Beasts — Meditation 1

HAd this Bullock contented himself, and remained quietly within his own bounds, his Owner had never put such an heavy clog upon his neck; but I see the prudent Husbandman chuses rather to keep him with his clog, than lose him for want of one What this clog is to him, that is affliction and trouble to me; had my soul kept close with God in liberty and prosperity, he would never thus have clogged me with adversity; yea, and happy were it for me, if I might stray from God no more, who has thus clogged me with preventive afflictions. If with David I might say, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept your word, Psal. 119. 67. O my soul! 'tis better for you, to have your pride clogged with poverty, your ambition with reproach, your canal expectancies with constant disappointments, than to be at liberty to run from God and duty.

'Tis true, I am sometimes as weary of these, troubles, as this poor Beast is of the clog he draws after him, and often wish my self rid of them; but yet, if God should take them off, for ought I know I might have cause to wish them on again, to prevent a greater mischief. 'Tis storied of Basil, that for many years he was sorely afflicted with an inveterate head-ach, (that was his clog) he often prayed for the removal of it, al last God removed it; but instead thereof he was sorely exercised with the motions and temptations of lust, which when he perceived, he as earnestly desired his headach again, to prevent a greater evil. Lord! if my corruptions may be prevented by my affliction, I refuse not to be clogged with them; but my soul rather desires you wouldst hasten the time when I shall be for ever freed from them both.