_Directions about our Labour and Callings._
_Tit._ I. _Directions for the Right Choice of our Calling and ordinary Labour._
I have already spoken of christian works, and the duty of our callings, chap. iii. grand direct. x; and am now only to subjoin these few directions, for the right choosing of your callings: for of the using of them I must speak more anon.
_Direct._ I. Understand how necessary a life of labour is, and the reasons of the necessity.
[Sidenote: Is labour necessary to all?]
_Quest._ I. Is labour necessary to all? or to whom, if not to all? _Answ._ It is necessary (as a duty) to all that are able to perform it: but to the unable it is not necessary; as to infants, and sick persons, or distracted persons, that cannot do it, or to prisoners, or any that are restrained or hindered unavoidably by others, or to people that are disabled by age, or by any thing that maketh it naturally impossible.
[Sidenote: What labour is necessary?]
_Quest._ II. What labour is it that is necessary? _Answ._ Some labour that shall employ the faculties of the soul and body, and be profitable, as far as may be, to others and ourselves. But the same kind of labour is not necessary for all.
In some labours, the mind is more employed than the body; as in the labours of a magistrate, a minister, a physician, a lawyer, &c.; though some in these may have much bodily labour also.
The labour of some is almost only of the mind: as, 1. Of students in divinity, philosophy, law, physic, &c. who are but preparing themselves for a calling. 2. Of some ministers, or other godly persons, who by the iniquity of the place or times where they live, may for a season be disabled from appearing among men, and labouring for any except by the mind; being imprisoned, or driven into solitude, or otherwise made incapable. 3. Of men that have some extraordinary necessity for a season, to converse with God and themselves alone; as, men that are near death, and have need to lay by all other labours to prepare themselves. Though, usually, even they that are near death should labour the good of others to the last; and in so doing they profit and prepare themselves.
The labour of some others is more of the body than the mind; as, most tradesmen and day-labourers.
And the labour of some is equally of the body and mind; as, some painful ministers, and physicians, scribes, and artificers of more ingenious professions, as watchmakers, printers, builders, &c.: some of these are fittest for one man, and some for another.[567]
[Sidenote: Will religion excuse from labour?]
_Quest._ III. May not religion excuse men from all other labour, save prayer and contemplation?[568] _Answ._ Religion is our obligation to obey God. God bindeth us to do all the good we can to others. Some men that have ability, opportunity, and a call, may be excused by religion from worldly labours, as ministers; but not from such spiritual labours for others which they can perform. He that under pretence of religion, withdraweth from converse, and forbeareth to do good to others, and only liveth to himself, and his own soul, doth make religion a pretence against charity, and the works of charity, which are a great part of religion; for "pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world," James i. 27. Even when sickness, imprisonment, or persecution disableth to do any more for others, we must pray for them. But while we can do more, we must.
[Sidenote: Will not riches excuse?]
_Quest._ IV. Will not riches excuse one from labouring in a calling? _Answ._ No; but rather bind them to it the more; for he that hath most wages from God, should do him most work. Though they have no outward want to urge them, they have as great a necessity of obeying God, and doing good to others, as any other men have that are poor.
[Sidenote: Why labour is necessary.]
_Quest._ V. Why is labour thus necessary to all that are able? _Answ._ 1. God hath strictly commanded it to all; and his command is reason enough to us: 2 Thess. iii. 10-12, "For even when we are with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies: now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread." See ver. 6, 14; 1 Thess. iv. 11, "We beseech you, brethren--that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and work with your hands as we commanded you, that ye may walk honestly (or decently) towards them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." Gen. iii. 19, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground." And in the fourth commandment, "Six days shalt thou labour."[569] So Eph. iv. 28; Prov. xxxi. 32, 33.