Is not this," saith he, "worse than ten thousand chains, to hang in suspense, and be continually gaping, looking on those who are present ?" Indeed the strictest imprisonment is far more tolerable, than being under restraint by a lazy humour from profitable employment: this enchaineth a man hand and foot, with more than iron fetters: this is beyond any imprisonment; it is the very entombment of a man, quite in effect sequestering him from the world, or debarring him from any valuable concerns therein. And if liberty be " a power of doing what one liketh best:" then is he who by his sloth is disabled from doing any thing wherein he can find any reasonable satisfaction, the veriest slave that can be; from which slavery industry freeing us, and disposing us to perform cheerfully whatever is convenient, thereby doeth us a great pleasure. Farther,

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6. Let us consider, that industry doth afford a lasting comfort, deposited in the

memory and conscience of him that practiseth it. It will ever, upon his reviewing the passages of his life, be sweet to him to behold in them testimonies and monuments of his diligence; it will please him to consider, that he hath lived to purpose, having done somewhat considerable; that he hath made an advantageous use of his time; that he hath well husbanded the talents committed to him; that he hath accomplished (in some measure) the intents of God's bounty, and made some return for his excellent gifts. What comfort, indeed, can any man have, yea how sore remorse must he feel in reflecting upon a life spent in unfruitful and unprofitable idleness! How can he otherwise than bewail his folly and baseness in having lived (or rather having only been) in vain; as the shadow and appearance of a man; in having lavished 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 munificent goodness of his Maker, of his Preserver, his benign Lord and Master, his gracious Saviour and Redeemer? How, without confusion, can he in his mind revolve, that he hath nowise benefited the world, and profited his neighbour, or obliged his friends, or rendered to his country (to the society or community of which he is a member) amends for all the safety and quiet, the support, the convenience, and the pleasure he hath enjoyed under its protection, and in its bosom? that he hath not borne a competent share in the common burthens, or paid a due contribution of his care and labour to the public welfare? How can such a man look inward upon himself with a favourable eye, or pardon himself for so loathsome defaults?

7. Let us consider, that industry doth argue a generous and ingenuous complexion of soul.

It implieth a mind not content with mean and vulgar things, (such as nature dealeth to all, or fortune scattereth 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 obstacles.

It signifieth in a man a heart, not enduring to owe the sustenance 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 considerable service and beneficence to the public.

A noble heart will disdain to subsist 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 shark to prey on the lesser fry; but will one way or other earn his subsistence : for he that doth not earn, can hardly

own his bread, as St. Paul implieth, when he saith, "Them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread."

Of this generous ingenuity we have a notable instance in that great Apostle himself; which he doth often represent as a pattern to us, professing much complacence therein. He with all right and reason might have challenged a comfortable subsistence from his disciples, in recompense for the incomparable benefits he did confer on them, and of the excessive pains he did endure for their good: this he knew well; but yet did rather choose to support himself by his own labour, than anywise to seem burthensome or troublesome to them: "These hands," said he, "have ministered to my necessities, and to them that are with me. I have shewed you all things, that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of our Lord