eat and drink and rejoice (viz., enjoy, be contented and thankful), he told us already thrice that such au enjoyment is a pure gift of God in His providence (see ii. 24; iii. 12; and v. 18). The sum and substance, therefore, of the whole passage amounts to the following-That the best of men will be sadly disappointed were he to expect to be rewarded for his good works and services by his fellow-men in this dark and perverted world; but that he owed such works of benevolence and love to his Creator, and hence to his fellow-men, who are likewise the creatures of God, and the reward for which he shall receive in the world of realities, from the sure hand of Him who judges in righteousness, and recompenses richly those who serve Him: as for this world, one thing only is sure, that no just and upright man is forgotten or neglected by his benevolent and merciful Creator, and though the whole world of mortals may be mistaken in him, slander him, persecute him, and misinterpret his best intentions, and reward him evil for good, his God will never leave him nor forsake him all the days of his life. That he should, therefore, wait for his recompense in another world, and while living by faith he should enjoy the temporal mercies with thanksgiving, and depend upon it that these are the only things that will surely accompany him in all his labours during the days of his earthly pilgrimage-that he will never want these enjoyments of life, though men may deny him all his merits, and bereave him of everything he deserves.

17. Again I saw (regarding) all the works of God, That a man cannot find out the works

That are accomplished under the sun;

Because though a man labour to seek it out,
Yet shall he not find it;

Yea, further, though a wise man think to know it,
Yet shall he not be able to find it.

In chapter iii. verse 11, Solomon has already declared that though the Lord has ordained and arranged everything beautifully in its season, still He has, at the same time (for wise and important purposes) put a confusion into the hearts of men, in order that man should not be able to find out the work which God performed from the beginning to the end. (See our explanation of that verse in loco.) In the intervening chapters Solomon entered much into particulars, in introducing subjects, transactions, and occurrences with which we meet during our lives, and which are strange, mysterious, and inexplicable unto us, be they in the relation of man to man, or in that of man to his God. Hence that the inspired author comes necessarily back to the same conclusion, viz., that because we and our actions, and even our thoughts, are so inseparably united to, and so entirely dependant on, the mysterious will, works, and plans of the Almighty God, therefore they are all involved and interwoven in the general labyrinth of Jehovah's mysterious dispensations, which is a depth that no human mind will ever be able to fathom, nor man's wisdom and calculation to penetrate.

แ Again I saw," (or "Again I was obliged to conclude,") "regarding all the works of God." The Hebrew noun (Maaseh) has a very extensive signification, and comprehends real "works," "transactions," "purposes," "plans," "arrangements," orders and performances.' (The first chapter of Genesis, where this word is often employed in different forms, shows its wide and rich significance.) All these ways of Jehovah's government in providence, are so complicated, so mysteri

ous, and so intricate that no human intelligence, no human labour and perplexity, no wisdom and calculation, will ever be able to unravel the least of them either in their value in time present, or as to their bearing on future purposes and destinies. As man is a mere instrument in the hand of omnipotence, to serve incalculable objects and purposes, whether he will or not; so all his transactions, therefore, are either confirmed, aided, and accomplished by an invisible power and unchangeable will, or hindered, delayed, and even confounded and overturned by the same sovereign will, and all this for future purposes, into which we cannot look. Hence even our own plans, works, and destinies are likewise enveloped in a thick cloak of mystery, and are dark unto us like the midnight hour in the absence of moon and stars. Therefore"6 man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun." When we see wicked men prosper and thrive at the expense of the suffering just, let us not say rashly, "What is this?-Where is the righteous judgment of God?" This is an insoluble mystery to us, because we are short-lived, short-sighted, and selfish beings; but it has a reason-it has a purpose. Thousands of little and great mysteries and plans may be combined with the prosperity of these wicked men and the momentary sufferings of the just. All must go on as it does under its mysterious pavilion, until all be prepared, all be ripe, all be favourable, and all combustible materials be united. Then, then by one invisible but irresistible cause, a mighty explosion will take place, and all will change order and colour-all things will cast down their mysterious shells and array themselves in brightness before our eyes-the wicked actors will suddenly find themselves, like Pharaoh's army, in the midst of a foaming sea, will be severely

0

punished and eternally destroyed, while the afflicted just, who suffered during the process, will appear unhurt, vigorous, improved, and prosperous. man! who would not condemn a captain of a vessel who, in order to please one of his sea-sick passengers, would cast anchor in the midst of threatening rocks, in the sight of a dreadfully threatening tempest, and also in the sight of a sure harbour, and thus expose and deliver hundreds of lives to perish in the deep, without being able to save the object of his misplaced charity? O suffering child of God! remember that on thy momentary afflictions may depend the life, future prosperity, and even salvation of thine own soul, as well as of hundreds of thy fellow-men, and also the emanation of dreadful punishments to hundreds of wicked persecutors of humanity! Wilt thou be foolish and selfish enough to command (were it in thy power) the whole of that wonderful machine to stop? And couldst thou expect to gain by it?

Seeing, then, that such mysterious plans and purposes are continually in operation, in every country, in every town, yea, in and with every man in particular, who, to whatever society or cast he belongs, is certainly (though unwittingly) an actor in some one of these mysterious processes, what then can we mortal men expect to know of the innumerable plans of infinite wisdom? Should we even live a thousand years, be armed with Solomon's wisdom, with Euclid and Newton's powers of calculations, with the perseverance of a Columbus, and researches of a Buffon, and devote all our days and nights to the study of the arrangements of the Lord, of His plans and purposes, how far will we arrive? What will we be able to conclude? "It is higher than Heaven, What can we know? It is deeper than hell, What can we do?" This was,

is, and will always be, the limits of mortal man's knowledge, and if some mistaken servant should ever venture to transgress that limit, he shall be violently repulsed, and a thundering voice will call behind him, "Temeritous worm of the dust, hitherto only thou shalt come, but here be done with thy vain pride." Let us, therefore, leave the secrets unto our God, and pay all our attention to His revealed will, and thus seeking to do what He recommended us, we shall surely accomplish that which He desires. If we do continually remember that we are in His hands like the clay in the hands of the potter, we shall never fall into the presumptuous error to ask the Lord of Hosts, "What doest thou ?" or, "Why hast thou made us thus ?" but, on the contrary, we shall always and in every circumstance be ready to say, "Here we are, Lord, thy holy will be done." Why else plague ourselves with vain speculations, and disturb and spend our few days in seeking that which the wisest of men could never find? "Unto man God said, Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job. xxx. 28.)

[The following chapter is not only strictly combined with the above subject, but it is evident that verse 17 of chapter viii. is the introduction to chap. ix., which opens with the explanation of that verse, as shall be seen.]

(CHAPTER IX. VER. 1.)

1. For to all these things I applied my heart, Even to inquire diligently into these matters;