A Christian Directory Volume I Part 98

_Direct._ X. It is not enough that you consider what calling and labour is most desirable, but you must also consider what you or your children are fittest for, both in mind and body. For that calling may be one man's blessing, which would be another's misery and undoing. A weak body cannot undergo those labours that require strength; and a dull and heavy mind and wit, cannot do the works which require great judgment and ingenuity.[571] It hath been the calamity of the church, and undoing of many ministers themselves, that well-meaning parents out of love to the sacred work of G.o.d, have set their children to be ministers that were unfit for it; and many self-conceited persons themselves are ready to thrust themselves into that holy office, when they have some inconsiderable smattering knowledge, and some poor measure of gifts, overvalued by themselves, that know not what is required to so great a work. Be sure that you first look to the natural ingenuity of your children, (or yourselves,) and then to their grace and piety; and see that none be devoted to the ministry that have not naturally a quickness of understanding, and a freedom of expression, unless you would have him live upon the ruin of souls, and wrong of the church and work of G.o.d; and turn an enemy to the best of his flock, when he seeth that they value him but as he deserves: and let none be so unwise as to become a preacher of that faith, and love, and holiness, which he never had himself. And even to the calling of a physician none should be designed that have not a special ingenuity, and sagacity, and natural quickness of apprehension; unless he should make a trade of killing men; for it is a calling that requireth a quick and strong conjecturing ability, which no study will bring a man that hath not a natural acuteness and apt.i.tude thereto. Thus also as to all other callings, you must consider, not only the will of the child or parents, but their natural fitness of body and mind.

_Direct._ XI. Choose no calling (especially if it be of public consequence) without the advice of some judicious, faithful persons of that calling. For they are best able to judge in their own profession.

Never resolve on the sacred ministry without the advice of able ministers: resolve not to be a physician, but by the counsel of physicians; and so of the rest: for abundance of persons ignorantly conceit themselves sufficient, that are utterly insufficient; and so live all their days, as wrongs and burdens unto others, and in sin and misery to themselves.

_Direct._ XII. If thou be called to the poorest laborious calling, do not carnally murmur at it, because it is wearisome to the flesh, nor imagine that G.o.d accepteth the less of thy work and thee: but cheerfully follow it, and make it the matter of thy pleasure and joy that thou art still in thy heavenly Master's service, though it be about the lowest things: and that he who knoweth what is best for thee, hath chosen this for thy good, and trieth and valueth thy obedience to him the more, by how much the meaner work thou stoopest to at his command. But see that thou do it all in obedience to G.o.d, and not merely for thy own necessity; thus every servant must serve the Lord in serving their masters, and from G.o.d expect their chief reward, Col. iii. 22-24; Eph. vi. 6, 7.

_t.i.t._ 2. _Directions against Idleness and Sloth._

[Sidenote: What sloth and idleness is.]

Here I must show you what idleness and sloth is, and what are the signs of it; and then give you directions how to conquer it. Sloth signifieth chiefly the indisposition of the mind and body; and idleness signifieth the actual neglect or omission of our duties.

Sloth is an averseness to labour, through a carnal love of ease, or indulgence to the flesh. This averseness to labour is sinful, when it is a voluntary backwardness to that labour which is our duty. Sloth showeth itself, 1. In keeping us from our duty, and causing us to delay it, or omit it: and, 2. In making us to do it slowly and by the halves: and both these effects are called idleness, which is the omission or negligent performance of our duties through a flesh-pleasing backwardness to labour.

[Sidenote: What it is not.]

By this you may see, 1. That it is not sloth or sinful idleness to omit a labour which we are unable to perform: as for the sick, and aged, and weak to be averse to labour through the power of an unresistible disease or weakness; or when nature is already wearied by as much labour as it can bear. 2. Or when reason alloweth and requireth us to forbear our usual labour for our health, or for some other sufficient cause. 3. Or when we are unwillingly restrained and hindered by others; as by imprisonment, or denial of opportunity: as if the magistrate forcibly hinder a preacher, or physician, or lawyer from that which otherwise he should do. 4. Or if a mistake or sinful error only keep a man from his labour, it is a sin, but not this sin of sloth; so also if any sensual vice or pleasure besides this love of ease take him off. 5. If it be a backwardness only to such labour as is no duty to us, it is but a natural and not a vicious sloth. But involuntary averseness to the labour of our duty through indulgence of fleshly ease, is the sinful sloth or laziness which we speak of.

[Sidenote: The aggravations of it.]

Sloth and idleness thus described is a sin in all; but a far greater sin in some than in others.[572] And you may thus know what sloth it is that is the most sinful. 1. The more sloth is subjected in the mind itself, and the less it is subjected in the body, the greater is the sin. For the mind is the n.o.bler part, and immediate seat of sin. 2.

The smaller the bodily distempers or temptations are which seduce the mind, the greater is the sin; for it shows the mind to be the more corrupted and tainted with the disease of sloth. He that is under an unresistible indisposition of body, sinneth not at all (unless as he voluntarily contracted that disease). But if the body's indisposition to labour be great, but yet not unresistible, it is a sin to yield to it; but so much the smaller sin, _caeteris paribus_, as the bodily disease is greater. He that hath some s...o...b..tical la.s.situde, or phlegmatic heaviness and dulness, doth sin if he strive not against it as much as he can, and as in reason he should: it is not every bodily indisposition that will excuse a man from all labour, as long as he is able to labour notwithstanding that disease; but if the disease be great, so that he resisteth his la.s.situde with a great deal of labour, the sin is the less: but he that hath a body sound and able, that hath no disease to indispose him, sinneth most of all if he be slothful, as showing the most corrupted mind. 3. He is most sinfully slothful who is most voluntarily slothful. As he that endeavoureth least against it, and he that most loveth it, and would not leave it; and he that is least troubled at it, and least repenteth and lamenteth it, and contriveth to accommodate his sloth. 4. The sloth is, _caeteris paribus_, the worst, which most prevaileth to the omission or negligent performance of our duty; but that sloth which doth but indispose us, but is so far conquered by our resistance, as not to keep us from our duty, or not much and often, is the smaller sin. 5.

That is the most sinful sloth, _caeteris paribus_, which is against the greatest duties: to be backward to the most holy duties, (as praying, and hearing or reading the word of G.o.d, &c.) or to duties of public consequence, is a greater sin than to be lazily backward to a common, toilsome work. 6. That is the most sinful sloth and idleness which is committed against the greatest motives to labour and diligence: therefore, in that respect, a poor man's sloth is more sinful than a rich man's, because he is under the pressure of necessity; and in another respect the rich man's sloth is worst, because he burieth the greatest talents, and is idle when he hath the greatest wages. A man that hath many children sinneth more than another by his idleness, because he wrongeth them all whom he must provide for. A magistrate or pastor of the church doth sin more incomparably than common people, if they be slothful; because they betray the souls of men, or sin against the good of many. As it is a greater sin to be lazy in quenching a fire in the city, than in a common, needless business; so it is a greater sin to be slothful in the working out our salvation, and making our calling and election sure, when G.o.d, and Christ, and heaven, and h.e.l.l are the motives to rouse us up to duty, and when the time is so short, in which all our work for eternity must be done, I say, it is a far greater sin, than to be slothful when only corporal wants or benefits are the motives which we resist. Yet indeed the will of G.o.d is resisted in all, who forbiddeth us to be "slothful in business," Rom. xii. 11.

[Sidenote: The signs of sloth.]

Sloth is a thing that is easily discerned: the signs of it are, 1.

When the very thought of labour is troublesome and unpleasing, and ease seems sweet. 2. When duty is omitted hereby and left undone. 3.

When the easy part of duty is culled out, and the harder part is cast aside. 4. When the judgment will not believe, that laborious duty is a duty at all. 5. When that which you do, is done with an ill will, and with a constant weariness of mind, and there is no alacrity or pleasure in your work. 6. When you do no more in much time, than you might do in less, if you had a willing, ready mind. 7. When the backward mind is s.h.i.+fting it off with excuses, or finding something else to do, or at least delaying it. 8. When you choose a condition of greater ease and smaller labour, before a laborious condition of life which in other respects is better for you. As when a servant had rather live in an unG.o.dly family where there is more ease (and fulness) to be had, than in a place of greatest advantage for the soul, where there is more labour (and want). 9. When little impediments discourage or stop you. "The slothful saith, there is a lion in the way," Prov. xxvi. 13; xxii. 13. "His way is an hedge of thorns," Prov. xv. 19. "He will not plough by reason of cold," Prov.

xx. 4. 10. When you make a great matter of a little business. It cannot be done but with such preparation, and so much ado, that shows a slothful mind in the doer. Even the "putting his hand to his mouth,"

and "pulling it out of his bosom," is a business with the sluggard; that is, he maketh a great matter of a little one, Prov. xxvi. 15; xix. 24. 11. Lastly, The fruits of slothfulness use to detect it, in soul, and body, and estate; for it corrupteth, impoverisheth, and ruineth all. The weeds of his field or garden, the vices of his soul, the sins of his life, the duties omitted, or sleepily performed, the disorders of his family or charge, and usually, or oft, his poverty, do detect him, Prov. xxiv. 30; xii. 24, 27.[573]

By this much it is easy to discern the impudent folly of the quakers and some ignorant rustics, that rail against magistrates and ministers for living idly, because they do not plough or thrash, or use some mechanic trade or labour; as if the labour of their highest calling were no labour, but mere idleness. Thus proud men speak evil of that which they understand not! Had they tried it, they would have found that the work of a faithful minister is further distant from idleness than a thrasher is. Doth not Christ and the Holy Ghost oft call them "labourers, fellow-labourers with Christ, and workmen, and their work a labour?" Luke x. 27; 1 Cor. iii. 9; 1 Tim. v. 17, 18; 2 Tim. ii. 15; Matt. x. 10; 1 Cor. iii. 13-15; ix. 1; Eph. iv. 12; Phil. ii. 30.

Hence also you may see, 1. That though all that can must labour, yet there is great diversity of labours; and all men are not to do the same work. Magistrates, and pastors, and lawyers, and physicians, must labour diligently; but they are not all bound to plough, and thrash, and use the more servile labours of their inferiors. 2. That every man must labour in the works of his own calling, "and do his own business," 1 Thess. iv. 11; 2 Thess. iii. 11; and take that for the best employment for him, which G.o.d doth call him to, and not presume to step out of his place, and take the work of other men's callings out of their hands. 3. That a man that is paid for his labour by another, (as lawyers, physicians, schoolmasters, servants,) do rob them by their idleness, when they withhold from them any part of that which they are paid for.

_Direct._ I. The first help against sloth, is to be well acquainted with the greatness of the sin. For no wonder if it be committed by them that think it small. First, therefore, I shall tell you what it is.

1. G.o.d himself reckoneth it with heinous sins. "Pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness," Ezek. xvi. 49, (the very character of the debauched part of the gentry,) is said to have been Sodom's sin, that was consumed with fire from heaven. And the Thessalonians were forbidden to keep company with such as lived disorderly and did not work.[574]

2. Idleness is a temporary destruction (as to their use) of all the faculties of mind and body which should be exercised. It is contrary to nature; for nature made our faculties for use. You bury yourselves alive. If it be a sin to hide G.o.d's lesser talents, what is it to bury ourselves and all our powers? If it be pity to see a dead man, because he is unuseful to the world; is it not pity and shame to see one voluntarily dead, that maketh himself useless by his sloth? Should not the church-yard be the dwelling of the slothful, that he may be nearest them in place that he is nearest to in quality?

3. Idleness and sloth are consumers of all the mercies of G.o.d. You are the barren ground where he soweth his seed, and none comes up. You return him but a crop of thorns and briers, and such ground is "nigh to cursing" (the final curse); "whose end is to be burned," Heb. vi. 8.

Doth G.o.d daily feed, and clothe, and keep you, and protect and support you, and teach and warn you, and all for nothing? Is idleness that for which he hired you? Will you accuse your Maker of so great imprudence, and your Redeemer of more, as if he created and redeemed you to do nothing, or that which is as bad or worse than nothing? He calleth to you, "Why stand you idle?" Matt. xx. 3, 6. And it is a terrible sentence that such shall receive, "Thou wicked and slothful servant; cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness," &c. Matt. xxv. 26.

4. Idleness is a robbing G.o.d, who is the Lord of us and all our faculties, and all our service is his due. You rob him of the honour and service that you might have done him by your diligence.

5. And it is a robbing yourselves of all the good to soul or body, which by your labour and industry you might have got. The slothful man lieth wis.h.i.+ng till he perish, Prov. xxi. 25.[575]

6. And it is a robbing of the commonwealth, and of all those to whom your labours, or the fruit of them, was due. You are burdens to the commonwealth, like drones in the hive, Col. iii. 22.

7. Slothfulness is a great consumer of time (as is showed, chap. v.) You lose not only all the time when duty is omitted, but much of the time in which you perform it, while you rid no work, and do it as if you did it not. He that goeth but a mile an hour, loseth his time, though he be still going, even as much as he that goeth two miles one hour and sits still the next. Oh what abundance of their lives do idle persons lose! When time is gone, they will better understand the greatness of their sin and loss, that now make light of it.

8. Idleness is not a single sin, but a continued course of sinning: an idle person is sinning all the while he is idle; and that is with some a great part of their lives: and therefore it is the greater, because the continuance showeth that it is not effectually repented of.

9. Idleness is a destroyer of grace, and gifts, and natural parts; they will rust for want of use. "The slothful is brother to the great waster," Prov. xviii. 9. Weeds will grow up and choke the fruit.

10. Idleness and sloth is a fruit of flesh-pleasing; and so cometh from the most pernicious vice. It is but to please the flesh that one is drunk, and another gluttonous, and another a fornicator, and another covetous; and your idleness and sloth is but pleasing the same flesh in another way, which is forbidden as well as those. "And if ye live after the flesh ye shall die," Rom. viii. 13.

11. It is a strengthening the flesh against the Spirit, by indulging it in its ease and sloth; and maketh it not only unruly and unserviceable, but masterly and earnest for its own desires.

12. Idleness is the mother and nurse of many heinous sins. 1. It cherisheth l.u.s.t, and draweth people to fornication, which hard labour would have much prevented. 2. It is the time for foolish sports, and vanity, and wantonness, and excess of riot, and all the mischiefs which use to follow it. 3. It is the time for idle talk, and meddling with other folk's matters: and therefore Paul reprehendeth the idle as busy-bodies, or meddlers with matters that concern them not, and t.w.a.ttlers, and tale-carriers, 2 Thess. iii. 11: 1 Tim. v. 13; 1 Thess.

iv. 11.[576] They that do not what they should, will be doing what they should not. 4. It is the time for gluttony, and drunkenness, and gaming, and all other sensuality. 5. Yea, it is the time for seditions and rebellions; as in armies it is the time for mutinies.

13. Idleness is the season of temptation: it is Satan's seed-time. It is then that he hath opportunity to tempt men to malice, revenge, and all other villany that is committed.

14. Idleness is "a disorderly walking," 2 Thess. iii. 10, 11; out of the way that G.o.d hath appointed us to eat our bread in, and receive his blessing in. The large description of a virtuous woman, Prov. x.x.xi. 10, to the end, is worthy to be studied by the slothful. "She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchant's s.h.i.+ps; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hand to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.--She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."[577] I desire our ladies and gentlewomen, that take this pattern to be below them, to remember that it was not a ploughman, but a king, and that the greatest that ever Israel had, that gave this counsel as received from his mother: who concludeth, ver. 30, 31, "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." But if our gallants should have no meat or clothing but what were the fruit of their hands, it would make a foul change in their garb and diet! And if their own works must be the matter of their praise, instead of the names of their ancestors, arms, lands, and t.i.tles, it would also make a foul change in their honours![578]

15. Idleness usually bringeth poverty; and it is a just and merciful chastis.e.m.e.nt of G.o.d to cure the sin: but such can have little comfort in their wants; nor expect that others should pity them, as they would do the diligent. Yea, many, when by idleness they are brought to poverty, by poverty are brought to murmuring and stealing, to the ruin both of soul and body, and family and reputation.

16. Idleness is a murderer of the body. Gluttony and idleness kill most of the world before their time: no two sins more constantly bring this curse along with them.

17. Idleness maketh thee the shame of the creation. Seest thou not how all the world is in action? how the sun runneth his course for thee, the waters flow, the ground bringeth forth, thy cattle labour for thee; and all things that are most excellent, are most active; and all things that are most unactive, are most vile, and dead, and drossy.

The Scripture sendeth the slothful even to the ant to learn to labour, Prov. vi. 6. And shall the ant, the bee, and every creature be witnesses against thee to condemn thy sloth?

18. Lastly, idleness disableth you from doing good to others: you should "work with your own hands, that you may have to give to him that needeth," Eph. iv. 28. Or if you give out of your superfluity that which cost you no labour, it is not so much to your honour or comfort, as if you were purposely thrifty and laborious to do good; he that pleaseth his flesh with ease and fulness, and giveth his leavings (how much soever) to the poor, will never have that comfort and evidence of G.o.d's acceptance and grace in it, as he that pampereth not his flesh by his abundance, but giveth that to the poor which he getteth with his diligence, and which he denieth to his inordinate desires.

_Direct._ II. Those persons must be extraordinary watchful against this sin of idleness, whose const.i.tutions, unhappy educations, condition of life, or company, do most strongly tempt them to it. It is a sin that some have but little temptation to in comparison of others: and some have need of a great deal of care and resolution to escape it. 1. Those are most subject to this sin who have a phlegmatic const.i.tution, or dulness of spirits, or other bodily indisposition to cherish it: such therefore should strive the more against it, and not give way to any sloth which they are able to resist. Though their bodies are like a dull or tired horse, they must use the rod and spur the more. Such heavy persons are more given to sleep than others are; and yet they may resist it and rise early if they will, though they have a greater sluggishness than others to overcome. So though they are more undisposed to labour than more active persons are, yet if they will do their best, they may go as far as their strength of body will enable them. And this they should the rather strive to do, (unless they have a disease that labour is hurtful to,) because that custom doth much to the increasing or decreasing their bodily undisposedness, and labour is the most effectual means to cure them of that fleshly heaviness which unfitteth them for their labour.[579]

2. Those that have been unhappily bred up in idleness, have great cause to repent of their sinful life that is past, and to be doubly diligent to overcome this sin: if their parents have so far been their enemies, they should not continue enemies to themselves. Though usually the children of the rich and proud have this for their peculiar original sin, and are very unhappy in their parentage and education in comparison of the children of wise, and humble, and industrious parents, yet their own understanding and willingness, by the help of grace, may overcome it. If your parents had trained you up to live by stealing, could not you leave it if you will, when you come to know that G.o.d forbiddeth it?

so though they have bred you up in idleness, and done their part to undo you both in soul and body, to make your souls a sty for sin, and your bodies a skinful of diseases, yet if you will do your part you may be recovered, at least as to your souls; and custom may conquer the fruits of custom. You cannot do worse than to go on, and spend the rest of your life in sin. If you had been still-born, or murdered in your infancy, it had been no sin for you to have lain idle in the common earth; but to teach a living soul to be idle, and to train up the living to a conformity to the dead, (save only that they eat, and spend, and sin, and carry their ornaments on their backs, when the dead have theirs for a standing monument,) this was great cruelty and treachery in your parents: but you must not therefore be as cruel and treacherous against yourselves.[580]

3. Those that abound in wealth, and have no need to labour for any bodily provisions, should be especially watchful against this sin.

Necessity is a constant spur to the poor (except those that live upon begging, who are the second rank of idle persons in the land); but the rich and proud are under a continual temptation to live idly; for they need not rise early to labour for their bread; they need not work hard for food or raiment; they have not the cries of their hungry children to rouse them up; they have plenty for themselves and family without labour, and therefore they think they may take their ease. But it is a sad case with poor souls, when the commands of G.o.d do go for nothing with them; or cannot do as much to make them diligent as poverty or want could do; and when G.o.d's service seemeth to them unworthy of their labour, in comparison of their own. It may be, G.o.d may bring you unto a necessity of labouring for your daily bread, if you so ill requite him for your plenty. But it is better that your idleness were cured by grace, than by necessity: for when you labour only for your own supplies, your own supplies are your reward; but when you labour in true obedience to G.o.d, it is G.o.d that will reward you, Col. iii.

23, 24. I do, with very much love and honour, think of the industrious lives of some lords and ladies that I know, who hate idleness and vanity, and spend their time in diligent labours suitable to their places. But it is matter of very great shame and sorrow, to think and speak of the lives of too great a number of our gallants: to how little purpose they live in the world! If they take a true account of their lives, (as G.o.d will make them wish they had done, when he calls them to account,) how many hours, think you, will be found to have been spent in any honest labour, or diligent work that is worthy of a christian, or a member of the commonwealth! in comparison of all the rest of their time, which is spent in bed, in dressing, in ornaments, in idle talk, in playing, in eating, in idle wanderings and visits, and in doing nothing, or much worse?[581] How much of the day doth idleness consume in comparison of any profitable work! Oh that G.o.d would make such know in time, how dreadful a thing it is thus to imitate Sodom that was punished with the vengeance of eternal fire, Ezek. xvi. 49; Jude 7, instead of imitating Christ. As for idle beggars, they read not books, and therefore I shall not write for them: they are in this more happy than the idle gentry, that the law compelleth them to work, and leaveth them not to themselves.

4. Those persons that live in idle company have special cause to fear this sin; for such will entangle you in idleness, and greatly hinder you from conscionable diligence.

5. Those servants that live in great men's houses, and are kept more for pomp and state than service, having little to do, should specially take heed of the sin of idleness. Many such take it for their happiness to live idly, and take that for the best service where they have least work. But have you nothing to do for yourselves, for soul nor body? If you have leisure from your master's service, you should thankfully improve it in G.o.d's service and your own.

_Direct._ III. Settle yourselves in a lawful calling, which will keep you under a necessity of ordinary and orderly employment. As we cannot so easily bring our minds to a close attendance upon G.o.d, in the week days when we have our common business to divert us, as we can do on the Lord's day which is purposely set apart for it, and in which we have the use of his stated ordinances to a.s.sist us; even so a man that is out of a stated course of labour cannot avoid idleness so well as he that hath his ordinary time and course of business to keep him still at work. It is a dangerous life to live out of a calling.

_Direct._ IV. Take heed of excess of meat, and drink, and sleep; for these drown the senses, and dull the spirits, and load you with a burden of flesh or humours, and greatly undispose the body to all diligent, useful labours: a full belly and drowsy brain are unfit for work. It will seem work enough to such, to carry the load of flesh or phlegm which they have gathered. A pampered body is more disposed to l.u.s.t and wantonness, than to work.

_Direct._ V. A manlike resolution is an effectual course against sloth.

Resolve and it will be done. Give not way to a slothful disposition. Be up and doing: you can do it if you do but resolve. To this end, be never without G.o.d's quickening motives (before mentioned) on your minds. Think what a sin and shame it is to waste your time; to live like the dead; to bury a rational soul in flesh; to be a slave to so base a thing as sloth; to neglect all G.o.d's work while he supporteth and maintaineth you, and looketh on; to live in sloth, with such miserable souls, so near to judgment and eternity. Such thoughts well set home will make you stir, when a drowsy soul makes an idle body.

_Direct._ VI. Take pleasure in your work, and then you will not be slothful in it. Your very horse will go heavily where he goeth unwillingly, and will go freely when he goeth thither where he would be. Either your work is good or bad: if it be bad, avoid it; if it be good, why should you not take pleasure in it? It should be pleasant to do good.