The True Christians T est, Part 2 · Meditation 12
MEDITAT. XII. Of Conformiſts.
WHen I begin to think of theſe, the words of the Prophet did occur to me, 2 Chorn. 28. which he ſpake to the Children of Iſrael, who purpoſed to keep under their Captive Brethren, Are there not ſins with you, even with you against the Lord your God? For it is not my buſineſs to conſider whether Conformity be in its own Nature good or bad, but ſuppoſing Conformity to be good, to conſider what Conformiſts are, notwithſtanding they are Carnal, and Lovers of the World: For as Nonconformity, with all its pretences of Purity, Truth and Simplicity, will not juſtifie the Humours or Schiſmatical Nonconformiſt; ſo neither will the Regularity, Peaceableneſs and Decency of Conformity juſtifie the Carnal and Illprincipled Conformiſt: No more than the Honourableneſs of Marriage, will juſtifie them that go together like Beaſts.
So far as I can apprehend or diſcern, there are three Sorts of Conformiſts:
Some out of
Conſcience,
Careleſneſs,
Covetouſneſs.
Thoſe that are Conformiſts out of Conſcience, ſeem to be of two Sorts; Such as think that way in its own Nature the beſt, and do in their judgment chuſe it, and think it reaſonable to impoſe it; and ſuch as are only perſuaded in their Conſciences that it is not evil, and that it is beſt for Peace-ſake to ſubmit to it.
I ſee plainly, that all good mens Conſciences are not of one ſize, and I know no one below the Omniſcient that can exactly take meaſure of them. Both theſe therefore I leave to the Judge of Conſciences.
But there ſeems alſo to be a number of the two latter ſorts, whom all their Conformity will not preſerve from the Cenſure of our Apoſtle.
That ſome Conform out of Careleſneſs, without making any queſtion for Conſcience ſake, never having conſidered, or weighed the nature of the thing, but acting meerly upon a publick Conſcience, is too apparent by that little or nothing that they have to ſay in defence of themſelves, or this way, when they are oppoſed in it; but with him in 2 Sam. 16. 18. Whom this people chuſe, his will I be.
That ſome Conform out of Covetouſneſs, will appear at leaſt by the confeſſion of thoſe, who in words at length have declared, That they were of mean Fortunes, and knew not how to live; otherwiſe they had no mind to it.
However they may glory in their Conformity, yet ſure the Church has no cauſe to glory in them; for they are but a Company of preſt Soldiers, and will either be eaſily Routed, or Run away. Theſe love the World more than Truth, which they take no pains to diſcover; and the peace of their Conſciences, which they take no care to preſerve.
The Careleſs prefer the Cuſtome and Example of Men, before right Reaſon, Judgment and Conſcience; and though they ſhould chance to hit of the right, yet they act wrongly. The Covetous prefer the Bread of Prieſts, before the Prieſts Office, 1 Sam. 2. 36. with the degenerate Poſterity of Eli. It's fit indeed, that they that preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel; but to preach the Goſpel only to get a Livelihood or a Living, looks like Simony inverted; a giving of holy things, to get money.
The Heathen Satyriſt laught at thoſe Mag-pie Poets, who were inſtructed by the ſound of their empty Guts; and taught Muſick, by the chiming of their own Bellies: and I cannot ſee how theſe men are leſs ridiculous, I am ſure they are more preſumptuous.
The Careleſs and Inconſiderate, though their Oblation ſhould be of clean Beaſts, yet at beſt do but offer the Sacrifice of Fools. The Covetous are either Inconſiderate, and ſo they fall on, and never ſay Grace; but, like Saul's hungry Soldiers, flie upon the Spoil, and in their Hunger eat without Diſcretion, Blood and all; or elſe if they entertain any ſober thoughts, the love and cares of the World preſently ſpring up and choak them. Whether are more excuſable, it matters not, in a Caſe where both are inexcuſable,
But this is plain, that where a doubt lies between Truth and Falſhood, he that admits Worldly Intereſt for an Umpire to decide the Controverſie, is a Lover of the World; and if worldly Conſiderations be the predominant Motives, let the matter he embraces be never ſo true, he is falſe to his God and his own Conſcience in embracing it. The Profeſſion of the Goſpel is a good thing, and yet the Profeſſion of the Goſpel is a good thing, and yet the Profeſſors of it that are acted by a carnal Principle, are nevertheleſs bad men.
As to both theſe, I will not ſay, that every Nonconformiſt is carnal, that will not part with his Life, upon the ſame account as he parts with his Liberty, or Livelihood; nor that every Conformiſt is carnal, who Conforms with ſome Regret, and had much rather no ſuch things were required: yet ſurely they are fartheſt remov'd from the foul Character of Lovers of the World, whoſe Conſciences are moſt ſtrongly perſuaded, and who are acted by no intereſt but the intereſts of Truth and Righteouſneſs, in what they do, or leave undone.