*_Negotius_ is a temperate, honest man. He served his time under
a master of great trade; but has, by his own management, made it a
more considerable business than ever it was before. For thirty years
last past, he has been corresponding with all parts of _Europe_. The
general good of trade seems to _Negotius_ to be the general good of
life; whatever he commends or condemns, either in church or state, is
commended, or condemned, with regard to trade.
As money is continually pouring in upon him; so he often lets it go
in various kinds of expence and generosity, and sometimes in ways of
charity.
_Negotius_ is always ready to join in any public contribution. If a
_purse_ is making at any place where he happens to be, whether it be
to buy a plate for a horse-race, or to redeem a _prisoner_ out of gaol,
you are always sure of having something from him.
He has given a fine _ring of bells_ to a church in the country; and
there is much expectation that he will some time or other make a more
beautiful _front_ to the _market-house_, than has yet been seen in any
place: for it is the generous spirit of _Negotius_, to do nothing in a
mean way.
7. If you ask what it is that has secured _Negotius_ from all
_scandalous vices_, it is the same thing that has kept him from all
_strictness of devotion_, it is his great business. He has always
had too many important things in his head: his thoughts are too much
employed, to suffer him to fall either into a course of _rakery_, or
to feel the necessity of an _inward, solid_ piety.
For this reason he hears of the pleasures of debauchery, and the
pleasures of piety with the ♦same indifferency; and has no more
desire of living in the one than in the other, because neither of them
consists with that turn of mind, and multiplicity of business, which
are his happiness.
♦ inserted omitted word ‘same’
*If _Negotius_ was asked, what it is which he drives at in life? He
would be as much at a loss for an answer, as if he was asked, what any
other person was thinking of. For though he always seems to himself to
know what he is doing, and has many things in his head, which are the
motives of his actions; yet he cannot tell you of any _one general
end_ of life that he has chosen with deliberation, as being truly
worthy of all his labour and pains.
He has several confused notions in his head, which have been a long
time there: such as these; that it is _something great_ to have more
business than other people, to have more dealings upon his hands
than a hundred of the same profession, to grow continually richer and
richer, and to raise an immense fortune before he dies. The thing that
seems to give _Negotius_ the greatest life and spirit, and to be most
in his thoughts, is an expectation that he shall die richer than any
of his business ever did.
8. The generality of people when they think of happiness, think upon
_Negotius_; in whose life every instance of happiness is supposed to
meet, sober, prudent, rich, prosperous, generous and charitable.
Let us now look at this condition in another, but truer light.
*Let it be supposed, that this same _Negotius_ was a painful,
laborious man, very deep in variety of affairs; that he neither drank,
nor debauched, but was sober and regular in his business. Let it be
supposed, that he grew old in this course of trading, and that the
_end_ and _design_ of all his labour, and care, and application to
business, was only this, that he might die possessed of more than an
hundred thousand pair of _boots_ and _spurs_.
Let it be supposed that the sober part of the world say of him when
he ♦is dead, that he was a great and happy man, a thorough master of
business, and had acquired an hundred thousand pair of _boots_ and
_spurs_ when he died.
♦ ‘his’ replaced with ‘is’
9. *Now if this was really the case, I believe that it would
be readily granted that a life of such business was as poor and
ridiculous as any that can be invented. But it would puzzle any one to
shew, that a man that has spent all his time and thoughts in business
and hurry, that he might die, as it is said, worth an hundred thousand
pounds, is any whit wiser than he, who has taken the same pains to
have as many pairs of _boots_ and _spurs_ when he leaves the world.
*For if the _state_ of our souls be our _whole state_, if the only end
of life be to die as _free_ from sin, and as _exalted_ in virtue as
we can; if naked as we came, so naked are we to return, and to stand
a trial before Christ and his holy angels, for everlasting happiness
or misery, what can it possibly signify, what a man had, or had not,
in this world? What can it signify what you call these things that a
man left behind him; whether you call him _his_, or any _one’s_ else;
whether you _call_ them _trees_ or _fields_, or birds and feathers;
whether you _call_ them an hundred _thousand pounds_, or an hundred
thousand pair of _boots_ and _spurs_? I say _call_ them; for the
_things_ signify no more to him than the _names_.
Now ’tis easy to see the folly of a life thus spent, to furnish a
man with such a number of _boots_ and _spurs_. But yet there needs no
better faculty of seeing, no finer understanding, to see the folly of
a life spent in making a man possessor of _ten towns_ before he dies.
*For if, when he has got all his _towns_, or all his _boots_, his
soul is to go into his _own place_ amongst separate spirits, and his
body to be laid by in a _coffin_, till the last trumpet calls him to
judgment; where the enquiry will be, how _humbly_, how _devoutly_, how
_meekly_, how _piously_, how _charitably_, we have _spoke_, _thought_,
and _acted_, whilst we were in the body? How can we say, that he
who has wore out his life in raising an _hundred thousand pounds_,
has acted wiser for himself, than he who has had the same _care_ to
procure an hundred thousand of _any thing_ else?
10. *But farther, let it now be supposed, that _Negotius_, when
he first entered into business, happening to read the gospel with
_attention_, found he had a much greater business upon his hands, than
that to which he had served an apprenticeship: that there were things
which belong to man, of much more importance than all that our eyes
can see; so glorious, as to deserve all our thoughts; so dangerous, as
to need all our care; and so certain, as never to deceive the faithful
labourer.
Let it be supposed, that by reading this book, he had discovered
that his soul was more to him than his body: that it was better to
grow in the virtues of the soul, than to have a large body, or a
full purse; that it was better to be fit for heaven, than to have a
variety of fine houses upon the earth; that it was better to secure
an everlasting happiness, than to have plenty of things which he
cannot keep; better to live in habits of humility, piety, charity, and
self-denial, than to die unprepared for judgment; better to be most
like our Saviour, than to excel all the tradesmen in the world, in
business and bulk of fortune.
Let it be supposed, that _Negotius_, believing these things to be true,
entirely devoted himself to God at his first setting out in the world,
resolving to pursue his _business_ no farther than was consistent with
great devotion, humility, and self-denial; and for no other ends, but
to provide himself with a sober subsistence, and to do all the good he
could, to the souls and bodies of his fellow creatures.
Let it therefore be supposed, that instead of the continual hurry of
business, he was frequent in his retirements; that instead of restless
desires after more riches, his soul had been full of the love of God
and heavenly affection, constantly watching against worldly tempers,
and always aspiring after divine grace; that instead of worldly cares
and contrivances, he had been busy in fortifying his soul against
all approaches of sin; that instead of costly shew, and the expensive
generosity of a splendid life, he had loved and exercised all
instances of humility and lowliness; that instead of great treats and
full tables, his house had only furnished a sober refreshment to those
that wanted it.
Let it be supposed, that his contentment kept him free from all kinds
of envy: that his piety made him thankful to God in all crosses and
disappointments: that his charity kept him from being rich, by a
continual distribution to all objects of compassion.
♦12. Now, had this been the Christian spirit of _Negotius_, can
any one say, that he had lost the true happiness of life, by thus
conforming to the Spirit, and living up to the hope of the gospel?
♦ Number 11 omitted in text.
*Can it be said, that a life made exemplary by such virtues as these,
which keep heaven always in our sight, which both delight and exalt
the soul here, and prepare it for the presence of God hereafter, must
be _poor_ and _dull_, if compared to that of heaping up riches, which
can neither stay with us, nor we with them?
It would be endless to multiply examples of this kind, to shew you how
little is lost, and how much is gained, by introducing a strict and
exact piety into every condition of human life.
I shall now therefore leave it to your own meditation, to carry this
way of thinking farther, hoping that enough is said, to convince
yourself, that an exalted piety is so far from rendering any life dull
and tiresome, that it is the only joy and happiness of any condition
in the world.
13. *Imagine to yourself some person in a _consumption_, or any other
_lingering distemper_ that was _incurable_.
If you was to see such a man wholly intent upon doing every thing in
the spirit of religion, making the wisest use of all his time, fortune,
and abilities. If he was for carrying every duty of piety to its
greatest height, and striving to have all the advantage that could be
had in the remainder of his life: if he avoided all business, but such
as was necessary; if he was averse to all the follies and vanities
of the world, had no taste for _finery_ and _shew_, but sought for
all his comfort in the hopes and expeditions of religion, you would
certainly commend his prudence; you would say, that he had taken the
right method to make himself as joyful and happy, as any one can be in
a state of such infirmity.
*On the other hand, if you should see the same person, with
_trembling_ hands, short breath, _thin_ jaws, and _hollow_ eyes,
wholly intent upon business and bargains, as long as he could speak:
if you should see him pleased with _fine cloaths_, when he could
scarce stand to be dressed, and laying out his money in _horses_ and
_dogs_, rather than purchase the prayers of the poor for his soul,
which was so soon to be separated from his body, you would certainly
condemn him, as a weak, silly man.
14. Now, as it is easy to see the reasonableness, the wisdom and
happiness of a religious spirit in a _consumptive man_; so, if you
pursue the same way of thinking, you will as easily perceive the same
wisdom and happiness of a pious temper in every other state of life.
For how soon will any man that is in _health_, be in the state of
him that is in a _consumption_? How soon will he want all the same
comforts of religion, which every dying man wants?
*And if it be wise and happy to live piously, because we have not
above a year to live, is it not being more wise, and making ourselves
more happy, to live piously, because we may have more years to come?
If one year of piety before we die, is so desirable, are not more
years of piety much more desirable?
15. If a man had _five fixed_ years to live, he could not possibly
think at all, without intending to make the best use of them _all_.
When he saw his stay so short in this world, he must needs think
that this was not a world for him; and when he saw how near he was to
another world, that was eternal, he must surely think it necessary to
be very diligent in preparing for it.
Now as reasonable as piety appears in such a circumstance of life,
it is yet more reasonable in every circumstance of life, to every
thinking man.
For who but a madman can recount that he has _five_ years _certain_ to
come?
*And if it be reasonable and necessary to deny our worldly tempers,
and live wholly unto God, because we are _certain_ that we are to die
at the end of _five years_; surely it must be much more reasonable
and necessary for us to live in the same spirit, because we have no
_certainty_ that we shall live _five weeks_.
16. *Again, if we are to add _twenty_ years to the _five_, which is,
in all probability, more than will be added to the lives of many
people, who are at man’s estate; what a poor thing it is! How small
a difference is there between five, and twenty-five years?
It is said, that a _day_ is with God as a _thousand years_, and a
thousand years as one day; because, in regard to his eternity, this
difference is as nothing.
*Now, as we are created to be _eternal_, to live an endless succession
of ages upon ages, where _thousands_, and _millions of thousands_ of
years will have no proportion to our everlasting life in God; so with
regard to his eternal state, which is our real state, twenty-five
_years_ is as poor a pittance as twenty-five _days_.
We can never make any true judgment of time as it relates to us,
without considering the true state of our _duration_. If we are
_temporary_ beings, then a little time may justly be called a great
deal in relation to us; but if we are _eternal_ beings, then the
difference of a few years is as nothing.
17. If we were to suppose _three_ different _sorts_ of rational
beings, all of _different_, but _fixed_ duration; one sort that lived
_certainly_ only a _month_, the other a _year_, and the third an
_hundred years_.
If these beings were to meet together, and talk about time, they must
talk in a very different language. _Half_ an _hour_ to those who were
to live but a _month_, must be a very different thing, to what it is
to those, who are to live an _hundred years_.
As therefore time is thus a different thing, with regard to the
_state_ of those who enjoy it; so if we would know what time is with
regard to ourselves, we must consider our state.
Now since our eternal state, is as certainly ours, as our present
state; since we are as certainly to live for ever, as we are now
to live at all; it is plain, that we cannot judge of the value of
any particular time, as to us, but by comparing it to that eternal
duration for which we are created.
If you would know what _five years_ signify to a being that was to
live an _hundred_, you must compare _five_ to a _hundred_, and see
what proportion it bears to it, and then you would judge right.
*So if you would know, what _twenty_ years signify to a son of _Adam_,
you must compare it, not to a _million_ of ages, but to an _eternal
duration_, to which no number of millions bears any proportion; and
then you will judge right, by finding it _nothing_.
18. Consider therefore this; how would you condemn the folly of a man,
that should lose his share of future glory, for the sake of being
_rich_, or _great_, or _praised_, or delighted in _any enjoyment_,
only _one poor_ day before he was to die!
But if the time will come, when a number of years will seem less to
every one than a day does now; what a condemnation must it then be,
if eternal happiness should be lost, for something less than the
enjoyment of a day!
Why does a day seem a trifle to us now? It is because we have years
to set against it. It is the duration of years that makes it seem as
nothing.
*What a _trifle_ therefore must the years of a _man_’s _age_ appear,
when they are forced to be set against _eternity_, when there shall be
nothing but eternity to compare them with!
*And this will be the case of every man, as soon as he is out of the
body; he will be forced to forget the distinction of days and years,
and to measure time, not by the course of the sun, but by setting it
against eternity.
As the _fixed stars_, by reason of our being placed at such distance
from them, appear but as so many _points_; so when we, placed in
eternity, shall look back upon _all time_, it will appear but as a
_moment_.
*Then, a _luxury_, an _indulgence_, a _prosperity_, a _greatness_ of
_fifty_ years, will seem to every one that looks back upon it, as the
same _poor short_ enjoyment, as if he had been snatched away in his
_first sin_.
These few reflections upon _time_, are only to shew how poorly they
think, how miserably they judge, who are less careful of an eternal
state, because they _may_ be at some _years_ distance from it, than
they would be, if they knew they were within a few _weeks of it_.