when the world smiled upon you, and you Stock came to see him, they found him more passed your days and nights in envied gaiety than commonly affected. His face was more and unchristian riot. If you will but im- ghastly pale than usual, and his eyes were prove the present awful visitation; if you do red with crying. Oh, sir,' said he, what but heartily renounce and abhor your pre- a sight have I just seen! jolly George, as sent evil courses; if you even now turn to the we used to call him, the ringleader of all our Lord your Saviour with lively faith, deep mirth, who was at the bottom of all the fun repentance, and unfeigned obedience, I shail and tricks, and wickedness that are carried still have more hope of you than of many on within these walls, jolly George is just who are going on quite happy, because quite dead of the jail distemper! He taken, and I insensible. The heavy laden sinner, who left! I would be carried into his room to has discovered the iniquity of his own heart, speak to him, to beg him to take warning by and his utter inability to help himself, may me, and that I might take warning by him. be restored to God's favour, and become But what did I see! what did I hear! not happy, though in a dungeon. And be as- one sign of repentance; not one dawn of sured, that he who from deep and humble hope. Agony of body, blasphemies on his contrition dares not so much as lift up his tongue, despair in his soul; while I am eyes to heaven, when with a hearty faith he spared and comforted with hopes of mercy sighs out, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, and acceptance. Oh, if all my old friends shall in no wise be cast out. These are the at the Grayhound could but then have seen words of him who cannot lie.' jolly George! A hundred sermons about It is impossible to describe the self-abase-death, sir, don't speak so home, and cut so ment, the grief, the joy, the shame, the deep, as the sight of one dying sinner.' hope, and the fear which filled the mind of Brown grew gradually better in his health, this poor man. A dawn of comfort at length that is, the fever mended, but the distemper shone on his benighted mind. His humility settled in his limbs, so that he seemed likely and fear of failing back into his former sins, to be a poor, weakly cripple the rest of his if he should ever recover, Mr. Thomas life. But as he spent much of his time in thought were strong symptoms of a sound prayer, and in reading such parts of the Birepentance. He improved and cherished ble as Mr. Thomas directed, he improved every good disposition he saw arising in his every day in knowledge and piety, and of heart, and particularly warned him against course grew more resigned to pain and inself-deceit, self-confidence, and hypo- firmity. crisy.

Some months after this, his hard-hearted After Brown had deeply expressed his father, who had never been prevailed upon sorrow for his offences, Mr. Thomas thus to see him, or offer him the least relief, was addressed him. There are two ways of taken off suddenly by a fit of apoplexy; and, being sorry for sin. Are you, Mr. Brown, after all his threatenings, he died without a afraid of the guilt of sin because of the pu- will. He was one of those silly, superstinishment annexed to it, or are you afraid of tious men, who fancy they shall die the sin itself? Do you wish to be delivered from sooner for having made one; and who love the power of sin? Do you hate sin because the world and the things that are in the you know it is offensive to a pure and holy world so dearly, that they dread to set about God? Or are you only ashamed of it because any business which may put them in mind it has brought you to a prison and exposed that they are not always to live in it. As, by you to the contempt of the world? It is not this neglect, his father had not fulfilled his said that the wages of this or that particular threat of cutting him off with a shilling, sin is death, but of sin in general; there is Jack, of course, went shares with his brono exception made because it is a more cre- thers in what their father left. What fell ditable or a favourite sin, or because it is a to him proved to be just enough to discharge little one. There are, I repeat, two ways him from prison, and to pay all his debts, of being sorry for sin. Cain was sorry-My but he had nothing left. His joy at being punishment is greater than I can bear, said thus enabled to make restitution was so great he; but here you see the punishment seem-that he thought little of his own wants. He ed to be the cause of concern, not the sin. did not desire to conceal the most trifling David seems to have had a good notion of debt, nor to keep a shilling for himself. godly sorrow, when he says, Wash me from Mr. Stock undertook to settle all his afmine iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. And fairs. There did not remain money enough when Job repented in dust and ashes, it is after every creditor was satisfied, even to not said he excused himself, but he abhor-pay for his removal home. Mr. Stock kindred himself. And the prophet Isaiah calledly sent his own cart for him with a bed in it, himself undone, because he was a man of made as comfortable as possible, for he was unclean lips; for, said he "I have seen the too weak and lame to be removed any other King, the Lord of hosts;" that is, he could way, and Mrs. Stock gave the driver partinot take the proper measure of his own ini-cular charge to be tender and careful of him, quity till he had considered the perfect ho- and not to drive hard, nor to leave the cart liness of God.'

One day, when Mr. Thomas and Mr.

a moment.

Mr. Stock would fain have taken him into

his own house, at least for a time, so con- took especial care, however, that the subvinced was he of the sincere reformation ject should be introduced properly, cheerboth of heart and life; but Brown would not fully, and without constraint. As he well be prevailed on to be further burthensome knew that great good may be sometimes to this generous friend. He insisted on be-done by a prudent attention in seizing proing carried to the parish workhouse, which per opportunities, so he knew that the cause he said was a far better place than he de- of piety had been sometimes hurt by forcing served. In this house Mr. Stock furnished serious subjects where there was clearly no a small room for him, and sent him every disposition to receive them. I say he had day a morsel of meat from his own dinner. found out that two things were necessary to Tommy Williams begged that he might al- the promoting of religion among his friends; ways be allowed to carry it, as some atone- a warm zeal to be always on the watch for ment for his having for a moment so far for- occasions, and a cool judgment to distinguish gotten his duty, as rather to rejoice than which was the right time and place to make sympathize in Brown's misfortunes. He ne- use of them. To know how to do good is a ver thought of this fault without sorrow, and great matter, but to know when to do it is often thanked his master for the wholesome no small one. lesson he then gave him, and he was the better for it all his life.

Simpson was an honest good-natured young man; he was now become sober, and rather religiously disposed. But he was ignorant, he did not know much of the grounds of religion, or of the corruption of his own nature. He was regular at church, but was first drawn thither rather by his skill in psalm-singing than by any great devotion. He had left off going to the Grayhound, and often read the Bible, or some other good book on the Sunday evening. This he thought was quite enough; he thought the Bible was the prettiest history book in the world, and that religion was a very good thing for Sundays. But he did

Mrs. Stock often carried poor Brown a dish of tea or a basin of good broth herself. He was quite a cripple, and never able to walk out as long as he lived. Mr. Stock, Will Simpsom and Tommy Williams laid their heads together, and contrived a sort of barrow on which he was often carried to church by some of his poor neighbours, of which Tommy was always one; and he requited their kindness, by reading a good book to them whenever they would call in; and he spent his time in teaching their children to sing psalms or say the catechism. It was no small joy to him thus to be ena-not much understand what business people bled to go to church. Whenever he was carried by the Grayhound, he was much moved, and used to put up a prayer full of repentance for the past, and praise for the present.

had with it on working days. He had left off drinking because it had brought Williams to the grave, and his wife to dirt and rags; but not because he himself had seen the evil of sin. He now considered swearing and Sabbath-breaking as scandalous and indecent, but he had not found out that both were to be left off because they are highly offensive to God, and grieve his Holy Spirit. As Simpson was less self-conceited than A dialogue between James Stock and Will most ignorant people are, Stock had always Simpson, the shoemakers, as they sat at a good hope that when he should come to be work, on the duty of carrying religion in-better acquainted with the word of God, to our common business.

PART V.

and with the evil of his own heart, he would become one day a good Christian. The great hindrance to this was, that he fancied himself so already.

thus:

JAMES STOCK, and his journeyman Will Simpson, as I informed my readers in the second part, had resolved to work together One evening Simpson had been calling to one hour every evening, in order to pay for Stock's mind how disorderly the house and Tommy Williams's schooling. This cir- shop, where they were now sitting quietly cumstance brought them to be a good deal at work, had formerly been, and he went on together when the rest of the men were gone home. Now it happened that Mr. Stock had a pleasant way of 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 help to provide for this poor boy, it is the Stock. I am glad you are happy, Will, least I can do to try to turn part of that time and I rejoice that you are sober; but Í to the purpose of promoting Will's spiritual would not have you take too much pride in good. Now as the bent of Stock's own mind your own goodness, for fear it should bewas religious, it was easy to him to lead their come a sin, almost as great as some of those talk to something profitable. He always you have left off. Besides, I would not

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 keeping it up all night, but now I am as merry as the day is long. I find am twice as happy since I am grown good and sober.

I

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 clothes for Sundays, and save a trifle every week.

Stock. Very true, and very laudable it is; and to all this you may add that you very generously work an hour, for poor Tommy's education, every evening without fee or reward.

Will. Well, master, what can a man do more? If all this is not being good, I don't know what is.

Stock. All these things are very right as far as they go, and you could not well be a Christian without doing them. But I shall make you stare, perhaps, when I tell you, you may do all these things, and many more, and vet be no Christian.

Will. No Christian! surely, master, I do hope that after all I have done, you will not be so unkind as to say I am no Christian.

spirit is expected in us which we reverence in them. It was not saints and martyrs only to whom our Saviour said that they must crucify the world with its affections and lusts. We are called to be holy in our measure and degree, as he who hath called us is holy. It was not only saints and martyrs who were told that they must be like minded with Christ. That they must do all to the glory of God. That they must_renounce the spirit of the world, and deny themselves. It was not to apostles only that Christ said, They must have their conversation in heaven. It was not to a few holy men, set apart for the altar, that he said, They must set their affections on things above. That they must not be conformed to the world. No, it was to fishermen, to publicans, to farmers, to day-labourers, to poor tradesmen, that he spoke when he told them, they must love not the world, nor the things of the world. That they must renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, grow in grace, lay up for themselves treasures in Heaven.

Will. All this might be very proper for them to be taught, because they had not been Stock. God forbid that I should say so, bred up Christians, but Heathens or Jews: Will. I hope better things of you. But come and Christ wanted to make them his follownow, what do you think it is to be a Chris-ers, that is, Christians. But thank God we tian? do not want to be taught all this, for we are Christians, born in a Christian country, of Christian parents.

Will. What! why to be christened when one is a child; to learn the catechism when one can read; to be confirmed when one is a youth; and to go to church when one is a

man.

Stock. I suppose then you fancy that Christianity comes to people in a Christian country by nature?

Stock. These are all very proper things, Will. I think it comes by a good educaand quite necessary. They make part of a tion or a good example. When a fellow Christian's life. But for all that, a man may who has got any sense, sees a man cut off in be exact in them all, and yet not be a Chris-his prime by drinking, like Williams, I tian.

Will. Not be a christian! ha! ha! ha! you are very comical, master.

think he will begin to leave it off. When he sees another man respected, like you, master, for honesty and sobriety, and going to Stock. No, indeed, I am very serious, church, why he will grow honest, and soWill. At this rate it would be a very easy ber, and go to church: that is, he will see thing to be a Christian, and every man who it his advantage to be a Christian. went through certain forms would be a good Stock. Will, what you say is the truth, man; and one man who observed those but 'tis not the whole truth. You are right forms would be as good as another. Where- as far as you go, but you do not go far as, if we come to examine ourselves by the enough. The worldly advantages of piety, word of God, I am afraid there are but few are, as you suppose, in general great. Crecomparatively whom our Saviour would al-dit, prosperity, and health, almost naturallow to be real Christians. What is your ly attend on a religious life, both because a notion of a Christian's practice? religious life supposes a sober and industriWill. Why, he must not rob, nor mur-ous life, and because a man who lives in a der, nor get drunk. He must avoid scan-course of duty puts himself in the way of dalous things, and do as other decent order-God's blessing. But a true Christian has a ly 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 are not two sorts of Christianity; we are called to practise the same religion which they practised, and something of the same

still higher aim in view, and will follow religion even under circumstances, when it may hurt his credit and ruin his prosperity, if it should ever happen to be the will of God that he should be brought into such a trying state.

Will. Well, master, to speak the truth, if I go to church on Sundays, and follow my work in the 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 | Sabbath day-To be carnally minded on good, as you call it. But our going to Sundays, is death-Cease to do evil, and church, and even reading the Bible, are no learn to do well one day in seven—Grow in proofs that we are as good as we need be, grace on the Lord's day-Is there any such but rather that we do both these in order to text? make us better than we are. We do both Will. No, to be sure there is not; for on Sundays, as means, by God's blessing, to that would be encouraging sin on all the make us better all the week. We are to other days. 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 be so in every action of your life.

Stock. Yes, just as you do when you make religion a thing for the church, and not for the world. There is no one lawful calling, in pursuing which we may not serve God acceptably. You and I may serve him while we are stitching this pair of boots. Farmer Furrow, while he is plowing yonder field. Betsy West, over the way, whilst she is nursing her sick mother. Neighbour Incle, in measuring out his tapes and ribands. I say, all these may serve God just as acceptably in those employStock. No, far from it, Will; much lessments as at church, I had almost said to be always talking about it. But you must be always acting under its power and spirit

Will. What, master, always to be thinking about religion?

more so,

Will. Ay, 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 religion. A man who mixes in business, is naturally brought into continual temptations and difficulties. These will

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 sup-lead him, if he be a good man, to look more plied 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 put godliness and laziness, as wide asunder as any two things in the world; and what God has separated let no man pretend to join. Indeed, the spirit of religion can have no fellowship with sloth, indolence, and selfindulgence. But still, a Christian does not carry on his common trade quite like another man neither; for something of the pirit which he labours to attain at church, ne carries with him into his worldly concerns. While there are some who set up for Sunday Christians, who have no notion that they are bound to be week-day Christians too.

Will. Why, master, I do think, if God Almighty is contented with one day in seven, he won't thank you for throwing him the other six into the bargain. I thought he gave us them for our own use; and I am sure nobody works harder all the week than you do.

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 makes 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 little-our concerns with the world bring them out into action a little more, and thus show 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 of victory. Every temptation resisted, is an enemy subdued; and he that ruleth his own spirit, is better than he that taketh a city.

ter.

Will. I don't quite understand you, mas

Stock. I will try to explain myself.There is no passion more called out by the Stock. God, it is true, sets apart one day transactions of trade than covetousness.in seven for actual rest from labour, and for Now, 'tis impossible to withstand such a more immediate devotion to his service.-master sin as that, without carrying a good But show me that text wherein he says, thou deal of the spirit of religion into one's trade. shalt love the Lord thy God on Sundays- Will. Well, I own I don't yet see how I Thou shalt keep my commandments on the I am to be religious when I'm hard at work, or

busy settling an account. I can't do two the Sunday's piety. 'Tis trade and business things at once; 'tis as if I were to pretend in the week which call us to put our Sunday to make a shoe and cut out a boot at the readings, praying, and church-going into practice.

same moment.

Stock. I tell you both must subsist to- Will. Well, master, you have a comical gether. Nay, the one must be the motive way, somehow, of coming over one, I neto the other. God commands us to be in-ver should have thought there would have dustrious, and if we love him, the desire of been any religion wanted in buying and selpleasing him should be the main spring of our industry.

Will. I don't see how I can always be thinking about pleasing God.

ling a few calves' skins. But I begin to see there is a good deal in what you say. And, whenever I am doing a common action, I will try to remember that it must be done after a godly sort.

Stock. Suppose, now, a man had a wife and children whom he loved, and wished to Stock. I hear the clock strike nine-let serve; would not he be often thinking about us leave off our work. I will only observe them while he was at work? and though he farther, that one good end of our bringing would not be always thinking nor always religion into our business is, to put us in mind talking about them, yet would not the very not to undertake more business than we can love he bore them be a constant spur to his carry on consistently with our religion. I industry? He would always be pursuing shall never commend that man's diligence, the same course from the same motive, though it is often commended by the world, though his words and even his thoughts who is not diligent about the salvation of his must often be taken up in the common trans-soul. We are as much forbidden to be overactions of life.

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

PART VI.

Dialogue the second. On the duty of carrying Religion into our amusements.

charged with the cares of life, as with its pleasures. I only wish to prove to you, that a discreet Christian may be wise for both Stock. I will show that both must go to worlds; that he may employ his hands withgether. I will suppose you were going to out entangling his soul, and labour for the buy so many skins of our currier-that is meat that perisheth, without neglecting that quite a worldly transaction-you can't see which endureth unto eternal life; that he what a spirit of religion has to do with buy-may be prudent for time whilst he is wise ing a few calves' skins. Now, I tell you it for eternity. 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 The next evening Will Simpson being got maketh haste to be rich shall hardly be inno-first to his work, Mr. Stock found him singcent. Perhaps the sin may be on the side of ing very cheerfully over his last. His masyour dealer he may want to overreach you ter's entrance did not prevent his finishing this is provoking-you are tempted to vio-his song, which concluded with these words: lent 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 temp-turned to Mr. Stock, and said, 'I thank tations, you are the better man for having been called out to them; always provided, that the temptations 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 profane. 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 idle-be so bad as wicked words ? ness iuto 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

Since life is no more than a passage at best,
Let us strew the way over with flowers.'
When Will had concluded his song, he

you, master, for first putting it into my head
how wicked it is to sing profane and inde-
cent songs. I never sing any now which
have any wicked words in them.'

Stock. I am glad to hear it. So far you do well. But there are other things as bad as wicked words, nay worse perhaps, though they do not so much shock the ear of decency.

Will. What is that, master? What can

Stock. Wicked thoughts, Will. Which thoughts, when they are covered over with smooth words, and dressed out in pleasing rhymes, so as not to shock modest young people by the sound, do more harm to their principles, than those songs of which the words are so gross and disgusting, that no