Stepney a Observations in a Walk to Stepney c. Hackney or my beloved Hamstead and now as I went along I wou'd conceive the World a Building the Earth a Floor spread wiâ— a Green Carpet-Coâ—g the 〈◊〉 a Roo◠〈◊〉 with exquisite Ornamâ—nts such Thoughts as theâ—e dâ—d mâ—ke me revere the Wisdom of the 〈◊〉 Archâ—t When in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ks I obserâ—'d such magniâ—ence in the Outward Court I presently concluded the â—tum 〈◊〉 was beyond description Aâ— Madam we live here in the very bottom oâ— Nature and think little who or what are on the Top oâ— the Context methinks I have something of it by â—ting glances but it vanishes and I ne're catch it Thuâ— you see Madam what Meditations the World affords when I consider it as a Bâ—g the Earth as a Floor and the â—ns as â—he 〈◊〉 â—o it When in longer Walks I have considerd the World as a Cable spread I have obâ—erv'd satisfaction â—or every 〈◊〉 fo◠〈◊〉 â—se Sense dished out in Proper-Objects For us the Winds do blow The Earth doth rest Hâ—aven-move and Fountains flow Nothing we see but mâ—ans our good As our Delight or as our Treasure The whâ—le is either our Cupboard of Foâ—d Or Cabinet of Pleasure Herberâ— What Orient Colours are brought in to please the EYE to delight the EAR what Melody is inclosed in The Musick 〈◊〉 be found in Groveâ— the Breasts of Birds so well instructed in Song that every Grove becomes a Quire What silken sofâ—ness have we for the touch What Cates and tasteful Viands for the dantiest Palats What Odoriferous Scents What perfumed Airs to seast the other Sense What abundance of sweetness is bound up in the small Volume of a Flower I read no less then a Deity in the Few Folios of a Damask Rose Thus Bleâ—ed Lord thy VVorld is a Table spread and every thing in it looks up to thee for their daily Food Thy Cuphaâ—rd serves the 〈◊〉 the Meat is seâ— VVhere all may reach no Beast but knows his Feed Birds teach us hawking Fishes have their Net The great prey on the less they on some Weed Nothing ingender'd doth prevent his Meat â—es have their Cable spread e're they appear Some Creatures have in VVinter what to eat Others do sleep and envy not their Chear And as thy House is full so I adore Thy curious Art in Marshalling thy Goods The Hills with Health abound the Vales with store The South with Marble North with Furrs and VVoods Herbert By the many Sights 〈◊〉 observe in these several Walks I conclude that Nature hath not left my Soul Objectless but there is somewhere a Truth for my Understanding and Goodness for my Will Again my Heart it Elated above the ordinary Level of Admiration when I perceive this Sublunary-world top full of Things as contrary as Fire and Water Earth This sublunary World is top full of Things as contrary as Fire and Water c. and Air yet to subsist by one another when I see this and which is yet stranger when I see them peaceably cohabit in the same Subject I cannot but attribute their ACCORD to a Sovereign Arm and Guidance VVhen on a Promontory I fix my Foot on firm Earth while mine Eye lancheth out into the Main and see the Billows come wallowing one in the Neck of another as if they naturally encouraged themselves to an universal Deluge yet when they foam and make a noise as unkennel'd I may soon observe them at the end of their Chain or if the Tempest shou'd rage so long A Storm describ'd that the tossing Seas shou'd touch the Sky and every Puff shou'd blow up a Grave yet as these Storms are of Nah. 1. 3 4. Ps. 148. 8. Gods sending so they are subject to his Government The Lord hath his way in the whirl-wind and the stormy Wind fulfils his word Tempests are calm to thee they know thy Hand And hold it fast as Children do their Fathers Which cry and follow Thou hast made poor Sand Check the Proud Sea even when it â—wells and gathers Herbert VVhile the Ocean swells it self into Alps of Water and the Brow of it is so surrow'd with Rage that every VVave threatens to write me among the Dead suddenly all is cut off with a dash VVhen I behold this diffusive Element stand upon an Heap sure there is some Hitherto and no further that it hears in its loudest Roarings and this is Gates and Bars to it VVhen The Reciprocation of the Waterâ— I look upon the Râ—ciprocation of the VVaters I feel a Spring-Tide of Thoughts at the highest flow within me and go beyond the MOON to find a Cause 'T is true some attribute the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sâ—a to certain subterranean Fires whose Matter is near a kin to the Matter of the MOON and therefore according to her Motion there continue their Times of burning and burning they make the Sea so to boil as that it is a Tide or High-water but going out the â—es in the bottom of 〈◊〉 Sea Sea sinks again but these Fires in the bottom of the Sea are but meer Conjecture for the Flux and Re flux of the Sea is a great Secret of Nature and gives us therefore principal occasion to magnifie the Power of God whose Name only is excellent and whose Power above Heaven and Earth VVith what amazement have I view'd the swelling Main They that go down to the Sea in Ships that do Bâ—siness in great Waters These see Psal. 107. 23. the Works of the Lord and his Wonders in the Deep Who can enough admire the Providence of God to Sea men The Sea which seems to stop the Traveller Is by a Ship the speedâ—er Passage made The Winds who think they rule the Marener Are rul'd by him and taught to serve his Trade Again when I look upon the Use of the Sea I conceive great Mercy and Wisdom in placing of it Those Heavenly-Buckets that pour out refreshing Refresâ—ing Showers whence they come Showers on the parched Soil are dipp'd in this Cisterâ— and it is as the Liver to the Body filâ—s the Ground with irriguous Veins thus we see Each thing is full of Duty Waters united are our Navigation Distinguished our Habitation Below our Drink above our â—eat Both are our Cleanliness Hath one such Beauty Then how are all things neat Again when I see the Earth once every Day muâ—e The Night describ'd it self in ' its own Shadow and that the Dark may not be Irksome our busy Eyes are as often clos'd by a Law of Rest which upon Pain of Death we may not long infringe and how orderly do we go to sleep The Stars have us to bed Night draws the Curtain which the Sun withdraws Musick and Light attendour Head All things unto our Fleshare kind In their Descent and Being to our Mind In their Assent and cause Herbert That Sleep which refreshes Nature may be thus defin'd 'T
Perspective Glass through which they behold their Misery warrant my giving them Black Characters No Sabina I find too much in my own Breast to damp my censuring others and have as little Reason to be pust up with Conceit With Conceit of what shou'd I be proud of for my Head is as full of Whimseys as if it kept open House for all the Maggots in Nature yet excuse me too for I don't see but others only they have more Wit to conceal 'em have as many Maggots as Iohn Dunton And therefore Maggots in every Brain 't is Mr. Herbert tells us Man builds a House which quickly down must go As if a Whirl-wind blew And crush'd the Buildings And it s partly true His Mind is so O what a sight were Man if his Attires Did alter with his Mind And like a Dolphin's Skin his Cloaths combin'd With his Desires Surely if each one saw anothers Heart There wou'd be no Commerce No Sale or Bargain pass All wou'd disperse Andliv apart But suppose I cou'd see nothing greater or more Maggotty then my self to arrogate my Service yet were I far from being Absolute nor dare I think my self mine own Man My Hands and Shoulders tell â—e I was born to labour for my Hands and Shoulders and other parts are a Lecture to me for the labour of my Body And my station here minds me that I must be busied in Contemplation for I look on the Earth as a Green Bank recover'd from the Waters for me to stand on unmovedly while I behold the tossing Seas and turning Spheres and all things else in agitation Now to be tasked in this manner denotes my condition to be that of a Servant I further know my subjection My great Ignorance by my Ignorance I cannot so much as give an Account of my own Being how I was brought hither I have it not in my own knowledge if those about me had combined it had been more easie to have made me believe an Eternity of my self a parte ante than the Atheist a parte post That I had a Beginning is but deliver'd me I was lighted I know not how noâ— when by Tradition confirm'd by the Motions of accretion and diminution in my self and Example in others for I was LIGHTED I know not how nor when Again In the Administration of Things their Order is not from any Law of mine and I might well be call'd Esop's foolish Fly should I think my self able to make the very Bsop's foolish Fly Dust that made me now while I ponder on these Things and a thousand more that I see in the World I look for something greater than it It seems to me unreasonable That a Work so Absolute and Uniform should want an Efficient I dare not with Empedocles sit shuffling in a dusty The wise Administration of Things lead us to the Consideration of an Immense Being CELL 'till I have made a World of Atoms But I will resolvedly say such wise Position and Administration of Things here was never Casual so I search and wonder and tremble for I find my-self not far from that Immense Being that I thus grope after and sure I am if a Light was brought into the Room I shou'd see my self in the everlasting Arms of a Father or an Enemy These things I read by the Hierogliphicks of the Creatures in the A. B. C. of Nature for so I 'll call the Book of Morks compar'd to that of the Word of later Edition and of more Perfection This is the unmasking of the others Frontispiece this leads me and refers them to an ALMIGHTY GOD here manifested in his several Subsistences and Attributes I have it here in plain Words What was but pointed at in the other Behold this little Uolume here enrold 'T is the Almighty's Present to the World Hearken Earth Earth Each senseless thing can hear His Maker's Thunder tho' it want an Ear. Gods Word is senior to his Work â—y rather If rightly weighd the World may call it Father God spake 't was done This great Foundation Was but the Makers Exhalation Breath'd out in speaking The least work of Man Is better then his Word but if we scan God's Word aright his Works far short do fall The Word is God the Works are Creature 's all The sundry pieces of this general Frame Are dimmer Letters all which spell the same Eternal Word But these cannot express His Greatness with such easie Readiness And therefore yield For Heaven shall pass away The Sun the Moon the Starrs shall all obey To light one general Boon-Fire but his WORD His Builder up his all destroying Sword Yet still survives no jot of that can die Each Tittle measures Immortality Once more this mighty Word his People greets Thus lapp'd and thus swath'd up in Paper-sheets Read here Gods Image with a Zealous Eye The Legihle and Written Deity But I 'll not undertake to unfold its Excellency for to speak of every Thing in this Book requires a better Why the Holy Bible is the chief Book we shou'd study Pen than mine however this I shall say of it He that Questions its Worth instead of an Answer shall be deservedly blam'd as neglectful of reading the Holy Scripture When I have weighed the Premises I am troubled My Resolutions to read it often that I have so truanted formerly and cannot but now resolve to put my self with more diligence upon this Spiritual Literature Thus having mentioned the Characters of SUN MOON HEAVEN and EARTH and the other Creatures I shall be able to put them together and make them spell Infinite Wisdom and Power as much as boundless Mercy From the Earth I learn to contemplate from the Heavens I learn to add Motion and Practice to my Speculation When I see how the dead Earth and Water serve the Vegetive and they the Sensitive and they the Rational Creatures What spiritual use we should make of every Thing we see in the World And when I see how this subordination keeps every thing entire let me hence also learn Duty let me remember tho' I am exalted above all these yet there is a higher than the highest to whom I am in all humbleness to stoop as they to me And if my Ox knows his Owner and my Ass his Masters Crib let them teach me to know him from whom I have receiv'd All and to whom I owe all And Lastly When I see the largeness and capacity of my own Soul I will learn to decline the small and narrow Creature and search after an Object able to better it able to fill it And as I shou'd make this spiritual use of every thing I see in the World which I call the Book of Works so likewise that I may be more skill'd in God's other Book I shall desire to meditate in it Day and Night to use it on all occasions as a Medicine for every Disease If I am in doubt I will make it my
shou'd buy this Painted Apple and thereby lose that Paradice of Innocence and sweet Serenity of Mind which before I enjoy'd and therefore that I may check this Curious Temper in others as well as my self when ever I meet with those that are too inquisitive I never answer One of their Questions for I have observed that your Open Ears are Open Mouth'd and they that are craving to hear are apt to tell The Ambassadors of the King of Persia were at Athens invited to a Feast whereat also Plutarch's Morals p. 506. were present divers Philosophers who to improve the Conversation discoursed of many things both for and against amongst whom was Zeno who being observed to to sit Silent all the while the Ambassadors pleasantly demanded what they should say of him to the King their Master Nothing said he farther than this That you saw at Athens an Old Man who knew how to hold his Tongue And Metellus the Roman General being once asked by a Young Centurion what Design he had now in hand He told him That if he thought his own Shirt was privy to any part of his Counsel he wou'd immediately pluck it off and burn it That I may imitate these Grave Examples I never desire to know much of another Man's Estate nor impart much of my own Never any Man repented him of being satisfied with plain Truths and of saying nothing Then Sabina weary not your self with Scruples and Empty Niceties in Divinity but leave them to the Learned Dens for I have shewn in the Instance of Dr. Dee and others that these would not be Ignorant of God's Secrets as if it were a matter of nothing to be sav'd unless we also know what God will have unknown For my own share I think that sufficient which God hath thought enough for me to know and do only seek to know what is just necessary to salvation what that is is couch't in a few words * Eccl. 12. v. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole Du y of Man and therefore King Iames was much in the right when he told us Disputations were the Scab of the Church 'T is Practical Divinity that must bring us to Heaven When Dr. S h and Dr. S k have vented and banded all their subtiâ—ty each against other many Pious Men will judge it no other than a Witty Scolding As Curious as our Wits are which of 'em can tell me what my Soul is except in Terms more dark than those by which I know it already and how it acts in a separate State Where 's the Divine can unriddle the Doctrine oâ— the Trinity Resurrection and Incarnation of the Son of God He that is Just in his Dealings and practices those plain Truths delivered by a Dod or a Preston lives as if he out-knew our greatest Disputants The Iews proceeding this way infinitely taketh me who as often as they fell upon any difficult place in Scripture wou'd say We know that Elias will come and tell us all things But Dr. Brown has a better way of Resolving Doubts and therefore I make his Religio Medici my Pocket-Companion The Physick he prescribes for the Athenian Itch is a certain Cure and which shews him a good Christian tho Physician to Charles 2. he does not make the way to Heaven more difficult than it really is But when I meet with Doubts that neither he nor the Divine can decide I have recourse to this sure Decider of all Differences Dominus Dixit and that makes me easie for my Cell has cur'd my Vain Curiosity and I am satisfied with a Plain Trath But these Busie Wits that Itch to propound Acute Questions are fitly compared to the Sun in March who then exhales Humours but dissolves them not Were their Positions only frivolous they were more tolerable but they commonly end in horrid Blasphemy Laurentius Valla hearing a Cardinal dispute sublimely of God and his Subordinate Spirits said to his Companion And I could produce too such Keen Arguments against my Christ but I spare so Great a Majesty And some of late years whose Curiosity and Wit has not led to such Blasphemy yet have been so Fool-hardy as to presume to be more of the Cabinet Counsel of God Almighty than the Angels themselves by whose Ministry some say he created the World These have pointed at the precise Time of the World's Dissolution others have been so curious as to find out the Antient Place of Paradice there was lately a Book publisht on that Subject and what sort of Fruit that was which Eve gave to her Husband But these Curious Observations like our small Watches not one in an hundred goes true And how shou'd they for Man's proper place is the Earth if he 's raised up into the Air he 's disordered in the Water he drowns in the Fire he burns the Spirit 's place is the Body which soaring above the Matter afflicts and destroys it self When a Soul shall proceed in Matters of Religion by Politick Ways and suffer it self to be pleased with Curiosity which incessantly moveth it to draw the Curtain of Holy Mysteries to see what passes in Heaven such Spirits are Weak and Ignorant since they fail in the first Rule of VVisdom which discovereth to us that it is an absolute Folly to be desirous to measure things Divine by the Rule of Sence and Humane Experience The Wit and Mind of Man if it worketh upon Matter which is the Contemplation of the Creatures of God it worketh according to the Stuff and is limited thereby but if it worketh upon it self as the Spider worketh upon his Web then it is endless and brings forth indeed Gobwebs of Learning admirable for the fineness of the Thread but of no substance nor profit Oh Athenian Itch to what daring Height does thy Disease carry Men But Uain Curiose with Sabina's leave a word in thy Ear Like Prometheus filch no Sacred Fire Lest Eagles gripe thee let thy proud desire Suit with thy Fortunes Curious Minds that shall Mount up with Phaeton shall have Phaeton's Fall He that knows enough for Practice and yet spends his time in search after more Knowledge 't is a labour and search like unto his who not contented with a known and safe Ford will presume to pass over the greatest River in all parts where he is ignorant of the depths for so doth the one lose his Life and the other his Understanding even as that man who not contenting himself with the abundant Light of the Sun-Beams but seeking with his Eyes to pierce through the Brightness thereof even unto the midst of the Circle of the Body must questionless become blind so falleth it out for the most part to those who go about too curiously to enquire after that which is not lawful to be known We behold the Sun and enjoy its Light as long as we look towards it but tenderly and circumspectly We warm our selves safely whilst we stand near the Fire but
is the resting of the feeling Faculty the Sleep how caused Cause is a cooling of the Brain by a pleasant abounding Vapour breathing forth of the Stomach and ascending to the Brain when that Vapour is concoâ— and turned into Spirits the Heat returneth and the Senses recovering Wâ—ing 〈◊〉 how caused their former Function cause waking The Affections of Sleep are Dreams If 't is asked Dreaâ—s what they are I answer A Dream is an inward Act of the Mind the Body sleeping and the quieter that Sleep What they be is the easier be Dreams but if Sleep be unquier then the Minde is troubled The Uâ—iety of Dreams is according to the divers constitution There variety of the Body the clear and pleasant Dreams are when the Spirits of the Brain which the Soul useth to imagine with are most pure and thin as towards Morning when Concoction is perfected But Troublesome Dreams are when the Spirits be thick and impure All Natural Dreams are by Images either before proffered to Memory or conceived by Temperature alone or by some Influence from the Stars as some think But I shall say no more upon this head designing my 40th Letter shall treat of the Sentiments of the Soul in Infancy Dreams Trances Dotage c. Thus we see NIGHT serves us for a Curtain and Halfe our Life runs out in a Sleepy Vacation of Senses that whether we Sleep Wake or Dream the half of the Term of our Life runs out in a Sleepy-Uacation of Senses and is most pleasureable tho least delightsome Blessed Lord How finely dost thou Times and Seasons Spin And make a Twist checker'd with Night and Day Which aâ— it lengthens Winds and Winds us in As Bowls go on but turning all the way Herbert In this I adore a Sâ—pream Wisdom The withering Grass likewise is no less beholding to the Night then The Heavenly Lâ—beck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their may be a Growth in Vegtables our heavy Heads for now the Heavenly-Limbâ—ks do distill theâ—r chearing Influences that there may be a Growth in Uegetables the Nightly Moisture â—gles it self with the Heat by Day But while I stand admiring thus Câ—thius Aurem Velliâ— here is one within tells me I need not go fish for Wonders in the Deep or camb the height of Heaven for Heaven for my self is aâ— amazing wonder Indeed when I reflect on the Structure of my Body Meditations on the structure of my own body I see it is not ordinary I see it is erect when other Creatures Grovel I have a Priviledge of looking up when the rest stand motto'd by the Poet with A Pronaque cum spâ—ant c. Os Homini sublime dedit c. Is there a more exact Work then our Head here all The Sâ— keep their Rendivouz in the Head the Senses keep their Rendeâ—ouz lie Leaguer to give Intelligence if an Object that carrys any Colour with it comes the Eye notes it immediately If it makes a noise the Ear catches it and so of the rest Man is all Symmetry Full of Proportions one Limb to another And all to all the VVorld besides Each part may call the â—arthest Brother For Head with Foot hath private Amity And both with Moons and Tides We see MAN is a Creature that hath Reason and What Man is and the manner of his Generation as he is most excellent so hath he a more perfect shape in Body than others Physitians tell us His Members are formed and begin to appear distinctly about the Six and twentieth Day And they are all perfect in Males at 30 Days and in Females at 36 Days About this time the Child beginneth to live and to feel The Male is moved in the Third Month but the Females in the Fourth Month then 't is nourish'd and encreased till the Ninth Month when it is Grown great it is brought forth This is the forming and procreating of Man for whose sake all other Creatures were made Then what a wonder in Nature is Man and where ever we Ramble we find the Wonder the greater by the diversity of Faces we see in Publick in Ten Millions of Faces there are not two alike or not so alike but they are easily known one from to'ther and their â—aices are different as their Faces ' Tho the Face of the Creation hath ' its variations of Senses oâ—ward Prospect and Beauty by the alternate Intermixtures of Land and Waters of Woods and Feilds Meadows and Pastures God here mounting a Hill and there sinking a Vale and yonder levelling a pleasant Plain designedly to render the whole more delectable and ravishing to the Eyes of Men 〈◊〉 they see his wonders in the Land of the Living yeâ— hath he no where given us more admirable expreâ—ons of his infinite Power and Wisdom than in the 〈◊〉 â—brick of Mans Body wherein he hath contrivâ—d to Sum up all the Perfections of the Greater tâ—at lye here and there scattered about nor is it possible for the Heart of Man to adore enough the Tranâ— of his Divine hand in the Perfections that he bears about him But amongst them all omitting the curtous Contexture of the whole Frame to survey only the a A Breif Survey of Glories of the Face and of the Admirable Graces that God has lodged in 〈◊〉 Feature of it Glories of the Face and the admirable Graces that God has â—odged in each Feature of it and then to remember how many Millions of them have passed through his Hands already flourished out with a perfect diversity of appearance every one as I hinted before discernably varying from all the rest in different Feature and â—ein and yet every one excellently agreeing with all in the same Identity of Aspect All this variegated-Work miracusously performed within the compass of a Span to let us see what a God can do when as the Wise Potter he turneth his Wheel and molds Nature into infinite Ideas and Formes The several Sences in Man are also Matter of Wonder Sences Outward These are Outward or Inward The Outward only perceiving Things persent And every one of these have their Proper Subject The Sense in the whole Body is TOUCHING This Touching is a Sence by means of Flesh full of Sinews apprehending Tactil Qualities His Instrument is Flesh full of Sinews or rather a Nerve like a Hair disperst thoughout the whole Body Sences of certain parts are more or less Noble The Seeing Nobler are Seeing and Hearing whose means are the Water and Aâ— Sight by the Eye perceiveth bright and coloured Things the Subject where of is Light c his Instrument is the Nerv-Optick which from the Brain cometh to the Eyes Hearing is a Sense perceiving Sounds his Instrument is a little Skin in the lowest winding or turning of the Ear dry and full of Holes The Skin is double one Hearing below which covereth a little Bone like an Anvile another above containing a little Bone