Christianity Requireth a Renunciation of the World, and All Worldly Tempers.
By Law
I HAVE, I think, sufficiently shown that our Saviour required an entire renunciation of the world, a forsaking all its enjoyments, in order to be his true disciples; and that the same is as certainly required of us, as he is the same Christ, and we heirs of the same glory. I will now therefore, I know, be asked, whether all Christians are obliged to sell their estates, and give to the poor, in order to inherit eternal life. The absurdity and ridiculousness of such a thing, and the disorder it must occasion in life, will be thought sufficient to expose and confute all the foregoing doctrine. As to the absurdity and ridiculousness of this doctrine in the eyes of worldly wisdom, that is far from being any objection against it; since we are assured by God himself, that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, and that the spirit of Christianity, and the spirit of the world, are as contrary to one another as the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. What can be more contrary to worldly greatness and wisdom than the doctrine of the cross, a crucified Saviour? Which way could any one expose himself to more jest and ridicule than by being too weak and humble to resent an affront, and accept a challenge? Not only rakes and libertines, but the grave, the religious part of the world, talk of the necessity of defending their honor, and reckon it a shame not to resent and fight when the affront is given. This makes the spirit of the world; though it be as consistent with our religion to honor the memory of Cain for killing his brother, as to make it a part of honor to give or accept a challenge. This may serve to show us that we must disregard the wisdom and maxims of this world, and not form our judgment of Christian virtues, with any regard to it; since by it patience and meekness may be reckoned shameful, and revenge and murder as instances of honor. But I give now a direct answer to the foregoing question, and venture to affirm, upon the proofs I have already produced, that all Christians are really and effectually obliged to do that which our Saviour required of the young man. Our Saviour bid him sell all that he had, and give to the poor, that he might have treasure in heaven; that is, he required him to renounce the self-enjoyment of his estate, to live no longer in the gratification of his plenty, but offer it all to God in works of charity, and relief to others. Now the selling all is only a circumstance of parting with the enjoyments of his riches from himself, to all such objects and uses as are worthy of it in the sight of God. If our Saviour had told sinners that they must repent in sackcloth and ashes, I should have thought that sackcloth and ashes were only mentioned as a particular way of expressing a general duty, and that though the circumstance of sackcloth and ashes might be omitted, yet the thing intended the degree of humiliation and sorrow, was always to be performed in the same degree. I take it to be the same in the case before us. It is not necessary that a man should sell all that he hath, because that was the expression used to the young man, but it is necessary that he comply with the thing signified, and practice all that disregard of the world, and heavenly affection which is there taught. He sufficiently selleth all who parteth with the self-enjoyment of it, and maketh it the support of those that want it. This seems to me to be the true and plain meaning of the passage. The words, sell all, are only used as a form of speech as a general way of expressing the parting with the enjoyment of an estate, as sackcloth and ashes were a general way of expressing repentance; and not as laying any direct obligation of parting with an estate in that particular way, any more than sackcloth is always necessary to a true repentance. A person that was to give away his estate would surely comply with the doctrine of the text, which shows that it is the thing signified, and not the particular manner of doing it, that is required. Yet it is the keeping to this literal sense of the words, as if the selling all was the particular thing enjoined, that has taught people to excuse themselves from the doctrine there delivered. For there was some pretence to think that so particular an action as the selling all could only relate to him to whom it was enjoined. But if men would consider that this selling all is only a circumstance of the thing, as sackcloth is a circumstance of repentance; and that the thing required is heavenly affection and devotion to God, they would find themselves as much concerned in the doctrine there delivered, as in any other doctrine of Scripture. When our Saviour related the good Samaritan's charity, and said unto the man that talked with him, Go, and do thou likewise, he is not exhorted to stay for an opportunity of doing the same action, but to do the same thing which was implied by that action. Taking therefore the words in this plain sense, as an exhortation to such a degree of heavenly affection, and disclaiming all self-enjoyment of riches, and not as to any particular action of selling all, it must be affirmed that they equally concern all rich men to the end of the world, as that young man, to whom they were spoken. For as he was called to that temper of mind, because it was a right temper for a Christian, a proper instance of his faith and hope and devotion to God, and a right way of using the things of this world; how can it be thought that the same temper is not equally right and Christian in every rich man now? Or how can it be thought that the rich men of this age are not equally obliged to act conformably to the temper and spirit of religion now, as well as in the days of Christ? Are not humility and meekness to be practiced in the same fullness that they were in our Saviour's time? But if they are it will be impossible to show why any other virtues should admit of any abatement. Or can any one show a better instance of humility and meekness, than in departing from the splendid enjoyments of his fortune, to make it the support and relief of poor and distressed people. It ought also to be considered whether it is not impossible to show that meekness and humility which was then required, unless he practices them in these instances. Let it also be considered that this use of worldly things is not only commanded, as suitable to the graces and virtues of the Christian life, but that the case of the rich man in torments, with the other passages above mentioned, are so many express threatenings against our disobedience. So that it must be affirmed that we are as much obliged to labor after the same degrees of faith, hope, heavenly affection, and disregard of the world, as after the same degrees of humility, charity and repentance, that ever was required of any Christians. Let it also be considered that the command of selling all, is only particular in the expression; but that the thing required is the general temper of Christianity; as is expressed by being dead to the world, having our conversation in heaven, being born of God, and having overcome the world; these expressions have no proper meaning, if they do not imply all that heavenly affection, and disregard of riches to which our Saviour exhorted the young man. God forbid, saith St. Paul, that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom90the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Gal. vi, 14. Now I desire to know why any Christian should think it less dreadful not to be crucified and dead to the world than St. Paul thought it? Is not the temper and spirit which the apostle shows here, as much to be aspired after, as in any other part of Scripture? But can those who spend their estates in their own indulgences, who live in the pomp and pleasures of riches, can they without profaneness say that of themselves, which the apostle hee saith of himself? Or can they be said to have the Spirit of Christ, who are directed by a spirit so contrary to that of the apostle? Yet the Scripture says expressly, that if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. Thus we see that this renunciation of the world, which is thought too great an extreme, to be taken from the command given to the young man in the Gospel, is the common temper of Christianity, and a doctrine the most universally taught of any other. It is indeed the very heart and soul of Christian piety, it is the natural soil, the proper stock from whence all the graces of a Christian naturally grow forth; it is a disposition of all others the most necessary and most productive of virtue. And if we might now be more earthly than in the days of Christ, we must of necessity be proportionably wanting in all other virtues. For heavenly affection enters so far into the being of all Christian virtues, that an abatement in that, is like an alteration in the first wheel that gives motion to all the rest. I will now a little appeal to the imagination of the reader. Let it be supposed that rich men are now enjoying their riches, and taking all the common usual delights of plenty; that they are laboring for the meat that perisheth, projecting and contriving scenes of pleasure, and spending their estates in proud expenses. After this supposition, let it be imagined that we saw the holy Jesus, who had not where to lay his head, with his twelve apostles, that had left all to follow him; let us imagine that we heard him call all the world to take up their cross and follow him, promising a treasure in heaven to such as would quit all for his sake, and rejecting all that would not comply with such terms; denouncing woe and eternal death to all that lived in fulness, pomp and worldly delights: let it be imagined that we heard him commanding his disciples to take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed; and giving this reason for it, because after all these things do the Gentiles seek. Let it be imagined that we saw the first Christians taking up the cross, renouncing the world, and counting all but dross that they might gain Christ. I do not now appeal to the judgment or reason of the reader, I leave it with his imagination, that wild faculty, to determine whether it be possible for these two different sorts of men to be true disciples of the same Lord. Let us suppose that a rich man was to put up such a prayer as this to God: “O Lord, I thy sinful creature, who am born again to a lively hope of glory in Christ Jesus, beg of thee to grant a thousand times more riches than I need, that I may be able to gratify myself and family in the delights of eating and drinking, state and grandeur; grant that as the little span of life wears out, I may still abound more and more in wealth, and that I may see and perceive all the best and surest ways of growing richer than any of my neighbors; this I humbly and fervently beg in the name, &c.” Such a prayer as this should have had no place in this treatise, but that I have reason to hope that in proportion as it offends the ear, it will amend the heart. There is no one, I believe, but would be ashamed to put such a prayer as this to God, yet let it be well observed, that all are of the temper of this prayer, but those who have overcome the world. We need not go amongst villains, and people of scandalous characters, to find out those who desire a thousand times more than they need; who have an eagerness to be every day richer and richer; who catch at all ways of gain that are not scandalous, and who hardly think anything enough, except it equals or exceeds the estate of their neighbors. I beg of such that they would heartily condemn the profane and unchristian spirit of the foregoing prayer, and that they would satisfy themselves, that nothing can be more odious and contrary to religion than such petitions. But then let them be assured also of this, that the same things which make an unchristian prayer, make an unchristian life. For the reason why these things appear so odious in a prayer, is because they are so contrary to the spirit of religion. But is it not as bad to live and act contrary to the spirit of religion, as to pray contrary to it. At least, must not that manner of life be very blamable, very contrary to piety, which is so shocking, when put into the form of a prayer? But indeed, whatever we may think, as we live, so we really pray; for as Christ saith, where our treasure is, there will our heart be also; so as the manner of our life is, so is our heart also; it is continually praying what our life is acting, though not in an express form of words. To pursue this argument a little: Is this prayer too shocking? Dare we not approach God with such a spirit? How dare we then to think of approaching him with such a life? Need we any other conviction that this manner of life is contrary to the spirit of Christianity, than this, that the praying according to it in Christ's name, comes near to blasphemy? Does not this also sufficiently convince us of the reasonableness of Christ's command, to forsake the fulness, the indulgence, and pride of estates; since it is a state of life that our reason dare not ask God to give us? Let it be considered how we should abominate a person whom we knew to use such a prayer, and let that teach us how abominable a life that is like it must make us to appear in the eyes of God, and with this addition of folly joined to it, that we call the prayer profane, but think the life that answers to it to be Christian. Perhaps there cannot be a better way of judging what manner of spirit we are of, than to see whether the actions of our life are such as we may safely commend to God in our prayers. For it is undeniable, that they are such as we dare not mention to God in our prayers, we ought in all reason to be as fearful of acting them in his presence. We may indeed do several innocent things which, on account of their littleness, are unfit to be put into our devotions; but if the chief and main actions of our life are not such, as we may justly beg the assistance of God's Holy Spirit in the performance of them, we may be assured that such actions make our lives as unholy as such petition would make our prayers. From all that has been above observed, I think it is sufficiently plain, that the present disciples of Jesus Christ are to have no more to do with worldly enjoyments than those that he chose while he himself was on earth; and that he expects as much devotion to God, and heavenly affection from us, as from any that he conversed with, and speaks the same language, and gives the same commands to all rich men now that he gave to the rich young man in the Gospel.—Law.