A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

CAP. XVIII.

Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings, and of diuers vertues required in them.

§ Sect. 1 That we must make choyce of lawfull callings.

HAuing thus begun the day by the performance of these religi∣ous duties, we must in the next place betake our selues to the duties of our lawfull callings. Neither can we sufficiently ap∣prooue our selues vnto God, if we doe not ioyne these with the other, for he will be serued, not onely in the generall du∣ties of Christianity, but also in those speciall duties which are peculiar vn∣to those places and callings in which he hath set vs, either in the Church

or Common-wealth. Neither is it sufficient for him who is called to be a Magistrate, Minister, Master of a family, or seruant, that hee performe those duties which are common vnto him with all Christians, vnlesse he also with like care and indeuour, performe those speciall duties which be∣long to his owne place and calling. And heere first is required, that our calling be lawfull, and agreeable to Gods will and Word; that is, such an one, as our labours in it may tend to Gods glory, the good of the Church and Common wealth, and the furthering not onely of our temporall, but also our spirituall good, and the eternall saluation of our soules; and not such as being vnlawfull hindreth these ends; as those that liue by vn∣lawfull Artes and Trades, Players, Gamesters, and such like; for then the greater paines wee take in such callings, the greater is our sinne, the more wee dishonour God, hurt our neighbours, and hinder our owne saluation. Secondly, that wee bee in some measure qualified with such gifts as are fit for our callings; for those whom God calleth vnto any place, hee furnisheth them with such competencie of gifts, as that they may profitably performe the duties required vnto it. And if our cal∣ling bee lawfull, and wee thus fitted for it, then may wee say with the Apostle Paul, that wee are called by the will of God, and may with cheere∣fulnesse and comfort goe on in it, expecting his blessing vpon our la∣bours, and in the end of our liues, a rich reward for doing him therein faithfull seruice. Thirdly, our minds and hearts must be settled in our cal∣lings, so as we neither shift and change, vnlesse it be vpon waighty and ne∣cessary causes, nor intrude and busie our selues in the callings of others; for this were to ouerthrow all order, and bring confusion into Church and Common wealth; and to crosse Gods wise prouidence in the gouernment of the world, who hath giuen variety of gifts, which he hath appointed to be exercised in variety of callings, that being helpefull and seruiceable mu∣tually vnto one another, humane societies might be preserued, & peace and loue nourished in them. And therefore as in a well-gouerned Army, euery one keepeth his place and station vnto which his Generall hath designed him, & not only serueth him generally as a Souldier, but in that place and office vnto which he is appointed and chosen: So must wee demeane our selues towards our great Commander, and not thinke it enough to per∣forme good duties, vnlesse we doe those which belong to our callings; not out of fancie and fickle vnconstancie, leauing our station; but as the Apo∣stle requireth, abide in the same calling wherein God hath placed vs.

§. Sect. 2 That we must be regenerate, before we can serue God ac∣ceptably in our callings.

But it is not sufficient that we be settled in a lawfull calling, and that we painfully performe the duties that are required in it (for this a meere worldling may doe out of carnall and earthly respects, either for his owne pleasure, credit, or profit) but that we so carry and demeane our selues in it, as that we may by our labours and indeuours glorifie God, further our own saluation, and aduance the good of the Church & Common wealth. Vnto which, diuers things are required, some whereof respect our persons, and some the actions and duties which we performe. Vnto our persons there is required, that we be regenerate and sanctified. For our persons must be ac∣cepted, before any of our workes can please God, and bee holy and righte∣ous, before we can bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse.

For as vnto the pure all things are pure: so vnto them that are defiled and vn∣beleeuing, is nothing pure, but euen their minde and conscience is defiled. And if the sacrifices of the vvicked are abominable, and their very prayers are turned into sinne; hovv much more are the ordinary vvorkes of their cal∣lings sinfull and odious in Gods sight? Neither can such as are vnsanctifi∣ed expect any blessing of God vpon their labour, or that they should pros∣per in any thing vvhich they doe or take in hand, seeing by Gods promise, this priuiledge is limited vnto the righteous and such as feare him.

§ Sect. 3 That we must performe the duties of our callings in faith.

Vnto the actions also and duties of our callings, that they may be accep∣table vnto God, diuers things are required. And these are either such ver∣tues and graces which goe before, as being the causes of all our good acti∣ons and proceedings, or such as doe accompany and attend vpon them. Of the former sort, the first and principall is a true and liuely faith, where∣by I vnderstand not only a iustifying faith which assureth vs of the remissi∣on of our sinnes, and of the loue and fauour of God, and which by vniting vs vnto the true vine Christ, doth inable vs in him to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse, without which we cannot please God, nor doe any good thing, seeing all wee doe is sinne; but also a particular act of this faith, whereby we are perswaded that our callings and the duties which wee per∣forme in them being pleasing vnto God, the Lord wil giue a blessing vpon all our labours and indeuours. For which purpose our faith must haue a warrant and ground out of Gods Word, both inioyning these duties, and promising a blessing vnto the performance of them. And thus shall wee liue the life of faith, which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scrip∣tures, when as therein wee doe not only the religious duties of Gods seruice, but also the duties of our callings, whereby wee shall bee in∣couraged to goe forward in them with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse, when as we are assured that God will blesse those labours which himselfe hath required; and not bee dismayed with those crosses and troubles which befall vs in them, seeing we are sure, that by Gods blessing and gracious assistance, wee shall ouercome them, and haue a good end and issue of all our labours.

§ Sect. 4 That the du∣ties of our cal∣lings must pro∣ceede from Loue.

Secondly, the duties of our callings must proceede out of vnfained loue towards God and our neighbours, which is the fountaine of all true obedience, and not principally from selfe-loue or loue of the world, which being poysonous rootes of all sinne, will taint all our workes and actions which spring from them. They must arise from the loue of God, which moueth those in whom it is, to consecrate wholy vnto him their liues and labours, in all things desiring to serue him, who so loueth vs, and whom we so loue, both in the immediate duties of his worship, and also in the or∣dinarie duties of our callings. And this is done, when as wee labour in them, not first and chiefly for worldly gaine and aduantage, thereby to please our selues; but in obedience to Gods Commandement, who re∣quireth these duties of vs, studying in all things to please him, and that our actions both for the matter and manner may be approued and ac∣cepted in his sight. Secondly, wee must performe the duties of our callings out of loue towards our neighbours, seeking in them their good as well as our owne, seeing true charity seeketh not her owne, but

is also seruiceable vnto others: which if wee doe, then will we not wrong them, to benefit our selues, nor gaine by thir losse; wee will not depriue them of some great good, to get vnto our selues some small aduan∣tage; neither will we be so wholy intent and greedily gripple in follow∣ing our owne businesse, but that wee will spare them some of our time, and afford them our best helpe, when their necessity shall re∣quire our assistance, and reason, charity and conscience shall binde vs to afford it.

§. Sect. 5 That they must be direct∣ed to right ends.

Thirdly, as our labours must arise from these causes, so they must bee directed to right ends. As first and principally to Gods glory, which in all wee doe, wee must labour to aduance. Neither is God onely glori∣fied when wee professe and practise religious duties, but also when wee walk conscionably in our callings, and with all diligence performe the du∣ties required in them in obedience to his Commandements. Secondly, we must propound vnto our selues in them the good of the Church and Common wealth, which wee are to preferre before our owne priuate, and so carry our selues in all things, as that we may be profitable mem∣bers in these societies. In which regard wee must not seeke to gaine by the common losse, but neglect our owne particular, when as it will not stand with the publike and generall good. Thirdly, we must in all our la∣bours ayme so at our owne profit, as that we ioyne therewith the welfare and benefit of our neighbours, whom by the Law of charity wee are to loue as wee loue our selues; and not raise our gaine out of their losse and disaduantage, as it is the common custome of the world. But as wee pro∣fesse our selues members of the same body, so must wee, as becommeth members, ayme chiefly at the preseruation of the whole, and then at the ioynt good one of another, not thinking those goods well gotten, which are raysed and gayned out of our neighbours losse.

§. Sect. 6 That the du∣ties of our cal∣lings must bee performed af∣ter a right man¦ner, and first, with heauenly mindes.

And these things are to bee obserued in the labours of our callings, in respect of their causes both efficient and finall. In the next place our care must be, that we performe them after a right manner; vnto which is required that wee be exercised in our earthly businesse, with heauenly mindes and affections, and not suffer our worldly imployments so wholly to take vs vp both in soule and body, as that thereby wee should bee hin∣dred from hauing our conuersation in heauen. But like Citizens of hea∣uen, and pilgrims on earth, whilst our bodies are trauailing in world∣ly imployments, we must haue our mindes, hearts and affections lifted vp in spirituall and heauenly meditations and desires, contemplating and longing after the ioyes of our owne countrey, and not so much minding the things beneath, as the things aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Especially, we must not neglect in the middest of our ordi∣nary businesse, to lift vp our hearts often vnto God, either crauing his bles∣sing in the beginning of our worke, or giuing him thankes and praise in the end; and not suffer our thoughts to be so wholly set vpon our bodily imployments, and earthly obiects, as not sometimes to fixe them vpon spi∣rituall and heauenly things. For it worldlings and citizens of the earth, are seldome or neuer so intent vpon their workes and present imploy∣ments, but that their minds and hearts will take liberty of wandring after

those carnall pleasures wherein they most delight; let it be a shame for vs, who professe our selues Citizens of heauen, so wholly to mind earthly ob∣iects, as neuer to finde leasure to thinke of the ioyes of our owne Country, or of the spirituall meanes whereby wee may be inabled to attaine vnto them. As therefore we are to auoide Monkish sloth and idlenesse, giuing ouer the painefull labours of our callings, vnder pretence of contempla∣tion; so are we with no lesse care to auoyd the contrary extreme, of tur∣ning worldlings, and being earthly-minded; hauing our mindes and hearts so wholly fixed vpon worldly things, as that we can finde no leasure to thinke vpon those which are spirituall and heauenly. But we must be so imployed in the duties of our callings, as that we neglect not the generall duties of Christianity, and the exercises of Religion in their due time; nor be so intent and earnest in pursuing momentany gaine and worldly pro∣fit, as that in the meane time, through spirituall sloth, we suffer any of Gods sauing graces, heauenly thoughts, or holy affections and desires, to bee cooled and quenched in vs. Wee must so play the good husbands, as that we doe not forget Christs counsell; First seeke the Kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and not be so taken vp with our Oxen, farmes, and earthly matches and marriages, as to neglect the meanes whereby wee may bee fitted to come as worthy ghests to the marriage of the Kings sonne. Wee must chuse with the Philosopher, rather to neglect our farmes then our soules; and suffer some weedes to grow in our fields, ra∣ther then to haue our mindes ouergrowne with vices, or to lose any good opportunity of weeding them out, or of sowing in them the seeds of Gods graces.

§. Sect. 7 That the du∣ties of our cal∣lings must be sanctified by the Word and prayer.

Secondly, vnto the performing of the duties of our callings after a right manner, there is required that we sanctifie them by the Word and prayer. The former is done, when as we doe nothing but that for which we haue our warrant out of the holy Scriptures, and vse them as the rule and squire, according to which we frame all our actions, doing that which the Word of God requireth, and leauing that vndone which it forbid∣deth and condemneth. The which is to be obserued, both in respect of the matter and workes themselues, and also the manner and circumstan∣ces, doing all things both in substance and forme, as it requireth and di∣recteth. The latter is performed, when as by prayer wee desire Gods bles∣sing vpon all our labours, and render vnto him praise and thanksgiuing, when wee haue obtained it, and haue succeeded and prospered in the workes of our hands. And this the Apostle requireth in all our affaires; Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus, gi∣uing thankes to God, and the Father by him. The necessity whereof will plainely appeare, if we consider, that it is Gods blessing onely which ma∣keth rich, and causeth vs to thriue and prosper in all the vvorkes of our hands. That it alone inableth vs to build goodly houses, and causeth our heards and our flocks, our siluer and gold, and all that wee haue to multiply: and that hee onely giueth vs power to get wealth. That it is he, vvho at his plea∣sure giueth and taketh away, maketh poore and rich, bringeth low, and lifteth vp, raysing the poore out of the dust, and lifting vp the begger from the dung∣hill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherite the Throne of glory;

As we see in the example of Abraham and Lot, who by the blessing of God vpon their labours, waxed so rich, that the land was not able to beare them that they might dwell together; and of Isaac, who being a so∣iourner and stranger in the land, prospered in all his labours, and sowing the ground, receiued in the same yeere an hundred fold, because the Lord bles∣sed him. And in Iacob, who passing ouer Iordane like a poore Pilgrim, with his staffe in his hand, at his returne backe againe was multiplyed in wealth. Whereas contrariwise, if Gods blessing be wanting (as wee are not likely to haue it vnlesse we craue it) all our labours and indeuours will be spent in vaine; For except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it; except the Lord keepe the City, the watchman waketh but in vaine; It is in vaine for vs to rise earely, to sit vp late, and to eate the bread of sorrowes, not affording our selues a good meales meate, out of our earnest desire to become rich. For if wee neglect Gods seruice, the Lord will blow vpon our labours, and then though we sow much, we shall bring in little; wee shall eate, but not haue enough; we shall drinke, but not be satisfied; clothe our selues, and not bee warme; and earning wages for our worke, we shall not bee the richer, but put it all into a bag with holes. Or if our labours prosper for the increasing of worldly wealth; yet Gods blessing being wanting, it shall doe vs more hurt then good, bringing with it no sound comfort and con∣tentment, but carking care, feare, and griefe; whereas the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and hee addeth no sorrow with it, as the Wiseman spea∣keth. And if we thus performe the duties of our callings, in loue towards God, and in obedience to his commandement, and desire by prayer his blessing vpon our labours, and yeeld him praise when he hath vouchsafed to giue it, then shall we therein doe seruice vnto God, though our con∣dition and the workes of our vocation be neuer so meane and base, as well as in hearing the Word, or receiuing the Sacrament, or in performing the most excellent duty which he hath commanded, seeing though they differ in the matter, yet not in respect of our minde, and manner of doing them. And so we may be assured, not only that the Lord will prosper vs in them, and giue them such good successe in this world, as shall be most fitting for his glory and our spirituall good, but also will richly reward them, among other duties of his seruice, with euerlasting ioy and happinesse in the life to come. The which argument the Apostle vseth to perswade ser∣uants to walke faithfully in their calling, obeying their masters, according to the flesh, and herein performing their duty, with all cheerefulnesse and single∣nesse of heart, as vnto the Lord, and not vnto men; knowing that of the Lord they should receiue the reward of the inheritance, because in seruing their masters, they serued him.

§. Sect. 8 Of the vertues which must accompany vs in the duties of our callings.

The next thing to be considered, is the vertues which ought to accom∣pany vs in the right and religious performance of the duties of our cal∣lings. For howsoeuer all vertues and graces are necessary vnto the person that must thus walke acceptably before God, and scarce any can bee wan∣ting to the well-performing of any good action; yet there are some which more specially and properly belong to these duties of our callings, and doe so immediately concerne them, that they can in no good sort bee done of vs, vnlesse in some measure we be qualified with them. As first, knowledge

and iudgement, whereby we must be inabled to discerne betweene good and euill, right and wrong, which must be our light to guide vs in all our wayes, and our loade-starre to direct vs in all our courses, which if it bee wanting, we shall walke in darkenesse, and be apt to fall into many errours. Secondly, affiance in God, whereby we cast our selues vpon his promises and prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes; the which the Psalmist re∣quireth of vs; Commit thy way (saith he) vnto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to passe. The which we may more easily doe, if wee rightly consider our Sauiours argument which he vseth to the same purpose; for if the Lord take care to feede the fowles of the aire, which take no care for themselues; and clotheth the lillies of the field, which neither toyle nor spin, how much more will hee prouide for vs all things necessary, who rest vpon him in the vse of all lawfull courses, and take moderate care, and conuenient paines to serue his prouidence? which affiance, if it bee wan∣ting, we shall be subiect to innumerable discouragements, macerate our selues with carking care, and rush, vpon all occasions, into the vse of vn∣lawfull meanes, when lawfull are wanting; thereby shifting for our selues, because we haue no assurance that God will prouide for vs. Thirdly, wee must be accompanied with a good conscience both towards God and to∣wards men, and willing with the Apostle, to liue honestly, wee must with him keep it in all things. For hauing alwayes in our company this Monitour and Iudge, it will notably preserue vs from all secret sinnes, and craftie conueyances, whereby we are naturally apt to wrong our neighbours, that we may benefit our selues; from all halting, dissembling, and double dea∣ling, when as it may be so cunningly and closely carried, that respect of our credit, worldly shame, nor legall punishment are no sufficient bonds to restraine vs from them; and from sloth and vnfaithfulnesse in perfor∣ming our duties; when no eye of man can take notice of it. Fourthly, we must haue contentation for our companion, whereby we are in all things contented with Gods good pleasure, and thinke that estate and condition best for vs in which he hath placed vs, giuing indifferent welcome to pro∣sperity or aduersity, pouerty or riches, gaine or losse, because they are messengers alike of his sending; and though some more then others doe in rougher tearmes deliuer his message, yet when we doe entertaine them aright, they all assure vs of his loue, as being meanes to further our salua∣tion. And of this we haue an example in the Apostle Paul; Who had lear∣ned both, how to be abased and how to abound, to be full and to be hungry, to ex∣ceede and suffer want. Vnto which if we attaine; then shall we not be dis∣contented with the basenesse of our callings, nor enuie others their grea∣ter preferments, their lesse labours and more gaines; we shall not bee set vpon the racke of ambition, aspiring daily after higher dignity, seeing the place in which we are, being of Gods appointing, is most fitting for vs. Neither can any calling be thought too base for vs, wherin acceptable ser∣uice may be offered vnto God, yea wherein he ioyneth with vs as our hel∣per and assistant, and rewards the paines which we take in them, with no lesse wages then an heauenly inheritance. We shall be preserued from that deadly dropsie of vnsatiable auarice; for our conuersation may bee without couetousnesse, if we come to thinke godlinesse the greatest gaine, and can bee

content with such things as we haue. And consequently, we shall walke ho∣nestly in our callings, when being contented with our estate and condi∣tion, we will vse no indirect and vnlawfull meanes, nor fraudulent, vio∣lent, or vniust courses, to inrich our selues with other mens goods. And goe on in our duty with much comfort and inward peace, when our heads are not vexed with carking cares; nor our hearts affrighted with the ter∣rours, nor gnawed on with the worme of an euill conscience. But of this I haue spoken largely in another place. Fifthly, we must possesse our soules with patience, if we will, as we ought, walke in the duties of our callings; for besides that our labours in themselues are tedious and troublesome; we are daily subiect to many crosses and mis-carriages in them, which will discourage vs from going on; or if we doe, being constrained by neces∣sitie, yet with much discontentment and disquietnesse of minde, murmur∣ing and repining, if we be not armed with patience, and resolution to suf∣fer with meekenesse, whatsoeuer God shall be pleased to send. Sixthly, we must haue our hearts replenished with thankefulnesse vnto God, and bee ready at all times when we obserue his loue in blessing our labours, to lift them vp, rendring vnto him praise and thankesgiuing. And acknowledg∣ing that we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies, we must giue him the whole glory of them, and not sacrifice vnto our owne nets, nor attribute our well-proceeding and good successe to our owne policie and skill, industry and abilities, but knowing that whatsoeuer we haue, we haue receiued it from God, wee must take all occasions of rendring vnto him the praise which is due vnto him. Seuenthly, wee must performe the duties of our callings with alacrity and cheerefulnesse, and whatsoeuer we doe, we must doe it heartily, as vnto the Lord, and not vnto men, who will richly reward our la∣bours with an heauenly inheritance. For as he loueth a cheerefull giuer, so also a cheerefull labourer, in all things more respecting our inward affecti∣ons then our outward actions. And as it is acceptable to God; so will it bee most comfortable vnto vs, making all our labours easie; when our hearts and hands are conioyned in doing them. Eighthly, we must obserue Iustice in all the duties of our callings, doing nothing in them, but that which may aduance our neighbours good as well as our owne. And this will make vs auoyd all vniust and vnlawfull courses, which are common∣ly vsed to gather wealth; all fraud and deceit, extortion and oppres∣sion; all vnprofitable labours, which tend to the hurt, rather then the good of the Common-wealth; and deceitfull dealing, in those that are lawfull. Finally, by this Iustice wee shall bee mooued to giue euery man his due, and to doe no man wrong in the carriage of our callings; but so deale in them with others, as we would haue others in their callings to deale with vs.

Notes

• 2. Cor. 1. 1.
• 1. Cor. 7. 20, 24.
• Tit. 1. 15. Pro. 21. 27. verse 4.
• Psal. 1. 3. & 112. 1, 2. &c. Psal. 128. 1.
• Hab. 11. 6. Iohn 15. 5. Rom. 14. 23.
• Hab. 2. 4.
• 1. Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 13.
• 1. Cor. 10. 31.
• Phil. 3 20. Col. 3. 1, 2.
• Mat. 22. 2, 3, 4.
• Aristippus apud Plut. de tran∣quil. animi.
• 1. Tim. 4. 5.
• Col. 3. 17.
• Pro. 10. 22.
• Deut. 8. 13, 18.
• Job 1. 21.
• 1. Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7.
• Gen. 13. 5, 6.
• Gen. 26. 3, 12.
• Gen. 32. 10.
• Psal. 127. 1, 2.
• Hag. 1. 6, 9.
• Pro. 10. 22.
• Col. 3. 23, 24.
• Psal. 37. 5.
• Mat. 6. 25, 28.
• Act. 24. 16.
• Heb. 13. 18.
• Phil. 4. 12.
• Heb. 13. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 6.
• Christian war∣fare 2. part. l. 2. cap. 19.
• Gen. 32. 10.
• Hab. 1. 16.
• 1. Cor. 4. 7.
• Col. 3. 23, 24.
• 1. Thes. 4. 6.