August 20

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."—Ecclesiastes 12:7.

THIS chapter contains a touching and affecting account, in figurative language, of the infirmities of old age; and the young are entreated, from the consideration of these accumulated evils, to seek religion at once, before the intellectual faculties begin to be impaired, and the animal economy is broken up. What a world of wonders is man! To adopt the language of Henry, "a ray of heaven is united to a clod of earth." The words before us lead us to the contemplation of man, both in his body and soul.

THE BODY. Notice

Its earthly nature. "Dust." What a humiliating description of man! not a tall pillar of marble, but a little heap of dust; how feeble, worthless, and insignificant! The gay and licentious, the lofty and ambitious, are only so many little lumps of proud dust. What folly and madness do they betray whose chief concern is for the body!

Its humiliating origin. "The earth as it was." Genesis 2:7.

Come and look at your origin, and is it possible that pride can find a place in your heart! How wonderful is the mechanism of the human frame! What Divine power and skill are displayed in the beautiful connection of its several parts! The finger of God is here.

Its affecting destiny. It shall return to the earth as it was, because of sin. This destiny is certain, as to the fact of it. No power or policy can avert the stroke of death, or shut the mouth of the gaping tomb. It is uncertain, as to the period of it. "Our times are in thy hand." It is diversified, as to the manner of it. Some return to their mother earth slowly, others more rapidly; some by accident, others by the progress of disease, and others by the infirmities and decay of declining nature. It is universal, as to the extent of it. "Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Draw near to the tomb of the proud, ambitious conqueror, who made nations tremble before him. Where is all his pomp and grandeur? where his valor and undaunted bravery now? Ah! frail mortal,

"A heap of dust alone remains of thee; 'Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be."

How unbecoming is the fear of man! How beautiful is the ornament of humility! God remembers we are dust, though we may not. How great is the evil of sin, which brings such a train of evils after it!