Front matter
lPre6ente& to
Zbc Xibrarp
of tbc
IHniversitp of Toronto
Vieol THE WHOLE
WORKS
OF THE
REV. MR. JOHN FLAVEL,
LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT DARTMOUTH, DEVOX.
TO WHICa IS ADDED,
AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE
OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE WHOLE.
IN SIX VOLUMES.
VOL. V
<«!»»-
LONDON:
HUSBANDRY
on,
SPIRITUALIZED :
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THING
Consisting of many pleasant o6*^rra<ion#, pertinent applications
serious reflections ; and each chapter concluded with a divin suitable /(Otvw. Directing husbandmen to the most excellei provements of their common employments. Whereunto ai ded, by way of Appendix, several choice occasional medita upon birds, beasts, trees, Jloxcers, rivers, and several otlie jects ; fitted for the help of such as desire to walk with G
all their sohtudes, and recesses from the world.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
*To the Worshipful Robert Savery, and William Savee Slade, Esquires.
Honoured Friends,
AT hath been long since observed, that the world below is a to discover the world above ; Secuhon est speculum : and altl I am not of their opinion, that say, the Heathens may spell ( out of the sun, moon, and stars ; yet this I know, that the irra and manimate, as well as rational creatures, have a language
though not by articulate speech, yet in a metaphorical sense, preach unto man the wisdom, power, and goodnessof God, Rom.
" There is (saith the Psalmist, Psalm xix, 3.)no speech, nor lang " where their voice is not heard."" Or (as Junius renders it) is no speech, nor words, yet without these, their voice is under;
and their line (i. e. saith Diodate) theii" writing in gross and draughts, is gone out through all the earth.
As man is compounded of a fleshly and spiritual substance, sc hath endowed the creatures with a spiritual, as well as fleshly u ness, they have not only a natural use in alimental and physicf
4 The epistle dedicatory.
tures (saith Mr. Baxter excellently) we might have a fi Christ and heaven, in every bit of bread that we eat, ai draught of beer that we drink, than most men have ii the sacrament,
And as the creatures teach divine and excellent thir
teach them in a perspicuous and taking manner : Duo il
ime movent, similliudo et exemplum, saith the orator *. things, similitude, and example, do especially move us. more easily conveyed to the understanding, by being fir some apt similitude, and so represented to the sense. Ai Jesus Christ the great Prophet, delighted much in teachi bles : and the prophets were much in this way also, Hos.
" have used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets.'*' can retain little of a sermon, yet ordinarily retain an apt
I confess it is an humbling consideration. That man, was led by the knowledge of God to the knoAvledge of t, must now by the creatures learn to know God. That th
(as one saith) like Balaam's ass, should teach their m though this be the unhappiness of poor man in his coll yet it is now his wisdom to unprove such helps : and w by the abuse of the creatures, are furthering their perdi by the spiritual improvement of them, promoting his oav
It is an excellent art to discourse with birds, beasts, about sublime and spiritual subjects, and make them ans
questions ; and this may be done, Job xii. 7, 8. " A:
" beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of t
*' they shall tell thee ; or speak to the earth, and it shall ** and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee." T neat and accurate -fCaryl) the creatures teach us when them : ' They teach us, though not formally, yet virtual!
* swer and resolve the question put to them, though nc
* to the ear, yet convincingly to the conscience. So tli ' the creatures, when we diligently consider them, when
* out the perfections and virtues that God hath put int(
' upon them. To set our mind tlius upon the creature, is * with the creature ; the questions which man asks of ;
* only his own meditations. Again, the creatures teacl ' we in meditation make our collections and draw dowi
* stration of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God * them, or the frailty of man in needing them : such con( ' inferences are the teachings of the creatures.'
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
First, In meditation argue thus, as in the present case and s
tude of the apostle. If an husbandman upon the ordinary' prin of reason can wait for the hanrest, shall not I wait for the comi the Lord, the dav of refreshing ? the corn is precious to him so is the coming of Christ to me. Shall he be so patient, an dure so much for a little corn .' and shall not I for the kingd* heaven ! He is willing to stay till all causes have had their c tions, till he hath received the former and the latter rain ; and not I, till the Divine decrees be accomplished.
Second! I/, I a meditation, make the resemblance, and disc thus within vourselves : This is my seed-time, heaven is my hai here I must labour and toil and there rest. I see the husband
life is a great toil : no excellent thing can be obtained without la and an obstinate patience. I see the seed must be hidden i furrows, rotten and corrupted, ere it can spring forth vnth ai crease. Our hopes are hidden, hght i.* sown for the righteou: our comforts are buried under the clods, and after all this there be long waiting, we cannot sow and reap in a day ; effects c follow till all necessary causes have first wrought. It is not i power of husbandmen to ripen fruits at pleasiu-e, our times are hands of God, therefore it is good to wait ; a long-suffering pa w ill reap the desired fruit. Thus you have some hints of thl
venlv art of improving the creatures.
The motives inducing me to this undertaking, were the I
oAvning with some success, my labours of a like nature *, tof
\*-ith the desire and inclination (stirred up in me, I hope by the of the Lord) to devote my vacant hours to his service in this I considered, that if the Pharisees, in a blind zeal to a faction, compass sea and land, to proselyte men to their party, though th thev made them sevenibld more the children of the 6evii tht
fore; how much more was I obliged, by true love to God. an( to the everlasting happiness of souls, to use my utmost endea both \n^l\i seamen and husbandmen f to win them to Christ, andth make them more than seventy-seven fold happier than before r to mention other encouragements to this work, which I received
the earnest desires of some reverend and worthy brethren in' thereunto ; all which I hope the event will manifest to be a call
God to this work.
I confess I met with some discouragement in my first attempt, my unacquaintedness with rural affairs ; and because I was to i
in a patli (to me) untrodden ; but having once engaged in it, tho<
6 THE EPISTLE DEDICATOHV.
book of liusbandry to gentlemen of your quality. Tliis husbandry^ which here is taught you ; and. yet I tell you persons have accounted that civil employment (which i
ferior to this) no disparagement to them. " The king hims
" by the field,"" Eccles. v. 9. Or, as Montanus renders i text. Rex agro fit servus ; The king himself is a servant
And of king Uzziah it is written, 2 Chron. xxvi. 10.
*' loved husbandry."" And Amos vii. 1. we read of the ings. Yea, Pliny hath observed, that corn was never so
Rome, as when the same men tilled the land that ruled t wealth. Quasi gauderet terra laureato vomere, scilice triumpliali ; as though the earth itself rejoiced in the lau share, and the triumphant plowman.
What pleasure you will find in reading it I know not it hath been a pleasant path from first to last ; who yet 1 far greater expence of time and pains in compiling it, tl
be in reading it. The husbandman's work, you know, tvork, and the spiritualizing of it hath greater difficultie it ; but yet the pleasure hath abundantly recompensec
I have found Erasmus's observation experimentally true ; uddicti siimas, animi lassitudinem a studiis gravioribus c
ab iisdem studiis, sed anwenioribus recreamus : Those 1 dieted to study, (saith he) when they have wearied tlieir study, can recreate them again with study, by making a dii
that which is severe and knotty ,'to some more facile and plea But to hear that God hath used and honoured these p good of any soul, will yield me the highest content and imaginable.
May you but learn that lesson which is the general sc sign of this book, vh. How to walk with God from day make the several objects you behold, scalce et alcr, wings to mount your souls nearer to him, who is the centre o spirits. How much will it comfort me, and confirm m^ it was the call of God indeed, which put me upon these (
O Sirs ! What an excellent tliing would it be for y such holy improvements of all these earthly objects whicl to your senses, and cause them to proclaim and preach t< and heavenly mysteries ; whilst others make them groan them to sin, and subjecting them to their lusts. A man into such a condition, wherein he cannot enjoy the blessii fit of a pious and powerful ministry ; but you cannot (on
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
net more, thaa you ; but use them to those spiritual ends y here directed, and they will yield you a sweetness far transa that natural sweetness you ever relished in them ; and indee<
never use the creatures as their Lord's, till you come to sei
Lord in and by them. I confess the discoveries of God : word are far more excellent, clear, and powerful ; " He hath *' nitied his word above all his name." And therein are tl seaichable riches of Christ, or rich discoveries of that grace tlia
no footsteps in nature, as the apostle's expression signifies, iii. 8.
And if that which might be known of God by the cref leave men without excuse, as it is manifest, Rom. i. 20. he excusable then will those be, who have received not only the
ings of the creature, but also the grace of the gospel in vain ! '
" shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation t'" They tl careless in the day of grace, shall be speechless in tlie day of ment.
I am sensible of many defects in these papers, (as well as in m They have doubtless, a taste of the distractions of the times w they were written ; nor was I willing to keep them so long
hand as the accurateness and exactness with which such a s
ought to have been himdled, did require. Had I designed m credit, I should have observed that counsel, Nonumque pre in annum, i. e. To have kept it much longer under the file, I had exposed it to public view ; but I rather inclined to Solt
counsel, •' Whatever thy hand finds oi>t to do, do it with i
" might : for there is no wisdom, nor knowledge, nor device
" grave, whither thou art going," Eccl, ix. 10.
I apprehend a necessity of some such means to be used for t struction and conviction of country people ; who either are nol ble of understanding truth in another dialect, or at least a affected with it. The preposition in every chapter consists
observation in husbandry ; wherein, if I have failed in usin improper expression, your candour will cover it, and impute my unacquaintedness in rural affairs : In magnis voluisse sat est. The reddition or application, you will find I hope, both per and close. The reflections serious, and such as (I hope) vou sciences will faithfully improve. I have shut up every chapter
Poem, an innocent bait to catch the reader's soul.
That of Herbert is experimentally true :
5 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
to have set my dull fancy upon the rack to extort a poe tain my reader ; for I cannot say with Ovid, Sponte sua ( but that I have been informed, that many seamen, indi pleasure of a verse, have taken much pains to learn the po( compass by heart ; and 1 hope both the children at hon
servants in the fields, will learn to exercise themselves tli O, how much better will it be so to do, than so stuflPthe vrith obscene ballads, and filthy songs, which corrupt their dispose them to much wickedness, by irritating their r ruption ! But these are purer flames, you will find notl
such a tendency.
'Tis guilt, not poetry, to be like those, Whose wit in verse is downright sin in prose. Whose studies are profaneness, as if then They only were good poets, when bad men. D. DIG
I shall add no more, but to beg that God who insi husbandman in his civil calling, to teach him wisdom s] improve it, particularly, that you may reap a crop of mu benefit, from that seed which is here sown by the hand o unprofitable servant, and in him,
Your very affection a\
Friend and Serv
JOHN
To the CHRISTIAN READER.
JL HERE are three things wherein (as it hath been sj fore my day) the exercise of godliness doth chiefly consi temptation, meditation : Meditation is the subject of tl manual. The object of meditation is twofold. Firsts
jSerondli/, The works of God. The works of God i First, Internal. Secondly, External. The External w are twofold. First, Of creation, Secondly, Of provld works of providence are likewise twofold. First, In thir Lord ordering and over-ruling all the affxiirs and motic persons, families, and nations, in a subserviency to his ow ends, designs, and purposes. Secondly, In things natura instructingthe husbandman to discretion, and teachinpc
TO THE CHEISTIAU READER.
and while we wisely consider these natural things, we may gtoM and more wise, in and for spirituals and eternals.
The worthy and ingenious Author of the ensuing discours supplied us with an excellent help, for the spiritualizing of tl vidential works of God in natural things, by godly meditation chiefly want the help of the Hol^r Spirit (without which all
helps and helpers are altogether insufficient) to frame and wi our hearts for this both profitable and dehghtful duty ; yet th which the Lord is pleased to give us for our direction in it, 1 ministry of man, is not only not to be refused, but thankful ceived and improved ; and all little enough to bring our mil or keep them at this work : The best of saints, on this side h have, thouorli they are not earthly-minded only, much earth ii minds ; which hke a heavy clog at their heels, or a weight a hearts, presseth them down when they would make an essay to i
upward in meditation. We find it no easy matter to keep off e
thoughts, when we are most seriously engaged in heavenly ' hoMhai-d is it then to get in, and be fixed upon heavenly dio while we are engaged about earthly work ; yea, are (for so is th bandman) working the very earth, and raking in the bowels It is a great part of our holiness to be spiritually-minded, wh
are conversing ^^ith God tlu-ough Jesus Christ in spiritual d but to be spiritually minded, and to mind spiritual things, wl] are conversing wdth the clods of the earth, and the furrows of tli< when we have to do with corn and grass, witli trees and plant? sheep and oxen ; when we behold the birds and fowls of the a worms, and all that creep upon the ground ; then, I say, to \x tually-minded, and thence to have our thoughts ascending, anc ing up to God, in heart-affecting and quickening contemph witnesseth an high degree of holiness, and of gracious attaini To make a ladder out of the earthly materials, for the raising c selves in spirit up to heaven, is the art of arts. Holy and hap deed are they who, being taught of God, have learned this ar live in dailv practice of it. Earthly objects usually hinder us i way, sometimes turn us quite out of our way to heaven, !^fan^ and sow, dig and delve the earth, till their hearts l^ecome as e; as the earth itself: ^fany deal about the beasts of the field till selves become even brutish. Is it not then a blessed dcsijrn whic
Author sams and drives at, so to spij-ituahze all sorts, or the compass of earthly husbandry, that all sorts of husbandmen nii come spiritual and heavenly r It seems to be a token of good
ri_.i u_»i. _- :_i 3 .. _r • 1 J ^- .^1 I r -..
10 TO MR. JOHN FLAVEL, &C.
way, this subject, and to publish their labours in print, th{ be of use, not only for the present age, but for posterity
And that the husbandman may be pleased as well as perusing the labours of this author ; he hath, with si; ness and acuteness, contrived and contracted the sum a
every chapter into an elegant distich, or pair of verses, p head of it, and concluded it with a choice melodious po to, and dilating upon the whole matter of it. These tli man, who can but read, may quickly learn and sing for instead of those vain ballads and corrupting rhymes, whii that rank are apt to buy and solace themselves withal, \
benefit, yea, much to their hurt, making their hearts mc carnal, and vain thereby.
Let me add one word more to the reader. This bo( bandry Spiritualized, is not calculated only for the co bandman ; persons of any calling, or condition, may find working out such searching reflections and strong convi(
almost every part and particular of the husbandman's w( prove, if faithfully improved, very useful to them ; to soi awakening, to consider the state of their souls, whether in nature ; to others for their instruction, consolation, and went in the ways of grace, as also for their proficiency ani those ways. That the blessing of the Lord, and the bi
his good Spirit may go out with it, for all those graciou
is the heart's desire and prayer of him, who is,
Christian Re^^
A sincere well-msher to thy precious and immorta
JOSEPH (
To his Reverend and Learned Friend, Mr. John Yhi
Spiritual Navigation and Hushandry.
X-iETTERS of mark to his dear servant given, By him that sists the ruffling winds of heaven :
To fight and take all such as would not deign
T' acknowledge him the sea's great Sovereign.
IK AUTHORIS OPEBA.
And what among our ridcllcs some might count. Was seen at once at Berwick, and the Mount. Yea, in more ports hath in one lustre been, Than Hawkins, Drake, or Cavendish have seen. And prizes of more worth brought home again, Than all the plate-fleets of the kings of Spain.
But that which makes the wonder swell the more. Those whom he took were beggars all before. But rests he here ? No, no, our friend doth know,
"'TIS good to have tico strings unto Jus boic. Our rare Amphibion loves not to be pent Within the bounds of one poor element. Besides the learned author understood.
That of an idle hand there comes no good. The law to him no pulpit doth allow. And now he cannot preach, he means to ploxc. Though preaching were a crime, yet he foresaw Against the plowman there could be no law. Nor stays he on resolves, but out-of-hand He yokes his teem, plows up the stubborn land ;
Sows it with precious seed, harrows again The tougher clods, takes pleasure in his pain. Whilst, Orpheus-hke, (which doth his art advance) Rocks, fields, and woods, qft^r his pipe do dance.
Industrious spirit, to what a rich account With thy blest Lord, with all these labours mount ! That every nerve of thy best soul dost ply, To further heaven s spiritual husbandry.
This kind of tillage which thou teachest us, Was never dreamt of by Triptolemus. Go, reader, turn the leaves ; and me allow To pray (whilst at work) God speed the plow. NICHOLAS WA
In Jutluyris Opera.
iiET Paracelsus and Van Helmont's name. No more ride triumph on the wings of fame.
Lo, here's a chymist, whose diA-iner skill
12 TO MR. JOHN FLAVEL, &C.
Teacheth the plowmen^ from their work, to know What duties unto God and man they owe. Rare artist ! who, when many tongues are mute,
Mak'st things that are inanimate confute
The age's sins ; by preaching unto eyes, Truths which in other modes their ears despise.
Prosper his pious labours, Lord ! howe'er Do not forget to crown the labourer,
Sic raptim canii
DAN. C
To his Reverend and Invaluable Friend^ Mr. J. F. upo
bandry Spiritualized.
Ingenious sir, what do I see? what now f Are you come from the pulpit to the plow ? If so, then pardon me, if I profess,
The plow deserves to be sent to the press.
'Tis not long since you went to sea, they say, Composed a compass which directs the way. And steers the course to heaven ; O blest art ! And bravely done that you did that impart To us, who take it kindly at your hand, And bless the Lord that you are come to land.
To be an husbandman, wherein your skill. With admiration doth your readers fill.
One grain will yield increase, 'tis ten times ten. When the earth's manur'd by such husbandmen. We may expect rich harvests, and full crops, When heavenly dew descendeth in such drops Of spiritual rain, to water every field. That it full heaps of grace to God may yield. I must adore the wisdom of that God That makes men wise, who, even from a clod of earth, can raise such heavenly meditation Unto a pitch of highest elevation. Besides, I mark the goodness of the Lord, Performing unto us his faithful word.
THE EPISTLT*.
We have some bricks, although the straw be gone.
The church, at last, shall be of polish''d stone. Whatever men or devils act or say, Sion, at last, will have a glorious day. The wTetchetl muckworm, that from mom to night
Labours, as if 'twere for an heav'nly weight ; And, when he hath got all he can, the most Amounts to little more than a poor crust. To feed his tir'd carcase : If himself HaVe, by his carking, got a little pelf, L.eave it he must, to one he knows not whom, And then must come to an eternal doom ; And hear his poor neglected, wretched soul
Tell him at last that he hath play'd the fool. But here he's taught, how he, before he die. May lay up treasure for eternity ;
W^herein he may be rich, yea, much, much more. Than they that do possess whole mines of ore.
When earth"'s more worth than heav'n, and gold than graces Then let the worldling run his brutish race ; But not before, unless he do intend
To meet with soul-destruction in tlie end. But I must leave him, and return again To gratulate the author for his pain. And here I cant forbear to bid my pen To tell the world of all the husbandmen.
That e'er I met, he, he hath hit the vein To recompense the labourer's hard pain. And taught him how to get the greatest gain. Wherein he treads a path not trode before ; By which, indeed, his skill appears the more. I might encomiums give him, great and true.
And yet come very short of what's liis due ; But I must not walk in forbidden wavs. For thereby I am sure, I should displease His pious mind, who doth, and freely can Give all the praise to the great husbandman ; Who will his graces in his servants own. But doth expect himself to wear the crown.
FareweU, dear Sir, I take my leave, and now. Will say no more than this, God sjjeed the ploxc.
14 THE EPISTLE, &C.
from the society of many dear friends, into a solitary count
I hope none will envy me these innocent delights, which of my lonely walks, whereby the Lord sweetened my solii
It is like thou wilt find some passages here, that are harn
sant ; yet, I -assure thee, I know of none that the most C der can censure, as sinfully light and vain. I must ackr the praise of God, that I have found some of those (vvhi( some of my readers will call the slightest and most triflini meditation) to be the ordinances for instruction, cautio
solation to my own soul ; yea, such a degree of comfort, ' to have found by these things, as hath much endeared t life to me, and made me much better to understand tlu Horace, than when I learned it at school,
Novistine locum potiorem rure beato ?
Est nbi phis tepeant hijems ? Ubi gratioi' aura ?
O rus, quundo ego te adspiciain ? Quandoque licebH Nunc veterum libris, nunc sonnio, et Inertibus hortis Ducere soUcitce jucunda oblivio vitcc, (i. e.)
What life can with the country life compare ? Where breathes the purest, and most healthful air.
Where, undisturbed, my study I pursue, And, when I sleep, bid all my cares adieu. Ho)\ And what I have found so beneficial to myself, I cann( may be so to others. I assure thee, reader, I am not foi these conceptions ; and yet I think I may modestly enoug the emptiest leaf of this book may serve for more, and than a mere diversion, when thou canst find leisure t( I know, your troubles £lnd cares are many ; and thoug] dition of life hath many innocent comforts and outward sweeten it, yet I believe most of you have found that ani
of Anaci-eon experimentally true : E%2/ to m^ov rri; yiue-
' Some bitter troubles countrymen do meet, ' Wherewith the Lord doth intermix their sweet.' The cares of your minds are commonly no less than t your bodies ; it concerns you, therefore, to sweeten what avoid ; and I know no better Avay for that, than what is ted to. O friends ! what advantages have you for a sp Why may yovi not have two harvests every year ? One for another for your bodies ; if you could thus learn to hui husbandry. Methinks spiritual meditations do even put upon you. Husbandmen of old were generally presum<
THE EPISTLE, &C.
sire and design to make you so : and I could not tliink on c probable mean to accoitiplish this honest design, than what J here used. Methinks it should be a pleasure to you, when yoi weary out of the fields from plough, or any other lalwur, to sit in the evening, and read that chapter which concerns that par business, and refresh your souls, even from that wliich hath w your bodies. Were your hearts but heavenly, and more tii lowed for spiritual husbandry, your inward comforts would be more, and your outward gains not a jot less ; for if the .succes:
your civil labours and employments dejx'nd u|X)n the pleasu
will of God, (as all that are not atheists do acknowledge) the tainly, your business can succeed never tlie worse for your ende; to please him, upon wliose pleasure it so entirely depends, iiiany times lifted up my heart to heaven, whilst these paper
under rav hand, for a special blessing to accompany them, whe should be in yours. If the Lord accomplish my desires b^ upon your souls you shall enjoy two lieavens, one here, and a hereafter. AVould not that be sweet .'' The historian tells us Altitius Serarious was so\nng corn in the field, when Q. Cincii
came to him bju'e-headed witli letters from the senate, signify-in, he was chosen to the dictatorsliip. I hope the Lord will s( and succeed these labours, that many of you will be callec
holding the plough on earth, to wear die cron^'ti of glory in h< which is the sincere desire of
Your hearty •ti'eU-u.ishcr,
JOHN FLAV:
The AUTHOR to the HEWER.
V^OME you, whose listening ears do even itch
To hear the way prescribed of growing rich j I'll shew you how to make your tenements Ten thousand times more worth, and vet vour rents
Not rais'd a farthing ; here my reader sees A way to make his dead and barren trees
Yield precious fruit ; his sheep, though ne'er so bad. Bear golden fleeces, such ne'er Jason had : In every thing your gain shall more than double, And all this had with far less toil and trouble.
16 THE TllOPAt
'Tis so indeed ; thou wouldst not go thy wayLike one that's disappointed, and so fling
The book aside. / thought "'twas some such thing: Time was when country Christians did afford
More hours and pains about God's holy word : Witness the man who did most gladly pay For some few leaves his whole cart-load of hay. And time shall be, when heavenly truth that warms
The heart, shall be preferred before your farms ; When holiness, as sacred scripture tells, Shall be engraven on the horses bells. Lord, hasten on those much desired times,
And, to that purpose, bless those rural rhymes.
-=a«-X-®<:
The proem.
1 Coil. iii. 9. Ye are God's Husbandry/. HE scope and design of the following chapters, beii ritual improvement of husbandry, it will be necessary, proem, to acquaint the reader with the foundation, ai
rules of this art in the scriptures, thereby to procvu-e greai unto, and prevent prejudices against composures of this 1
To this end, I shall entertain the reader a little Avhile i
this scripture affords, which will give a fair introduction to ing discourse.
The apostle's scope in the context being to check and i vain glory and emulation of the Corinthians, who^ insteac
fulness for, and an humble and diligent impi'ovement of lent blessings of the ministry, turned all into vain osten emulation, one preferring Paul, and another ApoUos ; in time depriving themselves of the choice blessings they migl ceived from them both.
To cure this growing mischief in the churches, he check nity, and discovers the evil of such practices by several a amongst which this is one,
Ye are Gods Husbandry/, q. d. What are ye, but a field or plot of ground, to be mai cultivated for God ? And what are Paul, Apollos, and C
THE P&OEM.
the ministry of bodi, and it will be your sin if you despise either the workmen be discouraged in their labours, it is the field that and suffers by it ; so the woixlsare a similitude, serving to illu'
the relation,
1. Which the churches have to God.
2. Which God's ministers have to the churclies. 1. The relation betwixt God and them is like that of an husl
man to his ground or tillage. Tlie Greek word signifies God's * Wf, or that plot of ground which God manures by the minist pastors and teachers.
2. It se^^•es to illustrate the relation that the ministers of C sustain to the churches, which is like that of the husbandman' vants to him and his fields ; which excellent notion carries in i perpetual necessity of a gospel ministry. (For what fruit can b pected, where there are none to till the ground r) As also the gence, accountableness, and rewards which these labouiers a give to, and receive from God, the great Husbandman. All into this.
That the life and employment of an husbandman, excel]ent]^
dows forth the relation betwixt God and his church, ani relative duties betwixt its ministers and members.
Or more briefly thus :
The church is God's husbandry, about which his minister employed. I shall not here observe my usual method, (intending no mor a preface to the following discourse) but onlv open the partic wherein the resemblance consists ; and then draw some CoroiJ from the whole. The first I shall dispatch in these twenty pai lars following :
1. Prop. The husbandman purchases his fields, and gives a ' able consideration for them, Jer. xxxii. 9, 10.
Reddit. So Hath God purchasetl his church with a full vali price, even the precious blood of his own Son, Acts xx. S8. " \ " the church of God w hich he hath purchased, or acquired wit *' own blood." O dear-bought inheritance ! how much doth bespeak its worth ! Or rather, the high esteem God hath of i pay down blood, and such blood for it ; never was any inheril bought at such a rate: every particular elect person, and nom such are comprehended in this purchase ; the rest still remain ii
devil's right. Sin made a forfeiture of all to justice, upon whicl tan entered, and took possession, and, as the strong man armed.
IS TltE PUOEM.
nor their own, 1 Cor. vi. 19. but the Lord's peculiar ^ And to shew how much they are his own, you have two in one verse. Cant. viii. 12. " My vineyard, which is mi
" me, mine, which is mine."
2. Prop. Husbandmen divide and separate their own other menX they have their land-marks and boundaric property is preserved, Deut. xxvii. 17. Prov. xxii. 28.
Reddit. So are the people of God wonderfully scpara tinguished from all the people of the earth. Psal. iv. 3. *
*' hath set apart him that is godly for himself. And the L< "^ who are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. It is a special act of gra closed by God out of the waste howling wilderness of Deut. xxxiii. 16. This did God intentionalhj, in the d the world was ; which decree is executed in their sancti adoption <
3. Prop. Corn-fields are carefully fenced by the husba hedges and ditches, to preserve their fruits from beasts otherwise over-run and destroy them Non mino: quam quocrerc parta tueri. It is as good husbandry ti we have, as to acquire more than Ave had.
Reddit. " My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very *' and he fenced it," Isa. v. 1, 2. No inheritaace is bett and secured, than the Lord's inheritance, Psal. cxxv. I *' mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is i
*' his people." So careful is he for their safety, " that *' upon every dwelling-place of mount Sion, and upon *' blies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a " by night : for upon all the glory shall be a defence," Not a particular saint, but is hedged about and inclosec power and love, Job i. 10. " Thou hast made a hedge The devil fain would, but by his own confession coult
over the hedge to touch Job, till God's permissi^ man him : yea, he not only made an hedge, but a wall abou that of fire, Zech. ii. 5. Sets a guard of angels " to em " about them that fear him," Psal. xxxiv. 7. And w them with a single guard of angels neither, though the: great, and love to the saints as great ; but watches ovei self also, Isa. xxvii. 2, 3. " Sing ye unto her, a vineyard •' I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every momer
*' hurt it, I will keep it night and day." . 4. PrOT). Husbandmen carry out their compost, to fe
TH£ PROEM.
they are costly fields indeed, dressed and fertilized, not only by cious ordinances and providences, but also by the sweat, yea, I
of the dispensers of them. " You Londoners (saith Mr. Locki( " Colos. p. 552.) are trees watered choicely indeed ; it is stori( « the palm-tree, that at its first transplanting into Italy, it was *' tered with wine. I cannot say (saith he) that you have be( " watered by me, I dare not ; but this I can humbly and truly " that if our choicest strength and spirits may be named instej " water, wine ; or if the blessing which hath gone along with i " waters, at any time, hath turned them into wine, in vigour ' " your souls, then hath God by me, watered your roots with m
5. Prop. The husbandman builds his house, where he make purchase, dwells upon his land, and frequently visits it ; he k: that such as dwell far from their lands, are not far from loss.
Rcdd'it. So doth God ; wherever he plants a church, there he fix his habitation, intending there to dwell. Psalm xlvi. 5. " " is in the midst of her,'' she shall not be moved. Thus came to dwell upon his own fee and inheritance, in Judea, Lev. : 11, 12. " And I will set my tabernacle amongst you, and wi
" your God, and ye shall be my people." Which promise is i renewed to his churches of the New Testament, 2 Cor. vi. 16. when the churches shall be in their greatest flourish and purity, shall there be the fullest and most glorious manifestation of the d
presence among them. Rev. xxi. 3. " And I heard a great *' out of heaven, saying. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with ; " and he will dwell with them, and be their God." Hence th semblies are called, the places of his feet And there they ' " hold the beauty of the Lord," Psalm xxvii.
6. Prop. Husbandmen grudge not at the cost they are at for tillage; but as they lay out vast sums upon it, so they do it d
Reddit. " And'now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men oi
*•' dah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard ; what c " have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done i And as he bestows upon his heritage the choicest mercies, so he it with the greatest cheerfulness ; for he saith, Jer. xxxii. 41.
" will rejoice over them to do them good ; and I will plant the *' this land assuredly, with my whole heart and ^^dth my m *' soul." It is not the giving out of mercy (saith one) that grie God, but the recoiling of his mercy back again upon him b^ creature's ing-ratitude.
20 THE PKOEM.
S. This lieavenly Husbandman waits for the fruits of his never did any husbandman long for the desired harvest,
God dotli for the fruits of hohness from his saints: Gn
expectations of God from his people : " And when the
" fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmei " might receive the fruits of it."
8. Prop. Husbandmen are much delighted, to see the their labours ; it comforts them over all their hard pains
weary days to see a good increase.
Reddit. Much more is God delighted in beholding the graces of his people ; it pleases him to see his plants laden and his valleys sing with com, Cant. vi. 2. " My belov
*' down to the garden, into his beds of spices, to feed in tl: " and to gather lilies." These beds of spices (say * exp the particular churches, the companies of believers ; he ^ in these gardens, like as men go to their gardens to makt
to gather fruit. Cant. iv. 16. " He eats his pleasant fruit, people's holy performances, sweeter to him tlian any ambr he feeds in the gardens, and he gathers lilies when he good souls into his kingdom above ; " For the Lord take *' in his saints, and will beautify the meek with salvation 9Prop. The husbandman is exceedingly grieved wh the hopes of a good crop disappointed, and his fields pre or blasted. ;
Reddit. So the Lord expresses his grief for, and anger people, when they bring forth no fruits, or wild fruits^ none, Hosea ix. 16. " Ephraim is smitten, their root is
Christ was exceedingly displeased with the fig-tree, anc for its barrenness ; it grieves him to the heart when his s
turn to him with such complaints as these, " We have 1 " vain, we have spent our strength for nought."
10. Prop. Husbandmen employ many labourers to wc fields, there is need of many hands for such a multiplic
siness.
Reddit. God hath diversity of Workmen also in tlie chur he sends forth to labour in his spiritual fields, Eph. iv. 12.
" some apostles, some prophets, and some evangelists, " pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, fo
" of the ministry," Amos iii. 7. I have sent [my servant phets. It is usual Avith the apostles to place this title of
among their honorary titles, though a profane mouth one
TliE PROEil.
husbandman works in the field among his labourers, and th( God disdaineth not to work in, and with his poor servants, work of the ministry.
11. Prop. The work about which husbandmen employ thi vants in the field, is toilsome and spending, you see they comi at night as wearv as they can draw their legs after them.
Reddit. But God's workmen have a much harder task thar hence are they set forth in scripture by the laborious ox, 1 Coi Rev. iv. 7. Some derive the word 3<ax«»c;, deacon, from xov/j, wjrnifies dust, to shew the laboriousness of their employment, J ing till even choaked with dust and sweat. It is said of Ep ditus, Phil. ii. 13. " That for the work of Christ he was sic " nigh unto death ; not regarding his life, to supply their 1 *' sen-ice.'' The apostle's expression. Col. i. ult. is very t tical, " Whereunto I also labour, striving, according to his W( " which worketh in me mightily." The word ayMi^a^LSioc, si such spending labour as puts a man into an agony ; and ] is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so
12. Prop. The immediate end of the husbandman's labou his servants labour is for the improvement of his land, to e
more flourishing and fruitful.
Reddit. The scope and end of the ministry is for the churc
nefit and advantage. They must not lord it over God's herit if the church were for them, and not they for the church ; no;
themselves of it, but be the church's servants for Jesus sake, iv. 6. The power they have received being for edification, a for destruction, 2 Cor. x. 8. Christ hath given them to the c es ; their gifts, their time, their strength, and all their min
talents, are not their own, but the church's stock and treasui
13. Prop. The workmen that labour in the fields are accov for their work to him that employed them.
Reddit. Church-officers are also accountable to God for
souls committed to them. They are stewards of the myste God, 1 Cor. iv. 1. and stewards are accountable. " We wat
*' your souls, (saith the apostle) as thev that must give an ac( Heb. xiii. 7. If these servants be unfaithful in their work anc
the blood of souls shall be required at their hands, Ezek. iii. " which are fubninay nan verba, (saith Erasmus) thunderbolts than words. The guilt of blood is the greatest guilt ; and blood, the blood of souls.
14. Prop. Those that spfend their time and strength all theii
83, THE PROEM.
" man is worthy of his meat," Mat. x. 10. It is a sad t Avlio break the Ijread of life to souls, should be suffered t themselves. God would not have the mouth of an ox i
treads out the corn, but have liberty to eat as well as \ any pretended to the ministry be like the heifer, that I out the com, i. e. cares to do no work, but such as brin pay ; he therein sufficiently discovers his beast-like dispc nisters must be faithful in their Master's work, and if God will rewai'd them. For " he is not unrighteous t<
" work, and labour of love," Pleb. vi. 10.
15. Prop. It is a great trouble to husbandmen in a I be put off from their labours by stormy weather, which out of the fields, and makes them let all lie, till it cleai yet mean while, they are not idle, but employ themsel\ "work.
Reddit. Even so in God's husbandry, it is an unspeaka to God's workmen to be rendered useless and unservic churches, by those storms of trouble, which drive ther public ministerial work. With what a heavy heart did from his work at Ephesus, Acts xx. It spends a ministc but more to be silent. It is a loud speaking judgment,
shall say to them as to Ezekiel, " Son of man, I wil *' tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shal Ezek. iii. 26. Such silencing providences, speak thur guage to gracious hearts ; yet, even then, the keepers yard have a private vineyard of their own to look after
much home-work, when no out-work.
16. Prop. There is a vast difference betwixt those have been well husbanded and dressed by a skilful and c bandman ; and those that have been long out of busbar fragrant is the one ? How dry and barren the other ? pass by a field well dressed and fenced, every thing pros m exquisite order, you may know, without farther enq good husbandman lives there.
Reddit. Thus stands the case betwixt those places wbic blessed with a faithful, painful ministry, and such as ha
worse than none : for as the husbandman's cost and paii the verdant and fragrant hue of his fields ; so a ministerdiligence are ordinarily seen in the heavenly lives, and graces of the people. The churches of Corinth and T where Paul and other holy instruments spent much of th
THE PROEM.
lie long under the clods ; he knows it will spring up at the h reward him, or those that come after him, for their pains i tience in waiting for it.
Reddit. iNIinisters should not be presently discouraged i work, because thev see but little or no appearance of all the se
have sown among the people. The " sei-vant of the Lord r " patient towards all, waiting if at any time God wiO give tl
" pentance,'" 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. And if it never spring u] time, it may after his death ; and if so, he shall not fail of ward, John iv. S6, 37. " And he that reapeth, receiveth " and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that sowel " he that reapeth, may rejoice together ; and herein is that
*' true, one soweth, and another reapeth," Though ministi yet their words live ; yea, their words take hold of men wh( are in the dust, Zech. i. 6.
18. Prop. Husbandmen find low grounds and rallies, most hills, how loftv soever they overtop the lower grounds, yet
not the husbandman's pains as the rallies do : these are best ^ and secured from the scorching heat of the sun.
Reddit. Experience shews us, that the humblest saints a
fruitful under the gospel ; " These are they that receive witl " ness the entjrafFed word," James i. 21. whose influences a them, as the rain doth in the low valhes. Happv is that k
whose lot falls in such a pleasant valley. " Blessed are they t " beside all such waters, that send forth thither the feet of
*' and the ass,"" Isa. xxxii. 20. among these rallies run the j springs and purling brooks, which fertilize the neighbouring < Heavenly ordinances there, leave fruitful influences.
19Prop. The first crop is usuallv the best, and the Ion husbandman tills his ground, the less it produces ; after a fe^ its rigour and strength is spent.
Reddit. The first entertainment of the gospel is commoi best ; and what good is done by the muiistrv is often done at entrance. New things are pretty, and very taking, '' John
" was to the Jews a burning and shining light, and they were " [for a season] to rejoice in his hght," John v. 35, Paul was valued among the Galatians at first ; such was their zeal, tl
could hare plucked out their eyes, and hare given them to hi] how quickly did this full tide ebb again ? For he complains,
15. " Where then is the blessedness ye spake of P"^ 20. Prop. LastJu^ When fields prove barren, and will not (
S4 THE PROEM.
be over-run by their enemies. Jer. vii. 12. " Go to Sh " what I did unto it." What is become of those once flourishing churches of Asia ? Are they not laid waste, . down by infidels.^ And now go to, saith the great H *' I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard ; I will " hedge thereof, and it shall be laid waste," Isa. v. 5.
Thus you see the allegory opened in its particulars whole, I shall present you with these five ensuing corot
Thejlrst Corollary. How g-reat then are the dignifies and privileges of the Jesus Christ whom he hath appropriated to himself, abovi pie of the earth, to be his peculiar inheritance ? The rest
IS a waste wilderness ; all other places, how pleasant soevc of their natural amenity and delights, are truly enough cal places of the earth ; dismal, solitary cells, where Ziim a terns, Cormorants, and every doleful creature dwells, Bu is the paradise of the earth, a garden inclosed, Cant. iv. hedges the gospel birds chirp and sing melodiously, Can beds are beds of spices. Cant. vi. 2. and betwixt its plcj
a crystal river of living water I'uns, Rev. xxii. 1. thestrej make glad the city of God, in the midst whereof the I
delights to walk. O Zion, with what pleasures doth th If Bernard was so ravished with the delights of his monas of its green banks, and shady bowers, and herbs, and ti rioiis objects to feed his eyes, and fragrant smells, and s^ rious tunes of birds, together with the opportunities of templation, that he cried out admiringly. Lord ! what ^ thou provide, evenfor the poor! How much more should a
ed with Zion's glory ? For, beautiful for situation is mou whom it may much more tridy be said, what a * chronicle once said of JEngland, That it is the fortunate island, th( pleasure, the garden of God, whose vallies are like ] hills are as Lebanon, whose springs aie as Pisgah, whose Jordan, whose wall is the ocean, and whose defence is t hovah. Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto the count the privileges wherewith Christ hath invested his c
let it never seem a light thing in our eyes, that we gro^ blessed inclosure. How sweet a promise is that, Exod.
♦' shall be to me a peculiar treasure, above all people *' earth is mine/' The second Corollary.
THE PROEM.
as the historian saith of Spain, that there is nihil infruch
nihil sterile ; nothin£r baiTenor unfruitful in it. God's vinej planted in a very fruitful hill. Isa. v. 1. " And surely they tl « planted in the house of the Lord, should flourish in the coi •* our God ; they should bring forth fruit, even in old age, t. « that God is upright," Psal. xcii. 13, 14. « They are crea « Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordamec « should walk in," Eph. ii. 10. " They are married unto Chris
♦« they might bring forth fruit to GoH," Rom. vii. 4. An branch is a dishonour to the root that bears it, a barren field
husbandman that owns it; God cannot endure that in his which he suffers in the wilderness.
The third Corollary.
If the church be God's husbandry, then there is such a specie cious presence of the Lord in his churches, as is not to be fo all the world beside. Where may you expect to find the hu
man but in his own fields ? There' hes his business, and there lights to be. And where may we expect to find God but in semblies of his saints ? " He walks among the golden candle; Rev. ii. 1. I will walk among you, (saith he) and be youi 2 Cor. vi. 16. Upon this account the church is called J Shanun-ah, the Lord is there, Ezek. xlviii. nit. You may see tl steps of God in the creatures, but the face of God is only to 1 in liis ordinances. Hence, l*sal. xxvii, 4. " David longed
*• temple, that he might see the beauty of the Lord. Now ' beauty, but a symmetry and proportion of parts ? In the wc creation you see one attribute manifested in one thing, and anc another thing ; but in the sanctuary you may see beauty, eve the attributes of God displayed there : And, indeed, we \ scripture such astonishing expressions about the visions of Go< church, that in reading them, a man can see little difference I it and heaven ; for as the church is called heaven. Mat. xxa
its description is Hke that of heaven. Heb. xii. 22, 23. " Y " come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable co
«' of angels," 5cc. And Rev. xxii. 4. " They shall see his face, " name shall be written in their foreheads.*^ And ver. 6. Th( are represented " standing nearer to the throne of God tl
" angels themselves."" Hence also ordinances are called galle which both saints and angels walk, beholding the glory of h
sits upon the throne. Zech. iii. 7. " If you will keep my v
'* will give you galleries to walk in among them that stand I
S6 THE PROEM.
ry. Should husbandman employ ignoraut persons, that i derstand the rules nor proper seasons of husbandry ; 1: would such workmen damnify and prejudice him? He wi ploy such to weed his fields, as know not wheat from ta prune his trees, that think midsummer as fit for that work ber : much less will God. He qualifies all that he sends
dom for their work. " His workmen approve themselve?
" indeed, such as need not be ashamed, rightly dividing t *' truth," 2 Tim. ii. 1^. As Bezaleel was furnished wil before he was employed in tabernacle-work ; so Christ in servants with skill and insight, before they are employed i rial work. He gives them a mouth and wisdom, Luke j dues them with power from on high ; as Christ was filled ly with the Spirit for his work, so, according to propi those that are sent by him. John xx. 21, 22. " As my F *' sent me, so send I vou." And as for those that run b are sent, and understand not tho mysteries of the gospel ;
no more of them but this; " Father, forgive them, for
" not what they do."
The fifth CoroUaiy.
To conclude, If the church be God's husbandry, thai bandry have so many resemblances of God's works about in it ; then how inexcusable is the ignorance of husband things of God, who, besides the word of the gospel, havt ing of the creatures ; and can hardly turn their hands to their work, but the Spirit hints one spiritual use or othei
their souls .'' How do the scriptures abound with parable: similitudes taken from husbandry ? From the field, th plow, the barn, from threshing and winnowing; simil from planting, graffing, and pruning of trees ; and not
the ordering of cattle. So that to what business soeve your hands, in any part of your calling, still God meet!
one heavenly instruction or other. But alas ! How few improve their civil employments to such excellent ends! 1 are but briefly hinted in the scriptures, and those hints s and down, that they know not where to find them ; could, yet would it be difficult so to methodize them, as sary they should be, in order to their due improvement tion.
And therefore I judged it necessary to collect and pr
THE FIRST PART OF HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
CHAP. I
Upon tbe Industn* of the HuslDandraan.
In the laborious Husbandman you see.
What all true Christians are, or ougfit to be.
X HE emplo\Tnent of the husbandman is by all acknowledg be very laborious ; there is a multiplicity of business incumbe
him. The end of one work is but the beginning of another, i
season of the year brings its proper work with it : sometimes
find liim in Misjidds, dress'mg, plowing, sowing, harrowing, wee
or reaping ; and sometimes in his 6ar«, thresliing or ^inno^ sometimes in his orchard, planting, graffing, or pruning his \ and sometimes among his cattle ; so that he hath no time to b< As he hath a multiplicity of business, so everj' part of it is 1
toil and spending labour : he eats not the bread of idleness, but it before he eats it ; and, as it were, dips it in his own ! whereby it becomes the sweeter to him. Though sin brought
husbandman's sweat, Gen. iiL 19. yet now not to sweat would in his sin, Ezek. xvi. 49.
APPLICATIOX. Behold here the life of a serious Christian, shadowed foi the hfe. As the hfe of a husbandman, so the hfe of a Chrisi no idle nor easy life. They that take up religion for ostcntatio. not for an occupation, and those that place the business of it in r and idle speculations, in forms, gestures, and external obser\ may think and call it so : but such as devote themselves unto
make religion their business, will find it no easv work to e: themselves to godliness. !Manv there are that affect the rcpi and szceet of it who cannot endure the labour and sxceat of men might be indulged to divide their heart betwxit God ai
28 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED ; OR,
comparing the life of a Christian with the life of a husba these five particulars; wherein it will appear, that the Christian is by much the harder work of the two.
1. The husbandman hath much to do, many things to but the Christian more : if we respect the extcnsiveness ol
he hath a large field indeed to labour in, Psal, cxix. 96. "
" mandment is exceeding broad," of a vast extent and lati prizing not only a multitude of external acts and duties, a; the offices of the outward man about them, but also takir
thought and motion of the inner man within its compass.
You find in the word, a world of work cut out for (
there is hearing-work, praying-work, reading, meditating examinlng-work ; it puts him also upon a constant watch ( eoiTuptions of his lieart. Oh, what a world of work hat
tian about him.^ For of them he may say, as the hibtorij Hannibal, they are never quiet, whether conquering or ( How many weak, languishing graces hath he to recover, and strengthen ? There is a weak faith, a languishing lov faint desires, to be quickened and invigorated. And whe done, what a multitude of work do his several relations ( him ? He hath a world of business incumbent on him, ai child, husband, wife, master, servant, or friend, yea, m friends, but enemies. And, besides all this, how man things are there to be borne and suffered for Christ ? An will not allow his people to neglect any one of them can he be a Christian that hath not respect to every com: is not holy in all manner of conversation, Psal. cxix. 6. 2 I every one of these duties, like the several spokes in a Avhe
bear, in the whole round of a Christian's convei-sation : s hath more vrork upon his hands than the husbandman.
2. The husbandman's work is confessed to be spending not like the Christian's. What Augustus said of the youi ig verified in the true Christian, Qukquid viilt, valde nil
soever he doth in religion, he doth to purpose. Undei God rejected the snail and the aftSy Lev, xi. 30. Exod. xii imder the gospel, he allows no sluggish lazy professor, 1 H 13. Sleepy duties are utterly unsuitable to the living Go( have the very spirits distilled and offered up to him in e^ John iv. 24. he bestows upon his people the very substanc nel of mercies, and will not accept from them the shells an of duties ; not the skin, but the inwards, and the fat tha
THE HEAVEXLY USE OF EAKTHLY THIXGS. *
2 Pet i. 10. In securing salvation, diligent ; or doing it thoro \y and enough.
1 Tim. iv. 7. In godliness, exercising or stripping themselve for a race.
Luke xiii. 24. In the pursuit of happiness, striving even t agony.
Acts xxvi. 7. In prayer, serving God instantly ; or in a stret out manner ; yea, pouring out their hearts before him, PsaL
8. as if the body were left like a dead corpse upon the knees, -v the spirit is departed from it, and ascended to God. This i manner of his work : judge then how much harder this work is, to spend the sweet of the brow in manual labour.
8. The husbandman finds his work as he left it, he can begii day where he left the other ; but it is not so with the Chris a bad heart and a busy de%nl, disorder and spoil his work every The Christian finds not his heart in the morning, as he left night ; and even when he is about his work, how many set-1 doth he meet with ? Satan stands at his right hand (the woi hand) to resist him, Zech. iii. 1. when he would do good, evil evil of his own heart and nature) is present with him.
4. The husbandman hath some resting-days, when he tli aside all his work, and takes his recreation ; but the Christian
no resting-day, till his djing-day ; and then he shall rest froE labours. Religion allows no idle day, '• but requires him to I vays abounding in the work of the Lord,'' 1 Cor. xv. 18. Whe] duty is done, another calls for him ; the Lord's day is a day o to the husbandman, but no day in the week so laborious to the C tian. O it is a spending day to him. When he hath gather the crop of one duty, he is not to sit down satisfied therewit say as that rich worldling did, Luke xiL 19- '* Soul, take thine
*' thou hast goods laid up for many years ;'' but must to plow a and count it well if the vintage reach to the seed-time. Lev. xx I mean, if the strength, influence, and comfort of one duty, out to another duty ; and that it may be so, and there be no left for idleness, God hath appointed ejaculatory praver, to fill u intervals, betwixt stated and more solemn duties. These are to in the nre, which kindled the morning sacrifice, to kindle the < ing sacrifice. When can the Christian sit down and say, Ncno a xcork is ended, I Jmve nothing to do z^ithout doors, or icithin ?
Lastly, There is a time when the labour of the husbandm
ended ; old age and weakness takes them ofi* from all employn
80 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED ; OR,
be full of fruits, Psal. xcii. 14. " They shall bring forth
'* age, they shall be fat and flourishing."
REFLECTIONS.
1. How hard have I laboured for the meat that perisl
The worldin^'s ^l^^ ^^^ dawning of the day and : reflection ^" ^^^^ "^^' ^"" ^^^ ^^ *'^^ ^^"'^
'^ ' harder than mine? Surely, then, ] understood the work of Christianity. Alas, my sleepy p formal duties, even all that ever I performed in my life,
me that pains, that one hour at plow hath done. I ' wholly neglected, or at best, so lazily performed rcligi that I may truly say, I offer to God what cost me nothii me, poor Wretch ! How is the judgment of Korah spii ecuted u}X)n me ? The earth opened her mouth, and sw, his body ; but it hath opened its mouth and swallowed u] my time, and all my affections. How far am I from the God!
2. And how little better Is my case, who have indee(
TheformaUsfs "^^'^ion, but never made it my busir reflection. ^" '^^"P^^ (though splenaiu) professio
•^ " How many brave ships have perished in notwithstanding their fine names, the Prosperous^ the S Happy Return P A fine name could not protect them fron nor will it save me from hell. I have done by religion, £ have done by the world ; prayed, as if I prayed not ; an if I heard not. I have given to God but the shadow of can never expect from him a real reward.
3. How unlike a Christian dost thou also, O my soul, gf
The reflections of a '''""''^ ' ^^'°"^^' upright in the mai 7 ti ^ T 'Ai -Jlittle zeal and activitydost thou ex slotlifuL Lhristian. j ^- i a i i *^ i ^ •^ duties ! AAvake love and zeal, see the toil and pains men take for the world } How do th( the dawning of the day ; and labour as in the very fire till i all this for a trifle ! Should not every drop of sweat wl trickle from their brows fetch, as it Mere, a drop of bloo heart, who am thus convinced and reproved of shameful 1
their indefatigable diligence .'* Do they pant after the ( earth } Amos ii. 7. And shall not I pant after God ? P; Ah, my soul, it was not wont to be so with thee in the c first profession. Should I have had no more communion
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS.
now in hell, perished for want of serious diligence in religion, ] xiii. 34. nor doth my diligence for God, answer to that which C hatli done and suffered, to purchase my happiness : or to the parations he hatli made in heaven for me ? Or dost thou forgel
thy Master's eye is always upon thee, whilst thou art lazyin^ loitering ? Or would the damned live at this rate as I do, if thei of grace might be recalled ? For shame, my soul, for shame ! 3 up thvself, and fall to thy work, with a dihgence answerable t weight thereof; for it is no vain work concerning thee, it i
life.
Religion WJien advanced in pow'r, Will make you Husband every hour.
'Twill make Men strive with all their mighty And therein Find a sweet delight. If there were Nought besides that pay Christ gives To cheer us in our way ; Should we not Do the best we can ?
For there's No such reward from man. Shall others Work, and not regard Their strength To get a small reward .'' Whilst we Turn slugs, and loiter thus ? O that TIteir zeal might quicken us ! Why are our Hands, and feet so slow. When we Unto our business go ? How can we Then Christ's pay expect, And yet the Christiaii's work reject, If this, then Also that embrace Them both ; -f/not, we both disgrace.
Some if They could these two divide, 'Twould Please them well, with Christ to side .' But if they May not, then it were
As good Cease pleading, they'll not hear : Rouse up From slotii, my soul betake Thee to thy Work, no cavils make. O strive, AiuL try ! Saints say that even. The pain they Take, hath much of heaven.
But yet Their best wine's kept till last, Their rest, and Ease comes all so fast.
32 irUSBAKDRV SPIIIITUALIZED ; OK,
CHAP. II.
Upon the Thriftiness of the Husbandmai
The hardest laVrers are the thriving men, IfyoxCll have thriving smils, he active then.
OBSEllVATION.
JlNDUSTIIY and diligence is the way to thrive and g the world. The earth must be manured, or its increase expected ; Qui Jtigit molam, fugit farinam ; He that i mill, refuses the meal, (saith the proverb). " The di *' shall be made fat.'* Solomon hath two proverbs concei tiness and increase in the world. In Prov. x. 4. he sa
*' hand of the diligent maketh rich."" And in ver. 22 *' The blessing of the Lord maketh rich." These are not tory, but confirmatory each of other; one speaks of the^ri
other oi' the instrumental cause. Diligence without Goc will not do it ; and that blessing cannot be expected wi gence; therefore husbandmen ply their business with pains, they do even lodge in the midst of their labours as husband Boaz did, Ilutli ii. 3. They are parsimonious of but prodigal of their sweet and strength, because they i be the thriving way.
APPLICATION*. As nature opens her treasures to none but the diligent, doth grace. He that will be a rich, must be a painful Chri whosoever will closely ply the trade of godliness, shall C(
and quickly find, " That in keeping God's commands the " reward,"" Psal. xix. 11. God is a " bountiful re warder " dihgently seek him,"" Heb. xi. 6. They must not in for wages, * nor yet will God suffer their work to go un yea, it sufficiently rewards itself, 1 Tim, vi. 6. And itj twofold ; (1.) Present and in part ; (2.) Future, and in fi X. 29, 30. Now in this time an hundred-fold, even from which seems the most unprofitable part of the work, and ir to come life everlasting. If you ask what present advanta, ans have by their diligence.? I answer, as much and moi husbandman hath from all his toils and labours. Let us c(
THE HEAVEXLY USE OF EAETHLY TIIIXGS.
1 1 is the higliest honour of a creature to be active and useful fo God. Saints are called vessels of honour, as they are fitted foi
master"'g use, 2 Tim. ii. 21. Wherein consists thehonour of ar but in this, that they are ministering spirits, serviceable creatu And all the apostles glorified in the title of servants. The lo office in which a man can serve God, even that of Nethinim, or c keepers, which was the lowest order or rank of officers in the h of God, Ezek. xliv. 10, 11. is yet preferred by David before the vice of the greatest prince on earth. Psalm Ixxxiv. 10. It is no s