The Tradesmans Calling, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Finiſhing of a Calling.
I Come now, in the laſt place, to ſpeak, concerning a Man's Departing from his Calling; in what Caſes and by what Means a Man may lawfully leave his Calling: I ſay, leave his Calling, for one may be interrupted from following his proper Imployment for a time, when he doth not relinquiſh it. Some neceſſary and emergent Occaſions may divert the moſt diligent Perſon from his Occupation, perhaps for Weeks or Months, but ſtill after a diſpatch of them, he returns to the vigorous Management of it again. The reſtoring or preſerving his Health, the gratifying or aſſiſting of his Friends or Relations, or his other needful Secular Affairs, may call him abroad, and detain him for ſome ſpace of time, but he is not eaſy, he haſtens to his own buſineſs, this is but a Parentheſis: He and his Calling are not parted. Neither can a Man be ſaid to leave his Calling, when for good Reaſons he leſſens it, and thinks fit to drive a ſmaller Trade, leaves off dealing in ſome Commodities▪ finds it better for his Soul, or Body, or Eſtate to draw in his Sails, and accordingly contracts his Buſineſs, but yet doth not deſert his Calling. But now a Man leaves off his Calling, when he doth totally and finally forſake it; I ſay, totally and finally: and this is a matter of great moment, let a Man's Calling be what it will; and it behoves every Man to ſee that he and his Calling part fair.
Now a Calling is then well left, when God doth diſcharge or call a Man from his Calling, whereunto he was called. There is no other way to be fairly quit of your Calling: He that called you into it, muſt call you out of it. Now this he doth two ways.
Firſt; Immediately, by his abſolute Command or Inſpiration; and ſo he diſcharged the Apoſtles upon our Saviour's Aſcenſion and Miſſion of the Holy Ghost upon them; until they had that Commiſſion, even after the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt, we find both Peter, and James, and John, at their old trade of fiſhing; Joh. 21. 3. but afterward they applied themſelves to their Apoſtleſhip, and lived and died in that Profeſſion. But no Man can now juſtly pretend to be thus releaſed from his Calling; ſince it hath pleaſed God to forbear thoſe extraordinary Methods of ſignifying his Will unto us, and hath remitted us to the Guidance of his Word and Providence Let no Man therefore pretend or truſt to any Impulſes, how ſtrong ſoever, unleſs he can juſtify them by the ordinary Rules, which God hath left us to walk by. It was no doubt a ſtrong Impulſe which drove Jonah to Sea, but it was directly againſt the revealed Will of God, and he ſped accordingly.
Secondly; God doth mediately diſcharge a Man from his Calling two ways.
1. By the Hand or Interpoſition of Man; when it pleaſeth him to inveſt ſome or other with Authority or with Power over a Perſon, and by ſuch he is diſcharged of his Imployment. Thus a Child, who is under the Government of his Parents, may lawfully leave his Calling, when he is ſo required by them, becauſe he is not ſui juris, nor is ſuppos'd to know what is beſt for him, in compariſon of their Underſtanding. Thus a Wife may lawfully forſake the Calling, wherein ſhe hath been bred; when her Husband finds any conſiderable Inconveniencies therein, or needs her Aſſiſtance ſome other way: For, God hath inveſted the Husband with Authority to direct and govern his Wife, and ſhe ought to be ſubject to him in every (lawful) thing. Thus the Subject, being called and advanced by his Prince to ſome place of honourable Truſt, may lawfully leave his former Calling, becauſe this is ſuppoſed to tend more to the Publick Good. In like manner, when a Man is put into Reſtraint or Priſon, either by the Magiſtrate, or by the Suit of his Adverſary, he is ſo long at leaſt diſcharged from his former Calling, and poſſibly made incapable thereby from ever following it again. There may other ſuch like Inſtances perhaps be given, wherein it may be unqueſtionably lawful for a Man to leave his Calling; which yet muſt be warily collected, and he that is concluded by them, muſt ſee that he hath his releaſe from God, tho it be by the Intervention of Men.
2. A Man may be ſufficiently diſcharged by the Hand of his ſpecial Providence. And that,
(1.) When it pleaſeth God to diſable a Man's Mind. Not that every trouble of Mind ſhall excuſe a Man from following his Vocation: No, Means muſt be us'd and Remedies applied, the Phyſician and the Divine muſt be conſulted, and ſtill the Plough muſt go: yea, perhaps an honeſt Diligence in your Callings, may prove the beſt cure for it. But I mean, when Reaſon is utterly clouded, or when the Faculties are ſo enfeebled, that there is no preſent, nor proſpect of future Capacity, whereby to manage a Man's Calling, then God releaſes him. Let all Tradeſmen, therefore, while all is well within, and that their Faculties are in due frame, take care of their Intellectuals. Be humble, be temperate, abuſe not your Parts, provoke not God, beware of worldly Sorrow, pore not upon any Loſs or Diſappointment, maintain a harmleſs Chearfulneſs in every Condition, meddle not with abſtruſe Speculations, nor things that are too high for you; graſp not after more Buſineſs than your Head can well bear; for at theſe Doors doth Melancholly and Diſtraction often enter, and then farwel the World, and all the true Comfort of it. You muſt then leave your Callings, you cannot help it.
(2.) When God doth diſable a Man's Body, then he diſcharges him from his Calling. Yet it is not every Diſtemper nor Pain, whether Acute or Chronical, which will juſtify his deſerting his Imployment: for then few or none would abide therein. Diſtempers are inſeparable from ſome Conſtitutions, and inſeparable from ſome Trades too; and ſince Sin open'd the Door, we are all daily liable to a thouſand Miſeries, ſo that we have more cauſe to admire at one hours Health, than a years Sickneſs and Pain. The aged and ſickly Tradeſman may then be like the Pilot, who though he run not up and down the Ship, yet ſitting ſtill he is more ſerviceable than all the reſt; ſo may he by his Advice and Guidance be highly ſerviceable in his Profeſſion. But that Diſability only releaſeth a Man from his Calling, which is in conſiſtent with the managing of it, to thoſe Ends for which he ſhould follow it. When his Weakneſs or Pain makes him incapable, to do what is neceſſary in his Imployment: So that his Body ſuffers on the one hand, and his Imployment on the other; and there is no rational Proſpect of being reſtor'd to a ſufficient Ability; in this caſe God ſigns him a Releaſe from his Calling; it is a neceſſary Ceſſation, not a ſinful Idleneſs. Conſider this, ye younger Tradeſmen, and provide for the future. Spend not your Eſtates as faſt as ye get them; Go to the Ant, thou Fool, and conſider her Ways, and be wiſe. There is a time to get, and a time to ſpend: Eccleſ. 3. 6. And therefore now imploy your Parts, your Strength, your Opportunities to make competent Proviſion for a time of Sickneſs. Now riſe up, that then you may lie in Bed: run now, that then you may keep your Chair; labour now, that then you may reſt. And beware of all Intemperance, and hurtful Luſts whereby Nature is weakened, and a Door opened to many Informities, leſt you remove to the Hoſpital at laſt. Sobriety and Piety, will be Health to your Navel, and Marrow to your Bones. Then will you have the Comfort of your former Integrity, when you will receive but little from your preſent Indiſpoſition, your Calling and you muſt part, there is no remedy.
But you will Ask, May not a Tradeſman, tho yet of ſome competent Abilities of Mind and Body, lay aſide his Calling, when he hath gotten a ſufficient Eſtate for himſelf and Family? Nay, ſhould he not in that caſe do it, thereby to have ſome Injoyment of his Labours, and alſo to give place to young Traders to improve their Talents? I Anſwer, Yes, he may; provided he intend not to be unſerviceable in the World, but to imploy his Parts, his Abilities, and his Eſtate ſome way to the good of Mankind. He may rather chuſe a Country-Life, and God forbid he ſhould be denied, after his weariſom Imployment, the comfort of it. But then he muſt not ſay to his Soul, Soul, thou haſt much Goods laid up for many Years, take thine Eaſe, eat, arink, and be merry. He muſt not lay up Dainties and Treaſures only for himſelf, but muſt be rich towards God, Luke 12. 20. Indeed, he muſt not only aim at Eaſe, but at Leiſure to prepare himſelf for the World to come. And I conceive, that the Tradeſman, who hath arrived at a ſufficient Eſtate, and is declined in Years, not only may, but ſhould, unleſs there be ſome other juſtifiable Reaſons that do preponderate, give place to the younger Tradeſmen, and not ſtand like great old Trees, which hinder the growth of all below them. He that conjoyns the common Good with his private Advantage, will not be ſo ſelfiſh, as to prefer his own unneceſſary Emolument, before the neceſſary Encouragement of many. He thought it unreaſonable in his Predeceſſors, and therefore ſhould not deal ſo with thoſe that are coming after him. And in this his Repoſe, he ſhould not only inſtruct young Tradeſmen in the Vertues of Prudence, Juſtice, Truth, and Piety, but ſet himſelf to do all the good he can in the place of his Retirement; and there lay out ſome of that Wiſdom, Religion, and Eſtate, which he had laid up before; ſo ſhall he come to his Grave in a full Age, like as a Shock of Corn cometh in his Seaſon: Job 5. 26.
(3.) When a Man is diſabled in his Eſtate to follow his Calling, then he is plainly releaſed from it. You muſt not give it up for every Loſs, nor for every Abatement in your Eſtate. God is pleaſed ſometimes to try the Faith and Patience of his deareſt Children, by Ebbs and Tides in their Eſtates; and many who have been reduced to a very ſmall ſcantling, have recovered again in a wonderful manner. But if a Man's Eſtate be reduced to nothing, and that his Calling is ſuch, as requires an Eſtate to manage it, then he is diſcharg'd; he doth not properly leave his Calling, but his Calling leaves him. But it highly concerns this Man to review his Carriage both towards God, and towards Men; and to find out, wherefore God hath taken his Talent from him. He ſhould conſider, whether he have ſerved his Maſter with all his Strength, whether he hath not liv'd in ſome Omiſſion, or indulg'd ſome Tranſgreſſion or other? Whether he hath imploy'd his utmoſt Wiſdom, Strength, and Skill, in his Vocation? Whether he hath not been unjuſt, or uncharitable towards others? And in caſe he find himſelf faulty, to deplore his Sin, and implore the Mercy of God in Jeſus Chriſt; leſt thoſe Sins which drive him out of his Shop, keep him out of Heaven alſo. But in this caſe, he and his Calling muſt live no longer together; he is ſtarv'd out of it, and muſt ſeek another. For God will not give his Conſent, that he ſhould be idle. He muſt be content to be a Servant, when he cannot be a Maſter; and to be helpful in anothers Shop, when he cannot keep open his own. And this is rather to be choſen, than to wander into Imployments foreign to his own: for tho it may be leſs creditable and more laborious; yet he is within the Purlieus of his own Calling, and if he can get Food and Raiment, he ought therewith to be content.
(4.) Laſtly; God doth manifeſtly diſcharge a Man of his Calling by Death. This puts an end to all a Man's Cares and Labours, and puts a Man from his Calling for ever. His Wares, his Books, his Chapmen, his Projects and he muſt part for good and all. His Breath goeth forth, he returneth to his Earth, in that very day his Thoughts periſh: Pſal. 146. 4. This day will come, and it often comes in an hour he is not aware of▪ When God calls to the Grave, all other Callings muſt be left; Job 14. 10. Man dieth and waſteth away; yea, Man giveth up the Ghost, and where is he? He was wont to be in his Shop, he is not there: Where is he? See in his Counting-houſe, he is not there; where is he? Look for him at the Exchange, there he is not; where is he then? why, he is gone, whither? into another Country? No, he is gone into another World, and his Houſe nor Shop will known him no more.
Let my Counſel therefore be acceptable to every Tradeſman;
1. Set thy Heart in order this day, defer it no longer; break off thy Sins by Righteouſneſs, and thine Iniquities by ſhewing Mercy to the Poor-Repent of all your Sins from the bottom of your Hearts; not only in the lump, but with particular Reflection, and ſutable Grief for every one of them; batter Heaven with your earneſt Cries for Pardon and for Grace. Settle your ſelves in a courſe of ſincere, univerſal, and conſtant Piety-Live in the daily Expectations of dying; and lay up for your ſelves Treaſure in Heaven. If you have done Wrong to any, make them ſpeedy and full amends: whatever you would now regret, if you were called this night to give an account of your Stewardſhip, that rectify this day. For beſides the Quickneſs and Violence of ſome Diſeaſes, which give a Man neither Opportunity, nor Ability to think or do any thing about his Soul; your Death-bed Repentance allows you no Opportunity to demonſtrate the Sincerity of your Purpoſes, by actual Amendment. They will appear to be only Bonds made in Durance, Godlineſs out of Force, not out of Choice.
2. Set your Houſe in order alſo with all the ſpeed you can. To that end, keep your Books and Accompts with every Body, as even and as exact as you can. Suffer not any long Reckonings to lie dormant between you and others; the which, if either of you ſhould unexpectedly die, may turn to the Injury of the one or the other, or elſe afford Fewel for tedious and coſtly Suits. And when you have computed as near as you can, the true value of your Eſtates, then, with the help of thoſe that have Skill and Honeſty, make your Will. Wherein, after you have bequeath'd and ſettled a competent Eſtate upon your Wife and Children, diſpoſe of the Remainder, if God has ſo far bleſt you, to your poor Relations; and forget not to acknowledg the Goodneſs of God to you, by devoting ſome fit Proportion to pious and charitable Uſes; which being done with a ſincere reſpect unto the Lord, is the beſt means, that you can invent, to intail the reſt upon your Poſterity. Having done theſe things, you are not one minute nearer to Death, but only readier for it. You ſhould expect it, but you need not fear it. You will chearfully leave your low Calling upon Earth, when you are going to receive the Prize of the high Calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. To whom be all the Glory.
Amen.
FINIS.