conceits, and controuling our peevish humours; unto S ER 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 so much pains, and expofeth us to fo many troubles.

Charity is alfo a laborious exercife of many good works; and he that will practise it, muft in divers ways labour hardly; he must labour in voiding from his foul many difpofitions deeply radicated therein by nature, opinion, and cuftom; envy, frowardness, ftubbornness, perverfe 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 ayanns, that la- Heb. vi. 13. bour of love, whereof St. Paul doth speak; he muft 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 fupply the wants of his neighbour.

I Thef. i. 3.

Acts xx.

Heb. x. 23.

Hope itfelf (which one would think, when grounded well, fhould be a no lefs eafy than pleasant duty) 'A. doth need much labour to preserve it fafe, ftraight, Heb. vi. 13. and stable, among the many waves and billows of 1 Thef.i. 3. temptation affaying to fhake and fubvert it; whence Heb. x. 36. a patience of hope is recommended to us; and we fo 'Eda often are exhorted to hold it faft, to keep it fure, Heb. iii. 6, firm, and unfhaken to the end.

Temperance alfo furely demandeth no fmall pains *; 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 thofe zealots and bigots for vice, who cannot tolerate any nonconformity to their extravagancies; but, as St. Peter doth exprefs it,

* Πάντες ἐξ ἑνὸς σόματος ὑμνᾶσιν ὡς καλὸν μὲν ἡ σωφροσύνη, τε καὶ δι καιοσύνη, χαλεπὸν μέν τοι καὶ ἐπίπονον. Plat. de Rep. 2.

Heb. vi. 11.

σπουδήν.

14.

2 Pet. i. 10.

SER M. think it frange, if others do not run with them to the fame XII. excess of riot, fpeaking ill of them for it.

What fhould I fpeak of meekness, of patience, of Pet. iv. 4. humility, of contentedness? Is it not manifeft how laborious thofe virtues are, and what pains are neceffary in the obtaining, in the exercife 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 ?

23.

Eph. ii. 8.

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 easily obtainable or practicable without a good measure of pains, how could it be virtue? what excellency could it have, what praife could it claim, what reward could it expect? God hath indeed made the best things not easily 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 special boon of Rom. vi. divine grace (rò de xapioμa 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 inPhil. ii. 12. dustry; 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 7. 10. vi. 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 clofe of God's book, it

22.

14.

XII.

is proclaimed, as a truth of greatest moment, and S ER M. fpecial point of God's will, Blefjed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. It is plainly induftry, which climbeth the holy Apoc. xxii. mount; it is industry, which taketh the kingdom of Heb. xii. heaven by force; it is induftry, which fo runneth as 22. to obtain the prize, which fo fighteth as to receive the 12. crown, which fo watcheth as to fecure our everlasting 1 Cor. ix. intereft to us.

Matt, xi.

I

24.

Jam. i. 12. Matt. xxiv. 42. XXV.

37.

Thus do the choiceft good things, of which we are capable, fpring from induftry, or depend upon 13. it; and no confiderable good can be attained with- Luc. xii. out it thus all the gifts of God are by it conveyed Apoc. iii. 3. 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 ufe; 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 suggested 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.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy

IN

might.

NDUSTRY, which the divine Preacher in this s E R M. text recommendeth to us, is a virtue of a very XIII. diffufive nature and influence; ftretching itselfthrough all our affairs, and twisting itself with every concern we have; fo that no business 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 induftry is productive of ease itself, and preventive of trouble: it was no lefs folidly, than acutely and fmartly advised by the philofopher Crates,* Whether, faid he, labour be to be

* Εἴθ ̓ αἱρετὸν ὁ πόνος, πόνει· εἴτε φευκτὸν, πόνει, ἵνα μὴ πονῆς· διαὶ γὰ τῷ μὴ πόνειν ἐ φεύγεται πόνος, τῷ δὲ ἐναντίῳ καὶ διώκεται. Crates, Ep. 4.

chofen,