Christian Directions, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the Duties of our Callings.
EVery one ought to have special regard to the duties of that particular Calling wherein he is placed by Gods Providence; in a conscionable discharge whereof consists the very life and power of religion.
For the more profitable handling of this Branch of Christian watchfulness, viz. over our particular Callings,
1 I shall premise a few things.
2 Give you some directions to help you therein. The things to be premised are these.
I. That every man ought to have a certain Calling, wherein hee may exercise himself to the glory of God, and good of others which will appear from these reasons.
1 It is the Ordinance of God, Gen. 3. 19that in the sweat of his face every man should eat his bread; which words are to bee understood not only as a Curse… but also as a Co…nd; yea Adam in the state of Innocency had a Calling appointed him by God, namely, to dress the Garden.Gen. 2. 15
2 Whosoever hath no Calling whereby hee may bee profitable to Human society,2 Thes. 3. 11 is said to live disorderly, and walk inordinately.
3 Manifold mischiefs and evils are avoyded by following a lawful Calling. For idleness is the cause of many evils, hee that giveth himself up to sloathfulness is a fit subject for the Devil to work upon; yea an idle person is the Devils Shop, there he works, ever busie when men are most idle.
II. That our Calling ought to be honest and lawful; that is, such an one as our labour in it may tend to the glory of God, the good of our neighbour, and the furthering not only of our own temporal, but also of our spiritual welfare.
These things premised, come we now to the Directions.
I. Begin with God, by seeking unto him by Prayer, as for the pardon of thy sin…, and supply of all needful graces, so for his blessing upon thy lawful pains and endeavours, for as the Apostle speaketh, By the Word of God and Prayer all things are sanctified, 1 Tim. 4. 5and therefore it must needs be an unsanctified way and course to begin any thing without first seeking unto God by Prayer for a blessing; for indeed it is his blessing alone that maketh rich, and that causeth any thing we take in hand to thrive and prosper; which Moses acknowledgeth, where speaking to the people of Israel, Deut. 8. 18he saith, It is the Lord that giveth thee power to get wealth.
II. Be painful and industrious in the duties of thy Calling. Which direction the Wise man giveth in these words,Eccl. 9. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with all thy might; i. e. whatsoever works or duties belong unto thee by vertue of thy Calling, doe them with all thy might; i. e. doe them vigorously, diligently, and industriously. For your encouragement thereunto know, that diligence in your Calling is usually crowned with riches and plenty, according to that of the Wise man,Prov. 10. 4 The hand of the diligent maketh rich; and again,Prov. 13. 4 the soul of the diligent shall be made fat; i. e. shall be enriched with outward blessings. And truly it is very rare, but that a blessing doth accompany a diligent hand; the Greeks say, that plentifulness follows painfulness, foreign. Strpb.and that all things are made servants to care and industry.Caution 1.
I shall give you two Cautions.
1 Bee not so diligent in … thy particular Calling, that thou neglect the Duties of thy general calling as a Christian; I mean, be not so eager in fo…lowing thy worldly businesses and imployments, that thou neglect thy spiritual businesses, as thy morning and evening devotions unto God, &c.
2 Labour to bee heavenly-minded in earthly imployments; Caution 2.to follow worldly businesses with spiritual affections, often lifting up thine heart unto God in some heavenly ejaculations; As thou art eagerly following thy worldly businesses, oft meditate on that excellent saying of our Saviour,Mark 8. 36. What will it profit a man, if hee shall gain the whole world, and lo…e his own soul?
III. Resolve and strive to be faithful and sincere in all the works of thy calling; and with a kind of disdain abhor to get any thing by wicked and deceitful courses, as knowing that a little ill got may empoyson a mans whole estate, and bring a curse upon all that hee possesseth; let there bee therefore truth, equity, and plainness in all thy dealing with men; circumvent no man, according to that of the Apostle,1 Thes. 4. 6 Let no man goe beyond, and defra…d his brother in a…y matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such. Where the Apostle disswadeth us from all fraudulent and deceitful dealing, by an Argument taken from the dangerous and dreadful consequence of such Sins, laying us open to the vengeance of that God who is in his wrath a consuming fire. Heb. 12. 29In all thy dealings with men observe that royal law, and standard of all equity,Mat. 7, 12 which is, to doe as thou wouldest bee done by, for as our Saviour speaketh, This is the Law and the Prophets, i. e. the summe of that which in the Law, and by the Prophets is delivered concerning our carriage towards our Neighbour, and dealing with him.
IV. As often as thou receivest any blessing from God, foreign.forget not to return unto him the praise and the glory thereof, acknowledging that whatsoever the means hath been, that hee is the chief cause, and principal author of all those benefits and blessings which thou enjoyest for, the truth is, There is nothing more acceptable to God than a grateful mind, Chrysost. Hom. 52. in Gen.it being one of the sacrifices wherewith hee is well pleased.