The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 89 – Meditation 91
MEDITAT. LXXXXIX. Of Unfruitful Wiſdom.
THe Heavenly Wiſdom is full of good fruits; the unfruitful then muſt needs be earthly and worldly.
Concerning Unfruitfulneſs I have in part prevented my ſelf in my Meditation of Idleneſs: But yet there are ſeveral things to be conſidered further.
To do ill, and to do nothing, are both kinds of Idleneſs: And though it may not look like good Grammer, I am ſure it is good Divinity, that to be wiſe to do nothing, is to be wiſe to do evil.
Eliphaz indeed in Job ſays, that he that is wiſe may may be profitable to himſelf: and ſure he ought to be profitable to others alſo. Whatever gifts the good Spirit of God ſheds forth upon men, are given them to profit with, ſaith the Apoſtle.
The moſt precious mettals profit nothing. Niſi temperato ſplendeant uſu; and elſewhere, Celata virtus paulum diſtat inertiae.
A fool holding his tongue (they ſay) may paſs for a wiſe man: But ſure I am that a wiſe man holding his tongue differs little from a fool.
Is there not a wiſe man amongſt you? The Apoſtle implyes that it becomes wiſe men to be active, to do good to compoſe differences.
Oh but our wiſe men account it a piece of their wiſdom, not to put their fingers into the fire, (as they call it,) when there is no need. It is very true; but if there be never ſo much need, it is all one with many of theſe wiſe men.
For my part, I beleive it will be an hard thing to find any place of ſociety of men, where there is not need of wiſe mens advice and interpoſition, which ſome invidiouſly brand by the Phraſe of putting their fingers into the fire. To theſe wiſe men one may well apply the Text: It is better to put a finger into the fire, then having all ones fingers ſafe to be caſt into hell-fire: For that it will come to; Take and caſt the unprofitable ſervant into outer darkneſs, Mat. 25. 30. The particular account of the ſervants wickedneſs, is his Slothfulneſs and Unprofitableneſs.
Poor Fools! One would pity them that have a Prize put into their hands, and know not how to improve it. But theſe wicked wiſe men, who will pity; that have a prize put into their hands, and will not improve it?
Every man ought to eſteem all his endowments as a common good, in which all mankind has ſome intereſt. He that wrapt up his Talent in a Napkin, was to his Lord as if he had imbezzeled it.
The Covetous, of whom it expreſly ſaid that God abhors them, though they have neither Child nor Brother, and have ab undantly enough for themſelves, yet are griping and heaping, and love riches for riches ſake.
And are not they ſomewhat a-kin to them, that ſcrape together a great deal of Wiſdom, and Learning, merely for their own pleaſure, and ſatisfaction; by which no body ſhall be the better, but themſelves; and indeed themſelves the worſe: for to him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is ſin.
The induſtry of the Bee is to be commended in gathering Honey; but her ſenſuality in eating it all up, and invidiouſneſs in for bidding others to partake of it, ſpoils her Character.
To bring forth a cluſter now and then will not ſerve to denominate a man frui…ful: There muſt be a proportion between Wiſdom and Communication: To whom much is given, of him much ſhall be required. The Heavenly Wiſdom is full of good fruits.
Communication is the wiſe mans Charity, Such as I have, I give thee. The poor wiſe mans Charity was his advice, Eccleſ. 9. And it is almoſt as good in earneſt, as it was in jeſt, S…ire tuum nihil eſt, niſi, &c.
Lord, ſettle this perſ…aſion in my heart, that I was not born, nor any way accompliſht for my ſelf alone; and that nothing is to be ſought or deſired as an Ornament and Embelliſhment of my own particular Being, but as a common good; which every one that needs, has ſome title to, as well as I… And that although it is a pleaſant life to live in the meditation and love of God, yet that an active life, and a life of communication, is no leſs amiable and loving too. Oh give me a ſtore of things new and old to communicate; a free heart to communicate them, and an aptitude to do it; that I may neither be an empty Veſſel, nor as a full Veſſel ſealed up, nor as a Veſſel unſealed, but wanting vent; but full, free, and having a faculty to communicate!
MEDITAT. XC. Of Partiality, and Partial Wiſdom.
TO value any Party or Perſon more than Truth or Equity, is a Branch of Worldly Love, and a Symptom of a Worldly Mind.
God is an Impartial Eſtimator, and will be an Impartial Judge. He has often declar'd himſelf foreign, and we ought to reſemble him. He will neither favor the Rich in judgment, nor pity the Poor; but Righteous and Unrighteous ſhall divide the World.
Oh that this Doctrine were thoroughly believ'd▪ Great men would not then think of breaking thorough then, as they do now; and poor men would not hope to skulk, and be overlook'd.
It is not Partiality to eſteem one man above another, according as they are valuable for true worth.
To value men or things according to Truth, as they deſerve, is a Perfection; God does ſo. Different dealings with men, is not ſinful Partiality, when they deſerve to be differently dealt with. To diſcriminate between a Penitent, and Tender-hearted Offender, and an obſtinate one, in adminiſtring Correction, is a ſort of Juſtice, not Partiality; becauſe gentle uſage, and a moderation of Puniſhment is due to their temper.
But to eſtimate Perſons by any carnal or ſecular Conſideration, or to favour them for ſelfiſh and Worldly Advantages, or to prefer the maintaining of a Party, becauſe it maintains us; the Defence of an Opinion, becauſe we have eſpouſed it, before Truth and Righteouſneſs, is Partiality.
Partial Wiſdom finds out Wiles and Ways (to excuſe that in a mans ſelf, which he would condemn and puniſh in another; and to puniſh that in one whom he hates, which he would not puniſh in himſelf, or any perſon beloved. Thus partial was the Patriarch Judah; he had a mind to puniſh that Fault in his Daughter-in-law, which he himſelf was moſt guilty of, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Partial Wiſdom inſtructs men to find out Arguments to defend a Party that they live by; a Craft that they get their Wealth by; an Opinion that Cuſtom or Worldly Intereſt commands them to ſupport.
What is all that witty Rhetorick, that cunning Logick, which the Papiſts uſe to defend the way and Doctrine of the Church, in whoſe boſome they lie, and are kept warm; but ſo many Inſtances of this partial Wiſdom. They ſeek the proſperity of Babylon, meerly becauſe in her Proſperity themſelves do proſper.
Lord, Grant that Truth may be the Standard, by which I may weigh and meaſure, eſtimate and judge of all things! That I may know no interest, but the interest of Righteouſneſs to command my apprehenſions and ſentiments; no worldly Bias to pervert the regular and ſteady motions of my judgment or affections! That I may judge of all things as they are; and of thoſe that are, according to God!
MEDITAT. XCI. Of Hypocriſie in General.
HYpocriſie is an artificial kind of Lying; God is Truth, and he abhors Hypocrites and Hypocriſie; that is, they are directly contrary to his Nature.
The general Notion of Hypocriſie is, pretending to be, and have, and do, what one is not, hath not, doth not.
This is not ſimply, and in it ſelf evil. Have we not read what David did, 1 Chron. 14. and that by Divine Command; and the Iſraelites in the Civil Wars againſt Benjamin; how they pretended to run away, but did not, and yet were guiltleſs.
Nay, God himſelf ſometimes makes things to ſeem otherwiſe than they are; as when he made the waters to ſeem like blood, to bring in the Moabites to Battel; and made the Babylonians to hear noiſe of War, when there was no Enemy.
But this Hypocriſie becomes ſinful by Accident, by ſome ill Attendants, or ill Deſigns in the Action.
It is not abſolutely ſinful for a man to diſſemble his perſon; for a wiſe man to ſeem as if he underſtood not, for a fool to ſeem underſtanding, for a rich man to diſſemble his riches, or a poor man his poverty: Chriſt Jeſus himſelf ſometimes conceal'd his purpoſes, and made ſhew of the contrary; as in the caſe of the Diſciples going to Emmaus.
But this diſſembling becomes evil, by evil accidents; and is carnal, if it be attended with pride, unbelief, ſlaviſh fear, atheiſticalneſs, or if it ſerve a dolus malus.
The King of Iſrael might diſguiſe himſelf and go into the Battail: But if he think to cheat the eye, or eſcape the hand of God by this means, his atheiſticalneſs, not his hypocriſy, is ſinful.
The Queen of Iſrael might diſguiſe her ſelf and ſeem another woman: But if ſhe think to deceive the Prophet or the God of the Prophet, therein ſhe is Atheiſtical.
It was not Sauls diſguiſing himſelf, but his conſulting with the Devil, that was his ſin.
What was extraordinary in Davids diſſembling before Aciſh, and Jacobs before Iſaac, I know not. But there ſeems to be ſo much in it, that I had rather excuſe them charitably, than boldly imitate either of them.
This ſinful Hypocriſy is either in things Civil or Religious.
The Civil Hypocriſy may be very wicked, and a Symptom of an earthly mind.
As when men profeſs and pretend to Trades, Arts or Sciences which they underſtand not; when men poofeſs to be Teacher of others, when themſelves had need to be taught. Hereby they deceive men, in impoſing falſe Wares or Doctrines upon them.
O… when men pretend to Love and Friendſhip, …n purpoſe to deceve, to make men leſs jealous, to truſt them, and relie upon them—
per amici fallere nomen.
Abner died as a fool, that is, by deceit, as the manner of fools is to periſh.
Or when men pretend much love and kindneſs, and yet mean no ſuch thing; but do fail them to whom they pretend it.
Or pretend much love, on purpoſe to make a prey of men; as the Whore in the Proverbs of Solomon, Prov. 30. 20.