Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
VVAlk conſcientiouſly in thy particular calling, according to theſe Directions following.
I. Avoid idleneſſe and ſloth. Remember Adam in innocency had a calling appointed him by God: And after the fall, Gen. 3.19. 'tis Gods decree upon man, in the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eat thy bread, till thou return unto the ground. No man has a priviledge to live idly and lazily; but either by labour of body, or toil of mind, either by the ſweat of his browes, or of his brains, ought to be ſerviceable and profitable to humane ſociety. Idleneſſe expoſes a man to many ſins and many puniſhments. When the Devil finds men idle, and not employed in Gods ſervice, he entertains them into his. If thou haſt nothing to do, the Devil will be ready to employ thee. David when idle, fell into the heinous ſin of adultery. A lawful calling is an excellent preſervative againſt a multitude of ſins and temptations, 1 Cor. 7.20, 24. Let every man abide, ſaies the Apoſtle, in the ſame calling, wherein he was called. When God cals us to be Chriſtians, he cals us out of the world as to our affections, but not out of the world as to our employment. An idle profeſſor is a ſcandalous profeſsor, and walks inordinately.
II. Be diligent in thy calling, for Conſcience ſake. Many take pains enough, but not out of Conſcience to Gods Command, nor with an eye to his Glory. Whatever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, ſaies the Apoſtle, Col. 3.23. Thou muſt be diligent in thy calling on a religious account, performing the duties thereof in obedience to God, ſtudying both for matter and manner to approve thy ſelf to him. Think with thy ſelf, this is the calling wherein the Providence of God hath ſet me. I am but his ſervant in my own ſhop, or at my plow. To him I muſt give an account of my diligence and faithfulneſſe.
III. Seek and pray earneſtly to the Lord for his bleſſing on thy lawful labours, and endeavours. 'Tis an irreligious courſe to engage in any thing, without prayer. Thou muſt be fervent in prayer, as well as not ſlothful in buſineſs. All lawful buſineſſe is ſanctified by the Word and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. When we do that which the Word of God alloweth, and by prayer humbly beg his bleſſing upon our endeavours, we take a right courſe to proſper. 'Tis Gods bleſſing maketh rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it, Pro. 10.22. 'Tis his bleſſing that giveth thee power to get wealth, Deut. 8.18. If his bleſſing be wanting, (which thou art not like to have, except thou craveſt it) all thy labours are to little purpoſe, Pſal. 127.1, 2. Except he bleſſe thee, 'tis in vain to riſe early, to ſit up late, and eat the bread of carefulneſſe, &c.
IV. In the management of thy Calling, labour to exerciſe theſe Graces,
1. Faith & affiance in the goodneſſe of God; caſting thy ſelf on his gracious promiſes and providence in the uſe of lawful means; expecting ſucceſſe from him alone, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 37.5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe.
2. Moderation of affections: Be not over-eager, nor inordinately bent on thy worldly affairs. Remember our Saviours precept; Let not your hearts be overcharged with ſurfetting, and drunkenneſſe and the cares of this life, Luke 21.34. Purſue not thy worldly buſineſs with too much anxiety and fervour of mind.
3. Contentation: Be content with that portion (little or much) which God upon thy honeſt labours ſhall pleaſe to allot thee, quietly acquieſce in his wiſe diſpoſal.
4. Patience: Be not diſmaid, neither fret nor repine at thoſe croſſes and troubles which befall thee, in the way and courſe of thy calling; conſidering God doth often exerciſe his own dearest children with many afflictions.
V. Let not thy particular calling too much incroach upon thy general: The world is of an incroaching nature. 'Tis hard to converſe with it, and not come into bondage to it. Worldly employments will be apt to juſtle out Spiritual duties; if thou haſt not a great care.
Now the true Chriſtian ſhould eſpecially look to theſe two things.
1. That his worldly buſineſſe do not eat up and devour that time which ſhould be ſet apart (every day) for communion with God, and for the exerciſe of religions duties.
2. That his worldly employments do not blunt the edge of his affections to Spiritual things. Thou maiſt uſe the world, but take heed of loving the world, 1 John 2.15, 16. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the fleſh the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of this world.
VI. Labour carefully to avoid the temptations that thy particular calling is moſt liable unto. Every calling and condition of life hath its peculiar temptations. And a great deal of care and Chriſtian prudence is required to foreſee them, and avoid them, that ſo we be not inſnared with them.
VII. In the mannaging of thy worldly affairs, endeavour to carry a Heavenly mind. Be often lifting up thy …rt in Spiritual and Heavenly meditations. Think how little it will profit thee, if thou ſhouldſt gain the whole world, and looſe thy ſoul. Think how Godlineſs is profitable for all things, having the promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. Remember thou art but a pilgrim, and a ſtranger here upon earth: Heaven is the proper Country of holy ſouls.
VIII. When ſucceſs crowns thy faithful endeavours in thy calling, let God have all the Glory. If thou ſpeed well, thrive, and proſper, ſacrifice not to thy own net, to thy wit, parts, induſtry, or any ſecond cauſe; but aſcribe the Glory wholly to him, in whoſe hands alone it is to give ſucceſſe.
1 Theſ. 4.11. Study to be quiet, and do your own buſineſſe, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.
V. 12. That ye may walk honeſtly towards them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
2 Theſ. 3.11. For we hear that there are ſome which walk among you diſorderly, working not at all, but are buſie bodies.
V. 12. Now them that are ſuch, we command and exhort by our Lord Jeſus Christ, that with quietneſſe they work and eat their own bread.
Prov. 18.9. He alſo that is ſlothful in his work, is brother to him that is a grea… …aſter.
Prov. 21.17. He that loveth pleaſure ſhall be a poor man, he that loveth wine and Oil ſhall not be rich.
Prov. 28.19. He that tilleth his land ſhall have plenty of bread, but he that followeth after vain perſons ſhall have poverty enough.
1 Tim. 5.8. But if any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denied the Faith and is worſe than an Infidel.
Prov. 26.13. The ſlothful man ſaith, there is a lion in the way, a lion is in the ſtreets.
V. 14. As the door turneth upon his hinges, ſo doth the ſlothful upon his bed.
V. 15. The ſlothful hideth his hands in his boſom, it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
V. 16. The ſluggard is wiſer in his own conceit, than ſeven men that can render a reaſon.
Prov. 6.6. Go to the Ant, thou ſluggard, conſider her waies and be wiſe.
V. 7. Which having no guide, overſeer, or ruler,
V. 8. Provideth her meat in the Summer, and gathereth her food in the harveſt.
V. 9. How long wilt thou ſleep, O ſluggard? when wilt thou ariſe out of thy ſleep.
V. 10. Yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleep.
V. 11. So ſhall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Mat. 25.26. His Lord anſwered and ſaid unto him, thou wicked, and ſlothful ſervant, &c.
Pſal. 128.1. Bleſsed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his waies.
V. 2. For thou ſhalt eat the labour of thine hands, happy ſhalt thou be, and it ſhall be well with thee.
Prov. 10.4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a ſlack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Prov. 22.7. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is ſervant to the lender.
Prov. 31.27. She looketh well to the waies of her houſehold, and eateth not the bread of Idleneſſe.
Eph. 4.28. Let him that ſtole, ſteal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands, the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.