Ecclesiastes 1:2

DISCOURSE: 827
THE VANITY OF THE CREATURE

Ecclesiastes 1:2. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

IF experience entitles a man to credit, and gives weight to his testimony, we derive great advantage as to the credibility of the inspired writings: for respecting much of which the Prophets and Apostles wrote, they could say, “What mine eyes have seen, mine ears have heard, and my hands have handled of the word of life, that same declare I unto you.” And if this be an advantage in reference to the excellency of religion, it may well be regarded as of some importance in reference also to the vanity of all earthly pursuits. That there should have been a man possessed of such abundant means of gratification as Solomon was, and so ardent in the pursuit of it in every possible line, and at the same time so faithful in declaring his own experience in relation to it all, must be considered as an advantage to all subsequent generations, who should hear and receive his testimony respecting the things which he had so fully tried, and so invariably proved to be vanity itself. The words before us express a conviction that admitted not of doubt, and a decision that left no room for controversy. “The Preacher” who uttered them was inspired of God, at the same time that he recorded what, from personal knowledge, he was qualified to declare. And in considering his testimony, I shall,

I. Confirm it—

The things of which he spake were, all that the world contains; its grosser and more common pursuits of pleasure, riches, and honour, as also its more refined attainments of wisdom and knowledge. And all of them, without exception, are vanity;

1. In their acquisition—

[It is not without great labour and toil that earthly distinctions are obtained. The merchant, the warrior, the philosopher will bear record, that in their respective pursuits they have endured much fatigue, and many disappointments; insomuch that to one whose taste was different from theirs, they would appear to have paid too dear a price for all that they have gained.]

2. In their use—

[Suppose that the labours of any person have been crowned with success; What, after all, has he gained? He thought he was following something substantial: but, to his mortification, he finds that he has grasped a shadow. He has “hewn out cisterns” for himself, indeed, with great labour; but he finds, after all, that they are “broken cisterns, which can hold no water.” At the first moment, whilst the charm of novelty is upon them, the various objects we have attained afford a pleasing gratification to the mind: but scarcely have they been enjoyed a few days, before they lose their sweetness, and descend into the common routine of earthly comforts. The man who rolls in wealth, and he who is dignified with high-sounding titles, is soon brought to a level with his inferiors in point of actual enjoyment: and even he who has acquired knowledge, finds, that, “in having increased knowledge, he has also increased sorrow [Note: ver. 18.];” because of the envy which his eminence has excited, and the uncertainty of much which he thinks he has attained.]

3. In their continuance—

[What is there of which a man may not be despoiled? Pleasure may, in a very little time, be turned into pain: honour may speedily be blasted by some unforeseen event: “riches make themselves wings, and fly away:” and through disease or accident, even reason itself, with all its highest attainments, may sink into more than infantine weakness and infirmity. But grant to these things all that the most sanguine imagination can impute, how soon do they vanish away! Even life itself is but as a hand-breadth, or as a shadow that declineth: and the moment that death comes, “all our thoughts perish,” and we “go out of the world as naked and as destitute as we came into it.”]

4. In their issue—

[Here it is that the vanity of earthly things pre-eminently appears. For in what respect can they advance our eternal happiness? Would to God that they did not so generally and so fatally obstruct it! Truly, “neither riches nor honours can profit us in the day of wrath.” With our holy and heavenly Judge “there is no respect of persons.” The rich and the poor will be dealt with according to one equal law: only the rich, and the great, and the learned, will be called to a more severe account in proportion to the influence they possessed, and the advantages they neglected to improve.]
But as the testimony is unquestionably strong, I shall,

II.

Qualify it—

Beyond all doubt, the Scriptures generally contain the same language: “Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity [Note: Psalms 62:9.].” But stronger still is the language of the Psalmist in another place, where he says, “Verily every man, at his best estate, is altogether vanity [Note: Psalms 39:5.].” Consider how strong and how unqualified these expressions are, and you will not expect me to say much in mitigation of them. Yet I must say, that the vanity of the creature, though the same in itself, is differently felt,

1. According to our mode of acting in reference to it—

[If we give ourselves up to creature comforts, we shall be dreadfully disappointed — — — But if we enjoy them in subserviency to God, and in subordination to higher pursuits, we shall not find them so empty as may be imagined. For God has “given to his people all things richly to enjoy:” and provided only we enjoy God in them, they are both a legitimate and an abundant spring of pure delight. For, whilst we derive from them the happiness which they are calculated to impart, we taste not the bitterness which is infused into the cup of the mere worldling. Our enjoyments are elevated and sanctified; our pains, moderated and changed into an occasion of praise and thanksgiving. Only let them be sought in their proper place, and they are comforts in the way to heaven, though they can never stand to us in the place of heaven.]

2. According to the degree in which we blend religion with it—

[Religion raises us above the creature altogether. If we have much of this world, we shall have a high enjoyment of it, because we shall make it the means of benefiting our fellow-creatures, and of honouring our God. If, on the other hand, we have little of this world, we shall still be happy: because, in having God for our portion, we can lack nothing. There are but two lessons for the Christian to learn: the one is, to enjoy God in every thing; the other is, to enjoy every thing in God. The one ennobles the rich; the other elevates the poor: and all who have learned these lessons are, and must be, happy.
Whilst, therefore, I grant the general position, that the creature is vanity, I must say, that the experience of its vanity, depends altogether on our undue pursuit of it and expectations from it. Let us only take it in the manner that God approves, and for the ends for which he has sent it, and we shall still find it, like Jacob’s ladder, unsubstantial indeed it itself, but still a medium of communication between heaven and earth; a medium of God’s descent to us, and of our ascent to him.]
But, in our consideration of this testimony, let us further,

III.

Improve it—

Much, very much, may it teach us. We may learn from it to be,

1. Moderate in our expectations—

[If we will foolishly look for that in the creature which God never designed to be put into it, we may well expect disappointment. Even in Paradise it was not intended to stand in the place of God, or to be to us any source of solid satisfaction: how much less, then, can it be so, when sin has infused a curse into it: agreeably to what is written, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” Let us estimate it aright, and expect from it no more than God has ordained it to impart: and we shall prove but little of its emptiness, whilst we have a rich and becoming enjoyment of it. The direction of St. Paul is that which comes immediately to the point, and exactly suits the present occasion: “The time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none: and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoice not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away [Note: 1 Corinthians 7:29.].” Only use the creature in this way, and you will find it no injury to your souls.]

2. Patient in our trials—

[Trials of different kinds must come: for “the whole creation has, through the sin of man, become subject to vanity.” But, in our present state, this is in reality a benefit; for, if it were not so, we should be ready to take up our rest in this world, instead of seeking “that which remaineth for us” in the world to come. Troubles serve to bring us nigh to God for the supports and consolations which we stand in need of. And shall we complain of that which brings us near to him, and proves an occasion of richer communications from him? No, verily: we should taste love, and love only, in our diversified afflictions; and look to God as sending them “for our profit, that by means of them we may be made partakers of his holiness,” and meet for his glory.]

3. Diligent in our pursuit of better things—

[In heavenly things there are no drawbacks, except those which are caused by our own defects in seeking after them. There is no vanity in love to God, or love to man: and the more we labour after them, and delight ourselves in them, the happier we shall be. Could we but give ourselves wholly to these things, we should find in them a very heaven upon earth. To every one of you, then, I would recommend that prayer of David, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way [Note: Psalms 119:37.].”]