man appears When you have recovered and brought home your lost cattel you may lose them the second time and never recover them again but so cannot Christ. Man once recovered is for ever secured by him All that thou â—ast given me I have kept and not one of them is lost but the son of perdition and he was never savingly found Ioh. 17. 12. Though you prize your cattel yet you will not venture your life for the recovery of them rather let them go than regain them with such an hazard but Iesus Christ not only ventured but actually laid down his life to recover and save lost man He redeemed them at the price of his own blood he is that good Shepherd that laid down his life for the Sheep O the surpassing love of Christ to lost souls REFLECTIONS LOrd I am a lost creature an undone soul and herein lyes my misery that I have not only lost my God but have no heart to return to him Nay I fly from Christ who is come on purpose from heaven to seek and to save me his Messengers are abroad seeking for such as I am but I avoid them or at least refuse to obey their call and perswasions to return Ah what a miserable state am I in every step I go is a step towards hell my soul with the Prodigal is ready to perish in a strange Countrey but I have no mind with him to return home wretched soul what will the end of this be If God have lost thee the Devil hath found thee he takes up all strayers from God yea death and hell will shortly find thee if Christ do not and then thy recovery O my soul will be impossible Why sit I here perishing and dying I am not yet as irrecoverably lost as the damned are O let me delay no longer lest I be lost for ever O my soul for ever bless and admire the love of Iesus Christ who came from heaven to seek and save such a lost soul as I was Lord how marvellous how matchless is thy love I was lost and am found I am found and did not seek nay I am found by him from whom I fled Thy love O my Saviour was a preventing love a wonderful love thou lovedst me much more than I loved my self I was cruel to my own soul but thou wast kind thou soughtest for me a lost sinner and not for lost Angels thy hand of grace caught hold of me and hath let go thousands and ten thousands as good as my self by nature Like another David thou didst rescue my poor lost soul out of the mouth of the destroyer yea more than so thou dist lose thine own life to find mine And now dear Iesus since I am thus marvellously recovered shall I ever straggle again from thee O let it for ever be a warning to me how I turn aside into by-paths of sin any more The Poem VVHen cattel from your fields are gone astray and you to seek them through the Country ride Enquiring for them all along the way tracking their foot-steps where they turn'd aside One servant this way sent another that searching the fields and countrey round about This meditation now falls in so pat as if God sent it to enquire you out My beasts are lost and so am I by sin my wretched soul from God thus wandring went And I seek them so was I sought by him who from the fathers bosom forth was sent Pursu'd by Sermons Follow'd close by grace and strong convictions Christ hath sought for me Yea though I shun him still he gives me chase as if resolv'd I should not damned be When Angels lost themselves it was not so God did not seek or once for them enquire But said let these Apostate creatures go I 'le plague them for it with eternal fire Lord what am I that thou shouldst set thine eyes and still seek after such a wretch as I Whose matchless mercy and rich grace despise as if in spight thereof resolv'd to die Why should I shun thee blessed Saviour why should I avoid thee thus thou dost not chase My soul to slay it O that ever I should fly a Saviour that 's so full of grace Long hast thou sought me Lord I now return O let thy bowels of compassion sound For my departure I sincerely mourn and let this day thy wandring sheep be found CHAP. IV. Fat beasts you kill the lean you use to save God's dispensations some such meaning have OBSERVATION IT is a good Observation of a Father and well applied Vituli triturantes quotidie ligantur vituli mactandi quotidie in pascuis libere relinquntur Oxen for use are daily yoaked and kept short whilst those that are designed for the shambles are let loose in green pastures to fed at pleasure Store beasts fare hard and are kept lean and low feeding beasts are excused from the yoak whilst others are laboured and wrought hard every day the one hath more than he can eat the other would eat more if he had it APPLICATION THus deals the Lord oft-times with his own elect whom he designs for glory and with the wicked who are preparing for the day of wrath Thus are they filled with earthly prosperity and creature-enjoyments like resâ—y and wanton beasts turned out at liberty in a fat pasture whilst poor Saints are kept hard and short Amos. 1. 4. Hear this word ye kine of Bashan that are in the mountains of 〈◊〉 which oppress the poor and crush the needy These metaphorical kine are the prosperous oppressors of the world full fed and wanton wicked men ' This true heaven hath not all the poor nor hell all the rich but it s a very common dispensation of providence to bâ—stow most of the things of this world upon them that have no portion in heaven and to keep them short on earth for whom that kingdom is provided Let me draw forth the similitude in a few particulars The beasts of slaughter have the fâ—ttest pastures so have the ungodly in the world Their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart could wish Psal. 73. 7. their hearts are as fat as grease Psal. 119. 7. These be they that fleet off the cream of earthly enjoyments whose bellies are filled with hidden treasures Psal. 17. 14. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked Iob 9. 24. O what full estates what an affluence of earthly delights hath God cast in upon some wicked men there is much wantonness but no want in their dwellings Some that now know not which way to turn themselves in hell once knew not where to bestow their goods on earth Feeding beasts grow wanton in their full pastures there you shall see them tumble and frisk and kick up their heels The same effect hath the prosperity of the wicked it makes them wanton their life is but a diversion from one pleasure to another Iob. 21. 11
to the following Discourse The Apostle's scope in the context being to check and repress the vain glory and emulation of the Corinthians who instead of thankfulness for and an humble and diligent improvement of the excellent blessings of the Ministry turn'd all into vain ostentation and emulation one preferring Paul and another Apollos in the maan time depriving themselves of the choice blessings they might have received from them both To cure this growing mischief in the Churches he checks their vanity and discovers the evil of such practises by several Arguments amongst which this is one Ye are God's Husbandry q. d. Whar are ye but a field or plot of ground to be manured and cultivated for God and what are Paul Apollo and Cephas but so many work-men and labourers imployed by God the great Husbandman to plant and water you all If then you shall glory in some and despise others you take the ready way to deprive your selves of the benefits and mercies you might receive from the joint Ministry of them all God hath used me to plant you and Apollo to water you you are obliged to bless him for the Ministry of both and it will be your sin if you despise either If the work-men be discouraged in their labours 't is the field that loses and suffers by it so that the words are a similitude serving to illustrate the Relation 1. Which the Churches have to God 2. Which God's Ministers have to the Churches The relation betwixt God and them is like that of an Husbandman to his ground of tillage The Greek word signifies Gods Arable or that plot of ground which God manures by the ministry of Pastors and Teachers It serves to illustrate the relation that the Ministers of Christ sustain to the Churches which is like that of the Husbands servants to him and his fields which excellent notion carries in it the perpetual necessity of a Gospel-Ministry For what fruit can be expected where there are none to till the ground As also the diligence accountableness and rewards which these labourers are to give to and receive from God the great Husbandman All runs into this That the life and imployment of an Husbandman excellently shadows forth the relation betwixt God and his Church and the relative duties betwixt its Ministers and members Or more briefly thus The Church is God's Husbandry about which his Ministers are imployed I shall not here observe my usual Method intending no more but a Preface to the following Discourse but only open the particulars wherein the resemblance consists and then draw some Corrolaries from the whole The first I shall dispatch in these twenty particulars following The Husbandman purchases his fields and gives a valuable consideration for them Ier. 32. 9 10. So hath God purchased his Church with a full valuable price even the precious blood of his own Son Act. 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased or acquired with his own blood O dear-bought inheritance how much doth this bespeak its worth or rather the high esteem God hath of it to pay down blood and such blood for it never was any inheritance bought at such a rate every particular elect person and none but such as are comprehanded in this purchase the rest still remain in the devils right Sin made a forfeiture of all to justice upon which Satan entred and took possession and as a strong man armed still keeps it in them Luke 11. 21. but upon payment of this sum to justice the Elect who only are intended in this purchase pass over into God's right and propriety and now are neither Satans Acts 26. 18. nor their own 1 Cor. 6. 19. but the Lord 's peculiar 1 Pet. 2. 6. And to shew how much they are his own you have two possessives in one verse Cant. 8. 12. My vineyard which is mine is before me Mine which is mine Husbandmen divide and separate their own Lands from other mens they have their Land-marks and boundaries by which propriety is preserved Deut. 27. 17. Prov. 22. 28. So are the people of God wonderfully separated and distinguisht from all the people of the earth Psal. 4. 3 The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself and the Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19 It is a special act of grace to be inclosed by God out of the waste howling wilderness of the world Deut. 33. 16. This God did intentionally in the decree before the world was which decree is executed in their sanctification and adoption Corn-fields are carefully fenced by the Husbandman with hedges and ditches to preserve their fruits from beasts that would otherwise over-run and destroy them Non minus est virtus quam querere parta tueri It is as good Husbandry to keep what we have as to acquire more than we had My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he fenced it Isa. 5. 1 2. No inheritance is better defended and secured than the Lords inheritance Psal. 125. 2. As the mountains are round about Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people So careful is he for their safety that he createth upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Isa. 4. 5. Not a particular Saint but is hedged about and inclosed in arms of power and love Iob 1. 10. Thou hast made a hedge about him The Devil sain would but by his own confession could not break over that hedge to touch Iob till Gods permission made a gap for him Yea he not only makes an hedge but a wall about them and that of fire Zech. 2. 5. Sets a guard of Angels to encamp round about them that fear him Psal. 34. 7. and will not trust them with a single guard of Angels neither though their power be great and love to the Saints as great but watches over them himself also Isa. 27. 2 3. Sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Husbandmen carry out their Compost to fertilize their arable ground they dung it dress it and keep it in heart and in these Western parts are at great charges to bring lime and salt water sand to quicken their thin and cold soyl Lord let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it and if it bear fruit well if not cut it down Luke 13. 8. O the rich dressing which God bestows upon his Churches they are costly fields indeed drest and fertilized not only by precious Ordinances and Providences but also by the sweat yea bloud of the dispensers of them You Londoners saith Mr. Lockier are trees watered choicely indeed 't is storied of the Palm-tree
spareth his own son that serves him Mal. 3. 17. Heark how his bowels yearn I have surely heard Ephraim bemâ—aning himself it not Ephraim my dear son is he not a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still I will surely have mercy on him Ier. 31. 20. Doth he not know thy life would be altogether useless to him if he should not restore thee what service art thou fit to perform to him in such a condition Thy dayes will consume like smoak whilst thy heart is smitten and withered like grass Psal. 102. 3 4. Thy months will be months of vanity they will fly away and see no good Iob 7. 3. If he will but quicken thee again then thou must call upon his name Psal. 80. 18. but in a dead and languishing condition thou art no more fit for any work of God than a sick man is for manual labours and surely he hath not put those precious and excellent graces of his Spirit within thee for nothing they were planted there for fruit and service and therefore doubtless he will revive thee again Yea dost thou not think he sees thine inability to bear such a condition long he knows thy Spirit would fail before him and the soul which he hath made Isa. 57. 16. David told him as much in the like condition Psal. 143. 7 8. Hear me speedily O Lord for my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto those that go down into the pit q. d. Lord make hast and recover my languishing soul otherwise whereas thou hast now a sick child thou wilt shortly have a dead child And in like manner Iob expostulated with him Iob 6. 1 2 3 11 12 My grief is heavier than the sand of the Sea my words are swallowed up for the arrows of the Almighty are within me and the poyson thereof drinks up my spirits the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me what is my strength that I should hope is my strength the strength of stones or are my bones of brass So Chap. 7. 12. Am I a Sea or a Whale c. Other troubles a man may but this he cannot bear Prov. 18. 14. And therefore doubtless seasonable and gracious revivings will come He will not stir up all his wrath for he remembers thou art but flesh a wind that passeth away and cometh not again Psal. 78. 38. 39. He hath wayes enough to do it if he do but unvail his blessed face and make it thine again upon thee thou art saved Psal. 80. 3. the manifestations of his love will be to thy soul as showers to the parched grass thy soul that now droops and hanges the wing shall then revive and leap for joy Isa. 61. 1. A new face shall come upon thy graces they shall bud again and blossom as a Rose if he do but send a spring of auxiliary grace into thy soul to actuate the dull habits of inherent grace the work is done then shalt thou return to thy first works again Rev. 2. 4 5. and sing as in the dayes of thy youth REFLECTIONS O this is my very case saith many a poor Christian thus my soul languishes and droops from day to day 't is good new indeed that God both can and will restore my soul but sad that I should fall into such a state How unlike am I to what once I was Surely as the old men wept when they saw how short the second Temple came of the glory of the first so may I sit down and weep bitterly to consider how much my first love and first duties excelled the present For. Is my heart so much in heaven now as it was wont to be Say O my soul dost thou not remember when like the beloved Disciple thou layest in Iesus bosome how didst thou sweeten communion with him how restless and impatient wast thou in his absence Divine withdrawments were to thee as the hell of hell What a burden was the world to me in those dayes Had it not been for conscience of my duty I could have been willing to let all lye that communinion with Christ might suffer no interruption When I awaked in the night how was the darkness enlightned by the heavenly glimpses of the countenance of my God upon me How did his company shorten those hours and beguile the tediousness of the night O my soul speak thy experience is it now as it was then No no those dayes are past and gone and thou become much a stranger to that heavenly life Art thou able with truth to deny this charge When occasionally I pass by those places which were once to me as Iacob's Bethel to him I sigh at the remembrance of former passages betwixt me and heaven there and say with Iob Chap. 29. O that it were with me as in moneths past as in the dayes when God preserved me when his candle shined upon my head when by his light I walked through darkness when the Almighty was yet with me when I put on righteosness and it cloathed me when my glory was fresh in me when I remember these things my soul is poured out within me Is thy obedience to the commands of Christ and motions to duty as free and cheerful as they were wont to be Call to mind my soul the times when thou wast born down the stream of love to every duty if the spirit did but whisper to thee saying Seek my face how did my spirit eccho to his calls saying Thy face Lord will I seek Psal. 27. 8. If God had any work to be done how readily did I offer my service Here am I lord send me My soul made me as the chariots of Aminadab love oyled the wheels of my affection and his commandments were not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. Non tardat uncta rota There were no such quarrellings with the command no such excuses and delayes as there are now No such was my love to Christ and delight to do his will that I could no more keep back my self from duty than a man that 's carried away in a crowd Or lastly tell me O my soul dost thou bemoan thy self or grieve so tenderly for sin and for grieving the holy Spirit of God as hou wa st wont to do When formerly I had fallen by the hanbd of a temptation how was I wont to lye in tears at the Lord's feet bemoaning my self how did I hasten to my closet and there cry like Ezra Chap. 9. 6. O my God I am ashamed and blush to look up unto thee How did I sigh and weep before him and like Ephraim smite upon my thigh saying What have I done Ah my soul how didst thou work strive and cast about how to recover thy self again hast thou forgotten how thou wouldst sometimes look up and sigh bitterly Ah! what a God have I provoked whjat love and goodness have I abused sometimes look in and weep Ah! what
when shall I return rejoyceing bringing my sheaves with me Their harvest comes when they receive their corn mine comes when I leave it O much desired harvest O day of the gladness of my heart How long Lord How long Here I wait as the poor man Bethesda's pool looking when my turn will come but every one steps into heaven before me yet Lord I am content to wait till my time be fully come I would be content to stay for my glorification till I have finisht the work of my generation and when I have done the will of God then to receive the promise If thou have any work on earth to use me in I am content to abide Behold the Husbandman waiteth and so will I for thou art a God of judgement and blessed are are all they that wait for thee But how doth my sloathful soul sink down into the flesh and settle it self in the love of this animal life How doth it hug and wrap up it self in the garment of this mortality not desiring to be removed hence to the more perfect and blessed state The Husbandman indeed is content to stay till the appointed weeks of the Harvest but would he be content to wait alwayes O my sensual heart is this life of hope as contentful to thee as the life of vision will be Why dost thou not groan within thy self that this mortality might be swallowed up of life Doth not the scripture describe the Saints by their earnest looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus unto eternal life Iude 21. By their hastening unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3. 12. What is the matter that my heart hangs back doth guilt lye upon my conscience Or have I gotten into a pleasant condition in the world which makes me say as Peter on the Mount It 's good to be here Or want I the assurance of a better state Must God make all my earthly comforts die before I shall be willing to die Awake Faith awake my Love heat up the drowzy desires of my soul that I may say make hast my Beloved and come away The Poem NO prudent Husbandman expects the fruit of what he sows Till every cause have its effects and then he reaps and mows He works in hope the year throughout and counts no labour lost If when the season comes about His harvest quits his cost This rare example justly may rebuke and put to shame My soul which sows its seed one day and looks to reap the same Is cursed nature now become so kind a soyl to grace That to perfection it should come within so short a space Grace springs not up with speed and ease like mushrooms in a night But rather by degrees increase as doth the morning light Is corn so dear to Husbandmen much more is heaven to me Why should not I have patience then to wait as well as he To promises appointed years by God's decrees are set These once expir'd beyond its fears my soul shall quickly get How small a part of hasty time Which quickly will expire Doth me within this world confine and then comes my desire Come Lord how long my soul hath gasp'd faith my affections warms O when shall my poor â—oul be clasp'd in its redeemers arms The time seems long yet here I 'le lye till thou my God do call It is enough eternity will make amends for all CHAP. XIX Corn fully ripe is reap'd and gather'd in So must your selves when ripe in grace or sin OBSERVATION VVHen the fields are white to harvest then Husbandmen walk through them rub the ears and finding the grain full and solid they presently prepare their Sithes and Sickles send for their harvestmen who quickly reap and mow them down and after these follow the binders who stitch it up from the field where it grew it 's carried to the Barn where it is threshed out the good grain gathered into an heap the chaff separated and burnt or thrown to the dunghil how bare and naked do the fields look after harvest which before were pleasant to behold When the harvest men enter into the field it is to allude to that Ioel 2. 3. before them like the garden of Eden and behind them a desolate wilderness and in some places its usual to set fire to the dry stubble when the corn is housed which rages furiously and covers it all with ashes APPLICATION THe Application of this I find made to my hands by Christ himself in Mat. 13. 38 39. The field is the world the good seed are the Children of the kingdom the tares are the children of the wicked one the enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world the reapers are the Angels The field is the world there both the godly and ungodly live and grow together till they be both ripe and then they shall both be reaped down by death death is the Sickle that reaps down both I will open this Allegory in the following particulars In a catching harvest when the Husbandman sees the clouds begin to gather and grow black he hurries in his corn with all possible hast and houses day and night So doth God the great Husbandman he hurries the Saints into their graves when judgments are coming upon the world Isa. 57. 1. The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Methusalah died the year before the flood Augustine a little before the sacking of Hippo Pareus just before the taking of Heidleberge Luther a little before the Wars brake out in Germany but what speak I of single Saints Sometimes the Lord houses great numbers together before some sweeping judgement comes How many bright and glorious stars did set almost together within the compass of a few years to the astonishment of many wise and tender hearts in England I find some of them ranked in a Funeral Elegy The learned Twisse went first it was his right Then holy Palmer Burroughs Love Gouge White Hill Whitaker grave Gataker and Strong Perâ—e Marshal Robinson all gone along I have not nam'd them half their only strife Hath been of late who should first part with life These few who yet survive sick of this age Long to have done their parâ—s and leave the stage The Lord sees it better for them to be under ground than above ground and therefore by a merciful providence sets them out of harms way Neither the corn or tares can possibly resist the sharp and keen Sickle when it 's applyed to them by the reâ—pers hand neither can the godly or ungodly resist the stroke of death when God inflicts it Ecclis 8. 8. No man can keep alive his own soul in the day of death and there is no discharge in that war The frail body of man is as
justice cut him down And level'd with the earth his lofty Crown What hope of branches when the tree's o'return'd But like dry faggots to be bound and burn'd It had been so had not transcendent love Which in a sphear above our thoughts doth move Prepar'd a better stock to save and nourish Transplanted twigs which in him thrive and flourish In Adam all are curs'd no saving fruit Shall ever spring from that sin-blasted root Yea all the branches that in him are found How flourishing soever must be bound And pil'd together horrid news to tell To make an everlasting blaze in Hell God takes no pleasure in the sweetest bud Disclos'd by nature for the root 's not good Some boughs indeed richly adorned are With natural fruits which to the eye are fair Rare Gifts sweet dispositions which attracts The love of thousands and from most exacts Honour and admiration You 'l admire That such as these are fewel for the fire Indeed ten thousand pities 't is to see Such lovely creatures in this case to be Did they by true Regeneration draw The sap of life from Iesses root the Law By which they now to wrath condemned are Would cease to curse and God such buds would spare But out of him there 's none of these can move His unrelenting heart or draw his love Then cut me off from this accursed Tree Leâ—t I for ever be cut off from thee CHAP. II. When ere you bud or graft therein you see How Christ and souls must here united be OBSERVATION WHen the Husbandman hath prepared his graffs in the season of the year he carries them with the tools that are necessary for that work to the tree or stock he intends to ingraft and having cut off the top of the limb in some strait smooth part he cleaves it with his knife or chissel a little beside the pith knocks in his wedge to keep it open then having prepared the graff he carefully sets it into the cleft joyning the inner side of the barks of graff and stock together there being the main current of the sap then pulls out his wedge binds both together as in barking and clayes it up to defend the tender graff and wounded stock from the injuries of the Sun and rain These tender cyences quickly take hold of the stock and having immediate coalition with it drink in its sap concoct it into their own nourishment thrive better and bear more and better fruits than ever they would have done upon their natural root yea the smallest bud being carefully inocculated and bound close to the stock will in short time become a flourishing and fruitful limb APPLICATION THis carries a most sweet and lively resemblance of the souls union with Christ by faith and indeed there is nothing in nature that shadows forth this great Gospel-mystery like it 'T is a thousand pities that any who are imployed about or are but spectators of such an action should terminate their thoughts as too many do in that natural object and not raise up their hearts to these heavenly meditations which it so fairly offers them When a twig is to be ingraffed or a bud inocculated it 's first cut off by a keen knife from the Tree on which it naturally grew And when the Lord intends to graft a soul into Christ the first work about it is cutting work Acts 2. 37. their hearts were cut by conviction and deep compunction no cyence is ingraffed without cutting no soul united with Christ without a cutting sense of sin and misery Iohn 16. 8 9. When the tender shoot is cut off from the Tree there are ordinarily many more left behind upon the same Tree as promising and vigorous as that which is taken but it pleaseth the Husbandman to chuse this and leave them Even so it is in the removing or transplanting of a soul by conversion it leaves many behind it in the state of nature as likely and promising as it self but so it pleaseth God to take this soul and leave many others yea often such as grew upon the same root I mean the immediate parent Mal. 1. 2. was not Esau Iacob's brother saith the Lord yet I loved Iacob and I hated Esau. When the graffs are cut off in order to this work 't is a critical season with them if they lye too long before they are ingraffed or take not with the stock they dye and are never more to be recovered they may stand in the stock a while but are no part of the Tree So when souls are under a work of conviction it is a critical time with them many a one have I known then to miscarry and never recovered again they have indeed for a time stood like dead graffs in the stock by an external dead hearted profession but never came to any thing and as such dead graffs either fall off from the stock or moulder away upon it so do these 1 Iohn 2. 19. The Husbandman when he hath cut off graffs or tender buds makes all the convenient speed he can to close them with the stock the sooner that's done the better they get no good by remaining as they are And truly it concerns the servants of the Lord who are imployed in this work of ingraffing souls into Christ to make all the haste they can to bring the convicted sinner to a closure with Christ. As soon as ever the trembling Iaylor cryed out What shall I do to be saved Paul and Silas immediately direct him to Christ Act. 16. 30 31. They do not say it 's too soon for thee to act faith on Christ thou art not yet humbled enough but believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved There must be an incision made in the stock before any bud can be inocculated or the stock must be cut and cleaved before the cyence can be ingraffed according to that in the Poet. Venerit insitio fac ramum ramus adoptet i. e. To graffs no living sap the stocks impart Unless you wound and cut them neer the heart Such an incision or wound was made upon Christ in order to our ingraffing into him Iohn 19. 34. the opening of that deadly wound gives life to the souls of believers The graff is intimately united and closly conjoyned with the stock the conjunction is so closs that they become one Tree There is also a most closs and intimate union betwixt Christ and the soul that believeth in him It is emphatically expressed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit The word imports the nearest clossest and strictest union Christ and the soul cleave together in a blessed oneness as those things do that are glewed one to another so that look as the graff is really in the stock and the spirit or sap of the stock is really in the graff so a believer is really though mystically in Christ and the Spirit of
that they chose to endure rather than to deprive us to such an inheritance those noble souls heated with the love of Christ and care for our souls made many bold and brave adventures for it and yet at what a low rate do we value what cost them so dear like young heirs that never knew the getting of an estate we spend it freely Lord help us thankfully and diligently to improve thy truths while we are in quiet possession of them Such intervals of peace and rest are usually of no long continuance with thy people The Poem A Publick spirit scorns to plant no root But such from which himself may gather fruit For thus he reasons if I reap the gains Of my Laborious predecessors pains How equal is it that posterity Should reap the fruits of present industry Should every age but serve its turn and take No thought for future times it soon would make A Bankrupt world and so entail a curse From age to age as it grows worse and worse Our Christian predecessors careful thus Have been to leave an heritage to us Christ precious truths conserved in their blood For no less price those truths our fathers stood They have transmitted would not alienate From us their children such a fair estate We eat what they did set and shall truth fail In our dayes shall we cut off th' entail Or end the line of honour nay what 's worse Give future ages cause to hate and curse Our memories like Nabotâ— may this age Part with their blood sooner than heritage Let pity move us let us think upon Our childrens souls when we are dead and gone Shall they poor souls in darkness grope when are Put out the light by which they else might see The way to glory yea what 's worse shall it Be said in time to come Christ did commit A precious treasure purchas'd by this blood To us for ours and for our Childrens good But we like cowards false perfidious men For carnal ease lost it our selves and them O let us leave to after ages more Than we receiv'd from all that went before That those to come may bless the Lord and keep Our names alive when we in dust shall sleep CHAP. VI. Deeds for your Lands you prove and keep with care O that for heaven you but as careful were OBSERVATION VVE generally find men are not more careful in trying gold or in keeping it than they are in examining their Deeds and preserving them these are virtually their whole estate and therefore it concerns them to be careful of them If they suspect a flaw in their Lease or Deed they repair to the ablest Counsell submit it to his judgment make the worst of their cause and query about all the supposeable dangers with him if he tell them their case is suspicious and hazardous how much are they perplexed and troubled they can neither eat drink or sleep in peace till they have a good settlement and willing they are to be at much cost and pains to obtain it APPLICATION THese cares and fears with which you are perplexed in such cases may give you a little gimpse of those troubles of soul with which the people of God are perplexed about their eternal condition which perhaps you have been hitherto unacquainted with and therefore slighted them as phansiâ—s and whimsies I say your own fears and troubles iâ— ever you were ingaged by a cunning and powerful adversary in a Law-suit for your estate may give you a little glimpse of spiritual troubles and indeed it is no more but a glimpse of it For as the loss of a earthly though fair inheritance is but a trifle to the loss of God and the soul to eternity so you cannot but imagine that the cares fears and solicitudes of souls about these things are much very much beyond yours Let us compare the cases and see how they answer to each other You have evidences for your estates and by them you hold what you have in the world They also have evidences for their estate in Christ and glory to come they hold all in capite by vertue of their intermarriage with Iesus Christ they come to be enstated in that glorious inheritance conâ—ained in the Covenant of grace You have their tenure in that Scripture 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. All is yours for ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Faith unites them to him and after they believe they are sealed by the Spirit of promise Eph. 1. 13. They can lay claim to no promise upon any other ground this is their title to all that they own as theirs It often falls out that after the fealing and executing of your Deeds or Leases an adversary finds some dubious clause in them and thereupon commences a Suit of Law with you Thus it frequently falls out with the people of God who after their believing and sealing time have doubts and scruples raised in them about their title Nothing is more common than for the devil and their own unbelief to start controversies and raise strong objâ—ctions against their interest in Christ and the Covenant of promises There are cunning and potent adversaries and do maintain long debates with the gracious soul and reason so cunningly and sophistically with it that it can by no means extricate and satisfie it self alwayes alledging that their title is worth nothing which they poor souls are but to apt too suspect All the while that a Suit in Law is depending about your title you have but little comfort or benefit from your estate you cannot look upon it as your own nor lay out moneys in building or dressing for fear you should lose all at last Iust thus stands the case with doubting Christians they have little comfort from the most comfortable promises little benefit from the sweetest duties and Ordinances they put ofâ— their own conforts and say If we were sure that all this were ours we could then rejoyce in them But alas our title is dubious Christ is a precions Christ the promises are comfortable things but what if they be none of ours Ah! how little doth the doubting Christian make of his large and rich inhâ—ritance You dare not trust your own judgments in such cases but â—â—ate your case to such as learned in the Laws and are willing to get the ablest counsel you can to advise you So are poor doubting Christians they carry their Cases from Christian to Christian and from Minister to Minister with such requests as these Pray tell me what do you think of my condition deal plainly and faithfully with me these be my grounds of doubting and these my grounds of hope O hide nothing from me And if they all agree that their case if good yet they cannot be satisfied till God say so too and confirm the word of his servants and therefore they carry the case often before him in such words as those Psal. 39. 23 24. Search me O God and
much the dearer shalt thou be to me MEDIT. IX Vpon the early singing of birds HOw am I reproved of sluggishness by these watchful Birds which cheerfully entertain the very dawning of the morning with their cheerful and delightful warblings they set their little spirits all awork betimes whilst my nobler spirits are bound with the bonds of soft and downy slumbers For shame my soul suffer not that Publican sleep to seize so much of thy time yea thy best and freshest time reprove and chide thy sluggish body as a good Bishop once did when upon the same occasion he said Surrexerunt passeres sterâ—unt Pontifices The early chirping Sparrows may reprove Such lazy Bishops as their beds do love Of many slâ—ggards it may be said as Tully said of Verres the Deputy of Sicily Quod nunquam solem nec orientem nec occidentem viderat that he never saw the Sun rising being in bed after nor setting being in bed before 'T is pity that Christians of all men should suffer sleep to cut such large thongs out of so narrow a hide as their time on earth is But alas it is not so much early rising as a wise improving those fresh and free hours with God that will inrich the soul else as our Proverb saith a man may be early up and never the neer yea far better it is to be found in bed slâ—eping than to be up doing nothing or that which is worse than nothing O my soul learn to prepossess thy self every morning with the thoughts of God and suffer not those fresh and sweet operations of thy mind to be prostituted to earthly things for that is experimentally true which one in this case hath pertinently observed That if the world get the start of Religion in the morning it will be hard for Religion to overtake it all the day after MEDIT. X. Vpon the haltering of birds with a grain of hair Observing in a snowy season how the poor hungry Birds were haltred and drawn in by a grain of hair cunningly cast over their heads whilst poor creatures they were busily feeding and suspected no danger and even whilst their companions were drawn away from them one after another all the interruption it gave the rest was only for a minute or two whilest they stood peeping into that hole through which their companions were drawn and then fell to their meat again as busily as before I could not chuse but say Even thus surprizingly doth death steal upon the children of men whilst they are wholly intent upon the cares and pleasures of this life not at all suspecting its so neer approach These Birds saw not the haâ—d that insnared them nor do they see the hand of death plucking them one after another into the grave Ovid. Omnibus obscur as injecit illa manus Death 's steps are swift and yet no noise it makes Its hand unseen but yet most surely takes And even as the surviving Birds for a little time seemed to stand affrighted peeping after their companions and then as busie as ever to their meat again Iust so it fares with the careless inconsiderate world who see others daily dropping into eternity round about them and for the present are a little startled and will look into the grave after their neighbours and then fall as busily to their earthly imployments and pleasures again as ever till their own turn comes I know my God! that I must die as well as others but O let me not die as do others let me see death before I feel it and conquer it before it kill me let it not come as an enemy upon my back but rather let me meet it as a friend half way Die I must but let me lay up that good treasure before I go Mat. 6. 19. carry with me a good conscience when I go 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. and leave behind me a good example when I am gone and then let death come and welcom MEDITATIONS upon Beasts MEDIT. I. Vpon the clogging of a straying Beast HAd this Bullock contented himself and remained quietly within his own bounds his Owner had never put such an heavy clog upon his neck but I see the prudent Husbandman chuses rather to keep him with his clog than lose him for want of one What this clog is to him that is affliction and trouble to me had my soul kept close with God in liberty and prosperity he would never thus have clogged me with adversity yea and happy were it for me if I might stray from God no more who hath thus clogged me with preventive afflictions If with David I might say Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word Psal. 119. 67. O my soul 't is better for thee to have thy pride clogged with poverty thy ambition with reproach thy canal expectancies with constant disappointments than to be at liberty to run from God and duty 'T is true I am sometimes as weary of these troubles as this poor Beast is of the clog he draws after him and often wish my self rid of them but yet if God should take them off for ought I know I might have cause to wish them on again to prevent a greater mischief 'T is storied of Basil that for many years he was sorely afflicted with an inveterate head-ach that was his clog he often prayed for the removal of it al last God removed it but instead thereof he was sorely exercised with the motions and temptations of lust which when he perceived he as earnestly desired his head-ach again to prevent a greater evil Lord if my corruptions may be prevented by my affliction I refuse not to be clogged with them but my soul rather desires thou wouldst hasten the time when I shall be for ever freed from them both MEDIT. II. Vpon the love of a Dog to his Master HOw many a weary step through mire and dirt hath this poor Dog followed my horse to day and all this for a very poor reward for all be gets by it at night is but bones and blows yet will he not leave my company but is content upon such hard terms to travel with me from day to day O my soul what conviction and shame may this leave upon thee who art often times even weary of following thy Master Christ whose rewards and incourage ments of obedience are so incomparably sweet and sure I cannot beat back this dog from following me but every inconsiderable trouble is enough to discourage me in the way of my duty Ready I am to resolve as that Scribe did Mat. 8. 19. Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest but how doth my heart faulter when I must encounter with the difficulties of the way O! let me make a whole heart-choice of Christ for my portion and happiness and then I shall never leave him nor turn back from following him though the present difficulties were much more and the present incouragments much less
upon them and squeeze them too hard they quickly wither in our hands and we lose the comfort of them and that either through the souls surfeiting upon them of the Lord 's righteous and just removal of them because of the excess of our affections to them earthly comâ—orts like pictures shew best at a due distance It was therefore a good saying of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Mihi nunquam is placet hospes Qui valde preterque modum odid vel amat I like him not who at the rate Of all his might doth love or hate 'T is a point of excellent wisdom to keep the golden bridle of moderation upon all the affections we exercise upon earthly things and never to slip those reins unless when they move towards God in whose love there is no danger of excess MEDIT. VI. Vpon the sudden withering of beautiful flowers HOw fresh and orient did these Flowers lately appear when being dash'd over with the morning dew they stood in all their pride and glory breathing out their delicious odours which perfumed the air round about them but now are daver'd and shrivelled up and have neither any desirable beauty of savour in them So vain a thing is the admired beauty of creatures which so captivates the hearts and exercises a pleasing tyranny over the affections of vain man yet is as suddenly blasted as the beauty of flower Formâ— bonum fragile est quantumque aâ—â—â—dit ad annos Fit minor spacio carpitur ipsa suo Nec semper violae nec semper lilia florent Et riget amissa spina relicta rosa Tempus erit quo vos speculum vidisse pigebit I am veniunt rugae quae tibi corpus arent c. How frail is beauty in how short a time It fades like Roses which have past their prime So wrinckled age the fairest face will plow And cast deep â—urrows on the smoothest brow Then where 's that lovely tempting face alas Your selves would blush to view it in a glass If then thou delightest in beauty O my soul chuse that which is lasting There is a beauty which never fades even the beauty of holiness upon the inner man this abides fresh and orient for ever and sparkles gloriously when thy face the seat of natural beauty is become an abhorrent and loathsome spectacle Holiness enammels and sprinkles over the face of the soul with a beauty upon which Christ himself is enammour'd even imperfect holiness on earth is a Rose that breaths sweetly in the bud in heaven it will be full blown and abide in its prime to all eternity MEDIT. VII Vpon the tenderness of some choice Flowers HOw much care is necessary to preserve the life of some Flowers They must be boxed up in the Winter others must be covered with glasses in their springing up the finest and richest mould must be sifted about the roots and assiduously watered and all this little enough and sometimes too little to preserve them whilst other common and worthless flowers grow without any help of ours yea we have no less to do to rid our gardens of them than we have to make the former grâ—w there Thus stands the case with our hearts in reference to the motions of grace and sin Holy thoughts of God must be assiduously watered by prayer earthed up by Meditation and defended by watchfulness and yet all this is sometimes too little to preserve them alive in our souls Alas the heart is a soyl that agrees not with them they are tender things and a small matter will nip and kill them To this purpose is the complaint of the divine Poet. Who would have thought a joy so coy To be offended so and go So suddenly away Hereafter I had need take heed Ioyes among other things have wings And watch their opportunities of flight Converting in a moment day to night But vain thoughts and unholy suggestions these spread themselves and root deep in the heart they naturally agree with the soyl so that it is almost impossible at any time to be rid of them 'T is hard to forget what is our sin to remember MEDIT. VIII Vpon the strange means of preserving the life of Vegetables I Observe that plants and herbs are sometimes killed by frosts and yet without frosts they would neither live nor thrive they are sometimes drowned by water and yet without water they cannot subsist they are refreshed and cheered by the heat of the Sun and yet that heat sometimes kills and scorches them up Thus lives my soul troubles and afflictions seem to kill all its comforts and yet without these its comforts could not live The Sun-blasts of prosperity sometimes refresh me and yet those Sun-blasts are the likeliest way to wither me By what seeming contradictions is the life of my spirit preserved what a mistery what a Paradox is the life of a Christian Welcome my health this sickness makes me well Med'cines adieu When with diseases I have list to dwell I 'le wish for you Welcome my strength this weakness makes me able Powers adieu When I am weary grown of standing stable I 'le wish for you Welcome my wealth this loss hath gain'd me more Riches adieu When I again grow greedy to be poor I 'le wish for you Welcome my credit this disgrace is glory Honours adieu When for renown and fame I shall be sorry I 'le wish for you Welcome content this sorrow is my joy Pleasures adieu When I desire such grief as may annoy I 'le wish for you Health strength and riches credit and content Are spared best sometimes when they are spent Sickness and weakness losse disgrace and sorrow Lend most sometimes when most they seem to borrow And if by these contrary and improbable wayes the Lord preserves our souls in life no marvel then we find such strange and seemingly contradictory motions of our hearts under the various dealings of God with us and are still restless in what condition soever he puts us which restless frame was excellently expressed in that pious Epigram of reverend Gattaker made a little before his death I thirst for thirstiness I weep for tears well pleas'd I am to be displeased thus The only thing I fear is want of fears suspecting I am not suspicious I cannot chuse but live because I dye And when I am not dead how glad am I Yet when I am thus glad for sense of pain and careful am lest I should careless be Then do I grieve for being glad again and fear lest carelessness take care for me Amidst these restless thoughts this rest I find For those that rest not here there 's rest behind Iam tetigi portum valete FINIS A TABLE of the Contents of this Treatise both Natural and Spiritual Natural Spiritual A ABuse of Cattel Page 205 206 Actions and seed resembled 147 148 Accountableness of workmen to their Masters 8 Arable Land how qualified 36 37 Altitude of the clouds 87 B Barns when