Members of the Kingdom wherein we live, and are to regard the common good of our Country more than our own private Intereft. But where are they that do fo? 'Tis well that we have a common Intereft in the whole Body, fo that we can have little affurance, that we can quietly enjoy our own Eftates, if the Nation wherein we live continue not in Peace. It is for our own fakes that the Kingdom, and sometimes the Church and Religion fare the better, and are taken care of, so far at least, as our own Estates are concern'd in their fafety. But in other Cafes, where we can enjoy our wealth to our felves, without taking care of the Publick; we fhew it plainly, that we little regard the latter in comparifon of the former. When we pay Tribute and Cuftom, to whom we know that by the fpecial Command of our great Mafter they are due, do we it freely and cheerfully, or any farther than we are conftrain'd to it? Contribute we according to our Abilities, towards the upholding of the Government, and fecuring of the Peace and Tranquility of our Country? Or fhuffle we not all we can, and ufe all Arts to lay the Load on other Men's Shoulders? How forward are we in Acts of Juftice, in punctually paying all our Debts, and making Satisfaction for Injuries? The Estates of Lawyers are a good witness against us, who by being a Law to our felves, as reafon commands us in these things, might bring them to a competence both of Eftate and Honesty. How we difpofe of our Master's Goods in Acts of Charity, the abundance of poor and needy People unprovided for, witneffeth to our fhame. And whilft thefe, and many more neceffary Duties of the Stewards of God are neglected by us, How How many flothful Servants, or bufy only in their own Bufinefs, and not their Mafter's, are burying all in the Earth, or in the Cheft, it matters not which, no Body knows for whom, or for what? How many, laftly, who have but a fmall Portion, yet enough with good Husbandry, or in an induftrious Hand, make no improvement of it as they might and ought to do; but through Idlenefs and Sloth, Negligence and Improvidence; Profufenefs and expensive ways above their Ability, reduce themselves and Families to Beggery? Thus wafte we (as is too apparent to all the World this fort of Goods whereof we are Stewards. In the next place, let us fee if we be more faithful to God, or wife for our felves, in the well management of the Goods which we have within our felves. What good ufe do we generally make of our bodily health, and ftrength? Do we indeed bestow them on God, our Neighbours, and our felves, as we ought to do? The more healthful, and able we are, do we take fo much more pains in the worshipping of God,, and labouring to gain him Servants; in going about, as our bleffed Saviour did, doing good; in the Service of our King, and our Country, in preferving the Life and Goods of our Neighbours when there is need of our help; in labouring for our felves and ourFamilies, and all to have that we may give to him that needeth? Or are we not the prouder for them, and glory over others in them, and encourage our felves by them to do more wickedly? Do not we truft fo much to our health and ftrength, that we forget our preparations for Sickness and Death, and venture more boldly on fuch Sins as naturally tend to the im pairing Bait pairing of them, encouraging our selves in all Excefs and Debauchery by the ftrength of our Conftitution, till weaknefs become infenfibly upon us, and we drop down fuddenly through Death into Hell? Is our bodily beauty and comlinefs a remembrancer to us of God's Wifdom and Goodness, and take we Occasion thereby of praifing God, and to have a pure and beautiful Soul in that handfome Cafe? Or do we not make Our Beauty a Motive to Pride and Wantonness in our felves, and a Snare and Bate for Luft in others? Are we not tempted by it to despise and fcorn others, and to grow immodeft and impudent in our Behaviour? Have we not Eyes and Ears for Vanity and Filthinefs, and none for the contemplation of God's wonderful Works, nor for the reading and hearing of his VVord? Have we not Tongues for idle and vain Talk, foolish Jefting and Scurrility, Obfcenity and Profaneness, Slandering, Lying, Reviling, Jearing, Swearing and Curfing, Telling Tales, and Sowing Diffention, and the like Services of the deviling in humouring, and corrupting more the wicked and profane; and no Words wherein to fing forth the Praifes of God, to inftruct our Company in Piety and Vertue, to encourage Goodness, and plead for God and Religion? Have we not Understanding fufficient to be lifted in the number of those who are wife to do evil, but to do good have no Understanding? Have we not contrivance enough for the World, and to bring about our own carnal Ends, to project for our Lufts, to plot Mischief, and carry on our Treacherous Defigns of entrapping and over-reaching our honest Neighbours, and manage our Trades cunningly for our Intereft; yea, to invent Subtle Arguments. againft against Religion and Vertue, and to bring Vice and Profaneness into Repute and Credit? Can we not ftore our felves with a thoufand Excufes for any Wickednefs, and Shifts to fhuffle off Duty? Cannot we remember Trifles and ridiculous Toys, Lies, and ill Reports made of others, yea, and every petty Injury that is done us, fo as to ftudy Revenge, and never to forgive? Have we not a great deal of Wit to fpend upon any good Perfon, or thing that we have a mind to abufe and expofe to the laughter and contempt of Men? And yet how little of any of these have we to ferve God, and our Neighbours with? We have neither Understanding, nor Memory, nor Wit, nor Learning, nor any thing elfe to vindicate the glory of God, nor the honour of Religion, nor the good of Mankind. Nay, how many of us lofe the ufe of all thofe noble Faculties of Soul by not using nor improving of them, through Sloth and Negligence, for want of Learning when we may, and ftudying, meditating and exercising them. Yea, how many by intemperance of all kinds quite befor themselves, and by degrees become very Children and Fools? What unhappy Pains and Troubles do many of us undergo, to weaken and deftroy all the good Parts which God hath given us, even to the deforming firft, and then killing our Bodies; and to the befotting, and then damning of our Souls? And is it not too ealy a thing to obferve all this waste of our inward Goods amongst us at this day? In the third place, when we confider how moft of us use our time, and opportunities, and our many helps and advantages which at any time we have to do good in our Generations, we can not not but wonder and stand amaz'd at our selves, feeing what a prodigious folly and negligence we are guilty of. We all know that we have but a time in this World, and that eternal concerns depend upon the ufe and improvement of this time, and we know not how quickly it will be at an end. And yet, how ftrangely prodigal are we of it, even as if we had no bufinefs of moment to do in it. How little do we beftow of it on that for which it is principally given us, that is, to fit our felves for a bleffed Eternity? How much more of it than is needful do we bestow on things which neceffarily call for a very great fhare of it, that is, about the Provifion for Back and Belly, in Sleep and Rest, and in Recreation? Thefe will have, and are allow'd a very confiderable part of our time; and the Affairs of the World, wherein we must be employ'd for the Publick good, take up almost all the reft. But how much of it do we ufually fteal from fuch useful business, to wafte in idleness and vanity? Our Lufts have got the greatest fhare of all;immoderate Sleep, and lazy loiterings, our Curiofity, Pride and Wantonnefs; our gaming, playing, impertinent Vifits, and vain Goffipings, our Riotings, Revellings and Debaucheries, have almost ingroffed the whole of it to themfelves: Laudable and necessary Businesses have as little of it as we can, and God, and our Souls, have even none at all. By this means all our Opportunities and Advantages are loft, and the happy hour is let flip, which had it been laid hold on, might have been worth an Age to us. Having thus briefly mention'd our waste of time, we will now add but one thing more among the Goods we are now fpeaking of, and that is, the ineftimable |