A season — A certain time appointed by God for its being and continuance, which no human wit or providence can alter. And by virtue of this appointment of God, all vicissitudes which happen in the world, whether comforts or calamities, come to pass. Which is here added to prove the principal proposi... [ Continue Reading ]
To die — And as there is a time to die, so there is a time to rise again, a set time when they that lie in the grave shall be remembered.... [ Continue Reading ]
To kill — When men die a violent death. To heal — When he who seemed to be mortally wounded is healed.... [ Continue Reading ]
To weep — When men have just occasion for weeping.... [ Continue Reading ]
Stones — Which were brought together in order to the building of a wall or house. To embrace — When persons perform all friendly offices one to another.... [ Continue Reading ]
To life — When men lose their estates, either by God's providence, or by their own choice. To cast away — When a man casts away his goods voluntarily, as in a storm, to save his life, or out of love and obedience to God.... [ Continue Reading ]
To rent — When men rend their garments, as they did in great and sudden griefs.... [ Continue Reading ]
To love — When God stirs up love, or gives occasion for the exercise of it.... [ Continue Reading ]
What profit — Seeing then all events are out of man's power, and no man can do or enjoy any thing at his pleasure, but only when God pleaseth, as has been shewed in many particulars, and is as true and certain in all others, hence it follows, that all men's labours, without God's blessing, are unpro... [ Continue Reading ]
Seen — I have diligently observed mens various employments, and the different successes of them. Hath given — Which God hath imposed upon men as their duty; to which therefore men ought quickly to submit. Exercised — That hereby they might have constant matter of exercise for their diligence, and pa... [ Continue Reading ]
He hath — This seems to be added as at apology for God's providence, notwithstanding all the contrary events and confusions which are in the world. He hath made (or doth make or do, by his providence in the government of the world) every thing (which he doth either immediately, or by the ministry of... [ Continue Reading ]
Them — In creatures or worldly enjoyments. To do good — To employ them in acts of charity and liberality.... [ Continue Reading ]
Should eat — Use what God hath given him.... [ Continue Reading ]
For ever — All God's counsels or decrees are eternal and unchangeable. Nothing — Men can neither do any thing against God's counsel and providence, nor hinder any work or act of it. Fear — That by the consideration of his power in the disposal of all persons and things, men should learn to trust in... [ Continue Reading ]
Hath been — Things past, present, and to come, are all ordered by one constant counsel, in all parts and ages of the world. There is a continual return of the same motions of the heavenly bodies, of the same seasons of the year, and a constant succession of new generations of men and beasts, but all... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover — This is another argument of the vanity of worldly things, and an hindrance of that comfort which men expect in this life, because they are oppressed by their rulers. Judgment — ln the thrones of princes, and tribunals of magistrates. Solomon is still shewing that every thing in this world... [ Continue Reading ]
I said — I was sorely grieved at this, but I quieted myself with this consideration. Shall judge — Absolving the just, and condemning the wicked. A time — God will have his time to rectify all these disorders. There — At the judgment — seat of God. For — For examining not only all men's actions, but... [ Continue Reading ]
I said — And further I considered concerning their condition in this present world. That God — God suffers these disorders among men, that he might discover men to themselves, and shew what strange creatures they are, and what vile hearts they have. Beasts — That altho' God made them men, yet they h... [ Continue Reading ]
For — They are subject to the same diseases, pains, and calamities. So dieth — As certainly, and no less, painfully. One breath — One breath of life, which is in their nostrils by which the beasts perform the same animal operations. No pre — eminence — In respect of the present life.... [ Continue Reading ]
One place — To the earth, out of which they were taken. All turn — All their bodies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who knoweth? — True it is, there is a difference, which is known by good men; but the generality of mankind never mind it: their hearts are wholly set on present and sensible things, and take no thought for the things of the future and invisible world.... [ Continue Reading ]
Better — For a man's present satisfaction. Should rejoice — That he comfortably enjoys what God hath given him. His portion — This is the benefit of his labours. For — When once he is dead he shall never return to see into whose hands his estate falls.... [ Continue Reading ]