484 / 514
476.
CHR,ISTIAN
MORALITY, VIZ.
fSERM.
XXIX+
honourable title
in idleness,
or bear the
sword in vain,
which
bath
been
too
frequent
a
practicein
this
great
city,
and thereby
vice has
grown
rampant, and reformation of
manners bath
been shamefully discouraged.
Those
who
are
made ministers
of
the
gospel,
let
them
snake
it their business to
win
souls to
salvation,
to
bring
in sinners
tó
faith
and
holiness, and to edify
the saints
by
their
exhortations,
by
their
doctrine,
by
their
examples
We
should
he
instant
in
season,
and out
of
season,
re-
prove,
rebuke, and
exhort
with all
long
suffering and
doc-
trine,"
2
Tim.
iv.
2.
Let
him
that
ministers, wait on
his
ministry
:
He
that
teacheth,
on
teaching
;
he
that
ex-
horteth,
on
exhortation
:
Rom.
xii.
7.
Let
us
not
waste
our
time
and
our
best
talents
in
the
pursuit of
laborious
trifles, in
intricate and perplexing
controversies, which
are
less necessary to the
life
of
christianity, or
on useless
and
angry squabbles, which divide
and tear
the
church.
Nor
let
us
throw away these
thoughts and
hours,
on
pom-
pous ornaments of
learning,
on
critical or polite
studies,
or
curious and artificial
works, which
should
be
devoted
to matters of more sacred importance.
If
we
are
engaged in trades, manufactures, or
mer.
chandize
in the world,
let
us
shew all
industry, and honest
labóur
and
care,
and
thus walk with God,
every man
in
his calling wherein he
is
called, till the providence
of
!God
evidently leads him to
other
work
:
1
Cor.
vii.
24,
And thus
we
may
refute the calumnies
of
those
who
would seek all occasions to reflect
upon
us
for our
stricter
profession.of
religion.
There
are
many
encou-
raging
promises given to diligence
in the word
of God.
I
shall-
mention
but
one
at
present
that
agrees
with my
present
subject.
Prov.
xxii.
29. Seest
thou
a
man dili-
gent
in
his
business; he
shall
stand
before
Icings,
he
shall
not
stand
before mean
men.
That
is,
"
his
good
report
and, his
reputation
shall grow
and
increase,
that
he shall
be
brought into
more
hónourable
company,
and
to
a
more exalted
station."
If
we
are
servants,
let
us
devote
our
time
and thoughts
to the business
which
our superiors
have
entrusted
us
with, and seek
their interest
with
an honest
soul.
If
we
arc
children and
scholars
under
instruction,
let
us
apply
our
minds to
learn
the things
we
are taught,
and
attend
to