The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 47
Meditation XLVII. VponUpon the Perching of a piece of Cloth.
LAwes, ſignally good, oft times derive their birth according to the common Saying, from evil Manners, ſpringing like fair and beautifull Flowers from a black and deformed Root: And ſo likewiſe the many and ingenuous Explorations of finding out the difference between things of worth and their Counterfeits; and of ſeeing into the particular defects of Commodities, have been occaſioned from the multiplicity of deceits, which have riſen either from natural ſemblances, or corrupt Practiſes. The skilfull Lapidary hath, by his obſervation, learned to know a falſe Stone from a true, which the common Eye cannot diſtinguiſh. The Herbaliſts do difference Plants ſometimes by the Root, ſometimes by the Taſte, when the likeneſs of the Leaf is perfectly the ſame. The Cautious Receiver, that he be not couzened by adulterated Coyne for true, makes an Artificial Touchſtone of his Senſes, he bends it, he rings it, he rubs it, and ſmells to it, that thereby he may finde out what it is: The circumſpect Merchant contents not himſelf with the ſeeing and feeling of his Cloth as it lies made up; but he puts it upon the Perch, and ſetting it between the light and himſelf drawes it leaſurely over; and ſo diſcovers not onelyonly the rents and holes that are in it, but the inequality of the threads, the unevenneſs of its ſpinning, the ſpots and ſtaines that are in it, and what not? that may make it either to be rejected for its defects, or approved for its goodneſs. O how impartial a Judge is light; which neither flatters friends, nor wrongs enemies; which manifeſts the good as well as the evil to what ever it is applyed? This kinde of triall hints to me the beſt manner of doing that work, which every Chriſtian ought to perform with the greateſt care, the ſearching and examining of his own wayes. I may learn from what is done to the Cloth, to do the ſame Spiritually to my ſelf, by ſetting my actions between the light of the Word, and the Diſcerning power of Conſcience, that ſo the one may diſcover, and the other may judge what their rectitude or pravity is? and this is beſt done when every parcel of the Converſation is looked into, and ſcanned, as the Cloth that is drawn over the Perch; then it is that I find the unevenneſs of my Duties, the diſtractions of my Thoughts, and the unbelief of my Heart, which runs as a continued Thread from one end of the Duty unto the other. Then it is that I eſpy thoſe ſecret ſtaines of Hypocriſie which diſcolour my ſervices, and blemiſh them to God, when they ſeem fair to the eye of Man; Then it is that convinced of my filthineſs, I cry out, My Perſon wants a Prieſt, which is deformed with infinite guilt, that without him cannot be covered. My nature wants a Prieſt, which is over-run with an univerſal leproſie, that without him cannot be cured. My Sins want a Prieſt, which are for their number as the ſands, and for their greatneſs as the Mountains, that without him can never be pardoned. My holy things want a Prieſt, which are defiled with the daily Eruptions of ſin and folly, that without him can never be accepted. And who is it that thus vieweth himſelf by this perfect Law of Liberty, that is not thus affected? What faith Paul of himſelf? I was alive withcut the Law once, but when the Commandment came ſin revived, and I died: who was once more full of conceired abilities to perform the Righteouſneſs of the Law without blame? Who was more preſumptuous in ſelf-Juſtifications, and elated thoughts of his Perfection, than the Apoſtle, while he was without the Law? that is, not without the Letter, but without the Spirituall ſenſe and penetrative power of it; but when the Commandment came in its Vigour and Life, how ſuddenly did all thoſe miſperſwaſions of his own Righteouſneſs vaniſh into nothing? He then loſt his confidence of being Saved by his obedience to the Law; and by the light of it diſcovered thoſe inward Luſtings, and deſires to be ſinfull, and ſuch as ſubjected him unto Death, which before were wholly neglected and unſeen. As I would therefore incite Chriſtians to an Ex…ct diſcuſſion of their wayes, ſo would I alſo direct them to look upon them through no other medium then the Light of the Word: Wherewith (ſaith David) ſhall a young Man cleanſe his wayes, (or as the Original imports, make clear as Chriſtal) by taking heed thereto according to thy Word? The Heathen were not altogether Aliens to this Duty of Self-Examination; it was Sextius his cuſtome, as Seneca reports it, when he betook himſelf to his Nights Reſt, to queſtion his Soul, Quod hodie malum tuum ſanaſti? cui vitio obſtetiſti? What Malady haſt thou this day cured? What vice haſt thou withſtood? It was alſo Pythagoras his counſel to his Scholars, that each Man ſhould demand of himſelf, Wherein have I offended? What good have I done? But al…ſs! how confuſed and in-diſtinct was that light by which they made this ſearch? How little can the Candle-light of Nature diſcover of the evil of Sin, whoſe Rules and Principles do ſo much fall in, and ſute with the wills of the Fleſh? What Camell Sins did the very beſt of them ſwallow down, without the leaſt ſtraining at them? What ſwarmes are there of ſins, which Chriſtians complain of, that the Natural Man is totally ignorant of, and can no more diſcover, without the aid of the Word, than the Eye can diſcern its own Blood-ſhed without the help of a Glaſs? We have Pauls own confeſſion in this particular, I had not known lust, except the Law had ſaid, thou ſhalt not covet. Before he onelyonly ſaw ſome ſins that were as beames for their magnitude, but now he is ſenſible of the ſmalleſt motes. To the Law then, and to the Teſtimony do you betake your ſelves, O ye ſincere and upright ones, when you go about this Work! fear not its Purity, but love it; ſhrink not at its Searching Power, but yield up your ſelves to a free and voluntary admiſsion of its light; yea rejoyce and be exceeding glad, that by the Light of the Word, ye can trace ſin home unto its receptacle, and can both judge it and mortifie it in the ſeed and root of it, which is the ſureſt and beſt Way of deſtroying it. He is amongſt the Firſt-borne of Chriſtians, who communes moſt with his own heart, and looks ofteneſt into the Books of Conſcience, which Writes Journalls, and not Annalls, and is moſt likely to obtain a double Portion both of Peace and Grace; but when he hath done all, let him make Davids Prayer the cloſe; Search me, O Lord, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting.