The Folly and Danger of being not righteous enough.
ECCLESIASTES vii. 16.
_Be not righteous over-much, neither make thyself over-wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?_
NOTHING is more frequent, than while people are living in a course of sin, and after the fashion and manner of the world, there is no notice taken of them; neither are their ways displeasing to their companions and carnal relations: but if they set their faces Zion-ward, and begin to feel the power of GOD on their hearts; then they are surrounded with temptations from their friends, who thus act the devil’s part. The enemies, the greatest enemies a young convert meets with, my dear brethren, are those of his own house. They that will be godly, must suffer persecution; so it was in CHRIST’s time, and so it was in the Apostles time too; for our LORD came not to send peace, but a sword. Our relations would not have us sit in the scorner’s chair; they would not have us be prodigals, consuming our substance upon harlots; neither would they have us rakes or libertines, but they would have us be contented with an almost christianity. To keep up our reputation by going to church, and adhering to the outward forms of religion, saying our prayers, reading the word of GOD, and taking the sacraments; this, they imagine, is all that is necessary for to be christians indeed; and when we go one step farther than this, their mouths are open against us, as _Peter_’s was to CHRIST: “Spare thyself, do thyself no harm.”
And of this nature are the words of the text. They are not the words of _Solomon_ himself, but the words of an infidel speaking to him, whom he introduces in several parts of this book; for _Solomon_ had been shewing the misfortunes which attended the truly good, as in the verse before our text.
Upon this the infidel says, “Be not righteous over-much, neither be thou over-wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?” _i. e._ Why shouldst thou bring these misfortunes upon thyself, by being over-strict? Be not righteous over-much; eat, drink, and be merry, live as the world lives, and then you will avoid those misfortunes which may attend you, by being righteous over-much.
This text has another meaning; but take it which way you will, my brethren, it was spoken by an unbeliever; therefore it was no credit for the person who lately preached upon this text, to take it for granted, that these were the words of _Solomon_: the words of an infidel was not a proper text to a christian congregation. But as _David_ came out against _Goliah_, not armed as the champion was, with sword and spear, but with a sling and stone, and then cut off his head with his own sword; so I come out against these letter-learned men, in the strength of the LORD JESUS CHRIST; and, my dear brethren, I trust he will direct me to use my sling, so that our enemies may not gainsay us; and by the sword of GOD’s word, cut off the heads of our Redeemer’s enemies.
But though they are not the words of _Solomon_, yet we will take them in the same manner the late writer did; and, from the words, shall,
_First_, Shew you what it is, not to be righteous over-much, that we may not destroy ourselves.
_Secondly_, I shall let you see what it is to be righteous over-much. And then,
_Thirdly_, Conclude with an exhortation to all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to come to the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
_First_, The first thing proposed, is to shew you what it is not to be righteous over-much. And here,
It is by no means to be righteous over-much, to affirm we must have the same Spirit of GOD as the first Apostles had, and must feel that Spirit upon our hearts.