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CCX!

who make it their business to do good, and to excel SER M in thofe virtues which are apt to win and oblige mankind, may in ordinary cafes and times expect great fafety and protection against the injuries of the world, from an exemplary piety, and innocency, and goodnefs; for thefe fayings in the new teftament, that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of GOD;" and " that whoever will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muft fuffer perfecution," are not equally to be extended to all places and times; but more peculiarly to be understood of the first times of chriftianity, when the providence of GOD thought fit to establish the chriftian religion, upon the innocent lives and patient fufferings of the firft profeffors of it.

The refult from all this difcourfe is, that we should not be weary of well-doing, but mind and follow the things which are. fubftantially and unquestionably good; not doubting, but befides the infinite reward of it in the other world, it will ordinarily turn to our great fecurity and advantage in this life, and fave us harmless from a great many mifchiefs and inconveniencies which others are exposed to. If we endeayour to excel in those chriftian virtues which the apoftle mentions before the text, and which he means by our being followers of that which is good," we fhall undoubtedly find the comfort of it, in those temporal benefits that will redound to us: for the fcrip-ture hath not said in vain, " truft in the LORD and "do good, fo fhalt thou dwell in the land, and

verily thou shalt be fed: bleffed are the meek, for "they fhall inherit the earth: glory, and honour, " and peace, to every man that worketh good:" thatthe fruit of righteoufnefs is fown in peace of them that work peace:" that" by well-doing we hall put to filence the ignorance of foolish

men :"

CCXI.

i

SERM. men:" that "the kingdom of God is not meat "and drink, but righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy " in the Holy Ghost; and that he that in these things "ferveth CHRIST, is accepted of GOD, and approv"ed of men."

But if we mistake religion, and place it in those things wherein it doth not really confift, in airy notions, and doubtful opinions, in fuperftitious conceits and practices, and in a fiery and furious zeal for things of no weight and fubftance, of no real virtue and goodness; if we be defective in the great virtues of meekness and humility, of peaceableness and charity, of kindness and courtefy, of forbearance and forgiveness, of "rendering good for evil," and "over"coming evil with good," qualities which will univerfally endear us and recommend us to the favour and protection of GoD, and to the esteem and good will of men; and if inftead of thefe we abound in malice and envy, be proud and conceited, cenforious and uncharitable, contentious and unpeaceable, rude and uncivil, impatient and implacable; we must not think it ftrange, if we be ill treated in this world, not for our goodness, but for our want of it; and we have no reason to wonder, if at every turn we meet with the inconveniencies of our own heat and indifcretion, of our peevish and morofe temper, of our factious and turbulent difpofition. For this is an eternal rule of truth, as we fow, fo fhall we reap ;' every man fhall be filled with his own ways, and "eat the fruit of his own doings."

SER

59

SERMON CCXII.

Of diligence in our general and particular calling,

ECCL. ix., 10.

Whatsoever thy band findeth to do, do it with all thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goeft.

TH

CCXII.

HESE words of the royal preacher, are a ge- SERM. neral exhortation to diligence and industry, in that work which is moft proper for us to do in this Preached world. And I shall confider in them thefe two things. at Whitehall, 1685First, The matter of this advice and exhortation, and that is, that we would ufe great diligence about those things which are the proper work and employment of this life. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to " do, do it with all thy might. Whatsoever thy hand "findeth to do," that is, the work which is before thee, which is most proper for thee to propofe to thy felf, as the great end and defign of thy life, the province and charge which is appointed thee. So that these words, in the full compass and extent of them, may very well comprehend every reasonable purpose and undertaking, whatever is incumbent upon us as a duty, and is matter of reasonable choice. "Do it "with all thy might," that is, fet about it with great care, ufe all poffible diligence and industry for the effecting and accomplishing of it.

Secondly, here is the argument whereby the wife preacher doth enforce this counfel and exhortation; because this life is the proper feafon of activity and in

dustry,

CCXII.

In

SER M. duftry, of defigning and doing thofe things which are in order to a future happiness; and when this life is at an end, there will be no farther opportunity of working, there will nothing then remain, but to reap the fruit, and to receive the juft recompence of what we have done in this life; "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the cc grave, whither thou goeft." In the grave, this the LXX render by the word ades, by which the Greeks used to express the state of the dead, the condition of feparate fouls of good or bad men after they are departed this life, and entered into another world. which state, Solomon does not mean that departed fouls have no knowledge and fenfe of any thing, but that then there will be no place for any counfel and defign, for any activity and induftry in order to our happiness what we do to this purpose, we must do whilft we are in this world, it will be too late afterwards to think of altering or bettering our condition. Thefe are the two parts of the text, and they shall be the two heads of my following following difcourse; and GoD grant that what shall be faid upon them, may be effectual to perfuade every one of us feriously to mind our great intereft and concernment, and to apply ourfelves with all our might to that which is our proper work and bufinefs in this world..

Firft, We will confider the matter of this counfel and exhortation, and that is, that we would ufe great diligence and induftry about that which is our proper work and business in this life; and this may very probably comprehend in it thefe two things.

I. Diligence in our great work and business, that which equally concerns every man, I mean the bufinefs of religion, in order to the eternal happiness and falvation of our fouls,

II. Dili

II. Diligence in our particular calling and charge, SERM. whatever it be..

I. Diligence in our great and general work, that which equally concerns every man, the bufinefs of religion, in order to the eternal happiness and falvation of our fouls; and this confifts in these two things.

1. In a fincere care and endeavour of universal obedience to GOD, by the conformity of our lives and actions to his laws.

2. In case of fin and miscarriage, in a fincere repentance for our fins, and a timely care to be reconciled to GOD.

CCXII.

1. In a fincere care and endeavour of univerfal obedience to GOD, by the conformity of our lives and actions to his will and law. And this is a great work, and requires our greatest care and diligence, to rectify our minds, to restrain our evil inclinations, to fubdue and mortify our lufts, to correct the irregularity of our paffions, to moderate and govern our appetites and affections, and to keep them within due and reafonable bounds; " to take heed to our ways, that "we offend not with our tongue," nor tranfgrefs our duty by word or deed; to ferve GOD with true devotion of mind, both in public and private; to attend upon the duties of his worship, and to perform all acts of piety and religion, with care and conftancy, in the fincerity and uprightnefs of our hearts; to be meek and humble, peaceable and patient, chearful and contented with our condition; to be ready not only to forgive injuries, but to requite them with kindness and good turns, to do all offices of humanity and charity to all men, according to our ability and opportunity; to inftruct the ignorant, and to reduce thofe that are in error to the knowledge of the truth, by wife counsel and good example; to endeavour "to

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