Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 · Verse 18 – Verse 20
Vers. XVIII. Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comly for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour, that he taketh vnderunder the Sun, all the days of his Life, which God giveth him: for, it is his portion.
Having, in some former Verses, finish'd the Character of the incorrigibly wicked, as to their dreadfull condition, Solomon proceed's here, to declare the blessed condition of all, that are of a perfectly contrary temper of Spirit, to that of unchangable enmity, above-said; of another Spirit, with Caleb and Joshuah, who wholly followed the Lord; Numb. 32. 12. 'Tis the Spirit of Faith, only, the law of the Spirit of Life, and true Liberty, the Gospel-Spirit of Truth, in which the Lord can be rightly own'd, fully follow'd, and acceptably worship'd, in Spirit and Truth. Sure, none of these things can ever be done in man's own spirit, will, and way, that, at best, is enmity to God. True Saints bring forth all the fruits of their labours, unto God the Father, in this Spirit of the Son, which makes them free indeed; in this newness of Life, and Law of true Liberty, the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God. And they reap the benefit or fruit of all their such labours in the Lord, which never are in vain; 1 Cor. 15. 58. All labours in our own Spirit of nature, uncircumcis'd or circumcis'd, that is, corrupt or righteous, are in vain, as to eternal Life; Gal. 6. 15. Nothing but the new creature, and its actions, are conducible, or of any tendency towards that. There, God work's all our works for us; and we, all our works, in him, as co-workers with God, in his own Spirit; Isai. 26. 12. Joh. 3. 21. Without me, or my Gospel-Spirit, … can do nothing in the way towards true Life, say's Christ to all; Joh. 15. 5. These Gospel-works of the Spirit of Faith, in Abraham, justified him (Jam. 22. 21) not law-works, in his own Spirit of nature, or principle of the covenant of works; Rom. 4. 2-6. By the works of the Spirit of Grace, not nature, are we justified and saved; Eph. 2. 8, 9. One of the works, by which Abraham was justifyed, was the sacrificing death-work upon his Spirit of nature, at best, typed by Isaac. And Abram, therein, with Isaac, were both of them Types of Christ, as the Gospel high-Priest and Sacrifice. Works and reward, in man's dealing with God, on the terms of the first-covenant, in his own spirit, will, and way, are of debt; in the second, both and all, on all hands, are, of Grace; works and reward. True Saints can say, not I live, walk, speak, work, but Christ, or his Gospel-Spirit lives and does all, in me; Gal. 2. 20. 'Tis his Spirit of Grace, in and by which, they are what they are, do what they do, say what they say, 1 Cor. 15. 10. All, done in the participated creature-Spirit of the Son, exactly answers the very divine mind and will of the Father. All's after his own heart. By eating and drinking at Christ's heavenly Table, feeding on his never-perishing meats (Bread of Life, and Wine of his Kingdom, his divine and creature Glories) do they enjoy the good of all their labours in the Lord. They eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart (Act. 2. 46.) with joy unspeakable and glorious, in unchangable union with God; whereas others are feeding at the Serpents Table, in a Spirit of darkness, death, and unchangable enmity to God, with him. Avast difference. There's a fix'd, unpasable Gulf between these two sorts of feeders, eaters and drinkers. The generation of God's Children, born of his Spirit, to whom he has given his heavenly riches, and power to eat thereof, do truly rejoyce in all their labours, even while in their mortal Body, on earth, under the litteral Sun; This is their happy Portion, and Gift from God; as follow's.
Vers. XIX. Every man also, to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his Portion, and to rejoyce in his labour; This is the Gift of God.
The obedient Saint chooses not his Portion, in his own will, and life, to his eternal ruine: but, is content, God should choose (as well as provide) his Portion, for him. In a dutifull compliance with his Spiritual Law, he readily parts with his own fading Life and riches, perishing vanities, for God's everlasting; which is absolute Salvation. Others, rebelliously and knowingly, choose, what he obediently parts with (as dung) for their final portion; which lay's them under final wrath. Saints quit the best Life and Things of the living Soul of the first …, for the transcendently better Life and Things of the quickning Spirit of the second; their earthy Image, for his heavenly. No other way of bearing the Image of the heavenly, but a quitting the Earthy, as a glory to be done away, for the Glory of the heavenly, which excell's and remain's for ever; 2 Cor. 3. 10, 11. In this … of Life, and all the labours, right works, and fruits thereof, do they eat with unspeakable gladness of heart; and this is the Gift of God. The reason of this gladness, is given.
Vers. XX. For, he shall not much remember the days of his Life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
The day's of the Saint's Life, in his own Spirit of vanity, and unprofitableness to himself, as also enmity and sin against God, shall not be remembred by God. So, he shall not be call'd to an account, for what he has done in them. God pardon's, and puts all out of his Book of remembrance, on man's delivering up the guilty Sinner (the Son of Bichri, spiritual King David's Enemy; 2 Sam. 20. 21) his own Spirit, to Death, in order to be quickned up into the Life of the Spirit of mystical King David, that can never sin. And this, done by God, the Saint himself shall not much remember, so as to be confounded with the review of his innumerable and unutterably aggravated follies and abominations, in the Life and Day's of his vanity. All's pardoned and done away, Sins and Sinner; never to be remembred more, by God; Jer. 31. 33, 34. Heb. 8. 12. and, 10. 16, 17. In their newness of Life, they delight in God; and God, in them. He answers them therefore, in the Joy of their Heart, giving them all the desires thereof; Psal. 37. 4. Their and his desires meet and center in that one thing, necessary to their pleasing him, or being saved, the new-creation Spirit of Christ, his appointed and determin'd unspeakable Gift to them, from Eternity.