We fee this every Day verified in Men of all Ranks and Conditions, of all Callings and Employments. What a Multitude of Inconveniencies, as to matter of Dealing between Man and Man, doth an intemperate Appetite betray Men to? How filly and foolish is the moft fhrewd Man, when Wine hath gotten into his Head? There is none fo fimple in his Company, but fuppofing him to be fober, and to have Designs upon him, he fhall be able to over-reach him. What a World of Advantages doth the angry Man give to him he deals with, by the Haftinefs and Impatience of his Spirit? How often doth a Man do that in the Fury and Expectancies of Luft, for which when his Ardours are over, he is ready to bite his Nails for very Vexation?

It is thus, more or lefs, with all kind of Vices; they craze a Man's Head, and cast a Mift before his Eyes, and make him often lofe himself in thofe very ways wherein he pretends to be moft skilful: So that it cannot be denied that Virtue is of a fingular Ufe in all Matters wherein we have Occafion to make use of our Reason, and doth fecure us from a multitude of Indifcretions, which without it we should unavoidably commit.

But Secondly, Godliness is also an excellent Means to fecure a Man's Diligence in the Discharge of his Calling and Employment, which is alfo a Matter of very great Confequence, in order to our thriving in the World: For it is the diligent Hand that maketh rich, and the Man that is diligent in his Bufinefs, that fball Stand before Kings; as Solomon tells us.

Now the Obligations that Religion layeth upon us, to be careful in this point, are far ftronger than what can arife from any other respect or confideration whatfoever; for it obligeth us to mind our Business, not only for our own, but for God's Sake: It chargeth the matter upon our Confciences, and reprefents it to us as a Part of that Service we owe to our Creator, upon the due Performance of which, no less than the everlafting Welfare of our Souls doth depend: For it affures us, that he that will call us to account for every idle Word, will much more do fo, for the idle Expence of our Time, and the abuse and not-improvement of thofe Talents that he hath entrufted us with. So that though we had no worldly Inducement to make us diligent in our Callings, though we were fure we should fuffer no Prejudice in our Temporal Affairs by Idleness, and the Neglect of our Business, (the Fear of which yet is the only Principle that puts worldly Men upon Action) neverthelefs we are infinitely concerned, not to be flack or negligent in this Matter, in regard it is a Point that will be fo feverely exacted of us in the other World.

I know but one Objection that can be made against this Difcourfe, and it is this, That what Engagement foever, Religion lays upon us to the careful fpending of our Time, yet its own Exercifes, Prayer, and Reading, and Meditation, take up fo great a Portion of it, which might be spent in the Works of our ordinary Employment, that in effect it rather

hinders

hinders our Attendance on our Business than promotes it. But to this it is easily answered, That there is no Man fo engaged in the World, but may, if he pleafe, make both his Business and his Devotions confift, together without prejudicing of either,

They have very falfe Apprehenfions of Religion, that think it obliges us to be always upon our Knees, or always poring upon fone good Book: No, we do as truly ferve God, and perform Acts of Religion, when we labour honeftly in our Vocation, as when we go to Church, or fay our Prayers.

It is true, indeed, we ought to have our Hearts in Heaven as much as is poffible, and to that end, we ought to pray continually; but what hinders, but we may do this in the midst of our Bufinefs? There is no Employment doth fo entirely engrofs a Man's Mind, but he may find Leifure, if he please, many times a Day, to entertain good Thoughts, to quicken and re-inforee his Purposes, to caft up a fhort Prayer, or a Wish to God Almighty. And this I dare fay, for your Encouragement, that fuch a devout Frame of Heart, fuch frequent and fudden Dartings of your Souls to God, while you are at your Bufinefs, will be fo far from hindring or distracting you in it, that they will make you go about it with much more Vigour and Alacrity.

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But farther, I would ask any Man that makes the forefaid Objection, fuppofing Religion ten times more expenfive of our Time than really it is, yet whether Vice and Sin

be

be not much more fo, than it would be. What a multitude of idle Avocations from, and Interruptions in our Business doth that daily occafion unto Men; What a Number of impertinent Difcourfes, unprofitable Vifits, needless Points of Gallantry, long Diverfions by Drink, and Play, and Company; not to mention a great many other Debauches, doth it frequently engage Men in? And yet these we count no Hindrance to our Bufinefs; these we complain not of: but to spend a Quarter of that Time in fome devout Exercife, This is intolerable, it wastes too much of our Time, our Occafions will not permit it. Such partial and unjust Eftimators of Things are we. But I proceed;

In the Third Place then, as for Frugality and good Husbandry, which is another neceffary Requifite for the getting of Wealth. Religion is unquestionably the best Mistress of it in the World; for it retrencheth all the Exorbitances and Wantoneffes of our Defires, which are the Things that pick the Money out of our Purses, and teacheth us to live after the Measures of Nature, which every Body knows are little, and cheap. It perfectly cuts off all thofe idle Expences with which the Estates of other Men ftand almoft continually charged. The Modesty of it cloaths us at a mall rate; and its Temperance fpreads for us, though a neat, yet a frugal Table. The Attendance it requires on our Bufinefs, will not allow us to embezel our Money in Drinking or Gaming: Nor will that Purity which is infeparable from it, ever let us know what the vaft and finking

finking Expences of Lewdnefs and Uncleannefs are. In a Word, it is Vice only that is the chargeable thing; it is only Shame and Repentance that Men buy at fuch coftly Rates. Godlinefs is faving and full of good Husbandry;' nor has it any known or unknown Ways of fpending, except it be thofe of Charity, which indeed, in proper fpeaking, are not fo much Expence, as Ufury; for Money fo laid out, doth always, even in this Life, return to us with Advantage.

The Fourth and laft Means I mentioned of Thriving in the World, was the keeping a good Correfpondence with all thofe, in whose Power it is to binder or promote our Affairs. This every Body knows to be a prime Point in Policy and indeed it is of a large Extent, and of continual Ufe. No Man can be fuppofed fo independent on others, but that as he is fome way beholden to them for all that he has, fo he stands in need of their Help and Concurrence for all that he hopes for. Men do not make their Fortunes of themselves, nor grow rich by having Treafures dropped in their Laps; but they do it by the Benefit of Human Society, by the mutual Affiftances and good Offices that one Man performs for another. So that whoever intends to thrive in the World, it above all Things imports him fo to carry himself towards all that he hath any Commerce with, fo far to fecure their Favour and Good-will, that they may be obliged not to deny him any of thofe Affiftances, which the Exigency of his Affairs calls

for