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their lawfull Calling, but exceedinglie occupied in fuch vain,_uuseasonable, and unprofitable bufinels, that in effect they were but idle; and therefore have we not dailie occafion to obferve, that idle perfons who either want employment of their own, or neglect is, are bufie in other mens matters, and if they be fwear to work with their hands, yet labos rious and mettal enough in their tongues, hence Flaccius Illyricus in his glofs on this paffage, fays of thefe buke bodies, circumcurfant aliena explorare &c. i, e. they run about to fearch into other mens affairs, they judge uncharitablie and fpeak evil of others, they few contentions among others,, they traduce other mens fpeeches, and coine new ftories of their own, and divers other ways they dif turb Brotherlie peace & unitie, Are there not many idle perfons I fay who bufie themfelves at their Games and Difports, who are diligent in drinking, chambering and wantonnefs, and who laboriouflie ipend much time in contriving ways how to spend their time in doing anie thing elfe, than what they are called to do, fo that the fom of their bufinefs is, they are occupati nibil agendo, if not male agendo for I muft alfo fay here, that idleness is the verie Nurle rie of vice and debauchrie; hence in Junius & Tres mellius notes on the forecited 2 Thess 3. 11. it is faid that from idleness infinita mala confequuntur; and therefore what lufts fo horrible, what unnatural lofis fulfilled with fo much eagernefs as among the unclean Sodomites, and what did nourish & promp hem to these abominations, Ezekiel tells us, Chap 16 compare with Gen, 19.4.5, Fulness of bread,

abundance of idlenefi,and it is obferved that when David was idle, then the foul temptation to Aduls terie wrought bulilic upon him, 2 Sam, 11. 1, 2, 3. And further let me tell you, Satan never hath a better occafion for compafling bis deligns upon tinners to make them a prey than when they are idle, for not fo much Satan makes them a prey, as they make themselves a prey to Satan,not fo much Satan tempts them, as they tempt Satan, therefore we may fay, that whereas Satan tempts bufie men to be idle, idle men tempt Satan to be bufis; who is always vigilant to enfnare and deftroy anwarie finners,

3, Effe. Ufualidlenefs is an ill babit that is verie hard to be shaken off, it puts men almost in the verie fame humour with Schools boys when they get five er fix weeks together of vacancie from their ttudies and leafure to play, they become verie averle and unwilling to ply their books again, or they may be compared to vagabond beggers, who being once engaged in this unhallowed fort of occupation, and having tafted the fweetnefs of eafe & idleness, they never incline again to work for their living. And may I bere accoft thee, O Chriftian, with this expos ftulation: art thou not fallen fo remifs and fecure in thy religious exercises, that no Reason or Rhe torick either of Gods Word or of thine own Cons science, doth raife or engage thee to thy wonted delight or diligence in Duties.

4.Effe&. Idlenefs may feem pleafant for the time but afterwards it becomes moft bitter and pers ing, to continue our allufion to foolish Boys take their fweet play, when they should be

their books, which often proves grievous and vexas cious to them when they arrive at years of riper understanding, giving them occafion too late to re grate their follie and inconfideration, and in vain to cry out, O mibi præteritos referat si Jupiter annos. Even fo how manie Chriftians have out of time heavilie lamented their fecuritie and negligence in religious Concerns,

SECTION IV.

9. Dir. Etion. lie keep all Mercats, femper tibi pen

Requent the Exchange and careful

deat hamur, i. e, diligentlie attend all occafions of Ordinances, there may be a blink of Gods prefence, there may be a fhowre of divine influences, there may be a gale of heavenlie breathings one day, or at one opportunitie. the like whereof perhaps has not been in your day, or the like may not be for ma nie years or days to come; Ifay ftill wait on at the pofts of Wildoms Doors, thou knoweft not what hour the Lord cometh, and may open His Door to give thee access into the Chamber of Prefence, and as it is Eccl. 1.6. In the morning sow thy feed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand, for thou knowe not whether shall profper, either this, or tha, or whether they fhall both be alike good. Ye know not what one Sers mon, what one Sentence may produce, yea in the twinckling of an eye thou mayft get a divine touch wil fet thy heart right to eternity,hence faith one ecidit in pun&o quod non fperatur in anno tur in punito quod non reparatur in anno,

Ifay then carefullie keep the Church, and improve all opportunities of Gods publick worship in the Sanctuarie,the San&uarie is the Chriftian-exchange where fpiritual merchants ufe to meet, and Gofpeloffers are the opening up of the Mercat for the fale of Chrifts Wares, Here I would have you advertited of three feveral forts of Chriftian-Mercats, and be fure to mifs none of them.

1. There is Christs yearly folemn Fair, the Holie Communion, or administration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; I will not fay but this Fair may be more frequent than twice or thrice either as there is need and clear caufes for it, I Cor, 11, 24, to 30. But there is one thing I would have confidered bere, that though numerous crouds may throng to this kind of Mercat, yet none have a right to buy, but they who are first entered Burgeßes and Freez men in the Common-wealth of Ifrael, for it is the Childrens bread that is broken in that facred A&tion, and onlie Children fhould partake of this Feaft, it is the Communion of Saints, and onlie Saints fhould communicate,

2. There is Chrifts weekly Mercat, everie Lords Day, which we should carefullie frequent & attend, there is access for everie bodie to come and buy of Chrifts wares,ar this open mercat; Jews & Gentiles, they that are within, and they that are without,may all promifcuouflie enter the San&uarie of the Lord, and find plentie & varietie answerable to all their wants and exigencies: the Sabbath day ufeth to Gods dealing day, whereupon he calls his bre pon the waters, and gives a portion to leven

to eight hungrie fouls: negle&t not to improve the bleffed opportunitie of publick ordinances, which are velickks and conduites of conveyance of fpiris tual blefings from heavenlie places; it was at hear ing Peter preach, that three thousand fouls were effectuallie wrought upon and converted to Ged, AЯ 2.37. 41. and alfo that the Holie Ghoft was poured forth on Cornelius and the companie with him Alts 10. 44) 45. and likewife it was at Pauls preaching that Lydias heart was opened, Acts 16. 14. Faith cometh by bearing, and bearing by the Word of God, Rom. 10, 17.

3. Chrifts Shop is never fhut, but by night & by day you may traffick with Him by frequent & fervent Prayers, by deep and raifed Meditations, by alfiduous reading the Scripture, Sc. Pfal. 55. 17, Evening and Morning, at Noon will I pray, and He fhall bear my Voice.

10. Dired. Venture all weathers, or refolve to ge through with your business on all hazards, he that never ventured never win, he that obfervetb the wind hall not fow, and be that regardeth the clouds fball net reap, Eccl. f1, 4. ye muft not forego a promifing Mercat because of foul weather, Says Horace. E pift. lib, I.

Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos
Per mare pauperiem fugiens, per faxa per ignes.

i, el

'Tis neither flames, nor rocks,nor ftorms by Sea, Will bound the ventrous Merchants Induftrie, fpiritual Merchant muft ventore all that he the Pearl of great price. O but there be

many

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