Again, I could not but observe the accidental benefit this poor harmless bird obtained by the labour of the mole, who hunting in- tentionally for herself, unburroughed and ferreted out this worm for the bird, who, possibly, was hungry enough, and could not have been relieved for this time, but by the mole, the fruit of whose la- bour she now feeds upon. Even thus the Lord oft-times makes good his word to his people : " The wealth of the wicked is laid up for the " just." And again, " The earth shall help the woman." Tliis was fully exemplified in David, to whom Nabal, that churlish muck- worm, speaks all in possessives : " Shall I take my bread," &c. '' and '* give it to one I know nbt whom ?" And yet David reaps the fruits of all the pains and toils of Nabal at last. Let it never encourage me to idleness, that God sometimes gives his people the fruit of others sweat, but if providence reduce me to necessity, and disable me from helping myself, I doubt not then, but it will provide instruments to do it. The bird was an hungry, and could not dig.
Upon the shooting of two Finches Jight'mg in the air.
JlIoW soon hath death ended the quarrel betwixt these two lit- tle combatants ! had they agreed better, they might have lived longer ; it was their own contention that gave both the opportuni- ty and the provocation of their death ; and though living they could not, yet, being dead, they can lie quietly together in my hand.
Foolish birds, was it not enough that birds of prey watched to de- vour them, but they must peck and scratch one another ? Thus have I seen the birds of paradise (saints I mean) tearing and wounding each other, like so many birds of prey, and by their unchristian con- tests giving the occasion of their common ruin ; yea, and that not only when at liberty, as these were, but when engaged also ; and yet, as one well observes, if ever Christians will agree, it will either be in a prison, or in heaven ; for in prison their quarrelsome lusts lie low, and in heaven they shall be utterly done away.
But O what pity is it, that those who shall agree so perfectly in hea- ven, should bite and devour each other upon earth .? That it should be said of them, as one ingeniously observed, who saw their carcasses lie
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS. 189
together, as if they had lovingly embraced each other, who fell to- gether by a duel : Quanta amicitia se inviccm amplectuntur^ qui mutua et implacabili inimicitia perierunt !
Embracing' one another^ now they lie. Who by each others bloody hands did die.
Or, as he said, who observed how quietly and peaceably the dust and bones, even of enemies, did lie together in the grave ; Non tanta vivi pace conjuncti essetis ; you did not live together so peaceably. If conscience of Christ's command will not, yet the consideration of common safety should powerfully persuade to unity and amity.
Upon the singing of a blind Jinch by night.
A^ DEAR friend, who was a great obsei-ver of the works of God in nature, told me, that being entertained with a sight of many ra- rities at a friend's house in London ; among other things his friends shewed him o. finch, whose eyes being put out^ would frequently sing, even at midnight. This bird, in my opinion, is the lively emblem of such careless and unconcerned persons as the prophet describes, Amos vi. 4, 5, 6. who chant to the viol, when a dismal night of trouble and affliction hath overshadowed the church. You would have thought it strange to have heard this bird sing in the night, when all others are in a deep silence except the owl, an unclean bird, and the nightingale, which before we made the emblem of the hy- pocrite. And as strange it is, that any, except the profane and hy- pocritical, should so unseasonably express their mirth and jollity ; that any of Sion's children should live in pleasure, whilst she herself lies in tears. The people of God, in Psalm cxxxvii. tell us in what postures of sorrow they sat ; even like birds, with their heads under their wings, during the night of their captivity. " How shall we sing " the Lord's songs in a strange land .?"' It is like enough, such as can sing and chant in the night of the church's trouble, have well feather- ed their nests in the days of her prosperity ; however, let them know, that God will turn their unseasonable mirth into a sadder note ; and those that now sit sad and silent sliall shortly sing for joy of heart, when "the winter is past, the rain over and gone, the flowers appear " again upon the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come."
Upon the comparing of two Birds Nests.
XT is pretty to observe the structure and commodiousness of the habitations of these little architects, who, though they act not by
190 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED ; OR,
reason and counsel, but only by natural instinct, yet reason itself could hardly have contrived a neater building of such simple mate- rials. How neatly hath the thrush ceiled or plastered his nest, with admirable art and industry ! how warmly hath thejinch matted his ? And both well fenced against the injury of the weather.
How comfortably hath nature provided convenient habitations for these weak and tender young ones, who have warm lodging, and variety of provisions hourly brought them, without their care or pains ? This trifling object suggests to my thoughts a more excellent and serious contemplation, even the wonderful and unparalleled abasement of Jesus Christ, who for my sake voluntarily submitted himself to a more destitute and neglected state, than these birds of the air : For Matth. viii. 20. he saith, " The foxes have holes, and *' the birds of the air have nests ; but the Son of man hath not ^' where to lay his head."