A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 27
Eccleſ. 4.7, 8.
7 Then I returned, and I ſaw vanity under the Sun.
8. There is one alone, and there is not a ſecond, yea he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye ſatisfyed with riches, neither ſaith he, For whom do I labour and bereave my ſoul of good? This is alſo vanity, yea it is a ſore travell.
IN the former Verſes next going before, Solomon obſerved the vanity that befalleth the eſtates of the ſons of men through Idleneſs. In theſe two verſes he obſerveth as great a Vanity that befalleth the ſons of men through needleſs Painfulneſs; to wit, the Painfulneſs that Covetous men put themſelves to, without 1 Cauſe. 2 End 3 Satisfaction. 4 Recreation or Refreſhing. 5 Conſideration.
Firſt, Without Cauſe; he is a Lone man, hath no ſecond; no Wife, Child, nor Brother▪ Secondly, without End; no end of all his Labour, no term of it. Thirdly, without Satisfaction; his eye is not ſatisfyed with Riches. Fourthly, without Refreſhing; he bereaveth his ſoul of good. Fifthly, without Conſideration; he conſidereth not, For whom do I labour, and bereave my ſoul of good? but not without Vanity and ſore Travell and Affliction.
Doctr. It is a Vanity and ſore Travell or Affliction that a Lone man ſhould put himſelf to endleſs and reſtleſs labour for Riches, and yet neither his eye ſatisfyed with it, nor himſelf refreſhed by it, nor he ſo much as to conſider with himſelf for whoſe ſake he taketh ſo much Pains, and ſo little eaſe and comfort.
A Lone man] One that hath no Second, that is, 1 no Wife, 2 no Child. 3 no Brother.
Yet there is no end of his labour] No end, no term or ceſſation; for foreign ſignifieth not an End of Intention, but an End of Ceſſation.
Neither is his eye ſatisfied with riches] that is, his deſire, covetous deſire, which looketh out of the windows of his eyes: hence covetouſneſſe is called the luſt of the eyes, 1 Ioh. 2.16. the eyes being that which, 1. Breedeth Goverouſneſs, Ioſh. 7.21. 2. Is only fed by it. Eccleſ. 5.11. He defraudeth, Firſt, his body of wholſom Dyet, Phyſick, Recreation, Sleep. Eccleſ. 15.12. Secondly, his name of honour. Thirdly, his ſoul of grace. Luke 8.14.
1 Reaſon why without Cauſe. Firſt from the juſt hand of God upon a man that ſeeketh not nor maketh the Lord for his God and ſoveraign good, that he ſhall make the creature, Mammon his God, and ſo ſeek it for himſelfe. As a godly man labours hard to enjoy more of God, whether he have any children or brethren to leave him to, or no. Matth. 6.21. Secondly, from the ambitious end of ſome, that leaving a great eſtate behind them, it may be ſaid they lived not like Drones, or Idlesbies, or Prodigals, or ſhallow ſhuttlecocks, but knew how to live and thrive in the world, Habac. 2.5. He is a proud man, &c.
2 Reaſon, why without end. Firſt, from want of ſatisfaction in Riches, Eccl. 5.10. Secondly, from want of attaining a mans proper place, when he hath attained never ſo great wealth. A ſtone reſteth, and ceaſeth to move, when it is fallen to the earth, which is its proper place. But a covetous man ceaſeth not his labour, becauſe his wealth is not his proper place.
3 Reaſon, why without ſatisfaction. Firſt, from the inſufficiency, 1 Of bodily things, to ſatisfie a ſpirit. 2 Of temporal and tranſitory things, to ſatisfie an eternal and immortal ſoule. Secondly, From the unnaturalneſſe of this luſt; It is a diſeaſe like the dropſie, which is encreaſed by drinking. Yea it is a luſt ſet on fire from Hell; Habac. 2.5.
4 Reaſon, why without refreſhing. Firſt, from the curſe upon creature-comforts, Gen. 3.17. Thorns and Thiſtles is their fruit. They pierce the heart through, 1. Tim. 6.10.
5 Reaſon, why without ſatisfaction. Firſt, from the nature of ſenſual and earthly things, they ſtupifie the heart. Hence they are ſaid to choak, Matth. 13.22. Secondly, from the curſe of God upon Idolatry; Idols, and they that worſhip them, are alike ſenſeleſſe, Pſalm 115.8. Eſay 44.18, 19, 20.
Ʋſe 1. To obſerve, That ſometimes men of great eſtates, and great dexterity and induſtry to get great eſtates, may yet want children and kindred to leave it to, as Nabal. 1 Sam. 25.11. And Abraham long, Gen. 15.2. with 17.17. As on the contrary ſome men have wives and ſtore of children, and poore kindred to leave it to, and yet want eſtate to leave them. Thus, Firſt, there lieth a vanity upon all mens eſtates: The poor eateth his bread with ſorrow, becauſe he hath ſo little, for ſo great an houſhold. The rich, becauſe he hath not whom to leave it to. Secondly, God beſtoweth his gifts ſeverally; to ſome children and kindred, but no Riches; to others Riches, but no children or kindred. Which firſt ſheweth the emptineſſe of Riches, that can get neither children on earth, nor father in heaven. Secondly, calleth upon others for more thankfulneſſe, who have both wealth and children.
Ʋſe 2. To teach ſuch as have children, to be more diligent in their calling, and to be more provident in their expences; For Solomon counteth it a vanity and ſore travel, for men that want children to take ſuch pains; not for them that have many, 2 Cor. 12.14. 1 Tim. 5.8. It is engrafted in nature, the old to provide for the young. The want whereof God accounteth want of underſtanding in the Oſtrich, and cruelty, Job 39.14, to 17.
Ʋſe 3. To teach the wife her due place: ſhe is a ſecond, not a firſt; ſhe it not above her husband (for he is her head, Epheſ. 5.23.) nor beneath children, or brethren.
Ʋſe 4. To diſſwade from covetouſneſſe. It tireth out body and mind with reſtleſſe labour and care. It yieldeth neither ſatisfaction nor refreſhing. It ſtupifieth and beſotteh the heart.
Ʋſe 5. For a ſigne of covetouſneſſe; It ſetteth a man upon more labour then cauſe: we rather covet wealth, then conſider what to do with it. We bereave our ſelves of many uſefull comforts.
Ʋſe 6. To labour for ſuch wealth as wil ſatisfie, and which wil not bereave the ſoule of good, but feed and refreſh it with the chiefe good, Eſay 55.2, 3.