express it, "think it strange, if others do not run with them to the same excess of riot, speaking ill of them for it."

What should I speak of meekness, of patience, of humility, of contentedness? Is it not manifest how laborious those virtues are, and what pains are necessary in the obtaining, in the exercise of them? what pains, I say, they require in the voidance of fond conceits, in the suppression of froward humours, in the quelling fierce passions, in the brooking grievous crosses and adversities, in the bearing heinous injuries and affronts?

Thus doth all virtue require much industry, and it therefore necessarily must itself be a great virtue, which is the mother, the nurse, the guardian of all virtues; yea, which indeed is an ingredient and constitutive part of every virtue; for if virtue were easily obtainable or practicable without a good measure of pains, how could it be virtue? what excellency could it have, what praise could it

claim, what reward could it expect? God hath indeed made the best things not easily obtainable, hath set them high out of our reach, to exercise our industry in getting them, that we might raise up ourselves to them, that, being obtained, they may the more deserve our esteem, and his reward.

Lastly, the sovereign good, the last scope of our actions, the top and sum of our desires, happiness itself, or eternal life in perfect rest, joy, and glory; although it be the supreme gift of God, and special boon of divine grace, (" But," saith St. Paul, "the gift of God's grace is eternal life;") yet it also by God himself is declared to be the result and reward of industry; for we are commanded "to work out our salvation with fear and trembling," and to "give diligence in making our calling and election sure," by virtuous practice; and "God," saith St. Paul, "will render to every man according to his works; to them who, by

patient continuance in well doing, seek glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life;" and, in the close of God's book, it is proclaimed, as a truth of greatest moment, and special point of God's will, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life." It is plainly industry, which climbeth the holy mount; it is industry, which taketh " the kingdom of heaven by force;" it is industry, which "so runneth as to obtain" the prize, which so fighteth as "to receive the crown," which so 'watcheth" as to secure our

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everlasting interest to us.

Thus do the choicest good things, of which we are capable, spring from industry, or depend upon it; and no considerable good can be attained without it: thus all the gifts of God are by it conveyed to us, or are rendered in effect beneficial to us; for the gifts of nature are but capacities, which it improveth; the gifts of fortune or providence are

but instruments, which it employeth to our use; the gifts of grace are the supports and succours of it; and the very gift of glory is its fruit and

recompense.

There are farther several other material considerations and weighty motives to the practice of this duty, which meditation hath suggested to me; but these, in regard to your patience, must suffice at present; the other (together with an application proper to our condition and calling) being reserved to another occasion.

II.

OF INDUSTRY IN GENERAL.

ECCLES. ix. 10.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.

INDUSTRY, which the divine Preacher in this text recommendeth to us, is a virtue of a very diffusive nature and influence; stretching itself through all our affairs, and twisting itself with every concern we have; so that no business can be well managed, no design accomplished, no good obtained without it: it therefore behoveth us to conceive a high opinion of it, and to inure our souls to the practice of it, upon all occasions: in furtherance of which purposes I formerly,