The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 49
MEDITATION XLIX. VponUpon People's taking the firſt and greateſt care to ſave thoſe things from the Fire, which they did moſt value.
VVHo knows not, that the method which men uſed in removing, was, firſt to ſend away their VVifes and Children, (as being their greateſt treaſure); next to them, their Writings of conſequence, ſuch as Books of accompt, Bills, Bonds, and others of great moment; and after them, their firſt and greateſt care was, to ſecure their Jewels (ſuch as had any), their Caſh, their Plate, and ſuch like precious things. Next to them, their care was for their Shop-goods, and firſt for thoſe that were of greateſt price. In a word, what things men did moſt value, thoſe they did labour in the firſt place to ſecure, deferring the removal of their lumber to the very laſt, ſo that for want of time much of that was conſumed. So Jacob, prizing Rachel and her Children above the reſt of his family, took the greateſt care to ſecure them, by putting them in the rear of his Company, when he went out to meet his Brother Eſau, coming againſt him in a hoſtile way; but the handmaids and their Children he put in the front (and, as it were, in the forlornhope) expoſing them to moſt danger, for whom he had leaſt love and reſpect, Gen. 33.2. Alas! that men ſhould uſe a worſe method in reſerence to ſpiritual things, than they naturally fall into in relation to temporals. For how ordinary is it with men, in matters of Religion, to commit foreign, which our Engliſh Proverb doth phraſe, Setting the Cart before the Herſe, or, ſetting that firſt which ſhould be laſt? How many take care to ſave the lumber of Religion, as I may call it, whilſt, mean time, that better part of it which is like Plate and Jewels, is in danger to be …oſt? So did thoſe Scribes and Phariſees, who …ook great care to pay tithe of mint, aniſe, and cummin, and omitted the weightier matters of the Law, viz. Judgment, Mercy, and Faith, Mat. 23.23. There are ſome Truths unſpeakably greater, and of more conſequence, than others. Thoſe ſhould moſt of all be contended for.
There are ſome enemies to our Religion, which would not onelyonly build with hay and ſtubble, but even lay another Foundation beſides that which is laid, viz. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt, though other Foundation, that will bear, can no man lay, 1 Cor. 3.11. Such ſhould moſt of all be contended againſt. For, others are but diſparately oppoſite to us, as Green to Yellow, and other intermediate colours are to White; but ſuch, are as quite contrary to us, as Black can be to White. Some Duties there are, the performance whereof are, as it were, the very Pillars of a Church, which it cannot ſtand without. Others again, are for their nature more diſputable, for their uſe more indifferent and leſſe neceſſary. God forbid, but the firſt of theſe ſhould alwayes take place of the laſt, and that we may more regard thoſe things of which Chriſt ſaith, Theſe things ought you to have done; and then thoſe other, of which he ſpeaketh more diminutively, ſaying, And the other you ſhould not have left undone.
There are certain ſins, which, S…mpſon-like, do take hold upon the Pillars of the Houſe, I mean, Church and State, and threaten to pull it down. How prepoſterous would it be to puniſh peccadillo's with Scorpions, and let ſuch crimes of the firſt magnitude ſcarce be puniſhed with Rods? What men did in relation to the Fire, may ever teach them, to mind thoſe things in the firſt place, which are of greateſt conſequence. If men had Ironware and Gun-powder in the ſame Shop, did they not ſtrive to remove their Gun-powder before their Iron, becauſe that would do moſt hurt. It is the Apoſtle's rule, that all things ſhould be done decently and in order. To begin with thoſe things which are moſt neceſſary, and then proceed gradually to thoſe which are of leſs conſequence, is one of the moſt neceſſary pieces of Order that can be obſerved. It is a good rule, that we ſhould firſt do thoſe things that muſt be done, and afterwards thoſe that may be done. Joſeph was overſeen in preſenting Ephraim to his Father's left hand, and Manaſſeh to his right; and Jacob obſerving it, laid his right hand upon Ephraim, and his left upon Manaſſeh, Gen. 48.14. In like manner, there is frequent cauſe for us to croſs our hands, and place our right where we are moved to place our left; nothing being more incident to us, than to mind thoſe things in the laſt, which we ought to regard in the firſt place. By as good reaſon as men ſecured their Wives and Children before their goods, their Gold and Silver before their lumber, ought men, who know their ſouls to be more worth than all other things, firſt of all to ſecure them from that worm that never-dyes, from that fire that never will go out.