'DireEfions for tiJe right Choice of [allings. ing gr9t help, robe engaged by our Callings to have the Word atJd Doctrine of Chri/1 fiill before us, and in our minds and mouths ; when others mull be glad to be now and then exerci!i.d in ir whm their hearts are cooled by the frequent and long diverfions of their worldly bufinefs: So rha; our CoCi,tg and wnr" is to an hone~ he.art a continual recreation, and prel(rving, and edifying help to Gra<e. So a SchoolmafiersCallmg IS ufually bur P"' and very painful, requiring much clofe at– tendance, but yet Jt IS of fo great ule to the common good, and allowcth the mind fo much Jcifi. 1 re and advantage to improve · it (elf in honeft fludies, th;H it is tiuer to be chofen and delighred in by a well tunpcrcd mind, than richer and more honoured cmployments. Its fweet to be all day doing fo much good. DirclJ. I• ~. 2J· Direct. 8. If it be po!fiblt choofe a CaOing which fo exercifeth the body, at >tot to ovtrwbelm )'f'U with cares and labour, and deprive JOt~ of all leifure for the holy and noble empln)me,tJ nf the miitd: and.. rrhich fo txcrci[eth your mi~d~ as to. allow you {ome CXfrcife for the body atJ?. J. That Calling wh1ch fo taketh up body_ and mmd, as neuher to allow you cummixcd thoughts ot greater things, nor conv~nient iHttrmiffions lor them, is a confl:ant fnare and priion 10 the foul : which .is the cafe-of many who plunge rhcmidves into more and greater bufinefs than they can otherwife difpatch: and yet are contented to be thus continually alienated in their minds from God and Heaven, ro get more of the world. Many poor Labourers (as Clothiers, Taylors, and other {uch) can work with their hands and meditate or difcourfc: of hctvenly things wiihout any hinderancc of their work: when many mt~ of richtr Callings have fcarcc room for a thought or· word of God or Heaven all day. 2· Ou rhe contrary, if the Body have not aHO its labour as well-as the mind, ic will ruine your health; and bodj•, Direti. 2· and mind will both grow H[eleji. ~· 24· DireCt. 9· lt is lawful and meet to look at tht commodity of yourCalliJtg intbe tbiniplau, ( that is, a(rer the publici(_ good, and •fter your ptrfonal good •ffoul and bodily he.lth.) Though it is faid , Pmv. 2 3. 4· Labour not to be rich : the meaning i!i, that you make not Riches your chiefend : Riches for our fldhly ends mufi not ultimately be intended or fought. But in illbordination to higher things they may: That is, you may labour in rhat manner as tendeth mofi eo your fuccefs and lawful ~ain: You are bound to improve all your Matters Talents: But then your £nd mutl be, that you may be the beuer provided to do God fervice, and may do the more good with what you have. If God thew you a w"y in which you may lawfully get more than in another way, (without wrong to your foul, or to any other) if you refufe this, and choofc the lefs gainful way, you cro[s one of the ends of your Calling, and you refufc to be Gods Steward, and to accepr his gifts, and ufe them for him when he rcquitcth it: You may labour ro be Rich for God, though not for the flcfh and tin. Dircl1. lC· ~· 2 5· Direct. to. It is not'enough th.:~t you confider wh;t CaUiitg and labour is mojl dtfirable, but Cmnes fJUi you »m(f al[o confider what you or your children are fittcft f or, both in mind 1111d body. For that Cal– f,N·, quique ling may be one mans bleffing, which would be anothers mifiry and undoing. A weak body cannot f~~~~~~r,a~~r· undergo t~ofe labo~rs which. require ftrengt_h: At~d a d~U and heavy mind a~d wit, cannot do the tutJbus .tut works whiCh teqtnre great jltdgemtnt and zngmzmy. It harh btc:n the calamity of the Church, and do&rinis clari, undoing of many Minifters thern[~lves, that well meaning Parents out of love ro the ficrcd work non P?OUnt. of God, have Cct their Children to be Minifiers that were untir for ic ; And many fc:lf·conceitcd per– Ulmm mge~ll~ fons thcmfelvcs are ready to thruU themfelves into that holy Office, whm they have fom~.: incon{ide– ~en: a~ffi11 a~i-- rabic fmat~ering ~nowledge, and fame poor mcafure of gifts, overvalued by thcmfe~ves, t_hat .~now qu.~: imus in not what IS requtrcd rofo great a work. Be furerhat youfirfi look to the nt~t1tr41l mgenuuy or yout 2nimo fciutil- children (or your [elves) and rhcn to their Grace and Piety : and tee that none be devoted eo the lz fint' _qux Minifiry that hath not naturally a quic~ntfl of under/fandh1g, and a fretdom of txprcffiOJt, unlefs you f;i~i~~P:~~i:a- would have him live upon. the ruine of fouls, and wrong ot the Ch~rch and work ot God; and rum •• & adjutx, an enemy t6 the bell of hts flock, when he fecth that they value htm bur as he deferves: And let gen!rofum none be fo unwife as to become a Preacher of that Faith, and Love and H"limfi, which he never dif,iplinz r~ had himfe!f. And even to the Calling of a Phyficion none fhould be defigued that have 1101 a fpeci– mlte; tr:,~;~:1 al ingeltHity, and fagacity, and nt.ftural quick,_nefs of apprehenfio~t; unlefs he fhould make a Trade of ~i~t. ~I· 1. 1. killing men; For it is a Calling that requirech a quick., and jlrong conjelJuring ability, which no lludy will bring a man that hath not a natural accutend.Sand aptirude thereto. Thus aHO as to all other Callings, you mull confid<r, not only the WiU of the Child or Parentr, but their natural tirnefs of body and mind. DirelJ. Ilo 9· 26. Direct. 1 to Choofe no CaVing ( tfpecialy if it bt of publici(_ confequcnce) withoMt the advice of fome judiciom f•i:hful perfonr of tb.r CaVing. For they are belt able to judge in their own pro– fei'Iion. Never refo:vc on rhe SacretlMiniflry without the advice ofable Minijltrs ~ R<folve not to be a Phyjicion, but by th<eounfel of Pbyficionr; and fo of the refi: Forabundance of perfons ignorantly conceit themfdvcs fufficient, that are uucrly infufficient; and fo live all their dayes, as wrongs and burdens unto others} and in fin and mifery to themfdves. · Direli. 12 • 9· !7· Dire8-.J2·If1honbe called to thr poorejf laborious CaUing 1 do not camally murmur at it,becawfe it il weariJOme t!i the Jldh, 11or imagine that God aecepttth tht ltfs of tby wwk_ and tbte: But cheerfully [111low it, and mak.! it the matter of thy pltafltre and joy, tb<Zt thuu arz jHU in thy heavenly Majlcr 1 fir· vice, tbough it be about tbe loweft things: And that he who Jr...noweth wbat is beft for thu, hatb chofen tbU fur ~hy good, and tryeth and valrteth thy obediacce to him the ml1rt, by how much the meaner wor-'\ thlllt Jfoopejl to at hit CDmmand. But r~c that thou do it all in obedience to God, and n?[ meerly for rhy own neceffity: Thus tvtry [erv:mt mull {trve the Lord in ferving their Mallers, and from Gcd ex– pect their chief rcwatd. Col. 3• 22, 23, 24. Epbt[. 6. 6, 7· Tit. 2·
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