Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Vers. I. I said in my heart, go to now; I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold, this also is Vanity.
SOLOMON set his Heart to try, what, all Mirth, Joy, and Pleasure, in all sorts of first-creation things, amounts unto. After the utmost Proof thereof, he finds and declares this also to be vanity; all worldly delight and desire, of the same complexion, with the desirables, delighted in, whether visible or invisible; delights of bodily life, and the corrupt spirit of nature, therein; or, of the rectified intellectual, rational powers, more properly the delights of the Sons of Men. The other are for beasts, brutified men, drown'd in the lusts of literal Sodom, where sensual Powers usurp dominion over rational, using what should be their Masters and Rulers, as Slaves to fetch in provisions for them, by right or wrong. Some are recovered out of this disorder and confusion, towards a rectitude of their natural powers, where the rational command, and sensual obey. But, to shew the unstable, slippery standing of Man, here; Solomon, not onelyonly restored into the right exercise of his naturals, but under strong spiritual convictions of true wisdom, was caught, and miserably entangled in this lowest sort of worldly snares. His suppressed sensual powers struggled for, and recovered their formerly usurped dominion, over his rational and intellectual. The signal aggravation of this …, was, that he was eminent, in the restor'd first-covenant wisdom of his own spirit of nature, and spiritual light of the second, the self-discoveries and revelations of Gods wisdom, in his own spirit of grace, as his pleasing request to God, and the gratious answer thereunto, do evince, 1 King. 3. 5-14. And again (ch. 9. 1-9) where the Lord also threaten's him and his people, in case of apostacy, or turning from following him; v. 6. After all this, his sensual lusts after strange Women, run him a-ground. They turn his heart after strang Gods also from the true. He not onelyonly tolerated, but himself went after the Gods of the Idolatrous borderers, Zidon, Moab, Ammon, &c. whence he fetched his Wives, 1 King. 11. 4-8. The Lord takes notice of the aggravation of this folly and madness, as after his remarkable appearing to him, twice, and solemnly commanding the contrary v. 9. 10. On this threaten's to rend the greatest part of his Kingdom, from his Son, 11-13. Tis like, his expences about Idols and his Idolatrous Wives, occasioned such unreasonable taxes and oppressions, as moved the people to capitulate with his Son, for redresse of greivances, which, he refusing, they refused him for their King, Chap. 12. 'Twas an amazing thing, a double-portion'd saint, and kingly Preacher, when old, and neer his exit out of this world, should be found guilty of such gross enormities, as many meer heathens, in a long life, avoid, to their dying day. To encrease the wonder, under all the violent impetuous hurries of his own disordred spirit, the wisdom of God's, still remained with him. Without this, his foolish, hurtfull lusts had drowned him in destruction and perdition. A seed and principle of true wisdom was his powerful preservative from final apostacy. And the want of this, will be found no excuse to final apostate's from, and haters of it, when convincingly shewed and offered it. Solomon exercised his brutish lusts, for a season, not onelyonly in a flat contrariety to this, but, to the very light of his own reason, also. The unsubdued natural spirit, or mystical Woman, in himself, carried him forth in lust after the literal, who involved him in their gross Idolatries. He allowed himself the full experience of all worldly desirables, from the higher to the lower parts of the dust of this mortal, first-creation worldly vanities. He sent forth his heart on this errand, to try what satisfaction, the whole lump of this world's vanities, from the Cedar to the Shrub, intellectual delights, to Husks among Swine, would afford him; and, set's down at the foot of his account; All is vanity. In a union of mind, with Christ, by spiritual light, he acknowledges all his ransacking the whole bulk of this world's desireables, and roving up and down (as thinking to pick up a satisfying food for his immortal Spirit, amongst them) direct madness. So, comes he from dear-bought experience, to say, as follow's;
Vers. II. I said of Laughter, it is mad: and of Mirth, what doth it?
Laughter and Mirth, here, signify the highest delight and satisfaction, can be had, in the fullest possession and enjoyment of all worldly desireables, relating to the corrupt or righteous life of man, in his own nature. Solomon therefore, in the al-discovering light of the spirit of God, reflects upon his former foolish design therein, judging his whole course and race, there, evil, because his force (or principle) was not right: but indeed, a spirit of enmity to God. All his delusive and destructive Joy, he found Madness; a making large and swift steps, under the bewitching influence of the God of this world, towards the chambers of death. His words, pleasing suggestions and gratifying offers to men, are smoother then oil, yet are drawn swords; his method of wounding men to eternal death. The spirit of man, since the fall, is a deep dark dungeon and miry pit of all sorts of filth of flesh or spirit, a litteral or mystical Sodom, in the corrupt or righteous life thereof; in the dark, as to the excellent things, God offers, and wholly disposed and inclined to close with Satan's offers, out of his vast heap of perishing vanities. Merriment and Jollity in such a destructive course, is madness. God therefore calls man into a state of poverty, mourning and death, as to all this life of vanity; and that, as the only possible way of his deliverance from all evil Prov. 1. 33.
Vers. III. I sought in mine heart, to give my self unto wine (yet acquainting my heart with Wisdom) and to lay hold on Folly, till I might see what was that good for the Sons of men, which they should do under the Heaven, all the dayes of their life.
Vers. IV. I made me great Works, I builded me Houses, I planted me Vineyards.
Vers. V. I made me Gardens and Orchards, and I planted Trees in them of all kind of Fruits.
Vers. VI. I made me Pooles of Water, to water therewith the Wood that bringeth forth Trees.
Vers. VII. I got me Servants and Maidens, and had Servants born in my House; also I had great Possessions of great and smal Cattel, above all that were in Jerusalem before me.
Vers. VIII. I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of Kings, and of the Provinces, I gat me Men-singers and Womensingers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical Instruments, and that of all sorts.
Vers. IX. So I was great, and increased more then all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my Wisdom remained with me.
Vers. X. And whatsoever mine Eyes desired, I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any Joy: for my heart rejoyced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour.
Here's, in Letter, a larg account of Solomon's most desireable circumstances, as to his outward condition, in this World. He excell'd other Kings, in all kind of wealth, wisdom, greatness, and honour, 1 Kings 10. 23. Of all worldly contentments he had more then heart could wish. And he set his heart to deny no desires thereof, but fetcht up the utmost pleasure and satisfaction to himself, that all these things could afford him. To interpret, then. Every outward circumstance was figurative to the inward condition and mystical riches of his spirit. All import, in mystery, his beautiful structure in the glory and wisdom of a first-covenant life; and the workes of his own hands, therein. All this, Paul counted dung, and parted with, for the riches, wisdom, and righteousness of God, in his Gospel-spirit of grace and truth, Phil. 3. 6-9. The wisdom, inward beauties, and excellent natural accomplishments of Solomon's spirit, are here represented by stately Houses, fruitfull Gardens, Orchards, &c. At length, in the awaken'd principle of true wisdom, from the Fountain of living Waters, he sees and declares the vanity of his broken Cistern, or leaky natural Vessel, with all the fading Waters, buildings, plantings, and fruitfulnesses thereof. All, within man, and all from without, relating to him, in this world, is but Meats for a belly and a belly for Meats; all, perishing vanities. God will destroy all, belly and meats, desires and desireables. All confidence, laughter, mirth, and joy therein, is folly and madness. All natural perfections and excellencies, in the unstain'd purity of his first-creation state, together with the convincing discoveries and revelations of the spiritual perfections and excellencies of the second, soon ran out of the leaky natural Vessel of the first Adam. He did not long keep the twofold waters of first-covenant Life, or second-covenant Light; the loss of both, soon left him and all his posterity, in darkness and death; Dead in … and sins. Solomon finds all his natural braveries, outward or inward, but tottering Houses, leaky Vessels, all his possessions therein, altogether vanity. In the infallible light of spiritual wisdom, he makes a right judgment of his natural principle, and all fruits, works, or buildings, therein; typed by the abundant litteral varieties of pompous Houses, Plantations, &c. All is vanity, say's he. This is the result; this, his verdict (on the review of all) after his full trial, largest draughts, and utmost experience of all possible desireables or satisfactions, to be found in nature. To particularize, farther. Men-singers and Women-singers may sitly signify the well-tuned frame and pleasant harmony of Solomons spirit, in the orderly comportment and beautiful subjection of the sensual, to his rational and intellectual powers, figured by great and small Cattel, making up but the humane Beast, in scripture Language. Every man is a Beast by his own knowledg, in the utmost wisdom of his own nature, earthly, sensual (so all, in Man or Angel, is call'd, short of spiritual, new-creation life) having not the spirit (Jude 19.) so, if fixed in, devilish, by unchangable enmity to that spirit, and God most high. Jam. 3. 15. The head of fallen Angels (in the fading glory of first-creation life, rebelliously exalted against the second) is the most subtil beast in the first world or field; Gen. 3. 1.
Solomon gathered Silver and Gold; was great, and encreased more then all before him, in Jerusalem; mystical Gold and Silver, the peculiar treasure of Kings, such Princes of this world, Scribes, Pharisees, &c. (in the riches, flourish, and fruitfulness of their own restored nature, made wise, strong, and honourable by and in Christ, there) as crucified the prince of life in the next, the Lord of Glory. In sum, he exceeded all such mysticall (1 Cor. 4. 8.) as well as litteral Kings of the earth, for wisdom; and for riches inward and outward. And, his great delight in both, and all, is figured by Men and Women-singers, with musical Instruments of all sorts, importing his full injoyment of the utmost delights of the Sons of Men, nature (in it's most widen'd capacity) can take in. Whatever his eyes desired, he kept not from them, nor withheld his heart from any joy. He allowed himself a latitude of rambling, to take his utmost pleasure in all the litteral and all the mystical riches, and fruits of his labours. He rejoyced in this portion, as the result of all his labour; reckoning, he had ground, so to do. The wisdom of God, that remained with him, in & under all this doings, was the only preservative in him, that kept him from sinking and drowning in this full tide and affluence of all worldly desireables, streaming into him. He gives proof of the awakened exercise of this wisdom, in this recantation-book, and of the contrary Judgment thereof to man's, at best, as to the things wherein his true hapiness lies. In the hurry of his busy, active natural mind, in worldly contrivances and enjoyments, this true wisdom in him lay sorely clouded, obstructed, silenced, and neglected. But at last, up it gets, under Christ's powerful influence, and pronounces himself and all his former designs, works, and injoyments, in his own fading nature, vanity and vexation of spirit; as follow's.
Vers. XI. Then I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit; and there was no profit under the Sun.
Solomon, in the infallible light and wisdom of the second, looked upon all his works, labours and enjoyments in the first-creation World and life, and finds all, vanity and vexation of spirit; of no profit, avail, or conducibleness at all, to true hapines; but rather, as mistaken and abused, signal lets and hindrances thereunto. All will come to nothing, and therefore, finally trusted in and relied upon, will leave Man naked and destitute, to eternity. In all moyling and toyling in his own nature, he is found in direct enmity to God, and that spirit of grace in which alone he can be saved. All life, goodness, things of this world, are not only unprofitable, but destructive to man, if rested in. His inevitable loss of all, is legibly written out, in the changable nature of all, for his own reading. The resolute chusing, therefore, his own fading creature-life, and things, before, above, and against the unchangable creature-life of the Creator (and everlasting Righteousness and wisdom of God, therein, with all the ever-new fruits thereof, things of God) is an unpardonable crime, the sin against the holy Ghost, or spirit of God, and Gospel-life of Christ; the great, the presumptuous sin, unto death, exclusive to all benefit of Christs sacrifice, all intercession of Christ or true Saints; Jo. 5. 16. Heb. 10. 26. So will man be left, for ever, in the most forlorn condition, imaginable; unutterable torment, and vexation of spirit.
Vers. XII. And I turned my self to behold wisdom, and madness and folly: for, what can the man do, that cometh after the King? even that which hath been already done.
Solomon turned from his own fallible, to the infallible wisdom of God, or light of his spirit, in which he saw the perpetual course of madness and folly he had been guilty of, under the conduct of his own. So saw he the wisdom of God, in his new-covenant spirit of grace; and folly of man, throw-out, in his old-covenant spirit of nature. Partakers of that creature-holy ghost (or spirit) that's in personal union with the divine, are brought into unchangable union of mind, with the divine. When Solomon turned to the exercise of this, he turned from his own, as he advised others, Prov. 3. 5, 6. The spirit of God is the creature-wisdom, the living Word of God, that is God (Jo. 1. 1.) everlasting righteousness, true holiness. To keep up the life and way of Man's will, wisdom, and spirit, against God's, is destructive Madness and folly. For, what can he do that comes after the King? Solomon, King of litteral, and also, mystical earthly Jerusalem, in all the glory, wisdom, and righteousness of man? He reigned as a King there, for a season, over his sensual powers, with the Corinthians, in the but restored first-covenant spirit of the Law, 1 Cor. 4. 8. He had the start and vantage-ground of all others, in his day, for finding true hapiness in worldly vanities, if any such thing were ever to be found, therein. What, litteral or mystical, all visible or invisible Riches and Glories of that sort, signified, or amount unto, he had so full an experience, that for any to think or hope to find therein, what he could not, is madness. The King, here, may also point back to the first, or forward to the second Adam, in our flesh, made under the Law, as the first. Both first and second Adam, in holy flesh, life of the Law, righteousness of Man, were greater then Solomon, in the first-creation Principle of life and action, and free from enmity to the second. The first could not secure his standing, in that changable principle. The second refused to attempt it, but surrendred and let it fall (for that principle of unchangable righteousness, in which he could) as the first ought to have done. He would not be a Judg, Ruler, or King, in the former, as the professing Jews, in that spirit, would have had him, who crucified him for owning himfelf a King, in the latter, wherein the Son of God. Yet, such a King, will he shew himself to be, to their sorrow, whether they will or no. What can men hope for, in but some gradual restorings of that life of nature, they had in perfection, untinctur'd also with filth of spirit, or enmity to God, and the power of godliness, in his spirit of grace, which lurk's under the highest restored Righteousness of Man, or form of godliness, in his spirit of nature? Adam, in innocency, had not eternal life; and God took away what he had, his fading, for his sinfull keeping it up against (and refusing to surrender it in exchang for) his everlasting life. If what was Adam's sin, to do, be asserted the duty he ought to have done (to Wit, the keeping what he had, and where he was) what instructions are we like to have, towards the avoiding a sinning after the similitude of his transgression? And they that confine the Death of the second Adam to his body, denying the surrender and Death of his spirit, as to its first-covenant Life of the Law, will teach the pittying, sparing, and keeping up of that (as Satan, by Peter, counselled Christ himself) to be the very way of salvation. Thus runs the doctrine of Satan's and Man's other Gospel, in a flat contradiction to Christ's, in every point.
Vers. XIII. Then I saw, that Wisdom excelleth Folly, as far as Light excelleth Darkness.
Wisdom and Folly, Light and Darkness, character the first and second Covenant, or Old and New creation Law and Gospel-principles of life, desire, thought, and action, in Men. The excellency of the second, admits no comparison with the first. The first has no Glory (Wisdom, Light, Righteousness) to the second, that excell's and remain's, for ever; 2 Cor. 3. 10, 11. The first is marvellous darkness, as to all spiritual things of God, and grand concerns of man: The second, marvellous light, discovering all things, divine, spiritual, and natural, in their distinct goodnesses. Ye were darkness (in your own spirit of nature, corrupt or enlightned) now are ye light in the Lord's spirit of grace; walk as Children of this light. (Eph. 5. 8.) walk, not as fools in your own spirit; but as wise (vers. 15.) in the Lord's. Man's spirit, since the fall, in the highest renewals, is of Satan's palate, savours not, sees, or receives any things of the spirit of God; Mat. 16. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. All, that finally prefer their darkness to God's light, will find everlasting darkness their portion. The glorious advantages of the wisdom and light of God's spirit, render it most desireable to man; Prov. 3. 13- 18. and, 4. 5- 13. True wisdom call's out to all, in corrupt or enlightned nature, as fools and simple, in their main concern; Prov. 1. 20-23. and, 8. 5. The folly of Man, in corrupt nature, is seen of all. But, enmity to God, and the power of Godliness, in that spirit of grace, wherein alone any can be saved, is seen of none, in the highest wisdom of restored nature. And this is the root of all spiritual Wickednesses, Uncleanesses, Idolatries, and Murders. These all lurk under fair shews in holy flesh, form of Godliness and righteousness of Man, in the restored Image of the earthy. All natural excellencies in Man or Angel, are but a fading flower. All the mystical Gold, Silver, and Rubies thereof, perishing nothings, to the new-creation Wisdom and things of God. And, what then, to the infinite divine Wisdom and things of God? lesse then nothing; Isa. 40. 17. Christ offers his durable Life, Riches and Substance, his Heavenly treasures, for Man's fading Earthly shadows, and is refused; Mat. 19. 21, 22. Wisdom of nature, in corrupt or moral Heathen, and in first covenant Saints, excells the folly contrary thereunto, as Light, Darkness. But this reaches not the intended mystery and truth of this scripture.
Vers. XIIII. The wise Man's Eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I my self perceived also, that one event happeneth to them all.
The truly wise, sees with the Eyes of Christ, his spiritual Lord and Head; in his light, he sees light (Psal. 36. 9.) in the spiritual light of Christ, the infinite divine Light and Glory. Man, and all he does, in this light, this spirit, has the praise of God; but, not at all of men, wise, righteous Men. Paul was of high account with such, when a persecuting first-covenant Saint, in his holy flesh; of no account with them, when a suffering spiritual Saint, in God's Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 4. 8-13. 2 Cor. 10. 12. He was contented to be a no-body with men, when such a one as the Lord commendeth; passed not for Man's day, or judgment of him. The righteousness of Man kept up in enmity to God's, is highly esteemed of men, but, abominable to God. And, the righteousness of God, in the spiritual Saint, is highly esteemed of God; but abominable to man, with all the words thereof. Man's Soul, established in his own Righteousness, loath's God's soul, or spirit; and God's, his, Zec. 11. 8. Man's loathing God, is the greatest wickedness: God's loathing him, and dealing with him accordingly, the just punishment thereof.
In the spiritual Eyes of their Head, do true Saints fix their eyes on Christ, their Lord and Head; receive his counsells, and obey him, amid'st all uncertainties, darknesses and miscarriages of their natural Man. They walk in his spirit of light; fools, in their own spirit of darkness. Paul, when wise in God, seemed a fool to men, men wise in Christ, by his first-covenant communications. Christ marred that visage, wisdom, and image of the earthy, in his own person, which they trust in, for Salvation. Paul cast away all they trust in, as dung, for the spirit and wisdom of God, the life and image of the Heavenly. No being wise in God, without being fools, to Men; 1 Cor. 3. 18. and, 4. 10. Man, in the highest Light and Wisdom of his own nature, is indeed the Fool, tossed up and down by the various Winds of Satan's divers and strang doctrines, walking in darkness, not knowing whither he goes, or what he does; who, or what he worship's. He reckons, he is making safe steps toward Salvation, when making swift steps to destruction. Man, that finally trust's in his own Wisdom, for directing his steps; sides, and hold's with the Devil, as his Head; true Saints, with Christ, for directing their Steps, in his spirit. But, how does one event happen to them all, Wise and Fools? This one event is a twofold death, incident to both, in the twofold mortal Life of their Body and Spirit. 'Tis appointed to all men, good and bad, Once to Die (Heb. 9. 27.) as to both these lives, in their natural state. By such Death, are all, first or last, cut off from (and for ever deprived of) all outward or inward, litteral or mystical riches and comforts of this World. The whole Life of the natural state, in the love or wrath of God, will be taken from every Man and Angel. Mortality and Death is legibly written out upon all, in the perishing nature of all they are possessed of, however obstinately kept up, and trusted in, by most. The event that happens or falls to the Lot of the obedient surrenderer of his natural Life, under the Cross; or rebellious refuser so to do (which brings him under the same Cross or Gospel-sword, in final wrath) after the said one event that happens to both, and all, will be found exceedingly differing, even a state of eternal Life or Death. God rejects mens false confidences, but approves of their distrust and despair in themselves, or best things in their own Nature; as, vers. 20.
Vers. XV. Then said I in my heart, as it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
Here is the bottom thought of Solomon's heart, in this matter. In the Wisdom of God, he reflects upon and reviews himself, in all his former glory and wisdom of a man, and then compares himfelf (and any other, in like case) made wise, strong and honourable in Christ (by his renewalls of their old natural state, and fresh quickening them up into the life thereof, out of their fallen state of death in trespasses and sins) with the fool, and finds one Chance or Lot, happen to all that are but such wise men (never proceeding farther) and the fool; even a state of eternal darkness and death. The Fool, in the lowest sense, is, what we call a meer Natural, destitute, in a manner, of any use of his rational Powers, through indisposition of Body. Again, a man, weak and shallow in his natural Powers, and uncultivated by Education, Reading and Converse with better Understandings, is a Fool, to a man of deep Natural Judgement, quickness of Mind, of a soaring searching Capacity, and great Reach, advanced also by Learning and Converse. This Fool and wise Man may both be found, and oft are, in the but heathenish spirit of nature, and that, in the corrupt, rebellious state thereof, walking contrary to such, and to all light and wisdom, natural and spiritual. The moral righteous Heathen, that endeavours to obey such light of nature (as Christ a-fresh sets up in every man that comes into the world) though of less light and speculative wisdom or capacity then the former, is a wiser and better man. The first-covenant Saint, with his holy flesh, wise, strong and honourable in Christ, though of less speculative wisdom then either, is wiser and better then both; and then, the spiritual, new-covenant Believer and Saint (that seems a fool to them all, as having quitted all Wisdom of man, for God's, is not only wiser then them all, but the only truly wise, and they all fools, as to the whole of their eternal concerns. In general, all are fools in a scripture sense, God's judgment, that make the visible or invisible glories and excellencies of this world's perishing vanities, the only objects of all their desire, delight, labour and love. All inward mystical riches, heaped up in the fruitful exercise of a restored first-covenant life, under the fructifying influencings of Christ, as a sleshly Bride-groom, are passant vanities, as mortal and perishable as the life and outward concerns of the body, that all men know to be so; and will make themselves Wings and slee away, or depart from all the possessours thereof. This then, leaves the title wise, only to the spritual saint, thats counted the veriest fool of all, by all (but such as himself, that is, by all fools) as not fit to live, any longer upon the Earth, amongst them. Thus thought and said, Holy, Wise, Righteous, first-covenant professours, concerning Paul. Act. 22. 22. And, of Christ himself, they said, he hath a Devil, and is mad, why hear ye him? Jo. 10. 20. All, below the truly wise, Spiritual Man (both wise and fools, within the compass of their natural state, in all the fore-mentioned senses) will be alike brought to the greatest loss, disappointment and misery, imaginable, as to any thing of hapines, in eternal Darkness, Torment and Vexation of spirit, under unquenchable Wrath. They'l all lie down, in Sorrow, for ever. This being so, Solomon sayes, Why was I then more Wise? to wit, in my renewed Life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of Man? To what purpose, do I labour in this, that's but folly and darkness it self, as to all Divine, Spiritual, Heavenly, most concerning things and Truths? Moreover, from the changableness and Mortality of it, alway's exposed to death and loss. All therefore that trust therein, must needs meet with eternall vexation of spirit. This is yet more fully witnessed.
Vers. XVI. For there is no remembrance of the wise, more then of the fool, for ever; seeing that which now is, in the days to come, shall all be forgotten; and how dieth the Wise Man? as the Fool.
Man, in the corrupt, and man in the Righteous Life of nature, are brought to an equality in the grave of both. Death level's their spirits as well as bodies. All the fading inward or outward riches and glory of the Princes of this World, litteral or mystical (such professing first-covenant Saints, as crucified Christ, for the life and doctrine of the second) that come to nought (1 Cor. 2. 8.) will vanish, and come to nothing. However good in their kind, and for a season, the highest excellencies, beauties and glories, of humane or angelical nature, be; all that is now so, in the dayes to come, shall be forgotten. It has the praise of man, but's of small or no account with God, while it last's. Spiritual Seer's, God's watchmen, warn both the righteous and wicked, of this; Scribe and Pharisee, as well as Publican and Harlot, that in the life of nature, corrupt or righteous, they will all likewise perish; and the established …, found the highest and most criminal sinners; Ezek. 3. 16-21. and ch. 18. 20. 28. ch. 33. 11-19. The same Cross, or slaming Gospel-Sword, they refuse to submit to, in love, will be upon them, in sinal wrath. Js. 1. 19, 20. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. What need of farther testimony? Let the righteous turn from his righteousness, to his old sins, in corrupt nature, or turn it into the highest wickedness, by seting it up, against the righteousness of God; let him turn from his righteousness, either of these two wayes, he lies down in sorrow with the fool, or fixed common sinner of the Gentiles, for ever; Ezek. 33. 13. This dismal end, come both to. Such righteous men, exalted to Heaven (in the restored Life of the first, and light of the second) instead of admission into the kingdom, will be layd under greater final wrath, then litteral Sodom, as their most dreadful doom, and amazing disappointment. They have rejected confidence in God; and he, their confidences in themselvs; Jer. 2. 37. By establishing their own righteousness, in the first, against God's in the second-covenant, they become of a Changable People of God, an unchangable Synagogue of Satan, in unchangable enmity to God, and union with the Devil. All, fixed in nature (corrupt or righteous, fools or wise, therein) will go to the same Tophet, prepared for both, under unquenchable wrath, and the said righteous have the worst on't, there, for ever.
Vers. XVII. Therefore I hated life, because the Work that is wrought, under the sun, is grievous unto me: for, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Solomon, in the wisdom of God, sees all he had bin long doing in his own, vanity and vexation of spirit, all his … and labour therein, grievous to him. Rightly considering and reviewing all, in the infallible light of true wisdom, he argues himself into a most concerning duty (without which, Christ sayes, none can be his disciples) the hating his own life (with all the desires, designs, thoughts, wayes, righteousness, wisdom, and best things thereof, as vanishing shadows) for the durable Riches, Wisdom, Life, Righteousness, and things of God. All pleasures, and delusive joy in the former, all love of this World, the delights of the Sons of Men, he finds, in the spirit of the next, enmity to God (Jam. 4. 4.) and so, destructive to man. In nature, corrupt or righteous, since the fall, are men found hating (and hatefull to) God, and one another, as scrambling for a hapines to them all, out of things that can never make any one of them happy, but leave every one in the eternall losse of their own Souls. 'Tis a just Judgment of God (on all obstinate seekers for hapines, where God has abundantly convinced and warned them, 'tis never to be found) it should be so. Solomon's reason for hating this life, and man's whole course and race therein, is, because it, and all done in it, under the sun, is grievous unto him; not only unprofitable to the worker, towards hapines, but directly destructive to his whole being. When this is discover'd by the spirit of God, in and to men, all the former delusive Mirth, Joy, and Laughter, is spoiled. Then nature growes sullen, and angry at the discoverer, fighting continually against it, in the very Saint. Flesh is offended at (offend's and grieves, opposes and fights against) the said spirit, as Paul found even holy flesh, righteous nature, in all its workings, desires, and thoughts, to do, Rom. 7.
Vers. XVIII. Yea, I hated all my labour, which I had taken under the Sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
In the former Verse, he hated his own vain Life; in this, all his vain labour therein, as both, and all, vanity and vexation of spirit; not only unprofitable, but grievous to him, Life and Works, Principles and Operations. Here, he gives another reason for hating them; because he should leave the Product and Result of all such his labours, to the man that shall be after him. As figure and shadow of his meaning, herein, 'tis with many, the whole design of all their Labours and Travels, to heap up outward treasures to themselves, and leave to their Posterity, great Possessions, call'd after their own Name; as if they had any concern therein, when deceased; or, any relief thereby, when, with Dives, tormented in the flames of God's Wrath. And, as to any advantage to Posterity, how know they, but their Successors will blot out and deface, by their unwise and sinful practices, what they got by their wise and honest labours; though great things, of that sort, are seldom so gotten? Such great things puff up, and are oft the ruine of those that come after them. This was Solomons own case, in his foolish Son Rhehoboam, who following the rash dictates of ignorant young …, and rejecting the sage counsel of grave Senators that stood before his Father, disobliged the People, lost ten parts of his Kingdom, at first entrance on his Government; and he, and his Successors held the rest, not without great confusions, troubles and desolating Wars, with the Kings of Israel, their Brethren, and from such Nations round about, as were common enemies to both; Moab, Ammon, …, Edom, Philistines, &c. 1 King. 12. Yet is this but the lowest and least part of Solomon's meaning, in these and the following words.
Vers. XIX. And, who knoweth whether he shall be a wise Man, or a fool? Yet shall he have Rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shew'd my self wise, under the Sun. This is also vanity.
Here is a deep mystical Truth. The fading Laodicean Riches, and great Possessions, treasured up, in and by the fruitful exercise of my own spirit, in the restored first-covenant Life of the Law, Who knoweth … a wise Man, or a fool shall (get, and) rule over it? Whether the supreamly wise man, Christ himself, by his Gospel-sicle, Sword, or Cross, as freely and obediently surrendred to him; or the Man of sin, and Son of Perdition, the greatest mystical Fool, the Devil? Those that give up themselves and all Christ's gifts to them, of first-covenant Life, Wisdom, and Ornaments, and second-covenant Light (with all their fruits and effects, brought forth therein, mystical Corn, Wine, Oil, Silver and Gold) to Baal, or Moloch, the Lord or King, and god of this World, are willing he should reap and gather all; and so, use all Christ's own gifts to them, and all the fruits of their own labours therein, against Christ and God himself, to their own destruction, as qualified thereby to be the most gygantick opposers & fighters against God. Man walk's in a vain shew, disquiets himself in vain, heaping up Riches, and not knowing who shall gather them, Psal. 39. 6. Till Man come to a resolution, whose Arms he will cast himself into (with his changable Life and Riches) Christ's or the Devil's (in order to be fix'd in the unchangably good Spirit of the former, or evil one of the latter) He knows not who shall gather all; or, what will become of him and all he has gotten. One of these will certainly gather all, in conclusion. All puffed up self-exalters against Christ, give themselves, and all they have, into the hands of that Lucifcrian Head, and King over all such children of Pride (Job 41. 34.) receiving his spirit of unchangable enmity to God, for the Principle of their Life, Desire, Thought, and Action. All fixed first-covenant Kings, are absolutely engag'd in Satan's reign, in perfect opposition to Christ and his invisible Saints; whose saintship, or spiritual Life, is hid with Christ in God, till Christs second appearing, and rendring it visible in himself and them, which will be the Manifestation of the Sons of God. Christ offers true freedom to all, even the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. But, multitudes of enlightned, holy, first-covenant Professors (and no better, whatever they reckon themselves) chuse rather, for self-preservation, against the Cross, to be slaves of the Devil (the arrantest slave of all) and so, to have their eares boared, as his servants for ever, on their willful refusal of true Liberty. This is figured out, Ex. 21. 5, 6. At last, Christ, by his Cross and spiritual Gospel-Sword or Sicle, will reap down and gather or take from all evil Angels and Men, all the Riches and Comforts, all the fading Glory and Power they have used against him, under Satan's reign, and tread them all under foot, in his reign. From a sober Reflexion upon the whole matter, in the Spirit of Truth (discovering the vanity of all first-creation Life, and things of Man, with all his vain Labours, and uncertain Riches; and then the uncertainty, as to who shall gather them, to his everlasting damage or greatest gain) he looks on all Man's Labours, and Possessions in the confounded state of his own Nature, corrupt or righteous (on all these accounts, put together) to be but a hateful vanity, and vexation of spirit. So he farther declares,
Vers. XX. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the Labour which I took under the Sun.
So should every one (in union of mind with Christ) hate his own Life, with all his Labours, and Fruits, brought forth in the but restor'd natural Principle (or Spirit of the first-covenant Law of Works) for the Life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, in the second, the new-covenant spirit of the Gospel. The former, at best, was but changably good; and since the Fall, enmity to God, or filth of spirit is inseperable from it; direct enmity to that creature-spirit, or holy Ghost, in the new Life whereof only, 'tis possible to please God, or be saved. A heart, set to love that Life, in which man hates (and is hateful to) God, is a heart fixed in (or set to do) evil, for ever. Solomon therefore sets his heart to hate the whole Life, and all the best works, done in the single activity of his own nature, at best, under the twofold first-creation Sun, litteral and mystical; as abovesaid. Of this he gives a farther account, vers. 21, -23.
Vers. XXI. For, there is a man, whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity: Yet, to a man that hath not laboured therein, shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity, and a great Evil.
Solomon gives an account of himself, in the Man here described by him, travelling in Wisdom, Knowledge, and Equity; that is, in the wise and righteous actings of his own restored, enlightned nature. All this, he finds vain, and unprofitable; yea, a great grief and sorrow to him. Here's the sad result of all man's goodnes and fruitfulnes, in his own nature. All is vanity, the … tree of good and evil (and since the fall, of evil only, filth of spirit at least, which is the greater sort of evil) with the Fruits; the Root with the Branch; Principle and Operations, Desires, Thoughts, Counsels, Purposes, Words, Actions, all naught. The loss of all, as obediently surrendred to the sacrificing hand, Gospel-cross, Sword and Fire of God's High Priest, is our only way of being delivered from all evil, of sin or punishment, for ever. And, on such obedience, we shall certainly receive the promise of the Father, the everlasting creature-life and spirit of the Son, which will fill us with all good, for ever, above wonder.
Is not here great Gain, on all hands, to encourage us to bear such loss, the spiritual Law of the Cross, and ordinances of God's new-creation sanctuary call for, as undispensably necessary for our admission or entrance thereinto? This exchang-traffique of Law for Gospel, Life of Nature for Grace, Earthly for Heavenly, the natural life of the Creature, for the spiritual life of the Creator, is the highest and best market, man can make, of all his first-creation vanities. Truth (or the Gospel-spirit of truth) can never be bought, but to Man's unspeakable advantage; never sold or parted with, from love to what's to be parted with for it, but to Man's unspeakable loss. Buy the Truth, therefore, at any rate; but Sell it, at no rate, though all the kingdom's of this World and glory of them (all natural, humane or Angelical excellencies) be bidden for it. Paul, when eminent in first-covenant holines, parted with all, as dung, for this Truth. All that have tried this most gainfull traffique, have found it so. No active obedience, performable in Man's own nature, ever does his work for salvation; but, passive; a right ceasing from that life, with all its activity and labours. Should a Man live a thousand years twice told, in the utmost fruitfulnes of his rectified naturals, he will still find Solomon's account true; all vanity. All that's but Earthly, in Man or Angel, all first-creation Life and fruits or works thereof, will be burnt up by the fire of the second, 2 Pet. 3. 10. Christ's new-creature spirit will try, by its al-discovering light, all principles and works, whether natural or spiritual, earthly or Heavenly; and then, all the former, that's changable and perishable, will most certainly perish, or be burnt up by the fire of this trying spirit. All that obediently submit not to this fiery triall, fall inevitably under its everlasting burnings, in and upon them, in final Wrath. All changable goodnes, earthly, first-creation Life and Fruits, first or last, must passe away, from obedient Saints, and incorrigible sinners, in God's Love or Wrath. This fiery triall, seem's grievous, at present, to nature, in Saints; Heb. 12. 11. Our nature, in Christ himself, was sorrowfull to death; cast out a word, for scaping the Death-Cup, but he instantly called it back. His living Soul, of the same kind with the first Adam's, was sorely put to't, made exceeding sorrowful, under the death-work of his second-Adam's quickning-spirit, or gospel-sword and fire upon it; Mat. 26. 38, 39. Obedient submission to God's present, temporary Wrath, in this case, is the only possible way of deliverance, from his Eternal; the Wrath to come. All willful refusers of the former, are sure to meet with the latter. Those that with Paul, received Gods just sentence of Death within them, On their naturals, at best, have unspeakably the best on't. Those that please themselves a-while in resisting and scaping it, fall under it for ever. The sufferings and shame brought on the natural man of the Saint, are not to be compared with the joy and glory of spiritual life, that follows. Nor does the present false joy, stiffnecked resisters of the Cross (or holy Ghost, in its demolishing operation upon their naturals) please themselves with, signify any thing, in comparision of the griefs, torments, and vexation of spirit, this crosse will bring upon them, in Eternal Death. The demolishing-work of the Cross, is grievous to nature, in Saints, at present: but, in no comparison so grievous as 'twil be to it, in rebellious resisters; and that, for ever. True Saints soon find the benefit of their obediently sacrificed nature, by a resurrection out of the death of that, into the everlasting righteous life of the sacrificing high Priest of their Gospel-profession; Melchisedeck. So have they eternal life abiding in them, the Kingdom of Heaven within them, live and walk in Christ's kingdom-spirit, the Gospel-principle of everlasting righteousness. Thus, by submitting to the temporary wrath at present (brought upon them, in God's everlasting kindness) do they scape the wrath to come.
But, what mean's Solomon, in saying, that all his wise labours, in his own restored nature, must be left to a man that has not laboured therein? Who is this? Christ, in his originally unchangable creature-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth. Himself surrendred the earthly first-covenant righteous life and labours thereof, in our flesh, to the flames of his own eternal (Heb. 9. 14.) everlasting righteous creature spirit, in sacrifice to his own divine spirit, and God most high. The sacrifice, he offred; the sacrificing Priest that offered it; and God, to whom offered; all are comprehended in the worderful person of the Mediatour, as the divine and twofold creature form of God, originally spiritual, and spiritualiz'd, transformed, regenerate natural, baptized into the death, and assimilated in the resurrection life of it, to the originally spiritual. This divine and twofold creature-being, image, or form of God in Christ, is all called God, even the spiritualiz'd man Christ; Jo. 1. 1. All are the living Word and Oracle of God's infinite divine mind; his Wonderfull Counsellor, to Angels and Men. And, in all, stands he in a distinction, for ever, from God most high, in the single and uncompounded divine essence, in which, the Father to this divine and creature-Son, begotten from eternity, as the divine; and from everlasting (Prov. 8- 23) as creature-Son of God. Hence is it said, the Mediatour is not of one (nature) but God is one. Gal. 3. 20. This sacrificing, Priestly, Gospel-spirit of Christ, reapes or gather's, cut's down, burns up, and utterly consumes all the life and labours or workings of Angel or Man, in their natural first-creation make and life, as he served our fleshly nature, in his own person. By his Cross or Gospel-sword, he gathers all, for sacrifice to God, as his due required Tithes and Offerings (the mystical truth of the litteral) that never laboured or did any thing, in that natural state of life, but was originally spiritual. This also is vanity, sayes Solomon, or shewes the insignificancy of man's or angel's labours in their earthly, first-creation Life of vanity, about salvation. All must go, life and all, or they never can be saved. And this is a great evil, or grieving consideration to man, that his life, at best, and all done in it, are but perishing vanities, vanishing shadows of things to come, or to be brought a-float in men, by a new-creation. 'Tis also Man's great evil, his unpardonable Sin, if he rob God, or withold his Mystical Tithes and Offrings, Mal. 3. 8. (the most high and criminal Spiritual sacriledg, many first-covenant Professours are guilty of in holy flesh; Rom. 2. 22.) the best fruits or works of his own nature, life and all, from Christ's Gospel-sword or Cross, and spiritual Circumcision-Knife; and so, from being an obedient sacrifice, or holocaust to God, in all. There is also a great evil, even direct enmity to God, found in all man's first-creation life of vanity, the most restored Image of the Earthy, and best fruits producible therein. This filth of spirit cleaves fast unto all, and is inseperable from Man's nature, since the first sin of it. Christs communicating to, and setting up his spiritual life in Saints, makes them Lilies, that neither toil nor Spin, yet grow into a flourishing fruitfulnes. No labour or toil of the natural spirit, in the case; but, a rest from all that labour. God works all our works in us: and we, all our works in him; Jo. 3. 21. Solomon, in all his glory, was not Arayed like one of these; Mat. 6. 28, 29. In all his fading natural excellencies and perfections, he had no glory, to these beautiful new-creation Lilies, that excel. Men yield up all their fading natural life and fruits to Christ, as the man, the spirit of everlasting righteousness; or to the Devil, the Man of sin and everlasting wickedness. If to Christ, he offers all up, in sacrifice to God. If to Satan, he sets up and uses all, in unchangable enmity to God. When the Son of God had this life of vanity about him, the life of the Law, God spared it not in him; nor did he pitty or spare it in himself, as the Devil by Peter advised him to do. Some, that have a mind to be bidding at Salvation (and the new-building) in the way of the Cross, and won't bid up; are willing to part with the corrupt life of nature, and palpably evil fruits and lusts thereof, the refuse and worst of their Cattel; but, as Saul (in letter and mystery) spare the choice things (the King and best of the Cattel, in this Amalekite-spirit of nature; keep back part of their earthly possessions, with Ananias and Saphira, the righteous Earthly life and fruits thereof) will come off, or fare as they did, lose their own selfchosen kingdom, life and all; 1 Sam. 15. 8, 9. and v. 18-23. Acts. 5. 1-10.
Vers. XXII. For, what hath a Man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the Sun?
Without a surrender of all, for that newness of life (in which alone he can bring forth fruit unto God and be saved) all turns to his eternal loss and disadvantage. This question is resolved.
Vers. XXIII. For, all his dayes are sorrows; and his Travel, grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
If first-covenant life be not, first or last, surrendred for the second (that has bin no active principle or labourer in the way and Wisdom of the first) all's lost. For, 'tis in the new life of the second, only, can any bring forth fruit unto God, or be saved. This exchange of first for second, finally refused, Man will have nothing to reap, of all his labours and travels in the first, but unexpressible sorrows, grief, shame, and everlasting contempt, as having wilfully rendered himself a Vessel of dishonour, for ever, under wrath. He has changed all his goodness, the wrong way, into unchangable evil and enmity to God, for which the unchangable wrath of God will be upon him. And this will make that mystical Night of Darkness and Death, his heart can take no rest in. This, come all men's vain labours for rest, in the life and activity of their own nature, to; against all the faithful counsels, and timely warnings of God. So will all the dayes, belonging to their immortal beings, even to all eternity, be spent in torment, and vexation of spirit. They have rebelliously walked in the light of their own Fire, and Sparks of their own kindling, the fruits and births of their own light and wisdom, in the life and activity of their own nature, and must lie down in Sorrow, for their pains. All first-creation life of the Law, thus unlawfully used, in rebellion against God, will be found not only vanity, but a great and sore evil to them, for ever.
Vers. XXIIII. There is nothing better for a man, then that he should Eat and Drink; and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
This eating and drinking as a taking pleasure and joy in man's labour, Solomon recommend's, as savory advice, and a peculiar gift from God, cannot be any thing, bordering upon brutish sensuality; nor yet Men's feeding and gratifying themselves with the best fruits of their labours in a first-covenant Law-life: for, in both these, men lie under the Curse of God; Gal. 3. 10. No feeding on perishing meats, in a perishing life, can be the meaning of the spirit, Solomon gave this counsel, in: but, a feeding on never-perishing Meats, suited to a never-perishing life, as Christ, the true Solomon advises, with a negative dash on all other life and meats; Jo. 6. 27. This only is a true blessing from God; puts man under his approbation-seal; a Belly and Meats, he will not destroy; All other, he will. All other life, finally kept up and fed in, tends to man's final destruction. Right eating and drinking of Christ's living Bread and the kingdom-Wine of his spirit, strengthens man in his newness of life, to bring forth fruit unto God, daily more and more, from thirty to sixty, sixty to a hundred-fold, and from that, to a thousand, &c. endlesly. David, Solomon, and other Saints have seen and proclaimed the vanity of all other Life and Meats, with all Man's delusive, destructive joy, mistaken pleasures and confidences, therein. They have recanted and declared the wrong measures they took in their own fallible wisdoms, both of themselves, and Gods various dealings with them and others, in this world. Enemies are gratified with more than heart can wish, litteral or mystical riches, in their own nature, will, and way after their own hearts, while true saints are plagued all their day long, in this World, and chastned every morning; Psal. 73. 4. 14. The natural man of the saint, envies, frets, and is vexed at this worldly prosperity of the wicked; but their spiritual, in God's Sanctuary-light, sees what all will come to; and so, quiets their wrangling, envious natural, as an injurious quarreller at Gods dispensations, and the methods of his wisdom; v. 16-19. Spiritual light extricates them out of that labyrinth, and consused maze, their own wisdom and thoughts run them, into; and sets all to rights. The blessed end of Saints troubles, and dreadful conclusion of wicked Mens prosperity, payes for, and answers all. This, seen, quiets the Saint, and fills him with Joy unspeakable and glorious. This we find, over and over, Psal. 37. & 73. … 21. and, in plenty of other scriptures. Envy not their fools-paradice here, that ha's Hell at end on't. All their laughter and merriment is but as the crackling of Thorns under a pot, a short blaze, in this mortal World, and away. After their Resurrection of Damnation, they'l have time enough to pay their sad reckoning, under the flamings forth of unquenchable Wrath, upon them. This will they have, from God's hand. When Saints clearly see this twofold Issue of their trouble, and others prosperity, in this world; can they envy, will they not pity them? The afflictions of the one, and prosperity of the other, are both but a Dream. Truth will out, at last, in the endless end, both arrive at, and come to, in eternal life or death. When the Wicked awake out of their dreamish hapines, God will despise their Image; destroy their life, and all their false comforts, in the Image of the Earthy; Psal. 73. 20. When Saints awake out of their afflictiondream, they will be satisfied with Gods Heavenly Image, and his new-creature life, Psal. 17. 15. One has but an Imaginary hapines: the other, Imaginary trouble; all's but a vain shew; Psal. 39. 6. As Saints more plentifully feed on the Lords never-perishing Meats, from his heavenly table, they are more strengthned in that newness of life, in which they bring forth never-perishing fruits, unto God. God requires (and delights in) their eating and drinking abundantly, at his Heavenly Table, the glorious fruits of his divine and creature-spirit, the Tree of Life. They can never be too much filled with his spirit (Eph. 5. 18.) and fruits thereof. No rioting or excess, at his Table: never too much of his Wine. The more, any feed at his table, the more they discover and nauseate Satan's worldly meats, and wine. Let him gild his perishing vanities with never so near a resemblance of Christs meats, 'twon't do. They can spie out his Contemptible meats, under all the beautiful disguises he puts upon them, and reject them. See then the mystery and truth of Solomons declaration, here. There's nothing better for a man, then to eat and drink the good of all his spiritual labours, which never are in vain in the Lord; 1 Cor. 15. 58. All other labour, in mans own nature, is in vain, as to his grand concern. Life, Fruits, Labours, nothing vain, in a new-creation state; all, in the old. All's unchangable, in the new; all, vanishing, in the old; Tree and Fruit, Root and Branch, Womb and Births. Fruits in the new, are Peaceable fruits of Righteousness, in a union of mind with God; not so, in the Old. All, there, is done in a spirit of enmity to God; even the best and most righteous works of man. By works of Grace, in God's new-covenant spirit, Abraham was Justified, and not by Faith only, Jam. 2. 21-24. Such works, wrought in God, or in the spirit of faith, are ingredients into the saint's Justification; not any works or deeds of the Law-spirit of nature; Rom. 4. 2-6. The true saint does not live, war, or walk after the flesh, but against it, in the spirit. The ruling principle in man, denominates. A predominant exercise of the corrupt spirit of nature (with the vile affections and brutish lusts thereof) denominates Man, a Beast. The ruling exercise of the enlightened principles of nature, declare a man, a Legal Christian, or, at least, a moral Heathen. The ruling exercise of the Gospel-spirit, in man, makes a spiritual Saint, a Gospel-Christian. And now, by this opening of these words, into the mystical truth of them, is not excluded a shadowy litteral sense thereof, as countenancing a right and free use of the concerns of bodily Life, for the end by God intended in them, against the folly of those, that from an evil covetousness, and vain, self-tormenting sollicitude, find no heart or power to eat thereof, to the best advantage of the Life, that's more then meat; and the Body, that's more then Raiment; Mat. 6. 25.
Vers. XXV. For, who can eat? or who else can hasten hereunto, more then I?
Solomon, here, declares his Priviledg, through the awak'ned Wisdom of God in him, of hastening to, and feeding at Christ's Heavenly Table, on the things of God. Who carried forth with a stronger bent of affection to things above (Col. 3. 2.) then I? He found a strength of spiritual appetite, carrying him forth to eat and drink abundantly, according to Christ's Invitation to his supreamly doubleportion'd … … Saints (of which number, himself seem's to be … … in his own mysterious Song; Cant. 5. 1.
Vers. XXVI. For, God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, Wisdom, and Knowledg, and Joy: But, to the sinner he giveth Travel, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
The good man, in God's sight, is the spiritual Saint, in distinction from all others. What's unchangably good only, is properly good in God's sight. None good, insinitely, from Eternity, but God only: … everlasting to Eternity, is the creature-spirit in the Mediator, good. And, to Eternity, are all obedient Angels and Saints, born of that spirit, and brought forth in the everlasting righteous Life thereof, good before God. No Angel, no Man, no thing, in the first-creation-make or State of Angel or Man, is, in this sense, good; however good in their kind, and right use; yea, very good; Gen. 1. 31. The natural man of the Saint, in the restored first-covenant Life and Image of the earthy, is made good in God's sight, by submitting to the Plow-work of the Cross (Christ's spiritual husbandry upon it) pointed so deep, as to tear up by the Roots, the natural principle of enmity. And then, by the same hand, or spiritual Plow, is quick|'ned up, the (before) dormant seed of an incorruptible righteous new-creation Life, in which Man's nature, as made new earth, brings forth fruit unto God. This is the Earth, that, by drinking in the spirituall Rain-waters of Life, that come oft npon it, brings forth herbs, meet for them by whom it is dressed; Christ, and God most high; Heb. 6. 7. Saints are thus, Gods Husbandry; and Christ, the Mystical Husband-man, that does the work. He cleanses from filth of flesh, the vile fruits and lusts of the corrupt Nature. This yet, … not or enables men to bring forth fruit unto God; but to themselves only (Hos. 10. 1.) towards the farther enriching and adorning their own nature. They are empty Vines, and but fallow Fields, yet, to God. Some-what clear'd are they, from the Nettles and Thistles of the corrupt spirit of nature; but they bring forth no right Grapes, or good fruit, unto God; unchangably good. A seed of enmity, remaining in them, after all natural cleansings, is a Root of bitterness, bearing Gall and Wormwood, Briars and Thorns, in a bloody, bitter, murderous mind of enmity against God, Christ, and all his Gospel-Saints and Truths. So see we the good man, here, rendred so, by God's unspeakable Gift, consisting in true Wisdom, Knowledge, and Joy, joy unspeakable and Glorious in the holy Ghost, or spiritual principle of everlasting righteous life, desire, thought, word, and action. And hereby is he fitted to enjoy God, in whose favourable presence is fulnes of Joy, and at whose right hand are pleasure's for evermore; Psal. 16. 11.
Secondly then, who is the Sinner, here?
This sinner is, not only nor chiefly, the common sinner, in the corrupt spirit of nature, unfix'd there. All are so born, Children of Wrath and death, serving divers lusts, hatefull, and hating one another; Eph. 2. 3. Tit. 3. 3. All are sinners against the son of man, or light and righteous life of the first-covenant law, the highest edition and dispensation whereof, was found in Christ's person, as Son of Man, in the earthly law-life of our nature, holy flesh. If such sins and sinners were not pardonable, and the wrath thereby provoked and demerited, atoneable (by Christ's obedient sacrifice of that spotles law-life, and by his powerful intercessions) no man could be saved. The sinner here, then, is of a higher rank, and deeper die, then so. The principles of corrupt and righteous nature, in a kind of struggle and fight against each other, in man, too generally mistaken for flesh and spirit, are but corrupt and holy flesh, which joyn in war against what's truly called spirit, in scripture; the spirit of Christ, and spiritual mind thereof, in Saints; Gal. 5. 17. Paul, in holy flesh, was a fierce persecuter of Gods Holy Spirit, and true saints. And, when a signal Apostle, he found that holy flesh a fighter against Gods holy spirit, in himself, as he abundantly complain's; Ro. 7. While man then interprets the words of Gods wisdom, by the short-sighted conceptions and words of his own wisdom, he shuts up the kingdom of Heaven, excludes all the mystery and spiritual truth of scripture, out of all his teaching, and reputed orthodox divinity. All this lies buried in deep silence and inadvertency. And, would this were all. When the spiritual mystery, and kingdom-sense of all scripture, is offered, such humane divines (in their lying spirit of …, as to all Gospel-truths or things of God) set themselvs, might and main, to … and decry it; disswade their hearers from listning to't, as the most detestable, blasphemous doctrin, in the world.
The enlight'ned, professing, righteous Jewish Teachers, said, on this very account, of Christ himself, he hath a Devil, and is Mad; Why hear ye him? Joh. 10. 20. Do any of the Scribes or Pharisees believe him? None but silly ignorant Women and Fishermen, Publicans and Harlots, such as know not the Law, and are cursed, regard his words. Here's the passe, Golpel-truths were at, amongst the only professing people, at that day, in the world, when Christ himself was the Preacher. Such Sinners against the Holy Ghost (or gospel-spirit of truth, when rich, full, and reigning as Kings, as needing nothing for Salvation, when they want every thing; 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. Rev. 3. 17.) Wise, Strong, and honourable in Christ, as to first-covenant attainments, and fruitful in the life thereof, these are the very sinner or sinners, here meant, when obstinately fixed there. The self-same law-spirit, or restored principle of righteous life and action, in their own nature, fixed in, under the outward dispensation of the Gospel, renders men a-like prejudic'd, now, against the whole mystery and truth of Gospel (the very Christ, the very Gospel) as they were, under the outward dispensation and ceremony of the Law. They exclude all the Gospel-sense of all scripture, old and new Testament, out of all their divinity. … are the divines that shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men, not entring themselvs nor suffering others to enter. They set up Satan's kingdom of marvellous darkness, for Christ's Kingdom of marvellous light. They preach up that accursed other Gospel, he preached to Eve (and is at, ever since) that man shall not die at all, that is, that in his own enlightned righteous nature, he has eternal Life. So Second-covenant, newness of Life, true Grace, Regeneration, &c. are all frustrated or made void, as useless nothings, that are all in all, for true salvation. All new-covenant Titles are given to the old, and the very new, …, with all its doctrin, as madness. These that pass thus for Christs only Church and Saints, will be found, when God is Judg himself, the most criminal sinners, beyond litteral Sodom, even a spiritual Egypt and Babylon. In all their conformity to Christ, in that Life of our nature, he crucified, are they in flat opposition to that spiritual, he raised it into, in which he lives for evermore, Rev. 1. 18. These … painted Sepulchres, whited Walls, full of enmity to God, filth of spirit, mystical rottenness and corruption. They are Theeves and …, that (having shut up the right Door of Entrance into the kingdom, by the death of nature at best, under the Cross) climb up some other way, to take it by violence; force their entrance, in holy flesh, their own Wisdom and strength, with satan. Christ crucified and abolished all that, in himself, they daringly and presumptuously attempt to enter it, with. These are Wolves in sheeps Clothing, dressing up their visible saint-ship in but holy Flesh, with all the words, and titles belonging to the invisible saint, in God's holy spirit, a life yet hid with Christ in God. In this disguise, are these mystical robbers of Christ and his true saints, of all their titles, their fiercest and most outragious enemies; as Christ warn's his followers; Mat. 10. 16-18.
Next then, what's meant by God's giving such a sinner travel, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God?
1. First, what is it, this sinner gathers and heaps up?
2. Secondly, in what sense is God the giver to him, with pain and travel, so to do?
3. And, thirdly, how, and in what sense, is what he so heaps up, given to him that is good before God?
To the first. The peculiar treasures of the choicer sort of Kings of the earth, mystical Silver and Gold (v. 8; and, Jam. 5. 2, 3.) the Laodicean treasures of such first-covenant Kings (Rev. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 8.) of the earthly Jerusalem-spirit, as are totally destitute of the heavenly. Men reckon their matters safe, as to eternal life and peace with God, in a spirit of direct enmity to him
To the second. As a present punishment for so doing, God gives them pain and travel in heaping up such riches. How? By spiritual light, he convincingly shews them the vanity of all that life and treasure, and requires all in sacrifice (by a holy death) to him. This (besides the far greater punishment that follows, under the wrath to come) gives present pain, amid'st all their self-deluding satisfactions in this upper sort of the delights of the Sons of men. The distinct superiour excellency of spiritual life and things of God, in the second or new-covenant, beyond Man's, in the first or old (as farr as the heavens are above the earth) convincingly set before them, in mercy, when wilfully sinned against, torment's them. For, such conviction becomes a self-condemning witnes against them, as fixed dwellers on the said mystical Earth, or their earthly life, when offered Heaven, or God's spiritual, heavenly life, by a new-creation. Christ sends his spiritual convictions into them, as faithful spies, that give a good report of his true land of promise, or state of life. These, sinned against, and not hearkned to, vex and torment them, taking from them such full undisturbed delights and uninterrupted pleasure, as they desire to find in their earthly life, will, and way. Gods spiritual conviction-light (given in mercy) finally rebelled against, is, in wrath, kept up in their consciences, as a never dying Worm, that will torment them, to all eternity, witnessing against themselves, as unpardonably guilty; and for God, as most just, in his unquenchable wrath upon them; Mar. 9. 44. Now, this gnawing Worm, that will be this sinner's everlasting tormentor in the world to come, is a sore allay to his false joy, in this. Spiritual conviction is as a particular day of Gods Judgment in and upon man, before the general comes. The accusing voice thereof in him, holds him to't, and forces him to see, that all the treasure he's heaping up, for the last day's (Jam. 5. 3.) is indeed, no other nor better then a treasuring up wrath for himself, against the day of wrath; Ro. 2. 5. This is a sowring ingredient, in the midst of all the sweet and contentment, this unpardonably guilty sinner desires to find in his own selfe-chosen way, and self-chusing will. He may know and conclude, nothing remaines to him of benefit, from Christ's sacrifice and intercession; and so, nothing at all, from God, but fiery indignation, Heb. 10. 26, 27. So, of the first part of his punishment, even at present, in this world. The second, we shall find, in considering the third particular.
To the 3d, then. By Gods over-ruling hand, he shall be made to give all his heaped up treasures, to him that is good before God, whom he unchangably hates. And, this will be a tormenting consideration, and sore vexation of his spirit, his heaped up vanities wil prove unto him; which is the concluding word of this Chapter. All, the sinner (in the latter part of this verse) labours for, and gathers, he must give, or shal be given, whether he will or no, to the good man or spiritual saint, in the former part. In the parable of the talents (Mat. 25. 14-30) we find, that the evil servant, who kept his own single earthly talent, or earthly first-covenant life, refusing to exchange it, for Christ's heavenly, is called Wicked and Slothful Servant, and his Talent taken from him, and given to him that had ten, as having made the required Exchang, by death, to his advantage and great gain. All the … goodness, and Comforts, in the first Creation-Life and State (kept up, and held fast, by Evil Angels and Men, in Rebellion against God) shall be finally taken from them; and given to, or Possessed by Spiritual Saints and Angels, as Comprehended in (and unspeakably outdone by) the New-Creation Life and State, where they receive their own (and all others own) again, with Usury; ver. 27. Thus Christ Interprets his own Parable. From him that hath not the durable Riches, in New-creation Life, shall be … away all his Fading, in the First; and given to him that hath true Riches in the second, with abundant Increase, for ever; ver. 29. This is of like Significancy with that other faithfull saying, and sure word of Prophecy; whoever will spare or save his natural, earthly Life, from the death-work of the Cross, shall lose it, under the same Cross, in final wrath; and, whosoever will hate and lose his natural and earthly, for the sake of and love to Christs spiritual and heavenly (the only right use of his single first-creation Life and Talent) shall find it with Usury, in Christ's heavenly; Mat. 16. 25. Never was any thing in the former, could make up any degree of true hapines to Man or Angel. God convincingly shews and graciously offer's his life to men; waits with much patience and long-suffering for their accepting it, on his termes, the death of their own nature, at best, or in what ever variety of condition, in Publican and Harlot, or Scribe and Pharisee. He knocks at the Dore of their hearts, warn's, counsells, instructs, reproves them, invites, entreats, beseeches them by his Ambassadours of grace. He calls out to them, to hear his voice and not harden their hearts against him, while the day of his gracious call and offers to them, last's. At length, on their willful Provoking him beyond pardon, the great Master of the New-Creation House or Building, shuts the door, and is gone (Luk. 13. 25.) Swearing in his Wrath, they shall never enter into his Rest; Heb. 3. 13. Then, they may seek and knock, while they will, they'l never find him (Prov. 1. 28) nor any place for Repentance, or change of their Rebellious Mind, and desperate condition, for ever (Heb. 6. 4-6.) Esau's Case; Heb. 12. 17. An obedient Exchange, by Death, of Fading First-Creation Life, for the Everlasting Second, is unspeakable gain to Man. The Rebellious keeping it up, in Enmity to the Cross, and Second, or to the Spirit of God, and its Crucifying, Death-work upon it (in order to set up its own Life in the Room) is unspeakable loss, to all that so do. This, Paul told the Self-Confident Professours at Philippi, of, (in the fruitful Flourish of a First-Covenant Righteous Life) even weeping, Phil. 3. 18.) and reproov'd the Corinthians for, in like case (1 Cor. 4. 8. 10.) as Christ himself (when Ascended and Glorified) the Laodiceans; Rev. 3. 17, 18. By the very same hand, Cross, or Gospel-Spirit of Christ, will that Perishing Law-Life, with all the Fruitfulness, heap'd up Riches and meats thereof, be taken from them, in Final Wrath, whether they will or no.