Ver. 8.-The end better than the beginning. There are many persons, especially among the young and ardent, who adopt and act upon a principle diametrically opposed to this. Every beginning has for them the charm of novelty; when this charm fades, the work, the enterprise, the relationship, have no longer any interest, and they turn away with disgust from the end as from something "weary, stale, flat, ancl unprofitable." But the language of .this verse embodies the conviction of the wise and reflecting observer of human affairs. I. TRE BEASON OF THIS PRINCIPLE. The beginning is undertaken with a view to the end, and apart from that it would not be. The end is the completion and justi- fication of the beginning. The time-order of events is the expression of their rational order; thus we speak of means and end. Aristotle commences his great WOl"k on 'Ethics' by showing that the end is naturally superior to the means, and that the highest end must be that which is not a means to anything beyond itself. II. THE APPLICATION oF THIS PRINCIPLE. 1. To human works. It is well that the foundation of a house should be laid, but it is better that the top-stone should be placed with rejoicing. So with seed-time and harvest; with a journey and its de~tination; with a road and its completion, etc. 2. To human life. The beginning may, in the view of men, be neutral; but, in the view of the religious man, the birth of a child is an occasion for gratitude. Yet, if that progress be made which corresponds with the Divine ideal of humanity, if character be matured, and a good life-work be wrought,- tLen the <lay of death, the end, is better than the day of birth, in which this earthly existence commenced. 3. To the Christian calling. '!'he history of the individual Christian is a progressive history; knowledge, virtue, piety, usefulness, are all developed by <legrees, and are brought to perfection by the discip_lin~ and cultu~e _of the Holy Spirit. 'l'he end must therefore 1- better thll-n the begmnmg, wi the fruit excels th@ OH. VII. 1-29,] EOCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. 181 ---------------------------------- --
blossoms of the spring. 4. To the Church of Christ. As recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, the beginning of the Church was beautiful, marked by power and promise. But the kingdom of God, the dispensation of the Spirit, has a purpose- high, holy, and glorious. When ignorance, error, and superstition, vice, crime, and sin, are vanquished by the Divine energy accompanying the Church of the living God- when the end cometh, and the kingdom shall be delivered unto the Father-it will be seen that the end is better than the beginning, that the Church was not born in vain, was not launched in vain upon the stormy waters of time. III. THE LESSONS OF THIS PRINCIPLE. 1. When at the beginning of a good work, look on to the end, that hope may animate and inspire endeavour. 2. During the course of a good work look behind and before; for it is not possible to judge aright without taking a comprehensive and consistent view of things. We may trace the hand of God, and find reason alike for thanksgiving and for trust. 3. Seek that a Divine unity may characterize your work on earth and your life itself. If the end crown not the beginning, then it were better that the beginning had never been made.-T. Vers. 8, 9.-The folly of pride, hastiness, and anger. The Scriptures are more pro- nounced and decisive with regard to these dispositions than for the roost part are heathen moralists. Yet the· student of human character and life is at no loss to adduce facts in abundance to justify the condemnation of habits which philosophy and religion alike condemn. I. THESE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS BAVE THEIR SOUBCE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF HUMAN NA.TUBE. II. CraoUMSTANCES m BUMAN LIFE OCCASION THEIR EXERCISE AND GROWTH. III. To YIELD TO SUCH PASSIONS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO RULE THE LIFE IS THE PART OF FOLLY. IV. THE SPIRIT AND CONDUCT OF THE DIVINE SAVIOUR EXEMPLIFY THE BEAUTY OF HUMILITY, PATIENCE, AND MEEKNESS. V. THE SUBJUGATION OF PASSION AND THE IMITATION OF CHRIST CONTRIBUTE: TO THE WELFARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND OF BOOIETY. VI. THERE ABE MEANS BY THE CONSTANT AND PRAYERFUL UBE OF WHI0H EVIL RA.BITS MAY BE CONQUERED, AND SELF-CONTROL MAY BE ATTAINED.-T.
Ver. IO.-Laudator temporis acti. It appears from this passage that a tendency of mind with which we are familiar-a tendency to paint the past in glowing colours-is of ancient date, and indeed it is probably a consequence of human nature itself. I THE QUESTIONABLE ASSERTION. We often hear it affirmed, as the author of this book :had heard it affirmed, that the former days were better than these. There are politicians in whose opinion the country was formerly more happy and prosperous than now; farmers who fancy that crops were larger, and merchants who believe that trade was more profitable, in former days; students who prefer ancient literature ta modem; Christian men who place the age of faith and piety in some bygone period of history. It has ever been so, and is likely to be so in the future. Others who will come after us will regard our age as we regard the ages that have passed away. II. '£HE GROUND UPON WHICH THE: QUESTIONABLE ASSBRTION IS MADE. 1. Dissatis- faction with the present. It is in times of pain, loss, adversity, disappointment, that men are most given to extol the past, and to forget its disadvantages as well as the privileges and immunities of the present. 2. The illusiveness of the imagination. The aged are not only conscious of their feebleness and their pains; they recall the days or their youth, and paint the scenes and experiences of bygone times in colours supplied by a fond, deceptive fancy. The imaginative represent to themselves a state of the world, a condition of society, a. phase of the Church, which never had real existence. By feigning all prosperity and happiness to have belonged to a past age, they remove their fancies from the range of contradiction. All things to their vision become lustrous and fair with "the light that never was on land or sea." Ill. THE UKWISD0M OF INQUIRING FOR AN EXPf,ANATION OF A Ill':LIEF WllICll IS PBOBADLY UNFOUNDED. Experience teaches us that, before asking fur th'l ca1ise, it is well to assure ourselves of the/act. Why a thing is presumes thcit tho thing is. Now, 182 ECCLESIASTES; OR, 'l'HE PREACHER. [au. vu. 1-29.