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tree in a dream, which represented himself, and shadowed forth to him his ensuing misery. But, O my conscience! my drowsy, sleepy conscience! wert thou but tender and faithful to me, thou wouldst make as round and terrible an application of such a spectacle to me, as the faithful prophet did to him. And thus wouldst thou, O my soul, bemoan thy condition.

Poor wretch! here I grow, for a little time, among the trees of righteousness, the plants of renown, but I am none of them; I was never planted a right seed; some green and flourishing leaves of profession, indeed, I have, which deceive others, but God cannot be deceived; he sees I am fruitless and rotten at the heart. Poor soul! what will thine end be but burning? Behold, the ax lieth by thy root; and wonder it is, that there it should lie so long, and I yet standing! Still mercy pleads for a fruitless creature: Lord, spare it one year longer. Alas! he need strike no great blow to ruin me; his very breath blows to destruction. A frown of his face can blast and ruin me. Psalm lxxx. 6. He is daily solicited by his justice to hew me down, and yet I stand. Lord, cure my barrenness! I know thou hadst rather see the fruit than fire upon me.

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PART III.

CHAPTER I.

UPON THE HUSBANDMAN'S CARE FOR HIS CATTLE.

More care for horse and oxen many toke, \
Than for their souls, or dearest children's sake.

OBSERVATION.

MANY husbandmen are excessively careful about their cattle, rising themselves early, or causing their servants to rise betimes, to provender and dress them. Much time is spent in some countries in trimming and adorning their horses with curious trappings and plumes of feathers; and if at any time their beasts be sick, what care is taken to recover and heal them you will be sure they shall want nothing that is necessary for them; yea, many will choose rather to want themselves, than suffer their horses so to do; and take a great deal of comfort to see them thrive and prosper under their hands.

APPLICATION.

What one said of bloody Herod, who slew so many children at Bethlehem, That it were better to be his swine than his son, may truly enough be applied to some parents and masters, who take less care for saving the souls of their children and servants, than they do for the bodies of those beasts which daily feed at their stalls and

cribs. Many there be who do in reference to their souls, as Jacob did with respect to the preservation of their bodies, when he put all the herds of cattle before, and his wives and little ones behind, as he went to meet his brother Esau. It is a weighty saying of a grave * author: "It is vile ingratitude to rejoice when cattle multiply, and repine when children increase; it is heathenish distrustfulness to fear that he who provides for your beasts, will not provide for your children; and it is no less than unnatural cruelty to be careful of the bodies of beasts, and careless of the souls of children." Let us but a little compare your care and diligence in both respects, and see, in a few particulars, whether you do indeed value your own, or your children and servants' souls, as you do the life and health of a beast.

1. Your care for your very horses is expressed early, whilst they are but colts, and not come to do you any service; you are willing to be at pains and cost to have them broken and brought to their way. This is more than ever many of them do for their children; they can see them wild and profane, naturally taking a stroke or way of wickedness, but yet never were at any pains or cost to break them; these must be fondled and indulged in the natural way of their own corruption and wick edness, and not a rod or reproof used to break them of it.

It is observed of the Persians,† that they put out their children to school as soon as they can speak, and will not see them in seven years after, lest their indulgence should do them hurt.

2. You keep your constant set times, morning and eve

*Jenk. on Jude, part ii. p. 170.

+ Clark's Mir. page 506.

ning, to feed, water and dress your cattle, and will by no means neglect it once but how many times have you neglected morning and evening duties in your families? Yea, how many be there, whose very tables, in respect of any worship God hath there, do very little differ from the very cribs and mangers at which their horses feed? As soon as you are up in a morning, you are with your beasts, before you have been with your God. How little do such differ from beasts? And happy were it, if they were no more accountable to God than their beasts are.

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The end of your care, cost and pains about your cattle is, that they may be strong for labor, and the more serviceable to you: thus you comply with the end of their beings. But how rare a thing is it to find these men as careful to fit their posterity to be useful and serviceable to God in their generations, which is the end of their beings? If you can make them rich, and provide good matches for them, you reckon that you have fully discharged the duty of parents: If they will learn to hold the plough, that you are willing to teach them; but, when you spend an hour to teach them the way of salvation? Now to convince such careless parents of the heinousness of their sin, let these queries be solemnly considered. Qu. 1. Whether this be a sufficient discharge of that great duty which God hath laid upon Christian parents in reference to their families? That God hath charged them with the souls of their families, is undeniable. Deut. vi. 6, 7. Eph. vi. 4. If God had not cloathed you with his authority, to command them in the way of the Lord, he would never have charged them so strictly to yield you obedience as he has done. Eph. vi. 1. Col. iii. 20. Well, a great trust is reposed in you, look to your duty; for, without dispute, you shall answer for it.

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