LII.

God, and ministering fuccour to us; God himself is ever SERM. watchful, and ever busy in preserving the world, and providing for the needs of every creature.

The lives of our bleffed Saviour, of all the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Saints, in this respect have been more exemplary; no virtue being more confpicuous in their practice than industry in performing the hard duties and painful tasks imposed on them for the service of God, and the benefit of mankind.

Such is the virtue upon which I have formerly difcourfed in general and at large; but shall now more fpecially confider, according to St. Paul's prescription, in reference to its most proper matter, business, explaining and preffing it accordingly.

Be not flothful in business, (that is, in discharge of it,) or to bufinefs, (that is, to undertake it :) this is the rule; the nature and needfulness whereof we fhall declare.

By σroven, bufinefs, we may understand any object of our care and endeavours which doth require them, and may deserve them; which by reason of its difficulty cannot well be accomplished or attained without them; and which is productive of fome fruit or recompenfe anfwerable to them; the which hath operæ caufam, a need of labour, and operæ pretium, fome effect worth our pains: if it be not fuch, it is not a due matter of virtuous and laudable industry.

There are many things, about which men with great earneftness employ themselves, called bufinefs, but not deferving that name: there are divers fpurious kinds of industry, which may not pretend to commendation, but rather do merit blame; according to that of St. Chryfoftom, Labour which hath no profit, cannot obtain any praife b.

There is a κενοσπονδία, a vain indultry, and a κακοσπονδία, a naughty industry, both agreeing with genuine virtuous industry in the act, as implying careful and painful acti

• Πόνος οὐδὲν κέρδος ἔχων, ἐγκωμίου παντὸς ἀπεστέρηται. Chryfoft. tom. V. Orat. 64.

SERM. vity, but difcording from it in object and defign; and conLII. fequently in worth and moral esteem.

Aliud agere, to be impertinently bufy, doing that which conduceth to no good purpose, is in fome refpect worse than to do nothing, or to forbear all action; for it is a pofitive abuse of our faculties, and trifling with God's gifts; it is a throwing away labour and care, things valuable in themselves; it is often a running out of the way, which is worse than ftanding ftill; it is a debafing our reason, and declining from our manhood, nothing be-ing more foolish or childish, than to be folicitous and ferious about trifles: for who are more bufy and active. than children? who are fuller of thoughts and defigns, or more eager in prosecution of them, than they? But all is about ridiculous toys, the fhadows of bufinefs, fuggefted to them by apifh curiofity and imitation. Of fuch inEcclef. x. duftry we may understand that of the Preacher, The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them; for that a man foon will be weary of that labour, which yieldeth no profit, or beneficial return.

15.

31.

2 Cor. ii. 11.

But there is another industry worse than that, when men are very busy in devising and compaffing mischiefs;· Luke xxii. an industry whereof the Devil affordeth a great instance; for the curfed fiend is very diligent, ever watching for occafions to fupplant us, ever plotting methods and means to do harm, ever driving on his mifchievous defigns with unwearied activity; going to and fro in the earth; running 1 Pet. v. 8. about as a roaring lion, looking for prey, and seeking whom he may devour.

Job i. 7.

And his wicked brood are commonly like him, being

• Αλλῳ γὰρ ἐδενὶ φιλοπόνε τὸν κενόσπεδον ὁρίζομεν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις ὄντα πολλάκις,

τῷ τὸν μὲν εἰς ἀνωφελῆ πονεῖν, καὶ ἀδιαφόρως, τὸν δὲ ἕνεκά τε τῶν συμφερόντων κλει

orshav. Plut. de Commun. Not. p. 1949. edit. Steph.

Σπουδάζειν καὶ πονεῖν παιδιᾶς χάριν ἠλίθιον φαίνεται καὶ λίαν παιδικόν. Αrif

Eth. x. 6.

Ἡ ἐπὶ μικροῖς σπουδὴ μέμψιν φέρει. Plut. ibid.

Vid. de Glor. Ath. p. 621.

Οἱ σπουδάζοντες ἐν τοῖς γελοίοις, ἐν τοῖς σπουδαίοις ἔσονται καταγέλασα. Cat. Maj. apud Plut. in Apoph.

workers of iniquity, oi rovnpoì, painful men, oi navoupуo, SERM. men that will do all things; who will fpare no pains, nor LII. leave any ftone unturned, for fatisfying their lufts, and pfal. vi. 8. accomplishing their bad defigns.

So indeed it is, that as no great good, fo neither can any great mischief be effected without much pains; and if we confider either the characters or the practices of thofe, who have been famous mischief-doers, the pefts of Catiline, mankind and difturbers of the world, we fhall find them Stilico, to have been no fluggards.

Marius,

Cæfar, &c.

These two forts of vain and bad induftry the Prophet Ifaiah feemeth to defcribe in thofe words; They hatch Ifa. lix. 5. cockatrice' eggs, and weave the fpider's web; of which expreffions one may denote mifchievous, the other frivolous diligence in contrivance or execution of naughty or vain defigns; and to them both that of the Prophet Hofea may be referred; They have fown the wind, and they shall Hof. viii. 7. reap the whirlwind; guilt, remorfe, and punishment being xxxiv. 2. the confequences of both. And of them both common Prov. xxii. experience doth afford very frequent and obvious inftances, Hof. x. 13. a great part of human life being taken up with them. For,

How affiduously intent and eager may we observe men to be at fports! How foon will they rife to go forth to them! With what conftancy and patience will they toil in them all the day! How indefatigable are they in riding and running about after a dog or a hawk, to catch a poor beaft or filly bird!

How long will men fit poring on their games, difpenfing with their food and fleep for it.

How long and serious attention will men yield to a wanton play! How many hours will they contentedly fit thereat! What study will men employ on jefts and impertinent wit! How earnest will they be to fatisfy their vain curiofity!

d’Egyárai rñs ádınías. Luke xiii. 27.

e

• Συνέρουσι γὰρ οἱ φιλόκυβοι νύκτας ἡμέραις ἄσιτοι καὶ ἄποτοι, καὶ ἡδονῆς ἡδονὴ gies. Lib. Orat. 31.

Ecclus.

8.

SERM.

LII.

Jer. ii. 18.

How in fuch cases do men forget what they are doing, that sport should be sport, not work; to divert and relax us, not to employ and bufy us; to take off our minds a little, not wholly to take them up; not to exhaust or tire our spirits, but to refresh and cheer them, that they may become more fit for grave and ferious occupations!

How painful will others be in hewing them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that will hold no water; that is, in immoderate pursuit of worldly defigns! How ftudiously will they plod, how restlessly will they trudge, what carking and drudgery will they endure in driving on projects of ambition and avarice! What will not they gladly do or fuffer, to get a little preferment, or a little profit! It was a common practice of old, and fure the world is not Pfal. xxxix. greatly mended fince the Pfalmift did thus reflect, Surely every man walketh in a vain shew ; furely they are difquieted in vain he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who Shall gather them.

6.

:

How many vigilant and ftout purfuers are there of fenfuality and riotous excefs; fuch as thofe of whom the Ifa. v. 11. Prophet speaketh, Wo unto them that rife up early in the morning, that they may follow firong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

How busy (O fhame, O mifery! how fiercely busy) are fome in accomplishing defigns of malice and revenge! How intent are fome to overreach, to circumvent, to fupplant their neighbour! How fore pains will fome take to feduce, corrupt, or debauch others! How active will fome be in fowing ftrifes, in raising factions, in fomenting disorders in the world! How many induftrious flaves hath the Devil, who will spare no pains about any kind of work, which he putteth them to! How many like those Prov. i. 16. of whom the Wife Man faith, Their feet run to evil, and are Swift in running to mischief: they fleep not, except they have done mischief; and their fleep is taken away, unlefs they caufe fome to fall!

vi. 18.

iv. 16.

* Τῷ γὰρ ὄντι παίζοντα δεῖ παίζειν. Plut.

- Β ́ Εννοήσωμέν τινα ὁ διάβολος ἐπέταξε, πῶς ἐπίπονα, πῶς ἐμίμοχθα, &c. Chryf. ̓Ανδρ. 16.

LII.

Now with all these labourers we may well expoftulate SERM. in the words of the Prophet; Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fa. Iv. 2. Satisfieth not?

Such labours are unworthy of men, much lefs do they befeem Chriftians.

It becometh us not as rational creatures to employ the excellent gifts of our nature, and noble faculties of our high-born foul, the forces of our mind, the advantages of our fortune, our precious time, our very care and labour, vainly or unprofitably upon any thing bafe or mean: being that our reason is capable of achieving great and worthy things, we must debase it by stooping to regard toys, we do extremely abuse it by working mischief.

Much more doth it mifbecome us as Chriftians (that is, perfons devoted to so high a calling, who have fo worthy employments affigned to us, fo glorious hopes, fo rich en- Eph. i. 18. couragements proposed to us for our work) to spend our thoughts and endeavours on things impertinent to our great defign, or mainly thwarting it.

The proper matter and object of our industry (those false ones being excluded) is true bufinefs; or that which is incumbent on a man to do, either in way of duty, being required by God, or by dictate of reason, as conducing to fome good purpose; fo that in effect it will turn to account, and finally in advantageous return will pay him for his labour of mind, or body; that which the Wise Man did intend, when he advifed, Whatever thy hand Ecclef. ix. findeth to do, do it with all thy might; whatever thy hand findeth, that is, whatever by divine appointment, (by the command or providence of God,) or which, upon rational deliberation, doth occur as matter of our action; comprifing every good purpose and reasonable undertaking incident to us.

But our business, according to the holy Apostle's intent, may be supposed especially to be the work of our calling; to which each man hath a peculiar obligation; and which therefore is moft properly his business, or σte emphatically, the business allotted to him.

10.