[3.] Humbly wait upon God for his blessing in the use of means. Men must work, but cast their care upon God : Mat. vi. 31, ' Take no thought, saying. What shall we eat ? or. What shall we drink ? or. Wherewithal shall we be clothed ? ' God will not put the trouble of the event upon us — ' Your heavenly Father knowetli that ye have need of these things,' ver. 32 ; ' Abraham obeyed, not knowing whither he went.' As in a pair of compasses, one foot is fixed in the centre, while another wandereth about in the circumference ; so the work of faith
Y'ER. 8.J SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 239
is not to abate industry, but to fix tlie heart. Faith is not idle, but waiteth ; this is the proper temper of a christian. Let us do our duty, and leave our care upon God. Anxiousness about the success and event is a sin, because then we take God's work out of his hands. Success is God's work, labour is ours. This life is called, ' The life of our hands;' God maintaineth it, but by our hands. Not to labour is to tempt providence ; to cark is to distrust it. Miracles are not multi- plied without necessity. When we neglect means, we disch;u-ge God of the obligation of his promise. If you starve for want of industry, you can blame none. God hath not undertaken that sin shall not be our ruin, but rather the contrary. But now by a quiet use of means you enter into God's protection, as the protection of the law is only for them that travel on the road : Ps. Iv. 22, * Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.' Business is our work, but care is our burden, that must we cast on God. It is no more dishonour for God to bear our burden, than for Christ to bear our sins.
[4.] With patience digest the inconveniences of your calling. Afiiic- tion attendeth every state and condition of life ; but we may go through them cheerfully — we are in our way, and in our place. You may meet with discouragements as a minister, or as a magistrate ; yet go on whatever men do, God is a good pay-master, and your work is with the Lord. You may meet with discouragements as a servant, but it is thy calling, and therein God will be glorified. When troubles over- take us in our calling, we do not rush into them, but fall into them : James i. 2, ' My brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations. ' It is matter of rejoicing when ye fall into divers trials, not when ye draw them upon yourselves, or thrust yourselves into them ; some run into afflictions, and seek the cross, do not take it up when it stands in their way.
[.5.] Bear up against opposition and difficulty with courage and boldness. Jonah smarted for declining the duty of his calling, because of danger. When you meet with unreasonable men — ' The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep yon from evil, ' 2 Thes. iii. 3. It is good to follow God wherever he leadeth. If to do any work, to undergo any danger, remember he is faithful ; he is not wont to put an heavy burden upon weak shoulders : 1 Cor. x. 13, ' There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man ; but God is faith- ful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. '
3. There are some cases ; as —
[1.] Suppose a man hath entered upon a calling, especially a higher calling upon carnal grounds, as profit and preferment ; or by carnal means, as many enter into the ministry ; and being taught better things, should they leave their office and employment ?
A71S. If he findeth himself unfit for that calling into which he hath thrust himself out of an evil aim, or that he wants gifts for the exercise of it, he must lay it aside ; for he cannot do faithful service to God in that calling, and he cumbereth the ground and occupieth the room of another ; like that barren fig-tree, on which that sentence was passed :
240 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XLI.
Lulce xiii. 7, ' Cat it down, why cumbereth it the ground ? ' Bat if there be hope, that he is able to discharge his daty in some measure, he must not desert his station ; he may afterwards by his repentance and faithfulness approve himself to God and the church ; at first, he wanted not gifts, but uprightness.
[2.] Whether a man may not change his calling ?
Ans (1.) Negatively. Not out of pride and disdain at the meanness of it. It is credit enough to do God's work ; if it be a servile calling to cliurcli or commonwealth, you do him service. There is no calling so mean but a liumble heart may do God service in it ; you may adorn the gospel as long as you walk honestly. Tiie apostle exhorts servants, Tit. ii. 10, ' Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity ; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.' Not out of covetousness ; Heb. xiii. 5, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have.' God will be sure to cross carnal desires. Not out of envy and ambition, because others have a better calling than we ; this breedeth mischief and con- fusion : 2 Sara. xv. 4, ' Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice ! ' Not out of distrust and impatience ; you will meet with like trials in every condition of life. He that cannot trust God in one calling, doth but trust himself in another. Not out of fond curiosity and levity of mind, out of incon- stancy and itch of novelty ; they love to make experiments, though to their own loss and the public disturbance many times. It must not be done lightly and rashly,' but upon w^eighty causes : 1 Cor. vii. 20, ' Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. ' .Every one should be contented with his own place and station, Tiiough the calling in itself be low, yet to him it is best, and most expedient for him ; otherwise you tax God's providence, who called you to such a function,