1. Industry in mens Callings is a thing in it self very Commendable. If in nothing else, it hath an Advantage herein, that it is a means to preserve men from those Excesses in Lust and Riot, which otherwise they are apt to run into. And if you consider the two sorts of men, whereinto the Generality of Mankind are Distributed, namely of them who are industrious in their Affairs, and those who spend their time so far as they are able in Idleness and Pleasure; the former sort are far more amiable and desirable. Howbeit it is capable of being greatly abused. Earthly-mindedness, Covetousness, devouring things holy as to Times and Seasons of Duty, Uselessness, and ⟨image 97⟩the like pernicious Vices do invade and possess the Minds of men. There is no Lawful Calling that doth absolutely exclude this Grace of being Spiritually-minded in them that are engaged in it, nor any that doth include it. Men may be in the meanest of Lawful Callings and be so, and men may be in the best and highest and not be so. Consider the Calling of the Ministry: The Work and Duty of it calls on those that are employed in it, to have their Minds and Thoughts conversant about spiritual and heavenly things. They are to study about them, to meditate on them, to commit them unto Memory, to speak them out unto others. It will be said, Surely such men must needs be Spiritually-minded. If they go no further than what is mentioned, I say they must needs be so, as Printers must needs be Learned, who are continually conversant about Letters. A man may with great Industry engage himself in these things, and yet his mind be most remote from being Spiritual. The Event doth declare that it may be so, and the Reasons of it are manifest. It requires as much, if not more Watchfulness, more Care, more Humility, for a Minister to be Spiritually minded in the Discharge of his Calling, than to any sort of men in theirs: And that, as for other Reasons, so because the commonness of the exercise of such Thoughts, with their design upon others in their expression, will take off their Power and Efficacy. And he will have little benefit by his own Ministry, who endeavours not in the first place an Experience in his own heart of the Power of the Truths which he doth teach unto others. And there is Evidently as great a failing herein among us, as among any other sort of Christians, as every occasion of Trial doth Demonstrate.
1. Industry in mens Callings is a thing in it self very Commendable. If in nothing else, it hath an Advantage herein, that it is a means to preserve men from those Excesses in Lust and Ryot, which otherwise they are apt to run into. And if you consider the two sorts of men, whereinto the Generality of Mankind are Distributed, namely of them who are industrious in their Affairs, and those who spend their time so far as they are able in Idleness and Pleasure; the former sort are far more amiable and desireable. Howbeit it is capable of being greatly abused. Earthly-mindedness, Covetousness, devouring things holy as to Times and Seasons of Duty, Uselesness, and ⟨image 97⟩the like pernicious Vices do invade and possess the Minds of men. There is no Lawful Calling that doth absolutely exclude this Grace of being Spiritualy-minded in them that are ingaged in it, nor any that doth include it. Men may be in the meanest of Lawful Callings and be so, and men may be in the best and highest and not be so. Consider the Calling of the Ministry: The Work and Duty of it calls on those that are employed in it, to have their Minds and Thoughts conversant about spiritual and heavenly things. They are to study about them, to meditate on them, to commit them unto Memory, to speak them out unto others. It will be said, Surely such men must needs be Spiritually-minded. If they go no further than what is mentioned, I say they must needs be so, as Printers must needs be Learned, who are continually conversant about Letters. A man may with great Industry ingage himself in these things, and yet his mind be most remote from being Spiritual. The Event doth declare that it may be so, and the Reasons of it are manifest. It requires as much, if not more Watchfulness, more Care, more Humility, for a Minister to be Spiritually minded in the Discharge of his Calling, than to any sort of men in theirs: And that, as for other Reasons, so because the commonness of the exercise of such Thoughts, with their design upon others in their expression, will take off their Power and Efficacy. And he will have little benefit by his own Ministy, who endeavours not in the first place an Experience in his own heart of the Power of the Truths which he doth teach unto others. And there is Evidently as great a failing herein among us, as among any other sort of Christians, as every occasion of Tryal doth Demonstrate.
