is to be forwarded: by labour, under the bleffing of Providence, the object of to-day is attained; by the labour of to-day are augmented the facilities of attaining fimilar objects to-morrow.

Labour is, in the next place, a powerful prefervative from fin. The unoccupied hand is a ready inftrument of mischief. The unoccupied mind is a vacant field, in which the feeds of evil natural to the foil shoot with unlimited growth. On what day is the wickedness of the irreligious the most flagrant? On the Sabbath: because to them it is a day of idleness. When are popular exceffes moft to be dreaded? When Idlenefs gives the reins to licentiousness. Behold, this, faith the Lord God, was the iniquity of Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her (m). Abundance of idlenefs was among the primary fources of thofe enormities, which drew down the fiery deluge from above. He who liftens not to the voice of temptation because employment prompts the anfwer, "I have not leifure to attend to "thee:" though he has not attained the praise of virtue, may have escaped the guilt of tranfgreffion.

Occupation, reftricted to laudable purfuits, claims a place among the fecondary caufes, which pre-difpofe men to progress in religion. Idleness is irreligious in itself, as a breach of duty: and contributes to form and establish a habit of mind not merely averse from all exertion; but commonly marked by stronger repugnance to religious efforts and researches than to any other branch of employment.

Farther: Occupation, originating in Christian principles and directed to Chriftian purposes, is effential, not only to the refreshing enjoyment of leifure (for the reft that refreshes is reft after toil); but to the acquifition of genuine compofure, of ferenity of conscience, of that peace of God which paffeth all understanding, To be a blank in creation, a cumberer of the ground; to be torpid amidft furrounding industry; to be entrusted with talents, and employ them not for good; to owe infinite obliga tions, and withhold active evidences of gratitude; to be commanded to occupy until the coming of your Lord, and to wafte life' in habitual difobedience-with thefe features in your character is your mind at eafe? Have you ftable fatisfaction within? Does not shame redden your cheek? Does not alarm agitate your foul?

Single out from the paffing crowd of examples a character habitually flothful: a character slumbering in lazy liftleffness, or bufied in the laborious idleness of folly. Single out a fluggard protracting night unto noon, fauntering in the irksomeness of inactivity, hearing in languid vacancy the news of the day; and killing time (weigh well the import of this his cuftomary phrafe), killing time evening after evening at the card table! Select a young man devoted to the chafe and its attendant cares: or with skill worthy of a game-keeper, with ardour which might befit a favage in a wildernefs constrained to a perilous war against the beafts of the field, dealing day after day year after year deftruction from his gun amidst the animal race. Select a young woman rolling round the vortex of diffipation, living to accomplishments and fashion and the fong and the dance. Is this to improve life? Is this to watch against fin? Is this to prepare the heart for religion? Is this to be a fervant of Chrift, who could not but be about his Father's business? Shall the Idler, roufed on the great day by the enquiry, "What has been thy occupation," reply to the Judge; "I fcoffed not at thy word: I refpected thine or"dinances :

and

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"dinances: I abstained from criminal gra"tifications. Exempted by wealth from "the neceffity of labouring for subfistence; "I configned my hours to eafe and amuse"ment?" You anticipate the answerCaft the unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

- Let not our inveftigations, my brethren, be closed without fome brief and practical remarks,

Confider with attention proportioned to the importance of the fubject the univerfal obligation to labour. If you wish to withdraw your fhoulder from the burthen; suspect the foundness of your Chriftian profeffion. For thofe whom you love, even at the defire of those whom you love, you delight to labour. Do you love God, and loiter when he commands you to work for Him? Whatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wif dom, in the grave whither thou goeft. Whatfoever ye do, do it heartily; as to the Lord, and not unto men. God is not unrighteous ta forget your work and labour of love which je have fhewed towards His name. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the

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fame diligence to the full affurance of hope unto the end: that be not flothful, but fol

ye

lowers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises (n).

"What is my occu

Secondly. Be frequent in propofing to yourself the enquiry, "What is "pation?" Satisfy yourself, not merely that you are occupied, but that you are occupied in employments acceptable to God. To labour in trifles is not Chriftian occupation. To labour in fin is to labour for the devil. What numbers whom the fun rifing and fetting beholds in an unceasing hurry of occupation, shall appear at the hour of account to have been worse than idle! What numbers whofe labours, highly useful to their friends or to their country, have filled the mouth of the world with praise, shall stand convicted in the hour of account as having never laboured for God! What doeft thou here, Elijah? was the question of Jehovah to his prophet, who had relinquished in a moment of alarm the proper fcene of his labours. Under every circumftance regard this question as addreffed in conjunction with the former to yourself. Is this the place of duty? Is this the labour of (n) Eccl. ix. 6. Col. iii. 23. Hebr. vi. 10-12