Expository notes, with practical observations; towards the opening of the five first chapters of the first book of Moses called Genesis. Delivered by way of exposition in several lords-dayes exercises.: By Benjamin Needler, minister of the gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-Street, London.

Quest. 3. verse 2.

Why did Adam bring up his sonnes, one to be a keeper of sheep, and the other a tiller of the ground?

To teach us that parents should bring [Resp.] up their children to some employment; and that it is the duty of every one, industri∣ously to apply himselfe to some calling or other. Cain and Abel were heires apparent to the whole earth; and yet they had their employments.

I know we ought to distinguish between manuall labour, and mentall labour: in the manner of employment may be some odds. Manuall, servile, and mechanick labour is fit for men of a lower condition; generous, and ingenuous, and liberall employments for persons of the greatest births, and brightest intellectualls, and this kinde of labour possibly might have suited best with Cain, and Abel, had it not been for the scarcity of persons then living in the world, and the necessity of engaging in such callings for the present; but every one ought to be industrious.

And therefore, as a Learned Author very well observes, That those Gallants, who live in no setled course of life, but spend their time in pleasure and vanity, there is not the poorest contemptible crea∣ture that cryeth Oysters, and Kitchin-stuffe in the street, but deserveth his bread bet∣ter then they; and his course of life is of better esteeme with God, and every sober wise man, then theirs. An horse, that is neither good for the way, nor the cart, nor the race, nor any other service, let him be of never so good a breed, never so well marked and shaped, yet he is but a Jade. His Master setteth nothing by him, every man will say, Better knock him in the head, then keep him. His skin, though not much worth, is yet better worth then the whole beast besides.

Let us have a care therefore of giving up our selves to the vanities and pleasures of the world; An idle mans brain is the Devils shop, where he forges all manner of sinne. Nihil agendo, malè agere disces: Hierom thought that action, and lawfull employment was a disheartning to the Devil, and therefore he gives this advice, Semper aliquid age, ut te Diabolus inveniat occupatum; Put thy selfe upon some bu∣sinesse

or other, that when the Devil comes to tempt thee to sin, he may not finde thee at leasure.