John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 8:14

Verſ. 14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth] Symmachus reads it thus: Eſt difficile cognitu quod fit ſuper terram, There is that done upon the Earth that is hard to be underſtood. It hath gravelled great Divines (as David, Jeremy, Pſal. 73. Jer. 12. Habbak. 2. Lam. 3.33. Habbakkuk,) to ſee good men ſuffer, bad men proſper. But it is but upon the earth, that this befalls: here God muſt meet with his people, or no where, and it is Non niſi coactus, (as that Emperour ſaid of himſelf) that he doth any thing to their grief: Ille dolet quoties cogitur eſſe ferox.

Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit. Mimus.An unruly Patient makes a cruel Phyſician. And as for the wicked, it is but upon earth, that they live in pleaſure, and lye melting in ſenſual and ſinful delights, nouriſhing their hearts as in a day of ſlaughter, Jam. 5.5. Once they ſhall hear with horror, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things: But now hee is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luke 16.25. The meditation of Eternity would much mitigate this vanity.Dr. Hall's Remedy of Prophaneneſſe, p. 114. What is that to the infinite? ſaid the old Lord Brook to a friend of his, diſcourſing of an incident matter very conſiderable, but was taken off with this quick interrogation of that wiſe and Noble perſon.