Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 22
Ver. 22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man ſhould rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who ſhall bring him to ſee what ſhall be after him?
FRom the former conſiderations, of the Lords fixing a ſeaſon for all Diſpenſations, the certainty of His Judging Mens Injuſtice, the Immortality of the ſoul, and the like; The Preacher draws a Concluſion which he ſaw did very clearly follow therefrom, viz. That the higheſt Happineſs attainable in this Life, is to be had in a chearful following of Duty to God, under all the changes of His Diſpenſations formerly mentioned; For by a Mans own work wherein he ſhould rejoice, cannot be meant any thing in it ſelf ſinful, though that be moſt properly a Mans own Work, nor any Action of Man, never ſo lawful, being done in his own natural ſtrength, and not referred to a higher end than the attaining of an earthly Happineſs; ſeeing the Scripture expreſly condemns Rejoicing in ſuch things Jam. 4.16. and Solomon had before proven the ſame to be Vanity and Madneſs, Ecleſ. 2.10.11. But by his own Work is here meant, a mans proper induſtry and pains in following the Duties of his general and particular Calling as means for attaining to that Happineſs which God allows upon him in this life; and that whereby he may honour God in his Generation, and theſe are called his own Works: Not becauſe they are done in his own ſtrength, or for his own pleaſure Glory or profit, but becauſe theſe only are the Works ſuitable to Men who have Reaſonable and Immortal Souls, and mainly becauſe the renewed faculties of the Soul, are the immediat Actors of them; And ſo conſequently this rejoicing in a Mans own Work, is not to be underſtood in oppoſition to Rejoicing in the Lord, but to Rejoicing in what is ſinful, or unſuitable for Reaſonable Creatures, and marrs the comfortable uſe of what they have thorow the Bleſſing of God, upon their own induſtry and pains, attained unto, and their chearful following of their Duty to Him, which is here commended. And this he preſſeth by Two Reaſons, Firſt, That this is a Mans Portion; Which is not to be underſtood as if this were the furtheſt or ſweeteſt that man hath to expect, ſeeing that never entered into his heart, 1 Cor. 2.9. But as it is the Lords allowance to Man, a temporary reward of his Labour, and the beſt recompence of his pains that he is capable of in this World. The Second is, That when a Man ſhall (as of neceſſity he muſt, which is implyed here) leave all behind him, there is no poſſibility of his returning to ſee, or (as the Word may be rendered) to Enjoy, any of theſe outward Comforts, which is the force of this Queſtion; and therefore it is his beſt to uſe all, as incouragments to a chearful following of his Duty to God.
From this we may Learn. 1. That all the Exerciſes of Mens wit, in the diſcourſes of their mind, and meditation upon the Lords Diſpenſations, ought alwayes to reſolve in ſome practical Concluſion, for engadging their hearts to ſuch Exerciſes of Piety and Holineſs, as many honour the Lord; and to chearfulneſs in going about theſe, elſe our contemplations and diſcourſes, though never ſo clear and ſatisfactory, are vain and fruitleſs, in order to the promoving of our True Happineſs: For, here Solomon from his former Obſervations, which he had painfully gathered by much meditation, for clearing of his own and others minds, concerning the Lords Diſpenſations, draweth this practical concluſion, whereby he commends to his own heart and others, a chearful going about of Commanded Duties for the honour of God. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better &c.
2. Although the beſt Actions, that the beſt of Men can perform, have in them a ſinful mixture, and ſo yeild alwayes ſome matter of ſhame and Humiliation Iſai. 64.6. Yet it is poſſible for a Child of God to attain to ſuch a way of going about his Duty, as that he may have Joy and comfort in what he does; ſo far as he finds the ſpirit of God inabling him for theſe Duties, which are far above the reach of his natural Abilities, and ſo His Works evidence the ſpirits Gracious Indwelling; Epheſ. 3.16. In ſo far as he is made to intend mainly the Glory of his Maker in his works, and ſo hath it made clear to him, that he and his Works are acceptable, 1 Pet. 2, 5. and 4.11. This is both the Lords allowance to His Own, and it is there Duty to ſtudy the attaining of it; For this is it which is here commended, That a man ſhould rejoice in his Works &c.
3. Though none are to reſt upon any meaſure of Grace, or comfort they have attained in this World, Philip. 3.12.13. Yet when the Lords people are by His Grace holden to their Duty with ſome meaſure of chearfulneſs, they ought then to Judge themſelves arrived at the hight of that Happineſs, which for the kind of it, is attainable in this life; ſeeing they may be ſure in that way to have many a comfortable meeting with God to ſtrengthen them for more Work, and increaſe their Joy in Himſelf, Iſai. 64.5. and in that way they are to hold on, and not to look for reſt from that Labour, while they are here; For in this ſenſe There is nothing better for a man (in this Life) than that he ſhould rejoice in his own work.
4. Although the good Motions and Actions of the Godly are to be attributed to the Lord, as the prime efficient of them▪ Philip. 2.13. Iſai. 26.12. Yet in regard the renewed faculties of the Soul, and the outward man ſanctified for that end, are the immediat and formall Cauſes, and inſtruments of theſe Works and that they are no leſs rewarded by Grace, than if they were done by mans own ſtrength, yet they are properly called mens own Works: And to call them ſo, and Rejoice in them alſo in the ſenſe formerly mentioned is conſonant to the Scripture, Gal. 6.4. Which refutes them who ſay Gracious Actings are not the Believers but Chriſts, and His Spirits in them. There is nothing better, than that a man ſhould rejoice in his own works.
5. Although the full reward of Well-doing be reſerved for the other Life; yet there is ſome portion, or part of it (as the Word ſignifies) let out in the mean time; ſo much as may make Men hold chearfully on in their duty under the ſaddeſt Diſpenſations they may meet with, even that Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, and Peace that paſſeth Underſtanding, from their diſcerning of the Lords enabling them to follow their duty, and of His acceptance of them and it: For, ſaith Solomon, That a man ſhould rejoice in his labour, this is his portion, That is, It is a begun Reward, a temporarie Recompence of his Labour and Pains.
6. Though Man had never ſo large a meaſure of the Things of this Earth, he ſhould never eſteem himſelf to have got his Portion which God allows upon him, till he find himſelf enabled by ſpecial Grace, to go about his duty, in the ſtrength, and for the Glory of Chriſt, and ſo as he may have ſome meaſure of true Joy in confidence of the acceptation of his Perſon and Works; and he that hath attained to this, were his meaſure of things worldly never ſo ſmall, he ſhould count himſelf to have his Portion, which is better than all other things on Earth: For, That a man ſhould rejoice in his works, this (ſaith the wiſe Man) is his portion.
7. While Men are ſtrangers to this chearful following of their duty, which is truely their portion here; they will be no leſs anxious, and earneſt in purſuing things earthly, and heaping them up for the future, than if they were either never to part with them, or after Death to come back again, and enjoy them. For this Queſtion ſpeaks to Men whoſe practice is ſuch as if they were led by this Principle, that they ſhould return to ſee, or (as the Word ſignifies) to enjoy what they once left behind them at Death, Who can bring him to ſee what ſhall be after him?
8. The Conſideration of Mans ſhort continuance with, and the certainty of his parting from all his earthly Comforts, and of the impoſſibility of his returning to them after Death; ſhould not make him abuſe them by exceſs of delight in them, as ſenſual Epicures do, 1 Cor. 15.32. yet it ſhould ſtirr him up to take his allowed Comfort in them, and to uſe them for chearing of his Heart in ſerving of his Maker, ſo ſhall he be Sure his Works ſhall follow him when he reſts from his labour, though he come not back to ſee or enjoy them here: For there is an Argument to commend chearful following of a Mans duty, by taking the comfort of the Creatures, imported in this Queſtion, For who ſhall bring him to ſee what ſhall be after him?