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ever there are leaves, blossom, and fruit, be sure there will also be caterpillars to waste and consume them. When we fancy our prosperity to be in full blossom, and prepare to enjoy it to our heart's content, in a moment we discover that it has vanished like a shadow. All that is good here beneath the sun is attended by some evil, or encounters some foe. Pleasure, riches, honor, and joy are sure to have care, disgrace, adversity, and affliction in their train. There is no pleasure without pain, no joy without sorrow. Oh the folly of

expecting lasting felicity in a vale of tears, or paradise in a ruined world!

LXIII.

The Caterpillar's Nest.

ROCEEDING through his orchard, Gotthold continued: Let us not, however, forget that we have all a caterpillar's nest in our own' bosoms; I mean a carnal and depraved heart, in which wicked lusts, the spawn of original sin, are bred and swarm. These, if indulged, immediately creep forth, and destroy both soul and body. It gives the Christian enough to do to keep them down, and * last put them to death. To this effect, Luther him

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self said, that he was more afraid of his own heart than of the Pope and all his cardinals; and to myself a good man once observed: My own heart makes life bitter to me, and death sweet.

Over this caterpillar's nest, help me, Lord, to watch diligently, and with all my might to check its brood of vices. Oh, when wilt Thou save me from myself, and from my own heart!

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LXIV.

The Walnut Tree.

OME worthy persons had seated themselves be

neath a walnut tree, in order to enjoy the protection of its shade from the heat of the day. Gotthold happening to pass, accosted, and warned them not to tarry long where they were, as the shade of the walnut tree is injurious to the health, and usually causes severe headache. On their replying that they were not, as yet, sensible of the slightest bad effects, he rejoined: But you certainly will experience them afterwards, though not, perhaps, for a day. In this tree, he proceeded to say, we have an emblem of bad company. A good man, when obliged to associate and converse with persons of an opposite character, often resolves that he will be upon his guard, keep the

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THE WALNUT TREE.

door of his senses barred, and allow nothing sinful to enter his mind; and in this, at first, he thinks that he succeeds. Afterwards, however, he is almost always obliged to confess, with sorrow, that bad company has been to him like this tree, whose shadow for awhile cools and refreshes us, but in the sequel is the cause of much trouble. Satan knows what advantage afterwards to take of all that has occurred, and once more calls up the carnal ideas before the inward eye, to disturb the mind in its holy exercises, and sensibly impair the fervor of its devotion. Though he may have listened without pleasure, and even with positive disrelish and abhorrence to the jests, extravagances, and follies of the licentious company, the good man will yet have enough to do to resist the assaults and repel the darts of Satan. Truly, therefore, did an old teacher call bad companions the wet nurses of the devil. It is best to keep aloof from them. The little sinful pleasure they can give, will issue at last in pain and sorrow. The saintly Tauler says, in one of his discourses: "Turn we, whithersoever or to whomsoever we may, in this sphere of time, we shall find nothing but falsehood, treachery, and dispeace, in all outward objects and persons. Often where we seek, and think we shall surely find solace and delight, there we lose all inward comfort, and are wholly robbed of that peace of mind which has cost us many a day in our retirement to lay up. Nay, we even cause great trouble in our breast,

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for we burden ourselves with the guilt of idle, superfluous, and false words, with waste of time, and various other sins, which freeze the heart and extinguish love, so that conscience afterwards sorely gnaws and stings us." These, O my God, were the words of Thy servant, more than three hundred years ago. What would he have said now, when ungodliness has swelled to so overwhelming a flood, that a man of tender conscience can no longer pass his threshold, or look out of his window, without witnessing some scandal?

O Lord, keep watch over my soul, and bring it through danger and Satan's many snares, despite his malice, unto everlasting life. Oh, how shall I then extol Thy name for ever and ever!

LXV.

The Cloud of Tribulation.

Y God and Father, subjoined Gotthold in prayer, I call to mind the words of Thy prophet,1 Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. Alas! so it is too often with me and Thee. A dark cloud of trouble encamps between Nor can I complain of this, for it arises from

us.

1 Lam. iii. 44.

my own sins and transgressions. Still, as the sun shines even behind the clouds, operates in them, and sheds its genial influence, with the rain, upon the earth; so, even in trouble, Thou still continuest my God, and so powerful is Thy working in it, that, after a brief interval, I can mark the traces of Thy grace upon my soul; and hence, whether smiling or frowning, Thou art still my beloved Father and my gracious God!

LXVI.

The Father.

EFLECTING, said Gotthold, upon the words of Thy prophet, How great is Thy goodness O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, it seems to me that he means to

depict God as a Father who, no doubt, keeps His children under discipline, and subjects them to the rod, but who, with all his labor and pains, still aims at nothing but to lay up for them a store which may contribute to their comfort, when they have grown to maturity and learned the prudent use of it.

My Father, in this world Thou hidest from Thy chil

1 Psalm xxxi. 19.