SERM. copy thereof, and the whole world a glafs, wherein we LI. may behold this duty reprefented to us.

Prov. vi. 6, &c.

We may easily observe every creature about us inceffantly working toward the end for which it was designed, indefatigably exercifing the powers with which it is endued, diligently obferving the laws of its creation. Even beings void of reason, of sense, of life itself, do fuggest unto us resemblances of industry; they being fet in continual action toward the effecting reasonable purposes, conducing to the preservation of their own beings, or to the furtherance of common good.

The heavens do roll about with unwearied motion; the fun and stars do perpetually dart their influences; the earth is ever labouring in the birth and nourishment of plants; the plants are drawing fap, and sprouting out fruits and feeds, to feed us and propagate themselves; the rivers are running, the feas are toffing, the winds are blustering, to keep the elements fweet in which we live.

w

Solomon fendeth us to the ant, and biddeth us to confder her ways, which provideth her meat in the fummer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. Many such inftructors we may find in nature; the like induftrious providence we may observe in every living creature; we may see this running about, that swimming, another flying in purveyance of its food and fupport.

If we look up higher to rational and intelligent natures, ftill more noble and appofite patterns do object themselves to us.

Here below every field, every shop, every street, the hall, the exchange, the court itself (all full of bufinefs, and fraught with the fruits of industry) do mind us how neceffary industry is to us.

If we confult history, we shall there find, that the best men have been moft industrious; that all great persons, renowned for heroical goodness, (the worthy Patriarchs, the holy Prophets, the bleffed Apoftles,) were for this most commendable; that, neglecting their private ease, they did undertake difficult enterprises, they did undergo painful labours for the benefit of mankind; they did pass

their days, like St. Paul, iv xómois xai póxd015, in labours SERM. and toilfome pains, for those purposes.

LI.

Our great example, the life of our bleffed Lord himself, 2 Cor. xi. what was it but one continual exercise of labour? His 27. mind did ever ftand bent in careful attention, ftudying to Aas x. do good. His body was ever moving in wearifome travel to the fame divine intent.

If we yet foar farther in our meditation to the superior regions, we fhall there find the blessed inhabitants of heaven, the courtiers and minifters of God, very bufy and active; they do vigilantly wait on God's thrones in readinefs to receive and to dispatch his commands; they are ever on the wing, and fly about like lightning to do his Pfal. ciii. pleafure. They are attentive to our needs, and ever ready xxxiv. 7. to protect, to affift, to relieve us! Efpecially, they are di- xci. 11. ligent guardians and fuccourers of good men; officious Heb. i. 14. Spirits, fent forth to minifter for the heirs of falvation : fo even the feat of perfect reft is no place of idlenefs.

Yea, God himself, although immovably and infinitely happy, is yet immensely careful, and everlastingly busy : he rested once from that great work of creation; but yet Gen. ii. 2. My Father, faith our Lord, worketh ftill; and he never John v. 17. will reft from his works of providence and of grace. His Pfal. cxxi. eyes continue watchful over the world, and his hands 3. cxxvii. 1. ftretched out in upholding it. He hath a fingular regard 10. to every creature, supplying the needs of each, and fatif-2.50 fying the defires of all t

Zech. iv.

Chron.

Pfal. cxlv.

15, 16.

Pfal. xxxiv.

world 15.

Gen. xxxi.

of its 49.

And fhall we alone be idle, while all things are fo (Prov. v. bufy? Shall we keep our hands in our bofom, or stretch 21. xv. 3. ourselves on our beds of lazinefs, while all the about us is hard at work in pursuing the designs creation? Shall we be wanting to ourselves, while fo Jer. xxxi. many things labour for our benefit? Shall not fuch a cloud of examples ftir us to fome induftry? Not to comply with so universal a practice, to cross all the world, to

O tú bone omnipotens, qui fic curas unumquemque noftrum tanquam folum cures, et fic omnes tanquam fingulos. Aug. Conf. iv. 11.

18.)

SERM. difagree with every creature, is it not very monftrous LI. and extravagant?

I should close all this difcourfe with that, at which, in pitching on this fubject, I chiefly did aim, an application exhortatory to ourselves, urging the practice of this virtue by confiderations peculiar to us as scholars, and derived from the nature of our calling. But the doing this requiring a larger difcourfe than the time now will allow, I fhall reserve to another occafion; adding only one confideration more.

13. Laftly, if we confider, we fhall find the root and fource of all the inconveniences, the mischiefs, the wants of which we are fo apt to complain, to be our sloth; and that there is hardly any of them, which commonly we might not easily prevent or remove by industry. Why is any man a beggar, why contemptible, why ignorant, why vicious, why miferable? Why, but for this one reason, because he is flothful; because he will not labour to rid himself of those evils? What could we want, if we would but take the pains to seek it, either by our industry, or by our devotion? For where the first will not do, the fecond cannot fail to procure any good thing from him, Jam. i. 5. who giveth to all men liberally, and hath promised to fupply the defect of our ability by his free bounty; fo

that if we join these two industries (industrious action, and Angis veg- industrious prayer) there is nothing in the world fo good, γεμένη, Jam. v. 16. or fo great, of which, if we are capable, we may not af Пgagri- furedly become masters: and even for industry itself, espeξησις. cially in the performance of all our duties toward God, Eph. vi. 18. Rom. xii. let us induftriously pray: even fo, The God of peace fanc tify us wholly, and make us perfect in every good work to do his will, working in us that which is wellpleafing in his fight; through our blessed Saviour Jefus Chrifi, to whom for ever be all glory and praife. Amen.

12.

Col. iv. 2.

1 Theff. v.

23.

Heb. xiii.

21.

SERMON LII.

OF INDUSTRY IN OUR GENERAL CALLING,

AS CHRISTIANS.

ROM. xii. II.

Not flothful in business.a

INDUSTRY is a very eminent virtue, being an ingre- SERM. dient, or the parent, of all other virtues, of conftant ufe LII. upon all occafions, and having influence upon all our affairs.

For it is in our nature framed; all our powers of foul and body being fitted for it, tending to it, requiring it for their prefervation and perfection.

We were defigned for it in our firft happy ftate; and upon our lapse thence were farther doomed to it, as the fole remedy of our needs and the inconveniences to which we became expofed. For,

Without it we cannot well fuftain or fecure our life in the enjoyment of any comfort or convenience; we must. work to earn our food, our clothing, our fhelter; and to supply every indigency of accommodations, which our nature doth crave.

To it God hath annexed the beft and most defirable rewards; fuccefs to our undertakings, wealth, honour, wisdom, virtue, salvation; all which, as they flow from God's bounty, and depend on his bleffing; fo from them

a ́ Tŷ orudỹ un izynga. Solicitudine non pigri. Vulg.

SERM. they are usually conveyed to us through our industry, as the ordinary channel and instrument of attaining them.

LII.

It is requifite to us, even for procuring ease, and preventing a neceffity of immoderate labour.

It is in itself sweet and fatisfactory; as freeing our mind from distraction, and wrecking irresolution; as feeding us with good hope, and yielding a foretaste of its good fruits.

It furnisheth us with courage to attempt, and resolution to achieve things needful, worthy of us, and profitable

to us.

It is attended with a good confcience, and cheerful reflections, of having well spent our time, and employed our. talents to good advantage.

It sweeteneth our enjoyments, and seasoneth our attainments with a delightful relish.

It is the guard of innocence, and barreth out temptations to vice, to wantonness, to vain curiofity, and pragmaticalness.

It argueth an ingenuous and generous difpofition of foul; afpiring to worthy things, and pursuing them in the fairest way; difdaining to enjoy the common benefits, or the fruits of other men's labour, without deferving them from the world, and requiting it for them.

It is neceffary for every condition and station, for every calling, for every relation; no man without it being able to deport himself well in any ftate, to manage any bufinefs, to discharge any fort of duty.

To it the world is indebted for all the culture, which advanceth it above rude and fordid barbarism; for whatever in common life is ftately, or comely, or useful, induftry hath contrived it, induftry hath compofed and framed it.

It is recommended to us by all fort of patterns confiderable; for all nature is continually bufy and active in tendency toward its proper defigns; heaven and earth do work in inceffant motion; every living creature is employed in progging for its fuftenance; the bleffed fpirits are always on the wing in difpatching the commands of