Works of Joseph Hall, Chapter 25 – Chapter 36
CHAP. XXV.
8 Of compariſons and ſimilitudes whereby it may be moſt fitly ſet forth.AFter this oppoſition, the minde ſhall make compariſon of the matter meditated, with what may neereſt reſemble it; and ſhall illuſtrate it with fitteſt ſimilitudes, which giuegive no ſmall light to the vnderſtanding, nor leſſe force to the affection.
Wonder then, O my ſoule, as much as thou canſt, at this glory; and in compariſon thereof, contemne this earth, which now thou treadeſt vponupon; whoſe ioyes if they were perfect, are but ſhort; and if they were long, are imperfect. One day when thou art aboue, looking downe from the height of thy glory, and ſeeing the ſonnes of men creeping like ſo many Ants on this Molehill of earth, thou ſhalt thinke, Alas; how baſely I once liued! Was yonder ſilly dungeon the place I ſo loued, and was ſo loth to leaue! Thinke ſo now before hand; and ſince of heauen thou canſt not, yet account of thy earth as it is worthy: How heartleſſe and irkeſome are yee, O yee beſt earthly pleaſures, if ye be matched with the leaſt of thoſe aboue? How vile are you, O yee ſumptuous buildings of Kings, euen if all the entrailes of the earth had agreed to enrich you, in compariſon of this frame not made with hands? It is not ſo high aboue the earth in diſtance of place, as in worth and Maieſty. Wee may ſee the face of Heauen from the heart of the earth; but from the neereſt part of the earth who can ſee the leaſt glory of Heauen? The three Diſciples, on Mount Tabor, ſaw but a glimpſe of this glory ſhining vponupon the face of their Sauiour; and yet being rauiſhed with the ſight, cried out, Maſter, it is good being here; and, thinking of building of three Tabernacles (for Chriſt, Moſes, Elias) could hauehave beene content themſelues to hauehave lien without ſh…lter, ſo they might alwaies hauehave enioyed that ſight. Alas, how could earthly Tabernacles hauehave fitted thoſe heauenly bodies? They knew what they ſaw; what they ſaid, they knew not. Loe, theſe three Diſciples were not transfigured; yet how deeply they were affected euen with the glory of others! How happy ſhall we be, when our ſelues ſhall be changed into glorious? and ſhall hauehave Tabernacles not of our owne making, but prepared for vsus by God? and yet not Tabernacles, but eternall Manſions. Moſes ſaw God but a while, and ſhined: how ſhall we ſhine, that ſhall behold his face for euer? What greater honour is there than in Soueraignty? What greater pleaſure than in feaſting? This life is both a Kingdome and a feaſt. A Kingdome: Hee that ouercomes, ſhall rule the Nations, and ſhall ſit with me in my Throne: O bleſſed promotion! Oh large dominion, and royall ſeaſt to which Salomons Throne of Yuory was not worthy to become a foot-ſtoole. A feaſt: Bleſſed are they that are called to the Marriage-ſupper of the Lambe. Feaſts hauehave more than neceſsity of prouiſion, more than ordinary diet; but marriage-feaſts yet more than common abundance; but the Marriage-feaſt of the Sonne of God to his bleſſed Spo…fe the Church, muſt ſo farre exceed in all heauenly munificence and variety, as the perſons are of the greater ſtate and Maieſty. There is new wine, pure Manna, and all manner of ſpirituall dainties; and with the continuall cheere, a ſweet and anſwerable welcome; while the Bridegroome louingly cheereth vsus vp, Eat, O friends, drinke, and make you merry, O welbeloued: yea there ſhalt thou be, my ſoule, not a gueſt, but (how vnworthy ſoeuer) the Bride her ſelfe, whom he hath euerlaſtingly eſpouſed to himſelfe in truth and righteouſneſſe. The contract is paſſed here below, the marriage is conſummate aboue, and ſolemnized with a perpetuall feaſt: ſo that now thou maiſt ſafety ſay, My welbeloued is mine, and I am his: Wherefore hearken, O my ſoule, and conſider and incline thine eare, forget alſo thine owne people, and thy fathers houſe, (thy ſuppoſed home of this world) ſo ſhall the King hauehave pleaſure in thy beauty; for hee is the Lord, and worſhip thou him.
CHAP. XXVI.
THe very Names and Titles of the matter conſidered, 9 The Titles and Names of the thing conſidered.yeeld no ſmall ſtore to our Meditation: which being commonly ſo impoſed, that they ſecretly comprehend the nature of the thing which they repreſent, are not vnworthy of our diſcourſe.
What need I ſeeke thoſe reſemblances, when the very name of life implieth ſweetneſſe to w… on earth, euen to them which confeſſe to liue with ſome diſcontentment? Surely the light is a pleaſant thing, and it is good to the eies to ſee the Sunne: yet when Temporall is added to Life, I know not how this add…tion detracteth ſomething, and doth greatly abate the pleaſure of Life; for thoſe which …oy to thinke of Life, grieue to thinke it but Temporall: ſo vexing is the end of that whoſe continuance was delightfull. But now when there is an addition (aboue Time) of Eternity, it maketh life ſo much more ſweet as it is moſt laſting; and laſting infinitely, what can it giuegive leſſe than an infinite contentment? Oh dying and falſe life, which wee enioy here; and ſcarce a ſhadow and counterfeit of that other! What is more eſteemed than glory? which is ſo precious to men of ſpirit, that it makes them prodigall of their bloud, proud of their wounds, carebleſſe of themſelues: and yet (alas) how pent & how fading is this glory, affected with ſuch dangers and death? hardly after all Trophees and monuments, either knowne to the next Sea, or ſuruiuing him that dieth for it: It is true glory to triumph in heauen, where is neither enuy nor forgetfulnes.
What is more deare to vsus than our Country? which the worthy and faithfull Patriots of all times hauehave reſpected aboue their parents, their Children, their lines; counting it only happy to liue in it, and to die for it. The baniſht man pines for the want of it: the traueller digeſteth all the tediouſneſſe of his way, all the ſorrowes of an ill iourney, in the onelyonly hope of home; forgetting all his forraine miſeries, when he feeleth his owne ſmoke. Where is our Country but aboue? Thence thou cameſt, O my ſoule; thither thou art going, in a ſhort, but weary pilgrimage. O miſerable men, if we account our ſelues at home in our pilgrimage; if in our iourney, we long not for home! Doeſt thou ſee men ſo in louelove with their natiue ſoile, that euen when it is all deformed with the deſolations of warre, and turned into rude heapes, or while it is euen now flaming with the fire of ciuill broiles, they couet yet ſtill to liue in it, preferring it to all other places of more peace and pleaſure? and ſhalt thou, ſeeing nothing but peace and bleſſedneſſe at home, nothing but trouble abroad, content thy ſelfe with a faint wiſh of thy diſſolution? If heauen were thy Iayle, thou couldeſt but thinke of it vncomfortably. Oh what affection can be worthy of ſuch an home?
CHAP. XXVII.
10. Conſid. of fit teſtimonies of Scripture, concerning our Theme.LAſtly, if wee can recall any pregnant Teſtimonies of Scripture concerning our Theme, thoſe ſhall fitly conclude this part of our Meditation. Of Scripture; for that in theſe matters of God, none but diuine authority can command aſſent, and ſettle the conſcience. Witneſſes of holy men may ſerue for colours; but the ground muſt be onelyonly from God.
There it is (ſaith the Spirit of God, which cannot deceiue thee) that all teares ſhall bee wiped from our eies; there ſhall be no more death, nor ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there bee any more paine: yea, there ſhall not onelyonly bee an end of ſorrowes, but an abundant recompence for the ſorrowes of our life; as he that was rapt vp into the third Heauen, and there ſaw what cannot be ſpoken, ſpeaketh yet thus of what he ſaw: I count, that the afflictions of this preſent time are not worthy of the glory which ſhall bee ſhewed to vsus: It was ſhewed vntounto him what ſhould hereafter be ſhewed vntounto vsus; and he ſaw, that if all the world full of miſeries were laid in one ballance, and the leaſt glory of heauen in another, thoſe would be incomparably light, yea (as that diuine Father) that one daies felicity aboue, were worth a thouſand yeeres torment below; what then can be matched with the eternity of ſuch ioyes? Oh how great therefore is this thy goodneſſe, O Lord, which thou haſt laid vp for them that feare thee, and done to them that truſt in thee, before the ſonnes of men!
CHAP. XXVIII.
Of our ſecond part of Meditation: which is in the affections.THe moſt difficult and knotty part of Meditation thus finiſhed, there remaineth that which is both more liuely, and more eaſie vntounto a good heart, to be wrought altogether by the affections: which if our diſcourſes reach not vntounto, they proue vaine and to no purpoſe. That which followeth therefore, is the very ſoule of Meditation, whereto all that is paſt ſerueth but as an inſtrument. A man is a man by his vnderſtanding part: but he is a Chriſtian by his will and affections. Seeing therefore, that all our former labour of the braine is onelyonly to affect the heart, after that the minde hath thus trauerſed the point propoſed through all the heads of reaſon, it ſhall endeuour to finde in the firſt place ſome feeling touch,Wherein is required a Taſte and relliſh of what we hauehave thought vponupon. and ſweet relliſh in that which it hath thus chewed; which fruit, through the bleſſing of God, will voluntarily follow vponupon a ſerious Meditation. Dauid ſaith, Oh taſte, and ſee how ſweet the Lord is. In Meditation we doe both ſee and taſte; but we ſee before we taſte: ſight, is of the vnderſtanding: taſte, of the affection; neither can we ſee, but we muſt taſte; we cannot know aright, but we muſt needs be affected. Let the heart therefore firſt conceiue and feele in it ſelfe the ſweetneſſe or bitterneſſe of the matter meditated: which is neuer done, without ſome paſſion; nor expreſſed, without ſome hearty exclamation.
Oh bleſſed eſtate of the Saints! O glory not to be expreſſed, euen by thoſe which are glorified! O incomprehenſible ſaluation! What ſauour hath this earth to thee? Who can regard the world, that beleeueth thee? Who can thinke of thee, and not be rauiſhed with wonder and deſire? Who can hope for thee, and not reioyce? Who can know thee, and not be ſwallowed vp with admiration at the mercy of him that beſtoweth thee? O bleſſedneſſe worthy of Chriſts bloud to purchaſe thee! Worthy of the continuall ſongs of Saints and Angels to celebrate thee! How ſhould I magnifie thee! How ſhould I long for thee? How ſhould I hate all this world for thee!
CHAP. XXIX.
AFter this Taſte ſhall follow a Complaint,Secondly, a Complaint, be wailing our wants and vntowardneſſe. wherein the heart bewaileth to it ſelfe his owne pouertie, dulneſſe, and imperfection; chiding and abaſing it ſelfe in reſpect of his wants and indiſpoſition: wherein Humiliation truly goeth before glory. For the more we are caſt downe in our conceit, the higher ſhall God lift vsus vp at the end of this exerciſe, in ſpirituall reioycing.
But alas, where is my louelove? Where is my longing? Where art thou, O my ſoule? What heauineſſe hath ouertaken thee? How hath the world bewitched and poſſeſſed thee, that thou art become ſo careleſſe of thine home, ſo ſenſeleſſe of ſpirituall delights, ſo fond vponupon th…ſe vanities? Doeſt thou doubt whether there be an heauen? or whether thou hauehave a God, and a Sauiour there? O farre be from thee this Atheiſme; farre be from thee the leaſt thought of this deſperate impiety. Woe were thee, if thou beleeuedſt not: But, O thou of little Faith, doeſt thou beleeue there is happineſſe, and happineſſe for thee, and deſireſt it not, and delighteſt not in it? Alas, how weake and vnbeleeuing is thy beleefe! How cold and faint are thy deſires? Tell me, what ſuch goodly entertainment haſt thou met withall here on earth, that was worthy to with-draw thee from theſe heauenly ioyes? What pleaſure in it euer gaue thee contentment? or what cauſe of diſlike findeſt thou aboue? Oh no, my ſoule, it is onelyonly thy miſerable drowſineſſe, onelyonly thy ſecuritie: The world, the world hath beſotted thee, hath vndone thee with careleſneſſe. Alas, if thy delight be ſo cold, what difference is there in thee from an ignorant Heathen, that doubts of another life: yea, from an Epicure, that denies it? Art thou a Chriſtian, or art thou none? If thou bee what thou profeſſeſt, away with this dull and ſenſeleſſe worldlineſſe; away with this earthly vncheerefulneſſe; ſhake off at laſt this prophane and godleſſe ſecuritie, that hath thus long weighed thee downe from mounting vp to thy ioyes. Looke vp to thy God, and to thy Crowne, and ſay with confidence, O Lord, I hauehave waited for thy ſaluation.
CHAP. XXX.
AFter this Complaint, muſt ſucceed an hearty and paſſionate Wiſh of the ſoule, Thirdly, an hearty Wiſh of the ſoule, for what it complaineth to want.which ariſeth cleerely from the two former degrees: For, that which a man hath found ſweet, and comfortable, and complaines that he ſtill wanteth, hee cannot but wiſh to enioy.
O Lord, that I could wait and long for thy ſaluation! Oh that I could minde the things aboue; that as I am a ſtranger indeed, ſo I could be alſo in affection! Oh that mine eies, like the eies of thy firſt Martyr, could by the light of Faith ſee but a glimpſe of heauen! Oh that my heart could be rapt vp thither in deſire! How ſhould I trample vponupon theſe poore vanities of the earth! How willingly ſhould I endure all ſorrowes, all torments! How ſcornfully ſhould I paſſe by all pleaſures! How ſhould I be in trauaile of my diſſolution! Oh when ſhall that bleſſed day come, when all this wretched worldlineſſe remoued, I ſhall ſolace my ſelfe in my God? Behold, as the Hart braieth for the riuers of waters, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee, O God: My ſoule thirſteth for God, euen for the liuing God; Oh when ſhall I come and appeare before the preſence of God?
CHAP. XXXI.
4. An humble Confeſſion of our diſability to effect what we wiſh.AFter this Wiſhing, ſhall follow humble Confeſsion, by iuſt order of nature for, hauing bemoaned our want, and wiſhed ſupply, not finding this hope in ourſelues, we muſt needs acknowledge it to him, of whom onelyonly we may both ſeeke and finde; wherein it is to be duly obſerued, how the minde is by turnes depreſſed, and lifted vp: Being lifted vp with our taſte of ioy, it is caſt downe with Complaint: lift vp with Wiſhes, it is caſt downe with Confeſsion; which order doth beſt hold it in vre, and iuſt temper; and maketh it more feeling of the comfort which followeth in the concluſion. This Confeſsion muſt derogate all from ourſelues, and aſcribe all to God.
Thus I deſire, O Lord, to bee aright affected towards thee and thy glory; I deſire to come to thee: but, alas, how weakly? how heartleſly? Thou knowest that I can neither come to thee, nor deſire to come, but from thee. It is Nature that holds me from thee; this treacherous Nature fauours it ſelfe, loueth the world, hateth to thinke of a diſſolution, and chuſeth rather to dwell in this dungeon with continuall ſorrow and complaint, than to endure a parting, although to libertie and ioy. Alas, Lord, it is my miſery that I louelove my paine. How long ſhall theſe vanities thus beſot me? It is thou onelyonly that canſt turne away mine eies from regarding theſe follies, and my heart from affecting them: thou onelyonly, who as thou ſhalt one day receiue my ſoule into heauen, ſo now before-hand canſt fix my ſoule vponupon heauen and thee.
CHAP. XXXII.
5. An earneſt Petition for that which we confeſſe to want.AFter Confeſsion, naturally followes Petition; earneſtly requeſting that at his hands, which wee acknowledge our ſelues vnable, and none but God able to performe.
O carrie it vp therefore, thou that haſt created and redeemed it, carry it vp to thy glory: Oh let me not alwaies be thus dull and brutiſh; let not theſe ſcales of earthly affection alwaies dim and blinde mine eies: Oh thou that laiedſt clay vponupon the blinde mans eies, take away this clay from mine eies, where-with (alas) they are ſo dawbed vp, that they cannot ſee heauen. Illuminate them from aboue, and in thy light let mee ſee light. Oh thou that haſt prepared a place for my ſoule, prepare my ſoule for that place; prepare it with holineſſe, prepare it with deſire: and euen while it ſoiourneth on earth, let it dwell in heauen with thee, beholding euer the beautie of thy face, the glory of thy Saints, and of it ſelfe.
CHAP. XXXIII.
6. A vehement Enforcement of our petition.AFter Petition ſhall follow the Enforcement of our requeſt, from argument and importunate obſecration; wherein we muſt take heed of complementing in termes with God, as knowing that he will not be mocked by any faſhionable forme of ſuit, but requireth holy and feeling intreaty.
How graciouſly haſt thou proclaimed to the world, that who-euer wants wiſdome, ſhall aske it of thee, which neither denieſt nor vpbraideſt! O Lord, I want heauenly wiſdome, to conceiue aright of heauen; I want it, and aske it of thee; giuegive me to aske it inſtantly, and giuegive me according to thy promiſe abundantly. Thou ſeeſt, it is no ſtrange fauour that I begge of thee: no other than that which thou haſt richly beſtowed vponupon all thy valiant Martyrs, Confeſſors, Seruants, from the beginning: who neuer could hauehave ſo cheerefully embraced death and torment, if through the middeſt of their flames and paine they had not ſeene their Crowne of glory. The poore Theefe on the Croſſe had no ſooner craued thy remembrance when thou earnest to thy Kingdome, than thou promiſedst to take him with thee into heauen. Preſence was better to him than remembrance. Behold, now thou art in thy Kingdome, I am on earth; remember thine vnworthy ſeruant, and let my ſoule in conceit, in affection, in conuerſation be this day and for euer with thee in Paradiſe. I ſee man walketh in a vaine ſhadow, and diſquieteth himſelfe in vaine: they are pittifull pleaſures he enioyeth, while he forgetteth thee; I am as vaine, make me more wiſe: Oh let mee ſee heauen, and I know, I ſhall neuer enuie, nor follow them. My times are in thine hand: I am no better than my fathers, a ſtranger on earth. As I ſpeake of them, ſo the next, yea this generation ſhall ſpeake of me as one that was. My life is a bubble, a ſmoake, a ſhadow, a thought: I know, it is no abiding in this thorow fare: Oh ſuffer me not ſo mad, as while I paſſe on the way, I ſhould forget the end. It is that other life that I muſt truſt to: With thee it is that I ſhall continue: Oh let mee not be ſo fooliſh, as to ſettle my ſelfe on what I muſt leaue, and to neglect eternitie. I hauehave ſeene enough of this earth, and yet I louelove it too much. O let me ſee heauen another while, and louelove it ſo much more than the earth, by how much the things there are more worthy to be loued. Oh God, looke downe on thy wretched Pilgrim; and teach me to looke vp to thee, and to ſee thy goodneſſe in the Land of the liuing. Thou that boughteſt heauen for me, guide me thither; and for the price that it coſt thee, for thy mercies ſake, in ſpight of all tentations, enlighten thou my ſoule, direct it, crowne it.
CHAP. XXXIV.
AFter this Enforcement, doth follow Confidence; wherein the ſoule,7. A cheerefull Confidence of obtaining what we hauehave requeſted and enforced. after many doubtfull and vnquiet bickerings, gathereth vp her forces, and cheerefully rowzeth vp it ſelfe; and like one of Dauids Worthies, breaketh thorow a whole Armie of doubts, and fetcheth comfort from the Well of life, which, though in ſome latter, yet in all is a ſure reward from God of ſincere Meditation.
Yea, be thou bold, O my ſoule, and doe not meerely craue, but challenge this fauour of God, as that which he oweth thee, he oweth it thee, becauſe he hath promiſed it, and by his mercy hath made his gift, his debt: Faithfull is he that hath promiſed, which will alſo doe it. Hath he not giuen thee not onelyonly his hand in the ſweet hopes of the Goſpell, but his ſeale alſo in the Sacraments? Yea, beſides promiſe, hand, ſeale, hath he not giuen thee a ſure earneſt of thy ſaluation, in ſome weake, but true graces? Yet more, hath he not giuen thee, beſides Earneſt, poſſeſsion? while he that is the Truth and Life, ſaith, He that beleeueth hath euerlaſting life, and hath paſſed from death to life. Canſt thou not then be content to caſt thy ſelfe vponupon this bleſſed iſſue; If God be mercifull, I am glorious; I hauehave thee already, Oh my life? God is faithfull, and I doe beleeue: who ſhall ſeparate me from the louelove of Chriſt? from my glory with Chriſt? Who ſhall pull me out of my heauen? Goe to then, and returne to thy reſt, O my ſoule; make vſe of that heauen wherein thou art, and be happy.
Thus we hauehave found, that our Meditation, like the wind, gathereth ſtrength in proceeding; and as naturall bodies, the neerer they come to their places, moue with more celeritie; ſo doth the ſoule in this courſe of Meditation, to the vnſpeakable benefit of it ſelfe.
CHAP. XXXV.
THe Concluſion remaineth:The Concluſion of our Meditation, in what order it muſt be. wherein we muſt aduiſe (like as Phyſicians doe in their ſweats and exerciſe) that we ceaſe not ouer-ſuddenly, but leaue off by little and little. The minde may not be ſuffered to fall head-long from this height, but muſt alſo deſcend by degrees.
The firſt whereof, after our Confidence, ſhall bee an heartie Gratulation, Firſt, with Thankſgiuing.and thankſgiuing. For, as man naturally cannot be miſerable, but he muſt complaine, and craue remedie; ſo the good heart cannot finde it ſelfe happy, and not be thankfull: and this thankfulneſſe which it feeleth and expreſſeth, maketh it yet more good, and affecteth it more.
What ſhall I then doe to thee for this mercy, O thou Sauiour of men? What ſhould I render to my Lord, for all his benefits? Alas! what can I giuegive thee, which is not thine owne before? Oh that I could giuegive thee but all thine! Thou giueſt me to drinke of this cup of ſaluation: I will therefore take the cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon the name of the Lord: Praiſe thou the Lord, O my ſoule; and all that is within mee, praiſe his holy name. And ſince here thou beginneſt thine heauen, begin here alſo that ioyfull ſong of thankſgiuing, which there thou ſhalt ſing more ſweetly, and neuer end.
CHAP. XXXVI.
Secondly, with Recommendation of our ſoules and waies to God.AFter this Thankſgiuing, ſhall follow a faithfull recommendation of our ſelues to God; wherein the ſoule doth cheerefully giuegive vp it ſelfe, and repoſe it ſelfe wholly vponupon her Maker, and Redeemer; committing her ſelfe to him in all her waies, ſubmitting her ſelfe to him in all his waies, deſiring in all things to glorifie him, and to walke worthy of her high and glorious calling.
Both which latter ſhall be done (as I hauehave euer found) with much life and comfort, if for the full concluſion, we ſhall lift vp our heart and voice to God, in ſinging ſome Verſule of Dauids diuine Pſalmes, anſwerable to our diſpoſition, and matter; whereby the heart cloſes vp it ſelfe with much ſweetneſſe and contentment.
This courſe of Meditation thus heartily obſerued, let him that practiſeth it, tell mee whether hee finde not that his ſoule, which at the beginning of this exerciſe did but creepe and grouell vponupon earth, doe not now in the concluſion ſoare aloft in heauen; and being before alooſe off, doe not now finde it ſelfe neere to God, yea with him and in him.