them for destruction; their prosperity is food and fuel to their corruptions. Many wicked men had not been so soon ripe for hell, had they not grown in the sunshine of prosperity.

4. Fatted beasts do not in the least understand the intent and meaning of the husbandman, in allowing them such large and fat pastures, which he denies to his other cattle; and as little as beasts, do wicked men understand the scope and end of God's providences, in casting prosperity and wealth upon them; little do they think their tables are a snare, a gin, and a trap for their souls; they only, like beasts, mind what is before them, but do not at all understand the tendency and end of these their sensual delights.

5. Though the husbandman keeps his store cattle in short commons, yet he intends to preserve them; these shall remain with him, when the others are driven to the slaughter.

Such a design of preservation is carried on in all those outward straits, wants and hardships which the Lord exposes his people to. I confess such dispensations, for the present, are very stumbling and puzzling things, even to gracious aud wise persons. To see wicked men not only exempted from their troubles, but even oppressed with prosperity; to see a godly man in wants and straits, and a wicked man have more than his heart can wish, is a case that puzzles the wisest Christian, till he considers the designs and issues of both those providences, and then he acquiesces in the wisdom of God so ordering it.

REFLECTIONS.

1. Doth my prosperity fat me up for hell, and prepare me for the day of slaughter? Little cause have I then to glory in it, and lift up my heart upon these things.

ling.

A reflection for a Indeed, God hath given, I cannot say voluptuous world- blessed me with, a fulness of creatureenjoyments; upon these my carnal heart seizeth greedily and securely, not at all suspecting a snare lying in these things for the ruin of my soul. What are all these charming pleasures but so many rattles to quiet my soul, whilst its damnation steals insensibly upon it? What are all my business and employments in the world,but so many diversions from the business of life? There are but two differences betwixt me and the poorest slave the devil hath on earth; such are whipped on to hell by outward miseries, and I am coached to hell in a little more pomp and honor; these will have a less, and I a greater account in the day of reckoning. O that I had never known prosperity! I am now tumbling in a green pasture, and shortly shall be hanging up in the shambles in hell: If this be the best fruit of my prosperity-if I were taken captive by cruel cannibals, and fed with the richest fare, but withal understood that the design of it were to fat me up like a beast for them to feed upon, how little stomach should I have to their dainties? O my soul! it were much bet ter for thee to have a sanctified poverty, which is the portion of many saints, than an ensnaring prosperity set as a trap to ruin thee for ever.

2. The wisdom of my God hath allotted me but short commons here; his providence feeds

me but from hand to mouth: but I am, A reflection for and well may be, contented with my poor Christian. present state; that which sweetens it

is that I am the Lord's preserved. How much better is a morsel of bread, and a draught of water here, with an expectancy of glory hereafter, than a fat pasture given

in, and a fitting for the wrath to come? Well, since the case stands thus, blessed be God for my present lot! Though I have but a little in hand, I have much in hope; my present troubles will serve to sweeten my future joys, and the sorrows of this life will give a lustre to the glory of the next; that which is now hard to suffer, will then be sweet to remember; my songs will then be louder than my groans now are.

CHAPTER V.

UPON THE HUSBANDMAN'S CARE FOR POSTERITY.

Good husbands labor for posterity;
To after ages saints must have an eye.

OBSERVATION.

PROVIDENT and careful husbandmen do not only labor to supply their own necessities, while living, but lay up something for their posterity when they are gone: they do not only leave to their children what their progenitors left them, but they desire to leave it improved and bettered. None but bad husbands and spendthrifts are of the mind of that heathen emperor Tiberius, who having put all into such confusion in the empire, that it might be thought the world would end with him; yet pleased himself with this apprehension, that he should be out of the reach of it; and would often say, when I am dead, let heaven and earth mingle; if the world will but hold my time, let it break when I am gone. But provident men look beyond their own time, and do very much concern themselves in the good or evil of their posterity.

APPLICATION.

What careful husbands do, with respect to the provisions they make for their children, that all prudent Christians are bound to do, with respect to the truths committed to them, and by them to be transmitted to succeeding saints.

:

In the first ages of the world, even till the law was given, faithful men were instead of books and records; they did, by oral tradition, convey the truths of God to posterity but since the sacred truth hath been consigned to writing, no such tradition (except full consentient with that written word) is to be received as authentic ; but the truths therein delivered to the saints, are, by verbal declarations, open confessions, and constant sufferings, to be preserved and delivered from age to age. This was the constant care of the whole cloud of witnesses, both ancient and modern, who have kept the word of God's patience, and would not accept their own lives, liberties, or estates, no, nor the whole world in exchange for that invaluable treasure of truth: they have carefully practised Solomon's counsel. "Buy the truth, but sell it not ;” they would not alienate that fair inheritance for all the inheritances on earth. For the same reasons that you refuse to part with, or embezzle your estates, Christians also refuse to part with the truths of God.

1. You will not waste or alienate your inheritance, because it is precious, and of great value in your eyes; but much more precious are God's truths to his people. Luther professed, he would not take the whole world for one leaf of his Bible. Though some profane persons may say with Pilate, What is truth? Yet know, that any one truth of the gospel is more worth than all the inheritances upon earth; they are the great things of God's

law; and he that sells them for the greatest things in this world, makes a soul-undoing bargain.

2. You will not waste or part with your inheritance, because you know your posterity will be much wronged by it. They that baffle or drink away an estate, drink the tears of their sad widows, and the very blood of their impoverished children. The people of God do also consider, how much the generation to come are concerned in the conservation of the truths of God for them; It cuts them to the heart, but to think that their children should be brought up to worship dumb idols, and fall down before a wooden and breaden God. The very birds and beasts will expose their own bodies to apparent danger of death to preserve their young. Religion doth much

more intender the hearts and bowels than nature doth.

3. You reckon it a foul disgrace to sell your estates and become bankrupts ; it is a word that bears ill among you, and a Christian accounts it the highest reproach in the world to be a traitor to, or an apostate from the truths of God. When the primitive saints were strictly required to deliver up their bibles, those that did so were justly branded, and rushed out of their company, under the odious title of traditores or deliverers.

4. You are so loath to part with your estates, because you know it is hard recovering an estate again, when once you have lost it. Christians do also know, how difficult it will be for the people of God in times to come, to recover the light of the gospel again, if once it be extinguished. There is no truth of God recovered out of Antichrist's hands without great wrestling and much blood. The church may call every point of reformed doctrine and discipline so recovered, her Naphtalies, for with great