the fin, or elfe that the cheat it imposes upon the world is a very clever, a very dexterous one. But I have faid enough; and where the former confiderations fail, these will hardly fuceed: therefore I will now pafs on from arguments to advice, which was the next thing propofed to be done.

And here my advice must have regard to two different forts of perfons. 1. To fuch as are born to plentiful or competent fortunes, 2. To fuch as are to raise their own, or to provide for the fupport and maintenance of themfelves and their families, by their labour or induftry in fome calling or profeffion. To the former the best directi ons I can give, are thefe:

1. He that is mafter of his time, ought to devote the more to religion: To whom God hath given much, of him much will be required: Nor has fuch an, one any excufe left, either for omiffion, or a hafty and curfory preformance of duty, but one, one that will encrease his guilt, i. e. laziness, pleafure, or fome fin or other. Such an one therefore ought to be conftant and diligent in frequenting the publick affemblies of the church; his attendance upon prayers, facraments, fermons, must be fuch as becomes a man, who, as it has pleafed God, feems born not to provide for life, but only to live, only to improve and enjoy life, and carry on the noble defigns of it; and as

becomes

becomes a man whofe good or ill example is of fuch vaft importance to the fervice or differvice of religion. Nor muft fuch an one's attendance on the publick excuse him from the religious offices of the closet, or his family; he ought to abound in each: he may be more frequent in meditation and prayer, in reading and inftruction, and perform each with more juftnefs and folemnity than others can.

2. Perfons of fortune ought to be careful in the choice of intimates and friends. Converfation is not always a lofs, but sometimes a gain of time: we often need to have our forgetfulness relieved, our drow finefs awakened by the difcourfes and reflections of our friends. If difcourfe were generally feafoned with grace, conversation would be the greatest bleffing; if with fense and reafon, innocence and prudence, it would be the moft agreeable entertainment of human life. But how mischievous is the acquaintance which infects us with vanity and lightness of fpirit, which fhews us nothing but a gaudy outfide and a frothy foul! whofe example binds men in civility to be foolish, and makes confidence, and vice, and mis-fpence of time, a fashion.

3. It were to be wished, that perfons of the best rank, were ever bred up to fomething; to fomething that might improve, to fomething that might amuse and inno

cently

cently engage theit minds; to fomething that might employ life, without incumbring it. And yet, alas! what need I wish this? How many excellent qualities are neceffary to render a gentleman worthy of the station where God has placed him? Let him purfue thefe. How many are the virtues, how many the duties to which a Chriftian is obliged? Let him attend thefe. There is a great deal requifite to make a good master, a good husband, a good father, a good fon, a good neighbour, a good parishioner, an excellent fubject, and an excellent friend; and yet there are many other relations befides thefe. In a word, there is no man, who, when he shall appear before God, will not be found to have omitted many duties; and to have performed many other with lefs care and diligence than he ought; and furely fuch an one cannot justly complain for want of business. I doubt rather on the contrary, that whoever takes a juft and full view of things, will have reafon to complain, that life is fhort, and our work great; that let us ufe all the diligence we can, and be as frugal of our time as we will, we arrive much fooner at a maturity of years, than of knowledge and virtue.

4. The diverfions of perfons of this quality ought to be well regulated; fuch as become the character of a gentleman, and the dignity of a Chriftian; that is, they

mult

must be neither mean nor vicious.

But I

have treated this and the foregoing heads more copioufly in human life; to which I refer my reader.

As to fuch, in the next place, who are engaged in a profeffion, I have particularly confidered their ftate in feveral places, and find little to add here, but only to mind them, that they may be guilty of idlenefs too; that their idlenefs is the more criminal, the less temptation they have to it. They may neglect the duties of their calling, I mean their fecular calling; and if they be unfaithful and negligent in their temporal concern, it is not to be expected that they fhould be more folicitous and industrious about their spiritual one. They may again fuffer the cares of this life to thrust out thofe of another; and then they are truly idle and flothful fervants to God, how induftrious and faithful foever they are to the world: for life is but wafted and mif-fpent, if it makes not provifion for eternity; and it matters little whether it be wasted in pleafure or in drudgery.

CHAP.

Of Unfruitfulness, as it confifts in Lukewarmness or formality. The caufes from which Lukewarmness proceeds. The folly, guilt, and danger of a Laodicean ftate.

I

N the former chapter I confidered that part of Unfruitfulness which confists in the omiffion of duty: I am now to confider another part of it, which confifts in too perfunctory a performance of it. Befides those who are truly unprofitable, because they flight or neglect the duties of religion; there is another fort of men, who at the laft day will fall under the fame character and condemnation; not because they perform no duties, but because their performance of them is depreciated by Coldness and formality: men, who make a fair appearance of religion, and yet have no inward fpiritual life: men, who do generally obferve the external duties of religion, but with fo little guft, with fuch indifference and Lukewarmness, that they are neither acceptable to God, nor useful to themselves. This state of deadness may be confidered either more generally, as it runs through the whole course of our lives and actions; or more particularly, in this or that inftance of religion.

1. When