Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 1
CHAP. III.
Verſe 1. To every thing there is a Seaſon, and a time to every purpoſe, under the Heaven.
THis verſe contains the firſt conſideration, ſerving to quiet the Hearts of the Godly, eſpecially againſt the many ſad changes that are in this World, to wean their hearts from ſeeking Happineſs in things Earthly: As alſo to move all to obſerve the fitteſt opportunity of their Actions and purpoſes, and to depend upon Him who hath the times in his power: The ſum whereof is, That every event (whether it fall out in humane and voluntary Actions, which ſeem to be moſt in mans own power, or in the daily working of Gods Providence, both which are here to be underſtood, not only becauſe of the largeneſs of the expreſſion To every thing there is a ſeaſon, But mainly becauſe the following inſtances reſpect both) hath a ſeaſon, the Word ſignifies, A fixed, appointed or foredetermined Time; and is ſo tranſlated Eſth. 9.27. Ezr. 10.14. And this fixing of the ſeaſon of every thing, is to be underſtood in reference to Gods eternal decree foreordaining all Events, as is clear by comparing this with ver. 11. where he ſaith God hath made every thing beautiful in his ſeaſon: This ſame conſideration he doth in another expreſſion apply to mens purpoſes, or reſolutions, eſpecially ſuch as men have complacency and delight in, as the Word tranſlated Purpoſe ſignifies. See Gen. 34.19. Even for theſe there is a Time, the Word alſo ſignifies a ſet time Neh. 2.6. out of which men cannot ſo much as conceive or reſolve the doing of any thing, much leſs act it: The Words alſo may be looked upon as pointing at mans Duty to obſerve a fit time and ſeaſon in all his Actings.
Hence Learn. 1. Though future Events, the time whereof cannot be known in their natural cauſes, he wholly uncertain to us Prov. 27.1. Yet are they all clearly foreſeen, and certainly foreappointed, and that from Eternity Act. 15, 18. by the infinitly wiſe Lord, ſo that they cannot fall out ſooner or later, than in the time that he hath appointed for them; for in reference to his Eternal Counſel mainly is this to be underſtood To every thing there is a ſeaſon.
2. Mans will is not an Independant thing: man is not abſolute Maſter of his purpoſes, nor doth the Lord look through the proſpect of mans Free Will to ſee that will fall out according as it ſhall of it ſelf encline; But he in his Eternal Council hath wiſely ordered all the motions thereof, for, There is a time for every purpoſe. The Word ſignifies (Volition) or the very act of the Will, and may be underſtood of humane purpoſes, as ſeveral of the following inſtances muſt alſo be underſtood.
3. Though there be no ſeaſon or time allowed for ſinful Actions or purpoſes, ſince negative precepts oblige in every article of time; yet wicked men can neither act wickedneſs, nor purpoſe it, but in the time wherein God hath reſolved to permit the ſame, withdrawing his Grace, which he is not bound to give, for even of wicked mens Actings, ſuch as their perſecution of the Godly, and their wicked Plots and purpoſes, may this be underſtood, There is a ſeaſon for every thing, and a time for every purpoſe.
4. Every Duty is not to be gone about at every Seaſon, but the due opportunity thereof to be carefully ſearched for, by conſidering the general Rules of the Word, eſpecially what Duties ſuch Diſpenſations call for. Jam. 5.13. by praying for the Lords teaching to know the Times 1 Chron. 12.32. and laying to heart the ſad challenge given to thoſe that are ignorant thereof Jer. 8.7. For, in reference to the Duty of man that would enjoy that True Happineſs which he pointed out before, as ſome of the following inſtances make clear, this conſideration may be taken, as a direction to them to obſerve the Seaſon. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time for every purpoſe.
5. It ſerveth much for quieting the hearts of the Godly under all the ſad changes of Diſpenſation that are in the World, to conſider that all theſe fall out in the Times and Seaſons ſet and fixed for them in Gods Eternal Counſel, who minded the welfare of His Own from all Eternity, Jer. 31.3. And is ingaged to bring their good out of the worſt that can fall out in time, Rom. 8.28. And particularly to believe that enemies cannot ſo much as Plot, much leſs raiſe up Trouble or Perſecution againſt them, but at the time wherein he hath foreſeen it fit to Exerciſe them therewith 1 Pet. 4.17. Nor can their Tryals continue longer than His ſet time for expreſſing His favour again in their delivery is come Pſal. 102.13. For, this according to the ſcope of the Book cannot but be taken for a conſideration ſerving to hold off vexation from the hearts of the Godly, and keep them in the chearful poſſeſſion of their ſpiritual Happineſs, that, To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time for every purpoſe under Heaven.
6. This ſame conſideration, that God hath fixed a time for all things and purpoſes, may ſerve to wean mens hearts from ſeeking Happineſs in any thing beſide himſelf, ſeeing he hath in his hand the Time of their coming to enjoy theſe things, the continuance and the removal of them, beſide that they can have but for a Seaſon the enjoyment of any thing beneath the Sun; For, this according to the Preachers Scope, may be alſo looked upon, as a conſideration to wean the hearts of men from ſeeking Happineſs in things below, To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time for every purpoſe under heaven.
7. Gods providence reacheth not only to all Events and purpoſes within the Church, where it is in a moſt ſpecial way exerciſed Pſal. 76.1. but to all the corners of the Earth, and to Hell alſo; Neither Men, nor Devils, Heathens, or Infidels, can act or plot againſt Him, or his bleſsed People, but at the Seaſon and Times, wherein it ſhall prove fitteſt for His Glory, and the good of His Own: For, To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under heaven.
8. One and the ſame Truth may have ſeveral Uſes drawn from it; For, as this that there is a Seaſon and Time for every thing fore-appointed by God, ſerves to quiet the hearts of the Godly, and make them careful to obſerve the Time; ſo as it imports many changes in Time; It ſerves to wean mens hearts from things Earthlie, which can be enjoyed but for a Time.