131 / 652
SERM.
VIII.)
WITH
THE $LESSINLS
DP
IT.
121
'miah's builders
on
the
walls
of
Jerusalem,"
with
a
wea-
,.pon in
one hand,
while
they
laboured
with
the
other
;"
Neh.
iv. 17.
and thus
their work
went
on with
good
.suc-
cess
and
safety.
4.
Diligence
is
always
making a progress
towards
its
designed
end,
but
the
slothful man
is
in
great danger
of
going backward.
The gardener
who
neglects
his
daily
work,
will
find
the
ground
which he
hath cultivated
over
-run
with weeds again in
a little time.
If
.a
water
-
man
who
rows
against the stream
be
slothful and
drowsy,
his
vessel
will
make no progress,
hut
be
carriêd
backward
continually
:
So
if
a
labourer hearkens
to the
inticements
of
drowsy
nature, and learns
this
slothful language,
" A
little
more
sleep,
a little
more
slumber, poverty
will.
conic
upon
him as
an awned man
;"
Prov.
xxiv.
33,
34.
and
rob
him
of
all
his gains.
Negligent, and unwatchful
and
lazy christians,
will
for the
most
part
lose
what
they have
gained in
the things
of
religion
too
:
Tito
apostle
John
in
his second epistle,
ver.
8.
guards against
it.
Take
heed
that
ye lose
not
the things which,ye.
have
wrought,
hut that
ye
receive
a
full
reward." How
many..have
lost
-their
first
zeal,
their
first
love,
and their early
joys.
in
re-
ligion,
by
a
sinful
security
of
soul,
and for
want of
a.
due
concern
to
grow
in grace.
It
is
growth
in
religion
that
-evidences
the
truth
of
it,
and secures the cornforts
of
it.
5.
The
diligent
christian
is
a
most useful person
in
the
world,
he
does the most.
good
himself,
and
becomes an
excellent example
toll
that are
round
about
him.
Ho
lays
the 'sluggard
under continual conviction,
and
puts
him to daily shame,
if
he
have any
of
his
senses awake
to
see,
or
feel,
or
take
notice. Such
a christian animates
-and
encourages
all
that
are
near
him
to
the
same dili-
gence,
as
firekindles
fire,
and
spreads
the
blaze
far
an.d
near.
Active and lively
christians make
one
anóther's
hearts
warm
in
religion,
and
help
:
to
,diffuse
the
sacred
fire
röúrd
about. The
zealous
;
servants
of the
blessed
God,
give
credit
.!arid
honour to their
profession
but
what
a
shameful thing
is
it,
to
see
some christians
idle
and
careless
in
the duties
.
of their
daily calling,
and.
slothful
and
lazy in
their practice
of
religion too
?
The
truth
is,
they
do
not
make
religion
their
practice, but a mere mat-
ter of
talk
and-'soùncl
;
;rid-
while they
refuse to
labour
in
the station
where
God
has
placed
them,
.
they disgraço