THE RELIGIOUS TRADESMAN. CHAPTER I. The Nature of a Life of Business, and Obligations to it. The The nature of man designed for action. wisdom and goodness of God visible in the variety of abilities and dispositions in men. Business to be a constant employ. Obligations to it from nature and reason: The command and appointment of God: Justice to society and families: Its advantage to ourselves. Reflections on the pleas for indolence, by the rich; on account of devotion; the unsuccessful: the incapable. Advice to parents. The folly of neglecting religion, the great business of life. Scriptures suited to the subjects. THE supreme felicity, and great end of man, is to know, love, and glorify Gon his Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor. But as we are beings endowed with powers and faculties of body and mind, fitted and designed for actions relative to our present state of being; and are placed by divine providence in mutual dependence upon each other, by the perpetual return of wants, which of ourselves we are incapable of relieving or supplying ; both reason and religion require, that all, as they are able, should be employed in such a manner as may be beneficial to themselves, and the society to which they relate :* and a very considerable part of the beauty and excellence of the christian life, consists in due affections and conduct with respect to the persons and things of the present state, and in acting upon principles of wisdom, goodness, justice and integrity to one another. The real and imaginary wants of mankind have created great diversity in their employments. Some are chiefly labouring to support the life, or restore the health of the body. Others to defend men's persons or estates, and secure or promote the private or public peace and prosperity. Some to improve the mind in useful and entertaining knowledge; or in the more important concerns of religion and virtue, which though not always the most advantageous, yet are certainly not the least noble employments. While others, in vast variety, are contributing to the convenience and delight of their brethren of mankind. * Heav'n formed each on other to depend, Bids each on other for assistance call, Till one man's weakness grows the stregth of all: The joy, the peace, the glory of mankind. POPE. And, surely, the wisdom and goodness of God deserve our reflection here in fitting and disposing men to those various services, which are suited to the necessities and comforts of human life. Some are endowed with extensive knowledge; others with vigour and strength; GOD hath given to one a penetrating judgment; to another, a curious hand, or a strong arm. Some are disposed to travel abroad; others to manufactures at home; each conducing to the public good; and qualified for discharging the respective offices in which they are engaged. As in the natural body, every member and organ is placed in the situation most suitable to its office, and all are at ease and content; so in the political body, the great Governor of the universe inclines men to choose out of this great variety, what is most acceptable to themselves, and useful to the community; and renders those labours and employments tolerable and easy to some, which to others appear big with hardship and wo. The rich ought to remember that their comforts as much depend on the service of the poor, as the support of the poor does on their affluence or bounty; so that the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you;" this should induce them to treat the poor with tenderness, and reward them with liberality. II. That every one who is capable of it should be constantly employed in some useful station of life, appears a truth so evident that little need be said to support it. Few indeed are so worthless as to be always idle, but that we busy ourselves only now and then, as humour and fancy incline us, can never be sufficient to answer the end of our creation; for this it is necessary we should exert ourselves in some business that may fully employ our time; and that it should be our own proper business; for divine wisdom censures those as disorderly livers who either work not at all, or are busy bodies, trifling intermeddlers in the affairs of others, to the neglect of their own; and requires that they study to be quiet, to do their own business." The wise Governor of the universe has appointed to every one his proper place and work, and will rather reprove than reward those who are acting out of their own sphere. But as pride and sloth have many pleas, I shall endeavour to enforce the obligations to a life of useful activity, by observing, 1st. That the nature and reason of things require it. There are comparatively few whose circumstances are independent. Now it is highly unreasonable to live upon others without a mutual return of advantage. And to expect that sustenance should drop from 'the clouds without labour and care of our own, is an absurdity so obvious and flagrant, that none are stupid enough to maintain it; yet their conduct is not much wiser, who pretend to live upon providence, while they live in sloth, and do not exert themselves in some proper business for their own support. But let a person's circumstances be what they will, the GOD of nature, who doth nothing in vain, by having given us capacities and powers for action, plainly intimates, that it is our duty to employ them in a rational and useful manner. Indeed activity is so natural and delightful to man, that if idleness had the sanction of a law to enforce it, no doubt many would willingly pay their fine for liberty to work.. 2d. It is the express command and appointment of God. Adam, before and after his fall, was placed in a state of action. In innocency, the wisdom of God chose a calling for him : "The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it, and to keep it." "If a noble birth, as one observes, a great estate, a small family, and a mind fitted for contemplation, would excuse man from 5, labour; none had so fair a plea for it as he." { After the fall when labour was more difficult to him and less profitable, he was enjoined, in the sweat of his face to eat his bread, until he should return unto his dust." The command of Almighty God to all his posterity, is, B |
