The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 98
MEDITAT. XCVIII. Of Ingratitude.
THE proper Notion of Ingratitude is, not to be ſenſible of a good Turn done to us, when we know it.
Nothing can excuſe Ingratitude, but Ignorance: Impotence cannot. A man may be grateful, although he cannot act, no nor ſpeak.
Ingratitude is the moſt notorious when it is malignant, and wiſhes ill, or does ill to a perſon that we know has done us good.
To proceed juſtly againſt any Benefactor, is not ſimply Ingratitude: for my Love to Truth and Righteouſneſs ought to prevail againſt any particular affections, or the ſenſe of any perſonal kindneſs. And yet Gratitude will oblige me to abate ſomething of my own intereſt, and to more remiſs in the proſecution of my private Injury.
But to be injurious to a perſon that I am beholden to, adds Ingratitude to Injuſtice: This is the very natural complexion of the Devil, who hates the God from whom he has receiv'd his very Being.
All ſin in man wilfully committed againſt God, has Ingratitude in it; but eſpecially the rebellious diſpoſition of the Devil, who knows when he ſins, and has receiv'd greater obligations from God, than Mankind.
What greater obligation could God have laid upon any Creature, than he laid upon the Devil; in creating him in ſo happy a ſtate, and of ſo noble a capacity; his extract divine, his capacity large, his condition not only happy, but glorious? And now for the Son of the morning to deſpiſe his own Native glory and brightneſs, and ſink into ſin and helliſh darkneſs; to forſake his own mercies, and to be ſtillendeavouring to put himſelf, and poor Mankind, out of a capacity of receiving mercies; to fall from the glorious Image of his Creator, and then to hate and oppoſe it wherever it is found; to take up Arms againſt the Eternal God, from whom he had his very Being and Exiſtence; to flie from the very light, and to hate Love it ſelf; Lord, what created underſtanding can comprehe…d ſuch horrible Ingratitude!
And oh poor wretched man, how doſt thou reſemble this black and deviliſh temper! whoſe Ingratitude, …f thy obligations had been equal to his, would have been as great; and if thou refuſe the offers of m…rcy made to thee by a Redeemer, which are not made to him, will be accounted greater. What a Generation of Vipers is Mankind become, who do what in them lies, to be the death of him, who gave them life!
Lord, Do I well to be angry at the Affronts and Injuries, the Neglects and Unkindneſſes done to me by thoſe of whom I have deſerved well! Let the ſenſe of my own more abominable Ingratitude towards thee, abate my reſentment of theirs towards me!
Is not the wilful Prophaner of the Sabbath an ungrateful Wretch; to deny one day to his Maker, who gives him ſix for one?
Is it not ſhamefully ungrateful, by Oaths and Blaſphemies to ſpeak evil of him, by whom alone it is that we ſpeak at all? To murmur againſt him, for taking away any thing, who gives us all things? To lift up our ſelves proudly againſt him, by whom we ſtand; and to brave it againſt him, from whom we receive all our excellencies?
Is it not proportionably ſhameful Ingratitude for Children to diſhonour, neglect or hate their Parents, the immediate Inſtruments of their very Beings? For Subjects to Rebel, and Conſpire againſt their kind Princes, by whom they enjoy great quietneſs, and by whoſe Providence worthy Deeds are done to the Nation? For People to let their Paſtors ſtarve for want of their carnal things, who adminiſter to them of their ſpiritual things? For Papiſts and Scholars to ſpit out that Learning in the faces of their Tutors and Maſters, which they ſuckt from them? For thoſe that are ranſom'd from the Gallows, to be the firſt in cutting the Throat of him that ranſom'd them? For the poor Abjects, whom Job fed with his Morſel, and clad with his Fleece, to abhor him in his Calamity, and ſpit in his honourable Face?
Nay, Is it not ſhameful Ingratitude for any man to forget, or ill requite the kindneſs of his Neighbor or Equal?
For Pharaoh's Butler to forget the Afflictions of Joſeph, who had but foretold good concerning him, is branded for Diſingenuity: What Brand deſerve they then, that forget the good that is done to them, done v…h care, with coſt, perhaps with hazard too? Of theſe J…b complain'd, and David complain'd, Samuel complain'd, Moſes complain'd; Men of whom one might almoſt ſay, They never complain'd of any thing elſe. Theſe good Men all were almoſt provok'd to be angry at the obſervation of this ill Temper, as may appear by David's raſh reſolution to cut off Nobal, and his houſ…: In vain have I kept all that this Fellow hath in the Wilderneſs, &c. and he hath requited me evil for good.
It is made an Argument of Moſes's ſingular Meekneſs, that he endur'd ſo ungrateful a People: And God himſelf undertakes to comfort Samuel in his reſentme…t of the Iſraelites Ingratitude! by taking it upon himſelf, They have not; that is, Not ſo much rejected thee, as me, in deſiring a King. How does the Pſalmiſt, in his own Perſon, or in the Perſon of the M…ſſiab, ſtomack this unkindneſs? If it had been an Enemy, or if it had been a Stranger, he could have born ſuch Uſage: But to find ſuch Returns from a Friend, from a Confident, from an Obligee; nothing leſs than the Patience of God, or a Patience Divine can bear. In ſhort, I know nothing that ingenuous and good men are leſs able to bear; nothing that God himſelf doth more frequently and pathetically complain of.
Oh loving and gracious, and bountiful God, who art never b…hin… hand with any of thy Creatures, who giveſt wage… even to the King of Babylon, if he do thy work, (though he do it blindfold;) who rewardeſt a Cup of cold water duly adminiſtred to one of thy fainting Children; who makest the world ring of a poor Widows Mite offer'd with a devout and grateful mind: Oh thou that art kind even to the unthankful, Forbid, Oh forbid that I ſhould be unthankful to the kind! Beſtow upon me ſuch an ingenuous temper of Soul, that I may ever maintain a grateful reſentment of all Benefactors and Benefits; if it be in the power of my hand to do it, render good for good, yea, agreater good for a leſs! However, Grant that I may never ſo far put off the Divine and Humane, and put on the Deviliſh Nature, as to return Hatred for Love, and conſpire against the Welfare of thoſe that have contrived mine!