A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 18
Eccleſ. 8.10.
And ſo I ſaw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the Holy, and they were forgotten in the City, where they had ſo done: this is alſo vanity.
THis verſe doth depend upon the former, by way of prevention of an Objection, thus, If one rule over another to his hurt, the hurt will as wel redowne to him that ruleth, as to them that are ruled; wicked Rulers often come to an untimely end, yea want buriall (Eccleſ. 3, 6.) 1 Kings 14.11. & 16.4. & 21.23, 24. 2 Kings 9.33, 34. And infamy follows them after death, 1 Kings 15.30. Whereto Solomon anſwereth, & by his own experience confirmeth it, It is not alwaies ſo, I have ſeen a time wherein one ruleth over another to his hurt (that is, to the hurt of him that ruled [to wit, of the ſubject] not ſo of the Ruler:) And in ſo (doing) that as in Ruling wickedly to the hurt of others, I have ſeen the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy: I have ſeen alſo the wicked forgotten in the City wherein they have ſo done, that is, had ſo wickedly ruled. This is alſo vanity. This encreaſeth vanity amongſt men, and aggravateth the vanity of the condition of the ſonnes of men.
Doctr. 1. The place or ſeat of judgement is the place of the Holy one.
For he ſpeaketh here of wicked Rulers, whom he deſcribeth to have been converſant in the Judgement ſeat, in an Hebrew Phraſe, they had come and gone from the place of the holy; Holy, in the ſingular number, that is, of the Holy one. The holy one is God, Eſay 57.15. The place of the Holy one is, Heaven, Eſay 66.1. The Temple, Acts 21, 28. The Throne, or Seat of judgement, Pſal. 82.1. The humble heart, Eſay 57.15. The third is here meant. For he ſpeaketh of Kings, v. 4. and of them as wicked, v. 9, 10.
Reaſon 1. From Gods Ordinance therof, Rom. 13.1, 2.
Reaſon 2. From his preſence there, Pſal. 82.2. Prov. 29.26. 2 Chron. 19.6.
Reaſon 3. From his ends there chiefly to be attended, 2 Chron. 19.6.
Ʋſe, To teach Magiſtrates to put off carnall Affections (as ſhoos were put off by Moſes,) when we come to the Judgement ſeat, Exod. 3.5. The like was done by Joſhua, Joſh. 5.15.
Doctr. 2. When a wicked Ruler findeth a buriall, and the memory of his wicked Rule is buried with him, It is a vanity. Or himſelfe findeth a Funerall, and his wicked Rule no memorable Obloquie.
When wicked Rulers come to an untimely end, and their Tyranny meeteth with juſt obloquie, it doth not a little availe, firſt, to the honour of God, Exod. 14.17. & 15.1. Secondly, to the edification & warning of men. Senacherib in Herodot. So Virgils Mezentius Diſcite Juſtitiam For want of this Belſhazzar was reproved, Dan. 5.20, &c. But yet it ſometimes commeth to paſſe, they doe meet with buriall, and no infamy upon their Names, partly by the power of their ſucceſſors, their children; and partly by a worſe ſucceeding in their room.
Reaſon of the vanity of this, 1. It is an occaſion of great growth of wickedneſſe, v. 11. For firſt, the Subjects comply with wicked Rulers, if they meet with no great calamity in their life or death. Secondly, other wicked Princes preſume to doe the like upon their wicked example; Indempnity and impunity, v. 11.
Reaſon 2. It is a fruit of the curſe brought upon the civill State, through the fall of our firſt parents. Otherwiſe all evil ſhould befall evil ones, and all good good ones.
Reaſon 3. It is no advantage to wicked Princes, ſo buried, and ſo forgotten; for the leſſe check they meet withall here, the more they ſhall meet withall hereafter, Eccleſ. 5.8.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us to give honour to God, and to take warning to our ſelves, when we ſee God calling Princes to account, Pſal. 76.12. & 107.40. Job 12.21, &c.
Ʋſe 2. To teach Princes and Rulers, to rule in the feare of God righteouſly, 2 Sam. 23.3. So they may expect comely buriall, and honourable memoriall. 2 Chron. 16.14. & 24.16. & 32.33. & 35.24. Not ſo others, 2 Chron. 21.19, &c. & 33.20 Jer. 22.18, 19.
Ʋſe 3. To teach all men, even private men, to doe wel in our generations; for if God recompence Princes, ſurely he will not ſpare meaner perſons, Prov. 10.7. Pſal. 112.6.