A DIALOGUE, &c.

JAMES STOCK and his journeyman Will Simp⯑ſon, 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 circum⯑ſtance 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 occa⯑ſion 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 how⯑ever, that the ſubject ſhould be introduced pro⯑perly, cheerfully, and without conſtraint. As [...] [3]well knew that great good may be ſometimes done by a prudent attention in ſeizing proper opportu⯑nities, 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 diſ⯑poſed. 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 [4]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 for⯑merly 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 keep⯑ing 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 re⯑joice 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▪ [5] [...]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 [6]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 ex⯑pected 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 prac⯑tiſe 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 [7]Chriſtians, but Heathens or Jews: and Chriſt wanted to make them his followers, that is, Chriſ⯑tians. 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 [8]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 un⯑reaſonable 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 [9] [...]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. [10]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 little⯑our concerns with the world bring them out into ac⯑tion 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 chil⯑dren 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 think⯑ing 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 [12]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." Per⯑haps 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 pa⯑tience 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 un⯑der 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 addi⯑tional 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 ac⯑tion, 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 dili⯑gence, 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.