The Tradesmans Calling, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the Neceſſity of a Particular Calling.
I Proceed then, in the ſecond place, to ſhew, That every Man and Woman, that is capable thereof, ſhould have, beſides their General and Spiritual, a Particular and Temporal Calling.
This I prove, 1. From the Light of Nature; this teaches us, That every Man muſt endeavour to live; that Suſtenance drops not immediately out of the Clouds; that it is unreaſonable to live upon others; that Motion is natural to Mankind, ſo that if Idleneſs were enacted by Authority, it is thought very many would pay their Mulct that they might work; that Man is not only an active Creature, but he hath Brains and Strength, which were given to no Man to be uſeleſs; and the very Pagans will addict themſelves to ſome Imployment or other, for their own and others good. Hence Pharaoh's firſt Queſtion to Joſeph's Brethren was, What is your Occupation? Gen. 47. 3. This inſtructed Jubal to teach Muſick, and Tubal-Cain to be an Artificer in Braſs and Iron, Gen. 4. 21. In a word, God's giving Men Hands as well as Mouths, tells us, that they who eat, ſhould alſo work. And the Inclination and Aptitude to this or that Imployment, which the God of Nature hath put into Men's Minds, if they would obſerve and excite the ſame, is a plain Indication and Proof, that every Man ſhould ſettle himſelf to be ſome way uſeful in the World.
2. From the Light of Scripture. And here we have,
(1.) The Ordinance and Inſtitution of God to Adam, both before and after the Fall. Before the Fall, when Adam was in the State of Innocence, yet the Wiſdom of God choſe a Calling for him; Gen. 2. 15. And the Lord God took the Man, and put him into the Garden of Eden, to dreſs it, and to keep it. He was God's high Steward over all the Earth, and might, if any Man, have lived at Eaſe, yet was obliged to an Imployment. He that was greater, and wiſer, and holier than any of his Off-ſpring, the ſecond Adam excepted, muſt have a Calling. Let no Man therefore plead his Birth, Eſtate, his Parts or Graces, to juſtify an idle Life. After the Fall; Gen. 3. 19. In the Sweat of thy Face ſhalt thou eat thy Bread, till thou return unto the Ground. He muſt into the ſame Calling again, tho he found more Difficulty in it than he had before; as a broken Tradeſman, that ſets up again with a leſs Stock, in worſer Times. And having two Sons, they were each of them fixt in a Calling; Gen. 4. 2. Abel was a Keeper of Sheep, and Cain was a Tiller of the Ground. Tho they had the whole World before them, yet they had no Writ of Eaſe from a ſettled Imployment.
(2.) We have God's expreſs Command; 1. In the fourth Commandment, Six days ſhalt thou labour, and do all thy Work; Exod. 20. 9. This [Thy Work] plainly implies, that every Man (for every Commandment is given to every Man) ſhould have his proper Work or Buſineſs, which ſhould ordinarily take up his time from Sabbath to Sabbath; which is further preſt upon all Mankind, from God's own Example, verſ. 11. For in ſix Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, which he could have done in ſix Minutes, but choſe to fill every Day with Work, probably for our Inſtruction and Encouragement to the like Diligence. And, 2. We find Commands to the ſame purpoſe in the New-Teſtament, Epheſ. 4. 28.—Rather let him labour, working with his Hands the thing that is good: that is, following ſome honeſt Calling. Yea, the Apoſtle, 2 Theſſ. 3. 12. doth command and exhort by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that Men ſhould with Quietneſs (that is, without diſputing or grudging) work, and eat their own Bread. Let all idle and uſeleſs Perſons conſider, how they will anſwer theſe plain Injunctions at their Peril. Add to this the ſharp Reproofs we find in Scripture upon the Neglecters hereof. When Hagar, Gen. 16. 8. had quit her Imployment, the Angel meets her with, Hagar, Sarah's Maid, whence comeſt thou? and whither wilt thou go? And in the next Verſe, ſends her home to her uncomfortable Calling again. And the Apoſtle 2 Theſſ. 3. 11. calls ſuch as work not at all, diſorderly People, and ſuch as ought to be ſharply admoniſhed; yea, Verſe 6. commands them in the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to withdraw from every ſuch diſorderly Perſon: So that 'tis no trivial Fault in a Man or Woman to live without a Calling.
(3.) We have in Scripture the Example of our Saviour himſelf. When Almighty God has but one Son in the World, he beſtowed him in a Calling, he made him a Preacher. And before his entrance upon his Miniſterial Imployment, it is highly probable, that he labour'd with his ſuppoſed Father Joſeph, in the Carpenters Trade: For tho in Mat. 13. 55. the People ſtil'd him the Carpenter's Son, yet in Mark 6. 3. they plainly ask'd, Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary? &c. And if our Saviour Chriſt, in whom the Fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt▪ bodily, ſtooped to an ordinary Calling, that he might fulfil all Righteouſneſs; how dare any that are called by his Name, diſdain or refuſe ſome ſettled Imployment? And we ſind the Apoſtles themſelves, not only▪ choſen to that glorious Office out of their reſpective Callings, but even after the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt, they diligently return'd to the ſame, until they had their Commiſſion given them to preach the Goſpel; as is evident, John 21. 2, 3, &c. Yea, the Apoſtle Paul, upon occaſion, even after his entrance into his Sacred Function, abode and wrought with Aquila and Priſcilla at their Craft, for they were Tentmakers; Acts 18. 3.
3. We have the Light of Reaſon to ſtrengthen. this Point, viz. That every Perſon that is capable, ought to have, beſides their Chriſtian, ſome Particular Temporal Calling. And that,
1. In point of Juſtice and Equity. Juſtice (1) to a Man's Self; he that is uſeleſs in the World, ſteals from himſelf; and hereupon this Duty falls under the Eighth Commandment, which ſaith, Thou ſhalt not ſteal. Which condemns all ſuch Omiſſions, as turn to the prejudice of ones ſelf in his outward Eſtate; and certainly an honeſt Diligence in any lawful Calling, with the Bleſſing of God, would greatly encreaſe a ſmall Eſtate, and enable a Man to live more comfortably himſelf, and more uſefully to others.
(2.) Juſtice to a Man's Family requires it: For, If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own Houſe, he hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. 1 Tim. 5. 8. So that a Perſon without a Calling, ſo far robs his own Family; for by his Care and Pains they might live more comfortably, and be diſpoſed more happily. And the idle Parent is alſo a ready Copy for the idle Child to write after; till at length, By much Slothfulneſs the Building decays, and through Idleneſs of the Hands the Houſe droppeth through; Eccleſ. 10. 18. And at laſt, Drouſineſs covers them all with Rags; Prov. 23. 21. Whereas the Induſtrious Spinſter is not afraid of the Snow for her Houſhold; for all her Houſhold are clothed with Scarlet. She maketh her ſelf Coverings of Tapiſtry, her Clothing is Silk and Purple; Prov. 31. 21.
(3.) There is a Juſtice to the Poor. And neglect of a Calling diſableth from that. Hence, Epheſ. 4. 28. Let him labour—that he may have to give to him that needeth. God who hath given to you Eyes, and Hands, and Health, and Stock, intendeth and appointeth you to be helpful to thoſe that have no Eyes, no Strength, no Health, or Ability to work at all. And no Man ſhould murmur at this; ſeeing it was one of our Saviour's Proverbs, recorded, Act. 20. 35. It is a more bleſſed thing to give, than to receive.
(4.) There is Juſtice and Equity in it in reſpect of the Publick; it is good for the Common-wealth. And as every Member of the Body is uſeful to the whole; ſo ſhould every Perſon, who is (as before) a Member of the Body Politick, be ſerviceable to the common Good. No man ſhould ſtand like a Cypher in his Generation; but ſhould ſo imploy himſelf, that there may be a want of him in the World. How many Trades have been at work to furniſh thee out in Meat, Drink, and Cloaths every day? and how unreaſonable is it, that thou ſhouldſt make no Returns to them again? That many Rivers ſhould daily empty themſelves upon you, and that you ſhould be like a dead Sea without any vent or uſe to them again? Hence the Apoſtle gives this Order: Tit. 3. 14. And let ours alſo learn to maintain good Works [or, as the Margin, profeſs honeſt Trades] for neceſſary uſes, that they be not unfruitful. The very Bees will drive out the Drones from their little Common-wealth. Indeed he deſerves not the Protection, that adds not to the Welfare of the Publick.
2. The other Reaſon for every ones engagement in a Calling is in reſpect of Safety, and that,
(1.) From Sin. For he that is fully imployed, hath not that leiſure to ſin that others have. Non vacat, hinders more than non licet. I have no leiſure, reſtrains more than I have no leave. Satan with his Temptations hath a fair Mark at a Man that is unimployed; as a Fowler hath at the Fowl that is ſitting ſtill: whereas the buſy Man, as the Fowl upon the Wing, eſcapes many a Snare. 1 Tim. 5. 13. And not only idle, but Tatlers alſo, and Buſybodies. It's a rare thing to be meerly idle and no worſe: an idle Head hath uſually a buſy Tongue; and he that doth not what he ought, will commonly be ſpeaking what he ought not. Hence S. Auguſtin's Wiſh upon thoſe words in Timothy, Would to God, that they who hold ſtill their Hands, would hold their Tongues alſo! And ſpends a whole Book to ſhew the Sin and Miſchief of an Idle Life.
(2.) There is Safety from Danger: For as he that is without a Calling, is liable to Satan's Temptation, ſo alſo is he from under God's Protection. His Angels have a Charge to keep us, but it is only in thoſe ways which the Lord appoints to us. Pſal. 91. 11. Every thing is ſafeſt in its place. If a Croſs do befall a Man in his Place and Calling, he hath▪ Comfort in it; whereas thoſe Diſaſters which meet with a Perſon that is not imployed, or ill imployed, have a double weight. Famous is that Inſtance of Jonah; he had a noble Calling tendred him, but he had no Mind on't, and away he flees: but a dreadful Tempeſt meets him, the Ship could not bear ſuch a ſinful Weight, and you know that never Man had ſuch a fair eſcape as he had. Whereas Elijah and other Prophets were wonderfully ſaved from Dangers in their Calling, but no body is ſafe out of theirs. If Satan find a Man on his Ground, without God's great Mercy, he will do him a Miſchief. And this you ſee is evident from the Light of Nature, of Scripture, and of Reaſon, that every Man ſhould imploy himſelf in a Calling.
I can imagine but Two Objections againſt this Aſſertion. The firſt is, I have no need of a Calling, I can live without it.
Anſw. 1. Tho you have no Outward Neceſſity to inforce you to take up a Calling, yet it may be neceſſary for you, in reſpect of your Soul, to prevent the Corruptions that are apt to breed there. The ſtanding Pool is prone to Putrefaction; and it were better to beat down the Body, and to keep it in ſubjection by a laborious Calling, than through Luxury to become a Caſt-away.
2. Tho you have no need of a Calling in reſpect of your ſelves, yet it may be uſeful to others. If you have no Kindred that need your help, yet the Poor you have always with you: and you heard even now the Apoſtle appointing Men to work, that they might have to ſupply thoſe that need.
3. Tho you have no need of a Calling, yet there is a neceſſity upon you by reaſon of God's Command before mention'd, that God who beſt knows what is fit and needful for all his Creatures. The Apoſtle Paul had no need to preach, in point of Livelihood; yet upon this very account he ſays, A Neceſſity is laid upon me, yea, wo unto me, if I preach not the Goſpel. So, tho you have no need of the World, yet the World hath need of you; and therefore, why ſtand ye all the day idle? go ye alſo into the Vineyard.
The other Objection is, I have no Ability, or Capacity for a Calling. One is ſickly, another lame, another old, another blind, and what can ſuch as theſe do with a Calling?
Anſw. 1. If by any of theſe Infirmities, you are wholly diſabled, then God himſelf releaſes you; and you have time to bewail your Neglects and Loſs of Opportunities heretofore; and a fit occaſion to exerciſe both your Truſt in the Providence of God, and your Patience under his heavy Hand. Time was, you could have done ſomething if you would, and now you would be doing if you could.
2. You ſhould bewail your preſent Unuſefulneſs as a ſore Affliction, and alſo the Sins that have brought it upon you; and endeavour to imploy your ſelves ſome way, as far as poſſibly you can. None, except ſuch as are under acute Sickneſs or Pain, but might be doing ſomething for their own or others Good: and a willing Mind would break through ſmall, yea, great Difficulties, rather than ſit and ſignify nothing in the World. And ſo much for the Proof of this Propoſition about the Neceſſity of a Calling, which may be improved,
1. By way of Conviction and Reproof of three ſorts of guilty Perſons:
(1.) Of the Begging Friars, and ſuch Monks as live only to themſelves, and to their formal Devotion; but do imploy themſelves in no one thing to further theirown Subſiſtence, or the Good of Mankind. Some ſuch ſprang up of old, who us'd to plead the Sixth of Matthew againſt all wordly Care and Labour; and who interpreted that of the Apoſtle, 2 Theſſ. 3. 10. If any Man will not work, neither let him eat, of ſpiritual Work and Labour: Which the Learned Auguſtin largely confutes by the Context. But what would he have ſaid, if he had liv'd to ſee ſuch ſwarms of Drones, dividing their time between a dull Chappel and a warm Refectory, covering a Life of Senſe with a Vizor of Religion? At the firſt, theſe People both pray'd hard, and labour'd hard, and not only maintain'd themſelves, but help'd the Poor; but they are ſince degenerated into a publick Grievance. And yet they have the Confidence to boaſt of this their Courſe as a State of Perfection, which in very deed, as to the Worthineſs of it, falls ſhort of the pooreſt Cobler, for his is a Calling of God, and their's is none.
(2.) This meets with Idle Beggars: A ſort of People that live without Law, and without Goſpel; that are neither uſeful to the Publick Good, nor careful of their own; but be like Wens upon the Body Politick, and Sinks of all Uncleanneſs. Happy for them, if fewer People ſpent their fooliſh Pity upon their Bodies, and if more ſhew'd ſome wiſe Compaſſion upon their Souls. If they be any ways able, doubtleſs they ſhould be imploy'd; if they be altogether impotent, certainly they ſhould be pitied and maintain'd: but in the mean time they are wholly neglected by the Church, and the excellent Laws in force for their reclaiming, are generally diſuſed by the Common-wealth.
(3.) This reaches all lazy Chriſtians, of what Rank and Quality ſoever: That live like the Leviathan in the Sea, as if made only to play therein: what Account can you give at Night to your own Conſciences? What Account can you give at laſt unto the great God? He that hath lent you Talents, hath alſo ſaid, Occupy till I come; Luke 19. 13. Your Strength is a Talent, your Parts are Talents, and ſo is your Time: How is it that ye ſtand all the day idle? Why do you like thoſe vain Athenians, who ſpent their time in nothing elſe, but either to tell or hear ſome new thing? Acts 17. 21. What is Mankind the better for you? What Gap do you ſtop? Or, what miſs will there be of you from off the Earth? You are like Miniſters ſine Titulo, like wandring Stars that move in no proper Orb, to whom is reſerved (if ye reform not) the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever. Object. Yea, but we do ſome good, this way and that. Anſw. Ay, but are you in a Calling? hath God called you to this lazy Life that you live? Nothing will paſs in any Man's Accounts, except it be done in the way of his Calling. Object. The truth is, I cannot work, as that ſorry Steward ſaid, Luke 16. 3. I cannot dig, to beg I am aſhamed. Anſw. I take not upon me to be Judg of Men's Capacities or Abilities; but are you fit for nothing? have ye neither Nerves nor Brains? God is too wiſe and good to make any Man wholly unprofitable. Do not you render your ſelves uſeleſs, leſt ye be dealt with like unſavoury Salt, which being good for nothing, is caſt out and trodden under Foot of Men. Object. I cannot attain any Calling, I would be in an Imployment, but cannot meet with any. Anſw. 1. See that this Diſappointment be not a juſt Judgment of God upon you for your Negligence heretofore. Perhaps you have been unfaithful, or unthankful in your former Station; and therefore God now juſtly keeps you out of his Service, and you are to be readmitted only upon your ſound Repentance. 2. See that Pride or Sloth be not now the true Hinderance: Your Purſe is too low for an high Imployment, and your Spirit too high for a low one. Or, it may be, you would have a Livelihood without any Labour; you would injoy Plenty, but would take no Pains: whereas you ſhould reſign your ſelves to God's Diſpoſal, and be contented to be an Hand, yea, a Finger, yea, a Toe in the Body, rather than to be an Excreſcence and no uſeful Part of it. If they who make theſe Excuſes, did want Bread, and Friends to ſupply them, they would ſoon throw away theſe Crutches, theſe lame Excuſes, and fall to work.
2. By way of Counſel and Exhortation:
(1.) To Parents. Educate your Children for Callings, diſpoſe them into ſome honeſt Calling. Iſaac was a great Man, yet he diſpoſed his Sons, Jacob and Eſau, into ſeveral Callings. Our Kings themſelves diſdain not to be liſted in ſome of the Trading Companies of the Great City. So was King James of the Cloth-workers, King Charles I. of the Merchant-Taylors, and King Charles II. of the Grocer's Company. The Turkiſh Emperor hath ever ſome manual Occupation, wherein he imploys himſelf. Why then ſhould any of you neglect, or ſcorn to ſettle your Children in ſome fix'd Imployment? Otherwiſe the Eſtates you leave them, will prove Fewel only that will feed their Luſt, and at laſt conſume them. And you of the poorer ſort, who plead your Poverty in bar to this Command, do your Children an irreparable Injury, you betray your Truſt, and implicitly direct them the way to the Gallows; whereas by placing them in ſome honeſt Calling, they might come, as many have done, to be excellent Inſtruments in the Church or State, and great Comforts to all their Friends.
(2.) To Children and Youths. Get into Callings, as you tender your own Happineſs here and hereafter. Rouſe up vour ſlothful Spirits; imagine not that ſuch noble Souls were given you for ſuch worthleſs Lives; mind your Books, and then you will be fit for ſomething. Importune your Parents to put you into a Way; conſume not your greener Years in Sports and Trifles. Idleneſs is ſweet, but the Bread of Idleneſs hath no Taſte: Your Time waſts, and Opportuities are loſing all this while. Others will ſtep before you into thoſe Profeſſions which would inrich and adorn you. In your Races, he that ſtays a little behind, will hardly recover his loſt Ground: Every thing is reſtleſs till it be in its place. He that is out of a Calling, is out of place. Therefore up and be doing, and the Lord be with you: Yet make not more haſte than good ſpeed; for tho you ſhould be reſolute to have a Calling, yet you ſhould take good Advice about the Choice of your Calling, which leads into the third thing to be handled, which is about the Choice of a Calling.