The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 28
Meditation XXVIII. Ʋpon the Rudder of a Ship.
AMongſt other Similitudes, which St. James uſeth to ſhew th…t great matters are effected by ſm…ll means; this of the Rudder of a Ship is one, and he uſhereth it in with a ſignal word, which the Scripture often prefixeth to weighty ſayings, to render them the more remarkable: Behold alſo the Ships, which though they be ſo great, are driven of fierce winds, yet are turned about with a very ſmall Helm whitherſoever the Governour liſteth. The right guidance of this ſingle part is of ſuch conſequence to the ſafety of the whole, as that every irregular motion may either hazard the Veſſel, or greatly hinder its progreſs, when it anſwereth not the juſt point of the Compaſs. How continually are theſe words of direction, Starboard, Starboard, Port, Port, ſpoken by him that eyes the Compaſs, repeated by him that holds the Helm, to prevent all danger that might ariſe from miſtakes. Or elſe how ſuddenly would Rocks, Waves, or Sands make a prey of them? Well then might Ariſtotle in his Mechanical Queſtions propoſe it as a Problem worthy of a reſolution, why a little helm hanging upon the outmoſt part of the Ship, ſhould have ſuch a great power as to move a vaſt bulk and weight with much facility, amidſt ſtorms and guſts of wind? And may we not anſwer, that the wiſdom in theſe Arts is Gods, though the induſtry in the uſe of them is mans. But the more power it hath, the more apt Emblem it is of that faculty of the Will, which in all moral actions is the Spiritual Rudder of the ſoul, to turn the whole man this way or that way as it pleaſeth. The Poſition of the School is a truth, Inclinatio voluntatis eſt inclinatio totius compoſiti: The inclination of the will is the inclination of the whole perſon, and according to the rectitude, or pravity of its motions both the man and his actions are denominated good or evil. And hence it is that Auſtin doth often define Sin by a mala voluntas, and good by a bona voluntas, becauſe of the dominion which the Will hath in the whole man. Of how abſolute concernment is it then, that this great Engine which commandeth all the inferiour powers of the ſoul, be not diſordered. If there be a Dyſpepſie in the Stomack, an inflamation in the Liver, or a taint in ſome other Vitall, what can the leſs noble parts of the body contribute unto its health? If the Foundation be out of courſe, how can the Building ſtand? If the Spring be polluted, who can expect the Streams ſhould be Chriſtalline? If the will be vitiated, how can it be, that Fear, Hatred, Love, Joy, Deſire, which in the ſenſitive part are Paſſions, but in the ſoul are immaterial affections, or rather operations of the Will, and are found in Angels themſelves, ſhould be pure and free from the corruption of their principle? It is therefore neceſſary that this ſpiritual Rudder have alſo a ſpiritual Compaſs by which it may ſteer, that ſo its motions may not be deſtructive, or at the leaſt vain. And what can this Compaſs be but the Word and Will of God? Conformity and obedience unto which is the only happineſs as well as the whole duty of man. It is mans duty to will what God wills, becauſe as he was made like unto God in his Image, ſo he was made for God in his end. And it is the happineſs of man to will and nill as God doth, becauſe he thereby only comes to obtain a true and perfect reſt: Elſe Seu caret optatis, ſeu fruitio miſer eſt; whether he have or want what he deſires, he is ſtill miſerable; like Noahs Dove, reſtleſs and fluttering till it can find out an object wherein it may acquieſce; Like the Grave and the Horſe-leech, alwaies craving and never ſatisfied. See then, O Chriſtian, from whence is it that this world, which is a tempeſtuous Sea unto all, proves ſo fatall to many in the ſad ſhipwrack of their eternal happineſs. Is it not from the lawleſs motions of their will? which when not governed by the will of God, as its perfect rule, is Cupiditas non voluntas, an impetuous and raging luſt rather than a will. What was it that ruined our firſt Parents, and in them all their Poſterity, but the inordinacy of their will; by which they loſt both their happineſs and holineſs at once? And what is it under the Goſpel into which Chriſt reſolves the damnation of thoſe that periſh? Is it not that they will not come unto him that they might have life? All obedience or diſobedience is properly, or at leaſt primarily in no part but in the will, ſo that though other faculties of the ſoul in regeneration are ſanctified, and thereby made conformable to the will of God, yet obedience and diſobedience are formally acts of the will, and according to its qualifications is a man ſaid to be obedient unto God or diſobedient. O that I could therefore awaken both my ſelf and others to a due conſideration of what importance it is, like a wiſe and induſtrious Pilot to guide this Rudder of the ſoul, the will of man, by the unerring Compaſs of the will of God. Heaven is the Port for which we all profeſs our ſelves bound, and can it ever be obtained by naked and inefficatious velleities, by a few faint wiſhings and wouldings? What blind Balaam would then miſs of it? What ſloathful man, that hideth his hand in his boſome, and will not ſo much as bring it to his mouth again, might not then poſſeſs it, as well as any Caleb, or Joſhuah, that wholly followed the Lord, or as David who fulfilled all his wills? Methinks that ſaying of our Saviour ſhould be as a Goad in the ſide of every ſluggard, Not every one that ſaith unto me Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. However, O holy God, let it quicken me to all diligence in an entire conformity of my will to thy will, that ſo I may readily do what thou commandeſt, and let me eſteem it as the beſt part of heavens happineſs, that I ſhall one day do it perfectly, as the Angels which behold thy face.