Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

478 The Life of Faith. do it, there is no remedy : Necef{ity bath no Law : Or if one fort of labour hurt you, when you can take up another, in which you may be as ferviceable to the Common - wealth, you may chufe that to which your flrcngth is fuitable : But if you 'think that every fudden pain or wearinefl is a fufficient excufe; or that Come real hurt will warrant you inan idle life you may as well think that your j rvant, and your Hone or Oxe may ceafcall their labour for you, when theyare weary : or that ynut candle fhould not burn, nor your knife be uüd in cutting, b.- caufe that ufeconfumeth them. Que(t. 4. What if Ifind that worldly bufinefs dotb binder me in the ferviceofGod I cannot pray, or read, or meditate fo much Anfw. The labours of your callings arc part of the fervice of God : He hath fct you both to do, and you mull do both ; that is, both fpiritual and corporal work : And to quarrel with ei- ther, is to quarrel againft God who hath appointed them. Queft. 5. But h itnot worldlinefs when we follow worldlybu- finefl, without any need? Anfin. t. Yes, ifyou do it only from the love ofthe world, and with a worldly mind : But not when youdo it in obedience to God, and with aheavenly mind. 2. He cannot be Paid to have noneed, who hath a body that netdeth it,or liver h in a Common- wealth that needeth it,and isa fubjed to God who commandeth it. Qiefl. 6. But what if Ifind by conllant experince, that my foul is more worldly after worldly buftnefs, and more coldandalie- natedfromGod? Anfw. What if you lhould find it fo after giving to the poor, or vifiting the lick, or providing for your family ? What then mull you do? You mutt lament the car- nalityof your minds, and beg of God for fuck grace as may fit you for your duties : And not call off your duty, becaufe you are fo bad ; but labour tobe better, and to do it better. And 2. You mull not judge of thebenefit only by prejent feel- ing : But ifGod bathpromifed a blaring toyou, believe it ;and you (hall certainly meet with it at the lati. Many a one thinks that to forfakeall bodily labour, and to do nothing but the duties of Religion, doth benefit them snore at the prefent; when perhaps in a little time, the ficknefs of their bodies, or themelancholy ddlrat$ ionoftheir minds,doth lofc themmore than they had gottcn,and make them unfit fox almoll any duty se

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