The trades-man's calling being a discourse concerning the nature, necessity, choice, &c. of a…

(1.) You should know how to read and write. Reading is both necessary for your Spiritual and Temporal Calling: Thereby you are enabled to read God's Word and other good Books, which should be to you both Food and Recreation. Thereby you may get Knowledge by the Fire side, and receive that sacred Warmth into your Heart, which will be helpful to you for every good Word and Work. Particularly, thereby you will enjoy sweet Company on the Lord's-Day, when you must not work, and should not play. Both these are also very necessary in your Temporal Affairs; in so much that he who is unaccomplished with them, is scarce to be reckoned among rational Creatures, is unable to convey his Mind with any certainty to his distant Friends, to understand their Minds or Desires, but by ⟨p. 41⟩Assistance from others. He is unable to take or keep any just Account of his own Affairs, of the Increase or Decay of his Estate; much less can he be useful to others, which is always a comfortable thing, and sometimes beneficial. And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: And he saith, I am not learned. Isa. 29. 12. A sad Answer. But if you are designed for higher Callings, a suitable measure of Learning is requisite, according to the Quality of the Employment you choose: rather always storing your self with some Grains too much, than too little for any of them: For in most Callings, your Learning will suffer Loss, either through want of List, or want of Leisure.

(1.) You should know how to read and write. Reading is both necessary for your Spiritual and Temporal Calling: Thereby you are inabled to read God's Word and other good Books, which should be to you both Food and Recreation. Thereby you may get Knowledg by the Fire side, and receive that sacred Warmth into your Heart, which will be helpful to you for every good Word and Work. Particularly, thereby you will injoy sweet Company on the Lord's-Day, when you must not work, and should not play. Both these are also very necessary in your Temporal Affairs; in so much that he who is unaccomplished with them, is scarce to be reckoned among rational Creatures, is unable to convey his Mind with any certainty to his distant Friends, to understand their Minds or Desires, but by ⟨p. 41⟩Assistance from others. He is unable to take or keep any just Account of his own Affairs, of the Encrease or Decay of his Estate; much less can he be useful to others, which is always a comfortable thing, and sometimes beneficial. And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: And he saith, I am not learned.