poverty, and a prating fool shall fall; Prov. xiv. 23. and x. 8. And too many there are who pretend to christianity, but they are only talking christians instead of being active in the duties of their appointed station, and their zeal for religion appears no where but in their tongues. Others also shall be pronounced idle, and triflers at the bar of God, who lay out all their spirits in little controversy, perhaps about mint, anise, and cummin, or in vindication of rites, and forms, and ceremonies which God never appointed, while they neglect the weighty matters of the law and the gospel, justice and goodness, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus, the correction of their tempers, and the amendmendment of their lives. Again,

3. "Mistiming the various actions of life is another abuse of time, and contrary to true diligence." There is a time, saith the wise man, for every purpose under heaven, and every thing is beautiful in its season; Ec. iii. 1, 11. If we should be dancing at midnight and sleeping at church or seeking our diversions in a hour of business; if we should work with our hands, when the season calls us to our closets, or spend that time in reading and prayer, which is appointed for the labours and cares of the family; these are all failures in our duty, and contrary to the true diligence which the word of God requires. That is but trifling or impertinence in one season, which is a necessary duty at another; nor will any works out of season prosper or succeed well, or be approved of God: And yet there are some persons so habitually guilty of this folly, that whensoever the certain season of any duty returns, they are ever beginning to do something else first, which perhaps they did not think of before, which would be much better left till afterward; Prov. vi. 6-8. Go to the ant, thou sluggard, who seizes the days of summer and fair weather, to gather her food, and hides herself at winter, and lives upon her former provisions.

The second thing implied in true diligence, is "earliness in opposition to delay." If we consider ourselves as men; the early man shews that his heart is in his work; but he that from hour to hour, or from day to day, delays the practice of any duty or service, gives sufficient notice that he doth not like it, and would never perform it at all, if he could safely avoid it. If we begin betimes the service of the day, we happily provide against hinderances, and we are not in danger of being thrown into a hurry by accidental avocations: We have hours before us to do our work well, to review and correct it: We keep our temper, and are composed amidst our cares and labours and finish our designs with honour. But if we suffer our work to lie neglected, till the latter end of the appointed time, we are ever in a hurry, in perpetual confusion, our temper is ruffled with every incident

that comes in our way, and give us the least hinderance, and we never perform with such accuracy or such success. Have we not sometimes learned these inconveniences by sad experience, and shall we ever be guilty of delays again ?

Or if we consider ourselves as christans, have we not found that by needless delays we have lost the season of morning prayer, and could never recover it again, but have past the morning without solemn addresses to the God of our lives? And hath not many a sinner felt the dreadful consequences of his delays of repentance, when, day after day, and week after week, his own conscience and the voice of God in his word have called upon him to repent and return to God, and invited him to accept of pardon and peace, to receive the grace of Christ, and everlasting life? What terrible agonies of soul, what reproaches of conscience on a dying bed, what horror of spirit in the review of his cursed delays? And with what tormenting despair his soul hath been hurried out of this life, and been plunged into an eternal state, without hope, or at least at a terrible uncertainty? Children can you hear this, and not enquire betimes, what must I do to be saved? Acts xvi. 30. Can you hear this in the days of youth, and delay any longer to secure your immortal concerns, and provide for the approaching hour of death and judgment? It is a dangerous thing for children in their younger years to learn the language of idleness, and to cry out on every occasion, "It is time enough yet." They generally grow up to feel the bitter fruits of delay. It is an excellent rule in the things of earth or of heaven, "Never leave that to be done the next hour, which may properly be done now, nor dare to put off till to-morrow the business which you may as well begin to-day." Who knows what a day may bring forth? Prov. xxvii. 1. He that hath done his work to-day is secure of peace, but to-morrow may be all disappointment. Let us who pretend to be christians, or to have a regard to God and religion, let us upon the first notice of any duty, make haste to the practice of it. Upon the first conviction of sin let us apply ourselves immediately to God for pardoning and sanctifying grace: Let us return to our duty with early diligence like David, As soon as thou saidest, Seek ye my face, my heart replied; Thy face will I seek. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments; Ps. xxvii. 8. and cxix. 60.

3. « Diligence implies activity and vigour, in opposition to sloth and laziness, languor and indifference." It is not lazy wishes that will perform work or obtain a blessing. The sluggard desireth and hath nothing; Prov. xiii. 4. therefore the wise man advises; Ec. ix. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might: Then it is likely to be finished in proper season; but the slothful wretch makes no riddance of his work,

he moves heavily in his business, just as he doth upon his bed, like a door upon its hinges, never gets forwards; Prov. xxvi. 24. A beautiful simile indeed, nor is the description of the sluggard less elegant; verse 25. "When he hath hid his hand in his bosom, it grieves him to bring it to his mouth."

And what poor work doth a christian make who is cold, indifferent, slothful and lazy in the things which concern his soul and salvation? He makes a pretence to religion, but how poorly doth he proceed in it who hath no activity, no vigour no fervency therein? Where he was last year, there he is now, or else gone farther backward: His sins are still as unmortified, his temptations still as powerful and prevailing, his hopes still as low, and his holiness as much interrupted as in years past: He was not fit to appear before God then, and he is no fitter now: He was then in terror at the thoughts of dying, and he is still in the same terror. The slothful christian upon examination finds his faith hath scarce improved one grain, he is no nearer salvation than when at first he believed. Is this the obedience we owe to the command of Christ? Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, labour for the meat that endures to everlasting life; John vi. 27. Regard the advice of the blessed apostle; Rom. xii. 11. Be ye not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Permit me to ask the lazy christians of our present age, "Is this an imitation of ancient saints, who laboured night and day to get nearer to heaven, and as it were took the kingdom of heaven by a holy violence ?" Let us bestir ourselves then and shake off this lethargy of soul, this dull humour, let us call up all our natural and christian powers into exercise, and be no longer slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises; Heb. vi. 11.

4. "True diligence implies also watchfulness, in opposition to a drowsy heedless temper, a thoughtless security of soul." We must be awake to seize all advantages for our work, as well as to guard against surprizes and dangers. How dreadfully is the sluggard exposed to loss and ruin? If the sailors sleep in their voyage, they run upon sands and rocks, and lose their ship and their lives. If a centinel sleep in his watch tower, the enemy gains considerable advantage, and seizes some post of importance, or enters the gates of the city. How often hath a whole army been surprized and routed, who lay secure in their camp, and kept no due watch? We christians are soldiers under the banner of Christ, our enemies are many within and without; our great adversary the devil is malicious and busy; if we indulge security and drowsiness, he seizes every unguarded hour to wound, and defile, and distress our souls. Therefore the apostle Peter demands our watchfulness; 1 Pet. v. 8. Be sober, be vigilant, or

watchful, for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. One unwatchful hour, one slumber in the day of temptation hath given Satan opportunity for unknown mischief, and administered matter to a christian for bitter repentance all his days, Shall we then ever hearken to the enticements of slothful nature? Shall we ever gratify the tempter at this rate to our own certain loss, and to the danger of our eternal ruin."

5. "Diligence yet further implies a constancy in our work, in opposition to looking back, and perpetual avocation by diversions and pleasures.' The foolish Israelites were often looking back to the leeks and onions and flesh pots of Egypt, and were in danger of losing the promised land. Where love of pleasure and diversion often interrupts the business we are engaged in, we shall make but poor broken work, and have but little hope to succeed in it; Prov. xxi. 17. "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man."

And as they can never grow rich in temporal things who are carried away from their business by every diversion, so neither can a christian grow rich in grace, who frequently interrupts his duty to indulge mirth and carnal delights. We must be stedfast and constant in our christian race, and not turn aside from the path of duty to gather this and the other flower of sensual pleasure, if we would finish our course with joy, and so run as to obtain the prize.

6. Another thing implied in true diligence, " is firmness and resolution in our labour, in opposition to all the difficulties which attend our work." We suppose every valuable and excellent design hath some difficulties more or less always attending it; some hardship which must be endured, some obstacles and impediments which must be broke through; but if we are frighted at every shadow or difficulty we shall never fulfil our service nor perfect our design. This Solomon hath often observed: The sluggard cries, it is cold, and will not go early to plough, and therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. He complains there is a lion in the way, there is a lion in the street, where the path of duty lies; therefore he sits down in sloth, and keeps himself safe and idle at home. The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, he imagines every step he takes in the path of diligence and industry hath such troubles attending it, such thorns and briars as he calls them, that he cannot break through and therefore he refuses to labour. See Prov. xx. 4. and xxvi. 13. and XXV. 19.

And is not this matter the same in spiritual things? How many are there who cry out of the ways of religion as painful and hard? They are frighted at the duties of repentance, self-denial

and mortification of sin, at cutting off right-hands, and plucking out right-eyes; they are offended at persecution, which sometimes rises against strict godliness; the frowns of the world terrify their hearts, they dare not be singular in the profession of faith, or the practice of virtue: They are ashamed of the worship, and the name of God in the midst of profane and sinful men ; they go back, as some disciples did in the days of Christ, and walk no longer with him. But let us remember the divine threatenings, The man who hath put his hand to the plough, and looks back; Luke ix. 62. my soul, saith the Lord, shall have no pleasure in him; Heb. x. 38.

7. The last character I shall ascribe to the diligent man is, "perseverance in opposition to fainting and weariness." The man of diligence must hold out to the end, if he expect to have his labour crowned. An imperfect work among men is very little worth: It is the end that crowns all.

And it is just the same in religion, unless we persevere in the duties of holiness, we have no reason to expect the divine reward; but the glorious recompence is sure to us, if we are not weary in well doing; we shall reap in due time if we faint not; Gal. vi. 9. St. Paul just before his martyrdom rejoices in this, he had fought the good fight, in opposition to all the enemies f the gospel, and he had finished his course of faith and holiness: Henceforth saith he, is laid up for me a crown of righteousness; 2 Tim. iv. 7. Let us animate ourselves by his blessed example, and by the promise of our Lord Jesus to the church of Ephesus; Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Let these thoughts awaken our drowsy spirits, and prolong our patience in the work of the Lord, that we may not at last be found among them who draw back to perdition, but among those who believe, and persevere to the saving of the soul; Heb. x. 39.

Thus far I have been engaged in setting before you the several things implied in diligence or industry, both in matters of this life, and that which is to come; but I have in some measure entered upon my second general head, by often touching upon the happy fruits of diligence, as well as the dismal consequences of all the contrary vices. My remaining work therefore will be very short, and that is to mention in a more express and distinct manner, the blessings which attend diligence in a course of virtue and goodness; and they are such as these :

1. Diligence hath a natural tendency to success, and to obtain the good things we seek. "In all labour saith Solomon, there is profit ;" Prov. xiv. 23. "He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread;" Prov. xii. 11. and "the hand of the diligent maketh rich ;" Prov. x. 4. But as for "the field of the