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follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"

How busy (O shame, O misery! how fiercely busy) are some in accomplishing designs of malice and revenge! How intent are some to overreach, to circumvent, to supplant their neighbour! How sore pains will some take to seduce, corrupt, or debauch others! How active will some be in sowing strifes, in raising factions, in fomenting disorders in the world! How many industrious slaves hath the Devil, who will spare no pains about any kind of work which he putteth them to! How many like those of whom the wise man saith, "Their feet run to evil," and are "swift in running to mischief: they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall!"

Now with all these labourers we may well expostulate in the words of the Prophet; "Wherefore do ye spend money

for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not?"

Such labours are unworthy of men, much less do they beseem Christians.

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

Much more doth it misbecome us as Christians (that is, persons devoted to so high a calling, who have so worthy employments assigned to us, so glorious hopes, so rich encouragements proposed to us for our work) to spend our thoughts and endeavours on things impertinent to our great design, or mainly thwarting it.

The proper matter and object of our industry (those false ones being excluded) is true business; 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 some good purpose; so 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 advised, "Whatever thy hand 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; comprising 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 most pro

perly his business, or the business allotted to him.

Now this business, our calling, is double; our general calling, which is common to us all as Christians, and our particular calling, which peculiarly belongeth to us, as placed in a certain station, either in the church or state. In both which vocations that we are much obliged and concerned to be industrious, shall be now my business to declare.

I. As to our general calling, (that sublime, that heavenly, that holy vocation,) in which, by divine grace, according to the evangelical dispensation, we are engaged, that necessarily requireth and most highly deserveth from us a great measure of industry; the nature and design of it requireth, the fruit and result of it deserveth our utmost diligence; all sloth is inconsistent with discharging the duties, with enjoying the hopes, with obtaining the benefits thereof. For,

It is a state of continual work, and is expressed in terms importing abundant, incessant, intense care and pain; for to be indeed Christians, "We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling;" we must " by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality." We must "walk worthy of the Lord, to all well pleasing, being fruitful in every good work." We must We must be rich in good works," and "filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God." "We are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

We have a soul to save, and "are appointed to make an acquist of salvation."

We have a mind to improve with virtue and wisdom, qualifying us for entrance into heaven, for enjoyment of God's favour, for conversation with angels.

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