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. 1 That God hath ordained man to labour; and hath in many places of the Scriptures strictly enjoined it.

§. Sect. 1 That God hath ordained man to labour; and hath in many places of the Scriptures strictly inioyned it.

Now when we are thus qualified with these virtues and graces, the last thing required in the duties of our callings, is, that we walk in them with all painfulness and diligence, which because it is tedious to flesh and blood, and men are naturally given to ease and liberty, desiring no calling at all, or, if any be put upon them by necessity rather then choice, to walk in them with as much sloth and negligence, as desire of their gain and advantage will permit; and few of many that are painful, are diligent in their callings in obedience unto God, or out of conscience of their duty, or any other religious consideration; labouring no otherwise in them then Infidels and Pagans, only for worldly benefit and earthly respects. Therefore it will be profitable to propound some reasons out of the Scriptures, both to incite us to honest labour in the works of our callings; and to make us avoid sloth and idleness. First then let us consider, that God hath ordained man as naturally to labour, as the sparks to flee upwards, and ¹in the state of innocency would not endure that man should be idle, but made his labour easy and comfortable, that he might labour with delight. And therefore much less will he now suffer man unpunished to live at his ease, seeing he hath imposed it upon him as a penalty for his transgression, that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread; and hath purposely ²cursed the earth with barrenness without tilling and manuring; being content that it should want its natural fruitfulness, rather then that man should want necessary cause and occasion of labour. And though he would have his Saints in heaven to keep unto him a perpetual Sabbath (not that they should be idle, but wholly intent to his praises) yet prescribing a Law unto sinners on earth, he appointeth but one day for rest, and six for labour, to show unto us, that in this world he will be served, not only with religious duties, but in the greatest part of our time, by walking faithfully and conscionably before him in the duties of our callings, expressing and exercising our inward graces and religious virtues, in our vocations, and the outward duties required in them. And this Law he hath backed with many special commandments and testimonies of holy Scripture, requiring at our hands that we should daily exercise our selves in the duties of our callings.