The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 28 – Meditation 36
MEDITAT. XXVIII. Of not longing after a better Life.
…dly, IF any man be content to ſpend his Eternity in this world, in this imperfect ſtate, though it were ſuppoſed to be ſinleſs, he hath not arrived at that degree of Divine Love, as becomes every Chriſtian to aſpire unto.
If the prodigal Soul do truly repent, if he do ſee that there is a Dearth in the whole Creation, an inſufficiency in the world to entertain him, he will reſolve to return to his Fathers houſe: And he that could be content for ever to dwell in a ſtrange Land, and take up with the Husks that are there, declares himſelf a ſtranger to the Bread of his Fathers houſe.
It may be ſome one will doubt, and ask, Whether there be any man ſo fond of Life, as to wiſh to live Eternally in this Body?
To which I anſwer, That men plainly ſee and know that they cannot, they muſt not ſpend their Eternity here, and therefore will not confeſs they deſire any ſuch thing, accounting it a ſhame to be thought to be fond of a thing impoſſible.
But yet really many men wiſh it might be ſo, as having no View, Belief, or Hope of a better ſtate. The extremities of old Age indeed do force men to wiſh for death, who yet have no good mind to dye: but if any worldly man could live in health, peace, and youthful vigor, it is not to be doubted but that he would be well content to live here always. The Poets make themſelves ſport with one Tithonus, who wiſh'd for Immortality in this world; and it was granted him, That he ſhould never dye: But he had forgot to put in this, That he ſhould not grow old neither; ſo that when he was extremely grown with old Age, and good for juſt nothing, he would fain have dyed, but could not: But if God would add indefectibility of wealth, health and ſtrength, to Immortality, no doubt but that every worldly man would put up Tithonus's Prayer.
And indeed, wiſhing to live another day, and yet another, and then another, is a kind of wiſhing to live eternally here.
He is ſtrangely forgetful of himſelf, and his true intereſt, unkind to his own centre, who does not breathe after a ſtate of Perfection to come: And he that does ſo aright, will be growing up into it here. He that rightly deſires Heaven, would not willingly ſtay for all of it till the world to come. That which the Poet accounted vicious in the Sons of Men, is virtuous and laudable in the Sons of God, Filius ante diem, &c. even in this preſent Life, to lay hold upon Eternal Life.
What then, muſt men leap out of the Body? No, but live above the Body, grow up into a Godlike nature, into a reſemblance of Chriſt Jeſus, which is Heaven.
Whil'ſt we live in this Body we cannot be happy, by reaſon of our Senſes, Fancies, Appetites; we muſt needs therefore deſire a better Body, if we ſtudy our own Felicity: Yea, ſuppoſe the beſt, that we could live without ſin, yet all this while we are but of a low Form, we are capable of more excellent accompliſhments. It becomes a truly generous mind to aſpire after Perfection, after a complete reſt in its centre, after the fulleſt enjoyment of the Supreme Good.
And what meaneſt thou, O my Soul, to cling ſo cloſe to this foreign, this unſuitable Relation! It there any thing more to be enjoy'd here? Are there any more children in this barren womb of the world? And what meaneſt thou, O my lazy Soul, that thou flaggeſt in thy motions, art content with thy attainments, that thou art ever and anon baiting upon the creature, upon husks, and doſt not mind thy journey! What an Aſs was Iſſachar, who ſaw that the Land was pleaſant, and bowed down his ſhoulder to bear, and became Servant to Tribute! What a Fool art thou to fancy any rest here, and couch down ſo tamely under thy burden! They knew not what they ſaid, who …'d, It is good for us to be here. Conſider what that Here was, and that they had more temptation to be there, in that Mount, than thou hast to be in this vail of tears. Sure thou know'st not what thou dost, who ſitteſt down contented to be here.
MEDITAT. XXIX. Of deſiring to be diſſolved.
BUT is it poſſible that any man ſhould deſire to dye?
Abſolutely to deſire Diſſolution, Philoſophers will not allow; but all Divinity will allow a deſire of Perfection, to be with Chriſt, and fully to enjoy the Supreme Good: Now this (I think) ſuppoſes a quitting of this Life, and a putting off this Body.
This Thirſt after Happineſs, is often made a character of the Lovers of God, and of his Son Jeſus. Chriſt deſir'd, that where he was, his followers might be alſo; and why ſhould not his Followers be ſo kind to themſelves?
If we view thoſe Texts ſeriouſly, which deſcribe the Lovers of God, we ſhall find this ever and anon to be their character, That they love the appearance of Christ Jeſus; and that they wait for the mercy of Jeſus Christ unto Eternal Life.
But is it not a ſin, to be diſcontent at our ſtay in this world?
To be diſcontent at the Will of God, muſt needs be evil; for true happineſs conſiſts in conformity of will to the Will of God: But to long after reſt, and that in God, cannot be interpreted to be an intemperate Act.
It is an Act of Faith and Patience to be content to live. To deſire death out of wearineſs of afflictions, and the Diſcipline of God, is weak and cowardly: But to be weary of our diſtance, abſence, imperfect ſtate, and to long after Perfection, and daily to grow up into it, is ſafe, good, proper, generous, and commendable.
O God, looſen my heart; break the League, I pray, if I may not pray that thou wouldst break the Bonds! If I may not leap out of the body, make me very deſirous to go out when the way is open. If my captive Soul may not break Priſon, and free it ſelf, yet make it willing to go out, when the great Redeemer ſhall open the Priſon doors, and ſay to the Captive, Go forth. Is it not enough, O my Soul, to have the Priſon doors ſet ope; but wilt thou ſay alſo, Nay, but let them come themſelves and fetch me out? What entertainment findeſt thou in husks, that thou art ſo unmindful of the Bread of Life? What an unſeemly thing is it to be haled home; to hide thy ſelf (with Saul) amongst the ſtuff, when thou art ſought for to be crowned.
Lord! That I could wait for thee, more than they that wait for the morning; more than the ſervant deſireth the ſhadow, or the hireling looketh for the reward of his work! Oh that I might never think my ſelf well, but when I am ſick, ſick of love!
MEDITAT. XXX. Of the Profits of the World.
NOW I will conſider the World in a Theological ſenſe, and thus it denotes any thing that has oppoſition to God. And ſo we read of the Spirit of the World, the Wiſdom of the World, the Men of the World, the Faſhions of the World, the Sorrow of the World, &c. The World in general is, whatſoever is not God; and ſo even Self may be called the World.
Whoſoever loveth any thing, or cleaves to it more than to God, or habitually prefers it before him, is a lover of the world.
But I will view more particularly, what the Scripture comprehends under the Notion of the World, in a Theological Senſe.
And here I ſhall begin with the profits of the world, the riches and treaſures of it; which have almoſt engroſt the name of the world, as being a principal part of it, to which the generality of men are addicted.
This I take eſpecially to be meant by Mammon, which one cannot ſerve in conſiſtency with God. Whoſoever prefers the profits and riches of the world before God, the ſame is a lover of the World.
To ſpeak my judgment freely, I think there are many things more valuable than ſilver and gold. Learning and Valour are better; all the ornaments and accompliſhments of the Mind are better than they; friends are better; health and peace are better.
It is a wonder to me, that men ſhould loſe their peace, forfeit their friends, expoſe their health for theſe things. Although (I confeſs) it is not Idolatry, becauſe theſe things are not God; yet it is abſurd, unſeemly, and diſingenious, to prefer riches before theſe things, becauſe theſe are really better.
To ſay I had rather be a Prince than a Philoſopher, argues a low mind.
But to value theſe riches more than God, more than truth, goodneſs, and purity, makes an idolatrous lover of the World. To ſeek theſe more then the Kingdom of God, to hunger after them more than after righteouſneſs, to confide in them more than in the Promiſe and Providence of God, doth denominate the accurſed perſon here ſpoken of.
MEDITAT. XXXI. Of Stealing.
UNder this head, of the love of the profits of the world, come to be condemned, Injuſtice, Worldly confidence, Covetouſneſs, Carefulneſs, Diſcontentedneſs, and Ʋncharitableneſs, and the ſeveral Branches of theſe.
I begin with Injuſtice. They are all unjuſt, who either uſe undue means, or a due means in an undue manner, to get worldly advantage, and therein are lovers of the World, more than of God.
The firſt ſort of Injuſtice is in the uſe of undue means. And ſo Stealing, Defrauding, Lying, Oppreſſing, Bribery, are a preferring the world before Righteouſneſſe, Truth, and Mercy; and Conſequently denominate a lover of the World more than of God.
According to this Method, I muſt begin with Stealing. God is righteous; the righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs, whoſover therefore loves not it, loves not him: whoſoever Steals prefers the World before it, and conſequently does not love it.
Sealing is a violation of property. Let property be what it will in its own nature, be it not a ſacred thing, be it a neceſſary evil, or be it a good not ſimply neceſſary; yet it is now neceſſary, as things go with mankind. It cannot well be deny'd, Theft ſuppoſes property, and property ſuppoſes Apoſtaſie: If Man had continued in his Primative Eſtate, it is likely the Earth had been as free to his innocent Off-ſpring as the Air is at this day. At firſt, there was no encloſure but of one poor Tree; neither ſhall there be any in the World to come, though we ſhould grant the Doctrine of the Saints Reigning upon the Earth.
In utmoſt extremity, to violate property for the preſervation of life, is no theft, or at leaſt that theft is no ſin; yea it becomes a duty: For no man can be neceſſarily placed between two evils: The one of them will be a duty.
Since the fall of Man, Property is neceſſary to avoid confuſion, which the luſts of men would introduce: yet perhaps it is not ſo determinate and ſevere as ſome men imagine. The poor have an intereſt in the Eſtates of the rich, they have a part; which yet theſe ought to give, not the other to take: If they do not give it, they are the thieves. For detaining a right is thievery, as well as taking any thing away wrongfully. I cannot deny but that every thief is covetous, but I do alſo affirm, that every covetous man is a thief.
If we could ſuppoſe the ſons of Men free from all ſelf-interest, and worldly love, there would be no need of property; neither would there be any poor: for there is enough in the World to ſerve all men that live in it, if they would be content with a due way of living. But God having (it may be for the hardneſs of mens hearts) eſtabliſht a Property, and National Laws having determin'd it, To ſteal is to prefer the World before Righteouſneſs and Order; whether poor men ſteal bread, or great men ſteal Kingdoms.
Lord grant, that I may never reckon my ſelf to have any more, but the uſe of things, leſt I rob thee (for in true ſpeaking, thine is the Property) nor ever deny ſo much of theſe things as I can ſpare, to them that ſtand in need of them, leſt I rob the poor; from whom to withhold, is as thieviſh as to take away!
MEDITAT. XXXII. Of Defrauding.
DEfrauding is a deceiving, either by words or actions; and both theſe are either good or bad.
There is a pious fraud; whether that which the Papiſts talk ſo much of, be it or no, I ſuſpect whether that of Jehu were ſuch, I know not. There is enough in both of them to make them frauds; but whether there be enough in either to make them pious, I cannot tell.
But St. Paul being wiſe, caught the Corinthians with guil, 2 Cor. 12. 16. This was doubtleſs pious fraud: This always deſigns the Glory of God, and the good of the perſon deceived, and does not uſe ill means to accompliſh the end; which indeed a man cannot do, and deſign the glory of God: for the glorifying of God, is our conformity to his Will and Laws.
I have always doubted whether Jacobs deceiving of his brother Eſau, in the matter of the Bleſſing, were pious or no; however ſince the Scripture paſſes it over in ſilence, ſo will I.
Bad frauds alſo are either in words or actions. And ſo they are committed in repreſenting things otherwiſe than they are, whereby our ſelves are advantaged and another is damnify'd; in extravagant commendations, undue diſparagements, in falſe reckonings, falſe weights and meaſures. Yea, if the buyer for ſelf-advantage, undervalue a commodity, crying it is naught, it is naught, as far as in him lyes, he defrauds the ſeller; as well as the ſeller out of covetouſneſs, magnifying a thing that he knows to be naught, either cheats, or proclaims that he would cheat the buyer, if he could.
The Gibeonites Fraud brought a perpetual Bondage upon them, though (ſaving what direct lies there might be in it) I cannot ſee much of an impious Fraud in them; no more than (I doubt) the greateſt part of Nominal Chriſtians would adventure upon, if they were in the ſame circumſtances, and were ſure of the ſame ſucceſs. And it is plain that Men in War, uſe Stratagems to deceive their Enemies, and are blameleſs; yea, I remember ſome inſtances of this in Scripture, approved by the Lord of Hoſts: although for my own part, without a Revelation, I would judge Simplicity and Godly Sincerity to be the beſt Policy.
The impious defrauding, is in ſome ſenſe worſe than ſtealing; at leaſt in this, that it offers a greater abuſe to my Brother. If I ſteal from my Neighbor, I offend againſt his Will; but if I cheat or deceive him, I abuſe his Underſtanding: wherefore moſt Men had rather a Hen were ſtolen from them, than be cheated of an Egg; and it commonly grates more upon Men to be accounted Fools, than Knaves.
And certainly the impoſing upon a Man's underſtanding, and that to his hurt, and my own gain, is very diſingenuous. If he that calls his Brother Fool, be in ſo much danger; what of him, that makes him ſo? Every Man that defrauds, impoſes upon his Brother's underſtanding, and makes his Brother a Fool. If Moſes had indeed put out the eyes of the Twelve Tribes, as ſome of them falſly inſinuated, and had made himſelf altogether a Prince over them, he had better juſtified their murmurings againſt him, than any of thoſe things did, that I read they objected againſt him.
MEDITAT. XXXIII. Of Lying for worldly Advantage.
ALthough it ſhould not prove ſucceſsful, and that thereby Men do happen not to deceive; yet to Lye, with a reſpect to worldly gain, is a Predominant Love of the World; for it is a preferring of the profits of the World before Truth, and God is Truth.
They that maintain any known erroneous Opinion or Practice, onelyonly to maintain a Party, a Name, an Intereſt in the World, are Lyars, and Lovers of the World. Truth ought to be dearer to us than our Lives, much more than Liberty, Eſtimation, or Intereſt. And oh would to God, that ſome of the greateſt Pretenders to Religion, of one way or of another, would thoroughly examine themſelves here! I am very jealous, that many palpable Errors are defended, and many plain Truths are diſſembled and balk'd, or at leaſt many doubtful Things impos'd for Truth, meerly in favor of worldly Intereſt, and that by many that carry their heads very high, and to very pernicious conſequences.
It is confeſt indeed, that all Truth is not ſo weighty, as to be profeſt, to the loſs of Life; but all Truth is ſo precious, (ſo much as St. Paul's Cloak, and Parchments that he left at Troas) as not to be denied, no not for the preſervation of Life.
MEDITAT. XXXIV. Of Oppreſſion.
THere are two things eſpecially that hurt the wiſe, and ſpoil their wiſdom, Oppreſſion and Bribes put together, Eccleſ. 7. 7. Oppreſſion makes men mad, impatient, fretful, and ſo to depart from their wiſdom: Gifts blind their eyes, and make them fooliſh in acting; theſe muſt needs therefore be great Evils. It is ſtrange, that giving ſhould do men as much miſchief as taking away; and yet ſo it is, both alike ſpoil mens wiſdom.
The very threating of Oppreſſion made ten Tribes in twelve ſo mad, that they turn'd Rebels, and made a defection from Rehoboam.
This Oppreſſion is properly found in the Rich, ſuch as Kings and Law-givers. The Law is ſo far from excuſing Oppreſſion, that the greateſt Oppreſſion in the world is done by Law. The greateſt Oppreſſion that ever was committed in the ſight of the Sun, (nay indeed the Sun hid his face, as being aſham'd to ſee it) was juſtify'd by a Law; We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to dye, John 19. 7. And we do elſewhere read of great Oppreſſors, that fram'd miſchief by a Law, Pſal. 94 20. Landlords oppreſs in Rents, Maſters in Work; yea, any man may oppreſs, that has but ſo much as an Horſe to ride on, in preferring worldly Advantage before Righteouſneſs and Mercy.
A Man may be an Oppreſſor, in an undue, ſevere, cruel Exaction of that which is his own. The Servant in the Goſpel that caſt his Fellow-ſervant into Priſon, who was willing to pay, but at preſent could not, (Mat. 18. 29.) was a notorious Oppreſſor. And indeed, the moſt monſtrous Oppreſſion of all, is, when the Poor oppreſſeth the Poor; they who feel the burden themſelves, and conſequently ſhould pity others; they who are not able to make reſtitution, as the Rich can.
It is one of Solomon's Aphoriſms, He that oppreſſeth the Poor, reproacheth his Maker; that is, either God who made him after his own Image, or God who made him poor; for even Poverty it ſelf may be called the Gift of God, foreign. As if he ſhould ſay, Shall he be reproached or wronged, whom the Maſter of the Family has employ'd in the meaneſt Offices of the Family? It is not the Servants Fault that he is ſo mean; if any man reproaches, he reproaches not ſo much him, as his Maſter. The Foot cannot help it, that it is not the Head. Moſt Men are poor of God's making; but if any make themſelves poor, it is not for any Man to oppreſs them, nor for every Man to reproach them neither: For Reproach is a ſort of puniſhment, which every Man may not inflict.
There are ſeveral ſorts of Oppreſſion; in Goods, in Money, (as they that detain the hire of the Labourer) in racking of Rents, in ſelling (making Men pay the more for their Neceſſity) in Rights, in Liberty, &c. ſome of which I ſhall have occaſion to meditate of hereafter, and therefore will diſmiſs them at preſent.
MEDITAT. XXXV. Of Bribery.
THey that take Gifts to pervert Juſtice, or favor any Cauſe in Judgment, are Lovers of the World: for they prefer it before Truth and Righteouſneſs. I do not think that every Preſent is a Bribe; but I think, it is ſafeſt for a Miniſter of Juſtice, not to take Gifts at all, leſt he ſhould be corrupted.
There is certainly a wonderful power in Gifts, to blind the eyes, even of the wiſe, Exod. 23. 8. Every man (ſaith the wiſe man) is a Friend to him that giveth Gifts: which argues the great intereſt that w…rrldly profit hath in the heart of man; and conſequently, how hard and noble a thing it is to be purged of worldly Love.
Giving is indeed Noble; Beatius est dare, quam accipere; Giving to the Poor is a God-like Act; but either to give or receive Gifts for the perverting of Juſtice, is abominable.
Bribery, in this reſpect, is generally a greater ſin than ſtealing; in that ſtealing is moſtly committed by men that have need, and Bribery, commonly, by them that have none: The leſſer the Temptation, the greater the ſin.
Bribery may be committed in many things beſides money; the Bottle and the Bag do ſpeak as corrupt Language, as the Purſe.
And there are many kinds of indirect Bribery per alium, as bad as that which is direct and per ſe.
There is a kind of Bribery in Eccleſiaſticks, that hunt after popular acceptance; and Chaplains that preach pleaſing things, or ſtifle Doctrines that they know will be unpleaſing (however edifying) to gain Preferment: which, if the Law would allow the Expoſition, might, perhaps, more properly, be called Simony, than Bribery.
Yea, there is a ſtrange kind of blaſphemous Bribery that men uſe towards God. I doubt the greateſt part of worſhip in the world is intentional Bribery. Some go about to bribe God with their Prayers and Faſtings, and Forms of Devotion, ſome with their Alms and Acts of Charity; as they of old did with their Oblations and Sacrifices, of whom the Satyriſt ſpeaks wittily:
Illorum lachrymae mentitaque munera praeſtant
Ut veniam culpis non abnuat, anſere magno
Scilicet & tenui Papano corruptus Oſiris.
Nay, it is to be feared, that however precious a Doctrine Faith is, there are many, that under the Notion of believing, do indeed go about to bribe the Juſtice of God with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; as indeed all thoſe do, who lay great ſtreſs upon the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and themſelves take no care to be Righteous: Although our Apoſtle hath ſo plainly told us, That he that worketh righteouſneſs is righteous.
There is alſo a great deal of Political Bribery in the world; when Councellors, Senators, or other Truſtees, betray that Sacred thing their Trust, for money, or moneys worth. Perhaps ſome of this will fall in, when I come to conſider Man in his Political Capacity; if it ſhould not, I know it is eaſie for any man to enlarge upon it in his own Meditations.
MEDITAT. XXXVI. Of th…ſe that offend in the undue degree of ſeeking Riches.
UNder the Notion of Unjust, are comprehended not only thoſe that uſe undue means, but alſo they that uſe due means in an undue manner, to get worldly Riches; and theſe are equally Lovers of the world.
Theſe are of two ſorts; either ſuch as offend in the degree, or ſuch as offend in the ſeaſon of ſeeking the world.
They offend in the degree, who although they follow Merchandize or Trades in themſelves lawful, yet purſue them ſo ardently, ſo eagerly, with ſo much intenſeneſs of mind, (which is an exceſs of diligence, as idleneſs is a defect of it) that they plainly appear to make the world their foreign, and other things their foreign the world their God, and the things of God a by-buſineſs. They invert our Savours divine counſel, and ſeek firſt the world, (which is the alia ſpoken of in Mat. 11. or rather aliena to the Soul) but as for the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, they are very indifferent. They work out their livelihoods with more fear and trembling, than their ſalvation; give all diligence to make their callings and the effects of them ſure, but little or none to make their calling and election ſure. They pull and hale the World as with Cartropes; they riſe up early, ſit up late, eat their bread in carefulneſs, waſte their ſtrength, ſpend their age in toil and ſorrow, perhaps ſhorten their days with immoderate labour, and will be found at laſt to be felo de ſe. For a man may be a Murderer as well by employing his hands too violently for himſelf, as by laying violent hands upon himſelf. They are reſolv'd to ſecure their worldly intereſt; but they will truſt God with their ſouls, as if they hoped thoſe would fare well enough in courſe. To truſt God with our ſouls is good, but to pretend to do it, and in the mean time to neglect them our ſelves, is a prophane kind of Faith; Men do not thus truſt him with their Bodies, or Eſtates. The Faith that rightly truſts, does alſo love, and work, and work by Love.