destitut of Saving Wisdom considering their ignorance of the time thereof their unwillingness to and unpreparedness for it and having nothing to uphold their Hearts against it which ought strongly to disswade them from inconsiderat throwing themselves upon the Sword of the Magistrat and for that end move them to perform their duty towards them since no Man hath power to retain his Soul in his Body whe◠God by the sentence of the Magistrate or any other way calleth for it or to 〈◊〉 any thing at that time either to resist or shift Death And that continued i◠wickedness shall not make their escape from it ver 8. And in closing this pa◠of the Chapter he confirms his former Doctrine anent the Happiness of them th◠were indued with Spiritual Wisdom and the Misery of them that were destitute of it from his own experience of the truth of both obtained partly by his own observation of and diligent search into the Works of God's Providence that were within the reach of his elevated Understanding And partly by the Illumination and Inspiration of the Lord's Spirit for communicating thereof unto the Church ver 9. In the Second part of this Chapter the Wise Man by so many Arguments proveth the Vanity of worldly Greatness especially where it is accompanied with the want of Heavenly Wisdom and a constant course of Sin tending to prevent the stumbling of the Saints and to encourage them under their Sufferings from such Men. The First is taken from his own observation of the Misery of some that have been highly advanced in the World while by the abuse of their power they not only prejudge others but often brings Temporal and always if not by Repentance prevented Eternal Wrath upon themselves ver 9. II. He evidenceth this That notwithstanding the high advancement of such Men in their frequenting the places of and concernment in publick Judicatories and Religious Worship yet they should be buried and put under the Earth wherein they placed their Happiness and their Memories which they designed to perpetual after Death shall be forgotten among Men. ver 10. Which he amplifies by giving the Reason why such Men are so bent upon their sinful Courses and oppressing ways namely because the declared Threatnings in Scripture are not presently after their committing Sin put to execution against them ver 11. III. That he may farther shew the Vanity of worldly Greatness without Saving Knowledge and that sinful Courses are not sure ways to preserve from Evil and to guard the Hearts of Saints from stumbling at such Mens Greatness and encourage them under their Oppressions by them he publisheth to the terrour of all such wicked Men especially oppressing Rulers That notwithstanding their fancying that by their long Life affluence of outward Comforts and their multiplied Transgressions they should escape the Judgement of God ver 12. Yet tho he certainly concludeth the Welfare of them that sincerely Fear God and His Goodness for which wicked Men did persecute and oppress them ver 12. he in a powerful and pathetick way denounceth Wrath against them both in general That it shall not be well with them where more is meaned than expressed and in particular That tho' he may have a long Life compared with others yet shall he not prolong his days either to that length he desired or to an Eternity of Happiness ver 13. Which he amplifies First By a description of the Life of such wicked Men that it is but a shadow not so much for the brevity of it as that it is driven on without that substantial and solid Life of Grace and Comfort and as last shall totally as a shadow evanish And Secondly By setting down the cause of all the Wrath that comes upon those wicked Men which also is the Mother of their other Sins to be the want of a Filial Fear of God ver 13. As also he amplifieth the former consolation given to the Godly First By setting down the ground of their discouragement to be That ordinarily tho' the Reason of it be not generally obvious to Men it falleth out in providence not without the Fore-knowledge wise Ordering and Permission of God that the Godly are dealt with in the World as to their outward lot no better than the worst of Men and the wicked as if they were the best of Men in the World which he censureth as a Vanity not as reflecting on the Wise and Holy Providence of God but as it is the fruit of Mens corruption especially wicked Rulers who are instrumental in it and as it proves the Vanity of any earthly condition for affording Men true Happiness ver 14. And Secondly He affordeth a Remedy against discouragement from and stumbling at these Dispensations namely the exercise of Spiritual not Carnal Mirth or Rejoicing ver 15. Which he commendeth partly from the advantage of it that it is the best of it in this Life even under sad Dispensations to be cheerful in the lawful and sober use of the outward Comforts be they great or small which God allows upon them ver 15. And partly from the security of it to them as being God's constant allowance upon them the sometimes through their own default they may be without it which if they will in the way of Duty seek after and improve they shall not be deprived of as much at least of it as may occasion their Joy in Him during the whole time of their Pilgrimage under the Sun ver 15. IV. And Lastly That he may humble the greatest Searchers into Wisdom and various Providences He giveth a modest account 1. Of his serious and extraordinary care and diligence experimentally and affectionatly to know the Affairs both Humane Business and Divine Dispensations upon Earth ver 16 17. Then 2. Of his success in that Study that even the Godly much less the Natural Man with all his Gifts notwithstanding all their pains and advantages of the Word and Spirit Opportunities Abilities Resolutions and strong Endeavours to reach it cannot attain to the full and satisfying Knowledge of the Reasons of God's various Dispensations on the Earth but must sit down and Admire and Adore the depth of His Wisdom in and be humbled under the sense of his ignorance of them ver 17. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. Who is as the Wise Man and who knows the intepretation of a thing a Mans Wisdom maketh his Face to shine and the boldness of his Face shall be changed SOlomon being in the first part of this Chapter to give several Directions for the manifesting of Heavenly Wisdom in a Christians Conversation in order to the true Peace and Tranquility of his Mind He doth in this Verse First commend the person indued with that Knowledge Who is as the Wise Man The Question may be explained by a Negation There is none to be compared with the Man that hath that excellent Knowledge which Paul commends Phil. 3.8 there is not his Match or Peer in all the
Maker about the way of attaining to Happiness For there may be safely conceived a consideration held forth in his Name to disswade him from that course which is a Contending with God It is known to be Man neither may he contend with him c. 9. Who ever walk contrary to the Lord shall find him Stronger then they to blast their Courses and destroy themselves except they submit in time and follow his way Neither may be Contend with Him that is Mightier than he Ver. 11. Seing there be many things that increase Vanity what is man the better 12. For who knows what is good for man in this life all the days of his vain Life which be spendeth as a shadow For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the Sun IN these words Solomon doth First resume his former purpose while he saith Seing there be many things that increase Vanity the meaning is seing there are so many vain Courses that naturally Men take for attaining to Happiness in the Earth and so many just Dispensations of God whereby he disappoints them as hath been shewn in the former purpose And Next He draws several inferences therefrom which may alienat Mens Hearts from things Earthly And these he holds forth in three Questions The First is What is man the better The meaning whereof is he is not the nearer to his Happiness for the Question hath the force of a Negation yea it imports that he is much the worse and much farther from his Happiness than if he had never attempted to seek it in these Courses The Second is Who knows what is good for Man in this Life c. Which imports not only that Man is uncertain what Condition in the World whether to be Rich or Poor to be in Honour or Obscurity makes most for the satisfaction of the Mind which he aims at But mainly that there is not one of the Children of Men till he get Eye salve from Christ that can Know or inform another wherein the true Good which is only in Fellowship with God doth consist far less how to attain unto it And to this he subjoins such a Description of Mans Life from the brevitie and incertainty of it as may teach him not to seek Happiness in things on Earth The Third is Who can tell him what shall be after him The meaning whereof is that not only future Events which may befal a Man before he depart this Life are hid from him or others that might inform him so that his Happiness cannot be here But mainly that none can inform a Man how these things upon which he spends his Body Spirit and time shall be imployed after him whether his lawful Heirs or Strangers shall possess them whether they shall be imployed well or not by either Which consideration though it be true also in Reference to the Godly yet it is only a Vexation to them who know not of a better Life and who place much of their Happiness in perpetuating their own Fame and securing great things to their Successours Hence Learn 1. As they who have a calling to deliver the Mind of God to his Church ought to propose some certain scope to themselves to which they should make all that they deliver subservient so it is not in vain for them after proof and clearing thereof to resume and repeat the same especially when they are therefrom to draw some practical uses which may be profitable for their Hearers For Solomon who is a Precedent for our ordinary way of Preaching having in the entry proposed this for one main part of his Scope in this Book to prove all created Things and humane Courses about them vain and insufficient for bringing Man to true Happiness he doth here as in several other places of this Book recapitulat and repeat the same and draw several Uses from it Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is man the better c. 2. Till men be set upon the new and living way of true Felicity which is the study of Reconciliation with God thro' the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.19 20. their Sin and Misery is still upon the growing hand the more they multiply their Courses for Happiness the more Sinful and Miserable do they render themselves if they seek it not where it is be found as is imported in this first Question drawn from the former purpose here resumed Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is Man the better i.e. he is much the worse 3. Though fallen Man by all his pains about things Earthly can come nothing nearer his lost Happiness but on the contrary is still put to a greater and greater distance from it yet is he very unwilling to cast up his Account and consider what Advantage or lose he hath by his pains he must be put to this by the word and Messengers of God For this Question imports that he is nothing the better but much the worse of the many vain Courses he takes for Happiness and that he cannot condescend upon his Advantage though he apprehend it to be very great Seing there are so many things that increase Vanity what is Man the better 4. Men without renewing Grace are not only unable to attain unto any thing that is truely good for them by all their Pains but they are also Blind and cannot see that Good till they get Eye-Salve which is vouchsafed but upon a very few For this Question is put concerning all men in nature Who of them knows what is good for Man in this Life 5. The Cause why Men are not the Better of their Pains for Happiness is their Ignorance of the nature of that true Good which is attainable in this Life consisting only in Obedience to Gods Commands and submission to his Correction Lam. 3.26.27 in Praising of him for his Goodness Psal 92 1. And so injoying fellowship with him Psal 73.26 and the like what wonder then men know not what is their Good in the other Life For this Question may be looked upon as containing the Reason of that which is imported in the former that Man is nothing the Better by the vain Courses he takes for Happiness For who knows what is good for Man in this Life c. 6. That only is to be esteemed truely Good for a Man in this Life which can continue with him and may be Injoyed by him all the Days of his Life whether he be in adversity or prosperity And that is only to be in Favour with God the proofs whereof his Favourites may promise to themselves shall follow them all their days Psal 23.6 For it is clearly imported here that if Man know not what is Good for him All the days of his Life he doth not know what is truely Good for him in this Life at all Who knows what is Good for a Man in this Life all the days of his Life 7. Mans natural Life and duration
more confused less peaceable and familiar with God and so more unfit for every Duty As is imported by the contrary of this if by the sadness of the Countenance the Heart be made better than by the Levity or Inconstancy of the Countenance or outward Behaviour the Heart is made worse 7. As Saving Wisdom teaches Christians to be Sincere and not like wicked Hypocrites Ps 55 21. and to bring their Hearts with them when they go to the House of Mourning to signifie their sympathy with and desire to comfort the Mourners there So when these indued with it are necessarly detained from the Company of Afflicted Ones their Hearts will be with them sympathizing with and supplicating for them And this even when the Lord's Dispensations with themselves afford them matter of Rejoicing see 2 Sam. 11.11 For Solomon speaks of this as the ordinary Frame and Temper of the Godly Man or one indued with the Wisdom that is from Above whatever his own case be and whether he be with the Mourners or not The Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning 8. Even when wicked Men may be detained in Gods Providence by some external Restraint from their sinful Pleasures and Companions as when they are by the Hand of God upon their Body or Spirit put out of a capacity of taking their Carnal mirth their Hearts are still with their Idol Carnal Pleasure and they are approving of others and counting them Happy who have that Pleasure For this doth still agree to a wicked Man sold to his Carnal Pleasures as his ordinary disposition and that which proves him a Fool void of Saving Knowledge even though he were in a Prison or upon the Bed of Sickness The Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth Ver. 5. It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise than for a Man to hear the Song of Fools 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a Pot so is the laughter of a Fool This also is Vanity IN the third place Solomon commends patient submission to the Reproofs of the Wise whether publick Ministers or privat Christians who have Wisdom and Calling from God to discover the nature Hazard and Remedy of Mens Sinfulness and this is also to be taken as another mean of bringing Men to their true Happiness and contentment The Hearing of these Reproofs he saith is better than the hearing of the Song of Fools By the Song of Fools is meant not only Ungodly Mens Glorying in their Sinful Courses but also and mainly according to the Scope their Flatteries and applauding of others in their Sins Next He giveth a Reason why the severest Rebukes of Wise and Serious Men should be more acceptable than Wicked Mens Flattering Approbations because all the Joy that Wicked Men have in their way and consequently in their Flattering or being Flattered by others is of very short continuance And this he Illustrats by the similitude of Thorns blazing and making a noise for a little and soon ending in smoak upon which he passeth Censure that for Men to Rejoice in Sin to Flatter others therein or to be taken with the applause or Flattery of others This also is Vanity Hence Learn 1. The best of Men are not above the necessity of Reproofs all being subject to manifold sailings Jam. 3.2 and ready to sleep securely in their Sins except by some wise Reprover they be alarmed 2 Sam. 12.5 For while he commends unto all submission to Rebukes he supposes none above the necessity of them It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise c. 2. Men are so in love with their Idols before they be wakened and reclaimed that they have within them much opposition to Rebukes and discoveries of the evil of their Ways and cannot prize these as sweet and beneficial to them as they will do after they are wakened Even what Mens own Consciences will Rebuke them for they will not willingly admit of Reproofs for it from others but are in hazard to like better the Flatteries and Applause of others soothing them in ther Sins than wholesome and sharp Rebukes Therefore the Spirit of the Lord sees it necessary to commend these as much to be prefered to the sweetest Flatteries It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise then the song of Fools 3. There is much need of Wisdom in a Reprover if so be he would expect acceptance and success as a reward for discerning the Season the manner of Reproving and especially the temper of the persons to be Reproved that he may change his Voice as Paul speaks Gal. 4.20 or frame his strain accordingly that he may neither Rebuke without cause nor so as to irritate the party justly Rebuked nor for fear of displeasing any conceal his just Indignation at their Sins For the Reproof which is here commended to be submitted unto is the Rebuke of the Wise 4. As Men desire to be truely Happy and have true peace and contentment of Spirit they must submit to the sharpest Rebukes of the Wise and look upon the same as a mean of promoving their Happiness the main end of them being to discover to Men and reclaim them from these Sins which marr their peace and Happiness For in order to the attaining of true peace and Happiness is this commended It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise 5. As it is the mark of one void of the saving knowledge of God who is the Fool indeed to Glory in his Sin and especially to delight in Flattering others and singing them a sleep in their Sins so those that are in love with their Lusts are much ravished and delighted with the Flatteries and Aplause of other Sinners For Mens carnal Mirth and particularly their Flattering of others in Sin is here called The song of Fools because it uses to be sweet both to the Flattering and the Flattered Fool. 6. We are not to esteem of the speeches of others according as they are pleasant unto our corrupt nature to which nothing is sweet but what gratifies some Lust but according as they may be truly profitable and conducing for our Happiness though they be never so contrary to our corrupt inclination and esteem that the best strain for us For it is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise than the Song of the Fools 7. As carnal mirth is of very short continuance and ends in wo so it concerns Christs Ministers to study the most effectual way of representing the same to men and with all how little pleasure a Gracious heart can have in it as is imported in the similitude Solomon makes use of here As the crakling of Thorns under a Pot so is the laughter of Fools 8. It is a great Vanity for men to Glory in that which is their Shame namely their Sin or to be delighted with that which so soon evanishes and hath so black an end For Solomon speaking mainly of Sinners delight in Flattering or being Flattered
a sort Mad with Oppression even this that the cause of it in the Oppressour is a Gift destroying the Heart 9. As the Oppressions and Sufferings of the Godly are but short for they are spoken of here as if they had but a beginning and an ending And the end and outgate is certain and sweet So the consideration of the certainty and sweetness thereof may compense all the present Bitterness of their Oppression for this is another consideration to quiet their Hearts The end is better then the beginning 10. A Patient frame of Spirit under Oppression whereby people submit to the Lords Dispensations and continue at their Duty in hope of a sweet outgate is that which God calls his opprest People to Labour for as the remedy of these Distempers which are ready to break their Spirits For Solomon teaches the remedy of these by commending this frame Better is the patient in Spirit than the Proud in Spirit 11. Mens Pride is another cause of their Oppression a too lofty esteem of themselves makes them male-content with their measure which is Covetousness and that makes them turn Oppressours therefore he gives the Oppressour the Title of Proud while he saith Better is the patient in Spirit than the Proud in Spirit 12. The Patient Oppressed is in a more desirable and happy Condition than the Proud Oppressour the one hath the Lords favour and approbation who will plead his cause and support him under his Burden and give him a sweet outgate The other is under his Wrath and must shortly compear before him to receive his deserved punishment For saith Solomon The Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit 13. As it is the Pride of Mens Hearts which makes them impatient under Oppression So the humble and patient Submitter is in a far more sweet and comfortable condition even under his Oppression than the Proud Repiner For these words may be also taken as comparing the Patient Sufferer with the Proud Repiner and preferring the condition of the one to the other The Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit Ver. 9. Be not Hasty in thy Spirit to be Angry for Anger resteth in the Bosom of Fools 10. Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this HE doth farther press the exercise of the Grace of Patience under Oppressions and Injuries from the World and this he doth in two Disswasives whereof each is confirmed lay a Reason The First is Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry whereby he doth not disswade from that just Indignation which Christians may have against God's dishonour Eph. 4.26 but from Carnal Passion or desire of Revenge even against the persons of proud Oppressours or Instruments of our troubles of whom he spake immediatly before And particularly from the sudden motions thereof whereby the Spirit hastens to Revenge neglecting these Considerations which might compose it and incline it rather to Pity than Anger And giveth a Reason hereof Because Anger resteth in the bosome of Fools which is not to be understood as if it stayed within and did not break out but that whether it kyth or not it is a settled habit a frame of Spirit intertained without a Battel in the Hearts of them who are destitute of the Saving Knowledge and Grace of Christ who are ordinarily in Solomon's Writings designed by the Name of Fools Those can meet Oppressions and Injuries from Men no otherwise than with Fury and Passion Next He disswades from quarrelling with the Lords dispensation in carving out an hard lot to Men Say not what is the cause that the former times were better than these which is not to be understood as if the present times were not often worse than the former in many respects seing that is foretold Mat. 24.12 2 Tim. 3.1 or as if the Lords People might not search into the sinful procuring causes upon mens part of the change of times to the worse or bewail the defections or miseries thereof seing both these are Duties Lam. 3.40 c. But that men should not quarrel with God's Providence for casting their lot in more troublesome times and under more grievous Oppressions than have been formerly as if there were no cause why men should submit to a change of times from better to worse And the Spirit of the Lord doth not here give particular Reasons of such Changes because there are many obvious in Scripture sufficient to give satisfaction herein only he prohibites and rebukes such Boldness and gives a general Reason of the disswasive that these Inquiries flow from mens Ignorance of the Lords Soveraignity and Wisdom who worketh all for His own Glory and the good of His People Hence Learn â—â— Motions of Revenge are ready to arise in the Hearts of the Lords opprest People against the Instruments of their trouble and will arise if their Hearts be not prepossest with Christian patience For Solomon having commended that Grace he disswades from this Evil as contrary to it importing proneness in the best thereunto in an opprest condition and that it will arise where Patience is not exercised Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry 2. It is the rashness and haste of Injured Spirits neglecting to consider the Supreme cause and Orderer of their Troubles 2 Sam. 16.10 and the Judgement abiding their Persecutors Ps 73.17.18 which sets their Spirits on fire against Instruments So that whatever provocation the Lords People have from Men they should not suffer their Passion to prevent their Reason or to banish these Thoughts which might quiet and compose their Spirits Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry 3. It is not enough to restrain the out-breaking of Passion against Instruments of our trouble but the very inward motions of the Spirits that way ought to be suppressed For if these be not prevented or timously quenched by bringing into the Heart humbling and quieting Considerations they will soon break out into a Flame as is imported in this Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry 4. It is the mark of an unrenewed Spirit void of the Saving Knowledge and Grace of God to cherish their Passions to multiply in their thoughts Aggravations of their Wrongs and to feed upon the contemplation of possible ways of Revenge and this without any Reluctance or Grief that the Heart should be so exercised though a Child of God may be assaulted with Passion and motions of Revenge yet these get not leave to rest peaceably in his Bosome For Anger Rests in the Bosome of Fools the Expression signifies to Cherish Defend and Foster their Passion Ruth 4.16 5. Men in whose Heart Revenge is a settled habit and who do not disquiet themselves by Pains and wrestling with God and their own Hearts to get another Frame whatever worldly Wisdom they have they are in God's account Fools and prove themselves thereby void of Saving
Knowledge For Anger rests in the bosome of Fools 6. When Passion is raised in the Heart of the Best it is not soon laid again if it once get admittance it will readily Rest and settle at least for a time For Solomon gives it as a Reason to the Wise or Godly why they should not be hasty in their Spirits to be angry because Anger Rests in the bosome of Fools If there were not a possibility and hazard that it might have some Rest and settling in their Heart also the reasoning were not so cogent 7. Although it be the duty of the Lord's People to search out the sinful causes which provoke the Lord to change times to the worse and the Wise Reasons which He hath for so doing and to bewail that after-times are far degenerate from the Purity and Holiness of former as was proven in the Exposition yet it is a great Sin to quarrel with Providence or to Inquire concerning this matter with Fretting and Mal-contentment of Spirit as if it were not well ordered by Divine Providence that we should not have as much Peace and Prosperity and as great freedom from outward trouble as those who were before us have had For this is the Evil here disswaded from Say not thou what is the cause that the former times were better than these 8. To Frett and Repine that the present times are worse than the former argues Men in so far void of Heavenly Wisdom which teaches those who have it to adore the Righteousness of God in all His Dispensations though they see not the particular Reasons of them Jer. 12.1 and often leads them to satisfying Reasons clearly held forth in Scripture namely that God in Wisdom takes some times to discover Mens perversity which at other times He sees fit to restrain and to promove by sore Trials the Faith Patience and other Graces of His People which He doth at other times promove without such Trials Dan. 12.10 So that this quarelling with the Lord argues great presumption in Men flowing from their Ignorance both of the true estate of the present and former times which makes them that they do not consider the Good of the present times which often doth as far exceed that of the former as the Evils and Troubles of the same do these of the former For saith Solomon Thou doest not inquire Wisely or as it is in the Original by Wisdom concerning this matter The Expression intends more then is exprest Ver. 11. Wisdom is good with an Inheritance and by it there is profit to them that see the Sun 12. For Wisdom is a defence and money is a defence but the excellency of Knowledge is that Wisdom giveth life to them that have it IN the Fifth place Solomon commends Heavenly and Saving Wisdom for of this he speaks as is clear by the effects attributed to it and the Advantages they have who are indued with it as an excellent Remedy of these sinful Distempers incident to Men which marr their true Happiness The Effects or Advantages of it whence he doth commend it are Four The First is That it is good with an Inheritance which cannot be understood as if this Wisdom were not good without any worldly Inheritance because Men have been happy with it who have had no Inheritance of that sort as Lazarus but the meaning is That Saving Wisdom is a Good which men should labour for as that without which the greatest Inheritance is but a Snare and fewel to mens Lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 and as that whereby men who have a worldly Inheritance have fairer opportunity to improve the same than these who are poor The Second Advantage is That by it there is profit to them that see the Sun he doth not here mean the Inheritance but Wisdom by It saith he namely Wisdom there is profit importing that whatever true Advantage a Man have who hath both Wisdom and an Inheritance the same is to be attributed to Wisdom rather than to Riches The Third is That it proves a Defence or a Shadow as the Word is to wit from many hazards and dangers especially Spiritual and this he illustrate by asserting some like Advantage to be had by Riches Money saith he is a Defence to wit from outward hazards in some cases Or this may be taken for a proof of the first Advantage that Wisdom is good with an Inheritance because he who hath both hath a double Defence Wisdom for one and Money or an Inheritance for another And Fourthly Lest he might seem to debase this Wisdom while he attributes the like effect to it and to Money he shews wherein it excells The excellency of Knowledge is that Wisdom giveth Life by which change of the words it appears that they are used indifferently in Scripture whereby is meant that this Wisdom is the mean of conveying to Men Spiritual and of leading them to Eternal Life And therefore is to be studied by all that would be truely Happy Hence Learn 1. Though heavenly Wisdom be often bestowed upon those who have little or no Inheritance worldy 1 Cor. 1.26 yet those who have Saving Wisdom and withal great things in the World should look upon the concurrence of these two as a special Blessing of God putting them in a fair capacity to prove themselves rich in Good Works for the Glory of God and the Good of Others Isa 60.9 Prov. 3.9 and to lay up for themselves good store of Provision for the time to come in which respects Wisdom is good with an Inheritance and better than without it 2. Let Men have never so great an Inheritance worldly they ought not to satisfy themselves therewith unless they have also Wisdom to use it for the Glory of God and good of others Phil. 4.12 to lay it out when God calls them so to do Ps 112.9 and to keep it when they cannot with a good Conscience part with it 1 King 12.3 For saith he Wisdom is good with an Inheritance 3. Whether Men have a smal worldly Inheritance or none at all that deserves that Name yet if they have Saving Wisdom they are truly Gainers and Rich and though they have never so great an Inheritance any Profit or Advantage they get deserving to be so called is to be attributed not to their Inheritance but to the Wisdom which God hath given with it to use it aright For by Io namely by Wisdom There is Profit 4. Men that have no Wisdom to honour God to save their own Souls and to use their outward Mercies aright in order to these ends though they had the whole Earth left them for an Inheritance they have no true Profit their Loss is unspeakable as is imported by the contrary of this By it there is profit to them that see the Sun 5. In so far as Men are indued with that Wisdom which is from Above in so far they are protected from Hazards not always from outward troubles but from Wrath Prov. 22.3 from the evil
and powerfully reclaimed because they exceedingly thirst that the same Grace which pardoned and reclaimed them may be Glorious in the same effects toward others For Solomon who was a Penitent And One man among a Thousand himself saith while he wrote this that he was yet seeking to find out some farther instances of this nature Which yet my Soul seeketh 5. Though there be not wanting rare examples recordeed in Scripture of the power and freedom of Gods Rich Grace in reclaiming some of the vilest of Sinners and of those a considerable number if they be considered in themselves yet considering them comparatively with the great number of those who being once intangled especially with Temptations pleasant to the Flesh are never reclaimed but perish in their Sins the number is but very few and as it were One among a Thousand For this is it the Preacher saith he found One and but One Man among a Thousand 6. Of all Sinners in the world those who have been most active to draw others to the same Sin with themselves and have been most succesful that way are most hardly reclaimed and the examples of such are rarest though some such there be Act. 26 11 For it is of such Women whose Hearts are Nets and Snares and their Hands Bonds that Solomon speaks and certainly the truth holds no less as to such Men also while he saith a Woman among all those have I not found 7. That which is most difficult in it self and therefore most rare is very easy and ordinary to Gods free and powerful Grace when he pleases to manifest it For he who is greater than Solomon Christ Jesus gave proofs of his power and Mercy in reclaiming such Harlots as Solomon here speaks of Luk. 7.37 Joh. 4.17 c. Though Solomon having Counted One by One could not find One of a Thousand 8. A Sinner may attain to Repentance and confidence of Mercy though he know no such rare Monument of Mercy as himself nor One of a Thousand involved in the same guilt withhim truly Penitent Paul knew not his match nor Solomon his and yet both were Penitent Believers One Man among a Thousand have I found it is probable he means himself but a Woman among all those that is of such a number have I not found it is probable he means the Thousand that inticed him to Idolatry 9. It is not Wisdom for any to conclude that there are none reclaimed or Penitent even among the greatest Sinners in the World though they cannot after most serious Consideration of them and their case conclude any of them such or see evidences thereof in them there may be Seven Thousand where the sharpest sighted cannot see One of a Thousand 1 King 19.18 We ought still to intertain hopes and desires that there may be some such though we cannot find them For Solomon doth not deny such a thing to be possible that there might be many among a Thousand only he saith among all those he found None Ver. 29. Lo this only have I found that God hath made Man upright but They have sought out many Inventions HEre are the two last Branches of his success in taking pains for knowledge held forth in two Conclusions drawn from the consideration of Gods wise and holy Dispensations with Man and Mans perverse carriage toward God The first is that God made Man upright this is the same with the expression of making Man according to the Image of God or as the word here signifies Straight that is conform to the will of God and indued with Original Righteousness So that his Majesty is free of all the Sin and Misery that is come upon Man And while he saith he found this only to wit this which he Branches out here in two Conclusions it is not to be understood as if he had found no other thing by his inquiry formerly mentioned for he sets down several things he had found before But the meaning is that these two serving most to justify God and humble Man as the cause of his own Sin and Misery were the most satisfying considerations Or this only he found farther beside what is formerly exprest fit to be Communicate as the result of his pains for Wisdom ver 25. Neither is this to be understood as if Solomon had now first of all found out these Truths here exprest seing they are plainly revealed by Moses Gen. 5.1 And 6.5 And surely he was trained up in the Knowledge of them but that he had gotten a new sight of them and had read them of new upon the Lords Dispensations with Man and the bad meeting which Man gives to God The Second Conclusion is They have sought out many Inventions the meaning whereof is that Adams Posterity can do nothing now but devise and multiply Curious Artificial ways as the word Inventions signifies for dishonouring God and making themselves Miserable Now he changes the person here having spoken of Man in the singular number he now speaks of All Men in the Plural whereof three Reasons may be given 1. Because he would Caution what he spoke in the former Verse lest any might think there were some degree of Original Perversity peculiar to the one Sexe which the other hath not therefore he charges this equally upon the whole Posterity of Adam 2. Because he would have all looking upon Adam as comprehending all mankind receiving and losing what he had not only for himself but for all his Posterity And â— Because all that are come of him are but parts of him and so in the former part of the verse he speaks of mankind in the Root and that in Integrity here he speakes of the same both in the Root and Branches as fallen and corrupt Hence Learn 1. These Truths which are plainly revealed in the Word and which we have Learned from it before we should labour to find them out by our own Experience and Observation as written and to be read upon the Lords Dispensations with Men and their carriage toward him when they are so found out they become very sweet they have a new Relish and satisfaction to the Soul For Solomon who probably read these same things in the Scriptures formerly cited concerning Mans primitive Integrity and Original Righteousness wherein he was created and concerning his fall and corrupting of himself doth here speak of them as found out by him upon that diligent search of Wisdom and of the Wickedness of Folly and Madness formerly mentioned This only have I found That God made Man upright but They have sought out many Inventions 2. They that seriously consider Gods Wisdom in the course of his Providence and the perverse and mad Courses that Men follow will from the one find that God is to be justified as free of Mans Sin and Misery and so may be helped to assent to this Truth revealed in the Word that God made Man upright at the first seing they will find him incouraging Men to wel-doing and
the Disposition of such he supposes that God will at last execut Sentence upon them because their Hearts are fully set in them to do Evil. 7. It is the proper mark of an unregenerat Man void of Saving Knowlege and Grace to have his Heart fully set in him without reluctancy or remorse to do Evil. The regenerat have another principle within them opposing their Sinful Motions Gal. 5.17 Checking and wounding them and bringing them to remorse for Sin Rom. 7.24 For it is the unregenerat whose temper he here describes The Hearts of the Children of Men are fully set in them to do Evil. Ver. 12. Though a Sinner do Evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him 13. But it shall not be well with the Wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God HE Labours here to terrify such Wicked Men as are long spared in their Sins and to guard and comfort the Hearts of the Godly who are apt to stumble at their being spared and their own sufferings from them And for this end He First supposes two things which make Wicked Men dream of immunity from Judgement 1. Their multiplying of their Transgressions which he expresses by putting a definite number for an indefinite and such a number as points at the multitude of them and may signify that God hath them all numbred exactly how many so ever they be 2 He supposes that while they are multiplying their Transgressions they have their Days and likways many other outward favours multiplied upon them For the Original of this second clause is no more but that it be Prolonged or Multiplied to him which may comprehend both his Life and other Comforts And Next before he denounce or assert the certainty of approaching Judgement upon such Wicked Men he doth as it were hasten forth a word of Comfort to the Godly apt to be discouraged by the frequent oppressions and multiplied Injuries of oppressing Persecutors which are here supposed And this he propounds with much confidence and certainty Surely I know it shall be well with them whom he describes from that divine quality which is stamped upon their Heart a Holy filial fear of offending God which makes them obnoxious to hard sufferings from Men And the sincerity of this fear is set out by the Object of it they Fear before him the words in the Original are that fear before his face importing that they have their eye upon the Terrour and Goodness of God which two properties of his are mainly signified by his Face in Scripture Psal 34.15.16 more than upon all the Terrour of flesh And Thirdly He denunceth Judgement against the Wicked with all importing it to be so great that positive termes cannot be had to set it out therefore he expresses it 1. In general negatively it shall not be well with him and next more particularly he shall not prolong his Days He supposed him before to prolong his Days and here threatens he shall not both agree he may have many Days comparing him with others even with the Godly whom he may cut off and hasten to their Happiness and yet he shall neither prolong his Days to that length which he desires which would be for ever in this Life nor shall he prolong them to Eternity of Blessedness being made victorious over Death as this expression of Prolonging the Days imports sometimes in Scripture Isai 53.10 Fourthly He describes the Wicked Mans Life his Days are but a Shadow not so much for the shortness of them being compared with Eternity in which sense the Godlies Days also are as a Shadow as in regard he hath nothing of that substantial Life of Communion with God which the Godly Man hath and that his Life in regard of any Comfort totally perishes and is cut off as a Shadow when the Sun of Gods favourable Dispensations sets upon him at his Death or when Judgements come upon him in this Life And lastly He sets down the cause of the Wicked Mans Judgement which is also the fountain of all other Sins and that is the want of the fear of God Hence Learn 1. Men that give up their Hearts to commit Wickedness with full bensel of purpose and delight are justly given up of God to become unwearied in the frequent commission thereof For he did formerly describe the disposition of all unregenerat Men that their Hearts are fully set in them to do Evil and here he describes their common Practice in this supposition that they do Evil an Hundred times 2. While Men are multiplying their provocations the Lord may in much displeasure to them draw out their Life in length and multiply their outward Comforts which they do abuse and turn in fewel to their Lusts For the same whom he supposes to do Evil an Hundred times he supposes also to have his Days or any other outward and common favours Prolonged or multiplied to him and his Days or and it be Prolonged 3. While Wicked Men are spared and prosperous in their Sins grievous Temptations are ready to assault the Hearts of the Godly amounting to no less than the questioning of a reward for Godliness at all seing divine Dispensations seem to say that the Lord respects Ungodly Men by heaping favours on them and slights them that are better For to prevent the prevalency of such a temptation Solomon before he shew what shall become of the Wicked assures the Godly of the contrary of what they are ready to apprehend Surely I know it shall be well with them that fear God 4. Although the Lords forbearance of Wicked Men while they are multiplying Transgressions against him cannot but occasion much inward Grief of Heart to the Godly Psal 119.158 And doth often occasion much outward Trouble to them from the Wicked Psal 12 8. yet neither of these can either marr or diminish the Happiness of the truly Godly For saith he though a Sinner do Evil an Hundred times c. yet it shall be well with them that fear God 5. The Lord in denuncing Judgments against Wicked Men hath a special eye to the comfort of the Godly they are so neer his Heart that even as it were in the midst of his expressing his displeasure against the Wicked he reacheth forth Comfort to them and in a manner delays it not till he end his speech to the Wicked as here may be seen Though a Sinner do Evil an Hundred times and his Days be prolonged before he perfect this speech concerning the Wicked he must comfort the Godly yet shall it be well with them that fear God 6. It is not easie to make the Hearts of poor Believers especially when they are under Oppressions and multiplied injuries from the World to rest upon the bare word of Gods promise and comfort themselves concerning the sweet issue of their pains and the Gracious Reward
of their wel-doing there being so much of a heart of Unbelief in the best Therefore doth the Spirit of the Lord teach the Wise Man in propounding their Consolation to speak with a kind of Asseveration and with much confidence and certainty to beget the same in their Hearts Surely I know it shall be well them that fear God 7. It is not a bare conjecture or meer probability that the Godly have of their future Happiness and the Lords making out of his promises to them but it is a certainty and a firm perswasion wrought in their Hearts by the Spirit of God making them to rest confidently upon his faithful word and helping them to believe by giving them sometimes the first Fruits thereof in hand For Solomon speaks what he would teach all Men that fear of God to speak with application to themselves else they cannot have that strong Consolation which is sutable to the case they are supposed to be in here Surely I know it shall be well with them that fear God 8. Only these who have such an Holy fear of offending God flowing from the believing Consideration of his Soveraignity and greatness Jer. 10.7 his goodness manifested to them Hos 3.5 And his proneness to pardon their Sins Psal 130.4 and such other perfections of his as makes them rather adventure upon the worst that the greatest of Men can do than upon Gods displeasure by eshewing Trouble from them Only those I say may perswade themselves that it shall be well with them and only those can Comfort themselves in such a perswasion against all their Sufferings For to such only is this consolation held forth it shall be well with them that fear God 9. The true fear of God is mainly known by the Souls seting it self before the Face of the Lord apprehending him a Present God and witness of all its Actions doing all as in his sight they fear God indeed who so apprehend his greatness and Terrour as not to flee from him his goodness so as to draw neer him and so set themselves still as in his Countenance For so the Fear of God is here explained that it is a fear before him or as the word is in the Original a Fear before his Face 10. Proper and positive Language is wanting to express how ill it shall go with Wicked Men when the Lords patience toward them is expired and wrath proportionable to their Sins is measuring out unto all Eternity Therefore doth the Spirit of God here and elsewhere Isai 3.11 express the punishment of the Wicked Negatively which imports more positive Torment and wrath than words can be found to express But it shall not be well with the Wicked 11. How long soever the Days of Wicked Men may be prolonged even beyond the Dayes of many Godly who are taken away from the Evil to come yet shall they never be drawn out to that length which they desire or imagine that would indeed be an Eternity of time so that in this respect they never live out half their Days Psal 55.23 For saith he Neither shall his days be prolonged 12. Though for the shortness and frailty of this temporal Life the Days or Life of both Godly and Wicked be but as a Shadow in comparison of that substantial Eternal Life which is afterward yet the Days and Life of the Wicked being compared with that substantial and solid Life of communion with God which the Godly have begun here and continued thro' all Eternity are but as the Shadow of a Life and Days For so are they here called his Days which are as a shadow 13. As the want of that Filial or Sonly Fear of the Lord which was described Doct. 8 is the cause of all the other Sins of Wicked Men so is it also a clear evidence of Eternal wo and Misery to come upon them though they be for the present spared and prospering in their Sins For so is it here sett down as the cause of Judgement certainly coming upon them Because they fear not God Ver. 14. There is a Vanity which is done upon the earth that there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked again there be wicked men to whom is happens according to the work of the Righteous I said that this also is Vanity 15. Then I commended Mirth because a man hath no better thing under the Sun than to eat and drink and be merry for that shall abide with him of his Labour the days of his life which God giveth him under the Sun THat the former Consolation may be the sweeter to the Godly under their sufferings from Wicked Men in prosperity He doth First repeat the ground of their discouragement to wit that the Godly are dealt with for their outward lot as if they were the worst Men in the World and on the contrary Dispensations are favourable to the worst of Men as if they were the best Servants that God had in the World And he saith it Happens thus not as if it fell out without the foreknowledge or predetermination and providence of God but that it is ordinarily so and that Men generally see not the Reason of it For the word in the Original is it Touches or Hits so upon the Wicked and the Just Next He passes Sentence upon this both in the beginning and close of the verse there is a Vanity saith he and again this is Vanity which is not to be understood as if he had censured the Wise and Righteous Providence of God in permitting and ordering things so to fall forth But it is Vanity in two Respects 1. In so far as it is the fruit of Mens Corruption who are instruments in it especially Wicked Men in Authority whom he mainly eyes all along this Chapter it flows from and doth evidence the Vanity of their minds their Corrupt and Wicked Humours which are called by this name Vanity in Scripture that they do prefer and reward Wicked Men as if they were Righteous and oppress and bear down the Godly as if they were the worst of Men this is their Vanity 2. It is Vanity in so far as it proves the emptiness or insufficiency of any earthly condition for giving Man true contentment and Happiness seing things are necessarily and wisely ordered so to fall forth upon the Earth Happiness cannot be had in it Thirdly He directs to one particular remedy of that discouragement which readily is occasioned by the sight of these Dispensations Then saith he I commended Mirth not carnal Mirth which Men have in giving up themselves to sensual pleasures as is clear by considering the ground whereupon he presses this same sort of Mirth in the following Chapter ver 7 to wit Gods acceptation of Mens works and therefore it must be a spiritual Rejoicing in God as the effect of Mens Faith auent the Blessed Issue of their Troubles formerly spoken of and it is the same with that frame of Spirit which the
things Wrath against the day of Wrath For he speaks mainly in reference to Wicked Mens abusing this Dispensation that they prosper as much yea often more than the Godly while he saith There is an Evil among all things that are done under the Sun that there is one Event c. also the Hearts of the Sons of men are full of Evil c 2. Mens abusing of outward success and Prosperity to imbolden themselves the more in Sinning against God it common among all that are unrenewed and is a most hainous crime being a Sin against the goodness and long suffering of God and the occasion of many other Sins for both the commonness and hainousness of it are imported in this expression There is an Evil among all things done under the Sun 3. Though it be an ordinary delusion among men to think their Hearts good were their way never so vile yet not only are the Hearts of all men naturally altogether void of any thing that is good and that is the cause why they abuse to licentiousness the goodness of God manifested in his Dispensations but likwise the more of his Goodness they meet with their Wickedness grows the more their vitious habits contempt of God love to their Lusts hardness of Heart and spiritual security grow upon them for this may be either taken for the cause why they abuse their Prosperity to grow thereby Mad in their Sins or for the effect of their abusing of it The hearts of the Sons of men are full of Evil. 4. As unrenewed men especially in Prosperity do ordinarly go Mad in their Sins violently prosecuting their Lusts boasting and Glorying in their sinful ways as if there were no account to be given thereof as the word Madness signifies So what ever use of their wit they may have to plot mischief to execute their purposes and carry on their Plots closely they are really Mad incapable of any wholsome counsel destroying their own Souls and taking pleasure in so doing like Mad Men For saith he Madness is in their Heart 5. While Men abuse the Lords Dispensations by flattering themselves in their Sins and perswading themselves of his love and favour notwithstanding of their Wickedness because they prosper there is a spiritual distemper and Madness upon their Spirits For it is mainly in reference to the mis-judging of the Lords Dispensations and making this wrong use of them that he saith Madness is in their Heart 6. Men void of Saving Grace never weary of their Mad and sinful Courses while Life or Strength continues after they have along their Life abused their prosperity by Pride Insolence Oppression and Slighting of God even when Death draws near they but grow yet more Mad in Sin repining against God and his Providence because they cannot longer enjoy their sinful Pleasures and so they carry their Sins to the very Gates of Death with them For saith he Madness is in their Heart while they live and after that they go to the Dead he speaks of their sinful Courses as having an immediat connexion with their very Death 7. As Temporal Death shall put an end to the sinful Pleasures of Wicked Men so eternal Death shall then begin to seize upon them whereof the Servants of Christ should often put Mad Sinners in mind whether they will believe or not For there is more in this last Expression than a simple minding Men of Natural Death which is common to all And after that they go down to the Dead Ver. 4. For to him that it joined to all the Diving there is hope for a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon 5. For the Living know that they shall dye but the Dead know not any thing neither have they any more a Reward for the memory of them is forgotten 6. Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun THe Preacher giveth here two Considerations serving to work the Hearts of the Godly to a cheerful Submission under an hard Lot in the World and to stir up all to use their Life and the Comforts of it well that so they may prepare for Death The One is That the meanest or most afflicted Life hath some Advantages with it which being improven may make Men digest the Afflictions attending it The Other is That they who have the most prosperous state in this World must part with all the Comforts of it at Death And so the Words may be also looked upon as containing the Reason of Mens madness in abusing the Lord's Dispensations as is exprest in the former Words namely their inconsideration of the Advantages of Life and the necessity of parting with all the Comforts of it at Death In setting out the First he commends the state of natural Life while he saith To him that is joined to all the Living which is a kind of description of any Living Man and commendation of his state 1. From the Social temper which he ought to have and the Advantage he hath thereby There is hope how sad soever his Condition be he may have hope that it may be better or there is ground of hope to him if he make use of his Life that he may get all the troubles mitigate and sanctified and so may prepare for a better and this he doth illustrat by a common Proverb A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon which is a Speech applicable to many Purposes and according to the matter in hand the meaning of it is that a Living Man who hath the most abject and contemptible Life for such a Man useth to be set out by the name of a Dog in Scripture as 2 King 8.13 is Better that is he may be more useful for himself and others than the Greatest Man now being Dead Here it would be considered for clearing of the following purpose that while he compares the Living and the Dead and preferrs the Former to the Latter he doth not speak of the Dead considered as to their future Eternal State for so they are beyond all comparison either better or worse but abstracting from that considers them simply as by Death deprived of Natural Life and the Advantages thereof 2. The Second Thing that commends Life is That the Living know that they shall Die That which none can be altogether ignorant of who have the use of Reason and which all should actually consider he speaks of as agreeing to all and this is a great Advantage if it be improven that Men knowing this may while they have opportunity prepare for Death loose their Hearts from their earthly Enjoyments from which Death at last will separat them use their Allowance cheerfully for their incouragement in God's Service and comforting of themselves against the Afflictions of their Life which is the Scope Now in opposition to these Advantages of Life he comes in the next place to point out the
Subjects have lost the favour of their Superiours or Magistrates and are become the Objects of their Wrath and Fury they must not despair of regaining their Favour but should consider that seing they were so mutable and inconstant as to change their Love into Hatred when they ought not they may again change their Displeasure into Favour as they ought so much is imported in this Reason For yeilding pacifieth great Offences 7. Though there must be no yeilding to the Greatest on Earth in the Matters of God Exod. 10.26 Dan. 4.18 Act. 4.19 20. yet yeilding by passing from things of our own or of an earthly Concernment by a humble and sober Carriage in silence passing by our personal Injuries for peace cause is the Duty of every Christian For this yeilding is the thing here spoken of Yeilding pacifies great Offences 8. This Yeilding formerly described uses to be blest of God for calming the storm of Passion in those who are in Authority more than the strongest Opposition that may be made to them though under the Pretence of Zeal for God and the publick Good For saith he Yeilding pacifieth great Offences 9. While Mens Passions are raised they are ready to run into high Provocations of God and Injuries to others And as Persons are greater than others in place and power so ordinarly are the Offences they commit in their passion greater than these of others So much is supposed while speaking of Rulers he saith Yeilding pacifieth great Offences 10. The preventing of God's Dishonour and prejudice to the Souls of them that are in passion against us should rather move us to yeild to them for pacifying of them than the fear of our own Hurt or desire of Good to our selves by their Favour For this is made an Argument for Yeilding that it shall prevent the Offences or Sins as the Word signifies to wit of the party in passion Yeilding pacifieth great Offences 11. Passion is a sickness of Spirit puting Men in a rage as they use to be in the height of a Fever and they that can yeild to Men in passion for pacifying of them are their best Physicians For saith he Yeilding pacifies the Word signifies to Heal as a Physician doth great Offences Verse 5. There is an Evil which I have seen under the Sun as an Errour which proceedeth from the Ruler Verse 6. Folly is set in great dignity and the Rich sit in low place Verse 7. I have seen Servants upon horses and Princes walking as Servants upon the earth HAving exhorted to Loyalty even towards Magistrats unjustly Incensed and to the manifestation of heavenly Wisdom by a mild Yeilding and peaceable Carriage toward them He doth now discover and regrate the great and common Abuse of Government as the prime Temptation moving Men to shake off Duty to their Superiours to wit Their preferring the unworthy and slighting the better sort of Men. And this he doth First set down as observed by himself whether by his own experience in Nations about him or among Inferiour Magistrates under him in reference to others of his Subjects or whether he had this represented to him by the Light of the Lord's Spirit it is all one he calls it An Evil to wit an Evil of Sin upon their part who so abuse their own power to conferr power upon the Unworthy and an Evil of Affliction to the Godly who are born down by that means and an Evil of Punishment to others who have provoked God to set wicked Men over them And he calls it an Evil under the Sun to point out the Universality of it Next He expresseth the cause of this Abuse of Government to be the Mistake or Sin of the supreme Ruler who should prevent and oppose such evil Administration He looked upon this as flowing from the Ignorance and perverse Disposition of the Rulers Thirdly He giveth two particular Instances of this Mis-government The One is That Folly is set in great dignity By Folly is meant the foolish Man and according to the Language of the Scripture especially in this Man's Writtings the graceless and wicked Man whom he calls Folly in the abstract importing one wicked in the highest degree such a Man saith he is set in high Dignity the Word is plural Dignities importing the highest places of Power and Trust in the Common-Wealth or that all such places were so disposed of or that one such extremely wicked person had many Offices conferred upon him The other Instance is That the Rich sit in low place By the Rich cannot be meant one Rich only in things worldly because the Fool might be such and so the opposition were not pertinent neither were it an Evil to place such in a low degree but by the Rich is meant one enriched with Knowledge and Grace especially with Abilities for Government as the Word is used Ps 45.12 And by sitting in a low place is meant to be out of publick Imployment and in an abject and despised Condition Isa 47.1 Fourthly He inlarges this evil Administration in two Instances while he saith I have seen Servants upon horses and Princes walking c. The meaning whereof is That he had observed Eminent and Honourable Persons of Noble and Free Spirits as Princes should be in a Common-wealth redacted to extreme Misery for want of publick Imployment which they deserve and Servants or Men of base slavish Spirits fit for no other Imployment than to be at their Command advanced to Rule over them Or this Verse may be looked upon as a Comparison illustrating Mis-government in the former Instances thus This preferring of the Unworthy and slighting of the Worthy is no less unsutable than if a Prince should page on foot his Servant riding on a stately Horse Hence Learn 1. Those that would prove faithful in any Imployment especially of trust and charge over others ought carefully to mark the Faults of others in the like Imployment that they may eschew them themselves and may improve their power in their place for reforming them in others For here Solomon marks the Evils incident to Rulers and doubtless as a Godly King he made the forementioned use of this Observation There is an Evil that I have seen under the Sun c. 2. The faithful Servants of Christ must not only discover the Errours and Miscarriages of Inferiours and common People but they must also point out the Faults and Miscarriages incident to Rulers and those that are in Power and Authority and sometimes publish these before the Church lest people look upon their Faults as no Faults and that they may be stirred up to Mourn for them For as we may safely conceive Solomon to make use of this Observation as a King and Ruler for eschewing these Faults himself which he observed common among Rulers so may we also look upon him as a faithful Preacher discovering them to the Church and therein exemplary to other Preachers See 1 Tim. 5.20 There is an Evil which I have seen under the
Psal 16.3 In their delighting to search and study the Scriptures as those Nobles of Berea did Act. 17.11 And in those Noble and Divine Exercises of Prayer and praise which make persons truly Honourable 1 Chron. 4.9.10 for though the former Nobility may have its own advantages joined with the latter yet separat from it it can add nothing to the Happiness of a people happy art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles 7. It is a Blessing which hath many Blessings in the bosome of it to have such a Supream Magistrat as hath been described in the former Doctrine Then iniquity will be suppressed and Piety and Equity advanced Psal 101. and when it is so God will rain Blessings upon the people for the word is here in the plural number There are Blessednsses to the Land whose King is the Son of Nobles 8. When the Supream Magistrat is faithful and fitted for his place he will imploy his power to fill Inferiour places of power and trust with good men And this also contributes not a little to the Blessedness of a people for they are here joined together Happy art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season c. 9. As Temperance or Sobriety in the use of the Creatures is especially required in a Magistrat that would make Conscience in his Duty so the great end which Princes as every other Christian should propose to themselves in Eating Drinking and consequently in the use of every other lawful Allowance should be the repairing of that strength which pains in Duty hath abated and the gaining of new strength to be laid out in farther service to God and following the Duties of their Calling and not the satisfaction of their sensual Appetite or carnal Lusts For this is a Commendation of the inferiour Magistrates who are a Blessing to the Land which they Govern Thy Princes eat for strength and not for drunkenness 10. The Lord who allows Food and Refreshments upon Men sutable to their Labour and necessary for the cheering up of their Spirits in their Duty hath appointed them to take the same in season when their Imployments permit them so to do and if they observe not these seasons they cannot expect the Blessing or sanctified use of their Injoyments For this is given as a Commendation of good Magistrates and consequently of all others who do so that as they eat for the right end so they eat in due season and are not satisfying their Appetite when they should be at the Duties of their Calling Thy Princes eat in season for strength and not for drunkenness Ver. 18. By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth thorow 19. A Feast is made for laughter and Wine maketh merry but Money answereth all things SOlomon doth here particularly illustrat the misery of that Land that hath imprudent and sensual Rulers by condescending upon the sinful Causes thereof upon the part of these Rulers and branching out the misery of the Common-wealth as procured by their Sins The First Cause is The slothfulness of the Rulers and this he sets out by a proverbial speech which may be applyed to many things but it seems most consonant to the whole purpose of this Chapter to apply it to the Case of a Common-wealth tending to ruine thorow the laziness of their Rulers By much slothfulness saith he the building decayeth the similitude being taken from a slothful Master of a Family The words are in the Original by the slothfulness of them both or by double slothfulness which may import it to be exceeding great according to our Translation or by the slothfulness of both the hands which may be the Supreme and Inferiour Magistrats who should be like two hands jointly concurring to uphold the Common-wealth And thorow Idleness or as the Word signifies the falling down or remissness of the hands the House droppeth thorow and so the Timber rots and the whole House is ruined where the Breaches are not repaired So doth it fare with a Kingdom or Common-wealth which is often in Scripture compared to a House Isa 2.6 and 5.7 where the Rulers who should be Repairers of the Breaches and Builders up of the Ruines thereof neglect their Duty and indulge their own Ease nothing but Decay and Ruine can be expected The Next Cause is Luxury if the Master of a House when he should be repairing the Ruines of it be Feasting and making merry and spending what he hath within it when it is comming down the Case is very sad So when Magistrates mind mainly their own satisfaction and pleasure and do not soberly and seasonably as those whom he commended before eat for strength and not for drunkenness ruine cannot but come upon the Common-wealth and the effect of their Luxury he insinuates to be the poverty of the Countrey or people under them while he saith Money answers all these Rulers must have Money to uphold all these Feasts and provide that Wine which makes them merry and that must be sucked from the poor people to answer their Lusts and so the publick Treasure is exhausted and the people impoverished And therefore the Land that hath such Rulers must be very miserable Hence Learn 1. A Common-wealth is fitly resembled to a House wherein there should be Order and Subordination among the Heads or Governours and Members thereof as there is in a House a House being held up and furnished is commodious for Habitation a shelter from Storm and Tempest and so will a well governed Common-wealth be And as a House by the least decay if not timously repaired will soon be Ruined so it is with a Common-wealth And Finally as a House decaying and letting Rain drop thorow makes the Life of the Inhabitant very uncomfortable so is it in a Ruinous Common-wealth Therefore is it that the Spirit of God directs Solomon to set forth the Case of a Common-wealth under the similitude of a House By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and c. 2. Though the Subjects of a Kingdom or Common-wealth have often a hand in procuring the Ruine thereof Isa 24.5 yet the Lord doth charge the same upon the Rulers And though they be not Oppressours or Tyrants yet if they be Men given to their ease or of small activity for the good of the Common-wealth they may be charged with the Ruine thereof For the Context shews that this slothfulness is mainly to be understood in reference to the Rulers By much slothfulness the Building decayeth 3. The Decay or Ruine of a Common-wealth or Incorporation should be resented by all the Inhabitants as the misery of every one of them though possibly for the present several of their private Interests may remain entire while Ruine is coming upon the Publick because misery will at last reach them and the publick Good should be dearer to them than their own particular Therefore Solomon brings this
whom Men seem to have but some small prejudice will study to forge or seek out and then magnify the grounds of it and at last if left to it self will readily drive the person to Satan to be helped by him to vent its malice For saith Solomon The beginning of the words of his mouth is but foolishness the Word signifies Levity or Inconstancy and the end of his talk is mischeivous Madness which signifies the height of Wickedness Ver. 14. A Fool also is full of words a Man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell him 15. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City SOlomon goes on to describe a person void of the saving knowledge of God and of his duty who hath ordinarly in this Book the name of the Fool by giving some Resemblances between him and a natural Fool. And First he describes him from the multitude of his Words he is full of them Or as the original bears he multiplies or magnifies his words importing his Boasting especially of future Events as appears by the following words wherein the Preacher makes answer to some of his words he boasts of what he will do afterward without dependance upon God and to this Solomon saith a Man cannot tell what shall be It being only proper to God to foretell future Events Isa 44.7 Again he either presums to determine future Events or is Anxiously inquisitive about them to this it is Answered and what shall be after him who can tell him The meaning is none can inform him how things shall go the next Month or Year which may be the Month or Year after he is gone Secondly He describes such a Man from the fruitfulness of his indeavours he is like a blind Fool that is out of the way to a City and wearies himself to find it though that be one of the easiest things that even Children may know so the Man who is void of true and saving Wisdom spends himself in fruitless indeavours and cannot so much as manage aright the most common of his Affairs Hence Learn 1. Unless a Mans Wit be sanctified and exercised about the study of Reconciliation with God thorow Christ and the way of Glorifying him by Living in his fear and obedience though he were esteemed an Oracle for Worldly Wit among men he is a very Fool to himself and in Gods esteem the best of his Wisdom is Foolishness therefore doth the Spirit of God here by Solomon as frequently elsewhere in Scripture describe the unregenerat Man by the carriage and practice of a meer Fool and the description agrees even to such as Achitophel A Fool also is full of words a Man cannot tell what shall be 2. They that have least knowledge have often most discourse the conceit that such have of their knowledge makes them esteem so much of what themselves say and so undervalue any thing else that others can hardly have place to speak beside them and the same Conceit makes them give litle or no time to deliberation before they speak and less to reflection upon the Impertinency and Sin that is in the multitude of their words For thus doth the Spirit of the Lord describe such A Fool also is full of words 3. When Men are bold in determining future Events especially the success of their own Undertakings or so anxiously inquisitive about them that they are taken off from their present Duty they prove themselves destitut of saving Wisdom which teaches Men to commit their way to the Lord that their Thoughts may be established anent future Events Prov. 16.3 and so to follow their Duty with no less Confidence while they are ignorant of what may come after than if they did know it Act. 20.22 24. For the Question to which Solomon here answers imports the Man destitute of this Wisdom to be of the disposition formerly described A Man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell him 4. God hath reserved to himself the prerogative of knowing things to come and of revealing the same to the Children of Men how far and in what manner he pleases that they may be taught humble Dependance upon Him for as much Light from His Word and Spirit concerning things to come as may incite them to make a right use of their present time For this Question imports that both Men and Angels are secluded from this Prerogative of knowing or making known future Events And what shall be after him who can tell him 5. They that esteem Christs sweet and easie Service a Toil as all Unregenerat Men do Mal. 1.13 shall but waste and spend themselves even to Fainting as the word here translated Weary signifies in any course they can take for satisfaction and none of this sort are in a better condition than others as to their finding of any rest in their way For saith Solomon The labour of the Foolish wearies every one of them 6. Men who neglect to imploy Christ for Eye-salve that they might see things of greatest Concernment for His Glory and the salvation of their own Souls are often for their so doing justly left to miscarry in their most common and ordinary Affairs and from this comes the ruine of so many great Estates and other Inconveniencies which even many of the wisest Men of this World run themselves into For the Spirit of God describes the disposition of Unregenerat Men void of the saving Knowledge of God and His Will from their resemblance to a foolish man who knows not so much as the way into the City Ver. 16. We to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness SOlomon having shewn some of the principal Grievances which the Godly meet with under the bad Government of Rulers and directed them how to carry themselves in reference to the same He doth here regrate the woful case of that Land over which insufficient and vitious Rulers are set and upon the other hand proclaims the Happiness of that Land that hath Rulers well qualified for their Imployment For clearing of this we may consider First That he speaks to the Land intending the Inhabitants thereof as is frequent in Scripture Isa 1.2 Jer. 22.29 the more to move the People who have bad Magistrates to resent their own sad Case and to search out and mourn for the procuring Causes thereof and to incite them who have good Magistrates over them to be thankful to God for so great a Blessing Secondly The Wo and Blessedness he here speaks of is mainly to be taken with reference to a temporal and outward Condition though doubtless the same as also the Causes thereof to wit the Wickedness or Goodness of those in power may have influence upon
the Well or Wo of the people in reference to their spiritual and eternal Condition they being drawn to many Sins and Temptations by the one and encouraged much in Wel-doing by the other Thirdly He describes the Rulers both supreme and inferiour under whose Government the Land is happy or miserable respectively And First for the King or supreme Ruler whose Land is miserable he describes him from this that he is a Child which is not to be understood of his Years or Age For the Scripture is clear that people have been happy under a young King even a Child being vertuously inclined and well governed by wise Over-seers as is clear in Solomon himself Joash 2 Chron 24.2.17 and others And therefore it is to be understood of his Childish Disposition Wisdom Sobriety and other Vertues qualifying Men for Government being wanting in him in which sense Rehoboam though one and fourty Years old when he began to Reign 1 King 14.21 is yet spoken of as a Child 2 Chron. 13.17 Next for inferiour Magistrates or Princes they are described from their Sensuality or Intemperance they eat in the morning whereby is meant that they are Men addicted to their Lusts their own Interests and Pleasures whereof one is put for all others the satisfaction whereof they preferr to the welfare of the people and are taken up therewith even at these seasons which should be set apart for the weighty Duties of their place For in these Countreys their Judicatories sat in the morning Jer 21.12 Secondly He describes the Rulers whose Land is Happy And 1. for the King or supreme Magistrat he is the Son of Nobles which is not to be understood so much of his Royal Descent that he is of Noble Birth or that there is Royal Blood in his Veins which yet is not to be excluded here seing the Scripture speaks of the want of it as some disadvantage to a King or supreme Magistrat Judg. 9.18 And it is to be understood of those truly Noble Qualifications of Wisdom Piety and others after mentioned fitting him for Government when these are in a man in an eminent measure he is then the Son of Nobles that is truly and eminently Noble For the Hebrews by such Expressions as this hold forth the superlative degree a Son of Belial is a man extremely wicked so the Son of Nobles is one of a truly Noble Spirit eminently qualified for Government And next for the inferiour Magistrates they are described from their Sobriety and right using of the Creatures and consequently of all the Priviledges accompanying their Place and Dignity they use them all to strengthen them for their Duty and not for the satisfaction of their Lusts Hence Learn 1. It becomes the Ministers of Christ clearly to represent to people their misery even in reference to their outward condition and the causes thereof though in so doing they be necessitat to discover the wickedness of their Rulers both supreme and inferiour which ought to be no offence to them while they find Ministers pressing also upon people all Duties they owe to Rulers as Solomon hath done before that people may be stirred up to mourn for their sins which have procured the setting up of such And it is also their Duty to describe the Happiness of people as to their outward condition who have good Magistrates that they may be thankful to God for so great a mercy And this they ought to do with sympathy and resentment of the one case and with rejoicing and praise for the other For so doth the Preacher here Wo to thee O Land c. Blessed are thou O Land c. 2. Magistrates and Rulers that are vitious and insufficient for Government are great Plagues to the Land over which they are set and bring much Wo upon the Inhabitants thereof partly by their bad Example encouraging others to sin Ps 12.8 and partly by their tolerating and establishing of wickedness by a Law 1 King 12.28 And so drawing down Judgements upon their Subjects and that not only in their own time but after they are gone 2 Sam. 21.1 Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child c. 3. When men intrusted with the supream power and Authority over the Lords people have litle or no understanding of the revealed will of the Lord 1 Cor. 14.20 which should be their great study Deut. 17.18.19 when they are inconstant especially in matters of Religion Ephes 4.14 easily carried away with evil Counsel 1 Kings 12.8 Nothing affected with the oppressions and grievances of the people under their charge Is 3 4. then however they may be Men for age esteem or the like they are but Children as to their disposition and carriage as appears by the Scriptures cited holding forth their Resemblances to Children And their subjects must needs be in a woful and sad Condition much to be resented as here Solomon doth Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child 4. As it is too frequently found that when the Supream Magistrat is unfit for or defective in the Discharge of the duties belonging to his place the Inferiour Magistrats are no better but rather worse he being careful to get such only as will serve him in his sinful humour preferred to places of power under him and they again being apt to abuse his simplicity and insufficiency by making his power and means subservient to to their Carnal Ends So when the Inferiour Magistrats are such it doth much augment the Woe and Misery of the people who might be relieved by their prudence and fidelity supplying the defects of the Supream For Solomon speaks of those as ordinarly joined and this last as a special Addition to their Misery whose case it is Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the Morning 5. When Magistrates give up themselves to the satisfaction of their sensual Lusts especially their intemperancy they become then wholly indisposed for managing of the weighty affairs of their place see Prov. 31.4 and cannot but prove a great plague to their Inferiours For this is a description of those who prove a Woe to the Land they are Princes that eat in the Morning 6. Though Nobility of Blood be an advantage to Supream Magistrats such being ordinarly better Trained up for Government than others and so less apt to be ravished or puft up with the Honours to which they are born or the Applause of the People with which from their Birth they have been accustomed And less obnoxious to the contempt of many than those who rise upon a sudden or from a mean Condition to such Dignity who notwithstanding being called of God and his people will be sufficiently fitted for their place as David was yet the Nobility mainly requisit in Magistrats is that of their Disposition and carriage consisting in the eminency of their inward qualifications such as the knowledge and fear of the Lord which makes them truely excellent ones