John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 7:14

Verſ. 14. In the day of proſperity be joyful] Here wee have ſome fair days, ſome foul: croſſes (like foul weather) come afore they are ſent for; for as fair weather (the more is the pity) may doe hurt, ſo may proſpenity, as it did to David, Pſal. 30.6. who therefore had his interchanges of a worſe condition, (as it was but needful) his proſperity like checker-work was intermingled with adverſity. See the circle God goes in with his people,Circulus quidem eſt in rebus humanis. Deus nos per contraria crudit. Naz. Orat. 7. in that thirtieth Pſalm, David was afflicted, verſ. 5. hee was delivered and grew wanton. Then troubled again, verſ. 7. cries again, 8, 9 God turns his mourning into joy again. Thus God ſets the one againſt the other, as it were in aequilibrio, in even balance for our greateſt good. Sometimes he weighes us in the balance; and findes us too light: Then he thinks beſt to make us heavie through manifold temptations, 1 Pet. 1.6. Sometimes hee findes our water ſomewhat too high, and then as a Phyſician no leſs cunning than loving, he fits us with that which will reduce all to the healthſome temper of a broken ſpirit. But if wee bee but proſperity-proof, there is no ſuch danger of adverſity. Some of thoſe in Queen Maries dayes, who kept their garments cloſe about them, wore them afterwards more looſely. Proſperity makes the Saints ruſt ſometimes; therfore God ſets his Scullions to ſcoure them & make them bright, though they make themſelves black. This ſcouring if they will ſcape, let Solomons counſel be taken, In the day of proſperity be joyful, i. e. ſerve God with cheerfulneſs in the abundance of all things; and reckon upon it, the more wages the more work: Is it not good reaſon? Solomons Altar was four times as big as Moſes his; and Ezekiels Temple ten times bigger than Solomons; to teach, that where God gives much, he expects much. Otherwiſe God will curſe our bleſſings,Jer. 12.13 Mal. 2.2. Make us aſhamed of our revenues through his fierce anger, and deſtroy us after he hath done us good, Joſh. 24.20.

In the day of adverſity conſider] Sit alone, and be in meditation of the matter,Pſal. 4.4 Lam. 3.28. commune with your own conſciences and be ſtill, or make a pauſe. See who it is that ſmites thee, and for what, Lam. 3.40. Take Gods part againſt thy ſelf, as a Phyſician obſerves, which way nature works, and helps it. Conſider, that God afflicts not willingly, or from his heart; it goes as much againſt the heart with him,Pſal. 119.75 as againſt the hair with us, Lam. 3.33. Hee is forced of very faithfulneſſe to afflict us, becauſe hee will be true to our ſouls and ſave them: he is forced to diet us, who have ſurfeted of proſperity, and keep us ſhort. He is forced to purge us (as wiſe Phyſicians doe ſome Patients) till he bring us almoſt to skin and bone; and to let us bloud even ad deliquium animae, till we ſwoon again, that there may bee a ſpring of better bloud and ſpirits. Conſider of all thoſe precious paſſages, Heb. 12.3. to 12. and then lift up the languiſhing hands, and feeble knees. For your further help herein, read my Treatiſe called Gods Love-tokens, and The afflicted mans Leſſons, paſſim.