dustry on our part, in order to render that provision effectual. The earth, by the bles fing of God, is fruitful of herbs and grain for the use of man. But man must be careful to do his part in the labour of the field, that it may yield him a regular or a certain produce. The rough materials of all things neceffary and convenient for the purposes of life are laid plentifully at our hands; but the fkill and industry of the workman must bring them into form, and render them fit for use. "All things are "full of labour." Who then art thou, O fluggard, to counteract the defigns both of Natúre and of Providence?

But fome may fay, perhaps, We have nothing to do. Our wants are abundantly fupplied from the patrimony which we have inherited; and nothing remains for us but to enjoy what we have. Do you then indeed believe, that any human being can have a right to live idle on the earth? If ye believe this, ye have yet to learn this fundamental principle of common sense, That all obligations are reciprocal. Ye fluggards, why cumber ye the ground? Shall

God

God give you all things richly to enjoy, and is there no active fervice which he requires of you? Muft the labour of the husbandman nourish, and

the art of the

Must all ranks

manufacturer clothe you?
of men labour for your convenience; and
are there no obligations which ye are bound
to discharge to them in return for fo many,
and fo important fervices? For what end
then do you live? Your being is an em-
barrassment and burden to the creation.
"For if any man will not work, neither
"fhould he eat."- Once more, in the

3d place, The fluggard fins against the great defign of the Gospel. For we have not only a Guide to inftruct us, an Overfeer to obferve us, and a Judge to whom we are accountable; but we have alfo a great Redeemer, who fhed his blood for the ranfom of our fouls, and who gave himfelf for us, not to purchase our release from duty, but to " purify unto himself a pe

culiar people, zealous of good works." Chrift fpoiled principalities and powers, "that we, being delivered out of the hands " of our enemies, might ferve him without

"fear,.

"fear, in holiness and righteousness before "him all the days of our lives." Let us hear and reverence the language of the Gofpel. "Ye are not your own: ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in

your body and in your spirit, which are "God's. Work out your own falvation "with fear and trembling: for it is God "that worketh in you, both to will and to "do of his good pleasure. And befide this,

giving all diligence, add to your faith vir66 tue, and to virtue knowledge, and to

knowledge temperance, and to temperance "patience, and to patience godliness, and to "godliness brotherly kindness, and to bro

therly kindness charity. For fo an entrance "fhall be miniftered unto you abundantly, " into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord "and Saviour Jefus Chrift.'

Let us then be no longer "flothful in bu"finefs, but fervent in fpirit, ferving the "Lord."

Amen.

SER.

SERMON VII.

149

JAMES iv. 13, 14, 15.

Go to now, ye that say, to-day or to-morrow we will go into fuch into fuch a city, and continue there a year, and buy and fell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanifbeth away. For that ye ought to fay, If the Lord will, we shall live, and de

this or that.

THE

HE obvious defign of this passage, is to detect the folly and prefumption of those who lay fchemes for futurity, without a proper acknowledgement of their dependence on the providence of God. The particular scheme, which the Apostle reprefents and condemns, is one of the most plaufible that can well be imagined. A

merchant

merchant refolves on a journey to fome city, in which he can carry on his trade to advantage. That he may lofe no time, he faith, "To-day," or at fartheft," to-mor

row, I will go into fuch a city, and con"tinue there a year, and buy and fell, and 66 get gain." There is no intimation that he meant to enrich himself by fraud or extortion. The gain he had in view may be fuppofed to have been the profits of a fair and honourable commerce, the honeft reward of his attention and diligence.

I apprehend that none of us would be greatly startled, though we should hear fome of our friends talking in the manner which is here reprefented. There are few of us, perhaps, who have not on fome occafions held fuch a language, without fufpecting that it was either prefumptuous or wrong. In order, therefore, to discover what is faulty in it, and to enter into the fpirit of this text, let us examine with attention,

it, The form of expreffion which the Apoftle condemns.-And,

2dly, The amendment which he fuggefts.