Thomas Traherne · 10 of 19

The Third Century · Part 2

ON NEWS

News from a foreign country came,

As if my treasure and my wealth lay there:

So much it did my heart enflame

’Twas wont to call my soul into mine ear!

Which thither went, to meet

The approaching sweet:

And on the threshold stood,

To entertain the unknown good.

It hovered there,

As if ‘twould leave mine ear,

And was so eager to embrace

The joyful tidings as they came,

’Twould almost leave its dwelling place,

To entertain the same.

As if the tidings were the things,

My very joys themselves, my foreign treasure,

Or else did bear them on their wings;

With so much joy they came, with so much pleasure.

My soul stood at the gate

To recreate

Itself with bliss: and to

Be pleased with speed. A fuller view

It fain would take

Yet journeys back would make

Unto my heart: as if ‘twould fain

Go out to meet, yet stay within

To fit a place, to entertain,

And bring the tidings in.

What sacred instinct did inspire

My soul in childhood with a hope so strong?

What secret force moved my desire,

To expect my joys beyond the seas, so young?

Felicity I knew

Was out of view

And being here alone,

I saw that happiness was gone

From me! For this

I thirsted absent bliss,

And thought that sure beyond the seas,

Or else in something near at hand

I knew not yet, (since nought did please

I knew,) my bliss did stand.

But little did the Infant dream

That all the treasures of the World were by:

And that himself was so the cream

And crown of all, which round about did lie:

Yet thus it was. The gem,

The diadem,

The ring enclosing all

That stood upon this earthly ball;

The heavenly eye,

Much wider than the sky,

Wherein they all included were

The glorious soul that was the king

Made to possess them, did appear

A small and little thing!

Among other things there befel me a most infinite desire of a book from Heaven. For observing all things to be rude and superfluous here upon earth, I thought the ways of felicity to be known only among the Holy Angels: and that unless I could receive information from them, I could never be happy. This thirst hung upon me a long time; till at last I perceived that the God of Angels had taken care of me, and prevented my desires. For He had sent the book I wanted before I was born: and prepared it for me, and also commended and sent it unto me, in a far better manner than I was able to imagine. Had some Angel brought it to me, which was the best way wherein I could then desire it, it would have been a peculiar favour, and I should have thought myself therein honoured above all mankind. It would have been the Soul of this world, the light of my Soul, the spring of life, and a fountain of Happiness. You cannot think what riches and delights I promised myself therein. It would have been a mint of rarities, curiosities and wonders, to have entertained the powers of my Soul, to have directed me in the way of life, and to have fed me with pleasures unknown to the whole world.

Had some Angel brought it miraculously from heaven, and left it at my foot, it had been a present meet for Seraphims. Yet had it been a dream in comparison of the glorious way wherein God prepared it. I must, have spent time in studying it, and with great diligence have read it daily to drink in the precepts and instructions it contained. It had in a narrow, obscure manner come unto me, and all the world had been ignorant of felicity but I. Whereas now there are thousands in the world, of whom I, being a poor child, was ignorant, that in temples, universities, and secret closets; enjoy felicity, whom I saw not in shops, or schools, or trades; whom I found not in streets or at feasts, or taverns, and therefore thought not to be in the world, who enjoy communion with God, and have fellowship with the Angels every day. And these I discerned to be a great help unto me.

This put me upon two things: upon enquiring into the matter contained in the Bible, and into the manner wherein it came unto me. In the matter I found all the glad tidings my soul longed after in its desire of news; in the manner, that the Wisdom of God was infinitely greater than mine, and that He had appeared in His Wisdom exceeding my desires. Above all things I desired some Great Lord, or Mighty King, that having power in His hand, to give me all Kingdoms, Riches, and Honours, was willing to do it. And by that book I found that there was an eternal God, who loved me infinitely, that I was His son, that I was to overcome death and to live for ever, that He created the world for me, that I was to reign in His throne and to inherit all things. Who would have believed this had not that Book told me? It told me also that I was to live in communion with Him, in the image of His life and glory, that I was to enjoy all His treasures and pleasures, in a more perfect manner than I could devise, and that all the truly amiable and glorious persons in the world were to be my friends and companions.

Upon this I had enough. I desired no more the honours and pleasures of this world, but gave myself to the illimited and clear fruition of that: and to this day see nothing wanting to my Felicity but mine own perfection. All other things are well; I only, and the sons of men about me, are disordered. Nevertheless could I be what I ought, their very disorders would be my enjoyments. For all things should work together for good to them that love God. And if the disorders, then certainly the troubles, and if the troubles, much more the of men would be mine. Not only their enjoyments, but their very errors and distractions increasing my Felicity. So that being heir of the whole world alone, I was to walk in it, as in a strange, marvellous, and amiable possession, and alone to render praises unto God for its enjoyment.

This taught me that those fashions and tinseled , which you and I despise erewhile, fetching a little course about, became ours. And that the Wisdom of God in them also was very conspicuous. For it becometh His Goodness to make all things treasures: and His Power is able to bring Light out of Darkness, and Good out of Evil. Nor would His love endure, but that I also should have a wisdom, whereby I could draw order out of confusion. So that it is my admiration and joy, that while so many thousand wander in Darkness, I am in the Light, and that while so many dote upon false treasures and pierce themselves through with many sorrows, I live in peace, and enjoy the delights of God and Heaven.

In respect of the matter, I was very sure that Angels and Cherubims could not bring unto me better tidings than were in the Scriptures contained, could I but believe them to be true, but I was dissatisfied about the manner, and that was the ground of my unbelief. For I could not think that God being Love would neglect His Son, and therefore surely I was not His son, nor He Love: because He had not ascertained* me more carefully, that the Bible was His book from Heaven. Yet I was encouraged to hope well, because the matter

*This word, though it seems peculiar to us, is here used quite properly and according to its derivation.

was so excellent, above my expectation. And when I searched into it, I found the Way infinitely better than if all the Angels in Heaven had brought it to me.

Had the Angels brought it to me alone, these several inconveniences had attended the vision:—(1) It had been but one sudden act wherein it was sent me whereas now God hath been all ages in preparing it: (2) It had been done by inferior. ministers; whereas now it is done by God Himself: (3) Being Satan is able to transform himself into an Angel of Light, I had been still dubious, till having recourse to the excellency of the matter; by it I was informed and satisfied: (4) Being corrupted, that one miracle would have been but like a single spark upon green wood, it would have gone out immediately: whereas I needed a thousand miracles to seal it, yea and to awaken me to the meditation of the matter that was revealed to me: (5) Had it been revealed no other way, all the world, had been dark and empty round about me: whereas now it is my joy and my delight and treasure, being full of knowledge and light and glory: (6) Had it been revealed at no other time, God had now only been good unto me; whereas He hath manifested His love in all ages; and been carefully and most wisely revealing it from the beginning of the world: (7) Had He revealed it to no other person, I had been weak in faith, being solitary and sitting alone like a sparrow upon the house-top, who now have the concurrent and joint affections of Kingdoms and ages, Yea, notwithstanding the disadvantage of this weakness, I must have gone abroad; and published this faith to others; both in love to God, and love to men. For I must have done my duty, or the book would have done me no good, and love to God and men must have been my duty, for without that I could never be happy. Yea finally, had not the Book been revealed before, neither had God been glorious, nor I blessed, for He had been negligent of other persons, His goodness had been defective to all ages, whom now I know to be God by the universality of His love unto Mankind, and the perfection of His wisdom to every person.

To talk now of the necessity of bearing all calamities and persecutions in preaching is little; to consider the reproaches, mockings and derisions I must have endured of all the world, while they scoffed at me for pretending to be the only man that had a Book from Heaven is nothing: nor is it much to mention the impossibility of convincing others, all the world having been full of darkness, and God always silent before. All ages had been void of treasure had not the Bible been revealed till the other day, wherein now I can expatiate with perfect liberty, and everywhere see the Love of God to all mankind Love to me alone. All the world being adorned with miracles, prophets, patriarchs, apostles, martyrs, revelations from Heaven, lively examples, holy Souls, divine affairs for my enjoyment. The Glory of God and the Light of Heaven appearing everywhere, as much as it would have done in that seeming instant, had the Book I desired come unto me any other way.

You will not believe what a world of joy this one satisfaction and pleasure brought me. Thenceforth I thought the Light of Heaven was in this world: I saw it possible, and very probable, that I was infinitely beloved of Almighty God, the delights of Paradise were round about me, Heaven and Earth were open to me, all riches were little things; this one pleasure being so great that it exceeded all the joys of Eden. So great a thing it was to me, to be satisfied in the manner of God’s revealing Himself unto mankind. Many other enquiries I had concerning the manner of His revealing Himself, in all which I am infinitely satisfied.

Having been at the University, and received there the taste and tincture of another education, I saw that there were things in this world of which I never dreamed; glorious secrets, and glorious persons past imagination. There I saw that Logic, Ethics, Physics, Metaphysics, Geometry, Astronomy, Poesy, Medicine, Grammar, Music, Rhetoric all kinds of Arts, Trades, and Mechanisms that adorned the world pertained to felicity; at least there I saw those things, which afterwards I knew to pertain unto it: and was delighted in it. There I saw into the nature of the Sea, the Heavens, the Sun, the Moon and Stars, the Elements, Minerals, and Vegetables. All which appeared like the King’s Daughter, all glorious within; and those things which my nurses, and parents, should have talked of there were taught unto me.

Nevertheless some things were defective too. There was never a tutor that did professly teach Felicity, though that be the mistress of all other sciences. Nor did any of us study these things but as aliena, which we ought to have studied as our enjoyments. We studied to inform our knowledge, but knew not for what end we so studied. And for lack of aiming at a certain end we erred in the manner. there we received all those seeds of knowledge that were afterwards improved; and our souls were awakened to a discerning of their faculties, and exercise of their powers.

The manner is in everything of greatest concernment. Whatever good thing we do, neither can we please God, unless we do it well: nor can He please us, what. ever good He does, unless He do it well. Should He give us the most perfect things in Heaven and Earth to make us happy, and not give them to us in the best of all possible manners, He would but displease us; and it were impossible for Him to make us happy. It is not sufficient therefore for us to study the most excellent things unless we do it in the most excellent of manners. And what that is, it is impossible to find, till we are guided thereunto by the most excellent end, with a desire of which I flagrantly burned.

The best of all possible ends is the Glory of God, but happiness was that I thirsted after. And yet I did not err, for the Glory of God is to make us happy. Which can never be done but by giving us most excellent natures and satisfying those natures: by creating all treasures of infinite value, and giving them to us in an infinite manner, to wit, both in the best that to omnipotence was possible. This led me to enquire whether all things were excellent, and of perfect value, and whether they were mine in propriety?

It is the Glory of God to give all things to us in the best of all possible manners. To study things therefore under the double notion of interest and treasure, is to study all things in the best of all possible manners. Because in studying so we enquire after God’s Glory, and our own happiness. And indeed enter into the way that leadeth to all contentments, joys, and satisfactions, to all praises triumphs and thanksgivings, to all virtues, beauties, adorations and graces, to all dominion, exaltation, wisdom, and glory, to all , Union, and Communication with God, to all patience, and courage and blessedness, which it is impossible to meet any other way. So that to study objects for ostentation, vain knowledge or curiosity is fruitless impertinence, tho’ God Himself and Angels be the object. But to study that which will oblige us to love Him, and feed us with nobility and goodness toward men, that is blessed. And so is it to study that which will lead us to the Temple of Wisdom, and seat us in the Throne of Glory.

Many men study the same things which have not the taste of, nor delight in them. And their palates vary according to the ends at which they aim. He that studies polity, men and manners, merely that he may know how to behave himself, and get honour in this world, has not that delight in his studies as he that contemplates these things that he might see the ways of God among them, and walk in communion with Him. The attainments of the one are narrow, the other grows a celestial King of all Kingdoms. Kings minister unto him, temples are his own, thrones are his peculiar treasure. Governments, officers, magistrates and courts of judicature are his delights, in a way ineffable, and a manner inconceivable to the other’s imagination. He that knows the secrets of nature with Albertus Magnus, or the motions of the heavens with Galileo, or the cosmography of the moon with Hevelius, or the body of man with Galen, or the nature of diseases with Hippocrates, or the harmonies in melody with Orpheus, or of poesy with Homer, or of Grammar with Lilly, or of whatever else with the greatest artist; he is nothing, if he knows them merely for talk or idle speculation, or transient and external use. But he that knows them for value, and knows them his own shall profit infinitely. And therefore of all kinds of learnings, humanity and divinity are the most excellent.

By humanity we search into the powers and faculties of the Soul, enquire into the excellencies of human nature, consider its wants, survey its inclinations, propensities and desires, ponder its principles, proposals, and ends, examine the causes and fitness of all, the worth of all, the excellency of all. Whereby we come to know what man is in this world, what his end and happiness, and what is the best means by which he may attain it. And by this we come to see what wisdom is: which namely is a knowledge exercised in finding out the way to perfect happiness, by discerning man’s real wants and desires. We come moreover to know God’s goodness, in seeing into the causes He implanted such faculties and inclinations in us, and the objects and ends prepared for them. This leadeth us to Divinity. For God gave man an endless intellect to see all things, and a proneness to covet them, because they are His treasures; and an infinite variety of apprehensions and affections, that he might have an all sufficiency in himself to enjoy them; a curiosity profound and unsatiable to stir him up to look into them: an ambition great and everlasting to carry him to the highest honours, thrones, and dignities: an emulation whereby he might be animated and by all examples, a tenderness and compassion whereby he may be united to all persons, a sympathy and love to virtue; a tenderness of his credit in every soul, that he might delight to be honoured in all persons; an eye to behold Eternity and the omnipresence of God, that he might see Eternity, and dwell within it; a power of admiring, loving, and prizing, that seeing the beauty and goodness of God, he might be united to it for evermore.

In Divinity we are entertained with all objects from everlasting to everlasting: because with Him whose outgoings from everlasting: being to contemplate God, and to walk with Him in all His ways; and therefore to be entertained with all objects, as He is the fountain, governor, and end of them. We are to contemplate God in the unity of His essence, in the of persons, in His manifold attributes, in all His works, internal and external, in His counsels and decrees, in the work of creation, and in His works of . And man, as he is a creature of God, capable of celestial blessedness, and a subject, in His Kingdom, in his fourfold estate of innocency, misery, and glory. In the estate of innocency we are to contemplate the nature and manner of his happiness, the laws under which he was governed, the joys of paradise, and the immaculate powers of his immortal soul. In the estate of misery, we have his fall, the nature of Sin, original and actual; his manifold punishments, calamity, sickness, death, &c. In the estate of ; the tenour of the new , the manner of its exhibition under the various dispensations of the Old and New Testament, the of the , the conditions of it, faith and , the or seals of it, the Scriptures, ministers, and , the nature and government of the Church, its histories and successions from the beginning to the end of the world, &c. In the state of Glory, the nature of separate Souls, their advantages, excellencies and privileges, the resurrection of the body, the day of judgment, and life everlasting. Wherein further we are to see and understand the communion of , Heavenly joys, and our society with Angels. To all which I was naturally born, to the fruition of all, which I was by , and in the enjoyment of all which I am to live eternally.

Natural philosophy teaches us the causes and effects of all bodies simply and in themselves. But if you extend it a little further, to that indeed which its name imports, signifying the love of nature, it leads us into a diligent inquisition into all natures, their qualities, affections, relations, causes and ends, so far forth as by nature and reason they may be known. And this noble science, as such, is most sublime and perfect: it includes all Humanity and Divinity together. God, Angels, Men, Affections, Habits, Actions, Virtues, everything as it is a solid, entire object singly proposed, being a subject of it, as well as material and visible things. But taking it as it is usually bounded in its terms, it treateth only of corporeal things, as Heaven, Earth, Air, Water, Fire, the Sun and Stars, Trees, Herbs, Flowers, Influences, Winds, Fowls, Beasts, Fishes, Minerals, and Precious Stones, with all other beings of that kind. And as thus it is taken it is nobly subservient to the highest ends: for it openeth the riches of God’s Kingdom and the natures of. His territories, works, and creatures in a wonderful manner, clearing and preparing the eyes of the enjoyer.

Ethics teach us the mysteries of morality, and the nature of affections, virtues, and manners, as by them we may be guided to our highest happiness. The former for speculation, this for practice. The former furnisheth us with riches, this with honours and delights, the former feasteth us, and this instructeth us. For by this we are taught to live honourably among men, and to make ourselves noble and useful among them. It teacheth us how to manage our passions, to exercise virtues, and to form our manners, so as to live happily in this world. And all these put together discover the materials of religion to be so great, that it plainly manifesteth the Revelation of God to be deep and infinite. For it is impossible for language, miracles, or apparitions to teach us the infallibility of God’s word, or to shew us the certainty of true religion, without a clear sight into truth itself, that is unto the truth of things. Which will themselves when truly seen, by the very beauty and glory of them, best discover, and prove religion.

When I came into the country, and being seated among silent trees, and meads and hills, had all my time in mine own hands, I resolved to spend it all, whatever it cost me, in the search of happiness, and to satiate that burning thirst which Nature had enkindled in me from my youth. In which I was so resolute, that I chose rather to live upon ten pounds a year, and to go in leather clothes, and feed upon bread and water, so that I might have all my time clearly to myself, than to keep many thousands per annum in an estate of life where my time would be devoured in care and labour. And God was so pleased to accept of that desire, that from that time to this, I have had all things plentifully provided for me, without any care at all, my very study of Felicity making me more to prosper, than all the care in the whole world. So that through His blessing I live a free and a kingly life as if the world were turned again into Eden, or much more, as it is at this day.

A life of here beneath!

Continual jubilees and joys!

The days of Heaven, while we breathe

On Earth! where Sin all Bliss destroys:

This is a triumph of delights

That doth exceed all appetites:

No joy can be compared to this,

It is a life of perfect Bliss.

Of perfect Bliss! How can it be?

To conquer Satan, and to reign

In such a vale of misery,

Where vipers, stings, and tears remain,

Is to be crowned with victory.

To be content, divine, and free,

Even here beneath is great delight

And next the Beatific Sight.

But inward lusts do oft assail,

Temptations work us much annoy

We’ll therefore weep, and to prevail

Shall be a more celestial joy.

To have no other enemy

But one; and to that one to die:

To fight with that and conquer it,

Is better than in peace to sit.

‘Tis better for a little time;

For he that all his lusts doth quell,

Shall find this life to be his prime

And vanquish Sin, and conquer Hell.

The next shall be his double joy;

And that which here seemed to destroy

Shall in the other life appear

A root of bliss; a pearl each tear.

Thus you see I can make merry with calamities, and while I grieve at Sins, and war against them, abhorring the world, and myself more, descend into the abyss of humility, and there admire a new offspring and torrent of joys—God’s Mercies. Which accepteth of our fidelity in bloody battles, though every wound defile and poison; and when we slip or fall, turneth our true tears into solid pearl, that shall with Him for evermore. But oh let us take heed that we never willingly commit a sin against so gracious a Redeemer, and so great a Father:

Sin!

O only fatal woe,

That mak’st me sad and mourning go!

That all my joys dost spoil,

His Kingdom and my Soul defile!

I never can agree

With thee!

Thou!

Only thou! O thou alone,

And my obdurate heart of stone,

The poison and the foes

Of my enjoyments and repose,

The only bitter ill,

Dost kill!

Oh!

I cannot meet with thee,

Nor once approach thy memory,

But all my joys are dead,

And all my sacred Treasures fled

As if I now did dwell

In Hell.

Lord

O hear how short I breathe 1

See how I tremble here beneath

A Sin! Its ugly face

More terror, than its dwelling place

Contains (O dreadful Sin!)

Within!

THE RECOVERY

Sin! wilt thou vanquish me?

And shall I yield the victory?

Shall all my joys be spoil’d,

And pleasures soil’d

By thee?

Shall I remain

As one that’s slain

And never more lift up the head?

Is not my Saviour dead?

His blood, thy bane, my balsam, bliss, joy, wine,

Shall thee destroy; heal, feed, make me divine.

I cannot meet with Sin, but it kills me, and ‘tis only by Jesus Christ that I can kill it, and escape. Would you blame me to be confounded, when I have offended my Eternal Father, who gave me all the things in Heaven and Earth? One sin is a dreadful stumbling-block in the way to heaven. It breeds a long parenthesis in the fruition of our joys. Do you not see, my friend, how it disorders and disturbs my proceeding? There is no calamity but Sin alone.

When I came into the country, and saw that I had all time in my own hands, having devoted it wholly to the study of Felicity, I knew not where to begin or end; nor what objects to choose, upon which most profitably I might fix my contemplation. I saw myself like some traveller, that had destined his life to journeys, and was resolved to spend his days in visiting strange places: who might wander in vain, unless his undertakings were guided by some certain rule, and that innumerable millions of objects were presented before me, unto any of which I might take my journey. Fain would I have visited them all, but that was impossible. What then should I do? Even imitate a traveller, who because he cannot visit all coasts, wildernesses, sandy deserts, seas, hills, springs and mountains, chooseth the most populous and flourishing cities, where he might see the fairest prospects, wonders, and rarities, and be entertained with greatest courtesy: and where indeed he might most benefit himself with knowledge, profit and delight: leaving the rest, even the naked and empty places unseen. For which cause I made it my prayer to God Almighty that He, whose eyes are open upon all things, would guide me to the fairest and divinest.

And what rule do you think I walked by? Truly a strange one, but the best in the whole world. I was guided by an implicit faith in God’s goodness: and therefore led to the study of the most obvious and common things. For thus I thought within myself God being, as we generally believe, infinite in goodness, it is most consonant and agreeable with His nature, that the best things should be most common. For nothing is more natural to infinite goodness, than to make the best things most frequent; and only things worthless scarce. Then I began to enquire what things were most common: Air, Light, Heaven and Earth, Water, the Sun, Trees, Men and Women, Cities, Temples, &c. These I found common and obvious to all: Rubies, Pearls, Diamonds, Gold and Silver, these I found scarce, and to the most denied. Then began I to consider and compare the value of them which I measured by their serviceableness, and by the excellencies which would be found in them, should they be taken away. And in conclusion, I saw clearly, that there was a real valuableness in all the common things; in the scarce, a feigned.