Safe, Xesietnefs andworldly. Peace tabe denied. dare fo wrong the wifdom of God, as to fay or think that he made us to do nothing I If a man make anhoufe it is to dwell o in ifhe make a watch,it is to tell him the hour ethe day, and every thing is for its proper ufe : And is man made to be idle ? what man , that is the nobleft inferior creature, andanwive creature , fitted for work, and the higheft work ! {hall hebe idle ? Juftly may God then hew him down as a dead- and withered tree, and fuffer himno more to comber his ground. z. S lothfoinef:r is a fin that lofeth the precious gifts of God. Our faculties and our members are his gifts and talents,which he hath committed to us to ufe for his fervice; fo are our goods and all that we have and (hall we hide them in a nap- kin , or idly neglect toufe them ? O what abundance of ex- cellent mercies lie ufelefs and idle, becaufe you are idle that fhould ufe them ? Every hour that you lofe in idlenefs, what noble faculties, and large provifions are all laid by? As much as in you lieth, youmake the whole creation to be, and work in vain. Why fhould the Sun thine an hour or minute for you in vain ? Why fhould the Earth= bear you an hour in vain ? why fhould the fprings and riversrun for you an hour in vain? why fhould the air refrefh youan hour in vain ? why fhould your pulfe beat one ftroke in vain ? or your lungs once, breathe a breath in vain ? {hall all be at work for_psi to further your work, and will you think that idlenefs is no fin? 3. Moreover, Lazinefs and flash is a fin that lofeth youmach precious time. All the time is loft that you are idle in. Yea when you are at work, ifyoudo it flothfully, you are lofing much of your time. A diligent perfon will go further, and do more in an hour then the lazy flesh-pleater will do in two When the flothful is praying, or reading, and working in his calling, he is but lofing half his time, which diligence would redeem. And is our time fo Mort and precious, and yet is Idlenefs an excufable fin ? what, loiter fo neer night fo neer eternity , when we have but a little time to work ! 0 work while it is day, for the night is coming when none can work. Were it but for this, that (lothdothiteal fo much ofour time, I muff think it nobetter then an hainous Thievery. 4. And by this means we rob our {elves. We might be ga- ll 2 ring 147
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