The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 12 – Meditation 16
Meditation XII. Upon ſtrength and length in Prayer.
VVHen Cicero was asked which of Demoſthenes his Orations he thought beſt, he wittily replyed, the longeſt. But, if the queſtion ſhould be, which of Prayers are the beſt, the anſwer then muſt not be, the longeſt, but the ſtrongeſt: not the Prayer that exceeds in quantity, but that which excells in quallity. In Morall actions the Manner of working is a Swaying Circumſtance; a Man may ſin in doing good, but not in doing well: how few then are there which manage this duty of holy Prayer aright? Some miſtake the Language of Prayer, and think it conſiſts of nothing elſe then the cloathing of their meaning in apt expreſſions, with a tuneable delivery of it: Others preſume, that if neceſſity have put an edge upon their Requeſts, and ſtirred up ſome paſſions of Self-love, that they cannot fail of acceptance. Others again put much in the length of their Prayers, meaſuring them by the time which is ſpent, rather then by the intention which is exerciſed in them. But alaſs, how wide are all ſuch apprehenſions from the truth? and how fruitleſs will ſuch duties be to thoſe that are no otherwiſe buſied in them? The Prayer, which is as delightful Muſick in Gods Eares, is not that which hath the quaint Note of the Nightingale, but that which hath the mournful Tones of the Dove. Broken ſighs and groans are the beſt Eioquence with God, and become Prayer; as unexpected stops and reſts (made by Muſicians) do grace the Muſick with a kind of Harmonical Apoſiopeſis, or Elipſis; it is not the Prayer that Indigency and natural deſires do ſharpen, but which the Spirit doth enliven that is prevalent with God. The one is as the cry of the young Ravens, and the other is as the voice of Children that are taught to cry Abba, Father. It is not the many words of a proud Phariſee that obtain the bleſſing, but the pit by and ſhort Confeſſion of a penitent Publican, who is ſent away juſtified. Ah Father! may ſometimes be more effectual with God, who ſearcheth the hearts, and knoweth the mind of the Spirit, than a prayer that is ſtretched forth like an Evening ſhadow to a wonderful length. The one, though it be ſhort, may, like a ſmall figure in a Number, ſtand for much: and the other, though great, like a volume of Cyphers, may ſignifie nothing. Let therefore ſuch who are frequent in the duty of prayer, eſpecially young Converts, who are apt to think above what is meet of their own enlargements, endeavour to turn their length into ſtrength, and to remember that there is a wide difference between the gift and grace of prayer, and that it is one thing to have Commerce with God in duties, and another to have Communion with him; The one is ſuch which ſtrangers may have in their mutual traffick, but the other is proper to friends, who are knit together in love.
Meditation XIII. VponUpon the Morning Dew.
THe Meditation of this Subject is no leſs facile than delightful, like Jacobs Veniſon, it is ſoon come by, becauſe God hath brought it to my hand, having often in his Word reſembled the Dew, (which makes the earth fruitful,) to his Grace, that makes the hearts of men, naturally barren, to bring forth fruits of righteouſneſs; ſo that it is no difficult task for to draw an uſeful parallel between the one and the other in ſundry reſpects.
The Dew is of an heavenly original, the nativity thereof is from the womb of the Morning, it …arrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the Sons of men. And is it not thus in the grace of Converſion? Is not that wholly from above, without any Preparations, Congruities, Concurrencies, that do or can ariſe from the fleſh? We are made active by grace, but we are not at all Agents in fitting our ſelves for Grace. As no man can be antecedently active to his firſt birth; ſo neither can he be to his ſecond birth: Of Gods own Will we are begotten by the Word of Truth.
The Dew alſo in its deſcent and fall is ſilent and imperceptible, it flies every ſenſe of which it may ſeem to be a proper object. It is ſo ſubtle, as that the ſharpeſt eye cannot ſee it; ſo ſilent, as that the quickeſt ear cannot hear it; and ſo thin, as that the naked hand cannot feel it. When it is come it is viſible, but how it comes who can tell? After ſuch a ſecret manner oft times are the illapſes of the Spirit, and the operations of his grace upon the heart; his Teachings, his Tractions, his Callings are all efficacious to draw, to perſwade, yet the way is hidden, and the ſoul, ere ever it is aware, is made like the Chariots of Aminadab.
The Dew again, as Naturaliſts obſerve, is moſt abounding in calm and ſerene ſeaſons, when the Heavens are leaſt diſturbed with winds and ſtorms; Ros eſt humidum quid è ſerenitate concretum minutatim labens; it is a moyſture drawn up by the Sun in the day, and then falling by ſmall innumerable drops in the night. And is it not thus in the grace of God? Are not thoſe hearts refreſhed moſt with it, that are leaſt diſquieted with Earthly Cares, and toſſed too and fro with Anxieties? Are not ſuch, like Gideons Fleece, plentifully wet with the Evidences of Gods love, when others, like the ground about it, are wholly dry?
Laſtly, The Dew is of a growing and reviving nature, which brings a life and verdure to Fields, Vineyards, Gardens, Flowers, which the cold would chill, or the heat would ſcorch. Therefore when God promiſed to Iſrael the beauty of the Lilly, the ſtability of the Ced…r, the fruitfulneſs of the Olive, to effect all this he ſaith, he will be as the dew. And what ground can but bring forth when he who is the Father of the Rain, and begetteth the drops of the dew, ſhall himſelf deſcend upon it in bounty and goodneſs? Who can but love him with a love of duty, whom he ſhall thus tender with a love of mercy? Who can but love him with a love of Concupiſcence, as being more deſirous of new Influences, than ſatisfied with former Receipts, whom he ſo freely loves with a love of Beneficence? O Lord, my Soul thirſteth for thee as the gaping and chapped earth doth for the moyſture of the Heavens; I am nothing, I can do nothing without thee; my fruitfulneſs, my growth, my life depend wholly upon the droppings of thy grace; when they dew lieth all night upon my Branch, my glory is freſh in me, and my whole man is as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed. Be not therefore unto me. O my God, as a Cloud without Rain, left I be as a Tree without fruit. But let thy grace alwaies diſtill upon me as the dew, and as the ſmall rain upon the tender herb, and then ſhall I be as the ground, which drinketh in the ſhowers that come oft upon it, and bringeth forth fruit meet for him by whom it is dreſſed, and receive alſo new bleſſing from God.
Meditation XIV. VponUpon a Pearl in the Eye.
VVHat ſpecious names have Phyſicians put upon diſeaſes, who call a Plague Sore a Carbuncle, and the white film, which taketh away the delightful ſight, a Pearl in the Eye? Do they gild over Diſeaſes, as they do their Pills, or a Bolus, that ſo their Patients may leſs fear and feel the evil of the one, as they leſs taſte the bitterneſs of the other? And are any by ſuch ſlender Artifices brought into an opinion that a Carbuncle is leſs mortal or loathſome than any other ſwelling that hath not ſo gay a name? Or that blindneſs which is cauſed by a Pearl in the Eye, is more comfortable than the loſs of ſight that comes by other accidents? Methinks Reaſon ſhould not run at ſo low an ebb in any, as to pleaſe themſelves in ſuch fancies; may not a Poyſon have a name that ſounds better to the ear; a colour more pleaſing to the eye, and a taſte that is more grateful to the Pallate, than the Antidote which expels it? May not Alchimy gliſter when Gold looks pale? And yet alas! in ſpiritual maladies, in which the danger is ſo much the greater by how much the ſoul is of more value than the body; with what ſtrange deluſions are many tranſported? who when their minds are poyſoned with Errour and Blaſphemy, do then put upon their corrupt Opinions and Tenents, the glorious names of Revelations, Viſions, Raptures, refined notions, and what not, that may confirm themſelves in their own dotages, and win others into an admiration of their perſons. Thus Montanus gave out himſelf to be the Comforter that Chriſt had promiſed to ſend forth into the World. Arius proudly boaſted, that God had revealed ſomething to him, which he hid from his Apoſtles. And Eunomius fondly imagined that he was taken up to Heaven, as Elias was; and had ſeen Gods face, as had Moſes, and was wrapt up to the third heaven, as was Paul. But what other thing are theſe Follies, or rather Phrenſys, than as if an Iſrael te infected with the botch of Egypt, and overſpread with it from the ſole of the foot to the crown of the head, ſhould boaſt that he had robbed the Egyptians of their moſt precious Jewels, and had decked himſelf with them? Would not men pitty his diſtemper, rather than believe his confidence? Would not they offer medicines to heal him, rather than ſuffer him to periſh under his miſerable deluſion of poſſeſſing great riches? How is it then that in matters of faith, in which there is both clear evidence and certainty, Hereticks, that are no other than ulcerous perſons, fitter for. Dogs to lick than Chriſtians to love, ſhould throughout all Ages ſo eaſily gain to themſelves ſuch a great multitude of Proſelytes only by putting fair Names upon foul Errours? It is becauſe men for their luſts ſake will not ſee, but willingly corrupt themſelves in thoſe things which they know? or is it becauſe God hath ſmitten them with a ſpirit of blindneſs that they ſhall not ſee, for their not receiving of the truth in the love of it? Surely, whatever the cauſe be, ſuch is the infatuation, as that I had need both to tremble, and to pray: To tremble, at the ſad woe which is denounced by God himſelf againſt thoſe that call evil good, and good evill; That put bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter. And to pray, as David did, Teach me thy way O Lord, I will walk in thy truth, unite my heart to fear thy name.
Meditation XV. VponUpon Spiritual and bodily ſickneſs.
THe ſoul hath its maladies, as well as the body; and ſuch that for their likeneſs to them, do often borrow their names from them. Pride, is a Timpany; Avarice, a Dropſie; Security, a Lithargy; Luſt, a Calenture; Apoſtacy, an Epilepſie. And yet (though theſe names of bodily diſeaſes do happily ſerve to point and ſhadow out the nature of ſpiritual) how wide is the difference between the Patients of the one and of the other, in regard of thoſe qualities which may diſpoſe them for a cure and recovery out of them? In the diſeaſes of the body it matters not whether the Patient know the name of his diſeaſe, or underſtand the vertue of the medicines which are preſcribed, or be able to judge of the increaſe, height, and declination of his diſtempers by the beatings of his pulſe; the whole buſineſs is managed by the care and wiſdom of the Phyſician, who oft times conceals the danger on purpoſe leaſt fear and fancy ſhould work more than his Phyſick, and hinder the benefit of what he applies. But in the maladies of the ſoul it is far otherwiſe; the firſt ſtep unto ſpiritual health is a diſtinct and clear inſight of ſin, ſuch which makes men to underſtand the Plague of their own hearts; Chriſt heals by light, as well as by Influence; he firſt Convinceth them of ſin, and then gives the pardon, he diſcovers the diſeaſe to them, and then adminiſters the medicine. Ignorance is a bar to the welfare of the ſoul, though not of the body, and makes the divine remedies to have as little effect upon it, as Purges or Cordials have upon the Glaſſes into which they are put. It is Solomons peremptory Concluſion, that a ſoul without knowledge is not good, nor indeed can be, becauſe it wants a principle, which is as neceſſary to goodneſs as a viſive power to the eye to enable it to diſcern its object. How can he ever value holineſs who underſtands not what ſin is? Or deſire a Saviour who hath no ſence of his need? O therefore, bleſſed Lord, do thou dayly more open my eyes, that I may ſee my ſelf to be among the ſinzers, and not among the righteous; among the ſick, and not among the whole; that ſo I may be healed by thee, who cameſt not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; nor to ſave the whole, but the ſick. Be thou my Phyſician, and let me be thy Patient, untill thou makeſt me to ſay, I am not ſick, becauſe thou haſt forgiven me all mine iniquities.
Meditation XVI. VponUpon a Lamp and a Star.
SUch is the diſparity between a Lamp and a Star, as that happily it may not a little be wondred at, why I ſhould make a joynt Meditation of them which are ſo greatly diſtant in reſpect of place, and far more in reſpect of quality, the one being an earthly, and the other an heavenly body. What is a Lamp to a Star in regard of influence, duration, or beauty? Hath it any quickning raies flowing from it? Or is its light immortal, ſo as not to become deſpiſed by expiring? Can it dazle the beholder with its ſerene luſtre, and leave ſuch impreſſions of it ſelf upon the eye, as may render it for a time blind to any other objects? Alas! theſe are too high and noble effects for ſuch a feeble and uncertain light to produce, and proper only to thoſe glorious bodies that ſhine in the Firmament. But yet this great inequallity between the one and the other ſerves to make them both more meet Emblems of the differing eſtate of Believers in this and the other life, who in Scripture, while they are on this ſide Heaven, are compared to wiſe Virgins with Lamps burning, and when they come to Heaven, to Stars ſhining, which endure for ever and ever. Grace in the beſt of Saints is not perfect, but muſt, like a Lamp, be fed with new ſupplies that it go not our, and be often trimmed that it be not dim. Ordinances are as neceſſary to Chriſtians in this life as Manna to the Iſraelites in the wilderneſs though in Canaan it ceaſed; And therefore, God hath appointed his Word and Sacraments to drop continually upon the hearts of his Children, as the two Olive trees upon the golden Candleſtick. What mean then thoſe fond conceits of perfectists, who dream of living above all ſubſidiary helps, and judge Ordinances as uſeleſs to them, as oyl for a Star, or a ſnuffing of the Sun to make it ſhine more bright? It is true, when we come to heaven ſuch things will be of no more uſe to our ſouls, than meat or drink will be to our bodies; but yet while we are on the Earth, the body cannot live without the one, nor the ſoul without the other. Do thou therefore, holy God, perſerve in me a due ſenſe of my impotency and wants, whoſe light is fading, as well as borrowed, that ſo I may dayly ſuck ſupplies from thee, and acknowledge that I live not only by grace received, but by grace renewed, and while I am in this life, have light only as a Lamp in the Temple, which muſt be fed and trimmed, and not as a Star in Heaven.