SERMON VII. THE RIGHT USE OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. ECCLESIASTES IX. 7-10. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart: for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of the life of thy vanity which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. THOUGH "righteousness and judgment are "the habitation of Jehovah's throne," yet "clouds and darkness are round about "him"." The dispensations of his providence are oftentimes mysterious, and to us incomprehensible. "Our understanding traces them in vain, Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot attain it. Our duty is to exercise a cheerful and unqualified confidence in the moral government of God at all times, and under all circumstances. "Since the days of our life are but vanity, "we ought cheerfully to partake of all the "sweet contentments of this life, without omitting the duties of our calling, this being the entire portion which we can "here possess of all our labours." 66 To this line of conduct, the wise man in the text, exhorts the righteous, that is, those who trust that God has already accepted their works, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He gives particular directions a Ps. xcvii. 2. b Addison. c Bishop Reynolds' Com. on Eccles. on the text. to them, in what ways they must manifest this confidence, and assigns important reasons to enforce the duty. These directions and reasons, as suggested by the text, will be unfolded to your view, in order. I. The manifestation of a righteous man's confidence in the moral government of God, as directed by the wise man, does not consist in a slothful indifference to the events of providence, or in the absence of sensibility, either as it respects pleasure or pain. Man was formed for activity, and endowed with feeling. His nature, his make, his faculties, are all social. Religion does not counteract or destroy this social constitution, but gives a proper direction to its exercise. We are situated in a wide world, dependent on others as well as on ourselves. To obtain necessary comforts and allowable enjoyments, we must labour. To fulfil the design of our creation, we must also rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Sensibility is as necessary to our wellbeing as activity. As without activity, we would suffer, if not perish, so without sensibility we would sink to the level of the beasts. Hence you find, that the wise man enjoins cheerfulness of heart in the performance of personal duty, and a participation with others in lawful enjoyments; whilst, at the same time, he exhorts to earnestness and diligence in all that our hands find to do. 1. The first direction he gives to a believer to manifest his confidence in the government of God, is this, "Go thy way; "eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy "wine with a merry heart.” Under the terms bread and wine, are included those necessaries and conveniences which support and enliven animal life. By directing the one to be eaten with joy, and the other to be drank with a merry heart, the wise man clearly intended that these necessaries and conveniences should be acquired honestly and reputably. Every man ought to be engaged in some lawful calling. No calling, if it be lawful, is disreputable. The sober and useful mechanic, is as honourable in his employment, as a professional man; and infinitely more so than he who, without any employment, scatters the poison of slothfulness throughout society. No man lives for himself alone. He lives also for his friends, his family, the community to which he belongs, and God who made him. All these have therefore a claim upon his exertions. They have a right to demand from him the exercise of a lawful employment, that is, of an employment which, whilst it is calculated to promote human happiness, directly or indirectly, does directly or indirectly promote the glory of God. Employments which do not answer these purposes are unlawful, and therefore condemnable. They operate as so many drains to exhaust the coffers of society, to prevent the support of the poor, and the comfort of the unfortunate. If every man was to give what he ought in honour and conscience to these objects, he would have no superfluous means to cast away on useless characters, who only minister fuel to the fire of unhallowed passions. These characters do not " eat their bread with joy, "or drink their wine with a merry heart." They consume their gain in feasting and rioting; in pampering their appetites, or otherwise gratifying their vices. Can joy or a merry heart consist with all this conduct? The excesses of these persons ex |