Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 · Chapter summary
The ARGUMENT.
SOlomon in the former Chapter, having from his Experience evidenced the Inſufficiency of the higheſt Improvements of the natural Mans Underſtanding in, and Endeavours about Created things, for affording of true and ſolid Happineſs: He doth in this Chapter give a further experimental evidence how weak and unable the uſe and injoyment of worldly things is, to produce that Happineſs which is needful for Man. And in order to this, He 1. makes a relation with Grief of his deliberate and bent reſolution (while formerly before his Converſion he was a ſtranger to God) to perſue his ſinful pleaſures, as being the riſe of his other groſs miſcarriages: Together with his ſad cenſure thereof (while he was now a Penitent) as producing nothing in the iſſue but emptineſs, folly and diſappointment, which he manages by an appeal to theſe Idols themſelves, and the conſciences of Men that follow them, if it be not ſo, ver. 1, 2. 2. He gives ſome particular inſtances of the wayes he took for fulfilling his pleaſures, as to the natural appetite and other Delights, ſo far (at leaſt) as to know what ſweetneſs was in them, which all that time he tempered and mixed with a diligent ſtudy and care to manage his Royal Affairs with wiſdom and reputation, verſ. 3. 3. He reckoneth up in ſeven branches what fair advantages he had of ſome choice creature comforts, for yeilding him pleaſure and ſatisfaction. As 1: ſtately Buildings, verſ. 4. 2. Plantations of all ſorts for Meat, Drink Medicine and Profitable Fruits, verſ. 4, 5. 3. Ponds or Pools of Water, as to contain Fishes for Food and Pleaſure, ſo to ſerve for watering his Incloſures, verſ. 6. 4. His numerous train of Servants of both Sexes, partly bought with his Money, taken in War, or hired from abroad, and partly born in his own Houſe, verſ. 7. 5. His great ſtore of all ſorts of Cattel beyond any of his Predeceſſors, verſ. 7. 6, His great plenty of Money, Jewels, and other precious things obtained partly out of the Treaſures of other Neighouring Princes and Nations; and partly brought to him in Gifts and Preſents by them that either Feared or loved him, ver. 8. And 7. Variety of excellent Muſick, both Vocal and Inſtrumental, ver. 8. All which might ſeem to make up as perfect a Happineſs as the creature could afford. 4. As a true Penitent he reflects ſeriouſly upon himſelf and his ſinful courſes, and paſſes a ſad cenſure upon them, ver. 9, 10, 11. Which reflections of his are 1. Upon his outward condition in the World, poſitively that he was great both in Dignity and Eſteem, and comparatively even beyond his Predeceſſors. verſ. 9, 2, Upon his inward diſpoſition and frame of Spirit under all theſe Injoyments, In his wiſdom remaining with him, by which he was endued with the knowledge of things natural, and ability to manage his Affairs with prudence and diſcretion, ver. 9 And in his renewed benſil to purſue his ſenſual pleaſures keeping no reſtraint either on his outward Senſes, or inward Affections, the ſatisfaction of which, he eſteemed, his greateſt portion, while he was thus at a diſtance with God, ver. 10. And the cenſure he paſses upon the whole is, that all was emptineſs and Vanity; that they had eaten up his Spirit with Vexation, and that there was no profit remaining, in, or (as in the Original over or above) all thoſe, beſide diſappointment and diſſatisfaction. ver. 11. 5. He inſtitutes a compariſon between the ſtudy of natural Wiſdom, or moral Prudence, and the voluptuous enjoyment of creature comforts, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Where 1▪ He declares after ſerious ſearch (wherein perhaps few could out ſtrip him) the inſuffiency of both for bringing about true Happineſs, ver. 12. (2) Yet he doth prefer the one (to wit, the ſtudy of natural Wit or Prudence) to the other (to wit, the ſenſual injoyment of creature delights, which he calls folly) as being a good gift of God ſerving as an handmaid to ſaving knowledge, and to diſcover the dangers and profits in a mans ordinary converſe, which the voluptuous man (being in the dark, and not having his eyes in his head) cannot do, ver. 13, 14. 3. He ſhews wherein theſe two do agree, that the ſame events for ſubſtance and kind are common to the morally wiſe, and the voluptuous livers ver. 14. Inſtanced in his own caſe, which made him ſinfully to condemn that way of wiſdom as altogether uſeleſs, And which miſtaken opinion he preſently cenſures as vanity, ver. 15. 6. He gives ſome inſtances of theſe effects which his ſo much deſired ſatisfaction from natural wiſdom, or creature comforts, and his diſappointments therein did work upon him. As 1. That the followers of theſe, and their endeavours (as all things elſe) after Happineſs that way, are equally obnoxious to Oblivion and Death, ver. 16. 2. That in a fit of impatience of Spirit, through the diſappointments and vanity of theſe courſes, he was ſinfully weary of his life, ver. 17. 3. The inordinate hatred and loathing of all his labour in theſe things wherein he ſought his Happineſs, as being things he behoved to part with to ſome other, and yet knew not what he would prove, or how he would manage or improve, theſe things for which he had taken ſo much pains, and manifeſted ſo much Wiſdom and Prudence in acquiring of them, which ſinful deteſtation he cenſures in himſelf as Vanity, and a ſad effect of his purſuing Happineſs that way, while he was eſtranged from God, ver. 18, 19. And 4. That this his ſeeking of Happineſs in theſe things, and being fruſtrated thereof, made him careful to perſwade his own heart to deſpair of ever finding Happineſs in them, ver. 20. Eſpecially conſidering that men of the greateſt parts behoved to leave all their Purchaſe to others that never took pains about it, ver. 21. Which courſe he cenſures alſo as Vanity, and as a great evil both of ſin and puniſhment, ver. 21. Of which cenſure he gives this reaſon, that man by all his outward pains, and inward vexation about earthly things, is ſo far from any real profit or true comfort, that on the contrary he ſhall have ſorrow and grief, and by his violence in this purſuit bereave himſelf of his nights reſt. ver. 22, 23. And this alſo he cenſures to be vanity, that a man should thus torment, himſelf in ſo hotly perſuing after that which can hardly be overtaken, and if overtaken cannot give him comfort, but really grieve him. And 7. In the laſt 3 verſes of this chapter, to clear that the intent of this Doctrine concerning the vanity of earthly things in order to true Happineſs, was not to deprive men of the lawful uſe and comfort of the creatures, he doth before he proceed further in that ſubject give a short ſum of the true Happineſs which is attainable in this life Where 1. He diſcovers ſomewhat of the nature of that true Happineſs attainable in this life, about which he had ver. 3. inquired ſo much (being afterward to give a fuller deſcription of it) to wit, That it conſiſts much in a ſweet conjunction of theſe two: the one … relation to the Body, is the ſober and cheerful uſe of all lawful earthly delights, The other relating to the inner man, is that the ſoul injoy ſome Good, ſuteable and ſatisfactory to it, which can be no other that the chief good, ver. 24. Which he confirms from his own knowledge, ver. 24. And from the advantages he had as of injoying creature comforts, ſo of opportunities to ſeek and improve them beyond many others, ver. 25. 2. The more to conciliate mens reſpect to and endeavours after this true Happineſs, he deſcribes both the bleſſed condition of them that ſearch after it, ver. 26. And the miſerable condition of them that neglect it, ver. 26. By all which it is evident (which is the ſcope of the Chapter) How inſufficient the perſuit and injoyment of earthly Delights is to afford that true Happineſs which is needful for man.