A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 16 – Verses 17
Eccleſ. 2.24.25, 26.
24. There is nothing better for a man then that he ſhould eat and drink, and that he ſhould make his ſoul enjoy good in his labour. This alſo I ſaw, that it was from the hand of God.
25. For who can eat? or who elſe can haſten hereunto more then I?
26. For God giveth to a man that is good in his ſight, wiſdome and knowledge, and joy: but to the ſinner he giveth travel, to gather, and to heap up: that he may give to him that is good before God. This alſo is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
THere is no good in man that he ſhould eate and drinke, &c. even this I ſaw, that was from the hand of God, &c. Solomon having ſaid that man hath no portion out of his labours, but griefe for his travel, verſe 22, 23. he here rendreth a reaſon of it taken from the continent or efficient cauſe of goodneſſe, which he ſaith is,
1. Not man; it is not in his power to reach it, or give it.
2. But God, whatever good we receive, verſe 24. whereof he rendreth a double reaſon. 1 From his own experience, verſe 25. himſelfe was as able and ready to ſeek good in the creatures as any: and yet he could get no other good out of them, then as it is ſaid, verſ. 22, 23. 2 From Gods manner of diſpenſing theſe good things of this life, to wit, the wiſe & joyful uſe, and benefit of them to the good man: the travel about them, to heape them up to the ſinner, and that alſo for the good mans uſe verſe 26. which argueth that the finding of good by all our labours and travel, is not in mans hand, but Gods. Whereupon he addeth this uſual Epiphonema that this alſo is vanity, and vexation of ſpirit, verſe 26. There is no good in man, or in the power of man: So I tranſlate the words in the ſame ſenſe, as the ſame words are tranſlated, Chap. 3.12.
Doctr. 1. To enjoy any good by our labour, yea ſo much as to eate or drinke with comfort, is not in mans hand, but it is the gift of God, Jam. 4.13, 14, 15. Eccleſ. 3.12, 13.
There is a threefold good, which our ſoules might enjoy by our labours, 1 The having of the creature, 2 The uſe of it; 3 The benefit of that uſe.
None of theſe is in the power of our labours to attaine unto. 1 Not the having of the creature it ſelfe, Eccleſ. 9.11. Levit. 26.19, 20. Deut. 8.17, 18. 2 Nor the uſe of it, either to our ſelves, which may be intercepted (as the uſe of meat and drinke) 1 By ſickneſſe Pſal 107.18. Job. 33.20. 2 By ſadneſſe, Pſal. 42, 3, and 102, 9. and 80.5. 3 By ſodain feares, and dangers, 1 Sam. 30, 16, 27. 1 Kings 7, 19, 20. Pſal. 78, 30, 31: 4 By Covetouſneſſe, Eccleſ, 4.8, & 6.2, 5 By ſcruple of Conſcience, Acts 10, 13, 14. or to others. 3 Nor the benefit of the Uſe, which is cheerfulneſſe and joy in it, the refreſhing and nouriſhing, which the creature might yeild, Haggai 1, 6, Acts 14, 17. The benefit of doing good to others is acceptance: but that is of God too, Rom. 15.31.
Reaſ. 1. Since the fall, the good which God put into the creature, (Gen. 1, 31,) is accurſed to us for our ſin, ſo that now labour and ſorrow, is all our portion from the Creature, Gen. 17.19. 2 Goodneſſe reſiding chiefly in God, is to be found in the creature only by participation, and that at his pleaſure, Matth. 19, 17. By Adams fall goodneſſe is devoted to the ſecond Adam; to wit, the goodneſſe of the creature, Heb. 2 6, 7, 8. Hence from him it is derived to us.
Ʋſe 1, To reprove, Firſt confidence in our ſelves, for the getting of this or that good by any means we can uſe, Jam. 4.13, 14, 15. Secondly, acknowledging the good we have to have come from our own meanes, Hab. 1.16. Amos 6.13. Thirdly, The abuſing of meares and drinkes, and other creatures to vanity, ryot, and miſchiefe, &c. the gifts of God are to be uſed to his ſervice and praiſe, Hoſ. 2.8, 9.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort to look up unto God for the finding of good in all the meanes we uſe: and to acknowledge him in the attaining of it. The Heathens did ſo to their falſe god; how much more we to the true? Dan, 5.4. We thanke our Hoſt for our good cheere; how much more ſhould we thanke God for it? 3. To teach us to look up to God, that we may finde good in his Ordinances eſpecially. For ſpiritual and eternal good things are leaſt of all in the power of the creature, to give or to receive.
Doct. 2. It is not for any man to look to finde more beneſit by his labours or by the creatures gotten and uſed by him, then Solomon did.
Reaſ. No man knew the creatures better then he, nor how to uſe them to better purpoſe: neither can any man goe about to get benefit by them more wiſely, or more ſeriouſly.
Ʋſe. To teach us to content our ſelves with his experience; if he found no happineſſe by all his labours about the creature, if he found nothing by the creature, but his labour for his travel: no more ſhall we, if we depend upon our labour, or upon the creature, or ſeek happineſs in either.
Doct. 3. God giveth to the godly, wiſdome, knowledge, and a cheerfull uſe of the fruits of his labour, but to the wicked labour and drudgery, for the benefit of the godly; [verſe 26.] A man good in Gods ſight, is here meant the godly, as oppoſed here to the ſinner, Job. 27.13, 16, 17. Prov. 28.8.
Reaſ. 1. It is the end of Gods predeſtination, that all things befalling the wicked, ſhould redound to the glory of Gods mercy towards the elect, Rom. 9.22. 2. The godly having Chriſt, have the world as theirs, and all the comforts of it, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22, 23. 3. The godly uſing the creatures and their own labours about them, in their right place and kinde, reape that benefit from them which any way they can yeild, Matth. 6.33. They in that way finde the bleſſing of God which exempts from ſorrow, Prov. 10.22. But the wicked taking the creatures for their chiefe good, fall ſhort of God, and of that good alſo from the creatures and their labours about them, which otherwiſe they might attaine.
Obj. But doth it not oft fall out contrary, that the wicked have the world at will, and not ſo the godly, Job 21.7, to 13. Pſalm 73.3, 4, 5. and 17, 14.
Anſw. Firſt, It is ſo as Solomon ſpeaketh here with many godly, they enjoying a wiſe and cheerful uſe of their labours and of the creatures; and contrarywiſe many wicked labour and toyl, and that uncomfottably, for the good of the godly. 2. A little the righteous hath, is better then great treaſures of many wicked, Pſalm. 37.16. For, 1. The joy of Hypocrites and worldlings is but for a moment, Job. 20.5. Iſai. 50.11. 2. Their proſperity is pernicious to them, Prov. 1.32. 3. The great eſtates of wicked men never reſteth till it be devolved into the hands of the godly: but is meane while toſſed as a Tennis ball from one hand to another, from one family to another.
Ʋſe. To exhort to godlineſſe. The godly are good in Gods ſight, they have comfort of their labours; The wicked mens labours is alſo for their benefit and comfort.
Doct. 4. The diſappointment of a mans labour is a vanity and vexation of ſpirit, eſpecially to ſuch as ſeek for happineſſe in their labours about the creatures, verſe 26.
Reaſ. It is a curſe of God, Levit. 26.16.
Ʋſe. To ſtir us up the more to godlineſſe thereby we ſhall finde good in our labours, or if we be diſappointed; that alſo will worke our further drawing neere to God, Hoſ. 2.6, 7.
Eccleſ. 3.1. to 9.
Verſe 1. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under the heaven.
2. A time to be borne, and a time to dye: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3. A time to kill, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to build up.
4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne, and a time to dance.
5. A time to caſt away ſtones, and a time to gather ſtones together: a time to embrace, and a time to refraine from embracing.
6. A time to get, and a time to loſe: a time to keep, and a time to caſt away.
7. A time to rent, and a time to ſew: a time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeak.
8. A time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace.
9. What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth?
TO every thing there is a limitted terme (or Period) and a time to every will (or purpoſe) under the heaven, &c. Solomon having ſhewed the vanity of all the creatures towards the attainment ol felicity: and that Firſt, partly by their own nature, Cap. 1.1, to 11. Secondly, partly by the great experience and tryall which himſelfe had taken of them, both in, Firſt, The knowledge and ſtudy of them, Chap. 1.12, to 18. 2. The imployment and improvement of them to ſenſual delights, Chap. 2. he in this Chapter (the former part of it) and in theſe words ſheweth the vanity that lyeth upon the eſtate and actions of men, by the vici…itude and variety of them, and that by the determined Appointment and limitation of Gods purpoſe and providence. Parts of the words, Firſt an Aſſertion that all things under heaven are ſubject to variety and viciſſitude of changes, and that by the determinate appointment and limitation of God, verſe 1, to 8. 2. A Collection or inference of the unprofitableneſſe of mens labours in regard thereof. The Aſſertion he firſt delivereth in a general Propoſition, verſe 1. Secondly, He declareth and proveth it, by an induction of 28 particulars, verſe 2, to 8. In the Aſſertion the word tranſlated Seaſon, is a ſet or limitted time or a determinate period, as the word is uſed for an appointed ſet time, Ezra 10.14. Neh. 10.34. And the meaning is not to ſhew there is a fit ſeaſon allowed us of God for all things done under heaven. For Firſt, That is not true: If it were, what is that to demonſtrate the vanity or unprofitableneſſe of mens labour about the creature, which is here the ſcope of Solomon? And when he ſaith to every purpoſe, or as it is in Hebrew, to every will, he meaneth by a Metonymy, to every thing which a man willeth, or purpoſeth, or performeth. In the Induction, the 28 particulars conſiſt of 14 paire of contraries: wherein a man changeth from one contrary eſtate or courſe unto another, whereof the firſt paire is natural; to be borne, to dye. Secondly, the reſt voluntary; and they are either, Firſt, private and domeſtical, as a time. 1 Of planting and pulling up: 2 Of breaking down and building: 3 Of weeping and laughing: 4 Of mourning and dancing: 5 Of caſting away and gathering ſtones: 6 Of …mbracing and refraining: 7 Of getting and looſing: 8 Of keeping and caſting away: 9 Of renting and ſewing: 10 Of ſilence and ſpeech: 11 Of love and hatred: Secondly, Politicke, as Firſt, Of killing and healing; Secondly, Of War and Peace.