t. Commentarie vpon the 688 Application. But howmay Chrifl comeand find a number of lazie Chriflian s in his vinyard,to whó he may fay,why (land ye idle all day long? why,didyou not 'nonlifeme you would go intomy vineyard& w.ork,aud do ye not? or areyou in fo goodly a field and can you want worke ? haueye done all your husbandry about home in your own hearts,in your callingsand feurral conditions oflife?then look abroad into the fieldofmy Church, and there you (hall not want wherein ro employ your (irength,counfell, exhortation, mercy, loue, zeale,diligence, and all the gracesyee haue. Neither is it harder to let Chrihians on work,then to hold them vino ir. Theprofits and pleafures ofthis life,call themoften from the fpecial bu- finesofChriflianity, becaufe they enquire not whether in fuch feuerall a6tions they feeke God or themfelues : What am I a beleeuer? I fhould in euery aLlion glorifie God,tellifie my faith,beautifie my profefli on,e_ dific my brethren:I ought to winne the ignorant,bring on the weake,or at leaf" lioppe the mouth of theenemy,who will be ready to fay You may fee what a flight excufe will ferneany of all to mifle a fermon: what aflight profit will make them forget themfelues, their father whô they profeffe, and their Fathers houfe: what a flender bufines will inter- rupt & breake offfor the time their family-duties:what a triflewil make them at ods,and fuites with others , yea themfelues: for they can be as contentious as anyother. Alas,am not I a Chri(lian, abeleeuer,am I not called tobetter things, haue I not promifedbetter? fhould I make the deuill glad,his inflruments reioyce,Gods fpirit fad, his children heauy? fhould I occafion profane ones throughmy fides towound all my pro- feilion? fhould I open a Papifis mouth,orharden him again(' the truth? should I call backe weake ones by fuch fruits in me a profe(l'or ? fhould I call offthe careofmy brethren , and bring fhame on all my fathers houle ? Haue I faith,orare thefe the fruits ofit? would it not rather be fed hill in the miniflery?would it nor vponall goodoccafions be work- ing by loue? can a beleeuer be fo flacke,fo heauy,fo idle,fo fecure,fo co- uetous,fo contentious,fo fcandalous asI am? oh I muff lookebetter to the matter. When I fir(i entred into thewales ofGod,I faid,l promifed I would looke tomywaies,I wouldnot offend inmy tongue, inmyhand, in my eye,in my life and conuerfation; and by Gods grace hereafter I will pay thefe vowes to the Lord,in the fight ofall his people. Now for watching opportunities & fcekingoccafions ofdoing good, we feare them,we hie them,we auoíd charitablemotions, and repute it our wiCdome not to heave them: felfe loue and felfecafe flaieth our pro- fef'ion,deadeth our faith, andburieth our loue to God,and to men :can working faith be fo idle, or beleeuing perlons fo workles , or trees of orchard fo fruitles ? (hall greene leaues make vs good trees , or good
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