would be an insupportable burden. What shall we think, then, of perfect happiness, and complete misery, both of the highest kind, and both eternal? If we were not acquainted with the excellent nature of the heavenly joys, yet as long as we are told of this qualification of them, that they never end, we might be sure that happiness is to be found there, or no where. But when we are fully assured how great the happiness is, and that it is of everlasting duration, it must be the most unreasonable thing of all others, to prefer any present good before it.

With what force and evidence, then, should that question come upon all our consciences, "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Matt. xvi. 26.

A third general head yet remains to be considered.

III. Labour and diligence are indispensably necessary, in order to the securing of our best interests. Faint desires, and transient resolutions, will not be sufficient in this case, but we must labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life: "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath

not.

"

Here I shall shew, wherein our labour is to be exercised, and then the necessity of it.

1. Wherein labour for our souls is to be exercised.

(1.) In the diligent use of all appointed means of life. Some pains are needful even to keep up a stated attendance on them; to fall in with every proper opportunity for reading and hearing, for meditation and prayer, and communicating at the Lord's table. Some, by reason of the straitness of their worldly circumstances, are obliged to a closer attention to their secular business for a livelihood, than others are; and, therefore, they may be necessitated to redeem some time from their sleep, or their recreations, for the more immediate service of God, and care of their souls. Others may live at a greater distance from public worship, and so be obliged to some bodily fatigue to attend upon it: in their hearts should be "the ways of them, who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well." Psal. lxxxiv. 5, 6. This is a description of such who, living remote from Jerusalem, yet out of love to the templeworship, and in obedience to God, who enjoined all the males

to come up to it at certain times, passed cheerfully through the dry and desert valley of Baca, as if it had been plentifully furnished with wells for their refreshment by the way. Happy they who so love the habitation of God's house, or his public ordinances, as to be content to pass through some difficulties, rather than omit an attendance on them.

But much more labour and pains are needful with our own hearts in religious duties, to fix our attention, excite proper affections, and exercise that humility and reverence, that seriousness and fervency, without which the outward performance will be of little service to our souls. A careless temper of mind in our use of appointed means, is most unsuitable to God, and renders them useless to our best interests. But good men are sensible that it is no easy matter to secure their thoughts from wandering, to raise pious and devout affections, or to keep. them up, to exercise faith, or love, or self-abasement, or any other grace suitable to the work in which they are engaged. They find, by experience, no small occasion for care and conflict, for pains and application, both before and in holy duties, to perform them to advantage. And certainly, if we consider them as the means of our salvation, we shall not think those pains unnecessary, without which they cannot be spiritual sacrifices, either acceptable to God, or profitable to ourselves.

our way.

(2.) In opposing the enemies and difficulties which are in As we must enter upon religion with a prospect of difficulties, and a resolution to adhere to God in defiance of all; so we cannot maintain our ground, and acquit ourselves like Christians, without labour and diligence; to resist the devil in all his known assaults, to overcome the world in its ensnaring influence, and to mortify the irregular inclinations of our own hearts. Beside that, we may be called to sufferings for righteousness' sake, which will occasion no small conflict between nature and grace; notwithstanding all, to "run with patience the race that is set before us."

(3.) In making continued advances towards the perfect day: "The path of the just shineth more and more unto the perfect day," Prov. iv. 8. He who hath his heart really fixed upon heaven, never thinks himself sufficiently meet for it, but still endeavours a progress. Now, this calls for constant application and diligence, 2 Pet. i. 5. "Giving all diligence,

add to your faith virtue," &c. We must still continue to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God." As a man of letters, who has a true relish for learning, never thinks he has learning enough; so a Christian, in his labours for everlasting life, is never satisfied with present attainments, but would abound more and more. You have a noble instance of this, and of incessant labour thereupon, in Paul. Though he had attained much, yet he forgot what was behind, and reached forth to apprehend more; still pressing forward, and bounding his desires and ambition by nothing short of the resurrection of the dead, Phil. iii. 10, &c. We should copy after that

pattern.

2. The necessity of labour and pains, as it plainly appears from the cases wherein it is to be exercised, so might be made evident in many other ways. I shall only mention

two.

(1.) It might be concluded from the necessity of labour to the securing of our present interests. What is there valuable in this world, ordinarily to be obtained without pains? And can it be thought, that heaven, the greatest blessing of all, should become our portion at unawares? Must we labour for the meat that perishes, and can we flatter ourselves that the meat which endureth to everlasting life, can be had without labour? It is, indeed, an argument that present things have the ascendant in our practical judgment, if we can allow ourselves in such a thought.

(2.) We have the plainest declarations of God in the present case: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able," Luke xiii. 24. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," Phil. ii. 12. The promise is made only to him that overcometh; which cannot be done without pains and labour, while there is a devil to assault, corrupt hearts to oppose our better inclinations, and many difficulties to be encountered. The conduct of those who are heirs of the heavenly country, is describ ed in scripture by the most indefatigable pains that are laid out about any thing in the world; by the incessant labour of the husbandman, the continual progress of a traveller, the painful exercises of a soldier, the diligent application of a merchant,

the toil of a race. Thus good men in all ages have found their way to glory; though the farther progress they made,' and the clearer views they had of the prize before them, so much the more easy and pleasant they accounted their work to be.

And now be persuaded to bring all this home to your consciences by a personal application.

1. Seriously examine whether the care of your souls, or of your bodies, has had the preference with you, to this day. I mean not, whether you have never had convictions that your souls deserve the preference; nor whether you are not ready to acknowledge this in discourse; but which in fact have you practically set the main value upon? What things are you most afraid of? Those which are detrimental to your bodies, or to your souls? that is, in other words, which do you most fear, sin or suffering? On the other hand, which gives you most pleasure, that your bodies prosper and are in health, that your estates increase, that your families flourish, that you have success in your business? or, that you can have reason to hope, that your souls prosper, that the divine life improves in them, that you gain some advance in the mortification of irregular appetites and passions, that holy ordinances are more pleasant and profitable to you? Especially, how do you behave upon a competition between the interests of both? Which interest are you determined to maintain and abide by, when you find you must quit the one for the sake of the other? Put such questions as these to yourselves, and allow conscience to make a faithful report.

2. If the interests of your souls have hitherto been shamefully neglected, allow me to expostulate with you in the apposite words of the prophet, Isa. lv. 2. "Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ?"

Why do you mainly pursue that which you know cannot satisfy, when you may obtain an infinitely greater good? If the meat which perisheth was the best you had in view, there might be some pretence to say, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die," and we have no views beyond that. But when we may inherit substance, shall we act with indifference for that, and employ all our pains for that which hath vanity written upon it by the word of God, by the testimony of the wisest men, and by our own frequent experience?

1

Why should you spend more for present good than it is worth? Should you throw away your immortal souls for it, when nothing can be given in exchange for your souls?

Why should you make so disadvantageous a bargain, after frequent warnings given you of it by a compassionate Saviour, and those who speak in his name, after many disappointments in your own most raised expectations from the things of time?

Why should you employ your excellent talents so ill, when they are plainly given you for a better use? The spirit of a beast would have been sufficient for the employment and happiness of a beast: but when your Maker has given you a capacity of looking forward to immortality, of judging between the value of things present and future, of choosing and prosecuting your best interests, when you have such noble powers, you must account not only to yourselves, but to your Maker also, for your usage of your souls, of yourselves: and certainly you can give no good account, either to God or yourselves, for neglecting the one thing needful. And, once

inore,

Why should you neglect your souls for the sake of your bodies, when in the ordinary state of things you may comfortably mind both; when a regular care of souls will admit of all reasonable concern your outward welfare too, and will give you a better security than you can have any other way, for all that is needful and good for you in this life? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you," Matt. vi. 33. And by securing the future happiness of your souls, you provide for the everlasting glory and felicity of your bodies too in the morning of the resurrection. Therefore,

8. Be persuaded to make everlasting life your governing aim through the present life, and not only a transient concern. When Christ is come into the world to seek and save lost souls; when your time below is principally given you to mind their interest, when the many dangers attending them require your earnest application to prevent their ruin, be in earnest here, wherever else you allow yourselves to trifle. I may happily add for your encouragement in this case, what you cannot be assured of in the most diligent and prudent labours