BUt, besides those Similitudes, we may be furnish’d with, by the things we observe, without turning them into Occasional Meditations, we may find in those very Subjects, whereon we do make Reflections, Circumstances, that, though improper, or at least unnecessary, to be taken into the Occasional Meditation, may be very fitly accommodateD to other things, and plentifully contribute to the store and variety of Comparisons we lately mention’d; this must appear so much a Truth, to any that is exercis’d in making Occasional Reflections, that I should perhaps forbear to illustrate it, by any particular example, but that this part of my Discourse recalls into my Mind some Thoughts that were suggested to me, by one of the last Occasions I had, to make Reflections of this Nature. I shall add then, that being all alone, and diverted a pretty while by a sudden storm of Thunder, Lightning, Wind, and Rain, from the imployments I had design’d my self to, I had the unwelcome leisure to make some Reflections upon the rude Objects that obtruded themselves upon my Observation.
And the chief thing that presented it self to my Thoughts, was, a resemblance betwixt Prophane or Atheistical wits, and the black Clouds that then over-cast the Sky: For, as those Clouds are rais’d to an elevated Station, and do afford flashes of Light; so these Irreligious wits are oftentimes conspicuous enough, and may bring forth Notions that are surprising, and instructive; but as the same Clouds, whil’st they give us but their own momentany Light, obscure (by darkning the Sky) and hinder us, as much as they can, from receiving that of the Sun, which reaches further, and is many other ways preferrable to vanishing Coruscations; so these Wits, whil’st they seem to enlighten those they dazle, with their own new Opinions, do really deprive them of the true Heavenly Light, that would else shine forth to them in the revealed Word of God: And as the Light that we do receive from the Clouds, may dazle and astonish us, but is not sufficient for us to Travel by; so the admir’d reasoning of these Sophisters may surprise and amaze us, but will never prove sufficient to be, like the Scripture, a constant Lamp unto our feet, (Psal. 119. 105) and Light unto our paths. And as the Light afforded by such Clouds, is not onely wont to be attended with affrighting Thunder, and hurtful Storms, but burns, and destroys, or at least scorches, and blacks, where it passes, and oftentimes falls upon Churches, Hospitals, Colledges, and brings such frights and ruins wheresoever it comes, that ‘twere a great deal better Men wanted the Light of such flashes, than that they should be expos’d to such inconveniencies by them: So the insolent and irregular Wits, I am speaking of, do not onely make an unwelcome Noise in the World, but do oftentimes so denigrate the Reputation of them that oppose them, and bear so little respect ev’n to things sacred, or useful to Mankind, without sparing the Church or Seminaries of Learning, if either come in their way, that they do far more Mischiefs by their errors, or their practices, than the little Instruction they give us, is able to make amends for.
This, if I forget not, was the substance of the Occasional Meditation, suggested to me by the Storm; but, besides that, there are in this some particulars, which are not necessary to the Meditation it self, and may be fitly enough accommodated, by way of Comparisons, to other Occasions. I remember, the same Subject (the Storm) had other Circumstances in it, fit to afford Similitudes, applicable to other Subjects, and some of them unobvious enough: For instance, ‘tis not easie to find so illustrious a Comparison, to set forth, how the most contrary Qualities may proceed from the same Subjects, as that which we may be suppli’d with, by considering, that, from the same Clouds, we derive both Light and Darkness; and a noble Comparison of contraries, conjoyn’d in one Subject, may be borrow’d from the same Clouds, which afford us Lightning, and Rain, shew, that they contain in them two of the eminentest and seldomest consistent contraries of Nature, Fire and Water. And another Comparison may be deriv’d from the differing productions of these Clouds, to illustrate those things which do at once both much good, and much mischief, or sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: For the same Clouds both produce the Thunder, and the Lightning, and thereby blast Trees, kill Men and Beasts, fire Houses, and ruine the noblest Buildings, without sparing Churches themselves; and, on the other side, plentifully afford us those refreshing and fertilizing Showers, that correct the heat of the sultry Air, and cure the barrenness of the parched Earth. And one that is skill’d in framing Comparisons out of Dissimilitudes, and exercis’d in the other ways of turning and winding of Simile’s, may easily enough find, in the Subject we have been considering, Circumstances capable of being conveniently enough accommodated to more subjects and purposes, than I have leisure now to take notice of. And since, as the being able to find the latent resemblance betwixt things seemingly unlike, make up a great part of what we are wont to call Wit; so the being able to discern the unobvious disparities of things manifestly resembling, is one of the chief things that displays the Faculty, Men call Judgment; and since both these are very much assisted by the Custom of making Reflections, wherein we must take notice of the several properties, wherein things either are alike, or disagree; Me-thinks it should not a little manifest the usefulness of our Meleteticks towards the improvement of Men’s parts, that they not onely instruct the more serious faculty of the Soul, but sharpen the more subtile.
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