174 NOW OR NEVER, ·way." The negligent and the vicious, the waster and the slothful, differ but as one _brother from another. As the self-murder of the wilful ungodly, so also the desire of the slothful killeth him,.because his hands refuse to labour. " The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." "Be not slothful in business, but be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 6. Do it with constancy, and not with destructive pauses and intermissions, or with weariness and turning back. "The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that is of clean hands shall he stronger and stronger." "Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." "Be not weary in well-doing: for in clue season we shall reap if we faint not." But, that misunderstanding hinder not the performance, I shall acquaint you further with the sense, by these fe\v explicatOJ~Y eautions. 1. The might and diligence here required, exclude not the necessity of deliberation and prudent conduct. Otherwise, the faster you go, the further you may go out of the way; and misguided zeal may spoil all the work, and make it hut an injury to others or yourselves. A little imprudence in the season, and order, and manner of a duty, sometimes may spoil it, and hinder the suecess, and make it do more hurt than good. How many a sermon, or prayer, or reproof, is made the matter of derision and contempt, for some imprudent passages or deportment! God sendeth not his servants to be jesters of the world, or to play the madman as Davicl in his fears; we must be wise and innocent, as well as resolute and valiant: though fleshly and worldly wisdom he not desirable, as being but foolishness with God; yet the wisdom which is fi·om above, and is first pure and then peaceable, and is acquainted with the high and hidden mysteries, and is justified of her chi~dren, must be the guide of all
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