Ecclesiastes 9

So by our exact Bible-conversation we glorify God; though the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet our light must so shine, that others may behold it; the chief of building is in foundation, yet the glory of it is in frontispiece, so beauty in the conversation: when the…

It is a lesser hell: in the heart are legions of lusts, obdurateness, infidelity, hypocrisy, sinful aestuations, it boils as the sea with passion and revenge. Madness is in their heart while they live (Ecclesiastes 9:3). The heart is Officina Diaboli, the devil's shop or work-ho…

2. Their purity; the magistrates among the Romans were clothed in white, ergo called candidati, to show their integrity: Thus the queen, the Lamb's wife, is arrayed in fine linen pure and white, which is the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8). 3. Their joy: white is a…

I now enjoy him whom my soul loves, I am possessed of a kingdom, my labour is over, but my joy remains. 11. If you do not take pains for the kingdom of heaven now, there will be nothing to be done for your souls after death: This is the only fit season for working, and if this s…

You may understand it thus; I will open it in three things only, and briefly. 1. There be all sorts of sin, there is every lust in the heart of every man: there is a mighty host, and army of sins, and lusts in the heart; and hence the heart is said to be full of evil (Ecclesiast…

We must distinguish between chance and mere chance. Chance is, when any thing comes to pass, the cause thereof being unknown not simply but in respect of man: and therefore in regard of men which know not the reason of things, we may say there is chance: and so the spirit of God…

When we lean to our own wisdom, we distrust the providence of God (Proverbs 3:5): trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. Trust in God and leaning to our own wisdom are opposed to one another as inconsistent; or when a man has some great co…

The things to be said concerning the theology of Jesus Christ — "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3) — and concerning that knowledge which He had and has through the personal union, and through the revelations given to Him by the Father…

God bestows those good things many times on those whom He hates, toward whom He is endowed with an immutable purpose of punishment, whom He has devoted to destruction, and whom He has declared to be destined for destruction and to be tormented with eternal punishments (Psalms 73…

To which, if the names of Idols be added, as it takes away this use, so it is abominable (Haggai 8:14; Zephaniah 1:5). Here is forbidden all carelessness rushing to oaths, without due consideration, yes, though the causes be just (Ecclesiastes 9:4; Jeremiah 4:2). The second thin…

Thus Satan most horribly dallied in the death of souls through the Pope, and therefore is the Papacy a slaughterhouse of consciences, and the very kingdom of the Devil. Now, to establish and confirm this pernicious and cursed error, they alleged the saying of Solomon (Ecclesiast…

That which Paul did in his religion, we must do in ours. The good things, that we are to do, we must do them with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Our duty is to keep our hearts in the fear of God, and we must do it with all diligence (Proverbs 4:24).

Third, by pressing into the kingdom of God is signified greatness of effort. It is expressed in Ecclesiastes 9:10 by doing what our hand finds to do with all our might. And this is the natural and necessary consequence of the two things before mentioned; where there is strength…

We may say of them, as it is, Job 23. 8, 9. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there: and backward, but I cannot perceive him: an the left hand where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him. If Providence in it self be a…

Let them be cast down, that have no God in trouble to turn to. (4.) Why should they be sad, as long as no outward dispensation of Providence, (be it never so sad) can be interpreted as a mark or sign of Gods hatred or Anger, Ecclesiastes 9. 2, 3. There is one event to the righte…

And first, Let it be considered, that we cannot know from the matter of the things before us, whether they be sanctified or unsanctified to us; for so consider'd, all things come alike to all; and no man knows either love or hatred by all the things that are before him. Ecclesia…

1. Because diligence is required in all matters concerning the body, therefore much more should you put forth diligence in all matters concerning the soul. Diligence is required in all matters concerning the body (Ecclesiastes 9:10): "Whatever you put your hand to, do it with al…

First, no man can infallibly and certainly judge of God's purposes about man's election, or reprobation, by any of the dispensations of God toward their bodies in the things of this life. Ecclesiastes 9:1-2: No man knows either love or hatred by anything that is before him. All…

And this you find was their ground of presumption (Hosea 12:8): Ephraim said, I am become rich, and I have found me out substance; in all my labor they shall find no iniquity in me, that is, sin. Ephraim would say, I am become rich, and have gotten me an estate, and now I am an…

For [in non-Latin alphabet] is the inward evil thoughts of the heart, or the first motion of sin. Moreover they do not unfitly describe it by other property; as Ecclesiastes 9:14, [in non-Latin alphabet]; the evil figment or concupiscence which is like to a great king; namely be…

Misery cannot be great to a man, because there is a time for every purpose, but because men are either so blind that they cannot see, or so sluggish that they will not make use of the proper time for every purpose. Thus the preacher himself expounds it (Ecclesiastes 9:12): For m…

In such cases we perswade men to acquiesce in the Judgement of their skilful Physitian, not alwayes to be wasting themselves in and by their own tainted imaginations, and so despond upon their own mistakes; but to rest in what is informed them by him, who is acquainted with the…

You have but your appointed time, and all your times are in the hands of God, and if once lost, they are lost for ever; the dead and damned can say, we have only heard the fame thereof with our ears, but alas are past the hopes of time-enjoyment or improvement. When your glass i…

This violence concerns men as Christians. Though heaven be given us freely, yet we must contend for it (Ecclesiastes 9:10). What your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

Shall we admire the gift, and forget the giver? Solomon speaks of a generation of men — madness is in their heart (Ecclesiastes 9:3). Sure they who draw near the world, and leave God, madness is in their heart.

Hence sinners are said in this time to be [illegible] up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath (Romans 2:5). It is evident, that neither good men nor evil men are in this life, openly distinguished in the observable providences of God, except in some special instances; lo…

Whatever vain opinion you have of your own wisdom, which is indeed but an indication of your folly, according to (Proverbs 26:16), the sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can render a reason; yet this is a great truth of all men as they come into the world…

We are obliged to obey God in the covenant of works, and believe in Christ in the covenant of grace: suppose there had been no hire of life eternal in the one or the other; the Lord might stand on his points, and command as law-giver, and never come down as a covenanter, to hire…

Or suppose a pair of chariot-wheels were let loose in the top of a huge mountain, and should move down some hundred thousands of millions of miles for hundreds of years after the man who set them first a-work, were dead; so we fools believe that God gave a mighty strong shake or…

Now to set on this point a little further, and to make this plain to you: you shall see it in these three things. 1. Because all other things, as riches, poverty, health, sickness, &c. he dispenses these promiscuously, so, he gives riches to wicked men, &c. because as it is (Ecc…

If there be a cause for such a thing, the effect does follow; when there is no cause, then the effect does not, as a wise man does bring a thing to pass, but the foolish miscarry in them, we see the diligent hand makes rich, and he that labors not, has nothing; and things that a…

Happy is the soul that is in such a case (Psalm 144:14-15). The words of such wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that rules among fools, and this wisdom is better than weapons of war (Ecclesiastes 9:17-18). This is the quietness we should every one of us labor…

The grave is a quiet place, there the wicked cease from troubling (Job 3:17). Those that were most troublesome are there bound to the peace; and their hatred and envy (those great troublemakers) are there perished (Ecclesiastes 9:6). Whether we will or no, in the grave we shall…

And then lastly, to name no more, I pray you consider, that a custom of vain words and prophane Oaths, is as plain an indication and discovery of an unregenerate Soul, as any in the world. This is a sure [•]ign you are none of Christs, nor hast any thing to do with the promises…

And surely, it is every way as highly reasonable, that Men should mortifie, cast out, and cut off their dearest Lusts, rather than their Immortal Souls should sink and perish in the Storm of God's wrath. Life, indeed, is a precious Treasure, and highly valued by Men: You know wh…

I fear there are but few that own, act in submission to it, and are careful to return according to received benefit. Men do not consider, That their works are in the hand of God, Ecclesiastes 9:1. And even those that have the most immediate dependence upon Providence, as Merchan…

All this can he do, if he find the work stick, and meet with rubs and difficulties; yet does he not act to the utmost of his skill and power, at all times and with all persons; neither indeed need he so to do, the very propounding of an object, is enough to some, without any fur…

Death may challenge a part in our Fear. 1. Because it is such a serious thing, it is the in-let to eternity: and puts us into an unalterable estate. 2. Because of it's Proximity: it is nearer to us than we are aware : it may be within a few hours march of us. God may this night…

In fact (I say) you will most fearfully grieve his Spirit, if you parley with the conceived suggestions of it at unseasonable times. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, says Solomon (Ecclesiastes 9). Therefore when you are to pray, confer, or meditate, do it with all you…

We have no other plea to evidence our sincerity but this. Use. It presses us whatever we do for the great God, to do it with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). There is no weighty thing can be done without diligence; much more the keeping the commandment.

1. Either because of the storm of trouble raised by them, or persecution from them; and so it would note the outrageousness of those who have cast off the yoke, all fear of God, and respect to his law: and so also the imbecility and weakness of the saints, who are not able to st…

But alas now he must say, as (Ecclesiastes 8:6-7): because to every purpose there is a time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him, for he knows not what shall be, and who can tell him, when or how it shall be? And (Ecclesiastes 9:12): Man knows not his time…

As it is the best of comforts to have assurance of the love of God, and to be sealed to the day of redemption; so it is the saddest of judgments to be given up (as it is three times in one place, Romans 1) to their lusts, to a hardened heart, a seared conscience, a reprobate min…

In this world there is a door of hope, a day, an offer and means of grace, space for repentance, a Mediator in Heaven, a patient God, possibility of being blessed; but when once damned, the door is shut, it is in vain to knock; the day, offers, and means of grace are at an end;…

O that all unconverted men would consider the danger, the madness of their procrastinations. Tis said in Ecclesiastes 9:12, Man knows not his time. Man, discern your time as a flying time, and an uncertain time.

It is to be dispatched in a quiet time, in a time when there is no disturbance by passions within, or noises without. It is said in (Ecclesiastes 9:16), the words of wise men are heard in quiet: and no wise man will speak when there is not quietness enough to allow an audience f…

What could you say more wherein you may aggravate your fault in a most heavy manner? Is not this the express will of God, that a man should do with all his might what his hand finds to do (Ecclesiastes 9:10)? That he should abide in the calling to which God has called him (1 Cor…

How do vain young men strengthen each other in wickedness, and harden one another's hearts against the fear of God! How often have there been good hopes that these and those might have been persuaded to return to God, and lay hold on Jesus Christ, if they had not lived in such h…

But now in Christ God accepts us. Ecclesiastes 9:7: Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God now accepts your works. As Joseph presented his brothers before Pharaoh and brought them into favor with the king (Genesis 47:2), so the Lord…

Religion is a business of the greatest importance; the soul, which is the more noble and divine part, is concerned in it; and as we act our part here, so we shall be forever happy or miserable. The advice of Solomon in this case is most seasonable: whatsoever your hand finds to…