But, from

and to all Conceive

which had been previously assigned to the soul. the instant of its dissolution, its doom was fixed; eternity will it remain an heir of happiness or woe. now the soul and body exalted to the throne of God, to enjoy all his blessedness and glory; or cast down to hell, to endure all the terrors of his wrath! Conceive its state irreversibly and unalterably fixed, so that, when millions of ages shall have rolled on, it shall be no nearer a termination than at its com. mencement! In what a view does this exhibit the change th shall take place at death! Truly, this is a subject which deserves the deepest consideration, and which, above all others, ought to operate with the greatest force upon our minds.]

Let us consider,

II. Our duty in reference to it—

We should continually look forward to that change, and "wait" for it in a state,

1. Of patient expectation

[When trouble comes upon us, we are apt to feel impatience, and are ready, like Elijah, to pray that "God would take away our life." Many, alas! proceed even to the extremity of terminating their lives by suicide: and I cannot but think that the act of suicide would be still more common, if the dread of an hereafter did not operate to produce a submission to present ills, as, upon the whole, a preferable alternative. But we should bear in mind, that "the number of our days is determined" of the Lord; that they are continually drawing to a close; that, in a little time, our afflictions, how great soever they may at present be, will come to a close; and, consequently, like persons waiting for the morning, we should submit with patience to the evils of the night.]

2. Of diligent preparation

[The present is the only time for securing happiness in the eternal world. Now, therefore, every hour should be improved for that end. Whatever talents have been committed to us, we should employ them so as to give a good account of them at last. If we have but one talent, we should not hide it in a napkin, but turn it to the best account that we are able; that so our Divine Master may, at his coming, receive his own with usury.]

Let this subject TEACH US,

1. The folly of ambition

[What if we possessed all that the world could give? We might speedily, like Job, be dispossessed of all, or be

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rendered incapable of enjoying it. At all events, the instant our change" comes, we must resign it all, and go naked out of the world, even as naked as we came into it. Who, that reflects on this, does not see that vanity is inscribed on all created good?]

2. The wisdom of true piety

[Piety is that which alone will profit us in the eternal world: and the effects of that remain unchangeable for evermore. Know, then, that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do thereafter: the praise of it endureth for ever."]

CCCCLXVI.

THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING IN VANITY.

Job xv. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

THE friends of Job were enlightened and pious men; but they altogether mistook the character of Job, and misinterpreted the dispensations of God towards him. They had assumed a principle which they carried too far: they laid it down as an invariable rule, that hypocrites would be visited with some peculiar judgments, and that extraordinary afflictions were in themselves a proof of some extraordinary wickedness which had procured them. But though they were mistaken in this, their observations are frequently most weighty and important. The words in our text are a kind of general truth, founded upon what Eliphaz had spoken in reference to Job. As applied to Job, it was not by any means pertinent but as an abstract truth, it is deserving of our deepest attention. Let us consider,

I. The caution

Men are universally "deceived" through the influence of a corrupt heart, a tempting world, and a subtle adversary. And that deception shews itself, as in other things, so particularly in the "trust” which they place in "lying vanities." They trust,

1. In vain conceits

[Men conceive themselves to be possessed of wisdom, goodness, strength, in such a degree at least as to warrant their expectation of happiness in a future world. Tell them from God, that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and they will deny your positions as false, and ridicule them as enthusiastic. They have no idea that they need the influences of the Holy Ghost to enlighten their minds, or the blood of Christ to atone for their sins, or the grace of Christ to renovate their hearts.

But let them examine their boasted attainments, and see whether they amount to any thing more than "vanity." Let them see whether their wisdom has made them like-minded with God: let them bring their goodness to the touchstone of God's law: let them try their strength in any act of spiritual obedience: let them see if they can love God with all their heart and mind and soul and strength: and they must soon be convinced, that they are trusting to a mere vanity.]

2. In vain possessions

[If a man possess much of this world's goods he presently trusts in it for happiness": "his wealth is his strong city b;" and he says to gold, "Thou art my confidence"."

But is not wealth also vanity? What can it do to assuage our anguish? or what stability is there in the possession of it? Do not "riches often make themselves wings, and fly away?" Or, when we are saying, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry;" may not God reply, "Thou fool! this night shall thy soul be required of thee?"

up

Let it not be said, that men do not trust in riches; for the reverse is manifest beyond the possibility of contradiction, seeing that the acquisition of wealth is regarded as the chief step towards happiness; and men bestow ten-fold more pains in the attainment of it, than they do in the pursuit of heaven.]

3. In vain hopes

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[Every one hopes that he shall be happy when he dies. But, if we ask men a reason of the hope that is in them,” they can make no reply that will at all justify their expectations. They will say, that they live as well as others, and that God is too merciful to condemn them: but as for any Scriptural reason, they can assign none.

What a vanity then is this! If a man were hoping for a harvest while he neglected to use the proper means to obtain one, would not his folly be manifest to all? Wherefore then will

a 1 Tim. vi. 17.

b Prov. x. 15.

c Job xxxi. 24.

men dream of going to heaven when they die, not only without having one word in all the inspired volume to warrant such a hope, but in direct opposition to the plainest declarations of God concerning them? Is not this a strange infatuation, a fatal delusion?]

4. In vain purposes―

[There is no one so hardened, but he intends at some future period to repent. All who have ever reflected on the value of their souls, or the importance of eternity, must have purposed in their minds that they would prepare to meet their God. But in this state they continue without carrying their purposes into execution. The young confess the necessity of repentance, and declare their intention to seek it: but they arrive at manhood, and repentance is unattained: they proceed to a more advanced period of life, and even to old age, and it still is as far from them as ever. Thus they live, always purposing, but never accomplishing their purpose, till the time for working is for ever past.

Can there be a greater vanity than this? And does not the trusting in such a vanity prove a man deceived?]

That we may not ourselves be guilty of this folly, let us consider,

II. The reason with which the caution is enforced

God has wisely ordained that men should reap according to what they sow. And it will surely be found, sooner or later, that " they who trust in vanity, shall have vanity for their recompence :" they shall reap,

1. Disappointment

[God alone is the proper object of our trust and confidence, because he alone can support us, and make us happy. If we have looked to sin for happiness, we will venture to ask, with the Apostle, "What fruit have we now of those things whereof we are ashamed?" If we have sought happiness in things lawful, still we must confess, that the creature, however excellent in itself, is but a broken cistern that can hold no water, and that must consequently fail us when we most need its support. We may fitly compare those who expect solid satisfaction in the creature, to a man almost famished, who dreams that he is eating and drinking, but awakes afterwards as empty and unsatisfied as before. Truly, "he fills his belly with the east wind:" and his fairest prospects shall "be as the f ver. 2.

d Gal. vi. 7, 8. Prov. iv. 8. e Isai. xxix. 8.

unripe grape shaken off from the vine, or the blossom cast off from the olives."]

2. Vexation—

[Solomon has observed respecting all the choicest things under the sun, that they are "vanity and vexation of spirit:" and the experience of all attests the truth of his observation. The more we trust in the creature, the more pain, generally speaking, it will occasion us: it will not only be a broken staff that refuses to support us, but a sharp "reed that will pierce through the hand that leans upon it." When Ahaz relied upon the Assyrian monarch to extricate him from his troubles, he found nothing but additional vexation: "Tiglathpilneser distressed him, but helped him noti." Thus it will be with all who trust in vanities of any kind, or seek for happiness in any thing but God. They may not yet have reached the crisis of their fate; but vanity and vexation are inseparable, both in this world and in the world to come. They may think that they have a feast to come; but while dreaming of something pleasing to their palate, they will find that they are "feeding on ashes, and a deceived heart hath turned them asidek."]

3. Ruin

[We well know how the tasting of the forbidden fruit, which promised such gratification and benefit to our first parents, terminated, and what misery it brought on them and their posterity: and the same recompence awaits us also, if we trust in lying vanities, instead of depending wholly on our God. Hear what God himself says respecting this: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and that maketh flesh his arm, and whose hope departeth from the Lord!." How should we tremble at such a denunciation as this! O let it have a becoming influence on our minds; and stimulate us to seek our happiness where alone it can be found.]

We conclude with OBSERVING,

1. How necessary is it to mark the state and habit of our minds!

[If it were said that gross sin should issue in misery, we should not be surprised: but we are told that the mere "trusting in vanity," independent of any gross sins which may flow from it, "will have vanity for its recompence." Let us look then not to our actions only, but to the state and habit of our minds; since our happiness both in time and in eternity

g ver. 33. h 2 Kings xviii. 21. i 2 Chron. xxviii. 16, 20. k Isai. xliv. 20. See also Eccl. v. 16, 17. 1 Jer. xvii. 5.