Ver. 10.-Before, at, and after death; or, the wicked and the good-a contrast. I. BEFORE DEATH. In the character of their lives. Each lives and acts in accordance with his character of soul. 1. The.wicked acts wickedly. Spends his days (1) without religion, having no fear of God before his eyes (Ps. xxxvi. 1 ; Rom. iii. 18); (2) without morality, taking pleasure in disobedience to God's Law (Eph. ii. 2; v. 6); (3) and without hope (Eph. ii. 12), having no happy outlook beyond the grave. 2. The righteous acts rightly. (1) Worshipping in the temple of the holy; (2) learning in the school of the holy; (3) walking in the ways of the holy; and (4) cherishing the hopes of the holy. These different characteristics belong to the wicked and the righteous in all ranks and classes of society. IL AT DEATH. In the style of their funerals. Both come to the grave, the house appointed for all the living (Job x.xx. 23), like Dives and Lazarus (Luke xvi. 22); perhaps after having lived respectively as these did-the wicked clothing themselves in fine linen and faring sumptuously every day ; the good lying in rags and sores at the rich man's gate, and feeding on the crumbs from the rich man's table. But from this point their paths and experiences diverge, 1. The wicked have a burial. They are borne to the place of sepulture with pomp and pageantry, and in presence of assembled crowds are committed to the dust. Wealth and honour wait upon them to their last resting-places, and do the utmost to provide quiet and peaceful couches for their lifeless corpses. Oftentimes, if not always, is tbis the fortune of the ungodly who have defied the Almighty, despised religion, insulted morality, and yet increased in riches and J!rown great in power. 2. The good simply go away, They vanish from the scene ol their sufferings and labours, no one knows when or how. Whether they have a funeral no one cares. Cert.a.inly their departure is not marked by long trains of mournere going about the streets. Their obsequies, conducted by angels, are not observed by the passing crowds of bus_y men on earth. This also is a frequent lot of good men at death, though it must not be assumed that good men are never carried to their graves amid lamentations and tears (2 Chron. xxiv. 16; Acts viii. 2). III. AFTER DEATH. In the treatment of their memories. Both pass into the unseen, and have no more kl-.owledge of what transpires on this side the veil. But their lots upon the other side are frequently as different from each olher as before. 1. The wicked are remerr.bered. Forgotten, it may be, and forsaken by God, but not by men who admired OH, VIII, 1-17,] ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. 20'.)
their splendour, and perhaps envied or feared their greatness when living. 2. The 900d are forgotten. Remembered indeed by God, but not by men, who suffer their names to pass into oblivion ; as saith the poet- " The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." (' Julius Cresar,' act iii. sc. 2.) LESSONS. 1. Study to live well by acting well. 2. Seek a lodging for thy soul when it must leave thy body. 3. Commit the care of thy memory to God and good me □. 4. Envy neither the present nor the future lot of the wicked.
Vers. 11-13.-Solemn thoughts/or srrious moments. I. A GREAT DISTil-CTIOl< i:,;r THE CHARACTERS OF MEN. Between the righteous and the wicked ~Ial. iii. 18), the sinner and the saint, the man that fears God and the soul that fears him not. This distinction eclipses all others. Other distinctions affect the externals, this the essentials of man's being. The fear of God the root of all goodness in the soul (Ps. cxi. 10). II. A GREAT FACT IN THE DIVINE ADMINISTRATION. That sentence is already pro- nounced (Ezek. xviii. 4), and will eventu~lly be executed (unless intercepted by grace) on every evil work (Ps. xi. 6; xxxiv. 21; Rom. i. 18; v. 12; vi. 21, 23; Jas. i. 15). A sermon on the certainty of future judgment. The principle of the Divine govern- ment is one of moral retribution. 'l'o each man according as his ,vork shall b-vil to the evil, good to the good. III. A GREAT DISPLAY OF DIVINE CLEMEKCY. Though pronounced, yet is sentence not executed against every evil work. Sometimes in God's providence retribution follows swiftly upon the heels of crime. For the most part, however, the infliction of the sentence is deferred-to give the sinner Epace to repent, to reveal to him the great- ness of bis guilt, and to melt him by e. personal experience of undeserved kindness. "Account the long-suffering of our God salvation" (2 Pet. iii. 15). IV. A 0REAT IKSTANCE OF HUMAN IMPIETY. "Because ~entence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." 'l'be abuse of clemency a sadder sign of depravity than the violation of com- mandment; to trample on God's mercy a greater wickedness than to break his Law. V. A GUE.AT DIVERGENCE IN INDIVIDUAL l!:XPERIENCE. Between that of the long- lived and deeply-dyed sinner who defies the Divine Law and despises the Divine mercy, e.nd that of the good me.n and humble who fears God and walks in his commandments and ordinances. 'l'he former, in spite of all his shameless audacity and boundless impiety, attains not to real happiness-" it shall not be well with the wicked," either here or herearter (Isa. iii. 11). 'l'he former, notwithstanding his depressecl condition, and perhaps 1brief life, is possessed of the secret of inward felicity-" it shall bo well ~Yith them that fear God," both in this world and the next (Isa. iii. 10; 1 Tim. iv. 8).