body so he gives to every peculiar species his own proper colour shape odour and vertue and to every individual of the species and to every rational creature his own proper face and feature all lovely amiable and comely and yet different one from another all agreeing in the main and yet disagreeing in one thing or other Oh the omnipotent power and wisdome of the great God how unsearchable are his counsels and his ways past finding out And as they differ in bodily shape so also in the endowments of the minde there is very great variety and diversity amongst men scarce two can be found in an age alike qualified very few of the same minde in all things quot homines tot sententiae is a saying not more antient then true so many men so many mindes for where shall we finde a perfect agreement between any two how various also are the gifts of the same spirit to the sons of men God doth not intrust any one man with all neither is there any that have not some talent 1 Cor. 12.43 now there are diversity of gifts but the same spirit c. for to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another faith by the same spirit to another the gift of healing by the same spirit to another the working of miracles to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the self same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will c. and to one is given ten talents to another five and to another one according to the place and imployment they are set in and the work God requires at their hands as the diverse smells of flowers comes from the same influence and the diverse sounds in the organ from the same breath so divers-operations from the same spirit and all for the good of the whole he that is not fit to serve the body is not fit to be of the body God gives to every man according to his place and station and will require an account of what he gives some are deeply skil'd in the original tongues and other languages others excell in philosophical notions some search natures garden from end to end and become excellent artists there some excell in one science some in another some in the law some in physick some in divinity some in geometry some excell for deep inventions others are good artists c. and among Christians some excel in one grace and some in another some are deep in humiliation some have a great measure of self-denial some excell in faith some in patience c. among Ministers each hath his peculiar gift some are good Textuaries and some criticks some are good in case-divinity some are skil'd in controversies and are excellent disputants some are for explication and some are best at application some for conviction and others for comforting afflicted consciences and all for the common good Ephe. 4.11 12. and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying the body of Christ Oh my soul hast thou any one of these gifts hath God lent thee any talent why hast thou not improved it how comes it to pass in all this time that thou hast not increast it God will require it at thy hand ere long and it is wonder it had not been taken away ere now hadst thou been diligent thou mightest as others with the good servant Luk. 19.16 have said Lord thy one pound hath gained ten pounds when alas it is to be feared thou canst not say it hath gained two though God will not blame thee that thou hast received no more yet will he blame thee for improving that no better the time is coming God will call his servants to an account as well as his enemies and reckon with them take heed of receiving any grace in vain nor envy those that have received more perhaps they received no more but have better imployed what they had let this put thee on to diligence not to murmuring covet grace rather then gifts and to to pray fervently rather then rhetorically stammering Moses shall be heard as soon as Eloquent Aaron had idleness been a lawful calling we should have had many good husbands as well as good fellows but God disowns such and it is no hard matter to discern a wane and decay in such mens gifts and parts and that the Lord is taking away his talents from them and giving them to some other that will better improve them and is laying them aside as broken vessels and ere long they shall be as dead men out of minde when the diligent shall be had in everlasting remembrance oh my God lay not to my charge my former folly my sloth and negligence take not away thy talent from me but give me a heart better to improve it let me double my diligence and amend my pace that thou maist never say to me as to that unfaithful and unprofitable servant Mat. 25.26 take him binde him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness Upon withering herbs and flowers 28. Med. UPon the sight of some withered herbs and flowers that a little before were fresh and flourishing and made a beautiful shew in the hand and bosome but now were fit for nothing but the dunghill I began to consider thus it is with many of the professors of our age many that have made a fair shew and held out a large profession in the sight of the sun are already dead and withered and many more begin to hang the head and droop and their death is dayly expected and all for want of root the sun of persecution shining upon them hath killed many if it should arise indeed many more would wither feigned conversion proves unfeigned apostasy how much salt hath already lost its savour and is now become good for nothing no not for the dunghill How many glorious lamps have I seen in my days blown out or extinguished for lack of oyl yea went out in a snuff and some of them stunk in the socket they had a name to live but they were dead Rev. 3.1 God knows his own sheep and those given to Christ he will not lose one but these saith the Apostle are gone from among us because they were not of us they with the Jewes cry the temple of the Lord when they matter not the Lord of the temple these are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water carried about with windes trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring-stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever
Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall and the clusters are bitter Deut. 32.32 they hatch cockatrice eggs and weave the spiders webs vanity or villany is their trade Heb. 6.7 8. the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it and bringeth forth hearbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth a blessing from God but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned The fruitful Christian watered with the word and spirit bringing fortth a harvest of holiness and fruit-trees fit for meat were not to be destroyed Deut. 20.14 but fruitless trees are for the fire Mat. 3 10. But oh how much of this sterile barren ground is amongst us that resist all the offered means of their recovery and rave and rage against both the physitian and the physick and though often watered bring forth nothing but briars and thorns whereupon all the seed and all the rain that falls upon it is lost and when God expects fruit behold wilde fruit and yet this wilde and barren ground if well manured and God breathe upon it may prove good land this consideration made me with the servant in the Gospel cry out Lord spare them one year more that I may dig about them and dung them that it may not be my fault that they perish nor laid to my charge oh my soul art not thou this barren plot where nothing but briars and brambles can thrive or at least wise but little good fruit appear God hath done much for thee hedged thee about by his providence watered thee with the dew of heaven sent many of his servants to manure thee whence then this trash and rubbish whence then these tares and weeds was not good seed sown why hast thou not answered the great Husbandmans expectation what could God have done more for his Vineyard then he hath done for thee well look to it if thou remain fruitless ere long he will pluck up thy hedge pluck down thy wall take away thy fence and leave caring for thee and turn in the wilde boar to devour he will lay down his basket and take up his axe Oh the patience of a patient God! that hath born with thee for many years but will ere long if thou remain fruitless pronounce the sentence cut him down why cumbreth he the ground and if this be the danger of barren souls do what in thee lies to make others fruitfull also hereby saith Christ is my father glorified if ye bring forth much fruit Oh my God! Paul may plant and Apollo may water but thou givest the encrease 1 Cor. 3.6 The harp yeelds no sound till touched by the hand of the Musician and my heart will never be made good till thou strikest the stroak 't is God alone must say to dry bones live man can but speak to the ear but God speaks to the heart Lord speak home to my heart and the work will be done If means and ordinances would have served turn the work ere now would have been effected Lord leave me not to other husbandmen for they cannot make me fruitfull Oh be thou my Gardiner and my soul shall flourish blow upon thy spices and they will send forth a sweet savour Vpon the Propensity of the Earth to bring forth weeds 5. Med. VVHen I observed the natural propensity of the Earth to bring forth briars and thorns and weeds and thistles and such unprofitable trash and rubbish and that it brought forth fed and fostered those of its own accord without labour or pains or any help of man nay man without much labour and toil cannot destroy or keep them under but choice flowers profitable herbs wheat and rye and other usefull grain springs not up at so easie a rate there must be pains taken digging plowing harrowing setting sowing weeding fencing watering and a great deal more or no good crop can be expected This Observation made me think that this was the fruits of the curse laid upon the Earth for mans sake Gen. 3.17 Cursed be the ground for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee c. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread c. me thoughts the earth in this respect did much resemble a stepmother to the best seeds and choisest fruits but an own Mother to weeds and rubbish this she brings forth and brings up as her own the other she disowns but as she is hired or forc't and if she be not carefully watcht will either starve or choak them and she will suffer her own brats to eat the meat that should nourish them and suck her breasts till they are dry and they shall flourish while the other pine This raised up my Meditations a little higher and I thought the earth in this respect much resembled the world who will willingly nourish no children but her own and plays the stepmothers part with Gods children when the wicked which are her own brats are hug'd in her bosome if their father look not to them they are thrown to the walls if any be wronged it shall be them and if any want be they shall suffer the world loves her own Joh. 15 19. however dogs worry one another yet all agree against the trembling hare Herod and Pilate are made friends when Christ is to suffer and all wicked men are enemies to the power of godliness This propensity also of the earth to bring forth weeds and to starve the choisest plants made me think it resembled also the heart of man by nature which is a fruitful field for briars and brambles and the weeds of sin which grow there without planting but 't is barren of any thing that is good 't is hard to get a good motion a good inclination a good resolution to prosper in that soil but the heart naturally produceth evil thoughts wicked words and bad actions which are the usuall product it bringeth forth The hearb of grace must be planted by the finger of God and watered with the dew of heaven or it will not prosper most of the good seed sown there by the Preachers of the Word is lost and comes to nothing for either it falls among stones or thorns or by the high-way-side and so is choak't or starved or stole away and devoured except the heart be well manured and the nature of the soil changed except it be well fenc't and guarded yea watch't and observed nothing that is good will grow there 'T is not in vain that God bids us break up the fallow ground of our hearts and sow not among thorns Ier. 4.3 Hos 10.12 and God is fain to plow deep furrows by affliction before he can reach the roots of the weeds Oh my soul art not thou this earth that lyes under the curse where nothing but trash and rubbish thrives and prospers how comes it otherwise to passe that thou art
be refresht either by the clouds immediately or from the fountains by mans industry or it cannot bring forth but if God deny provision whence shall man have it they may say as the king Ahab did 2 King 6.26 if the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee out of the barn-floor or out of the wine-press he is the fountain that must supply the cistern he it is that maketh the springs to run among the hills and fills our fountains out of his treasury Can any of the vanities of the gentiles give rain no they cannot and all the men on earth and devils in hell nay all the angels of heaven cannot do it if he deny it let men say what they please to the contrary and without water neither man nor beast fish nor foul hearb nor plant can long subsist this raised my Meditation a little higher I considered as it was in naturals so much more in spirituals where neither Paul nor Apollos can do the work or make the soul fruitful without God we have indeed many pipes but they are all supplyed by one common fountain if God withhold the water of consolation we may suck long enough before we be satisfied This minded me of a twofold errour in men one in the excess the other in the defect some they suck at the pipe and neglect the fountain these may suck long enough before they are satisfied the other thinking to be supplyed immediately by the fountain neglect the pipe these fail on the other hand in not using the means God hath appointed them some trust in the ordinances and think them sufficient and idolize the Ministers these many times suck at dry breasts the pipe can give no more then it receives from the fountain the other think themselves above ordinances and neglect them the ordinary way appointed by God for their supply and these ofttimes argue themselves out of their Religion though the dug be not that which feeds the childe yet the childe must suck milk through the dug from the breast or otherwise is not like to have it though the pipe cannot supply it is the usuall means of bringing the water the Ministry of the word is usually honoured with the conversion of souls though God can and no doubt sometimes doth work conversion without them yet it is rare Cornelius you finde was directed by an Angel to Peter Act. 10.4 5. though the angel certifyeth him that his alms and his prayers were accepted yet he reads not to him the doctrine of redemption though no doubt he could better have done it then Peter had God given him a commission but the office of preaching is given to the Ministers not to angels We finde Paul when he was strucken down in the way as he journeyed towards Damascus Christ did not teach him himself but sends him to Ananias Act. 9.6 c. and hereby graceth his own ordinance so Philip by the spirit of God was sent to instruct the Eunuch Acts. 8.29 now either Christ himself immediately or the angel or the spirit might have done the work had not God intended to have honoured his Messengers with the work of mans conversion and also to leave it as a standing ordinance to the world for the bringing in and building up those that shall be saved and therefore 't is not safe to contemn it Oh my soul sall not out with the pipe for this is the appointed way to bring water from the fountain fall not in love with it for of it self it can give no satisfaction use it thou must but idolize it thou must not trust not in men nor means food nor physick though thou must make use of them Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the living God all other are physitians of no value clouds without water broken cisterns that can hold no water It was Asa's failing and no doubt a gross one to seek to the physitians in the neglect of God think it not sufficient for the body to make use of the ablest physitian nor for the soul to live under the ablest Minister for many bodyes and souls perish under such if God help thee not whence shall they help thee the sun in a clear day may be seen in a pail of water but if it be clouded all the water in the world cannot shew it the ordinance is the usual place where God may be seen but till God open mens eyes there is none can see him there yet must not the ordinances be despised for usually God makes discoveries of himself there he could have sed Elijah himself or by an Angel yet sends him food by a raven he could have taught Paul as well as struck him down as is before-noted yet sends him to Ananias he seldom works otherwise where the means of grace is to be had he could have healed Hezekiah with a word yet useth a bunch of figs no matter what is the disease or what is the receipt if God bless it Oh my God afford me the means of grace the Ministry of thy word and leave me not up to a famine of thy word nor leave me not to the teaching of man but follow home every truth and set it home by thy holy spirit let me not suck an empty dug then shall I draw nothing but winde let me not draw at an empty pipe then shall I suck and not be satisfied supply the dug from a full breast and the pipe from a full fountain then shall I be fat and flourishing Upon the difference between the various sorts of flowers and vegetables 27. Med. WHen I considered the various forms features shapes colours and vertues of the several sorts of herbs flowers and other vegetables and though there are perhaps many hundred several species in the world yet every species hath a distinct colour shape and vertue different from the rest whereby they may be perfectly known found out and distinguisht one from another by a skilfull artist and all these together adorn the creation and make the earth lovely and every one hath its peculiar use While I spent some thoughts on these things and was admiring the creatures wisdome in these works of his hands and his good to mankinde to give a salve to every sore for he hath made nothing in vain it came to my minde how many thousand millions of faces are upon the face of the earth all alike and yet unlike all resembling one another and yet scarce two persons to be found out in the whole world so like but they may be differenced one from another in one thing or another by a discerning eye this also raised my meditation from the creature to the Creator to admire his wisdome and skill that hath as before noted thus distinguished between the several sort of vegetables though many hundreds and between so many hundred thousands of faces among rational creatures that as he gives to every seed his own
hell these things are not lasting thou seest the flowers ripe at noon and withered by night like Jonah's gourd grow up in a night and wither in a night and have a worm breed in them which will eat out their heart they are like the bee they have honey in the mouth and a sting in the tail and not only vanity but vexation of spirit is writ upon them will a handful of flowers revive a dying man or comfort a languishing soul when the earth and all the works therein are burnt up where will be thy happiness then why then wilt thou moil and toil and cark and care for such vanities that never will make thee satisfaction why wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not if thou wilt take pains let it be in a more fruitful soil where thou maist expect a better crop spend not thy money for that which is not bread nor thy labour for that which satisfies not these cannot satisfy and if they did cannot last long these are but swallow-comforts they hide their heads in the winter the grass will soon wither the flowers will soon fade and thy own life is no more certain and what good will these do the soul some poor vanishing delights they yield for an hour or two and then it is over but there are more satisfying pleasures more durable delights to be had then these why are they then neglected these like swallow-friends forsake when winter comes when there is most need or like Physitians leave a man when he is dying or like the devil with the witch tempt a while and then forsake her when she is in the most danger If a small spot of earth seem so delightful what is heaven and those mansions of glory provided for glorified Saints if the creature be so glorious what is the Creator who infused such a beauty and vertue in it if a flower be so sweet what is the rose of sharon and the lilly of the valley these things delight us for a moment but one day will make us weary of them especially if there be not the addition of meat and drink and sleep and lodging of health and strength and other necessaries but in heaven is nothing wanting that is necessary delightful or desirable no creature-comforts there are needful but God is better a thousand times then all the comforts the whole earth affords oh my soul labour after the substance not the shadow after Christ and a title to glory there are reall pleasures to be had rivers of pleasure at his right hand for evermore scorn then to be put off with such poor things or to let out thy affections upon such vanities or to let them grovel upon the ground wilt thou suffer thy eyes to be dazled with a few flowers when thou maist behold the sun the moon and stars those glorious lamps and beauty-spots of heaven these are greater beauties those beautify only the porch how beautiful then is the palace the throne nay the king himself These flowers thou now admirest may for ought thou knowest be cropt and made use of for thy funeral for thy body is as fading and thy life as uncertain as they are a few days will â—â—ther make them uncapable of pleasing thee or thee uncapable of praising them this use thou maist make of this pleasing object be as careful of thy soul as the gardiner is of this plot of ground let neither thorn nor thistle briar nor weed of sin thrive there supply what is wanting root out what is superfluous order what is disordered and then it is a happy time thou madest this Observation oh my God what a poor pitiful foolish wretch am I thus to doat upon vanities Lord wean my affections from the world and keep them close to thy self Upon an adder lurking in the grass 44. Med. WAlking in the garden I had like to have trod upon an adder lurking in the grass and so was in unexpected danger where I least dreaded it the apprehensions of it at present put me into amaze which when it was something abated it made me consider what daily need we have of divine protection and how dangerous it is to be from under the protecting hand of God It made me also to consider that thus it is in all our earthly enjoyments there is no security in any much danger in all anguis in herba latet there is a little honey and many stings a little pleasure and much pain there is no age no calling no condition of life free riches are held by many to be the greatest happiness and most men rather desire gold then grace and to be great rather then good yet these are not without their snares neither set men out of the reach of danger they are called deceitfull riches such as choak the word when it was sown Mat. 22.13 and well they may be so called for they promise that they never pay and always deceive those that trust them they promise content satisfaction and happiness when oftentimes like strong drink in a feaver they do but inrage the disease he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Eccles. 5.10 a man may as soon fill a chest with grace an empty stomach with air as a covetous heart with grace pauperis est numerare pecus saith the coveteous man he had never enow cattle while they might be numbred a ship may sink under the burthen that is not half full and men may have riches enough to sink them when not half enough to satisfy them non plus satiatur cor auro quam corpus aura But this is not all their vanity neither for as they are unsatisfying so they are uncertain they take themselves wings and fly away Pro. 23.5 they are never true to those that trust them they are oft as transitory as a head-long torrent but this is not all they are golden fetters to chain the souls faster in the devils clutches and faster in his service and many times the devil buys mens souls yea their very profession out of their hands for money pleasures have honey in the mouth but a sting in the tail they oft perish in the budding in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heaviness favour is deceitful and beauty is vain Pro. 31.30 and those that trust to them shall be deceived favour will fail and beauty will wither and how will they deceive mens expectation some men marry saith one by the eye and some by their fingers ends viz. for money dos non Deus makes such matches Absolom and his sister found there was danger trusting to their beauty and many more besides them to whom it hath proved a temptation honour is the emptiest of all bubbles courted by many attained by few and there is but a little distance between the highest round of the ladder and the lowest step let Haman and Achitophel prove the point Beauty many times is like a
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