Thomas Traherne · 11 of 19

The Third Century · Part 3

Besides these common things I have named, there were others as common, but invisible. The Laws of God, the Soul of Man, Jesus Christ and His Passion on the Cross, with the ways of God in all Ages. And these by the general credit they had obtained in the world confirmed me more. For the ways of God were transient things, they were past and gone; our Saviour’s sufferings were in one particular, obscure place, the Laws of God were no object of the eye, but only found in the minds of men: these therefore which were so secret in their own nature, and made common only by the esteem men had of them, must of necessity include unspeakable worth for which they were celebrated of all, and so generally remembered. As yet I did not see the wisdom and depths of knowledge, the clear principles, and certain evidences whereby the wise and holy, the ancients and the learned that were abroad in the world knew these things but was led to them only by the fame which they had vulgarly received. I believed that there were unspeakable mysteries contained in them, and tho’ they were generally talked of their value was unknown. These therefore I resolved to study, and no other, But to my unspeakable wonder, they brought me to all the things in Heaven and in Earth, in Time and Eternity, possible and impossible, great and little, common and scarce; and discovered them all to be infinite treasures.

That anything may be found to be in infinite treasure, its place must be found in Eternity and in God’s esteem. For as there is a .time, so there is a place for all things. Everything in its place is admirable, deep, and glorious; out of its place like a wandering bird, is desolate and good for nothing. How therefore it relateth to God and all creatures must be seen before it can be enjoyed. And this I found by many instances. The Sun is good, only as it relateth to the stars, to the seas, to your eye, to the fields, &c. As it relateth to the stars it raiseth their influences; as to the Seas, it melteth them and maketh the waters flow; as to your eye, it bringeth in the beauty of the world; as to the fields, it clotheth them with fruits and flowers. Did it not relate to others it would not be good. Divest it of these operations, and divide it from these objects, it is useless and good for nothing, and therefore worthless, because worthless and useless go together. A piece of gold cannot be valued, unless we know how it relates to clothes, to wine, to victuals, to the esteem of men and to the owner. Some little piece, in a kingly monument, severed from the rest, hath no beauty at all. It enjoys its value in its place, by the ornament it gives to, and receives from all the parts. By this I discerned, that even a little knowledge could not be had in the mystery of Felicity, without a great deal. And that that was the reason why so many were ignorant of its nature, and why so few did attain it. For by the labour required to much knowledge they were discouraged, and for lack of much did not see any glorious motives to allure them.

Therefore of necessity they must at first believe that Felicity is a glorious though an unknown thing. And certainly it was the infinite wisdom of God that did implant by instinct so strong a desire of Felicity in the Soul, that we might be excited to labour after it, though we know it not, the very force wherewith we covet it supplying the place of understanding. That there is a Felicity, we all know by the desires after, that there is a most glorious Felicity we know by the strength and vehemence of those desires. And that nothing but Felicity is worthy of our labour, because all other things are the means only which conduce unto it. I was very much animated by the desires of philosophers, which I saw in books aspiring after it. But the misery is It was unknown. An altar was erected to it like that in Athens with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Two things in perfect Felicity I saw to be requisite and that Felicity must be perfect, or not Felicity. The first was the perfection of its objects, in nature, serviceableness, number, and excellency. The second was the perfection of the manner wherein they are enjoyed, for sweetness, measure, and duration. And unless in these I could be satisfied, I should never be contented: Especially about the latter. For the manner is always more excellent than the thing. And it far more concerneth us that the manner wherein we enjoy be complete and perfect, than that the matter which we enjoy be complete and perfect. For the manner, as we contemplate its excellency, is itself a great part of the matter of our enjoyment.

In discovering the matter or objects to be enjoyed, I was greatly aided by remembering that we were made in God’s Image. For thereupon it must of necessity follow that God’s Treasures be our Treasures, and His joys our joys. So that by enquiring what were God’s, I found the objects of our Felicity, God’s Treasures being ours. For we were made in His Image that we might live in His similitude. And herein I was mightily confirmed by the Apostle’s blaming the , and charging it upon them as a very great fault that they were alienated from the life of God, for hereby I perceived that we were to live the life of God, when we lived the true life of nature according to knowledge: and that by, blindness and corruption we had strayed from it. Now God’s Treasures are His own perfections, and all His creatures.

The Image of God implanted in us, guided me to the manner wherein we were to enjoy. For since we were made in the similitude of God, we were made to enjoy after His similitude. Now to enjoy the treasures of God in the similitude of God, is the most perfect blessedness God could devise. For the treasures of God are the most perfect treasures, and the manner of God is the most perfect manner. To enjoy therefore the treasures of God after the similitude of God is to enjoy the most perfect treasures in the most perfect manner. Upon which I was most infinitely satisfied in God, and knew there was a Deity because I was satisfied. For in exerting Himself wholly in achieving thus an infinite Felicity He was infinitely delightful, great and glorious, and my desires so august and insatiable that nothing less than a Deity could satisfy them.

This spectacle once seen, will never be forgotten. It is a great part of the beatific vision. A sight of Happiness is Happiness. It transforms the Soul and makes it Heavenly, it powerfully calls us to communion with God, and weans us from the customs of this world. It puts a lustre upon God and all His creatures and makes us to see them in a Divine and Eternal Light. I no sooner discerned this but I was (as Plato saith, In summâ Rationis arce quies habitat) seated in a throne of repose and perfect rest. All things were well in their proper places, I alone was out of frame and had need to be mended. For all things were God’s treasures in their proper places, and I was to be restored to God’s Image. Whereupon you will not believe, how I was withdrawn from all endeavours of altering and mending outward things. They lay so well, methought, they could not be mended: but I must be mended to enjoy them.

The Image of God is the most perfect creature. Since there cannot be two Gods the utmost endeavour of Almighty Power is the Image of God. It is no blasphemy to say that God cannot make a God: the greatest thing that He can make is His Image: a most perfect creature, to enjoy the most perfect treasures, in the most perfect manner. A creature endued with the most divine and perfect powers, for measure, kind, number, duration, and excellency is the most perfect creature: able to see all eternity with all its objects, and as a mirror to contain all that it seeth: able to love all it contains, and as a Sun to shine upon its caves: able by shining to communicate itself in beams of affection and to illustrate all it illuminates with beauty and glory: able to be wise, holy, glorious, blessed in itself, as God is; being adorned inwardly with the same kind of beauty, and outwardly superior to all creatures.

Upon this I began to believe that all other creatures were such that God was Himself in their creation, that is Almighty Power wholly exerted: and that every creature is indeed as it seemed in my infancy, not as it is commonly apprehended. Every thing being sublimely rich and great and glorious. Every spire of grass is the work of His hand: And I in a world where everything is mine, and far better than the greater sort of children esteem diamonds and pearls to be. Gold and silver being the very refuse of Nature, and the worst things in God’s Kingdom: truly good in their proper places.

To be satisfied in God is the highest difficulty in the whole world, and yet most easy to be done. To make it possible that we should be satisfied in God was an achievement of infinite weight, before it was attempted, and the most difficult thing in all worlds before it was achieved. For we naturally expect infinite things of God: and can be satisfied only with the highest reason. So that the best of all possible things must be wrought in God, or else we shall remain dissatisfied: But it is most easy at present, because God is. For God is not a being compounded of body and soul, or substance and accident, or power and act, but is all act; pure act, a Simple Being whose essence is to be, whose Being is to be perfect so that He is most perfect towards all and in all. He is most perfect for all and by all. He is in nothing imperfect, because His Being is to be perfect. It is impossible for Him to be God and imperfect: and therefore do we so ardently and infinitely desire His absolute perfection.

Neither is it possible to be otherwise. All His power being turned into Act, it is all exerted: infinitely and wholly. Neither is there any power in Him which He is not able and willing to use: or which He cannot wisely guide to most excellent ends. So that we may expect most angelical and heavenly rarities in all the creatures. Were there any power in God unemployed He would be compounded of Power and Act. Being therefore God is all Act, He is a God in this, that Himself is Power exerted. An infinite Act because infinite power infinitely exerted. An Eternal Act because infinite power eternally exerted. Wherein consisteth the generation of His Son, the perfection of His Love, and the immutability of God. For God by exerting Himself begot His Son, and doing it wholly for the sake of His creatures, is perfect Love; and doing it wholly from all Eternity, is an Eternal Act, and therefore unchangeable.

With this we are delighted because it is absolutely impossible that any Power dwelling with Love should continue idle. Since God therefore was infinitely and eternally communicative, all things were contained in Him from all Eternity. As Nazianzen in his 38th Oration admirably expressed it in these words, “Because it was by no means sufficient for GOODNESS to move only in the contemplation of itself: but it became what was GOOD to be diffused and propagated, that more might be affected with the benefit (for this was the part of the Highest GOODNESS:) first He thought upon angelical and celestial virtues, and that thought was the work which he wrought by the WORD and fulfilled by the SPIRIT. Atque ita Secundi Splendores procreati primi splendoris Administri. And so were there second splendours created, and made to minister to the first splendour, so that all motions, successions, creatures, and operations with their beginnings and ends were in Him from Everlasting. To whom nothing can be added because from all Eternity He was whatsoever to all Eternity He can be. All things being now to be seen and contemplated in His bosom; and advanced therefore into a Diviner Light, being infinitely older, and more precious than we were aware. Time itself being in God eternally.

Little did I imagine that, while I was thinking these things, I was conversing with God. I was so ignorant that I did not think any man in the World had had such thoughts before. Seeing them therefore so amiable I wondered not a little, that nothing was spoken of them in former ages: but as I read the Bible I was here and there surprised with such thoughts, and found by degrees that these things had been written of before, not only in the Scriptures, but in many of the Fathers, and that this was the way of communion with God in all , as I saw clearly in the person of David. Methought a new light darted in into all his psalms, and finally spread abroad over the whole Bible. So that things which for their obscurity I thought not in being were there contained: things which for their greatness were incredible were made evident, and things obscure plain. God by this means bringing me into the very heart of His Kingdom.

There I saw Moses blessing the Lord for the precious things of Heaven, for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath: and for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon: and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills; and for the precious things of the earth, and fulness thereof. There I saw Jacob with awful apprehensions admiring the glory of the world, when awaking out of his dream, he said, How dreadful is this place. This is none other than the House of God, and the Gate of Heaven. There I saw God leading forth Abraham, and showing him the stars of Heaven; and all the countries round about him, and saying, All these will I give thee, and thy seed after thee. There I saw Adam in Paradise, surrounded with the beauty of Heaven and Earth, void of all earthly comforts, to wit, such as were devised, gorgeous apparel, palaces, gold and silver, coaches, musical instruments, &c; and entertained only with celestial joys, the sun and moon and stars, beasts and fowls and fishes, trees and fruits, and flowers, with the other naked and simple delights of nature. By which I evidently saw that the way to become rich and blessed was not by heaping accidental and devised riches to make ourselves great in the vulgar manner, but to approach more near, or to see more clearly with he eye of our understanding, the beauties and glories of the whole world: and to have communion with the Deity in the riches of God and Nature.

I saw moreover that it did not so much concern us what objects were before us, as with what eyes we beheld them, with what affections we esteemed them, and what apprehensions we had about them. All men see the same objects, but do not equally understand them. Intelligence is the tongue that discerns and tastes them, Knowledge is the Light of Heaven, Love is the Wisdom and Glory of God, Life extended to all objects is the sense that enjoys them. So that Knowledge, Life, and Love are the very means of all enjoyment, which above all things we must seek for and labour after. All objects are in God Eternal: which we by perfecting our faculties are made to enjoy. Which then are turned into Act, when they are exercised about their objects; but without them are desolate and idle; or discontented and forlorn. Whereby I perceived the meaning of the definition wherein Aristotle describeth Felicity, when he saith, Felicity is the perfect exercise of perfect virtue in a perfect Life. For that life is perfect when it is perfectly extended to all objects, and perfectly sees them, and perfectly loves them: which is done by a perfect exercise of virtue about them.

In Salem dwelt a glorious King,

Raised from a shepherd’s lowly state;

That did His praises like an angel sing

Who did the World create.

By many great and bloody wars

He was advanced unto Thrones

But more delighted in the stars

Than in the splendour of his precious stones;

Nor gold nor silver did his eye regard

The Works of God were his sublime reward,

A warlike champion he had been,

And many feats of chivalry

Had done: in kingly courts his eye had seen

A vast variety

Of earthly joys: Yet he despis’d

Those fading honours, and false pleasures

Which are by mortals so much prized;

And placed his happiness in other treasures

No state of life which in this world we find

Could yield contentment to his greater mind.

His fingers touched his trembling lyre,

And every quavering string did yield

A sound that filled all the Jewish quire,

And echoed in the field.

No pleasure was so great to him

As in a silent night to see

The moon and stars: A cherubim

Above them, even here, he seem’d to be:

Enflam’d with Love it was his great desire,

To sing, contemplate, ponder, and admire.

He was a prophet, and foresaw

Things extant in the world to come:

He was a judge, and ruled by a law

That than the honeycomb

Was sweeter far: he was a sage,

And all his people could advise;

An oracle, whose every page

Contained in verse the greatest mysteries;

But most he then enjoyed himself when he

Did as a poet praise the Deity.

A shepherd, soldier, and divine,

A judge, a courtier, and a king,

Priest, angel, prophet, oracle, did shine

At once when he did sing.

Philosopher and poet too

Did in his melody appear;

All these in him did please the view

Of those that did his heavenly music hear

And every drop that from his flowing quill

Came down, did all the world with nectar fill

He had a deep and perfect sense

Of all the glories and the pleasures

That in God’s works are hid: the excellence

Of such transcendent treasures

Made him on earth an heavenly king,

And filled his solitudes with joy;

He never did more sweetly sing

Than when alone, though that doth mirth destroy:*

* In this line “removed from all annoy” was first written, but afterwards crossed out, and the above reading substituted.

Sense did his soul with heavenly life inspire,

And made him seem in God’s celestial quire.

Rich, sacred, deep and precious things

Did here on earth the man surround:

With all the Glory of the King of Kings

He was most strangely crowned.

His clear soul and open sight

Among the Sons of God did see

Things filling Angels with delight:

His ear did hear their heavenly melody,

And when he was alone he all became

That Bliss implied, or did increase his fame.

All arts he then did exercise;

And as his God he did adore

By secret ravishments above the skies

He carried was before

He died. His soul did see and feel

What others know not; and became,

While he before his God did kneel,

A constant, heavenly, pure, seraphic flame.

Oh that I might unto his throne aspire,

And all his joys above the stars admire!

When I saw those objects celebrated in his psalms which God and Nature had proposed to me, and which I thought chance only presented to my view, you cannot imagine how unspeakably I was delighted, to see so glorious a person, so great a prince, so divine a sage, that was a man after God’s own heart, by the testimony of God Himself, rejoicing in the same things, meditating on the same, and praising God for the same. For by this I perceived we were led by one Spirit, and that following the clue of Nature into this labyrinth, I was brought into the midst of celestial joys: and that to be retired from earthly cares and fears and distractions that we might in sweet and heavenly peace contemplate all the Works of God, was to live in Heaven, and the only way to become what David was, a man after God’s own heart. There we might be enflamed with those causes for which we ought to love Him: there we might see those viands which feed the Soul with Angels’ food: there we might bathe in those streams of pleasure that flow at His right hand for evermore.

That hymn of David in the eighth Psalm was supposed to be made by night, wherein he celebrateth the Works of God; because he mentioneth the moon and stars, but not the sun in his meditation. When I consider the Heavens which Thou hast made, the moon and stars, which are the work of Thy fingers, what is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man that Thou visitest him? Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels, and past crowned him with glory and honour. Thou hast given him dominion over the works of Thy hands, Thou hast Put all things in subjection under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea and the beasts of the fields; the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea. This glory and honour wherewith man is crowned ought to affect every person that is grateful, with celestial joy: and so much the rather because it is every man’s proper and sole inheritance.

His joyful meditation in the nineteenth psalm directeth every man to consider the glory of Heaven and Earth.The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth Ht’s handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone throughout all the earth, and their voice to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom corning out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit to the ends of it; and nothing is hid from the heat thereof. From he proceedeth to the laws of God, as things more excellent in their nature than His works. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Whereby he plainly showeth that Divine and Kingly delights are in the laws and works of God to be taken by all those that would be angelical and celestial creatures. For that in the Kingdom of Heaven every one being disentangled from particular relations and private riches, as if he were newly taken out of nothing to the fruition of all Eternity, was in these alone to solace himself as his peculiar treasures.

Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him; all ye seed of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him all ye seed of Israel. For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath He hid His Face from him, but when he cried unto Him He heard. My praise shall be of Thee in the great Congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear Him. The shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the Lord that seek Him; your heart shall live for ever fill the ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord, all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before Thee. For the Kingdom is the Lord’s, and He is the governor among the Nations. All they that be fat upon Earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the deed shall bow bore Him, and none can keep alive his own Soul. A seed shall serve Him, it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come and declare His to a people that shall be born, that He hath done this. Here he sheweth that it was his desire and delight to have all Nations praising God: and that the condescension of the Almighty in stooping down to the poor and needy was the joy of his soul. He prophesieth also of the of the to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which to see was to him an exceeding pleasure.

The Earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, the round world and they that dwell therein. He observeth here that God by a comprehensive possession, and by way of eminence, enjoyeth the whole world; all mankind and all the Earth, with all that is therein, being His peculiar treasures. Since therefore we are made in the image of God, to live in His similitude, as they are His, they must be our treasures, We being wise and righteous over all as He is. Because they regard not the Works of the Lord, nor the operations of His hands, therefore shall He destroy them, and not build them up.

By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together, He layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the Earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. He frequently meditateth upon the Works of God, ands affirmeth the contemplation of them to beget His fear in our hearts. For that He being great in strength, not one faileth.

All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee, who delivered the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the door and the needy from him that spoileth him! Thy mercy, O Lord, is above the Heavens, and Thy faithfulness reacheth to the clouds. Thy is like the great mountains, Thy judgnaents are a great deed: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men but their trust in the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures: For with Thee is the Fountain of Life. In Thy light we shall see light. The judgments of God, and His loving kindness, His mercy and faithfulness, are the fatness of His house, and His being seen in the Light of Glory is the torrent of pleasure at His right hand for evermore.

Hearken, O Daughter, and consider and incline thine ear, forget also Mine own people and thy father’s house. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty, for He is thy Lord, and worship thou Him. The King’s daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework, the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto Thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought, they shall enter into the King’s Palace. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the Earth. The psalmist here singeth an Epithalamium upon the marriage between Christ and His Church: whom he persuadeth to forsake her country and her father’s house together with all the customs and of this World: and to dedicate herself wholly to our Saviour’s Service. Since she is in exchange to enter into His palace, and become a bride to so glorious a person. The Bridegroom and the Bride, the Palace (which is all the world) with all that is therein, being David’s joy and his true possession. Nay every child of this Bride is if a male, a Prince over all the earth; if a female, Bride to the King of Heaven. And every Soul that is a spouse of Jesus Christ, esteemeth all the her own children and her own bowels.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. He praiseth the which in the midst of this world are great consolations, and in all distresses, refresh our souls. Come behold the Works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the Earth. He exhorteth us to contemplate God’s Works, which are so perfect, that when His secret and just judgments are seen, the very destruction of Nations, and laying waste of Cities, shall be sweet and delightful.