SERM. World; this Life is a State of Warfare, XVII. and therefore we ought to ftand upon our Guard continually, and be prepared to refift them; to be fober and vigilant, and by taking to ourfelves that Πανοπλία (that Ephef. vi. whole Armour of a Chriftian mentioned by the Apostle) we shall be able to repel all the fiery Darts of the Devil and his Emiffaries; and, that you may do this the better, I fhall proceed to the fecond General propofed,

II. To furnish you with fome Directions, the better to perform this Duty.

1. LET your Thoughts be always employed about fome lawful Bufinefs or other, let the Devil never find you idle; for, whilst the Hufbandman lept, the Matt. xiii. Evil one came, and fowed the Tares.

25.

2. Do not spend your Time in meddling with that which does not concern you; for every Man has Business enough to employ his Time, and he muft needs neglect his own Affairs, who thrufts himself uncalled for into other Men's.

3. ALLOT the best and greatest Portion of your Time for the most neceffary Works. In the firft Place, attend the Worship of God, and the Duties of Re

ligion,

SERM.

ligion, and thofe Things which concern the Welfare of XVII. your Soul, before you make Provifion for your Body. Seek firft Matt. vi. the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, 33. and then all other Things will be added thereunto.

4. TAKE Care of spending too much Time, even in lawful Recreations; for Sports and amufing Converfation are apt to gain upon our Affections, and to engross our Time; they infinuate themselves into us, and detain us longer from more important Bufinefs than we can well spare; and at length, by introducing Habits of Sloth and Eafe, unfit us for the more manly Employs of Life.

5. FREQUENTLY meditate on the four laft Things, Heaven, Hell, Death, and Judgment: Fancy with St. Jerome, you always hear the Trumpet founding, and the Voice of the Arch-Angel proclaiming, Arife ye Dead, and come to Judgment. A due and conftant Practice of these few and plain Rules, would have a strange but happy Influence upon our Lives and Converfations; it would convince us, of what Importance the Managing our Time well is, and imprint on our Minds fuch an Awe of the fupreme Being, as would engage us to an univerfal Obedience to the Laws

SERM. of God, and a diligent Redeeming the Time XVII. for the Future.

WHAT remains, therefore, but that we all of us fet about the Practice of this great and abfolutely neceffary Duty; and if, for the Time past, we have walked according to the Course of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now works in the Children of Difobedience; if we have had our Converfation in the Lufts of our Flesh, fulfilling the Defires of the Flesh and of the Mind; for the Time to come, let us make it our chief Care and Bufinefs, to make our Calling and Election fure, to trim our Lamps with the Oil of good Works, and furnish ourselves with the Wedding-Garment; and fo to employ all the feveral Talents God has entrusted us with, that, after we have given up our Accounts, we may hear that comfortable Sentence pronounced unto us: Well done, Matt. xxv. thou good and faithful Servant; thou hast been faithful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many Things: Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

21.

BUT fome may, perhaps, object, that they are fo encumbered with the Cares and Troubles of this Life, that they have little Time to employ in the Duties of

Religion; they have large Families to pro- SERM, vide for, and it is as much as they can XVII, do, to get Things neceffary for the Suftenance of Life; or that they have painful and laborious Callings, which take up moft of their Time and Thoughts. To whom I answer, That the Business of our Callings is an Act of Religion, and God is as well pleased with a Man that is honeftly discharging his Duty, in that Station in which he has placed him, as if he were continually on his Knees, offering up Prayers and Hallelujahs; but yet there is no Neceffity our Minds fhould be fo wholly taken up with the Cares of this Life, as to make us neglect God's Worship, and Providing for Souls; for there is no Man engaged in fo much Business, or under fuch preffing Circumftances, but he may find fome Time in every Day to perform his Devotions, and, befides, may take other Opportunities; even in the Field, on the Exchange, or in his Shop, he may lift up his Heart to Heaven, and, in pious and fervent Ejaculations, acknowledge God's Goodness, and beg Supplies for his future Neceffities. But, befides, there is one Day in the Seven fet apart by public Authority for the Duties of Religion, when all worldly Bufinefs is forbid, and Men have

nothing

SERM. nothing elfe to do but to worship God, XVII. and to take Care of their immortal Souls.

And how unexcufable fhall we be, if we neglect thefe Opportunities of serving God? If we break God's Sabbaths, and pollute his Sanctuary; if we fay of these New Moons, and Holy Days, i. e. those Times which are fet apart for the public Worship of God, with thofe mentioned by the Prophet, What a Weariness are Mal.i: 13. they? How will fuch Men, as complain of the Want of Time, be amazed at the Last Day, when the Devil fhall bring in his Indictment against them: So much Time spent unprofitably; fo much in Dreffing, Gaming, and Intemperance; fo many Lord's Days paffed over in worldly Thoughts and Bufinefs? How foon this Day will come, none of us can tell; and to what a Plunge would most of us be put, if we should prefently be called to an Account? Let me, therefore, beg of every one of you to examine his own Heart; and, if we have done amifs, let us do fo no more.

SER