A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 19
Eccleſ. 3.10.11.
10. I have ſeen the travel which God hath given to the ſons of men, to be exerciſed in it.
11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: alſo he hath ſet the world in their hearts, ſo that no man can finde out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
SOlomon in the former verſes of this Chapter argueth the vanity that lyeth upon the eſtate and actions of men by reaſon of the viciſſitude and variety of them, and that limited and determined, by the Appointment of God. And from thence he inferreth the vanity and unprofitableneſſe of mens labours to ſeek for happineſſe in creature comforts, verſe 1. to 9. Now therefore leaſt men ſhould ſleightly paſſe over theſe varieties of changes that paſſe over them, and make no profitable uſe of them (as if they came by fortune or chance, or Gods neglect of the government of the world) Solomon here preacheth to us a fourfold profitable uſe and obſervation of them.
1. That God hath given this travaile to the ſons of men, to exerciſe themſelves in obſerving and finding out Gods work in them all, verſe 10. as 1. Having made every thing beautifull in his ſeaſon. 2. Having put the world in the hearts of men, verſe 11.
2. That whatſoever our eſtate be, we ſhould not looke to find the chief good in them, but be doing good with them, verſe 12.13. and take ſuch good from them as they afford, verſe 12, 13.
3. That theſe changes are wholly and unchangeably in Gods hand, and aime at a gracious end, that men ſhould fear before him, verſe 14.
4. That there is to be obſerved a ſetled order in this variety of changes, as in the motions of the Heavens, v. 15.
Doct. To conſider and finde out the work of God in all the variety of changes that by his appointment doe paſſe over us, it is a travaile given of God to exerciſe the ſonnes of men: As in ſearching out the creatures, it was a travail given of God, Eccleſ. 1.13. So here to ſearch out the work of God in all changes that befall us, Pſa. 111.2, 3, 4.
Reaſon 1. From the beauty to be obſerved in every work of God (that is in every change befalling us) in its ſeaſon. To the beauty of the body there concur three things, 1. foreign; when no member is defective or ſuperfluous: good conſtitution; every maime is a blemiſh: every ſuperfluity is a deformity. 2. foreign Partium, when one part is proportionable to another, and all ſuitable to their end, and to their head, good proportion. 3. foreign, well-colouredneſs, or well favouredneſſe, good complexion. So in Gods work about us there is 1. A perfection, as in the creatures, Iſay 40.26. So in his government of us, Deut. 2.4. Iſay 5.4. 2. A Symmetry or proportion, Firſt between the Lord and his work, 2 Tim. 2.13. Ezek. 20.9, 14, 22. Secondly between his former and latter works, Judges 6.13, 14. Thirdly between the inſtrument and the work God doth by it [multuin refert Davuſne loquatur an herus] Arrogant cruelty becommeth Pharaoh; Prophane blaſpbemy, Rabſhekah; Curſing, Shimei; Treaſon, Judas, Iſay 32.6, 8. Fourthly between Gods dealings with us, and ours with him, Pſalm 18.24, 25, 26. The wild-fire of luſt in Sodom was puniſhed with wild-fire and brimſtone. So in deſtroying the Aegyptians Firſt-borne, Exodus 4.22, 23. So in Nadab and Abihu. So in Adonibezek, Judges 1.6, 7. 3. foreign, well-favouredneſſe: It is a beauty in the countenance. Firſt Cheerfulneſſe. Secondly Lightſomneſſe. Firſt, there is a cheerfulneſſe in Gods works at laſt, Gen. 45.7, 8. James 5.11. Heb. 12.11. They have a pleaſant countenance, Pſalm 92.4. & 58.10. Secondly, there is a lightſomneſſe in them, giving light and inſtruction, Pſalm 107.43.
Reaſon 2 From Gods putting the world into our hearts, verſe 11. where by the world is meant, Firſt, not onelyonly the creatures, the world of them; Secondly, but chiefly the world of changes of the creatures, of which Solomon here ſpeaketh; hath put the world into their hearts, implyeth that God hath put into our hearts, Firſt, ſome deſire and delight to ſearch and finde out the work of God in all the changes that paſſe over us. So putting into the heart implyeth deſire and delight in a thing, Pſalm 40.8. Secondly, ability to doe it, Jer. 31.33. Both together are expreſſed by that phraſe, Revel. 17.17. The ground of which is our impotency and impoſſibility, without this putting the world into our hearts, that ever we ſhould finde out the work of God from beginning to the end, Text verſe 11.
Ʋſe 1. To ſtir us up to obſerve add finde out the work of God in every change of eſtate that paſſeth over us: It is elſe a brutiſhneſſe in our ſelves, Pſalm 92.5, 6: It is a diſhonour to God and to his work, Iſay 5.12. It is an enlargement of knowledge and favour from God to conſider his works, Pſalm 107.43. As when a good workman ſeeth a man taken with his work, he is willing to ſhew him all his Art in it. 2. To teach us not to diſparage, or ſlight, or diſlike any of Gods works, but to magnifie them. They are every one beautiful in his ſeaſon, Job 36.24. Iſay 45.9. Pſalm 64.9. This magnifying of every work of God (as beautiful in his ſeaſon) will keep us from diſcontentment and murmuring at Gods providence, whatſoever it be that befallerh us or ours, Joh 1.20. Pſalm 39.9. 2 Kings 20.19. It may ſeem an uncomely thing to take faire and full cluſters of ſweet Grapes, and to tread them and preſſe them in a wine-preſſe to leave nothing in them but husks, till in the end you ſee what ſweet wine is preſſed out of them, which keepeth lively and ſweet, when elſe the Grapes left alone would be rotten.
Ʋſe 3. To teach us to improve and imploy that knowledge of the world (that is of all the changes that befall us in the world) which God hath put into our hearts, to finde out the councel and work of God therein. It was happineſs to Heſter in her advancement, Heſter 4.14. To David in croſſes, Pſalm 119.67, 71, 75.
Obj. Yea ſaith one, if I could but ſpell out Gods meaning in his works and dealings with my ſelfe and mine, it would give me great contentment
Anſw. 1. In evils obſerve, Firſt what thou waſt doing when a croſſe befel thee, Dan. 4.30, 31. Secondly, what conſcience ſuggeſteth to thee, Gen. 42.22. Thirdly, the proportion of the affliction to thy ſinne, Judg. 1.7. Fourthly, caſt all Idols out of thy heart, and enquire of the Lord his meaning, that thou mighteſt know it and doe it, Pſalm 25:9, 12. God was long in anſwering Johanan and his company, even long after a Sabbath, becauſe they ſought in hypocriſie, Jer. 42.20.
2. In good things obſerve, Firſt the opportunities and advantages God putteth into our hands, according to his word, Heſter 4.14. Secondly, the great works God hath in hand; and derive your Brooks to runne into that ſtream, Jer. 45.4, 5. Now God is advancing Reformation, purſue we that.