Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 · Verse 16, 17
Ver. 16. And moreover, I ſaw under the ſun the plac… … judgment, that wickedneſs was there: And th… …pace of righteouſneſs, that iniquity was there.
17. I ſaid in mine heart, God ſhall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there, for every purpoſe and for every work.
BEcauſe Oppreſſion under pretence of Juſtice, is one of the ſaddeſt Diſpenſations where with the Godly are Exerciſed in the World, Therefore to work their hearts … quietneſs under this, Solomon doth first propoſe this grievous Diſpenſation, as a thing that himſelf had ſeen, both by his own obſervation of affairs, in former times, and by the light of the ſpirit of Propheſy, revealing to him what was to be expected ordinarily to fall out, to wit that in Courts of Juſtice, and Judgement Seats, where Natures light, Gods Word, and Poor peoples Caſe, call for Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, and that ſentence ſhould be paſt againſt wickedneſs and injuſtice, and in favours of Piety and Equity, even there, nothing but the quit contrary oftentimes is to be found: and to ſignify the greatneſs of this evil, and the frequency or generality of it, he uſeth two expreſſions to the ſame purpoſe, for ſetting it out Ver. 16.
Next, he holds forth to others that conſideration which guarded his heart againſt the vexation which ſuch a ſight doth readily work; And this makes the Twelfth in number, to wit, that God will paſs righteous Judgement, both upon the Righteous or them that have a good cauſe, by abſolving them, and avenging their wrongs; And upon the wicked by reverſing their unjuſt ſentences, and puniſhing them for paſſing of them.
And thridly to make this conſideration the more effectual, he inlarges it, by ſhowing that there is a ſet or fixed time, as the Word ſignifies, there, to wit, with God, or at the day of Judgement, for Judging men as well for their wicked purpoſes, and intentions, as for their wicked Actions; So that the one verſe ſerves to wean mens hearts from leeking Happineſs in this World, ſeeing injuſtice and oppreſſion is ſo ordinary in it. And the other ſerves to comfort theſe who ſeek their Happineſs elſe where, againſt all their unjuſt ſufferings here; from this, that all their cauſes unjuſtly judged by men, ſhall be Judged over again.
From ver. 16. Obſerve 1. As it is the pleaſure of the only wiſe God, to permit men void of true piety, to have have Power and Authority in the World, that all may know there is no True Happineſs in things of that nature; and that they are not proofs of His love, ſo ſuch men when they get power and high places, do ordinarily abuſe the ſame to injuſtice and oppreſſion, for to ſignifie that it is generally thus, Solomon uſeth Two expreſſions to one purpoſe, I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment that wickedneſs was there &c.
2 It is a great aggravation of mens ſins to be directly contrary to the prime Duties of their calling, and committed in the place where the Graces or Duties to which thoſe ſins are contrary, ought to be exerciſed; For, as an aggravation of this ſin of injuſtice, Solomon points at the place where it was committed, and conſequently the prime Duty of their calling, to which it was contrary I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment, that wickedneſs was there; and the place of righteouſneſs that iniquity was there.
3. The advancement of men to places of power and truſt in the World, who abuſe the ſame to the oppreſſion of Piety and Equity, and the promoting of ungodlineſs and injuſtice, is a Diſpenſation that of any other the Lords people had moſt need to be guarded againſt ſtumbling at, and taught how to Judge aright of, ſeeing Satan takes occaſion from thence to tempt the corruption of the beſt to Atheiſm, or Denyal of a Providence Iſai. 40.27. and to join with ſuch men in their ſinful ways Pſal 73.10.13. Therefore doth the Wiſe-man here fore-warn all following Generations of it, as ordinarily to be expected, and holds out that which may guard the hearts of the Godly againſt it, I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment, that iniquity was there, &c. And I ſaid in my heart God ſhall Judge. &c.
4. It is the Duty of thoſe, who have a publick calling to clear the mind of God to others; not only to diſcover and threaten the known ſins of inferiors and privat Perſons; but likewiſe of Publick Judicatories, and Perſons in Eminency; that they may be convinced and reclaimed; …or ſo doth the Preacher here, and in ſo doing acts as an ordinary Miniſter of Chriſt 1 Tim. 5.20. I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment, that iniquity was there: &c.
5. The Lords Miniſters ought not only to hold out ſuch general grounds of comfort to the Godly, as may reach all their ſad caſes, but they ought to inſtance their particular tryals, eſpecially ſuch as prove moſt vexing, and occaſion greateſt Temptations to them, and guard them againſt theſe Temptations, and apply ſuitable conſolations to theſe tryals, as here the Preacher doth, I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment, that iniquity was there; —I ſaid in my heart God ſhall Judge &c.
6. The conſideration of that injuſtice and oppreſſion, which is ordinarily to be ſeen in the beſt ordered Kingdoms and Common-wealths under the ſun, ſhould wean the hearts of men from ſeeking Happineſs in this earth, and make them long for and ſeek after Happineſs in that Kingdom above the ſun, where only Righteouſneſs dwels 2 Pet. 3.13. For, to this end alſo is this Obſervation of oppreſſion and injuſtice here related, I ſaw under the ſun the place of Judgment, that iniquity was there &c.
From ver. 17. Learn. 1. As the Lords Meſſengers ought to digeſt with themſelves, and as it were; firſt, ſpeak in their own hearts, every truth before they deliver it to others, ſo eſpecially the conſolations which they hold out to the afflicted that they may ſpeak becauſe they believe, conſidering that even they may ſtand in need of theſe conſolations as well as others; For ſo doth Solomon here; I ſaid in my heart God ſhall Judge.
2. God will undoubtedly Judge over again all cauſes that have been iniquouſly Judged in the World, and with this conſideration the believing Soul ſhould comfort it ſelf againſt Injuſtice from men, as here Solomon doth, and teaches others by his example to do the ſame, I ſaid in my heart God ſhall Judge the righteous and the wicked.
3. Though the particular time of the laſt Judgment be unknown to men and Angels Math. 24.36. Yet it is known to God, and fixed with him; For, there is a time. (the Word ſignifies a determinat and fixed time) There, (to wit, with Him) for every purpoſe,
4. Though there be no ground in Scripture to think that the laſt Judgment ſhall take long time, yet this is ſure that nothing ſhall be paſt by, for want of leiſure to cognoſce upon it; For, ſaith he, There is a time there fore every purpoſe and for every work.
5. The ſecret purpoſes and intentions of mens hearts, ſhall no leſs come to be Judged in the day of Gods laſt reckoning with men, than their Actions; For, There is a time there for every purpoſe, as well as for every work.
6. The Lord allows His People, eſpecially when they are oppreſt by men, to comfort themſelves in the believing conſideration of this laſt day of His reckoning, when He ſhall get the Glory of His Juſtice in the condemnation of His and His Peoples enemies, and of His Juſtice and Mercy both, in the abſolution of His own whom they have condemned: For, as a ground of comfort to the Godly, againſt the oppreſſion and Injuſtice of men, this is here held out God ſhall Judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpoſe and for every work.