Goodwin - BV4500 G66 1650

54 ?he Tryal.l of hafteout of it, and falute none by the way, thy to doe no bufi- nefie ; but when once they are gotten to the Cityof refuge, then they fall about their bufineffe and callings againe. Hence your g Chriflians are apt ro be more negligent in their particular cal- lings, and are all for the duties of Religion, for their prefent di. fireffe and cítate requires it : Ancienter Chri(tians are apt to abound more in the duties of their particular calling ; but he that bath learnt to be converfant in both aright, tobe converfant in his calling, fo as to keep his heart up in communion with God, and fo attend upon God without diftrac`tíon, and to be conver- fant fo in duties, as to goe about ?Us calling cheerfully, and to doe with all hú might t ghat his hand therein finds to doe, he is the heft Chrillian : And therefore i Thef.. 4. io. when he had exhorted them to encreafe more and more in grace, he goes on, ver, i i. to exhort them alto to doe their ovine bufinefe, and to work, with their hands, that they may walk,honefly towards them without : for toneglea our callings, gives offence to themwithout ; and there- fore mailers (tumble at young Chriflians : but both, you fee by the Apoflles exhortation in that Epiftle, May (land together, in- creating in holinefle, of which he had fpoken afore, Chap. 3. I z. and Chap. 4. i. and ver, r o. withdiligence in a calling, of which he fpeaks ver. 1 r. &c. To be converfant all day in holy duties, is indeed more fvereet to a mans fife, .and is an heaven upon earth ; but to be converfant in our callings, is more profitable to others, and fo may glorifie Go.4 more : And therefore as when Paul would gladly have beenivith Chrift, (for that is heft for me, (ayes he) yet (ayes he, To abide here t more profitable for you, Phil. r. fo to injoy immediate communion with God in Prayer, and tomeditate all the week long, is more for the comfort of a mans particular ; but to be employed in the bufineffe ofa mans calling, the more profitable for the Church, or Common -wealth, or Family. And therefore it is to be accounted a bringing forth ofmore fruit, when both arc joyned, and wifely fubordinated, fo as the one is not a hindrance to the other : though the child out oflove to his mother, and the fweetnefl'e he hath in her com- pany, could find in his heart to (lay all day at home to look on her ; yet it pleafeth her more for him to goe to fchoole all day, and at night, to come home and be with her, and play with her; and

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