1. That diligence is the means, and God's blessing is the prime cause, of all increase ; and therefore both must be regarded, or else we profit nothing. We cannot expect God's blessing while we sit idle ; and it is a wrong to grace to trust merely to our endeavours without looking up to God. It is said, Prov. x. 4, ' He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the diligent hand maketh rich ; ' that is, the means to become rich ; for it is said again, ver. 22, ' The blessing of the Lord maketh rich.' God hath ordered it so, in the course of his providence, that diligence shall be always fruitful and profitable, both in a way of nature and grace; that the joy of the harvest should recompense the pains and the patience of the diligent husbandman, and that the field of the sluggard should be overgrown with thorns. Iron by handling and wearing waxeth brighter, but by being let alone contracteth rust, by which it is eaten out. Take away use and exercise, and wisdom turneth into folly, and learning into ignorance, health into sickness, riches into poverty. Strength of body and mind are both gotten by use. He that useth his talent with fidelity and sedulity, shall increase it, but such as are idle and negligent still grow worse and worse. So God doth plentifully recompense the diligence and faithful- ness of his servants. He that maketh use of any degree of grace or knowledge shall have more given him. By exercising Avhat he hath he still increaseth his stock ; whereas, on the contrary, remiss acts weaken habits, as well as contrary acts. This is a common truth, evident by daily experience. But then God's blessing must not be excluded. He would have us labour rather to keep us doing, than that he needeth our help. He that made the world with- out us can preserve it without us ; as he that planted the garden of Eden could have preserved it without man's dressing ; yet we read, when he had furnished the garden of Eden with all manner of delights, ' God took the man, and put him to dress it ; ' Gen, ii. 15 ; that is, to use husbandry about it, that by sowing, setting, pruning, and watering, he might preserve those plants wherewith God had furnished that pleasant gaiden, and so bestow his pains upon that whereof he was to receive the benefit, and that by busying himself about the creatures he might the better observe God's various worlds in and by them. And indeed nothing was such a means to convince him of his dependence upon God as this labour of dressing and keeping the garden to which God appointed him ; for he could ])roduce no new plant, but only dress and cherish those which God had planted there already; yea, all his keeping and planting was nothing without dews, and showers, and sunshine from heaven, and the continual interposing of God's providence. And still in every calling, he that is sedulous in it seeth
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a need of God's concurrence more than those that are idle ; for they that have done their utmost, by experience find that the success of their endeavours dependeth on his power and goodness, or the effect suc- ceedeth not. I am sure it holdeth good in the work of grace, where man hath much to do about his own heart ; and none are so practically convinced of this necessity of divine assistance as they that do their utmost ; for they see plainly that all will not do if God withhold his Messing ; and their often disappointments, when they lean upon their own strength, teacheth them this lesson, that all is of God.
2. If this increase be understood of the same talent, and not of another kind, all is easy. I confess it always holdeth not that he that useth his talent in one kind shall thrive in another ; for what a man soweth, that shall he reap ; therefore the principal meaning is, that what he soweth is still increased. It is not intended that by employing his talent in riches he should increase in learning ; that by improving his learning he shall grow in strength and beauty of body. No ; it holdeth good eodem genere, in the same kind. Use common helps well, and you shall increase as far as common helps will carry you. The exercise of moral virtue will make you increase in moral virtue. Use that measure of saving grace which you have well, and you shall have a greater measure given you by God.
Set a-work thy knowledge, faith, zeal, and love, and all these graces shall be increased in thee ; as wells are the sweeter for draining : ' Wait on the Lord, and strengthen thy heart, and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart,' Ps. xxvii. 14; Isa. Iviii. 13, 14, * If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ; I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' God, that punisheth sin with sin, doth reward grace with grace. They that abuse the light of nature are given up to a reprobate sense, but they that improve the grace received, they are more strong. The habit is increased by acts, and they that are more in faith and love are more rich in knowledge.