us necessarily to think but meanly of them, and to look after a further judgement, wherein rewards and punishments shall be in a more notable manner dispensed. (Chap. vii. 15. 1 Cor. xv. 19) And even in this distribution, there is much goodness shewed to one man in his sufferings, whereby his graces are exercised; and much wrath and justice to others in their prosperity, whereby they are many times hardened and ensnared. (Psalm lxix. 22. Hos. xiii. 6)

Ver. 15. Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, &c.] Some make this to be a sensual and carnal deduction, drawn from the former observation;-that, since by a man's most circumspect walking he can no more free himself from evils, than if he lived more loosely ;-and since evil men do many times go away with the rewards of good men, and good men suffer such things as they had not deserved; since a man gets nothing by his holiness, nor loseth any thing by his wickedness;-it is therefore the best way to take our pleasures, to eat and to drink and be merry; and to take no further care than how we may, for the present, gratify our licentious desires. (1 Cor. xv. 32. Isai. xxii. 12, 13. Amos vi. 3-6. Psalm lxxiii. 11, 12) But I rather understand the words in the sense formerly expressed, chap. ii. 24, and iii. 12, 13, 22, and v. 18. "Since it is impossible for a man to free himself from those common vanities and temptations which are under the sun; therefore there is no greater wisdom, no better remedy of our present vexations, than to compose our hearts in a holy calmness and security, nor over-curiously or querulously to inquire into the dark providences of God in the world; but, with a holy submission, to commit ourselves to the Lord; and in his fear, and with cheerfulness and thanksgiving, to enjoy the present blessings which his bounty hath bestowed upon us, without any unquietness of spirit at the disorders we see, or any anxious and solicitous thoughts touching any thing which, for the future, we may fear." (Phil. iv. 11, 12, 13. 2 Thess. iii. 12)

For that shall abide with him of his labour, the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.] This is the only fruit which a man can reap in this life from all his labour: greater benefit he can never expect from any thing under the

sun, than to have food and raiment, with cheerfulness of heart in the use of them.

Ver. 16, 17. When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth.] He here concludeth with a reason, why a man ought not anxiously to perplex or disquiet his thoughts about the works of God's providence, in the government of the world; why good men are afflicted, and ill men advanced;-because when a wise man hath applied his mind, made it his business, broken his sleep in this inquiry, yet he shall come short of what he promised himself; and must at last acquiesce in the sovereignty and dominion of God, whose works are unsearchable, and whose judgements past finding out. Therefore we must suppress all rash censures of those things, the reasons whereof we are not able to attain unto; and with calmness and tranquillity of spirit, labour to enjoy present comforts, rather than to busy ourselves with curious and fruitless inquiries.

To see the business that is done on the earth.] That is, "to discover and get a clear, distinct, and satisfying account of all the works of God's providence in the world; to comprehend the reasons of the administration and government thereof; to have a rational view of the compages and whole frame of human affairs; to reconcile all the seeming absurdities and incongruities which appear in them; to look exactly into the temperament and composition of so many infinite and contrary events, unto the making up of one most exquisite and beautiful work."

For there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes.] As chap. ii. 23. This he speaketh of his incessant study, in denying himself necessary refreshments, out of the intentness of his mind in this inquiry; as strong and fixed thoughts will keep away sleep from our eyes. (Psalm cxxvii. 2. Eccles.. v. 12)

A man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun.] "Cannot perfectly understand," or "search into the counsel of God in the government of human affairs, his secret judgements, his admirable contrivances, his various wisdom." (Job xi. 7, 8, 9. Psalm xxxvi. 6, and xcii. 5) A man can ueither, by labour, nor by wisdom, (the two great engines and instruments of discovery) attain unto it. He doth not hereby discourage us from searching into the works of God, which else

where we are directed to observe; (Psal. cxi. 2, and civ. 24, and cv. 5, and cvi. 13. Isui. v. 12) but only teacheth us after all, to adore the depths of his wisdom; to rest satisfied that whatever he doth, how contrary soever it appear unto human reason, is righteously, holy, and wisely done. Secret and wonderful his works may be, but they are never unjust and therefore when we cannot understand them, we must admire and adore them. (Job. xix. 2—14, and xl. 2, 3. Rom. xi. 33 -36)

CHAPTER IX.

In the end of the former chapter, the Wise man observed the secret and hidden course of God's providence; and in this, proceedeth in the same argument, taking notice of a confused administration of the world in common events, which do equally befall both the good and the bad; even as death at the last happeneth to them all alike, verse 1, 2, 3. Whereupon he resumeth his former remedy against this vexation,to wit, That we should comfortably enjoy life, and the good things thereof, while we have time to do it, and not defer it till it be too late; because when death comes, it deprives us of all the comforts and delights, which this present life doth afford unto us. Upon which occasion he praiseth life before death, because therein we have the liberty of enjoying all good things under the sun, the sense of all which death doth bereave us of. (verse 4, 5, 6) And therefore since the days of our life are but vanity, we ought, with much cheerfulness and intention of mind, to enjoy all the sweet contentments which life doth afford us; yet so, as not to leave the duties of our calling undone, this being all the portion which we can have in this life, of all our labours. (verse 7, 8, 9, 10) After which he falleth into the contemplation of another wonderful providence of God, whereby events seem to befall men, rather by chance, than by reason and counsel, and contrary to those previous dispositions, by which we are led to expect far different effects from those which do come to pass. (verse 11) The reason whereof in part he subjoins, namely, that invincible ignorance, which is in all men, of the proper seasons wherein actions are to be done; or else disability to foresee

and prevent the evils, which are coming towards them, and do suddenly surprise them. (verse 12) Lastly, lest he should seem to dictate unto us a supine neglect of all good means towards our desired ends, in regard that things seem to be governed rather by chance than by counsel, he sheweth the excellent use of godly wisdom to deliver us out of such dangers, by an example of one poor but wise man; who, being in a little city meanly manned and defended, did, by his wisdom, deliver it from the power and military assaults of a mighty king, who came against it. Yet shewing withal a very great vanity amongst men, in neglecting so wise a man because of his poverty. (verse 13, 14, 15, 16) Whence he concludeth, by shewing the excellence of wisdom, that silent wisdom is better than clamorous and bustling power, and than all instruments of war. And withal, that as one wise man may avert much danger, so one wicked man may destroy much good. verse 17, 28.

Ver. 1. All this I considered in mine heart.] “I gave all this to my heart: I laid it up in mine heart."-It noteth special study and attention thereunto. (Luke ii. 51, and xxi. 14) Even to declare all this] "To prove, examine, perfectly to understand, and clearly to manifest all this."-The word signifies to purify and purge;' because when a thing is soiled and defaced, it is the more difficultly known. (2 Cor. iii. 16, 17, 18)

That the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God.] That the persons and works of the best and most prudent men are not in their own power or disposal; but are guided by a Divine providence, and by a secret, invisible, and unpreventable direction from above, by him who worketh all things, by the counsel of his own will." To be in the hand of God, noteth, 1. Subjection to his power. (John iii. 35. Matth. xxviii. 18. John v. 22) 2. Direction and guidance by his providence, (Acts iv. 28. Jer. x. 23. Prov xvi. 9, and xx. 24. Exod. xxxiv. 24, 3) ruling by his powerful, though sometimes secret and invisible, government. So the hand of the king,' notes the command or order given by the king, 1 Chron. xxv. 3. 4. Custody and protection from evil by his care. (Esther ii. 3. Isai. lxii. 3. John x. 28, 29) Our works are transient things; and as they come from

us, seem to vanish away, and to be no more; they are quickly

out of our bands: but they are always in God's hands, and written in his book; he reserveth them unto the time of retribution, and keepeth an exact record and register of them: so that no one of them shall be unrewarded. (Heb. vi. 10) Our persons, our times, our employments are in the hand of God; men cannot do to us, or dispose of us as they will; (John xix. 10, 11) neither can we dispose of ourselves as we please: But he who is wisest, and knows what is best for us, and what uses we are fittest for, doth, as it pleaseth him, order both our persons, our times, our places, our callings, our work, our wages, as may be most for the glory of his name; whose we are, and whom it is our happiness to serve, in whatsoever station he shall be pleased to place us. (2 Sam. xv. 25, 26)

No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. The words admit of such a reading as this; "The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God:" Also "love and hatred," to wit" are in the hand of God." He loveth whom he will; he hateth whom he will. (Rom. ix. 11, 12, 13, 15, 16) No man knoweth any thing that is before him: no man can discover the counsel or the love and hatred of God by any outward things which he looketh on, the same things equally happening to the good and to the bad, Chap. viii. 14. (Matth. v. 45) Or, "No man can know whether the things which he loveth, or the things which he hateth, shall befall him, though he guide his works with never so much rectitude and prudence; events depending on the providence of God, and not on the counsel of man." (Rom. ix. 16. Jer. ix. 23, 24. Isai. xlv. 9. James iv. 13, 14, 15)

Ver. 2. All things come alike unto all: and there is one event &c.] Some would have these words, and so forward to verse 13, to be the perverse judgment of the flesh, and the voice of Atheists and Epicures upon the doctrine of providence before observed:' but we must remember, that Solomon speaketh only of outward things, and the different administration of them; and of the remedies of vanity and vexation, in regard of our condition here under the sun; restraining and limiting all the confused events of worldly things by the holy hand and wise providence of God; and all the precepts which might otherwise seem to savour of sensuality and