A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...

Eccles. 8.12.13.

• 12. Though a sinner doe evil an hundred times, and his daies be prolonged; yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God, which feare before him.
• 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his daies which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

IN the former verse Solomon declared the abuse which wicked men make of Gods patience, and of mans also; Because sentence is not executed speedily against an evil work, the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evil. In these words he giveth an Antidote against this abuse, taken from his own knowledge and certain observation of the good estate of them that feare God; and the evil estate of the wicked.

The good estate of the godly he amplifieth, First, by the Divers; Though a sinner doe evil an hundred times, and his punishment be prolonged; yet it shall be wel with them that feare God. Secondly, By the contrary estate of the wicked, It shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he pro∣long his daies; the brevity whereof is amplified by the simile of a shadow. Thirdly, by the cause of this their different estate, because the one feared before the face of God; the other doth not feare before God. Fourthly, By an argu∣ment, from Solomons own testimony thereof; and that not out of conjecture, but out of his own certain knowledge.

Doctr. 1. Howsoever a wicked man may sin oft, and escape long, yet a godly wise man may fully assure himselfe and others, that it shall goe well with them that feare God; but neither well, nor long, with the wicked.

Sinne oft] the text saith an hundred times; a certain num∣ber of multitude, for an uncertain; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not, and his daies be prolonged; Daies is not in the sentence: and that is denied in the next verse, He shall not prolong his daies. But the meaning is, and a prolonging be to him, to wit, of execu∣tion

of sentence, punishment be long delayed, and so he long escapeth.

Yet surely I know] And so a godly wise man may know, and assure himselfe and others, That it shall be well with them that feare God.

Quest. Why doth he not rather say, That it shall not be well with the wicked? that would make the opposition more direct.

Answ. First, because many times the long continuance of the wicked in their sinfull course with impunity is a pu∣nishment and hardship to the godly: Sauls raigne is Davids banishment; Ahabs raigne is Micaiahs imprisonment, 1 Kings 22.27. Secondly, because the godly are apt to stumble at the sight of the Impunity and prosperity of the wicked, com∣pared with their own straits, Psalm 73. Jer. 12.1. and the godly must first have Cordials, before the wicked receive their Corrasives, Matth. 25.34, 41. Esay 3.10, 11. Prov. 11.31. Psalm 55.23. Job 15.31, &c.

Quest. How, or wherein doth it appeare, that notwith∣standing the long patience of God to wicked men, yet cer∣tainly it shall goe well with the godly; but neither wel nor long with the wicked?

Answ. First, in that it is a pledge of greater mercy reser∣ved for them that feare God, the more that God prolon∣geth his patience, and long sufferance to wicked men, Rom. 9.22, 23. Secondly, in that this long patience of God to the wicked, is an evidence of greater wrath prepared and treasured up for them, Rom. 2.4, 5. Thirdly, In that there is a speedy shortning of the rage of the wicked over the godly, Psalm 125.3. Fourthly, In that the daies of the wic∣ked are alwaies cut off suddenly, before the time, either of their expectation, or at least of their preparation. Amos 8.9. The Sun shall goe down at noon implieth, partly a great change and immediate from heigh to depth, Psalm 92.7. And part∣ly a sudden change, before the businesse and the day be half finished.

Reason. From the fear of God in the godly, and the want of the fear of God in the wicked. This Reason is expresly given in the Text, It shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him, V. 12. It shall be evill with the wicked, because he feareth not before God, V. 13.

Before God] The Hebrew is, before the face of God; that

is before, first his presence in his Ordinances, Psalm 105.14. Secondly, his presence in his Providence, Prov. 5.21. Psalm 119.168. & 34.16.

Feare of God] First, in holy reverence of his great and glorious Majesty, and goodnesse, Jer. 130.4. Hos. 3.5. Se∣condly, in humble sense of our great weaknesse and unwor∣thiness, Phil. 2.12, 13. Thirdly, In awfull shunning to dis∣please him, Prov. 16.6.

Ʋse 1. To restrain us from quarrelling at Gods provi∣dence, because it may sometimes seem to goe worse with Gods people, then with the wicked, Jer. 12.1. Say it confi∣dently, and it shall goe well with the godly, Psalm 73.1. Not so to the wicked.

Ʋse 2. To take heed of abusing Gods patience unto hard∣nesse of heart in sin.

Ʋse 3. To support the spirit of such as feare God, in the midst of the prosperity of the wicked, and in the midst of your own afflictions.

Ʋse 4. To teach us the feare of God, Feare before his face, his Ordinances, and his Providences. It is a certain pre∣sage of good successe, 2 Chron. 20.3, 12, 15. & 11, 12. It is an overcomming (or deniall) of our selves which else being wanting would enfeeble us, 1 Sam. 2.9. Judg. 7.2.