Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Ecclesiastes · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſ. 1. TO every thing there is a ſeaſon, &c.] That is, A ſet appointed time, a time determined by the fore-appointment and decree of God, both for their beginning, continuance and end: And that this is to be extended to all things that are, and are done in the world, not only natural and contingent, but alſo voluntary, which ſeeme to be moſt in the power of men, is evident by the following clauſe, And a time to every purpoſe under the heaven, that is, to every thing which men purpoſe or performe. It cannot be queſtioned but that Solomon doth ſtill here proſecute his former diſcourſe, becauſe ver. 9. of this Chapter, he returnes again to what he had ſaid before, Chap. 1.3. concerning the unprofitableneſſe of all mens endeavours. So that the drift of that which is ſaid here concerning the divine determination of the time wherein all things are done, may ſeeme to be; 1. to prove the vanity of all worldly things, and all the labour and endeavours of men about them; He proves all things to be vaine from their tranſitorineſſe, becauſe they have all but their time, and then paſſe away, and ſo there is a continual viciſſitude and change of things, and that by the ſure and unchangeable decree of God: as is ſhowne in the following inſtances, that muſt needs be vain, that is born and preſently dyeth, that is planted, and is eft ſoone plucked up againe, &c. And then he proves the vanity of all mens endeavours about theſe things, from the abſolute uncertainty of future events, which do wholly depend upon the predeterminate counſel and decree of God, and not at all on the purpoſes and endeavours of men. 2. To preſſe upon men from hence that counſel formerly given Chap. 2.24. of enjoying freely and contentedly what God hath allotted to men for their portion in theſe outward things, and not to vex themſelves with ſollicitous and anxious cares, hopes, feares, deſignes and endeavours about future events, nor to be diſquieted with any thing that befalls them, and that becauſe, if God have fore-appointed all things that come to paſſe in their ſeveral times and ſeaſons, and conſequently all the changes and viciſſitude of things that are in the world, as it were a folly and madneſſe in men, any way to afflict themſelves about things to come, which muſt be as God hath determined, and it is not in their power to prevent or alter it, ſo likewiſe it muſt needs be a vaine thing to be troubled when things come not to paſſe according to their deſires and endeavours, ſeeing they may be ſure that all things are as God hath appointed; That which men have to do is in all their wayes to ſeek for counſel and direction from God, and then having uſed all lawful meanes for the effecting of what they deſire, to referre the event to Gods providence, and thereon quietly to waite and depend, and then to ſubmit their wills to Gods, and to be content with whatſoever he ſhall be pleaſed to doe. And 3. To warne men, even whilſt they doe comfortably enjoy their preſent bleſſings, not to ſet their hearts too much upon them, nor to promiſe themſelves much content in them, or that they ſhall alwayes enjoy them; and that becauſe they are variable and ſubject to variety of changes and uncertainties, and ſo may be gone in an inſtant, yea that which is quite contrary may come in the roome of them. However evident it is, that Solomon doth not ſpeake here of what may lawfully be done, ſo it be done in a fit ſeaſon, as ſome Expoſitors would have it, (for how could this tend to prove the vanity or unprofitableneſſe of mens labours about the creatures?) but only teacheth us, that all things, and all the changes of things that are in the world, are ordered in their ſeveral times by the all-ruling providence of God, yea not only the lawfull and ſerious actions of men, but even their ſinnes, and thoſe things they doe which have moſt lightneſſe and vanity in them, as may be ſeene in the following particulars.
Verſ. 2. A time to be borne, and a time to dye, &c.] To wit, When men dye according to Gods appointment by a natural death, thorough ſickneſſe, or old age, &c. (for of dying by a way of violence Solomon ſpeaks in the following verſe.) Here he undertakes to prove the fore-going general Propoſition concerning Gods fore-appointing all the ſeveral changes and viciſſitudes that are in the world by an Induction of many particulars in fourteen paire of contraries. And obſervable it is, that whereas in ſome of theſe he ſets that which is deſireable and delightful in the firſt place, and that which is grievous and ſad in the laſt, and ſo on the contrary in others of them he begins with that which is ſad and irkſome, and ends with that which is delightful and pleaſing; this may be to intimate the Lords different dealing with men, to wit, that ſometimes he gives them their ſweet, their good dayes firſt, and afterwards their dayes of ſorrow and afflictions, and that ſometimes on the contrary he gives them their ſowre, their dayes of adverſity firſt, and afterwards their ſweet, their dayes of proſperity.
Verſ. 3. A time to kill, and time to heale, &c.] That is, There is a time when according to the ordering of divine Providence men are ſlaine, ſometimes by the ſword of juſtice, or warre, or private revenge, and ſometimes by caſual events, ſee Exod. 25.13. and that ſometimes too when the wounds at firſt ſeemed not mortal, (for even evil and caſual actions of men are directed by God;) and there is a time againe when though men be wounded never ſo dangerouſly, yet their wounds ſhall be healed.
Verſ. 4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance,] That is, God ſometimes gives men occaſions of ſorrow, yea of bitter lamention; and ſometimes againe of joy, yea of leaping and dancing, and of great triumphing; ſee 2 Sam. 6.14. & Act. 3.8.
Verſ. 5. A time to caſt away ſtones, and a time to gather ſtones together, &c.] This may be meant of men caſting away ſtones out of their paſtures and other grounds, and of gathering them together againe for building; or of pulling down fences of ſtones, houſes, or fortreſſes, and building them up againe; all theſe things being ordered by the providence of God. And ſo likewiſe the next clauſe, A time to embrace, and a time to refraine from (or, as it is in the Hebrew, to be far from) embracing, may be meant of making up or breaking off marriages, or of the different ſeaſons that God ſends, to wit, ſuch wherein married perſons and other deare friends may mutually rejoyce together, and embrace one another; and others againe when through alienation of affection, ſickneſſe, or other great ſorrowes men are farre from embracing: See 1 Cor. 7.5. & Joel 2.16.
Verſ. 6. A time to keep, and a time to caſt away.] To wit, either through neceſſity, as when men in a ſtorme caſt their goods overboard to ſave their lives; ſee Jon. 1.5. or out of voluntary choice, as when men do chearfully and bountifully give what they have for the reliefe of the poore: ſee Pſal 112.9. & Eccleſ. 11.2. or when men doe readily abandon any thing they enjoy, rather then not keep faith and a good conſcience: ſee Heb. 10.34.
Verſ. 7. A time to rent, and a time to ſew, &c.] This may be underſtood as ſpoken figuratively of the Rents and Diviſions that are often made in Kingdoms, States and Churches, and of making up ſuch breaches againe, or of rending men from the Church by Eccleſiaſtical cenſures, and of reuniting them to the Church againe. But I rather take it to be meant, of mens rending their garments in times of great ſorrow, (for which ſee the Note, Gen. 37.29.) and ſo of mending thoſe garments againe. And that the rather, becauſe the following clauſe, A time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeake, may very probably be taken in the ſame ſenſe, becauſe in times of joy men are wont to uſe great freedome of ſpeech, and in times of great ſorrow to keep ſilence, according to thoſe paſſages, Lam. 2.10. The Elders of the daughter of Zion ſit upon the ground, and keep ſilence; and Amos 5.13. Therefore the prudent ſhall keep ſilence in that time; for it is an evil time; See the Note alſo, Job 2.13.
Verſ. 8. A time to love, and a time to hate.] That is, A time to manifeſt our love and charity to men, and a time to doe thoſe things that proceed from the juſt hatred of ſin and wickedneſſe: ſee the Note, Pſal. 139.21. Or rather; A time wherein God doth thoſe things, which cauſe and encreaſe love and friendſhip amongſt men, and a time wherein thoſe things are done which occaſion great variance and hatred amongſt men.
Verſ. 9. What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth?] See the Note, Chap. 1.3. It is as if he had ſaid, Seeing when men have done what they can, all things muſt depend upon the determinate counſel of God, and therefore they cannot help or hinder the vanity and volubility that is in the things of this world, nor work out any happineſſe to themſelves therein, therefore all anxious cares about theſe things are to no purpoſe, they may keep men from reaping any comfort in thoſe things God hath beſtowed upon them, but they can never fruſtrate what God hath determined; and therefore they may endeavour that, which they ſhall never be able to effect, and ſeek after thoſe things which they ſhall never come to enjoy, or which, if they doe come to enjoy them, they ſhall quickly leave to others.
Verſ. 10. I have ſeen the travel, which God hath given to the ſonnes of men to be exerciſed in it.] Some would have this to be underſtood meerly of the labour of ſeeking the knowledge of all things, as before, Chap. 1.13. where we have in a manner the ſame words; for which ſee the Note in that place. But doubtleſſe that which Solomon ſaith here, is rather meant of the various and contrary imployments, paſſions and events that are in the world. Whereas it might be thought, that it is meerly caſual that things doe thus come to paſſe, Solomon here aſſures us, that all theſe things are of God, it is God that hath given this travel unto men, to wit, of being imployed in different and contrary works and imployments, and that with different and contrary events, according as he hath fore-decreed: And whereas againe it might be thought, that if all labour be unprofitable, and that becauſe let men doe what they will, they ſhall be able to effect nothing, but according to what God hath foredetermined, then men had as good ſit ſtill and doe nothing, as to labour and travel to no purpoſe: to this likewiſe Solomon anſwers, that Gods will is, that men ſhould uſe all lawful endeavours in all things they deſire to accompliſh, (though Gods providence ſhould work contrary to mens endeavours, yet man in obedience to Gods command muſt doe what belongs to him to doe) to be exerciſed in it, that is, that they may be exerciſed thereby, and kept from idleneſſe and pride, &c. and all the evil effects thereof; or that they may imploy themſelves in obſerving the providence of God in that variety of changes that is in all worldly things.
Verſ. 11. He hath made every thing beautifull in his time, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Though in regard of the great uncertainty of all humane endeavours, and the various and contrary events of things, there may ſeeme to be a great deale of diſorder and confuſion in thoſe things that are done in the world, at which men are apt to ſtumble and take offence, yet this is becauſe we are ignorant of the ends that God propounds to himſelfe, and are not able to put together all the pieces of his Providence, nor to foreſee the effects that he will at laſt produce, and ſo cannot comprehend the wiſe contrivances of all his works; for the truth is, that if we once diſcover Gods ends, and how he brings about that which he determined, whether in regard of judgements that he executeth upon wicked men, or the tryal that he makes of the faith and patience of his people, or other ſuch like holy deſignes, we ſhall find that every thing, even theſe things that ſeeme ſo full of confuſion, are in their ſeaſon admirably beautiful and done in the moſt exact and comely order; and that as in the firſt Creation there was nothing that God made that was not very good, Gen 1.31. ſo in the works of his providence in governing the world, there is nothing that God doth, but it is exceeding beautiful in its ſeaſon. Though things ſeeme to happen never ſ… unexpectedly, and croſſely, yet when the Lord hath performed his whole work as the Prophet ſpeaketh, Iſa. 10.12. and that we come to compare one thing with another, we ſhall find that God hath ordered all things for the beſt, even to admiration. As the beauty of pictures and curious hangings, and ſo likewiſe of the bodies of men a…iſeth from the orderly mixing of divers and contrary colours, ſo doth the beauty of Gods works of providence ariſe from his wiſe cauſing even of croſſe and contrary events to work together for the glory of his name, and for the good of his choſen people. Now the drift of Solomons aſſerting this here, is not only to juſtifie God, by ſhewing that if there be any vanity and confuſion in the things that are done in the world, the fault is not in the providence of God, but eſpecially alſo to make it cleare that there is reaſon why men ſhould be quiet and contented with their ſtate and condition, whatever it is that befalls them, becauſe all circumſtances duely conſidered, nothing can be better then as God orders it? Though men have ſometimes occaſion of joy, and ſometimes of ſorrow, theſe are as neceſſary and as comely in their ſeaſon, as cold and froſt is in the winter, and heate and flowers and fruits are in the ſummer, God ſtill allowing men to conforme themſelves to the various motions of his providence, ſo they be kept within the bounds of moderation; As for the following words, Alſo he hath ſet the world in their hearts, &c. By Gods ſetting the world in their hearts may be meant, either 1. that God hath implanted in the hearts of men a deſire to delight themſelves with the enjoying and uſing of the things of this world; or 2. that God hath ſo clearely revealed, both in his works of creation and providence, his wiſe and beautiful ordering of them all, and hath withall wrought in the hearts of men ſuch an earneſt deſire, and ſo much ability withall thorough the natural light, reaſon, and knowledge that he hath given them, to ſearch out the wiſdome of God therein, and the beauty that is in his government of the world, that if men would ſet themſelves to the exact obſervation of things, they might in a great meaſure diſcover the wiſe and beautifull contrivance of them. And ſo accordingly for the laſt words; So that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end; the meaning may be, either that man cannot find out all that God doth, there being many things, which God reſerves as ſecrets to himſelfe, and which are above the reach of mans underſtanding, or that man cannot perfectly and thoroughly underſtand any work of God, ſo that nothing from the beginning to the end of it ſhould be concealed from him, or that many things they can never ſearch out ſo long as they live. Laying therefore both theſe laſt clauſes thus underſtood together, Alſo he hath ſet the world in their hearts, ſo that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. The drift of Solomon therein muſt needs be, either to ſhew that men might diſcover ſo much of the beauty of Gods works of providence in the governing of the world, though ſome things indeed they cannot comprehend, that they might thereby be brought with quiet and chearfull hearts to reſt in the Lords ſo wiſe diſpoſing of things, without that anxiety and diſcruciating care, wherewith men doe uſually afflict themſelves; or elſe rather to ſhew the reaſon why men are not contented, and patient and chearfull in all conditions, though all things that God doth are ſo beautifull in their time, to wit, either becauſe men are naturally ſo taken up with the deſires, and thoughts, and cares of worldly things, and are ſo exerciſed with the ſore travell belonging thereto, that they ſeldome or never mind the Lords wiſe diſpoſing of things, ſo as thereby to quiet their hearts, or elſe becauſe men are not able fully to comprehend the wiſdome of God in his works: Though God hath given men an earneſt deſire to know them, and good meaſure of underſtanding whereby to ſearch into them, yet many times they cannot find out the end which God intends, it may not be accompliſhed in their daies, neither can they behold the whole frame of things together; and ſo the beauty of Gods works proves to them unſearchable and paſt finding out.
Verſ. 12. I know that there is no good in them, &c.] That is, I know by proof and experience, that there is no good in or for men, or that there is no good in the creatures; but for a man to rejoyce, that is, to live chearfully and contentedly in every eſtate wherein God is pleaſed to diſpoſe of him: See the Note, chap. 2.24. and to do good in his life, that is, to live piouſly and righteouſly, according to that, Pſal. 34.14. Depart from evil and do good; (and indeed ſuch as do ſo may well rejoyce, though the things that befall them ſeem never ſo croſſe and contrary) Or, to be beneficial to others, and to relieve others, as good men ought to do in the times of their rejoycing, Neh 8.10, 12. Or, to do good to himſelf by a chearfull enjoying the good bleſſings which God hath allotted him for his portion, according to that, Pſal. 49.18. And men will praiſe thee, when thou doeſt well to thy ſelf. It is in a word, as if Solomon had ſaid, Since things by Gods determinate councel are thus liable to unavoidable changes, and yet all things are moſt ſweetly ordered by God, the beſt way for men is reſting upon Gods providence, to live comfortably in every eſtate; or thus, Though men cannot know the counſel of God, yet this to be ſure I know is unqueſtionable, that the only way for men is without anxious cares, to live comfortably in their preſent condition, and to leave all care about future events to Gods diſpoſing.
Verſ. 13. And alſo that every man ſhould eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.] See the Note again, chap. 2.24. As God giveth the bleſſings themſelves, ſo alſo the power to uſe them; neither can any man merit either the one or the other at Gods hands.
Verſ. 14. I know that whatſoever God doth it ſhall be for ever, nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it, &c.] That is, Gods decrees, and works of providence are all certain, and unchangeable and perfect: It is as if he had ſaid, Though mens affections are mutable and changeable, and ſo are their works, now they love, and by and by they hate, they build and pull down, &c. yet ſtill Gods counſel is accompilſhed, and there is no reſiſting of what he pleaſeth to do: Or, though we cannot comprehend all the works of God, and the changes that are in the world may ſeem to imply ſome imperfection in the providence of God; yet to be ſure, as whatever God hath decreed and wils to be done, is alwaies done, and that exactly in regard of every circumſtance, as he hath appointed it, men cannot in the leaſt hinder what he will have done; ſo alſo whatever God doth is perfect, there is nothing can be added that is defective, nor is there any thing ſuperfluous that may be taken away; God ordereth all things for the beſt, both for the good of the righteous, and the puniſhment of the wicked; neither can any thing be better then as God doth it. And the drift of this is again from this inevitable courſe of Gods providence, to perſwade men to be content with whatever God doth, and with chearfulneſſe to enjoy that which God allots them for their portion. As for the laſt clauſe, And God doth it that men ſhould fear before him, therein Solomon ſheweth what Gods end is in diſpoſing all things that concern the children of men, by his own unreſiſtable providence, according to his eternal unchangeable decrees (which doth further alſo diſcover the perfection thereof) namely, that men ſhould fear before him, that is, that men conſidering that all things are ſwayed by the over-ruling power and providence of God, and that they cannot know what will be, nor are able to do any thing of themſelves, they might be brought hereby to ſtand in awe of God, and to be afraid to offend him; not to think to carry on any deſignments of theirs proudly and preſumptuouſly by their own wiſdom and power, wherein they ſee men uſually croſſed, nor yet to grow idle in the neglect of means, which God hath appointed men to uſe, and wherein he doth uſually bleſſe mens endeavours; but to do what God hath appointed herein to be done, and then to fly to God by prayer, as depending wholly upon him, and afterwards quietly to ſubmit to God in all events whatſoever, being patient in adverſity, as ſubmitting to Gods will, and thankfull in proſperity, as acknowledging his bounty in all the good that befals them. This is not indeed the uſe which men are wont to make of Gods unchangeable and irreſiſtable providence; for they quite contrary are wont to argue, If all muſt be as God hath decreed, and ſo all ſhall be ſurely beautifull in its ſeaſon, what need we then care how we live, or what we do? But herein men pervert this truth concerning Gods providence, which tends in its own nature, and according to Gods intention, to teach men to fear the Almighty and all over-ruling power of God.
Verſ. 15. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be, hath already been, &c.] See the Note, ch. 1.9. This is added here by way of explaining that which was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that whatſoever God doth, it ſhall be for ever; for to this end he ſheweth, that in all ages paſt, preſent, & to come, he hath and will ſtill carry on all the affairs of men with great ſtability, and correſpondency, and ſutableneſſe one to another; he hath not of late begun to obſerve that courſe in the governing the world, which he obſerves for the preſent; nor will he deal with future ages otherwiſe then he hath dealt with thoſe that are paſt, and that which is at preſent. And this implies, 1. That in all ages all things are conſtantly done according to Gods decree. 2. That there is no withſtanding or altering in the leaſt that which God hath decreed: and 3. That all things are done ſucceſſively, according to what hath been done in former times, even from the beginning. As in Gods diſpoſing of all other creatures, the revolutions of the heavens, the changes of the winds, &c. all things are carried on in the ſame courſe and order; they have in all ages the ſame courſes and recourſes, ſo God hath provided in his wiſe adminiſtration of humane affairs, that the ſame things that have formerly been ſhould return again, and ſo according to the inſtability & change of times, there ſhould be ſtill the ſame revolution of things in their ſeveral circuits and ſeaſons. And God requireth that which is paſt; that is, This tenour and manner of his unchangeable providence God alwaies obſerveth, he reſtoreth and brings back again that which hath formerly been; thoſe things that paſſe away, and are as it were thruſt forward ſucceſſively the one by the other (for it is in the Hebrew, and God requireth that which is driven away) do often come to paſſe again & again in after times. And this likewiſe is alleadged to perſwade men to be contented with that which God allots for their portion, whatever it is: and that becauſe it implyeth, 1. That God deals no otherwiſe with us then he hath dealt with others in former daies, and that which is our condition for the preſent, will be the condition of others when we are dead & laid in our graves. 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, ſaith the Apoſtle, but ſuch as is common to man. And 2. That God doth not alwaies keep men in the ſame eſtate, but doth uſually give them a mixture of adverſity and proſperity: After ſad times of affliction and ſorrow, he many times reſtores comforts again to them and to their mourners. And on the other ſide, when men have been raiſed from a low condition, and have lived a time in ſo great proſperity, as if there were then no fear of a change, he hath often brought back their ſorrows again: All which ſhould teach men to walk humbly with God, to fear him, and quietly to ſubmit to his fatherly providence in all things that befall them.
Verſ. 16. And moreover, I ſaw under the Sun, the place of judgement, that wickedneſſe was there, &c.] This Solomon mentions as another vanity, further thereby to prove that happineſſe and true contentment is not to be found in any condition here below. Having hitherto ſhown the vanity of ſeeking happineſſe and full content, either in knowledge, or in worldly pleaſures and delights, here he adds, I ſay, another vanity, and that is the injuſtice and oppreſſion which was uſually found in places of Magiſtracy, and Courts of Juſtice, and that not only in the land of Iſrael, but all the world over. As for the order of Solomons proceeding in this place, ſome conceive, that intending now to fall upon many particular paſſages in the lives of men, whereby it may be evidently ſeen how impoſſible it is to find full ſatisfaction in any condition here below; he begins firſt in this place with the hard and unjuſt dealing that men uſually meet even in Courts of Juſtice, which ſhould be a means of refuge for thoſe that are wronged. And again others conceive that here he enters upon another general Head, to wit, the vanity of Honours; undertaking to ſhew that theſe are ſo farre from making men happy, that it proves, through the corruption of men, an occaſion of much wickedneſſe, and conſequently of much miſery, both to themſelves and others. But however, the dependance of this upon that which went before, ſeems to be thus: Having ſhewn in the foregoing verſes, that the only way to enjoy content here in this world, was to depend upon Gods providence in all things whatſoever, and ſo enjoy comfortably what God allots for their portion; whereas it might be objected, that there ſeems to be no ſuch providence, becauſe the wicked in power do uſually at their pleaſure oppreſſe the righteous, he prevents here this objection, by ſhewing, that though this be indeed a vanity whereto men are ſubject, yet even in theſe things there is an over-ruling hand of divine providence, as appears more clearly in the following verſe.
Verſ. 17. I ſaid in mine heart, God ſhall judge the righteous and the wicked, &c.] This is the cenſure which Solomon paſſeth on that vanity of oppreſſion that is amongſt thoſe that are in place of power, mentioned in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that God will one day judge both good and bad, the oppreſſor and the oppreſſed moſt righteouſly; and that therefore the righteous ſhould not be diſcouraged, but patiently wait upon Gods providence, nor ſhould wicked men embolden themſelves in their tyranny and oppreſſion, but think before-hand of the judgement that will be hereafter: for there is a time there, that is, with God, in the judgement to come; or, before Gods judgement ſeat, for every purpoſe, and for every work, that is, for every thing men have done, or have deſigned or intended to do; every thing ſhall then and there be diſcovered and judged, and receive its due recompence. It is as if he had ſaid, As there is a time here, when men doe what they liſt themſelves, ſo there will be a time hereafter, when God will judge men for all they have done; Or, Though here Magiſtrates neglect to doe juſtice, yet there every good and evill action of men ſhall by the Lord be juſtly judged. But though this be meant chiefely of the day of the generall Judgement; (as indeed the confuſion of things here, a cleare proofe that there will be a day of Judgement hereafter) yet I conceive even Gods cutting wicked men off here is alſo included, to wit, that God hath appointed a time, when ſuch men having filled up the meaſure of their wickedneſſe, ſhall receive their juſt reward from God.
Verſ. 18. I ſaid in mine heart, concerning the eſtate of the ſonnes of men, &c.] That is, Concerning the order of men, the diſtinction of the ſeveral ranks and degrees of ſuperiors and inferiors; or, Concerning the condition and manner of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might ſee that they themſelves are beaſts; As if he had ſaid, I concluded with my ſelfe, that God ſuffers that oppreſſion in ſeats of Juſtice, mentioned before, ver. 16. that hereby it might evidently appeare, that men in their natural condition are no better then beaſts, namely, in that they tear and devoure one another, and never mind any future eſtate; Or rather thus, I thought with my ſelfe, that however men in power doe not, and indeed cannot, ſeriouſly conſider the frailty of their condition, but are as Gods in their own eyes, and do cauſe men to humble themſelves before them, as if they were more then men, yet God can by his word or judgements make it manifeſt to them, that they are, as to their outward eſtate, no better then beaſts; Or, God will certainly judge them, as is ſaid in the foregoing verſe, to the end he might make it manifeſt, and cauſe them to ſee, that they are but beaſts, as in regard of their bruitiſh and beaſtly lives, and their ſenſual minding of earthly things, ſo alſo in regard of their mortality. But now ſome read this laſt clauſe thus, That they might cleare God, and ſee that they themſelves are beaſts, and then the meaning muſt be, that when God judgeth wicked men, they might by the light of nature ſee, that in regard of the bruitiſhneſſe of their lives they are no better then beaſts, and ſo might juſtifie God in his proceedings againſt them.
Verſ. 19. For that which befalleth the ſonnes of men, befalleth beaſts, even one thing befalleth them, &c.] To wit, hunger, thirſt, cold, diſeaſes, the ſame outward caſualties, and at laſt death; As the one dieth, ſo dieth the other, that is, they are both ſure to dye, and in outward regards after the ſame manner; death is terrible and painfull to both; neither of them know the houre of death, nor what will be outwardly after death; Yea, they have all one breath; to wit, in that they breath the ſame ayre, which is drawne in and breathed out by the ſame vital organs, the breath both of man and beaſt is in their noſtrils, ſo that a man hath no preeminence above a beaſt, to wit, in outward reſpects; men are taken away from all that is in the world, even the greateſt of men, as well as beaſts, ſo that in regard of their outward eſtate they have no preeminence; yea in many outward things there are ſome beaſts excell men, as in the quickneſſe of their ſenſes, their ſtrength and agility, &c. for all is vanity, that is, fading …nd nothing, even man as well as beaſts; and therefore there is no happineſſe to be found here below.
Verſ. 21. Who knoweth the ſpirit of a man that g…eth upward, &c.] To wit, to God above, to be judged by him, Chap. 12.7. or that abideth after death, and is immortal, and capable of being taken up to live for ever with God in heaven; and the ſpirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? that is, that falleth and dyeth and periſheth with the body? It is as if he had ſaid, It will be objected, and it is indeed true, that whereas the ſoule of the beaſt periſheth, the ſoules of men are immortal, and may come to enjoy eternal happineſſe in heaven, which the ſoule of the beaſt is no way capable of; But who knoweth this? that is, How few are there that doe ſeriouſly conſider or acknowledge this? Men ſeek to maintaine this life, and follow their ſenſual appetites, as the beaſt doth, but their precious ſoules they generally neglect▪ Or rather; No man can know this by any natural inquiſition, or by arguing from the outward events that befall men and beaſts: Or, No man can know it by any ſenſual experimental knowledge; whoever ſaw the aſcent of the one, or the deſcent of the other?
Verſ. 22. Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better, then that a man ſhould rejoyce in his own works, &c.] That is, in thoſe things which a man hath gotten by his labour: He concludes againe as he had done before, that ſince for outward things there was ſo little difference betwixt the condition of a man and a beaſt, therefore the beſt way was for a man to rejoyce in his own works. See the Notes above, ver. 12, 13. & Chap. 2.24. For that is his portion; See the Note, Chap. 2.10. For who ſhall bring him to ſee what ſhall be after him? That is, who can make him to underſtand what ſhall be done here in this world when he is dead? If a man hoard up what he hath, it will be for others, he ſhall have no benefit by it; neither can he know who ſhall have it, or what uſe ſhall be made of it.