A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verse 24 – Verses 57
Eccleſ. 10.4.
4. If the ſpirit of the ruler riſe up againſt thee, leave not thy place: for yeelding pacifieth great offences.
SOlomon having obſerved, that one dead flye and one little ſtraine of folly ſtaineth the reputation and honour of wiſe men of high place, he proceedeth in the reſt of this Chapter to declare what thoſe dead flyes or vanities be in particular throughout this Chapter. But to prevent diſloyal thoughts, which thereupon might ariſe in the heart or carriage of Subjects towards their Governours, he hedgeth in his diſcourſe with a two-fold direction and inſtruction. Of loyalty, 1. One in the beginning of his diſcourſe, v 4. 2 The other in the end of it, verſe 20.
Parts of the verſe, 1 A direction to a right and loyal carriage of a mans ſelfe in caſe the ſpirit of the Ruler riſe up againſt a man; If ſo, yet leave not thy place. 2. A reaſon of it, from the benefit of a better courſe: for yeilding pacifieth great offences.
Doct. 1. The riſing of the ſpirit of a Prince againſt a Subject, doth not give leave to a Subject to leave his place; but calleth him rather to lay downe his ſpirit. The ſpirit of a Prince is not a ſudden paſſion, but an habitual Bent of diſpleaſure. [For ſpirit is an habitual Bent, Prov. 18.14. Num. ….14.] His place is not meant of place of habitation chiefly, for in times of deep and bitter diſpleaſure, …t is lawful to leave the countrey, 1 Kings 19.1, 2, 3, &c. John 4.1, 3. Nor the place of a mans office, if the office be civil, and ſuch as a man may lay down and leave without ſin againſt God, but detriment to himſelfe. For if the leaving of a mans civil office may prevent the danger of his life, it were better laid down with ſafety then kept with diſpleaſure and perril. But by place is meant the relation of a Subject, his Loyalty, 1 Sam. 24.4, & Chap. 26, 11. Place is by the Septuagint tranſlated foreign, Job. 38.12.
Reaſon 1. From the ground and foundation of Authority and ſubjection between Prince and People: Which is, Firſt, An Ordinance of God, Rom. 13.1, 2. Secondly, The Covenant of the people confirmed by the Oath of God between them, Eccleſ. 8.2. 2 Sam. 5.3. 2 Kings 11.17. Until therefore the body of the people did finde ſuch great cauſe of complaint of their Ruler as to have broken the fundamental Articles of their Covenant, the Rulers tranſgreſſion of his courſe and duty to the Subject is no cauſe of diſcharge of the Subjects duty to him.
Reaſon 2. From the benefit and efficacy of yeilding, it pacifieth great wrath, Text. Yeilding in ſoft anſwers, Prov. 15.1. And in actual ſubmiſſion to his will, Prov. 25.15.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us not to riſe up in our ſpirits againſt Rulers, if they ſhould riſe up againſt us. It is not lawful for us to leave our place of ſubjection and Loyalty: which diſſolveth the relation or the exerciſe of it. Which argueth it is not lawful for ſervants to run from their Maſters, for therein they diſſolve their relations, Gen. 16.6, &c. 1 Pet. 2.18, &c. unleſſe there be perill of life or limb to the ſervant.
Queſt. Whether may it be lawful for a State to riſe againſt their King or Ruler?
Anſw. Firſt, not for every injury to the State, which may ſtand with the ſafety of it. Secondly, in atrocious evil they may oppoſe him, 1 Sam. 14.44, 45. & 22.17, Thirdly, Tyrant ſine Titulo, they may depoſe, as Athaliah, 2 Kings 11.12, 16. Fourthly, Subverters of the ſafety of the State, they are firſt by all gentle means to Reduce and heale. If all other remedies be hopeleſſe, they may Curare, Ne quid Republica Detrimenti capiat.
Ʋſe 2. To quiet and ſubject our hearts to an holy yielding unto God in all Afflictions, Pſalm 119.75. 1 Sam. 3.18. 2 Kings 20.19.
Eccleſ. 10.5, 6, 7.
5 There is an evil which I have ſeen under the ſun, as an errour which proceedeth from the ruler.
6 Folly is ſet in great dignity, and the rich ſit in low place.
7 I have ſeen ſervants upon horſes, and Princes walking as ſervants upon the earth.
IN theſe verſes Solomon noteth, the firſt of thoſe dead flyes which wil putrifie the reputation and wiſdom of Princes; and that is, the miſ-imployment of their favours and honours. Where,
Firſt, the men advanced are, 1. Fooles, yea folly it ſelfe. 2. Poor men, in oppoſition to rich. 3. Servants. Thoſe debaſed are, 1. Wiſe, in oppoſition to fooles. 2. Rich, not onelyonly, in outward eſtate, but in parts and gifts fit for government. 3. Princes.
Secondly, the miſ-imployment or miſplacing is, 1. Folly in great dignity; Rich in low place. 2. Princes walking as ſervants; ſervants riding on horſ-back like Princes.
Thirdly, the cauſe of this: the face or countenance of the Prince to the one againſt the other.
Fourthly, the vanity of it; it is, 1. An errour. 2. An evil errour.
Doctr. 1. It is an errour, and an evil errour, that proceedeth from the face of a Ruler, the advancement of mean and weak men, and the debaſement of able and noble perſons. Doeg an Edomite advanced, 1 Sam. 22.9. Haman an Amalakite, Heſt. 3.1.
Reaſon of this errour. Firſt, fellowſhip of Princes in their education with vain perſons, 1 Kings 12.8. It was a great error in Solomon, to make no better choyce of his ſonnes School-fellows, and Play-fellows. Secondly, Princes indulgent reſpect to ſervants brought up under them, Prov. 29.21. Thirdly, the ſervitude of ſome Princes to their paſſions and luſts; and the ſerviceableneſſe of ſome baſe men to Princes herein. So Doeg to Sauls cruelty and enmity againſt David and the Prieſts, 1 Sam. 22.9, &c.
Reaſon of the evil of the errour. Firſt, it is uncomely, Prov. 19.10. & 26.1. As if the weak and uncomely members of the body ſhould be ſet in higheſt place, to open view. Secondly, it is burdenſome to the whole ſtate of a Commonwealth, the rule of a ſervant, Prov. 30.21, 22.
Reaſon of the proceeding of this errour from the face of the Ruler. From the efficacy of the Kings face, or countenance in the advancement or debaſement of perſons about him. It is not the deſert of an unworthy perſon that honoureth him, but only the Kings countenance, Prov. 16.15.
Ʋſe 1. To teach men to prevent this errour, by chooſing for their children good companions (as much as may be) at Schoole, at play.
Ʋſe 2. To teach our people here (whoſe government is elective) to make choice of men of greateſt worth for wiſdome, for ſufficiency, for birth.
Ʋſe 3. To look at it as more ſafe for the Commonwealth to put the eminency of honour and power rather in the hand of the Magiſtracy then in the Commonalty.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us to prefer God and his waies above our ſelves, and our wils. He is the Prince of Princes, our wiſdom is folly.
Eccleſ. 10.8.9.10.
8 He that diggeth a pit ſhall fall into it, and whoſo breaketh an hedge, a ſerpent ſhall bite him.
9 Whoſo removeth ſtones, ſhall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood, ſhall he indangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he doe not whet the edge, then muſt he put to more ſtrength.
IN theſe verſes Solomon reckoneth up, in pithy and Proverbial ſpeeches and parables, other dead flyes found in Princes and Stateſmen, though otherwiſe in reputation for their wiſdome and honour. The former verſes declared the Firſt dead flye, the miſ-imployment of Princes favours and honours, verſe 8.9, 10. The Second is the digging of a Pit for innocent and well-deſerving men to fall into, an uſual practiſe in Stateſmen, but dangerous: Otherwiſe digging of a Pit for a wicked guilty man to fall into, is ſafe; 1 Kings 2.36, to 46. The Third is breaking an hedge, that is ſome defence ſet about Church or Commonwealth, whether Counſel, Lawes, or Guard of military men, verſe 8. Fourthly, Removing ſtones] that is, Maſſy and unweildy perſons, as Zach. 12.3. Fifthly, Cleaving of wood] that is, making diviſion between perſons firmely and cloſely compacted, verſe 9. Sixthly, Blunt affronts put upon people by a weake arme, it is as ſtriking with blunt Iron, without much ſtrength put to, verſe 10. To helpe this, he directeth to the uſe of wiſdome, which is profitable to direct, to ſet an edge upon buſineſſe, verſe 10.
Doctr. 1. The digging of a Pit, The breaking of an Hedge, The removing of Stones, The cleaving of Wood, and Blunt affronts upon the people by a weake Arme, are all of them dead flyes uſually found in Stateſmen, but alwayes dangerous.
The digging of a Pit] To wit, for an innocent or well-deſerving man to fall into, Pſal. 7.15. So Saul plotted againſt David, 1 Sam. 18.17. but fell into that Pit himſelfe, 1 Sam. 31.3, 6. So Haman prepared a Galhouſe for Mordecay, but was hanged on it himſelfe, Eſth. 7.9, 10.
The breaking of an Hedge] is the violating of ſome defence ſet for the guard or ſafety of a people, or ſtate, as an Hedge is ſet about a Paſture of Cattel. Such an Hedge, dangerous to be broken, are Lawes and liberties, Jer. 34.11: to 17. Counſellors and Parliaments, 1 Kings 12.13. and Faithful and valiant guard of military men, 1 Sam. 18.13, & 19, 1:
Removing of ſtones] That is, of Maſſy and unweildy perſons, 1 Sam. 19.11. 1 Sam: 18.13. Prov, 26.27. Zach. 12.3.
Cleaving of wood] Making diviſion between perſons firmly and cloſeth compacted, may ſoon endanger him that doth it.
Blunt Iron, the edge not whetted, requireth more ſtrength; and if ſtrength be wanting, the blunt ſtroak or affront is dangerous, 1 Kings 12.13, 14.
Reaſon 1. Of their falling into a Pit that dig it, from Gods righteouſneſſe and wiſdome to take the wily in their own craftineſſe, Job 5.12, 13. Prov. 3.29.
Reaſon 2. Of a Serpents biting them that breake the Hedge, from Gods eſtabliſhment of ancient Bounds, Prov. 23.10, 11. and from the old Serpents power when men goe out of their calling, as in our callings Angels guard us, Pſal. 91.11, 12.
Reaſon 3. Of hurt by removing ſtones, It is a tempting of God to preſume beyond our ſtrength.
Reaſon 4. Of hurt by cleaving wood, from Gods hatred of ſowing diſcord, Prov. 6.16, 19.
Reaſon 5. Of hurt by blunt affronts, from Gods wrathful reſiſtance of the proud, Job 40.11, 12.
Ʋſe 1. To learne Stateſmen wiſdome to direct all their affaires.