cistern, and that no true happiness can be found, but in Christ the fountain of living waters.]
The righteous, on the contrary, have a sure reward —
[The seed he sows may lie a long time under the clods, and may seem as if it were buried for ever : but it shall spring up in due season, and bring with it a harvest of solid joy. The Scripture attests, that "the work of righteousness is peaceV' and that " in keeping of God's commandments there is great rewards." And so it is invariably found. This " reward is sure" on two accounts : one is, that his success is independent of all casualties : and the other is, that it is secured to him by the promise of God himself. Happiness as arising from earthly things may be altogether destroyed by disease or accident, or pains either of body or mind: but spiritual happiness is inde- pendent of all these things, and often derives a zest from those very things which seem most calculated to subvert it.
If we look to a future state, where the wicked, notwithstand- ing all their neglect of heavenly things, hope to have a portion with the righteous, we shall see the text fulfilled in all its extent. What surprise and anguish will seize hold upon the wicked the very instant he opens his eyes in the eternal world ! Conceive of " the Rich Man" summoned from his carnal indulgences into the presence of his God : how little did he imagine but a few days before in what such a life would issue^! How deceitful had his work been, and how delusive all his hopes ! But the righteous is sure to find his hopes realized, and his highest expectations infinitely exceeded ; for God's express determination is, that " whatsoever any man soweth, that shall he also reap : he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption ; and he who soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting \"]
See then,
1. The wisdom of true piety —
[Wisdom consists in pursuing the best ends by the fittest means. Now I would ask. What end is to be compared with eternal life ? And by what other means can it be sought, than by those mentioned in the text ? Let me then entreat you to " walk, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time:" for now is the seed time ; and you will to all eternity reap according to what you sow: " if you sow iniquity, you will reap vanity*^:" " if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind' :" but if you " plow up your fallow ground, and sow in righteousness, you shall reap in mercy," both in this world and the world to come*".
f Isai. xxxii. 17. ^ Ps. xix. 11. ^ Luke xvi. 23.
> Gal. vi. 7, 8. ^^ Job iv. 8. Prov. xxii. 8.
1 Hos. viii. 7. "^ Hos. x. 12.
108 PROVERBS, XL 25. [ill.
Let me however add, that you must not be sparing of your seed : for, " if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly ; but if you sow bountifully, you shall reap also bountifully "."]
2. The folly of neglecting the immortal soul —
[Men will deride piety, because it is cultivated by few ; and applaud worldliness, because its advocates are many. But the broad road is not at all the safer because it is trodden by so many, nor the narrow way the less safe because it is trodden by so few. Each path will have its proper termination, and issue in the state that God has assigned to it°. Can any thing then be conceived more foolish than to put our eternal happiness on such an issue, that it cannot possibly be attained but at the expense of God's veracity ? Truly if such conduct were pursued in reference to this world, it would be accounted not only folly, but madness itself. It is represented by Solomon as a " laying in wait for our own blood, and lurking privily for our own lives P," yea, and as a " being in love with death itself''. Let me then urge all of you now to seek " the one thing needful :" and let me encourage you to it by this consideration, that, " if you sow in tears, you shall reap in joy : and if you now go on your way weeping, bearing precious seed, you shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you""."]