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
Happiness in that which is but as a Vapour as the word translated vanity doth also signifie And this same Truth he doth here repeat frequently to shew not only the certainty of it Gen. 40.32 but also Mens unwillingness to consider it Jer. 22.29 the difficulty of beleiving it Joh. 5 2 4. and 6 37. and how deeply himself now a Penitent is affected with the Folly and Vanity of his former sinful courses and how extremely he did detest them Gal. 1.8 9. And because Men hear such Doctrine oftentimes as from Men only and so esteem it but vain words therefore he mentions again his Calling to publish it to the World and though Men will grant the truth of this assertion as to some things yet deny it as to others therefore he closes with this general All is Vanity Now this Language of the Old Testament is the same in substance with that of the New Philip. 3.8 which doth fully clear this Doubtless I count all things loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Hence learn 1. It is an excellent method of dealing with Sinners First to convince make them sensible of the unworthiness insufficiency for Happiness of these things which they pursue for satisfaction and contentment so to make way for commending to them what is only worthy to have their heart time and pains spent upon it considering that all Men are either wholly mistaken in this matter as to the taking up wherein their true Happiness consists Isa 55.2 Tit. 3 3. or apprehensive of the consistency of their Idols and fellowship with GOD 1 John 1.6 For this is the method the Spirit of GOD puts this excellent Preacher upon before he point out wherein the chief Good consists and how the enjoyment thereof is attained First to demonstrate this Truth here asserted Vanity of Vanities Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity 2 It is necessary for a faithful Preacher in the entry of his labour with the Lords People to condescend upon with himself and to propose to them some certain scope to be aimed at by him to the clearing and use making whereof his following purpose may be directed that so himself may be kept from extravagancy in discoursing and peoples minds kept free of confusion both which are occasioned by variety of purpose having little or no evident dependance one upon another For here Solomon in the entry doth condescend upon and propose that which is one principal part of his scope in this Book and as it were one Text which he is to explain or one Doctrine which he is to prove and apply Vanity of Vanities Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity 3. Even these earthly and sensible delights which are in themselves good and in their right use lawful and subservient to Man for attaining true Happiness do prove altogether unprofitable and unsatisfactory to him if he seek after the enjoyment of them as his chief Good in regard they have no proportion nor sutableness to the Soul of Man which is of a spiritual Nature Jer. 16.19 made capable of enjoying an infinite Good GOD reconciled to it through Christ as its Portion Ps 73.25 26. 2 Pet. 1 4. and so can never be satisfied with these fading and transitory things for all temporary delights mainly because they are fading and unable to satisfie the immortal Soul are here pronounced to be Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity 4 So transported are all Men naturally with the apprehension of Happiness in things earthly Jer. 2.24 and therefore so unwilling to hear and admit of any thing to the contrary Zech. 7.11 that those who would convince them of the Vanity of these things and of the folly of their way in seeking Happiness in them had need to study a very ravishing strain of dealing with their Hearers to be very instant and frequent in inculcating upon them the baseness and vanity of their Idols and sinful courses and to lead up their minds to One higher than themselves in whose name they speak For Solomon speaking especially to such as are pursuing Happiness in things earthly useth here many Elegancies of Speech not necessary to be particularly reckoned out repeats often the Vanity of earthly things and minds his Hearers of his Calling to declare it unto the World while he sayeth vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanity 5. A true Penitent who after he hath tasted the bitterness of his sinful courses is brought to taste the sweetness of fellowship with GOD will be no less affected with admiring the emptiness and baseness of created delights and their unworthiness to be chosen as a Mans portion than he hath been formerly with the apprehension of Happiness and Contentment to be had in them and such an one will be a fit Instrument to point out to others in a lively way the Vanity of these things whereby himself hath been so far disappointed and cannot but be very strongly desirous to have others perswaded thereof For these words flow from the sense of penitent Solomons Heart admiring his own madness in seeking Happiness in so vain things as he had done during the time of his estrangement from GOD weighted with grief for his so doing and earnestly desirous to reclaim other perishing Sinners from such vain courses as he had followed and to allure them to come and Taste of that Sweetness in fellowship with GOD which he now enjoyed while he thus cries out Vanity of Vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity VERSE III. What Profit hath a Man of all his labour which he taketh under the Sun THis penitent Preacher cometh now to prove his former Assertion anent the Vanity of all earthly Delights in order to the satisfaction or making happy of the Soul of Man His first Argument is taken from the unprofitableness or fruitlesness of mans pains about these things and the more to rouze the Conscience of them that apprehend no advantage but in things of that nature he includes the Argument in a Question What Profit hath a Man c. which hath the force of a Negation as is clear the like question hath in Scripture 1 Cor. 14.6 importing as much as if it had been said There is no true Profit at all or There is no real Advantage which may be truely called excellent nor is there any abiding fruit of a Man's pains for attaining Happiness or Contentment in these things for the word in the Original which is translated Profe signifieth both that which is Excellent and that which is Permanent Now this is not to be understood as if Men had no real success sutable to their lawful pains about earthly things vouchsafed upon them that were contrary to Prov. 14.23 but the meaning is That there is no Profit conducing to the spiritual and eternal Happiness of the Soul to be had by all that wicked labour and toilsome pains both which the word in the Original here translated
Original in the night his heart lyeth not down but is abroad and vigilant sometimes flying from his own fears and sometimes earnestly pursuing these shadows of earthly delights which fly swiftly from him and this course also he censures to be Vanity to wit that 〈◊〉 should so torture himself for that which cannot comfort him especially that he should deprive hiâ— self of the rest and comfort he might have for that which 〈◊〉 cannot have This also is Vanity Hence learn 1. It is altogether impossible for any reasonable creature to condescend upon any true advantage or comfort thâ—â— men have by all their pains about things earthly as their portiâ—â— though deluded Souls ravished with delight in serving thâ—â— Idols apprehend that real comfort and gaâ—â— is only to be hâ—â— in their way Hosea 12.18 yet cannot the wisest of them gâ—â— accompt of any such thing as deserves that name For this 〈◊〉 question which no man seeking his Happiness in the creatures 〈◊〉 answer Affirmatively by shewing what he hath beside toil and vexation what hath a man of all his Labour and the vexation of his heart 2. Men that would promove the work of Mortification is in their own hearts must often put their hearts to consider what profit or comfort they have as the result of so great pains as they have taken about their Idols And have need also to have their Consciences often prest by Christs Ministers to make answer to this or the like question which Solomon having put in substance before Chap. 1.3 he puts here again to his own heart and to others also what hath a man of all his labour c. 3. So earnest are men who make not the Lord his favoâ—â— and fellowship their chief delight in the persuit of their Idols that they not only spend their bodies with toil and wearisoâ— business as the word here translated Labour signifies but they suffer their Spirits also to be eaten up or gnawn away with cares and fears about these Idols as the word Vexation signifies Thus doth the Lord justly correct men for slighting of him by suffering them to render themselves in some measure incapable of that sweetness they so much thirst after in things beside him How much better were it for them to bestow their pains in seeking and serving the Lord whose way is pleasantness Prov. 3.27 Peaâ—â— Rom. â— 6 and Strength Prov. 10.29 to all them that 〈◊〉 therein So much is implyed in the question what hath a man of all his labour and â—f the vexation of his heart c. 4. Till men be in a reconciled estate and injoy fellowship with God in Christ they will never have a joyful day nor a comfortable business All their days will be sorrows and their travel grief any joyful days they apprehend themselves to have are but like the fancies of one that dreams he eats and hath nothing Isai 29 8. Their Carâ—al joy hath often a mixture of sorrow with it and alwâ—â—e ends in heaviness Prov. 14.13 For the spirit of God is in this to be believed rather than the delusions of Satan and mens corrupt hearts All his days are sorrows and his travel grief 5. The more earnestly men persue rest and satisfaction in any thing earthly they take the nearer way to their own Vexation For of the man who is spending himself in the pâ—rsuit of the things of the earth is this spoken yoâ— he takes no 〈◊〉 in the night 6. Though the Lord who when he pleases will give his beloved People rest even in their bodies and that in the midst of greatest outward hazards Act. 12.6 may for their Humiliation deprive them of it Psal 77.4 And his People ought sometimes to withhold from themselves the nights rest for Spiritual Exercises such as Humiliation and Simpathy in the time of some great Calamity â— Sam. 11.15 Praise and Thâ—â—sgiving in the time of some great delivery Psal â—9 62 Yet when excess of Cares and Fears about things Earthly goes between men and their nights rest or other allowed refreshments of that nature it is not only a clear evidence of their own Vanity and sinfulness in seeking Happiness in these things but 〈◊〉 of Gods just displeasure who hath put such vanity upon these false Gods that they alwise disquiet their Worshipers For so doth the spirit of God censure this excess of Worldly cares or delights in the Worldâ—ing Yea he taketh no rest in the â—â—ght This also iâ— vanity Verse 24. There in nothing better for a man then that he should eat and drink and that he should make his soul injoy good in his Labour This also I saw that it was from the hand of God 25. For who can eat or who else can hasten hereunto more then I LEast the Preachers former Doctrine concerning the Vanity of things Earthly in order to the satisfying of a mans Soul might be mistaken as if the intent thereof were to deprive men of the comfortable use of Gods good Creatures before he prosecute it further he doth here open up a little the nature of that wherein true Happiness doth consist which he doth more fully clear afterward And so in few words clearly determines what is that good for the Sons of Men in this Life which he said he was so inquisitive about in the third verse of this chapter And this he doth in such a way as may be most prevalent with men ravished with earthly delights And for this end he doth First show that that Happiness which is attainable in this World consists in the conjunction of these two The 1. relating to the outward man is the Holy Sober and Cheerful use of all lawful creature Comforts which the Scripture comprehends under the Name of our daily Bread and he calls Eating and Drinking for thus must the Eating and Drinking here commended be understood and not of a mans giving up himself to the excessive use of sensual Delights considering that Solomon hath so much condemned this before as unworthy to be chosen for a mans portion and that the same is altogether inconsistent with the good of the Soul The 2. relating to the Inner-Man to which the former must be subservient is that he make his Soul enjoy good which must be understood of some good suteable and satisfactory to the Soul as no sensual Delight can be And therefore it must be that sweet Fellowship which reconciled Souls have with the Lord while they walk in his Fear and Obedience which he presses in the close of this Book and this is to be intended by man as the good of all his Labour or pains he takes in this World the end of his Eating Drinking and using all the lawful comforts of this life Next He doth confim that this Good consists in the conjunction of these two from his own certain knowledge and experience he saw viz. by the light of the Word and the Spirit of God now present with him and by his own observation
true Riches It not only draws much misery upon Men at the last but hath the punishment of it often in its bosome as is clearly asserted in this censure of that Course This is vanity yea it is a sore travel Ver. IX Two are better than One because they have a good Reward for their labour X. For if they fall the One will lift up his fellow but wo to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up XI Again if Two ly together then they have heat but how can One be warm alone XII And if One prevail against him Two shall withstand him and a threefold cord is not quickly broken SOlomon having described the Covetous Worldling from his affecting a solitary Life least any might share of his Riches wherein he placeth his Happiness He doth here take occasion to point out and commend the benefit of Society And though what is here spoken of it be applicable to any lawful Society whether Conjugal Military or the like yet considering Solomon as preaching to the Church it cannot but be most safe and useful to apply the same to Christian and Religious Society and what he speaks to the Commendation of it will be the clearer if we conceive him at the direction of the Spirit of the Lord making use of the similitudes of Fellow-labourers about one Employment Fellow-souldiers in one Warfare and Fellow-travellers in one Journey as all Christians are And First He asserts that Society is to be preferred to Solitariness while he saith Two are better than One the meaning whereof is That two or moe concurring about any commanded Duty are in a better case they have more comfort and advantage as the Word Better signifies if they improve their Society aright than either of them could have being alone Next He giveth Reasons hereof by setting down particularly several of the Advantages to be had by Society rightly improven and some of the Disadvantages of the want of it He speaks of the Advantages in the future as things that will fall out not as if they would alwayes be found even in the best Societies but hereby expressing according to the ordinary Language of Scripture what is Man's Duty and what one Christian may expect as the benefit of anothers Society and what will be found when Society is blest and rightly made use of The fiirst Advantage is that They have a good Reward for their Labour whereby is meant That though their mutual help and encouraging one of another their Work hath better success and so their Reward from Grace shall be greater than if each of them had been wrestling alone at their Duty neglecting to take the help of another The second Advantage is That if they fall the One will lift up his Fellow the meaning is If Either of them fall into Trouble or by the power of temptation into any Sin or Errour by the Blessing of God upon the right use of Christian Society the fallen may recover or if they both should fall as it is in the Original their Falls may be not alike hurtful the one may soon recover himself and help up his Companion To which Advantage he subjoines the Disadvantage of the want of Christian Society Wo to him that is alone whereby is meant no more but that he is in a dangerous and sad condition who when he falls into Trouble or Sin hath none to help or endeavour his recovery especially if for base and sinful Respects he have voluntarly chosen to be alone The third Advantage of Society is held forth under the similitude of two Travellers who lodge and ly together all night for the Word translated to Ly is used of Dwelling Lev. 26 6. and of being Sick Ps 41.8 and so seems not to be taken Properly but Metaphorically for Cohabitation or mutual Society especially in an afflicted Condition Then by their having of heat is meant their mutual imparting of Comfort and Strength one to another in their lawful undertakings especially under Afflictions and with this he joins the second Disadvantage of the want of Society How can One be warm alone He means it will prove a great difficulty for One to have comfort or encouragement in his course who hath none of the Lords People to assist him The fourth Advantage is That if any Christian have the worse in his Combat against Temptations or wrestling thorow Difficulties he may expect Help and Victory by the Blessing of God upon his using of the Society of others And the fifth Advantage which may be taken for an illustration of the former set forth in a proverbial speech is That the joint strength of Christians shall not easily be prevailed against and so Society may be blest to prevent the hazard implyed in the former Advantage Hence Learn 1. Although it be always much better to be Alone than in wicked society Ps 1.1 and sometimes better to be Alone than in the society of the best as when we are called to secret Duties Mat 6.6 yet for the comfortable and successful performance of common and weighty Duties and bearing of great Difficulties the Society of the Godly is a great Advantage The Lord who alone is Self-sufficient hath not given to any one such a measure of Light or strength as can put them beyond the necessity of making use of others but would have every one to seek help from and every one willing to give help to others Therefore is society here commended Two are better than One. 2. As no lawful Employment rightly gone about shall want its own Reward which may be lawfully eyed by the Lord's People for their encouragement so the improving of Christian Society for our furtherance in duty hath a special Reward not only after time but even in this Life Hereby His People may expect to be sharp'ned and have an edge put upon them in their Duty Prov 27.17 to have incouragements from others against Difficulties 1 Sam. 23.16 and fresh supplies of the Spirit drawn from Heaven to each other by their mutual Prayers Phil. 1.19 and so both their work is furthered and their future Reward ensured For this is the first Advantage of Christian Society They have a good Reward for their labour 3. As none of the Children of the Lord are beyond the hazard of falling either into Sin or sad Afflictions while they are in their Journey to Heaven so their Falls of what sort soever must not make others of His People desert them but then especially to prove their Affection to them by studying to support or restore them And it is a great Mercy for a Man fallen into Sin or Misery to have One who will endeavour to Lift him up again For as the hazard of Falling is here imported to be common to all the Lord's People so the duty of each of them to another is holden out also For if they fall the One will lift up his fellow 4 Although it be the Lord alone
What hath the Poor that knows how to walk before the Living to wit Men Living upon the Earth Ver. 9. Better is the sight of the Eyes than the wandring of the Desire this is also Vanity and Vexation of Spirit 10. That which hath been is named already and it is known that it is Man neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he THese words contain several Arguments to disswade from the immoderat Love and eager Pursuit of things earthly The First is That the contented use of what a Man enjoys were it never so little is much better for him than the wandering of the Desire or as the Word is the Walking of his Soul still after more which is the Covetous Man's Disease So that by the fight of his Eyes is meant The enjoyment of what a Man hath to be seen or in his possession as the word is translated before Chap. 3.13 And it is thus exprest to shew the short continuance of our earthly Injoyments they are but a Sight And by the wandering of the Desire as is clear by the like Expressions in Scripture Jer. 2.20 and 14.10 is meant the endless Pursuit of the Affections insatiat with what they have and greedily hunting after more of things earthly The Second which proves the former is that this namely the wandering of the Desire is a course empty of all Satisfaction as the Word Vanity signifies and so proves Man vain that should seek Satisfaction in it and not only so but in God's Righteous Judgement proves a Tormenting and eating up of a Man's Spirit as the word Vexation signifies ver 9. The Third is That whatever hath been formerly found by any particularly whatever the issue and success of their inordinate Desires and excessive pains for Happiness in the Creatures hath been It is named already that is it is clearly exprest in the words immediatly preceeding to be Vanity and Vexation of Spirit And it is known that is it may be clearly known and is known to all Spiritual Discerners that it is Man to whom Vanity is to be imputed it is Man one piece of Red-Earth as his Name signifies seeking Happiness in another and get what he will he is a frail dying Man still And so this that hath been told hath been the constant course which God hath kept with Man according to His eternal Purpose and there cannot be an instance given to the contrary that whoever sought Happiness in the Creatures have meet with Vanity and Vexation of Spirit in so doing The Fourth Reason is That Man being so frail a Creature may not Contend it is not safe for him And he doth so if he seek Happiness where God hath declared he shall not find it he may not be in contradictory terms with Him as the word Contend signifies or if he will yet essay it he shall find the Lord Mightier than he to Oppose Disappoint and Vex him Hence Learn 1. While Men do not fix their Desires upon Him who is the Desire of Nations Hag. 2.7 Altogether Desireable Cant. 5.16 And in comparison of whom none in Heaven or Earth is to be desired Ps 73.25 Their Souls will still roam and wander like Sheep that have forgotten their resting place and go from Mountain to Hill Jer. 50.6 For the disposition of the Covetous Worldling is here set forth by The wandering of the Desire or as the Word may be translated the Journey of the Soul 2 As men should look upon all their earthly Injoyments as transitory and things whereof they have but a View as is imported in this that they are called The sight of the Eyes so ought they to be content with the Portion which God gives them and to look upon the same as more for their advantage and serving more for their incouragement in their Masters service than if it were greater For saith Solomon Better is the sight of the Eyes than the wandering of the Desire 3. The wandering of Man's Desire from one Creature to another for satisfaction proves all the Creatures to be empty of any thing that can give him true Contentment and Man himself to be meer Vanity that should persist in that vain pursuit For in both these respects this sentence may be applyed to The wandering of the Desire this also is Vanity 4. If after clear warning and frequent disappointment of desired Contentment in things earthly Men will still follow their own vain courses they shall find the result to be not only more Disappointment but Torment and Eating of their Spirits here when God awakes their Conscience and if they Repent not a Worm that never dies to eat up their Spirits eternally For it is the Lord that passes this Sentence The wandering of the Desire is both Vanity and Vexation of Spirit 5. Both the constant experience of all by-past Ages and the clear Light of the Word of God hath proven this Truth that the pursuit of Happiness in the Earth proves Vanity and Vexation of Spirit to the Pursuer So that none can give an Instance to the contrary And this should disswade Men from that way For as another consideration for that effect Solomon saith That which hath been to wit hitherto in all Ages the result of such vain courses is named alread that is it is called by the Spirit of the Lord by that name formerly exprest Vanity and Vexation of Spirit 6. Whatever is spoken of the Vanity of the Creatures in order to Mans Happiness is not so much to be attributed to them seing they are all good and sufficient for the ends to which they are appointed and do groan that they should be subjected by Man to Vanity As it is to be attributed to vain Man It is not the Creatures fault that they disappoint Man of satisfaction seing they were not appointed to terminat his desires or to satisfy him but to lead him to his Creator nor is it their fault that they prove Vexation to him but his that vexes himself in seeking what they are not able nor were ever appointed to give And so all is to be fathered upon vain Man It is known to be Man 7. While Men seek Happiness in things beside God they do but Contend with Him or as the Word signifies they enter in Judgement with Him as if they would pass sentence contrary to His Decree and revealed Mind in His Word which is That Creatures are empty of Satisfaction that Man is vain to seek it in them and that the Lord Himself is the only satisfying Portion of His People Neither may he Contend with Him 8. If man considered what his Name signifies to wit Adam a piece of the Earth that was taken out of it and must go to it and that all his Injoyments cannot change him but still he must be Adam a Frail dying piece of red Clay it would make him afraid to enter the lists with or take up a sute of Law as the word Contend signifies against his
should move every Man so to serve his Generation as he may profit the succeeding Ps 145.4 so should they strongly divert him from pursuing the transitory Vanities of this Earth as his Portion and Happiness that so he may not leave behind him the effects and memory of his Vanity and Wickedness to be an occasion of Sin or matter of Grief to the succeeding Generation For as an Argument to perswade Men of the Vanity of earthly Delights that so their hearts may be weaned from them is this asserted that when one Generation passeth away another cometh 3. So ravished are Men naturally with their present earthly Enjoyments so forgetful of their Mortality and the time of their parting with them and so dull in the apprehension of such things when they are pointed out to them that they have need of many Remembrancers thereof and of much pains to be taken upon them to stamp their hearts with serious Thoughts of the same and so gracious is the Lord that he vouchsafes all this upon them as appears by his instructing them here and else where in his Word how to read profitable Lessons of this sort upon the Earth the Sun the Winds and Waters which have more permanency and constancy than vain Man who seeks his Happiness in a momentany enjoyment of Things here The Earth abides for ever the Sun ariseth and goeth down and the Windes whirle aboue continually the Rivers run into the Sea and thence return to the place whence they came all which are here reckoned out to teach Man his frailty and to illustrat to him his inconstant and fading condition asserted in the first place One Generation passeth away and another cometh 4. The whole Creation keepeth that constant course of Obedience to their Maker wherein he set them at the first and will continue so doing till he loose them from their work so that Man cannot look any where among the Creatures but he shall see them at their duty except when he abuseth them as it were contrary to their Inclination violently forcing them to serve him in his sin Rom. 8.21.22 This should convince him of his sinfulness while he beholds all the Creatures so speedy and constant without wearying at their duty and himself so fickle in what is good so frequently out of his duty and acting contrary to the Law given him and the strength and Grace allowed upon him For here the four principal parts of the World are brought in constantly at their duty to illustrat Mans Vanity who forgets his Frailty and so hardneth himself in the pursute of vain Things which he cannot long enjoy as his Portion One Generation passeth c. but the Earth abides for ever The Sun also c. 5. So spiritual a frame of heart should a Child of GOD intertain that he should be still making some spiritual use of these visible things which do most commonly offer themselves unto his view and particularly so mindful should he be of his Mortality and the frailty of his earthly condition that he should not only read the same upon these creatures which are more fading and offer themselves to his view only at certain Seasons Ps 103.15 Jam. 1.10 11. But also upon these that are more permanent than himself and offer themselves continually to his consideration for so doth the Spirit of God here teach Man by this Divine Preacher to make a Spiritual use of and particularly to mind his Mortality and Frailty by this that the Dust he treds upon is more durable than he the Sun Winde and Waters are more constant in their course than he Verse VIII All Things are full of Labour Man cannot utter it the Eye is not satisfied with Seeing nor the Ear filled with Hearing THis Verse contains two further Arguments to convince Men of the Insufficiency of all earthly Delights to make them truely Happy and so to prove them vain who seek Happiness in them The one is that all these Earthly Things being sought after as a mans chief good are full of Labour to wit to the man that labours about them he finds nothing by them but Toil and Weariness which spends him and makes him faint as the word signifies and this spending labour is so great that neither he that takes it nor any other can sufficiently express it The other Argument is that these things about which man doth thus labour when they are enjoyed by him so far as can be do yeild him no true satisfaction at all which might compense his wearisome labour in seeking after them and this unsatisfaction he doth instance in two of the outward Senses whose Objects are most various and delectable of any other and yet they remain still unsatisfied Now these two are put for all the Senses and the Senses are ordinarily in Scripture put for the Faculties of the Soul especially the Desires and Delights thereof Psal 25.15 1 Joh 2 16. Which can never be satisfied with any earthly thing And if we joyntly consider the Preachers two former Arguments to wit that there is no true profit in these earthly things and that man hath but a short abode with them together with the two here made use of Namely That it costs a man unspeakable Toil and Weariness in Labour before he attain to these things and when he hath attained them so far as is possible they yeild him no True satisfaction we cannot but assent to that which he asserted in the entry to be proven that all earthly things are Vanity in order to the making of Man Happy and Man is vain in seeking Happiness in them neglecting the Study of reconciliation Fellowship with God and of living in his Fear and Obedience for intertaining that Fellowship And the substance of both these Arguments contained in this Verse is plainly held forth by the Spirit of God expostulating with his people by Isa ch 55.2 Doct. 1. Men that seek their Happiness in any created things whatsoever shall meet with nothing in them or in their endeavours about them but exceeding great Toil and so much Weariness to Holy and Spirit as all the comfort they can reap by these things shall not be able to compense the Lord so disposing that this spending Labour of Man may be an Admonition to all of their Folly in seeking Happiness in these things a powerful Motive to some to change their way and seek their Happiness where the word discovers it to be Isa 55.2 Psal 22.1 2. Joh 17.3 Eccles 12.13 And to others who will not do so a just Correction of their Perverseness and an earnest of their endless vexation For here the Spirit of God shews expresly what the man that seeks after any created thing as his chief Good shall find for his so doing All things are full of Labour 2. Such is the natural perverseness of every mans Heart before the Lord make a change upon him that though he cannot be moved to take the least pains for his Souls Happiness
Prov 6.10 the advantage and sweetness whereof is unspeakable 1 Cor. 2.9 But doth esteem the easiest and sweetest Duties of Religion intollerably painful Mal. 1.13 Yet will he spend and waste himself in pursuing perishing Trifles by so much toilsome Labour as neither himself nor any other can sufficiently express for so saith the Spirit of God here speaking of that painful Labour which men take about earthly things Man cannot utter it 3. However natural Men while they are pursuing after Earthly Contentments as their chief Good do foolishly imagine that if they had some further measure of them they would then be satified Luk. 12 18 19. Yet such is the curse which the Lord hath put upon all Earthly things sought after as a Mans best portion that his unsatisfaction after attainment of them is no less then it was in the pursuit but rather still growing as Thirst doth in some Distempered Persons by Drinking Till lost Man close with God reconciling himself to him in Christ till he in some Measure by Faith see him reconciled and hear the joyful sound of his Spirit speaking pardon and Peace through the promises had he never so great plenty of sensible delights in themselves never so ravishing this may still be truly said of him The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing 4. All the toil and wearisome Labour that unrenewed Men have in pursuing Lying Vanities and all the unsatisfaction and Loathing they have in the enjoyment of them doeth never a whit divert them from spending themselves yet further in the pursuit of such things till once the Lord let them see better things worthy of their Spirit and pains and incline their Hearts to pursue these for here the Spirit of the Lord sets forth every unrenewed Man as it were still Gazing upon unsatisfying Objects and still harkening greedily to the voice of Satans Temptations and his own corruption perswading him that there is Happiness to be found in these things Although he find unspeakable wearisome Labour in his pains about them yet he still Labours that way and his Eyes and Ears are bent upon them though it be thus with him his Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor his Ear filled with hearing Verse IX The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and thâ—â— whic◠〈◊〉 is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Verse X. It there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new it hath been already of old time which was before us THese words contain the fifth Argument to prove that Happiness cannot be had in things Earthly and therefore that mans endeavours to find it in them must be Vain the force of it is that as all who have formerly sought after contentment in the Creatures neglecting the Study of Reconciliation and Fellowship with God have met with nothing but much Toil and Vexation without any true satisfaction as hath been shown in the former verse so is it the constant Determination of God that it shall fare the same way with all that shall try the same course neither shall any now living or that are to live afterward find any new thing in these earthly delights Both the Idols whith men can pursue called here the thing that hath been and the Courses they can take for attaining to them called that which is done being the same for Substance with these which have been before ver 9. And the more to convince men hereof He puts it to the Conscience of every one to condescend if they can upon an instance to the contrary while he saith is there any thing whereof it can be said See this is New Importing it impossible to show any such thing and because every man seeking his Happiness in this Earth is strongly Apprehensive of better success in his way than these have had who lived before him the Preacher doth again assert the contrary in the close of ver 10. So that his denying any thing to be new under the Sun and affirming that whatever is now hath been already is not to be understood of things Spiritual and Heavenly such as are the new Works of God in the second Creation about the Conversion of Sinners which are all new 2 Cor 5 17. Nor of the Mercies of the Lord daily renewed to his own Lam 3.22 Which though they be the same for kind and substance with what have been before yet have they still a new Relish and Ravishing sweetness to the Souls of his People Ps 20.3 As if they had never been before Nor is this to be understood as if there were not new wayes of Dishonouring God daily invented by Satan and mens Corruption Judg 5.8 and new Aggravations of mens Sins daily multiplying Jer 2.10 11. c. Neither yet as if Solomon had thought that there were not after his time many new and strange things to fall forth in the future dispensations of Gods Grace and Providence Jer 31.22 Nor can the expression be understood of lawfull Arts whereof some had been newly invented before Solomons time Gen 4 21 22. and others have been for the great advantage of humane Society found out since his time as experience showes But thir expressions are to be understood according to the Scope and subject matter in hand As. 1. That there is no new earthly delight to be found out by man beside one of these three Idols Pleasure Profit and Honour which the men of this World have always since the beginning been Worshiping Nor 2. Any new course to be found out for attaining these the like whereof for substance and no less effectual for the end hath not been essayed before of both which the Preacher giveth instances afterward Nor. 3. Any new success of these courses to be expected but the same disapointment and vexation of Spirit which men have found of old in pursuing these same Idols after the same manner whereof he spake in the former verse And this Argument to reclaim vain Man from his sinfull courses is the same in substance with that which the Lord by his Prophets frequently makes use of with his People taken from the disappointment and vexation their Fathers had found to deter their Children from their Profane and Idolatrous courses Jer 16 1â— and else where conceit of their own Wit for effectuating their woful designs as if they had found or could yet find out new ways of attaining to their Idols and could make their contentment in things Earthly so full as never any did before nor shall easily do after them for the words may be safely taken for a refutation of such imaginations in Men who as it were think the former ages have been short sighted in the matter of finding out Happiness in things Earthly and that now they will easily find out new and more excellent delights and new and more effectual wayes of attaining to them in all which they are here by the Spirit
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
after them in two Expressions The one is that he sought in his heart or as the word signifies he did deliberate and search into every art how he might give himself or as the word is draw out his Flesh or lay out himself to the full unto Wine under which is comprehended all delicats which are satisfying to the natural appetite The other is that he sought in his heart to lay hold on Folly for the first words of the verse are to be constructed with these which follow after the Parenthesis in the text by this Laying hold he means his apprehending with all his might and the outmost intention of his strength of minde and Body and so bringing into his possession as the Original Word signifies And by this Folly whereof he thus tooke hold is meant those sensual pleasures which he now being a penitent judgeth to be nothing else but Folly though he looked otherwise upon them before Now this his expression of giving himself unto Wine it not to be understood as if he had given up himself to that Excessive use of the Creatures whereunto Drunkards and Belly-Gods addict themselves for though we read of many vile practises of his under his defection yet we find nothing of that sort beside what is here said of his giving himself unto Wine neither yet can this be understood of the moderate and Holy use of the Creatures because it is ordinary with him when he speaks of that as he doth frequently in this Book to commend it as Gods gift and allowance to his own while as he doth condemn this as Folly and as producing Vexation of Spirit Verse 11. Therefore this seems to be understood of a middle way betwixt these which he studied to wit that he would so far give up himself to sensible delights that he might know the outmost of the sweetness and comfort that was in them and yet might not turn altogether sensual and Butishly excessive in the use of these things And next to confirme that it was this middle way which he then minded to follow he doth with the mentioning of it intermix as it were in a Parenthesis another Study which he intended to temper with this namely his acquainting of his heart with Wisdom whereby is meant especially his skill of Governing his Royal Affairs for at his worst there is no ground to think that he did grosly miscarry as Drunkards do and consequently he hath Studied how to restrain himself from such excesses as might stain his Reputation and for that end to carry himself at the beginning of his defection at least in the externals of Religion as he might hide from the Eyes of his Subjects and others his begun defection from the Lord. And Thirdly he shows what was his end in this Study of his which was indeed a singular on to make a Mixture of these two to give up himself to a very full injoyment of sensual delights and to carry on withall the Exercise and reputation of his great Wisdome and that was that he might see or experimentally know as the Word is translated Eccl 1 16. what was that chief good which mortal Men should endeavour to obtain and may come to the injoyment of along their few and numbered dayes as the original is that they have to live in this World whereby it appears that he doth here relate what frame of Spirit he had under his begun defection and estrangement from the Lord seeing the chief good is now a seeking with him and is sought after by him in such things as are exprest in this verse in Wine and other things of that nature which he now calls Folly Hence Learn 1. A true penitent will not satisfy himself with general Confessions of his former sinfull course as if he had been but in a common Transgression whereof few are free and so had no other matter of shame than other Men but will condescend upon particulars both what unworthy idols he hath served and how much his wit and strength have been imployed in serving of them that so he may be the more vile in his own Eyes and may make clear to others the way of the prevailing of temptations that they may be restrained or reclaimed from giving way to the like for after a general Confession of his sinful purpose to pursue his pleasures he doth now instance the particulars that carried his heart away from God and how much he was taken up with them I sought in my heart to give my self unto Wine 2. There are Snares and Temptations wherewith the Godly are readily overtaken not only in and about things of themselves sinful but likewise and most ordinarly in and about these things which are in their use lawful and necessary Satan knows that we least suspect and so are most easily insnared by Temptations in these things for it is imported here that Solomon found a Snare and Temptation even in these things which such a Man as he might Lawfully have made use of in greater Variety and plenty than many other Men I sought in my heart to give my self unto Wine 3. When the Serious Exercise of a Mans Wit is to lay out himself in taking the outmost of the comfort which any created thing can yeild unto him though the same were never so lawful in the moderate use of it then it becomes his sin and his Idol for so doth Solomon descrive the sin that was in his course that he sought in his heart which signifies his most Serious Deliberation to give himself or as it is in the Original to draw out his Flesh by which is meant his outward Man and the Actions thereof unto Wine 4. When the Children of the Lord are not seeking in their heart to give themselves away to his Service and Obedience that so they may have more near Communion with himself which should be their most serious Study Isai 26.9 they will be then seeking in their heart how to give themselves away to these base and unworthy things which God hath given to them to serve and cheir them in serving him for here Solomon now begun to be estranged from the Lord is giving himself away to that which God hath given Man to preserve his Health 1 Tim 5 23. And to cheir his heart in the Praises of his Maker Ps 104.15 I sought in my heart to give my self unto Wine 5. How much use of Wit and Reason soever Men may have in the persuance of Earthly delights yet while they are seeking in their hearts to give themselves away to these things they are but taking hold of Folly and though the Foolish sinner do not so look upon his way while he is pursuing his Idols yet when God awakes him whether in Wrath or in Mercy he will see and be forced to say that he hath been doing nothing but taking hold of Folly for Solomon saith he Exercised his Wit how to give himself unto Wine whereby is meant all these pleasures that estranged
him from God and now being a penitent he judges his so doing to be nothing else but a taking hold of Folly I sought in my heart c. to lay hold on Folly 6. As Mens corrupt hearts left destitute of the special presence of Gods Spirit will incline them in some respects to the study of Wisdom while they are pursuing their Idols that they may manage their outward Affairs so as they may be the fitter to possess the sweetness they aim at in the injoyment of these Idols that they may be the more able to defend their way with shew of Reason to hide from others their defection from God and to keep their Reputation unstained So may the Lord vouchafe upon them even then the Exercise of Wit and Reason that he may make use of them to do somthing for his publick Honour before the World while they are doing him much dishonour privately and that he may ingage them the more when they come to themselves to employ their Wit for him For Solomon now estranged from the Lord while he was giving himself unto Wine and so laying hold on Folly was notwithstanding acquainting his heart with wisdome 7. Satan doth not at the first tempt Men to that hight of Wickedness which he intends to have them at afterward he will not only permit but incite them unto such a wise ordering of their carriage both in Civil and Religious performances as may hide from others the tendency of their way and silence for a time their own Conscience See 2 Sam 15.7 Prov 7.14 Counting it sufficient at first to get their Zeal in Religions duties abated and the delight of the heart drawen toward these things which may prove an inlet and occasion to further Temptations for thus was it with Solomon at the beginning of his defection from the Lord he sought in his heart to give himself unto Wine yet so as he acquainted his heart with Wisdom which may be understood both of his wise Managing the Affairs of his Kingdome and his visible respect to Religious Ordinances which afterward he shook off when he Established Idolatry 1 King 11.7.8 It is a great guilt in Men to allow themselves in every way of using lawful comforts which doth not desturb their Reason or make them incapable of manageing their civil Affairs and of ordering their External Cariage in Religious duties while in the mean time the bent of their heart is after their sensual satisfaction in the use of any Earthly delight though never so lawful for there is no ground to think that Solomon did so give himself to Wine that he turned a Drunkard or indisposed himself for managing his affairs Civil or Ecclesiastick in a prudent manner yea the contrary is intimated here while he saith that when he gave himself to Wine He was acquainting his heart with Wisdom and yet he saith now being a penitent that he was even then taking hold of Folly 9. A true penitent reclaimed from sin should impartially reflect upon and relate as is needful both how far he hath given up himself to pursue his Idols and what proofs of undeserved respect from the Lord he hath had continued with him and hath abused in the time of his defection that so he may be the more vile in his own Eyes the more thankfull to the Lord and ingaged now to imploy his wit and parts for him for Solomon being now a penitent relates both how far he gave up himself to his pleasures and how far the restraining Grace of God was imployed for him at that time not suffering him altogether to lose the Exercise of his Wisdome I gave my heart to Wine yet acquainting my heart with Wisdom 10. So easily are the sparkles of unmortified Corruption inflamed even with the very mentioning of sinful courses especially such as have much sensual pleasure in them that there is need with the mentioning of them to mention also the Folly Bitterness and hazard of them Therefore doth Solomon in the former words immediately subjoyn his Censure of his course as Madness to his expressing of his purpose to pursue his pleasures and here while he speaks of his giving himself unto Wine he calls it a taking hold of Folly 11. As there is some chief good to be attained in this life which every Man should seek after and do something every day of his Life for attaining to so nothing is to be esteemed that good but only that which Men may enjoy all their Days and which may be able to yeild them true comfort in all the variety of Conditions they can be in and this only the favour of God and fellowship with him in Christ by the Spirit is able to do Ps 34.12 c. For here Solomon supposes such a good to be and to be sought after while he saith till I might see what is that Good for the Sones of Men which they should do under Heaven all the dayes of their Life 12. Even these who have not only been determined and clear concerning that wherein Mans cheif good doth consist but have been long in posession and injoyment of it may be for a time so earnest in the pursuit of their sensual pleasures and so forgetful of what they have formerly found in fellowship with God that their chief good may be a seeking to them and any apprehensions they have of it may be that it is in these things that are most contrary to it For here Solomon expressing the end of his forementioned course speaks as a Man in the mist concerning that true good and as apprehending it to be in sinful delights such as Wine to which he saith he gave up himself while he saith till I might see what was that good for the Sones of Men which they shoud do all the dayes of their Life Verse IV. I made me great Works I builded me 〈◊〉 I planted me Vineyards V I made me Gardens and Orchards and I planted Trees in them of all kind of Fruits VI. I made we Pools of Waters in water therewith the wood that bringeth forth Trees VII I got me servants and maidens and had servants been in my house also I had great possessions of great and small cattel above all that were in Jerusalem before me VIII I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of the provinces I got me men singers and Women singers and the â—â—ights of the sones of men as musical instruments and that of all sorts THis penitent Preacher having with grief related his former sinful purpose to pursue his pleasures he doth here reckon out what fair Advantages he had â—â—tting him for injoying as much thereof as any Man could expect to find or the choice and flower of all the Inferiour Creatures could yeeld unto him As. 1. His stately buildings of all Sorts which might serve not only for Commodious Habitation but for strengths against his Enemies and monuments of his power and greatness as may
such sad events as have befallen others for saith the wise man I my self also perceived that one event happeneth to them all Verse 15. Then said I in my heart as it happeneth to the fool so 〈◊〉 happeneth even to me and why was I then more wiseâ— then I said in my heart that this also is vanity SOlomon having in the former Words asserted that the morely wise and sober Man is lyable to the same sad events with the sensual voluptuous Fool he doth here show first how he applyed the same to himself and after serious pondering of the Lords Dispensations with him he found the same verified in his own person who was Inferior to none for that sort of Wisdom I said 〈◊〉 my hâ—â—râ— saith he as it happeneth to the Fool so it happeneth even to me Which is not to be understood as if every thing had fallen out alike to him and Fools or wicked Men for many Fools were Dethroned while he prospered and came to the peaceable possession of their Territories but that he did rationally and upon good grounds judge himself lyable to the same events none of which his moral Prudence though very eminent could prevent and that he had some experience of alike sad events with such toward the latter end of his life 1 King 11.14 c. Next he shews some of the effects which the consideration of this equality together with the disappointment of satisfaction he found in his Study of Moral Wisdom had upon his corrupt heart whereof the first is here to make him condemn that sort of Wisdom as altogether unprofitable and to repine at himself for taking so much pains for it while he saith He said in his Heart and why was I then more wise Which cannot be looked upon as spoken only in the person of others seeing he doth so expresly set it down as the Language of his Own Heart as he useth to do these things which are most clear to have been his own Thoughts and considering also that there was much of this stuff in his heart during the time of his estrangement from the Lord whereof he is now ashamed and content to publish it for the good of others and therefore this must be taken for the Language of Corruption and Temptation prevalent in his Heart Thirdly He passeth Censure upon this his mistaken Opinion that this also was Vanity Which cannot be applyed to Wisdom it self formerly spoken of though it be true of it being made use of as a sufficient guide to True Happiness in which sense he had censured it before but must be looked upon as a check given to his Own Heart for entertaining the forementioned Temptation as most vain and unreasonable seeing there are many other good uses of that sort of Wisdom therefore he said now in his Heart it was a Vanity for him to judge it useless in other respects though it could not exeem men from the Dominion of Gods Providence as the temptation did suggest Hence Learn 1. Whatever right Observations we make upon the Lords Dispensations with others especially such as are sad we ought to apply the same to our selves by considering that the like are or have been or may be upon our selves that so we may not dream of exemption from the like nor stumble when we meet therewith For Solomon having observed in the general That one event happeneth to the Wise and Foolish He now applyeth it to himself Then said I in my Heart as it happeneth to the Fool even so it happeneth to me 2. The Lord in his wise Providence doth so order the falling out of the sad events upon the Children of Men that oftentimes these who do not foresee them nor guard against them will be exeemed from them and these who are sharpest sighted to foresee and most active to prevent them are sadly afflicted with them that the Wisest may learn to deny their Own Wit and Strength and the Foolish may have time and warning to humble themselves for their rashness and folly For Solomon had observed that as he himself who was a Wise man had great and long Prosperity so might a Fool have and as some Fools had met with sad events so might he For this I said in my Heart as it happeneth to the Fool so it happeneth to me Is to be understood of what according to the course of Providence in outward things might be expected rather than of what did actually fall out to Solomon 3. As the Lord for wise Reasons to be mentioned afterward upon chap. 9. ver 1 2. may make the same sad events befall the Best which befall the Worst so consequently the best while they are in their best condition here should look upon themselves as lyable to any of these Temporary events which are incident to men that they may the more soberly and thankfully possess their present Enjoyments and be preparing for a change for so doth Solomon here teach while he saith in his heart and that truly As it happeneth to the Fool even so it happeneth to me 4. When the Lords Spirit is provoked to withdraw in reguard of his lively operations His train of Heavenly Thoughts goes with him and in place thereof Unreasonable and Sinful Cogitations come in For thus it was with Solomon while this unreasonable suggestion was prevalent in his heart which could not have been admitted if his heart had been kept throng as sometimes it was with Heavenly and profitable considerations I said in my heart and Why was I then more wise 5. Mans Wisdom Natural or Acquired in so far as it is not acted by the sanctifying Spirit of Christ hath ordinarily fretting and repining at the Lords cross Dispensations with it whereas the Wisdom that is from above makes the Heart peaceable and calm under these Jam. 3.17 considering from whom and for how good ends they come For even Solomon while the special operations of the Spirit are with-held looks upon all that Wisdom which is a desirable Gift of God as useless and repines at himself for studying of it And why was I then more wise 6. So blind are mens minds in the matters of God without the special Illumination of Christ's Spirit and so wedded are their Hearts to their own Will and Idols while they are not taken up with Him that if he make them to excel in one thing they will readily repine if they do not excel in all and if they attain not to what their Hearts would be at they are ready to under value what they have received and should be thankful for for so doth even Solomon's corruption suggest to him Seeing he did so excel others in Wisdom that therefore he should not be obnoxious to the same sad events with them And because he saw it was so with him he is tempted to think himself a Fool in taking such pains for Wisdom As it happeneth to the Fool so it happeneth even to me and why was I then more wise 7.
the heart from earthly Delights that is tyed to them as its portion A man must bestir himself in the use of all means and must busie his heart to find out motives effectual for that end for so did Solomon here as is imported in this expression I went about to cause my heart c. 3. As men destitute of the special Operations of the Lordâ— Spirit may manifest much Skill Prudence Experience Ingenuity and Uprightness in their acting and yet be seeking but an earthly Happiness and never minding the great end of all their Undertakings the Glory of God their own and others Spiritual Good So the more of these Gifts or Virtues men do exercise and manifest in their interprises if they seek no further the more will their anxiety and vexation be increased were it but upon this ground that they cannot dispose of all their Purchase to men after them according to their own inclination and pleasure for Solomon here speaks with a main eye to himself and his own Disposition and Carriage while he was at a distance from the Lord and so acting as a natural man may do while he saith There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not Laboured therein shall he leave it This is a great evil 4 While these prime Motives which should prevail to alienate mens hearts from sinful courses are either not minded or have no Power for that effect the Lord can and sometimes doth make use of common and more inferior Motives for bringing about the same and therefore every frame of Spirit is not to be looked upon as bad because it hath been wrought by some Considerations which are common and have in them a mixture of Ignorance and Corruption For Solomon should have caused his heart to despair of Happiness in the Creature because he was created for injoying a Felicity of a higher nature than all the Creatures could afford and because true Happiness is only to be had in Reconciliation and Fellowship with God but he doth not attain at this time whereunto he here relates to these thoughts and yet this more inferior Consideration is blessed to bring his heart to this frame that There is a man whose Labour is in Wisdom and Knowledge and Equity and yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave all c. 5 Men are naturally more prone to be anxious what shall become of their possessions after them and afraid that they be not imployed according to their mind than they are now to improve them in their own time for the best advantage the honour of God their own good and the good of others Which is as if a servant should be more solicitous how his Master should dispose of the fruits of his Labour and afraid least they fall into the hands of some evil servant after him than he is how to improve his pains in the mean time to his Masters best advantage For Solomon was much troubled with this that a man who hath laboured in wisdom should leave all to him that hath not laboueed therein Which cannot be justified seeing the Lord cannot but dispose well of all things into whose hand soever they fall and how bad use soever men make of them 6. The Lord in his wise Providence sees it fit that great things of the World should fall for a portion to men who have neither Wit nor Experience for purchasing or improving of them that all may be convinced that these things are not infallible signs of his love Eccles 9.1 and that men who get them may be allured to their duty by them or the more severely punished when he reckons with them Rom. 2 45. For there is a man whose labour â—s in wisdom and knowledge and equity and yet to a man who hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion 7. It is both the sin and misery of men to spend their time and abilities in seeking their Happiness in things which they must leave to others not knowing how they shall be used nothing but disappointment vexation and torment of Conscience when God awakes it can be the result of a mans forgetting his one thing needful and Labouring though in wisdom and knowledge and equity for things earthly as his Happiness which he must leave to another that hath not Laboured therein For this is the thing that Solomon here pronounceth Vanity and a great evil Verse 22. For what hath man of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the Sun 23. For all his days are sorrows and his travel grief yet his heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity SOlomon here giveth the Reasons of his censure past in the former words upon mens pains for an earthly Happiness The 1. is that man hath no real advantage or true comfort by all his toil of Body and vexation of spirit about things earthly Which is not spoken to the prejudice of any lawful diligence about humane affairs for the right end but only to convince natural men of the fruitlesness of all their pains in order to the true â—atisfaction of their souls And this reason he doth propound by way of interrogation that he may the more effectually rouse up himself and others to consider the vanity of seeking Happiness in â—he creatures and by it also he doth as it were challenge all who â—eglect to seek their Soul-satisfaction in Reconciliation and felâ—owship with God in Christ to condescend if they can and with all supposes that they cannot upon any advantage they have by all their toil and pains The question hath the force of a negative as was cleared from the like Chap. 1. ver 3. Whence that which is here understood may be thus supplyed what profit hath a man of all his Labour The 2. Reason is that whoever choises any earthly thing for his portion shall be so far from any true profit or satisfaction that may compense his Pains that by the contrary all his days shall be sorrows and his travel grief which is mainly to be understood of men of greatest Spirit and Parts who take most pains for Happiness in things earthly not as if such men might not have many days of Carnal pleasure and joy but that they have no good days no days but such as yeild them matter of sorrow no imployment but what affords them matter of grief and such Sorrow and grief as is not easily exprest therefore he useth several words here to the same purpose and these in the abstract and in the plural Number The 3. Reason which may be taken for an instance or illustration of the former iâ— that even in the time which God hath appointed for the rest of mens Bodies and Spirits such men are often so hot in the pursuit of their Idols of Riches Honour or pleasure that they cannot get rest or as it is in the
that all this to wit all lawful creature comforts the power to make use of them and find sweetness in them and especially the Grace to use them so as the Souls good may be thereby promoved All this was from the hand of God whereby is meant his liberality inlarged toward man in allowing these Comforts upon him and his powerful Blessing causing him so to use them see Psal 104.28 And Thirdly to gain weight to his testimony concerning this matter he shows he was inferior to none for plenty of creature Comforts and opportunity to make use of them speedily without much labour to him and therefore was to be believed in this That Happiness was not in the injoyment of outward Comforts alone but only in such a Holy and Chearful use of them as might be subservient to the Souls good which consists in Fellowship with the Lord. Hence Learn 1. Though the publick Ministers of Christ ought to deliver the whole Counsel of God to the People as they have ability and opportunity Act 20.20 27. Yet is it Wisdom in them while they have to do with these that are strangers to Communion with the Lord especially such of these as are ravished with Earthly Delights to bring forth in the first place such Truths as may probably be most taking prevalent and have best acceptance with them such as these are that do concern the Lords large allowance of as much comfort even in outward things as men can in reason desire That Soul-ravishing sweetness is only to be found in Spiritual Exercises which will make all sinful Delights loathsome and refine the lawful Sweetness that is in the Creatures And so that Religion is a friend both to the Bodies and Spirits of men For this is Solomon's method here who without doubt is directed to frame this Book mainly for the convincing and gaining of Men who are in the way that he himself was in before his recovery from his defection He doth not at the first deliver the â—â—lictest of these Precepts which afterward he presseth in order to Happiness but speaks as if he conceded much to men concerning the use of sensual Delights only minding them of their Souls good which they could not in reason slight while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 2. It is dangerous to leave men under Convictions of the evil of their Courses and Apprehensions of certain misery abiding them except there be also some intimation of a probable way for them to be made Happy and the same in some measure cleared up to them least they either return to their wonted sinful Delights as Israel would have gone back to Egypt or choice to die in Despair not daring to go back and not knowing how to go forward Therefore Solomon having spoken somewhat concerning the Insufficiency of the most plausible and promising courses which men destitute of the Lords Spirit can take for satisfaction before he proceed further he inserts here some discovery of true Happiness that men may have the clearer thoughts of it while he saith There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour 3. As it is to be acknowledged for a great Blessing of God to have plenty of Creature Comforts and withall Power to make use of them and find Sweetness in them and not to be hindered therein either by inward exercise of Spirit Job 33.19.20 such as the Lords withdrawing of his wonted comfortable Presence Psal 102.9 and 42.3 by outward Crosses imbittering the Spirit 1 Sam. 30.26.27 by excessive fears of outward Hazards Psal 107.18 by groundless scruples of Conscience Act. 10.13.14 or by miserable Sparingness c. So it is to be looked upon but as the smallest part of our Happiness and as no part of it at all unless in the use of these things the Soul be injoying good sutable for it for as Solomon commends Eating and Drinking in the sense formerly mentioned so he doth not commend it alone but as it ushers in and promoves some true good to be injoyed by the Soul of man There is nothing better then that a man Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good 4. Ministers when they confute the abuse of things Lawful and the Excess of Mens Affection to them should withall assert and clear the lawful liberty of Christians lest Hearers who are ready to run from one sinful extream to another from making provision for the Flesh in the excess or pampering of it to fulfill the Lusts thereof unto a neglecting of the Body to the prejudice of the Spirit may apprehend Religion to be an Enemy to their Bodily Health and to the true Cheerfulness of their Natural Spirit contrary to Prov. 3.8 Or may be without ground challenged for taking what is the Lords Allowance to them Thereforefore Solomon after he hath condemned the excess of sensual Delights doth here commend the right use of them which is consistent with and subservient to the Souls injoying of its true good in Fellowship with the Lord. There is nothing better then that a man should Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good c. 5 The outmost of that Happiness which is attainable in this Life by the Children of the Lord wants not its own Imperfection and mixture of Trouble and Toil with it The Lord so disposeth that men may long for that State where their Happiness may be full and unmixed In Heaven there shall be no use of the Creatures for Eating Drinking and the like Rev. 7.16 which take a great part of a mans time to provide and use so frequently But in this Life There is no better of it than to be at the pains of Eating and Drinking and that way to keep up our selves that our Souls may injoy good of our Labour 6. The right use of Creature Comforts such as Meat Drink and the like is not only consistent with but subservient to the Souls injoying of that true Spiritual good which is suitable to it when we are by the use of these things led to think upon and long for better and when the strength we receive thereby is imployed in the Praise and Service of the Lord for this Eating and Drinking here commended carries along with it and promoves the Souls injoying of Good and if man Eat and Drink and neglect to make his Soul enjoy good he is worse than the Beasts that perish There is nothing better then to Eat and Drink and make the Soul injoy Good 7. Though the Soul and the matters of it should be first and principally cared for Mat. 6 33. yet it is not the Lords mind that our seeking the good of our Souls should make us careless of our Bodies but rather that we should out of respect to our Souls and the good thereof respect the good of our Bodies in a Sober
that their hearts may be ingaged to that way For this description of the Lords liberality and sweet allowance to his own is here brought in as a motive to make men fall in love with that Way to Happiness formerly hinted at For God gives to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and knowledge and joy 2. Before a man can expect that large and sweet allowance which God giveth to his Children he must first be made good in Gods sight by Reconciliation with Him the Imputation of Christs Righteousness and Renovation of his Nature that he may aime at what is well pleasing in the sight of God For to the man that is good in his sight he giveth Wisdom c. 3. Whatever the best of men receive from God even these who are accepted as Righteous in his sight whose dispositions and way is most sincere and so are Good in his sight it is not of their procurement nor merited by any goodness they have seeing it is all a free Gift For even to him that is good in his sight he giveth Wisdom every further degree of Grace is a new gift to such a man 4. Not only Knowledge of things Spiritual but of managing aright things Temporal and not only the first saving Grace which comprehends the habits of all Graces but every act of Grace and not only matter of comfort and joy but joy it self or the power and heart to take joy and comfort is a free gift of God For this he giveth to him that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledge and joy may be understood of all sorts of approven Wisdom of every degree of Knowledge and Grace and of his giving the power to take comfort in known grounds of rejoycing 5. That which men weary themselves in seeking after and will never find in things Earthly is truely to be found in God For Solomon hath shown before that during his estrangment from God he was seeking satisfaction to his mind in the study of Wisdom and thereafter in the abundance of earthly pleasures and hath declared himself disappointed of all till he come back to his first Love who giveth him as He here professes and promises to others who will take them to Gods way that they shall get the like Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy 6. There must be Wisdom and Knowledge before there be true comfort Men must see their misery and hazard the remedie thereof and how to make use of it Their duty and how to set about it and then they may be sure Joy shall be the result of this practical heart affecting Knowledge whereof Solomon here speaks This is imported in the order of these gifts He giveth Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy 7. The blessedness of Gods People and the misery of others are both better seen when they are compared together Therefore the Preacher here illustrates the one by the other God giveth to the man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledge and Joy But to the sinner travel c. 8. Though men seeking their Happiness in other things beside the Lord do imagine themselves the only free men and to have much Joy in their way yet the truth is they are but slaves to Satan and their own Lusts and without all true comfort for saith he God giveth to the sinner travel the Word signifies Servitude and Affliction 9. Though men seeking Happiness in things Earthly may have success in getting abundance of them brought to their hand as is imported in this that Thy gather and heap up yet they are still as far from satisfaction as formerly For these two words import them still Gathering and Heaping up and yet never attaining to what contents them They have travel to gather and heap up 10. God hath the absolute disposal of mens Purchase and Estates at His Pleasure He can order them to be violently taken away from them Isai 54.16 He can determine their minds at last to order them otherwise than they did formerly intend Prov. 28.8 And can remove these for whom they did intend them that they may fall into the hands of others Psal 39.6 It is good to serve such a Master who can and will when he pleases transfer the Estates of his enemies to his Friends Psal 105.44 And doth alwise dispose of the same as he thinks good That he may give to him that is good before him 11. The consideration of the much toil that is in purchasing things worldly the great disappointment of true satisfaction which is in the injoying of them and the much torment of Spirit which is the result of seeking Happiness in them should wean mens hearts from them For so is this course of Travelling to gather and heap up that which these who are good before God shall injoy here censured while he saith This also is vanity and vexation of Spirit CHAP. III. The ARGUMENT THE Wise man in this Chapter that he may bring up the hearts of these who iâ— Gods way are upon a search after True Happiness to a submission unto and contentment with the changes that may be in their Lot and draw them off from seeking Happiness in Earthly delights As also to instruct them in observing the right time of all their actions affordeth for these ends so many convincing considerations or Arguments As 1. That the time of All events whether mediat caried on by the voluntary actions of men or immediat that fall out in Gods holy Providence is in Gods hand ver 1. which is amplified and instanced in fourteen couple of distinct Events which most ordinarly fall out ver 2 3 4 5 6 7 and 8. all which are linked together in pairs as deserving a joint consideration 2. That there is no true profit in that vexing and wearisome pains which a man takes to make up to himself a Happiness in earthly things ver 9. 3. That God hath inevitably imposed upon all the sons of men this sore travel to wrestle thorow many vicissitudes in their Lot ver 10. 4. That the Lords design in all these changes is that men may be sutably exercised with Humility Submission Mortification and Thanksgiving under them ver 10. 5. That God hath made every thing both grievous and joyful beautiful in its season Though most mens hearts be so plagued that they cannot discern the mind of God therein ver 11. 6. That the highest profit of the most beautiful and favourable dispensations of God to man is to quicken him to the duties of spiritual joy diligence in Holiness and the chearful and sober use of the Creatures which right improvement as it â—s the true good of Gods dispensations in this life and best portion and fruit he can reap by them so is it a singular gift of God ver 12.13 7. That all the Lords dispensations as to his purposed effects ends and Timing of them are permanent and unchangable and therefore are to be acquiesced in and submitted to ver 14. 8. That all
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
as they resemble the Beasts in their disposition and carriage especially in their preying one upon another by their Injustice and seeking Happiness in their earthly and sensual delights And because this Holy Man having this Holy Purpose of God manifested to him could not but go along with with it in his desires therefore this that he said in his heart concerning the state of the sones of men that God might manifest them c. May be taken for his hearty wish or Prayer to this purpose O that God might manifest them and that they might see themselves to be but Beasts And so it is clear that this serves both to humble such men and reclaim them from their way And to quiet the hearts of the Godly who are opprest by them considering how base and beastly they are for all their Eminency and that it is Gods purpose to manifest them to be such Ver. 18. And next he holds forth such Reasons as are most effectual to convince them of their brutishness to wit that they as well as the Beasts are subject to many accidents or as the Word translated Befalleth signifies Occurrences of Providence interrupting them in their injoyment of these earthly delights wherein they place their Happiness And particularly that they are both alike subject to death man having one and the same vital breath or Animal Spirit with the Beast and being as easily cut off as the Beast so that in these things men have no preeminency above the Beast though in respect of their rational and immortal Souls and their condition after death whereof he speaks afterward there be a vast difference Thirdly He confirms this proof by a general assertion concerning the Vanity or emptiness and insufficieency of all created things for bringing True contentment or Happiness to Man and therefore it is a brutish thing for Men that have immortal Souls to seek their Happiness in Worldly greatness especially upheld by Oppression and Injustice Ver. 19. And Fourthly he doth further inlarge and illustrate the resemblance betwixt them and the Beasts by this that they are all in a motion toward the same place to wit Corruption or the state of the dead and that because Man is of the same Original or mettal with the Beast as to his earthly or material Part his Body And so must be dissolved as the Beast into the dust again Ver. 20. Hence Learn 1. This is one of the Holy Designes of God in permitting Wicked men to have that power and these places of trust in the World which they abuse by oppression and Injustice that they may manifest that Wickedness which was before latent in them hid from the World and themselves also while they had not such opportunity and Temptations to vent it 2 King 8.13 The consideration whereof may abate Mens Ambitious Desires after Worldly Eminency and greatness for while they are receiving the same they are but ascending the Stage whereupon men do ordinarily act in the view of others and proclaim to the World their own folly and perversness And likewise it should make Men in the first place Study the mortification of these Evils which great places often discover to the disgrace and ruine of the Persons advanced to them For upon this Solomon saith he did meditate as Gods purpose and design in permitting that which he observed in the former verse I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them that is that it was his purpose to let them show what they were 2. That which should mainly take up the hearts of the Lords People while they consider His Dispensation of suffering Wicked Men to have power and Authority and Innocency to be opprest and Justice perverted by them is the Lords intention and purpose therein so far as by the light of His Word and Spirit they may attain to the knowledge of it This when it is seen being able to quiet their hearts seeing all His purposes are to bring Glory to himself Prov. 16.4 And good to His Own at last Psal 25.10 For upon this design of God in suffering men to sit in Judgment seats who act unjustly there is Solomons meditation Exercised and therewith also is his heart quieted I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sones of men that God manifest them 3. Though the Wickedness of Men especially Men in place and power ought to be grievous to the Godly as it is the Lords publick Dishonour Psal 119 158. Yet the manifestation of their Wickedness and Injustice as it is ordered and made use of by His holy Providence to make them more hateful and to undeceive others who have been ensnared by them and may possibly tend to make them vile to themselves and ashamed of their evil ways it ought to be a comfort to the Godly against their own particular sufferings from them For the consideration of this That the Lords design in suffering such men to have power who do abuse it is to manifest their Brutishness to the World and themselves is here held forth as comfortable to the opprest Godly I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them c. 4. However Wicked Men in Eminency are apt to Deifie themselves Dan. 6.9 And people also are ready to applaud them in so doing Ast. 12.22 yet while they abuse their power and Authority for promoting of Wickedness and bearing down of Piety and Equity they prove themselves to be Brutish seeing they seek no higher Happiness than in things wherein Beasts take pleasure 2 Pet. 2.12 they wax wanton and insolent against God by their Prosperity as the Beast fed upon a fat Pasture Deut. 32.15 and employ their power to oppress the innocent and weak as the Beasts do Ezek. 34 20 21. And so by all their pleasures and prosperity are but fatted for the day of slaughter Prov. 7.22 For it is here implyed that if they Judged aright they would esteem themselves no better seeing it is the Lords mind To manifest them And that they might see themselves to be but Beasts 5. Wicked men by Reason of their blindness self love and prejudice at the truth of God do not ordinarily see the brutishness of their own disposition and baseness of their way till they be left of God to manifest to the World the latent Wickedness that is in their hearts For this second Branch of this Lords design in suffering Wicked Men to have power who abuse it may be looked on as promoved by the first They are by providence brought to Eminency that they may be manifested to others And this is done that they themselves might see that they are Beasts 6. Wicked Men may see that in the Dispensations of God even these that are most grievous to them may contribute much for their good if they make a right use thereof For while he is manifesting them to the World they ought to think
that it is done that they may see themselves to be Beasts and so may loath themselves and thank him that they are not destroyed but preserved that they may seek Mercy and a change of their nature 7. What ever is discovered to be the Lords intention and aim in His Dispensations His people ought to concurr therewith by their serious desires and wishes that it may be brought about thereby testifying their approbation of His purpose as Holy and Good For this may be also taken for Solomons hearty Wish and the worst he desired to befall these Wicked men That God might manifest them and they might see themselves to be Beasts 8. The consideration of those many Resemblances that are between Man and the Beast As 1. That many Events or or occurrences depriving them equally of the satisfaction and pleasure they take in sensual delights are common to both 2. That Death is alike certain to both 3. That the breath or natural Life of both is alike easily cut off And that in all these and the like respects Man hath no preeminency above the Beasts The consideration of these I say should in Reason powerfully convince Men of their Brutishness in seeking Happiness in such things as are in some sort common to them with Beasts such as The bearing down of others inferior to them The satisfying of their sensual appitite and the like For these Resemblances are here reckoned out by Solomon as so many Arguments to convince Man of his Brutishness in thinking himself Happy for his power and place in the World without fellowship with God and living in his fear and Obedience For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the Beasts c. 9. They that would deal effectually for convincing sinners of the evil of their way would make use of such motives as probably may most prevail with them though these be not such as are of themselves the most cogent For Solomon here being to convince Men in power abusing the same of their Brutish and Beastly disposition doth not specify the Resemblances which may from Scripture be condescended upon between the inward disposition and carriage of the one and the other but only compares them as to outward Events and the issue of their Bodily condition wherewith such Men are supposed to be only taken up and so are probably most powerful to disswade them from seeking Happiness in things common to them with Beasts That which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the Beasts c. 10. Scripture Expressions are not always to be looked upon a part and separat from the Scope of the place where they are else Mens corrupt hearts will father many absurd and impious things upon the Scripture contradictory to it self For this that man hath no preeminency above a Beast taken without respect to the Scope and matter in hand savours of Atheism and agrees not with the following truth that Man hath the preeminency of a reasonable Soul above the Beast but taken with Reference to the Resemblances here mentioned that Man is neither exeemed from several outward Events nor from death it self it hath a clear truth in it Man hath no preeminence in these and such as these above the Beast 11. When the emptiness of all created things and humane endeavours about them in regard of any true contentment they can afford to a mans Spirit and their insufficiency to make him truely Happy is seen and well pondered Man will easily assent to this truth that they are really Brutish who seek their Happiness in those things and choose them for their best Portion which have no proportion to their immortal Souls For as a clear proof that they are beasts who so seek their Happiness thi◠general assertion is brought in For all is Vanity 12. Men as well as other living Creatures inferior to them are in a continual motion toward Death nor can they halt in that course which should be considered by them who are also posting toward Eternal Destruction that their hearts may be weaned from seeking Happiness in these things from which they are so quickly passing For this Word in the Original in the present time notes a continual motion all go 〈◊〉 one place 13. The Lord did choise a part of the basest matter in the universe whereof to form the Bodies of Men as well as of Beasts not only to commend His Wisdom and Power in making such a curious piece of Work as Mans Body out of such indisposed matter as Dust but likwise to keep Man humble considering the baseness of his Original to dissuade him from oppressing others inferior to himself in Worldly respects seeing he is made of the same mettal with them and to mind him of a necessity of going to the dust again with them For which causes mainly it is here asserted all are of the dust and all turn to dust again Ver. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth Solomon having shown such Resemblances between Man and the Beast as may serve to dissuade Man from satisfying himself with the Beasts Happiness and may prove him very Brutish if he do he comes now to show wherein Man hath the preeminency and this is mainly in respect of his spirit which goes upward Whereby is chiefly meant the Immortality of Mans Soul seeing he speaks of the state of it after the Body is gone to the Dust as is clear by the Words immediatly preceeding and by the parrallel place Eccles 12.7 And though the expression seems mainly to respect the Souls of the Godly that by Ascending Ascend as the Original bears yet may it be taken in Reference to the Souls of the Wicked also Not as if they went up to Heaven but in so far as after Death they must sist themselves before their Maker and Judge to be disposed of according to His pleasure Who though He be every where present yet it is often set forth in Scripture as above us in the highest Heaven And because the spirits of the Godly do really by Ascending Ascend as a spark of fire riseth upward toward Him who is in the high and Holy place As for the Spirit of the Beasts which is nothing else but their Breath as the Word often signifies their vital or Animal Powers it is said to go downward not as if it did subsist or remain after it leaves the body but having spoken of the going downward of the Body and the perishing of it he is directed to set forth the perishing of their Spirits such as they are by their going downward in opposition to the substance and Elevation of the Spirits of Men which he sets forth by their going upward And this difference between the Spirit of Man and Beast he sets forth in a Question Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward and the spirit c. Not as if he doubted if it were so or as if it could not
be known For such Questions in Scripture are used of such things as may be and are by some certainly known though considered by few Psal 90.11 And so by the Question he regrates Mens Ignorance of this truth and that few do seriously consider it which is both another evidence of their Brutishness that they consider the future state of their Souls as little as the Beasts do and likewise one chief cause why they provide so litle for it Hence Learn 1. The Spirits of Men are Immortal and after separation from the Body have a subsistence For having told that Mens Bodies return to the Dust as the Beasts do he speaks of their Spirits as yet existing and moving upward who knows the spirit of man that goes upward 2. God who is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 in regard He doth create and immediatly infuse them into the Body Zech. 12.1 And orders all their motions while they Act therein Prov. 21.1 Hath also the absolute dominion and disposal of of them at His pleasure after their separation from the Body and they must sist themselves immediatly before Him to be disposed of as He shall think fit For which cause it is that the Spirits of good and bad are said to go upward 3. As there are but few of those who have Immortal Souls within them and so have power to reflect upon them that ever do seriously consider either the nature or future estate of their Souls or the necessity of their appearance before the Judge so their not considering hereof is both an evidence of their Brutishness and the cause why they choise not things of a higher nature for their Happiness than Beasts take pleasure in And why they carrie one toward another as Beasts do by their oppression for this question imports the thing known or considered by few and the same to be the evidence of mens Brutishness and oppression who knows the spirit of man that goeth upward 4. It is the consideration of the Immortality of the Soul of the Lords Dominion over it and especially of the joyfull motion of the Souls of the Godly at death toward God and Blessedness with Him that draws men to live in the fear of God and makes them affraid to hazard the loss of their Souls by provocking Him to whom they must go to be disposed of as he pleases For as a mean to restrain men from these wicked courses formerly spoken of he here leads them to thoughts of this That their spirits go upward 5. Mens ignorance and inconsideration of the nature and future estate of their own Souls is a thing to be sadly regrated by them that know and consider the same They cannot but pity such and bewail so great an evil as the cause of many others For so doth the Wise-man here sadly regrate mens Ignorance and Inconsideration of this Who knows the spirit of man that go's upward 6. The Beasts are not made for any further or higher end than to be useful and servicable to Man in serving his Maker to which man should be ingaged by the consideration of his preeminency above the Beasts and of the service he hath of them after which there is no more of them For when that is done The spirit of the Beast goeth downward or goes to nothing as their Bodies 7. Men may go to their Beasts and learn that which may be useful for their Souls and should be minded by them not to choise sensual pleasures for their Happiness seeing there is a difference between the future state of the one and the other The spirit of man goeth upward and the spirit of the Beast downward Ver. 22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works for that is his portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him FRom the former considerations of the Lords fixing a season for all Dispensations the certainty of His Judging Mens Injustice the Immortality of the soul and the like The Preacher draws a Conclusion which he saw did very clearly follow therefrom viz. That the highest Happiness attainable in this Life is to be had in a chearful following of Duty to God under all the changes of His Dispensations formerly mentioned For by a Mans own work wherein he should rejoice cannot be meant any thing in it self sinful though that be most properly a Mans own Work nor any Action of Man never so lawful being done in his own natural strength and not referred to a higher end than the attaining of an earthly Happiness seeing the Scripture expresly condemns Rejoicing in such things Jam. 4.16 and Solomon had before proven the same to be Vanity and Madness Ecles 2.10.11 But by his own Work is here meant a mans proper industry and pains in following the Duties of his general and particular Calling as means for attaining to that Happiness which God allows upon him in this life and that whereby he may honour God in his Generation and these are called his own Works Not because they are done in his own strength or for his own pleasure Glory or profit but because these only are the Works suitable to Men who have Reasonable and Immortal Souls and mainly because the renewed faculties of the Soul are the immediat Actors of them And so consequently this rejoicing in a Man 's own Work is not to be understood in opposition to Rejoicing in the Lord but to Rejoicing in what is sinful or unsuitable for Reasonable Creatures and marrs the comfortable use of what they have thorow the Blessing of God upon their own industry and pains attained unto and their chearful following of their Duty to Him which is here commended And this he presseth by Two Reasons First That this is a Mans Portion Which is not to be understood as if this were the furthest or sweetest that man hath to expect seeing that never entered into his heart 1 Cor. 2.9 But as it is the Lords allowance to Man a temporary reward of his Labour and the best recompence of his pains that he is capable of in this World The Second is That when a Man shall as of necessity he must which is implyed here leave all behind him there is no possibility of his returning to see or as the Word may be rendered to Enjoy any of these outward Comforts which is the force of this Question and therefore it is his best to use all as incouragments to a chearful following of his Duty to God From this we may Learn 1. That all the Exercises of Mens wit in the discourses of their mind and meditation upon the Lords Dispensations ought alwayes to resolve in some practical Conclusion for engadging their hearts to such Exercises of Piety and Holiness as many honour the Lord and to chearfulness in going about these else our contemplations and discourses though never so clear and satisfactory are vain and fruitless in order to the promoving of our True
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
they have which are so many Messengers to warn them of their Folly in choosing such a God to serve as cannot give his Worshippers a sound and sweet Sleep and in neglecting to serve him who will give his Beloved Sleep when it may be good for them For saith Solomon the abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to Sleep 7. When mens hearts are so distracted with cares and fears about things Worldly that they are thereby deprived of the ordinary Rest and Refreshment which God allows to the Sons of men in the night time then it is evident Mammon is their Idol and their Abundance is a curse and snare to them For Solomon gives it for a mark of the Covetous his Abundance will not suffer him to Sleep Ver. 13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt THe sixth Argument serving to alienat the hearts of men from the excessive love of things Worldly is that they prove often hurtful to the Owners exposing them to many hazards from others and being occasion of much sin to themselves as shall be shewn in the Doctrines And this Solomon regrates as a woful evil and yet evident to him and very ordinary among men that they do pursue these things which prove Hurtful to them as if their chief Happiness were in the injoyment of them Hence Learn 1. The Lords Ministers should be much in the Observation of the event of mens sinful courses that none of the Lords disappointments of men therein may escape them that so they may hold out his truth as verified in their own Experience So will they have the more confidence in speaking and their Doctrine will have the more weight with people For so did the Preacher who is in many things of this sort a pattern for ordinary Preachers he holds forth the danger of Covetousness as a thing which he had observed ordinary among men There is a sore evil which I have seen namely Riches kept to the Owners thereof for their hurt 2. A spiritual Discerner will look upon mens sinful Courses which tend to their Ruine not with pleasure as the sinners themselves do but with grief and compassion They will look upon sinners as men pining away under some grievous sickness while they are with full delight serving their Idols For so doth Solomon This is a sore evil or as the word signifies a deadly Disease or sorrowful Evil Which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 3. Though sometimes the Lord blasts Worldly mens substance and possessions by a secret Moth Hos 5.12 And sometimes by sending Spoilers at noonday upon them Jer. 15.8 to testifie his displeasure with their placing Happiness in so base things and preferring them to his favour and fellowship Yet at other times he doth suffer them to injoy their Idols safely and even then is not the less displeased with them for so had Solomon observed Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt 4. Though wicked men have not a sanctified title to their possessions seing nothing is given them from special love yet they may be called the True Owners of them both by human or Civil Right and by a Divine also so that none may take their Estates from them except Magistrates in the Execution of Just Laws under the pain of Gods displeasure Job 9.24 Hab. 2.6 Nor is it suitable to Scripture Language to deny all wicked men to have any true Title to their possessions and to look upon them as belonging to the Saints for the Spirit of God speaks of them as the Masters and Owners of these things I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof c. 5. That which wicked Men account their chief Good namely the keeping of their Possessions and Riches is truly their great Hurt not only in so far as these things expose them to be the Objects of others Malice and Envy which may befal the best 1 King 21.6 7 8. But mainly because they prove Snares to their Souls occasioning many Temptations to them 1 Tim. 6.9 and particularly marring their love to and profiting by the Word Mat. 13.22 The consideration whereof should guard Mens Hearts against the immoderate love of these things For it is here brought as an Argument to that purpose I have seen Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their Hurt Ver. 14. But these Riches perish by evil travel and be begetteth a Son and there is nothing in his hand SOlomon having reasoned against Covetousness from the Hurt that Worldlings sustain by their Riches while they enjoy them he giveth here a Seventh Argument against the same from the hazard of losing these things which they have kept for a long time he speaks of what frequently falls out and that by evil Travel that is the Lord either blasts them by some sore Judgement for the Word Travel is often Translated Affliction or leaves the Person that hath long kept them foolishly and sinfully to waste them Unto which and many other Casualities Riches being subject they are not to be sought after as a Man's Happiness And this Argument he illustrates by shewing the consequence of the Perishing of these Riches after this manner namely that the Son of this Covetous Wretch hath nothing to wit of Patrimony which his Father with the hazard of his Soul did conqueise in his hand that is in his Power and Possession as the Expression frequently signifies in Scripture Dan. 2.38 seing all is now supposed to be perished by evil Travel So that this Expression He begets a Son and there is nothing in his hand cannot be understood of the ordinary case and condition wherein all Children are born of which he speaks as a new Argument in the following Words but of the poor Case that the Son of the Covetous is oft in after his Fathers Riches are Perished and this as an Argument to disswade from Covetousness seing thereby Men take the nearest Way not only to Hurt their own Souls but to lose their Estates and make their Posterity miserable Hence Learn 1. They who immoderatly love the things of this Earth do not only hurt their own Souls by their so doing but likewise they take the most effectual Course they can to destroy that which they would most gladly keep and so to impoverish themselves and their Off-spring for even these Riches which Solomon had observed to have been for a long time kept to the Owners hurt he here asserts to be subject to Perish by evil Travel 2. The sinful Courses that Men take to preserve their Estates such as Oppression Isa 5 8. Lying and Dissimulation Act. 5.1 2. c. Serving the time by making Ship-wrack of a good Conscience 1 Tim. 6.10 Do often prove in Gods Righteous Judgement a Mean to make all they have Perish The observation whereof may make Men who love their Estates best hate to take
men and therefore should be considered by them and for that end represented and insisted upon by the Lords Ministers for here that which none can be Ignorant of is held forth to convince Men of their Vanity in seeking an Earthly Happiness and to draw them to seek better things That as Man Came Naked into the World so must he Return c. 3. It is both the guilt of the Children of men that they embrace the Dung-hill and choice Earthly Triffles for their Portion while the Blessed God his Grace and Glory are in their offer And the same is also their woful Punishment justly inflicted upon them for despising such an offer For both of the evil of Sin and Punishment this is to be understood This is a sore evil that in all points as he Came so shall he Go. Not as if this Dispensation were evil but that Man should Labour for the Wind Neglecting the Substance seing He must Go as he Came. This is the sore evil 4. If covetous Worldlings would commune often with their own Hearts if they would exercise their Reason and put their Conscience to tell what true Advantage they have by pouring out their Hearts upon the Earth and the things thereof they could not but see their way to be no less unreasonable and unprofitable for attaining to Happiness than if a man would make it the business of his Life to gather Wind which cannot be held though it be among his Hands nor can satisfy him though he could hold it But such serious Thoughts are banished by Worldly minded Men and therefore Ministers should urge their Consciences to speak to this purpose as is imported in this question What profit hath he that hath Laboured for the Wind 5. Whatever deluded apprehensions the Worldling hath of Pleasure and Comfort in his Possessions and pursute after more he hath not the least grain of true Comfort all his Life-time he hath not a truly Comfortable Meal nor a good day suppose it were the day of his Coronation and Conquest of Kingdoms How much better is the Case of a poor Believer in Jesus Christ who though he be judged by Worldlings the most Comfortless man in the World yet eats his Bread with gladness and singleness of Heart Acts 1.46 And may have every day the Feast of a good Conscience Prov. 15.15 For of the covetous the Spirit of the Lord saith thus All his dayes he Eats in Darkness 6. Though many Worldlings be insensible of the matter of Sorrow which they have though they can feign joy and put a fair face upon a Spirit gnawn with inward Challenges yet have they much Sorrow they are still sowing the Seeds of Sorrow and all they do tends to ripen it and sometimes they have pangs of Conscience in the fearful expectation of Judgement and Wrath for saith Solomon He Eats in Darkness and hath much Sorrow 7. Covetous men are ordinarily men of fiery and fretting Dispositions their Passions are moved when the Word speaks against their Idolatry they are inraged against those who crave either in Justice or in Charity any thing from them and repine at these Dispensations of Providence which either impose their Projects for more of the World or threaten the removal of what they have in which respects the Covetous man is here said to have Much Wrath. 8. Whatever outward Health a Covetous Miser may have yet is he ordinarily in a Distemper of Spirit pined away with Cares how to gather more Riches Anxious Fears of losing what he hath and Vexation of Spirit upon disappointment of his Projects for increase of his Wealth And these often have influence upon his Body and Natural Spirits to make these Sick and Languid especially while de denies himself the comfortable use of the Creatures and keeps his Spirit still upon the rack with his Cares and Fears in which respect he is still a sick dying man and Hath much wrath with his Sickness Ver. 18. Behold that which I have seen It is good and comely for one to Eat and to drink and to injoy the good of all his Labour that he taketh under the Sun all the dayes of his Life which God giveth him for it is his Portion 19. Every man also to whom God hath given Riches and Wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take his Portion and to rejoice in his Labour this is the gift of God 20. For he shall not much remember the days of his Life because God answers him in the joy of his Heart LEst the former directions concerning the right Worshiping of God and Arguments disswading from the inordinat love of Riches might be mistaken as setting men upon a Rigid Severe and Comfortless way of Living Solomon doth in the last part of the Chapter commend at large the Holy and chearful use of the outward comforts of this Life And for this end he doth First call all to consider what himself had seen or observed in his own Experience to wit that it is good not mans Chief but Subordinat good fitting him for a higher the Glorifying and Injoying of God and Comely or that which Beautifieth as the word signifies to wit in the Eyes of others the way of Religion prest in the former part of the Chapter that a Man should Eat and Drink By which words he doth not commend Sensuality or excess but a free and Holy Use of the Creatures men keeping themselves within the bounds of Sobriety and proportioning their use of the Creatures to the Lords Blessing of their Labours for cherishing of the natural Life while God continues it This saith he is a mans Portion not his Best for that is the Lord Himself Reconciled with him in Christ but a Temporary Portion or reward of his Labour carved out to him as the word Portion signifies for upholding his outward man in his Masters Service Next He shews that when God hath given to a man abundance of outward things and hath withal superadded this favour that he hath given him power to use them which consists not only in a mans natural Health whereby he is in a capacity to make use of creature comforts but also in the freedom of his Spirit from Anxiety Nigardliness or scruples of conscience in using them so as he is not inslaved to his Possessions but is made a Master or Lord of them As the word to give Power signifies and hath Wisdom to take them proportionally and sutably to his Rank and Imployment which is to take his Portion and so chearfully to follow his Duty Rejoicing that he is enabled for the same This saith he is a free Gift of God to wit a new Gift superadded to all his wealth and Riches ver 19. And Thirdly He giveth the Reason why men should study this holy and chearful use of the Creatures taken from the advantage he shall have thereby namely he shall not much remember the days of his Life whereby is meant that he shall not be
vexed with the thoughts of his by-past crosses or solicitous how to wrestle thorow his future And that because while he follows his present duty chearfully taking the Lords allowance of outward comforts for that end the Lord will answer his Prayers and pains by giving him spiritual Joy and making his heart glad in himself and his allowance to him Hence Learn 1. Not only do the Lords people stand in need of direction how to go about Religious performances but likewise how to use aright their common Comforts even their meat Drink and other refreshments of that nature considering that they are in hazard to be taken with many snares in these and that there is Communion to be had with God in the right use of them as well as in Acts of immediat Worship And therefore it is a necessary part of a Ministers work to direct peoples carriage herein And people as they love their own peace should study the right use of these things For after Solomon hath taught the right manner of worship in the first part of the Chapter he comes here in the last to set people upon the right way of using their common mercies Behold c. It is good for one to eat and to drink c. 2. Christ's Ministers should be no less careful to point out the lawful liberty of the Lords people and shew them how large his allowance to them is even in the use of outward comforts than to shew them the hazard of inordinat love to and excess in the use of these things and consequently the Lords people should be as careful to know and take their allowance in the holy and chearful use of Creature comforts as they should be attentive least they exceed in their love of and delight in them considering that Satan studies to drive them from one extream to another And as he takes occasion from their lawful liberty to drive them to excess So from the Doctrine of Mortification especially when it is strained too high or not qualified with the Doctrine of Christian Liberty in the use of lawful comforts either to make them look upon Religion as a severe and rigid task prejudicial to their natural life and the comforts of it Or to make them without Ground scrupulous and with fear and doubting to use these things which if they knew the Lords allowance and the right way of using them they might use with a quiet and good Conscience Therefore the Spirit of the Lord after he hath directed Solomon by many Arguments to disswade from the inordinat love of Riches in the second part of this Chapter he brings him in the close to commend the Holy and comfortable use of the Creatures Behold that which I have seen it is good and comely for one to eat and drink and injoy Good c. 3. Though the pretence of the best mens Experience of the good of any course be a very slender commendation of it if there be no farther seing men are so easily deceived Yet Ministers should put truths they hold forth to the Trial of their own Experience and should be very careful Observers what true advantage may be found in any course or practice they commend that they themseves may taste of it and see it and so may with greater Zeal and confidence call others to try the same and their commendation of it coming thorow a heart seasoned with the sweetness thereof it may be the sweeter to them that hath their senses exercised For so doth Solomon here commend this way from his own Experience Behold that which I have seen it is good and comely c. 4. Though nothing lower than the injoyment of the Ever-blessed God be a mans chief good yet there is a subordinat inferiour Good in the right use of the most common comforts of this life such as Meat Drink and the like in so far as the same are used to keep the Body in health and strength and to chear the natural Spirits in doing the Lord service For Solomon saith he saw this that it is good for a man to eat and Drink c. to wit in this sense and for this end 5. As the hearty chearful and holy use of allowed Creature comforts is a thing that beautifies Religion and makes Christians lovely to Onlookers so are they bound to study the same for that very end and not to look only to what is good for themselves but also to what is Comely to others or may allure and gain them to fall in love with the way of Religion For Solomon here commends the Holy and chearful use of allowed comforts from this that as it is Good to the person so using them so it is Comely to others Behold saith he that which I have seen that it is good to wit for a mans self mainly and Comely or as the word signifies Beautiful namely in the sight of others that a man should Eat and Drink and injoy the good of his Labour 6. Though some be exeemed from Handle-Labour or servile imployments 1 Cor. 9.6 yet there is no man exeemed from Labour of one sort or other nor can any chearfully and with a good Conscience take the comfort of Gods Creatures who being in a capacity to Labour and having the opportunity thereof neglects the same and so loves to live upon the good of other mens Labours and not his own for saith Solomon It is good and Comely that a man should Eat and Drink but in so doing he should see that he Injoy the Good of his own Labour which He takes under the Sun c. 7. As there is no day of a mans Life wherein he is able to Labour excepting the days which are the Lords to wit the Sabbath and other days set a part for his Worship wherein he is exeemed from some lawful and honest Labour So mans Painful Labour as the Word signifies is only during this Life under the Sun his rest from his Labour is above the Sun whether his Works shall follow him For saith Solomon It is good for a man to Eat and Drink and injoy the Good of his Labour which he takes under the Sun all the dayes of his Life 8. As every day of a Mans Life should be taken for a new Gift of God and so should be spent in Honouring and serving him so all the Good which he Injoys of his Labour should be looked upon as a Gift of God also though the same be acquired by never so much Labour of his seing the strength to Labour and the success of Labour is from the Lord for this clause which God giveth him may be safely referred either to the Good of his Labour which he takes or to the days of his Life under the Sun wherein he Labours and Injoys that Good both which God giveth him 9. As they that have abundance of the World have but a part thereof allowed upon them for their own use there being several parts thereof appropriat by
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
here is extreamly Vain being so short and uncertain much like a Shadow that is nothing but Darkness and never continues in one posture but soon changes and soon evanishes which ought to be often considered as a mean to draw Mans heart from seeking Happiness here and move him to provide for a better Life For so is his Life and time here set forth a Vain Life and Days which he spends as a Shadow 8. As Men whose Hearts are wedded to things Earthly before they seek any other Happiness than what the Earth can afford they will place it in providing for these they are to leave behind them or in keeping up their own Memory among Men after themselves are gone So the Lord hath wisely hid from all of them the knowledge of future Events concerning these things wherein they might observe his Mercy toward them For if they should know things to go well after them and better than in their own time they would but vex themselves the more to think that they cannot stay with them or if they should know them to be worse they would but vex themselves with thinking upon the condition of those whom they are to leave behind them Therefore even this should be esteemed a Mercy and should wean Mans Heart from this World as his Portion in that he knows not how things shall go after himself is gone Who can tell him what shall be after him 9. It is fit for awakening the Consciences of Men to pose them with pertinent and rational Question including an Answer in their Bosom which readily Natures light it self or common Reason will suggest to Mens minds For so doth Solomon Catechize the vain Worldling seeking his Happiness in the Earth by these three Questions What is Man the better Who knows what is good for him Who can tell him what shall be after him CHAP. VII THE ARGUMENT THE Preacher in the First part of this Chapter to verse 23. Doth highly commend some things as very fit Remedies against that disquiet of Spirit which is occasioned by the oppression of the wicked and so proving proper means to bring them nearer to their true Happiness and Contentment of Mind As I. He commendeth as the first Remedy against discontent of Mind which marrs true Happiness That good Name or high esteem with God and savoury report with Men founded upon Grace and true Holiness as better than the most precious things in the World wherein most men place their Happiness And The day of the Death of such as preferable unto the day of their Birth ver 1. Upon which occasion he also commends as a fit preparation for Death the frequenting those Places Occasions and Societies where the remembrance of Death is offered as better than haunting these Houses and Opportunities where Feasting and other Carnal Pleasures abound And that because Death which these mournful Places and Companies bringeth to our Mind putteth an end to this Temporal Life and all its Comforts and Crosses which will readily occasion the serious Consideration of the living unless plagued with stupidity as a fit means of preparing for Death ver 2. II. He praiseth that soft and tender frame of heart which the sanctified consideration of Death begets in the Soul beyond that Carnal mirth and joy which is ordinarily expressed by Laughter and other such like Gestures and this as the second Remedy against disquiet of Mind the great hinderance of true Happiness ver 3. And that on the Account 1. That the grave and humble Deportment of the outward Man flowing from Godly Sorrow within contributes not a little unto working of their own and others Hearts unto a promising frame for receiving and retaining true Peace and Contentment ver 3. And 2. That it is the allowed Disposition of those who are endued with saving Wisdom whatever be their own particular Case to have their Thoughts much taken up with such mournful Objects and Occasions for keeping themselves in a humble and sympathizing frame And on the contrary the fool or wicked man tho he be not bodily present yet hath his heart still in the Places and Societies of Carnal Joy and Pleasures whereby he is miserably diverted from the serious consideration of Death and Eternity ver 4. III. He commendeth as a third Remedy against that trouble of Mind which marrs true Happiness an humble submission unto the serious and wise Rebukes of those who whether in a publick or private Capacity have a call from God to represent the evil danger and remedy of Sin As better than wickedmens either glorying in their own or flattering of others in their Sins ver 5. And that because whatever joy or pleasure such may have in following of or flattering themselves or being applauded by others in their sinful Courses It is not long-lived but as a blaze of Thorns maketh a noise and endeth in smoak which woful pleasure and flattering themselves or others in sin he censureth as an empty and vain course ver 6. IV. He commendeth as a fourth Remedy The grace of Patience under the most grievous pressures and injuries the Saints may meet with in and from the World as a great furtherance toward true Happiness ver 7 8 9.10 In order to which He 1. holdeth forth a-sad effect which Oppression and Violence oftimes worketh upon the Godly by reason of their corruption in stirring up their Passions so and driving them to such Expressions and Courses as look like fury and madness ver 7.2 He sheweth the root or cause from which this Oppression especially in Judicatories doth flow viz. From Covetousness and love of Bribes which blind mens Judgement and byass their Affections from Justice ver 7. 3. He presseth this patient and constant holding on in the ways of God notwithstanding difficulties and dangers partly from the consideration of the issue of it which will be sweet though the beginning may be bitter ver 8. And partly from the desirableness both before God and men of a humble and meek Spirit under grievous Suffering above that proud and lofty disposition of Heart by which ordinarily Oppressours are lifted up to their own Destruction ver 8. And 4. He disswadeth from two things which are far contrary to this grace of Patience As First From the very first and sudden motions of Passion or Revenge against the instruments of Trouble and Persons of Oppressours which is the habitual and allowed frame of Heart in those who are void of the saving knowledge of Christ ver 9. And Secondly From that sinful quarrelling at the Lords making Times more troublesome and Burdens heavier than they have formerly been since this will but argue ignorance of the true state of Times foolish presumption in finding fault with his wisdom and unbelief of his Soveraignity ver 10. V. Solomon praiseth saving Wisdom as the fifth choise Remedy against these anxities of mind that are so great an hinderance to true Happiness from four excellent Effects or Advantages of it ver 11 12.
14.15 Yet so prone are the best at such occasions to forget God the Giver while they are liberally using His Gifts Deut. 8.10.11 to forget the affliction of others that are in misery Amos 6.3.6 to speak rashly or indecently of God or others Job 1.5 to contemn threatened Judgements and put the evil day far off Isa 22.13 that when it is in a Christians option To go to the House of mourning or to the House of Feasting he should prefer the First Voyage to the Last It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting 5. As there is no Man of whatsoever rank or condition in the World exeemed from Death which will put an end to all his earthly Pleasures and Enjoyments so the consideration of the certainty hereof should move Men to frequent these occasions and societies whereby they may be minded of it and stirred up to prepare for it For this is an Argument for going to the House of Mourning rather than to the House of Feasting For this is the end of all Men. 6 No Man that is wise will put off the thoughts of Death till he be a dying Man but while he is living and hath Health and Strength he will lay it to heart and prepare for it For Solomon speaks of minding Death as a thing so equitable and sutable for Men that none Living who hath the use of Reason can neglect it and as if he were but a dead Man while he lives who doth not mind Death seriously and prepare for it 7. Death is not rightly minded till the thoughts thereof be fastened to a Mans heart that go whether he will or be doing what he will he may never altogether lose at least the impression which the sanctified consideration of his Death hath put upon his heart For so the word signifies The Living will lay it or fasten it upon his Heart or give his Heart up to it Ver. 3. Sorrow is better than Laughter for by the sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better 4. The Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning but the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth SOlomon having commended the serious Consideration of Death he doth now commend that Frame of Spirit which the sanctified consideration thereof works the Hearts of the Godly unto as a step nearer to that true Joy and Peace wherein Mans Happiness here doth consist And this is that sober composed and tender temper of Heart stamped with Godly Grief for Sin here called Sorrow under which also may be comprehended moderat Grief even for worldly Crosses which being sanctified is turned into Godly Sorrow for Sin This Sorrow saith he is better than Laughter whereby he means all that Carnal Mirth and Joy which Men use to express by Laughter or such like light carriage especially at their Merry meettings with others And that this Sorrow is to be preferred to Carnal Joy he proves by Reasons 1. Because by the sadness of the Countenance whereby he means the grave humble and sober Deportment of the whole outward Man which is the Result of Godly Sorrow within the Heart is made better i. e. It is wrought to a more mortified Frame and prepared for spiritual Peace and consequently the Hearts of others may also be bettered by it ver 3. 2. Because it is the disposition of them who are endued with that Saving Wisdom which is from Above to have their Hearts much taken up with such Objects and conversant in such places whether their Bodies be there or not as serve to increase and cherish an humble and sympathizing Frame of Spirit And upon the contrary the Fool or the wicked Man who hath ordinarily this Name in Solomon's writings even when he is restrained from the occasions or places of Carnal Mirth His Heart is still in them Hence Learn 1. When the Lord sanctifies the thoughts of Death to Men Godly Sorrow will be wrought or promoved in the Heart as the Result and effect of these thoughts they will grieve not because they must go through Death but because they have done the Lord so little honour and are so unable to do him more before they die and because they find themselves so defective in preparing for Death For supposing this Frame to be the Result of these Considerations which may be had in the House of Mourning and by laying Death to Heart he here commends it Sorrow is better than Laughter 2. However they that are Strangers to Godly Sorrow esteem the exercise of it comfortless and unprofitable Mal. 3.14 yet according to the Truth of God and the experience of his Saints it is much to be preferred to the Carnal Mirth of the World because it makes way for true and solid Consolation Isa 61.3 it hath Joy and Peace intermixed with it 1 Pet. 1.6 and always ends in spiritual Joy and Praise Ps 126.5 whereas on the contrary Carnal Mirth hath always if the Conscience be awake a mixture of Sorrow and always ends in heaviness Prov. 14.13 Therefore saith Solomon speaking doubtless his own experience at the direction of the Spirit of the Lord Sorrow is better than Laughter 3. The intertaining of a mournful Frame of Spirit for Sin and sympathizing with others in Affliction is a special mean of attaining to that Happiness which is to be had in this Life and to guard the Heart against these Vexations which eat up the Spirits of Men So that Strangers to Godly Sorrow must needs be Strangers to their own Blessedness For Solomon pointing out some Remedies of these sinful Distempers which more Mens Happiness commends this as one Sorrow is better than Laughter 4. Godly Sorrow is not a sudden motion or flash that evanishes leaving no effect upon the person that hath it but is a Frame that abides and affects the Heart So that it appears in the outward carriage and so becomes visible in the effects thereof which are not a sullen and austere behaviour or retirement from lawful Society these being rather the effects of natural Distempers such as Melancholy excess of worldly Grief c. than of Godly Sorrow but a sober Grave modest Behaviour and composing of the outward Man For Solomon commending Godly Sorrow from the effects thereof supposes that it will compose the outward Man to a modest and sober Deportment By the sadness of the Countenance c. 5. That soft walking and humble deportment which flows from Godly Sorrow or a tender Frame of Spirit within hath influence back again upon the Heart to increase a good Frame and make it better it being blest with Peace and Comfort Isa 57.18 19. and increase of every Grace Jam. 4.6 For saith he By the sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better 6. Levity in the outward Carriage as it flows often from the want of Humility and the exercise of Godly Sorrow so it makes the Heart much worse casting it open to many Temptations making it
by others he saith This is also Vanity Ver. 7. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and a gift destroyeth the heart 8. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and the Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit IN the fourth place he commmends patience under the many grievous Injuries that the Godly are obnoxious to in the World as a remedy of that Vexation of Spirit which marrs their true contentment And for this end he doth First shew what effect Oppression hath ordinarily even upon the best of Men viz. It works so upon their Corruption that they are often in such Distempers of fretting and Grief as they seem to be beside themselves Next He discovers the cause of Oppression in Mens corrupt nature to be Covetousness they love and receive Gifts or Bribes whereby it appears that it is Oppression in Judgement Seats and Courts of Justice that he hath mainly an Eye upon And these Bribes destroy their Hearts blind their Judgements and corrupt or sway their Affection from Equity And this may be looked upon as held forth for a ground of Patience under Oppression which hath so sinful a Root And so cannot but be displeasing to God and consequently punished by him in due time Thirdly He holds forth two comfortable considerations for composing of the Spirits of the Oppressed And working them to Patience under their Lot The 1. Is from the â—ssue of their Oppression which will be sweet though the beginning thereof be hard For this expression Better is the End of a thing than the Beginning c. Is not to be understood of all things generally seing it is clear there are many things whose end is worse than their beginning as Oppression it self to the Oppressour Apostasie from the truth 2 Pet 2 20. And the like But it is to be restricted to the Trials of the Godly here spoken of The 2 1â— That Patience or as the word signifies to be long Breathed and hold on in the way of God notwithstanding of many sufferings proves one to be in a Better Condition i. e. more lovely and acceptable to God than the Proud or lifted up in Spirit by whom we may understand either the proud Oppressour or the fretting impatient Oppressed And this comparison is not to be understood as if Pride of Spirit had any good in it but because the Proud are often in a good Condition in the Worlds esteem And it is ordinary in Scripture to compare one thing with another in that quality which is only in the subject in the Opinion of the World see Psal 118.8 Hence Learn 1. True Wisdom cannot teach men to evite Injuries and Oppression in the World but rather the more men have of it and the Wiser their Courses be in order to their true Happiness the greater often are their Oppressions For Solomon supposes here that the Wise man who according to the Spirits Language in this Book is the Godly man or the person that is indued with saving Wisdom is often under grievous Oppression while he saith Surely Oppression makes a Wise Man Mad. 2. So imperfect is the Grace of Patience in the Best And so little do they consider the grounds of Submission and Comfort which might compose their Spirits that they are ready thorow Oppression and Injuries from Men to be in such Distempers as if they were beside themselves by Fretting at such Dispensations Jer. 15.10 or questioning the Lords love because of them Judg. 6.13 venting their carnal passion and fury against Instruments Luk. 9.54 and wearying of their Life Jona 4.3 And which is worst of all by runing to some sinful Course for their ease 1 Sam. 21.13 For Solomon speaks of this effect of Oppression as very ordinary even in the best Surely Opression makes a Wise man Mad. 3. They that would discover the Sinful Distempers of People especially under Affliction so as they may heal the same must speak of them with compassion and as incident to the best of Men and such as themselves would readily be guilty of if they were in the case of the Afflicted Lest people think themselves looked upon as matchless for their miscarriage or look upon those that discover the Same as Strangers to the feeling of the power of the Temptations and Trials they are under For Solomon here being about to heal a fretting passionat Spirit under Oppression he speaks of it as very incident to all opprest people and with pity and regrate seems to discover this evil as if he had Experience both of Oppression and Distemper of Spirit under it in his own person Surely Oppression makes a Wise man Mad. 4. Oppressours have much to give account for to the great Judge of all they must reckon not only for spoiling Men of their Goods abusing their persons and the like but for oppressing their very Spirits and spoiling them of their witt and Reason For Oppression makes a Wise man Mad. 5 Though wicked Oppressours pretend Equity and Justice together with the defence of the Common-wealth and maintenance of their own just greatness and the grounds of their Oppressing Practices Yet Covetousness or love of Gain is often the true cause thereof For it is here imported that their taking of a Gift is the cause of their Oppressing Sentences and executing of them while this is subjoined to the former a Gift destroys the Heart 6. Covetousness Destroys the Heart of them that are under the power of it it blinds their understanding that they cannot see the evil of any thing that makes for their gain Exod. 23.8 sways their heart to receive Bribes which being received they think themseles oblidged to gratifie the Giver by perverting of Justice in his favours So that the Receiver can be no more cordial for Equity than if he had not an Heart at all and at last as to the consequence and effects of that Sin it draws destruction upon the Soul in all which respects a Gift destroys the Heart 7. Oppression is often committed in Judgement Seats and under Colour of Law And when it is so the Oppression is double and from two parties at once from One who spoils the Oppressed of or detains from them their own of whom they do complain and from the Other the Judge who takes the Gift which possibly is a part of the Oppressed's Goods for this taking of a Gift supposes a party challenged for that which is in substance oppression and the Judge increasing the Oppression by satisfying the Oppressour for his Gift a Gift destroys the Heart 8. It serves to quiet the Spirits of the Oppressed to consider that their Oppressions flow from Covetousness not that the Sin of Oppressours should be comfort to the Oppressed But in so far as they by their Sin make themselves detestable to God and so hasten their own Judgement and the Oppresseds delivery For this may be looked upon as one consideration serving to compose the Spirits of them who are in
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
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
because though a Man labour to seek it out he shall not find it yea though a Wise Man seek c. 11. Even these that are indued with Saving Knowledge have often this mixture of Corruption which proves the imperfection of their Knowledge and much hinders their progress that they imagine themselves much more able than they are to comprehend the Mind of God and promise to themselves greater success in their Pains than they have ground for For Solomon here supposes even the Wise Man which in his writtings is the ordinary designation of the truly Gracious to think that he shall find out that which is impossible to be found out Yea farther though a Wise man think to know it yet shall be not be able to find it CHAP. IX THE ARGUMENT THE Wise mans Scope in this Chap. being to further the true peace of the Godly and to prevent the disquiet which might arise from the mis-judging of and miscarrying under the various Dispensations of God mentioned in the former chap. He doth in the First part of this chap unto the ver 7. After his profession of his serious study of the works of God notwithstanding of the forementioned inability in man satisfyingly to comprehend them and his purpose to publish and explain what by this study he should attain to of them for the benefit of the Church ver 1. Sett down some useful Remarks he had made upon the Lords providences and mens dipositions and carriages under them As I. That the imbracers of Christ right entertainers of the Spirit of Sanctification and Students of spiritual Wisdom whereby they may know how to please God They and all their service and matters are not only under his general providence and dominion as all other things are but under his special favour direction and protection for their good ver 1. II. That neither Gods special love nor his hatred can be infallibly concluded either by persons themselves or others from the outward events that are common to good and bad ver 1. III. which evinceth the former Remark what ever difference the Lord put betwixt the Godly and the wicked in his outward Dispensations at sometimes and in some cases yet in his ordinary course of Providence mercies and miseries come alike to them both ver 2. And upon occasion of this that they may the better know special love or hatred which cannot be known by outward events he giveth the different descriptions of these two parties thus alike dealt with as to outward events Calling the one 1 Righteous in regard of the imputed rightousness of Christ and begun inherent Righteousness 2 Good having good in themselves and Communicative of it to others 3 Clean tho' not from the inhesion and pollution yet from the dominion and guilt of Sin still washing themselves in the fountain of Christs Blood 4. Sacrificers that is conscionable and spiritual Worshipers 5. Fearers of an Oath as being ready to perform lawful Oaths both to God and man and affraid of rash and sinful Oaths And he calleth the other 1. Wicked or restless in sin 2. unclean being under the Guilt and Pollution of Sin 3. such as Sacrifice not being neglecters and slighters of Gods Worship 4. Sinners as being devoted to and sold under Sin 5. And Swearers as taking Gods Name in Vain and adicted to rash and false Swearing ver 2. IV. He remarketh the bad use which by reason of Corruption most men make of this equality of Events Not only the Saints through unmortified Corruption may thereby be discouraged in their duty Murmure against the Lord and incline to side with the Wicked ver 3. But especially the Wicked are thereby the more imboldned to Sin and the more insolent in Sinning ver 3 Which if continued in will terminate both in the first and second Death ver 3. And V. He produceth two powerful considerations the not minding of which may be the cause of the forementioned abuse of this equality of Dispensations The First whereof To bring the Godly to a cheerful submission under an afflicted Lot To wit That the sadest condition in the World hath advantages with it which rightly improven may mitigate the bitterness thereof in the discovery of which He commends the state of natural life abstract from the eternal condition even tho' attended with troubles 1 From the society of others to which a living man is join'd ver 4.2 From the ground of hope he hath that his life tho' for present sad may afterwads be bettered ver 4. which is illustrated by a proverbial speech importing That a living man tho' in a very abject condition compared to a Dog is preferable to the most eminent man resembled by a Lyon when Dead ver 3. And 3. From the knowledge they have or may have of the certainty of Death which may mind them of preparing for it by a right improvement of the comforts of this life and a cheerful submission under their afflictions ver 5. The Second consideration to stirr up all to the right use making of outward comforts is the certainty and necessity of parting with them at Death Evidenced 1. In that the Dead are ignorant of the estate of affaires here on Earth concerning their Estates Relations c ver 5. 2. That at Death they are deprived of all the temporal reward and fruit of their pains and labour ver 5. 3. That their memory which they design'd to perpetuat shall be among men much forgotten ver 5. And 4. Their love hatred Envy and other passions as to their way of exercise here upon earthly Objects is perished ver 6. And generally that they are no more that way concerned in things under the Sun as they were when here upon Earth ver 6 Secondly In the second part of this Chap. from ver 7. To the end are contained several directions as proper Remedies against that despondency and disquiet which is incident to the Saints under an afflicted lot and may arise from the consideration of the equality of outward events to them and to the Wicked I The First whereof is the holy and cheerful use of creature comforts which God allows upon them for sweetning their life unto them even under their Crosses ver 7.8 and 9 Which he First Instanceth in three particulars As 1. in reference to dyet that men take the sober sutable and christian use of what meat and drink God allows them for encouraging and strengthening them in his service ver 7.2 As to Apparel and Ornaments of the Body that they make use of such comeliness and decency in Apparel and Ornaments of the Body as their station will permit and may express their cheerfulness even under their Crosses ver 8. And 3. Conjugal society That being in a marriage-yoke they are to live especially the Husband who is to proceed in the duty lovingly and cheerfully together ver 9. And Secondly presseth by three Arguments The 1. taken from the Lords acceptation of their persons and services ver
7. The 2. from the vanity of mans life and its subjection to so many miseries ver 9. And the 3. From the Lords designing outward Comforts to be a temporary encouragement and portion to the Godly even under their crosses tho' they have better things to look for afterwards ver 9. II. A second direction for making the life of the Godly comfortable to them under a sad lot and for right improvement of the former comforts allowed on them under it Is That they would use their outmost diligence in the performance of all commanded duties particularly in the prosecution of the duties of their calling ver 10. Which he presseth by an Argument taken from the danger of their being deprived of opportunities either of contriving or acting of good by Death to which every man is pâ—ssing ver 10. III. The third direction is humbly to expect the success of our endeavours not from our own promising preparations or Abilities but from God and that we be not perplexed with the disappointments incident to human endeavours ver 11.12 Which he illustrats 1 By setting forth his own serious observation of the disappointments that attend human affairs ver 11.2 He giveth several instances of this his serious Observation in things most promising for success referable not only to natural and civil but also spiritual concerns ver 11. 3 He affordeth a two fold cause of these disappointments The one is the not acknowledging the Lords foreknowledge and predetermination of all events and their fittest opportunities ver 11. The other is not consulting the word and spirit of God for finding out the fittest seasons of Actions ver 12. And 4. He holdeth out what sad consequences follows the not depending upon Gods secret and powerful providence in things and ignorance of the fit seasons of actions in two similitudes of Birds and Fishes who through madadvertency are easily insnared ver 12. IV. A fourth direction in order to the forementioned purpose and for the better improvement of the former directions Is The study of spiritual wisdom Illustrated 1 By Solomons serious consideration of this Wisdom and his esteem of the noble effects of it ver 13. 2. By a parable or supposed history or it may be some particular providence falling out in his Fathers or his time of the deliverance of a city from a great strait by the wisdom of a poor man when other means were wanting or did fail ver 14.15 3. By mentioning the ungrateful entertainment that this poor man meeteth with notwithstanding his good service he is slighted and despised ver 15. Hence 4. He inferreth as Wisdom is better then strength so when men want external advantages they are by most men misregarded ver 16. V. And then in the Conclusion of the chap He doth 1. Encourage to the peaceable prudent and humble communication and imbracing of the Doctrine of this saving Wisdom even when it may not well be publickly avowed and tho' by most despised as proving more acceptable and succesful in a a strait than the most publick and imperious edicts of wicked Rulers among their flattering and foolish Subjects ver 17. 2. He again preferreth this spiritual Wisdom knowing how ready we are to undervalue it to all external means especially where it is wanting ver 18. And 3. That one or few of these wicked persons void of this Wisdom being countenanced followed and not mourned over and witnessed against may deprive a whole society of many mercies and draw on great judgements upon it ver 18. CHAP. IX Ver. 1. For all this I considered in mine heart even to declare all this that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to the Good and to the clean and to the Vnclean to him that Sacrificeth and to him that Sacrificeth not as is the Good so is the Sinner and he that Sweareth as he that feareth an Oath THe scope of this Chapter being to instruct the Godly how to judge aright of the Lords Dispensations and how to carry themselves aright under them so as they may have true peace and be free of vexation incident to them Solomon doth First shew that notwithstanding of mans inability to find out or clearly understand any of the works of God mentioned in the close of the former Chapter he was not discouraged in the study of them but gave up his heart to know what might be known and purposed to declare or as the word signifies to make plain and clear to the Church of God All this namely both the shortness of mans wit and what he himself had found out Next He condescends upon three very useful observations which he had made upon the Lords working 1. That the Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hand of God by these denominations the Righeous and the Wise the same persons in the same state are designed namely such as are fled to the Righteousness of the Messiah and are studying Heavenly Wisdom that they may walk unto well-pleasing those persons and their Works or as the word is their Service are in the hand of God whereby is meant not only that they and their matters are under the dominion of his Providence as all things are Psal 95.4 but that they are under his special favour and protection under his Fatherly providence for their Good as the expression signifies when it is applyed to the Godly Psal 31.15 Joh 10.28 2. The second is No man knows either Love or Hatred by all that is before him the meaning is that neither the special Love not the displeasure of God can be known to men themselves or to others by these things that are before them that is by outward events which are common to good and bad For of these things only as no certain and infallible evidences of Gods favour and love he speaks in this place as will appear by the following reason so that they do manifestly pervert the sense of this Scripture who would from it infer that no comfortable assurance of a mans being in a state of favour with God can be attained unto in this life For Solomon only excludes outward events as insufficient evidences of Gods love or hatred as is clear both by this expression in the first verse no man knows Love or Hatred by what is before them or as it is in the Original before their Face and by the following words but doth not exclude Gods own Graces bestowed upon a man and manifested by his own Spirit 1 Cor. 2 12. from having evidences of his Love especially considering that so much of the Scripture is written for that end that his people may know that he loves them and so may have true Comfort 1 Joh. 1.14 And 5.13 3. The Third Observation is a Reason of the Second that
which is also proportionally the Duty of the Wife Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest 11. The Love of the Husband to the Wife and consequently of her to him is so sutable to the Light of Nature and so expresly commanded in the Word of God that there should not be great need to press it much upon any Christian that hath any thing of the Knowledge or Fear of God For Solomon here supposes and takes for granted that Love is not wanting only he presses the effect or proof of it cheerful conversing together Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou lovest 12. There is no time of Life wherein this Duty of Love and cheerful conversing together doth not oblige married Persons especially the Husband who should preceed in it neither Age Infirmity decay of Beauty Strength nor the want of any other thing which possibly was the first attractive of his Affection should marr his Love and cheerful conversing with his Wife in the Fear of the Lord. Therefore saith he Live joyfully with the Wife whom thou louest all the days of the life of thy Vanity 13. As Men in the midst of their most comfortable Injoyments which they have in this World should have frequent thoughts of the shortness of their Life and the Comforts of it that so they may use these things as if they used them not and as being shortly to leave them So the consideration of the Vanity and Shortness of their Life and of the Miserie 's incident to it though it should not provoke them to excess of sensual Delights as it doth Epicures 1 Cor. 15.32 yet it should incite them to a more cheerful use of these Comforts that seing their time is short they may have the more strength and encouragement to serve the Lord cheerfully For while Solomon is pressing upon Men a cheerful and free use of outward Comforts he minds them twice of the Vanity of their Life which in the midst of these things they are ready to forget and makes the same a Reason pressing the cheerful use of their Allowance All the days of the life of thy Vanity which he hath given thee under the Sun all the days of thy Vanity 14. When we think upon the Vanity of this Life we should consider the same as carved out to us by the Lord to humble us in the sense of our Sinfulness to wâ—an our Hearts from it and make us the more thankful for any Comfort we have in it For speaking of Man's Vain Days he calls them The Days which God hath given 15. Though the Children of the Lord should think the best of their earthly Enjoyments unworthy to be their satisfying Portion Ps 73.25 26. and should esteem them all miserable who have no better Ps 17.14 yet are they to look upon their outward Comforts such as Meat Drink Cloathing and any comfortable Society with those of their Relations as a sufficient temporary Reward of all their lawful pains about things worldly they should thank God that suffers not even their Labour of that sort to go unrewarded and should not repine or marr their own Comfort by Discontentment because they have not a greater measure of these things For this is the last Reason of the Cheerfulness which he presses That is thy Portion not their best but their temporal Portion or Reward of their Pains in the duties of their lawful Callings in this Life and in thy labour which thou takest under the Sun Ver. 10. Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest THe Preacher giveth here a second Direction for making the Life of the Godly comfortable unto them and for their right improving of the Comforts of it mentioned in the former namely that Men should vigourously prosecute the duties of their Calling in the due season thereof Whatsoever thy Hand finds to do saith he do is with thy might He doth not hereby proclaim Licence to Men to do any thing that is in their power seing Men have often power and opportunity to act the greatest Impieties Mic. 2.1 But the meaning is that the outmost of that Ability which God gives especially the strength and comfort which is received by the use of his Benefits should be put forth in the vigorous going about of the Duties of our particular Stations in the season and opportunity thereof And this he presseth by a Reason For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave c. which is not to be understood as if there were an end of Men at Death as there is of the Beasts but the meaning is that in the state of separation of the Soul from the Body there is no ploting nor acting for the Honour of God or promoving of our own Happiness as now there is And seing every Man is Posting as the last Word in the Verse signifies toward that State therefore he should improve all his Strength and the Comforts of this Life for incouragement in his Duty Hence Learn 1. The Lord's Liberality to Man manifested in the variety of the outward Comforts of this Life should be improven for making him serious and diligent in the duties of his Calling watching every opportunity thereof and laying out all the strength and cheerfulness of Spirit which he hath acquired by the good things of God in doing him Service else his Table is a Snare to him and his Comforts are turned into Curses For this is inferred upon the former large Allowance of God which he prest Men to make use of cheerfully Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do do it with thy might 2. Men have often both opportunity and power of doing Good which they thrô neglect and carelesness are ready to let slip which is a very bad return to God for his Liberality Therefore the Spirit of God finds it necessary to stirr Men up to take hold of every opportunity of Duty as a proof of their thankfulness to God for his Bounty Whatsoever thy Hand finds to do do it c. 3. The outmost of our Ability is to be shewn in the discharge of every commanded Duty considering what is the hazard of negligent doing the Work of the Lord Jer. 42.10 and that the more Fervent Serious and Vigorous we are in walking in the Ways of the Lord the more our Strength will grow Prov. 10 29. Therefore saith he Do it with thy might 4. As the opportunity of these Duties whereby we Honour God and promove our own and others Salvation is confined within the bounds of this Life so the consideration hereof should make Men sharpen their Wit in Ploting ways of Honouring God and doing good to their own Souls and others and put forth the outmost of their Abilities for these Ends For he gives this as a Reason of Mens seriousness and diligence in their Duty while they have opportunity That There is no work nor
device nor knowledge nor Wisdom in the Grave 5. Every Man is in a continual Journey towards his long Home whether he walk or rest he is still Posting thither and should so look upon himself and thereby be moved to imploy his time and strength to the outmost in Honouring God and working out his own Salvation in Fear and Trembling For so he speaks of every Man as in a constant motion toward his Grave There is no work nor device c. in the Grave whither thou goest or as the Word may be Translated whither thou hasteth Ver. 11. I returned and saw under the Sun that the Race is not to the Swift nor the Battle to the Strong neither yet Bread to the Wise nor yet Riches to Men of Vnderstanding nor yet Favour to Men of Skill but Time and Chance happeneth to them all 12. For also Man knoweth not his time as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare so are the Sons of Men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them LEst Men may presume too much of Success in these Undertakings which they set about with all their might according to the direction in the former verse and meeting with disappointment may be the more vexed The Preacher doth in the Third place teach us humbly to depend upon God for success and to deny our own Abilities and preparations which seem to promise it to us And this he sets out First by shewing how serious he was in the Observation of disappointments frequent among Men I returned and saw under the Sun He speaks of the motion of his mind in terms borrowed from the motions of the Body he drew his thoughts a little from other considerations formerly mentioned and applied them to the frequent disappointments which men meet with in the carriage of their Affaires Next He giveth five instances of these disappointments which he had observed befalling men best fitted for success which instances though they have a truth very remarkable in themselves yet they are only to be looked upon as serving to lead us to all other things of that sort that by these most remarkable instances of mens disappointments in their civil and common Affairs we may be led to the truth he is upon as verified in things of a higher concernment more immediatly relating to the Salvation of mens Souls such as the Apostle speaks of while he saith it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy Rom. 9.16 And again neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth increase 1 Cor. 3.7 nor are these instances to be taken as if the Race were Never to the swift nor the Battel at any time to the strong c. seing experince shews the contrary and Scripture also John 20 4. 2 Sam. 13.14 but the meaning is that there are frequent proofs of these that men with most promising qualifications fall short of desired success yea even of things necessary for the sustenance of their natural life so that often their witt cannot so much as get them bread that so they may be taught Dependence upon a Superiour overruling providence which must concurr with a Blessing else their greatest endeavours and promising appearances of success will fall short of the desired and intended effect Thirdly He gives a twofold cause of these disappointments The One is without Man to wit the secret powerful providence of God For saith he time and chance happeneth to them all the Time here spoken of is the fittest opportunity for Mens Actions which is fixed as the word signifies in the decree and foreknowledge of God And that which is called Chance happening to men is not be taken as if any thing fell out which is not foreseen and foreordained by the Lord but he speaks of these occurrences of providence which as the word translated elsewhere 1 King 5.4 touch men or Beat upon them as the word signifies and so may mind them of a Superiour hand overruling them and their actions Now this as a cause of disappointment is not to be understood as if men were therefore disappointed because God hath predetermined events and the time of them but because Men do not acknowledge and humbly depend upon him who hath fixed all Events and the seasons of them that they might know their Duty and the season thereof as the following words make clear therefore they are disappointed The Second Cause is within Man and that is his ignorance of the fit season of his acting which he might know by consulting the word and Spirit of God but he neglecting this fights and runs and Enterprises many things out of the due season and so finds no success Fourthly He doth illustrat the sad consequences of men not considering the time and not depending upon God in their Actings by two similituds of Birds and Fishes whose simplicity easily insnares them and applyes the same to men who are surprized by sad occurrences of providence for want of humble dependence upon God and for acting out of the due season thereof From this purpose we may Learn 1. Experimental knowledge is not attained but by frequent and serious observing of the various Events that fall out under the Sun and considering of the causes and consequences of them For so did Solomon attain to this knowledge I returned saith he and saw under the Sun c. 2. When Men have their hearts applyed to their work and have qualifications for it which may probably produce the desired effect they are then very apt to forget dependence upon God to promise to themselves certain success of their undertakings and never to look higher than second Causes the qualifications and means which they have For having exhorted in the former words to follow duty vigorously he meets here with men who having done so as they think are promising success to themselves without dependence upon Gods providence and sees it fitting to mind them that they may look for disappointment The Race is not to the Swift nor the Battel to the Strong c. 3. Men may be qualified with these things that are most promising of success and may imploy all their strength for attaining it and yet be disappointed while the Lord withholds his assistance to correct them for want of Dependence upon and acknowledgement of him and to convince them that their ways are not in their own hand For this is it which Solomon saith he observed and holds out as useful to teach all men Self-denyal in reference to their preparations and qualifications for their undertakings and humble Dependance upon God for his concurrence with them The Race is not to the Swift nor the Battel to the Strong nor Bread to the Wise c. 4. The Lord exerciseth men to whom he hath given the best qualifications for their undertakings with variety of disappointments sometimes in matters of
Psal 16.3 In their delighting to search and study the Scriptures as those Nobles of Berea did Act. 17.11 And in those Noble and Divine Exercises of Prayer and praise which make persons truly Honourable 1 Chron. 4.9.10 for though the former Nobility may have its own advantages joined with the latter yet separat from it it can add nothing to the Happiness of a people happy art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles 7. It is a Blessing which hath many Blessings in the bosome of it to have such a Supream Magistrat as hath been described in the former Doctrine Then iniquity will be suppressed and Piety and Equity advanced Psal 101. and when it is so God will rain Blessings upon the people for the word is here in the plural number There are Blessednsses to the Land whose King is the Son of Nobles 8. When the Supream Magistrat is faithful and fitted for his place he will imploy his power to fill Inferiour places of power and trust with good men And this also contributes not a little to the Blessedness of a people for they are here joined together Happy art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season c. 9. As Temperance or Sobriety in the use of the Creatures is especially required in a Magistrat that would make Conscience in his Duty so the great end which Princes as every other Christian should propose to themselves in Eating Drinking and consequently in the use of every other lawful Allowance should be the repairing of that strength which pains in Duty hath abated and the gaining of new strength to be laid out in farther service to God and following the Duties of their Calling and not the satisfaction of their sensual Appetite or carnal Lusts For this is a Commendation of the inferiour Magistrates who are a Blessing to the Land which they Govern Thy Princes eat for strength and not for drunkenness 10. The Lord who allows Food and Refreshments upon Men sutable to their Labour and necessary for the cheering up of their Spirits in their Duty hath appointed them to take the same in season when their Imployments permit them so to do and if they observe not these seasons they cannot expect the Blessing or sanctified use of their Injoyments For this is given as a Commendation of good Magistrates and consequently of all others who do so that as they eat for the right end so they eat in due season and are not satisfying their Appetite when they should be at the Duties of their Calling Thy Princes eat in season for strength and not for drunkenness Ver. 18. By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth thorow 19. A Feast is made for laughter and Wine maketh merry but Money answereth all things SOlomon doth here particularly illustrat the misery of that Land that hath imprudent and sensual Rulers by condescending upon the sinful Causes thereof upon the part of these Rulers and branching out the misery of the Common-wealth as procured by their Sins The First Cause is The slothfulness of the Rulers and this he sets out by a proverbial speech which may be applyed to many things but it seems most consonant to the whole purpose of this Chapter to apply it to the Case of a Common-wealth tending to ruine thorow the laziness of their Rulers By much slothfulness saith he the building decayeth the similitude being taken from a slothful Master of a Family The words are in the Original by the slothfulness of them both or by double slothfulness which may import it to be exceeding great according to our Translation or by the slothfulness of both the hands which may be the Supreme and Inferiour Magistrats who should be like two hands jointly concurring to uphold the Common-wealth And thorow Idleness or as the Word signifies the falling down or remissness of the hands the House droppeth thorow and so the Timber rots and the whole House is ruined where the Breaches are not repaired So doth it fare with a Kingdom or Common-wealth which is often in Scripture compared to a House Isa 2.6 and 5.7 where the Rulers who should be Repairers of the Breaches and Builders up of the Ruines thereof neglect their Duty and indulge their own Ease nothing but Decay and Ruine can be expected The Next Cause is Luxury if the Master of a House when he should be repairing the Ruines of it be Feasting and making merry and spending what he hath within it when it is comming down the Case is very sad So when Magistrates mind mainly their own satisfaction and pleasure and do not soberly and seasonably as those whom he commended before eat for strength and not for drunkenness ruine cannot but come upon the Common-wealth and the effect of their Luxury he insinuates to be the poverty of the Countrey or people under them while he saith Money answers all these Rulers must have Money to uphold all these Feasts and provide that Wine which makes them merry and that must be sucked from the poor people to answer their Lusts and so the publick Treasure is exhausted and the people impoverished And therefore the Land that hath such Rulers must be very miserable Hence Learn 1. A Common-wealth is fitly resembled to a House wherein there should be Order and Subordination among the Heads or Governours and Members thereof as there is in a House a House being held up and furnished is commodious for Habitation a shelter from Storm and Tempest and so will a well governed Common-wealth be And as a House by the least decay if not timously repaired will soon be Ruined so it is with a Common-wealth And Finally as a House decaying and letting Rain drop thorow makes the Life of the Inhabitant very uncomfortable so is it in a Ruinous Common-wealth Therefore is it that the Spirit of God directs Solomon to set forth the Case of a Common-wealth under the similitude of a House By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and c. 2. Though the Subjects of a Kingdom or Common-wealth have often a hand in procuring the Ruine thereof Isa 24.5 yet the Lord doth charge the same upon the Rulers And though they be not Oppressours or Tyrants yet if they be Men given to their ease or of small activity for the good of the Common-wealth they may be charged with the Ruine thereof For the Context shews that this slothfulness is mainly to be understood in reference to the Rulers By much slothfulness the Building decayeth 3. The Decay or Ruine of a Common-wealth or Incorporation should be resented by all the Inhabitants as the misery of every one of them though possibly for the present several of their private Interests may remain entire while Ruine is coming upon the Publick because misery will at last reach them and the publick Good should be dearer to them than their own particular Therefore Solomon brings this
as a proof of Wo to a Land and so to all the Inhabitants thereof that the House which is the Common-wealth is decaying and droppeth thorow 4. Where Slothfulness and Idleness prevail there Luxury and excess in the use of worldly Injoyments prevail also For upon neglect of lawful diligence the Flesh waxes wanton and must be pampered Therefore this is set down as the second Cause of the Ruine following upon the slothfulness of Rulers which is the first Cause their Luxury and Excess A Feast is made for laughter and Wine to make merry 5. Though Slothfulness and Idleness bring misery upon the Sluggard by degrees as a Ruinous House takes in Rain by Drop and Drop at first yet being continued in they will at last by their effects proclaim his misery to On-lookers Therefore doth the Preacher set forth the Fruit of Slothfulness by the decay and dropping thorow of a House which if not repaired will make the Ruine of it visible to all that pass by and force the lazy Inhabitant either to perish in its Ruine or seek another Habitation By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and by the idleness of the hands the House droppeth thorow 6. As the Luxury and Excess of Rulers is a Cause and sign of Ruine in part begun and more hastening upon the people under their Charge so such men having once given up themselves to their Lusts they will follow them even amidst the Evidences of God's Displeasure against them For this Similitude taken from the lazy Inhabitant who while his House is decaying and dropping in upon him is Feasting and making merry with his Companions thinking thereby to divert the sad Thoughts of his ruinous House which he will not get long done represents the Temper and Carriage of wicked Rulers who while the Common-wealth is decaying the people growing poor and publick Treasures exhausting are Feasting making merry and spending all upon their Lusts in which case it is here said A Feast is made for laughter and Wine maketh merry but Money answers all 7. God taketh notice both of the seasons of Mens Eating and Drinking especially in Feasting and of the Ends which they propose to themselves in so doing whether they intend only their own sensual satisfaction and carnal mirth or the strengthening of their Bodies for doing the Lord service For the Spirit of God by Solomon having shewn to the commendation of good Magistrats that they Eat in season and for strength and not for drunkenness here takes notice of wicked Rulers Feasting when Ruine is coming upon the Common-wealth and of the Ends they propose to themselves their own carnal mirth and pleasure A Feast is made to wit by such Men for laughter and Wine makes merry 8. When Magistrates are negligent of their Duty and yet luxurious and sensual the people under their Charge cannot but be impoverished they must have Money for which the Poor must sweat in digging the Earth trafficking by Sea or Land and the like For the peoples poverty is here insinuat as the effect of the Rulers slothfulness and prodigality They Feast and make merry but Money answereth or procureth all these things 9. Though Money of it self be the most useless thing in the World for sustentation of humane Life yet Providence hath made it so useful that ordinarly it answers him that hath it with all things necessary for him and makes them Obedient as the Word Answereth signifies to him Therefore they that have much of it had need to look how they answer the Lord calling for Duty from them For Money answereth all things 10. Mens Lusts are very expensive they will not get their Slothfulness and Excess maintained without much Money the consideration whereof should make them more sober and diligent For thir words import that sensual Rulers must have Money and may be looked upon as including an Argument to disswade them from Laziness and Excess taken from the effect thereof which is the poverty of the people who must give to them that Money which answereth all things Ver. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the Rich in thy bed chamber for a Bird of the Air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter BEcause the miscarriage of Rulers formerly described is very grievous and ready to move the Passions of the best Therefore doth the wise Man here disswade from Bitterness of Spirit or revengeful Imprecations whether against the King or supreme Magistrat who is the fountain of these Woes that flow upon the Land which is committed to his Trust or against the Rich by whom are especially meant inferiour Magistrates who enrich themselves by draining the Purses of the Godly And not only doth he disswade from open reviling of them before others but from the inward motions of Revenge in the Heart and the expressions thereof even in the most retired places signified by the Bed-chamber And this Disswasive he presseth by an Argument taken from the hazard following upon that which is disswaded from For saith he A Bird of the Air shall carry the voice c. which is not to be understood as if the Lord did always discover such secret Cursings and Imprecations in this Life or when he doth it that he always useth extraordinary means for bringing it about But the meaning is that such things shall surely be divulged either in time for the shame and temporal punishment of the Offender or at the end of time before Men and Angels and that the discovery shall be as sudden and in a way as litle suspected by the Offender as if a Bird of the Air did cary the matter Hence Learn 1. There is so much Self-love remaining unmortified in the best and so little use made of these places of Scripture which serve to compose the Spirit and work it to submission and patience under the hardest lot in the World that in times especially of Oppression and Injustice when a godly Man sees these in Authority spend his substance upon their Lusts and oppress his person revengeful motions are ready to arise even in such a Mans Heart evil Wishes and bitter Imprecations against them are ready to escape him For all along Solomon speaks to the Man indued with heavenly Wisdom directing him how to evidence the same and here finds it necessary thus to disswade him Curse not the King c. Curse not the Rich c. 2. The Lord would have His people even when they are opprest and wronged by Magistrates shewing so much respect to His Ordinance of Magistracy as not to revile or imprecat Vengance upon the persons of the Magistrates or to intertain any revengeful Thought against them but rather when they are drawing a Curse upon themselves to mourn for them and pray for the Blessing of Repentance and Reformation to them Though they be little tender of His Honour yet while they are in His place to Men and do in a manner carry His
in Duty For as this Similitude implies that the Husband-man will see many unseasonable days to hinder him from Sowing and weaken his hopes of a good Harvest so the application of it to the Scope of this place imports that many things will appear and be suggested to hinder Men from the Duty of Charity and the same holds of all other Duties and to weaken their hopes of the performance of Promises made thereunto He that observeth the Wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap c. 3. We have so much natural aversion to our Duty and so much unbelief of the promised Reward that we are ready to make every appearance of a Difficulty a sufficient ground to quite our Duty For though the Weather will often be lowring and the Air tempestuous when a little after the Season will be favourable enough yet it is supposed that Men are very apt by such small appearances of Difficulty to be hindered from their Duty while the wise Man thus confutes them even by relating their Objections under this Similitude He that observes the Wind shall not sow and he that regards the Clouds shall not reap 4. They that do in earnest mind obedience to commanded Duties and so would meet with the performance of the Promise made thereunto must not ly in wait to observe Difficulties a far off or find out what may discourage them in their Duty nor must they regard Difficulties when they are suggested to their Minds but when the season and opportunity of Duty comes they must set to it whatever appearance of bad Success there be else they will never be for the advancement of Gods Honour in the discharge of their Duty For he that observes or as the Word signifies watcheth anxiously for the Wind shall not sow and he that regards the Clouds concluding it will be Rain when they seem to threaten it shall never reap 5. If Men would reason in Matters relating to their Duty to God and their eternal Welfare as they ordinarly do in the matters of this Life they would not be so often hindred from their Duty or discouraged in it but that reasoning which hath no weight with them in things of an earthly and small Concernment the same seems most strong in reference to the greatest matters of their Soul and another Life For here it is supposed that Men do not ordinarly reason from appearance of Rain or Wind that they should neglect to Sow or Reap and so of other things else they would seldom or never do what they are seldom or never found to neglect in the ordinary season thereof and yet that they do too frequently from any appearance of hard Events reason that they must neglect necessary Duties particularly that of Charity here prest He that observes the Wind shall not sow and he that regards the Clouds shall not reap 6. There is so much Wisdom manifested in all the Works of God and we are so blind and spend so much of the little Wit we have upon other things that there is not any of these works that can be fully comprehended by us this is clearly supposed in the other Branch of Solomons Confutation of the delay or neglect of Duty upon appearance of bad success as thou knowest not c. so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all 7. Men is of so wonderful a Constitution that it will conquer his Understanding to comprehend himself And therefore while he reflects upon himself he should be humbled that he can know but little of these two principal Parts whereof he is composed the way of the forming of his Soul its union with and acting by the several Organs of his Body the way how his Body was formed in the Womb how so many rare and far differing Organs and Members of so various operations should arise out of so inconsiderable a matter of one kind and colour and that of the same Bones should grow without which Man would creep upon the Earth as Worms do Women that Bear Children and all that are born of Women should humbly admire and adore the wonderful Art and Wisdom of God in framing both their Spirits and Bodies and thereby be moved to adventure upon Duty to Him being confident that He who made them so wonderfully can easily prevent imminent Hazards in the way of their Duty and bring about the performance of His Promises though they see not how the same can be For here the incomprehensible Wisdom of God manifested in forming of the Spirits and Bodies of Men is brought as a motive to the Duty of Charity and to make Men charitable so to speak of God that He can easily prevent their Fears of Loss and Want make up their Losses and make good His own Promises As thou knowest not the way of the Spirit nor how the Bones grow in the Womb of her that is with Child so thou knowest not the Work of God that maketh all things 8. However our ignorance of Gods way of working so far as the same may be known ought to humble us yet the knowledge of our ignorance may be useful for us and may teach us to follow our Duty in hope of the promised Reward though we see no probability that the same may be brought about For Solomon brings our ignorance of God's working as an Argument to convince us of Folly in desisting from Duty because we see not how we shall be Rewarded as He hath promised and to put us to our Duty in every opportunity thereof considering that God who is infinit in Power and Wisdom can easily prevent our Fears of Loss or Hazard in the way of our Duty and bring about the performance of His own Promises though we see not how it may be done As thou knomest not the way of the Spirit c. so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all 9. The Consideration of Gods infinit Power should make us hope against all appearances of the contrary that His Promises shall be made out to us and so follow our Duty though we see no appearance of success For while Solomon is discovering and guarding against the cause of our neglecting Duty namely our ignorance of Gods way of working in bringing about the performance of His Promises which is often contrary to appearance he describes the Lord from His infinit Creating Power Thou knowest not the work of him who maketh all 10. Gods efficacious Providence in bringing about the performance of His Promises as it is secret and unseen to us so it operats constantly and that so certainly that there shall be no miscarriage of the effect intended by Him Therefore is the same here set forth by His way of forming the Spirits and Bodies of Men which as it is very secret so it is constantly going on As thou knowest not the way of the Spirit or how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child so thou knowest not
all comprehended here as parts and enlargements of one and the same sense of the words Next By the Returning of the Clouds after Rain seems clearly to be understood that continual Succession and frequent returning of one Shower of Trouble after another which befall dying Men And the Allegory or Similitude seems to be borrowed from the tempestuous and stormy Seasons of the Year when it is not as in Summer that after a Shower clears up again and becomes fair and Warm which represents the time of Youth in which ordinarily after some fit of Sickness and Distemper comes Ease and Health again But as it is in Winter after one Shower the Clouds presently gather for another so will it be in the time of Old Age. As for that Particular which many condescend upon as intended here to wit the frequent falling down of Rheums or Catarrhes from the Head like so many Showers upon the Lungs that seems to be but one Instance of this general to wit the frequent recurring of one Fit of Distemper after another incident to dying Men. Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for Men to have general Apprehensions of their Mortality and the certainty of their Death but it is necessary that their Thoughts be stayed upon the Distinct and particular Apprehension of the Case they shall be in at that time while the several Pinns of their Tabernacle shall be a loosing that by a serious and considerat view of their Case then they may be stirred up to provide sutable spiritual Consolations against the removal of every one of their outward Comforts Therefore is it that Solomon after a general Intimation in the former Verse that Death and Trouble are before Men he comes here more particularly to lead them to distinct Thoughts of the Case they shall be in then While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 2. The benefit of our Eyes and of the Light of the Sun as also our Reason and other Faculties of the Soul together with the Comforts we have by the use of all these are excellent Mercies of God and while they are continued with us do put us in a good capacity to prepare for Death While we have the use of our bodily Eyes and our Reason we may contemplat the glorious Works of God and read his Word whereby we may attain to the Knowledge of God in Christ and Fellowship with him For which end all these Lights whether of our Eyes our Reason the external Lights of Heaven or whatsoever may be set forth by these Names are given to us For this is a part of the description of that Opportunity to be made use of for remembering our Creator While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 3. We should use our Mercies and Priviledges which are common to us with other Men to wit our bodily Sight our Reason and all other Comforts which may be signified by the Lights here mentioned so as we may be still mindful of the decay and failing of them at Death and often think with our selves what a Comfort it will be to see by Faith Him that is invisible favourable to us to behold Christ the Son of Righteousness shining in Mercy upon us and to have the Day-star His Spirit arising in our Hearts never to set again even when all other Lights and outward Comforts will be darkened the ensuring whereof to our selves should according to Solomon's Scope here be our great study While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened 4. Although no Man can promise to himself fair Weather in this World but ought to resolve for one Shower of Affliction after another yet the Lord is pleased to give unto Men now and then breathing times from outward Troubles and some Seasons wherein there is a clear Sun-shine after Rain and no present appearance of Trouble that they may with the greater Tranquility of Spirit prepare for the same For it is here supposed that they may have some times of fair Summer Weather While the Clouds return not after the Rain 5. Every Man may expect that frequent Troubles shall assault him when Old Age comes and Death draws near like one Shower Pouring down immediatly after another is over till he be carried in to Eternity as with a Flood Ps 90.5 For it is imported that it will be thus with him when Death draws near while his Case in some Health is thus described Nor the Clouds return after the Rain 6. Every Intermission of Trouble should be improven for making preparation for the last Storm by storing the Heart with such Thoughts of God reconciled to us in Christ as may prove comfortable to us when Death comes For this is a part of the description of the Opportunity to be made use of for that end While the Clouds return not after the Rain Ver. 3. In the day when the Keepers of the House shall tremble and the strong Men shall bow themselves and the Grinders cease because they are few and those that look out at the Windows be darkened THe Preacher comes now positively to describe the time of the dissolution of this Tabernacle as not so convenient an opportunity as the time of Youth and Health for making Peace with God And for this end he illustrats the Case of a Man assaulted by Death by the Similitude of a besieged House or Castle whose Guards and Watches become feeble and desert their Duty As for the Keepers of the House and the strong Men however many parts of a Man may be understood by these whether the outward Senses or the inward Faculties because they all look to the safety of the whole Body yet it seems most proper to take the Keepers for the Arms and Hands because they are most active to keep the rest of the Body from hazard and it is known that Palsies and Shakings agree best to them and by the strong Men to understand the Thighs and Legs because the Scripture attributes Feebleness or bowing to these Isa 35.3 By the Grinders are meant the Teeth which prepare and make small the Food for the Stomach these cease from this Duty being few and unfit for it in Old Age And by these that look out at the Windows are to be understood the Eyes which stand in their Holes as Watches in their Towers to elpy Hazards and Advantages which may befall the Body the Darkening here spoken of makes it clear that he speaks of the Eyes and not of the other Senses though by consequence the decay of these bring along with it a decay of Sight also Hence Learn 1. Mans Body is of a wonderful Constitution and very curiously framed like some stately Edifice or Garrison having the Arms and Hands as Keepers which can move towards all the Airths for defending of it the Legs as strong Men to carry it out of one Countrey to another to escape hazard which no Castle