The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 100
MEDITAT. C. Cautionary.
AND now what Oedipus ſhall ſolve this Riddle? What Divine Philoſopher, what Secretary of Heaven ſhall give us an account of this ſtrange Phaenomenon?
Is there any greater wonder to man in the World, than a worldly man? What Decrees of Heaven, what Providence of God, what Fate of Providence, what Temptations from without, what Inclinations from within ſhall we run to, to give an account of this fearful Apoſtaſie of ſo great, ſo noble a part of the Creation from his bleſſed Centre, his pure Life, his paradiſic State!
Whether we think of the corruption of the humane Nature in Adam, yet it is a marvellous Myſtery how a Perſon of his purity and ſoundneſs came to ſin, and how perſons of that remoteneſs from him as we are, ſhould ſin in him: Though neither of which ſeem incredible, yet both of them ſeem inexplicable. If we lay the fault at the door of each pre-exiſtent Soul, it ſeems indeed to be juſt, but ſtill it is as ſtrange as it was before. For ſo every ſingle Soul is an Adam for purity, and ſoundneſs of Conſtitution: and how ſhall we do to account for the Apoſtaſie of ſo many Adams, if we be puzled at the Fall of one?
But alas! The myſterious Intricacy of this, is not ſo great, but that the manifeſt evidence of the matter of Fact is as great. It is enough, Ah Lord, it is more than enough, to know and ſee (which indeed we cannot hide our eyes from) that this noble Vine is turned into a degenerate Plant; That the Native Friends and Favorites of God are become Lovers, yea, Servants, yea, Worſhippers of the World. And the greatneſs of their Number is too too evident in theſe Meditations; which yet I am ſenſible have not deſcribed all. Some, poſſibly, will think theſe too many: I cannot help it; but the Diſcovery is in order to their Recovery. Others, poſſibly, in another Extreme, will think theſe too few; and will extend the predominant Love of the World further than I do or dare.
Some are ſo fierce, that every Body muſt needs be carnal, and corrupt, and of a worldly mind, who is not exactly of their mind, but of ſome Way, Perſuaſion or Opinion different from them. Theſe cry, Get thee behind me Satan: And why Satan? Why, becauſe thou ſavoureſt not our Things, our Doctrine, our Diſcipline, our Worſhip, our Way. Theycry to every one that does not pleaſe them, Thou Child of the Devil. And why, Child of the Devil, I pray? Not becauſe they pervert the right ways of the Lord; but becauſe they oppoſe their Ways, and weaken their Party. True indeed, Hereſie and Schiſm are works of the Fleſh, and ſymptoms of a worldly mind: But they are very cunning, cloſe Things, which are very hard to be diſcern'd, and of ſo lubricous a conſideration, that it is very difficult to hit of them right: So difficult, that even the inſpired Meſſengers of Heaven have been miſtaken for Emiſſaries of Hell, and the very Pillars of the Church caſt out of the Church for Hereſie. I believe Perverſneſs is a very Deviliſh Temper: But it is very unreaſonable, without any more ado, to judge every man perverſe, that does not (perhaps he cannot) in all things think as I do, or whom my Arguments cannot convince.
Some are ſo conceited of their own extraordinary Purity, that they look down with a diſdainful pity upon all the reſt of miſerable Mortality, as if they were all irrecoverably loſt, and themſelves, with Job's Meſſenger, left alone to tell it. A perſon of the Apoſtle John's Infallibility indeed may ſay, We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedneſs. But for a Company of Phariſees, impregnated with Selfconceit, to conclude that all the world were born in ſin, but themſelves, and that all the vulgar ſort of Mortals are ignorant and accurſed. This, I ſay, the Candor of Heaven it ſelf could not endure. Luke 16. 15. Ye are they that juſtifie your ſelves, &c. The Pſeudocathariſts in the Prophet, Iſa. 65. 5. cry to their Neighbors, Stand off, come not near me; for I am holier than thou; Sanctificabo te, I ſhall ſanctifie thee; that is, defile thee, as that word is often uſed: As if he ſhould ſay, If thou touch me who am ſo holy, thou ſhalt be defiled, and guilty before God, as thoſe common perſons were accounted, who touch'd the Altar, the blood of the Sacrifice, or any holy thing which they ought not to touch.
Some are ſo ſevere, as to determine flatly againſt the Salvation of all Rich men, becauſe Chriſt has declared it very difficult; and to think not any of them are called, becauſe the Apoſtle ſays, Not many. And the Grandees for wit and wealth are meet with them, crying, Theſe poor people are fooliſh, (Jer. 5. 4.) they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God; they know not the Law, and are curſed.
Others paſs hard Cenſures upon all Heathen Men, yea, and upon Chriſtian Unbaptized Infants too; whether true or falſe I know not, but I could wiſh they were falſe, and the Learning of ſome more charitable Divines has endeavor'd to prove them not true.
There are others beſides all theſe, who (though perhaps out of no bad Principle) are ready to judge many things to be Symptoms of a predominant Love of the World, which are not. It is true, the Love of the World is ſo dangerous and pernicious, that it ought to be the conſtant care of every awakened Soul to flie from it: and one would almoſt pardon the ſcrupuloſity and fear of thoſe that run away from it, though they ſhould be ſuppos'd to run too far. And the Love of God is ſo pure and divine a thing, ſo great a perfection, that the exerciſe of it admits of no Exceſs: if the whole Soul were turn'd into a pure flame of Love, it would not be a Sacrifice too coſtly or precious, to be offer'd up to that ever bleſſed Being, the Supreme Good; neither would there be any room for the envy of Hell it ſelf, to put in a quorſum perditio haec.
But though it admits of no Exceſs, yet I conceive it admits of Miſtakes; and though Men cannot outdo in it, yet they may do amiſs about it. As I conceive they do, (how pardonable ſoever their miſtake is) who condemn them for Lovers of the World, who do any works of Neceſſity, Charity, or common Civility upon the Lords day; who think oftner of the world, than they do of God; or who in their practice ſometimes prefer a worldly buſineſs that is important, before a Sermon or a Prayer.
Devotion it ſelf, how excellent a thing it is, may be irregular; and there needs judgment, as well as affections, to denominate a Man a right Chriſtian; without which, even the higheſt perfections of Love and Zeal do degenerate into ſomething worſe than the Notation of the words do import.
And although I do reckon that it is highly laudable and reaſonable to live in continual wearineſs of this world and life, and holy longings after the preſence of God, endeavouring to attain to the Reſurrection of the dead, yet I do not believe but there are many languiſhings, and fainting Fits that befal the moſt devout Lovers of the Father here in the Body. Neither dare … condemn every man for a predominant Lover of the World, who in ſome Paſſion, ſome Temptation or other, has almoſt loſt his ſight and taſte of God, and caſts a fond eye upon this Life and World as wretched as it is. It is beſt to wiſh with Paul, to be diſſolv'd. It is next beſt to groan with Paul, O wretched man that I am, &c. It is pious to keep up a predominant eſtimation of Heaven, and to make the main buſineſs of our Lives, a doing of God's Will, and a preparation for his Kingdom: But yet I dare not conclude it to be a Symptom of predominant worldly Love, when I hear David crying in ſome caſe, O ſpare me a little, &c. For when we urge the predominant Love of God as abſolutely neceſſary, we do not mean by predominant, that it ſhould be in the ſtricteſt ſenſe perfect The Love of the meaneſt Saint is predominant, and the Love of the devouteſt is imperfect.
There are many other miſtakes about the predominant Love of the World, which are occaſionally met with and corrected in the aforegoing Meditations.
Lord, Suffer not my inflamed heart to rest in the lowest evidences of a predominant Love to thee; no, nor to be at rest, till it arrive at the highest Demonſtrations, Expreſſions, and Exerciſe thereof! Though the conſideration of Sincerity and Predominancy may ſuſtain and comfort me, yet let nothing ſhort of Perfection content and ſatisfie me! Oh Almighty Love, wrap up my amorous Soul in thy Self! And Oh cast forth thy Cords of Love, and draw the eſtranged Souls of men unto thy Self! Pity the infinite numbers of prodigal Apoſtates, that have forſaken the Bread of their Fathers houſe, and, like Swine, feed upon emp…y Husks; thoſe many Noble Souls, all of them like ſo many Kings by their C…ation, that, …s it were with their Thumbs cut off, … gathering Cr…m for their ſuſtenance! Reſtore their maim…d Faculties, and lift up their Heads out of Priſon, change their Priſon Garments, and let them eat Bread before thee …! And Oh grant that all the Lovers of the Father may be judicious and regular in their own Devotions, and charitable towards the Devotions and Affections of their Brethren!
Amen, Amen.