Meditation CIX
Meditation CIX
UNDER THE DIRECT MERIDIAN.
London 9, April 16, 1761.
Stretching towards the south, we are at last arrived at the true meridian, where our eyes need not travel through spacious skies, or journey towards the chambers of the south, to find the glorious sun; seeing from the summit of the skies he shoots down his perpendicular beams, and gives the brightest day. This appearance would look strange in the northern isles, and therefore invites to some meditation.
Then, as one who is always sailing to the south, though sometimes he may be overtaken with calms, or contrary winds, yet sooner or later will reach the line; so the Christian who steers his course heavenward, though he may have many heavy obstructions, from without, and from within—as the contrary winds of strong temptation, the bursting squalls of inbred corruption, and the no less dangerous calms of spiritual sloth and carnal security—shall, in spite of all, reach the meridian of glory.
Indeed, the poor sailor may perish before he can come to his port; but the believer, having his anchor within the veil, though earth and hell, and remaining sin—the worst of all the three, often threaten his ruin—shall safely arrive at the haven which he desires to see, and then shall he remember the perils of his passage, and dangers of the sea, only in grateful songs to his divine Deliverer.
Never was I apparently so near the sun as now, and yet never did the sun seem so high above me. So it is with the Christian; the more he knows of God, and the nearer he is permitted to approach to his throne—God is the higher in his esteem, and the more glorious in his adoring eye—while he himself is the lower in his own sight, yes, ready to sink into nothing while admitted to unclouded views of the divine majesty.
And this, and this only, is the desirable situation below, when the soul, in deep humility, adores the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, wholly emptied of himself, and fully replenished with God.
Again, only under the meridian can I set my face every way, and look up and see the sun, because he shines straight above my head, and all in the same latitude share the same amazing noon. Just so, in the land of glory shall the Sun of righteousness shine in all the brightness of his uncreated beauty, into every soul, and be no more a rising, a setting, or a clouded sun—but eternally dwell in the full view of all his numerous adorers.
The Deity, in his most ample revelations, in his most satisfying manifestations, shall fill all the higher house; yes, every entranced adorer sees God in one another, for seraphim and cherubim flame in his brightness; angels and archangels sing and shout in his day, and all the saints shine in his similitude. Nothing is there (for the fearful and final separation has taken place, O tremendous day!) but God and goodness—but innocence and peace—but sanctity and joy—but harmony and song, transport and delight, love and illumination.
Here our bright day has an enfeebling influence, and our high sun-beams almost insufferably hot; but there (O! shall such a one as I be ever there?) I shall bask in his noon-day beams, and share the effulgence of his inconceivable divinity, yet not dissolve into death—but thereby be invigorated for the whole task of an eternal adorer!
Is this globe of light and ball of fire, so amazingly majestic, that heathen nations have given him divine honor as a God? then how incomprehensibly great, how ineffably glorious must Jehovah be, whose bare word spoke such beauty into being! And is my eternal noon to be by the brightness of his presence, the emanations of his love, and the glory of his power?
Yes, is even Jehovah himself to be my light and day, my life and bliss, my portion and song? What then, though some few dark nights intervene, since this day is on the wing, when my views shall all be bright, because in his light I shall see light clearly? O these transporting, these transforming views, that shall forever entertain every enquiring, enlarged faculty of soul! Henceforth let my soul dwell by faith in endless noon, until over all my shadows this endless noon prevails.
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