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felves in the works of an honeft calling, for necef-fary ufes; that is, for the fupport of their fami lies, and the relief of those who are in want and neceffity. And the Apoftle lays great weight and ftrefs upon this, as a very great duty, Tit. iri. 8. This is a faithful faying, and these things I will that thou affirm conftantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. Thefe things are good and profitable unto men; that is, of ge neral benefit and advantage to mankind.

So that no man's calling is a hindrance to religion, but a part of it; and by performing the duties of piety in their proper feafens, and fpending the rest of qur time in any honeft and useful employment, we may make our whole life a perpetual ferving of God; we may glorify God in our eating and drinking, and in all other lawful and ufeful actions of life. In ferving the occafions and neceffities of life with fobriety and temperance, and in managing our worldly commerce with juftice and integrity; we may ferve God, and perform confiderable duties of religion.

So that provided we do nothing that is finful, and manage the actions and concernments of this life with › a due regard and fubferviency to the great interests of eternity, we may do the work of God all the while we are providing for ourselves, and employed in the works of an honeft calling: for God, who hath defigned this life in order to the other, confiders the neceffities of our prefent ftate, and allows us to make provifion for it.

There are fome perfons indeed, whofe birth and condition fets them above the common employments of life, and the works of an ordinary calling: but these alfo have a work given them to do; for God hath fent no man into the world to no purpose, and only to take his paftime therein: Neque enim ita generati fumus à natura, ut ad ludum et jocum facti effe videamur, fed ad feveritatem potiùs, et quædam Studia graviora atque majora: "For we are not (fays Tully De off. lib. 1.) fo framed by nature, as if we were made for fport and jeft, but for more ferious employments, and for greater and weightier bufi

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"nefs ;" and those who are tied to no particular calling, may allow fo much larger portions of their time to religion, and the fervice of God; and God likewife expects from them, that they fhould be useful to mankind in fome higher and nobler way, according to the publicnefs of their station and influence. Such perfons may be ferviceable to their country, and the affairs of government, and in the care of public juftice, and may employ their time in preparing and rendering themselves more fit for this fervice. They may find a great deal of work to do in the good government of their families, and in the prudent care and management of their eftates, and in reconciling differences among their neighbours, and in confidering the neceffities of the poor, and providing for their fupply.

So that befides the proper work of religion, and the more immediate service of-God, every man in the world, how exempt foever his condition be from the common care and drudgery of human life, may find work enough wherein he may usefully employ all his time, and provide for his own, and for the common benefit of mankind; and God expects it as a duty from fuch, that every man fhould employ himself in fome work or other, fuitable to the station in which God hath placed him in this world.

2. The work which God hath given us to do in the world, confifts in doing what we can to further and promote the falvation of others. This chiefly lies upon us, who are the minifters of God, and to whom the word of reconciliation is committed. We are more efpecially commiffioned and appointed for this work, and are ambasadors for Chrift to befeech men in his flead to be reconciled to God; We are fent by God in a more peculiar manner, and appointed for this very work, to watch for mens fouls, and to be inftruments and means of their eternal happiness. And therefore we who are fent by God in a more peculiar manner, and have this work affigned us to do in the world, ought to be very vigorous and induftrious in it and this, whether we confider the nature of our employment, or the glorious reward of it.

ft, If we confider the nature of our employment; both in refpect of the honour and the happiness of it. It is the most honourable work that mortal man can be employed in; it is the fame in kind, and in the main end and defign of it, with that of the bleffed angels; for we allo are miniftring fpirits, fent forth: by God to minifter for the good of those who shall be beirs of falvation. We are the meffengers and ambaffadors of God to men, fent to treat with them-about the terms of their peace and reconciliation with God, to offer falvation to them, and to direct them to the best ways and means of procuring it.. Nay, we have the honour to be employed in the very fame: work that the Son of God was, when he was upon the earth, to feek and to fave them that are loft; and to call finners to repentance; and to carry on that work, whereof he himself laid the foundation, when he was in the world. And what greater honour can be put upon the fons of men, than to help forward that glorious defign and undertaking of the Son of God, for the falvation of mankind?

And it is an employment no lefs happy than ho-nourable. It is not to drudge about the mean and low concernments of this life, a perpetual toil and care about what we shall eat and drink, and where withal we fhall be clothed, which is the business of a worldly employment; but it is a direct and immediate feeking of the kingdom of God and his righteoufnefs, and a continual endeavour to promote thefe.. It does not confift in the labour of our body, and in bodily toil, but in the delightful exercife of our minds › about the best and nobleft objects, God, and heaven, and eternity; in an earnest and faithful endeavour by all wife ways and means to gain fouls to God, and to turn finners from the errors of their ways, and to prevent their eternal ruin and deftruction; and next to the procuring of our own happinefs, to be inftrumental to the happiness of others, which is certainly the most pleasant and noble work that we can poffibly be employed in; efpecially if we confider, that by the very nature of our employment we do at the

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fame time, and by the very fame means, carry on both thefe defigns, of the falvation of ourselves and others. So St Paul tells Timothy, when he exhorts him upon this very confideration, to give himself wholly to this bleffed work; becaufe, fays he, in doing this, thou shalt both fave thyfelf, and them that hear thee; 1 Tim. iv. 16. And when two of the greatest and beft defigns in the world, our own happiness, and the falvation of others, do fo happily meet in one, and are jointly carried on by the fame labour; this ought to be a great fpur and incitement to us, to be vigorous and unwearied, and abundant in the work of the Lord; and a mighty encouragement to us to preach the word, to be inftant in feafon, and out of feafon, and to be examples to others, in word, in converfation, in charity, in fpirit, in faith, in purity; as St Paul chargeth Timothy in the moft folemn and awful manner, before God and the Lord Jefus Christ, who fhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom, 1 Tim. iv. 12. and 2 Tim. iv. 1. And then,

2dly, If we confider the glorious reward of this work. If we be faithful and industrious in it, it will advance us to a higher degree of glory and happiness in the other world: They that be wife (fays the Prophet, Dan. xii. 3.) Shall Shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the ftars for ever and ever. They that are induflrious in this work, as they are worthy of double honour in this world, fo they thall fhine with a double glory and luftre in the other.

But though this work of promoting the falvation of others, be chiefly incumbent upon those whofe office it is to attend upon this very thing; yet we are all of us concerned in it, according to the advantages and opportunities we have for it. Every man is concerned to help forward the falvation of his brother, and not to let him perifh if he can help it; and it is in every man's power to contribute fomething to this bleffed work of faving others, by feasonable counfel and advice, by kind and gentle reproof, but efpecial

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ly by a holy and exemplary converfation, by a fhi ning virtue, which hath a filent power of perfuafion, and I know not what fecret charm and attraction to draw and allure others to the imitation of it.

3. And in order to both thefe, the faving of ourfelves and others, this work which God hath given us to do in the world, confifts in the careful ufe and good husbandry of our time; for without this, neither the one, nor the other, can be promoted and carried on to any purpose. Time is the feafon and opportunity of carrying on of any work, and for that reafon is one of the most valuable things; and yet nothing is more waftefully spent, and more prodigalTy fquandered away by a great part of mankind than this, which, next to our immortal fouls, is of all o-ther things moft precious; becaufe, upon the right ufe or abuse of our time, our eternal happiness or mifery does depend. Men have generally fome guardupon themselves, as to their money and eftates, and will not with eyes open fuffer others to rob and deprive them of it: but we will let any body almoft rob us of our time, and are contented to expofe this precious treasure to every body's rapine and extor tion, and can quietly look on, whilft men thruft ind their hands, and take it out by whole handfuls, as if it were of no greater value than filver was in Solomon's days, no more than the ftones in the street. And yet when it is gone, all the filver and gold in the world cannot purchafe and fetch back the least moment of it, when perhaps we would give all the world for a very fmall part of that time, which we parted with upon fuch cheap and eafy terms.

Good God! what a. ftupid and fenfelefs prodigality is this? Do we confider what we do, when we give away fuch large portions of our time to our ease and pleasure, to diverfion and idlenefs, to trifling and unprofitable converfation, to the making and receiving of impertinent vifits, and the ufual and almoft infeparable attendants thereof, fpiteful observations upon them that are prefent,, and flandering and: backbiting,,

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