A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 44
Eccleſ. 7.23, 24, 25.
23. All this have I proved by wiſdome: I ſaid, I will be wiſe, but it was farre from me.
24. That which is farre off, and exceeding deep, who can finde it out?
25. I applyed mine heart to know, and to ſearch, and to ſeek out wiſdome, and the reaſon of things, and to know the wickedneſse of folly, even of fooliſhneſſe and madneſſe.
IN theſe words Solomon maketh another obſervation of that which was meet for all men to obſerve by his example, even what befel himſelfe in the ſearch of wiſdome in his own times; which was, Firſt, That in all his ſearch of wiſdome (to wit, by the works of creation and providence, and by tracing out happineſſe in the courſes which men are went to take for it) he found that wiſdome was too farre off, and too deep for him, verſe 23.24. Secondly, That miſſing of wiſdome in the way, he applyed his heart, or turned it about to ſeek for wiſdome in taking account of himſelfe, and ſeeking to know the wickedneſſe of his own folly, and the fooliſhneſſe of his own madneſſe, verſe 25. And the reaſon [of things] is better tranſlated, and the account of my ſelfe or my wayes, &c. verſe 25.
Doctr. 1. The ſenſe of our vaſt and deep diſtances from attaining wiſdome, by the ſtudy of the creatures, and of the vanity of the wayes of men, is a juſt motive to apply our hearts to make diligent ſearch for wiſdom in taking account of our own wayes, and in the knowledge of the wickedneſs of our folly, and the fooliſhneſſe of our own madneſſe. To know, to ſeek, to ſearch, verſe 25. do all imply a diligent ſearch: The Doctrine conſiſteth of two branches; Firſt, That by the knowledge of the creatures he ſhall finde himſelfe ſtill at a great diſtance from wiſdome, and wiſdome more deep then to be digged out of the creatures. Secondly, that hereupon Solomon was moved to ſeek it in looking homewards into his own heart, and wayes, and the folly and madneſſe, and wickedneſſe thereof. The former branch is teſtified, 1 Cor. 1.21. Rom. 1.21, 22. Job 28.12, 13, 14, & verſe 20.21, 22.
Reaſons of the former, 1. From the diſtance and depth of Chriſt from the creatures, and from the knowledge of them all, Chriſt is the wiſdome both of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. and of us, 1 Cor. 1.30. But the wiſeſt could never diſcerne Chriſt by the creature, 1 Cor. 2, 6, to 9. Hence not the creature but the word is perfect to convert ſoules, Pſal. 19.1, to 7.
Reaſon 2. From the aptneſſe of the creature, and the knowledge of it (by reaſon of the curſe that lyeth upon it) to puffe us up, Iſai. 47, 10. Solomon confeſſeth himſelfe, I ſaid I will be wiſe this way, Preſuming of his knowledge. Text. of the latter, That hereupon Solomon was moved to ſearch after wiſdome in taking account of himſelfe, and the folly of his own courſe.
Reaſon 1. From the excellency of man himſelfe, above all the creatures, he is the Lord of them all, and ſo their Lord, Gen. 1.28, 29. And therefore more may be found in obſerving a mans ſelfe, then all the other creatures.
Reaſon 2. From the vanity and vexation of ſpirit which all the creatures yeild to a man. A man is juſtly occaſioned to look into the root and cauſe of it in himſelfe.
Ʋſe 1. To convince all the wiſe Philoſophers of the Heathens of the vaſt diſtance of wiſdome from them. For they had no further meanes of wiſdome, then what Solomon improving to the utmoſt, found farre off from conveying true wiſdome to him, Rom. 1.22. A warning to Schollers, not to overvalue wiſdom and knowledge, which they have from the creatures.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us that in taking juſt account of our ſelves and our wayes, we ſhall finde our former courſe Folly, even the wickedneſſe of Folly and Madneſſe, even the fooliſhneſſe of madneſſe, 2 Sam. 24.19. Acts 26.11. Job 40.4, 5, & 42, 6. Jer. 2.19. 2 Chron. 16.9. Ezek. 6.9, & 36, 31.
Ʋſe 3. To teach us a difference of the wiſdome of God, revealed in the creatures, It is farre off and deep, Text. Not ſo in the Goſpel, Deut. 30.11, to 14. with Rom, 10.6.7.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us there is much wiſdome, may be learned, from knowing our own wickedneſſe, fooliſhneſſe and madneſſe, he was more then a common wiſe man that ſaid, Prov. 30.2. Surely I am more fooliſh then any man, 1 Cor. 3.18. Jer. 10.14, For Firſt, The ſenſe of our own folly and wickedneſſe maketh us low and baſe, and ſo humbleth us before the Lord. Secondly, The ſenſe of our folly directeth us to ſeek true wiſdome in Chriſt, and in his word.