not inconsistent. Christians, you may work for Heaven, yet work in a trade. God hath given you a body and a soul, and he hath allotted you time to provide for both: he hath given you a body, therefore be diligent in your calling; he hath given you a soul, therefore be violent for Heaven. These two may well stand together, providing for a family, and praying in a family. He that doth not exercise himself in some honest employment, is guilty of the breach of that commandment, six days shalt thou labour. God never seal-> ed warrants for idleness. The sluggard shall be indicted at the day of judgment for letting his field be over-run with thorns. They are

hypocrites who talk of living by faith, but refuse to live in a calling. Only remember, that the pains you take in religion must exceed the other, Matt. vii. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. First, in order of time, before all things; and first in order of affection, above all things. Your soul is the nobler part, therefore that must be chiefly looked after.— In your calling shew diligence; in religion violence.

But some may say, we are so incumbered in the world, that all time for religion is swallowed up; we cannot get leave from our calling to read or pray ?

If your trade be such that you cannot allow yourselves time for your souls, then your trade is unlawful. There are two things make a." trade unlawful.

1. When persons deal in such commodities as they know cannot be used without sin. Selling of black-spots, or idolatrous pictures and crucifixes.

2. When their trade doth so involve them in worldly business, that they cannot mind eternity, or make out one sally to the throne of grace. They are so much in the shop, that they cannot be in the closet. If there be such a trade to be found, doubtless it is unlawful; but let not men lay it upon their trade, but upon themselves; their trade would give them leave to serve God, but their covetousness will not give them leave. O how many put a fallacy upon their own souls, and cheat themselves into hell,

17. There is but a short space of time granted us, therefore work the harder for Heaven before it be too late. Indeed we are apt to dream of a long life, as if we were not sojourners, but natives, and were to stay here always. The blossom of childhood hopes to come to the budding of youth; and the bud of youth hopes to come to the flower of age; and the flower of age hopes to come to old age; and old age hopes to renew its strength as the eagle: But if we measure life by a pair of scripture-compasses, it is very short: it is compared to a flying shadow, Job viii. 17. to an hand-breadth, Psalm xxxix. 5. as if there were but a span between the cradle and the grave-parum abest a nihilo.-Is the time of

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life so short, and may be shorter than we are aware? what need is there zealously to improve it before it be slipped away? if time runs, let us so run, 1 Cor. ix, 24. He that hath a great business in hand, and the time allotted for doing it is but short, had not need lose any of that time, A traveller that hath many miles to ride, and the night ready to approach, had need spur on the harder, that the night doth not overtake him so we have a long journey, and the night of death is drawing on, how should we use spurs to our sluggish hearts, that we may go on more swiftly!

18. A man's personal day of grace may be short. There is a time while the sceptre of grace is held forth, 2 Cor. vi. 2. Now is the accepted time. The Lord hath prefixed a time wherein the means of grace shall work or not work. If a person come not in by such a time, God may say, Never fruit grow on thee more. A sign this day of grace is past, when conscience hath done speaking, and God's spirit hath done striving. Whether this day may be longer or shorter, we cannot tell; but because it may so soon expire, 'tis wisdom to take the present opportunity, and use all violence for Heaven. The day of grace hastens away: no man can (like Joshua) bid this Sun stand still: and if this critical day be once past, it cannot be recalled. The day of grace being lost, the next is a day of wrath. Jerusalem had a day, but she lost it, Luke

xix. 44. If thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. After the expiration of the day of grace, no means or mercies shall prove effectual: Now they are hid from thine eyes. Which is like the ringing a doleful knell over a dying person; therefore put forth all violence for Heaven, and do it in this thy day, before it be too late, and the decree be gone forth.

If you neglect the offering violence now, there will be no help for you after death. When men shall open their eyes in another world, and see into what a damned condition they have sinned themselves, O now what would they not do, what violence would they not use, if there were a possibility they might be saved! When once the door of mercy is shut, if God would make new terms far harder than before, they would readily seal to them. If God should say to the sinner after death, wouldst thou be content to return to the earth, and live there under the harrow of persecution a thousand years for my sake? Yes Lord, I will subscribe to this, and endure the world's fury, may I have but thy favour at last. But, wilt thou be content to serve an apprenticeship in Hell a thousand years, where thou shalt feel the worm gnawing, and the fire burning? Yes Lord, even in Hell I submit to be; so that after a thousand years I may

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have a release, and that bitter cup may pass away from me. But, wilt thou for every tie thou hast told, endure the rack? wilt thou for every oath that thou hast sworn, fill a bottle of tears? wilt thou for every sin thou hast committed, lie ten thousand years in sackcloth and ashes? Yes Lord, all this and more if thou requirest, I will subscribe to ; I am content now to use any violence, if I but at last be admitted into thy kingdom. No, will God say, there shall be no such condition proposed to thee, no possibility of fayour, but thou shalt lie forever among the damned, and who is able to dwell with everlasting burnings? Oh therefore be wise in time, now while God's terms are more easy, embrace Christ and Heaven, for after death there will be nothing to be done for your souls. The sinner and the furnace shall never be parted.

20. How without all apology will you be left, if you neglect this violence for Heaven! Methinks I hear God thus expostulating the case with sinners at the last day, Why did you not take pains for Heaven? hath there not been a prophet among you? Did not my ministers lift up their voice like a trumpet? did not they warn you? did not they persuade you to use this violence, telling you that your salvation depended upon it ? but the most melting rhetoric of the gospel would not move you. Did I not give you time to look after