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CHAP. IV.

OF DILIGENCE.

DILIGENCE, as it relates to trade, is an habitual employment of our bodily and mental powers about our proper callings, in a just and happy medium between idleness, supineness, and trifling curiosity on the one hand; and slavish drudging and immoderate care on the other. It dif fers not in the religious Tradesman from the same virtue in other men, but as it flows from a better principle, and is directed to an higher end. The vicious and profane, as they know not GOD, so they live not to him; all their labours and views centre in themselves, and the indulgence of their appetites and desires is the principal guide and end of all their actions. But the good man considers himself, whatever may be his station in life, as the servant of divine providence; and makes the word of GOD the rule, and the honour of God the end of his common employments: he is

diligent from a sense of duty, as well as from the prospect of gain. This virtue is chiefly exercised in the following particu

lars.

1st. In the serious employment of the powers of mind and body, in our callings. Whatever sagacity of mind, depth of judgment, or quickness of invention you are endowed with should be employed. GOD hath appointed the honest labours of life to provide support for the body, and prevent the distempers of the mind; sober industry spends those exuberant spirits, which otherwise are apt to break forth in unlawful flames; for the more laborious the less lascivious: indeed we are not required so to exhaust our strength in the business of the day, as to leave ourselves spiritless in the close of it; but in moderation we should not be backward to exert ourselves in our employments, seeing GOD accepts of our labour; and will by food and rest recruit our strength and spirits again.

2d. In employing the substance of our time in our callings. As the servant's time is his master's, so the master's time is God's, and not his own; which the religious Tradesman will carefully improve, and wisely divide between the concerns of this life and the next. Hours have wings,

and every moment flies up to the Author of time, and carries notice of our usage of it. The industrious Tradesman will, if health permit, be stirring early, and continue with cheerful diligence in his business. His family, and shop, his friends, or the public, teaching or learning, will find him full employment for his time; and he will need no miserable helps to destroy that which flies with so swift a speed. "Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labour, until the evening." Psalm civ. 23.

3d. In laying hold of opportunities; for diligence includes watchfulness. Great things, may sometimes be done in a little time; and opportunities if embraced, will reward our care and diligence; if they are let slip, may never present themselves. again; for "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose." These are like wind and tide, with which men sail with ease and expedition, and these the diligent Tradesman will be careful to observe and improve. Care is as necessary to success as labour; let men be ever so industrious and painful, unless they are considerate and watchful, their success is like to be but small.

4th. In a becaming attention to little things. Many small matters arise in time

to something considerable: a small customer attended to and pleased, shews the way to a greater: but the disdaining to get or save things of small value, is often punished by divine providence, in reducing such pride and carelessness to indigence and want. It is the remark of a very wise

man, "he that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little." Eccles. xix. 1. The gifts of the Creator's bounty, abused by one man's folly and vanity, are often transferred to another, who will make a better use of them. God forbid that I should encourage a covetous, sordid disposition; what I recommend, is a diligent care to make the best use of things, and to regard those smaller matters on which greater depend, or which by some few repetitions may amount to something considerable. A constant and careful respect to this has raised many persons to a considerable estate, and enabled others, even with a little, to do much more good than the careless persons can do even with a large income. Our divine Master has herein proposed his own conduct for our imitation, who, when he had fed five thousand people with only five loaves and two fishes, by which he had shewn how easily he could create food, yet ordered the frag.

ments to be gathered up, that "nothing might be lost." John vi. 12.

5th. In rejecting those avocations which would divert you from your business. The Tradesman's shop or warehouse should be the place of his delight; from whence he should not wander without some reasonable motive; for here his business and his advantage lies.

Diligence will guard you against consuming your time and substance at houses of public entertainment. How many must be sought at the tavern, &c. who should be found in their shops, and are expending that money at places of entertainment, of which, duty to their families, and justice to others, call for a different account. And, indeed, this diligence will abridge all unnecessary time-wasting pleasures and

recreations.

Needless and fruitless visits will be restrained by this diligence. A due performance of these is necessary to friendship and business; but idle, gossiping visits, which are employed in ransacking the affairs or faults of others; judging or condemning those who by their absence are incapable of defending themselves; or in censuring the methods of public administration, the reasons and springs of which