Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 18-20
Ver. 18. I ſaid in my heart concerning the estate of the ſones of men, that God might manifest them, and they might ſee that they themſelves are beasts.
19. For that which befalleth the ſones of men, befalleth beasts, even one thing befalleth them: as the one dyeth, ſo dyeth the other, yea, they have all one breath, ſo that a man hath no preeminency above a beast; for all is vanity.
20. All go unto one place, all are of the duſt, and all turn to dust again.
THat men in Eminency abuſing their power, may be humbled and reclaimed from their ſinful courſe, and the hearts of the Godly guarded againſt the Temptations ariſing from their diſcerning of the perverting of Juſtice, and oppreſſion of Innocents, Solomon holds out a further conſideration the Thirteenth in number, concerning Gods purpoſe in diſpoſing ſo, that ſuch men ſhould come up to places of power and truſt in the World, I ſaid in my heart &c, while he was meditating upon the State, or (as the Word ſignifies) the Order which God hath eſtabliſhed among men, ſetting ſome upon Judgment ſeats to paſs Sentence upon others; And how they did abuſe the ſame by their Injuſtice, and how others that complained to them of oppreſſion were oppreſt by them, he came at laſt to conſider Gods holy purpoſe in this Diſpenſation, expreſſed in two Branches, One is That God might manifest them, that is, that He might make known to Onlookers, how perverſe Men are, when they have opportunity by being in Eminency and power over others, to ſhow what is in them; The other is, That they themſelves might ſee that they are Beaſts In ſo far as they reſemble the Beaſts in their diſpoſition and carriage, eſpecially in their preying one upon another by their Injuſtice, and ſeeking Happineſs in their earthly and ſenſual delights; And becauſe this Holy Man, having this Holy Purpoſe of God, manifeſted to him, could not but go along with with it in his deſires, therefore this, that he ſaid in his heart concerning the state of the ſones of men that God might manifeſt them. &c. May be taken for his hearty wiſh or Prayer, to this purpoſe, O that God might manifeſt them! and that they might ſee themſelves to be but Beaſts! And ſo it is clear that this ſerves both to humble ſuch men and reclaim them from their way. And to quiet the hearts of the Godly who are oppreſt by them, conſidering how baſe and beaſtly they are for all their Eminency, and that it is Gods purpoſe to manifeſt them to be ſuch. Ver. 18.
And next he holds forth ſuch Reaſons as are moſt effectual to convince them, of their brutiſhneſs; to wit, that they as well as the Beaſts, are ſubject to many accidents, or (as the Word tranſlated Befalleth ſignifies) Occurrences of Providence, interrupting them in their injoyment of theſe earthly delights, wherein they place their Happineſs; And particularly that they are both alike ſubject to death, man having one and the ſame vital breath, or Animal Spirit, with the Beaſt, and being as eaſily cut off as the Beaſt, ſo that in theſe things men have no preeminency above the Beaſt, though in reſpect of their rational and immortal Souls, and their condition after death, whereof he ſpeaks afterward, there be a vaſt difference.
Thirdly, He confirms this proof, by a general aſſertion, concerning the Vanity or emptineſs and inſufficieency of all created things, for bringing True contentment, or Happineſs to Man, and therefore it is a brutiſh thing for Men that have immortal Souls to ſeek their Happineſs in Worldly greatneſs eſpecially upheld by Oppreſſion and Injuſtice. Ver. 19.
And Fourthly he doth further inlarge, and illuſtrate the reſemblance betwixt them and the Beaſts, by this, that they are all in a motion toward the ſame place, to wit Corruption, or the ſtate of the dead, and that becauſe Man is of the ſame Original or mettal, with the Beaſt, as to his earthly or material Part his Body. And ſo muſt be diſſolved as the Beaſt into the duſt again Ver. 20.
Hence Learn. 1. This is one of the Holy Deſignes of God in permitting Wicked men to have that power and theſe places of truſt in the World, which they abuſe by oppreſſion, and Injuſtice, that they may manifeſt that Wickedneſs which was before latent in them, hid from the World, and themſelves alſo, while they had not ſuch opportunity and Temptations to vent it. 2 King. 8.13. The conſideration whereof may abate Mens Ambitious Deſires, after Worldly Eminency and greatneſs; for while they are receiving the ſame, they are but aſcending the Stage, whereupon men do ordinarily act, in the view of others and proclaim to the World their own folly and perverſneſs; And likewiſe it ſhould make Men in the firſt place Study the mortification of theſe Evils, which great places often diſcover, to the diſgrace and ruine of the Perſons advanced to them; For upon this Solomon ſaith he did meditate as Gods purpoſe and deſign in permitting that which he obſerved in the former verſe. I ſaid in mine heart concerning the eſtate of the ſons of men, that God might manifeſt them, that is, that it was his purpoſe to let them ſhow what they were.
2. That which ſhould mainly take up the hearts of the Lords People, while they conſider His Diſpenſation of ſuffering Wicked Men to have power and Authority, and Innocency to be oppreſt, and Juſtice perverted by them, is, the Lords intention and purpoſe therein, ſo far as by the light of His Word and Spirit they may attain to the knowledge of it: This when it is ſeen being able to quiet their hearts ſeeing all His purpoſes are to bring Glory to himſelf Prov. 16.4. And good to His Own at laſt Pſal. 25.10. For upon this deſign of God in ſuffering men to ſit in Judgment ſeats, who act unjuſtly there, is Solomons meditation Exerciſed, and therewith alſo is his heart quieted. I ſaid in my heart concerning the estate of the ſones of men, that God manifest them.
3. Though the Wickedneſs of Men, eſpecially Men in place and power, ought to be grievous to the Godly, as it is the Lords publick Diſhonour, Pſal. 119 158. Yet the manifeſtation of their Wickedneſs, and Injuſtice, as it is ordered and made uſe of by His holy Providence, to make them more hateful, and to undeceive others who have been enſnared by them, and may poſſibly tend to make them vile to themſelves and aſhamed of their evil ways, it ought to be a comfort to the Godly againſt their own particular ſufferings from them; For the conſideration of this, That the Lords deſign in ſuffering ſuch men to have power, who do abuſe it, is to manifeſt their Brutiſhneſs to the World and themſelves, is here held forth as comfortable to the oppreſt Godly, I ſaid in my heart concerning the eſtate of the ſons of men, that God might manifeſt them &c.
4. However Wicked Men in Eminency are apt to Deifie themſelves Dan. 6.9. And people alſo are ready to applaud them in ſo doing Ast. 12.22. yet while they abuſe their power and Authority for promoting of Wickedneſs, and bearing down of Piety, and Equity, they prove themſelves to be Brutiſh, ſeeing they ſeek no higher Happineſs than in things wherein Beaſts take pleaſure 2 Pet. 2.12. they wax wanton, and inſolent againſt God by their Proſperity, as the Beaſt fed upon a fat Paſture; Deut. 32.15. and employ their power to oppreſs the innocent and weak, as the Beaſts do Ezek. 34 20, 21. And ſo by all their pleaſures and proſperity, are but fatted for the day of ſlaughter Prov. 7.22. For it is here implyed, that if they Judged aright. they would eſteem themſelves no better, ſeeing it is the Lords mind To manifeſt them, And that they might ſee themſelves to be but Beasts.
5. Wicked men by Reaſon of their blindneſs, ſelf love, and prejudice at the truth of God do not ordinarily ſee the brutiſhneſs of their own diſpoſition, and baſeneſs of their way, till they be left of God to manifeſt to the World the latent Wickedneſs that is in their hearts: For this ſecond Branch of this Lords deſign in ſuffering Wicked Men to have power who abuſe it, may be looked on as promoved by the firſt, They are by providence brought to Eminency, that they may be manifeſted to others, And this is done that they themſelves might ſee that they are Beaſts,
6. Wicked Men may ſee that, in the Diſpenſations of God even theſe that are moſt grievous to them may contribute much for their good, if they make a right uſe thereof: For while he is manifeſting them to the World, they ought to think that it is done, that they may ſee themſelves to be Beasts, and ſo may loath themſelves, and thank him that they are not deſtroyed but preſerved that they may ſeek Mercy, and a change of their nature.
7. What ever is diſcovered to be the Lords intention and aim in His Diſpenſations, His people ought to concurr therewith, by their ſerious deſires, and wiſhes that it may be brought about, thereby teſtifying their approbation of His purpoſe, as Holy and Good; For this may be alſo taken for Solomons hearty Wiſh, and the worſt he deſired to befall theſe Wicked men, That God might manifeſt them, and they might ſee themſelves to be Beaſts.
8. The conſideration of thoſe many Reſemblances that are between Man and the Beaſt, As 1. That many Events, or or occurrences depriving them equally of the ſatisfaction and pleaſure they take in ſenſual delights, are common to both. 2. That Death is alike certain to both. 3. That the breath, or natural Life of both, is alike eaſily cut off: And that in all theſe and the like reſpects, Man hath no preeminency above the Beaſts; The conſideration of theſe I ſay ſhould in Reaſon powerfully convince Men of their Brutiſhneſs in ſeeking Happineſs in ſuch things, as are in ſome ſort common to them with Beaſts, ſuch as, The bearing down of others inferior to them, The ſatisfying of their ſenſual appitite, and the like: For, theſe Reſemblances are here reckoned out by Solomon, as ſo many Arguments to convince Man of his Brutiſhneſs, in thinking himſelf Happy for his power and place in the World, without fellowſhip with God, and living in his fear and Obedience, For that which befalleth the ſons of men befalleth the Beasts &c.
9. They that would deal effectually for convincing ſinners of the evil of their way, would make uſe of ſuch motives, as probably may moſt prevail with them, though theſe be not ſuch as are of themſelves the moſt cogent; For Solomon here, being to convince Men in power, abuſing the ſame, of their Brutiſh and Beaſtly diſpoſition, doth not ſpecify the Reſemblances which may from Scripture be condeſcended upon, between the inward diſpoſition and carriage of the one and the other, but only compares them as to outward Events, and the iſſue of their Bodily condition, wherewith ſuch Men are ſuppoſed to be only taken up, and ſo are probably moſt powerful to diſſwade them from ſeeking Happineſs in things common to them with Beaſts, That which befalleth the ſons of men, befalleth the Beaſts, &c.
10. Scripture Expreſſions are not always to be looked upon a part, and ſeparat from the Scope of the place where they are, elſe Mens corrupt hearts, will father many abſurd and impious things upon the Scripture contradictory to it ſelf; For, this, that man hath no preeminency above a Beaſt, taken without reſpect to the Scope and matter in hand, ſavours of Atheiſm, and agrees not with the following truth, that Man hath the preeminency of a reaſonable Soul, above the Beaſt, but taken with Reference to the Reſemblances here mentioned, that Man is neither exeemed from ſeveral outward Events, nor from death it ſelf, it hath a clear truth in it, Man hath no preeminence in theſe, and ſuch as theſe above the Beaſt.
11. When the emptineſs of all created things, and humane endeavours about them, in regard of any true contentment they can afford to a mans Spirit, and their inſufficiency to make him truely Happy, is ſeen, and well pondered, Man will eaſily aſſent to this truth, that they are really Brutiſh who ſeek their Happineſs in thoſe things, and chooſe them for their beſt Portion, which have no proportion to their immortal Souls; For, as a clear proof that they are beaſts who ſo ſeek their Happineſs▪ thi… general aſſertion is brought in, For all is Vanity.
12. Men as well as other living Creatures inferior to them, are in a continual motion toward Death, nor can they halt in that courſe, which ſhould be conſidered by them, who are alſo poſting toward Eternal Deſtruction, that their hearts may be weaned from ſeeking Happineſs in theſe things, from which they are ſo quickly paſſing: For, this Word in the Original in the preſent time, notes a continual motion, all go … one place
13. The Lord did choiſe a part of the baſeſt matter in the univerſe, whereof to form the Bodies of Men, as well as of Beaſts, not only to commend His Wiſdom and Power, in making ſuch a curious piece of Work as Mans Body, out of ſuch indiſpoſed matter as Duſt, but likwiſe to keep Man humble conſidering the baſeneſs of his Original, to diſſuade him from oppreſſing others inferior to himſelf in Worldly reſpects, ſeeing he is made of the ſame mettal with them, and to mind him of a neceſſity of going to the duſt again with them; For which cauſes mainly, it is here aſſerted, all are of the duſt, and all turn to duſt again.