A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 7
ECCLES. 1.9, 10, 11.
9. The thing that hath been, it is that which ſhall be: and that which is done, is that which ſhall be done: and there is nothing new under the Sun.
10. Is there any thing whereof it may be ſaid, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11. There is no remembrance of former things, neither ſhall there be any remembrance of things that are to come, with thoſe that ſhall come after.
IN theſe words Solomon ſheweth us the want of newneſs in theſe things under the Sunne, and from thence argueth the unprofitableneſs of the ſtudy or knowledge of them to the attaining of true happineſs.
This want of newneſs, Firſt, Is expreſſed in the end of the 9 verſe, There is no new thing under the Sun. Secondly, is amplified, 1. By particular Induction of that which hath been, and that which is done, they both ſhall be hereafter, verſ. 9.
Secondly, by an foreign dwelling upon the ſame point, affirming every thing that now ſeems new, to have been in old time, verſ. 10.
Thirdly, by removing an objection which is ſecretly implied, If theſe things that ſeem new to us, have been in old time, How commeth it we never heard of them before? verſ. 11. which is amplified by the like forgetfulneſſe of things now in after-ages, verſ. 11.
The Doctrine of the ninth and tenth verſes may be opened in handling this point,
There is no new thing under the Sunne.
It may ſeem a Paradox at firſt ſight: for it may be ſaid, what is that which all men (like the Athenians) enquire after? News; if there be no new thing, Acts 17.21. why are men taxed for hunting after new faſhions in Apparrell (eſpecially Engliſh men, as unfit to be ſuited as the changeable Moon) if there be no new thing? will God again deſtroy the world with water? Gen. 9.11. was it not a new thing for God to deliver the Law with lively voyce from heaven? Deut. 4.32, 33. was it not a new thing, or ſhall it be again repeated, the Sunne to ſtand ſtill, or to goe back ten degrees? Joſ. 10.13, 14. 2 Kings 20.11. A Virgin to bear a Son? Jer. 31.22. Chriſt to be born, to die, to riſe again, to aſcend? The holy Ghoſt to deſcend? The Apoſtles to preach and write the new Teſtament? Are there not ſundry Inventions of Art new, as Guns, Printing, and the uſe of the Loadſtone? was not the Gunpowder-treaſon new, without precedent or former example?
To anſwer theſe, and ſuch like doubts, many interpretations and limitations of theſe words have been given, which were not worth rehearſing, as that of Cajetan concerning Solomon, to reaſon from the Eternity of time to argue the circular motion of naturall bodies; and that alledged of Origen, touching Plato's great yeare, of 49000 yeares, wherein he would have all the Starres to come to the ſame Poſition, and ſo all things to return again in the ſame courſe. But to touch onelyonly thoſe which come neerer to the truth; Some have thought (amongſt whom Hierome) that all things now done, were firſt in Gods Predeſtination; but though that be a truth, yet not pertinent here: For Gods Predeſtination is above the Sunne; and things done here according to it, are new ſtill under the Sunne, as having never been done under the Sunne before. Beſides, Gods Predeſtination was not in old time before us, but before all time.
Others underſtand the words, as denying new Arts; but what will they ſay of the Art of Printing?
Others (as Pineda) underſtand it of no new happineſſe, nor any new way to attain it.
But Solomon ſeemeth to ſpeak of the want of new objects to eye and eare, whence it commeth to paſſe that they are not ſatisfied, verſ. 8.
Others (and that rightly) conceive him to ſpeak of naturall things, and their naturall actions. Avicen. ſup. Q. 91. A, 1.
For of theſe Solomon here diſcourſeth, to prove that happineſſe cannot be found in the knowledge of theſe, becauſe they are wanting in newneſſe and variety. As if he ſhould ſay, Natura nihil molitur novi. Though upon this particular occaſion he ſeemeth to reach further, in denying newneſſe to the common affaires of men in the world.
For verſ. 11. he denieth remembrance of former things, which is not wont to be taken up about naturall bodies, or the actions of them, but eſpecially about men and their affaires.
And indeed in Civil matters there be the like manners of men now as of old; the like cauſes and ſucceſſes of warre and peace &c. whence the knowledge of Hiſtory of former times is ſo much behovefull: ſo in Church matters, like diſpoſition of hypocrites, Matth. 15.8, 9.
Like oppoſition to the truth by falſe teachers, 2 Tim 3.8. 2 Pet. 3.1. Like ſecurity, forerunning generall judgements, Luke 17.26, to 30.
Anſ 1. For anſwer therefore to the former doubts, Solomon ſpeaketh not of Gods miraculous and extraordinary actions, whether of judgement or grace: ſuch as the drowning of the world, the ſtanding of the Sunne, the Birth and death of Chriſt, the writing of the Scriptures, &c. 2 Pet. 3.4, 5, 6.
Anſ. 2. He ſpeaketh of naturall bodies, and the whole courſe of nature; nature worketh now as from the beginning, Natura nihil molitur novi, but upon ſome accidentall defect, or ſuperfluity in the matter.
Anſ 3. The Artificiall inventions of men, though they be new ſometimes at firſt, yet for the kind many of them have been before; and generally none of them continue new long, but wax ſtale and old like other things, Pſal. 102.26. Heb. 8.13.
Only God our happineſſe is alwaies the ſame, Pſal. 102.27. Heb. 13.8. and ever is new. Abrahams Covenant is ſtill the New Covenant.
Ʋſe 1. To ſhew us the emptineſſe of the knowledge of the creature to bring us to happineſſe.
Where newneſſe is wanting, ſweetneſſe and full contentment is wanting.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort to ſeek after the favour of God, the blood of Chriſt, the fellowſhip of his Spirit, the knowledge of the word, &c. Theſe things yield a daily new freſhneſſe, 2 Cor. 5.17. Lam. 3.23.
Doct. 2. Matters of former times are buried in forgetfulneſſe.
Reaſ. 1. Mens negligence to recount them, or to ſearch after them.
Reaſ. 2. Mens unthankfulneſſe, not rehearſing them to poſterity.
Reaſ. 3. Emulation, envying the propagation of others good name.
Reaſ. 4. Gods juſt judgement, cutting off the memory of ſome perſons and things from off the earth.
Ʋſe 1. Not to wonder, though ſo many things ſeem new to us, which yet have been before, ſeeing former things are forgotten.
Ʋſe 2. Not to ſeek our own glory, in this or that good work, to be talked of when we are gone. For we and our works ſhall be forgotten.
Ʋſe 3. To exhort to godlineſſe, which bringeth an everlaſting good name, Prov. 10.7. Pſal. 112.6.