the soul, in that state of separate, conscious, identical existence, which can alone give a moral character to this belief. It is sufficient for my present purpose, if it be admitted, that there did not exist in the heathen world in general, any such steady and well-established belief of a future state of retribution, as could supply an adequate motive for virtuous exertion-could furnish efficient consolation to the afflicted; or could cheer the gloom of declining age.

For if this were the case, then was the way plain for the language of the Epicurean poets, who endeavoured to use this very feeling of the uncertainty of life, the miseries of old age, and the fleeting nature of mortal pleasure, as an argument for the more eager pursuit of enjoyment, while it could be had-for drowning care in the mantling bowl; and flying from anxious forethought into the flowery haunts of voluptuous indulgence: though the very tone of melancholy, in which these arguments are used, and the sad reflections which are mixed up with these calls to merriment, do indeed most plainly make true the words of Solomon, that, "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness." Many indeed are the passages, which, amidst calls to pleasure, say, as plainly as my text, "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."

And, in proceeding to comment upon this lan

D

guage of the wise king of Israel, I have prefaced my remarks by pointing your attention to this occurrence of similar expressions in many heathen writers, because the language of this book is no uncommon subject of cavil; and it is asserted, that the writer must have used such reflections for the same purpose as the heathen did that the moral of Solomon is the same as that of the Greek Epigrammatists; and that,

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero 4,"

is the motto of the king of Israel, as well as of the Roman poet.

A little attention, however, to the general purport of this book, will enable us to perceive that such is not the case. And though, doubtless, there is much in the course of it which is perplexed and involved and some passages, taken singly, are liable to misconstruction—a reference to the general tenor of the argument will lead us to the true meaning; and we shall see, that when Solomon uses the language of the Epicurean, he uses it, as St. Paul does, only to confute it; and though when he says, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die," he does not always distinctly add in words, "be not deceived," and "awake to righteousness and sin not" such is nevertheless the unfailing moral, and the conclusion to which the whole tends. 5 1 Cor. xv. 33.

4 Hor. Car. I. Od. xi. 8.

We shall find, as the ablest critics have done, that this book represents the sentiments of Solomon in his old age, when he had repented of the sins he had fallen into; and having seen and observed as much of life as falls to the lot of man, he was fully convinced of the vanity of all things, except piety towards God, and obedience to His laws.

It is hardly necessary to point out the circumstances which give peculiar effect to such a lesson as this from the lips of Solomon.

The Royal conqueror, who extended the boundaries of his dominion far and wide, from the Euphrates to the sea, had experienced the value of sovereign power and kingly pomp.

The Royal merchant, who broke through the exclusive maxims of Jewish polity, and gave free vent to the spirit of commercial enterprise, and whose navies shared the commerce of the world with those of Tyre and Sidon, amid the tide of prosperity which flowed in, could judge of the worth of that return of wealth it floated to his coasts.

The Royal philosopher, endowed by the special gift of God with an understanding heart; who excelled other men in knowledge as well as riches; who "spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop which springeth out of the wall; who spake also of beasts, and fowls, and creeping things, and fishes," knew what were philosophic wisdom and scientific research.

The Royal mor: vation, talent, and cup of literature, genius; he, who' and his songs were terials to estimato treasures of the re And, must we ad the sure lessons of of penitential feel the fruit of licenti worth or worthles

In his own wor more than all tha also, my wisdom

soever mine eyes c

withheld not my h

labour. rejoiced in all my labour.

Then I looked on all the works my hands had wrought, and on the labours I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun "." This is the continual burden of this book-this the declaration, with which it opens, and to the establishment of which the larger part of it is directed : " Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."

In proof of this painful and mortifying truth, Solomon proceeds to examine in detail, in the first

6 Eccles. ii. 9.

six chapters, the principal objects of human desire and pursuit; and to point out how barren and unprofitable they are. He shows how ill-directed is that laborious pursuit of mere knowledge, which is the occupation of so many: "for in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." He then proceeds to declare, how vain are all the joys of the voluptuary, and the luxuries of indulgence and ease. "I said in my heart, go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure; and behold this also is vanity. I said of laughter it is mad, and of mirth what doeth it?" The power and majesty of kings are spoken of in the same strain of melancholy reflection. He points out how inefficient power is, even when well used, to prevent crime. How liable it is to be abused; how anxious, how fruitless, how unsatisfactory are the labours of the great, so that, "this, too, is vanity." He then passes the same sentence on men, who toil and labour to heap up riches for those who are to come after them; and spend their lives in trouble for they know not what : "For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief: yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." In a like tone of melancholy, however just observation, the preacher proceeds through all the other topics of human