now in hell, perished for want of serious diligence in religion, Luke xiii. 34. nor doth my diligence for God, answer to that which Christ hath done and suffered, to purchase my happiness : or to the pre- parations he hath made in heaven for me ? Or dost thou forget that thy Master's eye is always upon thee, whilst thou art lazying and loitering ? Or would the damned live at this rate as I do, if their day of grace might be recalled ? For shame, my soul, for shame ! rouse up thyself, and fall to thy work, with a diligence answerable to the weight thereof; for it is no vain work concerning thee, it is thv life. ^
Religion Will make you 'Twill make And therein If there were Christ gives Should we not For there's Shall others Their strength Whilst we O that
Why are our When we How can we And yet the If this, then Them both ; Some if 'Twould But if they As good Rouse up Thee to thy O strive. The pain they But yet Their rest, and
When advanced in powV,
Men strive with all their might.
Find a sweet delight.
Nought besides that pay
To cheer us in our way ;
No such reward from man.
To get a small reward ?
Turn slugs, and loiter thus ?
Their zeal might quicken us !
Hands, and feet so slow,
Unto our business go ?
Then Christ's pay expect,
Christianas work reject.
If not, we both disgrace.
They could these t;wo divide,
Please them well, with Christ to side !
May not, then it were
Cease pleading, they'll not hear :
From sloth, my soul betake
Work, no cavils make.
And try ! Saints say that even,
Take, hath much of heaven.
Their best wine's kept till last,
Ease comes all so fast.
32 HCSBA^^DUY SPIRITUALIZED * OK*
Upon tlie Thriftiness of the Husbandman*
The hardest lab'' vers are the tli7'iving men, IfyoiCll have thriving souls, he active then.
xNDtJSTRY and diligence is the way to thrive and grow rich in the world. The earth must be manured, or its increase is in vain expected; Qui Jiigit molam, fugitj'arinam ; He that refuses the mill, refuses the meal, (saith the proverb). " The diligent sortl " shall be made fat."" Solomon hath two proverbs concerning thrif- tiness and increase in the world. In Prov. x. 4. he saith, *' The '' hand of the diligent maketli rich."" And in ver. 22. he saith, " The blessinof of the Lord maketh rich.'"' These are not contradict toi'ij, but confirmatory each of other ; one speaks of the prijicipal, the other of the instrumental cause. Diligence without God's blessing will not do it ; and that blessing cannot be expected witliout dili- gence ; therefore husbandmen ply their business with unwearied pains, they do even lodge in the midst of their labours as that good husband Boaz did, Ruth ii. 3. They ixve iiarsinionious of their time, hut prodigal of their sweet and strength, because they find this to be the thriving way. ,
As nature opens her treasures to none but the diligent, so neither doth grace. He that will be a rich, must be a painful Christian ; and whosoever Avill closely ply the trade of godliness, shall comfortably and quickly find, " That in keeping God's commands there is great " reward,"" Psal. xix. 11. God is a " bountiful rewarder of such as " diligently seek him,"" Heb. xi. 6. They must not indeed work for wages, * nor yet will God suffer their work to go unrewarded ; yea, it sufficiently rewards itself, 1 Tim. vi. 6. And its reward is twofold ; (1.) Present and in part ; (2.) Future, and in full. Mark X. 29, 30. Now in this time an hundred-fold, even from suffering, which seems the most unprofitable part of the work, and in the world to come life everlasting. If you ask what present advantage Christi- ans have by their diligence ? I answer, as much and more than the husbandman hath from all his toils and labours. Let us compare the particulars, and see what the husbandman gets that the Christian gets not also. Compare your gains, and you will quickly see the odds*
1. You get credit and reputation ])y 3'our diligence ; it is a com- mendation and honour to you to be active and stirring men : But how much more honour doth God put upon his laborious servants?
* iVo« merccTiarii sed operarii.
THE HEAVEKLY USE OF EAllTHLY TItlNGS. 8l3
1 1 is the highest honour of a creature to be active and useful for its God. Saints ai-e called vessels of honour^ as they are fitted for the master's use, 2 Tim. ii. 9A. Wherein consists thehonour of angels but in this, that they are ministering spirits, serviceable creatures ? And all the apostles glorified in the title of servants. The lowest office in wliich a man can serve God, even that of Nethinim, or door- keepers, which was the lowest order or rank of officers in the house of GyjcI, Ezek. xliv. 10, 11. is yet preferred by David before the ser- vice of the greatest prince on earth. Psalm Ixxxiv. 10. It is no small honour to be active for (tocI.
% You have this benefit by your labour, that thereby you avoid loose and evil company, which would draw you into mischief By diligence for God, the Christian also is secured from temptation ; " God is -vvath them while they are with him,"" 2 Chron. xv. 9. Communion with God in the way of duty is a gi-eat preservative against temptations. The schoolmen put the question, hovf\\\Ga7igels and glorified saints become impeccant .^ And resolve it thus : That they are secured fix)m sin by the beatifical vision ; and sure I am that the visions of God, not only in glory, but now also in duty, are mar- vellous defences against sin ; and they who are most active for God, have the fullest and clearest visions of God, John xiv. 21.
3. You have this benefit by your labour, that it tends much to the health of our bodies. The Christian hath this benefit by his la- bour, that it tends to a healthful state of soul ; " The way of the " Lord is strength to the upright," Prov. x. 29. As those that follow their daily labours in the field, have much more health than citizen* that live idlv, or scholars that live a sedentary life : So the active Christian enjoys more spiritual health, and is troubled with fewer complaints than others.
4. By diligence in your civil employments, you preserve vour es- tates, and are kept from running behind-hand in the world. Bai- liffs trouble not sucli men''s doors ; they usally have the forefoot of their neighbours. And by activity and diligence foi* God, souls are kept from backsliding, and runningback in their graces and comforts. Remissness and intermission in our duties are the first steps and de- grees by which a soul declines and wastes as to his spiritual estate.