Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 · Verse 13, 14
Verſe 13. Then I ſaw that Wiſdom excelleth Folly, as far as Light excelleth Darkneſs.
14. The wiſe mans Eyes are in his Head, but the Fool walketh in Darkneſs: And I my ſelf perceived alſo that one event happeneth to them all.
SOlomon having compared together theſe two principal wayes, wherein the moſt part of men ſeek to attain Happineſs, and whereof Himſelf had tryed the outmoſt, and having declared them equally inſufficient for that end; leaſt he might be thought to undervalue the one (viz. the ſtudy of Natural Wiſdom, or Moral Prudence) in all other reſpects, as he had done in order to its leading the Students of it to true Happineſs; He doth here commend it as a good Gift of God, fit to be a handmaid to ſaving knowledge, and mainly as it ſerves for the advantage of humane Society and prefers the ſtudy of it to the other, viz. The voluptuous, or ſenſual Life, which is ſpent in Carnal pleaſures, which he calls Folly, becauſe it doth much darken mens reaſon, and turn them Sottiſh, who give up themſelves to it: And this preference of the one to the other, He illuſtrats by the ſimilitude of Light, which far excels Darkneſs, verſ. 13. And proves the ſame by Reaſon, taken from the effects of both, to wit, That the man indued even with this common ſort of Wiſdom hath his Eyes in his Head: The meaning whereof is, that he is by it much enabled to foreſee the hazards and advantages of his Civil Converſation, to guard himſelf againſt the one, and provide for the other, and ſo in ſome meaſure to walk equitably, and ſoberly, for the good of humane Society; while as on the contrary, the Senſual man, who hath drowned his wit in his Pleaſures, is as if his Eyes were in the ſoles of his feet, and ſo he walks inconſiderately, and is ready to run into many hazards unawares, as one that is walking in the dark. Now though all that is here ſaid to the commendation of this Wiſdom, doth truly, and far more ominently agree to ſaving knowledge; yet by what he ſpoke of this Wiſdom, Chap. 1. ver. 17.18. and by what he ſpeaks afterward of the woful effects of it in this Chapter, it doth clearly appear that he intends not a commendation of that Heavenly Wiſdom. And having ſhown wherein the one of theſe courſes doth excel the other, he comes to ſhow in the next place, wherein they both agree; whereby he proves the vanity and weakneſs of that Wiſdom (for leading man to Happineſs) which he had commended before in other reſpects. The firſt thing wherein they agree, is, That the ſame events are common to theſe that are Wiſe, and to theſe that are Fooliſh, in the ſenſe formerly mentioned. By events is meant (as the word ſignifies) the Occurrences of Providence, which fall out beyond mans foreſight or expectation. And though the Word tranſlated (event) be uſed in Scripture for Proſperous and Comfortable Occurrences, Gen. 24.12. yet the following inſtance makes it clear, That it is to be underſtood here of ſad and diſmal events, and ſuch as are contrary or do come against (as the Word alſo ſignifies) Mens natural Inclination. And yet the meaning is not as if every one of both ſorts of men here ſpoken of, did alwayes meet with the ſame kind of ſad events, ſeeing experience teacheth, that ſome ſenſual voluptuous Men will be keept free of ſuch, and ſuffered to enjoy their Pleaſures, while the morally wiſe and ſober Man will meet with them ſadly; But the meaning is that neither the foreſight or prudence, wherein the one ſort pleaſe themſelves, as the beſt way to their Happineſs; nor the abundance of earthly Delights, whereof the other hath no leſs eſteem, can either hold off or ſweeten any ſad event that may befall either of them. And though it be true that the ſame ſad events for the ſubſtance or kind of them, may in time befall theſe that are endued with ſaving knowledge, which do befall either of theſe two ſorts formerly mentioned; yet to the godly the natures of theſe are changed, to work for their good, Rom. 8.28. But to others ſad events are incident, which are not only the ſame for kind, but alike comfortleſs.
Hence L…rn 1. Even of theſe Courſes which natural men take for Happineſs, and which are equally inſufficient for bringing it about, there are ſome of them to be preferred to others, as having leſs open diſhonour to God in them, ſerving more for the good of humane Society, and the temporary comfort or the men them ſelves, and keeping them in fitter Capacity for honouring God, if ſo be he ſhall viſit them with his ſaving Grace; as the ſtudy of Moral Vertue and Wiſdom, whereof the Lord hath ſome ſort of liking Mark 10; 21. And others again to be more detaſted, as tending more to the publick diſhonour of God, Rom. 2.24. quenching the remainders of natural light in men Hoſe 4.11. and rendring them incapable of Inſtruction Prov. 5, 12. as the exceſs of Carnal Pleaſures doth, which is here called Folly; For, Solomon comparing theſe two together, the ſtudy of Moral Wiſdom, and Senſuality, both which he had before pronounced vain, empty of ſatisfaction, and inſufficient for making them Happy who ſeek no better, he doth here prefer the one to the other. I ſaw (ſaith he) that Wiſdom excelleth Folly.
2. The comparing together of what is good and evil, better and worſe, ſerves much for the producing of clear thoughts of both in mens minds: For, Solomon having ſhown in the former Verſe that he did joyntly conſider, or compare together, Wiſdom and Folly, gives account here what ſucceſs he found in ſo doing; Namely, that he is now able to ſhew wherein the one excels the other, and wherein they both agree, Then I ſaw that Wiſdom excelleth Folly.
3. Whenſoever we undervalue any thing (of it ſelf good) in reference to any effect which it is inſufficient to produce, and ſo put it out of that place, whereunto mens ignorance or corruption had advanced it, we ought to be very careful that we do not undervalue it abſolutely, and as to other uſes and effects for which it may ſerve, but ſtill to give it its own due▪ In reference to theſe: It being manifeſt by experiece that when any thing is deſervedly cryed down in ſome one or other reſpect, many are ready to cry it down altogether, or to charge others with ſo doing: As for inſtance Antinonians, hearing good Works undervalued in the point of Juſtification, they unjuſtly debaſe them, in reference to the evidencing of the likelineſs of our Faith and the like; which is their proper place: And the Papiſts finding Us to put them from having hand in our Juſtification, they charge Us as if we taught that they were altogether needleſs, all which kinds of reaſoning are confuted by Solomon in this place, who having formerly cryed down this Wiſdom whereof he ſpeaks, as utterly unable to direct man to his True Happineſs, he doth here commend it, as to other more inferior effects, Then I ſaw that Wiſdom excelleth Folly, as far as Light, &c.
4. The uſe of ſimilitudes taken from things Natural, or Civil for clea…ng the truth of things Moral or Divine▪ is lawful, and ſuteable for Preachers of the Goſpel; providing they be appoſite; decent, ſparingly uſed▪ and not brought for proofs but illuſtrations of Truths proven: For ſo doth Solomon here illuſtrate this aſſertion which he proves afterward by a very pertinent ſimilitude, I ſaw that Wiſdom excelleth Folly, as far as Light excelleth Darkneſs.
5. Men altogether blind in what concerns their Soul, who can neither ſee their ſpiritual danger, nor the remedy thereof, th… both be clearly held out to them, may be very ſharp ſighted in things belonging to this Life, and able to foreſee many dangers relating thereto, that they may eſchew, or prepare for them, and many advantages, that they may procure, and make uſe of them: For Solomon, commending that Wiſdom which may be ſeparated from ſaving knowledge; He ſaith, The Wiſe mans Eyes are in his Head.
6. Exceſs of ſenſual Pleaſures, though never ſo lawful in themſelves, doth exceedingly darken mens wit and reaſon, and ſo makes them unable to diſcern their hazard, or advantage Spiritual or Bodily, and conſequently makes them ſtumble and offend at every thing in their way; eſpecially at the means which are uſed for their reclaiming: For, it is of the voluptuous ſenſual man, that the wiſe man here ſpeaks; But the Fool walks in Darkneſs.
7. How far ſoever an unrenewed mans condition and courſe, may be juſtly preferred to anothers, whether for outward Enjoyments or inward Qualifications, ſuch as Riches, Wiſdom, and the like, yet none of them by any of theſe can hold off death, or any other ſad ſtroak, nor find out any ſutable conſolation for themſelves under the ſame: the conſideration whereof ſhould make them long for reconciliation and fellowſhip with God, and make that their ſtudy, as the only way to Happineſs, in which ſtate they ſhall be ſure, every event ſhall be for their good, Rom. 8.28. For, herein doth the wiſe man make theſe two courſes to agree, whereof the one doth in other reſpects excel the other, That one event is common to them all, viz. All of them who follow either of theſe courſes formerly mentioned.
8. Though unrenewed men ordinarily judge others, eſpecially the Godly, miſerable, becauſe of ſad events befalling them Pſal. 71, 11. Acts 28.4. yet if they did mark the Lords way with themſelves, the occurrences of his Providence about them, might eaſily confute their miſtake herein, and convince them, that neither the Wiſdom wherein ſome of them Excell, nor the abundance of earthly delights, which others of them have, can exeem them from ſuch ſad events as have befallen others, for, ſaith the wiſe man, I my ſelf alſo perceived that one event happeneth to them all.