The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 42
Meditation XLII. VponUpon Mixtures.
THe wiſe God hath ſo tempered the whole Eſtate of Man in this life, as that it conſiſteth altogether of Mixtures; There is no ſweet without ſower, nor ſower without ſweetneſs. All ſimples, in any kinde, would prove dangerous, and be as uncorrected drugs, which adminiſtered unto the Patient would not recover him, but deſtroy him. Conſtant Sorrow without any Joy would ſwallow us up; and ſimple Joy without any Grief would puff us up, both extreames would agree alike in our ruine: he being in as dangerous a caſe who is ſwolne with Pride, as he who is overwhelmed with Sorrow. This Mixture then, though it ſeem penall and prejudicial to our comfort, is, yet Medicinall, and is by God, as a wiſe Phyſician, ordered as a Diet moſt ſutable to our Condition; and if we did but look into the grounds of it, we ſhall find cauſe to acknowledge Gods wiſe Providence, and to frame our hearts to a ſubmiſſion of his will, without murmuring at what he doth. For have we not two Natures in us, the Spirit and Fleſh, the New, and Old Man? have we not twins in our Womb, our Counter-luſtings, and our Counterwillings? Are we not as Plants that are ſeated between the two different Soiles of Earth and Heaven? Is there not then a neceſſity of a mixed Diet, that is made up of two contraries? The Phyſician is not leſs loyal to his Prince if he give to him an unpleaſing Vomit, and to a poor Man a cheering Cordiall, becauſe his Applications are not according to the dignity of the Perſon, but to the quality of the Diſeaſe: neither is God the leſs kind when he puts into our hand the bitter Cup of aſfliction to drink of, then when he makes us to caſte of the Flaggons of his ſweeteſt wine. Paul his Thorn in the Fleſh, what ever the meaning of it be, was uſefull to keep down that tumor of pride, which the abundance of Revelations might have expoſed him unto; and ſo joyned together they were like the rod and the Honey which enlightned Jonathans eyes: when he had taſted the ſweetneſs of the one, God would have him feel the ſmart of the other. At the ſame time alſo when God bleſſed Jacob, he Crippled him, that he might not think above what was meet of his own ſtrength, or aſcribe his prevailing to the vehemency of his Wr…ſtling, rather then to Gods gracious condeſcention. Yea who is it that hath not experienced ſuch Mixtures to be the conſtant Methods which he uſeth towards his deareſt Children? what are the lives of the beſt Chriſtians but as a Rainbow, which conſiſts half of the moiſture of a Cloud, and half of the light and beames of the Sun? Weeping (ſaith David) may endure for a Night, but Joy cometh in the Morning. And what other thing doth the Apoſtle ſpeak of himſelf, when he gives the Corinthians an account of his Condition? As dying, and behold we live: as chaſtened, and not killed: as ſorrowfull, and yet alwayes rejoycing: as poore, yet making many rich: as having nothing, but yet poſſeſsing all things. Bleſſed then is he who doth without repining yield himſelf to the diſpoſe of Divine Providence, rather then accuſe it, and looks not ſo much to what at preſent is gratefull to the ſenſe, as to what for the future will be profitable to the whole. For in theſe Mixtures, Magna latent beneficia … non fulgeant, great advantages do lye hid, though not ſhine forth. Hereby we are put upon the exerciſe of all thoſe Graces which are accommodated to our imperfect ſtate here below, whoſe acts ſhall not be compleated in Heaven, but ſhall all ceaſe, as being not capacitated for a Fruition: and yet are of great uſe while we are on this ſide Heaven. How neceſſary is Patience to bear up the Soul under trials that it fret not againſt God who inflicts them? How greatly doth Hope temper any preſent ſouer by its expectation of ſome happy change that may and will follow, and ſo worketh joy in the midſt of ſadneſs? How even to wonder doth Faith manifeſt its power in all diſtreſſes, when it apprehends that there are no degrees of extremity unrelieveable by the Arm of God, or inconſiſtent with his compaſſions and friendſhip? Again, ſuch Mixtures ſerve to work in us a greater hatred of ſin, and an earneſt longing after Glory; in which, our life, light, joyes, are all pure, and everlaſting. Our life is without any ſeed of death, our light without any ſhadow of darkneſs, and our joyes endleſs Hallelujahs, without the interruption of one ſigh. Therefore are we burdened in our Earthly Tabernacle, that we ſhould the more groan to be clothed upon with our houſe which is from Heaven. Therefore yet have we the remainders of ſin, by which we are unlike God; and the firſt-fruits onelyonly of the ſpirit, by which we reſemble him; that we might long and wait for the Adoption and Redemption, wherein what ever is blended and imperfect ſhall be done away. When not to ſin, which is here onelyonly our Duty, ſhall be the top branch of our reward and bleſſedneſs. O holy Lord, I complain not of my preſent lot, for though it be not free from mixture, yet it is greatly differing from what others find and feel, whoſe lines are not fallen in ſo fair a place: But ſtill I ſay, when ſhall I dwell in that bleſſed Country where ſorrows dye, and joys cannot? Into which Enemy never entred, and from which a Friend never parted? When ſhall I poſſeſs that Inheritance which is a Kingdom for its greatneſs, and a City for its beauty, where there is Society without Envy, and rich Communications of good without the leaſt diminution.