An exposition of Ecclesiastes, or, The preacher

About this Item

Title
An exposition of Ecclesiastes, or, The preacher
Author
Sikes, George.
Publication
London :: printed in the year, 1680. Sold by Samuel Lee, at the Feathers in Lombard-Street, near Popes-head Alley,
[1680]
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Subject terms
Bible. -- O.T. -- Ecclesiastes -- Commentaries -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A62085.0001.001
Cite this Item
"An exposition of Ecclesiastes, or, The preacher." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A62085.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 17, 2024.

Pages

Vers. VII. For, in the multitude of Dreams, and many Words, there are also divers Vanities: but, fear thou God.

This concluding Word on this subject, is a Character of the first-creation Spirit or State, as chosen by men, in union of mind with the fallen Angels. Solomon calls it many things and businesses, a multi∣tude of Dreams; as v. 3. a multitude of business, whence cometh a Dream. The busie, boundless, wandring, gadding Spirit of man, cumbers it self, as Martha, with a heap of first-creation Vanities,

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that can give him no true satisfaction. All his conceited happiness therein, is but a Dream. His many Words and Labours about them, are but divers Vanities, a variety of glittering nothings, things that God says, are not; perishing, vanishing shadows. All labour of man, in his first creation life of Vanity (all his Works, Fruits, Duties, performance, to God or Man, therein) is Vanity. All inordinate love to, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after, the outward or inward, litteral or mysti∣cal Riches and Treasures of that State, in the most fruitfull Exercise of a first-covenant Life, is but that Love of Mony, Paul call's the Root of all 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For, from this Love to his own Worldly Life and Riches thereof, is man sound in direct enmity to God, and his Gospel-Spirit, and Riches, which alone can make any, truly Happy. So, all he is, has, or does; all his Attainments, Works, Fruits, Riches, Possessions, rested in, will prove a most unhappy, destructive Dream; out of which, when he awakes, he will find himself to have bin, all along, deceived with Imaginary things, that have no durable reality in them. Christ convincingly shew's men this, now; and will hereafter, con∣vince them, he hath so shewed it, and fairly warned them thereby, of their danger. Let him then that Preaches up such a vain State, with all the best things of man, therein, for happiness, tell it, but as a Dream, not considently assert it to be a Gospel-State of Salvation, but a Law-Dream; Jer. 23. 28. Man's Chaff, Dream, Vain Glory, Shadow, Life and Image of the Earthy, fix'd in (in unchangable en∣mity to God's Wheat, his Word, Wisdom, Righteousness, durable Life, Riches, Food, and Cloathing, in the Image of the Heavenly) is certain damnation. What's the Chaff to the Wheat? the Words of Man's Wisdom, in his lying Spirit of divination (as to all Gospel things and truths of God, into the Room whereof he thrusts the things of Man, and says, the Lord sayeth Ezek. 13. 6.) to the Words of my Wisdom, in my Gospel Spirit of Truth? What are Man's Law-Dreams to my Gospel-Truths? In stead of this dange∣rous Trade and destructive practice, Solomon's advice is; Fear thou God. This fearing God, and keeping his commandments, he declar's (Eccles. 12. 13.) to be the whole Duty of Man; the Conclusion, and sum of the whole matter, in all Books, and Words of Right Instruct∣ion unto Life. Follow after, obey and close with the Lord's own Counsels, Teachings, Leadings, convincing discoveries of his mind,

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and Gracious Offer's of that Gospel-Spirit that's in unchangable uni∣on with his divine Spirit; and you'l ever know and do his whole mind and counsel, and Worship him in Spirit, and in Truth, to his wel-pleasing acceptance and your Salvation. His Spirit is that Love, that's the fulfiller of his whole Law; Rom. 13. 10.

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