Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

( 6) hath determined that in the fweat of 6ttr fac~s we /hall' eitt ou~ hread, Gen. 3. I 9· and even in irmocency .Adam was put into the garden to drefi or till and kfep it, Gen. 'z. I 5. with quiecnefs we mull labounmd eat ottr own bread; and if any will not wur/z., neither fbtmld he et~~t, 2 The!f. 3. I 2. I o. See Pau/J example-,v.8. [Neither didwe eat any mans bread for nought : hut '!f'rought with labour avd travtlit night and day , that we might net be chargeable to 11.ny ef JOU ] We mufi tabour, working with our hands, that we may have to give to him that needeth, Eph. 4. 28. And if our bodies have not competent employment; they will· grow fuch rufiy unfit inilrurnents fot the foul to work by , that when Melanch~ly, or other difeafes have difabled them, the foul it fe!f will have the lofs; and he that will do nothing btJt hear, and pray, rand meditate, is likely fhortly to be fcarce able to pray and medicate at all, (unlefs it be one ofa very firong and healthfull conllitution.) • No one therefore from this determination ·ofChrifl: to Mar~ tha, is to be driven from their lawfull Calling· into a contrary exrream. ·But this was not the cafe- between Mary and Mar~ thd: It was ajpecial oppfJrtunity which then was eo be taken: We muft. firft feek Gods kingdom,- and its righ reoufnefs: and prudently rake fuch opportunities fo: our fouls as we can, with– out omitting greater duties~ and as our cafe requireth : not taking as mu€h food as we can ingeft, but · as much as we can dige{f: It is poffible to eat too much, but not to digeft too well. AChrifiian mull have prudence,· when two daties come toge.. ther, to know which at that pre;·enc time is the greatefl:, amd t<:> be preferred: which dependeth much on the n,ecejJity, and the ends : the good that will follow the doing of them , arid the hurt that will follow the omiffion: And without this pruden--. tial difcerning of time and d~tt), we fhall never order our con· verfations aright, but fhall live in a C!lntinual fin, when we are doing that, which in its own nature and feafon is 01:1r duty. A poor man may not Read and Hear fo frequently as a .Rich ( ordinarily,) nor a Servant as the Mafter ; becaufe there wouldgreater evils follow the omiffion of rheir common labour at that time. Thus much being faid for the Explication of the Text, there is no more 11ecdfary b\lt what :will fall in moil conveniently · - --- ··· - · ~- ·· .. · with

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