I

XV. LAWFUL STEALTH.

FIND two (husband and wife) both stealing,

and but one of them guilty of felony. And Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's,* and Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian. In the former a complication of theft, lying, sacrilege, and idolatry; in the latter no sin at all. For what our conscience tells us is lawful, and our discretion dangerous, it is both conscience and discretion to do it with all possible secrecy. It was as lawful for Jacob in that case privately to steal away, as it is for that man who finds the sunshine too hot for him, to walk in the shade.

in

God keep us from the guilt of Rachel's stealth. But for Jacob's stealing away, one may confess the fact, but deny the fault therein. Some are said to have gotten their life for a prey, if any, that sense, have preyed on (or, if you will, plundered) their own liberty, stealing away from the place where they conceived themselves in danger, none can justly condemn them.

BO

LEIAN

I

XVI. TEXT IMPROVED.

HEARD a preacher take for his text: Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?t I wondered what he would make thereof, fearing he would starve his

* Gen. xxxi. 19.

+ Numb. xxii. 30.

auditors for want of matter. But hence he observed:

1. The silliest and simplest, being wronged, may justly speak in their own defence.

2. Worst men have a good title to their own goods. Balaam a sorcerer; yet the ass confesseth twice he was his.

3. They who have done many good offices, and fail in one, are often not only unrewarded for former service, but punished for that one offence.

4. When the creatures, formerly officious to serve us, start from their wonted obedience (as the earth to become barren, and air pestilential) man ought to reflect on his own sin as the sole cause thereof.

How fruitful are the seeming barren places of scripture. Bad ploughmen, which make balks of such ground. Wheresoever the surface of God's word doth not laugh and sing with corn, there the heart thereof within is merry with mines, affording, where not plain matter, hidden mysteries.

GOD

XVII. THE ROYAL BEARING.

OD is said to have brought the Israelites out of Egypt on eagles' wings.* Now eagles, when removing their young ones, have a different posture from other fowl, proper to themselves (fit it is that there should be a distinction betwixt sovereign and subjects), carrying their prey in

* Exod. xix. 4.

their talons, but young ones on their backs, so interposing their whole bodies betwixt them and harm. The old eagle's body is the young eagle's shield, and must be shot through before her young ones can be hurt.

Thus God, in saving the Jews, put himself betwixt them and danger. Surely God, so loving under the law, is no less gracious in the gospel : our souls are better secured, not only above his wings, but in his body; your life is hid with Christ in God.* No fear then of harm, God first must be pierced before we can be prejudiced.

XVIII. NONE TO HIM.

I How well it hits him, and he it! Could Satan's

T is said of our Saviour, his fan is in his hand.†

clutches snatch the fan, what work would he make! He would fan as he doth winnow, in a tempest, yea, in a whirlwind, and blow the best away. Had man the fan in his hand, especially in these distracted times, out goes for chaff all opposite to the opinions of his party. Seeming sanctity will carry it away from such, who, with true but weak grace, have ill natures and eminent corruptions.

There is a kind of darnel, called lolium murinum, because so counterfeiting corn, that even the mice themselves (experience should make them good tasters) are sometimes deceived therewith.

* Colos. iii. 3. + Matth. iii. 12.

Luke, xxii. 31.

Hypocrites in like manner so act holiness, that they pass for saints before men, whose censures often barn up the chaff, and burn up the grain.

Well then! Christ for my share. Good luck have he with his honour. The fan is in so good a hand it cannot be mended. Only his hand who knows hearts is proper for that employment.

XIX. HUMILITY.

T is a strange passage, Rev. vii. 13, 14: And

saying unto me,

What are these who are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they who have come out of great tribulation, &c.

How comes the elder, when asking a question, to be said to answer? On good reason for his query in effect was a resolution. He asked St. John, not because he thought he could, but knew he could not answer; that John's ingenuous confession of his ignorance might invite the elder to inform him.

As his question is called an answer, so God's commands are grants. When he enjoins us, Repent, believe, it is only to draw from us a free acknowledgment of our impotency to perform his commands. This confession being made by us, what he enjoins he will enable us to do. Man's owning his weakness is the only stock for God. thereon to graft the grace of his assistance.

MEDITATIONS ON THE TIMES.

E'

I. NAME-GENERAL.

BER had a son born in the days when the earth was divided.* Conceive we it just after the confusion of tongues, when mankind was parcelled out into several colonies. Wherefore Eber, to perpetuate the memory of so famous an accident happening at the birth of his son, called him Peleg, which in the Hebrew tongue signifieth partition, or division.

We live in a land and age of dissension. Counties, cities, towns, villages, families, all divided in opinions, in affections. Each man almost divided from himself, with fears and distractions. Of all the children born in England within these last five years, and brought to the font (or, if that displease, to the bason) to be baptised, every male may be called Peleg, and female Palgah, in the sad memorial of the time of their nativity.

* Gen. x. 25.