A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 37
Eccleſ. 6.10, 11, 12.
10. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he.
11. Seeing there be many things that increaſe vanity, what is man the better?
12. For who knoweth what is good for man in this life all the days of his vain life, which he ſpendeth as a ſhadow? for who can tell a man what ſhall be after him under the Sun?
That which] It is Quicquid fuerit, as Junius; or as Broughton, quiſquis fuerit; or as the words and ſenſe fitly run, whatſoever he, that is, any one is, quicquid quis fuerit, it was named already (or formerly of old) and it is known to be Adam &c.
Solomon ſummeth up the vanity of man, whoſoever or whatſoever he be. He ſheweth what his eſtate is; Firſt, by Creation. 1 He is Adam, a peice of red Earth, baſe and of the Earth, argued by his Notation. 2 Impotent to his Maker; He cannot contend with him that is mightier then he. v. 10. Secondly by his preſent Condition after the Fall. 1 All the Acceſſions that come upon him, Learning or Knowledg, Honor, Wealth, Pleaſure, Long life, Store of Children, Labour, they all increaſe his Vanity. What is he the better? to wit for them all. v. 11. 2 He is ignorant Firſt, of what is good for him in this life, which is amplifyed by the Simile of a ſhadow. Secondly, of future things. Who ſhall tell him what ſhall be after him? v. 12.
Doct. Whatſoever the man be, it is well known, as his name is, ſo is he Adam, a lump of clay; and whatſoever be falleth him in this life in his natural eſtate, he is never the better for it. Gen. 1.26, 27. & 2.7. Eccleſ. 12.7. Clay, and ſo 1 Subject to the hand of the Potter, of neceſſity, Jer. 18.6. 2 Baſe, Pſal. 49.2. & 62.9. 3 Brittle; Firſt, in ſoul mutable, Job 4.18, 19. Secondly in body eaſily ſubject to mortality of it ſelf, Job 4.19. That that which befalleth him in this life, maketth him not the better, is argued from the vanity of all. Eccleſ. 1.2.
Reaſon 1. From his utter inſufficiency and inability to contend with his Maker, v. 10. An Earthen pot cannot contend with a Rock, Matth. 21.44. Iſa. 45.9. Rom. 9.20, 21. Job. 9.3, 4. where be two Reaſons of it. The Firſt from Gods Wiſdom; the Second from his Power.
Reaſon 2. From the Increaſe of Vanity upon man by all the Acceſſions of this life, by Gifts 1 of the minde, Iſa. 47.10. Jude v. 4. 2 of the body, Ezek. 16.15. implyed. 3 of outward eſtate, Jer. 22.21. Rev, 3.17. Pro. 1.32. Ezek. 28.4. 2 Chron. 26.16. which ſpringeth firſt from our corrupt nature, which as a fuſty Veſſell corrupteth all that is put into it. Secondly from the Curſe of God upon the Creatures by the Fall. Gen. 3.17.
Reaſon 3. From the Ignorance and unskilfulneſs of men 1 To diſcern what is good for them in this momentary life, Job 11.12. We look at thoſe things which are beſt for us which are temporary, bodily and preſent, whereas our ſouls finde no good in ſuch: as a Dropſy-man chuſeth drink which is moſt hurtfull for him. We know not how to make a good uſe of them ſo farre as they might lead us, Deut. 29.4. 2 To foreſee or diſcern future things, Eccleſ. 8.7.
Ʋſe 1. To humble the Pride of man: Earthly man whatſoever he be, he is known of old to be Adam. And that which more humbleth him, is that he is not the better for all that befalleth him in this life, nor doth he know what is good for him in this life, nor how to make uſe of it.
Ʋſe 2. To teach men not to contend with their Maker. It is hard to daſh Earthen Pitchers againſt ſtone walls. Therefore to forbear pleadings and murmurings, 1 againſt Gods purpoſe, Rom. 9.20, 21. 2 againſt his Providence, Jer. 12.1. we muſt ſubmit patiently under Gods hand, Pſai. 39.9. we muſt obediently follow his calling. Rev. 14.4.
Ʋſe 3. To ſhew us our life as in a glaſs; it is as a ſhadow; to wit, 1 without ſubſtance; rather a Death then a life, 1 Tim. 5.6. 2 ſeeming greater when light is moſt remote. 3 eaſily or ſpeedily paſſing away, and that when it is at greateſt.
Ʋſe 4. For Thankfulneſs to God, that Chriſt would take ſuch a baſe eſtate upon him as the eſtate of earthly man. That ſo many ſons of Adam met together, yet ſome good agreement; elſe (were it not for Gods ſpecial guidance and bleſſing) vanity put to vanity would but increaſe vanity, Pſal. 39.5. with 62.9. The Netherlanders Motto a wholſom Advertiſment, Reſembling themſelves to a company of earthen Pitchers floating in the Sea, with this word, Si collidimur frangimur.