,,old ,,groans ,,and ,,new ,,songs ,,being ,meditations on the ,book of ,ecclesiastes by ,f4 ,c4 ,,jennings1 ,,new ,,york4 ,glasgow3 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 ,,printers ,,publishers1 ,the ,publishing ,office1 #gc ,bothwell ,street4 ,,london3 ,s4 ,,bagster ,,sons1 ,,ltd41 #ae ,paternoster ,row1 ,e4,c #aibj ,,preface4 ,the chief object of a word of preface to the following notes is that the reader may not expect from them more1 or other1 than is intended4 ,they are the result of meditations--not so much of a critical as a devotional character--on the book1 in the regular course of private morning readings of the ,scriptures--meditations which were jotted down at the time1 and the refreshment and blessing derived from which1 ,i desired to share with my fellow-believers4 ,some salient point of each chapter has been taken and used as illustrative of what is conceived as the purpose of the book4 ,as month by month passed1 however1 the subject opened up to such a degree that at the end1 one felt as if there were a distinct need entirely to re-write the earlier chapters4 ,it is1 however1 sent forth in the same shape as originally written2 the reader then may accompany the writer1 and share with him the delight at the ever-new beauties in the landscape that each turn of the road1 as it were1 unexpectedly laid out before him4 ,there is one point1 however1 that it may be well to look at here a little more closely and carefully than has been done in the body of the book1 both on account of its importance and of the strong attack that the ecclesiastical infidelity of the day has made upon it3 ,i refer to its authorship4 ,to commence with the strongest position of the attack on the ,solomon authorship--necessarily the strongest1 for it is directly in the field of verbal criticism--it is argued that because a large number of words are found in this book1 found elsewhere alone in the post-exilian writers1 7as ,daniel or ,nehemiah17 therefore the author of the book must surely be post-exilian too4 ,it would be unedifying1 and is happily unnecessary1 to review this in detail--with a literature so very limited as are the ,hebrew writings cotemporary with ,solomon3 these few1 dealing with other subjects1 other ideas1 necessitating therefore another character of words1 it takes no scholar to see that any argument derived from this must necessarily be taken with the greatest caution4 ,nay1 like all arguments of infidelity1 it is a sword easily turned against the user4 ,as surely as the valleys lie hid in shadow long after the mountain-tops are shining in the morning sun1 so surely must we expect evidences of so elevated a personality as the wise king of ,israel1 to show a fuller acquaintance with the language of his neighbors2 and employ1 when they best suited him1 words from such vocabularies--words which would not come into general use for many a long day2 indeed until sorrow1 captivity1 and shame1 had done the same work for the mass1 under the chastening ,hand of ,god1 as abundant natural gifts had done for our wise and glorious author4 ,thus the argument of ,zckler--the numerous ,aramaisms 7words of ,syriac origin7 in the book are among the surest signs of its post-exile origin--is really turned against himself4 ,were such ,aramaisms altogether lacking1 we might well question whether the writer were indeed that widely-read1 eminently literary1 gloriously intellectual individual of whom it is said1 his wisdom excelled the children of the ,east country and all the wisdom of ,egypt1 for he was wiser than all men4 ,surely1 that ,solomon shows he was acquainted with words other than his own ,hebrew1 and made use of such words when they best suited his purpose1 is only what common-sense would naturally look for4 ,there is no proof whatever that the words themselves were of late date4 ,christian scholars have examined them one by one as carefully1 and certainly at least as conscientiously1 as their opponents2 and show us1 in result1 that the words1 although not familiar in the ,hebrew vernacular1 were in widely-current use either in the neighboring ,persian or in that family of languages--,syriac and ,chaldaic--of which ,hebrew was but a member4 ,the verdict of impartiality must certainly be not proven1 if indeed it be not stronger than that1 to the attempt to deny to ,solomon the authorship of ,ecclesiastes based on the words used4 ,the next method of argument is one in which we shall feel ourselves more at home1 inasmuch as it is not so much a question of scholarship1 but ordinary intelligent discernment4 ,time and space forbid that ,i attempt here a full or detailed exhibit of the sentences1 thoughts1 ideas in the book itself which are taken as being quite impossible to ,king ,solomon4 ,i will1 however1 attempt to give a representative few that may stand for all4 ,in the body of the book ,i have touched1 in passing1 on the argument deduced from the words in the first chapter1 ,i was king2 so need only to ask my readers' attention to it there4 ,that he says of himself that he was wiser and richer than all before him in ,jerusalem points1 under enlightened exposition1 clearly to an author different to the historical ,solomon4 ,indeed6 ,if my readers can appreciate the force of such an argument1 they do more than can ,i4 ,that the writer should seek that his words should have the full force1 his experiences have the full weight that could only attach to one in every way gifted to test all things to their uttermost1 is taken as clear proof1 under unbiased exposition1 that the only one who was exactly thus gifted was not the author6 ,the claim to freedom from bias is in almost ludicrous harmony with such reasoning4 ,again1 that also which is said--chap4 vii4 #aj--of the depravity of the times accords little with the age of ,solomon1 the most brilliant and prosperous of ,israelitish history4 ,another lovely example of rationalistic freedom from bias6 ,for what is this that is said of the depravity of the times so inconsistent with the glory of ,solomon's reign in chap4 vii4 #aj8 ,say not thou1 ,what is the cause that the former days were better than these8 ,for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this4 ,and this is proof of the depravity of the times6--not proof1 mark1 of just that very thing that is the heart and soul of the book3 the weary1 unsatisfied1 empty heart of poor man looking backward or forward for the satisfaction that the present always fails to give under the sun1 and which he1 who was wiser than all who came before him1 ,solomon1 warns his readers against6 ,oh1 poor blind rationalism6 missing all the beauties of ,god's ,word in its own exceeding cleverness1 or--folly6 ,how would the present application of such reasoning sound6 ,the ,victorian era is certainly one of the most brilliant and prosperous of ,english history2 hence no one can ever speak now of the good old times4 ,such language is simply impossible2 we never hear it6 ,so if some astute reasoner of the future comes across such allusion in any writings1 it will be clear proof that the author was post-,victorian6 ,far more so if1 as here1 such writer rebukes this tendency6 ,altogether unkingly sound the complaints in chap4 iii4 #ag 7',i said in my heart ,god shall judge the righteous and the wicked2 for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work'72 iv42 x4 #e-g 7let my reader refer for himself to these71 concerning unjust judges1 etc4 ,these are all lamentations and complaints natural enough in a suffering and oppressed subject2 but not in a monarch called and authorized to abolish evil4 ,it is most difficult to deal seriously with what1 if the writer were not so very learned1 we should call nonsense unworthy of a child4 ,look at the verse to which he refers1 and which ,i have quoted in full2 and extract from it1 if your biased judgment will permit1 an unkingly complaint in any word of it6 ,and it is at such formidable arguments as this that some of us have been trembling1 fearing lest the very foundations must give way under the attack6 ,a little familiarity is all that is needed to beget a wholesome contempt4 ,here is one more interesting illustration of the unbiased1 scientific reasoning of rationalism4 ,the object is1 you know1 to determine exactly the epoch and writer of the book2 and this is how it must be done4 ,according to chaps1 v4 #a1 and ix4 #b1 the temple worship was assiduously practised1 but without a living piety of heart1 and in a hypocritical and self-justifying manner2 the complaints in this regard remind us vividly of similar ones of the prophet ,malachi--chap4 i4 #f1 etc4 ,what then is the basis for all this verbiage about the temple worship8 ,here it is3 ,keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of ,god1 and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools3 for they consider not that they do evil4 ,this sentence shows that it is impossible that ,solomon wrote the book3 there were no fools in his time1 who were more ready to give a careless sacrifice than to hearken3 all fools only come into existence after the exile1 in the days of ,malachi6 ,and this is higher criticism6 ,enough as to this line4 ,we will now ask our learned friends1 since ,solomon has been so conclusively proved not to have written it1 ,who did8 ,and when was it written8 ,ah1 now we may listen to a very medley of answers6--for opinions here are almost as numerous as the critics themselves4 ,united in the one assurance that ,solomon could not have written it1 they are united in nothing else4 ,one is assured it was ,hezekiah1 another is confident it was ,zerubbabel1 a third is convinced it was ,jesus the son of ,joiada--and so on4 ,all opinions1 as ,dr4 ,lewis says1 are held with equal confidence1 and yet in every way are opposed to each other4 ,once set it loose from the ,solomon time1 and there is no other place where it can be securely anchored4 ,this brings us then to the positive assertion that from the evident purpose of the book1 the divine purpose1 no other than ,solomon could be its author4 ,he must be of a nation taken out of the darkness and abominations of heathendom2--there was only one such nation1--he must then be an ,israelite4 ,he must live at an epoch when that nation is at the summit of its prosperity2--it never regained that epoch1--he must then have lived when ,solomon lived4 ,he must1 in his own person1 by his riches1 honor1 wisdom1 learning1 freedom from external political fears1 perfect capacity to drink of whatever cup this world can put into his hand to the full--represent the very top-stone of that glorious time2 and not one amongst all the sons of men answers to all this but ,solomon the son of ,david1 king in ,jerusalem4 ,to ,him who is greater than ,solomon--to ,him who is above the sun--to ,him whom it is the divine purpose of the book to highly exalt above all--would ,i commit this feeblest effort to show that purpose1 and1 as ,his condescending grace permits1 further it4 ,f4 ,c4 ,j4 ,,old ,,groans ,,and ,,new ,,songs2 ,,or1 ,,meditations ,,on ,,ecclesiastes4 ,perhaps there is no book within the whole canon of ,scripture so perplexing and anomalous1 at first sight1 as that entitled ,ecclesiastes4 ,its terrible hopelessness1 its bold expression of those difficulties with which man is surrounded on every side1 the apparent fruitlessness of its quest after good1 the unsatisfactory character1 from a ,christian standpoint1 of its conclusion3 all these points have made it1 at one and the same time1 an enigma to the superficial student of the ,word1 and the arsenal whence a far more superficial infidelity has sought to draw weapons for its warfare against clear revelation4 ,and yet here it is1 embedded in the very heart of those ,scriptures which we are told were given by inspiration of ,god1 and which are profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness1 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works4 ,then with this precious assurance of its profitableness deeply fixed in our hearts by a living faith1 and in absolute dependence on that blessed ,one who is the one perfect ,teacher1 let us consider the book4 ,first1 then1 let us seek to get all the light we can from all the exterior marks it bears before seeking to interpret its contents4 ,for our primary care with regard to this1 as indeed with regard to every book in the ,bible1 must be to discover1 if possible1 what is the object of the book1--from what standpoint does the writer approach his subject4 ,and first we find it in that group of books through which the voice of man is prominent--,job1 ,psalms1 ,proverbs1 ,canticles4 ,in these is heard the music of man's soul2 often--nay1 mostly--giving sorrowful and striking evidence of discord1 in wail and groan1 in tear and sigh2 and yet again1 in response evidently to the touch of some ,master hand1 that knows it well1--a tender1 gracious1 compassionate touch1--rising into a song of sweetest harmony that speaks eloquently of its possibilities1 and bears along on its chords the promise and hope of a complete restoration4 ,but we shall search our book in vain for any such expression of joy4 ,no song brightens its pages2 no praise is heard amid its exercises4 ,and yet perfectly assured we may be that1 listened to aright1 it shall speak forth the praise of ,god's beloved ,son2 looked at in a right light1 it shall set off ,his beauty4 ,if ,he turns the wrath of man to praise ,him1 surely we may expect no less from man's sorrows and ignorance4 ,this1 then1 we may take it1 is the object of the book1 to show forth by its dark background the glory of the ,lord1 to bring into glorious relief against the black cloud of man's need and ignorance the bright light of a perfect1 holy1 revelation2 to let man tell out1 in the person of his greatest and wisest1 when he1 too1 is at the summit of his greatness1 with the full advantage of his matured wisdom1 the solemn questions of his inmost being2 and show that greatness to be of no avail in solving them1--that wisdom foiled in the search for their answers4 ,this1 then1 we will conclude1 is the purpose of the book and the standpoint from which the writer speaks1 and we shall find its contents confirm this in every particular4 ,it has been well said that as regards each book in holy writ the key hangs by the door1--that is1 that the first few sentences will give the gist of the whole4 ,and1 indeed1 pre-eminently is such the case here4 ,the first verse gives us who the writer is2 the second1 the beginning and ending of his search4 ,and therein lies the key of the whole2 for the writer is the son of ,david1 the man exalted by ,jehovah to highest earthly glory4 ,through rejection and flight1 through battle and conflict1 had the ,lord brought ,david to this excellence of glory and power4 ,all this his son entered into in its perfection and at once4 ,for it is that one of his sons who speaks who is king1 and in ,jerusalem1 the city of ,god's choice1 the beautiful for situation1 the joy of the whole earth4 ,such is the story of verse #a4 ,nothing could possibly go beyond the glory that is compassed by these few words4 ,for consider them1 and you will see that they ascribe wisdom1 and honor1 and riches1 and power to him of whom they are spoken2 but it is human wisdom and earthly power1 all under the sun4 ,and now listen to the song that should surely accompany this ascription2 note the joy of a heart fully and completely satisfied now that the pinnacle of human greatness is attained4 ,here it is3 ,vanity of vanities1 saith the ,preacher1 vanity of vanities2 all is vanity6 ,the word hahvehl is always translated1 as here1 vanity4 ,it is sometimes applied to idols1 as ,deut4 xxxii4 #ba1 and would give the idea of emptiness--nothingness4 ,what a striking contrast6 ,man has here all that ,nature can possibly give2 and his poor heart1 far from singing1 is empty still1 and utters its sad bitter groan of disappointment4 ,now turn and contemplate that other scene1 where the true ,son of ,david1 only now a ,lamb as it had been slain1 is the center of every circle1 the object of every heart4 ,tears are dried at the mention of ,his name1 and song after song bursts forth1 till the whole universe of bliss pours forth its joy1 relieves its surcharged heart in praise4 ,vanity of vanities1 saith the ,preacher4 ,that is the old groan4 ,thou art worthy to take the book1 and to open the seals thereof1 for ,thou wast slain1 and hast redeemed to ,god by ,thy blood1 out of every kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 and nation1 and hast made them kings and priests1 and they shall reign over the earth4 ,that is the new song4 ,oh1 blessed contrast6 ,does it not make ,him who ,himself has replaced the groan by the song precious8 ,has it1 then1 no value8 ,and this is just the purpose of the whole book1 to furnish such striking contrasts whereby the new is set off in its glories against the dark background of the old1--rest against labor1 hope against despair1 song against groan2 and so the third verse puts this very explicitly1--,what profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun8 ,the wisest and the greatest of men is seeking for an answer to this question4 ,and this verse is too important in its bearing on the whole book to permit our passing it without looking at that significant word profit a little closer4 ,and here one feels the advantage of those helps that a gracious ,god has put into our hands in these days of special attack upon ,his revelation1 whereby even the unlearned may1 by a little diligence1 arrive at the exact shade of the meaning of a word4 ,the word profit1 then1 is1 in the ,hebrew1 yithrohn1 and is found in this exact form only in this book1 where it is translated profit1 as here1 or excellency1 as in chap4 ii4 #ac4 ,the ,septuagint translates it into a ,greek one1 meaning advantage1 or perhaps more literally1 that which remains over and above4 ,in ,eph4 iii4 #bj it is rendered exceeding abundantly above4 ,hence we gather that our word intends to convey to us the question1 ,after life is over1 after man has given his labor1 his time1 his powers1 and his talents1 what has he received in exchange that shall satisfy him for all that he has lost8 ,do the pleasures obtained during life fully compensate for what is spent in obtaining them8 ,do they satisfy8 and do they remain to him as profit over and above that expenditure8 ,in a word1 what under the sun can satisfy the longing1 thirsting1 hungering heart of man1 so that he can say1 ,my heart is filled to overflowing1 its restless longings are stilled1 ,i have found a food that satisfies its hunger1 a water that quenches its thirst8 ,a question all-important1 surely1 and it will be well worth listening to the experience of this seeker1 who is fitted far above his fellows for finding this satisfactory good1 if it can be found under the sun4 ,first1 then1 the ,preacher1 like a good workman1 takes account of what material he has to work with4 ,have ,i1 he says1 any thing that others have not had1 or can ,i hope to find any thing that has not been before8 ,at once he is struck with that law of circuit that is stamped on every thing3 generation follows generation2 but no new earth1 that remains ever the same2 the sun wheels ceaselessly in its one course2 the winds circle from point to point1 but whirl about to their starting-place2 the waters1 too1 follow the same law1 and keep up one unbroken circuit4 ,where can rest be found in such a scene8 ,whilst there is unceasing change1 nothing is new2 it is but a repetition of what has been before1 and which again soon passes1 leaving the heart empty and hungry still4 ,again1 then1 let us use this dark background to throw forward another scene4 ,see1 even now1 above the sun ,him who is the ,head and perfect ,exponent of the creation called the new4 ,is there any law of constant unsatisfying circuit in ,him8 ,nay1 indeed1 every sight we get of ,him is new2 each revelation of ,himself perfectly satisfies1 and yet awakens appetite for further views4 ,no pause1 no change those pleasures ,shall ever seek to know2 ,the draught that lulls our thirsting ,but wakes that thirst anew4 ,or1 again1 look at that blessed law of circuit spoken of in another way by one who has indeed been enlightened by a light above the sun in every sense of the word1 in #b ,cor4 ix4 ,it is not the circling of winds or waters1 but of grace direct from the blessed ,god ,himself4 ,mark the perfection stamped upon it both by its being a complete circle--never ending1 but returning again to its ,source1--and by the numerical stamp of perfection upon it in its seven distinct parts 7or movements7 as shown by the sevenfold recurrence of the word all1 or every1 both coming from the same ,greek word4 #a4 ,god is able to make all grace abound unto you4 ,there is an inexhaustible source4 ,we may come and come and come again1 and never find that fountain lowered by all our drafts upon it4 ,sooner1 far sooner1 should the ocean be emptied by a teacup than infinite power and love be impoverished by all that ,his saints could draw from ,him4 ,all grace4 #b4 ,that ye always4 ,there is no moment when this circle of blessing need stop flowing4 ,it is ever available4 ,no moment--by day or night1 in the quiet of the closet or in the activities of the day's duties1 when in communion with friends or in the company of foes1--when that grace is not available4 ,at all times4 #c4 ,having all sufficiency--perfect competence to meet just the present emergency4 ,a sufficiency1 let us mark1 absolutely independent of ,nature's resources1--a sufficiency beautifully illustrated by unlearned and ignorant ,peter and ,john in the presence of the learned ,sanhedrim4 ,let us rejoice and praise ,god as we trace these three glorious links in this endless chain of blessing4 ,all sufficiency4 #d4 ,in all things 7or in every way74 ,it is no matter from what side the demand may come1 this precious grace is there to meet it4 ,is it to deal with another troubled anxious soul1 where human wisdom avails nothing8 ,divine wisdom and tact shall be supplied4 ,courage if danger presents itself1 or all long-suffering with joyfulness if afflictions tear the heart4 ,in all things4 #e4 ,may abound to every good work4 ,now filled to the brim1 and still connected with an inexhaustible supply1 the vessel must overflow1 and that on every side4 ,no effort1 no toil1 no weariness1 no drawing by mechanical means from a deep well2 but the grace-filled heart1 abiding 7and that is the only condition7 in complete dependence upon its ,god1 naturally overflows on every side--to all good work4 #f4 ,being enriched in every thing 7we omit the parenthesis1 although full of its own divine beauty71 7or1 in every way74 ,this is in some sort a repetition of ,no4 #e1 but goes as far beyond it as the word enriched is fuller than the word sufficient4 ,the latter fills the vessel1 as we have said1 up to the brim2 the former adds another drop1 and over it flows4 ,in view of these exceeding great and precious promises1 we may say1-- ,oh wherefore should we do ourselves this wrong1 ,or others1 that we are not always strong8 since we may be enriched in all things4 #g4 ,to all bountifulness4 ,this stream of grace is never to stagnate1 or it will lose all its character of blessing1 as the manna hoarded for a second day bred worms1 and stank4 ,thus every single ,christian becomes a living channel of blessing to all around1 and the circle is now completed1 by once more returning to the point whence it started1 ,which causeth through us thanksgiving to ,god1 and closes with no weary wail of ,all things are full of labor1 but joyful songs resound on every side1 and at every motion of this circle of blessing ascends thanksgiving to ,god4 ,for just exactly the same full measure is seen in the thanksgiving ascending at the end as in the grace descending in the beginning4 ,there it abounded1 filling the vessel full till it overflowed in the same measure1 abounding in blessings to others who needed1 and these forthwith pass on the stream in abounding thanksgiving to ,god4 ,the apostle himself1 as if he could not suffer himself to be excluded from the circle of blessing1 adds his own note at the close with ,thanks be unto ,god for ,his unspeakable gift4 ,and shall we not1 too1 dear brother or sister now reading these lines1 let our feeble voice be heard in this sweet harmony of praise8 ,has not this contrast between the new song and the old groan1 again we may ask1 great value8 ,having1 then1 seen in these first few verses the purpose of the book and the standpoint of the writer1 we may accompany him in the details of his search4 ,first he repeats1 what is of the greatest importance for us to remember 7v4 #ab71 ,i1 the ,preacher1 was king over ,israel in ,jerusalem4 ,he would not have us forget that1 should he fail in his search for perfect satisfaction1 it will not be because he is not fully qualified both by his abilities and his position to succeed4 ,but ,infidelity1 and its kinsman ,rationalism1 raise a joyful shout over this verse2 for to disconnect the books of the ,bible from the writers whose name they bear is a long step toward overthrowing the authority of those books altogether4 ,if the believer's long-settled confidence can be proved vain in one point1 and that so important a point1 there is good hope of eventually overthrowing it altogether4 ,so1 with extravagant protestations of loyalty to the ,scriptures1 they1 ,joablike1 kiss and stab simultaneously1 wonderfully manifesting in word and work that dual form of the evil one1 who1 our ,lord tells us1 was both liar and murderer from the beginning4 ,and many thousand professing ,christians are like ,amasa of old1 their ear is well pleased with the fair sound of ,art thou in health1 my brother8 and they1 too1 take no heed to the sword in the inquirer's hand4 ,judas1 too1 in his day1 illustrates strongly that same diabolical compound of deceit and violence1 only the enemy finds no unwary ,amasa in ,jesus the ,lord4 ,betrayest thou the ,son of man with a kiss tears the vail from him at once2 and in the same way the feeblest believer who abides in ,him1 is led of that same spirit2 and good words and fair speeches do not deceive1 nor can betrayal be hidden behind the warmest protestations of affection4 ,but to return3 ,how could1 cries this sapient infidelity1 which today has given itself the modest name of ,higher ,criticism1--how could ,solomon say1 ',i was king1' when he never ceased to be that8 ,ah6 one fears if that same ,lord were to speak once more as of old1 ,he would again say1 ,o fools and blind6 ,for is it not meet that the writer who is about to give recital of his experiences should first tell us what his position was at the very time of those experiences8 ,that at the very time of all these exercises1 disappointments1 and groanings1 he was still the highest monarch on earth1 king over an undivided ,israel1 in ,jerusalem1 with all the resources and glories that accompany this high station1 pre-eminently fitting him to speak with authority1 and compelling us to listen with the profoundest respect and attention4 ,yes1 this glorious monarch gives his heart--that is1 applies himself with singleness of purpose to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven4 ,no path that gives the slightest promise of leading to happiness shall be untrodden2 no pleasure shall be denied1 no toil be shirked that shall give any hope of satisfaction or rest4 ,this sore travail hath ,god given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith4 ,that is1 the heart of man hungers and thirsts1 and he must search till he does find something to satisfy2 and if1 alas6 he fail to find it in time1 if he only drinks here of waters whereof he that drinks shall thirst again1 eternity shall find him thirsting still1 and crying for one drop of water to cool his tongue4 ,but then with what bitter despair ,ecclesiastes records all these searchings6 ,i have seen all the works that are done under the sun2 and1 behold1 all is vanity and vexation of spirit1 or rather1 pursuit of the wind4 ,exactly seven times he uses this term1 pursuit of the wind1 expressing perfect1 complete1 despairing failure in his quest4 ,he finds things all wrong1 but he has no power of righting them2 that which is crooked cannot be made straight1 and that which is wanting cannot be numbered4 ,but perhaps we may get the secret of his failure in his next words4 ,he takes a companion or counselor in his search4 ,again exactly seven times he takes counsel with this companion1 his own heart1--,i communed with my own heart4 ,that is the level of the book2 the writer's resources are all within himself2 no light from without save that which nature gives2 no taking hold on another2 no hand clasped by another4 ,he and his heart are alone4 ,ah6 that is dangerous as well as dreary work to take counsel with one's own heart4 ,fool and lawless one come to their foolish and wicked conclusions there 7,ps4 xiv4 #a72 and what else than folly could be expected in hearkening to that which is deceitful above all things--what else than lawlessness in taking counsel with that which is desperately wicked8 ,take not1 then1 for thy counselor thine own heart1 when divine love has placed infinite wisdom and knowledge at the disposal of lowly faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who of ,god is made unto us wisdom1 and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge4 ,but does our ,preacher find the rest he desires in the path of his own wisdom8 ,not at all4 ,for in much wisdom is much grief1 and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow4 ,grief and sorrow ever growing1 ever increasing1 the further he treads that attractive and comparatively elevated path of human wisdom4 ,nor has ,solomon been a lonely traveler along that road4 ,thousands of the more refined of ,adam's sons have chosen it2 but none have gone beyond the king1 and none have discovered anything in it1 but added grief and sorrow--sorrowful groan6 ,but the youngest of ,god's family has his feet1 too1 on a path of knowledge1 and he may press along that path without the slightest fear of grief or sorrow resulting from added knowledge4 ,nay1 a new song shall be in his mouth1 ,grace and peace shall be multiplied through the knowledge of ,god and ,jesus our ,lord4 7#b ,pet4 i4 #b74 ,blessed contrast6 ,sorrow and grief multiplied through growth in human wisdom3 ,grace and peace multiplied through growth in the knowledge of ,god and of ,jesus our ,lord6 ,my beloved reader1 ,i pray you meditate a little on this striking and precious contrast4 ,here is ,solomon in all his glory1 with a brighter halo of human wisdom round his head than ever had any of the children of men4 ,turn to #a ,kings iv4 #bi3-- ,and ,god gave ,solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much1 and largeness of heart1 even as the sand that is on the sea shore4 ,and ,solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country1 and all the wisdom of ,egypt4 ,for he was wiser than all men2 than ,ethan the ,ezrahite1 and ,heman1 and ,chalcol1 and ,darda1 the sons of ,mahol3 and his fame was in all nations round about4 ,and he spake three thousand proverbs3 and his songs were a thousand and five4 ,and he spake of trees1 from the cedar tree that is in ,lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall3 he spake also of beasts1 and of fowl1 and of creeping things1 and of fishes4 ,and there came of all people to hear the wisdom of ,solomon1 from all kings of the earth1 which had heard of his wisdom4 ,is it not a magnificent ascription of abounding wisdom8 ,what field has it not capacity to explore8 ,philosophy in its depths--poetry in its beauties--botany and zoology in their wonders4 ,do we envy him8 ,then listen to what his poor heart was groaning all that time3 ,in much wisdom is much grief1 and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow6 ,now turn to our portion above the sun--the knowledge of ,god and of ,jesus our ,lord3 infinitely higher1 deeper1 lovelier1 and more wondrous than the fields explored by ,solomon1 in constant unfoldings of riches of wisdom2 and each new unfolding bringing its own sweet measure of grace and peace4 ,have not the lines fallen to us in pleasant places8 ,have we not a goodly heritage8 ,take the feeblest of the saints of ,god of today1 and had ,solomon in all his glory a lot like one of these8 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,the wise man1 having found that wisdom brought with it but increased sorrow1 turns to the other side--to all those pleasures that the flesh1 as we speak1 enjoys4 ,still1 he gives us1 as in chap4 i41 the result of his search before he describes it3 ,i said in my heart1 ',go to now2 ,i will prove thee that is1 ,i will see if ,i cannot satisfy thee1 with mirth2 therefore enjoy pleasure3' and behold1 this also is vanity4 ,i said of laughter1 'it is mad2' and of mirth1 'what doeth it8' ,for he now has tried wine1 the occupation of laying out of vinyards1 gardens1 parks1 the forming of lakes1 and the building of houses1 all filled without stint1 with every thing that sense could crave1 or the soul of man could enjoy4 ,the resources at his command are practically limitless1 and so he works on and rejoices in the labor1 apparently with the idea that now the craving within can be satisfied1 now he is on the road to rest4 ,soon he will look round on the result of all his work1 and be able to say1 ,all is very good2 ,i can now rest in the full enjoyment of my labor and be satisfied4 ,but when he does reach the end1 when every pleasure tried1 every beauty of surrounding created1 and he expects to eat the fruit of his work1 instantly his mouth is filled with rottenness and decay4 ,then ,i looked on all the works that my hands had wrought1 and on the labor that ,i had labored to do2 and1 behold1 all was vanity and vexation of spirit2 and there was no profit under the sun4 ,thus he groans again1--a groan that has been echoed and re-echoed all down the ages from every heart that has tried to fill the same void by the same means4 ,ah6 wise and glorious ,preacher1 it is a large place thou art seeking to fill4 ,free and boundless its desires4 ,deeper1 wider1 broader than the whole world1 which is at thy disposal to fill it4 ,and thou mayest well say1 ,what can the man do that cometh after the king8 for thou hadst the whole world and the glory of it at thy command in thy day1 and did it enable thee to fill those free and boundless desires8 ,no1 indeed4 ,after all is cast into that hungry pit1 yawning and empty it is still4 ,look well on this picture1 my soul2 ponder it in the secret place of ,god's presence1 and ask ,him to write it indelibly on thy heart that thou forget it not4 ,then turn and listen to this sweet voice3 ,if any man thirst 7and what man does not87 let him come unto ,me1 and drink4 ,he that believeth on ,me1 as the ,scripture hath said1 out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water4 ,thirst not only quenched1 but water to spare for other thirsting ones1--the void not only filled1 but running over with a constant flow of blessing4 ,who can express the glories of that contrast8 ,pause1 beloved reader3 turn your eyes from the page1 and dwell on it in thy spirit a little4 ,what a difference between no profit under the sun and never thirst6--a difference entirely due simply to coming to ,him--,jesus4 ,not a coming once and then departing from ,him once more to try again the muddy1 stagnant pools of this world3 no1 but to pitch our tents by the palm-trees and the springing wells of ,christ's presence1 and so to drink and drink and drink again of ,him1 the ,rock that follows ,his people4 ,but is this possible8 ,is this not mere imaginative ecstasy1 whilst practically such a state is not possible8 ,no1 indeed2 for see that man1 with all the same hungry longings of ,solomon or any other child of ,adam2 having no wealth1 outcast1 and a wanderer without a home1 but who has found something that has enabled him to say1 ,i have learned1 in whatsoever state ,i am1 to be content4 ,i know both how to be abased1 and ,i know how to abound3 everywhere1 and in all things1 ,i am instructed both to be full and to be hungry1 both to abound and to suffer need4 ,i can do all things through ,christ1 who strengtheneth me4 7,phil4 iv4 #aa-ac47 ,what1 then1 is the necessary logical deduction from two such pictures but this3 ,the ,lord ,jesus infinitely surpasses all the world in filling the hungry heart of man4 ,look1 oh my reader1 whether thou be sinner or saint1 to ,him--to ,him alone4 ,this1 then1 brings us to the twelfth verse of chapter two1 which already1 thus early in the book1 seems to be a summing up of his experiences4 ,i turned myself to behold wisdom1 and madness1 and folly3 that is ,i looked full face1 or carefully considered1 these three things that ,i had now tested2 and whilst each gave me only disappointment and bitterness as to meeting my deepest needs1 yet ,i saw that there was a profit in wisdom over folly1 as light is profitable over darkness4 ,this then is within the power of human reason to determine4 ,the philosophy of the best of the heathen brought them to exactly the same conclusion4 ,socrates and ,solomon1 with many another worthy name1 are here in perfect accord1 and testify together that the wise man's eyes are in his head1 but the fool walketh in darkness4 ,not that men prefer wisdom to folly2 on the contrary2 still even human reason gives this judgment3 for the wise man walks at least as a man1 intelligently2 the spirit1 the intelligence1 having its place4 ,but how much further can reason discern as to the comparative worth of wisdom or folly8 ,the former certainly morally elevates a man now2 but here comes an awful shadow across reason's path3 but ,i myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all4 ,then said ,i in my heart1 as it happeneth to the fool1 so it happeneth even to me3 and why was ,i then more wise8 ,then ,i said in my heart1 that this also is vanity4 ,ah6 in this book in which poor man at his highest is allowed to give voice to his deepest questions1 in which all the chaos1 and darkness1 the without form and void state of his poor1 distracted1 disjointed being is seen2 death is indeed the ,king of ,terrors1 upsetting all his reasonings1 and bringing the wisdom and folly1 between which he had so carefully discriminated1 to one level in a moment4 ,but here1 death is looked upon in relation to the works of which he has been speaking4 ,wisdom cannot guarantee its possessor the enjoyment of the fruits of his labors4 ,death comes to him as swiftly and as surely as to the fool1 and a common oblivion shall1 after a little1 swallow the memory of each1 with their works4 ,this thought the ,preacher dwells upon1 and as he regards it on every side1 again and again he groans1 ,this also is vanity4 7vv4 #ai1 #ba1 #bc47 ,therefore ,i hated life1 yea1 all my labor which ,i took under the sun1 and therefore ,i went about to cause my heart to despair of all my labor which ,i took under the sun4 ,for what is there in the labor itself8 ,nothing that satisfies by itself4 ,it is only the anticipation of final satisfaction and enjoyment that can make up for the loss of quiet and ease now2 prove that to be a vain hope1 and the mere labor and planning night and day are indeed empty vanity4 ,thus much for labor under the sun1 with self for its object1 and death for its limit4 ,now for the contrast again in its refreshing beauty of the new as against the old ,therefore1 my beloved brethren1 be ye steadfast1 unmovable1 always abounding in the work of the ,lord1 forasmuch as ye know your labor is not in vain in the ,lord4 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #eh47 ,all my labor vanity is the groan of the old1 for death with its terrors cuts me off from my labor and ,i leave it to a fool4 ,no labor in vain is the song of victory of the new1 for resurrection with its glories but introduces me to the precious fruit of those labors1 to be enjoyed forever4 ,oh my brethren1 let us cherish this precious word1 not in vain2 let us be indeed persuaded of it1 and embrace it1 not giving up our glorious heritage1 and going back1 as the ,christian world largely is in this day1 to the mere human wisdom that ,solomon the king possessed above all1 and which only led then1 as it must now and ever1 to the groan of vanity6 ,but not in vain is ours4 ,no little one refreshed with even a cup of cold water but that soon the fruit of even that little labor of love shall meet its sweetest recompense in the smile1 the approval1 the praise of our ,lord ,jesus2 and that shall make our hearts full to overflowing with bliss2 as we there echo and re-echo our own word3 it was indeed1 not in vain4 ,the chapter closes with the recognition that1 apart from ,god1 it is not in the power of man to get any enjoyment from his labor4 ,our translation of verse #bd seems quite out of harmony with the ,preacher's previous experiences1 and the verse would better read 7as in ,dr4 ,taylor ,lewis' metrical version73 ,the good is not in man that he should eat and drink ,and find his soul's enjoyment in his toil2 ,this1 too1 ,i saw1 is only from the hands of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,chapter three may be paraphrased1 ,i think1 somewhat in this way3 ,yes1 life itself emphasizes the truth that nothing is at one stay here2--all moves4 ,there is naught abiding1 like the winds and waters that he has noted in chapter one2 man's life is but a wheel that turns3 death follows birth1 and all the experiences between are but ever varying shades of good and evil1 evil and good4 7,let us bear in mind this is not faith's view1 but simply that of human wisdom4 ,faith sings a song amidst the whirl of life3 ,with mercy and with judgment1 ,my web of time ,he wove2 ,and aye the dews of sorrow ,were lustred with ,his love47 ,but then if nothing thus rests as it is1 it becomes a necessary deduction that1 if wisdom has collected1 and labored1 and built1 folly will follow to possess and scatter1 what profit then in toiling8 ,for he sees that this constant travail is of ,god who1 in wisdom inscrutable1 and not to be penetrated by human reasoning1 would have men exercised by these constant changes1 whilst their hearts can be really satisfied with no one of these things1 beautiful as each may be in its time4 ,so boundless are its desires that he says1 ,eternity has been placed in that heart of man1 and naught in all these time-changes can fill it4 ,still he can see nothing better for man1 than that he should make the best of the present1 for he cannot alter or change what ,god does or purposes1 and everything he sees1 speaks of ,his purpose to a constant round1 a recurrence of that which is past 7as verse #ae should probably read47 ,but still man's reason can make one more step now1 one further deduction from the law of circuit1 as soon as ,god1 even though ,he be known only by nature's light1 is introduced2 and that is1 the present wrong and injustice so evident here1 must in some time in ,god's purposes1 be righted2 ,god ,himself being the ,judge4 ,this seems to be a gleam of real light1 similar to the conclusion of the whole book4 ,yes1 further1 this constant change--is there no reason for it8 ,has ,god no purpose in it8 ,surely to teach men the very lesson of their own mortality3 that there is naught abiding--men and beasts are1 as far as unaided human wisdom can see1 on one level exactly as to that awful exit from this scene4 ,it is true there may be--and there are strong grounds for inferring that there is--a wide difference between the spirit of man1 and the spirit of beasts1 although the bodies of each are formed of1 and return to the dust2 but who can tell this absolutely8 ,who has seen and told what is on the other side of that dread portal8 ,none4 ,so then1 again says the wise ,preacher1 my wisdom sees only good in enjoying the present1 for the future is shrouded in an impenetrable cloud1 and none can pierce it4 ,precious beyond expression becomes the glorious bright beam of divine revelation1 as against this dense and awful darkness of man's ignorance on such a question4 ,how deep and terrible the groan here1 ,for all is vanity4 ,yet the pitch-dark background shall serve to throw into glorious relief1 the glory of that light that is not from reason1 or nature2 but from ,him who is the ,father of ,lights4 ,yes1 ,he bids us look on this picture of the wisest of men1 tracing man and beast to one end and standing before that awful door through which each has disappeared1 confessing his absolute inability to determine if there be any difference between them4 ,death surely triumphs here4 ,it is true that there may be a possible distinction between the breath1 or vital principle of each2 but this uncertainty only adds to the mystery1 and increases a thousand fold the agonizing need for light4 ,god be thanked that ,he has given it4 ,the darkest problem that has faced mankind all through the weary ages1 has been triumphantly solved2 and the sweetest songs of faith ever resound about the empty tomb of the ,lord ,jesus--nay rather1 about the glorious person of that risen ,christ ,himself1 for ,he is ,himself the leader of the ,joy4 ,in the midst of the congregation will ,i praise ,thee4 ,so then1 in sharp and blessed contrast to the wise man and his groaning1 let us lift our eyes up and ever up1 past the tombs and graves of earth2 yea1 past thrones and principalities1 and powers in the heavens2 up and still up1 even to the throne of the ,majesty on ,high itself2 and look on ,one sitting even there1 a ,man--oh mark it well1 for ,he has been of woman born--a ,man1--for of that very ,one it was once said1 ,is not this the carpenter8--now crowned with glory and honor2 and listen1 for ,he speaks3 ,i am ,he that liveth1 and was dead1 and behold ,i am alive for evermore4 ,consider ,him6 ,and whilst we look and listen1 how does that word of the ,preacher sound1 ,a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast6 ,and this is our portion1 beloved reader4 ,he might indeed have had all the glory of that place1 without the agony of the garden1 without the suffering and shame of the cross1 had ,he been content to enjoy it alone4 ,but no--,he must have ,his own with ,him2 and now death has been abolished as to its terror and power1 so that the groan of old is replaced by the triumphant challenge3 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ee47 ,the resurrection of ,jesus not only makes possible--not only makes probable--but absolutely assures the glorious triumphant resurrection of ,his own who have fallen asleep3 ,christ the firstfruits1 afterward they are ,christ's at ,his coming4 ,but further1 is this falling asleep of the saint to separate him1 for a time1 from the conscious enjoyment of his ,saviour's love8 ,is the trysting of the saved one with his ,saviour to be interrupted for awhile by death8 ,is his song ,not all things else are half so dear ,as is ,his blissful presence here to be silenced by death8 ,then were he a strangely conquered foe1 and not stingless1 if for one hour he could separate us from the enjoyed love of ,christ4 ,but no1 blessed be the ,victor's name1 not for a moment4 ,death is ours and absent from the body is only present with the ,lord4 ,so that we may answer the ,preacher's word1 ,a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast1 with the challenge1 ,to which of the beasts said ,he at any time1 ,this day shalt thou be with ,me in paradise8 ,let the ,preacher groan1 all is vanity2 the groan is in perfect--if sorrowful--harmony with the darkness and ignorance of human reason2 but singing alone accords with light2 ,joy cometh in the morning1 and if we but receive it1 we have in ,jesus ,risen light enough for perpetual1 unending1 song4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,but we must follow our ,preacher1 who can only turn away with bitterness from this closed door of ,death1 once more to take note of what is under the sun4 ,and sad and sorrowful it is to him to mark that the world is filled with oppression4 ,he has already1 in the previous chapter1 noted that wickedness was there in the place of judgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness1 and the natural consequence of this is oppression4 ,wherever men have power they use it to bring forth tears2 therefore far better1 cries ,solomon1 to be out of such a scene altogether2 yea1 better still1 never to have come into it at all4 ,have we no sympathy with the ,preacher here8 ,does he not give expression to one sad touch of nature that makes the whole world kin8 ,do we not recognize that he1 too1 was traveling through exactly the same scene as we find ourselves to be in8 ,that tears were raining on this crust of earth in that far-off time1 exactly as they are to-day8 ,yes1 indeed1 it was a tear-soaked earth he trod1 as well as we4 ,but then that other man was also in the same scene exactly1 who said1 too1 that it was certainly far better to be out of it2 but--precious contrast6 that was because of the loveliness and sweet attraction of ,one known outside of it2 whilst the very needs of others in the scene--those tears1 in a way1 of which the wise man speaks1 and which he knew no way of stopping--alone kept him in it1 and made him consent to stay4 ,for ,paul had heard a sweeter story than ,solomon had ever in his wisdom conceived2 had found a truer gain than all ,solomon's wealth could give him2 and his most blessed business it was to proclaim a glad tidings that should dry the tears of the oppressed1 give them a peace that no oppressor could take away1 a liberty outside all the chains of earth--a spring of joy that tyranny was powerless to affect4 ,now let us1 by the grace and loving kindness of our ,god1 consider this a little closer1 my readers4 ,we have concluded that we find this book included in the inspired volume for this very purpose1 to exalt all the new by its blessed contrast with the old4 ,we may too1 if we will1 look around on all the sorrows and tears of this sad earth1 and groan better would it be to be dead and out of it2 yea1 better never to have been born at all4 ,and a wise groan1 according to human wisdom1 this would be4 ,but when such wisdom has attained to its full1 it finds itself far short of the very foolishness of ,god2 for1 on the other hand we may1 if we will1 praise ,god with joyful heart that we are at least in the only place in the whole universe1 where tears can be dried1 and gladness be made to take their place4 ,for is there oppression1 and consequent weeping1 in heaven8 ,surely not4 ,tears there are1 in plenty1 in hell2 for did not ,he who is ,love say1 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth8 ,but1 alas6 those tears can be dried--never4 ,but here ,love can have its own way1 and mourning ones may learn a secret that shall surely gild their tears with a rainbow glory of light1 and the oppressed and distressed1 the persecuted and afflicted1 may triumphantly sing1 ,who shall separate us from the love of ,christ8 ,shall tribulation1 or distress1 or persecution1 or famine1 or nakedness1 or peril1 or sword8 ,nay1 in all these things we are more than conquerors1 through ,him that loved us4 ,ah1 is there not1 too1 a peculiar beauty in those words more than conquerors8 ,what can be more than a conqueror8 ,a ship driven out of its course by the tempest1 with anchor dragging or cable parted1 is no conqueror at all1 but the reverse4 ,that ship riding out the gale1 holding fast to its anchorage1 is truly a conqueror2 but that is all4 ,but the vessel being driven by the very tempest to the haven where it would be1 is better off still1 and thus more than conqueror4 ,so it is with the saint now2 the tempest drives him the closer to ,him who is indeed his desired haven1 and thus he is more than conqueror4 ,is not1 then1 this earth a unique place8--this life a wonderful time8 ,a few years 7possibly a few hours7 more1 and we shall be out of the scene of sorrow and evil forever2 nor can we then prove the power of the love of ,christ to lift above the sorrow either ourselves or others4 ,o my soul1 art thou redeeming the time--ransoming from loss 7as it might literally be worded7 the precious opportunities that are around thee on every side1 because the days are evil8 ,the very fact that the days are evil--that thou art in the place of tears--gives thee the opportunities4 ,when the days cease to be evil1 those special opportunities1 whatever may be the service of the redeemed1 will be gone forever4 ,but the ,preacher still continues his search under the sun1 and turns from oppression and tears to regard what is1 on the surface at least1 a comparatively happy lot--right work1 by which a man has attained to prosperity and pre-eminence4 ,but as he looks closer at a case which1 at first sight1 seems to promise real satisfaction1 he sees that there is a bitter sting connected with it1--a sting that at once robs it of all its attraction1 and makes void all its promise of true rest1--for for this a man is envied of his neighbor4 ,his success is only cause of bitter jealousy1 and makes him the object not of love1 but of envy1 to all about him4 ,success1 then1 and a position of pre-eminence above one's competitors1 gained by skillful toil1 is rather to be avoided as vanity and pursuit of the wind1--a grasping at an empty nothingness4 ,is the opposite extreme of perfect idleness any better8 ,no2 for plainly the idler is a fool who eateth his own flesh2 that is1 necessarily brings ruin upon himself4 ,so human wisdom here closes the meditation with--what human wisdom always does take refuge in--the golden mean1 as it is called1 better a single handful with quiet rest1 than both hands filled only by wearying toil and vexation of spirit4 ,and true enough this is1 as every man who has tested things at all in this world will confirm4 ,accumulation brings with it only disappointment and added care1--everything is permeated with a common poison2 and here the wisdom of the old is1 in one sense1 in full harmony with the higher wisdom of the new1 which says godliness1 with contentment1 is great gain1 and having food and raiment1 let us be therewith content4 ,if we look above the sun1 however1 there is a scene where no sting lurks in all that attracts1 as here4 ,where ,god ,himself approves the desires of ,his people for more of their own1 and says to them with gracious encouragement1 covet earnestly the best gifts4 ,yes2 but mark the root-difference between the two3 the skillful1 or right labor1 that appears at first so desirable to the ,preacher1 is only for the worker's own advantage1--it exalts him above his fellows1 where he becomes a mark for their bitter envy2 but these gifts that are to be coveted are as far removed from this as the poles4 ,in that higher scene1 the more a gift exalts self1 the less is that gift4 ,the best--those which ,god calls best--are those that awake no envy in others2 but bring their happy owner lower and ever lower to the feet of his brethren to serve them1 to build them up4 ,the ,corinthians themselves had the lesser gifts in the more showy tongues1 and knowledge2 but one family amongst them had the greater1--the household of ,stephanas1 for it had addicted itself to the service of the saints4 ,but let us not leave this theme till we have sought to set our hearts a-singing by a sight of ,him who is1 and ever shall be1 the source as well as the theme of all our songs4 ,we but recently traced ,him in ,his glorious upward path till we found ,him resting on the throne of the ,majesty on high4 ,but he that ascended1 what is it but that he also descended8 ,so1 beloved readers1 though it may be a happily familiar theme to many1 it will be none the less refreshing to look at that right work of our blessed ,lord ,jesus1 who1 being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god4 ,that is the glorious platform--as we might1 in our human way of speaking1 say--upon which ,he had abode all through the ages of the past4 ,he looks above--there is none1 there is nothing higher4 ,he looks on the same plane as ,himself--,he is equal with ,god4 ,there is ,his blessed1 glorious place1 at the highest pinnacle of infinite glory1 nothing to be desired1 nothing to be grasped at4 ,he moves2 and every heart that belongs to that new creation awakens into praise 7oh1 how different to the envy of the old67 as ,he takes ,his first step and makes ,himself of no reputation4 ,and as in our previous paper we followed ,him in ,his glorious upward path1 so here we may trace ,his no less glorious and most blessed path down and ever lower down1 past ,godhead to no reputation2 past authority to service2 past angels1 who are servants1 to men2 past all the thrones and dignities of men to the manger at ,bethlehem and the lowest walk of poverty1 till ,he who1 but now1 was indeed rich is become poor2 nay1 says of ,himself that ,he has not where to lay ,his head4 ,no golden mean of the handful with quietness here6 ,yes1 and far lower still1 past that portion of the righteous man1 endless life1--down1 down to the humiliation of death2 and then one more step to a death--not of honor1 and respect1 and the peace1 that we are told marks the perfect man and the upright1 but the death of lowest shame1 the criminal slave's death1 the cross6 ,seven distinct steps of perfect humiliation6 ,oh1 consider ,him there1 beloved6 ,mocked of all ,his foes1 forsaken of all ,his friends6 ,the very refuse of the earth1 the thieves that earth says are too vile for her1 heaping their indignities upon ,him4 ,behold the man1 spat upon1 stricken1 and numbered with transgressors2 and1 as we gaze1 let us together listen to that divine voice1 ,let this mind be in you which was also in ,christ ,jesus1 for that is our right work1 and there is no fear of a man being envied of his neighbor for right work of that kind4 ,but time and space would fail us to take up in detail all these precious contrasts4 ,all ,solomon's searches under the sun tell but one story3 ,there is nought in all the world that can satisfy the heart of man4 ,the next verse furnishes another striking illustration of this4 ,he sees a solitary one1 absolutely alone1 without kith or kin dependent on him1 and yet he toils on1 bereaving his soul of good as unceasingly as when he first started in life4 ,every energy is still strained in the race for those riches that satisfy not at all4 ,vanity is the ,preacher's commentary on the scene4 ,this naturally leads to the conclusion that solitude1 at least1 is no blessing2 for man was made for companionship and mutual dependence1 and in this is safety4 7,verses #i to #ab47 ,verses #ac to the end are difficult1 as they stand in our authorized version2 but they speak1 ,i think1 of the striking and extraordinary vicissitudes that are so constant under the sun4 ,there is no lot abiding4 ,the king on his throne1 old and foolish1 changes places with the youth who may even step from the humiliation of prison and chains to the highest dignity3 then better is the poor and wise youth than the old and foolish king4 ,but wider still the ,preacher looks1 and marks the stately march of the present generation with the next that shall follow it2 yea1 there is no end of the succession of surging generations1 each boastful of itself1 and taking no joy in--that is1 making little account of--that which has gone before4 ,each1 in its turn1 like a broken wave1 making way for its successor4 ,boastful pride1 broken in death1 but still followed by another equally boastful1 or more so1 which1 in its turn1 is humbled also in the silence of the grave4 ,it is the same story of human changes as the youth and the king1 only a wider range is taken2 but vanity is the appropriate groan that accompanies the whole meditation4 ,in this ,i follow ,dr4 ,lewis's version3-- ,better the child1 though he be poor1 if wise1 ,than an old and foolish king1 who heeds no longer warning2 ,for out of bondage came the one to reign-- ,the other1 in a kingdom born1 yet suffers poverty4 ,i saw the living all1 that walked in pride beneath the sun1 ,i saw the second birth that in their place shall stand4 ,no end to all the people that have gone before2 ,and they who still succeed1 in them shall find no joy4 ,this1 too1 is vanity1--a chasing of the wind4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,with the opening of this chapter we come to quite a different theme4 ,like a fever-tossed patient1 ,ecclesiastes has turned from side to side for relief and rest2 but each new change of posture has only brought him face to face with some other evil under the sun that has again and again pressed from him the bitter groan of ,vanity4 ,but now1 for a moment1 he takes his eyes from the disappointments1 the evil workings1 and the sorrows1 that everywhere prevail in that scene1 and lifts them up to see how near his wisdom1 or human reason1 can bring him to ,god4 ,ah1 poor bruised and wounded spirit6 ,everywhere it has met with rebuff2 but now1 like a caged bird which has long beaten its wings against its bars1 at length turns to the open door1 so now ,ecclesiastes seems at least to have his face in the right direction1--,god and approach to ,him is his theme1--how far will his natural reason permit his walking in it8 ,will it carry him on to the highest rest and freedom at last8 ,this1 it strikes me1 is just the point of view of these first seven verses4 ,their meaning is1 as a whole1 quite clear and simple4 ,keep thy foot1--that is1 permit no hasty step telling of slight realization of the majesty of ,him who is approached4 ,nor let spirit be less reverently checked than body4 ,be more ready to hear1 than to give the sacrifice of fools4 ,few be thy words1 and none uttered thoughtlessly1 for ,god is in heaven and thou upon earth1 and many words1 under such an infinite discrepancy in position1 bespeak a fool as surely as a dream bespeaks overcrowded waking hours4 ,oh fear1 then1 to utter one syllable thoughtlessly or without meaning1 for ,one listens to whom a vow once uttered must be paid1 for not lightly canst thou retract the spoken vow with the excuse ,it was unintentional1--it was not seriously meant4 ,his ,messenger or ,angel is not so deceived2 and quickly wilt thou find1 in thy wrecked work and purposes astray1 that it is ,god thou hast angered by thy light speech4 ,then avoid the many words which1 as idle dreams1 are but vanity2 but rather fear thou ,god4 ,after weighing the many conflicting views as to verses #f and #g1 the context has led me to the above as the sense of the words4 ,nor can there be the slightest question as to the general bearing of the speaker's argument4 ,its central thought1 both in position and importance1 is found in ,god is in heaven and thou upon earth1 therefore let thy words be few1--its weighty conclusion1 ,fear thou ,god4 ,now1 my beloved readers1 there is a picture here well worth looking at attentively4 ,regard him3 noble in every sense of the word1--with clearest intellect1 with the loftiest elevation of thought1 with an absolutely true conception of the existence of ,god4 ,who amongst men1 let thought sweep as wide as it will amongst the children of ,adam1 can go or has gone1 beyond him8 ,what can man's mind conceive1 he may ask1 as well as man's hand do1 that cometh after the ,king8 ,yea1 let our minds go over all the combined wisdom of all the ages amongst the wise of the world1 and where will you find a loftier1 purer1 truer conception of ,god1 and the becoming attitude of the creature in approaching ,him than here8 ,for he is not a heathen1 as we speak1 this ,solomon4 ,he has all that man1 as man1 could possibly have2 and that surely includes the knowledge of the existence of ,god1--,his power eternal1 and ,his ,godhead1 as ,romans i4 clearly shows4 ,the heathen themselves have lapsed from that knowledge4 ,when they knew ,god is the intensely significant word of ,scripture4 ,this is1 indeed1 diametrically contrary to the teaching of modern science--that the barbarous and debased tribes of earth are only in a less developed condition--are on the way upward from the lowest forms of life1 from the protoplasm whence all sprang1 and have already passed in their upward course the ape1 whose likeness they still1 however1 more closely bear6 ,oh1 the folly of earth's wisdom6 ,the pitiful meanness and littleness of the greatest of modern scientific minds that have come after the ,king contrasted even with the grand simple sublimity of the knowledge of ,ecclesiastes4 ,for this ,preacher would not be a proper representative man were he in debased heathen ignorance4 ,he could not show us faithfully and truly how far even unaided human reason could go in its recognition of1 and approach to1 ,god1 if he had lost the knowledge of ,god4 ,low1 indeed1 is the level of man's highest1 when in this state1 as the ,greeks show us2 for whilst they1 as distinct from the ,jews1 made wisdom the very object of their search1 downward ever do they sink in their struggles1 like a drowning man1 till they reach a foul1 impure1 diabolical mythology4 ,their gods are as the stars for multitude4 ,nor are they able to conceive of these except as influenced by the same passions as themselves4 ,is there any reverence in approach to such8 ,not at all4 ,low1 sensual1 earthly depravity marked ever that approach4 ,that is the level of the lapsed fallen wisdom of earth's wise4 ,how does it compare with ,solomon's8 ,we may almost say as earth to heaven1--hardly that1--rather as hell to earth4 ,solomon1 then1 clearly shows us the highest possible conception of the creature's approach to his ,creator4 ,this is as far as man could have attained1 let him be at the summit of real wisdom4 ,his reason would have given him nothing beyond this4 ,it tells him that man is a creature1 and it is but the most simple and necessary consequence of this that his approach to his ,creator should be with all the reverence and humility that is alone consistent with such a relationship4 ,but high indeed as1 in one point of view1 this is1 yet how low in another1 for is one heart-throb stilled8 ,one tormenting doubt removed8 ,one fear quieted8 ,one deep question answered8 ,one sin-shackle loosened8 ,not one4 ,the distance between them is still the distance between earth and heaven4 ,god is in heaven1 and thou upon earth4 ,nor can the highest1 purest1 best of human reason1 as in this wise and glorious king1 bridge over that distance one span6 ,fear thou ,god is the sweetest comfort he can give1--the clearest counsel he can offer4 ,consider him again1 ,i say1 my brethren1 in all his nobility1 in all his elevation1 in all his bitter disappointment and incompetency4 ,and now1 my heart1 prepare for joy1 as thou turnest to thy own blessed portion4 ,for how rich1 how precious1 how closely to be cherished is that which has gone so far beyond all possible human conception1--that wondrous revelation by which this long1 long distance 'twixt earth and heaven has been spanned completely4 ,and in whom8 ,,jesus1 ,the ,greater than ,solomon4 ,we have well considered the less1--let us turn to the ,greater4 ,and where is that second ,man to be found8 ,afar off on earth1 with ,god in heaven8 ,no1 indeed4 ,for when ,he had by ,himself purged our sins ,he sat down on the right hand of the ,majesty on high2 and seeing1 then1 that we have a great high priest1 that is passed through the heavens1 ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 let us hold fast our confession4 ,oh1 let us consider ,him together1 my brethren4 ,in holiest ,light our ,representative sits4 ,he who but now was weighted with our guilt1 and made sin for us1 is in that ,light ineffable1 unapproachable4 ,where1 then1 are the sins8 ,where1 then1 the sin8 ,gone for all eternity6 ,nor does ,his position vary at all with all the varying states1 failings1 coldness1 worldliness1 of ,his people here4 ,with holy calm1 ,his work that has perfected them forever perfectly finished1 ,he sits1 and their position is thus maintained unchanging4 ,clearly1 and without the shadow of the faintest mist to dim1 the infinite searching ,light of ,god falls on ,him1 but sees nought there that is not in completest harmony with ,itself4 ,oh1 wondrous conception6 ,oh1 grandeur of thought beyond all the possibility of man's highest mind6 ,no longer can it be said at least to one ,man1 woman-born though ,he be1 ,god is in heaven1 and thou upon earth2 for ,he1 of the ,seed of ,abraham1 of the house of ,david1 is ,himself in highest heaven4 ,but one step further with me1 my brethren4 ,we are in ,him1 there2 and that is our place1 too4 ,the earthward trend of thought--the letting slip our own precious truth--has introduced a tongue into ,christendom that ought to be foreign to the ,saint of heaven4 ,no place of worship should the ,christian know--nay1 can he really know--short of heaven itself4 ,for1 listen3 ,having1 therefore1 brethren1 boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of ,jesus1 by the new and living way which ,he hath consecrated for us through the vail1--that is to say1 ,his flesh1--and having a ,high ,priest over the house of ,god1 let us draw near1 etc4 ,we too1 then1 beloved1 are not upon earth as to our worship1 7let it be mixed with faith in us that hear74 ,israel's place of worship was where her high priest stood1 and our place of worship is where our great ,high ,priest sits4 ,jesus our ,lord sowed the seed of this precious truth when he answered the poor sinful woman of ,samaria1 ,the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain1 nor yet at ,jerusalem1 worship the ,father4 ,but the hour cometh1 and now is1 when the true worshippers shall worship the ,father in spirit and in truth1 for the ,father seeketh such to worship ,him4 ,but1 then1 are not words to be few8 ,good and wise it was for ,solomon so to speak2 few words become the far-off place of the creature on earth before the glorious ,majesty of the ,creator in heaven4 ,but if infinite wisdom and love have rent the vail and made a new and living way into the ,holiest1 does ,he now say few words8 ,better1 far better1 than that2 for with the changed position all is changed1 and not too often can ,his gracious ear hear the voice of ,his beloved2 and1 lest shrinking unbelief should still hesitate and doubt1 ,he says plainly ,in everything1 by prayer and supplication1 with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto ,god4 ,for ,he has shown ,himself fully1 now that vail is down1--all that ,he is1 is revealed to faith2 and a ,heart we find--with reverence and adoring love be it spoken--filled with tenderest solicitude for ,his people4 ,letting them have cares only that they may have ,his sympathy in a way that would not otherwise be possible2 and thus again ,he invites casting all your care upon ,him1 for ,he careth for you4 ,nor is there a hint in the holiest1 of weariness on ,god's part in listening to ,his people1 nor once does ,he say enough2 now cease thy prayers and supplications4 ,how could ,he so speak who says ,pray without ceasing8 ,then if1 as assuredly we have seen1 ,solomon shows us the highest limit of human thought1 reason1 or conception1 if we go even one step beyond1 we have exceeded human thought1 reason1 or conception2 7and in these ,new ,testament truths how far beyond have we gone87 ,and what does that mean but that we are on holy ground indeed1 listening to a voice that is distinctly the voice of ,god1--the ,god who speaks to us1 as ,he says1 in order that our joy may be full4 ,but the ,preacher continues to give1 in verses #h and #i1 such counsel as he can to meet the discordant state of things everywhere apparent4 ,when thou seest violent oppression exercised by those in authority1 he says1 marvel not2 think it not strange1 as though some strange thing were happening2 thou art only looking on a weed-plant that everywhere flourishes 'under the sun1' and still thou mayest remember that these oppressors themselves1 high though they be1 have superiors above them3 yea in the ever-ascending scale of ranks and orders thou mayest have to go to the ,highest--,god ,himself2 but the same truth hold good1 and ,he shall yet call powers and governors to answer for the exercise of their authorities4 ,this for thy comfort1 if thou lookest up2 but1 on the other hand1 look down1 and thou shalt see that which goes far to humble the highest2 for even the king himself is as dependent as any on the field whence man's food comes4 ,true1 indeed1 all this2 but cold is the comfort1 small cause for singing it gives4 ,our own dear apostle seems to have dropped for a moment from his higher vantage-ground to the level of ,solomon's wisdom when smarting under oppression and the violent perverting of judgment1 he cried to the high priest1 ,god the higher than the highest shall smite thee1 thou whited wall4 ,but we hear no joyful singing from him in connection with that indignant protest4 ,on the contrary1 the beloved and faithful servant regrets it the next moment1 with ,i wist not1 brethren4 ,not so in the silent suffering of violent oppression at ,philippi4 ,there he and his companion have surely comfort beyond any that ,solomon can offer1 and the overflowing joy of their hearts comes from no spring that rises in this sad desert scene4 ,never before had prisoners in that dismal jail heard aught but groans of suffering coming from that inner prison1 from the bruised and wounded prisoners whose feet were made fast in the stocks2 but the ,spirit of ,god notes1 with sweet and simple pathos1 the prisoners heard them2 and oh1 how mighty the testimony to that which is above the sun was that singing6 ,it came from the ,christian's proper portion1--your portion and mine1 dear fellow-redeemed one1--for ,jesus1 our ,lord ,jesus1 our ,saviour ,jesus1 is the alone fountain of a joy that can fill a human heart until it gives forth songs in the night1 even in one of earth's foul abodes of suffering and oppression4 ,he is the portion of the youngest1 feeblest believer4 ,rich treasure6 ,let us beware lest any spoil us of that treasure1 for we can only sing as we enjoy it4 ,but once more let us listen to what the highest1 purest attainment of the wisdom of man can give4 ,and now he speaks of wealth and the abundance of earthly prosperity which he1 of all men1 had so fully tested4 ,he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver1 nor he that loveth abundance1 with increase2 and again there is the sorrowful groan1 ,this is also vanity4 ,if goods increase1 he continues1 the household necessary to care for them increases proportionately1 and the owner gets no further satisfaction from them than their sight affords4 ,nay1 he who toils has a distinct advantage over the wealthy1 who is denied the quiet repose the former enjoys4 ,carefully the ,preacher has watched the miser heaping up ever1 and robbing himself of all natural enjoyment1 until some disaster--evil travail--sweeps away in a moment his accumulations1 and his son is left a pauper4 ,and such1 at least1 is every man he marks1 be he never so wealthy1 when the end comes4 ,inexorable ,death is1 sooner or later1 the evil travail that strips him as naked as he came2 and then1 though he has spent his life in selfish self-denial1 filling his dark days with vexation1 sickness1 and irritation1 he is snatched from all1 and1 poor indeed1 departs4 ,such the sad story of ,solomon's experience2 but not more sad than true1 nor confined by any means to ,scripture4 ,world-wide it is4 ,nor is divine revelation necessary to tell poor man that silver1 nor gold1 nor abundance of any kind1 can satisfy the heart4 ,hear the very heathen cry semper avarus eget--the miser ever needs2 or ,avarum irritat non satiat pecunia--the wealth of the miser satisfies not1 but irritates4 ,but more weighty and far-reaching is the word of revelation going far beyond the negation of the king4 ,they that desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts1 such as drown men in destruction and perdition1 for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil1 which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith1 and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows4 ,but let us pass to the last three verses of the chapter4 ,the ,preacher here says1 in effect1 ,now attend carefully to what ,i tell thee of the result of all my experience in this way4 ,i have discerned a good that ,i can really call comely or fair4 ,it is for a man to have the means at his command for enjoyment1 and the power to enjoy those means4 ,this combination is distinctly the 'gift of ,god4' ,from such an one all the evils that make up life pass off without eating deep into his being4 ,a cheerful spirit takes him off from the present evil as soon as it is past4 ,he does not think on it much2 for the joy of heart within1 to which ,god responds1 enables him to meet and over-ride those waves of life and forget them4 ,this is in perfect conformity with the whole scope of our book3 and it is surely a mistake that the evangelical doctors and commentators make when they seek to extract truth from ,solomon's writings that is never to be attained apart from ,god's revelation4 ,on the other hand1 a large school of ,german rationalists see here nothing beyond the teaching of the ,epicure3 ,let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die4 ,rather does it show the high-water mark of human reason1 wisdom1 and experience1--having much in common with the philosophy of the world1 but going far beyond it2 and then1 at its highest1 uttering some wail of dissatisfaction and disappointment1 whilst the majestic height of divine revelation towers above it into the very heavens1 taking him who receives it far above the clouds and mists of earth's speculations and questionings into the clear sunlight of eternal divine truth4 ,so here ,solomon--and let us not forget none have ever gone1 or can ever go1 beyond him--gives us the result of his searchings along the special line of the power of riches to give enjoyment4 ,his whole experience again and again has contradicted this4 ,look at the #abth verse of this very chapter4 ,the sleep of the laboring man is sweet1 but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep4 ,no1 no4 ,in some way to get joy1 he confesses he must have ,god4 ,he combines in these verses these two ideas--,joy and ,god4 ,look at them4 ,see how they recur3 four times the name of ,god1 thrice a word for joy4 ,now this raises ,solomon far far above the malarial swamps of mere epicureanism1 which excluded ,god entirely4 ,it shows how perfect the harmony throughout the whole book4 ,it is again1 let us recall it1 the high-water mark of human reason1 intelligence1 and experience4 ,he reasons thus3 7#a7 ,i have proved the vanity and unsatisfactory character of all created things in themselves1 and yet can see no good beyond getting enjoyment from them4 7#b7 ,the power1 therefore1 for enjoyment cannot be from the things themselves4 ,it must be from ,god4 ,he must give it4 7#c7 ,this assumes that there must be some kind of accord between ,god and the heart1 for ,god is the spring1 and not the circumstances without4 ,so far the power of human reason4 ,high it is1 indeed2 but how unsatisfactory1 at its highest4 ,consider all that it leaves unsaid4 ,suppose this were where you and ,i were1 my reader1 what should we learn of the way of attaining to this good that is fair8 ,shall we ask ,ecclesiastes one single question that surely needs clear answer in order to attain it8 ,i am a sinner3 conscience1 with more or less power1 constantly accuses4 ,how can this awful matter of my guilt in the sight of that ,god1 the confessed and only source of thy good1 be settled8 ,surely this is absolutely necessary to know ere ,i can enjoy thy good that is fair4 ,nay1 more3 were a voice to speak from heaven1 telling me that all the past were blotted out up to this moment1 ,i am well assured that ,i could not maintain this condition for the next moment4 ,sin would well up from the nature within1 and leave me as hopeless as ever4 ,i carry it--that awful defiling thing--with me1 in me4 ,how is this to be answered1 ,ecclesiastes8--or what help to its answer dost thou give8444 ,and there is silence alone for a reply4 ,once and only once was such a state possible4 ,adam1 as he walked in his undefiled ,eden1 eating its fruit1 rejoicing in the result of his labor1 with no accusing conscience1 ,god visiting him in the cool of the day and responding to all his joy1--there is the picture of ,ecclesiastes' good that is fair4 ,where else in the old creation1 and how long did that last8 ,no2 whilst it is refreshing and inspiring to mark the beautiful intelligence and exalted reasoning of ,ecclesiastes1 recognizing the true place of man in creation1 dependent1 and consciously dependent1 on ,god for life and breath and all things1 as ,paul spoke long afterwards1 appealing to that in the heathen ,athenians which even they were capable of responding to affirmatively2 yet how he leaves us looking at a good that is fair1 but without a word as to how it is to be attained1 in view of1 and in spite of1 sin4 ,that one short word raises an impassable barrier between us and that fair good1 and the more fair the good1 the more cruel the pain at being so utterly separated from it2 but then1 too1 the more sweet and precious the love that removes the barrier entirely1 and introduces us to a good that is as far fairer than ,solomon's as ,solomon's is above the beasts4 ,for we1 too1 my dear readers1 have our good that is fair4 ,nor need we fear comparison with that of this wisest of men4 ,survey with me a fairer scene than any lighted by this old creation sun can show1 and harken to ,god's own voice1 in striking contrast to poor ,solomon's portraying its lovely and entrancing beauties for our enjoyment4 ,blessed be the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in ,christ1 according as ,he hath chosen us in ,him before the foundation of the world1 that we should be holy and without blame before ,him in love1 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by ,jesus ,christ to ,himself1 according to the good pleasure of ,his will to the praise of the glory of ,his grace wherein ,he hath made us accepted in the ,beloved3 in whom we have redemption through ,his blood1 the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of ,his grace4 ,dwell a little on this our own fair good2 mark its sevenfold perfection2 go up and down the land with me4 ,let us press these grapes of ,eshcol1 and taste their excellence together4 ,first3 ,chosen in ,him before the foundation of the world4--,a threefold cord1 that is1 indeed1 not soon broken4 ,chosen1 ,god's own love and wisdom is the fount and spring whence all flows4 ,and that in blessed connection with the dearest object of ,his love--in ,him4 ,before the foundation of the world4 ,in the stability and changelessness of ,eternity1--before that scene that is1 and ever was1 characterized by change1 began1--with its mirth and sorrow1 sunshine and shadow1 life and death4 ,blessed solid rock-foundation for all in ,god and ,eternity4 ,second3 ,to be ,holy4--,separated from all the defilement that should afterwards come in4 ,thus ,his electing love is always marked first by separation from all evil4 ,it can never allow its object to be connected with the slightest defilement4 ,the evil was allowed only that ,he might reveal ,himself as ,love and ,light in dealing with it4 ,third3 without blame4--,so thoroughly is all connected with past defilement met that not a memory of it remains to mar the present joy4 ,the defilement of the old creation with which we were connected has left never a spot nor a stain on the person that could offend infinite holiness4 ,clean1 every whit4 ,bless the ,lord1 oh my soul6 ,fourth3 ,in love4--,thus separated and cleansed from all defilement not mere complacency regards us4 ,not merely for his own pleasure1 as men make a beautiful garden1 and remove everything that would offend their taste1 but active love in all its divine warmth encircles us4 ,my reader1 do you enjoy this fair good8 ,if you be but the feeblest believer it is your own4 ,fifth3 ,adoption of ,children4--,closest kind of love1 and that so implanted in the heart as to put that responsive home-cry of ,abba1 ,father1 there1 and on our lips4 ,yet nothing short of this was the good pleasure of ,his will4 ,sixth4--,taken into favor in the ,beloved3 the wondrous measure of acceptance in the ,beloved ,one4 ,look at ,him again4 ,all the glory ,he had in eternity ,he has now1 and more added to it4 ,infinite complacency regards him4 ,that1 too1 is the measure of our acceptance4 ,seventh4--,but no shirking that awful word1--no overlooking the awful fact of sin's existence4 ,no2 the foundation of our enjoyment of our own fair good is well laid in whom we have redemption through ,his blood1 even the forgiveness of sins4 ,sin1 looked at in infinite holy ,light1--thoroughly looked at1--and ,blood1 precious ,blood1 poured out in atonement for it1 and thus put away forever in perfect righteousness4 ,now may the ,lord grant us to realize more fully1 as we progress in our book1 the awful hopelessness that weighs on man's sad being1 apart from the blessed and infinitely gracious revelation of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,remembering how far the writer of our book excels all who have ever come after him1 in ability1 wisdom1 or riches1 his groans of disappointment shall have their true weight with us1 and act as lighthouse beacons1 warning us from danger1 or from spending the one short fleeting life we have in treading the same profitless pathway of groaning4 ,so chapter six opens1 still on the same subject of wealth and its power to bless4 ,a sore evil1 and one that weighs heavily on man1 has ,solomon seen3 riches1 wealth1 and honor1 clustering thick on the head of one person1 and yet ,god has withheld from him the power of enjoying it all4 ,as our own poet1 ,browning1 writes that apt illustration of ,king ,saul3 ,a people is thine1 ,and all gifts1 which the world offers singly1 on one head combine6 ,high ambition1 and deeds which surpass it1 fame crowning them all1 ,brought to blaze on the head of one creature--,king ,saul4 ,so sorrowful is this in our preacher's eyes1 and so thoroughly does it bespeak a state of affairs under the sun in confusion1 that ,solomon ventures the strongest possible assertion4 ,better1 he says1 an untimely birth1 that never saw light1 than a thousand years twice told1 thus spent in vanity1 without real good having been found4 ,how bitter life must show itself to lead to such an estimate6 ,better never to have been born than pass through life without finding something that can satisfy4 ,but this is not looking at life simply in itself1 for life in itself is good1 as the same poet sings3 ,oh1 our manhood's prime vigor6 ,no spirit feels waste1 ,not a muscle is stopped in its playing nor sinew unbraced4 ,oh1 the wild joys of living6 the leaping from rock up to rock1 ,the strong rending of boughs from the fir-tree1 the cool silver shock ,of the plunge in a pool's living water6 ,how good is man's life--the mere living6 how fit to employ ,all the heart and the soul and the senses forever in joy6 ,it is because man has1 of all the creation of ,god1 an awful shadow hanging over him--death and darkness and the tomb1 with the solemn1 silent1 unknown beyond lying before him1 robbing him of rest4 ,angels have present pure delight1 with no such shadow possible--they die not4 ,the beast may enjoy his pasture1 for no thought of a coming death disturbs him4 ,life may be full of a kind of enjoyment to such2 but man1 poor man1 when awake to the possibilities of his own being1 as it surely becomes man to be 7and that is just the point of this book--we are not looking upon man as a mere animal1 but as a reasoning creature1 and as such he71 is robbed of present rest and enjoyment by an inevitable fate to which he is hastening1 and from which there is no possible escape4 ,do not all go to one place8--that vague ,sheol1 speaking of the grave1 and yet the grave1 not as the end1 but an indefinite shadowy existence beyond8 ,all1 all go there2 and with no light on that1 better1 indeed1 the untimely birth which came in vanity and departs in darkness2 for this1 at least1 has the more rest4 ,bitter groan this1 indeed6 ,for the ,preacher continues3 ,does man's labor satisfy him8 ,can he get what is really 'good' from it8 ,no4 ,for never is his appetite filled so that it desires nothing more4 ,the constant return of its thirst demands constant toil2 and fool and wise must alike obey its call4 ,this is not confined to bodily food1 but covers that bitter hunger and thirst of the heart1 as the use of the word soul 7margin7 shows4 ,the longings of the wise may be for a higher food4 ,he may aim above the mere sensual1 and seek to fill his soul with the refined1 but he fails1 as indeed do all1 even the poor man who knows to walk before the living2 that is1 even the poor man who1 with all the disadvantages of poverty1 has wisdom enough to know how to live so as to command the respect of his fellows4 ,wise indeed must such be2 but he1 no more than the fool1 has found the good that forever satisfies hunger and thirst1 and calms to rest the wandering of the soul1 which1 like the restless swallow1 is ever on the wing4 ,man is made up of desire1 and one glimpse with the eyes1 something seen1 is at least something secured1 and it is better than all mere longing1 which is vanity and the pursuit of the wind4 ,for everything has long ago been named from its own nature2 and in this way its name shows what it is4 ,thus man1 too1 7,adam17 is1 and ever has been1 known from his name1 from adamah1 earth2 his name so showing his mortality4 ,if thus he has been made by his ,creator1 how vain for him to hope to escape his fate1 for with ,him no contention is possible4 ,what use1 then1 in many words 7not things7 since they afford no relief as against that end8 they only increase vanity4 ,then the last sad wail of this subject3 ,who knoweth what is really good--satisfying for man--during the few fleeting years of his vain life here1 which he passes as a shadow2 and when he is gone1 who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun8 ,let that wail sink down deep into our ears4 ,it is the cry that has been passed1 in ever increasing volume1 from heart to heart--every empty hollow heart of man echoing and re-echoing1 ,who will show us any good8 ,now turn and listen to ,one who came to answer that fully1 and in ,his word to ,mary1 the sister of ,lazarus1 ,he does distinctly1 in words1 answer it4 ,she had chosen the portion that ,he could call good4 ,and was that travail and toil1 even in service for ,himself8 ,no1 that was rather her sister's portion2 but a seat--expressive of rest--7consider it71 a listening ear1 whilst the ,lord ministered to her2--and that is all that is needful6 ,what a contrast between this poor rich king1 communing with his own heart to find out what is that good portion for man2 and the rich poor saint in blessed communion with infinite ,love1 infinite ,wisdom1 infinite ,power1 and resting satisfied6 ,surely1 ,solomon in all his glory had no throne to be compared to hers1 as she sat lowly at ,his feet4 ,and mark carefully1 for thy soul's good1 that word of tender grace that the ,lord said1 ,this is needful4 ,he who had listened to the groan of man's heart through those long four thousand years1 and knew its need fully and exactly1 says that this good portion must not be regarded as any high attainment for the few1 but as the very breath of life--for all4 ,if ,he knows that it is needful for thee1 then1 my soul1 fear not but that ,he will approve thy taking the same place and claiming ,mary's portion on the ground of thy need alone4 ,yes1 but does this really answer the root cause of the groan in our chapter8 ,is the shadow of death dispelled by sitting at ,his feet6 ,is death no longer the dark unknown8 ,shall we learn lessons there that shall rob it of all its terrors1 and replace the groan with song8 ,yes1 truly1 for look at the few significant foot-prints of that dear ,mary's walk after this4 ,see her at that supper made for the ,lord at ,bethany4 ,here ,martha is serving with perfect acceptance--no word of rebuke to her now2 she has learned the lesson of that day spoken of in the tenth of ,luke4 ,but ,mary still excels her1 for1 whilst sitting at ,his feet in that same day of tenth of ,luke1 she has heard some story that makes her come with precious spikenard to anoint ,his body for the burial6 ,strange act6 ,and how could that affectionate heart force itself calmly to anoint the object of its love for burial8 ,ah6 still a far sweeter story must she have heard at ,his feet1 and a bright light must have pierced the shadow of the tomb4 ,for1 look at that little company of devoted women around ,his cross1 and you will find no trace of the no less devoted ,mary1 the sister of ,lazarus1 there4 ,the other ,marys may come1 in tender affection1 but in the dark ignorance of unbelief1 to search for ,him1 in ,his empty tomb on the third day4 ,she1 with no less tender affection surely1 is not there4 ,is this silence of ,scripture without significance1 or are we to see the reason for it in that good portion she had chosen at ,his feet8--and there did she hear1 not only the solemn story of ,his cross leading her to anoint ,his body for the burial1 but the joyful story of ,his resurrection1 so that there was no need for her to seek the living amongst the dead2--she knew that ,he was risen1 and she1 as long before1 sat still in the house6 ,oh1 blessed calm6 ,oh1 holy peace6 ,what is the secret of it8 ,wouldst thou learn it6 ,sit1 then1 too1 at ,his feet1 in simple conscious emptiness and need4 ,give ,him the still more blessed part of ministering to thee4 ,so all shall be in order4 ,thou shalt have the good portion that shall dispel all clouds of death1 and pour over thy being heaven's pure sunlight of resurrection2 and1 with that ,light1 song shall displace groan1 whilst thy ,lord shall have the still better part--,his own surely--of giving2 for more blessed it is to give than to receive4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,but whilst the ,king has not that most blessed light1 yet there are some things in which he can discriminate2 and here are seven comparisons in which his unaided wisdom can discern which is the better3-- #a4 ,a good name is better than precious ointment4 #b4 ,the day of death the day of birth4 #c4 ,the house of mourning the house of feasting4 #d4 ,borrow laughter4 #e4 ,the rebuke of the wise the song of fools4 #f4 ,the end of a thing the beginning4 #g4 ,the patient in spirit the proud in spirit4 ,lofty1 indeed1 is the level to which ,solomon has attained by such unpopular conclusions1 and it proves fully that we are listening in this book to man at his highest1 best4 ,not a bitter1 morbid1 diseased mind1 simply wailing over a lost life1 and taking1 therefore1 highly colored and incorrect views of that life1 as so many pious commentators say2 but the calm1 quiet result of the use of the highest powers of reasoning man1 as man1 possesses2 and we have but to turn for a moment1 and listen to ,him who is greater than ,solomon1 to find ,his holy and infallible seal set upon the above conclusions4 ,blessed are the pure in heart1--they that mourn1--and the meek1 is surely in the same strain exactly2 although reasons are there given for this blessedness of which ,solomon1 with all his wisdom1 had never a glimpse4 ,let us take just one striking agreement1 and note the contrasts3 ,it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting3 for that is the end of all men2 and the living will lay it to his heart4 ,sorrow is better than laughter2 for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better4 ,the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning2 but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth4 ,that is1 the loftiest purest wisdom of man recognizes a quality in sorrow itself that is purifying4 ,in the sadness of the face the heart becometh fair4 ,in a scene where all is in confusion1--where ,death1 as ,king of ,terrors1 reigns supreme over all1 forcing his presence on us hourly1 where wickedness and falsehood apparently prosper1 and goodness and truth are forced to the wall1--in such a scene of awful disorder1 laughter and mirth are but discord1 and grate upon the awakened spirit's ear with ghastly harshness4 ,whilst an honest acceptance of the truth of things as they are1 looking ,death itself full in the face1 the house of mourning not shunned1 but sought out2 the sorrow within is at least in harmony with the sad state of matters without2 the ministration of death has its effect1 the spirit learns its lesson of humiliation2 and this1 says all wisdom1 is better4 ,and yet this very level to which ,reason can surely climb by her own unaided strength may become a foothold for ,faith to go further4 ,unless ,wrong1 ,discord1 and ,death1 are the normal permanent condition of things1 then sorrow1 too1 is not the normal permanent state of the heart2 but this merely remains a question1 and to its answer no reason helps us4 ,age after age has passed with no variation in the fell discord of its wails1 tears1 and groans4 ,generation has followed in the footsteps of generation1 but with no rift in the gloomy shadow of death that has overhung and finally settled over each4 ,six thousand years of mourning leave unaided ,reason with poor hope of any change in the future1--of any expectation of true comfort4 ,but then listen to that authoritative ,voice proclaiming1 as no scribe ever could1 ,blessed are they that mourn1 for they shall be comforted4 ,ah1 there is a bright light breaking in on the dark clouds1 with no lightning-flash of added storm1 but a mild and holy ray1--the promise of a day yet to break o'er our sorrow-stricken earth1 when there shall be no need for mourning1 for death no more shall reign1 but be swallowed up in victory4 ,but turn over a few pages more1 and the contrast is still further heightened4 ,the sun of divine revelation is now in mid-heaven2 and not merely future1 but present1 comfort is revealed by its holy and blessed beam4 ,come1 let us enter now into the house of mourning1 not merely to clasp hands with the mourners1 and to sit there in the silence of ,ecclesiastes' helplessness for the benefit of our own hearts1 nor even to whisper the promise of a future comfort1 but1 full of the comfort of a present hope1 to pour out words of comfort into the mourners' ears4 ,tears still are flowing1--nor will we rebuke them4 ,god would never blunt those tender sensibilities of the heart that thus speaks the ,hand that made it2 but ,he would take from the tears the bitterness of hopelessness1 and would throw on them ,his own blessed ,light1--a new direct word of revelation from ,himself1--,love and ,light as ,he is1--till1 like the clouds in the physical world1 they shine with a glory that even the cloudless sky knows not4 ,first1 then1 all must be grounded and based on faith in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,we are talking to those who share with us in a common divine faith4 ,we believe that ,jesus died3 but more1 we believe that ,he rose again3 and here alone is the foundation of true hope or comfort4 ,they who believe not or know not this are as absolutely hopeless--as comfortless--as ,ecclesiastes3 they are the rest which have no hope4 ,true divine ,hope is a rare sweet plant1 whose root is found only in ,his empty tomb1 whose flower and fruit are in heaven itself4 ,based on this1 comforts abound2 and in every step the living ,lord ,jesus is seen3 ,his resurrection throws its blessed light everywhere4 ,if ,one has actually risen from the dead1 what glorious possibilities follow4 ,for as to those who are falling asleep1 is ,he insensible to that which moves us so deeply8 ,nay2 ,he ,himself has put them to sleep4 ,they are fallen asleep not in1 as our version says1 but through 7dia7 ,jesus4 ,he who so loved them has ,himself put them to sleep4 ,no matter what the outward1 or apparent1 causes of their departure to sight1 faith sees the perfect love of the ,lord ,jesus giving ,his beloved sleep4 ,sight may take note only of the flying stones as they crush the martyr's body2 mark1 with horror1 the breaking bone1 the bruised and bleeding flesh2 hear the air filled with the confusion of shouts of imprecation1 and mocking blasphemy2 but to faith all is different3 to her the spirit of the saint1 in perfect calm1 is enfolded to the bosom of ,him who has loved and redeemed it1 whilst the same ,lord ,jesus hushes the bruised and mangled form to sleep1 as in the holy quiet of the sanctuary4 ,let our faith take firm hold of this blessed word1 fallen asleep through ,jesus1 for our comfort4 ,so shall we be able to instil this comfort into the wounded hearts of others1--comforting them with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of ,god4 ,what would ,solomon have given to have known this8 ,second1 the mind must be gently loosened from occupation with itself and its own loss2 and that by no rebuke or harsh word1 so out of place with sorrow1 but by the assumption1 at least1 that it is for the loss that the departed themselves suffer that we grieve4 ,it is because we love them that our tears flow3 but suppose we know beyond a question that they have suffered no loss by being taken away from this scene1 would not that modify our sorrow8 ,yea2 would it not change its character completely1 extracting bitterness from it8 ,so that blessed ,lord ,himself comforted ,his own on the eve of ,his departure3 ,if ye loved me1 ye would rejoice because ,i go unto my ,father1 for my ,father is greater than ,i4 ,the more you love me1 the less--not the more--will you sorrow4 ,nay2 you would change the sorrow into actual joy4 ,the measure of the comfort is exactly the measure of the love4 ,that is surely divine4 ,so here1 ,you are looking forward to the day when your rejected ,lord ,jesus shall be manifested in brightest glories3 your beloved have not missed their share in that triumph4 ,god will show them the same path of life ,he showed their ,shepherd 7,ps4 xvi471 and will bring them with ,him in the train of their victorious ,lord4 ,third4 ,but is that triumph1 that joy1 so far off that it can only be seen through the dim aisles and long vistas of many future ages and generations8 ,must our comfort be greatly lessened by the thought that while that end is sure1 it is still very far off1--a thousand years may--nay1 some say1 must--have to intervene2 and must we sorrowfully say1 like the bereaved saint of old1 ,i shall go to him1 but he shall not return to me8 ,not at all4 ,better1 far better than that4 ,for ,faith's cheerful and cheering voice is we who are alive and remain4 ,that day is so close ever to faith that there is nothing between us and it4 ,no long weary waiting expected2 and that very attitude--that very hope--takes away the weariness from the swift passing days4 ,those dear saints of old grasped and cherished this blessed hope that their saviour ,lord would return even during their life4 ,did they lose anything by so cherishing it8 ,have we gained by our giving it up8 ,has the more reasonable expectation that1 after all1 the tomb shall be our lot as theirs1 made our days brighter1 happier1 and so to speed more quickly8 ,has it made us more separate from the world1 more heavenly in character1 given us less in common with the worldling8 ,has this safe reasoning made us to abound in works of love1 labors of faith1 and in patience of hope1 as did the unreasonable and mistaken hope of ,his immediate coming the dear ,thessalonians of old8 ,for look at the first chapter1 and see how the waiting for the ,son from heaven worked4 ,again ,i ask1 have we improved on this8 ,can we improve upon it8 ,was it not far better1 then1 for them--if these its happy accompaniments--to hold fast1 even to their last breath1 that hope2 and even to pass off this scene clasping it still fondly to their hearts1 than our dimmed and dull faith with--it may be boldly said--all the sad loss that accompanies this8 ,hold it fast1 my brethren1 ,we who are alive and remain4 ,let that be the only word in our mouths1 the only hope in our hearts4 ,it is a cup filled to the brim with comfort4 ,how they ring with life and hope in contrast with the dull1 heavy1 deathful word of poor ,ecclesiastes--,for that is the end of all men6 ,oh1 spring up brighter in all our hearts1 thou divinely given1 divinely sustained ,hope6 ,fourth4--,for the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the archangel1 and with the trump of ,god3 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first4 ,another sweet and holy word of comfort4 ,we have seen ,jesus putting ,his saints to sleep1 as to their bodies2 and here we see the same ,lord ,jesus ,himself bidding them rise4 ,no indiscriminate general resurrection this3 the dead in ,christ alone are concerned3 they rise first4 ,he who died for them knows them2 and they1 too1 have known ,his voice in life3 that same voice now awakens them1 and bids them rise as easily as the little damsel at the ,talitha ,cumi6 ,how precious is this glorious word of the ,lord6 ,how perfect the order6 ,no awe-inspiring trumpet1 sounding long and waxing loud1 as at ,sinai of old1 awakening the panic-stricken dead1 and bidding them come to an awful judgment4 ,such the picture that man's dark unbelief and guilty conscience have drawn4 ,small comfort would we have for mourners were that true4 ,god be thanked it is not4 ,their ,saviour's well-known voice that our dead have loved shall awaken them1 ringing full and true in every tone and note of it with the love ,he has borne them4 ,then the voice of the ,archangel ,michael1 the great marshal of ,god's victorious hosts shall range our ranks4 ,this accomplished1 and all in the perfect divine order of victory1 the trumpet shall sound and the redeemed shall begin their triumphant1 blissful1 upward flight4 ,fifth4--,but the ,spirit of ,god desires us to get and to give the comfort of another precious word4 ,in no strange unknown company shall we who are alive and remain start on that homeward journey1 but together with them4 ,who that has known the agony of broken heart-strings does not see the infinitely gracious tender comfort in those three words1 together with them8 ,there is reunion4 ,once more we shall be in very deed with those we love1 with never a thought or fear of parting more to shadow the mutual joy4 ,in view of those three words it were simple impertinence to question whether we shall recognize our dear saints who have preceded us4 ,not only would such a question rob them of their beauty1 but of their very meaning4 ,they would be empty and absolutely meaningless in such case4 ,sure1 beyond a peradventure1 is it that our most cherished anticipations shall be far exceeded in that rapturous moment2 for we can but reason from experience1 whilst here the sweetest communion has ever been marred by that which there shall not be4 ,how sweet the prospect1 my sorrowing bereaved readers6 ,we shall1 as ,god is true1 look once more into the very faces of those we have known and loved in the ,lord on earth4 ,they awake to recognition as ,magdalene at the word ,mary2 not to a renewed earthly companionship1 nor to a relationship as known in the flesh1 as poor ,mary thought1 but to a sweeter1 as well as higher2 a warmer1 as well as purer communion2 for the tie that there shall bind us together is that which is stronger1 sweeter than all others1 even here1--,jesus ,christ the ,lord4 ,but stay6 ,does this really meet fully the present sorrow8 ,does it give a satisfying comfort8 ,is there not a lurking feeling of disappointment that certain relationships with their affections are never to be restored2 therefore1 in certain ways1 recognition is not probable8 ,for instance1 a husband loses the companion of his life4 ,he shall1 it is true1 meet and recognize with joy a saint whom he knew on earth1 but never again his wife4 ,that sweet1 pure1 human affection1 is never to be renewed4 ,death's rude hand has chilled that warmth forever4 ,the shock of death has extinguished it forevermore4 ,is that exactly true8 ,is that just as ,scripture puts it8 ,let us see4 ,we may justly reason that if1 in the resurrection1 relationships were exactly as here1 sorrow would necessarily outweigh joy4 ,to find broken families there would be a perpetuation of earth's keenest distresses4 ,to know that that break was irreparable would cause a grief unutterable and altogether inconsistent with the joy of the new creation4 ,marriage there is not1 and hence all relationships of earth we may safely gather are not there4 ,but the natural affections of the soul of man have they absolutely come to nothing8 ,that soul1 connected as it is with that which is higher than itself--the spirit--is immortal1 and its powers and attributes must be in activity beyond death4 ,it is the seat of the affections here1 and1 surely1 there too4 ,why1 then1 shall not these affections there have full unhindered play8 ,let us seek to gather something from analogy4 ,knowledge has its seat in the spirit of man1 and here he exercises that faculty2 nor does the spirit any more than the soul cease to exist2 nor are its attributes therefore to be arrested4 ,yet we read of knowledge in that scene1 it shall vanish away4 ,and why8 ,is it not because of the perfect light that there shines8 ,human knowledge is but a candle1 and what worth is candlelight when the noonday sun shines8 ,it is overwhelmed1 swallowed up1 by perfect light4 ,it vanishes away1--is not extinguished1 any more than is human knowledge1 by the shock of death or change2 but perfection of ,light has done away with the very appearance of imperfection4 ,now is this not equally and exactly true of that other part of the divine nature--,love8 ,here we both know in part and love in part4 ,there the perfection of ,love causes that which is imperfect--the human affection of the soul--to vanish away4 ,the greater swallows up the less4 ,the infinite attraction of the ,lord ,jesus--that glory which ,he prayed that we might see 7,john xvii47--overwhelms all lower affections with no rough rude shock as of death1 but by the very superabundance of the bliss4 ,his glory6 ,what is it but the radiant outshining of ,his infinitely blessed1 infinitely attractive1 divine nature1--,love and ,light1 ,light and ,love1--each swallowing up in their respective spheres every inferior imperfect reflection of them that we have enjoyed here in this scene of imperfection1 leaving nothing to be desired1 nothing missed2 allowing perfect play to every human faculty and affection1--crushing1 extinguishing none4 ,death has not been permitted to annul these faculties4 ,the perfect love of the ,lord ,jesus has outstripped them1 swallowed them up in warmer affections1 sweeter communion4 ,the coming of that precious ,saviour is close3 just as close is the fulfillment of those words1 together with them4 ,he maketh the clouds ,his chariots1 and in those chariots we are taken home together4 ,sixth4--,to meet the ,lord in the air4 ,another word of divine comfort1 again4 ,how bold the assertion6 ,its very boldness is assurance of its truth4 ,it becomes ,god1 and ,god only1 so to speak that ,his people may both recognize ,his voice in its majesty and rest on ,his word4 ,no speculation2 no argument2 no deduction2 no reasoning2 but a bare1 authoritative statement1 startling in its boldness4 ,not a syllable of past ,scripture on which to build and to give color to it2 and yet when revealed1 when spoken1 in perfect harmony with the whole of ,scripture4 ,how absolutely impossible for any man to have conceived that the ,lord's saints should be caught up to meet ,him in the air4 ,were it not true1 its very boldness and apparent foolishness would be its refutation4 ,and what must be the character of mind that would even seek to invent such a thought8 ,what depths of awful wickedness it would bespeak6 ,what cruelty thus to attempt to deceive the whole race6 ,what corruption1 thus to speak false in the holiest matters1 attaching the ,lord's name to a falsehood6 ,the spring from which such a statement1 if false1 could rise must be corrupt indeed4 ,but1 oh1 how different in fact6 ,what severe righteousness6 what depths of holiness6 what elevated morality6 what warmth of tender affection6 what burning zeal1 combined with the profoundest reasoning1 characterize every word of the writer of this same statement6 ,every word that he has written testifies that he has not attempted to deceive4 ,there is1 perhaps1 one other alternative3 the writer may have believed himself thus inspired1 and was thus self-deceived ,but in this case far gone in disease must his mind have been2 nor could it fail constantly to give striking evidence of being thus unhinged in other parts of his writings4 ,this is a subject with which unbalanced minds have shown their inability to be much occupied without the most sorrowful evidences of the disease under which they suffer4 ,let there be independence of the ,scriptures 7as there confessedly is in this case71 and let man's mind work in connection with this subject of the ,lord's second coming1 and all history has but one testimony3 such minds become unbalanced1 and feverish disquietude evidences itself by constant recurrence to the one theme4 ,find1 on the other hand1 one single instance1 if you can1 in which such a mind makes mention once1 and only once1 of that subject that has so overmastered every other as to have deceived him into the belief that falsehood is truth1 his own imagination is the inspiration of the ,spirit of ,god6 ,have you not wondered why this wondrous word of revelation occurs thus in detail once and only once8 ,is it not one of the weapons of those who contend against this our hope that we base too much on this isolated ,scripture text8 ,not that that is true1 for all ,scripture1 as we have said1 is in perfect harmony and accord with it2 but what a perfect1 complete1 thorough answer1 this fact gives to the other alternative--that the writer was self-deceived4 ,this is impossible2 or1 like every other self-deceived man that ever lived1 he would have pressed his one theme in every letter1 forced it on unwilling minds every time he opened his mouth or took up his pen4 ,no wild enthusiast ever yet could rest ,till half mankind were like himself possessed4 ',tis an attractive theme4 ,long could we linger here1 but we must pass on2 but before leaving1 let us see if we were justified in saying that whilst this word is based on no previous ,scripture1 yet1 when spoken1 it is in harmony with all4 ,first1 then1 is it not in perfect accord with the peculiar character and calling of the ,church8 ,israel1 as a nation1 finds her final deliverance on the earth4 ,her calling and her hopes have ever been limited to this scene4 ,fitting then1 indeed1 it is that she be saved by her ,deliverer's feet standing once more on the ,mount of ,olives 7,zach4 xiv4 #d71 and the judgment of the living nations should then take place4 ,but with the ,church1 how different3 her blessings heavenly2 her character heavenly2 her calling heavenly4 ,is it not1 then1 in accord with this that her meeting with her ,lord should be literally heavenly1 too8 ,israel1 exponent of the righteous government of ,god1 may rightly long to dip her foot in the blood of the wicked4 ,nor can she expect or know of any deliverance except1 as of old1 in victories in the day of battle4 ,the ,church1 exponent of the exceeding riches of ,his grace1 is of another spirit2 and our deliverance in the air permits--nay1 necessitates--our echoing that gracious word of our ,lord1 ,father1 forgive them4 ,then too1 how beautifully this rapture follows the pattern of ,his whom the ,lord's people now are following even to a dwelling that has no name nor place on earth 7,john i4 #ch1 #ci74 ,the clouds received ,him3 they1 too1 shall receive us4 ,unseen by the world ,he left the world1 too busy with its occupations to note or care for the departure of ,him who is its ,light4 ,so the poor feeble glimmer of the ,lord's dear people now shall be lost1 secretly1 as it were1 to the world in which they shine as lights1 leaving it in awful gloomy darkness till the ,day dawn and the ,sun arise4 ,nor is illustration or type lacking4 ,in ,enoch1 caught up before the judgment of the flood1 surely we may see a figure of the rapture of the heavenly saints before the antitype of the flood1 the tribulation that is to try the dwellers upon the earth1 as in ,noah brought through that judgment1 a picture of the earthly ones4 ,in this connection1 too1 what could be more exquisitely harmonious than the way in which the ,lord thus presents ,himself to the expectant faith of ,his earthly and heavenly people8 ,to the former the full plain ,day is ushered in by the ,sun of ,righteousness arising with healing in ,his wings3 for that ,day they look4 ,to the latter1 who are watching through the long hours of the night1 the ,bright and ,morning ,star shining ere the first beams of the ,sun are thrown upon the dark world is the object of faith and hope4 ,is not the word that believers shall1 meet the ,lord in the air in absolute accord with these different aspects of the ,lord as ,star and ,sun8 ,most certainly it is4 ,more than at any other time1 a solid foundation for comfort is needed in times of deep grief4 ,then the hosts of darkness press round the dismayed spirit2 clouds of darkness roll across the mental sky2 the sun and all light is hidden2 in the storm-wrack the fiery darts of the wicked one fall thick as rain4 ,every long-accepted truth is questioned2 the very foundations seem to dissolve4 ,a firm foothold1 indeed1 must we have on which to stand at such a time4 ,faith must be seen not at war with her poor blind--or at least short-sighted--sister ,reason1 but in perfect accord1 leading her1 with her feebler powers1 by the hand4 ,but here is where the world's efforts to comfort--and1 indeed1 alas1 the worldly ,christians too--lack4 ,sentimentalism abounds here2 and the poor troubled heart is told to stand fast on airy speculations1 and to distil comfort from wax-flowers1 as it were1--the creations of the imagination4 ,how solid the comfort here given in contrast with all this4 ,god speaks1 and in the ,light1 that with clear yet gentle ray1 exactly meets the needs of our present distress1--in the ,love that in its infinite tenderness and beautiful delicacy knows how to heal the wounded spirit1--in the grand authority that rests on no other word or testimony for proof1--and yet in the perfect1 absolute harmony with the whole scope of ,his own holy word1 we1 ,his children1 recognize again ,his voice2 for never man could speak thus1 and we are comforted1 and may comfort one another4 ,it is true4 ,it is divine4 ,we shall meet the ,lord in the air4 ,happy journey that1 in such a company to such a goal1--to meet the ,lord6 ,who can picture the joy of that upward flight8 ,what words extract the comfort of that meeting1--the ,lord1--our ,lord1--alone with ,him1--together with them1--in the quiet chambers of the air6 ,seventh4--,and so shall we ever be with the ,lord4 ,there is an eternity of unmingled bliss4 ,how short the time of separation1 oh ye mourning ones1 compared with this6 ,the pain is but for a moment1 whilst there is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of comfort4 ,what a contrast6 ,death is the sad1 gloomy1 mysterious1 unknown boundary for all1 groans ,ecclesiastes1 for that is the end of all men4 ,there is no end to the joy of the redeemed1 says ,revelation2 and ,faith sings forever with the ,lord4 ,what deep need of ,himself has this man's heart1 that ,he has made4 ,if in this sad scene we get one ray of true comfort it is when with ,him2 one thrill of true joy it is when with ,him2 one hour of true peace it is when with ,him4 ,we were intended1 meant1 created1 to need ,him4 ,let us remember that1 and then see the sweet comfort in that word1 so shall we ever be with the ,lord4 ,man is at last1 may it be said1 in his element4 ,his spirit gets the communion that it needs--with ,him forever2 his soul1 the love it needs1 in ,him forever2 his body the perfection it needs--like ,him forever6 ,is not this revelation self-evidently of ,god--worthy of ,him--possible only to ,him8 ,again1 let us ask what would ,solomon have given for a song like this1 instead of his mournful1 groan for death is the end of all men6 ,alas1 as he goes on1 he finds that even this is not the case1 except as regards the scene under the sun4 ,he finds it impossible to escape a conclusion1 as startling as it is logical1 that there is another scene to which death may introduce1 from which there is no escape4 ,our writer1 ignorant as he confessedly is of this glorious light of divine revelation1 still speaks in praise of the feeble glimmer that human wisdom gives4 ,from his point of view1 wealth and wisdom are both good1--are a defense or shadow to their possessors2 but still that which men generally esteem the most--wealth--is given the second place2 for knowledge1 or wisdom1 has in itself a positive virtue that money lacks4 ,it gives life to them that have it1 animates1 preserves in life1 modifies1 at least in measure1 the evils from which it cannot altogether guard its possessor2 and1 by giving equanimity to a life of change and vicissitude1 proves1 in some sort1 its own life-giving energy4 ,how infinitely true this is with regard to ,him who is absolute infinite ,wisdom1 and who is our ,life1 it is our health and joy to remember4 ,the ,preacher continues3 ,ponder the work of ,god1 but you will find nothing in anything that you can see that shall enable you to forecast the future with any certainty4 ,adversity follows prosperity1 and my counsel is to make the best use of both1--enjoy this when it comes1 and let that teach you that ,god's ways are inscrutable1 nor can you straighten out the tangle of ,his providences4 ,evidently he intends these vicissitudes that still follow no definite rule1 so that man may recognize his own ignorance and impotence4 ,in one word1 reason as you may from all that you can see1 and your reason will throw no ray of light on ,god's future dealings4 ,and there again1 having brought us face to face with a dense1 impenetrable cloud1 ,ecclesiastes leaves us4 ,how awful that dark cloud is1 it is difficult for us now to realize1 so accustomed are we to the light ,god's word has given4 ,but were it possible to blot out entirely from our minds all that ,word has taught us1 and place ourselves for a moment just by the side of our ,preacher1 look alone through his eyes1 recognize with him the existence of the ,creator whose glorious ,being is so fully shown in all ,his works1 and yet with nothing whereby to judge of ,his disposition toward us except what we see1--in the physical world the blasting storm sweeping over the landscape that but now spoke only in its beauties and bounties of ,his love and benevolence1 leaving in its desolating track1 not only ruined homesteads and blighted harvests2 but1 far worse1 the destruction of all our hopes1 of all the estimates we had formed of ,him4 ,in the world of providences the thoughts of ,his love1 based on yesterday's peace and prosperity1 all denied and swept away by to-day's sorrows and adversities1--awful1 agonizing uncertainty6 ,and1 since all is surely in ,his hand1 to be compelled to recognize that ,he permits1 at least1 these alternations to the end that 7with that express purpose7 man should find nothing of what shall be after ,him6 ,reason1 or ,intelligence1 with all her highest powers1 stands hopeless and helpless before that dark future1 and wrings her hands in agony4 ,but look1 my beloved reader1 at that man who speeds his way with fleet and steady footfall4 ,his swift tread speaks no uncertainty nor doubt of mind4 ,mark the earnest1 concentrated1 forward look4 ,his eye is upward1 and something he sees there is drawing him with powerful magnetic attraction quite contrary to the course or path of men at large4 ,he presses against the stream3 the multitude are floating in the other direction4 ,as with the kine of ,bethshemesh1 some hidden power takes him in a course quite contrary to all the ties or calls of mere nature4 ,look at him1--irrespective of anything else1 the figure itself is a grand sight4 ,the path he has chosen lies through the thorny shrubs of endurance1 afflictions1 necessities1 distresses1 stripes1 imprisonments1 tumults1 labors1 watchings1 and fastings4 ,no soft or winsome meadow-way this1 nor one that any would choose1 except he were under some strong conviction1--whether true or false1--that will surely be admitted4 ,for men have at rare times suffered much even in the cause of error2 but never for that which they themselves knew to be false1 and which at the same time brought them no glory1--nothing to feed their vanity1 or pride1 or exalt them in any way4 ,admit1 then1 for a moment1 that he is self-deceived1 under some strong delusion1 and that the object of which he is in pursuit is but a phantom4 ,then mark the path in which that phantom leads3 it has turned him from being a blasphemer1 persecutor1 and an insolent1 overbearing man 7#a ,tim4 #a71 into one of liveliest affections1 most tender sympathies1 a lowly servant of all2 it has given him a joy that no wave of trouble can quench1 a song that dungeons cannot silence1 a transparent truthfulness which permits a lie nowhere2 and all this results from that which is in itself a delusion1--a lie6 ,oh1 holy delusion6 ,oh1 wondrous1 truth-loving1 wonder-working lie6 ,was ever such a miracle1 that a falsehood works truth8--that a delusion1 instead of leading into marsh1 or bog1 or quicksand1 as other will-o'-the-wisps ever and always have1 leads along a morally elevated path where every footstep rings with the music of divine certainty1 as though it trod upon a rock6 ,such a miracle1 contrary to all reason1 is worthy of acceptance only by the blind1 childish1 credulity of infidelity4 ,whatever the object before him1 then1 it is real2 his convictions are soberly and well founded2 he runs his race to no visionary1 misty goal2 but some actual reality is the lode-star of his life4 ,let us listen to his own explanation3 forgetting those things that are being1 reaching forth unto those that are before1 ,i press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,but ,solomon1 the wisest of the wise1 groans no man can find out that which shall come after him2 or1 in other words1 that future of which ,paul sings3 ,i have heard a voice that has called from heaven1 and looking up ,i have seen a ,light that has darkened every other4 ,one in beauty and attraction infinite1--to ,him ,i press4 ,he is before me1 and not till ,him ,i reach will ,i rest4 ,blessed contrast6 ,now1 my dear reader1 let us also seek to keep our eye on that same ,object1 for the man at whom we have been looking is one just like ourselves1 with every passion that we have1 and the ,one who drew him can draw you and me1--,who satisfied him can satisfy us1 for ,he who loved and died for him has loved and died for us4 ,and since we are not now contemplating the wondrous cross1 but ,his glory1 let us sing together3-- ,oh1 my ,saviour glorified6 ,now the heavens opened wide ,show to ,faith's exultant eye ,one in beauteous majesty4 ,worthy of the sweetest praise ,that my ransomed heart can raise1 ,is that ,man in whom alone ,god ,himself is fully known4 ,for those clust'ring glories prove ,that glad gospel ,god is ,love1 ,whilst those wounds1 in glory bright1 ,voice the solemn ,god is ,light4 ,holy ,light1 whose searching ray ,brings but into perfect day ,beauties that my heart must win ,to the ,sinless once made ,sin4 ,hark1 my soul6 ,thy ,saviour sings2 ,catch the joy that music brings2 ,and1 with that sweet flood of song1 ,pour thy whisp'ring praise along4 ,for no film of shade above ,hides me now from perfect ,love4 ,deep assurance all is right ,gives me peace in perfect ,light4 ,find ,i then on ,god's own breast ,holy1 happy1 perfect rest1 ,in the person of my ,lord1-- ,ever be ,his name adored6 ,oh1 my ,saviour glorified1 ,turn my eye from all beside4 ,let me but ,thy beauty see1-- ,other light is dark to me4 ,but the ,preacher's experiences of anomalies are by no means ended4 ,these alternations of adversity and prosperity1 he says1 whilst there is no forecasting when they will come1 so there seems to be no safeguard1 even in righteousness and wisdom1 against them4 ,they are not meted out here at all on the lines of righteousness4 ,the just man dies in his righteousness1 whilst the wicked lives on in his wickedness3 therefore be not righteous overmuch2 do not abstain1 or withdraw thyself1 from the natural blessings of life1 making it joyless and desolate2 but then err not on the other side1 going into folly and licentiousness1--a course which naturally tends to cut off life itself4 ,it is the narrow way of philosophy3 as said the old ,latins1 ,medio tutissimus ibis1 midway is safety2 but ,solomon is here again1 as we have seen before1 on a far higher moral elevation than any of the heathen philosophers1 for he has one sheet-anchor for his soul from the evils of either extreme1 in the fear of ,god4 ,as for the despairing1 hopeless groans of vanity1 we1 with our ,god-given grace1 learn to feel pity for our ,author1 so for his moral elevation do we admire him1 whilst for his sincerity and love of truth we learn to respect and love him4 ,see in the next few verses that clear1 cold1 true1 reason of his1 confessing the narrow limits of its powers1 and yet the whole soul longs1 as if it would burst all bars to attain to that which shall solve its perplexity4 ,thus far have ,i attained by wisdom1 he says1 and yet still ,i cry for wisdom4 ,i see far off the place where earth can reach and touch the heavens2 but when1 by weary toil and labor1 ,i reach that spot1 those heavens are as inimitably high above me as ever1 and an equally long journey lies between me and the horizon where they meet4 ,oh1 that ,i might be wise2 but it was far from me4 ,now1 in our version1 the next verse reads very tamely and flat1 in view of the strong emotion under which it is so clear that the whole of the book was written4 ,that which is far off and exceeding deep1 who can find it out8 ,the ,revised1 both in text and margin1 gives us a hint of another thought1 ,that which is1 or hath been1 is afar off1 etc4 ,but other scholars1 in company with the ,targum and many an old ,jewish writer1 lift the verse into harmony with the impassioned utterances of this noble man1 as he expresses in broken ejaculatory phrase his longings and his powerlessness3 ,far off1 the past1--what is it8 ,deep1--that deep6 ,ah1 who can sound8 ,then turned ,i1 and my heart1 to learn1 explore4 ,to seek out wisdom1 reason--sin to know-- ,presumption--folly--vain impiety4 ,he must unravel the mystery1 and turns thus1 once more1 with his sole companion1 his own heart1 to measure everything1--even sin1 folly1 impiety1--and more bitter even than that bitter death that has again and again darkened all his counsel and dashed his hopes1 is one awful evil that he has found4 ,one was nearest ,adam in the old creation4 ,taken from his side1 a living one1 she was placed at his side to share with him his wide dominion over that fair1 unsullied scene4 ,strong where he was weak1 and weak where he was strong1 how evidently was she meant of an all-gracious and all-wise ,creator as a true helpmeet for him3 his complement--filling up his being4 ,but that old creation is as a vessel reversed1 so that the highest is now the lowest1--the best has become the worst1--the closest may be the most dangerous2 and foes spring even from within households4 ,intensified disorder and confusion6 ,when she who was so clearly intended by her strength of affection to call into rightful play the affections of man's heart1 whose very weakness and dependence should call forth his strength--alas1 our writer has found that that heart is too often a snare and a net1 and those hands drag down to ruin the one to whom they cling4 ,it is the clearest sign of ,god's judgment to be taken by those nets and bands1 as of his mercy1 to escape them4 ,thus evil ever works1 dual--as is good--in character4 ,opposed to the ,light and ,love of ,god we find a liar and murderer in ,satan himself2 corruption and violence in man1 under ,satan's power4 ,the weaker vessel makes up for lack of strength by deception2 and whilst the man of the earth expresses the violence1 so the woman of the earth has become1 ever and always1 the expression of corruption and deceit1 as here spoken of by our preacher1 her heart snares and nets2 her hands as bands4 ,but further in his search for wisdom1 the ,preacher has found but few indeed who would or could accompany him in his path4 ,a man here and there1 one in a thousand1 would be his companion1 but no single woman4 ,this statement strongly evidences that the gospel is outside his sphere2 the new creation is beyond his ken4 ,he takes into no account the sovereign grace of ,god1 that in itself can again restore1 and more than restore1 all to their normal conditions1 and make the weaker vessel fully as much a vessel unto honor as the stronger1 giving her a wide and blessed sphere of activity2 in which love--the divine nature within--may find its happy exercise and rest4 ,naturally1 and apart from this grace1 the woman does not give herself to the same exercise of mind as does the man4 ,but then1 is it thus that man came from his ,maker's hands8 ,has ,he1 who stamped ,his own perfection on all ,his works1 permitted an awful hideous exception in the moral nature of man8 ,does human reason admit such a possible incongruity8 ,no1 indeed4 ,folly may claim license for its lusts in the plea of a nature received from a ,creator4 ,haughty pride1 on the other hand1 may deny that nature altogether4 ,the clearer1 nobler1 truer1 philosophy of our writer justifies ,god1 even in view of all the evil that makes him groan1 and he says1 ,lo1 this only have ,i found1 that ,god hath made man upright1 but they have sought out many inventions4 ,interesting as well as beautiful it is to hear this conclusion of man's reason1 not at all in view of the exceeding riches of ,god's grace1 but simply looking at facts1 in the light that ,nature gives4 ,man neither is1 nor can be1 an exception to the rule4 ,god has made him upright4 ,if not so now1 it is because he has departed from this state1 and his many inventions1 or arts 7as ,luther translates the word significantly71 his devices1 his search after new things 7but the word inventions expresses the thought of the original correctly71 are so many proofs of dissatisfaction and unrest4 ,he may1 in that pride1 which turns everything to its own glory1 point to these very inventions as evidences of his progress2 and in a certain way they do unquestionably speak his intelligence and immense superiority over the lower creation4 ,yet the very invention bespeaks need2 for most truthful is the proverb1 ,necessity is the mother of invention2 and surely in the way of ,nature necessity is not a glory1 but a shame4 ,let him glory in his inventions1 then2 and his glory is in his shame4 ,adam in his ,eden of delights1 upright1 content1 thought never of invention4 ,he took from ,god's hand what ,god gave1 with no need to make calls upon his own ingenuity to supply his longings4 ,the fall introduces the inventive faculty1 and human ingenuity begins to work to overcome the need1 of which now1 for the first time1 man becomes aware2 but we hear no singing in connection with that first invention of the apron of fig-leaves4 ,that faculty has marked his path throughout the centuries4 ,not always at one level1 or ever moving in one direction1--it has risen and fallen1 with flow and ebb1 as the tides2 now surging upward with skillful artifice in brass and iron1 and to the music of harp and organ1 until it aims at heaven itself1 and the ,lord again and again interposes and abases by flood and scattering1--now ebbing1 till apparently extinct in the low-sunken tribes of earth4 ,its activity is the accompaniment usually of the light that ,god gives1 and which man takes1 and turns to his own boasting1 with no recognition of the ,giver1 calling it civilization4 ,the ,lord's saints are not1 for the most part1 to be found amongst the line of inventors4 ,the seed of ,cain1 and not the seed of ,seth1 produces them4 ,the former make the earth their home1 and naturally seek to beautify it1 and make it comfortable4 ,the latter1 with deepest soul-thirst1 quenched by rills of living water springing not here2 with heart-longings satisfied by an infinite1 tender1 divine ,love1 pass through the earth strangers and pilgrims1 to the ,rest of ,god4 ,let us glance forward a little4 ,the ,church is not found on earth2 but the earth still is the scene of man's invention2 and with that surpassing boast opposing and exalting himself above all that is called ,god1 or is worshiped2 so that he sitteth in the temple of ,god showing himself that he is ,god1 he heads up his wickedness and ingenuity together1 in calling down fire from heaven and in making the image of the beast to breathe4 7,rev4 xiii4 #ad1 #ae47 ',tis his last crowning effort1--his day is over1--and the flood and the scattering of old shall have their awful antitype in an eternal judgment and everlasting abasing4 ,but the heavenly saints have been caught up to their home4 ,is there invention there8 ,does human ingenuity still work8 ,how can it1 if every heart is fully satisfied1 and nothing can be improved8 ,but then is all at one dead level8 ,no1 surely2 for discovery shall abide when invention has vanished away1--constant1 never-ceasing discovery4 ,the unfoldings1 hour by hour1 and age by age1 of a ,beauty that is infinite and inexhaustible1--the tasting a new and entrancing perfection in a ,love in which every moment shows some fresh attraction1 some new sweet compulsion to praise6 ,discovery is already ours1 my reader--not invention2 and each day1 each hour1 each moment1 may be fruitful in discovery4 ,every difficulty met in the day's walk may prove but its handmaid2 every trial in the day's path serve but to bring out new and happy discoveries4 ,nay1 even grief and sorrow shall have their sweet discoveries1 and open up to sight fountains of water hitherto altogether unknown1 as with the outcast ,egyptian mother in the wilderness of ,paran1 till we learn to glory in what hitherto was our sorrow1 and to welcome infirmities and ignorance1 for they show us a spring of infinite ,strength and a fountain of unfathomable ,wisdom1 that eternal ,love puts at our service6 ,oh1 to grow in ,faith's ,discoveries6 ,philip had a grand opportunity for discovery1 in the sixth of ,john2 but1 poor man1 he lost it2 for he fell back on creature resources1 or1 in other words1 ,invention4 ,brought face to face with difficulty1 how good it would have been for him to have said1 ,lord ,jesus1 ,i am empty of wisdom1 nor have ,i any resources to meet this need2 but my heart rests in ,thee3 ,i joy in this fresh opportunity for ,thee to display ,thy glory1 for thou knowest what ,thou wilt do4 ,oh1 foolish ,philip1 to talk of every one having a little1 in that ,presence of infinite ,love1 infinite ,power4 ,do ,i thus blame him8 ,then let this day see me looking upward at every difficulty1 and saying ,lord1 ,thou knowest what ,thou wilt do4 ,the morning breaks1 my heart awakes1 ,and many thoughts come crowding o'er me1-- ,what hopes or fears1 what smiles or tears ,are waiting in that path before me8 ,am ,i to roam afar from home1 ,by ,babel's streams1 in gloom despondent8 ,on sorrow's tree must my harp be ,to grief's sad gusts alone respondent8 ,the mists hang dank1 on front and flank1 ,my straining eye can naught discover2 ,but well ,i know that many a foe ,around that narrow path doth hover4 ,nor this alone would make me groan1-- ,alas1 a traitor dwells within me2 ,with hollow smile and heart of guile ,the world without1 too1 plots to win me4 ,thus ,i'm beset with foes1 and yet ,i would not miss a single danger3 ,each foe's a friend that makes me wend ,my homeward way1--on earth a stranger4 ,for never haze dims upward gaze1-- ,oh1 glorious sight6 for there above me ,upon ,god's throne there sitteth ,one ,who died to save--who lives to love me6 ,and like the dew each dayspring new ,that tender love shall onward lead me3 ,my thirst shall slake1 yet thirst awake ,till every breath shall pant3--,i need ,thee4 ,no wisdom give2 ,i'd rather live ,in conscious lack dependent on ,thee3 ,each parting way ,i meet this day ,then proves my claim to call upon ,thee4 ,no strength ,i ask1 for ,thine the task ,to bear ,thine own on ,shepherd-shoulder4 ,then ,faith may boast when helpless most1 ,and greater need make weakness bolder4 ,then ,lord1 thy breast is1 too1 my rest2 ,and there1 as in my home1 ,i'm hidden1-- ,where quiet peace makes groanings cease1 ,and ,zion's songs gush forth unbidden4 ,yes1 e'en on earth may song have birth1 ,and music rise o'er ,nature's groanings1-- ,whilst ,hope new born each springing morn ,dispel with joy my faithless moanings4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,still continues the praise of wisdom4 ,for if1 as the last verses of the previous chapters have shown1 there be but very few that walk in her paths1 she necessarily lifts those few far above the thoughtless mass of men2 placing her distinguishing touch even on the features of her disciples1 lighting them up with intelligence1 and taking away the rudeness and pride that may be natural to them4 ,man's wisdom lighteth up his face--its aspect stern is changed4 ,if this1 then1 the result1 listen to her counsels3 ,honor the king1 nor be connected with any conspiracy against him4 ,it is true that authorities are as much out of joint as everything else under the sun2 and instead of being practically ministers of ,god for good1 are but too often causes of further misery upon poor man2 yet wisdom teaches to wait and watch4 ,everything has a time and season2 and instead of seeking to put matters right by conspiracy1 await the turn of the wheel2 for this is most sure1 that nothing is absolutely permanent here--the evil of a tyrant's life any more than good4 ,his power shall not release him from paying the debt of nature2 it helps him not to retain his spirit4 ,this too ,i saw1--'twas when ,i gave my heart ,to every work that's done beneath the sun1-- ,that there's a time when man rules over man to his own hurt4 ',twas when ,i saw the wicked dead interred1 ,and to and from the holy place 7men7 came and went4 ,then straight were they forgotten in the city of their deeds4 ,ah1 this was vanity6 ,thus our ,preacher describes the end of the tyrant4 ,death ends his tyranny1 as it does1 for the time being at least1 the misery of those who were under it4 ,men follow him to his burial1 to the holy place1 return to their usual avocations--all is over and forgotten4 ,the splendor and power of monarchy now show their hollowness and vanity by so quickly disappearing1 and even their memory vanishing1 at the touch of death4 ,and yet this retributive end is by no means speedy in every case4 ,sentence is often deferred1 and the delay emboldens the heart of man to further wickedness4 ,still1 he says1 ,i counsel to fear ,god1 irrespective of present appearances4 ,i am assured this is the better part3 fear ,god1 and1 soon or late1 the end will justify thy choice4 ,beautiful and interesting it is thus to see man's unaided reason1 his own intelligence1 carrying him to this conclusion3 that there is nothing better than to fear ,god2 and surely this approves itself to any intelligence4 ,he has impressed the proofs of ,his glorious ,being on every side of ,his creature1 man4 ,day unto day uttereth speech2 and the ,sun1 that rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race1 voices aloud1 in his wondrous adaptations to the needs of this creation on which he shines1 ,his ,being--,his eternal power and godhead4 ,not only light but warmth he brings1 for there is nothing hid from the heat thereof1 and in this twofold benevolence testifies again to his ,creator1 who is ,love and ,light4 ,further1 wherever he shines he manifests infinite testimonies to the same truth4 ,from the tiny insect that balances or disports itself with the joy of life in his beams1 to the grandeur of the everlasting hills1 or the majesty of the broad flood of ocean--all--all--with no dissentient1 discordant voice1 proclaim ,his being and utter ,his creative glory4 ,nor does darkness necessarily veil that glory3 moon and stars take up the grand and holy strain2 and what man can look at all--have all these witnesses reiterating day and night1 with ever-fresh testimonies every season1 the same refrain1 ,the ,hand that made us is divine1 and yet say1 even in ,his heart1 ,there is no ,god6 ,surely all reason1 all wisdom1 human or divine1 says ,fool6 to such4 ,thus1 step by step1 human wisdom treads on1 and1 as here1 in her most worthy representative1 the king1 concludes that it is most reasonable to give that glorious ,creator the reverence due1 and to fear ,him4 ,but soon1 very soon1 poor reason has to stop1 confounded4 ,something has come into the scene that throws her all astray3 verse #ad-- ',tis vanity1 what's done upon the earth2 for so it is1 ,that there are righteous to whom it haps as to the vile2 ,and sinners1 too1 whose lot is like the doings of the just4 ,for surely this is vanity1 ,i said4 ,yes1 man's soul must be1 if left to the light of nature1 like that nature itself4 ,if the sky be ever and always cloudless1 then may a calm and unbroken faith be expected1 when based on things seen4 ,but it is not so4 ,storm and cloud again and again darken the light of nature1 whether that light be physical or moral2 and under these storms and clouds reason is swayed from her highest and best conclusions2 and the contradictions without1 are faithfully reflected within the soul4 ,and so ,i commended mirth1 because a man hath no better thing under the sun1 than to eat1 and to drink1 and to be merry3 for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life1 which ,god giveth him under the sun4 ,here we get the heralds of a storm indeed4 ,they are the first big drops that bespeak the coming flood that shall sweep our writer from all reason's moorings2 the play of a lightning that shall blind man's wisdom to its own light2 the sigh of a wind that soon shall develop into a very blast of despair4 ,what a contradiction to the previous sober conclusion1 ,it shall be well with them that fear ,god6 ,now1 seeing that there is no apparent justice in the allotment of happiness here1 and the fear of ,god is often followed by sorrow1 while the lawless as often have the easy lot1--looking on this scene1 ,i say1 ,eat1 drink1 and be merry2 get what good you can out of life itself2 for all is one inextricable confusion4 ,oh1 this awful tangle of providences6 ,everything is wrong6 ,all is in confusion6 ,there is law everywhere1 and yet law-breaking everywhere4 ,how is it8 ,why is it8 ,is not ,god the source of order and harmony8 ,whence1 then1 the discord8 ,is it all ,his retributive justice against sin8 ,why1 then1 the thoroughly unequal allotment8 ,here is a man born blind4 ,surely this cannot be because he sinned before his birth6 ,but1 then1 is it on account of his parents' sinning8 ,why1 then1 do the guilty go comparatively free1 and the guiltless suffer8 ,sin1 surely1 is the only cause of the infliction4 ,so the disciples of old1 brought face to face with exactly this same riddle1 the same mystery1 ask1 ,master1 who did sin--this man1 or his parents1 that he was born blind8 ,neither4 ,another--higher1 happier1 more glorious reason1 ,jesus gives3 ,neither hath this man sinned1 nor his parents3 but that the works of ,god should be made manifest in him4 ,so the afflicted parents weep over their sightless babe2 so they nurse him through his helpless1 darkened childhood1 or guide him through his lonely youth1 their hearts sorely tempted surely to rebel against the providence that has robbed their offspring of the light of heaven4 ,neighbors1 too1 can give but little comfort here4 ,why was he born blind8 ,who did the sin that brought this evident punishment8 ,oh wait1 sorrowing parents6 wait1 foolish friends6 ,one is even now on ,his glorious way who shall with a word unravel the mystery1 ease your troubled hearts1 quell each rebellious motion1 till ye only sorrow that ever a disloyal thought of the ,god of ,love and ,light has been permitted2 and1 whilst overwhelming you with blessing1 answer every question your hearts--nay1 even your intelligences--could ask4 ,oh wait1 my beloved readers1 wait6 ,we1 too1 look on a world still all in confusion4 ,nay1 ourselves suffer with many an afflictive stroke1 whose cause1 too1 seems hidden from us1 and to contradict the very character of the ,god we know4 ,one only is worthy to unlock this1 as every other1 sealed book--wait6 ,he must make ,himself known2 and1 apart from things being wrong1 this were impossible4 ,the works of ,god must be made manifest4 ,precious thought6 ,blessed words6 ,sightless eyes are allowed for a little season1 that ,he--,god--may manifest ,his work in giving them light--accompanied by an everlasting light that knows no dimming4 ,tears may fall in time1 that ,god's gentle and tender touch may dry them1 and that for ever and ever4 ,nay1 ,death himself1 with all his awful powers shall be made to serve the same end1 and1 a captive foe1 be compelled to utter forth ,his glory4 ,lazarus is suffering1 and the sisters are torn with anxiety2 but the ,lord abides two days still in the same place where he is4 ,death is allowed to have his way for a little space--nay1 grasp his victim1 and shadow with his dark wing the home that ,jesus loves2 and still ,he moves not4 ,strange1 mysterious patience6 ,does ,he not care8 ,is ,he calmly indifferent to the anguish in that far-off cottage8 ,has ,he forgotten to be gracious8 or1 most agonizing question of all1 ,has some inmate of that home sinned1 and chilled thus ,his love8 ,how questions throng at such a time6 ,but--patience6 ,all shall be answered1 every question settled--every one2 and the glorious end shall fully1 perfectly justify ,his waiting4 ,let ,death have his way4 ,the power and dignity of his ,conqueror will not permit ,him to hasten4 ,for haste would bespeak anxiety as to the result2 and that result is in no sense doubtful4 ,the body of the brother shall even see corruption1 and begin to crumble into dust1 under the firm and crushing hand of ,death4 ,many a tear shall the sisters shed1 and poor human sympathy tell out its helplessness4 ,but the ,victor comes6 ,in the calm of assured victory ,he comes4 ,and the express image of the substance of the ,living ,god stands face to face as ,man with our awful foe1 ,death4 ,and lo1 ,he speaks but a word--,lazarus1 come forth6--and the glory of ,god shines forth with exceeding brightness and beauty6 ,oh1 joyous scene6 oh1 bright figure of that morn1 so soon approaching1 when once again that blessed ,voice shall lift itself up in a shout1 that shall be heard1 not in one1 but in every tomb of ,his people1 and once more the glory of ,god shall so shine in the ranks upon ranks of those myriads1 that all shall again fully justify ,his waiting6 ,it was indeed a blessed light that shone into the grave of ,lazarus4 ,such was its glory1 that our spirits may quietly rest forever2 for we see our ,lord and ,eternal ,lover is ,conqueror and ,lord of ,death4 ,nor need we ask1 with our modern poet1 who sings sweetly1 but too much in the spirit of ,ecclesiastes1 ,where wert thou1 brother1 those four days8 ,there lives no record of reply1 ,which1 telling what it is to die1 ,had surely added praise to praise4 ,the resurrection of ,lazarus does tell us what it is for ,his redeemed to die4 ,it tells that it is but a sleep for the body1 till ,he come to awaken it1--that those who thus sleep are not beyond ,his power1 and that a glorious resurrection shall soon add praise to praise indeed4 ,but do not these blessed words give us a hint1 at least1 of the answer to that most perplexing of all questions1 ,why was evil ever permitted to disturb the harmony and mar the beauty of ,god's primal creation1 defile heaven itself1 fill earth with corruption and violence1 and still exist even in eternity8 ,ah1 we tread on ground here where we need to be completely self-distrustful1 and to cleave with absolute confidence and dependence to the revelation of ,himself6 ,the works of ,god must be manifested2 and ,he is ,light and ,love1 and nothing but ,light and ,love4 ,every work of ,his1 then1 must speak the source whence it comes1 and be an expression of ,light or ,love2 and the end1 when ,he shall again--finding everything very good--rest from ,his work to enjoy that eternal sabbath1 never to be broken1 shall shew forth absolutely in heaven1 in earth1 and in hell1 that ,he is ,light and ,love1 and nothing but that4 ,light and ,love6--blending1 harmonizing1 in perfect equal manifestation1 in the cross of the ,lord ,jesus1 and--,light now approving ,love's activity--in the righteous eternal redemption of all who believe on ,him2 banishing from the new creation every trace of sin1 and its companion1 sorrow2 whilst the ,lake of ,fire itself shall prove the necessity of its own existence to display that same nature of ,god1 and naught else--,love then approving the activity of ,light1 as we may say4 ,as ,isaiah shows1 in the millennial earth1 in those ,scenes surpassing fable1 and yet true-- ,scenes of accomplished bliss-- there is still sorrowful necessity for an everlasting memorial of ,his righteousness in the carcases of those men that have transgressed against me3 for their worm shall not die1 neither shall their fire be quenched2 and 7mark well the sympathies of that scene7 they shall be an abhorring to all flesh4 ,love rejected1 mercy neglected1 truth despised1 or held in unrighteousness1 grace slighted1--nothing is left whereby the finally impenitent can justify their creation except in being everlasting testimonies to that side of ,god's nature1 ,light1 whilst ,love1 and all who are in harmony therewith1 unfeignedly approve4 ,all shall be right4 ,none shall then be perplexed because there be just men1 unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked2 again1 there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous4 ,all shall be absolutely right4 ,no whisper shall be heard1 even in hell itself1 of the charges that men so boldly and blasphemously cast at ,his holy name now4 ,god is all in all4 ,his works are manifested2 and whilst it is ,his strange work1 yet ,judgment is ,his work1 as every age in ,time has shown2 as the ,eternal age1 too1 shall show--in time1 this judgment is necessarily temporal2 in eternity1 where character1 as all else1 is fixed1 it must as necessarily be eternal6 ,solemn1 and perhaps unwelcome1 but wholesome theme6 ,we live in a time peculiarly characterized by a lack of reverence for all authority4 ,it is the spirit of the times1 and against that spirit the saint must ever watch and guard himself by meditation on these solemn truths4 ,fear is a godly sentiment1 a just emotion1 in view of the holy character of our ,god4 ,i will forewarn whom ye shall fear1 said the ,lord ,jesus3 ,fear him which1 after he hath killed1 hath power to cast into hell2 yea1 ,i say unto you1 fear him4 ,the first ,christians1 walking in the fear of the ,lord as well as the comfort of the ,holy ,ghost1 were multiplied2 and when ,annanias and ,sapphira fell under ,god's judgment1 great fear came on all the church2 whilst apostasy is marked by men feeding1 themselves without fear4 ,all shall be right4 ,it is the wrong and disorder and unrighteous allotment prevailing here that caused the groans of our writer4 ,let us listen to them4 ,their doleful1 despairing sound shall again add sweeter tone to the lovely music of ,god's revelation1 speaking1 as it does1 of ,one who solves every mystery1 answers every question1 heals every hurt2 yea1 snatches ,his own from the very grasp of ,death2 for all is right1 for all is light1 where ,jesus is1 and ,he is coming4 ,patience6 ,wait6 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,the last two verses of ,chapter ,,viii4 connect with the opening words of this chapter4 ,the more ,ecclesiastes applies every faculty he has to solve the riddle under the sun1 robbing himself of sleep and laboring with strong energy and will1 he becomes only the more aware that that solution is altogether impossible4 ,the contradictions of nature baffle the wisdom of nature4 ,there is no assured sequence1 he reiterates1 between righteousness and happiness on the one hand1 and sin and misery on the other4 ,the whole confusion is in the sovereign hand of ,god1 and the righteous and the wise must just leave the matter there1 for no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them4 ,what discrimination is there here8 ,do not all things happen alike to all8 ,yes1 further1 does not ,time1 unchecked by any higher power1 sweep all relentlessly to one common end8 ,love cannot be inferred from the end of the righteous1 nor hatred from the end of the sinner2 for it is one and the same death that stops the course of each4 ,oh1 this is indeed an evil under the sun4 ,darker and darker the cloud settles over his spirit2 denser and still more dense the fogs of helpless ignorance and perplexity enwrap his intelligence4 ,for1 worse still1 do men recognize1 and live at all reasonably in view of1 that common mortality8 ,alas1 madness is in their hearts while they live1 and after that they go to the dead2 and then all hope for them1 as far as can be seen1 is over forever4 ,dead6 ,what does that mean8 ,it means that every faculty1 as far as can be seen1 is stilled forever4 ,the dead lion1 whose majesty and strength1 while living1 would have even now struck me with awe1 is less formidable as it lies there than a living dog4 ,so with the dead among men3 their hatred is no more to be feared1 for it can harm nothing2 their love is no more to be valued1 for it can profit nothing2 their zeal and energy are no more to be accounted of1 for they can effect nothing2 yea1 all has come to an end forever under the sun4 ,oh1 the awfulness of this darkness6 ,then ,i will give1 continues ,ecclesiastes1 counsel for this vain life in conformity with the dense gloom of its close4 ,listen6 ,go eat with joy thy bread1 and merrily drink thy wine2 let never shade of sorrow mar thy short-lived pleasure2 let no mourning on thy dress be seen1 nor to thy head be oil of gladness lacking2 merrily live with her whom thy affection has chosen as thy life-companion1 and trouble not thyself as to ,god's acceptance of thy works--that has been settled long ago2 nor let a sensitive conscience disturb thee3 whatsoever is in thy power to do1 that do1 without scruple or question2#a for soon1 but too soon1 these days of thy vanity will close1 and in the grave1 whither thou surely goest1 all opportunities for activity1 of whatever character1 are over1 and that--forever6 ,strange counsel this1 for sober and wise ,ecclesiastes to give1 is it not8 ,much has it puzzled many a commentator4 ,luther boldly says it is sober ,christian advice1 meant even now to be literally accepted1 lest you become like the monks1 who would not have one look even at the sun4 ,hard labor indeed1 however1 is it to force it thus into harmony with the general tenor of ,god's word4 ,but is not the counsel good and reasonable enough under certain conditions8 ,and are not those conditions and premises clearly laid down for us in the context here8 ,it is as if a whirlwind of awful perplexities had swept the writer with irresistible force away from his moorings1--a black cloud filled with the terrors of darkness and death sweeps over his being1 and out of the black and terrible storm he speaks--,man has but an hour to enjoy here1 and ,i know nothing as to what comes after1 except that death1 impenetrable death1 ends every generation of men1 throws down to the dust the good1 the righteous1 the sober1 as well as the lawless1 the false1 and the profligate2 ends in a moment all thought1 knowledge1 love1 and hatred2--then since ,i know nothing beyond this vain life1 ,i can only say1 ,have thy fling2--short1 short thy life will be1 and vain thou wilt find this short life2 so get thy fill of pleasure here1 for thou goest1 and none can help thee1 to where all activities cease1 and love and hatred end forever4 ,this1 we may say1 based on these premises1 and excluding all other1 is reasonable counsel4 ,does not our own apostle ,paul confirm it8 ,does he not say1 if this life be all1 this life of vanity under the sun1 then let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die8 ,yea1 we who have turned aside from this path of present pleasures are of all men most miserable1 if this vain life be all4 ,and are we to expect poor unaided human wisdom to face these awful problems of infinite depth without finding the strongest evidence of its utter incapacity and helplessness8 ,like a feather in the blast1 our kingly and wise preacher 7beyond whom none can ever go7 is whirled1 for the time being1 from his soberness1 and1 in sorrow akin to despair1 gives counsel that is in itself revolting to all soberness and wisdom4 ,nothing could so powerfully speak the awful chaos of his soul2 and--mark it well--in that same awful chaos would you and ,i be at any moment1 my reader1 if we thought at all1 but for one inestimably precious fact4 ,black like unto the outer darkness is the storm-cloud we are looking at1 and the wild1 despairing1 yet sad counsel1 to live merrily is in strict harmony with the wild1 awful darkness1 like the sea-gull's scream in the tempest4 ,let us review a little the path of reasoning that has led our author to where he is2 only we will walk it joyfully in the light of ,god4 ,no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him4 ,we have looked upon a scene where a holy ,victim--infinitely holy--bowed ,his head under the weight of a judgment that could not be measured4 ,it was but a little while1 and the very heavens could not contain themselves with delight at ,his perfect beauty1 ,his perfect obedience2 but again1 and yet again1 were they opened to express the pleasure of the ,highest in this lowly ,man4 ,now1 not only are they closed in silence1 but a horror seems to enwrap all creation4 ,the sun1 obscured by no earth-born cloud1 gives out no spark nor ray of light2 and in that solemn darkness every voice is strangely hushed4 ,from nine till noon the air was filled with revilings and reproaches--all leveled at the one sinless ,sufferer2 but now1 for three hours1 these have been absolutely silent1 till at last one cry of agony breaks the stillness2 and it is from ,him who was oppressed and afflicted1 yet opened not ,his mouth2 was brought as a lamb to the slaughter2 and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb1 so opened ,he not ,his mouth3--,eli1 ,eli1 lama sabachthani--,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me6 ,there1 my beloved readers1 look there6 ,let that cross be before us1 and then say1 ,no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them4 ,are not both revealed there as never before8 ,hatred6 ,what caused the blessed ,god thus to change ,his attitude towards the ,one who so delighted ,him that the heavens burst open1 as it were1 under the weight of that delight8 ,there is but one answer to that question4 ,sin4 ,sin was there on that holiest ,sufferer--mine1 yours1 my reader4 ,and ,god's great hatred of sin is fully revealed there4 ,i know hatred when ,i see ,god looking at my sin on ,his infinitely holy1 infinitely precious1 infinitely beloved ,son4 99 99 99 99 ,let us meditate upon1 without multiplying words over this solemn theme1 and turn to the ,love that burns1 too1 so brightly there4 ,who can measure the infinity of love to us when1 in order that that love might have its way unhindered1 ,god forsakes the ,one who1 for all the countless ages of the eternal past1 had afforded ,him perfect daily delight1 was ever in ,his bosom--the only one in that wide creation who could satisfy or respond1 in the communion of equality1 to ,his affections--and turns away from ,him2 nay1 it pleased the ,lord to bruise ,him2 ,he hath put ,him to grief4 ,ponder these words2 and in view of who that crucified ,victim was1 and ,his relationship with ,god1 measure1 if you can1 the love displayed there1 the love in that one short word so--,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son2--then1 whilst viewing the cross1 hear1 coming down to us from the lips of the wise king1 ,no man knoweth love or hatred4 ,hush6 ,ecclesiastes1 hush6 ,breathe no such word in such a scene as this4 ,pardonable it were in that day1 when you looked only at the disjointed chaos and tangle under the sun2 but looking at that cross1 it were the most heinous sin1 the most unpardonable disloyalty and treason1 to say now1 ,no man knoweth love4 ,rather1 adoringly1 will we say1 ,in this was manifested the love of ,god toward us1 because that ,god sent ,his only begotten ,son into the world1 that we might live through ,him4 ,herein is love1 not that we loved ,god1 but that ,he loved us1 and sent ,his ,son to be the propitiation for our sins4 ,and we have known and believed the love that ,god has to us4 ,yea1 now let all things come alike to all3--that tender ,love shall shed its light over this stormy scene1 and enable the one that keeps it before him to walk the troubled waters of this life in quiet assurance and safety4 ,death still may play sad havoc with the most sensitive of affections2 but that ,love shall1 as we have before seen1 permit us to weep tears2 but not bitter despairing tears4 ,further1 it sheds over the spirit the glorious light of a coming ,day1 and we look forward1 not to an awful impending gloom1 but to a pathway of real light1 that pierces into eternity4 ,the ,day6 ,we are of the ,day6 ,the darkness passes1 the true light already shines6 ,then listen1 my fellow-pilgrims1 to the ,spirit's counsel3 ,but ye1 brethren1 are not in darkness1 that that day should overtake you as a thief4 ,ye are all the children of light1 and the children of the day3 we are not of the night1 nor of darkness4 ,therefore1 let us not sleep1 as do others1 but let us watch and be sober4 ,for they that sleep1 sleep in the night2 and they that are drunken1 are drunken in the night4 ,but let us who are of the ,day be sober1 putting on the breastplate of faith and love1 and for an helmet the hope of salvation4 ,our poor preacher1 in the darkness of the cloud of death1 counsels1 merrily drink thy wine4 ,and not amiss1 with such an outlook1 is such advice4 ,in the perfect ,light of ,revelation1 lighting up present and a future eternity1 well may we expect counsel as differing from this as the light in which it is given differs from the darkness4 ,the night is far spent1 the day is at hand3 let us therefore cast off the works of darkness1 and let us put on the armor of light4 ,let us walk honestly1 as in the ,day2 not in rioting and drunkenness1 not in chambering and wantonness1 not in strife and envy4 ,but put on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and make no provision for the flesh1 to fulfill the lusts thereof4 ,amen and ,amen4 ,but once again our ,preacher turns2 and now he sees that it is not assuredly possible for the advice he has given to be followed1 and that even in this life neither work1 device1 knowledge1 nor wisdom1 are effective in obtaining good or in shielding their possessor from life's vicissitudes4 ,the swift--does he always win the race8 ,are there no contingencies that more than counterbalance his swiftness8 ,a slip1 a fall1 a turned muscle1 and--the race is not to the swift4 ,the strong--is he necessarily conqueror in the fight8 ,many an unforeseen and uncontrollable event has turned the tide of battle and surprised the world1 till the fortune of war has passed into a proverb4 ,the skillful may not be able at all times to secure even the necessaries of life2 nor does abundance invariably accompany greater wisdom1 whilst no amount of intelligence can secure constant and abiding good4#b ,time and doom hap alike to all1 irrespective of man's purposes or proposings1 and no man knows what his hap shall be1 since no skill of any kind can avail to guide through the voyage of life without encountering its storms4 ,from the unlooked-for quarter1 too1 do those storms burst on us4 ,as the fishes suspect no danger till in the net they are taken1 and as the birds fear nothing till ensnared1 so we poor children of ,adam1 when our evil time comes round1 are snared without warning4 ,absolutely true this is1 if life be regarded solely by such light as human wisdom gives3 ,time and doom happen alike to all4 ,the whole scene is like one vast1 confused machine1 amongst whose intricate wheels1 that revolve with an irregularity that defies foresight1 poor man is cast at his birth2 and ever and anon1 when he least expects it1 he comes between these wheels2 and then he is crushed by some evil1 which may make an end of him altogether or leave him for further sorrows4 ,all things seem to work confusedly for evil1 and this caps the climax of ,ecclesiastes's misery4 ,here is the sequence of his reasoning3 ,firstly1 ,there is no righteous allotment upon earth2 the righteous suffer here1 whilst the unjust escape4 ,nay1 ,secondly1 ,there is an absolute lack of all discrimination in the death that ends all2 and1 ,thirdly1 ,so complete is that end1 bringing all so exactly to one dead level1 without the slightest difference2 and so impenetrable is the tomb to which all go1 that ,i counsel1 in my despair1 ,eat1 drink1 and be merry1 irrespective of any future4 ,fourthly1 ,but1 alas6 that1 too1 is impossible2 for no work1 nor device1 nor knowledge1 nor wisdom1 can assure freedom from the evil doom that haps1 soon or late1 to all4 ,intensified misery6 awful darkness indeed6 ,and our own souls tremble as we stand with ,ecclesiastes under its shadow and respond to his groanings4 ,for the same scene still spreads itself before us as before him4 ,mixed with the mad laughter and song of fools is the continued groan of sorrow1 pain1 and suffering1 that still tells of time and doom4 ,a striking instance of this comes to my hand even as ,i write2 and since its pathetic sadness makes it stand out even from the sorrows of this sad world1 ,i would take it as a direct illustration of ,ecclesiastes's groan4 ,at ,nyack on the ,hudson a ,christian family retire to rest after the happy services of last ,lord's ,day1 the #bast of ,october--an unbroken circle of seven children1 with their parents4 ,early on the following morning1 before it is light1 a fire is raging in the house1 and four of the little children are consumed in the conflagration4 ,the account concludes3 ,the funeral took place at eleven o'clock to-day4 ,that is1 in a little more than twelve hours after retiring to sleep1 four of the members of that family circle were in their graves6 ,here is an evil time that has fallen suddenly indeed2 and the sad and awful incident enables us to realize just what our writer felt as he penned the words4 ,with one stroke1 in one moment1 four children1 who have had for years their parents' daily thought and care1 meet an awful doom1 and all that those parents themselves have believed receives a blow whose force it is hard to measure4 ,now listen1 as the heathen cry1 ,where is now their ,god8 ,why was not ,his shield thrown about them8 ,had he not the power to warn the sleeping household of the impending danger8 ,is ,he so bound by some law of ,his own making as to forbid his interfering with its working8 ,worse still1 was ,he indifferent to the awful catastrophe that was about to crush the joy out of that family circle8 ,if ,his was the power1 was ,his love lacking8 ,oh1 awful questions when no answer can be given to them2--and nature gives no answer4 ,she is absolutely silent4 ,no human wisdom1 even though it be his who was gifted with a wise and understanding heart1 so that none was like him before him1 neither after him should any arise like unto him1 could give any answer to questions like these4 ,and think you1 my reader1 that nature does not cry out for comfort1 and feel about for light at such a time8 ,nor that the enemy of our souls is not quick in his malignant activity to suggest all kinds of awful doubt8 ,every form of darkness and unbelief is alive to seize such incidents1 and make them the texts on which they may level their attacks against the ,christian's ,god4 ,but is there really no eye to pity8--no heart to love8--no arm to save8 ,are men really subject to blind law--time and doom8 ,hark1 my reader1 and turn once more to that sweetest music that ever broke on distracted reason's ear4 ,it comes not to charm with a false hope1 but with the full authority of ,god4 ,none but ,his ,son who had lain so long in ,his ,father's bosom that ,he knew its blessed heart-beats thoroughly1 could speak such words--,are not five sparrows sold for two farthings4 ,here are poor worthless things indeed that may be truly called creatures of chance4 ,time and doom must surely hap to these4 ,indeed no2 not one of them is forgotten before ,god4 ,ponder every precious word in simple faith4 ,god's memory bears upon it the lot of every worthless sparrow2 it may fall to the ground1 but not without ,him4 ,he controls their destiny and is interested in their very flight4 ,if it be so with the sparrow1 that may be bought for a single mite1 shall the saint1 who has been bought at a price infinitely beyond all the treasures of silver and gold in the universe1 even at the cost of the precious blood of ,his dear ,son1--shall he be subject to time and doom8 ,shall his lot not be shaped by infinite love and wisdom8 ,yes1 verily4 ,even the very hairs of his head are all numbered4 ,no joy1 no happiness1 no disappointment1 no perplexity1 no sorrow1 so infinitesimally small 7let alone the greatest7 but that the ,one who controls all worlds takes the closest interest therein1 and turns1 in ,his love1 every thing to blessing1 forcing all to work together for good1 and making the very storms of life obedient servants to speed ,his children to their ,home4 ,faith alone triumphs here2 but faith triumphs2 and apart from such tests and trials1 what opportunity would there be for faith to triumph8 ,may we not bless ,god1 then1 7humbly enough1 for we know how quickly we fail under trial17 that ,he does leave opportunity for faith to be in exercise and to get victories8 ,god first reveals ,himself1 and then says1 as it were1 ,now let ,me see if you have so learned what ,i am as to trust ,me against all circumstances1 against all that you see1 feel1 or suffer4 ,and what virtue there must be in the ,light of ,god1 when so little of it is needed to sustain ,his child6 ,even in the dim early twilight of the dawning of divine revelation1 ,job1 suffering under a very similar and fully equal evil time1 could say1 ,the ,lord gave1 and the ,lord hath taken away1 blessed be the name of the ,lord3 accents sweet and refreshing to ,him who values at an unknown price the confidence of this poor heart of man4 ,and yet what did ,job know of ,god8 ,he had not seen the cross4 ,he had not had anything of the display of tenderest unspeakable love that have we4 ,it was but the dawn1 as we may say1 of revelation2 but it was enough to enable that poor grief-wrung heart to cry1 ,though ,he slay me1 yet will ,i trust ,him4 ,shall we1 who enjoy the very meridian of revelation light2--shall we1 who have seen ,him slain for us1 say less8 ,nay1 look at the wondrous possibilities of our calling1 my reader1--a song1 nothing but a song will do now4 ,not quiet resignation only2 but strengthened with all might1 according to ,his glorious power1 unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness1--and that means a song4 ,how rich1 how very rich1 is our portion6 ,a goodly heritage is ours4 ,for see what our considerations have brought out3 a deep need universally felt2 for none escape the sorrows1 trials1 and afflictions1 that belong1 in greater or less degree1 to this life4 ,the highest1 truest1 human wisdom can only recognize the need with a groan1 for it finds no remedy for it--time and doom hap alike to all4 ,god shows ,himself a little1 and1 lo6 quiet1 patience1 and resignation take the place of groaning4 ,the need is met4 ,god reveals ,his whole heart fully1 and no wave of sorrow1 no billow of suffering1 can extinguish the joy of ,his child who walks with ,him4 ,nay1 as thousands upon thousands could testify1 the darkest hour of trial is made the sweetest with the sense of ,his love1 and tears with song are mingled4 ,oh1 for grace to enjoy our rich portion more4 ,but to return to our book4 ,its author rarely proceeds far along any one line without meeting with that which compels him to return4 ,so here2 for he adds1 in verses #ac to the end of the chapter1 ,and yet ,i have seen the very reverse of all this1 when apparently an inevitable doom1 an 'evil time1' was hanging over a small community1 whose resources were altogether inadequate to meet the crisis--when no way of escape from the impending destruction seemed possible--then1 at the moment of despair1 a 'poor wise man' steps to the front 7such the quality there is in wisdom71 delivers the city1 comes forth from his obscurity1 shines for a moment1 and1 lo6 the danger past1 is again forgotten1 and sinks to the silence whence he came4 ,but this the incident proved to me1 that where strength is vain1 there wisdom shows its excellence1 even though men as a whole appreciate it so little as to call upon it only as a last resource4 ,for let the fools finish their babbling1 and their chief get to the end of his talking2 then1 in the silence that tells the limit of their powers1 the quiet voice of wisdom is heard again1 and that to effect4 ,thus is wisdom better even than weapons of war1 although1 sensitive quality that it is1 a little folly easily taints it4 ,can we1 my readers1 fail to set our seal to the truth of all this8 ,we1 too1 have known something much akin to that little city with few men1 and one ,poor ,man1 the very embodiment of purest1 perfect wisdom1 who wrought alone a full deliverance in the crisis--a deliverance in which wisdom shone divinely bright2 and yet the mass of men remember ,him not4 ,a few1 whose hearts grace has touched1 may count ,him the chief among ten thousand and the altogether lovely2 but the world1 though it may call itself by ,his name1 counts other objects more worthy of its attention1 and the poor wise man is forgotten under the sun4 ,not so above the sun4 ,there we see the ,poor ,one1 the ,carpenter's ,son1 the ,nazarene1 the ,reviled1 the ,smitten1 the ,spit-upon1 the ,crucified1 seated1 crowned with glory and honor1 at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens2 and there1 to a feeble few on earth1 ,he sums up all wisdom and all worth1 and they journey on in the one hope of seeing ,him soon face to face1 and being with ,him and like ,him forever4 #a ,i believe this is distinctly the bearing of these words1 and not as in our version4 #b ,there seems lo be an intensive force to these words1 constantly and in each phase becoming stronger1 in evident antithesis to the work1 device1 knowledge1 and wisdom1 that ,ecclesiastes had just counseled to use to the utmost in order to obtain good in this life4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,the climax of ,ecclesiastes' exercises seems to have been reached in the previous chapter4 ,the passionate storm is over1 and now his thoughts ripple quietly along in proverb and wise saying4 ,it is as if he said ,i was altogether beyond my depth4 ,now ,i will confine myself only to the present life1 without touching on the things unseen1 and here ,i can pronounce with assurance the conclusion of wisdom1 and sum up both its advantages and yet inadequacy4 ,the proverbs that follow are apparently disjointed1 and yet1 when closely looked at1 are all connected with this subject4 ,he shows1 in effect1 that1 take any view of life1 and practically wisdom has manifold advantages4 ,ver4 #a4 ,the least ingredient of folly spoils as with the corruption of death the greatest wisdom4 7,there is only ,one whose name is as ointment poured forth untainted47 ,ver4 #b4 ,the wise man's heart is where it should be4 ,he is governed by his understanding1 7for the heart in the ,old ,testament is the seat of the thought as well as of the affections1 as the same word1 lehv1 translated wisdom in the next verse shows71 a fool is all askew in his own being4 ,his heart is at his left hand4 ,in other words1 his judgment is dethroned4 ,ver4 #c4 ,nor can he hide what he really is for any length of time4 ,the way1 with its tests1 soon reveals him1 and he proclaims to all his folly4 ,ver4 #d4 ,yielding to the powers above rather than rebelling against them1 marks the path of wisdom4 ,this may be an example of the testing of the way previously spoken of1 for true wisdom shines brightly out in the presence of an angry ruler4 ,folly leaves its place1--a form of expression tantamount to rebelling1 and may throw some light on that stupendous primal folly when angels left their place1 or1 as ,jude writes1 kept not their first estate1 but left their habitation1 and thus broke into the folly of rebelling against the ,highest4 ,for let any leave their place1 and it means necessarily confusion and disorder4 ,if all has been arranged according to the will and wisdom of the ,highest1 he who steps out of the place assigned him rebels1 and discord takes the place of harmony4 ,the whole of the old creation is thus in disorder and confusion4 ,all have left their place4 ,for ,god1 the ,creator of all1 has been dethroned4 ,it is the blessed work of ,one we know1 once more to unite in the bonds of love and willing obedience all things in heaven and in earth1 and to bind in such way all hearts to the throne of ,god1 that never more shall one leave his place4 ,vers4 #e-g4 ,but rulers themselves under the sun are not free from folly1 and this shows itself in the disorder that actually proceeds from them4 ,orders and ranks are not in harmony4 ,folly is exalted1 and those with whom dignities accord are in lowly place4 ,it is another view of the present confusion1 and how fully the coming of the ,highest showed it out6 ,a stable1 a manger1 rejection1 and the cross1 were the portion under the sun of the ,king of kings4 ,that fact rights everything even now1 in one sense1 to faith for the path closest to the ,king must be really necessarily the highest1 though it be in the sight of man the lowest4 ,immanuel1 the ,son of ,david1 walking as a servant up and down the land that was ,his own--,the ,lord ,jesus1 ,the ,son of ,man1 having less than the foxes or birds of the air1 not even where to lay his head1--,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 wearied with ,his journey1 on the well of ,sychar1--this has thrown a glory about the lowly path now1 that makes all the grandeur of the great ones of the earth less than nothing4 ,let the light of ,his path shine on this scene1 and no longer shall we count it an evil under the sun for folly and lawlessness to have the highest place1 as men speak1 but rather count it greatest honor to be worthy to suffer for ,his name1 for we are still in the kingdom and patience of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1--not the ,kingdom and ,glory4 ,that shall come soon4 ,vers4 #h-aj4 ,but then1 ,ecclesiastes continues1 is there complete security in the humbler ranks of life8 ,nay1 there is no occupation that has not its accompanying danger4 ,digging or hedging1 quarrying or cleaving wood1--all have their peculiar difficulties4 ,although there1 too1 wisdom is still evidently better than brute strength4 ,vers4 #aa to #ae turn to the same theme of comparison of wisdom and folly1 only now with regard to the use of the tongue4 ,the most gifted charmer 7lit4 master of the tongue7 is of no worth after the serpent has bitten4 ,the waters that flow commend the spring whence they issue4 ,grace speaks for the wise3 folly1 from beginning to end1 proclaims the fool2 and nowhere is that folly more manifested than in the boastfulness of assertion as to the future4 ,predicting words he multiplies1 yet man can never know ,the thing that shall be2 yea1 what cometh after who shall tell8 ,vain toil of fools6 ,it wearieth him1--this man who knoweth naught ,that may befall his going to the city4 ,this seems to be exactly in line with the apostle ,james3 ,go to now1 ye that say1 ,to-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city1 and continue there a year1 and buy1 and sell1 and get gain3 ye who know not what shall be on the morrow4 ,vers4 #af-ah4 ,the land is blessed or cursed according to her head4 ,a well-marked principle in ,scripture1 which has evidently forced itself on the notice of human wisdom in the person of ,ecclesiastes4 ,a city flourishes under the wise diligence of her rulers1 or goes to pieces under their neglect and sensual revelry4 ,for the tendency to decay is everywhere under the sun1 and no matter what the sphere1--high or low1 city or house1--constant diligence alone offsets that tendency4 ,ver4 #ai4 ,the whole is greater than its part4 ,money can procure both the feast and the wine2 but these are not1 even in our preacher's view1 the better things1 but the poorer1 as chapter vii4 has shown us4 ,we1 too1 know that which is infinitely higher than feasts and revelry of earth1 and here money avails nothing4 ,wine and milk1 joy and food1 are here to be bought without money and without price4 ,the currency of that sphere is not corruptible gold nor silver1 but the love that gives1--sharing all it possesses4 ,there it is love that answereth all things3--the more excellent way1 inasmuch as it covers and is the spring of all gifts and graces4 ,without love1 the circulating medium of that new creation1 a man is poor indeed1--is worth nothing1 nay1 is nothing1 7#a ,cor4 xiii47 ,he may have the most attractive and showy of gifts3 the lack of love makes the silver tongue naught but empty sound1--a lack of love makes the deepest understanding naught2 and whilst he may be a very model of what the world falsely calls charity1 giving of his goods to feed the poor1 and even his body to be burned1 it is love alone that gives life and substance to it all1--lacking love it profits nothing4 ,he who abounds most in loving1 and consequent self-emptying1 is the richest there4 ,the words of the ,lord ,jesus in ,luke xii4 confirm this3 ,so is he that layeth up treasure for himself1 and is not rich toward ,god4 ,the two are in direct contrast4 ,rich here--laying up treasure for one's self here--is poverty there1 and the love that gives is divine riches4 ,for he who loves most has himself drunk deepest into the very nature of ,god1 for ,god is ,love1 and his heart fully satisfied with that which alone in all the universe can ever satisfy the heart of man1 filled up1--surely1 therefore1 rich1--pours forth its streams of bounty and blessing according to its ability to all about4 ,how thoroughly the balances of the sanctuary reverse the estimation of the world4 ,but1 then1 how may we become rich in that true1 real sense8 ,to obtain the money that answereth all things under the sun1 men toil and plan4 ,perhaps as the balances of the sanctuary show that selfish accumulation here is poverty there1 so the means of attaining true riches may be1 in some sort1 the opposite to those prevailing for the false--quietness and confidence4 ,the apostle1 closing his beautiful description of charity1 says3 ,follow after charity4 ,ponder its value--meditate on its beauties--till your heart becomes fascinated1 and you press with longing toward it4 ,but as it is difficult to be occupied with ,love in the abstract1 can we find anywhere an embodiment of love8 ,a person who illustrates it in its perfection1 in whose character every glorious mark that the apostle depicts in this #acth chapter of ,corinthians is shown in perfect moral beauty--yea1 who is in himself the one complete perfect expression of love4 ,and1 ,god be thanked1 we know ,one such2 and1 as we read the sweet and precious attributes of ,love1 we recognize that the ,holy ,spirit has pictured every lineament of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,wouldst thou be rich1 then1 my soul8 ,follow after1 occupy thyself with1 press toward1 the ,lord ,jesus1 till ,his beauties so attract as to take off thy heart from every other infinitely inferior attraction1 and the kindling of ,his love shall warm thy heart with the same holy flame1 and thou shalt seek love's ease--love's rest--in pouring out all thou hast in a world where need of all kinds is on every side1 and thus be rich toward ,god4 ,so may it be for the writer1 and every reader1 to the praise of ,his grace4 ,amen4 ,where are we1 in time1 my readers8 ,are we left as shipwrecked sailors upon a raft1 without chart or compass1 and know not whether sunken wreck or cliff-bound coast shall next threaten us8 ,no2 a true divine chart and compass is in our hands1 and we may place our finger upon the exact chronological latitude and longitude in which our lot is cast4 ,mark the long voyage of the professing ,church past the quiet waters of ,ephesus1 where first love quickly cools and is lost2 past the stormy waves of persecution which drive her onward to her desired haven1 in ,smyrna2 caught in the dangerous eddy1 and drifted to the whirlpool of the world in ,pergamos1 followed by the developed ,papal hierarchy in ,thyatira1 with the false woman in full command of the ship2 past ,sardis1 with its memories of a divine recovery in the ,reformation of the sixteenth century3--,philadelphia and ,laodicea alone are left2 and1 with mutual contention and division largely in the place of brotherly love1 who can question but that we have reached the last stage1 and that there is every mark of ,laodicea about us8 ,this being so1 mark the word of our ,lord ,jesus to the present state of the professing ,church3 ,thou sayest ,i am rich and increased with goods1 and have need of nothing1 but knowest not that thou art poor1 and blind1 and naked1 and wretched1 and miserable4 ,yes1 in the light of ,god1 in the eyes of the ,lord1 in the judgment of the sanctuary1 we live in a day of poverty4 ,it is this which characterizes the day in which our lot is cast1--a lack of all true riches1 whilst the air is filled with boastings of wealth and attainment4 ,further1 ,i can but believe that we whose eyes scan these lines are peculiarly in danger here4 ,thyatira goes on to the very end4 ,sardis is an offshoot from her4 ,sardis goes on to the end4 ,philadelphia is an offshoot from her4 ,philadelphia goes on to the end1 and is thus the stock from whence the proud self-sufficiency of ,laodicea springs4 ,if we 7you and ,i7 have shared in any way in the blessings of ,philadelphia1 we share in the dangers of ,laodicea4 ,yea1 he who thinks he represents or has the characteristics of ,philadelphia1 is most open to the boast of ,laodicea4 ,let us have to do--have holy commerce--with ,him who speaks4 ,buy of ,him the gold purified by the fire4 ,but how are we to buy8 ,what can we give for that gold1 when ,he says we are already poor8 ,a poor man is a bad buyer4 ,yes1 under the sun1 where toil and self-dependency are the road to wealth2 but above the sun quietness and confidence prevail1 and the poor man is the best--the only--buyer4 ,look at that man in ,mark's ,gospel1 chapter x41 with every mark of ,laodicea upon him4 ,blind1 by nature2 poor1 for he sat and begged2 naked1 for he has thrown away his garment1 and thus surely pitiable1 miserable1 now watch him buy of the ,lord4 ,what wilt thou that ,i should do unto thee8 ,lord1 that ,i might receive my sight4 ,go thy way2 thy faith hath made thee whole4 ,and the transaction is complete2 the contract is settled2 the buying is over4 ,immediately he received his sight1 and followed ,jesus in the way4 ,yes2 there is just one thing that that poor1 naked1 blind man has1 that is of highest value even in the eyes of the ,lord1 and that is the quiet confidence of his poor heart4 ,all ,scripture shows that that is what ,god ever seeks1--the heart of man to return and rest in ,him4 ,it is all that we can give in the purchase1 but it buys all ,he has4 ,all things are possible to him that believeth4 ,in having to do with the ,lord ,jesus we deal with the rich ,one whose very joy and rest it is to give2 and it is surely easy buying from ,him whose whole heart's desire is to give4 ,nothing is required but need and faith to complete the purchase4 ,need and ,faith are our two mites4 ,they are to us what the two mites were to the poor widow--all our living1 all we have4 ,yet1 casting them into the treasury1 ,god counts them of far more value than all the boasted abundance of ,laodicea4 ,they are the servants1 too1 that open all doors to the ,lord4 ,they permit no barriers to keep ,him at a distance4 ,that gracious waiting ,lord then may enter1 and sweet communion follow as ,he sups with poor ,need and ,faith--,himself providing all the provender for that supper-feast4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,we are drawing near the end1 and to the highest conclusions of true human wisdom2 and full of deepest interest it is to mark the character of these conclusions4 ,reason speaks2 that faculty that is rightly termed divine1 for its possession marks those who are the offspring of ,god4 ,he is the ,father of spirits1 and it is in the spirit that ,reason has her seat2 whilst in our ,preacher she is enthroned1 and now with authority utters forth her counsels4 ,here we may listen to just how far she can attain1 mark with deepest interest1 and indeed admiration1 the grand extent of her powers2 and at the same time their sorrowful limit1--note their happy harmony up to that limit1 with her ,creator2 and then1 when with baffled effort and conscious helplessness1 in view of the deepest questions that ever stir the heart1 she is able to find no answer to them1 and groans her exceeding bitter cry of ,vanity1 then to turn and listen to the grace and love of that ,creator meeting those needs and answering those questions1--this is inexpressibly precious2 and with the light thus given we must let our spirits sing a new song1 for we are nigh to ,god1 and it is still true that none enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth4 ,joy and praise have their dwelling ever within those boundaries2 for ,he inhabiteth the praises of ,his people4 ,in the first eight verses of our chapter we shall thus find man's ,reason running in a beautiful parallel with the divine1 and yet in marked contrast with the narrow1 selfish1 short-sighted policy of the debased wisdom of this world4 ,their broad teaching is very clear2 look forward1--live not for the present2 but instead of hoarding or laying up for the evil day1 cast thy bread--that staff of life1 thy living--boldly upon the waters1 it shall not be lost4 ,you have1 in so doing1 intrusted it to the care of ,him who loseth nothing2 and the future1 though perhaps far off1 shall give thee a full harvest for such sowing4 ,but1 to be more explicit1 give with a free hand without carefully considering a limit to thy gifts 7a portion to seven and also to eight would seem to have this bearing71 for who knows when1 in the future1 an evil time to thee may make thee the recipient of others' bounty4 ,can we but admire the harmony1 ,i say again1 between the voice of poor1 feeble1 limited human wisdom and the perfect1 absolute1 limitless1 divine wisdom of ,new ,testament revelation3 ,for ,i mean not that other men be eased and ye burdened2 but by an equality1 that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want1 that their abundance also may be a supply for your want3 that there may be equality4 ,this is very closely in the same line4 ,but ,solomon continues3 ,nay1 see the lessons that ,nature herself would teach 7and he is no wise man1 but distinctly and scripturally a fool1 who is deaf to her teachings1 blind to her symbols74 ,the full clouds find relief by emptying themselves on the parched earth1 only to receive those same waters again from the full ocean1 after they have fulfilled their benevolent mission2 and it is a small matter to which side1 north or south1 the tree may fall1 it is there for the good of whoever may need it there4#a ,the accidental direction of the wind determines which way it falls2 but either north or south it remains for the good of man4 ,in like manner watch not for favorable winds2 dispense on every side1 north and south1 of thy abundance2 nor be too solicitous as to the worthiness of the recipients4 ,he who waits for perfectly favorable conditions will never sow1 consequently never reap4 ,results are with ,god4 ,it is not thy care in sowing at exactly the right moment that gives the harvest2 all that is ,god's inscrutable work in nature1 nor can man tell how those results are attained4 ,life in its commencements is as completely enshrouded in mystery now as then4 ,no science1 no human wisdom has1 or--it may be boldly added--ever can throw the slightest glimmer of clear light upon it4 ,thy part is diligence in sowing1 the harvest return is ,god's care4 ,in the morning sow thy seed1 and in the evening withhold not thy hand is wisdom's counsel here1 just as a higher wisdom teaches ,preach the word3 be instant in season and out of season4 ,thus human reason and divine wisdom keep step together till the former reaches its limit2 and very soon1 in looking forward1 is that limit reached4 ,for listen now to her advice1 consequent on the foregoing4 ,therefore she says1 ,let not the enjoyment of the present blind thee to the future2 for alas there stands that awful mysterious ,exit from the scene that has again and again baffled the ,preacher throughout the book4 ,and here again no science or human reason ever has or ever can throw the faintest glimmer of clear light beyond it4 ,that time is still1 at the end of the book1 the days of darkness4 ,as poor ,job in the day of his trial wails3 ,i go whence ,i shall not return1 even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death2 a land of darkness as darkness itself1 and of the shadow of death1 without any order1 and where the light is as darkness4 ,so ,ecclesiastes says1 let him remember the days of darkness1 for they shall be many4 ,oh sad and gloomy counsel6 ,is this what life is8 ,its bright morning ever to be clouded1--its day to be darkened with the thoughts of its end8 ,oh sorrowful irony to tell us to rejoice in the years of life1 and yet ever to bear in mind that those years are surely1 irresistibly1 carrying us on to the many days of darkness4 ,yes1 this is where the highest intellect1 the acutest reason1 the purest wisdom of any man at any time has attained4 ,but ,where ,reason fails1 with all her powers1 ,there ,faith prevails and ,love adores4 ,where the darkness by reason's light is deepest1 there ,love--,infinite and ,eternal--has thrown its brightest beam1 and far from that time beyond the tomb being the days of darkness1 by ,new ,testament revelation it is the one eternal blessed ,day lit up with a ,light that never dims2 yes1 even sun and moon unneeded for ,the glory of ,god enlightens it1 and the ,lamb is the ,light thereof4 ,think of a ,christian with that blessed hope of the coming of his ,saviour to take him to that well-lighted ,home--,his ,father's ,house--with the sweet and holy anticipations of seeing ,his own blessed ,face1--once marred and smitten for him2 of never grieving ,him more1 of sin never again to mar his communion with ,him1 of happy holy companionship for eternity with kindred hearts and minds all tuned to the one glorious harmony of exalting ,him that sits upon the throne and the ,lamb1--of loving ,him perfectly1 of serving ,him perfectly1 of enjoying ,him perfectly1--think of such a ,christian saying1 as ,he looks forward to this bliss1 ,all that cometh is vanity1 and we may get some measure of the value of the precious word of ,god4 ,but now with a stronger blow our writer strikes the same doleful chord3 ,rejoice1 ,o young man1 in thy youth1 and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth1 and walk in the ways of thy heart1 and in the sight of thine eyes3 but know thou1 that for all these things ,god will bring thee into judgment4 ,one would think that there could be no possible misunderstanding the sorrowful irony of the counsel to walk in the ways of thy heart1 and in the sight of thine eyes1--expressions invariably used in an evil sense 7compare ,num4 xv4 #ci2 ,isa4 lvii4 #ag72 and yet1 to be consistent with the interpretation to similar counsel in other parts of the book1 expounders have sought to give them a ,christian meaning1 as if they were given in the light of revelation and not in the semi-darkness of nature4 ,but here the concluding sentence1 know thou1 that for all these things ,god will bring thee into judgment1 is quite unmistakable4 ,but here is indeed a startling assertion4 ,where has our writer learned1 with such emphatic certainty1 of a judgment to come8 ,have we mistaken the standpoint whence our book was written8 ,has the writer1 after all1 been listening to another ,voice that has taught him what is on the other side of the grave8 ,does ,revelation make itself heard here at last8 ,or may1 perhaps1 even this be in perfect harmony with all that has gone before1 and be one step further--almost the last step--along the path that unaided 7but not depraved7 human ,reason may tread8 ,in a word1 does ,nature herself give ,reason sufficient light to enable her1 when in right exercise1 to discover a judgment-seat in the shadows of the future8 ,this is surely a question of deepest--yes1 thrilling--interest2 and1 we are confident1 must be answered in the affirmative4 ,it is to this point that our writer has been climbing1 step by step4 ,nature has taught him that the future must be looked at rather than the present2 or1 rather1 the present must be looked at in the light of the future2 for that future corresponds in its character to the present1 as the crop does to the seed1 only exceeds it in intensity as the harvest exceeds the grain sown4 ,thus bread hoarded gives no harvest2 or1 in other words1 he who lives for the present alone1 necessarily1 by the simplest and yet strongest law of ,nature1 must suffer loss3 this is ,judgment by ,nature's law4 ,this1 too1 is the keynote of every verse--the future1 the future2 and ,god1 who is clearly discerned by ,reason as behind ,nature1 which is but the name for an effect whose ,cause is ,god1--,god is clearly recognized as returning a harvest in the future1 in strict and accurate accord with the sowing of the present4 ,this is very clear4 ,then how simple and how certain that if this is ,god's irrefragable law in ,nature1 it must have its fulfillment too in the moral nature of man4 ,it has been one of the chief sorrows of the book that neither wrong nor confusion is righted here1 and those days of darkness to which all life tends are no discriminative judgment1 nor is there anything of the kind in a scene where all things come alike to all4 ,then surely1 most surely1 unless indeed man alone sows without reaping1--alone breaks in as an exception to this law1--a thought not consonant with reason1--there must be to him also a harvest of reaping according to what has been sown3 in other words a ,judgment4 ,although still1 let us mark1 our writer does not assume to say anything as to where or when that shall be1 or how brought about1 this is all uncertain and indefinite3 the fact is certain2 and more clear will the outline of that judgment-seat stand out1 as our writer's eyes become accustomed to the new light in which he is standing1--the fact is already certain4 ,solemn1 most solemn1 is this2 and yet how beautiful to see a true reason--but let us emphasize again not depraved1 but exercising her royal function of sovereignty over the flesh1 not subject to it--drawing such true and sure lessons from that which she sees of the law of ,god in ,nature4 ,it is a reasonable1 although in view of sin1 a fearful expectation2 and with exactness is the word chosen in ,acts3 ,paul reasoned of judgment to come2 and reason1 with conscience1 recognized the force of the appeal1 as ,felix trembled4 ,thus that solemn double appointment of man3 death and judgment has been discerned by ,nature's light1 and counsel is given in view of each4 ,we said that our writer had reached the climax of his perplexities in view of death in chap4 ix4 when he counseled us to merrily drink our wine2 but now judgment discerned1 death itself even not necessarily the end1 at length soberness prevails2 and with an evident solemn sincerity he counsels ,therefore remove sorrow from thy heart1 and put away evil from thy flesh1 for childhood and youth are vanity4 #a ,the current interpretation of this clause1 that it speaks of the future state of man after death1 seems hardly in keeping with the context1 and certainly not at all in keeping with the character and scope of the book4 ,ecclesiastes everywhere confesses the strict limitation of his knowledge to the present scene4 ,this is the cause of his deepest groanings that he cannot pierce beyond it2 and it would be entirely contrary for him here1 in this single instance1 to assume to pronounce authoritatively of the nature of that place or state of which he says he knows nothing4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,our last chapter concluded with the words1 ,for childhood and youth are vanity3 that is1 childhood proves the emptiness of all beneath the sun1 as well as old age4 ,the heart of the child has the same needs--the same capacity in kind--as that of the aged4 ,it needs ,god4 ,unless it knows ,him1 and ,his love is there1 it is empty2 and1 in its fleeting character1 childhood proves its vanity4 ,but this makes us quite sure that if childhood can feel the need1 then ,god has1 in ,his wide grace1 met the need2 nor is that early life to be debarred from the provision that ,he has made for it4 ,there are then the same possibilities of filling the heart and life of the young child with that divine love that fills every void1 and turns the cry of ,vanity into the ,song of ,praise3 ,yea1 out of the mouth of babes and sucklings ,thou hast perfected praise4 ,but our writer is by no means able thus to touch any chord in the young heart that shall vibrate with the music of praise4 ,such as he has1 however1 he gives us3 ,remember now thy ,creator in the days of thy youth1 while the evil days come not1 nor the years draw nigh1 when thou shalt say1 ,i have no pleasure in them4 ,this counsel must not be separated from the context4 ,it is based absolutely and altogether on what has now been discerned3 for not only is our writer a man of the acutest intelligence1 but he evidently possesses the highest qualities of moral courage4 ,he shirks no question1 closes his eyes to no fact1 and least of all to that awful fact of man's compulsory departure from this scene which is called death4 ,but following on1 he has found that even this cannot possibly be all2 there must be a judgment that shall follow this present life4 ,it is in view of this he counsels ,remember thy ,creator in the days of thy youth1 whilst the effect of time is to mature1 and not destroy1 the powers ,he has given thee3 for not forever will life's enjoyment last2 old age comes surely1 and ,he who made thee1 holds thy spirit in ,his hand1 so that whilst the body may return to dust1 the spirit must return to ,him who gave it4 ,we will only pause for a moment again to admire the glorious elevation of this counsel4 ,how good were it if the remembrance of a ,creator-,god1 to whom all are accountable1 could tone1 with out quenching1 the fire and energy of youthful years1 and lead in the clean paths of righteousness4 ,but1 alas1 how inadequate to meet the actual state of things4 ,solomon himself shall serve to illustrate the utter inadequacy of his own counsel4 ,what comfort or hope could he extract from it8 ,his were now already the years in which he must say ,i have no pleasure in them4 ,a more modern poet might have voiced his cry1-- ,my age is in the yellow leaf1 ,the bud1 the fruit of 'life1' is gone3 ,the worm1 the canker1 and the grief1 ,remain alone6 ,his youth was no more3 its bright days were forever past1 never to be restored4 ,what remains1 then1 for ,solomon1 and the myriads like him8 ,what shall efface the memory of those wasted years1 or what shall give a quiet peace1 in view of the fast-coming harvest of that wild sowing8 ,can ,reason--can any human ,wisdom--find any satisfactory answer to these weighty questions8 ,none6 ,verses #b to #g beautifully and poetically depict the fall of the city of man's body under the slow but sure siege of the forces of ,time4 ,gradually1 but without one moment's pause1 the trenches approach the walls4 ,outwork after outwork falls into the enemy's hands1 until he is victor over all1 and the citadel itself is taken4 ,verse #b4--;,first1 clouds come over the spirit3 the joyousness of life is dulled1--the exuberance of youth is quenched4 ,sorrow follows quickly on the heel of sorrow1--clouds return after rain4 ,those waves that youth's light bark rode gallantly and with exhilaration1 now flood the laboring vessel and shut out the light--the joy--of life4 ,verse #c4--,then the hands 7the keepers of the house7 tremble with weakness1 and the once strong men 7the knees7 now feeble1 bend under the weight of the body they have so long borne4 ,the few teeth 7grinders7 that may remain fail to do their required service4 ,time's finger touches1 too1 those watchers from the turret-windows 7the eyes73 shade after shade falls over them2 till1 like slain sentinels that drop at their posts1 they look out again never-more4 ,verse #d4--;,closer still the enemy presses1 till the close-beleaguered fortress is shut out from all communication with the outer world2 the doors are shut in the streets2 the ears are dulled to all sounds4 ,even the grinding of the mill1#a which in an eastern house rarely ceases1 reaches him but as a low murmur1 though it be really as loud as the shrill piping of a bird1 and all the sweet melodies of song are no longer to be enjoyed4 ,verse #e4--,time's sappers1 too1 are busily at work1 although unseen1 till the effect of their mining becomes evident in the alarm that is felt at the slightest need of exertion4 ,the white head1 too1 tells its tale1 and adds its testimony to the general decay4 ,the least weight is as a heavy burden2 nor can the failing appetite be again awakened4 ,the man is going to his age-long home#b2 for now those four seats of life are invaded and broken up--spinal-cord1 brain1 heart1 and blood1--till at length body and spirit part company1 each going whence it came2--that1 to its kindred dust2 this1 to the ,god who gave it4 ,thus to the high wisdom of ,solomon man is no mere beast1 after all4 ,he may not penetrate the ,beyond to describe that age-long home1 but never of the beast would he say the spirit to ,god who gave it4 ,but his very wisdom again leads us to the most transcendent need of more4 ,to tell us this1 is to lead us up a mountain-height1 to a bridgeless abyss which we have to cross1 without having a plank or even a thread to help us4 ,to ,god the spirit goes1--to ,god who gave it1--to ,whom1 then1 it is responsible4 ,but in what condition8 ,is it conscious still1 or does it lose consciousness as in a deep sleep8 ,where does it now abide8 ,how can it endure the searching ,light--the infinite holiness and purity--of the ,god to whom it goes8 ,how shall it give account for the wasted years8 ,how answer for the myriad sins of life8 ,how reap what has been sown8 ,silence here--no answer here--is awful indeed1--is maddening2 and if reason does still hold her seat1 then ,vanity of vanities1 all is vanity1 is alone consistent with the fearful silence to such questions1 and the scene is fitly ended by a groan4 ,deep even unto the shadow of death is the gloom4 ,every syllable of this last sad wail is as a funeral knell to all our hopes1 tolling mournfully2 and1 like a passing bell1 attending them1 too1 to their age-long home6 ,oh1 well for us if we have heard a clearer ,voice than that of poor feeble human ,reason break in upon the silence1 and1 with a blessed1 perfect1 lovely combination of ,wisdom and ,love1 of ,authority and ,tenderness1 of ,truth and ,grace1 give soul-satisfying answers to all our questionings4 ,then may we rejoice1 if grace permit1 with joy unspeakable2 and1 even in the gloom of this sad scene1 lift heart and voice in a shout of victory4 ,we1 too1 know what it is for the body thus to perish4 ,we1 too1 though redeemed1 still await the redemption of the body1 which in the ,christian is still subject to the same ravages of time1--sickness1 disease1 pain1 suffering1 decay4 ,but a gracious ,revelation has taught us a secret that ,ecclesiastes never guessed at2 and we may sing1 even with the fall of ,nature's walls about us1 ,though our outward man perish1 yet the inward man is renewed day by day4 ,yea1 every apparent victory of the enemy is now only to be answered with a new song of joyful praise4 ,it is true that1 under the sun1 the clouds return after the rain2 and1 because it is true1 we turn to that firmament of faith where our ,lord ,jesus is both ,sun and ,star1 and where the light ever shineth more and more unto perfect day4 ,let the keepers tremble1 and the strong men bow themselves4 ,we may now lean upon another and an everlasting ,arm1 and know another ,strength which is even perfected in this very weakness4 ,the grinders may cease because they are few2 but their loss cannot prevent our feeding ever more and more heartily and to the fill on ,god's ,bread of ,life4 ,let those that look out of the windows be darkened3 the inward eye becomes the more accustomed to another--purer1 clearer--light2 and we see that which is invisible1 and seeing1 we hopefully sing-- ,city of the pearl-bright portal1 ,city of the jasper wall1 ,city of the golden pavement1 ,seat of endless festival1-- ,city of ,jehovah1 ,salera1 ,city of eternity1 ,to thy bridal-hall of gladness1 ,from this prison would ,i flee1-- ,heir of glory1 ,that shall be for thee and me6 ,let doors be shut in the streets1 and let all the daughters of music be brought low1 so that the ,babel of this world's discord be excluded1 and so that the ,lord ,himself be on the inside of the closed door1 we may the more undistractedly enjoy the supper of our life with ,him1 and ,he 7the blessed1 gracious ,one67 with us4 ,then naught can prevent ,his ,voice being heard1 whilst the more sweet and clear 7though still ever faint1 perhaps7 may the echo to that ,voice arise in melody within the heart1 where ,god ,himself is the gracious ,listener6 ,let fears be in the way1 we know a ,love than can dispel all fear and give a new and holy boldness even in full view of all the solemn verities of eternity2 for it is grounded on the perfect accepted work of a divine ,redeemer--the faithfulness of a divine ,word4 ,the very hoary head becomes not merely the witness of decay1 and of a life fast passing2 but the almond-tree has another1 brighter meaning now3 it is a figure of that crown of life which in the new-creation scene awaits the redeemed4 ,if appetite fail here1 the more the inward longing1 and the satisfaction that ever goes hand in hand with it1 may abound2 and the inward man thus be strengthened and enlarged so as to have greater capacity for the enjoyment of those pleasures that are at ,god's right hand for evermore4 ,till at length the earthly house of this tabernacle may be dissolved4 ,dust may still return to dust1 and there await1 what all ,creation awaits--the glorious resurrection1 its redemption4 ,whilst the spirit--yes1 what of the spirit8 ,to ,god who gave it8 ,ah1 far better3 to ,god who loved and redeemed it1--to ,him who has so cleansed it by ,his own blood1 that the very ,light of ,god can detect no stain of sin upon it1 even though it be the chief of sinners4 ,so amid the ruins of this earthly tabernacle may the triumphant song ascend above the snapping of cords1 the breaking of golden bowls and pitchers1 the very crash of nature's citadel3 ,oh1 death1 where is thy sting8 ,oh1 grave1 where is thy victory8 ,the sting of death is sin2 and the strength of sin is the law4 ,but thanks be to ,god that giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,this meets--meets fully1 meets satisfactorily--the need4 ,now none will deny that this need is deep1--real4 ,hence it can be no mere sentiment1 no airy speculation1 no poetical imagination1 no cunningly devised fable that can meet that need4 ,the remedy must be as real as the disease1 or it avails nothing4 ,no phantom key may loosen so hard-closed a lock as this3 it must be real1 and be made for it4 ,for suppose we find a lock of such delicate and complicated construction that no key that can be made will adapt itself to all its windings4 ,many skilled men have tried their hands and failed1--till at length the wisest of all attempts it1 and even he in despair cries vanity4 ,then another key is put into our hands by ,one who claims to have made the very lock we have found4 ,we apply it1 and its intricacies meet every corresponding intricacy2 its flanges fill every chamber1 and we open it with perfect facility4 ,what is the reasonable1 necessary conclusion8 ,we say--and rightly1 unavoidably say--,he who made the lock must have made the key4 ,his claim is just3 they have been made by one maker4 ,so by the perfect rest it brings to the awakened conscience--by the quiet calm it brings to the troubled mind--by the warm love that it reveals to the craving heart--by the pure light that it sheds in satisfactory answer to all the deep questions of the spirit--by the unceasing unfoldings of depths of perfect transcendent wisdom--by its admirable unity in variety--by the holy1 righteous settlement of sin1 worthy of a holy1 righteous ,god--by the peace it gives1 even in view of wasted years and the wild sowing of the past--by the joy it maintains even in view of the trials and sorrows of the present--by the hope with which it inspires the future2--by all these we know that our key 7the precious ,word that ,god has put into our hands7 is a reality indeed1 and as far above the powers of ,reason as the heavens are above the earth1 therefore necessarily--incontestably--,,divine6 ,this brings us to the concluding words of our book4 ,now who has been leading us all through these exercises8 ,a disappointed sensualist8 ,a gloomy stoic8 ,a cynic--selfish1 depressed8 ,not at all4 ,distinctly a wise man2--wise1 for he gives that unequivocal proof of wisdom1 in that he cares for others4 ,it is the wise who ever seek to win souls1 to turn many to righteousness4 ,because the preacher was wise1 he still taught the people knowledge4 ,no cynic is ,ecclesiastes4 ,his sympathies are still keen2 he knows well and truly the needs of those to whom he ministers3 knows too1 how man's wretched heart ever rejects its own blessing2 so1 in true wisdom1 he seeks acceptable words3 endeavoring to sweeten the medicine he gives1 clothes his counsel in words of delight 7margin74 ,thus here we find all the words of delight that human wisdom can find1 in view of life in all its aspects from youth to old age4 ,for whilst it is certainly difficult satisfactorily to trace the order in detail in the book1--and perhaps this is perfectly consistent with its character1--yet there can be no question but that it begins by looking at1 and testing1 those sensual enjoyments that are peculiarly attractive to youth1 and ends with the departure of all in old age1 and1 finally--dissolution4 ,there is1 evidently1 that much method4 ,we may also1 further1 note that the body of the book is taken up with such themes as interest men who are between these two extremes3 occupations1 business1 politics1 and1 as men speak1 religion4 ,all the various states and conditions of man are looked at3 kings1 princes1 nobles1 magistrates1 rich and poor1 are all taken up and discussed in this search for the one thing that true human reason can call absolutely good for man4 ,further method than this might perhaps be inconsistent with the confusion of the scene under the sun he is regarding1 and his own inability to bring order out of the confusion4 ,there would be thus true method in the absence of method1 as the cry of ,vanity1 doleful as it is1 is alone in harmony with the failure of all his efforts4 ,yes1 for whilst here he speaks of words of delight1 one can but wonder to what he can refer1 unless it be to something still to come4 ,thus far1 as he has taken up and dropped1 with bitter discouragement1 subject after subject1 his burdened1 overcharged heart involuntarily has burst out with the cry1 ,vanity of vanities1 all is vanity6 ,words of delight6 ,find one in all that we have gone over that can be to a guilty sinner's ear a word of delight--such as it can really take in as meeting its needs2 for this seems to be the force of the word here translated acceptable3 so perfectly adapted to the needs of the heart it addresses that that heart springs joyfully to embrace it at once4 ,we have surely1 thus far1 found none such4 ,a ,judge has been discerned in ,god2 but small delight in this surely1 if ,i am the sinner to be judged4 ,verses #aa-ad4 ,wisdom's words are not known by quantity1 but quality4 ,not many books1 with the consequent weary study2 but the right word--like a goad3 sharp1 pointed1 effective--and on which may hang1 as on a nail1 much quiet meditation4 ,given1 too1 from one shepherd1 hence not self-contradictory and confusing to the listeners4 ,in this way ,ecclesiastes would evidently direct our most earnest attention to what follows3 the conclusion of the whole matter4 ,here is absolutely the highest counsel of true human wisdom--the climax of her reasonings--the high-water-mark of her attainments--the limit to which she can lead us3 ,fear ,god1 and keep his commandments3 for this is the whole duty of man4 ,for ,god shall bring every work into judgment1 with every secret thing1 whether it be good or whether it be evil4 ,who will deny that this is indeed admirable8 ,is there not a glorious moral elevation in this conclusion8 ,note how it gives the ,creator-,god ,his rightful place2 puts the creature1 man1 in the absolutely correct relationship of obedience1 and speaks with perfect assurance of a discriminative judgment where every single work1 yes1 secret thing1 shall be shown out in its true character as it is good or evil in ,his holy sight3 where everything that is wrong and distorted here shall be put right4 ,it is truly much1 but alas for man if this were indeed the end4 ,alas for one1 conscious of having sinned already1 and broken ,his commandments1 whether those commandments be expressed in the ten words of the law1 as given from ,sinai1 or in that other law which is common to all men1 the work of which1 written in their hearts1 they show--conscience4 ,there is no gleam of light1 ray of hope1 or grain of comfort here4 ,a judgment to come1 assured1 can only be looked forward to1 with1 at the best1 gloomy uncertainty1 and awful misgiving--if not with assured conviction of a fearful condemnation2 and here our writer leaves us with the assurance that this is the conclusion of the whole matter4 ,who can picture the terrors of this darkness in which such a conclusion leaves us8 ,guilty1 trembling1 with untold sins and wasted years behind2 with the awful consciousness that my very being is the corrupt fountain whence those sins flowed1 and yet with a certain judgment before in which no single thing is to escape a divinely searching examination3 better had it been to have left us still asleep and unconscious of these things1 and so to have permitted us to secure1 at least1 what pleasure we could out of this present life under the sun1 without the shadow of the future ever thrown over us2--yea1 such conclusion leaves us of all men most miserable4 ,i would1 beloved reader1 that we might by grace realize something of this4 ,nor let our minds be just touched by the passing thoughts1 but pause for a few minutes1 at least1 and meditate on the scene at this last verse in the only book in our ,bible in which man at his best and highest1 in his richest and wisest1 is heard telling us his exercises as he looks at this tangled state of affairs under the sun and gives us to see1 as nowhere else can we see1 the very utmost limit to which he1 as such1 can attain4 ,if this sinks down into our hearts1 we shall be the better prepared to apprehend and appreciate the grace that meets him there at the edge of that precipice to which ,reason leads but which she cannot bridge4 ,oh1 blessed grace6 ,in the person of our royal ,preacher we are here indeed at our wit's end in every sense of the word2 but that is ever and always the place where another hand may lead us1 where another ,wisdom than poor feeble human ,reason may find a way of escape1 and deliver us out of our distresses4 ,then let us turn our ear and listen to another voice3 ,for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 that every one may receive the things done in his body1 according to that he hath done1 whether it be good or bad4 ,but stay4 ,is this the promised grace of which even now we spoke8 ,is this the deliverance for which we hoped8 ,a judgment-seat still8--from which still no escape for any3 and a reception according to the things done1 whether they be good or bad6 ,wherein does this differ from ,solomon's conclusion of the whole matter8 ,in just two words only--,of ,christ4 ,it is now the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,added terror1 ,i admit1 to ,his despisers and rejectors2 but to you and me1 dear fellow-believer1 through grace the difference these two words make is infinity itself4 ,for look at ,him who sits upon the judgment-seat2--be not afraid2 regard ,him patiently and well2 ,he bears many a mark whereby you may know ,him1 and recognize in the ,judge the very ,one who has ,himself borne the full penalty of all your sins4 ,see ,his hands and ,his feet1 and behold ,his side6 ,you stand before ,his judgment-seat4 ,remember1 too1 the word ,he spake long ago1 but as true as ever1 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into judgment1 but is passed from death unto life--and as we thus remember both ,his word and ,his work1 we may be fully assured1 even as we stand here1 that there must be a sense1 and an important sense1 in which judgment for us is passed forever4 ,i may not be able to harmonize these ,scriptures2 but ,i will cleave1 at least1 to that which ,i clearly understand2 in other words1 to that which meets my present needs 7for we only truly understand what meets our need72 afterward1 other needs may arise that shall make the other scriptures equally clear4 ,he bore my sins--the judgment of ,god has been upon ,him1 cannot1 therefore1 be upon me--into that judgment ,i shall never come4 ,then why is it written we must all appear 7or rather be manifested1 be clearly shown out in true light7 before the judgment seat of ,christ8 ,there is just one thing ,i need before entering the joys of eternity4 ,i am1 as ,jacob in ,genesis xxxv41 going up to ,bethel1 to dwell there4 ,i must know that everything is fully suited to the place to which ,i go4 ,i need1 ,i must have1 everything out clearly4 ,yes1 so clearly1 that it will not do to trust even my own memory to bring it out4 ,i need the ,lord who loved me and gave ,himself for me to do it4 ,he will4 ,how precious this is for the believer who keeps his eye on the ,judge6 ,how blessed for him that ere eternity begins full provision is made for the perfect security of its peace--for a communion that may not be marred by a thought6 ,never after this shall a suspicion arise in our hearts1 during the long ages that follow1 that there is one thing--one secret thing--that has not been known and dealt with holily and righteously1 according to the infinite purity of the ,judgment ,seat of ,christ4 ,suppose that this were not so written2 let alone for a moment that there never could be true discriminative rewards2 might not memory be busy1 and might not some evil thought allowed during the days of the life in the flesh1 long1 long forgotten1 be suddenly remembered1 and the awful question arise1 ,is it possible that that particular evil thing has been overlooked8 ,it was subsequent to the hour that ,i first accepted ,him for my ,saviour4 ,i have had no thought of it since4 ,i am not aware of ever having confessed it4 ,would not that silence the song of ,heaven1 embitter even its joy1 and still leave tears to be wiped away8 ,it shall not be4 ,all shall be out first4 ,all--every secret thing4 ,other ,scriptures shall show us how these things are dealt with4 ,every man's work shall be made manifest1 for the day shall declare it1 because it 7that is1 the day7 shall be revealed in fire1 and the fire shall try every man's work1 of what sort it is4 ,if any man's work abide1 he shall receive a reward4 ,if any man's work shall be burnt1 he shall suffer loss1 but he himself shall be saved1 yet so as by fire4 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him shall ,god destroy4 7#a ,cor4 iii47 ,that day is revealed in fire1 7,divine judgment17 and gold1 silver1 precious stones--those works which are of ,god--alone can stand the test4 ,all others burn like wood1 hay1 stubble4 ,look forward a little4 ,in the light of these ,scriptures1 see one standing before that ,judgment ,seat4 ,he once hung by the side of the ,judge ,himself upon a cross on earth4 ,see his works being manifested4 ,is there one that can be found gold1 silver1 precious stones8 ,not one4 ,they burn2 they all burn3 but mark carefully his countenance as his works burn4 ,mark the emotions that manifest themselves through the ever-deepening sense of the wondrous grace that could have snatched such an one as is there being manifested from the burning4 ,not a sign of terror4 ,not a question for a single instant as to his own salvation now4 ,he has been with ,christ1 in the ,judge's own company1 for a long time already1 and perfectly established is his heart1 in the love that said to him long ago1 ,this day thou shalt be with me in ,paradise4 ,now as all his works burn1 the fire within burns too1 and he is well prepared to sing unto ,him who loves us and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood4 ,and yet stay3--,here is something at the very last4 ,it is his word1 ,dost thou not fear ,god1 seeing thou art in the same condemnation1 and we indeed justly1 for we receive the due reward of our deeds1 but this man hath done nothing amiss4 ,lord1 remember me when ,thou comest into ,thy kingdom4 ,gold6 gold at last6 as we may say2 and he too receives praise of ,god4 ,yes1 not one that shall have the solemn joy of standing before that tribunal but has1 in some measure1 that praise4 ,for is it not written1 then 7at that very time7 shall every one have praise of ,god4 ,this honor have all his saints4 ,where and when does this judgment of our works1 then1 take place8 ,it must be subsequent to our rapture to the air of which we have spoken1 and prior to our manifestation with ,christ as sons of ,god4 ,for by all the ways of ,god1 through all the ages1 those scenes could never be carried out before an unbelieving hostile world4 ,never has ,he exposed1 never will ,he so expose ,his saints4 ,all will be over when we come forth with ,him to live and reign a thousand years4 ,the bride has made herself ready1 and the robes in which she comes forth--the white linen--are indeed the righteousnesses of the saints1 but these have been washed and made white in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,but all must stand before ,him2 and not even yet has that been fulfilled4 ,cain and the long line of rejectors of mercy and light1 ever broadening as time's sad ages have passed till their path has been called the broad way1 have not yet stood there4 ,has death saved them from judgment8 ,no1 for we read of the resurrection of judgment--the judgment that comes necessarily after death1 and includes the dead1 and only the dead4 ,i saw a great white throne1 and ,him that sat on it1 from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away1 and there was found no place for them4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god2 and the books were opened1 and another book was opened1 which is the ,book of ,life3 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works4 ,and the sea gave up the dead which were in it1 and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them1 and they were judged every man according to their works1 and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire4 ,this is the second death4 ,and whosoever was not found written in the ,book of ,life was cast into the lake of fire4 ,here1 too1 we see an exact1 perfect1 retributive1 discriminating judgment4 ,the ,book of ,life bears not the name of one here4 ,there is that one broad distinction between the saved and the lost--the life-line1 as we may call it4 ,how carefully are we told at the very last of this ,book of ,life1 that we may most clearly understand1 for our comfort1 that the feeblest touch of faith of but the hem of ,his garment--perhaps not even directly ,his ,person1 but that which is seen surrounding ,his ,person1 as the visible creation may be said to do--7,psalms cii4 #be1 #f7 let any have touched ,him there1 and life results4 ,his name is found in the ,book of ,life1 and he shall not see the second death4 ,apart from this--the second death3 the lake of fire6 ,and yet1 whilst darkness and wrath are the common lot of the rejectors of light and love1 there is1 necessarily1 almost infinite difference in the degrees of that darkness and fierceness of that wrath1 dependent exactly on the degree of rejection of light and love4 ,as our ,lord tells us1 he that knew his ,lord's will1 and prepared not himself1 shall be beaten with many stripes4 ,but he that knew not1 and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes4 ,for unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required2 and to whom men have committed much1 of him they will ask the more4 ,all is absolutely right4 ,nothing more now to be made right ,the ages of eternity may roll in unbroken peace2 with ,god--manifested in all the universe as light and love--all in all4 ,and now1 dear readers1 the time has come to say farewell for a season to our writer and to each other4 ,let this leave-taking not be with the groans of ,ecclesiastes' helplessness in our ears4 ,we have stood by his side and tested with him the sad unsatisfying pleasures connected with the senses under the sun4 ,we have turned from them1 and tried the purer1 higher pleasures of the intellect and reason1 and groaned to find them equally unsatisfying4 ,we have looked through his wearied eyes at this scene1 restless in its unending changes1 and yet with nothing really new4 ,we have felt a little1 with his sensitive1 sympathetic heart1 for the oppressed and down-trodden under the sun1 and groaned in our helplessness to right their wrongs4 ,we have groaned1 too1 at his and our inability to understand or solve the contradictory tangle of life that seemed to deny either the providence or the goodness of a clearly recognized ,creator4 ,we have followed with him along many a hopeful path till it led us to a tomb1 and then we have bowed head with him1 and groaned in our agonizing inability to pierce further4 ,we have seen1 too1 with him that there is not the slightest discrimination in that ending of man's race1 and worse1 even than groans to our ears1 has been the wild1 sad counsel of despair1 ,merrily drink thy wine4 ,but quickly recovering from this1 we have wondered with great admiration as our guide's clear reason led him1 and us1 still on and on to discern1 a final harvest-judgment that follows all earth's sowings4 ,but there1 as we have stood beside him in spirit1 before that awful judgment-seat to which he has led us1 and turned to him for one word of light or comfort in view of our sin and wrong doings--the deepest need of all--we have been met with a silence too deeply agonizing1 even for the groan of vanity4 ,groans1 groans1 nothing but groans1 at every turn6 ,and then with what relief--oh1 what relief1 ever increasing as the needs increased--have we turned to the ,greater than the greatest of men under the sun1 and1 placing the hand of faith in ,his1 we have been led into other scenes1 and have found every single need of our being fully1 absolutely1 satisfactorily met4 ,our body if now the seat of sin and suffering1 yet we have learned to sing in the joyful hope of its soon being like ,him forever4 ,our soul's affections have in ,him a satisfying object1 whilst ,his love may fill the poor1 empty1 craving heart till it runs over with a song all unknown under the sun1--our spirit's deep questions1 as they have come up1 have all been met and answered in such sort that each answer strikes a chord that sounds with the melody of delight2--till at last death itself is despoiled of his terrors1 and our song is still more sweet and clear in the tyrant's presence1 for he is no longer a king over us1 but our servant4 ,even the deepest1 most awful terror of all to sinners such as we--the ,judgment-seat--has given us new cause for still more joyful singing2 for we have in that pure clear light recognized in ,god--our ,creator-,god1 our ,redeemer-,god--a love so full1 so true1--working with a wisdom so infinite1 so pure1--in perfect harmony with a righteousness so unbending1 so inflexible1--with a holiness not to be flecked or tarnished by a breath1--all combining to put us at joyful ease in the very presence of judgment--to find there1 as nowhere else possible1 all that is in ,god in ,his infinity told out1 7love with us made perfect17 and that means that all the creatures' responsive love must find sweet relief in a song that it will take eternity itself to end4 ,in our ,father's ,house we only begin to be merry1 and end nevermore1 as we sound the depths of a wisdom that is fathomless1 know a love that passeth knowledge2--singing1 singing1 nothing but singing1 and ever a new song6 ,may ,god1 in ,his grace1 make this the joyful experience of reader and writer1 for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ's sake6 ,amen4 #a ,this differs from the usual interpretation1 which makes this verse a metaphor of the mouth and teeth4 ,this has been rejected above1 not only on account of the direct evidence of its faultiness1 and the fanciful interpretation given to the sound of grinding1 but for the twofold reason that it would make the teeth to be alluded to twice1 whilst all reference to the equally important sense of hearing would be omitted altogether4 ,i have therefore followed ,dr4 ,lewis's metrical version3-- ,and closing are the doors that lead abroad1 ,when the hum of the mill is sounding low1 ,though it rise to the sparrow's note1 ,and voices loudest in the song1 do all to faintness sink4 ,although1 ,i might here add1 ,i cannot follow this writer in his view that ,ecclesiastes is describing only the old age of the sensualist4 ,rather is it man as man1--at his highest1--but with only what he can find under the sun to enlighten him4 #b ,the word rendered above age-long1 in our authorized version long1--man goeth to his long home--is one of those suggestive words with which the ,hebrew ,scriptures abound1 and which are well worth pondering with interest4 ,to transfer and not translate it into ,english we might call it olamic1 speaking of a cycle3 having a limit1 and yet a shadowy1 undefined limit4 ,the word therefore in itself beautifully and significantly expresses both the confidence1 the faith of the speaker as well as his ignorance4 ,man's existence after death is distinctly predicated4 ,the mere grave is not that olamic home2 for the spirit would1 in that case1 be quite lost sight of2 nor1 indeed1 is the spirit alone there1--the man goes there4 ,it appears to correspond very closely to the ,greek word ,hades1 the ,unseen4 ,man has gone to that sphere beyond human ken1 but when the purposes of ,god are fulfilled1 his abode there shall have an end3 it is for an age1 but only an age4 ,all this seems to be wrapped up1 as it were1 in that one phrase--,beth-olam1 the age-long home4 ,how blessed for us the light that has since been shed on all this4 ,in ,one case 7and indeed already more than in that ,one7 that age has already come to an end1 and the first fruits of that harvest with which our earth is sown has even now been gathered4 ,we await merely the completion of that harvest3 ,christ the first fruits3 afterwards they that are ,christ's1 at ,his coming4 ,,the ,,bible ,,truth ,,press1 #fc ,,fourth ,,avenue1 ,,new ,,york4 ,,above ,,the ,,sun4 ,cease1 ye ,saints1 your occupation with the sorrow-scenes of earth2 ,let the ear of faith be opened1 use the sight of second birth4 ,long your hearts have been acquainted with the tear-drop and the groan2 ,these are weeds of foreign growing1 seek the flowers that are your own4 ,he who in the sandy desert looks for springs to quench his thirst ,finds his fountains are but slime-pits such as ,siddim's vale accursed2 ,he who hopes to still the longing of the heart within his breast ,must not search within a scene where naught is at one moment's rest4 ,lift your eyes above the heavens to a sphere as pure as fair2 ,there1 no spot of earth's defilement1 never fleck of sin-stain there4 ,linger not to gaze on ,angels1 ,principalities1 nor ,powers2 ,brighter visions yet shall greet you1 higher dignities are ours4 ,all night's golden constellations dimly shine as day draws on1 ,and the moon must veil her beauties at the rising of the sun4 ,let the grove be wrapt in silence as the nightingale outflings ,her unrivaled minstrelsy1 th' eclipse of every bird that sings4 ,michael1 ,israel's ,prince1 is glorious1 clad in panoply of war2 99,who is as the ,god of ,israel is his challenge near and far2 ,but a higher still than ,michael soon shall meet your raptured gaze1 ,and ye shall forget his glories in your ,captain's brighter rays4 99 ,michael means ,who is as ,god4 ,list a moment to the music of the mighty ,gabriel's voice1 ,with its message strange and tender1 making ,mary's heart rejoice4 ,then on-speed1 for sweeter music soon expectant faith shall greet3 ,his who chained another ,mary willing captive at ,his feet4 ,but1 let mem'ry first glance backward to the scenes beneath the sun1 ,how the fairest earthly landscape echoed soon some dying groan4 ,there the old-creation's story1 shared between the dismal ,three3 ,sin and ,suffering and ,sorrow summed that ,babel's history4 ,now the contrast--vain ye listen for one jarring note to fall2 ,for each dweller in that scene's in perfect harmony with all4 ,joy has here expelled all sadness1 perfect peace displaced all fears-- ,all around that central ,throne makes the true music of the spheres4 ,now upsoar ye on faith's pinion1 leave all creature things behind1 ,and approach yon throne of glory4 ,love in ,light ye there shall find2 ,for with thrill of joy behold ,one--woman-born--upon that ,throne1 ,and1 with deepest self-abasement1 in ,his beauties read your own4 ,joyful scan the glories sparkling from ,his gracious ,head to ,feet21 ,never one that does not touch some tender chord of memory sweet2 ,and e'en heaven's music lacks till blood-bought ones their voices raise ,high o'er feebler angel choirs2 for richer grace wakes nobler praise4 ,vain the quest amongst the thronging of the heavenly angel band ,for one trace of human kinship1 for one touch of human hand2 ',mongst those spirits bright1 ethereal1 man would stand a man alone2 ,higher must he seek for kinship--thought amazing--on ,god's ,throne6 ,does it not attract your nature1 is it not a rest to see ,one e'en there at glory's summit1 yet with human form like thee8 ,form assumed when love compelled ,him to take up your hopeless case1 ,form ,he never will relinquish2 ever shall it voice ,his grace4 ,wondrous grace6 thus making heaven but our ,father's house prepared2 ,since1 by ,one who tells ,god's love1 in wounded human form 'tis shared4 ,see1 ,his ,head is crowned with glory6 yet a glory not distinct ,from an hour of deepest suffering1 and a crown of thorns succinct4 ,draw still closer1 with the rev'rence born of love and holy fear2 ,look into those tender eyes which have been dimmed with human tear-- ,tears in which ye see a glory hidden from th' ,angelic powers2 ,ours alone the state that caused them1 their beauty then alone is ours4 ,look once more upon that ,head3 finds memory no attraction there ,in the time when1 homeless-wandering1 night-dews filled that very hair8 ,brightest glories sparkle round it--crowned with honor now2 and yet1 ,once it found its only pillow on storm-tossed ,gennesaret6 ,see that ,hand6 it once grasped ,peter's as he sank beneath the wave1-- ,snatched the widow's son at ,nain from the portal of the grave1-- ,touched with healing grace the leper1 gave the light to him born dark4 ,deeper love to you is spoken in that nail-print--precious mark6 ,let your tender gaze now rest on those dear ,feet that erstwhile trod ,all the weary1 painful journey leading ,him from ,god to ,god2 ,took ,him in ,his gentle grace wherever need and suffering thronged1 ,or one lonely soul was found who for the living water longed4 ,those the very ,feet once bathd with a pardoned sinner's tears1 ,and anointed1 too1 with spikenard speaking ,mary's love and fears2 ,took ,him weary on ,his journey under ,sychar's noontide heat1 ,till the thirsty quenched ,his thirsting1 and the hungry gave ,him meat4 ,blessed ,feet6 'tis only sinners see the depth of beauty there2 ,angels never have bowed o'er them with a penitential tear4 ,angels may regard the nail-print1 with a holy1 reverent calm2 ,ye who read the love it tells of1 must break forth with thankful psalm4 ,draw yet nearer1 look more fondly2 yea1 e'en nestle and abide ,in that covert from the storm-blast1 in the haven of ,his ,side4 ,that deep wound speaks man's great hatred1 but ,his love surpassing great3 ,there were focused1 at one spear-point1 all ,god's love and all man's hate6 ,rest1 ye saints6 your search is ended2 ye have reached the source of peace4 ,by the side of ,jesus risen1 earth's dull cares and sorrows cease4 ,here are ,elim's wells and palm-trees1 grateful shade and waters cool1 ,whilst in ,christ's deep love there's healing far beyond ,bethesda's pool4 ,closer1 closer1 cluster round ,him1 till the kindling of that ,love ,melt your hearts to like compassions whilst amid like scenes ye move4 ,only thus abiding in ,him can ye fruitfulness expect1 ,or1 'mid old-creation sorrows1 new-creation love reflect4 ,ever closer gather round ,him1 till the glory of that ,light ,dims the old creation glitter1 proves earth's glare to be but--night6 ,gaze upon ,him till ,his beauties wing your feet as on ye run1 ,faith soon bursting into sight1 in ,god's clear day ,above the ,sun4 ,f4 ,c4 ,j4 ,,works ,,by ,j4 ,g4 ,,bellett4 ,the ,patriarchs4 ,being meditations upon ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 ,jacob1 ,joseph1 and ,job2 with ,the ,canticles1 and ,heaven and ,earth4 #dce pp4 ,cloth1 post-paid1 #a4jj4 ,the ,evangelists4 ,a study of the four gospels1 tracing the varied glories of ,christ1 and to notice their characteristics1 so as to distinguish the purpose of the ,spirit of ,god in each of them4 #ejj pp4 ,cloth1 post-paid1 #a4jj4 ,the ,moral ,glory of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,a precious little volume for all those who1 like ,mary1 would sit at the ,saviour's feet4 ,cloth1 gilt1 post-paid1 #ej cts4 ,the ,son of ,god4 ,a treatise dwelling on the eternal glories and ,godhead of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2--the ,son that dwelleth in the bosom of the ,father1 ,he hath revealed ,him4 ,paper1 #ce cts42 cloth1 #ee cts1 post-paid4 ,short ,meditations ,on ,various ,subjects and ,portions of ,scripture4 ,cloth1 post-paid1 #a4jj4 ,papers on the ,lord's ,coming4 ,,contents4--,introductory4--,the ,fact ,itself4--,the ,double ,bearing of the ,fact4--,the ,coming and ,the ,day--,the ,two ,resurrections4--,the ,judgment4--,the ,jewish ,remnant4--,christendom4--,the ,ten ,virgins4--,the ,talents4--,concluding ,remarks4 ,by ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,price1 #ae cts42 cloth1 #be cts4 ,eight ,lectures on ,prophecy4 ,,contents4--,the ,importance of ,prophetic ,study4--,the ,second ,coming of ,christ ,premillenial4--,god's ,past ,dealings with the ,nation of ,israel4--,the ,return of the ,jews4--,the ,millenial ,reign of ,christ4--,the ,distinct ,calling and ,glory of the ,church4--,the ,predicted ,corruption of ,christianity1 and its ,final ,results4--,the ,character and ,doom of the ,great ,gentile ,powers4--,the ,hope of the ,church1 and her ,removal before the ,apocalyptic ,judgments4 ,by ,w4 ,t4 ,paper1 #ce cts42 ,cloth1 #fj cts4 ,changed in a ,moment4 ,a ,dialogue on the ,lord's ,coming to gather up ,his ,saints to meet ,him in the air1 as distinct from ,his ,coming to the ,earth in ,glory1 and its present bearing upon the ,church of ,god in the world4 ,by ,h4 ,t4 ,price1 #e cts4 ,he ,cometh with ,clouds2 or ,every ,eye ,shall ,see ,him4 ,sequel to ,changed in a ,moment4 ,price1 #f cts4 ,awake6 ,awake6 ,behold1 the ,bride-groom ,cometh4 7,matt4 xxv4 #a-ac47 ,by ,c4 ,s4 #ah cts4 per doz4 ,what ,god ,has ,said on the ,second ,coming of ,christ and the ,end of the ,present ,age4 ,by ,c4 ,s4 ,price1 #f cts4 ,the ,millennial ,reign of ,christ4 ,a ,sequel to above4 ,by ,c4 ,s4 ,price1 #f cts4 ,the ,lord's ,dealings with the ,convict ,daniel ,mann4 ,by ,p4 ,j4 ,l4 7,new ,edition1 #deth thousand47 ,price1 #d cts4 ,postage extra--#aj cts4 per dollar4 ,catalogue sent on application4 ,a ,new ,library of ,helpful ,volumes for ,bible ,students4 ,the ,beresford ,books4 ,uniform ,size1 ,crown #hvo4 ,uniform ,binding1 ,half-,bound ,style4 ,uniform ,price1 ,half-,crown each4 ,the ,gospel and its ,ministry3 a ,handbook of ,evangelical ,truth4 ,by ,,robert ,,anderson1 ,c4,b41 ,,ll4,d41 ,author of ,human ,destiny1 c4 ,typical ,foreshadowings in ,genesis2 or1 ,the ,world to ,come1 and the ,divine ,preparation for it4 ,by ,,william ,,lincoln1 ,author of ,lectures on the ,revelation1 ,st4 ,john1 c4 ,in the ,press4 ,abundant ,grace3 ,select ,addresses on ,salvation1 ,warfare1 ,life1 and ,hope4 ,by ,w4 ,p4 ,,mackay1 ,m4,a41 author of ,grace and ,truth4 ,with ,biographical ,sketch of ,author4 ,i am ,coming3 a ,book of that ,blessed ,hope4 ,by ,dr4 ,,james ,h4 ,,brookes1 ,editor of ,the ,truth4 ,truths for ,to-,day3 ,seventeen ,addresses on ,fundamental ,truths1 by ,dr4 ,neatby1 ,dr4 ,m',killiam1 ,robert ,anderson1 ,,ll4,d41 ,alex4 ,stewart1 ,f4 ,c4 ,bland1 ,g4 ,f4 ,trench1 ,h4 ,groves1 c4 ,always ,abounding2 or1 ,recollections of the ,life and ,labours of the late ,george ,brealey1 the ,evangelist of the ,blackdown ,hills4 ,by ,w4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,brealey4 ,introduction by ,h4 ,,groves1 ,kendal4 ,the ,books of the ,bible3 ,their unity as one ,volume1 their diversity of purpose1 and the spiritual import of each4 ,by ,dr4 ,w4 ,p4 ,,mackay1 of ,hull1 ,author of ,grace and ,truth4 ,old ,groans and ,new ,songs2 or1 ,meditations on the ,book of ,ecclesiastes4 ,by ,f4 ,c4 ,,jennings1 ,new ,york4 ,lays of ,life and ,hope3 ,poems on the ,atonement1 ,advocacy1 and ,appearing of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in relation to ,salvation1 ,pilgrimage1 and the ,blessed ,hope4 ,by ,,wm4 ,,blane4 ,the ,final ,crisis of the ,age3 ,the ,apocalypse1 or ,book of ,revelation1 considered as such1 by ,,thomas ,,ryan1 ,dublin4 ,now and for ,ever3 ,addresses on ,truths relating to ,yesterday1 ,to-day1 and ,for ,ever4 ,by ,t4 ,,shuldham ,,henry1 ,m4,a4 ,,glasgow3 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 #gc ,,bothwell ,,st4