The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 288

from his venture in practical philanthropy; but eventually that return will come, here on earth, in the inwnrd satisfaction that springs from doing good, perhaps iu the gratitude (or, it may be, the temporal and spiritual elevation) of thosu who experience his kindness, hereafter in the welcome and the crlory Christ has promised to such as nrr mindful of his needy brethren on earth (Mntt~ xxv. 40). 2. No one can predict lww soon himself may become an obfect of charity. As sm·cly as the clouds when full of rain IY!!l empty themselves upon the earth, and a t.rec will lie exactly in the 11Iace where 1t falls (v~r. 3), so surely will seasons ofcalamity,'when they come, descend on nch and 1~oor ah~e; _yea, perhaps strike the wealthy, the great, and the good with strol~es winch the 1~d1gent, the obscure, and the wicked may escape.· Hence' the bare cnns1derat10n of tlns fact, thnt bad times may come-'not only deprivino- o'ne of .the ability to practise beneficence, but rendering one a fit subject for the sa~e (the latter of these being most likely the Preacher's thought)-should induce 9ne to be charitable while he may and can. This may seem a low, selfish, and unworthy ground. on which to recommend the practice of philanthropy; but does its meaning not substantially amount to this, tliat men should give to others because, were bad times to s·trip them of their wealth, and plunge them into poverty, they would wish others to give to them? And how much is this below the standard of the golden rule (Matt. vii. 12)? 3. No amount of forethought will discover a better time/or practising·benefice11-ce than the present. As no one knows the way of the wind (John iiL 8), or the secrets of embryology (Ps. cxxxix. 15)-in both of which departments of nature, notwithstanding the discoveries of modern science, much ignorance prevails-so can rid one ·predict what kind of future will emerge from the womb of the present (Prov. xivii. 1; Zeph. ii. 2), or what shall be the course of providence on the morrow. Hence to defer exercising charity till one has fathomed the unfathomable is more than merely to waste one's time; it is to miss a certain opportnnity for one that may never arrive. As to-day only is ours, we should never cast it away for a doubtful,to-mom;nv, but_ , ___ 1 "Act in the living present, Heart within and God o'erhea.d.'~ (Longfellow.) 4. The issues of beneficenre, in the recipients thereof, .are uncertain, That. an act of charity, or deed of kindness, wbensoever done, will- prqsper without fail. in the experi- ence of the doer thereof, has been declared (ver. 1); that. it will, turn out equally well in the experience of him to whom it is done is not so ineviiable, .Yet from this problematical character of all human philanthropy .as to results should be drawn an argument, not for doing nothing, but for doing more, An atrabiliar s.oul wi_ll co.nclude that, because he is not sure whether his chaiity may not injure rather .than benefit the recipient, he should hold his hand; a hopeful and happy Christian willJe,el irnpelletl to more assiduous benevolence by reflecting that· he can never, te~l when his kindly deeds will bear fruit in the temporal, perhaps also e,piritual,,salvation of ihe poo~ ~m} needy. " The seed sown in the morning of jife may bear. i~s harv,eet at. once,, or n,o~ till the evening of age. The man may reap at one and .the same time ,t)ie fruits of his earlier and later sowing, and may find that both are alike good" (!'lu,mptre).. LESSONS. 1. "As therefore ye have opportunity, do good unto all r;ncin" (Gal. vi. 10). 2. Weary not in well-doing (Gal. vi. 9). 3. Take no thought for to-m9rrow (Matt. vi. 34). 4. Cultivate a hopeful Yiew of life (Prov. x. 28). Vers. l-6.-Gonditions of success in busineas. I. T_HE MEASURES 'l'O RE ADOPTED. 1. Enterprises not free from hazard. "Cast thy bread upon the waters,'' meaning, "launch out upon the sea of business speculation." The man who would succeed must be prepared to venture somewhat. A judicious quantity of. courage seems indispensable to getting on. 'Ihe timid merchant is as little likely to prosper as the shrinking_ lov:er. 2. Prudence in dividing risks. "Divide the portion into s~ven, yea, eight part~,".wh1c~ again signifies that one should never put all his eggs iuto one basket, comm.it ,!',ll, his guuds to one caravan, place all his cargo in one ship, iuvest. all liis _papital in ono undertaking. or generally venture all on one card. 3. Confidence in ..JJping l_orwo,rd. TLE; agriculturist who is always watching the weather 7 "observi(!g t~o ,Wind aud regar<lmg ihc cloud~" (ver. 4)-will make but a poor faqner; and h,e who 1~ constantly Oll. XI. 1-10.] ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. 2a3