The privy key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse…The privie key of heaven, or, Twenty arguments for closet-prayer in a select discourse…

By the law of Mahomet, the great Turk himself is bound to ⟨p. 155⟩exercise some manual Trade or occupation.

Solon made a Law, That the son ¹should not be bound to relieve his father, when old, unless he had set himself in his youth to some occupation. And at Athens every man gave a yearly account to the Magistrate, by what trade or course of life he maintained himself, which if he could not do he was banished. And 'tis by all Writers condemned as a very great vanity in Dionysius, that would needs be the best Poet. And Caligula, that would needs be the best Orator. And in Nero, that would needs be the best Fiddler: and so became the three worst Princes, by minding more other mens business than their own particular calling. But for a man to evade or neglect private prayer under pretence of his particular calling, is a greeable to no Scripture, yea, 'tis contrary to very many Scriptures, as is evident by the many Arguments formerly cited. Certainly, no mans calling ⟨p. 156⟩is a calling away from God, or godliness. It never entered into the heart of God, that our particular callings should ever drive out of doors our general calling of Christianity. Look as our general calling must not eat up our particular calling, so our particular calling must not eat up our general calling. Certainly, our particular calling must give place to our general calling. Did not the woman of Samaria leave her waterpot, and run into the city, and ²say, come see a man that told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Did not the shepherds leave their flocks in the field and go to Bethlehem, and declare the good tidings of great joy, that they had ³heard of the Angel, viz. That there was born that day in the city of David a Saviour which was Christ the Lord? And did not Christ commend Mary