Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 · Verse 20, 21
Verſe 20. Therefore I went about to cauſe my heart deſpair of all the labour which I took under the ſun.
21. For there is a man whoſe labour is in wiſdom, and in knowledge, and in equity, yet to a man that hath not laboured therein ſhall he leave it for his …. This alſo is vanity, and a great evil.
HEre is 1. The fourth and laſt effect which Solomons diſappointment of deſired ſatisfaction in his former courſes, and the conſideration of the former ground of hating his Labour, here repeated, had upon him, to wit, that he ſt…ied now to make his heart deſpair of all his Labour▪ which is not to be underſtood of ſo wicked a purpoſe, … to take away his natural life, ſeeing the Object of this deſpair is expreſſed h…e to be only the Labour he had formerly Laboured under the Sun; nor can the meaning of it be▪ that he did reſolve to … off all pains and Labour about the affaires of th… li… … continued d…gent all his l…e, even in hi… wo… … …aging the affaires of his Kingdom…: But … to be expounded in reference to his ſcope i… this book, that now, after his ſpirit had been ſo imbittered, and all his endeavours for contentment in other things beſide fellowſhip with God fruſtrate, he did ſeriouſly apply himſelf, and reſolved to go from the uſe of one mean to another, as is imported in this word I went about, as in a round or circle, as the word ſignifies, to perſwade his own heart that Happineſs was not to be found in theſe things, wherein he had formerly ſought it, and ſo to cut off all hopes from his heart, of ever attaining it in theſe things: So that this ſeems to be an approven motion wrought in his heart by the Spirit of the Lord, eſpecially conſidering that the Lord challenges the want of ſuch a frame in his People under their defection from him Iſai. 57.10. Thou ſaidſt not there is no hope, where the ſame word is in the Original, which is here tranſlated to Deſpair, verſ. 20. Next he ſets down that conſideration which had influence upon the working of this frame, to wit, that he had obſerved that men who have moſt skill of contriving things worldly, moſt Prudence or Experience, to help them in executing their Contrivances, and likewiſe moſt Uprightneſs, and ſo are moſt free of Injuſtice or Diſſim…lation in reference to others, as the three words here uſed, Wiſdom, Knowledge, and Equity ſignify, Behoved to leave all their Purchaſe to one who never took pain…, either for attaining to ſuch things, nor would manifeſt ſuch commendable Qualifications in managing and improving the ſame▪ which …eaſon though it be not the main, that ſhould have made his heart deſpair of Happineſs in the Creatures, and ſo it imports his Darkneſs that made him at this time make uſe of it only for that end, conſidering that he had been obliged to look upon all his f…er courſes, as inſufficient to make him Happy, though he had been ſure to leave all he had, to ſuch … one as he could have deſired▪ yet becauſe it hath a truth in it ſelf, and was fit to prevail with his heart, not yet ſo repleniſhed with the preſe…e of the Lords Spirit, when he was in the fr…e here rel…d, as now when he wrote this, therefore it is bleſt of God to him, for working his Heart to that frame… Thirdy, He doth here paſs Sentence, not upon his purpoſe to cauſe his Heart deſpair of Happineſs in theſe things, as was explained, ſeeing that was an approven Reſolution, but upon ma… ſaying out all his Wit and Strength upon theſe things, as hi… portion and chief Good, which he muſt ſhortly leave behind him, to ſuch an one as he knows not what he ſhall prove, This (ſaith he) is vanity, i. e. a courſe which proves man to be vain in following of it, and which is empty of any true ſatisfaction to him, and it is a great evil, both of ſin, in ſeeking Happineſs where it is not, and of puniſhment, in ſo far as it diſappoints, and ſo at laſt vexes and torments the Spirit.
Hence Learn 1. Men will never ſeek their Felicity where it may be had, to wit, in God, his Favour and Fellowſhip, till they be put out of hopes of finding it any where elſe: ſo long as they may have but Husks, they will not long for the Bread that is … their Fathers Houſe; For, here Solomon ſhows what a paſs he was brought to, before he was reclaimed from perſuing earthly Delights as his Happineſs, viz. That he was made to deſpair of finding what he ſought in them. Therefore I went about to cauſe my Heart deſpair.
2. It is no eaſie matter to looſe the heart from earthly Delights, that is tyed to them as its portion: A man muſt beſtir himſelf in the uſe of all means, and muſt buſie his heart to find out motives effectual for that end; for, ſo did Solomon here, as is imported in this expreſſion, I went about to cauſe my heart▪ &c.
3. As men deſtitute of the ſpecial Operations of the Lord… Spirit, may manifeſt much Skill, Prudence, Experience, Ingenuity and Uprightneſs in their acting, and yet be ſeeking but an earthly Happineſs, and never minding the great end of all their Undertakings, the Glory of God, their own and others Spiritual Good: So the more of theſe Gifts or Virtues men do exerciſe and manifeſt in their interpriſes, if they ſeek no further▪ the more will their anxiety and vexation be increaſed▪ were it but upon this ground, that they cannot diſpoſe of all their Purchaſe to men after them, according to their own inclination and pleaſure; for, Solomon here ſpeaks with a main eye to himſelf▪ and his own Diſpoſition and Carriage, while he was at a diſtance from the Lord, and ſo acting as a natural man may do, while he ſaith, There is a man whoſe Labour is in Wiſdom, and Knowledge, and Equity; and yet to a man that hath not Laboured therein, ſhall he leave it. This is a great evil.
4 While theſe prime Motives which ſhould prevail to alienate mens hearts from ſinful courſes, are either not minded, or have no Power for that effect, the Lord can, and ſometimes doth make uſe of common and more inferior Motives for bringing about the ſame: and therefore every frame of Spirit is not to be looked upon as bad, becauſe it hath been wrought by ſome Conſiderations which are common and have in them a mixture of Ignorance and Corruption; For, Solomon ſhould have cauſed his heart to deſpair of Happineſs in the Creature, becauſe he was created for injoying a Felicity of a higher nature, than all the Creatures could afford, and becauſe true Happineſs is only to be had in Reconciliation, and Fellowſhip with God, but he doth not attain (at this time whereunto he here relates) to theſe thoughts, and yet this more inferior Conſideration is bleſsed to bring his heart to this frame, that There is a man whoſe Labour is in Wiſdom, and Knowledge, and Equity, and yet to a man that hath not laboured therein ſhall he leave all &c.
5, Men are naturally more prone to be anxious what ſhall become of their poſſeſſions after them, and afraid that they be not imployed according to their mind; than they are now to improve them in their own time, for the beſt advantage, the honour of God, their own good, and the good of others: Which is, as if a ſervant ſhould be more ſolicitous, how his Maſter ſhould diſpoſe of the fruits of his Labour, and afraid leaſt they fall into the hands of ſome evil ſervant after him, than he is how to improve his pains in the mean time to his Maſters beſt advantage; For, Solomon was much troubled with this, that a man who hath laboured in wiſdom—ſhould leave all to him that hath not laboueed therein▪ Which cannot be juſtified, ſeeing the Lord cannot but diſpoſe well of all things, into whoſe hand ſoever they fall, and how bad uſe ſoever men make of them.
6. The Lord in his wiſe Providence ſees it fit, that great things of the World ſhould fall for a portion to men, who have neither Wit nor Experience for purchaſing, or improving of them, that all may be convinced that theſe things are not infallible ſigns of his love, Eccleſ. 9.1. and that men who get them may be allured to their duty by them, or the more ſeverely puniſhed when he reckons with them Rom. 2, 45. For, there is a man, whoſe labour …s in wiſdom and knowledge, and equity, and yet to a man who hath not laboured therein ſhall he leave it for his portion.
7. It is both the ſin, and miſery of men, to ſpend their time and abilities in ſeeking their Happineſs in things which they muſt leave to others, not knowing how they ſhall be uſed: nothing but diſappointment, vexation and torment of Conſcience when God awakes it, can be the reſult of a mans forgetting his one thing needful, and Labouring, though in wiſdom, and knowledge and equity for things earthly as his Happineſs, which he muſt leave to another that hath not Laboured therein; For, this is the thing that Solomon here pronounceth Vanity and a great evil.