A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 48
Eccleſ. 8.12.13.
12. Though a ſinner doe evil an hundred times, and his daies be prolonged; yet ſurely I know that it ſhall be well with them that feare God, which feare before him.
13. But it ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his daies which are as a ſhadow, becauſe he feareth not before God.
IN the former verſe Solomon declared the abuſe which wicked men make of Gods patience, and of mans alſo; Becauſe ſentence is not executed ſpeedily againſt an evil work, the heart of the ſonnes of men is fully ſet in them to doe evil. In theſe words he giveth an Antidote againſt this abuſe, taken from his own knowledge and certain obſervation of the good eſtate of them that feare God; and the evil eſtate of the wicked.
The good eſtate of the godly he amplifieth, Firſt, by the Divers; Though a ſinner doe evil an hundred times, and his puniſhment be prolonged; yet it ſhall be wel with them that feare God. Secondly, By the contrary eſtate of the wicked, It ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his daies; the brevity whereof is amplified by the ſimile of a ſhadow. Thirdly, by the cauſe of this their different eſtate, becauſe the one feared before the face of God; the other doth not feare before God. Fourthly, By an argument, from Solomons own teſtimony thereof; and that not out of conjecture, but out of his own certain knowledge.
Doctr. 1. Howſoever a wicked man may ſin oft, and eſcape long, yet a godly wiſe man may fully aſſure himſelfe and others, that it ſhall goe well with them that feare God; but neither well, nor long, with the wicked.
Sinne oft] the text ſaith an hundred times; a certain number of multitude, for an uncertain; foreign is not, and his daies be prolonged; Daies is not in the ſentence: and that is denied in the next verſe, He ſhall not prolong his daies. But the meaning is, and a prolonging be to him, to wit, of execution of ſentence, puniſhment be long delayed, and ſo he long eſcapeth.
Yet ſurely I know] And ſo a godly wiſe man may know, and aſſure himſelfe and others, That it ſhall be well with them that feare God.
Queſt. Why doth he not rather ſay, That it ſhall not be well with the wicked? that would make the oppoſition more direct.
Anſw. Firſt, becauſe many times the long continuance of the wicked in their ſinfull courſe with impunity is a puniſhment and hardſhip to the godly: Sauls raigne is Davids baniſhment; Ahabs raigne is Micaiahs impriſonment, 1 Kings 22.27. Secondly, becauſe the godly are apt to ſtumble at the ſight of the Impunity and proſperity of the wicked, compared with their own ſtraits, Pſalm 73. Jer. 12.1. and the godly muſt firſt have Cordials, before the wicked receive their Corraſives, Matth. 25.34, 41. Eſay 3.10, 11. Prov. 11.31. Pſalm 55.23. Job 15.31, &c.
Queſt. How, or wherein doth it appeare, that notwithſtanding the long patience of God to wicked men, yet certainly it ſhall goe well with the godly; but neither wel nor long with the wicked?
Anſw. Firſt, in that it is a pledge of greater mercy reſerved for them that feare God, the more that God prolongeth his patience, and long ſufferance to wicked men, Rom. 9.22, 23. Secondly, in that this long patience of God to the wicked, is an evidence of greater wrath prepared and treaſured up for them, Rom. 2.4, 5. Thirdly, In that there is a ſpeedy ſhortning of the rage of the wicked over the godly, Pſalm 125.3. Fourthly, In that the daies of the wicked are alwaies cut off ſuddenly, before the time, either of their expectation, or at leaſt of their preparation. Amos 8.9. The Sun ſhall goe down at noon implieth, partly a great change and immediate from heigh to depth, Pſalm 92.7. And partly a ſudden change, before the buſineſſe and the day be half finiſhed.
Reaſon. From the fear of God in the godly, and the want of the fear of God in the wicked. This Reaſon is expreſly given in the Text, It ſhall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him, V. 12. It ſhall be evill with the wicked, becauſe he feareth not before God, V. 13.
Before God] The Hebrew is, before the face of God; that is before, firſt his preſence in his Ordinances, Pſalm 105.14. Secondly, his preſence in his Providence, Prov. 5.21. Pſalm 119.168. & 34.16.
Feare of God] Firſt, in holy reverence of his great and glorious Majeſty, and goodneſſe, Jer. 130.4. Hoſ. 3.5. Secondly, in humble ſenſe of our great weakneſſe and unworthineſs, Phil. 2.12, 13. Thirdly, In awfull ſhunning to diſpleaſe him, Prov. 16.6.
Ʋſe 1. To reſtrain us from quarrelling at Gods providence, becauſe it may ſometimes ſeem to goe worſe with Gods people, then with the wicked, Jer. 12.1. Say it confidently, and it ſhall goe well with the godly, Pſalm 73.1. Not ſo to the wicked.
Ʋſe 2. To take heed of abuſing Gods patience unto hardneſſe of heart in ſin.
Ʋſe 3. To ſupport the ſpirit of ſuch as feare God, in the midſt of the proſperity of the wicked, and in the midſt of your own afflictions.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us the feare of God, Feare before his face, his Ordinances, and his Providences. It is a certain preſage of good ſucceſſe, 2 Chron. 20.3, 12, 15. & 11, 12. It is an overcomming (or deniall) of our ſelves which elſe being wanting would enfeeble us, 1 Sam. 2.9. Judg. 7.2.