Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 20 – Verse 21
Vers. 20. For, there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
This confirm's what is said, v. 19. There's not one man amongst all men, in their earthy, first-creation life and wisdom, at best, without sin, in God's sight. Yea, their highest righteousness and wisdom, oppos'd to God's, are the most criminal wickedness and folly. There's none truly righteous, among them all; no, not one. None, in their earthly spirit, or natural state, corrupt or righteous, understands or seeks after God, in his spiritual, new-creation life. So, are they all, unprofitable to themselves as to true blessedness, because not one of them does that good, in God's sight, that's of any conducibleness or tendency thereunto. They rebel against (swell with indignation and despite to) his offer'd Spirit of Grace, wherein alone, any can ever please him, or be saved. Their throat is an open Sepulcher, to belch out blasphemies, threatnings and slaughter against it, or any that own or talk of it, in its own words and wisdom. … tongues are deceitful, the poison of Asps is under their lips; their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, against it; their feet are swift to shed the blood of any that declare it. From Cain downwards, to the end of this World, Satan's reign, and man's day, all's of a piece; one uniform spirit of contradiction to, and rebellion against the Spirit of God, and all its words. Destruction and misery are in their way's: and the way of peace have they not known. They have no fear of God before their eyes. Yet, flatter they themselves, as true fearers of God, at peace with him, and in the very way to Salvation. If good words, fair speeches, and most … selfpleasing imaginations will do't, they are in a fair way to blessedness, while they are serving their own belly, gratifying their own lust and desire, in direct enmity to God, Christ, all Gospel-Saints and Truths; Rom. 16. 18. They … peace, peace, to themselves and others, where there's no peace; and say, the Lord saith, when 'tis Satan and their own lying spirit of divination saith so; Ezek. 13. 6, --10. They have not known (or … … foot in) the way of peace with God, but Satan's way of enmity to him. And, in all this, with their leader, are they bold, confident, and fearless; behave themselves as Satans Children of pride, without fear; Rom. 3. 9, -- 18. Job 41. 33, 34. There's not a just man upon Earth (in the restor'd righteous life and image of the earthy) that sinneth not. There's not a man, perfectly free from filth of flesh, the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of nature; and filth of spirit, or enmity to God, and his Spirit of Grace, is inseparable from the most restor'd righteous life of Nature, since the Fall. Only, by the perfect death of the spirit of Nature, under the Cross, can this enmity be slain and utterly abolish'd out of any man. So, there's a very great mixture of sin, in any possible fading good, found in, or performable by man, in his highest renewal. Enmity to God lurks under all their fair shews in holy flesh, form of Godliness, righteousness of man. This spoil's all. The perpetually sinning life of Nature, utterly abolish'd by death, and the never-sinning-life of God's Spirit of Grace, set up in the room thereof, can render any man truly and fully just, in God's sight. He that's so dead, ceases, or, is freed from all sin, & justified before God, for ever, in a newness of life, that's above all death; 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 7.
Vers. 21. Also, take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee.
In letter, here's a prudent walking, requir'd, by not troubling ones self, with regarding (or harbouring any revengeful thoughts against others, for their) injurious words. But, as the chief intendment, is advice here given to the spiritual wise Man, as to his deportment towards the natural, in his own person, made clean, wise, aud righteous, in first-creation principles. The spiritual is to take heed to any words or doctrine, proceeding from this natural (so as to follow the direction or counsel of its fallible wisdom and judgment, about things pertaining to God, and his own Salvation) lest he hear this natural Servant, that would fain be dictating and ruling, as a Master, curse the spiritual, Heaven-born Son, in him. Paul, on his Gospel-conversion, immediately, conferr'd not with flesh and blood, (Gal. 1. 16.) lean'd not to, but turn'd from his own understanding, and own'd the infallible spirit of the Son of God, for his Counseller, and the directer of his paths; Prov. 3. 5, 6.
t. Lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee. Here's the reason, for this advice. The natural ought to be an … servant to the spiritual man, in the Saint, as its dictatour and ruler; but oft, presumes to usurp the authority of its Master, pretending to an infallibility in its judgment, and so, sit to be obey'd by the whole Man. But, the words of his Wisdom, thwarting the Counsel, Doctrine and words of the spiritual, it sollow's, the said natural Man will be apt to curse, blaspheme or speak evilly, of all the right words of the spiritual. These words of the …, contradicting Servant, or Woman, against its spiritual Lord, Master and Husband, is the spiritual Man in the Saint, not to heed; nor follow the false reasonings thereof, against his spiritual mind. If he do, it will breed great disturbance and confusion to him. By a perverse mis-interpreting the Methods of God's Wisdom, in his dealings with them and others, in this world, and its false conclusions there-from, will it raise a sore, troublesome combustion and tumult, in him; Psal. 73. 1, -14. When the spiritual Man recover's it self, it does, in Christ's Heavenly Sanctuary-light, render all well and quiet, again, by its infallible discerning, arguings, and concludings. And, it discovers the natural disputer of this World, ignorant and foolish as a beast, unfit for the debating or rightly judging such matters, between God and them; v. 15, — 22. So Jer. 12, 1, -3. and 20. 7, -9.