Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 · Verse 24, 25
Verſe 24. There in nothing better for a man then that he ſhould eat and drink, and that he ſhould make his ſoul injoy good in his Labour. This alſo I ſaw, that it was from the hand of God.
25. For who can eat? or who elſe can haſten hereunto more then I?
LEaſt the Preachers former Doctrine concerning the Vanity of things Earthly in order to the ſatisfying of a mans Soul, might be miſtaken, as if the intent thereof were to deprive men of the comfortable uſe of Gods good Creatures, before he proſecute it further he doth here open up a little, the nature of that wherein true Happineſs doth conſiſt, which he doth more fully clear afterward: And ſo in few words clearly determines what is that good for the Sons of Men in this Life, which he ſaid he was ſo inquiſitive about, in the third verſe of this chapter. And this he doth in ſuch a way, as may be moſt prevalent with men raviſhed with earthly delights: And for this end he doth Firſt ſhow, that that Happineſs which is attainable in this World, conſiſts in the conjunction of theſe two. The 1. relating to the outward man, is the Holy, Sober, and Cheerful uſe of all lawful creature Comforts, which the Scripture comprehends under the Name of our daily Bread, and he calls Eating and Drinking; for, thus muſt the Eating and Drinking here commended be underſtood, and not of a mans giving up himſelf to the exceſſive uſe of ſenſual Delights, conſidering that Solomon hath ſo much condemned this before, as unworthy to be choſen for a mans portion, and that the ſame is altogether inconſiſtent with the good of the Soul. The 2. relating to the Inner-Man, to which the former muſt be ſubſervient is, that he make his Soul enjoy good, which muſt be underſtood of ſome good ſuteable, and ſatisfactory to the Soul, as no ſenſual Delight can be: And therefore it muſt be that ſweet Fellowſhip which reconciled Souls have with the Lord, while they walk in his Fear and Obedience, which he preſſes in the cloſe of this Book; and this is to be intended by man as the good of all his Labour, or pains he takes in this World, the end of his Eating, Drinking, and uſing all the lawful comforts of this life. Next, He doth confim that this Good conſiſts in the conjunction of theſe two, from his own certain knowledge and experience, he ſaw, viz. by the light of the Word, and the Spirit of God now preſent with him, and by his own obſervation, that all this, to wit, all lawful creature comforts, the power to make uſe of them, and find ſweetneſs in them, and eſpecially the Grace to uſe them ſo as the Souls good may be thereby promoved, All this was from the hand of God: whereby is meant his liberality inlarged toward man, in allowing theſe Comforts upon him, and his powerful Bleſſing cauſing him ſo to uſe them; ſee Pſal. 104.28. And Thirdly, to gain weight to his teſtimony concerning this matter, he ſhows he was inferior to none for plenty of creature Comforts, and opportunity to make uſe of them ſpeedily, without much labour to him; and therefore was to be believed in this, That Happineſs was not in the injoyment of outward Comforts alone, but only in ſuch a Holy and Chearful uſe of them, as might be ſubſervient to the Souls good, which conſiſts in Fellowſhip with the Lord.
Hence Learn 1. Though the publick Miniſters of Chriſt ought to deliver the whole Counſel of God to the People, as they have ability and opportunity, Act 20.20, 27. Yet is it Wiſdom in them while they have to do with theſe that are ſtrangers to Communion with the Lord, eſpecially ſuch of theſe as are raviſhed with Earthly Delights, to bring forth in the firſt place ſuch Truths as may probably be moſt taking, prevalent, and have beſt acceptance with them, ſuch as theſe are that do concern the Lords large allowance of as much comfort, even in outward things, as men can▪ in reaſon deſire: That Soul-raviſhing ſweetneſs is only to be found in Spiritual Exerciſes, which will make all ſinful Delights loathſome, and refine the lawful Sweetneſs that is in the Creatures; And ſo, that Religion is a friend both to the Bodies and Spirits of men: For, this is Solomon's method here, who without doubt, is directed to frame this Book mainly, for the convincing and gaining of Men, who are in the way that he himſelf was in, before his recovery from his defection. He doth not at the firſt deliver the …licteſt of theſe Precepts, which afterward he preſſeth in order to Happineſs; but ſpeaks as if he conceded much to men concerning the uſe of ſenſual Delights, only minding them of their Souls good which they could not in reaſon ſlight, while he ſaith, There is nothing better for a man, then that he ſhould Eat and Drink; and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour.
2. It is dangerous to leave men under Convictions of the evil of their Courſes, and Apprehenſions of certain miſery abiding them, except there be alſo ſome intimation of a probable way for them to be made Happy, and the ſame in ſome meaſure cleared up to them; leaſt they either return to their wonted ſinful Delights, as Iſrael would have gone back to Egypt, or choice to die in Deſpair, not daring to go back, and not knowing how to go forward. Therefore Solomon having ſpoken ſomewhat concerning the Inſufficiency of the moſt plauſible and promiſing courſes, which men deſtitute of the Lords Spirit can take for ſatisfaction, before he proceed further he inſerts here ſome diſcovery of true Happineſs, that men may have the clearer thoughts of it, while he ſaith, There is nothing better for a man then that he ſhould Eat and Drink, and make his Soul injoy good of his Labour.
3. As it is to be acknowledged for a great Bleſſing of God to have plenty of Creature Comforts, and withall Power to make uſe of them, and find Sweetneſs in them, and not to be hindered therein either by inward exerciſe of Spirit, Job 33.19.20. ſuch as the Lords withdrawing of his wonted comfortable Preſence, Pſal. 102.9. and 42.3. by outward Croſſes imbittering the Spirit, 1 Sam. 30.26.27. by exceſſive fears of outward Hazards, Pſal. 107.18. by groundleſs ſcruples of Conſcience, Act. 10.13.14. or by miſerable Sparingneſs, &c. So it is to be looked upon but as the ſmalleſt part of our Happineſs, and as no part of it at all, unleſs in the uſe of theſe things, the Soul be injoying good ſutable for it; for, as Solomon commends Eating and Drinking in the ſenſe formerly mentioned, ſo he doth not commend it alone, but as it uſhers in, and promoves ſome true good to be injoyed by the Soul of man, There is nothing better then that a man Eat and Drink, and make his Soul injoy Good.
4. Miniſters when they confute the abuſe of things Lawful, and the Exceſs of Mens Affection to them, ſhould withall aſſert and clear the lawful liberty of Chriſtians; leſt Hearers who are ready to run from one ſinful extream to another (from making proviſion for the Fleſh in the exceſs or pampering of it, to fulfill the Luſts thereof, unto a neglecting of the Body, to the prejudice of the Spirit) may apprehend Religion to be an Enemy to their Bodily Health, and to the true Cheerfulneſs of their Natural Spirit, contrary to Prov. 3.8. Or may be without ground challenged for taking what is the Lords Allowance to them: Thereforefore Solomon after he hath condemned the exceſs of ſenſual Delights, doth here commend the right uſe of them, which is conſiſtent with, and ſubſervient to the Souls injoying of its true good in Fellowſhip with the Lord. There is nothing better then that a man ſhould Eat and Drink and make his Soul injoy Good, &c.
5 The outmoſt of that Happineſs which is attainable in this Life by the Children of the Lord, wants not its own Imperfection, and mixture of Trouble and Toil with it: The Lord ſo diſpoſeth that men may long for that State where their Happineſs may be full, and unmixed. In Heaven there ſhall be no uſe of the Creatures for Eating, Drinking, and the like; Rev. 7.16. which take a great part of a mans time to provide, and uſe ſo frequently: But in this Life, There is no better of it than to be at the pains of Eating and Drinking, and that way to keep up our ſelves, that our Souls may injoy good of our Labour.
6. The right uſe of Creature Comforts, ſuch as Meat, Drink and the like, is not only conſiſtent with, but ſubſervient to the Souls injoying of that true Spiritual good, which is ſuitable to it, when we are by the uſe of theſe things, led to think upon and long for better, and when the ſtrength we receive thereby is imployed in the Praiſe and Service of the Lord; for this Eating and Drinking here commended; carries along with it and promoves, the Souls injoying of Good, and if man Eat and Drink, and neglect to make his Soul enjoy good; he is worſe than the Beaſts that periſh. There is nothing better then to Eat and Drink, and make the Soul injoy Good.
7. Though the Soul and the matters of it, ſhould be firſt, and principally cared for Mat. 6, 33. yet it is not the Lords mind, that our ſeeking the good of our Souls ſhould make us careleſs of our Bodies, but rather that we ſhould out of reſpect to our Souls, and the good thereof, reſpect the good of our Bodies in a Sober and Holy manner: So that to reſpect the Body and care for it, in reference to the Soul, that by the Body the Soul may be ſerved in ſerving its Creator: and not to neglect the Soul, or any Duty relating to the welfare thereof, for indulgence to the Body, is that golden path, wherein men may expect ſome meaſure of that Happineſs which the Lord allows upon his Children in this Life; for (ſaith he) There is nothing better then that a man ſhould Eat and Drink, and injoy good of his Labour.
8. Every expreſſion in the Scriptures, is not to be looked upon apart; but ſome are to be conſidered jointly with others, ſometimes with ſuch as go before, ſometimes with ſuch as follow after, elſe men will be in hazard to wreſt the Scripture to their own Deſtruction: For if we conſider the firſt expreſſion in this verſe, There is nothing better then that a man ſhould Eat and Drink, without conſidering what follows, it might ſeem to expreſs the Senſe and Mind of Epicures: But if we joyn it with the Expreſſion immediatly following of the Souls injoying good; then we come to underſtand the Eating and Drinking here commended to be ſuch as prejudge not the Spiritual and Eternal good of mens Souls, There is nothing better for a man, then to Eat and Drink, and make his Soul injoy good.
9. To have the outward Comforts of this Life, the Power to uſe them, and to find Sweetneſs in the uſe of them, and eſpecially the Grace to uſe them aright, ſo as the uſe of them may not hinder but promove the good of the Soul, all this is from the Liberality and Providence of a good God, and in it our Fathers allowance, our Redeemers purchaſe, and our Comforters preſence and teaching, are to be acknowledged; for, ſo ſaith Solomon here, that All is from the Hand of God, the Name God is in the plural number minding us of the three Perſons of the Bleſſed Trinity.
10. Whatever Miniſters ſay to the Lords People, they ſhould Labour to ſee it by the Light of the Word; and Spirit of God, and likewiſe by their own experience, whereby they put theſe Truths they deliver to the proof, and labour to find the Power of them upon their own Hearts, for (ſaith he) I ſaw that this was from the Hand of God.
11. Whereinſoever the Lord makes any of his Servants to excel for outward Injoyments or Priviledges, they ſhould Labour ſo to carry themſelves in the uſe thereof, that from their own experience, they may teach others how to uſe theſe outward Advantages for the Spiritual good of their Souls, conſidering that People who place their Happineſs in theſe things, are ready to think, that if men knew Experimentally the worth and ſweetneſs which they fancy to be in them, they would not ſo undervalue them: For, that Solomon may convince all, that their is no true Happineſs in the uſe of theſe things, except they be made ſubſervient to the Souls injoying of that true good, which is in Fellowſhip with God, he doth by this queſtion incite all to conſider, that he who aſſerts this Truth was inferior to none for plenty of outward Comforts, and conveniency of ſpeedy injoyment of them, while he ſaith, Who can Eat? or who can haſten thereunto more then I?