The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 25
Upon ſweet-ſmelling flowers.
25. Med.
WHen I conſidered what a ſweet ſavour and odoriferous ſmell, a garden of flowers and hearbs ſent forth when it was watered from heaven by a refreſhing ſhower, and cheared again with the ſun-beams darted upon it, what a place of pleaſure, a paradice of delights it ſeemed to be, the ſight, the ſmell and ſavour delighted me, the melodious harmony and birds pleaſed me, ſo that my affections began to grow warm, and my fancy to be tickled with it, and I began with Peter to ſay, it is good being here; till upon conſideration I checkt my ſelf for my folly, for letting out my affection upon ſuch poor objects, and letting them grovel ſo low upon the ground, and to cloſe with ſuch poor pittiful nothings; then began I to ſcrew my thoughts a little higher, and to ſay to my ſelf, fool that thou art, is there ſo much beauty and ſweetneſs in the creature, yea, in theſe poor pitifull vaniſhing fading creatures, which to day are (ſaith Chriſt) and to morrow are caſt into the oven, Mat. 6.30. what ſweetneſs then is in the creator, that breathed this ſweetneſs into them; is not he much more ſweet, and delightfull? and why doſt thou not place thy affections upon him, that is altogether lovely? Cant. 5.16. wholly deſirable; Moſes thought him ſo, when he preferred the reproach of Chriſt, the heavieſt piece of his croſs, better then all the treaſures in Egypt: all the excellencies here below, are but the ſhadow, and he is the ſubſtance; they are but a drop to this ocean, a ray to this ſun, and a ſpark to this fire. Why wilt thou go to the puddle that maiſt go to the fountain-head? and take up with a handfull of muck, that maiſt have a handfull of angels? taſte and ſee how ſweet God is, he is ſweetneſs it ſelf, thou that ſo admireſt theſe vaniſhing flowers, whoſe beauty ſuddenly is changed for deformity, why wilt thou not be enamoured upon perfect beauty? the ſun, the moon, and ſtars are darkſome ſpots in compariſon of the beauty that is in him, he is white and ruddy, the chief of ten thouſands; his head is as the moſt fine gold, &c. Cant. 5.10.11. red and white ſhews a perfect ſymmetry, a ſound and ſure complexion, and conſtitution: thou ſpeakeſt of pleaſures, but at his right hand are pleaſures for evermore; all earthly enjoyments yield little content, ſmall pleaſure, and delight; there is a pound of ſorrow for an ounce of pleaſure, and thoſe alſo are but bitter ſweet pleaſures, but with him are ſatisfying pleaſures unmixed delights, yea, the image of God in the hearts of his people, is a thouſand times a more perfect beauty then the world affords, and the graces of the ſpirit in the garden of their ſouls, as they ſhew a more perfect beauty, ſo they yield a more fragrant ſavour and ſweeter ſmell, then all the flowers in the world can do, to a ſpiritual ſence: here is an orchard of Pomegranats and all pleaſant fruit, camphire and ſpicknard, ſpicknard and ſaffron, Calamus and cynamon, and all trees of frankincenſe, myrrhe and aloes, and all chief ſpices, Cant. 4.14, 15. ſee how precious God accounts the graces of his people, which here are likened to theſe precious things here mentioned, they ſmell ſweet in the noſtrills of God and man, yea, the word of God and his Ordinances, theſe were ſweeter to David then honey and the honey-comb, better then thouſands of gold and ſilver, Pſal. 19.10. and to Job, better then his appointed food; and are none of theſe taking with thee? is there more true worth in a handfull of flowers, that will not pleaſe thee from morning till night, then in thoſe never-ending never-fading pleaſures here preſented to thee? heaven and earth may ſtand amazed at thy folly; oh my ſoul, wallow not in the mire, delight not thy ſelf with the ſwine in ſwill, when thou maiſt have better, and more dainty food; feed not upon husks, when thou maiſt have bread enough in thy fathers houſe: graſp not after the ſhadow, when thou maiſt have the ſubſtance; or with the dog in the fable, loſe not the ſubſtance to catch at the ſhadow; deſpiſe peebles, that thou maiſt have pearls; lay not out money for that which is not bread, nor thy labour for that which profiteth not; when wine and milk are offered without money and without price, Eſay. 55.12. fill not thy veſſel with water that it can hold no wine; theſe outward things may be of uſe to us, but muſt not be abuſed by us; though they cannot make us happy yet they can point us out where happineſs may be had, and happy is that ſoul that can with the bee, gather honey from hearbs and flowers: there is not the moſt contemptible creature that breathes, nor the moſt deſpicable vegetable that lives, nor the pooreſt thing that exiſts, nay nothing, in rerum natura, but hath a finger to point us to God; a fly, or flea, or leaf of a tree or graſs-pile, or if any thing be more contemptible, will tell us, whence they had their being; and any, or all of theſe may teach us ſome leſſons, for our inſtruction; yea, the devil which is the grand enemy to mankinde, yet by this heavenly alchymy of divine Meditation, may be made nouriſhment to the ſoul, as of the vipers fleſh, may be made a ſoveraign antidote againſt the vipers ſting; yea, it is poſſible to extract heaven out of hell, and God out of the creature: and ſurely that muſt needs be a fat ſoul, that feeds in ſo many fat paſtures: oh my God, keep my affections from cloſing with theſe earthly enjoyments, and teach me the heavenly art of improving them, and drawing out the ſpirits of them; And as commonly they are ſnares and nets, and hurtful to the ſoul: Lord, aſſiſt me, that they may prove beneficiall to it; let mine affections cloſe with thee, and then I need not fear falling into theſe ſnares.