The True Christians T est, Part 2 · Meditation 34
MEDITAT. XXXIV. Diſſwaſives from the Love of the World, from the Conſideration of our Profeſſion.
WHat ſhall I ſay more? How ſhall I come cloſer? Having examin'd Man in his Moral Capacity, and now in his Political, wherein he is more diſcernable than in that; Modeſty will not ſuffer me to come any nearer: for I know not how, except I ſhould digito monſtrare & dicere hic eſt; except I ſhould call men by their Names, and ſay, thou John, or Thomas, or Richard, or Robert, or the like, art a Lover of the World. Theſe two things I am ſure of, that there are but two ſorts of people in the whole World, viz. The Lovers of God, and the Lovers of the World; and that the former of theſe are bleſſed, and ſhall be yet more bleſſed; the later are miſerable and accurſed. Who can chuſe but infer from hence, that it is moſt abſolutely neceſſary for every man to examine himſelf, which ſort of men he belongs to. I have given what aſſiſtance I can in this important Enquiry; which I think is the higheſt ſervice that can be done for the Sons of Men; except it be thoſe endeavours which are directly uſed to diſintangle the Souls of Men from the love of the World, and to engage them in the love of the Father. It is not in me (alas) to faſhion the Affections of Men. (Oh thou bleſſed Soveraign Creator, and Searcher, Maker and Mender of Hearts, put in thy Hand by the hole of the Door, that the Bowels of Men may be mov'd to thee. Come into thy Temple, O God, and let not that ſacred thing, the Hearts of Men, be any longer a place of Merchandize, a Den of Thieves!) But though I cannot change the minds of Men, yet as I have ſhew'd ſufficient Reaſon why they ſhould be chang'd, ſo I can propound motives to induce them …o labour after a change: … the Houſe muſt be cleanſed from its filth and rubbiſh, b…fore the Glory of the Lord will fill it. I … therefore with ſome diſſwaſives from the Predominant Love of the World: and here I will content my ſelf with a few of many.
Firſt, If we make any reckoning of our Noble Title of Chriſtians and Diſciples of Chriſt Jeſus; if it be any thing to us that we have enterrained the Goſpel, and are diſting…ſht from Heathens; let us caſt out this Predomi… ▪ Love of the World; otherwiſe we ſhall bear the name of Chriſtians, but be of the Nature of Heathens. A Name, though never ſo Honourable, is but little available in any caſe; but I am ſure in the Caſe of Religion its not available at all, without a Nature, either to the preſent Comfort, or future Happineſs of Men. Why a Chriſtian loving the World, is but in name onelyonly diſtinguiſht from a Heathen. And truly methinks this is but a ſmall Honour or Conſolation either. Who can reaſonably bleſs himſelf that he is not an Unbeliever, when in the mean time he is an Hypocrite? Nay rather, will not the Heathen, adjudg'd to a more tolerable condemnation hereafter, bleſs himſelf that he was not a Chriſtian, and had not ſo many obligations laid upon him to forſake this World, nor ſuch clear Revelation as we have of another. It had been a goodly Errand indeed for Chriſt to come into the World, and to gather together a company of Diſciples, only to bear his Name, but really not to differ from other men, nor from what they themſelves were before. Was it worthy of his Blood, can we think, to purchaſe to himſelf a People peculiar onelyonly in Nominal Relation? Why certainly under the ſpecious Title of Chriſtians, we are ſtill Heathens indeed and in truth, if our Predominant Love and Care be of and for the things of this World! For ſo the Heathen are deſcrib'd by our Lord himſelf, to have their minds mainly upon worldly things, Mat. 6. 32. After theſe things do the Gentiles ſeek. And he would have his Diſciples to differ from the Gentiles in their ſeekings and lovings as well as in their profeſſing.