life; there is no other fatisfaction or felicity which a man can meet with in worldly enjoyments but to use them with a 15 cheerful temper, and do good to others with them. And alfo that every man fhould eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, and lay afide distracting fears of future want, it [is] the gift of God, and should be diligently fought and thankfully acknowledged as coming 14 from him. I know that, whatfoever God doeth, it fhall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth [it,] that [men] fhould fear before him; God will not vary from his purpofe; he has fixed this uncertainty to keep men in a constant dependance, that they may humbly fubmit, and not murmur 15 at what they cannot avoid. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is paft; it always has been thus, and always will be; therefore it is indecent to complain of the fettled laws of God's creation; and as he determines all the events of our lives, he will call us to an account for the conduct of them.

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And moreover I faw under the fun the place of judgment, [that] wickednefs [was] there; and the place of righteoufnefs, [that] iniquity [was] there; Such is the vanity of power and authority, without religion; or, as fome understand it, fo liable are men to rapine and 17 oppreffion, which leffens the value of earthly comforts. I faid in mine heart, God fhall judge the righteous and the wicked: for [there is] a time there for every purpofe and for every work; this was the comfort I had 18 under this vanity and oppreffion. I faid in mine heart concerning the estate of the fons of men, that God might manifeft them, and that they might fee that they themselves are beafts; O that God would give thefe proud oppressors to fee that they shall die, not only like men, but like beafts; that their oppreffion shall last but a little time, 19 and that they shall not long enjoy the confequences of it. For that which befalleth the fons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, fo dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; fo that a man hath no preeminence above a beaft, with regard to

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the body, or for the avoiding of death: for all [is] vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the fame duft, and 21 all turn to that duft again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beaft that goeth downward to the earth? Few men, especially great men, confider feriously the difference between the human nature and the brutal, the immortality of the one and the mor22 tality of the other. Wherefore I perceive that [there is] nothing better, than that a man fhould rejoice in his own works; take the comfort of what God has given him without labouring after honour and preferment; for that [is] his portion; all the good he can have from them: for who fhall bring him to see what shall be after him? who can inform him what will become of them when he is gone?

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REFLECTION S.

T is comfortable among the many changes of life to think, that they are under the direction of an overruling providence. We live in a world full of changes, the conditions of men are different, yet continually altering. There are many favourable circumftances in life, which it is our wisdom to obferve and improve. Whatever may appear to us as cafual or contingent, is determined by providence; we must not therefore complain of changes, troubles, and labours, for God has allotted them to us; they are all beautiful in their season, make upon the whole an admirable scheme of providence, and are for the good of the world.

2. We also fee wherein the true enjoyment of earthly things confifts. Not in eagerly purfuing or hoarding them up, but in ufing them with cheerfulness, and doing good with them. This is the only good in them. They cannot make us happy themfelves, but by a wife, pious, and charitable ufe of them, they may contribute to it. For these ends they were given us, and to these ends they ought to be employed.

3. The end of God's government and providence, and of the variety of his difpenfations, is, that we may fear before Him. They were not defigned to perplex and disturb

disturb us, but to edify us, by keeping alive in our minds a fenfe of our conftant dependance upon God. They ought to direct our thoughts to him, and engage us to pray to him for what we want, to give him thanks for what we receive, and to feek wisdom fo to improve them, that they may turn to a good account at last.

4. The iniquity and oppreffion which there is in the world, efpecially in magiftrates and great men, fhould confirm our faith in a future judgment, and lead us to Solomon's conclufion, that God will judge every purpose and every work. Let us not tumble at thefe diforders, but wait for the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of

God.

5. How much is it to be lamented that fo few confider the immortality of their fouls! how they are distinguished from the beafts by a rational spirit, and what becomes of it after death! What pity is it that rational creatures should live like beasts, only to eat, drink, fleep, work, and play. Few live under the power of this truth, that their fouls are immortal. Let us then feriously dwell upon the thought that we may take due care of our immortal spirits, and lay up a good foundation against the time to come, and finally lay hold on eternal life.

CHA P. IV.

The preacher here shows that vanity is increased by oppreffion, envy, idleness, covetousness, folitarinefs, and wilfulness.

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OI returned, and confidered all the oppreffions

that are done under the fun, from pride, covetousnefs, revenge, and illnature: and behold the tears of [fuch as were] oppreffed, and they had no comforter; they could not help themfelves, nor had any to help them; and on the fide of their oppreffors [there was] power; but they had no comforter: and this vexed my spirit; 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive; I thought them in a better condition than those who fuffer by oppreffion, who

fear

3 fear it, or even behold it. Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not feen 4 the evil work that is done under the fun. Again, I confidered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, for his profperity, altho' he ought rather to esteem him for his integrity and diligence; but there are extremes in this cafe to be avoided. This [is] alfo vanity and vexation of spirit.

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The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh; under a pretence of avoiding envy and oppreffion, he gives himself up to an idle difpofition, till he almost Starves, or becomes a prey to his uneasy passions, that do as it were devour him. The other extreme is excessive anxiety, for

Better [is] an handful [with] quietnefs, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit; a little with a contented mind and a comfortable enjoyment of it, is better than ever fo much with uneafinefs and difcontent.

Then I returned, and faw vanity under the fun, in the wretched cafe of a fordid mifer, which shows the vanity of the world, and that the love of wealth grows upon men. There is one [alone,] and [there is] not a fecond; yea, he hath neither child nor brother; no body to care for but himself, no near relation: yet [is there] no end of all his labour; neither is his eye fatisfied with riches; neither [faith he,] For whom do I labour, and bereave my foul of good? This [is] alfo vanity, yea, it [is] a fore travail, a wicked difpofition and a miferable ftate.

On the other hand, confider the benefits of friendship and fociety, of which covetousness in a great measure deprives men; but which would tend to cure that fordid difpofition. 9 Two [are] better than one; because they have a good 10 reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but 12 how can one be warm [alone?] And if one prevail against him, two fhall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken; near relations and friends may be affiftants in danger, helps in labour, and mutual VIOL. V. comforts

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comforts to each other in various circumstances of life, and efpecially in adverfity.

But fociety alone cannot make a man happy. Who have more about them than kings? yet they are not always happy. 13 Better, that is, more happy, [is] a poor and a wife child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished, whofe dignity and age lead him to reject good 14 counsel. For out of prison he, the poor wife child, cometh to reign; tho' confined for debt, or in low circumstances, he is speedily advanced; his wisdom bears him above his misfortunes, and fixes him in a confiderable station; whereas alfo [he that is] born in his kingdom becometh poor; for want of prudent management, he that is born to a large eftate, and is, as we fay, a little prince, is impoverished and defpifed. Another proof of the vanity of the world is, that 15 even wife kings lofe the esteem of their fubjects. I confidered all the living which walk under the fun, with the second child that shall stand up in his ftead. This would be better rendered, I have feen all the living under the fun going with the child that is fecond, that is, the heir apparent 16 to the crown. [There is] no end of all the people, [even] of all that have been before them; the number of all the people, even of all that have been before him, is without end: they also that come after fhall not rejoice in him; tho' vaft crouds attend his levees, the time will come when this young man fhall fee himself neglected, as his father was. Surely this alfo [is] vanity and vexation of fpirit: therefore happiness is not to be found in royal pomp, grandeur, and attendants. Solomon might speak this feelingly: it must have been very mortifying to fee his courtiers leaving him, and crouding after fuch a fool as Rehoboam

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REFLECTION S.

HE many oppreffions which are in the world, are very diftreffing to a pious, compaffionate heart. Let us blefs God that we are not under publick oppreffion by tyrannical princes and cruel judges; tho' there is a great deal in private life: many fervants and

workmen

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