Religious Tradesman - Steele - X - Chapter 9 (Of leaving our callings) & Appendix

Required reading
The Religious Tradesman by Richard Steele (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 9 (Of leaving our callings) and the Appendix.

My summary
Steele's last chapter gives advice on when to leave our current calling.

After cautioning against leaving our career easily, Steele provides instances where it would be allowable:
(i) when superior authority requires it;
(ii) when persons are totally disabled by the diseases of the body or mind;
(iii) incapacity of mind;
(iv) misfortunes in trade;
(v) when a considerable degree of age and estate inclines and capacitates them so to do;
(vi) death.

Then we read the Appendix that encourages the reader to find strength in God and his gospel.

What grabbed me
I liked Steele's comment in the Appendix about those who rely on works for salvation: 'Depending on our own obedience for salvation, is a very sinful, as well as a fruitless, confidence. It is despising and contradicting all fee infinite perfections of God displayed in man's recovery. His glorious mercy, unsearchable wisdom, awful justice, &c. Rom iii. 21, 26. It is contemning the authority of God, who comnands us to believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be saved, 1 John iii. 23. It is denying the truth of God, in not believing the record which he hath given us of eternal life in his Son, i John v. 10, 11. It is trampling upon the unsearchable riches of the Redeemer's love and goodness in his great undertaking; and setting up our own perverse wills and foolish conceits in opposition to the counsel of God. '

To claim that our works save is to make a terrible statement about what we think of God.

Next week's reading
Commence Thoughts on public prayer by Samuel Miller (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading the Dedication and Chapter 1 up to the paragraph commencing 'In regard to the best preparation for leading in social, and especially in public prayer, there are two things worthy of particular notice...'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.