The H Scriptures II
OH that I knew how all thy lights combine,
And the configurations of their glorie!
Seeing not onely how each verse doth shine,
But all the constellations of the storie.
This verse marks that, and both do make a motion
Unto a third, that ten leaves off doth lie:
Then as dispersed herbs do watch a potion,
These three make up some Christians destinie:
Such are thy secrets, which my life makes good,
And comments on thee: for in ev’ry thing
Thy words do finde me out, & parallels bring,
And in another make me understood.
Starres are poore books, & oftentimes do misse:
This book of starres lights to eternall blisse.
It is easy to miss the sophisticated hermeneutics outlined in this simple sonnet. Narrative criticism, canonical criticism, inter-textuality and intra-textuality, and theological interpretation, are not fresh discoveries of post-modern hermeneutics. Herbert describes with familiarity and ease how the Scriptures require us to pay attention to story, to interpret scripture with scripture, to interrogate each text in order to learn its meaning, application and command.
The first stanza compares the serious bible reader to an astronomer, studying configurations, familiar with patterns of light, knowing how each relates to each through the seasons. The Scriptures tell a coherent story, and display an inner harmony, a discernible movement of inter-relatedness. They contain a universe of lights.
The second stanza reflects the standard hermeneutics of Reformation exegesis; the study of the original text and meaning, and the search for its application to Christian life today; ancient text translated and interpreted into modern context.
"Such are thy secrets", and they are only found as treasure in the field by those prepared to plough, and stop when they hear the clunk of the blade on whatever lies hidden. Through Scripture we come to know who God is; theological exegesis for Herbert was seeking to know God through scripture, that first. But the dynamic process of reading scripture results in the reader being read. As we search the scriptures, we are searched. As we seek God we find that God is already seeking us. "Thy words do find me out", describes those moments of illumination when we discover more clearly, and not always flatteringly, who we are, and who God is.
Scripture reading is a disciplined process of making ourselves understood, to ourselves, or rather, God making us understood to ourselves. "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139.23-4) The act and art of reading scripture is fulfilled as we know God more intimately, and as we understand more fully how fully we are understood.
The final two lines contrast responsible reading of scripture with astrology. Starres are poor books, astrology is hit or miss and wide open to charlatans, wishful thinking, and worse for Herbert, assume that life is governed by forces other than the purposive love and faithfulness of the Creator.
"This booke of starres lights to eternall blisse", is a lovely image of a night sky, populated with light, infinite in variety and inexhaustible in knowledge to be discerned, discovered and diffused.
A few years ago I was involved in an act of Bible restoration. The Bible belonged to one of the finest exponents of bible reading I know, whose long life of reading "the constellations of the storie" had been transposed into the key of Christian character and devotion to God. I took it to the University bookbinder for repair when she went into care, and he painstakingly retained as much of the original as he could. I was able to return it as a restored treasure, 'a booke of starres.' Herbert would have understood the treasure of a worn out Bible, and the joy of its restoration.
Leave a Reply