The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 3
Ʋpon a Tuft of green Graſs.
3. Med.
WAlking into the Garden as at other times, to take the ayr, I faſtened my eyes upon a green tuft of graſs that grew beſides me; the ſight of it brought to my remembrance what I had often heard and read, viz. that the damned in hell ſhould ſuffer exquiſite torments, ſuch as the tongue of men or angels are not able to expreſs, and that for as many millions of years as there are graſs-piles upon the earth, ſands on the ſea ſhoar, ſtars in heaven, and motes in the Sun; and yet after all this long tract of time their torments ſhall be no nearer to an end nor they to a delivery, then they were the firſt day they were caſt in; This made me a little to conſider the number of piles that was in this little tuft, and when I found it too hard for me to number them, I conſidered what was this tuft to one paſture, or that to one Pariſh, or that to one County, or that to one Kingdome, or that to the whole world: this made me to cry out, Oh Eternity, Eternity! who can conceive of thee? who can fathom thee? Oh the horrible nature of ſin that provokes a mercifull God to lay ſuch heavy ſtrokes upon his poor creatures! Oh the love and pains of our dear Redeemer! what did he ſuffer to quench thoſe flames, and diſcharge thoſe debts for his people, in ſuffering what was due for their ſins? and oh the madneſs of men and my own folly, that knowing there is ſuch a remedileſs gulf before us, run on ſo madly towards it, and that for momentary pleaſures, deceitfull riches, worthleſs honour, or filthy ſin, do venture the ſoul upon the pikes of danger: Oh the miſery of poor unregenerate wretches! what will you do in the latter end? who amongſt us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? who amongst us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burning? Eſay. 33.14. Tophet is prepared of old, even for the King it is prepared, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a river of brimſtone doth kindle it, Eſaiah 30.33. Were a man compelled to lie upon a feather bed but one year without turning or ſtirring, though other comforts were afforded, how painful, how tedious would that year ſeem? but what is this one year to eternity, or what is a featherbed to ſcalding lead, and burning brimſtone? or what is that to hell torments? Oh Satan! how doſt thou deceive us? Oh world! how doſt thou inſnare us? Oh ſin! how doſt thou bewitch us? Oh heart! how doſt thou betray us to this deadly danger? Oh earth! how doſt thou betray thy faſteſt friends, and payeſt them off with pains for pleaſure, and buyeſt their ſouls for a thing of naught? Oh Satan! who would be thy ſervant, if this be thy wages? and yet how many fiſh come to thy net? and how proſperous haſt thou been when thou haſt baited thy hooks with the world? Oh my ſoul! is Eternity ſuch a fathomleſs gulf, without bank or bottom? how ſtands the caſe with thee? art thou for everlaſting joy or endleſs torment? what intereſt haſt thou in the one, or what hopes to avoid the other? what haſt thou that a hypocrite cannot have? or what doſt thou that he cannot do? God ſurely expects great difference in the work, when there is ſo much in the reward; give thy eyes no ſleep, nor thy eye-lids no ſlumber, till thou haſt ſome comfortable aſſurance of the love of God in the pardon of thy ſins, and the ſalvation of thy ſoul: make peace with thy Creditour before thou art caſt into priſon, otherwiſe there muſt thou remain till thou haſt paid the utmoſt farthing: If death ſurprize thee before thou art ready, hell will be thy lodging: get oyl, trim up thy lamp, get on thy wedding-garment, that thou be not ſhut out into utter darkneſs, where there is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth: Oh my God! make me ſuch as thy own ſoul delights in, give me in the qualifications thou haſt made neceſſary to Salvation; thou knoweſt my wants, Lord ſupply them; my debts, oh forgive them; my corruptions, Lord ſubdue them, and binde up my ſoul in the bundle of life; write my name in thy book, and at laſt lay me up amongſt thy Jewels.