ON ASSIDUIT Y.

SERMON

ECCLES. IX. IO.

XXV.

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.

SOL

OLOMON, the fuppofed author, of the book of Ecclefiaftes, whofe active genius and difpofition were perpetually urging him on in the purfuit of knowledge, who had gotten more wisdom than all thofe 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 text, that industry which he had himself fo fuccessfully practifed, and that conftant exertion of the human powers and faculties, for which he had been himself fo eminently diftinguished.

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 muft ftrike with equal force on every heart that is open to convition. Whatfoever, fays he, thy hand findeth

to

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

If we are liftlefs and indolent in the purfuit of riches, fame, or power, if we give but half our ftrength and application, we shall ever fall fhort of the end propofed. And as it is with what are generally called the good things of this life, that which more immediately concerns our intereft and advantage here, fo is it alfo with thofe nobler accomplishments of the mind, which diftinguifh man from the inferior parts of the creation. The paths of human learning are thorny and perplexing at our first 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 wifdom, half-learned men difhonour learning, half-good and religious men, do hurt to that virtue, and prejudice that holy faith which they profefs.

Thus ufeful, and thus neceffary, are induftry and perfeverance to fupport cur character, and render us eafy and happy in our feveral ftations and profeffions; but the argument will rife upon us with 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 wifdom, 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 ftate, the argument

power:

which the wife man here makes ufe of would indeed have very little 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 use or service to them? why fhould they exercise themselves in works that had no profpect of reward? whilft, on the other hand, to the Chriftian believer, to him who looks for the refurrection of the dead, nothing can fo animate and inspirit him in every good word and work, as the admonition of the preacher, who tells him, that there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither he is going. Moft indifputable it must be to every rational and thinking man, that this life is a ftate 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 purfue: 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 thofe duties which religion commands us to practise, and to make all our views and interefts in this life fubfervient to the more important concerns of the other. For the performance of thefe offices, God hath decreed unto man his appointed time, beyond which no human art can poffibly extend it; referving to

himself

himself the power of fhortening thofe limits, in whatever degree his divine wisdom fhould think moft proper. The Almighty Being, of his infinite goodnefs and mercy, hath concealed from us the fatal hour of our diffolution, that feeing the uncertainty of our state and condition here, we might always be ready and prepared for it, that not knowing when the bridegroom cometh, we might have our lamps always ready trimmed to receive him.

And yet were we to judge from the fupinenefs, indolence, and inactivity that is fo univerfally prevalent amongst us, we should imagine that the life of man extended to many centuries; that no fickness or misfortune could interrupt, no accidents intervene to prevent the execution of every thing which he propofed, and that whatever his hand found to do, he would do it with all his might. But how different from this is the real ftate of human nature! the days of man are but threefcore years and ten, and though men come to fourfcore years, yet is their ftrength then but labour and forrow: fo foon paffeth it away, and we are gone.

The great bufinefs of man therefore, in this life, is doubtless to prepare himself for a better to fearch after that knowledge and wif dom here below, which may fit them for the participation of that infinitely fuperior wifdom and knowledge which are above. Thofe, and thofe only, whofe diligence and faithfulness have been diftinguifhed on earth, can hope to be rewarded in heaven. The higher degree

of

of moral perfection which we attain unto, the purer habit and tafte which we contract for refined and fpiritual enjoyments, the greater pleafure fhall we undoubtedly enjoy in the fociety of bleffed fpirits, the exalted converse with the fons of God. But unless we apply ourfelves early to the study of divine truths, unless we exert all our powers, and do it with all our might, unless our conduct is fteady, regular, and uniform, unlefs we purfue one great and noble end with unchangeable refolution and perfeverance, we have no title to the name of rational beings, much less to that of good and pious Chriftians.

Time, therefore, that pearl of great price, whofe real value we are fo little acquainted with, fhould be confidered by us, not as an inheritance from our forefathers which we have a right to fquander away as may be most convenient or agreeable to us, but as a treasure lent unto us, deposited in our hands by the great Lord and Mafter of all things, whofe ftewards we are, and who will undoubtedly call us to account for the minuteft portion of it: we cannot mifpend or mifapply one hour or even one minute without wronging, and confequently without offending, our divine Benefactor. Whatfoever, therefore, thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom, in the grave whither thou geeft. After our fhort day of life is over, there is no morrow for us: we should work therefore whilst it is day, before the night cometh wherein no man can work; it will be

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