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

This Diligence will also guard you against frequent, and needless frequenting of Taverns, Alehouses, and Coffee-Houses, where a great deal of Money is wasted, a great deal of Sobriety is lost, and a great deal of Time is squandered away, which should be employed in your Callings. It is hard to determine how far such Converse may be permitted; but it is not hard to perceive, that many Tradesmen exceed those Bounds, which, I do not say Religion, but a reasonable Diligence doth allow. And how many, which should be found in their Shops, must be sought in the Tavern; and others when they should be worshipping God in due season in their Families, are loitering away their time in Coffee-houses; wherein, tho there be no Law to restrain, they have no Superior to call them to account; yet there is an holy God who will enter into Judgment with them, if they do not repent, that is, amend.

This Diligence will also guard you against frequent, and needless frequenting of Taverns, Alehouses, and Coffee-Houses, where a great deal of Money is wasted, a great deal of Sobriety is lost, and a great deal of Time is squandred away, which should be imployed in your Callings. It is hard to determine how far such Converse may be permitted; but it is not hard to perceive, that many Tradesmen exceed those Bounds, which, I do not say Religion, but a reasonable Diligence doth allow. And how many, which should be found in their Shops, must be sought in the Tavern; and others when they should be worshipping God in due season in their Families, are loitering away their time in Coffee-houses; wherein, tho there be no Law to restrain, they have no Superior to call them to account; yet there is an holy God who will enter into Judgment with them, if they do not repent, that is, amend.

The same Diligence restrains you also from needless and fruitless Visits. A due performance of these, is not only necessary in order to business, but also to the preserving and cultivating of Friendship and Alliance; but then Religion teaches Men to improve those civil Offices, to our own and others greatest good; either by giving ⟨p. 85⟩or receiving some good Counsel or needful Comfort; but it is the idle and useless Visits, which the diligent Man avoids; the Visits which are spent in ransacking all the affairs and faults of their Neighbours or Acquaintance, in correcting the Miscarriage of Church and State, in judging and condemning Persons that are absent, and so cannot make their own defence: Such as these,