Book IV. G 0 D LINEs s COMPARED TO A TRADE. Otf!rve in Summer's fit!try Heat, How in the hottefl Day, '!"be lfujbandman dotb toil and fweat About hi.r Corn and Hay. If thm he Jhould not reap and mow, And gather in his Store, flow Jhould he live, when for the Snow l-Ie can't move out of Door? '!'he little Ants, and painful Bees, By Nature's !Njlinflled, 'I'hefe have their Summer Granaries, For Winter furnijhed. But thou, my Soul, w~oje Summer's Day Is almojl pajl and gone, What Soui-Provijion dojlthou lay In Stock, to feed upon? If Nature teacheth to prepare For temporal Life; much rather Grace jbould provoke to greater Care, Soui,Food iJZ time to gather. Da)'S of A.fflic?ion and Dijlrefs, Are hafting 011 apace ; If now I live i;, Cm·eleffnefs, How fad will be my Cafe? Unworthy of the Name of Man, Who for tbat Soul of tbim, Wilt not do that which others can Do' for their '"")' Khte ! 'I'hink, frugal Farmers, <vhen )'Oil fee Your Mows of Com and Hay, What a Conviflio;z this will be 'I'o you another Day? Who ne'er were up before the Sun, Nor broke an Hour's Heji, For your poor Souls, as you have done, So often for a Be~jl. Learn once to fee the Differmce Betwixt eternal 'I'hiilgs, And theft poor tranjient 'Things of Senfe, 'Ibat fly with Eagles Wings. J. F. G 0 D LINEs s COMPARED TO A TRADE. fVherefore, bof;• Brethren, Partders of the heavwfy Calliilg, co'!fider the Apojlle a11d High-Priefl of our Profejfion, Chrijl Jefits, Hcb. iii. L THE Profe11ion of Godlinefs is in this, and divers' other Scriptures, compared to a Trade or Calling; and it is a very fruitful and profitable Metaphor. P A R A L L E L S. I. A Trade or Calling properly is that Art, Craft, or Occupation, whereunto one hath been trained, or wherein he exercifeth and employeth himfelf, whatever It be, whether Handicraft, or Merchandizin~, &c. Now Godlinefs is the Occupa– tion of every true Chriilian, it is that which he hath been trained up in, it is that wh1ch he exercifeth and daily employeth himfelf about. Herein do I exercife mJfe!f, &c. ACts xxiv. t6. Ratber exercife thJfe!f unto Godlinefs, &c. 1 'fim. iv. 7· • I!. AMan, when he fir(\ fets up a Trade, hath, or,ought tu have, a Stock fuitable to what it doth require, in order ro rhe well-managing of it, or orherwife he is not like to do good of it; for the want of a convenient Stock haih ruined and utterly undone many new Beginners: So every Chrifl:ian ought to fee, when he fir(\ begins to profefs Godlinefs, what Stock be hath, I mean, what Grace, what Faith, what Love to God, and to his Neighbor, what Exp(riences of a thorough Change ; for without a Stock of the Truth of Grace, and Work of Regeneration,- no Man can follow the Trade of God– linefs, ro make any faving Earnings of it. Ill. AMan that fets ''P a Trade, ought to know the Nature, \'Vorth, and Value of thofe Goods and Commodities his Calling leads him to trade or deal in, or elfe he may be quickly cheated, and run out of all, by buying counterfeit Goods, or bad Ware: So every Chriilian mufl know what Goods he is to trade fpiritually in, as alfo the N a– ture and Excellency of them. Now the heavenly Commodities are thefe, raith, Love, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentlene!s, Goodnefs, Mcekncfs, Temperance, Pardon of Sin, Cun1munion with God, Joy in the-Holy Ghoil, &c. Now he ought to know all thefe Things,, the true from the counterfeit. And next unto the Graces of the Spirit, and the other excellent and rare Things he deals in, there are the Ordinances of the Gofpel, the Nature and Ufefulnefs of which he ought alfo to underiland, and nor to be deceived about them, left he take the Traditions of Men forChriil's lnilitutions. IV. A Man who fets up a Trade, ought alfo to kno.v who he is to deal or trade with: So Qu<>ht every Chriilian; and that is God, through the M<diator Jefus Chriil; for witho\~t him there is no trading to Heaven. It is by him we believe in God, by him we
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