be any such here, Avho liave misspent their golden hours, they have not only been sloth- ful, but wasteful servants; how had you need now to redeem the time, and press forward with might and main to the heavenly king- dom ? 1 Pet. iv. 3., " The time past of our life may suflice us to havewrouirht the will of the Gentiles." It may suffice us that we have lost so much time already, let us now work the harder ; such as have crept as snails, had need now fly as eagles to the paradise of God ; if, in the former part of your life, you have been as willows, barren in goodness, in the latter part be as " an orcliard of pomegranates, with jileasant fruits," Cant. iv. 13. Recompense former remissness with future diliffence. ' 15. How uncomely and sordid a slothful temper of soul is, Zeph. i. 12., " I will pu- nish the men that are settled on their lees :" (Heb.) « Crudled on their lees." Settling on the lees, is an emblem of a dull inactive soul. The snail, by reason of its slow mo- tion, was reckoned among the unclean. Lev. xi. 30., " A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom," Prov. xix. 24., he is loath to pull it out, though it be to lay hold on a crown, No?i cap it porta ilia calestis tor- pore langiddos, Brugens. The devil him- self cannot be charged with idleness, 1 Pet. V. 8., He " walketh about." An idle soul stands in the world for a cypher, and God writes down no cyphers in the book of life ; heaven is no hive for drones ; an idle person is fit for a temptation. When the bird sits still upon the bough, then it is in danger of the gun ; when one sits still in sloth, then the devil shoots him with a temptation ; standing water putrifies. Heathens Avill rise up in judgment against supine Chris- tians ; what ])ains did they take in the O- lympic games? they ran but for a garland of flowers, or olive ; and do we sit still who run for a kingdom ? How can he expect a reward that never works, or a crown that never fights? hiertia aniw(£ soir.nus. Sloth is the soul's sleep. Adam wlien he was asleep lost his rib ; and when a person is ia the deep sleep of sloth, he loseth salvation. 16. Holy activity and industry doth en- noble a Christian. Labor splendore decoratiiry Cicero. The more excellent any thing is, the more active. The sun is a glorious
OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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creature, it is ever in motion, going its cir- cuit; fire is the purest element, and the most active, it is ever sparkling and flam- ing ; the angels are the most noble crea- tures, they are represented by the cheru- bims, with wings displayed ; the more active for heaven, the more illustrious, and the more do we resemble the angels. Tlie phoenix flies with a coronet on its head ; the industrious soul hath his coronet, his labour is his ensign of honour.
17. It is a mercy that there is a possibi- lity of happiness, and that upon our pains taking we may have a kingdom ; by our fall in Adam we forfeited heaven : why might not God have dealt with us as with the lapsed angels ? They had no sooner sinned, but they were expelled heaven, never to come thither more ; we may say, as the a- postle, Rom. xi. 22., " Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God." To the a- postate angels, behold the severity of God, that he should throw them down to hell for ever; to us, behold the goodness of Gocl, that he hath put us into a possibility of mer- cy; and, if we do but take pains, there is a kingdom stands ready for us ; how may this whet and sharpen our industry, that we are in a capacity of salvation ? and, if we do but what we are able, we shall receive an eter- nal weight of glory.
18. Our labour for the kingdom of hea- ven is minute and transient, it is not to en- dure long, our labour expires with our life ; 'tis but a while and we shall leave off work- ing ; for a little labour an eternal rest. Who would think much to wade through a little water, that were sure to be crowned as soon as he came on shore ? Christians, let this encourage you, you have but a little more pains to take, a ftiw tears more to shed, a few more sabbaths to keep, and, behold, an eternal recompense of reward ; what are a few tears to a crown ? a few minutes of time to an eternity of glory ?
19. Wiiat striving is there for earthly kingdoms, which are corruptible, and sub- ject to change ? AVith what vigour and ala- crity did Hannibal's soldiers continue their march over the Alj)s, and craggy rocks, and Ca?sar's soldiers fight with hunger and cold? Men will break throutih laws and oaths, they will swim to the crown in blood ;