754d Treatife ofCalkngs. ~----~~~----~--~~~~~~----------------~ le!fe we arcboond, byvenue ofgencrall cal- A ofChritts holy Gofpel. J ling. The lattgenerall duty is fetdowne by Saint The third meanes of fUrthering rhegood 'P•ul,Eph-4.1 .W•ik! worthy that<•Oingwhmo ofGads Church, is, to conferre rhe tempoGod hath<•Rtdyou. Againe,Titm 2 • to.he bidrail blefsings that God hath bdlowed vpon deth feruant> fo to carry themfelues toward vs according ro our abilitie, to the good their matters, that they may adorne rhe Gofthereof. Honour Godwiththy ri<hes, faithS•- pel ofGodin all things: and he fets downein ' lomon, Prouerb. 3• 9• and that is doneefpecithe words following, how men may adorne I ally, when they arc ~mployed to the maintaireligionby their profefsion:oamely,bydenyi",g nin,g and furthering of true religion, and the vngodlinejJe andw.,-tdly lujls, by liuing foberly wodhippe ofGod. There be other ends for righteouOy, and godly in this prefent world: which God both giuen riches , butthisof all Ina word, thiscallingof Chrittianitie isthe is the principall. Yet alas, this dt:tie is but mollexcellent calling in tHeworld, andhee Oenderly practifed of fuch as carry the name walketh worthy the fame thatkeepeth agood of Chrift : for many of the richer fort fpcnd confcience before God , and is voblameable a great part of their increafe vpon hawkes, B beforo all men. buls, beares, dogs, or riotouOy mifpend. the This dutie I commend to the meditation fame in fome fporting or gaming: and dtfable and prathfe ofall men whatfoeuer; we were themfelues to doe that good they £houldvnoacebaptized, and therin gauevpour names torh•ChurchofGod. And the meaner fort toGodandChrifr ; and wee arecontentto now adaies fpend that they get in fine appaheare the word, and receiue the Supper ofthe rell,and good cheere: and by this meanes the Lord as apledgeofhis mercy and Joue. Wee houfe ofGod is le!fe regarded: for euery corn· mutt therefore walke as they to whom the rnon man now adaies mu!! be a gentleman, mercy and loue ofGod pertaincs. Chri(lproand it is very hard fomctimcs for afi:ranger nouncethawoetuhem th4tgi~teojfence, MAtt h. rodifcernc the mafter from the feruanr: and t8·7· Andindeod it were better for any man there is fuch cxce!fe 111 all degrees, that now to be as farrevnderthecarr!l,as he is aboueit, for d>tlyattire,the noblcfrarethtplainell. To then by aba<l and loofe conuerfationro Oan• this dutte I may alfo adde, that ewory Chntti· der thename ofGod,whofe profefled fcruant an parenr, by vertueofhisgenerall calling, is heeis: and as Chritt fairh,lt were bmera mil to dedicate fomeoihismale children,as much C f/on<Jrtre h4nged•h••t hi< nerk_e, •nd h;e were as pofsible is,to the feruice of the minifterie; throrpneinto tbe bottom< ofthe fta. As DaHid iffo bethey haue gifts and inclinations of naprayeth,Pfol.It9•39-Lord,tak!frommtr-b•k! ture fir for thatcalling• And in this cafe the andjhame,which1tbfMre,btc.uftthyi•dgemenn example of .Ann• may be• a good direo!tion. areg"d' fo mull we pray, Lord takefrom me for vs ro follow, who did before-hand conferebuke & £hame,for thy {lofpel isgood.And crate Snm•elher firfiborne to the Lord. By thatwee may cuermore walke worthyofrhis this meanes the minitlery £hall be continued, calling, wee firll ofall mull depend by faith Gods Church and religion maintained, and on the prouidence a•d mercy of God at all ' hisGofpell publi£hed from age to age to the rimes. Secondly, wee mutt daily turnevnro· endofrheworld. htm, byHontinuall renewing ofour repenThe third general! dutie of Chrifiianitie, ranee. Thirdly, wee mull indeaueur to peris,that euery manfhould become a feruantto forme new obedionce in refpelt of all his his brother inall the duties ofloue.A ChrHHcommau&ments. ' an is the freell ofall men in the world. Forin Thus much ofthe generallcnllingcommoo that refpcct he isthe childeof Godiu Chrifr, to allmen_as they a:e Chrillia~s. Now fo~- he is truly freed from hd,death,and condell)· D loweth thefccond ktnde of~all~ng,and thar~s nation; yea,and in part from finne and Satan, perfonaU...·A perfonall call!ng ts_the exccutt· and that in this life:and yet fora! this,he mull oneffome particular office; anfing of that I bea feruantvnto euery man. But howlby all di!lino!tion which God makes betwecneman the dutiesofloue,as occaGoo0Jall be offered, and man·in euery focietie•.Firtt I fay, it is the and that for the common good of all me~. e:.:ecmion'ufftme~arti<HJ:'rojfot; a:iforexamM&rkewell the words of Saint Paut, (~Cor. ple,thecallingol amagt£lraretsto executethe 9·19· Th•ugh I beefree fromall men,Jet h••d office of gouernmen_r oner his fubieo!ts,. the >rwk... yftljeftr••ntto all, that rm'!,htwinne office of ammttter l~tocxecuterhe duty of the more. If it bet f&id this dutie apper<aines teachinghis people, the calhngof amatter,ts to anApoftle, I aufw~r, rhat 'PaN/ cn/oynes to execute t~e office ofauthority and gou<r'!· it inditfaently to euory man, Galat. 5 ·I 3· 7J.e men.t<lUer h!s fcruat!ts: the office ofa Phylitlycfermce orJe to another inloru. And for this oo~isOOputmpraCbferhtgoodmeanswhcr~.. caufe the feruanrs ot God are faid to bee·fr.l~s ~y life and health are l'rcferu~d. In~ word,m of righreo#focjJc, whofc lcaues ferue for metlieue<y ellate the prallt(e ~nd cxecutt~ncf rhat cine, and their fruit for mtat<t; not for ~~nJ- ~ar~'i~ul~r office, ~hc:r~~n a~y manu.placed, fclues,butforothers. Let vs rherefor~tht4e tshtlperfonallc•lhng• : . , . feare of God beecareful t6learne this'dutie: Secondly I adde, t~at It artfeth from forth< pracftife of it is the fpcciall o~nament thatdi£linllion which God maketh.betweene mm
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