Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 3
Verſe 3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up.
HEre are other Four Inſtances of thoſe Diſpenſations of the Lord, which being conſidered as under the dominion of His Providence, eſpecially for the timing of them, ſerve much to quiet the Hearts of the Godly, under all changes of their condition, and to wean the Hearts of all from ſeeking Happipineſs in this earth, where ſo many changes are, which is Solomons Scope here, ſtill to be remembred and applyed to all theſe Inſtances: The firſt Two, may be taken in reference to mens perſons; and the other to their outward Eſtates and injoyments whatſoever; And ſo the Killing here ſpoken of, is to be underſtood of ſuch ſad corrections, as the Lord ſees fit ſhould be inflicted upon the bodies or Spirits of men, ſuch as ſeem utterly to undoe them, And therefore are ſet forth by this word Killing, and the Healing, of the Lords applying medicines, or proving himſelf a Phyſician, as the Word ſignifies; for ſo doth the Scripture uſe the like expreſſions Deut. 32.39. compared with 2 Kings. 5.7. The time of both theſe is in Gods hand, being from Eternity ſet and fixed by Him: So likewiſe the Breaking down here ſpoken of, is to be underſtood of theſe Breaches which the Lord makes upon mens outward Enjoyments, whether Worldly, or Spiritual; and the Building up, or the repairing of mens formerly broken Eſtates, and their recovering of them, as the like expreſſions in Scripture ordinarly ſignify Lam. 2, 13. Iſai. 58.12, and 30.26. And theſe alſo are Diſpenſations in a ſpecial way to be marked, as timed, and ſeaſoned by the Lord.
Hence Learn. 1. As the Lord is pleaſed ſometimes to manifeſt His Juſtice againſt the Sons of Men, in cutting them off the Earth by violent Deaths, Now by His own more immediat Hand Lev. 10.2. 1 Sam, 2.25. And then making uſe of humane Juſtice for that effect Est. 9.13. &c. And ſometimes again to manifeſt His Mercy to His Own, By ſuffering them to be killed unjuſtly by men, and ſo haſting them home to Himſelf; Mark 6.19. Act. 12.2. So the particular time of all ſuch ſad events as theſe, hath been wiſely reſolved upon by the Lord from all Eternity, and no creature can bring them on ſooner, or hold them off longer then He hath determined; None can Kill before, and none can eſcape the ſtroake after His ſet times comes; for in reference to the Lords fixing of the Seaſon of ſuch Diſpenſations, here ſignified by Killing, is this Inſtance to be underſtood There is a time to kill.
2. Sometimes the Lord is pleaſed to deal in ſuch ſeverity with the Children of men, as to their own ſenſe their caſe is as deſperat, as if He were killing and ſlaying them Exod. 4.24. and to the apprehenſion of others, as if they were really Killed Pſal. 44.22. while yet He intends not to deſtroy, or make an end of them, but to reſtore them to their former condition: For this Killing may be taken both in reference to theſe that are Healed, and to others. There is a time to kill, and a time to heal.
3. Times of Healing, whether of Bleeding and ſick Nations, of rent and diſtempered Churches, or wounded Spirits, are in Gods Hand, and till His time come, all eſſays of other Phyſicians for Healing are in vain; and therefore He is to be humbly employed, and depended upon for that end, conſidering that however times of Healing be fixed with Him, yet the importunity of penitents is ordinarly a comfortable fore-runner of their being healed 2 Chron, 7.14. Hoſ. 6.1. For, with Him, There is a time to heal.
4. The Lord uſes to manifeſt moſt of His skill about theſe diſeaſes which the wiſeſt Phyſicians among men would think incurable, He can not only Heal after wounding, but after Killing, by giving a better life and health than hath been taken away, eſpecially when it is for His ſake. Matt. 10.39. There is a time to kill, and a time to heal.
5. The thoughts of this, that the Lord hath the Times of Killing and Healing in His hand, may bring much quietneſs and contentment of Spirit, under all changes of Diſpenſations, to theſe who ſeek their Happineſs in His favour and fellowſhip, conſidering that, whatever be the power, or malice of men, they cannot Kill when they pleaſe, and though they ſhould be permitted to Kill, he hath a time for Healing again; And the ſame may ſerve alſo to divorce mens Hearts from theſe things wherein they ſeek their Happineſs beſide the Lord, if they conſider that He can eaſily Kill and Deſtroy all that go a Whoreing from Him; For it is ſafe and uſeful to referr all theſe Inſtances which the Spirit of the Lord enumerats, to the Scope in hand, which is both to guard the Hearts of the Godly againſt Vexation, under ſad, and terrible Diſpenſations, and to deterre all from exceſs of delight in things earthly, There is a time to kill, and a time to heal.
6. No mans outward Eſtate or Worldly Enjoyments of what ſort ſoever they be, are ſo firmly ſetled, but the Lord can eaſily when He pleaſes, break all down; and therefore men ſhould look upon their Buildings, whether for their Credit, Pleaſure or Worldly profit, as unworthy to have their heart, ſeeing the Lord hath a time ſixed to break them down, and the whole univerſe alſo, and ſhould ſeek to have themſelves Built upon the Rock, which no ſtorme can overthrow, There is a time to break down.
7. The Lord hath His own time ſet and fixed for Building and repairing ruined Nations and Churches Jer. 31, 4. As alſo of mens outward eſtates Exod. 1.21. and of their inward and ſpiritual Conditions Jer. 33.7, 8. For to all theſe may this be applyed. There is a time to build up.