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Solomon; fome Herdsmen, as Amos; and Priests, as Jeremiah; Fishermen, as fome of the apoftles: this he did, that all forts might meet with ftile and phrase of fpeech fuitable for them. We may learn, that it is no difgrace to any man, or any man's children, to be preachers: Solomon and David, both kings and both prophets, are of the number; Solomon ftudying to teach the people knowledge, Eccl. xii. 9, 10. The Angels, higher than the higheft man, are all miniftring fpirits, Heb. i. 14. Yea, CHRIST, the Prince of the kings of the earth, was the great New - Tefiament Preacher.Thus you have the Penman defcribed in the title of the book; (C The words of the Preacher, the fon of David, king of Ifrael.”

The fecond verfe lays before us the general doctrine of the book; " Vanity of vanitics, faith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Where, more particularly, we have, 1. The Judgment paft upon all earthly things. 2. The Perfon paffing this judgment.

1ft, To begin with the laft of thefe; we have the Person that pafles this judgment, that all is vanity; it is faid to be the Preacher. I told you already what was the meaning of the word, viz. one that is gathered by grace to God, who had learned, by his experience, the vanity of all things in time; and was convinced, that there was no real advantage in purfuing after these things. Who is it that thus fpeaks lightly of the world? Indeed, it was one who was a very competent judge, as much as ever any man was. Many fpeak contemptibly of the world, either because they are hermits, and know it not; or beggars, and have it not; But Solomon knew it, and had enough of it too; and he spoke of it as one having authority, not only as a king, but as a prophet and preacher; he spoke in God's name, being divinely inspired. And, as fome think, one main thing he defigned, was, to fhew that the everlafting throne and kingdom, which God had been lately promifing to David and his feed, (for Chrift was alfo the fon of David) muft be of another world: for all things in this world are fubject to vanity; and therefore have not in them fufficient to answer the extent of that pro

mife. If Solomon found all things to be vanity; then the kingdom of the Meffiah must come, in which only we can inherit fubftance. And, indeed, the very end and defign of our preaching to you, concerning the va nity of the world, is to recommend Christ to you; seeing, though you should inherit all things your heart can defire in time, you do but inherit paffing fhadows and vanity but in Chrift you will inherit everlasting and fubftantial goodness, faith the Preacher, Prov. vii. 21.

Solomon fet the feal of his teftimony to the vanity of all earthly things, after the trial of them: they that have had the most trial of earthly comforts, are moft ready to avouch, and most able to preach the vanity of them. Experience is a divine teftimony, as being taken from the works of God, in the event of things coming to pass by providence: and experience is of great au. thority with men, as being an argument more fenfible, and lefs fubject to ignorance and error.And hence we may fee the great difference between earthly and heavenly things for earthly things feem good, till men get a trial of them, and then they are found vain, al. together vain; but heavenly things feem vain, till men get a trial of them, and then, upon a fufficient trial, they are found to be excellent.

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"All is vanity, faith the Preacher." There is one that draws a very ftrange inference from this word, viz. that reading is preaching; because Solomon calls his book, though read, the Preacher. But in anfwer to this, Solomon doth not call his book, but HIMSELF, the Preacher. And again, one might rather infer from this, that writing is preaching; and that one may deliver his fermon by writing. But that reading is preaching, doth not follow from this. Why, in writing, a minifter may and doth make use of spiritual gifts, requifite in a prophet or preacher, to the exercise of his minifterial gifts; but not fo in reading, which even a school-boy may perform, that never attained any fpiritual gift at all. Thus much concerning the perfon paffing this judgment.

adly, We have the judgment paft upon all earthly things,

things, VANITY; "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Where obferve three things, 1. The fubject of the determination; or the thing he paffes his judgment upon, in the particle ALL. 2. The determination itself, or the judgment he paffes upon them, it is vanity. 3. The aggravation of, or emphatic manner wherein he paffes his judgment; "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.'

1. The fubject, or the thing he paffes his judgment on, namely, ALL; viz. all that is in the world: all the pleasures, all the profits, all the honours, all the preferments, all the lufts of the world; all things under the fun that a man can fet his heart upon; all worldly employments and enjoyments; all things befides God, and confidered as abstract from him.

2. The judgment he paffes upon all thefe is, VANITY. The things of the world are either to be confidered in themselves, as the creatures of God, and fo they cannot be called all vanity; because they were all very good, fhewing forth his power and glory: but confider them with refpect to men, and his expecting fatisfaction in them, and thus they are vanity; they will difappoint them who seek happiness in them; they are vain; and not only fo, but,

3. Obferve the aggravation of this judgment, or the emphatic manner of the preacher's expreffion of this matter; they are not only vain, but vanity in the abftract; and not only fo, but vanity over and over again, three feveral times repeated: As if he had faid, They are vanity, vanity, vanity and not only fo, but the fountain of vanity; and therefore called, "Vanity of vanities;" and again, "Vanity of vanities:" intimating, the vainest vanities; vanity in the highest degree, nothing but vanity; fuch a vanity as is the cause of a great deal of vanity And again, not only this, but the redoub ling of the expreffion, intimating the certainty of the thing, and with what a ftrong conviction the preacher fpoke, what a deep fenfe he had of this vanity of all things. So that his judgment is here exaggerated, 1. By expreffing it in the concret, VANITY. 2. By calling it, "Vanity of vanities." 3. By repeating and re.

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doubling this fentence, " Vanity of vanities, vanity of va nities." 4. By tripling the doctrine which he intended to make good, "Vanity of vanities, faith the preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity." The truth of which doctrine. he proved at large, by many cogent arguments, in the fequel of his fermon in this book.

The doctrinal propofition we intend to illuftrate from these words, thus explained, fhall be the following,

OBSERV. That all earthly enjoyments, and worldly things, are vain and empty.

And in fpeaking to Solomon's text here, viz. The emptiness and vanity of the world, we would incline, through divine favour, to do the following things,

I. Confider what it is in the world that is fo vain and empty.

II. Enquire what is Imported in its being vain, and vanity itself; and in the phrafe, "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities."

III. Offer fome Arguments to prove the truth of the doctrine, viz. that all is vain and empty.

IV. Give the Reafons of it, why it is fo.

V. Deduce fome Inferences for the application, to fhew what improvement we ought to make of this doctrine.

I. We return to the first thing propofed, To confider what it is in the world that is fo vain and empty. Here, for preventing all mistakes, and obviating every_wrong turn of thought, in the progrefs of this difcourfe, I would have you remember, that I fpeak not of the things of the world, abfolutely confidered in themfelves; for thus many things in the world are good and ufeful, in many refpects, when ufed according to God's allowance: but I confider the world here, and the things of it, as wholly vanity, in the following respects.

1. When feparate from God; without God the good things of the world are not feen as coming from him, nor improven for leading to him; but efteemed in them

felves above God, fo as men are lovers thereof more than lovers of God. And fo,

2. When it is made a man's happinefs, or any part of his happiness; and fo he makes it his end, his fatisfaction, his reft, his God: for thus many make the world their god, their belly their god.

3. When oppofing or hindering the fervice of God: when it fteals away the heart from duty; and fleals away the heart from ordinances, and fo obftructs the fervice of God.

4. When it furthers and promotes fin, and is made the fuel for feeding and maintaining corrupt lufts and affections: when it is but the food of pride and anibition, the food of covetoufnefs and carnality, the food of fenfuality and lafciviousness, or the like. Why, in fuch refpects as thefe, the world, and things in it, ought to be looked upon as bafe and contemptible vanity: and to be defpifed, oppofed, and mortified.

But now, if the queftion be afked, What is it in the world that is vain and empty? Why, faith the Preacher, "All is vanity." This word comprehends more than we can tell; for we will not get through all that is included in it. We fhall name a few of thefe things in the world that are but vanity.

1. All the profits and riches of the world are vanity; "He that loveth filver, fhall not be fatisfied with filver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increafe: this is allo vanity. When goods increase, they are increafed that eat them: and no good is to the owners thereof, faving the beholding of them with their eyes?" Eccl. v. 10, II. Let a man find as much riches as ever Solomon found, he cannot find happinefs therein. Where is it that fatisfying riches are to be had? No where but in Chrift: "Riches and honours are with me; yea, durable riches and righteoufnefs," Prov. viii. 18. All the riches of grace and glory are to be found in Christ.

2. All the pleasures and delights of the world are vanity; "I faid in my heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold this also is vanity. I faid of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doth it?" Eccl. ii. 1, 2. See how he enumerates,

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