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IX.

good offices of his friends, does he think SERM. that he owes nothing to them in return? Can he fold his arms in felfish indolence, and expect to be ferved by others, if he will not exert himself, in doing service to any? Were there no other call to induftry, but the relation in which every one ftands to his own family, the remembrance of this alone, fhould make the man of idlenefs blush. Pretends he to love those with whom he is connected by the dearest ties, and yet will he not beftir himself for their guidance, their support, or their advancement in the world? How immoral, and cruel, is the part he acts, who flumbers in fenfual ease, while the wants and demands of a helpless family cry aloud, but cry in vain, for his vigorous exertions? Is this a husband, is this a father, that deferves to be honoured with thofe facred names? How many voices will be lifted up against him, at the last day? Let fuch perfons remember the awful words of scripture, and tremble. It is written in the First Epiftle to Timothy, the fifth chapter, and eighth

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IX.

SERM verfe, If any provide not for his own, and Specially for thofe of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infi -del.

III. THE idle man lives not to himself, with any more advantage than he lives to the world. It is indeed on a fuppofition entirely oppofite, that perfons of this character proceed. They imagine that, how deficient foever they may be in point of duty they at least confult their own fatif faction. They leave to others the drudgery of life; and betake themselves, as they think, to the quarter of enjoyment and eafe. Now, in contradiction to this, I af fert, and hope to prove, that the idle man, firft, fhuts the door against all improve ment; next, that he opens it wide to every deftructive folly; and, laftly, that he excludes himself from the true enjoyment of pleasure.

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FIRST, He fhuts the door against im provement of every kind, whether of mind, body,

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body, or fortune. The law of our nature, the condition under which we were placed from our birth, is, that nothing good or great is to be acquired, without toil and industry. A price is appointed by Providence to be paid for every thing; and the price of improvement, is labour. InduAtry may, indeed, be fometimes disappointed. The race may not be alway's to the fwift.. nor the battle to the frong. But, at the fame time, it is certain that, in the ordinary course of things, without strength, the battle cannot be gained; without swiftnefs, the race cannot be run with fuccefs. In all labour, fays the wife man, there is profit; but the foul of the fluggard desireth; and hath nothing. If we confult either the improvement of the mind, or the health of the body, it is well known that exercise is the great inftrument of promoting both. Sloth enfeebles equally the bodily, and the mental powers. As in the animal system it engenders disease, fo on the faculties of

Prov. xiv. 23. xiii.

the

SERM

IX.

SERM. the foul it brings a fatal ruft, which cor.5.

IX.

rodes and wastes

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m; which, in a short time, reduces the brightest genius to the fame level with the meaneft understanding. The great differences which take place a-s mong men, are not owing to a diftinction that nature has made in their original ̈ powers, fo much as fo much as to the fuperior dili gence with which fome have improved thefe powers beyond others. To no purpofe do we poffefs the feeds of many great abilities, if they are fuffered to lie dormant within us. It is not the latent poffeffion, but the active exertion of them, which co gives them merit. Thoufands whom in dolence has funk into contemptible obfque T rity, might have come forward to the high, yʊ eft diftinction, if idleness had not fruftrat-w ed the effect of all their powers. hang and Inftead of going on to improvement, all things go to decline, with the idle man. His character falls into contempt. His fortune is confumed. Diforder, confufion, and embaraffinent, mark his whole fituation. Observe in what lively colours the

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state of his affairs is described by Solomon. SERM. I went by the field of the flothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo! it was all grown over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof; and the Stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I faw and confidered it well. I looked upon it, and received inftruction. In the midft, too, of those diftreffes which idlenefs brings on its votaries, they must submit to innumerable mortifications, which never fail to attend their fhameful conduct. They muft reckon, on feeing themselves contemned by the virtuous and wife, and flighted by the thriving part of mankind. They must expect to be left behind by every competitor for rank or fortune. They will be obliged to humble themselves before perfons, now far their fuperiors in the world, whom, once, they would have dif dained to acknowledge as their equals. Is it in this manner, that a man lives to himself? Are these the advantages, which

• Prov, xxiv. 30, 31, 32,

were

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