White Salt, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
SInce I am not ſo good as I ſhould be; nay nor ſo good as I would be; nay nor ſo willing to be good as I ſhould be; it is reaſonable for me to wiſh well to it. There may be a wiſh of impoſſibilities, though there be not a will properly of them. And it ſeems to me ſo hard to come by any goodneſs, that it ſeems ſomewhat to have it in a wiſh. And yet he that is contented with what he hath of this, hath none. Godlineſs, as the Apoſtle ſaith (in his 1 Epiſtle to Tim. 6.6.) is great gain with contentedneſs; but not with a contentedneſs in godlineſs, but in gain. We ſhall never have enough of goodneſs untill we come into heaven.
And this goodneſs hath a neceſſary connexion with happineſs; and therefore if we do apprehend it, how can we eſcape at leaſt ſome velieties of it? For that which is neceſſary to our end, we deſire upon the ſame account.
So that the ſubject of this paper is ſuch that will pleaſe every one that is in the way of happineſs. Neither is it therefore out of my way to commend it to others: for this will more impreſs it upon my ſelf, that I may have ſome benefit by the operation, though others have no benefit by the work; as he ſaid. Surely alſo this is the ſeaſon with all of us of being good, when we have made the times, as we call them, bad. Sin cometh alway too ſoon, alway unſeaſonably; Vertue neither: but in times of troubles and uncertainties, we have more neceſſities of this commoditie: and yet how much are we worſe; becauſe we are worſe, and ſhould be much better?
There is no time appointed for the commiſſion of ſinne; but puniſhments; and we have had them ſorely upon us; and one would think we ſhould now have leſs of ſin, becauſe we have had ſuch a meaſure of puniſhments.
We have had opportunities of being richer, and ſome have taken them, and the water, which way ſoever it ran; although they have not quenched their thirſt; and yet have drunk ſo much that it will not ſtay with them, but they muſt refund.
We have had fair occaſions of being wiſe and diſcreet, and prudent to preſerve our contentment; and have thought it fit not to be heart of Oak, but to be flexible and moveable with the windes: we have taken a full proportion of the wiſdom of the Serpent, and more then will be allowed with the innocency of the Dove. The Serpent hath too much beguiled the Dove.
We have had in theſe years viciſſitudes many; variety of turns and changes, and are ſtill rolling to the bottom; and yet what good turns have we had? what returns to God and that which is good? There is not ſuch a point as Goodneſs in all our Compaſs.
We have had many complaints of hard and difficult, and afflictive and ſqueezing times; and we have been weary of our calamities over and over: but our ſins are in full weight & number, and meaſure upon us; and we are not troubled with them. St. Paul groaned under the burthen of ſin, but gloried in afflictions: but we are contrary; for we groan under afflictions, and do rather glory in our ſhame. It is like S. Paul in that 7, chapter to the Romans doth ſpeak of himſelf regenerated: for ſin in ſtate of nature is in us as in its proper place; and we do not feel it: And ſo it hath been with us. And whatſoever we have loſt, we have kept this: we have loved it naturally as ours.
We have had within the ſpace of few years many books imprinted; wherein Civil cauſes and ſome Eccleſiaſtical cauſes have been toſſed and agitated on this ſide and on that; that we might be ſetled in our dangers, or moved to our former term: but have not found many books written to make us right ſpiritually; and to make us better; many good books; but how many of goodneſs? I hope more then I have ſeen: but more would be ſeen.
And yet if there were more, and ſeen, and read, and got by heart, yet how ſhall we get them into the heart? Oh, how odd and awk is the nature of man to this goodneſs! It will not come alone to us: yea when we are in a manner driven to it by corrections, we are ready to run away from it, as if we could not be miſerable but with it.
And therefore I am afraid I ſhall not pleaſe all, becauſe I ſhall ſpeak for that which doth not. We do not like to hear of that we have no minde to follow: we are offended with it directly and by reflexion from others. And others are our enemies becauſe we are not good; whereas we ſhould not be enemies to others, though they be bad.
But this doth not make a reaſonable impediment of this little enterpriſe; for he that pleaſeth all, hath no ſmall danger of Chriſts woe; and of Gods curſe for not pleaſing one, namely him: And notwithſtanding we have enemies, we ſhould be encouraged; for we have the more to conquer, as one ſaid.
And yet we have further encouragement by St. Peter, 1 Pet. 1.13. And who is there that will hurt you, if you follow that which is good? Or ſhall we be harmed becauſe we write of that which is good? May we do it, and not write it? This is ſpoken of in our own defence.
Had we taken in hand ſome thornie buſineſs about the ſubject and change of Civil Power, we might have incurred ſome danger in way of right and righteouſneſs: but ſince all the matter we would have is goodneſs, we have no cauſe to fear any but thoſe who have no minde to think it to be neceſſary for them to be good, unleſs they can get ſomewhat by it in this life.
And if any one will conceive, that this is a Theme to meddle with not for any but ſome of thoſe who are a great deal better: I ſhall make my apology eaſily. With all my heart am I contented that others ſhould goe before me in this contention. I would be willing to follow their ſteps in holineſs, although in the order of the Church they go not that way, which more have gone to heaven in, then are like to do by any other.
But becauſe I have nothing in me of goodneſs, I have more need to ſpeak for it, upon my own apprehenſions; neither can any one keep away from me this right and liberty of good options for my ſelf and others. The time and utmoſt bound of goodneſs is to be in heaven. And to this pitch ſhould every one aſcend. And the aſcent of this glory is by degrees of grace. This goodneſs is the milky way to Jupiters Palace. To ſtrengthen you in it, take not this morning milk, but ſome morning meditations.