The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 145

who earns and eats his daily bread, and depends for to-morrow's supply upon to-morrow's toil, sleeps s"·eetly; whilst the capitalist and investor are wakeful by reason of many anxieties. A ship richly freighted may be wrecked, and the cargo lost; a company in which large sums have been invested may fail; a miuo of precious metal upon which money has been spent, and from which much is hoped, may cease to be productive. An estate may no longer be profitable; thieves may break through and steal jewels and bullion. As surely as a man owns more than is needed for the supply of his daily wants, so surely is he liable to solicitude and care. IV. RICHES MAY EVEN PROVE INJURIOUS TO THEIR OWNER. In some states of society the p(lssession of wealth is likely to bring down upon the rich the envy and cupidity of a despotic ruler, who ill treats the wealthy in order to secure his riches for himself. And in all slates of society there is danger lest wealth should be the occasion of moral injury, by enkindlini!: evil passions, envy on the part of the poor, aud in return hatred and suspicion on the part of the wealthy; or by leading to flattery, which in turn produces vanity and contemptuousness. V. RICHES ARE OF NO AVAIL BEYOND THIS LIFE. 'fhey thus add, in the case of the avaricious, another sting to death; for clutch and grasp them as he may, they must be left behind. A man spends his whole life, and exhausts all his energies, in gathering together a "fortune;" no sooner has he succeeded than he is summoned to return naked to the earth, carrying nothing in his hand, poor as he came into the scene of his toils, his success, his disappointments. The king of terrors cannot be bribed. A mine of wealth cannot buy a day of life. VI. RICHES MAY BE WASTED BY THE RICH MAN'S HEIRS, This·was a misfortune of -which the writer of Ecclesiastes seems to have been well aware from his prolonged observation of human life. One may gather; but who shall scatter? He to whom wealth is everything has no security that bis property shall not, after his death, come into the bands of those who shall squander it in dissipation, or waste it in reckless speculations. '!'his also is vanity. APPLICATION. These things being so, the moral is obvious. The poor man may rest contented with his lot, for he knows not whether increase of possessions would bring him increase of happiness. The prosperous man may well give heed to the admonition," If riches increase, set not your heart upon them."-T. V ers. lS-20.-The good things appointed for man by God. Some detect in these verses the ring of Epicurean morals. But the difference is vast between desiring and rejoicing in the things of this world as mere means of plea.sure, and accepting thorn with gratitude and using them with moderation and prudence, as the gifts of a Father's bounty and the expression of a Father's love. I. THE GOOD THINGS OF THIS WORLD coME FB0M GoD. It is God's earth which provides our sus_tenance; it is God's cr~tive wisdom that pr~vide! ou~ companio_nships; it is God who gives us power to acquue, to use, and to enJoy his gifts. All 1s from God. . II. THE ENJOYVENT OF THINGS IN THEMSELVES GOOD IS INTENDED, AND APPOINTED BY DIVINE WISDOM AND GOODNESS. They were mot given to tempt or to curse man, but to gladden his heart and to enrich his life. Benevolence is the impulse of the Divine nature. God is "good to all, and hie tender mercies are over all his works." III. THE ENJOYMENT OF THESE GOOD THINGS MAY BE BENDERED THE OCCASION OF FELLOWlillllP WITH Goo A.ND THANKSGIVING To GoD. 'l'hus even the common things of earth may be glorified and made beautiful by their devotion to the highest of all purposes. Through them the Giver of all may be praised, and the heart of the grateful recipient may be raised to fellowship with" the Father of the spirits of all flesh." 0 IV. THE A.BOSE OF GoD S GOOD GIFTS I8 OWING TO HUMAN ERROR AND SIN. They are so often abused that it is not to be wondered at that men come to think them evil in themselves. But in such cases, the blame lies not with the Giver, but with the recipient, who turns the very honey into gall.-T. Vere. 1, 2.-A.cceptable service. Although the precise meaning of the Preacher is open to some doubt, we shall not go wrong in letting these words speak to us of- I. THE FUTILIT'f OF l'0J;\M.,,\L W0l\SBlf, Refc)rc:Qce is tne,de to (1) the otforing of OH, V. 1-20.] ECCLESIASTES ; OR, THE PREACHER. 129