A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 12
Eccleſ. 7.26.
26. And I finde more bitter then death, the woman whoſe heart is ſnares and nets, and her hands as bands: who ſo pleaſeth God, ſhall eſcape from her, but the ſinner ſhall be taken by her.
SOlomon in the three former verſes, having obſerved that in all the former ſearch after wiſdome, he had not found it in the creature, he therefore applyed his heart to ſeek out by wiſdome, the wickedneſſe of his own folly, and the fooliſhneſſe of his own madneſſe, And in theſe verſes (to the end of the Chapter) he giveth the Church an account both of what he had found upon taking account, and of his want of taking account. To wit, three things, Firſt, An adulterous and Idolatrous woman more bitter then death, whom he deſcribeth, 1. By her effects, 1. Shee is as ſnares ſlily to catch, 2. Her heart as Traps. 3. Her hands as bands. 2. By the ſubject perſons about whom ſhee is converſant, and they are either good in Gods ſight, and they are delivered from her; or ſinners, and they are taken by her, verſe 26. Secondly, The rariety of faithful admonitions amongſt men eſpecially amongſt women verſe 28. which he amplifieth by his diligent and inceſſant ſearch, verſe 27. Thirdly, The vaſt diſtance of a man by his fall, from his ſtate of Creation. Or the vaine and ſinful fruits of mans fall from the ſtate wherein God created him, verſe 29.
Doctr. 1. A man that ſetteth himſelfe unfeignedly (or to uſe Solomons words, that applyeth and turneth his heart) wiſely to ſearch out his own wickedneſſe, folly and madneſſe, ſhall finde the inſtruments that led him into temptation and ſin, more bitter then death. As Solomon here found his wives and Concubines, who drew him to maintenance of Idolatry, 1 Kings 11.3, 4.
Reaſon 1. From the ſhame and indignity put upon him by his wives and Concubines, that were Idolaters, Pleading it ſeemeth liberty of conſcience: whence he firſt granteth toleration, then countenance and aſſiſtance to their Idols, erecting Temples to them: whence Altars, Ornaments, Prieſt, and all upon mount Olivet, before the face of the Lord in his Temple, 1 Kings 11.7, 8. 2 Kings 23.13.
Reaſon 2. From the bitterneſſe of ſinne, and that even above death, Jer. 2.19. Acts 8, 23. Deut. 32.32, 33. All the ingredients of bitterneſſe are found in ſin, which have made men bitterly to mourne as, Firſt, The loſſe of the bleſſing of a heavenly Father, Gen. 27.34. a minori. Secondly, Cruel bondage, worſe then Egyptian, Exod. 1.14. Thirdly, Bitter water cauſing the curſe, Numb. 5.24. Yea ſinne is more bitter then death. As Firſt, Being the death of the ſoul, Rom. 7.11. which is ſo much the more bitter then the death of the body, as the life of the ſoul is more ſweet and precious then the life of the body. Secondly, Depriving us of the preſence and favour of God which is better then life, Iſai. 59.2. Pſal. 63.3.
Reaſon 3. From the bitterneſſe of godly ſorrow or repentance, Mat. 26.75. Zach. 12.10. Matters of ſuch bitterneſſe in godly ſorrowes, Firſt, For that we have pierced our deareſt and beſt friends, Zach. 12.10. Secondly, That by ſin we have deſtroyed the beauty, and ſtrength, 1. Of family, as of our firſt borne or only Child. 2 Of Church and Common wealth, as in the mourning for Joſiah at Hadadrimmon, Zach. 12.10, 11. Hence Lam. 3.15. with 2 Chron. 35.25. Solomon could not but ſee in his fall the diviſion of the Kingdom, 1 Kings 11.40. hence corruption of religion in them, then in Judah alſo, to the utter deſtruction of all.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us concerning Solomon, Firſt, That Solomon did indeed repent after his fall. Secondly, That he wrote this book after his repentance.
Ʋſe 2. To weane all men from ſin, It will be bitterneſſe in the end [2 Sam. 2.26.] Acts 8.23. Prov. 23.31, 32. Prov. 5.34, 5. Prov. 20.17.
Ʋſe 3. To weane us from delighting in ſinful companions, they will be bitter to us in the end, as death, and more bitter too; Truſt not in the friendſhip of ſuch: for if ever they or we repent, we ſhall be ready to condemne and betray one another.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us a ſigne of true repentance, when ſinne groweth as bitter, yea more bitter to us then death.
Ʋſe 5. To ſhew us the danger of women once corrupted; how apt, and ſlye, and ſtrong they be to draw on ſtronger then themſelves to corruption, Neh. 13.26.
Ʋſe 6. To be upright in Gods ſight, and not to reſt in a ſinful ſtate and courſe, the one is preſerved from ſuch women and ſnares; The other given up to be taken by her.