Ver. 2 6, 2 7. xxvtb Chapter of St. MA T T H E W. 12 3 5. All your Time is loft, that is not fpent in God's Serviçe. , ; , 2. Object. But Ì have no Power, nor Strength to do Good ; and what will you have us do ? Alfa,. You can do more than you 'do, but you will nit make tryal. God may be more ready with the Affiftances of his Grace, than you can imagine: The Tired ,mays complain of the Length of the Way, but not the Lazy, that will nor ftir aToot, . ; If you did make tryal, you would not complain of God, but your felves ; and beg Grace. more feelingly. You are not able, becaufe you are tigt willing. Your Impotency, is contra &ed by evil Habits, and long Cullom in Sin ; that's an Aggravation of your Sin. , .. 3. Object. 'Tis dangerous and troublefom to ówn God,: and Religion heartily. - Anfw. Did not you refolve to ferve God, whatever it colt you ? And is God harfh and feuere, becaufe he tryeth whether you will be as good as your word and, will not let you go to Heaven with a vain Coínplaint in your Mouths ? Will this comfort you in Hell, and for the Lofs of Everlafing Happinefs ? In Hell will. you. fay, I came hither to fave my felf a Labour, and to be exempt from the diligence, of the Holy Life, and Sufferings incident ro it ? Will you flop a Journey for your Lives, becaufe the Wind bloweth on you, and there is Dirt in the way ? Nothing can take offa Minifter from feeking the Converfion and Salvation of Souls, 4X.20. 23, 24. And can any thing be an Excufe to you ? Should your Souls, be dearer to ifs, than yóu ? 'Tis necelfary for Our Tryal, that we fhould meet with Scorns and Oppofitions : Should a weak Blatt drive us from God? Rev. 2: 13, 14. I know thy Works, and where thou dwelleft, even where S'atan',s Seat is ; and. thou holde fl fa f! my Name, and haft not denied my Faith; even in thole Dayes wherein Antipas w,u my faithful Mar- . tyr, who was ¡lain among you, where Sathan dwelleth. 'Tis exceeding commendable, to be zealous in fuch a Place, or in fuch a Time, when Religion is hazardous and dan- gerous. Chrift "fuffered more for you, than you can for him ; and God bath greater Terrours, than Man can prefent. 4. Object. I am of a flow Wit,- have a weak Underftanding, .know not to which Party I fliould cleave, and joyn my felf. Anfw. Certainly, not to that which is molt pleating to corrupt Affections : But Di- vifions in the Church are to try the Approved ; who is Chaff, and who is good Grain. a Cor. II. 19. For there mull be alfo Herefes among you ; that they which are, approved may be made manifeft among you. The Scripture is not dark ; but we want Eyes. You may know the Mind of God : Pfal. r r g. r 8. Open thou mine Eyes, that f may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. And Yoh. 17. 57. Sanctify them by thy Truth ; thy Word is Truth. 5. Object. I have fo many Temptations and Enticements, I hope, God will confider my Weaknefs. Anfw. You are as earneftly, perfwaded upon better Motives, if Perfwafion will. do it : What is a little worldly Glory to Eternal Glory, brutifh Pleafures to. pure Delights ? a. V S E. Since Sloath is fo great an Evil, let thé Childreir of God take heed of it. And fo, Fill, Of Sloath and Idlenefs in their particular Calling. This was one of Sodom's Sins : Ezek. 16. 49. Pride, and fulnefs of Bread; and abundance of Idlenefr: This, .is Senfuality, as well other Sins, that are more noted in the World ; as being an Iei dulgence to the Fiefh, as well as other things ; which are commonlydecryed, be- caufe they betray ús to more Shame in the World. . t. Every Creature is God's Servant, and hath his Work to do, wherein to glo- rifie God ; fome in one Calling, fame in another : Neither Rich nor Poor are ea- empted ; for a lawful Calling is not a matter of Neceffity, but Duty, enforced by a Commandment. - What our Callings fhould be, is determined by Providence, giv- ing Gifts, and Education, and obtruding us upon fuel' a courfe of Life : But 'ris a miftake to think, that bare Neceffity maketh a Calling; no, 'ris Obedience : And if we be without fuch Neceffity, we may live idly, without any Calling No ; eve- ry Man and Woman hath theirLabour and Service ; for God made no Man or Wo- man in vain.. Would the Wife and Almigatty God make fo noble a thing, as a Ratio- nal Humane Creature, only to eat, and drine, and Beep, and rife and drefsthemfèlves, that they may thew themfelves to Company, and impertinently chat away their R z flours,
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