I 1 2 Califes of barrenneifi under the Gofell. ...._._ dourifh their weapons, never wounding their enemies there - with, fuppofe we have done as much as is required, when we attend upon the Ordinance of God, though we never make any particular and effe&uall application thereof. Ariffotle. Laert.l.5.c.i. was wont to tax the Athenians, quod cum duns res invenifent, frumenta ac leges, frumentis uterentur,!egibus nequaquam : And for this may we be no leffe jullly reproved, that God, having given us the fruits of the earth, and the law of life and fal- vation, we ufe the former but negleft the Iatter. Is it not wonderful) to fee how induftrious the Husbandman is to improve his ground, of a barren to make a fruitfull land? how the Merchant fetteth his wits on work to improve his trade ? how the married perlons doe long to fee their chil- dren 'land like Olive branches round about their Table ? how every perfon, yea every creature, in his way, after his kind, doth ( }rive to be fruitfull ? and (hall the Chriflian, the molt excellent piece of the workmanfhip of God, be conten- ted to remaine barren and unprofitable ? Doe you not heare how the Husbandman complaines, like the men of Jericho, if the field be barren ? how the Merchant droops and hangs downe the head, if his {hip nifcarry, his trade falle, and po- verty come upon him? Doe you not heare how the Husband like Ifaac,prayes for the fruitfulneffe of the Wife when there is no conception ? how the barren wife cryes with an impa- Gen. 30.1,z. tient fpirit, Give me children or I dye ? And {hall not we com- plaine, bow downe, and humble our felves for our barren- neffe in grace ? (hall not we fludy, flrive, labour, pray, and cry unto the Lord our God to open our hearts that are (hut up, to enlarge our foùles, to fill us with all goodneffe ? And to induce us hereunto,the confideration of the concomitants and fruits of this fpirituall barrenneffe, are of very great force. For, r Barrenne(fe refroachetb: It was a reproach to a mother I Sam. r .6. in Ifrael to be barren. Barrenneffe difgraceth fields, trees, cattle, reafonable and unreafonable creatures ; and barren - neffe of grace in like manner difgraceth us in the eyes of God, in the eyes of Gods children, giveth occafion of inful- tation to the adverfaries of Religion, as the bodily barren - neffe I
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