The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 43
Meditation XLIII. Ʋpon Time and Eternity.
THe two Eſtates of this and the other World are meaſured by Time, and by Eternity, as their juſt and proper meaſures, there being nothing in this World which is not as tranſient as Time, nor in the other which is not as fixed and laſting as Eternity. How inexpreſſibly then muſt the good and evil, the happineſs and the miſery of thoſe two Eſtates differ from eac… other? What is the duration of all earthly greatneſs in reſpect of the ſtability of heavenly glory, but as a flaſh of lightning to a ſtanding Sun in the Firmament; or as a ſpark aſcending from a furnace, to a never ſetting Star? What are the moſt fiery trials of this life, either for intenſion, or length, unto the everlaſting burnings and ſcorchings of hell; but as the ſoft and gentle heat of a bluſhing face, unto the conſtant flames and torments of the bowels? What are Racks, Stone, Collick, Strangury, Convulſions, heaped together into an extream horrour, but as the ſimple grudgings of an Ague, to the deſperate rage and anguiſh which the leaſt bite of that worm that dies not creates in the loweſt faculty of the ſoul? There are additions to things which are limited, and diminuent terms of that to which they are annexed; and contain in them (as Logicians ſpeak) oppoſitum in oppoſito, one oppoſite in another. He that ſaith, a dead man, or a painted Lion, by ſaying more, ſaith leſs than if he had ſaid but a man, or a Lion only, without any ſuch additions; it is all one in effect as if he had ſaid no man, no Lion: For a dead man is not a man, neither is a painted Lion a Lion. Such are the additions of Time, which put to good or evil expreſſe leſs than if nothing had been added. He that ſaith, happineſs for a ſeaſon, or ſorrow for a time, ſaith leſs than if he had ſaid happineſs or ſorrow only: For perfect happineſs or ſorrow cannot be circumſcribed in the narrow limits of Time, no more than Immenſity in the points of a place. What is happineſs that will expire, but miſery at a diſtance? Or what is ſorrow that endures only for a time, but an evil, ſupported by hope? But adde Eternity to good or evil, and it makes the good to be inſinitely better, and the evil to be infinitely worſe. Can I then do leſs than wonder, that men, who carry eternal ſouls in their boſoms, ſuch as are of kin to Seraphims, yea, advanced to the participation of the Divine Nature, that are the immediate Subjects of Endleſs woe, or bliſs, ſhould yet ſo live, A… ſi fabula eſſet omnis eternitatas, as if Eternity were a fable; as if they had neither God to ſerve, or ſouls to ſave? May I not ſay, be aſtoniſhed O heavens at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very deſolate, as the Lord himſelf did at Iſraels folly? What greater ſtupidity can there be, than this which moſt are guilty of, to buſie themſelves, like Martha, about periſhing trifles, and to neglect the one thing which is neceſſary? To be thoughtfull of things below, and ſeldom think of heaven, till death ſummon them to leave Earth? To make Salvation the by-work of their lives, and the fulfilling the apperites of the fleſh their chiefeſt task and care? Were it not a ſtrange thing if a man, who is to be judged on the morrow, and to receive the ſentence either of a cruel death, or of a rich and honourable eſtate, could not keep in mind the concernments of the next approaching day, without tying ſome Scarlet thread upon his finger as a ſignificant Ceremony to remember him? Or the writing of ſome Caveats upon the poſts of the Priſon which might hint unto him what danger his life is in? Is it not much more ſtrange that the weighty matters of eternal life, or eternal death, ſhould not by their own greatneſs preſs the heart of man unto a conſtant remembrance of them, eſpecially when he knoweth not what a day may bring forth? Can the miſcarriage of ſuch a perſon be other than dreadful, when their follies, as well as their pains, ſhall make them to gnaſh their teeth, and to curſe themſelves for the neglect of that great Salvation which hath been often tendred them in the Goſpel? When they ſhall feel everlaſtingly, what they could never be perſwaded for to fear? When they ſhall be convinced that at a far cheaper rate they might have been Saints in Heaven than Salamanders in Hell? O that I could therefore awaken and excite all thoſe whom the preſent enjoyments of the world ſerve as Opium to caſt them into a deep ſleep, and will happily be angry with thoſe that ſeek to raiſe them out of it, though they keep them from periſhing in it. And how can I better do it, than in St. Chryſostomes expreſſions to this purpoſe: Suppoſe a man, ſaith he, much deſirous of ſleep, and in his perfect mind, had an offer made of one nights ſweet reſt, upon condition to be puniſhed an hundred years for it, would he except of his ſleep upon ſuch terms? Now, do not they (who would be loath to be reputed fools) do far worſe, that for the ſhort fruition of a few tranſient delights, hazard a double Eternity, the loſs of an Eternity of bleſſedneſs, and the ſuſtaining of an Eternity of miſeries? for what other proportion can all earthly things bear to heavenly, in reſpect of their duration, than a few beatings of the pulſe, or twinklings of the eye, unto Myriads of Ages? Be then timely wiſe ye worldlings in a frequent conſideration of your eternal being that you may not paſs your life away in a dream of happineſs, and awake in the horrour of a begun Eternity in miſery. Say unto your ſelves, are we not in the world, as the Child conceived is in the womb, not to abide there, but to come out in a due time to a more full and free life? Why then do we fondly think of building Tabernacles here? Why do we ſo pleaſe our ſelves in our preſent condition, as to be wholly regardleſs of our future? Is not death ſuch a combate as we never enter into but once, and therein are either ſaved, or ſhin eternally? Why do we then make little or no proviſion againſt what we know will, and muſt certainly follow? Do we think that our glory ſhall deſcend after us, and ſcreen us from Gods ſiery indignation? Will our riches purc…aſe heaven, or bribe hell? Will the firſt-born of our body be accepted for the ſin of our ſoul? What is it that makes our cares and fears ſo prepoſterous, are we anxious for to morrow, and though…leſs of Eternity? We fear the Grave, and mock at Hell, we dread the Lightning, and ſlight the Thunder-bolt. O methinks ſuch pungent Interrogations ſhould ſtartle the moſt ſec…re if they would but put Conſcience upon an anſwer, and not, like Pilate, only ask the queſtion, and then go their way. It is mens living by ſenſe, that is that ſtone of ſtumbling upon which they ruine themſelves: Some ſurfet and over-charge themſelves with ſenſual delights, as that their Intellectuals are wholly loſt to all acts of Reaſon; others who have jealouſies concerning their future eſtates, are more willing to venture what the iſſue will be, than undergo an impartial trial; they fear more what ſentence Conſcience will paſs, than the Condemnation that God will inflict. Few there be that put Time and Eternity in the Ballance, and weigh them one againſt the other, or conſider, that life, upon which Eternity depends, is a vapour, a wind, a ſpan, at moſt, which the further it is ſtretched, the more painful it is: And that Eternity is a bottomleſs gulph, which no Line can fathom, no time can reach, no tongue can expreſs. It is a duration alwaies preſent, a being alwaies in being, an everlaſting now; It ſwallows up all revolutions of Ages, as Pharaohs lean Kine did eat up the fat, which when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them, but were ſtill as at the beginning. What ſtrange thing can we imagine that in its duration would not be effected? A tear let fall from the damned once in ten thouſand years would fill the earth with far more water than it was covered with in the Deluge. A duſt taken from the Mountains, and …neven parts of the world, would in the like intervals level the Univerſe, and turn it into a Plain, and yet there would be ſtill an Eternity behind. Never, never, is the killing word that breaks the heart of all theſe hopeleſs Priſoners that lye buried in the flames of Hell. Suppoſitions and poſſibilities which I tremble to think of, if they might be but turned into promiſes unto them of the termination of their anguiſh and torment, O how would their hearts revive within them, and how thankfully would they acknowledge Gods goodneſs unto them? Do thou therefore, O glorious Lord, who art the Ancient of daies, the Rock of Ages, the Father of Eternity, teach me to number my daies that I may apply my heart unto true wiſdom, that I may walk in the way of life which is above to the wiſe, and depart from hell beneath.