Upon the resemblance of wheat and tares,
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, CHAP.
XII.
Uponthe reſemblance of Wheat andTares.
Aswheat resembled is, by viler tares ; So vilehypocrify, likegrace appears.
OBSERVATION.
I Tis Jerom's obſervation, that wheat andtares are ſo much alike in their firſt ſpringingup, that it is exceeding difficult to diftinguiſh the one from the other: Theſe are his words,
Inter triticum et lolium quandiu herba est, et nondum culmus venit adſpicam ; grandis fimilitudo est ; et indifcernendo aut nulla, aut per difficilis diftantia.
The difference(faith he) betweenthem, is either none at all, or wonderfully difficult to difcern, which thoſe words of Chriſt, Mat. xiii. 30. plainly confirm.
Let themboth alonetill the harvest; thereby intimating, both the difficulty of diſtinguiſhing the tares and wheat; as alſo the unwarrantable raſineſs of bold and haſty cenſures of men's fincerity or hypocrify, which is there ſhadowed by them.
APPLICATIO Ν.
OW difficult foever itbe to difcern the difference betwixt H wheat and tares, yet, doubtleſs, the eye of ſenſe can much eaſierdifcriminate them, than the moſt quick and piercing' eye of man candifcern the difference betwixt ſpecial and common grace ; for all ſaving graces in the ſaints have theircounterfeits inhypocrites.
There arefimilar works in theſe, which aſpiritual andveryjudicious eye mayeasily mistake for thefavingandgenuine effects of the ſanctifying Spirit.
Doth the SpiritofGod convincethe conſciences of his people of the evil of fin ? Rom. vii. 9.
Hypocrites have their convictions too, Exod. x. 16. " Then Pharaoh called forMoſes
*" and Aaron in haſte; andhe ſaid, I have finned against the " Lord your God, and against you."
Thus was Saul alfo convicted, 1 Sam. xv. 24.
Doth true conviction and compunction work reformation of life in the people of God ?
Even hypocrites alſo have been famous for their reformations.
The unclean ſpirit often goes outof the formal hypocrite, by an external reformation; and yet ſtill retains his propriety in them, Matth. xii. 43, 44.
For that departure isindeed no more than a politic retreat.
Many that ſhall never eſcape the damnation of hell, have yet eſcaped
TheHeavenly Use ofEarthlyThings.
thepollutionsof the world, and that by the knowledge of the Son ofGod, 2 Pet. ii. 21.
Doth the SpiritoftheLordproduce thatglorious and ſupernatural work offaith in convinced and humble ſouls ? In this alſo thehypocrite apes and imitates the believer, Acts viii. 13.
" ThenSimon himself believed alſo." Luke viii. 13. " Theie " are they which for a while believe, and intime oftemptation
" fall away."
Doth the precious eye of faith, diſcovering the tranſcendent excellencies that are in Chrift, inflame the affections of the believing foul with vehement defires and longings after him ?
Strange motions of heart have alsobeenfound in hypocrites towards Chriſt and heavenly things, John vi. 34." Lord, ever- " moregiveus this bread." Mat, xxv. 8." Give us ofyour oil,
" for our lamps are gone out."
With what arapture was Balaam tranſported, whenhe said, " Let me die the death ofthe
66 righteous, and my laſt end be like his !" Numb. xxiii, ro.
Doth the work offaith, inſome believers, bear upon its top branches the fulltipe fruit of a bleſſed aſſurance ? Lo ! what trongconfidences, andhigh-built perfuafions of an intereſt in God, have ſometimes been found even in unſanctified ones ?
John viii. 54. "Of whom you ſay, that he is yourGod ; and "yetyehave not known him."
To the ſame height of confidence arrivedthoſe vainfouls, mentioned in Rom. ii. 19. Yea, ſo ſtrong may this falſe aſſurance be, that theydare boldly venture togo to the judgment-feat of God, andtheredefend it,
Mat. vii. 22. " Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thy " name?"
Doth the Spirit ofGod fill the heart of the aſſured believer with joy unspeakable and full of glory, giving them, through faith, a prelibation, or foretaſte of heaven itſelf, in thoſe firſt fruits ofit ? How near to this comes thatwhich the apostle ſuppoſesmaybe found even in apoftates ? Heb. vi. 8, 9. who are there faid " to taſte the good word ofGod, and the powers of " the world to come." What ſhall I say, ifreal Chriftians delight in ordinances, thoſe that are none, may alſo delight in approaching to God, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. It may be you will ſay, though the difference be not easily diſcernable in their active obedience, yet, when it ſhall come to fuffering, there every eyemaydifcern it; the falſe heart will then flinch, and cannot brook that work. And yet even this is no infallible rule neither; for the apoſle ſuppoſes, that thefalamander ofhypocrify may live inthe very flames of martyrdom, I Cor. xiii. 3 .
VOL . VI.
тоб Husbandry Spiritualized; or, " If I givemybody to be burnt, and have not charity." And itwas long ſincedetermined in this caſe, Non poena, fed caufz facit martyrem; ſo, that without controverty,the difficulty of diftinguishing them is very great.
And this difference will yet be more fubtle and undiſcernible, ifI should tell you, that as in ſo many things the hypocrite reſembles the faint; ſo there are other things in which a real
Chriftianmay act too like an hypocrite. When we find a Pharaoh confeffing, and Herod practiſing, as well as hearing, aJudas preaching Chriſt, and Alexander venturing his life for Paul ; and, on the other fide, ſhall find aDavid condemning that in another, which he practifed himſelf, an Hezekiah glorying in his riches, a Peter diſſembling, and even allthe diſciples forlaking Chriſt in an hour of trouble and danger : O then ! how hard is it for the eyeofman to difcern betwixt chaffandwheat?
How many upright hearts are now cenſured, whom God will clear ? How many falſe hearts are now approved, whomGod will condemn ? Men ordinarily have no clear convictive proofs, but only probable ſymptoms ; which, at moſt, can begetbut a conjectural knowledge of another's ſtate. Andthey that ſhall peremptorilyjudge either way, may poffibly wrong the generation of the upright; or, on the other fide, abſolve and justify the wicked. And truly, confidering what hath been faid, it is nogreat wonder, that dangerous mistakes are ſo frequently made in this matter.
But though man cannot, the Lord both can, andwill, perfectly difcriminate them. "The Lord know- " eth who are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. He will have a day perfectly to ſever the tares from the wheat, to melt off the varnith of the moſt reſplendent and refined hypocrite, and toblow offthe ashes of infirmities, which have covered and obſcured the very fparks offincerity in his people: he will make fuch a diviſion as wasneveryet made in the world, how manydiviſions ſoever there havebeeninit. "And then ſhall men indeed return, and difcern between the righteous and the wicked; betwixt him
" that ſerveth God, and him that ferveth him not."
Mean while, my foul, thou canst not better employ thyself, whether thou be found or unfound, than inmaking theſe reflections uponthyſelf.
REFLECTIONS .
And is thisfo ? Then, Lord, pardon the The cenforious raſineſs and precipitancy ofmy cenſorious ſpifoul's reflection. rit ; for I have often boldly anticipated thy judgment, and aſſumed thy prerogative, al though thou hast faid, "Why doſt thou judge thy brother?
The HeavenlyUse ofEarthly Things.
Andwhy doſt thou ſet atnought thy brother ? We hall all " ſtand before thejudgment ſeat ofChriſt.
For it is written, As I live (faith the Lord) every knee ſhall bow to me, and everytongue ſhall conteſs toGod.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more," Rom xiv. 10, 11, 12, 13.
And again; " He that judgeth me is the Lord.
Let us thereforejudge nothing before the time, until the Lordcome, who
" both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and " make manifeft the counſels of the heart; and then ſhall every
" manhave praiſe ofGod,"
1 Cor. iv. 4, 5 .
WhatifGodwill own fome of them for hisfons, towhom I refule to give the reſpect of brethren? I may paſs haſty and headlongcenſures upon others; but where is mycommiſſionfor ſo doing? I want not only a commiſſion, but fit qualifications for fuch a work as this.
Can I pierce into the heart asGod?
Can I infallibly discover the hidden motives, ends and principles of actions ? Beſides, O my foul, thou art confcious ofſomuch falſeneſs in thyself, that were there no other confideration, that alonemight reſtrain thee from all uncharitable andhaſtycenfures.
If others knew but what Iknow of myself, would they not judge as ſeverely of me, as I do of others ?
2. Though I may not judge the final ſtate ofanother, yet I may, and ought to judge
The prefumptuousfoul's reflection. the ſtate of my own foul ; which is, doubtleſs, amore neceſſary and concerning work to me.
For ſince every ſaving grace in a Chriſtian hath its counterfeit in the hypocrite, howneedful is it for thee, O my foul, to make a ſtand here, and folemnly to ponder this queſtion, Whether thoſe things, whereon I depend, as my beſt evidences for the life to come, be the real, or only the common werks of the Spirit ? Whether they may be fuch as cannow endure the teſt of the word, and abide a fair trial atthe bar of my own confcience?
Come then, my soul, ſet the Lord before thee, towhom the ſecrets of all hearts are manifeſt; and in the awful ſenſe of that great day, make true anſwer to theſe heart-diſcovering queries: For though thou canst not difcern the difference be twixt theſe things in another, yet thou mayeſt and oughteſt to diſcern it in thyself : For what manknows the things ofaman, ſave the ſpirit ofman that is in him !
1. Is my obedience uniform ? am I the ſame man at alt times, places and companies ? Or rather, am I not exact and curious in open andpublic, remiſs andcareleſs in private and
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, ſecret duties ? Sincere ſouls are uniform fouls, Pfal. cxix. 6. the hypocrite is no cloſet-man, Matth. vi. 5.
2. Doth that which I call grace in meoppoſe and mortify, or doth it not rather quietly conſiſt with, and protect my lufts and corruptions? True grace tolerates no luſt,Gal. v. 17. No, nottheboſomdarling corruptions, Pfal.xviii. 23.
3. Doth that which I call mygrace, humble, empty, and abate my foul ? Or rather, doth it not puffit upwith felf-conceitedneſs ? All ſaving grace is humbling grace, 1 Cor.xv. 18.
" But the foul which is lifted up, is not upright," Hab. ii. 4.
Laſtly, Canſt thou, my foul, rejoice and bleſsGod for the grace imparted to others ? And rejoice, ifanydeſign for Chrift be carried onin the world by other hands ? Or, rather, doft thou not envy thoſe that excel thee, and careſt for no work in which thou art not ſeen ?
But ſtay, my ſoul, it is enough: Iftheſe be the ſubſtantial differences betwixt ſpecial and common grace, I more than doubt, I shall not endure theday of his coming, Whosefan is in hishand. Do not thoſe ſpots appear upon me, which are not the ſpots of his children ? Woe is me, poor wretch ! the characters of death are upon my soul! Lord add power to the form, life to the name to live, practice to the knowledge, or Iperiſh eternally ! O rather give me thefaint's heart, than the angels tongue; the poorest breathing of the Spirit, than the richeſt ornaments of common gifts! Let me never deceive myſelf, or others, inmatters of ſodeep and everlaſting confequence.
The POEM. good authors write, IN eaſterncountries, as Tares, in their ſpringing up, appear to fight,
Not like itſelf, aweed, but real wheat ; Whoſe ſhape and form it counterfeits ſo neat,
That 'twould require amoſtjudicious eye, The one from t'other to diverſify.
Tillboth to fome maturitybe grown, And then the difference is eas'ly known.
Even thus hypocriſy, that curſed weed, Springs upſo like true grace, that he will need
More than a commoninfight inthis caſe, That faith, this is not, that is real grace.
Ne'er did the cunning actor, tho' a ſlave Array'd in princely robes, himself behave
So like a king, as this doth act the part
TheHeavenly Use ofEarthly Things.
Offaving grace, by its deep helliſh art.
Dogracious fouls melt,mourn, andweep for fin ?
The like in hypocrites obſerv'd hath been.
Have they their comforts, joys, and raptures ſweet ?
With them incomfortshypocritesdomeet.
Inall religiousduties they cango As faras faints, inſomethings farther too; They ſpeak like angels, and you'll think within,
The very ſpirit of Chriſt andgrace hath been.
They come ſo near, that ſome, like Ifaac, take Jacob for Efau, this, for that miſtake :
Andboldlycall (their eyes, with his, being dim) True grace, hypocrify ; and duty, fin:
Yea, many alſo, Jacob-like, embrace Leah for Rachel, common gifts for grace:
And in their boſom hug it, 'till the light Diſcover their mistake, andclear their fight:
And then, like him, confounded they will cry, Alas! 'tis Leah, curs'd hypocrify !
Guide me, my God, that I may not, inſtead Ofſavinggrace, nurſe up this curſedweed.
Olet my heart, at last, by thee be found Sincere, and allthy workingson it found!
CHAP.
XIII.
Upon the Dangers incident to the Corn from Seed-time to Harvest.
Fowls, weeds, and blastings doyour corn annoy ; Evenfocorruptions wouldyourgrace destroy .
OBSERVATION.
HERE are , amongst many others, three critical anddanTHERE gerous periods between the feed-time andharvest.
The first, whencorn is newly committed to the earth, all that lies uncovered is quickly picked up by the birds ; and much of thatwhich is but flightly covered, is plucked upas foon as it begins to ſprout, by rooks, and other devouring fowls, Mat. xiii. 4. But ifiteſcape the fowls, andgets root in the earth, yetthenit is hazarded by noxious weeds, which purloin, and fuckaway its nourishment, whilst it isyet in the tender blade.
If by the care of the vigilant huſbaudman it be freed from choaking weeds ; yet, laſtly, as great adanger as any ofthe
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, former ſtill attends it; for oftentimes, whilſt it isblowingin the ear, blaftingsand mildews ſmite it in the ſtalk, and cuts off the juice and fap that ſhould aſcend to nourish the ear, and ſo ſhrivels anddries up the grain whilſt it is yet immaturate ; whereby it becomes like thoſe ears ofcorn in Pharaoh's viſion, which were thin andblaſted with the east-wind; or like the ears thePfalmiſt ſpeaks ofupon the houſe-top, wherewith the reaper filleth not his arms .
APPLICATIΟΝ.
RUE grace, fromthe infancy to the perfection thereof, conflicts with far more greaterdangers, amongst which it anſwerably meets with threedangerous periods, which marvellouſly hazard it : So that it is amuch greater wonder that it ever arrives at itsjust perfection.
For, (1.) No ſooner hath the greatHusbandmandiſſeminatedtheſeholy feeds in the regenerate heart, butmultitudes ofimpetuous corruptions immediatelyaffault, andwouldcertainlydevourthem, like the fowls ofthe air, didnot the ſame arm that fowed them, alſo protect them.
It fares with grace, as with Chriſt, its Author, whom Herod fought to destroy inhisvery infancy. Thenew creature is ſcarce warminits ſeat,before it must fighttodefend itself. This conflict is excellentlyſet forth in that famous text, Gal. v. 17. "The " fleſh luſteth against the ſpirit, and the ſpirit against the flem ;
" and theſe are contrary theone to the other, ſo that ye can- " notdo thethings that ye would."
By fleſh here underſtand the corruption of naturebyoriginal fin, and the ſinfulmotions thereof; by Spirit, not the foul, or natural ſpirit of man,but the Spirit of God in man, viz. thoſe graces in manwhich aretheworkmanſhipofthe Spirit, and therefore calledby his name. The oppoſition betwixt theſe two is expreſſed by luſting, (i. e.) defiring the mutual ruin and deſtruction ofeach other; for even when they are not acting, yet then they are luſting; there is anoppoſitedifpoſition against each other ? which oppoſition is bothaformal and an effective oppoſition.
There are two contrary forms ; twomeninevery faint, Col. ii. 9, 10. From hence an effective oppofition must needs follow ; for as things are in their natures and principles, ſo they are in their operationsand effects ; workings always follow beings; fire and water are of contrary qualities,andwhen they meet, they effectively oppoſe each o ther.
Sin andgrace are ſo oppoſite,that ifſin ſhould ceaſe to oppoſegrace, itwouldcease tobe ſin; and ifgrace ſhouldceaſe to oppoſe ſia, itwould cease tobegrace. And thisdoth much
TheHeavenlyUse ofEarthlyThings. moreendangerthe work ofgrace than any otherenemyithath; becauſe it works againſt it more inwardly, constantly, and advantageously, thanany thing else cando.(1.) More inwardly, for ithath its being and working intheſame ſoulwhere grace dwells; yea, in the ſelf-fame faculties ; ſo that itnotonly fetsone faculty against another, but the famefaculty againſt itfelf; theunderstanding against the understanding, and the will against the will ; fo that ye cannot dothe good, nor yet the evilthatyewould; not the good that ye would, becauſewhen the ſpiritmoveth to good, andbeats upon the heart by Divine pulſations, exciting it toduty, the flesh-croffes and oppoſes it there; and if it cannot totally hinder the performance of a duty, yet it lames the foul upon the working hand, wherebytheperformance isnot ſo ſpiritual, free andcompoſed, as it defires; noryet the evil that you would commit, ifgrace were notthere; becauſewhen luft ſtirs, in its firſt motions, grace putsa rub inits way. "How can I do this great wickedneſs,
" andfinagainstGod ?" Gen. xxxix. 9. Andif itcannot(which for themoſt part it doth) hinder the acting of fin, yet it ſo engages the will againſt it,that it is not committed with complacencyandfullconfent,Rom.vii. 15."WhatI do, I allow not."
(2.) It oppoſes it more conſtantly, it is like a continual dropping; a man can nomore fly from thisenemy than from kimfelf.
There is a time when the devil leaves tempting, Matth. iv. 11. but no time when corruption ceaſes from working.
And, laſtly, It oppoſes grace more advantageously thanany other enemy cando, for it is not only always in the fame foul with it, but it is there naturally ; it hath the advantage ofthe foil which ſuits with it. And yet, oh the wonder offree grace! it isnot ſwallowed up in victory,but iteſcapes this hazard.
But(2.) It foon meets with another, though it eſcapes this, evenbytemptations, which ſtrike deſperately atthe very life of it; for theſe, like the weeds, with ſeemingly-loving embraces, clafpabout it; and didnot the faithfulGod now make away to eſcape, instead of an harvest, we should have an heap ? For, alas, what are we! to wreſtlewith principalities and powers andſpiritual wickedneſſes inhigh places ?
Laſtly, Sad relapſes, like blaſts and ruſtings, do often fade, andgreatly endanger it, when it is even readyfor the harvest.
Thus it fell outwith David, whoſe laſt ways were not like his first ; and yet by this theſe holy fruits were not utterly deſtroyed, becauſe it is the feed of God, andſo is immortal, I Joha v. 4, 5. And alſo becauſe the promises of perfeverance and victory made to it, cannotbe fruſtrated; amongst whichtheſe
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, are excellent, Ifa. liv. 10. Jer. xxxiv. 40. 1 Cor. i. 8. Pfal. i.
3. Pfal. cxxv. 1. John iv. 15.
Sothat here is matter of unſpeakable comfort; though the fleſh ſay, Ego deficiam, Iwill fail thee ; though theworld ſay, Ego decipiam, I will deceive thee; though the devil ſay, Ego eripiam, Iwill ſnatch thee away; yet as long as Chriſt ſaith, I willnever leavethee, nor forfake thee, thy graces are ſecure in the midst of all theſe enemies.
REFLECTION.S .
1. This foul ofminewas once plowedup by conviction, and fown (as I thought) with The apostate's the feed of God.
In thoſe days many purpoſes andgood reſolutions began tochink and bud forth, promifing a bleſſed harveſt : but oh! (with what conſternation andhorror ſhould I ſpeak it) the cares and pleafures of this life, the luſts and corruptions of my baſe heart ſpringing up, have quite deſtroyed and choaked it; by which it appears itwas not the feed of God, as I then imagined it to be; andnow my expected harveſt ſhall be anheap in the day ofgriefanddeſperate forrow, Ifa. xvii. 11.
I had convictions, butthey are gone; troubles for fin, confcience of duties, but reflection. all is blaſted, and my foul is now as a barren field, whichGod hath curſed.
Woe isme ! I have revolted fromGod, and now that dreadful word, Jer. xvii. 5, 6. is evidently fulfilled upon me; "for " I am like the heath inthe deſart, that feeth not when good
" cometh ; myfoul inhabits the parched places of the wilder- " neſs." Alas! all my formal and heartless duties were but as fo many ſcare-crows in the field, which could not defend theſe flight workings from being devoured by the infernal fowls.
Had theſe principlesbeenthefeed ofGod, no doubt theywould have continued and overcome the world, 1John ii. 19. Wretchedfoul! thy caſe is ſad; itwill be betterwith the uncultivated wilderness, thanwith ſuch a miſcarrying foul, unless the great
Huſbandman plow thee up the ſecond time,and ſow thy heart with better feed.
2. And are the corruptions ofmy heart Thecareless foul's to grace, what fowls, weeds, and mildews reflection.. are to the corn ? O what need have I then towatch my heart, andkeep it with alldiligence; for inthe life of that grace is wrapt up the life of my foul.
He that carries a candle in his hand, in abluſtring ſtormy night, had need to cover it cloſe, leſt it be blown out, andhe left in darkness. O let me never fay,Godhath pro
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
miſed it ſhall perfevere, and therefore Ineednotbe ſo follicitous to preſerve it ; for as this inference is quite oppoſiteto the nature oftrue grace and aſſurance, which never encourage to careleſneſs,butprovoke the foul to an induſtrious uſe ofmeans topreferve it; ſo it is in itſelfan irrational and ſenſelefs concluſion, which will never follow from any fcripture-promife : foralthough it is readily granted, thatGodhath mademany comfortable and ſweet promiſes to the grace of his people, yet wemust expect to enjoy the benefits and bleffings of all thoſe promiſes, inthatway.and orderin whichGod hath promised them;andthatis in the careful and diligent uſe of thoſemeans whichhehath preſcribed, Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37.
For promifes do not exclude, but imply the use ofmeans, Acts xxvii. 31 .
Iknowmy life is determinedto a day, to an hour, and I shall live out every minute God hath appointed ; but yet, I am boundtoprovide food, raiment and phyſictopreſerve it.
Toconclude, letalldoubting Chriſtians refiect ſeriouslyupon this truth, and fuck
The doubting marrowandfatneſscut ofis to ſtrengthen Soul's reflections. andeſtabliſh them against all their fears: your life, your fpiritual life hath for many years hangedin ſuſpence before you ; and you have often faid with David, I ſhall one dayfall bythe handofSaul.
Deſponding,trembling foul ! lift upthine eyes, andlookupon the fields ; the corn lives ſtill, and grows up,
⚫though birds have watched to devour it ; ſnows have covered it, beaftshave cropped it, weeds have almoſt choaked it, yet it is preſerved. And hath notGod more care of that precious feedofhis own Spirit in thee, than anyhusbandman hath of his corn ? Hath he not faid, " That having begun the good
" work in thee, he will perfect it to theday of Chrift ?" Phil . i. 6.
Hath he not faid, I giveunto them eternal life, andthey 1hall neverperiſh, John-x. 28.
Haſt thou not many times faid, and thought of it, as thoudoſt now, and yet it lives ? O whatmatter of unspeakablejoyand comfort isthis to upright fouls! Well then, be not diſcouraged, for thou doſt not run as one uncertain, nor fight as one that beats the air, 1 Cor. ix. 26. But the foundation of God ſtands ſure, having this ſeal, theLordknows who are his, 2Tim. ii. 19.
Though thy grace be weak, thyGod is strong; though the ſtream ſeem ſometimes to fail, yet 'tis fed byanever-flowing fountain.
The POEM.
IS juſtly wondered that an ear of corn T
VOL . VI.
Should come at laſt in ſafety tothebarn:
Husbandry Spiritualized; or , It runs through many hazards, threatning harmsy Betwixt the ſower's hands, and reaper's arms.
The earth no fooner takes itfrom the fack, But you may feebehindthe fower's back Atroop ofthieves,which would at once destroy
That feed in which lies hid the feed ofjoy.
This dangerous period paſt, itfoondoth fall Into a ſecond, no leſs critical.
It ſhooteth forth the tenderblade, and then The noxious weeds endanger it again.
Theſe claſp about ittill theykindly choak The corn, as flatt'ringivydoththe oak.
Areweeds deſtroy'd, and allthat danger paſt Lo, now another coines, the worſt at last :
For when i' th' ear itblows, begins to kern, Amildew ſmites it,which you can't difcern,
Nor any way prevent, tillall be loft, Thecorn destroy'd, with all your hopes and coſt.
Thus ſaving grace, that preciousfeed ofjoy, Which hell and natureplothow to destroy,
Eſcapes ten thouſanddangers, firſt and laſt, Owhocan ſay,now all the danger's paft ?
Tis like a crazy bark tofs'd in a ſtorm, Or like a taper which isſtrangely born Without a lanthornin abluſt'sing night, Or like to glimmering ſparks,whoſe dying light
Is ſtill preſerv'd: the roaringwaves ſwell high, Likemovingmountains inthedarken'd ſky :
Ontheir proud backs, the little bark is even Mounted unto the battlements ofheaven ; From thence diſmounted,to the deeps doth ſlide,
Receiving water upon every fide ; Yethe,whoſevoicethe proudeſt waves obey, Brings itat laſt intothe quietkey:
The bluſtring winds ſtrive, with afatal puff, Tobring the taper toa ſtinking ſnuff :
Their churliſh blaſts extinguish it,and then Our gentle breath recovers it again :
The fainting ſparks beneath the ashes lie, Where, choak'd and ſmother'd, theybegin to die
But theſe collected, we do gently blow, Tillfrom faint ſparks tolively flames theygrow.
Eventhus is grace preſerv'd, thus kept alive ; Byconſtantwonders, grace doth liveandthrive...