CCXE

who make it their business to do good, and to excel SERM. in those virtues which are apt to win and oblige mankind, may in ordinary cafes and times expect great fafety and protection against the injuries of the world, from an exemplary piety, and innocency, and goodness; for these sayings in the new teftament, that through many tribulations we must enter into the " kingdom of GOD;" and " that whoever will live

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godly in CHRIST JESUS, must fuffer persecution," are not equally to be extended to all places and times; but more peculiarly to be understood of the first times of chriftianity, when the providence of GOD thought fit to establish the christian religion, upon the innocent lives and patient fufferings of the first profeffors of it.

The result from all this discourse is, that we should not be weary of well-doing, but mind and follow the things which are substantially and unquestionably good; not doubting, but besides the infinite reward of it in the other world, it will ordinarily turn to our great security and advantage in this life, and save us harmless from a great many mischiefs and inconveniencies which others are exposed to. If we endea your to excel in those christian virtues which the apoftle mentions before the text, and which he means by our being " followers of that which, is good," we shall undoubtedly find the comfort of it, in those tem poral benefits that will redound to us: for the scripture hath not said in vain, "trust in the LORD and " do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and

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verily thou shalt be fed: blessed are the meek, for

they shall inherit the earth: glory, and honour, " and peace, to every man that worketh good :" that "the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of "them that work peace:" that " by well-doing we shall put to filence the ignorance of foolish men :"

SERM." men:" that " the kingdom of God is not meat CCXI. " and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy

" in the Holy Ghost; and that he that in these things "serveth CHRIST, is accepted of God, and approv"ed of men."

But if we mistake religion, and place it in those things wherein it doth not really confift, in airy notions, and doubtful opinions, in superftitious conceits and practices, and in a fiery and furious zeal for things of no weight and substance, of no real virtue and goodness; if we be defective in the great virtues of meekness and humility, of peaceableness and charity, of kindness and courtesy, of forbearance and forgiveness, of " rendering good for evil," and "over" coming evil with good," qualities which will universally endear us and recommend us to the favour and protection of God, and to the esteem and good will of men; and if instead of these we abound in malice and envy, be proud and conceited, cenforious and uncharitable, contentious and unpeaceable, rude and uncivil, impatient and implacable; we must not think it strange, if we be ill treated in this world, not for our goodness, but for our want of it; and we have no reason to wonder, if at every turn we meet with the inconveniencies of our own heat and indifcretion, of our peevish and morose temper, of our factious and turbulent disposition. For this is an eternal rule of truth, " as we fow, so shall we reap;" every man shall be " filled with his own ways, and " eat the fruit of his own doings."

SER

SERMON CCXII.

Of diligence in our general and particular calling.

ECCL. ix. 10.

Whatsoever thy band findeth to do, do it with all thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goeft.

HESE words

TH

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of the royal preacher, are a ge-SERM.

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neral exhortation to diligence and industry, in CCXII. that work which is most proper for us to do in this Preached world. And I shall confider in them these two things. at Whitehall, 1685. First, The matter of this advice and exhortation, and that is, that we would use great diligence about those things which are the proper work and employment of this life. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to " do, do it with all thy might. Whatsoever thy hand " findeth to do;" that is, the work which is before thee, which is most proper for thee to propose to thy felf, as the great end and design of thy life, the province and charge which is appointed thee. So that these words, in the full compass and extent of them, may very well comprehend every reasonable purpose and undertaking, whatever is incumbent upon us as a duty, and is matter of reasonable choice. " Do it " with all thy might;" that is, set about it with great care, use all possible diligence and industry for the effecting and accomplishing of it.

Secondly, here is the argument whereby the wife preacher doth enforce this counsel and exhortation; because this life is the proper season of activity and industry,

SERM. dustry, of designing and doing those things which are CCXII. in order to a future happiness; and when this life is

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at an end, there will be no farther opportunity of working, there will nothing then remain, but to reap the fruit, and to receive the just recompence of what we have done in this life; "for there is no work, "nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the

grave, whither thou goest." In the grave, this the LXX render by the word ades, by which the Greeks used to express the state of the dead, the condition of separate fouls of good or bad men after they are departed this life, and entered into another world. In which state, Solomon does not mean that departed fouls have no knowledge and sense of any thing, but that then there will be no place for any counsel and design, for any activity and industry in order to our happiness: what we do to this purpose, we must do whilst we are in this world, it will be too late afterwards to think of altering or bettering our condition.

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These are the two parts of the text, and they shall be the two heads of my following difcourse; and God grant that what shall be faid upon them, may be effectual to perfuade every one of us ferioufly to mind our great intereft and concernment, and to apply ourselves with all our might to that which is our proper work and business in this world.

First, We will confider the matter of this counsel and exhortation, and that is, that we would use great diligence and industry about that which is our proper work and business in this life; and this may very probably comprehend in it these two things.

I. Diligence in our great work and business, that which equally concerns every man, I mean the bufiness of religion, in order to the eternal happiness and falvation of our fouls.

II. Dili

II. Diligence in our particular calling and charge, SERM. whatever it be..

I. Diligence in our great and general work, that which equally concerns every man, the business of religion, in order to the eternal happiness and falvation of our fouls; and this consists in these two things.

1. In a fincere care and endeavour of universal obedience to GOD, by the conformity of our lives and actions to his laws.

2. In case of fin and miscarriage, in a fincere repentance for our fins, and a timely care to be reconciled to GOD...

1. In a fincere care and endeavour of universal obedience to God, by the conformity of our lives and actions to his will and law. And this is a great work, and requires our greatest care and diligence, to rectify our minds, to restrain our evil inclinations, to fubdue and mortify our lufts, to correct the irregularity of our passions, to moderate and govern our appetites and affections, and to keep them within due and reafonable bounds; " to take heed to our ways, that

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we offend not with our tongue,” nor tranfgrefs our duty by word or deed; to serve God with true devotion of mind, both in public and private; to attend upon the duties of his worship, and to perform all acts of piety and religion, with care and conftancy, in the fincerity and uprightness of our hearts; to be meek and humble, peaceable and patient, chearful and contented with our condition; to be ready not only to forgive injuries, but to requite them with kindness and good turns, to do all offices of humanity and charity to all men, according to our ability and opportunity; to instruct the ignorant, and to reduce those that are in error to the knowledge of the truth, by wife counsel and good example; to endeavour " to

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