conceits, and controuling our peevish humours; unto S ÉR M. a perfect fubmiffion of our understanding, and refig-_XII. nation of our will to whatever God teacheth or prefcribeth; to a firm refolution of adhering to that profeffion, which exacteth of us fo much pains, and expofeth us to fo many troubles. Charity is alfo a laborious exercise of many good works; and he that will practise it, muft in divers ways labour hardly; he muft labour in voiding from his foul many difpofitions deeply radicated therein. by nature, opinion, and cuftom; envy, frowardness, ftubbornness, perverse and vain selfishness; from whence wrath, revenge, fpite, and malice do fpring forth. He muft labour in effectual performance of all good offices, and in catching all occafions of do- Gal. vi. 10. ing good; he muft exert that xómov dyanns, that la- Heb. vi. 10. bour of love, whereof St. Paul doth speak; he must Eph. iv. 28. (as that holy Apoftle directeth, not only in precept, 35. but by his own practice) work with his own hands, that he may supply the wants of his neighbour. Acts xx. Heb. x. 23. Heb. x. 36. σθαι σπου Heb. iii. 6, Hope itself (which one would think, when grounded well, fhould be a no lefs eafy than pleasant duty) 'A. doth need much labour to preferve it fafe, ftraight, Heb. vi. 19. and ftable, among the many waves and billows of Thef. i. 3. temptation affaying to shake and fubvert it; whence Heb. vi. 11. a patience of hope is recommended to us; and we fo 'Eviv often are exhorted to hold it faft, to keep it fure, firm, and unfhaken to the end. Temperance alfo furely demandeth no fmall pains"; 2 Pet. i. 10. it being no flight bufinefs to check our greedy appetites, to fhun the enticements of pleasure, to escape the fnares of company and example, to fupport the ill will and reproaches of those zealots and bigots for vice, who cannot tolerate any nonconformity to their extravagancies; but, as St. Peter doth exprefs it, - Πάντες ἐξ ἑνὸς σόματος ὑμνεσιν, ὡς καλὸν μὲν ἡ σωφροσύνη τε καὶ δια καιοσύνη, χαλεπὸν μέν τοι καὶ ἐπίπονον. Plat. de Rep. 2. $ 3 think 14. SER M. think it ftrange, if others do not run with them to the XII. fame excess of riot, fpeaking ill of them for it. 1 Pet. iv. 4. 23. What fhould I fpeak of meekness, of patience, of humility, of contentedness? Is it not manifeft how laborious those virtues are, and what pains are neceffary in the obtaining, in the exercise of them? what pains, I fay, they require in the voidance of fond conceits, in the fuppreffion of froward humours, in the quelling fierce paffions, in the brooking grievous croffes and adverfities, in the bearing heinous injuries and affronts? Thus doth all virtue require much industry, and it therefore neceffarily muft itself be a great virtue, which is the mother, the nurse, the guardian of all virtues; yea, which indeed is an ingredient and conftitutive part of every virtue ; for if virtue were eafily obtainable or practicable without a good measure of pains, how could it be virtue? what excellency could it have, what praise could it claim, what reward could it expect? God hath indeed made the beft things not eafily obtainable, hath fet them high out of our reach, to exercise our industry in getting them, that we might raise up ourselves to them, that being obtained, they may the more deferve our esteem, and his reward. Laftly, the fovereign good, the last scope of our actions, the top and fum of our defires, happiness itself, or eternal life in perfect reft, joy, and glory; although it be the fupreme gift of God, and fpecial boon of Rom. vi. divine grace, (To da T, But, faith St. Paul, the gift of God's grace is eternal life;) yet it alfo by God himself is declared to be the refult and reward of induftry; for we are commanded to work out our falva2 Pet. i.10. tion with fear and trembling, and to give diligence in making our calling and election fure, by virtuous pracRom. ii. 6, tice; and God, faith St. Paul, will render to every Eph. ii. 8. Phil. ii. 12. 7, 10. vi. 22. man according to his works; to them who, by patient continuance in well doing, feek glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; and, in the close of God's book, Heb. xii. it is proclaimed, as a truth of greatest moment, and S ER M. fpecial point of God's will, Blessed are they that do his XII. commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Apoc. xxii. life. It is plainly induftry, which climbeth the holy; mount; it is industry, which taketh the kingdom of 2. heaven by force; it is industry, which fo runneth as Matt. xi. to obtain the prize, which so fighteth as to receive the, Cor. ix. crown, which fo watcheth as to fecure our everlasting 24intereft to us. 22. 12. Jam. i. 12. 13. Apoc. iii. 3. Thus do the choiceft good things, of which we 42. xxv. are capable, fpring from induftry, or depend upon Luke xii. it; and no confiderable good can be attained with-37 out it thus all the gifts of God are by it conveyed to us, or are rendered in effect beneficial to us; for the gifts of nature are but capacities, which it improveth; the gifts of fortune or providence are but inftruments, which it employeth to our use; the gifts of grace are the fupports and fuccours of it; and the very gift of glory is its fruit and recompence. There are farther feveral other material confiderations and weighty motives to the practice of this duty, which meditation hath fuggefted to me; but these, in regard to your patience, muft fuffice at prefent; the other (together with an application proper to our condition and calling) being referved to another occafion. SERMON XIII. Of Industry in general. 'ECCLES. ix. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. INDUSTRY, which the divine Preacher in this SER M. text recommendeth to us, is a virtue of a very XIII. diffufive nature and nature and influence; ftretching itself through all our affairs, and twifting itself with every concern we have; fo that no bufinefs can be well managed, no defign accomplished, no good obtained without it: it therefore behoveth us to conceive a high opinion of it, and to inure our fouls to the practice of it, upon all occafions: in furtherance of which purposes I formerly, not long fince, did propound feveral motives and inducements; and now proceeding on, fhall reprefent divers other confiderations ferviceable to the fame end. 1. We may confider that industry is productive of ease itself, and preventive of trouble: it was no lefs folidly, than acutely and fmartly advised by the philofopher Crates, a Whether, faid he, labour be to be 4 Εἴθ ̓ αἱρετὸν ὁ πόνος, πόνει· εἴτε φευκτὸν, πόνει, ἵνα μὴ πονῆς· διὰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ πόνειν & φεύγεται πόνος, τῷ δὲ ἐναντίῳ καὶ διώκεται. Crates, Εp. 4. chofen, |