The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Its in vain for any to pretend that they are so busy in praying, and reading, and hearing, and holy duties, that they cannot attend their particular callings; for the same God that calls them to spiritual traffic, commands them their temporal trades, and hath allotted them sufficient time for both. He doth the Devil too great a courtesy, who makes the Commands of God to quarrel and clash one against another; If Satan can prevail with men to neglect their callings whole days together, and leave their families declining, and almost starving through their idleness, for private fasting and praying, he never fears the good such a man shall get by all that devotion, which is (as Paul speaks of himself) born out of due time; He knoweth God doth not usually send in blessings at such back doors, and that he is provoked as truly by leaving our Shops, when our callings require our company, as by passing by our Closets, when he calls us in to speak with us there. The best food may prove unwholesome and burdensome to the stomach, if a fit season for taking it, be not observed; Our best duties, like some Children, are utterly lost by being brought forth before their time. The Roman General said, Non amo nimium diligentem, I love not them that are too diligent; meaning them that leave their own callings, and are busy-bodies in others. God loves not such over-diligent, nor any negligent ones. As he commandeth our dependence on him for a blessing, so he commandeth our diligence in our several places.

Its in vain for any to pretend that they are so busie in praying, and reading, and hearing, and holy duties, that they cannot attend their particular callings; for the same God that calls them to spiritual traffique, commands them their temporal trades, and hath allotted them sufficient time for both. He doth the Devil too great a courtesie, who makes the Commands of God to quarrel and clash one against another; If Satan can prevail with men to neglect their callings whole days together, and leave their families declining, and almost starving through their idleness, for private fasting and praying, he never fears the good such a man shall get by all that devotion, which is (as Paul speaks of himself) born out of due time; He knoweth God doth not usually send in blessings at such backdoors, and that he is provoked as truly by leaving our Shops, when our callings require our company, as by passing by our Closets, when he calls us in to speak with us there. The best food may prove unwholsom and burthensom to the stomach, if a fit season for taking it, be not observed; Our best duties, like some Children, are utterly lost by being brought forth before their time. The Roman General said, Non amo nimium diligentem, I love not them that are too diligent; meaning them that leave their own callings, and are busie-bodies in others. God loves not such over-diligent, nor any negligent ones. As he commandeth our dependance on him for a blessing, so he commandeth our diligence in our several places.