1. Our understandings are so weak, that we are ignorant of many things necessary to be known ; for we know but in part. If we know something in general, we fail in particular application ; both in general and in particular. If we know things habitually, we do not actually consider them, being hindered by multitude of business, or the violence of temptations, or lulled asleep by the pleasures of the flesh : Eccles. v. 1, 'They consider not that they do evil.'
2. Our affections are perverse, and so addicted rather to be led by
60 SERMON UPON ECCLESIASTES VIL 29.
sense than right reason, that there is great danger lest, seeing and ap- proving that which is better, we follow what is worse, contrary to our knowledge and conscience : Kom. ii. 18, ' And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.' And therefore the best had need to pray with David : Ps. cxliii. 10, ' Teach nie to do thy will, for thou art my God : thy Spirit is good ; lead me into the land of uprightness.'
SERMON UPON ECCLESIASTES XII. 7.
Then shall the dmt return to the earth as it loas, and the spirit shall return unto God that gave it. — Eccles. xii. 7.
In the beginning of this chapter Solomon presseth us to remember our creator while yet young : many have been too late acquainted with God, but never any too soon. His arguments are —
1. From the wearisome evils of old age, very rhetorically described in ver. 2-6, ' While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain : in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease, because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened ; and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low ; and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird ; and all the daughters of music shall be brought low : also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fear shall be in the way, and the almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail ; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets : or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.' That is a time of expense, and needeth cordials rather than work and service. Therefore, while the prints of God's creating bounty are fresh upon us, it is best to exercise ourselves to godliness.
2. From the certain approach of death, as the final issue of the pre- sent life; therefore we should prepare for this change, think of God betimes, and secure a better life before this come to the last period. This argument is in the text, ' Then shall the dust return to the earth,' &c. Man consists of a body and a soul ; the text telleth you what shall become of both.
1. Here is represented the state of the body after death.
2. The state of the soul.
1. The state of the body ; it shall be resolved into the matter out of which it was made. Dust it was in its composition, and dust it shall be in its dissolution : * Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was.'
2. The state of the soul in the other world : * And the spirit shall return to God that gave it.' Where —
[1.] The nature of it, or what kind of substance the soul is ; it is a spirit, or an immaterial substance.
62 SERMON UPON ECCLESIASTES XII. 7.
[2.] The author of it, who is God ; he gave it ; he gave us the body too, but the soul in a more especial manner.
[3.] The disposal of it, or in what state it remaineth after death ; it returneth to God. It is not extinguished when the body is dissolved into dust, nor doth it vanish into the air, but returneth to God.
All true wisdom consisteth in the knowledge of God and ourselves.; we cannot know ourselves unless we know the parts of which we do consist. This text giveth you a right notion of them both ; for it telleth you what they are, and what shall become of them. They are con- joined, but distinct ; and therefore, when the union betwixt them is dissolved, they go several ways. We are concerned in them both, but more in the soul, which hath the pre-eminence above the body. The one is visible, and therefore its changes are known ; but the other is invisible, and therefore more unknown ; but the state of both is equally certain, for as certainly as the body returneth to the dust, so doth the soul return to God.
First, For the first branch, ' Then shall the body return to the earth as it was,' I shall not stay upon it.
1. It giveth you the right notion of the body ; it is but dust moulded up into a comely shape, which is an effect of God's wisdom and power, to make such a curious frame out of the dust of the ground. We read in the history of the plagues of Egypt, that the magicians were not able so much as to bring forth lice out of the dust of the ground, Exod. viii. 18, 19 ; but God could raise such a beautiful structure as man's body is. But though it speaketh God's power, yet it showeth our frailty. Our body is here called ' dust ; ' it is not brass, or iron, or stone, or stiff clay, but dust, and shall return to the earth as it was. Dust hath no coherence or consistence, but is easily scattered with every puff of wind ; so is our earthly or dusty tabernacle with every blast of God's displeasure : Gen. xviii. 27, ' Behold, now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes ; ' Isa. xl, 15, ' Behold, the nations are as a drop of the bucket, and they are counted as the small dust of the balance.'