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Man was created with more understanding than the beasts of the earth. But our minds are so debased by our apostasy from God that the meanest creatures may become our teachers.

I. THE CHARACTER OF THE PERSON WHOM THE WISE MAN HERE ADDRESSES. The sluggard! Sloth casteth into a deep sleep, and in the verses following the text the sluggard is represented as in this state. He spends his time in fruitless wishes. He is discouraged by the least opposition. He creates imaginary dangers for himself. We know well who they are whose hands refuse to labour, who are clothed with rags, and make poverty not only their complaint, but their argument. But sloth is not confined to the common affairs of life, nor the character of a sluggard to men in any particular station. There is sloth in religion; neglecting the one thing needful, the care of our immortal souls.

II. THE COUNSEL OR ADVICE WHICH THE WISE MAN HATH GIVEN us. The ant instructeth us not by speech, but by actions. Therefore we are called to "consider her ways"; how she is employed, and for what ends she is active. The wisdom we learn from the ant is the wisdom of acting suitably to our superior nature and our glorious hopes. We learn from the ant three things —

1. A foresight and sagacity in making provision for the time to come. How dreary must the winter of life be, when the previous seasons have been passed in sloth, in idleness, or in folly!

2. Activity and diligence. The ant never intermits her labours as long as the season lasts. Happy were it for man that he as faithfully employed his precious time to render himself useful in this world, or to prepare for eternity.

3. Sagacity in making use of the proper season for activity. Opportunity is the flower of time; or it is the most precious part of it, which, if once lost, may never return. Foresight, diligence, and sagacity the ant employs by an instinct of nature. She has no guide, but we have many guides. She "hath no overseer," but man acts under the immediate inspection of Him "whose eyes are as a flame of fire." And the voice of conscience in us is the voice of God. The ant "hath no ruler," or judge to call her to account for her conduct; but every one of us must give account of himself to God.

III. IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT.

1. The sluggard sins against the very nature which God hath given him.

2. The sluggard sins against the manifest design of providence.

3. The sluggard sins against the great design of the gospel. Let us then be no longer "slothful in business," but "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

(R. Walker.)

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KJV: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

WEB: Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;