he knowledge of Christ and of God; and it was not till they became
rich and idle, and made other people work for them and till their
great estates, that they sank into sin and shame, and became
despised and hated, and at last swept off the face of the land.
Lastly, my friends, if you wish to see how noble a calling Work is,
consider God himself; who, although he is perfect, and does not
need, as we do, the training which comes by work, yet works for ever
with and through his Son, Jesus Christ, who said, 'My Father worketh
hitherto, and I work.' Yes; think of God, who, though he needs
nothing, and therefore need not work to benefit himself, yet does
work, simply because, though he needs nothing, all things need him.
Think of God as a king working for ever for the good of his
subjects, a Father working for ever for the good of his children,
for ever sending forth light and life and happiness to all created
things, and ordering all things in heaven and earth by a providence
so perfect, that not a sparrow falls to the ground without his
knowledge, and the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

And then think of yourselves, called to copy God, each in his
station, and to be fellow-workers with God for the good of each
other and of yourselves. Called to work, because you are made in
God's image, and redeemed to be the children of God. Not like the
brutes, who cannot work, and can therefore never improve themselves,
or the earth around them; but like children of God, whom he has
called to the high honour of subduing and replenishing this earth
which he has given you, and of handing down by your labour blessings
without number to generations yet unborn. And when you go back, one
to his farm, another to his shop, another to his daily labour, say
to yourselves, This, too, as well as my prayers in church, is my
heavenly Father's command; in doing this my daily duty honestly and
well, I can do Christ's will, copy Christ, approve myself to Christ;
single-eyed and single-handed, doing my work as unto God, and not
unto men; and so hear, I may hope at last, Christ's voice saying to
me, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant. I set thee not to
govern kingdoms, to lead senates, to command armies, to preach the
gospel, to build churches, to give large charities, to write learned
books, to do any great work in the eyes of men. I set thee simply
to buy and sell, to plough and reap like a Christian man, and to
bring up thy fam