grace. Yet, as the Lord putteth no truft in his faints, whom he knows to be frail creatures; not without their blemishes: so may we truft to them, and be deceived by them. They may promife to pray for us, and forget us; or make but a flight mention of us. Yea, they may in earneft intercede for us; and yet find thofe cafes; in which even Noah, Daniel and Job, fhall not be heard, but for themselves. And, alas, who can pray them into heaven; that will run on, in the very way to hell? even God's dear ones, have enough to do, (with fear and trembling,) to work out their own falvation. The grace that brought them to glory, will not make a bridge, to carry us thither. No, their goodness will do us no good, but leave us the more to answer; if it made us never the better.

And, what though I have friends, fo dear, and affectionately inclined to my interefts; that I dare put, not only my fecrets, but my life, and all that ever I have in the world, into their hands. These are bleffings, indeed, thankfully to be owned: but not ultimately to be trusted. No, for in my greatest needs they may fail me: and not only for want of power, but of will, to do for me. They may be otherwise engaged; or alienated from me, yea, turned against me. Or they may utter the expreffions of kindness to me, and shake their heads, and wring their hands, and fhed their tears over me: and yet be out of all capacity, to do what I want for me: and prove phyficians of no value, yea, altogether vanity. O then how fhall I be deceived, to my coft and forrow, when I will hang upon ftraws, and make me bridges of rotten sticks; and raife up a mighty pile of high expectation, on the breath of a man, which is blown out in a moment: and he returns to his earth, and in that very day all his thoughts perifh. And all is then quite at an end, which I made account of, from that quarter.

Now

Now here, my foul, let me beware, not only of trufting to that which will deceive me; but alfo of that felf-deceit to talk of trufting in nothing but God, when he knows it to be no fuch matter. For whatever I do pretend, that is really my truft, to which I think of betaking myfelf, when pursued with foes and fears; as the hunted beaft runs to his den: and where I reckon of fafety and relief, when driven with danger, and put to my fhifts. And if from hence grows my boldness, that I am fo provided, underlined, or befriended in the world; and that I have fuch names and numbers on my fide, to help me out in every strait and pinch: this then is my truft: and fuch truft is my fin; and like to be my fnare. Ọ let me take off my eyes from men, and means, to look through them, and above them; further than the ends of the earth, where alone my help is to be found. For it is not in man, in any man; or in any thing, that this world can afford: no, but the arm of the Lord is my ftrong and fure defence: the fhadow of his wings is my fole fecurity; and God himself my refuge and ftrength, and prefent help, in every time of need and trouble.

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THE hope of Ifrael, and the hope of all the ends of the earth! to whom, but unto "thee, fhould I feek for my relief, and all defired good? and where but with thee, can I ever be safe, "and eafy and happy? whitherfoever elfe I do be"take myself, it will be to my infinite damage and "lofs. For my only help is in the name of the

Lord, that made heaven and earth. O take me off

all carnal confidences, and all worldly dependen"cies; to truft in thy name, O Lord, and ftay my. "felf upon my God: that I may ceafe from man, "whofe breath is in his noftrils; and ftill make the "fhadow of thy wings my refuge: and fo thou mayeft

"mayeft take care of me, relying upon thee; and "fave me, because I put my truft in thee; through "the merits of thy dear Son, my blessed Saviour. "Amen."

MEDITATION VIII.

Of the great danger that lies in the World's Fulness.

MY foul! who is not for getting even all that ever he can of the world? but how few that have the fulness of all things, are fenfible of their danger from hence, or in any care to prevent it; that their getting of all here, may not turn to the fpoiling of all with them for ever? but whether or not they fee it, and fear it, yet nevertheless is the peril; both from the cumber, and from the pleasure of what they enjoy here in the world. So much to do is there in the very management: that O how many does it even swallow up; to keep their accounts, to receive their incomes, to get in their debts, and fet out again; fo as to fecure and improve what they have got: that they may not decline, but thrive, in the temporal estate? this they take for calling enough; and dear employment, in which they are glad to plunge themselves; and to make it the excufe for their floth and trifling in the affairs of their fouls. Let the fpiritual cafe be never fo forlorn and defperate; they have fomewhat else to do, than look after that. So are they amused and loft in the world; that they have no ears to regard the Saviour, who calls them to hear his voice, and to follow his ways. They cannot a while to be faved: when fuch important matters lie on their hands; that Mammon calls, and the flesh craves : and they muft live, and be great themfelves: and provide

provide for I know not whom, nor they neither: according to that obfervation of old, (and as much reafon for it ftill, Pfal. xxxix. 6.) he heapeth up riches, and knows not who fhall gather them. Yet on he drives; and this is the main, and the all, that he cares for. His hands are full, and his head is full: 'till no room remains, for any thing else to be done, or thought of. Thus he falls into temptation and a fnare, and all the foolish and hurtful lufts, that pull on his deftruction. Though all this while, he is called the careful man, and a good hufband; and much commended, for the wisdom of advancing himself and raifing his family.

But whatever I may have of the world, O my foul, never let me make fuch a mighty matter of it: when I cannot but know, how much bigger concerns I have to fecure, what a fpurt is this prefent life; how foon all that ever I hold here, will be out of my hands, and that God fent me not hither, to fit counting and hatching over a little pelf: but to number my days, and provide for my foul; and to make fure of a lafting inheritance, to live upon, where I muft abide for ever.

But now, can I suppose there is any pleasure to be found in that unweildy lumber, which gives so much trouble to attend and manage it? Sure it is a trouble. fome pleasure, as well as a pleafing trouble: and yet, fo far do men of the world count the pleasure, to preponderate the trouble; that they are extremely fond of it, and even bewitched with it. O how do they value themfelves upon what they have, and think they have authority to lay it on; and be proud and luxurious, and as exceffive as they pleafe; because they have enough, and spend but their own? and then, who fhall call them to account? nay, it is well, if it come not to that infolence against the great giver of all, who is the Lord, that we fhould obey his voice. Well, if religion be not kicked out of doors, as the troubler of their house, that will not

let

let them alone, to do what they lift; be they never fo outrageous in their manners, and infufferable among their neighbours, yet the worldly fufficiency, that must answer for all; and give them licence, to be fo naught, because they are fo rich.

O my foul, how loud does this call, to alarm thy care, that what God has given me of the world's good, prove not fuch a dead weight, to pull me from -him; and pin me down to the earth! that it lie not as the great barricade, to stop me out of heaven. O let me not think, I have liberty to be less godly, because I am more wealthy: but rather count myself obliged, to be beforehand with others in his holy fervice, who fet me aforehand with them, by his bountiful favours; to exalt his name, and promote his religion, as he has raised my fortune, and bettered my condition. O fhall I be fo bafe, to fet him at naught, that has fet me up? fhall I be more careless of my foul; because he has fo plentifully provided for my body? and when he has fed me to the full, fhall I wax wanton; and fo mind the pleafing of my flesh; as not to think of pleasing the Lord? O God forbid! and give me grace, to make myself as remarkable for a godly life; as the Lord has made me remarkable for worldly wealth. And let none outdo me for another world; who outdo fo many for this world. O let me be fet upon doing good, while I have time for it; and be the quicker, as my time is the fhorter. Whatever I have of the world, let me take it as the trial of my gratitude, and fidelity to the Lord; whether I will use it for him, or against him; to make me the loofer and the worfe; or the holier and better towards him. And may this ftill be my care and endeavour, so to order it; not that the world may now call me a fubftantial, wealthy man: but that the Lord, at laft, may say to me, well done good and faithful fervant.

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