CHAPTER II.
Persons free from the necessities of labour and employments, are to consider themselves as devoted to God in a higher degree.
AS it has been proved in the foregoing chapter, that all professors of christianity, do lie under manifold obligations to live a life wholly devoted unto God; so those who have no particular employment, but have their time and fortune at their own disposal, are under still greater obligations of living wholly unto God in all their actions.
They are those, of whom “much will be required, because much is given unto them.”
A slave can only live unto God in one particular way; that is, by religious patience and submission in his state of slavery; but all ways of holy living, all instances, and all kinds of virtue lie open to those, who are masters of themselves, of their time, and their fortune.
You are no labourer or tradesman; you are neither merchant nor soldier; should you not therefore consider yourself, as placed in a state, in some degree like that of good angels, who are sent into the world as ministring spirits, for the general good of mankind, to assist, protect, and minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Had you, Serena, been obliged by the necessities of life, to wash cloaths for your maintenance, or to wait upon some mistress, that demanded all your labour, it would then be your duty to serve and glorify God, by such humility, obedience, and faithfulness, as might adorn that state, and improve that one talent to its greatest height: but as God hath given you five talents; as he hath placed you above the necessities of life; as he hath left you in the hands of yourself, in the happy liberty of chusing the most exalted ways of religion; so it is now your duty and privilege to turn your five talents into five more; to set no bounds to your love and gratitude to the bountiful Author of so many blessings; and to consider how your time, leisure, health, and fortune, may be made so many happy means of improving your fellow-creatures in the ways of God, and of advancing yourself, through grace, at last to the greatest heights of eternal glory.
This, Serena, is indeed your profession: and the reason of this will appear very plain, if you would only consider, that your estate is as much the gift of God, as your eyes or hands; and is therefore no more to be buried or thrown away at pleasure, than you are to put out your eyes, or throw away your limbs as you please.
But besides these considerations, there are several other great and important reasons, why all christians in general, and such as I am now speaking of in particular, should be religiously exact in the use of their fortunes for the glory of God.