heart, let me propound a few questions to thee about this matter, and answer truly to what I shall demand of thee. Quest. 1. Hast thou here a continuing city? Art thou at home or upon thy journey, that thou art so solicitous about the world? Thy profession, indeed, speaks thee a stranger upon earth, but thy conversation a home-dweller.Erasmus said he desired honors and riches no more than a weary horse doth a heavy cloak-bag. Wouldst thou not account him a fool that would victual his ship as much to cross the channel to France, as if she were bound for the East Indies? Alas! it will be but a little while, and then there will be no more need of any of these things. It is sad, that a soul which stands at the door of eternity, should be perplexing itself about food and raiment. Quest. 2. Which of all the saints hast thou known to be the better for much of the world? It hath been some men's utter ruin. Seldom doth God suffer men to be their own carvers, but they cut their own fingers. "To give riches and pleasure to an evil man (saith Aristotle), is but to give wine to one that hath a fever." Where there is no want there is usually much wantonness. What a sad story is that of Pius Quintus; When I was in a low condition, said he, I had some comfortable hopes of my salvation; but when I came to be a cardinal, I greatly doubted of it; but since I came to the Popedom, I have no hopes at all. Though this poor, undone wretch spake it out, and others keep it in, yet, doubtless, he hath many thousand fellows in the world that might say as much, would they but speak the truth. 4 And even God's own people, though the world hath not excluded them out of heaven, yet it hath sorely clogged them in the way thither. Many that have been very humble, holy and heavenly, in a low condition, have suffered a sad ebb in a full condition. What a cold blast have they felt coming from the cares and delights of this life, to chill both their graces and comforts! It had been well for some of God's people, if they had never known what prosperity meant. Quest. 3. Is not this a sad symptom of a declining state of soul to be so hot, eager and anxious about the superfluous trifles of this life? Thinkest thou, O my soul! that one who walks in the views of that glory above, and maintains a conversation in heaven, can be much taken with these vanities? Do not the visions of God veil the tempting splendor of the creature? It was the opinion of some of the schoolmen, that the reason why Adam in Paradise was not sensible of his nakedness was, because he was wholly taken up in conversing with God. But this is certain, lively and sweet communion with God blunts and dulls the edge of the affections to earthly things; and canst thou be satisfied, my soul, with such gains as are attended with such spiritual losses? Quest. 4. To conclude, is it not dishonorable to God, and a justification of the way of the world, for me, that profess myself a Christian, to be as eager after riches as other men? "After all these things do the nations seek.” Mat. vi. 32. If I had no Father in heaven, nor promise in the world, it were another matter; but since 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. CHAPTER V. UPON THE IMPROVEMENT OF BAD GROUND. Spent barren land you can restore and nourish : OBSERVATION. WHERE land is spent out by tillage, or for want of manuring, the careful husbandman hath many ways to recover and bring it in heart again. He lets it lie fallow, to give it rest, and time to recover itself: carries out his sand, lime and compost, to refresh and quicken it again; and in pasture and meadow ground, will wash it, if possible, with a current of water, or the float of the ways after a fall of rain, which is to the earth as a spring of new blood to a consumptive body. He cuts down and kills the weeds that suck it out, and causes them to make restitution 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 spent, as an honest 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 cost. APPLICATION. As man's, so God's husbandry is sometimes out of case, not by yielding too many crops, but too few. The mystical husbandman hath some fields, (I mean particular societies and persons, who were once fragrant and fruitful, like a field) which God hath blessed, but are now decayed grown barren; whose gleanings formerly were more than their vintage now; the things that are in them are ready to die. Rev. iii. 3. It is possible, yea, too common for gracious souls to be reduced to a very low ebb, both and How far true of graces and comforts; how low I will not say: Our Bri tish divines tell us, that grace indeed cannot be totally intermitted, nor finally lost; but there may be an omission of the act, though not an omission of the habit: The act may be perverted, though the faith cannot be subverted; it may be shaken in, though not shaken out: Its fruits may fall, but its sap lies hid in the root. They demerit the loss of the kingdom, but lose it not effectively; the effect of justification may be suspended, but the state of the justified cannot be dissolved.* grace in a believer may fail. Certain it is, one that, like Paul, hath been wrapped up with joy, even to the third heaven, and cried, I am more than a conqueror, who shall separate me from the love of Christ? may at another time lie mourning, as at the gates of death, crying, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? One that hath walked in sweet communion with God, sunning himself in the light of his countenance, may afterwards "walk in darkness, and see no light. Isa. 1. 10. He that hath cast anchor within the veil, and rode securely within the peaceful harbor of assurance, may seem to feel his anchor of hope come home to him, and go adrift into the stormy ocean again, crying with the church, Lam. iii. 18. "My hope is perished from the Lord." His calm and clear air may be overcast and clouded, yea, filled with storms and tempests, lightnings and thunders; his graces, like under *Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur nec finaliter amittitur. Actus omittitur, habitus non amittitur. Actio pervertitur, fides non subvertitur. Concutitur, non excutitur. Defluit fructus, latet succus. Jus ad regnum amittunt demeritorie, non effective. Effectus justificationis suspenditur, at status justificati non dissolvitur. ground flowers in the winter, may all disappear, and hide their beautiful heads. To God he may say, I am cast out of thy sight. I know thou canst do much, but wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? To the promises he may say, you are sweet 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 grasped a shadow, a fancy, instead of you. To saints he may say, turn away from me, labor not to comfort me-O do not spill your precious ointment of consolation upon my head: for what have I to do with comfort? To former experiences he may say in his haste, you are all liars. To the light of God's countenance he may say, farewell, sweet light, I shall behold thee no more.To Satan he may say, O mine enemy, thou hast at last prevailed against me, thou art stronger than I, and hast overcome. To duties and ordinances he may say, where is the sweetness I once found in you? You were once sweeter to me than the honey-comb; but now as tasteless as the white of an egg. O sad relapse! Deplorable change!-Quantum mutatus ab illo? But will God leave his poor creatures helpless in such a case as this? Shall their leaf fall-their branches wither their joy-their life-their heart depart? Will he see their graces fainting-their hopes gasping-the new creature panting-the things that are in them ready to die, and will he not regard it? Yes, yes-" there is hope of a tree if it be cut down, and the root thereof wax old in the earth, yet by the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant." Job xiv. 8, 9. This poor declining soul, as sad as it sits at the gates of bell, may rouse up itself at last, and say to Satan, that stands triumphing |