The Lord doth wisely make use of sad Dispensations to loose mens hearts from the too great esteem they have of their natural Life and being in this World And to allay the abhorrency they have at Death which should make the Lords people submissive to such Dispensations and labour to find this effect thereof upon themselves which Solomon here expresses to have been produced upon him by them Wherefore I praised the Dead which are already Dead more than the Living c. 4. So tender are truly Gracious Hearts of Gods Honour and so desirous to see the rest of His people well in the World that with submission to His good will they could forfeit their natural Life and all the comforts of it rather than see Him dishonoured and His people in Misery For such a frame of spirit may this express to us produced in Solomon by the former sad sights I praised the Dead c. Yea better is he that is not yet Born c. 5. No Being at all is in reason much to be preferred to a Being in sin and Misery see Matth 26.24 For it is simplie not Being at all that Solomon compares with and preferres to a Being exposed to Miserie and Temptations occasioned thereby while he saith Yea better is he that is not Born than both they who hath not seen the evil Work that is done under the Sun Ver. 4. Again I considered all travel and every Right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour this is also Vanity and Vexation of Spirit HEre is the second Observation which Solomon holds forth to wean mens hearts from seeking Happiness in this Earth And it is upon the entertainment that mens industry and pains in well doing doth ordinarly meet with in the World and the effect which that Entertainment hath ordinarlie upon men Again saith he I considered all travel and every Right work c. By these he doth not mean any different subjects which he took to consideration but one and the same to wit that toilsome Labour or painful Industrie as the Word Travel signifies which men take about that which is Right or Approven as the Word signifies to wit in Gods sight And this appears by his speaking of both as one while he expresseth what Entertainment this sort of work hath in the World For This saith he a man is envied The better a mans actions be the more is he hated by them that cannot do the like even by his most intimat familiar Friend as the Word Neighbour signifies And this he Censureth as Vanity both a sinful Vanity upon the part of the envious who are grieved at what they ought to rejoice in to wit others well-doing and likewise a disappointing unsatisfying Vanity upon the part of the envied who often look for other Entertainment to their Right Works And then he shews what is the ordinary effect which this bad Entertainment of good Actions hath upon men it eats up with anxiety the Spirits especially of those who cannot comfort themselves in Gods approbation against mens envy And seing all men in the World are subject to this Vanity either to envy others for doing well or being envied by others for well-doing to vex their own Spirits it is mans wisdom to seek his Happiness elsewhere Hence Learn 1. There is so much opposition from without and so much indisposition within every man to what is right and approven in Gods sight that a man may expect his duty and every part of it shall cost him some toil and pains of Body and mind so that he will not get his heart engaged to it nor holden on in it except the love of Christ constrain him 2 Cor. 5.14 For this Word which expresses the quality of a Right Work signifies toilsome and painful labour I considered all Travel and every Right work 2. Only these Works are Right and as the Word signifies Approven to wit in Gods sight which are sincerely intended to be conform to the Right rule the revealed mind of God Psal 119.128 which are gone about with dependance upon God for strength and direction Prov. 3.6 and with a single and direct aim at the Glory and pleasure of God in the doing of them Prov. 4.25 For all these which do at least in part describe a Right Work are in the signification of the Word translated Right as the places cited where the same word is used make clear I considered every Right Work 3. The uprightness of mens Actions will be so far from giving them the approbation and applause of the wicked World that by the contrary it may be expected that men shall be because of this the object of their Envy whom mind Gods Glory so little and are so greedy of vain Glory to themselves that they are grieved to see others made instrumental in Glorifying him John 3.26.27 For while Solomon considers every Right Work he findes that for this a man is envyed of his neighbour 4. Envy is such an evil as not only makes men grieve at the good of Strangers and Enemies but it vents it self mainly against a mans own Companions or Equals as being most suspicious that those intercept the applause which the envious hunt after For so saith Solomon here For this to wit a Right work a man is envied of his neighbour The Word signifies mans Equal his inthâ—at familiar Friend and Companion 5. As it is the sin of men and a proof that they are infected with that Vanity which the Fall hath brought upon Mankind to envy others for their good Actions so it is a just punishment inflicted upon those who look for mens applause and approbation as their great Encouragement in their work that they should meet with disappointment herein and with mens envy in stead of their applause For this sentence of Solomon past upon the envying of Right Works may be both taken as it is the sin of the envyous and as it is the disappointment and so the punishment of the envyed who expected mens approbation as their reward For this also is Vanity 6. Men do naturally over value the applause of others and study so little to draw their Encouragement from Gods approbation that when they meet with envy instead of applause which they expected their Spirits are ready to be eaten up with Anxiety For That a mans Right Work should be envyed of his Neighbour This saith Solomon proves not only Vanity or disappointment of his expectation but also Vexation of Spirit Ver. 5. The Fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh 6. Bâ—â—â—er is an handful with quietness than both the hands ful with travel and vexation of Spirit SOlomon having shown that Well-doing is ordinarily Entertained with the Worlds Envy and that the ordinary effect of the discerning hereof is the Vexation of mens Spirits He doth here shew First a further effect which the same hath upon these that are void of the saving knowledge and fear of the Lord who
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
in a special way present with them while they are Oppressed and suffering for Righteousness sake 1 Pet. 4.14 Yet in their sad condition they have often few or none among Men to be comfortable to them even of these whose Relations and Ingagements tye them most strictly thereunto Which flows from the want of the Fear of the Lord that puts Man to these Duties which Mans Law presseth not Job 6.14 Such as this is of sympathie and fellow-feeling and the expressions thereof and from the fear of Oppressours least respect to the Oppressed may bring themselves to their condition 1 Sam. 23.11 12. And likewise from the Lords Gracious purpose to try His own compleatly and make them seek after and set a great value upon Divine Consolations For to the mourning Oppressed there was no Comforter to wit among Men. 5. It is not only the duty of these that are Fellow-sufferers to sympathize with and be comfortable to one another but also and especially of those who are in Tranquillity to sympathize with these that are under Oppression and incite others to do the same For Solomon who was in much prosperity the most part of his time and while he was writting this Book Eccles 2.25 speaks here as a tender hearted Sympa hizer with the Oppressed and calls upon others to look on them with pity and to be comfortable to them while he saith Behold the tears of the oppressed and they had no Comforter and again They had no Comforter 6. The Lord is pleased not only to suffer cruel Oppressours to have external force at their Command and abundance of Furniture for accomplishing their cruel Designs but likewise to have strength of Body and vigour of natural Spirits for that end until His Work about His People be perfected by them and the Cup of their Iniquity be full For all these are in the signification of this Word Power which he saith Is on the side or in the hand as that other Word is of their Oppressours And upon the part of their Oppressours was Power 7. The consideration of all the Oppressions and Power of Oppressours under the Sun and the sad and comfortless case of the Oppressed which is the ordinary lot of the Church ought to wean Mens hearts from this Earth make them die to the delights thereof and banish the apprehension of finding Happiness in it where such usage is ordinary and make them long for that Morning when they shall have dominion over their Oppressours Ps 49.14 For that Country where Righteousness only dwells 2 Pet. 3.13 For the New Heavens where all Tears shall be wiped from their Eyes Rev. 7.17.21 4. And for the heavenly Canaan where none of a cursed kind can be For in order to these ends Solomon describes the ordinary Tragedies that are acted upon the Stage of this World to alienat Mens hearts from the imagination of Happiness in it I considered all the oppressions under the sun and behold the tears of the Oppressed c. Verse II. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive III. Yea better is he than both they which hath not yet been who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the Sun THE Preacher here shews what effects the consideration of those grievous Oppressions mentioned in the former Words had upon him As 1. That he commended the state of them who have by Death escaped the sight of such Dishonour to God and the feeling of such Miseries as much to be preferred to their state who are pyning away under them and exposed to manifold Temptations of whom no better can be said than that they live and that is All. Yea 2. He preferred the state of him who is not yet born both to the state of them who have wrestled thorow these Miseries and them that are yet in their passage because such a one hath not seen or as the force of the Word is hath not felt the miseries nor been exposed to the Temptations that are in this World This seems to be the literal and safest sense of the Words and according to it these Objections which may arise from the Expressions may be easily answered As 1. If it be enquired How doth Solomon's praising of the Dead more than the Living agree with the Saints praising of the Living more than the Dead Isai 38.18 19 Ps 6.5 The Answer is In these places the state of the Dead as wanting opportunity of Praising and Glorifying God is compared with the state of the Living who have it and so this is preferred to that Here the state of the Dead considered as setting man above the reach of temporal Miseries and Temptations is compared with the state of the Living exposing them to both and so the preference may be contrary And 2. If it be again urged how can the state of him that is not yet born be preferred to the state of those that are Dead seing the Godly that are in Blessedness have escaped these Miseries and Temptations which he that is to be born is to be exercised with The Answer is the same in substance that he compares the state of not being at all with the state of being Miserable and exposed to Temptations abstracting as it were from the future and eternal state of Men that thereby he may express the holy Indignation and Grief he had at the sight of Gods dishonour and His Peoples Misery Doctr. 1. Although it cannot consist with right Reason much less with true Piety to desire Death or undervalue Life because of the Miserie 's incident to it seing a rational Life is one of the greatest of meer outward Blessings whereunto all the rest are subservient Mat. 6.25 and which may compense by the worth and good use which may be made of it all the Miserie 's incident to it Lam. 3.39 yet in order to the escaping of these great Evils the sight of God's Dishonour and His Peoples Misery the hazard of being assaulted and overcome with these Temptations which are worse than Death and in order to the obtaining of perfect freedom not only from Misery but from Sin and Temptations and of the full enjoyment of God's presence Phil. 1.22 Natural Life may be safely undervalued and Death praised and preferred to it In which sense we may safely conceive Solomon here to speak thus Wherefore I praised the Dead which are already Dead more than the Living c. 2. Mans life for the most part in regard of the Miserie 's incident to it and the sad Spectacles that are in it is but a begun Death a languishing and pining away a continual moâ—â—n toward Death so should living men look upon themselves that they may mind the certainty of Death and prepare for it For Solomon so compares the Dead and the Living as if the Living were a Dying I praised the Dead who are already Dead more than the Living who are yet alive And that is all 3.
Water in their Wine to consider that within a little time it shall be truly said of every one of them and may comfort the Godly against Oppression to consider they may survive their Oppressours and see that which Solomon saith he saw the Wicked Buried 3. Places of Judgement and Courts of Justice are Places of the Holy where the Holy God is in a special way present observing mens carriage there Psal 82.1 who therefore should have Holy Ends before them in all their Actings the Glory of God and the promoting of Equity and Piety among men 2. Chron. 19.6 For seing he is speaking of Magistrates all along we may safely conceive that places of Judgement are here understood by the Place of the Holy 4. Wicked men in power may attend very carefully their Judgement seats as if they had given themselves away to be Patrons and Administrators of Equity among men while they are but thereby promoting and securing their own Worldly interest and often making the pretence of Administration of Justice a Cloak to cover their Wickedness For He speaks of the Wicked man as if his Life had been spent in the Administration of Justice and attending the places where the same is given forth I saw the wicked Buried who had come and gone from the place of the Holy 5. As the places of publick Worship are the Lords prime Residence on Earth where he doth in a special manner dwell among his People and meet with them and therefore should be in a Holy manner frequented seing he will be sanctified in all that draw neer unto him So Wicked men may much frequent these places and opportunities partly from a conceit of gratifying and pleasing God by their so doing Luk. 18 10. Imagining that by their performances of that sort they have a Dispensation for their other Impieties Prov. 7.14 And partly that they may be the less suspected for that Wickedness which they closely intend 2 Sam. 15.7 and may be the more intimat with the Godly whom they purpose to undermine Psal 55.14 For this Coming and going may be also understood of the frequenting the Places of the Lords Holy Ordinances I saw the Wicked who had Come and Gone from the place of the Holy 6. Though Hypocrites who seek no more but a Name among Men may gain somewhat of it along their Life Mat. 6.16 Yet the Lord often makes their Name to rot after they are gone seing they have left nothing behind them worthy to be remembred for after the wicked man is Buried who Had come and gone from the Place of the Holy he is forgotten in the City where he had so done 7. The Lord doth sometimes make his oppressed People live to see their powerful and proud Oppressours Buried and all their Hypocrisie and Tyanny Buried with them and giveth to his People such peace and refreshment by their removal that they soon forget all their former sufferings by them For doubtless this Wicked man hath been a vexation to the Godly in the City where he dwelt and yet now he is Buried and Forgotten in the City where he had so done 8. It is Vanity in men to seek no higher Happiness than a name among Men while they live and some Honourable Burial and Remembrance after they are Dead For this is it Solomon here passes sentence upon this also is Vanity Ver. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not execute speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do Evil. HEre Solomon gives a Reason why Wicked Men especially prosperous Rulers are so bent upon their sinful Courses namely because the Sentence or threatning against them which is published in the Scripture for the Word Sentence signifies a Sentence published is not presently after their committing of Sin execut against them therefore they imagine it shall be so always that God is like themselves and speaks but to terrifie them and so give up their hearts to commit Wickedness with boldness and full delight From this Learn 1. There is a sentence past against every Sin and Sinner It is past in Gods Eternal Counsel Mic. 2.3 and published in his word where it is Registrat and was also published to the People by them that did Registrat it Gen. 2.17 Gal. 3 10. And oftentimes the same is past in the Conscience of Wicked men when they commit Wickedness who cannot but apply these Sentences to themselves as their due Rom. 2.15 And these Sentences can no ways be repealed but by flying to Christ and being interessed in his ransom and satisfaction For he supposes a Sentence past and promulgat while he saith Because Sentence against an Evil Work is not speedily executed 2. The Lord doth not immediatly upon Mens committing of Wickedness execut his just Sentences upon them as justly he might but delays the same that he may lead them by his long suffering to Repentance Rom. 2.4 that they may think of his Majesty as desirous of their amendement 2 Pet. 3.9 And that the Equity of his proceeding may be the more clear when at last he doth execut Ps 51.4 Therefore Sentence against an Evil Work is not speedily execut 3. Men void of saving Grace and the fear of the Lord can not but abuse his patience and long suffering quite contrary to the intent thereof by mocking his threatnings as if they should never be execut Isai 5.19 Jer. 5.12 And intertaining thoughts of him as if he were like themselves in forgetting or changing his mind Ps 50.21 And so going on boldly in Sin without all fear as the last words of the verse may be rendred Because Sentence against an evil Work is not speedily execut the hearts of the Children of Men are fully set or are bold in them to do Evil. 4. There is no doubt but the Sentence against all the Wicked continuing in their Wickednes shall be execut Though it be not speedily it shall be certainly and the longer it be delayed the neerer the Execution of it is and the more terrible shall it be when it comes for he doth import the Certainty of the Execution while he only concedes it is not Speedily Execut. 5. What ever difference be among Men from their natural temper Education or other things of that sort yet this is common to all whom Gods powerfull Grace hath not changed that the longer he prolong his patience and indulgence toward them they go on in their Sins the more presumptuously they are the more bent upon their wicked Courses For he describes the Disposition of every natural Man while he saith The Hearts of the Children of Man are fully set in them to do Evil. 6. The Lord doth not only take notice of and will accordingly punish at last Meâ— for their sinful Actions but also for the Bensel of delight and Eagerness they had in Sinning yea and for their very inclination to these Sins which they had never power nor opportunity to Act Psal 21.11.12 For describing