The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 32
Meditation XXXII. VponUpon the Moulting of a Peacock.
SUch is the gayety of the Peacocks Plumes, that Nazianzen (as I find him cired) ſaith, that when he ſpreads his Starry Wheel the Peahen is provoked to luſt; And the Naturaliſts, who deſcribe his properties, affirm, that he is ambitious of Praiſe, and affects to ſhew his Beauty, when commended by ſpectators, in a ſtately tread, and free diſplaying of his various colours againſt the Sun, which may caſt a luſtre upon them. But alaſs … How ſhort is the continuance of his Glory? how ſmall is the diſtance between his delight to expoſe himſelf to the view of others, and his ſhame to be lookt upon by any? for no ſooner do thoſe ſpecious Feathers, in which he prided himſelf, fall from him, but he walkes ſorrowfully, and hath then (as is obſerved) latronis paſſum, the ſhifting pace of a Thief, who flies the light, and the eye which beholds him: He is then dejected with the ſenſe of his loſs, as one that is robbed by the Autumne of his Summers riches. Can we have now, though we ſhould make it our ſtudy, a more clear Comment upon that Text of St. Pauls, The Faſhion, or Figure of this World paſſeth away? or a more apt Emblem of Worldly Mens behaviour when ſo it doth, then this penſive Bird affords unto us? What is the World, with which Men are ſo paſſionatly inammoured, but a ſurface, an out-ſide, not ſo much a Beauty, as a Luſt, as St. John ſtiles it? and what are all thoſe tran…ent Felicities of Honour, Fame, Riches, by which ſome are diſtinguiſhed from others; but ſo many Crownes of breath that have nothing of any firmneſs, or ſolid conſiſtency. What are they but ſo many painted bubbles which ſhine and break? O methinks I never wanted words till now, to expreſs their emptineſs! how ſhall I ſay ſomething, that may ſpeak them leſs then nothing? and yet in what admiration are theſe things had with moſt? How do Men affect to have the eyes of others to behold them? and the mouthes of others to applaud them? How highly do they who want any of theſe ſpecious vanities thirſt after them? and how hardly can any bear the loſs and privation of what this way they enjoy. And yet this is onelyonly certain, that all theſe things are moſt uncertain. The Sick Mans Pulſe is not more uneven in its beatings; The leaves of Trees more various in their falling; or the Feathers of Birds more facil in their moulting, than the Fancy and Pomp of all Earthly greatneſs is frail in its continuance. How many accidents do make a change where Men do promiſe themſelves the moſt firme ſtability? How ſoon is Jobs hedg pulled up, who ſaid he ſhould die in his neſt, and multiply his dayes as the ſand? And Davids Mountain removed, and he troubled, who pleaſed himſelf in its ſtrength? What ſtrange alterations doth the frownes of a Prince make in a Courtiers glory? Hamans plumes of honour and riches which were lifted up and ſpread to the wonder of beholders, upon the change of Ahaſuerus his Countenance flag and trail in the dirt like the Peacocks train in a ſtorm, yea drop and fall off; leaving him expoſed to the utmoſt of ſhame and ignominy. What ſtedf…ſtneſs had the rich Man in his great Poſſeſſions beyond his own conceit? he promiſed himſelf the reſt of many years, and yet lived not to ſee another morning. Death made ſubitum pennar…m depluvium, an unexpected breach upon his deſigned projects; and while he thinks to Impe his wings for an higher flight and mount, he falls as low as the grave. Can we then make a better, or more ſeaſonable meditation, when we find our affections carried out to the prizing and ſeeking of ſuch periſhing vanities, then to expoſtulate thus with our ſelves? Why is my fooliſh heart eaten up with cares? mine eyes robbed of ſleep, mine hands wearied with unceſſant labour to graſp clowdes; Shadowes, trifles, that have little of reallity or worth, and leſs of duration: are theſe the things that make Angels happy? are the Robes and Crownes of S…ints made of no other Matter then that we may ſee in the Courts of Princes? O what a poor place were Heaven, if it had no other riches, beauty, excellency, than what might be fetched out of the bowells of the Earth, or the bottom of the Seas and Rocks? Adde but Eternity to ſuch Common Comforts, and you turn them into burthens which cannot be borne; into a ſatiety that produceth loathing, and not delight. It is a change onelyonly that makes them to be grateful, it being ſometimes as pleaſing to want them as to have them; to lay them aſide, as to put them on. Is it not then wiſdom for me, for every one to make a right judgment concerning true happineſs? and to know that it is one thing, and not many things; and yet it is ſufficient for all perſons, for all places both in Heaven and Earth; for all times both in this life and after it. It is ever the ſame, and maketh us ever the ſame, it hath no change in it ſelf, but the communication of its growth in us, and what is now Grace, ſhall be Glory in Heaven. If it could decay or looſe, it were not happineſs but miſery. Lord therefore what ever others judge or think, make me like the wiſe Merchant willing to ſell all to buy the Rich Pearl, yea to contemne all for the one thing neceſſary, and to ſay as David did, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth, that I deſire beſides thee.