A brief exposition with practical observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that…A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that…
A brief exposition with practical observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...
John Cotton 1584–1652London: printed by T.C. for Ralph Smith, 1654
[8], 277 p. · 105k words · Wing C6413 · ESTC R20578
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. First, Sometime they neglect their life of faith, 2 Sam. 12.13, 14. Secondly, God prevents sin in them by false reports. Thirdly, It is but at the hands of wicked men, Acts 28.22, & 24.25. Fourthly, If it be at the hands of brethren, it is through their Ignorance, Emulation, and Rashness, which God at length will overwrestle, Job 42.7. Otherwise God hideth the names of his children in the secret of his Tabernacle from the strife of Tongues, Psal. 31.20. The words are a proverbial Doctrine.
Answ. First, Sometime they neglect their life of faith, 2 Sam. 12.13, 14. Secondly, God prevents sin in them by false reports. Thirdly, It is but at the hands of wicked men, Acts 28.22, & 24.25. Fourthly, If it be at the hands of brethren, it is through their Ignorance, Emulation, and Rashnesse, which God at length will overwrastle, Job 42.7. Otherwise God hideth the names of his children in the secret of his Tabernacle from the strife of Tongues, Psal. 31.20. The words are a proverbial Doctrine.
. but of Solomon in his repentance. This Solomon speaketh, not only of some extraordinary kinds of death, which have been of more public service, as the death of Christ,
. Secondly, the seed of the Church. But indefinitely and generally of the death of all or any. Better to the godly in regard, First, Of sin, which shall then be wholly subdued,
. but we dye perfect. Fourthly, Of glory. Birth is the seed time of
⟨p. 117⟩
corruption, Gal. 6.8. Death is the seed time of incorruption and glory, 1 Cor. 15.36, 42, 43, 44. Birth putteth us into the hands of Midwives, and other weak women: Death into the hands of the glorious and mighty Angels, Luke 16.22. Birth bringeth us forth into a valley of tears, Death into our Masters joy, Matth. 25.21. Birth into an estate of absence from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6. Death bringeth us into his presence, 1 Thes. 4.17. 1 John 3.2. Birth bringeth us to labour, Job 5.7. Death to rest, Rev. 14.13. even Sabbaths rest. Birth bringeth us into a larger and fairer world then our mothers womb: but death into a larger and fairer then this. The starry roose of this world is but the pavement of that. Better to the wicked in regard, First of others Prov. 11.10. Secondly, Of themselves, though it had been good for them not to be borne, Matth. 26.24. yet being borne, the sooner dead, 1. The less sin, 2. The less Punishment.
Doct. 2. The day of death is better then the birth day. This is not the speech, First, Of Job in misery, Job 3.3. Secondly. Of Jeremy in passion, Jer. 20.14. but of Solemon in his repentance. This Solomon speaketh, not only of some extraordinary kinds of death, which have been of more publike service, as the death of Christ, Ioh. 12.32. Of Sampson, Iudg. 16.30. Of the Martyrs, whose blood is, First, The glory of God, Iohn 21.19. Secondly, the seed of the Church. But indefinitely and generally of the death of all or any. Better to the godly in regard, First, Of sin, which shall then be wholly subdued, Rom. 6.7. 1 Cor. 15.26. If sin continued after death, death were not the last enemy. But in birth we are borne in sin, Psal. 61.5. children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. Yea Newbirth leaveth much corruption still in us; we are borne in sin, but we dye in the Lord, Rev. 14.13. 1 Thes. 4.14. Secondly, Of misery, which attendeth Birth, Iob. 14.1. & 5, 7. But death is an haven of rest after a sea of troublesome agitation and misery; Iob 3.13, 14, & verse 21, 22. Rev. 14.13. Thirdly, Of grace which will then be perfected, Heb. 12.23. 1 Cor. 13.12. Iude 24. Ephes 5.27. Death is accounted an enemy to Nature, but is a friend to grace; we are borne uncleane, Iob 25.4. Iohn 3.6. but we dye perfect. Fourthly, Of glory. Birth is the seed time of ⟨p. 117⟩corruption, Gal. 6.8. Death is the seed time of incorruption and glory, 1 Cor. 15.36, 42, 43, 44. Birth putteth us into the hands of Midwives, and other weake women: Death into the hands of the glorious and mighty Angels, Luke 16.22. Birth bringeth us forth into a valley of teares, Death into our Masters joy, Matth. 25.21. Birth into an estate of absence from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6. Death bringeth us into his presence, 1 Thes. 4.17. 1 Iohn 3.2. Birth bringeth us to labour, Iob 5.7. Death to rest, Rev. 14.13. even Sabbaths rest. Birth bringeth us into a larger and fairer world then our mothers wombe: but death into a larger and fairer then this. The starry roose of this world is but the pavement of that. Better to the wicked in regard, First of others Prov. 11.10. Secondly, Of themselves, though it had been good for them not to be borne, Matth. 26.24. yet being borne, the sooner dead, 1. The lesse sin, 2. The lesse Punishment.
Answ. By no means; for self murder is worse then murder of another. And besides, so the wicked cutteth himself off from means and hopes of conversion.
Answ. By no meanes; for selfe murther is worse then murther of another. And besides, so the wicked cutteth himself off from means and hopes of conversion.
Use 1. Against purgatory to the godly after Death. For then Death settleth them into a worse condition then ever their birth did. For the pains of Purgatory (as Papists describe them) differ not from the pains of hell in measure of torment, but duration only. And what use can there be of Purgatory, when no sin is left in death to be purged after?
Ʋse 1. Against purgatory to the godly after Death. For then Death setleth them into a worse condition then ever their birth did. For the pains of Purgatory (as Papists describe them) differ not from the pams of hell in measure of torment, but duration only. And what use can there be of Purgatory, when no sin is left in death to be purged after?
Use 2. To exhort to such a life as may make our death comfortable: Means. First, Regeneration, New birth, John 11.26. Phil. 1.21. Secondly, Faithful and fruitful course of life, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8.
Ʋse 2. To exhort to such a life as may make our death comfortable: Meanes. First, Regeneration, New birth, Iohn 11.26. Phil. 1.21. Secondly, Faithful and fruitful course of life, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8.
Use 3. To comfort the godly against death, by consideration of all the former benefits of Death. Samsons riddle, is now Solomons Paradox; Out of the eater (Death which devoureth all) cometh meat and sweetness.
Ʋse 3. To comfort the godly against death, by consideration of all the former benefits of Death. Samsons riddle, is now Solomons Paradoxe; Out of the eater (Death which devoureth all) commeth meat and sweetnesse.
Answ. First, If thou hast lived any long time, most of thy dearest friends are gone before thee; Secondly, Thou shalt change these here for better friends there; our best friends love us not so dearly as every one there; Thirdly, Thy good friends will not be long after thee.
Use 4. To moderate the mourning of the living for their dying friends; you rejoiced in their worse day (their birth day) why not much more in their better day? 2 Sam. 12.19, 20. Pharaoh and Herod solemnized their birth days, Gen. 40.20. Mark. 6.21. why should not Christians rejoice in the departure of their Christian friends? The days of the Martyrs execution were called Natalitia. It is true we may mourn for loss of public good, Instruments to Family, Church, and Commonwealth, and judge our selves for such sins as provoke the Lord to remove them: but yet it is best for them that they are gone: and best for the Church, what God doth; the death of Joseph and Josiah turned to the best good of Israel. The bondage of Egypt wrought for Israel a more glorious deliverance. And the captivity of Babylon (which brake in upon the death of Josiah) instead of a dungeon proved a wine-cellar, Cant. 2.4.
Ʋse 4. To moderate the mourning of the living for their dying friends; you rejoyced in their worse day (their birth day) why not much more in their better day? 2 Sam. 12.19, 20. Pharaoh and Herod solemnized their birth dayes, Gen. 40.20. Mark. 6.21. why should not Christians rejoyce in the departure of their Christian friends? The dayes of the Martyrs execution were called Natalitia. It is true we may mourne for losse of publike good, Instruments to Family, Church, and Commonwealth, and judge our selves for such sins as provoke the Lord to remove them: but yet it is best for them that they are gone: and best for the Church, what God doth; the death of Ioseph and Iosiah turned to the best good of Israel. The bondage of Egypt wrought for Israel a more glorious deliverance. And the captivity of Babylon (which brake in upon the death of Iosiah) instead of a dungeon proved a wine-cellar, Cant. 2.4.
Eccles. 7. v. 2.
2. It is better to go to the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
AS in the former verse Solomon preferred two things, that seem less desirable above other two that seem more desirable, (a good name above a good ointment: and the day of death above the birth day) So here he preferreth a third thing that may seem less desirable before another, which to men doth, commonly seem to be much more desirable. The house of feasting is commonly preferred amongst men, as more desirable to be gone unto, above the house of mourning; but here the day of mourning, even the greatest mourning, (mourning for the dead) is preferred before the house of feasting. Better it is (saith he) to go to the house ⟨p. 119⟩of mourning then to the house of feasting; whereof he giveth two reasons. First, from the property of the house of mourning (to wit for the dead). It is the end of all men, Secondly, from the good use which the living will seriously make of his house of mourning, and of the cause of mourning which he there beholdeth (the death of some friend or neighbour) The living will lay it to his heart.
AS in the former verse Solomon preferred two things, that seem lesse desirable above other two that seem more desirable, (a good name above a good oyntment: and the day of death above the birth day) So here he preserreth a third thing that may seem lesse desirable before another, which to men doth, commonly seem to be much more desirable. The house of feasting is commonly preferred amongst men, as more desirable to be gone unto, above the house of mourning; but here the day of mourning, even the greatest mourning, (mourning for the dead) is preferred before the house of feasting. Better it is (saith he) to go to the house ⟨p. 119⟩of mourning then to the house of feasting; whereof he giveth two reasons. First, from the property of the house of mourning (to wit for the dead). It is the end of all men, Secondly, from the good use which the living will seriously make of his house of mourning, and of the cause of mourning which he there beholdeth (the death of some friend or neighbour) The living will lay it to his heart.
