employment.

He, indeed, who will sleep when he should work, and perhaps drink when
he should sleep, turns nature bottom upwards, inverts the appointment of
providence, and must account to himself, and afterwards to a higher
judge, for the neglect.

The devil--if it be the devil that tempts, for I would not wrong Satan
himself--plays our duties often one against another; and to bring us, if
possible, into confusion in our conduct, subtly throws religion out of
its place, to put it in our way, and to urge us to a breach of what we
ought to do: besides this subtle tempter--for, as above, I won't charge
it all upon the devil--we have a great hand in it ourselves; but let it
be who it will, I say, this subtle tempter hurries the well-meaning
tradesman to act in all manner of irregularity, that he may confound
religion and business, and in the end may destroy both.

When the tradesman well inclined rises early in the morning, and is
moved, as in duty to his Maker he ought, to pay his morning vows to him
either in his closet, or at the church, where he hears the six o'clock
bell ring to call his neighbours to the same duty--then the secret hint
comes across his happy intention, that he must go to such or such a
place, that he may be back time enough for such other business as has
been appointed over-night, and both perhaps may be both lawful and
necessary; so his diligence oppresses his religion, and away he runs to
transact his business, and neglects his morning sacrifice to his Maker.

On the other hand, and at another time, being in his shop, or his
counting-house, or warehouse, a vast throng of business upon his hands,
and the world in his head, when it is highly his duty to attend it, and