Upon the gathering in of fruits in autumn,
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, CHAP.
III.
Upon the Gathering in of Fruits in Autumn.
When trees areshak'd, but littlefruit remains Justfuch a remnant to the Lordpertains.
Tisa
OBSERVATION.
pleaſant fight in autumntoſeethe fruitful branches hanging fullofcluſters,whichweigh theboughs to the ground.
Afpicecurvatos pomorum pondere ramos, UtJuaquodpeperit vixferat arboronus.
Which Imaythus Engliſh.
Owhat apleasantfight it is tofee, Thefruitful clusters bowingdownthe tree!
But theſe ladenbranches are ſoon eaſedof their burden; for as foon as they are ripe,the husbandman aſcends the tree, and ſhakingthe limbs with allhis might, cauſe afruitful ſhower to fall like hail-ſtones upon the ground below ; which being gatheredtoaheap, arecarried to thepound, brokenall topieces in atrough, and ſqueezed toa drylump inthe preſs,whence all theirjuice and moisture runs into the fat. How few eſcape chis fat, of all thoſe multitudes that grow inthe orchard ? If you look upon the trees,you maypoſſibly fee here one, and there another, two or three upon the utmoſt branches, but nothing in compariſon to the vaſt number that are thus ufed.
APPLICATION .
T His ſmall remains offruit, which are eitherleft upon the tree, or gathered in for anhoard,dowell reſemble that fmallnumber ofGod's elect in the world, which free-grace hath referved out ofthegeneralruin ofmankind.
Fourthings are excellently ſhadowed forth to usby this ſimilitude.
1. You ſee ina fruitful autumn, the trees even oppreſſed andover-laden withthe weight oftheir own fruits,before the ſhaking time comes, and then they are eaſed oftheir burden.
Thus, the whole creationgroans under the weight oftheir fins who inhabit it,Rom. viii. 22. the creatures are in bondage, and by anelegantProfopopeia, are faid, both to groanandwait for deliverance. The original fin ofman brought an original curſe, which burdens the creature, Gen. iii. 17. "Curſed is the " groundforthy fake ; and the actual fin ofman brings actual curſesuponthecreature,Pfalmcvii.34. Thus the inhabitants
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
oftheworldload andburden it, as the limbs ofatreeareburdened, and fometimes broken with the weight of theirown fruit.
2. You may obſerve in your orchards every year, what abundance of fruits daily fall, either by ſtorms, or oftheir own accord ; but when the ſhaking time comes, thenthe ground is coveredall over with fruit.
Thus it is with the world, that myfticaltree, with respect to menthat inhabit it; there is not a year, a day, or hour, inwhich ſome drop not, as it were, of their own accord, bya natural death ; and ſometimes wars, and epidemical plagues blow down thousands together into theirgraves ; theſeareas highwinds in afruitful orchard ; but whenthe ſhaking time, the autumn ofthe world, comes, then all its inhabitants ſhall be ſhaken down together, either by death, or a tranflation equivalent thereunto.
3. When fruits are ſhaken down from their trees, then the huſbandman ſeparatesthem;the fargreaterpart forthepound, and ſome few referves for an hoard, which are brought to his table,and eatenwith pleaſure.
This excellently ſhadows forth thatgreat ſeparation, which Chriſtwillmake inthe end ofthe world,whenſome ſhallbe caſt into the wine-preſs oftheAlmighty's wrath, and others preſerved for glory.
4. Thoſe fruits which are preſerved onthe tree, or in the hoard,are comparativelybut an handful tothoſe that are brokeninthe pound; alas! it is ſcarce one of a thouſand, and ſuch a small remnant of elected fouls hath God reſerved for glory.
I look uponthe worldas a great tree, confiftingoffour large limbs or branches ; this branch or diviſion ofit onwhich we grow, hath doubtleſs, agreater number ofGod's elect upon itthanthe other three ; andyet,when I lookwith a ferious andconfidering eyeuponthis fruitful European branch, and feehowmuch rottenand withered fruit there grows upon it, itmakes me ſay, as Chryfoftomdid ofhispopulousAntioch ;
Ah, how ſmalla remnant hath Jesus Chrift among theſe vaſt numbers ! " Many indeed are called, but ah! how few are
" choſen ?" Matth.xx. 16. Alas! theyarebut asthegleanings whenthe vintage isdone; here and thereone upon its utmoſt branches : to allude to that, Ifaiah xvii. 6. It was a fadobſervation which that ſearching ſcholar, Mr. Brerewood, long fincemadeuponthe world ; that,dividing it into thirty equal parts, he foundno leſs thannineteenofthem whollyoverſpread with idolatry, and heatheniſh darkness; andoftheelevenremainingparts, no less than fix are Mahometans ; ſo thatthere
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, remains but five ofthirtywhichprofeſs the Chriſtian religion at large; and the far greater part oftheſe remaining five are invelopped anddrowned inpopiſh darkness ; ſothatyou ſee the reformedProteftant religion is confinedtoa ſmallſpot ofground indeed. Now, iffrom theſewe ſubſtract allthe groſſy ignorant,openlyprofane, merelycivil, and ſecretly hypocritical, judgethenin yourſelves, how ſmalla ſcantling ofthe world falls to Chriſt's ſhare.
Well might Chriſt ſay,Matth. vii. 14. " Narrow is theway, " and ſtrait is the gate that leadeth unto life; and few there
" be that find it." Andagain, Luke xii. 32. " Fear not, little " flock." The large piece goes to the devil ; a little remnant is Chrift's, Rom. ix. 27. Saints infcripture are calledjewels,
Mal. iii. 17.
Precious pearls and diamonds, which the Latins call Uniones. Quia nulli duofimulreperiuntur, (faith Pliny)becauſe naturegives them notby pairs, but one by one: how manypebbles toone pearl! Suitable tothis notion,is that complaint oftheprophet, Mic. vii. 1, 2. "Wo is me! for Iam as " when they havegathered theſummer-fruits, as the grape- " gleanings of thevintage;there is no cluſter to eat; my foul
"defiredthe firſtripe fruits ; the goodman is periſhed out of " the earth, andthere is none, (i. e. none comparatively) up- " right among men."
The prophet alludes to a poorhungry man,that, afterthe gathering timeispaſt,comes into anorchard defiring ſome choice fruit to eat ; but, alas ! he finds none ; there isnocluſter ; poſſibly here andthere one afterthe ſhaking time.
True ſaints are the world's rarities .
REFLECTIONS.
Areflection for one 1. What then willbe my lot, when that great shaking time ſhall come, who have followed the multitude, and gone with the tide ofthe world ? How, even when I havebeen preſſed to ſtrictneſs and fingulardiligence in the matters of ſalvation, and toldwhat a narrow way the way of life is, haveIput it offwith this ? Ifit beſo, thenwo to thousands! Ah, foolish heart ! Thousands, thatfollows theexample ofthe multi- • tude. andten thouſands ſhall be wofuland miferable, indeed, to all eternity! Will itbe anymitigation ofmy miſery, that I shall havethousands ofmiferable companions with me inhell ? Or, will itbeadmitted for a good plea atthe judgment-ſeat, Lord,
Idid as the generalityofmyneighbours in theworld did ; except it were here and there a more precife perſon, I fawnone but livedas I lived. Ah, fooliſh ſinner! is itnot better togo toheavenalone, than tohellwith company? Theworstcourſes
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
have always the moſt imitators; and the roadto deſtruction is throngedwith paſſengers.
2. And how littlebetter is my condition, whohave often fathered the wickedneſs ofmy ownheart,upon the encourage mentofmercy? Thushathmyheartpleaded againſt ſtrictness and duty ; God is a merciful God, and willnotbe ſo ſeverewith the world, todamn ſo many thouAreflectionfor an
abufer ofmercy. ſands as are inmycondition. Deluded foul ! ifGodhad damnedthewholeraceofAdam, hehaddonethem nomorewrong : yea, there is moremercy inſaving but one man, thanthere is offeverity and rigour in damning all. How many drunkards and adulterers have lived and died with thy plea in their mouths, "God is a mercifulGod ?" Butyet his wordexpreſslyfaith, " Be notdeceived, fuch ſhall not inherit the king- "dom ofGod," I Cor. vi. 9. God, indeed, is a God ofinf nitemercy; buthe will never exerciſe his mercy tothe prejudiceof histruth.
3. Oh! what rich grace is here, That in ageneral ſhipwreck mercy ſhould caft forth'a Areflectionfor line or plank to ſave me ! Thatwhen millian electfoul. ons perish, I with a few more ſhould eſcape thatperdition ! Was it the Father's goodpleaſure tobeſtow the kingdom upon a little flock, and tomake me one ofthatnum ber ? What fingular obligations hathmercy putupon myfoul!
Thefewer are ſaved, the morecaufehave they that are, to admire their ſalvation.
Ifbut one ofa thousandhad been damned, yetmy ſalvation would have been an actofinfinite grace ; butwhen ſcarce one ofa thouſand are faved, what ſhall Icall thatgrace, that caſt my lotamongthem!
The POEM.
HE that with ſpiritual eyes inautumn fees Theheaps of fruit which fall from fhaken trees,
Like ſtorms of hail-ſtones, and canhardlyfind One of a thouſand that remains behind ; Methinks this meditation ſhould awake His foul, and make it like thoſe trees, to ſhake.
Of all the clusters, which ſo lately grew Uponthoſe trees, how few can they now ſhew?
Hereone, and there another; two or three Upon the utmost branches of the tree.
Thegreatest numbers to the pound are borne, Squeez'd in thetrough, and all topieces torn.
VOL. VI X
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, This little handful's left, to ſhadow forth To God's remnant in this peopled earth :
If o'er the whole terrestrial globe I look, The goſpel viſits but a little nook.
The reſtwith horrid darkness overſpread, Are faſt aſleep, yea, in tranfgreffion dead.
Wholedroves to hell the devildaily drives ; Notone amongst them once reſiſts, or strives
And inthis littleheaven-enlightned ſpot, How faſt an intereſt hath Satangot?
Butfew ofholineſs profeſſion make ; Andiffromthose thatdo profeſs, I take The felf-deluding hypocrites,Ifear To think how few'll remain thatare ſincere.
Otax not mercythat it faves ſo few ; But rather wonder thatthe Lord ſhould ſhew Mercy to any.
Quarrel notwith grace; Butfor thyselfGod'sgracious terms embrace.
When allwere ſhipwreck'd, thou ſhould'ſtwonder more To find thyselfſoſtrangelycaſt aſhore, Andthere to meet with any that can tell How narrowly they alſo Icap'd from hell.
The ſmaller number mercy ſaves, thehigher Engagements lie on thee ſtill to admire.
Had thewhole ſpecies periſh'd in their fin, Andnotone individual faved been, Yet every tonguebefore him mustbe mute, Confeſshis righteouſneſs,but notdifpute.
Or hadthe hand ofmercy which is free, Taken another, and paſs'd over me I still muſtjuſtifyhim, and mytongue Confeſs mymakerhaddone me nowrong.
But ifmy namehe pleaſe to letmefee Enroll'd among thoſe few that ſavedbe, What admiration ſhould ſuch mercy move!!
Whatthanks, and praiſe,and everlasting love!
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
CHAP.
IV.
Upon the Cuttingdown ofdead Trees .
Deadbarren trees youfor thefireprepare ; Infuchacafe allfruitless perfons are.
OBSERVATIΟΝ.
Ftermany years patience, in the use ofall means to recovera fruit tree, ifthehusbandman ſeeitbe quitedead, andthat therecanbe no more expectation of any fruit from it, he brings his ax, andhews itdown by the root; and fromthe orchard it is carried to the fire, it beingthen fit for nothing elfe; he reckons it imprudent to let fuch a uſeleſs tree abide ingoodground, where another maybe planted in its room, thatwillbetter pay forthe ground itſtands in. Imyself once fawalargeorchard of fairbut fruitleſs trees, all rootedup, rived abroad, and ricked up for the fire.
APPLICATION.
Hus deals the Lordby uſeleſs and barren profeſſors who dobutcumber his ground, Matth. iii.10. " Andnow
" alfo the ax is laid to the root ofthe trees ; therefore every " tree thatbrings not forth good fruit, ishewendown and caſt
" into the fire." And Luke xiii. 7. " Then ſaid the dreſſer " of the vineyard, Behold, theſe three years I came feeking
" fruit on this fig-tree, and find none ; cut it down ; why " cumbereth itthe ground?" Theſe three years, alluding to the time ofhis miniſtry, he being at that time enteringupon the last half year, as one obſerves, byharmonizing the evangelifts; ſolonghe had waitedfor the fruit ofhis miniſtry among thoſedead-heartedJews; nowhis patience is even at an end; cutthemdown(faith he) why cumberthey theground ? I will plant others, (viz.the Gentiles) intheir room.
This hewing downofthebarren tree doth, in alivelymanner, ſhadow forth God's judicial proceedings against formal and emptyprofeffors under the goſpel ; and the reſemblance clearlyholds in theſe followingparticulars :
1. The tree that is to be hewndown for the fire, ſtands in theorchard amongother flourishing trees, where it hath enjoyedthe benefitofa good foil, astrong fence, andmuchculture ; but being barren, theſe privileges ſecure it not from the fire.
It isnot our ſtanding in the viſible churchby apowerleſsproX 2
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, feffionamong real faints withwhom wehave been aſſociated. and enjoyed the rich and excellent waterings of ordinances, that canfecureus from the wrath ofGod,Matt. iii. 8, 9. " Bring
" forth fruits meet forrepentance, andthink notto ſaywithin " yourſelves, we have Abraham to our father."
Neither Abraham, nor Abraham'sGod, willacknowledge fuchdegenerate children; ifAbraham's faith benotin yourhearts, it willbe no advantage thatAbraham's blood runs inyourveins.
Itwill be a poor plea for Judas, whenhe ſhall standbefore Chriſt injudgment, to ſay, Lord, Iwas one ofthy family, I preached for thee; I did eat and drink in thy prefence.
Lettheſe ſcriptures be confulted, Matth. vii. 22. Matth. xxv.
11, 12. Rom. ii. 17,and 25..
2. The husbandmandoth not preſentlycutdown the tree becauſe it puts not forth as foon as other trees do; but waits as longasthere is anyhope,andthencutsitdown. Thus doth
God wait upon barren dead-hearted perſons, from fabbath to fabbath, and from year toyear ; for the Lord is long-fuffering to us-ward, notwilling that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, 2Pet. iii. 9. Thus the long fuffering of God waited in thedays of Noah upon thoſedry trees, who arenow fmoaking andflaming inhell, I Peta iii. 29. He waits long on finners, butkeeps exact accounts of every year andday ofhis patience, Luke. xiii. 7. " Theſe three years."
And Jer. xxv. 3. theſetwenty-threeyears.
3. When the time is come to cut itdown, the dead tree cannotpoffiblyreſiſt the ſtroke oftheax ; butreceivesthe blow, and falls before it. No more can the ſtouteſt ſinner refift the fatal ſtroke by death, by which the Lord hews him down ;
Eccl. viii. 8.
There is no manthathath power over the ſpirit " to retain the ſpirit; neither hath he power in the day of " death; and there is nodiſcharge in that war."
Whenthe pale horfe comes, awayyou must into the land of darknefs.
Though thou cry, with Adrian,O my poor foul! whither art thou going ? Diethou muſt, thou barrenprofeffor , though it werebetter for thee to do any thing elſe than todie.
What a dreadful ſhriekwillthy confcience give, when itſées theax at thy root, and ſay to thee, as it isEzek. vii. 6. "An end is come, theend is come ; it watcheth for thee; behold it is
"come." Oh! faithHenryBeauford,(that rich andwretched cardinal, biſhop ofWinchester, and chancellor of England, whenhe perceivedwheretohemust),wherefore muſt Idie ? If thewholerealmwould ſave my life, Iam able eitherby policy toget it, orby riches to buyit. Fie(quothhe)willnotdeath
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
be hired ? Will riches do nothing ? No, neither riches nor policycanthen avail.
4. The fide to which the tree leaned moſt while it ſtood, thatway it will fallwhenit is cutdown; and as it falls, ſo it lies, whether to the fouth or north, Eccl. xi. 3. So it fares with theſe myſticaltrees, Imean fruitleſs profeſſors : Hadtheir hearts and affections inclined and bended heaven-ward whilst they lived, thatway, no doubt, theyhad fallen at theirdeath; but as their hearts inclined to fin, and even bended to the world, ſo whenGodgives the fatal ſtroke, they must fallhellward and wrath-ward: And, how dreadful will fuch a fall be!
5. When the dead tree is carried out of the orchard, it ſhall never be amongthe livingtreesof the orchard anymore; many years it grew among them, but now it ſhall neverhave aplace there again. Andwhen the barren profeſſor is carried out oftheworldby death, he ſhall never be aſſociatedwith the faints any more : He may then ſay, farewel all ye ſaints, amongwhom I lived, and with whom I ſo often heard, fafted, andprayed: I ſhall never fee your face more ; Matth. viii. 11,
12. "I say untoyou, thatmany ſhall come from the east, and " west, andnorth, and fouth, and ſhall fit downwith Abra
" ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, inthe kingdom of heaven ; but the " children ofthekingdom ſhallbecaſt forthinto utter darkneſs,
" there ſhall beweeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing ofteeth."
6. When the dead tree is carried out of the orchard, the huſbandman cuts off its branches, and rives it aſunder with hiswedges.
This alſo is the lot of barren profeffors : " The " Lordof thatſervant will comein adaywhen he looketh not " forhim, andwill cuthim aſunder;" he ſhallbe diffected, or cutabroad, Luke xii. 46.
Now therefore" conſider this, ye that forgetGod, left I tear "(or rend)you in pieces," Pfalm 1. 22.Odirefulday! whenthe famehand that planted, pruned,and watered thee ſo long, and ſo tenderly, ſhall now ſtrike mortal ſtrokes at thee, and that without pity ! " For, he that made them, will not have mer- " cy on them ; and he that forined them, willshew them no " favour,"
Ifa. xxvii. 11. Forthe day ofmercy is over; and thedayof hiswrath is fullycome.
7. Whenthis tree is cleaved abroad, then its rotten hollow inſide appears, which was the cauſe ofits barrenneſs ; it looked like a fair and ſound-bodied tree, but now all may fee how rotten itis atthe heart ; fo willGod in that day, whenhe ſhall diſſectthe barren profeffor, diſcover the rottenneſs of his heart,
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, and unfoundneſs ofhis principles and ends: Then theywho never ſuſpected him before, ſhall ſee whatahollow and rotten hearted profeſſor he was.
8. Lastly ; The fruitleſs tree iscaſtinto the fire.
This alfo isthe end and fad iſſue offormality, John xv. 6. " He is caft " forth as a branch, and iswithered; and men gather them,
" andcaſt them into the fire ; and theyareburned."
This is anundoubted truth, that there is no plantin God's vineyard, buthe will have glory from it, bybearing fruit ; or glory on it, byburning inthe fire. Inthis fire ſhallthey lie " gnaſhing
" their teeth," Luke xiii. 38. and thatbothin indignationagainstthe faints,whomthey ſhallſee inglory; and againft Jefus Chrift, who would not favethem; and against themſelves, for loſing ſo foolishly the opportunities ofſalvation. Doyou behold, whenyou fit by the fire, the froththat boils out ofthoſe flaming logs ? O think of that foam and rage ofthoſeundone creatures, foaming and gnaſhing their teeth inthat firewhich isnotquenched! Mark ix. 14.
REFLECTION.
Areflectionfor a How often have I paſſedby fuch barren formal hypocrite. trees, with a more barren heart, as little thinking ſuch atree tobe the emblemofmyſelf, as Nebuchadnezzar did, when he saw that tree in a dream, which repreſented himself, andſhadowed forth to him his enſuing miſery, Dan. iv. 13. But, Omy conſcience ! my drouſy, freepy conſcience ! wert thou but tender, and faithful tome, thou wouldst make as round and terribleanapplication of ſuch a ſpectacle to me, as the faithful prophet did tohim, ver. 22. Andthus wouldstthou, Omyfoul,bemoan thy condition.
Poor wretch ! here Igrow, foralittletime,amongthe trees ofrighteouſneſs, theplants ofrenown, but Iam none ofthem ;
Iwas never planted a right feed; fome green and flourishing leaves ofprofeffion, indeed, I have, which deceive others, but Godcannot be deceived ; he ſees I am fruitleſs and rotten at the heart.
Poor ſoul! whatwill thine endbe but burning?
Behold, the ax lieth by thy root; and wonder it is, that there itſhould lieſo long, and Iyet ſtanding ! Stillmercypleads for a fruitleſs creature: Lord, ſpare it one year longer. Alas! he need ftrikenogreatblow to ruinme; hisverybreath blows to deſtruction, Job iv. 9. A frown of his face canblaſt and ruinme, Pfalm lxxx. 6. He is daily follicited by his juſtice tohew me down, and yet I ſtand.
Lord, curemybarrennefs !
Iknowthou badſt rather ſee the fruit than fire upon me.
The Heavenly Ufe of Earthly Things.
The POEM.
F, after pains and patience, you can fee No hopes of fruit, down goes the barrren tree
Youwillnot fuffer trees that are unfound, Andbarrentoo, to cumber useful ground.
Thefatal ax is laid unto the root :
'Tis fit for fire, when unfit for fruit.
I But, though this be a dead and barren tree, Reader, Iwould not have it fo to thee :
May it to thee this ferious thought ſuggeſt, Inall the orchard this dead tree's the best ;
Think on it fadly, lay it cloſe toheart, This is the cafe in which thou waſt, or art
Ifſo thou waſt, but now doft live and grow, Andbringforth fruit,what praiſe andthanks doſtowe
To that wife huſbandman that made thee ſo ?
Othink, when justice liftedup its hand, How mercydidthen interceeding ſtand !
How pitydid on thy behalfappear, Tobeg reprieval for another year.
Stop, Lord ! forbear him ; all hope isnot paſt, Hecanbut be for fire at the laſt.
Y Though manyfermons, manyagracious call Hehath refifted like a brazen wall, The nextmaywin him ; when thygrace ſhallraiſe
Unto itſelfamonument ofpraiſe.
How should this meditation thaw and melt Theheart ofhimthathathfuch mercyfelt?
But, ifthou ſtill remain a barrentree, Thenhere, as in a mirror, thou may'ſt ſee
Thywretched ſtate, whenjustice, at ablow, Requites God's patience inthine overthrow.
Andcast thou bear it? Can thyheart endure To thinkofeverlasting burnings ? Sure, This mustthy lot,thy fearfulportionbe, Ifthou continue ſtill abarren tree.