The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 57
Meditation LVII. Ʋpon the Bible.
QUintilian, who makes it a queſtion, why unlearned …en in diſcourſe ſeem of… times more free and copious than the Learned, gives this as the anſwer; That the one without either care, or choice, expreſs whatſoever their preſent thoughts ſuggeſt to them, Cum doctis ſit electio & modus: When the other are both careful what to ſay, and to diſpoſe alſo their Conceptions in due manner and order. If any thing make this Subject difficult to my Meditation, it is not want but plenty, which is ſo great, as that I muſt, like Bezaleel and Aholiab, be forced to lay aſide much of that coſtly ſtuff which preſents it ſelf to me. And what to refuſe, or what to take in, is no eaſie matter to reſolve. It will, I am ſenſible, require and deſerve alſo more exactneſs in chuſing what to ſay, and what not to ſay, concerning its worth and excellency, and how to digeſt what is ſpoken, than what is meet for any to aſſume unto himſelf. I ſhall therefore account that I have attained, my end, if I can but ſo imploy my thoughts as to encreaſe my veneration to this Book of God, which none can ever too much ſtudy, or too highly prize; and with which to be well acquainted, is not only the chief of duties, but the beſt of delights, and pleaſures. What would be our condition in this world if we had not this bleſſed Book among us, would it not be like Adams, when driven out of Paradiſe, and debarred from the Tree of Life? Would it not be darker than the Earth without the Sun? If the world were fuller of Books than the heaven is of Stars, and this only wan…ing, there would be no certain way and rule to Salvation: But if this alone were extant, it would enlighten the eyes, make wiſe the ſimple, and guide their feet in the paths of life.
True it is, that for many years God made known himſelf by Viſions, Dreams, Oracles, to perſons of noted holineſs, that they might teach and inſtruct others; But it was while the Church of God was of ſmall growth and extent, and the perſons to whom Gods Meſſ…ges were Concredited of unqueſtioned Authority with the preſent Age. But afterward the Lord ſpake to his Church both by Word and Writing, the one uſeful for further revealing Divine Truths, and the other for the recording of them, that when the Canon was once compleated, all might appeal unto it, and none take the liberty of coyning Divine Oracles to himſelf, or of obtruding his fancies upon others.
And were there no other uſe of this Book of God than this, that it ſhould be the Standard for the trial of all Doctrines, it were to be highly prized for its worth; without which the minds of men would be in a continual diſtraction, through the multitude of Enthuſiaſts, that would be pretending Commiſſions from heaven, none knowing what to believe in point of Faith, or what to do in point of Obedience, or whereby to difference the good and evil Spirit from each other. But this ſingle benefit (though it can never enough be thankfully acknowledged to God by us) is but as a Cluſter to the Vintage, or as an Ear of Corn to the Harveſt, in reſpect of thoſe many bleſſings that may be reaped from it. Doth not Paul aſcribe unto it an univerſal influence into the Welfare of Believers, when he ennumerates ſo many noble Ends for which all Scripture is profitable? What is it that makes any man wiſe to Salvation? Is it not the Scripture? What is it that inſtructs any in Righteouſneſs, and makes him perfect, and throughly furniſhed unto all good works? Is it not the Scripture? Is not this the only Bock by which we come to underſtand the heart of God to us, and learn alſo the knowledge of our own hearts? Both which as they are the breaſts of myſteries; ſo they are of all knowledge the beſt, and fill the ſoul with more ſatisfaction than the moſt exact diſcovery of all created Beings whatſoever. What if a man could, like Solomon, ſpeak of Trees, from the Cedar that is in Lebanon to the Hyſop that groweth upon the Wall, and of Beaſts, Fowls, and Fiſhes, and yet were wholly ignorant of his own heart, would not the light that is in him be darkneſs? Or what if a man could reſolve all thoſe poſing queſtions in which the Schoolmen have buſied themſelves concerning Angels, and yet know nothing of the God of Angels, would he not become as a ſounding Braſs, and a tinckling Symbal? Is the knowledge of theſe things the great end for which our underſtanding was given unto us? Or is it any further deſirable or profitable than as it conduceth to the knowledge of God? Doth the rectitude of our actions, and the holineſs of them, flow from the knowledge we have of any Creature, or from the knowledge of God? Is not his Will the Rule, and his Glory the End of all that we do? And how ſhould we ever come to know what the good and acceptable will of God is, but by his revealing it unto us? Which he hath done moſt clearly and fully in this bleſſed Book of his, the Scripture of truth. That then which commends this Book, and renders it worthy of all acceptation, is the rich diſcoveries that it makes to us concerning ſo Excellent a Being as God is, whom it acquaints us with in his Nature, Perfections, Counſels, and Deſigns, in relation to the Eternal Salvation of man. It contains not any thing that is mean or trivial; the matters in it are all of no leſs glory for any to behold, than of weighty importance for all to know.
Do we not read in it, with what Majeſty God gave forth his Sacred Law, when Thunders, Lightnings, dark Clouds and Burnings were uſed as Heralds in the promulgation of it? And yet may we not again ſee the hidings of his power, in the wonderful Condeſcenſions of his goodneſs? How doth he intreat, wooe, and importune thoſe whom he could with a frown, or breath eaſily deſtroy, and purſue with bowels of mercy, ſuch whom he might in Juſtice leave, and caſt off for ever? Are there not in it Precepts of exact purity, that are as Diamonds without fl…ws, and as fine Gold without droſs? In all other Books, they are as the moſt Current Coyns, that muſt have their Alloyes of baſer Metals; But in this they reſemble the Author, who is light in which there is no darkneſs, and a Sun in which are no ſpots. Are there not in it promiſes of infinite value as well as goodneſs, in which rewards are given not of Debt, but of Grace, and to ſuch who have cauſe to be aſhamed of their Duties, as well as their Sins? Are there not in it Premoxiions of great faithfulneſs, in which God fully de…ares to men what the iſſues of ſin will be? And proclaims a Judgment to come in which the Judge will be impartial, and the Sentence moſt ſevere, againſt the leaſt offences, as well as againſt the greateſt; What is it that may teach us to ſerve God with Chearfulneſs, to truſt him with confidence, to adhere to him with reſolution in difficulties, To ſubmit to his Will with patience in the greateſt extremities, that we may not be abundantly furniſhed with from this Book. It alone is a perfect Library, in which are preſented thoſe deep myſteries of the Goſpel, that Angels ſtudy, and look into both with delight and wonder, being more deſirous to pry into them, than of perfect ability to underſtand them. They are ſuch, that had they not been revealed could not have been known, and being revealed, can yet never be fully comprehended by any.
Was it ever heard, that he who was the maker of all things, was made of a Woman? That the Ancient of daies was not an hour old? That Eternal life began to live? That he, to whoſe Nature Incomprehenſibility doth belong, ſhould be incloſed in the narrow limits of the Womb? Where can we read but in this Book, that he who perfectly hates ſin, ſhould condeſcend to take upon him the ſimilitude of ſinful Fleſh? That he, who was the Perſon injured by Sin, ſhould willingly be the Sacrifice to Expiate the guilt of it, and to dye inſtead of the Sinners? Are not theſe ſuch Myſteries as are utter impoſſibilities to Reaſon? And at which, like Sarah, it laughs, rather than, vvith Abraham, entertain them vvith an holy reverence and joy vvhen made knovvn? Reaſon is buſie in looking after Demonſtrations, and enquires hovv this can be, and then ſcorns what it cannot fathom: But Faith reſts it ſelf in the Revelations of God, and adores as a myſtery what he diſcovers. Yea, it makes theſe Myſteries, not only Objects of its higheſt Adoration, but the grounds of its ſure comfort and confidence. From whence is it, that Faith fetcheth its ſecurity againſt Sin, Satan, Death, and Hell? Is it not from this, that he who is the Saviour of Believers is God-man manifeſted in the Fleſh? That he who is their Sacrifice through the Eternal Spirit offered himſelf without ſpot to God, to purge their Conſcience from dead works to ſerve the Living God? That he who is their Advocate did raiſe himſelf from the dead, and aſcende… into the higheſt Heavens to make everlaſting Interceſſions for them? Can then any depreciate this Book, or abate the leaſt Iota of that awfull Eſteem which upon all accounts is due unto it, and be guiltleſs? Or can any neglect this Book as unworthy of their reading, which God hath thought worthy of his Writing, without putting an affront upon God himſelf, whoſe Image it bears, as well as declares his Commands? And yet I tremble to think how many Anti-Scripturiſts there be, who have let fall both from their Lips and Pens ſuch bold Scorns, as if Satan ſtood at their right hand to inſpire them. It was open Blaſphemy, and worthy that Antichristian Crue of Trent, to affirm, That though the Scripture were not, yet a body of ſaving Divinity might be made out of the Divinity of the School. The prophaneneſs of Politian ſhall make his name to rot in a perpetual ſtench, who never read the Bible but once, and ſaid, it was the worſt time that ever he ſpent. And yet what are the fruits of his ſtudies, but ſuch as Gellius ſtiles, Scholica Nugalia, a few trifling Commentaries, and Criticiſms. More I could readily name of the ſame Stamp, that have preſumed Impiouſly to ſcoff at the Revelations of God, as others at his Providence, but who can take pleaſure to rake in a Dunghill that may enjoy the fragrancy of a Paradiſe; I ſhall therefore turn my thoughts from them, and, as having nothing to caſt over their wickedneſs, ſhall, Sanguinem pro velamento obtendere, call my bloud into my face, and ſpread it as a Vail in bluſhing for them, that ſhould have bluſhed and been aſhamed for themſelves. But though the Word of God ceaſeth not to be a reproach unto them, yet I ſhall bind it as a Crown unto me. Though they reject the Counſel of God againſt themſelves, yet I ſhall make his Teſtimonies my delight, and the men of my Counſel, and ſhall make the prayer of the Pſalmiſt to be my dayly prayer, that God would open mine Eyes, that I may behold the hidden wonders that are contained in his Law.