and provinces; . . . and I surpassed in riches all that were before
me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. And whatever my
eyes desired, I refused them not: and I withheld not my heart from
enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in all the things I
had prepared. And when I turned myself to all the works which my
hands had wrought, and the labors wherein I had labored in vain, I
saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was
lasting under the sun."*

* Eccl. ii.

Here is the confession of the wisest of men--a man who tasted more of
this world's happiness than any other; and he found it imperfect, and
even vexatious, because "nothing was lasting under the sun."

But this is not all. Creatures not only change, fade away, and lose
their power of giving us pleasure, but they may even turn against us,
and, after having been almost a heaven to us, become a very hell, by
the addictions and woes they bring upon us. This is especially the
case if the object of our happiness is a human creature. Look at the
dissensions and quarrels among friends and relatives, who once loved
each other so well. Look at the almost incredible number of divorces
which take place nearly every day. They tell us that the happiness
which comes to us from human creatures is not lasting, because man is
mutable. Take the virtuous and unfortunate Catherine of Aragon as an
illustrious example. When Henry married her, he certainly made her
happy at first. But as time rolled on, he changed in her regard. His
love grew cold; he gradually despised her, took away from her the
title of queen, banished her from his presence, and married another
woman! What a terrible reverse of fortune! He, who at first had been
her joy, changed and became the cause of her deepest sorrow and
wretchedness.

Oh, how differently shall we fare in our heavenly home! For the
objects of our love there are not mutable, as in this world. He who
is the very source of our exceeding happiness, is the eternal,
immutable God. When He shall have united us to himself, and made us
"partakers of the Divine Nature," he never will change in our regard,
tire of us, despise us, and cast us away from him, as creatures do.
No, never, never. The bare thought of such a misfortune would spread
a shade of gloom on the bright faces of the blessed. Once united to
Him in the Beatific Vision, he will love us forever more. Never can
there come a day when He will frown