prosper the labour of my hands, that I may have enough to feed me and clothe me, and to give to the poor. Mend all that is amiss in me, and expect from me according to the measure thou hast given me. Forgive me all my sins, and make me willing to please thee; that, living a good life, I may make a gracious death, and so at last I may come to heaven, and live for ever, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen. THE SLOTHFUL MAN. His Slumber. Он, what a world of curses the eating of the forbidden fruit hath brought upon mankind, and unavoidably entailed upon the sons of men! Among all which, no one appears to me more terrible and full of sorrow, and betraying greater wrath, than that insufferable, that horrible punishment of labour; and to purchase bread with so extreme a price as sweat. But oh! what hap, what happiness have they, whose dying parents have procured a quiet fortune for their unmolested children, and conveyed descend, ing rents to their succeeding heirswhose easy and contented lives may sit and suck the sweetness of their cumberless estates, and with their folded hands enjoy the delicacies of this toilsome world! How blessed, how delicious are those easy morsels, that can find their way to my soft palate, and then attend upon the wanton leisure of my silken slumbers, without the painful practice of my bosom-folded hands, or sad contrivement of my studious and contracted brows! Why should I tire my tender youth, and torture out my groaning days, in toil and travail-and discompose . the happy peace of my harmonious thoughts with painful grinding in the common mill of dull mortality? Why should I rob my craving eyelids of their delightful rest, to cark and care and purvey for that bread which every workabhorring vagabond can find of alms at every good man's door? Why should I leave the warm protection of my carebeguiling down, to play, the droyling drudge for daily food-when the young empty ravens (that have no hands to work, nor providence, but Heaven) can call and be supplied? The pale-faced lily, and the blushing rose, neither spin nor sow; yet princely Solomon was. never robed with so much glory. And shall I then afflict my body, and beslave my heaven-born soul, to purchase rags to clothe my nakedness? Is my condition worse than sheep, ordained for slaughter, that crop the springing grass, clothed warm in soft arrayment, purchased without their providence or pains? Or shall the pampered beast that shines with fatness, and grows wanton through his careful groom's indulgence, find better measure at the world's too partial hands than I? Come, come, let those take pains that love to leave their names enrolled in memorable monuments of parchment: the day has grief enough without my help; and let tomorrow's shoulders bear to-morrow's burdens. BUT stay, my soul, oh, stay thy rash resolves! Take heed, whilst thou avoid the punishment of sin, labour-thou meet not the reward of idleness, a judg ment. Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her, and in her daughters; neither did she F 4 strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Exod. xvi. 49. Go to the pismire, O sluggard; behold her ways, and be wise. For she having no guide, governor, nor ruler, prepareth her meat in summer, and gathereth her food in harvest. Prov. xix. 15. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. Eccles. x. 18. By much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands, the house droppeth through. His Soliloquy. How presumptuously hast thou, my soul, transgressed the express commandment of thy God! How hast thou dashed thyself against his judgments! How hath thy undeserving hand usurped thy diet, |