The Tradesmans Calling, Chapter 4 – Chapter 5
CHAP. IV. Concerning the right Entrance into a Calling.
I Come now, in the fourth place, to ſpeak of the right Entrance into a Calling, when you have made a diſcreet Choice. For in all matters, a right beginning is half the Buſineſs done; and he that miſſes his way at ſetting out, ſtrays ſtill further to the end of his Journey. We may juſtly impute the Miſcarriage of thouſands to their raſh Atheiſtical Entrance into their Callings. How many go to the Ʋniverſities, and to Trades without any Senſe of Religion, of their Duty, of their Dangers, and the Temptations that are before them? And being thus unarm'd, are ſoon ſurpriz'd with Temptations, and blown up to the Grief of their Friends, and their own Ruine. It's true, the moſt hopeful beginning may end ſadly, but what End then may we expect from a careleſs Entrance?
Let all Perſons then at their firſt ſtarting out, be careful,
Firſt; To have right Ends: for the End (as I ſaid before) either enobles or debaſes the Action. Tho a good End will not juſtify a bad Action, yet it will ſanctify a good one: And on the contrary, a baſe, a wordly, a wicked End will vilify the holieſt Action in the World. Now the Ends you ſhould aim at in every Particular Calling are, as you heard in the Deſcription, theſe three.
Firſt, and chiefly, the Glory of God. Reckon upon this, that you were made, redeem'd, called, and kept meerly to the end, that you might glorify your Maker. Now as every Pin and Nail in the Building, how obſcure ſoever, concurs to the Beauty and Strength of the Work, and conſequently to the Credit of the Workman; even ſo every Calling, how mean ſoever it is, contributes to the Honour of the great Houſholder, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Keep therefore the Honour of God in your Eye; and then, tho you may be diſappointed in your inferiour Ends, as Riches and Splendor, yet you will attain your great and noble End, which is beſt of all. That is an undoubted comprehenſive Rule, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatſoever you do, do all to the Glory of God. Conclude thus with thy ſelf, that ſince the Lord made all things for himſelf, I will make it make it my Deſign, and count it my Honour, to glorify this good God in that courſe of Life I am entring upon. And aſſure your ſelves, that the more ſincerely ſolicitous you are for his Glory, the more careful and provident he will be for your Welfare and Happineſs; for it is a tried Truth, Thoſe that honour me, I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly eſteemed; 1 Sam. 2. 30.
A ſecond thing ye ſhould aim at, is the Common Good. This thing is generally far enough from young Peoples Thoughts; their narrow Spirits mind it not. Their Eye is fixt upon a Livelihood for themſelves, let the Publick ſink or ſwim. But this Temper reſults from the Depravation of our Nature, and the very Heathens have determin'd that the Common ſhould always be prefer'd to ones Private Good. And we ſee in the Body Natural, which is a lively Reſemblance of the Body Politick, the Hand, in caſe of any attempt upon the Head, or Heart, or Life will venture it ſelf; and will chuſe to be wounded, and, in caſe of Gangrens, to be cut off, to preſerve the whole. Conclude then thus with thy ſelf, I am a poor inconſiderable Creature, and tho I am oblig'd to endeavour to maintain my Life for the Service of my Maker; yet my Buſineſs and Ambition ſhall be, rather to be an uſeful Member to the Country that nouriſheth me, to promote the Good of Mankind, than only or chiefly to build my Neſt on high, and load my ſelf with thick Clay. And you may be ſure, that if you contrive and conſult the Publick Good, the Publick will be intereſſed in your Welfare; and he that watereth, ſhall be watered himſelf.
And then, thirdly; You may and ought in the Entrance into your Calling, to aim at your own Good; Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal. You may deſire the obtaining of a Competence in this World; this is juſtified by the Light of Nature, and commanded in the Eight Commandment; yea (as hath been ſaid) you may aim at a comfortable and plentiful Proviſion, (if it pleaſe God) not thereby the more to ſatisfy your Appetite, nor to gratify an ambitious Humour; but that you may do the more Good, not only to your Friends; but to God's Friends, the Poor. But you ſhould have a more ſpecial Eye at your Spiritual and Eternal Good. For as there is a Natural, ſo there is a Spiritual Life, and you ſhould chuſe to be placed where this noble inward Life may be nouriſhed, where the true God is truly worſhipped, where his Day is ſtrictly kept, where you may be under a wholeſome Reſtraint; and in ſhort, where you may learn the Trade of true Godlineſs, and both how to live in this World, and in the World to come.
Secondly; For the happy Entrance into a Calling, you muſt be ſped with due Qualifications for it. And they are eſpecially Knowledg in the Head, and Grace in the Heart.
1. Knowledg. And for the meaneſt Trade;
(1.) You ſhould know how to read and write. Reading is both neceſſary for your Spiritual and Temporal Calling: Thereby you are inabled to read God's Word and other good Books, which ſhould be to you both Food and Recreation. Thereby you may get Knowledg by the Fire ſide, and receive that ſacred Warmth into your Heart, which will be helpful to you for every good Word and Work. Particularly, thereby you will injoy ſweet Company on the Lord's-Day, when you muſt not work, and ſhould not play. Both theſe are alſo very neceſſary in your Temporal Affairs; in ſo much that he who is unaccompliſhed with them, is ſcarce to be reckoned among rational Creatures, is unable to convey his Mind with any certainty to his diſtant Friends, to underſtand their Minds or Deſires, but by Aſſiſtance from others. He is unable to take or keep any juſt Account of his own Affairs, of the Encreaſe or Decay of his Eſtate; much leſs can he be uſeful to others, which is always a comfortable thing, and ſometimes beneficial. And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned, ſaying, Read this, I pray thee: And he ſaith, I am not learned. Iſa. 29. 12. A ſad Anſwer. But if you are deſigned for higher Callings, a ſutable meaſure of Learning is requiſit, according to the Quality of the Imployment you chuſe: rather always ſtoring your ſelf with ſome Grains too much, than too little for any of them: For in moſt Callings, your Learning will ſuffer Loſs, either through want of Liſt, or want of Leiſure.
(2.) You ſhould be well vers'd in the Principles of Religion. Theſe are the Ballaſt which muſt keep you ſteady in the various Aſſaults your Faith may meet with, in your Chriſtian Courſe. An uncatechiz'd Head, and an unſanctified Heart are liable to all manner of Temptations. Think it no Burden therefore to learn your Catechiſm, and carry it not only in your Trunk, but inyour Head, into your Calling, and look it often over alone, if ſo be it your Superiours do neglect to examine you therein. That Neglect in Publick and Private is ſuch, as ſadly threatens the Vitals of our Religion. The Jeſuits confeſs, that by catechiſing we did ſpread and fix the Reformation; we had need be careful leſt we drop it by the Neglect thereof; and therefore though you may, by good Advice, carry other good Books with you, and ſometimes read them; yet the way to be a ſettled and conſcionable Chriſtian, is to converſe much with the Principles of Religion; which well digeſted, breed the pureſt Blood in the Heart, and produce the moſt ſavoury Fruit in the Life and Converſation.
(3.) You muſt carry with you a Capacity for the Calling you undertake. Then you will go on ſmoothly with it, and what ever Difficulty is therein, will be compenſated with the Delight that will attend it. He that attempts a Calling without a Capacity for it, loſes his Time, frets his Inſtructors, and blunts thoſe Spirits which might be ſufficient for another Imployment. Tutors and Maſt…s therefore ſhould very carefully obſerve the Capacities of Candidates during their time of Probation, and faithfully repreſent them to thoſe who have intruſted them; otherwiſe they will injure both the Parents, the Children, and themſelves.
2. The other neceſſary Qualification for a good Entrance into a Calling, is Grace in the Heart. When the Heart is ſanctified, and ſincerely devoted unto God, then he will preſerve you, teach you, and bleſs you; he will intereſs himſelf in all your Concerns, ſupply the Abſence of Parents, ſupport you under any Difficulties, or Severities you may meet with, and crown your Endeavours with a proſperous Succeſs, ſo far as it is good for you. O Sirs, it is as much a Man's Intereſt, as his Duty, to be holy; yea, and to begin betimes; otherwiſe you may fall into ſuch Snares and Temptations in your Youth, of which you may never be cur'd while you live. And indeed it is ſcarce poſſible for a young Man or Woman, in this wicked World, and in that ſlippery Age, to eſcape the Contagion of evil Company, without a Principle of ſaving Grace.
More particularly, I commend to you theſe two:
1. Humility. When you are going into a Calling, the beſt and fitteſt Garment you can go in, is to be clothed with Humility. An humble Heart within, accounting others better than your ſelf, not reckoning your ſelf too great, or too good for any honeſt Imployment; and ſhewing its ſelf in a modeſt and reſpectful Carriage and Behaviour, will make God and Man to be in love with you: A meek and quiet Spirit is in the ſight of the Lord of great Price. This will make you content in your Condition. This Work and this Fare, tho it may be hard, yet, ſaith the humble Soul, it is rather too good for me: The Neglects, yea the Contempts caſt upon me, alas they are nothing to what I deſerve. What care I for fine Cloths, or any great Reſpect, that am conſcious of my own Unworthineſs? This Grace will make you ready to be commanded, eaſy to be pleaſed, hard to be provoked, and generally to be beloved. Yea every one will heap Reſpect on him that flees it, and will honour thoſe that are mortified to Honour. Whereas, carry what Parts, Education, or Accompliſhments you will into your new Calling, yet if you carry a proud Heart with you, you will neither be acceptable to others, nor eaſy to your ſelves. You'l be diſputing when you ſhould obey, you'l be fretting when you ſhould ſubmit, envying whom you ſhould reſpect, diſdaining whom you ſhould cheriſh, and juſtling with thoſe Equals whom you ſhould imbrace. Every Task will be too hard, every Reproof too galling, every Hour a Year till ye be at liberty; and then you will carry your Chain with you: for he can never be at liberty, that is a Slave to his Pride and Paſſions.
2. Fidelity. 1. In Word. Be ſure that you hate a Lie, or any thing like it. Well may a Liar be rank'd among Idolaters, Whoremongers, and abominable Perſons, Rev. 21. 8, 27. For as there is unſpeakable Malignity, Atheiſm and Debauchedneſs of Conſcience in it, ſo it prepares and diſpoſes a Man to all Wickedneſs. It ruines all Human Converſation, by taking away that Confidence to Mens Words, which is neceſſary to it. And therefore fix this Reſolution, to ſpeak Truth what ever it coſt you.
Dare to be true, nothing can need a Lie:
A Fault that needs it most, grows two thereby.
Mr. Herbert.
Rather hazard the Anger of Man than the Wrath of God. Veracity and Truth may mitigate the Rage you fear, but a lying Tongue will be but for a Moment; and here remember that Saying of Eli to his Sons, If a Man ſin againſt another, the Judg ſhall judg him; but if a Man ſin againſt the Lord, who ſhall intreat for him? 1 Sam. 2. 25. 2. Shew the ſame good Fidelity in Deed. Reſolve to be juſt and faithful to thoſe that intruſt you. In their Affairs, in their Secrets, in whatſoever belongs to them, ſhew all good Fidelity, Tit. 2. 10. Then, tho your Skill and Parts prove ſhort of Expectation, your Faithfulneſs will procure for you both Love and Eſteem. A true Heart will make amends for a weak Head, or a ſlow Hand. Natural Weakneſs all will pity and pardon, but Moral Obliquities, being Faults of the Will, are ill reſented by God and Man. And therefore whatever Neceſſities you may be under, whatever Conveniences, nay, whatever Temptations you may have, be exactly punctual and honeſt; for the true God hates the Man that's falſe, whether it be in Word or in Deed.
Thirdly; For the happy Entrance into a Calling, you muſt take with you firm and good Reſolutions. For you muſt exſpect both Temptations and Difficulties in every Place and Calling, which you have not met with before. Theſe will be like to ſtagger you, if you go not forth with a ſteady Reſolution. If your Calling depend moſt on the Head and Brain; you muſt not be diſcouraged with the Crabbedneſs of your Studies; but ſeeing God hath indued you with Capacity and Parts (as is before ſuppoſed) it is poſſible, and a reſolute Induſtry will make it facil to overcome all. If your Calling depend on the Labour of the Hand, ſtill reſolve to buckle with it; every day it will be eaſier than other, and that which now you tremble at, ſhortly you'l play with. You muſt alſo expect to meet with ſome Severities, harſh Looks, harſh Words, harſh Uſage, but let none of theſe things terrify you: All this ſhall turn to your good. It is the wiſe Providence of God to permit all theſe things, for the taming and ſubduing that Wantonneſs and Pride in young People, which is for the moſt part inſeparable from that Age. Settle your Reſolutions therefore at your Entrance, to ſuffer what is ſufferable in your Calling, ſtill hoping that a dark Morning will have a Sun-ſhine Evening; and in the mean time that the Sun-ſhine of God's Favour will guild every drop of the Storm that falls upon you, and ſweeten it unto you.
But your greateſt Danger is from the Temptations that will meet you in your Imployment, which you muſt carefully diſcover, and then reſolutely avoid. For our Adverſary the Devil hath Baits in all Places, and in all Callings; and we ſee how many ſwallow them to their Perdition: but if you can but ſee the Hook as well as the Bait, and contemplate the Baſeneſs, the Odiouſneſs, the Danger, as ſoon as you ſee the Profit or Pleaſure that hides it, by the Grace of God you will eſcape. And of all Temptations, reſolve to ſhun ill Company. Such there are in every place, who, like the fallen Angels, having made Shipwrack of a good Conſcience themſelves, indeavour to draw others into the ſame Condemnation. Such there are in both Sexs, who may ſoon betray an unwary Youth into all Ungodlineſs. Begin therefore no Acquaintance with any, till you have received concerning them from ſome judicious Hand, a ſober Character. He might be very innocent at the School, whom you may find very criminal in the Univerſity or in the City. But eſpecially if you hear or ſee any, that are Idle, Voluptuous, Swearers, Drunkards, Wanton, Sabbath-breakers, bleſs you from them; and if your Vicinity or Relation to them ſhould neceſſitate you to be ſometimes with them, let it be always with a wary Reſervedneſs, let them ſee that you are ſailing another way. And herein you muſt be reſolute: Two or three Denials and Frowns will rid you of them, whereas your Eaſineſs will ſtrengthen their Importunity; and when you are once gotten into the Snare, it will not be an eaſy matter to get out again. Enquire therefore after the Diligent, the Modeſt, the Religious of your Age, and converſe with them; for there is moſt certainly a ſecret Charm in Society, and in a ſhort time, he that frequents and delights in any Company, whether good or bad, will be like them.
Fourthly; For a right Entrance into any Calling, earneſt Prayer is neceſſary. For if every Creature be ſanctified unto us by the Word, (approving the uſe of it) and Prayer (procuring the Bleſſing of it) we may juſtly conclude that Calling unfanctified, that is not bleſt with Prayer. It is not the beſt Trade or Calling, it is not the beſt Tutor or Maſter, tho as much Care ought to be taken (mark it well) in the choice of a Maſter, as of a Trade; but it is the Bleſſing of God, earneſtly ſought by Prayer, which makes the Man. If People would abate of their anxious Care about theſe things, and add more of their fervent Prayers, they would have more Comfort. For ſo the Apoſtle directs, Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your Requeſts be made known unto God. The utmoſt Care and Providence of the wiſeſt Parent, comes far ſhort of the conſtant and powerful Providence of God, which is procured by Prayer.
And let the young Perſon concern'd, earneſtly ſeek the Favour and Bleſſing of God withal, and heartily bewail the Sins of his Childhood, his Diſobedience, Slothfulneſs, Lying, Sabbathbreaking, and all ſuch like, that he may not carry the heavy Load of Guilt out of one Place and Condition of Life into another; which as it will provoke God to Anger, ſo it will expoſe him to new Sins, when he hath never bewailed the old. How many have we known and ſeen hopeful every way, good Education, good Parts, good Callings, good Tutors or Maſters, and yet have miſcarried and come to nothing? This ſhews that GOD ſtands for ſomething; that all other Requifites are but Cyphers without the Bleſſing of Heaven, which muſt be ſought by Prayer, and earneſt Prayer. And this not only at his Entrance, but he muſt continue this ſweet and needful Duty, at leaſt each Morning and Evening, if poſſible, during his whole time; for it is the Key to open to him the Mercies of the Day, and to ſhut out the Dangers of the Night. Young People would be glad to have twice a day Opportunity to ſend to their Earthly Parents, how much greater a Priviledg is it to have free Liberty to ſend to your Father which is in Heaven, who hath more Will and Power to do you good, than all the Creatures in the World?
And now having diſcourſed of the right Entrance into a Calling, let each of us make a double Ʋſe of it.
1. By way of Reflection on time paſt. Did all of you that are in Callings, thus enter upon them? Were your Ends right? Were you duly qualified? Were your Reſolutions firm? and your Prayers earneſt? Let your Conſciences return a true Verdict, a juſt Anſwer. If they acquit you; what Peace, what Joy, what Satisfaction may you have, whether you have ſucceeded in outward things or not? You have done your Duty, to which a Bleſſing always belongs. But if upon a ſerious Inquiry, Conſcience accuſe you; what cauſe have you to be humbled, to bewail your Neglects, and cry for Mercy and Forgiveneſs, and this, notwithſtanding all the good Succeſs you have had in them? For God doth ſometimes give to Children outward Bleſſings, with reſpect to the Parents, or other Anceſtors Integrity; which is a Seal to the Uprightneſs of the Parent, but not to the Goodneſs of the Child; Or, he may give you a great Eſtate and Honour in Wrath, or to pay you off for ſome good thing, and yet ſhort of Grace, which may be found in you. For your own Parts, you had need to judg and condemn your ſelves with broken and contrite Hearts, if perhaps your Sin may be forgiven you. For, as an Oppreſſor, yea, a Thief may get Poſſeſſion of a well-ſtor'd Houſe, and be jovial in it, till the Judg inquire how he entred it; ſo may a Man obtain in his Profeſſion a vaſt Eſtate, but at laſt God will examine how he entred upon it, and whether by an orderly way he took Poſſeſſion of it?
2. By way of Inſtruction for the future. Let all thoſe who expect the Favour and Bleſſing of Almighty God, ſee that they follow this courſe. Theſe are Rules of Practice, and therefore are not anſwered either by your Approbation or Contempt, but do carry their Authority with them, and call for Obedience to them. When you are entring into any Calling, take care to propound for your Ends, the Glory of your Maker, the Good of Mankind, as well as your own Comfort. See that you be qualified with Knowledg in the Mind, and ſaving Grace in the Heart. Let your Reſolutions be good and ſtrong, to break through all the Difficulties and Temptations, which are in your way: And ſet forth with Prayer. If you believe that there is a God, you cannot deny that all theſe are neceſſary for you. If you would proſper in vour Affairs, this is the ready road to Succeſs. If you live to accompliſh your Deſigns, theſe things will further you; if you die before you attain them, theſe will bring you to be Freemen of that City which cannot be moved. Be but true to your ſelves, the Holy God will not be falſe to you; for as a Man ſoweth, ſo ſhall he reap. He that aims at the World, often miſſes it; but he that truly aims at Heaven, is ſure to carry it.
And thus, when a Perſon hath choſen a lawful Calling, hath fixt his Ends aright, is ſufficiently qualified, firmly reſolv'd, and hath ſought the Direction and Bleſſing of God by Prayer, he may ſafely enter upon it. Which is the Fourth Point to be handled in this Subject.
CHAP. V. Of the due managing of a Trade or Calling.
THE Fifth Thing to be conſidered, is the right Behaviour of a Chriſtian in his Calling, or the due managing thereof. What I have ſaid hitherto, is in order to this: And tho we have thus far diſcourſed of Callings in general; yet ſuppoſing our Youth hath choſen ſome Trade or other, into that we will follow him. Now theſe are of two ſorts; the one are managed principally by the Tongue, yet ſo as they are directed by the Brain; ſuch are all ſorts of Merchants, and they who drive Trades only with buying and ſelling: The other are manag'd by the Hand, yet ſo as they are alſo aſſiſted with the Brain; ſuch are all ſorts of Mechanick Trades, or Handicrafts, which are imployed in working all kinds of Manufactures. Now tho each of theſe have ſome diſtinct Vertues, and Temptations, Conveniences and Inconveniences more proper to them; yet the following Requiſites will reach them both, and with the Bleſſing of God make the Practiſer of them an excellent Tradeſman.