The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 40
Meditation XL. VponUpon Baniſhment.
EXile is a Change of place that brings no evil with it, but in opinion; a Complaint, and affliction wholly imaginary, is the deſcription ſome have made of it. But it ſeemes to me to be rather a Stoicks vaunt, than a Chriſtians juſt eſtimate, of the evils of that condition. What trial elſe would it have been of Abrahams Faith, to leave his Country, Kindred, and Fathers Houſe, and to go to a Land God would ſhew him? or why did God injoyn Iſrael to pitty Strangers; becauſe themſelves had been Strangers in the Land of Aegypt. Why have Legiſlators deemed it as a puniſhment for grand Crimes, and next to Capital? or why have many looked upon it as worſe than death, chuſing rather the lot of the Goat that was to be Sacrificed, then the lot of the Scape Goat, which was to be ſent into the Wilderneſs? is it not becauſe (as Philo ſaith) death is the full end of all evils? but Baniſhment the beginning of many new ones? Want, Scorn, Oppreſſions, Unjuſt Jealouſies, are the daily hard Meaſures that Exiles muſt expect to meet with; he muſt thank him who demands his Coat, that he asketh not his Life; and he muſt oft times redeem his Life, with that little Money which he hath, that ſhould buy him Bread to preſerve it. He muſt be armed with nothing but patience, leaſt he be apprehended as one that hath in deſign the death of ſome other. And yet how many Arguments of comfort can my thoughts ſuggeſt to ſuch Chriſtians, who for the Truths ſake either dread this Croſs, or feel it. They break forth ſo on the right hand, and on the left, as that methinks I may ſay, Sing O ye Baniſhed, cry aloud, for more are the comforts of the deſolate, than the comforts of thoſe that ſit under the ſhadow of their own roof. I will not tell you that you have the ſame Sun and Moon to ſhine upon you that Kings have; that the Stars appear unto you in the ſame greatneſs and beauty which they do to others. That you enjoy the ſame common Elements that all do. Theſe, and ſuch like topicks are to be plentifully found among the Moraliſts. But all their Precepts and Sentences are like Arrowes that fall ſhort of the Mark. They could never reach that ſolid contentment they levelled at. Hear then ye dejected Chriſtians what your comforts are, whoſe Cr…ſſes are no more than others, and whoſe ſupports are farr greater. Are you Baniſhed from your Native Country? what other condition do you undergo then Abraham did, the Father of the Faithfull, and the Friend of God, and will you murmur if God deal with you no worſe then with his Favorite? if you are out of your own Land, do you not ſtill tread upon your Fathers ground? is not the Earth the Lords, and the ſullneſs of it? did never any thrive in a ſtrange Soyle, and like tranſplanted Trees gain by the Change? have ye forgot what God did for Joſeph in Egypt? or for Daniel and his Aſſociates in their Captivity? who like Stars when they ſet in one Hemiſphere, did riſe gloriouſly in another? But if ſtill you be impatient, and in diſlike with your Eſtate, let me ask you if the beſt of a wicked Mans condition be not worſe? Is it not better to hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſs ſake, then to fare deliciouſly every day with the rich Glut…on in the Goſpel? Is it not more eligible to be an Iſraelite in the Wilderneſs, then to be a Cour…ier in Egypt? can you not ſpeak better of your Miſeries then wicked Men can do of their Mercies? you may ſay, bleſſed Hunger, bleſſed Poverty, bleſſed Mourning, bleſſed Perſecutions and Revilings; Chriſt himſelf having bleſſed your Afflictions, and alſo curſed their enjoyments: He hath entailed an eternal woe upon all thoſe things wherein they place their welfare; their Riches, their Fullneſs, their Mirth, their Applauſe, and Credit with all Men: and he hath promiſed to them that endure temptations a Crown of Life when they are tried. Be not therefore diſmayed O ye of little Faith, who have every bitter thing at preſent ſweetned with Promiſes, and within a little while ſhall have all the hardſhips of a deſart, turned into the Plenty of an Heavenly Canaan. And yet methinks ſome there be, who are ſtill unſatisfied, and ask if it be nothing to part with dear Relations, and ſociety of Friends? and to be caſt upon ſtrange Faces, and Languages, that they underſtand not? to be at once in great meaſure both deaf and dumb, not hearing what others ſay to them, and being alſo unable to ſpeak the leaſt word to others. That theſe are ſore evils I ſhall not make it any part of my task to deny; But yet how many are there who have expoſed themſelves to all theſe evils, and have undergone them voluntarily. which you ſuffer out of conſtraint? have not ſome for curioſity ſake, and a thirſt of …nowledg travelled through vaſt and dangerous Wilderneſſes, and borne, with much patience, the exceſs of heat and cold? Have not others out of a cove…ous deſire of gain parted with Friends and Country for many yeares? may I not then ſend the faint-hearted Chriſtian to learn of the reſolute Worldling, as Solomon doth the Sluggard to the Piſmire; ſhall he ſet an higher eſtimate upon Earthly Treaſures then you upon Heavenly? ſhall he out-face dangers that you ſhrink at? ſhall he quit Parents and Children that are pieces of himſelf, and imbrace ſolli…ude in forraign Regions, and ſhall you reckon your ſelf as free among the dead while you do the ſame thing? O what advantages have you above him, both to do and ſuffer? In your ſollitude you may ſay as Chriſt did in his, Yet am I not alone, becauſe the Father is with me. In your Sorrowes you may glory as Paul did, This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity we have had our Converſation in the World. ln the loſs and ſpoil of your Eſtates, you may pray, as Paulinus did, when the Gothes ranſacked Nola: Domine, ne excrucier propter auram & argentum; ubi enim omnia mea ſunt tu ſcis: Lord, let not the loſs of theſe things diſquiet me: for thou knoweſt where I have ſaid up all my treaſures. In your Baniſhment you may comfort your ſelf with the common lot of all believers, who are no other then Pilgrims, and Strangers, while they are at home in the Body, and abſent from the Lord? I ſhall add no more but an excellent ſaying of Baſil, Cui adhuc patria ſolùm dulcis eſt, nimis delicatus est, cui omnis terr a patria for…is eſt, cui omnis terra exilium ſanctus eſt, He to whom his Native Countrey is onelyonly ſweet, is too delicate: he to whom every Land is his Countrey, is valiant; and he to whom alſ Earth is a Baniſhment, is truely holy.