Of the Contemplatiw and AEiiw life ~· 31 , Direct. 17· Obey aU that God revealeth to yott i1t }'our med~tatUmJ, turn them all intt~ Dirtll• 17• faitbfotl pr.llice; and make nDI thinking the end oftbinkjng. Elfe you wtl.l but do as the ungodly, and difobedient in their prayers, Ecclef 5• r, 2. wlto offer 10 God the Sac:ifice offooli, an.{ confider no: that they do evil. Away wtth the fin, and do the duty, on whteh you thmk. ""-. ~· 32 • Dire&. rS. 1hink n01 that the fame meafiere of contemplatim andjlriving with their own a[- Direll 1 g, ftl1ionr, is nectffi'ry to aU; but !bat an obe~iential allive li.fe ma~ be as ~cceptable to G~d, ~hm he callnb • nun 10 it, aJ a more cDJttemplattve life. Thts leadeth me necefranly to gtve you fome DJrethons about the difference of th<fe wayes. Tit. 4• The f)ijference betJl1Un 1t [ontemplatiw life, and an obedient aEiiw life; rvith f)ireEiions concerning them. THis task will he hell performed by anfwcring thofc Q!Jeftions which here necd1a Solu– uon. ~· ,, Q!Jell. r. What i< a Contemplative Life? andwhati< anA{live obediential life l ~ejl. r: An[w. Every a&ive Chril\ian is bound to fomewhat of contemplation: and all contemplative perfons What is z: are bound to Obedience to God, and ro fo much ofAllio·n as may anfwer their abilities aud opportuni- c~ntemplatne. tirs. But yet forne are much more called to the oHe, and forne tO the other : And we denominate hfe. from that which is rnofi eminent and the chief. We call that a Contemplative life, when a mansftate and caVing allo.wcth and requireth him, to make the exercifes of his mind on things fublime and holy, and the afftfring of his heart with them, to be his principal bufinefs, which taketh up the mofi of his lime. And we call that an Aliive obeditntial life, when a mans flare and calling re-- quireth him to fpend the chief part of his time, in feme external labour or vocation, tending to the good of our felves and others ! As Artificers, Tradefmen, Husbandmen, Labourers, Phyficions~ Lawyers, Pailors ·and Preachers o.f the Gofpel, Soldiers a'nd Magiilrates, all live an Allive life, which :--;--. !hould be a life ofObulie>:ce to God. ThougH ameng thefe {ome have much more time for contemplation than others. And fome few there arc that are exempt from both thefe, and are called to live a Paffive obeditntia) life: that is, fuch a iife in which their obedient bearing of tbe Croji, and patient f 11Jfcrillg, and fubmif!ion to the cbafti{i~tg or trying will of God, is the moil eminent and principal fervice they can do him, aboveContemplation orAliion. 9· 2· Q!Jefi. 2· Mujl every mall do hi< bcjl ~o ea{/ off aU worldly and txternal labour!, a>!d to retire ~eft• 2 , bimfolf to a contemplative life M the moft exccLem ? Anfw. No: No man 010uld do fo withour a jpecial neceffity or eaU: For there are general pre- G.J.6o~o; cepts on all that are able, that we five to the benefit of others, and prefer the common good, and 1. Thclf. 3· 41 we have opportJwity do good toaU men, and love our neighbours as out [elves,· and do as we would be done by ( which will put us upon much action ) and that we labour befOre we cat. 1\nd for a. man unneceffarily to cafi off all ihe fervice of his life, in which he may be profitable to others, is a burying or hiding his Maficrs talents, and a negled: ofcharity, and a finning greatly againfi the Law of Love. As we have Bodiu, fo they rnuft have their worJt, as well as our foult. 9· 3• ~d\. 3· II a life ·ofCollltmplation then lawful to any man? and to whom l ~;JI. 3 • An}w· It ts lawf:tl, and a dHt)•, and a great mercy to feme, to live almofi wholly, yea, all toge- Who are ea:.; ther in contemplation, and' pta)'tr, and fuch holy cxcrcifes. And that in thefe cafes following: I.ln ledroa con-.~ ca{C that Age harh difabled a man to be fcrvWable to otht'rS by an allive life: and when a man t~mplativc haih already fpe11t hisdayes and llrength in doillg all the good lie can; and being no\¥<i!llbled, ltfe. hath fpecial rcafon to tmprove the re!i of his ( decrcpite) age, in more than ordinuy prepuations for his death, .and in holy communion with God. 2· So alfo when we are difabled by fick.,nefs : · 3· And when impri{oJtment refiraineth us from an amve life, or profitting others; 4• And when perficution forceth Chrifiians to retire into folitudes and Defarts, to referve thernfelvcs for better times ""' and pl~ccs ; or when prudence telleth them, that their prayers in fo1itude may do more good, than at that time their . Martyrdom were like to do. 5· When a Swdw is preparing himfelf for the Miniflty, or orher aii.ive life, to which a contemplatjve .life is the way. 6. When poverty, or Wars, or the rage of en~mtes, d1fablcth a man from all publ!Ck converfe, and driveth him into folitude by unavoidable neceflity. 1· When the number of thofc that are fit for allion is fo ful!icient and the part! of tht: perfon are lo infuflicieot, and fo the need and ufe of them ln an allive life(~ fmall, that all things confider~d, holy. impattial prudence telleth him , that the good which he could do to others by an all•ve life, rs not bke to countc.vatl the t.ffi• which he lhould him- · {elf
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