The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 54 – Meditation 55
MEDITAT. LIV. Of Idleneſs.
AMongſt ſenſual or phantaſtical pleaſures, or a mixture of both, Idleneſs muſt be ranked.
The greateſt ſenſualiſts are uſually moſt idle; yea though they take more pains in purſuit of their pleaſure, than other men in their honeſt employments.
It is ſtrange that Pleaſure ſhould be painful, and Idleneſs operoſe: yet ſo it is.
Whoſoever is not ordinarily well employ'd in good buſineſs, is idle. Such is the generation of all thoſe that play away, ſleep away, chat away, viſit away their time, from day to day; or who fearing leſt time ſhould not paſs away faſt enough, make uſe of that ſovereign Receipt called Paſtime. This Idleneſs turns man into a Cypher, makes him inſignificant; and ſurely I do not know a greater reproach to man, than to be unprofitable. An idle perſon is convicted and ſhamed by the whole Creation, in which there is nothing inſignificant or uſeleſs. I am perſuaded, the Devil himſelf would account it a ſhame to be idle: he ſeems to glory in his activity, Job 2. though it be in miſchief. The Sun never riſes nor ſets, the Year never begins nor ends, but it is to the reproach of the idle perſon.
We have all great cauſe to lament the idleneſs and playfulneſs of our Childhood and Youth▪ and the many idle hours and days that we have ſpent, in which we have been no Factors for God, no one the b…er for us, nor we o…r ſelves been bette…ed.
Some ſay, They have no Trade, they have nothing to do.
And are they too old to learn? Can they no way aſſiſt their Neighbor by Head nor Hand? Can they not read good Books, write good Letters, or give good advice? Oh how is the want of Education to be lamented! Parents teach their Children nothing when they are young, and ſo they are good for nothing when they are old. Hin… ill…e ….
But have they indeed nothing to do, but to dreſs and feed themſelves? How do many of them live then? They live of their money. But what, they cannot eat money. No, but they live upon Uſury. And will that excuſe Idleneſs? Or rather, Is it not a monſtrous thing, that the Money, the ſilly inanimate Metal ſhould be active, and the man idle. Therefore, O Man, thy Money ſhall be thy Judge: The brightneſs of the Uſurer's Money ſhall be a Witneſs againſt his Idleneſs, as well as the Rust of the covetous Hoarders againſt them. If the Money-man would turn his money, or part of it, into ſome kind of ſtock or other, and trade therewith, buy and ſell, and maintain Commerce in the World, he might ſerve the publick good, and at leaſt have the comfort of being an example of righteouſneſs.
But ſtill it will be pleaded, We need no… work.
To which I anſwer; If the Command of God make a Neceſſity, all have Need. Men ſhould not be employ'd only to get wealth to themſelves, but as Members of the Publick, they ought to be doing ſome good. God never gave Men Eſtates to make them idle; neither do Rents or Riches exempt any man from buſineſs: It is a perverting of the end of Talents, to wrap them up in Napkins. No man need to complain for want of work, whil'ſt there are ſo many buſineſſes, beſides worldly buſineſs, to keep men from being idle.
O Eternal Spirit of Life and Power, inſpire me with a Divine activity, that I may account it nothing different from death to live unprofitably, nothing different from a judicial ſentence, to bind my ſelf hand and foot by my own …lothfulneſs!
MEDITAT. LV. Of Eaſefulneſs.
UNder the Head of Worldly Pleaſure, and as being much of Kin to Idleneſs, I muſt now meditate a while upon E…ſ…, Carnal Eaſ….
Idleneſs is oppoſed to Action, Eaſe to Suffering▪ Idleneſs is freedom from Buſineſ…, Eaſ… is freedom from Adverſity, or any thing that is grievous to the Senſes, as Sickneſs, Loſſes, Poverty, Reſtraint, Treſpaſſes and Injuries in word or deed, &c.
To prefer Freedom from any of theſe ſenſual Adverſities, before ſubmiſſion to the Will of God, a ſanctify'd uſe and improvement, the exerciſe of Patience, Charity, Fortitude, and Conſtancy under them, is ſenſual, and denominates a man a Lover of the world, of worldly Eaſe.
I do premiſe, (which every body (ſure) knows) that we are to value our ſelves by our Souls, not by our Bodies, or ſecular Concernments: And to prefer the Body before the Soul, is all one as to prefer the World before God. For that certainly is moſt to be loved and preferred, that makes moſt for the perfecting of the Soul in a Chriſt-like Nature. He that thinks himſelf too good ſo much as to be laught at, or ſpoken ill of, is a very ne…h Chriſtian. To be ſhie to venture upon any Affliction, to dare to venture nothing for … ſake, not to take up any Croſs, is a Character of a perſon far from a true Diſcipleſhip: For the true Diſciples are deſcribed, by their taking up their Croſs, and following their Lord.
The Captain of our Salvation valued Subjection to the Will of God, and Charity for the Souls of men, before Senſual Eaſe: when theſe came in competition, he accounted him a Devil, who cry'd, Maſter ſpare thy ſelf. It was indeed in his power to have ſpared himſelf; but he was an hardy Captain, and would not ſave himſelf, rather than betray us.
It is true, Nature deſires Eaſe from Adverſity; the Soul has a wonderful Sympathy with, and Kindneſs for the Body: But thoſe ſoft and delicate perſons that cannot endure that the fleſh, or any fleſhly intereſt ſhould ſmart, though it be the Will of the Sovereign Wiſe God, though this Plaiſter might work a Cure, though Affliction might bring forth the pleaſant fruits of Righteouſneſs, are ſtrangely immur'd in fleſh, and ſunk into Senſe.