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The worldling's reflection.

God's people have fubjected all their creature-enjoyments to religion, fo appofitely, O my foul, thou haft fubjected religion to thy worldly intereft and defigns. Inftead of eating and drinking to ferve God, I have ferved God that I might eat and drink; yea, I have not only acted below religion, but below reafon alfo ; for reafon dictates plainly, that the means must never be more excellent than the end, Wretch that I am, to make religion a flave to my luft, a stirrup to advancement, an artifice to carry on my carnal defigns; verily I have my reward; and this is all the good I am ever like to get by it. And no lefs fhould the worldling tremble, to confider how he hath caft off the duties of religion, made them ftand afide, and give place to the world. Instead of defiring fo much only as might make him ferviceable to God, he thrusts afide the fervice of God to get as much of the world as he can, who is fo far from making godlinefs the end of his creature-comforts, that he rather looks upon it as an obstacle and hindrance to them. May not the very heathens make me blufh? Could Ariftotle deliver this as a true rule to pofterity, to make religion our firft, and chief care? Could Ariftippus fay, He would rather neglect his means than his mind! his farm than his foul? Will the very Mahometans, how urgent foever their bufinefs be, lay it all afide five times in the day to pray? Yea, is it common to a proverb among the very Papifts, that mafs and meat hinder no man; and yet I, that profefs myfelf a Chriftian, thruft out duty for every trifle! O wretched foul! how hath the god of this world blinded mine eyes? Can the world indeed do that for me that Chrift can do: Hath it ever proved true to them that trufted it, and doated on it? Hath it not at laft turned them off, as men'turn off a fumpter-horfe at night, that hath been a drudge to carry their gold and filver for them all day, and at laft is turned out with an empty belly, and a galled back? O how righteous will that fentence of God be! Go cry to the gods whom thou haft ferved.

And may not many gracious hearts turn in upon themselves with fhame and forrow, to confider how unfatisfied they The gracious foul's have been in that condition, that others have pre- reflection. ferred and efteemed as the greatest of all outward

mercies? I have indeed been fed with food convenient, but not contented? how hath mine heart been tortured from day to day with anxious thoughts, what I fhall eat and drink, and wherewith I and mine fhall be clothed? I pretend indeed that I care but for a competency of the world, but fure I am, my cares about it have been incompetent. Come my diftruftful, earthly heart, let me propound a few questions to thee about this matter, and answer truly to what I fhall demand of thee.

Queft. 1. Haft thou here a continuing city? Art thou at home, or upon thy journey, that thou art fo folicitous about the world? Thy profeffion indeed fpeaks thee a stranger upon earth, but thy conver

fation a home-dweller. Erafmus faid he defired honours and riches no more than a weary horse doth a 'heavy cloak-back. Wouldst thou not account him a fool that would victual his ship as much to cross the channel to France, as if the were bound for the Eaft Indies? Alas! it will be but a little while, and then there will be no more need of any of these things. It is fad, that a foul which ftands at the door of eternity, fhould be perplexing itself about food and raiment.

Queft. 2. Which of all the faints haft thou known to be the better for much of the world? It hath been fome men's utter ruin. Seldom doth God fuffer men to be their own carvers, but they cut their own fingers. To give riches and pleasure to an evil man (faith Ariftotle) is but to give wine to one that hath a fever.' Where there is no want, there is ufually much wantonness. What a fad ftory is that of Pius Quintus. When I was in a low condition, faid he, I had fome comfortable hopes of my falvation; but when I came to be a cardinal, I greatly doubted of it: But fince I came to the Popedom, I have no hope at all. Though this poor, undone wretch, fpake it out, and others keep it in ; yet, doubtlefs, he hath many thoufand fellows in the world that might fay as much, would they but speak the truth.

And even God's own people, though the world hath not excluded them out of heaven, yet it hath forely clogged them in the way thi ther Many that have been very humble, holy, and heavenly in a low condition, have fuffered a fad ebb in a full condition. What a cold blaft have they felt coming from the cares and delights of this life, to chill both their graces, and comforts! It had been well for fome of God's people, if they had never known what prosperity

meant.

Queft. 3. Is not this a fad fymptom of a declining state of foul, to be fo hot, eager, and anxious about the fuperfluous trifles of this life? Thinkeft thou, O my foul! that one who walks in the views of that glory above, and maintains a converfation in heaven, can be much taken with thefe vanities? Do not the vifions of God veil the tempting fplendour of the creature! It was the opinion of fome of the Schoolmen, that the reafon why Adam in paradife was not fenfible of his nakednefs, was because he was wholly taken up in converfing with God. But this is certain, lively and fweet communion with God, blunts and dulls the edge of the affections to earthly things; and canft thou be fatisfied, my foul, with fuch gains as are attended with fuch fpiritual loffes?

Queft. 4. To conclude, is it not difhonourable to God, and a juftification of the way of the world for me, that profefs myself a Chriftian, to be as eager after riches as other men?" After all these things "do the nations feek," Matth. vi. 32. If I had no Father in heaven, nor promise in the world, it were another matter; but fince my heavenly Father knows what I have need of, and hath charged me to be careful in nothing, but only to tell him my wants, Phil. iv. 6. how

unbecoming a thing is it in me to live and act as I have done! Let me henceforth learn to measure and estimate my condition, rather by its usefulness to God, than its content and ease to my flesh.

I

THE POEM.

F fruit and fervice be indeed the end

To which my being and redemption tend,
Reafon concludes that state of all the rest,
Which is most serviceable, to be best.
And such a state experience fhews to lie
"Twixt fulness and a pinching poverty.
This golden mean is worth a golden mine;
He that hath this fhould be atham'd to whine.
The full-fed Chriftian, like the ox i' th' ftall,
Is no way fit to work, or plow withal.
And penury, like Pharaoh's leaner kine,
Devours the fatteft portions of our time.

That man with whom this earthly pleafure's found,
Or in whofe heart thofe anxious cares abound;
And yet can walk by fcripture-rule, and line,
Will need a better head and heart than mine;
A fingle staff the traveller may find,
Of use and service; but if you should bind
A bundle of them to his back, they'll make
Him flack his pace and cry, my shoulders ach.
I am a traveller, this world's my way,
A single staff may be of use to stay
My feeble body, if it do not crack

By too hard leaning on it; but my back
Will bear no more: Alas! I foon fhall tire,
And more than one I cannot well defire.
Lord, to prefcribe to thee becomes me not,
I rather do fubmit unto my lot.
But yet let condefcending grace admit
Thy fervant's fuit this once, and this is it :
The staff of bread convenient let me have,
And manage it difcreetly; fo, 'twill fave
Thy feeble fervant from the mire and dirt,
But more or less than this may do me hurt.
Or if thou fay, thy fervant shall have none,
Then strengthen faith, that I may go alone.

W

CHAP. V.

Upon the Improveinent of bad Ground.

Spent barren lend you can reflore, and nourish:
Decayed Chriftians God can caufe to flourish.

OBSERVATION.

HERE land is fpent out by tillage, or for want of manuring,. the careful hutbandman hath many ways to recover and bring it in heart again. He lets it lie fallow, to give it reft, and time to recover ittelf: carries out to his fand, lime, and compoft, to refresh and quicken it again; and in pafture and meadow ground, will wash it, (if poffible) with a current of water, or the float of the ways after a fall of rain, which is to the earth as a fpring of new blood to a confumptive body. He cuts down and kills the weeds that fuck it out, and caufes them to make reftitution of what they have purloined from it, by rotting upon the place where they grew. As careful are they to recover it, when it is fpent, as an honeft physician is of his patient in a languishing condition; for he knows his field will be as grateful to him, and fully requite his care and coft.

A

APPLICATION.

S man's, fo God's husbandry is fonetimes out of cafe, not by yielding too many crops, but too few. The myftical husbandman hath fome fields, (I mean particular focieties and perfons, who were once fragrant and fruitful like a field) which God had bleffed, but are now decayed and grown barren; whofe gleanings formerly were more than their vintage now; the things that are in them are ready to die, Rev. iii. 3. It is pofiible, yea, too common for gracious fouls to be reduced to a very low ebb, both of graces and com.forts; how low I will not fay, Our British divines tell us, that grace indeed cannot be totally intermitted, nor finally loft; but there may be an omiffion of the act, though not an omiffion of the habit: The act may be perverted, though the faith cannot be fubverted; it may be fhaken in, though not thaken out; Its fruits may fall, but its fap lies hid in the root. They demerit the lofs of the kingdom, but lofe it not effectively; the effect of juftification may be fufpended, but the ftate of the juftified cannot be diffolved*.

Certain it is, one that, like Paul, Hath been wrapped up with joy, even to the third heavens, and cried, "I am more than a conqueror,

• Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur nec finaliter amittitur. Actus omittitur, babitus new emittitur. Aclio pervertitur, fides non fubvertitur. Concutitur, non excutitor. Defluit fructus, latet fuccus. Fus ad reguum amittunt demeritorie, non effective. Effectus juflificationis lufpenditur, at flatus juftificati non diffolvitur.

"who shall separate me from the love of Chrift?" may, at another time lie mourning, as at the gates of death, crying, "O wretched "man that I am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this "death?" One that hath walked in fweet communion with God, funning himself in the light of his countenance, may afterwards "walk in darkness, and fee no light," Ifa. 1. 10. He that hath cast anchor within the veil, and rode fecurely in the peaceful harbour of affurance, may feem to feel his anchor of hope come home to him, and go a-drift into the ftormy ocean again, crying with the church, Lam. iii. 18. "My hope is perifhed from the Lord." His calm and clear air may be overcaft and clouded. yea, filled with ftorms and tempefts, lightnings and thunders; his graces, like under-ground flowers in the winter, may all difappear and hide their beautiful heads.

To God he may fay, I am caft out of thy fight. I know thou canft do much, but wilt thou fhew wonders to the dead?

To the promises he may fay, you are fweet things indeed, but what have I to do with you? I could once, indeed, rejoice in you, as my portion; but now I doubt I grafped a fhadow, a fancy, instead of you.

To faints he may fay, turn away from me, labour not to comfort me, O do not spill your precious ointment of confolation upon my head; for what have I to do with comfort? To former experiences, he may fay in his hafte, you are all lyars. To the light of God's countenance, he may fay, farewel fweet light, I fhall behold thee no more. To Satan he may fay, O mine enemy, thou haft at last prevailed against me, thou art stronger than I, and haft overcome. To duties and ordinances, he may fay, Where is the fweetness I once found in you? You were once sweeter to me than the honey-comb; but now as taftelefs as the white of an egg. O fad relapfe! deplorable change! quantum mutatus ab illo ?

But will God leave his poor creatures helpless, in fuch a cafe as this? Shall their leaf fall, their branches wither, their joy, their life, their hearts depart? Will he fee their graces fainting, their hopes gafping, the new creature panting, the things that are in them ready to die, and will he not regard it? Yes; "there is hope of a "tree if it be cut down, and the root thereof wax old in the earth, "yet by the fcent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a "plant, Job xiv. 8, 9 This poor declined foul, as fad as it fits at the gates of hell, may rouze up itself at last, and say to Satan, that ftands triumphing over him, "Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy, " for though I fall, yet I fhall arife; though I fit in darkness, the "Lord fhall be a light unto me," Micah vii. 8. He may raise up himself upon the bed of languishing for all this, and fay to God, Though thou haft chaftened me fore, yet haft thou not given me "over unto death." He may turn about to the faints that have mourned for him, and with a lightfome countenance fay, "I fhall

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