[♦] ‘word’ replaced with ‘world’
3. It is therefore of the highest concern, that all who fear God, know how to employ this valuable talent: that they be instructed, how it may answer these glorious ends, and in the highest degree. And perhaps all the instructions which are necessary for this, may be reduced to three plain rules, by the exact observance whereof, we may approve ourselves faithful stewards of the mammon of unrighteousness.
I. 1. The first of these is (he that heareth let him understand!) Gain all you can. Here we may speak like the children of the world: we meet them on their own ground. And it is our bounden duty to do this: we ought to gain all we can gain, without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than it is worth. But this it is certain we ought not to do; we ought not to gain money at the expence of life: nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expence of our health. Therefore no gain whatsoever should induce us to enter into, or to continue in any employ, which is of such a kind, or is attended with so hard or so long labour, as to impair our constitution. Neither should we begin or continue in any business, which necessarily deprives us of proper seasons, for food and sleep in such a proportion as our nature requires. Indeed there is a great difference here: some employments are absolutely and totally unhealthy: as those which imply the dealing much with arsenic, or other equally hurtful minerals: or the breathing an air tainted with streams of melting lead, which must at length destroy the firmest constitution. Others may not be absolutely unhealthy, but only to persons of a weak constitution. Such are those which require many hours to be spent in writing; especially if a person write sitting, and lean upon his stomach, or remain long in an uneasy posture. But whatever it is which reason or experience shews to be destructive of health or strength, that we may not submit to; seeing the life is more valuable than meat, and the body than raiment. And if we are already engaged in such an employ, we should exchange it as soon as possible, for some, which if it lessen our gain, will however not lessen our health.
2. We are secondly, to gain all we can, without hurting our mind any more than our body. For neither may we hurt this: we must preserve, at all events, the spirit of an healthful mind. Therefore we may not engage or continue in any sinful trade, any that is contrary to the law of God, or of our country. Such are all that necessarily imply our robbing or defrauding the king of his lawful customs. For it is at least as sinful, to defraud the king of his right, as to rob our fellow-subjects. And the king has full as much right to his customs, as we have to our houses and apparel. Other businesses there are, which however innocent in themselves, cannot be followed with innocence now: at least, not in England: such, for instance, as will not afford a competent maintenance, without cheating or lying, or conformity to some custom, which is not consistent with a good conscience. These likewise are sacredly to be avoided, whatever gain they may be attended with, provided we follow the custom of the trade. For, to gain money we must not lose our souls. There are yet others which many pursue with perfect innocence, without hurting either their body or mind. And yet perhaps you cannot; either they may entangle you in that company, which would destroy your soul: and by repeated experiments it may appear, that you cannot separate the one from the other: or there may be an idiosyncracy, a peculiarity in your constitution of soul (as there is in the bodily constitution of many) by reason whereof that employment is deadly to you, which another may safely follow. So I am convinced from many experiments, I could not study to any degree of perfection, either mathematics, arithmetic, or algebra, without being a Deist, if not an Atheist. And yet others may study them all their lives, without sustaining any inconvenience. None therefore can here determine for another, but every man must judge for himself, and abstain from whatever he in particular finds to be hurtful to his soul.
3. We are, thirdly, to gain all we can, without hurting our neighbour. But this we may not, cannot do, if we love our neighbour as ourselves. We cannot, if we love every one as ourselves, hurt any one in his substance. We cannot devour the increase of his lands, and perhaps the lands and houses themselves, by gaming, by over-grown bills (whether on account of physic, or law, or any thing else) or by requiring or taking such interest, as even the laws of our country forbid. Hereby all pawn-broking is excluded: seeing whatever good we might do thereby, all unprejudiced men see with grief, it is abundantly overballanced by the evil. And if it were otherwise, yet we are not allowed, to do evil that good may come. We cannot, consistent with brotherly love, sell our goods below the market-price. We cannot study to ruin our neighbour’s trade, in order to advance our own. Much less can we entice away, or receive any of his servants or workmen whom he has need of. None can gain, by swallowing up his neighbour’s substance, without gaining the damnation of hell.
4. Neither may we gain, by hurting our neighbour in his body. Therefore we may not sell any thing which tends to impair health. Such is eminently all that liquid fire, commonly called drams or spirituous liquors. It is true, these may have a place in medicine: they may be of use, in some bodily disorders: (altho’ there would rarely be occasion for them, were it not for the unskilfulness of the practitioner.) Therefore such as prepare and sell them only for this end, may keep their conscience clear. But who are they? Who prepare and sell them only for this end? Do you know ten such distillers in England? Then excuse these. *But all who sell them in the common way, to any that will buy, are poisoners-general. They murder his Majesty’s subjects by wholesale, neither does their eye pity or spare. They drive them to hell, like sheep: and what is their gain? Is it not the blood of these men? Who then would envy their large estates and sumptuous palaces? A curse is in the midst of them: the curse of God cleaves to the stones, the timber, the furniture of them. The curse of God is in their gardens, their walks, their groves; a fire that burns to the nethermost hell. Blood, blood is there: the foundation, the floor, the walls, the roof are stained with blood! And canst thou hope, O thou man of blood, tho’ thou art clothed in scarlet and fine linen, and farest sumptuously every day: canst thou hope to deliver down thy fields of blood, to the third generation? Not so; for there is a God in heaven: therefore thy name shall soon be rooted out. Like as those whom thou hast destroyed, body and soul, thy memorial shall perish with thee.
5. And are not they partakers of the same guilt, tho’ in a lower degree, whether surgeons, apothecaries or physicians, who play with the lives or health of men, to enlarge their own gain? Who purposely lengthen the pain or disease, which they are able to remove speedily? Who protract the cure of their patient’s body, in order to plunder his substance? Can any man be clear before God who does not shorten every disorder, as much as he can, and remove all sickness and pain, as soon as he can? He cannot: for nothing can be more clear, than that he does not love his neighbour as himself; than that he does not do unto others, as he would they should do unto himself.
6. This is dear-bought gain. And so is whatever is procured, by hurting our neighbour in his soul: by ministring, suppose, either directly or indirectly to his unchastity or intemperance; which certainly none can do, who has any fear of God, or any real desire of pleasing him. It nearly concerns all those to consider this, who have any thing to do with taverns, victualling-houses, opera-houses, play-houses, or any other places of public, fashionable diversion. If these profit the souls of men, you are clear; your employment is good, and your gain innocent. But if they are either sinful in themselves, or natural inlets to sin of various kinds, then it is to be feared, you have a sad account to make. O beware lest God say in that day, These have perished in their iniquity, but their blood do I require at thy hands!
7. These cautions and restrictions being observed, it is the bounden duty of all who are engaged in worldly business, to observe that first and great rule of Christian wisdom with respect to money, Gain all you can. Gain all you can by honest industry: use all possible diligence in your calling. Lose no time: if you understand yourself and your relation to God and man, you know you have none to spare. If you understand your particular calling as you ought, you will have no time that hangs upon your hands. Every business will afford some employment sufficient for every day and every hour. That wherein you are placed, if you follow it in earnest, will leave you no leisure for silly, unprofitable diversions. You have always something better to do, something that will profit you, more or less. And whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Do it as soon as possible: no delay! No putting off from day to day, or from hour to hour. Never leave any thing ’till to-morrow, which you can do to-day. And do it as well as possible. Do not sleep or yawn over it: put your whole strength to the work. Spare no pains. Let nothing be done by halves, or in a slight and careless manner. Let nothing in your business be left undone, if it can be done by labour or patience.
8. Gain all you can, by common sense, by using in your business all the understanding which God has given you. It is amazing to observe, how few do this: how men run on in the same dull track with their forefathers. But whatever they do who know not God, this is no rule for you. It is a shame for a Christian, not to improve upon them, in whatever he takes in hand. You should be continually learning, from the experience of others, or from your own experience, reading and reflection, to do every thing you have to do better to-day, than you did yesterday. And see that you practise whatever you learn, that you may make the best of all that is in your hands.