Ʋpon the Earth.
I. Meditation.

WAlking in the garden in the cool of the day, among other things that offered themselves to my considerati­on, I observed my mother the Earth, whence I had my original, and out of whose womb I had my being: I considered how near of kin I was to those senceless clods that lay un­der my feet, and that I was made of the same matter, a little more refined, and moulded up in a better form, and was made by God a little walking breathing clay, and shortly must re­turn to my first matter, for dust thou art (saith God) and unto dust thou shalt return. These and the like thoughts had a various operation upon my soul; sometimes it put me on to ad­mire [Page 2] the workman, that out of such a rude and indigested mass, such course stuff, could make so glorious a piece as the body of Man is, and could indue it with such excellent parts, and such noble faculties, and make it such a rich cabinet fit to hold that precious Jewel the soul; which when I had a little considered I began to glory, that I was made a man, and did not remain a senseless clod; But on the o­ther side, when I considered my original, and the rock whence I was hewn, and the hole of the pit whence I was digged, and that I could say, to corruption, thou art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother, and my sister, Job. 17.14. I who was even now proud that I was a man, began to vail my peacocks plumes, when I be­held my black feet, and to wonder at my own folly; and when I beheld my mother, and my relations, I saw there was small cause of pride, and little cause to boast of birth or bloud, or great parentage or relations: 'tis a shame and sin for an angel to be proud, much more for a dunghill-bird: Oh my soul! bless God, that thou wast made a man, and not a clod of clay, a rationall creature, and not a brute beast; thou wast clay in the hands of this potter, and mightest have been the most despicable crea­ture that ever dropt from his fingers, but he hath made thee little lower then the Angels, and crowned thee with honour and dignity: what cause then hast thou to admire thy Creator, [Page 3] who made thee thus to differ, and made thee capable of communion with him here, and enjoying him for ever? but beware of pride that raigning damning sin, that turned Angels out of heaven, Adam out of Paradice, and many thousands into hell; boast not of the greatnesse of thy stock, the nobleness of thy bloud, the honour of thy progenitors, except thou ascend as high as thy great Grandmother the Earth, who opened her womb to bear us all, and ere long will open her mouth to re­ceive us all, where we shall be resolved into our first matter; then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God that gave it; 'tis true, thou hadst a more noble Father in whose image thou wast made, but this image is lost, and thou art become more deformed then thy Mother: Oh my God! as thou hast indewed me with more noble facul­ties then many other of thy creatures, that I might be better able to serve thee, enable me so to do; renew thy image in me, which was lost by the fall, and give me sincerity without which my condition will be worse then the beast that perisheth, whose misery ends with his life, but mine will begin at my death: where much is given, much will be required; as thou hast made me a man, let me act as a rati­onal creature, and answer the ends of my Cre­ation.

Ʋpon digging the Earth.
2. Med.

DIgging and delving into the bow­els of my Mother the Earth, to bury those seeds from whence I expected a fu­ture encrease, that portion of Scripture came fresh into my minde, Gen. 3.19. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread, till thou re­turn to the ground out of which thou wast taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return: me thoughts my work as it was a just punish­ment laid upon me for my sin, so it did much resemble the digging of my grave, and put me in minde of my mortality; I began to think that ere long some one would do that for me which I did for these poor seeds, lay me to sleep in the grave, till the Resurrection, and that my mother earth was as ready to re­ceive me as them; the pains and aches I felt, the sensible decays in nature, my gray hairs, &c. fastned this cogitation more home upon me; I then began to think of the vanity of man, that was but even now crept out from being earth, and for a time made a great stir and bu­stle in the world, and then made as much haste out again; and like as stage-players every one acting a part, upon the stage of the world, some longer, some shorter, some better, and some worse, and then an exit comes, and they disappear. The godly they act a Comedy, [Page 5] which begins bad, but ends well; the wicked a Tragedy which always ends in confusion; yet whatever part men act, few are willing to go off the stage; the old man that hath out-li­ved his teeth, his hair, his sight, and hearing, and can hardly use his limbs, and senses, yet is loath to die; too evident a signe his work for which he came into the world is not done, viz. to make his peace with his God, and to get an interest in Christ, and title to glory; the god­ly while they are here, are every day quench­ing those coals which sin hath kindled, with the tears of true repentance; the wicked are carrying every day a faggot to encrease that fire, that never shall be quenched: thus 'tis in the world, as in a Fair or market, there is a great crowd, some going one way some ano­ther, and every one driving on some designe or other: O my soul! must thou ere long be separated from the body by death, how stands the case with thee? art thou prepared for such a change, or art thou not? how doth thy pulse beat? suppose this were to be the day of thy dissolution, couldst look death in the face with comfort? hast thou made thy peace with thy God? hast thou got an acquittance sealed with the blood of Christ? a discharge of all thy debts? hast thou provided another habita­tion against this shall be disolved, and moul­der into dust? when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, hast thou a building not made with [Page 6] hands, but eternal in the heavens? hast thou acted thy part well upon the stage of the world, that thou maist go off with applause? [...]f not, [...]s better thou hadst not been born; for if death meet thee unprepared, as thy body moulders into dust, so must thou down to everlasting darkness, there to suffer eter­nally the demerit of thy sin. Oh my God! take me not away before I be fit to be lodg­ed in thy bosome: kill me not before my sin be killed; if any thing that is necessary be wanting, Lord give it in, and let me not be deceived in so great a thing as the salvation of my soul: Let my sins die, and let my soul live: Let me see the funeral of my vices before others see the funeral of my body.

Ʋpon a Tuft of green Grass.
3. Med.

WAlking into the Garden as at other times, to take the ayr, I fastened my eyes upon a green tuft of grass that grew besides me; the sight of it brought to my remembrance what I had often heard and read, viz. that the damned in hell should suffer exquisite torments, such as the tongue of men or angels are not able to ex­press, and that for as many millions of years as there are grass-piles upon the earth, sands on the sea shoar, stars in heaven, and motes in [Page 7] the Sun; and yet after all this long tract of time their torments shall be no nearer to an end nor they to a delivery, then they were the first day they were cast in; This made me a little to consider the number of piles that was in this little tuft, and when I found it too hard for me to number them, I con­sidered what was this tuft to one pasture, or that to one Parish, or that to one County, or that to one Kingdome, or that to the whole world: this made me to cry out, Oh Eternity, Eternity! who can conceive of thee? who can fathom thee? Oh the horri­ble nature of sin that provokes a mercifull God to lay such heavy strokes upon his poor creatures! Oh the love and pains of our dear Redeemer! what did he suffer to quench those flames, and discharge those debts for his people, in suffering what was due for their sins? and oh the madness of men and my own folly, that knowing there is such a re­mediless gulf before us, run on so madly to­wards it, and that for momentary plea­sures, deceitfull riches, worthless honour, or filthy sin, do venture the soul upon the pikes of danger: Oh the misery of poor un­regenerate wretches! what will you do in the latter end? who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning? Esay. 33.14. Tophet is prepared of old, even for the King it is [Page 8] prepared, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle it, Esaiah 30.33. Were a man compelled to lie up­on a feather bed but one year without turning or stirring, though other comforts were afforded, how painful, how tedious would that year seem? but what is this one year to eternity, or what is a featherbed to scalding lead, and burning brimstone? or what is that to hell torments? Oh Satan! how dost thou deceive us? Oh world! how dost thou insnare us? Oh sin! how dost thou be­witch us? Oh heart! how dost thou betray us to this deadly danger? Oh earth! how dost thou betray thy fastest friends, and pay­est them off with pains for pleasure, and buy­est their souls for a thing of naught? Oh Sa­tan! who would be thy servant, if this be thy wages? and yet how many fish come to thy net? and how prosperous hast thou been when thou hast baited thy hooks with the world? Oh my soul! is Eternity such a fa­thomless gulf, without bank or bottom? how stands the case with thee? art thou for ever­lasting joy or endless torment? what interest hast thou in the one, or what hopes to avoid the other? what hast thou that a hypocrite cannot have? or what dost thou that he can­not do? God surely expects great difference in the work, when there is so much in the re­ward; [Page 9] give thy eyes no sleep, nor thy eye-lids no slumber, till thou hast some comfor­table assurance of the love of God in the par­don of thy sins, and the salvation of thy soul: make peace with thy Creditour before thou art cast into prison, otherwise there must thou remain till thou hast paid the utmost farthing: If death surprize thee before thou art ready, hell will be thy lodging: get oyl, trim up thy lamp, get on thy wedding-garment, that thou be not shut out into utter darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth: Oh my God! make me such as thy own soul de­lights in, give me in the qualifications thou hast made necessary to Salvation; thou know­est my wants, Lord supply them; my debts, oh forgive them; my corruptions, Lord sub­due them, and binde up my soul in the bun­dle of life; write my name in thy book, and at last lay me up amongst thy Jewels.

Ʋpon a barren plat of ground.
4. Med.

WHen I perceived one plot in my garden fruitful, and another barren, and observed the difference between the one and the other, how lovely, how a­miable, how pleasant the fruitful plat seemed to me, how fresh and fragrant, how green and ardent it was, how it was diapred with various coloured flowers, beautiful and love­ly: [Page 10] and how lothsome, unseemly and un­handsome the other lookt, where nothing appeared but briars and thorns, weeds and thistles, with stones and rubbish, which was a fit receptacle for toads and serpents, and other venemous vermine; I began to consi­der it was yet possible to reduce this plot into a better form, and turn it to a better use: And hereupon I caused the rubbish to be stockt up, the weeds to be pluckt up, and the stones pickt out, and after I digged and manured it, and had an effect answer­able to my expectation; for when it was sown with better seed, it brought forth bet­ter fruit: The unlovelinesse of this plot when overgrown with weeds and rubbish, produ­ced this following Meditation: I thought it lively represented a heart barren of grace and goodnesse, but fruitfull of briars and thorns, sin and wickednesse, which is more odious to God then this plot was to me, and yet how lovely a fruit bearing Christian is in his eye, the one is like a loathsome muck-heap which stinks, the other like a watered garden that yields a sweet favour, like a garden of spices, Cant. 4.14. the one brings forth fruit for Gods basket, the other fewell for the devils fire; all the seed sown upon it is lost, and choakt with briars and thorns, and all the rain that falls upon it doth but make the weeds more rank and flourishing: their grape [Page 11] is the grape of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomor­rah, their grapes are grapes of gall, and the clusters are bitter, Deut. 32.32. they hatch cocka­trice eggs, and weave the spiders webs; vanity or villany is their trade, Heb. 6.7, 8. the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh off up­on it, and bringeth forth hearbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth a blessing from God, but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. The fruitful Christian watered with the word and spirit, bring­ing fortth a harvest of holiness; and fruit-trees fit for meat, were not to be de­stroyed, Deut. 20.14. but fruitless trees are for the fire, Mat. 3 10. But oh how much of this sterile barren ground is amongst us? that resist all the offered means of their re­covery, and rave and rage against both the physitian and the physick; and though often watered, bring forth nothing but briars and thorns, whereupon all the seed, and all the rain that falls upon it is lost: and when God expects fruit, behold wilde fruit; and yet this wilde and barren ground, if well manured, and God breathe upon it, may prove good land: this consideration made me with the servant in the Gospel cry out, Lord, spare them one year more, that I may dig about them, and dung them, that it may not be my fault that they perish, nor laid to [Page 12] my charge: oh my soul! art not thou this barren plot, where nothing but briars and brambles can thrive, or at least wise but little good fruit appear? God hath done much for thee, hedged thee about by his providence, watered thee with the dew of heaven; sent many of his servants to manure thee; whence then this trash and rubbish? whence then these tares and weeds? was not good seed sown? why hast thou not answered the great Husbandmans expectati­on? what could God have done more for his Vineyard, then he hath done for thee? well, look to it, if thou remain fruitless, ere long he will pluck up thy hedge, pluck down thy wall, take away thy fence, and leave caring for thee, and turn in the wilde boar to devour; he will lay down his bas­ket, and take up his axe; Oh the patience of a patient God! that hath born with thee for many years, but will ere long, if thou remain fruitless, pronounce the sentence, cut him down, why cumbreth he the ground; and if this be the danger of barren souls, do what in thee lies to make others fruitfull al­so: hereby (saith Christ) is my father glori­fied if ye bring forth much fruit: Oh my God! Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but thou givest the encrease, 1 Cor. 3.6. The harp yeelds no sound till touched by the hand of the Musician, and my heart will never be made [Page 13] good till thou strikest the stroak: 'tis God alone must say to dry bones, live; man can but speak to the ear, but God speaks to the heart; Lord speak home to my heart, and the work will be done; If means and ordinances would have served turn, the work ere now would have been effected: Lord, leave me not to other husbandmen, for they cannot make me fruitfull; Oh be thou my Gardi­ner, and my soul shall flourish; blow upon thy spices, and they will send forth a sweet savour.

Ʋpon the Propensity of the Earth to bring forth weeds.
5. Med.

VVHen I observed the natural propensity of the Earth to bring forth briars, and thorns, and weeds, and thistles, and such unprofitable trash and rubbish, and that it brought forth, fed, and fostered those of its own accord, without labour or pains, or any help of man; nay, man without much labour and toil cannot destroy or keep them under; but choice flowers, profitable herbs, wheat and rye, and other usefull grain, springs not up at so easie a rate, there must be pains taken, dig­ging, plowing, harrowing, setting, sowing, weeding, fencing, watering, and a great deal [Page 14] more, or no good crop can be expected: This Observation made me think, that this was the fruits of the curse laid upon the Earth for mans sake, Gen. 3.17. Cursed be the ground for thy sake, In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, &c. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, &c. me thoughts the earth in this respect, did much resemble a stepmother, to the best seeds, and choisest fruits; but an own Mother to weeds and rub­bish; this she brings forth, and brings up as her own, the other she disowns, but as she is hired or forc't: and if she be not carefully watcht, will either starve, or choak them; and she will suffer her own brats to eat the meat that should nourish them, and suck her breasts till they are dry: and they shall flourish while the other pine: This raised up my Medi­tations a little higher, and I thought the earth in this respect much resembled the world, who will willingly nourish no children but her own, and plays the stepmothers part with Gods children, when the wicked which are her own brats are hug'd in her bosome; if their father look not to them they are thrown to the walls; if any be wronged it shall be them; and if any want be, they shall suffer: the world loves her own, Joh. 15 19. however dogs worry one another, yet all agree against the trembling hare: Herod and Pilate are made [Page 15] friends, when Christ is to suffer, and all wicked men are enemies to the power of godliness; This propensity also of the earth to bring forth weeds, and to starve the choi­sest plants, made me think it resembled also the heart of man by nature, which is a fruitful field for briars and brambles, and the weeds of sin which grow there without planting, but 'tis barren of any thing that is good; 'tis hard to get a good motion, a good inclination, a good resolution to pro­sper in that soil, but the heart naturally produceth evil thoughts, wicked words, and bad actions, which are the usuall product it bringeth forth: The hearb of grace must be planted by the finger of God, and wa­tered with the dew of heaven, or it will not prosper, most of the good seed sown there by the Preachers of the Word is lost, and comes to nothing; for either it falls among stones, or thorns, or by the high­way-side, and so is choak't, or starved, or stole away; and devoured, except the heart be well manured, and the nature of the soil changed; except it be well fenc't and guarded, yea, watch't and observed, no­thing that is good will grow there. 'Tis not in vain that God bids us, break up the fallow ground of our hearts, and sow not a­mong thorns, Ier. 4.3. Hos. 10.12. and God is fain to plow deep furrows by affliction, [Page 16] before he can reach the roots of the weeds▪ Oh my soul! art not thou this earth that lyes under the curse, where nothing but trash and rubbish thrives and prospers? how comes it otherwise to passe, that thou art so prone to sin and so backward to obe­dience? vices naturally spring in thee, with­out help or labour, without plowing or sowing, and are rank and flourishing; but grace thrives not without much ado, if at all: how comes it to pass, that so much seed hath been sown, and so little fruit appears? but that 'tis choakt by trash and rubbish, or pickt up by the fowls of the air; if the devil by his temptation sows his tares there, he need neither weed them nor look after them, they grow fast enough of themselves, the heart cherisheth and nou­risheth them as her own; but the hearb of grace grows not so easily: A good thought is hardly brought to a good resolution, nor a good resolution to a good action; these are usually stifled in the womb; but the product of sin is much more easy: O my soul! see that the soil of thy heart be changed, and true grace be there planted, and the weeds of sin rooted out, or thou art still under the curse: Oh my God! ra­ther plow me and harrow me, and pluck and tear me in pieces by affliction, then suffer me to be barren or useless ground: [Page 17] be thou the husbandman, and my heart will be fruitful, and yield her encrease: blow upon thy garden, and the spices will send forth a sweet smell: let the sun of righteousness shine upon it, and the dew of heaven water it, and let it be planted by thy own hand, and fenced about, that the wilde boar of the forrest may not devour it, and it will be no longer barren; speak the word, and the work will be done.

Upon a Bush of thorns.
6 Med.

OBserving a bush of thorns spring­ing up in a place where I expe­cted better fruit, I caused them to be stockt up and put into a gap, where a fence was wanting, for the securing the garden, and the preserving herbs, and flowers from da­mage and detriment; this occasioned this following Meditation; As these being a fruit of the curse, spring up of their own accord without labour or toil, so sin and corruption, a fruit of the fall, do naturally spring up in the soul, without any pains; and as the earth own these, so doth the heart own sin, as its own proper product; God cursed the earth for mans sake, Gen. 3.18. and thorns and thistles it hath since brought forth: This made me consider, [Page 18] how faithful God is in the execution of his threats as well as of his promises; and of how dangerous a nature sin is, that pro­duceth such effects; how happy we had been if we had not sinned, and how misera­ble by reason of sin; Had not man fallen, the earth had not been cursed, but would have yeilded her encrease, probably, with­out labour and pain, and man might have solaced himself in the contemplation of God, and held communion with his Crea­tor, and have had nothing to break his peace with his God; My contemplation upon this occasion went further, I consi­dered how fitly the Holy Ghost had compa­red wicked men to thorns, Micha. 7.4. the best of them is as a briar and the most upright of them is as a thorny hedge, 2 Sam. 23.6. the sons of Beliall shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands, but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place. Thorns as they choak the good seed, and nothing can prosper that grows near them; so 'tis with wicked men, a godly man shall not live by them, but he shall be molested, if not infected by them; yea, wicked Magistrates themselves, and those that sit on the place of Judicature, may fitly be resembled to a thorn; when [Page 19] the poor sheep comes for shelter, he is sure to leave some of his coat if not of his skin behinde him; I considered, this also was the fruit of the fall, otherwise man had not been endued with such noxious quali­ties: whereas now wicked men like the Amorites are as pricks in the eyes, and thorns in the sides of every true Israelite: These also are the tares, which the devil sows amongst Gods wheat, to molest it, and these are like to grow together till the harvest: I considered also, that as some use was made of thorns, for the defence of bet­ter fruit, so the wise God doth make some use of wicked men for the good of his peo­ple, sometimes he makes them his skullions to scoure off their rust, and make them brighter, whereby they fully themselves, and when their work is done they shall be turned off; Sometimes they ar [...] his rod to afflict his Saints, Isa. 10.5. Oh Assyrian the rod of my anger, &c. but when the childe is re­formed, the rod shall be burnt; and some­times he hath made them a defence for his Church, Revel. 12.15, 16. The earth helpt the woman, and swallowed up the floud, which the dra­gon cast out of his mouth after her; an example of this we have in David, when he was in great distresse, compassed about by Saul, on this side the mountain, and on that side the mountain, in eminent danger, ready like a [Page 20] trembling partridge to have fallen into the hands of the greedy falcon; a messenger came to Saul, saying, the Philistines do invade the land, and he withdrew his army, and depart­ed, 1 Sam. 23.26. these Philistines were but thorns, yet were they a defence to David and his followers, and God at last will deal with wicked men as with thorns, reserve them for the fire, for what good they do to the godly is for ends of their own, and not for their sakes: the Philistines minded not Davids good, nor the King of Assiria Gods peoples re­formation, nor Haman Mordecai's and the Jews advancement: O my soul! can God turn a curse into a blessing, and can he bring good out of evil, and of these thorns make a fence for better fruit? admire his wisdome, and bless his name: hath he done thee good by these thorns, whose nature were to do hurt, bless him for it he might have made thee the thorn, and for the present have stopt a gap with thee, and reserved thee to everlasting burning; if he hath grafted thee into a better stock, and thou bringeth forth better fruit, no thanks to thee: and if thou seest any, as yet retaining their old natures, de­sire not presently their burning, though they trouble thee; God may make better use of them; a persecuting Saul may be­come a preaching Paul; and a wicked Ma­nasseth a true convert or he may make them [Page 21] otherwise serviceable to his people; Be not therefore like the disciples that would pre­sently call for fire from heaven, upon the inhospitable Samaritans; if they perish, their misery will come soon enough; they may say to thee, as sometime a Souldier did to some that upbraided him, grudge me not my grapes, I am like to pay dear enough for them; seeing I must die for stealing them; 'tis thy wisdome rather to see thou be not of that number, or otherwise thou wilt be reserved for the same condemnati­on: O my God! such as these I was, and such I had been hadst thou not made the difference, and too much of that nature re­mains in me to this day; Oh that thou wouldst throughly change me! plant me into that noble Vine, that I may bring forth bet­ter fruit; yea, purge me that I may bring forth more fruit.

Upon the diligence necessary to be used in a Garden.
7. Med.

VVHen I considered how much time and pains, sweat and diligence is necessary to keep a garden in or­der, and make it that it may answer the ex­pectation of the owner, what digging, del­ving and manuring, what planting, setting, [Page 22] sowing, fencing, weeding, watering, &c. must be used, and all little enough, and per­haps too little to produce a good crop; This Observation made me to reflect upon my own soul, and to consider whether ever I had taken so much time or pains, or been at so much cost for it, the only garden God delights in, and the chiefest I should look after, as I have been for a little spot of earth: here it is the herb of grace should grow, and this should be a garden of spices, Can. 4.10. This Consideration made me blush at my own folly, when I considered how care­full I had been of a poor worthless piece of ground, and had bestowed so much pains and cost upon it, which yet yielded but a lit­tle pleasure, and less profit, and in the mean time neglected the soul which is of ten thou­sand times a greater concernment; and when also I had considered the fruitfulness of my garden, and the barrenness of my own heart, I concluded, had I bestowed as much time and pains in planting, watering, and fencing that, as I have done in this garden, it would have yielded better fruit then I can expect thence: Well may I say with the Spouse, Cant. 1.6. they made me keeper of the Vineyards, but my own Vineyard I have not kept: I have not taken Gods counsel, Ier. 4.3. break up the fallow ground of your hearts, and sow not among thorns; and when I considered how unfruit­ful [Page 23] my heart was, I concluded it had not been sufficiently humbled, but the seed was sown among worldly cares and fears, and discontents, and those thorns had choaked it, seeing no more fruit appears: I consider­ed therefore how needfull it was for God to plow long and deep furrows on my back by affliction, that he might come to the root of the weeds; and this same thing quieted me under some dark dispensations of providence; I considered what a folly it was for a man that will not suffer a weed in his garden, and yet will suffer the weeds of sin in his soul, though they are far more pernitious to the herb of grace there planted, then the most pestiferous weeds in the world can be to the choicest flowers; and yet one reigning sin is a greater deformity to the soul then a thousand weeds can be to the fairest garden: Oh my soul! why art thou so prodigall of time, and pains, of cost, and care, of sweat and industry for a very trifle, and in the mean time neglect thy greatest concerns, thy self, thy God, and thy eternall happiness? when didst thou take so much pains for hea­ven as thou hast done for the earth? why art thou digging and delving in the earth, as if happiness were hid under the clods, when thou mayest be solacing thy self with thy God? God hath not been want­ing, to thee, but thou hast been wanting to [Page 24] thy self, he gives thee time to run thy race, when thou leavest thy way to run after but­terflies, which if thou take, they will but foul thy fingers: Thou hast been pruned and drest by many choice gardiners, why yet art thou fruitless? lay thy hands to the work, tear up those weeds that hinder the flowers: Dost thou expect happiness here below, why else doth thy affection grovell upon the ground? Will a handfull of herbs, or a bo­some full of flowers give thee content? Oh what a poor happiness dost thou take up with! Is there no better to be had? serve a better master, and thou shalt have better wages: be a better husband, and thy gains will be the greater; and sow in a better soil, and thou wilt have a better encrease. Oh my God! what answer shall I return for all the pains, and cost, and time thou hast be­stowed upon me: O Lord, how have I slighted thee! O heaven, how have I undervalued thee! how have I suffered the world to bewitch me, and steal away my heart from my God? divert my thoughts, rend my affection from these earthly vanities; let me see more excellency in Christ then the world affords, then shall I be as covetous for grace as others are for gold, and take as much pains for heaven as ever I did for earth, and be as zealous for God as others are for sin, and improve my time for the spiritual advantage of my soul.

Upon Birds picking up the seed.
8. Med.

WHen I had sown my seed in the garden, I perceived that which lay uncovered was made a prey to the fowls of the air who pickt it up, and devoured it, this brought to my minde our Saviours pa­rable of the sower and the seed, wherein he dis­covers the reason why though so much seed be sown so little fruit appears, the fault is not in the seed, for that is good, the good word of God, though sometimes the envi­ous man may mix tares with it; Neither is the fault always in the sower, though sometimes it may; for many of them are faithfull, and painfull, but for the most part it lyes in the ground, in the heart, where the seed should be entertained; we finde here there was but one fourth part good, and oh that the one tenth part of those that hear the word were really such; some of the ground was high-way ground, not fitted and prepared for a crop, never plowed deep enough, the seed indeed was sown upon it, never in it, it was never covered or harrowed by Meditation, nor set out by consideration, and therefore lyes liable to be pickt up by the wicked one, who will be one at Church, whoever is [Page 26] absent; he makes a path-way over the heart, and hardens it against the word, this makes many so Sermon-trodden that they re­ceive no impression; some we finde was sown in stony places, where it had little earth, and less root, these rejoice to hear it at present; these have some meltings, and some sudden pangs of joy, but they are too violent to hold out, and like a ha­sty rain slide away, and soak not in, and leave but a dew behinde them; they are in­lightned by a flash of lightning, and not by the sun beams; they are moved by some external principle as clocks or watches, or other engines, but the root of the matter is not in them, and therefore withers away, and comes to nothing, like corn on the house-top, for when persecution ariseth, they are soon offended, and Christ may take heaven to himself for them, if this be his rate of it: some seed was sown among thorns, and these sprung up, and choaked it, the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of rich­es choak it; few rich men can handle these thorns, and not prick their fingers; most overload themselves with earth, and so lose heaven, they set their hearts with Saul upon the asses, when a kingdome is before them: these like dissembling hosts, welcome us into Innes, and at last cut our throats; and there is but a little good ground, and that [Page 27] also brought forth variously, some an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty-fold; every man cannot excell, we should strive after the highest pitch of godliness, and content our selves with a low frame of spirit, but not dispair, though we fall short of it; God accounts it good ground that brings forth any good fruit to matu­rity: This consideration made me reflect upon my own condition, and call my self to an account what sort of ground my heart was, since so much seed hath been sown, and so little fruit appears; Oh my soul! how comes it thus to pass, that thou art barren and unfruitfull, how comes it to pass, the seed is lost after so much labour, pains and care, so much manuring and cultiva­ting? what could God have done more for thee by the way of means, then he hath done? why then bringest thou forth wilde grapes? art not thou the high-way-ground? and hath not the devil hardned thy heart, that it is become sermon-proof, and Ordi­nance-proof, and doth he not pick up the seed which lies lose upon it, and is not covered by meditation? art not thou a for­getful hearer? and how can that fructifie that is thus stole away? or was it not sown among stones? no wonder then if fruit appear not, where a root cannot be had: trust not to all stirring of the affecti­ons: [Page 28] Herod heard John Baptist gladly, and reformed many things, but if the stone of the heart be not removed, and a heart of fl [...]sh given thee, how can corn be expected upon a rock that was never softned, mor­tified, or made fruitfull? or was it not sown among thorns? didst thou not suf­fer the thoughts, the cares, the fears of the world, or the love, desire of, or delight in riches, to choak it? when the heart brings forth such fruits, the word cannot prosper; when the vessel is full of water, it can receive no other liquor: O my soul! if this be thy case, beware of it, and prepare thy heart to receive the seed, and harrow it in by Meditation: what good will meat do, if not eaten and digested? or what good can physick do if not taken? or a plaister if not applied? or the word if not set home to the conscience, and reduced into practice? empty thy heart of all distrustfull cares and fears, break up the fallow ground of thy heart, and sow not among thorns. Oh my God! if thou be not the husbandman, there will be no good crop; If thou direct not the plow, there will be no good furrow; If thou bless not the seed and the labour, all is in vain; Paul may plant and Apollo water, but God gives the encrease: If God set not a hand to the work, old Adam will be too hard for young Melancthon, and the devils tares will thrive [Page 29] better then the good seed; Man can but speak to the ear, God can speak to the heart; no plaister can heal if God be not the Sur­geon; no food can nourish, if God be not the nurse; Lord reach my heart, cure my wounds, remove nay distempers, empty my soul of froth and vanity, that the water of life may be received: Say to my ears, Eph­phatha, be opened, and they will hear; and to my heart, be soft, and it will be done; Say to these dry bones, live; take my stony heart into thy furnace, or what good will it do to preach to a stone? all the water that falls upon it, will be spilt, and all the means of grace lost: Lord, speak the word, and it will be done; command my heart, and it will obey.

Upon refreshing rain after a dry season.
9. Med.

WHen I saw after a dry season, wherein the fruits of the earth languished for want of moisture, that when a refreshing shower of rain came, how they flourished, grew, and encreased, and how fresh and fragrant these were, which a little before hang'd the head, and droop't; I plainly then saw, that all the pains, and all the cost, and all the care, which men were at, even about these earth­ly [Page 30] enjoyments, signifies nothing, if God deny his blessing, if the influences of hea­ven were but restrained, what would all our care and labour signify? we may rise early, lie down late, and eat the bread of care­fulness, and all to little purpose, but how few look up to the true cause of plenty or want; The most are like to hogs under the tree, that eat the crabs, or acorns, when they fall, but regard not whence they come; and murmure if they have them not; I considered the earth wanted the in­fluences of heaven, and the heavens wanted a commission from God, and till that was sealed, the creatures could not be supplied; it was in vain to quarrel, the one or the other; nay, man had no cause to quarrel at any but himself where the obstacle lay; for had not he sin'd, the creatures had not suffered; This made me a little consider the course of nature, and how one creature depends upon another, and every one seems to be made for another rather then for it self; The Sun, the Moon, and Stars, those glorious lamps, and beauty-spots of heaven, in their uncessant and unerring courses, powr out their heat and light and influence, upon the earth, and by this means the creatures are generated, and the earth refresh't, without which influence it would be but a barren, dry, and unprofita­ble [Page 31] heap, and all things therein would lan­guish, and die. The earth not ingrateful for received favours, conceiveth and produ­ceth corn, and grass, herbs and flowers, plants and trees, and other vegetables, both for the use of man and beast, whereby the vegetable and sensitive creatures are maintained, beasts of the field, fouls of the air, fish of the Sea, and all creeping things are fed, and cherished: these again offer themselves for food or service to man, their little Lord, and he alone is made ca­pable of communion with his creator; and especially fitted for his service: When I had seriously considered this subordination among the creatures, and that every one seemed to minde anothers good rather then his own, this led me up to a first cause, to enquire who directed them to an end they knew not, and led them by a rule they understood not; and when I considered that all those famous works were made, and thus subordinated each to other, and thus directed for the sake of man, this made me break out with the Psalmist upon the like occasion: Lord, what is man, that thou art mindefull of him, or the son of man that thou regardest him; thou hast made him a little lower then the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and dignity, Psal. 8.4, 5. I considered that all this rule and dominion, glory and [Page 32] dignity, was given him, that he might serve, and honour his Creator, whose image he did in the Creation most lively represent, but above all sublunary crea­tures, none have more deviated from the rule God hath given them, nor transgressed his laws, nor frustrated the ends of their creation, more then man, by whose fall the beauty of the newly burnisht world was soon stained, and the glory of it soon ec­clipsed. This made me wonder, that God suffered such enemies to live upon the face of the earth, to be lords over the works of his hands: Oh the patience, and long-for­bearance of a merciful God! that such re­bels that have their life, and breath, and being from him, and are guilty of so ma­ny acts of treason, and rebellion against hea­ven, should yet be preserved and provided for as they are, and so many offers of mercy tendred to them: Oh my soul! hath God done so much for thee, was this glorious fabrick of the world made for thy sake a­mong others? are the creatures, yea, the angels themselves set a work for thy good? and doth thy great benefactor only require the pepper-corn of homage, and the thank­ful acknowledgement of what thou hast re­ceived, and obediential homage for the time to come? and dost thou deny him that? art thou fed and cloathed, maintained and pre­served [Page 49] by his providence and care, and hast thou any meat to eat, or drink to drink, or cloaths to put on, or health, or strength, or limbs, or senses, or peace, or plen­ty, or life, or breath, or any other en­joyment, but what he gives thee? and is a thankfull acknowledgment of these fa­vours denyed by thee? he doth not need thee, neither canst thou add any thing to his glory, yet he takes himself honoured by a thankfull obediential observation of his commands; but alas! how much time didst thou spend, before thou dist cordially yield any thanks to him for his benefits? and how much wanting art thou in it to this very day? he makes his sun to shine upon thee, and his rain to fall upon thee, he gives thee fruitfull seasons, and fills thy heart with food and gladness, 'tis doubtless then thy duty to devote thy self wholly to his service, and give up not only thy name, but thy heart to Christ; Oh my God! dost thou expect service from me, enable me to do it; I am by nature a senceless stock or stone, dead in trespasses and sins, put life into me, and I shall perform the actions of life, I cannot act without thy assistance; give me help from heaven, for vain is the help of man, open my lips then shall I shew forth thy praise; inlarge my heart, then shall I run the ways of thy commands, touch my tongue with [Page 50] a coal from thy altar then shall I trumpet out thy praise; seek thy servant, and I shall be found.

Upon the plucking off the tops of weeds.
10. Med.

IN a dry season, when the bottles of heaven were stopped, and the clouds were bound up, the rain restrained, and the showers withheld from the earth, so that it was parched hard and dry, and ga­ped in vain for cooling, moistning, refresh­ing, softning showers; I observed some persons when they could not get up the weeds by the roots, tare off their heads, which when they had done, the garden seemed pleasant to the beholders, and gave content for a while to the spectators; who imagined there had been a through-refor­mation; but not long after, when a shower of rain distilled upon it, the cheat appea­red, the weeds sprung up as fresh and flourishing as before, yea, like hydra, with more heads then at first, so this partiall reformation was discovered: This observation afforded this Meditation, I thought it much resembled a partiall refor­mation in the soul, when men begin their reformation at the wrong end, or take a wrong course to kill the tree of sin, as ma­ny do, they crop and lop off some bran­ches, [Page 51] and let the root alone, this is not the way to destroy it; many tear off some of the tops of the weeds but let the root re­main in the soul, which when it is watered with the devils temptations, and the worlds allurements, and animated with fit occasions and suitable opportunities, they spring forth afresh (it may be) with more heads then be­fore, and then the cheat appears, that those sins were not kil'd but laid aside: An evi­dent example we have of this in Herod, who convinced by Iohn Baptists preaching, that his courses were not good, sets upon a re­formation, falls out with many of his sins, lops off here one bough, and there another, but lets the root remain firm, which after­wards spring forth and shew themselves: It is said, he reformed many things, but he left much work behinde undone, to the undo­ing of his soul: The sore was only skinned o­ver, and was not sound at the bottom, and after broke out with more violence and great­er anguish, like a torrent of water dam'd up; when the dam breaks, it runs more fu­riously; So did Herods corruption, even to the taking away of Iohn Baptists head, who before had set some stop to it: And thus it is with many seeming Converts, that after prove wicked apostates, and persecute the truth that they did formerly profess, the root of the matter was not in them. Hazael [Page 52] did not believe so much wickedness to lodge in his heart, as the Prophet spake of, and af­terwards appeared: An apple rotten at the heart may have a fair outside, but the rotten­ness within will in time rot the outside al­so; when the fountain is corrupted, it is impossible to purge the stream: If the heart be rotten, all that thence proceeds will have an ill savour: This half reformation hath been the undoing of many forward Profes­sors in our days; they reformed their lives but not their hearts; they lopt off some boughs, but medled not with the root; they went to clense the stream, but not the fountain; and in a little time the corruption within, breaks forth into the life and conversation with­out; and the unclean spirit that was cast out, takes to himself seven more worse then himself, and enters in, and the last end of that man is worse then the beginning, Mat. 12.45. The devil deals by such when he hath re­duced them, as a Jaylour with one that hath broke prison, lays on more bolts: Runagate Christians are the devils greatest devotes, and such apostates very hardly (if ever) are reduced: O my soul! how stands the case with thee? hast thou not weeded thy own garden thus, and rather tore off the lops of the weeds then pluckt them up by the root? how comes it else to pass that upon every showr of temptation they are so apt [Page 53] to spring up again? look about thee if thou wilt not kill sin, sin will kill thee; and if thou wilt kill the cursed tree, stub it up by the roots, and not lop off here one branch, and there another, for if the root be dead, the branches will soon wither; but if the root live, the branches will re­vive: The way to cleanse the stream, is to purge the fountain; for sweet water can­not proceed from a stinking puddle: if the tree be good, the fruit will be good also; if the spring be not dried up, it will soo­ner or later overflow the dam: the way to cure the sore is to heal it at the bottome; and heart-reformation is the best way to life-reformation: hypocrisie within will like a botch at length break forth, and a rotten heart will ere long rot the life also: O my God without thy assistance all my endea­vours will prove vain: the devil, the world, and my own deceitful heart will beguile me, let me not strive in my own strength, nor fail of thine assisting grace; rather cast me into the furnace, then suffer my cor­ruption and dross to remain in me; and rather plow deeper furrows by affliction, then suffer the roots of the weeds to remain in my heart: turn me, O Lord, and I shall be turn­ed; convert me, and I shall be converted; let me not take up with a partial reformation, and let nothing less then the death of sin give me content.

Upon the care men take of their Gardens.
11. Med.

WHen I considered how careful many men and women are to keep their garden in order, and what pains and cost they are at in this thing, and what time is spent to this end; and how many are employed in this work, walling, fen­cing, and securing it, in digging, dunging, weeding, and much more; there must not a rarity be wanting, that love or labour, or money can procure; there must not a weed be seen, nor hearb, nor flower out of order; what is dead must be supplied, what is wanting must be had, and what is superfluous must be cast away; the tende­rest must be secured from frost and scorch­ing sun, and the whole must be formed, after the newest mode and latest fashion: the alleys and walks must be swept and trim­med, and rowled, and levelled; the grass mown, and kept under, and all so exactly done, that it may appear to be an earthly paradice, a place of pleasure and delights: And observing also, that all this while those very persons so curious, and so neat in shaddows, yet neglect the substance, and suffer their own souls, and the souls of their Children, servants, and near relations, the gardens God only takes delight in, to be [Page 55] sadly out of order; and though they make choise of the choisest, skilfullest, painfullest men for the other, they let out these gar­dens to the devils dressing, without regard who sows tares and poppy, cokle, and dar­nell, weeds and rubbish, thorns and thistles in them; and whatsoever bad is, which grows and flourishes without controul, and choakes all the good seed, that is there sown, these men are made keepers of others vineyards, but their own vineyard they have not kept; these men suffer the devil to make a path-way over their hearts, when they only look to the ways in their gar­dens: I have oft wondred at their stupidity in spiritualls, that are so ripe-witted in tem­poralls; and that those that are so good hus­bands for the body, should be such bad husbands for the soul, and those that take so much pains for a little imaginary plea­sure here, should altogether neglect the true pleasures, everlasting joys, at the right hand of God for evermore; Oh the stu­pendious folly of men, to prefer pebbles be­fore pearls, and gold before grace, and a handful of flowers before an heartfull of holiness, and the shadow before the sub­stance, and earth before heaven, and a gar­den before paradice: well, however they do now, the time is coming, these men will finde their mistake, and will alter their [Page 56] minde, and change their judgment, when grace will be accounted the choicest flower in the garland, and a dram of it will be of more value then a cabinet of Jewels, and holiness will then prove the best fashion, though many now disdain to wear it: Oh my soul! art thou not guilty thy self of those sins, which thou so sharply chargest upon others? doth not this shew that thou lookest too much abroad, and too little at home; art thou not too deep in the trans­gression, which thou now castest upon o­thers? and puts other mens sins in the end of the wallet before, and thine own be­hinde out of sight; thou art blinde at home and quick-sighted abroad, and seest the mote in thy brothers eye, and not the beam in thine own; hast not thou thy self been more pro­digall of thy pains, thy time, thy cost, thy sweat, for meer trifles, then ever thou hast been about thy greater concerns? and is a­ny mans folly more conspicuous then thy own? hast thou not had thy ears open to those bewitching Syren songs of pleasure, and been more tickled with earthly sensuall delight then with communion with God in his worship and service? when the world hath smiled upon thee, how unwilling hast thou been to die and to be with God? and hast laid cut thy self, thy strength, thy time too much for earthly enjoyments, to [Page 57] the neglect of heavenly riches; sweep there­fore before thy own doors, before thou complain of the foulness of the street; pluck out the beam out of thy own eye, be­fore thou offer thy helping hand to thy brother, to remove his mote; throw the first stone at thy self, reform what is amiss, and then thou maiest reprove another more boldly; get thy affection weaned from the world, and thy eye fixt upon better riches, and more enduring pleasures, lest God give thee these for thy portion, and what then wilt thou do in the latter end? Oh my God, what shall I say to thee? how shall I answer thee? my iniquity is found out this day to be hatefull; had I spent but my time for spirituall advantages, which I have prodigally wasted for very trifles, it might have been much better with me, had I planted and sowed in a more fruitful field, I might have had a better crop: Lord, wean me from the dugs of carnal delights, though it be with the gall and wormwood of afflictions, and suffer me not to surfet on the worlds dainties, leave me not to my own will, then shall I undoe my self, feed me with food convenient, and it sufficeth me.

Upon a neglected Garden.
12. Med.

WHen I saw by experience how soon a neglected garden grows out of form and fashion, and in a short time comes to be a rude and indigested heap, grown over with weeds and nettles, trash and rubbish, destroyed with moles, inhabited with toads, serpents, or other vermine, the wall broken down, the fence decayed, beasts and swine making a prey of it, the one tearing off the tops, the other digging up the roots of the tender plants, the hearbs and flowers dying, withering or decaying, choaked by the weeds, or star­ved for want of nourishment, nothing flou­risheth but weeds, and nothing appears but confusion, and the whole appearing more like a wilderness, then a garden; This sight brought to my minde the state of the poor soul, when it is neglected, and not heedfully observed, then all run to ruine, and tends to confusion, nothing that good is, prospers; nothing that is bad, but flou­risheth; corruption and sin get the upper hand, and grace is kept under; the fence is let down, the watch is neglected, and the devil, that wilde boar of the forrest, destroys the tender vines, roots up every good inclination, spoils every good motion, in­tention [Page 59] and resolution, and lays all waste; how many have I known, who when they have been under good Masters, good pa­rents, good Ministers, have been very hope­ful, and towardly, and were likely to have made good instruments in the Church, for Gods glory, if not pillars in the house of God; while their graces, and good inclina­tions were well watered and they received encouragement in their religious courses; then the flowers of grace seemed to flou­rish, and good desires, holy intentions, and resolutions, to bud forth, and hopeful be­ginnings shewed themselves, and promising parts gave hopes of future encrease; But when these fire-sticks, not well kindled, were once removed from those that set them a burning, they were soon extinguish­ed; when they had changed their habitati­ons, their company, when they were left to themselves, or to those that were care­less of them, they went out of themselves, and vanished in a smoak, or in a snuff; then their corruptions soon gathered head, and their graces were at an under; they soon grew rude, and bruitish, and given to sensuality, and the hearb of grace for want of rain and nourishment, watering, and weeding, was soon suffocated by vice, and in short time these men lost that which they seemed to have, and their souls looked no [Page 60] more like a watered garden, but a barren wilderness, or a dunghill covered with noysome weeds, and the dam which religi­ous education had erected, being broken down, the stream ran more violently; and it is not unusual to see vice so much pre­vailing, that they turn persecutors of what before they profest: oh my soul, is not this in part thy case? are there not sensible de­cays of love in thee? is not thy zeal for God abated, and thy courage in his cause decayed? are not thy graces choaked with weeds, and the wheat overrun with tares? where is the kindeness of thy youth, and the love of thy espousalls, when thou wentst after God in the wilderness? hast thou not with the Church of Ephesus, lost thy first love? dost thou not grow more strange with thy God, and doth not God grow more strange with thee? where is that heart and fervour which did appear in thee? that life and activity in his service? hath not the cooling winde of the world abated this? and thou beginnest to be (as the world calls it) more moderate, or (as God calls it) more lukewarm, the weeds of sin begin to overtop the hearb of grace; do not these grow rank and flourishing, when grace grows weak and feeble? grace like the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker, when sin like the house of David [Page 61] gathers strength; well, beware betimes; if thou grow lukewarm, God will spew thee out of his mouth: if thou bear wilde grapes, he will pluck down thy fence, and lay thee waste; if thou art barren, he will cut thee down; and cast thee into the fire; oh my God, without thy assistance I shall bring forth no fruit, or worse then none, wilde grapes, grapes of sin and disobedi­ence; my sins like a bloud-hound will dog me at the heels, and finde me out, the weeds of sins and the thorns of cares will suffer no good herb nor flower to flourish, if God weed them not out: Oh, pluck up those weeds, keep under those thorns, and make up those decays in this thy gar­den, let the north-winde and the south, blow up­on my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out, Cant. 4.16. that I may be serviceable to thee, and profitable to man; let my fruits be ripened, my graces greatned, by the breathing of the Holy Ghost, then shall I serve thee with thy own, and give thee of thy own; 1 Chron. 29.14.

Upon the fading of Beautifull flowers.
13. Med.

WAlking in the garden, I fix­ed my eyes upon the flow­ers there growing; I considered the variety, [Page 62] beauty, and splendour of them; how glo­rious they appeared, after a cooling shower of rain, and the refreshing beams of the shining Sun, how pleasantly they lookt, how sweet they smelt, filling the ambient air with their sweet savour, delighting the beholders senses with their colour, shape, and scent; and when on the other side, I considered how vain and fading all this glo­ry was, how transitory these beautifull crea­tures were, and how their glory past was as the morning dew, which when the Sun in his glory appears, quickly vanisheth; when I considered, that the same day I saw them in the heighth of their pride, and in their lowest debasement; to day they are (saith Christ) and to morrow they are cast into the oven: the same day ofttimes sees them both admired, and despised, hug'd in the bosome, and cast out upon the dunghill; me thought this did lively resemble the va­nity of all humane felicity, how transitory it is and uncertain, and how little solidity is to be found in any thing under the sun; Now they flatter, and seem beautifull to the eye, and suddenly they wither, vanish and disappear: If we look upon their little Lord, and the owner of these things, we shall finde him as frail and brittle, as fading and transitory as these; this day you may see him in the strength of his youth, and [Page 63] his bones full of marrow, and to morrow death seizeth upon him, and the worm sweet­ly feeds upon him, Job. 24.20. they are cut down as the grass, and wither as the flower of the field, Psal. 37.12, 13. How frequent is it in Scripture to compare man to grass, and to a fading flower? Esay. 40.6, 7. all flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field, the grass withereth, the flower fa­deth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass, Psal. 92.7. when the wicked springeth as the grass, and when the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be out off for ever; and as man is thus frail and brittle, fading and transitory, so are all these sublunary things; there is no stabi­lity, no sollidity in them, they are like the moon every day shewing a new face; now waxing, now waning; or like the Sea, sometimes ebbing, sometimes flowing; now a full sea, and a few howers after low wa­ter; we may see many men flourish like green bay-trees, and suddenly taken away, and the place that knew them shall know them no more; now in the height of ho­nour, and suddenly in the gulph of disgrace; now flourishing in riches and quickly pincht with poverty, our age can witness all this; if our own Nation yielded not sufficient examples, we might pass over into Ireland for proof, where a hundred [Page 63] thousand were suddenly stript of all; and for beauty, those that have most gloried in it, in a short time by a disease they have been deformed: so for friends, those that love to day, do hate to morrow; the like we may say of all earthly enjoyments: Oh my soul, if earthly delights, how pleasing soever be so fading, and transitory, here thou seest thy folly, in spending so much of thy time in planting, pruning, fen­cing, and watering so fading a gourd, and so perishing a plant, and contenting thy self with a painted nothing: beauty is but skin-deep, and when the frost of sickness, or the winde of old age comes, it will wither; death will equal the fair with the foul, the young with the aged: riches are no surer, they take themselves wings, and fly away; strength will decay, and Sampson himself cannot grapple with death; honour is the emptiest of bubbles, and he that this day is ascending the highest round of the lad­der, of promotion, may suddenly break his neck in the fall, as Haman did: but there is a beauty which will never fade; grace and holiness will never change co­lour; there are riches which will be cer­tain, laid up where neither rust corrupteth nor theives can steal or plunder; there are honours which will last to eternity; plea­sures at Gods right hand, that never shall [Page 65] have end; there is meat that perisheth not, but endureth to eternal life; spend not thy time in seeking after these guilded nothings and painted vanities; Oh my God, bestow these things upon me, that will do me good; these garments will adorn me, and make me beautiful in the eyes of God, and good men; this food will nourish my soul, and these riches will make me rich indeed; put me not off with such trifles as the world affords, and with which the devil pleaseth fools and franticks; the riches of Christ, the jewells of grace, the crown of glory, are worth wishing for, working for, suffering for, striving, fighting, run­ning, wrastling, yea, dying for, when all other things are not worth the pains and sweat which usually are spent upon them: Lord, no portion but thy self will satisfie, no husband but Christ will serve my turn, no pleasure will please but those at thy right hand, no jointure but a kingdom will content; Lord, give me these though thou take from me all the rest.

Upon Stones in the Garden.
14. Med.

OBserving in the garden many stones mixt with other soil, and considering how useless, fruitless, and [Page 66] unprofitable they were, yea though they had the same husbandry bestowed upon them, the same sun to shine upon them, and watered with the same showers, though they had the same seed and labour, the same mucking and manuring, the same til­ling and weeding, as the other soil had, yet were never the better, never the sof­ter, or more pliable; they remained stones, still fruitless and unprofitable; yea, though I broke them in pieces: I could neither mollify them, nor make them fruitfull, nor pro­fitable, but they were hurtfull and pernici­ous to the place they were in; neither axe nor hammer, fire nor water could change their nature; neither fair means nor foul, the summers sun, nor winters frost could not change them, they were still the same: hereupon I caused them to be gathered to­gether and cast out of the garden; to mend a foul way; and by this means that which be­fore was a detriment now became a be­nefit; This Observation helpt me to this Meditation, it brought to my minde the nature of a stony heart; oh how live­ly do these stones represent this to us; the sto­ny heart is of the nature of a stone, mer­cyes cannot melt it, judgements cannot break it; see this in Pharaoh, his heart after all the judgements continues stone still, good seed sown in a stony heart brings [Page 67] nothing to perfection, neither can it take any deep root, as we see in the parable of the stony grounds, they receive the word with joy, but have not root, and therefore soon wither; they only taste of the good word of God, Heb. 6.45. as cooks do of their sauces (saith one) they let nothing down, they digest it not; this ground though never so carefully hus­banded, even by Christ himself, the wisest husbandman, yet brings no fruit to maturi­ty; I have sometimes wondred how wicked men could sit under the powerful means of grace, and Ministry of the Word, and have hell-fire flasht in their faces, and yet never startle at it, though the same sins which their consciences know they are deeply guilty of, are again and again condemned to hell, and it be proved that those that live in such sins shall never go to heaven; and the Chapters and verses alledged where God doth sentence such sinners to hell, and exclude them out of heaven, yet they remain as insensible as blocks, or stocks, or the stones they tread upon, or the seats they sit upon, or the pil­lars they lean against; and what wonder is it that one stone should be as insensible as another? And on the other side, when the melting promises of the Gospel are prest; and God, and Christ, and heaven, and happi­ness, everlasting pleasures, and treasures, glory and happiness is offered, this makes [Page 68] not so deep an impression, as the offer of one shilling, nay, of one penny, will from a man: Doth not this plainly prove, that these mens hearts are senceless stones? Now it is the nature of some stones, fire will not melt them, water will not soften them, no­thing will mollifie them; so it is of wicked men, neither mercies, nor judgements will work upon them; Pharaoh was such a stone, nothing would work upon him, though he was broken to shivers, each piece retains its naturall hardness, it is stone still, but such stones that will not be fitted for Gods build­ing; he will employ them otherwise, and make stepping-stones of them, God will not lose by them; if they will not serve for one use, they shall for another. 'Tis true he hath a furnace, that can melt them, and happy is he that is cast into it, if they miss of that they shall be reserved for the infernal furnace; where they shall always burn but never be consumed, neither shall any of their dross ever waste; in the mean while as God made use of thorns (as before was noted) so can he of these stones, for the good of his Church; oh my soul, this was thy case, this was thy condition by nature, out of the same rock wast thou hewn, and out of the same hole of the pit wast thou digged; thy heart was as hard as the nether millstone, and [Page 69] resembled the flinty rock, that would nei­ther bend nor bow, and was as insensible of spirituall things, as the stones in the street, much water was spilt upon this rock, which could not be gotten up again; much washing was bestowed to make this black­amore white, but all in vain; many a mel­ting Sermon thou hast heard, and didst re­main stone still; how is the case at pre­sent with thee? what is thy present condi­tion? hath God melted thee in his furnace? hath he changed thy nature? hath he fashioned thee anew, and moulded thee into a better shape, and given thee a better form? hath he ta­ken away the heart of stone, and given thee a heart of flesh? hath he fitted thee for his own work? and hewn, and squared thee for his own building, to be united to Je­sus Christ the chief corner-stone? if so, bless God for it, for it was his own work, thou wast not able to fit thy self, nor all the Ministers in England to help thee, had not God put his hand to the work; but if thou retain still thy old in­flexible nature, as hard and senseless as e­ver, if thou be unpollished, rough and craggy, notwithstanding all the pains God hath bestowed upon thee, after so much melting, and so much hewing, well maist thou fear thou wilt be cast out amongst the rubbish, as unfit for Gods use, and re­served [Page 70] for the fire of hell, which will nei­ther refine thee, nor yet consume thee; Oh my God, great pains and cost thou hast been at with me, but I have not ans­wered thy pains, nor quit thy cost; I re­main still rough and hard, notwithstanding all the blows of thy workmen: but Lord, if thou wouldst blow the fire, I should melt, if thou wouldst lay thy hand upon the workmans axe, I should be squared and sitted for the work: Lord, rather lay great blows upon me, then suffer me to be un­polisht, or cast out into the rubbish; take away the heart of stone, give me a heart of flesh, that I may melt at thy mercies, and tremble at thy judgements.

Upon worms in the garden.
15. Med.

WHen I was digging in the garden, I observed many worms and other insects which divine pro­vidence had there disposed to be fed and cherished, but by what I know not: here, it is like, they had their birth, and first being, here they led their lives, and here (for ought I know) they will finish their course, and take their ends: I considered that the same providence that had appoin­ted out my place and station, where I [Page 71] should be born, where I should leade my life, and where I should end my dayes, had appointed, the like for them; and when I had spent some time in this Considera­tion, what a poor miserable piece man is, by what names or titles soever dignified or distinguished, that is so near a kin to these despicable creatures, these silly helpless worms, they have the same father, and the same mother, and were made of the same matter, by the hand of the same workman, and were made of dust, and unto dust they must return: we may say, to corruption, thou art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister, Job. 17.14. Holy David, a great man, both for worth and dignity, beloved of God, and King of Is­rael, yet remembers his original, and this made him humble, he cryes out Psal. 22.6. I am a worm, and no man; what then are we, poor shrubs, that we should have high thoughts of our selves, or entertain a proud conceit of our own worth: we may finde in Scripture man is frequently call'd a worm, from the similitude that is between us and them, being poor, helpless, shift­less creatures, Job. 25.56. Behold, even to the moon and it shineth not, and the stars, are not pure in his sight, how much less man that is a worm, and the son of man which is a worm, Esay. 41.14. fear not thou worm Jacob, and [Page 72] ye men of Israel, I will help thee, &c. And truly as to the body, there is not much difference, but in the shape; they were made of the same matter, digged out of the same hole of the pit; were clay in the hand of the same potter, and ere long shall be reduced to their first original, and had God pleased, the man might have been the worm, and the worm the man; yea, the most of men have the very nature, and dis­position of worms; they moil, and toyl, and dig, and root in the earth, and bury themselves in it, their affections grovell up­on the ground, and aim at no higher an end, nor carry on no higher a designe then Scraping muck together, and minde no o­ther happiness but how to make provision for back and belly; fitly therefore do they bear the name of muckworms, and ere long they shall lodge together in the dust, where man shall be made a feast for worms, Job. 24.19.20. as drought and heat consume the snow-waters, so doth the grave those which have sinned, the womb shall forget him, the worm shall feed sweetly on him, he shall be no more remembred, Esay. 51.8. the moth shall eat them like a garment, &c. this is the portion of poor man, from which grace it self cannot ex­empt him: Holy Job was not free, Job. 19.25.26. for I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon [Page 73] the earth, and though after my skin worms de­stroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, &c. Oh that this were well minded by our dainty dames, that now plaister and paint, and spot their faces, to take their prey, and spend their time in wanton dalliance, and put far from them the evil day; Oh that they would consider, it is not long before they shall dance after deaths pipe, down to the chambers of darkness, where they must make their bed in the dust, and the worms shall make their nests between their breasts; and eat out these wanton windows of love, and messengers of lust: Oh what an hum­bling consideration might this be, if well thought on, to those that now scarce think the ground good enough to tread up­on, and must not have the winde to blow upon them, or the sun to see them; and go in an antick dress, and study how to pamper worms meat, and go like petty angels, little thinking, they are so near akin to poor despicable worms: Oh my soul, wast thou as clay in the hand of the potter, and made of the same mold with this poor worm, bless God that hath made the difference, it was in his power to have made thee the worm, and this worm the man, then hadst thou lain lia­ble to be dasht by every foot; but God hath made thee a rational creature, capable [Page 74] of Communion with himself, and enjoy­ment of him for ever; let the thoughts al­so of thy original, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, keep thee humble; have still in thy minde the worm thy mother, and sister: it is a sin and shame for an an­gell to be proud, much more for a dustheap, and one of these days, thou must make thy bed in the dust, and this earthly taber­nacle will be dissolved; provide therefore a new habitation, a house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens? Thou hast a bet­ter part indewed with more noble faculties then these poor creatures have, which if not provided for, thou art a thousand times in a worse condition then they are; thou wast made for an higher end, and fitted to do God better service, but they never transgrest their makers will nor Creators laws, as thou hast done, and if thou art not regenerated and born again, thou hadst better never have been born, or else made a dog, or toad, or poor crawling worm, whose misery ends with life, when thine will begin at thy death; these serve God better in their kinde then thou hast done; Oh my God, it was thy will there should be a difference be­tween me and these irrational creatures, thou hast indewed me with more noble fa­culties, and didst create me in thy own image, and madest me, Lord, over the [Page 75] work of thy hands; but oh how soon was this image lost, and I disabled for the work I was created for; I became as a lost sheep, O seek thy servant, that I may be found: I am the prodigal, incline my heart to come home to my fathers house; and open thy arms and heart to receive me; give me in those qualifications that are necessary to thy ser­vice, renew thine image in my soul, pardon my transgressions, and be favourable to my soul; mortifie my corruptions, then shall I be able to serve thee with chearfulness, and shall have occasion to blese God that I was made a man, and not a worm.

Upon an heap of Ants or Pismires.
16. Med.

FInding in the garden a heap of ants or pismires, at the root of a tree, which I look't upon as no friends but enemies to an orchard, I disturbed them with my foot, and they soon took the al­larm, whereupon I took notice how these painful creatures behaved themselves when thus disturbed; they were all in a confusi­on, some run this way, and some that, and no one knew where, or how to settle; and yet I observed every one laying hold of something, and getting some burden upon his back, though he knew not where to [Page 76] bear it, I thought this confusion resembled a beseiged City, when taken by the enemy, or the Countrey when an enemy makes an incursion, the inhabitants every one shifts for himself, one runs this way, another that, to save himself, and if it may be to secure his chiefest Jewels, or that which he most values; this minded me by the way, that it was a Christians wisdome in all the incursions of satan, and the inroads and assaults he makes upon us, to secure the soul our chiefest Jewel, and not leave it unguarded at his mercy: this is our fort-royall, which if taken we are undone, but if safe, though he take the out-works, it matters not much, if the castle be secure: Let us store this therefore with provision, and ammunition, against the assaults of this treacherous enemy. Again, this confused stir that thus happened among these poor insects, represented to me the hurlyburly that is abaoad in the world, wherein are millions of men; every one driving on some particular designe, and yet go vari­ous ways to work; some pursue after riches, some honours and some pleasures, and yet agree not on the way, nor on the means to attain their end: Those that aim at riches, all tread not in the same steps, some go a more plain way then others do, and by la­bourious toiling, carking, care and pains, [Page 77] seek to get it, and are no ones foes but their own, in spending so much time upon it, that they neglect their greater concerns; o­thers by more subtill, but less honest shifts, cast their ground, and think to take their prey before their neighbours; these by ly­ing, cheating, swearing, forswearing, co­zening, and circumventing, make hast to be rich, but cannot be innocent: these ofttimes with the Eagle stealing meat from the altar, bring a coal with it, which fires their own nests: ill-gotten goods seldome prosper, and the third heir seldome enjoys them; some in the pursuit of honour take the way of vertue, and hunt after it by desert; but these are but few, yet this is the securest road: others endeavour to ascend the steps of promotion by fawning, and flattery, and such indirect courses, but though these are the most by far, yet ofttimes they break their necks ere they come to the top of the ladder, and are always set in slippery places; the former way though least trodden, and most painfull, is the surest and safest; for honour follows virtue, as the shadow doth the substance: others that pursue pleasure differ also, some seek after more innocent delights, others esteem none worth enjoy­ing, but what is the forbidden fruit, and desperatly pursue such pleasures, that perish ere they are budded, and the end of that [Page 78] mirth is heaviness. In a word, some are building castles in the air, and never live to finish them, others are getting goods, and know not who shall enjoy them; others are raking together by hook or by crook, and others are scattering abroad what is thus scraped together, and spend all, and know not who shall relieve them; some are pro­mising themselves content if they had a Lordship, others if they had a Dukedome, and some if they had a Kingdcm, which if attained they are no nearer satisfaction, then before; and they are scarce warm in their places, but death with a dash with his foot, breaks the pitcher, and spoils the sport, and strips him of that in an hour, that he hath been projecting for all his life: and thus you see there is a confused hurly-burly in the world, every man dri­ving on his own designes, and God all this while tacitly by this, is a carrying on his designes, perhaps quite contrary to theirs. Or this tumultuous confusion amongst these little creatures may resemble a crowd in a market or fair, some rush this way, some that, that he that stands at a distance, and observes their motion, thinks it is a con­fusion, yet every man is carrying on some designe or other, and moves accordingly. Oh my soul, lose not thy self, thy pains, thy precious time, as many do, in seeking [Page 79] honey in a wasps nest, or that in the world which no man was ever yet able to finde there; content, satisfaction, and happiness; these are not sown in the furrows of thy field, and therefore are not to be found in full bags, and barns; content grows not in natures garden, and those that seek hap­piness beneath the moon, are mistaken; the enjoyment of God in glory is our compleat happiness, and nothing else will give the soul content, let the world say what it will to the contrary: carking cares, and fretting fears, and Jealousies about earthly enjoyments, are so far from being the way to it, that it choaks the word which is the means to attain it: the riches, honours and pleasures the world affords, which are the worlds Deity, whereupon most men doat, as much as the Ephesians did upon Diana's Temple, bear no more proportion to true riches, true pleasures, and true honours, then painted fire on the wall to true fire, or a King upon a Stage, to a King upon the throne, they only bear an empty name, and notion; those that pursue them will finde their mistake, and that they were not worth their time and pains, and cark and care, especially their souls, which are like to be lost into the bargain; but God and Christ, and heaven and glory, are worth our labour; we cannot buy this gold [Page 80] to dear: Oh my God, this hath been my folly, to hunt after these butterflys, and neglect the race, where a crown of glory was to be the prize, and my own soul lay at the stake; I have laid out my money for that which is not bread, and my labour for that which satisfyeth not: I have been one of these busy creatures, that have made a great and confused bustle in the world, to little pur­pose: help me now to devote my self to thy service, and give up not only my name, but my heart to Christ, then may I expect a better reward, then the world hath given me, and better happiness then the creatures can afford.

Upon the Diligence of the ants.
17. Med.

UPon the former occasion, when I had (as before was noted) disturbed the ants, and put them into a confusion, I observed what would be the issue, and saw when the present fear, and amazement was a little over, which put them into that disorder, they unanimous­ly with a joint consent, applyed them­selves, with might and main, to order what I had disordered with my foot, and to repair the breaches I had made in their Castle or strong-hold, every one laying hold [Page 81] of something, and carrying it to the com­mon heap; methought, they did resemble a well ordered, well governed common­wealth, where the whole community joyn heart and hand for the common interest, and lay out their strength for the publick benefit; but alass! where is there such a government, such a society to be found? what a happy thing were it to see the in­habitants of a Nation, of a City, of a Town, or Village, to have publike spirits, and every one to concern himself in the con­cerns of the whole, and unanimously minde the publique good, as well as their own private concerns: but alass! it is far other­wise, both in Nation, Town and Countrey, yea, publike persons, that are in Authori­ty, and to whom the welfare of the rest is intrusted, too many of them have low base private spirits, and will go no further then their own private interest, gain, and advantage drives them; yea, if Christians that make more then ordinary profession of religion, were of publike spirits, and would sympathize with each other, in weal or wo, and put to a helping-hand, and a willing-heart, and watch over each other, and assist one the other, upon all occasions, and exigencies, for soul and for body, what a growing, thriving, sweet communion would there be? the Psalmist tels us, Psal. [Page 82] 133.1. behold, how good, and how pleasant it is, for men to dwell together in unity? it is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down to the beard, &c. yea, like the dew of hermon, and the dew that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion, &c. but such unity is more to be wisht for, then hoped for, in our days, wherein Christians rather wor­ry one another, then help and assist. The dilligence and industry of these poor crea­tures also brought to my minde the coun­sel of Solomon to the sluggard, and oh that I could speak it loud enough to my self and others that are guilty, Pro. 6.6. go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise, which hath no guide, overseer, nor ruler, yet provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. The Naturalists and others have written much of the industry of these creatures, not only that they gather their store, but also draw it forth (say some) in a sun-shine-day, to dry it, to keep it from putrefaction: These insects are (as one calls them) veri Laicorum libri, the true Lay-mans books, wherein they may learn their duty: Oh man, how art thou degenerated, that wast made but a little lower then the angels, and wast indued with reason to rule these inferiour Creatures, and not only, ad labo­rem natus, sed & ratione ornatus; and yet now must be sent to learn wisdom, not only from [Page 83] the oxe and the asse, Isay. 1.3. not only from the stork, the turtle, the crane, and the swallow, Jer. 8.1. but down to the lowest form, the poorest insects, the most despicable of all o­thers, and that to learn wisedom and dili­gence; these by an instinct of nature gather their food in summer for winter; and shall man that hath reason to foresee the danger be careless? But how many, oh too many, (as if they had forgot that God had said, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, Gen. 3.19.) live idly and cannot give account of one days work in a moneth; of this sort are many of our Gentry, that eat and drink, and rise up to play; but God never gave them their parts, and their Estates for this end, and an account will be required at the last, and they will know that they were not the only proprietors of what they enjoy, but the Stewards: But there are others no less faulty, perhaps more guilty, and those are our idle drones, that make begging their cal­ling, and follow no other employment though they are able; those that content themselves, in diem vivere, as the fowls of the air do; and some are not only idle, but prodigall also, and spend and consume that wastefully, that might refresh their family handsomly; but (as one saith) care should be taken, ne promus sit fortior condo, that our layings out be not more then our layings up: But the greatest [Page 84] slothfulness is in reference to the soul, how strangely negligent are the most of men, though God rain manna about their tents, yet will they not gather it, but suffer the soul to starve; they are like the foolish Virgins, they seek not for oyl, till their lamps are out, and the bridegroom be come; or like the wick­ed servant, bury their talents in a Napkin: Oh my soul, thou hast a lesson for thy in­struction, or an example for thy imitation: these poor, yet diligent creatures justly re­prove thee for sloth and negligence; ma­ny of thy years are past, and little of thy work is done, thou hast been playing in the dust, and though called, neglected to come home to thy fathers house; thou hast trifled out the morning, and now the shadows of the evening are stretched out, and the day far spent: beware of idleness, this will leave thee short of heaven; double thy diligence, and amend thy pace; give diligence to make thy calling and election sure; be diligent in Gods work, that when the devil comes to tempt, he may finde thee well employed; when Christ comes to judge thee, he may not finde thee idle; when death comes to call, thou maist be ready; when the bridegroom comes, thou maist have oil in thy vessel, and a lamp ready trimmed in thy hand, and a wed­ding-garment on thy back; improve thy talents well, that Christ may say, well done, [Page 85] good and faithfull servant, enter into thy Masters joy; when others only wish for hea­ven, do thou work for it: Oh my God, I have been one of these loitering truants, that am justly here reproved, and sent again to school to the meanest of thy creatures, their diligence shames my negligence, they have only an instinct of nature to guide them, I have reason, experience, Scripture, and example to put me on; they labour only for the body, I for the soul and body; they for the meat that perisheth, I for that which endureth to eternall life, they for a winter, I for eternity, yet are they diligent, and I negligent; Heaven and earth may stand a­mazed at my folly; Lord, pardon what is past, and incline my heart for the time to come, to give diligence to make my calling and election sure; Let me so run, that I may obtain; so fight, that I may conquer; and be faithfull to the death, that I may receive the crown of life.

Upon the gorgeous dresse of Flowers.
18. Med.

WHen I seriously considered the various dress, the curious co­lours of the herbs and flowers which diapred the plot, I took some delight to consider the power of God in them, and how far he con­descended to please our fancies, and delight [Page 86] our sences, when I saw how gorgeously they were attired, how beautiful they appeared, it led me up to the fountain-head, even to God who is beauty and comeliness it self; and the greatest beauty that the world can brag of, is but a spark to this fire, a ray to this Sun, and a drop to this ocean; if the creature can be so beautiful, what is the Creator, end if earth be so pleasant, what is heaven? but when I considered also the transitory, fading nature of these short-lived flowers, how soon, when they were in their prime, they withered away and perished, this put me in minde of the vanity of man which is compared to a flower, which cometh up, and is cut down like a flower, and never con­tinueth in one stay, and not only he but all earthly enjoyments are short-lived, and soon perish: But when I considered their beauty with their fading nature, it minded me of our Saviours words, Mat. 6.28. &c. Why take you thought for raiment? consider the lillies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory is not arayed like one of these; wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe ye? O ye of little faith, &c. he sends us in the former verses to the sparrows, which though they neither plough, nor sow, reap nor mow, [Page 87] nor carry into barns, are yet fed by divine providence; so here he sends to the grass and flowers, who though frail vanishing things, are gorgeously attired by him, and all is to put us on to depend upon our fa­thers providence; for the force of the argu­ment is thus; If God feed these worthless sparrows, and not one falls to the ground with­out his providence, and so clothe the withe­ring grass, in such a dress, doubtless he will not suffer his sons and servants to want ne­cessary food and rayment, which as they are better, so are a thousand times dearer to him then the fowls or flowers: There is in every man by nature a conceit of self-sufficiency, as if by our own diligenee we could provide for our selves; and are ready to undertake Gods part of the work: Now this self-confidence is the daughter of unbe­lief (as one saith), is the mother of carking care and carnal thoughtfullness: Our Sa­viour here by many arguments disswades us from these; there is a care of the head, not only lawfull but commendable, but there is a carking, distrustfull, diffident care of the heart here condemned; when a man hath done his utmost endeavour in the use of lawfull means, yet vexeth himself about the event; what if this or that follow? I fear I shall die a beggar, &c. One day (saith David) I shall perish by the hand of Saul: [Page 88] What shall I eat, or what shall I drink? &c. because God will not let us know how we shall be provided for, therefore we are ready with Israel to question, Can God pro­vide a table in the wilderness? Psa. 78.19. Oh my soul; how justly art thou repro­ved, and sent to these poor creatures to school? hast thou not had distracting thoughts and distrustfull fears? hast thou not oft been questioning, What shall I eat, or what shall I drink, or wherewithall shall I be cloathed? what shall become of my wife and children when I am dead? &c. even contrary to the express command of the great God; as if thou hadst had no father to provide for thee, or no God to depend upon, or no promise to uphold thee, and though God hath ofttimes silenced thy fears, and husht thy cares by an unexpected pro­vidence, yet upon the apprehension of new danger, new fears arise, like murmuring Israel, though they had seen Gods wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea, in feeding them with Manna, yet cry out, Can he furnish a table for us in the wilderness? Psal. 78.19. yea, though thou hast never wanted food, nor rayment nor any thing truly necessary, and hast a promise, thou shalt never want any thing that is good, and though God hath bid, leave your fatherless children with me, and let thy widdows trust in me, yet how [Page 89] hard is it to commit wife and children to him, if there be no visible means for their subsistance, or to trust him when means are out of sight, and the world doth not pass for payment; what if thy food be not so dainty, nor thy cloathes so fine, if the one nourish thee, and the other keep thee warm, it matters not: if thou do not fare deliciously every day, nor go in purple and fine linnen, thy betters have fared harder, and gone more meanly clad, reade Heb. 11.36. and be ashamed of mur­muring, others had trials of cruel mocking, and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and impri­sonments, they were stoned, they were sawn asun­der, were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandred about in sheeps-skins and goats-skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; they wandred in desarts and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth: what if thou hast no certain dwelling-house, thy dear redeemer had not where to lay his head, and those Worthys were worse bestead then ever thou wast: Oh my God, charge not upon me those di­strustful thoughts, but strengthen my faith in thy promises: Lord I believe, help my unbelief; and let not this sin have domini­on over me: Enable me to say with Job, though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, and with Ely, 'tis the Lord, let him do what [Page 90] seemeth him good; and with Paul, I am rea­dy not only to be bound, but to die for Christ.

Upon a Garden spoiled through bad fence.
19. Med.

WHen through bad fence, care­lesly heeded, my garden was much spoiled, and wasted by swine, and o­ther cattle, some cropping off the heads of tender buds and plants, some rooting up both root and branch, and also by their treading of it, much defaced the beauty of it, and that which even now seemed plea­sant, and amiable, suddenly seemed a rude indigested and deformed piece, so that not without much labour, pains and care, I secured the fence, made up the breaches, and all I could do, could not at present bring it to its former estate, and pristine beauty; all which injury might have been prevented with a little foresight, and pains-taking: how much better is it to prevent an injury, then remedy it, to prevent a disease then repell it; to keep out an ene­my then drive him out? the cockatrice-egg is better broken while it is an egg, then de­stroyed when it is a serpent: sin is better destroyed in the bud, then when it is ripe: The injury sustained in my garden, was something requited by this following Medi­tation: [Page 91] If a garden, a small plot of ground, cannot be preserved from danger, without care, and pains-taking, without a good fence about it, and an needfull eye upon it, be­cause it hath so many enemies, how then can the soul, a more curious garden, which is in a thousand times greater danger, be kept safe without a fence, and watchful guard? here are more choise herbs and flowers then the other hath, of greater worth, beauty and vertue, more subject to injury, spoil and rapine, and these have greater, subtiller, and more malicious e­nemies that seek their destruction: the de­vil and his instruments, who goes about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, 2 Pet. 5.8. if he finde the fence down, or the watch neglected, and the watchman either asleep or careless, he will enter, de­stroy, and waste; he envies our condition, that we should enjoy that paradice that he left, the comforts he once had; he hath a spite and hatred against God and goodness, and opposes his image wherever he sees it; this is the wilde boar out of the wood, and the wilde beast out of the forrest that doth devour it, Psal. 80.30. The devil and the world be­siege the fort of our souls; and our own heart, that inbred traitour, watches to surrender it into his hands; a thousand snares, and nets are spread for this turtle, [Page 92] and she is in continual danger, in every calling, in every condition, in every relati­on, in every creature we have to do with; in every duty; nay, in every action, some snare or other is laid to intrap us in youth, and old age, in sickness and health, in pro­sperity and adversity, in honour and dis­grace, all have their peculiar snares; our nearest relations, oft times betray us into his hands: thus Eve betrays Adam; thus Jobs wife would have betrayed him; thus Lots daughters betrayed him; and Peter would have betrayed Christ himself; get thee behinde me satan, Mat. 26.23. he did his good will to hinder him in the course of his calling; we may many times discry a devil in our nearest friends, he speaks to us by them; we have enemies without, and enemies within, and many snares are laid for our feet; how warily then have we need to walk; many are the foxes that destroy these vines, Cant. 2.15. what care then need we to have of our souls when they are in so continuall danger, and so many snares laid for our feet, temptation without, and cor­ruption within, ofttimes prevail against us, and we are snared by it: oh my soul, hast thou so bloudy, and bloudy-thirsty an ene­my to deal with, that is so malicious, so crafty, and politick: hast thou so strong and potent an enemy to deal with, that [Page 93] seeks thy ruine, and makes it his business to undo thee; oh what need then hast thou to stand upon thy guard; if thou fall into his hands nothing but the everlasting de­struction of body and soul will satisfie him: quit thy self therefore like a man, stand upon thy guard, resist the devil and he will fly from thee: there is none but these throw down their weapon, and quit the field, that are vanquisht by him; though others may be foiled: look to the main fort, the heart, if that be surprized thou art undone; lay in provision and ammunition there, for a siege; watch the five cinque-ports, the senses, for oft times he sails in with the tide; make a covenant with thy eyes; take heed to thy ears and other senses; examine every passenger that comes in, lest he prove treacherous, and every one that goes forth: to this end, set a watch over thy mouth, that thou offend not with thy tongue; get on the whole armour of God, mentioned Eph. 6.11, 12, 13. the sword of the spirit, and the darts of prayer, are prevalent; thou art to fight with principalities and powers, these conten­ded with the angell, for Moses his body, but with thee for thy precious soul; no peace can be had with him, no truce can be obtained, but upon the condition of the everlasting destruction of soul and body; whatever his promises are, hell will be his [Page 94] wages, a thousand thousand have been de­ceived by him, that took his word, look to thy affections, that they straggle not, lest like Dinah they be ravished by him; stand fast, and thou wilt prevail, call in thy cap­tain Christ to thine assistance, so shalt thou be the victor, and if thou overcome thou shalt reign with Christ: Oh my God, be thou my defender, I have no strength against these potent enemies, neither know I what to do, on­ly my eyes are up unto thee, O let no cruel beast devour thy turtle that is true; do thou watch over me or I shall wake in vain, teach me the use of the Christian armour, rebuke the temp­ter, and chain him up, that he may not hurt me, keep me under the shadow of thy wings, hide me in the hollow of thy hand, preserve me from the rage of this bloud-thirsty enemy, and keep me out of the snares that are laid for my feet, then shall I praise thee with an upright heart, and tell what God hath done for my soul.

Upon a Mole spoiling the garden.
20. Med.

WHen I had thus fenced my garden, and secured it, as I thought, from the injury of all enemies that were visible, and began to wax secure and careless, as if out of the reach of dan­ger; [Page 95] behold, an inbred traitor, an unseen and unexpected enemy, did me no little in­jury; a dispicable creature, blinde as is re­ported, yet was the occasion to me of no small trouble; a poor contemptible Mole, ere I was aware, digged, and rooted up my herbs, and flowers, disordered my work, and spoiled the beauty of it; and proved such an enemy then, when she was descried, I knew not which way to fence for her, and for a considerable time knew not how to take her prisoner, nor make her pay for the trespass; this unexpected accident made me consider, of the vanity of all humane felicity, how soon the beauty of it may vanish and come to no­thing, and by how small a means God can blast all earthly enjoyments. All that the world affords is of the nature of Jo­nahs gourd, that grew up in a night, and pe­rished in a night: no solidity to be found in any sublunary creatures; some worm or other breeds in it, that eats out the very heart of it, and makes it wither and die, and when we have the greatest expectati­ons, we meet with the greatest disappoint­ments; and when we think we are most sure, many times we are in most danger; and when we think to gripe it fastest, we are likeliest to lose it; I considered, how foolish men were to promise themselves se­curity [Page 96] in their enjoyments, when they apprehend no danger in sight, for if our ways please God, he can make our enemies, yea, the stones of the field at peace with us: but if we please not God, he can raise us enemies enow to disturb our peace: David, a good man, yet offending God had his own fami­liar friend Achitophel, nay, his own son Ab­solom, that sought his ruine; yea, the poo­rest vermine are sometimes a scourge to the proudest tirant; frogs, and lice, and flyes, and locusts, make proud Pharaoh stoop to God, that before had proudly said, who is the Lord, that I should obey him? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go; Exod. 5.2. but God made himself known to him by his judgements and compelled him to say, the Lord is righteous, and I, and my people are wicked; yea, he hath made cater­pillars, cankerworms, palmerworms, and such like, which God calleth, his great army, Joel. 1.2. &c. a scourge to potent princes, and can destroy the greatest monarch on earth, by these poor insects; how little trust then should we put in earthly comforts, when God can so easily imbitter them to us; and how dangerous it is by our sins to provoke God, to leave us and to punish us, he can easily do it, he need not raise ma­ny against us; no single creature, no fly, no flea, nor grass-pile, nor hair, but if it [Page 97] have a Commission from God, will be our bane: Instances of this may easily be gi­ven; nay, if he withhold our breath, we re­turn to our dust, and all our thoughts perish; and for our enjoyments, he can make a worm breed in them, that shall eat out the very heart of them; and can imbitter that which we esteem our sweetest comforts; If these earthly enjoyments are vain, and perishing like their owners, what need have we to make preparation of some thing that is more durable, and more certain, which may bear some proportion to our immortal souls, we can have no abiding city here, but affliction and vanity will attend us, in all places; for if sin go before, affliction will follow after, as the effect follows the cause, or the shadow the substance. Now if these our earthly enjoyments are in such continual danger, and have enemies, with­out, within, above, beneath, and on every side, the soul is in much more danger, ha­ving more potent, subtill, cruel, and mali­cious enemies; how watchfull then ought we to be, lest these chiefest Jewels, our immortal souls should be bloudily butche­red, or inhumanely treated: what care, what providence should we use, that we be not made a prey to infernal furies? and what need have we to invoke God to be our guardian, our defender, and our watch­man? [Page 98] Oh my soul, here is a check for thy folly, that hast overeagerly grasped af­ter these vanities, and sought content where it was not to be had; take heed to thy self, this will not serve thy turn; a few days, and thou wilt be stript of all: there are better pleasures, truer treasures to be had; there is a worm in these will eat out their very heart, there is vanity writ upon them; they are but Egyptian reeds, and will break in thy hand: cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the living God; if thou love the world the love of the father is not in thee, 1 Joh. 2.15. Use it we may, as a traveller doth his staff, which he keeps or throws away, according as it helps, or hinders him in his journey; these world­ly things are transitory, and there is a va­nity writ upon them; but there are riches durable as the days of heaven, and run pa­ralell with the life of God, or the lines of eternity: these are worth scrambling for; they are laid up now, and may be drawn forth a thousand years hence; these our en­joyments are liable to vanity and violence; when we grasp them hardest, they prick us most; and when we embrace them they va­nish into smoke, which may wring tears from our eyes but never sorrow from our hearts; when others therefore lay hold upon [Page 99] riches, do thou lay hold upon eternal life, 1 Timoth. 6.12. lay hold upon that pearl in the Gospel, though thou let all things else go; for nothing else is worth having; this will make thee rich to God: the time is short, thy race is long, stand not still to pick up sticks, and straws, nor leave thy way to catch butter-flyes; up and be doing; let heaven be thy object, and the earth will be thy abject: oh my God, pardon my for­mer folly, that I have spent so much time to so little purpose, and made no more haste to my journeys end, that I have lost my way, mistaken my happiness, and la­boured so long in vain; draw up my af­fections, O Lord, from earth to heaven, and let me be as zealous for heaven, as ever I have been for earth, and take as much pains for my soul, as ever I have done for my body.

Upon the springing up of the seed.
21. Med.

WHen I had digged the gar­den, and sowed the seed, in convenient time, I observed the springing of them up, and after a while I observed how fresh and fragrant that looked, that a little before seemed dead, and rotten, a­mong the clods; this minded me of the [Page 100] mighty power of God, that could of a small seed, seemingly dead, and buried, and rotten in the earth, raise up so great, so flourishing an hearb or flower, indewed with such beauty, and excellent vertue, yea so great, so mighty a tree: I considered how small a matter I did or could con­fer to them; I only disposed them where I would have them grow, but no skill, nor art, nor labour, nor industry of mine could make them grow; the earth hath a natu­ral propensity to receive them, the heavens powred out their influence upon them, which through Gods blessing cooperating became effectuall, 'tis God alone must do the work, or it will not be done, 'tis he that gives to every seed his own body, and put life into that which hath no life, all the skill, industry, and pains which the hus­bandman can use, cannot make one seed fructify, or one corn grow, if God suc­ceed not their endeavour: oh the madness, stupidity, and egregious folly of Athiests, that deny a diety, and yet cannot make a fly or flea, or the leaf of a tree, without pre-existent matter, nor put life into it when it is made, nor know how it is done; but many of them, their lives are so debaucht, that to still and quiet their in­raged conscience, they would fain race out, and obliterate this principle imprinted in the [Page 101] soul by God himself, viz. that there is a God, but that there is no God they rather wish then believe; but to return, it is God that doth this work, Mark. 4.26. The Kingdom of heaven, is as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up, and grow up he knows not how; for the earth bringeth forth fruit of her self, first the blade, then the ear, afterwards the full corn in the ear, &c. when we have done our duties, we must rely up­on God for the success, and depend upon Gods providence; if we cannot do it, leave it to him that can; let us do our part of the work, and leave his part to him to do; we cannot do his, and he will not do ours; it is our part to plow, and sow, and ma­nure, and till the ground out of which we were taken, Gen. 2.15. but it is God that causeth it to fructifie and encrease; he giveth us rain from heaven, and fruitfull seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness, Acts. 14.17. Diligence is our duty, as the blessing upon it is his gift; God placed no man upon the earth, as he did Leviathan in the sea, only to play therein, but we are to work, either with hand or head, the thing that is good, and in the sweat of our brow or brain we should eat our bread: but when we have done all we must look higher for a blessing, Deut. 28.12. the Lord shall open to thee his good [Page 102] treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto the land in his season, and to bless all the work of thy hand. The stars are Gods store-houses, which he opens for our profit, and causeth them to pour out their influences upon the earth, and thereby he scatters his riches to the world: If we will cark and care about the event of things, when we have done our endeavour, no wonder if we faint un­der the burden; if we take his part of the work upon us also, no wonder if we truckle under it. Now if his blessing be so necessa­ry in temporals, it is much more necessary in spirituals, for none can make the soul fruitful but God: do we not oft see the seed sown by the same hand, and that it is wa­tered by the same word; yet it thrives in one field, and not in another; in one heart, and not another; why? God causeth it to rain upon one field, and not another; and the field it raineth not on, withered; Amos. 4.7. those that live under the same Ministry, sit in the same seat, and have the same hus­bandry, one remains barren, the other fruit­full, what is the cause? but the north-wind, and the south-wind; the pleasant gales of the spirit blow upon one garden, and not upon the other, Cant. 4.16. when Christ was the preacher, that which workt upon Peter workt not upon Judas, not being made ef­fectuall by God. The springing of the seed [Page 103] also put me in minde of the resurrection; the Apostle we finde illustrateth that point by this similitude, 1 Cor. 15.35, 36, 37. but some will say, how are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? thou fool, that which thou sowest, is not quickned, except it die; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain, but God hath gi­ven it a body as it hath pleased him, to every seed his own body: the rotting of the body, is but as the rotting of the seed in the ground, that it may spring forth again with more vigour: if God can say to this dead seed, as sometime to the dry bones, live, why can he not say so to our dead bodies? Is any thing too hard for the Almighty? he that made them at the first of nothing, can we imagine he cannot gather again toge­ther our scattered ashes, and make it again into a body? shall we think that to be im­possible to God, that seems hard to us? if he say, it shall be done, shall we conclude it cannot be done; Oh my soul, use dili­gence, both in thy general and particular calling, but when thou hast done thy en­deavour, leave the success to God, and not carkingly care, nor doubtingly trouble thy self about the event; and disquiet not thy self, at what thou canst not help, take not h [...]s work in hand, lest thou canst not fi­nish [Page 104] it: leave not thy work undone, for he will not do it, diligence is thy duty, yet promise not success to thy endeavours, but depend upon him for a blessing; if he give it bless him for it, and let it more engage thy heart in his service: if he deny it, mur­mure not, but wisely search out what was the cause, some sin or other is pointed at in the suffering: if thou finde it out, re­move the Achan, and bless God for the providence, it is better have a reformed heart, then a full barn, and as for spiritualls use diligence in the duties re­quired, but rest not in the work done, if a blessing succeed, let the Lord have his homage paid; if that thou stand at a stay it is a signe some obstruction is between the head and heart that hinders the work, rest not till it be removed; if thou meet God in his ordinance, bless his name for it; if he absent himself, let no duty please thee; rest not till thou hast recovered sight of him: as for the resurrection, call not that to question, which is so clearly held forth in his word, heaven and earth shall pass, but his word shall not pass, till it be fulfilled: what is too hard for an omnipotent arm? he that made all things of nothing, and he that every year raiseth a crop from dead seed, why should we think it impossible for him to gather together our ashes, how­ever [Page 105] scattered, and raise again our dead bo­dies to life? it is thy great concern to live holily, that thou mayst die happily, and live with God eternally. Oh my God, ena­ble me to commit all my concerns for soul and for body to thee; and let me not mur­mure under any dark dispensation of pro­vidence; however thou deal with me in re­ference to the body, or these worldly en­joyments, yet deal well with me in refe­rence to my soul, and in reference to eter­nity; let the seed of grace grow and flou­rish, let the weeds of sin be rooted out, and let my soul, like the good ground, bring forth an hundred fold, then shall I glorify thee when I bring forth much fruit.

Upon a sudden Drought.
22. Med.

WHen I had digged, manu­red, sown and fenced my garden, and done what lay in me to do, and began from the hopefull springing up of the seed, to have comfortable hopes of a plentifull encrease, and began to rejoyce in the works of my hands, behold an unex­pected judgement fell upon it, for God withheld the showers of rain and restrain'd the influence of heaven, and caused that it should not rain upon the earth, and the [Page 106] clouds which were wont to drop fatness, and by which God was used to open his treasure, and to give a blessing to his peo­ple, Deut. 28.12. now proved empty clouds, promising much, but paying nothing; hereupon the earth languished, and could not nourish what she had brought forth; for though she had not a miscarrying womb, yet had she dry breasts; so that hearbs and flowers, yea, the grass of the field languished, hanged down the head, withered and died, and their beauty faded away, as mans will if he want food; as we may see, Lam. 4.7, 8. Her Nazarites were purer then snow, they were whiter then milk, they were more ruddy in body then rubies, their polishing was of saphire, their visage is blacker then a coal, they are not known in the street, their skin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, and is become like a stick, &c. This providence made me consider, how vain and fruitless all our endeavours are, either for this life or that to come, if God suc­ceed them not with his blessing; and that all the men that live upon the face of the earth, had they joined with their united counsels, with policy and power, they could not have removed this judgement, had they taken in all the gods of the hea­thens to assist them: Can any of the vanities of the gentiles give rain? Jer. 14.22. it is [Page 107] in vain to hope for salvation from the hills, or from the mountains, in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. When God blows up­on our creature-comforts, they vanish, and prove unsatisfying, Haggai. 1.9. ye looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, &c. ye have sown much, and, bring in little, ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink but you are not filled with drink; ye cloath you, but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages putteth it into a bag with holes, ver. 6. the earth cannot bring forth without the influence of heaven and these cannot be had without a commission from God, Jer. 14.22. Can the heavens give showers? art not thou he O Lord our God? therefore we wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. It is he that cloatheth the heavens with blackness, Isay. 50.3. Hose. 2.21.22. I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyle, and they shall hear Jezreel: but when God refuseth to hear, all others cry in vain, they may all say as the King of Israel to the woman that cryed to him, 2 Kin. 6.26. if the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee, out of the barn floors or out of the wine-press? yet, how doth vain man reckon without his host? and pro­mise himself a plentifull encrease, and much [Page 108] happiness in the enjoyment of it, like the fool in the Gospel, Luk. 12.16. &c. when the event ofttimes proves otherwise, if their designe succeed as sometimes it doth, for all things fall alike to all, as to the good so to the bad, the sun shines upon the just, and the unjust, they give not the glory to God, but sacrifice to their own nets, and burn incense to their drags, Hab. 1.16. they think their own arm saveth them, and their own wisdom and endeavours enricheth them; they are like the king of Assyria that said, Isai. 10.13. by the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdome, for I am prudent: but what had all my labour profited me, or what good would theirs have done them, if God had not given rain? I went yet fur­ther in my consideration of the great mercy and benefit of water, without which it were impossible that man or beast, or fish, or foul, or hearb or plant, or any other creature sensitive or vegetable, should live or prosper, and wondred at my own and others stupidity, that we took so little no­tice of the mercy, and gave God so little thanks for it, but this mercy was more pri­zed by the ancient; by Israel in the wilder­ness, by Jacob, yea, by Ahab, 1 Kin. 18.5. And Ahab said to Obadiah, go into the land unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks, peradven­ture we may finde grass to save the horses and the [Page 109] mules alive, and they divided the land between them, &c. When I had a while considered of these things, I raised my Meditation a little higher, and considered if rain were so refresh­ing to the thirsty earth, and so necessary for the fruits thereof, what was the dew of hea­ven to the poor soul? without it all the Ordi­nances would prove of little use, and all the sowing, planting and manuring would sig­nifie little; the soul under those enjoyments would be like the heath of the desart, that sees not when good comes; what cause then have we to depend upon God for the one, and for the other; oh my soul, are thy endeavors crost, and thy labour lost? learn to depend upon God for the time to come, concern not thy self overmuch in the world; if it smile upon thee, let it not steal away thy affection; if it frown on thee, trouble not at it; for these things are at the dispose of thy father, and he mindes thy good; use diligence and pro­vidence, because they are commanded du­ties, but beware of murmuring, and repining because they are forbidden sins; when thou hast gone as far as thou canst, leave the success to God, and whatever the issue be, acquiesce in his will, if thy endeavours be blasted, think it was best they should be so, because God thought thus; if he succeed them, bless him; if he cross them, bless him also; The Lord hath [Page 110] given, and the Lord hath taken away, saith Job, blessed be the name of the Lord: seek not great things in the world, expect no more then God hath promised, lest if they fall short of expectation thou be discouraged; hast thou neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient; this was Agars petition, hast thou food and rayment? the Apostle was therewith content, But for the soul, thou must not take up with a small portion, labour after the highest pitch of godliness, and content not thy self with a low frame of spirit, be as covetous for grace, as others are for gold, use the means diligently, but trust not to the means, though Paul and Apollo's may plant and water, it is God gives the en­crease, he only can speak to the heart, and say to thy sins, die, and to thy soul, live; oh my God, forgive I beseech thee my carnal confidence, trusting to the arm of flesh, both in reference to my body, and soul; let me see the vanity of all creature-confidences, how little they can avail with­out thy blessing; and however thou cros­sest my designes for the world, Lord, suc­ceed my designes for heaven, with thy bles­sings; leave me not to the teaching of man, but teach me thy self, water me with the dew of heaven, and let thy clouds drop fatness, incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to coveteousness.

Upon flowers seemingly dead in winter, yet flou­rishing in the spring.
23. Med.

WHen I observed some flow­ers in the garden, that all the winter long, when the sun was remote in the Southern climate, hid their heads, withered, seemed to die, and to be extinct: and buried themselves in their mother earth, yet at the return of the year, when their be­loved smiled upon them, when the sun came to the aequinoctial, and began to court them, and shine upon them with a more direct ray, and warmer gleam, they crept out of their grave, revived, sprang again, and flourish­ed, like a love sick woman, killed with a frown and recovered with a smile; those that before go in their mourning-weeds, now put on their best apparel; This consideration made me compare it to the state of a poor soul in de­sertion, when God the Sun of righteousness her beloved, hides his face, and stands at a remote distance, then it is winter with the soul, then it droops, hangs down the head, and is ready to die, and cry out with the spouse, stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, I am sick of love; but there may be life in the root, when it appears not in the branches, when the Sun of righteousness ari­seth in the soul, with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. [Page 112] these dry bones will live; these dead branches will bud, these swouning, fainting souls will revive, and these buried flowers will spring out again; though they are in the sha­dow of death, light shall spring out to them: The hearb of grace will not die in a hard winter, when the spring comes it will bud and break forth, the best of Saints oft have had their fainting-fits: David that man after Gods own heart, though well acquainted with the incomes of the spirit, the smiles of God, and spirituall consolations, yet had many qualms, and fainting-fits, upon the appre­hension of Gods departure, but God though he seem to be long absent, will not forsake those that are not willing to leave him, Esay. 4.14.15. but Zion said, the Lord hath for­saken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me; can a woman forget her sucking-childe, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. A father sometimes hides himself behinde the wall, to try the affections of his little son, to see whether he will miss him, what moan he will make in his absence, or whether he minde his play, and be content without him, when yet he is so far from forsaking him, that every tear goes to his heart; so God in his withdrawings from his people, is much concerned in the moan they make, and his bowels yearn at their complaints: [Page 113] as he did at Ephraims, when he bemoaned him­self, Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, &c. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord; who is among you, saith the prophet, that feareth the Lord, and walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God. Esay. 5.10. Here we see a man may fear God, and yet be in darkness, sometimes the Sun may he ecclipsed, sometimes clouded, but it will break forth again; those that have their eyes enlightned, shall see it, though the blinde discern not between day and night, light and darkness; the greatest part of the world know not what it is to have the Sun of righteousness to arise in their hemisphere; But it is the greatest grief to a believer that ever befell him in his life, to have the face of his beloved to be clouded from him, and his sun to set at noon; then he goes with the spouse, seeking him, sorrowing, did ye see him whom my soul loveth? Cant. 3.3. when they seek him, and cannot finde him, when they call him, and he gives them no answer, Cant. 5.6. they seek from ordinance to ordinance, from Minister to Minister, and enquire after him, every room in the house may witness their [Page 114] moan, and their complaint, but when they finde, they rejoyce with the Martyr, Oh Austin, he is come, he is come; oh my soul, how stands the case with thee? art thou apprehensive of the approaches, and depar­tures of God from thy soul? dost thou re­joyce in his presence, as these poor flowers in the presence of their beloved? dost thou mourn at his absence as they do, and hide thy head? dost thou hunger and thirst after him, as the thirsty man for drink, or the thirsty land for drops of rain? if thou make little matter of him, it is a signe thou hast little be­nefit by him, or little love to him, or never knewest what it was to have communion with him, he is the chiefest of ten thousand, therefore the virgins love him; get as strong an apprehen­sion of his love to thee, and thine to him, as possibly thou canst; this will keep the soul from stragling; thou wilt never leave him whom thou lovest, and he will never leave one that loves him: his withdrawings are but to try thy affections, and he oft loves dearly those he seems to loathe, if thou forsake not him, he will never forsake thee; and an evi­dence of his love will bear up the heart above trouble; the Psalmist when he was so troubled that he could not speak, yet comforted himself in considering, the days of old, and the years of ancient times, and calling to his remembrance his songs in the night, Psal. 77.4, 5, 6. when there [Page 115] is a calm and tranquillity in the soul, examine thy self by Scripture-evidences, whether there be the truth of grace in thy soul or no, and if thou finde it, lay up these records against a stormy-day, when the sun is clouded, and out of sight then when thou, canst not reade thy own heart, or see grace in thy soul, yet maist thou say, at such a time, in such a place, I examined my self, by such and such marks, grounded upon such and such Scrip­tures, and plainly, and impartially judged my graces were true; now true grace cannot be lost, and therefore I know there is fire, though under the ashes, and true grace though buri­ed under corruption; and he that then loved me, will love me to the end; yea, with an everlasting love: oh my God, assist me in this work of examination, and not only give me grace, and write thine image upon me, but also enable me to reade it, that it may keep me alive, in the winter, when thou seemest to be at a distance from me.

Upon fine flowers foul-sented.
24. Med.

WHen I beheld some of the fai­rest flowers in the garden, and those that made the most specious shew, and were adorned with the most costly co­lours, and were set forth in the most gorge­ous [Page 116] dress, and were most sumptuously array­ed to please the eye; I commended their form, and shape, and comely beauty, but when I drew near, to handle them, to smell to them, and put them in my bosome, I found my mis­take, for they were of a stinking savour, good for nothing but to gaze on at a distance; for though they pleased my eye, they offended my nose, and were neither fit to be handled, nor smelt to. This made me to consider, it is not always good to trust to our own eyes, in our choice, for the eye hath deceived many a man, and will do us, if we trust to it, and call every thing good, that is beautiful, may we not see many a gallant in our times in a gayish dress, where the bark is better then the bo­dy, like the cinamon tree, that like the but­terfly paints her wings, to cover her defor­med carkass; how often have I seen a hand­some, well-shap't, beautiful woman with foul conditions, & misshapen qualities, when under a more rugged skin, and less beauti­ful countenance, and more deformed body, there was a more beautiful soul, and Christi­anlike behaviour: The devil many times baits his hooks with a beautiful woman, when he fishes for unwary youth, and sel­dome misses of his prey, but by this means destroys them soul and body; how oft do men that make their eye their cook, and do more care to please their fancy, then to please their [Page 117] God, in their choise, and looks after beau­ty more then grace, undoe themselves, and repent of their choise when it is too late Beauty is but skin-deep, and age or fickness soon withers this flower, when grace and goodness are more durable, and will not change colour: It were better for many wo­men, if they had fair mindes and soul faces, then might they have escaped those snares the devil hath laid for their feet, and ensna­red their pretious souls, grace and beauty is a sweet conjunction where they meet, and sometimes though seldome we finde them to­gether; thus it was with Sarah and Rebeckah both fair, both gracious; but when they are seperated, as too oft we finde, grace should be preferred by many degrees. An humble gracious spirit is a jewel of great price in the eyes of God and wise men, but beauty dazles a fools eyes, and makes him blinde, and such Dalilah's bring men with Sampson to grind at the mill, and makes their neighbours sport; I need not prove this, experientia docet▪ From these Meditations I ascended higher, and I resembled these fair, but stinking flowers to an hypocrite, that shews much better, then he is, and looks best at a di­stance, and like deceitful wares worst at hand: he is like a stage-player, as the word signifies, who often acts the part of a King, a Prince, an honest man, when he is indeed [Page 818] a beggarly fellow, perhaps a worthless ras­cal; The hypocrite is a saint abroad, a de­vil at home, and plays more parts then one; he is zealous in the congregation, lukewarm in his family, and key-cold in his closet; under the vizard of holiness he acts wicked­ness, and makes religion a cloak to cover his knavery or a stalking horse to take his prey, and thus he deceives men, and many times preys upon them, but can neither deceive God nor the devil; God quickly smels the stinking savour of his rotten lungs, and the devil knows him by his own brand upon him: Oh my soul, art not thou guilty of this folly of judging by the appearance, and of being deceived by deceitful shews? look more at the substance, then the shadow, at the inward vertue then the form and feature, choose not the tree by the leaves, but the fruit, nor a man by his words but his actions, nor a woman by her beauty, but by her good con­ditions; choose not a horse by his trappings but by his mettle, nor a professor by his dis­course, but by his life and conversation; res­pect not a man for a gold ring but for the Jem and jewels of grace that he wears, the fairest face hath not always the chastest heart, nor the nimblest tongue the most solid wit; the greatest bragger is not always the wisest nor the richest man; the emptiest barrel makes the greatest sound, and the deepest water [Page 119] makes least noise: labour more to be good then to seem so; for God will not judge thee as thou seemest to be, but as thou art; If the heart be not right, God will wipe off all the paint and plaister that is upon thy words and actions, and they shall be esteemed as the fountain is from whence they proceed; be in secret what thou seemest in publick, for the same eye is upon thee in the one as well as in the other: hypocrites seem to distrust God lest he should deny the service they do him, and therefore will do nothing but before witness; but a true Christian dare take his word, and therefore fast, pray, and give alms in secret; popular applause is the oyl that makes the hy­pocrites chariot-wheels to move, but it is the love of God that constrains a Christian: Oh my God, I cannot excuse my self, or wash my hands from these filthy sins of pride and hypocrisie; yet my hopes are, they are not in me in a prevailing degree: Lord, curse and blast these bitter roots, that never more fruit may grow upon them; quell and suppress every motion that ariseth in my soul of this nature; give me in sincerity whatever else thou shalt deny me: Make my heart upright in thy sta­tutes, let me rather be good then seem good, and work truth in my inward parts.

Upon sweet-smelling flowers.
25. Med.

WHen I considered what a sweet savour and odoriferous smell, a garden of flowers and hearbs sent forth when it was watered from heaven by a refreshing shower, and cheared again with the sun-beams darted upon it, what a place of pleasure, a paradice of delights it see­med to be, the sight, the smell and savour delighted me, the melodious harmony and birds pleased me, so that my affections be­gan to grow warm, and my fancy to be tickled with it, and I began with Peter to say, it is good being here; till upon consi­deration I checkt my self for my folly, for letting out my affection upon such poor ob­jects, and letting them grovel so low upon the ground, and to close with such poor pittiful nothings; then began I to screw my thoughts a little higher, and to say to my self, fool that thou art, is there so much beauty and sweetness in the creature, yea, in these poor pitifull vanishing fading creatures, which to day are (saith Christ) and to morrow are cast into the oven, Mat. 6.30. what sweetness then is in the creator, that breathed this sweetness into them; is not he much more sweet, and delightfull? and why dost thou not place thy affections up­on [Page 121] him, that is altogether lovely? Cant. 5.16. wholly desirable; Moses thought him so, when he preferred the reproach of Christ, the heaviest piece of his cross, better then all the treasures in Egypt: all the excellencies here below, are but the shadow, and he is the substance; they are but a drop to this ocean, a ray to this sun, and a spark to this fire. Why wilt thou go to the puddle that maist go to the fountain-head? and take up with a handfull of muck, that maist have a handfull of angels? taste and see how sweet God is, he is sweetness it self, thou that so admirest these vanishing flow­ers, whose beauty suddenly is changed for deformity, why wilt thou not be enamou­red upon perfect beauty? the sun, the moon, and stars are darksome spots in com­parison of the beauty that is in him, he is white and ruddy, the chief of ten thousands; his head is as the most fine gold, &c. Cant. 5.10.11. red and white shews a perfect symmetry, a sound and sure complexion, and constitu­tion: thou speakest of pleasures, but at his right hand are pleasures for evermore; all earthly enjoyments yield little content, small pleasure, and delight; there is a pound of sorrow for an ounce of pleasure, and those also are but bitter sweet pleasures, but with him are satisfying pleasures unmixed delights, yea, the image of God in the [Page 122] hearts of his people, is a thousand times a more perfect beauty then the world affords, and the graces of the spirit in the garden of their souls, as they shew a more perfect beauty, so they yield a more fragrant sa­vour and sweeter smell, then all the flow­ers in the world can do, to a spiritual sence: here is an orchard of Pomegranats and all plea­sant fruit, camphire and spicknard, spicknard and saffron, Calamus and cynamon, and all trees of frankincense, myrrhe and aloes, and all chief spices, Cant. 4.14, 15. see how precious God accounts the graces of his people, which here are likened to these precious things here mentioned, they smell sweet in the nostrills of God and man, yea, the word of God and his Ordinances, these were sweeter to David then honey and the honey-comb, better then thousands of gold and silver, Psal. 19.10. and to Job, better then his appointed food; and are none of these taking with thee? is there more true worth in a hand­full of flowers, that will not please thee from morning till night, then in those never-ending never-fading pleasures here presented to thee? heaven and earth may stand amazed at thy folly; oh my soul, wallow not in the mire, delight not thy self with the swine in swill, when thou maist have better, and more dainty food; feed not upon husks, when thou maist have [Page 123] bread enough in thy fathers house: grasp not after the shadow, when thou maist have the substance; or with the dog in the fable, lose not the substance to catch at the sha­dow; despise peebles, that thou maist have pearls; lay not out money for that which is not bread, nor thy labour for that which profiteth not; when wine and milk are offered with­out money and without price, Esay. 55.12. fill not thy vessel with water that it can hold no wine; these outward things may be of use to us, but must not be abused by us; though they cannot make us hap­py yet they can point us out where happi­ness may be had, and happy is that soul that can with the bee, gather honey from hearbs and flowers: there is not the most contemptible creature that breathes, nor the most despicable vegetable that lives, nor the poorest thing that exists, nay nothing, in rerum natura, but hath a finger to point us to God; a fly, or flea, or leaf of a tree or grass-pile, or if any thing be more contemptible, will tell us, whence they had their being; and any, or all of these may teach us some lessons, for our instruction; yea, the devil which is the grand enemy to mankinde, yet by this heavenly alchymy of divine Medi­tation, may be made nourishment to the soul, as of the vipers flesh, may be made a soveraign antidote against the vipers sting; [Page 124] yea, it is possible to extract heaven out of hell, and God out of the creature: and sure­ly that must needs be a fat soul, that feeds in so many fat pastures: oh my God, keep my affections from closing with these earth­ly enjoyments, and teach me the heavenly art of improving them, and drawing out the spirits of them; And as commonly they are snares and nets, and hurtful to the soul: Lord, assist me, that they may prove benefi­ciall to it; let mine affections close with thee, and then I need not fear falling into these snares.

Upon hearbs withering in a dry season.
26. Med.

WHen I beheld the hearbs and flowers, yea, the grass of the field also, in a dry season, how they fainted and flag'd, and hang'd the head, for lack of moisture, the earth being not able to give them a supply without further assistance; It brought to my minde how necessary a blessing from heaven was to our enjoyments upon earth, and how vain these things would prove, if God did but blow upon them, and how foolish those men were that depended upon their own industry, and promised themselves great matters, like the fool in the Gospel, Luk. 12.16. when they often finde such recko­ning [Page 125] is without their host; he, we finde in the midst of his jolity like a Jay, was pruning himself in the boughs, and came tumbling down with the arrow in his side, his glass was run (as one saith) when he thought it was but new turned; he was shot with the boult, when he gazed on the bow, this was he that trusted in his riches and was not rich to God: he had indeed abundance, but it signified little to him; but many men pro­mise themselves plenty, and never come to enjoy it; how necessary is our dependance upon God for our dayly bread, the greatest of us have no assurance of it, neither is any exempted from seeking it daily at the hands of God, I saw then that that promise was not in vain, which God had made, Hose. 2.21, 22. I will hear the heavens, and the hea­vens shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyl, and they shall hear Jezreel; for though the people should cry to the corn, and to the wine, for relief, and the corn and wine should cry to the earth for nourishment, and the earth should cry to the heavens for showers, and the heavens should cry to God for a com­mission, if God should deny that petition, all the prayers of the other would signify nothing; the creatures have no more then what God puts into them; If God give not rain, the creatures must languish, and the [Page 126] earth fail, the earth must be refresht either by the clouds immediately, or from the fountains by mans industry, or it cannot bring forth; but if God deny provision, whence shall man have it? they may say, as the king Ahab did, 2 King. 6.26. if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee, out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press? he is the fountain that must supply the cistern; he it is that maketh the springs to run among the hills, and fills our fountains out of his trea­sury; Can any of the vanities of the gentiles give rain? no they cannot, and all the men on earth, and devils in hell, nay, all the an­gels of heaven, cannot do it, if he deny it, let men say what they please to the contra­ry: and without water neither man nor beast, fish nor foul, hearb nor plant, can long sub­sist; this raised my Meditation a little high­er; I considered as it was in naturals, so much more in spirituals; where neither Paul nor Apollos can do the work, or make the soul fruitful, without God; we have in­deed many pipes, but they are all supplyed by one common fountain; if God withhold the water of consolation, we may suck long enough before we be satisfied: This min­ded me of a twofold errour in men, one in the excess, the other in the defect, some, they suck at the pipe, and neglect the foun­tain, these may suck long enough before they [Page 127] are satisfied; the other thinking to be sup­plyed immediately by the fountain, neglect the pipe; these fail on the other hand, in not using the means God hath appointed them; some trust in the ordinances, and think them sufficient, and idolize the Mini­sters, these many times suck at dry breasts; the pipe can give no more then it receives from the fountain: the other think them­selves above ordinances, and neglect them, the ordinary way appointed by God for their supply; and these ofttimes argue themselves out of their Religion: though the dug be not that which feeds the childe, yet the childe must suck milk through the dug, from the breast, or otherwise is not like to have it; though the pipe cannot supply, it is the usuall means of bringing the water: the Ministry of the word is usually honoured with the conversion of souls, though God can, and no doubt sometimes doth work conversion without them, yet it is rare; Cornelius you finde was directed by an Angel, to Peter, Act. 10.4, 5. though the angel certi­fyeth him, that his alms and his prayers were accepted, yet he reads not to him the doctrine of redemption, though no doubt he could bet­ter have done it then Peter, had God given him a commission; but the office of preach­ing is given to the Ministers not to angels; We finde Paul, when he was strucken down [Page 128] in the way, as he journeyed towards Damascus. Christ did not teach him himself, but sends him to Ananias, Act. 9.6. &c. and hereby graceth his own ordinance: so Philip by the spirit of God, was sent to instruct the Eunuch, Acts. 8.29. now either Christ himself, im­mediately, or the angel, or the spirit, might have done the work, had not God intend­ed to have honoured his Messengers with the work of mans conversion, and also to leave it as a standing ordinance to the world, for the bringing in, and building up those that shall be saved; and therefore 'tis not safe to contemn it: Oh my soul, sall not out with the pipe, for this is the appointed way to bring water from the fountain; fall not in love with it, for of it self it can give no satisfaction; use it thou must, but idolize it thou must not; trust not in men, nor means, food nor phy­sick, though thou must make use of them; Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the living God: all other are physitians of no value; clouds without water, broken cisterns that can hold no water: It was Asa's failing, (and no doubt a gross one) to seek to the physitians in the neglect of God: think it not sufficient for the body to make use of the ablest physitian, nor for the soul to live under the ablest Minister, [Page 129] for many bodyes and souls perish under such; if God help thee not, whence shall they help thee? the sun in a clear day may be seen in a pail of water, but if it be clouded, all the water in the world cannot shew it; the ordinance is the usual place where God may be seen, but till God open mens eyes, there is none can see him there, yet must not the ordinances be des­pised, for usually God makes discoveries of himself there, he could have sed Elijah himself, or by an Angel, yet sends him food by a raven, he could have taught Paul as well as struck him down, as is be­fore-noted, yet sends him to Ananias; he seldom works otherwise where the means of grace is to be had; he could have hea­led Hezekiah with a word, yet useth a bunch of figs; no matter what is the di­sease, or what is the receipt, if God bless it: Oh my God, afford me the means of grace, the Ministry of thy word, and leave me not up to a famine of thy word, nor leave me not to the teaching of man, but follow home every truth, and set it home by thy holy spirit: let me not suck an empty dug, then shall I draw nothing but winde: let me not draw at an empty pipe, then shall I suck and not be satisfied: supply the dug from a full breast, and the pipe from a full fountain, then shall I be fat and flourishing.

Upon the difference between the various sorts of flowers and vegetables.
27. Med.

WHen I considered the vari­ous forms, features, shapes, colours and vertues of the several sorts of herbs, flowers, and other vegetables, and though there are perhaps many hundred se­veral species in the world, yet every species hath a distinct colour, shape, and vertue different from the rest, whereby they may be perfectly known, found out, and distin­guisht one from another by a skilfull artist, and all these together adorn the creation, and make the earth lovely, and every one hath its peculiar use. While I spent some thoughts on these things, and was admi­ring the creatures wisdome, in these works of his hands, and his good to mankinde to give a salve to every sore; for he hath made nothing in vain; it came to my minde how many thousand millions of fa­ces are upon the face of the earth, all alike and yet unlike, all resembling one another, and yet scarce two persons to be found out in the whole world, so like, but they may be differenced one from another; in one thing or another, by a discerning eye; this also raised my meditation from the creature to the Creator, to admire his wisdome and [Page 131] skill, that hath, as before noted, thus di­stinguished between the several sort of ve­getables, though many hundreds, and be­tween so many hundred thousands of faces among rational creatures, that as he gives to every seed his own body, so he gives to e­very peculiar species his own proper colour, shape, odour, and vertue, and to every in­dividual of the species, and to every rational creature his own proper face and feature, all lovely, amiable and comely, and yet different one from another, all agreeing in the main, and yet disagreeing in one thing or other: Oh the omnipotent power and wisdome of the great God, how unsearchable are his counsels, and his ways past finding out; And as they differ in bodily shape, so also in the endowments of the minde; there is very great variety, and diversity amongst men, scarce two can be found in an age alike qualified; very few of the same minde in all things, quot homines tot sententiae, is a saying not more antient then true; so ma­ny men so many mindes; for where shall we finde a perfect agreement between any two, how various also are the gifts of the same spirit to the sons of men? God doth not intrust any one man with all, neither is there any that have not some talent, 1 Cor. 12.43. now there are diversity of gifts, but the same spirit, &c. for to one is gi­ven [Page 132] by the spirit, the word of wisdome, to ano­ther the word of knowledge, by the same spirit; to another faith by the same spirit, to another the gift of healing by the same spirit; to ano­ther the working of miracles, to another prophe­sie, to another discerning of spirits, to another diverse kindes of tongues, to another the inter­pretation of tongues, but all these worketh that one and the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will, &c. and to one is gi­ven ten talents, to another five, and to another one, according to the place, and imploy­ment they are set in, and the work God requires at their hands; as the diverse smells of flowers, comes from the same in­fluence, and the diverse sounds in the or­gan from the same breath, so divers-opera­tions from the same spirit; and all for the good of the whole; he that is not fit to serve the body, is not fit to be of the body; God gives to every man according to his place and station, and will require an ac­count of what he gives, some are deeply skil'd in the original tongues, and other languages, others excell in philosophical no­tions, some search natures garden from end to end, and become excellent artists there; some excell in one science, some in another, some in the law, some in physick, some in divinity, some in geometry, some excell for deep inventions, others are good ar­tists, [Page 133] &c. and among Christians some excel in one grace, and some in another; some are deep in humiliation, some have a great measure of self-denial, some excell in faith, some in patience, &c. among Ministers each hath his peculiar gift, some are good Textuaries, and some criticks; some are good in case-divinity, some are skil'd in controversies, and are excellent dispu­tants; some are for explication, and some are best at application; some for conviction, and others for comforting afflicted consci­ences, and all for the common good, Ephe. 4.11, 12. and he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi­fying the body of Christ. Oh my soul, hast thou any one of these gifts, hath God lent thee any talent, why hast thou not improved it? how comes it to pass in all this time, that thou hast not increast it? God will require it at thy hand ere long, and it is wonder it had not been taken away ere now: hadst thou been diligent thou mightest (as others) with the good servant, Luk. 19.16. have said, Lord, thy one pound hath gained ten pounds; when alas it is to be feared, thou canst not say, it hath gained two: though God will not blame thee that thou hast received no more, yet will he blame thee for improving that no [Page 134] better; the time is coming God will call his servants to an account, as well as his ene­mies, and reckon with them; take heed of receiving any grace in vain, nor envy those that have received more; perhaps they re­ceived no more, but have better imployed what they had; let this put thee on to dili­gence, not to murmuring, covet grace ra­ther then gifts, and to to pray fervently, ra­ther then rhetorically; stammering Moses shall be heard, as soon as Eloquent Aaron: had idleness been a lawful calling, we should have had many good husbands, as well as good fellows; but God disowns such, and it is no hard matter to discern a wane and decay in such mens gifts and parts, and that the Lord is taking away his talents from them, and giving them to some other that will better improve them: and is laying them a­side as broken vessels, and ere long they shall be as dead men out of minde, when the diligent shall be had in everlasting re­membrance? oh my God, lay not to my charge my former folly, my sloth and neg­ligence; take not away thy talent from me, but give me a heart better to improve it; let me double my diligence, and amend my pace, that thou maist never say to me, as to that unfaithful and unprofitable servant, Mat. 25.26. take him, binde him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness.

Upon withering herbs and flowers.
28. Med.

UPon the sight of some withered herbs and flowers that a little be­fore were fresh and flourishing, and made a beautiful shew in the hand, and bosome, but now were fit for nothing but the dunghill, I began to consider, thus it is with many of the professors of our age, many that have made a fair shew, and held out a large pro­fession in the sight of the sun, are already dead and withered, and many more begin to hang the head; and droop, and their death is dayly expected, and all for want of root; the sun of persecution shining upon them hath killed many; if it should arise indeed, many more would wither; feigned conver­sion proves unfeigned apostasy; how much salt hath already lost its savour, and is now become good for nothing, no not for the dunghill: How many glorious lamps have I seen in my days blown out or extinguished for lack of oyl? yea, went out in a snuff, and some of them stunk in the socket; they had a name to live, but they were dead, Rev. 3.1. God knows his own sheep, and those given to Christ he will not lose one; but these (saith the Apostle) are gone from among us because they were not of us; they with the Jewes cry the temple of the Lord, when they matter [Page 136] not the Lord of the temple; these are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about with windes; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame, wandring-stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever; Jud. 12.13. they were never better then meteors and so they end in a snuff; they are constant in nothing but inconstancy; and being dead are fitted for the fire; they like empty clouds promise refreshing showers but yield none; and with the stony ground spring up, and flourish for a season, and they fall away, wi­ther and come to nothing; how many Cedars of late have been blown down with the winde? and many more will fall, if the winde rise: many great lights have been ex­tinguished, and many noted professors leave Christ, with the young man in the Gospel, rather then their riches, Mar. 10.21. &c. such blabs are soon blown up, and such bub­bles are soon broken; with Demas these men choose the world before Christ; yea perhaps with Judas they will betray him for money: and why is all this, but because they received not the truth in the love of it, God gave them up to strong delusions to believe a lye, &c. 2 Thes. 2.10, 11. when they turned professors they took not Christs Counsel, to sit down first and [Page 137] reckon the charges, and therefore like the foo­lish builder began to lay the foundation, and was not able to finish, they took up religi­on upon trust, and considered not what it would cost them, or what God required at their hands, and when reproaches, losses, or crosses come, they soon kick it up, and will not be of such a chargable profession; some take it up for wrong ends, and intend to make it but as a cloak to cover their de­signes, or as a stalking-horse to take their prey, and when the prey is taken, or the designe brought about, or they disappointed, the cloak is cast aside, the vizard cast off, and the stalking-horse laid by as useless; many drive on some carnal designe under such a disguise, and use religion as a work­man doth his tools; as long as one will serve he useth it, and when it will not, he lays by that, and takes another: if persecu­tion will fit the designe better then profes­sion, he takes up that; it is no strange thing to see men in our age persecute what they have profest: those that follow Christ for loaves, not for love, will cry Hosannah to day, and crucifie to morrow; if the winde turn; for many are resolved rather to wrong their consciences, then that their conscien­ces should wrong them; Oh my soul, do so many flowers fade, and so much corn wither for want of root? are so m [...]y Cedars [Page 138] blown down by the winde, and so many forward professors turned apostates at the ap­prehension of danger? look to thy self, set strait steps to thy feet, lest that which is halting be turned out of the way; take heed lest if the sun of persecution ariseth, thou also be of­fended and wither, for want of root; rest not therefore till thou canst say with Job; the root of the matter is in me, Job. 19.28. let thy ends and motives be sound, or otherwise thy profession will prove rotten; expect sufferings and prepare to bear them, or else never set up thy trade of Christianity: if heaven be not worth having at the greatest rate, and Christ at the dearest price, never meddle wirh these commodities; if they are, break not for price; the pearl in the Gospel is worth all that thou hast; if reli­gion be not good, never profess it; if it be, never forsake it; set down first and reckon the charges with the wise builder, and what­soever thou canst finde others have paid for it, thou maiest expect the like may be re­quired of thee; and if upon this rate the bargain will do thee no good, meddle not with it; thou maist finde Jeremy in derisi­on dayly, every one mocked him; David was the drunkards song, Job the very abjects derided him, the Apostles were made the off-scow [...]i [...]g of all things; reckon therefore reproach [...] [...]ay be thy portion, seeing also [Page 139] Christ himself was not free; omnis Christi­anus est crucianus; thou maiest reade, some for their religion sake were forsaken by their friends, as Christ by his brethren; this may be thy condition: some have lost their e­states, and have been exposed to hardship, and so maist thou; some have been cast into prisons; thus Jeremy, Peter, Paul, and Silas, and many more, this may be thy portion; some, yea, many thousands, have been brought to this state, and sacrificed their lives in the flames, and who knows but it may be required of thee? canst thou break through these difficulties? else never set a step fur­ther in profession; if heaven will not make thee amends for earth, and God for the crea­ture, and eternal life for the loss of a tem­poral: Oh my God, without thy support I shall never be able to hold out, but through thee I can do all things; I know there is more excellency in thee then the world can af­ford, and if I lose my God, my soul, my heaven, and happiness, to preserve my estate, my life or liberty, it will be a losing bar­gain; these things I can want, Christ I can­not want; Lord, give me him, though upon the hardest terms, let me have strong appre­hensions of my love to thee, and thine to me, then shall I never leave thee nor forsake thee, let not the glory of the world dazle my sight, that I cannot behold thee in glory.

Upon the springing of herbs in the spring time.
29. Med.

AFter a sharp winter when the spring approached and the Sun began to look more chearfully upon the earth, and to shine upon it with a more di­rect ray, I beheld the herbs and flowers which before seemed dead and withered, began now to bud and germinate, and to spring forth, and to look lively, lovely, and amiable; the grass waxed green and the face of the earth was changed, from what it was a few weeks ago; trees leaved, and all seemed to rejoyce at the suns approach, and to answer the springing showers which kindely fell upon them, and those flowers that even now hid their heads, and were buried in the earth, now crept out of their cells, and in their kinde returned praise to their great benefactour, and the winter which seemed to have kil'd them, did but prepare them for their future encrease; this made me consider, if it be thus with poor vege­tables, that are soon sensible of the approach­ing spring, and soon answer the sun beams darting upon them, and the refreshing showers wherewith they are watered, sure­ly it should be so with the soul, when it comes from under the clouds of affliction, and when the sun of righteousness ariseth with [Page 141] healing in his wings; this made me consider mine own condition, whether I had answer­ed the pains and cost which God had be­stowed upon me, whether my affliction which God had laid upon me, the sharp winter, that I had undergone, and the sharp showers I had felt, had wrought such an ef­fect upon me, as the winter and the influ­ences of heaven, had done upon these poor vegetables, viz. made my graces germinate, and break forth, bud and bloom, and bring forth fruit; for I saw whereever life is in the root, it will shew forth it self in the branch­es: oh my soul, thou hast had a long and sharp winter, what effect hath in wrought in thee? thou hast lain in the furnace of affliction, is thy dross consumed; or is it not? I have been under pining sickness, brought to the gates of death, yet hath God said to me, live: I have been threatned with pinching wants, yet more frightned then hurt; and when stript of all, God let me see, that he could make provision, and was able to provide and furnish a table in the wilderness; the barrel of meal wasted not, and the cruse of oyl did not fail; God blessed a little, and it sufficeth; when I was driven from friends and relations, he raised me up friends more true, then many of my relations; and in due time he said to me, as sometime to Jacob, Gen. [...]2.9. return into thy own countrey, [Page 142] and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: sometimes I have been under a cloud, and then again the cloud hath been scattered, and the sun hath broke out again; many have been the dispensations of providences, I have been under: oh my soul, how dost thou answer Gods expectations in these pro­vidences? affliction springs not out of the dust, neither doth trouble rise out of the ground, is there evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? whoever is the instrument God hath a hand in the work, whoever be the rod, it is he that layes it on; it hath a voice and we should hear it? he hath an end, and that is thy reformation; dost thou answer his end? if the rod be removed before the childe be re­formed, either he intends to get a bigger rod, or leaves thee off as incorrigible, which is the sorest judgement. The winter now is past, and the singing of birds is come, the earth and all things therein look lovely; and each vegetable where life is, discovers it: and is it only winter with thee? and doth no fruit appear? God justly may say to thee, as of the fruitless fig-tree, never fruit grow more on thee for ever; if all his labour be lost, and all his expectations frustrated, and all his plowing, sowing, and manuring vain, he will say of thee, as sometimes of his vineyard, what could I have done more for him then I have done? wherefore then when I [Page 143] expected fruit doth he bring forth wilde grapes? canst imagine God will always bear with a barren fruitless tree in his orchard, or an unprofitable, unfaithfull servant in his house, or a hard and stony heart that neither sum­mers sun, nor winters frost can work up­on, neither judgements nor mercies molli­fy? many a year he hath been seeking fruit and findeth none, and yet hath been prevailed with to try thee one year more, but his patience will not long bear with thee: if reformation prevent not, the sen­tence will ere long be past, cut him down why cumbers he the ground? many a time the sun hath shone with a favourable aspect up­on thee, and many a time the dew of hea­ven hath been showred down, many a faithfull skilfull husbandman hath been sent to dress thee, and manure thee, and must Christ when he seeks fruit still meet with disapointments? art thou so hard and rocky, that no furnace will melt thee, nor hammer break thee, or bring the into form meet for his building? then must thou be thrown out amongst the rubbish: Oh my God, this is my condition by nature, but thou canst change my nature, thou hast a furnace will melt me, and bring me into any form, thou hast a hammer can break me, and fit me for thy work: thou canst soften me, and make me pliable, thou canst [Page 144] take away the stony heart, and give me a heart of flesh: Lord, is it not thy promise? make it good to me, blow upon my soul and the graces of thy spirit will bud and break forth; speak the word and my soul shall live; Lord, teach me thy self, and leave me not to the teaching of man, there is no other can reach the heart, they speak only to the ear.

Upon a withering knot of herbs.
30. Med.

WHen I beheld a knot of herbs, mixt with flowers in the garden, in a decaying, withering conditi­on, some part dead, others languishing; and but a few alive and flourishing, I left off weeding, dressing, cutting and manuring them, as those that never were likely to answer my pains, or recompence my labour, but considering there were some living which were likely to be choak­ed with weeds if let alone, and disregar­ded; I transplanted them into better soil, leaving the dead ones to themselves for the fire, or any other use, I mattered them not: I considered then how gastly, and unseemly the place was, when the living herbs were removed, what a confused heap, and worthless piece it was, of no profit, [Page 145] pleasure, or benefit; the thoughts of this strait brought to my minde, that as I had dealt with these withering herbs, and flow­ers, so God oftentimes doth by a wither­ing Church, some of them he takes into his bosome, others he transplants, and findes them a better place, and then roots up the rest, or reserves them for the fire, or some other judgement; perhaps lets them alone a while to bear a place, and perhaps the name of flowers, till at last they are rotten-ripe, and fit for nothing but burn­ing. Thus he preserved Noah for another plot, which he was about to make, when he destroyed the old world, which before was his garden, when the plants were most dead: He removed Lot into another soil, when he rooted up his garden in So­dom, he would not fence a place for so few living herbs, but laid it waste, and burnt it up; he transplanted Abraham from the place of his nativity, and found room by his providence for Isaac and Jacob, whose posterity he transplanted into Egypt, where for a long time they did thrive and pros­per; till in the end overrun with weeds briars and thorns, he transplanted Israel into Canaan, and cast the Egyptians, those dead and worthless plants, those weeds and thorns into the Red-sea: and since that time hath laid waste many a garden, which [Page 146] formerly did flourish, when they withered and decayed; witness the seven famous Churches of Asia, mentioned Rev. 2. and 3. chapters, and suffereth briars and thorns to overrun the places: I considered, that when God removes his own plants either into his bosome, or elsewhere, it is time for the o­ther to look about them, Esay. 57.1. the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and mercifull men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come. When Gods jewels are re­moved, his care of that place is over; when his flowers are gone, he will pluck up his hedge, and throw down his wall, and let it be eaten up and troden down, he will lay it waste, it shall not be pruned nor digged, and there shall come up briars and thorns, and he will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, Esay. 5.5, 6. and how gastly doth that place look which is thus fore-let, and forsaken by God? This consideration made me think, it is time for England to look about them, gray hairs are here and there up­on us, yet we consider it not, Hosea. 7.9. we may see many a withering branch, and dy­ing Christian amongst us, fetching the last gasp, that formerly seemed flourishing, fat, and in good liking; when men employ not their talents well, no wonder if God take from them that which they seemed to have, this [Page 147] is verified in many that have had fresh and fragrant parts, and gifts, and have former­ly excelled others; but these parts are wi­thered for want of use, and the diligent Christian formerly below them, now excels them, and the unprofitable servant is reser­ved for utter darkness, and how ill favour­ed do those look that are thus withered? nay, have we not great cause to fear God is leaving his garden in England, seeing he hath transplanted so many of his choisest flowers into America, and of late hath taken so ma­ny into his own bosome, and there are so few left that really flourish, and so many are on the dying hand, and reall holiness and the power of godliness is so scarce; oh my soul, art not thou one of these dead, or at least withering plants? art thou fal­len from thy first love? where are the love of thy espousals, or these affections, and the zeal manifested in thy younger years? hath thy age encreased thy wisdome? and is that seen in growing more strange with thy God, and more luke-warm in his service? and in having less care of thy soul, and in taking less pains for heaven? time was, thou wast more fresh and flourishing, and like to a green bay-tree, but now thou growest old and dry, and little sap and vigour doth ap­pear; is this the fruit of all the pains God hath bestowed upon thee? is it to make [Page 148] thee more dry and barren? the trees of righte­ousness planted by the rivers of water, should never want fruit nor leaf, yea, should bring forth fruit to old age: yea, thy fruit in age may be expected to be more, and mellow­er, ripened by age, and a more mature judgment; thou hast born the burthen and heat of the day, and wilt thou now quit the vineyard, or cease and slack thy work, when thou shouldst come and receive thy wages? if thou turn back, Gods soul will have no pleasure in thee; if thou put thy hand to the plow, and look back, thou art not fit for the kingdom of heaven, neither will thy righteousness be re­membred: in thy sin thou shalt dye, thou art ready to go off the Stage of the world, and wilt act thy last scene worst, and be hist at in the end: wilt thou lose all the pains that ever thou hast taken in heavens way, and at last remit thy zeal, when thou shouldst double thy diligence? is it not he that holds out to the end that shall be saved? didst thou ever yet repent of any pains thou didst take for heaven? and dost thou think thou shalt ever have cause to repent hereafter? art thou affraid thy reward will be too great, or thy crown of glory too heavy? or that God will love thee too well? or that thou shalt make heaven too sure? if not, why dost thou slack thy pace? dost thou expect a better master, or better work, or better wages? if [Page 149] not, take heed by thy negligence, lest thou force God to put thee out of his service: oh my God, keep my heart upright in thy service, and direct my steps that I turn not aside; keep me from the rage of satan, that I be not captivated by him, he seeks my soul to undo it, and fain would make me lose my reward; Lord, make me faith­full to the death, and then give me a crown of life.

Upon the unknown vertues of many vegetables.
31. Med.

WHen upon the strictest search and scrutiny that I could pos­sibly make, I could not finde out, the na­tures, properties, vertues, operations, ends, and uses of several vegetables, and other sim­ples, nor indeed the full use, vertue, and benefit of any one of them; and I suppose I have cause to think, that the greatest artist in natures garden, cannot do it; nay, if all pretenders to this art should join heart and hand in the work, and combine themselves together, and use their utmost diligence, yet would they fall short of making a per­fect discovery of it, though I know every age makes some further progress in it then the preceding did, yet very many things lie hid from the choisest wits; this made me [Page 150] admire the wisdome of the Creator, that hath made nothing in vain, and hath put such admirable vertues into such despicable weeds, that did we know their worth, we should prize them at a higher rate, that now we despise: and if we cannot finde out the vertues and operation of those things which we are every day conversant with, no won­der if we are ignorant of God, of the Trinity, of the Incarnation of Christ, and those more abstruce points of Religion, more remote from our sences, and above our capacity: he that cannot attain to know the nature of his own soul, no wonder if he be ignorant of the nature of angels: my thoughts up­on this account roved further, and I consi­dered several small seeds, so much resem­bling one another, that my eye could scarce­ly difference them the one from the other, and yet I saw, when those were sown toge­ther in the same plot, nourisht in the same mould, refreshed with the same Sun, and watered with the same showers, they pro­duced plants much differing in nature, co­lour, scent, quantity, quality, vertue, and operations; this made me cry out, the fin­ger of God, that hath put such vertues in so small despicable seeds; it minded me al­so of the Apostles words, God hath given to every seed his own body, 1 Cor. 15.38. whereso­ever these vegetables are sown, planted, or [Page 1] replanted, still the species are continued, nei­ther do they degenerate into another kinde. When I considered that such efficacy and vertue should be virtually included in so small a seed, I thought it matter of admi­ration, yea, that so small a thing, as a nut, or acorn, or the kernel of an apple or pear, should produce so great a tree, of so vast a bulk, as the Oak, the apple-tree, or the pear-tree, this made me to admire the wisdom, power, and providence, of the great God, which Christ himself seems to take notice of in the mustard seed, which being so very small, produceth a plant of such a bigness. that the birds build their nests in the branch­es; this minded me also of the nature of grace and sin, which from small beginnings come to great perfection, and whereever they are they become fruitful; grace proceeds from a grain to a tree, and as a little lea­ven leaveneth the lump, so grace encreaseth till it makes a universal change in the whole man; it makes a man semper idem, always the same: Job upon the throne and upon the dunghill is holy Job still; it brings forth the fruits of the spirit whereever it is planted, Gal, 5.22. but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law; but where sin is, it brings forth the fruits of the flesh, [Page 152] it grows from one degree to another, from a thought to a resolution, thence to action, and at length comes to a habit, and hard it is to be left: Bray a fool (saith Solomon) in a morter, with a pestle like wheat, yet will not his foolishness depart from him, Pro. 27.22. A wolf will have a wolvish nature though his skin be stript over his ears, and his bones be broken, as every seed produceth its own kinde, and not another species, so grace and sin, shew themselves in their production: men gather not grapes of thorns, not figs of thistles; a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit, nor a corrupt tree good fruit; but every tree is known by his fruit: oh my soul, are there secrets in nature that thou understandest not? yea, even in those crea­tures that thou dost dayly converse with? admire the wisdome of the Creator, and see how little beholding thou art to sin, which hath drawn such a vail of ignorance before thy eyes, and wonder not that there are mysteries in spirituals, beyond thy con­ceiving; if thou canst not understand tem­poralls, much less spirituals that are spiritu­ally discerned; the nature of God, of An­gels, and of thy self, lie far more remote from thy understanding. There is many a man that can search natures garden from end to end, that never could search his own heart; many can try their evidence for [Page 153] lands, that know not how to try their ti­tle to heaven; they can finde out the state of their bodies, but know not the state of their souls; but when others study earth, do thou study heaven; the things that are necessary, are attainable: study Christ, and him crucified, this will do thee more good, then if thou couldst with Solomon discourse of all the vegetables from the cedar in Le­banon to the hysop that groweth upon the way; and did men study God and them­selves as much as they did the creature, it would bring in more profit. The knowledg of these things is excellent, but the know­ledge of God, and our selves is necessary; all thy time is little enough for this study; the other must be left to more curious heads, and riper witts; oh my God, suf­fer me not to spend my time in any unne­cessary study that should be spent in seek­ing thee; let me not catch at the shadow, and lose the substance, and hunt so long after curiosities, till I lose my self, and know not which way to return: all my time is little enough to spend in my gene­rall and particular calling; all the water is little enough to run in this channel, and I have none to spare to turn any other mill: let my greatest care be to know God, and my self, the duty I owe him, and the re­lation I stand in to him; and what inte­rest [Page 154] I have in Jesus Christ, Lord, let this be the work of the remaining part of my life.

Upon some despicable weeds, yet usefull.
32. Med.

WHen I saw some poor con­temptible, despicable weeds, that usually grow in the fields, without la­bour, pains or care of man, or are thrown out of the garden with contempt, as not fit to have a being there, but to be trod upon and despised, as not being, neither sweet for savour, nor beautifull to the eye; and yet when I beheld these very weeds gathered, and successfully used, by the greatest artists in physick and surgery, for the curing of great distempers, when the more glorious, gorgeous, and more estee­med vegetables were disregarded, this made me consider, how deceitfull a thing it is to judge by the outward appearance, and that beauty and vertue are not alway linkt to­gether, neither go they hand in hand; many have been deceived when they have pleased their eyes by beauty; the devil ma­ny times baits his hook with a fair woman, and many have been undone by swallowing such a hook: many that have made beau­ty their aim, have been matcht with foul [Page 155] conditions: Samuel that man of God, was deceived by his eye, when he thought Eli­ab, Davids elder brother, had been the Lords annointed, because he had a comely countenance, 1 Sam. 16.6. and it came to pass after they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, surely the Lords anointed is before him; but the Lord said to Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the heighth of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord look­eth on the heart. Many a man under a rus­set coat carries more real worth, more true gentillity, yea, nobillity, then others do under their silks and sattins, velvets, and scarlets; many a worthless piece is drest puppet-like, with paint, and plaister, and ridiculous gewgaws, but could we but see the soul through the gayish dress of the body, it would appear leprous and de­formed, nay, perhaps in the body it self there would appear visible marks of defor­mity, as well as of infirmity; paint and plaister better become a mud-wall, then a marble pillar; true beauty needs no var­nish; nor a diamond needs no painting; spotted faces often cover spotted souls; and their spot is not the spot of Gods people: there are many that like the Cinamon-tree, have the bark better then the body; but it is a [Page 156] fool that buys a horse by the trappings, or chooseth a wife by her gaudy dress; or that esteems the better of himself, or ima­gines that any wise man esteems the better of him, for a fine suit of cloathes; yet there was a disease amongst Christians in the Apostles time, and it is almost epi­demical in our days, to respect the cloathes or outward ornaments of a man, more then his conditions and qualifications, Jam. 2.2, 3. if there come into your assemblies a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile rayment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing, and say unto him, fit thou here, in a good place, and say to the poor man, stand thou here, or sit here under my footstool; are you not then partial in your selves? &c. but however man may disrespect them, God hath chosen the poor, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom: A poor man though wise, yea, though by his wisdome he save the city, yet is not remembred, Eccl. 9.15. this is merces mundi, the worlds wages, many deal by such as men do by a fruit-tree, to which they run in a storm, and when it is done, beat him, and rob him of his fruit: many wise Ministers are heard with scorn, or at least with disregard, till men lie upon their death-bed, and then they are sent unto for counsel, or rather comfort. It is not al­ways [Page 157] those that can speak loudest, that speaks best, but he that speaks wisest; the empty barrel makes the greatest sound: that Sermon [...] not always best that hath most gaudy notions, and rhetorical flourishes, but that which savours most of Christ, and the divine Eloquence of his holy spirit: he is the best preacher that woos for Christ, and not for himself, and would set the crown upon his head, and not his own, it is not the best physitian that speaks most latine, greek, and hebrew, but he that gives the su­rest and safest directions to recover health: it is not the tickling of the fancy, a preach­er should so much minde, as to speak con­vincingly to the conscience: oh my soul, judge not by the outward but the inward qualification, neither cover hypocrisy by a mask of seeming sincerity, for God will ere long pluck off such vizors; slight no man meerly upon the account of poverty, for God thinks never the worse of them; admire no man meerly for his riches, for God thinks never the better of him; this is but to wor­ship a golden calf: the time is coming, that the king must leave his robes behinde him, and the beggar his rags, and it is the in­ward qualifications that must distinguish between the one and the other: Dives and Lazarus when they come to stand on even ground, shall by these be tried, and so must [Page 158] all, by what means or titles soever they have been dignifyed, distinguished or cal­led: it is our works and worth, not our wealth will follow us; whereever t [...]ou seest Christ in any, own him; for God will own him; esteem grace in the soul more then money in the purse, and the robes of righ­teousness above the most costly jewels, a drachm of grace is worth thousands of gold and silver; for thy councellors take the wisest not the wealthiest; for wisdom and wealth many times dwell not together in the same house; esteem that preacher best that speaks home to the heart, and conscience, not him that seeks to tickle the ear and please the fancy, he that woos for Christ and not for himself, and seeks to put the crown upon his head and not his own: e­steem that Sermon best where thou findest most of Christ, and not that which is drest with gaudy notions, and rhetorical flou­rishes, which serve to darken and not il­lustrate the matter, and are as king James was wont to say, like red and blew flowers, fine to look upon, good for little, but pester the corn: a diseased man had rather have medicum sanantem quam eloquentem, one that will rather do well then speak well: oh my God, should I cover my prophanness or hy­pocrisy with the vizor of seeming holiness, thou wilt soon discover it, and unmask me, [Page 159] for thou searchest the heart, and triest the reins, and all things are open and apparent to thee: Lord, give me sincerity, and truth in the inward part, for this is thy gift; make me such as thy own soul delights in; let me not be deceived by my own deceitful heart, nor think to deceive others, for I cannot deceive thy all-seeing eye.

Upon the constant supply the vegetables need.
33. Med.

WHen I seriously considered that these beautiful creatures which now adorn the earth with their flow­ers, and enamel it with their various shapes and colours, and enrich it with their odours, vertues, and operations, yet without a con­stant supply of mans labour, pains and dili­gence, and also of the influences of the heavens, they would soon wither, die, and come to nothing; some of them must be yearly set, or sown, or transplanted, others preserved, both from heat and cold, and all need some manure, care, and pains, weed­ing, watering, fencing, or other cares: this minded me of the condition of all earthy delights or enjoyments, they must be renew­ed, or they will soon vanish; all things by sin are become subject to decay; there is a vicissitude of earthly comforts, and a con­stant [Page 160] change: Mans life cannot be preserved without food, and physick, and other neces­saries, the four Elements, fire, air, earth, and water, are so necessary that if e [...]her be denied, mans life is at an end: the houses we dwell in must be repaired, or they will soon come to ruine, and fall about our ears. The most famous fabricks that ever the Sun saw, are come to ruine. The Piramides of Egypt, the walls of Carthage, the tomb of Mansolus; or if there were any thing more famous or more durable, yet time hath con­sumed, and brought it to a ruinous heap; the most impregnable castle, the most invin­cible strong-hold, if not repaired by labour and industry, time levels with the ground: we cannot say now of our garments, as Moses of Israels cloaths, Deut. 8.4. thy ray­ment waxed not old, neither did thy foot swell this forty years; it was not the worse for the wearing; but as some imagine, probably it grew as their bodies did, they needed not to trouble themselves with anxious thoughts, what to eat, or what to drink, or where­with to be cloathed; God brought them food to their tent-doors, and provided ray­ment without their care or pains, but with us all such comforts must be renewed with care and diligence, with a care of the head, though not of the heart, or they will quick­ly be gone: this consideration made me [Page 161] think what a great deal of confusion sin had brought into the world, and subjected all things to vanity, and vexation of spirit: e­very thing (saith Solomon) is full of labour, for as it brought death into the world, so like­wise all other miseries; had it not been for sin we had never had aking head, or aking heart, or loss, or cross, or any thing to molest us; and now every thing becomes a trouble; man is born to trouble (saith Job) as the sparks fly upwards; yet alass, how doth the world bewitch men, that they had ra­ther be drudges, and savages here, and moil and toil, and cark and care, and live as it were in a dungeon, and work as in the ve­ry fire, then die and come to God; this they make their portion, this is their delight, and all that they care for; they sell their ease, their pleasure, and their very souls: oh earth, how dost thou bewitch us! O satan, how dost thou infatuate us! oh heart, how dost thou deceive us! what dis­appointments doth foolish men meet with here, and yet will take no warning? we never did finde content, and yet we are always promising our selves happinesse here, where never any yet could finde it: alass, what proportion is there be­tween a piece of gold, and an immortal soul? Oh my soul, canst thou love this sin which hath brought all this misery and confusion [Page 162] into the world? canst thou hug this viper in thy bosome which will sting thee to e­ternal death, if not kil'd and mortified? and canst thou place thy happiness in these vanishing perishing and withering vanities? will these serve thy turn, or boot thy needs, or make thee happy? can they pay thy debts, or save thy soul? alass, they can­not, they cannot procure thee one days respite out of hell, or one days freedome from sickness, or from death; they can­not give thee any satisfaction here, for con­tent grows not in the worlds garden; there are indeed joys worth having, pleasures worth minding, and riches worth labour­ing for, happiness that shall never have an end, that are not subject to changes, nor vicissitudes, as earthly enjoyments are, but they are to be sought for above, in the enjoyment of God, in whose presence alone true happiness dwells: The happiness the world promiseth are meer delusions, a lit­tle honey, and many stings, a little bitter sweet pleasures, that perisheth ere it bud; in the midst of laughter, the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heaviness; their joy is but like the crackling of thorns un­der a pot, soon in, soon out; if thou wilt trade, let it be in a surer commodity, and not with the merchant, have, fortunam ru­dentibus aptam, thy estate depending winde [Page 163] and weather; if thou wilt be planting, let it be in a better soil, and not where thorns and thistles are like to be thy reward; there is a treasure to be had, a pearl of great price to be bought, Mat. 13.44, 45. whosoever deals in these cannot lose by them; in comparison of which, pearls and diamonds and precious rubies, are not to be named; these are they that make the soul rich, all other riches doth it no good, this makes it rich to God, and lovely, comely, amiable in his sight; oh my God, give me this treasure, and it sufficeth, though I have nothing else; all other things I can spare, Christ I cannot spare; he is the breath of my life, and the life of my soul: let the world take their portion; alass, it is a miserable portion, I envy them not; but Lord, put me not off with such pittifull poor things; let me have an inte­rest in Christ, and communion with him, let me lie for ever in his bosome, and let the enjoyment of him be my portion; let me be an inhabitant in the city of pearl, where no dirty dog shall tread, upon the pavement, my heart pants after this, as the chased hart after the water-brooks, when Lord shall I come and appear before thee, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Upon the sudden withering of flowers.
34. Med.

WHen I beheld the beauty, splendour and glory of se­veral herbs and flowers, and other vegeta­bles, when they were in their pride, and in their prime, and invited all eyes to be­hold them, and to do them homage, and when I considered withall, how short-lived they were, how soon they withered, va­nished, and perished, and their glory pas­sed away, and came to nothing, I thought this was a fit embleme to set forth humane frailty, and the worlds glory by; for both are transitory and vain; for man himself who is Lord of these flowers, he soon fades, and is withered, as a flower, yea, many times in the flower of his age; how fre­quently doth the Scripture compare man to the grass, and to the flower of the field, which this day flourisheth, and to morrow fadeth; their glorious beauty is as a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer, &c. Esay. 28.1, 4. all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass, the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth away, 1 Pet. 1.24. man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble; he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down, he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not, Job. [Page 165] 14.1, 2. Now they are fresh and flourish­ing, and sudenly they decline: now in the heigth of youthfull vanity, and sudenly they pass away, and the place that knew them, shall know them no more: if they live, cares and fears, sickness and old age succeed, of which they are forc't to say, they have no pleasure in them; death it self many times calls men off the stage, when they think they have but begun to act their parts, and puts an exit to them, and their work is done, and their part ended. But suppose life were more certain, yet our earthly en­joyments and our happiness here are tran­sitory and vain, and all the felicity the world brags of, is but a meer fancy, and a very cheat, at the best: it is but a mix­ture of sweet and sowr, a little honey and a great deal of gall, and the end of that mirth is heaviness; if the happiness be such what is the misery? man himself is but a bub­ble, how great soever he may seem, and with what titles soever he be dignified, and soon shall he be prickt by death, and the winde let out, and then a great bubble, and a little one cannot be distinguished, and all the pleasures which vain man takes in, all his youthful follies, is but like a bush of thorns, and wisp of straw on fire, make a sudden blaze, and is forthwith extin­guished; they make a noise for a while, [Page 166] and then vanish into smoak: youthfull pleasures are soon over, and carking care treads out their steps, and old age makes them forgotten; youth is like young lambs, they leap and frisk awhile, while they have the dug to run to when they are hun­gry, but when they are once weaned, and set to shift for themselves, the sport is o­ver; so youth under their parents provi­dence, minde their sports, but when once at their own provision, cares and pains, spoil the mirth, and make it little minded: The world also frowns and smiles upon the same man, many times the same day, and useth him as a tennisball, now lifts him up, and sudenly casts him down, raiseth him to the top of honour, and then plungeth him into the gulph of disgrace; Now it shews him abundance of riches, and then pincheth him with extremity of poverty; now it mixeth him a cup with pleasure, and presently fills it with gall and worm­wood; that which the world calls pleasures and for which so many sell their souls, are but like those of the drunkard, that last but while he is swallowing the drink, and then succeeds belchings, and vomit­ings, sickness and sorrow, wallowing in the mire, and such like; or like that of the adulterer, which is often attended with pains, aches, rottenness, filthy diseases, not [Page 167] fit to be named, and death it self, and indeed these two beastly sins have much of that which the world calls pleasure, but the effects shew it is wrong named; sick­ness succeeds health, and deformity beau­ty, sorrow treads upon the heels of plea­sure, and adversity follows prosperity, and there is a vicissitude and change in all humane affairs; he is a stranger in the world, that knows not these things: Da­vid tells us, Psal. 37 35. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree, yet he passed away, and lo he was not, yea, I sought him, but he could not be found, whether he have reference to Saul and his family, I know not, yet in the next generation, how was his family, and bloudy house, (as God calls it 2 Sam. 21.1.) strange­ly rooted out: oh my soul, are all these things so vain and transitory, what is the reason then that thou lets out thy affections so much upon them, and concernest thy self so much above them, and spendest thy money for that which is not bread, and thy la­bour for that which satisfieth not, and moilest and toylest, and carkest, and carest for them, in the neglect of more necessary concerns; why art thou so taken with them when thy business succeeds, and when thy perish­ing goard prospers? and why art thou so troubled when it withers? why art thou so [Page 168] affected with the worlds smiles, and knows that Syren-like, when most she fawns, she most intends a wrack? why art thou so troubled at a cross providence, as if thy happiness did consist in these enjoyments, and in the mean while, when thou hast crosses and losses in thy spiritual state, and nothing there pros­pers, thou layest it not to heart? when God withholds the rain from the ground thou art affected, when he withholds the dew of heaven from thy soul thou regardest it not, why art thou so good a husband for thy body, and so bad for thy soul? is not the soul of greater concernment? Do these outward things really go to the making up of thy happiness, or is not the maintaining of com­munion with God, of much greater concern­ment? if thou losest a days work in the field thou art troubled, but hast thou not lost many a days work in the congregation, and heard many a Sermon, and madst little use of it? and is this nothing to thee? oh my God, this bewitching world, this crafty de­vil, and this deceitful heart of mine, hath conspired my ruine, and without thy assist­ance will accomplish it; oh my folly! that I should so affect what I know to be vain, and transitory, and to signify nothing to my eternal happiness: Lord, wean me from the world, and engage my affections to thy self, give me an understanding heart, [Page 169] that I may expect no more from the world then it can perform, nor spend no more time upon it then it will recompense me for; and though the world must have my head, and my hands, Lord, keep my heart disengaged, let me lodge none there but my husband Christ.

Upon the sympathy and antipathy of vegetables.
35. Med.

WHen I considered the sympa­thy, and antipathy that is observed to be between some vegetables which the Naturalists treat of, and the Philosophers call occulta qualitatis, for which no reason can be given, when some had rather die then live and grow together, and others never thrive well excepte they are planted near one to the other: the like antipathy we may observe among sensitive creatures, where one kinde seeks the de­struction of another, and others love and delight each in other; nay, something of this may be seen where is neither life nor sence, as in fire and water, and the strange simpathy between the loadstone and the iron, between the jet and the straw, &c. This consideration minded me of the strange antipathy between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, mentioned [Page 170] Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; I considered also, of the sympathy between Gods own people, the former is lively ex­pressed, by the antipathy that Naturalists observe to be in the Panther to a man, that bears such a perfect hatred to him, that he will race out his image, if he see it upon a wall: In wicked men, there is so perfect a hatred to God, that they will, if they can possibly, race out the very image of God, whereever they see it: They hate every thing that God loves, love every thing that he hates; they hate every thing that is like him, and that for this very reason because it is like him; now no reason can be given of this, why they should hate this God, who is good­ness it self, who is also their creator, and their great benefactor, from whom they have their life, and breath, and be­ing, their food, and rayment, their limbs, and sences, their health and strength, their peace and plenty, without whom they can­not speak, nor stir, nor live a moment, and yet this is the case of all wicked men on earth, however cross each to other, in their principles, and contrary in their dis­positions, if they agree in nothing else, yet they agree in this, to oppose the power of godliness; Herod and Pilate can both con­sent [Page 171] that innocent Christ shall be put to death; though wicked men like snarling dogs, are worrying one another, yet joyn against the trembling hare; so though they worry each other, yet all agree against an holy man; let a godly man be of never so pleasing a disposition, and winning car­riage, never so open-hearted, and open-han­ded, yet this one ingredient holiness spoils all in the worlds account, and renders him hatefull and contemptible in their eyes, and the grossest drunkard, swearer, and adulte­rer shall be preferred before him; Christ himself, though never man spake like him, and no guile was found in his mouth, yet a se­ditious murderer, Barrabbas was preferred before him; oh the degenerate estate of poor man, whither art thou fallen? is the chiefest good become the object of thy chie­fest hatred? and is holiness wherein thou wast created, and which is Gods image, without which thou canst never be saved, become thy scorn, and more contemptible then the image of the devil? is the devil become the better Master? and is his work the better work? and will also his wages be the better wages? well, praise in the parting; the time is coming, thy judgment will be altered, and thou wilt be glad to eat those words, that now thou speakest against the power of godliness: I know all men are not actually [Page 172] persecutors, but no thanks to them; they have the same nature, and have an aking tooth against holiness, but for the preserva­tion of his people, the Lord restrains them; thus he did Abimelech, Gen. 20.6. I with­held thee from sinning against me, therefore suf­fered I not thee to touch her; and Laban, God said unto him, take heed that thou speak not un­to Jacob either good or bad, Gen. 31.24. viz. neither by flattery, nor force, by allurement, or affrightment, to bring him back; God spake for him in the heart of his enemy. The sympathy also that is amongst the chil­dren of God, was minded by me, they are sons of the same father, and heirs of the same inheritance, and therefore should be kindly affectioned one to another, Rom. 12.10. arctior est copula cordis quam corporis, they are brethren in Adam, according to the flesh, and brethren in Christ according to the spirit; they rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, and weep with them that weep, Rom. 12.15. cum plangentibus plango, saith Cyprian, cum de­flentibus defleo; this is that brotherly love which the Apostle bids to continue, Heb. 13.1. the communion with God, and the communion of Saints is heaven upon earth; believers are members of the mystical body of Christ, and it is with believers as with members in the natural body, they have the same care one for another; if one suffer, all suffer; and if one [Page 173] be honoured, all rejoyce; 1 Cor. 12.25, 26. they are like lute-strings, if one be strucken, all the rest sound; but more clear this sympa­thy would be, if it were not for the re­maining corruption that is in us; oh my soul, dost thou meet with hardship in the world, wonder not at it, thou art in an ene­mies Countrey, the world will love her own, but never loved Christ, nor any of his: hast thou broke satans prison, no won­der if there be hue and cry sent after thee, to bring thee back; the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent did never yet a­gree; Christ hath told thee, in the world thou shalt have tribulation, yet be of good com­fort, he hath overcome the world: this world is the Saints purgatory, not paradice; and why shouldst thou expect pleasure, it is like the straights of Magellan, where it is obser­ved, which way soever a man bends his course out, the winde will be against him; it is an own mother to the wicked, but a step-mo-to the godly, and will starve them if their father lookt not to them; the godly and the wicked fight under two captains, the one under the banner of Christ, the other under the devils standard, and therefore there is no hopes of reconciliation; fire and water are not more contrary, then Christ and Belial; oh my soul, manifest thy self the seed of the woman, not by making peace, [Page 174] but by maintaining war with Christs ene­mies, and by sympathizing with his chil­dren; mourn with those that mourn, and rejoyce with those that rejoyce, and be like affectioned one to another: like the members of the same bo­dy; when one is distempered, the other suf­fers; when one stands in need, all the rest yield their help and assistance. Oh my God, is there such an antipathy in the hearts of wicked men against thine image in the hearts of thy people? what cause have we to ad­mire thy patience that sufferest such enemies to live upon the face of the earth, and fee­dest, and maintainest them at thy own cost and charge, and what cause have I to admire that thou bearest with me so long, when I was in that relation, and what cause have we to admire thy wisdom, and power in preserving a handful of thy people, like lambs, in the midst of numerous wolves, that seek their destruction, when for ought we know there are hundreds to one against them, that vow their destruction: Lord, let me mani­fest my self to be thine, by my antipathy to sin, and the works of darkness, and my sympathy with the godly those children of light.

Upon the Marigold and other flowers.
36. Med.

WHen I considered the marigold and sundry other flowers in the garden, that closed in the evening and opened in the morning, and all the day turned their heads according to the course of the sun, as if they scorned any other beau­ty, and would admit of no other suitor, and as if no temptation could divert them from their beloved, from whom they recei­ved their life and being, and in the winter when the sun is remote, they bury them­selves in the ground, and disappear: I thought this much resembles a Christian, when he acts like a Christian, and is a fit embleme of grace in the soul; for a graci­ous soul as he scorns to make love to any other but God, so he scorns that proffered love that others make to it, or to entertain any in competition with Christ, from whom he receiveth life, and breath, and being: In all a gracious man doth, Christ is in his eye, and if he can please him, he matters not who is offended, his eye is always upon Christ, as these flowers have their eye upon their beloved sun; his heart runs out to him, and scorns to open to any other; when God is present, the heart is expatiated; when ab­sent, it is contracted, he retires himself then [Page 176] into himself, and thinks there is no compa­ny worth having; he depends upon him as a childe doth upon his fathers providence, and fears not want, so long as there is bread enough in his fathers house: and as he draws out all from God, so he draws out all for God, and for his service; heart, and hand, and tongue, and all shall be employed for him; there is not a dram of love in the heart, but it shall run in this channel, he shall have it; if he have a tongue to speak, it shall speak for God; if a hand to act, it shall act for him; and all he can do, seems too little for him; a gracious soul that is espoused to Christ behaves her self like a chast wife to her beloved husband. When suitors come to wooe for her affections, they shall have a peremptory deniall; my affecti­ons are set already, I cannot, I will not re­move them; my vows are upon me, I can­not yeild; I have devoted my self to my husband, and will not prove false; and it is her trouble she is forced to hear such soli­citations, and temptations: it is so with the soul, she repels with disdain the temptations and allurements laid before her; the devil knocks by his temptations, she will not an­swer, the world knocks, she will not open; riches, honours, friends and favourites can­not prevail: such a spirit was in Jerome, though my father (saith he) lay upon his knees [Page 177] before me; and my mother hanged about my neck, and my brethren and sisters lay in my way, to keep me from Christ, I would throw off my father, tread upon my mother, run over my brethren and sisters, to come to Christ, when he calls me: a believer is semper idem, always the same, whether with David upon the throne, or with Job upon the dunghill, or with Jere­my in the stocks, he will still keep his inte­grity, as these flowers do, whereever plan­ted, in field or garden; however honoured, or despised, no other benefactour shall be owned, but the sun: when the hypocrite is like the planet Mercury, good in a good conjunction, and bad with a bad; a gracious heart is like Lot, good in Sodom, temperate amidst the intemperate; or like Noah, upright in a sinful world; or like Joseph, holy in a sinful Egypt, like the needle in the compass, always pointing the same way, and never settles in a wrong point, however disturbed by a jog of temptation, like clear water in a glass, which remains clear after all the shaking, when the hypocrite hath mud in the bottom, which is discovered by the stir­ring; oh my soul, is it thus with thee? art thou as faithful to this sun of righteousness as these poor flowers are to their beloved, that will admit neither moon nor stars, nor any other lover to have any room in their affections, nor any favour in their eye, nor [Page 178] one pleasing look or cast of their head, dost thou point right for heaven, and can no jog of temptation divert thee, or make thee set­tle in a wrong point? If so, how comes it to pass, that thou art so much taken with the worlds glory, that not only thy eyes, but thy heart goes after it? why art thou so bewitched with her smiles, and so cast down with her frowns? why hast thou so few serious thoughts of God, and so few glimps of him, even in the ordinances? were thy heart in order, thou wouldst al­ways have Christ in thine eye, both in thy heavenly and earthly imployments, and wouldst soon be sensible when the sun of righteousness was either clouded, ecclypsed, or set upon thee; as these flowers are in the like case; if thou art why dost thou not mourn and hang the head in his ab­sence as they do in the like case? they will another day rise up against thee and con­demn thee, as being more faithful to their benefactour, then thou art to thy husband; oh my God, I am sensible of my guilt, and the faithfulness of these flowers shames me, for my unfaithfulness; they have but a natu­ral instinct to incline them to their benefa­ctor, and own him, but I have reason and Scripture, yea, my vows are upon me, and engage me to my husband Christ; Lord, divert my affections from the world, which [Page 179] doth but flatter me; to deceive me, incline my heart to Christ that would save me and make me happy; let neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature be able to se­parate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord, nor rend me out of his arms, nor draw my affections from him.

Upon a rose among thorns.
37. Med.

WHen I beheld and considered, how the rose grew and flou­rished, and came to perfection amongst the thorns and prickles that surrounded it, and was not hurt, but rather defended by them, and kept and preserved from their other e­nemies, I thought it represented the Church here in the world; for as here, there are a thousand prickles for one rose, and yet this rose is preserved; so in the world, it may probably be conjectured, there are a thousand wicked men, which are compared to thorns, for one that is godly; the Church in her militant condition, while she is in the world, is compared to the lilly among the thorns, Con. 2.2. as the lilly among the thorns (saith Christ) so is my love among the daughters: these are indeed as the Gibionits, pricks in their eyes, [Page 180] and thorns in their sides: yet not altogether useless: wicked men are called briars, Micah. 7.4. the best of them is a briar, and the most upright sharper then a thorny hedge; and God threatens to fold them together as thorns, and burn them as dry stubble, Nahum. 1.10. Isay. 27.4. but these briars are not useless, he hedges us about with them, that he may keep us in compass; he pricks us with these thorns, that he may let out ill humours; and happy thorns to us, if they open a vein for sin to gush out: his house of correction is his school of instruction, Psal. 94.12. whe­ther the rose in the creation, was thus guar­ded and fenced, I know not; some think these thorns also are a fruit of the curse, yet sure I am, before the fall the Church was not pestered with such thorns as now it is: man before the fall had not the nature and property of thorns; but as thorns by Gods providence are made serviceable for the de­fence of better fruit, so the wicked often prove serviceable to the Church, and a de­fence to better men; but no thank to them, but to the overruling providence of God, God preserves his people from their rage, and makes them dwell safe by them, as lambs among wolves, and not only so, but makes one wolf to defend them from another, or sets one wolf to worry another; while the lambs escape: the Gibionites [Page 181] though briars and thorns, were yet use­full to Israel, and the earth helpt the woman, and swallowed up the flouds which the dragon cast out of his mouth after her, Rev. 12.16. As the Persians and others, drink up the floud, which the Turk at this day threat­ens to overwhelm all Christendome with: The Philistins though briars and thorns, are a defence to David, when he was per­secuted by Saul, and in a great strait, being compassed round about by Sauls army; in that nick of time they invaded the land, and Saul and his army drew back, 2 Sam. 23.27. wicked Pharaoh gave entertainment to Jacob, and his family, and made provi­sion for them in the seaven years famine; and David and his fellows were promoted by a wicked man: so was Mordicai and the Jewes; and the Barbarians shewed Paul no little kindness, Acts. 28.2. and some­times the sheep finde shelter under a thor­ny hedge, yet the nature of wicked men is not to do good but to rent and tear; but God alters their nature, at least restrain­eth their rage, for his peoples sake. The Church of God is as a bush burning, but not consumed; for when potent Princes have sought their destruction, God hath frustra­ted their designes; sometimes by setting the dogs to worry one another, the poor hare escapes; so Geball and Ammon, and the in­habitants [Page 182] of Mount Seir, destroy each other, when they had decreed to destroy Israel, 2 Chron. 20.23. and the counsell could not agree against Paul, Act. 23.7. God main­taineth Noah against a world of wicked men, and Lot in the midst of Sodom, and Israel in Egypt, and Mordicai against Haman, and all his enemys; and oft gives them favour in the eyes of those, that were they not restrained, would become their mortall enemies, and their bloudy persecu­tors; God turning those thorns which would devour them, into a defence for them, and into a hedge for his peoples security: Oh my soul admire the providence and wisdome of God, that can bring light out of darkness, order out of confusion, good out of evill, and can turn a curse into a blessing, and make his Churches enemies to become their friends: thou wast one of those thorns, and thy nature was as bad, and if God hath taken thee off the stock of nature, and planted thee in that choise vine, bless his name, it was no thanks to thee; If now thou art a rose though en­compassed by a thousand thorns, he will defend thee; If thy ways please God, thy e­nemies themselves shall be at peace with thee, Pro. 16.7. sin is the only make-bate between God, and the soul, and if God have a con­troversy with the sinner, all the creatures [Page 183] are presently up in arms to bring in the rebel, and wait but for a commission to take away his life; but if God be reconci­led to thee, no enemy can hurt thee; no weapon formed against his Church shall ever pros­per, Esay. 54.17. When Jacob had made his peace with God, neither Laban nor Esau could quarrel with him, though it is thought both came forth with murderous intentions; a godly man shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beast of the field shall be at peace with him, Job. 5.23. fear not little flock, (saith Christ) it is your fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdome, and it is better be of the little number of roses, then the great number of thorns: it is better be with Noah in the ark, then with the whole world in the flood, and to go to heaven alone, then to hell with com­pany; if thou art a rose, ere long thou shalt be put into Christs bosome; if thou art a thorn, ere long thou shalt be cast into the fire; oh my God, I am wilde by nature, if grapes grow on thorns, or figs on thistles, it is thy doing to alter the stock, and trans­plant it: if I be a thorn, Lord, change my nature: if I be a rose, Lord preserve me in the midst of mine enemies, till I come to maturity, and then lodge me in thy own bosome.

Upon a bed of Camomile trampled upon.
38. Med.

OBserving a bed of Camomile, that had been trod and tramp­led upon, and abused by other violence, how it was yet fresh and flourishing, green, and fragrant, and seemed to me to spread the more, and grow the better, and was fresh and well-liking, I thought it much resembled the Church under affliction, which is often trampled upon by the feet of pride, and often in the furnace of af­fliction, under hard pressures, and great calamities, and yet is in a growing condi­tion, nay, never grows better then in affli­ction, and under a suffering condition; and though lying among the pots, is yet black, but comely: In persecuting times they grow best, and thrive most; In times of prosperity they are apt to forget their ma­ker, and with Jesurun, to wax fat and kick, and lift up the heel against him; but in adversity they seek him early: in prosperity they are like young mulets, when they have sucked matrem calcibus petivit, they kick the dug that nourishes them, so they for­get the God that feeds them; fulness breeds forgetfulness, yea, wontonness: the most poisonous flies are bred in the sweetest fruits: As Salvian in his time observes, prosperi­ty [Page 185] was the Churches bane; there are many with the full fed hawk, forget their Master, and are like the moon at the full, furthest from the sun, and most like to suffer an ecclipse; when they are at ease, like wan­ton cattle, they push each other; but when the dogs bark the sheep run together: Is­rael in Egypt under their hard task-masters did encrease and multiply, and of seventy two, in a few ages come to be six hundred thousand fighting men; but when they were freed from this bondage, and were in the wilderness, they murmured against God, and of all those in the space of forty years, but only two remained alive, and many died by an untimely death: In the primitive times, never any people under the sun met with more opposition, and all the means the devil and his instruments could invent, were used to destroy them, as you may reade at large in the history of the ten bloudy persecutions, and yet the blood of the Martyrs proved the seed of the Church, and the more they were opposed the faster they encreased; as it is said of the Palm-tree, the more it is pressed down, the more it ariseth, so may it truly be said of the Church, or as some say of the walnut-tree, the more it is beaten, the more fruit it bears, so it is with many Christians, It is good, (saith David) that I was afflicted, before I was af­flicted [Page 186] I went astray, but now I learn to keep thy commandments. In Athanasius time the Church was at a low ebb, the Arian heresy had o­verrun, and overspred the face of Christen­dom, and the orthodox party were under a cruel persecution, more cruel (say some) then any was under the heathen Empe­rours, yet all the darkness of hell, could not put out the light that then remained, but it still gathered strength till the clouds were scattered, and the sun broke forth a­gain in his strength: In Luthers days the Pope, and all the smoke that ascends out of the bottomless pit, yea, all the powers of darkness, could not put out the spark that was then kindled, nor all the flouds the dragon powred out of his mouth quench it: In Queen Marys days, fire and faggot could not quench the light of the Gospel, and to this day the more it is opposed, the more it prospers, yea, particular Christians may finde persecuting times to be the most growing seasons; however by this winde of persecution, much chaff is blown away, and in the furnace much dross discovered, and reprobate silver, yea, the good wheat is thereby cleansed, and the gold purified. It was good for me (saith David) that I was afflicted; it is good for a man (saith the lamenting Church) to bear the yoak in his youth, Lam. 3.27, oh my soul, thou hast [Page 187] been long in the furnace of affliction, what benefit dost thou finde? is thy dross consu­med, and thy corruption wasted? or is the bellows burnt, the lead consumed? and hath the founder melted in vain? (as God complains) Jer. 6.29. thou hast been oft fanned, what chaff is driven away? thou hast been tramp­led upon with the camomile, dost thou grow and spread the better? pressed down with the Palm-tree, dost thou rise the high­er? beaten with the Walnut-tree, dost thou bear the more? what account canst thou give of all the afflictions that God hath laid upon thee? if none, why may not God give thee up as incorrigible? like those, Jer. 2.30. in vain have I smitten your chil­dren, they received no correction, Esay. 1.5. why should you be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: think it not strange if God lay on heavier strokes where others will not serve, and give stronger physick where gentler will not work; David must be banished, Job deprived of all, Joseph wrongfully cast into prison, Jeremy in the dungeon, Paul and Silas in the stocks, and the Martyrs be brought to the stake, these are the pills which our heavenly father prescribed to them, for the purging out of gross humours, and restoring their health, and what wonder if he prescribe any, or all of these to thee, who aboundest with [Page 188] these humours more then they? many a pill thou hast had, and little fruit appears; well maist thou fear, he will either pu­nish thee seven times more, or leave thee off as incorrigible: oh my God, with corre­ction give instruction, or it will not work; speak that to the heart, that thou speakest to the ear, or other sences; thou art the only phisitian of souls, and all others are physitians of no value; thou knowest the disease, and how to cure it; thou canst prescribe the physick, and make it effectu­al; Lord, be my physitian, and leave me not over to any other; let me not mur­mure at any of thy prescriptions, and let not any pill be in vain, nor any twig of thy rod useless.

Upon receiving in of the fruits.
39. Med.

AT the end of the year, when I received in the crop, the fruits of the earth, for which I had la­boured, and for which I had long waited; I began to consider, what a poor reward this is for all my labour, if I must expect no more; and what a sad condition poor labouring men are in, that moil, and toil, and cark and care, and have much ado for bread to eat, and cloaths to put on; and [Page 189] this is their all, yea, they run in arrears to God for this also, and are like to be cast into prison for ever; and yet we may see the folly of the most, they take no care for any other riches, but frame to them­selves a poor pittifull happiness, in these, and are never like to have any pleasure here, or hereafter, but what they fancy to them­selves in some sinfull vanity: the receiving in of these fruits of the earth as the reward of my labour, put me in minde of the re­ward which believers shall receive at the last day, at the hand of God, for all the la­bour, toil and trouble, they have had, which will be a better recompense then the earth can give the husbandman for his pains: let us not then be weary of well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not, Gal. 6.9. he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting, ver. 8. he that cares only to feather his nest, store up riches, fit the back, and fill the belly, and lets the soul sink or swim, he is like to have a miserable harvest, but they that sow in tears shall reap in joy; he that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him, Psal. 126.5, 6. Be patient therefore brethren (saith the Apostle) till the coming of the Lord, behold the husbandman [Page 190] waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth, and hath long patience for it, till he receiveth the early and the latter rain; be you also patient, stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, Jam. 5.7, 8. Now believers sow the seed, and water it with their tears, but it is not long before the reward comes; behold I come quickly (saith Christ) and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be, Rev. 22.12. hold out faith and patience (saith the Martyr) your work will presently be at an end; hope holds up the husbandmans heart, and may much more the Christians: these things also put me in minde of the great harvest, at the end of the world, when the great husband­man shall send out his servants, the angels, to reap down his field, and gather in his corn, Mat. 13.38. the field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, the tares are the children of the wicked one, the ene­my that sows them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, the reapers are the angels, as therefore the tares are gathered together, and burnt in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world: the day is coming that all shall be brought to judgment, and the precious shall be seperated from the vile, the good corn shall be brought into the barn, but the tares are reserved for the fire; the tares and the wheat may grow together in one field, but [Page 191] shall never lodge together in the same barn, for as the tares cannot well be weeded out, which in the blade (some say) much resem­ble the wheat, and is hardly known, till the fruit appears, so though God can dis­cern the hypocrite from the sincere, yet hy­pocrisy may be spun with so fine a thread, that the best discerning Christian can hard­ly do it; but the time is coming, the angels shall know them, and they are not to go into the same garner, they must be bundled up for the fire, when the wheat must be brought into Gods barn: oh my soul, what seed hast thou sown against that harvest? hast thou sown to the flesh, then of the flesh thou wilt reap corruption? if to the spirit, thou wilt of the spirit reap life ever­lasting? what grain art thou? art thou wheat, or tares? then maist thou know whether thou art to go to the fire or into the garner? rest not satisfied till thou know that thou art wheat, and neither with the tares bring forth bad fruit, nor with the chaff fly away with the winde; it is not enough to have a flourishing blade, so the stony ground had, and yet came to nothing: it is not enough to make a profession of religion, so the foo­lish virgins did, they had lamps, but no oyl, a profession but no grace; it is not enough to have talents, but thou must improve them, or thou wilt be sentenced to outer darkness; [Page 192] it is not enough to grow in the same field, be manured by the same hand, heated by the same sun, and watered with the same show­ers; thus the tares were, but there must be good feed, well-rooted, springing up, and bearing fruit in thy heart; thou maist live under the same Minister, enjoy the same ordinance with the wheat, and yet still be but a tare; oh my God, discover my self to my self, and let me not be deceived by a cunning devil, and a deceitful heart; if I be a tare, Lord, let me know it ere it be too late, that I may sow better seed in my field, that I may be gathered into thy barn, and not be bundled up with the tares for the fire: let my heart bring forth good fruit fit for the basket, good wheat fit for thy barn, solid wheat that may not be blown away with the winde, and much fruit that I may glorify thy name: let me not sow to the flesh, but to the spirit, that I may not reap corruption but life everlasting; let me not be deceived in so great a business as the salvation of my soul.

Upon the beating out of the seed.
40. Med.

WHen I had gathered in the seed, and the fruits of the earth, my next work was to make a sepa­ration, [Page 193] the good from the bad, for though some separation was already made, and the weeds, and other trash, were cast out, and left behinde, yet still there were stalks, and husks, and chaff adhering to it; to this end I threshed, rubbed, pounded or beat it out, according as I saw occasion; for I saw it would not out without some violence, and that which was most stubborn, and gave most resistance, received most blows, till at length my end was obtained, and the separation made; this put me in minde of the necessi­ty of affliction, how needful it was for the soul, which is pestered more with chaff and rubbish, then any corn can be; though now (saith the Apostle) for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations, &c. 1 Pet. 1.6. when the heart grows too light, God makes it heavy with manifold temptations, physick sometimes is as neces­sary as food, and conduceth more to our health, the soul hath as much need of threshing and winnowing as the corn; Solo­mon tels us Pro. 22.15. foolishness is bound up in the heart of a childe, but the rod of correction will fetch it away: old Ely, for want of this brought up his sons, to bring down his house; a lesson set on with whipping, is best remembred: now this is true of men, as well as children, for corruption, and fol­ly remains in them also, till God fetch it [Page 194] out; sanctified affliction is the way to con­sume it: It was good for me (saith David) that I was afflicted, before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I learn to keep thy Commandments: Gods rod as well as his staff, comforted him, Psal. 23.4. as corn must be threshed, win­nowed, ground, and baked, before it is fit for use, or good for food, so by affliction men are fitted for Gods service here, and for glory hereafter, yet as some corn requires not so much threshing as others doth, yet all must have some, so some men need not so much affliction as others, though some be necessary, but he that gives man under­standing in the one, best knows what is ne­cessary for the other, Isay. 28.24. doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground, when he hath made plain the face thereof? doth he not cast abroad the fetches, and scatter the cummin, and the appointed barly and rye in their place? for his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him, for the fetches are not threshed with a threshing-instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin, but the fetches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod, bread-corn is bruised, &c. he that gives man wisdom, shall not he understand? the great husbandman that instructs others, will not lay on more stroaks, or heavier, then needs must; the goldsmith suffers not his gold to lie in the furnace one hour longer then [Page 195] is requisite; God observes when his work is done upon Mount-Zion, and then will punish the stout heart of the King of Assiria, Esay. 10.12. we are apt to be playing in the dust, and minde not our fathers house, and till we are frightned, or beaten, we shall not return home, but minde our sport: the prodigal mindes not his father, while he had any thing left to eat: oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives at ease in his possession, and hath nothing to vex him, but hath prosperity in all things, Ecclus. 41.1. physick (as I said) is sometimes as necessary as food, and sickness as health, and poverty as plenty, we are apt to surfet on sweet-meats; our heavenly father who is the best physitian, knows best what is best for us; were we to choose our food, and our physick, we should kill our selves; sometimes he prepares a diet-drink for us, and mixeth it with our tears, Psal. 42.3. my tears have been my meat day and night, Psal. 80.4, 5. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people, thou feedest them with the bread of tears, and givest them tears to drink in great measure; he also seasoneth it with their groans, to many, he prescribes also a spare diet, for every man cannot bear a prosperous estate, no more then every mans head can bear much wine; oh my soul, matter not though thou be thresht, and winnowed, and ground, and bak't, so thou [Page 196] maist be made bread for thy Masters table; all Gods people have tasted of the cup of affliction, and canst thou expect to go free: Abel began the round, and drank a health to all his followers, which hitherto they have all pledged, and some of them have drunk very deep, and Christ himself drunk up the very dregs; If God preserve thee, no matter whether it be in salt or sugar: If thou suffer for him, thou shalt reign with him, and these light afflictions which are but for a mo­ment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. it is but winking (said the Martyr) and we shall be in heaven presently; though thou maist lose something for Christ, thou wilt lose nothing by him, for every handful of muck thou par­test with for his sake, thou shalt have a hand­ful of angels: afflictions when once past, are soon forgotten as a womans pangs in childe-bearing, when a man-childe is born into the world, John 16.21. to which a Christians sufferings are oft resembled, Esay. 26.17. Jer. 6.24. but many Christians mourn, and overmourn for their losses, and become like Mary Magdalen blear-eyed, and cannot see Christ for their tears, and think God cannot love them, because he beats them; see how these are mistaken, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son that he receiveth; if you endure chastening, God [Page 197] dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he that the father chasteneth not; but if you be without chastizements, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons; he hath learned little in Christianity that hath not learnt to suffer, corrections are pledges of our adoption, and badges of our sonship, one son God had without sin, but none without sorrow; Luther thought the Pope was not Gods son, quod sine cruce regnat; oh my God, whatever af­fliction lies upon me, never let me have a revolting heart, and if I suffer let it be for thee, and not as an evil-doer, if thou hast ap­pointed suffering times for me, Lord, fit me for them with suffering graces, and a suffe­ring spirit: fit the back before thou lay on the burthen; Lord, give me strength to bear it, and then lay on what thou wilt, and while thou wilt.

Upon the winnowing of the seed.
41. Med.

WHen the seed was thus thresht, or beat out, the next work was winnowing it, whereby the chaff and refuse and lightest emptiest part, was blown away with the winde, but the solid substanti­all weighty grain was not hurt by it, but benefitted; it was refined and purified: I saw, what the furnace was to mettle, such is [Page 198] the fan to the corn, that which seperateth, purgeth, and purifyeth it; this made me compare temporal with spirituals, and to consider, that God hath many ways to purge and try his people, sometimes he casts them into the furnace of affliction, and trys them this way, others had trials of cruell mockings, and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and impri­sonments, &c. Heb. 11.36. and sometimes he trys them with the fan, to see what solidity is in them, the messenger of the Covenant shall come, but who may abide the day of his comming, or who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiners fire and like fullers soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, &c. then many a guilded piece will be found counterfeit, and many a glittering profes­sor found to be but a cheat, and much see­ming gold prove to be but dross and rubbish, but true gold neither fears the furnace, nor the touchstone; here the sincere Christian and the hypocrite will be differenced, which now are hardly known asunder, and will no longer serve to make up one heap of mo­ney; in this world they may grow in the same field, as did the wheat and the tares, they may lie together in the same mow, as the corn and the straw, they may make up the same heap, as the wheat and the chaff, but they shall never lie in the same garner together, for this is reserved for the wheat [Page 199] alone: here they may benefit one the other, as the straw bears up the wheat, and the chaff and piles defend it from injury, and they are preserved, secured, and fed for the wheats sake, but hereafter the godly will not need their protection, and the other shall not have preservation: here the earth helps the woman, and the innocent save the Island, Job. 22.30. and so both shall grow together till the harvest, but then they shall be seperated one from a­nother; now there are several fans, the de­vil hath his fan, Luk. 22.31. and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed, that thy faith fail not; he challenged him Goliah-like, to a single combat, but with­out leave he cannot do it; 1 Pet. 5.8. be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the de­vil like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: his end in sifting is not to purify but to destroy; his sieve holds nothing but refuse, the best runs through; but Gods sieve preserves the best, and se­vers it from the chaff: there is a fan of scoffs, and scorns, which is in the hands of wicked men, the devils instruments, and much of the lighter chaff is blown away with the winde, and cannot stand before it, and there is also a fan of persecution, and this though used by men, the devil guides and directs their hands, and this stron­ger [Page 200] blast carries almost all before it, the stony ground could not withstand it; we have seen in our days very much of that which we accounted solid grain and prin­cipal wheat, hath proved chaff, and if this winde should blow loud, it is like much more would fly; but there is another fan, and that is of errors, and heresies, and this takes not away the chaff only, but some of the lighter sort of corn, yea, and if possi­ble, the very elect; this the Apostle warns professors of, that they be not like children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine, Eph. 4.14. and how many such giddy hear­ers are there, that are cast into what mould the preacher pleaseth, and like glasses, are by the breath blown into any shape, but ere long Christ himself will come, with his fan, Mat. 3.12. whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff will he burn with unquenchable fire; heaven spewed out the angels for their apostacy, and no unclean thing shall ever enter there, nor dirty dog shall tread upon that pavement, nor dross shall be mixt with that gold, no water with that ware, nor no chaff with this wheat, but for the chaff, it must to the fire, but not be consumed, vivere volunt, mori nesciunt, they shall seek death but shall not finde it, Rev. 6.9. they that once might have [Page 201] had life, and would not, now they would have death, but cannot; oh my soul, are there trying times to come? wherein grace will be known from its conterfeit, and when the axe will be put to the root of the tree, and every one that brings not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire? must the dross be consumed, and the chaff driven away, of the winde? look about thee, that thou be true gold, solid grain, and a tree of righteousness, that brings forth good fruit, that thou exceedest all hypo­crites in the world, and hast something they have not, and canst do something they cannot do, that thou maist be able to abide the refiners fire, and the fullers soap; that the house of thy profession be built upon the rock, that no winde nor weather, storms nor tem­pests, flouds nor waves of trouble, may molest thee; trouble will come, there is no prevention; sometimes lighter afflicti­ons, as smaller rain, and sometime greater, as the overflowing of Jordan; amidst these waves, thy ship had need be like the Ark, pitched within and without, yea, thou hadst need to be shut in by God himself: A true Christan is like Mount Sion, that cannot be moved, when he is founded up­on this rock, nec flatu nec fluctu movetur, he need fear neither winde nor weather, if he fall, Christ himself must fall, and it is bet­ter [Page 202] fall with him, then stand without him: Christ lives in him, and while Christ that is the life of his soul lives, he cannot die; but if thy house be built upon the sand, when the windes and waves come, and come they will, it will surely down, and great will be the fall thereof, because ir­resistable, and irreparable: O my God, are trying times coming? and must I be sif­ted by satan? winnowed by the world, and fanned by Christ? who can stand in these trials, and bear up against these flouds, and waves without divine assistance? Lord, give me strength from above, for vain is the help of man; make me solid grain that may abide the winde, true gold that may abide the fire, and build me upon that rock that is high, that no storms nor tem­pests, may beat me down, nor all the flouds in the world may ever remove me.

Upon clean seed sown, yet brings forth chaff.
42. Med.

WHen I beheld how the seed that last year I had so care­fully winnowed, purged, fanned, and puri­fied from all weeds, and seeds, chaff, and rubbish, which adhered to it, and sown in my garden that which was clean, pure and good, yet when it came to maturity it was [Page 203] not only cumbred with weeds and other an­noiances, which the ground naturally cast up, but had as much stalk, chaff, and o­ther rubbish as it had the year before, which grew up with it, and adhered to it, and was naturally produced by the seed, and it had as much need of weeding, threshing, winnowing, and purging, as it had the year before, to make it fit for use, or mar­ket; this minded me, that thus it was with poor souls, since the fall, for as the earth cast­eth out weeds of its own accord, and a foun­tain sends forth water, so doth the heart bubble forth corruption of its own accord; a gracious man that hath taken a great deal of pains with his heart to weed out corrupti­on, and to mortifie his sin, and hath been thresht, and fanned, and purged and purified, and it hath been the work of many years to do it, and hath cost him much labour, pains, and diligence, and many a prayer and tear, yet he cannot beget a godly childe, but chaff and corruption adheres to them also, nay in­heres in them, and they have as much need of refining as ever the father had; for though a sinful man beget a sinful childe, yet cannot a gracious man beget a gracious childe, for he begets him as he is a man, and of the sin­ful off-spring of fallen Adam, and not as he is gracious; and though God do more usual­ly make choise of his people out of such fa­milies, [Page 204] the covenant being with them and their seed, and he hath respect to their pray­ers, and gives a blessing to their education and exhortations, yet this is not always so, neither are they born thus; for they are the children of wrath as well as others; and though sin be hereditary, grace is not; Ah sin! what woful work hast thou made in the world, the most of men perish eternally by thee, and those that escape are saved, as by fire, with a very great deal of pains and difficulty: holy David begat a lascivious Amnon and a rebellious Absolom, good Ely begat bad sons, and holy Isaac a prophane Esau; yea, faith­full Abraham a scoffing Ishmael: for as a learn­ed man cannot beget a learned childe, for learning is not a birth-priviledge but an ac­quired qualification, so grace is not born with, but freely given to them that God thinks fit to bestow it upon: A rich mans childe comes into the world as naked, destitute, and miserably impotent and help­less as any other; This as it may minde us of our miserable condition by the fall, so also of our duty to our children, that as we are carefull of their bodies, so should we be much more carefull of their souls, and as we are carefull that they get learn­ing, so should we be much more that they get grace: an estate is not so needfull as an interest in Christ: we should endeavour [Page 205] by instruction, correction, and good edu­cation, to train them up in the fear of God, and when we can do no more, to go to him that is able to give it, to beg grace for them; for as we were instrumental in their ruine, so we should endeavour their recovery. But too many train them up no otherwise then they do their horses, teach them to drudge, and think they have done well, especially if they can leave them an estate behinde them, which oftentimes is so badly gotten, that they entail also a curse upon them, and their posterity; and God doth in a visible manner punish their chil­dren to the third and fourth generation. Oh my soul, how stands the case with thee? thou art a childe of wrath by nature, as well as others, is thy relation to thy God changed? of an enemy art thou an adopted son? tis well: thou hadst dross, is that con­sumed, and the soul refined? thou hadst chaff is that blown away? hast thou the marks of adoption now upon thee, that formerly hadst the marks of an enemy? dost thou resemble thy father? dost bear his image? God hath no children but what have some resemblance to him, he never adopts any but he changeth their nature, and disposi­tion, as well as their relation; he hath no unnatural children: hath he made good that promise to thee, 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a fa­ther [Page 206] to them, and they shall be my sons and daugh­ters, saith the Lord almighty: hath he performed the duty of a father, in thy new birth, in maintaining thee, and giving the heavenly allowance? in instructing and correcting thee? and hast thou the nature, disposition, and priviledge of children? hast thou com­munion with him? doth he feed thee with bread from heaven? cloath thee with the robes of righteousness, and adorn thee with the jewels of his grace? is there a through change wrought in thee, and a new nature put into thee? hast thou given up thy heart as well as thy name to Christ? if it be so, it is well: if thou hast this privi­ledge for thy self, seek it for thy children also; as thou hast dedicated them to God, do thy endeavour to make them Gods, and that the work of grace may be timely wrought in their souls; curb corruption while they are young, a green twig, will easily be bended, but when old and dry the work is difficult: many like the ape kill their young ones with embracing, and they come to break their parents heart, who thought a rod too heavy for them; with­hold not correction nor instruction, and go to God for a blessing upon both; Oh my God, am I wilde by nature, and hast thou planted me into the true olive? hast thou taken me off my own stock, and plan­ted [Page 207] me into the true vine? Lord, what shall I render to thee for this? Lord, help me to give up my heart, as well as my name to thee, and live thanks as well as speak thanks: hast thou made me a son? Lord, give me a son-like disposition; and let me honour my God, by a holy life and conversation: And O that my children might live before thee; Lord, purge out the dross, blow away their chaff, make them thy sons and thy daughters.

Upon the pleasures of a garden.
43. Med.

BEing in a well contrived, well-furnished, well-ordered garden, where there was what nature, or art could bestow upon it, various well-coloured, well-sented flowers, which chequered the knots, and delighted both the sight and smell, with various sorts of herbs, and vegetables, as well physicall as otherwise, together with curious walks, and shady bow­ers, and other curious contrivances, de­lightful delicacies and various curiosities, that it seemed to me an earthly paradice, a place of pelights and pleasures, which when I had viewed, and for a while solaced my self in it, I took much pleasure in it, and could contentedly have spent my time there; [Page 208] my affections were much tickled with it, and grew warm upon it, and for a while I delighted my self in it, but at last I began to call my self to an accompt, and to check my self for it, with such considerations as these; oh my soul, what art thou doing, or whether art thou going? art thou in hea­ven, or upon the earth, that thou art taking up thy station? art thou like Shimei in seeking a servant? dost thou lose thy self? wilt thou by admiring the gift, neglect the giver, or court the maid before the mistress? and take up with a handful of muck, for a hand­ful of angels? is this a suitable portion for thee, or rather a suitable match for the soul, that thou art espousing thy self to it, and letting out thy affections upon it? will this serve thy turn, or make thee happy? or will it endure to eternity? alas! it will not; when winter comes, where are then thy de­lights? nay, when night comes, it deprives thee of thy pleasure, yea, every shower of rain, puts thee on to seek another happiness, and a better shelter and security: what then will become of thee at death or judgment, if thou hast no better a refuge? what good can these do thee in heaven or in hell? these things are not lasting, thou seest the flowers ripe at noon, and withered by night, like Jonah's gourd, grow up in a night, and wither in a night, and have a worm breed in them, [Page 209] which will eat out their heart; they are like the bee, they have honey in the mouth, and a sting in the tail; and not only vanity, but vexation of spirit is writ upon them: will a handful of flowers revive a dying man, or comfort a languishing soul? when the earth and all the works therein are burnt up, where will be thy happiness then? why then wilt thou moil and toil, and cark and care for such vanities that never will make thee satisfaction? why wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? if thou wilt take pains, let it be in a more fruitful soil, where thou maist expect a better crop; spend not thy money for that which is not bread, nor thy labour for that which satisfies not; these cannot satisfy, and if they did, cannot last long, these are but swallow-comforts, they hide their heads in the winter, the grass will soon wither, the flowers will soon fade, and thy own life is no more certain, and what good will these do the soul? some poor vanishing de­lights they yield, for an hour or two, and then it is over, but there are more satisfying pleasures, more durable delights to be had, then these, why are they then neglected? these, like swallow-friends, forsake when winter comes, when there is most need, or like Physitians leave a man when he is dying, or like the devil with the witch, tempt a while, and then forsake her, when she is in [Page 210] the most danger; If a small spot of earth seem so delightful, what is heaven, and those mansions of glory provided for glorifi­ed Saints? if the creature be so glorious, what is the Creator, who infused such a beauty and vertue in it? if a flower be so sweet, what is the rose of sharon and the lilly of the valley? these things delight us for a moment, but one day will make us weary of them, especially if there be not the addi­tion of meat, and drink, and sleep, and lodging, of health, and strength, and other necessaries; but in heaven is nothing wan­ting that is necessary, delightful or desira­ble; no creature-comforts there are need­ful, but God is better a thousand times then all the comforts the whole earth affords; oh my soul, labour after the substance, not the shadow; after Christ and a title to glory; there are reall pleasures to be had, rivers of pleasure at his right hand for evermore; scorn then to be put off with such poor things, or to let out thy affections upon such vanities, or to let them grovel upon the ground: wilt thou suffer thy eyes to be dazled with a few flowers when thou maist behold the sun, the moon, and stars; those glorious lamps and beauty-spots of heaven; these are greater beauties, those beautify only the porch: how beautiful then is the palace, the throne, nay, the king himself? These flowers thou [Page 211] now admirest may for ought thou knowest be cropt, and made use of for thy funeral, for thy body is as fading, and thy life as uncertain as they are; a few days will [...]ther make them uncapable of pleasing thee, or thee uncapable of praising them: this use thou maist make of this pleasing object, be as careful of thy soul, as the gardiner is of this plot of ground, let neither thorn nor thistle, briar nor weed of sin, thrive there, supply what is wanting, root out what is superfluous, order what is disordered, and then it is a happy time thou madest this Observation: oh my God, what a poor pitiful foolish wretch am I, thus to doat upon vanities; Lord, wean my af­fections from the world, and keep them close to thy self.

Upon an adder lurking in the grass.
44. Med.

WAlking in the garden, I had like to have trod upon an adder, lurking in the grass, and so was in unexpected danger, where I least dreaded it; the apprehensions of it at present put me into amaze, which when it was something abated, it made me consider, what daily need we have of divine protection, and how dangerous it is to be from under the prote­cting [Page 212] hand of God: It made me also to consider, that thus it is in all our earthly enjoyments, there is no security in any, much danger in all, anguis in herba latet, there is a little honey, and many stings, a little pleasure and much pain: there is no age, no calling, no condition of life, free; riches are held by many to be the greatest happiness, and most men rather de­sire gold then grace, and to be great rather then good, yet these are not without their snares, neither set men out of the reach of danger; they are called deceitfull riches, such as choak the word, when it was sown, Mat. 22.13. and well they may be so cal­led, for they promise that they never pay; and always deceive those that trust them; they promise content, satisfaction and hap­piness, when oftentimes (like strong drink in a feaver) they do but inrage the disease, he that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, Eccles. 5.10. a man may as soon fill a chest with grace, an empty stomach with air, as a covetous heart with grace, pau­peris est numerare pecus (saith the coveteous man) he had never enow cattle while they might be numbred: a ship may sink under the burthen, that is not half full, and men may have riches enough to sink them, when not half enough to satisfy them; non plus satiatur, cor auro, quam corpus aura: [Page 213] But this is not all their vanity neither, for as they are unsatisfying, so they are uncer­tain, they take themselves wings and fly away, Pro. 23.5. they are never true to those that trust them, they are oft as transitory as a head-long torrent; but this is not all, they are golden fetters to chain the souls faster in the devils clutches, and faster in his service; and many times the devil, buys mens souls, yea, their very profession out of their hands for money; pleasures have honey in the mouth but a sting in the tail; they oft perish in the budding; in the midst of laughter, the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heaviness: favour is de­ceitful, and beauty is vain, Pro. 31.30. and those that trust to them shall be deceived; favour will fail, and beauty will wither, and how will they deceive mens expecta­tion? some men marry (saith one) by the eye, and some by their fingers ends, viz. for money, dos non Deus makes such match­es: Absolom and his sister found there was danger, trusting to their beauty, and ma­ny more besides them, to whom it hath proved a temptation: honour is the empti­est of all bubbles, courted by many, attain­ed by few, and there is but a little distance between the highest round of the ladder and the lowest step; let Haman and Achitophel prove the point: Beauty many times is like [Page 114] a blazing star, ominous to the beholders, and hurtfull to those that enjoy it, and proves ofttimes the devils lime-twigs to catch his fowls: meat and drink are necessary, yet to many their table becomes their snare, and by a plentifull table they come to be guilty of gluttony and drunkenness; wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging, and he that is overtaken with it, is not wise; I fed them to the full (saith God) and they were as fed horses, every one neighed after his neighbours wife; learning and great parts are lovely endowments, and many times it proves dangerous and deadly; the greatest scholars oft prove the greatest enemies to Christ, and the greatest adversaries to the power of godliness; In a word, those that have most of the world, have frequently the least of heaven: Son (saith Abraham) remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luk. 16.25. Wealth many times swells men into a tym­pany, not easily cured, I know there are some that follow Christs counsell, and make to themselves friends of this Mammon of un­righteousness, but most do but encrease their account by them, and at the reckoning-day will prove bankrupts, and owe ten thousand talents more then they are able to pay; earthly enjoyments usually rock men in [Page 215] the cradle of security, and lull them asleep that they never wake till hell fire flames about their ears; thus the rich man Luke. 12.16. and that also Luk. 16.19. &c. when the moon is at full, it is furthest distance from the sun, and nearest to an ecclips, and the world many times interposeth it self between the full soul and the sun of righ­teousness: relations and carnal friends oft­times prove snares, thus they were to Job, to Spira, and to many more; the things that are in themselves lawfull blessings, yet abused, prove our licitis perimus omnes, im­moderately used prove a sin and a snare: oh my soul thou walkest in the midst of dangers, snares are laid for thee in every creature, in every corner, trust not there­fore to any, the most innocent will betray thee, if not heedfully observed, and wisely enjoyed, the most harmless, nay, the most necessary enjoyments are not free from snares, a serpent may lie under thy feet, poyson may be in thy cup or dish, many tempta­tions are in poverty, more in plenty, pray therefore with Agar, not to have poverty, nor riches, but to be fed with food convenient, Pro. 30.8. as a shoe too big, or too little, suits not the foot, so an estate too big is trou­blesome, and to little pinches; a staff may help the passenger in his journey, but a burden of staves will be his hinderance: oh [Page 216] my God, are there so many dangers that at­tend me, both in reference to my body, and my soul: oh what need have I of di­vine protection: Lord be thou my defen­der, keep me under the shadow of thy wings, O let not Satan, the world, or my own deceitful heart ever betray me, but let me be kept by the mighty power of God unto salvation.

Upon a Toad.
45. Med.

OBserving as I walked in the gar­den, in an evening, a loathsom foul, and ugly toad, crawling in my way, hasting from me as from a deadly enemy, to hide her head in a hole, to save her life, and that from one that she had never wrong­ed; this sight occasioned me this Meditation; how nigh akin am I to this poor creature, this dispicable, loathed, and abhorred wretch, there is but the sheers between us, nothing but the makers will; she is my sister, and may claim the right of primogeniture, as coming into the world before me; we have the same original, the same father, and the same mother; we were made of the same matter, by the hand of the same workman, but she hath the precedency in nature, and came of the elder brother; both of us were of the same clay, and fashioned by the same [Page 217] potter; hewn out of the same rock, and digged out of the same hole of the pit; and had it pleased the workman, I might have been the toad, and this the man, no thanks to me that it was not so, and it had been no wrong to me if it had been so; I might have been crawling into that hole to save my life, from one that desired my death, and fed upon such loathsom meat, that she feeds on, but my God hath bestowed more upon me, and denied it to her, even so Lord, because it hath seemed good in thy eyes; oh my soul, what hast thou done more for thy God, then this poor creature hath done? doubtless where more is given, more will be required; thou hast received ten talents for one, nay an hundred for one, how hast thou improved them? and God expects from man much more service then from any other creature in the world, being only fitted for communion with him­self: But hath not this despicable wretch, which thou thinkest is not worthy to live, served God in her place better then thy self? and answered the end of her creation better then man? and never transgrest her masters will, nor her makers law, as thou hast done a thousand times? she desires nothing more then life, and what is necessary to maintain it, and fears nothing more then death, and what tends to it, and doth no hurt, but it is imagined good to mankinde, unless hurt [Page 218] or provoked, and if she have a noxious qua­lity, it is questionable, whether the sin of man hath not procured it: God hath given thee the use of reason, and made thee capa­ble of communion with himself, and enjoy­ing him for ever, and laid upon her (far more innocent) this punishment, of being hated and abhorred of all, and her life is put into thy hands, and whosoever killeth her, thinks he hath not offended, thou canst walk free from fear, when every one that sees her desires her death, and plots her ruine, and destruction; what cause then have I to bless God, that I was made a man, and not a toad, and that I had the use of reason given to me, and not made a bruit, but if I be not regenerate and born again, if I have not the image of God renewed in me, which I lost by the fall, if I answer not the end of my creation and redemption, if my sin be not mortified, and the power of my corruptions abated, if grace be not implanted in my heart, by the spirit of God; if I have not an interest in Christ, and a title to glory, if the mistical marriage be not made between Christ and my soul, and my affections set upon him; if any thing in the world lie nea­rer to my heart then he doth, and be beloved above him, the time will come, and it will not be long first, that I shall wish, would God I had been made the toad, and this toad [Page 219] the man, for then my misery would have ended with my life, when now it is like to begin at my death, and eternity of torments will be little enough to pay the debt which I owe; but her debts being nothing but death, will be soon discharged: oh my soul, if God do not distinguish thee from wicked men by grace, as well as from this toad by reason, thy misery will be far worse then hers, and thy condition more forlorn: Oh poor man whither art thou fallen? thou wast in the creation made the glory of this Universe, and all the creatures to be thy servants, yea, the angels to be Ministring spirits for thy good, and now if God assist not in a new creati­on, the meanest, and most despicable of the creatures is in a better condition then thou art; Oh sin, what woful work hast thou made among us, and of what a bewitched nature art thou, and how hast thou infatu­ated us, still to doat upon thee, and to think thee lovely? oh my God, how good hast thou been to me, and how evilly have I requited thee for thy good, and how foo­lishly have I behaved my self to my own soul? thou createdst me after thine own image, in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, and gavest me dominion over thy creatures; thou madest me little lower then the angels, and crownedst me with honour and dignity, Psal. 8.4, 5, 6. such I was when I past out [Page 220] of thy hand, but I have lost this image, by the fall and this supremacy, and now this poor creature is in a better condition then I am by nature, and never transgress thy laws as I have done, but Lord, thou canst renew thine image in me, and bring me to my primitive happiness, Lord, do it, then shall I praise thee with unfained lips, that thou hast made me a man.

Upon the coursing of a hare.
46. Med.

BEing occasionally present at the coursing of a hare, and my af­fection being tickled with the sport, to see what turnings, windings, shifts, and cun­ning evasions she had to delude her ene­my, and make an escape, but all too little; for she after came to be their prey, that sought her life, and to suck her bloud: when I felt my affections thus to heat, and close with the sport, I began to check my self for it, and to expostulate the case thus with mine own heart; vain man, what art thou doing? whither art thou go­ing? art thou in heaven, or on the earth, that thy affections are so pleased? is it God or the creature that gives thee this content? alass, what poor fading perishing joy is this? and canst thou finde more delight in [Page 221] it, then in the service of God, or in com­munion with Christ? Nay, but art thou sure, that these delights are lawfull, if not thou hast cause to bewail it, the thing may be disputable; was it not the sin of man that brought this enmity and antipa­thy between the creatures, and made them thirst after one anothers bloud? Reverend Mr Bolton tels us, this is the judgement of the best Divines, that it was a fruit of our rebellion against God: now, if this mi­sery was laid upon them for our faults, it should be rather matter of our grief then sport, and taking pleasure in their bloud, is a vexing of their very vexation, and we discover those weeds and seeds of cruelty to be too rank and luxurious in the soul, and we degenerate in this below the beast of the field, who (as it is observed) take not content in hurting one another, but in case of hunger or anger, they satisfy their appetite and rage, sometimes, with bloud, but never their eye or their fancy. Is the fruits of our sin become the matter of sport? this consideration might work in us a contrary effect, and I think much better; but grant (for no body will deny it) that we have liberty given us to make use of this antipathy, for the destroying of hurtful creatures, and the enjoying of those that are usefull, (as these now under con­sideration) [Page 122] which no doubt are given to us for food as well as others, and grant that they cannot be so well taken any other way, and their flesh to be best when it is thus hun­ted and chased, yet it still remains disputa­ble whether their death were ever appoin­ted by God to be a matter of sport, or a lawfull recreation to us; to kill them is no doubt lawfull, but to sport our selves in their death seems cruel and bloudy; to delight more in seeing the shifts, the poor creature hath to save her life, (an instinct given her by nature, and to see her in the mouths of her bloud-thirsty enemies, ren­ding and tearing her in peeces, without mercy,) then they do in the flesh it self, which should be (I think) the cheifest end in this action, seems cruel and bloudy recreation: suppose thou heardest such a poor creature giving up the ghost to speak after this manner (for it is no absurdity to fain such a speech): oh man, what have I done to thee? or what evil is found in me, that like a cruel enemy thou spor­test thy self at my death? I have lived up­on my fathers allowance, and never trans­grest my masters will, nor makers laws, as thou hast done; If thou take away my life, what needst thou make a sport at my death? If a sparrow fall not to the ground without Gods providence, surely he takes notice of my death, [Page 123] and the manner of it; and I am part of the goods thy master commends to thee as a steward, and for which thou must give an account; I am thy fellow-creature, made of the same matter, by the same hand; it was not all the men on earth could have created me, or given me life, my life was given me by God, and now it is taken a­way in sport to please man; take heed (vain man) that thus dost satiate thy self with my bloud, lest at last thy condition be worse then mine, and thy account hea­vier; my debt is now paid by my death, and my own sufferings, but thine will ne­ver be discharged by thy self to eternity: this pleasure thou hast now taken will be dearly bought, and this flesh of mi [...]e must be satisfied for hereafter, if Christ be not thy surety: nay, O man, thou knowest not but there are some enemies, if God re­strained them not, that do as earnestly thirst after thy bloud as thou hast done after mine, and would be glad to wash their hands in it, however the devil is a more cruel bloud thirsty enemy to thy soul, then these dogs are to my body, and goes about day and night like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and take heed lest those dogs which have now drunk my bloud, and are too often fed with the poors portion, and deserve death as well as I, being every way as nox­ious, [Page 224] do not rise up against thee another day, &c. Oh my soul, spend no more time in recreation then thou canst afford, and that is but a little, till thy main work be done, and then spend no more in recreati­on then thy state will afford, and that will not be much; take heed that the poors part be not devoured by unprofitable dogs, and besure the recreation thou useth be lawfull, what is cruel and bloudy may be suspected; let it be when true need is, and to fit thee for thy general or particular calling: oh my God, give me wisdome that I may never delight in any thing that offends thee; let me not make a mock of sin lest thou call me fool for my labour, and laugh at my destruction, and mock when my fear comes; preserve me from my bloud thirsty enemies, especialy from satan that hunts after my soul.

Upon the labour and pains men take about worldly things.
47. Med.

WHen I had wearied, and al­most spent my self in digging, delving, and moiling in the garden, and had unfitted my self for better, and more necessary employments, I began at last to check my self for it, and discourse with my [Page 225] self after this manner; vain man, what have I been doing? or how have I spent my time, and my strength? is it for heaven, or for the earth, for my soul, or for my bo­dy? for this life or that to come? is there so much pains needful for a little spot of earth, which will bring in little, if any advantage? what pains then is necessary for heaven? have I been so prodigal of my time and pains, and sweat, and labour, for this poor empty nothing, and yet negligent in the main concern? when did I take so much pains for heaven and happiness, for Christ and glory, as I have done for these trifles? when did I sweat thus in Gods service, and spend my self thus in doing his work? am I working for a better master? or is this a more delightful employment, or am I like to receive, or can I expect better wages then he gives, that I work harder, and sweat more then I would do in his work, and follow my business with more diligence, care and industry? if the whole world be really worth so much labour, pains, and in­dustry, as I have bestowed upon this little angle, this worthless plot of ground, what pains doth heaven deserve? if to the obtain­ing the whole world deserves one days hard work, sure heaven deserves all the rest; good things are not had at easy rates, the more excellent the more difficult: it is so in [Page 226] earthly enjoyments, riches cannot be had without sweat and pain, without cark and care; nor learning without labour, and stu­dy; and will heaven be had with a wet fin­ger? cannot I provide for a few days with­out all this adoe, and can I provide for eter­nity with less labour? will an interest in Christ, and a title to glory be had so easily? no, no, doubtless a slow pace will fall short of heaven, and the sluggard is never like to come there; there must be striving, running, contending, fighting, or we shall not obtain; the kingdome of heavsn suffers violence, and the violent take it by force; those only that are carried out with strength of affection, after Christ, shall enjoy him; those are like to have the pearl, that will have it at the har­dest rates; though they sell all to purchase it; heaven is had by the violent, though the earth be inherited by the meek, Mat. 5.6. those that content themselves with the least mercies here, as not deserving any, cannot content themselves with the greatest portion the world can make up for them, because they know there is a better portion laid up for them by their father: there is nothing but eternity that can make us absolutely happy, or perfectly miserable; eternity ad­ded to happiness or misery, makes it com­pleat, and can I attain the one, or avoid the other so easily? toylsom days, and wearisom [Page 227] nights may make us willing of a change, but what good will a change do if it be for the worse, and not the better? or how can we expect better, and not make preparati­on for it? can we expect an harvest that have sown no seed, or wages that have done no work? can we expect the prize that never run the race, or the victory that never en­tred into the field to fight? if we bury our selves and talents in the earth, can we ex­pect they will be there improved? nay, may we not expect a reckoning day, when they will be taken from us, and given to those that are diligent, and will improve them; a judging time is coming when our reward will be according to our diligence, and our wages according to our work; if we sow va­nity, we shall reap folly, if we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption, if we sow to the spirit we shall of the spirit reap life everlasting; if we trade only in earthly commodities, we cannot expect rationally any other gain, but what they afford, which will never re­compence the pains and care, and loss we sustain upon that account; but if we serve a better Master, we may expect better wa­ges: oh my soul, how justly here maist thou be reproved for thy diligence in trifles, and neglect of the substance? thou hast not only let the world run away with thy time, thy hands and thy head, but with thy heart al­so: [Page 228] use the world thou maist, but abuse it thou must not, but so thou dost when thy affections close with it, and thou committest spiritual adultery with it, and lodgest it in the room where Christ should lodge; in thy earthly business thy heart should be in heaven, and thine eye upon Christ; if thou be diligent, it should be be­cause he commands it, and if thou do all in obedience to his command, then dost thou engage him to be thy pay-master, and maist expect a reward from him, even for doing thy own work: learn to make some spiritu­all use of all thy earthly enjoyments, then by divine meditation thou maist enjoy hea­ven upon earth, yea, extract heaven out of the earth, and God out of the creature; that must needs be a rich soul that can with the bee extract honey out of every weed and flower: oh my God, I must confess, I have been grossly faulty, not only for spending my time and strength upon vanities, but letting out my affections on them also: Lord suffer me no longer to ramble from thee, gather in my scattered affections to thy self, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, let me see more excellency in thee then the world can shew, this will engage my heart to thee for ever.

Upon the dilligence of the spider.
48. Med.

OBserving the industry, dili­gence, and painful labour of the spider, a contemptible creature, how busy she was in weaving her nets, how in­dustriously she plys her work, and though oftentimes she meet with disappointments, had her work spoiled, and her self indan­gered, yet never a whit discouraged, or disheartned, she begins again; this is one of these four things that Solomon had observed in the earth, that were little but wise, &c. the spider that taketh hold with her hands, and is in Kings palaces, Pro. 30.24. &c. she doth her work painfully, and curiously spins (saith one) a finer thred then a woman can do, builds a finer house then a man can do, in manner and form like an Emperours tent; she draws her web out of her own bow­els: When I had a while pleased my self with the curiosity of the work, and com­mended the diligence of the workman, I began to consider what her end might be of all this pains, or what benefit did ac­crue to her by this her diligence? I could guess at no other, or at least no higher an end, then to make a net to catch flys, which I saw became her prisoners, when otherwise she could not take them, and [Page 230] when they were in her power, she pro­ved their mortal enemy, few escaping her with life: I perceived that when the Bee laboureth to preserve life, her work was to destroy; I thought when I had conside­red it, her work did much resemble the de­vils, for he like the spider is ever busy and never well employed, he goes about like a roaring lyon, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. he envies man the happiness that he lost, he is that venimous spider that poy­sons us, his very breath is infectious; the nets and snares are his temptations, and poor souls are the flys he hunts for, which fall faster into his nets, then flys do into the spiders webs, and when they are at his mercy, nothing will serve, but their death and utter destruction; he like a cunning Fisher, baits his hooks, and like a fowler spreds his nets to catch unwary souls, and spares none; high nor low, rich nor poor, young nor old, fair nor foul, but he hath one bait or other suited to their condition; he attemps all, Christ himself not excepted, for whom he prepared one of his choisest, seldom failing baits; all this will I give thee, but all in vain, his wilde-fire fell upon wet tinder; although a thousand times ten thousand have been taken with it, yet like a great fly he broke through, and spoil'd the web, and by the strength of the Cap­tain, [Page 231] Christian souldiers also break his nets, repell his temptations, and become more then conquerors; he yet infects a great part of the world with the poyson of this temptation; and it is a rare man that escapes; sometimes, yea, too fre­quently he baits his hooks with a beauti­full woman, and is too successful; thus he fisht for a strong Sampson with a beautiful Dalilah; for a holy David, with a Bathshe­bah; and wise Solomon was oft deceived by this bate, and swallowed this hook; some­times he catcheth men with a golden hook; thus he did Achan, Judas, Ananias and Sa­phira, with D [...]as, and many others: some­times he baits with honours, and then am­bitious Herod will soon bite, as also Haman, Achitophel, and many more; sometimes with pleasures, and then the youth are in danger: A poor withering gourd is a temp­tation to Jonah, and makes him quarrel with God himself; friends and relations of­ten prove sore temptations, and dangerous snares to a man; a beloved husband, a dear wife, a cockered childe, a near and dear relation, ofttimes are made use of to undo those to whom the greatest love is pretended; Jobs wife though she could not prevail to ruine him, yet she proved a hea­vy burthen to him; but Spira's relations undid him, in making him to deny Christ: [Page 232] Peter that great Apostle was an offence to Christ himself, in advising him to spare himself and not to suffer, no doubt by the instigation of satan, but Christ answers him with indignation; get thee behinde me, satan, thou art an offence to me, for thou savou­rest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men, Mat. 16.23. he easily saw the devil in a beloved friend, and many times satan speaks to us by them; many times a professed Christian, yea, one good man is a snare to another, leading them into er­rours or factions; but of all the baits the devil uses, riches, honours, and pleasures are the surest, and seldomest fail him; by this he often buys mens souls, and hath their profession out of their hands into the bargain; meat and drink are necessaries, yet many mens tables becomes their snare: Cloathes are needful, but this also proves a temptation to pride; learning and parts al­so, which are great ornaments to the minde, become dangerous snares; yea, what can be named, but may be abused; and what enjoyment can we have, but the devil will fly-blow it, grace it self is not free, nay, humility sometimes proves an excitement to pride: O the subtilty of satan, that can thus cheat the soul and fly-blow all our duties: and oh the mercy of a merciful Saviour, that hath broke the nets of this cunning hun­ter, [Page 233] or otherwise none could ever have es­caped out of his hands; oh my soul, be­ware of those snares which are spread for thy feet in every place, in every company, in every enjoyment, and in every duty; walk as circumspectly as thou wouldst do amidst snakes, and serpents, or enemies that sought thy life; sleep not in the cra­dle of security, listen not to the Syren-songs of the inchanting world, taste not, touch not, gaze not upon any forbidden fruit; the devil will deceive thee by it, as he did Eve: though it seem sweet in the mouth it will be gravel in the stomack: be mode­rate in the use of lawfull things, or they will prove unlawful: drink not poyson in a golden cup, set not thy affections upon any earthly enjoyment, they will prove like Dalilahs; to betray thee into thy enemies hands: oh my God, I walk among snares, and am apt to be taken in them, be thou my guide, and direct my steps, preserve me from the snare of the fouler, he is too cunning for me, but thou knowest how to deliver me, and to preserve my soul from sinning, and my feet from falling.

Upon small flys caught in a spiders web.
49. Med.

WHen I had veiwed the spiders web, and seriously considered the end it was made for, which (as I said) seemed to me to be principally, if not only to catch flys, and to captivate those little creatures, which otherwise were too quick for her; I then observed the event, and whether this little fowler could this way be recompensed for all the pains she had taken: I saw upon diligent observation, how small flys were taken, and made a prey to their poysonous enemy, who paid their ransome with their lives, yet whether they were the food she fed upon, or whether it were an innate antipathy in her to them, that thus she sought their destruction, I was not well able to discern; but withall I observed, that the great flys brake through the net, and sometimes bare away both the weaver, and the web, as Sampson did the gates and posts of Gaza, and so the workman and the work were like to perish together; this minded me of the saying of the Psalmist, Psal. 9.15, 16. the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands, the heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made, in the net that they hid is their own foot taken; I considered that many times God by his providence doth thus dispose of [Page 235] the cruel enemies of his Church, and those that thirst after the blood of his Saints, they have had blood, even their own blood to drink, Rev. 16.6. so righteous is God in his judg­ments, and so true in his word; thus it was with Pharaoh, that sought the destructi­on of Israel, he and his army were overthrown in the Red-sea: Adonibezek that had caused threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, to gather meat un­der his table, was requited in like manner, by the men of Judah, Judg. 6.7. thus it was with Haman, he procured a decree to cut off a [...] the Jews, and made a gallows fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai upon, but he him­self was hanged upon it, and his own friends and relations were destroyed. Thus it was with Daniels persecutors, he was delivered out of the Lions den, and they were cast in; so the flames lickt up the men that threw the three Worthies into the fiery furnace, but had no power upon them: Phaleris pe­risht in his brazen Bull, the work of his own hands, invented to torment others; thus Tomyris dealt by Cyrus, and the Parthians by Crassus, and the Romans by those Jews that cryed out, his blood be upon us, and upon our children; and so God by his providence dealed with our gun-powder conspirators, and so let thine implacable enemies perish, oh God: this Observation also brought to my [Page 236] minde what I had somewhere read, and of­ten heard, by way of complaint, of our English laws, viz. that they were like unto spiders webs, which hold the little flys, but the great ones break through, or like fishers nets rather, where the little fishes creep through, and the great ones break through; and I thought the comparison not unfit: the laws themselves I know would hold the greatest malefactor, were not those that should execute them partiall, ofttimes fear or favour, makes them open the net, and let go their prey; how oft may we see par­tiality sit as judge in some courts of Judica­ture; this is my friend, that is my kinsman, deal gently with the young man for my sake: how oft have I seen a poor man stockt for swearing and drunkenness, and well they deserved it, but his worship, or his honour, guilty of the same crimes, brake through the net, and escaped scot free, and was neither punished in person nor purse, yea, though they offen­ded in the Magistrates presence: but whe­ther worshipful titles will bear them out al­so before the judgment-seat of God, is wor­thy enquiry: there is no such exceptions in Gods law, let him suffer except he be a Gentleman, nay, it is an aggravation to the fault of such a one, who may well be pre­sumed to have better knowledge, and better breeding then others, or otherwise I know [Page 237] not what gentility signifies; and he that knows his Masters will and doth it not, should be beaten with many stripes; I have read of a Gentleman being condemned to death, for a flagitious crime, and pleading for a mittigation of his punishment because he was a Gentleman, the Judge yielded him but this favour, that he should be hanged upon a higher gallows then the other were; and I fear the Ecclesiastical Courts are not much better, perhaps much worse, poor ones are a prey not worth keeping, great ones are too big to be held, the middle sort of fish best suits the net, and pleaseth the palat; oh my soul, think not to escape at the judgment-seat of God, by any external priviledge, the soul that sinneth, it shall dye, whether high or low, rich or poor; thou hast a righteous Judge to be tryed by, that will not be corrupted by gold nor gain, who will hear over again all the causes tryed in our Courts of Judicatory, and parhaps pass another sentence; if thy cause be good, he will not condemn thee; oh my God, absolve me in thy Court, and no matter if man condemn me, but if thou condemn me, there is none can acquit me.

Upon the worthlesness of a spiders web.
50. Med.

WHen I considered further the great diligence, and the un­wearied pains of the spider, yea, the fineness of the thread, and the curiosity of the work, and how she drew it out of her own bow­els, and yet notwithstanding how useless and unprofitable it was, if a man should make a garment of it, it would neither wear well, nor keep warm or dry, neither can it shelter from winde or storm; if he make armour of it, it cannot defend him; if we lean upon it, it cannot support us; if we fall upon it, it cannot bear us up, neither can it stand before the besome, but it is soon rent and spoiled, and ofttimes the work and the workman, the weaver and the web, are cast both together into the fire; I thought it resembled the world, and the things of the world; for of this it is the devil makes his net to catch souls, which are the flys he hunts after, which in it self considered is vain and transitory, too poor a refuge to trust to, either for temporal deliverance, or eternal happiness; yet many like the spider spend themselves to weave their web, and even draw it out of their own bowels, yea, their very hearts goes along with it, and if they meet with a prosperous success, they [Page 239] like the rich man, Luk. 12.16. &c. sing a requiem to their souls, and promise them­selves a great deal of happiness; when alas, Gods besome of destruction sudenly comes, and sweeps away both the work and the workman in a moment, and casts both into the fire, yet many spider-like put their trust in these webs of their own making, and think they may eat, drink, and be merry, &c. right Epicures, that make their gut their God, and eat that on earth they must digest in hell: their glass is run, when they think it is but new turned; then shall they finde, though too late, that their money will do nothing, and death will not be hired, but righteousness alone will deliver from death. Solomon tells us Pro. 18.11. the rich mans wealth is his strong-hold, and high walls in his own conceit, but wealth is never true to those that trust it, and cannot help in the evil day, Zeph. 1.18. but if sin lie at the foun­dation, though the walls be made never so high, they will tumble down, Jer. 17.5. cursed is man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the living God; and truly, of such refuges we may say as Job of the spiders web, Job. 8.13, 14, 15. if a man lean upon his house, it shall not stand, though he hold it fast it shall not endure: most men like to a drowning man, lay hold upon something to stay them, and to bear [Page 240] up their heads above water, but if it be not upon the Lord Jehovah, it will do them no good, but prove like to Egiptian reeds, not only break, but run into their hands; should we trust in Princes, or Parliaments, in ar­mies, or Garisons, in men or money, in food or physick, in friends or relations, or in any other earthly enjoyment, we shall finde disappointments, for these are not God, but webs of our own weaving, nets of our own making, which may help to sink us, but never to save us: yet many men (as God complains) Esay. 59.5, 6. they hatch cock­atrice eggs, and weave spiders webs, but their web shall not become a garment, neither shall they co­ver themselves with their work, it is too thin to shelter them from a shower of divine justice, and too short to cover their nakedness, Psal. 33.16, 17. there is no king delivered by the multitude of an host, a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, a horse is a vain thing for safety, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength: what then is the result of all, but this, Jer. 3.23. truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multi­tude of mountains, truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel, Psal. 121.2. my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth: and as for temporals, so for spirituals: he that trusts for salvation from any thing but God, will ere long finde his mistake, [Page 241] and yet how many build their hopes upon a sandy foundation, and trust to a broken staff, some to Church-priviledges, because they are baptized, and go to Church, they think they must needs go to heaven, and that God wrongs them if he do not save them: they are like the Jews that though they did steal, murther, and commit adultery, and swear falsly, and burn incense to Baal, and served other Gods, yet they cryed out the tem­ple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, Jer. 7.4, 6, 7. when they forgot the Lord of the temple, and disobeyed him, yet they thought themselves secure; but what was Simon Magus the better for his baptismal water, when he was still in the gall of bitterness, and bonds of iniquity? Is the making of the co­venant worth any thing, if it be not kept? it doth but encrease the guilt, and add to their damnation: some trust for salvation to a good nature, a good disposition, a good meaning, meer civility, common honesty, and think it is sufficient, I am neither whore, nor thief (saith one) and what then, must thou needs be saved? do all go to hea­ven that avoid these sins? this is good news for many heathens; others trust to humane learning, external gifts and parts: but the greatest enemies that ever Christ had in the world, were men of great learning, and pro­found natural parts, the Philosophers of old, [Page 242] Scribes and Pharisees, yea, the Jesuits at this day, others trust to a bare profession of re­ligion, with the foolish virgins, but all this is but to a spiders web; oh my soul, rest not upon these rotten props, or deceitful webs, for temporal safety or eternal salvation, for they will deceive thee; they are not the Lord Jehovah who is thy only refuge: lay thy foundation upon that rock, that is higher then thee, so neither winde nor weather, storms nor tempests can molest thee: all o­ther foundations are sandy, and will down, they are Egiptian reeds, and will break in thy hand if thou lean upon them: trust Gods power and providence, and his other attri­butes, for thy temporal preservation, and roul thy self upon the merits and righteous­ness of Christ for thy eternal welfare, then wilt thou be happy here, and hereafter: oh my God, pardon my sin and folly in ex­pecting salvation from the hills, and from the mountains, in trusting to this and that arm of flesh for temporal salvation, and leaning up­on this and that spiders web for eternal salvation: Lord assist me for the time to come, to commit both soul and body to thy self, who only canst provide for me.

Upon the painful and laborious Bee.
51. Med.

WHen I observed the busy and labourious bee, how painful and diligent she was in her em­ployment, and how industriously she busi­ed her self, and how laboriously she toiled, and moiled from morning to night in ga­thering both honey, and wax, which when she had gotten, she was as industrious in the disposal of it; I observed how curious, how carefull, how exquisite she was in furnishing her little cell, with the provi­sion she had got by her hard labour in building her combs; placing her honey, dis­posing her young ones, and feeding them, and was so exact in all her labours, that the art or wit of man cannot reach her, nor erect so exact a fabrick out of such ma­terials, so uniform that nothing redundant, nothing deficient doth appear, and in all her little boxes so exact a symetry doth ap­pear, as is admirable to behold, and beyond my skill to declare; she is so painful and diligent, that from morning till night whensoever seasonable weather doth per­mit, she is never idle, but either within door or without, is busily employed, yea, the very first day she is placed in her new habitation she rids and cleanseth it, decks [Page 244] and adorns it, and makes it fit to begin her work, and from that day they all join heart and hand, (as we say) in the work, and jointly and severally, all study and en­deavour the common good; some order and government also there seems to be among those poor insects, not only in their labour, where no one is to live idlely, but also in resisting the common enemy; as we may see, how unanimously they set against the idle wasp, and at the time of the year a­gainst the sluggish drone: I observed also in swarming times, how unanimously they agreed, and followed their leaders, where they fled they followed; and where they knit or lodged, there they aboad also; and that no quarrelling nor jarring arise among them; yea, when one was wronged, the other sought revenge: I observed also in their work, how they gathered honey both from flowers and weeds, and (as I thought) made little difference, but extracted the quintescence of them for their own use, and that without any wrong to the owner, or dammage (so far as I could perceive) to the hearb or flower; these and some such like considerations and observations, made me to think, it did much resemble a well ordered common-wealth, or a well-regulated City, Corporation, or Commu­nity of persons, or a family wherein all [Page 245] the members study the common good, ra­ther then their own private interest, and lay out themselves one for the good of ano­ther, and be all touched with the sence of others infirmitys, and when one suffers all suffer; but alass, where are such a people to be found, that bear such a spirit for the publike good? for all seek their own, Phil. 2.21. yea, Christians themselves that are united each to other in a stricter band then any other community whatsoever, are much wanting here, and might learn hence a lesson of brotherly love and unity, they should be like affectioned one to another, and mourn with those that mourn, and rejoyce with those that rejoyce, Rom. 12.15. they should be like lute-strings when one is touched all the rest sound; like to ingenious children when one is beaten, the rest all cry: the Apostle adviseth, 1 Cor. 10, 24. let no man seek his own, but every man anothers wealth, Phil. 2.4. look not every one on his own things, but every man also on the things of others: the very heathens could say, we were not born for our selves but for others good: but alass, this shews man as man is degene­rate, even below the beast, yea, insensible creatures, the sun, moon, stars, earth, beasts, birds, fishes, who seem to be crea­ted for others use, and not their own good: Paul himself could finde no man like Timo­thy, [Page 246] to take care for the state of the Church, for all (saith he) seek their own things, and not the things of Christ, Tit. 2.19.20, 21. These poor insects also resemble a diligent Christian, that improves every thing for his Masters glory, and the inriching of his own soul, and gathers honey from flow­ers and weeds, and here the slothful Chri­stian may be sent to school to the Bee, as Solomon sends him to the ant, to learn dili­gence, for both these provide in summer for winter, and there are too many such dust-heaps in the world, such sluggards that are degenerated below the beasts them­selves: There is great reason why men should be more diligent then these, their dilligence is for the soul, the others for the body, they are in greater danger if idle; the Bee works for honey, the other for heaven; if the one want, death ends her misery; if the other want, death begins his torment: these poor creatures have no­thing to excite them but a natural instinct, but man hath the use of reason, the dire­ctions of the Scripture, and the assistance of the spirit, Ministry, conscience, &c. to animate him: these have indeed flowers and herbs, trees and weeds, &c. to gather honey from, man hath a larger field to wander over, even the whole creation will supply him: there is not a stock, or stone, [Page 247] or dead tree, or withering branch, or fal­ling leaf or decaying flower, but will yield him honey, if he have the heavenly art of extracting it; they are feeble creatures: man is indewed with more strength; we have a better prize before us, and have bet­ter help: we can work by day, or by night, in winter and summer, in frost and snow, when they are hindred, and yet to our shame be it spoken, they are more di­ligent, and we more negligent: oh my soul, how may these poor insects rise up in judgment against thee, and condemn thee: thou hast past the spring, the flower of thy age, and done little, winter is draw­ing on apace, what provision hast thou made? the night approcheth, when no man can work; what honey hast thou got­ten? thou hast had as seasonable a summer as most in the world have had, and a long harvest, and yet art thou unfurnished: what will be the issue of it? will the sea­son of grace always last? the bridegroom is coming, where is thy oyl? the marriage feast is near, where is thy wedding gar­ment? oh my God, pardon my former neglects, and mispence of precious time: Lord, keep me close to my work, my little time that yet remains, and succeed me in it, that I may gather honey against the winter comes, and may not be unprovided at death.

Upon the taste of honey.
52. Med.

WHen I had a little considered the workman, and the work, I desired to taste of the fruits of her labours, but when I had tasted of the honey, and found the sweetness of it, and cast mine eyes upon the little workman, a poor small in­sect, a contemptible fly, that yet may chal­lenge all the artists in the world by their Chymistry to extract such excellent food out of stinking weeds, sinks, dunghills, and other filthy places as she doth, and that without the help of fire, or any other instru­ment then what God hath indewed her with: and when it is extracted, to place and di­spose of it in such an excellent order and comely manner as she doth; for she furnish­eth her house so exquisitly, so uniformly as she doth, that one little hole or cell cannot be found in the whole fabrick in a disorder­ly form, and all the materials being taken from such varieties of flowers, herbs, and weeds, the quintescence being extracted, is so orderly disposed, the wax to build the house, and the honey to furnish it, that it is won­derful to behold, and yet the herbs and flowers thus robbed, to our knowledge re­ceive no detriment, nor their owners no dammage, for when it is gone it cannot be [Page 249] mist. When I considered also, the vertues and the operations both of the honey, and wax, the work of these poor creatures, how useful and beneficiall it was, not only for food, but for physick, and surgery, and for many other uses, it made me cry out, the finger of God, the finger of God, that hath instructed such a poor fly in such an excel­lent art as this is, and made them so pain­ful, so diligent, for the good of man, to help them to what they could not other­wise have, nor well be without; but if God be the schoolmaster, no matter who be the schollars, all the men on earth cannot do the like, much less teach another fly this art, nay, we finde God himself seems to glory in this creature, how small soever, as well as in the great Leviathan, and Uni­corn, and Behemoth, Job. 41.1. &c. and 40.15. and 35.9. When he commends Canaan, he frequently calls it, a land flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands, Exod. 3.8, 17. and 33.3. Lev. 20.24. and many o­ther places. In other Scriptures also we may see it commended, Pro. 24.13. my son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy taste: thus Christ accepting the duties, and delighting in the graces of his people, tells us, Cant. 5.1. He hath eaten his honey-comb with his honey, and hath drunk his wine with his milk, and calls upon [Page 250] his friends to drink abundantly also; I con­sidered also, how good God was to us (as well as unto Canaan) in England, that have such store of these blessings as well as them, and wondred that our provoking sins had not forced him to deal by us, as he hath dealt by them, and to make our land spew us out also, yea, to lay a curse upon the land also, as he did upon theirs, for it is conceived that Judea is at this day far more barren, and sterile, then heretofore it was; so true is that of the Psalmist, Psal. 107.33.34. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water-springs into dry ground, a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. I considered also, if there be so much sweetness in the creature what is in the Creator? this being but a shadow and resemblance of his infinite perfections, all the excellency that is in the creature be­ing but a drop to this ocean, a ray to this sun, and a spark to this fire; the Word of God which is a manifestation of his will, is by David said to be sweeter then honey and the honey comb, better then thousands of gold and silver, Psal. 19.10. and 119.72.103. Job. 23.12. I have not gone back from the commandemonts of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food: oh, how sweet then is God himself to an hungring soul? what are the longings, pan­tings, [Page 251] faintings, yernings of a believer after his God, who is the very life of his soul, yea, never did poor infant more longingly desire his mothers breast, or thirsty earth covet the drops of rain, or thirsty man cry out for drink, then a thirsting soul doth af­ter the word which is the sincere milk to feed it, 1 Pet. 2.2, or at least wise after God in the word; see the pantings of David, Psal. 42.1. as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: my soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God; and no wonder, where there is life there must be food; and God is the food of the soul, and in the Ordinances, the soul feeds upon him, here they have a foundation for their faith, hope, and confidence, to build upon, the promises are their food in their journey to heavenly Canaan, as Mannah was to Israel in the wilderness, the word is their fathers legacy wherein are promises for this life, and that to come; and yet alas, most men look upon it as if it did not concern them: oh my soul, is the Word of God so sweet, and so precious to the Saints, how is it to thee? how stands thy stomack affected to it? is it sweet to thy taste? if not, surely it is a signe of a distemper: remember the days of old, when thou didst travail many miles to hear the word, it was precious in those [Page 252] days, and thou fedst upon it greedily: is it not as sweet still? surely the fault is not in it, but in thy self, take heed lest if thou play with thy meat, God take it from thee; perhaps thou feed'st but upon the husk of duty, and not upon the kernel, upon the bare out-side performances, and not upon God in the duty, and this makes thee like Israel to loath this dry Mannah: take heed for the time to come, remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first work: oh my God, discover thy self more unto me in thine ordinances; let me feed upon thee in the duty, then will my appetite be re­newed, and my soul shall long after this bread of life, and my graces which now stand at a stay shall then grow and flourish.

Upon the sting of a Bee.
53. Med.

BEing stung by the Bee when I went to taste of the honey, I began to think, that thus it is with all earthly enjoyments, there is no pure un­mixed pleasure to be had in this world, there is in the best but a little pleasure, and much pain, a little honey and many stings: the devil I know, many times hides the sour, and presents the sweet; and makes sin look amiable and pleasant, and repre­sents [Page 253] the world in a beautiful dress, and promises pleasure but pays pain: All this (saith he) will I give thee, to Christ, when his intention was to wrack and ruine both him, and us, and whosoever will swallow the bait, will be taken with the hook: sin (like the Panther) hides its head being de­formed, and then allures by the paint and varnish, which the devil hath put upon it, and so takes many captives, who never re­member the sting in the tail: we are apt ofttimes to dream of golden days, and an earthly paradice when it proves but a Ba­chin, a place of lamentation, a valley of tears; when the paint and varnish is washt off, sin will appear in its own colours, and the cheat will appear; though it seem sweet and plea­sant in the mouth, it will be bitter in the belly; and if we grasp the world too hard, it will like thorns run into the hands, nay, pierce to the heart: prosperity is always attended with danger, and many times suc­ceeded with smart; honours end oft in dis­grace, riches are attended with cares and fear and certain troubles: in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heaviness, Pro. 14.13. nulla est sincera voluptas, of carnal pleasures (as one saith) a man may break his neck, before his fast, they all prove vanity and vexation of spirit: these pleasures may wet the mouth, [Page 254] but not warm the heart, smooth the brow, but not fill the breast; they are but from the teeth outward, they dance to the tim­brel and harp, but ere they are aware, they leap into hell, Job. 21.12, 13. now they are so affraid of sadness, that they banish all seriousness, but the candle of the wicked shall soon be put out: If the aking of the head, and the filthy belchings and vo­mittings, should come before the drinking of the wine or ale, many would not buy that filthy pleasure at so dear a rate, as they pay for it afterward: if the rottenness of the bones, and the loathsom diseases not fit to be named, which usually follow adulte­ry, did precede it, many would not pay so dear for that beastly pleasure: but alass, what is this to what follows, and the reck­oning that is yet behinde? this is but as earnest to the bargain: the gripes of an in­raged conscience, as some have felt them, especially one hours torment in hell, would spoil all their mirth: but what is an hour to eternity? this would cure the adulte­rers lust, and asswage the drunkards thirst: But it is not only sinful pleasures but all earthly enjoyments that have a sting in the tail: Crowns and kingdoms are not free from troubles, from fears and jealousies, so that by that time an account be given of them, they are scarce worth gathering up [Page 255] in the street: great estates have great temp­tations, and honour ofttimes is attended with envy; and bright shining lamps ma­ny times go out in a snuff, Haman and Achitophel, kings favourites end their lives in a halter, when meaner persons have gone to their graves in peace. The tallest Ceders are most liable to winde and weather: He­rod that this day was esteemed as a God, the next day is not fit to have fellowship with men, Eecl. 5.12, 13. the sleep of a la­bouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep, &c. such riches are kept for the owners thereof to their hurt: as the poor mans fare is not so high, so his care is not so great: the care of getting, the fear of keeping and the grief of losing, like the Vulture feed upon the griping rich man continually, his abundance lies like a lump of lead upon his heart, and breaks his sleep, and God sometimes throws handfuls of fire into his conscience: this dropsy of co­veteousness is as seldom cured, as the gout, phrensy, or jealosy; riches can make no man happy, few men content; the more they have, the more they desire: he that lo­veth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, Eccl. 5.10. non plus satiatur cor auro, qua [...] corpus aura, a man may have enough to sink him, yet not to satisfie him: see their dan­ger, [Page 256] Jam. 5.1, 2, 3. go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl, for your miseries that are come upon you, your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth eaten, your gold and your silver is canker'd, and the rust of them shall be a wit­ness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire, &c. We may say of all these out­ward things, as the prophet doth of his axe, alas, master for it was borrowed; or as the wise man doth of honey, we may eat as much as is sufficient, but not too much, lest we vomit, Pro. 25.26. be moderate in the use of all lawful comforts, and contentments, hang loose to all earthly enjoyments, licitis perimus omnes; affect them not over-much lest thou surfet of them: no earthly en­joyment but hath a mixture of gall and wormwood in them, more or less, no sweet but hath some sowr: marriage which ma­ny affect for the comforts sake, and which doubtless is (if equally yoaked,) the hap­piest relation, yet there is many that finde in it more pain then pleasure, more sour then sweet, and more cost and care then they expected: it ofttimes brings a man into poverty, and leaves him at beggars-bush, and though the rich escape some of these snares; they fall into worse: oh my soul, why art thou seeking honey in a wasps nest, and ease and rest in a thorny hedge, and true content where never man yet [Page 257] found it? wouldst thou have a rose without prickles, and honey without stings, and happiness beneath the moon? all earthly en­joyments have a mixture of gall, and worm-wood, but the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it, Pro. 10.22. where God will give his people store with­out sore, wealth without wo, and gold without guilt, and pleasure without pain: endless joy, everlasting pleasures are at his right hand for evermore, Psal. 16.11. Oh my God give me my portion in those plea­sures: satisfy me with that bread and wa­ter of life, and let me not feed upon husks and vanity: let me labour for that food which perisheth not but endureth to eternal life: let me provide bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, no moth corrupteth, Luke 12.33.

Ʋpon bees kil'd for their honey.
54. Med.

WHen I considered how the poor harmless, innocent crea­tures, the Bees, when by their continued labours, painful diligence, and unwearied travels, had gathered their food in the Summer, and gathered their meat in the harvest, and sto­red themselves, and furnished their little cels, and laid in provision for the ensuing win­ter, [Page 258] and that without any trouble, wrong, or injury to any living creature; (a course which many rational creatures come short of, who either gather not at all, or if they do, it is by wrong and rapine) I say then when they were in the heighth of their pro­sperity, and in the midst of their plenty, yea, even at the fullest, suddenly they were surprized, stript of all, and cruelly butcher­ed, and their lives taken away from them, and that for no other fault or injury but that they were rich, and for the honey they had painfully and honestly gathered; not unlike to the poor silly sheep, who when he hath gotten a great fleece, is soon shorn, and when he hath gotten a fat back is soon sent to the shambles; I thought this also resembled the unconstancy, and uncertainty of earthly enjoyments, for it is with rati­onall creatures, as it is with bruits, and in­sects, those that have most, are most in dan­ger, and riches ofttimes are stored up for the hurt of the owners thereof; many poor inno­cent persons in the world, have been made transgressors, not for a word, Esay. 39.21. but for their wealth: This is usuall under the tyrannical government of the Turk, and o­ther infidels, where the only crime (though others are objected) is their being rich; when they are once fat, they are soon sent to the shambles, they are like fed beasts, re­served [Page 259] for the day of slaughter, and they are dealt with, as Naboath was for his vineyard, or Uriah for his wife; The one killed for no other offence but that he had a vineyard, the other for that he had a beautiful wife: oh world, how dost thou deceive those thou flatterest, and betrayest those that love thee best; is this thy dealing with thy friends, and favorites, and are thy Syren-songs suited to this end? Solomon tells us, the rich mans wealth is his strong-city, and as an high wall in his conceit, Pro. 18.11. and 10.15. and this is the strength wherein he trusted, he that saith to the fine gold, thou art my confidence, Job 31.24. alas what a thin spiders web do they lean upon? what an Egiptian reed do they trust to? but cursed is that man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the living God. Riches many times proves snares for the feet, yea, ruine for the soul. Many have been barba­rously rob'd, yea kil'd and murthered for their wealth, when no other cause can be ob­jected or pretended: some in their own house, some by the high-ways, yea, many by their near relations, and all to enjoy their wealth: many by their riches, ho­nours or preferments procure envy, hatred, and malice, and stir up many enemies, who at length finde out a way to throw them down from the highest step of the ladder to the [Page 260] foot. Cardinal Wolsey might be an instance of this, and many more of latter days, where many have been brought from an high estate, to extream poverty, and well if they escaped with their lives. Wealthy Nations are a shrewd temptation to their Neighbou­ring Princes, and are a prey that oft falls into their laps, and the Usurpers sometimes are scarce warm in their seats, but they are shaken out also: the wheel of fortune is very unconstant, the spoak which now is uppermost, is soon brought under; what bloudy war was the world ever embroyled in, but upon the account of rule, and go­vernment, of welath and riches, and the greatest storms fall oft upon the tallest Cedars, when the poor shrubs are hardly shaken: how frequent was it in Rome in former days, and it is well if it be now bettered, to kill a Naboth meerly for his vineyard, and a rich man for his wealth; I wish some Courts of Judicature in our days do not more consi­der the estate then the crime, and desire not more the delinquents money, then their Reformation, Cantabit vacuus coram latron [...] viator; poverty sometimes, exempts real of fenders from punishment, when riches lays open the innocent to sufferings, but it is not the law but the corruption of officer [...] that is here to be faulted, however by thi [...] we see, wealth is not always a sure refuge [Page 261] here, and it will be a pitiful refuge here­after. Oh my soul, if there be such dan­ger in riches, and that ofttimes they prove hindrances, and not helps, snares, yea, hurt­ful snares, not only to the soul, but to the body also, and tend to take away both life and liberty, what cause hast thou to bless God that he hath given thee Agar's petition, neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient, and dost neither want nor abound: And though God hath taught thee like the poor birds in diem vivere, and so put thee in minde daily to beg for thy daily bread, yet he hath never failed to give it thee in due season: hadst thou had more wealth, thou mightst have had more enemies, and consequently more troubles; a little ship in a storm may thrust into any creek or harbour, where a great one cannot ride; hadst thou held out a great sail, thou hadst been more tossed in the tempest, and more like to have been split upon one rock or other: it is not the great­ness of the cage that makes the bird sing, nor the greatness of the estate that brings inward joy, or cordiall content: oh my God, rather turn me in a bare pasture for store, then feed me for the shambles; feed my soul, though my body pine, give me a portion in heavenly things, and it sufficeth, for what good will the world do without thee?

Upon the sluggish drones.
55. Med.

WHen I considered the drones, those sloathfull sluggish crea­tures, how they lived upon the labours of the industrious Bee, and fed upon that which they had carefully gathered together, and though they neither used pains nor di­ligence, yet were more big, fat, and well liking then their painfull Neighbours, up­on whose spoil they lived: I observed also how the bees like a well-ordered common-wealth, before the approach of winter, joint­ly bandying themselves against these their enemies, dragging them forth, and put­ting them to death, as those that were ene­mies, and unfit to live, as if God and na­ture had taught them what the Apostle teacheth us, that those that will not labour should not eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. This considera­tion made me think, I had seen many such drones amongst us, whose whole life is to eat, and to drink, and to sleep, and that s [...] and talk, and sport and laugh themselves fat, and of this kinde there are several sorts, some idle, lusty vagrants that make a trade of idleness, and are the very plague-sores of a Nation, that as body-lice live upon o­ther mens sweat, and labour, and it is a sin to succour them except in case of urgent [Page 263] necessity, these having little to do but spend their time idlely, are usually set on work by the devil; for idleness is the hour of temptation; these standing pools are usually full of vermine, they are like rats and mice, good for nothing but to devour the meat that others labour for; the very excrements of humane society; but to let these pass, there are other sort of drones more perni­cious then these, if yet they may be distin­guished, for they are oftentimes of the same litter, and those are thieves; and many-times those that are beggers by day, are thieves by night, those forcibly take away what the other cannot beg, and wilfully break that command of God, thou shalt not steal, as the other do the other injunction, in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread; and God many times gives them their re­ward on earth, however God hath reserved them their wages in hell, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. But there are other drones besides these, which are the unprofitable burthens of the Common-wealth and the plague-sore to the Nation; these are many, yea, too many of the Gentry of our Nation, of both sexes, which indeed were fit to have led the van, of this sloathfull company, and perhaps will not take it well, that others were preferred or named before them; those that are asha­med of nothing, except it be honest labour, [Page 264] that only live to eat, to sport, and recreate themselves, and because they go in a little more gaudy dress then others do, and pro­vidence hath allotted them a little larger portion of the worlds goods, then others have, think themselves priviledged to be idle, as if that servant that God hath given most wages to, should do him least work: They minde nothing else but back and bel­ly, sports and vanity, as if God had placed them in the world, as Leviathan in the sea, to sport therein; but when their accounts are given up, it will appear otherwise; they with Israel sit down to eat and to drink, and rise up to play, but I remember not where great ones are exempted from that punish­ment laid upon all mankinde after the fall, in the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread; but these seldom provoke sweat, except at a tennis-court, or some worse ex­ercise: The morning is much of it spent in dressing them against dinner, and the after­noon is little enough for their recreations, and thus are their days, and weeks, and years spent to no purpose; and every day with them is a play-day, nay, the sabbath it self cannot be exempted: they often also change the course of nature, and turn day into night, and night into day; they sleep by day, and revel in the night, as in­deed fittest for their works of darkness: [Page 265] they have neither head, nor heart, nor hand at work for the common good, neither are they any ways profitable, but many ways hurtfull in their generation, they live like drones on other mens labours, racking their rents, undoing their tenants, to maintain their pride and luxury, and cannot give an accompt of one day in a month, perhaps in a year really spent, either for benefit of soul or body. 'Tis observed that by the laws of Mahomet, there are none permit­ted to be idle, nay the great Turk himself is to exercise some manual exercise, but many that bear the name of Christians, are more licentious, yet let no one think, that I charge all the Gentry thus, no, some of them, but oh too few, are diligent in their places, and not tainted with this sloathfull negligence, neither that I expect manual labour from them, yet I think, such might be found out, not unsutable for a Gentle­man; but I think if they studyed the Law, to be serviceable to the Common-wealth, or physick for the help of the poor, or Di­vinity for the good of themselves and Neigh­bours, it might ready their accompts more then the courses they take. There are too many of this gang in the Clergy also, many in the Universities, like Abbey-lubbers, live up­on that given to better ends and uses, ma­ny in the Ministry that have two or three [Page 266] fat Parsonages, that feed themselves, but not the flock, but set them out to nurse, to some, whose incomes will not maintain them to minde their studies; but these may trem­ble, when they think upon their accompts: these are some, but not all the drones we have amongst us; oh my soul, is idleness so detestable a vice? take heed of it, employ every talent God hath lent thee to thy Ma­sters glory, lest thou meet with the doom of the unprofitable servant; spend all the time allowed thee in the world, either in thy general, or particular calling, and spend time on nothing thou wilt be unwil­ling to hear of another day: let not Christ when he calls for thee, nor the devil when he tempts thee, finde thee idle, lest thou be not ready to open to the one, or resist the other, lest Christ reject thee, and the de­vil vanquish thee, and death usher thee into outer darkness: oh my God, I have much work to do and but a little time to do it in, and it is work of great concern­ment, and much time already hath been wasted by me: Lord, incline my heart to diligence, and convince me of the necessity of working while it is called to day, because the night comes that no man can work.

Upon the gaudy Wasp.
56. Med.

OBserving the wasp in her gaudy dress, what an enemy she was to the pain [...]ul and laborious Bee, and was not content her self to be idle, but robs al­so the Bees that do labour, and feeds upon that which this painful and industrious crea­ture hath laid up against winter, and so oft­times exposes them to want and penury, yea, to death it self, and if the poor bees make resistance, kills them, and spoils their habitation; I observed also that this perni­tious insect, more hurtful then the drones before-mentioned, making no provision for winter before it comes, puts her head into a hole and dies: the consideration of this occasioned this following Meditation, I thought there were many such wasps amongst us, that is, such as have the nature and dis­position of wasps, that are hurtful to many, helpful to none, that live an idle life, and live upon others labours, and not their own, and making no provision for death or eter­nity, are then utterly destitute of what is necessary here, with the rich man, Luk. 16.19. &c. they are cloathed in purple, and fine linnen, and fare deliciously every day, and at last would beg a drop of water to cool their tongues, but cannot obtain it, but shall have punishment [Page 268] without pitty, misery without mercy, sor­row without succour, crying without com­passion, mischief without measure, torment without end, and past imagination. Among the rest of these gaudy wasps, we may rank many griping Land-lords; some Land-lords are of a better complexion, but they are too few; but too many are guilty of grinding the faces of the poor, and the spoil of the poor is in their houses, Esay. 3.14, 15. they make their tenants serve in the very fire, and weary themselves for very vanity, Hab. 2.13. and are like unto the Egyptian task-masters, force the tale of their bricks, and not allow them straw, they pluck not only the meat from their mouths, and the cloaths from their backs, but the very flesh from their bones: they drink not only their tears, but their very sweat and bloud, and all too little to satisfy their greedy humours, they squeese so many tears from them in their life time, that they have none left to shed for them at their death, they by racking their rents, and their cruel extortion draws many tears from their eyes, and sobs from their hearts, but God will put those tears into his bottle, and those sobs into his book, and will vin­dicate their wrongs: how oft may we see greedy Land-lords force their tenants to feed their dogs with what should feed their own children, a barbarous custome, which will [Page 269] rise up in judgment against them another day: They deal with their tenants as they do with their horses; when they have tired them or rid them out of breath, they call for a fresh one, and shew not so much mer­cy on them, as on their dogs, whom they cherish if weak or weary, but when the poor tenant with all his pains and diligence can no longer satisfy their greedy humours, they turn them out of doors, seize upon their e­states, perhaps cast them into prison, till they have paid the utmost farthing, to the ruinating of their families, and exposing them to beg­gery, and all this is to maintain their pride and luxury: these men act as if they were the sole proprietors, and must never give an accompt to any other Master, but let such remember the parable of the man that owed ten thousand talents, and would not forgive his brother a hundred pence, but cast him into prison, Mat. 18.23. he himself was cast in till he had paid the utmost farthing, those shall have judgment without mercy, that have shewed no mercy, Jam. 2.13. those that will not forgive others, shall not be forgiven themselves; let such remember the rich man, Luk. 16.19. who 'tis conceived, refusing to give a bit of bread to Lazarus, was himself denied a drop of water by Abraham. But these are not all the gaudy wasps that trouble the laborious bees, there are many rich men that undo [Page 270] their poor neighbours, with unjust and vex­atious Law-suits, that oppress them with wrongs, injuries, and unjust vexations, and make bold thus to do, because they are too great for them to grapple with; these great flies break through the net, there being al­so too many of these wasps in places of Ju­dicatory, civil and Ecclesiastical; I accuse not all, and I think no wise man will justi­fy all: many Lawyers to maintain their state and garb, knowingly undo their clients, some by taking bribes, to prevent justice, some by unnecessary delays, some for favour and friendship, they either break the neck of a good cause, or suck the clients dry before they tell them their cause is bad: Ecclesi­astical Courts are not much better, some think far worse, many officers there do as greedily prey upon the poor as ever a hun­gry fly did upon a galled horse back, and many times make sores where they finde none, and the greatest offences are not al­ways punished with the hardest stroaks, but preaching and praying is esteemed worse then swearing and cursing; and that refor­mation of sin is not intended though pre­tended, is apparent, when poor adulterers are let alone who are not able to pay the fees of the Court, when the richer are made of­fenders for a word, Isa. 29.21. let not any that are not guilty apply this to themselves: but there [Page 271] are also too many in the Ministry that may reade their character, Esay 56.10. &c. but the time is coming these causes will be cal­led over again, and then it will evidently appear, who are the troublers of Israel: oh my soul, is there such oppression, such injustice in the world, take heed of having a heart or hand in any such matter, come not into their secrets, and unto their assembly; the time is co­ming that those that have been fed with sin, will vomit up what they so greedily swal­lowed, and those also that rob the poor will be found to reproach their maker, Pro. 14.31. God is the poor mans king, and he will de­fend him, destroy his enemies, and will not suffer the injuries offered them to be un­punished; winter will come when these wasps will dye: oh my God, suffer me not now to feed upon those morfels, that I must chew for ever in hell; if I have but little, let it not be with a curse.

Upon the painted Butterfly.
57. Med.

WHen I observed the curious gaudy dress of the painted butterfly, her various colours, and her spe­cious shew, and took notice how she spent her time in paint and plaister, and all to a­dorn her self and make her seem beautiful, [Page 272] when the laborious Bee improved her time to better ends and purposes, viz. to provide in summer for winter, and to gather her food in the harvest: I considered also, that notwithstanding all this paint, this proud creature was but a poor infect, nay, an un­profitable creature doing hurt but no good; and when I caught her to take a further view, she did but foul my fingers; I con­sidered also what would be the end of this so proud, so sluggish, and so useless a crea­ture, and found against winter she put her head into a hole and died, and there was the end of all her bravery, when the pain­full Bee, hath her life preserved by her dil­ligence; this made me think, that this crea­ture did much resemble many of the Gal­lants of our times, especially of the female sex, though others may take it ill if they be excluded, which are good for little but to paint, and dress, and spend their time as vainly as ever the butterfly doth, these content not themselves with their own na­tive beauty, or with the form and fashion God made them in, but cast themselves in­to another mould, and take upon them ano­ther shape then God made them; and it is to be feared God will never own them for his, when they are thus transformed, or rather deformed themselves with their own hands, and what is the reason of all this [Page 273] paint and plaister, but to make traps to catch fools? their hair are snares to catch men, as the fisher of his hairs makes lines to catch fish, or as the spiders web is to take flys, for if there be no wine in the cellar, why hangs the bush? what doth this gaudy dress signifie but a lascivious minde, and to let the world know in what ware they deal, and how welcome such a motion that brings profit or pleasure with it would be to them; and like the signe at the ale-house-door, promises entertainment for money: what doth this gawdy dress signify less then a lascivious minde, when they spend great part of their time in attiring, painting, dres­sing, and spotting themselves, this is their morning devotion; and their afternoon ser­vice is not much unlike, for that is mostly spent in sports and merryments, in plays and interludes, in idle visits, or perhaps worse employments, the devil many times makes use of these gaudy flys to fish for souls, wherewith he baits his hooks, and many unwary youths are caught with these lime-twigs: Is it not a wonder that any of Adams sons, or Eves daughters (and yet both sexes are guilty) should take more pains for hell, then others do for heaven, yea, and be at more cost and care also; for pride is more costly then humility, yea, is it not a wonder to see persons [Page 274] pride in that which is the fruit of sin, and a cover to shame, viz. their cloaths, which usually are but the excrements of beasts or insects, or at least of as poor an original; this is a sure signe of a worthless piece, to be like a bubbl [...], or bladder, blown up with a little winde: how many are there that are like the Cinamon-tree, the bark is bet­ter then the body, yea, sometimes the cloaths are better then all the estate besides: Many that are ashamed of their deformity, yet when their crooked ill-shap't bodies are co­vered, are proud of their beauty: but what will become of those at death, that have spent their time in paint and spot, and neg­lected to adorn the soul? it were well with them if with the butterfly they could finde a hole to dye in, that they might ne­ver more be seen, but this will not be, they must be seen in their own colours, when all the varnish will vanish; sinceri­ty will abide the fire: I fear others also are guilty of this paint and flourish, as some Ministers, who paint their Sermons not to profit but to please, and preach not in that plain convincing way Christ and his Apostles did, but woo more for them­selves then for Christ, and fish not for souls but for popular applause, and seek not to set the crown upon Christs head, but their own: oh my soul, beware of these three [Page 275] grand enemies to thy salvation, pride, idle­ness, and hypocrisy; where these bear sway, the soul never prospers: pride is the master-pock, if it strike to the heart it will surely kill thee: pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall; God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Jam. 4.6. he defies those that deify themselves, witness Herod and Lucifer: grace grows not in high mountains, but in low vallies, the least degree of pride sets it self against God, the highest degree sets it self above God, 2 Thes. 2.4. and as pride, so idleness is a deadly sin, pride, fulness of bread, and abun­dance of idleness were Sodoms sin, and doubt­less they are Englands sins also, and make many thousands fall short of heaven, and the time is coming hypocrisy also will ap­pear in its own colours, the paint will not abide the fire: oh my God, how many poor souls split themselves upon these rocks and make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience: Lord, keep me humble, make me sincere, and help me to be diligent, so shall I be happy for ever.

Upon a gnat playing with the candle.
58. Med.

WHen I observed a gnat play so long with the candle, that at length she burnt her wings, was taken prisoner, suffered for her folly, paid dear for pleasure, and was exposed to a cruel death, even to end her life in the flames; I thought this resembled poor man that so long dal­lies with sin, and plays with the devils temptations, that at last he is snared in his limetwigs, and fettered in his gins, and led captive by him at his pleasure, 2 Tim. 2.26. those that he thus takes in his snares he useth worse then Sampson was used by the Philistins, he puts out their eyes, and then makes them grinde in his mill: poor man is like a fish nibling so long at the bait, till at last he swallows the hook, or like the unwary bird, so eagerly falls upon the prey, that they are taken in the net: the devil like a cunning fowler holds out the bait, covers the hook, and hides himself behind the bush, so that they see not the hand that holds it; he doth not usually appear in his colours, he takes not the drunkard and thrusts him into the Ale-house by the head and shoul­ders, this were the way to fright him, and make him know his master, and leave his service, but he hides himself, and shews the [Page 277] bait, and sets a companion to call him, and so he swallows the hook, while he observes not the hand that holds it; and the oftener he is taken, the bolder he grows, till at last he sits down in the chair of the scorner, makes a mock of sin, grows incorrigible; and then let all the men in the world, nay, let God himself say what he will to the contrary, he doth sin, and will sin, and so he hath plaied so long with the candle, that his wings are burnt, and he is taken prisoner, and which is worse, like Ʋlisses men, when by Circes charms they were tur­ned into swine, and were content thus to be, and would not reassume their former shape, so these delight so in husks and swill, that they know not, desire not any other happiness: Oh how good had it been for many, if they had taken Solomons counsel, Pro. 23.31. look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth it self aright, at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder; ma­ny men die with the wound in the eye; it is not unlawful to look, but by looking comes lusting, for sin is oft let in at the window of the eye, or by the door of the ear: Peter trusting too much to his own strength, thrust himself upon the temptati­on of wicked company, till he was snared▪ sinners by custome grow bold in sin, and [Page 278] come at last to dare God to strike them, and God sometimes accepts of the challenge, and by his immediate hand vindicates him­self and shews them their folly; thus he dealt by the old world, thus by Sodom and Gomorrah; thus by Corah, Dathan, and Abi­ram, by Ananias and Saphira, Herod and ma­ny others; There are many that like the bird gaze at the bough, till they are fetcht down with the bolt; they give their eyes leave to wander, and their hearts to con­template wickedness, and so long nibble at the bait of beauty, that they at last swal­low the hook: they are like the young man void of understanding taken in the strum­pets snares, Pro. 7.7, 8. &c. the devil feels which way their pulse beats, and suits his temptations accordingly, provides them of Mates, and sets one Dalilah or other to binde them, fit lettice for such lips, a fit helve for such a hatchet; how good is Solomons counsel, Pro. 6.25. lust not after her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye-lids, for by means of a whorish wo­man a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress wlll hunt for the precious life: yet many like Solomons harlot before-menti­oned are grown audacious, and even glory in their sin, and pleade that adultery is but a trick of youth, but let them know, it is such a trick that turned Sodom and Gomor­rah [Page 279] into ashes, and sent twenty four thou­sand Israelites at once to their graves, and many thousands to hell, 1. Cor. 6.9.10. For heaven that spewed out the fallen an­gels, will not lick up again the unrighte­ous: such therefore that play with this can­dle, let them beware they be not burnt in the flame: if they do escape a fire in their bones, they are like to meet with a fire in their consciences, which (if not quenched with the tears of true repentance) will ne­ver out, nor the worm never die: it is not long before we all shall dance after deaths pipe down to the chambers of darkness, and we shall make our bed in the dust, and then the sport will be over, and a reckon­ing time will come, when an account will be required: But what Solomon observed in his time is true in ours, Eccl. 8.11. because sentence against an evil doer is not speedily exe­cuted, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholely set in them to do wickedly: but such will know, forbearance is no acquittance; when the meal is ended, the reckoning will be required: the sleeping of vengeance cau­seth the overflowing of sin, but judgment will be awakned at length, Esay. 3.12. wo to the wicked, it shall go ill with him, the reward of his hands shall be given him: oh my soul, beware of the devils temptations, how fair and specious soever they may seem, they [Page 280] are indeed but bitter pils, guilded over, or rather poyson offered in a golden cup; if thou see the bait, look at the hook, and observe the hand that holds it; make no peace with sin, this will certainly break thy peace with God, and thy own consci­ence; the devil let him promise never so fair, never intends thy good; take heed therefore of the occasions of sin, crush the cockatrice-egge ere it break forth into a serpent; dash Babilons children while they are young; give not entertainment to a sinful-thought, come not near the door of the harlots house; foster not any of the devils brats, nor keep his counsel: oh my God, except thou watch over me, I cannot be safe: Lord, be thou my protector, and defend me from my spi­ritual enemies.

Ʋpon many creatures seemingly dead in winter.
59. Med.

WHen I considered how di­verse insects, some serpents and other animals which in the heat of summer are active, quick and lively, but God not having given them wisdome, nor any inclination to make any provision for the future, and yet by the mighty power of God, they are preserved without meat; for either they die, or sleep, or seem so to [Page 281] do, yet in the following spring, when the sun returns in his strength, they recover, and the species is continued: This made me admire the wonderful providence of the only wise God, that these creatures should live the one half of the year without food, if at least they do live, or if really dead, (as some of them seem to be) that they should be restored to life again: for the production of the silk-worm and some o­thers is strange and wonderfull, first a small egge, then a worm, then a fly, which soon dies, leaving some eggs behinde for the next year, which of themselves produce the species: this minded me of Gods question to the prophet, and of his answer; Saith God, can these dry bones, live? and he said, Lord, thou knowest: 'Tis not in mans pow­er to preserve them, nor beyond the pow­er of God; with man it seems impossible, but with God all things are possible, Mat. 9.26. men may want of their will for want of power, nature her self may be interrupted in her course, as it was when the fire burnt not up the three worthys, nor the water drown Peter walking upon it: Satan may be crost, and chained up, that he cannot hurt, but who can hinder the Almighty, there is nothing can over-match an omni­potent arm: This made me think also, God can preserve his childrens lives in despight [Page 282] of his enemies: if they take away their meat (saith the Martyr) God can take a­way their hunger; why not as well as he doth the life of other creatures? and he will do it rather then his promise shall fail: Elijah goes in the strength of one meal forty days, and had God pleased, it might have been forty years, for he could have preserved the Israelites forty years in the wilderness without food as well as with food, from heaven, and as well as he pre­served their garments from waxing old, Deut. 29.5. I have led you forty years in the wilder­ness, your cloaths are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot; they needed not to care what they should eat, or what they should drink, or wherewithall they should be cloathed; for God made provision of all this, they were maintained at Gods proper cost and charges; methoughts also this cessation of action in these creatures in winter, did much resemble sleep, which if God pleased might be as long in other ani­mals; and were it not common, would be thought wonderful, and little differing from death it self, and yet experience shews us, that which seems to destroy nature, doth restore and refresh it, or it is like to a swoon when the symptomes of death are upon a man, yea, in some distempers the symptomes of life for many hours together [Page 283] are scarcely discerned; but above all, it re­sembles our lying in the grave, and our rising again at the resurrection, for the bo­dy sleeps in the dust, till the last day (as these creatures do in their holes till the win­ter is past, and the spring approacheth, and the silkworm never receives life till the Mulbery-trees leaves, which is their food;) and then they shall be revived by the sun of righteousness, and life put into them; then these dry bones shall live: This I know some question, and some deny, possibly be­cause they cannot fathome the depth of this providence; and were they not convinc't by yearly experience of the other, they would deny that also, and would think it could not be, that creatures should have their life preserved the one half of the year (at least) without food, because they know not how it should be; But I think few ar­ticles of our faith are more clearly proved in Scripture then this of the resurrection; but many men I fear are wilfully blinde, their lives and conversations being so de­baucht, they would believe, at least wish they could believe, there were no resurre­ction of the body, yea, that the soul were mortal as well as the body, and that the death of the one were the destruction of the other also, but the time is coming, they shall finde the contrary to their sorrow: both [Page 284] scripture and reason speak plainly, that the soul is immortal, and that the body par­taking with it in holiness or sin, shall al­so partake with it in weal or wo; and that there will be a day of retribution, when those that now suffer for Christ shall then reign with him, and those that sin, shall suffer for their sin; the contrary to this cannot stand with scripture-revelations, the threatnings of the law, the promises of the Gospel, nor with divine justice it self; and why should any think it impossible for God to gather our dust together, and raise up our dead bodies at the last, who do be­lieve that there is a God, and that he hath made not only man but the whole creati­on of nothing, and that this God is just and will make good both his promises and threatnings, and nothing is too hard for an omnipotent arm? oh my soul, distrust not Gods word, question not his power, he that can make all things of nothing, can of thy scattered ashes raise up thy dead body to life, and re-unite it to thy hould, and he that saith, he will do it, will certainly perform it; heaven and earth shall pass, but not one tittle of his word shall pass till all be fulfilled; call not in question the power and providence of God, but labour to have a part in the first resurrection, that the second death may have no power; get fitted [Page 285] for death and judgement, get sin pardoned and subdued, which is the sting of death; get grace implanted, and thy soul married unto Christ, then needst thou not fear death, nor the resurrection: oh my God, strength­en my faith, confirm my hope, and encrease my love to thee, and let me long for the time that I may enjoy thee in glory, and lie for ever in the arms of my beloved.

Ʋpon beggers at the door.
60. Med.

WHen I saw some lusty able per­sons fit for service and other employment begging at the door, I began to consider, how disagreeing this course of life was to the word of God, who had com­manded men, in the sweat of their brows they should eat their bread; this is a law laid upon all sorts of men, to sweat out a poor living, brow or brain must sweat for it, or our bread is eaten ere it be earned; God would not have a begger in Israel, and the Apo­stles will was, those that would not labour should not eat, 2 Thes. 3.6, 10, 14. those that have enough to live on, must not be idle, much less those that have nothing, yet ma­ny live like rats and mice, only to devour what others labour for; paradice that was mans store-house was also his work-house, [Page 286] God set him to dress the garden; and there should be none, that like body-lice feed upon other mens sweat; such idle persons often times are set on work by the devil; for idleness is the hour of temptation, and standing-waters are usually full of vermine; Nay, how disagreeing is this course of life with the laws of the land, which making other provision for the poor, stigmatize these wanderers by the name of rogues, and appoint them to be stockt and whipt, and sent back to the place of their birth or last abode, and inflicts a penalty upon those that relieve them: The great Turk, that grand Seignior is not excepted, for he hath a trade, and is dayly to labour with his hands; yea, Divines in all ages, ancient, and mo­dern and of all perswasions, have exclaimed against this course of life, and esteemed such persons to be the plague-sore of the Nation, and not to be tolerated in a well-ordered Common-wealth, they are a disho­nour to the Church they live in, and to the Countrey they inhabit, and the heathens as well as the Christians have made laws to punish them: These and the like consi­derations made me think correction to be the fittest alms, and their restraint might hinder a great deal of sin acted by them, and be a means to reduce them under go­vernment civil and Ecclesiastical, which [Page 287] now live like lawless persons under none, and neither fear God, nor obey men, but are the unprofitable burthens of the earth; But on the other side, when I considered how little provision notwithstanding in the law was made for the poor in most places, and that some Parishes were not able, o­thers were not willing to give any tollera­ble allowance to poor painfull householders, overcharged with children, and consider­ing that many painful men by reason of the dearness of corn these two last years, and the scarcity of work occasioned there­by, and the hardness that doth possess the hearts of many of their rich Neighbours, were reduced to very great streights and necessities; many there are that cry out a­gainst the idle, that will not set the dili­gent to work: and when I considered that supposing a man had work, how long he would be earning 8. or 9. shillings, the price of a measure of corn, and how short a time this would serve a numerous family, that depends only upon his get, I admired Gods providence that kept poor people a­live in these hard times, and began to pit­ty poor householders that were fain to creep out of their cels to save their lives, and to blame hard-hearted worldlings that force them so to do, and thrust them upon this illegal course, when a much better may be [Page 288] taken: for doubtless it is better for England to keep their poor working then playing, and for a parish to add something to their supply then force them to seek all; but ma­ny can finde Scripture against begging, but no food against starving; but let those that think charity is not their duty as well as diligence the duty of the poor, let them consult such Scriptures as those that follow, and when rich men do what they are re­quired, let them exact dilligence from the rest, and spare not, and not beat their fel­low-servants till they cry, and then beat them for crying, Psal, 41.1. blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble, Pro. 28.27. he that giveth unto the poor, shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse; you see, not getting but giving is the way to wealth; 'tis the bountiful man shall have the blessing, when the covetous shall inherit the curse both from God and man, Pro. 19.17. he that hath pitty upon the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given, shall he paid him again; it is not given but lent; given to man, lent to God, nay, lent upon usury: foeneratur Domino, who bindes him­self to repay it, and gives security for it under his own hand; Christ himself pro­mised the young man, Mark. 10.21. if he would sell what he had, and give to the poor, [Page 289] that then he should have treasure in heaven; but how many are there like Cardinal Bem­bus, that would not leave his part in Pa­ris for his part in paradice; a man may borrow ten pounds of many men upon his bare word, sooner then God can borrow ten pence with all his promises; those that are poor may be so for them: oh, my soul, bless God, this is not thy case; that thou wast never reduced to those straights as many poor men have been; put on bowels of compassion to those whose case it is, and what thou canst, relieve those that are tru­ly indigent, and if thou canst not, distin­guish between the indigent and negligent; tis better give ten alms to the unworthy, then turn away one truly hungry wanting person empty; remember what answer thou wilt make to God at judgment, Mat. 25.41. oh my God, help me to improve my small talents to thy glory, and to have charity in my heart though little in hand to bestow, thou requirest according to what thou gi­vest.

Upon the singing of birds.
61. Med.

WHen I observed in a warm morning in the spring-time how merrily the birds did chirp and sing, [Page 290] in every tree and hedge and bush, and in their language did chaunt out their makers praise and their benefactors glory, and what various tunes and notes they sent forth, each one adding something to the melody, that the musick was not unpleasant, that these little choristers warbled forth; This occasioned me this following Medita­tion, these poor birds that neither reap nor sow, nor carry into barns, they neither cark, nor care, nor moil, nor toil, but live upon their fathers providence, and when they have eat their breakfast, know not where to have their dinner, but depend upon their makers allowance, and yet how merry they are, and unconcerned they seem to be, void of care and fretting fear; when their sto­macks crave, they seek their meat where divine providence doth direct them, they take no care for the morrow, but in diem vivunt, and God makes provision for them, Psal. 145.15, 16. they all wait upon thee, and thou givest them meat in due season, thou open­est thy hand, and thou satisfyest the desire of e­very living thing; The consideration of this made me reflect upon my own self, and to observe my own faults and failings: oh my soul, art not thou justly reproved by these poor creatures, and hast thou not be­haved thy self worse to thy God, then these have done? art not thou better then many [Page 291] sparrows? why then dost thou despond more then they, and distrust thy fathers provi­dence? hast not thou more promises to de­pend upon, then ever they had? and more experiences of divine providence both in former deliverances, and continual prote­ction and provision? thou hast the use of reason which they want, to assist thee, and some comfortable hopes of the truth of grace, and that God hath entertained thee, and received thee into his family, married thee to his Son, and adopted thee for his childe; thou hast the word and Ordinan­ces to bear thee up, and many promises of divine protection and provision which they have not, and the experience of many years wherein he did never leave thee nor forsake thee, but made comfortable provision for thee, and many encouragments from God himself; reade Mat. 6.25. to the end, and Matt. 10. throughout; and see whether there be any cause of desponding, it is thy duty in nothing to be carefull, but to make thy request known to God in prayer, 1 Cor. 7.32. Children make their needs known to their parents, whom if they can please, they fear no want, they take little care where to have the next meals meat, or the next suit of cloaths, neither need they, their pa­rents take care for them, and these very birds if wisely observed, and dilligently hee­ded, [Page 292] might weed those carking cares out of thy heart, and to cast all thy care upon God, that careth for thee: But though thou hast not wanted, thou art questioning with Israel, Can God prepare a table in the wilder­ness? Psal. 78.19. what if this cruise of oyl fail, and this barrel of meal be wasted? what shall I eat? what shall I drink then, or wherewithall shall I be cloathed? if these or these things happen, what will become of me or mine? what if famine come, or what if I be put into prison, or that little I have be taken from me? what if I be banish­ed, sent into some remote wilderness, &c. how shall I be fed? how shall I be cloathed? what will become of my wife and children? &c. as if when the pipe is cut, there were no water in the fountain; are not these sometimes thy thoughts and fears? and though thou hast had many silencing pro­vidences, and God unexpectedly hath remo­ved thy doubts, and answered thy objecti­ons, yet upon new apprehensions of danger, how hard dost thou finde it to trust God, upon his bare word, when the world frowns, and will not pass for payment? or to de­pend upon him when deliverance is out of sight? hath not Christ himself told thee, that if thou seek first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, all other things shall be added to thee, Mat. 6.33. grace is the way [Page 293] to glory, and holiness to happiness, if men be not gracious there is no heaven to be had; if they are, they shall have heaven, and earth also: for godliness hath the promise of this life and that to come: all earthly enjoyments that are good for thee, are entayled upon piety; but alass, the strength of the ground is so spent in nourishing weeds and trash, that the good corn is starved and choaked: these thorns do choak the seed, and it becomes unfruitful; temporall things are nec vera nec nostra, but there are certain and durable rich­es, that nec prodi, nec eripi, nec surripi possunt; he that enjoys them cannot lose them; hath not God promised, he will never leave thee, nor forsake thee? and is not this better then if all the Kings upon earth had said so to thee, that thou shalt want nothing that is good, and wouldst thou have that which is hurt­ful? was he ever known to be worse then his word? and canst thou imagine he will first fail thee? will he that feeds the fowls, and cloaths the grass, starve the children? oh my soul, make sure of the main, and use diligence for the rest, cast thy care upon God, and make thy requests known to God, and he can as well deny himself, as deny thee in any lawful suit; five thousand years ex­perience cannot produce an instance of any godly man that was forsaken, make sure of the main bargain; and all other things will [Page 294] be given in as paper and packthred: oh my God, I believe help thou my unbelief: pardon my distracting and distrustful thoughts, in­crease my faith, silence my doubts and fears, by clearing up my evidences for heaven.

Upon provision made for birds in a hard winter.
62. Med.

WHen (after a cold pinching frosty winter wherein the snow had long covered the face of the earth, and hid it from man and beast, the trees and bushes for many weeks together being loaded and burthened with it) I saw and considered the numberless number of birds of all sorts and kindes, that escaped in that hard season, when all sorts of provision see­med to be cut off, and survived these trou­bles, which threatened them with death, when neither the rivers which were fro­zen up nor the fields which were covered, nor the trees nor bushes could give them relief, yet God provided them their meat, and they received it at his hands, and were nourished by his providence, when in my apprehension they were like to have been lost and starved, and famished for want of food, especially some of the wilder sort, that neither frequent house nor barn, from whom all sorts of provision seemed to be [Page 295] lockt up, or cut off, but God fed them out of his storehouse, Psal. 147. he gives the beast his food, and the young ravens when they cry; hence it is that our Saviour Christ sends his querellous and desponding ser­vants to school to the fouls of heaven to learn to depend upon their fathers provi­dence, Mat. 6.26. consider the fouls of the air, they sow not, neither do they reap, nor ga­ther into barns, and yet your heavenly father feedeth them, are ye not much better then they? ask the beasts (saith Job) and they shall teach thee, and the fouls of the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee; who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this, in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankinde? Job. 12.7, 8, 9.10. as he made them all, so he it is that main­tains them, he takes care for the ostriches young ones, and feeds the young ravens when they cry, Psal. 147.9. they take no care nor have care taken for them, yet are they provided for; did man but look up to the birds or down to the lillies, he would not so dispond, and so distrust Gods providence: shall the great housekeeper of the world water his flowers, prune his plants, fodder his cattle, feed his birds, and yet starve his children? it cannot be: is there not a spar­row [Page 296] can fall to the ground without his providence? nor a hair from our head without his know­ledge, and can we think he takes no care of us? Mat. 10.29, 30. one pearl is more worth then many peebles, and the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour: as one lark is worth many kites, God will have a care of his jewels, they are as the apple of his eye; thousand thousands of those fouls there are that man takes no care of, makes no provision for, knows not upon what they feed, yea, seek their destruction, some out of envy, as birds of prey, others to feed upon, yet God maintained them in their feveral species, almost six thousand years at his own cost and charges: Man by all his diligence cannot make provision for them, neither can he destroy them by all his cun­ning: God hides them as well as feeds them, and they are not beholding to man for their lives; The thoughts of this methinks may silence those Athiestical conceipts that are apt to arise in wicked mens hearts, that there is no God, when they see his provi­dence so plainly asserted, and may silence those distrustful thoughts and fears which are too apt to creep in, and to disturb the quiet and tranquillity of the hearts of Gods own people upon the apprehension of ap­proaching danger, and threatning wants, when they observe those lesser creatures gui­ded [Page 297] by an overruling providence; and if God preserve every species of his creatures notwithstanding men combine their destru­ction, no wonder if he preserve his own Church amidst their numerous enemies: oh my soul, while there is life and breath in that body of thine, praise, bless, and magnifie God for his works of providence to his creatures, in making provision for all the works of his hands, especially for his Church whom he feeds as a few lambs in the midst of innumerable wolves, and they are not able to devour them: and though many times he suffers some to be worried, yet it proves rather the augmen­tation then the diminution of his flock, the blood of the Martyrs proves the seed of his Church, yet let these convincing providences to thy self never be forgotten, but let them breed in thee a thankfull remembrance of his benefits and some answerable returns to God for his mercies which thou hast had, beyond expectation: let his continued series of pro­vidences banish out of thy heart all atheisti­cal thoughts and conceipts, and also all des­ponding, despairing, distrustful thoughts, and carking care: keep in Gods way, and he will never forsake thee: he that feeds the young ravens when they cry, will not suffer thee to starve nor shut his ear to thy prayer; if thou leave him, he will leave [Page 296] [...] [Page 297] [...] [Page 298] thee: oh my God, all my springs are in thee, all my mercies flow from thee; though the pipe be cut, Lord, show me the way to the fountain-head.

Ʋpon birds building their nests.
63. Med.

OBserving in the spring time, when the fouls of heaven build their nests, how variously they did it, and every sort had a several way, fashion, mode, or manner which all of that sort, kinde or species did exactly observe, not by imitati­on but by a natural instinct, those that had never seen nest built before, were ex­cellent artists, and needed no instruction: The several kindes also build in several places, as well as use several forms and me­thods; some build in houses in the chim­neys thatch, and other places, others have places provided for them, as pigeons, stares, and such like; these are defended from winde, and weather, which others endure to their sorrow, but are less secure; some build in high and craggy rocks, in inac­cessible places to defend their young; and some in lofty trees, as the oak, the ash, the Elme, the pine, and the cedars, far out of danger and dread; others that aspire not so high, hide their nests in rough hedges, [Page 299] bushes, brambles, and obscure places, where the passengers eye shall not behold them, and generally all obscure them what they can from sight; yet some build upon the ground, as the ostrich, which layeth her egges in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust, and forgetteth that the fool may crush them, or the wilde beast may break them; she is hardened a­gainst her young ones, as though they were not hers, her labour is in vain, without fear, because God hath deprived her of wisdome, neither hath he imparted to her understanding, Job. 39.14. &c. every one acteth according to the wisdome God hath given them, to some more, to some less: I observed also the materials with which they built, and these were dif­ferent also; some built with sticks, others with straws, some with moss, some with wooll, feathers, and many other things: the fashion also was various, some bigger, some less, according as need required; some built only a bottom, some raised up wals, some covered it over head to secure the young, some daubed their castle, and made it weather-proof, others not; various are the forms and fashions they use, and for ought I know no two species or kindes make their nests in every point alike; and in the working, both the male and the fe­male, join heart and hand in the work, and use diligence till it be effected, and in [Page 300] sitting on their eggs, both take their share in the work, and relieve each other by courses, as the careful observers testify, at least of some kindes, and undauntedly en­dure the frost and snow, the winde and the weather: as also in feeding their young, they have a mutual love and a mutual care, and take mutual pains; Methoughts this did much resemble the love and amity, the care and industry between man and wife, and oh that there were so much between them as there is between these silly birds; they are faithfull each to other, and loving and helpfull, and that by a natural instinct without the use of reason, or any other bond or obligation; and thus it should be, and oh that it were so between man and wife, they have more obligations each to other, God hath given them the use of rea­son, the Scriptures, and many other helps, yet many break all these bands asunder, yea, the very marriage-knot by their adulteries, and neighing after other mens wives, and other womens husbands, and many times return hatred for love, and wish, if not pra­ctice the death one of another; they should lend mutual help to build the nest, and feed the young, but sometimes both of them are wanting, oftentimes the one: there are ma­ny foolish men as well as foolish women, that pluck down their house with their hands, [Page 301] and turn off their children into the wide world, destitute and neglected; many spend that rioteously, that their yoak-fellows, or their parents have got painfully; and prove a hindrance and not a help to their relati­ons; and as for the body, so much more for the soul, they prove ill husbands, and hindrances, and not helps in the way to heaven: God might send these men and these women to school to these silly birds to learn faithfulness, love and mutual friend­ship, and assistance, as he doth the slug­gard to the ant, to learn diligence, and to the stork, the crane, and the swallow, to observe their times, and to the oxe and ass, to learn to know their benefactour. These poor creatures minded me also of the wise providence of God that hath thus instructed these otherwise silly creatures, Job. 39.27. doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? intimating, it is at Gods command, it is he that gives goodly wings to the peacock, yea wings and fea­thers to the ostrich, Job. 39.13. and it is he that takes care of these birds, Deut. 22.6. oh my soul, learn those lessons from these poor creatures, faithfulness, diligence, and care, learn those relative duties here hinted out unto thee; fly idleness as the bane of vertue; let thy general and particular cal­ling take up all thy time, especially be a [Page 302] good husband for thy soul; oh my God, implant every grace in my soul to this end, out with every corruption, make me dili­gent for the world, but especially for hea­ven.

Upon a small bird feeding many young ones.
64. Med.

OBserving a little wren one of the smallest of birds that had a dozen young ones lying upon her hands to maintain, to take care of, and make pro­vision for; I heedfully attended to see what the event would be; I observed with what unwearied pains she labours for their suste­nance, how chearfully she imployed her little strength to that end, even to the neg­lect of her own belly, how self denyingly she behaves her self, sparing that which she should have fed upon to sustain them, and from morning till night busieth her self to feed them; but that which most put me to a stand was this, in her returns with meat they all stand with open mouth, to receive the new taken prey, which made me admire that such a silly creature, void of reason, was able to distinguish between those she had fed, and those she had not, which might in such a multitude have puz­led a better head; I wondred that some of [Page 303] the most lively did not get all, and starve the weaker, but that God hath put such an instinct into them, thus to cherish their young, hath given them also so much know­ledge as to fit them to do it: Having spent some time in this Observation unobserved, I thought to try her affections to her young ones a little further, I approached the nest as if I intended to rob her of her young, where I observed that poor creature natural­ly fearful and timerous, with what boldness, confidence, and undaunted courage she op­posed her self to her small power to have rescued her young ones out of my hand, e­ven to the hazard of her own life; this plainly discovered to me the divine provi­dence of the great householder that doth not only provide meat but also some one to give it in due season, and to help those that can­not help themselves, and puts such an in­stinct into such poor despicable creatures, that they deny themselves to help their young ones, and venture their lives for their safety, and never leave them till they are able to help themselves, and then forsake them as if they knew them not, and that he gives such a blessing to the labours of these two poor wretches, that such a numerous brood should be provided for, and no doubt brings the prey to them by his providence: this al­so may silence our Atheists, and may make [Page 304] him lay his hand upon his mouth, for what accidentall concurring of atomes can occasion this, this made me also consider how dege­nerate a piece poor man is, many of them having obliterated what the most savage ani­mals have retained, viz. this natural affecti­on to their young, so that we may take up that complaint against many in our times, more deservedly then the Prophet doth a­gainst Israel, Lam. 4.3. even the sea monsters draw out their breasts, and give suck to their young ones, the daughter of my people is become cruel like the Ostriches in the wilderness: these forsake their children through the extremi­ty of famine, or for want of natural affe­ction, Rom. 1.31. there are many refuse to labour, to maintain their charge, the fouls of the air will rise up in judgment against these, yea, many waste and spend that rio­tously that is provided to their hands, when these poor creatures pinch their own bellies to feed their little ones; how many men and women endued with reason do so obli­terate it, that they expose their children wilfully to want and penury, yea, to plain beggery, yea, when the very bruits seek what they can to preserve their young, and many venture their lives in their quarrel, and set themselves between them and dan­ger, yet too many that bear the name of men and women, have so far obliterated [Page 305] those principles nature hath imprinted in them, that they often lay violent hands up­on their own children, and not only con­trive their death, but also effect it; I would daily experience did not speak out this truth too lowd, what assizes is there almost but some or other are tried for their lives upon this account? But though some have a care of their childrens bodies, there are but a few that make any provision for their souls, though that be their master piece, but suf­fer them to be eternally ruined: Oh the stupendious folly of the most of men, they train up their children as they do their horses, teach them to drudge, and then they think they have given them sufficient edu­cation; many if they can leave them an estate, though with a curse intailed upon it, have their desires; many are too tender of the body, that have little care of the soul, let that sink or swim; but the time will come, that the soul will be found the choi­sest jewel, and the loss of that, the grea­test loss: oh my soul be diligent in thy calling, make provision for thy relations, to thy power: he that provides not for his fami­ly, hath denyed the faith, and is worse then an in­fidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. be not without natural affections; but that is not enough, be not without spiritual affections: see that they have mentem sanam in corpore sano, though [Page 306] the body must not be neglected, nor the things of the world slieghted, yet know, this is not the main; a little grace is worth a great deal of gold: keep a mean in earth­ly enjoyments, between coveteousness & pro­digality: fear not an extream in spirituals: oh my God, help me to regulate my life both to externals and internals, by the rule of thy word and spirit.

Upon the prating of a Parrat.
65. Med.

HEaring a Parrat talk and prate, and counterfeit mans voice, and utter words which yet he understood not; when I had considered of it, I thought it was a lively embleme of an hypocrite, for as this bird doth imitate man, and coun­terfeits his voice, so doth an hypocrite imi­tate a true Christian, both in words and gestures, speaks as he speaks, and acts as he acts, for what action or what duty can a Christian perform, as to the external part of it, which an hypocrite cannot, doth not do? As there is no hearb in the garden, but there is some counterfeit of it in the field, which resembles it, so there is no grace in the heart of a believer, but the devil hath its counterfeit, and therefore it is a cun­ning thing to be a Christian, and an easy [Page 307] thing to be deceived: for what can a true Christian do for the bulk, and materiality of duty, but a hypocrite can do also, yea, sometimes seems to exceed him? and as in duty, so in conference and discourse, it is hard to discern the one from the other; hypocrisy may be spun with a fine thred, and hardly discerned either in the cloath or colour from sincerity, but it is often found out in the wearing to be but a cheat; in storms and tempests it is apt to change co­lour, and will not hold out, but shrinks in the wetting: there is indeed a difference now both in garb and language, the one is truly beautiful, the other is but paint and varnish, which time makes to fade: they speak (it is true) the same things, but the one speaks what he knows, and the other by hearsay: both may discourse the deep mysteries of Religion, as the parrat may mysteryes of state, if taught, but under­stand not what they say: Can a true Chri­stian discourse of redemption, regeneration, conversion, adoption, sanctification, &c. so can the other also, but the one speaks what he feels, the other not: the Christian findes the marks and tokens of it in his own soul, the other not: can the one discourse of the workings of the spirit in the heart, of a believer, the actings of grace, of com­munion with God, &c. so can the other? [Page 308] can the one speak out his experiences of the goodness of God, the vanity of the crea­ture, the bitterness of sin, the comforts and directions of the spirit, the beauty of holi­ness, &c. the other can counterfeit this al­so? but all this while, the hypocrites heart and tongue agree not: he disclaims against that sin which he loves, and pleads for the holiness and integrity which he secretly hates, and abhors, and speaks well of God and his laws, his ordinances and his people, which in his heart he abhors: The knowledge of the one, and the other differ, like that of a traveller, that hath been at Rome or Venice, or Jerusalem, or Constantinople, and hath seen those places, and known those inhabitants, and dwelt among them, and his who hath only heard, or read of them, or spake with those that have seen them; the latter per­haps may speak as much, nay, more of the scituation of the place, the manners of the people, the government, customes, and laws they are ruled by, then the others can; yet is not their knowledge alike: the one is assured by ocular demonstration, of what he speaks, the other not; these eyes saw it, (saith one) these ears heard it, saith the other; so it is here, one speaks what he knows, the other what he hears: Or it is like the difference between the knowledge of a diseased person, and that of a physiti­an, [Page 309] the latter can speak more of the causes, signs and symptomes of the disease, and more learnedly describe it, but the other feels what he saith, and knows the working of the disease in another manner of way then the physitian who hath only read of it, or heard of it from others: this is the diffe­rence of the knowledge between the sincere Christian and the hypocrite, the one speaks knowingly, experimentally, feelingly, tru­ly, the other speaks by rote, like the par­rat only, what is taught him dissemblingly, hypocritically, and falsly, pretending to ex­perience that they do not: oh my soul take heed of contenting and satisfying thy self with a bare notional knowledge, with­out experimental heart-knowledge, it is not that which floats in the brain, but that which sinks down and seasons the heart and life that will do thee good; the former a man may carry along with him to hell, yea, the devils have it in a greater measure then the most knowing man, though bad words may, yea, will condemn thee, if not repen­ted of, yet good words (if any such can be) without good actions, and good hearts, cannot save thee; yea, thou wilt be guilty of self-condemnation in justifying what thou dost not labour after; if godliness and a holy life be good, why dost thou not live thus? if not, why dost thou speak thus? [Page 310] why doth not thy heart and tongue agree? sincerity is the true philosophers stone, it turns all into gold, and makes weak per­formances acceptable: hypocrisy turns all into dross: oh my God, grant me heart-knowledge as well as brain knowledge, lest I go to hell with a candle in my hand: such knowledge may serve to sink me, not to save me; to talk of the way and not walk in it little profits; to speak of heaven and not enjoy, will do me no good: Lord, let me be in substance what I am in shew; yea, Lord, make me such as I ought to be in truth.

Upon a Kite kild by a Fowler eating his prey.
66. Med.

WHen I observed a kite, that bird of prey, how fiercely he struck at a trembling partrich, carrying her away in her griping talons, rending her in pieces in an instant, when the poor innocent creature could make no resistance, and none came to her rescue, and devour­ing her yet alive, all reaking in her blood, and intombed her in his cruel devouring maw; Methought it was as bloudy a spe­ctacle as ever I beheld, to see an innocent thus used, that had never injured him; but while I considered of the act, behold, [Page 31] a fowler undiscerned, shot him dead upon the place, in the height of his cruelty, with the meat in his mouth, so that he had sowr sauce to his sweet meat: When I had a­while considered the matter, I thought I had seen some such dealing in the world, yea, amongst men, where one makes a prey up­on another, and like the fishes in the sea, the great ones swallow up the lesser, and feeds upon them as these birds of prey do upon those that cannot resist them: The great ones of the world are like this kite, good for nothing, unprofitable burthens of the earth, feeding upon the brains of their innocent neighbours: how many cruel gri­ping Landlords, wring so many tears from their Tenants eyes in their life time, that at their death they have not one more to shed? how unreasonably do they rack their rents, and extort unreasonable fines? how do they oppress them by unreasonable im­positions, service, and other covenants, force them to do their work, keep their dogs, horses, and such like, when all this time they pay to the utmost farthing for what they have, that were it not for their liber­ty, it were as good for them live in Turky as where they do? they cark and care, and moil, and toil, and rise early and ly down late, and eat the bread of carefulness: they fare hard, and work hard, and deny them­selves [Page 312] even necessaries, yea, can scarce get cloathes for their backs, or meat for their bellies, but moil like slaves or horses, and yet all too little to satisfy their greedy Land­lord, who at length strips them of all they have, seizeth upon their estates, turns them out of house and harbour, perhaps throws them into prisons where they end their mi­sery, while their families depend upon the courtesy of the parish: In their poverty the Landlord deals with them, as men do by their horses, when one is tired they call for another, and shew them not so much favour as they do their dogs, for when they be wea­ried in their service, they feed them, and make provision for them; Now all this cru­elty is used to satisfy their insatiable ava­rice, or to maintain their hawks and hounds, and whores, and other like debaucheries, and all too little: they suck their brains, drink their tears, and suck their bloud; and if their Tenants or poor neighbours are wronged by them, they may expect no more justice, then the fox and ass in the fable, that were to divide the prey with the lion, they must give away their right for peace-sake, part with all, and think they speed well if they meet with no further mischief; the laws themselves prove often like cob­webs, they hold little flys but the great ones break through; But the time is coming that [Page 313] the fowler death will strike these birds of prey to the heart, and long it will not be before it be done, and an impartial judge will make them vomit up the blood they have so greedily drunk, and pluck the prey from between their teeth, and make them know, that they were the sole proprietors of what they enjoyed, but that he lent it for other ends then they employed it in; and now their condition will be worse then their poor Tenants, and their accounts grea­ter: remember the story of Dives and La­zarus, both in their life, and in their death; oh how good is it for men to live so as not to be ashamed to live, nor afraid to dye, and to keep a conscience void of guilt that it cannot accuse them of any unjust or uncivil act, lest the sergeant death put them into the devils hands, and they be cast into prison: th [...]se that will not now abate their fellow-servants a penny, shall themselves pay the utmost farthing: he that will shew no mercy, shall finde none when they stand in need, and those that now feed upon o­thers, death shall ere long feed sweetly on them, Job. 24.20. yea, the never-dying worm shall feed upon them, as it is fabled, the vulture did upon Prometheus his liver: oh my soul, live so holily towards God, and so uprightly towards man, that thy grea­test enemies may have nothing to object a­gainst [Page 314] thee but concerning the law of thy God: Improve those talents God hath lent thee to his glory, lest thou have the doom of the unfaithful servant: consider, thou art but a steward of what thou enjoyest: and what is under thy hands, thou hast but the dispose of it, for thy masters use, and he will require an account; take heed of getting any thing unjustly, keeping it unlawfully, or parting with it sinfully; put not the poors part in any childes portion, this will be a canker to consume the rest, and bring a curse upon thy posterity: grinde not the faces of the poor, for their redee­mer is mighty, and will not bear it; do as thou wouldst be done by; shew mercy or thou wilt miss of it when thou standst in need; if thou wilt not forgive others, God will not forgive thee: Oh my God, I have this sin of cruelty in my nature also, oh curse and blast this bitter root, that it may not spring up in me: incline my heart to lenity and mercy, yea, to forgive mine enemies, that I may resemble thee my fa­ther, that dost good both to the good and to the bad.

Upon a kite soaring aloft, yet minding her prey.
67. Med.

OBserving the Kite that bird of prey, soaring aloft, towring on high, as if he meant to scale the clouds, and look into heaven, and with the Eagle to make his nest among the stars, Obad. 4. And yet I observed he suddenly descended, fell upon his prey, and devoured it; This ob­servation satisfyed me, that though he aim­ed at heaven, and seemed to scorn these inferiour things, yet his eye and minde was fixed here below, and grovelled on the ground; though the bodv were above, the heart was below, and his mounting aloft was but dissimulation, and upon designe, like the fox in the fable, that pretended himself dead, to take his prey the better; so this kite to compass his ends, carry on his designes, and to take his unwary prey, useth this stratagem: I thought this was a lively Embleme of an hypocrite, who seems to be all for heaven, when he mindes no­thing less; he is only minding his prey, driving on some carnal designe, and when he seems to be trading for heaven, and dis­coursing with God himself, yet his heart and affections are glued to the world, and he is carrying on some self-interest, or flesh­ly designe; and is like a waterman, he [Page 316] looks one way, and rows another: Thus the Pharisees those noted hypocrites did, for under pretence of long prayers, they devou­red widdows houses, and fisht for popular ap­plause with their prayers, fastings and almes-deeds Mat. 6.1, 2, 3, &c. their hearts were on earth, when their hands and eyes were lifted up to heaven: A hypocrite is most devout, when preferment, profit or applause is in sight, but key-cold when there is no temptation; they are burning hot in the publike, lukewarm in their familyes, and key-cold in their closets; they are like a Cardinal I have read of, and doubtless there are many more of his minde, who being a poor fishermans son, was for his humility and other qualifications advanced to several degrees of honour, but always to minde him of his mean extraction, and to keep him humble, as he said, he would have his Fathers Net in his dining-room, that he might not forget his descent, but at the last being made Pope, the net was laid a­side, being demanded the reason, he reply­ed, when the fish is caught what need is there of the net? This net and feigned hu­mility was but to take the fish: and there are many in our times fish with such a bait; some that depend upon some godly great man, or some religious Landlord, or great benefactor, counterfeit their colours, [Page 317] and pretend to wear their livery, the bet­ter to ingratiate themselves into their fa­vour and friendship, but when they have caught the fish, the net is thrown aside; for when they have attained their end, or are frustrated of their expectation, they soon cast off the sheeps-skin, and appear in their own likeness, they make religion but a stalking-horse to take their prey, and use it for no other end, and when that work is done, they lay it afide; they have a piece of work to do, and when one tool will not do it, they lay that aside and take another; if profession of religion fail them, they will turn persecutors, and those that now cry, hail master, will shortly cry, crucify him, they follow not Christ for love, but for loaves, and will be his servants so long, and no longer then they gain by him: they put their hands to the plow, and look back, and will have no more of religion then will do them good; while it will stand with their cre­dit, profit, or worldly advantages they will be religious, when they must part with any thing, they will not buy heaven at so dear a rate; but let such take heed of mocking God, that will not be mocked, or of playing with this candle, lest they burn their wings, or approach too neer the sun of righteous­ness, lest like Icarus they melt their waxen wings, and they deceive them: God can [Page 318] easily see through this thin vail of dissimu­lation, and smell the filthy savour of an hy­pocrites rotten lungs; this fire will soon discover this paint, and without oyl in the vessel, as well as a lamp in the hand, there is no entring into the bridechamber: it is not then a Lord, Lord, open to us, will serve turn, yea, often this rotten inside will rot the outside also, and those ulcers at the heart will break forth in the life and con­versation: oh my soul, beware of hypocrysy, that damning sin, that ruines thousands, and sends them to hell, and unfits a man for any office or imployment in Church or state; this will make thee hatefull both to God and man; man will hate thee for thy profession, God will hate thee for coun­terfeiting his colours, and serving the de­vil in his livery: if religion be bad, why wilt thou profess it? if it be good, why wilt thou not practice it? Make the tree good, and his fruit good, or make the tree evill, and his fruit evill: be as thou seemest or seem as thou art, and do not dishonour God by a great profession, and an evil conversation, there is no deceiving God by a fained shew, who tryes the heart and searches the reins; he loves truth in the inward part, and the se­cretest thought of the heart cannot pass by him undiscovered; sincerity is the true philosophers stone that turns all things into [Page 319] gold, and makes weak performances accepta­ble, when hypocrysy turns all into dross, glorious performances into guilded abomi­nation: oh my God, my heart is deceit­full, and desperately wicked, a nest of un­clean birds roosts there, and this sin as well as others lurks in it; Lord, thou know­est my condition, discover my self to my self, and let not my own heart deceive me: create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me: what good will a shew do without a substance, or a professi­on without the practice; whatever thou denyest me, deny me not sincerity: what shall I do at the wedding without a wed­ding-garment, or what good will a lamp do without oyl, or a talent, if not impro­ved.

Upon a Bird in a cage.
68. Med.

UPon the observation of a bird in a cage, that was kept warm and secured from danger, fed to the full, and that without her care or pains, so that in my apprehension she wanted nothing that might give content, or minister de­light; she neither felt want nor wo; yet it seems she was not content, with this sup­posed restraint or imprisonment, for in pro­cess [Page 320] of time she gets loose, fled away and refused to return, she esteemed her liberty more then all her enjoyments, and rather exposed her self to want and penury, yea, to danger and trouble, then to return to her easy confinement, and trust her self rather to the mercy of the merciless enemy, then to her greatest benefactor: The thoughts of this raised my Meditation as high as our first parents Adam and Eve in paradice, they were placed in a place of pleasure, provi­ded for by God himself, wanted nothing for necessity or delight, and had only one little restraint laid upon them, to forbear the fruit of one tree, which haply had it not been forbidden, had not been desired, but impatient of this restraint, they break the cage, and got loose, and so were turned out into the wide world, and by this means brought want and misery, danger and death upon all their posterity, and exposed them­selves and their off-spring to be a prey to the devouring vulture, satan: and this is the condition of their posterity, they like not Gods cage, because the devil promises more liberty, but brings them really into more slavery, they leave Gods service which is perfect freedom for the devils drudgery, in hopes of more freedom, but really more slavery; they serve a worse master, are set about worse work, and shall receive worse [Page 321] wages: loath they are to be under any re­straint, and yet the devil keeps them in the most servile slavery: fain they would have their fill of sin, and this will bring them in their fill of misery; for suffering will fol­low sin, as the shadow doth the substance; if sin go before, misery will follow after, and they will rue the time that ever they left their cage, changed their Master, or left his work: for when they come to receive their wages, they will be sensible of their folly; eternal destruction is the best wages the devil gives, but eternal life is Gods re­ward: But lets leave these doing their ma­sters work, and expecting his wages, and consider man in his temporal concerns; and here also you will finde him a disconten­ted creature, and though you follow him from the womb to the tomb, you will al­ways finde him in a restless condition, ne­ver satisfied, never contented, in his infan­cy and childhood, never able to brook any cage, or endure any restraint, any thing but go to school, and any book will please but that he is to learn in, any profession but a scholler: in their youth any thing but service or apprentiship, and any trade but what they are bound to, and any Master but their own; after any estate but a single life, and when married they are soon wea­ry of that: Many a servant that lived void [Page 322] of cares, that sleeps soundly, feeds heartily, and hath all necessaries provided for him plentifully, and nothing lies upon him but a little moderate labour, to do his work, and receive his wages, when ofttimes the master works as hard as he all day, and spends his spirits, and at night breaks his sleep with anxious cares and fears, and tur­moiling thoughts, how he shall pay his rents, discharge his debts, provide for his family, meat, drink and cloathes, and other necessaries, how he shall pay scot and lot as they say, and bring both ends together, and all proves too little many times, yea, a thousand things more run in his minde and break his brain, yet this servant not content with this condition, dislikes his cage, leaves it, he cannot away with any restraint, he must needs be his own man, or rather his own Master, stand upon his own legs, be ruled by his own will, leaves his service, alters his condition, marries and sets up for himself, and now he thinks all will be well; but after awhile, when pincht with want, and misery, and forc't to maintain a wife and children, and much ado to get them bread, he begins to wish, oh that I were in my cage again, I should prize it better then I have done, and be­gins to think his service was better then his freedom, and wishes when it is too [Page 323] late that he had better considered it, and look't before he leapt: and thus it is with men in all callings, estates and degrees, al­ways discontent, if any restraint be laid up­on their insatiable mindes. Oh my soul, choose not another Master till thou art sure of a better, that will mend thy work, and better thy wages; this cannot be satan, his wages is eternal destruction, when the gift of God is eternal life; break not Gods prison for the worlds liberty, now thou art liberally provided for, and remainest under the wings of the Almighty, and no devour­ing vulture can molest thee, but if at the instigation of Satan thou break thy cage, and make an escape, a thousand dangers will assault thee, and thy poor soul will be made a prey to this roaring lyon that seeks day and night to devour it, 1 Pet. 5.8. the de­vil that bloud-thirsty enemy will pursue thee to destruction, and nothing will satisfy him but thy ruine; oh my God, my strength is in thee, and not in my self, my enemies are many, politick and cunning, bloud-thirsty and cruel, treacherous and deceitfull, and my own heart like an inbred traitour rea­dy to betray me into his hand; I have no strength against this enemy, only mine eyes are up to thee: Lord, keep me under the shadow of thy wings, & let neither the temptations of satan, nor the frowns or smiles of the world draw me thence.

Upon a bird with a clogg at her foot.
69. Med.

WHen I beheld a poor bird that was taken prisoner, and her Jaylor the better to secure his prisoner had hanged a little clog at her foot, I took notice how when she endevoured to mount up, she was always hindred and pluckt back again, and all her endeavours proved vain, as prisoners that are in for flagitious offen­ces, have fetters, shackles, and great store of irons clapt upon them to prevent their escape, and hinder their flight, so it fared with this poor bird; she had a weight that she could not lift, I perceived she had a will to be gone, but power was wanting, she was not content with her slavery, [...]ut how to remedy it she knew not: endeavours were not wanting but a wished success suc­ceeded not: I thought this much resembled the state of the poor soul by nature, who was taken prisoner by satan at the fall, and ever since kept under restraint, and the de­vil leads her captive at his pleasure, and he hath to secure his prisoner, shackled and fet­tered her ever since, for fear of an escape, from which she cannot free her self, but remains still under bondage; nay, the un­regenerate man is so fettered and clog'd, and as it were lockt to a post, that he can­not [Page 325] stir, or so much as lift up his eyes or heart to heaven, and so infatuated withall, that he cannot heartily desire his liberry, or pray for it, Satan hath put such a force up­on him that he is content to have his ear bored, and to serve him for ever, he is so acquainted with his service that he thinks there is no better Master, nor no better work; he is like a bruit beast, still grovelling up­on the earth, and thinks there is no greater happiness; he is like Ulisses his men, fa­bled, by Circes charmes to be turned into swine, and being put to their choise, were content so to remain, and not assume their human shape again; so these are so bewitcht by Satan, that they are unwilling to be Gods free men, they know no other happiness then to have their swill, and to wallow in the mire, and are angry with them that would help them out, they finde more pleasure in their drinking and drabbing, then ever they did in praying and hearing; upon these we may write, the Lord have mercy upon them, for they have a plague-sore running upon them, they are sick to death, and yet feel nothing ailing them; there is but one physitian in the world can cure them, and that must be with a plaister of his blood: but we pass by these as yet wholly at the devils com­mand, and in his power: But there are a­nother sort of men, that have this clog at [Page 326] the heel, and that is the regenerate, that have the skales of ignorance in some mea­sure wiped from their eyes, and have a principle of life in them, yet are not free from this clog, though they are weary, and fain would be free, but cannot, and though their clog be lightned, and many of their shackles and bolts knockt off, yet cannot they mount up as they desire, they cannot content themselves with their earthly en­joyments, fain they would have a better portion, yet corruption hangs so fast on, they have much ado to mount up to take a veiw of their heavenly mansion; they dare not espouse their souls to any crea­ture-comfort, and yet can maintain but little communion with their husband, Christ; if they do mount upon the wings [...]f con­templation, and get a Pisgah-sight of heaven, and a veiw of those invisible things at Gods right hand, yet how soon are they down a­gain, and much ado to get a glimps of Christ: they are like a man that is look­ing at a star through an Optick-glass, held with a palsey hand, it is but now and then they can get a sight, their corruption there­fore, that remains unmortified makes them cry out with the Apostle: Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Oh my soul? is not this thy condition? how comes it other­wise [Page 327] to pass, that thou prayest so coldly, and hearest so drowsily, praisest God so faintly, and performest every duty so care­lesly? is not heaven worth the having, and all the pains thou canst bestow about it? is not thy soul worth the saving, and eterni­ty worth minding? canst thou be zealous about trifles, and negligent in things of greatest concernment? sure there are hea­vy clogs lie upon thy heels, that thou run­nest no faster: why art thou such a stran­ger to divine Meditation? thou canst think of the world without weariness, though it be from morning to night, why then are thy thoughts of heaven so few and forced? why art thou so soon tired in duty? so soon weary of ordinances, and so overly in them, that many times thou hast scarce a glimps of Christ in a duty, and but lit­tle communion with him at best; why dost thou feed upon the husks of duty, and con­tent thy self with the bare performance, though thou meet not with Christ in the duty? will this feed thee? will it make thee fat? how comes it to pass so many vain thoughts, roving imaginations, imper­tinent wandrings are mixt with thy holi­est dutys, and most solemn services? do not those evidence to thy face, that cor­ruption remains strong in thee, and grace weak? and why contentest thou thy self [Page 328] with these fetters, and strivest not, prayest not more against them? Oh my God, when shall I be freed from these? when wilt thou knock off these bolts, and free me from these fetters, and inlarge my feet, that I may run the ways of thy commandments? then will my soul mount up to thee with chearfulness, then shall I serve God with­out weariness or distraction; oh fit me for my change, and then, come Lord Jesus, come quickly: give me oyl in my vessel, grace in my heart, and the wedding-gar­ment of sincerity for my soul, and then come at what hour thou pleasest.

Upon birds observing their seasons of coming and returning.
70. Med.

WHen I observed the cuckoe, the swallow, and many o­ther sorts of birds, how exactly they obser­ved their seasons, both in coming and re­turning, and all other birds in their build­ing and breeding, how exact they were, and lost not the opportunity, nor neglected the season; It brought to my minde Gods complaint against Israel his own people, and thought how justly it might be charged a­gainst us, Jer. 8.7. The stork of the heaven knows her appointed time, the turtle, the crane, [Page 329] and the swallow, know the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgments of the Lord; as if he should say, these silly birds by a natural instinct, without the use of rea­son, know the times and seasons of their going and returning, but my people that have greater helps and furtherances, yet take no notice of the seasons of grace, and of the times of their visitation: he com­plains likewise, Esay. 1.3. the oxe knows his owner, and the ass his masters crib, but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider; and is not this Englands case? few consider the time of their visitation, or take notice of the footsteps of Gods departure: Christ al­so complains of such, that could discern the face of the sky, but could not discern the signes of the times, Mat. 16.2.3. as if he should say, are you so weather-wise that you can foresee the rain, and are you so ig­norant of Scripture, that ye know not the time when the Messiah should come? Mat. 23.37. oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not, Luk. 19.41, 42. when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept o­ver it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou at least, in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thy eyes, [Page 330] &c. they had lived under the Ministery long, but no change was perceived: oh poor man, how art thou degenerated, even below the fowls of heaven, or the beasts of the earth; thou wast made a prince over the works of Gods hands, and all terrestri­al creatures were subjected to thee, and now art sent to the oxe and ass to learn of them thy duty, and doth their understand­ing outreach thine? Most men are apt e­nough to take advantages for the world, they will not neglect seed-time, nor harvest, neither will they omit Fair or Market, that their occasions call them to, they suit their business to the season of the year; the Mari­ner observes both the winde and tide, and yet these very persons which the world calls good husbands, are very fools in reference to the soul, and let slip spiritual advanta­ges; they provide not in summer for win­ter, in the day for the night, nor in this life for that which is to come; Now the candle of the Lord shines upon our heads, and through his light we walk through darkness, the secret of the Lord is upon our pavilion, Job. 29 3. the season of grace is yet continued, the harvest is not quite over, the market-day is not past, and we may lay in provision for the soul, and the means of grace is yet affor­ded us, but how soon winter may approach we know not; how soon the sun of the [Page 331] Gospel may set, and night come, we cannot tell, when no man can work; the shadows of the evening are stretched out, Jer. 6.4. and the night seems to be approaching, and ere long our day will be over and never dawn a­gain: there are sad symptomes, that the glory is departed from Israel, and that God is going from us, and wo to us if he depart; there are gray haires here and there upon us, and we perceive them not, Hos. 7.9. 'Tis our wisdome to observe our season, and strike while the iron is hot, and make hay while the sun shines, and work while we have the light, this is the season of gathering honey with the bee, and getting oyl with the wise Virgins; the bridegroom is at hand, and will come in an hour we know not of, and at a time when we are not a­ware of, and only those that are prepared will enter with him, and the door will be shut; then shall we wish, as Christ doth for Jerusalem, that we had known the day of our visitation, but it will be too late; The time of our visitation is called, a day, for the shortness of it, and yet we are not sure this day shall have twelve hours; ma­ny mens sun sets at noon, God may re­move his candlestick from us, as he did from the seven Asian Churches, or his dwelling from us, as from Shiloe, Jer. 7.12. and where are we then? Go to my place in Shiloh where [Page 332] I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel: and may not he say thus of England? what assurance have we more then they of Gods continued presence, if our sins equal theirs? the abuse of mercies, the contempt of the Ordinance, the abuse of his Ministers, and the making light of Christ himself, are crying sins, and I fear we cannot wash our hands from them; Oh my soul, observe the seasons of grace afforded to thee by God, for whether thou improve them or no, they must be upon thine account: take the opportunityes put into thy hands, take time by the fore-lock, or thou wilt finde that it is bald behinde: improve every talent God hath lent thee, and let none rust by thee; cherish every motion of the spirit, and blow it up into a flame; this is thy seed-time, where thou must sow what thou must reap in eternity, Gal. 6.7.8. whatso­ever a man soweth that shall he reap, he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap cor­ruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting, and he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly: this also is thy harvest-time, lay in for winter, it is thy market-day, fetch in provision, it is thy now or never, neglect it not: oh my God, rouze up my dull and drowsy soul by some quickning considerations, and let [Page 333] me not sleep away my time in security; rather spur me on by some affection, then suffer me to fall short of my journeys end, let me live every day as if it were my last, and perform every duty as if I were presently to give an account of it to God.

Upon a snail.
71. Med.

OBserving a snail that sluggish creature, how slow she was in her motion, how sloathfull her pace, how much time was spent, how little ground she rid, and observing also that all the in­stigations I could use, rather hindred then furthered her journey, for when I prickt her forward, she plucks in her horns, and stood still, and no means I could use could make her mend her pace, this made me think this was a fit embleme of a sluggard, as he is lively set forth by wise Solomon in his book of Proverbs, the slothfull man (saith he) saith, there is a lion in the way, I shall be slain in the street, Pro. 26.13, 14. he for­gets the roaring lion that prompts him to these silly excuses; but never any came to hell that had not some excuse for their coming thither; corrupt nature needs not be taught to tell her tail, sin and shifting came into the world together; men hide [Page 334] their sins from themselves by false glosses, from others by idle excuses, they would perswade the world they have some reason to be mad, as the door (saith Solomon) turns upon the hinges, so doth the sluggard upon his bed: abroad there is a lion, and at home there is a lusk that lives in the world to no purpose; he hideth his hand in his bosome, and it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth: and much more to this purpose, but of all other, the snail resembleth the spiritual sluggard, and the Lord knows there are many of them in our days, yea, which of us is not tainted with this disease? for hard­ly can we finde any men so sluggish for the world, as most men are for heaven, or so careless for the body as they are for the soul, the most of us sleep in harvest, and are like to beg in winter; slug away the day, and make no provision for night, when they cannot work, and lose the opportunity God affords them, and have a price put into their hands, but have no heart to get wis­dome; they provide not against the winter night of death, nor the days of darkness which will be many, Eccl. 11.8. for as sure as the night follows the day, so sure a change will come, a storm will rise, and such a storm as will never be blown away to wicked world­lings: There is too many professors go on in heavens way, as the proverb hath it, on [Page 335] a snails gallop, we can scarce see them move; and many like the crab-fish rather go back­ward then forward, they are like those silly women mentioned, 2 Tim. 3.7. ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; ma­ny have served an apprentiship in Christia­nity, some two, some three, and some more, and never yet understood the mystery of their profession, nay, not the grounds and fundamentals of Religion: those that have been listed souldiers twenty or thirty years have not yet learned to handle their arms, nor known the use of their weapons; those that have been as long schollers in Christs school yet have not learned the first les­son, of self denyal, they have the same corruption unmortifyed, the same grace weak or wanting; the same doubts unre­solved, and the same fears upon their spi­rits, as they had long since, many years are past away, and their work stands at a stay, no more fitter for death, no more as­surance of heaven, no more communion with God, no more knowledge of the state of their own souls, and all this notwith­standing the means they have had, the Mi­nistry they have enjoyed, and the seasons of grace they have lived in; Now is not he a monster in nature, that is as big at two years old as at twenty, and is it not a dullard indeed, that goes to school twenty [Page 336] years, and cannot take out one lesson: An­cient professors should grow with the oak, more firmly rooted, and with the apple more ripe and mellow, these trees of righteous­ness should bring forth fruit even to old age, and add every year to their experience; in­deed there are some that grow in opinions, and think this is growing in grace, and in few years run the whole circle of errors, and at last end where they began at pro­faness if not at athiesm, they grow most in the head, like children that have the rick­ets, when the rest of the body pines; these errors, the brats of their own brain are like suckers in a tree, they draw all the sap that should feed the other branches to themselves, and run up into aspiring branches fruitless, yea, hurtfull; the strength and vigor of the soul, the life and heat of their zeal, is spent upon these to maintain them, when the power of godliness languisheth, but true grace grows uniformly, like a healthy body, though every member grows not to the same big­ness, yet every member grows in proporti­on to the rest, and so the body is complea­ted; but alass where is this growth of grace discerned? the most professors are in a languishing condition, their pulse beats weakly, and their natural heat abates, and they are inclining to a consumption, or a lethargy: oh my soul, is not this thy con­dition [Page 337] that is here described? art not thou fitly resembled to this sluggish creature? how long hast thou been in Christs school, and never the better? how many apprenti­ships hast thou served, and yet art a very dullard; and little more grace appears then did many years ago? well, double thy di­ligence, amend thy pace; set about thy work to purpose, lest God turn thee out of his vineyard for a loiterer, and give thee thy portion with the unfaithfull, with the un­profitable servant, Mat. 25.26. had idle­ness been a calling, doubtless thou hadst been a good husband, yet at last up and be doing, thou canst not serve a better Ma­ster, expect better work or wages; O my God, what shall I say to thee, or how shall I answer thee? mine iniquity hath found me out, and my sin shews it self, it is I that resemble this snail, and have sluggish­ly served thee all my days: Lord, rouse me up out of my security, that I may make more haste, lest I fall short of my journeys end.

Upon a snail carrying her house along with her.
72. Med.

WHen I observed a snail car­rying her house upon her back, and in so doing carryed all she had [Page 338] with her in her removes, it brought to my minde how the Israelites in the wilder­ness, when ever they journeyed, they re­moved their tents, and carryed them with them, and when ever they rested there, they picht them, and carryed all their sub­stance for forty years space along with them, and this might well put them in minde that they were strangers, and pilgrims, and there rest was not here: I have read of hea­then Stilpo, when the enemy had seazed up­on all he had, burnt the town he lived in, and took his wife and children prisoners, being asked by Demetrius, what he had lost? replyed, nothing, omnia mea mecum porto: I carry all-along with me, esteeming his vertues his only riches, which none could take from him, but all loseable riches he va­lued not; This made me further consider, if any heathen could say thus, how much more a Christian, that hath all his vertues adopted graces, and hath an interest in Christ, and a title to glory? for this is a Christians all, and he can properly lay claim to no more; for as he hath all from God, so he hath all in God, and having God, he hath all, and a rich portion it is, beyond all the gold in the Indies, and all the wealth in the world; it is a more soul-satisfying portion then the world can afford, and such a portion, that is durable, for the devil and [Page 339] all his instruments cannot deprive them of it; and this they may take along with them to a prison, to a gibbet, yea, to the utmost parts of the earth, if they are banished thi­ther: The men of the world would have their portion in the world and heaven, like paper and packthred into the bargain, but it will not be; they would carry the world upon their backs to heaven, but it is too great a burthen to carry up the hill, and too big to enter with at the strait gate: The only way to make the best advantage of the world, is to take Christs counsel, Luk. 16.9. make your selves friends of the unrighte­ouss mammon, that when they fail, they may re­ceive you into everlasting habitations: this is the way to send the world before us to hea­ven, or to improve it to the best advantage; testify your faith (saith the Apostle) by your works; improve these talents well, and God will reward you for it, riches are not pro­perly ours, but Gods; but if we make sure the Jewel, we shall have the box; if we buy the wine, we shall have the cask; and if we seek first the kingdom of heaven, and the righ­teousness thereof, all other things shall be added, Mat. 6.33. most men begin at the wrong end, they make sure the world, and think then, all is safe, and heaven sure; but would they make heaven sure, riches should not be want­ing: but most men think that scraping and [Page 340] keeping together is the way to be rich, but the holy Ghost teacheth us, that it is giving and laying out is the way: Solomon tells us, he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and he will repay him: Pro. 19.17. and he that gives to the poor shall not lack, Pro. 28.27. so that not getting but giving is the way to wealth; but he shall have judgement without mercy, that will shew no mercy: Jam. 2.13. rich men are Gods stewards, he trusts them with his store-house, to give their fellow-servants their meat in due season, and blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall finde so doing, Mat. 24.46. but if insteed of feeding them, they feed themselves, and eat and drink with the drunken, and beat their fellow-servants, their Lord shall come when they are not aware, and shall give them their portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: but all pla­ces are too full of such evil servants, and so is hell too; such dust-heaps are found in e­very corner, but those unmercifull men shall have their portion with the devil and the damned, Mat. 25.34. when the charitable Christian shall have a portion in glory; we are all Gods servants, and have some ta­lents or other to improve in his service to his glory, which if we do, we shall not be without our reward; there is none (saith God) shuts the door of my house for nought, or kindles a fire upon my altar for nought, Mal. [Page 341] 1.10. he hath lent us our riches, and yet if we improve them and employ them as we ought, they will become our own, and we shall send them to heaven before us, where they will be made up into a crown for us; this is the only good they can do the soul, but whatsoever is not thus impro­ved is lost, yea, worse then lost; for it will be put upon our account, and required of us when we give an account of our stew­ardship: It is a great mistake, and so it will be found, when men think they have an absolute propriety in what they enjoy, and may dispose of it at their pleasure: Christ bids the young man, sell all that he had and give to the poor, and he should have trea­sure in heaven, Mat. 19.21. and rich men are charged to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to give, that they may lay up for themselves a good foundation against the evil day, 1 Tim. 6.16. &c. had rich men but Moses eye, to see the wealth of heaven, and the worth of it, it were not hard for them to make such a choise as he did; worldlings if they could have heaven without labour or cost, they would accept of it; if not, they will not buy it at so dear a rate; but Chri­stians say, as Mephibosheth, let Zibah take all, so I may enjoy the king: oh my soul, here is riches worth labouring for, thou canst not buy this gold at too dear a rate, the world [Page 342] thou maist, and many do with the loss of the soul: here thou canst not be disappoin­ted, whatever rate thou setst upon this trea­sure, it is ten thousand times better: lay hold upon this, make heaven sure to thy self, improve the world to a spiritual advantage, then will thy riches encrease as the oyl in the cruse, or like the bread in Christs hands, or the water in a spring; thy good works will follow thee to heaven, when the world will leave her dearest minions: oh my God, let it be so, say amen to my prayer, let me have thee, and I have all things necessary.

Upon mens misery, labour, and pains.
73. Med.

WHen I considered that man that was the chief of Gods workmanship, and next to the angels the most glorious creature of the whole creation, yea, in his creation was made little lower then the angels, and cloathed with honour and dignity, Psal. 8.5. and was made Lord over the works of Gods hands, Gen. 1.26. yea, God created him in his own image, all these inferiour creatures were made for his sake, and for his use and service; he was their lit­tle Lord, yea, the angels themselves are mini­string spirits, sent out for the good of those that love God, Heb. 1.14. the saints are the Church, [Page 343] the spouse, the bride the members of Christ, and so seem to be in nearer union to him then the angels themselves; some think the devils envied this, and so fell from their own station: thus you see, how man in the creati­on was exalted to honour: but on the other side, I considered, how man above all the rest of the creatures was more subjected to misery, labour, and slavery, yea, vexation of spirit, then any other, and many of them even worn out with carking cares, and fretting fears, with moiling, toyling, spen­ding labour, which tires their bodies, breaks their sleep in the night, when other crea­tures which were made for their use, and are their servants, rest secure and free from daily cares and nightly troubles, many kindes of them are preserved without their pain, all without their care, or fore-cast; the masters care for some, and maintain them, and God maintains the rest; but it is not so with man; he must eat his bread in the sweat of his brows, how true is that of Joh, chap. 5.7. man is born to labour as the sparks fly upwards, all things are full of labour (saith Solomon) Eccl. 1.8. molestation and misery meet us at every turn, the world (saith one) is a sea of glass, for it is vanity, mingled with fire, (for it is vexation), Rev. 4.6. man is in a restless con­dition, tossed to and fro like a football, and here he hath no resting place; when I sought [Page 344] out the cause of this, why this noble crea­ture should be thus subjected to trouble, and sorrow, more then any others; I quickly found out, it was Gods will and mans de­sert, for had man continued in his primi­tive purity, he had never had an aking head or aking heart, or loss or cross, or any thing to molest him; but when he had sin'd, God pronounced this sentence upon him, in the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread; which law never yet was reversed: The beasts of the field never transgrest their ma­kers law, as man hath done, and therefore never had such punishment threatned as man had, though it is conceived they are sufferers for mans sin, Rom. 8.20. had not sin gone before, trouble and misery had ne­ver followed; the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life; and as sin, brought death, so also sorrow into the world, what cause then hath poor man to hugg such a viper in his bosome, that feels so much the sad effects of it, which is the cause of all temporal, spiritual and eternal miseries, which without repentance will cause not only a seperation of the soul from the bo­dy, but also of the body and soul from God: I considered also, that though man were subjected to more care and trouble then o­ther creatures were, yet if he did his work well, he was promised a greater reward, [Page 345] and better wages then any other, he shall be well paid for his pains, and who will not take pains for profit? it is fit that man that is promised a kingdome for one days work, should work harder then he that hath but ordinary wages, yea, God hath graci­ous ends in these afflictions to his people, by this means he lets them know, their rest is not here, and weans them from the love of the world which would undo them, who otherwise would with Peter say, it is good being here: we are travellers, and cannot expect rest in a journey or security in an enemies countrey; the Samaritans would not entertain Christ, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem, Luk. 9.53. and the world will not entertain Gods peo­ple, because they have their faces he [...]en­ward: Christ tells us, in the world we shall have tribulation, John. 16.33. this is not a paradice, but a purgatory to the saints; we may say of this, as one doth of the Straits of Megellan, when a man is there, which way soever he bends his course the winde will be against him; but Christ hath over­come the world, and will subject this ene­my to us: It is a great mistake to take this for our rest, yet many do, and rest here, and it is all the rest they are like to have, and a miserable portion it is to those that have the most of it; there are none here [Page 346] live free from misery, though some sinfully pass away their time idly; sorrow will fol­low sin, as the shadow doth the substance; and if any can patch up a miserable hap­piness here, yet it is short-lived, and they know not whether it will be a day older; when death comes eternal miseries will take date: oh my soul, art thou under suffering, and hast no free-day, do they come like waves of the sea, one in the neck of another, thank thy self and thy sin for it; these are the fruits of thy beloved lusts; when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death, Jam. 1.15. never expect to be free from suffering, till thou be free from sin; when thou smartest by affliction avenge thy self on thy sins, and make thy heart smart for sin, if sin be not forsaken, thy sufferings will be more; God will make thee bend or break under his hand, but if thy sins be hated and repented, despair not at thy troubles; it is but the portion of Gods own people: Abel began a health, and all the saints that ever were, are, or shall be, have pledg'd it round, and some have drunk very deep, and Christ himself drunk up the very dregs of it; but if thou suffer for righteousness sake, thou shalt be suffici­ently rewarded, yea, thou maist rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great will be thy reward in heaven, Mat. 5.11.12. Oh my God, thou [Page 347] hast afflicted me less then I deserve, help me to patience under thy hand, with cor­rection give instruction, and let no twig of thy rod be in vain, fit my back for the bur­then, and then lay on what thou pleasest.

On the difference between a well manured, and neglected Orchard.
74. Med.

WHen I observed the difference between a well-manured, well-ordered, and well-husbanded orchard, and one that was slieghted, neglected, and carelesly heeded, I observed the difference between diligence and negligence in the one, I beheld the trees orderly ranked, not too near, nor at too great a distance, carefully prun'd, and freed from superfluous branches, suckers clensed from moss, and other offen­sive enemies, manured, dung'd, fenced from the violence of cattle, and in a word in a comely form, and handsome to behold, and the fruit answered expectation, and made a­mends for the care and cost, but the other was neither handsome to the eye, nor profi­table to the owner, lying open to the beasts of the feild, out of order, and shape; some too thick, others too thin, overgrown with moss, suckers, cankers, and unprofitable branches, the ground over-run with briars, [Page 348] brambles, nettles, docks, and other unpro­fitable weeds, and the fruit thus choaked, and spoiled, proved accordingly; by this I saw the difference between a good husband and a bad: Solomon tells us, the king himself is served by the field, Eccl. 5.9. and so doubtless he is by the orchard, but then it must be well husbanded: Uzziah loved husbandry, 2 Chr. 26.10. the orchard yields both meat and drink, both food and physick, profit and delight is here to be had, but not without labour and diligence: In all labour (saith So­lomon) there is profit, Pro. 14.23. that is, all ho­nest labour, we should work with our hands the thing that is good; some labour diligently to do mischief, and take pains to go to hell, there is small profit in this work; and some (as one saith) do magno conatu magnus nugas [...]gere, they do take great pains to small purpose; some take as much pains to spend their estate, as others do to get it; and more pains in the way to hell, then others in the way to heaven; but diligence even in earth­ly business is doubtless a commanded duty, and negligence is a forbidden sin, the one brings profit and the other loss; diligence in an orchard brings in more then ordina­ry profit; the Apostle commands those that will not labour that they shall not eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. paradice that was mans store-house, was his work house also; those idle persons that [Page 349] have little to do, are usually set on a work by the devil, for he takes up and employs such wanderers; those that like body-lice, live upon other mens sweat, are not fit to live in a well-ordered common-wealth: it is an apostatical command, that we labour with our hands, that we may be able to give to those that need, Eph. 4.28. he shall be poor (saith Solomon) that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich, Pro. 10.4. do­ing there must be, or the beggar will catch us by the back; it follows, he that gathereth in summer is a wise son, but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame; he that lets the offered opportunity slip, may haply never recover the loss; diligence usually (though not constantly) is attended with abundance; but the sluggard shall be covered with rags, we reade Pro. 24.30. that Solomon went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, and it was grown over with thorns, thistles also had covered the face thereof; the stone-wall thereof was broken down; then I stood and considered it, I looked upon it and received instruction; yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man, viz. unexpectedly, and irresistably; sloth and idleness is the nurse of beggery, the mother of misery, and the forerunner of ruine; Solomon makes some [Page 350] use of his observations, a bee can suck honey out of every flower and weed, but a fly can­not, and a spiritual minde can extract good out of every object, even out of other mens faults and follies, he can gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles, and extract good out of evil; This made me raise my meditations a little higher: I considered, if idleness be so great an hindrance to worldly advanta­ges, what is it then to spirituall profits? if ground not manured brings forth briars and thorns, weeds and thistles, what will the soul bring forth, if it be neglected: this will soon abound with sins, and vices, lusts and corrupti­ons, and Solomon no doubt made this spirituall use of the miscarriages of his foolish neigh­bour; a godly man (as I said) will gather honey with the bee; where the wasp will not, the fly cannot, and the spider gathers poyson; for a wicked mans example is of­ten hurtful, but to none but the wise profi­table: a wise man, with Solomon, will ga­ther some good by others miscarriages, and happy is he that other mens harms do make to beware: the soul is more subject to the weeds of sin, then any field or garden can be to briars or thorns, or other noi­some things, and more diligence is required to keep it in order, and there is more dan­ger in the neglect: briars and thorns are not more natural to the ground since the [Page 351] curse, then sin and corruption to the soul since the fall; and as in temporals so much more in spirituals; much diligence is re­quired to keep things in order, and great is the advantage when it is done: oh my soul refuse no pains, neglect no labour, heaven will make amends for all, stub up thy sins by the root, and content not thy self to lop off the branches, regulate thy affection, sub­due thy headstrong passions, bring under thy will, and make it submit to Gods will; set a watch over thy heart, look well to thy words and thoughts as well as to thy acti­ons, set a guard over thy sences, those cinque­ports, otherwise the enemy will enter; take heed of thy company, for seldome good is gotten by ill companions; beware of Sa­tans temptations, and the worlds allure­ments, avoid all occasions to sin, nay, all appearances of evil, and know that for all the pains thou canst take, thou shalt be re­warded, heaven will make thee amends, but the sluggard is never like to come there; Oh my God, I have been this spiritual slug­gard, it is I have neglected my field and vineyard, and hence are all those briars, and brambles sprung up; Lord, help me to double my diligence, and amend my pace, and so run that I may obtain, and so fight as to conquer.

Upon a great tree springing from a small kernel.
75. Med.

WHen I beheld some great fruit-trees, grown to a large stature, the persons being yet alive that set them, of small kernels, and that not, very many years ago, and yet are come to be trees of very great bulk and bigness, the consideration whereof made me to contem­plate the mighty power of God, that from such contemptible beginings could produce so large a body; and that of the small seeds of the cypress tree, such a huge bulk should so soon proceed, and that a slender akorn should bring forth so vast a tree as some oaks are, carrying so many tun of timber, and load of wood, as some do, this brought to my minde the parable of the mustard seed, Mat. 13.31. where Christ tells us, though it be the least of seeds, that it grows up to a great tree, and that suddenly, that the fowls of of heaven lodge in the branches of it; for though in our northern climats, it arrive not to that bigness, yet travellers speak much of the greatness of it in those hotter Countreys; our Saviour Christs intention in this parable is to teach us, that as from this small seed proceeds a great tree, so is also the progress of the Gospel, which though at first it seems contemptible, yet it proves very efficatious, [Page 353] it is quick and powerful; and wonderfull in operation, whither the fowls of heaven, the elect resort, in prosperity for shadow, in adversity for defence: In the promulga­tion of the Gospel, from small beginnings a few poor unlearned fishermen, the Gos­pel was carryed as on eagles wings to the end of the earth, and in a short time sub­dued potent princes, that set themselves a­gainst it, to the admiration of all, those an­gels came flying with the everlasting gos­pel; and in the reformation, how strangely was it carryed on: Wickliff, John Hus. and Je­rome of Prague, these paved a way and open­ed a door to Luther, who with a few more, withstood the whole popish interest, and so prevailed against them, that those locusts that came out of the bottomless pit, were never a­ble by their smoak to darken the light of the Gospel again, but it brake forth more and more to the perfect day, even to all mens admiration: in many places it was carryed on against their princes consent, yea, con­trary to his will; in Holland, France, Ger­many, Scotland, and many more, so wonder­fully did this little grain spread; and in this Nation by what unexpected means was the Reformation carryed on, by a prince which writ against it, and set himself against it; and yet was instrumental in Gods hand to carry on the work: God can make use of [Page 354] whom he pleaseth to do his work: Hea­then Cyrus must be his servant to carry on his designe: in Athanasius his time, how did God vindicate his truth by small means against a world of Arians, and made him victorious against them all, the word of God is powerfull, as a two edged sword, to divide be­tween the joints and the marrow, Heb. 4.12. By the growth of this mustard-seed, is sig­nifyed, not only the spreading abroad of the Gospel in the first promulgation of it, but also of the growth of grace in a Chri­stians heart, which though it have a small beginning, yet it encreaseth wonderfully, Job. 8.7. the later end doth greatly encrease; when the new creature grace is formed in the soul by the finger of God, it grow­eth like the childe in the womb, at the first it is an Embrio, imperfect, and unshaped, but is perfected by the degrees, the heart, the brain, the liver, and vital parts, and in process of time, the bones, sinews, arteryes, nerves, and other parts, covered with flesh, and skin, till it come to perfection, and when it is born an infant, it grows up to maturity, till it comes to a perfect man; when God speaks a word secretly and sud­denly to the heart, it sticks close, and ne­ver leaves till the work be done, and the new creature grace be formed, it makes a wonderful change in the man; it is like [Page 355] Elijahs mantle when thrown upon Elisha, which made him leave his oxen and run af­ter him, and desired only to kiss his father and mother, and he would follow him: the prophet said, go back again, what have I done to thee? 1 Kin. 19.19. but he had done that which made him, that he would not forsake him, till he was taken up to heaven, and remain­ed a prophet to his dying day; when God speaks home to the heart, the work is done, when Christ cals Peter and Andrew, James and John, they leave all to follow him, Mat. 4.18. &c. with his word there went forth a secret power, inclining them to follow; the woman of Samaria left her pitcher, and Mathew his tole-book, and Zacheus his Sica­more tree, yea, half of his goods at Christs call, when God speaks to the heart, it sticks close, and never leaves till a through refor­mation be wrought, it turns a man from a lion to a lamb, and changes a persecuting Saul to a preaching Paul: The smoaking flax shall not be quench't, nor the bruised reed shall not be broken, till he bring forth judgment into victory; Mat. 12.20. it is not the strong oaks only but the bruised reeds Christ cherisheth; he despiseth not the day of small things; the lest spark of fire may be cherished into a flame, and the least true grace will be growing, the very pantings after Christ, and unsatisfaction without him, are highly accounted of by [Page 356] him; the earthquake made such an heart­quake in the Jaylor, that he crys out, what shall I do to be saved? and the preaching of Peter to those that put Christ to death, reacht to their heart, and nothing would serve till they knew how they should be saved: so powerfull is the word when set on by God upon the heart: oh my soul, though the Church of God be brought low, despair not yet, it hath been so in former times, yet recovered, and Christ hath told thee, the gates of hell shall never prevail against it: God will yet say to these dry bones, live; and if thy graces be at an under, despair not, if it be true, though but as a grain of mu­stard seed, it will spring; if thou art but smoaking flax thou shalt not be quenched; if a bruised seed, thou shalt not be broken; oh my God, blow upon that spark thou hast given me, that it be not extinguished, re­move the ashes of corruption that it may appear.

Ʋpon a crab-tree afterwards grafted.
76. Med.

OBserving one tree in the or­chard wilde by nature, which though it had the same husbandry with the rest, drest, and pruned by the same hand, digged and dunged as the others were, though [Page 357] it grew in as fat a soil, and was refresht with the same sun, and watered with the same showers, yet still it brought forth sowr and unpleasant fruit; and neither art, nor labour could alter it, till I caused it to be grafted, and so changed the nature of it, and then the same means used made it ans­wer our expectation; this made me to con­sider that this was the very reason why there was so much difference between persons that live under the same means of grace, under the same Ministry, enjoying the same Ordi­nances, sit in the same sear, live in the same house; yea, he in the same bed, yet some bare good fruits, some bad, some sweet and some sowr, sure the fault is not in the means but in the men; I have read of Me­lancthon, that when he came to preach the gospel, he preacht with such convincing arguments, and so much Scripture light, that he was perswaded that he could have convinc't any man, but after long trial he found the contrary, and was fain to con­fess that the old devil was too cunning for young Melancthon: I have often wondred how drunkards, swearers, adulterers, or o­ther debauch't sinners could sit under the powerfull means of grace, and have hell-fire flasht in their faces, and never startle at it, when both the Scripture and verse hath been quoted, where they were excluded heaven, [Page 358] and yet they sit as unconcerned; but when I considered, Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is God that gives the encrease, my wonder ceast: man can but speak to the ear, but God speaks to the heart, the same fun when it shines upon a garden of herbs, makes it smell more oderiferously, but when it shines upon a dunghill it maks it smell more fulsomly, the fault is not in the sun, but in the dunghill, the same sun softens wax, and hardens clay; when the sun shines, and the rain fals upon a fruitful pasture, it makes it more fruitfull, but when upon the heath in the desart, it is little the better; The reason why one bears good fruit, and another bad, under the same enjoyment, is, the one is ingrafted into Christ another not, but grows upon the stock of nature; all the watering, dunging, and manuring in the world will not make a thorn bring forth grapes, or a thistle figs, Mat. 7.16. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor a bad tree good, so that the tree is known by his fruit; I am the vine, (saith Christ) and ye are the branches, he that abideth in me, and I in him, shall bring forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing; John. 15.5. A Christian that is grafted into Christ, is like the Aegyptian fig-tree, that is said to bear fruit seven times in the year, or like the lemmon-tree, that ever and anon sendeth forth new lemmons: [Page 359] When a man abides in the stock of nature, he can bring forth no savoury fruit to God; if the fountain be polluted, the streams can­not be clear; if the heart be bad, the life cannot be good; if the lungs be infected, the breath will stink; of such as these, God saith, their vine is the vine of Sodom and of the field of Gomorrha, their grapes are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter, Deut. 32.32. vitis non vinifera (saith one) sed vene infera: the vine is the evil nature, and the grapes are the wicked works; they hatch cockatrice-eggs, and weave spiders webs, Isa. 59.5. But when they are ingrafted in the true vine, they have sap and nourishment from the root, then the buds of good desires and the blossomes of good resolutions spring forth, and after that the fruit of good works; o­ther professors are but like the Ivy that ad­heres to, and hath some shelter and support from the oak, but they stand upon their own root, and bear their own fruit; un­regenerate men are hammering out their own happiness, and like the spider, are climb­ing by a thread of their own spinning; they live upon themselves, trade for themselves, and attribute all to themselves, and have no higher end then themselves; for water can ascend no higher then the fountain head, but all this will fail them, for it is not Christ but a gracious soul, as it receives sap and vi­gour [Page 360] from Christ, so it bears fruit to Christ, and as it receives all from Christ, so it will draw out all for him, heart, and hand and tongue, and all shall be set a work for him; whatever they do or whatever they suffer, they can say, propter te propter te Domine, when others sacrifice to their own nets, and burn in­cense to their drags, because by them their porti­on is fat, and their meat plenteous, Hab. 1.16. a Christian crys out with the Church, not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to thy name be the praise: oh my soul, what fruit dost thou bear? is it good or bad, sweet or sowr, sound or rotten? hast thou thy nourish­ment from Christ, or from the stock of na­ture? by their fruits (saith Christ) you shall know them; and thus maist thou know thy self, whether thou be in the true, or the wilde vine: are thy grapes sweet or sowr? or art not thou barren after all this manu­ring? if thou be barren expect the sentence, cut him down, why cumbers he the ground? Luk. 13.7. trees that are not for fruit are for fire; and if thy fruit be not good, thou maist ex­pect the like doom, Mat. 3.10. it must be good, quoad fontem, proceeding from the spirit of God, and quoad finem, as aiming at the glory of God: see what God intends to do with his vineyard, that he had hedged in, and manured, when it brought forth wilde grapes, Isay. 5.2. &c. he resolved to make it [Page 361] a desolation; if thou bring not forth good fruit to maturity, it will not be long be­fore he will lay down his basket, and take up his axe, thou wilt be condemned as well for not using, as for abusing thy talent; oh my God, am I implanted into Christ or no? I may well fear I am yet upon the stock of nature, I bear so little fruit, and so bad: Lord, ingraft me into Christ, if I be not; if I be, Lord, purge me that I may bring forth more fruit.

Upon the pruning of a tree.
77. Med.

WHen I observed some suck­ers in a fruit-bearing tree, which were not only fruitless themselves, but robbed the tree of her nourishment, and rendred it the less fruitful, for what should have fed the rest of the branches fed those luxuriant boughs, which shot up on high, and with an aspiring top, overlooked their more fruitful brethren, methought these resembled a sort of professors in our times that spend themselves in leaves and shews, and have proud aspiring thoughts of them­selves, and overtop, and overtalk their fruitful brethren, and brow-beat them as if not fit for their society, and yet they are very barren of fruit, but are best at words, [Page 362] and shews: upon this observation I caused these boughs to be taken away, that the sap might return to its old course, and sound af­terwards when the tree was clensed, and pru­ned from these, and other unprofitable boughs and branches flourish better, brought forth more and bigger fruit, this put me in minde that the great husbandman deals thus by his trees, Joh. 15, 1.2.3. &c. I am the vine, my fa­ther is the husbandman, every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit: some luxuriant branch­es, rotten boughs, raw grapes, must feel the knife, and those that overshadow the rest, and yield them less fruitfull; some aspiring branches he takes away, the gumm of pride, and the moss of formality (saith one) but dresses, supports, shelters, and secures those that bear fruit: hypocrites are here said to be in Christ, by profession, or in their own judgment, or the judgment of charity, when they rather adhere to him, then in here in him, for those that are really in him shall never be cut off, of all those that his father hath given him, he will not lose one; my father (saith he) is stronger then all, and none can plack them out of my fathers hands; but there are some, as I said before, that only adhere [...]o Christ, as the Ivy to the oak, but stand upon their own legs, grow upon their own [Page 363] root, and bear their own fruit, and only seek support and shelter here, these shall be taken away, and they may without defor­mity, they only adhere to him as a wooden leg cleaves to the body, but is no part of it, receives neither life nor heat nor influence from the head, or heart; they are like a pole fastned in the earth but is not rooted, or like a wen or ulcer or other excression that may be taken away without loss, but as in fruit-bearing trees there is need of clensing from moss, cankers and other hindrances, and incumbrances, so the best Christians as well as the best society, had need of the pruning-hook, yea of purging, bleeding, out­ting, that they may bring forth more fruit; there are in the best many warts, or wens, or deformed ulcers, that may be taken a­way without dammage, and the causes re­moved; Christs vines must be trimmed, dres­sed, clensed, and supported; nothing requires more supporting, more cutting then a vine, that the sap nourish not superfluous branches and leaves, and tis better bleed then burn, and be cut then wither; God will have no­thing shade or hinder his fruit: we see by this the benefit of affliction, and that there is no cause to quarrel God, if he do let us bloud, or take away the cause of some excrescence; all his pruning, dressing, cutting is little e­enough, and sometimes all will not do: see [Page 364] it in his own vineyard, Isay. 5.1, 2. &c. what could I have done more for my vineyard that I have not done, yet when I looked for grapes behold wilde grapes, and thereupon he threat­ens to take away the fence, & lay them waste, and break down the wall that it may be troden down, and lay it waste that it shall neither be pruned nor digged, but may bear briars and thorns, and that he will com­mand the clouds that they shall not rain any more upon it; now this vineyard is there said to be the house of Israel, and Judah was his pleasant plant: I wish England that God hath so long watered and manured, ly not un­der this severe threatning, God hath done much for his vineyard, and many vine-dres­sers he hath sent amongst them, and many an unprofitable branch hath he cut off, and yet great need there is of pruning still, I know not that any nation under heaven, hath been better manured, nor any nation that hath brought forth worse fruit, yet hath God at the intreatance of his vine-dressers, forborn to out them down, and oh how happy are that people that have such to in­tercede for them, but God will not always be intreated, his patience will be outworn, they may provoke him so long till there will be no remedy, there is a time when he will not hear, yea, that he will say, pray not for this people for they are ripe for judge­ments, [Page 365] then will he lay down his basket, and take up his axe and say, his spirit shall not always strive with man, Shiloe was his house, but he forsook it, the temple of Jerusalem was his habitation but he left it, Judah was his pleasant plant, but he hath forsaken it; he did walk among the seven golden candle­sticks in the Churches of Asia, but he hath removed those candlesticks, and the Lord grant he may never give England a bill of divorce; oh my soul, art thou a barren branch, then maist thou fear the pruning hook, if thou be a barren tree thou maist fear the axe, and the fire is like to be thy end; if thou bear but a little fruit, if God spare thee thou maist expect cutting and pruning by affliction; it is better bleed then burn, answer Gods ends in his afflicting thee, bring forth more fruit, if he take any thing from thee 'tis but what thou canst well spare, yea what fed some excrescence, and rendred thee more useless: oh my God, use me as thou wilt, only cut me not down for the fire; our me and prune me at thy pleasure, but forsake me not, nor lay me waste.

Upon suckers in a fruit-bearing tree.
78. Med.

FRom those suckers before obser­ved in a fruit-bearing tree, I had also this following meditation, for observing how they grew rank by the nourishment that should have fed the tree, and loftily lift up the head above them, and suckt that sap that should have made other branches to bear; and as they were unprofitable them­selves, so they rendred the rest almost use­less; I thought they much resembled some new upstart opinions which some unwary professors espouse to themselves, and because they differ from others, they therefore think themselves more holy then their neigh­bours, and hold their heads higher, and ve­rily believe growing in opinion, is growing in grace: In Arragon there were some he­reticks who called themselves the illuminati, as if they only had been in the light, and all the world besides had been in darkness, the Gnosticks would be the only knowing men, the Manichees thought whatsoever they taught was food from heaven, and the Fa­mily of Love boast of their Evangelium regni, and of late the Ranters and Quakers boast of the infallible conduct of the spirit; Now those opinions are ofttimes the brats of their own brain, and many times pernicious er­rours, [Page 367] or at least unprofitable things; or matters of no great concernment, yet they being thus espoused they suffer these opini­ons to suck all the sap that should maintain the vitalls of Religion, that the whole tree is thereby rendred useless and unprofitable: How many are there in our age that might have brought God much glory, and his Church much good, who have set them­selves with might and main, and spent their time, and their strength, and laid out their zeal, and all for the promoting their own opinion, perhaps an errour, or at best but some lesser disputable truth; perhaps about some circumstance of worship, when in the mean time the very fundamentals of religi­on are neglected, and the very vitals lan­guish for want of nourishment, for seldome do you see a wrangling Christian eminent in the power of godliness; Many men when they have espoused an opinion, make pro­vision to maintain it, they subject not their opinions to the rule, but bring the rule to them, and make it truckle under them, for it is victory and not truth that many seek, and therefore they spend their time and strength this way, yea, shut their eyes a­gainst all that makes not for them; they are as zealous for their opinion, as if the whole of religion consisted in it, and as if they could hardly be Christians which were [Page 368] not of their minde, when perhaps for six­teen hundred years they cannot finde a man of their judgement, and all this while for­getting, that the power of godliness, and an holy life is the main of religion; for whatever is in the brain, if this be not in the heart, all is worth nothing; these mens knowledge floating in the brain, makes them top-heavy, but by reason of some ob­structions, their knowledge sinks not down into, nor seasons the heart, or the life: Ma­ny are like the two men in the fable, that contended about the shadow of the ass they had found, who should go in it in a hot day, till at last while they contended, the ass got loose, and escaped; or like the dog in the fable, that catching at the shadow lost the substance; so these contend about trifles, and neglect the main; they are like children that have the rickets, the head grows too big for the body, the head thrives but the whole body pines; they spend so much of their strength and zeal for externals, that they neglect the internals; they have so much zeal for, or against ceremonies, that they neglect the substance; yet mistake me not, my designe is not to make men care­less in lesser points, but more carefull in greater: I would not have them think any sin small, or to neglect any known duty, but I would have them proportion their [Page 369] zeal according to the weight of the matter, and not spend it all upon lesser matters, and neglect the main concerns: I would have no man neglect his little finger, yet would I have him in the first place secure his head, and heart; he may be a man, if he want his little finger, but not without his head and his heart; he may be a Christian though he erre about the modes and circumstances of worship, but he cannot without holiness and sincerity: some Christians are like the Salamander always in the fire of contention, but these mens graces rather then corrupti­ons are like to be burnt: I like not those men that moddle religion in their own brain, and make their own conceptions the center of unity; and like Procrustes make his own bed fit all comers; Let all things (saith the Apo­stle) be done decently and in order, 1 Cor. 14.40. a necessary rule, but so extremely wrackt, that I conceive through mens corruption, it hath produced more indecency and disor­der then any one Scripture besides; the Pa­pists and others making this the foundation of all their needless ceremonies: but to re­turn to the point in hand, my desire and designe is to perswade men to maintain the vitalls of Religion, in the first place, and let the strength of their zeal be laid out here, and for lesser points, if disputable, let every man be satisfied in his own con­science, [Page 370] and grant some allowance to others that differ in their judgements, till they themselves are infallibly sure that they hold no errors: take Christs counsel, Mat. 7.1. judge not that you be not judged, for with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again: many men are quick-sighted abroad, but blinde at home; reade also the Apostles counsel, Rom. 14.1, 2, 3. &c. Oh my soul, spend not thy time and strength in trifles, when thou hast other work to do, let thy greatest zeal be laid out on mat­ters of greatest concernment, maintain the vitalls of religion, and that will maintain thee; do not doat upon the brats of thy own brain, neither censure those that dif­fer from thee in cicumstantials; love Christ whereever thou see him, though in one of another judgement; Lord, make me up­right in the main, and to employ and im­prove all my strength for thee.

Upon a fair but fruitless tree.
79. Med.

WHen I saw a fair and large spreading tree, that over­topt, and overlookt all the rest, that had a flourishing head, and a promising shew, and gave great hopes of fruit to all the beholders, [Page 371] but drawing near, as Christ did to the lea­vy fig-tree, Mat. 21.19. expecting fruit, I found none; his whole strength was spent in bringing forth leaves, when others that were less promising were richly laden with fruit: so apt are we to mistake, if we judge at a distance; When I had seriously consi­dered it, I thought this tree did fitly resem­ble some high-flown professor that makes a great shew in the world, and seems like Saul higher by the head then others are, and haply disdains them, as not fit for their so­ciety; for oftentimes hypocrites do so by their poor brethren called weak Christians: These you may frequently hear commend­ing their own attainments and their own enjoyments, their knowledge gifts, and their communion with God, and speaking of their holy raptures, their assurance, and such like; and think they are not Christi­ans that have not indubitable evidenee of their salvation, when others ly under the hatches, under fears and doubts, complain­ing under the sence of their sin, the hard­ness of their hearts, under their wants and other spiritual distempers, the load of cor­ruption that lyes upon them, their want of communion with God, and fellowship with Jesus Christ, the want of assurance, and such like; having the sun of righte­ousness often clouded and hid from their [Page 372] sight: but when I have come a little near­er to them, and more heedfully observed their course of life, I saw that many of these great confidents, bear little more then leaves, and that where there was so much of the tongue, there seemed to be but little of the heart, and their religious duties, especially in their family were cold enough, and an­swered not to their confident braggs; That those doubting Christians were more con­stant and spiritual in their performances; That their lives and conversations were more holy towards God, and more righteous to­wards men, then the others were, who bare more leaves, but less fruit: Upon this Ob­servation, I thought these fitly resembled the Pharisee and the Publican, Luk. 18.9. &c. the one brags of his worth, the other is ashamed of his duties; the one comes with confidence into Gods presence, but the other with fear, but Christ tells us, that the Publican was the better man, and bet­ter welcome; all is not gold that glisters; hypocrisy may lodge in a self-confident breast, and sincerity under a thred-bare coat, amidst many doubtings; neither is it always safe to judge of a mans integrity by his tongue, a confident bragger is not always to be be­lieved, the emptiest barrel, makes the grea­test sound, and the worst spoak in the cart we say creaks first: It is the aspiring ear [Page 373] of corn that is most like to be blasted, when those that hang the head are usually most fruitful, it is the humble self-denying Chri­stian that bears most fruit to God, and is likeliest to be most usefull in his generati­on; God dwells in the high and holy heavens, with him also that is of a contrite heart, to re­vive the spirit of the humble: A hypocrite holds himself to be the whole piece, and all o­thers but a remnant; he takes his poor counter, and sets it down for a thousand pound; he prizeth himself above the mar­ket, but he reckons without his host, and therefore must reckon twice; the seed of grace seldom prospers upon mountain tops, and high-grounds, but in low valleys, up­on the stalk of self-denyal: The more fruit is upon any tree, the more it inclines to the earth; and the more upright and aspiring, the more barren; it is the valley and not the tops of mountains that bring forth the best corn and grass, and other fruits; The greatest braggers are not always the rich­est, wisest, or the most learned men, ma­ny high flown professors are like the nigh­ingale (as one saith) vox & praeterea nihil, and those that have least, speak oftentimes loudest; but it is not the best man that hath the best lungs, but the best heart; the stron­gest Christian is most sensible of his own wants and weaknesses, as the wisest Philo­sopher [Page 374] could say, I know nothing but that I know nothing, but the bragadocia discovers his own ignorance; where the river runs quietly, the ford is deepest; but where it makes most noise, it is most shallow; I dare not then prefer an over-confident brag­ger before an humble Christian; I had ra­ther judge by their life then by their lan­guage; there are many that talk like Chri­stians, but I love to see men walk like Christians; a parat may learn humane lan­guage, but not humane action; when the actions are so dissonant to the words, I can­not think the heart and tongue agrees: oh my soul, rather be good then seem so, ra­ther bear fruit then leaves; for it is fruit and not leaves, substance and not a shadow, thy Lord expects: it is good works as well as good words, intentions as well as pre­tences he requires; let another praise thee and not thy own mouth; a stranger and not thy own lips, Pro. 27.2. let a man do worthyly in Ephrata, and he will be famous in Bethelem; he need not be his own trum­peter: honour followeth vertue, as the sha­dow doth the substance; those that honour God, God will honour, but those that despise him, shall be lightly esteemed: set the crown upon Gods head, and he will set the garland up­on thine; let thy own works, but not thy own words praise thee, Pro. 31.31. do well [Page 375] and thou needst not with Jehu proclaim thy own praises; if thy conversation give light, doubtless it will not be hid: Oh my God, let me stand approved in thy sight, and I matter not what man saith of me: give me truth in the inward parts, make me sound at the heart, give me sincerity, and I shall then bear thee fruit.

Upon a great tree spoiling others under it.
80. Med.

WHen I considered the fore­mentioned tree, that made such a pompous and promising shew, and was grown top-heavy, and yet fruitless and worthless, when many smaller shrubs yield­ed a plentiful encrease: I considered it fur­ther, and observed this was not all, for I plainly saw that it was an enemy to all that grew near it, and none prospered about it; for in overshaddowing them or dropping upon them, it rendred all that were within the reach of it either barren or at least not so fruitful, as those that grew at a greater distance: This Observation helpt me to the following Meditation: I thought this tree did much resemble many great men, which make a pompous shew, and make a great coil, and keep a great stir, and bustle in the world, and yet bear little or no good fruit, [Page 376] but it is bitter, sowr or unsavory; they spread abroad their branches far wide, fill a countrey, have many under them, that might bear much fruit, but they drop such a poysonful influence upon them, that they neither bear no fruit, or worse then none, bad fruit; for they can seldome prosper, or bring any good fruit to maturity, neither is there any good tree or flower can live near them; we may say of them, and common­ly of those that live under them, as God doth of the like, Deu. 32.32. &c. their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrha; their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters are bitter, their wine is the poyson of Dra­gons, and the cruel venom of asps: for what can you observe from many great ones, and those that depend upon them, but swearing, drink­ing, gluttony, adultery, Sabbath-breaking, oppressing, persecuting, and an enmity of the power of godliness, and there shall not a godly man live under them, nor within their reach, if they can help it, and they do so poyson all about them, that the very earth it self is cursed for their sakes, and by their means toads and serpents, brambles and briars, those fruits of the curse, can only prosper near them, and harbour under their shadow; and yet alass, still they are but men, though great men, and signify no more then men, and like men they shall die, and [Page 377] death will level them with the meanest of men: great men are indeed like capital Let­ters, they bear a great bulk, and possess a great room, and have a more pompous dress, and people are apt more to look upon them, and children to admire them, and yet in signification they are but the same with the rest, and the other have the same sound, though these commonly have the precedence and leading, yet they are but letters, and so are the rest, and stript out of their dress are called by the same name; these are but let­ters, and great ones are but men, they are indeed like the fore-man on the Jury, they have liberty to speak first, but their vote is but a vote, they make a great bustle in the world for a time, and act some great mans part, but when the play is done, and they are disrobed, alass, it is but poor man still, and when the Lord of the vineyard comes and findes them barren, he never regards their bulk or beauty, but bids, cut them down, why cumber they the ground? Luk. 13.7.9: those that are not for fruit are for the fire; the herb of grace cannot grow near them, nor within their reach, they cast forth a poysonfull influence round about, a godly man cannot live by them, but he is poy­soned by them, or by persecution driven from them, but their damnation sleepeth not, 2 Pet. 2.3. I know some great trees are good [Page 378] trees, trees of righteousness that bear abun­dantly, and these are to be prized, these are a shelter, a shelter from the storm, and to these the godly fly for refuge; such was David, Josiah, Hezekiah, and several others; Abraham, Job, and good Obadiah, but these are like black swans, seldome seen, yet some such we have in our days: the most of our great ones bear poysonous fruit, that infects those that taste of it, some more moderate bear only leaves, and it is well they bear no worse; a bare fruitless profession they make, but as they do no good, so they do little hurt; some bear a little fruit, and a little makes a great shew in a great person, but the most bear none or worse then none, but prove like a blazing star, and threaten ruine to the beholders: those that have most, of­tentimes do least, but it is pitty Gods good gifts should be thus abused, an account of those talents shall one day be required; as the Pharisees had their learning hanged in their light, which of the Scribes and Pharisees have believed on him? Joh, 7.48. sapientes sa­pienter in infernum descendunt: there are none so deep in hell as knowing men; so rich men have too great a clog at their heels to run the ways of Gods commandements; Christ tells us how hard a thing it is to be great and good, for it is easier (saith he) for a Camel to go through a needles eye, then for a rich man to [Page 379] enter heaven, Mat. 19.24. Shimei seeking his servant lost himself, and most men seeking riches, pleasures, and honours which should be their servants, lose their souls: Let such reade that flaming text, James 5.1, 2. &c. go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the mi­sery that shall come upon you, your riches are cor­rupted, and your garments are moath-eaten; your gold and your silver is cankred, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure toge­ther for the last day: ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, ye have nou­rished your hearts as in a day of slaughter, ye have condemned and killed the just, and he could not resist you: did men but consider the tempta­tion that riches exposes them to, and the dangerous events that often follow, they would not so eagerly pursue them, nor so greedily gape after them, oh my soul, bless God thou art freed in a good measure from those temptations that many others lie un­der, and think thy own condition best; hadst thou enjoyed more, it might have been thy portion, hadst thou had stronger temp­tation and more baits, thou mightest have swallowed the hook as others have done, thou hast less to answer for: oh my God, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food conve­nient, give me food and rayment, and let me be con­tent, but let not these things be my portion.

Ʋpon an old, yet fruitful tree.
81. Med.

WHen I saw an old tree that promised little yet was richly laden, and had not only more fruit, then those that were younger, and made a greater shew, but the fruit was better also, it exceeded not only in quantity but also in quality, the other trees; this Observation made me think this tree resembled much an old Christian, an ancient professor, that usually bears more and better fruit then the younger sort, their judgements being ripen­ed and mellowed by their experiences, and usually they are not so tart and sowr, so sensorious and self-wilde, as the younger are, who are apt to condemn all that are not just of their judgements, though o­therwise they hold forth as much of Christ and a Gospel conversation as they do them­selves; This Consideration brought to my minde what the Psalmist saith of such, 92. Psal. 12, 13, 14. the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Le­banon, those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God, they shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing: those that draw sap from Christ, and are grafted into him, must need bud and bloom and bring forth fruit: [Page 381] these are the trees planted by the rivers of wa­ter, that bring forth their fruit in their season, Psal. 1.3. for as ancient men, so especially ancient Christians have their judgement ripened by their experience, and mellowed by time, others may be, and usually are more heady, rash and sensorious, and have a more hot, and burning zeal, but it is not according to knowledge; now zeal without knowledge (as one saith) is like mettle in a blinde horse, which ofttimes serves but to break his own or the riders neck, their zeal is like that of the Apostles, James and John, Luk. 9.54. who would have called for fire from heaven to consume the inhos­pitable Samaritans, as Elijah did, but this wilde fire was never kindled on Gods hearth, as Elijahs was; this became not a gospel frame of spirit; but this younger fruit is not so pleasant to the taste; we may say of this, as Christ speaks of wine, Luk. 5.39. no man having drunk old wine, presently desireth new, for (saith he) the old is bet­ter; Now as age clarifies wine and ripens it, so doth experience ripen mens judgements, young professors make a great noise, and a great shew in the world, they bud and bloom, and many of them bring forth fruit, yet is not their fruit so pleasant till it be ripened by age, and mellowed by experi­ence; they are more heady (as I said) [Page 382] and sensorious, and apt to condemn those that cannot see with their eyes, that differ from them, though it be in circumstantials and things of small concerns; yea perhaps disrobe them of their graces, as if their hearts liks Jehu's were the touchstone of sin­cerity, and their judgement the touch­stone of truth; but ancient Christians have learnt Christ better, and studied their own hearts more, and will yield a grain of al­lowance to others, as knowing they need it themselves, and where they see the vi­tals of Religion preserved, they will reach out the right hand of fellowship, though it be to men of a contrary perswasion in les­ser matters; yea, they will love those bet­ter, and value them more then they do those of their own perswasion, where they can­not see such evident signes of grace, but many times in young professors a little dif­ference about circumstantialls casts such a mist before their eyes, that they cannot see any grace at all in their antagonists: a grown Christian owns Christ whereever he sees him, yea, though it be in one that hath wronged him, and he verily thinks hates him, or though it be in one that stands in his light, or in his way to preferment; there is honourable mention made of an old dis­ciple, Acts. 21.16. a gray-headed experi­enced Christian, a father, 1 Joh. 2.13. you [Page 383] are they (saith Christ) that have continued with me, and I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me, Luk. 22.28.29. God will reward those that are ancient ser­vants especially: Age should speak (saith Eli­hu) and multitude of years should shew wisdome, Job. 32.7. It was a duty commanded by God, and yet is incumbent upon us, to rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, Lev. 19.32. but then much more an old Christian, the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness, Pro. 16.31. Naturalists observe the herb Cudweed which the Herbalists call herbam im­piam, whose younger branches still yeeld flowers to overtop the elder, such weeds grow too rise among us, but it is an ill soil that produceth them: Rehoboam negle­cting the milder and safer counsel of his grave Senators, and following the harsher counsel of green wits, ruined himself, and lost ten of the twelve tribes, who revolted from him; we seldome finde an antient professor apostatize or run into errours or he­resy, but it is too frequently seen in youn­ger men, there are many take up Religion suddenly, and in a few weeks are above their teachers, yea, above all the Ministers in the Countrey, and some of them get above Ordinances, yea, run the whole circle of er­rors, till they end in Athiesm or profaness, [Page 384] the place where they set out: the devil deals by them as Elisha did by the Syrians, 2 King. 6.19. he brings them to Samaria when they thought they had been going to Dothan: he leads them to hell, and perswades them it is the nearest way to heaven: oh my soul, let not the devil thus deceive thee, but ask advice of the wisest counsellors; own Christ whereever thou seest him, and make not thy own judgement the test to try all o­ther mens, nor with Jehu thine own heart the touchstone to try others: judge the tree by the fruit, not by the leaves, and professors not by their words, but by their works; grow in grace, as thou growest in years, so maist thou be an old disciple; oh my God, make me fruitful, and let my fruit be plea­sant to thy taste, and let the last be bitterer then the first.

Upon a leavy yet barren tree.
82. Med.

FInding a tree that at a distance shew'd fair, but at hand produ­ced nothing but leaves, when I expected better fruit, it minded me of the fruitless figtree, mentioned Mar. 11.12. &c. that de­ceived even Christ himself, for he being hun­gry, and seeing a figtree a far off, having leaves he came, if haply he might finde any thing there­on, [Page 385] and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet, pro­bably the time of ripe figs was not yet, but in his necessity he would have contented himself with those that were green, and being thus disappointed, he said, never fruit grow more upon thee, and the figtree withered and dyed, and his Disciples marvelled, and well they might, for no conjurer with all his skill could have done the like; me thinks this barren tree resembles many in our times, that have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it, 2 Tim. 3.5. they have leaves but no fruit, a shadow but no substance; those hollow professors are like an old tree, tall but pithless, sapless, and unsound; these men do as players in a Comedy, in voice and gesture act divine duties, but in heart deny them; formality (as one saith) is like a bull-rush, the colour fresh, the skin smooth, but within nothing but a spungeous sub­stance; they have a name to live, but are dead, Rev. 3.1. they cry, the temple of the Lord, when they matter not the Lord of the tem­ple; they content themselves with a bare name without the nature of Christians, they draw near to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, when their heart is far from him; Mat. 15.8. all their holiness is in ex­ternals, and nothing else but a brainless head, and soulless body; they have leaves to shew, [Page 386] but no fruit; words but no works; a shew, but no substance; their religion lies in the tongue and brain, but never reaches the heart, nor seasons the life, they are most in externals, little in internals; they regulate their words and actions, but the heart is not restrained or purified; the heat of their zeal appears chiefly, if not only, in their words, but the heart is cold enough; they take up the easie, cheap, and safest part of duty, but the difficult, dangerous, or cost­ly part they meddle not with; they make a shew of what they are not, and brag of what they have not, and then they laugh in their sleeves to think, how they have cou­zened and put a cheat upon the world, they worship that God in the Church, that they matter not in the closet, they do no religi­ous duty without witness, haply for fear God should deny what he hath received from them; they are like rotten wood, they shine in the night, but look upon them in the day, and you will finde the cheat; they are like the red and blew flowers in the corn­field, fine to look upon, good for little, but to pester the corn: they are like candles they usually go out in an offensive snuff; they are Saints abroad, and devils at home, and usu­ally more dangerous when they appear like Saints, then when they shew themselves in their colours, and act the devils part bare­faced, [Page 387] but doubtless these are not the men that God will accept, nor this is not the service he requires, he is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, yea, the father seeketh such to worship him, John 4.23.24. he calls for the heart, my son (saith he) give me thy heart, not thy tongue, or hands, but the heart; for if he have that, the rest will follow, Pro. 23.26. as the heart is by nature, God will have none of it, till the heart be renewed and given to the Lord, he will accept of nothing that comes from us; he calls for the heart, and says of it, as Joseph did of Benjamin, Gen. 43.3. ye shall not see my face without it, or as David did of Michal, 2 Sam. 3.13. thou shalt not see my face except thou bringest Michal, Sauls daughter when thou com­est; These men would give the Lord any thing but the heart, and he will own no­thing without it; these professors are like men in a boat, they look one way, and row another, or like the kite that soares aloft, towrs on high, as if they were all for hea­ven, and made light of all terrestriall things, when still her eye is upon her prey, and her heart glued to the ground, and rooted in the earth; they are like unto the peacock, they have fine feathers, but yet is but a dunghill-bird; but these shews will not al­ways serve turn, God sees through their thin masks, and will ere long pluck off their [Page 388] vizour, be not deceived God is not mocked; there are none can steal to heaven in a dis­guise, God will know him well that shall enter there; there is a sure guard, and with­out this ticket of holiness none will be ad­mitted; this is Christ sheep-mark, and those, and those alone that have it, shall stand upon his right hand, at judgment: when he comes to seek fruit and findes none, he will take up his axe; he hath long, and may for a while spare the tree for the vine-dressers sake, but his patience will not al­ways last; he will say, pray not for this peo­ple, for they are ripe for destruction; when the sins of the Amorites were full, their destructi­on drew neer; when these borrowed robes are pluckt from the stageplayers backs (for so the word hypocrite signifies) then those that acted the parts of Kings will be found but peasants, and those that acted the parts of honest men, will be found but cheats; indeed God hath many fans, and much of this chaff is blown away in this life; we have seen many that appeared to be some­thing, proved just nothing; but when Christ comes with refiners fire, and fullers soap, who can stand before this burning? the lamps of profession may light a man to death, near to heaven; oh my soul, thou hast made profession of Religion a long time, what fruit dost thou bring forth? if thou [Page 389] hast nothing but tears thou, maist expect that Christ shall say to thee, as to the fruit­less figtree, never fruit grow more on thee for ever; or if thy fruit be bad, it will not be long but thou wilt be cut down; what cause hast thou to fear that art so sensible of so much unsavory, and rotten fruit, and of so little that is good? up then and be do­ing, that thy last days may be thy best days, and thy best wine last; oh my good God, though hypocrisy lodge in me, let it not reign in me; give me truth in the inward parts, keep my heart sound in thy testimo­nies, and I shall be safe.

Upon a dead tree.
83. Med.

OBserving a dead tree in the or­chard that had neither fruit nor leaves, and so was neither for profit nor plea­sure, for fruit nor ornament, but rather an encumbrance to the ground, and a deformi­ty to the place, I began upon this Observa­tion to consider, that this was the case of ma­ny a poor dead soul amongst us, who though planted in Gods vineyard, hedged about by his providence, and watered with the dew of heaven, and manured by the skilfullest vine-dressers, yet remains dead, fruitless, and useless, and hath done so many years, and [Page 390] hath done nothing all this while but cum­ber the ground, and keep a room, and did but grow worse and worse, and every day more fitter for the fire then other, this min­ded me of Gods mercy and mans wickedness, Gods mercy in sparing such unprofitable wretches, some of them 50 or 60 years to­gether, and all that while sending his vine-dressers to dig and dung, and manure them from year to year, that never yielded any good fruit in their lives, and mans wicked­ness that will not be won upon by all these entreaties and continued favours, that are so hard, that neither the sun nor the rain can soften, neither fair means nor foul can work upon them, and to this day do yet remain a reproach to the place they live in; for sin (saith Solomon) is a reproach to any peo­ple, Pro. 14.34. when righteousness exalteth a Nation: True Religion and the power of godliness is the beauty and bulwark of a Na­tion, but sin is a deformity, and an evil disease, it is the snuff that dims our candle, yea, threatens the removal of our candle­stick; Capernaum that once was lifted up to heaven, is threatned to be cast down to hell, if a dead tree deform a well-regulated or­chard, and is such an offence that it will not be endured by the owner, nor be suffered to stand; or if a dead carkass be so loath­som a thing, that in a little time the nea­rest [Page 391] and dearest relations, and the most in­timate friends are weary of it, how loath­some then is a dead soul to God, though the unsavoury smell of it be not perceived by natural men; for how can one dead man smell another? you may as well expect good fruit from a dead tree, as any good action from a dead man, perhaps something good for the matter may be done by a natural man, as prayer, fasting, and almes-deeds from the Pharisees, but the manner or ends spoil all, but he that can say to dry bones, live, can say to a dead soul, live; and he that at the first brought light out of darkness, can en­lighten a darkned understanding: The soul can act nothing truly good, or acceptable to God, till it be taken off the stock of na­ture, and planted into that generous vine Christ, then will it bear good fruit: when it is nourished with sap from this root, it must needs germinate and bring forth, but without this there is neither bud nor blos­some: the soul by nature brings forth bri­ars, and brambles, thorns and thistles, weeds, and baggage, for to these it is not dead, but only to good works; these other are the fruits of the curse, and these will choak the good seed, and render it unprofitable; the heart is alive to those, but dead to grace and holiness: of natural men (God saith) their vine is the vine of Sodom and of the field [Page 392] of Gomorrha, their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters are bitter; their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruel venime of asps: their works, yea, their best works are per­nitious; the vine is their corrupt nature, and the grapes their evil works, which pro­ceed from this vine; their spot is not the spot of Gods people, Deut. 32.5. the saints have their spots, but these are not like theirs, they are not so deeply ingraven, wicked mens spots are like the Leopards, not only in the skin but in the flesh, yea, in the ve­ry heart, and therefore can be cured by none, but Christ the great Physitian; they cannot be cured by the art of man, or washt away by any water; the sin of the saints is but like the viper on Pauls hand, through Gods mercy they hurt him not: how ma­ny of these dead trees may we observe a­mong us, yea, how few that be alive, and few bear so much as a leaf, they make no profession of Religion at all, but deform the place where they are, and procure a curse upon it: I fear it may be said of England in a spiritual sence, as once it was said of Egypt, there was not a family that there was not some dead person in it, and I fear there are very few free amongst us, nay, are not most familyes all thus spiritually dead? and it ap­pears they are dead, when after twenty years dressing, pruning, watering and manuring, [Page 393] and that by the most skilfull husbandmen, who have spent their time, their strength, and their lives in the work, yet they do not bring forth one leaf, much lesse any good fruit; and there is none can cure them, but he that can put life into them, and say to a dead soul, live; and can transplant them from the stock of nature into that noble vine Christ; that they are dead is apparent, for their souls have all the symptoms of death upon them, they have neither heat, nor breath nor sence nor motion; if God call they hear not; if his hand be stretched out they ob­serve it not; if a load of sin ly upon them as heavy as a mountain of lead, they feel it not; nor the deep gashes sin makes in the soul: present before a dead man the bloudi­est spectacle that ever was beheld, or the pleasantest sight that ever was seen, all is one, he sees neither the one nor the other, the roaring cannon, and the sweetest mu­sick is all one; the sweetest savour, and the fulsomest stink, he cannot difference; the lightest feather, and the heaviest mountain, signify the same; the sweetest meat, and the rankest poyson: and why? because he is dead; no more can a dead soul judge of spiritual things; promises and threatnings are all alike, he is moved neither with the one or with the other: oh my soul, this hath been thy case, thou hast been spiritually [Page 394] dead, dead in trespasses and sins, thou hast been spiritually deaf and dumb, and blinde and lame, and if it be better with thee, bless God for it, for it was he, and not thy self put life into thee: bring forth now fruit sutable to a tree that hath life, that is trans­planted into Christ, that hath had such planting, dressing, and manuring, as thou hast had, that Gods labour be not lost upon thee: oh my God, remove those obstructi­ons that hinder me from bearing fruit, and purge me that I may bring forth more fruit, put life into me, and I shall live.

Upon a tree seemingly dead in winter.
84. Med.

WHen I observed in the winter-season, those trees formerly green and flourishing, and richly laden, not with leaves only, but good fruit, but now were stript of all, and had neither leaf nor fruit, but lookt withered, dead, and dry, and no difference appeared between the fruit­full, and the barren, yea, scarce any between the living and the dead; yet in the spring following, when the sun shone upon them with a more direct ray, and warm beams, and the rain from heaven watered them, and refresht them, they revived, sprung again, budded, bloomed, and bare fruit; I thought [Page 395] this did lively resemble a poor deserted souls condition, in her widowhood, when her husband hath forsaken her, and seems to give her a bill of divorce, when the sun of righteousness is either set upon her, clou­ded, or ecclipst, or at least very remote from her sight, then with the Marigold she droops, hangs the head, and is contracted into her self, it is then winter with her, and little difference appears between her and a dead soul, at least in her own apprehensions: when God hides his face from the soul, or any thing interposes between them that she cannot see him, then is she in a languish­ing condition, and crys out with the spouse, did ye see him whom my soul loveth? Cant. 3.3. she cannot hide this fire in her bosome, or conceal this love, but it will break out; then she goes from one Ordinance to ano­ther, from one Minister to another, enquir­ing after her husband Christ, every corner of the house can witness her moan for his absence; nothing will satisfie, nothing will content but him; give me Christ, or else I die, never did hungry man more earnest­ly desire meat, nor thirsty man desire drink, or Rachel desire children, then an hungry soul desires Christ; But when the sun of righ­teousness doth arise with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. the soul that before was cold and chill, now becomes lively and active; [Page 396] these cherishing rays make her bud and bloom, and bring forth: what Job speaks of a tree, seemingly dead and withered, yet (saith he) through the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant, Job. 14.7. &c. is really true of such a soul, that when she is in a deserted, and as she imagines, a forsaken condition, seems dead and withe­red, yet at the return of Gods pleased face seems fruitful and flourishing; where there is life in the root it will spring; when tis really dead, winter and summer, all is a case: but though the winter may be long and sharp, yet the spring will come and shew a difference between the living trees and the dead: and though God hide his face for a season, and absent himself for a time, to see how his spouse will bear his absence, and to try her affections, yet this sun of righteousness will shine again, and then where life is in the root, it will shew it self in the branches; for God will not forsake any really that are not dead utterly: for a little while (saith God) I hid my face, but with everlasting kindness will I remember her, Isay. 54.8. sometimes the poor soul verily thinks she is forsaken, when God doth but like a father hide himself for a while, to try the childes affection, and every sigh and sob and sor­rowful tear goes to the fathers heart, his bowels yearn, and he cannot long conceal [Page 397] himself: that it is so between God and his children, see that pregnant place, Isay. 49.14. &c. but Zion (said the Lord) hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me; can a woman for­get her sucking childe, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb, yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee; behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me: never was tender­hearted father, or indulgent mother, more careful of their only childe then God is of his children; he will never forsake those that do not forsake him, he will never give a bill of divorce to any, that are not willing to leave him, so that you see here, where there is life in the root, the spring will come when it shall again germinate and bud, but if it be really dead, it can never recover, but by the assistance of an omnipotent arm; no more can a dead soul, till it be grafted into the living vine, then that which was dead before shall germinate and spring; and when once thus transplanted, it shall never wither: though sometimes it may be win­ter with it, and it make but a little shew, yet the root of the matter is in it, and when the spring returns it shall break forth, God will never leave them nor forsake them; See the A­postles confidence, Rom. 8.35, 38, 39. who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulati­on or distress, or persecution, or famine, or naked­ness, [Page 398] or peril, or sword? nay, in all these, we are more then conquerors through him that loveth us: for I am perswaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord: these men of all others have cause to live merrily, yea, though it be but assurance of adherence; those that Christ loves, he loves to the end: oh my soul, is it so, that grace may be hid in times of desertion, as the sap in the root, in the winter season, or as fire under the ashes, or as gold in the mine, or as a little Jewel in a great heap of ashes, despair not then, nei­ther be discouraged, though sometimes thy grace be out of sight, and thy God hide his face, and the sun of righteousness be clou­ded, and thy comforts ecclipsed, remem­ber with David, the days of old, and the time when God did smile upon thee; and though it be now winter, the spring will return: whom God loveth, he loveth to the end, yea, with an everlasting love: oh my God, clear up my evidences for heaven, and make out such discovery of thy love to my soul, that I may never be willing to leave thee, and then that thou wilt never forsake me.

Upon a great tree tossed with the winde.
85. Med.

WHen I observed some tall spreading trees, stretching forth their branches on every side, and were grown top-heavy, how they were tost and tumbled with the winde and storms, when smaller shrubs and lesser trees were more free and secure, because they lay under the winde, or had but a little inconsiderable head: I saw and observed, that it often came to passe, that if these great trees bare any fruit, it was blown down before it came to maturity, and seldome came to good, nay, not only the fruit but the leaves also were forced off by the violent gusts, and windes, and storms, and sometimes the boughs and branches also, yea, the tree it self is often born down, by the tempest, when those that were less and lower were more secure, and brought their fruit to maturity with less danger and hazard: This Observation made me think that these trees fittly resembled great men, that made some profession of re­ligion, but few of them bring their fruit to maturity, for these lye more open to temp­tations, and are more liable to dangers then others are, and the devil hath a greater spight at them then at others, for they may do him more mischief, and therefore he is [Page 400] more unwilling they should break prison then others, and hangs more fetters and irons upon them: great Commanders are more narrowly watcht if they are prisoners, and more dearly ransomed then private soul­diers: hence it was, that Elymas the sor­cerer, by the devils instigation, sought to turn away Surgius Paulus the deputy from the faith; Act. 13.8. as knowing he was like to be a leading man which way ever he took: If great men have but leaves, they are invyed for the leaves sake, and few of them ever bring forth fruit to maturity, yea, the leaves themselves, their very pro­fession are oft times born down by the storm; I have seen some that I verily believed were well rooted and grounded, who yet upon approaching storms have truckled under them, have hid their religion, dissembled their profession, and stole away from their colours, and all for fear of leaving, or losing any part of their estates; This hath given me occasion sometimes to bless God, that hath freed me from some of those tempta­tions that others lie under, and hath given me Agars petition, neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient, and hath kept me almost all [...]hy days in a suffering condition: I con­sidered I have the same nature as other men have, had I but the same temptations, I know not but I might have been as bad: [Page 401] a great estate as it hath many cares and cum­bers so many temptations accompanying it, and some men cannot bear it, no more then some mens heads can much wine or strong drink: it is not the cage that makes the bird sing, nor it is not abundance always that makes the heart light; a staff may help a traveller, but a bundle of staves will be but a trouble; so may a great estate to a godly man; I might have, like that young man mentioned, Mat. 19.20. &c. parted with Christ for a trifle: had he had but a small estate, who knows but he might have pro­ved a true convert; he cheapens heaven, bids fair for it, but they disagreed about the price: a great estate breaks the bar­gain, as in the world it breaks many a mar­riage; the persons like and love, but the womans portion will not answer the mans estate: this occasioned Christ to tell us, how hard a thing it was for a rich man to be saved, Mat. 19.24. it is easier for a ca­mel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God: most mens honours change their manners, and they are the worse for their wealth; if heaven be to be had upon no other terms, many will refuse it; they would be gain­ers by their religion, however they resolve to lose nothing; many like Diana's Crafts­men, get their living by it; they will launch [Page 402] no further into the deep, then they may re­turn safe to the shore: many come to Christ hastily, as this young man, but return hea­vily, when they hear the rate: All men love Abrahams bosome but few men love Dives door; all men love the jewel, but few will go to the price; all men would have the crown, but they love not the cross that leads to it: Most men (especial­ly great ones) will meddle with no more religion then will do them good, or boot their needs or serve their designes; they will lanch no further into the seas then they can see the shoar; pride breeds in wealth, as worms do in apples; and he is a rich man indeed, that thinks himself ne­ver the greater, or never the better for his wealth: oh world, how hast thou deceived those that trust in thee, and how hast thou bought their profession out of their hands for a trifle, and hast had their souls into the bargain: how many write themselves happy when they are loaden with thick clay? alass! what will this do for them in their greatest need? poor Spira was betrayed by thee, to the shipwrack of faith and a good conscience; so were Judas, Demas, Ananias and Saphira, and a thosand more: these knew not the worth of the soul, nor the vanity of the world, that let the devil have so cheap a penyworth; they grasp so greedily after [Page 403] gold, that they lost their God, and loved their sin more then their souls, but what good will it do them when they want a drop of water to cool their tongues? Luk. 16.24. oh my soul, bless God that hath freed thee from many temptations that others are o­vercome by: Covet not overmuch a pros­perous condition, lest God give it thee for thy portion: scorn with the Eagle to stoop so low as to seek thy meat upon a dung­hill: undervalue not thy self so much as to entertain so poor a suitor as the world is, when the sun of God makes love to thee, who alone can pay thy debts and make thee happy: thou canst not buy this gold too dear but the world thou maist, and most men do, when they purchase it with the bloud of their souls: thou canst not over­value this jewel, it is ten thousand times better then thou canst value it: oh my God, give me Christ and it sufficeth, I need no other portion, I desire no other happiness, let me have him at any rate.

Ʋpon trees green in summer, but stript off all in winter.
86. Med.

OBserving further, that those trees so fair and specious, so green and flourishing in the summer, yet [Page 404] when autumn came were stript of all their gallantry, and appeared bare, and ill fa­voured, dead and dry, and looked not like the same they were; It presently struck in­to my minde that this would shortly be the condition of all wicked men, let their pro­sperity be never so great, and their enjoy­ments in the world never so many, or large; the time is coming, all these like leaves will fly away with the winde, the nipping frost of death, and the winde of af­fliction will make them fall; some carry Lordships on their backs, some Earldomes, some Dukedomes, and some few Kingdomes; a­mong the Clergy, some carry several stee­ples on their backs, yea, some Deanaries, and some Bishopricks, all these are but leaves, and will fall when Autumn winde blows, they cannot stand a winter-blast, death will level the great and the small, the one with the other, and the Kings head shall then shew no impression of a crown: Many rich men are like sumpter-horses, richly la­den with gold and silver, and costly gems and Jewels all the day, but when night comes, and come it will ere long, they are stript of all, turned into a dirty stable and nothing to bring off but their gal'd backs; so these at death have nothing left but a gal'd conscience: a pregnant example of this we have in the rich man, mentioned [Page 405] Luk. 16.19. there was one cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared deliciously every day, but it was but a little time before all those leaves were stript off, and he had not left him one drop of water to cool his tongue: and he that a little before (as some ima­gine) denyed a crumb of bread to Lazarus, is now denyed a drop of water: Another example we have, Luk. 12.16. of a rich man that had abundance, and began to sing a requiem to his soul, eat, drink, and be merry, thou hast goods laid up for many years; he was a right Epicure that made his gut his God: another Sardanapalus, eating that in earth (that Augustine saith) he must digest in hell, little thinking his death was so near, his glass was run, when he thought it was but new turned; thou fool (saith Christ) this night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose are these? he was shot as a bird with the bolt, while he was staring at the bow: of rich men the Psalmist saith, their glory will not follow them, neither shall they take any thing with them, Psal. 49.17. then when death entreth into their lodging, and knocks at their doors, they may bid farewell to their well contriv'd houses, sumptuous build­ings, pleasant gardens, and delightful walks, yea, to all their bags of gold, so painfully got, so carefully kept, and so warily em­ployed, even to the wounding of their con­sciences, [Page 406] the hardning of their hearts, and the loss of their souls; then farewell all their pleasures, their merry meetings, and their pot companions, with their drunken revels, farewell then their cocks, their hawks, their hounds, and their whores, they must never more delight and recreate themselves with these, for though whoremasters, and whores, shall burn together in hell yet shall they not there burn in lust one to the other, but their company shall be their torment, not their recreation; all these are but leaves the wind of death will blow away: Here are no may-games, nor morris-dances, or deluding shews to entertain our youthfull gallant, no stage-plays, for their divertise­ment, no pleasant Comedies acted but a dis­mal Tragedy, wherein they are like to be the miserable Actors, but will never come off with applause; there is no modish garb for our well-drest gallant, no headtire but a flaming periwig; here is no use for look­ing-glass nor tiring woman, no use of patch­es, powders, paints or frisling irons, all these are out of mode and fashion in those Territories: here are no healths to pledge but that of damnation they so oft drunk in the days of their life, but never knew what it was till now, but now must pledge them to all eternity: But this is not all, their loss will be greater, for they must lose the [Page 407] beatifical vision of God blessed for ever, in whose presence there is joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore: then must they be everlastingly separated from him, who is the chiefest good: Now they say to him, depart from us, we desire not the know­ledge of thy ways, Job. 21.14. and then God will have none of their company, but will say, depart from me, &c. Mat. 7.22. and 25.41. oh direfull and dreadfull sentence, such as may make their heart-strings crack, and their hearts break in pieces; it breaths out nothing but fire and brimstone, stings and horrours, wo and alass, seas of venge­ance, the worm that never dies and the fire that never shall be quenched; torments with­out end, and past imagination: in this life they cannot endure the company of the godly, they are either the object of their scorn or malice, but then they shall be e­ternally separated, as far as heaven is from hell, or Dives from Lazarus, between whom there is a great gulph fixed. Luk. 16.26. Then they shall lose their souls which is incompa­rably their richest jewel, which they sold for a trifle, and now it will be required, and they must stand to their bargain, not that they shall be annihilated, that news is too good to be true; neither shall they lose the faculties of them; these shall be inlarged to their further torments, but they lose [Page 408] their God which is the life of their souls, and put them into the devils hands to be eternally tormented, they shall lose their bodies also for whose sake they sold their souls: in a word, all their happiness, and all their hopes, and all they accounted dear shall then be stript away, all these like leaves shall fly before the winde of death, and in the room of these, everlasting de­struction of body and soul shall succeed: oh death what a change wilt thou make at thy coming, and how unwelcome wilt thou be to those that live at case in possession; oh my soul, remember the days of darkness, for they are many, Eccl. 11.8. provide against this time, that this may not be thy case, for ere long all these leaves will be blown down; provide therefore treasures that neither man, nor devil can strip from thee; provide a mansion in heaven before this earthly taber­nacle be dissolved; Lord, assist me in this work, without thee my endeavours are vain.

Upon a tree green all the winter.
87. Med.

WHen I observed how green some trees were all the win­ter, and how flourishing even in the frost and snow, when others are stript naked and left bare, and seem dead and withered, [Page 409] and that neither the pinching frost, nor blustring windes, neither storms nor tem­pests could disroab them or change their summer-suit to winter colours, that neither summers sun, nor scorching heat could make them wither, nor winter cold, nor storms could make them cast their leaves, nor turn their lusty green to any other colour: I be­gan to think these trees much resemble a Christian, that had the life of grace within him, and is planted into that generous vine Christ, and sucks sap and nourishment from this root; these also are green when others that stand upon their own root, wither and de­cay: But these trees of righteousness are plan­ted by the rivers of water, and bring forth their fruit in due season, and their leaf also shall not wither, but whatsoever they do, it shall prosper, Psal. 1.3. &c. when others are driven like chaff be­fore the winde from the face of the earth, yet the sun-shine of prosperity cannot wither those, nor the winde of adversity blow them down or their fruit, nor remove their leaves: Job was one of these trees of righteousness, green at all times, winter and summer, in his prosperity his leaf flourished; for God himself gives as ample a testimony of him, as ever he did of mortal man, Job. 1.8. Hast thou considered my servant Job? that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareteh God and escheweth evill, [Page 410] and when he was in adversity he still retains his integrity, Job. 27.5.6. till I die I will not re­move my integrity from me, my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live, and see what end God makes with him, he crowns him, and chronicles him for his sincerity and pa­tience, all his affliction could not make him lose one leaf: Joseph when he was in pro­sperity fears God, and when in adversity he fears him also; when he was a bondslave in Potiphars house, he resisteth the temptations of his mistriss, with this consideration, how shall I commit this great wickedness, and sin a­gainst God? Gen. 39.11. Joseph remains in Egypt like a pearl in a puddle, he had set God at his right hand, and would not be moved, though Satan knock oft at the door, there was none within to answer, though the iron (as the Psalmist saith) entred into Josephs soul, yet sin could not; when the de­vil could not prevail against him, by his hard bondage he trys to do it by a Dalilahs temptation; he struck fire oft but it fell a­mong wet tinder; Joseph was semper idem, when he was wrongfully cast into prison, he keeps his integrity still, and God owns him, and gave him favour, and after when he was advanc't to honour, and made enter in Egypt, he did not forget his God, nor God did not forget him: all the hot gleams [Page 411] of prosperity, nor all the blustring storms of adversity could not shake down any of his fruit, or stir any of his leaves; it is true, wicked men in their prosperity are said to be spreading themselves like a green bay-tree, but this denotes the prosperity of the body, not of the soul; these leaves at death will drop as well as others, and their prosperity and happiness will draw to an end, and all their enjoyment will be but as a thin mist before the winde soon scattered; but mark the up­right, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. I shall be (saith the Psalmist,) as a green olive-tree in the house of God, Psal. 52.5. when those that trust not in the Lord, shall be destroyed▪ It was not banishment that could separate David from the stock in which he was planted, nor make his fruit to fall, or his leaves to fade; it was not affliction could make him lose his integrity, nor a kingdome could make him forget his God: The Martyrs in their grea­test sufferings kept up their profession green, and flourishing, the devil could not get one leaf down with all his mighty gusts and Borean blasts; the fire it self could not scorch nor wither them; The apprehension of danger could not shake a leaf from Daniel, or either of his three associates; they held out a profession before the King, and his Nobles in the sight of the fiery furnace, and [Page 412] the Lyons Den; it was neither force nor fraud, fear nor favour, riches nor honour, preferments nor promotions, that could make them start aside from their God, by omitting any known duty, or committing any known sin, but where there is no sap in the root, the branches must needs wi­ther, as we have had too sad experience in our days, when the most have their fruit blown down, and their leaves withered: a true Christian is always the same, lay him where you please, as a pearl whether in the cabinet, or in the dunghill, retains its ver­tue still, so a Christian whether on the throne with David, on the dunghill with Job, in the miry dungeon with Jeremy, in the stocks with Paul and Silas, yet are still the same; prosperity nor adversity, friend nor foe, man nor devil can seperate him from Christ; oh my soul, get life in the root, and thou wilt hold out in the winter, suck sap from Christ, for nothing else will keep thee from withering, or preserve thy leaves from falling, feed upon that bread of life, and the water of life, and thou shalt never dye; thy garments then will be al­ways white, and thy head want no oyntment, Eccl. 9.8. neither winde nor weather can hurt thee if thou be in this vine, but if thou be not, though thou make never so glorious a summer shew, in winter thou wilt be [Page 413] stript of all: oh my God, let my heart be sound in thy statutes, let the root of the mat­ter be in me, take me off the stock of nature, and plant me in the vine, Christ, so shall I never wither.

Upon trees decay for want of dressing.
88. Med.

OBserving some trees that had formerly been fruitful, but now began to decline, I observed and search­ed out more narrowly what the cause was, and I perceived it was not age that did it, but I perceived it was want of good hus­bandry, they had been neglected and want­ed pruning, cleansing, dunging, watering, for they were pestered with weeds, and moss, and canker, and suckers, and other hurtful annoyances, which diverted the nou­rishment which should [...]ve fed & cherished them; and when I had observed the di­sease, I applyed the remedy accordingly; I caused the ground to be rid, and the trees pruned and cleansed, digged, dunged, and manured, and in process of time the event answered my expectation, and the trees recovered their pristine beauty, and good­ness; this accident produced this following meditation: I thought an orchard resem­bled the Church of God, for so it is called, [Page 414] Canticles, 4.13. thy plants are as an orchard of pomegranats: by plants are meant the seve­ral members of the Church, which here are compared to pomegranats, which are healthful and preservative, yea, to spick­nard, and saffron, calamus, and cinnamon, and other chief spices, costly and precious: now as it is in an orchard, some are bar­ren, some fruitful, some bring good fruit, some bad, according to the nature of the tree, some are great trees, and some small, so it is in the visible Church of God, the members thereof are of all sorts and sizes, and bring forth several sorts of fruits; some bring forth only leaves, and some are dead, and bring forth neither leaf nor fruit, some their fruit is sowr and unsavoury, some bit­ter, and some bring forth good fruit to per­fection according to the nature of the tree, those transplanted usually bring forth the best fruit; But as in an orchard it is not enough that it be planted, and grafted, and that with the choisest fruit, but continual care is to be had of ordering, manuring, dunging, watering, and fencing it, for the earth being an own mother to briars, bram­bles, weeds, and thistles, but a step-mother to herbs and flowers, and fruit-bearing trees, she will soon produce her own brats, and feed them with her breasts, and starve the other, if not prevented; so it is in [Page 415] the Church, Gods plantation will never thrive, if there are not labourers, vine-dres­sers, to water and manure them; the de­vil will send some of his briars and thorns to choak them, and suck the sap that should nourish them, the world loves her own, and hates those that are Christs: there must be some Pauls to plant, and some Apollo's to water, some Ministers to manure, some la­bourers to prune, or those plants degene­rate and grow wilde or be choaked with weeds and baggage, and God hath sent plen­ty of those, that nothing be wanting on his part; and oh how happy are those people that meet with labourers and not loyterers, those that have both will and skill to do good, but God may complain of many as he did of old, I sent them not, yet they run; I spake not to them, yet they prophesy, Jer. 23.2. there are too many that are not gif­ted nor qualified for the place, too many that are idle and will not work, loiterers rather then labourers, and many that minde the wages, more then the work, and the fleece more then the flock; they would have the profit but be at neither pains nor cost, but the vineyard will never prosper under such mens hands: many honourable titles are gi­ven to the Ministers, all which denote di­ligence and duty, as well as dignity, they are call'd watchmen, Eze. 3.17, but many of [Page 416] them are blinde, Isa. 1.56.10. or if they see the enemy coming they give no warn­ing to prepare: they are cal'd shepherds, but they feed themselves, and not the flock; they are cal'd lights, but many of them walk in darkness, or hide their light under a bushel, or in a dark lanthorn, or are but an ignis fatuus, that leads men out of the way, not in it; they are cal'd stars, but some of them prove comets or blazing-stars, threatning ruine to the beholders; they are called the Salt of the earth, yet many of them have lost their savour; and a deal of such unsavoury salt we have; they are cal'd angels, but they resemble evil angels in their conversations; they are cal'd build­ers, but what they build with the one hand, they pluck down with the other, nay, de­stroy what others have built; they are cal'd stewards, but live as if they should never give account of their stewardship; they are cal'd husbandmen, but neither care to plant nor to sow, to water, nor to manure: they are cal'd vine-dressers, but take little pains in the vineyard: in a word, they are cal'd Nurses, but prove dry nurses, and suffer the children to starve for want of food; many of them heap one steeple upon another as it is fabled the giants did Ossa upon Pelion, and think that way to scale heaven, but they will hardly ascend with such a load [Page 417] upon their backs; they have the greatest charge in the world and many take least care; they will take the charge of hundreds, that perhaps they never saw; but such lights as these often go out in a snuff, and such stars they are, to whom is reserved the black­ness of darkness for ever, a description of such Ministers you have Isay. 56.10, 11, 12. but Paul was not such a shepherd, for three years space he ceased not, day nor night, but in pub­like, and from house to house he warned his hea­rers with tears, Act. 20.31. 2. Cor. 6.5. Act. 20.26. and happy are those people that meet with such vine dressers, and sad is their condition that meet with loiterers, and not labourers: Oh my soul, despise not the ministry but honour them for their works sake, especially those that labour in the word and do­ctrine, for those are worthy of double ho­nour; and in thy place and station minde the welfare of thy own soul, and those a­bout thee; let not the bloud of souls be laid at thy door, these honourable titles be­long to labourers not loiterers, to painfull preachers not to dumb dogs: oh my God, forgive all my former neglects, and for the future though I be unprofitable let me not be unfaithful.

Ʋpon promising trees after blasted.
89. Med.

IN an early spring when there was great likelihood of much fruit, when the trees were richly beautifyed with plenty of buds and blossoms, and there was great expectation of a plentifull year of fruit, behold in a moment all our hopes were dasht, and the trees were suddenly blasted with lightning, or an evil winde, and so those that even now were in the heigth of their pride and glory, were now made barren, and the very leaves as well as the blossomes were scorched, and by this means our hopes were suddenly dasht, and the trees rendred unfruitful; This sudden yet di­vine providence shews to us the power of God in disposing these outward enjoyments, for as he doth for his peoples sin and abuse of his mercies, threaten, to take away his corn in the time thereof, and his wine in the season thereof, and recover his wooll and his flax, which he had given her to cover her nakedness, Hose. 2.9. so hath he power to take away other fruits of the field, and to fustrate the hopes of the husbandman, for the power to give and to take away he hath reserved in his own hands, Job. 1.19. This providence how dark soever it seemed, yeelded me some light, and taught me this profitable lesson, [Page 419] not to put overmuch confidence in any earth­ly enjoyment, how promising soever, nor to call any thing my own before I have it in my possession, nor depend upon it too much then, for there is an uncertainty, and a vanity writ upon all these outward things, they are like unto Jonah's gourd that grew up in a night, and perisht in a night, and have a worm bred in them, that many times eats out their very hearts; when God blows upon any earthly enjoyment, it oft vanish­eth away, and comes to nothing; Hag. 1.6. ye have sown much and bring in little, ye eat but ye have not enough, ye drink but ye are not filled with drink, ye cloath you but you are not warm, and he that earneth wages puts it into a bag with holes, &c. ye looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it, &c. and when he blows upon any earthly enjoy­ment, it withers and comes to nothing; oh how much would it conduce to our happi­ness to set a light esteem upon those so tran­sitory, so fading enjoyments, and to resign up our wills to Gods will in all things, then should we never be frustrated in our expectations, or disappointed in our hopes, and what is best for us would surely come to pass, but when we expect great matters and they fall short of our expectation, then we are apt to be cast down, and our hearts despond; but if we expect little, we shall [Page 420] not be much troubled if it prove but little; wilt thou set thy heart (saith Solomon) upon that which is not, riches take themselves wings and fly away, Pro. 23.5. they will never pay us for our pains, or countervail our cost; the fa­shion of this world passeth away, and the glory thereof; riches were never true to those that trusted in them, earthly enjoyments ofttimes prove as transitory, as a hasty headlong tor­rent, they pass away as swift as a ship, a bird, an arrow, a post that passeth by, a weavers shuttle, of if you can name any thing swifter in pace, or quicker in moti­ons; The same day for ought we know found Job the richest man in all the East, and left him poor, even to a proverb, as poor as Job, Psal. 37.35. I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green bay-tree, yet he past away, and lo he was not; I sought him, but I could not finde him: our age doth afford a thousand examples of this nature, thousands in Ireland, many in England, have been rich ore night, and stript of all ere morning; yea, in Ireland it is ima­gined two hundred thousand suddenly lost their lives, with their estates, and were cru­elly butchered by the bloud-thirsty Papists: how oft may we see in our times, great fa­milies rooted out, God blows upon them, blasts them, and they wither, and their great estates dwindle into nothing, and that [Page 421] by an insensible hand of God, when no man can give an account or reason of it; many promising young men that were like to thrive and grow rich in the world, God hath blown upon them, and they have come to nothing: Many that have had promi­sing parts, great naturals gifts, and en­dowments, and God had lent them many talents, but they not improving them, God hath called for them up, and given them to those that better deserved them, and they have met with a sensible decay, though it stole insensibly upon them, that they may say, as Zedechiah to Micaiah, which way went the spirit of God from me to go to thee? it is no hard thing to observe a wane and decay of Gods gifts in those that use them not, their abilities fail amain when once they begin to fail, till at last God lays them aside as broken vessels, and causeth them to be for­gotten as dead men out of minde, Psal. 31.21. and as useless, lazy, unprofitable, and un­saithful servants, they shall be cast into outer darkness: as they buried their talents, so their souls seem buried in their bodies for a while, till both be buried in hell for ever; Many in our times also that have had seem­ing grace, and like the glow-worm made a great shew in a dark night, yet have had their light extinguished, and they have pro­ved but like rotten shining wood; many [Page 422] that have had lamps in their hands, have had them blown out for lack of oyl; Many have seemed like corn fresh, and flourishing, but proved like that on the stony ground, or on the house-top, never came to maturi­ty; when the winde turns they soon kick up their profession, and steal away from their colours; or when the sun of persecu­tion is up, wither: oh my soul, promise not thy self great things in the world, nei­ther content thy self with small things for eternity; be as serious for grace, as others are for gold, and make as sure for heaven, as others do for the world; if thou wilt plant, let it be in a better soil, then maist thou expect a better encrease, neither winde, nor sun, frost, nor snow, thunder nor lightning, can blast or nip those flowers of paradice; Lord, take off my affection from the world, and set them upon Christ, then shall I never be disappointed of my hopes.

Upon leaves falling in Autumn.
90. Med.

WHen I observed in autumn after a nipping frost, secon­ded by a gust of winde, how fast the leaves fell from the trees, that in a short time those that were cloathed in a lusty green, began to look withered, dead and dry, and [Page 423] to put on their winter coat, methought this resembled much our mortality, when the autumn of age comes upon us, these bodies of ours like leaves fall of themselves into deaths lap, but seldom do they hang on so long, some casual accident or other oft bears them down before they wither; ofttimes some common calamity, as the sword, or pestilence, or other contagious disease, like a violent tempest, doth bear all down before it: two hundred thousand together in Ireland, and very many in England, death mowed down in a few days, where they fell as leaves before the winde, or as corn before the reapers hook; it is noted, that in one years space, a hundred thousand fell in our chief city, blown down by the blast of death, and thus in all the world through­out, men are swept away, as with a sweep­ing storm, some few are gathere in in a good old age, but the most of men blown down while they are yet green: the falling of these leaves did also seem to me to resem­ble the apostacy, and downfall of hypo­crites, the house of whose profession is built upon the sand, and cannot resist the winde and waves; this is a foolish builder that neither sat down first to reckon the char­ges, neither was at the cost to lay a firm foundation, neither considered, the rain would fall, the windes blow, and the flouds [Page 424] beat, and overthrow his buildings: they follow Christ as a dog follows his master, ti [...]l he meets with carion, and then turns him up: as Orphah made a fair proffer of going along with Naomi, but better conside­ring, returned back: It is noted of the chesunt, if it be not broken at the top when east into the fire, it leaps out again, so doth a hypocrite when he comes to be tried, he is like a false jade in a teem, which being put to a stress, turns tail and tramples, but the godly hold on and persist: In the sum­mer when the sun of the gospel shines up­on them, they hold on, and look fresh and fragrant, and seem to be not only mem­bers, but pillars of the Church, as the Apo­stles had a good opinion of Judas, so that they rather mistrusted themselves then him, and cryed out, Master, is it I; so true be­lievers rather mistrust themselves then those forward professors, yet in persecuting times these fall as leaves before the winde, and wither as the corn on the stony ground, or that which grows upon the hose top, and discover a fruitless bulk, and withering root; the stony ground received the word with joy, and endured for a while, but when the sun was up, they were quickly offended: Herod may hear the word gladly, and endure for a time, but being not sound at the heart, he fals off: a branch in a moist [Page 425] place though it have no root, may for a while bud and leave, but when heat comes will certainly wither, and the leaves fall: when Christianity is in credit, many will cry Hosanah to the sun of David, and when in contempt they will cry, crucify; a hypo­crite, will be catching at comforts as chil­dren do at sweet-meats, ere they are sound­ly humbled, and are stuffing themselves pillows with the promises, that they may sin more securely: when the Jews were in savour, many turn Jews for fear of the Jews; and when in danger, their seeming friends prove their sorest enemies, they are profes­sors upon designe, and they will be reli­gious while religion suits their interest, and promotes their advantage, but when it hin­ders them, they lay it aside, as the work­man doth the tool he needs not, or will not serve his turn, and takes another; if profaness, yea persecution serves his designe better, he will make use of that; if a few prayers, or outside duties, which are like to cost them little, they are content to go to heaven this way, but if it come to suf­ferings or forsaking any thing for Christ, vadet Christus cum suo Evangelio, let Christ go with his gospel, and keep his heaven to himself, for he will have none of it; they will not buy heaven at so dear a rate: The Gospel hath many swallow-friends, which [Page 426] will be gone at the approach of winter: when the corn is gone, the rats leave the barn, and when no secular advantage is in sight, but rather storms appearing, many professors will be no longer religious, but Christ tells us, he that loveth father or mother, son or daughter more then him, is not worthy of him, Mat. 10.37. because he holdeth any one worthy of more love then Christ: God will set no lower a rate on his son and glo­ry, he that will have this pearl must part with all, Mat. 13.44.45. and he that doth so, makes a good bargain; we cannot buy this gold too dear, or give too much for heaven and happiness; he that thinks to grasp and hold both heaven and earth in the same hand, and lodge them in the same heart, may as well imagine he can recon­cile fire and water, and hide them toge­ther in the same bosome; when two men walk together, we know not whose servant it is that follows them, but when they part the servant owns his own Master: oh my soul, take heed of dissembling with God, that will not be mocked; close with him, and he will close with thee; build upon the rock, so shalt not thou be shaken, and though at death thy body fall like a leaf, yet thy root shall remain: oh my God, let me not deceive my self, let me lay a good foundation, then shall I stand in all storms.

Ʋpon a fruit-tree pelted with stones.
91. Med.

WHen I beheld a fruit-bearing-tree; that was richly laden with the choisest fruit, and perceiving that this tree above all the rest was preyed upon by the passengers, for almost every one had a stick or stone, a staff, or stake, to throw at it, when those trees that were barren, and worthless, or brought forth fruit sowr or unsavory, were let alone, and none molested them, when their better neighbours were rent and torn in pieces, for their fruit sake; this Observation made me think these fruit-bearing trees did much resemble a fruit-bearing Christian, for none in the world are more liable to sufferings then they are, and that for their fruits sake: the more real fruit they bring forth, and the more savoury fruit they bear, the more danger they are in, and the more blows they bear, both from hand and tongue when others that are Christians, graceless, fruitless, and worth­less, escape scot-free, and not one molesteth them: many a one that leads a lewd vici­ous and debaucht life, who makes a trade of sin, and lives in the constant breach both of divine and humane laws, yet escapes all Courts of Judicature, civil and Ecclesiasti­cal, and all other molestations, and perse­cutions, [Page 428] when an holy humble Christian is oft entangled in the briars, and fleeced by those to whom he flys for succour, yet here lyes the difference between a fruitful Christian, and a fruitful tree, the tree is beaten for the fruits sake, but it is for love to it, and so is robbed and pilled and bea­ten like a man that fals among thieves, and is stript of his substance, the other is bea­ten also for the fruit sake, but it is in op­position to it, and hatred of it: in the one the passenger desires to enjoy it, in the o­ther to beat it down: The best of men have met with the greatest opposition, and the more eminent Christians have usually the more eminent opposers; the devil will not suffer them to be quiet: Jeremiah which was a great prophet, and lived an upright and unblamable life, was not free, Jer. 20.7. I am in derision daily, every one mock­eth me, I neither (saith he) lend upon usury neither do men lend to me upon usury, yet eve­ry one curseth me, Jer. 15.10. and it was not only tongue-persecution, but that of the hand also which he suffered, he was cast into a miry dungeon, put into the stocks, hated by the Princes, and all his crime was, he spake the word of the Lord, what he had given him in charge to speak; it was for his fruits sake, that he was thus bea­ten: The like we reade of David a man af­ter [Page 429] Gods own heart, he had more fruit then others and therefore had more stones thrown at him for his fruit sake, Psal. 69.18. they that sit in the gate speak against me, and I was a song to the drunkards, Psal. 35.15. in mine adversity they rejoyced, they gathered themselves together, yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not, they did tear me and ceased not, with hypocritical mock­ers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth: he met with hand persecution also; for Saul sought his life, and hunted him as a partrich upon the mountains: Holy Job the best man living in his age, by Gods own testimony, yet he was not free, he was ac­cused by the devil, robbed by the Chaldeans and Sabeans, forsaken by his friends, dis­dained by his enemies, tempted by his wife, and scorned by the abjects, Job. 30.1. but now they that are younger then I, have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my stock, ver. 9. yet now I am their song, yea, I am their by­word, they ahhor me,, they flee from me, and spare not to spit in my face, &c. Elijah, Elisha, Amos do not escape, Joseph, Daniel, and his fellows are hated for their fruit; yea, all the Prophets: The Apostles also were made a gazing stock, and suffered both reproaches, and affliction, Heb. 10.33. and those Wor­thys of whom the world was not worthy, [Page 430] Heb. 11.35. &c. they had cruel mockings and scourgings, bonds and imprisonments, they were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, &c. and it was for fruit that Stephen had stones cast up­on him, but the disciple is not above his Ma­ster: Christ himself though never man spake like him, and never man did such works as he did, yet never man did more unjustly suffer then he, never man so abused with hand and tongue, even to the taking away his precious life; he was hated by the world, and so shall all that bear his image: As bats fly from the light, so the blinde world can­not endure this sun of righteousness; as it is said of some barbarous Nations under the Meridian, they curse the sun when it ari­seth for scorching them, so wicked men cannot abide to have the sun shine too full in their faces, light is come into the world, but men love darkness, because their works are evil; and though they agree not among themselves, yet all join together against the power of godliness, like Herod and Pilate against Christ: though dogs worry one another, yet all set against the trembling hare, though Ephraim be against Manasseth, and Manasseth against Ephraim, yet both are against Judah: oh my soul, if thou bear any good fruit, expect some stick or stone, to be thrown at thee, and if thou meet with none, expect there is little fruit to be seen or found, or [Page 431] that it is not good nor savoury; if thou dost suffer for well-doing rejoice that thou art accounted worthy, and consider all thou canst suffer for Christ, is but a chip or splinter of that cross which he bore for thee; and leave not heavens road for a scoff or scorn, lest in hell the devil deride thee for thy folly; is thy good name more preci­ous then his? he was reprocht for thee, and he that will not suffer a mock for Christ will hardly suffer death; those that are a­shamed of him here, he will not own here­after: oh my God, let me never leave the way for fear of the cross, let me not think my bloud too good to shed for Christ, that thought not his too good to shed for me.

Ʋpon fruit left on the trees after shaking.
92. Med.

IN the Autumn when fruit waxt ripe and the gathering time was come, when the trees were shak't, and the fruit gathered in, yet I beheld there was here and there an apple, pear or plum, or o­ther fruit still remaining on the trees, which stuck fast notwithstanding the shaking, and all the force and violence that had been u­sed; but these were but a few, and those commonly the soundest, and most durable: This brought to my minde the command [Page 432] of God in the time of the law, Lev. 19.9, 10. and 23.22. Deut. 24.9. &c. where God commands the Jews, when they reaped their fields, to leave some of the corners thereof standing, and not to gather up the glean­ings, but to leave them for the poor, and when they shak't their olives, and other fruit trees, to leave some clusters remain­ing, and not to gather the fruit in clean, that so it might be for the poor and needy of the land, and for the stranger for meat: we see how the chief Landlord, the great husbandman, the Lord of the vineyard the chief proprietor, how he lets out his farms, and what conditions he puts into his leases, and how he takes care of the poor that they should be fed, for they also are a part of his family, and at his finding, and he hath appointed where they shall have their meat, and hath commanded his stewards to give it them in due season: he would have the full cups of the rich to overflow into their empty dishes, and those that dine the poor entertain Christ himself, at their ta­ble as a guest: I observed also how little this command of God was observed by hard-hearted man, in our days, how little they respect his will, and how few make good this condition in the grant they have of all they enjoy, and how just it is there­fore for God to recal his estate into his own [Page 433] hands, and to take the forfeiture; for though we receive all from God, and that with this proviso, and upon this condition, that the poor shall have their part, and their share out of it, yet he that gives all, and requires but a little, cannot have it, yea, though he would borrow a little of his own, he is ofttimes denyed it; though he promises to repay it, yea, to repay it an hundred-fold, yet cannot be heard: where a man upon his bare word can borrow ten pounds, God cannot borrow ten pence, yea, of that which is his own, though never man made larger promises, and never man more faith­fully fulfilled them; he hath told them, he that giveth to the poor, shall not lack, Pro. 28.27. but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse; curses both from God, and man; yet few believe this is the way to get wealth, they will hardly take Gods word for a groat, they will use their wit to save their money, but will not use their eyes, to affect their hearts; God shews them many an altar, but they have no sacrifice ready, but he that shuts his ears at the poor mans cry, shall cry himself and not be heard, Pro. 21.13. this was fulfil'd in Pharaoh, Haman and the rich glutton, 'Tis not getting but giving is the true way to wealth, Eleemosyna ars omnium quaestuosissima est, (saith Chrysostome) alms is the most gain­ful art, he shall have judgment without mercy [Page 434] that will shew no mercy, Jam. 2.13. he that hath pitty on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay him, Pro. 19.17. God accepts it both as a gift and a love, nay, foenerator Do­mino, God takes it upon usury, and gives se­curity for it under his hand, but those that now will not take Gods word, it is not long but God will not take theirs: but re­quire up his talents, and also an account of their stewardship, and give away their ta­lents to those that will better improve them, and give them a reward with the unprofi­table servant, Mat. 25.28, 30. yea, sentence them to everlasting fire, together with the de­vil and his angels; for not feeding, cloathing, visiting his hungry, naked, poor members, Mat. 25.41. &c. and such worthless, use­less, sapless men, are not more missed (as one saith) when they are gone then the paring of the nails, as they live undesired, so they die unlamented; but at judgement their sentence breaths out nothing but fire, and brimstone, stings and horrors, woes and torments without end, or past imagina­tion, here the worm of grief gnaws as pain­fully as the fire burns; now they are sand­blinde, and cannot see Christ in his mem­bers, but then when too late, their eyes will be opened, to see their folly: The conside­ration also of this little quantity of fruit left upon the trees, after the shaking, made [Page 435] me think this resembled the godly, that stand fast, and remain firm after all the shakings that they meet with, when o­thers frost bitten by affliction, or tossed by persecution fall as leaves before the winde in autumn: many are the professors in a sun-shine day, but few can abide in a storm, though Israel be as the sand of the sea for mul­titude, yet but a remnant shall be saved, Rom. 9.27. all are not Israel that are of Israel, these are compared to the gleaning of the grapes after the vintage, Isay. 17.6. here and there one, few in comparison: or to the shaking of the olive tree, where two or three berries are left in the top of the utmost boughs, and four or five in the utmost branch, one of a tribe, and two of a family, Jer. 13.14. many shakings we have already had, and much unripe fruit is fallen, and when stronger windes arise we may imagine much more will down, but in the last shaking when Christ shall come like refiners fire and fullers soap, Mal. 3.3. all that is rotten at heart will be dis­covered, then the sinners in Zion shall be a­fraid, fearfulness shall surprize the hearts of the hypocrites; oh my soul, take heed of being blown down, nay, take heed of being rotten, for then down thou wilt, it is bet­ter be alone then in such a company, and better go to heaven alone, then to hell with company; to stand against the storm, [Page 436] then to be blown down with the winde; improve thy talents to Gods glory, and he will never let thee fall: oh my God, let no sun of persecution wither me, nor no boisterous storm bear me down.

Upon the many enemies fruit-trees have.
93. Med.

WHen I considered how many enemies fruit-bearing trees met withall, and the incumbrances that ofttimes hindred, and spoiled their fruit, I wondred that any brought forth fruit to maturity, for sometimes they are planted in a bad soil, and then no wonder if they pros­per not, sometimes in too dry a place, and how then should they prosper? sometimes in too wet, and then are poisoned, and ren­dred barren; sometimes too high, and some­times too low, and both extremes are of­fensive; sometimes in too fat a place, and then they grow too luxuriant; often too lean and barren, when the earth cannot help them to bring forth their burthen, or yeild them sap; sometimes for want of good hus­bandry, they are troubled and pestered with suckers, that draw the sap to themselves, and rob the tree, and run up into aspiring branches, which overtop and overshade their fellows, and the whole tree by this [Page 437] means is rendred unfruitful: sometimes for want of fence the bark is pil'd off by the beasts of the field, hares, rabbets, and other vermine, which rends the bark from the the body, and endanger, yea, sometimes pro­cure the death, not only of the fruit, but the tree also: and sometimes they are bark­bound, which hinders their growth and thriving: sometimes they are pestered with moss, canker and other obstructions, to their no little dammages; and sometimes mo­lested by worms, moles, mice, ants, and such like, whereby they are injured: some­times the winter proves unseasonable, and the spring unfavourable, that they never bloom, and sometimes when they are blos­somed, and give good ground of hopes; yet in a moment all our hopes are dasht, and they are sudenly nipt with the frost, or blasted with lightning, or the East-winds; sometimes they are rendred unfruitful by overmuch drought, and sometimes by too much wet; for both may be injurious both to the tree and to the fruit and too much wet also is offensive, and renders the fruit the worse: if they pass these dangers and are loaden with fruit, much of it is oft con­sumed by wasps, hornets, and another insects, yea, sometimes not only the fruit, but also the leaves are eaten by locusts, caterpillars, and such like flys, and many times with [Page 438] worms: sometimes for want of fence, they are undermined by swine, or broken, brui­sed or fed upon by other cattle, and often­times the unripe fruit is born down by a mighty rushing winde, and all our hopes thus sudenly dasht which is no unusual ac­cident: as it is said, Rev. 6.13. and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is sha­ken by a mighty winde; that is, violently and forcibly, and if they escape all these accidents, many prove barren, and many bring forth fruit that is sowr, bitter, or unsavoury, and very little fruit that is good appears, and if it do, all the danger is not over, many a blow they endure, and many a staff, and many a stone is cast at them to unload, unburthen, and deprive them of their fruit; and there is scarce a passenger but hath something or other to throw at them, and few go away empty-handed from them; and no wonder then the owners part is little and a small pittance comes to be ga­thered in: The consideration of this, made me to compare poor man to these trees of the field, and to consider what is the rea­son so few bring forth fruit to maturity; many an obstruction they meet with before the time of fruit comes, which hinders the most of men from fructifying; many are planted in the dry desart heath, where [Page 439] they see not when good cometh, and that never heard of a saviour come into the world, or ever enjoyed one soul searching sermon, and these are not like to bring forth good fruit; they are like to be barren, or their fruit to be wilde, yea many of those that live within the pale of the Church are not much better, it is true, the seed is sown a­mongst them but much of it falls by the way­side, and the fouls of the air pick it up, the de­vil steals it out of their hearts; this is that troubler of Israel, that master of misrule, he is one at Church whoever is the other, he hath made a foot-path over the heart, that the word takes no more impression then rain upon a rock; these must needs be barren, yea, some of it, fals among stones, where it hath no root, which though re­ceived with joy, and it springs up sudenly, yet wanting root, must needs wither, the root of the matter is not in them, Job. 19.28. and some falls among thorns, and is choaked; these (saith Christ) are the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches; and it is much ado to handle those thorns, and not prick their fingers, and but a little fals in good ground, and that undergoes a thousand dangers ere it come to maturity; many are the obstru­ctions a Christian meets with, and many pul-backs the gracious soul hath, and the good seed sown hath many enemies, some­times [Page 440] it is parcht with the sun of prospe­rity, and sometimes nipt with the frost of adversity; the devils temptations, and the worlds allurements; oft spoil the fruit; sometimes it withers for want of the dew of heaven to refresh it, sometimes it is over­whelmed with the flouds of affliction, a thousand, and ten thousand are the dan­gers this seed of grace doth undergo before it comes to maturity; many trees in the orchard are not transplanted, and ingrafted into Christ, and many enemies those meet with that are, and the little fruit that is brought forth to maturity, will have many a stick and many a stone cast at it; oh my soul, hast thou any stone cast at thee, any reproach cast upon thee, art thou persecu­ted and hated for doing thy duty, despair not, it is a signe there is some fruit: the traveller seldome throws at the barren tree, and the devil seldome throws down his own fruit; hast thou many enemies, Christ himself had not a few; live uprightly to­ward man, holily towards God, that they may have no just occasion against thee, but for serving God, and let them throw and spare not: bring forth much fruit to God, and doubtless he will wall thee in, and defend thee: O my God, mine enemies are many and sub­til, powerful and malicious, be thou my defen­der, and lot my fruit be pleasant to thy taste, and sweet to thy smell.

Ʋpon a fair apple rotten at the core.
94. Med.

TAking notice of a beautiful ap­ple, glorious to the eye, having a promising aspect, a smoosh skin and a fair outside, yet when it was cut, it proved de­ceitful, rotten at the heart, and corrupted within, and little good but a painted skin, and the corruption within would soon have brake forth and corrupted the outside also; this apple so deceitful, lively represented to my thoughts an hypocrite, who in outward carriage and demeanour, and formalities, makes a fair shew, and in the external per­formance of duties represents a true Christi­an when the heart is rotten, and the vitals of Religion are wanting, and there is no­thing but a sheepsskin drawn over a wolfs body; nothing but plaster and paint, yet ofttimes so artificially done, that it is hard to discover it from sincerity, in the exter­nal parts of Religion: many times he out­strips many sincere Christians, and acts his part so cunningly, that many times he is taken for the man he represents: he oft makes a fair shew to the world, and holds out a more fairer profession in the sight of the sun, then the Saints themselves; for they may afford to pay more for the colour, for the cloath costs them nothing; what others [Page 442] bestow in the lining, they lay it out on the outside; like an old withered band, rotten within, and painted without; but the rot­tenness that lies at the heart, many times breaks out, and rots the life and conversati­on also; for corruption within will break out: our Saviour Christ did lively repre­sent these men by painted sepulchers, and whi­ted tombs, glorious to the eye, but within full of filthiness, and putrefaction, Mat. 23.27. wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like unto whited Sepulchres, that appear glorious to the eye, but within are full of dead mens bones and all uncleaness; so do ye in the eye of the world appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and ini­quity: fair professors but foul sinners: there are many with Pilate will wash their hands, but few will wash their hearts, Mat. 27.24. this also the Pharisees did, but this is too weak an element to wash off guilt, which is not purged but by the blood of Christ, or the fire of hell; but God and nature be­gin at the heart, and so must a Christian that would be cleansed; O Jerusalem, Jerusa­lem, wash thy heart from wickedness, how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee? Jer. 4.14. clense your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded, Jam. 4.8. both heart and life must be reformed, but reformation should begin at the heart, or it will never rightly [Page 443] season the life: the most men begin refor­mation at the wrong end, they lop off some of the bigger branches of sin, and it is well they do so, many go not so far, when the root remains firm and untouched: and hence it is it quickly springs again, at the next gale of opportunity or warm gleam of temptati­on; they are seeking to clense the stream when the fountain that feeds it is corrupt, they would make the fruit good when the tree is bad, but this is but labour lost, the way is first to clense the fountain, and then the stream will be clear; let the tree be graf­ted, and the fruit will be better; the hypo­crite like a glow worm makes a great shew in a dark night, but if you touch her, she yields neither fire nor heat; I have read of a Roman Senatour, that was giving audience to an Embassadour, but beholding his co­loured hair, and painted face, said, what since­rity can we expect from these men, whose very locks, and looks, and lips do lie? so these mens looks, and words, and actions lie, and shew that outwardly that is not in­wardly there in the heart: hypocrisy may be spun with a fine thread, that it can be hardly discerned in the stuff, but usually it is seen in the wearing, for usually it is not durable, neither will it endure a storm, but will shrink in the wetting; will the hypocrite pray always? (saith Job) intimating, he will [Page 44] not; they are like the short-winded Bethuli­ans, faint after a turn or two: fained con­version often proves unfained apostasy; those that receive not the truth in the love of the truth, will hardly dye for the maintenance of the truth; those that have not the root of the matter in them, will soon wither, 1. Iohn 2.19. they went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us: hypocrites are in the Church as tares among the corn, and chaff among the wheat, or as a wen or ulcer on the body, or a wooden leg; when a sepera­tion is made, the corn is the better, and the body never the worse; the foolish vir­gins had lamps in their hands as well as the wise, but wanting oyl in their vessels, & grace in their hearts, were shut out; those that only pretend to holiness and the power of godliness, and not intend it, are like un­to Ʋriah; they carry their own condemna­tion about them, for if Religion be not good, why do they profess it? if it be good, why do they not practice it? if they would not have the tree of sin kil'd, why do they lop off the branches? if they would, why do they not stock it up by the roots? if when they pray that God would mortify their sin and heal them of their hypocrisy, they would [Page 445] not have God hear them, why do they pray? if they would, why do they not endeavour it as well as beg it? if hypocrisy be good, why do they pray against it? if it be bad, why do they wittingly and willingly use it? if they would not have the stream clean, why do they purge it? if they would, why do they not clense the fountain that it may be clean? they should be as they seem, or seem as they be; they should practice what they profess, or profess what they practice; I would (saith God) ye were either hot or cold; he likes not a lukewarm temper; their pro­fession is but a fantastick fire, kindled in their own tinder-box: oh my soul, see thou be sound at the heart, that the life of Reli­gion be in thee, and not the dead image; if the heart be rotten, sooner or later it will break out into the life; see that there be oyl as well as a lamp, and practice as well as a profession: oh my God, without thine assistance my heart will deceive me: Lord, make my heart sound in thy sta­tutes.

How little comfort the world can afford with­out food.
95. Med.

WHen I had for a considerable time recreated my self a­mong [Page 446] the flowers in the garden, and a­mong the trees of the orchard, sometimes solacing my self in the silent walks there­in, sometimes under the shady trees, or in the green alleys, delighting my self in the beautiful aspect, various forms, scent and savours of the flowers, and herbs, and con­templating their vertues and operations, which led me by the hand to admire the Creators wisdome and goodness, to make all these for the use of poor man; and it made me consider, how ill God was requi­ted by man for all these mercies; and thus spending my time, sometimes in reading, sometimes in meditating, and in these exer­cises I continued; sometimes walking, some­times sitting, sometimes lying, or in such postures as pleased my minde, or suited my fancy; sometimes taking delight in hear­ing the sweet singing birds, at other times in the cool refreshing gales of winde that gently breathed upon me, and qualified the heat of the day: in a word, sometimes ta­king delight in one thing, sometimes in ano­ther, till at last I began to be an hungry, and my craving stomach spoil'd much of the delight and satisfaction that I had taken be­fore in those enjoyments, the pleasant sights, the sweet smells, the melodious harmony, which before so pleased me, now began to give me no content or comfort, my craving [Page 447] stomack spoils all the sport, and all the de­light vanished; and although I purposely propounded several delightful objects to my self to divert my thoughts, yet nothing would do it, no meditation would fasten, no thoughts fix in my minde, but the thought of meat: This put me in minde of the fable of Midas, that when he had gotten liberty of the Gods, to wish what he would, with a promise that it should be granted, wisht that all he toucht should be turned to gold; which was immediatly done, but when he came to eat and to drink, his meat and drink turned to gold also, and so lost its nu­tritive vertue, and so in the midst of his riches he was reduced to the greatest extre­mity, and ready to perish for want of food, and became more miserable then the poor­est beggar: I thought with my self if that which is fabled of him were verifyed of me, that I were able my self with my touch to turn all those herbs and flowers, grass, and trees into gold, yea, the ground I trod up­on, and all that I did either see, or feel, how little satisfaction would this bring me without meat? one meals meat would bring me more content in my need, then all this, for this would prove but a rich famishment; oh vain man how apt art thou to thirst af­ter that which can do thee no good, for this life, nor that to come, and canst not [Page 448] thou content thy self without it, though thou hast that which is far better? oh bewitch­ing gold, with what charms dost thou in­fatuate the minds of men, to doat after thee; when thou canst never satisfy the minde or stomack? yet art thou become the price of bloud, yea, the price of souls, and many a man sells his soul to the devil for thee, to live in endless, easeless, and remediless tor­ments: I found by experience that had I had all the wealth in the world, and all the gold in the Indies in exchange for my meat, my condition would have been worse then it is, yea, worse then the poorest beggar that goes from door to door, yea, then that of the gally-slaves in Turky, and one meals meat would do me more good then all this: this minded me of Gods goodness, and mans unthankfulness, he gives us what is neces­sary and satisfactory, we thirst after that which is neither necessary nor satisfactory: From this Consideration my meditation a­rose a little higher, and I began to think that food was as necessary sor the soul as for the body, for where life is, there must be food to maintain it, and spiritual life requires spiritual food: I began to consider whether ever I was so sensible of the want of spiritual food as I was of temporal; and found by experience how vain earthly delights were, and how unsatisfactory with­out [Page 449] food; but oh how little, yea, too little sensible I am of the want of spiritual food; how little appetite have I to that bread which came down from heaven, and that sincere milk of the word, that heavenly mannah which is daily spread about our tents: this made me also consider, how it is with a poor hungring, thirsting, panting soul after Christ, that crys out, give me Christ or else I die, and it is no wonder, that nothing but Christ can satisfy such a hunger-starved soul, for if neither sweet smels, pleasant sights, de­lightful musick, nor any earthly enjoy­ment, nay, gold it self, the quintescence (as many imagine) of all earthly happiness, can satisfy an hungry man without meat, or a thirsty man without drink, surely then neither riches nor honours, pleasures, nor preferments can satisfy an hungry soul without Christ; for though the devil still many that cry for Christ, with the world, as a nurse doth a childe that crys for gold with a counter, yet where there is a know­ledge of the worth of Christ, and the want of Christ, where there hath been a taste of Christ, he cannot thus delude them: an hungry man is not satisfied with a cake of clay, nor an hungry soul with a pain­ted bible: oh my soul, how is it with thee? didst thou ever thus hunger, thus thirst after Christ? and nothing will satisfy but [Page 450] Christ; doubtless God will satisfy thy long­ing desire; but if thou art satisfyed with any other thing, thy hunger is not right: O my God, work in me this spiritual ap­petite to this heavenly food, and then give me this bread of life.

Upon the worth of meat, to those that know the want of it.
96. Med.

WHen I had well refresht my self with meat, after I had been hungry and fainty, I began to know the worth of it by the want of it, I found that hunger was the best sauce, the full soul (saith Solomon) loatheth the hony-comb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet, Pro. 27.7. this holds true in spirituals also, that which David accounts sweeter then honey and the honey-comb, is now trampled upon by stall-fed beasts, in whom fullness hath bred forgetfulness, and saturity security; the Pha­risees found no sweetness in Christs own Sermons; no wonder then if in our times men begin to surfet on the bread of life, and loath the word, the honey-comb it self, but hunger, seasons homely provision, course fare, doves dung, and asses heads, as in the seige of Samaria: great Hunniades never fared better then in his hunger with a poor Shep­herd, [Page 451] with bread and water, and onions; I considered the providence of God, how rich he was in his goodness, not only in giving life, but also in giving food to main­tain life, in giving a stomack to receive and digest this food, otherwise the choisest food would be nauseous, and in giving a blessing to this food, and a nutritive faculty, other­wise it would do no good; if any of all these were wanting, mans life could not be preserved; I considered that bread which is called the staff of life, and indeed the cheif­est of all food for the preservation of life, it springs out of the earth, as all other food doth, and there can be nothing but the blessing of God, that differenceth it from the earth; now if we eat bread, we are satisfy­ed, but if we eat earth we die; for God never blessed the earth, or put such a ver­tue into it as to nourish us; now it is on­ly Gods blessing that differences the one from the other in its operations; for had God blest the earth to this end and purpose, it would have sustained us as well as corn that springs out of it, but that blessing is denied to the one, which is given to the o­ther; the beasts of the field are fed by the grass, this will not keep man alive, yea, the serpents food seems to be the dust, Gen. 3.14. for what else they feed on I know not, and it might have been ours, had God plea­sed, [Page 452] yea, every species of the creatures, hath some peculiar food appropriated to it, and what is suitable to one, is disagreeable to another; now though there be bread pro­vided, it is necessary there must be life, for what good will food do in a dead mans mouth? yea, it is necessary also, that there be a stomack rightly qualified, for if the sto­mack refuse it, it cannot nourish, and all these are Gods gifts; some men we see are cloathed more richly, and fed more dainti­ly, they eat the fat, and drink the sweet, yet languish for want of health, when others are fat, and well-liking with meaner food, as Daniel and his fellows looked better with pulse and water, then others did with the Kings meat, Dan. 1.15. it is a mercy to have food, and it is a mercy to have stomacks to eat it, and it is no less a mercy to have the blessing of God upon it, that it may nourish us: for this is one of the greatest outward mercies we enjoy, and tends as much to our external happiness: this minded me of the Apostles injunction, 1 tim. 6.8. we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we shall carry no­thing out, and having food and rayment, let us be therewith content; for godliness with content is great gain; true piety is true plenty, it is storied of the Chaliph of Babilon, that he was shut up amidst the infinite treasures of gold, silver and precious stones, which he had [Page 453] covetously heaped together, and there was starved to death, by the great Cham of Cataia, who yet willed him to eat, and make no spare: and it is no strange thing, for gold and silver were never appointed, or blest by God for mans sustentation; food and ray­ment not junkets, are necessary; meat and drink (saith Jerome) are a Christians riches, and well may we be content with this, if we knew the want of it; many poor crea­tures, yea, able Christians, better then our selves, have suffered much, in Germany, and of late years in Ireland, so that dogs, horses, rats and mice, and such like vermine, were esteemed good food: in the seige of Samaria, there was such a famine, that an asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of doves dung for five pieces of silver, 2 Kin. 6.25. and in Samaria, and afterwards in Jerusalem, the hands of the piti­ful women sod their own children and eat them, these were their meat in their distress, 2 Kin. 6.28. Lam. 4.10. but blessed be God, we know not want, nor feel not sorrow; but what good would all the wealth in the world do us, if we wanted food; Jems and Jewels, would be little worth, crowns and king­domes would yield us no comfort, bread would be of more worth to us then its weight in gold, yet without the blessing of God this would not serve our turn, or pre­serve [Page 454] our lives: how then dare men pro­voke this God by abusing these his blessings? man lives not by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, Mat. 4.4. that is, by every thing that God blesseth to that end: if we want bread therefore, let us depend upon him, that can preserve us without bread, as one of the Martyrs said, when he was threatened to be famished, if God take away my meat, he can take away my hunger, Psal. 37.3. trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed: one promise will do us more good then all our gold, Hab. 3.17, 18. though the fig-tree should not blossome, and there be no fruit in the vine, though the labour of the olive should fail, and the field should yield no meat, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stall, yet will I rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation; though Hagars bottle be empty, God will shew her the well; though the ship be broken, God will prepare a plank: oh my soul, trust in God for thy bodily food, he that feeds the ravens will not starve the children, but rest not satisfied till thy soul be fed with the bread of life; oh my God, on thee I depend for food, both for body and soul; Lord, feed both, and with food give a blessing, that [...]oth soul and body may be nourished by it.

The world is not a resting-place.
97. Med.

WHen I had been recreating my self in the garden, ti­red with studyes, and other employments, I found some divertisement for a while a­mong the various delights, that there of­fered themselves to my sences, and unbent the bow that was beginning to grow weak, through over-intent studies, and other im­ployments: I passed the time for a season in the viewing and observing of Natures garden, not without some delightful ob­servations, but at last, night approach­ed and my pleasures began to vanish: The birds which before delighted my ears with their melodious harmony, were now gone to rest, and those herbs and flowers, which before delighted my sences now disappea­red, and their various colours, forms and shapes could not be distinguished, but were all died in one sable colour, for universal darkness had spread her sable mantle over all, and every thing was stained in the same die-fat, and I was left alone, though in the midst of company, deprived of the delights which before I had, the cold air began to pierce me, and the croaking frogs and toads which all this while had hid them­selves from my sight, were now crept forth [Page 456] and were like to be my bed-fellows, if I lodged there, and bats and owls, those birds of the night, were my companions; this made me to consider, how unpleasant this place of delights, the greatest recreation I had in the world for my body, would be to me at this time, had I no other habita­tion, and how unpleasant the night would be to me: here I lay open to winde and weather, liable to be wet with the dew of heaven, and was like to have the air for my supper, and with Jacob a stone for my pil­low; I considered now, though I too often forget it, the great goodness of God to the just and to the unjust, to cause his sun to shine upon them, one sun makes a day, but the moon and all the stars make but a night, but what a mercy is it then, when the sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his wings? The unpleasantness of the present season to me, made me pitty many poor creatures that are necessarily exposed to these, and worse then these hardships, as souldiers lodging in the fields, yea, many wandring people that in the winter-season suffer much, as for those that designedly endure this life, rather then expose themselves to labour, are not to be pittied, correction is a fitter salve for their sore: but there are many a­ged and impotent, lame, and unable, that should be better cared for, and I fear God [Page 457] hath a controversy with the nation upon this account; this consideration driven up to the head, made me bless God this was not my condition, and to fear lest my sins and un­thankfulness might provoke God to make it my condition: This raised my medita­tion a little higher, and I thought with my­self, if this garden, this place of delights be no comfortable abiding-place for the bo­dy when night comes, sure then the world is no resting-place for the soul, for death will come: here in the day-time of life man may take some delight, but the night will come when no man can work, and when all these things shall vanish, I must seek out for some better shelter, some better lodging, some better resting-place for my soul: when night comes, and the sun is set upon me, all these delightful objects will be gone, will forsake me, and hide their heads, and they will yeeld no delight, no comfort or refreshment; crowns and kingdoms, dirt and dung, will then be valued alike, and a piece of lead will be as good as a piece of gold, or an heap of diamonds; these out­ward things can afford neither food nor physick, neither lodging nor entertainment, neither pleasures nor profit, to the weary soul; these earthly tabernacles ere long will be dissolved, and these houses of clay, will moulder into dust, 2 Cor. 5.1. and what [Page 458] shall we then do, if we are no better pro­vided? the soul here wears the body as a garment, which when it is worn out, the saints shall have a better suit, they shall be choathed with the Lord Jesus Christ; death will not spare the best, there is no coming to paradice but under the flaming sword of this guardian that stands at the porch, no wiping all tears from our eyes, but with our winding-sheet; assurance of Gods love makes a man even willing to die, but the cook on the dunghill knows not the worth of this jewel; oh the blindness, madness, and stupidity of man, whose care is to lade himself with thick clay, and to take care what he shall eat, or what he shall drink, or where­withall he shall be cloathed, and makes no pro­vision for the soul, but depends upon that for comfort, that can do no good when most need is; they can provide in the day for the night, in the summer for the win­ter, on the market-day for the whole week, and at a Fair for the whole year, and yet make no provision in life for death, or in time for eternity: if a coelestial habitation be not provided against those houses of clay, our bodies, wherein the soul lodgeth as a tenant at will, be dissolved, our lodging will be worse then with toads and serpents, even with the devil and his angels, in endless, easeless, and remediless torments: oh my soul how fares [Page 459] it with thee, or what preparation hast thou made? long it cannot be before night comes, where then will be thy lodging? the earth then will be to thee as the waters to Noahs dove, thou wilt finde no rest here for the sole of thy foot; it is in heaven that the weary be at rest, Job. 3.17. oh my God, enable me to clear up my interest in Christ, who is the on­ly sanctuary for a troubled soul.

Upon sickness spoiling all earthly delights.
98. Med.

WHen I had fitted things to my minde, and began to take de­light in the works of my hands, when I be­gan to sing a requiem to my self, and my heart (with Solomons) rejoyced in all my labour, Eccl. 2.10. yea, when I had promised my self con­tent in what I had done, I was suddenly forced to say with wise Solomon, Eccles. 14. behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit; nothing in them­selves, yet sufficient to vex and perplex us; sin hath produced a confusion in the world, and stampt vanity upon the creature, every man (saith David) in his best estate is altogether vanity; this is the impartiall verdict brought in by one that could best tell, and to this I was forc't to subscribe, for God immediatly humbled me for setting my affection upon creature-comforts, and let me see the vanity [Page 460] of them, by visiting me with a fit of sickness, that I was taken off from setting my delight, or taking satisfaction in or upon them, or ta­king any pleasure in any thing that I had done, nay, I was troubled that I had not spent my time better, and that I had not planted, set, or sown in a more fertile soil, where I might have expected a more plentiful en­crease, and had a better crop: this providence seemed to speak to me, as Christ did to the rich man, Luk. 12.16. &c. that set his heart on his riches, and was not rich to God; thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose are these? this shewed me more of the vanity of humane felicity, then I had before observed; I plainly saw there was a double uncertainty in all earthly felicity, and in sub­lunary enjoyments, for they themselves are very uncertain, and many times short-lived, and may leave us, or we may by death be ar­rested, and then we shall leave them; God sometimes takes them from us, they take them­selves wings and fly away, and shall we set our eyes upon things that are not? Pro. 23.5. there is no solid substance in them, though the foolish world call it by that name; they are as transi­tory as a hasty headlong torrent, but if they remain we shall remove; for our life passeth a­way as a shadow, or post, or weavers shuttle, and continueth not, and then those winged fouls that now sit upon our trees, shall sit up­on [Page 461] other mens, sometimes God blows upon them, and blasts them, that though we do en­joy them, they prove but a vexation to us: sometimes he disables us to use them, and sometimes imbitters them to us, mixing them with gall and wormwood, that we can finde no pleasure in them, and assuredly they will do us little good, when we have most need; suppose a man to have what the world can af­ford, yea, all the delights of the sons of men, yea, all that his heart can wish, as Solomon had, Eccl. 2.27. yet one hours sickness spoils all his mirth, and robs him of all the comfort he pro­mised to himself; one fit of the collick, gout, strangury, or other raging pain, yea, the ex­tream pain of an aking tooth, puts a man be­sides all these his enjoyments; yet how gree­dily do men grasp after the world, as if it in­cluded the highest degree of happiness, and hug it in their bosome, and lodge it nearest to the heart, which will prove no better, nay, much worse then a bush of thorns, if graspt too hard; so this, the harder it is handled the worse it hurts; oh folish man, cannot these earthly enjoyments give ease to an aking head, or heart? can they not mitigate the pains of the gout, collick, stone, or strangury, and can it be imagined they can ease the con­science, or cure a sinsick soul? if not, what good can they do it? could Judas, Achitophel, Spira and others, fetch any comfort here in [Page 462] their extremity, no, no, they are like Jobs friends, miserable comforters at such a time; what good will gold do at death, and judg­ment? this coin is not currant in the other world, nay, in this world it brings little con­tent, if God frown: if one spark of hell-fire flash in the conscience, all these things can­not extinguish it; one drop of it will mar a whole cup of earthly delights; that in the midst of laughter the heart will be sorrowful, and the end of that mirth will be heaviness, Pro. 14.13. nulla est sincera voluptas; wicked men may dance to the timbrel and harp, but suddenly they turn into hell, Job. 21.12, 13. and their merry dance ends in a miserable downfall; the can­dle of the wicked shall out in a snuff, and what will all these outward enjoyments signify then? Jobs flower, Jonahs gourd, and Davids green bay-tree, will soon wither, and their beauty will fade: all these things will leave us at death, many times before: how much need then have we to make preparation before-hand of something that will stand us instead? This sickness of mine also taught me how un­fit a time this was for repentance, and yet how many post it off till then? oh, how unfit was I to examine my heart, and call my sins to minde, to repent of them, when racking pains brought such a confusion upon me, that my thoughts were distempered and distracted, and I could not keep my heart intent upon [Page 463] any thing, when all I could do was little e­nough to wrastle with my distemper; this made me resolve, and oh that I could hold on my resolution, if ever I recovered, I would remember my Creatour in the days of my health: oh my soul, seeing these outward things can do thee little good, but if over­loved will do thee much hurt, set but a little value upon them, there is a treasure to be had that will hold out, and pleasures that will en­dure, which will keep up the head above wa­ter, under sickness, sorrow, and death; la­bour for this, but ro spend time on that which one hours sickness will put us besides, it is but labour lost: oh my God, give me that for my portion, that will bear up my head, and heart, not only in sickness, but in death it self.

Upon a rainy day.
99. Med.

IN a rainy and very tempestuous day, being driven into the house by the violence of the storm, and the tempest proving so violent & furious, that the house it self could hardly secure me from the fury of it: This made me consider what a mercy it was in such a season to have a retiring place for shelter, and how uncomfortable it would have been to me, had I been forc't to have born the brunt of this raging storm, and yet how [Page 464] little do we value these mercyes when we know not the want of them, and how few re­turn praise to God that hath given us houses that we builded not, and vineyards that we planted not. Deu. 6.11. saturity oft breeds security, and fulness forgetfulness, the moon at the full is furthest from the sun, and ofttimes suffers ecclips by the interposition of the earth, and so we are ofttimes like Jesurun that waxed fat and kicked, or like full-fed hawks, that will not know their master; neither do we pitty those that want houses, or whose houses at least are not able to secure them, or keep them dry; this put me in minde to bless my God that had made such a comfortable provision for me, that I seldom suffered upon this account, and to condole those whose condition was other­wise, I considered how great a mercy rain and waters were, that neither man, nor beast, nor tree, nor plant, that neither the rational, the sensitive, nor vegetative creature, could subsist, or live without it, and how dear and precious it was to the Patriarks of old, and in many places of the world at this day; how scarce it was with the Israelites in the wilder­ness, yea, was, and in many places is their constant, if not only drink, and many thou­sands have perished for want of it, and how it would be prized of us did we want it; yea, how often when the showers of heaven are re­strained, do our fields languish, and the fruits [Page 465] of the earth fail, and yet who is it that is thankful, when God gives us the former and the latter rain in its season? and yet how much are we engaged to God, in England above ma­ny other places? we seldom are reduced to such straits as others are, for want of water, but have abundance of fresh rivers, brooks, and torrents, yea, springs and ponds in most parts of the land, that man nor beast seldome want it; how would such a mercy be prized in many places of the world? and yet though water be such a mercy, when it is abused God can turn it into a judgement: he drowned the old world with it, and overwhelmed the Egyptians in the Red Sea, and many times in those Northern climats, he punishes us with immoderate rain, and showers, which oft­times proves the cause of scarcity and want, thereby teaching us, that the greatest out­ward blessings, if abused, may be turned in­to curses, and a fruitful land made barren for the wickedness of those that dwell therein, Psal. 107.34. Having spent some time on these considerati­ons, the storm continuing, the present provi­dence brought to my minde the words of So­lomon, Pro. 19.13. a foolish son is the calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a conti­nual dropping, Pro. 27.15. a continual dropping in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman are a­like: &c. this is like a tempest in the heaven, most troublesome, and most dangerous; when [Page 466] a man comes home tired, with his labour and travail, and expects refreshing at his own house, and there is entertained, either with the continual dropping of rain upon his head, or with an unbridled scolding tongue of an unreasonable wife, both are troublesome, both are uncomfortable, a cross grained contenti­ous yoak-fellow, whether man or woman, sowers all the comforts of life, and renders that relation the most troublesome, and un­comfortable of any in the world, which would otherwise be the sweetest and most delightful of all others: hence saith Solomon, it is better live in a corner on the house-top, then with a braw­ling woman in a wide house, Pro. 21.19. a man had better abide abroad exposed to winde and weather, or crib himself up in any little an­gle or corner, then live with a contentious woman, that is ever brawling and brangling, for such turn conjugium into conjurgium, marri­age into mar-age, and instead of love and amity they promote strife and emnity, and multi­ply curses instead of prayers; The marriage-relation is the most desirable, or the most de­testable, of all others; none is more delight­ful where love and unity is, none is more hate­ful where strife and contention, envy and ha­tred bears the sway; and as family-peace is a desirable blessing, and family-jars an unsuffe­rable torment, so peace among neighbours is a mercy, and the contrary a sore judgement; [Page 467] but many like the Salamander live in the fire, they love to foment jars and contentions, and are never so well, as when they are sowing discord, or working mischief, Pro. 26.21. as coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife; many men are like mad dogs, they snarl at all, and would if they could bite all, and make them as mad as themselves, some contentious Christians also there are that in this fire burn and consume their graces, not their vices; these grow in o­pinions and flourish with these leaves, seldome in grace, for their fruit is seldom seen, or it is bitter and unsavoury; they are ready to dis­roab all others of their graces that attain not to the same pitch of opinion with themselves, but the Church is little beholding to them, whose zeal sets all into a combustion; but a­bove all peace, peace with God, and peace with a mans conscience is most to be desired, yea, absolutely neecssary, which cannot be had, till we break our peace with sin, and satan: oh my soul, study peace with all men, and ho­liness, without which you shall never see God; study peace with thy relations, but especially with thy God; and if thy ways please him, thy enemy shall be at peace with thee: oh my God, let not the devil by his wiles nor the world by her frowns or smiles make me break my peace with thee.

Ʋpon cold winter-weather.
100. Med.

IN stormy cold and winter-wea­ther, when the fields were unfit for action, and the husbandman was retired into his cell, as the Souldier into his winter-Garison, I considered how necessary, how desirable, how delightful, a dry house, fire, food, cloathing, lodging, and other necessa­ries were, to cherish and nourish, and shelter us from the violence of the cold, and how un­pleasant it was for man or beast to be abroad in the fields, and how unsuitable for action there this season was; then considered I the folly of those that made not preparation for such a season, that those sluggishly pass away the Summer-season that is fit for action in the field, and made no preparation in the harvest, and so are destitute of food, of fewel, and o­ther necessaries, to make their lives comforta­ble in the winter; for those the holy Ghost sends to school to the ant or pismire, Pro. 6.6. go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise, which having no guide, overseer or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest: poor man that was once captain in Gods school is now turned down into the lowest form, and to be taught by the meanest creatures; sometimes to the birds, and to the lillies of the field, that depend upon [Page 469] divine providence, sometimes to the oxe and to the ass, to learn dependence, and here to the ant, to learn diligence: these poor crea­tures may be called lay-mens books, for in them they may learn their duty, and not as many do in diem vivere, as the fouls of the air do: we should learn dependence of them, but a provident care must be had, as one saith, no promus sit fortior condo, that our layings out be not more then our layings up; there is a care of the head lawful, but it is the care of the heart that is forbidden; a care of diligence there may be, a care of diffidence there must not be; but some fail on the one hand, some on the other, and it is hard to walk in the di­rect road: I also pitied those that wanted the necessaries I enjoyed, and could not tell how to prepare them, when all their diligence and industry fell short of necessaries; as there are too many poor families amongst us, which should be looked after, and I fear God will look after those stewards he hath intrusted to feed them, and they neglect it; see Mat. 24.48. Mat. 25.41. I then called to minde the estate of poor Christians in Ireland, in the begin­ning of the rebellion, that were suddenly stript of all, turned out naked and hungry, exposed to winde and weather, to hunger and cold, to frost and snow, to the loss of many thousands of their lives, and to very much hardship to those that escaped; this example [Page 470] on the one side, discovered to me what inju­ries and wrongs, what hardship and miseries poor creatures may be exposed to; how un­certain these transitory enjoyments are, and how soon they may be lost, and for ought I know this may be my own condition, how soon I know not, and what would I then give to be in such a condition that I now am, although it be not altogether free from some troubles and hardship? it minded me also on the other side, of the cruelty of bloud-thirsty enemies, and what we may expect from them, if ever we fall into their hands, or lie at their mercy; and this made me admire Gods good­ness to this nation in general, and to my self in particular, that it is so well with us as it is, yea this consideration made me more con­tented with my condition then before, and to bless God that he had made such plentiful provision for me, that had deserved so little at his hands; when he suffered those Worthys of whom the world was not worthy, to have triall of cruell mockings and scourgings, yea, more­over of bonds and imprisonments, they were stoned, sawn in sunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandred about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormen­ted, of whom the world was not worthy, they wan­dered in desarts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, Heb. 11.36. I considered that though the enjoyment of these things be [Page 471] no certain sign of the love of God, yet are they great engagements to engage the heart to God; and they are much too blame, yea, shall give a severe account, that willfully waste or abuse them in drunkenness, idleness, pride; prodigality, gaming, whoring, or any other vicious courses, yea, they are too blame that withhold good from the owners thereof, or detain the poors portion from them, to whom it is due; These considerati­ons had, I raised my Meditations a little high­er, and considered, that if an earthly habita­tion be so necessary in winter for the body, to shelter it from the violence of the weather, how necessary then will an habitation for the soul be, against these houses of clay be disol­ved, to keep off the storms of divine ven­geance? for what will become of those then that have nothing to shelter them, or as good as nothing, the garments of their own righte­ousness, which are too short to cover them, and too thin to defend them, and cannot shel­ter the soul from divine vengeance, no better then a spiders web can the body from a can­non-bullet, these doubtless are bad husbands for the soul, though they may have care e­nough of the body: oh my soul, what condi­tion dost thou stand in, in reference to eter­nity? thou hast been often summoned by death, and sometimes made to look it in the face, and yet thy days, with Hezekiahs are [Page 472] lengthened out, and God hath given thee more time to do thy work in; what prepara­tion hast thou made for it? hast thou provi­ded an habitation against thou shalt be turned out of this house of clay? hast thou cleared up thy evidence for heaven and thy title to glory? if not, give thy self no rest till thy work be done, for then, and not till then, thou wilt be fit do dye: it is not a bare pro­fession that will serve thy turn, the root of the matter must be in thee, Job. 19.28. a profession without practise will do thee no good; oh my God without thy divine assistance I shall mis­carry, and without a lamp lighted by thy ho­ly spirit, I shall never finde out the deceits that are in my own heart; Lord, grant that these my Meditations may be beneficial to my self and others, that they may never rise up in judgment against me another day,

Amen.