Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 2
Vers. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for, that is the end of all Men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
The house of mourning, or state of sorrow to the natural Man (under the death-blows of the Gospel-Sword, or spiritual cross of Christ) is better for him, to go into and be in, then the house of feasting, in the most joyful fruitful life and exercise thereof, in a first-Covenant state. For, therein draws he nearer to a heavenly, spiritual, new-covenant life. Our nature in Christ, was straitned and sore pain'd under the progressive work of the Cross, and pangs of Death, thereby caused, till accomplished; Luk. 12. 50. His living Soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, (Mat. 26. 38.) as the Sacrifice, under the crucifying Work of his own quickning Spirit, the Gospel high-Priest, and true Melchisedec. The first Adam ought to have given up that Sacrifice, to God, by the same Priestly hand of (and in) the second. True Saints, with …, receive the sentence of death within them, and find it their great advantage to have it speedily carried on, upon them; and, their ease, to have it perfected or accomplish'd. The full death thereof, kindly submitted to, is perfect conformity to Christ's death; and their perfect deliverance from all evil, all wicked enemies, within them and without; and from all the danger of ensnaring vanities and tempting objects, they are continually surrounded with, which are gratifying to their natural life and desire, corrupt or righteous; while they have any activity thereof, left about them. So, all former natural fruitfulness in a first-Covenant, under Christ, as a fleshly Bridegroom, is turn'd into barrenness; in which, with Hannah, they become a scorn and derision, to such as continue fruitful Peninnah's, in the first; that house of feasting. Paul, that was an eminent somebody, in the first; when converted into the Gospel-life of the second, was a stark fool, a no-body, to such some-bodies. Phil. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Rich, wise, full first-covenanters, were the mystical strong Bulls of Bashan, that gaped on Christ himself (and so, on Saints) … him round, as ravening and roaring Lions; Psal. 22. 12, 13. These are the mystical … cattel, that thrust with side and sheulder, and push all the weak, poor, lean, wounded, diseased … (under the Death-work of the Cross, upon their natural man) with their horns, Ezek. 34. 20, 21. Such lean, barren, diseas'd ones, fools, and as little Children, are God's: The fat, wise, and strong (finally persisting there, in enmity to the Cross) the Devil's. He gets all such fat cattel. The poor and lean, get the Kingdom of God: the rich and fit, the Kingdom of the Devil, by kinging it, in the same Spirit, with him, against God. But, besides enemies without, the grieved, sorrowful natural man of the Saint, within, adds to the affliction. All its whining passions, and false reasonings, under, and against the Cross, or Spirit of Christ in him, are foes of his own house (or, in his own person) in union with enemies without doors. Thus, is his tribulation compleated, in that house of mourning, that's the ready road to Heaven. But, amidst all scornful despisings of first-covenant …, Christ, as Bridegroom to his spiritual Spouse, figur'd in Elkanah, loves her transcendently more then any fruitful wife, in the first; and so, is better to her then ten sons, any possible fruits brought forth, in that state; 1 Sam. 1. 1, - 8. Amidst all bitternesses of the natural, the spiritual hidden Man of the heart prays for the full birth of the …, figured by Samuel, which, when born, turns the natural house or state of mourning, into a spiritual house, or state of everlasting feasting and rejoycing. For this, see Hannah's song of praise, in the true house of feasting, on God's having granted the prayer she put up to him, in her house or state of mourning, and barrenness; 1 Sam. 2. 1, - 10. Christ foretold the sorrow of his Disciples, on his departure from them, as a fleshly Bridegroom, in the first-Covenant, till his return to them, in the second, according to the promise of the Father (and of himself, too) which they were to wait for, in that state of mourning to their natural Man. Joh. 16. 20, -- 22. Act. 1. 4. & Act. 2. 1, — 4, Christ's such return to them, turn'd all their short sorrow into everlasting joy. Joh. 16. 16, — 22, gives a full account of his fore-hand preparing his disciples, in this case, to look for him as a better Comforter, in a new-Covenant Marriage-Union with him, as risen from the dead. A little while, and ye see me no more, in the first. Again, wait a little, and ye see me, in the second; in a life I have, in unchangeable Union with the Father. They understood not this mystery. They knew not what he said; or what to make on't. Yea, when risen, he found two of his disciples, in a drooping, sad, dejected Condition; Luk. 24. 17. In a little, short, temporary wrath, he forsook their sinning natural Man, in a life of Enmity; but, with everlasting kindness, he soon return'd to them, in his never-sinning spiritual-life; and set it up, in them, Isa. 54. 7, 8. 'Tis but once, and for a little season, the waters of the Cross (figur'd by Noah's flood,) drown and overwhelm their natural Man; extinguish all the life, lust, desire and thought thereof; and then, all joy, for ever after, in Christ's rocky spiritual life (figur'd by Noah's Ark) a state of everlasting feasting and rejoycing, in the Kingdom of the Father; v. 9, 10. Christ will not leave them, long, comfortless, in a state of, Orphanship and Widowhood, fatherless, and husbandless, as to their natural state. He will soon be with them, again, in that Spirit of truth, the merry, self-confident first-Covenanteer receives not; Joh. 14. 16, - 20. So then, the Saints short mourning, ends in everlasting feasting, and rejoycing: the others short rejoycing, in eternal sorrow, mourning, darkness, and death; Mat. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 25. Who hath begotten me these, even these Children, or Sons of Peace, these spiritual fruits, peaceable fruits of righteousness, brought forth in a newness of life, to God? The Faith of the Saint's spiritual Man, answer's this question of his amaz'd natural, ascribing all, to the spiritual Bridegroom and better comforter, then himself was in the first-Covenant. No way, but thro' the house of mourning and death (as to all fading first-Covenant life of nature) into Christ's spiritual house of everlasting rejoycing, where all sorrow and sighing … away, for ever; Isa. 35. 10. Psal. 126. 5, 6. Rev. 21. 4. and 7. 17.
The contrary state to the said mystical house of mourning, is Man's flourish, in a restor'd first-Covenant righteous life, holy flesh, and a fruitful living and walking therein, as a present Victor and Master over (or … of) the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of nature. Rectified rational and intellectual powers keep the sensual, in some degree of a first-creation rectitude and good order. All this, yet, is vanity, a fading flower. And this, with the fruits and enjoyments of it, is all that's found in the first-covenant house of feasting. The final self-consident keeping here, in refusal of (and opposition to) Christ's offer'd spiritual, second-covenant life, is certain damnation. Satan has a seven-fold more dangerous hold of them (and abode in them, as his absolute temples and habitations, for ever) even of these mystical swept, …, garnish'd houses, in first-covenant life and second-covenant light, then of Men in the corrupt spirit of nature, unfix'd; Mat. 12. 43, — 45. Luk. 11. 24, — 26. So come such feasters, to a latter end, in restor'd, worse then their …, in corrupt nature; a state of unchangeable enmity to God and his Gospel-spirit of Grace. Man chuses, rather, to follow the Devil's pleasing false counsel, through a house of temporary feasting, into everlasting mourning; then God's true and faithful, through a house of … and death, into everlasting rejoycing, and life.' t. For, that is the end of all Men, and the living will lay it to his heart. All Men, good and bad, must come, sooner or later, for a season, or for ever, to the house of mourning, by the death and loss of all the … goodness in their natural state, or house of feasting. That house, or state of mourning, is the end, all men come to, on the said differing accounts, specified. Such an end, they must all experience, after the most fruitful flourish in their fading Law-life; even the death and loss of all. Here's then a character of the natural heart, in all Men Their inward thought and design, is, to establish themselves in their own righteousness, when they have it; and in the riches, and fruitfulness thereof, and so to have the mystical Land of their own nature, call'd after their own old name, in their old first-covenant life, or restor'd first-creation state, figur'd by Men's calling their outward possessions, so, relating to bodily life, only; Psal. 49. 11. Conviction-light of the new-covenant Spirit, they'l receive, as an ornament to prank up, adorn, and advance their nature; to puff it more up with spiritual pride; not by obedience to, and compliance with it, to let it fall down and be humbled to the death of that state, as they ought. So turn they all spiritual inlightning Gifts upon (as well as fresh enlivenings of) their nature, into their disadvantage, and sorer condemnation, for ever. Satan offers to advance them in their own way, after their own heart, into his superiour angelical perfections and excellencies, of the first-creation sort, gilding them also by his sinful transforming arts, with the appearance of Christ's spiritual new-creation excellencies; and then, has he them fast in his fools-paradise, which they take for the Kingdom of Heaven. He wants not for Men-Apostles to carry on this work.
Moral Heathens are bidding towards Salvation, by obedience to first-Covenant light, only. Temporary Believers (by the knowledg of Christ, after the flesh) are bidding at it, in a righteous first-Covenant life, under the perfect righteousness of that sort, from Christ, imputed to them; or that comliness, put upon them; Ezek. 16. 14. The moral Heathen, with the Quaker, aim's at a perfection in his own perpersonal Life and operations, of the same sort, Adam, at first, had; not regarding imputed righteousness in either Covenant; or, at all, the everlasting righteous life of the second. This is not (and so, nor God) in all or any of his thoughts; Psal. 10. 4. The legal-Christian-Believer and Professor, tho' advanc'd beyond the highest pretender to Heathen morality (yea and furnish'd with spiritual light, also) is yet but the supernaturally adorn'd natural Man, that, oft, with the … Galatians, retreats from Christ in spirit (shew'd and offer'd him) to a resting in holy flesh, or his own restor'd naturals, in a first-Covenant-life, for salvation; Gal. 3. 1, - 3. This, finally and absolutely done, is the unpardonable refusal of, and sinning against the Holy Ghost, God's holy new-Creature Spirit of everlasting Righteousness. The Morally righteous Heathen is not so resolutely fierce against first-Covenant life, in the professing legally righteous and Gospel-convinc'd Christian, as he is against the second, in the true Gospel-believing Christian. Wot ye why? First-Covenant life advances nature, in its own way, above and beyond Heathen Morality. But, in order to true Gospel or second-Covenant life, Christ comes with fire and sword, to pull down and destroy the Wisdom of the Greek, or Moral Heathen, and the first-Covenant righteous life of the Jew or legal Christian. For this, is the Preacher of the Cross, and work of it, a fool, foolishness, and a stumbling-block to both; 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thus, comes the spiritual Saint (tho' transcendently advanc'd over both their guilty heads, as far as the Heavens are above the Earth, into the life and Image of the Heavenly, that's out of the sight and reach of both their Wisdoms or Understandings) to be judg'd the veriest fool and mad man in the world, by them both. They are agreed against him, to call and reckon him, so, in their several gradual advances in Naturals. The highest rank of Naturalists, in …-Covenant life and second-covenant light, call'd Christ … So, (Joh. 10. 20.) for his Gospel-Doctrine … the Cross, on their Pharisaical Law-life and Righteousness, leaven'd & sowr'd into unchangable enmity to God's Gospel-life and everlasting righteousness. Awaken'd Saints and true Prophets have bin so handled by such legal-professors, in all Ages; Hos. 9. 7, 8. Cain, a …-Covenant worshipper, kill'd his own Brother Abel, a second, on this very single account. Paul himself, when a righteous, wise first-Covenant, Law-Pharisee, in holy …, fiercely persecuted the Gospel-spirit, in …-Covenant Saints. …, he was despis'd as a contemptible …, by such as he had bin, when a signal Friend and Preacher of the Gospel; 1 Cor. 4. 10, -13. But, in his transcendently superiour Life, Wisdom, and Righteousnes of God, he pass'd not for Man's day, or dark-spirited judgment, whose wisdom reach'd not such Spiritual Heavenly Mysteries, Things, or Truths; 1 Cor. 4. 3. He regarded not their disregards, mistakes, contradictions, blasphemies, or evil-speakings, and most unjust cenfurings of him. As elevated, by Satan, into natural angelical excellencies (and tongues or language of Men and Angels, intuitive, and by a sound of words, and all … things, gilded with appearances of spirituality) do first-Covenanteers feed at the Serpent's table with such delight, as to find extasies and raptur's of false, delusive joy, in a way after their own hearts, and despise the crucisied, abas'd natural Man, in the Saint, as the filth and off-scouring of all things. Satan, thus (all along this World, and his Reign) by his undiscern'd, or wilfully unconsider'd pranks, plays his game upon Man, so as to carry it, clear, with abundantly the far greater number of professors, high pretenders to Gospel, and bidders at Salvation, and the Kingdom of God, as the only reputed Orthodox, or right-thinking heirs thereof. But, the truly living spiritual Saint, lay's all these things to heart, as having escap'd out of the dark, mistaking spirit of bondage and death, others keep in. He sees, the house of mourning, or loss of all fading goodness or life, in the natural spirit, will be the end of all Men (and Angels) good and bad. Those that obediently surrender and lose it, find eternal life: others, eternal darkness and death. True Saints, and incorrigible sinners, all must come to't, at last; even, to experience the loss of all good, in their own mortal life of Nature. 'Tis appointed to all, once to die, (Heb. 9. 27.) or lose all mortal life or good, in Body, Soul, or spirit. Is it short of a wonder, that when Saints discover the devices of Satan, all his serpentine crafts, thorow-out his mystery of iniquity; first-covenant professors, jovial and frolick in his mystical, spiritual Snares (and a profane party, in his brutish Snares, or Fetters of a contemptible strumpet) should, both and all, despise and hate him, for his Gospel-news, and discoveries of their madness, and desperate consequence of finally persisting therein? Yet, thus it always was; and now is, more then ever, in these latter and worse then all former times; 2 Tim. 3. 1. The great peril to true Saints, in the power of Godliness, is from … Brethren, in the form thereof, the life of the Law, righteousness of Man; Psal. 50. 20. Isa. 66. 5. In them, is the highest strain of selflove. For, they have the most plausible, beautiful self, to love; the mystical visage, or clean face of a cleans'd, enlightned Spirit. The literal Beauty, or outward Glory, found in a profane party, lies but in bodily complexion, Skin, and glittering outward Circumstances, Pomp, and Ornament. The true Saint, that brings tydings, in his new Light, of a spiritual Life, Beauty, and Glory, (demonstrating all, these two sorts of mad People are pleasing and sporting themselves with, to be but shadows, a dream, a vain shew, kick-shows, lighter then Vanity, and themselves also; Psal. 39. 5, 6. & 62. 9.) spoils all their sport; gives a damp to all their delusive pleasure and delight: yea, vexes and torments them all; specially, the dwellers upon Earth, (Rev. 11. 10.) inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem, in first-covenant-life, holy flesh. The brutish inhabitants of the Sea, a profane party, are more gravel'd with, and vex'd at such reproof and condemnation, as is reflected upon them, by the doctrine and conversation of strictwalking righteous legal-spirited Teachers and Professors. They little mind, or are able to take any cognizance, of the spiritual, Gospel-Saint, or his doctrine. And, what need the Law-pretender to Gospel, (gilding all his Law-things with Gospel-words and appearances) fear the Gospel-Saint's Testimony, as to true Gospel-things? What? Why, this spoils all their mystical Babylonish sport, and trading Ministry, with their false Wares. It discovers all, to be but Pictures, or Idols, pourtrai'd on the Walls of their house or Church on the Sand; and on the mystical whited Sepulchers, themselves, who personate and would pass currant, in such disguise, paint, and gildings, for the true Gospel-Heirs of the Kingdom; and so, jussle out the true spiritual Heirs, as blasphemous wranglers about it; and groundless, unwarranted pretenders to it. Mean while, the true Heir's invisible Saintship, (on which his title and claim to the Kingdom of Heaven, depends) consist's in a life … with Christ, in God; hid, under a vail, of not … … …, or Law-life. But, when this vail wear's off and grow's daily thinner, under the continual batteries and macerating-work of the Saint's spiritual, on his natural Man; the spiritual begins to shine thro' the vail, look out at the windows (or holes made in his natural spirit, by the Gospel-Sword and Cross) and flourish, or … himself thorow the … thereof. So, thro' his impoverish'd … mind or earthly nature, comes his spiritual Man to shine forth in a right Gospel-conversation, to (and with) other awakn'd spiritual Saints (Cant. 2. 9.) in such Gospel-works, and fruits, by which he … his Father, which is in Heaven; Mat. 5. 16. But, in converse with unawakn'd Saints, and the generality of the two other sorts of sinners and … of God and them (that the world is full of) must they, with Moses, pull the … vail, again, over their spiritual faces, lustre, and beauty, that they may appear to, and talk with them, in their own guise, dress, and language. They must, in this sense, become all things to all Men, with design to gain some, to their spiritual Life and Doctrine; yea, turn many to the everlasting Righteousness of God, by a true Gospel-conversion; which, Paul wholly wanted, when an eminent Law-Saint; 1 Cor. 9. 22. They must thus, with Paul, please all Men in all things; 1 …. 10. 33. How? In a serviceableness only to their true interest, and the interest of Christ therein, by gaining the opportunity to insinuate Gospel-Truths into them, and jussle out … lies. As to a soothing Men up into a considence in Man's and Satan's Law-Gospel, he say's, do I seek to please Men? then I should not be the Servant of Christ (Gal. 1. 9, 10.) but indeed an enemy to him and his Gospel, as I (too long) was, thro' a confidence in my own Law-life, or holy flesh. But, if no compliance, in any sense, might be lawfully used by spiritual Saints, with otherwise-minded people (common sinners or first-Covenant-Professors of Christ) all opportunity of gaining them to a Gospel-state, would be lost. There's no dealing with them, at first dash, without some-thing of condescention from a pure spirituality of conversation. To grate on them, with forc'd spiritual discourse, and high mysteries of the Kingdom of God, where there's nothing preparatory, towards the reception of such matters (or hopefulness to give them any advantage thereby) would render the most pertinent things, impertinently as well as unsupportably troublesome and tormenting to any earthy, fleshly-minded company, corrupt or righteous, holy or profane. Such, too generally, is the guise, dress, and temper of (in a manner) all sorts of People, in common conversation, at this day, that should they see or hear the inmost thoughts of spiritual Saints, they'd not endure their company. Self (the Anagram of Flesh, backward, rejecting h, that's no letter) holy or unholy Nature, professing or profane People, are all of a knot, in confederacy with World and Devil, against the spiritual Saint, and all his right words, to a tittle, about Salvation, special; 1 Tim. 4. 10. Yet, enough has he, to bear him up, and maintain in him, an undaunted spirit, and invincible courage, against all the despisings and misjudgings of these two sorts of blind, dark-spirited, confounded haters and rejecters of all Gospel-light and truth. They both sit, as in Plato's feigned Cave, admiring their little glimmering Moon or Candle-light (their intellectual, rational Lamps, in a Night-state) or, at best, and highest, but such Day-light, as the mystical first-creation Sun, or first-covenant Spirit, gives, and makes out to them. In these various states, postures, accoutrements, and enjoyments of Nature, sit they both, in a readiness, to deride and scoff at the true Saint, pretending to a yet transcendently higher Daylight, under the beamings forth of the New-Creation Sun of infallible, everlasting Light, Life, Righteousness and Wisdom; the Gospel-new-Covenant-Spirit of Grace and Truth. Those that are lifted up from amongst their fellow-mortals, out of themselves, or their own deep, dark, dungeon-spirit of Nature, corrupt or righteous (a miery pit of Corruption and …; filth of flesh or spirit; enmity to God, and death to it self; a Body, a Law of Sin and Death, as Paul found; Rom. 7. 24. & 8. 2.) into the marvelous Palace or Paradisical-Light, and glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, cannot forbear to go tell their …, how they fare. They give them an account, or true report of the new-creation Land of Promise, or state of Life, with the fruits and peculiar enjoyments therein, above all other Countries, Lands, or States, as far as the Heavens are above the Earth. How is this News resented by these two sorts of Sodomites (the Prophane in silth of …; or Legal-spirited Professor, in filth of spirit, enmity to God and all spiritual Truths) that's brought to both their ears, by the Gospel-spirited Saint? They all hiss at, and deride his pretension to such Sun-light, as the most presumtuous conceit, and phanatical delusion, in the World. They sit them still, won't budg an inch from their opinionated happiness, in Rational Light and Moral Heathenism; or, first-covenant life also, in Legal Christianity; just, as the case was in Plato's Apologue, or fabulous Cave-students, in their demeanour towards him that had ventur'd up a rocky Precipice (with great difficulty and danger) into the open Air and Sunlight, on his return and tydings thereof, to them. What of all this? The Saint is not to regard, these contradicting Blasphemers misregarding him, or his words; nor be weary, nor faint in his mind, or Spirit; Heb. 12. 3. They are to look wholly to God, Christ, blessed Angels, and Saints, that know and own them, for what they know themselves to be. What matters it for Man's day, or judgment, in which nothing of their spiritual life or doctrine, is rightly seen, felt, heard, or understood? Saints, by spiritual senses, do all this, natural never can do. They hear, see, look upon, and handle the Word of life, even the original new-creature life, in the living Word & Wisdom of God, Christ's Person; 1 …. 1. 1. And, they … such life also, in the derived streams of the living waters thereof, in true Saints. When their own Spirit is dead, in Man's sight and judgement, 'tis, most of all, alive, in God's Sight, in his Spirit of Grace. And, those that live and spend their Widow-hood (on Christ's death and departure from them, as a …, first-Covenant Bridegoom) in the pleasures of that life, he has forsaken them in; however alive in Man's sight, are dead in God's, while they so live; 1 Tim. 5. 6. Incorrigible sinners, in filth of Flesh or Spirit, pass along this mortal World and Life, jollily, in the broad way, to an eternal house of mourning (Job 21. 13. Psal. 39. 5, 6, 11. & Psal. 49. 10, --20.) while true Saints (through much tribulation and mourning) are passing into an eternal house of feasting. Those that will on, in their various temporary houses or states of feasting, literal or mystical, making large and swift steps towards the Chambers of death, seem to have much the better on't, in this World. Who can help them? Who can lift them up out of these drowning, self-chosen, lustful, goatish ways of Vanity, that will most certainly set them among the left hand …-Goats, at last day? Mat. 25. 33. Will ye hear a Wonder? Spiritual Saints have the best on't, even in this World; as thus: They have the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. True Godliness, the power of Godliness, is profitable to all things. The form of it, and bodily exercise, or the fruitful exercise of Man's cleans'd natural Spirit, therein, profits little. The truely pure, sinless use of worldly enjoyments (without any sinful love to, or delight in them; and spending the strength of all, in a serviceableness to the designs and interests of Christ, upon, and in Men) belongs to the true Spiritual Saint, only. And, they have a daily encrease with the encreases of God, in the promised life of the World to come. So, have they the best on't, indeed and in truth, even in their mortal day and state, on earth. All their Tribulations, Persecutions, and seeming worst things, are wholly and exactly calculated for their good, by him who cannot miss of accomplishing his design upon them, therein, and by. There are three sorts of Men, on the stage of this Earth, together, in a confused jumble, as a mix'd heap, in mortal bodies. Profane inhabitants of the Sea, in the corrupt Spirit of nature; of the Earth, in the righteous, cleans'd earthy state or spirit of nature; and dwellers in Heaven, or in God's heavenly Spirit of Grace; Rev. 12. 12. All People upon Earth are living and walking in the corrupt, or changeably righteous Spirit of Nature, or in God's unchangeably righteous Spirit of Grace. No state in changeable nature, is unchangeable, or everlasting Salvation; but a state of Grace only. Eph. 2. 8, 9. Not our working Spirit of Nature, but God's working all, in us and for us, by his Gospel-Spirit of Grace, will give us entrance into his Kingdom. 'Tis the unspeakable new-creation gift of God, and workmanship of Christ, fits any, for the Kingdom. And, 'tis then, the unspeakable folly and madness of Man, to refuse the receiving that Gift, on any terms, seem they never so hard to his nature. Wo to Laughers, they shall weep and mourn, eternally. Blessed are the mourners; they shall rejoyce and laugh, eternally. These were Christ's spiritual sayings and warnings to all, when in our flesh. And he will be the Judge of all, in that Spirit, wherein himself is justified, for ever, in our nature, before God most high; 1 Tim. 3. 16. An innumerable multitude, that have thought it so brave, to have their wills, in this World, will meet with unimaginable, amazing, surprizing disappointments, in the next. An irresistible blast, an irrecoverable death-blow, will they be fore'd to receive on all first-creation delights, desires and desirables, belly and meats; 1 Cor. 6. 13. All these dreadful things, the living spiritual Saint lays to heart, and (as knowing the terrors of the Lord; what a fearful thing 'tis, to fall into the hands of the living God, and be torn in pieces, without any possibility of deliverance, Heb. 10. 31. Psal. 50. 22.) endeavours to perswade Men, while call'd to day, to desist from their jovial march and swift posting it, in their several sensual and intellectual paths of delight, and present pleasure to their mis-judging nature, which do all tend to (meet and center in) one and the same point, a state of everlasting darkness and death, under the triumphs of divine Justice and final Wrath. Solomon bewail's the unhappy choice, most Men make, of the merry self-pleasing-paths to eternal mourning. But, to allay the compassionating grief of this undeniably true observation, he discovers an opposite party of happy People, that, in a new life and spiritual understanding, do lay all these errors, follies, and madnesses of their fellow-mortals, to heart (though they can have little or no hearing with them) and that find it, their unspeakable concern and interest, to obey the counsel, and follow the example of Christ, in his suffering steps, through a temporary house of mourning, into his eternal house of feasting and rejoycing. But, for such doctrine of the cross, and practicing it upon our nature, in himself, was Christ himself contradicted and blasphem'd (Joh. 10. 20.) as by Beelzebub, the chief or Prince of Devils, a master devil, casting out other lesser and weaker Devils; Mat. 10. 25. & 12. 24. Mar. 3. 22. Luk. 11. 15. Holy first-covenant Preachers and Professors handled Christ, thus. And, the Disciple must not look to fare better then his Lord, from or amongst the legal-spirited generation, in any age of this World, under Satan's reign, and in Man's day, while his Wisdom will shuffle it self in for Judge and Umpire, in Religion and Worship, and force all it can, to receive its sentiments, as the only Orthodox and sound ….