The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 45
Meditation XLV. Ʋpon a Bee-bive and a Waſpes nest.
THoſe two inſects have, as the Naturaliſts obſerve, a likeneſs in ſundry Particulars: The Waſpes have one common habitation, as well as the Bees, and are under the Government of a King; who, as the King of Bees, is the largeſt, and moſt beautifull among them: In the Building of their Cells and Combes they are exact, and make them much like to the Bees both for their figure and ſize: But they make no Hony at all, nor yet any Wax that is for ſervice; they live onelyonly upon Rapine, and are injurious to moſt kind of fruits; like Thieves they enter by force into the Hives of Bees and devour the Hony which hath with much induſtry been gathered by them. So eager are they after what is ſweet, as that any narrow mouthed glaſs ſet neer the Hive with a little ſweet liquor becomes a ſnare to drown and deſtroy them, and a ſecurity to the Bees to prevent their Theft, which paſs the more freely into their Cells, not tempted to endanger theit lives, or to neglect their Work by the ſight of ſuch a pleaſing bait. And now whither my thoughts carry me, who cannot eaſily conjecture? is there not a double Polity, or Society of Men, the one of which may juſtly be reſembled to Waſpes, and the other to Bees? It was Tertullians ſaying long ſince, Faciunt favos & veſpae, faciunt Eccleſias Marcionitae: Waſpes make Combes, but they are empty ones; and ſo Hereticks make Churches, but they are void of Truth, which is that ſweet Hony that is to be found onelyonly amongſt the Aſſemblies of the Faithfull. What elſe is the Church of Rome, notwithſtanding all thoſe pretences which it makes of being a Mother-Hive, but a Neaſt of Angry Waſpes, under the Rule and Sway of a Spiritual Abaddon: how many ſwarmes have gone out from thence, not to make Hony, but to deſtroy what others have made? fraudes, robberies, violence have been the things which they have practiſed, and with which their habitations have been filled; have they not thruſt their Stings deep into …houſands, who have detected their Impoſtures, and have endeavoured to hold the Myſtery of the Faith in a pure Conſcience? Have they not waſted many places, which were like the Garden of the Spouſe, full of precious fruits, into which her Beloved might come, and eat of his hony and hony-combe? who can expreſs the rage and ſcorn with which they have trampled upon thoſe, that durſt not abett their impieties? how fond and fruitleſs then muſt the attempts of thoſe be, who, as if they had forgotten what Amaleck had done are ſetting on ſoot overtures of Peace, and termes of Accommodation between Proteſtancy and Popery? as if the diſtances between the one and the other were more ſeeming than reall, and might as readily be brought together as the two extreames of a Serpent, who can, when he pleaſeth, caſt himſelf into a Circle, and take his Tail into his Mouth? But who knoweth not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; and ſo will a little Error diffuſe its poyſon through the whole body of truth, like a drop of oyl on Cloath, it no ſooner falls then ſpreads; like a ſpark on Tinder it catcheth, and runs at once. And therefore Paul would not for one hour give place unto falſe Brethren, leaſt the Truth of the Goſpel might be endangered. To do it then with the leaſt prejudice to Truth is ſinfull; and to effect it without it is impoſſible. Sooner may they reconcile Antipathies in Nature, than in Religion: When therefore they have combined Fire and Water, without extinction of each other, and made an amity between the Dove and the Hawk, between the Waſpe and the Bee; So that the one ſhall not infeſt the other, then may they promiſe themſelves ſucceſs, in making up the breaches between Babylon and Zion. But O that they who are ſo ſludious to make ſtrife to ceaſe between the Philiſtines and the Iſraelites, would bend their Mindes to heal the Diviſions of Iſrael, among whom there are great thoughts and ſearchings of heart. Is it not pity to ſee the Induſtrious Bees, whoſe Labours are ſo uſefull to their owner, to make a War in the Mouth of their Hive, and to kill one another by thoſe Stings with which they ſhould defend their Cells againſt Waſpes and Drones? and is it not then a ſad ſpectacle to behold Chriſtians who ſhould be joyned together, fidei vinculo, glutine Charitatis; by the Bond and Cement of Faith and Love, to be divided one from another, and in Animoſities to draw the Sword, and to ſheath it alſo in the Bowells of each other? And yet ſuch heats there have ſometimes been, and ſtill are between Brethren. I could methinks give way to my Sorrow, and let it overflow the Bankes, to ſee Profeſſors to be leſs tender of Chriſts Body, than the Souldiers were of his Coat; and few or none to prize that Unity which is the Glory of the Faith of the Goſpel. Have we not all one Father, God bleſſed for ever? have we not all one Elder Brother, Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Firſt-Borne of every Creature? are we not all quickened by one Spirit, who is a Spirit of Love? are we not all under one Solemne Vow of Baptiſme, in which we have dedicated our ſelves to Gods Service as his Souldiers? how can we then turn Enemies one to another? O God do thou, who haſt made that bleſſed Promiſe of giving thy People one Heart, and one Way, put into them a Spirit of Wiſdome and Love, that they may walk Wiſely to thoſe that are Without, and Lovingly one towards another; that by this all Men may know that they are Chriſts Diſciples, and believe that thou haſt ſent him.