Exposition of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 · Verse 26 – Verse 27
Vers. 26. And I find more bitter then death, the Woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God (Heb. is good before God) shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
The Mystery, here, lies in the Woman, figured out by the amorous, inticing practices of the literal. Interpretation is properly the discovering the hidden, unknown, mystical Truth, signified in the Scriptures of Truth, by literal shadows. The Mystery here, is the practice and way of the womanish, changeable first-creation spirit or natural state, in all its variety, throughout Satan's whole mystery of iniquity, falshood, and deceit, from the beginning, to the end of this World. What tumults and confusions, the literal Woman is made the occasion of, in States, Families, and all worldly Societies (thro' her deluding Arts, and Men's foolish dotings on her, in the vile, womanish spirit of nature, on all hands, in both Sexes) is no news to the common light of Nature in all mankind. But, God's Words of counsel and instruction, signify Mysteries, hidden from the best Wisdome of learned Man. The literal sense, here, is obvious to the unlearned. To the Mystery then, of this Woman, Solomon here reflects upon, and sum's up his whole Experience in the Life and Wisdom of his natural state (after all the sore mistakes he had bin involved in, with his fellow-sinners and mortals) calling that changeable state, in Man and Angel, Woman. This mystical Woman, in both Man and Angel, is here consider'd, as fix'd in unchangeable enmity to God, and the true Spiritual, New-creation Man, or Heavenly creature-Life and Image of God, in Christ, blessed Angels, and Saints. The ring-leading Head of all, thus fix'd, is the Devil. This Head, as representative of the whole party of incorrigible wicked Angels and Men, and comprehending them all, is the Woman here, the mystical Babylonish-strumpet, guilty of unpardonable Adulteries and spiritual wickednesses, against Christ, the true Spiritual Lord and Husband of Angels and Men, whom they ought all, to obey, and be eternally subject to, in every thing. The very person of the Devil, as possess'd of the highest natural glories and excellencies, by the first creation, was, therein, the supream first-Covenant Spouse of Christ. But, this Spouse, soon apostatiz'd, and became the grand mystical strange Woman and Adulteress, that did, from the date of her first sin and fall, set herself to draw as many Angels and Men as she could, into the same adulterous and murderous mind of enmity against Christ, that spiritual Lord and Husband, they all ought to submit to his terms of being married to, for ever, in the new and everlasting Covenant. All that rebelliously keep up their own life and beauty, in the first, against him and the second, will be judg'd, as mystical Wedlock-breakers, Murderers, and most criminal Idolaters; Ezek. 16. 15, 38. The Devil, by this practice, in the top-excellency of first-creation life, has render'd himself a bottomless pit of deceits, and all sorts of spiritual wickedness, endeavouring (and abundantly prevailing, through God's permission and Men's wilful folly) to corrupt their spirits, and fill their hearts with the same unchangeable enmity to Christ and God, with himself. By the Workmanship of this mystical Woman, are Men rendered temples of her unchangeable evil Spirit. The mouth of this strange woman, is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord, shall fall therein. This have we, from Solomon, also; Prov. 22. 14. But, whoso pleases God, shall escape her. Thus, gives he a true account of the said bottomless pit, with the sad condition of all that fall therein; and the blessed priviledges of them that escape her. All blind leaders, with their followers, in the first-creation-state, excluding Christ and the second, tumble together into this deep ditch or bottomless pit of unchangeable wickedness; Mat. 15. 14. Luk. 6. 39. The very spirit of the Devil is this ditch, or bottomless pit; the mother of all mystical Whoredoms, and spiritual abominations of the Earth (Rev. 17. 5.) Or in the earthly, natural state; lying in wait, as a robber, for a prey, and encreasing the transgressors among Men; Prov. 23. 27, 28. All, that in their renew'd spirit of Nature, righteousness of Man, or Form of Godliness in the first-Covenant, finally deny and reject the Power of Godliness, the New-creature-life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, in the second, are fallen into this bottomless pit of deceits. All fix'd first-creation builders on the Sand, absolutely reject, exclude, and deny that Spirit of Grace, that's the corner-stone and rocky foundation of the true Church. The Woman, here, is, indeed that strong, powerful Man of Sin, or Son of Perdition, that by his superiour angelical strength and subtilty, when faln, was too hard for Man, at best, in innocency. By the obedient death only, of Man's spirit, at best, can he receive the life of that new-creation spirit of Christ, that's greater, stronger and wiser then he; 1 Joh. 4. 4. Then, he is an over-match for the Devil; able to fight, and run down all evil angelical principalities and powers, those wicked spirits, with all their spiritual wickednesses, in high places, or counterfeit heavenly appearances; Ephes. 6. 10, -13. When strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, in the life, armour, or clothing of God's Spirit of Grace (set up in, and put upon him) then is man able to still the said enemy and avenger; Psal. 8. 2. This spirit, in man, is stronger then the strong man of sin, who therefore cannot enter that House or Person, it possesses, nor spoil his house or goods; Mat. 12. 29. Man, wise, strong, and honourable in Christ, but by first-covenant communications (1 Cor. 4. 10.) Satan is too strong for, and can spoil all he has, or is. All that is in his power; Job 1. 12. So, let Man want the Spirit, stronger than Satan, he'l fall under him, and be led captive at his will, in and by that very first-covenant life, he reckons to be saved in; 2 Tim. 2. 26. The wisdom of it, cannot discover his snares; nor the strength of it, withstand his power. All's but as straw and rotten wood, to his superiour Angelical Wisdom, Strength and Armour; Job 41. 27. Flesh and Blood; Man, at best, is so far from being fit to wrestle against evil Angels, that they can make all that, in Man, serviceable to their designs, for destroying him; as on their side; their friend, in him. In Christ's Spirit of life, are Saints only fit to fight down both; both Flesh and Blood, the natural spirit, at best, and evil Angels at the back of it, to strengthen that Foe of their own house, that, with them, in all its affections and lusts, fights and warrs against God, and the true interest of their own souls. The compleat death of this home-bred Foe, but pretending Womanish Friend and Counseller in the Saint's own bosom, (Mic. 7. 5.) is his full deliverance from all Satan's nets and snares. For, then he finds no part in him, that he can tempt or touch, please or hurt, John 14. 30. When the Saint is crucified, as to all worldly desires in him, to all worldly desirables without him, the God of this World finds nothing in him; his Belial-party, the enemy of God, is extinguish'd and abolish'd. The literal Woman, by her snares and alluring Arts, makes literal; the mystical, by her's, spiritual and more criminal Sodomites. Twill be easier in the day of Judgment for the former, then for the latter; Mat. 11. 23, 24. The light of Reason in all men, may fence against the literal: but the best Wisdom and Strength of first-Covenant holy Men, is no defence against this mystical Woman's practices, upon them. Yea, she turn's that very Wisdom and Strength, with the perishing meats, they feed on, therein, at Christ's earthly table (and fruits, they bring forth, under Christ's Husbandly influence, as a fleshly Bridegroom) into so many Snares, by which, she catches them. While she keeps them confident in holy flesh, or knowledg of Christ after the flesh, she renders them wholly regardless of his holy Gospel-spirit, and words thereof, save to oppose, contradict and blaspheme all. When Men give up themselves with Christ's first-Covenant gift of life, and second-Covenant enlightning gifts, (and thereby a taste-of his new-Wine (Hos. 2. 8. Heb. 6. 4, 5.) of the the Kingdom) to Baal, the Devil, they become his most Gigantick opposers and strenuous fighters against all Gospel, Kingdom-Truths, and all that bring such things to their ears. When men wilfully deafen themselves to the voice of the true Shepherd, the said strange Woman fill's her mouth with the most inticing, perswasive words of her serpentine wisdom, to furnish them for the serving all her mischievous designs upon themselves and others. The words of Man's and Satan's wisdom's, joyntly hand forth another (pretended) Gospel, in flat opposition to every word of Christ's; clothing all their falshoods with the misapplied letter of his words of truth. This Woman's words are smoother than Butter, softer then Oil; but, are drawn Swords, wounding Men to eternal death; Psal. 55. 21. Many strong Men (Wise, Strong, and honourable in Christ, by first-Covenant attainments) have bin So slain by her; Prov. 7. 26. The palate and temper of humane Nature, in general, is, what Ahab discover'd, in hating the one true Prophet, Micaiah, that counsell'd him, contrary to his own will, for his good; and rewarding the four hundred false ones, that gratified his will, to his own destruction; 1 Kin. 22. The language or thought of all natural hearts, God declar's to be this; Prophesie not unto us, right things: speak unto us, smooth things; prophesie deceits (Isa. 30. 10.) and Satan finds false Prophets enow, in a readiness, to gratify them; so, as to keep true Seers out of all hearing or regard, all whose words lie cross to the will, palat, and desire of humane nature, corrupt or righteous, in all mankind. They preach the Cross and death to it, in all, as necessary to the Salvation of any. This, Satan represents as the greatest loss and prejudice imaginable, to them; indeed, their utter ruine. He advises them to hold fast their own, decrying the pretended advantages of suffering and dying, (even a living and reigning with Christ) as meer delusive fictions. All men, in their natural principles, corrupt or righteous, stand ready for receiving Satan's doctrin, the doctrine of Devils, pleasing to Nature, in all variety of condition, it can be found in. No man, in that worldly nature and spirit, receives Christ's Gospel-Testimony; Joh. 3. 22. & 14. 17. This must needs make a vast difference between the numberless flockers after Satan's Gospel, and the few or next to no listners after Christ's. When Satan has lock'd up men in a double prison, the will of their own fixed spirit of bondage, and his will upon that; in this firm union of these self-embondaging spirits and wills, are they invincibly hardned against all the words of God's Wisdom. And then, the whole counsel of the Devil, in his Mystery of Iniquity, passes currant with them, for the whole Counsel of God, in his mystery of Godliness. Solomon, Paul, and other awaken'd spiritual Saints, can find out all these depths, wiles, devices, snares, and nets of this Woman, that they see their fellow mortals, even the professing party, so generally involv'd, entangled, and caught in. This Woman is more bitter than death; her heart being full of snares and nets, So subtilly contriv'd and methodiz'd, as most certainly to catch, all that refuse (and so, are destitute of) the new-creation wisdom of God, which alone can enable to number and find out the name and nature of this first-creation Beast (Rev. 13. 18) with all her natural perfections, disguis'd and gilded over by her whorish paint and transforming skil, with counterfeit resemblances of spiritual, in order to give the utmost shock of opposition to what is so. For this end, does she vent her Gospel-lies, in hypocrisy, or feigned resemblances of Christ's Gospel-Truths; 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2. Thus accoutred and furnish'd with gilded, painted snares and nets, from the date of her first sin and fall, is she the Captain-General of all her hosts of evil Angels and Men, fix'd, with her, in a spirit of unchangeable darkness and falshood, against God and his new-creature-spirit of marvellous Light, and infallible Truth. Under her powerful witchcrafts and alluring charm's, fell Man, at best. And, what can he do, that comes after the King? Adam, in the unstain'd purity of all natural perfections and excellencies of humane nature? Remember this first battel (in which, all mankind, with the first, fell dead at the Serpent's feet; dead in trespasses and sins) and do so no more, Job. 41. 8. Never think of undertaking him, with success, in but the gradually restor'd Righteous Life, Wisdom, and Armour of Man. In the most restor'd righteous natural Man, is now found actual enmity to God, but, changeable, pardonable, curable, by the cross; not otherwise. If Satan render this, unchangeable and unpardonable, his work is finish'd. Christ comes with Fire and Sword (speaks War and Death to Nature, at best) Satan, with flattering kisses and pleasing Words. Who is like to be best liked by Man? The wounds of the true Friend and Saviour, submitted to, will be Salvation: The kisses and smooth words of the enemy, complied with, Damnation; Prov. 27. 6. Satan finds in man, a natural inclination to resist the Cross, as his enemy; and he leaves no meanes unattempted, conducible to the fixing him, in such resistance. Then, is he his own true subject, in his kingdom of darkness: and God swears in wrath, he shall never enter into his Kingdom of Light. This Woman will not fail to lay her snares and nets before Saints, every step they are making, under the cross, towards the Kingdom of God, while any thing of his natural friend in them, is yet about them. He, was at it, with Christ himself, again and again, while he had any thing of our pure fleshly Nature and changeable life of the Law, in him; Mat. 4. & 16. 22, 23. & Luk. 4. Man, establish'd in his own Righteousness, thinks all safe, for Salvation, when fast lodg'd in the very arms of this grand mystical Adulteress, the Devil; irrecoverably wrap'd and bound up in the bundle of death, caught and held fast in her nets and snares, while pleasing himself with hopeful thoughts, that his soul is bound up in the bundle of life, with the Lord, as David's, 1 Sam. 25. 29. The perswasive words of Man's and Satan's wisdom, are exactly calculated to gratify the desires of humane Nature, in order to fix men in enmity to the unpleasing doctrine of the cross, upon it; and so, perfectly deafen them to the voice of the true Shepherd; all the words of God's Wisdom, in himself and Saints; to all spiritual charmers, charm they never so wisely; Psal. 58. 4, 5. Man, by willingly giving himself up, in obedience to (and compliance with) Satan's known lie, against God's known truth, (Heb. 10. 26.) is abhorred of the Lord, and given up by him to such strong delusion, as holds him fast in the snares of this bottomless pit, the very spirit of the Devil, that he be damn'd with him; 2 Thes. 2. 10, -12. When men are thus caught in the Snares of this Woman, her hands are as bands upon them, powerful cords and chains, they can never break, or get loose from; never get out of this deep Dungeon and bottomless pit, into which they have plung'd themselves.
Who so pleaseth (or, is good before) God, shall escape her: but, the Sinner shall be taken by her.
Nothing but what's unchangeably good, is properly and truly good, before God. No man then, that has not some unchangeable good thing, or goodness in him, can please God. Without a spiritual Faith, (or new-creature principle of life and action, something of the life of the Faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2. 20.) distinct from, and superiour to the most righteous life of the Sons of Men) 'tis impossible to please God; Heb. 11. 6. Man, wise, strong, and honorable in Christ, as a fleshly Bridegroom, that has restor'd the old, first-creation righteous life of Nature in him, and rendered him fruitful there, (1 Cor. 4. 10.) This is not yet the He, that singly as so, pleaseth or can please God. For then, what was Paul, that had quitted all the advantages or priviledges, that such knowledg of Christ himself after the flesh, brings along with it, and includes in it? 2 Cor. 5. 16. He became a fool, weak, and despicable there, having parted with all that, as dung, for the knowledg of Christ after the Spirit, in his Gospel-life, into which, risen from the dead; Phil. 3. 6, — 10. Rom. 7. 1, — 4. Christ requires his Law or first-Covenant Spouses, to quit him there, as he, them; die with him, there, in order to meet him, in the life of the second. First-Covenant Spouses or Children of Christ, live in him: but, he comes properly to live in them, in the second; Gal. 2. 20. Tis but the Life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of Man, Christ restores, and afresh sets up in Men, in order to render them his first-Covenant Children and Spouses. The Life, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, a spiritual immortal Gospel-life, he sets up in the second, in the room of their surrender'd, fading, mortal Law-life, in the first. Christ abolish'd death (or crucified that Law-life, in himself, that was subject to death) and so, brought a Gospel-life and Immortality to light; 2 Tim. 1. 10. This is true life, in an absolute sence: th'other, but a shadow. In the infallible Light, or spiritual Understanding, that accompanies (and is found in) Gospel-life, are true Saints enabled to discover all the wiles of the mystical Woman, here. All the subtile practices and falshoods of evil Angels (coming as false Christs, and their false Apostles and Prophets (Mat. 24. 24. & 2 Cor. 11. 13, --15.) in the dress, language, and neerest resemblance of the true Christ and his Prophets or Apostles) lie open and naked, before that understanding in spiritual Saints, that judgeth or discerneth all things; 1 Cor. 2. 15. That Spirit, in which they can discern the deep things of God (ver. 10.) the utmost depths and heigths of Satan, can't lie hid, from. All his nets and snares are seen, and all his power of darkness, overset and master'd, by this Gospel-spirit, and marvelous light thereof. When the mysterious methods of God's wisdom, for Salvation, are seen, all the depths and methods of delusion, Satan can use (in the utmost stretch of his Serpentine Wisdom, to destroy Men) flie open. All Satan's Apostles, Ministers of his Gospel, in whatever variety of doctrine, form, language, or way, in the same sandy, fallible, first-Creation Principles, do all center in this point (whatever their thought or intent be) to run their hearers into the very arms of the Devil, as their only security, for Salvation. If the Devil can impose himself upon them, as Christ and God (as he can, 2 Thes. 2. 4.) This must needs be the issue and result of all their teaching; 2 Cor. 11. 13, — 15. Their end will be, according to their works. All's earthly, and so, fewel for the fire of that Wrath, that will be kindled on them and all their earthy doctrin, life, and works, at the day of the Lord's appearing in that Gospel-spirit and life, they'l be found in unchangeable enmity to; 2 Pet. 3. 10. No wisdom of Man, secures from this Woman, here. Adam, in his unspotted naturals, clear from all silth of flesh and spirit too, was not fence-proof against the wiles of this Woman. The womanish, fading, changeable first-Creation life in the evil Angel, when fallen, was too subtile and powerful, for man in his inferiour womanish-life, of the same kind, to deal with, before his fall. Satan's first lie to Eve, passes currant all along this World, (with multitudes of professors and high pretenders to the Gospel of Christ and Kingdom of God) for the very Gospel of Christ; to wit, that the establish'd righteous life of the first Creation-state of Man, is eternal life; that man need not (will not) die at all. Literal Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon, are made up of Men, sixed in corrupt Nature, given up by themselves, and therefore also, by God, to the vile affections, enormous lusts, and madnesses of that; Ro. 1. 26. Mystical Sodom, Egypt and Babylon, are made up of Evil Angels and enlight'ned first-Covenant Brethren or Professors, establish'd or six'd in the …-righteousness of Man, and so, in unchangeable enmity to the Gospel-righteousness of God. These two sorts of Babylonians and Sodomites, in these last and worst of times, do, or will so fill the scene, with their super-abounding iniquities, literal and mystical, as to leave no room for any hearing of Christ's Gospel, at all. The spiritual Saint, by his Gospel-life of that faith that overcomes the World (1 Joh. 5. 4.) remains secure, amidst this vast heap, this innumerable multitude of Babylonians (visible and invisible, evil Men and Angels) under the protecting shadow and comforting influence of Christ's new name, that's the strong Tower, into which he runs and is safe; Prov. 18. 10. Heb. is set a-loft; to wit, on that Rock, that's higher then he; Psal. 61. 2. But, all incorrigible, wilful haters and refusers of Christ and his Gospel-truths, will (every one of them) be taken in the snares of the said Woman. So, it follows; Text. But the sinner shall be taken by her. He that's abhorred of the Lord, falls into the mouth of this strange Woman, whose heart is a deep pit, full of snares and nets; and her hands, bands. Who is this sinner, the Lord abhors? The fixed, incorrigible hater and loather of God, and his Spirit of Grace (call'd God's Soul or Spirit; as the spirit of nature, Man's Soul) Zec. 11. 8. All blind leaders, with their followers, tumble into this deep ditch or pit, Prov. 23. 27. Luk. 6. 39. All, whose minds are willingly blinded by the God of this World, the Devil, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the supream creature-image of God, should shine into, or upon them; all such, embrace Satan's accursed, other, contrary …, and his spirit of unchangeable enmity to Christ and his. They are engaged, what in them …, to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven, … off the … of that Kingdom, out of all hearing, or reception; and to … open the Kingdom of the Devil, asserting that, to be the Kingdom of God; and his Gospel, Christ's. So are they, with their admirers, engaged in … of the bottomless pit of deceits, full of snares and nets, as the very Kingdom of God, and Salvation to men. And, they … others to hope, that they will confirm or make good their word; Ezek. 13. 6. In a … spirit of Divination, do Devil and Man, joyntly declare this; and boldly affirm, 'tis in the Lord's Spirit of Truth, they say so. They say, the Lord saith. They see nothing but vanity, and preach up nothing but perishing vanities (the natural excellencies or fading things of Man or Angel, in the first-creation) for eternal Life. They speak only of the world, this world's vanities, and the world hears them; all the world wonder's after them; 1 Joh. 4. 5. Rev. 13. 3. All, in the but earthly spirit of nature, corrupt or righteous, are for such Preaching, or none at all. Satan's Apostles or Ministers, come forth, in great variety of form, language, and way; all, making but a universal Babel of confusion, running their hearers into the very bosom of the Devil (the bottomless-pit of all deceits and falshoods) as their only security, for Salvation. Men are deeply concern'd, to take heed who they hear; not such strangers to, and enemies of Christ's Gospel (Jo. 10. 4, 5.) and then, what, and how they they hear (Mark 4. 24. Luk. 8. 18.) that they rightly take the voice or words of the true Shepherd, and his Spiritual Apostles or Messengers; and obey them. Many may hear right Gospel-words, and not understand them, Mark 4. 12. And then, they'l not follow or obey them; but, run still after Satan's Law-Gospel. Those that distinguish not the Words of God's, from those of the Serpent's & Man's Wisdom, how, should they scape the snares of this grand mystical Adulteress? If they suffer themselves willingly to be beguil'd into a perswasion, that Satan's Gospel, and that, which true Saints call Christ's, are all one, they are caught in the snares of the Devil. Satan's Apostles say, those that pretend to be Christ's, differ from them only in an affected singularity and disguise of words, not matter. While this shuffle will serve the turn, Satan's Gospellers find it not needful or convenient, to enter the lists, for a debating the case with Sion-Saints, about a true Gospel-state. But, if Christ's Gospel come forth, in such sharp, discriminating language, as to evidence its distinction in the whole matter of it, from Satan's, and Man's; then, to prevent, yet, any farther trouble, about it; they sit in their Majesterial Chair; and, in general (without meddling with any particular in it) decry it for the most dangerous, destructive blasphemy and falshood, that ever was invented, or impos'd upon Men; worse then Popery or Mahumetanism; then the grossest Idolatries, or most brutish practices of any Heathens. This general vilifying Christ's whole Gospel-doctrine, and assertors of it, as the vilest of doctrines, and men, they … a far easier and safer way, then to meddle with any particulars of it. Thus far, and at this rate, only, seems the shock of opposition to be given to it, and manag'd against it, at this day. But, if matters once grow to that pass, that some valuable number of awaken'd Saints, and spiritually convinced Men, should be the Assertors, Followers and Owners of the very Christ, the very Gospel, so as to give occasion to Satan's Gospel-ministers, to say (in the same levened, sowr spirit of enmity to God, with the Pharisees) Perceive ye, how ye prevail nothing? behold, the World is gone after them; when this comes to pass, enemies will go another way to work. The Jews, when they could not resist, or bear up against the wisdom and spirit, by which Stephen spake; they could and did (through the permission of God, and instigation of the Devil) silence him, as they reckon'd, with stones. But, he being dead, yet speaketh, as Abel, and all other such witnessing Saints, most injuriously slain for the Testimony of Jesus, in the Spirit of true Prophecy. The regenerating, transforming, assimilating touch of the Gospel-spirit of Christ, sixes Man's versatile, changeable Law-spirit, in eternal obedience to, and harmony with God. The degenerating, transforming, assimilating touch of the spirit of the Devil, on Man's, fixes it with himself, in unchangeable enmity to God, as the very principle of his life, desire, thought, word, and action. By one or other of these unchangeable good or evil spirits, comes man to be lodg'd up, in a state of eternal life or death; a bed of true rest, and unspeakable joy (Isa. 57. 1, 2.) or of everlasting sorrow (Isa. 50. 11.) torment, and vexation of Spirit. He that's born of God's unchangeably good Spirit, is secure from the transforming touch of the unchangeable evilone; 1 Joh. 5. 18. The touch of spirits is a qualifying, alterative touch; baptizes Man's changeable spirit into the unchangeable toucher, the Spirit of God, or of the Devil. By the death of their own spirit, that Satan can touch; and … into the life of God's Spirit, he can … touch; by this way and means, and this only, are Saints … and … from all the nets and snares of this grand Adulteress, the Devil. The whole World, all that take up in their worldly, earthly life of nature, run into them. A babe, a suckling in Christ's Spirit, is too hard for …; Psal. 8. 2. Man, in the highest restor'd perfections of his own, is no body in his hands; Job 41. The incorrigible first-creation sinner is taken by her: the new-creation Saint, who alone pleases God, shall escape all her nets, snares, hands or bands, for ever.
Vers. 27. Behold, this have I found (saith the Preacher) counting one by one, to find out the account,
Solomon, in the Sanctuary-balance, the al-searching new-Creation Spirit of true prophecy, weigh'd one thing after another, so as to give a clear and full account of what he was so inquisitive, after; an everlasting state of Truth and Righteousness. He weigh'd and tried all parts of the first Creation, the utmost goodness and excellencies, found in Man and Angels, before their fall; or restor'd in Men, since; and, in the total sum of all, found the one thing necessary for the true blessedness of any, wanting. 'Tis not in the whole first-Creation Land of the living (Job 28. 21.) or state of Life. No such thing, found he, in the whole heap of this World's Vanities. So arriv'd he, at this negative satisfaction, that there's no hope of ever finding true happiness, there. He resolv'd therefore, no longer to squander away his time, with others, in seeking for the living amongst the dead; or, true Life and Happiness, in a Region of Darkness, and of the shadow of Death. No such life, as will swallow up Death into Victory, is to be found there; nothing, but what Death will swallow up, into Victory; and triumph over, for ever. This, he declares,