The Life of Faith. 485 to pamper a carkaCs for worms and rottennefs 1 O what a de- plorable cafe is this ! The Lord piety you, and awaken your underfiandings, and bring you to your wits, and you will then wonder at your own fiupidity. 6. Idienefi is afin which is contrary to Gods univerfal Law : TheLaw which extended to all times and places. Adam in innocency was to labour : He that hadall things prepared for his fuftcnancc by God, was yet himfelfto labour: He that was Lord ofall the world, and was richer than any of our proud ones whofoever, was yet to drefs and keep thegarden. Cain was a tiller ofland, and Abel was a-keeper of cattel,when they were heirs ofall the earth. Noah alto was Lord of all the world, and richer than you and yet he was an Husbandman. Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob were Princes, and yet keepers of (beep and cattle : It is not a bare permit ion, but a precept of diligence in the fourth Commandment [Six dales lhalt thou labour, anddo all that thou haft to do.] Chilli himfclf did not live idly, but before his Miniftry they laid, Marh6. 3. Is not tbie the Carpenter ? And afterward how inceffantlywas hedo- ing good to mens bodies and fouls ? And what laborious lives did his Apofiles live ? See a Cor. 6.5. & a r. 23. Aîis r8.3. And are you exempt from the univerfalLaw ? 7. 7,u thew a bafe and ffefhly mind. The nobleff natures are the moll allive, and the bafeff themoil dead and dull. The earth is not baler than the fire, in a greater degree than an idle foul is bafr than one that is alive, and fpcndeth themfelves in do- inggood. Methinks your Pride it (Cif fhould keep you from proclaiming fuch a dead and earthen difpofition. 8. Idlenefs is of thefame hind with fornication, gluttony, drun- kennefs, and other fuch beefily fins : For all is but finful flefi- pleaftng, or fenfuality: The fame flefhly nature which draw- eth them to the one, cloth draw you to the other ; and they do but gratifie their íicfh inone kind ofvice, asyou do in ano-. ther. And it's piety that Idlenefs fhould be in fu much left dífgrace than they. And truly ifyou cannot deny your ilcfh it's cafe, I cannot fee if the temptation lay as (thong that way,how you fhould deny it in any ofchofe lofts ; fo that you feern to be vertually fornicators, gluttons; drynkards; &c. and ready to commit the ads. Ppp 3 9. Arid
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