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 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. 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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
thy hand and a wedding-garment on thy back improve thy talents well that Christ may say well done 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 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 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 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 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 't is the Lord let him do what seemeth him
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 miâ—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 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 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 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 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 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
the law but the corruption of officerâ— that is here to be faulted however by thiâ— we see wealth is not always a sure refuge 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 sâ—â— 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 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 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 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 'T is 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 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
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 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 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 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 bubblâ— 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 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
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
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
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 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 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 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 le ts 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 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 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
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 t is 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 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 tender-hearted 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 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 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 â—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 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
of the Chaliph of Babilon that he was shut up amidst the infinite treasures of gold silver and precious stones which he had 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 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 â—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 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 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 shall we then do if we are no
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 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 heâ—â—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 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 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 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 â—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 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