A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 6 That the duties of our callings must be performed after a right manner, and first, with heavenly minds.

§. Sect. 6 That the duties of our callings must bee performed after a right manner, and first, with heauenly mindes.

And these things are to be observed in the labours of our callings, in respect of their causes both efficient and final. In the next place our care must be, that we perform them after a right manner; unto which is required that we be exercised in our earthly business, with heavenly minds and affections, and not suffer our worldly employments so wholly to take us up both in soul and body, as that thereby we should be hindered from having our conversation in heaven. But like Citizens of heaven, and pilgrims on earth, whilst our bodies are travailing in worldly employments, we must have our minds, hearts and affections lifted up in spiritual and heavenly meditations and desires, contemplating and longing after the joys of our own country, and not so much minding the things beneath, as the things above, where Christ sitteth at the right ¹hand of God. Especially, we must not neglect in the middest of our ordinary business, to lift up our hearts often unto God, either craving his blessing in the beginning of our work, or giving him thanks and praise in the end; and not suffer our thoughts to be so wholly set upon our bodily employments, and earthly objects, as not sometimes to fix them upon spiritual and heavenly things. For it worldlings and citizens of the earth, are seldom or never so intent upon their works and present employments, but that their minds and hearts will take liberty of wandering after ⟨p. 247⟩those carnal pleasures wherein they most delight; let it be a shame for us, who profess our selves Citizens of heaven, so wholly to mind earthly objects, as never to find leisure to think of the joys of our own Country, or of the spiritual means whereby we may be enabled to attain unto them. As therefore we are to avoid Monkish sloth and idleness, giving over the painful labours of our callings, under pretence of contemplation; so are we with no less care to avoid the contrary extreme, of turning worldlings, and being earthly-minded; having our minds and hearts so wholly fixed upon worldly things, as that we can find no leisure to think upon those which are spiritual and heavenly. But we must be so employed in the duties of our callings, as that we neglect not the general duties of Christianity, and the exercises of Religion in their due time;