Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 27, 28
Ver. 27. Behold this have I found (ſaith the Preacher) counting one by one to find out the Account.
28. Which yet my Soul ſeeketh, but I find not: One Man among a Thouſand have I found, but a Woman among all theſe have I not found.
HEre is the Second Branch of the ſucceſs of the pains which Solomon took to know the evil of Sin, and it is that he had obſerved it, a very rare, and conſequently a difficult thing, for one inſnared with the pleaſures of Sin, eſpecially the Luſts of the Fleſh, to make an eſcape therefrom, or recover themſelves by true Repentance.
And to make his Teſtimony in this have the more weight and credit. He 1. calls all to conſider it as experimentally known to himſelf. 2. He mindes them again of his Calling, which did fit him, and oblige him to ſearch, and hold forth what might be moſt profitable for the Church, 3, He ſhews how exact a ſurvey he had taken of many particular perſons, and their Caſes, not as a man would determine the number of ſome great Flock, by taking a general view of them, but as one that Counts them all One by One. 4, That he was yet upon that Search, very deſirous to find examples of Gods power and Mercy in reclaiming Sinners, and delivering Satans Captives, but with grief he regrates he could find few or none. 5. He ſhews ſome ſucceſs that he had, even in this inquiry, he had found ONE among a Thouſand, by which ONE may be meant ſome few whom he had obſerved to be reclaimed by Gods Grace: Or by this One he may underſtand Himſelf, who was a Penitent, But a Woman among ſo many he had not found; this is not ſpoken to derogat from the one ſexe more than the other, for both are alike impotent in order to their recovery out of Temptations Rom. 3.23. Gal. 6.3. And Solomon himſelf did know ſome Gracious Women. 2 Chron 9.1. And frequently commends ſuch Prov. 19.14, and 31, 30. But he ſeems to ſpeak of theſe Idolatrous and Whoriſh Women of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Egyptians, who had ſtollen away his heart from God: For 1 King 11.3. it is marked that there was ſuch a number of thoſe as is here mentioned; and it ſeems he hath not obſerved any of them all, Penitents; though he doth not determine but ſome of them might be ſo: Or we may take him here to ſpeak only of Women, under this particular conſideration as Inticing, and drawing away Men to Wickedneſs, according to the Deſcription given of them in the former verſe; and of ſuch he had obſerved few or none reclaimed, from their Vileneſs.
Hence Learn. 1. The Lord hath vouchſafed upon his Church, the help of the experience of the Pen-men of Scripture, to commend his Truth, that Men may be the more afraid to ſlight it, conſidering that thoſe who deliver it, may be Witneſſes againſt them, upon a double account, both that they have ſpoken in the Lords name, and that they have ſpoken their own experience: Behold this have I found (ſaith the Preacher)
2. Hearers of the Word had need to mind often the warrand and Authority of the Speaker, leſt they take the Word as the word of a Man only: For it is not without cauſe that Solomon mentions his Eccleſiaſtick Office here again. This have I found, ſaith the Preacher.
3. They that would have their Experiences well grounded, muſt go thorow many particulars, and conſider many perſons and caſes, wherein they have obſerved the Concluſion they draw to be verified, As for example, they that would be perſwaded of Gods willingneſs and readineſs to Pardon and Comfort humble Sinners, they muſt count all the inſtances they can in Scripture, or otherwiſe, of ſuch particular perſons as he hath pardoned and comforted, and ſo they that would be confirmed and confirm others of the Truth of this, that there is ſuch a power in Temptations, and ſuch impotency in perſons once inſlaved with them, that few or none of them eſcape, in compariſon of thoſe who remain Slaves till they Periſh; they muſt go thorow many inſtances to ſee this Truth verified: For ſo did Solomon here counting One by One to find out the Account.
4. True Penitents are very deſirous to ſee other Sinners, eſpecially thoſe who have been their Companions in Sin, mercifully and powerfully reclaimed, becauſe they exceedingly thirſt that the ſame Grace which pardoned, and reclaimed them, may be Glorious in the ſame effects toward others: For Solomon who was a Penitent. And One man among a Thouſand himſelf, ſaith (while he wrote this) that he was yet ſeeking to find out ſome farther inſtances of this nature, Which yet my Soul ſeeketh.
5. Though there be not wanting rare examples recordeed in Scripture of the power and freedom of Gods Rich Grace in reclaiming ſome of the vileſt of Sinners, and of thoſe a conſiderable number if they be conſidered in themſelves, yet conſidering them comparatively with the great number of thoſe who being once intangled, eſpecially with Temptations pleaſant to the Fleſh, are never reclaimed, but periſh in their Sins, the number is but very few, and as it were One among a Thouſand▪ For this is it the Preacher ſaith, he found One (and but One) Man among a Thouſand.
6. Of all Sinners in the world thoſe who have been moſt active to draw others to the ſame Sin with themſelves, and have been moſt ſuccesful that way, are moſt hardly reclaimed, and the examples of ſuch are rareſt (though ſome ſuch there be Act. 26, 11) For it is of ſuch Women whoſe Hearts are Nets and Snares and their Hands Bonds, that Solomon ſpeaks (and certainly the truth holds no leſs as to ſuch Men alſo) while he ſaith a Woman among all thoſe have I not found.
7. That which is moſt difficult in it ſelf, and therefore moſt rare, is very eaſy, and ordinary to Gods free and powerful Grace, when he pleaſes to manifeſt it: For, he who is greater than Solomon, Chriſt Jeſus, gave proofs of his power and Mercy in reclaiming ſuch Harlots as Solomon here ſpeaks of, Luk. 7.37. Joh. 4.17. &c. Though Solomon having Counted One by One could not find One of a Thouſand.
8. A Sinner may attain to Repentance, and confidence of Mercy, though he know no ſuch rare Monument of Mercy as himſelf, nor One of a Thouſand involved in the ſame guilt withhim, truly Penitent: Paul knew not his match, nor Solomon his, and yet both were Penitent Believers, One Man among a Thouſand have I found, it is probable he means himſelf, but a Woman among all thoſe (that is of ſuch a number) have I not found, it is probable he means the Thouſand that inticed him to Idolatry.
9. It is not Wiſdom for any to conclude, that there are none reclaimed or Penitent, even among the greateſt Sinners in the World, though they cannot after moſt ſerious Conſideration of them and their caſe, conclude any of them ſuch, or ſee evidences thereof in them, there may be Seven Thouſand where the ſharpeſt ſighted cannot ſee One of a Thouſand. 1 King. 19.18. We ought ſtill to intertain hopes and deſires that there may be ſome ſuch though we cannot find them: For Solomon doth not deny ſuch a thing to be poſſible, that there might be many among a Thouſand, only he ſaith, among all thoſe he found None.