A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 18
Eccleſ. 3.1, to 9.
DOct. 1. The times that paſſe over us, bring upon us many changes, yea often from one contrary to another.
Doct. 2. To every change that befalleth us, even to every ſtate and buſineſſe of men under heaven, there is a time limited and determined by God.
Doct. 3. This change of mens eſtates, and the limitation of the times thereof, leaveth a man no profit by all his labour towards the attainment of Happineſſe: But for brevity ſake; all theſe may be handled together,
Doct. 1. As the maine propoſition of the Text.
Doct. 2. As the principal reaſon of it.
Doct. 3. As the chiefe uſe of both.
For proofe of the firſt Doctrine, Pſal. 30.5, 6, 7. Lament. 1.1, 2, and 4, 1, 2, 7, 8. Iſa. 1.21, 22. John 21, 18. The people ſometimes cry Hoſanna, ſometimes Crucifie; Peter fometimes maketh a glorious confeſſion of Chriſt, ſometimes a groſſe denyal; Paul ſometimes as an Angel of God, Gal. 4.14. ſometimes an enemy, Gal. 4.16. Nebuchadnezzar ſometimes flouriſhing in his Palace, ſometimes grazing among the beaſts reſtored againe.
Reaſon 1. From the determinate purpoſe of God to limit mens times and changes, Job. 14.5, and 7, 1. John 7.30, and 8, 20. Luke 13.32, 33, and 22, 53. Acts 13, 25, 26. Pſal. 31, 15. Acts 17, 26. Dan. 5, 26. Grounds whereof, Firſt, Gods ſoveraignty over us, and ſo his dominion over our times, Acts 1.7. The heire while under age hath his time limited, Gal. 4.1. Secondly, Gods faithfulneſſe to us, Pſal. 119.75. If our times were in our hands, we would never ſee ill times; If in Satans hands, he would never ſuffer us to ſee good dayes. Thirdly, Our aptneſſe to ſettle upon the lees, and to corrupt if not changed, Zeph. 1.12. Ier. 48, 11. Pſal. 55, 19. Secondly, From the contrary principles dwelling in us, whence variety, yea contrariety of changes of carriage, Gal. 5, 17. Thirdly, from the Inſtability of all the creatures, and their outward eſtates, by reaſon of the curſe, Gen. 3.17. which though to the godly it be changed to a croſſe, yet the croſſe abideth to them, the curſe to the wicked, 1 Kings 14.15.
Ʋſe 1. To weane us from faſtening our hopes and deſires after happineſſe in any eſtate here below, Matth. 6.19.20. Prov. 23.5. 1 John 2.15, 17. The unſetledneſſe of all things here below, demonſtrateth their unprofitableneſſe unto happineſſe. Secondly, to keep us from preſuming of our own undertaking, and from profeſſion of abſolute purpoſes and promiſes, without ſubjection to the wil of God, Jam. 4.13, 14, 15. Luke 12.19, 23. Prov. 27.1. 3 To moderate our mourning in hard times, and our rejoycings and confidences in good houres, Pſalm 39.9. and 115, 3. Mich. 7.7, 8. Pſalm 30.6, 7. 4. To ſtir us up to ſeek and wait for a ſetled manſion in heaven, Heb. 13.14, 5. To take off the plea for dancing hence. For it is not ſaid there is a lawful time to dance, but a limited time. Herodias daughter (Salome) had a time to dance, as to earne halfe a Kingdome for a dance, and to get Iohn Baptiſts head; So another time of a contrary dance, when falling through the Ice (if we may believe Nicephorus, lib. 1. cap. 20.) her feet capered under water, and her head being cut off by the Ice, it danced above the Ice.
We read Firſt, of a Religious dance, Lxod. 15.20. Secondly, of a civil dance to entertaine Conquerours Iudg. 11.44. 1 Sam. 18.6. Luke 15.25. when the eyes are ſet upon joy. But, not in mariages, where is more temptation to luſt. Tully pro Muraena▪ Nemo ſaltat ſobrius niſi forte inſaniat, neque ſolitudine neque in convivio honeſto & moderato; eſpecially its unmeet in N. E. and that now when the Churches of England are in ſuch diſtreſſe, Ezek. 21.10.