A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 50
Eccleſ. 8.16.17.
16. When I applyed mine heart to know wiſdome, and to ſee the buſineſſe that is done upon the Earth: (for alſo there is that neither day nor night ſeeth ſleep with his eyes.)
17. Then I beheld all the worke of God, that a man cannot finde out the worke that is done under the Sun, becauſe though a man labour to ſeek it out, yea further, though a wiſe man thinke to know it, yet ſhall not be able to finde it.
IN the two former verſes Solomon obſerved it as a great vanity, the promiſcuous event and eſtate that befel good men and bad, eſpecially through the miſ-government of Princes. In theſe two verſes he obſerveth the like promiſcuous event and eſtate of both good and bad, from the work and providence of God. Which various diſpenſation of all events alike to all ſorts of men (good and bad) Solomon here ſetteth forth by the Adjunct thereof, his own ſerious meditation, and ſtudy, and enquiry after the reaſon of it, after the wiſdome and counſel of Gods proceeding in it; which ſtudy and meditation of his, he enlargeth and amplifieth in theſe verſes, and in the former part of the next Chapter. In theſe verſes by two Adjuncts, Firſt, By the reſtleſneſſe and aſſiduity of it, ſo as he found no reſt nor ſleep night nor day, to ſeek out this matter, verſe 16. Secondly, By the fruitleſneſſe of it, he could not finde what he ſought. Which he ſetteth forth by a double amplification, à diverſis; 1. Of labour in ſearching, though a man labour in ſeeking it out; 2. Of wiſdome, yea if a wiſe man thinke and purpoſe, and profeſſe to ſeek it, and to finde it out, and to know it, yet he ſhall not be able to attaine it, verſe 17.
Doct. 1. A man that ſhall apply his heart to ſearch and diſcerne the wiſdome of God in his work and dealing with the righteous and with the wicked, though himſelfe be wiſe, and his labour great to finde it out, yet his labour ſhall be fruitleſſe, and himſelfe reſtleſſe. He ſpeaketh here of the wiſdome of God in his work and dealing with the righteous and with the wicked (both alike) as appeareth by the verſe before, verſe 15. and the verſes following, Chap. 9. verſe 1.2, 3. His labour ſhall be fruitleſſe, for he ſhall not finde out what he ſought for verſe 17. and himſelfe reſtleſſe as Solomon himſelfe confeſſeth (and he ſeemeth to ſpeake it of himſelfe) there is that neither day nor night ſeeth ſleep with his eyes, Pſal. 73.16. Jer. 12.1, 2. Habac. 1.13, 14, 15. Job 9.10, 11, 12.
Reaſons why fruitleſſe: 1. From Gods concealment many times of the cauſes and reaſons of the afflictions of his people, eſpecially in the beginning of their troubles, till towards the end. Job was long before he ſaw the reaſon of Gods ſtrange hand upon himſelfe, Job 10.2, to 7. And it is a great part of their affliction, that they cannot diſcerne the reaſon of Gods dealing with them. God concealeth his minde, till we have learned to preferre his wiſdome and will above our own, when Job ſtooped to this (Job 40.2, to 5. with Chap. 42.5, 6,) then he not onelyonly ſaw a gracious Iſſue, but the cauſe of all his troubles, from Gods conference with Satan.
Reaſon 2. From the power of God to have brought to paſſe any ends of his own and ours in dealing bountifully with the godly, and juſtly with the wicked, if it had pleaſed him. Though ſanctified affliction be wholſome to the godly, yet God was able to have humbled and healed them without ſuch outward croſſes and afflictions. The ſpirit of grace could doe it effectually by the word. That God chooſeth rather to doe it by afflictions, what man can finde the reaſon? Or if ſome reaſon might be rendred in regard of our fellowſhip with the firſt Adam in ſin and vanity, and with the ſecond Adam in afflictions, yet why might not God have choſen rather to afflict the godly in the inner man, then in the outward man? and why might not the wicked have undergone greater afflictions in this world?
Reaſon. 3. From the free choyce which God maketh of ſome men (both of the good and of the bad) to deal well with ſome of both ſorts, and to deal ſharply with others of both ſorts, Job 21.23, 24, 25.
Reaſons. why reſtleſſe, 1. From the diſproportion between the faculty and the object. The wiſdome of God in theſe wayes of his providence is beyond our reach. And therefore as when the members of the body are reached and ſtretched beyond their compaſſe, it chaſeth away all ſleep and reſt: ſo when the minde is ſet upon the rack by ſuch tranſcendent meditations, it rendeth the ſoul with vexation and reſtleſſe diſquietneſſe.
Reaſon 2. From the force of earneſt intention of the minde in difficult and abſtruſe ſtudies to waſte and ſcatter thoſe cool and moiſt vapours which riſe from the ſtomack to cool the braine, and would ſtop the paſſage of the animal ſpirits to the ſenſes, and ſo procure ſleep. For the animal ſpirits of the braine being heated with agitation and ſtudy, doe alſo heat thoſe vapours, and ſo attenuate and diſperſe, and ſpend them that they cannot ſtop the paſſage of the ſpirits to the ſenſes and ſo ſleep is chaſed away. This is a natural cauſe which is the more aggravated by the hand of God taking away natural reſt from ſuch as cannot reſt ſatisfied in his will, unleſſe they may be of his counſel, Job 33.13.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us to content our ſelves in ſeeking out by our own wiſdom, the counſell of God in his dealing with our ſelves or others; but by faith and patience to wait for a good iſſue. Faith firſt ſeeth Gods hand in all, and ſanctifieth the name of his ſoveraignty; He is the Potter, we the clay. Wiſdom, Job 9.4. Righteouſneſs, Jer. 12.1. Grace to his people, and faithfulneſſe, Pſalm. 119.75. Secondly, ſtirreth up to prayer for a profitable uſe of all, Pſalm 143.10: Thirdly, humbles us under the mighty hand of God, 1 Pet. 5.6. Fourthly, directeth us to the word for further counſell, Pſalm 73.17.
Ʋſe 2. To confine our evening meditations to matters within our compaſſe. Evening meditations ſhould rather be Devotionall then Scholaſticall. To beat our braines, will leave it without fruit or reſt.
Ʋſe 3. To acknowledge it (as Solomon here doth penitentially) as a vanity in our ſelves, that we have ſought to finde out Gods work and wiſdom by our own wiſdom.