovery of their own vileness Rom 7 9. their Inability to return sutable thanks to God for his love 2 Sam 7.18 And the much dishonour that God getts by others Ps 119.158 Yet saving Knowledge is of it self apt to bring into the Soul much joy Peace and quietness of Spirit and in the measure that Men have it it doth always bring these to them The great Grief that such have is mainly occasioned by the defect of that Knowledge Prov 30.2 every encrease of their Godly Sorrow having comfort in the Bosome of it 1 Pet 1 6. and alwayes Joy at the back of it Ps 30.5 For what ever is said of this sort of Knowledge whereof Solomon speaks here the contrary must agree to saving Knowledge seeing his scope is to draw Men from seeking Happiness by the Study of the one and ingaging them to seek it by the Study of the other therefore as in much of the Wisdom here spoken of is much Grief so in much of saving Wisdom there must be much Joy and as he that encreaseth that sort of Knowledge which is here meant encreaseth Sorrow so he that encreaseth saving Knowledge must increase his own Peace and Comfort 3. The more clear discerning of other things Men have who are without saving Knowledge and renewing Grace the more exasperated and imbittered do their Spirits grow both at the Lords dispensations which cross their corrupt Humours Isai 8.21 And at the sight of the welfare of others who are better than themselves Ps 112.9 10. And the more do they bend their wit to irritate and provoke the corruptions of others and to grieve their hearts who
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 Lord in Wisdom and much mercy to his Church and People hath moved the most eminent of his Saints to Registrate not only their own failings that were gross and visible but likewise some of their most secret sinful suggestions that others inferior to them may take warning to watch over their hearts and that Souls vexed with the thoughts of their own matchlessness in guilt because of such inward sinful suggestions as frequent their hearts may thence have some relief and comfort Therefore is Solomon here directed by the Spirit of God to express his own rash and sinful apprehensions Then said I in my heart And why then was I more wise 8. Whatever conflicts the Children of the Lord may have with temptations they will at last get the victory when his Spirit returns with his lively Operations and then they will pass censure upon their own rashness see Psal 77.10 and will be content to publish the sinful Language of their heart for the Glory of God their own further humiliation and the warning and comfort of others For Solomon having said in his heart Why was I then more wise he saith he said in his heart again that this also is vanity Verse 16. For there is no remembrance of the wise more then of the fool for ever seeing that which now is in the dayes to come shall all be forgotten and how dieth the wise man as the fool HE inlarges further the ground whence these sinful suggestions mentioned in the former verse had the rise in his heart namely the equality of events befalling the Morally Wise and the Sensual Voluptuous Man whereof he giveth here two instances which have very useful Truths in them though they do not bear the Conclusion which his corruption while he was estranged from God drew from them to wit The condemning of himself for the study of Mâ—â— Wisdom The first instance is That both those sorts of men formerly mentioned and all their enterprizes for Happiness are equally obnoxious to Oblivion Which is not to be understood of their future and eternâ—â— state wherein they shall be for ever remembred by a sin persuing God for the continuance of their torment who seek not their Happiness in Reconciliation and Fellowship with him through Christ But it is to be understood of their remembrance during the time of this Life and among men like themselves after they are gone And is mainly intended against that sort of Wise Men who do more strongly affect the perpetuating of their Memories and endeavour the same by leaving behind them Monuments of their Wit than Sensual Epicures who care for nothing but the enjoyment of their present Pleasures And however some of this sort of Wise-men have been and may be long and much remembred among men yet with the far greatest part of them it is not so for ordinarly others arise after them who darken their memory and eclipse their esteem And the remembrance of all of them being considered as they did affect and endeavour the perpetuating of it viz. as some piece of their chief Happiness doth so perish quite and at least they shall be all of them so disgraced at the last day that they shall thenceforth eternally lose all their renown And then this shall be fully verified of all the wicked There shall be no remembrance of one of them more than of another unto all Eternity And this instance as it is verified in time He proves by the universal forgetfulness wherein both the Persons and Actions of the present Generation will be buried in the future Seeing that which now is saith he in the days to come shall all be forgotten Which likewise is to be applyed only to the subject matter in hand and in the sense presently mentioned seeing the remembrance of God and his Works will be kept up in his Church while time endures Psal 45.17 The next instance is that this wise man he speaks of shall die like the fool Which is held forth in a Question importing his admiration and indignation viz. while his Heart was estranged from the Lord that it should be so Now this equality of these two sorts of men the Morally wise or sober and the Sensual fool in reference to their Death is not to be understood of the particular kinds of their Death or the circumstances thereof which use to be various in differing persons but that all the Wisdom of the former sort shall neither be able to prolong their Life nor give them any more true Comfort in Death seeing they have lived without the study of saving knowledge than they have who never cared for such Studies as these have been ravished with And though this Question may be concerning the certainty and kind of Natural Death incident to the Godly Man as well as others yet as to the quality of his Death he doth not die as they do for his Death is the beginning of his eternally blessed Life and he shall live after his Death with God in everlasting remembrance But for these wise Men and Fools here spoken of every one dies as another they are at Death equally separated from their fancied Happiness and Death is to all of them the Port and Entrance into their Eternal Torment Hence Learn 1. Though the desire of esteem among men especially the continuance of it after death be of it self vain Gal. 5.26 yet the Wisest and Best of men destitute of saving Light and Grace do strongly incline to pursue it even as their Chief Happiness and can with more difficulty than any others be convinced of their Vanity in so doing For it is this sort of wise Men that the Spirit of God here equals with the fool and labours so much to convince of Vanity in counting themselves more truly Happy than others because of their Wisdom while he saith There is no remembrance of the Wise more then of the Fool for ever 2. The more wit men employ in pursuing any thing as their Happiness beside Gods Favour and the more earnestly they pursue the same the more will the Lord walk contrary to them and set himself to blast their courses for attaining to it For the Spirit of God directs his Speech here mainly against these Wise men who had much more to perpetuate their Memories by and did more for that end than these with whom he doth equal them They are such whom he here certifies of that which is very vexatious to them to consider as will appear by what Solomon saith in the following verse of himself while he had somewhat of their temper There is no remembrance of the wise more then of the fool for ever 3. The present Generation and all that live in it should look upon themselves and all their outward Enjoyments as not only fading and of short continuance but as shortly to be quite forgotten and should apply the same consideration to themselves and their particular Idols in the enjoyment whereof they place their Happiness the
the heart from earthly Delights that is tyed to them as its portion A man must bestir himself in the use of all means and must busie his heart to find out motives effectual for that end for so did Solomon here as is imported in this expression I went about to cause my heart c. 3. As men destitute of the special Operations of the Lordâ— Spirit may manifest much Skill Prudence Experience Ingenuity and Uprightness in their acting and yet be seeking but an earthly Happiness and never minding the great end of all their Undertakings the Glory of God their own and others Spiritual Good So the more of these Gifts or Virtues men do exercise and manifest in their interprises if they seek no further the more will their anxiety and vexation be increased were it but upon this ground that they cannot dispose of all their Purchase to men after them according to their own inclination and pleasure for Solomon here speaks with a main eye to himself and his own Disposition and Carriage while he was at a distance from the Lord and so acting as a natural man may do while he saith There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not Laboured therein shall he leave it This is a great evil 4 While these prime Motives which should prevail to alienate mens hearts from sinful courses are either not minded or have no Power for that effect the Lord can and sometimes doth make use of common and more inferior Motives for bringing about the same and therefore every frame of Spirit is not to be looked upon as bad because it hath been wrought by some Considerations which are common and have in them a mixture of Ignorance and Corruption For Solomon should have caused his heart to despair of Happiness in the Creature because he was created for injoying a Felicity of a higher nature than all the Creatures could afford and because true Happiness is only to be had in Reconciliation and Fellowship with God but he doth not attain at this time whereunto he here relates to these thoughts and yet this more inferior Consideration is blessed to bring his heart to this frame that There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave all c. 5 Men are naturally more prone to be anxious what shall become of their possessions after them and afraid that they be not imployed according to their mind than they are now to improve them in their own time for the best advantage the honour of God their own good and the good of others Which is as if a servant should be more solicitous how his Master should dispose of the fruits of his Labour and afraid least they fall into the hands of some evil servant after him than he is how to improve his pains in the mean time to his Masters best advantage For Solomon was much troubled with this that a man who hath laboured in wisdom should leave all to him that hath not laboueed therein Which cannot be justified seeing the Lord cannot but dispose well of all things into whose hand soever they fall and how bad use soever men make of them 6. The Lord in his wise Providence sees it fit that great things of the World should fall for a portion to men who have neither Wit nor Experience for purchasing or improving of them that all may be convinced that these things are not infallible signs of his love Eccles 9.1 and that men who get them may be allured to their duty by them or the more severely punished when he reckons with them Rom. 2 45. For there is a man whose labour â—s in wisdom and knowledge and equity and yet to a man who hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion 7. It is both the sin and misery of men to spend their time and abilities in seeking their Happiness in things which they must leave to others not knowing how they shall be used nothing but disappointment vexation and torment of Conscience when God awakes it can be the result of a mans forgetting his one thing needful and Labouring though in wisdom and knowledge and equity for things earthly as his Happiness which he must leave to another that hath not Laboured therein For this is the thing that Solomon here pronounceth Vanity and a great evil Verse 22. For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the Sun 23. For all his days are sorrows and his travel grief yet his heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity SOlomon here giveth the Reasons of his censure past in the former words upon mens pains for an earthly Happiness The 1. is that man hath no real advantage or true comfort by all his toil of Body and vexation of spirit about things earthly Which is not spoken to the prejudice of any lawful diligence about humane affairs for the right end but only to convince natural men of the fruitlesness of all their pains in order to the true â—atisfaction of their souls And this reason he doth propound by way of interrogation that he may the more effectually rouse up himself and others to consider the vanity of seeking Happiness in â—he creatures and by it also he doth as it were challenge all who â—eglect to seek their Soul-satisfaction in Reconciliation and felâ—owship with God in Christ to condescend if they can and with all supposes that they cannot upon any advantage they have by all their toil and pains The question hath the force of a negative as was cleared from the like Chap. 1. ver 3. Whence that which is here understood may be thus supplyed what profit hath a man of all his Labour The 2. Reason is that whoever choises any earthly thing for his portion shall be so far from any true profit or satisfaction that may compense his Pains that by the contrary all his days shall be sorrows and his travel grief which is mainly to be understood of men of greatest Spirit and Parts who take most pains for Happiness in things earthly not as if such men might not have many days of Carnal pleasure and joy but that they have no good days no days but such as yeild them matter of sorrow no imployment but what affords them matter of grief and such Sorrow and grief as is not easily exprest therefore he useth several words here to the same purpose and these in the abstract and in the plural Number The 3. Reason which may be taken for an instance or illustration of the former iâ— that even in the time which God hath appointed for the rest of mens Bodies and Spirits such men are often so hot in the pursuit of their Idols of Riches Honour or pleasure that they cannot get rest or as it is in the
and Holy manner So that to respect the Body and care for it in reference to the Soul that by the Body the Soul may be served in serving its Creator and not to neglect the Soul or any Duty relating to the welfare thereof for indulgence to the Body is that golden path wherein men may expect some measure of that Happiness which the Lord allows upon his Children in this Life for saith he There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink and injoy good of his Labour 8. Every expression in the Scriptures is not to be looked upon apart but some are to be considered jointly with others sometimes with such as go before sometimes with such as follow after else men will be in hazard to wrest the Scripture to their own Destruction For if we consider the first expression in this verse There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink without considering what follows it might seem to express the Sense and Mind of Epicures But if we joyn it with the Expression immediatly following of the Souls injoying good then we come to understand the Eating and Drinking here commended to be such as prejudge not the Spiritual and Eternal good of mens Souls There is nothing better for a man then to Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good 9. To have the outward Comforts of this Life the Power to use them and to find Sweetness in the use of them and especially the Grace to use them aright so as the use of them may not hinder but promove the good of the Soul all this is from the Liberality and Providence of a good God and in it our Fathers allowance our Redeemers purchase and our Comforters presence and teaching are to be acknowledged for so saith Solomon here that All is from the Hand of God the Name God is in the plural number minding us of the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity 10. Whatever Ministers say to the Lords People they should Labour to see it by the Light of the Word and Spirit of God and likewise by their own experience whereby they put these Truths they deliver to the proof and labour to find the Power of them upon their own Hearts for saith he I saw that this was from the Hand of God 11. Whereinsoever the Lord makes any of his Servants to excel for outward Injoyments or Priviledges they should Labour so to carry themselves in the use thereof that from their own experience they may teach others how to use these outward Advantages for the Spiritual good of their Souls considering that People who place their Happiness in these things are ready to think that if men knew Experimentally the worth and sweetness which they fancy to be in them they would not so undervalue them For that Solomon may convince all that their is no true Happiness in the use of these things except they be made subservient to the Souls injoying of that true good which is in Fellowship with God he doth by this question incite all to consider that he who asserts this Truth was inferior to none for plenty of outward Comforts and conveniency of speedy injoyment of them while he saith Who can Eat or who can hasten thereunto more then I Verse 26. For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy but to the Sinner 〈◊〉 giveth travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God This also is vanity and vexation of Spirit HAving given a short sum of that True Happiness which is attainable in this Life he doth here describe the Blessedness of them that seek after it and the misery of these that slight it And this he brings in as a reason to move men to fall in love with it As for the man that takes the right way of seeking Happiness whom here he calls the man that is good in Gods sight which signifies one freely favoured and delighted in and so a justified person through the Righteousness of Christ and one who is sincerely studying what is good or well-pleasing not in the sight of the World but of God The Lord giveth and giveth freely and in giving makes sure and firm to him as the word signifies Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy Whereby is meant nâ—t only skill to purchase a Competency of things Worldly with Prudence to manage and use the same aright together with chearfulness in the use thereof which cannot be excluded here seeing the same was exprest before as subservient to that Happiness which is attainable in this World But mainly an increase of saving knowledge which is set forth by two words because there are many degrees of it and an increase of Spiritual joy flowing from the Faith of Acceptation with God through Jesus Christ I say the words are to be understood of the increase of these things because they are promised to the man who is bâ—fore favoured and so hath the first Grace Next As for the man who continues in his mistake concerning the way to true Happiness whom he calls here the sinnerâ— not 〈◊〉 if the other formerly spoken of or any other in the World did not deserve that name but because such an one is given up to the slavery and servitude of his lusts in an unreconciled state as the Word Sinner often signifies in Scripture when it is opposed to the Good or Righteous 1 Pet. 4 18 and as the Original Word here signifies One that errs from the Scope i. e. who is mistaken in the Main concerning True Happiness is pursuing the same in things of this Earth To such an One God giveth in His justice and displeasure as his sure portion if he continue in that way sore travel or as the word signifies Painful Servitude and slavery in gathering and heaping which Words import him to be both successful and unsatisfyed that which he must leave behind him to be possest by these for whom he intended least even to one that is good in Gods sight Which is not to be understood as if every Wicked man should make some Godly man his Heir for then the Godly should be the Richest in the World but that often the Fruit of the wickeds pains redounds to the advantage of the Godly or rather that his purchase and estate is at the Lords disposal to give to whom he pleases and thinks good enough for receiving such trifles And this excessive pains of men for these things which they can neither long injoy nor transfer to others as they please he censures as Vanity that is a sinful course and such as will in the end produce nothing but torment to mens Spirits Hence Learn 1. The consideration of the Lords large and comfortable allowance to His Own should move All to take them to His Way of seeking after Happiness and therefore this allowance should be much insisted on by his servants and often viewed by People
in reference to Gods inflicting of it as a Judgment 4. As there are seasons wherein War may be lawfully undertaken by the Lords People As when their Religion lives and liberties are unjustly invaded 2 Chron. 20.10.11 And so the ground or cause of ingaging in War is just and necessary Jud. 2.12 13. And when they have probable means of prosecuting the same Luk. 14.21 So is it the Duty of the Lords People to observe these seasons and not to delight in War so as to anticipat the season thereof Psal 68.30 Nor so to love their ease as to refuse to ingage therein when Gods time comes Judg. 5.16.23 For of the season wherein men may and ought to undertake War this may be understood There is a time of War 5. As the Lord hath His appointed seasons wherein He maketh Wars to cease Psal 46.4 And so makes Peace in His Peoples borders Psal 147.14 which are especially when He hath humbled His People for these sins which have procured such a Judgment Isai 57.18.19 And sets them about the Reformation of their ways Hos 2.16 17 18. When the cup of Their iniquity who made War against His People is full Gen. 15.16 And Gods work intended by them is wrought Isai 10.12 So there are seasons also to be observed and made use of by the Lords People wherein they ought to condescend to terms of Peace with these against whom they did justly undertake War to wit When the end of their undertaking is gained and they may with Peace injoy truth and these outward liberties and priviledges which God hath allowed upon them For this hath respect both to the Lords Dispensation and to mans Duty There is a time of Peace Ver. 9. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth 10. I have seen the travel which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it WE have heard of the first consideration serving to work the hearts of them that will take Gods way of seeking Happiness to contentment with their Lot and to wean the hearts of all from seeking Happiness in things Earthly viz That the time of all Events is in Gods Hand Here follow some further considerations to the same purpose The Second in order is held out in this Question What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth Which is not spoken to condemn lawful diligence even about things earthly But the meaning of it is as was more fully cleared upon the like Words Chap. 1. ver 3 That there is no true profit in that sort of Labour which can render a man truely Happy or that will Abide and Remain with a man as the Word signifies of all his anxious toilsome pains as the Word translated To Labour signifies which he takes to make up for himself an earthly Happiness ver 9. The Third consideration is That God hath imposed upon all the Children of Men and none of them by all their wâ—t oâ— power can shun it this sore Travel even to wrestle thorow such various changes of Dispensations as have been formerly exprest so that there can be no true Happiness or Contentment attained if he be not looked unto who hath the Time of every sad or comfortable event in His Hand And this he sets down as a thing certainly known to himself in his own experience who had found several of these Times spoken of before go over his head and had observed the same in others beside him The fourth is That Gods end in this variety of Dispensations is good to wit That man should be exercised therein to keep him from setling upon this Earth as if Happiness could be where so many ups and downs are or that he may be humbled thereby as the Word Exercised most properly and according to the most frequent use of it in Scripture signifies ver 10. Hence Learn 1. However deluded sinners seeking their Happiness in things Earthly apprehend profit to be only in things of that sort and in nothing els Prov. 1.13 Mal. 3.14 Yet while men take not Gods way for Happiness they gain nothing by all their work which deserves the name of profit or Advantage seeing they lose Gods favour and fellowship and their own Souls What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth 2. Nothing is to be reckoned the true Profit or Advantage of a mans work but that which is permanent and and will abide with him as nothing earthly can do only the Graces of Gods spirit abide in the exercise of them with the Saints in Death Prov. 14.32 And their good Works abide with them thorow all Eternity in the Gracious reward of them Rev. 14 13. For this word Profit signifies a thing Permanent or Remaining and concerning such a thing the Question is What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth 3. Men that are most earnest in the pursuit of things Earthly are most slow and unwilling to consider what real Profit will redound to them by their pains and can very hardly be moved to Examine their Consciences seriously by puting this Question to them which if they did they might see that nothing deserving the name of Profit could be condescended upon and their Consciences might be forced to answer if they would weigh Profit in the Balance of the Sanctuary that they have none of it at all And therefore Christs Ministers should often urge mens Consciences with Questions to this purpose Concerning the abiding Profit or Advantage of their way For after the Preacher had put this to men in the beginning of this Book he comes here again to urge them with it What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth 4. The Lord hath imposed this as an inevitable Lot upon all the Children of men which none of them though never so far advanced above the common rank of men can with all their wit or power eschew that they shall have a toilsome and wearisome life as the Words sore travel here signify wrestling thorow various changes of their condition that hereby they may be convinced of the insufficiency of created things and their pains about them to bring to them any True Happiness and so may be moved to imploy their Travel for some better things and to make sure a state that cannot be shaken for which cause it is that Solomon here offers this consideration This sore travel hath God given to the son 's of men c. 5. Although it increase the Anxiety of wicked men to consider that sad Dispensations are inevitable 1 Sam. 31.4 Yet it serves to work contentment and submission to the pleasure of God in the hearts of the Godly who know that all of these shall work for their good Rom. 8 28 For this consideration is held out to quiet their hearts under all changes This sore travel God hath given to the son 's of men 6. They who have a Calling publick to hold out the mind of God
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
with God which is the true Good of the Souls of Men. 2 Pet. 3.10 And Lastly he passeth sentence upon this Mans Course as upon the former that it is the Man's Sin or a proof of his Vanity and it is also a sore Affliction or a part of his Punishment Hence Learn 1. As the vain and sinful Courses which Men take for Happiness in this Earth are so many and various that let a diligent Observer turn himself never so often to what hand he will he shall always see more and more of them So those who would promove the Work of Mortification in their own hearts ought to search them all out and study the Vanity of one of them after another For so doth Solomon here after he hath made many Observations upon the Vanity that Men are subject to he saith I returned again and saw Vanity under the Sun 2. The Lord 's publick Messengers must not only point out the Way to true Blessedness and the Priviledges of those who take themselves to it but must trace the several ways that Satan and Mens Corruption do put them upon to their own Misery and Ruine and in their Doctrine discover the Vanity of these in particular For so doth Solomon after he hath before pointed at the Way to true Happiness and Contentment he goes from one of Mens vain Courses to another and demonstrates the Vanity thereof Then I returned and saw vanity under the Sun There is One alone c. 3. All the vain and sinful Courses which Men take for Happiness in this Earth though they lead all to one Black End yet are they very farr different one from another some of them being upon one extreme some upon another so that Men have no ground to please themselves if they be out of God's Way though they be not walking in the Way that others are in as they are ready to do Luk. 18.11 seing there are moe ways to Hell than one or two For in the former Words Solomon described one Man going to Hell with his hands folded and doing nothing here he describes another going the same way with great activity and much business There is One alone c. and there is no end of his labour 4. Although the multitude of those for whom Men are bound to provide can never warrand their neglect of the main Business that concerns their Souls Prov. 31.26 30. Yet the greater Mens charge of that sort be the more careful and diligent in lawful pains they ought to be and more than those who have fewer to provide For while the Sin of the Covetous Man is aggravated by this that he hath neither Child nor Brother and yet there is no end of all his labour It is imported that if he had had these Relations he had been less guilty than now while he hath neither Child c. and yet there is no end of all his labour 5. When the Lord in His Providence so ordereth that Men of great Substance and Riches in the World have few or none of near Relation to them to whom they may leave the same it should much abate their earnestness in the pursuit of these things and make them bestow more of their time and labour about things Spiritual and Heavenly and think of imploying their Wealth for the Poor and other Pious Uses For he makes it an Aggravation of Man's guilt that having neither Child nor Brother there should be no end of his labour 6. Though Men be ready to cloak their excessive care and pains about things worldly with their love to Posterity and respect to those of near relation to them yet the truth is that excessive Care of theirs flows not so much from any true love to those as from the innordinate love of Riches themselves and so is to be Fathered upon Mens Corruption For the Spirit of God to point out that which is natural to all who are not seeking the true Riches Doth bring in the example of One alone who hath neither Child nor Brother and yet there is no end of his labour 7. Natural Men who soon weary of any exercise that concerns their Souls good Amos 8.5 will end their Time Spirits and Strength before they make an end of their excessive pains for Trifles For so saith the Spirit of God here There is no end of his labour 8. So large is the capacity and appetite of a rational Soul and so great emptiness is there in the Creatures that not only the greatest things they can enjoy cannot satisfy them but all that their Eyes can see cannot do it how foolish are Men who spend not their labour for that which can satisfy even the Graces and Consolations of Gods Spirit Ps 36.8 For while Man seeks other things as his portion His Eye is not satisfied with riches 9. When Men have given up themselves to the Slavery of any worldly Lust their thoughts are so taken up with it that not only the matters of their Souls are neglected but even these thoughts which are most obvious and common are banished For there is nothing more ordinary among Men than to consider for whom they are taking pains yet when a Man hath once given up himself to the service of that Idol Mammon he hath not so much leasure as to say to his own heart For whom do I labour 10. Although Men that are acquiring and encreasing a great worldly Estate cannot know certainly who shall be their Heirs yet it is fit they should seriously consider what sort of persons they are like to prove who probably will succeed to them that if they have small ground to think they will improve what they get to advantage they may abate their pains or dispose of their purchase some better way For it is here given as a proof of their Vanity and Folly that they say not for whom do I labour 11. As the inordinat love and earnest pursuit of things worldly deprives Men of the comfortable use of the Creatures and of the true good of Communion with God so the consideration of this their loss is a powerful mean to abate the eagerness of their love to and pursuit of these things as is imported in this consideration which they neglect here suggested unto them Neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good 12. The cause why Men are so mad in the pursuit of worldly things as their Happiness and for them neglect their Souls is that they never retire within themselves as it were to commune with their own Hearts and put Questions to their own Consciences concerning all the fruit of their pains and the loss they sustain by the same For this may be taken for the cause of the Covetous Mans endless labour He saith not for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good 13. It is both Mens great Guilt and their sore Affliction to choise and pursue earthly things as their Happiness and to neglect Righteousness the
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. â— 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
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. â—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 Blesâ— 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 loaâ—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
lawful Marriage Ps 127.3.4.5 And to have a long Life when it is spent in Honouring God Prov. 16.31 Yet when he looks upon these or any thing of that nature as his chief Good or when his Eagerness in providing for his Children or Old Age takes him off from providing for his Soul or proves prejudicial to the true Good thereof then these outward Blessings are so far from increasing his Happiness that they do much augment his Sin and Misery for such an one the Spirit of God doth here set forth as extremely miserable who though he have an hundred Children and live never so many years yet his Soul injoys no Good 5. That which is a sanctified Dispensation to the Saints and is so far from diminishing that it doth increase their Happiness the same is a plague and Testimony of Gods displeasure to the Wicked For although the best of the Saints may be deprived of the Honour of Burial and when it is so for Christs cause they are so much the more Happy Ps 79.2 Rom. 8.28 Yet the want thereof is a curse to the Wicked and an increase of their Misery in so far as it speaks the Lords abhorrency of their Bodies which they only cared for for as a part of the Covetous mans Curse he is here supposed to have no Burial 6. There may be much Mercy in these Dispensations of the Lord which seem most sad and portend most wrath to the Sons of Men An Untimely Birth often proves very grievous to the Parents not only for the disappointment of their Hopes and Desires but for the hazard of the Mothers Life Yet it may prove Really and should be so looked upon a prevention of much Sin and Misery to the person so taken away and consequently of greater Grief to the Parents who should think upon their abortive Seed as in a Better Condition than if the same had been timely and had come to have great Riches Honour many Children and long Life neglecting with all the study of the Souls true Good for comparing such a Birth with the Covetous man he saith an untimely Birth is better than he 7. Though the natural state of all that enter into the World be equally Sinful and Miserable as to their Original Guilt and subjection to wrath therefore Psal 51.5 Eph. 2.3 Yet that Guilt is only reckoned upon the Wicked mans Score who continues in Sin and is not imputed to the Godly who is born again and hath Christs Righteousness imputed to him For it is of the Covetous Idolater that this is spoken as being proper to him to have that Guilt charged upon him when he is going out of the World he comes in with Vanity 8. There is neither comfort nor hope of comfort in the Death of Wicked men their Death is their entry into utter Darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth For Darkness in Scripture signifies both the privation of Comfort and the inflicting of Torment and Woe And here the Covetous Idolater is said to depart in Darkness 9. It is just with God to deprive Men of a Name after they are gone who minded never the Glory of his Name nor tio have a Name and esteem with him in their Life but placed the r Happiness in gaining a high esteem among Men and in perpetuating their Memory among them after their Death And ordinarily he doth so for although some Wicked men may have their Remembrance long continued by some useful Monuments left behind them yet as to the perpetuating of their Name and esteem as truely Happy Men with God and among them that are truely wise this is verified of every one of them his Name is covered with Darkness 10. Every step of a Wicked Mans walk from his entry into the World to his Departure out of it is in Sin and Misery so that if such Men could be particularly known to others this might be truely said of them and written upon every one of their Graves he comes in with Vanity he departs in Darkness and his Name is covered with Darkness 11. It had been better for Men that they had never been than to be without God in the World better never to have seen the Sun than to seek their Portion in things below the Sun and better never to have known any thing than to imploy all their wit about things Worldly neglecting the study of Gods favour and Reconciliation with him thorow Christ for here the Abortive who hath not seen the Sun nor known any thing is preferred to the Covetous as in a Better Condition than he who hath seen the Sun lived long and known much of things Worldly 12. They that seek Rest and satisfaction to their Spirits in any created thing neglecting to seek the true spiritual Rest which consists in Reconciliation and fellowship with God in Christ Mat. 11.28 Psal 116.6 And to make sure their eternal Wel-being which is the everlasting Rest of the Godly Isai 57.1 shall be so far from finding Rest in this World that they shall meet with much unquietness here and Everlasting Torment hereafter For Solomon comparing the Covetous with the Abortive he saith this hath more rest than the other and seing the Abortive hath properly no rest here at all and yet is said to have more Rest then the Covetous it is imported that he is so far from Rest that he is extremely Tormented 13. All the Favours that wicked Men enjoy are aggravations of their guilt and so do increase their Misery Even this that they have seen the Sun or have known any thing at all makes their case more sad than theirs who have not For it is here imported that they are more miserable than if they had not seen the Sun nor known any thing while the case of the Abortive is preferred to theirs in this That such an one hath not seen the Sun nor known any thing and hath more rest than they 14. As Men that are Strangers to the Spiritual Life of Grace and so have no well grounded confidence of the Life of Glory are excessively desirous of a long Life in this World so this frame of Spirit is a clear mark of an unmortified worldly person For while the Spirit of God directs Solomon to suppose Men to live so long here he meets with their apprehensions that they would be very happy if they might have the benefit of so long a Life and therefore do exceedingly desire it Yea though he live a thousand years twice told 15. The true Good which should draw the desires of Men after it doth not consist in Riches Honours numerous Off-spring or any thing of that sort A Man may have all these and yet be a Stranger to that wherein his chief Good consists namely Fellowship with God and living in His Fear and Obedience For Solomon here supposes a Man to have beside the former Advantages A long Life even a thousand years twice told and yet to see no good 16. Men that
have spent a long Life in seeking Happiness in the Earth will notwithstanding of all former disaâ—â—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 pâ—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 missiâ—â— 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
going about it The other doth in some measure know both as Solomon asserted in the close of the former Verse For that which he called Judgement before he calls now that which shall be which according to the Hebrew Dialect is put for that which should be and makes the ignorance of this peculiar to the Man destitute of Saving Knowledge as the cause of much Misery upon him The misery of Man is great upon him for he knows not what shall be 5. It is the misery of Man void of Saving Knowledge that being ignorant of what shall be he hath nothing to give him true Comfort against what may be and against what he is apt to apprehend shall be and so must vex himself with his own Apprehensions And it is the comfortable Priviledge and Happiness of the Man indued with Saving Wisdom that though he be ignorant of future Events yet he doth in some measure know what is his Duty under and what is his sutable Consolation against the worst that can fall out For it is here set down as the cause of much Misery peculiar to the Man destitut of Saving Knowledge that He knows not what shall be which cannot be taken simply for his ignorance of future Events seing the Godly Man is ignorant of these but that he knows not what is his Duty and that he is so ignorant of what shall be as that he hath no sutable Comfort against what may be and what he apprehends shall fall out His misery is great upon him for he knows not what shall be 6. The Man that is not taught of God and makes not Saving Knowledge from the Word and Spirit of God his study is one that no Man can inform all the Men in the World are to him as if they were ignorant as himself For this last Question Who can tell him when it shall be is not as if there were none that could inform him of Times and Seasons so far as is fit for him to know for there are such to be found but because he himself is void of Saving Knowledge and doth not imploy Christ to open his blind Eyes and because he cannot receive instruction from any therefore he speaks of him as if there were none to tell him that which might prevent his Misery And who can tell him when it shall be Ver. 8. There is no Man that hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of Death and there is no discharge in that war neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it THe Preacher giveth here a farther Argument for the study of Heavenly Wisdom and proveth the Misery of them that are destitut of it The Argument is taken from the necessity of the Death of all Men which though it be true of both good and bad yet it is here spoken of as a peculiar Misery upon those that are destitut of saving knowledge they being both unwilling to dy and unprepared for Death and having nothing to comfort them against it as the Godly have The words may be looked upon as one special instance of these Events spoken off in the words immediatly preceeding whereof no Man can know the time and may be taken with a special Reference to the foregoing purpose as an Argument to disswade Men from Rashness in hazarding themselves under the stroak of humane Justice from Magistrates and to move them for that end to keep themselves within the bounds of their Duty toward them seing as he hath shewn before they have power to reach Men easily that provoke them and being once apprehended and Sentence past against them there is no power in them to retain their Life But it seems most agreeable the Scope to take the words more largely as an Argument to evidence Heavenly Wisdom by timeous preparing for Death because of the necessity of it and this he sets forth in three Expressions The First that man hath no power over the Spirit to retain it may be understood of mans Impotency to retain his Soul or Breath as the word Spirit is in the Original which is often held out in Scripture by this name Jam 2.22 And that relating to the moment when Gods time is come to call for it no Man then hath power to keep it longer in the Prison as the word Retain signifies The Second Neither hath he power in the day of Death may be understood of Mans Inability about the time of his Death not only to resist Death but to do any necessar Duty he hath ordinarily no power for any Action toward that time The meaning of the Third There is no Discharge in that War is that Man can Discharge no Weapons to weaken the force of Death for the word Discharge signifies Emission or sending forth as it is used Ps 78.49 as Men casts Darts or discharge Musquets or the like Engines of War they have no Arrows to shoot at Death Or there is no Dimission of this charge no forelose as the common word is to shift this Combate which Men must have with Death Thus he sets out the necessity of it and Mens Impotency to shift it And because wicked Men who by many sinful shifts put by hazards yea Death it self for a time which as they think would have come if they had not followed these Courses do think themselves in a manner in Covenant with Death that it must spare them while the Godly perisheth in his uprightness as Solomons expression is before therefore that he may terrify and reclaim such he doth assure all whether Magistrats or Subjects that none of their wicked Courses wherein they are restless and whereunto they have wedded themselves shall be able to prevent their Death or prolong their Life as the last words of the verse signifie Doct. 1. All the Prudence Power and Policy of Men all the Creature Comforts the Cordials and preservatives of Life that Men may provide and use cannot keep in the Immortal Soul in the Body a moment longer then Gods time is come to call for it Man hath some power over his Spirit to turn it while his Life lasts to restrain it from many things he lets it out upon and to put it upon many better things but he hath no power to keep it beyond the Moment fixed by the Lord for taking his Spirit into his hand to dispose of it eternally as he pleases For saith he no Man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit 2. Man should so exercise his witt in the study of Reconciliation with God while he hath any power over the Motions of his own Spirit and should so spend his affections the desires and delights of his Soul upon things of a spiritual and eternal concernment for the Glory of God and the good of his own Soul that he may be every Moment ready to let his Spirit go willingly and to resign it into the hands of the Father of Spirits who gave it
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 Judicaturâ— 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
whom Men seem to have but some small prejudice will study to forge or seek out and then magnify the grounds of it and at last if left to it self will readily drive the person to Satan to be helped by him to vent its malice For saith Solomon The beginning of the words of his mouth is but foolishness the Word signifies Levity or Inconstancy and the end of his talk is mischeivous Madness which signifies the height of Wickedness Ver. 14. A Fool also is full of words a Man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell him 15. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City SOlomon goes on to describe a person void of the saving knowledge of God and of his duty who hath ordinarly in this Book the name of the Fool by giving some Resemblances between him and a natural Fool. And First he describes him from the multitude of his Words he is full of them Or as the original bears he multiplies or magnifies his words importing his Boasting especially of future Events as appears by the following words wherein the Preacher makes answer to some of his words he boasts of what he will do afterward without dependance upon God and to this Solomon saith a Man cannot tell what shall be It being only proper to God to foretell future Events Isa 44.7 Again he either presums to determine future Events or is Anxiously inquisitive about them to this it is Answered and what shall be after him who can tell him The meaning is none can inform him how things shall go the next Month or Year which may be the Month or Year after he is gone Secondly He describes such a Man from the fruitfulness of his indeavours he is like a blind Fool that is out of the way to a City and wearies himself to find it though that be one of the easiest things that even Children may know so the Man who is void of true and saving Wisdom spends himself in fruitless indeavours and cannot so much as manage aright the most common of his Affairs Hence Learn 1. Unless a Mans Wit be sanctified and exercised about the study of Reconciliation with God thorow Christ and the way of Glorifying him by Living in his fear and obedience though he were esteemed an Oracle for Worldly Wit among men he is a very Fool to himself and in Gods esteem the best of his Wisdom is Foolishness therefore doth the Spirit of God here by Solomon as frequently elsewhere in Scripture describe the unregenerat Man by the carriage and practice of a meer Fool and the description agrees even to such as Achitophel A Fool also is full of words a Man cannot tell what shall be 2. They that have least knowledge have often most discourse the conceit that such have of their knowledge makes them esteem so much of what themselves say and so undervalue any thing else that others can hardly have place to speak beside them and the same Conceit makes them give litle or no time to deliberation before they speak and less to reflection upon the Impertinency and Sin that is in the multitude of their words For thus doth the Spirit of the Lord describe such A Fool also is full of words 3. When Men are bold in determining future Events especially the success of their own Undertakings or so anxiously inquisitive about them that they are taken off from their present Duty they prove themselves destitut of saving Wisdom which teaches Men to commit their way to the Lord that their Thoughts may be established anent future Events Prov. 16.3 and so to follow their Duty with no less Confidence while they are ignorant of what may come after than if they did know it Act. 20.22 24. For the Question to which Solomon here answers imports the Man destitute of this Wisdom to be of the disposition formerly described A Man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell him 4. God hath reserved to himself the prerogative of knowing things to come and of revealing the same to the Children of Men how far and in what manner he pleases that they may be taught humble Dependance upon Him for as much Light from His Word and Spirit concerning things to come as may incite them to make a right use of their present time For this Question imports that both Men and Angels are secluded from this Prerogative of knowing or making known future Events And what shall be after him who can tell him 5. They that esteem Christs sweet and easie Service a Toil as all Unregenerat Men do Mal. 1.13 shall but waste and spend themselves even to Fainting as the word here translated Weary signifies in any course they can take for satisfaction and none of this sort are in a better condition than others as to their finding of any rest in their way For saith Solomon The labour of the Foolish wearies every one of them 6. Men who neglect to imploy Christ for Eye-salve that they might see things of greatest Concernment for His Glory and the salvation of their own Souls are often for their so doing justly left to miscarry in their most common and ordinary Affairs and from this comes the ruine of so many great Estates and other Inconveniencies which even many of the wisest Men of this World run themselves into For the Spirit of God describes the disposition of Unregenerat Men void of the saving Knowledge of God and His Will from their resemblance to a foolish man who knows not so much as the way into the City Ver. 16. We to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness SOlomon having shewn some of the principal Grievances which the Godly meet with under the bad Government of Rulers and directed them how to carry themselves in reference to the same He doth here regrate the woful case of that Land over which insufficient and vitious Rulers are set and upon the other hand proclaims the Happiness of that Land that hath Rulers well qualified for their Imployment For clearing of this we may consider First That he speaks to the Land intending the Inhabitants thereof as is frequent in Scripture Isa 1.2 Jer. 22.29 the more to move the People who have bad Magistrates to resent their own sad Case and to search out and mourn for the procuring Causes thereof and to incite them who have good Magistrates over them to be thankful to God for so great a Blessing Secondly The Wo and Blessedness he here speaks of is mainly to be taken with reference to a temporal and outward Condition though doubtless the same as also the Causes thereof to wit the Wickedness or Goodness of those in power may have influence upon
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 gâ—ves them very hoâ—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
must be very earnest with them to admit and make use of the same and must not think themselves sufficiently exonered to have held forth Light and given warning to people unless they do their outmost to prevail with them to make use thereof For so doth Solomon here after clear Light held forth concerning Mens Duty and warning given of their Hazard in case they neglect it he is most serious with them to make use of his pains farther by these my Son be admonished or enlighened 2. This is the perfection of Scripture above all other Writings in the World that every part of it which hath been by any Pen-man delivered to the Church doth contain a perfect rule of Faith and Manners so that no other Writtings beside or contrary to it are necessary for supplying the defects of it For Solomon here supposes that what he and others of the Lords Servants who lived before and in his time had Written though then there was but a small part of Holy Scripture delivered to the Church was sufficient to Admonish Men of their Duty and Hazard in order to their true Happiness while he saith by these my Son be admonished 3. In the Study of the Scripture Men should not aim at their Comfort only but mainly that they may receive clear Information and warning of their Sin and Hazard the true remedy thereof and the way to attain to it For this is one main use to be made of this Book and consequently of the rest of Scripture by these be Admonished 4. Though some of the Hearers of the Gospel be strong Men in comparison of others who are but Babes 1 Job 2.13.14 yet all of them should come as Children to hear the Lords Mind with meekness and submission to the Reproofs and warnings of the Word with Love to their Teachers desiring the sincere Milk of the Word from them And Ministers should put on Bowels of Fatherly affection toward the people with whom they deal Therefore doth Solomon here speak to every Hearer as a Son by these my Son he Admonished 5. Men are naturally so transported with a desire of Vain Glory especially that which they affect to have by their Wisdom Joh. 11.12 that while they have time or strength they will never make an end of seeking out many Inventions whereby to attain to their imaginary Happiness after they have Writren one Book to shew themselves Wise in the discovery of the way to Happiness they will still begin another And yet so empty are all the Creatures and courses that natural Men can take about them that till men betake themselves to that new and living way to Happiness which the Scripture reveals they will meet with nothing but endless Labour and continual disappointment without any true setling or quietness to their minds For Solomon speaking of their Writtings who mistake the Scriptures way to Happiness saith of making many Books there is no end 6. Though the Study of saving knowledge may prove wearisom to the Flesh partly by Reason of our Dulness and unacquaintance with the grounds of consolation and confidence of success and partly because the Lord will have the wearying of the Flesh in that Study a mean to promove mortification and to divert the Heart from sinful delights yet that study is sweet of it self and is the very rest and refreshment of the Soul yea it is Health to the Spirit and Marrow to the Bones and in comparison of it all other Studies are spending and wearisom even to the Flesh For this study must be rest and sweetness seing it is of other Studies only that Solomon affirms this much Study is a weariness to the Flesh Ver. 13. Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man HEre is the last Article of the Conclusion of this Book containing the summ of Solomons Scope in the whole especially in these directions which he had given for attaining to true Happiness And this summ he doth first press upon his own Heart and the Hearts of all others and so Labours to fasten it as a Nail there and as that which the whole purpose of this Book aims at Secondly He Branches out this summ in two exhortations The first is to the Fear of God which sometimes in Scripture is put for the Whole Worship and Service of God Isai 29.13 but being here distinguished from the keeping of the Commandements which comprehends all the Worship of God it is to be understood of that inward Filial reverence and aw of God which the Lord hath promised in the Covenant of Grace to put in the Hearts of his People whereby out of a believing consideration of the greatness and soveraignity of God Jer. 10.6.7 his goodness to them in Christ Hos 3.5 especially his proneness to pardon their failings Ps 130.4 they do depart from what they know offensive to their Father Prov. 16.6 and aim at what is well pleasing in his sight Philip. 2.12 in humble confidence making use of Christs Merits to cover their Imperfections and make them acceptable to God Psal 5.7 The Second Exhortation is to the keeping of his Commandements whereby is not meant a legal perfect obedience which Solomon knew to be impossible he being so well acquainted with Original Corruption Eccles 7.20.29 but a sincere and constant aim at conformity to the will of God without exception of any of his Commands and that because they are his And Thirdly He presseth this Study by two Arguments The First is in this verse that this is the whole duty of man or as the Words are in the original this is the whole of Man to wit his main task or a compend of all that God requireth and worketh in his own and wherewith they should be wholly taken up all their Life-time as they desire to be truly happy here and hereafter Hence Learn 1. It is necessary for Christs Ministers that they have some certain Scope relating to the practice of the Lords people at which they should aim in all that they deliver unto them and in the close of any discourse or part of their pains they should labour to leave some impression thereof as a Nail fastened in their Hearts For so doth Solomon here sum up his Scope in this Book and labour to fix the same in the Hearts of all men let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter 2. Whatever duty Ministers press upon people in order to their peace and Happiness they should imprint the same upon their own Hearts and become Learners of these Lessons they hold out to others not binding heavy Burthens upon Mens Backs which they touch not with one of thir Fingers For Solomon here makes himself a Hearer and Learner of his own Doctrine while he saith Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter fear God c. 3. No Man will ever be such a proficient in the Study of the fear and
considering that when Gods appointed time of calling for it comes he will have no Power over it to Retain it for this is an Argument for the study of Heavenly Wisdom and respect to Gods commands Man hath no Power over the Spirit to retain it 3. However Men of great natural Spirits especially such as are transported with the desire of esteem for magnanimity and Courage may seem to defy Death and not to fear it while they are not come to Combat with it yet so terrible is it to all that have not made their Peace with God and so made sure to themselves a better Life that when it draws neer they will have strong desires to Retain their Spirits a while longer and to have a Discharge from the Combat with Death they having nothing to comfort and strengthen them against the King of Terrours and the fear of the second Death which is at the back of the first for this is spoken to shake men out of their security who neglect the study of Heavenly Wisdom and preparation for Death no Man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither is there any discharge in that War 4. It is the great Misery of wicked Men to be peremptorily called to render their Spirits and utterly unwilling to part with them to be called to Combat with the King of Terrours and to have neither Courage nor Comfort in entering the the Lists with him and this is the case of all who are destitut of saving Wisdom the consideration whereof should incite Men to study Reconciliation with God and an Holy Walk which breeds Willingness to Dy and Comfort in Death For as a proof of Mans Misery spoken of before this is brought in no Man hath Power to retain the Spirit it supposes Man very desirous to Retain it even when he must part with it 5. Mens Spirits that are now Rebellious against God and in a continual motion contrary to his revealed Will must when Death comes move at his Command they must flit out of the Body and sist themselves before the Judge to be at his disposal the consideration whereof should deter Men from their sinful Courses For no man hath Power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit 6. While Men have natural strength and vigour they should spend the same in these Exercises the remembrance whereof may comfort them in Death for when Death draws neer Man becomes impotent not only to resist Death but to prepare for it not only hath he no power to prosecute his Lusts farther but no power for these spiritual Exercises which he puts off to the Day of his Death for Solomon gives this as an Argument for the study of Heavenly Wisdom neither hath he Power in the day of Death 7. As every Man will have a sore Conflict and an hot Battel with Death so there is no Man with never so much Power or Policy not the greatest on Earth who can have a Discharge or Exemption from ingaging in the Combat with it Therefore Men had need to get the Breast plate of Faith and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation and to study a wise carriage in an evil World especially when they have to do with Wicked men in Power and Authority least by their miscarriage they ingage themselves needlessly in that War For there is no Discharge in that War 8. Mortal men can hardly be brought to have serious thoughts of the necessity of Death and the impossibility of shifting the Combat with it they live as if they could Retain their Spirits for ever and forget to take their Armour to them as if they were never to fight with the King of Terrours Therefore the necessity of it and impossibility of escaping it is here set forth by so many expressions No Man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit no man hath power in the day of Death neither is there any Discharge in that War 9. When wicked Men have had success in their sinful Courses so far as by them to escape temporal hazards for a time they do them go on as confidently in them as if they would always deliver them as is imported in this threatning which contradicts Mens ordinary apprehension neither shall Wickedness deliver those that are given to it 10. Whatever be mens apprehensions of safety by their sinful Courses they shall be so far from delivering them at last that they shall bring total and terrible destruction upon them For such sparing expressions in Scripture spoken against wicked Men import much more than is exprest even the contrary affirmative in the Superlative degree neither shall Wickedness deliver those that are given to it importing no less than that it shall bring Vtter Destruction from which there shall be no escaping to all Eternity 11. However all unregenerat Men rise not to a like height of Wickedness yet all of them are restless in committing of the same they cannot Sleep unless they do Mischief or provoke others so to do as the word Wickedness signifies they are expert in Sin and wedded to their Lusts as if they had made a Marriage Covenant with them as the words Translated that are given to it signifie Wickedness shall not deliver those that are given to it 12. Though any degree of Wickedness continued in will bring Destruction upon Men yet of all Sinners there are least hopes of the Salvation of them who are become Restless and unwearied in Sinning and so pour out their affections upon their Lusts as if they were wedded to them for so are the words in the Original Wickedness or Turbulency and Restlessness in Sin shall not deliver them that are given or have Wedded or married themselves unto it Ver. 9. All this have I seen and applied my heart to every work that is done under the Sun there is a time wherein one man Ruleth over another to his own hurt HEre Solomon doth First confirm his former Doctrine from his own Experience that he had Seen all that he saith partly by his own Observation and partly by the Information of the Lords Spirit representing to his mind as in a Glass that he might represent the same to the Church the misery of them that want that Wisdom which is from above and the sweet Advantages of them that have it formerly mentioned Next He commends his Experience from the great pains he took in studying the Lords Dispensations he applied his heart his understanding and Affections were taken up how to profit in this study and the Book he read upon was a very large Volume all the works under the Sun whereby he means especially all the Dispensations of Gods Providence for the several kinds of them and so far as humane understanding elevated and illuminated as his was might reach them For though he was a great Student of the Works of Creation or nature 1 King 4.33 yet he speaks here mainly of the Works of Gods Providence or the carriage and issue of humane
for more as from his Watchfulness and giving good heed ver 9. As from his orderly digesting of his matter ver 9. so from his dexterity in reducing Purposes to short and grave Sentences or Proverbs ver 9. 2. From the Qualities of the Doctrine by him delivered ver 10. viz. The desirableness of the words and matter ver 10. The approvableness and uprightness of the purpose ver 10. And the firmness and truth thereof ver 10. All which commend his Doctrine as being Desirable to move the Affection Upright to reform and direct the Practice and True to inform the Judgement and perswade Belief And 3. He commends the purpose of this Book 1. From the Efficacy of it with reference not only to the Doctrine revealed in this Book but to all Truth in general ver 11. As being powerful to excite as a Goad people to their Duty ver 11 and to establish and fix Men as Nails in the ways of God ver 11. And 2. From the authority of it as being given by and derived from Christ Jesus the one Shepherd ver 11. And 3. In the conclusion of this Book and Purpose he exhorteth to the right Improvement of it and the purposes therein ver 12. Wherein 1. He giveth his Readers a loving compellation of a Son thereby to insinuat upon their affections ver 12. 2 He shews the right use of these words and purposes even to be admonished by them ver 12. And 3. He presseth this by two Reasons the 1. is That if Men follow not these Directions they will be endless and fruitless as in writing many Books in their Inquiries after other things and ways And the 2 Reason is from the sad effect even to the flesh of these vain Imaginations and Enquiries ver 11. Yea 4 In this Conclusion of the Book he giveth the Scope of all this Doctrine delivered ver 13. which 1. He presseth on his own Heart and the Hearts of others ver 13. 2. He branches out the substance of his whole Doctrine in two Duties the 1. is the Fear of God The 2. is the Keeping of His Commandements ver 13. And 3. He presseth these Duties by two Arguments the first whereof is in this ver 13. As being the short summ of all that God requireth of and worketh in Man and wherewith they should be wholly imployed ver 13. The second Reason whereby the study of those great Duties is pressed is taken from the certainty terriblness and exactness of the last Judgement contained in ver last And therefore whoever design to be truly Happy should forbear the following of lying Vanities within time and give themselves to the study and exercise of â—earing God and keeping His Commandements wherein true preparation for Death and Eternity does consist CHAP. XII Ver. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw neigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them THe Scope of this Heavenly Preacher in the first part of this Chapter being to stir up Men to make timous preparation for Death and Judgement he doth in this verse First press that Exercise which mainly fits Men for appearing before their Judge in these words Remember thy Creator Whereby according to the frequent use of the word in Scripture is meant that Men should labour to intertain such clear thoughts of the properties of God particularly his power and terrour Neh. 4.14 His grace and love Cant. 1.4 as use to be blest for leading Men to Repentance Ps 22.27 drawing their hearts to trust in the Lord Ps 20 7. and ingaging them to his praise Ps 97.12 and to all duties of new obedience Deut. 8.11 and while he presseth this Exercise on Men he represents the Lord to them as Creator not to exclude other considerations of him as useful to be remembred by them but because under this consideration he is naturally known to Men and the same is very effectual for moving them to live to him from whom they have their being and constantly to depend upon him from whom they have their daily preservation which is to them a continued Creation Next He points out the season fittest for the discharge of of this duty and that is the present Now and especially the days of Mens youth not as if these who have never gone about this duty till Youth be past were not here spoken to but because the time of Mens Youth is of all other the fittest for that Exercise And Thirdly He presseth the present use making of this opportunity by a reason which is much inlarged in the following words taken from the sad times which every Man may expect under Sickness and Old Age and this he sets forth in two expressions The one is while the evil days come not whereby he means the days of Affliction which are called by that name elsewhere in Scripture Ps 49.5 The other is and the years wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them whereby is meant the time of the long continuance of trouble which every man should prepare for toward the evening of his Life in which neither sinful pleasures nor the most lawful earthly delight shall be sweet to men but they shall be forced to express as they shall be able their loathing of the same and therefore seing all men ought to expect such a time as this before them it is every mans Wisdom to study that which may yeild true pleasure and comfort to his heart in the worst times that can come and that is only Gods favour and fellowship to be found in the way of his fear and obedience afterward recommended Hence Learn 1. It is not the naked contemplation or bare notions of God and his properties that will prepare men rightly for Death or yeild them true comfort at that time but it is the Heart-affecting and practical meditation of him whereby men cherish such thoughts of him as draw forth their affections upon him and make them frame their walk to his Honour for that is the force of the original word both according to the propriety of the original language and the use of it in Scripture as was cleared in the Exposition Remember thy Creator 2. Though there be no consideration of God under which the Scripture holds him out which is not useful and profitable fore us yet these of his soveraignity and omnipotency which the Relation of a Creator offers to reasonable Creatures should be most frequently cherished especially by men who have strong passions and Lusts to be mortified and great discouragements to graple with in the way of their duty that so they may take him up as One able easily to subue these Lusts and make a new Creation upon their Souls or if they continue voluntary Slaves to them able to destroy them being their Creator and if they give themselves up to his obedience able to bear them thorow all difficulties 1 Pet. 4.19 and to creat
peace and comfort in their Spirits to make up the loss of any comfort they can renounce for his sake Isai 57.18.19 for which and the like reasons we may conceive the Lord as Creator recommended to the remembrance of Men who have strongest Lusts unsubdued and apprehend greatest difficulty in renouncing the pleasures of them Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth 3. It is not possible to get the Heart drawn from Earthly delights and so ingaged to the fear and obedience of the Lord unless it be stayed upon him and replenished with frequent thoughts of his properties which will bring in so much Holy aw of him and such apprehensions of sweetness to be bad in him that sinful pleasures will appear to be but Husks or Swins food in comparison thereof and the Soul will not dare to feed upon these Husks if it have clear and frequent thoughts of the soveraignity and power of God the Creator for having disswaded from carnal pleasures in the close of the former Chapter and being afterward in this to recommend to the study of living in the fear of obedience of the Lord as the only way to true Happiness he doth here press this Remember thy Creator as the best way to divert the Heart from the one and ingage it to the other 4. The time of Youth is the fittest time for the study of Reconciliation with God and walking in his fear and obedience then the wit and memory are ripest and the affections most vigorous and therefore should be spent in that study which only is worthy of them especially considering that it is but just with God to reject Men though they should offer themselves to him when they have given the flower of their time Wit Strength and affections to the service of Satan and their Lusts and that if he should accept of them the remembrance of their mis-spent Youth will be extreamly heavy and will readily occasion in the best fears of off-casting in old age compare Ps 25.7 with Ps 71.18 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth 5. As there is a natural propensitie in all to forget God and to shift serious thoughts of him and therefore all Men have need of a Remembrancer to mind them often of this great duty prest in the Text so of all others Young men are most apt to forget God and put off serious thoughts of him and their own Souls their Lusts being strongest and their Hearts most capable of the sweetness of Earthly delights so that the Ministers of Christ though they have often least hope of success in dealing with Wanton Proud Insolent and furious Youth yet must they press this Duty upon them and urge them in the name of the Lord to make use of the present opportunity for it Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth 6. However days of affliction Old Age and Infirmity be good Days to those who have made their Peace with God Hab. 3.17 Rom. 8 2â— yet are they evil Days in themselves and will prove no better than a begun Hell to them who still defer the study of making their Peace with God For so the Preacher describes the times of Affliction which befall Men especially toward Death calling the same evil Days while the evil days come not 7. While Men have Health and Strength and immunity from Trouble they should be forecasting evil Days and unpleasant years that so in the Summer and Harvest of Youth and Strength they may be making Provision for the Stormy Winter of Affliction and Old Age Prov. 10.9 by ensuring the pardon of their Sins thorow the Blood of Christ which else will readily compass them about as unpardoned in such times Psal 49.5 And so making clear their interest in God which is the only Consolation in Evil Days Hab. 3.17 For Solomon supposes here every Young Man to have Evil Days and Years of Trouble before him which he should forecast and thereby be moved to prepare timously for them Remember c. while the Evil Days come not and the Years c. 8. The Lord will once make Earthly Delights tastless and loathsome to Men before they go out of this Life he doth it to the Godly 2 Sam. 19.34.35 that divine Consolations may relish the better with them and they may long for the pleasures that are at his right hand And to the Wicked also Dan. 5 5.6 that they may see their Folly in satisfying themselves with these things only which cannot give them any comfort when they have most need of it And so often gains a Testimony from both good and bad that Earthly Delights are unworthy to be delighted in For Solomon supposes here that there is a time for every Man wherein he shall say I have no Pleasure in them 9. Christs Ministers should be so well acquainted with the Language of dying Men both by their daily observing of the case of such and their study of the Scriptures which will inform them of it Prov 5.11 1 Thes 5.3 that they may be able to inform Men who have least mind of Death what sentence they will pass in their own Conscience and what Language they shall readily utter to others concerning their sinful pleasures when they shall be drawing near to the Gates of Death that so they may the more effectually prevail with them to renounce in time these Sinful Pleasures For Solomon here represents to the voluptuous Young Man who is cheering up his Heart in his Sins and banishing the thoughts of Death what he shall say of his Youthly Pleasures when Sickness comes and Death draws near Thou shall say I have no Pleasure in them Ver. 2. While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened nor the Clouds return after the Rain THe Preacher doth here farther describe negatively the fittest opportunity for the study of Reconciliation and Peace with God and withal doth more particularly describe the Miserie 's incident to Old Age as to the loss of outward Comforts and frequent returns of Diseases at that time This being clear and generally agreed upon by Interpreters to be the Scope of this place we need not be very anxious concerning the particular application of the Allegories here made use of to set forth this purpose First By the Darkening of the Sun the Light the Moon and Stars may be safely understood the ecclipsing or withdrawing of all earthly Comforts seing the Scripture sets out a comfortless state this way and it may comprehend particularly 1. The darkening of the dying Mans bodily Eyes And so 2. Of all external Lights to him as to any Comfort he may reap from them As also 3. The decaying of his Reason and such Faculties of his Soul as are in a manner answerable to the Celestial Lights And likewayes 4. The failing of all outward Comforts both greater and lesser It is clear the loss of all these accompanies dying Men and so they may be