Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 14
Vers. 14. In the day of Prosperity, be joyful; but, in the day of Adversity, consider: God also, hath set the one over against the other, to the end that Man should find nothing after him.
The good and evil day, in the original, are here translated, the day of Prosperity and Adversity.
Here's a two-fold day, for Man, in God's wise method and appointment, set, one over against the other, which 'tis man's duty and concern, to take notice of, and comply with, recoycing in the former, and duly considering the yet greater advantages to him, in the latter. To follow the Lord's counsel, in both, is his best course. The spiritual mystery of these Words is the principal intendment. But, first, in the litteral sence; the greatest content, joy, and satisfaction, man can find in the greatest outward Prosperity (when surrounded with a confluence of all visible desireables in this World) he must come to experience the loss of all, first or last, which he ought to consider. In the perishable nature of all such enjoyments, is discernably writ out a day of adversity, over against his utmost prosperity, therein. The perishing nature, also, of that life and desire in him, that's gratified by such things; the belly that's for such meats, does farther preach the same doctrine to him, cautioning against the placing his happiness in such slippery, uncertain things. Death puts a full period to all such desires, as are answer'd by such desireables. Vanity on all hands, proclaims a day of Adversity and darkness, set over against the day of such Prosperity. Unwarrantable over-value for, love to, and delight in such worldly things, will cause a destructive worldly sorrow to man, if he out-live them. When run down into a despicable state of misery and want, he knows not how to bear it, or what to do with himself. Life grows a burden. Sometimes he makes away himself, as weary of it.
But now, as to the mystical, principal sense of these words; Here's a most concerning caution to man, in the utmost flourish, fruitfulness and inward mystical riches of his nature, in a first-covenant righteous life, where belly and meats, desires and desireables, root and branch, tree and fruits, principles and operations, are all but a higher sort of perishing vanities, sigur'd out by the former. All this yet, is but a vain shew, a dream, a fools Paradise, a shadow, an image only of true durable life and substantial riches, in the heavenly creature-image of the second Adam. Man, at best, in all this fading glory and honour of his own nature, is altogether vanity. Ps. 39. 5, 6. The first Adam was made in but the earthly, shadowy Image of God: the heavenly, substantial, creature-image of the infinite Divinity is found only in the second Adam, and his spiritual descendents, by a new birth, or second creation. A day of adversity, then, is written out, in the perishing nature of all such inward, as well as outward prosperity, over against the highest prosperity, therein. All such mystical, soul-riches, life, food, clothing, glory, honour, wisdom, righteousness, all will be gone again, most certainly make themselves wings and flee away; Prov. 23. 5. While then, Man sets his eye or heart on such things, which God says, are not, he is sure to meet with an amazing disappointment. By new-creature things, things of God, (which God's Wisdom reckon's the only creature-things that are; man's wisdom, things that are not) will God bring to nought all those things of man, which his foolish wisdom reckon's the only creature-things that are; 1 Cor. 1. 28. In the day of man's prosperity in the restor'd first-Covenant righteous life of his own nature (under the cherishing, impregnating influencings of Christ, as a fleshly Bridegroom, or Husband, rendring him fruitful in such births, fruits, works of righteousness and duties to God and Man, as are producible and performable therein) should he be joyful, and thankful to God, for mercifully restoring to him, the proper life, food and clothing of his dead, desolate nature, lost by the fall. Ezek. 16. 3, -14. This is the common Salvation, or general deliverance, all men may receive, from Christ's General-Redemption-Purchase. This, by his putting our nature, at best, in himself, to death, as to this very life, he offer's, thereby, to restore in all men. And thereby, has he shew'd them the right use of such life, when restor'd, even to give it up, in Sacrifice to God, as he did, in order to receive from him, that spiritual, new-creation life, in the image of the Heavenly, into which, he has exalted our nature in his own Person, in which he lives, and in which, we may (on like obedience, as thorow-followers of his suffering-steps) live with him, for evermore; Rev. 1. 18. A twofold day of adversity and house of mourning then, will infallibly succeed a twofold day of prosperity and feasting, in all possible outward or inward Riches of this World. In the day of the said utmost twofold Prosperity, then, is it man's important concern, to have in his eye, thought, and due consideration, the approaching twofold day of Adversity. Such a consideration may keep him from a sinful over-value of, and over-rejoycing, or trusting in his fading enjoyments, and uncertain …; 1 Tim. 6. 17. The day of adversity, as to all such riches, under the Cross, and in the house of mourning, and death to Nature, is the method of God's Wisdom, for the bringing him into his house of everlasting feasting and …, with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. So is the day of adversity and mourning, a greater Mercy, then the restoring him into the utmost prosperity of his nature, outward and inward, as bringing him nearer to absolute life, and special Salvation (1 Tim. 4. 10.) then when he first believed (Rom. 13. 11.) in Christ, so as to receive the fresh gift of a first-covenant life, from his hand. On obedient submitting to the appointed death-pass into the Glory that follows, excels, and remains for ever, does Christ stand ready, to perform the promise of the Father (Act. 1. 4.) in giving Men durable Life, Riches, never-perishing food and clothing. So, follows a day of everlasting Prosperity and feasting, to them. They must suffer and die with Christ, as to the fading, first-covenant law-life of Nature, that they may live and reign with him for ever, in the Gospel-life of his Spirit of Grace and Truth; 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. God sets all this, before Man; declares his whole counsel to him, with the advantages of his compliance with, and disadvantages of his rebellion against him, as to absolute Salvation, on the one hand; or final damnation, on the other. Isa. 1. 19, 20. All this, fairly declar'd, man may run and read, what's like to become of him, for ever, as wilfully running after Satan's lie, or obediently complying with God's Spirit of Truth. God has so clearly stated his true interest and duty, in reference to his eternal …, that he will make him consess, at last, he kept nothing from him, that 'twas his true advantage to see or know. This, to the end Man should find nothing, after him; no concerning Truth, that has not bin … and plainly set before him; and so, no cause to complain of God; as the Septuagint render it. For the joy of an everlasting day of Prosperity, spiritual feasting and rejoycing, set before them, ought Men, with Christ, to despise the shame, and sorrow, brought upon their natural state, by his Cross. Heb. 12. 2. Former Saints and followers of Christ, are a great cloud of witnesses, for this (ver. 1.) that the sufferings of the natural man, in the present time, are not to be compared with the Glory that shall be reveal'd to and in the spiritual state of the whole man, Body, Soul, and Spirit; Rom. 8. 18. Unchangeable enemies of the Cross, from a most foolish, unwarrantable love to their own nature, will find all their day of Prosperity therein, inevitably swallow'd up into an eternal night of darkness and death, under the fiery Indignation of God.