A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 66
Eccleſ. 12. part of v. 9. with 10.
Yea he gave good heed, and ſought out, and ſet in order many Proverbs.
10. The Preacher ſought to finde out acceptable words; and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
SOlomon in teaching the people, he ſought out, and weighed, and ſet in order words of weight and delight, words of uprightneſſe and truth.
Solomon, though a wiſe man, (none like him;) yea, though immediately inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt; yet he ſet all his Logick awork in teachings and writings to the people. For whereas there be three acts or exerciſes of Logick, 1 Invention; 2 Judgement; 3 Method; and in theſe three the whole work of Logick is accompliſhed; Solomon ſet all theſe a work to finde out a fit matter and words for the inſtruction of the people. Inveſtigavit, he ſought out, is the work of invention; libravit, trutinavit, he weighed (as in a ballance) is the work of judgement. He ſet in order, is the work of method.
Words of weight] foreign Proverbs, that is, words of weight, of power, of authority, ſuch as are apt to ſink, not only (like Davids ſtone into the forehead of Goliah) but into the heart of the ſtouteſt.
Reaſon why ſo called, from their effect: Firſt, as convincing and preſſing down a proud ſpirit, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Secondly, lifting up an humble ſpirit, Iſai. 66.2. & 50.4. Thirdly, directing and ordering their own lives, and others, Pſ. 119.125.
Words of delight, or acceptable words, not to the humours of the people, but firſt, to the good pleaſure of God, Gal. 1.10. Secondly to the eſtate of the people, Gal. 4.20.
Reaſon 1. As being moſt ſuitable to the image of God in his children. Theſe words are as a ſeale, their hearts as wax; For all delight ſpringeth from correſpondency between the faculty and the object.
Reaſon 2. As making us men of delight, firſt to God; ſecondly, to our brethren, Pſalm 16.3.
Words or writings of uprightneſſe or righteouſneſſe.
Reaſon 1. As ſuitable to Gods will, which is the rule of Right.
Reaſon 2. As aiming at right ends, the glory of God, the good of Churches, Commonwealths, Families, ſoules.
Reaſon 3. As making us upright.
Words of truth.
Reaſon 1. As proceeding from the Spirit of truth.
Reaſon 2. As ſpeaking of all mens perſons, eſtates; of God, his counſels and waies, as they be without errour or guile.
Reaſon 3. As making us true.
Object. 1. But Penmen of Scripture ſpeak from immediate revelation, 2 Tim. 3.16. 2 Pet. 1.21. Therefore not in a way of Logicall diſcourſe or ſtudy.
Anſw. It followeth not; for God breatheth as well in meditation as in ſodaine raptures, Jude 3. 1 Tim. 4, 13, 15. 2 Tim. 2.15.
Object. 2. Luke 21 14, 15.
Anſw. It is a word of encouragement to Martyrs and Confeſſours that ſuffer in a good cauſe, to expect immediate aſſiſtance, where they cannot wel forecaſt or premeditate to anſwer to ſudden and unknown queſtions. Otherwiſe, if a man knew beforehand their Interrogatories, it were expedient to ſtudy how, and what to anſwer, Prov. 15.28.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove weariſomneſs of the inſtructions taught in this book: When wil our Teacher have done with this argument? that we might have none of Chriſt; but indeed a gracious heart ſeeth the more need of Chriſt in the vanity of the creature.
Ʋſe 2. To reprove the rejection of ſtudied Sermons.
Ʋſe 3. To teach Preachers the Imitation of Solomon in ſtudious Invention, Judgement, and order of words, firſt of power; ſecondly, of delight; thirdly, of uprightneſſe; fourthly, of truth, Jer. 48.10. Jude 3. Talents ſhould be employed to beſt advantage.
Ʋſe 4. Sermons may be elaborate without quotations.
Ʋſe 5. To exhort to the diligent reading and hearing of Scripture, even Solomons books; they are ſtudiouſly written: they are words of power, delight, uprightneſſe, truth.