Remarkable for contempt and shame have the ends of many bloody tyrants been. So Pompey the Great, of whom Claudian the poet sings,
Nudus pascit aves^jacetne qui possidet orbem Exiguce telluris inops
Birds eat his flesh. Lo, now he cannot have Who ruPd the world, a space to make a grave.
The like is storied of Alexander the Great, who lay unburied thirty days ; and William the Conqueror, with many other such birds of prey : whilst a l)eneficial and holy life is usually closed up in an honourable and much lamented death.
For mine own part, I wish 1 may so order my conversation in the
186 HUSBANDRY SPlllITUALlZED ; or,
^vorld, that I may live, when I am dead, in the affections of the best, and leave an honourable testimony in the consciences of the worst ; that I may oppress none, do good to all, and say when I die, as good Ambrose did, — I am neither ashamed to live, nor afraid to die.
Upon the Sight of a Blacl'bird taVmg Sanctuary hi a Bush from a
HEN I saw how hardly the poor bird was put to it to save her- self from her enemy, who hovered just over the bush in which she was fluttering and squeaking, I could not but hasten to relieve her, (pity and succour being a due debt to the distressed ;) which, when I had done, the bird would not depart from the bush, though her enemy were gone ; this act of kindness was abundantly repaid by this meditation, with which I returned to my walk : my soul, like this bird, was once distressed, pursued, yea, seized by Satan, who had certainly made a prey of it, had not Jesus Christ been a sanctuary to it in that hour of danger. How readily did I find him to receive my poor soul into his protection ? Then did he make good that sweet promise to my experience, Those that come unto me I will in no wise cast out. It called to mind that pretty and pertinent story of the philosopher, who walking in the fields, a bird, pursued by a hawk, flew into his bosom ; he took her out, and said, ' Poor bird, ' I will neither wrong thee, nor expose thee to thine enemy, since ' thou camest to me for refuge.' So tender, and more than so, is the Lord Jesus to distressed souls that come unto him. Blessed Jesus ! how should I love and praise thee, glorify and admire thee, for that great salvation thou hast wTought for me ? If this bird had fallen into the claws of her enemy, she had been torn to pieces in- deed, and devoured, but then a few minutes had dispatched her ; and ended all her pain and misery : but had my soul fallen into the hands of Satan, there had been no end of its misery.
Would not this scared bird be flushed out of the bush that secured her, though I had chased away her enemy ? And wilt thou, O my soul, ever be enticed or scared from Christ thy refuge ? O let this for eyer engage thee to keep close to Christ, and make me say, with Ezra, ** And now, O Lord, since thou hast given me such a de- " hverance as this, should I again break thy commandments !"
Upon, the sight of divers goldfinches intermingling with a flock of
-ETHINKS these birds do fitly resemble the gaudy courtiers, and the plain peasants; how spruce and richly adorned with
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS. 187
sliinin"" and various coloured feathers (like scarlet, richly laid with gold and silver lace) are those ? How plainly clad, in a home-spun country russet are these ? Fine feathers (saith our proverb) make ijroud birds ; and yet the feathers of the sparrow are as useful and beneficial, both for warmth and flight, though not so gay and orna- mental, as the others ; and if both were stript out of their feathers, the sparrow would prove the better bird of the two : by which 1 see, that the greatest worth doth not always lie under the finest clothes : And besides, God can make mean and homely garments as useful and beneficial to poor and despised Christians, as the ruffling and shin- ing garments of wanton gallants are to them : and when God shall strip men out of all external excellencies, these will be found to ex- cel their glittering neighbours in true worth and excellency.
Little would a man think such rich treasures of grace, wisdom, humility, lay under some russet coats.
Scepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste.
Under poor garments more true worth may be Than under silks that whistle, who but he.
Whilst, on the other side, " the heart of the wicked (as Solom6k •' hath observed) is little worth," how much soever his clothes be worth. Alas ! it falls out too frequently among us, as it doth with men in the Indies, who walk over the rich veins of gold and ore, which lie hid under a ragged and barren surface, and know it not. For my own part, I desire not to value any man by what is extrinsi- cal and worldly, but by that true internal excellency of grace, which makes the face to shine in the eyes of God and good men : I would contemn a vile person, though never so glorious in the eye of the world ; but honour such as fear the Lord, how sordid and despicable soever to appearance.
Upon the sight of a Robin-red-breast picking up a Wormjrom a
mole-hill, then rising,
vJ^BSERVING the mole working industriously beneath, and the bird watching so intently above, I made a stand to observe the issue ; when in a little time the bird descends, and seizes upon a Worm, which I perceived was crawling apace from the enemy below that hunted her, but fell to the share of another which from above wait- ed for her. My thoughts presently suggested the meditations from that occasion : methought this poor worm seemed to be the em- blem of my poor soul, which is more endangered by its own lusts of pride and covetousness, than this worm was by the mole and bird :
188 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED : OR,
my pride, like the aspiring bird, watches for it above ; my covetous* ness, like the subterranean mole, digging for it beneath. Poor soul I What a sad dilemma art thou brought to ? If thou go down into the caverns of this earth, there thou art a prey to thy covetousness that hunts thee ; and if thou aspire, or but creep upward, there thy pride waits to ensnare thee. Distressed soul ! whither wilt thou go ? Ascend thou mayest, not by vain elation, but by heavenly conver- sation, beside which there is no way for thy preservation ; " the way " of life is above to the wise,'' kc.