Ecclesiastes 7

God keeps the best wine till last. If Cato the Heathen said, To me to die is gain; he saw mortality to be a mercy: then what may a believer say (Ecclesiastes 7:1). The day of death is better than the day of one's birth.

Here is implied, 1. That our first parents fell from their state of innocency. 2. The sin by which they fell, eating the forbidden fruit. 1. Our first parents fell from their glorious state of innocency (Ecclesiastes 7:29). God made man upright, but they have sought out many inv…

Such an herb is pleasure; if one feeds immoderately on it, he will go laughing to Hell. Such as make a God of pleasure, let them read but two scriptures (Ecclesiastes 7:4): The heart of fools is in the house of mirth. And (Revelation 18:7): How much she has lived deliciously, so…

When the tongue is on fire, it is the Devil that lights the match. Ecclesiastes 7:9. Anger rests in the bosom of fools: It may be in a wise man, but it rests in a fool. More are drunk with passion than wine: Jerome.

When Elias was taken up to Heaven, his mantle dropped off; so when the angels shall carry us up to Heaven, this mantle of sin shall drop off: we shall never complain more of an aching head, or an unbelieving heart. Use 1. If original sin be propagated to us, and will be inherent…

It is rare to hear of any who are enchanted and bewitched with this sin of adultery, that recover out of it. Ecclesiastes 7:26: Her heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands. Her heart is snares — that is, she is subtle to deceive those who come to her.

2. As the unregenerate cannot keep the moral law perfectly, so neither can the regenerate. Ecclesiastes 7:20: There is not a just man upon the earth that does good and sins not — in fact, that sins not in doing good. There is that in the best actions of a righteous man that is d…

Answ. The means for a quiet resignation to God's will in affliction is; 1. Judicious consideration (Ecclesiastes 7:14): In the day of adversity consider. When anything burdens us, or runs cross to our desires, did we but sit down and consider, and weigh things in the balance of…

So likewise on the contrary, darkness and distress of conscience is but a temporal chastisement as outward crosses are, differing from them only in the subject matter — the one being conversant about things of the outward man, this about the inward, namely, a man's spiritual sta…

Third, you will seek from Christ a new righteousness of sanctification also. For you will see that the common righteousness of nature and education will not please him, and Christ must be made sanctification to you (1 Corinthians 1:30) as well as righteousness. Nicodemus, though…

3. In that our Elders by faith obtained a good report: Here we learn the readiest and surest way to get a good name. A good name is a good gift of God; Ecclesiastes 7.3. It is a precious ointment.

Secondly, whereas God the Father is Creator of all things, and has given to man reason, understanding, and ability, more than to other creatures, we are taught to consider and meditate of the work of God's creation. This the wise man teaches us, saying, Consider the work of God…

A crown of glory shall she deliver to you (Proverbs 4:9). By espousing godliness, we are better than others (Ecclesiastes 7:8). And richer, being possessed of a golden mine; that is, The unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8).

Objection: But many things are alleged against this position, and that with much seeming countenance from such Scriptures as these: Psalm 55:23, Bloodthirsty men shall not live out half their days. Ecclesiastes 7:17, Why should you die before your time? Psalm 102:24, O my God, t…

Fifth, take heed and beware of entertaining anything that holds and bars out grace, or of doing anything that may mar or quench the working or moving of grace; if you cannot get Christ entertained in your heart as you should, be sure to give it to no other; if you cannot get cor…

The Scripture is full to this purpose, in asserting, that not only all men are sinners as considered in their natural condition, but that even believers are sinful in part. For the same Apostle John that says (1 John 1:3), "Truly, our fellowship is with the Father, and with his…

The Lord complains of a whorish heart, that plays the harlot with many lovers (Jeremiah 3:1), and heaven and saving grace stands on an indivisible point, like the number of seven; one added, one removed, varies the nature: no man is half in heaven, half in hell: almost a Christi…

The perfect ones have the fullest pitch of the noonday Sun of glory; it shall never be afternoon, nor the evening or twilight sky with them; nor shall any night-shadow, nor cloud go over their Sun. 5. In the kingdom of perfection there shall be no in-dwelling of a body of sin, n…

Still Antinomians betray their engine; if we say, even being justified we have no sin, we lie; and who can say I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from sin? And there is not a just man on earth, that sins not (1 John 1:10; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20). Then there cannot be…

Lastly, we must seek to be approved of men, not so much in regard of ourselves, as that, by this means God's glory may be more and more advanced: for our light must so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our father, which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).…

The necessity of holiness further argued from our own state and condition in this world, with what is required of us with respect to giving glory to Jesus Christ. Section 1. Another argument for the necessity of holiness may be taken from the consideration of our present state a…

This is the day of trouble in which God has bid you to call upon him. And contra, when comfortable Providences refresh us, it now informs us, this is the time to rejoyce in God according to the rule, Ecclesiastes 7:14 in the day of prosperiy be joyful. These precepts bind always…

The Fifth Direction. LAstly, Work up your hearts to those frames, and exercise those affections which the several Providences of God that are versant about you call for, Ecclesiastes 7:14 Suit your selves to answer the design and end of God in all Providences. As there are vario…

Shall we receive good and not evil? says he. It is Solomon's advice (Ecclesiastes 7:14): In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. What shall we consider?

The apostle tells us, Romansans 1:20. what it is of God that his works reveal; even his eternal power and Godhead; or the Essential properties of his nature; but no more: Not any of the purposes of his grace, not any of the free Acts of his will; not pardon and forgiveness. Besi…

First, this will render a man more serviceable to God; and the fitter instrument to promote his honor and glory in the world. And therefore the Wise Man (Ecclesiastes 7:1) compares a good name to precious ointment; and in the comparison gives it the preference; for as precious o…

And therefore, though your gift be ready to be laid upon the altar, remember yourself, look inward, and see whether all be quiet and calm there; if there be no grudge, no anger against your brother: if you find any, either go first, and actually reconcile yourself to him, or if…

And Christians know, that there are changes in the right hand of the most High, in reference to their spiritual seasons. If there be a Spring time of the Gospel, there will also be an Autumn; if a day of prosperity, it will set in a night of adversity; for God has set the one ov…

The word there signifies the rising of the stomach, any being angry even to sickness; religious wrath is the fiercest wrath, now the soul cannot endure sin, trembles at it. I find a woman more bitter than death (says penitent Solomon) (Ecclesiastes 7:26). Conviction like a [reco…

Envy would blast eminence; some are mad upon idols, they will blemish you, for you have vexed them. Others are burdened with payments, and they will say the former times were better than these (Ecclesiastes 7:10). Perhaps Solomon relates to his own times; they complain of Solomo…

It is but saying, there's no great harm done, or if there be, there was none intended, and perhaps it was an oversight, and so the offence being looked at through that end of the perspective which diminishes, it is easily passed by, and the distemper being taken in time goes off…

Our rule is, what we would that men should do to us, when we offend them, the same we should do to them, when they offend us, for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12). Solomon appeals to our own consciences herein (Ecclesiastes 7:22): for oftentimes also your own hear…

The danger of falling this way must needs be great, and the fall very desperate, because few that fall into it do ever rise again. I shall lay two very terrible Scriptures before you to this purpose, either of them enough to drive you speedily to Christ, or to drive you out of y…

James 3:2: In many things we offend all. And, Ecclesiastes 7:20: There is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not: that is, that sins not either in omitting of good, or committing of evil. Our offences are either total or partial.

To most proud spirits, disgraceful punishment is much more dreadful than painful (Psalm 22:7): All they that see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head. A good name is more precious than life to some (Ecclesiastes 7:1): A good name is better than prec…

For what serious and sober use does carnal rejoicing serve? There is no profit by it, but much hurt and danger; therefore Solomon prefers sorrow before it (Ecclesiastes 7:3). Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Doctrine 2. Divine teaching is necessary for all those that would walk in the way of God's statutes. 1. We have lost our way to true happiness, Adam lost it, and all mankind in him, ever since we have been wandering up and down (Psalm 14:3): They are all gone aside, that is, gon…

Upon hearing the words, presently there occurs a doubt, How then can any man be blessed? For there is not a man that lives and sins not (Ecclesiastes 7:20), and (James 3:2) In many things we offend all. To deny it, is a flat lie against the truth, and against our own experience.

A good name is more precious to some than life. And possibly that may be the reason why these two are coupled together (Ecclesiastes 7:1): "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth." The coupling of these two sentences toget…

5. With meekness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15): be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; not in a passionate, perverse, arrogant way, but with meekness of spirit, without all show of passion, and wit…

2. When God appears against you in a course of judgments, cutting off one comfort after another, now taking away a child, then blasting the estate. Now consider your ways (Ecclesiastes 7:14). In the day of adversity consider, then is the duty in season.

There is a threefold profit we get by affliction. 1. The time of affliction is a serious thinking time (Ecclesiastes 7:14): In the day of adversity consider. (1 Kings 8:47): Yet if they bethink themselves in the land where they are carried captive.

The divine image inclined him to obedience at first. 4. We are not now what God made us at first, but are strangely disabled to serve him, and please him (Ecclesiastes 7:29); God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions: there is man's original, and his degener…

3. You must observe Providence, and your hearts must be awake and attend to it (Psalm 107:43): "Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord." (Ecclesiastes 7:14) "In the day of adversity consider." 4. You must be suc…

2. They are renewed: till a man be holy he cannot rejoice in spiritual things. The fool's heart is always in the house of mirth (Ecclesiastes 7:4). For masks, and plays, and merry meetings, feasts and banquets, and vain company, and idle games and pastimes — these are the life a…

It were some comfort to a man, if after he had toiled and moiled all day, he could eat his bread with joy, and drink his wine with a merry heart, but sin will not suffer him. If he laugh, sin turns it to madness (Ecclesiastes 2:2), or else it is no better music than the cracklin…

3. Worldly comfort is very fading and transitory; the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. Solomon compares it to the crackling of thorns under a pot (Ecclesiastes 7:6), which is but a blaze and soon out, so is the comfort of carna…

Your inordinate thoughts take you off from yielding attendance to the Lord, that you fall off from him, and the guidance of his wisdom in the rule, before you fall into any sin: here came in the first breach between God and the soul, and by this the breach is continued and incre…

There are four things opposite to meekness. First, meekness is opposed to hastiness of spirit (Ecclesiastes 7:9): Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the heart of fools. When the heart boils in passion, and anger sparkles forth in the eye, this is far fro…

His words were drawn swords. You may kill a man as well in his name, as in his person; a good name is as precious ointment (Ecclesiastes 7:21). A good conscience and a good name, is like a gold ring set with a rich diamond.