against me in judgment. I have been in pangs, and brought forth nothing but wind; my troubles have wrought no deliverance, neither havé my lusts fallen before them.

My conscience indeed hath been sometimes sick with sin, yea, so sick as to vomit them up with an external, partial reformation; but then with the dog have I turned again to my vomit, and now I doubt I am given over to an heart that cannot repent. Oh! that these travailing pangs could be quickened again! but alas! they are ceased. I am like a prisoner escaped, and again recovered, whom the jailor loads with double irons. Surely, O my soul! if thy spiritual troubles return not again, they are but gone back to bring eternal troubles. It is with thee, O my soul! as with a man whose bones have been broken, and not well set; who must, how terrible soever it appear to him, endure the pain of breaking and setting them again, if ever he be made a sound man. 0 that I might rather choose to be the object of thy wounding mercy, than of thy sparing cruelty! If thou plough not up my heart again by compunction, I know it must be rent in pieces at last by desperation.

THE POEM.

THERE'S skill in ploughing, that the ploughman knows, For if too shallow, or too deep he goes,

The seed is either buried, or else may

To rooks and daws become an easy prey,

This, as a lively emblem, fitly may

Describe the blessed Spirit's work and way :

Whose work on souls with this doth symbolize ;
Betwixt them both thus the resemblance lies.
Souls are the soil, conviction is the plough,
God's workmen draw, the Spirit shews them how.
He guides the work, and in good ground doth bless
His workmen's pains with sweet and fair success,
The heart prepared, he scatters in the seed,
Which in its season springs, no fowl nor weed
Shall pick it up, or choke this springing corn,
"Till it be housed in the heavenly barn.
When thus the Spirit ploughs up the fallow ground,
When with such fruits his servant's work is crown'd;
Let all the friends of Christ and souls say now,
As they pass by the fields, God speed the plough.
Sometimes this plough thin shelvy ground doth turn,
That little seed which springs the sun-beams burn;
The rest uncovered lies, which fowls devour:

Alas! their heart was touch'd, but not with pow'r.
The cares and pleasures of this world have drown'd
The seed before it peep'd above the ground.
Some springs indeed, the scripture saith that some
Do taste the powers of the world to come.
These embryos never come to timely birth,
Because the seed that's sown wants depth of earth.
Turn up, O God, the bottom of my heart;
And to the seed that's sown, do thou impart
Thy choicest blessing. Though I weep and mourn
In this wet seed-time, if I may return

With sheaves of joy, these fully will reward
My pains and sorrows, be they ne'er so hard.

CHAPTER VIII.

UPON THE SEED CORN.

The choicest wheat is still reserv'd for seed,
But gracious principles are choice indeed.

OBSERVATION.

HUSBANDMEN are very careful and curious about their seed-corn, that it may not only be clean and pure, but the best and most excellent of its kind.

Isaiah xxviii. 25.

"He casteth in the principal wheat." If any be more full and weighty than other, that is reserved for seed. It is usual with husbandmen to pick and lease their seedcorn by hand, that they may separate the cockle and darnel, and all the lighter and hollow grains from it, wherein they manifest their discretion; for according to the vigor and goodness of the seed, the fruit and production is like to be.

APPLICATION.

The choice and principal seed-corn, with which the fields are sowed, after they are prepared for it, doth admirably shadow forth those excellent principles of grace infused into the regenerate soul. Their agreement, as they are both seed, is obvious in the ten following particulars, and their excellency above all other principles in

seven more.

1. The earth at first naturally brought forth corn and every seed yielding fruit, without human industry; but since the curse came upon it, it must be ploughed and sowed, or no fruit can be expected. So man at first had all the principles of holiness in his nature; but now they must be infused by regeneration, or else his nature is as

void of holiness as the barren and untilled desart is of

corn.

2. The earlier the seed is sown, the better it is rooted, and enabled to endure the asperities of the winter; so when grace is early infused, when nature is sanctified in the bud, grace is thereby exceedingly advantaged. It was Timothy's singular advantage that he knew the scriptures from a child.

3. Frosts and snows conduce very much to the wellrooting of the seed, and make it spread and take root much the better. So do sanctified afflictions, which usually the people of God meet with after their calling, and often in their very seed time. 1 Thes. 1, 6. "And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having reIceived the word in much affliction." But if they have

fair weather then, to be sure they shall meet with weather hard enough afterwards. Heb. x. 32. "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.

4. When the seed is cast into the earth, it must be covered up by the harrow, the use whereof in husbandry is not only to lay a plain floor, as they speak, but to open and let in the corn to the bosom of the earth, and there cover it up for its security from birds that would devour it Thus doth the most wise God provide for the security of that grace which he at first disseminated in the hearts of his people. "He is as well the finisher, as the author of their grace," Heb. xii. 2. and of this they may be confident, that he that hath begun a good work in them will perform it unto the day of Christ. The care of God over the graces of his people, is like the covering of seed for security.

5. Seed-corn is in its own nature of much more value

and worth than other corn; the husbandman casts in the principal wheat. So are the seeds of grace sown in the renewed soul, for it is called "the seed of God," 1 John iii. 9. "the divine nature," 2 Peter i. 4. One dram of it is more grace is far beyond all the glory of this world; precious than gold, which perishes. 1 Pet. i. 7. "The price of it is above rubies, and all that thou canst desire is not to be compared with it." Prov. iii. 15.

6. There is a great deal of spirit and vigor in a little seed, though it be small in bulk, yet it is great in virtue and efficacy. Gracious habits are also vigorous and efficacious things. Such is their efficacy that they overcome the world. 1 John v. 4. "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." They totally alter and change the person in whom they are. He that persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which he once destroyed. They enable the soul to do and suffer great things for God. Heb. xi. 33, 34, 35.

7. The stalk and ear are potentially and virtually in a small grain of corn. So are all the fruits of obedience which believers afterwards bring forth to God, virtually contained in those habits or seeds of grace. It is strange

to consider, that from a mustard-seed (which, as Christ saith, is the least of all seeds) should grow such great branches, that the birds of the air may build their nests in them. Surely the heroical and famous acts and achievments of the most renowned believers sprung from small beginnings at first, to that eminency and glory.

8. The fruitfulness of the seed depends upon the sun and rain, by which they are quickened, as is opened largely in the next chapter; and the principles of grace in us have as necessary a dependance upon the assisting and exciting grace without us. For though it be true, they