Rule 5: Of Keeping Within Our Calling

5 Of the keeping within our calling.

To keep within the compass of one's calling, is neither to go above our ability in them, nor yet above those with whom God has sorted us in age, degree, condition of life and trade: but in diet, apparel, recreation, to square ourselves according to the most sober of our age, degree, condition and sort of life. Apparel must not be costly (1 Timothy 2:9). Now that is costly to every one which is above his ability: and if this be a rule for apparel, much more in recreation, so that he which does play more away than he may well without any doubt or scruple, bestow upon honest delight (necessary maintenance of other things, and liberal contribution to the poor proportionably to his measure, being first provided) does abuse his recreation. 2 Samuel 13:18: And she had a garment of diverse colors; for with such garments were the kings' daughters (that were virgins) apparelled. So the Holy Ghost shows, that David gave no occasion to the evil which came on his daughter, because in apparel (and so in other such benefits) he kept her within the rule appointed, that is, of her age, degree, and condition of life, which is the cause why he gives a reason for it, lest the reader should suppose, that the occasion had been partly offered by some such abuse in David his daughter.