A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 64
Eccleſ. 11.9, 10.
9 Reioyce, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thine heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all theſe things God will bring thee into iudgement.
10 Therefore remove ſorrow from thy heart, and put a way evill from thy fleſh: for childhood and youth are vanitie.
FOr a fifth wholſome counſell and inſtruction, Solomon giveth it unto young men, which is twofold: Firſt, To know God will bring them to judgement, verſe 9.10. Secondly, To remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth, verſ. 1. to 7. And both this and the former Counſels, are but further motives and directions to take the counſel given, verſe 6.4. ſowing our ſeed in the Morning, and in the Evening not to ceaſe.
Reaſon 1. For after this life ended, many will be the dayes of darkneſſe, and they will be dayes of vanity, verſe 7.8.
Reaſon 2. For youth is the morning of our Age, and ſo a fit time to ſow good ſeed, & uſually miſimployed to the ſowing of vanity; verſe 9.10. And there be three words that expreſſe it: foreign doth properly ſignifie the morning of Age, v. 10 foreign youth is (as the word ſignifieth) the choyce Age of a mans life, as that 1. Which is choſen to moſt employments of action, 2. Wherein a man is to chooſe what courſe to take; 3. And which a man would chooſe to live in alwayes. foreign is childhood, which is the green flouriſhing bloud of Age or life.
Parts, Firſt, An Ironical conceſſion to children and youth to rejoyce in their dayes and wayes, Rejoyce O young man, &c. Secondly, A ſerious Admonition to know the judgement of God reſerved for them; but know that, &c. verſe 9. Thirdly, Hence an exhortation to put away and remove the paſſions and luſts of youth and childhood, verſe 10. Therefore remove the Iraſcible paſſions of the heart and evil from thy fleſh, that is, the luſts of the fleſh. Fourthly, a Reaſon of that exhortation from the vanity of childhood and youth, verſe 10.
Doctr. 1. God is wont in an holy ſcorne to give up children and youth in their own dayes, to take their own wayes and to rejoyce (or applaud themſelves) in them. See the like kinde of Irony or holy ſcorne, 1 Kings 18.27, & 22, 15. & 2 Chron. 25.8.
Queſt. But doth not God ſpeake ſeriouſly, as allowing children and youth more liberties then are meet for riper yeares? as Chap. 9.7, 8, 9.
Anſw. There be ſome lawful liberties which God doth allow to that age, as Zach. 8.5, & 9, 17. But if he had ſpoken of theſe, he would have given ſome juſt ground of encouragement (for it is your portion or the like;) but here he rather giveth a check and admonition againſt it, from a ground that is wont to dampe not lawful but carnal delights. But know that for all theſe things God will bring thee to judgment. The wayes of, 1. Childhood, Firſt, Ignorance, 1 Cor. 14.20. Secondly, Vanity; ſerious in trifles, and trifling in ſerious things, Text. verſe 10. Thirdly, Folly. Fourthly, Falſhood, Pſal. 58.3. Fifthly, Forwardneſſe, Matth. 11.16, 17. 2. Youth, Firſt, High conceits of their own ſufficiency and worth, 1 Tim. 3.6. Secondly, Inordinate and exceſſive love of liberty. Thirdly, Wantonneſſe. Fourthly, Strong affections upon weake grounds. Fifthly, Impatience of counſels and reproofes, which is ſtubbornneſſe, Jer. 31.18, 19. Sixthly, Prodigality, Luke 15.12, 13. Seventhly Impudency, Iſai. 3.5. God giveth up children and Youth to theſe wayes; Firſt, by not giving them his grace, either reſtraining or converting ſo ſoon. Secondly, By taking from them ſuch Parents, governours and friends, as might reſtraine them, 2 Chron. 24.17. As he that taketh away a damme giveth a running River leave to run ſtrongly. Thirdly, By giving them up to a company of flatterers and Pareſites, ſons of Belial, who encourage them to evil, 2 Chron. 24.17, 18, and harden them againſt wiſe and grave counſel, 1 Kings 12.10, 11. Fourthly, By ſuiting the heart with fit and ſtrong objects, and leaving the heart to the impetuouſneſſe of its own paſſions and luſts.
Reaſon 1. From the Idol of ſelf-fulneſſe which God ſeeth in the heart of youth, according to which he anſwereth them and all others, Ezek. 14.4.
Reaſon 2. From their wilful diſobedience, Pſal. 81.11.
Reaſon 3. From his delight to ſcorne ſcorners, Prov. 3:34. Pſal. 2.3, 4.
Reaſon 4. From his purpoſe to magnifie his grace the more, and to humble them the more in their converſion, Jer. 31.18, 19.
Ʋſe 1. To humble childhood and youth the more, the flower of whoſe Age is ſo much corrupted. If our choyce dayes be ſo wicked, what are our dregs? If our firſt fruits be ſo uncleane, what is our whole lumpe? yea, and this ſpiritual judgement ſhould humble youth the more; for it is a more dreadful judgement for God to ſcorne, then to frowne and threaten.
Doctr. 2. God would have children and youth to know that God will bring them to judgement for all their childiſh and youthful courſes, and for their delight in them, Pſal. 50.18, to 22. Rev. 20.12. 2 Cor. 5.10. Eccleſ. 12.14.
Reaſon 1. From Gods unpartial juſtice to all, Rom. 2.6, to 11. God taketh no pleaſure in proper youth, Pſal. 147, 10. nor pitty on carnal children.
Reaſon 2. From the proportion which God keepeth in recompencing like meaſure, yea, double meaſure of torment to deliciouſneſſe, Rev. 18.7.
Ʋſe 1. To charge children and youth to put away and remove from them their paſſions and Iuſts, the evils of their fleſh, verſe 10. Youths eagerly purſue their luſts, and boiſterouſly contend for them: But luſts overwhelme with the greater torments, & Potentes potenter torquebuntur.
Ʋſe 2. To diſcover and convince the vanity of childhood and youth, verſe 10. In regard, Firſt, Of the many corruptions incident to their Age, mentioned above. Secondly, Of their fond rejoycing in them, as a fool in his Fetters and Shackles. Thirdly, Of the danger growing thereby, of Impenitency here, and of Judgement hereafter.
Ʋſe 3. To exhort both to remember their Creator in their prime dayes, Eccleſ. 12.1.