MAN, as Eliphaz saith, is born to Labour as the sparks fly upwards: That ought not to be thought so hard a case to any, which is no more strange than for the flame to ascend, nor less natural than for the Young Vul­tures to soar aloft, as some Interpreters read it. Yet tho' Labour or Trouble is so natural to Mankind, so familiar and engrafted into his Constitution; the num­ber of such is so small as do either right­ly understand, or do bear it as they ought, as is most deplorable to consider, and as challenges all that can be done toward the Cure of so General an Evil. I doubt not but there are several holy Souls who do both understand and bear This, as they are obliged to do; and are thereby, thro' God's Blessing, arrived to very great Heights of Religion: These stand not in [Page 4] need of any thing that I can say to them. But to others perhaps it may, by the Di­vine Assistance, prove of some service, to give them a few Hints of what they ought to consider, and practise in their daily Employ and Work. May the most good God bless this poor Endeavor of his unworthy Servant, to the end by it de­signed.

Labour may be considered, either first as a Punishment inflicted; or secondly, as an Act of Religious Worship enjoyned by God. In the former respect, it is the Ef­fect, in the latter, the Remedy of Sin. And in both respects, it will not fail to give several useful Considerations: Such as follow.

First: Labour, (as it is accompanied Now with much Weariness and Toil,) ought to be look'd on as a Punishment, or Corporal Chastisement, inflicted for our Transgression. God, who infinitely hates Sin, and is of purer Eyes than to behold the least Iniquity, could not but denounce the Doom of this Monster, as soon as ever it appear'd in the World. I say, Denounce the Doom, for I tell thee, O Man, he did no more. Accuse not God, flatter not thy self; Sin was the fatally fruitful Womb that brought forth every Evil into the World; the deadly Poison that blasted the Earth, and the baneful Seed of every [Page 5] Briar and Thorn in Human Life. Nay, had not the Divine Love and Mercy im­mediately broke forth, as thro' a cloud, af­ter such a monstrous Birth: had not the Eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father then interposed as our Mediator, in a man­ner so astonishing, as to make the Wonder of Men and Angels for everlasting Ages; Man, whose Vitals were already seiz'd by this corroding Venom, who had begat and form'd in himself the Principle of Death and Hell, I am verily perswaded, could not have subsisted one minute lon­ger; but must certainly have died the Death without further delay, and have fallen into an irrecoverable Abyss of Darkness and Pain. But being thus re­triev'd and rescu'd from the fatal stroke, by the means of our great and ever blessed Mediator; it being not only very fit, but also necessary for us to concur in some degree toward our recovery from this Dis­mal state, into that Happy one, for which we were originally designed by our boun­tiful Creator and Father; It was judg'd meet by the same eternal Wisdom and Love, that then put a stop to the final Destruction of Man, that so much of the Effects of his Crime should remain upon him, a lasting Monument, as might be able to put him in mind of the Place whence he fell, as might push him for­ward [Page 6] to seek earnestly his Delivery from this Place into which he is faln, from this State into which he has driven himself, and might be a constant Caution to him for the future, that he lose not the Effects of this Mediation, but endeavour, by con­forming himself to the Divine Will, to render himself as capable as he can of those glorious Privileges, which by the means of it he may now attain. Thus was the heavy and intolerable Punish­ment of Sin exchanged for an easy and very tolerable Doom. Now, Man is put into a state of Trial once more, into a capacity to chuse whether he will be hap­py or miserable: The Seed of the Wo­man is promis'd to bruise the Head of the Serpent; but withal, the Woman must be content to undergo pain and subjection; and the Man having by his folly brought a Curse upon the Earth, of which he was constituted Lord, must be content to eat his Bread in sorrow, and in the sweat of his brow. For now by Sin great Travel (as the wise Son of Sirach saith) is crea­ted for every man, and an heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam; from the day that they go out of their mother's womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things. The consequences that follow from this Consideration of Labour as an Infliction for, or as an Evil flowing from [Page 7] Sin, ought I think at least to be these three.

§. First, Since therefore Iesus Christ the Seed of the Woman, the Mediator betwixt God and Man, undertook to pro­cure the Pardon and Restauration of Man on this condition, That Man should with Him tast of the Bitterness of Sin: Wilt thou, O Man, that callest thy self a Chri­stian, refuse to satisfy this Condition? Dost thou think it hard to tast of the same Cup, to bear a little of the Cha­stisement with thy Saviour, who has sub­mitted to so very much for thee? God was graciously pleas'd to chuse Labour and Travel for this Chastisement, with­out satisfying which, thou must never ex­pect to obtain thy Pardon. Indeed if thou hast no need of this, thou mayest e'en then follow thy own Ease, as thou pleasest, walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, and trample on any Condition that brings with it the least pain: But if thou art otherwise perswa­ded, as I doubt not but thou art, then submit contentedly to this Correction, and think not thy self too good for a little Toil or Labour, that is the Effect of thy Guilt, and is become by the Grace of God an Instrument in thy Release.

§. Secondly, Since God was so very mer­ciful toward his offending Creature, as for [Page 8] all the Punishment of his Crimes to take no more but a Moderate Labour for a short time, that so he might afterward rest with his God, and be advanced to a nobler state of Bliss and Honour, than even that which he had lost by the most vile and sottish Rebellion: It behoves him not only with Contentedness to submit to this light Chastisement; but also with the humblest Thanks to praise the Mildness and Indulgence of his kind Father, that has made it so easy, for him to undergo; but especially for this that he has been pleas­ed to produce Hony from Bitterness, and to make Sorrow and Labour instrumental to Joy and Rest. Consider whether any thing could more deeply concern the Al­mighty Creator, than to be frustrated of his End in his darling and most belov'd Creature, to see his Love despis'd, his La­bour spoil'd, and his Image defac'd; to see his Benefits slighted and abused, all Obligations trampled on, and the most necessary, sacred and lovely Law in the World, broken by his ungrateful Child: Consider all this, and tell me if thou canst, what is there that could move him in the least, to mitigate a Punishment, which was not only enhanced by so many provoca­tions, but was by his rebellious Creature violently pull'd on himself? Could it be any thing beside Infinite Mercy? Was [Page 9] there any thing to move him, but his own essential infinite Goodness, which after such liberal Effects of it had been so base­ly undervalued. It has been said by some Persons very piously, That it were better that the whole World should be annihilated, than a Sin commited. For, say they, the World may be created again with ease, and all that is in it be repair'd with the Breath of his Word: But a Sin once com­mitted, can never be undone, but will appear in its place throughout all Eter­nity. If Sin therefore be so great an E­vil, so strange a Monster, something that I know not how to name, so infinitely op­posite to the Divine Purity, and if it cost more to hinder its Effect, than to create a World, as nothing is more certain than it doth; consider, I pray good Christian, whether thou hast not the highest reason to be thankful, in that the Burthen im­posed on thee, is no heavier; which, had it not been lightn'd, would most infallibly have press'd thee down into the bottom­less-pit. Well, I hope thou art suffici­ently sensible of this. But this is not all: For,

§. Thirdly, Since God has been so good, as not only to moderate the Punishment of sin to Man, but even to condescend to ac­cept it, when dutifully underwent, as a ca­pacity for the greatest Enjoyments; it is [Page 10] not enough for thee to be Thankful, un­less also thou endeavour to undergo it in such a manner as shall be most serviceable, and best answer such his gracious Dispen­sation. When ever therefore thou findest thy self wearied and opprest with Labour, this ought to put thee in mind that thou art not to take up thy Habitation here, but to look for one where Care and La­bour never enter; and where thou mayest safely say to thy Soul, Here take thy Rest. Let every Uneasiness in Labour teach thee to wean off thy Affections from the Body, hinder the Distractions of thy Soul, and bring her nearer to her God. Then will this light Punishment which endur­eth but for a moment, work for thee a more weighty and lasting Crown of Glo­ry: Then will this Ordinary, but truly wholsom Penance, having daily more and more estranged thee from the love of the Flesh, and taught thee by inward Retire­ments in the midst of thy Business, to con­verse in thy Spirit with Him who is al­ways no less present to it, than thou art to thy self, thereby prepare for thee a far more exceeding weight of Joy: which he cannot fail to give to as many as make a right use of their Labours; considering them as the Consequences, and Chastise­ments of their sinful Deformity. And by this means is the Evil of Sin converted [Page 11] into its Remedy; the remaining Venom of the Serpent into a very good Antidote or Treacle; and a Punishment suffer'd for Crimes into an Act of Religion. Which is the other, and more lovely Face, under which it comes now to be consider'd.

IN the Second place it ought with all diligence to be remember'd, That Labour ought not so much to be look'd on as a Penalty for our Transgression; but much rather as an Act of Religious Worship: and the former only in order to this lat­ter. For Labour is indeed, with respect to Man, one of the first and most essential Worships of God, of all I mean not pure­ly Spiritual, when it is perform'd accord­ing to God's Design and Institution. It doth not appear that He ever enjoyned or instituted any other external Worship, Rite, or Ceremony, than this for above two thousand years in the World. Now every outward Worship, or Religious Rite, being for no other end than to recollect the Soul into Inward Acts of Adoration, Love and Obedience; and to call her back to God, even by those very means which of themselves would be apt to withdraw and distract her from Him. It cannot be otherwise, but that those external parts of Worship, or Religious Rites, which are instituted by God himself as long as they continue so, must have something in them [Page 12] proper to recal the Soul of Man into such inward Acts (wherein the Spirit, the Soul, and the Life of all Religion consists) after a wiser and more excellent manner than any other, which either are, or can be esta­blish'd by any meaner Authority, or lesser Wisdom. And this they do several ways: First, by Consideration that they are of immediate Divine Appointment. Second­ly, By the Mortification of the Body. Thirdly, By that Instruction, that is contain'd or vail'd under them. And fourthly, By the Divine Blessing, which never fails to concur with, and to be con­vey'd by them, as often as they are rightly us'd. All this, I think, is plain, as An­tiently in Circumcision and Sacrifices: so, at present, in Baptism and the Lords Supper.

§. But what can be more evident, dear Christian, than that bodily Labour doth, in its right use, most nobly recal thy Soul to God by all these ways? For how, O Man, canst thou forget, whilst thou workest with thy hands, the Word of thy God, That in the Sweat of thy face shalt thou eat Bread? Or how canst thou forbear, being in this manner con­stantly admonish'd of the Evil and Misery of Disobedience, to fear and obey thy God as thou oughtest? Tell me, how canst thou, being thus engag'd to this Bodyly [Page 13] Exercise, forget to mortify and tame thy proud Flesh, that thy Soul may be more at liberty to admit the inward workings of the Holy Spirit upon her? Or art thou in the next place so blind, as not to see the Instruction contain'd under this Primitive Establishment of thy good God? Canst thou be content thus to toil and sweat, for a little Bodily Nourish­ment, that by this thou mayest sustain a few years, at the best, a toilsom and a mi­serable Life? and art thou not content to to take as much pains to feed thy self with that Food, which infinitely more surpasses the richest dishes and Cates of Palaces, than they do thy brown Bread; to gain thereby, as soon as the Work is done, which cannot last long, for all Eter­nity a most delightful and happy Life? Canst thou do all this, my Friend, to pro­vide thy self, or thy Family, with a little perishing Food, and do so very little to get either for thy self, or them, that Hea­venly Manna, which is incorruptible, and which deserves a thousand, nay a million of times, more than all that thou canst ever do? Let this, I pray, be seriously consider'd; that so the Instruction may not be lost which is contain'd under this Outward Institution, nor the Designs of God in it frustrated and made void. So by this means thou shalt be able to per­form [Page 14] a most essential and most acceptable piece of Service to the Author of thy Be­ing and thy Happiness. Nor is there the least glimpse of Reason for thee to doubt, in the last place, as if he would ever fail to send his Blessing along with it, as often as it is thus perform'd according to his In­stitution. For which purpose, it will be fit to keep in thy mind those wise and righteous Designs of His, for the bring­ing thee back to Himself, by an Establish­ment so unpleasant in it self. These De­signs thou wilt find to be such as these, viz.

§. I. First, Bodily Labour was institu­ted by the most wise and just God, and commanded Man to the end, to bring forth in him, a constant Obedience and Submis­sion to his Commands. Since therefore, whoever thou art, that God has command­ed thee to work, do thou learn hereby continually, and on every occasion chear­fully to submit thy self to the Orders of his Divine Majesty, and resolutely obey all his Precepts; as being assured that this was the main End for which he was pleas'd to impose so seemingly an hard Command.

§. II. Secondly, Bodily Labour was in­stituted for Man in his faln Estate, by the same most wise and just God, that his proud and haughty Heart might be hum­bled [Page 15] by mean and vile things. Nothing can fit the Soul for the Receiving light­som and comfortable Influxes of God, be­side Humility; as nothing more widely withdraws her from him, and tumbles her into Darkness and Grief; then Pride, that loathsom Monster, which first threw Man out of Paradise, and now continues to barr the way back. Art thou not happy, O Christian, that thou art farther than a great many others remov'd from the Tem­tations and Attaques of this foul Fiend [...] if thou art wise, thou wilt think so, and thank God. I hope at least thou art wiser, than to wish after that, which in all like­lihood would be a Serpent in thy Bosom, would secretly sting thee to death, and then cast thee into such a state, as I am perswaded thou canst not think on with­out shaking. Nothing indeed naturally more conduces to the beating down and Conquering the proud Heart of Man, than Affliction and Labour; nothing can be found out a more sensible sign of his Meanness and Necessitous condition than this: And let me tell thee, my dear Christi­an, that if this has its proper effect on thee, thou art a great deal more Happy, than if thou worest a Crown, and didst enjoy all earthly Happiness. For if the Great Persons of the World do undergo less trouble and pains than thee, which too [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 16] I very much doubt, I am sure their Plea­sures and Enjoyments are far more dange­rous than thy most painful Labours. By them they have only so much the more to resist, and conquer than thou hast. What thinkest thou, canst thou envy them this? No sure. Say rather in thy self, ‘I thank thee, O Heavenly Father, that thou hast plac'd me in this State, in which its ne­cessary for me by the sweat of my Brow to gain my Bread; and that I am not ex­pos'd to those great Dangers and Tem­tations with those above me, which would most likely have overpower'd me, and lifted me up against thee, my kind Benefactor; since I am so little able at this distance from them, to repress and conquer this proud Heart of mine. Do thou, O my Father, break it: do what thou wilt, so it be broken and humbled, and fit to receive Thee, my Love, my Light and my Ioy. O let me ever chear­fully submit to thy Dispensation, and never call that hard, which Thou think­est best for calling me to Thee.’

§. III. Thirdly, As soon as the Heart of Man was turn'd away from God by Pride, there presently crept into it a slothful Disposition, strongly inclining it to the love of Ease and sensible Pleasure. Now it being no less necessary to mortify this, than the former: God who is wise, [Page 17] and good, and just in all his Institutions, ordain'd Labor for Man, that by the mor­tification of his Sloath, Ease and Pleasure, he might be brought to have a due value for what he had lost; and to labour after that Rest and Delight, that are only capable to satisfie a Creature of Original so noble, and of Desires so boundless. The Mischiefs that Sloath and Ease bring both to Soul and Body, are so very Many, and so very Great, as but to hint at them, would take up a large Discourse; of which I doubt not but thy own Experience may afford plenty of miserable Instances e­nough. As if it were indeed true in the most literal sense; That the Working and Industrious Person is exposed only to one, but the Lazy and the Sloathful to all the Devils in Hell. Nor are those which proceed from the Pleasures of the Body either fewer, or less considerable. Thou may'st be certain of this, that thou hast not made the least step to true Happiness, unless thou art fully convinced that thou art not otherwise capable to relish those noble and exalted Pleasures of the Spirit, which thy good Father invites thee to partake of, than according to the measure that thou art withdrawn from those mean and ignoble ones of the Flesh. Tell me therefore, O my Friend, hast thou not reason to thank this kind Father of thine, [Page 18] that he hath put thee in a State, in which thou hast so much less to do toward the subduing, and bringing under the Body to the Spirit, than many others of his Children. Let me tell thee, thou art in­sensible, if thou dost not bless him: I hope thou dost with all thy Heart: But if (which God forbid) thou dost hanker af­ter the Onions and Garlick of Egypt; then I would have thee e'en fairly set down, and never expect to enter the Promis'd Land, flowing with Milk and Hony. Well, but I will hope better things, as that thou wilt endeavor with all thy might to destroy this silly hankering, and so fit thy self for an Admission to those pure De­lights, that are prepared for refined Souls.

§. IV. Fourthly, As Man, who in his Original State was but a little lower than the Angels, and stood not in need of any thing, having all his desires abundantly satisfied, as long as they stood, in the first place, directed toward God; became through sin, a poor and needy Creature: This God in his Wisdom and Goodness, thought fit to appoint a Rule, whereby to releive the Poverty, and succor the needs of this miserable Creature, and thereby bring him back to Himself. Thou oughtest therefore to remember, O Man, that in Conformity to this Rule, thou art obli­ged not only to exercise an Act of Charity [Page 19] toward thy Own self, by seeking to pre­serve thy Life, for the sake and love of God, and out of a sense of his righteous Law; but also for the same love of God, to work for those of thy Friends and Re­lations, that are not able to work them­selves, or who cannot sufficiently pro­vide for their Necessities. But if thou dost this in the first place for thy own, or for their sake, be not so miserably de­ceiv'd, as to think thy self a Christian: without this Charity; a dead Corps is al­together as much a Man, as thou art a Christian. Believe me, this Selfish Love is the very Root and Principle of Hell Within thee; and only so far as thou mor­tifiest and killest this, canst thou be said to have any Life with respect to God, or to enjoy any share of the Divine Image and Life, which is the sole Root and Principle of Everlasting Ioy. Think, my dear Friend, what manner of Charity it is, which I thus commend to thee, as the Office of thy Labour, and as what will most certainly be requir'd at thy hands.

§. V. Fifthly, As Man, who in his Primi­tive State of Innocence, was not only ex­empted from all Need, but also freed from every Violence and Grief, so that it was not possible for any thing without him, to dis­compose or disorder him in the least, or to bring to him but never so litle sorrow [Page 20] or pain; became thro' Sin not only a Poor and Indigent, but also an Afflicted and Calamitous Creature, expos'd to the rude Attaques of every thing Without him: the most wise and Merciful God, was gra­ciously pleas'd to appoint a Rule for his Rebellious Child, whereby he might be taught by suffering, in some small mea­sure, the sad effects of his Crime, to re­member the State whence he is fall'n, to reflect on the most ugly loathsomness of Sin, to consider and put to heart its wo­ful and dire attendance; and so leaving the husks and the draff of impure Swine, to return to Him, whom he had other­wise forgotten, who will not fail to em­brace, and entertain with the most Affe­ctionate Expressions of his Love; This Son that was dead, and is alive again; that was lost, and is found. Luk. c. XV. v. 32. Consider this End of thy Labour, and be wise: Consider betimes. There is not a Maxim, that I can find, of greater Truth, or more worthy of the most serious con­sideration of every one, than this, That All things faln into a corruptible state, are to be restored, and perfected by suffering. Think, and think again on this; for 'tis a Truth as of great Evidence, so of great Extent: 'tis that in which even the most profound Philosophers, and the most learned Divines may lose themselves: [Page 21] And yet this is that which thou mayest easily reach, and I hope thou dost render familiar to thy self. Canst thou com­plain that God has plac'd thee in the School of Patience: many righteous Souls have rejoiced for this same. Be of good courage, I say; never repine at a little hardship, but rather thank thy good God for taking such a Method to cure thee, and draw thee to Himself. As well may a Body, that has all its Limbs disjointed, or broken into splinters, be set aright a­gain, and be made as sound as at first without pain; or one that groans under the most heavy and tormenting pangs of the most cruel Distemper, or has his sen­ses numm'd, or his Faculties doz'd in a cold and clammy sleep, be restored to his perfect Strength and Health, without bearing or feeling any thing: as a Soul that is put into disorder, and, as it were, disjointed thro' Folly, or sick and diseas'd thro' Sin, be restored to its perfect sound­ness, that refuses to endure any Pain in a change which is so much more considerable. Nothing is more reasonable, just and ne­cessary, than to bear with a bitter Potion, without taking which it's impossible to be ever cured. But dost thou think this a distastful Virtue to suffer in Patience? if thou dost, thou thy self hast made it so: it receives only Bitterness from Sin; [Page 22] but Life and Beauty from God. Which must be acknowledg'd by all, to be very extraordinary and lovely. So much in­deed as in this one syllable, Bear, is con­tain'd no less than one half of the no­blest Philosophy that ever enrich'd Mankind; and I am much mistaken if it make a less figure, in the Religion of a Suffering Saviour.

§. VI. Sixthly, Had Man, who thro' Sin was become an Afflicted and Calamitous Creature, and was therefore by God in­structed in the Lesson of Patience, which he was directed to learn from hard La­bour, and from the Curse on the Earth; been hereby exposed to such Pains on­ly, as did necessarily spring from the Dis­order of the World, perhaps it would have been no such hard matter to a strong Constitution to have born them. But to ly open to all the Injuries and hard usages of those of our kind, who are as bad, or worse than our selves; this seems to be a task of far greater difficulty, and yet of no less necessity: Wherefore the most wise and just God instituted and commanded the Exercise of Bodily La­bour for this farther end, that the Passi­ons being not pamper'd by Luxury or Ease, Man might be able by such a pain­ful subduing them, not to take any notice of those many Causes of Anger and [Page 23] Distast, that continually offer them­selves, but wholly to surrender himself to the Righteous Iudge of the World; make­ing his Breast a Sanctuary of Peace, while both his Body and his Mind are so em­ploy'd for him, that he has not while to be disturb'd, or concern'd with the Dis­orders or Follies of other people. There are not lacking Examples of more than a few, who to learn this Excellent Virtue, have chosen to submit themselves to ser­vile Offices and base Emploiments, from which by their Estates they have been ex­emted. Is this which was in them a Con­descension, in thee a Necessity? Consider whether it be not easier for thee, than for them; and whether thou hast not a greater Obligation, by such a Mastery over thy self, to obtain that blessed Meek­ness of Spirit, which will make thee to triumph over all the Injuries and Indig­nities, that is in the power of Man to offer; prepare for thee perpetual Victories; fit thee for the Temple of the Holy Ghost; and make thee able to enjoy, notwith­standing all Disturbances, the Blessings of the Heaven above, and of the Earth be­neath. Whereas the Passionate and Rageful are utterly uncapable of enjoying either: but Blessed are the Meek, for they shall in­herit the Earth; and pass from this Inhe­ritance to a better, into which our ever [Page 24] Blessed Fore-runner is thro' Meekness and Long-suffering arriv'd, and Set down at the right hand of God, giving us an Ex­ample, that we might follow his Steps; and find Rest unto our Souls. Matth. XI.29.

§. VII. The proud heart of Man is natu­rally carry'd to murmur and repine, if it meet with any Uneasiness; hankers after Greatness and Ease; greedily seeks for Riches, and envies them in another; all which being Dispositions directly con­trary to that Serenity and Sobriety of Mind, which is absolutely necessary, to make it capable of any real Happiness; it pleas'd our good God to impose a Rule and Task on our Corrupted Nature, where­by having daily Occasions, we might learn that most pleasant Virtue Contentment; and drive out, and overcome all those tor­turing Furies that are lodg'd in a Mur­muring, Ambitious, Covetous or Envious Breast. Canst thou look on these with any Satisfaction? Surely thou canst not. Tell me, O Christian, dost thou not think that the Wise Man had reason to say, Better is a bit of Bread with Content, than a fatted Ox with strife. Wherefore now let thy Conversation, thy Disposition and Temper of Mind, be without Covetousness, and be content which such things as thou hast; be fully satisfied with what ever God at present allows thee: for as he said [Page 25] to Ioshua, Iosh. c. I. v. 5. so says he now to thee, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: Only be thou strong, and of a good courage; and so mayest thou tho' poor and needy, tho' persecuted, afflicted, and tormented, with the Saints of Old, boldly say, The Lord is my helper; yea, in God have I put my trust, and I will not fear what Flesh shall do unto me, Psal. LVI. v. 11. Heb. c. XIII. v. 5, 6. For by this shalt thou be able to get advantage over Poverty, Affliction, Sickness, nay even Death it self, with all kind of Casual­ties to which thou art expos'd by reason of thy frail Condition. Be assured that Godliness with Contentment is great gain: and remember how they that Will be rich, that set their Minds, which are design'd for a far Nobler End, on the get­ting of riches, fall into Temtation and a Snare, and into many foolish lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Tim. VI. 6, 9.

§. VIII. Lastly, Labour was ordain'd for Man, that he seeing himself bound to work, that he might provide food and raiment for his Body, should be thereby admonish'd to labour with all his might after that Divine. Grace, with which he has most need to feed and clothe his Soul; and not expect to be translated hence in­to the pure and holy Mansions of Heaven, [Page 26] by an unresistible sort of Grace, whether he will or no. I hope rather, my Friend, that thou thinkest no Labour too great for thee, to save thee from the sad lot of the Slothful and unprofitable servant, which is to be cast into utter darkness. Give then all diligence, gird up the loyns of thy Mind, be sober and hope to the end. Labour not for (set not thy Heart upon) the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth to everlasting Life, Iohn VI. v. 27. and so by patient continuance in well-doing, thinking it thy Meat and thy Drink to do the Will of thy Heavenly Fa­ther, Seek for Glory, and Honour, and Im­mortality.

Whosoever labours after this manner, performs in it the best and divinest of all External Worships, whose end is to draw the Soul by sensible Means nearer to God. But whosoever in his Labour neglects these Considerations, doth certainly work like a Beast. Nay, if thou workest with­out thinking on God, or his Institution, thou art in truth the greater Beast of the two. Whoever labours for the Ends of Pleasure, Vanity, or Covetousness, and who is busy'd about hurtful or wicked Emploi­ments, such an one cannot in any wise be said to labour as the Child of God: therefore be not deceiv'd, for many are hereby, (wholly forgetting its primitive [Page 27] Institution,) become the slaves of the De­vil. And this, I suppose, thou thinkest the lowest degrading of thy self that is possible.

There is indeed no Estate of Perfection so sublime, that Humane Nature is capable of, to which one may not arrive by La­bour, directed according to the Designs of God. This is that in which the Holy Pa­triarchs of old, while they had hardly any other Ceremonies, or External Worship, than this appointed, became the Friends of God; and were advanced to a near Commu­nication with Him on Earth. It was by this Exercise for about the first fourty years of his Life, that Moses arriv'd to that excellent pitch of Obedience, Sub­mission and Humility, refusing to be call'd the Son of Pharaoh 's Daughter; of Mor­tification, Charity and Patience, chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Of Meekness, Contentedness, and the highest inward Recollection and Wis­dom, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, Heb. XI. 24, 25, 26. who thereby spoke to God face to face, and received from him this Testimony, I know thee by Name, and thou hast found Grace in my sight, Exo. xxxiii. 12. Nay, a Greater than Moses, even Our Blessed Lord himself, chose no other [Page 28] Exercise than this, in the time of his Humiliation; while he grew in Wisdom and in favour with God and Men, before his Public Manifestation to the World. He submitted himself to work at an ordi­nary and laborious Trade, to earn his own Victuals, and disdain'd not to serve his Neighbours that had any use of him, in such low manual Offices for the greatest part of his Life, and to assist the Necessi­ties of his Family. And what art thou proud Worm, that canst despise, or repine at that, which thy Master and thy Re­deemer underwent for the sake of thee? Dost thou not think that He hereby de­sign'd to leave thee such a Pattern of Hu­mility, as might be able to bring down thy haughty Stomach; and might instruct thee how Corporal Labour is not any Hin­drance in, but may it self be made a most acceptable Worship to God? To this purpose, it is said of a late Eminent Scholar, that after a most learn'd and ex­cellent Defence of the Truth of the Chri­stian Religion, and an Elaborate Comment on the whole Bible, as well as many other fam'd Pieces, in Divinity, Law, History, and other Sciences, which advanc'd him to several Public Embassies, and the greatest Honours; this Illustrious Person after all, concluded his Life, with this Protestation, That He would give all his [Page 29] Learning and Honour, for the plain Inte­grity and harmless Innocency of John Vrick; who was a poor Man that, divi­ding the Day into three parts, spent eight hours of it in Labour, eight in the Necessaries of Life, and the other eight in Reading and Prayer. For

There is this further plain Advantage of Bodily Labour to be consider'd, that it requires not so great a measure of Abili­ties and Grace, as doth the Spiritual. Study, or Spiritual Labour, is indeed a great Labour: so very great, as none can conceive, but such as have felt it; and requires doubtless much larger Abilities, more and different Talents, and greater Graces, than what are requir'd toward that of the Body, that it be exercised as it ought. The Miscarriages of this are not only greater, but easier too; for Know­ledge puffeth up, and without the greatest care and caution that is possible, this sort of Labour will feed the Pride and Vanity, and nourish the Passion of the diseased Mind: Whereas the other, as we have seen, is more fitted to produce those so needful Qualifications of Humility, Mor­tification, and Meekness.

Thus have I endeavour'd to teach thee, in short, how thou oughtest to look Al­ways on thy Labour, as the Effect and Punishment of thy Sin; to remember that [Page 30] thou must never expect to be sav'd, un­less thou be content to tast its evil; be sincerely thankful, for that it is no hea­vier; be resolv'd, by a wise and chearful Submission unto thy share of the Cross, to seek for those things that are Above, and to balk at no difficulty, that so thou maist but at last enter into the Rest of the Lord: Nor is this all, for thou hast here both a Warning, and a Method, how thou maist even sweeten all its Bitterness, turning it into a most acceptable piece of Service to thy most kind Creator and Benefactor; by directing it according to his Designs, and learning thence those most necessary Graces of Obedience, Humility and In­dustry; of Temperance, Charity, and Pa­tience; of Meekness, Contentedness, and even the highest pitch of Spiritual Re­collection, and Conversation with Him, that thy Nature is capable of on this side Heaven. And is this such a mean or piti­ful estate, that thou canst in the least envy that of those, who by being the Lumber of this World, make themselves Fuel for a worse? No, I am perswaded thou canst not. Methinks, I hear thee make this Answer, I will not hereafter account any Estate too mean, or any Labour too hard, which is capable of compassing such glo­rious Ends; No Toil can be too great, which draws me nearer to my God: No [Page 31] Condition too low, which lifts me thus high. Well, then suppose (what is at this time the lot of so many Christians, better every way than thee,) that thou werst a slave chain'd to an Oar; or werst condemn'd to some dark Mine, there to be depriv'd of all the Light and Enjoi­ment of this World; could'st thou by such Acts as these set thy self free, and no more than exchange a few paltry and fading, for great and constant Delights? Examine thy Heart seriously, what in such a case thou would'st do. If thou could'st do so, then hast thou truly learnt Christ: but if not, I can never flatter thee, to tell thee, that thou art a Mem­ber of Christ, or a Child of God. But per­haps thou wilt say, This is afar off from me: God be thank'd, there's little danger yet of my falling into such a state. Well, but however, I advise thee, as thou lovest thy self, not to put it far from thee, but to make it by all manner of ways fami­liar to thee; that so thou may'st not be unprovided against any disposal of Pro­vidence. But if, dear Christian and Coun­tryman, the Lot be fallen to thee in a better Ground, consider what reason thou hast to thank thy good God, for laying so little upon thee, in comparison of what the poorer sort in most other Nations do bear: And forget not to offer up thy [Page 32] prayers to their Father and thine, even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, that he would be pleas'd to support them with his Spirit, under their most heavy Op­pression, and also enable thee to undergo it couragiously, if he should call thee to drink with them of the same bitter Cup. No­thing else now remains, but that after such a Prospect of Labour; as renders it both the Natural Punishment for Sin, and an Acceptable Act of Worship to God; which in the Bowels of Mercy I intreat thee, dear Christian, not to for­get; I shew in the last place, to the end I may make what I have said for thy sake, the more Useful, how thou may'st draw Hence such proper Exercises of Re­ligion, as are aforemention'd.

I. IN the first place therefore, if thou hast any sense, as I hope thou hast a great one of what thou hast hitherto read, (which God grant may never be brought into Judgment against thee,) I am fully sa­tisfied that thou wilt presently, without any longer put-offs or delays, resolve and purpose to convert thy Work into a Ser­vice of God, and so Worship Him, in all the Designs of this His most ancient Esta­blishment, for the rest of thy Life. And especially thou wilt be to much the more earnest in this, if it appear that thou hast dishonour'd Him heretofore, by that where­in [Page 33] thou oughtest only to have consider'd thy own Baseness, and His Honour. If hitherto thou hast mistaken its Ends, thou wilt be truly glad that thou art now at last undeceiv'd, and wilt labour more dili­gently for the time to come, to keep them constantly in thy view: And if thine Heart accuse thee for having ever turn'd it into a Worship of the Devil, and of thy Lusts, thine Heart will also admonish thee to Consecrate it now, for ever here­after, to God, according to his Blessed Institution, and will the more powerfully press thee to do this Effectually and wholly, not faintly, or partially; by vigorously stirring thee up to begin with as much So­lemnity, and Particularness, as either Thy self, or the Matter is capable of, thereby to make the Impression the deeper and more lasting. Place then thy self in the presence of God, reflect seriously on thy past Estate, and that which by his Grace thou art invited to enter into, and when, after having minutely and impar­tially weigh'd the Advantages, or Disad­vantages of both, thou art fully Resolv'd; then with the most ardent Affection, and Resentment that is possible, declare this thy Resolution and Purpose: Which thou may'st do in the manner following. But first meditate upon, and consider it a while: Then upon thy bended Knees, [Page 34] from the bottom of thy Heart say,

IN the Name of God. Amen. I A. B. resolve henceforward never more to Labour again as the Horse and the Mule without Understanding, but constantly to look on, and resolvedly to embrace that State of Labour to which I am by my good God appointed, as a Chastisement for my Rebellion against, and a Mean to reduce me back to that Loyalty and Al­legeance which is due to his Divine Ma­jesty. I will evermore detest and abhor, as I do now most sincerely, from the bot­tom of my Heart, detest and abhor; in the Sight of God and of all the Court of Heaven, Sin, which is its accursed Cause; I will quietly, nay thankfully undergo it, for that it is no greater; and will study to make it serve all those good and wise Ends, of which it is capable: I will La­bour to be perfectly obedient to all the Commands of my God; I will humble my self before Him as low as I can, because it is not possible as low as I deserve; I will strive to the utmost to be as diligent and industrious in my Calling, as sober and temperate in the government of my Sen­ses, as charitable and assisting towards my Neighbours and Friends; as patient under all hardship and pain; as meek under eve­ry harsh usage, and injurious insultings [Page 35] from my Fellow-creature; as contented and chearful in the meanness of my Con­dition; and lastly, as far remov'd from the World, and as nearly united to God, as either He hereby designs and invites me to be, or as I have need of: For as much as I am assur'd that He cannot deny me any Assistance of his Holy Spirit, which I beg through the Merits of his only be­gotten Son, my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Amen.

II. Next, after this Protestation made, and Resolution declar'd as in the presence of God, and of the whole Court of Hea­ven, that it may become Effectual in thy Life, thou art to keep every Branch of it in thy Mind, and to secure the same in thine Heart by fervent and faithful Prayer: For this purpose, after I have directed thee, how to form in thy Spirit a General Abhorrence of Sin, and to ex­press thy Acknowledgments to God for his wonderful Goodness; I will teach thee on all occasions, according as thy needs shall direct, to call down the Divine Assistance, to enable thee in the performance of every part. But before all things, it's necessary that thou beg it of thy Heavenly Father, that there may be imprinted on thee a just Detestation and Abhorrence of all manner of Sin, the fruitful Mother of thy Misery. To which end, say,

[Page 36]ALmighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, I beseech thee, that I may have that due sense as well of Thine infinite Purity and Happi­ness, as of mine own Deformity and Misery, that I may abhor my self in dust and ashes before Thee; and while I eat my Bread in the Sweat of my brow, may ne­ver forget to detest and fly that Monster, which has laid this Yoak on my shoulders, that I may confess to Thee my strange Vileness and Folly, and feeling thus in part the bitter Effect of Sin, may not only detest and confess, but be also ever ready to satisfy any Condition that will release me from its accursed slavery, for the Love and thro' the Merits of Him, who sub­mitted himself to bear so large a share, that mine might be no more, even thy most glorious and most adorable Son, my only Redeemer and Mediator Iesus Christ.

Then in the deepest Humility of thy Soul, address thy self to the most Merci­ful God in the following, or like Form of Thanksgiving.

ALmighty God, Father of all Mercies, I thine unworthy servant, do give Thee most humble and hearty thanks, for thy great goodness and loving kind­ness towards me, in that thou didst not only send Thy only begotten Son to deli­ver [Page 37] me from the Bondage of Sin and Death, and so restore me to the Influen­ces of thy Favour, which are Light and Ioy everlasting, by suffering together with me what I had brought upon my self; but didst also make the Burthen for me so easy, and the Chastisement so light, as I can wish it in Prudence neither ea­sier, nor lighter. But especially I bless thee, O heavenly Father, for that thou wert pleas'd even to turn this remaining Effect of Sin, thro' the Efficacious Me­diation of this same dearly beloved Son, into a most powerful Remedy against it, that it may be to me, if I please, the pro­per Instrument of my Happiness, thro' the same Iesus Christ; to whom with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, world without end. Amen.

Now in nothing more fitly canst thou shew thy Abhorrence of Sin, or Thankful­ness, than by carefully watching thy Soul, and on all occasions, as thou either find'st thy self inwardly mov'd to some particu­lar Exercise, or assaulted by any Temta­tion, strengthening thy self by Supplica­tion to thy Heavenly Father, for such Graces, as thou standest most in need of, who when thou askest Bread, will not re­fuse it thee, or give thee a Stone in its stead. Wherefore Ask, and it shall be given: Seek, and thou shalt find.