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CHA P. II.

In this chapter are further experiments, how far happiness is to be found in earthly things.

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SAID in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove

thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure; come on, indulge all lawful delights, and try every agreeable fcene: 2 and, behold, this alfo [is] vanity. I faid of laughter, [It is] mad; it tranfports men beyond the bounds of reafon, prudence, and fobriety: and of mirth, What doeth it? it is foon over, and leaves a man unsatisfied. I fought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might fee what [was] that good for the fons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life; I fought for happiness in entertainments and banquets, yet kept myself within the bounds of fobriety; but here I met with fo much difappointment, that I hate to dwell 4 any longer upon the mention of it. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees 6 in them of all [kind of] fruits: I made me pools of

water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth 7 trees: I got [me] fervants and maidens, and had fervants born in my houfe, whom I could educate as I pleafed alfo I had great poffeffions of great and fmall 8 cattle above all that were in Jerufalem before me: I gathered me alfo filver and gold, and the peculiar treafure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men fingers and women fingers, and the delights of the fons of men, [as] mufical inftruments, and that of all forts; I in a manner drained the kingdoms and provinces 9. fubject to me of all their curiofities So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerufalem: alfo my wifdom remained with me; my genius enabled me to carry these things to greater perfection, than a perfon of equal fubftance but not equal abilities could have done. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes defired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my

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heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour; it is true I found entertainment in thefe things; the forming of plans, and feeing their rifing beauties, gave me fome pleasure; but this was all my portion, the pleasure ceafed with the novelty, and I quickly 11 wanted fome fresh object. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of fpirit, and [there was] no profit under the fun.

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And I turned myself to behold wifdoin, and madnefs, and folly; I returned to the examination of wisdom and its oppofites, particularly as applied to worldly business; and no man can try the experiment more fully than I have done; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been already done. 13 Then I faw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness: the refult was, that a difcreet, prudent, regular conduct for this world has greatly the advan14 tage of its contrary. The wife man's eyes [are] in his head, where they beft ferve him to look about him, to fee his danger, and guide his way; but the fool walketh in darkness; rah, imprudent men blunder on into mischief and vexation: and I myself perceived also, that one event 15 happeneth to them all. Then faid I in my heart, As it happeneth unto the fool, fo it happeneth even to me; we are fubject to the fame painful events; and why was I then [more] wife? Then I faid in my heart, that this 16 alfo [is] vanity. For [there is] no remembrance of the wife more than of the fool for ever; feeing that which now [is] in the days to come fhall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wife [man?] as the fool. The wife die as well as fools, and each are quickly forgotten: he must be a perfon of extraordinary character that is talked of for 17 ages. Therefore fo far from finding fatisfaction, I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the fun [is] grievous unto me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of fpirit.

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Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the fun: because I should leave it unto the man that

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19 fhall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wife [man] or a fool? yet fhall he have rule over all® my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself wife under the fun. This [is] alfo vanity. Rehoboam, who was forty years old when his father died, fo that he must have feen his weakness and folly, is 20 doubtless here referred to. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to defpair of all the labour which I took under the fun; instead of pursuing former fchemes, I gave them up, as one utterly tired with them; nor is this pecu21 liar to me, it is often seen in lower circumstances. For there is a man whofe labour [is] in wifdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein, to a man whofe character is just the reverfe of his own, fhall he leave it [for] his portion. This 22 alfo [is] vanity and a great evil. For what hath man, fuch a man as above defcribed, of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured 23 under the fun? For all his days, or, altho' all his days, [are] forrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not reft in the night; tho' he hath obtained what he has with fo much care, labour, and fatigue, yet it must be left to he knows not who. This is alfo vanity.

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[There is] nothing better for a man, [than] that he fhould eat and drink, and [that] he should make his foul enjoy good in his labour. This alfo I faw, that it [was] from the hand of God: the best way therefore is not to engage in many fchemes, and perplex himself with much bufinefs; but contentedly to fit down and enjoy the good things God has given him with pleasure and thankfulness: 25 but this is not in a man's own power; For who can eat, or who elfe can haften [hereunto,] more than I? or, as it may be better rendered, who can eat or haften thereunto without him? This depends on the divine bleffing, and the turn he gives to the mind, tho' the materials may be in a ·26 man's own poffeffion. For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his fight, that is, to a pious man, wisdom and knowledge to make a good ufe of his fubftance, and joy in the ufing of it: but to the finner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is]

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good before God; he gives up the wicked to an infatiable, difcontented fpirit, fo that they afflict themselves with many cares and forrows, to heap up what in the courfe of his providence he often gives to the righteous. This alfo [is] vanity and vexation of fpirit.

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REFLECTION S.

E here fee the vanity of expecting happiness in mirth and pleafure, grandeur and luxury. In fpite of all Solomon's reafoning and experience, the prefent age is trying the experiment over again; but they will at last join in his conclufion. It is a dangerous experiment; for few' can make it and yet their wisdom remain with them. Therefore it is better to defift and take Solomon's word. Remember that these things cannot quiet a guilty confcience, comfort a drooping fpirit, ease a dying body, or fave an immortal foul,

2. There are many things which are excellent in themfelves, and of great use in life, that will not make a man happy. Prudence, diligence, and regularity in business, are things highly commendable, and favourable to men's worldly intereft, therefore many place all their religion in them; but they are not the one thing needful. Let us be careful that we are not mistaken; and while we study the arts of prudence and economy, forget the weightier matters of the law, and continue destitute of the love of God.

3. We are here taught the importance and neceffity of true religion to make a man comfortable even in this world. Men may slave and toil ever fo much, gain ever fuch abundance by fagacity, diligence, and frugality, it will not prolong their lives or their memories; it will not infure them a worthy heir; nor even a comfortable use of their own fubftance. The cheerful enjoyment of what we have muft come from God. It is therefore to be fought by fervent prayer; and is generally given to good men; and this they may have with a little. So that upon the whole, Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

CHAP.

CHA P. III.

Solomon here proceeds to defcribe the vanity of human wisdom; it is confined to a certain time of acting, which if we miss, our contrivances are vain, and the opportunity over.

I O every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, out of which no human wisdom can produce the events God hath affixed to 2 them: A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break 4 down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a

time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to caft away ftones, and a time to gather

ftones together; a time to embrace, and a time to re6 frain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to 7 lofe; a time to keep, and a time to caft away; A time

to rend, and a time to few; a time to keep filence, and 8 a time to fpeak; A time to love, and a time to hate, that is, to break off friendship; a time of war, and a 9 time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth out of the proper feafon, or 10 even in it, fince there are so many changes? I have seen the travail which God hath given to the fons of men to Be exercifed in it; minding the business of life, obferving the proper feafons, and fubmitting when disappointed.

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He hath made every [thing] beautiful in his time; there is beauty in this variety: also he hath fet the world in their heart, fo that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end; there is a vast variety of things, as objects of their pursuits and Studies: and God hath fet it in their hearts to examine all his 12 works, except what is above their understanding. I know that [there is] no good in them, that is, in worldly things, but for [a man] to rejoice, and to good in his

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* Some understand the paffage as referring to the influence the world has upon men to make them neglect prudent confideration; others refer it to their continuance in the world; as if he had said, A man that lives fo fhort a time cannot judge of the whole of God's works.

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