Sunday reading. On carrying religion into the common business of life

Table of contents

- [titlepage]

- A DIALOGUE, &c.

- THE HYMN.

- This Day are PUBLISHED,

THE END.

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.

Sold by J. MARSHALL, ••inter to the CHEAP REPOSITORY for Religi •us and Moral Tracts) No. 17, Queen-Street, Cheapside, and No. 4, Aldermary Church-Yard, •nd R. WHITE, Piccadilly, LONDON.

S. HAZARD, at Bath, and by all Booksellers, Newsmen, and Hawkers, in Town and Country. Great Allowance will be made to Shopkeepers •nd Hawkers.

PRICE ONE PENNY. Or 4s. 6d. per 100.—2s. 6d. for 50.—1s. 6d. for 50.

[Entered at Stationers Hall.]

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 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 〈◊〉 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:

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

Not good master! why don't you find me regular and orderly at work?

Stock.

Very much so, and accordingly I have a great respect for you.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

Well master, what can a man do more▪ •f all this is not being good, I don't know what.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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?

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

Not be a Christian! ha! ha! ha! you are •ery comical master.

Stock.

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?

Will.

Why, he must not rob nor murder, nor get drunk. He must avoid scandalous things, and do as other decent orderly people do.

Stock.

It is easy enough to be what the world calls a Christian, but not to be what the Bible calls so.

Will.

Why, master, we working men are not expected to be saints, and martyrs, and apostles, and ministers.

Stock.

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."

Will.

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.

Stock.

I suppose then you fancy that Christianity •omes to people in a Christian country by nature?

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

Yes, you can in every action of your life!

Will.

What master, always to be thinking about Religion?

Stock.

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.

Will.

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?

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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?

Will.

No, to be sure there is not; for that would •e encouraging sin in all the other days.

Stock.

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.

Will.

Aye, indeed—how can that be? Now you're too much on t'other side.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

I don't quite understand you, master.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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.

Stock.

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.

Will.

I don't see how I can always be thinking •bout pleasing GOD.

Stock.

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.

Will.

Well, I say first one, then the other; now for labour, now for religion.

Stock.

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.

Will.

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."

Stock.

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.

This Day are PUBLISHED,

•rice 1d. ½ each, or 6s. 9d. per 100—50 for 3s, 9d. 25 for 2s. 3d.

- Watts's Hymns for Children, complete, with Prayers.

PRICE ONE PENNY each. 4s. 6d. per 100—50 for 2s. 6d.—25 for 1s. 6d.

- •om White the Postillion, Part I.

- •he Two Shoemakers, Part I.

- •hepherd of Salisbury Plain. Part I.

- •he Two Soldiers.

- ••fe of Wm. Baker, with his Funeral Sermon, by the Rev. Mr. Gilpin.

- •istory of the Plague in London, with suitable Thoughts.

- •he Lancashire Collier Girl.

PRICE an HALFPENNY each, 2s. 3d. per 100.—50 for 1s. 3d. 25 for 9d.

- •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 1st of June, 1795, was published,

- •he Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, Part II.

- —The Beggarly Boy.

- —Wild Robert, a Ballad.

On the 1st of July,

- •aniel in the Den of Lions.

- —The Good Mother's Legacy.

- —Patient Joe, a Ballad.

On the 1st of August,

- Hints to all Ranks of People.

- —The Happy Waterma• The Riot, a Ballad.

- —The Plowboy's Dream, a Balla•

On the 1st of September,

- Tom White, Part II.

- —Noah's Flood.

- —Dame Andrew Ballad.

On the 1st of October.

- Harvest Home.

- —Two Farmers, Part I.

- —Honest M•• a Ballad.

On the 1st of November,

- The Parable of the Vineyard.

- —The Two Farmers, 〈…〉

- — The Sorrows of Yamba, a Ballad.

On the 1st of December,

- The Troubles of Life.

- —Sorrowful Sam.

- —Merry C•••••¦mas, a Carol.

On the 1st of January, 1796,

- New Thoughts on the New Year.

- —The History of Wood, the Housemaid.

- —Robert and Richard, a Bal•••▪

On the 1st 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 1st of March.

- Onesimus; or, the Run-away Servant converted.

- —〈…〉 Brown; or, the Two Shoemakers, Part III.

- —〈…〉 keeper, Part I.

On the 1st of April.

- Conversion of St. Paul.

- —Jack Brown in Prison; 〈…〉

- Two Shoemakers. Part IV.

- —Shopkeeper, Part 〈…〉

On the 1st 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 〈◊〉

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Title statement

Sunday reading. On carrying religion into the common business of life

More, Hannah, 1745-1833.

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http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/4191

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1106011902

ID [isbn13]

9781106011909

ID [TCP]

K045394.000

ID [BIBNO]

cw3323357209

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1194600800

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— Sunday reading. On carrying religion into the common business of life, More, Hannah, 1745-1833.. 14,[2]p. ; 12⁰. [London] :: Sold by J. Marshall, and R. White, London. By S. Hazard, at Bath,. [1796]. [Signed Z., i.e. Hannah More.] [At head of titlepage: 'Cheap repository'.] [In this issue the second line of the imprint ends: 'religi-', and 'Cheap repository' is in Roman type.] [With a final advertisement leaf.] [Reproduction of original from the British Library.] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCT48864.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

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