DISCOURSE XXII.

An Homily against Idleness.

2 THESSALONIANS, chap. iii. verfe 10.

For when we were with you, this we commanded you that if any would not work neither fhould they eat.

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E have abundant reafon, and authority to affure us, that man was not created for floth and cafe in this life; but, on the contrary, to fupport himself by his industry and labor. But by the depravity of his nature (through fin) he is become fo changed and degenerated, that he now looks upon idlenefs as no evil, but rather a defireable thing, and efpecially becoming those who are rich. And, indeed, it is by most men too much confidered as a degree of happiness, in that it is friendly to the purfuits of vain pleafures, and fenfual appetites, and affections. On the other hand, clofe employment, or labor, is esteemed as a painful thing, and interfering with the pleasures of fenfe, In order, therefore, to fhew you the great error of fuch notions, it will be proper to prove, VOL. II. that,

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that, by the appointment of God, and in confequence of the nature which map inherits, it is pofitively incumbent on every one to use the utmoft diligence, care, and labor, in that particular profeffion, calling, or fituation, in which it has pleafed God to place him. And that, confequently, as idleness is a pofitive contradiction of fuch a commandment, or law of nature, it is in itself a weighty fin; and it being as unavoidably attended with many inconveniences, and mifchiefs, it must likewise be confidered as a manifeft, and serious evil. Now, when this truth is clearly underftood, you will readily perceive, that the defign of this difcourfe is to caution you against fuffering by this evil; and, on the contrary, that every man fhould carneftly apply himself to a diligent dif charge of the bufinefs of his profeffion, or to honeft labor in his particular trade, or calling. And to encourage every one fo to do, we may rest affured, that what may be proved to be God's will and appointment, muft ever be attended with his bleffing, and abundant advantages to mankind.

We read that after the Almighty had created man, he put him into the garden of Eden to drefs it and to keep it, Gen. iii. 15. Hence we may conclude, that he was not formed, even at first, to live in a state of floth and inactivity. But when he had tranfgreffed God's commandment, by eating of the fruit of the tree which was forbidden him, God immediately removed him from that delightful paradife, into this vexatious vale of mifery, which was curfed and changed for his fake: and hence it became more neceffary, that he' fhould exert his ftrength and industry, for the joint conveniences of health and fupport. Accordingly God fent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken, and to eat his bread in the fweat of his face, all the days of his life. It is very clear then, that the providence of

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God has defigned that every man who is fent into this mortal and tranfitory life, fhould be engaged in fome honeft profeffion, or induftrious courfe of labor; and that every one 'fhould mind their own bufinefs, and study to be quiet, and conduct themfelves uprightly in their refpective ftations. Man (faith Job) is born to labor. And the wife fon of Sirach alfo exhorteth (Ecclus. vii. 15) not to hate laborious work, neither husbandry, which the Moft High bath ordained. Solomon likewise advises us (Prov. v. 15 to drink the waters of our own ciftern, and the running waters of our own spring. By which wholefome admonitions, we are inftructed in the wisdom and profit of living by our own labors, and not to be idle, and prey as drones upon the industry of others. When St. Paul understood that there were fome among his Theffalonians who lived diffolutely, and diforderly; in other words, who would not work, but were become bufy bodies (which is always the cafe of idle perfons), not laboring for their own bread, but living at free coft, and at their neighbor's expence; he commanded the Theffalonians, not only to withdraw themselves, that is, avoid the company of all fuch unworthy perfons, (as is expreffed in the words of the text.) But, he adds alfo, if there were any among them fo worthless, as not to work for their living, neither Should they eat; that is, he orders that fuch fhould not be relieved, or receive any encouragement to continue as useless members of the community. Now, doubtlefs, this doctrine of the Apostle's is grounded on God's own ordinance, that every man should labor, and, confequently, all men fhould pay refpect to it, and none should make any excufe for difobeying it.

But here a natural diftinction doth obviously prefent itself; for when it is faid, that all men hould labor, this does not ftrictly mean, that all men alike thould fubmit to bodily labor for their

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daily food, but only that there are several kinds or degrees of labor; fome in which the mind is employed, fome exercifed by the body, and others by both. Thus every one (except prevented by age, infirmity, or want of health) ought to exercise himself in fome fort of ftudy, or employment, both to fupply an honeft provifion for his own fupport, and to promote the general good of the community he belongs to, according to that ftation to which it hath pleafed God to call him. So that whofoever contributeth to the benefit of the commonwealth, or that fociety of men of which he is a member, whether it be by his public office or miniftry, or by affifting in the ordinary business of life, by administering counsel to, or teaching and inftructing others; or by whatfoever means his time is well occupied, fo that fome advantage be derived from his employment to mankind; all fuch perfons are not to be looked upon as idle, because they do not actually work with their hands, but are as juftly deferving of a reward for the exertions of their feveral callings, as those who are appointed by Providence to earn their bread by hard labor. In fhort, it would be inconfiftent to require fuch kind of labor of perfons whofe minds are fufficiently employed in other fervices, for the good of their fellow creatures, and themfelves.

As a cenfure and admonition at the fame time against the effects of idleness, St. Paul, in 1 Tim. v. exhorteth his difciple to avoid and refuse those idle widows who go about from boufe to boufe, not only on account of their being idle, but because they are tatlers also, and bufy bodies, fpeaking things that they ought not. And the prophet Ezekiel, xvi. 49, when he numbereth up the fins of the city of Sodom, placeth idleness as the foremoft and chief introduction to all the reft: Her fins, faith he, were pride, luxury of feeding, abundance, and idleness. Thefe fins were of old the

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downfal of Sodom and her daughters (that is, the cities that were fubject to her). Nothing, furely, ought more to alarm us against the fatal confequence of idleness than the horrible example of that city, and all the country round about it, which was vifited with fuch a fingular punishment as fire and brimftone from out of heaven. Nothing, I fay, fhould more engage a people to follow industry than the fear of falling into fuch fins, as may provoke the vengeance of the Almighty upon the whole land.

Now all who give themselves up to floth and idlenefs, or to wilful and wafteful spending the fruit of their labor in loitering about, and in drunkenness and debauchery; all who by their fluggish difpofitions, and evil lives, do bring themfelves at laft to live like drones upon the labors of their neighbors, all fuch do clearly break the commandment of the Lord. They go aftray from the calling he hath appointed them, and are in conftant danger of being visited by God's various and fevere punishments in this life; or, which is ftill more dreadful, of being configned to endless deftruction in the next, unlefs, by hearty repentance, they turn moft truly unto God; and fhew their forrow by the change of their lives and converfation. It would take up a confiderable portion of time, to inftance all the inconveniences, and evils, which affect a man's body as well as his foul, in confequence of yielding to an idle courfe of life. At prefent it will be fufficient to mention fome of them as particularly defcribed in the holy fcriptures: An idle hand (faith Solomon) maketh poor, but a labering hand maketh rich. Again, he that tilleth his land fhall be fatisfied with, or have plenty of, bread; but he who liveth in idleness is a very fool, and he fhall have poverty enough, (xxviii. 19). And, in another place, he faith, The fluggard will not plow by reafon of the cold of the winter, therefore shall be beg