Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

Solomon in this chapter for a further proof of the vanity of this world, gives us four observations which he had made upon a survey of the state of the children of men in it. 1. He observed, that commonly as to outward things, good and bad men have much alike, ver. 1—3. 2. That death puts a final period to all our enjoyments in this world, ver. 4—6. from whence he infers, that it is our wisdom to enjoy the comforts of life, and mind the business of life which it doth lay, ver. 7—10. 3. That God’s providence often crieseth the fairest and most hopeful probabilities, and great calamities often surprise men ere they are aware, ver. 11, 12. 4. That wisdom often makes men very useful and yet gains them little respect, but persons of great merit are slighted, ver. 1—18. And what is there then in this world that should make us fond of it?

1. FOR all this I considered in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love, or hatred, by all that it before them. 2. All things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 3. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that, they go to the dead.

Solomon had, with great diligence, been applying his mind to the study of wisdom; he had deliberately weighed and considered the particulars of the foregoing chapters, and he had he proposed was, to declare all this, for the edification of others. One difficulty in the ways of providence he had observed, respecting the distribution of afflictions and prosperity to the righteous and the wicked; they who deserve least, possessing them the greatest affluence; and they who are the manifest of the earth, pining under sickness, distress, and indulgence.

Now, Ibid. I give, or let in my heart.