A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 23
Eccleſ. 10.1.
1 Dead flies cauſe the ointment of the apothecary to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour; ſo doth a litle folly him that is in reputation for wiſdom and honour.
SOlomon having ſhewed the vanity incident to the wiſdom of a poor man, to wit, 1. To be neglected, not heard. Secondly, if heard, and followed, yet he to be forgotten, chap. 9. v. 15, 16. In this verſe he ſheweth the vanity incident to the wiſe man, who is alſo honourable, to a man in reputation for wiſdom and honour, which is, to be blemiſhed with a little folly; and that little folly to be like a dead fly corrupting a precious box of Oyntment. So this little folly to corrupt and blemiſh the excellency of wiſdom in an honourable perſon:
In the Text three things are compared with three: Firſt, a man of reputation for wiſdome and honour, with the precious Oyntment of an Apothecary. Secondly, a little folly, with a dead fly. Thirdly, the evil which a little folly doth to ſuch a wiſe honourable man, with the evil which a dead fly doth to precious oyntment; which is double, foreign cauſeth it to putrifie, foreign cauſeth it to ſend forth a putrified ſavour.
Doctr. As an honourable wiſe man is like an Apothecaries precious oyntment; and a little folly like to a dead fly: So is the corruption which a dead fly cauſeth in that oyntment, like the hurt which a little folly doth to an honourable wiſe man.
The Apothecaries precious Oyntment excelleth, Firſt, in quality, as Odour, John 12.3. perfuming a whole houſe, Cant. 1.3. and Colour, Pſal. 104.15. Secondly, in manner of skilful confection. Thirdly, in efficacy or vertue, for healing and refreſhing, Prov. 27.9. So doth the wiſdome of an honourable wiſe man excell, firſt, in odour; it ſendeth a ſweet perfume all the Countrey over, 1 Kings 3.28. Secondly, In colour, cauſing the face to ſhine like an oyntment, Eccleſ. 8.1. Acts 6.15. Thirdly, in manner of skilful confection: Fourthly, in efficacy and vertue, Prov. 27.9.
A little folly is like a dead fly; like, firſt, in quantity; both little. Secondly, in quality; both of them, 1. Baſe and contemptible; 2. Unprofitable; 3. Noyſome and troubleſome, Pſalm 78.45. Exod. 8.24. A living fly is no better; a dead fly baſer, [as in a like, Eccleſ 9.4.] As a dead fly cauſeth a precious Oyntment to putrifie, and to ſend forth an evil ſavor: So doth a little folly corrupt and diſhonour an honourable wiſe man.
Pineda marvelled how a dead fly ſhould ſo much corrupt a precious Oyntment, ſeeing he found it not ſo in his countrey. But there is a difference, firſt, of flies; which in Eaſtern Countreys are many of them more venomous and noyſome, Pſalm 78.45. Secondly, of Oyntments, which in thoſe Countreys are more pure and precious: which in ours are more groſſe and greaſie; they annoynted their heads and faces, Matth. 6.17. Eccleſ. 9.7.
Solomons folly in loving ſtrange women cotrupted his ſpirit to take them as wives and concubines: then to tolerate their Religion: then to adorn it with countenance of goodly Temples, and with maintenance of Prieſts and Sacrifices. Whence the Mount Olivet, on which their Temples were built, was called the mountain of corruption, 2 Kings 23.13. yea it corrupted all Iſrael and Iudah.
A pang of folly in David, ſo weakned his reputation, as offended all Iſrael with the ſavor of it, and cauſed a great rebellion againſt him.
A little folly in Aſa baniſhing the Prophet, in Jehoſophat making affinity with Ahab, in Ʋzziah offering Incenſe, in Hezekiah ſhewing his Treaſures, in Joſiah going to war againſt Pharaoh Necho, corrupted, and diſhonoured the Government of them all.
Reaſon 1. From a more obſervable deſilement of the moſt pure and precious things, as in the pureſt cleare linen the ſmalleſt ſpot is ſoon eſpied.
Reaſon 2. From the vanity which God ſeeth it meet the beſt gifts and parts ſhould be ſtained withall, Iſai. 23.9.
Ʋſe 1. To exhort men of place and honour to ſeek after wiſdom; both together maketh them as precious Oyntment. Folly in dignity is a great deformity, Eccleſ. 10.6. Prov. 26.1, 8.
Ʋſe 2. To teach wiſe men not to beare with themſelves in little follys, much leſſe in great.
Ʋſe 3. To teach wiſe and honourable men to make account of an houre and power of temptation, and to deny and ſuſpect themſelves, that God may be pleaſed to keep them from falling ſhamefully.