Upon the resemblance of wheat and tares,
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, CHAP.
XII.
Upon the resemblance of Wheat andTares.
As wheat resembled is, by viler tares ; So vilehypocrify, like grace appears.
OBSERVATION.
I Tis Jerom's observation, that wheat andtares are so much alike in their first springing up, that it is exceeding difficult to distinguish the one from the other: These are his words,
Inter triticum et lolium quandiu herba est, et nondum culmus venit adspicam ; grand is fimilitudo est ; et indifcernendo aut nulla, aut per difficilis diftantia.
The difference(faith he) between them, is either none at all, or wonderfully difficult to discern, which those words of Christ, Mat. xiii. 30. plainly confirm.
Let them both alone till the harvest; thereby intimating, both the difficulty of distinguishing the tares and wheat; as also the unwarrantable rasiness of bold and hasty censures of men's sincerity or hypocrisy, which is there shadowed by them.
APPLICATIO Ν.
OW difficult soever it be to discern the difference betwixt H wheat and tares, yet, doubtless, the eye of sense can much easierdifcriminate them, than the most quick and piercing' eye of man candifcern the difference betwixt special and common grace ; for all saving graces in the saints have theircounterfeits in hypocrites.
There arefimilar works in these, which a spiritual andveryjudicious eye may easily mistake for thefavingandgenuine effects of the sanctifying Spirit.
Doth the SpiritofGod convince the consciences of his people of the evil of fin ? Rom. vii. 9.
Hypocrites have their convictions too, Exod. x. 16. " Then Pharaoh called for Moses
*" and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have finned against the " Lord your God, and against you."
Thus was Saul also convicted, 1 Sam. xv. 24.
Doth true conviction and compunction work reformation of life in the people of God ?
Even hypocrites also have been famous for their reformations.
The unclean spirit often goes out of the formal hypocrite, by an external reformation; and yet still retains his propriety in them, Matth. xii. 43, 44.
For that departure is indeed no more than a politic retreat.
Many that shall never escape the damnation of hell, have yet escaped
The Heavenly Use ofEarthlyThings.
thepollutionsof the world, and that by the knowledge of the Son of God, 2 Pet. ii. 21.
Doth the SpiritoftheLordproduce that glorious and supernatural work of faith in convinced and humble souls ? In this also the hypocrite apes and imitates the believer, Acts viii. 13.
" ThenSimon himself believed also." Luke viii. 13. " Theie " are they which for a while believe, and in time of temptation
" fall away."
Doth the precious eye of faith, discovering the transcendent excellencies that are in Christ, inflame the affections of the believing foul with vehement desires and longings after him ?
Strange motions of heart have alsobeenfound in hypocrites towards Christ and heavenly things, John vi. 34." Lord, ever- " moregiveus this bread." Mat, xxv. 8." Give us of your oil,
" for our lamps are gone out."
With what a rapture was Balaam transported, when he said, " Let me die the death of the
66 righteous, and my last end be like his !" Numb. xxiii, ro.
Doth the work of faith, in some believers, bear upon its top branches the fulltipe fruit of a blessed assurance ? Lo ! what trongconfidences, and high-built perfuafions of an interest in God, have sometimes been found even in unsanctified ones ?
John viii. 54. "Of whom you say, that he is your God ; and "yetyehave not known him."
To the same height of confidence arrived those vainfouls, mentioned in Rom. ii. 19. Yea, so strong may this false assurance be, that they dare boldly venture togo to the judgment-feat of God, andtheredefend it,
Mat. vii. 22. " Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy " name?"
Doth the Spirit of God fill the heart of the assured believer with joy unspeakable and full of glory, giving them, through faith, a prelibation, or foretaste of heaven itself, in those first fruits of it ? How near to this comes that which the apostle supposes maybe found even in apoftates ? Heb. vi. 8, 9. who are there said " to taste the good word of God, and the powers of " the world to come." What shall I say, if real Christians delight in ordinances, those that are none, may also delight in approaching to God, Ezek. xxxiii. 32. It may be you will say, though the difference be not easily discern able in their active obedience, yet, when it shall come to suffering, there every eyemaydifcern it; the false heart will then flinch, and cannot brook that work. And yet even this is no infallible rule neither; for the aposle supposes, that thefalamander ofhypocrify may live in the very flames of martyrdom, I Cor. xiii. 3 .
VOL . VI.
тоб Husbandry Spiritualized; or, " If I givemybody to be burnt, and have not charity." And it was long since determined in this case, Non poena, fed caufz facit martyrem; so, that without controverty,the difficulty of distinguishing them is very great.
And this difference will yet be more subtle and undiscernible, ifI should tell you, that as in so many things the hypocrite resembles the faint; so there are other things in which a real
Chriftianmay act too like an hypocrite. When we find a Pharaoh confessing, and Herod practising, as well as hearing, aJudas preaching Christ, and Alexander venturing his life for Paul ; and, on the other side, shall find aDavid condemning that in another, which he practised himself, an Hezekiah glorying in his riches, a Peter dissembling, and even all the disciples forlaking Christ in an hour of trouble and danger : O then ! how hard is it for the eyeofman to discern betwixt chaffandwheat?
How many upright hearts are now censured, whom God will clear ? How many false hearts are now approved, whom God will condemn ? Men ordinarily have no clear convictive proofs, but only probable symptoms ; which, at most, can be get but a conjectural knowledge of another's state. And they that shall peremptorilyjudge either way, may possibly wrong the generation of the upright; or, on the other side, absolve and justify the wicked. And truly, considering what hath been said, it is no great wonder, that dangerous mistakes are so frequently made in this matter.
But though man cannot, the Lord both can, and will, perfectly discriminate them. "The Lord know- " eth who are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. He will have a day perfectly to sever the tares from the wheat, to melt off the varnith of the most resplendent and refined hypocrite, and to blow off the ashes of infirmities, which have covered and obscured the very sparks offincerity in his people: he will make such a division as wasneveryet made in the world, how many divisions soever there havebeeninit. "And then shall men indeed return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked; betwixt him
" that serveth God, and him that ferveth him not."
Mean while, my soul, thou canst not better employ thyself, whether thou be found or unsound, than in making these reflections upon thyself.
REFLECTIONS .
And is thisfo ? Then, Lord, pardon the The cenforious rasiness and precipitancy of my censorious spifoul's reflection. rit ; for I have often boldly anticipated thy judgment, and assumed thy prerogative, al though thou hast said, "Why dost thou judge thy brother?
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
And why dost thou set at nought thy brother ? We hall all " stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written, As I live (faith the Lord) every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall contess to God.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more," Rom xiv. 10, 11, 12, 13.
And again; " He that judgeth me is the Lord.
Let us therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who
" both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and " make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every
" man have praise of God,"
1 Cor. iv. 4, 5 .
WhatifGodwill own some of them for hisfons, to whom I refule to give the respect of brethren? I may pass hasty and headlongcensures upon others; but where is my commission for so doing? I want not only a commission, but fit qualifications for such a work as this.
Can I pierce into the heart as God?
Can I infallibly discover the hidden motives, ends and principles of actions ? Besides, O my soul, thou art conscious of so much falseness in thyself, that were there no other consideration, that alone might restrain thee from all uncharitable andhastycenfures.
If others knew but what I know of myself, would they not judge as severely of me, as I do of others ?
2. Though I may not judge the final state of another, yet I may, and ought to judge
The prefumptuousfoul's reflection. the state of my own soul ; which is, doubtless, a more necessary and concerning work to me.
For since every saving grace in a Christian hath its counterfeit in the hypocrite, howneedful is it for thee, O my soul, to make a stand here, and solemnly to ponder this question, Whether those things, whereon I depend, as my best evidences for the life to come, be the real, or only the common werks of the Spirit ? Whether they may be such as can now endure the test of the word, and abide a fair trial at the bar of my own conscience?
Come then, my soul, set the Lord before thee, to whom the secrets of all hearts are manifest; and in the awful sense of that great day, make true answer to these heart-discovering queries: For though thou canst not discern the difference be twixt these things in another, yet thou mayest and oughtest to discern it in thyself : For what man knows the things of am an, save the spirit of man that is in him !
1. Is my obedience uniform ? am I the same man at alt times, places and companies ? Or rather, am I not exact and curious in open and public, remiss and careless in private and
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, secret duties ? Sincere souls are uniform fouls, Psal. cxix. 6. the hypocrite is no closet-man, Matth. vi. 5.
2. Doth that which I call grace in me oppose and mortify, or doth it not rather quietly consist with, and protect my lusts and corruptions? True grace tolerates no lust,Gal. v. 17. No, notthebosomdarling corruptions, Psal.xviii. 23.
3. Doth that which I call my grace, humble, empty, and abate my soul ? Or rather, doth it not puffit up with self-conceitedness ? All saving grace is humbling grace, 1 Cor.xv. 18.
" But the soul which is lifted up, is not upright," Hab. ii. 4.
Lastly, Canst thou, my soul, rejoice and bless God for the grace imparted to others ? And rejoice, ifanydesign for Christ be carried on in the world by other hands ? Or, rather, dost thou not envy those that excel thee, and carest for no work in which thou art not seen ?
But stay, my soul, it is enough: If these be the substantial differences betwixt special and common grace, I more than doubt, I shall not endure the day of his coming, Whose fan is in his hand. Do not those spots appear upon me, which are not the spots of his children ? Woe is me, poor wretch ! the characters of death are upon my soul! Lord add power to the form, life to the name to live, practice to the knowledge, or I perish eternally ! O rather give me the faint's heart, than the angels tongue; the poorest breathing of the Spirit, than the richest ornaments of common gifts! Let me never deceive myself, or others, in matters of so deep and everlasting consequence.
The POEM. good authors write, IN eastern countries, as Tares, in their springing up, appear to fight,
Not like itself, a weed, but real wheat ; Whose shape and form it counterfeits so neat,
That 'twould require amostjudicious eye, The one from t'other to diversify.
Till both to some maturity be grown, And then the difference is eas'ly known.
Even thus hypocrisy, that cursed weed, Springs up so like true grace, that he will need
More than a commoninfight in this case, That faith, this is not, that is real grace.
Ne'er did the cunning actor, tho' a slave Array'd in princely robes, himself behave
So like a king, as this doth act the part
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
Offaving grace, by its deep hellish art.
Do gracious fouls melt,mourn, and weep for fin ?
The like in hypocrites observ'd hath been.
Have they their comforts, joys, and raptures sweet ?
With them incomfortshypocritesdomeet.
In all religious duties they cango As far as faints, in somethings farther too; They speak like angels, and you'll think within,
The very spirit of Christ and grace hath been.
They come so near, that some, like Isaac, take Jacob for Efau, this, for that mistake :
Andboldlycall (their eyes, with his, being dim) True grace, hypocrisy ; and duty, fin:
Yea, many also, Jacob-like, embrace Leah for Rachel, common gifts for grace:
And in their bosom hug it, 'till the light Discover their mistake, and clear their fight:
And then, like him, confounded they will cry, Alas! 'tis Leah, curs'd hypocrisy !
Guide me, my God, that I may not, instead Ofsavinggrace, nurse up this cursed weed.
Olet my heart, at last, by thee be found Sincere, and all thy working son it found!
CHAP.
XIII.
Upon the Dangers incident to the Corn from Seed-time to Harvest.
Fowls, weeds, and blastings do your corn annoy ; Evenfocorruptions wouldyourgrace destroy .
OBSERVATION.
HERE are , amongst many others, three critical anddanTHERE gerous periods between the feed-time and harvest.
The first, when corn is newly committed to the earth, all that lies uncovered is quickly picked up by the birds ; and much of that which is but slightly covered, is plucked upas soon as it begins to sprout, by rooks, and other devouring fowls, Mat. xiii. 4. But if it escape the fowls, and gets root in the earth, yetthenit is hazarded by noxious weeds, which purloin, and fuck away its nourishment, whilst it is yet in the tender blade.
If by the care of the vigilant husbaudman it be freed from choaking weeds ; yet, lastly, as great a danger as any of the
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, former still attends it; for oftentimes, whilst it is blowing in the ear, blaftingsand mildews smite it in the stalk, and cuts off the juice and sap that should ascend to nourish the ear, and so shrivels anddries up the grain whilst it is yet immaturate ; whereby it becomes like those ears of corn in Pharaoh's vision, which were thin and blasted with the east-wind; or like the ears thePfalmist speaks of upon the house-top, wherewith the reaper filleth not his arms .
APPLICATIΟΝ.
RUE grace, from the infancy to the perfection thereof, conflicts with far more greater dangers, amongst which it answerably meets with three dangerous periods, which marvellously hazard it : So that it is a much greater wonder that it ever arrives at its just perfection.
For, (1.) No sooner hath the greatHusbandmandisseminatedtheseholy feeds in the regenerate heart, but multitudes of impetuous corruptions immediatelyaffault, andwouldcertainlydevourthem, like the fowls of the air, did not the same arm that sowed them, also protect them.
It fares with grace, as with Christ, its Author, whom Herod fought to destroy in his very infancy. The new creature is scarce warminits seat,before it must fighttodefend itself. This conflict is excellentlyset forth in that famous text, Gal. v. 17. "The " flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flem ;
" and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye can- " not do the things that ye would."
By flesh here understand the corruption of naturebyoriginal fin, and the sinful motions thereof; by Spirit, not the soul, or natural spirit of man,but the Spirit of God in man, viz. those graces in man which aretheworkmanshipofthe Spirit, and therefore called by his name. The opposition betwixt these two is expressed by lusting, (i. e.) desiring the mutual ruin and destruction of each other; for even when they are not acting, yet then they are lusting; there is anoppositedifposition against each other ? which opposition is bothaformal and an effective opposition.
There are two contrary forms ; twomeninevery faint, Col. ii. 9, 10. From hence an effective opposition must needs follow ; for as things are in their natures and principles, so they are in their operations and effects ; workings always follow beings; fire and water are of contrary qualities,and when they meet, they effectively oppose each o ther.
Sin and grace are so opposite,that if sin should cease to oppose grace, itwouldcease to be sin; and if grace should cease to oppose sia, it would cease to be grace. And this doth much
TheHeavenlyUse ofEarthlyThings. moreendangerthe work of grace than any otherenemyithath; because it works against it more inwardly, constantly, and advantageously, than any thing else can do.(1.) More inwardly, for it hath its being and working in the same soulwhere grace dwells; yea, in the self-fame faculties ; so that it not only fetsone faculty against another, but the fame faculty against itself; the understanding against the understanding, and the will against the will ; fo that ye cannot do the good, nor yet the evilthatyewould; not the good that ye would, because when the spiritmoveth to good, and beats upon the heart by Divine pulsations, exciting it to duty, the flesh-crosses and opposes it there; and if it cannot totally hinder the performance of a duty, yet it lames the soul upon the working hand, wherebytheperformance is not so spiritual, free and composed, as it desires; nor yet the evil that you would commit, if grace were not there; because when lust stirs, in its first motions, grace puts a rub in its way. "How can I do this great wickedness,
" andfinagainstGod ?" Gen. xxxix. 9. And if it cannot(which for the most part it doth) hinder the acting of fin, yet it so engages the will against it,that it is not committed with complacencyandfullconfent,Rom.vii. 15."What I do, I allow not."
(2.) It opposes it more constantly, it is like a continual dropping; a man can no more fly from this enemy than from kimfelf.
There is a time when the devil leaves tempting, Matth. iv. 11. but no time when corruption ceases from working.
And, lastly, It opposes grace more advantageously than any other enemy can do, for it is not only always in the fame foul with it, but it is there naturally ; it hath the advantage of the foil which suits with it. And yet, oh the wonder of free grace! it is not swallowed up in victory,but it escapes this hazard.
But(2.) It soon meets with another, though it escapes this, evenbytemptations, which strike desperately at the very life of it; for these, like the weeds, with seemingly-loving embraces, clafpabout it; and did not the faithful God now make away to escape, instead of an harvest, we should have an heap ? For, alas, what are we! to wrestle with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places ?
Lastly, Sad relapses, like blasts and rustings, do often fade, and greatly endanger it, when it is even ready for the harvest.
Thus it fell outwith David, whose last ways were not like his first ; and yet by this these holy fruits were not utterly destroyed, because it is the feed of God, and so is immortal, I Joha v. 4, 5. And also because the promises of perseverance and victory made to it, cannot be frustrated; amongst which these
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, are excellent, Ifa. liv. 10. Jer. xxxiv. 40. 1 Cor. i. 8. Psal. i.
3. Psal. cxxv. 1. John iv. 15.
So that here is matter of unspeakable comfort; though the flesh say, Ego deficiam, I will fail thee ; though the world say, Ego decipiam, I will deceive thee; though the devil say, Ego eripiam, I will snatch thee away; yet as long as Christ saith, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, thy graces are secure in the midst of all these enemies.
REFLECTION.S .
1. This foul of mine was once plowed up by conviction, and sown (as I thought) with The apostate's the feed of God.
In those days many purposes and good resolutions began tochink and bud forth, promising a blessed harvest : but oh! (with what consternation and horror should I speak it) the cares and pleasures of this life, the lusts and corruptions of my base heart springing up, have quite destroyed and choaked it; by which it appears it was not the feed of God, as I then imagined it to be; and now my expected harvest shall be an heap in the day ofgriefanddesperate sorrow, Ifa. xvii. 11.
I had convictions, but they are gone; troubles for fin, conscience of duties, but reflection. all is blasted, and my soul is now as a barren field, which God hath cursed.
Woe is me ! I have revolted from God, and now that dreadful word, Jer. xvii. 5, 6. is evidently fulfilled upon me; "for " I am like the heath in the desart, that feeth not when good
" cometh ; my foul inhabits the parched places of the wilder- " ness." Alas! all my formal and heartless duties were but as fo many scare-crows in the field, which could not defend these flight workings from being devoured by the infernal fowls.
Had these principlesbeenthefeed of God, no doubt they would have continued and overcome the world, 1John ii. 19. Wretched foul! thy case is sad; it will be better with the uncultivated wilderness, than with such a miscarrying foul, unless the great
Husbandman plow thee up the second time,and sow thy heart with better feed.
2. And are the corruptions of my heart The careless foul's to grace, what fowls, weeds, and mildews reflection.. are to the corn ? O what need have I then to watch my heart, and keep it with all diligence; for in the life of that grace is wrapt up the life of my soul.
He that carries a candle in his hand, in ablustring stormy night, had need to cover it close, lest it be blown out, and he left in darkness. O let me never fay,God hath pro
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
mised it shall persevere, and therefore Ineednotbe so follicitous to preserve it ; for as this inference is quite opposite to the nature of true grace and assurance, which never encourage to carelesness,but provoke the soul to an industrious use of means to preserve it; so it is in itself an irrational and senseless conclusion, which will never follow from any scripture-promise : for although it is readily granted, thatGodhath made many comfortable and sweet promises to the grace of his people, yet we must expect to enjoy the benefits and blessings of all those promises, in that way.and order in which God hath promised them;and that is in the careful and diligent use of those means which he hath prescribed, Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37.
For promises do not exclude, but imply the use of means, Acts xxvii. 31 .
I know my life is determined to a day, to an hour, and I shall live out every minute God hath appointed ; but yet, I am boundtoprovide food, raiment and physictopreserve it.
To conclude, letalldoubting Christians refiect seriously upon this truth, and fuck
The doubting marrowandfatnesscut of is to strengthen Soul's reflections. and establish them against all their fears: your life, your spiritual life hath for many years hanged in suspence before you ; and you have often said with David, I shall one day fall by the handofSaul.
Desponding,trembling foul ! lift up thine eyes, andlookupon the fields ; the corn lives still, and grows up,
⚫though birds have watched to devour it ; snows have covered it, beaftshave cropped it, weeds have almost choaked it, yet it is preserved. And hath not God more care of that precious feed of his own Spirit in thee, than anyhusbandman hath of his corn ? Hath he not said, " That having begun the good
" work in thee, he will perfect it to the day of Christ ?" Phil . i. 6.
Hath he not said, I give unto them eternal life, and they 1hall never perish, John-x. 28.
Hast thou not many times said, and thought of it, as thoudost now, and yet it lives ? O what matter of unspeakablejoyand comfort is this to upright fouls! Well then, be not discouraged, for thou dost not run as one uncertain, nor fight as one that beats the air, 1 Cor. ix. 26. But the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, theLordknows who are his, 2Tim. ii. 19.
Though thy grace be weak, thy God is strong; though the stream seem sometimes to fail, yet 'tis fed by a never-flowing fountain.
The POEM.
IS justly wondered that an ear of corn T
VOL . VI.
Should come at last in safety to the barn:
Husbandry Spiritualized; or , It runs through many hazards, threatning harmsy Betwixt the sower's hands, and reaper's arms.
The earth no sooner takes it from the sack, But you may feebehindthe fower's back A troop of thieves,which would at once destroy
That feed in which lies hid the feed of joy.
This dangerous period past, itfoondoth fall Into a second, no less critical.
It shooteth forth the tender blade, and then The noxious weeds endanger it again.
These clasp about it till they kindly choak The corn, as flatt'ringivydoththe oak.
Areweeds destroy'd, and all that danger past Lo, now another coines, the worst at last :
For when i' th' ear it blows, begins to kern, A mildew smites it,which you can't discern,
Nor any way prevent, till all be loft, The corn destroy'd, with all your hopes and cost.
Thus saving grace, that precious feed of joy, Which hell and natureplothow to destroy,
Escapes ten thousand dangers, first and last, Owhocan say,now all the danger's past ?
Tis like a crazy bark toss'd in a storm, Or like a taper which is strangely born Without a lanthornin ablust'sing night, Or like to glimmering sparks,whose dying light
Is still preserv'd: the roaring waves swell high, Likemovingmountains in the darken'd sky :
On their proud backs, the little bark is even Mounted unto the battlements of heaven ; From thence dismounted,to the deeps doth slide,
Receiving water upon every side ; Yet he,whosevoicethe proudest waves obey, Brings it at last into the quiet key:
The blustring winds strive, with a fatal puff, To bring the taper toa stinking snuff :
Their churlish blasts extinguish it,and then Our gentle breath recovers it again :
The fainting sparks beneath the ashes lie, Where, choak'd and smother'd, they begin to die
But these collected, we do gently blow, Till from faint sparks to lively flames they grow.
Even thus is grace preserv'd, thus kept alive ; Byconstantwonders, grace doth liveandthrive...