The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 21 – Meditation 22
Meditation XXI. VponUpon the Golden Calfe, and the Bra…en Serpent.
THe Makers of theſe two Images were Moſes and Aaron, ſuch a pair of Brethren as Hiſtory cannot parallel for Eminency, and whoſe Names out-ſhine greatly all others of the like alliance that have an honourable mention in the Book of God. Where are there two Brethren in that Sacred Chronicle, ſo renowned for ſundry Miracles done by them? or ſo highly dignified by Titles given to them by the Spirit of God as they? Moſes being ſtiled ſignally the Servant of God; and Aaron, the Saint of the Lord: and yet how ſtrangly differing are their two Images? they are unlike in the Matter; the one being of Gold, and the other of Braſs? unlike in the Figure, the one a Calfe, the other a Serpent: but moſt unlike in their Effects, the one Killing, and the other Healing. Vi…lus aureus occidit Serpens Aeneus ſanat: The Golden Calfe that kills, and the Brazen Serpent that ſaves alive. One would think that the ſame Fountain ſhould as ſoon ſend forth Salt Water and Freſh, as either of theſe to do any thing that ſhould terminate in ſuch contrary effects, by whoſe harmonious Conduct Iſrael had been led as a Flock of Sheep through the Wilderneſs. But what if their Actions did Jarr? yet, who could readily conceive that Aarons Calfe ſhould be as a deſtroying poyſon? or that Moſes his Serpent ſhould be as an effectuall Antidote to ſave alive? did he not flee from his Rod when turned into a Serpent, as fearing to be hurt by it? And was not this Brazen Serpent in ſhape and figure like to thoſe fiery Serpents, that had ſtung many Iſraelites to death? from whence then comes this ſtrange difference between the one and the other, is it not from hence? Aarons Calfe, though made of Gold, was without, yea againſt a command of God; but Moſes his Serpent, though of Braſs, was by his ſpecial appointment. Let the Inſtitutions of God be never ſo mean and deſpicable to the eye of ſenſe; yet they ſhall obtain their deſigned end: and let the Inventions of Men be never ſo rich and coſtly, yet they will be found to be no other then hurtful vanities. Who is of ſo ſmall an Inſight in the Myſtery of Idolatry and Superſtition, as not to obſerve how they affect a Pomp and Splendor in their Religion, as if when they had made it Gay, they had made it Good? and how greatly they deſpiſe the ſimplicity of that Worſhip which is not clothed and decked with an external Grandure? But will a Clove in the Mouth cure the unſavory breathings of corrupt Lungs? or will the Leper… making of himſelf brave with the fineſt Garments cauſe the Prieſt to pronounce him clean, when he comes to behold his Sore? then may ſuch arts and palliations of men, wedded to Idolatrous practiſes, vindicare the evil of their doings, and juſtifie them to be ſuch as God will not condemne. But as Religion is not a thing left to any mans choice, to pick out from that diverſity, with which the World abounds, what beſt pleaſeth himſelf; ſo neither are the wayes and Mediums of the Exerciſe of it at all in his power. As God is the object of Worſhip, ſo the meanes by which he is honoured, and his ſervants benefited that uſe them, muſt be appointed by himſelf. His will and not mans muſt be the ſole and ad…quate Rule. For all Ordinances do not work neceſſarily, as the Fire burns, or as the Sun enlightens the Air; nor do they work Phyſically, as having an inherent power to produce their effects; but they are operative, by way of Inſtitution, and receive their vertue from God, who therefore appoints weak and inſufficient things to the eye of Reaſon, that himſelf may be the more acknowledged in all. What could be more unlikely to heal the bitings of a fiery Serpent, then the looking up onelyonly to a Brazen Serpent? or to reſtore to the blind Man his …ight, then the anointing of his eyes with Clay and Spittle? And yet theſe things God and Chriſt are pleaſed to make uſe of; not from indigency, as if they could not work without meanes, but from Wiſdom and Councel, to ſhew, that they can work by any: Let no Man then fondly make it his Work, or count it his duty to honour God with his Inventions, though ſpecious and beautiful in his own eyes; but let him value and prize Gods Inſtitutions, though to outward appearance they be contemptible. The Blew-Bottles, and other Weeds in the Field are more gaudy and delightful to the Eye than the Corn amongſt which they grow; but yet the one are worthleſs, and the other is full of ſtrength and nouriſhment.
Meditation XXII. VponUpon the Circulation of the bloud.
THough it be no confeſſed Maxime, yet it is an opinion which many Phyſicians do confidently aſſert, that the motion of the bloud is Circular, and that the bloud which is in the feet hath a reflux back into the heart. But it is not for me, if there be a difference between thoſe who are of the ſecrets of nature, to undertake the deciſion of it leaſt it be ſaid to me, as i… was to Moſes, when he mediated between the two Iſraelites that ſtrove, Quis te constituit Judicem? Who made you a Judge over us? I ſhall therefore turn my thoughts from it, unto the circulation which is in the civil body of Society, wherein the affections, habits, manners, as a kind of ſpiritual bloud, may be truly affirmed both to flow upward from the inferiour parts of it to the ſuperiour, and to deſcend again from the ſuperiour parts of it to the inferiour. But yet this diſproportion is to be obſerved, that the Efluxes both of good and evil which move downwards, are more quick and operative, than thoſe which aſcend from below upwards. Great perſons by their manners and carriage do ſooner make impreſſions upon perſons of a meaner rank than they are able to reflect back upon them again. This Moral Circulation therefore may teach thoſe who are as the noble and Architectonical parts of the civil body full of power and influence, to be exact and circumſpect in their converſe and living, that others, upon whom their influences fall, may be drawn by them to a love of holineſs, and not ſeduced to luſts and intemperancies by their example. If he who was rightly ſurnamed Copronimus, have a fancy to the ſmell of horſe-dung, as to beſmear himſelf with it, all his Courtiers, in a ſervile compliance unto him, will qualifie themſelves for his company by uſing no other perfumes. Yea, if greater Beaſtialities be uſed by other Princes, they are not likely to want followers. The whole Court will be ſoon, like Jacobs Cattel, ſpotted and ſpeckled, as being apt to conceive, with ſome tincture of the Colours which they ſee in thoſe waters whereof they dayly drink. It being an hard thing to be an Obadiah that fears God greatly in Ahabs Court, or a Saint in Neroes Houſhold. But though evil in thoſe who are in high places be more infectious, and the good more powerful than it is in others; yet the vices of thoſe who are in a lower Station have a tendency to corrupt the greateſt, as the head in the body natural is oft diſtempered by the feet. And ſo the vertues that are in them are alſo operative to influence thoſe that are in dignity above them, to the making of themſelves evil, if not more good. The luſtre of St. Johns Sanctity, though cloathed with Camels hair, extorts reverence from Herod in his Robes; and Pauls excellent demeanour of himſelf at the Bar, well-nigh overcomes Agrippa upon the Bench to be a Chriſtian. O how careful then ſhould every man be, who in what condition ſoever he ſtands is a part of the body of humane ſociety, to abhor evil, and to cleave to that which is good? When the effects both of the one and other are not terminated in our ſelves, but do more or leſs benefit or hurt others as well as our ſelves.