An Epiſtle to the intelligent Country Reader,
The Epistle, &c.
Farewel, dear Sir, I takemy leave, andnow Willſaynomorethan this, Godspeedthe plow.
EDWARD JEFFERY.
The EPISTLE, tothe intelligent Country READER.
THOU haft here the fruit of fome of my ſpare hours, whichwerethus employed, when,bya fadprovidence,
Iwas thruſt from the ſociety of manydear friends, into a folitarycountry dwelling. Ihopenone willenvyme theſe innocentdelights, which I made out ofmylonely walks, whereby the Lord ſweetened my folitudes there.
It is like thou wilt findſomepaſſages here, thatareharmleſlypleaſant ; yet, Iaffure thee, I know of none that the moſt Cynical Reader can cenfure, as finfully light and vain. I must acknowledge, to the praiſe ofGod, that I havefound fome ofthoſe (which poſſibly ſome ofmy readers will call the flighteſt, and most trifling ſubjects ofmeditation) to be the ordinances for instruction, caution, and confolation tomyown foul : yea, ſuch adegree ofcomfort,
I do profeſs to have found bytheſe things, as hathmuch indearedthecountry-life to me, and made memuch better to underſtand that ſaying ofHorace, than when I learned it at ſchool,
Noviſtine locum potiorem rure beato ?
Eft ubi plus tepeant hyems ? Ubi gratior aura ?
O rus, quando ego te adfpiciam ? Quandoque licebit Nunc veterum libris, nuncfomno, et inertibus hortis
Ducerefolicitaejucunda oblivio vitae.
(i. e.) What life can with the country life compare ?
Where breathes the pureft, and most healthful air.
Where, undisturb'd, my ſtudy I purſue, And, when I fleep, bid all my cares adieu.
Hor. Sat. 6.
Andwhat I have found ſo beneficial to myſelf, I cannot but think may be fo to others.
I affure thee, reader, I am not fondofany oftheſe conceptions; and yet I think I may modeftly enough ſay, That the emptieſt leafin this book may ferve for more, and better uſes, than a mere diverſion, when thou canst find leiſure to peruſe it.
Iknow, your troubles and cares are many ; and though yourconditionof lifehath many innocent comforts, and outward mercies to ſweeten it, yet I believe moſt of you have foundthat ancient ſaying of Anacreonexperimentally true : Έχει τι πίχρον της λεοργίας γλυκύ.
' Some bitter troubles countrymen domeet, Wherewith the Lorddoth intermix their ſweet.'
TheEpistle, &c.
The cares ofyour minds are commonly no leſs than the pains of your bodies ; it concerns you, therefore, tofweeten whatyou cannot avoid; and Iknow no better way for that, thanwhat is here directed to. Ofriends ! what advantages have you for a ſpiritual life ? Whymayyou not have twoharveſts everyyear ? Onefor your fouls, another for your bodies ; ifyoucould thus learnto husbandyour husbandry.
Methinks ſpiritual meditationsdo even put themſelves uponyon. Huf bandmenofoldwere generally preſumedtobehonest and good men; what elſe means that ſaying ofMenander, Αλραικος είναι πρισποινή πονερος ων .
•Profeſs thyſelfanhusbandman, And wicked too ! believe't that can.'
What you are, godly or wicked, is not for me (that am a ſtranger tomoſt ofyou) todetermine ; but ifyou arenotgodly, it is mydefire and deſign to make you ſo: and I could not thinkon amoreprobable means toaccomplishthis honeſtdeſign, than what Ihave here uſed.
Methinks it ſhould be a pleaſure to you, when you come weary out of the fields from plow, or anyother labour, to fitdown inthe evening, and read that chapter which concerns that particular buſineſs, and refresh your fouls, even from that which hath wearied your bodies.
Wereyour hearts but heavenly, and more time allowed for ſpiritual husbandry, your inward comforts would be much more, and your outward gains not a jot leſs; for if the ſucceſs ofall your civil labours, and employments, depend upon thepleaſure and will of God (as all that are not Atheists do acknowledge) then, certainly, your buſineſs can ſucceed never theworſe for your endeavours topleaſe him, upon whoſe pleafure itſo entirelydepends. I have many times lifted upmy heart to heaven, whilst theſe papers were under my hand, for a ſpecial bleſſing to accompany them, when they ſhould be in yours.
If the Lord accomplish mydefires by them upon your fouls, you shall enjoy two heavens, one here, and another hereafter.
Would not that be ſweet ? The historian tells us, that Altitus Serarius was fowing corn inthe field, when Q.
Cincinnatus came tohim bare-headed,with letters fromthe fenate, fignifying, that hewas chosen to thedictatorſhip.
Ihope theLordwill fobleſs,and fucceed theſe labours, that many of youwillbecalled from holding theplow on earth, towear the crown ofglory in heaven; which is the fincere defire of Your hearty well-wisher,
JOHN FLAVEL.
The Proem.
C The AUTHOR to the READER.
Ome you,whoſe lift'ning ears do even itch To hear theway preſcrib'd ofgrowing rich ;
I'll thew you how to make your tenements Tenthousand times more worth, and yet your rents
Not rais'd a farthing ; here my reader ſees Away to make his dead and barren trees Yieldprecious fruit; his sheep, though ne'er ſobad,
Bear golden fleeces,ſuch ne'erJaſon had :
In ev'ry thing yourgain ſhall more than double, And allthis hadwith far leſs toil and trouble.
Methinks I hear thee ſay, this cannot be, I'll ne'er believe it.
Well, read on, and fee.
Reader, hadſt thou but ſenſes exercis'd Tojudge aright ; were ſpiritual things butpriz'd
Attheirjust value, thou wouldst quickly ſay, "Tis ſo indeed ; thou would not go thyway
Like one that's diſappointed, andfo fling The book aſide. Ithought 't'wassomefuch thing.
Timewas when country Chriſtians did afford More hours and pains about God's holy word :
Witneſs themanwho did moſt gladly pay For ſome few leaves his whole cart-load ofhay.
Andtimeſhall be, when heav'nly truth that warms The heart, ſhall be preferr'dbefore your farms ;
Whenholiness, as facred fcripture tells, Shallbe engraven on the horſes bells.
Lord,haſtenon thoſe much defired times, And, to thatpurpoſe,bleſs theſe rural rhimes.
THE PROEM.
1.Cor. iii. 9.
Ye areGod's Husbandry.
HE ſcope anddefignofthe followingchapters,beingthe T ſpiritual improvementofhusbandry, it willbeneceſſary, byway ofproem, to acquaint the reader with the foundation, andgeneral rules ofthis artin theſcriptures,therebytoprocure greater reſpect unto, and prevent prejudice against compofur ofthiskind.
To this end, I ſhall entertain the reader a little whil
The Proem. whatthis ſcripture affords us, which will give a fair introduction to thefollowing difcourſe.
The apostle's ſcope in the context being to check and repreſs the vainglory and emulation of the Corinthians, who, inftead of thankfulneſs for, and an humble and diligent improvement of the excellent bleſſings ofthe ministry, turned all intovain oftentation and emulation, one preferring Paul,and another Apollos; inthemeantimedepriving themſelves ofthe choice bleffings they might have received from themboth.
To cure this growing mischiefin the churches, he checks their vanity, and diſcovers the evil of fuch practices by ſeveral arguments, amongst which this is one.
Ye areGod's Husbandry, q. d.
What are ye, but a field, orplot ofground, tobe manured and cultivateded forGod ? And what arePaul,Apollos, andCephas, but fo many workmen and labourers, employed by God, thegreat huſbandman, to plant and water you all?
If, then, you shall glory in ſome, and deſpiſe others, you take the ready way to deprive yourſelves ofthe benefits and mercies youmight receive from thejoint miniſtry ofthem all.
Godhath uſed me to plantyou, and Apollo to wateryou ; you are obliged to bleſs him for the miniſtry of both, and it will beyour fin ifyoudeſpiſe either.
If the workmen be diſcouraged in their labours, it is the field that loſes and ſuffersby it; ſo that the words are a fimilitude, ſerving to illuſtrate the relation, 1. Which the churches have toGod.
2. Which God's miniſters have to the churches .
1. The relation betwixt God and them is like that of an huſbandman to his ground or tillage.
The Greek word fignifies God's † arable, or that plot ofground whichGod manures by the miniſtry ofpaftors and teachers.
2. It ſerves to illuſtrate the relation that the miniſters of Chriſt ſuſtain tothe churches, which is likethat ofthe husband's fervants tohim, and his fields ; which excellent notion carries in it the perpetual neceffity of a goſpel-miniſtry.
(For what fruit can be expected, where there are none totilltheground?) As alſo thediligence, accountableneſs, and rewards whichtheſe labourers are to give to, and receive from God, the greathufbandman.
All runs into this, * Thefaithful (or believers) are calledGod's husbandry (γκωργιου, georgeon)becauſeCodcultivates them as landbymeans ofſpiritual teachers (or paftors.) Rav.
The Proem.
That the life and employment ofanhuſbandman, excellently ſhadows forth the relation betwixt God and his church, and the relative duties betwixt its minifters and members.
Or more brieflythus :
The church is God's husbandry, about which his minifters areemployed.
Ishall not here obſerve my uſual method, (intending no morebut a preface to the following diſcourſe) but only open the particulars wherein the reſemblance confifts ; andthendraw fome Corollaries from the whole.
The first I shall diſpatch in theſe twentyparticulars following :
1. Prop. The husbandman purchases his fields, and gives a valuable confideration for them, Jer. xxxii. 9, 10.
Reddit. So hath God purchased his church with a full va Juable price, even the precious blood ofhis own Son, Acts xx.
28. " Feed the church ofGod, which he hath purchaſed, or, " acquiredwithhis ownblood." O dear-bought inheritance, how much doth this beſpeak its worth ? Or rather, the high eſteemGodhath ofit, to pay down blood, and fuch blood for it ; never was any inheritance bought at ſuch a rate : every particular elect perſon, and none but ſuch, are comprehended in this purchase; thereſt ſtill remain in the devil's right.
Sin madea forfeiture of all tojustice, upon which Satan entered, and took poffeffion, and, as a strong man armed, ſtill keeps it inthem, Lukexi. 21. but uponpayment of this fum tojustice, the elect (who only are intended in this purchaſe) paſs over into God's right and property, and now are neither Satan's,
Acts xxvi. 18. nor their own, 1 Cor. vi. 19. but the Lord's peculiar, 1 Pet. ii. 6. And to ſhew how much they are his
: own, you have two poſſeſſives in one verſe, Cant. viii. 12.
My vineyard,which is mine, isbefore me, mine, which is "
" mine."
2. Prop. Husbandmendivide and feparate their own lands from other men's, they have their land-marks and boundaries, by which propriety is preferved, Deut. xxvii. 17. Prov. xxii.
28 .
Reddit. So are the people ofGod wonderfully ſeparated and diftinguiſhed from allthe people ofthe earth. Pfal. iv. 3. " The " Lordhath fet apart him that isgodlyfor himself.
Andthe " Lord knoweth who are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. It is a ſpecial act of grace, to be inclofedby God outof the waſte howling wilderness of the world, Deut. xxxiii. 16. This did God inVOL. VI.
The Proem. tentionally,inthedecree before the world was ; whichdecree is executedintheir fanctification and adoption.
3. Prop. Corn-fields are carefully fencedby the husbandman with hedges and ditches, to preſerve their fruits from beasts that would otherwiſeover-run anddestroythem
Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri.
It is as goodhufbandryto keep what we have, as to acquire morethanwe had.
Reddit. " My well-beloved hath avineyard in a very fruit- " ful hill, and hefenced it," Ifa. v. 1, 2. No inheritance is better defended and fecured, than the Lord's inheritance, Pfal.
CXXV. 2. "As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, ſothe " Lord is round abouthis people."
So careful is he for their fafety, " that he createth upon every dwelling-place ofmount
" Sion, andupon her aſſemblies, a cloud and ſmokeby day, " and the ſhining ofa flaming fire by night: for upon all
" the glory ſhall be a defence," Ifa. iv. 5. Not aparticular faint, but is hedged about and incloſed inarms ofpower and love, Job i. 10. " Thou hast made ahedge abouthim."
The devil fainwould,butby hisown confeffioncouldnot,break over thathedge to touch Job, tillGod's permiſſion made a gap for him : yea,he not only makes anhedge,but a wallabout them, and that of fire, Zech. ii. 5. Sets a guard of angels "to en- "camp roundaboutthem that fear him," Pfal. xxxiv. 7. And will not trust them with a ſingle guard of angels neither, though their power be great, and love tothefaints as great ; but watches over them himself alſo, Ifa. xxvii. 2, 3. " Sing
66 yeunto her,a vineyard of red wine, I the Lord dokeep it, " I will water it every moment ; leſt anyhurt it, Iwill keep
" it night andday."
4. Prop. Huſbandmen carry out their compoſt; to fertilize their arable ground,theydung it, dreſs it, and keep it in heart ; and in theſe western parts are at great charges tobring lime, and falt-water fand to quicken theirthin and cold foil.
Reddit. " Lord, let italone this year alſo,till I ſhall dig a- " bout it, and dung it; and ifit bear fruit, well, ifnot, cut it
"down," Luke xiii. 8. O the richdreſſingwhichGodbeſtows upon his churches ! they are coftly fields indeed, dreft and fertilized, not only by precious ordinances andprovidences, but alſo by the ſweat, yea, blood of the diſpenſers of them.
• You Londoners (faith Mr. Lockier in Colof. p. 552.) are trees watered choicely indeed ; it is ſtoried ofthepalm-tree, that at its firſt tranſplanting into Italy, it was watered with ' wine.
I cannot ſay(faith he) thatyou have been ſo watered byme,Idarenot ; but thisI canhumbly andtruly ſay,that
The Proem.
* ifour choiceſt ſtrength and ſpirits maybe named instead of water, wine ; or ifthe bleſſing which hath gone alongwith theſe waters, at any time, hath turned them into wine, in *vigour upon your ſouls, thenhathGod byme, watered your
' roots with wine.'
5. Prop. The husbandman builds his houſe, where he makes his purchaſe, dwells upon his land, and frequently viſits it; he knows that fuch as dwell far from their lands, are not farfrom loss.
Reddit. SodothGod; where-everhe plants a church, there dothhefixhishabitation, intending there todwell,Pfalm xlvi .
5- " God is in the midst of her," ſhe ſhall not be moved.
Thus Godcame to dwell upon his own fee and inheritance, in Judea, Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. "And I willfet my tabernacle a- { mongst you, and will be your God, and ye ſhall bemy
" people."
Which promiſe is again renewedto his churches ofthe NewTestament, 2 Cor. vi. 16. And when the churches ſhallbe in their greatest flourish, and purity, then fhall there bethe fullest and moſt glorious manifeſtation of the divine prefenceamongthem,Rev. xxi. 3. "And I hearda great voice
" out ofheaven, ſaying, beholdthe tabernacle ofGod is with " men, and he will dwell with them, and be their God."
Hencethe aſſemblies are called, the places ofhis feet-And therethey "behold the beauty ofthe Lord," Pfalm xxvii.
6. Prop. Huſbandmen grudge not at the coſt they are at for their tillage; but as they lay outvaſtſums upon it, ſo they do itchearfully.
Reddit. " And now, O inhabitants ofJerufalem, and men " ofJudah,judge, I prayyou, betwixt me and my vineyard;
" whatcouldhave beendone more to my vineyard, that I have " notdone in it?" And ashebestows upon his heritage the choiceſt mercies, ſohe doth itwith the greatest chearfulness; for he faith, Jer. xxxii. 41. " I will rejoice over them, to do
*" them good; and I will plant them in this land affuredly, " with mywholeheart, andwith my whole foul."
It is not thegivingoutofmercy (faith one) thatgrievethGod, but the recoiling of his mercyback againuponhimbythe creatures ingratitude.
7. Prop. Whenhuſbandmen have been at coſt and pains about theirhusbandry, they expect fruit from it, anſwerable to their pains and expences about it: " Behold(faith James) the " huſbandman waiteth forthe precious fruits of the earth,"
Jam. v. 7.
The Proem.
Reddit. "Andhe lookedthat itſhould bring forth fruit,"
Ifa. v. 2.
This heavenly Huſbandman waits forthe fruits of his fields alſo; neverdid anyhusbandmanlong for the defired harvest, more thanGoddothfor the fruits ofholiness from his faints : Great are the expectations ofGod fromhis people :
"Andwhenthe timeofthe fruitdrew near, he fent his fer- " vants to thehusbandmen, thatthey mightreceive the fruits
" ofit."
8. Prop. Husbandmen are much delighted, to ſee the fucceſs oftheir labours, it comforts them over all theirhardpains, andmanyweary days, to fee a good increaſe.
Reddit. Much more is Goddelighted inbeholding the flouriſhing graces of his people ; itpleaſes him to fee his plants laden with fruit, and his valleys fing with corn, Cant. vi. 2 .
" My beloved is gonedownto the garden, into his beds of " ſpices, to feed inthe gardens, and to gather lillies."
Theſe beds of fpices (fay * expofitors) are the particular churches, the companies of believers ; he goes to feed in theſegardens, like as men go to their gardens to make merry, or to gather fruit, Cant. iv. 16. " He eats his pleasant fruit," viz. His peoples holyperformances, fweeter tohim than any ambrofia ; thus he feeds inthe gardens, and he gathers lillieswhenhe tranflates good fouls intohis kingdom above; " For the Lord
" takethpleaſure in his faints,andwillbeautify themeek with "falvation."
9. Prop. The husbandman is exceedinglygrieved,whenhe fees the hopes of a good crop diſappointed, and his fieldsprove barren, or blafted.
Reddit . So the Lord expreſſes his grief for, and anger against his people, when they bring forth no fruits, or wild fruits,worſethan none, Hofea ix. 16. "Ephraim is ſmitten,
" their root is dried up."
Chriſt was exceedingly difpleaſed with the fig-tree, and curſed it for its barrenneſs ; it grieves him to the heart when his ſervants return to him with fuch complaints as thefe, "Wehave laboured invain, we have ſpent
" our strength for nought."
10. Prop. Husbandmen employmany labourers towork in their fields, there is needofmany hands for ſuch amultiplicityofbuſineſs.
Reddit. Godhath diverſityofworkmen alſointhe churches, * Chrift is fedwhen he fees the graces ofhis people ; he gathers lillieswhen he tranflates anygood foul out of this life, Trap.on *heplace.
The Proem.
whomhe ſends forth to labour inhis ſpiritual fields, Eph. iv.
2. " Hegave ſome apoſtles, ſome prophets, and fomeevange " lifts; and ſome paſtors and teachers, for the perfecting of "the faints, forthe work ofthe miniftry," Amos iii. 7. I have ſent[myfervants] the prophets.
It isuſual with the apostles toplacethistitle ofa ſervant among their honourary titles, tho a profane mouth oncecalled it, probrofum artificium,a fordid artifice.
Chriſt hath ſtampt agreat deal ofdignity upon his minifters, in retaining them for the nearest ſervice to him- : felf, 1 Cor. iv. 1. " Let a man ſo account ofus, asthe mini- " ſters ofChriſt ;" they are workers together with God: The husbandmanworks in the fieldamong his labourers, andthe great Goddiſdaineth not to work in, and with his poor fervants, intheworkofthe miniſtry.
11. Prop. The work about whichhusbandmen employ their ſervants in the field, is toilſome and ſpending, you fee they comehome at night as weary as they candraw their legs after them.
Reddit. ButGod's workmen have a much harder taſkthan they; hence are they fet forth in fcriptureby the laborious ox,
1 Cor. ix. 9. Rev. iv. 7. Some derive the word διακονος, deacon, from zows, which fignifies duſt, to ſhew the laboriouſneſs of theiremployment, labouring tilleven choaked withduft and fweat. "Tls faid ofEpaphroditus, Phil. ii. 13. "That forthe
" work ofChriſt he was fick, and nigh untodeath; not re- " gardinghis life, toſupplytheir lackof ſervice."
The apoſtle'sexpreffion, Col. i. ult. is very emphatical, " whereunto " I alſo labour, ſtriving, according to his working ; which "worketh in me mightily."
The word ἀδωνιζωμενος, fignifies fuch ſpending labour as puts a man into anagony; and bleffed is that fervant, whom his Lord, whenhe cometh, ſhall find fodoing.
12. Prop. The immediate end ofthehusbandman's labour, andhis fervants labour, is for the improvement ofhis land, to make itmore flourishingandfruitful.
Reddit. The ſcope and endofthe miniſtry is for thechurch's benefitandadvantage. They mustnot lord it over God's heritage, as ifthe church were for them, and not they for the church; nor ferve themselves of it, butbe the church's ferwants for Jeſus ſake, 2Cor. iv. 6. Thepower theyhave received being for edification, and not for deſtruction, 2 Cor. x. 8.
Chriſt hath giventhemto the churches; their gifts, their time, their ſtrength, and alltheir miniſterial talents, are not their own,but the church's ſtockandtreaſure.
The Proem.
13. Prop. Theworkmenthat labour inthe fields are accountable for their work to him that employed them.
Reddit. Church-officers are alſo accountable toGod for all thefouls committed to them.
They are ſtewards ofthe myfteries ofGod, 1 Cor. iv. 1. and ſtewards are accountable. "We
" watch foryourfouls (faith the apoftle)as they that mustgive " anaccount," Heb. xiii. 7. Iftheſe ſervants be unfaithful in their work and trust, the blood offouls ſhall be required at their hands, Ezek. iii. 17, 18. which are fulmina, non verba,
(faith Eraſmus)thunderbolts, ratherthan words.
The guilt of blood is thegreatest guilt ; and of all blood, theblood offouls.
14. Prop. Thoſe that ſpend theirtime and ſtrength all their days, inmanuring and plowing the fields, do maintain themſelvesandtheir families by their labours; theirhands are ſufficient for themſelves and theirs .
Reddit. " Even ſo hath God ordained, that they which " preach the goſpel,ſhould live ofthe goſpel," 1 Cor. ix. 14.
" The workman is worthy of his meat," Mat. x. 10. 'Tis a ſad thing, ifthoſe who break the bread of life tofouls, ſhould be fufferedto want bread themselves. God wouldnothave the mouth ofan ox muzzled that treads out the corn,buthave libertyto eatas well aswork: Yet if any pretender to theminiſtry be like the heifer that loves to treadout the corn,(i. e.) cares todono work,but ſuch asbrings in preſentpay ; he therein fufficientlydiſcovers his beaſt-like diſpoſition. Miniſters must be faithful in their master's work, and if mendo not, God will reward them .
For " he is not unrighteous to forget their " work, and labour of love," Heb. vi. 10.
15. Prop. It is a greattrouble to huſbandmen in abusytime, to be put off from their labours by ſtormy weather, which drives them out of the fields, and makes them let all lie,till it clearup again ; yet, mean while, they arenot idle,butemploy themselves inhome-work.
Reddit. Even ſo in God's husbandry, itis anunſpeakable affliction to God's workmen to be rendered uſeleſs and unferviceabletothechurches,by thoſe ſtorms of trouble, which drive them from their public miniſterial work,
With whata heavy heartdid Paul go off from his work atEphefus, Acts xx.
It ſpends a miniſter to preach, but more tobefilent.
'Tis a loud ſpeakingjudgment, when God ſhallſay to them as to Ezekiel, " Son ofman, I will make thy tongue cleave tothe roofofthy
" mouth, and thou shalt be dumb," Ezek. iii. 26.
Such filencing providences, ſpeaking thundring language to gracious hearts ; yet, even then, the keepers ofthe vineyardhaveapri
The Proem.
vatevineyardoftheirownto look after,theyhave much homework, when no out-work.
16. Prop. There is a vaſt differencebetwixtthoſe fields which havebeenwellhuſbanded,anddreſſedby a ſkilful anddiligent husbandman; andthoſethathave been long out ofhusbandry.
How fragrant is the one ? How dry and barren the other ? when youpaſs by a field welldreſſedand fenced, every thing profperous, and in exquifite order, you may know, without farther enquiry,that agood huſbandman lives there.
Reddit. Thus ſtands the caſe betwixt thoſeplaces whichGod hathbleſſed with a faithful painful miniſtry, and fuch as have none, or worse than none : for as the husbandman's coſt and pains appear in the verdant, and fragrant hue of his fields ; ſo aminiſter'spains and diligence are(ordinarily) ſeen inthe heavenly lives, and flourishing graces ofthe people. The churchesofCorinth and Theffalonica,where Paul, and other holy inſtruments, ſpent muchoftheir time and pains, became famous and flourishing churches, 2 Cor. ix. 2. Aſpecialbleffing comes along with a godly minifter, to the place where ſpecial providence aſſigns him.
Suchplaces, likeGideon's fleece, have the dew of heavenlying onthem, whilst others round about are dry andbarren.
17. Prop. The husbandman is not diſcouraged, though the feed lie long under the clods; he knows it will ſpring up at laſt, and reward him, or those thatcome after him, for their pains andpatience inwaiting for it.
Reddit. Minifters ſhould not bepreſently difcouraged in their work, becauſe theyfee but littleor no appearance of all the feedtheyhave fown amongthepeople. The " fervant
" of the Lord mustbe patienttowards all, waiting ifat any "timeGod will givethem repentance," 2 Tim. ii. 24,25.
And if itnever ſpring up inhis time, it may after his death ; and if fo, he ſhall not fail ofhis reward, John iv. 36, 37.
" Andhe that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit " untolife eternal,thatboth hethat foweth, andhe that reap- " eth,mayrejoicetogether; and hereinis thatſaying true, one
"ſoweth, andanotherreapeth."
Though ministersdie, yet theirwords live ; yea, their wordstake hold ofmenwhenthey are inthedust, Zech. i. 6.
18. Prop. Huſbandmenfind low grounds, and valleys, moſt fertile; hills, how loftyſoeverthey overtop the lower grounds, yet anſwer not the husbandman's pains, as the valleys do : theſe arebeſt watered and fecured from the ſcorching heat of the fun.
The Proem.
Reddit. Experience ſhews us, that the humbleſt ſaints are moft fruitful under the goſpel ; " These are they that receive
" with meekneſs the ingraffed word," Jam. i. 21. whoſe influences abide in them, asthe rain doth in the low valleys.
Happy is that minifter, whoſe lot falls in ſuch a pleaſant valley. "Bleſſed are they that fow beſide all fuch waters, that " fend forth thither the feet ofthe ox and the aſs," Ifa. xxxii.
20. among theſe valleys run thepleasant ſprings, and purling brooks, which fertilize the neighbouring ground.
Heavenly ordinances there, leave fruitful influences.
19. Prop. The first crop is usually the beſt, and the longer thehuſbandman tills his ground,the leſs it produces ; after a few years its vigour and ſtrength is ſpent.
Reddit. The first entertainment ofthe goſpel is commonly thebeſt ; and what good is doneby the miniſtry is often done at its firſt entrance. New things arepretty, and very taking.
" John at firſt was to the Jews aburning and shining light, " andthey were willing, [for a ſeaſon] to rejoice in his light,"
Johu v. 35. Paul washighly valued among the Galatians at first ; fuch was their zeal, that theycouldhave plucked out their eyes, andhave given them to him ; but how quicklydid this full tide ebb again ? For he complains, Gal. iv. 15.
" Wherethen is the bleſſedneſs ye ſpake of?"
20. Prop. Lastly, When fields prove barren, and will not quit the husbandman's coft, nor anſwer the feed he ſows in them, he plucks up the hedges, and lays it waste.
Reddit. Sowhen churches grow formal, and fruitless, the Lord removes his goſpel-prefence from them, plucks up the hedge of his protection from about them, and lays them open, aswaſte ground, tobe over-runby their enemies. Jer. vii. 12.
" Go to Shiloh, and fee what I did unto it." What is become ofthoſe once famous and flourishing churches ofAfia ? Are theynot laid waſte, and trodden down by infidels ? And now go to, faith the great Husbandman, " I will tell you what I " will do to my vineyard ; I will pull up the hedge thereof,
" and it shall be laid waste," Ifa. v. 5.
Thus you fee the allegory opened in its particulars : from thewhole, I ſhall preſent you with theſe five enſuing corollaries.
Thefirst Corollary.
How great then are the dignities andprivileges ofthe churches ofJesus Chriſt whom he hath appropriated to himself, above all thepeople of the earth, to be his peculiar inheritance ? The reft oftheworld is a waste wilderness; all other places, how
The Proem.
25. pleaſantfoever,inreſpectoftheir natural amenityanddelights, aretruly enough called the dark places of the earth ; diſmal, folitary, cells, where Ziim and lim, Bitterns, Cormorants, and everydoleful creaturedwells. Butthe church is the paradiſe of the earth, agarden inclosed, Cant. iv. 12. in whoſe hedges the goſpel birds chirp and fing melodiouſly, Cant. ii. 12. Its beds are beds of ſpices, Cant. vi. 2. andbetwixt its pleaſant banks, a crystal river ofliving water runs, Rev. xxii. 1. the ſtreams whereofmakeglad the cityofGod,in the midſtwhereofthe Lord himself delights to walk. O Sion, with what pleaſures doft thou abound ? If Bernard was ſo ravished with the delights ofhis monastery, becauſe ofits green banks, and ſhady bowers, and herbs, and trees, and various objects to feed his eyes, and fragrant ſmells, and ſweet and various tunes of birds, togetherwith the opportunities ofdevout contemplation, that he cried out admiringly, Lord ! what delight dost thou provide, evenfor thepoor! How much more ſhould we be raviſhed with Sion's glory ? For, beautifulforfituation is mount
Zion. Of whom it maymuch more trulybe ſaid, what a * chronicler ofour own oncefaid ofEngland, That it is the fortunateiſland,theparadifeofpleafure,thegardenofGod, whoſe valleysare likeEden,whoſehills are as Lebanon,whoſe ſprings are as Piſgah, whoſe rivers areas Jordan, whoſewall istheocean, and whoſe defence is the Lord Jehovah.
Happy art thou, O Ifrael; who is like unto thee ? Who can count the privileges wherewithChriſt hath inveſted his churches ? O let itnever feem a light thing in our eyes, thatwegrow withinhis bleſſed incloſure. How ſweet a promiſe is that, Exod. xix. 5.
" Ye shall be to me a peculiartreaſure, above all people ; for " all the earth is mine."
ThefecondCorollary.
Hence itfollows,Thatſpiritualbarrenneſs isagreat reproach andſhametoChriſtians. Shall God's husbandry,which is planted, watered, fenced, filled with favours and mercies, be like thebarrenheath inthe deſart ? Surely it ſhouldbe faid ofevery foul that grows here, as the historian faith ofSpain, that there is nihil infructuofum, nihilfterile ; nothingbarren, or unfruitful in it.
God's vineyard is planted in avery fruitful hill.
Ifa. v. 1. " And ſurely they that are plantedinthe houſe of " the Lord, ſhould flourish in the courts ofour God; they
" ſhouldbring forth fruit, even inold age, to ſhewthatGod * Speed's Chronicle.
VOL . VI.
The Proent.
" is upright," Pfal. xcii. 13, 14. " Theyare created in Chrift " Jeſus unto good works, which God hath ordained they
" ſhould walk in," Eph. ii. 10. " They are married unto " Chrift, that they might bring forth fruit to God," Rom . vii.
4. An emptybranch is a dishonour to the root that bears it, abarren field to the husbandman that owns it ; God cannot endure that inhis fields,which he ſuffers inthe wilderneſs.
The third Corollary.
Ifthe church beGod's husbandry, then there is ſuch a fpecial, gracious prefence of the Lord in his churches, as is not to be found in all theworldbeſide. Where may you expect to find the husbandman, but in his own fields ? There lies his buſineſs, and there he delights to be.
Andwhere may we expect to find God, but in the aſſemblies of his faints? "He " walks among the golden candlesticks," Rev. ii. 1.
Iwill walk among you, (faith he)and be your God, 2 Cor. vi. 16.
Upon this account the church is called Jehovah Shammab, the Lord is there, Ezek. xlviii. ult. You may fee the footsteps of Godin the creatures, but the face ofGod is only to be feen in his ordinances.
Hence, Pfal. xxvii. 4. "David longed for " the temple, that he might fee the beautyofthe Lord." Now what isbeauty,but aſymmetry and proportion ofparts? Inthe worksof creation, you fee one attribute manifested in one thing, and another in anotherthing : but in the fanctuary you may ſee beauty, even in all the attributes ofGod difplayed there:
And, indeed, we find in Scripture fuch astonishing expreffions about the viſions of God in his church, that in reading them, aman can fee little difference betwixt itand heaven ; for as the church is called heaven, Mat. xxv. 1. ſo it's deſcription is like that ofheaven. Heb. xii. 22, 23. "You are come to the hea- " venly Jerufalem, andto an innumerable companyofangels," c. And Rev. xxii. 4. " They ſhall fee his face, and his name
" ſhall be written in their foreheads ." And ver. 6. The faints are reprefented " ſtanding nearer to the throne ofGod, than the " angels themselves." Hence alſo ordinances are called galIeries, in which both faints and angels walk, beholding the gloryofhim that fits upon the throne. Zech. iii. 7. " Ifyou
" willkeep my ways, I will give you galleries to walk in, a66 mongthem that ſtandby."
The fourth Corollary.
Ifthe church be God's husbandry, then thoſe that be employedin minifterial work ought to bemen ofgreatjudgment, and experience in foul-affairs; for theſe are the labourers whom
God, the mystical Husbandman, employs, and intruſts about
The Proem.
his ſpiritualhusbandry.
Should husbandmen employ ignorant perfons, that neither understandthe rules, nor proper feafons ofhusbandry; how much would fuch workmen damnify andprejudicehim ? Hewillnot employ ſuch toweed his fields , as know not wheat from tares ; or to prune his trees,thatthin midsummer as fit for that work as December : much less will
God. He qualifies all that he ſends, with wisdom for their work.
" His workmen approve themſelves workmen indeed, fuch as " need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word oftruth,"
2Tim. ii. 15. As Bezaleel was furnished with wisdom, before he was employed in tabernacle-work ; fo Chriſt inſtructs his ſervants, with ſkill and infight, before they are employed in miniſterialwork. He gives them a mouth and wisdom, Luke xxi. 15. enduesthem with power from on high ; as Chrift was filled abundantly with the Spirit for his work, fo, according to proportion, are thoſe that are fentby him. John xx. 21, 22 .
" As my Father hath fent me, ſo ſendI you."
And as for thoſe that run before they are fent, and underſtand not the myſteries of the goſpel; I shallfay no more of them but this; " Father, forgive them, forthey know not whatthey do."
The fifth Corollary.
To conclude, Ifthe church be God's husbandry, that is, if husbandryhave ſomany reſemblances ofGod's works about the church in it; then how inexcuſable is the ignorance of hufbandmen in the things ofGod, who,besides the word of the gofpel,have the teaching ofthe creatures ; and can hardly turn their hands to any part of their work, but the Spirit hints one ſpiritualuſe or other from it totheirfouls? Howdo the Scriptures abound with parables, and lively fimilitudes taken from husbandry? From the field, thefeed, the plow, the barn, from threſhing andwinnowing; fimilitudes alſofrom planting, graffing, and pruning of trees ; and not afew from the ordering of cattle.
So that towhat buſineſs ſoever youturn yourhands, in any part ofyour calling, ſtillGodmeets you with one heavenly inſtruction or other.
But alas ! How few are able to improve their civil employments to ſuch excellent ends ! Theſe things are but briefly hinted inthe Scriptures, and thoſe hints fcattered up anddown, thatthey know not where to findthem ; and if they could, yet would it be difficult ſo to methodize them, as it is neceflary they ſhould be, inorder to their due improvementby meditation.
And therefore I judged it neceſſary to collect and prepare them for their uſe; and inthis manner to preſent them to D 2