Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
V. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the days of thy Youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
HEre's a farther reason, for Man's remembring his Creatour, in the youthful season of his bodily life; and, as figur'd by that, the youthful vigor and flourish of his Spirit, in the restor'd righteous first-Covenant life thereof. Christ is a twofold Creatour of blessed Angels and Saints, by a first and second-Creation-workmanship, upon them; of all other Men, Angels, and things, a single Creatour, by a first-Creation-workmanship, only: The former, Eph. 2. 10. Col. 1. 18. the latter; 16. As first-born of every Creature (ver. 15.) fountain of all creature-being and life, did he comprehend the immortal Spirits of all Angels and Men, as radically existing in him, (v. 17.) which are … forth by him into a personal subsisting, at their appointed seasons. He that created all things, is God; God the Mediator, in his conjunctive divine and creature-nature; Joh. 1. 1, 3. Heb. 1. 2. & 3. 4. His creature-spirit is the fountain of all other creature-beings, and the immediate hand, by which, brought forth in their distinct subsistencies and visibilities. In all, does he fulfil the will of the infinite Divinity, who said, Let there be this, that, and t'other, and accordingly were all things created, visible and invisible, answering the existing beings, given them in the Womb of the Mediator's vast original creature-being. And, as Angels and Men have their natural beings, so, that natural first-covenant light and life, from Christ, which fits them for the right exercise of their beings. As perfect natural beings, with a perfect natural life, breath'd into, and set up in their …, were they the product of Christ's …-creation-workmanship, upon them. They receiv'd their Beings, Light, and Life, from him. Saints, over and above all this, receive from him, a spiritual, everlasting righteous life, and are made spiritual Vessels, or sitted receptions thereof, by his second or new-Creation-workmanship. The fountain of this being and life, is also in himself, as head of the Church; Col. 1. 18. The incorruptible seed (1 Pet. 1. 23.) of this new life, was cast into their Spirits, from the date of their radical existing in the invisible creature-womb of himself, the parent of Spirits, in pursuance of the free thought and purpose of the divine mind. The actual quickning up this Seed, or giving them eternal Life, is, what Christ purchas'd for them, (by the obedient death and sacrifice of his own assumed perfect, spotless, but changeable first-creation state) and is the builder of them up, in. So, in all things, hath … an everlasting pre-eminence, over them.
In reference to both these Creations, or Worlds, first and second, natural and spiritual (Heb. 1. 2.) Solomon says, remember Christ, as both thy natural and spiritual Creatour, bringing thee forth, according to the methods of God's Wisdom, first, in a natural state, by a first-creation; and afterwards, in a spiritual, by a second; 1 Cor. 15. 46. This twofold Creation, David acknowledg'd, too wonderful and oversetting to his understanding, as to the taking any right measures thereof, or putting any meet value, upon. When he consider'd the thoughts of God, in reference to the single first-creation of all; and then, his twofold-creation of Saints; he concludes the sum of them to be too great, to take or give a distinct and full account of. They are moe in number then the sand; Psal. 139. 14, -18. Man's due remembring his Creatour, that has done such wonderful things for him, imports an obedient submitting to his dispensations, for the accomplishing his designs, and rendring him truly blessed, in a state of unchangeable union with him, and welpleasing obedience to him. Since the fall, has Christ, as Redeemer, laid a yet farther and greater Weight of obligation upon Men, to remember him, as their Creatour, so as to yield a ready, universal obedience to his spiritual Law, which always was the undispensable duty of Angel and Man, before the fall, as well as since. By that Law, is the life of Nature, at best, or in whatever condition, to be given up in sacrifice to God, by his priestly hand, that has, from all the said rights and obligations, a title thereunto. Since our fall, we receive our lost righteous natural Life or State, afresh, by his Redemption-Work, as a first benefit of his death. So are we bound to use our whole beings, bodies and spirits, in such restor'd Life, and then death and loss of it for a better, in obedience to his command, and conformity to his example. We must not live in, or do our own will, but his (that died for us) by the death of ours; 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. Christ, now, is to be remembred as Redeemer, as well as Creatour; 2 Tim. 2. 8. By the death of nature in himself, he has purchas'd the lost righteous life of it, for us. Hereby are we a-new put on the trial, for obedient surrender thereof, for his spiritual, Resurrection-life, as the full benefit, and principal design of his death. Man, then, is so to remember his Creatour and Redeemer, as to make the right use of his restor'd natural State, by yeilding up his old, for Christ's newness of Life. This is the only way of putting away all evil from his flesh, or rooting out all enmity to God's Spirit, that's now inseparable from the life of nature, at best.
t. While the evil day's come not, &c. That is, before God, in Wrath, blast the most fruitful, youthful, vigorous, joyful state of thy natural spirit, bringing mystical decays, gray hairs and old age upon it, so as to make thee find or take, no longer, any pleasure therein. All the beauty and desirableness thereof, shall fade away, and be consumed; as all the goodliness or desirableness of the body, in the literal grave. See both, as one is the figure of the other; Psal. 49. 14. And, then also, as fix'd in enmity, will men find themselves not only strip'd and depriv'd of all good or comfort, but under the positive inflictions of unchangeable wrath. Of this most sad condition, and God's most … proceedings towards them therein, have we a full account in the following-words,
Vers. 2. While the Sun, or the Light, or the Moon, or the Stars be not darkned, nor the Clouds return after the Rain:
Ver. 3. In the day when the Keepers of the House shall tremble, and the strong Men shall bow themselves, and the Grinders cease, because they are few; and those that look out of the windows, be darkned:
Ver. 4. And the Doors shall be shut in the Streets; when the sound of the grinding is low; and he shall rise up at the voice of the Bird, and all the Daughters of 'Musick shall be brought low.
These expressions do represent the weak, decay'd state of Man, in old age, which brings sorrow and darkness upon him, and, at length, a period to his bodily life, and all sensual delights. And, this figuratively points at the like mystical decay, gray hairs, old age, and death, brought, as God's displeasure, on the most righteous, fruitful life of Man's spirit, under the Cross. But, all these marks of God's displeasure, on our natural body and spirit, as found in enmity to him, are the effects of his everlasting kindness to obedient Saints, as the very means and way of translating them into his everlasting righteous, spiritual creature life. For a season, Saints rejoyce in their enlighten'd nature, as Law-servants, finding delight in the literal and mystical Sun, Moon, and Stars of this World. But, they are made obedient to God's dispensation of turning the light of this mystical Sun, Moon, and Stars, as well as literal, into darkness, to their spirits, as well as bodies, in both which, there's a time appointed for all Men once to die; Heb. 9. 27. The mystical death of the spirit, and all decays, of a tendency thereunto, does Solomon figure out, here, by the decays of the body, in the declining age thereof. The keepers of the House that will tremble; and the strong Men, that shall bow themselves, outward limbs and parts of the Body, sigure out the inward Senses and intellectual Powers of the natural spirit, as operating by the Organs of the Body. The decays of bodily life, in all the parts and powers thereof, are felt and experienc'd also by the inward faculties and powers of the Spirit, that are exercis'd by them. Hence, old Men grow weak, feeble, and imperfect in the operations thereof; and so, are brought back again, into the condition of Children. Inward and outward Powers and Senses of body and spirit, tremble and bow themselves, in the literal and mystical old age of both. The Grinders will cease; and, those that look out of the Windows, be darkn'd. The outward and inward senses and instruments (by which, man has taken in the supplies of Light and Comfort, from the sutable objects of both, in the visible and invible parts of this World) will fail, and become altogether unfit for such use and service. Then the Doors shall be shut in the Streets, &c. ver. 4. And all the Daughters of Musick shall be brought low. All the joy and delight of Man's youthful flourish in mind and body, shall be turn'd into a painful, restless, comfortless, wearisom condition; all former pleasures and delights, into labour and sorrow; Psal. 90. 10. Man's most concerning duty then, is, to listen to God's way, for the receiving his fresh Oyl, or holy Anointing, that will give an everlasting newness of Life, Vigour, Strength, and Beauty, to his whole person, wherein to feed upon never-perishing Meats, the delights of the Sons of God. If the rain of spiritual convictions, and beamings-forth of spiritual Light, be disobediently rejected and turn'd from; after them, will the clouds of God's final Wrath come upon Men, from the same hand or spirit of Christ, that caused the Rain thereof to fall, and the Sun to shine upon them, while it was, to day, with them; Mat. 5. 45. Heb. 3. 15.
Vers. 5. Also, when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the Almond-tree shall flourish, and the Grashopper shall be a burthen, and desire shall fail: because Man goeth to his long home, and the Mourners go about the Streets.
Here's an account of the deplorable condition of the incorrigibly wicked, under the Cross, in final wrath. They shall be afraid of that which is high, that is, of Christ, the high and Almighty King, coming forth in the brightness, glory, and irresistible power of his Divine and Spiritual creature-life, to destroy all Rebels against his Kingly Gospel-Spirit. In such his appearance, will he be everlasting destruction to foes, and Salvation to friends; 2 Thess. 1. 7, -10. This high Lord, the man Christ Jesus, will manifest himself in the infinite … of his Divinity, and summon all Men and Angels before him, to receive, answerable to the things … by them, in obedience to, or rebellion against his Gospel-spirit, and divine Will, in the Body, or earthly State, in their day, on earth. What a maze and consternation, enemies will be then found in, see, Rev. 6. 15, — 17. Self-exalting Men, with the mystical Rocks and Mountains, they'l have recourse to (the supream evil Powers of this World, the Devil and his Angels) must both and all, proud helpers, (Job 9. 13.) And helped, stoop, bow, and inevitably fall under the great Wrath of this universal Monarch. Then will they be fill'd with fears, in … self-chosen way, as undeniably discover'd in the evil thereof. And then, the Almond-tree shall flourish, and the Grashopper be a …. The state they have chosen, in enmity to God, shall be their curse and punishment, in the most flourishing life thereof, represented by the fruitful Almond-tree, and that Grashopper, which shall be a …, as a sign and remembrancer of the warm Summer or flourishing season, they once enjoy'd in the said natural State. All this will encrease … …, because they'l find all the goodliness thereof, faded away; and, all their desire towards, or delight in it, …, and …, because it can …, no longer, any comfort or satisfaction to them. All objects of desire and delight to the natural life of body or spirit, shall, by the wrath and curse of God, cease and … them, for ever; Rev. 18. 14. And then, as their sorrowful complaint, shall they go to their long home, and the Mourners go about the Streets. To their eternal home, the Tophet, Place, or State of everlasting torment, under wrath, must they go, where to go mourning and weeping, for ever, about … streets of that accursed Babylonish City, made up of innumerable Angels and Men, unchangeably set to do and be evil, in their earthly life of nature, as fix'd in unchangeable enmity to God and his heavenly Spirit of Grace.
Vers. 6. Or ever the silver Cord be loosed, or the golden Bowl be broken, or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain, or the Wheel broken at the Cistern.
In these dark, mystical Words, the said Truth is farther signified. The four obscure literal expressions, here, may fitly signify the dreadful Judgments of God, on every part of Man's immortal being, (figur'd by the dissolved parts and powers of bodily life) when once their Trial, and his Patience towards them, are come to a period. Christ's convincing discoveries of himself, by spiritual Light, in the … and …, Riches, Glories, and Fulnesses … his blessed Person, were as silver Cords of love, by which, they should have bin drawn and bound fast to him, in … Spirit or Principle of the new and everlasting Covenant, which is called Love; 1 Cor. 13. Rom. 13. 8, — 10. This Love, this Gospel-… is the fulfiller of the Law of God, in everypoint, in every sense of …, literal and mystical; in the utmost extent, and to all intents and purposes, to God's well-pleasing, and man's Salvation. Out of the golden Bowl of his heavenly creature-spirit (Zech. 4. 2.) has Christ pour'd forth the holy Oyl of spiritual Light, into the mystical Pitcher of Man's natural spirit; which, abus'd and turn'd from, the said Silver Cord is broken, spiritual Light withdrawn; all sight of Christ, and converse with, or knowledg of God, therein and by, cut off. So, the said Pitcher is broken, rendered uncapable of receiving or holding such spiritual Waters or Convictions, any more. And, the Fountain, whence they flow'd, shall be stopp'd up, against them. And then, the Wheel, by which, in mercy, the said Waters were drawn forth and convey'd to them, will be broken at the Cistern, and turn'd into a Wheel or dispensation of Wrath, to them; God having put an end to his dealing with them, in a way of Mercy, and Trial. By the same hand or Spirit of Christ, by which Grace is shew'd and offer'd, will God pour forth his Wrath on all wilful, obstinate despisers of his Love. The same thing seems signified by the Prophets breaking the staff of beauty, and the staff of bands, as tokens of God's refusing to have any more to do, with that rebellious house of Israel, that by playing the harlot with their own Beauty, (Ezek. 16. 15.) or doting on their own fading Glory, in the restor'd righteous life of the first-Covenant, despis'd and rejected Christ, as, by the light of the second, shew'd and offer'd (as a spiritual Lord and Husband) to them, in an everlasting Life and Union, signified by Bands; Zech. 11. 10, 14. On this, God refuses to have any more to do with them, in either Covenant, having set up themselves, with the Devil, in the first, in unchangeable enmity to him and the second.
Vers. 7. Then shall the dust return to the Earth, as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
See Chap. 3. 20. Dust, here, … the mortal earthy life of the, natural spirit, as well as body of man. As depriv'd of all the fading goodness thereof, must the immortal beings of incorrigibly wicked … and Men, return to God, and stand before him, to receive his … sentence and full execution thereof, as subjects of his unquenchable wrath. From the deep sense hereof, Solomon cries out …, as in the beginning of his Book, Chap. 1. 2.
Vers. 8. Vanity of vanities (saith the Preacher) all is vanity.
All, in the first-creation, worldly state of Angel and Man, is vanity; no life, beauty, …, glory, wisdom, …, thoughts, belly or meats, desires or desirables, words, works, &c. but what are perishing vanities. Man (and Angel too) in the highest honour and attainments of their natural make and state, are altogether vanity; Psal. 39. 5, 6. 'Tis then inexcusable madness and folly in both, to pitch, by their final choice, for true happiness, short of the convincingly shew'd, and graciously offer'd new-covenant life of Christ and God. Doting on their own glory, will render them vessels of dishonour and … contempt.
Vers. 9. And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people Knowledg; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many Proverbs. 1 King. 4. 32.
Solomon, in the infallible Spirit of Truth, declar'd the deep, hidden things, and Spiritual Truths … God. All Divine and Spiritual things are Mysteries, Parables, and dark-sayings, to the highest natural capacity of Angel or Man. 'Tis only in the infallible light or spiritual wisdom and understanding of Christ, (communicated to, and set up in Man or Angel, by his new-creating-workmanship upon them) such Kingdom-things or mysteries can ever be discern'd or judg'd; 1 Cor. 2. 10, 14, 15. To spiritual Saints only is it given, to know such things; Mat. 13. 11. To them, (any Men, in their own understanding) it is not given. In the … creature-spirit of Christ, men come to see the fellowship of the …; (Ephes. 3. 9.) or the mysterious fellowship of Divine and …-nature in Christ's wonderful Person. Hereby, the most dark … of God's infinite Divinity, becomes known and seen to Saints. Christ himself is the supream Preacher, Discoverer, and Declarer of all. And, by a portion of his infallible creature-spirit, are Saints qualified to receive, such visions or sights of God, as he exhibits to them; and to declare them to others.
Vers. 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written, was upright; even words of Truth.
Here's a farther account of … same thing, by Solomon, as a type of Christ, the supream Apostle, … or …, and High-Priest of God, the highest and chief … of the divine mind, to Angels and Men. He finds out (and … his true spiritual Disciples and followers, with meet, … words, ways and means, for revealing or opening the mysteries of infinite Divinity, which remain seal'd up, from all first-creation …. The whole Counsel, and all mysteries of the infinite divine Spirit, are … in the Tables of Christ's twofold creature nature, root and branch (in the heavenly and glorified earthly life thereof) so as to be seen and read or understood, by all spiritual Angels and Men. All the words of this living creature-word, spirit, or Book of God are acceptable to God, and to obedient Angels and Men. This Book (in personal union with the Divinity, whose Book it is) was shew'd John, open'd by the Lamb slain, as to changeable first-creation life, and rais'd into the second. On the opening thereof, blessed Angels and Saints fall down and worship the Lamb, for opening this Book of acceptable words to God, and right words of comfort and Salvation to them; Rev. 5. 5, — 14. By a right reading or understanding of these words of the reveal'd or open'd Book, are other Saints, with Solomon, qualified to preach them. This, Paul experienc'd, by Christ's powerful touching and raising him, into a right spiritual understanding of such words, in a newness of life and strength, with Daniel, (Act. 9. 6. Dan. 10. 18, 19.) on which, he became a Preacher of his unsearchable Divine and Creature-riches, (Ephes. 3. 8.) in right words, acceptable to God and Men, as shewing the true way of Sulvation, in which only, men can be acceptable to God, and truly blessed. Such words, (as the new-Wine of the spiritual Vine-tree) are … to God and Man; Judges 9. 13.
Vers. 11. The words of the Wise are as Goads, and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd.
Here are summ'd up, the Truths, spoken, in reference to Christ and Saints, as Christ is the great Master of such Assemblies, and great Shepherd of his sheep, setting up, and using others, under him, in this high service. Christ and his wise-hearted, right-spirited Ministers under him, are the only … of such Words, as will make wise unto …. Such words, as goads and nails, are fastned by such Masters of Assemblies, in the hearts of obedient Hearers, that have an incorruptible Seed of the same Wisdom, in them. The words of Man's or Devil's wisdom, Princes of this World, that come to nought, (1 Cor. 2. 6.) signify worse then nothing; even that that natural State, they have set up, in unchangeable enmity to God, is eternal Life. But the words of God's Wisdom, are not yea and nay, but only yea and amen, 2 Cor. 1. 17, - 20. Words of infallible Truth and everlasting Life, fastned by Christ himself, immediately; and mediately, by other Masters of Assemblies, under him.
Vers. 12. And further, by these, my Son, be admonished: of making many Books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the Flesh.
What are these many Books, without end, or to no end? and, much study or reading, that's weariness to the flesh? Both signify the unprofitable labour in Man's Wisdom, that can never attain the right knowledg of spiritual Mysteries, the glorious Truths or things of the Kingdom of God. Yea, that Wisdom is the very vail on, Man's heart, that hinders his sight, as to any such things. In that wisdom can Man never see beyond, no nor to the end of what's to be abolish'd. So, sets up in the fading …, Goodness or Glory of that first-Covenant State, that's to be done away, and utterly abolish'd out of all Angels and Men; 2 Cor. 3. 13. Christ, when he had taken this fleshly Vail, rent it, in himself; Heb. 10. 20. By the death of our natural spirit, at best, can it be so rent in us, as to make way for our spiritual sight of …, eternal things, things of God. Where-ever Moses or the Law, yea, and whole Scripture is read, by such as have this Vail on their Hearts, a single, uncrucified, natural, first-Covenant …, they see nothing but letter, old Testament, or first-Covenant sense of all Scripture; nothing of the Spirit, new Testament, or second Covenant and spiritual meaning, in all; 2 Cor. 3. 13, — 15. The enlighten'd fleshly, first-Covenant Jews, or Lawyers, saw nothing of Gospel-mysteries, couch'd under Moses's typical Law-writings; by which, even he, they trusted in, condemned them, as Rejecters of all spiritual Truths or Mysteries, by him, therein declar'd. …. 5. 45, — 47. They saw the literal, but did not believe the spiritual sense of (and things in) Moses's Writings; the proper objects of spiritual Faith, discerning, or understanding. They refus'd the way of having such an understanding brought a-float, in them; the death and loss of their own. Hence, such enlight'ned Professors, with their Teachers and Rulers, not knowing Christ, nor the voices of Moses, and their own Prophets, which were read, and expounded, every Sabbath day, became the unhappy fulfillers of them, only, in contradicting, blaspheming and crucifying him, for witnessing asserting and declaring the very spiritual Truths and Mysteries of Mose's and the Prophet's Writings, concerning himself, or his mysterious, wonderful, all-comprehensive Person. Act. 13. 27. What then is such a Man like to arrive at, or come to, as to the doing himself or other's good, in the way of Salvation, that understands not one tittle of the saving or spiritual sense of any Scripture? What amount all such a Man's reading, study, labour, preachings, writings, books, or whatever he can say or do, thro' his whole life, in but that Law-wisdom, that's the very black and thick, darkning Vail, upon him, keeping him under a perfect impossibility of ever finding out any one spiritual Mystery or Truth, in all Scripture? No man, in that foolish-wisdom, ever receives the spiritual or Gospel-Testimony of any Scripture, Joh. 3. 32. A becoming a Fool, as to that Wisdom, is undispensably necessary, in the methods and contrivements of God's Wisdom, to a becoming wise unto Salvation, that is, spiritually wise, in God; so as to understand all things; 1 Cor. 1. 20. & 2. 14, 15. & 3. 18, 19. & 4. 10. None of the divine and spiritual Things, or Mysteries of God the Father, and of Christ the Son (Col. 2. 2.) …, conceiveth, perceiveth, receiveth any Man, save in spiritual Light or new-creature Understanding; for, they can only be spiritually discern'd; 1 Cor. 2. 11, — 14. All the mysterious Truths or Things of God (engraven in the creature-spirit of Christ, the living Word or Book of God; or signified in the Transcript or Copy thereof, his written Oracles or Scriptures of Truth, the holy Bible or Book of God) are perfectly shut up from (and therefore as perfectly shut out by) Man's wisdom, in all his pretended Divinity-preachings and Writings, under the disguising title of a Minister of the Gospel. Of whose Gospel? Christ's? A likely matter! The dark Law-vail is upon his heart, as to all Christ's Gospel-matters. No humane improvements of that Wisdom (by cultivating Educationarts, or means, possible) signify any thing, save a being more confident and strongly arm'd, to fight Satan's Battels against Christ's Gospel, in defence of that, he preach'd, at first, to Eve. How dark and ignorant were the wise and learned Jewish Teachers, as to all the things in Christ's Gospel-ministry or teaching, which ignorant, unlearned (Act. 4. 13.) Fishermen and Women (under the teaching-Influence of Christ, by which, a spiritual Understanding was waken'd and set up in them) cleerly understood? Solomon, therefore, advises Men to cease from the unprofitable, Mercenary, trading labour of their own Understanding, (unprofitable, save only for the gratifying their worldly Interest, by bringing in rewards and honour from Man, to them) as ever they hope to make any right work on't, at preaching, and interpreting the Scriptures. They must wait for the Inspirations of the Almighty, to give or set up in them a spiritual Understanding; Job 32. 8. Otherwise, preach and write, while they will, the … Scripture, as to the whole counsel of God, or spiritual, saving Sense, Truths, and Mysteries thereof, is a Book seal'd, to them; Isa. 29. 11. Neither learned, nor unlearned (ver. 12.) as to the Wisdom of Man, can …, or understand it. So, all man's Toil and Study, in his own tossing, rolling, fluctuating spirit, under the mystical wind or inspiration of the very spirit of the Devil, must needs be unprofitable, as to his own or others true Blessedness; and very wearisom to his flesh, or whole man, in his but restor'd natural State, a fleshly, first-covenant Law-life, Righteousness, and Wisdom. He and his blind Followers will meet with final disappointment, as to all their self-pleasing hopes and expectations, therein. After all their confident preaching, hearing labouring, and walking in their own spirit, in the light of the kindled fire, or Law-zeal thereof, and compassing themselves about with the sparks, (Works or best Fruits perform'd or produced by them, therein) will they be all forc'd to lie down, for ever, in Sorrow, under Wrath; Isa. 50. 11. He that quit's all that old name and life, they trust in, and trusts wholly in the new life or name of the Lord, is sure to meet with a perfectly contrary issue, & reward, in a state of eternal Blessedness; ver. 10. Those that find themselves, weary and heavy laden, in this unprofitable, toilsom course, in their own Wisdom, which is but bodily exercise, or exercise of the vile, natural body, and state of life, (1 Tim. 4. 8. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 44, 45.) Must and will come to Christ, for spiritual Life and Understanding, who will make way for the springing up of the incorruptible Seed thereof (where it is) by renting the fleshly Law-vail, and pulling down the earthen Partition-wall, between them and him (in his spiritual Gospel-life) by the demolishing Work of his Cross. So alone, can they come to see and enjoy him, with all his divine, heavenly, spiritual Things and Truths, as their true Rest and Blessedness, for ever. Mat. 11. 28, — 30. Never had Christ's Gospel, in primitive Gospel-times, at best, any national reception, or owning and countenance. Constantine's owning and embodying it with the Laws of the Empire, so as to bring it under the Erastian protection and guardianship of the civil Magistrate, was the foundation of Antichristianism. 'Tis more then sorely and dangerously suspitious, that all variety of humane Undertakers at Gospel-preaching (that can thereby find a worldly self-interest, gratified, in accumulated worldly Honours and Riches) will, at bottom be found Satan's Gospel-ministers, and Apostles, 2 Cor. 11. 13, — 15. Mat. 24. 24. And herein, the grossest idolatrous pretenders to Christ's Gospel, … best; and, the more refined still, worse and worse; yet, all get something (whereas Paul, worth millions of them, labour'd with his hands to supply his own and other's wants; Act. 20. 34.) under the God of this World, whose interest they most certainly carry on, and serve, against Christ and his Gospel, in all their clashing varieties, think or say what they will.
Vers. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his Commandments: for, this is the whole duty of Man.
Man ought so to fear God, as to be found a right keeper of his Commands. This is Man under a double obligation for, as the work of God's hands, … …; and as redeem'd out of the Fall, since. Yea, all imaginable ties and obligations are upon him, for performing this result and total sum of all instruction and Duty; Fear God, and keep his Commandments. These Commands, joyn'd with the true fear of God, were most exactly kept and observ'd by Christ himself; even his Father's Commands for his (and his followers) laying down the fading Law-life of Nature, that they may take it up again, in and with the everlasting righteous Gospel-life of his spirit of Grace; Joh. 10. 17, 18. & Joh. 14. 15, 21, 23. From the true Sonly fear of God, and love to his Mercy, or unspeakable Gospel-gift of eternal Life, must we hate, and do judgment (or, receive and also execute God's righteous Sentence of Death, 2 Cor. 1. 9.) on our most restor'd Law-state of Nature. By such humbling our selves to the death of our Nature, at best, can we come to walk, as Enoch, with God, in his Spirit of Grace, that's in unchangeable harmony of mind and will, with his infinite divine Spirit. Mic. 6. 8. How can two Men, walk together, (and how much less, God and man) except they be agreed? This is the concluding sum of all, God requir's of us, That we obediently keep and do all his Commands, in his never-sinning or erring Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and infallible Truth. The best works or fruits, done or brought forth in our Law-life of enmity to God, can never answer his requirings of us. Can we love him, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, in a spirit of direct enmity to him? Luk. 10. 27. Direct contradiction. The Gospel-spirit of Grace, call'd Love, is the fulfiller of the whole Law, mind and will of God; Rom. 13. 8, -10.
Vers. 14. For, God shall bring every work into Judgment; with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it in be evil.
Rom. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Man Christ will be found able to do all this; Heb. 4. …, 13. The sad consequents of rejecting the advice; given, (v. 13.) will be eternal misery, torment, and vexation of spirit, on the irrecoverable loss of all the fading goodness or comforts of the natural state; and, an eternal exclusion from the once fairly shew'd and offer'd never-fading goodness and glory of a spiritual, eternal life of everlasting righteousness. This will be concluded by God's infallible Spirit of Truth, whose Authority (when Christ appears Judg himself, on his Throne) shall, no longer, be questioned or disputed, (as all along this World, in Satan's reign and man's day, it has) but every tongue shall confess it, as of right, belonging to the Man Christ; Joh. 5. 22, 27. Phil. 2. 11. The undeniable truth of his … Judgment, will have a universal acknowledgement from all good and evil Angels and Men. By the irresistible beamings-forth of the light of that Spirit, (wherein he will judge and pronounce the Sentence of God's infinitely just and righteous mind and will) shall the Books of all hearts and consciences be forc'd open or unlock'd, so as to make enemies themselves, witnesses for him, against themselves, on their amazing forc'd remembrance of, and his setting all their innumerable sins and abominations, naked and open, in the view of themselves and all others. And then will Christ, also, open his own infallible Book of Records, in which he has registred and set down, in indeleble characters, from first to last, (according to the divine sight and judgment of God) all, done by, or found in every Angel and Man, good or bad; Rev. 20. 12, 13. The Books of all Men's and Angel's Consciences will be opened, and then Christ's own Book, the Book of Life, out of which, all Men shall be judged according to their works. Out of, and by all these Books, will God's Judgement pronounc'd on Men, be found, clearly and undeniably righteous. For, the Records in the hearts and consciences of men, will be found in exact harmony with what's written in God's own Book, which will lay the evil creaturé, under undeniable guilt, and just condemnation, to the silencing and stopping every blasphemous mouth of iniquity. And then, also, shall the secret hidden spiritual Life of Saints, with the well-pleasing right works and fruits thereof (unobserv'd and un-own'd, yea, blasphem'd by enemies) be open'd and manifested to all, for their eternal justification. All secret evils, that have lain hid in enemies, under all fair shews in holy …; and all … secret good works of spiritual Saints, that have lain hid under the marr'd visage of their crucified natural man, shall be brought into publick and general view. So will the incorrigibly wicked be sent, as justly condemned persons, into everlasting punishment; and, the unchangeably Righteous, into Life eternal; Mat. 25. 31, --46.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
PAge 102. line 21. for the in, read, in the. P. 176. l. 1. …. dul, r. duly. P. 323. l. 16. f. cammon, r. common. P. 380. l. last, f. creation r Cretian. Some … mistakes, and in stopping, are left to the ingenuous Reader.
End of the text · George Sikes, Exposition of Ecclesiastes (1680)