A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 30 – Verse 31
Eccleſ. 12.7.
7. Then ſhall the duſt returne to the Earth as it was: and the ſpirit ſhall returne unto God who gave it.
COherence ſee in verſe 2. In theſe words are ſet forth, Firſt, The firſt and laſt condition of the body, in regard of its material cauſe, Duſt returneth to the Earth out of which it was taken. Secondly, The firſt and laſt condition of the ſoul, in regard of the efficient cauſe and diſpoſing hand; The ſpitit returneth to God that gave it. Meaning. Duſt] By a Metonimy of the material cauſe for the effect, Duſt for mans body made of Duſt, Gen. 2.7. Returne to the Earth, Firſt, By burial in the Earth, after the manner of the Jewes. Though in burning and drowning it finally returneth to Duſt, to Earth alſo. Secondly, By rotting in the Grave, and diſſolving to Earth at laſt.
Spirit] Soule, as being here oppoſed to the body. Returturneth to God] Not every ſoul to dwell with him (for here the ſpeech is of all men;) but to be diſpoſed of by him, for his final eſtate. That gave it] Firſt, By breathing it into his face at the firſt Creation. Secondly, By forming every ſoul of a ſinful matter of the ſoules of the Parents, or of the ſpirituous part of their ſeed, Zach. 12.1.
Doctr. 1. As our bodies being made of Duſt doe in Death reture to Duſt; ſo our ſoules being given us of God, returne againe to God, Gen. 2.7. The body is made, not of the heart of the Earth, that is rich in mettals, nor of the ſoyle of the Earth that is rich in fruits, nor of the ſand of the Earth which is profitable for Ballaſt, for houre-glaſſes, or for a Sea bound, Jer. 5.22. but of the duſt of the Earth, which of all the reſt is moſt unprofitable like unſavoury Salt, Matth. 5.13. Stones are firme matter, Clay tough, but duſt eaſily diſlipated and ſcattered with every blaſt of winde.
Object. But is not our body mixt of the foure Elements?
Anſw. Yes. Reaſon 1. For all theſe are found in us, our ſpirits are fiery, our breath is airy, our bloud and humours watery, our fleſh and bones, muſcles and ſinewes have much Earthly matter in them.
Reaſon 2. We are nouriſhed by all theſe Elements.
Reaſon 3, We are diſſolved into all theſe Elements. But yet God firſt tooke duſt, then wetted it, and made Clay of it, and faſhioned it into the forme of humane body, hence Job 4.19. The firſt foundation and matter was duſt, clay made of it, and our bodies of clay. Duſt only is expreſſed as being firſt and predominant.
Ʋſe 1. For inſtruction to all men; Firſt, To behold Gods wonderful power, wiſdome and goodneſſe, who out of a duſt-heap hath formed ſuch a curious and glorious worke, Pſal. 139.14. All the Divels in hell cannot ſuddenly make a Louſe of duſt, Exod. 8.18, 19. and Moſes and Aaron did make but Lice of duſt, verſe 17. Secondly, To be lowly and humble-minded eſpecially when we come in Gods preſence. Gen. 18.27. Iſai, 45.9. 1 Kings 8.27. Secondly, To be mindful of our mortality, Gen. 3.19. every blaſt of Gods diſpleaſure ſcattereth our duſty Tabernacle, even of great men, Iſai… 40.15, 23, 24. And therefore to remember our Creator, and prepare for a change, Eccleſ. 12.1, 7.
Ʋſe 2. For comfort to the godly. Firſt, He will not deal with us after our ſinnes, Pſal 103.13, 14. Secondly, To encourage us againſt the feare of men whom the moth ſhall chavel to duſt, Iſai. 51.7, 8. To ſtrengthen our faith in Gods power to raiſe us, 1. Out of outward abaſement; 1 Sam. 2.8. 2. Out of inward abaſement, Pſal. 119.25. And 3. out of the grave, Dan. 12.2. Our bodies ſhall returne to duſt, that is, they ſhall dye, corrupt, and returne to duſt. Gen. 3.19. hence Job 17.13, 14, & 21, 26, & 24, 20. It ſo falleth out to great men, Pſal 82.7. and meane, wiſe men and fooles, Pſal. 49.10. rich men and poore, Pſal. 49.10, 16, 17. good men and bad, Pſal. 30.9. and all men, Job 30, 23. Iſai. 40.6, 7. except onelyonly Chriſt who ſaw no corruption, and ſo no duſt, Acts 2 31. and ſuch as remaine alive at the laſt day, 1 Cor. 15.51. 1 Theſ. 4.17.
Reaſon 1. From the wages of ſin, Rom. 15.12, &c.
Reaſon 2. To root out the root of ſin, Rom. 6.7. Original ſin is fitly compared (by Epiphanius) to a wilde Fig Tree, rooted in the joynts of the ſtone-wall of a goodly Pallace, If it be cut and lopped (as it is by repentance and mortification) yet it ſprouteth againe, but when the walls are taken downe, and the ſtones caſt aſunder, body and ſoul parted, then being built againe, the root is ſhaken out utterly.
Reaſon 3. To prepare the bodies of men for an immortal eſtate, 1 Cor. 15.50.
Ʋſe 1. To refute the vanity of carnal mindes, who thinke to eſcape this common condition of all men, Iſai. 28.15, 18.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort to the remembrance of our Creator and to prepare for a change. Here we have no abiding City, we ſeek one to come, Heb. 13.14. we are but Tenants at will: our Tabernacles Earthly.
Ʋſe 3. To ſtrike terrour into the hearts of the wicked, who returne to duſt now accurſed after the fall, Gen. 3.17, 19. It is now the food of the Serpent. Gen. 3.14. And it is meat and drinke to Satan, to torment the wicked who are accurſed from God, and ſo depart, Matth. 25.41.
Ʋſe 3. To comfort the godly in diſtreſſe, Job 3.22. Art thou in ſickneſſe and paine? thou art but grinding to duſt, and then eaſe. Art thou grieved with a body of ſin? Rom. 7.24. Duſt will ſet thee free. Doeſt thou deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt? Phil. 1.23. Duſt will diſſolve thee, and be a friend of the Bridegroome to bring thee to Chriſt. The ſoul of every man is Gods gift, Gen. 2.7. Jer. 38.16. Zach. 12.1. Heb. 12.9.
Reaſon From Gods immediate hand put forth above the meanes in making the ſoul in the body; which though it be not by Creation of nothing, yet it is by efformation of preexiſtent matter, whether of the ſpirituous part of the ſeed, or the ſoules of the Parents, ſee notes in Chap. 11.5.
Ʋſe 1. To employ the ſoul in Gods ſervice, to which end it was made, Prov. 16.4. yea to returne to him with advantage, Matth. 25.27.
Ʋſe 2. To feed it with ſpiritual food, as word, Sacraments, &c. for it is a ſpirit.
Ʋſe 3. Then God may take it againe at his pleaſure, Job 1.21. at death the ſoul returneth to God againe, Luke 23.43, 46. Acts 7.59.
Reaſon 1. From the account to be made, and the reward to be received,
Ʋſe 1. To aſſure the Immortality of the ſoul, and to reprove the brutiſh ignorance of ſuch as conſider it not, Eccleſ. 3.21.
Ʋſe 2. To exhort to prepare for this returne, and therefore to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth.
Ʋſe 3. To comfort the godly in aſſurance of their returne to God at the laſt.
Eccleſ. 12. v. 8.
8. Vanity of vanities (ſaith the Preacher) all is vanity.
IN theſe words Solomon repeateth the concluſion of the whole book, which he laid downe in the beginning, Chap. 1.2. and hath proved by ſundry arguments throughout the book, eſpecially by an Induction of many particulars. And now having finiſhed his proofe thereof, and demonſtrated laſt of all, the vanity of childhood and old age, youth and death, he repeateth againe his concluſion, as that which he hath fully cleared, vanity of, &c.
Doctr. 1. The whole eſtate of the creature from firſt to laſt and the whole eſtate of man from his childhood to his old age, yea to death it ſelfe, is a ſtate of exceſſive vanity, vanity of vanities, univerſity of vanities. Rom. 8.20.
Exceſſe of vanity] For therefore it is called by an not vaine but vanity it ſelfe, yea, vanity of vanities; which is a ſuperlative vanity, as holy of holies is a ſuperlative holineſſe. Variety of vanities] for it is vanities in the Plural number, vanities of many ſorts; Ʋniverſity, or Ʋniverſality of vanities] All is vanity. The univerſality of all creatures is vanity, and all vanities is found in the creatures. The vanity the creature is ſubject to, is called the bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.20, 21. which is not meant of natural corruption, ſuch as might be in beaſts before the fall; for when generation was to be, there was to be corruption. But would have been no vanity, becauſe the creature had then finiſhed his worke, as the ſilkworme (after a ſort) hath done and ſo departeth. But he meaneth a corruption that fell upon the creature by the fall; which is a corruption, 1. Through enmity of one creature againſt another, when they alſo ſuffer moſt that are moſt innocent, Job 12.7, 8. 2. Through their inward debility, or infirmity, whence Firſt, Their often abortions both in Cattel, Women, fruitful Trees, Olives, Vines, and Figs caſting their fruit. Secondly, Their labour to bring forth what fruit they doe yield, even beyond their ſtrength, whence neceſſity in the ſoyle of lying fallow; in living creatures of barrenneſſe, Gen. 3.17, & 4, 12. Levit. 26.20. onelyonly weedes and Bryers, and Thornes (and ſuch fruits of the curſe) are brought forth with more eaſe, Gen 3.17, 18. Thirdly, Through abuſe, by making the creatures the objects of our beſt affections, Pſal. 20.7. Prov. 18.11. Job 31.24. Iſai: 44.17. Ezek. 16.15. Thus we place our Soveraigne good in the creature comforts; and by making them inſtruments of wickedneſſe whether againſt God or againſt man, 2 Tim. 4.10, Jonah 2.8. Hoſ. 2.8. Jer. 22.21. Jer. 22, 17. Micah 2.1, 2. Job 24.15, 16.
Reaſon 1. From the fall of our firſt parents, Gen. 3.17.18.
Reaſon 2. From the ſins of any perſon or people in ſucceeding Generations, Gen. 4.12. Lev. 26.19, 20,
Uſe, See in Notes on Eccleſ. 11.7.