MA

And waiting sees the golden harvest lost:ig A
So those, who plead excuses to defer
The time of shewing mercy to the Poor, 17
Or fitter season wait, as they pretend,
Will find themselves deceiv'd. The season past
Of doing good, will never more return.

But some 'reply, Much have we giv'n, yet still}}
See no reward, no prospect that our Alms
Shall e'er be recompens'd. Wilt thou not trust
Th' Almighty, though his ways to thee unknown?
Canst thou discern whence comes the wind, or where
It blows? What makes it rage, and then to cease?
How thy own soul, of origin divine,

Amazing union! join'd to brittle clay,

Feels all its frailties? By what plastic pow'r,
The Foetus in its Mother's womb is form'd?
If so mysterious nature's works, and man
A stranger to himself, wilt thou attempt

To comprehend the ways of Heav'n? Yet rest
Assur'd, that as the Embryo, to full growth
Arriv'd, from its dark prison instant breaks;
So thou, at God's appointed time, shalt reap

4

regardeth the clouds, shall not reap. [5] As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not, the works of God who maketh all.

[V. 4, 5. He that regardeth the wind will not sow,

And he that observeth the clouds will not reap.

As thou knowest not what is the process of the spirit,
Or of the substunce in the pregnant womb;

So thou cuust wot discern the work of God,

In what manner he will effect the whole (of his designs.)

Comp. Ps. cxxxix. 15. and John iù. 8.

A plenteous harvest from the pious works
- } } }
Thou here hast sown for wealth thus giv'n away,
Yields vast increase, but hoarded up, is lost, ^. I
And melts to nothing. Therefore, in the morn
Of life, some portion of that wealth reserve, į..
The wretched to relieve, which Youth consumes:
In brutal pleasures and amusements vain :
Nor in the evening of Old Age withdraw
Thine hand, {though griping Av'rice loud exclaim :
For as the prudent Husbandman both late
And early sows, nor, of his scatter'd seed

C

Knows which will prosper best; so, of thine alms
Thou know'st not which will most acceptance find
With Heav'n, or those in dawn of life bestow'd,
Or its decline; or whether both alikev
Will int rest yield; of this alone assur'd,
The more thy bounty feel, thou hast stor'd up
A larger share of blessings for thyself, ske

With each delightful object round thee charm'd, In ease and affluence sunk, How sweet thou cry'st, To see the cheering sun, and with full glee

To taste the joys of life! 'Tis sweet, indeed, life!'Tis

B

And well may'st thou exult: "Yet still amidst Thy transports, recollect, that though man's years To green old age prolong'd, should constant flow In circling rounds of joy, all bright, serene, ⠀

[6] In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. m[7] Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: n [8] But if a man live many years, and rejoice, in them

Exempt from disappointment, grief, and care;} Thy Sun will surely set, and rise no more;e (! For in the grave is all perpetual gloom an The days of darkness near approach, to which, Less than a moment, will the past appear. 19 What comfort then will these gay scenes afford, Which are for ever fled? The night of Death Will force thee to reflect, and late convince, How vain and transient thy pursuits below *

Perhaps thou'lt say, The only time for joy, Is when the blood runs high, and bevery sense With poignant relish tastes the sweets of life.. all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shal be many. All that cometh is vanity.*

* Some are of opinion, that the former of these verses contains the sentiments or exultation of one wholly enamoured with the charms of this present life. Be this as it will, we cannot, by any means, agree with those, e, who make the latter verse a continuation of the same person's sentiments, as if he had said, "I am not insensible that I' certainly die, some time or other, and, when this Sun of life is set, perpetual dark

that all these gay scenes around me will be lost in rb our minds

mer.

ness: since therefore it argues folly and vanity to about what we cannot prevent, let us live a merry life, so long as it lasts, and deny ourselves no gratification in our power." But neither the text, nor scope of the matter, will admit such an er position. The latter verse evidently contains the Preacher's reflection on the forHe makes, indeed, a reasonable concession, as to the sweetness of Life, and its present enjoyments; but from hence takes occasion, by way of check to the Libertine's transports, to mention Death, implied by the days of darkness, which, as he observes, will surely come, though a man should live many years, and rejoice in them all; which, however, is no more than a mere supposition of his, for argument's sake; since no man upon earth, ever did, or ever will do The happiest have but hours of joy for months of sorrow. The turn we have given to the last words, is agreeable to the sense of the Vulgate, which, though not a literal version, (as it seldom is, e pecially in the metrical parts of scripture,) seems to come up to the true meaning. Yet he ought to remember the dark time, and the days to come, which will shew the vanity of those things that are past.

so.

es

• Go then, fond, heedless Youth, whate'er thy soul
Desires, enjoy without restraint; indulge

Each craving appetite, and ev'ry sense
With pleasing objects charm, as instant gust
Of passion moves.§--Yet let this serious thought
Check thy career, and, like a thunder clap,
Rouse from th' enchanting dream. These precious hours
In childless follies spent, though here they seem
To perish unobserv'd, are strictly charg'd

p

To thine account: for God will surely bring
Thy werks and thee to his tremendous Bar,
And Judgement pass on both. Does the harsh sound
Of future reck'ning strike a sudden damp,
And fill with sadness? Or art thou enrag'd'
At such rebukes? Would'st thou be happy, learn
Those fierce tumultuous passions, which disturb
Thy mind, with calm reflection to repress;
And brutal Lust, that wars against the soul,
Brings on, with hasty strides, decrepit Age,

[9] Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.§ P [10] Therefore

& Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy fond pursuits, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the light of thine eyes. As the two words, which our Version: renders in both places, Youth, are different in the original, the construction we have given the latter is countenanced by the Vulgate, which renders the same words, in the very next verse, Youth and Pleasure. Some will have this passage to be a pers mission or advice, of the Preacher's, like some others before taken notice of, which are undoubtedly so to be understood; but here the words are to be taken ironically, and by way of sarcasm, as the turu ofthe expression,, with what follows, evidently evinces.

bede squsumi etilis

Reason dethrones, and plunges in a gulph