A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 51
Eccleſ. 9. v. 1, 2.
1. For all this, I conſidered in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous and the wiſe, and their works are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before them.
2. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked: to the good; and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that ſacrificeth, and to him that ſacrificeth not: as is the good, ſo is the ſinner: and he that ſweareth as he that feareth an oath.
IN the two laſt verſes of the former Chapter Solomon ſet forth his ſerious inquiſition after the reaſon, and wiſdom, and counſel of God in ordering the like promiſcuous events to the righteous and to the wicked. And he ſets it forth by a twofold Adjunct: 1. The reſtleſneſs of himſelfe in it, He ſaw no ſleep with his eyes, verſ. 16.2. The fruitleſneſs of it, He could not finde it, though a wiſe man and labouring to finde it, Chap. 8. verſe 17.
In theſe two verſes, he ſetteth forth the ſame inquiſition by the effect it wrought in him; The giving of his heart to declare all this, to wit, that followeth, viz. to declare four obſervations, which he had found out touching this matter. Firſt, That the righteous and the wiſe, and their workes are in the hand of God: verſe 1. Secondly, That no man can know the love or hatred of God to themſelves or others, by any outward events, verſe 1. or by all that is before them before their eyes obvious to them. Thirdly, That all things come alike to all ſorts of all; which he expreſſeth by a diſtribution of the ſubject, verſe 2. To the righteous and to the wicked, To the good and to the uncleane, To him that ſacrificeth and that ſacrificeth not, To the good and to the ſinner, To him that ſweareth and to him that feareth an oath. Fourthly, That this is an evil among all things done under the Sun, verſe 3.
Doctr. 1: That which a man giveth his heart to ſeek and to finde of all the wayes of God, ſo farre as he hath found it, he ſhould alſo give his heart to declare it. Solomon told us in verſe 16. of the former Chapter, he ſet his heart, with much labour to ſeek the reaſon, and wiſdome and counſel of God, in the promiſcuous events that befal the ſons of men; that which he ſought he found not: but what upon ſearch he did finde, he here telleth us he ſet his heart upon it to declare it, Job 5.27. Eccleſ. 7.25, to 29.
Reaſon 1. From the end of all Gods works, whether of Creation or Providence: It is that they may be known; and that God may be known in them: Pſal. 107.43. & 78, 4, to 7, & 111.4. (no man can remember, what he knoweth not) Joel 1.3.
Reaſon 2. From the end of all our knowledge of God, which is (this for one of them) to tell it to others, Eccleſ. 12.9. 1 Cor. 12.7. No light is to be put under a buſhel, Matth. 5.15. All knowledge is light; Talents not to be buried.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us not to be ſparing this way; what we have ſearched and learned in any kinde of good knowledge, the more ready to be to communicate it, Job 5.27, & 15, 17, 18.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us to enquire and ſearch knowledge; younger perſons from the more aged, to give them occaſion to declare what they have ſearched out, Job 8.8, 9, 10. Prov. 20.5. A ſeaſonable queſtion is here a good bucket.
Doctr. 2. The righteous, the wiſe, and their workes are in the hand of God, verſe 1. That is, Firſt, He is the diſpoſer of them after his own will: they are in his power and pleaſure to order one way or other; ſo the phraſe taken, Gen. 16.6, & 31, 29. Job 1.12, & 2, 6. Secondly, He receiveth the knowledge of them, and of the diſpoſal of them to himſelfe; ſo the phraſe alſo taken, Acts 1.7. Both theſe meanings are here pertinent, Pſal. 31, 15. Jer. 10.23. Prov. 20.24.
Reaſon. 1. From Gods abſolute ſoveraignty over the creatures, Jer. 18.6. As being the cauſe, Firſt, The efficient, procreant, and conſervant. Secondly, the final cauſe of them all, Rom. 11.36.
Reaſon 2. From the precious eſteem and regard which God hath of his righteous ſervants and their wayes, Iſai. 43.2, 4. Pſal. 1.6.
Reaſon 3. From the righteous mens recommendation of themſelves and their wayes, into the hand of God, Pſal. 37.5. 2 Tim. 1.12. Theſe alſo wiſely conſider and obſerve how God keepeth and guideth them, Pſal. 107.43.
Reaſon 4. From the wicked mans ſleighting and deſpiſing his own way, Prov. 19.16. As he that regardeth not to chooſe his way, but goeth through thick and thin, he deſpiſeth his way: So he that careth not whether his way be pure or filthy. Theſe three laſt Reaſons ſhew why the righteous and their wayes are more expreſly ſaid to be in the hand of God, then wicked men and their wayes be, though the wayes of the wicked are in Gods hand alſo. Iſai. 45.1, & 10, 5, 6, & 37, 29. Pſal. 125.5.
Ʋſe 1. For comfort to the righteous, If we and our wayes be in the hand of God, where can they be ſafer? there let us reſt. And therefore alſo in all eſtates to be the more Contentful, Pſal. 39.9. Thankful, Job 1.21. and Fruitful; and ſo to grow the more humbled in ſinful failings, and the more enlarged in Faith on God in well doing. It might humble a good heart, that himſelfe fell into any ſin; but the more that God in diſpleaſure gave him up to it, Iſai. 63.17. In well doing it is a comfort to have done well: but much greater that God helped us, 1 Chron. 29.10, 14.
Ʋſe 2. To inſtruct us to be wiſe as well as righteous in not truſting to our own power and will, for both are in Gods hand, Prov. 3.5, 6. James 4, 13, 14, 15.
Ʋſe 3. To abaſe wicked men, whom God doth nor vouchſafe to carry in his hand, neither them, nor their works.
Doctr. 3. No man can certainly diſcern the love or hatred of God to himſelfe or others, by their outward events and eſtates.
No man knoweth] knowledge is certi Axiomatis Judicium. If no man knoweth, then no man certainly diſcerneth.
Love or hatred] to wit, of God; for of God he ſpake in the words next before: the righteous, and the wiſe, and their works are in the hands of God.
To himſelf or others] for if he diſcern not the love or hatred of God to himſelfe, much leſſe to others: And if he could diſcern it to himſelfe, he might to others; and if to others, he might diſcern it to himſelfe. For outward things are alike diſcernable in both.
By all that is before them] that is, by all things lying open to their outward ſenſes, as proſperous, or adverſe eſtates and events. Matth. 6.19, 20. If a man might know the love of God to him by outward things, thoſe outward things would be as treaſure to him, which Chriſt denieth.
Reaſon 1. From the corruption and changeableneſs of outward things, Matth. 6.19. and therefore they cannot be certain evidences of an unchangeable and uncorruptible eſtate.
Reaſon 2. From the like events and ſucceſſes, and eſtates to all, Eccleſ. 9.2. Good name to Demetrius, 3 John 12. as wel as to the falſe Prophets, Luke 6.26. Wealth to the rich Epicure, Luke 12.16. as wel as to Abraham, Gen. 24.35. and to Iſaac, Gen. 26.12. Pleaſure to the wicked, Job 21.11, 12. as wel as to the godly, Eccleſ. 2.10. Health and ſtrength to Epicures, Pſal. 73.4. as wel as to Caleb, Joſh. 14.11. Beauty to Abſolom and ſuch, 2 Sam. 14.25. Prov. 11.22. as wel as to Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel. Long life to Iſmael, Gen. 25.17. as wel as to Iſaac, Gen. 35.28. Learning & wiſdom to the Aegyptians, Acts 7.22. as wel as to Moſes & Daniel, Acts 7.22. Dan. 1.17. Croſſes to Baſtards, Pſalm 78.33. as wel as to ſonnes, Pſalm 73.14. Hebr. 12.8. Sickneſſe to the diſobedient, Deut. 28.59, 60. as wel as to David, Pſalm 41.8. Poverty to Jobs ſcorners, Job. 30.3. as wel as to Lazarus, Luke 16.20. Sudden death to the diſobedient, Pſalm 55.23. Prov. 29.1. as wel as to Jeroboams good ſonne, 1 Kings 14.12, 13. Violent death. Jonathan died in the field, and by the hand of the uncircumciſed; as well as Saul, 1 Sam. 31, 1, 2.
Reaſon 3. From the curſe and vanity that lyeth upon all the creatures by the fall, Gen. 3.17. It is a bondage to the creature to miniſter to the wicked, not to miniſter to the godly. Rom. 8.20, 21. This is the reaſon of the former Reaſon.
Object. Did not Cain know Gods acceptance of Abel above himſelfe by an outward ſigne of fire from heaven, or the like? Gen. 4.4, 5.
Anſw. That was a miraculous event, as was alſo the fire that fell upon Eliahs Sacrifice, 1 Kings 18.38. But Solomon ſpeaketh of ordinary common events.
Object. 2. But is there not great difference of a godly mans bearing the events and eſtates that befall him; and a wicked mans bearing his?
Anſw. Yes: But Solomon ſpeaketh not of outward fruits, but outward events.
Object. 3. Pſalm 41.11.
Anſw. David knew not the favour of God from the outward deliverance, but from the grace of God ſecretly revealed in it. So any benefits ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt, may hold forth everlaſting mercies, Pſalm 136.23, 24, 25.
Ʋſe 1. Againſt Papiſts: Firſt, then outward proſperity is no certain ſign of the Church; though Bell trmin make it his fifteenth note De Notis Eccleſiae, l. 4. c. 18. Secondly, who abuſe this place from the corrupt vulgar Latin Tranſlation, to undermine and deſtroy the aſſurance of faith of the love of God to a faithful ſoule, againſt evident Scripture, 1 John 3.14, &c. 1 Cor. 2.12. Rom. 8.16. 2 Pet. 1.10. It is a whoriſh Church that bringeth not up her children to know their father.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us to judge wiſely of the chaſtiſements of the godly; not to miſconſtrue Gods meaning in them to our ſelves, or others lying under them, Pſalm 41.1, 2, 3. This miſ-judging was the ſinne of Jobs friends, for which Gods wrath was kindled, Job 42.7.
Ʋſe 3. To warn wicked men neither to bleſſe themſelves in their proſperity, as if that were a ſigne of Gods favour, Zach. 11.5. Nor in their adverſity to promiſe to themſelves impunity in another world, becauſe they have their puniſhment in this world.
Ʋſe 4. To exhort to look at things within us, and from us, for the knowledge of Gods love to us; Within us, 1. The teſtimony of the ſpirit, Rom. 8.16. 1 John 3.24. 2. The gifts of the ſpirit accompanying ſalvation, Acts 16.30.31. 1 John 14, 18, 19. From us, our election of God to be our God, Pſalm 73.25.
Doctr. 4. All the ſonnes of men are ranked into two ſorts, Righteous or wicked, good men or ſinners, clean or unclean, Malac. 3.18. 1 John 5.19.
Reaſon 1. From Gods eternal purpoſe to make all the veſſels of the houſe of the world either to honour or diſhonour, Rom. 9.21.
Reaſon 2. From the different original root of all men, either fleſh or ſpirit, John 3.6.
Reaſon 3. From the two different waies that all men take, Matth. 7.13, 14. 1 John 3.7, 8.
Reaſon 4. From the largeneſſe of the two covenants, dividing all men between them, Gal. 3.10. & 4.24, &c. Rom. 6.14, &c. & 8.1, 5.
Reaſon 5. From the integrity of the whole man, required in Gods ſervice: which being wanting, men ſerve the divel, Matth. 6.24 Acts 26.18. Coloſ. 1.13.
Ʋſe 1. Againſt purgatory; for preſuppoſe the truth of the doctrine, and there be but two places for theſe two ſorts, to be beſtowed in after this life, Matth. 25.32, &c.
Ʋſe 2. To try what our eſtate is; every one of us belongeth either to one of theſe ſorts, or to the other.
Marks of difference (beſides the former difference mentioned in the reaſons) 1. What people doe we belong to? to ſuch we are gathered after death, Numb. 20.24. Gen. 25.17. 2. Where is all a mans delight, Pſalm 16.3. Pſalm 26.5. & 139.21, 22. and communion, Pſal. 120.5. thither ſhall he be gathered after death, and not with the contrary, Pſalm 26.9. If we delight in men for righteouſneſs ſake, then the more righteous they be, the more we delight in them, Pſal. 16.3.
Doctr. 5, All the righteous in the world are alſo good and clean, offering Sacrifices, and fearing Oaths. And all the wicked are alſo unclean, ſinners, negligent Sacrificers, and fearleſſe ſwearers.
Good] as firſt, filled with good Treaſure, Matth. 12.35. Secondly, bringeth forth good fruit, Matth. 7, 18, and ſo fitted for good uſes. 2 Tim. 2.21, Not ſo the wicked, Matth. 12.35. Tit. 1.16.
Clean, Firſt, by imputation of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, Ezek. 36.25. Secondly, by ſanctification of the ſpirit, Eſay 43.3. Pſalm 73.1. The wicked are neither Matth. 7.23. The ſinner erreth firſt, from the rule or way, Pſalm 14.3, Secondly, from the mark or end, Prov. 16.25.
Sacrificing, as firſt, obſerving Gods ſtratute-worſhip, Pſalm 119.5. Secondly, ſetting their hearts and delight, and coſt upon it, 1 Chron. 29.3. & 21.24. Gen. 4.4.
This the wicked either neglect altogether, 2 Chron. 15.3. Pſalm 119.155. Or perform perfunctorily, Malac. 1.7, &c.
The Righteous fear an oath, firſt, As not daring to take it in vain. Secondly, as obſerving it religiouſly, when taken Joſh. 9.19. 2 Sam. 9.1. Not ſo the wicked, Hoſ. 4.2. Jer. 23.10. Ezek. 17.18, 19.
Ʋſe. For triall of our eſtates, whether we be righteous or wicked by theſe fruits.