Annotations on the book of Ecclesiastes

V. 15. That which hath been, is now, and that which is to, &c.] Chap. 1.9. This is an explication of what was last said, V. 14. to show how what God doth, is for ever: The things themselves pass, and others succeed in their places, but this series of things is carried on regularly and uniformly by a standing Law and fixed decree, appointing a perpetual and proportionable Succession of things one after another, as it hath been from the beginning, Gen. 8.22. Jer. 31.35, 36. Job 38.10, 33.

V. 15. That which hath been, is now, and that which is to, &c.] Chap. 1.9. This is an explication of what was last said, V. 14. to shew how what God doth, is for ever: The things themselves pass, and others succeed in their places, but this series of things is carried on regularly and uniformly by a standing Law and fixed decree, appointing a perpetual and proportionable Succession of things one after another, as it hath been from the beginning, Gen. 8.22. Jer. 31.35, 36. Job 38.10, 33.

and God requireth that which is past.] That which time thrusteth forward, and so maketh to be past, God restores and brings it back again. And this is also an excellent argument of contentment in our estate, be it what it will: 1. Because God dealeth not in a strange and unusual manner with us, otherwise then with others before us; that which now is our Case, hath been the case of other good men, and will be the case of others when we are gone, 1 Cor. 10.13. A human Temptation there, is that which God doth usually exercise men withal, as elsewhere the rod of a man, 2 Sam. 7.14. 2. Because God tempereth our lives, and doth not keep us always in one and the same estate. In trouble he bringeth back ⟨p. 111⟩and restoreth comfort to those that wait on on him, Psal. 126.1, 4. as to Job, Chap. 42.12. In abundance, he can shake our mountain which we thought immovable, and bring back our sorrows again, Psal. 30.6, 7. so that in both respects we ought to carry an awful, reverend, and humble heart towards God in all conditions, quietly referring our selves in every estate unto his Fatherly disposal, who best knoweth what is good for us.

and God requireth that which is past.] That which time thrusteth forward, and so maketh to be past, God restores and brings it back again. And this is also an excellent argument of contentment in our estate, be it what it will: 1. Because God dealeth not in a strange and unusual manner with us, otherwise then with others before us; that which now is our Case, hath been the case of other good men, and will be the case of others when we are gone, 1 Cor. 10.13. A humame Temptation there, is that which God doth usually exercise men withall, as elsewhere the rod of a man, 2 Sam. 7.14. 2. Because God tempereth our lives, and doth not keep us alwayes in one and the same estate. In trouble he bringeth back ⟨p. 111⟩

V. 16. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgement, &c.] I saw another Vanity under the Sun. Having formerly showed the vanity of knowledge, and of pleasures, and of humane Labours, in regard of the internal anxiety & travel of mind that doth accompany them, and of the external changes they are subject unto, and manifold miscarriages and disappointments which are incident unto them, together with the remedy hereof, a free and cheerful enjoyment of Gods blessings with piety towards him for the present; and a comfortable dependence on his holy providence, with godly fear for the future: upon a visible objection which might be made against the providence of God, (which he had so much commended) with which Temptation many good men have been shaken, to wit, the prosperous impiety and oppressions of wicked ⟨p. 112⟩men, and the sad condition of the innocent and oppressed, Job 21.3.—13. Psal. 7.2.—5. Jer. 12.1. Habak. 1.13, 14. he proceedeth to vindicate the doctrine of providence, and to show the vanity of men in honour and great place without the fear of God: (for all the vanities in this book are still to be understood in that sense, the fear of God being the remedy of it, and that which maketh all other outward good things sweet and comfortable to us,) The greatest honour without a holy use of it, is so far from making a man happy, that it is an occasion of much wickedness amongst men, one man proving a devil and wolf unto another, and making no other use of power, then lions or bears do, to mischief others by. This wickedness is aggravated, in that it was committed under the pretence of Gods Ordinance; Magistracy and Courts of Justice were erected by Gods appointment to be Sanctuaries and places of refuge for wronged innocency to repair unto for succour and relief: now then, for those who were ordained to comfort and help poor and oppressed persons, to be themselves through bribery, partiality, and injustice, the greatest oppressors, and that with so high a hand, as to make the very tribunals of judgement, to be slaughterhouses, and shops of cruelty, This was a ⟨p. 113⟩

2. That it is the height of impiety, to fetch power and advantage from any ordinance of God, to commit it, Isa. 5.20. 1. Sam. 2.17. Jer. 23.25, 38. Jer. 14.14, 15. 1 Reg. 22.11, 12, 24. Joh. 19.10. Isa. 36.10. Mal. 2.8.

3. That wickedness is many times grossly aggravated by the circumstance of place where it is committed, Hos. 6.8. Ezek. 8.6, 9, 17. Isa. 27.10. Mal. 1.7. Matth. 21.12, 13.

3. That wickedness is many times grosly aggravated by the circumstance of place where it is committed, Hos. 6.8. Ezek. 8.6, 9, 17. Isa. 27.10. Mal. 1.7. Matth. 21.12, 13.

and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there] This is the same thing repeated, as the use of that tongue, and of the Scripture is, whereby may be signified, How usual a thing it was in places of Judgement, here and there, one as well as another, to find this corruption, Jer. 5.5. Isa. 5.7.

V. 17. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, &c. This is the censure Solomon passeth upon this vanity, that though power do oppress, and the poor be oppressed, yet this ought not to discourage good men from contented waiting on the providence of God, nor to encourage or embolden wicked men in their ways of tyranny or oppression, because the Lord will in due time review all again, and pass a righteous judgement upon the one and the other.

V. 17. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, &c. This is the censure Solomon passeth upon this vanity, that though power do oppress, and the poor be oppressed, yet this ought not to discourage good men from contented waiting on the providence of God, nor to encourage or embolden wicked men in their wayes of tyranny or oppression, because the Lord will in due time review all again, and pass a righteous judgement upon the one and the other.

I said in mine heart] I comforted my heart against this vanity by the consideration of the righteous Judgement of God.

God will judge the righteous] By a sentence of absolution.

and the wicked] By a sentence of condemnation.

for there is a time there] (i. e.) With God, in the judgement to come. The antecedent is to be understood in the relative, as Num. 7.89. Him, for, God, Esth. 9.25. She, for Esther, Psal. 114.2. His Sanctuary, for, Gods Sanctuary, Job 1.2•. naked shall I return thither; namely to the earth.

Here we see, 1. That faith can look on the pride and power of wicked men as a very vain thing, even when they are in the height of their greatness, Job. 5.3. Psal. 92. ⟨p. 115⟩7. & 39.5, 37. & 10.20. & 35.36. Habak. 2.7. Luk. 12.20.

Here we see, 1. That faith can look on the pride and power of wicked men as a very vain thing, even when they are in the height of their greatness, Job. 5.3. Psal. 92. ⟨p. 115⟩7. & 39.5, 37. & 10.20. & 35.36. Habbak. 2.7. Luk. 12.20.

2. That it is matter of comfort to men oppressed, that the Lord will judge their cause over again, and right them against their oppressors. Therefore they ought patiently to wait on him, and to expect what issue he will give them out of their troubles, Eccles. 5.8. Jam. 5.7. Psal. 7.6, 7, 8, 9, 11. & 9.4, 9.

2. That it is matter of comfort to men oppressed, that the Lord will judge their cause over again, and right them against their oppressours. Therefore they ought patiently to wait on him, and to expect what issue he will give them out of their troubles, Eccles. 5.8. Jam. 5.7. Psal. 7.6, 7, 8, 9, 11. & 9.4, 9.

3. There is a prefixed time beyond which God will no longer suffer innocency to be oppressed, nor tyranny to prevail, and we are patiently to wait for Gods time, who will certainly come when wicked men have filled up their measure, Act. 17.31. Jam. 5.7, 8. Job. 21.30. Psal. 37.13. Habak. 2.3. Zach. 5.5—7.

3. There is a prefixed time beyond which God will no longer suffer innocency to be oppressed, nor tyranny to prevail, and we are patiently to wait for Gods time, who will certainly come when wicked men have filled up their measure, Act. 17.31. Jam. 5.7, 8. Job. 21.30. Psal. 37.13. Habbak. 2.3. Zach. 5.5—7.

V. 18. I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men] The order, condition, manner of men, or concerning men themselves, as Psal. 110.4. Eccles. 8.2. or concerning the degrees of men, superiors and inferiors.

V. 18. I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men] The order, condition, manner of men, or concerning men themselves, as Psal. 110.4. Eccles. 8.2. or concerning the degrees of men, superiours and inferiours.