Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Verse 5
Vers. V. Better is it, that thou should'st not vow, then that thou should'st vow, and not pay.
So, Deut. 23. 21-23. When thou vowest a vow unto God, thou shalt not slack (or delay) to pay it. But, if thou forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. Thou shalt perform thy free-will Offring, as thou hast vow'd. Better not vow, then vow and not pay. Better for men, never to have known the way of everlasting righteousness and truth (2 Pet. 2. 21. Heb. 10. 26, 27.) then, after known, to turn from the Holy Commandment, deliver'd to them. What Commandment? That, which Christ received from his Father (and obey'd) even the yielding up our nature, at best, in himself, to death; To. 10. 17, 18. God connives at Man, in the day's of his ignorance and darkness, as to a Gospel-Life of everlasting righteousness, whether in the vile state of polluted nature, dead in sin; or moral Heathenism, in obedience to the Light or Law of rational nature; or in the first-Covenant Believer, Professor, and Worshipper of God, under the outward dispensation of … or Gospel, as Paul, when a Persecuter.
These … sorts of people, while wholly ignorant of Gospel, though they reject, yea, oppose; yea, persecute it, to the death of the true Professors thereof, it is no unpardonable Sin in them. We find this in Paul's case, who was the highest of the three sorts of Sinners, above-mention'd. He was an injurious Blasphemer and Persecuter of Saints, for Gospel-truth; but because he did all ignorantly, in unbelief, he obteined …, was not an unpardonable Sinner against the Holy Ghost, or Gospel-Spirit; 1 Tim. 1. 13. He soon became more eminent in Gospel-Life and knowledg, then those he Persecuted: Yea, a signal Teacher of them, and more abundant Labourer in the Gospel, then all the other Apostles, who were in Christ before him. So, as, while a righteous Law-Pharisee, if any had whereof to Glory, or trust in Holy Flesh, he more (Phil. 3, 4) now, if any had whereof to glory in the Spirit, or Resurrection-Life of Christ (that 'tis duty and absolute safety to trust in) he more; 1 Cor. 15. 9, 10. No Man is brought to an absolute Trial (till Christ, the mystical Sun of everlasting righteousness dawn upon him, in the beaming forth of Spiritual Light, by which to give undeniable notice of his Gospel-Life and State, to him) for vowing or engaging the giving up the Life of his nature, in Sacrifice to God. Neither Publican or Pharisee, the common Profane Sinner, nor righteous first-covenant Jew or Gentile, is bound to vow, nor therefore to perform the vow, as to that devoted thing (nature, in what-ever variety of Life or condition, will, in all, first or last, be found to be, even) devoted to death, under the final Love or Wrath of God. Fixure in the Life of nature, corrupt or righteous, which renders Men litteral or mystical Sodomit's, will be found, against (at least) negative conviction and Testimony, that they ought not so to do, being, by its own self-evidencing demonstration, a fading Flower, a perishing Vanity. But, when Christ, by spiritual Conviction-Light, cleerly discover's (and graciously offer's) his Gospel-Life, to Men (in its own self-evidencing excellency above their Law-Life) and, that they are bound to give up their fading Law-Life, or natural state, in whatever condition (corrupt or righteous) for it, then are they both bound to Vow the giving up this devoted thing, to death; and to pay their Vow; yea, speedily, sorthwith, not be slack; not delay, or defer the Payment. 'Tis better, never to have experienc'd the righteousness of Man, in a renew'd first-Covenant Life, then, after all, either turn back to their old sins, in the corrupt Life of nature; or establish themselvs there, in unchangable enmity to the righteousnes of God, in the Gospel-Life of his Spirit of Grace. The sorest Punishment, for ever, in Hell; the many … belong to such knowing not-doers of their Master's will. … in such knowledg, and rebelling against all, will encrease … everlasting sorrow. Most aggravated wickednesses, will be recompenc'd with such aggravated punishment and Tormont, for eever, as is meet. … Salvation is seen by Man, at his door, when under the undispensable obligation to vow the death of nature, in obedience to …; and accordingly as he perform's or not persom's this most deeply concerning vow, he has, or misses it. Refusing finally to vow, or perform, when bound to both, is fixing in nature, in unchangable … to God and his Spirit of Grace.
This break's all Covenant with God, first and second, the staff of …, comliness (Ezek. 16. 14.) or righteousness of man, in the first; and of Bands (Zec. 11. 7-11.) or, such an unchangable band of Union, as they ought … to have enter'd into, with God, in the second. All's … and gone. They are, for ever, excluded by God's Oath, or swearing in Wrath, they shall never enter into his rest, in the second. And, for their unpardonable Sin, he will take from them, all the fading beauty or goodness he had bestow'd on them, in the …. So, all's gone. God's first-Covenant-gift, set up in unchangable enmity to his convincingly shew'd and graciously offer'd second, is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost, comprehending all the most criminal Sins or Abominations, Man can be guilty of; mystical, spiritual Adultery, idolatry, Murder, &c. Ezek. 16. 15. 38. Ro. 2. 21, 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Gal. 5. 19-21. The proud, reigning, …, old first Covenant Kings, despise all these words, to their own destruction. But, the poor of the Flock (Christ's little ones, content to be impoverish'd, and run down into the barreness and death of their own, however … and enlight'ned nature) understand, own, and obey all such words of the Lord; …. 11. 11. They are willing to be made Fools, weak, and despicable, with Paul, in the … visage of a first-covenant State, Image of the earthy, that they may be all glorious within, in the Image of the heavenly, such as … … …; …, rich, strong, and honourable in God; in the spiritual, Gospel-Life, … with Christ in God. All that finally … …, are the greatest Fools, as to their greatest, eternal concerns. All that …, boggle, and fly off, at the Gospel-Tydings of the Cross (and Death, thereby, to be brought upon nature) resolving to maintain the sandy Foundation (and untemper'd Walls of their earthly, worldly, first-Covenant Church-building) for Salvation, are be witch'd by Satan, with their glittering Holy Flesh and things of Man and Devil, into unchangable enmity to God's Holy Spirit, and all the things of Christ and God.
This work, Satan is at, with first-covenant Professors, in holy …; the self-same, as with Eve, 2 Cor. 11. 3. And, through God's most wise permission, has he wonderfully prevailed, in all Ages and Generations (and not less, sure, in this last and worst of times) to keep men short of the Grace of God; yea, to fix them with himself in enmity to it, and so deprive them of all advantages or benefits of both God's Covenants. Many that begin well, engage and set their hand to God's Spiritual, mystical-Plow (the Cross of Christ, for running down nature in them, toward the commanded Death, suffering many things that way) their foot, in the same Gospel race of suffering, with the thorow-pac'd resolv'd Gospel-Saint (that follow's the Lamb slain, whithersoever he goes, even to the mystical Death and Grave of nature) many of these engaged Racers, does Satan fetch back again, to himself; and sixes them with himself in first creation-Life, and so in unchangable enmity to God, and the second; Gal 5. 7, 8. and 3. 1-4. When come to the borders of the heavenly Canaan, as Israel, of the litteral, they hate it, and turn back to mystical, if not also litteral Egypt, sixing in the righteous, or rolling back to the corrupt Spirit of nature, and that as their professed Judgment, for Salvation, with Ranters. After all high Spiritual enlightning (partaking of the Light of the holy Ghost (and offer'd the Life thereof) and so tasting of that heavenly gift; the good living word and wisdom of God; and Powers of the World to come) they Apostatize or fall away, beyond all possibility of recovery, or renewal of them again, unto repentance; Heb. 6. 4-6. The high Priest's, among the Jews, offer'd litteral Sacrifices: Christ, the true high Priest comes to Preach Death to nature, in their very Persons, as the true Gospel Sacrifice, they ought obediently to give him, to offer up in the fire of his Eternal Spirit, as he offer'd our nature at best, in himself, to God most high. For this, they blasphem'd, and crucified him. The fix'd Shadowy Law-Priest's and their blind followers, abhor the true Gospel-Priest, with all his Spiritual Seers and Doctrine. Many shuffling devices and inventions, Devils Suggest and men find, to shift off the Cross of Christ, wave all the unpleasing words or doctrine thereof, which indeed is the only way to, and Door of entrance for any, into the Kingdom of God. Through a fellowship with their Lord, in sorrows, sufferings, and manifold tribulations, of and to their natural man, inward and outward, do true Saints enter, with him, into his everlasting joy. All others must lie down in everlasting Sorrow, eating the fruit of their own way, & be filled with their own devices, under final wrath. Had they own'd God's reproofs (given by the mouth of true Wisdom, his living word, to them, even the reproofs of Death, to their nature) and followed his instructions for Life, they might have dwelt safely, for ever; and have been quiet from all fear of evil; Prov. 1. 20-33. The Pisgah-Prospect into the new-creation Life, or true Land of promise (given to their natural understandings, by Spiritual irradiations or Light) should have invited, moved, and drawn their wills, with cogent arguments, to the most delightful embraces thereof, on any terms.
Man, convinc'd of the more excellent Gospel-Life and way (and setting hand and foot to work, in prosecution of it, and towards attaining it) is actually under the vow of surrendring nature, to Death. And this is upon record, in that living corner-stone, the fountain Gospel-Spirit, or living creature-Word, Wisdom, or Book of God, in Christ's person.
This was figur'd by the Stone, Josua set up, under an Oak, by the sanctuary of the Lord, that, in figure, heard the Spiritually enlightne'd Israel…s vow, promise, and engagement, over and over, for the true serving the Lord (in his Spirit of truth, the principle of the new and everlasting covenant) accordingly will witness for, or against them, as they firmly hold, or perfidiously fly off, from the said engagement. As for me and my house, say's Josua, we will serve the Lord. So will we; answer'd the people, again, again, again, and again (Jos. 24. 15. 18. 21. 24) yet, after all these good words, fair promises and engagements, a world of them flew off, and came to worse then nothing. Christ, the living Stone (sigur'd by that, Joshua set up) will witness against, and deal with all such, according to their works and dealings toward him; v. 26, 27. Man must not dispute or deferr the performance of the said vow; but, with Paul, should be forthwith obedient to the heavenly vision of the mind of God; come roundly and readily off, with his holocaust, or whole burnt-offring of his natural State. His eye must not pity, nor hand spare any thing in it, that God requires to be destroy'd, as Saul spar'd Agag, and best of the Cattel, in letter and mystery; whereas Abram spar'd not his very Son Isaac, Nature at best. Our true father Abraham, though tempted to it, by Satan, and his own apostle Peter, spared not the true Isaac, our spotless nature in his own person; but, offer'd it up, in the mystical fire of his eternal Spirit of grace, unto God; accounting, with litteral Abram, that God was able to raise him or it, up again, from the dead, into the everlasting righteous life of the true Melchisedec, or sacrificing high-Priest of God, and of our Gospel-profession. Abram was a type of Christ's priestly, Gospel-Spirit; Isaac, of his natural, law-Spirit, offer'd up, by that Priest, in his own person. For this obedience, God most high, blesses the said true Abram, Christ himself, in and with the figure, promising him an innumerable multitude of Spiritual Saints, the true seed, descendents, and posterity of the second Adam. Gen. 22. 16-18. The new covenant is a covenant of oath, by which the Lord ratifies his mercies to all obedient enterers into it with him, for ever, by an oath; and excludes all rebellious, wilfull refusers of the terms of entring into it, with an oath, also; Swearing in his wrath, they shall never enter into his rest; Heb. 3. 11. 18. And (Heb. 6. 13-18) we sind the new-covenant promise to Abram, establish'd with an oath, and that oath it self, made or confirm'd by two immutable things, God's infinite divine, and his immutably righteous and Glorious new-creature self, or Spirit, the living word, and Eternal Wisdom of God, in personal union with infinite divinity.
The terms of the first covenant, on Man's part, is to part with the vile affections and lusts of the corrupt Spirit of nature: on God's, to set up the restor'd righteous life thereof.
In the second, is man to give up the very righteous life, to God, in sacrifice, as a perishing vanity, a fading flower, which was God's part to give him, in the first; as the clean sacrifice, for entering into the second. Thus, first, God gave Abram an Isaac, and then requir'd the offring of him up. And so, did Abraham, by that very thing, in mystery, enter the second, and was justified for ever, before God; Jam. 2. 21. This gives him, and all his Spiritual seed, compleat victory over all enemies; so, as to … their Gates, take away all strength and power from them; Gen. 22. 17, 18. They will, in the … mighty power of … new-creation Gospel-Spirit, tread all … …, … … law-enemies, evil Angels and …, under their …. Nothing is of greater advantage to the Saint, then the … … of his vow, relating, to the new-covenant, sor the … death of nature: nothing, of more dangerous …, then his deserring or delaying the performance of this vow. Nothing gives greater advantage to the Devil, against him, then … delay sor extinguishing his part in him, the natural State. The most …, resiless, Implacable enemy (that, in his mighty power and …, roves up and down, as a roaring Lion, to devour all he … light on) will not … to make his utmost advantage of such delay. If he sind Saints lingring, and loath (with Lot) to depart out of litteral or Mystical Sodom, or both (even the whole Life and lust of nature, corrupt or …) he will labour, might and main, to turn their lingrings, into a … and absolute establishment, there, and so, … their hearts in them to do evil; six them with himself, there, in unchangable enmity to God, and Death to themselvs.
But, God is … to his Saints, and lay's hold on them, by his Angels, as on ling'ring Lot, to hasten them out of both the said Sodom's; Gen. 19. 15, 16. … great mercy in the Lord, and should be the earnest prayer of the Saint to him, to hasten the execution of the guilty Sinner, the … party in him; and so, his deliverance srom all evil, in enmity to God, or compliance with the Devil. … uses his utmost power and skil, to cause a delay, in this case. God gives his most saithful counsel and instruction to us, to hasten the performance. To be sure, linger while we wil, done it must be, first or last, or we perish for ever. The sooner and speedier done, the better sor us. We should not look on Christ, as Satan represents him, a hard Master, a bloody Husband; but, a most faithful Creatour and gracious Redeemer. What? (Suggest's Satan to men) does Christ come with a sacrificing Knife, Fire and Sword, speaking War and Death to a righteous Life of his own twice setting up, in vou? first, by creation; and then, redemption? Never believe it. With God is no such variableness or shadow of turning. He quoted Scripture, to Christ himself. … unreasonable, say's he, to think, God should pull down and destroy the Work of his own hands. And, when he has thus steel'd them with arguments, for self-defence, and keeping up themselvs in their own native Countrey, and Father's House, the restor'd life of the first Adam, the image of the earthy, as a most desireable land, or state; then fall's he to work, the other way, to bring a false and evil report on God's Countrey, the new-creation land of promise or state of life. This is the Far Countrey, the man Christ is gone into, where he lives for evermore. This Far Countrey (even a heavenly, that God engages, as his part, in the new Covenant, to bring men into, on their obedient, speedy departure out of their own) does Satan bring an evil report, upon. First, say's he, you have but a report, a hear-say of it, you have no certain knowledg or experience of it. And then, 'tis a Land that eateth up the Inhabitants thereof (as the spies, doing his errand therein, said of the litteral, Numb. 13. 32) your destruction and very death it self, is the propounded and declared terms, on which only ye can enter into the possession of it. So, when brought by Christ's Spiritual Light, to the very borders of the heavenly Canaan, by and with his evil apostles and spies (ministers of his Gospel, that's no Gospel) are they easily perswaded & induced to start aside, and fly off, as offended at both the promised land or life it self, they should enter into; and also, at the loss oftheir own, with all their mystical riches & large possessions, therein. So, in stead of speedily performing the commanded and vow'd sacrifice of their old nature, in order to enter into (and take possession of) the said new land of promise, they peremptorily and conclusively refuse the terms, and consult with Satan and one another, about a return back, rather into Egypt (litteral, or mystical, corrupt or righteous nature) and there fix and establish themselvs, in their own nature, land, or Countrey, in unchangable enmity to God's. This, the rebellious fleshly Israel was at, in letter and figure. If holy flesh, a righteous natural State; and strict, holy walking therein, won't do't for salvation, they'l not be saved. This desperate resolution is a crime of a dangerous, destructive complexion, of an Ethiopian hiew. 'Tis the Leopards spot, never the spot of Gods Children, Spiritual Saints. Tis the highest folly, imaginable. If they'l never obediently come out of their own land, the fading life of their own nature, they'l never enter his, even the life of his Spirit of Grace. If they'l not suffer and die with Christ, in the former; they'l never live and reign with him, in the latter. If they'l not follow his suffering steps, they never come where he is. They prefer the earthy life and Countrey of the Creature, to the heavenly life of the Creatour, Blessed for ever. The issue of (and for) this disobedience, matters come to, is this. God will strip them of, and take from them, all the fading good they are possess'd of, in the mystical earthly Countrey, or land of their own restor'd enlighten'd nature, as wilfully retain'd in a known rebellion against him. The very same Mystical Sword (or new-Creation Spirit of Christ and God) will be drawn against them, in final wrath, to destroy them for ever, which they so fear'd, startl'd at, and turn'd from, when offer'd to be brought upon them, in love, to give them a kindly and right death-pass, into the true land of promise. Had they willingly obey'd it, they had enter'd, and eaten the good of the true land of promise. But having absolutely and conclusively refused it, and rebell'd against it, they'l be devour'd by the same sword, or Spiritual cross upon them, for ever. The mouth of the Lord (the living word of God, Christ himself) hath spoken it. Isa. 1. 19, 20. Obediently lose the fading life of nature, and enter. Rebelliously save, pitty, spare your own life, and ye lose all, for ever, in eternal death, under final wrath. This is Christ's doctrin; Mat. 16. 25. And this, Christ presently deliver'd, on Satan's contrary doctrin, by an Apostle, with the perswasive (and seeming friendly) words of his wisdom. When he had spoken of his sufferings, Peter rebuk'd him, and preach'd the self-same doctrin to him, the Old Serpent preach'd to Eve, and by her, to Adam. Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee; that is, thou shalt not suffer, or die, at all. This Spotless righteous law-life, in holy flesh, is eternal life; no danger of death. The Gospel-Riddle, uninterpretable by Man's Wisdom, is this; die must nature, or all's lost; nature and grace too; all good, in first or second covenant, changable or unchangable. And what succeeds? unchangable evil of sin and punishment. The obedient death of nature, under the cross; the full, sevenfold purifying of it in the fiery furnace thereof, from all dross, tin, and reprobate silver, all filth of flesh and Spirit too, renders man clean every whit; Jo. 13. 10. This delivers him for ever, from all captivities, bondages, enemies, dangers, and death's, litteral and mystical Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon, the life of nature, corrupt or righteous, both of which are a state of enmity to God, and death to man, if fix'd in. Thou shalt never wash my feet, said Peter; No? say's Christ, then, thou wilt have no part in me. Oh then, not my feet only, but hands, and head, said Peter; If feet be wash'd, 'tis enough, say's Christ, there need's no more, to make perfectly clean, every whit whole, and spiritually sound. If the feet (the will and understanding, the two mystical feet on which man walks, in his esteem, judgment, thought of, and desire after things; if these) be Spiritual, Heavenly, Gospel-feet, the discerning and desiring powers of the Gospel-Spirit and principle, all will go right. Heavenly things, never-perishing meats, will be wholly and only esteem'd, desir'd, and fed upon, in this bottom-principle. All will be right a-top, in all Holy, Gospel-Conversation, when all's right at bottom. A Spirit greater then he that's in the World, the Devil, in which 'tis impossible to displease God (Sin, erre, miscarry, deceive, or be deceived) must needs ever do all things well, and man be truly blessed in the deeds thereof.
The extream folly then of man, in not only deferring, but finally refusing to pay his engaged, commanded vow, for giving up his whole nature, or Spirit (the devoted thing) in sacrifice, by death, unto God, is unpardonable. And then, God will be extream (and that most justly) in marking all, done amiss by him, in his self-chosen nature and life. He will call him to an account, for every thing, done therein, from first to last. This great transgression, the presumptuous unpardonable sin unto eternal death, will bring all other sin's at its heels, to be answer'd for, as creditors come upon a man, for lesser debts, when clapt up in prison, for a great one. And then will every Spiritual conviction, offered men (in the day of their trial, and God's patience towards them) be reviv'd in them (and stare them in the face) to witness against them, judg, and condemn them, in harmony with God himself. When man's trial is over, and sentence of death irrevocably past upon him; God will not repent or change from his dispensation of wrath, and man cannot repent or change from his rebellious mind of enmity against God. Repentance will be hid from God's eyes, and man's, on all hands. Unchangable enmity to God, lay's man under the unchangable wrath of God; thrust's him out of all distance, as to any favour, for ever, or benefit by Christ's sacrifice or intercession. Christ died not, nor will intercede for the pardon of unchangable enmity to God and him. And God will revive his formerly given Spiritual light, to testify for him, against them, in their own consciences; the evidence whereof, can never be silenc'd, extinguish'd, or denied by them. The irresistible testimony of it, will be a perpetual condemner of them, and justifier of God, in his most wrathfull proceedings against them. This is the worm, never dies; witnessing the fire of that wrath, to be undeniably just, which can never be quench'd; Mark. 9. 44. 46. 48.