The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 293

reap? since we do not know wha.t evil may come in a week or a. day, had we not better turn the seed of the sower into bread for the eater? No; let ow· ignorance concerning the fut.me be rather an incentive to activity. Say not, "I do not know what chancres mn,· come upon the earth ; how little my labours may prove to be profitable; :ho will appreciate my devotion, and who will be uuresponsive and ungrateful; therefore I shall suspend my exertions." Say rather, "I cannot tell what is coming; how soon I may be rewarded; bow short may be the term of my life and of my opportunity l1ere; I !n~st therefore lose no time and waste no strength; I must do whole-heartedly all that 1s m my power. Because I cannot tell which of my words will fall like water on the rock, and which like seed upon the fertile soil, whether the morning or the evening labours will be rewarded, therefore I will do my best; perhaps this present effort I am now making may be the very one which has in it the seed of a glorious harvest." Thus our very ignorance may stimulate us to holy and fruitful action. Ill. THAT l\"E SHOULD KOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE DISTURBED BY THE UNSYM- PATHETIC FORCES ROUND us. If the clouds are full of rain, they will empty them- selves on the earth without any regard to our necessity for fine weather; the tree will fall this way or that, a.ccording to the wind, whomsoever or whatsoever it will crush by its weight. The forces of nature are quite unsympathetic. Feebleness may incapaci- tate or death may take a.way our most efficient fellow-labourer; the changes that affect our human lives may reduce our means or remove our agents, or even close our agencies; but we must not be daunted, nor must we stay our hand on this account. The full mind, like the full cloud, must pour itself forth, and may do so in words and ways we do not like; the man, like the tree, must take the line toward which he stron~ly inclines, and this may be one that traverses our tastes and wishes. Never mind! We are not lo let our good work for Christ be arrested by such incidental difficulty as that. We are to "quit us like men, and be strong," and we are to triumph over such hindrances as these. IV. THAT WE A.RE NOT TO BE IN ANY BURRY FOR THE HARVEST. The seed we cast " shell be found after many days." The husbandman bath "long patience," waiting for the fruits of the earth. The history of the noblest men is one long sermon on the blessedness of patience. It says to the Christian pilgrim and workman," Work and wait; work diligently, intelligently, devoutly, then wait prayerfully and hope- fully. Be not surprised, much less distracted, because the harvest is still far in the future; in due season you will reap, if you faint not."-C. 1 er. 4.-The tru.e workman. The idea of the text is that something must be enuured, and something must be dared, if we mean to achieve anything of any account. If a man wanl:J! to sow, he must not mind being assailed by the wind while he is at work • or if he wants to reap, he must not stay indoors because it threatens to rain. We ~ust be ready to endure, we must be prepared to run risks, if we have any thought of taking ralJk among the successful workers of our ti~e.. God does not give his bonnties to those who will only walk the road when 1t 1s perfectly smooth and sheltered; nor does he permit us to win triwnphe if our heart misgivee us at t~e eight of difficulty or danger. Success is for those, and those only, who can brave wmd and rain in the open field of labour, in the wide spheres of usefulness. I. TEE FACT, AS oUB EXPERIENOE TESTIFIES. Everything that is done which is really worth doing is wrought with trouble, with some measure of difficulty and of risk, with the possibility or likelihood of failure, with struggle and some degree of dis- appointment-e.g. the little ch~d in J~aming to 'Yalk 11;nd to ta~k; the boy in mastering his lesson or even his game, or 10 findmg and takmg hie place lil the schoolroom and the playground; the student in acquiring his ~nowled~e, and_in facing·and pa~sing ~is examination· the tradesman and merchant 1n making their purchases and !Ilvestmg their money; the author in writing and printing his bo~k; the statesman in planning and submitting his measure, etc. In all these, and lil all such cases, we have to contend with adverse "winds" that blow upon us; we have to "put our foot down" firmly on the ground; we have to run the risk of unpleasant" rains," of falling and of failure. It is the constant condition of human endeavour. II. THE BENEFICENT RESULT. This is not to be regretted; on the contrary, we may b@ t)lankful for it. lt develops human character i it calls fofth aµd strer,gthe11s all that OB. XL 1-10,] ECOLEBIASTEB; OR, THE PREACHER. 289