Law, William: The works of the Reverend William Law, M.A.: in 9 vol. (Band 4): A serious call to a devout and holy life, adapted to the state and condition of all orders of christians (Setley, Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire, 1893)

104 ^ Serious Call to

Here you see how happy this man made himself, by not acting
wholly according to his Lord's will. It was, according to his
own account, a happiness of murmuring and discontent; I knew
thee, says he, that thou wast an hard man : It was an happiness
of fears and apprehensions ; I was, says he, afraid: It was an hap-
piness of vain labours and fruitless travails: I went, says he, and
hid thy talent: and after having been a while the sport of foolish
passions, tormenting fears, and fruitless labours, he is rewarded
with darkness, eternal weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

Now this is the happiness of all those, who look upon a strict
and exalted piety, that is, a right use of their talent, to be a dull
and melancholy state of life.

They may live awhile free from the restraints and directions of
Religion, but instead thereof, they must be under the absurd
government of their passions : They must, like the man in the
parable, live in murmurings, and discontents, in fears, and appre-
hensions. They may avoid the labour of doing good, of spending
their time devoutly, of laying up treasures in heaven, of clothing
the naked, of visiting the sick; but then they must, like this man,
have labours, and pains in vain, that tend to no use or advantage,
that do no good either to themselves, or others ; they must travel,
and labour, and work, and dig, to hide their talent in the earth.
They must like him, at their Lord's coming, be convicted out of
their own mouths, be accused by their own hearts, and have
everything that they have said and thought of Religion, be made
to show the justice of their condemnation to eternal darkness,
weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

This is the purchase that they make, who avoid the strictness
and perfection of Religion, in order to live happily.

On the other hand, would you see a short description of the
happiness of a life rightly employed, wholly devoted to God,
you must look at the man in the parable, to whom his Lord had
given five talents. ' Lord,' says he, ' thou deliveredst unto me
' five talents ; behold I have gained besides them five talents
' more. His Lord said unto him, well done thou good and
' faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
' will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy
' of thy Lord.'

Here you see a life that is wholly intent upon the improve-
ment of the talents, that is devoted wholly unto God, is a state
of happiness, prosperous labours, and glorious success. Here
are not, as in the former case, any uneasy passions, murmurings,
vain fears, and fruitless labours. The man is not toiling, and
digging in the earth for no end nor advantage; but his pious
labours prosper in his hands, his happiness increases upon him;