Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

2. That it is not in the power of man, after all his hard labour for these things, either to use them, or with cheerfulness and joy to delight at all in them, without the special hand and gift of God; to say nothing of sickness, or other distempers within, and of robbers without, which may take away the ⟨p. 90⟩taste of any sweetness in them, and consequently the desire of them, 2 Sam. 19.35. Job 33 19, 20. so that the floor and the winepress shall not feed us, Hos. 9.2. & 2.9. There is such a sordid and base cruelty in the mind of a man towards himself, as to defraud and grudge himself the fruit of his own labour, Eccl. 6.2, 4, 8. much less can a man with cheerfulness, contentment, and sweet tranquility, make use of these blessings without the special favour of God unto him therein, Prov. 10.22. Ps. 128.1.2. Nehem. 8.10, 12. 1 Chron. 29.22. Act. 14.17. Deut. 8.12—18. Phil. 4, 11, 12, 13.

2. That it is not in the power of man, after all his hard labour for these things, either to use them, or with chearfulness and joy to delight at all in them, without the special hand and gift of God; to say nothing of sickness, or other distempers within, and of robbers without, which may take away the

3. That the happiness of this life standeth in a free, cheerful and contented enjoyment of the good blessings of God, together with the sense and comfort of his fatherly love, 1 Tim. 6.4.

4. That all the sweetness of outward blessings standeth in this, that they are reached out unto us, from the hand, and sanctified by the blessing and grace of a merciful Father, Ps. 37.16. Prov. 15.16. 1 Tim. 4.5. 1 Tim. 6.17. It is the love of God which puts sweetness into all outward mercies.

V. 25. for who can eat, or who else can hasten thereunto more than I?] He proveth what he had said, that it is the gift of God; because he so wise, so wealthy a Prince, who had so great variety to hold up his delight, could of himself find nothing in all his great estate, but matter of vexation. What power can others have to enjoy them, when he could not; or else it may refer to the former part of the fore-going verse. There is nothing for a m•n then to eat and drink and enjoy good in his labour: this he proveth by his own experience. As by his own experience, he hath all along proved the vanity and vexation of the creatures in other respects; so here by his own experience he proveth, that the only tranquility is, having made sure of the favour of God, to eat and drink with cheerfulness. He doth not mean sensual Epicure-like surfeiting on the creatures, but a quiet and free contented use of them; who is fit to eat of my estate, and to make haste so to do, i. e. readily and cheerfully to do it, then I my self who laboured it? and I unto whom God hath given such plenty, and such readiness of heart to use it, ⟨p. 92⟩can by my own taste of Gods goodness give to others a judgement and assurance hereof. So vers. 10, 12.

who else can hasten thereunto more than I?] This noteth a special promptitude and cheerfulness of heart, which Solomon did put forth in the fruition of the good things he had gathered, as Job 20.2. others read it, who hath taken more care thereunto, to abound in delights and contents then I? Others, who hath quicker senses to discern the comforts of them, then I? but the first sense seemeth more genuine; for as in the former verse, he spake, 1. Of eating and drinking, or of the free using of Gods blessings. 2. Of making the heart to enjoy them: So here he telleth us that his practise, was suitable, who can eat? that relates to the former; and who can hasten more than I, that relates to the later.

who else can hasten thereunto more than I?] This noteth a special promptitude and cheerfulness of heart, which Solomon did put forth in the fruition of the good things he had gathered, as Job 20.2. others read it, who hath taken more care thereunto, to abound in delights and contents then I? Others, who hath quicker senses to discern the comforts of them, then I? but the first sense seemeth more genuine; for as in the former verse, he spake, 1. Of eating and drinking, or of the free using of Gods blessings. 2. Of making the heart to enjoy them: So here he telleth us that his practise, was suteable, who can eat? that relates to the former; and who can hasten more than I, that relates to the later.

V. 26. for God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy, &c.] Having commended this free and comfortable use of Gods blessings with Godliness and contentment by the author of it, it is the gift of God: He here further commends it by the subject of it, unto whom God doth afford so excellent a gift: many gifts of God are common to good and bad men, Matth. 5.45. 1 Cor. 13.1, 3. but this ⟨p. 93⟩is a peculiar blessing which he bestows on his beloved, Ps. 127.2. the subject of it is a good man; the Character of that good man, he is good in his sight, good in the judgement of God, who trieth the heart, Gen. 17.1. 1 Cor. 10.18. Rom. 12.1, 2. 1 Tim. 2.3. Heb. 13.21. The gift of God to this man. 1. Wisdom to get, 2 Knowledge to use, 3. Joy to use cheerfully and comfortably all outward blessings, and this is illustrated by an Antithesis.

V. 26. for God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdome, and knowledge, and joy, &c.] Having commended this free and comfortable use of Gods blessings with Godliness and contentment by the author of it, it is the gift of God: He here further commends it by the subject of it, unto whom God doth afford so excellent a gift: many gifts of God are common to good and bad men, Matth. 5.45. 1 Cor. 13.1, 3. but this ⟨p. 93⟩is a peculiar blessing which he bestows on his beloved,

but to the sinner he giveth travel, to gather and to heap up,] i. e. He giveth them up, or leaveth them to their own greedy desires, to gather and heap together with much anxiety and tormenting solicitude, Hab. 2.6. Luk. 12.18. Ps. 39.6.

but to the sinner he giveth travel, to gather and to heap up,] i. e. He giveth them up, or leaveth them to their own greedy desires, to gather and heap together with much anxiety and tormenting sollicitude, Habb. 2.6. Luk. 12.18. Ps. 39.6.

That he may give to him that is good before God] That is, that God may dispose of it by his own over-ruling providence, besides and against the purpose of the gatherer, to whom he pleaseth, or to those that fear him, making wicked men but the drudges and purveyors for others. Isa. 10.7. Prov. 13.22. & 28.8. Job 27.16, 17. Est. 8.1, 2. Isa. 65.13, 14. as wicked men built the Ark, but Noah enjoyed it, according to the Greek proverb, one man makes the garment, but another wears it.

This also is vanity] viz. for a wicked man ⟨p. 94⟩to labour for others whom he loves not, nor ever intended his labour for.

Here we see, 1. Goodness consists in approving a mans self to God. 2. That sweet and perfect contentment is peculiar unto good men. 3. That wisdom or skill to get riches, is the gift of God, Deut. 8.18. 4. That knowledge to use them, being gotten, is likewise Gods gift, as vers. 24. 5. That good men only are the proper subject of true joy, Gal. 5.22. 6. That amongst other curses, God doth many times punish wicked men with giving them up to the insatiable desires of their covetous hearts, to weary themselves in gathering wealth to no purpose of their own, of Eccl. 4.8. 7. Gods providences, that many times disposeth the labours of wicked men for the use and good of the godly.

Here we see, 1. Goodness consists in approving a mans self to God. 2. That sweet and perfect contentment is peculiar unto good men. 3. That wisdome or skill to get riches, is the gift of God, Deut. 8.18. 4. That knowledge to use them, being gotten, is likewise Gods gift, as vers. 24. 5. That good men only are the proper subject of true joy, Gal. 5.22. 6. That amongst other curses, God doth many times punish wicked men with giving them up to the insatiable desires of their covetous hearts, to weary themselves in gathering wealth to no purpose of their own, of Eccl. 4.8. 7. Gods providences, that many times disposeth the labours of wicked men for the use and good of the godly.

CHAP. III.

IN this Chapter the wise man proceedeth, in discovering the vanity of worldly things, and of all mens toil and labour about them, in regard of the total uncertainty of future events, as having their whole dependence on the predeterminate purpose of God, & not at all on the anxious care and thoughts of man. And that therefore since man is not able to alter the series and contexture of events, foreordained by God, he ought with contentment ⟨p. 95⟩of heart to enjoy his condition, and to fear the Lord, & depend on his providence, which is not possible for him by all his own solicitude to prevent or escape. And therefore, though he may cheerfully enjoy present blessings, yet he must not have his heart glued to them, nor build his chiefest hope on them, in regard they are so variable, and subject to unavoidable changes and uncertainties. So that the doctrine of the ten first verses of this Chapter seems to be; 1. An argument enforcing the former counsel of the wise man, Chap. 2.24. That since there is a set and prefixed season for all, even the most contingent events, and that it is out of the power of man by all his thoughts, counsels & cares, to break through the limits of Gods providence in the guidance of them; therefore our wisest way is to yield our selves unto God, to depend on his counsel and provision, to rest contented in that which he gives, and not to disquiet our selves with the cares, fears, hopes of such things, as are wholly without the order of our wisdom or power. 2. A caveat in the use of outward comforts, still to remember that they are changeable, subject to time and providence to wear them out, & deprive us of them: and therefore not to be offended, if we have not always our desires, nor enjoy them so long, and in so constant a tenor of ⟨p. 96⟩success, as we could wish our selves. 3. A further observation of vanity in outward things, in the various actions of other men, as he had before discovered in his own labours.

IN this Chapter the wise man proceedeth, in discovering the vanity of worldly things, and of all mens toil and labour about them, in regard of the total uncertainty of future events, as having their whole dependance on the predeterminate purpose of God, & not at all on the anxious care and thoughts of man. And that therefore since man is not able to alter the series and contexture of events, foreordained by God, he ought with contentment ⟨p. 95⟩

V. 1. To every thing there is a season] A predeterminate and an appointed time: So it is used, Esth. 9.31. Ezra 10.14. Nehem. 13.31.

to every purpose] To voluntary and contingent things, which seem most in a mans own power; yet these are over-ruled, for their beginning, duration, and ending, by the providence of God. To every purposed business: Where note; 1. That all events in the world, both natural and contingent, voluntary, or fortuitous, are all of them limited and bounded for their beginning, duration and ending, by the providence of God, Psal. 31.15. Job 14.14. Acts 17.26. So we read of a time for wrath, Psal. 37.13. Ezek. 7.7. Hos. 5.7 Isa. 40.2. A time of love, Ezec. 16.8. 2 Cor. 6.2. A time to work in, Joh. 2.4. A time to suffer in, Joh. 7.30. & 8.20. & 13.1. & 17.1. It is great wisdom for men to observe the providences of God in this point, that they may accordingly behave themselves towards him, 1 Chron. 12.32. Luk. 19.42. Eccles. 9.12. Jer. 8.7. 2. That whatever are ⟨p. 97⟩

V. 2. The Wise man subjoineth an Induction of several particulars, obvious to every mans experience, whereby he demonstrateth the truth of this general Proposition. Some of these particulars are things natural, and wholly out of the power of man: others humane and voluntary, such as are done and directed by the Skill of man. To teach us, that all the most free and contingent actions are under the Law of Gods providence, directed and limited thereby, as well as those which are most natural and necessary, 1 ⟨p. 98⟩Reg. 22.24. Isa. 10.5, 6, 7. Act. 4, 27, 28.

V. 2. The Wise man subjoyneth an Induction of several particulars, obvious to every mans experience, whereby he demonstrateth the truth of this general Proposition. Some of these particulars are things natural, and wholly out of the power of man: others humane and voluntary, such as are done and directed by the Skill of man. To teach us, that all the most free and contingent actions are under the Law of Gods providence, directed and limited thereby, as well as those which are most natural and necessary, 1 ⟨p. 98⟩Reg. 22.24. Isa. 10.5, 6, 7. Act. 4, 27, 28.