e a fever-tossed patient, Ecclesiastes has turned from side to side
for relief and rest; but each new change of posture has only brought
him face to face with some other evil "under the sun" that has again
and again pressed from him the bitter groan of "Vanity." But now, for
a moment, he takes his eyes from the disappointments, the evil
workings, and the sorrows, that everywhere prevail in that scene, and
lifts them up to see how near his wisdom, or human reason, can bring
him to _God_. Ah, poor bruised and wounded spirit! Everywhere it has
met with rebuff; but now, like a caged bird which has long beaten its
wings against its bars, at length turns to the open door, so now
Ecclesiastes seems at least to have his face in the right
direction,--God and approach to Him is his theme,--how far will his
natural reason permit his walking in it? Will it carry him on to the
highest rest and freedom at last?

This, it strikes me, is just the point of view of these first seven
verses. Their meaning is, as a whole, quite clear and simple. "Keep
thy foot,"--that is, permit no hasty step telling of slight realization
of the majesty of Him who is approached. Nor let spirit be less
reverently checked than body. "Be more ready to hear, than to give the
sacrifice of fools." Few be thy words, and none uttered thoughtlessly,
for "God is in heaven and thou upon earth," and many words, under such
an infinite discrepancy in position, bespeak a fool as surely as a
dream bespeaks overcrowded waking hours. Oh fear, then, to utter one
syllable thoughtlessly or without meaning, for One listens to whom a
vow once uttered must be paid, for not lightly canst thou retract the
spoken vow with the excuse "It was unintentional,--it was not seriously
meant." His Messenger or Angel is not so deceived; and quickly wilt
thou find, in thy wrecked work and purposes astray, that it is _God_
thou hast angered by thy light speech. Then avoid the many words
which, as idle dreams, are but vanity; but rather "fear thou God."

After weighing the many conflicting views as to verses 6 and 7, the
context has led me to the above as the sense of the words. Nor can
there be the slightest question as to the general bearing of the
speaker's argument. Its central thought, both in position and
importance, is found in "God is in heaven and thou upon earth,
therefore let thy words be few,"--its weighty conclusion, "Fear thou
God."

Now, my beloved readers, there