The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 72
Upon a ſnail carrying her houſe along with her.
72. Med.
WHen I obſerved a ſnail carrying her houſe upon her back, and in ſo doing carryed all ſhe had with her in her removes, it brought to my minde how the Iſraelites in the wilderneſs, when ever they journeyed, they removed their tents, and carryed them with them, and when ever they reſted there, they picht them, and carryed all their ſubſtance for forty years ſpace along with them, and this might well put them in minde that they were ſtrangers, and pilgrims, and there reſt was not here: I have read of heathen Stilpo, when the enemy had ſeazed upon all he had, burnt the town he lived in, and took his wife and children priſoners, being asked by Demetrius, what he had loſt? replyed, nothing, omnia mea mecum porto: I carry all-along with me, eſteeming his vertues his only riches, which none could take from him, but all loſeable riches he valued not; This made me further conſider, if any heathen could ſay thus, how much more a Chriſtian, that hath all his vertues adopted graces, and hath an intereſt in Chriſt, and a title to glory? for this is a Chriſtians all, and he can properly lay claim to no more; for as he hath all from God, ſo he hath all in God, and having God, he hath all, and a rich portion it is, beyond all the gold in the Indies, and all the wealth in the world; it is a more ſoul-ſatisfying portion then the world can afford, and ſuch a portion, that is durable, for the devil and all his inſtruments cannot deprive them of it; and this they may take along with them to a priſon, to a gibbet, yea, to the utmoſt parts of the earth, if they are baniſhed thither: The men of the world would have their portion in the world and heaven, like paper and packthred into the bargain, but it will not be; they would carry the world upon their backs to heaven, but it is too great a burthen to carry up the hill, and too big to enter with at the ſtrait gate: The only way to make the beſt advantage of the world, is to take Chriſts counſel, Luk. 16.9. make your ſelves friends of the unrighteouſs mammon, that when they fail, they may receive you into everlaſting habitations: this is the way to ſend the world before us to heaven, or to improve it to the beſt advantage; teſtify your faith (ſaith the Apoſtle) by your works; improve theſe talents well, and God will reward you for it, riches are not properly ours, but Gods; but if we make ſure the Jewel, we ſhall have the box; if we buy the wine, we ſhall have the cask; and if we ſeek firſt the kingdom of heaven, and the righteouſneſs thereof, all other things ſhall be added, Mat. 6.33. moſt men begin at the wrong end, they make ſure the world, and think then, all is ſafe, and heaven ſure; but would they make heaven ſure, riches ſhould not be wanting: but moſt men think that ſcraping and keeping together is the way to be rich, but the holy Ghoſt teacheth us, that it is giving and laying out is the way: Solomon tells us, he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and he will repay him: Pro. 19.17. and he that gives to the poor ſhall not lack, Pro. 28.27. ſo that not getting but giving is the way to wealth; but he ſhall have judgement without mercy, that will ſhew no mercy: Jam. 2.13. rich men are Gods ſtewards, he truſts them with his ſtore-houſe, to give their fellow-ſervants their meat in due ſeaſon, and bleſſed is that ſervant whom his Lord when he comes ſhall finde ſo doing, Mat. 24.46. but if inſteed of feeding them, they feed themſelves, and eat and drink with the drunken, and beat their fellow-ſervants, their Lord ſhall come when they are not aware, and ſhall give them their portion with hypocrites, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth: but all places are too full of ſuch evil ſervants, and ſo is hell too; ſuch duſt-heaps are found in every corner, but thoſe unmercifull men ſhall have their portion with the devil and the damned, Mat. 25.34. when the charitable Chriſtian ſhall have a portion in glory; we are all Gods ſervants, and have ſome talents or other to improve in his ſervice to his glory, which if we do, we ſhall not be without our reward; there is none (ſaith God) ſhuts the door of my houſe for nought, or kindles a fire upon my altar for nought, Mal. 1.10. he hath lent us our riches, and yet if we improve them and employ them as we ought, they will become our own, and we ſhall ſend them to heaven before us, where they will be made up into a crown for us; this is the only good they can do the ſoul, but whatſoever is not thus improved is loſt, yea, worſe then loſt; for it will be put upon our account, and required of us when we give an account of our ſtewardſhip: It is a great miſtake, and ſo it will be found, when men think they have an abſolute propriety in what they enjoy, and may diſpoſe of it at their pleaſure: Chriſt bids the young man, ſell all that he had and give to the poor, and he ſhould have treaſure in heaven, Mat. 19.21. and rich men are charged to be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to give, that they may lay up for themſelves a good foundation againſt the evil day, 1 Tim. 6.16. &c. had rich men but Moſes eye, to ſee the wealth of heaven, and the worth of it, it were not hard for them to make ſuch a choiſe as he did; worldlings if they could have heaven without labour or coſt, they would accept of it; if not, they will not buy it at ſo dear a rate; but Chriſtians ſay, as Mephiboſheth, let Zibah take all, ſo I may enjoy the king: oh my ſoul, here is riches worth labouring for, thou canſt not buy this gold at too dear a rate, the world thou maiſt, and many do with the loſs of the ſoul: here thou canſt not be diſappointed, whatever rate thou ſetſt upon this treaſure, it is ten thouſand times better: lay hold upon this, make heaven ſure to thy ſelf, improve the world to a ſpiritual advantage, then will thy riches encreaſe as the oyl in the cruſe, or like the bread in Chriſts hands, or the water in a ſpring; thy good works will follow thee to heaven, when the world will leave her deareſt minions: oh my God, let it be ſo, ſay amen to my prayer, let me have thee, and I have all things neceſſary.