May 23

1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doth it?

3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hell on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

4 I made me great works, I beibled me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water there with the wood that brought forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great

possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, or musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all real vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

The world is like sharp sauce, which doth not fill, but provokes the stomach to call for more. The voice of those guests whom it makes most welcome is like the daughters of the horseleech, "Give, give;" but the infinite God, like solid food, doth satisfy the soul fully and canseth it to cry out, "I have enough." "Men that are in the valley think, if they were at the top of such a hill, they could touch the heavens. Men that are in the bottom of poverty, or disgrace, or pain, think, if they could get up to such a mountain, such a measure of riches, and honors, and delights, they could reach happiness. Now Solomon had got to the top of this hill, and seeing so many scrambling and laboring so hard, nay, riding on one another's necks, and pressing one another to death to get foremost, doth seem thus to bespeak them: 'Sirs, ye are all deceived in your expectations; I see the pains ye take to get up to this place, thinking, that when ye come hither, ye shall touch the heavens, and reach happiness; but I am before you at the top of the hill—I have treasures, and honors, and pleasures in variety and abundance (Eccles ii. 11, 12), and I find the hill full of quagmires instead of delights, and so far from giving me satisfaction, that it causeth much vexation; therefore be advised to spare your pains, and spend your strength for that which will turn to more profit; for, believe it, you do but work at the labor in vain.'—Swinock.

Closet Promise.—All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.—Psalm xxv. 10.

Poor human wisdom is often baffled in the paths it marks out for itself. The hand of God hedges up the way, and we turn aside, and wonder. Let us try simply to trust our Father, and walk in the way of His commandment; then shall we never go astray.

"What cheering words are these, Their sweetness who can tell? In time and to eternal days,

'Tis with the righteous well! 'Tis well with them while life endures, And well when called to die"