The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 54
Ʋpon bees kil'd for their honey.
54. Med.
WHen I conſidered how the poor harmleſs, innocent creatures, the Bees, when by their continued labours, painful diligence, and unwearied travels, had gathered their food in the Summer, and gathered their meat in the harveſt, and ſtored themſelves, and furniſhed their little cels, and laid in proviſion for the enſuing winter, and that without any trouble, wrong, or injury to any living creature; (a courſe which many rational creatures come ſhort of, who either gather not at all, or if they do, it is by wrong and rapine) I ſay then when they were in the heighth of their proſperity, and in the midſt of their plenty, yea, even at the fulleſt, ſuddenly they were ſurprized, ſtript of all, and cruelly butchered, and their lives taken away from them, and that for no other fault or injury but that they were rich, and for the honey they had painfully and honeſtly gathered; not unlike to the poor ſilly ſheep, who when he hath gotten a great fleece, is ſoon ſhorn, and when he hath gotten a fat back is ſoon ſent to the ſhambles; I thought this alſo reſembled the unconſtancy, and uncertainty of earthly enjoyments, for it is with rationall creatures, as it is with bruits, and inſects, thoſe that have moſt, are moſt in danger, and riches ofttimes are ſtored up for the hurt of the owners thereof; many poor innocent perſons in the world, have been made tranſgreſſors, not for a word, Eſay. 39.21. but for their wealth: This is uſuall under the tyrannical government of the Turk, and other infidels, where the only crime (though others are objected) is their being rich; when they are once fat, they are ſoon ſent to the ſhambles, they are like fed beaſts, reſerved for the day of ſlaughter, and they are dealt with, as Naboath was for his vineyard, or Uriah for his wife; The one killed for no other offence but that he had a vineyard, the other for that he had a beautiful wife: oh world, how doſt thou deceive thoſe thou flattereſt, and betrayeſt thoſe that love thee beſt; is this thy dealing with thy friends, and favorites, and are thy Syren-ſongs ſuited to this end? Solomon tells us, the rich mans wealth is his ſtrong-city, and as an high wall in his conceit, Pro. 18.11. and 10.15. and this is the ſtrength wherein he truſted, he that ſaith to the fine gold, thou art my confidence, Job 31.24. alas what a thin ſpiders web do they lean upon? what an Egiptian reed do they truſt to? but curſed is that man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arm, and whoſe heart departeth from the living God. Riches many times proves ſnares for the feet, yea, ruine for the ſoul. Many have been barbarouſly rob'd, yea kil'd and murthered for their wealth, when no other cauſe can be objected or pretended: ſome in their own houſe, ſome by the high-ways, yea, many by their near relations, and all to enjoy their wealth: many by their riches, honours or preferments procure envy, hatred, and malice, and ſtir up many enemies, who at length finde out a way to throw them down from the higheſt ſtep of the ladder to the foot. Cardinal Wolſey might be an inſtance of this, and many more of latter days, where many have been brought from an high eſtate, to extream poverty, and well if they eſcaped with their lives. Wealthy Nations are a ſhrewd temptation to their Neighbouring Princes, and are a prey that oft falls into their laps, and the Uſurpers ſometimes are ſcarce warm in their ſeats, but they are ſhaken out alſo: the wheel of fortune is very unconſtant, the ſpoak which now is uppermoſt, is ſoon brought under; what bloudy war was the world ever embroyled in, but upon the account of rule, and government, of welath and riches, and the greateſt ſtorms fall oft upon the talleſt Cedars, when the poor ſhrubs are hardly ſhaken: how frequent was it in Rome in former days, and it is well if it be now bettered, to kill a Naboth meerly for his vineyard, and a rich man for his wealth; I wiſh ſome Courts of Judicature in our days do not more conſider the eſtate then the crime, and deſire not more the delinquents money, then their Reformation, Cantabit vacuus coram latron… viator; poverty ſometimes, exempts real of fenders from puniſhment, when riches lays open the innocent to ſufferings, but it is not the law but the corruption of officer… that is here to be faulted, however by thi… we ſee, wealth is not always a ſure refuge here, and it will be a pitiful refuge hereafter. Oh my ſoul, if there be ſuch danger in riches, and that ofttimes they prove hindrances, and not helps, ſnares, yea, hurtful ſnares, not only to the ſoul, but to the body alſo, and tend to take away both life and liberty, what cauſe haſt thou to bleſs God that he hath given thee Agar's petition, neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient, and doſt neither want nor abound: And though God hath taught thee like the poor birds in diem vivere, and ſo put thee in minde daily to beg for thy daily bread, yet he hath never failed to give it thee in due ſeaſon: hadſt thou had more wealth, thou mightſt have had more enemies, and conſequently more troubles; a little ſhip in a ſtorm may thruſt into any creek or harbour, where a great one cannot ride; hadſt thou held out a great ſail, thou hadſt been more toſſed in the tempeſt, and more like to have been ſplit upon one rock or other: it is not the greatneſs of the cage that makes the bird ſing, nor the greatneſs of the eſtate that brings inward joy, or cordiall content: oh my God, rather turn me in a bare paſture for ſtore, then feed me for the ſhambles; feed my ſoul, though my body pine, give me a portion in heavenly things, and it ſufficeth, for what good will the world do without thee?