Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A57129
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Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes
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Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing R1238; ESTC R26989
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179,441
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418
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therefore that God must manifest them in his righteous judgement or by his word unto themselves and make them know their own natural vileness and that they are as to outward respects but as the beasts that perish Psal. 49.20 as Psal. 82.6 7. ye are Gods by office but ye shall die like men so here men by reason by power by dignity But ye shall die like beasts Others thus That they might clear or purge God when he judgeth them and shall make them see that they lived like beasts Psal. 51.4 Others that God indeed hath chosen and advanced them to dignity but by what is seen and doth outwardly appear of them they are by their cruelty and injustice no better then beasts as Mic. 3.3 Zeph. 3.3 That they themselves are Beasts Heb. A Beast Or that these are as a Beast to those or as a beast to one another the singular number is put collectively they act the part of all kind of hurtful beasts one towards another so Christ called Herod a fox Luk. 13.32 and the hypocritical Jews vipers Luk. 3.7 See Psal. 22.12 16. 10. 57.4 2 Tim. 4.17 Ps. 80.13 Ezek. 22.27 Jer. 5.6 Psal. 68.30 Amos 4.1 Mat. 7.6 2 Pet. 2.22 Ezek. 2.6 Some render these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Secundum rationem humanam and thence infer that Solomon speaketh here according to the judgment of carnal and corrupt reason and under a Prosopopoeia doth deliver the judgment of Atheists and Epicures touching the mortality of the Soul and the total parity of condition between men beasts in regard of mortality who thence allow themselves in all kinds of violence oppression and luxury and so they understand all that follows to the end of this Chapter to be spoken as in the person of an Epicure and Atheist The same events happen to man and beast their end the same their original and matter the same their senses breath notions the same their soul alike earthly for who knows that mans goes upward more then a beasts and therefore it is equal that they should live sensually without fear or care for the future as beasts do But the necessity of such a sense doth not appear since the wise mans purpose here seemeth to be no other but to humble the highest of men as in the former words by consideration of Gods Judgement over them so in these to the 21. verse by the consideration of their own mortal and earthly condition wherein as to many particulars they agree with the brute beasts for he speaks not here of mans immortal or heavenly Condition but throughout this Book the Scope is to shew the vanity of earthly things and of humane actions in order unto things under the Sun which vanity is by no means to be remedied but only by the fear of God The vanity of all the honours and labours of this life he here discovereth by the equal condition in mere outward respects between men and beasts V. 19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them For as for the Event of the sons of men and for the Event of beasts one Event is to them both Psal. 49.10 as the one dieth so dieth the other Or as is the death of the one so is the death of the other Chap. 2.15 16. they have all one breath They draw in and out the same air by the same kind of vital organs mans breath is in his nostrils as the breath of beasts Isa. 2.22 Job 27.3 4. Gen. 2.7 He speaks not of the soul of man but of Animal and vital breath which is common to both Ezek. 37.5.10 So we read of the common provisions which God makes in regard of this life for beasts birds fishes and men and the common fate which attends them all Psal. 104.11 12 14 15 21 23 27 30. so that a man hath no preheminence above a beast In outward respects without piety to raise him above a mere corporal and sensual use of them nay in many outward things beasts have the preheminence some more strength others more agility some more exquisite senses others longer life most more healthy more hardy able to work more able to bear and endure more then man for all is vanity All equally vain and mortal V. 20. All go into one place all are of the dust and all return to dust again As they agree in one vital principle so are they subject to one Law of mortality their original in regard of bodily constitution the same and by dissolution their condition in regard of bodies the same Gen. 3.19 Job 34.15 Psal. 22.16 We must still remember that he speaketh of mans mere natural condition as he is under the Sun Otherwise in regard of mans future condition his body is again to be raised and brought to Judgement V. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast which goeth downward to the earth It is true indeed there is a future happiness belonging unto men who have immortal souls which beasts have no right unto nor are capable of The soul of the one goes upward Chap. 12.7 Luk. 18.22 Act. 7.59 whereas the souls of beasts perish But no man can by sense discern the ascent of the one or the descent of the other and Solomon speaks not of mans future celestial happiness in this Book but of the vanity of all outward things without true piety to satisfie the heart of man while he is under the Sun As for the other celestial happiness it cannot be discerned by a natural disquisition but is revealed in the word unto a few 1 Cor. 2.9 11. V. 22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better then that a man should rejoyce in his own works He repeats his former conclusion Chap. 2.23 3.13 from these vanities since there is so little difference in outward things between a man and a beast therefore to remedy this vanity he is in the fear of God while he liveth to enjoy with cheerfulness and contentment his own labours for that only which he so doth enjoy is his own portion and not to trouble himself with thoughts or cares for the future since being gone he hath no more share in them nor knowledge of them for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him If he hâ—ard them up for others and use them not himself what good will he have of them when he is gone Who can foretell him what use shall be made of them what good shall be done with them therefore let him take comfort of them himself before he die Chap. 5.18 CHAP. IV. HAving shewed the vanity of oppression and injustice in those who are in place of power and judgement who carry themselves like beasts to their brethren and must themselves die like beasts un-desired un-lamented He sheweth further in this Chapter divers other vanities which are consequents upon oppression and misgovernment both in persons oppressed
meaner men Let not thy pitcher and thy wheel take thee off from minding the things of another and a better life Others carry on the Allegory making these things figurative and elegant expressions of death and of those evils which immediately forego it to wit the dissolution of those parts which are most vital for death as in the storming or battering of a Garrison doth first break and weaken the out-works the bodily limbs and outward senses and and after that sets upon the in-works and the Vitals He here compareth Life unto a Fountain or Well out of which men draw water with a Cord a bowl or bucket a pitcher and a wheel And as when these are broken we can draw water no more so when the Vital parts are decayed there is no hope longer to draw life into the body which is the Cistern This Life he compares for the pretiousness of it unto silver and gold for the weakness and fragility of it unto a pitcher and for the inâ—â—ability and unsetledness of it unto a wheel Now besides this general proportion between life and these things as the figures of it Interpreters do make the particulars here mentioned to answer unto some particulars in the vital parts of the body 1. By the silver Cord they understand the marrow or pith of the back continued from the brain as it were in a cord or string unto the bottom of the back-bones and for the white colour of it compared unto silver It may also be applyed unto all the other Sinews and Ligaments of the body which from the head as the Fountain convey sense and motion upon the other parts Hereby also may not unfitly be understood the chain and sweet harmony of the Elements and humors in the body which being preserved in its due proportion the body doth receive life from the Soul which is the Spring thereof but being once dissolved life presently faileth 2. By the Golden bowl they understand the Meninx or skin wherein the brain and vital powers thereof are contained as in a bowl Others understand the blood which is in the heart as in the pretious Fountain of life Schindler rendreth it Scaturigo Auri or aurea would have us thereby to understand the Law of God which is compared unto Gold but the word is elsewhere used to signifie a vessel Zach. 4.2 3. 3. By the fountain we may understand those principal parts from whence vital supplyes are drawn into the body as from the Head Sense and motion from the Heart spirits and heat from the liver blood 4. By the pitchâ—r and the wheel those Instrumental and subservient parts which from these convey those supplyes into the several vessels of the body as into a Cistern as the veins blood from the Liver the arteries spirits from the heart the Sinews motion and sense from the brain By all which we should learn to draw water of life out of the Wells of Salvation that out of our belly may flow rivers of living water through the continual supplyes of the Spirit of grace that all our springs may be in Christ and our life hidden with him in God Isa. 14.3 66.11 12. Zach. 13. 1. John 4.14 7.38 39. In the second Chapter Solomon had shewed us The many choice varieties of pleasure riches and other excellent outward blessings in which he had sought for contentment and in this Chapter he hath in a most elegant Allegory shewed us how quickly old age doth break them all and take away the comfort of them V. 7. Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it The Dust that is The body to shew the Original of it Gen. 2.7 The weakness of it dust is the weakest part of earth Ps. 103.14 The baseness and vileness of it Job 4.19 Phil. 3.21 Gen. 18.17 Job 30.19 Our Original from the dust Our Return unto the dust should humble us and make us vile in our own eyes and should warn us to make haste to secure a better life before this be ended and not to put off the endeavours towards it unto old age which haply we may never attain unto and if we do will bring it self work enough for us to do Death is swift and uncertain Sin the longer lived in doth the more harden Repentance is not in our Call or command when we please and it is a work of the whole man and the vvhole life The vvork deferred vvill be greater the time to do it in vvill be shorter the strength to do it by vvill be less bodily infirmities vvill disable spiritual actions God vvill have less honour and service from us and vve shall have more sorrovv and less comfort Therefore remember thy Creator before the Dust return to the Earth vvhence it came And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it The Soul is called a Spirit to note the Immaterial substance of it and its original It came from him who is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 Gen. 2.7 shall return unto God that gave it Ut stet Iudicio ante Deum That it may appear before his Tribunal to be judged as the Chaldee well paraphraseth the place As certainly as the body goes unto the dust so certainly the Soul returneth unto God to be judged The godly are translated into Paradise into Abrahams bosome into the condition of Just men made perfect Luke 16.22 and 23.34 Heb. 12.23 The wicked into the prison of disobedient spirits reserved there in Hell unto the Judgement of the great day Luke 16.23 1 Pet. 3.19 V. 8. Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher All is Vanity As Mathematicians having made their demonstration do then resume their principal conclusion with a quod erat demonstrandum so here the Wise man having made a large and distinct demonstration That the Happiness of man doth not stand in Any or in All the Contents which the World can afford both in regard of their disproportion unto him and their discontinuance with him He doth hereby conclude his discourse 1. With a confident affirming what he had in the beginning undertaken to prove 2. With a strong and solid vindication thereof from any Cavils which might yet arise in the minds of men against it 3. With a positive Conclusion containing the sum of the whole Book and the right means unto true Happiness indeed V. 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs V. 10. The Preacher sought to find out Acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth Here Solomon commendeth the doctrine taught in this Book 1. Because it was the doctrine of a penitent Convert for Repentance is an excellent means to discern and acknowledge spiritual truth 2 Tim. 2.25 James 1.21 2. Because he was indued with wisdome from God so that they came and sent from remote