Eccl. vii. 12. Wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence : hut the excellency of knoivledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
TO have our minds well regulated in reference to religion, is most desirable. There is, in reality, no discordance between the duties which we owe to God and to man; or between our callings as men, and our callings as Christians. The things which relate to this world demand our attention, as well as those which relate to a future state. If, on the one hand, our worldly pursuits ought not to thrust out religion ; so neither, on the other hand, should our pursuit of heavenly things lead us to neglect any part of our worldly occupations. God has said, " Six days shalt thou labour; but the seventh day thou shalt keep
holy to the Lord." This shews, that we then only perform our duty aright, when w^e comprehend in our daily services a well-regulated devotion to the concerns of time, and to the interests of eternity. The two great objects of general pursuit are, " wisdom, and money." The one is followed only by a select portion of the community ; the other is sought by all ; but, whichever of the two any man affects, provided he give to heavenly pursuits the chief place, he does right to prosecute it with zeal and diligence ; being '' not slothful in business, and yet fervent in spirit, serving the Lord'\" This combination of duties is spoken of in our text : for the elucidation of which, I will shew,
I. The excellency of wisdom above riches —
We are here told, that both wisdom and money are good in their place —
[Both the one and the other of these are " a defence," or, as the word imports, " a shadow." Now, as a shadow affords to persons a protection from the heat of the solar rays, so do wisdom and money screen him from many of the calamities of life ; and afford to him many sources of enjoyment, of which those who are not possessed of them are deprived. Money will enable a person to choose his employment in life, whilst the most menial and painful offices are left for those who are not able to choose for themselves. It provides also many com- forts, to which the poor are altogether strangers. In a time of sickness, especially, its use is felt : for, by means of it its pos- sessors often obtain relief, for the want of which their poor neighbours are left to sink. So wisdom also brings with it very extensive benefits, in that it elevates the character, and qualifies a man for stations, to which, froin birth, he was not entitled to aspire. It provides, also, good occupation for the mind ; so tliat a man possessed of it is never less alone than when alone. Thus it protects him from that state of degradation to which many, for want of it, are reduced ; and from that listlessness which induces persons of an uncultivated mind to betake them- selves to some evil employment for the sole purpose of getting rid of time.
True, indeed, neither wisdom nor money can protect us from every evil : disease or accident may assault one person as well as another : nor can they afford entire protection under any circumstances, any more than a shadow can altogether remove
^ Rom. xii. 11.