When we behold a beautiful body, a lovely proportion and beautiful
harmony of features, delightful airs of countenance and voice, and
sweet motions and gestures, we are charmed with it, not under the
notion of a corporeal but a mental beauty. For if there could be a
statue that should have exactly the same, that could be made to have
the same sounds and the same motions precisely, we should not be so
delighted with it, we should not fall entirely in love with the image,
if we knew certainly that it had no perception or understanding. The
reason is, we are apt to look upon this agreeableness, those airs, to
be emanations of perfections of the mind, and immediate effects of
internal purity and sweetness. Especially it is so when we love the
person for the airs of voice, countenance, and gesture, which have
much greater power upon us than barely colors and proportion of
dimensions. And it is certainly because there is an analogy between
such a countenance and such airs and those excellencies of the
mind,--a sort of I know not what in them that is agreeable, and does
consent with such mental perfections; so that we cannot think of such
habitudes of mind without having an idea of them at the same time. Nor
can it be only from custom; for the same dispositions and actings of
mind naturally beget such kind of airs of countenance and gesture,
otherwise they never would have come into custom. I speak not here of
the ceremonies of conversation and behavior, but of those simple and
natural motions and airs. So it appears, because the same habitudes
and actings of mind do beget [airs and movements] in general the same
amongst all nations, in all ages.
And there is really likewise an analogy or consent between the beauty
of the skies, trees, fields, flowers, etc., and spiritual
excellencies, though the agreement be more hid, and require a more
discerning, feeling mind to perceive it than the other. Those have
their airs, too, as well as the body and countenance of man, which
have a strange kind of agreement with such mental beauties. This makes
it natural in such frames of mind to think of them and fancy ourselves
in the midst of them. Thus there seem to be love and complacency in
flowers and bespangled meadows; this makes lovers so much delight in
them. So there is a rejoicing in the green trees and fields, and
majesty in thunder beyond all other noises whatever.
Now, we have shown that the Son of God created the world for this very
end, to communicate himself in an image of his own excellency. He
communicates himself, properly, only to spirits; and they only are
capable of being proper images of his excellency, for they only are
properly _beings_, as we have shown. Yet he communicates a sort of a
shadow, a glimpse, of his excellencies to bodies, which, as we have
shown, are but the shadows of beings, and not real beings. He who by
his immediate influence gives being every moment, and by his spirit
actuates the world, because he inclines to communicate himself and his
excellencies, doth doubtless communicate his excellency to bodies, as
far as there is any consent or analogy. And the beauty of face and
sweet airs in men are not always the effect of the corresponding
excellencies of mind; yet the beauties of nature are really emanations
or shadows of the excellencies of the Son of God.
So that when we are delighted with flowery meadows and gentle breezes
of wind, we may consider that we see only the emanations of the sweet
benevolence of Jesus Christ. When we behold the fragrant rose and
lily, we see this love and purity. So the green trees, and fields, and
singing of birds are the emanations of his infinite joy and benignity.
The easiness and naturalness of trees and vines are shadows of his
beauty and loveliness. The crystal rivers and murmuring streams are
the footsteps of his favor, grace, and beauty. When we behold the
light and brightness of the sun, the golden edges of an evening cloud,
or the beauteous bow, we behold the adumbrations of his glory and
goodness; and in the blue sky, of his mildness and gentleness. There
are also many things wherein we may behold his awful majesty: in the
sun in his strength, in comets, in thunder, in the hovering
thunder-clouds, in ragged rocks and the brows of mountains. That
beauteous light with which the world is filled in a clear day is a
lively shadow of his spotless holiness, and happiness, and delight,
in communicating himself; and doubtless this is a reason that Christ
is so often compared to those things and called by their names,--as,
the Sun of Righteousness, the Morning Star, the Rose of Sharon, the
Lily of the Valley, the apple-tree amongst the trees of the wood, a
bundle of myrrh, a roe, or a young hart. By this we may discover the
beauty of many of those metaphors and similes which to an
unphilosophical person do seem so uncouth.
In like manner, when we behold the beauty of man's body in its
perfection we still see like emanations of Christ's divine
perfections; although they do not always flow from the mental
excellencies of the person that has them. But we see far the most
proper image of the beauty of Christ when we see beauty in the human
soul.
Corol. I. From hence it is evident that man is in a fallen state; and
that he has naturally scarcely anything of those sweet graces which
are an image of those which are in Christ. For no doubt, seeing that
other creatures have an image of them according to their capacity, so
all the rational and intelligent part of the world once had according
to theirs.
Corol. II. There will be a future state wherein man will have them
according to his capacity. How great a happiness will it be in Heaven
for the saints to enjoy the society of each other, since one may see
so much of the loveliness of Christ in those things which are only
shadows of beings. With what joy are philosophers filled in beholding
the aspectable world. How sweet will it be to behold the proper image
and communications of Christ's excellency in intelligent beings,
having so much of the beauty of Christ upon them as Christians shall
have in heaven. What beautiful and fragrant flowers will those be,
reflecting all the sweetnesses of the Son of God! How will Christ
delight to walk in this garden among those beds of spices, to feed in
the gardens, and to gather lilies!