(Extract from the writings of GEORGE SWINNOCK, Puritan Divine.)
(Continued from page 213.)
I wish that I may be courteous, as well as righteous, towards all with whom I converse. Humanity is a debt which I owe to all mankind; why should I therefore, as some proud men, dam up and contract my civility into so narrow a compass that it shall swell into flattery towards my superiors and not suffer one drop to descend towards inferiors! I would not, as formalists in fashion of habits or outward vesture, discover the lightness of a carnal mind; nor like hypocrites, by composed actions or artificial gesture, manifest the looseness of a frothy spirit; but as a prudent yet serious Christian be so affable in my carriage that I may be the more acceptable in my counsel for the good of others’ souls. Humanity doth cast a lustre to attract the eyes and hearts of others. Courtesy is commendable and an adorning adjunct to sanctity. Holiness is honoured by the attendance of this handmaid. Grace is rendered more lovely when it is accompanied with a kind nature. It is pity that jewel should not ever be in this soft velvet cabinet. One end of my trading must be to commend to others the excellency of spiritual wares and to encourage them to buy the truth; but if my behaviour be morose and unkind, I shall fright men from being my customers, and inflict on myself part of Nebuchadnezzar’s penalty—separate myself from amongst men by forcing them to withdraw from me. If my language be fierce, and my looks frowning, I may deter men from my company, but shall never allure them to Christ. Where the carriage is sour and pouting, the counsel will never be sweet and prevalent. Oh, that I might never disadvantage religion by any rugged disposition, but by the kindness of my nature may do a real kindness to grace, and become all things to all men, if by any means I might save some. Yet I would not be so courteous to others as to be discourteous to myself; I mean, be so courteous to sinners as to comply with them in their sins. It is far better that the world should count me uncivil than the Lord should esteem me ungodly. Let me be an enemy to their corruptions when I show myself most friendly to their persons, and never be so much a courtier as to forget that I am a Christian. Lord, who hast commanded thy people to be kindly affected one towards another, teach me to show the true affection of my heart in the kindness of my tongue and hand. Courtesy is as salt, and drieth up these ill-humours which are distasteful to others, and will make my counsel the more savoury. Thine angels themselves used salutations in their occasional converses with mortals. Give me to do thy will on earth, as it is done by those noble courtiers in heaven; for I believe that they were in heaven when they were discoursing with thy chosen on earth. Grant me so much gracious good manners as by my prayers to send the next man I meet, even all I deal with, to thee. Let me bestow the alms of some hearty ejaculation, as well as the outward expressions of the Lord be with you, upon them. Yea, let me, for Thy sake, be kind and gentle to all men, that I may draw them to Thyself: yet suffer me not to be so friendly in my words as to have fellowship with any in their wickedness, but help me to dispense even my civilities by a standard measure lest what I intend as shy net to take other souls prove Satan’s trap to catch mine.
I wish that I may be both so just as not to offer injuries to others, and also so meek as to suffer with patience what others offer to me. The world will never leave its old haunt of persecuting them that are holy: it is natural for wolves to hate and devour sheep. If I were of the world I should be one of its darlings, for the world loveth its own. My God hath called me from it, and chosen me out of it, therefore it hates me. I need not marvel at its malice, when it did spit its venom at the author of its being, and took away life from him who gave life to it. The servant is not above his master, nor must the disciple look to fare better than his Lord. If the soft pillow of meekness be not laid on my back, I shall never bear the burdens of their calumnies and cruelties with the least comfort; what pain doth such vinegar cause when it meets with the raw wound of an impatient spirit! The more mad and the world is, the more meek I had need to be, if I would enjoy myself; besides, there may be fallings out amongst the best friends. Good men are not all of the same stature, nor all of the same temper; some are like broken bones—if but touched they fret and fling. How full are some of jealousies and suspicions which would soon be increased by my passions; and that spark which might be extinguished by my lenity, is blown into a flame by my fury. Some are sickly and in constant pain, others are under some smarting providence; some offend me upon mistake, and though others should do it out of malice, yet even they also call for my pity more than my passion. The best have need of pardon from man as well as God, and shall I, who want it more than others, not allow it to others? Alas! what harm do I get by others’ heats? The air when beaten is not injured, no, not so much as divided, but returns to its place and becomes thicker than before. The sharpest words cannot wound me if I do not put my hand to the weapon. All those tongue-squibs of reproach which the malevolent world throw at me will go out alone and die of themselves if I do not revive them. My well-grounded patience will, as a walking-staff, preserve me from many a fall whilst I travel in rugged ways. The distracted world, indeed, judgeth him the bravest fellow that will not pocket up the least affronts; but the wisest man that ever was, nay, the only wise God, tells me, “The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” (Eccles. vii. 3).
O my soul, whom wilt thou believe—the world that long since hath lost its wits and must ere long, for its frenzy, be fettered with the chains of everlasting darkness in the bridewell of the bottomless pit, or that God to whom angels themselves are comparative fools? (Job iv. 18). Oh, be not hasty to be angry! for anger resteth in the bosom of fools (Eccles. vii. 4). What a fool art thou to break thy own bones to give another a smart blow! A furious man is like Tamar who, to be revenged of her father-in-law, defiled him and herself with incest. Revenge is a thief that steals away a man’s estate from the lawyers. It is of the nature of the viper, and eats out the bowels of that wealth which gave it birth. What a fool am I to defame myself! That rancour and spleen which I spit at others is like his that spits against the wind, driven back into my own face, to the besmearing of my credit amongst all that are judicious. What a fool am I to destroy my own grace, my own peace! What flowers of holiness will grow where such locusts abound? What fruits of righteousness can thrive in such a scorching climate? What good work can be done within-doors if the house be in a flame? How unfit is a man in a passion to go to God in prayer? Surely no more than a person that comes reeking and sooted from a kiln is for the presence of his prince. I must not expect to meet God in a duty if my spirit be in a fury. A righteous man fallen down before the wicked is like a troubled fountain (Prov. xxv. 26). I seldom fall down more foully before wicked men than when I render reviling for reviling, and revenge for revenge; but then how unfit am I to fall down in holy duties before my God, for I am as a troubled fountain; and if men will not drink of the water of a fountain, though in itself pure and wholesome, when it is troubled and muddy, can I think that my God will drink of that vessel that runs thick. Oh, that I might never, because others are my enemies in defaming me, become my own enemy in defiling my own soul and hindering it of that comfort which it might have in divine communion. Lord, who art the God of peace, let me be known to be one of thine by being a son of peace; enable me to pass on, like a wise traveller, in the way of thy commandments, and not to be stirred at the barking of those dogs that pursue me with open mouth. My confident neglect will soonest make them quiet; let me never break the peace but in the quarrel of truth. Give me, for peace sake, sometimes to part with my right, but never with my righteousness. Let the same mind be in me which was in Christ Jesus; teach me from him to be meek and lowly in heart, and yet to be caten up with the zeal of thy house. Make me willing to suffer, but not to have thy name suffer. Grant me to follow peace with all men and holiness. Oh, bestow on me that wisdom from above which is first pure then peaceable, gentle, and, though hardly provoked, yet easy to be entreated.