The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 48
Meditation XLVIII. VponUpon the ſight of a Grave newly made.
IT is happily no pleaſing ſight, but queſtionleſs very profitable, to look ſometimes into the houſe appointed for all living, as holy Job calls the Grave. Though nothing leſs than beauty can be ſeen which may delight the Eye, yet much may be beheld that may paſſionately affect the heart. The thoughts which it ſugeſted to me were like unto the Cloud that was between the Camp of the Egyptians and the Camp of Iſrael, which had both a dark and bright ſide: The one caſts down, and the other raiſeth up, but both are uſeful. My dark and ſad thoughts ſprang from the conſideration of the entry of death, which came into the world by ſin; it is ſin that hath made all the Funerals that ever have been. In our Creation, death had neither matter in us, nor right over us: Our Innocency was free of any neceſſity of death. As God made us living Creatures, ſo his power was able to ſuſtain us immortal creatures; we had bodily life by our ſoul in our body, and ſpiritual life by Gods Image in both, but ſin brought on us death of all ſorts: Death ſpiritual, in the loſs of Gods Image, death bodily in the begun corruption of our body, and death eternal in the endleſs ruine of both. And whom would not this ſingle thought afflict with dread and ſorrow to ſee what a change ſin hath made in the condition of man? If Adam would have lived without ſin, he might have lived without end: But now by his credulous receiving the Serpents Poyſon, Death is glued to our nature, neceſſity of evil to the freedom of our will, and all miſery to our ſelves. Another dark and poſing thought did ariſe from the progreſs of death, which keeps no order or method. It thruſts its ſickle not only into the ripe corn, but the green blade; it nips the bloſſom, as well as gathers the fruit; it diſſolves the knot that was but new made between the ſoul and the body, as well as that which age and years had con…rmed. There were I obſerved skulls of all Sizes: There were ſome who had never ſeen the Sun to paſs from one Tropick to the other: Others there were whoſe life could not be reckoned by daies, or hours, but by minutes; they dropt only from the Womb to the Grave. And is not this amongſt the ſecrets of God, that thouſands ſhould thus paſs through the world, and be determined to different Eſtates for Eternity? What can I ſay? But that the waies of God are unſearchable, and his Judgements paſt finding out. As it now ſhews his Soveraignty, thus to deal with his Creatures as it pleaſeth him; ſo the Great Day will manifeſt the Wiſdom and Juſtice of God that is wrapt up in theſe myſterious providences. He that is the Judge of all, will be found to be righteous towards all. A third ſad thought, The conſuming power of the grave did ſtir up within me, ſo that I was ready to ſay, Can theſe dry bones live? Can theſe mingled duſts be diſtinguiſhed? Can the duſts that are ſcattered into diſtances be ever united? Doth not the Noble and the Baſe, the Saint, and the Sinner lye equally under the power of corruption? Who then would not dread to deſcend into the Grave, and make Hemans queſtion, Will God ſhew wonders to the dead, ſhall the dead ariſe and praiſe him? But when I conſider, that Believers in their aſcending into heaven, do only let fall their bodies to the earth, as Elijah dropt his Mantle, when he was taken up, and that their Spirits return to God that gave them. That Death ſtriketh not on the New man, but on the Tabernacle which is a common Lodging both to Fleſh and Spirit, my fears are greatly Alleviated, for who is much ſolicitous for the Cabinet when the Jewel is ſafe. Yea, when I think that death, which ſeparates our perſons from the world, our ſoul from the body, and every part of our body from another, cannot diſſolve our Union with Chriſt; but that then we ſleep in him, and ſhall be raiſed by him, and conformed to him, as the pattern of our glory. O how do theſe moſt radiant thoughts diſpell both the black fears of death, and the lightſome comforts of the world, as the riſing Sun makes the bright ſtars of heaven to vaniſh, as well as the dark ſhades of the night? How little then doth the love of this life, or the difficulties of death abate the deſires of a Believer, to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt, which is far better? Who can wonder at old Simeons importunity to depart in peace, when his eyes had ſeen the Salvation of God, and his arms embraced it? Who would not be of the ſame mind that hath once taſted of the Cluſters of the heavenly Canaan to long after the full Vintage? How pathetical is that of Auſtin upon Gods anſwer to Moſes, Thou canſt not ſee my face, for no man can ſee me and live. Who replies with great confidence, Lord, is that all that I cannot ſee thy face and live? Eja Domine, moriar, ut te videam; videam, ut hic moriar, nolo vivere, volo mori, diſſolvi cupic, & eſſecum Chriſto. I pray thee Lord then let me dye, that I may ſee thy face: Or let me ſee thee that I may dye in this place. I would not live, I would dye, I deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt. Thus alſo have other Saints been affected, who have had death in deſire, and life in patience. O what a ſtrange change then hath Chriſt made in death and the grave, and his grace in the heart and affections of Believers? Death, which ſin brought into the world, is now become the only means to deſtroy and kill ſin. Death, which is only contrary unto life, is now turned into a Port and paſſage into life: So that when we paſs out of this life we loſe neither life nor being, but are admitted to a more glorious life and being than ever we had. Death, that before was an armed Enemy, is now made a reconciled and firm friend, a Phyſician to cure all our diſeaſes, and an Harbinger to make way for glory. The Grave alſo by Chriſts lying in it, is become a bed of reſt, in which his Saints fetch a ſhort ſlumber untill he awaken them to a glorious Reſurrection. It is the Chamber into which he invites his beloved ones, to hide themſelves untill his indignation be paſt; the Arke, into which he ſhuts his Noahs whileſt he deſtroyes the world with an overflowing deluge of his wrath and diſpleaſure. And therefore it is, that by his grace they are not afraid to meet Death, which others would ſhun, and make it as a voluntary offering unto God, which others pay only as a neceſſary debt. Yea, they eſteem it as one of the choiceſt Jewels in that exact Inventory, that Paul hath made of the riches of Believers, and next unto Jeſus Chriſt, bleſs God for it, as the greateſt mercy. O holy Saviour, do thou then who art the Lord both of the dead and of the living, unto whom all ought to live, and all ought to dye, enable me thy ſervant to love thee above life, which of all bleſſings is the ſweetest, and to hate ſin above death, which of all evils is the bittereſt to nature: that ſo I may have this teſtimony of the power of thy grace in the change of my heart, that for the enjoyment of perfect Communion with thee I can gladly loſe my life, and be ſeparated from ſin, can willingly undergo death, which is of all evidences the Cleareſt.