failings when the same may Glorify God or edify others so should they also be to avow what Graces God hath given them especially their qualifications for their calling when the Lord hath born Testimony to the same by his Blessing upon their Labours they must not so fear the suspicion of self-seeking as always to conceal the Lords liberality toward them but whensoever it may serve to make way for his Truth they ought humbly to declare the same as here this exemplary Preacher doth And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught c. 3. The greater measure of gifts especially of Knowledge and understanding of the matters of God any Man have attained to the more careful should he be to communicat the same for the good of others in his place and station this being the end for which they are given 1 Cor. 12.7 And the same being rewarded as if it were gain and advantage to God Mat. 25.21 As likewise the Communication of our gifts being the way to make them grow Prov. 11.25 For Solomon did therefore teach the people Knowledge because he was wise and the words may be rendered the greater abundance of Wisdom he had the more he taught the People Knowledge 4. Albeit Christs Ministers cannot be alwise about the actual discharge of the duties of their Calling yet ought they to be very assiduous and frequent therein and in some sense still about their work gathering variety of matter fit to be Communicat to the people Mat. 13.52 keeping their Hearts always in a right frame for the delivery of it Prov. 16.23 And watching all opportunities for Communicating the same 2 Tim. 4.2 And when they have not Ability or opportunity to teach their practice and carriage must still teach the people Knowledge 1 Tim. 4.12 For so doth Solomon here set forth himself at the direction of the Spirit of God as an example to all Preachers because the Preacher was wise he still taught the People Knowledge 5. They that are most able to teach others should still be Scholars themselves not only diligent Hearers of other Preachers that they may learn more but acurate Searchers for all means and opportunities of profiting in Knowledge there being still more Knowledge to be had Philip. 3.13 and success promised to the sincere Seeker Hos 6 3. For though Solomon was Wise and able to teach the People Knowledge yet he was not so satisfied with his measure as to become Lazy or give over farther pains for more yea he gave good heed and sought out c. 6. We should neither rashly receive nor vent any thing for Truth till first we have weighed and pondered the same in the Ballance of the Sanctuary by the exercise of sanctified Reason comparing the same with the Scripture considering what particular Truths are most fitting for the People we have to do with and what are the fittest Opportunities of delivering the same For so did Solomon He gave good heed the Word signifies to weigh in a Ballance and he sought out which signifies very accurately and carefully to search And both may be referred either to what he himself received from others or to what he gave out to others 7. Even these of the Lords Servants who were immediatly furnished with Gifts for their Imployment and infallibly assisted in the exercise of them were not exeemed from ordinary pains and diligence to clear themselves more and more concerning the Truths revealed to them and to find out the fittest way and season of delivering these Truths to the People see 1 Pet. 1.10 How then should ordinary Ministers of meanner Parts and Gifts stretch their Abilities to the outmost and improve much of their time in Prayer and Reading for increase of their Gifts and fitness for the exercise of them seing such a Man as Solomon was thus exercised He gave good heed and sought out and set in order c. 8. There is no form of speech that can be imagined prevalent with Reasonable Creatures but the Lord hath condescended upon it in his word where we find Songs and Lamentations plain Language and Parables large insisting upon one purpose and Proverbs which are short Sentences cleared by similitudes and so apt to prevail and have Dominion as the word Proverb signifies in the minds of Men he set in order many Proverbs 9. As the cases of the Lords People are various Difficulties Duties Temptations and Consolations Many so the Lords Word is fitted for them all it is divided in many parcels and every one that handles it should labour to Enrich himself with much of it that he may bring forth variety of it to People according to their need For so did Solomon he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs 10. There is a sweet order and wise disposal of the Truths set down in Scripture though we seldom see it by reason of our Darkness and therefore Christs Ministers should digest and put in order the Truths they deliver to his people He first Humbles and then Comforts He first gives Faith and then Holiness and which is sutable to the order of Doctrine in this Book first weans Mens Hearts from Earthly Delights before they can be set upon Heavenly For though Men do least apprehend a Method in Solomons Writtings of any other in Scripture yet here the Spirit of God tells us that there is an order in them He sought out and set in order many Proverbs Ver. 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of Truth THe second Branch of the commendation of the Doctrine is taken from the qualities of it and these are three First That what he had studied was acceptable Words or as the original bears Words of desire that is purpose worthy of Acceptation fit to gain the desires and Delights of Men and to take them wholly up in studying to believe and obey them and this he sets forth as intended by him in all his great diligence Secondly That what he had Written was upright or as the word signifies Approven namely of God or streight and consonant to his mind and able to make streight in Heart and practice all that get Grace to understand and believe it see Prov. 8.8 And this he sets down as the success of his diligent study mentioned in the former Branch Thirdly That what ever he had affirmed of the vanity of Earthly Delights and the worth of Holiness in order to a Mans Happiness was Truth or firm and worthy to be rested on In summ the pupose of this Book is fitted powerfully to work upon the affections being Acceptable Words Wisely to regulat the practise being Vpright or streight words and solidly to inform the Judgement being Words of Truth Hence Learn 1. Though it be a detestable thing in a Minister to study to please the corrupt and Sinful Humours of Men by concealing necessary Truths or venting any thing contrary to Truth
mentions this and often afterwards this alone as holding forth the chief consideration of Him that should gain Reverence and Acceptance to his Message and encourage himself in his Duty The Words of the Preacher 2. As these who have been very eminent for Office Grace and the like Qualifications may when the Lord is provocked to withdraw fall into such gross Abominations as might make them justly to be secluded from the Society of the Church So when the Lord vouchsafes Repentance upon them they will esteem their Reconciliation with the Church a great benefit and will be content to Preach their Sin and sorrow for Sin that GOD may be honoured and others waiâ—â—ed in which case they ought to be welcome to the Church again and the Lords Message sent by them received with no less respect than ever For Solomon in testimony of his grief that ever he separat from the Church and of his joy that he is admitted again to that sweet Society he calls himself here Ecclesiastes which according to the signification of the Word touched in the Exposition is as much as to say a penitent Soul reconciled to the Church called to Preach this penitential Sermon to the same and so was to be received not only as a Member thereof but a publick Preacher The Words of the Preacher 3. Although descent from wicked or obscure Parents ought to be no just ground of prejudice against their Godly Children who are by Faith served Heirs to the Father of the Faithful Gal. 3.7 Yet descent from Godly Parents is such an advantage to Godly Children as may be very comfortable to them in so far as it cleareth their right to such Promises as are made to the seed of the Upright Ps 37.26 And as it ought to be a strong motive to them to imitate their Parents and unto others also to accept the more heartily any message that such have from the Lord to them For which causes beside others mentioned in the Exposition we may judge Solomon here to commend the purpose of this Book from this that he was the Son of David 4. The Lord hath seen it fit to imploy some of all ranks of Men to be the Preachers and Pen-men of His Holy Word some obscure persons as Herd-men Amos 1.1 Fishers Mat. 4 8. and of other imployments Acts 18.3 That the glory of His Power and Grace may be the more conspicuous some Noble as Solomon Isaiah and others that Men may see his Truth worthy to take up the Spirits of the greatest and both sorts are chosen that all ranks of Men may meet with something in the stile of his Word sutable for them For here is a Book of Scripture written by the Son of David King in Jerusalem 5. The Greatest on Earth should think it no dispiragement to them nor inconsistent with the managing of the weightiest civil Affairs to spend some of their time and pains in using all means competent for them in their place to propogate the knowledge of the Truth and advance true Piety this being the best policy they can use for establishing their just power and making People dutiful to them Prov. 16.12 For though Solomon wrote this Book as an extraordinary Man yet in his study to edifie the Church and in his pains for acquiring much of that experimental knowledge communicate to the Church in it he acted as an ordinary Man and therein is a precedent to all especially Christian Magistrates painfully to improve their time and gifts by Writing or other wayes for the spiritual advantage of the Church and People of GOD The words of the Preacher King in Jerusalem 6. Although the Truth of GOD he worthy of all acceptation for its own excellency and usefulness Ps 119 97 98. even though it were delivered by Shepherds Luk. 2 17 18. yet these whom the Lord imployes as his Embassadors to carry his mind to the Church may make use of any external priviledge they have to make way for the more hearty acceptance of their Message among the People who are hardly moved to receive the Truth upon more pure and spiritual considerations providing the advantage of the Truth and not their own Vain-glory be their end in so doing For though Solomon's Calling to be a Preacher was alone sufficient to gain acceptance to his Message yet to add the more weight unto it he mentions also his Royal Birth and Dignity and this in a modest may omiting many other Titles of Honour which vain-glorious Men for inferiour to him delight to multiply to themselves The words of the Preacher the Son of David King in Jerusalem VERSE II. Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity THE scope of the spirit of GOD by this divine Preacher being to point out to miserable fallen Man the way to recover his lost Happiness he doth first proceed negatively to convince him wherein it cannot be found and for this end he propounds to be proven that All is Vanity whereby is meant that all the Creatures and all humane Endeavours about them are insufficient for yeilding any true contentment to Men or as the word signifies All is Nothing or empty of any vertue as to the forementioned effect and so this Expression All is Vanity is not to be understood of any thing that GOD hath made in respect of the Being of it all things that way considered being very good Gen. 1 13. nor of Mans right use and enjoyment of the Creatures so as to be led by them to his Maker and engaged to his fear and obedience for so all things are holy and good to the User Tit. 1.15 1 Tim. 4.4 Neither yet of a Mans lawful diligence and pains in his lawful Calling and Imployment as if that were Vain 1 Tim. 5.8 But it is to be understood first Of all created delights such as Riches Honours worldly Pleasures particularly instanced afterward as they are abused and subjected to Vanity Rom. 8.20 by Man seeking his chief Good and placing his Happiness in them neglecting withal the stupy of Reconciliation with GOD and of living in his Fear and Obedience recommended to him as the only way to true happiness Eccl. 12.23 And Next It is to be understood of all the pains a Man can take by vertue of any humane power or skill to make himself happy or contented whether in the contemplation or enjoyment of created things which is also instanced and proven to be vain in the following purpose All things of this nature he doth proclaim to be Vain in this sense unable to afford to Man any thing but disappointment and that in the highest degree for by this form of speech vanity of vanities the Hebrews use to express the superlative degree Gen. 9.25 Cant. 1.1 And to make this Truth take the deeper impression he propounds it by way of exclamation as it were wondering at and pitying the madness of the Children of Men who are so ravished with the apprehension of
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS UPON THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES Written by Mr. ALEXANDER NISBET Minister of the Gospel at Irwin EDINBVRGH Printed by George Mosman and are to be Sold at his Shop in the Parliament Closs MDCXCIV To the much Honoured WILLIAM NISBET OF DIRLETON SIR THE Author of this Exposition having Named Sir John Nisbet of Dirleton for Patron of it as a Person of great worth whose Friendship had been very useful to him Upon the decease of that Eminent Lawyer That Title designed for him cannot with more Equity be Addressed to any than to you upon whom he hath entailed his opulent Estate And your having received a great part of your Education under him and that sincerely Devout Lady now his Relick a genuine Scion of a Noble and Religious Stock with the Evidences you have given of answering their expectation by an early Inclination to a Sober and Vertuous Life and a magnanimous Contempt of vain and sinful Pleasures These assure me you will intertain this New Heir-ship not as an idle Ornament to your Closet but as a notable Antidote against the Snares and Charms of these Honours to which your Vertue and the affluence of your Fortune seem to pave the way To prepare you for a cautious Encounter with these you have here an accurat Map of all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory thereof drawn originally by the Divinely-inspired Pen of Solomon a Wise King and a Judicious Preacher The Author only illustrates it with Doctrines and Uses Here you may survey these unfortunat Islands of Honour Wealth and Pleasure upon which many have made Shipwrack of their most Holy Faith And when you find this inferiour World too low a Situation for true Paradise and too barren a Soil to produce satisfaction to a Heaven-born Soul lift up your panting Heart to the undiscovered Glories of the higher House the Habitation of Angels and the Saints everlasting Rest where you will not need Commentaries upon a vain World and a deceitful Heart to Arm you against Mistakes and Disappointments For there the Preacher will turn Praiser Annotations will be silenced with Allelujahs and Vanity and Vexation of Spirit swallowed up in fulness of Joy and Pleasures at Gods Right Hand for ever That these may be your never-fading Inheritance after ye have tasted the greatest Happiness this World can afford is the unfeigned Prayer of SIR Your sincerely devoted Servant Ja Nisbet To the READER CHRISTIAN READER IF thou hast perused the former Labours of the Author of this ensuing Treatise thou wilt readily be convinced that this Peice of his needs no Letters of Recommendation these former Labours of his having been so universally acceptable and to my certain knowledge now much desiderat both at Home among our selves and also in our Neighbouring Nation And no wonder for whoever have seen and diligently perused these his Labours have therein had a proof of the Author 's great Judgement and singular dexterity in Opening and Expounding the Scriptute Yet Custom hath made an Epistle of this nature some way necessary and those concerned in the Publication have laid it upon me because for the present I labour in the same part of the Lord's Vineyard where the Reverend Author now with the Lord formerly laboured Therefore though I have had no small Aversation from this Undertaking partly from my own Unfitness and want of Qualifications sutable and partly from the sense I have how litle my Testimony can add to the Esteem of the Works of such a Man and partly also because such an Appearance is contrary to my own Genius and Inclination yet I have been necessitat to overcome this Aversation And my great Encouragement thereto is what I have already mentioned that the Author does not need my Recommendation his own Works Praise him in the Gate and his Praise is in all the Churches so far as his Works are known That therefore which I have mainly to do is to assure thee that the following Treatise is the genuine Work of the same Learned and Pious Mr. Alexander Nisbet who wrote the Exposition of the two Epistles of Peter And except the Arguments to the several Chapters was periected and made ready for the Press before his Death And had long since come abroad into the World if it had not been for some Assertions the Author hath upon Chap. 8.4 Concerning Obedience to supreme Powers which did not relish with the late Times wherein Supremacy and Absolute Power were screwed up to the greatest height And it may rationally be supposed that this Peice of his is not less Elaborat consequently will not be less Acceptable than the former seing it is his Second Essay of this nature and we usually say Secundae Cogitationes meliores And as Solomon is with good ground judged to have Writt this Book in his Old Age when he had taken a more serious View of his past Life so it is certain the Reverend Author wrote this his Exposition thereof in his Old Age at least in the latter part of his Days when he had taken a Review of his by past Life as he was indeed a very serious Observer both of his own Life and of the Passages of God's Providence about him yea and a recorder of both though he did this in a Character at that time known to none but himself And it is not improbable that his pains and labours upon this Subject through the Blessing of God did contribute not a little to that weanedness from the World and all its vain Pleasures and Delights to which in agreat measure the Author attained And which did so notably fit and prepare him for his great Change and made his passage from this Life to a better sweet easy and comfortable that I remember I have several times heard that eminently worthy and Pious Minister Mr. Gabriel Cunningham speak of it both with delight and admiration I do therefore perswade my self Reader that if thou be a person who wouldst gladly have thy Heart weaned from the World and be above the vain pleasures thereof and have thy Conversation in Heaven as a Stranger and Pilgrim in this Earth the consideration of this will have that influence upon thee as to make thee carefully peruse this piece and look to the Lord for his Blessing therewith that it may have the same effect with thee I am sure the Subject treated of is not only useful but highly necessary especially at such a time when notwithstanding of all that is through the whole Scriptures and particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes held forth of the vanity and vexation of Spirit that is in all sublunary Contentments and delights And notwithstanding of all the pains of the Lords Servants in their Expositions on the Scripture and by Preaching to Rivet this Truth upon the Hearts of Men And notwithstanding of all the Experiences and Convictions Men have of this Truth by the many disappointments they meet with from the Creatures Yet
be busie in observing what may be known of God that may draw their Affections to Him and engage them to His Service and after disappointment of desired success and darkness remaining must renew their endeavours in the use of one commanded mean after another For so was it with Solomon I applied my Heart or as the Original may be rendred I and my Heart went about together to search and seek out Wisdom what he could not find out by Searching he sought out which is one endeavour after another 7 They that would judge aright of the Lord's Dispensations must labour to see by the light of the Word and Spirit what Reasons there may be for them As for Example why the Lord suffers His people to be brought so low in the World even that He may humble them and prove them and do them good in the latter end Deut. 8.16 And why He suffers wicked Men to prosper even that if they will not by His Goodness be led to Repentance they may be the riper for Destruction Rom. 2.4 Ps 92.7 that so we may satisfie our own minds and be able to give a Reason to others of what we profess to know For this was one thing that Solomon made his study To know the reason of things 8 That which is truly good is more clearly seen when we consider the evil that is contrary to it The Beauty of Holiness and excellency of Saving Knowledge is illustrat and best seen when the deformity of Sin the madness and unreasonableness of these Courses which natural Men take to come at their imaginary Happiness are compared therewith For Solomon took this way He gave his Heart to know Wisdom and to know the wickedness of Folly even of Foolishness and Madness 9. As every Man who is not indued with Saving Wisdom is desperat in Wickedness and extremely Mad in following the course that will be his ruine So there is such a height of wickedness and perversity in his way that it is not easy to express the same For Solomon multiplies words to that purpose as if it had been difficult for him to express it while he calls it The wickedness of Folly even of Foolishness and Madness 10. The knowledge of the evil of Sin the madness and Folly that is in Sinners way the desperat wickedness that is in their Hearts while they are in pursuit of their Lusts is one part of Saving Wisdom which all should study that would be truly happy For this is it which Solomon endeavoured to know The wickedness of Folly even of Foolishness and Madness Ver. 26. And I find more bitter than Death the Woman whose Heart is Snares and Nets and her Hands as Bands whose pleaseth God shall escape from her but the Sinner shall be taken by her THis Wise Man having regrated the imperfection of his Knowledge notwithstanding of his most serious inquiry after it formerly mentioned he doth here and in the following words give instances of some success he had of his pains The First is concerning the Evil of sinful Pleasures particularly the satisfying of the Lusts of the Flesh And in setting forth this he doth First describe a Whorish Woman from two things The 1. is That her Heart is Snares and Nets the meaning whereof is That her Heart being under the power of her Lusts doth catch every Temptation to that Sin of Uncleanness which is explained by that Expression Ps 41.6 The Heart gathers iniquity to it self And likeways that her Heart is full of subtile Plots and Insinuations to insnare Men and draw them to her desires as Fowlers and Fishers have their Nets and Baits to entangle Birds and Fishes which are the Metaphores in the Words 2. That her Hands are as Bands whereby are meant her powerful Stratagems to hold Men fast Slaves to her and their own Lusts Next He giveth some Arguments to deterr the Hearts of all from being entangled with Temptations of this sort 1. That he himself had found in his own experience and did in part yet feel the bitterness of giving way to that Sin of Impurity which is so Bitter that Temporal Death is to be preferred to the base Slavery of it By which it seems very clear not only that Solomon was a true Penitent but that this Book hath been written after and in testimony of his Repentance seing at the writting hereof his Uncleanness was so bitter to him that he cannot express it but by calling it more grievous than Death it self to wit Temporal Death which only deprives Men of their Natural Life and the Comforts of it but these sinful Pleasures deprive them of Spiritual Life and the Comforts of Communion with God 2. That the Man who is Favoured of God in a special way shall escape such Temptations that is either he shall not be entangled with them or shall be mercifully rescued from them and consequently as himself expresses this same purpose Prov. 22 14. they must be Abhorred of God who are given up to them 3. That this Sin of Uncleanness is often the punishment of other Sins The Sinner saith he shall be taken by her By the Sinner is not meant every one that deserves that Name for then all should be taken but by the Sinner as is usual in Scripture when that Name is opposed to the Godly or the upright Person is meant One given up or giving himself up to Sin and making a Trade of living in it such a Man is justly left to fall into this most bitter and abominable Sin of Uncleanness Hence Learn 1. Whatever dissatisfaction sincere Students of Saving Knowledge may have with their measure they shall be sure to find success in that which tends most to their true Happiness and to the preventing of their Eternal Ruine For Solomon having regrated his short-coming in the study of Wisdom before cannot but acknowledge that he was not altogether unsuccesful And I find more bitter c. 2. To feel experimentally the bitterness of Sin and to have a lively representation of the hazard of living in it is not the least part of the success of Mens pains for Saving Knowledge For without this they can know nothing Savingly Therefore this is one Instance which Solomon expresseth as a Blessed Fruit of his pains that he found sinful Pleasures More bitter than Death 3. However Sinners apprehend much pleasure in Sin when they commit it yet there is a woful Sting afterward and much Bitterness in the latter end of it every Penitent finds it in mercy so Bitter to him when his Conscience is wakened that he would rather venture upon Temporal Death than enjoy his sinful Pleasures again And impenitent Sinners find it so in Wrath here sometimes by the Stings of an accusing Conscience especially while Poverty Disgrace and loathsome Diseases making their Lives Bitter are upon them Prov. 5.11 and always at Death and after it to Eternity Eccles 12.1 c. So that all that ever took pleasure in Sin shall be