A briefe exposition with practicall observations upon the whole book of Ecclesiastes by that late pious and worthy divine, Mr. John Cotton ... ; published by Anthony Tuckney ...

Eccles. 9. v. 10.

10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no worke nor device nor know∣ledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.

THe Doctrine from this and the three former verses was this: That the uncertainty of outward events calleth all men to take all the good, and to doe all the good that God putteth into their hands, all the daies of our life. Of the former part, to wit, of taking all the good, hath been spoken in the three former verses: It remains now to speak of doing all the good that God putteth into our hands all the daies of our life.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe, implieth three things: First, that which falleth within our Calling or Commission, or Authority, as Gen. 16.6. Unlawful things, or things law∣full, but out of our Calling are not to be done though they be in our hand, Micah 2.1. Secondly, that which falleth within the compasse of our power and ability, as the phrase

is used, Gen. 31.29. Otherwise, though it be in our calling, yet having power, we may omit it, 2 Sam. 3.39: Thirdly, that which God giveth us opportunity and occasion to doe, as the phrase is used, 1 Sam. 10.7. Gal. 6.10. Eccles. 11, 2, 6.

Reason 1. From the vacancy and cessation of all business in the grave whether thou goest; as in the Text.

No work] no performance, or accomplishment of any bu∣siness. No device] The Hebrew word signifieth two things: First, a device or cunning engine, 2 Chron. 26.15. Secondly, an account, as Eccles. 7.27. Both here meant: In the grave there is no ability or opportunity, either to devise or invent any good; Or, to make up, or cast up any accounts.

Nor knowledge] to understand truth or falshood, good or evil. Nor wisdom, to consider of any good ends, or of any good means leading thereto.

Reason 2. From the love which we owe to God, and the measure of it, which is with all our might, Deut. 6.5.

Reason 3. From our stewardship, and Gods Lordship of that which God putteth into our hands. The work is the Lords as our soveraign master, 1 Cor. 16.10. Church work. Jer. 48.10. Warlike execution, 1 Sam. 14.45. wrought with God, Col. 3.23, 24. Servants work; we are but Factors for him. There is an heavy curse upon negligence in his work, Jer. 48.10,

Ʋse 1. To reprove, first, inordinate walking without a calling, when the hand findeth nothing to doe, Matth. 20.6. Secondly, negligence in a calling, where the hand put∣teth not forth his might, Prov. 10.4.

Ʋse 2. To exhort all men to a conscionable faithfulnesse and diligence in all the worke your hand findeth to doe. The three reasons in the Text are as so many motives: Be∣sides, First, Satan bestirreth himselfe busily, and setteth all his instruments aworke to choake the worke of reformation, with store of tares. Secondly, The more improvement of our talents here, the greater will our reward be in heaven, Luke 19.16, 17, 18, 19. yea, it will ashame us to receive such a plenteous recompence of reward for so small service. There will be rest enough in the grave, Isai. 57.2. And re∣compence enough in heaven, 1 Cor. 15.58. Thirdly, The hands of our fellow-labourers faint in England, what through multitude of variety of worke, and what through mists and fogs of temptations about them, Neh. 4.10.

Ʋse 3. To teach men to finish and perfect their accounts with God and man here; for there is no perfecting accounts in the grave, Luke 16.2.

Ʋse 4. To look at the whole course of our lives as a jour∣ney to the grave, whether we goe to worke, or to meat, or to Sea, or to Church, or to Law, or to Field; to the grave we are going. Which is a matter, First, Of Admonition to carnal persons to hasten spiritual preparation. Secondly, Of consolation to the godly, and warning also against secu∣rity, Rom. 13.11.