Works, Chapter 5 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
2In spiritualizing natural things.SEcondly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in solitude, labour to spiritualize earthly things. I must say, this is one of the most excellent and enriching arts in Christianity; Though these occasional thoughts resemble lightning, as well in the suddenness of their journey, as the vastness of their way, being able to reach from one end of Heaven unto the other, yet such light gains, with quick returnes, make an heavy purse.
He that hath learned this mystery, is the true Chymist, he leaves the dregs and lees of things, and extracts the substance and quintessence of them. He hath better then Midas Wish, he turns all he toucheth into better then gold. Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver, and gold, and pearls, when some Merchants who never saw Mine, or Furnance, or read Book concerning them, hath his Coffers full of them. The Rabbies of the world, were they able like Solomon, to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hysope; and of all Beasts and Fish, and Fowl, nay, and of all creatures in a Physical and Philosophical way, are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them, and improve them for his spiritual advantage.
Luther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Council at Constance, Luth. Declam. Popular de Terti. Precept. Tom. 1.how by the way they heard a shepherd weeping and crying out sadly, upon which they turned aside to know what was the matter, and found the shepherd looking upon an ugly Toad: They asked him the ground of his lamentation; He answered, I cannot but weep to consider the goodness of God, that he did not make me such a loathsom creature, and my own unthankefulness, that I should be no more sensible of it. At which one of the Cardinals was so affected, that he fell from his horse in a swoon, and coming again afterwards to himself, told his Brother; Well said St. Austin, Indocti rapiunt coelum, &c. The unlearned take heaven by violence, whilst we with all our parts and learning wallow in the mire of the earth and flesh.
Natural beings are as spades, wherewith we may open the mines, and dig out spiritual riches. He that hath a gracious fancy, may like the Bee suck honey from every flower in the garden of the creation, and climb up by the stairs of the meanest creature to the Supream and Infinite Creator. All objects to a wise Christian may be wings to mount him up to heaven. As the old Romans when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus, so the holy person by every work is elevated to admire some excellency in the workman.
There is a threefold aspect which men cast upon the Works of God, according to the difference of their eyes, or the degrees of their understandings.
1. Ordinary and vulgar persons, who differ little from Brutes, and behold the face of nature as beasts do a picture, onelyonly viewing the outside and surface of it rudely and superficially, never considering any art or curiosity in it. As the Horse and Mule which have no understanding, they view and drink of the streams, but mind not the purity or clarity of the water or the fountain whence it floweth; these look on Gods works at best, but as passengers on a clock to know the time of the day, but take no notice of the wheels and poises, and their several motions and contrivances.
2. Schollars and Philosophers, who go a step higher and view this picture somewhat exactly, as Artists contemplating its curious wormanship, its proper colours, comely features, and rare composure of the whole with admiration. As Nicotratus that told the Country man who wondred at his wondring at the exact piece of Helena drawn by Zeuxis, If thou hadst my eyes thou wouldst be affected as I am.
3. Christians and spiritual men, who move above the Philosopher and most skilful Naturalists in their own sphere, these look on the face of nature with a spiritual eye, as a lover on the Picture of her beloved, delighting more in the resemblance then the table; contemplating the matchless Power, embroidered Wisdom, and infinite Goodness of their God which appear in his creatures. These are the men that can turn the stones and dirt of the streets, yea the snakes and serpents of the earth into bread for their souls; if they should be denied the Scripture (which God forbid) they can fetch spiritual food out of the creature. The Heron findeth her food in lakes and rivers, and picks it out with her long bill where other birds can get none: So saith Hesychius, the Christian by meditation can get food for his soul, where others that understand not this duty starve.
Our blessed Saviour teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses,N… est …llum animal…ulum tam exiguum in quo non …l…s dis…ere possimu… quam in omnibus s…ul…tis pictis aut …as… sim…la…bris. Lavat. and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts. He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps: What honey of profit and pleasure doth he t…ach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation! He instructeth his Disciples by Lillies growing, and seed sown in the field; by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard, by pearls, treasure, tares, leven, mustardseed, water, bread, nets, fish, salt, oyl, lamps, and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine, as well for their imitation as information. A mean Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building; and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations. God likens himself to many, to shew that there is something of him in all; He compares himself to a Builder, to a Buckler, to a Castle, a Captain, to a Fortress, to a Fountain of living water, to an helper, to health, to an Habitation, to Light, to Life, to a rocke, a refuge a reward, to a shadow, a shelter, a shield, to a Lion, an Eagle, a Leopard, a Bear, to fire, dew, a moth, the Sun, and why? but to teach us to read him in his creatures; In Heaven the Christian shall know God and all the creatures in him, but on earth we must learn to know him by them.
God hath given us three Books, which we ought to be studying whilst we are living. The Booke of Conscience, the Booke of Scripture, and the Book of the Creature; In the Book of Conscience we may read our selves, in the Book of the creature we may read God, in the Book of Scripture we may read both God and our selves. The great God sets us excellent lectures in the volume of the creation. Though this Book hath but three leaves in it, Heaven, Earth, Sea, yet it teacheth us many rare lessons; If we think of the visible Heaven, and behold those great lights of the world; how swiftly they move in their proper orbes; how unwearied they are in their perpetual courses; how they fail not a minute of their appointed time, nor wander an inch out of their designed way; how they divide the day and night, and the several seasons of the year; how they bless the earth with their smiling aspects, and keep the inhabitants of this lower world from finding it a Dungeon by their enlightning beams; we may therein discover the wisdom and power of its maker, and cry out with David, Psa. 19. 1. and 8. 2, 3. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-works; When I consider the heavens, the work of thy singers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast made; What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou dost thus visit him? O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth? and thy glory above the heavens! What rare fruit may a soul gather from these celestial trees! if the porch of Heaven be such a curious piece, the work of his fingers, i. e. an elaborate piece of embroidery, how curious is the Palace within! If the outward Court be so glorious, how glorious is the holy of holies! If light be so sweet, and it be so pleasant a thing to behold the Sun, how sweet is the light of my Gods countenance, and how pleasant is it to behold the Sun of righteousness! O what a blessed day will that be, when the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days, when all beleivers shall shine as the Sun in the firmament of their Father! Lord, thou speakest to the Sun, and it riseth not, to the Moon, and it standeth still; Why should not thy Servant be as obedient to thy command, even when it is against my natural depraved course! O speak but as powerfully to thy poor creature, and he will as readily obey thy pleasure!
If we look a little lower, to the clouds, and meditate on them in their natural cause; thin vapours exhaled by the Sun, in their principal use, to drop fatness on the earth, in the tenuity and smalness of their bodies, the weight and greatness of their burdens, the waters in them being like lusty children, encompassed onelyonly with a tender film; how they are tossed too and fro, hurried hither and thither with tempestuous winds, and yet burst not in pieces through lack of vent, nor sink under the heaviness of their load, nor leak out one drop, till the hand of their Master unstop their bottles; may well admire that infinite invisible power that upholds and governs them, and say as Eliphaz of their author; He doth great things, and unsearchable, marvellous things without number; for he giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth water upon the fields, Job 5. 9, 10. What excellent water may I distil with the limbiks of the clouds! If the favour of a Prince, be as a cloud of the latter rain (Prov. 16. 15.) so refreshing and comforting, what is the favour of the King of Kings! As the clouds mask the Sun from the …ight of Mortals, so doth sin hide the smiling countenance of my God from the view of my poor soul. As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave, shall come-up no more; If showres from above make the earth soft and fruitful; surely the showres of heavens grace would make my hard and barren heart both tender and abundant in holiness; Lord, whilst I am in my journey towards my heavenly Canaan, let thy good spirit be my pillar of cloud to direct me; Suffer me not to be as a cloud without water; Do but say unto me, I have blotted out thy transgressions as a thick cloud, and I will bless thee for ever.
If we look to the earth and view her well, though she hath been called, and counted the vilest and grossest of the elements, we shall finde her a glorious body, and not in the least degree a disparagement or disgrace to her maker. Take her inside, and she is curiously and wonderfully made. Her Center like the heart is seated in the most convenient place, for the benefit of every part; Her several channels under ground, as so many veins, do convey her pure, though pale blood, for the animating and actuating (as it were) every member; Though her wealth lyeth deep, and much of it was never discovered to any mortal, yet what rare jewels, and rich mettals have been seen in her very guts and garbage; Take he… …side and that cloathing will be found better then of wrought gold; Her Garment is richer in any part of it, then Solomon in all his royalty; The fine linnen of Egypt, silks of Persia, and curious works of Turkey, are exceedingly inferior to her daily attire; She is covered with the costly curious A…ras of Hearbs, and Plants and Flowers; embroydered with variety of all sorts of colours, perfumed with the most fragrant and delightful odours; She is attended by Birds and Beasts of several orders, that all in their proper ranks, move too and fro, acknowledging their engagements to her; O who is like that God that hath made himself such a foot-stool! If his foot-stool be so glorious, how glorious is his throne! But besides all this, he that shall ponder the fruitfulness and fecundity of her Womb, her unweariedness in bringing forth, her wonderful care of her off-spring, in bringing them up, providing them all, though of different kinds, food sutable to each of their natures whilst they live, and receiving them kindly into her bosome and embraces when they die, and all else are weary of them, may well cry out by way of admiration; O Lord, the earth is full of thy goodness, The earth is full of thy glory! What rich mines may I dig out of the bowels of the earth? when my God is angry, the earth shakes and trembleth, and the foundations thereof are moved; and shall not my flesh tremble for fear of the God of the whole earth, and my soul be afraid of his righteous judgements! His hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and his right hand hath spanned the Heavens … when he calls they stand up together, and shall not I hear his call, and obey his command! Lord, if the earth be thine, and the fulness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein; Whose then am I? Surely thine; O help me to disown all title to my self, to quit all my interest in my self, and to live as one that is not his own, but the Lords; the earth is full of thy riches, let my heart be full of thy righteousness, and that will turn earth to me into heaven, whilst I am full of thy likeness and thy love.
If we consider the Ocean, that amazeth a beholder with its fierce countenance, and seems to have neither banks nor bottom; how it threatens the earth with its boysterous billows, as if it intended to swallow it up in a moment, and yet when it hath swoln it self to the height of its pride, and its insulting waves have shewed their teeth, how soon it retreats, like a coward, as if it were afraid of the smallest worm, and had already outgone its bounds and commission! what innumerable Fish, both small and great, take up their chambers in the waters, and finde their food in the jaws of that devourer! what multitudes of massy Vessels she fetcheth off from one Island, and carrieth upon her back as a Porter his burthen, and sets them down safe at another; how she playeth with them, what frights she puts them in by the way, as men do little children, tossing them up to heaven, and then throwing them down again, as if her belly should be the certain place of their burial, and after all her frowns and fury, refresheth them with her smiles and favour, and doth but prepare them thereby to salute their harbour with the greater joy and gladness! how she sendeth out of her store-house provision, for the several families of the world, furnishing the several pipes and aquaeducts of the earth with fresh springs and streams, for the comfort of Man and Beasts; If we but confider these things, what cause shall we have to say with the Psalmist, They that go down into Ships, see his wonders in the deep, and with those Mariners, What manner of man is this, whom the Winds and the Seas obey? What manner of God is this, who gathereth the waters of the Sea together, and layeth up the Floods in store-houses, who shutteth in the Ocean with bars and doors, and saith, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed, who puts a bridle in the jaws of such a monster, and when she threatens nothing but death and destruction puls her in, and makes her retreat to her own den without doing the least hurt? O what a God is this, whom the rugged blustring winds, and raging boistrous seas obey! What excellent conclusions may a Christian gather from such premises! Do the Winds and Seas obey God as stubborn and surly as they are, and shall not I obey him? Are they kept within their banks, and shall not I be kept within my bounds? Lord, thou stillest the noise of the Seas, the noise of the Waters, and the tumults of the people; O why dost thou not quiet the headstrong passions in my breast?Every creature, sa…th Bernard, hath this voyce, Q… secit m… propter te, s…it t… propter se. Thou observest how they roar and make a noise continually, what frightful stormes they raise within me; If thou wouldst but say to them in their height and heat; Peace, be still, there would presently ensue a calm. O suffer not these high winds to overturn me, nor these swelling waters to overwhelm me; I am even ready to sink, save me Master, or I perish.
Thus a Christian may consider the works of God either collectively or severally, both in their insides and outsides, to his marvellous advantage. As the Rabbies say of the Word, I may say of the Works of God, Turn it over, and over, and over again, for all is in it; Turn them over, and over, and over again, for all is in them. There is wisdom in them, in their variety, diversity of natures, subordination and serviceableness each to other; O Lord, how marvellous are thy works? in wisdom hast thou made them all. There is Power in bringing with a breath the whole Creation out of the barren womb of nothing; He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. There is Mercy in providing so bountifully for every of his creatures, The whole earth is full of thy goodness. There is Faithfulness in upholding all things in their being; Thy faithfulness is unto all generations, thou hast established the earth, and it abideth; yea mercy and truth meet together. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Every of Gods works is so profitable, that as the Aromatick fruit, not onelyonly the kernel is a Nutmg, but the skin of it is Mace. As in a fair suit of Arras, though the hangings never appear to their full advantage, but when they are opened in all their dimensions, and seen together; yet a small shread may assure you of the excellency of the colours, and richness of the stuff; So though the Divine Perfections would appear most in their beauty and glory, if we were able at one view to behold the whole world in its several eminencies and beauties, yet a little part of it may speak the worth and richness of the whole. It was an honest speech of a Monk, who being asked how he could endure that life without the pleasure of books? answered, The nature of the creatures is my library, wherein when I please I can muse upon Gods deep Oracles. The Egyptians were instructed by Characters and Hieroglyphicks; by something presented to the eye, notions were represented to the understanding.
Reader, it is thy priviledge that thou mayst perform this duty in any place: No sight, no sound but may afford matter for meditation. If thou walkest in thy garden thou mayst turn it into an Eden by delightful meditations; Dost thou behold the flowers standing in their ranks, what a goodly shew they make? thou mayst think what a lovely …ight it is to see Christians contînuing in those several places and stations in which God hath set them. Some flowers open and shut with the sun; so doth the Christian observe the shining and withdrawing of the Sun of righteousness. Some flowers dye, having a worm gnawing their root; so will all hypocrites wither and come to nothing, notwithstanding their gaudy shew. Flowers are tender things, and must be charily lookt to, or they fade away, so Saints, if the Spirit of God were not choyce of them, and ever watchful over them, would perish. How lovely are flowers to the eye? how pleasant to the taste? how soft to the touch? what ornaments to an house? How amiable are the children of God to those that have eyes to see his image on them? how fragrant is the smell of their Spiknard, and Calamus, and Cassia? what a grace are they to any Family or Society? Dost thou walk into thy Garden to observe how thy flowers thrive?Cant 7. 11. so Jesus Christ goeth into his garden to see how his plants flowrish: Thou wilt not allow any weeds or barren flowers in thy Garden; and Jesus Christ will not permit such wicked unprofitable ones in his Church. Flowers are lovely and beautiful one day, and withered and fallen off the stalk the next;Isa. 40.6. so man is a comely living creature one day, and a deformed corps the next. Thus a Saint may make every flower like the Gilly-flower, cordial to him.
If thou walke…t by a River, thou mayst change the water there into spirits by meditation. How fitly may thy thoughts be raised by that object, to the cleansing, refreshing properties of the Word of God, to the water of life, to the Well of salvation, to the river, whose streams make glad the City of God, to the rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore! The same water, which being liquid, is penetrated with an horse hair, will bear the horse himself when hard frozen: So those threats and judgements of God which penetrate deep into the tender consciences of the regenerate, enter not at all into the hearts of carnal men, hardned by custom in sin; and hence thou mayst gather the reason whence the sword of the Word, that in some divideth the joynts and marrow, in others glanceth only, or reboundeth, not making the least din… or impression upon their frozen adamantine hearts. If thou art eating and drinking, thou mayst feed thy soul as well as thy body, by meditating on the meat that endureth to everlasting life, on that flesh which is meat indeed, and that blood which is drink indeed. Thou mayst think, if my outward man need food, and without it cannot subsist, surely spiritual food is as needful for my inward man, and without it that will starve; If a famine of bread and water be so dreadful, that the tongues of men cleave under it to the roof of their mouths, and their countenances become as black as a coal, how dreadful is a famine of the Word of the Lord! If natural food be so pleasant and savoury to my taste, surely spiritual food is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb. If all the labour of man be for his belly, what labour doth the soul deserve? If the ordinances of my God now are so pleasant to me, that my soul is even filled as with marrow and fatness, and refreshed as with Wine on the Lees, well refined, what a blessed day will it be, when I shall eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven, and drink new wine in my Fathers Kingdom! O blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
If thou beholdest thy candle, thou mayst consider how that light which makes small shew in the day, yeilds a glorious lustre in the night, not because the Candle hath then more light, but because the Air hath then more darkness; so that holiness and grace which in a day of prosperity and life seems of small worth and price, in a night of adversity and death, will be of infinite value: Or thus, I set up this candle to help and direct me about my business; so God sets up the candle of my life, and affords me the light of his word for me to work out my salvation, not to play by them: Or thus, this candle is spending it self for my good; so I should be willing to spend and be spent for the good of others souls: Or, this Candle is always consuming, and will at last be quite wasted; so is my life daily wearing away, and ere long will be quite extinguished: The great Candles whilst they burn, make the greater light, but when they go ou… leave the greater stench; So ungodly men, the greater they are, the more they shine with glory whilst they live; but when they die, leave the more stinking savour behind them. If thou art putting off thy cloaths, thou mayst ponder thy duty to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts, and to put off the works of darkness; as also that ere long thou shalt put off thine earthly taberna…le. Art thou lying down in thy bed? thou mayst think of thy grave, wherein thou must shortly lye down, and never rise up till the morning of the resurrection. Is the night dark? thou mayst meditate thence on the darkness of thy mind naturally, of the works of darkness, of the blackness of darkness for ever. Ah! what a dark dungeon is Hell, where not the least spark of light appears, though so much fire! My night will end, but sinners evening will find no morning. If a bed be so refreshing to my wearied body, how refreshing is a Redeemer to a wearied soul? How lovingly he inviteth me, Come to me all that are weary, I will give you rest! and how refreshing will tha rest be, which remaineth to the people of God! When thou wakest in the morning, thou mayst say with the Psalmist, When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness; or, When I awake I am still with thee; or, rouse thy self up with, Awake to righteousness and sin not; Awake thou that sleepest, arise and call upon thy God. When thou art rising, thou mayst meditate on the Churches garment of needle work, the fine linnen of the Saints righteousness, thy putting on the new man, created after God, in righteousness and true holiness, thy putting on that most excellent cloathing which is for warmth, for ornament, and defence, the Lord Iesus Christ. Dost thou look on the glass to dress thy self? think of the glass of Gods law, how necessary it is daily to look into it, for the discovery of thy spiritual spots and filth. Dost thou wash thy hands? O wash thy heart from wickedness, and forget not that great laver of the blood of Jesus Christ. Doth thy stomach call for some food? think of thy spiritual appetite, and how savoury it will make the dainties of Gods house to thee. They did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and they did all drink the same spiritual drink; they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Art thou to go about buying or selling, or worldly bargains? take some thoughts of buying that one Pearl of great price, which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase, of buying that gold of grace, and fine linnen of the Saints righteousness, Mat. 13. 44. Rev. 3. 18. Amongst all thy gains and gettings, consider What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul! If the gaining a little silver or gold be worth so much time and pains, how much is holiness and heaven worth? surely ten thousand times more. Art thou in the day to take a journey, thou mayst consider, I am but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this earth; I am every day travelling towards my long home; I have no abiding City here, but look for one that is to come, whose Builder and Maker is God; O that I could prepare for it, and daily make some progress towards it. Art thou to spend the day in thy Shop, or fields, and about many businesses? think on that of Christ; Martha, Martha, Thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall never be taken from her. This Reader, were an excellent improvement of thy time in solitude, by such occasional meditations, which are obvious to ordinary understandings.