1. One is, that things are promiscuously dispensed to good and bad men ; yea, many times the good are afflicted, and the bad are advanced. To this he speaketh in the beginning of the chapter, where he showeth that all outward things are dispensed without any great difference. Josiah died in the war, and so did Ahab. Is Abra- liam rich ? so is Nabal. Is Solomon wise ? so is Ahithophel. Is Joseph honoured by Pharaoh ? so is Doeg by Saul. Had Isaac long life ? Gen. xxv. 20, so had Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 17.
2. The other perplexity is, that events and successes do fall out otherwise than the preparation and ability of second causes do seem to promise. As holiness and unholiness do not make the difference, so the natural ability and inability of man, the wisdom and folly, the strength and weakness, make no difference as to their worldly condi- tion. Men of greatest abilities are disappointed of their hopes and ends, which weak and insufficient men do many times obtain. Now this is asserted in the text : ' I returned and saw,' &c.
In which words observe the preface and observation ; or —
I. The accurate inspection of the wise man : / returned, and saw under the sun.
II. The result of this inspection and observation, propounded nega- tively and positively.
First, Negatively, in five particulars.
1. The race is not to the swift.
2. Nor the battle to the strong.
3. Nor yet bread to the ivise.
4. Nor riches to men of understanding.
31G THE FOURTEEXTH SERMON. [EcCLES. IX. 11.
5. Xor /avniir to men of si: ill.
Secondly, Positively : but time and chance Jiappencth to them all.
I. His accurate inspection : 'I returned and saw under the sun;' that is, besides all the tbrmer vanities of the present life. The same phrase is used chap. iv. 1, ' I returned, and considered all the oppres- sions that are done under the sun.' So ver. 7 of that chapter: ' Then I returned, and saw vanity under the sun.' This phrase is used to sliow the great certainty and evidence of his observation ; it is a thing
1 have narrowly observed. Tiie instruments of knowledge are seeing, hearing, observing, and deducing inferences from thence. Under the sun, that is, here in this lower world ; I considered all human actions, the things which are done in this lite among men ; he looked about and turned himself every way.
II. The observation thence resulting.
First, Negatively, propounded in five instances, which comprehend all the business of the common life : neither swiftness, nor strength, nor wisdom, etc.
1. The race is not to the sicift. This may be understood either of the ordinary race, wherein the swift may sometimes foil, or, straining themselves beyond their strength, be mischiefed in their bodies, or maimed by some accident ; and so, wlien he speaketh of the race, ho meaneth it of the successful race, as in the next chmse: nor the battle to the strong ; he meaneth the successful battle, whereby they get the victory. Success is not always on the side of the switt and the strong. Or secondly, of any course whereby a man endeavours to outrun danger. So Asahel, who was swift of foot as a wild roe, was slain by Abner,
2 Sam. ii. 18, 23 ; and Jer. xlvi. 6, ' The swift shall not flee away, nor the mighty man escape ; ' they shall stumble and fall. The swift cannot always flee from danger: Isa. xxx. 16, ' They that pursue you shall be switt.'
2. Nor the battle to the strong. Eabshakeh telleth us that ' Counsel and strength are for the war,' Isa. xxxvi. 5. But many times great strength is foiled, and a small army overcomes a greater. The strength of the mighty doth not always avail them to fight and conquer. Thus was Goliath foiled by David, 1 Sam. xvii. .00 ; and Gideon's three hundred overthrew the mighty host of Midian, Judges vii. 7 ; and we are told, Ps. xxxiii. 16, ' There is no king saved by the multitude of his host ; and a mighty man is not delivered by much strength ; ' and 1 Sam. xiv. 6, ' There is no restraint "to the Lord to save by many or by few.'
3. Ncjr yet bread to the wise. Bread is put for all means of subsistence, and many wise men have been hard put to it. Certainly wisdom doth much to get a livelihood in the world : Prov, xxi. 20, ' There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the house of the wise.' Yet many times it falleth out that men of great wisdom scarce get a stibsistetice in the world. As iJavid was put to desire supplies from Nabal, a fool. And we are told by Solomon, that ' folly is set in great dignity when the wise sit in low ])lace,' Kccles. x. G. Paul was ' in hungerings often and fastings often,' not voluntary but enforced, 2 Cor. xi. 27. Yea, it is said of our Lord Jesus Christ, that certain women ministered to him of their substance for his support, Luke viii. 3.
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