378 OfDiligence in our general Vol. H. charitable, contentious and unpeaceable, rude and uncivil, impatient and impla- cable, we muff not think it ftrange, if we be ill treated in this World, not for our goodnefs, but for our want of it ; and we have no reafon to wonder, if at every turn we meet with the inconveniences of our own heat and indifcretion, of our peevilh and morofe temper, of our faaious and turbulent difpofition. For this is an eternal Rule of truth, As we fow, fo'hall we reap; every Man tha11 be fill'd with his own ways, and eat the fruit ofhis own doings, SERMON CLVIII. OfDiligence in our general and particular . Calling. E c c L. IX. i o. Whatfoever thy hand fzndeth to do, do it with thy might : for there is no work,, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom in the grave, whither thou goeff. Preach'd at THESE words of the Royal Preacher are a general exhortation to Diligence Whitehall, 1 and Induftry, in that work which is moll proper for us to do in this World. 1685' And I 'hall confider in them thefe two things. Firfi, The matter of this Advice and Exhortation, and that is, that we would ufe great diligence about thofe things which are the proper work and employment of this life. Whatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Whatfoe- ver thy handfindeth to do ; that is, theWork which is before thee, whichis molt proper for thee to propofe to thy felf, as the great end and defign of thy life, the Province and Charge which is appointed thee. So that thefe words, in the full compafs and extent of them, may very well comprehend every reafonable purpofe and undertaking, whatever is incumbent upon us as a Duty, and is matter of reafonable choice. Do it with all thy might ; that is, fet about it with great care, ufe all poffible diligence and induflry for the effefting and accompliftiing of it. Secondly, Here is the Argument whereby the wife Preacher Both enforce this Counfel and Exhortation ; becaufe this life is the proper feafonof aaivity and induftry, of defigning and doing thofe things which are in order to a future Hap-. pinefs; and when this life is at an end, there will be no farther opportunityof working, there will nothing then remain, but to reap the fruit, and to receive the juft recompence of what we have done in this life; For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom in the grave, whither thou goefi. In thegrave, this the LXX render by the word «í45, by which the Greeks ufed to exprefs the ftate of the dead, the condition of feparate Souls of good or bad Men after they are departed this life, and entred into another World. In which (late, Solomon does not mean that departed Souls haveno knowledge and fenfe of any thing, but that then there will be no place for any Counfel and Defign, for any Aftivity and Induftry in order toourHappinefs: What we do to this purpofe, we muff dowhilft we are in this World, it will be too late afterwards to think ofalteringor bettering our Condition. Thefe 5
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