III.

A Vine which is one of the most fruitfull of Trees, (made use of by God to com∣pare the Christian unto) if it be left to its naturall excre∣scencies, unregarded and un∣pruned, shootes forth into many superfluous branches and stemmes, and spendeth its most g•nerous strength that way, and so becometh weak and fruitlesse. If God should leave the best Christian to the vitious exorbitances of his own heart and affections, and not curb and prune them, and retrench the extravagancy of Page  8 his desires, his strength would be spent on that which profi∣teth not, and he would soon grow barren and uselesse. There is need that both by his restraining grace he reduce and limit our desires, and by the sharpnesse of afflictions he cut short and check their excre∣scencies. Jonah grew fond of his Gourd, and God smote it, and therein nipt and restraind the unrulinesse of his Spirit, which would have spent his love and delight on a silly plant. Hezekia's pride was grown to such a height, that he must needs vent it by boa∣sting of his treasure; but God blasteth it by sending the Chal∣daeans to plunder him. When mine heart doth irregularly Page  9 run out after vanity, let the smart of thine hand correct my wandrings, and tame the wildnesse of my affections. Better I should bleed by thy pruning hook, then be cut down by thy Axe as withered and fruitlesse, and cast into the burning.