Upon the feeking of loft cattle,
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
To fpiritualize it,and improve it thus ; How fweet would tediousjourneys be to us !
But ſuch a tafk, a graceleſs heart tires out, More than the tired horse I write about.
CHAP.
III.
Upon thefeeking of loftCattle.
Whenseekingyour lost cattle, keep inmind, That thus Chrift Jefus feeks yourfouls tofind.
WHE
OBSERVATION.
HEN cattle are ſtrayed away from your fields, you uſeall care and diligence to recover them again ; tracing their footsteps, crying them in the market-towns, fending your ſervants abroad, and enquiring yourſelves of all that you think can give news ofthein.
What care and pains menwilltake inſuch çaſes, was exemplified in Saul, I Sam. ix. 4, 5. whowith his ſervant, paſſedthrough mount Ephraim, toleek the affes that were ſtrayedfrom his father, and through the land of Shaliſha, and through the land of Shalim, and theywerenot there, and through the land of the Benjamites, butfound them not.
APPLICATION.
HE care and pains you take to recover your loft cattle, T carries afweet and lively repreſentation of the love of Jeſus Chriſt, in the recovery of loft ſinners.
Jeſus Chrift cameon purpoſe from heaven upon a like errand, to ſeek and to ſave that which was loft, Matth. xviii. 11. There are ſeveral particulars in which this glorious deſign ofChriſt, in ſeekingand faving loft man, and the careand pains ofhusbandmen inrecoveringtheir loft cattle,do meet and touch,though there beasmany particulars alſo inwhich they differ : all which I Thall openunder the followingheads.
1. We ſometimes find that cattle will break out of thoſe very fields where theyhave beenbred ; and where theywant nothing that isneedful forthem.
Juſtthus loftmandeparted from hisGod,brake out of that pleaſant enclofure where he was abundantly provided for, both as tofoul andbody ; yet thenhebrake over the hedge ofthe command, and wentatray,Ecclef. vii. 29. " Lo, this onlyhave I found, that God
" mademan upright, but he fought out to himselfmany in- "ventions :" Hewas notcontent and fatisfiedwith thatblefVOL. VI.
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, ſedſtateGodhad puthim into,but wouldbe tryingnew con cluſions,tothe loſs and ruin both ofhimselfand his pofterity.
2. Strayers are evermore ſufferers for it; alltheyget by it, to bepinedandpoinded: Andwhatdidmangetbydeparting from hisGod,butruin andmifery to foulandbody? Will youhave an abbreviate of his fufferings and lofſes ? The full accountnonecan give you: Why, by straying fromhisGod, he loft the rectitude and holiness of his nature; like a true ſtrayer, he is all dirty andmiry, overſpreadand beſmearedboth infoul andbodywith the odious filthineſs of fin;he lost the libertyand freedom ofhis will togood, a precious jewelof ineſtimable value.
This is a real mifery incurred by the fall, though fome have fo far lofttheirunderſtandings and humility, as not toown it; he hath lost his God, his foul,his happineſs, and his verybowels ofcompallion towards himselfinthis miferable ftate.
3. Whenyour cattleare ſtrayed,yea,though it be but one oftheflock or herd,you leave allthe reſt, and go after that which is loft : Sodid Jesus Christ,who, inthe forecitedplace,
Matth. xvii. r2. compares himselfto ſuch a ſhepherd; he left heaven itſelf, and allthe bleſſedangels there, tocome intothis world to feek loft man. Othe precious eſteem, anddear love that Chriſt had to poor man ! Howdid his bowels yearn towards us inourlow ſtate ! Howdid he pityusin our misery!
As ifhe had faid, poor creatures, theyhave lostthemfelves, and are become a preyto the devilinaperiſhing ſtate; I will feek after them, andſavethem.
The Son ofman is come to feek and to ſave.
4. You areglad whenyou have foundyour trayers ; much more is Chriſt, whenhehath found aloft foul. O it is agreat fatisfaction to him to ſeethe fruit ofthetravail ofhis foul; Ifa. liii. " Yea, there is morejoy inheavenoverone finnerthat re- " penteth, than over ninety ninejuſt perfonsthat needno re- " pentance."
What demonftrations of joy and gladneſs did the father ofthe prodigal give, whenhe had foundhis fon that was loft ? Luke xv. 20.
5. When you have brought home your ſtrayers,you fome times clog them, to prevent their wandering again, and ſtop up the gaps with thorns ; and ſo dothGod oftentimes by ſuch fouls as are recoveredand brought home to Chriſt ; hehangs a clogofaffliction to prevent theirdeparture from God again,
2Cor. xii. 7.
Butthen thereare fiveparticulars in which Chriſt's ſeeking loft fouls, andyourſeeking loft cattle differ.
TheHeavenlyUse ofEarthlyThings.
1. Yourcattleſometimes findthe wayhomethemſelves, and return toyouoftheir own accord ; but loft man never did, nor can do ſo; he was his own deſtroyer, but can never be his own ſaviour ; it was poſſible for him not to have lost his God, but having once lofthim, can never find him again ofhimself.
Alas ! his heart is bent to backſliding, he hath no willto return.
Hear how Chriſt complains, Johnv. 40. "Ye will not come " unto me."
Man's recovery begins inGod, not inhimself.
2. Your ſervants can find, and bring back your loft cattle aswell as you ; but ſo cannot Chriſt's ſervants : Miniftersmay diſcover, but cannot recover them; they daily ſee,but cannot ſave them; lamentthem theycan,buthelp themtheycannot ; intreat andbegthem to return theycan, and do,but prevail withthem they cannot.
Melancthon thought, whenhe began to preach, to perfuade all ; but old Adam was toohard for youngMelancthon.
3. You ſeekall the cattle that are ſtrayed from you, eſpecially the beſt; but Jeſus Chriſtonty ſeeks poor loft man.
There were other creatures, and ſuch as by naturewere more excellent, that loft theirGod and themselves ; I mean, the apoſtateangels; but he camenot to ſeekthem: herein his fingular love to man appears.
4. Whenyou have recovered and brought homeyour loſt cattle, youmayloſe them the ſecond time, and never recover them again ; but ſocannot Chriſt.
Manonce recovered is for ever ſecured by him. "All that thouhast given me, I have
" kept, and notone ofthem is lost,but the ſon ofperdition ;" andhe was never ſavingly found, John xvii. 12.
5. Though you prize your cattle, yet you will not venture your life forthe recovery ofthem; rather let them go, than regainthemwith ſuch an hazard; but Jeſus Chriſt not only ventured, but actually laid down his life to recover, and ſave loft man : he redeemed them atthe price ofhis ownblood ; he is that good ſhepherdthat laid down his life forthe ſheep. O the furpaſſing love of Chriſt to loſt ſouls !
REFLECTION S.
1. Lord, Iam a loft creature! an undone foul! andhereinlies mymiſery,that Ihave Areflectionfora not only loft my'God, but have noheart to return to him : nay, I fly from Chrift, who loftfoul. iscome onpurpoſe from heavento ſeek and to ſave me : his meſſengers are abroad, ſeeking for ſuch as I am, but I avoid them, or at least refuſe toobey their call andperfuafions to reAaz
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, turn. Ah,what amiferable ſtate am I in ! Every ſtep I go is a ſtep towards hell; myfoul,withtheprodigal,is ready to periſh inastrangecountry: butI have no mind, withhim, to return home.
Wretched foul ! what will the end ofthis be ? IfGod have lost thee, the devil hath foundthee; hetakes up all ſtrayers fromGod: yea, death and hellwill shortly find thee, if Chriſtdo not ; andthenthyrecovery,O my foul! willbe impoflible!Why fitI hereperiſhinganddying ? Iamnotyet as irrecoverably loft as thedamnedare. Oletmedelayno longer, left I be loft for ever !
2. Omy foul ! for everbleſs and admire the love of Jeſus Chriſt, who came from heaven to feek andſave fuch a loft foulas I was.
Lord, how marvellous! how matchleſs is thy love! Iwas loſt, andam found : I am found, and did not ſeek; nay, I am found by him fromwhom I fled. Thy love, O my Saviour ! wasa preventing love, a wonderful love; thou lovedſt me much
Areflectionfor onethat was lost, but isfound. more than I loved myſelf; Iwas cruel to my own foul, butthou waſt kind; thou foughtest for me, a loft finner, and not for loftangels ; thy hand ofgrace caughthold of me, and hath let go thousands, and ten thousands, as good as myſelfby nature: like another David, thou didst rescue my poor loft foul outofthemouth of the destroyer ; yea, morethan ſo,thou didft loſe thine own life to find mine: Andnow, dear Jefus, fince I am thus marvelloufly recovered, ſhall I ever ſtraggle again from thee ? O let it foreverbeawarning to me, how
Iturn aſide intoby-paths offin anymore.
The POEM.
Andyou tofeekthem through the countryride Enquiring forthem all along theway, Tracking their foot-fteps where the, turn'd afide ;
One fervant this way fent, another that, Searching the fields and country round about ;
This meditationnowfalls in fopat, As ifGod fent ittoenquireyouout :
Mybeasts are loft, and fo amI by fin ; Mywretchedfoulfrom God thus wandring went ;
As I feek them, fo was I foughtby him, Who from the Father's boſom forth was fent.
Purfu'dby fermons, follow'd clofe by grace, And strongconvictions, Chrift hath foughtfor me;
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
Yea, though I ſhunhim, ſtill he gives me chaſe, As ifrefolv'd I should notdamnedbe.
When angels loft themſelves,it was not fo ; Goddidnot feek or once forthem enquire; Butfaid, Lettheſe apoftate creaturesgo, I'll plaguethemfor it with eternalfire.
Lord! what am I, that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine eyes, And stillfeek after fuch a wretch as I ?
Whoſematchleſs mercy, and rich gracedeſpiſe, As if, infpight thereof,reſolved todie.
Why ſhouldIthun thee ? BleſſedSaviour,why ShouldI avoid thee thus ? Thou doſt not chafe
Myfoul to flay it ; O that ever I Should flyaSaviour that'sfo fullofgrace!
Long haſt thou ſought me, Lord,Inow return, Oletthybowels ofcompaſſionfound; Formydeparture I fincerely mourn, Andlet thisdaythy wandring theepbe found.
CHAP.
IV.
Uponthe Feedingoffat Cattle.
Fat beaftsyoukill,theleanyou use tofave :
God's difpenfationsfomefuch meaning have.
OBSERVATIΟΝ.
Tis is agood obſervation ofaFather, andwell applied ; Vituli triturantes quotidie ligantur, vituli mactandi quotidie in pafcuis libererelinquuntur : Oxen for uſe are daily yoked and kept ſhort, whilst thoſe that are defigned for the ſhambles, are let looſe in green paſtures to feed at pleaſure.
Store beasts farehard,andare kept lean and low; feedingbeaſts are excuſed fromthe yoke, whilft others are laboured and wroughthard everyday; theone hath morethan hecan eat, theotherwould
I eatmore ifhe had it.
APPLICATION.
HUS deals the Lord oft-times with his own elect, whom hedeſigns forglory ; andwith the wicked,who are pre paring fortheday ofwrath: thusare they filled with earthly profperity, and creature-enjoyments, like ruſty and wanton beaſtsturnedout at liberty in afat paſture, whilst poor faints arekept hard and ſhort; Amos iv. 1. "Hear thisword, ye
" kine ofBashan, that are inthe mountains of Samaria, which * oppreſs the poor, crush the needy."
Theſe metaphorical
Husbandry Spiritualized, or, kine are the profperous oppreſſors of the world, full fed, and wantonwicked men. Itis true, heaven hath not all thepoor, norhellall the rich ; but it is a verycommondiſpenſation of providence, tobeſtow most ofthe things of this world upon themthat have noportion in heaven ; and to keep them ſhort onearth, for whomthatkingdom is provided.
Let medraw forth the ſimilitude in a few particulars.
1. The beasts ofſlaughter have the fatteſt paſtures ; ſo have the ungodlyin the world; " Their eyes ſtand out with fat- " neſs: they have more than heart could wiſh," Pfal.
Ixxiii. 7. Their hearts are as fat as greaſe, Pfal. cxix. 70.
Theſe be they that fleet off the cream of earthly enjoyments, " whoſe bellies arefilled withhiddentreaſures," Pfal. xvii. 1-4
" The earth isgiven intothehand ofthe wicked," Job ix. 24.
Owhat full estates ! what an affluence of earthly delights hath God cast inupon ſome wicked men ! There is much wantonneſs, but no wantin theirdwellings: ſome thatknow notwhichwaytoturnthemſelves inhell,onceknew not where to beſtow their goods on earth.
2. Feeding beasts growwantonin their fullpaſtures; there youſhallfee them tumble and friſk, and kickup their heels.
The fame effect hath the profperity of the wicked ; itmakes them wanton ; their life is but adiverſion fromonepleaſure to another, Job xxi. 11, 12, 13. " They ſend forth their little
" ones like aflock, and their childrendance : theytakethetim- " brel and harp, and rejoice at the found of the organ: they
" ſpend their days in wealth, and inamomentgo down to the " grave." The ſame chacter doth the prophet Amosgive of them, Amos vi. 4, 5, 6. " They ſtretch themſelves upon " beds of ivory, drink wine inbowls," &c. andno forrow goes to their hearts.
These are they that live in pleaſures upon earth, as a fiſh inthe water, Jam. v. 5.
3. Theſe fat pastures dobut the ſooner haſten the death of theſe cattle: the ſooner they are fatted, the fooner they are laughtered ; andthe proſperityofthe wickedſerves tothe fame end: the profperity offools fhalldestroythem; i. e. it ſhallbe the means and inſtrument of heating and heightening their
Juſts, andthereby fitting them fordeſtruction; their profperity is foodand fewel to theircorruptions.
Manywicked men had not beenſo ſoon ripe for hell,hadthey not grown in the funThineof profperity.
4. Fatted beaſts do not in the leaſtunderstand the intent and meaning ofthe husbandman, inallowing them fuch largeand fat paſtures, which he denies tohis other cattle; and as little
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
sbeafts,dowickedmen understandthe ſcopeandendofGod's providences, incasting profperityandwealthuponthem ; little dothey thinktheir tables are a ſnare, agin,and atrap for their fouls; they only, like beasts, mindwhat isbefore them, but donotatallunderstand the tendencyand end of theſe their fenſual delights.
5. Though the husbandman keepshis ſtore-cattle in ſhort commons,yethe intends to preferve them : theſe ſhallremain withhim, when the others are driven to the flaughter.
Such a deſign ofpreſervation is carried on inall thoſe out ward ſtraits, wants, and hardſhips which the Lord expoſes his people to. I confeſs, fuch diſpenſations, for the preſent, are veryſtumbling andpuzzlingthings, even togracious andwife perſons. To fee wicked men,not only exempted from their troubles, but even oppreffed with profperity : to ſee a godly man in wants and ſtraits, and a wicked man have more than his heart can wiſh, is a cafe that poſes thewiſeſtChriſtian,till he confiders the defigns and iffues ofboth thoſe providences, and then he acquiefces in the wisdom ofGod ſo ordering it,
Pfal. lxxiii. 5, 14, 18,23-
REFLECTIONS .
1. Doth my profperity fat me up for hell, andprepare me for the day offlaughter ? Little cauſe have Ithen toglory in it, and lift up my heart upon theſethings. Indeed,God worldling. hathgiven(I cannot ſaybleſſed mewith)afulness ofcreatureenjoyments ; upon theſe my carnal heart feizeth greedily and Areflectionfor a voluptuous fecurely, not at all ſuſpecting a ſnare lying intheſethings for the ruin ofmyfoul. What are alltheſe charming pleaſures, butſomanyrattles to quietmyfoul,whilft its damnation ſteals inſenſiblyupon it ? What are all my buſineſſes and imployments intheworld, but ſomanydiverſions from thebuſineſs of life ? There are but two differences betwixt me, and the pooreſt ſlave the devilhath on earth; fuch arewhippedon to hell by outward miſeries, and Iam coachedtohell ina little more pomp and honour; theſe willhave a leſs,and I a greateraccount inthedayofreckoning. OthatIhadneverknown profperity! I am nowtumbling in agreenpaſture, and ſhortly ſhallbe hangingup inthe ſhambles inhell: ifthis be the beft fruitofmyprofperity, ifI weretaken captiveby cruel canibals, and fed with the richest fare, but withal understood, that the deſignofitweretofatmeup like a beast for them to feed upon,how little ftomach ſhould I have totheir dainties ? Omy foul! itweremuch better for thee to have a ſanctified poverty,
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, which is the portion ofmany faints,thananenfuaringprofpe. rity, ſet asatrap to ruin thee for ever.
2. The wisdom of myGod hath allotted A reflection for mebut ſhort commons here ; his providence apoorChriſtian. feeds me butfromhandtomouth,but I am, andwell may be, contentedwith mypreſent ſtate ; that which fweetens it is, that I am one of the Lord's preſerved. How muchbetter is amorſel ofbread, and a draught of water here with an expectency of glory hereafter, than a fat paſture given in, andafittingfor thewrath tocome ? Well ſincethe caſe ſtands thus, bleſſed be God for my preſent lot ! Though I have butalittle inhand, Ihavemuch inhope; mypreſent troubles will ſerve to ſweetenmyfuture joys ; and the forrows ofthis life will give a luſtre to the glory ofthe next: that which is now hard to fuffer, willthen be ſweet to remember; my fongs willthenbelouder thanmygroans now are.
T The POEM.
HOSE beasts which for the ſhambles are deſign'd, In fragrant flow'ry meadows you ſhall find,
Where they aboundwith rich and plenteous fare, Whilft others graze in commons thin and bare :
Thoſe live a short and pleaſant life, but theſe Protract their lives in dryand ſhorter leas.
Thus lives thewicked ; thus theydo abound With earthlyglory, and with honour crown'd.
Their loftyheads unto the ſtars afpire, And radiantbeams their ſhining brows attire.
Thefatteſt portion'sferv'dup in their dish ; Yea,theyhavemorethan theirownhearts can wish.
Diffolv'd inpleafures, crown'd with buds ofMay ; They, foratime,intheſe fatpasturesplay, Friſk, danceand leap, like full-fedbeafts ; and even
Turnuptheirwantonheels against the heaven ;
Notunderstanding thatthis pleaſant life, Servesbut to fit them for the butcher's knife.
Infragrant meads they tumbling areto-day, To-morrow to the flaughter led away.
Their pleafure's gone, andvaniſh like abubble, Whichmakestheirfuture tormentsonthemdouble.
MeanwhileGod's little flock is poor and lean, Becauſe the Lord did ne'er intend ormean
This for theirportion; and befides doth know Theirfouls provebeſt,where ſhorteſtgraſsdothgrow,