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mined by the lawyers, and by several of the bishops who composed the court, long and vexatiously. Attempts were made to shake his credibility as a witness, on the score of failing memory, or intentional misrepresentation. Unkind and cutting reflections were made upon the course of conduct which he felt under obligation to pursue. Two of the bench of bishops allowed themselves to indulge in sneering remarks relative to his testimony on the trial, and published opinions, in which the respect due to age and common courtesy were alike forgotten. Dr. Milnor, of course, felt these things keenly. He was strongly urged to reply publicly. He could have done so with most withering effect. He declined; and we regard it as the loveliest trait in his amiable character, that he chose to suffer in the tenderest point,—to be held up to the world as a false accuser, if not as a perjured witness, for all who testified on the trial were sworn,-rather than to be the means of prolonging a controversy which was making the Church of Christ, and more especially that denomination to which he belonged, a hissing and a by-word.

But his record is on high. He has passed away from the toils and conflicts of earth; and, without adverting to his efficient labours in the cause of the American Bible Society, the Tract Society, and other benevolent institutions, we are compelled to bring this article to a close.

"Servant of God! well done!"

ART. V.-PLAN AND STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF

ECCLESIASTES.

SECOND PAPER.

[Modified from the German of VAIHINGER, in the “ Theologische Studien und Kritiken" for July, 1848.]

THIRD DISCOURSE.*

THEME, (chap. vi, 1,-viii, 15,)—"Inasmuch, therefore, as the faults of others, or our own, often imbitter or destroy our enjoyment of the blessings God bestows, we should strive to avoid the common folly, and seek true enjoyment of life in a higher way, by the aid of true wisdom."-In three subdivisions :

Subdivision I., (vi, 1-12.) "Earthly blessings cannot afford the true happiness, since, for the most part, men are not even allowed to enjoy them."-In two strophes :-†

* Ewald continues the 3d Discourse up to vi, 9, commencing the third at vi, 10:— Köster begins the 3d at vi, 13.

† This subdivision, like III., (page 178,) has but two strophes.

Strophe 1. "A man may be rich, honoured, blessed with children, and may live to great age, without real enjoyment,-God preventing, as it were, his delighting in these things; and this disappointment is heightened by the want of any hope in the future," (vi, 1-6.)

(a) "The rich only gather for others," (verses 1, 2.)

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There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among 2. A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease."

(b) "All outward blessings may be preserved without inward," (verses 3–6.) 3. "If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

4. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5. Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known anything: this hath more rest than the other.

6. Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?"

Strophe 2. "This sad experience is caused partly by insatiable cravings, and partly by unwillingness to submit to the divine order of things," (vi, 7–12.)

(a) "The divine order designs enjoyment as the reward of toil. But the fool reverses this order, and toils only to desire for more,” (verses 7–9.)

7. "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8. For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

9. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit."

(b) "God knows what is best for man: but the fool, discontented, rebels against the divine order," (verses 10–12.)

10. "That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12. For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun ?"

Subdivision II., (vii, 1-22.) "To avoid these evils, we should strive after true wisdom, and, under its guidance, seek the way to enduring happiness."-In three strophes :

Strophe 1. "The just, knowing the emptiness of earthly pleasure, despises, in earnestness of soul and temperance of life, the joy of fools," (vii, 1–7.)

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(a) “The wise, just man turns from hollow joy to that which is intrinsically valuable,” (1–4.)

1. "A good name is better than precious ointment: and the day of death than the day of one's birth.*

2. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."

(b) "So he abandons corrupting associations," (verses 5-7.)

5. "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

7. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart."

Strophe 2. "Feeling his dependence on an All-wise Disposer, who will finally do all things well, the wise man secures peace of mind by acquiescing in the inscrutable arrangements of God," (vii, 8-14.)

(a) "He patiently trusts Divine Providence, and therefore has no fault to find," (verses 8-10. Cf., vi, 9–12.)

8. "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this."

(b) “Wisdom, guiding him in the dark way, is a substitute for all earthly good," (verses 11–14. Cf., vi, 7–9.)

11. "Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

12. For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

13. Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

14. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."

Strophe 3. "The unequal distribution of earthly goods, the dis

proportion between desert and enjoyment, and the sense of illdesert in himself, produce in the wise man an humble fear of God, which makes many rough places of life smooth,” (vii, 15-22.)

(a) "In the danger of exaggerating desert or ill-desert, it is best to preserve the happy mean," (verses 15-18.)

* The proverb indicates the beginning of the subdivision.

15. "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

16. Be not righteous over-much; neither make thyself over-wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

17. Be not over-much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this: yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”

(b) "The wise man, fearing God, may bear with the infirmities of others, and even endure insult unmoved,” (verses 19–22.)

19. "Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21. Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

22. For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others."

Subdivision III., (vii, 23—viii, 15.) "We should seek to escape the snares of folly, (vii, 26,) to avoid doing evil, (viii, 5,) to fear God, (viii, 12,) and thus finally to enjoy the blessings of life in innocence and quiet, with the favour of God." The means of doing this are shown in three strophes :

Strophe 1. "By spurning all impure seductions," (vii, 23–29.) (a) "These seductions are dangerous, even to the wise,” (verses 23–26.) 23. "All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from

me.

24. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25. I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26. And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her."

(b) "Few have resisted them, and thus preserved the original purity designed by God," (verses 27-29.)

27. "Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account;

28. Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."

Strophe 2. "By obeying men in authority, according to time and circumstances, inasmuch as the haughtiest rulers are as powerless against the Divine order as restless agitators," (1–8.)

* The formula of introduction, "I have seen," indicates the beginning of the strophe.

(a)" The wise man avoids rebellion as the bane of peace," (verses 1-4.) 1. "Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

2. I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.

3. Be not hasty to go out of his sight; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

4. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou ?”

(b) "Confident that crime will in due time meet its just desert, he submits to evils that are unavoidable," (verses 5-8.)

5. "Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

7. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be ? 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”

Strophe 3. "By firmly trusting the Divine justice, even in the face of its mysterious delays, knowing that piety and impiety will alike meet right rewards." (9-15).

(a) “True, rulers often rule only for evil, and the wicked dead are praised while the just are forgotten,” (verses 9, 10.)

9. "All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

10. And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity."

(b) "Still, in spite of this apparent disproportion between desert and enjoyment, it is well with the good, and not well with the wicked," (verses 11-14.)

11. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

12. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

13. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said, that this also is vanity."

(c) Hence, as before, the conclusion is, that "an innocent enjoyment of life, amid its weary toils, is the highest earthly good," (verse 15.)

15. "Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.”

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