Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations, pertinent applications, and serious reflections and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem : directing husband-men to the most excellent improvements of their common imployments : whereunto is added ... several choice occasional meditations / by John Flavell.

MEDIT. V.

Vpon the sudden withering of a Rose.

BEeing with my friend in a Garden, we gathered each of us a Rose; he handled his tenderly, smel'd to it but sel∣dom and sparingly, I alwayes kept it to my nose, or squeezed it in my hand, whereby in a very short time, it lost both co∣lour and sweetness, but his still remained as sweet and fra∣grant as if it had been growing upon its own root. These Roses said I, are the true emblems of the best and sweetest creature-enjoyments in the world; which being moderate∣ly and cautiously used and enjoyed, may for a long time yield sweetness to the Possessor of them; but if once the affecti∣ons seize too greedily upon them, and squeeze them too hard, they quickly wither in our hands, and we lose the comfort of them; and that either through the souls surfeiting upon them, of the Lord's righteous and just removal of them, be∣cause of the excess of our affections to them; earthly com∣••orts, like pictures, shew best at a due distance. It was there∣fore a good saying of Homer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c.

Mihi nunquam is placet hospes Qui valde preterque modum odid vel amat. I like him not who at the rate Of all his might doth love or hate.

'Tis a point of excellent wisdom to keep the golden bri∣dle of moderation, upon all the affections we exercise upon earthly things, and never to slip those reins, unless when they move towards God, in whose love there is no danger of ex∣cess.