Exposition Upon Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2 · Verse 1, 2
Eccleſiaſtes, Chap. II.
Verſe I, I ſaid in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy pleaſure: and behold this alſo is Vanity.
II. I ſaid of Laughter, It is mad, and of Mirth, what doth it?
SOLOMON having proven from his own Experience, the inſufficiency of the natural Mans underſtanding, improven to the outmoſt in the contemplation of all Created things, and humane endeavours about them, for producing the leaſt degree, of true Peace and Happineſs to him while he remains a ſtranger to fellowſhip with God, he doth here give a further inſtance from his own Experience alſo, to prove how far ſhort the uſe and enjoyment of the choiceſt of created delights is, to bring him any nearer to that Happineſs which he ſeeks after. And for this end, he doth First, relate with how much deliberation, and with what benſill of Spirit he had purſued ſenſual delights, and by repeated commands had preſt his own Heart (as if it had been too ſlow in the purſuit) to try the outmoſt that creature comforts could do for ſatisfying of him, Go to now (ſaith he) I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy pleaſure, whereby cannot be meant his provocking of his Soul to ſpiritual Mirth and pleaſure in Communion with God, and in his Praiſes; which was the Exerciſe he ſhould have been upon, as his Father had been often before him, for that would have had a ſweeter Iſſue, and more comfortable effects than he found this to have in his own Experience, therefore by this Language of his to his Heart, is ſignified his giving up of himſelf, to the exceſs of Earthly and ſenſual delights which now he is relateing with grief. And this Communing with his Heart ſeems moſt fitly to be referred to the beginning of his defection from God (as being that frame of Spirit whence his more grievous falls had their riſe) whilſt he was neither enjoying that ſpritual Soul-raviſhing pleaſure, and Mirth which ſometimes he had in fellowſhip with God, eſpecially when he Wrote that excellent Song of Songs, for then he could not have perſwaded his Heart to ſeek pleaſures of another nature, nor yet was come to that hight of Wickedneſs which he was left unto, before his recovery, as appears by comparing this verſe with the third, where he ſaith that he was acquainting his heart with Wiſdom, his Heart was only beginning to be Inflamed with the love of ſenſual delights, and his defection from the Lord faſt growing. Secondly. That all who read this, may take it for a penitents relation of his former ſinful frame of Spirit, and ſo may be affraied of falling into the like, before he inlarge it further, he ſubjoyns his Cenſure of it, inviting all to conſider, that the Iſſue of this dangerous reſolution of his, to purſue Carnal pleaſures had proven to him in his ſad Experience, nothing but emptineſs, or diſappointment of any true ſatisfaction. Verſe 1. And Thirdly. He inlarges that cenſure which he paſt when he came to himſelf as a true penitent, upon his former ſinful frame, conſidering it both as it did break out viſibly in the expreſſions and geſtures of the outward Man, here called Laughter, and as it did affect his heart within, while he delighted himſelf in ſinful ſpeculations, which he calleth Mirth, pronouncing the former to be Madneſs, (or as the word ſignifies, vain Glorious Boaſting of that which is matter of ſhame to any endued with the Exerciſe of Holy Reaſon) and the Latter to be of no worth, or doing nothing at all for bringing to Man any true ſatisfaction, but rather much to the contrary. And that Men tranſported with their pleaſures, may be made apprehenſive that this will be the Iſſue of their courſe, he uſeth a very moving ſtrain of Speach directing the ſame to that Idol Pleaſure, and that by Interrogation, what doth it, or what doeſt thou? Thereby as it were giving a challenge to the Conſcience of all ſinful Men, to condeſcend if they be able (and the expreſſion imports they are not) upon any true profite they have by their way. Hence Learn. 1. As the Lord hath given this preeminence to Man above all other Creatures in the World, that he can reflect on by his by paſt temper and Actions, and Commune with his own heart for the Future, which he ſhould make uſe of for reſtraining himſelf from ſin Neh: 6, 11. For reclaiming himſelf therefrom when he is fallen into it Jer: 8, 6. For encourageing his heart in duty Pſ: 42, 5. Eſpecially to truſting in God Pſ: 16.2. And to praiſe him Pſ: 103.1. In which and the like places there are Holy Soliloquies of a Chriſtian with himſelf; ſo when the Lord is provocked to withdraw His Gracious preſence, Man can do nothing but abuſe this priviledge, to the blowing up of his own corruptions, and encouraging his Heart to Courſes deſtructive to his own Peace and comfort, and which will prove bitterneſs to him in the Latter end, for, thus was it with Solomon, at the time to which he here Relates, while the Lords Spirit was withdrawn, and he was entering upon a courſe of defection from the Lord I ſaid in my heart, go to now! I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy Pleaſure, 2. Even theſe whoſe Souls have been ſometimes raviſhed with ſpiritual Mirth and delight in God, and have very long enjoyed thoſe pleaſures that are Heavenly, even they by their falling lazie and ſecure Cant: 5.2. Or waxing proud becauſe of it 2 Cor: 12, 7. May provocke the Lord to withdraw ſo far that they will loſe the impreſſion of that ſweetneſs they have formerly found, and apprehend pleaſure only to be had in Earthly delights, and be ſo eager in the purſuit of theſe, as if there were no better to be had. So that theſe who have gotten much of their Youth, and a great part of their Elder Dayes paſt over in the fear of the Lord and Fellowſhip with Him, have Reaſon even unto gray Hairs and Death to be working out their Salvation in Fear and Trembling, leaſt theſe ſparkles of unmortifyed Corruptions which have been long keept at under, and are not quite extinct in the beſt, may break out in a flame, even in their old Age; for, this Man of whom we have Ground to conclude that much of his Youth, and the great part of his Life, was ſpent in fellowſhip with God, is notwithſtanding at this, toward the evening of his dayes I ſaid in my heart go to now, I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore injoy pleaſure. 3. What ever oppoſition there be in the Hearts of Men to ſinful Temptations (as ſomewhat of that ſort may be found in the unregenerate, from the clearneſs of their light, apprehending the hazard of their ſinful wayes Rom: 2, 15: Act: 24.25. And much more muſt be in the regenerate in whom the ſeeds of Grace alwayes remain 1 John 3, 9.) Yet while the ſpecial Influences of the Lords Spirit which powerfully divert the heart from ſinful ſpeculations Pſ: 119 36.37. and actuate his Grace Cant: 4.16. are ſuſpended, the corrupt part will ſo unceſſantly incite, and ſo imperiouſly command the whole Man, to go over the Belly of that oppoſition, that even a renewed Child of God is in hazard not only to be overtaken by the ſurpriſeall of temptations, and ſuddain motions of his Corruptions, but deliberately to go after theſe, eſpecially ſuch as promiſe to him much ſenſual pleaſure; How deſperate is the Wickedneſs of the beſt Mans heart? And how great that Mercy and Love of God that follows after him in ſuch Courſes, and powerfully reclaims him? For, here Solomon ſetting forth that ſinful frame of Spirit, whence his groſs defection had the riſe, repreſents himſelf ſpeaking to his own Heart as if it had been ſlow in the purſuit of ſinful pleaſures, (and no wonder conſidering his great Light, and former Experiences of much ſweetneſs in Religious Exerciſes) and urging it to go over all oppoſition for attaining to theſe I ſaid in my heart, go to now, I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore injoy pleaſure. 4. A true penitent will not only with grief call to mind his groſs External Sins, but alſo with what Benſil of Spirit he hath been carried on to them, and will make Language of his ſinful purpoſes, that he may make himſelf more vile in his own Eyes, and will not ſtand to publiſh the ſame, when his ſo doing may reſtrain, or reclame others from the like, or prevent the deſpair of wakned Sinners, affrighted at the ſight of their own vileneſs, and the diſappointment of that ſatisfaction which they expected from their Idols; for, for theſe and the like ends doth this penitent Preacher reflect upon his own ſinful temper, and relate the Language of his heart in purſuing his Carnal pleaſures concluding with all, and calling others to conſider, that the Iſſue of ſuch Courſes is nothing but Vanity I ſaid in my heart; go to now, I will prove thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy pleaſure, and behold this alſo is Vanity. 5. What ever uſe of corrupt Wit, and Reaſon Men may have for accompliſhing their ſinful pleaſures and increaſing their delight in them, the ſame is nothing elſe but Madneſs in Gods ſight, ſeeing they are but ſhareing of the beaſts Happineſs, and while they expreſs moſt Joy in the ſatisfaction of their Luſts, they are but Laughing at their own Fetters whereby they are held Captives to the Devil; and but like mad Men, gathering fewel to that Fire wherein for their Carnal pleaſures, here called Laughter, they ſhall for ever weep and gnaſh their Teeth I ſaid of Laughter it is Mad. 6. As theſe who do moſt madly purſue their Sinfull pleaſures, cannot poſſibly condeſcend upon any profit they have by their ſo doing, and yet are very hardly brought to conſider that it is ſo; ſo it is a prevailing way for Miniſters to deal with People, and for People to deal with themſelves, to put their Conſcience by queſtions to condeſcend upon the Advantage they have by their way, and ſometimes to direct their ſpeach to theſe Idols they ſerve as their God, and as it were Examine them, as Men do Theeves or Spyes that haunt their houſes, to ſee if they can ſhow men (which is impoſſible for them to do) what profit they bring to them that ſerve them: for as this queſtion may be taken as put to Mirth it ſelf, or to the Conſcience of the voluptuous Man concerning it, what doth it? Or as it may be read from the original what doſt thou? Imports that Mens ſinful pleaſures contribute nothing to their Happineſs and true ſatisfaction, but much every way to the contrary, expreſt before by Vexation of Spirit; So it imports an impoſſibility of getting an anſwer, condeſcending upon any true Advantage Men have by their ſinful pleaſures. And this forme of Speach is uſed by Solomon to rouſe the Conſciences of Men that ſerve their pleaſures, and to convince them of their Madneſs in ſo doing. I ſaid of Laughter it is Mad, and of Mirth, what doth it.