met his <loath iit tho hands of his exasperated subjects, and the other two, after deep humiliations, died in exile. II. The second instance of st.range vicissitude is that of ONE WHO STEPS FROM A DU:KGEOK TO A THRONE. It is by his wisdom that he raises himself to the p)aco of ruler o,·cr t.hc neglected community. From obscurity he attains in a moment to the hl'ight 0f popular fa.Your; thousands flock to do him homage (vers. 15, 16a, "I saw all tho li\'ing which walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead. There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was," Hcvised Version). The scene depicted of the ignominy into which the worthless old king falls, and tl:e enthusiasm with which the new one is greeted, reminds one of Carlylc's Yivid description of the death of Louis XV. and the accession of his grandson. The courtiers wait with impatience for the passing away of the king whose life had been so corrupt and vile; he dies unpitied upon his loathsome sick-bed. "In the remote apartments, dauphin and dauphiness stand road-ready; , .. waiting for some signal to escape the house of pestilence. And, hark I across the <Eil-de-Breuf, what sound is that-sound 'terrible and absolutely like thunder'? It is the rush of th& whole court, rushing as in wager, to salute the new sovereigns: 'Hail to your l.fajeslies ! '" The body of the dead king is unceremoniously committed to the grave, "Him they crush down and hu<ldle underground; him and his era of sin and tyranny and shame; for behold! a New Era is come; the future all the brighter that the past was base" (' French Revolution,' vol. i. eh. iv.). The same kind of picture has been drawn by Shakespeare, in 'Richard II.,' act v. sc. 2, where he describes the popularity of Bolingbroke, and the contempt into which the king he displaced had suuk. Yet, according to the Preacher, the breeze of popular favour soon dies away, and the hero is soon forgotten. "They also that come after him shall not rejoice in him." The dark cloud of oblivion comes down and envelops in its shade both those who deserve to be remembered, and those who have been unworthy of even the brief popularity they enjoyed in their lifetime. "Who knows," says Sir Thos. Browne, "whether the best of men be known, or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgot than any that stand remembered on the known account of time?" ('Urn-burial'). The fickle and short-lived character of all earthly fame should convince us of the futility of making the desire of the applause of men the ruling motive of our lives; it should lead us to do that which is good because it is good, and not in order "to be seen of men," and because we are responsible to God, in whose book all our deeds are written, whether they be good or wheLher they be evil. The sense of disappointment at the vanity of human fame should dispose our hearts to find satisfaction in the favour of God, by whom all our good deeds will be remembered and rewarded (Ps. xxxvii. 5, 6; Gal. vi. 9; Matt. xxv. 21).-J. W.
EXPOSITION. verses is obvious. Keep thy foot when thou CHAPTER V. !l'oest to the house of God. . Some read "feet" Vers. 1-7.-Bection 6. Man's outward and mstead of "foot," but the singular and secular life being unable to secure happiness plural numbers are both found in this signi- and satisfaction. can these be found in fication (comp. Ps. cxix. 59, 105; Prov. i. 15; iv. 26, 27). To "keep the foot" is to popu1ar religion f Religious exercises need be careful of the conduct, to remember what the observation of strict rules, which are far you are abo"nt, whither you are going. from meeting with general attention. Kohe- There is no allusion to the sacerdotal rite of lcth proceeds to give instruction, in the washing the feet before entering the holy form of maxims, concerning public worship, place (Exod. xxx. 18, 19), nor to the custom prayer, and vows. of removing the shoes on entering a oon- secrated building, which was a symbol of Ver.1.-'fhis verse, iu the Hebrew, Greek, reverential awe and obedient service. The and Latin Bibles, forms the conclusion of expression is simply a term connected wilh eh. iv., e.nd is ta.ken indepeudently; but the man's ordinai·y life transferred to his moral di vision in our version is more na tura.l, and and religious life. The house of God is the t~c: councction of this with the following temple. The tabernacle is called "}He r11, v. 1-20.J ECCLESIAS'l'ES; OR, 'l'HE PREACHER. 111