SER M. in pursuance of all virtue; with most intent appliXIV. cation of mind, with expedite promptitude, with accurate circumfpection; giving all diligence, as St. 2 Pet. i. 5. Peter fpeaketh, in adding one virtue to another; Gay mag-being ready, as St. Paul faith, to every good work; ya. and feeing that we walk circumfpectly, or behave ourEph. v. 15. felves exactly according to the rules of duty in all Βλέπετε πῶς our converfation.

Σπιδὴν πα

σαν παρείσε

Tit. iii. 1.

ἀκριβές.

Col. iv. 2. This fervice requireth of us affiduous attendance on Eph. vi. 18. works of piety and devotion; that we do inceffantly Theff.v.17. watch to prayer, that we always give thanks, that we Thev.18. continually do offer up the facrifice of praise to God.

Luk. xviii..

Col. iii. 17.

Eph. v. 20. It demandeth from us a continual labour of charity; Heb.xiii.. that we ferve one another in love; that we should, as 1 Theff. i. 3. we have opportunity, work good to all men, that we fhould always purjue good toward one another, and toGal. v. 13. ward all men.

Κότσις τῆς

ἀγάπης.

Δαλεύοντες.

Gal. vi. 10.

It obligeth us with all our powers to purfue peace Ey with all men (which, confidering our natural peevishTheff.v.15. nefs, pride, and perverfenefs, is often no eafy task), Rom. xii. and that we do adav, ftudiously endeavour to keep Fi devarov. the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace.

18.

14.

22.

Heb. xii. It chargeth on us contentedly and patiently to 2 Tim. ii. undergo whatever God doth impose of burthen or Eph. iv. 3. fufferance, so that patience hath its perfect work; and Jam. i. 4. it is a crabbed work to bend our ftiff inclinations, to quell our refractory paffions, to make our sturdy humour buckle thereto.

It doth exact that we fhould govern and regulate according to very strict and severe laws all the faculties of our foul, all the members of our body, all internal motion, and all external actions proceeding from us; that we fhould check our inclinations, curb our appetites, and compofe our paffions; that we should guard our hearts from vain thoughts and bad defires; that we should bridle our tongues from evil and from idle difcourfes; that we fhould order our steps in the straight way of righteousness, not deflecting to the right hand or to the left.

In the discharge of this fervice how many rough

XIV.

difficulties are there to be furmounted, how many S ER M. great obftacles to be removed, how many ftout oppofitions to be encountered, how many potent enemies to be vanquished, how many fore hardships, croffes, and tribulations to be endured!

How fhrewd a task muft we find it to circumcife our hearts, to mortify our earthly members, to crucify our flesh with its affections and lufts, to pull out our right eyes, and cut off our right hands, to renounce our worldly intereft, to hate our nearest relations, to take up and bear our crofs, whenever confcience and duty fhall call us thereto !

16.

Eph. vi. 12.

Phil. iii. 14.

I

19. vi. 12.

Our calling therefore doth require great industry; and the business of it confequently is well reprefented by those performances, which demand the greatest intention, and laborious activity; it is ftyled exercife (agoniftic and afcetic exercife ; γύμναζε σεαυτὸν πρὸς : Tim. iv. 7EVOEGELY, Exercise thyself to godliness; and iv Týty de autòs Acts xxiv. dox, Herein I exercife myself to have always a confcience Heb. xii. 11 void of offence toward God and toward men); wrestling Heb. xii. 1(nμwv n máλn, our wrestling is not only against flesh and Cor. ix.24. blood, but against principalities and powers); running a 2Tim.iv.7. race (Let us run with patience the race that is fet before 1 Tim. i. 18 us: So run that ye may obtain: I press toward the mark 2 Tim.ii. 3 for the prize of the high calling); a warfare, a combat- 1 Cor. ix ing (War a good warfare, bolding faith and a good con- Matt. xi. fcience: Fight the good fight: Thou therefore endure hard- 12 Ship, as a good foldier of Jefus Chrift: Every man that 6. Ariveth for the mastery is temperate in all things); offer- 1 Cor. xvi. ing violence (The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, Matt. xxvi. and the violent take it by force); watching (Let us not fleep as do others, but let us watch and be fober: Watch Luke xii. 37. ve, ftand faft in the faith, quit you like men, be ftrong: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation).

25.

1 Theff. v.

13.

41. xxiv.

42.

1 Pet. v. 8.

Apoc. iii. 2.

xvi. 15.

Hence the precepts importing the general tenor of Chriftian practice are ufually couched in terms implying great fedulity and contention of foul; 'Aywvilerde, Strive to enter in at the ftraight gate: Let us Luke xiii. labour therefore to enter into that reft: Labour not for the 24

Σπεδάσωμεν. meat Heb. iv. II.

SER M. meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth to XIV. everlasting life. Give diligence to make your calling and election fure. Gird up the loins of your mind, be fober, Egyálsode, and hope to the end. Wherefore, brethren, seeing that ye Indáraтs. look for fuch things, be diligent, that ye may be found of 2 Pet. i. 10. him in peace, without spot and blameless.

John vi. 27.

1 Pet. i. 13.

35.

Eph. vi. 14. 2 Pet. iii.

Luke xii. Such is the work of our general calling, and fo much industry it challengeth from us; with great reason indeed, for that fuch work is needful to our happiness, and that our labour will certainly be rewarded therewith.

14.

The work indeed of itself is most worthy to employ us, doth moft become us, doth much adorn us, doth beft befit our divine extraction and large capacity; is the nobleft, the handfomeft, the fweeteft employment that could take us up; but we John. iv. have allo the greateft inducements and encouragements poffible for our industry therein.

36,

There are, by the divine bounty and mercy, wages affigned abundantly correfpondent to our work, yea, Matt. v. 12. infinitely furpaffing it; there is onùs Modòs, a great (or a manifold) hire for our flender and fimple performances; there are feveral noble prizes highly worth our striving for with our utmost strength and contention of foul.

xxxiii. 19.

In recompence thereof we shall affuredly gain even here in this tranfitory ftate the fpecial favour and love of God, with his conftant protection and Pf. xxxiv. 9. care of our good; his faithful direction and friendly Ixxxiv. 11 affiftance to guide us and uphold us in all our ways, xxxvii.3,19. to blefs and profper our undertakings, to fupply us Pf. xci. 10. in our needs, and comfort us in our diftreffes; fo that we shall lack nothing that is good, that no evil hall happen to us, that all things fhall concur and cooperate for our benefit.

Prov. xii.

21.

Rom. viii.

38.

We shall thereby tafte the fatisfactions of a calm mind, and a found confcience, quickened by the

* Rom. xiv. 18. He that in thefe things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

con

Phil. iv. 7.

confolations of the divine Spirit; the peace of Gods £ R M. ruling in our hearts, which passeth all understanding. XIV. We fhall afterward, when this moment is paffed over, and our fhort day's work dispatched, receive Col. iii. 15. from God's bountiful hand an unconceivable affluence of good things, an eternal permanence of life; Jam. i. 12. undisturbed reft, indefectible wealth, ineffable joy, in- 1 Pet. v.4 corruptible glory, a kingdom unshakable.

1 Cor. ix.

25.

He, faith our Lord, that reapeth, receiveth wages, John iv. 36. and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting.

To them, faith St. Paul, who, by patient continuance in well doing, feek for glory, and honour, and immortal- 'Awodúï— ity, God in recompence will beftow eternal life. And,

Rom. ii. 6,

7,8.

I have, faith that bleffed labourer of himself, fought 2 Tim. iv. the good fight, I have finished my courfe, I have kept " the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.

10.

What more effectual fpur or incentive can there be to industry in this business, than to confider that which St. Paul fo often doth inculcate; Knowing that Eph. vi. 8. whatfoever good thing any man doeth, the fame (a re- 2 Cor. v. compence for the fame) he shall receive of the Lord; and knowing that (in confideration of our service Col. iii. 24. done to the Lord) of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance?

What exhortation can be more firmly grounded, or ftrongly backed, than is that of the Apoftle, Therefore, my brethren, be ye ftedfaft, unmoveable, al- 1 Cor. xv. ways abounding in the work of the Lord; forafmuch as 58. ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

I

May it not alfo much encourage us to industry, to be affured, that not only the kind of our work, but the degree of our labour shall be confidered and requited, in just proportion; fo that the harder we work, the higher we shall be rewarded; for to each 'Amodau ione, faith our Lord, the fon of man fhall render a revard κατὰ τὴν πράξιν αὐτῇ, according to his performance. 17. Every one, faith St. Paul, fhall receive idio polov xaтa 1 Cor. iii.

κάτω.

Matt. xvi.

8.

Rev. xxii. 12. ii. 23. Matt. xxv. 21. Luke xix. 12. τὸν

SER M. Tov idio xómov, his proper reward according to his preXIV. per work; whence we have reason to observe St. John's advice, Look to yourselves, that ye lofe not those Mie boy whom things which ye have gained, but that ye receive a full

ἀπολάβητε. 2 John 8.

reward.

To be negligent or flothful in fuch a cafe, for want of a little care and pains to forfeit fuch advantages, what a pity, what a folly is it! Were an opportunity prefented, by a little minding our business, and beftirring ourselves, to procure a fair eftate, or a good preferment, would not he be deemed mad or fottish, who would fit ftill, and forego that his advantage? How much more wildness is it to be drowsy and fluggish in this cafe, thereby lofing eternal blifs and Heb. ii. 3. glory! Well therefore might the Apoftle fay, Hozo fhall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation? How fhall we escape, not only the fin and guilt of basest ingratitude toward him that graciously doth offer it, but the imputation of moft wretched folly, in being fo much wanting to our own intereft and welfare?

Is it not a fad thing, a woful fshame, to observe what pains men will throw away upon things of fmall or no concernment to them? Yea, what toil and drudgery will they fuftain in the service of Satan, in pursuit of fin, in the gratification of their vanities and lufts.

What pains will a covetous wretch take in scraping for pelf! How will he rack his mind with carking folicitude to get, to keep, to fpare it! How will he tire his fpirits with reftlefs travel! How will he pinch his carcafe for want of what nature craveth! What infamy and obloquy will he endure for his niggardly parfimony and fordidness !

How much labour will an ambitious fop undergo for preferment, or vain honour! To how many tedious attendances, to how pitiful fervilities will he fubmit! What fore croffes and disappointments