Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Verse 3
Vers. III. For, a Dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words.
Man, at best, in his own nature, is altogether vanity, walks in a vain shew (Heb. an Image) lead's but an Imaginary Life, in the Image of the Earthly, the Law-Spirit of nature, shadow of the heavenly, the Gospel-Spirit of Grace and Truth. All man's concerns and labours, relating to such a Life; all his disquietings of himself about it, must needs be in vain. The very life, to which all relate, is very vanity. In all the noise, trouble, stir, and din, man makes about himself, herein, can he never please God, or profit himself, as to true blesedness. Vain are all his solicitudes in getting, heaping up, and keeping such litteral or mystical riches of his own nature, as will all make themselvs wings and fly way, do what he can, when all's done. All such riches are but a vanity, tossed to and fro, by them that love Death. … … but a tumbling cast, in which men are tossed up and down, by providence, like balls (as the Poet say's) never at any certainty. Many, rich in outward, litteral wealth, live to see all gone, and themselvs run down into poverty. And so, as to mystical; many, rich, for a season, in … treasures, and fruits of a first-covenant righteous Life, roll back again with the Dog to the vomit, and Sow to the mire of their old sins, brutish vilenesses, and so come again to be as poor, and tattered there, as other beggerly, brutish sinners of the Genti'l's. Yea, in a worse condition then they (if unfix'd there) because now come to their latter end worse then that beginning, as born dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Pet. 2. 20-22. For but these two sorts of … deceitful riches, especially the mystical, do men turn their backs on Christ's true riches, heavenly treasures, eternal Life, with the Young Man in the Gospel, not regarding them, at all, any more then a bruit beast does. And this renders man's whole Life and labour, in this World, from his Cradle to his Grave, a very dream. In the multitude of his buisiness (cumbring himself as Martha, with the many things of this World, that Satan is called Prince and God of) he wholly neglects Maries better choice of the one thing necessary, which comprehends all things, relating to true blessedness, in the World to come. The full sum of all, man labours but for some little particle of, the god of this World offer'd Christ, and was refused; even all the Kingdoms of this World and Glory of them, that is, all humane and angelical excellencies, sound in the first creation; yea, and all these, by his transforming art, gilded over with the nearest resemblance of all the things of God, the spiritual Life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, in the second. What madness is it, for Men to trade in, seed, and wholly dote upon, but such perishing vanities, or meats, Satan is the known permitted Master and dispenser of? Mean while, all eternal things and concerns, are as wholly neglected, despised, and hated; even that spirit of Christ, that one thing (comprehending all things) necessary to salvation. This Gospel-spirit of God, with all its words, the only right do-all and say-all, to God's well-pleasing and Man's salvation, Man will not reckon worth his thought, regard, looking after, or listening to. But, on he goes, in his dreamish Life of Vanity, to try what work he can make on't, there, for true happiness, under an absolute known impossibility of ever finding it. He sondly seeks for it, in perishing vanities, which God reckon's things that are not; and, never … things spiritual, heavenly, and …, which God call's the only things that are. Thus cross and contrary is the judgement, are the conceptions and words of Man's wisdom, at best, to God's. Man will own nothing above his fading natural things, first-creation vanities, but infinite divinity. He will not believe there are any middle sort of things, of a spiritual everlasting righteous new-creation nature, between natural, and purely divine things. Thus, does Man leave no room for his advance in creature-ship, above his natural first-creation state of vanity, but only a being swallowed up, into infinite divinity, wholly losing his creaturality, by annihilation: and so, indeed, getting just nothing. Infinite Divinity will be where 'twas, and what it was, from Eternity to Eternity, beyond and above all possibility of addition; and, all Creatur's, Men and Angels, where they were, before Creation; a meer absolute nullity, vanished Shadows.
If there be no other creature-state, but what they (both and all) receiv'd by the first creation, what else imaginable, can become of them, but a reduction of them all, into their primitive nothing? The towring, presumtuous thought of being godded with God, is, at bottom, when well examin'd, a being downright nothing'd; and no better. God will not only confute, but destroy all this wisdom of man, in which he presumtuously, rambles about for happiness, in his own will and way (against his makers known mind and counsel, about him) pitching upon his own fading, natural creature things, in preference to, and exclusion of God's heavenly, Spiritual Eternal creature-things, as not worthy his regard, or minding. They deny, they decry them. They call them blasphemous … (and therein do they blaspheme) devised fables only, to …, diminish and disparage their conceited natural things, perishing vanities, which they reckon the only creature-things that are, in a perfect contrariety to the … of God. By those very Spiritual Saints and things, man's Wisdom count's Fools and foolishness, will God confound all their foolish-Wisdom and self-exalting power. By these foolish Persons; and despised things, Man looks on as worse then nothing, will God bring to nought things that (in man's Judgment) are; in God's, not; 1 Cor. 1. 9. and v. 27, 28. who'l be Judg, at last? God, and wise, holy, first-covenant Saints, are of a directly contrary Judgment, in this great case. Those that, with Paul, have Praise with God (are such as the Lord commendeth) go for no body, worse than nothing, with them.
They that are meer dreamers, and please themselvs with their dream (Jer. 23. 25-32) or dreamish hapiness, call all Gospel-truths, a dream, …, a delusion of the Devil; and say to Gospel-Saints, as Joseph's brethren to him, behold these dreamish-heirs, that pretend to the everlasting inheritance, in a Spirit and doctrine, we hate; let's kill them all, and see what will become of them and their dream's. Gen. 37. 18-20. They reckon their doctrin Wheat; and Christ's, Chaff. But, he will say, what's your Chaff to my Wheat? The true Spiritual circumcision-Saint, seem's a fool, a mad Man, in the house of God, or, to and amongst first-covenant brethren (Hos. 9. 7, 8) yea, the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things; 1 Cor. 4. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Those, that rejoyce in Christ Jesus, or in his Gospel-Spirit, the Holy Ghost, with joy unspeakable and Glorious, are despised and trampled on, by their first-covenant brethren, whose confidence is wholly in their holy slesh, or restor'd naturals. The first and second-covenant Saint, are properly the natural and Spiritual man. The enlightned moral heathen, obedient to the restor'd rational, first-covenant light, or law of nature, may be comprehended under the title, natural man. But, the corrupt heathen, living and walking wholly in the brutish lusts of his degenerate, fallen nature, is a beast. He has not, what is properly, in a Scripture-sense, the life of a man, or any part of it. That Death in Sin, threatned (and accomplish'd upon) Adam and all his posterity, they delight in, rather then accept of deliverance out of it. But, the enlightn'd, restor'd natural man, in the light, or also life of the first-covenant, is of a distinct, contrary palate, desire, appetite, and thought or judgment, from and to the Spiritual. All his regard, desire, love, and delight, is for, after, and in worldly, perishing vanities, passant shadows, dreams, that come from a multitude of busines, that he vainly makes to himself, about such empty, perishing nothings. So, will they themselvs (even these first-covenant kings, the mystical Princes of this world, such as … Christ) come to nought, yea, worse then nothing, with all their trusted in nothings. They'l be at a total loss, for ever, pining and starving in everlasting poverty and nakedness, under the positive Inflictions and Burnings of unchangable and unquenchable Wrath.
T. And a Fool's voice is known by a multitude of words; good words, fair speeches, as the only Ministers of Christ's Gospel, deceiving the hearts of the simple, or undiscerning; that can't discern, or, at least, … own the difference between Christ's and Satan's Gospel. All the while, are they gratifying or serving their own palate, appetite, desire, or belly of their natural Spirit, in the perishing Life, and with the perishing Meats, of a first-Covenant State, as the true Salvation and blessedness of any. These Wise-Fools, are the fiercest enemies of the very Christ, the very Gospel, of all men. A multitude of Words and Books do they come forth, in. And, nothing must pass for Orthodox, right or true Gospel-Doctrin, but what the wisdom of Man, that's a flat enemy to all Christ's Gospel, sitting in its Magisterial Chair of Infallibility, gives its ratifying nod, or Imprimatur, to. Be such, what they will, they do and will yet pass for the only signal owners and Trumpeters of Christ's everlasting Gospel; whereas indeed they are the most careful shutters up of the Kingdom of Heaven, the most industrious decriers of the very Christ, the very Gospel, or Spiritual sense of all Scripture, in the World. This was the Pharisees case, in Christ's own time; Mat. 23. 13. The first-covenant law-spirit or principle, fixed in enmity to the second, is the …-same leaven with that of the Pharisees, under the outward dispensation of the Gospel, as well as under the Law. They, for a pretence, made long Prayers, compassed Sea and Land, left no means unattempted, no stone unturn'd, to proselyte or fetch back any from Christ's Gospel-truth, to Satan's lie and falshood, his accursed other Gospel; and so, to make them two-fold more the Children of Hell then themselvs, as sinning against cleerer discerning, greater Light and Conviction, then they ever had, as to Gospel-truths. And, this done, they Triumph, as having done God Service, in converting them from Christ's to their …, which Man's wisdom styles Orthodox. So, all run's smooth and fine. … keep's silence, and they please themselvs to imagine he is of their mind and judgment, such a one as …; Psal. 50. 20, 21. But, he warn's them before-hand, he will find a time to … them in pieces, so as none shall be able to deliver them; …. …. And, as he … them, he comforts Saints, abused by …, with this …, Pl. appear … your Joy, and they shall be ashamed. These threat's … the one, and promises to the other, will be accomplish'd, at one and the same time, Christ's second comming; …. 66. 5. If such … were used, to keep off people from … … himself, what may the true Ministers of his …, now, … from the like legal-spirited Generation of … and Professors? The Pharisees said among themselvs, … … … … nothing? To wit, as to the gaining and keeping off the people, from listning to his Ministry? …, the World is … … …; Jo. 12. 19. Indeed, the World goes after … (1 Jo. 4. 5.) hear's and own's them and their Doctrin. People, a … People, … after the Beast, admire his Apostles, praise, reward, and follow them.
The deadly Wound, given mankind by the first Sin, being … in these Teachers and … (by which they are recovered out of that Death in Trespasses and Sins, they were born in) they reckon, all's their own. And, who but they? Rev. 13. 3. With what a wry Mouth, and scornful Indignation did the Pharisees take up theirs and the Chief Priest's Officers, who were sent to Apprehend Christ, but did not? Never Man spake like this Man, said the Officers. Are ye also deceiv'd? said the Pharisees. Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees … on him? But this People that knoweth not the Law, are Cursed. None, but a sort of ignorant, simple People, Women and unlearn'd Fisher-Men (So they reckon'd Peter and John, Act. 4. 13.) follow him, or regard his doctrin. At this rate, did the signally enlight'ned ring-leaders of the then only Professing People of God, in the World, say of Christ and his Doctrin. What will convince? Are we blind also? Said the Pharisees. Jesus said, if ye were blind, ye should have no Sin; or would not be guilty of the unpardonable Sin, against Spiritual Light; and so, the Holy Ghost: But ye say, we see: Therefore your Sin remain's, for ever, upon you, that is, is unpardonable. Ye wilfully and knowingly Sin against my Gospel-Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost; so, remain's to you nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation, for ever; Heb. 10. 26, 27. Ye are of your Father the Devil, Jo. 8. 44. Ye Serpents, ye Generation of …, how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell? Mat. 23. 33. This is the language, on both hands, that passed between Christ and the enlight'ned Professors and Teachers of that day. What will warn, or induce self-confidents, to a suspition of their rotten Principles, and Sandy Foundation? If any think he has whereof to boast, there, Paul and other enlight'ned Pharisees of that day, more. And, as confident was Paul, all was right with him, and he doing God Service, in Persecuting the Gospel, as any now can be, in like case and Principles. The case of blind Leaders and their blind followers, all of them stark blind (or worse, wilfully blind, as shutting their eyes against, and turning away their understandings from Christ's to Satan's Gospel) is the same now, as then. And, the punishment of both and all, will be the same. They'l all fall into the Ditch, the Bottomless Pit, the very Spirit of the Devil, the unchangable enemy of God. They said of Christ, he hath a Devil, and is Mad, when convinc'd of his Doctrin, as the truth, they had nothing to say against, but, in a way of railing, against a Witness for him, and against themselvs, in their own Consciences. The true followers of Christ, in all ages, have the same lot and handling; are call'd Fools and Mad-men, at a venture, in despite and scorn, by those, whose own Consciences flie in their Faces, and condemn them, for their folly and madness, therein. These are the Fools, whose Voice is known by a multitude of Words. Brutified Sinners, at this day, Litteral Sodom, Egypt and Babylon, destroy or make void the Law; Psal. 119. 126. And then, a sort of righteous mystical Sinners (Spiritually call'd Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon, such as Crucified Christ, Rev. 11. 8.) what in them lies, destroy the Gospel; make void the Grace of God. Yet, in all this combined interest of Litteral and Mystical Sodom, against the Gospel (and yet, clash amongst themselvs, in their practical pro and con, as to the Life righteousness, and Doctrin of the Law, with their multitude of words, and many things, on all hands) remain's a hopefulness, that Christ may find his seven Thousands, or seventy-times seven thousand, amongst us, that have not willfully, but ignorantly bow'd the knee to Baal, or follow'd and own'd the first-Covenant-Doctrin of his Priests, and righteousness of Man, for the Power of Godliness, the grace, and righteousness of God, in the second.