:Dire8io11~ for good works. §. 2 2. Direct. 19. 1'/Jough cretcris _puibus tbe dutir:1 of the firft ta.hle are to be preferred _before Dire&. 1!J· tbufe of the focond, yet tbe Greater dutteJ of the [eco11d table mujl /Je p1·efcrrrd blforc the leffer dutuJ' of the firft. The LO'Ve of God is agre1ter duty th:m the Love of man: ( a_nd they m~fr n.~.:ver be fepa~ n.ted ) : But yet we mull prefcrr the favin~ a ma~tJ life, or the que~ching of a hre m the Town, before a Prayer, or Sacrament, or obfcrvarJon ot a Sabbath~ Davzd eat the fhew bread, and the Vijciples mbbtd ,ut tht corn on the Sabb~th da)', be~aufe the prcferving ?f L_ife was a gr~arer ~uty than the ob!erving of a Sabbath or .a pofiuve .ccrernomallaw. And Chnll h1ds the Phanfees, Go leam Jrbat 1hi1 mraneth: I wiU have mercy and not facriftce : The blood of o11r brethren is an unaccepta· ble means of pleafing God, and maintcining piety, or promoting mens feveral opinions in religion. 9· 23• Direct. 20. ChoofC that tmploymen~ or calling, ( fo far M j!QU h:zve your cboiu) iu which Dire{f. 20. you may be mo(i flrvic~able t~ God. Choofe not that in which you •may be ~oil Rich or Honourable in the world; but that mwhtch you may do moft good, and befi cfcape finmng. ~ 24. Qtefi. But what if in one calling I am mojf fervictablc " the Cb.rcb, bm yet have nzoft !f<:!eft. temptations iu fin ! And_in another I havcleajt_ tempta~imu to fin, but am l~tJf Ji!:vicr.Jhlc to~b.e Cburch ~~r~~~~fdi~::Od ( which U tbe ordmary difference betwetn men m Puhlzcl{_ places and mm m [olltude ) whJCh of thcfe fin 10 be n~o!l:: f/Jould I cboo[e l . . !ookt ;n in our Anfw. 1. Either you arc allready engaged in your Callmg, ?'not: If yoll arc, yon rnull hl\'e c_boice o:· cal--: greater fea.fons w dtfort it, than· fuch as might require you ar firfi not to choofe it. 2· Either the lmgs. Temptations to tin are fuch as good men ordin~rily overcome, or they are extraordinarily great. You Anjir:-. may more warrantably avoid fuch great ones as you are not like to overcome, than fmall or ord inary ones. 3· Either you arc well furni{hed againfl thefe temptations, or not: If nor, you mull be more caurelous in approaching thell): But if you are, you may trult God rhc boldlier to help you our. 4· Either they are temptations to ordinary humane frailties in the manner of duty, or remprations to moredangero.us fin : The firfi will not fo much warrant you to avoid doing good for to efcape them,as the latter will. 5• The fervicc that you are called to (being fuppofed great and necdf>ry to be done by fomebody ) is either fuch as others will do betrcr or as well if you avoid it, or not. If the Church or common good receive no detriment by your refufal, you may the more inlifi on your own prefcrvation ; But if the ntceffities of the Church or St,.,lf, and the want of titter infiruments, or a11y apparent call of Go4, do tingle you out for that fervice, you mull obey God whatever the difficulties and temptations are : For no temptation can neccllitare you to fin ; and God that callcth you, can eafily.prefcrve you : But take heed what you thruJl your fdvts upon. §• 2 5• Qlleft• . ilut may J cl~ange my calling far tbe fervice of the C/mrch, whm tbe Apqffle liid; £t~ejl. evtry man abzde tn tbt callmg Jn whtcb he wM called? Cor. 7· 20. A ea ling may An[w. The Apofile only requireth men to make no rmlawful change ( fuch as is tlo!e forfaking bedunged. of a Wif-e or Husband ) nor no unntceffary change as if it were neceffary (as in the ea{(: of cir- AfnW. curncifion ) : But in the next words he faith [ Art thott called hting a ftrvant l Care not fvr it : ·. But if tbou m'"'ifi be made frrt ufe it rather. He bids every man abide witb God in the place: he is caUedto, bur forbids them not to cbange their jtatt when they are c•lled to change it. vufe 24· He fpeaks more of rd1tiolts (of fingle perfons and married, fervants and free, &c.) thln ot tr.tdcr · or offices: And yet no doubt but a jingle perfon may be m.zrrytd, and the marrJed muft be [eparaud; and [ervants may be fret. No man mufi take up or change any calling without fufficienr cauft! ro call him to it : But when he hath fuch caufe, he finnetl1 if he change ir not. The Apofiles changed their Callings, when they became Apofiles ; and fo did mulritudes of the PJ.fiors of rhe Church in t:very age. God no where forbids men to change their employment for rhc bctte1, upon a fuffi.:1cnt caufc or call. 9• 26. D1red:. 2 r. E[pecially be fure that you live not out Dj a calling, tbat U, [uciJ a j1ated cour~ Dirtli. 21 0 of employment, i1t wbich you may beft be ferviceahle to God. Difabiliry indeed is an umdiHihle impe~ dimenr. ~therw1fe no man muft either live idely, or contem himfelf wirh doing f<Jinc little churcs \Vho cxc,u~c~t as a recreation or on the by : But every one that is able, muH be {fatedly, and 01 -di.u,uily imployed ftom 3. C!lltng in fuch work, as is ferviccablc to God, and the common Good. O!.!.eft. Bhl will not wealtb e;.,:· cuft ~? Anfw. It may cxcufe you from fome fordid fort of work, by m.tki11() you more fCrvice~ able m mher : but you are no more excufcd from fervicc and work of ont! kind or nrher, rhan the poorell man: Unlefs you think that God requirub /eaji, where He giveth m~f/. Qlldl. JYiU not tzge excu{e IH l Anfw. Yes, fo farr as it difahltth you ; but no further. ObjeCt. But I am tm1ud ont of my calling. An[w. You are notturntd out of the fervice of God: He calleth you ro that, or t.o another. ~ell. But may I not cajl off tht world, that I m.Jy 011/y think., of "":Y fahMtiMl A~J.w. You_may catt off all fuch excefs of worldly cares or bufinefs as unneccffJrily hindlr you in fptntual thmgs: But you may not cafi off all boJily employment and mtnt.JI Iabour- in which you may lerve the common Good. Every one that is a member of Church or common·wealth mutt emplor their parts to the. urmoll for the good of rhe Church and common-wealth : Publick., fervzce ts Gods greatcjf fervtce. To negleCl: this, and fay, I will pray and meJitate, is as if your fervanr Chould refufe your greattjl work.., and tie himfelf to fome Idler eafiepm: And God hath commanded you forne way or other to labour for your daily bread, and nor ro live as droms on the fwcat of others only. Innocent Adam was put in~o the Garden of Edw to drejl it : And fallen man mull eRt hi! bread in the [weat of hi! brows: Gen. 3• 19. And he thar wiU not lrorf;. muft be forbidden to eat, 2 Thcf. 3· 6, 10, 12· And indted i~ is ncct1Iuy to our fdves, fo~ (he he.alth of our bodies, ~hich will gro~ difeafcd wirh idlenefs; and for the help ofour forti!, which Wtll fall 1f the body fall: And man ll1 flelh mull have work for hiS body as well as for his foul: And
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