Apply this parable in the fense our faviour intended it, to religion : and it is very certain, though maný plausible excufes will be alledged, for our idleness in religious duties; yet none of them will be admitted at the last day: and, confidering the early propagation of the gospel in this nation, with the great and glorious rewards it proposes, and the many aids and means of inftruction we have, leaft of all can we pretend that "no man hath hir"ed us."

The general inattention (I will not say averfion) to religion, which iş but too obfervable; will excufe

the

the feverest Arictures upon that fpecies of idlenefs which I am now going to expose, by arguments drawn from the nature of man and the excellency of religion; the fhameful nature of fuch idlenefs; it's contrariety to God's will, and exprefs command, and the prejudicial confequences of it to man's particular and general good.

ift. The inexcufeableness of idle

nefs in religion is fufficiently demonflrable from the nature of man if we confider either his corporal or mental powers and capacities. The very frame of his body, as was long ago observed by a very wife heathen, is fitted for religion; God having given him an erect posture, by which he can with ease furvey the wonders

of the heavenly hoft; hands to stretch forth towards the throne of mercy; and a tongue to utter his high conceptions of the divine goodness, and by different modulations of voice to offer in suitable accents his daily tribute of prayer or praise. So that of all creatures, man only feems to have been defigned by the God of nature for religious purposes; and, upon a ftrict enquiry it will be found, for religious purposes only.

How admirably is the eye adapted to its ufe; by its elevated fituation, globular form, and muscular motion, and a' fingle turn of the body, capable of viewing an hemifphere, darting into unmeafurable regions above us; and from all parts collecting new matter of knowledge, furprize,

furprize, and adoration. And how natural is it in this delightful employment to exclaim with rapture, and how just this exclamation of David; "Lord, how manifold are

thy works! in wisdom haft thou "made them all!"

To fay nothing of the other organs of fenfation, the foul having thus received it's information from the eye, proceeds to compare, and reason upon the objects of vifion; and, ftill inquifitive after further knowledge, by it's inventive power, procures almoft miraculous affistance to the natural organs of the body; and every new discovery is a new topic of wonder and adoration.Even the conscioufness of it's own perfections leads it into a track of I 3 reason

reafonings, ending in the firft-caufe. It claims kindred to God himself, whom it is conftrained to love for his excellent goodness and infinite perfections, and finds it to be it's fupreme delight and greatest happiness to be like him, and to ferve him. The natural biafs of the foul feems to bear towards thefe difquifitions; it is fo active, that it is never weary of them, but ftill defirous of more knowledge; is capable of improving to a degree barely fhort of infinity; and feems to acquire new ftrength from the very exercife of its own faculties and the farther it advances in wisdom, the nearer it approacheth to religion.

2nd. For what elfe is religion, but the love and fear of God, founded

on