A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 29
Eccleſ. 4.13. to 16.
13. Better is a poor and a wiſe child, then an old and a fooliſh King, who will no more be admoniſhed.
14. For out of priſon he commeth to raign, whereas alſo he that is born in his kingdom becommeth poor.
15. I conſidered all the living which walk under the Sun, with the ſecond childe that ſhall ſtand up in his ſtead.
16. There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they alſo that come after ſhall not rejoyce in him: ſurely this alſo is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
IN theſe words Solomon declareth the vanity and vexation of ſpirit that befalleth upon Kings and Princes, and ſo upon Royal eſtates; and that from a double ground, or cauſe: Firſt, from the Folly and Wilfulneſſe of Kings, v. 13, 14. Secondly, Through the levity and inconſtancy of the people, v. 15, 16. The folly and wilfulneſſe of Kings he argueth from the meanneſſe and baſeneſſe of that eſtate; and that he aggravateth by an argument à majori, of a far better eſtate of a wiſe child though poore, above a fooliſh king though old, and ſo for age venerable; Preferring the low eſtate of the one, above the higheſt eſtate of the other, v. 13. And this he proveth by the effects of both their eſtates; for the poor wiſe child out of priſon commeth to raigne: the other born and waxen old in his Kingdome becommeth poor, v. 14. In declaring the levity and inconſtancy of the people, he noteth it as a vanity found in the people of all the Nations under the Sun: Firſt, That there is no end (or ſtay, or reſt) of the peoples affections to their Princes and Governours. Secondly, That the people wil wax weary of the young Prince that ſhall come after the old King, after they have tried his government, v. 16. And both theſe he proveth by his own obſervation of all the people living in all Nations under the Sun, and comparing the peoples dealing, with the ſecond child that ſhal ſtand up in the old kings ſtead, v. 15.
Doctr. There is a vanity and vexation of ſpirit that befalleth the eſtate of Kings and Princes, partly through their own folly and wilfulneſſe, partly through the levity and inconſtancy of the people.
Reaſons of their Vanity through their own folly and willfullneſs. Firſt, from the preferment of a wiſe Child in his worſt eſtate above ſuch a Prince in his beſt eſtate. Childhood is deſpicable in any, Eccel. 11.10. 1 Tim. 4.12. much more in Poverty, Eccel. 9.16. Old Age is honorable in any, Levit. 19.32 much more in Princes. Yet when a King though old, is fooliſh and willfull, a poor wiſe Child is better then he; yea though the Child were a Captive, a Priſoner. For ſuch a poor Child or Youth may out of Priſon come to reign, as Ioſeph, Geneſ. 41.14.40. David, 1 Sam. 18.23. Daniel 6.3. whereas an Old King may by folly and willfullneſs become poor, as Pharoah, Exod. 10.7. Saul, 1 Sam. 28.15. Ioram., 2 Kings, 6.25. & 7, 13. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.33. Manaſſeh, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, Zedekiah, all of them Priſoners. 2 Chron. 33.11. & 36.4. & 2 Kings 23.33. & 24.15. & 25.7. The occcaſion whereof is, 1 Gods delight to honour the humble, and cruſh the proud, 1 Pet. 5.5. Job 40.11, 12. 2 Pride is the root of Willfullneſs.
Reaſon of their Vanity through the Levity of the People, From their aptneſs to wax weary of any Prince or Governour. 1 Sam. 8.7. 2 Sam. 15.12, 13. 1 Kings. 1.11. And this ſpringeth from want of attainment of their Ends in their Magiſtrates. There is no end of all the People, v. 16. Every thing reſteth in the attainment of his End. The End of Magiſtracy is ſet down 1 Tim. 2.2. This the People not Attending, nor attaining, they cannot reſt. Hence they are compared to waves of the Sea, never ſtill; ſometimes full Sea; ſometimes Low-water, Pſal. 65.7. Rev. 17.15. Iſa. 57.20,
Ʋſe 1 To teach us that Royal ſtate is no Sanctuary nor Preſervative from folly and willfullneſs. Not only wicked kings, but all, have had their Pangs and ſtreins of folly; Davids Numbring the People, 2 Sam. 24.10. Adultery and Murder. Solomons love of ſtrange Wives, and Toleration yea Countenance of Idolatry. Aſa, his League with Benhadad, Impriſonment of the Prophets, and Truſt in Phyſicians. Jehoſhaphat, his affinity with Ahab, and League with Idolaters. Hezekiah ſhewing his Treaſures to the Embaſſadors of Babell. Joſiah his War againſt Pharaoh-Necho. Yea Willfullneſs found not only in Pharaoh, Exod. 5.1, 2. in Saul, 1 Sam. 20.30 to 33. in Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13.33. in Jehu, 2 Kings 10.29, 31. but ſometimes in good kings; in David, 2 Sam. 24. 1 to 4. in Aſa, 2 Chron. 16.9, 10.
Cauſes hereof, Firſt, Gods hand, Pſal. 107.40. Secondly, Satan. 1 Chron. 21.1. Thirdly, Great Places breed great Spirits, whence Pride ſpringeth that Leaveneth and hardeneth the whole lump. Jer. 22.21. Fourthly, Old Age is froward and ſtiff. Fifthly, Flatterers about Princes lead them into ill Ways for their own Ends, and ſtiffen them in them. Hoſ. 7.3, 5. Amos 7.10 to 13. 1 Kings. 12.10, 11.
A Warning, Firſt, To Princes, to pray for a wiſe and learning heart. 1 Kings 3.9. Secondly, To People to ſtrive with God for their Princes. Pſal. 72.1.2.
Ʋſe 2. To refuſe Admonition, is a great folly even in a Prince, even in an Old Prince. 1 Kings. 12.6, 7, 13. 2 Chro. 16, 9, 10. More hope of a fool then of ſuch, Prov. 26.12. & 12.1. It bringeth the Commonwealth into a ſnare, Pro. 29.8. How much more fooliſh is this willfullneſs either in Meaner or Yonger People?
Ʋſe 3. To teach us the Excellency of Wiſdome, which Youth, yea Childhood and Poverty cannot Debaſe, but it will ariſe to preferment. And the Baſeneſs of Folly and Stubbornneſs, which Nobility and Age cannot honor.
Ʋſe 4. To teach Parents to train up their Children to wiſdome, and therefore to Learning and Godlineſs; and withall to break them of their willfullneſs that ſo they may be fit for preferment in the eyes of God and Men.
Ʋſe 5. To reprove the Inconſtancy of People and the cauſe thereof, their neglect of the right End of Magiſtracy. 1 Tim. 2.2.
Ʋſe 6. To wean great men from Popularity, the Peoples favor is unſtable. Joh. 5.35. Mattth. 21.8, 9. with 27.22, 23