Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 11, 12
Ver. 11. Wiſdom is good with an Inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that ſee the Sun.
12. For Wiſdom is a defence, and money is a defence, but the excellency of Knowledge is, that Wiſdom giveth life to them that have it.
IN the Fifth place Solomon commends Heavenly and Saving Wiſdom (for of this he ſpeaks, as is clear by the effects attributed to it, and the Advantages they have who are indued with it) as an excellent Remedy of theſe ſinful Diſtempers incident to Men, which marr their true Happineſs.
The Effects or Advantages of it, whence he doth commend it, are Four. The Firſt is, That it is good with an Inheritance, which cannot be underſtood as if this Wiſdom were not good without any worldly Inheritance, becauſe Men have been happy with it, who have had no Inheritance of that ſort, as Lazarus, but the meaning is, That Saving Wiſdom is a Good which men ſhould labour for, as that without which the greateſt Inheritance is but a Snare, and fewel to mens Luſts. 1 Tim. 6.9. and as that whereby men who have a worldly Inheritance have fairer opportunity to improve the ſame, than theſe who are poor. The Second Advantage is, That by it there is profit to them that ſee the Sun; he doth not here mean the Inheritance, but Wiſdom, by It (ſaith he) namely Wiſdom, there is profit, importing that whatever true Advantage a Man have, who hath both Wiſdom and an Inheritance, the ſame is to be attributed to Wiſdom, rather than to Riches. The Third is, That it proves a Defence or a Shadow, as the Word is, to wit, from many hazards and dangers, eſpecially Spiritual, and this he illuſtrate by aſſerting ſome like Advantage to be had by Riches, Money ſaith he, is a Defence, to wit, from outward hazards in ſome caſes: Or this may be taken for a proof of the firſt Advantage, that Wiſdom is good with an Inheritance, becauſe he who hath both, hath a double Defence, Wiſdom for one, and Money, or an Inheritance for another. And Fourthly, Leſt he might ſeem to debaſe this Wiſdom, while he attributes the like effect to it and to Money, he ſhews wherein it excells The excellency of Knowledge is, that Wiſdom giveth Life (by which change of the words it appears that they are uſed indifferently in Scripture) whereby is meant, that this Wiſdom is the mean of conveying to Men Spiritual, and of leading them to Eternal Life. And therefore is to be ſtudied by all that would be truely Happy.
Hence Learn 1. Though heavenly Wiſdom be often beſtowed upon thoſe who have little or no Inheritance worldy, 1 Cor. 1.26. yet thoſe who have Saving Wiſdom, and withal great things in the World, ſhould look upon the concurrence of theſe two, as a ſpecial Bleſſing of God, putting them in a fair capacity to prove themſelves rich in Good Works, for the Glory of God, and the Good of Others. Iſa. 60.9. Prov. 3.9. and to lay up for themſelves good ſtore of Proviſion for the time to come, in which reſpects, Wiſdom is good with an Inheritance, and better than without it.
2. Let Men have never ſo great an Inheritance worldly, they ought not to ſatisfy themſelves therewith, unleſs they have alſo Wiſdom, to uſe it for the Glory of God, and good of others, Phil. 4.12. to lay it out when God calls them ſo to do, Pſ. 112.9. and to keep it when they cannot with a good Conſcience part with it. 1 King. 12.3 For (ſaith he) Wiſdom is good with an Inheritance.
3. Whether Men have a ſmal worldly Inheritance, or none at all that deſerves that Name; yet if they have Saving Wiſdom, they are truly Gainers and Rich, and though they have never ſo great an Inheritance, any Profit, or Advantage they get deſerving to be ſo called, is to be attributed not to their Inheritance, but to the Wiſdom which God hath given with it, to uſe it aright: For by Io (namely by Wiſdom) There is Profit.
4. Men that have no Wiſdom to honour God, to ſave their own Souls, and to uſe their outward Mercies aright in order to theſe ends, though they had the whole Earth left them for an Inheritance, they have no true Profit, their Loſs is unſpeakable, as is imported by the contrary of this, By it there is profit to them that ſee the Sun.
5. In ſo far as Men are indued with that Wiſdom which is from Above, in ſo far they are protected from Hazards, not always from outward troubles, but from Wrath, Prov. 22.3. from the evil of Temporal troubles, Pſ. 91.10 and from the power of Temptations, Prov. 2.11, 12. For Wiſdom is a Defence.
6. Though outward Riches be no defence from Wrath, Prov. 11.4. yet from outward Inconveniencies, ſuch as Poverty, and the conſequents thereof, they may prove a Defence, and ſhould be ſo acknowledged: For he grants alſo, That Money is a Defence.
7. Saving Wiſdom gives Life to them that have it, it is ſometimes bleſt to preſerve Temporal Life when it is in hazard, as is clear in Abigail, 1 Sam. 23.5. and in Paul, Act. 23.6.9: it is the Inſtrument of working and increaſing Spiritual Life Prov. 8.35. and it is the beginning, and ſure pledge of Eternal Life, Joh. 17.3. How much more eagerly ſhould Men contend for Heavenly Wiſdom, than for Wealth? and how rich and happy ſhould the Poor of this World eſteem themſelves, if they have this Wiſdom? For the excellency of Knowledge is, that Wiſdom giveth Life to them that have it.