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 painâ—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 oft-times 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 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 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 't is 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 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 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
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 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 oft-times 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 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 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 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 the man for then my misery would have ended with my life when now it is like to begin at my death and
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 Vpon 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 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 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 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 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 FINIS
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 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 Vlisses 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 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 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 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 Vpon 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 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 'T is 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 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 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 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 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 Vpon 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 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 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