A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 24
Eccleſ. 3.18. to 23.
18. I ſaid in mine heart, concerning the eſtate of the ſons of men, that God might manifeſt them, and that they might ſee that they themſelves are beaſts.
19. For that which befalleth the ſons of men, befalleth beaſts, even one thing befalleth them: as the one dyeth, ſo dyeth the other; yea, they have all one breath, ſo that a man hath no preeminence above a beaſt: for all is vanity.
20. All go unto one place, all are of the duſt, and all turne to duſt againe.
21. Who knoweth the ſpirit of man that goeth upward, and the ſpirit of the beaſt that goeth downward to the earth?
22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better then that a man ſhould rejoyce in his own workes: for that is his portion: for who ſhall bring him to ſee what ſhall be after him?
SOlomon having oberved a vanity that befalleth the eſtates of men, Firſt, by the overuling providence of God, limiting all their changes, verſe 1. to 14. Secondly, By the hand and government of Courts of Juſtice over other men, verfe 16.17. Leaſt this ſhould reflect any diſhonour upon the providence of God, whereby he governeth all things in the world wiſely, righteouſly, holily: He taketh up and giveth himſelfe and others a two-fold ſatisfaction in this point, from a two-fold meditation. 1. From the order of which God will take to redreſſe all the iniquities of Courts of Juſtice, both in this and in another world, verſe 17. 2. From the end which God aymeth at in leaving Courts of Juſtice to ſuch iniquity, which is double, Firſt, God doth it to try them; Secondly, He doth it to let them ſee, They are as beaſts one to another, verſe 18. And to convince them the more of this latter, that men be but beaſts, he argueth it not only from their uſage of one another as beaſts, but from ſundry events common to them with beaſts; that which befalleth the ſons of men, befalleth the beaſts, to both alike. Which he argueth, Firſt, for their bodies in three particulars: 1. In the likeneſſe of their deaths, as one dyeth, ſo dyeth the other. 2. In the likeneſſe of their breath, they have all one breath, verſe 19. 3. In their burial and reſolution of their bodies; all turne to the duſt as they came from it. Secondly, For the ſoul or ſpirit of man which goeth upward, and the ſpirit of the beaſt that goeth downward, this difference is not known or acknowledged, diſcerned, or conſidered by men generally, to wit, not by natural men at all, verſe 21. From whence he taketh this Corollary, That ſeeing a man can take ſo little comfort or contentment in the eſtate or courſe of other men, therefore ſo to live as a man may rejoyce in his own workes, verſe 22. which he proveth Firſt, from the propriety he hath in that courſe, it is his portion. Secondly, From the impoſſibility to know what ſhall be after him, verſe 22. or from his uncertainty of future events. To gather up all the points here delivered into a narrow room, all may be comprized in one note of doctrine; the reaſons thereof and the uſes thereof alſo, let us handle them.
Doct. 1. He that ſhall ponder in his heart, and conſider the eſtate of the ſons of men, ſhall finde that God would have men to ſay they are as beaſts, verſe 18.19. That which Solomon upon ſerious pondering in his heart the eſtates of the ſons of men, did reſolve and ſay it, that God doth this or that about them, that they might ſee themſelves to be as beaſts: the ſame another Chriſtian pondering the matter in his heart may diſcerne, reſolve it, and ſay it, Pſal. 49, 12, 20, and 73, 22. Prov. 30.2. more brutiſh then any man; which implyeth that Firſt, all men are brutiſh, Secondly, he more then others. When God will cleere it to Peter that he might converſe with all ſorts of men, he ſhewes him in a viſion that God would have him eate of all beaſts, Acto 10.12.13, 28.
Reaſon. 1. From the violent, and fraudulent and beaſtly oppreſſion of men in authority over the poor people, Prov. 28.15. Zeph. 3, 3. Luke 13.32. Pſal, 10.9. Dan. 7.4, to 7. Ezek. 21.31. Gen. 10.9. 1 Sam. 26.20.
Reaſon 2. From the like occurrences, or events befalling their outward man or body in their, Firſt, lives; both a like ſubject to hunger, cold, hears, labour, wearineſſe, ſickneſſe, paines, yea mans body more ſubject to theſe then the beaſts. Secondly, Deaths, both mortal alike. Whether, 1. By a natural death, 2. By a violent death, as hanging, drowning, ſtoning, burning, ſtabbin, &c. 3, Burials. Firſt, both alike reſolved to duſt as they come from it, excepting ſome ſpecial priviledge, as Chriſt, Henoch, Eliah. Secondly, both ſubject to baſe contempt, Jer. 22.19.
Reaſon 3, From mens proſtituting of their ſouls to like or worſe conditions then that of the ſouls of beaſts; who of all the ſons of men, in an eſtate of vanity (or nature) conſidereth or knoweth (that is acknowledgeth) the difference of his ſoul which goeth upwards, from the ſoul of the beaſt, which goeth downwards? For, men cleave to earthly things to maintaine this life as doe the beaſts: both alike follow their ſenſual Appetites; immortall food and rayment of the ſoul is generally neglected. The immortal ſoul cannot feed upon bodily meats and drinks, nor be ſatisfied with ſilver or gold, but with the favour of God, the blood of Chriſt, the gifts of the ſpirit, the Ordinances of God, communion of Saints, &c. All which are neglected.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us to look at Magiſtrates and Courts of Juſtice as ſet up of God for tryal of men, (as well as for other ends.) To try, Firſt, Magiſtrates themſelves [Magiſtratus indicat virum] Place of government tryeth the ſpirit of a man, whether it be juſt or corrupt, liberal or covetous, valiant or fearful, for God or for man. Secondly, Subjects. Prov, 28.12. for hidden read tried or ſearched; as Prov. 20.27. Gen. 44.12. Subjects tryed in their, 1. Faith, Heb. 11.36. 1 Pet. 4 12. 2. Patience, Luke 21.19. 3. Obedience, Acts 4.19. Let Magiſtrates look at their places as Furnaces to try them. Let people look at Magiſtrates, eſpecially unjuſt ones, as ſent of God to try them.
Ʋſe 2. To teach all ſelfe debaſement; Magiſtrates when they prove unjuſt, rule over the people as beaſts, & all the people naturally live as beaſts that periſh, labouring for the meat that periſheth; and ſo for periſhing Rayment, Honour, Pleaſure, and Profit, ever ſince we affected to become as Gods, Gen. 3.5. we fell to be like the beaſts; whence God clothed our Parents fallen with the skins of beaſts, Gen. 3.21. Yea, our braveſt cloathing is with webs of Silk-works, as 1. Expreſiing whom we are like, Job. 25.6. 2. preſaging what we ſhall one day be covered with, Job 17.14, & 21, 26.
Ʋſe 3. To ſtir us up to conſider better of our ſouls, and to make better proviſion for them, leaſt we live and dye like beaſts, Joh. 6, 27.
Ʋſe 4. To refute the Popiſh opinion of Limbus patrum, which they place in the earth beneath, Bellar. de purgat. l. 2. c. 6. But here we ſee the ſouls of men before Chriſts Reſurrection went upward.
Ʋſe 5. To teach us ſo to live as we may rejoyce in our works; there is little comfort in living like beaſts that periſh; but there is rejoycing in a Chriſtian courſe, Iſai. 64, 5. 2 Cor. 1.12.
Motives, Firſt, It is our portion, Eccleſ, 3.22. as that which, 1. Maintaineth us with neceſſaries, conveniences, and delights for the preſent, Prov. 16, 8. 2. Maketh up all other loſſes and croſſes, Acts 20.23, 24. Pſal. 73, 26.3, Maketh proviſion for another world, 1 Tim. 6, 17, 18, 19. Luke 16.9, & 12, 33.
Secondly, uncertainty of future events, if we leave our good works to be done by our laſt Wils and Teſtaments, it is uncertaine how they may be fulfilled.