The Young Mans Guide, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Containeth Directions for the manner of following thy particular Calling.
HAving thus begun the day with Prayer, thou must then betake thy self to the duties of thy particular Calling: for particular Callings are of Gods appointment, as for our own good, and the good of our Family, so for the benefit of others.
In following whereof, have special regard both to thy Ends, and Manner of performing them.
1. For thy Ends: Follow not thy worldly businesses meerly for gain and advantage, thereby to get an Estate, but chiefly in obedience to the Command of God (who requireth every one to labour in some honest Calling) that thereby thou mayst serve, and follow his Providence in the use of those means he hath appointed for the getting a comfortable subsistance for thy self and family: and that thou mayst in some measure be profitable in thy Generation, and serviceable to the Publick Good; minding above all things the glory of God in what thou dost, who is glorified not only by the practice of holy and Religious duties, but also by a conscionable performance of the duties of thy particular Place and Calling.
2. For the manner of following thy Calling, observe these Rules.
1. Be diligent therein. To live without a Calling, or not to labour therein, are both sinful and unwarrantable. Every Son of Adam ought to mind some particular Calling, by vertue of that Command which God laid upon Man immediately after his Fall, Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground. Which words are to be understood, not only as a Curse, or Judgment; but also as a Charge, and Command. Answerable thereunto is that Precept in the Moral Law, Six days shalt thou labour. So that no man hath a priviledge to live idly, but either by the sweat of his Brow, or of his Brain, ought to be serviceable in his Generation.
For thine incouragement unto diligence in thy Calling, Solomon tells thee, Prov. 10. 4. The …and of the diligent maketh rich. And Prov. 13. 4. That the Soul of the diligent shall be made sat. Whereas Idleness is the root both of Beggery, and of all manner of wickedness: yea, the Devils chiefest opportunity and advantage for tempting men unto sin, and therefore may be called, the hour of temptation. For when the Devil findeth men most idle, he will be sure to set them on his work? Therefore it was good counsel which Saint Ierom gave to one of his Friends, Be thou always about some lawful business, that when the Devil comes, he may not find thee idle. If Satan at any time find thee not about that which is good, he will soon set thee about that which is evil.
Though thou must be diligent in thy Calling, yet take these two Cautions.
1 Caution. Beware of laying out the strength of thy heart and spirit upon thy worldly businesses, which ought to be reserved for communion with God. Thou must so follow the works of thy Calling, as one that hath other matters in thy head, businesses of an higher nature lying upon thee, even the great things of Eternity, the salvation of thy precious and immortal Soul. This the Apostle intendeth in 1 Cor. 7. 31. where he adviseth us, so to use the World, as if we used it not, or as not abusing it, by such an immoderate loving, and inordinate seeking after it, as takes off the heart from a due minding the great concernments of our Souls.
As Esau wasted his strength by overmuch Hunting, and by his too greedy desire of Iacob's red Pottage, lost his Birth-right, Gen. 27. 29. so mayst thou by an overeager hunting after Wealth, waste the strength of thy body, and indanger thine Heavenly Inheritance. It will be therefore thy wisdom so to mind and follow after things Temporal, that thou mayst not lose, no nor abate thy care of things Eternal.
I deny not but the World may and must be minded by thee, but still in its place, secondarily, and subordinately. What is the World to thy Soul? What is Bread, or Cloaths, or Money, or an House, or Lands, to the Everlasting Kingdom? Let that word be still in thine ears, and upon thine heart, whatever thou art about: First seek the Kingdom of God. First, that is, not only before all things, but chiefly, and above all things: seek the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; let thine heart be ever more intent upon God, than upon all things in the world besides.
2 Caution. Though thou must be diligent in thy Calling, yet beware that thy worldly businesses and imployments do not ingross thy whole time, but allow thy Religious Duties their proper and sufficient season. Be sure thou observe thy praying, and thy reading times, yea, and thy seasons for meditating on God, and communing with thine own heart. Oh let not thy Worldly Imployments, prove Heavenly Impediments. Put not off thy serving God for any earthly advantage whatsoever.
Happily thou wilt say, I must provide necessaries for my Family, I must have bread for my self, and them. True, and must thou not have Grace, and Christ too? Is not thy Soul more than thy Body? Is not Christ and Grace more necessary than thy daily bread? If thou wilt not raise thy Estate upon the ruines of thy Soul, if thou wilt not sell thine hopes for hereafter, for thy present commodity, and undo thy self for ever, for fear thou shouldst be undone here; then look to it, that whatever wants, thy Soul may have its due share of thy time. Let not holy duties give place to the world, let the world give place to them.
I know it is the practice of too many, upon a pretence of much business, either wholly to omit their private devotions, or else to run over them so hastily, that they are lost in the doing; as good do nothing, as nothing to purpose. God will not be so put off; nor can thy Soul subsist upon the Income of hasty duties. If thou wilt find no more leisure to pray, God will find as little leisure to answer.
2, Follow thy Worldly businesses with an Heavenly mind, as a Citizen of Heaven, and a Pilgrim on Earth. Though thou hast thy hand in the Earth, yet let thine eye, and thine heart, be towards Heaven, often meditating on heavenly things, and setting thy thoughts and affections on things above: As S. Paul, when he was at Rome in his body, yet was at Coloss in his Spirit, Col. 2. 5. So though as yet we are absent from Heaven in our bodies, yet in our Spirits we may be continually present there: and there let us daily be, both searching into the blessedness of that better Country, and studying our way thither, and laying up a treasure for our selves there.
There is scarce any worldly business which calls for the continual intention of thy thoughts upon it; but some spare time may be gained from it for spiritual thoughts, and heavenly meditations. And great care and watchfulness there should be against such an overintention of mind upon whatever earthly affairs, as does shut the Lord out of doors, and throw Heaven under our feet. Let our whole life be a walking with God, as Enochs was, Gen. 5. 22. Let us learn the skill to serve the Lord in our serving the necessities of our bodies: and let us often catch at opportunities for more immediate converses with him. Learn particularly these two things.
1. To spiritualize all outward objects and occurrences, by raising matter of heavenly meditations from the same. There is no creature in which there are not manifest footsteps of the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God. Every flower, or spire of grass, every worm, or fly, declare the power of our great Creator. How much more the curious Fabrick of mans Body, and the glorious Host of Heaven? from each of which thou mayst take occasion to think of God with admiration, As a Christian seeth all things in God; so may he see God in all things, and thereby make some spiritual use and improvement of them. He may with the Bee suck sweetness out of every flower, not only for sensual delight, but also for spiritual profit. And truly the benefit of the Creature is half lost, if there be nothing but an outward use made o… them. The bruit Beasts can behold the outward things; if man see, and learn no more, what is his Excellency above the Beasts? A wise Physitian can extract some good out of those Herbs, that ignorant persons cast away as useless. In like manner wise Christians can and ought to extract some spiritual profit to themselves out of every Creature which they behold, and every Providence that they meet with: By which blessed Art of Heavenly Chymistry, thou mayst both please thy fancy, and profit thine own heart.
2. In the midst of thy Worldly businesses and imployments, often lift up thine heart to God in some short Ejaculatory Prayer; as for his direction, assistance, and blessing on thy pains and endeavours, so to keep thee from the pollutions and defilements of this World; and that he would sanctifie every Dispensation of his Providence unto thee, whereby thou wilt carry on the interest of thy Soul, with the concernment of thine Estate. These kind of Prayers thou mayst send up unto God at all times, in all places and company; yea, whilest thou art conversing with others about worldly matters, thou mayst by these converse with God, and hold communion with him, and that without any prejudice to thine outward businesses.
The Lord hath manifested his great approbation of these Ejaculatory Prayers by his gracious Answers and Returns thereunto. How graciously did God answer that Ejaculatory Prayer of David against Achitophels Counsel, by defeating the same, and turning it into Foolishness? 2 Sam. 15. 31. How graciously did God answer that ejaculatory Prayer of Nehemiah by enclining the heart of the King to send him to Ierusalem? Neh. 2. 4, 6 As also that ejaculatory Prayer of the penitent thief, Lordre member me when thou comest into thy Kingdom? whereupon Christ said unto him, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23. 42, 43. Yea that ejaculatory Apostraphe of Moses to God (Exod. 5. 22.) Wherefore hast thou so evil entre…ted this people? had its gracious answer and return, Chap. 6. 1. Then said the Lord, now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh. Ejaculatory Prayers, though they are short and sudden, yet p…oceeding from the heart, may be as fervent and prevalent as solemn Prayers. And indeed, these frequently used, argue an heavenly mind, and an holy familiarity with God. But still beware that these short and occasional Prayers, be not made to serve thee instead of, and to shut out thy set and solemn duties. These will be of use to help thee in thy fixed duties, and may not excuse thee from them.
III. Direction, To young men touching the manner of following their Callings, Be just and honest in thy dealing with men, avoiding as all guile and deceit, so all subtile equivocations, and mental reservations, tending to the wronging thy Neighbour: that thou maist be able to say with the Apostle, (Heb. 13. 18.) I trust I have a good Conscience in all things, willing to live honestly. It is very observable how plentiful the Scripture is in pressing men to deal Justly, and Honestly with all men, even in Weights and Measures, and that both in the Old, and New Testament.
In the Old Testament saith the Lord to his People, Levit. 19. 35, 36. Iust Ballances, and just Weights, a just Epha, and a just Hin shall you have. The Epha, was a dry Measure, or a measure for dry things, as our Bushel is. And the Hin was a measure for liquid things, as our Pottle-pots or Gallon. Under these two names all other measures are comprehended, which God requireth should be just and true, without all falshood and deceit. And Deut. 25. 13, 14, 15, 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers▪ Weights, of one kind, he meaneth, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thy house divers Measures, a great and a small; one to buy with, another to sell with: or a greater to be shewn to the Magistrate, or Officers, when they come to view th… weights and measures; and a less to sell with. And vers. 15. But thou shalt have a perfect, and a just weight▪ a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have, and vers. 16. All that do such things, and all that do unrighteously (in what kind soever) are an abomination to the Lord thy God.
In the New Testament, the Apostles in their exhortations doe much press upon Gods people just and honest dealing one with another, as Rom. 12. 17. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. The word in the Greek foreign, is very emphatical, and implyeth a forecasting care that they did nothing, that was dishonest in the sight of men, Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are of good report, thinks on these things. As if he had said, Be sure you mind such things. And 1 Thes. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such The… Apostle seemeth to anticipate the secure thoughts of the fraudulent, promising themselves impunity, telling them, that the Lord is the avenger of all those, who shall by any deceit defraud their Brethen. Yet what abominable frauds and deceits are daily acted in matters of commerce, and trading between neighbour and neighbour.