CHEAP REPOSITORY.
SUNDAY READING.
ON CARRYING RELIGION INTO THE Common Business of Life.
DIALOGUE between JAMES STOCK and WILL SIMPSON, the Shoemakers, as they sat at Work.
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A DIALOGUE, &c.
JAMES STOCK and his journeyman Will Simpson, as I informed my Readers in the Second Part of the Two Shoemakers, had resolved to work together one hour every evening in order to p
for Tommy Williams's schooling. This circumstance brought them to be a good deal together when the rest of the men were gone home. Now it happened that Mr. Stock had a mighty way o
endeavouring to turn all common events to some use; and he thought it right on the present occasion to make the only return in his power to Will Simpson for his great kindness. "For," said he "if Will gives up so much of his time to hel
me to provide for this poor boy, it is the least can do to try to turn part of that time to the pu
pose of promoting Will's spiritual good." No
as the bent of Stock's own mind was religious, was easy to him to lead their talk to somethin
profitable. He always took especial care however, that the subject should be introduced properly, cheerfully, and without constraint. As
well knew that great good may be sometimes done by a prudent attention in seizing proper opportunities, so he knew that the cause of piety had been sometimes hurt by forcing serious subjects where here was clearly no disposition to receive them. say he had found out that two things were neces
ary to the promoting of Religion among his friends; warm zeal to be always on the watch for occa
ions, and a cool judgment to distinguish which vas the right time and place to make use of them. To know
how
to do good is a great matter, but to
now
when
to do it is no small one.
Simpson was an honest good-natured fellow; he was now become sober, and rather religiously disposed. But he was ignorant, he did not know
uch of the grounds of Religion, or of the cor
uption of his own nature; he was regular at Church,
ut was first drawn thither rather by his skill in
salm-singing than by any great devotion. He had
eft off going to the Greyhound, and often read the Bible or some other good book on the Sunday
vening. This he thought was quite enough; he
hought the Bible was the prettiest history book in
he world, and that Religion was a very good thing or Sundays. But he did not much understand what business people had with it on working days. He had left off drinking because it had brought Williams to the grave, and his wise to dirt and
ags; but not because he himself had seen the evil
f sin. He now considered swearing and Sabbath
reaking as scandalous and indecent, but he had
ot found out that both were to be left off because
hey are highly offensive to GOD, and grieve his Holy Spirit. As Simpson was less self-conceited than most ignorant people are, Stock had alway
a good hope that when he should come to be be
ter acquainted with the word of GOD, and wi
the evil of his own heart, he would become o
day a good Christian. The great hindrance w
that he fancied himself so already.
One evening Simpson had been calling to Stock
mind how disorderly the house and shop, when they were now sitting quietly at work, had formerly been, and he went on thus:
How comfortably we live now master to what we used to do in Williams's time! I used then never to be happy but when we were keeping it up all night, but now I am as merry as the day is long. I find I am twice as happy since I am grown good and sober.
I am glad you are happy, Will, and I rejoice that you are sober; but I would not have yo
take too much pride in your own goodness for fea
it should become a sin, almost as great as some o
those you have left off. Besides, I would not have you make quite so sure that you
are
good.
Not good master! why don't you find me regular and orderly at work?
Very much so, and accordingly I have a great respect for you.
I pay every one his own, seldom miss Church, have not been drunk since Williams died have handsome cloaths for Sundays, and save
trifle every week.
Very true. And to all this you may add that you very generously work an hour, for poo
Tommy's education, every evening without fee o
reward.
Well master, what can a man do more▪
f all this is not being good, I don't know what.
All these things are very right as far as
ey go, and you could not well be a Christian
ithout doing them. But I shall make you stare
erhaps when I tell you, you may do all these
ings and many more, and yet be no Christian.
No Christian! surely master I do hope that
fter all I have done, you will not be so unkind as
say I am no Christian?
GOD forbid that I should say so Will. I
ope better things of you. But come now, what
o you think it is to be a Christian.
What! why to be christened when one is a
hild, to learn the Catechism when one can read,
be confirmed when one is a youth, and to go
Church when one is a man.
These are all very proper things, and
ite necessary. They make a part of a Christian's
se. But for all that, a man may be exact in them
l, and yet not be a Christian.
Not be a Christian! ha! ha! ha! you are
ery comical master.
No indeed, I am very serious, Will. At is rate it would be a very easy thing to be a
hristian, and every man who went through certain
rms would be a good man; and one man who
oserved these forms would be as good as another. Whereas, if we come to examine ourselves by the
ord of GOD, I am afraid there are but few com
ratively whom our Saviour would allow to be
al Christians. What is your notion of a Chris
an's practice?
Why, he must not rob nor murder, nor get drunk. He must avoid scandalous things, and do as other decent orderly people do.
It is easy enough to be what the world calls a Christian, but not to be what the Bible calls so.
Why, master, we working men are not expected to be saints, and martyrs, and apostles, and ministers.
We are not. And yet Will, there ar
not two sorts of Christianity; we are called to practise the same Religion which they practised, an
something of the same spirit is expected in
which we reverence in them. It was not sain
and martyrs only to whom our Saviour said tha
they must "crucify the world with it's affection and lusts." We are called to "be holy" in
measure and degree, "as he who hath called
is holy." It was not only saints and martyrs w
were told that they must be "like-minded
Christ"—That "they must do all to the glory
God"—That they must renounce the spirit of
world, and deny themselves." It was not to apost
only that Christ said "they must have their co
versation in Heaven." It was not to a few ho
men set apart for the altar that he said "they
set their affections on things above"—That th
"must not be conformed to the world."—"No
was to Fishermen, to Publicans, to Farmers, to D
labourers, to poor Tradesmen that he spoke wh
he told them they must love not the world nor
things of the world"—"That they must renou
the hidden things of dishonesty, grow in grace,
up for themselves treasures in Heaven."
All this might be very proper for them
be taught, because they had not been bred Christians, but Heathens or Jews: and Christ wanted to make them his followers, that is, Christians. But thank God we do not want to be taught
ll this, for we
are
Christians, born in a Christian
ountry, of Christian parents.
I suppose then you fancy that Christianity
omes to people in a Christian country by nature?
I think it comes by a good education or
good example. When a fellow who has got any
ense sees a man cut off in his prime by drinking,
think he will begin to leave it off. When he
ees another man respected, like you master, for ho
esty and sobriety, and going to Church, why he
ill grow honest and sober and go to Church; that
, he will see it is his advantage to be a Chris
an.
Will, What you say is the truth, but
is not the whole truth. You are right as far as you
o, but you do not go far enough. The worldly
dvantages of piety, are as you suppose, in gene
l great. Credit, prosperity, and health, almost
aturally attend on a religious life, both because
religious life supposes a sober and industrious
fe; and because a man who lives in a course of
aty puts himself in the way of God's blessing.
ut a true Christian has a still higher aim in
ew, and will follow Religion even under cir
mstances, when it may hurt his credit and ruin
s prosperity, if it should ever happen to be the
ll of God that he should be brought into such a
ing state.
Well, master, to speak the truth, if I go
Church on Sundays, and follow my work in
e week, I must say I think that is being good.
I agree with you, that he who does both gives the best outward signs that he is good. But our going to Church, and even reading the Bible, are no proofs that we are as good as we need be, but rather that we do both these in order to make us better than we are. We do both on Sundays, as means by God's blessing to make us better all the week. We are to bring the fruits of that Chapter or of that Sermon into our daily life, and try to get our inmost heart and secret thoughts, as well as our daily conduct, amended by them.
Why, sure master, you won't be so unreasonable as to want a body to be religious always? I can't do that neither. I'm not such a hypocrite as to pretend to it.
Yes, you can in every action of your life!
What master, always to be thinking about Religion?
No, far from it Will; much less to be always talking about it. But you must be always acting under it's power and spirit.
But surely 'tis pretty well if I do this when I go to Church; or while I am saying my prayers. Even you master, as strict as you are, would not have me always on my knees, nor always at Church I suppose: for then how would your work be carried on, and how would our town be supplied with shoes?
Very true, Will. 'Twould be no proof of our Religion to let our customers go barefoot; but 'twould be a proof of our laziness, and we should starve as we ought to do. The business of the world must not only be carried on, but carried on with spirit and activity. We have the same authority for not being "slothful in business as we have for being fervent in spirit." Religion has
ut Godliness and laziness as wide asunder as any
wo things in the world; and what God has sepa
ated, let no man pretend to join. Indeed, the
pirit of religion can have no fellowship with sloth,
dolence, and self-indulgence. But still, a Chris
an does not carry on his common trade quite like
nother man neither. For something of the spirit
hich he labours to attain at Church, he carries
ith him into his worldly concerns. While there
re some who set up for Sunday Christians, who
ave no notion that they are bound to be Week
ay Christians too.
Why, master, I do think, if God Almighty
contented with one day in seven, he won't thank
ou for throwing him the other six into the bargain.
thought he gave us them for our own use; and I
m sure nobody works harder all the week than
ou do.
God, it is true, sets apart one day in even for actual rest from labour, and for more im
ediate devotion to his service. But shew me that
ext, wherein he says, thou shalt love the Lord thy God on
Sundays
—Thou shalt keep my command
ents on the
Sabbath Day
—To be carnally minded
n
Sundays, is death
—Cease to do evil, and learn
o do well
one day in seven
—Grow in grace on the
Lord's Day
—Is there any such text?
No, to be sure there is not; for that would
e encouraging sin in all the other days.
Yes, just as you do when you make Re
gion a thing for the Church and not for the world. There is no one lawful calling in pursuing which we
ay not serve GOD acceptably. You and I may
erve him while we are stitching this pair of Boots.
armer Furrow, while he is plowing yonder field. Betsy West, over the way, whilst she is nursing her sick mother. Neighbour Incle, in measuring out him tapes and ribbons. I say, all these may serve God just as acceptably in those employments as at Church, I had almost said more so.
Aye, indeed—how can that be? Now you're too much on t'other side.
Because a man's trials in trade being often greater, they give him fresh means of glorifying God, and proving the sincerity of his religion. A man, who mixes in business, is naturally brought into continual temptations and difficulties. These will lead him, if he be a good man, to look more to GOD, than he perhaps would otherwise do. He sees temptations on the right hand and on the left he knows that there are snares all around him, this makes him watchful; he feels that the enemy within is too ready to betray him, this makes him humble himself; while a sense of his own difficulties make him tender to the failings of others.
Then you would make one believe, after all, that trade and business must be sinful in itself since it brings a man into all these snares and scrapes.
No, no, Will; trade and business don't create evil passions—they were in the heart before —Only now and then they seem to lie snug a littleour concerns with the world bring them out into action a little more, and thus shew both others and ourselves what we really are. But then, as the world offers more trials on the one hand, so on the other it holds out more duties. If we are called to battle oftener, we have more opportunities o
victory. Every temptation resisted, is an enemy subdued; and he that ruleth his own spirit, is better than he that taketh a city.
I don't quite understand you, master.
I will try to explain myself. There is no assion more called out by the transactions of trade
an covetousness. Now, 'tis impossible to with
and such a master sin as that, without carrying a
ood deal of the spirit of religion into one's trade.
Well, I own I don't yet see how I am to
e religious when I'm hard at work, or busy settling
n account. I can't do two things at once; 'tis as
f I were to pretend to make a shoe and cut out a
oot at the same moment.
I tell you both must subsist together. Nay,
he one must be the motive to the other. GOD commands us to be industrious, and if we love
im, the desire of pleasing him should be the main
pring of our industry.
I don't see how I can always be thinking
bout pleasing GOD.
Suppose, now, a man had a wife and children whom he loved, and wished to serve, would
ot he be often thinking about them while he was at work? and though he would not be
always
thinking about them, yet would not the very love he
bore them be a constant spur to his industry? He would always be pursuing the same course from the same motive, though his words and even his thoughts must often be taken up in the common transactions of life.
Well, I say first one, then the other; now for labour, now for religion.
I will shew that both must go together. I will suppose you were going to buy so many skins of our currier—that is quite a worldly transaction —you can't see what a spirit of religion has to do with buying a few calves' skins. Now, I tell you it has a great deal to do with it. Covetousness, a desire to make a good bargain, may rise up in your heart. Selfishness, a spirit of monopoly, a wish to get all, in order to distress others; these are evil desires, and must be subdued. Some opportunity of unfair gain offers, in which there may be much sin, and yet little scandal. Here a Christian will stop short; he will recollect, that "he who maketh haste to be rich shall hardly be innocent." Perhaps the sin may be on the side of your dealer—
be
may want to overreach
you
—this is provoking—you are tempted to violent anger, perhaps to swear— Here is a fresh demand on you for a spirit of patience and moderation, as there was before for a spirit of justice and self-denial. If, by God's grace, you get the victory over these temptations, you are the better man for having been called out to them. Always provided, that the temptation be not of your own seeking. If you give way, and sink under these temptations, don't go and say that trade and business have made you covetous, passionate, and prosane. No, no; depend upon it, you were so before; you would have had all these evil seeds lurking in your heart, if you had been loitering about at home and doing nothing, with the additional sin of idleness into the bargain. When you are busy, the devil often tempts you; when you are idle, you tempt the devil. If business and the world call these evil tempers into action, business and the world call that Religion into action too which teaches us to resist them. And in this you see the Week-day fruit of the Sunday's piety. 'Tis trade and business in the Week which call us to put our Sunday readings, praying, and Church, going into practice.
Well, Master, you have a comical way,
ome how, of coming over one. I never should
ave thought there would have been any religion vanted in buying and selling a few calves' skins. But, I begin to see there is a good deal in what
ou say.—And, whenever I am doing a common action, I will try to remember that it must be done 'after a Godly sort."
I hear the clock strike nine—let us leave off our work. I will only observe farther, that one good end of our bringing Religion into our busi
ess is, to put us in mind not to undertake more
usiness than we can carry on consistently with our Religion. I shall never commend that man's diligence, though it is often commended by the world, who is not diligent about the salvation of his soul. We are as much forbidden to be overcharged with
he
cares
of life as with it's
pleasures.
I only wish
o prove to you, that a discreet Christian may be wise for both worlds; that he may employ his hands without entangling his soul, and labour for the heat that perisheth without neglecting that which
ndureth unto eternal life; that he may be prudent or time, while he is wise for eternity.
Z.
THE HYMN.
I.
O THAT the Lord wou'd guide my ways,
To keep his statutes still!
O that my GOD wou'd give me grace
To know and do his will!
II.
Lord, send thy spirit down to write
Thy love upon my heart,
Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,
Nor act a liar's part.
III.
From vanity, Lord, turn mine eyes,
Let no corrupt design,
No covetous desires arise
Within this soul of mine.
IV.
Order my footsteps by thy word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.
V.
My soul hath gone too far astray,
My feet too often slip;
I wou'd not, Lord, forget thy way,
Bring back thy wand'ring sheep,
VI.
Make me to walk in thy commands,
'Tis a delightful road;
Nor let my head, or heart, or hands,
Offend against my GOD.
THE END.
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he Two Shoemakers, Part I.
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he Carpenter; or, the Danger of Evil Company.
New History of a True Book, in Verse.
he Market Woman, a True Tale, in Verse.
he Roguish Miller, or nothing got by Cheating, a True Ballad.
dentures; or, Apprentice's Monitor.
he Gin-Shop, or a Peep at a Prison, in Verse.
ble of the Old Man and the Bundle of Sticks.
he Horse Race.
Wonderful Escapes from Shipwreck.
usbandry Moralized, or Pleasant Sunday Reading, for a Farmer's Kitchen, Part I.
rue Stories of Two Good Negroes.
ovidential De
ections of Murders, by H. Fielding, Esq
dvantages of Religion.
On the
1
st of June, 1795, was published,
he Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, Part II.
—The Beggarly Boy.
—Wild Robert, a Ballad.
On the
1
st of July,
aniel in the Den of Lions.
—The Good Mother's Legacy.
—Patient Joe, a Ballad.
On the
1
st of August,
Hints to all Ranks of People.
—The Happy Waterma
The Riot, a Ballad.
—The Plowboy's Dream, a Balla
On the
1
st of September,
Tom White, Part II.
—Noah's Flood.
—Dame Andrew Ballad.
On the
1
st of October.
Harvest Home.
—Two Farmers, Part I.
—Honest M
a Ballad.
On the
1
st of November,
The Parable of the Vineyard.
—The Two Farmers,
— The Sorrows of Yamba, a Ballad.
On the
1
st of December,
The Troubles of Life.
—Sorrowful Sam.
—Merry C
mas, a Carol.
On the
1
st of January,
1796,
New Thoughts on the New Year.
—The History of Wood, the Housemaid.
—Robert and Richard, a Bal
▪
On the
1
st of February,
The Touchstone; or, the Way to know a good Chr
—The Apprentice turned Master; or, the Two makers, Part II.
—The Story of Sinful Sally.
herself a Ballad.
On the
1
st of March.
Onesimus; or, the Run-away Servant converted.
—
Brown; or, the Two Shoemakers, Part III.
—
keeper, Part I.
On the
1
st of April.
Conversion of St. Paul.
—Jack Brown in Prison;
Two Shoemakers. Part IV.
—Shopkeeper, Part
On the
1
st of May.
The General Resurrection, Part I.
—The History of
Jones the Footman, written by Himself.
—The
Coachman; or, the Way to get a Good Fare, a