Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Of Labour, and Idlenes.
GOD, who would have our first father,Gen. 2. and 3. even in innocency, and being Lord of the whole world, to labour (though without payne or wearisomnes) in dressing the Garden; and when he had sinned, to eat his bread with the sweat of his brows, would hauehave none of his sinfull posteritie lead their life in Idlenes; no nor without exerciseing themselvs diligently in some lawfull calling, or other. I say diligently: For as poore men play for recreation, now and then: so do rich men work. But that sufficeth not. For God who hath in the naturall body appointed unto every member its office, and function, which it is constantly to exercise; would have no member in any societie, or body of men ordinarily unimployed. Neyther doth that man (how great, or rich soever) keep a good conscience before God, who makes labour but an accessorie, and not a principall, and that which takes up his ordinarie tyme. Man is borne Iob. 5.to sore labour, in body, or minde, as the spark to fly upward. In heauen is onelyonly rest without labour: in hell, restles payn and torment: and as sin makes the earth (which is between both) liker to hell, then heauen; so God for sin hath given to the sons of man soar travail to afflict them upon Ecles. 1.earth. And that in most wise, and gratious providence, considering the mischiefs that come by idlenes: as, The weakning of the endowments of nature; whereas labour Plutarchbrings strength to the body, and vigour to the mynde: yea the consumption of grace, as rust consumes the iron for wantRingelb. of using: yea, whereas idlenes brings bodily poverty like an Prov.armed man: it brings not onelyonly spirituall povertie in graces with it, but withall, a legion of vices, like so many armed divels; puffing up the flesh with pride, and makeing the heart Sathans anvile, (who is commonly least idle, when men are most) whereon to forge a thowsand vanities, and sinfull lusts, as having a fit opportunity to perswade Ierome.men to doe evill, when he findes them doing nothing; that so they, who will not sweat in earth, eyther with theH. Smith. labour of the hand, or heart, (though king Alphonsus sayd that God, and nature had given kings hands as well as other men) might sweat in hell: and that if they will not bear their Bernard.part in the payns of men, they might partake in the payns of the Seneca.Divils. Whereas, on the contrary, if we doe that which is good, and well done, though with labour, and paynefulnes; Musonius.the labour is soon over, and gone, whereas the goodnes and reward thereof remayns behinde.
Proud folk despise labour, and them that use it: And so it would be thought by many, far meaner then Iosephs brethren)Genes. 4… a disgracefull question to be asked, as they were by Pharaoh; Of what occupation they were? And this difference I have observed, for the matter in hand, that whereas in plentifull countryes, such as our own, it is half a shame to labour: in such others, as wherein art and industry must supply natures defects, as in the country where I hauehave last lived, it is a shame for a man not to work, and exercise himself in some one or other lawfull vocation. And, in truth, there is more comfort to a good man in that which he gets, or saves by his labour, and providence, and Gods blessing thereupon; then in that which comes to him any other way. For he considers it not onelyonly as a fruit of Gods louelove, but withall, as a reward of his obedience unto Gods commandement of labour and travayl to be undergone in this world of the children of men. It is a blessing upon every Psal. 128.one that feareth the Lord, and walks in his wayes, that he shall eat the labour of his hands. And, he that without his own labour eyther of body or mynde, eats the labour of other mens hands onelyonly, and lives by their sweat, is but like unto lice, and such other vermine. Let every godly Christian, in his place, say with Christ, I must work the Iohn 9.works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. Longa quiescendi tempora fata dabunt.
It is a great blessing, when God gives a man grace, and wisdom to take payns about things first lawfull, and secondly profitable. The diligent in evill are but like the divill, who compasseth the earth, and that like a roaring lyon, Iob 1. 1 Pet. 5.seeking whom he may devour. Such do best, when they do least. The life of others is i… quieta inertia, Seneca.buesying, and oft times troubling both themselvs, and others, with things altogether unprofitable; like the kings of Egipt in building their Pyramides, to the mispending of their own mony, and peoples labour. I have known divers, that with the tithe of the study, and payns taken by them, had it been rightly improved, and to profitable uses, might have benefited both themselvs, and others far more, then they have done, with all their diligence, and that with good meaning also.
Labour spent upon things eternall must not be counted lost, or too much: seeing temporall things of any worth are not usually obteyned without it. And surely, if heaven, and happines could be had with so litle payns and trouble, as the world reckons; it were strange, if they were worth the haveing. And yet how many might obteyn the pearl of Christ promised with lesse payns, then they take forIerom. earthly and transitory things, which yet oft times they are disappointed of? yea, I add, then many take for hell, which their wickednes brings upon them unavoydably? Labour not for the meat which perisheth: Iohn 6.but for that meat, which endureth unto eternall life, sayth Christ our Lord.