The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 56 – Meditation 64
MEDITAT. LVI. Of Fear of Sickneſs.
UNder this Head of Eaſefulneſs, I may ſeaſonably meditate of Fear of Sickneſs.
And here I cannot deny, but that Sickneſs is troubleſome to the Senſes, yea, I think I may confeſs, that the Soul cannot but ſympathize with the Body: for there is a ſtrange and unaccountable dearneſs which ſprings from their conjunction.
But yet the Soul hath an health belonging to it diſtinct from the Body, called in Scripture, The ſpirit of a ſound mind. The Souls Eaſe and Eucraſie lies in Subjection to the Will of God; ſhe ought to value her own Eaſe more than that of the Body, to prefer Patience before Health or Recovery.
We know that Patience is Divine, and that Health is but a worldly good; and alſo that that may be wholſom to the Soul, which is grievous to the Senſes.
So that to be afraid of, and to ſtand in awe of Sickneſs, is a preferring of carnal Eaſe before ſpiritual, and before the Will of God: and to be more ſolicitous for recovery, than for a ſanctification and improvement, is ſenſual.
Much more then, to flie to undue means for prevention, is a manifeſt preferring of the worldly fleſhly intereſt, before God and his Holy Authority.
It is poſſible, it is ſeemly, to be ſo maſter'd with the ſenſe of the Purity and Perfection of the Divine Will, as to be well pleaſed wi…h Diſeaſes, to overlook pain, to embrace a Dung…il, to hug the Worms that fill our Sores, as if they were our Siſter and Mother.
Art thou ſo delicate a thing, O my body, that thou muſt not be touch'd? Are you my Senſes ſo ſacred, that you muſt not be grated upon, nor your intereſt violated? Oh take heed of the young man A…ſal…m, though he be a Trayt…r▪ a Rebel, an inceſtuous Fratri…de, yet he … proper Gentleman, a goodly young Prince, deal tenderly with him; yes by all means. My Soul, thou ha… ſmarted, and doſt ſmart daily for the treacher …ſneſs and flattering inſinuations of the bodily Senſes; yea they affect the dominion of the Soul, and … …throne Reaſon. And muſt they be thus humor'd and cocker'd? Ay, do, breed up a Bird to pick out thy own eyes.
Lord, Is it true that no Sickneſs is joyous! But though Sickneſ be not joyous, yet ſure there may be joy in and under Sickneſ…, is well as in the ſpoil of Goods, or in Reproaches. And I do remember thoſe that took joyfully the ſpoiling of their Goods, and thoſe that rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for the Name of Jeſus. Let me be lame all my days, and a Criple, ſo I may be the King's ſon, and eat at the King's Table continually▪ Let me keep my Bed all my days, ſo thou, Lord, wilt but pleaſe to make it, and thy Holy Spirit will vouchſafe to rest with me. Let the pleaſure of Submiſſion, Self-Examination and Reſignation, out-weigh the pain of the Gout or Stone, or Strangnry?
If the Devil meant it of all men indifferently without exception, good as well as bad, Job as well as other men, when he ſaid, All that a man hath will he give for his life; he is a Lyar, and a Slanderer, and Divines do ill to juſtifie the Father of Lyes in this matter, and to ſay, as ſome do, That he was in the right. All that a man hath? What, I warrant, he will give his Soul to the Devil for recovery from Sickneſs, will he? He will part with his integrity, make ſhipwrack of a good Conſcience, he will curſe God? Thou lyeſt Sathan. Job himſelf prov'd thee a Lyar, who held faſt his integrity, although thou movedſt God againſt him to deſtroy him. And many of the Servants of God do confute thee, who have refuſed to accept of recovery from Sickneſs upon ſinful terms, or by ſinful means; and inſtead of giving all that they have, Soul and all, for Life, would not part with the peace of their minds, nor the purity of their Conſciences, to purchaſe health.
MEDITAT. LVII. Of Fear of the Leſs of Friends.
ANother thing grievous to the Senſual Life, is the death of Friends, and beloved Relations. This, I foreſee, will fall under a following Meditation, therefore I will but lightly touch upon it here, although a fair opportunity be given for it.
It is the part of a delicate ſenſual Soul, a Lover of the World, to fear the removal of his deareſt Friend, to prefer their Lives and Companies before the Will of God, and its being done.
I do willingly grant that Friends and Relations are to be loved and delighted in: yea, I think of all ſenſual Pleaſures, this is the moſt innocent, and the leaſt beaſtly, (though ſome Beaſts are very fond of their Relations, and others are great lovers of Society;) and good men have been more apt to fall into Fits of this Senſuality, than any other that I can think of. Any one that reads the Story of Jacob and Joſeph, and Benjamin; of David and Abſalom, and Adonijah, will be apt to think ſo. Nay, indeed it were a part of groſs Beaſtlineſs, not to leave off ſorrowing for the Aſſes, and cry, What ſhall … do for my Son: Alas! leſt the proper young man Saul ſhould be loſt.
Yet as Relations are to be loved onelyonly in God, ſo they are readily to be quitted and forſaken for him, or at his command. His Will ought to be dearer to us, than their company.
Many are ſo fond of their Children, that they cannot abide to look off them: They contemplate them by day, dream of them by night. This love, as great as it ſeems to be, is not perfect: for it hath fear in it, and this fear hath torment.
I will not here ſay how evil this Love is, but I am ſure theſe People are ill prepared, to forſake Children for Chriſt's ſake.
Abraham was not ſo fond of his onelyonly Iſaac; No, he ſhall die, if he were a thouſand Iſaacs, if God call for him. Nay, he ſhall die by his hands, rather than he will gain-ſay the Will of God.
Every good Chriſtian is of the ſame temper, of the ſame predominant diſpoſition, to be willing to give up Iſaac. And no doubt, but that if we had the ſame command, the ſame thing would be our indiſpenſible Duty. But (alas!) Q…otuſquiſque est Abrahamus, How few Abrahams does this Age afford▪
If we ſit looſe from Husbands, Wives, Children, … we be in a chearful diſpoſition of reſigning them at all times, it is an act of Faith as acceptable as Abrahams. A Man may offer up his Son, though he do not bind him upon the Altar, as there are many Martyrs that were never brought to the Stake. The 3 young men in Daniel were as properly Martyrs, in venturing upon the fiery Furnace, as if they had been burnt.
To mortifie this worldly Fear, let us believe and conſider, That whatever is lovely in Children will ſtill live, and may be as well enjoy'd in God, as if they were alive.
Beſides, it is worth the while to ask, Who knows how thoſe Children will prove? If we had a Prophet here, perhaps he would anſwer us as he did Eli, 1 Sam. 2. 33. The Child of thine that ſhall not be cut off, ſhall be … …onſ…me thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart. But I ſhall wave the further proſecution of this, and adjourn it, till I come to conſider of the worldly love of perſons.
MEDITAT. LVIII. Of the Fear of Poverty, and Loſs of Goods.
POverty is formidable to Men, not ſo much (I ſuppoſe) becauſe it is deadly, (few fearing to be ſo poor as to ſtarve) as becauſe of the diſgrace that attends it.
Nil habet infoelix paupertas durius in ſe
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit.
But this is a Croſs that we muſt be ready to take up, if we will approve our ſelves to be Lovers of God, Diſciples of Chriſt.
Moſes took it up, and his Countreymen the believing Hebrews took it up: Of later Times the Noble Marqueſs Caracciola took it up. It is a Tribulation, which all that will enter into the Kingdom of God, muſt be content to paſs thorough if it lie in their way. To uſe ſinful ſhifts, or comply with ſinful terms, to avoid Poverty, denominates a Lover of the World. Lord, what lying, flattering, deceiving, and diſingenuous ſtifling of Conſcience is uſed, to prevent Poverty! And is there any thing in it ſo formidable? May not a man be all that which is good and happy, and yet poor? May he not be wiſe and poor, virtuous and poor, poor and bleſſed? Bleſſed are the poor, &c. Nay, are there not many Immunities in Poverty, a …eedom from many temptations, temptations to Pride, Luxury and Oppreſſion, which do attend a rich condition? Are there not in it many advantages to Virtue, to Humility Contempt of the World, dependance upon God … thir…ing after Eternal Life? But when I … …verty hinders nothing that Riches can help us in; a poor man may be as learned, valiant, virtuous, wiſe, yea, and as charitable too as the rich. It will be reply'd, Oh but he cannot be ſo well eſteemed of: The poor is neglected and hated of his Brethren; the poor mans wiſdom is not regarded. I anſwer, No matter for that; if it deliver the City, regarded or not regarded. For what is the regard and valuation of men! This very reſpect to Eſtimation, Acceptance and Honour, is one of the worldly Luſts to be mortify'd, ſo far is it from being able to juſtifie the worldly fear of Poverty.
Bleſſed Jeſus, who willingly becam'st poor, to make me and many rich; thou hast taken the ſting out of Poverty, …ay, thou hast ſanctify'd, thou hast enrich'd it: Thou left'ſt all to come ſeek me, make me willing to leave all to follow thee; make me able to follow thee, even in leaving all for thee▪
MEDITAT. LIX. Of Fear of Perſecution.
TO be ſhie and delicate in venturing upon Perſecution, Reſtraint, Wrongs, for Truth and the Goſpels ſake; and to prefer deliverance from theſe, before the Will of God, before a ſanctify'd uſe of them, and exerciſe of grace under them, denominates a Lover of the World.
Whoſoever repreſents Perſecution (taking in the loſs of Eſtate, Goods, good Name, favor of the World, Liberty of Life) to himſelf ſo formidable, as that for fear of it, he will deliberately forſake God, deny his Truth, profeſs Error or Falſhood, go contrary to, and continue in a contradiction to the known Word of God, and the Sentiments of his Conſcience, is a Lover of the World.
Perſecution is a Croſs that every faithful Diſciple of Chriſt muſt be ready to take up, when ever his Maſter calls him to it. Holy Paul was ready to take it up, in the whole weight of it, Not only to be bound at Jeruſalem, but to dye for the Name of the Lord Jeſus. The believing Hebrews took it up: They might have eſcap'd Perſecution, by denying Chriſt; but they were not ſo neſh, although they were but young Chriſtians: They would not accept of deliverance, Heb. 11. 35.
And the ſame is the predominant temper of all the genuine Diſciples of Chriſt, Whoſoever will not forſake Houſe and Lands for my ſake, is not worthy of me.
Who would value ſuch a Friend that will not ſo much as put his Noſe into a Storm to help his Friend? How will he then leap in up to the Chin for him? Such profeſſors Chriſt may well upbraid in the words of Abſal…m to Huſhai, Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend; why went eſt thou not with thy friend?
It is very obſervable how faithful worldly men are to their worldly deſigns and Dalilahs. What pains does the mammoniſt voluntarily take; what diſeaſes and dangers does the ſenſualiſt run upon; what perſecutions does the ambitious expoſe himſelf to? Theſe all take up their croſs and follow their Dalilah.
At what a chargeable and coſtly rate do giddy opinioniſts maintain error and humor, at the price of confiſcation and impriſonment and baniſhment. And will not the ſervants of Wrath be at as much charges for her? Are the children of this World not only wiſer, but kinder than the children of Light. Surely, if we were the children of wiſdom, we ſhould juſtify her, ſtand for her to the laſt drop of ſweat, yea and of blood too.
I know no reaſon indeed nor revelation for the courting of perſecution. But inaſmuch as it muſt be the lot of all that will be godly, in one kind or degree or other, it is good to get our minds poſſeſt with it, prepar'd for it, reconcil'd to it; that when it comes, we may not flye from the Serpent, but take him by the tail, and he will turn into a rod in our hand.
If there be any excellency in Righteouſneſs, any thing deſirable in Bleſſedneſs, then ſure there is ſome good, at leaſt eventually, in perſecution; for they are near akin, Bleſſed are they that are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake, Mat. 5. 10.
MEDITAT. LX. Of Honour in general and of Pride.
THe third of the things of the world, are its Honours. A predominant lover of Worldly Honor, denominates a man a lover of the World, and conſequently void of the love of God.
See how our Saviour oppoſes Faith and Ambition, making them inconſiſtent, …o. 5. 44. How can ye believe, that receive honour one of another?
There is an Honor which is not Worldly, a Praiſe that is of God, and not of man. This renders men, yea the meaneſt and obſcureſt of men, honourable, the excellent of the earth. And to be ambitious of it, is an agument of a truly heroick, and exalted mind; I mean to deſire to be a Son or a Daughter of God.
An immoderate affectation of Worldly Honour, is Pride: And to prefer it before innocence, to ſeek it, glory in it, maintain it, rather than truth and a good conſcience, makes a lover of the World.
To have a right ſenſe of ones own worth in any kind, is not Pride, but Juſtice. It is no man perfection to be deceived, nor his duty to think wo… of himſelf than he is: for then he muſt needs think falſly; which is the infirmity af the underſtanding; whoſe perfection it is to apprehend things as they are.
But there is leſs fear of this, leſs danger in it, than there is of an overweening.
To expect a juſt eſtimation is but juſt, and modeſt enough, nay ſometimes laudable: for it may be very ſerviceable and may make a man ſeviceable. So that every man may well be allow'd to be tender of his reputation.
But yet patiently to bear diſgrace, and not to ſtomach a diſappointment, is generous, and to go through bad report is Chriſt-like.
To require, and exact a reverent behaviour from inferiours is juſt; though oftentimes they that ſtand moſt ſeverely upon it, miſs of it moſt: reſpect being ſuch a kind of thing, as often flyes from him that follows it, and follows him that flyes from it.
There are many objects of Pride, ſuch as Birth, Wit and Learning, and Standing, Strength and Power and Victory, Riches, Intereſt, a Party and the Propagation of it, Children, Beauty, Priviledges, Apparel, yea even Vertuous Actions: To glory in any of theſe unduly, is Pride, and denominates a lover of the World.
MEDITAT. LXI. Of the Honour of God and the way of ſeeking it.
GOds glorifying himſelf is not ſuch a thing, as vain mans ſeeking to make himſelf great by carnal means. It is in ſhort, The raying forth of his own Perfections, the diſplaying of Himſelf, the communications of his own Goodneſs.
Mens glorifying of God is not a fancying or ſpeaking much of the glory of God: But it ſuſtains a double notion.
The leſs proper notion, is the exalting of the Name and Honour of God, aſcribing all good to him, owning him as the Fountain of all. So we glorifie him in the reverend thoughts that we have of him, in making honourable mention of him, dedicating things to his uſe and ſervice. In this Senſe, Atheiſticalneſs, and Unbelief are diſhonours to God; as alſo all taking his Name in vain, ſwearing, ſpending all upon our luſts, &c.
The more proper notion is, The diſplaying of his Perfections, imitating his Goodneſs, Juſtice, Patience, Mercy, Charity; acting ſuitably to what his Unimitable Perfections do require; as ſubmitting to his Soveraignty, depending upon his Omnipotence, behaving our ſelves ſincerely in the ſenſe of his Omniſcience; obſerving ſuch Rules and Meaſures in all our Actions as make them agreable to his holy Will. In a word, our Saviour who beſt knew … …ho was ſo entirely devoted to it, who came into the World on this very errand, has more clearly and compendiouſly told us what it is (Jo. 15. 8.) Herein is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much Fruit.
MEDITAT. LXII. Of Self-honouring.
MAn was not made for himſelf: However common a thing it is, it is low and baſe for Man to make himſelf his own end.
There is nothing more abſurd or unreaſonable than Pride; nothing more excellent or honourable than Humility; It is truly ſaid, Quo minus ſibi arrogat homo, eo evadit clarior et nobilior: Man does moſt honour himſelf by debaſing himſelf; and ſo on the contrary. And as there is nothing more abſurd, ſo there is nothing more dangerous: It were Ten thouſand times ſafer to ſtand in the fore-front of the hotteſt battail, than that God ſhould ſet him in battail aray againſt us, and yet that is the import of that phraſe, He … the proud.
There is Pride in unbelief, and refuſing the terms of the Goſpel: The wicked through the pride of his heart, ſeeketh not after God. Yea indeeed Pride ſeems to be the cauſe of all diſobedience, If ye will not hear, ſays the Prophet, My ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret places for your Pride.
To ſeek the advancement of our Names, our own Credit and Eſtimation, more than the Name of God, is worldly. Come ſee my zeal for the Lord, ſaid Captain Jehu: There lies more Emphaſis upon the word My, than upon the Lord. How this ſhould be pardonable in men, I know not, when it is no leſs than Treaſon in the Ambaſſador of a King.
Hezekiah fell into a Fit of this, when he made oſtentation of his Treaſures; and David, when he numbred the People; at both whom, God was diſpleaſed: But the one humbled himſelf, for the pride of his heart; the other repented, and call'd himſelf a many Fools, yet neither eſcap'd puniſhment.
The Church did not ſo, Not unto us Lord, Not unto us, &c. Chriſt Jeſus, the Head of the Church, did not ſo, he ſought not his own honour, but his Fathers. The Church Triumphant do not do ſo, they caſt down their Crowns before the Throne. Do not thou ſo, O my Soul; for what hast thou that thou hast not received?
MEDITAT. LXIII. Concerning the ſeeking of the Approbation of Men, more than of God.
TO prefer the applauſe of men before the acceptance of God, is to prefer a great Name before a good Conſcience; and conſequently the World before God; the good word of the World, before the good will of our heavenly Father.
It is impoſſible to act ſincerely in any thing, and to do that which is right and good, if we intemperately ſeek or thirſt after the applauſe of men, if we love the praiſe of men more than the praiſe of God: forths will corrupt the judgment, diſpenſe with things that are ſins as if they were none, and divert the mind from truth and rectitude. When Saul had more mind to humor the People, than to approve himſelf to God as his Executioner of the Amalekites, we ſee how it perverted his adminiſtration, and cauſed him to ſpare that which God had bann'd.
Men are incompetent Judges: They cannot diſcern the heart, nor the integrity of it.
And the approbation of men is at beſt but ſilly, and not fit for any wiſe man to eſtimate himſelf by: Alas! What profits it, it makes no man the better man; yea, it often hinders them from being ſo good as they might.
Oftentimes it is falſe: For thoſe things that are highly eſteemed in the ſight of men, are abominable before God.
It is always fickle and uncertain. The good word of men is ſoon loſt. He that is cry'd up for a King to day, ſhall be voted to the Croſs to morrow. Paul and Barnabas that are this hour cry'd up for Gods, the next muſt die like men, and be ſtoned as the vileſt of men. Every man is ſubject to Error and Miſtake; and he that once miſtakes, forfeits all his reputation for wiſdom; he that once ſins, deſtroys all the good Name that he had got, as Solomon aſſures us, Eccleſ. 9. 18. One Sinner deſtroyeth much good; and explains it well in the following Verſe, Dead Flies cauſe the Ointment of the Apothecary to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour; ſo doth a little Folly, him that is in Reputation for Wiſdom and Honour.
O my Soul, ſtudy to approve thy ſelf to God, the Searcher of Hearts, who judgeth righteous judgment, by whoſe judgment thou must ſtand or fall at the last.
For▪ do'st thou not know, that the ill opinion of men is one of the Croſſes that thou must take up?
And why ſhould'st thou covet that which makes thee miſerable, that is declar'd a Woe unto th…? Would'st thou have all men to ſpeak well of thee? And do'ſt thou believe it can be done without a Woe? Woe unto you when all men ſpeak well of you.
Art thou better than thy Saviour, who ſuffered himſelf to be contradicted by ſinners, and endur'd their contradictions against himſelf?
Lord, Though I may not expect a voice from Heaven, ſaying, Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed; yet let me hear the voice of thy Spirit, witneſſing with my ſpirit, that I do always the things that pleaſe thee! And then though the earth murmur, and the great waters rear, there will be a Calm within: Oh bleſſed Calm, like that of the upper Regions, which the Winds and Clouds, and Vapors below cannot infest or diſturb!
MEDITAT. LXIV. Of Pride in Birth.
TO be proud of, and glory in our Deſcent and Parentage, is to be a Lover of the World.
If it be asked, Who theſe are that are proud of their Birth? I confeſs I cannot tell how many are guilty, but I conclude theſe that follow are.
Thoſe that prefer being Sons of Princes, before being Sons of God▪
Thoſe that glory m…re, that they are born of Noble Parents, than of Chriſtian Parents.
Thoſe that value their Birth ſo highly, that they think Religion to be below them, or a diſparagement to their quality.
Thoſe that undervalue Holy Biſhops or Paſtors, or any other Holy Men, in their hearts, becauſe they were not born Gentlemen.
Thoſe that eſteem Men becauſe of their Birth, and prefer Nobility before Virtue; in whoſe eyes not the vile are contemned, but the poor are vile.
The Apoſtle James was no Quaker, and yet he accounted it carnal to prefer a Gentleman in affection, or at leaſt in judgment, before a meaner man. We receive only our Bodies from our Parents: our better part is the Nobleſt, as being immediately from God; and ſo a Beggar (if the denomination be taken from the Nobler part) may well enough be ſaid to be Noble.
How can any man be proud, that he is deſcended of an ancient Family, that he is the thouſandth from Inachus, or the Etrurian Kings? The original of all men is the ſame; and if we reckon right, the Beggar is as well deſcended from the beginning as the Prince▪ Oh what a brave Brag it is, I and my Anceſtors have dwelt in this Houſe, and been Owners of this Eſtate ſo many hundred Years! when perhaps every Batt, or Owl, or Swallow, may ſay as much of their Wall, or Barn, or Chimney.
Oh but the Family has been all along noble and honourable. It is an hundred to one, that in a few Generations, ſome o… other of them have been Deformed, or Vicious, or Cowards, or Fools, or Traytors, or Idolaters, or Factious. Nay, do but look into the preſent Generation, and thoſe that are at preſent alive of the ſame Family, and one may well nigh reckon with the Italians, That he that hath neither Rogue, nor Whore, nor Beggar of his Kindred, was born of a flaſh of lightning.
But ſuppoſe all this: What cauſe of Pride have I in it? Am I really the better, or the more honourable for what others have been or done? Quae non fecimus ipſi vix ea noſtra voco▪
Or what thank is it to me, that out of my firſt nothing I ſprung up in this place, rather than in another; that I crept into the world a wretched Infant, by this Crevice rather than by that?
I was ſo ſar from being call'd to counſel, to chuſe of what Womb I would be born, or what Body I would animate, that I know not ſo much as how I came into the World; and am more beholden to my Mothers▪ Midwife for my Nobility, than to my ſelf, or any thing that I could contribute.
Wretched man! Doſt thou not believe ſuch plain and eaſie things as theſe? And yet, ſhall neither Philoſophers and Poets laugh thee out of thy folly, nor Divinity reform thee?
Bleſſed God, the Father of Lights, and the Fountain of Honour, let me eſteem it most noble to be a ki… to thee; and that, to be like thee!