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SERMON XXV.

ECCLES. IX. 10.

Whatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goeft.

SOLO

COLOMON, the fuppofed author, SERM. of the book of Ecclefiaftes, whofe XXV. active genius and difpofition were perpetually urging him on in the pursuit of knowledge, who had gotten more wifdom than all those that went before him; having found by long experience that nothing truly valuable could ever be acquired without pain, perfeverance and affiduity; recommends in the words of my

SERM. text, that industry which he had himself XXV. fo fuccessfully practised, and that constant

exertion of the human powers and faculties, for which he had been himself so eminently distinguished.

That this his falutary advice might carry with it the greater weight and authority, he enforces it with an argument that appeals to the fenfes of all men, and which must strike with equal force on every heart that is open to conviction. Whatsoever, fays he, thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wif dom, in the grave whither thou goeft.

If we are listless and indolent in the pursuit of riches, fame, or power, if we give but half our strength and application, we shall ever fall short of the end propofed. And as it is with what are generally called

XXV.

called the good things of this life, that SERM, which more immediately concerns our interest and advantage here, fo is it also with thofe nobler accomplishments of the mind, which diftinguish man from the inferior parts of the creation. The paths of human learning are thorny and perplexing at our firft entrance into them; and though by degrees they grow wider and more paffable, yet unless we pursue them with all our might, we shall never attain to any pre-eminence or perfection in them. Half-wife men difgrace wisdom, half-learned men dishonour learning, half-good and religious men, do hurt to that virtue, and prejudice that holy faith which they profefs,

Thus useful, and thus neceffary, are industry and perfeverance to support our character, and render us easy and happy in our several stations and profeffions;

VOL. II.

M

but

SERM.

but the argument will rise upon us with XXV. redoubled force, when we come to confider what Solomon hath added on this occafion to recommend and establish it: that there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither we are going. To a heathen, or to an infidel, to one who had no hopes or fears of a future state, the argument which the wife man here makes ufe of would indeed have very little power: if there were no life after this, what reafon would perfuade men to perpetual labour, and unremitted activity in fearch of objects that could be of very little ufe or fervice to them? why should they exercise themfelves in works that had no profpect of reward? whilft, on the other hand, to the Christian believer, to him who looks for the refurrection of the dead, nothing can fo animate and infpirit him in every good word and work, as the admonition of the

*preacher,

SERM.

preacher, who tells him, that there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wif. XXV. dom, in the grave whither he is going. Moft indifputable it must be to every rational and thinking man, that this life is a state of probation; that God has endowed us all with talents and abilities fufficient for the attainment of that knowledge which he has commanded us to fearch after, and that wisdom which he has enjoined us to pursue: he hath given us faculties which we ought to exert, and powers which we are bound to employ. We are not fent into this world to be idle fpectators in the great theatre, but every one of us to act the part allotted to him; to be active and vigilant in the practice of those duties which religion commands us to practife, and to make all our views and interefts in this life fubfervient to the more important concerns of the other. For the performance of M 2 thefe