Tit. 4. The Difference between a contemplative Life, and an obedient, active Life, with Directions concerning them
This task will be best performed by answering those questions which here need a solution.
Quest. 1. What is a contemplative
life? and what is an active, obediential
life?
Answ. Every active christian is bound to somewhat of contemplation; and all contemplative persons are bound to obedience to God, and to so much of action as may answer their abilities and opportunities. But yet some are much more called to the one, and some to the other; and we denominate from that which is most eminent and the chief. We call that a contemplative life, when a man’s state and calling alloweth and requireth him to make the exercises of his mind on things sublime and holy, and the affecting of his heart with them to be his principal business, which taketh up the most of his time. And we call that an active, obediential life, when a man’s state and calling requireth him to spend the chief part of his time in some external labour or vocation, tending to the good of ourselves and others. As artificers, tradesmen, husbandmen, labourers, physicians, lawyers, pastors and preachers of the gospel, soldiers and magistrates, all live an active life, which should be a life of obedience to God. Though among these, some have much more time for contemplation than others. And some few there are that are exempt from both these, and are called to live a passive, obediential life; that is, such a life in which their obedient bearing of the cross, and patient suffering, and submission to the chastising or trying will of God, is the most eminent and principal service they can do him, above contemplation or action.
Quest. II. Must every man do his best to cast off all worldly and external labours, and to retire himself to a contemplative life as the most excellent?
Answ. No: no man should do so without a special necessity or call; for there are general precepts on all that are able, that we live to the benefit of others, and prefer the common good, and as we have opportunity do good to all men, and love our neighbours as ourselves, and do as we would be done by, (which will put us upon much action), and that we labour before we eat. And for a man unnecessarily to cast off all the service of his life, in which he may be profitable to others, is a burying or hiding his master’s talents, and a neglect of charity, and a sinning greatly against the law of love. As we have bodies, so they must have their work, as well as our souls.
Quest. III. Is a life of contemplation then lawful to any man? and to whom?
Answ. It is lawful, and a duty, and a great mercy to some, to live almost wholly, yea altogether, in contemplation and prayer, and such holy exercises. And that in these cases following: 1. In case that age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life: and when a man hath already spent his days and strength in doing all the good he can; and being now disabled, hath special reason to improve the rest of his (decrepid) age, in more than ordinary preparations for his death, and in holy communion with God. 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness. 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life, or profiting others. 4. And when persecution forceth christians to retire into solitudes and deserts, to reserve themselves for better times and places; or when prudence telleth them, that their prayers in solitude may do more good, than at that time their martyrdom were like to do. 5. When a student is preparing himself for the ministry, or other active life, to which a contemplative life is the way. 6. When poverty, or wars, or the rage of enemies disableth a man from all public converse, and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity. 7. When the number of those that are fit for action is so sufficient, and the parts of the person are so insufficient, and so the need and use of them in an active life so small, that, all things considered, holy, impartial prudence telleth him, that the good which he could do to others, by an active life, is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself receive, and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do, and his occasional counsels, and precepts, and resolutions, to those who come to him for advice, being drawn by the estimation of his holy life: in this case, it is lawful to give up oneself to a contemplative life; for that which maketh most to his own good and to others, is past doubt lawful and a duty. “Anna departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayer night and day,” Luke ii. 36, 37. Whether the meaning be, that she strictly kept the hours of prayer in the temple, and the fasting twice a week, or frequently, or whether she took up her habitation in the houses of some of the officers of the temple, devoting herself to the service of the temple; it is plain that either way she did something besides praying and fasting; even as the widows under the gospel who were also to “continue in prayer and supplication night and day,” 1 Tim. v. 5, and yet were employed in the service of the church, in overseeing the younger, and teaching them to be sober, &c. Tit. ii. 4, which is an active life. But however Anna’s practice be expounded, if this much that I have granted would please the monastics, we would not differ with them.
Quest. IV. How far are those in an active life to use contemplation?
Answ. With very great difference. 1. According to the difference of their callings in the world, and the offices in which they are ordinarily to serve God. 2. And according to the difference of their abilities and fitness for contemplation or for action. 3. According to the difference of their particular opportunities. 4. According to the difference of the necessities of others which may require their help. 5. And of their own necessities of action or contemplation. Which I shall more particularly determine in certain rules.
1. Every christian must use so much contemplation, as is necessary to the loving of God above all, and to the worshipping of him in spirit and in truth, and to a heavenly mind and conversation, and to his due preparation for death and judgment, and to the referring all his common works to the glory and pleasing of God, that “Holiness to the Lord” may be written upon all, and all that he hath may be sanctified, or devoted with himself to God.
2. The calling of a minister of the gospel, is so perfectly mixed of contemplation and action, (though action denominate it, as being the end and chief,) yet he must be excellent in both. If they be not excellent in contemplation, they will not be meet to stand so much nearer to God than the people do; and to sanctify him when they draw near him, and glorify him before all the people: nor will they be fit for the opening of the heavenly mysteries, and working that on the people’s hearts which never was on their own. And if they be not excellent in an active life, they will betray the people’s souls, and never go through that painful diligence, and preaching in season, and out of season, publicly, and from house to house, day and night with tears, which Paul commandeth them, Acts xx.; and Epist. Tim.
3. The work of a magistrate, a lawyer, a physician, and such like, is principally in doing good in their several callings, which must not be neglected for contemplation. Yet so, that all these, and all others, must allow God’s service and holy thoughts their due place, in the beginning, and middle, and end of all their actions. As magistrates must read and meditate, day and night, in the word of God, John i. 8, 10. So the eunuch, Cornelius, &c. Acts viii. and x.
4. Some persons in the same calling, whose callings are not so urgent on them, by any necessities of themselves or others, and who may have more vacant time, must gladly take it for the good of their souls, in the use of contemplation, and other holy duties. And others that are under greater necessities, urgencies, obligations, or cannot be spared from the service of others, (as physicians, lawyers, &c.) must be less in contemplation, and prefer the greatest good.
5. Public necessities or service may with some be so great as to dispense with all secret duty both of prayer and contemplation (except short mental ejaculations) for some days together. So in wars it oft falls out that necessity forbiddeth all set or solemn holy service for many days together (even on the Lord’s day). So a physician may sometimes be tied to so close attendance on his patients, as will not allow him time for a set prayer. So sometimes a preacher may be so taken up in preaching, and exhorting, and resolving people’s weighty doubts, that they shall scarce have time for secret duties, for some days together (though such happy impediments are rare). In these cases to do the lesser is a sin, when the greater is neglected.
6. Servants, who are not masters of their time, must be faithful in employing it to their masters’ service, and take none for holy duty from that part which they should work in; but rather from their rest so far as they are able; intermixing meditations with their labours when they can: but redeeming such time as is allowed them, the more diligently, because their opportunities are so rare and short.
7. The Lord’s day, (excepting works of necessity,) and such vacancies as hinder not other work, (as when they travel on the way, or work, or wake in the night, &c.) are every man’s own time, which he is not to alienate to another’s service, but to reserve and use for the service of God, and for his soul, in holy duties.
8. Some persons cannot bear much contemplation, especially melancholy and weak-headed people; and such must serve God so much the more in other duties which they are able for; and must not tire out and distract themselves, with striving to do that which they are not able to undergo. But others feel no inconvenience by it at all, as I can speak by my own experience: my weakness and decay of spirits inclining me most to a dulness of mind, I find that the most exciting serious studies and contemplations, in the greatest solitude, are so far from hurting me by any abatement of health, or hilarity, or serenity of mind, that they seem rather a help to all. Those that can thus bear long solitude and contemplation, ought to be the more exercised in it, except when greater duties must take place. But to melancholy persons it is to be avoided as a hurt.
9. To the same persons, sometimes their own necessities require contemplation most, and sometimes action; and so that which is at one time a duty, may at another time be none.
10. A mere sinful backwardness is not to be indulged. A diseased disability (such as comes from melancholy, weak-headedness, or decay of memory) must be endured, and not too much accused; when Christ excused worse in his disciples, saying, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” But a sinful backwardness in cases of absolute necessity, is not at all to be endured, but striven against with all your power, whatever it cost you: as to bring yourselves to so much serious consideration, as is necessary to your repentance and unfeigned faith, and godly conversation, this must be done whatever follow; though the devil persuade you that it will make you melancholy or mad; for without it, you are far worse than mad.
11. The most desirable life, to those that have their choice, is that which joineth together contemplation and action; so as there shall be convenient leisure for the most high and serious contemplation, and this improved to fit us for the most great and profitable action. And such is the life of a faithful minister of Christ: and therefore no sort of men on earth are more obliged to thankfulness than they.
12. Servants, and poor men, and diseased men, and others, that are called off from much contemplation, and employed in a life of obedient action, yea, or suffering, by the providence of God, and not by their own sinful choice, must understand, that their labour and patience is the way of their acceptable attendance upon God, in the expense of most part of their time. And though it is madness in those that hope God will accept of their labours, instead of true faith and repentance, and a godly life; (for these must go together, and hinder not each other;) yet, instead of such further contemplations as are not necessary to the being of a godly life, a true christian may believe that his obedient labours and sufferings shall be accepted. If you set one servant to cast up an account, and another to sweep your chimney or channels, you will not accept the former, and reject the latter, for the difference of their works; but you will rather think that he hath most merited your acceptance, who yielded without grudging to the basest service. And doubtless it is an aggravation of acceptable obedience, when we readily and willingly serve God in the lowest, meanest work. He is too fine to serve him, who saith, I will serve thee in the magistracy or ministry, but not at plough or cart, or any such drudgery. And if thou be but in God’s way, he can make thy very obedience a state of greater holiness and safety, than if thou hadst spent all that time in the study of holy things, as you see many ungodly ministers do all their lifetime, and are never the better for it. It is not the quality of the work, but God’s blessing, that makes it do you good. Nor is he most beloved of God, who hath rolled over the greatest number of good thoughts in his mind, or of good words in his mouth, no, nor he that hath stirred up the strongest passions hereabouts; but he that loveth God and heaven best, and hateth sin most, and whose will is most confirmed for holiness of life. He that goeth about his labour in obedience to God, may have as much comfort as another that is meditating or praying. But neither labour nor prayer is matter of comfort to an ungodly, carnal heart.
Yea, if decay of memory or natural ability take you off both action and contemplation, you may have as much acceptance, and solid comfort, in a patient bearing of the cross, and an obedient, cheerful submission to the holy will of God.