Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 2 · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Of the World and Life.
HAving lookt within and about us and beheld the courſe of the World in its parts, let us now behold it in the great. Which may be done two wayes, Either in the outward ſcene of mens actions, or in the inward motions of Gods providence that are viſible to us in ſome part. In both theſe reſpects the World is incomprehenſible; in the former for its great variety and confuſion, in the latter for its infinite deepeneſſe.
The outward face of the world is a ſtage of wickedneſſe, vanity and miſery. Wickedneſſe is univerſall; for although in Policies there be ſome face of order and juſtice, without which no ſociety can ſubſiſt; Yet if one looke to the reality of the actions and intentions of men, the two great trades of the World are fraud and oppreſſion. There is a general maxime which every man denyeth, and every man (in a manner) practiſeth, That wiſedome conſiſteth in thriving by other mens harmes: Publique and private contracts, bonds, ſureties, and hoſtages, are fences againſt that generall inclination, and yet many times are imployed to execute it. All ſecurities both by ſtrength and law are grounded upon that Opinion that none abſtaines to do harme but he that wants power. In the beſt compoſed States governed with moſt integrity, particular intereſſe beares the ſway, howſoever publique good be pretended. Wherefore that is the beſt forme of State where the more good the Soveraine Magiſtrate doth to the publique, the more he advanceth his owne private intereſs.
Rapine is the univerſal practiſe of the World. Whole Nations live of nothing elſe. Indeed the Europeans follow it with ſome outward reſervedneſſe. There is no leſſe wickedneſs among us then with the Arabians and Moores, but there is more hypocriſy. We do not robbe caravans of Merchants, and take no men upon the Chriſtian coaſts to make them ſlaves, but we ſuck out their blood and marrow by quillets of law, we overthrow our Country to build our houſes with the publique ruines. Phil. 2.21. All ſeek their owne not the things of the Lord Jeſus. We give indeed that reſpect to piety and vertue that we will be reputed good, but we are afraid to be ſo. Little ſcruple is made of unlawfull profit and pleaſure, onelyonly care is taken to do ill feats with little noiſe. The life of the World is a play where every one ſtudieth, not to do his duty really, but to act his part handſomly. I leave out more notorious crimes, becauſe they are eminent, and ſet themſelves out by their infamie.
To the wickedneſſe of the World is joyned vanity weakeneſſe and folly. For one cunning man there is ten thouſand Idiots, whoſe blindneſſe and raſh credulity is a ſervant to the covetouſneſs and ambition of a few crafty dealers. And yet the moſt crafty are not free of the captivity of cuſtom and ſuperſtition, whereby a mans ſpirit is hooded with errour, and ſtarts at truth and good counſell. The World is a croud of giddy people juſtling one another, A company of blind people following one another and holding by the cloak them that go next before. If the former fall, ſo will the others; and it would be thought want of civility to ſtand when the guides are falling, or to offer to ſee when all the company is winking, and to refuſe to ſinne a la mode. Youth is fooliſh, old age is doting. Orators tell us idle tales with much gravity. To pleaſe the people one muſt deceive them. The vulgar is ſet in an uproare upon light occaſions, and for light reaſons pacifyed againe. They leave the ſubſtance to runne after the ſhaddow. Paſſion not reaſon makes them turne now to evill now to good; in both the more impetuouſly, the more weakely. They have ſome good Opinion of vertue, and eſteeme it by hearſay, till it come neere, and then they cannot abide it, labouring to deſtroy vertuous men, and after they are deſtroyed eſteeming them againe, and calling for them when they are no more. Gallants are ſlaves to other mens Opinions, neglecting the duty for the ceremony, leaving health and conveniency for a conceited decency, living at a venture, and dying at randome.
The life of the World is a falſe game, where there is perpetual juſtling out one of another whether it be at great ſets, when one nation drives another away by invaſion, and one faction in the State puts down the contrary; or by playing every one for himſelfe, each one catching what and where he can, whoſoever be a loſer by it.
Out of that hideous confuſion a wofull miſery muſt needs follow in the world, where for one winner there are a hundred loſers. Man by nature is miſerable, compoſed of a ſickly body, & a ſpirit that is his own tormenter. But as if all that were not enough, he is deſtroyed by his owne kind. There is but two ſorts of men in the World, oppreſſours & oppreſſed; Pſal. 74.20. The darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty, which is alſo Solomons contemplation. Eccleſ. 4.1. I conſidered all the oppreſſions that are done under the Sun, and beheld the teares of ſuch as were oppreſt and they had no comforter, and on the ſide of their oppreſſors there was power, but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praiſed the dead, which are already dead, more then the living which are yet alive. Yea better is he then them both which hath not yet bin, who hath not ſeene the evill work that is done under the Sunne.
This argument of the wickedneſſe vanity and miſery of the world is ſo ample, ſo knowne, and ſo well treated by others that I may excuſe my ſelfe of further inſiſting upon it. All this is but the exteriour face of the world: But the inward motions, and the ſecret order of Gods wiſe conduct among all that diſorder, hath never bin ſufficiently conſidered; though there be enough to be ſeene on the dyal of that great clock to judge at leaſt of the wiſedome of the great workman, and acknowledge that there is a deepe and divine art in that hidden machine of the counſel…y, of his providence. A conſidering eye may mark how both by the concourſe and the oppoſition of ſo many free, ſtirring and diſorderly agents certain orderly and unavoydable events are produced, determined in Gods eternall decree. How many different ends and intentions which all ſerve for Gods end. Yea though they be evill, God fetcheth good from them, & turnes them to his glory. Wherefore after we have thoroughly knowne the world as wicked as it is, weak, blind, confuſed, & turbulent: yet let us acknowledge that all that diſorder is uſefull, & that among ſo much evill there is nothing but doeth good. The inſolency of ſome ſerves to exerciſe the patience of others and forme them to vertue. Gods indulgence powring plenty into the mouthes that blaſpheme him teacheth his children to do good to their enemies, and not to be more haſty then God to ſee juſtice executed on the wicked. It is a goodly ſtudy to be a diſciple of Gods providence.
Conſider how the States of the World are maintained by their own diſeaſes. France is ſwarming with poore and vagrants, and idleneſſe is thought there to be eſſential to gentile blood; but hence it comes that the King gets armies as ſoon as the drum beats, and is the terrour of his enemies and ſupport of his friends, Whilſt other States whoſe policy is ſo provident as to leave neither poore nor idle perſon among them, are put to hire ſouldiers of all nations with great labour and coſt, and commit their ſafety to outlandiſh and uninterreſſed ſouldiers. States as well as wine have need of ſome lees for their perſervation. Among the Turks, Muſcovites, and Tartars, the tyrannicall unlimited power of the Soveraine and the blind obedience of the people, keep the State in peace which otherwiſe would be torne with civil warres. Groſſe ſtupid ignorance keeps ſome nations in concord at home; Whilſt other nations by their wit and learning are diſquieted with endleſſe factions. The ſavage and uncivill humour of ſome people makes them conſiderable, and they are reſpected of all becauſe they reſpect no body. Many times a State by a forraine invaſion, and by diviſions at home hath learned to know his ſtrength, and is become warlike and formidable to his neighbours. The naturall want of neceſſary things in a Country, too little for the many inhabitants, have cauſed the people to traffique over all the world, and made the abundance of all regions tributary to their vertue. Covetouſneſs penetrates both the Indies, and compaſſeth the world about like the Sunne, to bring us pearles to hang at the eares of our Miſtreſſes, and pepper to ſtrow over our cucumbers. For that end great companies of Merchants are aſſociated, and the fortunes of Princes and Commonwealthes are ventured in in great Sea-fights. But out of that hazardous folly which certainly is a great diſeaſe of the mind, a great bulke of new knowledge in naturall things accreweth to the publique ſtock of learning, and thereby a great gate is open for the propagation of the Goſpell. So admirable is Gods providenee, who by ſmall weights ſetts great wheeles on going, and makes uſe of the vanity and unſatiable greedineſs of men to bring neere the remoteſt parts of the world by the bond of commerce, and advance his Kingdome. Thus among the giddineſs of publique commotions, the iniquity of great actions, and the vanity of their motives, the wiſedome and goodneſſe of the firſt cauſe brings under his ſubjection, the folly and the wickedneſſe of inferiour agents. Rom. 3.17. Deſtruction and miſery is in their wayes and the wayes of peace they have not knowne: But they are in Gods hand, who will bring all to a good end.
The reaſon why we complaine of the badneſs of the time is that we ſee but one peece of it. But God that beholds with one aſpect the whole courſe of time from its ſpring in the creation unto the mouth where that great river diſgorgeth itſelfe into the Sea of eternity, ſeeth that all which ſeemeth evill by parcells is good when all parts are taken together. And not onelyonly he beholds it, but he conducts it moſt wiſely, and to that wiſe conduct we muſt humbly leave the rectifying of all that ſeemes amiſs to us in the courſe of the times. It is a great comfort to our mind, and a great help to our judgement in publique diſorders and private croſſes, that we may be certaine that God is an agent above all agents in all things, even in the worſt, which he makes inſtruments; to ſome of his juſtice, to others of his bounty, to all of his wiſedome.
Among ſo much evill yet there is ſome vertue in the world, and where it is not obeyed yet it is reſpected. If the torrent of the perverſity of the time becomes ſo rapid that good men cannot row againſt it to any preferment, it will never barre them from all havens of retreat; and to force them to a retreat many times it is to compell them to their good and reſt; for as they are further from the favour of great men, they are freer alſo from their factions. During the tempeſt one may ſleep at the noiſe of the waves. There is no place ſo unſafe and full of trouble, but the God of peace may bee found in it; And they that truſt in him, repoſe themſelves ſafe and quiet under his wing. The world ſhall never be ſo wicked and ſo contrary to good men but that they may do good to the world againſt its will.
One thing muſt make us looke kindly upon this world, that it is the Hall of Gods houſe, where we waite expecting to be advanced to Gods preſence; and all things that happen to us in this life helpe to bring us to that Land of Promiſe. All creatures not corrupted by ſinne ſpeak to us of God. Yea every thing, good and bad, gives us matter to lift up our thoughts unto God. Nature ſmiles upon them that love God. Then his law directs us, His promiſes comfort us, He guides us by his Spirit. He covers us by his providence. He ſhewes us from above the prize kept for us at the end of the race. By which meanes we are leſſe weary of the world then they that ground their hopes upon it. And after we have balanced with a calme judgement the good and evil that is in the world, we finde that the world goeth better with the good then with the bad; life cannot be very bad, if it be a mans voyage to God.