Upon the joy of harvest-men,
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
Such reaſonings here their credulous ſouls beguile, Atwhich, in other things, themselves would ſmile.
Our preſent acts, though ilightly paſſed by, Are ſo much ſeed ſownfor eternity.
The feeds of prayers, ſecret groans and tears, Will fhoot at laſt into the full-blown ears
Ofpeace and joy.
Bleſſed are they that fow Befides theſe waters, yea, thrice bleſs'd, that go Bearing fuch precious feed: Though now they mon,
Withjoyful ſheaves they ſhortly ſhall return.
Needs must the full-ripe fruits inheavenbegood, Whenas the feedwas glory inthe bud.
But, oh ! the bitter, baneful fruits of fin, When all the pleaſure ſinners have therein,
Like faded bloſſoms to theground ſhall fall, Thenthey willtaſtethe wormwoodand the gall!
WhatGodandconfcience now ofſin report, You flight, and with their dreadful threatnings ſport :
Buthe'll convinceyouthen yourwayswere naught, AsGideon the men of Succouth taught.
Iffermons cannot, fire and brimſtone must Teach menhowgood it is to pamper luft.
When confcience takes theebythe throat, and cries, Now wretch ! now finner ! thou that didſt deſpiſe
My warnings ; learn, and ever learning be That leffon which thou ne'er wouldſt learn ofme.
The ſtouteft finnerthen would howl and roar, OfinI neversawthy face before.
Is this the fruit offin? Is this the place Where I must lie ? Is this indeedthe cafe
Ofmy poor foul ? muſt Ibe bound in chains With theſe companions ? Oh ! is this the gains
Igetby fin? Poor wretch ! I that would never Seethis before, am now undone for ever !
CHAP.
XVIII.
Upon the Joy of Harvest-men.
Great is thejoy of harvest-men ; yet less Than theirs whom God doth with hisfavour bless.
OBSERVATION.
Mong all earthlyjoys,theſe four forts are notedin ſcripture, as themost excellent and remarkable.
(1.) NupS2
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, tialjoys; theday of eſpouſals is the day ofthe gladness ofa man's heart, Cant. iii. 11.
(2.) Thejoy of children : Though now it seems but a common mercy to moſt, and a burden to ſome, yet the people ofGod were wont to eſteem it a choice mercy, and rejoiced greatly in it, John xvi. 21. there isjoy thataman is born into the world. (3.) The joy of conquests andvictories, when men divide the ſpoil: And, lastly, The joy of harvest.
Theſe two we find put together, as principal mattersofjoy, Iſa. ix. 3. " Theyjoy before thee, according to " thejoy in harvest, and as men rejoicewhentheydivide the " fpoil."
Thejoy of harvest is no ſmalljoy ; Gaudium meſſfis estmeſſis gaudii ; Thejoy of the harvest, is the harvest oftheir joy.
It is uſualwith men,when theyhave reaped down their harvest(or cut the neck, as they call it) todemonftrate their joyby ſhouting, andloud acclamations.
APPLICATION.
HUS, and unspeakable more thanthus,doſaints rejoice andſhout for joy, when they reap thefavour and love ofGod, forwhich they laboured in many awearyduty. This joy ofharvest, as greatas it is, andas much ascarnalhearts are liftedup with it, is but a trifle, a thing ofnought, compared with yours ; after theyhave ſownto themselvesin righteoufneſs, andwaited for the effects and returns of their duties with patience, and at last come to reapinmercy, eitherthe fullharveſt in heaven, or but the firſt-fruits ofitonearth, yet rejoice,
" withjoy unspeakable and fullofglory," I Pet. i. 8. "This "puts moregladneſs intotheir hearts,thanwhencorn andwine
" increaſe," Pfalm iv. 7. Carnaljoys are but as foul-fevers, the agues ofthe inward man; there is a great differencebe twixt theunnatural inflammations ofa feverish body, which waſte the ſpirits, anddrink up the radical moisture, and the kindlywell-tempered heart ofan healthy body ; and asmuch betweenthe ſweet, ferene, and heavenlyjoy, which flow from the bofom ofChriſt in the hearts ofbelievers, and thoſe earthly delights which carnal hearts, in a ſenſual way, fuck out of creature enjoyments.
I willſhew you the tranfcendency of ſpiritualjoys, above thejoy ofharvest, intheſe eight particulars following.
1. Youthatjoywiththejoyofthe harvest, areglad,becauſe now you have food for yourſelves and families to live upon alltheyear, butthe Chriſtianrejoiceth,becauſehe hathbread to eat that the world knows not of, Rev. ii. 17. Chriſt is the foodofhis foul, and his fleſh is meat indeed, and his blood
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
drink indeed, John v. 55.(i. e.) the most real and excellent food.
You read, Pfalm lxxviii. 25. thatmen did eat angels food,(i. e.)Manna; which wasſuchexcellentbread, thatifangels did liveuponmaterialfood, this wouldbe choſen forthem; and yet this is but atype anddark ſhadow of Jeſus Chrift, the food of believers .
2. You rejoice whenyour harvest is in,becauſe corn is virtuallymany other things befides food ; you canturn it into cloaths tokeepyouwarm, andmany other neceffariesmay be purchaſedby it: butyet it is not like Chriſt, the object of a faint'sjoy; though it anſwers many things, itdoth not anſwer allthings, as Chriſt doth ; turn it intowhat you will, it hath butalimitedand reſpective usefulness ; but Jeſus Chriſt is all inall tobelievers, and out of him their faith can fetch all ſupplies; he is theirhealth in ſickness, their ſtrength in weakneſs, their eaſe inpain,theirhonour in reproach, their wealth inpoverty, their friendinfriendleſneſs,their habitation when harbourleſs, their enlargement inbonds, the ſtrength oftheir hearts,and life oftheir life; O ! he is afullChriſt ! andwhateverexcellencies are ſcattered among all thecreatures,domeet allinhim, and much more.
3. You rejoicewhen you have gotten inyour harvest, becauſenow you can free thoſe engagements, and pay thoſe debts which you have contracted. 'Tis a comfort tobe out ofdebt; and you may lawfully rejoice that God gives you wherewith to quit your engagements, that you may owe no man anything butlove: but stillthejoy ofharvest falls ſhort ofthejoyofthe faints; foryourejoicethat you are, orhavewherewith tohelp yourſelves outofmens debt: butthey rejoice that theyareout ofGod's debt ; that his bookis cancelled, andtheir fins pardoned: thatby reaſonof the imputedrighteouſneſs of Chriſt,the law can demand nothing from them,Rom. viii. 1.
Owhat matter ofjoy isthis !
4. You rejoice, becauſe now yourcorn is outofdanger ; all the whileit was abroad, it was in hazard, butnow itis houfedyou fear not the rain: but Chriſtians rejoice, not becauſe theircornis ſafe, butbecauſe their fouls are ſo.
Allthewhile theyabode inan unregenerate ſtate, they were every moment indanger ofthe storms ofwrath: butnow, being in Chrift, that danger isover ; and what compare is there betwixt the ſafety ofa little corn, and the ſecurity ofanimmortal foul ?
5.Yourjoy is but agift ofcommon providence. Turks and Heathens can rejoice withyourjoy; butthejoy ofaChriftian, is apeculiar favour and giftofGod. Corn isgiven to allna
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, tions, even the moſt barbarous and wickedhave ſtore ofit; butChriſt is the portion but ofa few,andthoſethedearlybelovedofGod. Luther faid ofthewhole Turkiſh empire(where is the beſt and greateſt ſtore of corn) that it isbut a crumb whichthemaſter ofthe familythrows to thedogs. He that hadmorecornthan hisbarns could hold, nowwants adrop of water tocoolhis tongue. Chriſt is a gift beſtowedonly upon God's elect .
6. Your joywill have an end; the time iscoming, that whenyou have reapeddown your harvests, yourſelves muſt bereapeddownbydeath, and thenyou shall rejoice in theſe things no more: Butwhenyourjoy is ended, then isthejoy of faints perfected; they reap their harvest,when you leave your harvest; their confolation iseverlaſting.
7.Godcanfeparate yourjoy from theſe enjoyments, even whileyouhavethem, as well as whenyou leave them. 'Tis onething for aman tohaveriches and fullbarns,andanother thing to havecomfort in them, Ecclef. v. 19, 20. But now thejoy ofChriſtians is a thing inſeparable from their enjoymentofChriſt: indeed theſenſe of their intereſt maybe loſt, andſo the acts oftheirjoy intermitted: but theyalways have itintheſeed, ifnot in the fruit, Pfalm xcvii. 11. " Joy is ſown
" for the upright;" he hath it stillintheprinciple, and inthe promife.
8.Thejoyofharvest-men,forthe moſtpart,isonlyin their harvest, and in ſuch earthlythings; take that away, and their joyceases.
Earthly hearts are acquaintedwith nohigher comforts; but the people ofGod canjoyin him, and take comfort intheir earthlyenjoyments too: And what comfort they take intheſe things, is much more refined and ſweet than yours; for they enjoy alltheſe things inGod, and his love in givingthem, puts a ſweetneſs intothem, that you are unacquainted with.
Thus you ſee, how far yourjoys fall ſhort of theirs.
REFLECTIONS .
1. How have I rejoiced inathing ofnought, andpleaſedmyſelf with avanity ?God hath ⚫bleſſedme inmyfields, and inmy ſtores ; but Areflection for one that hath a full notwith ſpiritual bleſſings inheavenlyplaces in Chriſt. My barns are full ofcorn, but myfoul
Chrift.
-is empty ofgrace ; commonbounty hathgiven me afulness ofthe things of this life ; but what ifthemeaning ofit ſhouldbe tofat me for theday of flaughter? What ifthis barn, butno be the whole ofmy portion from the Lord ? What ifthe lan-
TheHeavenlyUse ofEarthlyThings.
guage ofhis providences to my foul ſhould be this ; Lo! here Ihave giventhee (with Ishmael) the fatneſs ofthe earth ?Thou ſhaltnot fay,butthouhafttafted ofthy Creator's bounty ; but make the most of it, for this is all that ever thou shalt have from me ; there be others inthe world, towhom I havedenied theſe things, but for them I have reſervedbetter ; for the moſt part they are poor inthis world,but rich in faith, and heirs of thekingdom.
Is not this enoughtodamp allmy carnalmirth ?
Should,my confcience giveme ſuch aMemento asAbraham, in theparable,gaveto Dives ; " Rememberthat thou in thylife- " time receivedſt thy good things ;" Ah ! what a cutwould that be to all my comforts ? Aman in a fever hath a lively colour,but adying heart. Ihave an appearance, a ſhadow of comfort, but a fad ſtate of foul.
Areflection for "BleffedbetheGodandFatherofmy " LordJesus Chriſt,whohathbleſſedmewith "withall ſpiritualbleſſings inheavenlypla- "ces in Chrift," Ephef. i.i. 3. Thoughhehath
Christ but no one that hath barn. not ſeen fit to give me much ofthisworld in hand,yet ithathpleaſedhim toſettlearichinheritanceuponme bypromife ; the hopes and expectations whereof,yieldmy foul moretrue comfort than all the preſentenjoyments ofthisworld couldhavedone. Bleſſed be the Lord,who hath not givenme myportion inthis life,thatbykeepingmefromthe enjoyment, hath alſo preſerved me from theſnares of aproſperous eſtate ?
LordJeſus, I have no bags, I have nobarns ; but thou ſhalt betome inſtead ofallthoſe things. When others rejoice in the fulness oftheir earthly comforts,I will rejoice in the fulnefs ofmy Chriſt: theyhave that which (though I have not)
Ishall not want ; and I havethat which alltheir riches cannot purchafe. Bleſs the Lord,Omy foul !
3. But, Lord, how am I obliged, above thousands, to love and praise thee ! tobleſs andadmire thee,who haft not Areflectionforone thathathafull barn, andChrist too. only plentifully provided for my foul, butformy body too ! who haſt given meboth the upper and thenether ſprings, heaven and earth;thingspreſent,andthings to come! Thou hast not dealt ſo with all ; no, notwith allof thyown people: many ofthem are ſtrangers tothe mercies which I enjoy. God hath donegreat things for me, Omy foul!whatwiltthoudo for God? The freer the condition is hehathplaced mein,the moream Iboth obliged and advantagedfor his ſervice ; and yet, Idoubt, itwillbe found, that manya poor Chriſtian, thatlabours withhis hands toget his
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, bread, redeems morehours forGod thanIdo.
Lord, make mewifetounderſtand and answerthe double end ofthis graciousdiſpenſation! let me beſtow the more of my time upon God, and ſtand ready to miniſter to the neceffities of his people.
4. Oh! whatanunhappywretchamI! thathave nothing either in hand, or in hope; am miferable here,and liketobe Areflectionforone that bath neither a barn,nora Christ . foforever: hadIbutanintereſtinChriſt, asthe godlypoor have, that would ſweeten allpreſent troubles, and ſhew me the end ofthem.
But, alas ! I am poor and wicked, contemned ofmen, and abhorred ofGod; an object ofcontemptboth to heaven andearth. Lord,look upon fuch atrulymiferable objectwith compaffion,give me aportionwith thypeoplein the worldtocome, ifthou neverbetter my outward condition here ! O fanctify this poverty ; bleſs theſe ſtraits andwants, thattheymay neceffitate my foul to go to Chriſt : make this poverty the way to glory, and I shall bleſs thee to eternity thatIwaspoor in this world.
Ο The POEM.
FT have I ſeen, when harveſt's almoſt in, The laft load coming,how some menhave been
Rapt up withjoy, as ifthat welcome cart Drew home the very treaſure oftheir heart ;
What joyful ſhoutings, hoopings, hollowing noiſe, Withmingledvoices both ofmen and boys !
To carnal minds there is no greater mirth, No higher joy, nor greater heavenon earth .
He ſpeaks pure paradoxes, that ſhall fay Theſe arebuttrifles towhat ſaints enjoy :
But they deſpiſe your ſparks, as much as you Contemntheir fun. Some thatcould never ſhew
Afull stuff'd barn, on which you ſet your heart, But glean, perhaps, the ears behind your cart ;
Yet are the gleanings oftheir comfort more Than all your harvest, and admired ſtore.
Yourmirth is mix'd with forrow, theirs is pure ; Yours like a fhadow fleets, but theirs endure.
God gives toyou the huik, tothem the pith, Andnoheart-ftinging forrowadds therewith.
Though at thegates ofdeath theyſometimes mourn, No fooner doth the Lord to them return, But forrow's banish'd from theirpenſive breast ;
Joytriumphs there, and ſmiles theircheeks inveſt.