The Christian Mans Calling, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. A Complaint that this Trade is ſo dead, and the Worlds trade ſo quick.
THe Uſe which I ſhall make of this Doctrine, ſhall be either by way of Complaint or Counſel.
Firſt, By way of Lamentation: If Godlineſs ought to be every ones principal buſineſs, How ſadly ſhould it be lamented that this calling is ſo exceedingly neglected? What one man is there of many that doth follow this trade, and exerciſe himſelf to Godlineſs? Men generally cry out Trading is dead, their particular callings are gone; they make no conſiderable returns, they ſtand in their ſhops all the day idle: But may not God rather complain, The holy, heavenly trade is decayed and dead; general callings are left and loſt; Why ſtand ye all the day idle, and refuſe to work in my vineyard. While the Devil has whole droves to do his drudgery; the Fleſh vaſt flocks to flatter its fancies, and the World many millions to admire and adore its vanities; the ways of Sion mourn, they are unoccupied, none come to the ſolemn feaſts, all her gates are deſolate. While the Lawyers Cloſet is filled with Clients for counſel about their Eſtates, the Phyſicians chamber with Patients about their bodily health, and the Tradeſmans ſhop crowded with cuſtomers, Jeſus Chriſt is left alone. Though he offereth wares which are of infinite worth, and ſtretcheth out his hand all the day long yet no man regardeth.
It is reported of ſome Spaniards that live near the place where is ſtore of fiſh, P. P…grim.that they will rather go without them then take the pains to catch them; Heaven and Happineſs, Saviour and Salvation are near men, they are brought to their very doors, and yet men will rather loſe then labour for them, rather go ſleeping to Hell, then ſweating to Heaven; All ſeek their own, and none the things of Jeſus Chriſt.
Offer a cruſt to a dog and he will catch at it, offer him a Crown and he will contemn it; offer theſe men the cruſts of vanity, and how greedily are they imbraced, while the Crown of Glory is moſt unworthily diſpiſed; like beaſtly ſwine they trample this pearl under their feet, and love to wallow in the mire.
But poſſibly you may ſay, that there are many that make Religion their buſineſs, onelyonly they are ſo near me that (according to the rule of Opticks which requires a due diſtance between the faculty and the object) I cannot behold them; they abound in every Country, Pariſh, Family, All are Chriſtians and make the Worſhip of God their main work.
I muſt anſwer as he did when he ſaw the vaſt Army of Antiochus, There are many men, but few Souldiers; many mouths but few hands; there are many nominal but few real Chriſtians; many that flouriſh like fencers, beating onelyonly the air, but few that fight in earneſt the good fight of faith. Godlineſs hath many complemental ſervants that will give her the cap and the knee, a few good words and outward ceremonies, but Godlineſs hath few faithful friends that make her the Miſtris of their affections, that give her the command of their hearts, and that wait upon her, and walk with her all the day long. Pretenders to her ſervice are indeed like the ſand of the ſea numerous but practitioners or faithful ſervants are like the pearl of the ſea rare and precious; many court her, but few marry her; for indeed men generally deal with Godlineſs as the Germans with the Italians, or the Dutch with the Spaniards, hold a fair out ward correſpondency, enough to ſerve for mutual trade and traffick, but enter not into a near familiarity; they have no great intimacie with Godlineſs; its rather a ſtranger to them, whom now and then they beſtow a viſit on for faſhion ſake, then an indweller or conſtant inhabitant.
Lepidus Major a looſe Roman, when his Comrades were exerciſing themſelf in the Camp, would lay himſelf down to ſleep in the ſhade, and cry out, Ʋtinam hoc eſſet laborare, would this were all the duty I were to do: Such Souldiers are many who pretend to fight under Chriſts Banner; when they ſhould be watching their ſouls, and warring with Satan and fin, they are ſleeping and ſnoring as if that were the way to work out their ſalvations. Reader, I muſt acquaint thee with the Phyſicians rule, that Spontanae laſſitudines morbos loquuntur; Wearineſs without ſome apparent cauſe is a ſign of a diſeaſed body; ſo thy lazineſs doth ſpeak a very unſound ſoul.
This complaint is urged with a threefold conſideration.
Firſt, How eager is the worldling for wealth and earthly things? though they loyter about the meat which endureth to eternal life, yet they can labour for the meat that periſheth; though they are ſo negligent about the Kingdom of Heaven, yet the Kingdom of Earth ſuffereth violence. What pains do the Mariners take for treaſure? What perils doth the Souldier under go for plunder? what labour and induſtry doth the Husbandman uſe for profit? he riſeth early, ſits up late, denieth himſelf, loſeth his ſleep, rides and runs too and fro, imbraceth all opportunities, is eaten up almoſt with cares and fears, all for the earthly ma…, whilſt the heavenly Manſions are like the unknown part of the world, which no man regardeth or looketh after: They pant after the duſt of the earth as greedily as hot creatures do after the air to cool their ſcorched intrails, Amos 2.7. The Serpents curſe is entailed on that poyſonous brood, the duſt is their diet, they feed on aſhes, Gen. 3.14. Amos 7. They laugh at dangers and trample upon difficulties, they force their way through darkneſs, and the ſhadow of death, through ſtifling damps and overflowing floods, through rocks and mountains in the purſuit of earthly treaſures, Job 28.9, 10, 11. Its ſaid of the Dutch they are ſo induſtrious at Navigation that if it were poſſible to ſail in ſhips to Heaven they would not come ſhort of that Haven: Ah what pity is it that this jewel ſhould hang in a ſwines ſnout, which would ſo well become the Chriſtians finger; that this diligence, this violence ſhould be exerciſed about mens earthly and particular, which would ſo well ſuit their heavenly and general calling. The ambitious perſon, like the Panther, Pliny nat. hiſt. lib. 8. cap 27.is ſo greedy of the poiſonous Aconite (hung up by the Hunters purpoſely in veſſels above their reach) of air and honour, that he never leaves leaping and ſtraining thereat till he breaks and burſts himſelf in ſunder.
The covetous man (ſaith one) that hath more then enough yet perplexeth himſelf with his own wants; look how like a fool he goeth, leading his horſe in his hand, and carrying his ſaddle on his back till he be pickled in his own ſweat, and killed with cares, when his horſe would with eaſe carry him and his ſaddle The Voluptuous man, like the Drone, is buſie about the glaſs of water baited with honey, in it he labours and wearieth himſelf even till he be drowned.
How do men (like the Iſraelites in the Egyptian bondage) travel up and down and even weary themſelves to gather ſtraw. What pains do they take to hew unto themſelves broken cyſterns. Their chief ſtrife is with the Toads, who ſhall fall aſleep with moſt earth in their mouths, who ſhall leave this world with moſt wealth in their hands: Their parts and gifts, their time and talents, are all improved to help forward their earthly trade, They are wiſer in their generation then the children of light.
Oh how lamentable is it that the oynions and garlick of Egypt are preferred before the milk and honey of Canaan. Luthers Colloq. Menſal p. 85. Lyſippus made Alexanders picture with this poſie. tupiter aſſerai terram mihi ta aſſere coelum.Luther tells us of a noble man at Vienna, in the time of his abode there, which made a great Supper, and in the midſt of his mirth belched out this windy and blaſphemous ſpeech, If God will leave me this world to live and injoy my pleaſure therein but a thouſand years, then let him take his Heaven to himſelf. This man ſpake what moſt men think; the bramble of their bodies reigneth and fire ariſeth out of it to conſume the cedar of their ſouls.
The Heathen have admired and bemoaned mans induſtry about earth, Sen. lib. 6. nat. cap. 26.they have wondered what made man, who is of an erect countenance looking up to Heaven, Tertal. de corona militis.thus to bow down and bury himſelf alive in the earth. Tertullian ſtood amazed at the folly of the Romans, who would undergo all manner of hazards and hardſhips to be Conſul, which he fitly calls, One years fleeting joy. The Prophet tells ſuch that they rejoyce in a thing of naught, Amos 7. Nay the forementioned Moraliſt tels us that ſuch worldlings operoſe nihil agunt, Take a great deal of pains to do nothing. That their whole life is but a laborious loytering, or at moſt a more painful kind of playing; their account will be nothing but ciphers; like children they run up and down and labour hard to catch a gaudy Butterflie, which when caught will foul their fingers and flye from them. O mortal men, how long will ye love vanity and follow after leaſing, Pſa. 4.
Is it not ſad that ſo noble a being as mans ſoul ſhould be wholly taken up with ſuch mean ſordid things. That phraſe in Pſa. 24.5. That hath not lift up his ſoul untovanity, is read by Arius Montanus, He that hath not received his ſoulin vain. O how many receive their ſouls in vain, making no more uſe of them, then the Swine of whom the Philoſopher obſerves, Cujus anima pro ſale, their ſouls are onelyonly for ſalt to keep their bodies from ſtinking. Who would not grieve to think that ſo choice a piece ſhould be employed about ſo vain a uſe.
Reader, If one ſhould be intruſted with the education of a great Prince (who was deſcended of the blood royal, and heir to a large Empire) and ſhould ſet him onelyonly to rake in Dungils, or cleanſe Ditches, thou wouldſt exceedingly condemn ſuch a governour. Wouldſt thou not think, It is pity indeed that ſo Noble a perſon ſhould be buſied about ſuch low unworthy projects.
God hath intruſted thee with a precious ſoul, deſcended highly even from God himſelf, claiming kindred with the glorious Angels, and capable of inheriting that kingdom to which the moſt glorious Empires of the World are but Muck-heaps. Art thou not one of them that employ this Princely ſoul, altogether about unſutable and earthly practices, and cauſing it (as the lapwing though it have a coronet on its head) to feed on excrements? It was one cauſe of Jeremiahs ſad lamentation, that the precious Sons of Sion comparable to fine gold ſhould be eſteemed as earthen Pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter, that they which were brought up in Scarlet, ſhould embrace Dunghils, Lament 4.2, 5. Have not we more cauſe of ſorrow that mens ſouls, the precious ſons of God ſhould be put to no better uſe then earthen pitchers, that they which ſhould be brought up delicately in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, ſhould be buſie about droſs, and imbrace Dunghils, that thy precious ſoul ſhould thus lacquey after earth and vanity, when it ſhould like an Angel, be always ſtanding and waiting in the preſence of God.
Who can read the ſtories how Domitian the King ſpent his time in catching Flies, Solyman the Magnificent in making Arrow-heads; Achmat the laſt in making ſtrings for Bows; Harcatius the King of Perſia in catching Moles; Caligula the Emperour in playing the Poet; Nero the Emperour in Fidling, and not admire at their folly; that ſuch great Princes ſhould buſie themſelves in things ſo infinitely below their places. But thy folly Reader (if one of them I am writing of) is far greater, in that thy practices are more below thy ſpiritual and heavenly principle. May I not ſay to thee as Philip to Alexander, (when he heard him ſinging) Art thou not aſhamed being a Kings Son, to ſing ſo well; Art thou not aſhamed being an immortal angelical ſubſtance, the off-ſpring of God, and capable of his likeneſs and love, to be glewed as a Toad-ſtool to the earth, to ſpend thy time and ſtrength, venture the periſhing of thy mortal body and immortal ſoul too, for that meat which periſheth. It is ſtoried of Pope Sixtus the fifth, that he ſould his ſoul to the Devil for Seven years enjoyment of the Popedom. What fool ever bought ſo dear? what mad man ever ſold ſo cheap? yet every worldly perſon doth implicitly the ſame with this Pope. He ſelleth what is more worth then all the World for a little Wind. Ah, how coſtly is that treaſure which makes him a beggar to all eternity.
O Lord, what a fooliſh ſilly thing is man, to prize and take pains for husks before bread, vanity before ſolidity, a ſhadow before the ſubſtance, the Worlds ſeraps, before the coſtly feaſt, the dirty Kennels, before the Chriſtal water of life, an Apple before Paradiſe, a meſs of Pottage before the Birthright, and the leaſt fleeting and inconſtant good, before the greateſt truest and eternal good. Their particular callings are but about earth, the loweſt, meaneſt and vileſt of all the elements in theſe callings, they deal but with men and bruits, their gains here at beſt cannot be large, becauſe their lives here cannot be long, and yet how eagerly are they purſued? how cloſely are they followed? how conſtantly are they buſied about them? their general callings are about their ſouls, their eternal ſalvations, in theſe they have to do with the bleſſed God, the lovely Saviour, in communion with whom is Heaven upon Earth, their gains here are above their thoughts, and beyond their moſt enlarged deſires, no leſs then infinite and eternal. The profit of godlineſs is invaluable above price. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither ſhall ſilver be weighed for the price thereof, It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onix or the Saphir. The Gold and the Chriſtal cannot equalit, and the exchange of it ſhall not be for Jewels of fine gold; No mention ſhall be made of Coral or of Pearls, for the price of Wiſdom is above Rubies. The Topaz of Ethiopia ſhall not equal it, neither ſhall it be valued with pure gold, Job 28.15, to 20. yet how lingringly is this calling entred upon, how lazily is it followed, and how quickly caſt off, O fooliſh man who hath bewitched thee, that thou doſt thus diſlike and diſobey the truth.
I cannot more fitly reſemble man then to a ſilly Hen, which though much good Corn lie before her, takes little notice of it, but ſtill ſcrapes in the Earth. The favour of God, the promiſes of the Goſpel, the Covenant of Grace, the blood of Chriſt, the embroydery of the Spirit, the life of faith, the hope of Heaven, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, are laid before man, yet he overlooks them all, and lives like a Mole digging and delving in the earth.
Though men ſee before their eyes, a period and end of all earthly perfections, that the beauty, bravery, of all earthly things is but like a fair Picture drawn on Ice, quickly periſhing; that their riches and eſtates are but like Snow, which children take much pains to rake and ſcrape together, to make a Ball of, which upon the Suns ſhining on, it preſently melteth away; though they ſee daily men that hoarded up Silver, and wrought hard for wealth, hurried away into the other World, leaving all their heaps behind them; yet they will take no warning, but as the ſilly Lark ſtill play with the feather in the Glaſs, till they are caught and deſtroyd by the Fowler: Men wrong themſelves, and miſconſtrue God, who (as if he had hidden thoſe things becauſe he would have them ſought, and laid the other open for neglect) bend themſelves onelyonly to the ſeeking of thoſe earthly commodities, and do no more mind Heaven, then if there were none. If we could imagine a beaſt to have reaſon, how could he be more abſurd in his choice.
What a beaſt is he to love his ſilver above his ſoul, Plut. in vit. Anton.and loſe his God for a little corruptible gold? While he lives (like the King of Armenia by Marc. Anton.) he is a cloſe priſoner in golden fetters, and when he dieth, this worldling may ſay to his darling, as Cornelius Agrippa to his familiar ſpirit neer his end, Abi perdita beſtia, quae me perdidiſti, Be gone thou wicked wretch, thou haſt undone me.
It was good counſel which was given John the third King of Portugal, to meditate a quarter of an hour every day on that divine ſentence. (And O that Reader, I could perſwade thee to it) What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and loſe his own ſoul, or what will a man give in exchange for his ſoul, Mat. 16. I have read of a Philoſopher, who living near a Black Smith, and hearing him up every morning, at his Hammer and Anv…l, before he could get out of his Bed to his Book; profeſt himſelf much aſhamed, that ſuch an ignoble trade (as a Smiths) ſhould be more diligently atended then his more ſerious and excellent ſtudies: What ſayſt thou, Reader, Doſt thou not bluſh to think that Worldlings are more buſie and laborious about the low things, the rattles and trifles of this life, then thou art about the high affairs of God and thy Soul, the noble and ſerious concernments of Eternity?