_measure_ of his ordinary life, as he makes it the _rule_ of his going
to _church_; when he as directly uses it to this purpose, as a man
anoints his eyes, who would be cured by anointing them; then you will
see him as different in his _ordinary life_ from other people, as
different in his pleasures and griefs, in his cares and concerns, as
he is different from them in _forms_ and regularity of worship. But
till men do this; till they apply the principles of religion to all
the actions of _ordinary life_; till they make it the _measure_ of all
their daily tempers, their joys and fears; till they think there is
as much piety in being _wise_ and _holy_ in their common tempers, as
in being _devout_ at church; as much sin in being vainly pleased and
foolishly vexed, as in neglecting the divine service; till they thus
directly apply religion to common life, as a man applies a remedy to
the part he would have cured; it is no more to be expected that it
should make them religious in common life, than that an _oil_ applied
to our _eyes_ should cure our _feet_.
It is our ordinary life, which we think is thus left to ourselves,
that makes religion so insignificant in the world: it lies by like a
_remedy_ that is _unapplied_; it has no effect because it is used only
as a _formal thing_ that has its duties at _set times_ and occasions:
whereas it should be used and considered as the _rule_ and _reason_ of
all our judgments and actions; as the _measure_ of all our cares and
pleasures; as the _life_ of our life, the spirit of our spirit, and
the very form and essence of all our tempers. It is to be in us, like
a _new reason_ and judgment of our minds; that is to reason and judge
of every thing we do, and to preside over and govern all the motions
of our hearts. _Is any one merry_, saith the apostle, _let him sing
psalms: Is any afflicted, let him pray_. This is religion in the
apostle’s account; it is not only an attendance at the public worship,
but it is the _ruling habit_ of our minds; something that devotes us
wholly to God, that allows of no mirth in our common life, but a mirth
proper for the brethren of Christ, a mirth that can express itself
in praise and thanksgiving, that allows of no other cure for grief
or vexation than what is to be had from recourse to God. And indeed
what can be more absurd, than for a Christian ever to act in any other
consideration than as a Christian? He is senseless to a degree of
madness when he indulges a thought, or a motion of his heart; when he
either takes a pleasure, or relieves a grief; where he cannot say I do
this as a Christian, as suitable to that state in which Christianity
has placed me.
X. *We reckon a man sufficiently _mad_ that fancies himself a _king_,
and governing his subjects, at the same time that he is tied on
a bed of _straw_: now a _Christian_ repeats every day, _I believe
the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting_; he thanks God _for the redemption of Jesus Christ, for
the means of grace, and for the hope of glory_. Yet at the same time,
in this state of _greatness_, he fancies himself in a _thousand wants
and miseries_: he cries and labours, and toils for a happiness, that
has no existence but in his _own imagination_; he fancies himself a
_being_ that is to be made happy with sauces and ragous, with _painted
cloaths_ and _shining diamonds_, he is grieved and fretted like a
child at the loss of a _feather_; and must be diverted, as they are,
with _shows_ and _plays_, and imaginary scenes of rant and nonsense.
Now is not such a one _mad_? Does he not know as little of his
_state_, as the man in straw who fancies himself a king? But for a
Christian, in times of dulness or vexation, to seek relief in foolish
amusements, in the loose, wild discourses of _plays_, when he should
_acquaint himself with_ God, _and be at peace_, is a degree of madness
that exceeds all others; it is acting as contrary to the nature of
things, as if a man that had lost the use of his _limbs_, should chuse
to comfort his lameness with _painted shoes_, when he might have the
use of his feet restored. For the consolations of religion relieve
uneasiness and trouble, as a _lame_ man is relieved when his _limbs_
are restored; they conquer grief, not by cheating and deluding the
weakness of our minds, but as the resurrection conquers death, by
restoring us to a new and glorious life.
XI. From these reflections I hope it sufficiently appears, that the
reading vain and impertinent books is no matter of indifferency; but
that it is justly to be reckoned amongst our _greatest corruptions_;
that it is as unlawful as _malice_ and _evil speaking_; and is no more
to be allowed in any part of our life.
Reading, when it is an exercise of the mind, upon wise and pious
subjects, is, next to _prayer_, the best improvement of our hearts;
it enlightens our minds, collects our thoughts, calms and allays
our passions, and begets in us wise and pious resolutions; it is a
labour that does so much good to our minds, that it ought never to be
employed amiss; it enters so far into our souls that it cannot have
a little effect upon us. Reading and meditation is that to our souls,
which food and nourishment is to our bodies; so that we cannot do
ourselves either a _little_ good, or _little_ harm, by the books that
we read.
XII. But perhaps you think it is a _dull task_ to read only religious
and moral books: but when God is your happiness; when you are not
afraid of the joys of eternity, you will think it a dull task to read
any other books. Don’t fancy therefore that your heart is right, tho’
you had rather read books upon other subjects; for it is there that
you are to charge your _dullness_: religion has no hold of you; the
things of eternity are not the concerns of your mind; it is _dull_ and
_tiresome_ to you to be _wise_ and _pious_; and that makes it a dull
task to read only books that treat upon such subjects. When it is
the care of your soul to be humble, holy, pious, and heavenly minded;
when you know any thing of the guilt and misery of sin, or feel a real
desire of salvation, you will find religious books to be the greatest
feast and joy of your mind.
XIII. You perhaps will say that you have so much spare time for
reading, that you think you need not employ it at all in reading good
books. It may be so; you may have also more time than you need devote
to offices of _charity_; but will you thence conclude, that you may
then do things _contrary_ to charity, and indulge yourself in _spight_
and _mischief_?
*If you have every day more time than you can employ in reading,
meditation and prayer; if this time hangs upon your hands, and cannot
be turned to any advantage; let me desire you to go to _sleep_ or
_pick straws_; for it is much better to do this, than to have recourse
to corrupt and impertinent books. Time lost in _sleep_, or in _picking
straws_, is better lost than in such exercises of the mind. Consider
farther, that _idle_ and _spare time_ calls for the greatest care and
watchfulness; so that to have recourse then to evil and impertinent
books, is like inviting the devil because you are alone. If you could
read ill books when you are in haste, or in a hurry of other matters,
it would do you much less harm than to read them because your time
hangs upon your hands. That very season which you take to be an excuse
for such _reading_, is the strongest argument against it, because
evil thoughts and vain subjects have twice the effect, and make double
impressions when they are admitted at times of leisure and idleness.
XIV. Consider again to what a miserable state you are reduced,
when you are forced to have recourse to foolish books to get rid of
your time. Your fortune perhaps has removed you from the necessity
of labouring for your _bread_; you have been politely educated in
softness; you have no trade or employment to take up your time; and
so are left to be devoured by corrupt passions and pleasures. Whilst
poor people are at hard labour; whilst your servants are drudging
in the meanest offices of life; you, oppressed with _idleness_ and
_indulgence_, are relieving yourself with _foolish_ and _impertinent_
books; feeding and delighting a disordered mind with _romantic_
nonsense, and poetic follies. If this be the effect of riches and
fortune, only to expose people to the power of disordered passions,
and give them time to corrupt their hearts with madness and folly,
well might our Lord say, _Woe unto you that are rich!_
*When you see a _poor creature_ drudging in the meanest offices of
life, and glad of the dirtiest work to get his _bread_, you are apt to
look upon him as a _miserable wretch_; it raises a mixture of pity and
contempt in you; but remember, that every time you see such a person,
you see a more reasonable creature than yourself, and one that is
much more _nobly employed_ than you are. He is acting _conformably_
to the state of human life, and bearing a hard part with patience; he
is doing a work which, mean as it is, will be looked upon as done unto
the Lord; whilst you, idling in _softness_ and _pleasures_, are unable
to bear your time, unless it be stolen away from you by folly and
impertinence. Fancy that you saw a _patient Christian_, old, broken
and crooked, with carrying burthens all his life; fancy that you saw
another Christian lolling in _state_ and _softness_, and making every
day a day of _vanity_ and _foolish reading_; which of them do you
think is most likely to die in the hands of good _angels_, and be
carried into _Abraham_’s bosom?
XV. *But, after all, what a vain imagination is it to think that you
have any such thing as _spare time_? Is there any time for which you
are not accountable to God? Is there any time which God has so left to
your own disposal that you may sacrifice it to the indulgence of vain
tempers, and the corruption of your heart? You can no more shew this
than you can shew, that all your time is your own. To talk, therefore
of _spare time_, is to talk of something that never did nor ever
will belong to any Christian. You may have a _spare time_ from this
or that labour, or necessity, you may abate or change any _particular
exercise_, you may take this or that refreshment; you have all these
_spare times_ from particular actions, but you have no _spare time_
that releases you from the laws of Christianity, or that leaves you
at liberty not to act by the principles of religion and piety.
*You have _spare time_ to refresh yourself: but this is to be governed
by the same wisdom, as the time that is spent in cares and labours.
For your recreations and pleasures are only lawful as far as they are
directed by the same wisdom with your cares and labours. If therefore
the providence of God has placed you above the necessity of labouring
for your livelihood, you must not think that you have so much _spare
time_ to spend, as you please, but that you are certainly called to
some _other labour_. Great part of the world is doomed to toil and
slavery; they have it not in their power to chuse any other way of
life, and their labour is therefore an acceptable service to God,
because it is such as their state requires. Happy are you therefore,
if you knew your happiness, who have it in your power to be always
doing the _best things_; who, free from labour and hardships, are
at liberty to chuse the _best ways_ of life, to study all the arts
of _self-improvement_, to practise all the ways of doing good, and
to spend your time in all the noblest instances of piety, humility,
charity and devotion! Bless God then, not because you have _spare
time_, for that you have none, but that you have time to employ in
the best ways that you can find; that whilst others are oppressed with
burdens, and worn out with slavery, you have time to think upon the
greatest and best of things; to enlighten your mind, to correct the
disorder of your heart, to study the laws of God, to contemplate the
wonders of his providence, to convince yourself of the vanity of the
world, and to delight your soul with the great and glorious things
which God has prepared for those that love him. This is the happiness
of being free from labour and want, not to have _spare time_ to
squander away in _vanity_ and _impertinence_, but to have _spare
time_ to spend in the study of wisdom, in the exercise of devotion,
in the practice of piety, in all the ways and means of doing good and
exalting our souls to a state of _Christian perfection_.
XVI. *It is a doctrine of scripture, and highly agreeable to reason,
_That unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required_.
Consider therefore that a life of leisure and freedom from want and
hardships is as much as can well be given you in this world, as it is
giving you an opportunity of living wholly to God, and making all the
parts of your life useful to the best purposes. As sure therefore as
it is a state, that has so many advantages that furnishes you with
so many means of being eminent in piety, so sure it is, that it is a
state from which God expects fruits that are worthy of it. Had it been
your lot to labour in a _mine_, or serve under some cruel master, you
must have served as unto God; and in so doing you had finished the
work which God had given you. But as you are free from all this, you
must look upon yourself as God’s _servant_, as called to chuse that
way of labouring and spending your time, which may most promote that
which God desires to be promoted. God has given you liberty to chuse,
but it is only that you may have the blessedness of chusing the _best
ways_ of spending your time. Though therefore you are at liberty from
servile and mean labour, yet you are under a necessity of labouring in
all good works, and making all your time, and fortune, and abilities
serviceable to the best ends of life. You have no more time that is
your own, than he has that is to live by constant labour; the only
difference betwixt you and him is this, that he is to be diligent in
a poor, slavish labour, that oppresses the body, and dejects the mind;
but you in a _service that is perfect freedom_, that renders your body
a _fit temple_ for the Holy Ghost, and fills your soul with such light,
and peace, and joy, as is not to be found in any other way of life.
XVII. Do you think that a _poor slave_ would displease God by refusing
to act in that painful drudgery that is fallen to his share? And do
you think that God will not be more displeased with you, if you refuse
to act your _full part_ in the best of labours, or neglect that happy
business of doing good, which your state of life has called you to?
♦Is it expected that _poor people_ should make a right use of their
condition, and turn all their labour into a service unto God? And do
you think you are not obliged to make a proper improvement of your
condition, and turn all your _rest_, and _ease_, and _freedom_ from
labour, into service unto God? Tell me therefore no more that you
indulge yourself in idle amusements, in vain, corrupt, and unedifying
books, because you have _spare time_? For it is absolutely false to
say that you have any such thing; it is saying, that because God has
given you _spare time_ from servile labour, time for all the instances
of a holy and heavenly life; therefore you presume to throw it away in
idleness and impertinence.
♦ ‘It is’ replaced with ‘Is it’
The End of the Fourth VOLUME.