Works of John Bunyan Volume III Part 157

Yea, though it in the water doth remain, It doth its fiery nature still retain.

If you oppose it with its opposite, At you, yea, in your face, its fire 'twill spit.

Comparison.

This flint an emblem is of those that lie, Like stones, under the Word, until they die.

Its crystal streams have not their nature changed, They are not, from their l.u.s.ts, by grace estranged.

IX.

UPON THE FISH IN THE WATER.

1.

The water is the fish's element; Take her from thence, none can her death prevent; And some have said, who have transgressors been, As good not be, as to be kept from sin.

2.

The water is the fish's element: Leave her but there, and she is well content.

So's he, who in the path of life doth plod, Take all, says he, let me but have my G.o.d.

3.

The water is the fish's element, Her sportings there to her are excellent; So is G.o.d's service unto holy men, They are not in their element till then.

X.

UPON THE SWALLOW.

This pretty bird, O! how she flies and sings,[20]

But could she do so if she had not wings?

Her wings bespeak my faith, her songs my peace; When I believe and sing my doubtings cease.

XI.

UPON THE BEE.

The bee goes out, and honey home doth bring, And some who seek that honey find a sting.

Now would'st thou have the honey, and be free From stinging, in the first place kill the bee.

Comparison.

This bee an emblem truly is of sin, Whose sweet, unto a many, death hath been.

Now would'st have sweet from sin and yet not die, Do thou it, in the first place, mortify.

XII.

UPON A LOWERING MORNING.

Well, with the day I see the clouds appear, And mix the light with darkness everywhere; This threatening is, to travellers that go Long journeys, slabby rain they'll have, or snow.

Else, while I gaze, the sun doth with his beams Belace the clouds, as 'twere with b.l.o.o.d.y streams; This done, they suddenly do watery grow, And weep, and pour their tears out where they go.

Comparison.

Thus 'tis when gospel light doth usher in To us both sense of grace and sense of sin; Yea, when it makes sin red with Christ's blood, Then we can weep till weeping does us good.

XIII.

UPON OVER-MUCH NICENESS.

'Tis much to see how over nice some are About the body and household affair, While what's of worth they slightly pa.s.s it by, Not doing, or doing it slovenly.

Their house must be well furnished, be in print,[21]

Meanwhile their soul lies ley,[22] has no good in't.

Its outside also they must beautify, When in it there's scarce common honesty.

Their bodies they must have tricked up and trim, Their inside full of filth up to the brim.

Upon their clothes there must not be a spot, But is their lives more than one common blot.

How nice, how coy are some about their diet, That can their crying souls with hogs'-meat quiet.

All drest must to a hair be, else 'tis naught, While of the living bread they have no thought.

Thus for their outside they are clean and nice, While their poor inside stinks with sin and vice.

XIV.

MEDITATIONS UPON A CANDLE.

Man's like a candle in a candlestick, Made up of tallow and a little wick; And as the candle when it is not lighted, So is he who is in his sins benighted.

Nor can a man his soul with grace inspire, More than can candles set themselves on fire.

Candles receive their light from what they are not; Men grace from Him for whom at first they care not.

We manage candles when they take the fire; G.o.d men, when he with grace doth them inspire.

And biggest candles give the better light, As grace on biggest sinners shines most bright.

The candle shines to make another see, A saint unto his neighbour light should be.

The blinking candle we do much despise, Saints dim of light are high in no man's eyes.

Again, though it may seem to some a riddle, We use to light our candles at the middle.[23]

True light doth at the candle's end appear, And grace the heart first reaches by the ear.

But 'tis the wick the fire doth kindle on, As 'tis the heart that grace first works upon.

Thus both do fasten upon what's the main, And so their life and vigour do maintain.

The tallow makes the wick yield to the fire, And sinful flesh doth make the soul desire That grace may kindle on it, in it burn; So evil makes the soul from evil turn.[24]

But candles in the wind are apt to flare, And Christians, in a tempest, to despair.

The flame also with smoke attended is, And in our holy lives there's much amiss.

Sometimes a thief will candle-light annoy, And l.u.s.ts do seek our graces to destroy.

What brackish is will make a candle sputter; 'Twixt sin and grace there's oft' a heavy clutter.

Sometimes the light burns dim, 'cause of the snuff, Sometimes it is blown quite out with a puff; But watchfulness preventeth both these evils, Keeps candles light, and grace in spite of devils.

Nor let not snuffs nor puffs make us to doubt, Our candles may be lighted, though puffed out.

The candle in the night doth all excel, Nor sun, nor moon, nor stars, then shine so well.

So is the Christian in our hemisphere, Whose light shows others how their course to steer.

When candles are put out, all's in confusion; Where Christians are not, devils make intrusion.

Then happy are they who such candles have, All others dwell in darkness and the grave.

But candles that do blink within the socket, And saints, whose eyes are always in their pocket, Are much alike; such candles make us fumble, And at such saints good men and bad do stumble.[25]

Good candles don't offend, except sore eyes, Nor hurt, unless it be the silly flies.

Thus none like burning candles in the night, Nor ought[26] to holy living for delight.

But let us draw towards the candle's end: The fire, you see, doth wick and tallow spend, As grace man's life until his gla.s.s is run, And so the candle and the man is done.