Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 2
Verſe 2.
A time to be born, and a time to dy: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
In this and the following Verſes, the Preacher giveth many particular inſtances, wherein the Truth of the former Aſſertion of the Lords fixing of the Time and Seaſon of every Event under the Sun, is mainly to be conſidered, and made uſe of; And however ſome of theſe inſtances have a Truth in them in reference to mans Duty, that there is a fit Seaſon for him to do ſuch and ſuch things in, which he ought to obſerve and make uſe of; as is clear by inſtances of Mourning and Rejoycing, Silence, and Speech; Yet all of them are mainly and the moſt part of them only, to be underſtood, in reference to the Lords fixing of the time of their being, and conſequently the manner thereof: Nor are theſe inſtances to be taken for a full enumeration, as if every thing, the time whereof is fixed by the Lord, were here reckoned out, and no other thing but what is here particularly named were to be looked upon, as having its Time and Seaſon fixed; But the purpoſe ſpoken of, is to be underſtood of theſe and ſuch like, which clauſe is to be underſtood after them all, ſeeing it is elſe where expreſt in Scripture after ſuch Enumerations. Gal. 5.21. Only theſe are to be looked upon as the prime Diſpenſations of God in the World, and mainly uſeful to be conſidered, as they are timed, and ordered by His Providence; and being ſo conſidered, are fit to work the Hearts of the Godly to Contentment under all changes, and to wean the hearts of all from ſeeking Happineſs in this life; where ſuch variety of changes are; And they are put in pairs, as deſerving a joint conſideration, that when the one is called to mind, the other, which is in ſome ſort contrary to it, may alſo come to mind:
The firſt Pair concerning the time of Birth and Death, is literally to be underſtood. That the very minut of every ones entry into this World, whether it be timely or abortive; and likewiſe of their departure out of it by Death, whether natural, or violent is from Eternity fixed, and cannot fall out ſooner or later than God hath appointed. The other, concerning the Times of Planting and plucking up, though they have in them a Truth in reference to mans Duty, who ought to obſerve the time of ſuch actions as may be held out under theſe expreſſions whether properly or metaphorically taken; yet they are mainly to be underſtood of Gods Diſpenſation about Man along his life, between his Birth and Death, and particularly of his Planting and ſetling Nations and Churches and particular mens intereſts therein, which are pointed at in the following Inſtances, and his overturning the ſame again, when he ſees fit and that becauſe the Scripture doth frequently expreſs theſe particular Diſpenſations of Providence, in the very ſame Terms that are here, both in Threatnings Jer. 45.4. and Promiſes Jer, 24.6. and 31.28. and likewiſe becauſe theſe are the Diſpenſations wherewith the hearts of the Godly are moſt diſquieted, and therefore to look upon them, as Timed, and ordered wiſely by the Lord ſerves much for quieting of them, which is the Scope.
Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for Miniſters to hold out clear and ſound Truths in the general, but they muſt alſo take pains to reckon out, and inſiſt upon particular inſtances, wherein the Truth of what they deliver is verified, that ſo the Lords People by the ordinary occurences of His Providence, and Diſpenſations with them, may be minded of what they have heard, and in theſe may ſee the Truth of the ſame: For here, this Divine Preacher, worthy to be imitate by all Miniſters, being guided by the Spirit of the Lord, doth not think it enough to hold out that Truth, That there is a ſeaſon and ſet time, for every thing and purpoſe, and ſo leave it to People to apply the ſame to the particular paſſages of Gods providence along their life; but for their help He condeſcends upon twenty eight particular Diſpenſations, the Times and Seaſons whereof are ſet and fixed. There is a time to be born, and a time to dy; a time to plant, &c.
2. As their will ſtill be variety of Changes, and a mixture of Sour and Sweet in the Lords Diſpenſations with the Children of men in this Life, it being proper for the other Life to be without any change or mixture, ſo the conſideration of the better and worſe thereof ought to be joined in our thoughts, and the one ſet againſt the other, that what is comfortable, may be poſſeſt humbly, thankfully, and with preparation for a change, and what is ſad may be ſubmitted unto, ſince we have had ſweeter, and may have hope of a change to the better again, Therefore are theſe pairs or couples of inſtances made up of ſadder and ſweeter Diſpenſations, as that which is the Lot of men in this Life, and which ought jointly to be conſidered for our uſe. There is a time to be born, and a time to dy, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
3. Theſe Events which are moſt certain to us, as to the ordinary time of their exiſtence, and theſe alſo, which being altogether uncertain, for the particular time of them, and are yet certainly known to fall out, are ordinarly moſt ſlighted by us, as to the conſideration of the Lords timing of them, and yet would be moſt uſef … for us to conſider; For here the time of Birth, which ordinarly after the Conception is certainly known; and the time of Death, which though it be unknown, is moſt certainly known as to the futurition of it, are firſt condeſcended upon, as things we do moſt readily ſlight, and things moſt uſeful to be conſidered, as they fall under the determination of Providence for the time of them, There is a time to be born, and a time to dy:
4. The particular time of every ones entry into the World, hath been from Eternity fixed, and condeſcended upon by the Lord, and the ſame ought to be ſeriouſly conſidered by all that are born of Women, both in Reference to their own Birth, and others, eſpecially theſe who are Born to them, that they may look upon all the comfortable paſſages of Providence, which they come to underſtand, as encouragments to ſerve the Lord, and upon all the ſad paſſages they have met with, as theſe whereunto they are Born, and which therefore they ſhould indure patiently Job, 14.1. That they may be thankful to Him who preſerved them or theirs in the Womb Pſal. 139, 13. And brought them ſafely thence Pſal. 22.9: with the right proportion Pſal. 139.15, 16. And did not make the Womb their Grave, that theſe who have none Born unto them may reverence him, who gives and withholds the fruit of the Womb, as he thinks fit Pſal. 127.3. For ſuch conſiderations of the Time of Birth, are uſeful to that which is Solomons Sco…, There is a time to be born, &c.
5. As it is appointed for all Men once to Dy Heb. 9.27. So the period of every mans Life, and conſequently the manner of his Death, is fore-determined by the Lord; The conſideration thereof, as it ought not to make any careleſs of the uſe of lawful means for prolonging their Life, that they may do God Service in their Generation, ſo it ought to be ſeriouſly minded by the Godly for guarding their hearts againſt the fear of Death from men, who ſeek their Life for their fidelity to Chriſt Pſal. …1.15. for ſtirring them up to live in conſtant expectation of Death Job. 14.14. and Readineſs for it 1. Cor. 15.31. And ſhould make them look upon all their Earthly Enjoyments, as things from which Death will ſeparate them, For, both, to work the hearts of the Godly to contentment with thier Lot, and to wean all hearts from ſeeking things earthly as their portion, is this, as alſo the reſt of the Inſtances here given, There is a time to dy.
6. The Lord hath in His hand the planting of Countreys, and Kingdoms, whether formerly not inhabited, or by His Judgements waſted, and depopular, and likewiſe of planting Churches in theſe, with Faithful Miniſters and Ordinances, and the Time is ſet wherein he will do ſo, The thoughts whereof, ought not to hinder mens indeavours, but to cheriſh their hopes, did the caſe ſeem never ſo deſperat, and move them to follow their Duty, with dependance upon Him, who hath from Eternity fixed a Time to plant.
7. Though all the works of the Lord be perfect as to the end intended by Him Deut. 32.4. Yet He may for wiſe ends, interrupt and overturn for a time his begun work, which He doth, according as He did from Eternity reſolve, and only at that time which He himſelf had fixed: The conſideration whereof, as it may guard the hearts of His Own, againſt mens fury and threatnings, who cannot pluck up what he hath planted, till He order them to do ſo; So it ſhould make them uſe well their injoyments of what ſort ſoever they be, beware duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page beware of theſe ſins, which may provock Him to exerciſe them with ſo ſad a Diſpenſation, and when He doth it, to ſearch out and mourn for the procuring cauſes thereof, and not to croſs His purpoſe manifeſted in that Diſpenſation, by ſeeking great things for themſelves Jer. 45.4. For, There is a time to pluck up that which is planted.