Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v25250

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 7KB | 129 lines

25252
 #10-31 This is the description of a virtuous woman of those
 days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and
 nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her
 husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing
 that he rule over her. 1. She can be trusted, and he will leave
 such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes
 it her constant business to do him good. 2. She is one that
 takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is
 careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She
 applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's
 business. She does what she does, with all her power, and
 trifles not. 3. She makes what she does turn to good account by
 prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without
 considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for
 her house. She lays up for hereafter. 4. She looks well to the
 ways of her household, that she may oblige all to do their duty
 to God and one another, as well as to her. 5. She is intent upon
 giving as upon getting, and does it freely and cheerfully. 6.
 She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she
 governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes
 prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others.
 The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows
 itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even
 when her hands are most busy about this world. 7. Above all, she
 fears the Lord. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any
 proof of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who
 made his choice of a wife by it. But the fear of God reigning in
 the heart, is the beauty of the soul; it lasts for ever. 8. She
 has firmness to bear up under crosses and disappointments. She
 shall reflect with comfort when she comes to be old, that she
 was not idle or useless when young. She shall rejoice in a world
 to come. She is a great blessing to her relations. If the fruit
 be good, the tree must have our good word. But she leaves it to
 her own works to praise her. Every one ought to desire this
 honour that cometh from God; and according to this standard we
 all ought to regulate our judgments. This description let all
 women daily study, who desire to be truly beloved and respected,
 useful and honourable. This passage is to be applied to
 individuals, but may it not also be applied to the church of
 God, which is described as a virtuous spouse? God by his grace
 has formed from among sinful men a church of true believers, to
 possess all the excellences here described.
25274
 ** The name of this book signifies "The Preacher." The wisdom of
 God here preaches to us, speaking by Solomon, who it is evident
 was the author. At the close of his life, being made sensible of
 his sin and folly, he recorded here his experience for the
 benefit of others, as the book of his repentance; and he
 pronounced all earthly good to be "vanity and vexation of
 spirit." It convinces us of the vanity of the world, and that it
 cannot make us happy; of the vileness of sin, and its certain
 tendency to make us miserable. It shows that no created good can
 satisfy the soul, and that happiness is to be found in God
 alone; and this doctrine must, under the blessed Spirit's
 teaching, lead the heart to Christ Jesus.

 * Solomon shows that all human things are vain. (1-3) Man's toil
 and want of satisfaction. (4-8) There is nothing new. (9-11) The
 vexation in pursuit of knowledge. (12-18)

 #1-3 Much is to be learned by comparing one part of Scripture
 with another. We here behold Solomon returning from the broken
 and empty cisterns of the world, to the Fountain of living
 water; recording his own folly and shame, the bitterness of his
 disappointment, and the lessons he had learned. Those that have
 taken warning to turn and live, should warn others not to go on
 and die. He does not merely say all things are vain, but that
 they are vanity. VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. This is the
 text of the preacher's sermon, of which in this book he never
 loses sight. If this world, in its present state, were all, it
 would not be worth living for; and the wealth and pleasure of
 this world, if we had ever so much, are not enough to make us
 happy. What profit has a man of all his labour? All he gets by
 it will not supply the wants of the soul, nor satisfy its
 desires; will not atone for the sins of the soul, nor hinder the
 loss of it: what profit will the wealth of the world be to the
 soul in death, in judgment, or in the everlasting state?

25277
 #4-8 All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his
 labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the
 current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it
 not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what
 is untried.

25282
 #9-11 Men's hearts and their corruptions are the same now as in
 former times; their desires, and pursuits, and complaints, still
 the same. This should take us from expecting happiness in the
 creature, and quicken us to seek eternal blessings. How many
 things and persons in Solomon's day were thought very great, yet
 there is no remembrance of them now!

25285
 #12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found
 his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh,
 but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the
 sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his
 spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor
 do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of
 knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so
 that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and
 mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this
 vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the
 knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour.
25292
 * The vanity and vexation of mirth, sensual pleasure, riches,
 and pomp. (1-11) Human wisdom insufficient. (12-17) This world
 to be used according to the will of God. (18-26)

 #1-11 Solomon soon found mirth and pleasure to be vanity. What
 does noisy, flashy mirth towards making a man happy? The
 manifold devices of men's hearts, to get satisfaction from the
 world, and their changing from one thing to another, are like
 the restlessness of a man in a fever. Perceiving it was folly to
 give himself to wine, he next tried the costly amusements of
 princes. The poor, when they read such a description, are ready
 to feel discontent. But the remedy against all such feelings is
 in the estimate of it all by the owner himself. All was vanity
 and vexation of spirit: and the same things would yield the same
 result to us, as to Solomon. Having food and raiment, let us
 therewith be content. His wisdom remained with him; a strong
 understanding, with great human knowledge. But every earthly
 pleasure, when unconnected with better blessings, leaves the
 mind as eager and unsatisfied as before. Happiness arises not
 from the situation in which we are placed. It is only through
 Jesus Christ that final blessedness can be attained.