A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 10 – Verses 11
Eccleſ. 1.17, 18.
Doct. 1. To give a mans heart to knowledge is the way to obtain.
I gave my heart to know, &c. and I perceived, &c.
Reaſon 1. From the hearts dominion or commanding power over the whole man; It ſetteth the ſenſes awork, to look about and liſten; the minde to underſtand; the judgement to conſider and obſerve: the memory to keep up whatſoever might make for the gaining of knowledge.
Reaſon 2. The heart ſet upon a thing will alſo deal with God about it, and neglect no other meanes.
Ʋſe 1. To teach Students to give their hearts to knowledge; which is done 1. By eſteeming it a Singular thing. 2. By cleaving to it with earneſt Affection.
Ʋſe 2. To ſtir us up to ſeek the knowledge of that wiſedome much more, the beginning whereof is the fear of the Lord. For if Solomon gave his heart here to the knowledge of that wiſedome which is gotten by the knowledge of the creatures, and humane affairs; how much more ſhould we give our hearts to the knowledge of the Creator, and our Redeemer, whom to know is eternal life? John 17.3. Giving our hearts to this, we ſhall obtain even this alſo, Pro. 23.26. & 2.2 to 5.
Doct. 2. It is a wiſe mans part ſeriouſly to obſerve and conſider what good he getteth by his own wiſedome, verſe 17. To know wiſedome] He meaneth to know it experimentally, to know the worth and benefit of it.
Reaſon 1. It is the part of wiſedome to obſerve the goodneſs of every thing (as knowledge obſerveth truth) and therefore it ſhould not be wanting to obſerve the goodneſs of it ſelfe. The eye can ſee each thing but it ſelfe; but it is the glory of wiſedome (the eye of the ſoule) to ſee it ſelfe with reflecting upon it ſelfe.
Reaſon 2. Elſe we ſhall take this talent in vaine, if wee doe not conſider what it is good for: otherwiſe we ſhall either undervalue it, or overvalue it.
Ʋſe. To reprove a common fault in Schollers, who ſeek to gather more and more knowledge, but never conſider what to doe with it, or what uſe to put it to, or what themſelves are the better for it. All things but the laſt end, are no further good then as they lead to him; He onelyonly good in himſelfe and for himſelfe: We need not conſider what further good we get by him; To get him is abundantly good enough: To look at any thing as good in it ſelfe, without looking further what it is good for, is to put it in the place of God; which is that Atheiſm.
Doct. 3. To give ovr ſelves to make uſe of our great eſtate according to the nature of it, will give us to know by experience madneſs and folly.
Solomon had obſerved (in verſ 16) that God had given him a great Eſtate, and great Wiſdome. In this 17 verſe he giveth his heart to know the uſe, and benefit, and worth of both: of Wiſedome firſt, and then of his great Eſtate. Now, inſtead of knowing the uſe and benefit of his great Eſtate, he putteth it to know madneſs and folly: As if the giving of his heart to make uſe of it, were to lay hold on madneſs and folly. Thus he interpreteth himſelfe, ch. 2. verſe 1, 2, 3, 4, to 11.
Reaſ. To make uſe of our great Eſtate, according to the nature of it, is to uſe it to erect great Buildings; to plant Vineyards, Orchards, Gardens; to provide a mans ſelfe of ſtore of Servants, coſtly Apparel, rich Furnicute, Gold and Silver, muſical Inſtruments, as is ſhewn verſe 3. to 10. of chap. 2.
Now the benefit he had by the uſe of his great Eſtate, was Madneſs and Folly.
Madneſs is a privation of natural Reaſon, and natural Affection.
Madneſs (in the Original) implyeth two things:
1. A fond delight in rejoycing and exalting a mans ſelfe: Selfe-applauding.
2. A vain-glorious boaſting to others, even ſometime with loud clamours and cracking, celebrating a mans ſelfe, and affecting to be celebrated of others.
Both theſe are found to ariſe in a mans ſpirit, upon his faire buildings, ſumptuous proviſion, and furniture, and attendance, goodly and pleaſant gardens, Orchards, &c. Dan. 4.30.
Folly is a dullneſs, and fondneſs or weakneſs (Stupor ſenſus in judicando, Aquin. 2.2. Q. 46. Art. 2.) the dullneſs of the underſtanding to judge and diſcern of things. So is it with every man employing his great Eſtate, in theſe rich and glorious matters; he ſhall finde diſcerning and ſavouring of heavenly things much dulled.
Ʋſe 1. To call upon men of great Eſtates to conſider what good they get by their great Eſtates, and their employment of them. If they employ them about great buildings, rich furniture, &c. as Solomon did, chap. 2. verſe 3, to 8. then conſider if madneſs and folly be not their portion.
Ʋſe 2. If mens callings require the employment of their Eſtates in ſundry of theſe things, then it behooveth them eſpecially to watch over themſelves, leſt madneſs and folly grow upon them.
Ʋſe 3. To exhort men of great Eſtates to employ them not ſo much according to nature, which breedeth in the owners madneſs and folly; as in liberality to the poor, hoſpitality to ſtrangers, maintenance of Church and Commonwealth, &c. So may we wiſely lay up a good foundation for time to come, Luke 16.9. 1 Tim. 6.18, 19.
Doctr. 4. Much wiſedome bringeth with it much grief, ſorrow, and vexation of ſpirit: and the more wiſdome, the more grief.
The wiſdome he here ſpeaketh of is an acquiſite wiſdome, to wit, natural or civil wiſedome, gotten from the obſervation of the creatures, or of humane affaires.
Reaſon 1. From the meanes uſed for the getting of this wiſedome, Reading and Meditation, which are wearineſs to the fleſh, Eccleſ. 12.12. Study heateth the brain, intendeth and ſtretcheth the minde, as if the body were ſtretched on the Rack, yea ſometimes to the breaking of a mans wits. As in wreſtling there is ſtriving, then wearineſs, then deſpaire of overcomming, then giving over, then taking it up againe: So in Study againe and againe.
Reaſon 2. The curſe of God upon the body of the creatures cauſeth that no uſe can be made of them, but with ſome ſweat to the body, ſome griefe and vexation to the ſpirit.
Reaſon 3. Envy and Emulation in others, which breedeth a learned man diſturbance, indignation, and vexation, and diſcontentment in our ſelves that we are ſo much neglected, nor better reſpected then others of leſs eminency, as we conceive.
Reaſon 4. The more knowledge we attaine, the more wee ſee our own ignorance, which addeth much grief.
Reaſon 5. Much ſtudy drieth up the ſweeteſt moyſture in the body, whether blood or marrow; conſumeth the cheerfull ſprits, and ſo breedeth moroſity and harſhneſs, which is a vexation to a mans ſelf and others.
[Calvin deſired the Senate of Geneva to pardon his moroſitie.]
Reaſon 6. The vanity of this wiſedome falling ſhort of Chriſt and his grace; which is true wiſedome, 1 Cor. 1.21.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove a fooliſh conceit of ignorant people, that think Miniſters and Schollers eat the bread of idleneſs, come eaſily by their living. No calling more waſteth and grieveth him that is occupied therein, then theirs doth. The Ploughmans employment is a paſtime to theirs; his labour ſtrengthneth his body, but theirs waſteth body and ſpirit; whence it is the one ſo long a time outliveth the other.
Ʋſe 2. To teach men to beare the more with Schollers and Wiſemens weakneſs and moroſitie: they are incident to their callings.
Ʋſe 3. To teach wiſe men to ſee if this be not the fruit of their wiſedome. If yea, then to ſeek after that wiſedome, which maketh bleſſed, and addeth no ſorrow with it, Prov. 3.17.
Eccleſ. 2.1, to 11.
Verſe 1. I ſaid in mine heart, Goe to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy thy pleaſure: and behold, this alſo is vanity.
Verſe 2. I ſaid of laughter: It is mad, and of mirth, What doth it?
FRom Verſe 16. of the former Chapter, Solomon hath tryed what happineſs might be found in his great wiſedome: now he proceedeth to try what happineſs might be found in his great Eſtate, in the pleaſures and profits which it yieldeth.
Parts 5.
1. Solomon encourageth himſelfe, in this Soliloquy, to enjoy pleaſure, verſe 1. ſince he cannot finde happineſs in wiſdome, Goe to now, I will prove thee, &c.
2. He delivereth his judgement of it, verſe 1, 2. It is Vanity, Madneſs, good for nothing, what doth it?
3. He hath declared by particular induction the ſpeciall delights he gave himſelfe to take pleaſure in
1. In his diet, Wine, verſe 3.
2. In his Buildings, verſe 4.
3. In, Husbandry.
1. Planting of Vineyards, and making Gardens, Orchards, Pools of water, verſe 6.
2. Storing of Cattel, verſe 7.
4. Houſe-keeping.
1. Retinue, verſe 7.
2. Wealth, verſe 8.
5. Muſick, verſe 8:
4. He amplifieth his enjoying of theſe
1. By his joynt laying hold of (diverſe) wiſdome, verſe 3.
2. By the end he aymed at in all his pleaſure, verſe 3.
3. à minori, he increaſed in theſe above all others, verſe 9.
4. By adding all other things like theſe, verſe 10.
5. By his ſolacing himſelfe in them all, as being his portion, verſe 10.
5. He relateth the iſſue hereof or event, which was that upon ſurvey he found all to be Vanity, Vexation, Unprofits bleneſs, verſe 11.
Doct. 1. Conference with our ſelves in way of encouragement addeth ſtrength and freedome to our reſolutions and purpoſes, Luke 12.19. Pſalm 43.5.
Reaſon 1. Words are as bellows to blow up fervency and ſtrength of ſpirit, as well in our ſelves as in others.
Reaſon 2. They preſuppoſe a judgement ſatisfied in the lawfulneſs and expediency of that we goe about: out of the abundance whereof the mouth ſpeaketh words of encouragement.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us to uſe this help to ſtir up our dull hearts, and to ſtrengthen our feeble knees to any good duty, Pſalm 27.6, 7, &c.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us to uſe the like conference with our ſelves in way of diſcouragement from ſins. The ſame breath that bloweth up fire, cooleth hot water, Jer. 8.6. [Gen. 39.9.] Neh. 6.11. Pſal. 4.4.
Doct. 2. To give up our ſelves to pleaſure and laughter to finde happineſſe therein, is vanity, madneſſe, unprofitableneſs.
Reaſon 1. There is emptineſs in ſuch mirth: In the midſt of it the heart is ſad; the end of it is heavineſs, Prov. 14.13. Iſay 50.11. Eccleſ. 7.6.
Reaſon 2. To frolick it in the midſt of ſo many ſins and dangers, is not the part of a wiſe man, but of a mad man rather, Dan. 5.7. James 4.9.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove the vanity and madneſs of Epicurean gallants, voluptuous livers.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort us to believe Solomons experience, who hath proved it to our hand; and not to place and ſeek happineſs in mirth and jollity, Pſalm 4.6, 7.