SERMON LII. 129 slothful, it is overgrown withthorns ; nettles and briars cover it ;" Prov. xxii. 30. "And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags ;" Prov. xxiii. 21. It is the same in spiritual things, as,in the things of nature. Diligence in seeking the knowledge of God shall be crowned with an increase ofsacred knowledge ; Hos. vi. 3. " Then shall we know the Lord, if we follow on to know him." " Give at- tendançe to reading, saith Paul to Timothy, that thy profiting may appear to all ;" 1 Tim. iv. 14. Diligence and labour with our own hearts in weaning them from the world, and a fer- vent constancy in the pursuits of godliness, is the proper and rational way to obtain the blessings of grace and glory. But I add, 2. Diligence hath the rich and special promises of a faithful God to encourage its hope. What Davidsaid to his son Solo- mon with regard to building the temple, the gospel saith the same to every christian ; 1 Chron. xxii. 16. "Arise and be do- ing, and the Lord shall be with thee :" And Solomon gave the same advice to his son, and the same promise ; Prov. ii. 3, 4. "If thou seekest after wisdom as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou obtain savingknowledge, and learn the fear of the Lord. Give all diligence, saith Peter in the name of Christ ;" 2 Pet. i. 5-10. "Give all diligence, and add one christian grace to another, add to your faith virtue, to your virtue, temperance, patience, godliness and charity. -Give di- ligence again to make your calling and your election sure ; for if ye da these things ye shall never fall, but an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 3. Diligence and industry are a happy guard against snares and temptations of every kind. When the devil finds you idle, he bath a proper moment to assault yon with some powerful temptation : He will employ you in his work, when he finds your hands and hearts entirely at leisure and unemployed ; he that is not awake to his duty, is not awake to his danger, and is easily surprized into mischief : but the wakeful diligent christian is like Nehemiah's builders on the walls of Jerusa- lem, with a weapon in one handwhile they laboured with the other; Neh. iv. 17. and thustheir work went on with good success and 'safety. 4. Diligence is always making a progress towards its de- signed end, but the slothfulman is in great danger of goingback- ward. The gardeifer who neglects his daily work, will find the ground which the bath cultivated over-run with weeds again in a little time. Ifa Waterman who rows against the stream be sloth- VOL. II. I
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