Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Verse 1

Exposition of Ecclesiastes · Chapter 5 · Verse 1

p. 191Vers. I. Keep thy Foot, when thou goest to the House of God; and be more ready to hear, then to give the Sacrifice of Fools: For, they consider not that they do evil.

HEre's the Result and Use of all, declar'd in the fore-going Chapters, as to the Vanity and vain Labour of Man, under the Light of the Mystical first-Creation Sun, or Spirit of the Law, in and under which, Man and Angel were, at first, Created; and Christ, Born; Gal. 4. 4. Paul draw's the same useful Instruction, from the doctrin of the 11 former Chapters, to the Roman's (Chap. 12. 1.) for quitting, or giving up the same earthly natural State (the same thing with the Foot, here) when restor'd (or made, again, Holy Flesh, the righteous natural Body) in Sacrifice to God, as our reasonable Service, and true free-will Offring, even the Offring up of our free-will to good and evil, that we may receive his free-will to Good only, the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, with which the Son makes free indeed, all that are Born of his p. 192Gospel-Spirit of overlasting righteousness and truth. First, then, consider what this Foot is, or signifies; and secondly, what's the House of God, it's to be kept out of, as not fit to enter.

1. This Foot … the whole Man, in a first-Covenant Life. The Heel, Satan is permitted to bruise (Gen. 3. 15.) is of the same extent, and comprehensive significancy. And, so were the Shoes, Moses was Commanded to put from off his Feet, where the ground was Holy; Exod. 3. 5. This Foot, or natural Spirit of Man (corrupt or righteous, being found in Enmity to God, at best, as in Paul, before his Gospel-Conversion) can bear no part in the right Worshipping of God, which is wholly to be perform'd in Spirit and Truth, Christ's new-Creature Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth. The infinite Divine Spirit and Father, requires all Men and Angels to Worship him in the Son's Gospel-Creature-Spirit of truth. How can Man please him, in duties of Worship, or any other Performances towards him or Man, in his own Spirit of Enmity? Such Enmity, as is no otherwise extinguishable, but by … death of nature, being absolutely inseperable from the Life of it, at best. Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Love, in unchangable Union of Mind, and Will, Desire, and Thought, with God (when it becom's the sole Principle of Life, Desire, Thought, and Action, in Man) will perfectly and compleatly fulfil all Law, perform all duty to God and Man, to God's well-pleasing, and the Performer's certain and everlasting Salvation. Man is not to come, in his own Spirit of nature (however Wise, Strong, Rich, and Honourable in Christ, by his first-Covenant-Communications to him, as a fleshly Bride-groom, and … at his earthly Table) into the new-Creation Sanctuary of God, the everlasting Righteous Fountain Gospel-Spirit of Christ. The Courts of this Sanctuary, are too Holy Ground, for any thing that's but changably good (as Man and Angels, before the fall) or also, positively evil (as nature corrupt or righteous, in all Men, since the fall) to tread on. For a Man, in a Spirit, that's a Root of Bitterness, bearing Gall and Wormwood, Briars and Thorns, in a continued Enmity to God (every Imagination, Purpose, Desire, and Thought thereof, being only evil, continually; the old World's case, before the Flood, Gen. 6. 5.) to appear in the unchangably righteous new-Creation Sanctuary of God, what a strang, incongruous thing and p. 193sight would it be? If any, fill'd and Clothed (by Satan's …, and their own consent or choice) with a Spirit of unchangable Enmity to God, do (as 'twere) crowd in, and appear at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and his Bride, in the Kingdom of his Father, see what's like to become of him (Mat. 22. 11, 12.) Friend, will the King Jesus say, how cam'st thou in hither, not having a Wedding Garment? And, he was Speech-less; had nothing to say. Then, say's the King to his Servants (the Holy Angels of his Power, that excel, in strength, all fixed first-Creation Enemies of God and the second) bind him Hand and Foot, and cast him into outer Darkness, where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth, to all Eternity. Let the fixed first-Creation Sinner and Enemy of God, in his form of Godliness, Righteousness of Man, do what he can, get where he will, he is gone for ever. No Stranger was to come into the Litteral Sanctuary, under the Law, the Type of this Spiritual, Gospel-Sanctuary-Spirit of God, in Christ's Person, and in his Saints, the lively stones of the House, upon the Rock, that Christ is the living head-corner Stone, and Foundation of. He spirit's, influences and enliven's all the rest; hold's them fitly compacted together, and firmly cimented, in his one Gospel-spirit of new-Creature-Life, that's a Universal Bond of Love and Peace, to and with God, Christ, and one other, for evermore. The Foot, Heel, or Shoe, that's to be kept back, laid aside, or put off (that we may be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, and so, walk orderly, with a right Foot, according to the Gospel of the Grace of God; or, on a new foot of account, in the single-ey'd discerning, strength, and Power of Christ's Gospel-spirit) is that Flesh and Blood, which cannot enter into and inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15. 50.) or tread the Courts of his Heavenly Sanctuary. Angels, in the purity of their first-Creation-make and changable Life, were to cover their Faces, as not fit to appear before God, to behold (or be beheld by) him, therein. And, say's God to the Jews, when ye come to appear before me, who hath requir'd this at your hands, to tread my Courts? Isai. 1. 12. No right, acceptable Worshipping God, or doing any thing else, but in the Gospel-spirit of Truth, that spirit of Love, that's the compleat fulfiller of the whole Law; even of all that God requires of us. Sure, the natural spirit, at best, that's a spirit of Enmity to p. 194God, and a bloody-minded Spirit against his true Saints, can do no such thing. It's hands are full of blood. It breath'd out Threatnings and Slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord, even in Paul, who had therein, lived, according to his light, in all good conscience; (Act. 23. 1. exerciseable in the activity and restor'd Life thereof) as a strict, circumspect Opposer, and Suppressor of the vile Affections and Lusts of his corrupt nature. This Foot, then, is to be cut off, cast away, laid aside, by us, as not fit to perform any part in the true Worshipping of God. Man is not to come alive into the House of God, but be brought into it, by the High Priest, Christ himself, dead (as to his own Law-Life and principle of active obedience) and quick'ned up into his Gospel-Life and Principle of active obedience, wherein alone 'tis possible to please God, or be saved. Passive obedience is the highest service, performable in (or with) Angel's or Man's natural, first-Creation Life or Make. For, by this, the guilty Sinner, the Belial-Party, the Enemy of God, is slain; and all Power of Sinning, abolish'd, for ever; Ro. 6. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 1. The obedient death of the guilty and continually sinning natural Spirit, is more pleasing to God, and profitable to Man, then any Obedience or Duty, performable (in its kind) in the Life and Activity thereof. The House of Mourning or Death, as to the first-Covenant Principle of Life, is better than the House of Feasting, in the utmost Flourish, Prosperity, Wisdom, Glory, and Fruitfulness thereof, or Joy therein. The death of the natural State, at best (from which, since the fall, Enmity to God is inseperable) obediently yielded to, must needs be more acceptable to God, then the Life thereof, or any thing performable therein. From Love to God's Mercy (or the unspeakable gift of new Creation Life) to submit to, yea, and joyn with God, in doing justly (or Executing his righteous Judgment and Sentence of Death, on our fleshly, natural, law-state) in the awak'ned Life and Power of his Gospel-Spirit, in us; this is the Sum of all, God requir's of us, as the terms and condition of our full entring into (and striking) the new and everlasting Covenant with him, Establish'd in all things, and sure. This doing justly, in humbling our guilty natural Man or Spirit, the Enemy of God, even to the death thereof; and, living wholly to him, in our never-sinning Spiritual Man, or his never-sinning Spirit (1 To. 3. 9.) is all, he requir's p. 195of us; Mic. 6. 8. Man must quit his own (cieled, Hag. 1. 4.) adorn'd House, or natural State, to enter into God's Spiritual House, or new-Creation Sanctuary. His own House, or nature, is not (ought not to be reckon'd) his dwelling place, or state of true rest, for him. Men will find all their Labour to keep up that building, with the fading glory and riches thereof, but a wearying themselvs for very Vanity (Hab. 2. 13) a disquieting themselvs in Vain, by heaping up Treasur's (Ps. 39. 6.) for their own destruction, in the day of wrath. This, will Man get, by coveting an evil covetousness to his own House, or natural State, and setting his Nest on high, as vainly puffed up in his self-confident fleshly mind, and thinking to secure himself from the Power of evil, the Wrath of God; Hab. 2. 9. He say's in his Heart, Who shall bring me down to the Ground? Obad. 3. I will saith the Lord; v. 4. We must depart out of our own Countrey and Fathers House (the Life and State of our own nature, at best, in but the restor'd Image of the earthy, or first Adam; form of godliness, righteousness of Man, a glory, a wisdom, to be Crucified, Defac'd, Obliterated, and done away; a Visage, a Beauty, to be Marr'd and Spoild) in order to enter into God's own Countrey (the far Countrey, the Man Christ is gone into, before us, to prepare Places or Mansions of Glory, for us; Luk. 19. 12. To. 14. 2, 3. We must depart from (or out of) our own House (or nature, however Ciel'd, Adorn'd, Swept, Cleansed from the filth of flesh, and Garnished with Spiritual Light, or best enlightning Gifts, short of the more excellent Spiritual Life and way; 1 Cor. 12. 31. call'd Love; 1 Cor. 13.) in order to our right and worthy entring or going into God's Spiritual Sanctuary, or House, to Worship. Our own Countrey, Father's House, Image of the earthy, first-Covenant Life of our nature, righteousness of Man, Spiritual Conviction-Light, &c. All these make up but the Foot (the whole Life and State of nature, at best) that's to be cut off, and cast away, as loss and dung, to enter in a Resurrection-Life, with the Man Christ, into his Father's House, where are many Mansions. And so, come we to the second thing, here; the House, Man is to keep his Foot from, or out of, when he goes into it.

2. This House is the Supream, original new-creature Spirit of Christ, the Living Creature-Book, Word, or Wisdom of God, in which p. 196… … and Written out the whole Counsel of his Divine Mind. And, the Man Christ is the Supream Prophet, Mouth, and Infallible Declarer thereof, to Angels and Men. Christ's whole Creature-nature is the immediate Temple and Sanctuary of his own Divinity, set up by his Divine Hand or Workmanship, from everlasting, in Personal Union with the Divinity; Prov. 8. 22, 23. This was Typed out, by the Litteral Sanctuary, under the Law. No Strangers, no, nor …, while unclean, might Approach, or enter into it. The polluted Heathen-Stranger, and the unclean …, in Mystery and Truth, signify the natural Man, corrupt or righteous. This is the stranger and Fool, here meant, that (being altogether ignorant of this new-creation Sanctuary, of God's own pitching, not Man's; Heb. 8. 2.) is ready, with Paul, to think he does God service, in denying and opposing this his own house, and himself, the Divine Inhabitant thereof, in personal Union with it; as also, in Persecuting to the death, true Saints, that own and assert such a House, as Partakers of, living, walking, and speaking in the spirit of it. The new-Creation Sanctuary-Spirit, the Creature-word, Wisdom, or Hand of God, set up from everlasting by God's own very Divine hand, was the immediate hand by which the whole old or first-Creation World was made (Isai. 66. 1, 2.) Men, Angels, &c. which, therefore, are all to be roll'd up and laid aside, by God, as an old Garment (Heb. 1. 10-12.) and in Harmony of Mind with him, and obedience to him, are the life and all the best and most glittering things thereof, to be laid aside, and parted with, by Angel and Man, to partake of his Heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit, and Live with him in that place of his and their true rest, for evermore. All the Heavenly, Eternal things of his Sanctuary, seem Foolish, Idle Dreams, (which Men conspire to kill them, for, Gen. 37. 19, 20.) and all right Words concerning them, Vain or Lying Words (as Pharaoh call'd Moses his Messages from God) to the most enlight'ned natural Man, who is wholly ignorant and in the dark, as to all Divine and Spiritual Creature-things of Christ and God; 1 Cor. 2. 14. 'Tis a vain imagination, when Man thinks to Prie into, and View the most Holy things of God's Spiritual Sanctuary, in the highest Wisdom and best Light of his but restor'd natural state. If he finally persist in such a Presumptuous mistake, he will meet with a final Blasting upon p. 197him, to Eternal Death, figured by the fifty Thousand Presumptuous Peepers into the Ark of the Lord, who were smitten by him, to a Temporal death of their bodies; 2 Sam. 6. 19.) All the best things in the first-Creation-make and life of Angel and Man, are of no neerer kin to God's new-Creation Sanctuary and Holy things thereof, then as figures and shadows of them. The rational powers and things of man, are not more hid from the brute beast; then the Spiritual things of-God, from the wisest and most rational man; 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. 14. 'Tis too painful, yea, 'tis impossible for man (Save in sanctuary-life and light, Ps. 73. 16, 17) to discern the spiritual, new-Creation things of God's House; and, less yet, the deep things of his very infinite Divinity. The truly Spiritual Man, Judges (or discern's and sees) all things (1 Cor. 2. 15.) Divine, Spiritual, and natural. The highest first-Covenant-Saint, in Holy Flesh, Righteousness of Man, is a Fool, a Stranger, an unreasonable Man, a Profane Infidel, as to all Gospel-Things and Truths. Such troublesome self-confidents, Paul desir'd to be delivered from (2 Thes. 3. 2. and 2 Tim. 4. 14, 15.) as most impertinent, irreconcileable Babblers and Disputers against all those Gospel-Truths, or Sanctuary-things, they bid at, and pretend to the knowledg of. That contradicting Wisdom and very Understanding, they use in the dispute, is to be abolish'd by the Cross, as the Blasphemous Enemy of God, and all his Gospel-Truths. Thus Paul found it in himself, till Christ knock'd down that earthly Wisdom, and caused him to turn from that fleshly Mind, Understanding, or Principle of reasoning, in obedience to his heavenly; Act. 9. 3-6. Gal. 1. 16. Christ himself, in the flesh, turn'd away his foot or feet, his own fleshly or natural understanding and will, the two Feet of the Living Soul (on which it walks abroad, to View, Desire and feed upon worldly Vanities, Perishing Meats) refusing to think the thoughts, do the will, or speak the words thereof, but the will and words of him that sent him, by Crucifying that Will and Understanding, utterly Abolishing all the Life, Desire, Thought, and Motion thereof. And, such death is the only Consecrated Living way, into the new-Creation Sanctuary-Life; Heb. 9. 12. and, 10. 19, 20.

The natural man, even in Christ's person, however perfect, was a prohibited Stranger, amongst the rest, that might not enter into p. 198his own new-creation Sanctuary, House, or Temple, in the single, changable, first-covenant law-life, in and under which, made. 'Twas impossible, even for him, as so, to enter. By Death, he ascended into it, and set it open, to his followers in the like Death of nature. Such obedient Death is the only way to eternal life. Never was there any other way to it, for any Angel or Man. That law-life, that was but a changable shadow, in him and in us, must pass (by the death of nature in both and all) under the cross-work of the Gospel-spirit, that the life which is true in him, may be true in us, also; 1 Joh. 2. 8. and 5. 20. In Scripture sense, all's true, in the new-creation; all, shadow, in the old. True Life, Light, Wisdom, Righteousness, is found in the new, only. All things eternal, things of God, are there. All the Wisdom, Life, Light, Righteousness, Glory, things of Man or Angel, in the old, are but shadows of the substantial things of God, in the new. The changable, earthy Image of God, and righteous first-covenant Life of the Law (Man was at first created and set up in) is but shadow of the new-creature life and Image of the heavenly, or second Adam. All, in the former, are things of man, Life, Wisdom, Righteousness, of Man: all in the latter, things of God, Life, Wisdom, Righteousness of God. A zeal for God's heavenly, Spiritual things, must eat up our earthly, or natural. The fire of his heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit, must consume our Earthly Life and state, eat up all mortal desire and thought, root and all. By such destruction of our flesh, or natural state, can we come to be Saved in that Spirit. We must put off the old Man, the Image of the earthy, or can never put on the new, and Image of the heavenly. The Earthly House and Life of this present tabernacle must be dissolved, that we may have that Building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; 2 Cor. 5. 1. Think any to enter into that House, any otherwise, then Christ himself could? to go whole and unmaimed into it, in that Life or natural state, he crucified? Gal. 3. 1. Nature, in all men, is an enemy to God, and his Sanctuary-Spirit. Paul, in righteous nature, was (in union of mind with the Devil) an enemy to the Spirit of Grace, to God, Christ, all Gospel-Saints and truths; a stranger to all things divine and Spiritual.

God the Mediator, in his changable Angelical nature, from the beginning; and humane, toward the latter end of this world, did p. 199cease, by a Holy death, from all the works of both, in the activity of the changable principle of first-covenant Life. Angels and Men must do (and suffer) likewise, or never enter into his rest; Heb. 4. 4. 10. The mystical Sabbath-Law of the Cross, upon the works and and working Spirit of nature, is expressed by turning away our foot from the Lord's Sabbath, from delighting in our own will and way, … our own Pleasure, and speaking our own Words; Isai. 58. 13, 14. This is the very same Death-doctrine, and work of the Cross on the whole natural Spirit, at best. The Obedient submitting thereto, is the keeping our foot from the Lord's house, and turning it away from his Sabbath. Those that honour God herein, he will put everlasting honour upon, lifting them up over the heads of all earthly powers, humane or angelical, called the high places of the earth.

He will cause them to ride upon these high places, that have had their turns to ride over their heads; Psal. 66. 12. But those, that from a fond love to their own vain life, despise the Lord's sanctuary life, shal be lightly esteemed (1 Sam. 2. 30) yea, made vessels of dishonour, and everlasting contempt. The Spiritual, Heavenly Original Gospel-Light of Christ's Sabbath or Sanctuary-Spirit, is the day the Lord hath made, in which Saints will rejoyce and be glad, for evermore; Psa. 118. 24. This heavenly Sanctuary and Sabbath, that's the Lords doing (his own immediate divine Workmanship, from everlasting; Prov. 8. 22, 23.) is marvellous in our eyes. The earthly Wisdom of man, at best, despises and wonders at this heavenly creature-wisdom of God. The Orthodox humane builders of a first-covenant Church (which their Wisdom Judges, asserts and warns, firm and safe, for Salvation) reject and refuse the cornerstone of the second; and so, the whole new-creation building on the rock, the true church or house of God. Man's wisdom won't believe or receive the words of God's, though plainly declared to it; Act. 13. 41. Abundance of professing, wise, first-covenant Saints believe not any such thing as that creature-Wisdom of God, in the Mediator, from everlasting, by which the Worlds were made.

How can ye believe (says Christ to the professing Jews) who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God, only? Joh. 5. 44. A mercenary, self-seeking trade in the first-covenant, exceedingly indisposes, and hinders any listning to one right word of the second. None so highly Prejudic'd and offended at p. 200the least Word of Christ's Gospel, in the second, as the engaged ministers of Satan's, in the first. Such Gospel-Teachers are themselves … or Unbelievers, as to every tittle of Christ's Gospel. No first-coven … Saints ought to trust in themselves, that selfish, fleshly life or natural state, however righteous; but, in God, that raises men from the Dead, or out of the obedient Death of that, into his life and righteousness, in the second; 2 Cor. 1. 9. They ought, with Paul, gladly to receive God's Sentence of Death in themselves, or, on their Spirit, in the first, that they may be raised into his life, in the second. And as none are to trust in themselves in the first, so are no men there, sit to be trusted by Christ or … Saints, being yet but in an unsteddy, starting Principle; Joh. 2. 23-25. For, they know, in the alsearching Spiritual light of God, what is in man, all men, in their highest restored Life, Light, …, … …. The best of them is as a brier; the most upright, … than a thorn hedge; (Mic. 7. 4.) As found in enmity to God and all his Saints and Truths. Paul himself, while but there, though eminent, breathed out slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. What such temporary first-covenant believers came to, under Christ's own personal ministry, when he came closs upon them, with the cross doctrin of the second, upon all that; we find, Joh. 6. 66. A way they go: walk no more with him: regard not him, or his doctrine. Let not the true followers of the Lamb, whither soever he goes (not onelyonly into the Law-life of the first-covenant, but, through the death of that, into the Gospel-life of the second, in which he lives for evermore (Rev. 1. 18.) expect other doings, from such false, hollow-hearted, apostatizing professors, who are presently upon the turning point, to Satan, and drawing back to Perdition, when clossly plied and follow'd with the true, full doctrin of the Gospel-Cross, on the Law-Life of nature, at best, which they are willingly and therefore easily perswaded by the words of Man's Wisdom, is a true Gospel-state of Salvation and Eternal Life. Such drawers back, and those that go on to the saving of the Soul, grow dayly farther and farther asunder, more and more strang and contrary to each other, in Thoughts, Words and Deeds. One is Marching on, with a swift Foot, towards the Chambers of Eternal Death: The other … towards the Kingdom of God. Their Bodies meet, and p. 201touch Elbows, still, in these dayly encreasing Distances and Elongations of their minds, hearts, or spirits; till they find one another, at Length, in fixed, irreconcileable distances and contrarieties of Mind, Will, whole course, and way towards eternal life, or death. Apostat's from Gospel Light, turn from the hot, fiery Doctrin of the Cross (when they find it touch nature, at best, to the quick; at the very root; bringing a flaming sword upon the very principle) into the cool shade of a worldly Church-doctrin, where Satan's pleasing-Gospel is preach'd, nature (specially righteous, restor'd nature) tickled and gratified with words, after its own heart. 'Tis the language or thought and Desire of all natural Hearts, Prophesy to us smooth things, Prophesy Deceits; Isai. 30. 10. We have heard enough, and too much, of the right things of God's Seers and true Prophets. Their Doctrin is too hot for us. We like it not. Let them that bring such strang and sad Tydings to our Ears, sit and speak to themselvs, or stools, if they will; which, indeed, may be to neer as much purpose, as to any good, such regardless hearers of Gospel-words, have gotten. 'Tis a dreadful Season, in which 'tis rare to find any that are in earnest about Salvation, or, at all, inquisitive after it. Who, with the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures, about their eternal concerns? Who regard, any more then Pagans, that Command of Christ, for seeking first or chiefly the Kingdom and Righteousness of God (Mat. 6. 33.) or, to lay up Treasure for themselvs, in Heaven? v. 20. Even the but Shadowy, Mystical Laodicean Treasur's, heap'd up in an earthly first-Covenant Life, are now, as 'twere, under God's Blasting and Professors negligence therein, almost in the Dust, as Conclamated, Wither'd, Unregarded things. Profanes, and a regard of (and inquisitiveness after) meer bodily concerns and Ornaments, steal away the Heart; and, in a manner, all the time of Professors. How, too generally, are they laying about them, wholly, to fetch in Provisions for the lowest and basest fleshly Life and Lusts, of confounded, fallen nature, common with Brute Beasts? But, if any, yet, are conscientious Walkers in first-Covenant Principles, and reckon they have whereof to trust in the flesh, Holy flesh, restor'd, righteous, cleansed nature; Paul, more (Phil. 3. 4.) Christ, most. But, Christ Crucified it in himself, and Paul rejoyc'd, or gloried to find him Crucifying it in him, also (Gal. p. 2026. 14.) as the only way of delivering him from that Body of Sin and Death, he before took to be a state of Eternal Life; Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. The kindly death of nature, under the Cross, brought upon it, in love from God (and submitted to, by Man, in Obedience to God) is the only means and way of his deliverance from all evil, by the death of the guilty Sinner; and of being furnish'd with and Possessed of all good, in God's Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness, that never sin's; 1 Jo. 3. 9. All Sabbath-keeping, and other Litteral Performances (in Man's Spirit of Enmity to God, and his true Sabbath-Spirit, Sanctuary, and place of his rest, that he delights in, when known, so to be) are, with their Persons, an Abomination to God; and so, their Solemn Meeting on his Sabbath, that was his own Appointment (what's ours?) Isai. 1. 13, 14. All their Incense, and Sacrifices (all our Praying, Preaching, &c.) in a known Spirit of Enmity to God, are Mystical Murder, Idolatry, Sacriledg, the highest and most criminal wickednesses, in God's sight. Why? Hands full of Blood, a bloody mind of Persecuting Enmity, against his Gospel Saints and Truth's, spoil's all. I'le therefore hide mine Eyes from you, and not hear your Prayers. Ye are a Mystical, most Criminal Sodom and Gomorrha, to me. v. 10-15. and Isai. 66. 3. Ye do all in your own self-chosen way, after your own Heart, in your own spirit; not mine, but in perfect contrariety thereunto. None of you hear's and answer's … Heavenly Call, in true Wisdom's Words, or Preachings. I'le, therefore, not hear or answer your Prayers and pretended Callings upon me; v. 4. If you'l not hear my cry to you; … not hear your's, to me; saith the Lord of Hosts; Zec. 7. 13. Is man, in Enmity to the whole Mind, Counsel, true Sabbath, and Sanctuary of God, like to be a faithful and able Minister of his Gospel-Truths? Yet, who else is heard, or regarded? Who, but the Woman, or private, natural spirit, that's Enmity to God, and all his right Words of Counsel and Instruction for Eternal Life?

Be more ready to hear, then to give the sacrifice of fools. Man, in the best wisdom, the most righteous life and activity of his own Spirit, offer's but the sacrifice of fools, in God's judgment, however highly he esteem the sacrifice, or himself, for it. He does not rightly know what he does, what he is, whither he goes, whom he … … ospel things and truths, the whole Counsel of God, the … p. 203and only way of salvation, the methods of God's wisdom, in order thereunto; all the law's, ordinances, statut's and judgments of his new creation-sanctuary, describ'd in the nine last chapters of Ezekiel; all these things lie quite out of his sight. How can Man (in his own best Wisdom, that's foolishness to God's; in his own Spirit, that, at best, is enmity to God's) perform, do any thing, or offer up any sacrifice, acceptable to God; any, but the sacrifice of fools? These fools consider not (will not consider) that they do evil. Stiff-necked are they, in their own self-confident understandings, which are not only blear-ey'd, and dimm-sighted, but stark blind and wholly ignorant of all Gospel-things and truths; yet, on they will, turning their deaf ear to (or, setting their mouth against the heavens; Ps. 73. 9.) all heavenly, Gospel-doctrin and instruction. They'l listen to nothing that may induce them to consider the great mischief they are doing to themselvs and others, by preaching, promising, and warranting peace with God, in a spirit of direct enmity to him (Ezek. 13. 6. 10.) and decrying, might and main, that which is the only way of salvation (and the only spirit, in which any can be saved) with all the words thereof. This desperate work are these blind leaders, with their self-confident followers, at; all, reck'ning they are doing very pleasing and acceptable service to God; Act. 26. 9. Having nothing of Christ's very Gospel-Spirit, or doctrin, in their Church, do they, with great indignation and scorn cast all that are wholly for the very Christ, and his very Gospel, out of their church (Isai. 66. 5. Ps. 50. 20) yes, and out of the world too, when they can, as not fit to live any longer, in it; Act. 22. 22. All this, do these Gospel-Wolvs in Sheep's Clothing, reckon, to be a doing God service (Jo. 16. 2.) in a (blind) zeal for him, and his law, against every word of his Gospel (Rom. 10. 2, 3) for the first-covenant life of the law, in their own restor'd spirit of nature, against the second-covenant life of the Gospel, in his own spirit of grace. So, think they do God service, when they joyn with the Devil, to do despite to the spirit, of grace (Heb. 10. 29) casting all the words thereof, behind their backs, and all contempt they can, on all such words, and all the speakers and right hearers of them, as the worst of blasphemies, and blasphemers. What was Saul's Sin in letter and mystery too, is their's in mystery. They must be brought to acknowledg, p. 204with Saul, that what the wisdom of God (and the words or commands thereof) require to be destroy'd; their foolish wisdom, in the words thereof, preaches, keeps up, and warrants currant, for salvation. The Spirit of nature in Man (recovered and restored, by Christ, out of the fall, into the life, wisdom, and ruling power thereof, over all inferiour, sensual, brutish power of life and operation, in him) amounts to no more, in mystery and truth, then the Amalekite King, Agag, and best of the cattel. The refuse of the cattel, the vile affections, the disorderly & unruly lusts of the corrupt state of nature, they have subdued (yet not fully) but, the King, and best of the Cattel (the rational and sensual powers, reduced, to good order, in the ruling authority of the former, and due subjection of the latter) these, they judg fit to be spared. And what are these, both king and subjects? All, but still the Amalekite spirit of nature; and Man, therein, the direct enemy of God, and all his Gospel-Saints and truths. Was not Paul, in and with all these, fighting against God, when he thought his had bin fighting for him? With Saul, will all such self-confident justifiers of themselvs, be condemn'd out of their own mouth; even amid'st their self-justifying plea, against the Lord's and his true spiritual Prophet's charge, drawn up against them; as Samuel's, against Saul. They'l be found partial in God's Law. The refuse things, the vile affections of their polluted nature, they are content, should be subdued, in obedience to it. But, the choicer things thereof, nature at best, in the Glory, Wisdom and righteousness thereof; that all this must go up, in sacrifice, by a just and holy death to God (being an unholy life, or state of enmity to God, however, in a sense, holy, as cleansed from filth of flesh) though convinc'd, God's Wisdom requir's this, also, do they, with Saul, under a self-condemning light, refuse to obey, &c. and yet stoutly assert, with him, that they have obeyed the voice of the Lord. All this, find we, 1 Sam. 15. 18-23. This get men by setting up their own Wisdom and Spirit, as judg or interpreter of the Oracles, dictat's, or words of God's, in a known contrariety to the spiritual meaning and intendment of all. In their restor'd, righteous, inlight'ned nature, that's God's required Gospel-sacrifice (sigured out by all clean law-sacrifices in the old Testament) do they, presumptuously, with Saul and King …, intrude or thrust themselvs into the priests office, 1 Sam. 13. 8-14. 2 Chron. 26. 16-21. In p. 205their own Foolish Wisdom, and Spirit of Enmity to God and all the Words of his Wisdom, do they pretend to the Office of Christ's Priestly Gospel-spirit of Infallible Truth and Everlasting Righteousness, as the only true declarers of the Will and Words of God, that rightly take not his meaning in any of his Words, nor ever can understand them.

This Presumptuous course, persisted and fix'd in, will render the contagious over-spreading Leprosy, the Sin of Enmity to God, filth of Spirit (that's no otherwise curable, then by the compleat and full death of nature) absolutely incurable, and mortal; as the case was with the Litteral Leprosy on Uzzia's Body, to his dying day; though said, for a season, to have done that which was right in the sight of the Lord, in his long Reign of two and fifty Yeers; 2 King. 15. 2, 3. The true Priestly Gospel-Spirit of Christ, offer'd up our nature in himself, at best, in Sacrifice to God. When Samuel Reprov'd Saul, for Sacrificing; his answer was; The Philistins were ready to come upon me, to Gilgal, and I had not made Supplication to the Lord; so, I forc'd my self, and Offer'd a Burnt-Offring. These … Pleas and Apologies of nature, go for nothing, when thorowly search'd by the Spirit of Christ, in his seers. Thou hast done foolishly, say's Samuel, and shalt lose thy Kingdom, Life and all, for't, by those Philistin's, through the fear of whom, thou did'st Offer this Sacrifice of Fools. And, what befel Adam and all his Posterity, with King Uzziah, for Presumptuously setting or keeping up his Law-State (or changable first-Covenant righteous Life of his own nature, as therein the fit Priest, to perform all well-pleasing active obedience to God) in Preference and Opposition to the Gospel-Spirit, presented and offer'd to him, in the Tree of Life, wherein alone 'tis possible to please God, and do all things well, without any possibility of failer or Miscarriage? What came of this willful mistake and Heresy of Adam? A Universal Leprosy, and contagious Disease (of Sin and Enmity to God, and death in such Sin) upon all mankind; Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. The very sin, by which Adam brought this sore Mystical Leprosy, upon the spirit of humane nature, in all mankind, in the beginning of this World, do many Professors in the ending of it, reckon, had bin his duty; even, to keep up the righteous life he was created in, from death and loss. This is directly contrary p. 206to God's Command to first and second Adam, which the first Rebell'd against, and second obey'd; Jo. 10. 18. What was offer'd Adam, in the Tree of Life? Nothing? All things; the one thing necessary, comprehending all things conducible to mans true blessedness. Nor Man nor Angel had this Life, in their first-Creationmake and State. What they (both and all) had, was not Eternal Life; but a Mortal, Perishing Vanity; a fading Flower. 'Tis Eternal Life, say's Satan, ye shall not die at all. Hold fast your own.

He had Rebelliously so done, in his Angelical nature, which turn'd that which was but changably good, into unchangable evil; a mutably good Angel, the work of God's hand, into an incorrigibly wicked Devil, the work of Satan's own hand, which he would also bring all Men and Angels to, if possible, in a fixed, unchangable Enmity to their Maker. The setting up ourselves in a righteous first-Covenant Life, aganst God and the Spirit of the second, is the highest sort of Rebellion, as the Sin of Witch-craft; such Stubbornes as is, indeed, the highest and most criminal Idolatry; 1 Sam. 15. 23. Paul found the Corinthian and Galatian Professors of the Gospel, in danger of this most criminal Witch-craft, to wit, of being beguiled by the Old Serpent, as Eve … (2 Cor. 11. 2, 3.) and fetch'd back again, from Christ's unchangably Holy Gospel-spirit of Life (exhibited to, convincingly shew'd and offered them, in his Ministry) to a confident taking up in their own changably Holy Flesh, or natural Law-Spirit of Enmity and death, for Salvation. This, after they had begun in the Spirit, running well, for a season, in obedience to Gospel-Light; Gal. 3. 1-3. and 5. 7, 8. Who hinder'd you, or, did drive you back, that ye should not obey Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Truth? Who, but the Devil? We find in both Old and New-Testament-Saul, that the confident resting in a first-Covenant-Life, for Salvation, renders Men mortal haters of all the right words of the second, and fierce Persecuters of all that bring such unwelcome Tydings to their Ears, as the Doctrin of the Cross seem's to the Wisdom of righteous Man, though indeed the only Words or Doctrin, whereby any can be saved; the Power of God, unto Salvation; 1 Cor. 1. 18. Saul, in the Old Testament or First-Covenant Spirit, Persecuted David, singly and meerly, as found in the new Name and Spirit of the second, in which, he saw the Lord to be with him; 1 Sam. 18. 12. For this very thing, was p. 207he afraid of him, and resolv'd to kill him, though his Son in Law.

So, old Testament legal-spirited Saul, in the New Testament, till he became a Gospel-spirited Paul, and preacher of the Gospel, was the fiercest opposer of it, breathing out threatings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, for it; Act. 9. 1. Old Testament Saul's unpardonable, presumptuous sin against the Holy Ghost; his unchangable murdering mind of enmity against David, for its sake, was the great transgression, David earnestly prayed to be delivered from, in his own person; Psal. 19. 13. God sets up, first, that that's natural; and afterward, that that's spiritual, in the Saint. All that stick fast in the natural state and life of man, are against the spiritual state and life of God. Those are figured by the Elder; these, by the younger brother; in Cain and Abel, … and Isaac, Jacob and Esau. He that's born after the flesh (by the knowledg of Christ, after the flesh, as a mystical parent and bridegroom to him, in a restor'd, fruitful, first-covenant righteous life) persecut's him that's born of the same Christ, after the spirit, in the second; and so, brought forth in (or raised up into) that life, into which Christ himself is risen from the dead; Rom. 7. 1-4. Thus, was it alway's. And, so is it, now; Gal. 4. 29. These two births in Christ; the former, making men wise, strong, and honorable in the first covenant; the latter, wise, strong, and honorable in the second, we find; Jo. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 48. 10. The rich, full, first-covenant Corinthians, reigning as Kings, there, were the former; to whom, Paul, in the latter, seem'd a fool, weak, and despicable. But Paul, in the latter, knew them to be fools, weak, and despicable, in all the Wisdom, strength, and fading Glory of the former. Paul himself had experienc'd both, in an eminency; had been eminent, in holy flesh, and, therein, the eminent'st Ring-leading Persecuter of them that were born of Christ's Holy Gospel-spirit. And, when Eminent in Christ's Gospel-spirit, was he persecuted by those that were fix'd, or unfix'd (as himself, before Gospel-conversion, Act. 9. 1.) In Holy flesh, enemies of the Gospel, and Cross of Christ. Even those that will prove true Saints, while but in the first-covenant, persecute the second, and consider not, or think they do evil; but indeed, good and acceptable Service to God; Joh. 16. 2. Act. 26. 9. Solomon's advice to them, here, is, that they be more ready to hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ, in himself and Saints, then p. 208to speak in their own; to hear the words of the true publick new-creation manly Spirit of Grace, in the second Adam and his Spiritual descendants or posterity, then to speak in their own private, changable, womanish Spirit of nature, or the first Adam.

We should be swift to hear the true spiritual shepherd's voice, rather then forward (or, at all) to speak in the highest Wisdom of our own Spirit, that's the stranger, and indeed, the very woman, Christ prohibits any speaking at all, in his true Gospel-Church. Paul, on Christ's manly, astonishing voice from heaven to him, turn'd from his own womanish understanding, conferr'd not with flesh and blood; nature, at best, in himself or others; Gal. 1. 16. None more prejudic'd against, or more unfit to hear Christ's Gospel-Doctrin, in the Church on the Rock, then the self-confident Speakers and Preachers of Satan's, in the House upon the Sand. Satan's false Prophets and Ministers, that see Vanity, and divine Lies, are most unfit of all Men, to be so much as Members in the Gospel-Church of Christ, the Assembly of his People; Ezek. 13. 9.