A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 6
Eccleſ. 1.5. to 11.
DOct. 1. The knowledge of ſuch things as are full of labour, and empty of yeilding ſatisfaction to the minde, and of variety or newneſſe, is unprofitable to the attainment of true happineſſe.
This is the ground upon which Solomon buildeth the unprofitableneſſe of the labour of the mind about the knowledge of natural things.
1. They are full of labour or reſtleſſe motion, verſ. 8.
2. They yeild no ſatisfying to the eye and ear, which are the ſenſes of diſcipline.
1. The one by obſervation.
2. The other by inſtruction.
3. There is no newneſſe or variety in them, which arguing would not hold, unleſſe this Doctrine be preſuppoſed as a ground.
Reaſon of it from the nature of ſuch things wherein true bleſſedneſſe ſtandeth.
They are ſuch, as
1. Are at reſt; he maketh it our ſafety to reſt in peace and tranquillity, Eſay. 30.7.15.
The favour of God, the blood of Chriſt, the fellowſhip of Gods ſpirit, the word of promiſe, the Covenant of grace and peace. But natural things which are themſelves in perpetual motion, they leave our minds reſtleſſe.
2. Do ſatisfie the mind and heart of a Chriſtian; his eye would ever ſee the favour of God, and the light of his countenance ſhining upon him; his ear would ever hear the things belonging to his peace.
The eye or ear not to be ſatisfied, with ſuch or ſuch things, implyeth either
1. That a man careth not to ſee or hear any more of them, as having enough of them, and yet would have ſomething beſides them, as being not contented with them; ſo it is meant here, Eſay 55.1, 3.
But on the contrary, in heavenly things a man having true and full contentment in them, yet deſireth to partake more and more of them, John 4.14. Matth. 5.6. Pſal. 42.1, 2. For ſuch things doe yield true ſatisfaction to the eye, and eare, and taſte, when as a man is deſirous alwaies to ſee and heare, and taſte the ſame. And ſo is it in heavenly things: the more we taſte of them, the more we deſire them, and yet are fully ſatisfied and contented with them.
Secondly, that a man not having enough of that he ſeeth and heareth, would have more of it, and yet cannot attain it, and thereupon is vexed: as Ariſtotle, not fully comprehending the courſe of Euripus, is ſaid to have caſt himſelfe into it; and ſo is it alſo meant here in ſundry difficulties of naturall things.
Thirdly, Are new; full of freſh and ſweet variety of newneſſe: To a new creature, behold all things become new, 2 Cor, 5, 17, Not onelyonly within him, new mind new judgement, new conſcience, new heart, new affections, (new joyes, feares, griefes, cares, deſires, &c.) new ſpeeches, new life; But alſo without him, new company, &c.
Yea thoſe things he buſieth himſelfe about, they yeild him continually new matter to be refreſhed withall: The favour of God, the blood of Chriſt, the fellowſhip of the Spirit, the more they are heard or ſeen, the more novelty they are to us; the Word the oftner read, ſtill yieldeth us more knowledge, new comfort, &c. Paul ſpeaketh not of the eſtate of glory, but of grace, when he ſaith, Eye hath not ſeen, nor eare heard ſuch things, 1 Cor. 2.9. The natural man never perceived them (and therefore as Paul reaſoneth, the Princes of this world could not deviſe ſuch things to keep people in awe) they are new when they are firſt perceived of the godly; and they feele a new, freſh, ſweet ſavour in them, as oft as the ſeeing or hearing of them is renewed, Lam. 3.23.
Ʋſe 1. To wean us from placing our happineſſe in the ſtudy of the creatures: There is no reſt in them, no ſatiſfaction to the mind, no ſuch newneſſe, as in thoſe things wherein true happineſſe ſtandeth. Some of the Philoſophers placed happineſſe in contemplation (meaning of the creatures) but ſheweth they were deceived. Many a man thinketh, that if he could attain to the knowledge and myſterſe of this or that trade he ſhould need no more good. But it is even with trades, as with the creatures, they are full of labour, and yet empty of ſatisfying the mind, empty of newneſſe.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort to the ſtudy and ſearching out of the favour of God, the blood of Chriſt, the grace of his Spirit, the Word of God, &c. Theſe will anſwer our hearts with reſt, and fulneſs, and newheſſe of comfort and contentment.
Ʋſe 3. For triall of our happineſſe, whether we have made right choice of it; if we bend our ſtudies and labours upon things that are full of labour, and yet empty of ſatiſfying the mind with contentment and newneſſe, we have miſplaced our happineſſe.
But if we finde reſt, and ſatisfaction, and newneſſe in the things we are converſant about; it is a ſigne we have choſen heavenly things to place our happineſſe in. A right choyce.
From the Sunnes motion, verſ. 5. obſerve
Firſt, (againſt Coperni us) that the Sunne ſtandeth not ſtill, but the earth, Pſal. 19.5.
Secondly, againſt the opinion of ſuch that doe think the Heavens and Planets are moved by Intelligences. The ſame is here ſaid to ariſe and goe down, to haſten, not to be carried or moved paſſively, Pſal. 19.5. the Sun is ſaid freely to run his courſe, or which is all one, to rejoyce to run it.
Thirdly, the Sun is endued with life; for whatſoever ſtirreth and moveth it ſelfe in his own place, is quick and liveth.
There is a double life in things, yet comming ſhort of ſenſe: 1. Vegetative, as the Plants and Herbs. 2. Locomotive, as in the Stars.
This alſo is implyed in the order of the works of the Creation; where proceeding from things leſſe perfect to things more perfect, he mentioneth Stars made the fourth day, and Herbs and Trees the third. The Stars therefore mentioned to be created after ſome living things, have in themſelves a more perfect life.
From the Winds motion, verſ. 6. obſerve
The freedom of the motion of Gods Spirit, blowing where it liſteth, John 3.8.
From the motion of the Rivers, verſ. 7. obſerve.
Firſt, the originall of Fountaines to ſpring from the Sea.
Ariſtotles reaſon to the contrary, that water coveteth to run to the loweſt place: And if the water ſhould have this viciſſitude, of courſe from the Fountaines to the Sea, from the Sea to the Fountains; then the ſame place ſhould be higher and lower then it ſelfe; will not hold. For ſome parts of the Sea are lower then the Fountaines, and into them the Fountaines ſend forth their ſtreams to run; other parts of the Sea are as high, or higher then the Fountaines, eſpecially in great ſtorms, when the waves ſeem to aſcend up to heaven, Pſalm 107.26. And they by ſecret channels another way ſend forth Springs of water to feed the Fountaines.
Plato's Barathrum in the hollow Caverns of the earth, which he maketh to be the originall of Fountaines, is hence alſo refuted, unleſſe he derive the ſupplying of that Barathrum from the Sea.
Secondly, that the earth, through which the Sea waters paſſe to the Fountaines, doth percolate and ſtrain the Salt out of them; elſe, as the ſea waters are ſalt, ſo would alſo the Fountaine waters be.
That ſome fountaines of water are ſalt as the ſea, ariſeth from the openneſs of the pores of the earth between the ſea and them; which is alſo the cauſe of the ebbing and flowing of ſome of them.
Thirdly, A pattern of thankfull returning what we receive to the Fountain that ſupplieth us; as we receive all bleſſings from God, ſo let us return all to him.
From the motion of all theſe together, obſerve
Firſt, That all the Elements abhor idleneſſe; the Sunne (the chariot of fire) the wind, the waters, are all in continuall motion. And though the earth abide and ſtand, yet it is continually fruitfull, in breeding and nourcing ſuch things as abide upon it, and in it; an idle perſon, though made and fed of all theſe, is like none of theſe; he lazily ſitting or lying ſtill, whilſt they continually move; diligence in our calling hindreth not the happineſſe of the reſting of our hearts in God.