his fellows. The cultivation of it is more suited to the dignity of man than the gratification of his sensual appetites ; in all of which the beasts have as large a capacity of enjoyment as he. The pleasures arising from it are also less apt to cloy ; and will endure, when a taste for other enjoyments is passed away. It will gratify, also, when it is not the object of im- mediate pursuit ; because it will supply in reflection much of what it conferred in the actual acquisition. It is also of great use, and qualifies a man for confer- ring extensive benefits on the world; at the same time that it opens to him a thousand channels of pleasure which are utterly unknown to the unfurnished mind. A person habituated only to bodily exertion has no conception what a fund of satisfaction the exercises of the mind supply, or what delight attaches to the investigation of science and the discovery of truth. Corporeal indulgences, indeed, strike more strongly upon the senses ; and therefore, to a carnal mind, seem to furnish a greater measure of delight. But the more eagerly they are sought, the less pleasure they afford ; and they bring with them, for the most part, many painful consequences : so that, in compa- rison of intellectual pursuits, they deserve the name of " folly ;" whilst the prosecution of the other may properly be called " wisdom." Yet it must be con- fessed, that there is much truth in that observation of Solomon, " In much wisdom is much grief : and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow^." For " much study is undoubtedly a weariness to the flesh''." and it is often followed by painful disappoint- ment. I conceive, therefore, that we are by no means to limit the import of our text to human wisdom ; but must extend it to that w^iich is divine : in reference to which we may say, without any limitation or ex- ception, " It excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness."
Of this therefore, even of spiritual wisdom, I will now proceed to speak ; and its transcendent excel- lence I will point out in reference to,
^Eccl. i. 18. I' Eccl. xii. 12.