776 .ATreat!feof[allings. uiour Chrift himfelfwas by calling a Carpen- A The lall point tobe confidercd,isthe t"'''"· rer,in his firll and priuate lifc,tilhe was thirty ding thereof. And hemn are rwa things rcq_uiyeares old :yet after his baptifme, hethewed red: the Rejignement,Andthe AccoHnt.In the P";' himfelfe to be the Mcfsiah, and Sauiour ofthe rable oftherich man, the Lord calleth his fie• world. Neuertheleffe, a change may not bte wiud , and biddcth him giue an account ofhi~ made:, but vpon vrgent and weightie caufes, llcwatdfhip, for hecan be nolonger lleward : and they arc two efpecially; PrifiAte necejJitie where wee fCe, befides the rdigaement ofour and the commongood: PriHI~tentcefJitit, is when callings,there mull an accoum be made ofour men cannor maimaine themfclues .and theirs doings therein.Ofthefe two in erder.The Re. by the callings in which they are; for theo ftgnementofacalling,i>nothing•lfe,butthe lay. they may berake themfelues to othercallings. ing downe ofthe faid calling,by ceafingtoput Thus aMerchant man may become an bus· inexecution the workes and duties thereof.In bandman, and an husbaodman, a Merchant. thercfigoement of callings, two things mull Thus a Phyfitiarrmay become a minifter of be confidcred. Fidl;herime whe*· Secondly, the Gofpe!. And 'PaN! an Ap&llle, vpon prithe-manner hew.Tht time is notleft inourow'nt uate necefsitie, returned to the calling of a B choicc:forwcmay notleaueour callingswhcn Tent-maker: yet fo as he performed his miniwe pleafe; but~he pr<fcribing thereofbelongs llery, when occafion was offered. · to God: like as in the field, the fouldier may The fecoad caufeofmaking changelawfull; not leaue his !landingwhen hee will,vntill hec is thepublik[good.Thusmay a priaate man he· l!aueawarrant from the Captaine. For asthe come a Magillrate. And it mull bee rememcafe !lands in one kinde ofcalling, fo by probred, thatfooft as wechange,irmafrbeeco portion in the rell. Now inoneparticular calNumb bettcr.nd moreexcellent calling•, in which ling,namely, in theoffice ofthe Leuite,the en· we may glorilieGodmore, and bring greater· trance into it,thc continuance, and tht ending tCor. bcoc6t re the Church and Common-wealth. ofit,is in the will ofGod, who prefcribes the Thus Paul biddeth the Corinthians to feeke time when he mull enter,namely, atthe ageof I-f. I. forthebellgifts, which might ferue forthe thirtyyeares: and how lengmull he continue, beflcallings. And here the fault offome is to twentyyeares: and when he mull end, name· be reprooued, that hauing notable giftsofnaly, atfifty ycarcs. And therelore the prcfcriture and learning, becaufe they would attaine bing ofparticular ftafons and times of laying to worldly wealrh, make thCfelaes Merchiits, downe other callings, is nor altogether withor factors to merchiits,orfcruingmcn to great C out the will ofGod. Hence it followcs,that no perfons:whereas for their gifts,they might do manisto lay downe the cOL!ling wherein heis God better feruicc in the greatcll callings of .placed, till he can fay by fome warrant inhis the Church.And thus much ofconllancy. confcience, that it is the good will and pleaTheconfideration ofthis,that we arc bound fureofGod, that he fhall tien refigneand ceafe to be co11llant in duties of our particular cal· to do the dutiesthereofany longer. liBgs,mulheach vs muchmore to be conllant Tl:is rule hath his truth in all things what· in the generallduties of Chtillianity. And focuer, whether pertaining to the Church or the.refore let vs all be carefnll, notonely pro. common-wealth. And by it we may iudge on fefle the true religion for the prefent time, but the contrary, whatmay bethought ofrefigne• to continue conllant in this profefsi6VI!to the ments ofcallings, both ciuill, and Ecclefialliend. Our generall callingadmits no vacation call vpon no other gronnd, butthe very wils nor change as our particular calling• do. Well ofmen,for the attainment ofgreater wealth, the,in that we profcffeourfelues ro l>emempleafure,and preferment. bers ofChrill;ip thefeour happy daiesofpeace To goyet further in this point.Callings are let vs arme our folucsagainll the euill daiesco eftwo forts:changeable,& perpetual.Chang· come,thatwe may be faithfull totbe'end. D able calling.s are fuch as arc irnpofed for a Againe, in the generall calling,eucrymanis feafon: as foraycare orrwo, or longer: and bound in all good confcience, toobey God in fuch callings are to be rtfigned, according to allhiscomrnandemtnrs:herealfo mull our cii· the appointment of them that impofed them. llancy appeare, fo long as we liue,that we may Jlut in perpetualcallings, the cafe!landsother· fay withPaul,z.Tim+7·Tha1eefimjhtmyc.urfi wife, anolotherconditions are required. Ne· I ha•efo•ghtagoodfight. And withHe:..echiM uerthe!e{fe, there bee foure fpeciall times, in on his death·bed.lfo.J8•J·Lordremembtr how which fuch kinde efcallings may be rcfigned. I hauewalk£dbtforetbee,withanvprightheart,& Firll, whon men are vtterlydifabled,eitherby ha11e done that which u acceptable in thy fight. age , or by any vncurable difeafeof bodie or God bath made a mofr mrrcifull promife of miode, or by want ofgifts: then indeed what· life euerlalling, which is the comfort ofall foeuer the calling be, either publike!orJ.riuate comforts, &withoutwhich, the cafe ofGods ciuill,or Ecclefullicall, it may bela1d owne. children were ofallmotl:miferable. Andthis When MojiJ was llriken in yearcs, and faw promife is made to them that continue faiththe end of his daies at hand, hee called ·the Dcut; full vnto the end : thcfc are they on whom whole conJ,regation, and tels them1 that bee· l.·7· God will bellow thecrowneoflife. And thus ing an bun red and twentyyeares old, he wu much forcontinuance inourcallings. no more able to go: in and out before them : that
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