Meditation LXXX.
Meditation LXXX.
IN A SOUTHERN CLIMATE.
These southern climates certainly, as to fruitfulness, have the better of our northern lands. And when the traveler tells the entertaining account of spreading vines, and shady fig-trees, the beautiful pomegranate, and nourishing almond, the fragrant orange, and cooling lemon, with every other rare and useful produce—it kindles a desire in others to possess them, and makes them bless the inhabitants of such fine and fruitful countries. But were the account faithful to every particular, it would make them bless their situation in a land, where the mountains are sometimes covered with snow, and the waters congealed in ice.
Did they rehearse the dangers and difficulties found there, where the lion roars after his prey, where bears and tigers range for blood, where scorpions instill torment with their poison, and serpents sting to death; yes, where, though free from all these misfortunes, the scorching sun fatigues even to faintness, and the beautiful day by extreme heat becomes a burden. I say, were the delights weighed with the dangers; the fatal encumbrances with the fruitful produce—it would cast out ambition, bring in contentment, and make us settle with pleasure in what we might call the barren spot.
This is a real truth, and an interesting inference may be drawn from it, whereby we may regulate our wrong notions and blind opinions of rich and great men. Like the fruitful countries, they are only happy in our esteem, because they seem to lie under the meridian of worldly felicity, and sunshine of prosperity. Yes, we are confirmed in this opinion, because only the better part of their condition is told to us, as travelers do of the foreign fields.
With them, however, it too often fares as with these fertile lands; for worldly grandeur has the 'roaring lion of unbridled lust' often let loose on it, with all the train (more destructive than the tiger, bear, and other beasts of prey) of unruly passions, besides the unnumbered swarms of poisonous thoughts crawling over all the powers of mind. Now, though prosperity of itself brings forth no sins, any more than the heat of these climates creates hurtful creatures. Yet there they grow, and find large pasture. While sanctified affliction, like a cold and northern climate, has none of these encumbrances.
Were the life of great men—to their secret thoughts, laid before us, they would appear far from being as happy as we suppose. Their ambition, their emulation, their jealousies, their projects, their disappointments, their cares, their company and confusion—hinder them to enjoy themselves as men. Yes, the abundance of their wealth will not allow them to sleep. And, take them in the general, whatever they may be in this world, they are—with few exceptions—far from being happy with respect to the world to come.
God has lessened the pleasures of the sweetest climates by some real disadvantages; and sweetened the most disagreeable spots by some noble accommodations; that man, who is but a pilgrim, may be pleased with every place where God may cast his lot—yet neither be too elated his own country, nor despise the native places of others.
Again, the same is in the world of mankind—that there should be no advantage there. Hence the poorest man has as much sweetness in his condition (bodily health, exercise of reason, peace of mind, obedient children, etc.) as blunts his grief; and the greatest man has as much bitterness, (corroding anxiety, insatiable appetites, broken constitution, pensive thoughts, peevish temper, inward disquiet, etc.) as sours, or embitters his joys.
This should render men content with that station God has placed them in, and not to expect perfect felicity here below. For every man thinks happiness is in another, not in himself, which proves that there is not one possessed of it on earth. But he comes nearest to it, who is most content with his own condition and present circumstances in every respect—neither murmuring at crosses when they come upon himself, or envying others who seem to be exempted from them; and keeps his mind on the better country, where all glorious beatitudes shall be enjoyed without anything to lessen the felicity, or abate the bliss!
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