A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 46
Eccleſ. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Who is the wiſe man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a mans wiſdome maketh his face to ſhine, and the boldneſſe of his face ſhall be changed.
2. I counſel thee to keep the Kings commandement, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3. Be not haſty to goe out of his ſight; ſtand not in an evil thing, for he doth whatſoever pleaſeth him.
4. Where the word of a King is, there is power: and who may ſay unto him, What doeſt thou?
5. Whoſo keepeth the commandement ſhall feel no evil thing, and a wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgement.
THe former Chapter Solomon ended with a complaint of the inventions which men (though made righteous) are wont to ſeek out, both to lead themſelves into ſin, and to excuſe themſelves from holy duty, either of pure worſhip to God, or faithful love to a brother fallen into ſin; who being fallen, might after be healed by wiſe and faithful admonition: but that all ſorts of men are wont to ſeek out many inventions to excuſe themſelves from that unwelcome office, as they count it. It was ſaid above, that mean men put it off to Nobles, Nobles to the Prieſts, the Prieſts to the Prophets; the Prophets, and indeed generally all the ſorts of Solomons loyal ſubjects put it off by the inventions which here in theſe words Solomon both propoundeth, and refuteth.
Invention 1. From Solomons eminency of wiſdom, together with the unſearchable depth of his counſels and proceedings; which were ſo deep, as they were not able to ſearch out the bottom, the meaning or interpretation of them: Who is as the man (that is, as Solomon) the wiſe man, 1 Kings 4.31 And who knoweth the interpretation (the reaſon or meaning) of his matters? Our ignorance and weakneſſe (might his Subjects ſay) wil daſh us out of countenance, when we ſpeak to him.
Refutation 1. From the power of wiſdom even in a mean man (as Adam is here meant, as alſo in Pſalm 49.2.) wiſdom maketh his face to ſhine. Secondly, from the change of the ſtrength or boldneſſe of his face, which may be referred, either to the former antecedent, and then it is meant, The the wiſe mans face, that is, Solomons face, the boldneſſe or ſtrength of it (as the word ſignifieth) ſhall be changed upon a wiſe and juſt admonition, or preſentment of his ſin before him (as Dan. 5.6.) Or elſe it may be referred to the ſtrength and boldneſſe of a mean mans face, which ſhall be doubled (as the word alſo ſignifieth) in ſpeaking upon juſt ground, in humble and diſcreet manner, even to the King himſelfe, as 2 Sam. 12.7.
Invention 2. Taken from the loyalty and ſubmiſſion of Subjects to ſuch great Princes. I am to obſerve (for ſo it is in the originall) the mouth of the King, and that in regard of the oath of God, v. 2. to wit, the oath of Allegiance. As who ſhould ſay, It is not for me to enquire and diſpute of matters of State, Princes commands; but to obſerve and doe what I am commanded. If Solomon command Maſons and Carpenters to build Temples to his wives Idols, and the Nobles to overſee the work, and all his Subjects to contribute to it, it is not for me to gainſay, but to obey. My oath of Allegiance binds me far.
Refutation. Be not haſty to goe out of his ſight] that is, out of the Kings ſight, to execute every commandment which he putteth upon thee. (Joab went ſlowly out from the preſence of King David in ſuch a caſe (2 Sam. 24.3, 4,) Stand not in an evill thing] as they doe that perform the works of ſinners, Pſalm 1.1. For the King doth [many times] (not according to what is right and wel pleaſing in the ſight of God, but) whatſoever pleaſeth himſelf, v. 3.
Invention 3. From the Power and uncontroulable Authority of the kings Commands, and the danger of ſuch as ſhall reſiſt or ſpeak againſt them, eſpecially to his face. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may ſay unto him, What doeſt thou? v. 4.
Refutation, Firſt from the ſafety of Attending Gods Commandment rather then Mans: Whoſo keepeth the Commandment, ſhall feel no evill thing. v. 5. Secondly from the Diſcretion of a wiſe mans heart to obſerve both Time and Judgment, that is a judicious and right manner in dealing with the king or any other great one. v. 5.
That theſe words are thus to be taken by way of Objection and Anſwer, or Invention and Refutation, appeareth, firſt partly by the Coherence with the former Chapter: ſecondly partly from the unleaſonableneſs of the Preacher otherwiſe if he ſhould here extoll his own Tranſcendent wiſdom and ſoveraign power, when he is declaring and confeſſing his deepeſt penitential ſorrows, from v. 26 to the end of the foregoing Chapter.
Doctr. It is not the Eminency of the kings perſon and wiſdome, nor the Depth of the kings counſels and proceedings, nor the loyalty and ſworn Allegiance of the Subjects, nor the ſoveraign Authority and power of the Commands of Princes, nor any ſuch like other Invention that can excuſe Subjects from Admoniſhing Princes (according to our Callings) of their grievous Falls into notorious Scandals. For Solomon here removeth and refuteth all theſe excuſes as vain Inventions. 2 Sam. 12.1 to 12. 1 Chron. 21.3, 4. 1 Chr. 6.10. 1 Kings 18.17, 18. & 20.42. & 21.20 to 24. 2 Kings 1.16. 2 Chron. 16.7, 8, 9. & 19.2. 2 Kings 5.13.
Object. Job 34.18.
Anſw. There is no Colour for an Objection if the words were not much corrupted in the Tranſlation. The Original readeth it thus, That ſaith to a king, Thou art wicked; and to Princes, Ye are ungodly. Where Elihu uſeth it as an Argument to juſtify Gods Righteouſneſs, becauſe he accepteth no mans perſon, no not Princes.
Reaſons. Firſt, from the vanity of all ſuch Pretences as might ſeem to excuſe us from this Duty; as, 1 The tranſcendent wiſdom and depth of ſome Princes above their poor Subjects. Anſw. Firſt, The wiſeſt are not always wiſe, Job 32.9. great men, to wit, great in wiſdom and power. Solomon ſometime ſaw his own madneſs. Eccl. 7.25.
Secondly, Wiſdom in a mean perſon will make his face ſhine, that is, make it, 1 Amiable, Num. 6.25.26. 2 Honorable and glorious, Acts 6.15. 3 Reverend and awfull, as Exod. 34.30. Thirdly, From the falling of a bold and ſtern ſpirit before a wiſe Reproof: for ſo I rather take it, becauſe the word is ever taken in ill part, as 1 for Sternneſs, Deut. 28.50. Iſai, 33.19. Dan. 8.23. 2 Impudency and rude Boldneſs, Prov. 7.13. 3 Hardneſs and obſtinacy, Prov. 21.29. Thus fell the countenance of David before Nathan: of Saul before Jonathan: 1 Sam. 19.4, 5, 6. of Ahab before Elijah, 1 Kings 21.27. of Felix before Paul, Acts 24.25. or if the ſtrength of the kings countenance change not, thine ſhall be doubled, 22.18, 19. 1 Kings Dan. 3.13, 16.
2. The Loyalty of an obedient Subject, and that ratified by Oath, v. 2. Anſ. Firſt, Yet there may be too much haſte in obeying. Heſt. 3.15. Dan. 2.13, 15. as when Kings command. 1 for tryal, 1 Kings 3.24, 25. 2 with change of minde, … n 6.14. 3 unlawfull things: which to obey will breed ſmart, firſt from Gods hand: ſecondly from Mans, Hoſ. 5.11. Dan. 6.24. Secondly, Obedience is only due in the Lord, Epheſ. 6.1. not againſt him, Acts 4.19. Thirdly, An Oath and Gods name in it, bindeth not to ſin againſt God, but rather the contrary.
3 The ſoveraign power and uncontroulable authority of Princes, v. 4. …nſ. Firſt Gods Commandement and the keeping of it is a Preſervative from evill, v. 5. he is higher then Princes, Eccl. 5.8. Prov. 21.1. Secondly, a wiſe mans heart will obſerve a right time and manner, v. 5. ſo did Abigail, 1 Sam. 25.36, 37. and Nathan, 2 Sam. 12.1 to 14.
Reaſ. 2. From the Duty we owe firſt to God the king of kings: ſecondly to the King by Covenant: thirdly to the peace of the Church and Commonwealth.
Ʋſe 1 To exhort Subjects to be faithfull in admoniſhing Magiſtrates, when God leaveth them to ſcandalous falls, and giveth us a Call to it. Which they do 1 when they call us to execute their ſinfull Commands, as 1 Chron. 21.3, 4. 2 When by our Place we are to watch over them Ezek. 3.17 to 21. 3 When they are not the ſons of Belial, nor Dogs, nor Swine, but will hear us attending upon them, 1 Sam. 25.17. Matth. 7.6, 2 Kings, 5.13. Fear not the ſtifneſs of their faces, Ezek. 2, 6. nor their wiſdom, power, will.
Ʋſe 2 To teach us the beſt Ornament of the face: it is not jewels nor laces, nor painting, but wiſdom that makes the face to ſhine, v. 1.
Ʋſe 3 To teach great men to let their countenance fall at any juſt Admonition: The ſtrength of his face ſhall be changed, v. 1.
Ʋſe 4. To teach a lawfull uſe of an Oath of fidelity and ſubjection to Magiſtrates, v. 2.
Ʋſe 5 To forbear haſte in executing Magiſtrates Commands, unleſs it be in lawfull and expedient matters, v. 3. Serve not kings pleaſures in evill. Doeg herein did wickedly, 1 Sam. 22.18. the Aegyptian Midwives better, Exod. 1.16, 17. and the Guard of Saul, 1 Sam. 22.16, 17. & 14.44, 45.
Ʋſe 6. The Soveraignty of Princes leaveth them ſcarce any Faithfull Friends or Admonitors, ſcarce one of a Thouſand, v. 5. See the miſery of Soveraignty.
Ʋſe 7 To encourage to walk in the path of Gods Commandements, from the Indemnity and Safety of ſuch a Courſe, v. 5. Moſes felt no harm from Pharaoh, nor Samuel from Saul, nor Nathan from David, nor Elijah from Ahab, nor Jehu from Jehoſaphat, nor Amos from Amaziah.
Object. But Hanani did from Aſa, 2 Chron. 16.10. Zachariah from Joaſh, 2 Chron. 24.20, 21. Ʋriah from Jehoiakim, Jer. 26, 23. John fron Herod, Mark 6, 27. Stephen from the high Prieſts, Acts 7.51 to 59.
Anſw. Firſt, God doth often prevent ſuch evill entertainment of the faithfullneſs of his Servants. Secondly, If they ſuffer Impriſonment, Baniſhment, Death for Gods Commandement, it is no Evill, but a Crown of Martyrdome.