Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 21, 22
Ver. 21. Alſo take no heed unto all words that are ſpoken; leſt thou hear thy ſervant curſe thee.
22. For oftentimes alſo thine own heart knoweth, that thou thy ſelf likewiſe haſt curſed others.
HE gives here a ſeventh Direction as a remedy of that Vexation which is incident to Men in this Life, and the way to evidence that Heavenly Wiſdom which he commended in the former words, to wit, that Men ſhould not take heed to all Words that are ſpoken, he means Words ſpoken againſt themſelves, and this raſhly, and in paſſion, as is clear from what follows. And by taking heed to them (which he prohibits) is meant, their Reſenting of them deeply, or as the Word is in the Original, the giving of their Heart to them, or ſuffering them to Settle in their minds, ſo as to ſtudy revenge: And this he preſſeth by two Reaſons. 1. If Men be very Curious to hear ſuch things, and take them much to Heart, they may very readily meet with matter of Vexation from thoſe within their doors, and of neer Relation to them: As for example, they may hear their own Servants ſpeak raſhly, and contemptibly of them, or Rail upon them, as the Word here tranſlated to Curſe ſignifies. The 2 Reaſon is, that Mens own Conſciences may tell them, that frequently they have had ſuch paſſions, and uttered ſuch expreſſions againſt others, and therefore ſeing every one ſhould give to others the meaſure they would have from them, every reviling ſpeech ſhould not be deeply reſented.
Hence Learn. 1. Though the Lord's people may ſo far reſent Slanders, or reviling ſpeeches, which probably have weight and Credit with others to blemiſh their Reputation, and incapacitat them for doing Service to God, as that they may vindicat themſelves, and clear their own Innocency Job. 27.5.6. Yet as they deſire to intertain true Peace and manifeſt themſelves guided by the Wiſdom that is from above, they ſhould ſhew themſelves ſo much comforted in Gods Approbation, 1 Cor. 3.3.4. So afraid leſt their own inclinations to revenge, or grief prevail, Pſ. 39.1. And ſo charitable of others, judging, that they will readily check themſelves for what hath raſhly eſcaped them to their prejudice, that they ſhould not be very Curious to hear or know that others ſpeak evil of them, or having heard it, they ſhould ſometimes forget, or not regard it, ſo that thoſe who do curiouſty inquire concerning others Opinion of them, or deeply reſent every thing that croſſes their proud deſires of Applauſe, they prove themſelves Fools, and Enemies to their own peace: For as an evidence of Heavenly Wiſedom, and a remedy of Vexation, he gives this direction. Alſo take not heed to all words that are ſpoken,
2. They that have others under them as their Servants, ſhould be ſo apprehenſive of Temptations ariſing from their low Condition, and ſo ſenſible of what themſelves would be prone to, if they were in their caſe, that though they may ſuppoſe them to repine, and ſometimes to be malicious and bitter even againſt themſelves, yet ſhould they not be very inquiſitive to know or hear them expreſs the ſame, nor having heard it, ſhould they reſent every thing of that ſort, conſidering that they will readily but augment their own trouble by their ſo doing: For Solomon brings this as a Reaſon why Men ſhould not take heed to all words that are ſpoken, left (ſaith he) thou hear thy Servant Curſe thee.
3. As it is too ordinary with Servants by Reaſon of their Pride, love to their eaſe, and diſcontentment with their Lot, to expreſs their bad eſteem of their Maſters, to revile, and wiſh evil to them whom they are bound to reſpect, though they be Wicked 1 Pet. 2.18. So it doth often prove matter of Vexation to Maſters to hear or know themſelves ſo uſed by their Servants, whoſe Relation calls them to maintain their Credit, and the Lord doth often correct the Pride of Maſters, their ſevere Domineering over their Servants, and craving more reſpect than is due to them, by making them me…t with the contrary, for ſo much is imported in this Reaſon, why Maſters ſhould not be curiouſly inquiſitive what their Servants ſay of them, nor much reſent every thing they hear them ſpeak againſt them, leſt thou hear thy Servant Curſe thee.
4. As Mens own by paſt Faults ſhould never be forgotten by them, ſo the ſenſible remembrance of them ſhould make them ſparing to deal Rigorouſly with others, and particularly when they underſtand themſelves to be ill ſpoken of, or Reproached by others, they ſhould then call to mind, whether they have not been guilty of the like wrong, to others, that ſo they may Reverence Gods Juſtice, and give the like Pity and Charity to others which they ſtood once in need of from others: For this is a Reaſon why Men ſhould not watch for Advantage of others, nor reſent Reproaches from them, oftentimes alſo thine own heart knows that thou thy ſelf hast Curſed others.
5. When Mens miſcarriage toward others hath not humbled them, but they continue lofty, ſeeking occaſions to ſhame or Cenſure others for the ſame faults whereof themſelves are guilty, it is juſt with God to make them meet with that meaſure which they have given to others: For it is here implyed that Men of that temper will get ſuch a meeting, Take not heed to all words leſt thou hear thy Servant curſe thee, for thou thy ſelf knoweſt that thou haſt Curſed others.
6. There is a Conſcience within every Man that Regiſters his Faults, and would minde him of them, if he would put it to ſpeak, unleſs he have blotted that Book by habitual Sinning, and thereby alſo have provoked God to fear it with an hot Iron: For this Reaſon imports, that every Mans Heart may know his by-paſt Iniquities, Thy heart knows that thou haſt Curſed others.