The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 16
Upon an heap of Ants or Piſmires.
16. Med.
FInding in the garden a heap of ants or piſmires, at the root of a tree, which I look't upon as no friends but enemies to an orchard, I diſturbed them with my foot, and they ſoon took the allarm, whereupon I took notice how theſe painful creatures behaved themſelves when thus diſturbed; they were all in a confuſion, ſome run this way, and ſome that, and no one knew where, or how to ſettle; and yet I obſerved every one laying hold of ſomething, and getting ſome burden upon his back, though he knew not where to bear it, I thought this confuſion reſembled a beſeiged City, when taken by the enemy, or the Countrey when an enemy makes an incurſion, the inhabitants every one ſhifts for himſelf, one runs this way, another that, to ſave himſelf, and if it may be to ſecure his chiefeſt Jewels, or that which he moſt values; this minded me by the way, that it was a Chriſtians wiſdome in all the incurſions of ſatan, and the inroads and aſſaults he makes upon us, to ſecure the ſoul our chiefeſt Jewel, and not leave it unguarded at his mercy: this is our fort-royall, which if taken we are undone, but if ſafe, though he take the out-works, it matters not much, if the caſtle be ſecure: Let us ſtore this therefore with proviſion, and ammunition, againſt the aſſaults of this treacherous enemy. Again, this confuſed ſtir that thus happened among theſe poor inſects, repreſented to me the hurlyburly that is abaoad in the world, wherein are millions of men; every one driving on ſome particular deſigne, and yet go various ways to work; ſome purſue after riches, ſome honours and ſome pleaſures, and yet agree not on the way, nor on the means to attain their end: Thoſe that aim at riches, all tread not in the ſame ſteps, ſome go a more plain way then others do, and by labourious toiling, carking, care and pains, ſeek to get it, and are no ones foes but their own, in ſpending ſo much time upon it, that they neglect their greater concerns; others by more ſubtill, but leſs honeſt ſhifts, caſt their ground, and think to take their prey before their neighbours; theſe by lying, cheating, ſwearing, forſwearing, cozening, and circumventing, make haſt to be rich, but cannot be innocent: theſe ofttimes with the Eagle ſtealing meat from the altar, bring a coal with it, which fires their own neſts: ill-gotten goods ſeldome proſper, and the third heir ſeldome enjoys them; ſome in the purſuit of honour take the way of vertue, and hunt after it by deſert; but theſe are but few, yet this is the ſecureſt road: others endeavour to aſcend the ſteps of promotion by fawning, and flattery, and ſuch indirect courſes, but though theſe are the moſt by far, yet ofttimes they break their necks ere they come to the top of the ladder, and are always ſet in ſlippery places; the former way though leaſt trodden, and moſt painfull, is the ſureſt and ſafeſt; for honour follows virtue, as the ſhadow doth the ſubſtance: others that purſue pleaſure differ alſo, ſome ſeek after more innocent delights, others eſteem none worth enjoying, but what is the forbidden fruit, and deſperatly purſue ſuch pleaſures, that periſh ere they are budded, and the end of that mirth is heavineſs. In a word, ſome are building caſtles in the air, and never live to finiſh them, others are getting goods, and know not who ſhall enjoy them; others are raking together by hook or by crook, and others are ſcattering abroad what is thus ſcraped together, and ſpend all, and know not who ſhall relieve them; ſome are promiſing themſelves content if they had a Lordſhip, others if they had a Dukedome, and ſome if they had a Kingdcm, which if attained they are no nearer ſatisfaction, then before; and they are ſcarce warm in their places, but death with a daſh with his foot, breaks the pitcher, and ſpoils the ſport, and ſtrips him of that in an hour, that he hath been projecting for all his life: and thus you ſee there is a confuſed hurly-burly in the world, every man driving on his own deſignes, and God all this while tacitly by this, is a carrying on his deſignes, perhaps quite contrary to theirs. Or this tumultuous confuſion amongſt theſe little creatures may reſemble a crowd in a market or fair, ſome ruſh this way, ſome that, that he that ſtands at a diſtance, and obſerves their motion, thinks it is a confuſion, yet every man is carrying on ſome deſigne or other, and moves accordingly. Oh my ſoul, loſe not thy ſelf, thy pains, thy precious time, as many do, in ſeeking honey in a waſps neſt, or that in the world which no man was ever yet able to finde there; content, ſatisfaction, and happineſs; theſe are not ſown in the furrows of thy field, and therefore are not to be found in full bags, and barns; content grows not in natures garden, and thoſe that ſeek happineſs beneath the moon, are miſtaken; the enjoyment of God in glory is our compleat happineſs, and nothing elſe will give the ſoul content, let the world ſay what it will to the contrary: carking cares, and fretting fears, and Jealouſies about earthly enjoyments, are ſo far from being the way to it, that it choaks the word which is the means to attain it: the riches, honours and pleaſures the world affords, which are the worlds Deity, whereupon moſt men doat, as much as the Epheſians did upon Diana's Temple, bear no more proportion to true riches, true pleaſures, and true honours, then painted fire on the wall to true fire, or a King upon a Stage, to a King upon the throne, they only bear an empty name, and notion; thoſe that purſue them will finde their miſtake, and that they were not worth their time and pains, and cark and care, eſpecially their ſouls, which are like to be loſt into the bargain; but God and Chriſt, and heaven and glory, are worth our labour; we cannot buy this gold to dear: Oh my God, this hath been my folly, to hunt after theſe butterflys, and neglect the race, where a crown of glory was to be the prize, and my own ſoul lay at the ſtake; I have laid out my money for that which is not bread, and my labour for that which ſatisfyeth not: I have been one of theſe buſy creatures, that have made a great and confuſed buſtle in the world, to little purpoſe: help me now to devote my ſelf to thy ſervice, and give up not only my name, but my heart to Chriſt, then may I expect a better reward, then the world hath given me, and better happineſs then the creatures can afford.