their hearts. Psalm lxxvii. 4. Such fears as these are frequently returning upon their hearts, What if I should be found a self-deceiver at last? What if I but hug a phantasm instead of Christ? How can this, or that, consist with grace? Their meat and drink do them little good; their bodies are often macerated by the troubles of their souls.

6. You will not make the best of your condition, when you state your case to a faithful counsellor; neither will they; but oftentimes, poor pensive souls, they make it much worse than indeed it is; charge themselves with that which God never charged them with; though this be neither their wisdom, nor their duty; but their fears of miscarrying make them suspect fraud in all they do or have.

7. Lastly, when your title is cleared, your hearts are eased; yea, not only eased, but overjoyed; though not in that degree, nor with the same kind of joy that the hearts of Christian are overflowed, when the Lord speaks peace to their souls. O welcome the sweet morning light after a night of darkness! now they can eat their bread with comfort, and drink their wine, yea, if it be but water, with a merry heart. Eccles. ix. 7.

REFLECTIONS.

1. O how hath my spirit been tossed and hurried when I have met with troubles and clamors

about my estate! But as for spiritual The careless soul's troubles, and those soul-perplexing reflection.

cases that Christians speak of, I under

stand but little of them. I never called my everlasting state in question, nor broke an hour's sleep upon any such account. Ah, my supine and careless soul! little hast thou regarded how matters stand in reference to eternity!

I have strongly conceited, but never thoroughly examin ed the validity of my title to Christ and his promises; nor am I able to tell, if my own conscience should demand, whereupon my claim is grounded.

O my soul! why art thou so unwilling to examine how matters stand betwixt God and thee? Art thou afraid to look into thy condition, lest by finding thine hypocrisy, thou shouldst lose thy peace, or rather thy security? To what purpose will it be to shut thine eyes against the light of conviction, unless thou couldst also find out a way to prevent thy condemnation? Thou seest other souls, how attentively they wait under the word, for any thing that may speak to their condition. Doubtless thou hast heard how frequently and seriously they have stated their condition, and opened their cases to the ministers of Christ. But thou, O my soul! hast no such cases to put, no doubts to be resolved; thou wilt leave all to the decision of the great day, and not trouble thyself about it Well, God will decide it, but little to thy comfort. 2. I have heard how some have been perplexed by liti gious adversaries, but I believe none The doubting soul's have been so tost with fears, and dis tracted with doubts, as I have been about the state of my soul. Lord,

now.

reflection.

what shall I do? I have often carried my doubts and scruples to thine ordinances, waiting for satisfaction to be spoken there. I have carried them to those I have judg ed skilful and faithful, begging their resolution and help, but nothing will stick; still my fears are daily renewed. O my God, do thou decide my case! tell me how the case stands betwixt thee and me; my days consume in trouble, 1 can neither do nor enjoy any good, whilst things are thus with me; all my earthly enjoyments are dry and

uncomfortable things; yea, which is much worse, all my duties and thine ordinances prove so too by reason of the troubles of my heart: I am no ornament to my profession; nay, I am a discouragement and stumbling-block to others. I will hearken and hear what God the Lord will speak. O that it might be peace! If thou do not speak it, none can; and when thou dost, keep thy servant from returning again to folly, lest I make fresh work for an accusing conscience, and give new matter to the adversary soul.

of my

3. But thou, my soul, enjoyest a double mercy from thy bountiful God, who hath not only

given thee a sound title, but also the The assured Chrisclear evidence and knowledge there- tian's reflection. of. I am gathering and daily feeeding

upon the full-ripe fruits of assurance, which grow upon the top boughs of faith, whilst many of my poor brethren drink their own tears, and have their teeth broken with gravel stones. Lord, thou hast set my soul upon her high places; but let me not exalt myself, because thou hast exalted me, nor grow wanton, because I walk at liberty; lest for the abuse of such precious liberty, thou clap my old chains upon me, and shut up my soul again in prison.

23

OCCASIONAL

MEDITATIONS

UPON

BIRDS, BEASTS, TREES, FLOWERS, RIVERS,

AND OTHER

OBJECT S.

MEDITATIONS ON BIRDS.

MEDITATION I.

UPON THE SINGING OF A NIGHTINGALE.

WHO that hears such various, ravishing and exquisite melody, would imagine the bird that makes it, to be of so small and contemptible a body and feather? Her charming voice engaged not only mine attentive ear, but my feet also, to make a nearer approach to that shady bush in which that excellent musician sat veiled; and the nearer I came, the sweeter the melody still seemed to be; but when I had descried the bird herself, and found her to be little bigger, and no better feathered than a sparrow, it gave my thoughts the occasion of this following application.

This bird seems to me the lively emblem of the formal hypocrite; (1.) In that she is more in sound than substance, a loud and excellent voice, but a little despicable