of his new doctrine, but they acted a very laud able part, for they fell to fearching the fcriptures daily, to fee whether Paul preached according to fcripture accounts; and the holy Ghoft ftiles. them perfons of a noble spirit for fo doing. Go thou and do likewife; and ever remember, add thinking, and praying, to hearing, and reading. I know fuch a courfe of life is reckoned mopish and melancholy; and therefore wonder not, though you were deemed mad: for notwithstanding fuch variety of fashions have appeared, I never heard that praying was fashionable amongst the gay part of the world to this very day. But be ye affured, you will never profper in the ways of God without diligence herein. St. Paul was fo fenfible of this, that he preffes it on the Hebrews in the most moving terms. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence to the full affurance of hope unto the end. That ye benot flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises, Heb. vi. II, 12. How closely does Peter in his excellent epiftles, intreat the christians to be diligent to make their calling and election fure.

2d, Another thing which is a good work, and ever praife-worthy is, diligence in business. When a wicked, fpiteful world has nothing elfe to charge the godly with, they cry out against them, as Pharaoh did against Ifrael, Ye are idle, ye are idle! How odious when the charge is juft! An idle profeffor is a very scandal to christianity. How abominable, when you can't be employed, though you want work, and your families want bread, becaufe 'tis well known

you

you will not labour in a conscientious manner. Hear the apostle, Rom. xii. 11. Not flothful in bufinefs, fervent in fpirit, ferving the LORD. When perfons are not diligent in doing what they ought to do; they are frequently doing fomething worfe than nothing. The apoftle juftly obferves, those who were overcome with a lazy, trifling difpofition, would be very troublesome in a neighbourhood, Wandering about from boufe to houfe, tattlers alfo, and bufy-bodies, fpeaking thofe things which they ought not, 1 Tim. v. 13. He therefore iffues out his apoftolic command, If any would not work, neither fhould be eat, 11 Thef. iii, 10. Shew to the world, that your religion has no tendency to destroy your ready mind to labour-let none bring more honour to their profeffion, by being diligent in bufinefs than you; and by fo doing, you will find your account both for the life that now is, and also, in some respects, for that which is to come.

I fhall now leave the poor labourer, and come to you who have fomething to give. And now, I make no doubt but I fhall preach to your hearts. Minifters may preach long enough about CHRIST and falvation by him, before a man that loves his money will much regard what they say he can gaze about him, or meditate about his land, or cattle; or fall asleep, or any way to kill the tedious hour; but if we begin to fpeak upon charity, this will strike upon his auditory nerves, and he starts up alarmed: indeed he may well, for if you take away what is to him a God, what has he left? The high road F

to

to the heart of a miser is by the way of his purfe! But to come to the point,

Another good work is to be liberal to the poor and needy. It is the LORD's pleasure, that the poor fhall never ceafe out of the land; and therefore he hath taken care to affign their pittance wherever they are, and 'tis robbery to with-hold it ! You had better have the peftilence in your blood, than the portion of the poor in your coffers. The order of providence is wonderful! For, a great part of the LORD's children are very poor, as to their wordly circumstances; these have an opportunity of glorifying God, by patiently enduring hardships: others of them have more than enough, and these have an opportunity of bringing honour to the God of their fubftance, by giving proof of their love, fympathy, and liberality. Will you let the poor have all the honour? Will you look on, whilft they glorify God in their fufferings, and still deny them that relief which God calls you to administer? Some are ready to excufe themselves, by faying, "I "don't injure the poor, I wish them well, and pray for them." Ah firs! if good wishes, and good prayers, would but clothe naked backs, and feed hungry bellies; then perhaps the poor might live well: when a person can do no more than pray for the diftreffed, then his prayer of good-will is accepted of God, II Cor. viii. 12. But when the perfon hath it in his power to relieve, and does it not, then his prayer is provoking in the fight of the LORD, I John ii. 17. Read ver. 14. of this chap. And let ours alfo learn to maintain good works for neceffary uses. It

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is no small difficulty to determine how much a man ought to give: I have not met with any who have undertaken to fettle the doubtful point, nor do I think that God has done it in all his word; but I would juft remind you of what we read, I Cor. xvi. 2. There the generoushearted apostle orders, that every one fhould give according as God had profpered him. With all certainty we may gather from this paffage, that when providence smiles upon a perfon's undertakings, he ought to imitate the great God, who giveth liberally to all men, and fhews that his tender mercies are over all his works Does the husbandman expect to reap? Would you not think him extravagant, nay, ridiculous in his expectations, if neither he, nor any other had fown his feed? Giving to the to the poor is compared to fowing feed, Gal. vi. 6. and St. Paul confidently affures us, that the harveft fhall abundantly compenfate those who fow to the fpirit. Think not of reaping before you fow. He that bath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given he will pay him again, Prov. xix. 17.

4th, Another good work, yea eminently fo, is to fhew kindness to the wicked, ungodly part of the world. Hear our LORD's most excellent direction, 'tis worthy the author, and worthy to be obferved by all the followers of the holy Lamb of God. But I fay unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you, Matt. v. 44. and in the following verfes, he proposes the most F 2 noble

noble pattern, even God in his bountiful deal. ings with the unholy and unthankful.

This generous behaviour was cultivated by the wifest of Ifrael's kings, as you fee, Prov. XXV. 21, 22. and it ftands confirmed by apoftolic authority in Rom. xii. 20. Therefore if thing enemy hunger, feed him; and if he thirst, give him drink: for in fo doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. The fpirit and language of the world are just the reverfe, "Relieve him!" fay they, "He has done me all manner of ill! He "has spoken all manner of evil against me-he "has endeavoured to ftab my reputation where"ver he came, I never can think of fhewing "him favour whilst I have a day to live." Hold my friend, ftop a little, and read Prov. xxiv, 29. Say not, I will do fo to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. If God had dealt with thee according to the law of retaliation, where, or what hadft thou been? As it is the glory of the discreet to pass over a tranfgreffion; fo it is the honour of the chriftian, to be glad of an opportunity to fhew kindness to the ungodly. But I haften,

5th, It is becoming the believer, and truly a good work, to ftand to the truth, and faithfully reprove the finner, tho' danger be in the way. As it was in the days of Abel, Zacharias and Paul; fo it is now and ever fhall be, 'till better times come. We have proof enough in our day, that they that are after the flesh, will perfecute those that are after the fpirit, Gal. iv, 29. What reafon have we to be thankful, that God hath bridled the wicked by national laws,

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