A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 52
Eccleſ. 9.3, to 6.
This is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, alſo the heart of the ſons of men is full of evil, and madneſse is in their heart while they live, and after that they goe to the dead.
4. For to him that is joyned to all the living, there is hope: for a living dog is better then a dead lyon.
5. For the living know that they ſhall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward: for the memory of them is forgotten.
6. Alſo their love, and their hatred, and their envy is now periſhed, neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun.
THe forth thing that Solomon obſerved, and thought it meet to declare from the promiſcuous events of all alike unto all, is the evil of it, eſpecially the evil effect of it in the hearts of the ſons of men. Coherence ſee in v. 1, 2.
Doct. Amongſt all the evils that are done under the Sun, this equality of events to all ſorts of men alike, It ſilleth the hearts of men with evil and madneſſe, all their life time, even to their death, v. 3. As who ſhould ſay, this maketh them live an ill life, and die an ill death: yea live madly, and die madly. Moſes and Aaron were as wel excluded from Canaan, as the unbelieving and murmuring Iſraelites. Joſiah was as wel ſlain by an Arrow in battel againſt his enemies, as Ahab; Nebuchadnezzar is ſaid to have lived forty yeers in a victorious raigne, as well as David. See many more ſuch like inſtances in verſe 1. Doct. 3.
This is an evil, firſt, Afflictive, both to good men, Pſalm 73.21. and to evil men, Pſalm 112.10. Secondly, Corruptive; it filleth the hearts of men with firſt, Evil of wickedneſſe or ſin; ſecondly, Madneſſe, v. 3.
Firſt, evil of ſin. The ground of this evil imagination ſpringeth occaſionally from theſe promiſcuous events, as conceiving they flow from the not guidance of them by providence, 1. Evil imaginations in particular, that the baſeſt life here is better then the beſt life hereafter: confirmed by a Proverb, A living Dog is better then a dead Lyon, v. 4. And this they hold forth in four inſtances: Firſt, in ſtay and proviſion of ſupply; The living have ſomething to truſt unto; ſee the Hebrew, v. 4. The dead have neither friends, nor money, nor ſtrength, &c. Secondly, In knowledge even of ſome ſuture things: The living know that they ſhall die; the dead know nothing at all, v. 5. Thirdly, In rewards; The dead have no more a reward, no not ſo much as a memoriall of their good deeds, whilſt they lived, v. 5. But the living meet with ſome reward here, Eccleſ. 4.9. Heſt. 6.3, 10. Ezek. 29.19. Fourthly, In the enjoyment of the objects of their affections, v. 6. their love and their hatred, and envy is now periſhed, viz. They have neither affections nor objects of them left; nor any portion in things here below: beyond which they look not, v. 6. Hence the moſt famous of the Heathens have preferred the meaneſt life on earth, above all the hopes they had of another world. Homer reporteth of his Achilles, He had rather be a ſervant to a poor Countrey clown here, then to be a King to all the ſoules departed. So Mecaenas in Seneca had rather live in many diſeaſes then dye. It is another evil imagination, to think God like wicked men, (to wit, in liking wel of them) Pſalm 50.21. 2 Evil Reſolutions, Eccleſ, 8.11. 1 Cor. 15.32. Iſai. 56.12. 3. Evil ſpeeches and practiſes, Iſai. 10.11. Job 3.1. &c. Mens hearts are alſo ſaid to be filled with madneſſe as well as with wickedneſſe, by occaſion of like events to all, In that they break forth, Firſt, To outragious violence in ſin, Pſal. 73.5, 6. Secondly, To fooliſh vain-glorious boaſting in ſin. The Hebrew word commeth of a root that ſignifieth to praiſe or glory, Iſai. 3, 9. And filled they be with wickedneſſe and madneſſe from this occaſion all their life time, even to death, Job 21.13. Pſal. 55.19.
Ʋſe 1. To ſhew a great difference between the righteous and the wicked: The hope of the wicked is only in this life, verſe 4. Job 8.13, 14. But the righteous hath his chiefe hope and truſt in another, 1 Cor. 15.19. Prov. 14.32. The wicked had rather live a dogs life here, then hazard his eſtate in another world. If he haſten his death, it is through Satans efficiency; the righteous longeth for diſſolution, Phil. 1.23. The wicked knoweth little of any future thing, but that he ſhall dye, verſe 5. The godly knoweth that when he dyeth, he ſhall ſee God, ſhall be like him, &c. Job 19.25, 26, 27. 1 John 32. The wicked ſhall have reward in everlaſting fire, Pſal. 9.17. but at beſt themſelves look for none. The godly ſhall have a reward in eternal glory, Iſai. 49.4. The wicked ſhall never exerciſe their love any more after this life, nor ſhall ever meet with any thing lovely, verſe 6. Though they ſhall not employ their hatred or envy about earthly things here, yet they ſhall both hate God, and envy the happineſſe of his Saints: But the righteous ſhall abound in love to God, and in Gods love to them, Pſal. 16.11. We ſhall abound alſo in mutual love to all the Saints and Angels; the greateſt ſtrangers there will love us better then our beſt friends here, Pſal. 17.15. Our hatred will not be wanting againſt Satan and wicked perſecutors, Rev. 6.10. Our zeal alſo ſhall then abound, (that which is here tranſlated envy, ſignifieth alſo Zeal, Iſai. 37.32.) The wicked have no portion but in this life, Pſal. 17.14. The portion of our inheritance is after this life. 1 Pet. 1.4, 5.
Ʋſe 2. Not to miſconſtrue Gods dealings with our ſelves or others: It is a root of Atheiſme, and will make us worſe then the devils: For they believe there is a God, and tremble, James 2.19.
Ʋſe 3. To teach us not to reſt in a carnal condition, it leaveth us without knowledge, without reward, and without portion.