234 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XL.
that follow mon not employed ; standing pools are apt to pntrify, but running waters are sweetest. An idle man is a burden to himself, a prey to Satan, a grief to the Spirit of God, and a mischief to others. He is a burden to himself, for he knoweth not what to do with his time. In the morning he cries, Would to God it were evening, and in the evening, Would to God it were morning — the mind like a mill, when it wanteth work, falleth upon itself. He is a prey to Satan ; the devil findeth the house ' empty, swept, and garnished,' Mat. xii. 44 ; the devil findeth them at leisure, and then sets them a-work. When David was idle on the terrace, he fell into a snare. Birds are not taken in their flight, but when they pitch and rest. He is a grief to God's Spirit : Eph. iv. 28, ' Let liim that stole, steal no more ; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good/ compared with ver. 30, ' And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.' Idle men quench the vigour of natural gifts, and lose the ability of nature. He is a mischief to others, 2 Thes. iii. 11 — MrjBev ipya^o/j,6vov<;, aXXa 7r€pi6pja!^o/xhov<; — ' Working not at all, but are busybodies.' They that nothing will do too mucli ; no work makes way for ill work. Censure do and busy inquisition into other men's actions is the native fruit of idle- ness ; and so they prove the fire-brands of contention and unneighbourly quarrels. There must be a calling then to prevent these mischiefs.
[2.] That this calling must be good and agreeable to the word of God, which is 'A lamp unto our feet, and a light imto our path,' Ps. cxix. 105. It were not a perfect rule, if it did not direct us in all cases ; therefore in the choice of our course of life, we must consult with the word, that we may not settle in a course of sin. Men may tolerate evil callings, but God never appointed them, and therefore here we are not called to them, but called off" from them. Now if any calling be against piety, temperance or justice, it is against the word, — for the word 'teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world,' Titus iii. 12. Against piety, as to be an idolatrous priest, or to make shrines for idols, which was Demetrius's calling in Epliesus ; and Tertullian, in his book ' De Idololatria showeth that this was the practice of many christians to get their livings by making statues and images and other ornaments, to sell to heathen idolaters. Against justice, as piracy, brokage, and other oppressive courses. Against sobriety, as such callings as merely tend to feed the luxury, pride, and vanity of men, as stage-plays and the like, it were endless to instance in all. In the general, the calling must be good and lawful, if we would see God in it.
[3.] This calling must not only be good, but we must see God in it. Providence ruleth in everything that falleth out, even in the least matters ; especially hath the Lord a great hand in callings, and in appointing to everyone his state and condition of life. In paradise, God set Adam his woi'k as a gardener to dress and prune the trees : Gen. ii. 15, ' And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it ; ' and still he doth not only give the ability and special inclination, but also disposeth of the education of the parent, and passages of men's lives to bring them to such a calling; Isa. liv. 16, 'Behold I have created the smith, that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for
VeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 235
his work.' Common trades and crafts are from the Lord. The heathens had a several god for every several trade, as the papists now have a tutelar saint ; but they rob God of his honour, he givetii the faculty and the blessings ; so it is said, Isa. xxviii. 24-29 ad finem, ' Doth the husbandman plough all day to sow ? doth he open and break the clods of the ground f &c. 'His God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him. For the fitclies are not thrashed witli a thrashing- instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin, cfcc. This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.' God giveth the skill and appointeth the work. Your particular estate and condition of life doth not come by chance, or by the bare will and pleasure of man ; but the ordination of God, without whicli a sparrow cannot fall to the ground : Pro v. XX. 24, ' Man's goings are of the Lord ; how can a man then understand his own way ? '
[4.] In the higher callings of ministry and magistracy, our call from God must be more solemn, because in these callings God's glory and the good of human society are more concerned ; and therefore such have need of a clear call that manage them. In ordinary callings there is required both fitness and inclination, or a fitness of gifts and inclination, which are the fruits of God's general providence. Fitness in every calling is a common gift of the Spirit ; so it is said of Bezaleel, Exod. xxxi. 3, 'I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.' An inclination to such a calling is from God's general providence, depriving them of higher opportunities of advancement, and over- coming their hearts to make choice of such a work. Now the more weighty the business and affair of life is, the more is providence concerned in it : and therefore for magistracy and ministry much more doth God make them fit and willing. Fit : 2 Cor. iii. 6. ' Who hath made us able ministers of the new testament ; ' and willing : Mat. ix. 38, ' Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into the harvest ; ' he thrusteth out labourers into the harvest. They are God's special gift, sought of God in prayer, and he giveth them commission. Again, there is an outward rail set about these callings, that men may enter in by the door, in an external lawful way, which is not so much required in other callings. Private callings are at the appointment of parents ; public must be left to a solemn external call, lest all order be broken both in church and common- wealth ; others serve only for the accommodation, but these are for the essence and foimdation of human society.