Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Verse 17
Vers. XVII. All his days also he eateth in darkness; and he hath much sorrow, and wrath with his sickness.
In this verse and the two former, have we a true description of man's doleful state, after the largest possessions, litteral or mystical, that can fall to his lot, in first-creation life. He huggs but a wind, phantome, shadow, or self-pleasing Dream. All's nothing; and, he comes to worse than nothing, unspeakable misery and confusion, without the least relief, for ever, under unquenchable wrath. Man is born in a naked condition of Body, and dead in Sin, as to his Soul. When reviv'd and Cloath'd again by Christ, as to some measure of his restor'd lost Life and Righteousness, in the first-covenant; by keeping up that, in enmity (to an everlasting Life and Righteousness, offer'd him by Christ, in the second, and so, sinning after the similitude of Adam's first transgression) he is worse than ever; his latter end worse than his beginning, a state of unchangable, incurable evil, sorrow, nakedness, poverty, and death. His whole man, after all possible revival, comsort, flourish, or fruitfulness in the mortal first-covenant Life of his Spirit, or sensual Life of his Body, goes destitute of all good or comfort, naked out of the World, as he came into't. He takes nothing of the fading Glory of his reviv'd Spirit (any more than outward riches and comforts, relating to his Body) away with him, at the death of the Body. All goes. In all points, on all accounts, he goes as he came; stark naked; strip'd of all comfort or goodness. All fruits and labours of his Spirit and Body, go together; all vanish. They that obediently part with all such fading Life, and but things of man, in their Spirit, before the death of their Body, find their own again with usury, for ever, in the everlasting Life, Wisdom, Righteousness and things of God, in the Gospel-Spirit or Principle of the new and everlasting Covenant. This is the unspeakable Gift of God, offer'd all, on obedient surrender of their fading Life and things, in the first-covenant, for his everlasting, in the second. They that refuse this surrender (as most do) lose all good, in both Covenants, for ever; and fall under the positive inflictions of wrath, for ever. This, for the evill use of all their things and labours in the first, against God, and the second. When charg'd for all, before the Judgment-seat of Christ, they'l be found in a silencing, self-condemning consciousness, as to all, charg'd with; will have nothing to say. When their evil consciences are open'd, all their mouths of iniquity will be stopp'd. No disputing, pleading, apologizing, but e'ne take their charge and sentence; and so, lie down for ever in sorrow, shame, and confusion, under the wrath of their most righteous all-seeing Judg. Then will they find nothing of all their evil travel, left in their hand. The wrath of God will be upon them; and, the awak'ned spiritual convictions, afforded them, in mercy, on earth, will be set up in them, for ever, in hel, as a never-dying, ever-gnawing worm (Mark. 9. 44. 46. 48) to torment them within, by the perpetually forc'd sight of their madness and folly, on earth, against the universal experience of all mankind, and all faithfull warnings from God. All their fading beauty will be consum'd, in that Grave, from their dwelling (Psal. 49. 14.) or that earthly state of their whole persons, which they have chosen for their final habitation. They have rendred themselvs fit fewel for the wrath of God, eternally to flame forth, upon. When Christ awak's or comes forth in his heavenly, he will despise or destroy their earthly Image (Psal. 73. 20.) or state; burn up all the fading Glory, perishing Life, Riches, Fruits, and meats thereof, or works therein; 2 Pet. 3. 10. Their fleshly principle or root, with the branch; tree, with the fruit, as Grass; at best, a fading flower, will wither and perish for ever; Isai. 40. 6. These things and life, then, chosen by them, when known to be so (and Christ's everlasting Life and Things, as knowingly and wilfully rejected, when convincingly shew'd and fairly offer'd them) will cause their unutterable confusion, for ever, in eternal darkness and death. They'l have nothing but wrath to feed on, for ever, in a resurrection of damnation. Much sorrow and wrath will they have in and with their sickness, unexpressible wrath, rage, and madness within them (as the Septuagint render) in their languishing, incurable sickness, or unchangable enmity to God, under the final wrath of God. This will befall them, after all patience of God, and favourable offers (while 'twas called to day, with them, in this world) all which, they abus'd and refus'd, to their sorer condemnation and punishment. So, become they most desolate, for ever. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, &c. Mat. 23. 37, 38. As vessels of dishonour, will they be forc'd to eat the fruit of their own way, … be filled with the fruit of their own devices; the wrath of God; Prov. 1. 31. 'Twill be sorely ill with them, when that just reward of their hands shall be given them; Isai. 3. 11. Had they … to his Counsel, they might have dwelt safely, for ever, and, have been quiet from fear of evil. Prov. 1. 33. Their simple turning from his offers, and their prosperous flourish in their own nature, will, and way, destroy'd these incorrigible Fools. V. 32.