SERMON LII. 127 watchful, for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, rcalketh. about seeking whom he may devour. One unwatchful -hour, one slumber in the day of temptation bath given Satan opportunity for unknown mischief, and administeredmatter to a christian for bitter repentance all his days, Shall we then ever hearken to the enticements of slothful nature ? Shall we ever gratify the tempter at this rate to our own certain loss, and to the danger of our eter- nal ruin." 5. " Diligence yet further implies a constancy inour work, in opposition to looking back, and perpetual avocation by di -, versions and pleasures." 'l'he foolish .Israelites were often looking back to the leeks and onions and flesh pots, of Egypt, and were in danger,of losing the,promised land. Where loveof, pleasure and diversion often interrupts the business we are en- , gaged in, we shall make but poor broken work, and have but little hope to succeed in it ; Prov. xxi. 17. " He that loveth plea - sure shall be a poor man." And as they can never grow rich in temporal things who are carried away from their business by every diversion, so neither can a christian grow rich in grace, who frequently interrupts his duty to indulge mirth and carnal delights. We must be steel- fast and constant in our christian race, and not turn aside from the path of duty to gather this and the other flower of sensual pleasure, if we would finish our course with joy, and so run as to obtain the price. ft. Another thing implied in true diligence, " is firmness and' resolution in our labour, in opposition to all the difficulties which attend our work." We suppose every valuable and excellent, design hath some difficulties more or less always attending it ; some hardship which must be endured, some obstacles and im- pediments which must be broke through ; but if we are frighted- at every shadow or difficulty we shall never fulfil our - service nor perfect our design. This Solomon hath often observed ; The sluggard cries, it zs cold, and will not go early to plough, and, therefore heshall leg inharvest, and have nothing. He.complains. there is a lion in the way, there is a lion in the street, where the path of duty lies ; therefore he sits down in sloth, and keeps him-. selfsafe and idle at home. The way of thesluggard is asa hedge ofthorns, he imagines everystep hetakes in the pathof diligence and industry hath such troubles attending it, such thorns and briars as hecalls them, that he cannot break through and there- fore he refuses to laboúr. See Prov. xx. 4. and xxvi. 13. and xxv. 19. And is not this matter the same in spiritual things ? How manyare there whocry out ofthe ways 'of religion as painful and hard ? . They are frighted at the duties of repentance,self-denial
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