SERM. comfort, depofited in the memory and confcience of him LI. that practiseth it. It will ever, upon his reviewing the

non diu vixit.

paffages of his life, be fweet to him to behold in them testimonies and monuments of his diligence; it will please him to confider, that he hath lived to purpose, having done fomewhat confiderable; that he hath made an advantageous ufe of his time; that he hath well hufbanded the talents committed to him; that he hath accomplished (in some measure) the intents of God's bounty, and made fome return for his excellent gifts. What comfort, indeed, can any man have, yea, how fore remorfe must he feel, in reflecting upon a life fpent in unfruitful and unprofitable idlenefs? How can he otherwife than bewail Diu fuit, his folly and baseness in having lived (or rather having only been) in vain; as the shadow and appearance of a man; in having lavifhed his days, in having buried his talents, in having embezzled his faculties of nature, and his advantages from Providence; in having defeated the good-will of God, and endeavoured no requital to the Matt. xxv. munificent goodness of his Maker, of his Preferver, his benign Lord and Mafter, his gracious Saviour and Redeemer? How, without confufion, can he in his mind revolve, that he hath nowife benefited the world, and profited his neighbour, or obliged his friends, or rendered to his country (to the fociety or community of which he is a member) amends for all the fafety and quiet, the fupport, the convenience, and the pleasure he hath enjoyed under its protection, and in its bofom? that he hath not borne a competent share in the common burdens, or paid a due contribution of his care and labour to the public welfare? How can fuch a man look inward upon himself with a favourable eye, or pardon himself for fo loathsome defaults?

26.

7. Let us confider, that industry doth argue a generous and ingenuous complexion of foul.

It implieth a mind not content with mean and vulgar things, (fuch as nature dealeth to all, or fortune fcattereth about,) but aspiring to things of high worth, and pursuing them in a brave way, with adventurous

courage, by its own forces, through difficulties and ob- SERM. ftacles.

It fignifieth in a man a heart, not enduring to owe the fuftenance or convenience of his life to the labour or the liberality of others; to pilfer a livelihood from the world; to reap the benefit of other men's care and toil, without rendering a full compensation, or outdoing his private obligations by confiderable fervice and beneficence to the public.

LI.

A noble heart will difdain to fubfift like a drone upon the honey gathered by others' labour; like a vermin to filch its food out of the public granary; or like a fhark to prey on the leffer fry; but will one way or other earn his fubfiftence: for he that doth not earn, can hardly own his bread, as St. Paul implieth, when he faith, Them that a Theff. iii. are fuch we command and exhort by our Lord Jefus Chrift, Ti iauras that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. ἄρτον.

12.

15.

1 Cor. ix.

1 Theff. ii.

6.

34, 35.

Of this generous ingenuity we have a notable instance in that great Apoftle himself; which he doth often repre- 1 Cor. ix. fent as a pattern to us, profeffing much complacence therein. He with all right and reafon might have challenged a comfortable fubfiftence from his difciples, in re- 2 Theff. iii. compenfe for the incomparable benefits he did confer on? them, and of the exceffive pains he did endure for their 11. good: this he knew well; but yet did rather choose to support himself by his own labour, than anywise to seem burdenfome or troublesome to them: Thefe hands, faid Acts xx. he, have miniftered to my neceffities, and to them that are xviii. 3. with me. I have fhewed you all things, that fo labouring 1 Theff. ii. ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words 2 Theff. iii. of our Lord Jefus, how he faid, It is more blessed to give 8. than to receive. This was the practice of him, who was 12. in labours most abundant; and fuch is the genius of every 2 Cor. xi. man, who upon principles of confcience, reason, and honour, is induftrious. Of him it may be faid, as of Solomon's good housewife, She feeketh wool and flax, and Prov. xxxi. worketh willingly with her hands; he is like the merchants' 13, 14, 27. Ship, She bringeth her food from afar; she looketh well to her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

9.

1 Cor. iv.

9, 23.

SERM.

LI.

Ovid. de
Remed.

Sloth is a bafe quality, the argument of a mind wretch→ edly degenerate and mean; which is content to grovel in a despicable state; which aimeth at no worthy thing, nor pursueth any thing in a laudable way; which difposeth a man to live gratis (precarioufly) and ingratefully on the public ftock, as an infignificant cypher among men, as a burden of the earth, as a wen of any fociety; fucking aliment from it, but yielding no benefit or ornament thereto.

8. Industry is a fence to innocence and virtue; a bar to all kinds of fin and vice, guarding the avenues of our heart, keeping off the occafions and temptations to vicious practice. When a man is engaged in honeft employment, and seriously intent thereon, his mind is prepoffeffed and filled, fo that there is no room or vacancy for ill thoughts, or base designs, to creep in; his fenfes do not lie open to enfnaring objects; he wants leifure and opportunity of granting audience to the folicitations of finful pleasure; and is apt to answer them with a non vacat1; the Devil can hardly find advantage of tempting him, at least many devils cannot get access to him, according to that observation in Caffian, A working monk is affaulted by one devil, but an idle one is fpoiled by numberless bad spirits m. The case of men ordinarily is like to that of Ægisthus, ne nil ageretur, amavit;

rather than do nothing, he was ready to do ill; he not having business to employ his thoughts, wanton defires did infinuate themselves into his heart, and transported him to that difaftrous wickedness, which fupplied matter to fo many tragedies; and the like instance the facred history 2 Sam. xi. fuggefteth in King David, who, walking, it is faid, on the roof of his house, his mind then roving, and being untacked from honest cares, that temptation seized on him, whereby he was plunged into that woful misdemeanour, which did create to him fo much forrow, did make fuch

2.

1 Semper te diabolus inveniat occupatum. Bern. Form. Hon, v. cap. 7. m Operans monachus uno dæmone pulfatur, otiofus vero innumeris fpiritibus devaftatur. Caff. de Inftit. x. 23.

LI.

a fpot in his life, and leave fuch a blur on his memory; SERM. whence yet we may draw fome benefit, taking it as a profitable document and warning, how idlenefs doth expose the best men to danger.

Idleness is indeed the nursery of fins, which as naturally grow up therein as weeds in a neglected field, or infects in a standing puddle; Idleness teacheth much evil. It is Ecclus. the general trap, whereby every tempter affayeth to catch xxxiii. 27. our foul: for the mind being loofe from care, Satan is ready to ftep in with his fuggeftions, the world prefenteth its allurements, flefhly defires rife up; proud, froward, wanton cogitations flip in; ill company doth entice, ill example is regarded, every temptation doth object and imprefs itself with great advantage and force; men in fuch a cafe being apt to close and comply with temptations, even to divert their mind, and entertain themfelves, to cure their listleffness, to pass their time", committing fin for want of better occupation. Hence in places where there is least work, the worst fins do most prevail; and idlenefs therefore was by the Prophet reckoned one of the three great fins of Sodom, parents of the reft: Behold, faith Ezekiel, this was the iniquity of thy Ezek. xvi. fifter Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of 49. idleness was in her: hence it feldom doth happen in any way of life, that a fluggard and a rakehell do not go together; or that he who is idle is not alfo diffolute.

9. Particularly industry doth prevent the fins of vain curiofity, pragmaticalnefs, troublesome impertinency, and the like pefts of common life, into which perfons not diligently following their own business will affuredly fall. We hear, faith St. Paul to the Theffalonians, that there are fome who walk among you diforderly; working not at all, but are bufy-bodies. It is no wonder, if they did not work at all, that they should walk diforderly; or that

Intendes animum ftudiis et rebus honeftis,

Invidia vel amore vigil torquebere. Hor. Ep. i. 2.

• 2 Thef. iii. 11. Μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους· working nothing, but over-working.

LI.

SERM. quite neglecting their own concerns, they should negrapyά, Geodai, over-work, or be too busy in matters not belonging to them, intruding themselves into the affairs of their neighbours for there is a natural connection between these things, fince every man must be thinking, must be doing, must be saying somewhat, to spend his leisure, to uphold conversation, to please himself, and gratify others, to appear somebody among his companions; to avoid the fhame of being quite out of employment: wherefore not having the heart to mind his own affairs, he will take the boldness to meddle with the concerns of other men: if he cannot have the fubftance, he will fet up an idol of bufinefs, and feem very active in his impertinency; in order thereto, being curiously inquifitive, and prying into the discourse, actions, and affairs of all men. This men are apt to do in their own defence: and befides, idleness doth put men into a loose, garish, wanton humour, difposing them without heed or regard to meddle with any thing, to prattle at any rate. In fine, whoever hath no work at home, will be gadding to seek entertainment 1 Tim. v. abroad, like those goffips of whom St. Paul faith, They learn to be idle, wandering about from houfe to houfe; not only idle, but tattlers alfo, and bufy-bodies, Speaking things which they ought not. If indeed we confider all the frivolous and petulant discourse, the impertinent chattings, the rafh cenfures, the spiteful detractions which are fo rife in the world, and fo much poison all conversation, we shall find the main root of them to be a want of industry in men, or of diligent attendance on their own matters; which would so much take up their spirit and time, that they would have little heart or leisure to search into or comment upon other men's actions and concerns.

13.

and

10. Let us confider that industry is needful in every condition and ftation; in every calling and way of life: in all relations, for our good behaviour, and right discharge of our duty in them. Without it we cannot in any ftate act decently, or usefully, either to the benefit and fatisfaction of others, or to our own advantage and comfort.

Are we rich? Then is industry requifite for keeping