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

And here is a large Field before you, wherein to sow your Seed. Either you have some poor Kindred in City or in the Country; or God hath some poor Children of his, whose necessities cry for relief; or some poor Ministers of Christ, that instead of living to study and preach, must study to live and get Bread; or some poor ingenious Scholars, that if they were supported a while, would become excellent Instruments of Good; or some towardly Youths, whose Parents can't put them to Trades; and others that have Skill and Parts, but have no Stock to set up with; or some poor Tradesmen and House-keepers that often want Work, and so want Bread, or are overstocked with Children, and yet are loth to complain, and ashamed to beg, and so languish and waste away: or some honest Maids, whom a little Money would settle either in Employments or Marriage; who, being indigent and neglected, become liable to great Temptations. Besides in the Country, there are Schools and Hospitals to erect and endow; Tithes to redeem from the Impropriators: Work-houses to make for the Poor: ⟨p. 125⟩Lectures to set up in the dark Corners of the Land; room and employment enough for your Charity. And to speak the Truth, the Tradesmen of England, and especially of London, have outstripped all other Subjects in such Acts of Charity as these: No Sort of Men being more ready on all Occasions to realize their Charity, or that have scattered up and down the Nation such visible Instances thereof. For they are taught, that they are only Stewards of God's Stock, which is in their Hands; that well-ordered Charity is the most certain way of thriving; that what is employed this way is not lost, but lent on the best Security, and for the greatest Interest; that it concerns them to lay up a Treasure in Heaven, because they must not abide always upon the Earth; and that the best Trading is for Invisibles.

And here is a large Field before you, wherein to sow your Seed. Either you have some poor Kindred in City or in the Country; or God hath some poor Children of his, whose necessities cry for relief; or some poor Ministers of Christ, that instead of living to study and preach, must study to live and get Bread; or some poor ingenious Scholars, that if they were supported a while, would become excellent Instruments of Good; or some towardly Youths, whose Parents can't put them to Trades; and others that have Skill and Parts, but have no Stock to set up with; or some poor Tradesmen and House-keepers that often want Work, and so want Bread, or are overstock'd with Children, and yet are loth to complain, and asham'd to beg, and so languish and waste away: or some honest Maids, whom a little Money would settle either in Imployments or Marriage; who, being indigent and neglected, become liable to great Temptations. Besides in the Country, there are Schools and Hospitals to erect and endow; Tithes to redeem from the Impropriators: Work-houses to make for the Poor: