176 NOW OR NEVER. get over those difficulties that clog and stop a slothfir! soul. , And now will you lend me the assistance of your consciences, for the transcribing ofthis command of · God upon your hearts, and taking out a copy of this order, for the regulating of your lives? Whatso·ever is not a work so comprehensive as to include any vanity or sin; but so comprehensive as to include all our duty. 1. To begin with the lowest: the very works of your bodily callings must have diligence. " In the sweat ofyour brows you must eat your hread." "Si.x days shalt thou labour, and do all that tlwu hast to do." "He that will not work, let him not eat." Disorderly walkers, busybodies, that will not work with quietness, and eat .their own bread, are to be avoided and shamed by the chmch. "For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." Lazy servants are unfaithful to men and disobedient to God, who commandeth them to" obey their masters according to the flesh, (unbelieving, ungodly masters) in all things, (that concern their service) and that not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, ·and in the 'tear of God, do whatsoever they do as to tbe Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord (even for this) they shall receive the reward of the inheritance." "But he that doth wrong (by slothfulness, or unfait!;fulness) shall receive for the wrong which he bath clone." Success is God's ordinary temporal reward of diligence: "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious." And diseases, poverty, shame, disappointment, or self-tormentipg melancholy, are his usual
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