Ecclesiastes 11:10

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! pause over the perusal of this very interesting Chapter. And while thou art studious to obey the wise man's precept, and to cast thy bread upon the waters, let thine eye, like the prophet's upon the watch tower, be upon the lookout for the Lord's direction, and the Lord's blessing upon thy labors. But, my soul, what are the portions which thou canst give to seven, or to eight! Alas! what hast thou which thou didst not receive? Surely it is all the Lord's, and of his own must thou give him. Oh! how blessed to be the Lord's almoner, when the Lord condescends thus to employ his creatures.

And, my soul! while like the husbandman in the morning, thou sowest thy seed, and in the evening withholdest not thine hand; look to it, that the seed sown is pure and uncorrupt, and that he that ministereth seed to the sower, may both minister bread for thine own food, and multiply the seed sown, and increase the fruits of righteousness. Blessed Jesus! thou art the Almighty Sower, that hath both produced, and sown the good seed in every age of thy Church. Oh! do thou thyself dwell in the hearts of thy people. Let no tares spring up to choak the good seed. But do thou water it with the dew of heaven from above, and let the sunshine with all its loveliness and fruitfulness upon it, that it may bring forth a glorious harvest, some an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some thirty-fold.

My aged fathers! do not forget what the wise man here saith: If a man live many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. Oh! for grace, when walking upon the confines of the eternal shore, to have done with this world, and all its dying concerns. Oh! for grace to see, like the Patriarch, the evil days of our pilgrimage, and like him to be waiting for dismission, from all the objects around, that the hoary saint may gather up his feet into the bed, and from long acquaintance with a covenant God in Christ, as he had, the dying triumph may be, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord! And you no less, young men! see that your rejoicing is in Jesus. Oh! for grace to give the strength of your days to Christ, that in the weakness of years, Jesus may be the support; and when both heart and strength shall fail, Jesus may be the strength of your heart and your portion forever. Amen.