The Gentlemans Calling, Section 7
SECT. VII. Of the fourth advantage, that of his Authority.
1. IN the fourth place we are to consider the Gentlemans advantage, in respect of his Authority over those that relate to, or depend on him: And this, if rightly managed, is of excellent use, though as capable of being perverted, as any of the former. He who has secular tyes upon men, may often, by those cords which bind their worldly interest, draw them to a consideration of their spiritual. A Tenant who thinks his livelihood concerned in the good Will of his Landlord, a Pensioner whose subsistence rests upon the bounty of his Patron, will strive to model themselves to such a form, as may best suit the inclinations of the person they desire to endear; they are usually Wax to him, that are Flint to others: But then, as variety of Seals make differing Impressions, so this flexibleness of theirs may be either abused to ill, or improved to good; this Wax may receive the image of a Beast or an Angel. It is therefore the duty of those who are possest of this advantage, to use it to the impressing not of Vice, but Vertue; to contrive how they may most effectually discountenance the one, and encourage the other; and this they may doubtless have frequent opportunities of towards either of those relations forementioned.
2. But to none so often as to their Domesticks and Menial servants; these are always so much in their road, that they seem to be marked out by God as their most peculiar Province: Every Master has so much of the Prophet, that he is set as a Watchman, Ezek. 3. 17. over his Family, and ought as jealously to observe the approach of any Vice towards it, as a Centinel does that of an Enemy. 'Tis a very pernicious error for men to think themselves no otherways concerned in their Servants, then they are in their Horses or Oxen, to look upon them only as another species of Working-cattel, and so they do their business, care not how errant Brutes they be: whereas they should remember, that they with themselves are Common servants to the one Great Master, and that the subordination of the one to the other is but the wise Oeconomie of their Lord, who has (as in great Families we see it usual) constituted the one as Stewards or Supervisors, to regulate the rest; and then 'twill appear a piece of enormous unfaithfulness, to neglect this charge. To avoid which guilt, it will concern Gentlemen to have a sedulous care over those that are thus intrusted to them, to make strict inspections into the manners of their servants, and accordingly to apply instructions, and admonitions, reproofs, or incouragements. And that they may not transcribe Pharoahs Tyranny of exacting brick without straw, require the superstructure of Christian lives, where there wants the necessary foundation of Christian knowledge, they must provide that none under their charge be destitute of the means of laying that groundwork, of knowing so much of Religion as may bring them into an acquaintance with their duty. But to give life to all these endeavors 'tis indispensably necessary for them to avow such a Love to piety and vertue, and such a Detestation of the contrary, that their servants may see that there is but one way of approving themselves both to their earthly, and heavenly Master.
3. If it be here objected, That it is but a counterfeit vertue, which derives it self from the care of pleasing men, and so that this is but to teach them to convert prophaneness to hypocrisie: I must yeild so far as to confess, that where that continues the finall motive, it will never availe any man. But as God often uses temporal and outward occurrencies, to produce inward and spiritual effects, so it may here happen, that those whose first approches to Goodness were mercenary, and out of compliance to others, may by coming within view of it discern it so amiable, that they may after love it for its self, and indeed considering the rude ignorance usuall among the vulgar, tis scarce imaginable they should imbrace it upon the bare strength of speculation, and therefore must be allowed secular invitations, as baits to allure them. As for those that never advance higher then the meer Form of Godliness, what weight soever it may add to their own doom, yet perhaps that may justly be accounted less mischievious to the world, then the contrary extream, Hypocrisie being a sin that cannot well set up for Proselites, because it never ownes it self of a distinct party from true Piety; and 'tis not impossible, that the example of a feigned Christian, may teach others to surmount their copie, and be that in sincerity, which he is but in appearance: whereas open Vice pretends to no such possibility, breaths nothing but contagion, and like a pest infects communities. We have therefore reason to conclude, that if this care were generally taken, 'twere a service not only to God, but the Commonwealth, which has not more unprofitable, nay noxious burdens lying on her from any rank of men, then from lewd and idle Servants, who using their places only as a shelter for their sloth and licentiousness, when that Gourd withers, know not whither to retire, but usually either live Beggars, or die Thieves: whereas if Gentlemens families were so ordered, as to become Seminaries of Industry and Sobriety, the number of them is so great, that they might be able to send out many Colonies of usefull and civill persons.
4. There is also another sort of relative, viz a Friend, over whom though they have not that Authority, which springs from this servile stock of hopes and fears, yet they have one of a much more noble descent, and more vigorous efficacy; Friendship has a key to the heart, which it may use not only to let it self into its secrets, but also to introduce its own conceptions, Sentiments, and inclinations, it so mixes with the mind, that it may insensibly convey into it any Idea. Now to use this intimacy to the bringing in any thing base and unworthy, is the vilest treachery, such as is but imperfectly represented by the treason of him, who requites his friends Hospitality by bringing in Thieves or Murderers upon him: A guilt so vehemently to be abhorred, that none is to think himself at a sufficient and just distance from it, but he that industriously pursues the direct contrary. He therefore that hath a Friend, ought studiously to contrive how he may most promote his advantages, and those not only his outward and secular, but also (yea principally) his inward and spirituall. This is the onelyonly sence wherein 'tis lawful to have designs upon him, and in this he is not only licensed, but obliged to have so; he must here use all friendly stratagems, to recommend and endear vertue to him, make his kindness the Vehicle, wherein the more gratefully to administer whatever is most wholsome, even reproofs, when they appear so; and yet by taking his own turn in being the Patient, evince, that 'tis no assuming humor, that creates him a Physitian. If friendships were thus managed, it would be indeed a most sacred relation, such as would be above the violations of those petty trivial distastes, which now adaies dissolve them, Hearts that are tyed together with these consecrated bands, are like man and wife joyned together inseparably by God, and much for the same end of propagation; only herein as far superior to their patern, as the mind is to the body, the divine excellencies of a Saint to the natural composition of a man. We may reasonably beleive they were Friendships of this making, that first brought that name into so much veneration, and were they again reduced to this, no Encomiums could be too lavish for them: such a reducement were a work well worthy the spirit and ingenuity of Gentlemen, who since they generally profess much reverence to the Word, 'tis pity they should cast away their adorations on an empty shrine. The Heathens had Incantations to recall their displeased Deities into their forsaken Images; I wish they would also try some holy magick to bring back somewhat of the primitive divine spirit, to animate this now liveless trunk; that they who justly think it an ungentile reproachful thing, not to have some body whom they call Friend, may think it much more so, not to pay all the reall kindness due to that appellation.
5. Having thus far given an account what are the proper and just imployments of this Authority over their several Relations, our method now requires us to reflect a little on their Practice, and that in the most we shall find as far swerving from the rule in this particular, as any of the former. So far, alas, are Gentlemen from making their Power instrumental to the infusing good, that there is nothing more ordinary then to see them dispose it to the direct contrary. The scorn and contempt they publickly cast upon all piety and vertue, teaches their Dependants, how dead a trade that is like to prove to them; and then 'tis very improbable that Godliness shall with them cast the scales against Gain; he that aims to get an Exhibition, or any thing proportionable will soon discern his way lies in a quite opposite road, he must find out what Vice of the Gentleman he may be most serviceable to, sometimes he must purvey for his Lust, sometimes for his Intemperance; and even when he has cloyed those grosser appetites, yet his Pride will alwaies remain insatiable; he must still provide▪ air for that Camelion, lay out his whole breath in flatteries (a more hellish wind then any the Laplanders sell;) 'tis this enshrining his Diana which is the craft by which he expects his wealth, and therefore whatever other office he execute by starts, a Parasite is to be his constant trade.
6. In like manner their Servants are disciplined to be the Ministers of their Luxuries, and not onelyonly to serve but transcribe them; the Master's Vices seldom miss to be taken up by the whole House, as if they were to be the Cognisances and Badges, to witness to whom they retained: And though for this they might very well trust to the efficacy of their bare Example, yet as if they could never be secure enough of corrupting their Families, they too often adde to it Precepts and Rules of Institution. Thus it is one of the Fundamental Laws of their Hospitality, That no stranger be sent Sober away; so that their Houses may well pass for inchanted Castles, no Man scarce that comes into them, being able to guide himself out: They keep, as it were, solemn Justs and Turnement of Debauchery, to challenge all comers, and have variety of Champions to deal with Combatants of all ranks. In short, Gentlemens Families are become such perfect Academies of Licentiousness, that the most innocent Puny will there in a very short time become proficient. And this God knows is the ordinary improvement they make of their Authority; As if they affected to outbid the tyranny of the Turk, in sending a Halter to his Vassals, and making them their own Executioners; or thought it a disparagement to their Qualities, to go to Hell without an honorable Retinue.
7. As for the other sort of Power, that which they have over their Friends and Intimates, 'tis not discernible that they manage that better; Who almost is there, that seems at all to advert to the Essential part of Friendship? What a Rarity, I had almost said a Prodigy is it, to finde (even amongst those that profess the greatest dearness) any that hath either the Courage to give, or the Humility to receive an Admonition? But in stead of those wounds of a Friend, Prov. 27. 6. there is nothing more common among them, then the kisses of an Enemy, such mutual soothing in ill, as renders it inveterate and incureable; and like Joab to Amasa, 2 Sam. 20. 10. sheds out the bowels, when it pretends to kiss; nay, as if it were not sufficient for them to nourish those Vices they finde already planted, they sow new Seeds, communicate their personal ones to each other, as if the community of Friendship obliged them mutually to diffuse their poisons. Were many of the closest intimacies now adays ransacked to the bottom, it is to be feared this would be found the basis and ground-work of them. He that hath advanced above the beaten road, arived to the more elevated mysterious parts of wickedness, (The depths of Satan, as they speak, Revel. 2. 24.) would loose much of the gust, if he should not get some Confident, to whom at once to boast, and propagate his Proficiency. Thus sacrilegiously is this venerable relation of Friendship prophaned, by being prostituted to the vilest and most detestable purposes; and by this accursed abuse suffers the saddest Metamorphosis, becomes onelyonly a Confederacy in sin, a Combination and League against what they account the common Enemies, God and Vertue.
8. These are such wretched perversions of their power, that one would guess it were some great and very considerable weight of present Interest, that should thus byass and distort them. But when that is examined, 'twill be found to lie wholly on the other side. The former Section gave us occasion to discern how transporting a delight it is, to be the Instruments of any good to others: But as there is no good can bear proportion with that which is done to the Soul, so certainly to be an Agent in that, must far transcend the pleasure of all other Benefactions. He that so dispences his Bounty, as to engage Men to Vertue by it, is indeed the magnificent Person, outvies the most profuse Donations of the greatest Potentates; They can give but some little parcels of Earth, he gives Heaven, and like a mighty Monarch hath Kings to do him homage: So he that by well ordering his Family, makes his Servants to be God's, does not onelyonly oblige the Commonwealth, but is as it were a Patriot even to Heaven it self; provides it with Inhabitants, and helps to secure it from that emptiness and depopulation, wherewith the general wickedness of men seem to threaten it; and then in relation to such his Servants, he is of all other Masters the most bountiful and obliging; they provide perhaps some petty Annuities, he gives a state of Inheritance, nay of Eternity.
9. This is a vast Munificence, yet that which the arrantest Worldling can have no temptation to grudge. A Man may thus without a Riddle give much, yet part with nothing, nay, acquire that very thing to himself, which he dispenses to others; so that here is no place for the usual (though unjust) Objection of impoverishing ones self, which is that alone which often deads the relish, or diverts the attempt of other Liberalities; and therefore this sort which is rescued from that one possible allay, must certainly yield the most vigorous and unmixt Pleasure, it being sure, that Bounty has in it self so much of agreement with Humane Nature, as will inevitably produce Complacence and Delight, where it is not so interrupted or allayed.
10. I might here add ex abundanti, that there is likewise a secular Profit attending it: For if Gentlemen had their Dependents truly conscientious, they would be of very much more use to them, they might employ them securely, and need no other Spies upon them but their own Consciences; 'twould not then be so many Servants, so many Thieves and Harpies, but so many Factors and Traffickers for the Masters advantages: So that here again their own Interest engages them to this Care, though I confess 'tis to be wished, that the former more ingenuous Motive may be so prevalent, as to supersede all use of this, it being very unreasonable that God should need Auxiliaries from Mammon. Yet as once the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians, so it may not be amiss to make this Inferior consideration a step to the other more Noble, that even they who have yet no gust of that more Heroick Pleasure, may on the intuition of this Worldly advantage, endeavor to improve their Authority to the Spiritual good of all that belong to them.
11. But from no part of this Performance may they reap so rich a satisfaction, as from that which is exercised towards a Friend; for as their Concernment is nearer in him, then in the former more distant Relations, so the Pleasure of doing good to him, must proportionably encrease, as that heat is most intense which is conveyed by the nearest Reflexion. He who so maintains his Vital station in the great Body, as to sympathize with every Member of it, must yet necessarily have the most acute sense of what befals those parts, to which he is most immediately conjoyned: But there is no stricter Union upon Earth, then that of a Virtuous Friendship; and then what can be more satisfactory, then to preserve or advance the Health of that, whose Maladies himself is sure to feel, to improve and benefit that person, who is thus become a part of him. Persons of quality love to deck and imbellish the place where they inhabit, abhor to dwell in a Stie or Dungeon, but Friends dwell in each other; and therefore cannot but be delightful in beautifying and adorning those Mindes they have thus chosen to live in, in purging them from all foulness and pollutions, and rendring them as pure and immaculate; nay, as splendid and illustrious, as is possible. Certainly, there is nothing upon Earth more ravishing, then a Friendship thus entertained, 'tis some Anticipation of Heaven, where those lines of Love which stretch themselves to every part of the Circumference, do all meet in God as their Centre. It is indeed that which surmounts the possibility of an exact description, and reserves its full discovery to be the prize of Experience. Let it be tried, and then I doubt not, but he that hath made the Experiment, will readily attest the Pleasure of thus imploying this part also of his Authority.