XXXII.-UPON MANY CREATURES SEEMINGLY

DEAD IN WINTER.

WHEN I Considered how divers insects, some serpents, and other animals, which in the heat of summer are active and lively, but without wisdom or inclination to make any provision for the coming winter, are yet, by the mighty power of God, preserved during it without meat; for though they sleep, and even seem to die, yet in the following spring, when the sun returns in his strength, they recover, and the species is continued this made me admire the wonderful providence of the only wise God, that these creatures should live the one-half of the year without food. It reminded me of God's question to the prophet, and of his answer. God says, "Can

"O Lord God,

these bones live?" and he said, thou knowest," Ezek. xxxvii. 3. It is not in man's power to preserve them, nor beyond the power of God: with man it seems impossible, but with God all things are possible," Matt. xix. 26. Men may want power to execute their will; nature herself may be interrupted in her course, as it was when the fire burned not up the three worthies, and the water did not drown Peter walking upon it: Satan may be crossed, and chained up that he cannot hurt; but who can hinder the Almighty: there is nothing can

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UPON MANY CREATURES

This made me

overmatch an omnipotent arm. think, also, God can preserve his children's lives in spite of his enemies. "If they take away their meat," saith the martyr, " God can take away their hunger." Why not, as well as he does the sense of other creatures? and he will do it rather than his promise shall fail. Elijah goes in the strength of one meal forty days, and, had God pleased, it might have been forty years; for he could have preserved the Israelites forty years in the wilderness without food as well as with food from heaven, and as well as he preserved their garments from waxing old. "I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot," Deut. xxix. 5. They needed not to care what they should eat, or what they should drink, or wherewithal they should be clothed, Matt. vi. 31, for God made provision for all these wants; they were maintained at God's cost and charges.

Methought also, this cessation of action in these creatures in winter, did much resemble sleep, which, if God pleased, might be as long in other animals; and, were it not common, would be thought wonderful and little differing from death itself and yet experience shows us, that which seems to destroy nature, restores and refreshes it. But, above all, it resembles our lying in the grave, and our rising again at the resurrection; for the body sleeps in the dust till the last day, as these creatures do in their holes till the winter s past, and the spring approaches; and then will be revived by the Sun of righteousness,

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and life put into it; then these dry bones shall live. This I know some question and some deny, possibly because they cannot fathom the depth of this providence; and, were they not convinced by yearly experience of the other, they would deny that also, and would think it could not be, that creatures should have their life preserved the one half of the year at least without food, because they know not how it should be. But I think few articles of our faith are more clearly proved in Scripture than this of the resurrection. But many men, I fear, are wilfully blind; their lives and conversations being so debauched, they would believe, at least wish they could believe, there were no resurrection of the body, yea, that the soul were mortal as well as the body, and that the death of the one were the destruction of the other also; but the time is coming, they shall find the contrary to their sorrow. Both Scripture and reason speak plainly that the soul is immortal, and that the body partaking with it in holiness or sin, shall also partake with it in weal or woe; and that there will be a day of retribution, when those who now suffer for Christ shall then reign with him, and those who sin shall suffer for their sin. The contrary to this cannot stand with Scripture revelations, the threatenings of the law, the promises of the gospel, nor with Divine justice itself; and why should any think it impossible for God to gather our dust together, and raise up our dead bodies at the last, who yet believe that there is a God, and that he hath made not only man, but the whole creation of nothing, and that this God

112 CREATURES SEEMINGLY DEAD IN WINTER.

is just, and will make good both his promises and threatenings, and that nothing is too hard for an omnipotent arm?

O my soul, distrust not God's word, question not his power. He that can make all things of nothing, can of thy scattered ashes raise up thy dead body to life, and reunite it to thy soul; and he that says he will do it, will certainly perform it heaven and earth shall pass, but not one tittle of his word shall pass till all be fulfilled. Call not in question the power and providence of God, but labour to have a part in the first resurrection, that the second death may have no power, Rev. xx. 6. Get fitted for death and judgment; get sin pardoned and subdued, which is the sting of death; get grace implanted, and thy soul married unto Christ; then needest thou not fear death, nor the resurrection.

O my God, strengthen my faith, confirm my hope, and increase my love to thee; and let me long for the time that I may enjoy thee in glory, and lie for ever in thy everlasting arms.

Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. xviii. 14. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? Acts

xxvi. 8.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14.

XXXIII. UPON THE SINGING OF BIRDS.

WHEN I observed, in a warm morning in the spring-time, how merrily the birds did chirp and sing, in every tree, and hedge, and bush, and in their language did chant out their Maker's praise and their Benefactor's glory, and what various tunes and notes they sent forth, each one adding something to the melody; this occasioned in me the following meditation. These little birds, that neither reap nor sow, nor carry into barns, Matt. vi. 26, live upon their Creator's providence, and when they have eaten their breakfast, know not where to have their dinner, but depend upon their Maker's allowance; and yet how cheerful and unconcerned they seem to be, void of care and fear when hunger returns, they seek their meat where Divine Providence directs them, and take no care for the morrow, leaving it to God to make provision for them. "The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing," Psa. cxlv. 15, 16.

The consideration of this made me reflect upon my own self, and to observe my own faults and failings. O my soul, art not thou justly reproved by these little creatures, and hast thou not behaved thyself worse to thy God than these have