The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 71
Upon a ſnail.
71. Med.
OBſerving a ſnail that ſluggiſh creature, how ſlow ſhe was in her motion, how ſloathfull her pace, how much time was ſpent, how little ground ſhe rid, and obſerving alſo that all the inſtigations I could uſe, rather hindred then furthered her journey, for when I prickt her forward, ſhe plucks in her horns, and ſtood ſtill, and no means I could uſe could make her mend her pace, this made me think this was a fit embleme of a ſluggard, as he is lively ſet forth by wiſe Solomon in his book of Proverbs, the ſlothfull man (ſaith he) ſaith, there is a lion in the way, I ſhall be ſlain in the ſtreet, Pro. 26.13, 14. he forgets the roaring lion that prompts him to theſe ſilly excuſes; but never any came to hell that had not ſome excuſe for their coming thither; corrupt nature needs not be taught to tell her tail, ſin and ſhifting came into the world together; men hide their ſins from themſelves by falſe gloſſes, from others by idle excuſes, they would perſwade the world they have ſome reaſon to be mad, as the door (ſaith Solomon) turns upon the hinges, ſo doth the ſluggard upon his bed: abroad there is a lion, and at home there is a lusk that lives in the world to no purpoſe; he hideth his hand in his boſome, and it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth: and much more to this purpoſe, but of all other, the ſnail reſembleth the ſpiritual ſluggard, and the Lord knows there are many of them in our days, yea, which of us is not tainted with this diſeaſe? for hardly can we finde any men ſo ſluggiſh for the world, as moſt men are for heaven, or ſo careleſs for the body as they are for the ſoul, the moſt of us ſleep in harveſt, and are like to beg in winter; ſlug away the day, and make no proviſion for night, when they cannot work, and loſe the opportunity God affords them, and have a price put into their hands, but have no heart to get wiſdome; they provide not againſt the winter night of death, nor the days of darkneſs which will be many, Eccl. 11.8. for as ſure as the night follows the day, ſo ſure a change will come, a ſtorm will riſe, and ſuch a ſtorm as will never be blown away to wicked worldlings: There is too many profeſſors go on in heavens way, as the proverb hath it, on a ſnails gallop, we can ſcarce ſee them move; and many like the crab-fiſh rather go backward then forward, they are like thoſe ſilly women mentioned, 2 Tim. 3.7. ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; many have ſerved an apprentiſhip in Chriſtianity, ſome two, ſome three, and ſome more, and never yet underſtood the myſtery of their profeſſion, nay, not the grounds and fundamentals of Religion: thoſe that have been liſted ſouldiers twenty or thirty years have not yet learned to handle their arms, nor known the uſe of their weapons; thoſe that have been as long ſchollers in Chriſts ſchool yet have not learned the firſt leſſon, of ſelf denyal, they have the ſame corruption unmortifyed, the ſame grace weak or wanting; the ſame doubts unreſolved, and the ſame fears upon their ſpirits, as they had long ſince, many years are paſt away, and their work ſtands at a ſtay, no more fitter for death, no more aſſurance of heaven, no more communion with God, no more knowledge of the ſtate of their own ſouls, and all this notwithſtanding the means they have had, the Miniſtry they have enjoyed, and the ſeaſons of grace they have lived in; Now is not he a monſter in nature, that is as big at two years old as at twenty, and is it not a dullard indeed, that goes to ſchool twenty years, and cannot take out one leſſon: Ancient profeſſors ſhould grow with the oak, more firmly rooted, and with the apple more ripe and mellow, theſe trees of righteouſneſs ſhould bring forth fruit even to old age, and add every year to their experience; indeed there are ſome that grow in opinions, and think this is growing in grace, and in few years run the whole circle of errors, and at laſt end where they began at profaneſs if not at athieſm, they grow moſt in the head, like children that have the rickets, when the reſt of the body pines; theſe errors, the brats of their own brain are like ſuckers in a tree, they draw all the ſap that ſhould feed the other branches to themſelves, and run up into aſpiring branches fruitleſs, yea, hurtfull; the ſtrength and vigor of the ſoul, the life and heat of their zeal, is ſpent upon theſe to maintain them, when the power of godlineſs languiſheth, but true grace grows uniformly, like a healthy body, though every member grows not to the ſame bigneſs, yet every member grows in proportion to the reſt, and ſo the body is compleated; but alaſs where is this growth of grace diſcerned? the moſt profeſſors are in a languiſhing condition, their pulſe beats weakly, and their natural heat abates, and they are inclining to a conſumption, or a lethargy: oh my ſoul, is not this thy condition that is here deſcribed? art not thou fitly reſembled to this ſluggiſh creature? how long haſt thou been in Chriſts ſchool, and never the better? how many apprentiſhips haſt thou ſerved, and yet art a very dullard; and little more grace appears then did many years ago? well, double thy diligence, amend thy pace; ſet about thy work to purpoſe, leſt God turn thee out of his vineyard for a loiterer, and give thee thy portion with the unfaithfull, with the unprofitable ſervant, Mat. 25.26. had idleneſs been a calling, doubtleſs thou hadſt been a good husband, yet at laſt up and be doing, thou canſt not ſerve a better Maſter, expect better work or wages; O my God, what ſhall I ſay to thee, or how ſhall I anſwer thee? mine iniquity hath found me out, and my ſin ſhews it ſelf, it is I that reſemble this ſnail, and have ſluggiſhly ſerved thee all my days: Lord, rouſe me up out of my ſecurity, that I may make more haſte, leſt I fall ſhort of my journeys end.