Upon the chearfulness of the husbandman,
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
Whereasonehour ſpent with Godbrings in Such heav'nlytreaſures,that poor fouls havebeen
Enrich'd for ever. Even asyou fee Aprince's favourite, upon the knee, Can inan hour's time more wealth obtain,
Than all your lives by labour youcan gain.
Pray'r-gains are great, and quick returns aremade, Sure then the Chriſtian drives the richest trade.
"Tis true, the hypocrite thatnever drove Aferious tradefor heav'n, may bankrupt prove :
Butholy fouls, which mind,and cloſely ply Their bus'neſs, greatlyare enrich'dthereby;
The diff'rence 'twixt the one, and t' other's beſt By ſuch a fimile as this, expreſt :
As in aſummer's dayyou often fee Thewantonbutterfly, and painfulbee; On fragrant flowers fix, whence onedoth ſtrive
To bear his precious burden to the hive ; The other's pains no profitwith it brings,
His time is ſpent inpainting ofhis wings .
Whenwinter comes,thebeehath full ſupplies, The other creeps into anhole,anddies.
Like different events ſhall be betwixt The painful faint, and lazy notioniſt.
CHAP.
Upon the chearfulness ofthe Husbandman.
Theplowmanfings, and whistles, though hesweat, Shall Christians droop, because their work isgreat?
OBSERVATION.
HOUGH the laboursofhusbandmen are very great, and T toilſome, yet with whatchearfulneſs dothey go through them? Itis verydelightfultohear the melody they make, by whistling, as they follow the plow ; yea, the very horſes have their bells, which make a pleaſant noiſe.
Horſes (faithMr.
Fuller) willdo more for a whistlethan a whip ; and their bells do, as itwere, gingle away their wearineſs.
I have been oftendelightedwith this countrymusic, whereby they ſweeten their hard labours with an innocentpleaſure,and verify the faying ofthepoet' ; Tempus in agrorum cultu confumeredulce eft. Ovid.
Altho' theyplow frommorning untilnight,
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, Time ſteals awaywith pleaſure anddelight.
APPLICATION.
BUR UThow much greater cauſe have the people ofGodto addreſs themſelves unto his work with all chearfulneſs of ſpirit ? And, indeed, fo far as theheart is ſpiritual, it delights in its duties. "Tis true, thework ofa Chriftian is painful,and much more ſpending,than the husbandman's (as was opened chap. 1.)butthenitas muchexceeds inthedelights and pleaſures that attend it.
What is the Chriſtian's work, but " with joy to draw water out ofthe wells offalvation ?" Ifa. xii. 3.
You mayfee whata pleasant path the path ofduty is, bythe chearfulness of thoſe that have walked inthem, Pfal. cxix. 14. " I have rejoiced in the way of thy judgments,
" as much as in allriches." Andby thepromises that are made toſuch, Pfal. cxxxviii. 5. " Yea,they ſhallfing in the "ways of the Lord, forgreat is the glory ofthe Lord." And again, " You ſhall have a fong as in the night, when an " holy folemnity is kept, and gladneſs ofheart, as when one
" goeth with a pipe, to come to the mountain of the Lord, to " the mightyone of Ifrael," Ifa. xxx. 29.
And, laſtly, by the many commands,wherebyjoy in the wayofthe Lord is made the duty ofthe faints. "Rejoice in " the Lord, ye righteous,forpraiſe is comelyforthe upright,"
Pfal. xcvii. 12. " Rejoice, and againI ſay rejoice," Phil. iv. 4. where the command is doubled,yea, not only ſimple rejoicing, but the highestdegreeofthat dutycomes withinthe command.
Pfal. cxxxii. 9, 16. " Shout forjoy, all ye that are upright in " heart." AndLuke vii. 22, 23. they thatarebid to leapfor joy,when about the difficulteſt part of their work. Andthat youmay fee there is a fufficient ground forit, and that it is not likethe mad mirth ofſinners,bepleaſed toconfider,
1. The nature ofthe work about whichthey are employed :
It is the moſt excellent, andheavenly employment, that ever foulswere acquaintedwith. O what a raviſhing, anddelightful thing itis, to walkwith God! Andyet by this, thewhole work of a Chriſtian is expreſſed, Gen. xvii. 1. Canany life comparewiththis, for pleaſure ? Can they be chillthatwalk in the fun-fhine? Or fad, that abide in the fountain ofalldelights ; and walk with him whoſe name is theGodofall comfort, 2 Cor. i. 3. " Inwhoſe prefence is the fulneſs ofjoy,"
Pfal. xvi. 11. Owhat an angelical lifedoth a Chriſtian then live?
Or, 2dly, If we conſider the variety of ſpiritual employments, Varietas delectat.
Change ofemployment takes off
The Heavenly Use ofEarthly Things.
the tediouſneſs of labour.
Variety ofvoices pleaſes the ear, variety ofcolours delight the eye, the fame meat prepared ſeveralways, pleaſes the palate more, and clogs it leſs.
ButO the variety ofchoice dishes wherewithGod entertains his people in aSabbath! as the word,prayer, ſacraments, &c. Ifa. Iviii.
13. Ifthoucall the Sabbath thy delights ; or, as Tremellius renders it, thy delicate things.
" My foul (faith David) ſhall " be fatisfied, as with marrowand fatneſs," Pfalm lxiii. 5.
3dly, Or lastly, Ifwe confider the ſuitableness ofthis work to a regenerateioul.
Is it any pain for abird to fly ? Or a fiſh to fwim? Isthe eye tired with beautiful objects ? Or the ear withmelodious ſounds ? As little can a ſpiritual foul beweariedwith ſpiritualandheavenlyexerciſes. Rom. vii. 22. " I de- " light in the law of God after the inner man."
Gravia non gravitant in eorum loco, (faith the philoſopher) weighty things are notheavy in their own element, or center. And furelyGod is the center of all gracious ſpirits. Afaint can fit from morning to night to hear diſcourſes ofthe love and loveliness of Jeſus Chriſt.
The fight ofyour thriving flocks, and flourishing fields, cannot yield you that pleaſure which an upright foul can find inone quarter of an hour's communion withGod. " They that are after the flesh, (faith the apostle,
" Rom. viii 5.) do mind the things ofthe flesh, and they that " are afterthe Spirit, the things ofthe Spirit."
But then look how much heavenly objects tranſcend earthly ones, and how muchthe foul is more capable ofdelightin thoſe objects, than the grofs and duller ſenſes are in theirs; ſo much doth the pleaſure arifing from the duty excel all ſenſitive delights on earth.
REFLECTIONS .
How am I caft and condemned by Thecarnal heart's this, mayIfay ; whoneverfavouredthis reflection. ſpiritual delight inholyduties. When Iam aboutmy earthly employments, Icangoonunweariedly fromday today; allthe way is down-hill to my nature, and thewheels of my affections being oiled with carnal delight, run ſo faft, that they have needmoſttimes oftrigging. Here
I ratherneedthe curb, than the ſpur. Ohow fleet and nimble are myfpirits in theſe their purſuits! butOwhat a flug am I in religious duties ! ſure ifmy heart were renewed by grace,
1ſhould delight in the law ofGod, Rom. vii. 22. Allthe world is alive intheirways, every creature enjoys his proper pleaſure; andis there nodelight to be found in the paths of VOL. VI.
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, holineſs ? Is godlineſs only a dry root, that bears nopleafant fruits ? No, no, there are doubtleſs, incomparable pleaſures to be found therein ; but ſucha carnal heart as mine favours them not.
I cannot fay but Ihave found delight in reThe hypocrite's ligious duties,but theyhave been only fuchas reflection. rather fprang from the oftentation of gifts andapplauses ofmen, than any fweet and real communion I have had with God through them ; they have rather proved food, and fuel to mypride, than foodto my foul.
Like the nightingale, Icanfing fweetly,whenI obſerve others to listen to me, and be affected with my mufic. O falſe, deceitful heart, ſuch delight as this willend inhowling ! were my ſpirit right, itwouldas muchdelight in retirements for the enjoyment ofGod, as it doth inthoſe duties that are moſt expoſed to the obſervation ofman. Will fuch a ſpring as this maintain a ſtream of affections, when carnal motives fail ?
What wiltthou anſwer, O my foul ! to that queſtion ? Job xxvii. 9, 10. " Will God hear his cry when trouble comes
" upon him ? Will he delight himself in the Almighty ?
" Will he always call upon God ?" What wilt thou reply to this question ? Deceive notthou thyself,Omyfoul ! thouwilt doubtless be easily perfuaded to let go that thou never delighteft in, and, from an hypocrite in religion, quicklybecome an apoftate from religion.
Theuprightheart's reflection.
From all this, the upright heart takes advantage to rouze up its delight inGod, and thus it expoftulateth with itſelf : Doth theplowman ſing amidst his drudging labours, and whiſtle away his wearineſs in the fields ; and ſhall Idroop amidſtſuch heavenly employment ? O my foul, what wanteſtthou here, toprovoke thydelight ? Ifthere be ſuch an affection as delight in thee, methinks ſuch an object as the bleffed face ofGod in ordinances, ſhould excite it. Ah! how wouldthis ennoble all my fervices, and make them angel-like ! how glad are thoſe bleffed creatures to be employed for God? No fooner were they created,but theyfang together,and ſhouted forjoy,
Job xxxviii. 7. Howdidthey fillthe air withheavenlymelody, whenfent to bring the joyful tidings ofa Saviour tothe world ? Afcribing glory to God in the highest, even to the highest of their powers ; yea, this delight would make allmy duties Chriſt-like; andthe nearer that pattern, the more ex cellent: he delighted to do his Father's will, it was to him meatand drink, Pfalm xl. 7. John iv. 32, 34.
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things,
Yea,itwouldnot only ennoble, but facilitate allmyduties, andbe to me as wings toabird in flying, orfails to aſhip in motion.
Non tardat uncta rota ; oiled wheels run freely :
" Or ever I was aware,my foul made me like the chariots of " Aminadab." O what is the reaſon(myGod) mydelight in theeſhould be ſo little ? Is itnot, becauſe myunbelief is fo great ? Rouze up my delights, O thou fountain ofpleaſure I and let me fwimdownthe streamofholyjoy induty, into the boundleſs ocean ofthoſe immenſe delights that are in thyprefence, and at thyright hand for evermore.
The POEM.
Whatadull,deſpondentheart is mine!
That takes no moredelightin things divine.
Whenallthe creatures,both in heav'n and earth, Enjoy their pleaſures, andare big with mirth.
Angels andfaints that are before the throne, Inextafies andraptures, ev'ry one Perpetually is held; each blefſed ſpirit
Thepureſt, highestjoys doth there inherit :
The faints on earth, intheir imperfect ſtate, Thoſe peerleſs joys,by faithdoantedate.
To nat'ral men, who favour not this pleaſure, Yet bounteous nature doth unlock her treaſure
Of fenfitive delights ; yea, ſtrange to tell, Boldfinners rant it all the wayto hell.
Like fiſh thatplayinJordan's filver ſtream, Sotheſe in ſenſual lufts,and never dream
Ofthat dead ſea to which the ſtream doth tend, Andtotheirpleaſures puts a fatal end.
Yea, birds, and beaſts, as well as men enjoy Their innocent delights : theſe chirp, and play ;
Thechearfulbirdsamong thebranches fing, Andmake the neighb'ring groves with mufic ring :
Withvarious warbling notes they all invite Ourravifh'd ears, with pleaſureanddelight.
The new-fallenlambs will, inafun-ſhine day, About their feeding damsjump up, andplay.
Are ciſterns ſweet? And is the fountainbitter ?
Orcanthefunbedark, when glow-worms glitter?
Have inſtruments theirſweet, melodious airs ?
All creatures their delights, and faints nottheirs ?
Yea, theirs tranſcend theſe ſenſual ones, as far Asnoon-dayPhoebus doth a twinkling ſtar.
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, Whydroop I then, mayany creature have A life like mine for pleaſure ? Who e'ergave
The like encouragementthat Chriſt hath giv'n, To do hiswill on earth, as 'tis inheav'n?
CHAP.
IV.
Upon the dueQualityofArable Land.
Corn landmust neitherbe toofat, nor poor ; The middleftatefuits best with Christians,fure.
OBSERVATIΟΝ .
Uſbandmen find, by experience, that their arable lands may be dreffed too much, as well as too little ; ifthe foil be over-rank, the feed ſhoots up ſomuch into the ſtalk, that it ſeldom ears well; and iftoo thin, and poor, itwants itsdue nutriment, and comes not to perfection.
Therefore their care is, to keep it in heart, but notto over-dreſs or under-dreſs it.
'The endofall their coſt and pains about it, is fruit; andtherefore reaſon tells them, that ſuch a ſtate andtemperament ofit, asbeſt fits it for fruit, is beſt, both for it and them.
APPLICATION.
AND doth not ſpiritual experience teach Chriſtians that amediocrity, and competency ofthe things ofthis life, beſt fits them for the fruits ofobedience, which is the end and excellencyoftheir beings ? Aman may be over-mercied, as well as over-afflicted; Rarefumantfælicibus arae, the altars ofthe rich ſeldom ſmoke. When our outward enjoyments arebyprovidence ſhaped, and fittedtoour condition, as a ſuit isto thebody, that fits cloſe, and neat, neither too ſhort, nor long; we cannot defirea better condition in this world.
This was itthatwifeAgur requſted ofGod, Prov. xxx, 8, 9. "Give " me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with food con
" venient for me, leſt I be full and denythee, and ſaywho is " the Lord ? Or leſt I be poor and steal, and take the name
" ofmyGod in vain." Against both he prays equally, not abfolutely; thathad been his ſin ; but, comparatively, and ſubmiſſivelyto the will ofGod.
Hehad rather, ifGod fee it fit, toavoidbothoftheſe extremes ; but whatwouldhehavethen ?
Why, food convenient. Or, according to the Hebrew, give memyprey, or ftatute-bread ; which is a metaphor from birds which fly up anddowntoprey for theiryoung, andwhatthey get, they diſtribute among them; they bring them enough to preſerve their lives, but not more than enough to liemoulder
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
inginthe nest.
Such a proportionAgurdefired,andthereaſonwhy he defired it, is drawn from the danger of both extremes. Hemeaſured, likeawife Chriſtian,the conveniency or inconveniency of his eftate in the world, by its fuitableneſs orunſuitableneſs to the end ofhis being ; which is the ſervice ofGod. He accounted the true excellency ofhis life toconfiftinits referenceand tendency to theglory ofhisGod; and hecould not fee how aredundancy, or too great a penury of. earthly comforts could fithim for that ; buta middle eftate, equally removed from both extremes, beſt fittedthat end. And this was allthat good Jacob, who was led by the ſame ſpirit, looked at, Gen. xxviii. 20."And Jacob vowed avow, faying,
" ifGod willbe with me, and keep me intheway that I go, " and give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, ſo that I " come again to myfather's houſein peace, thenſhall the Lord
" bemyGod."
Poor Jacob, he defires no great matters in the world, food and raiment will fatisfy him ; in ſpiritual matters his defires areboundleſs,he is the moſtgreedy and unfatisfied man in the world, Hof. xii. 4. but in the matters of this life, if hecangetfromGod but offam et aquam, a morſel ofmeat, and a mouthful ofwater, he will not envythe richest
Cræfus, or Crafſus upon earth.
Cibus et potus funt divitia Chriftianorum ; meat and drink are the riches of Chriſtians.
Divitiafunt ad legem naturæ compofita paupertas, faith PomponiusAtticus ; riches are ſuch a poverty, or mediocrity, as hathenough for nature's uſes ; and fuch a ſtate isbeſt accommodated, both to the condition, and to the defires of afaint.
1. To his condition, for what is a faint but a ſtranger and pilgrim uponearth, aman inastrange countrytravellinghomeward ? So David profeſſedhimself, Pfalm cxix. 19. " I am a " ſtrangerin this earth." And ſo thoſe worthies,who arenow athome in heaven,Heb. xi. 13. they profeſſed themſelves to beſtrangers and pilgrims upon earth, and tofeeka country ; a viaticum contents a traveller, he will not incumber himself with fuperfluous things, which would rather clog and tire,than expedite andhelp him in his journey.
2. It ſuits beſt with his deſires, I mean his regular and adviſeddefires.
For, 1.A gracious foul earnestly deſires a free condition inthe world, he is ſenſible he hath much work todo, a race to run, and is loth to be clogged, or have his foot in the ſnare ofthe cares or pleaſures of this life.
He knows that fulneſs expoſes towantonneſs and irreligion, Deut. vi. 12. Hof. xiii. 6.
It is hard,inthe midstofſomany tempting objects,tokeepthegold
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, enbridle ofmoderation uponthe affections.
Theheart ofa Chriſtian, like the moon,commonly fuffers an eelipſewhen it isatthe full, and that by the interpofitionofthe earth.
Itwas Solomon's fulneſs thatdrew out and diffolved his ſpirits, and brought him to ſuch a lowebb in fpirituals, that it remains a queſtion with fome,Whether he ever recovered it to his dying day. As it is the miſeryofthe poor to beneglectedofmen, ſo it is the mifery ofthe rich toneglectGod.
Who can be poorer than to have the world, and love it ? Or richer, than to enjoy but littleofit, and live above it ?
And, on the other fide, extreme poverty is no leſs expoſed tofinand danger, Lev. vi. 2, 3, 4. As high and lofty trees are ſubject to ſtorms and tempeſts,ſo the loweſt ſhrubs tobe browſedon by everybeaft ; and therefore a faint defires ajuſt competency asthefittest, becauſe the freeſt ſtate.
2.Agracious perſondeſires no morebut a competency,becauſethere is most ofGod's love and caredifcovered ingiving in our daily bread, bya daily providence.
It is betwixt ſuch a condition, and a fulness ofcreature-provifions in our land, as itwas betwixt Egypt and Canaan ; Egypt was watered with the footfrom the river Nilus, and little ofGod was ſeen in that mercy; but Canaan dependedupon the dews and ſhowers ofheaven; and fo everyſhower of rain was a refreshing ſhower to their fouls, as well as bodies.
Moſt menthat have a ſtock ofcreature-comforts in theirhands, look upon allas coming in anordinary, natural courſe, andſee very littleofGod in their mercies.
Pope Adrianbuilt a college at Louvain, and cauſed this infcription tobe writtenin letters of goldon the gates thereof; Trajectum plantavit, Louvanium rigavit, Cafar dedit incrementum ; (i. e.) Utrechtplanted me, Louvain wateredme, and Cæfar gave the increaſe.
One to reprove his folly wroteunderneath, Hic Dens nihilfecit ; hereGoddidnothing.
Carnal men, they ſow, and reap, and eat, and look no further.
But now, when a man fees his mercies come in by the ſpecialand affiduous care ofGod for him,there is a double ſweetneſs in thoſe mercies ; the natural ſweetneſswhich comes from thecreature itſelf, every one, even the beasts, can taſte that as well as thee; but, beſides that, there is a fpiritual ſweetneſs, far exceeding the former, which none but a believer taſtes ; andmuch ofthat comes from the manner in which he receives it, becauſe it comes (be it never ſo coarfe or little) as a covenant-mercy to him. "He hath given bread to them that fear
"him,he is ever mindful ofhis covenant," Pfal. cxi. 5.
Luther, who mademany amealuponabroiledherring, was wont
The Heavenly Ufe of Earthly Things.
toſay, Mendicatopane hic vivamus, annon hocpulchrefarciturineo, quodpafcimur pane cum angelis et vita aterna, Chriſto et facramentis: Let usbecontentwith coarſe fare here, havewe notthebread that came down from heaven ? Do we not feed with angels ? A pregnant inſtance of the ſweetneſs of fuch mercies, is given us by a worthy divine ofour own, Mr. Ifaac
Ambrofe, †For my own part (faith he) however the Lord hath ſeen cauſe to give me but a poor pittance ofoutward
⚫things, forwhich Ibleſs his name,yet inthe income thereof, • I have many times obſerved ſomuch ofhis peculiar provi. dence, that therebythey havebeen verymuch ſweetened,and my heart hath been raiſed to admire his grace. When of • lateunder anharddiſpenſation(which Ijudge not meet to ⚫mention,wherein Ifufferedwith inwardpeaceconfcientioufly)
* all ſtreams ofwonted ſupplies being ſtopt, thewaters of relief ⚫for myſelfand familydid runlow.
Iwent tobedwith fome • ſtaggerings and doubtings ofthe fountain's letting out itſelf for our refreſhing ; but e'er Idid awake in the morning, a • letter was brought to my bed-fide,which was fignedby a ⚫choice friend, Mr. Anthony Afh, which reported ſome un
• expected breakings out of God's goodness for my comfort • Theſearefome of his lines, Your God, whohath given you an heart thankfullyto record your experiences of his
• goodness, doth renew experiences for your encouragement.
• Now I shall report one which will raiſe your ſpirit towards • theGod ofyour mercy, &c.'
Whereupon he ſweetly conclades, One morſel ofGod's provifion, (eſpecially ifit comes
• unexpected, and upon prayer,when wants are inoſt) willbe more ſweet to a ſpiritual reliſh, than all former full enjoy.
• ments were.'
Manymercies come unaſked for, and they require thankfulness,butwhen mercies come in upon prayer, and as a returnofprayer, their ſweetneſs more than doubles ; for now it is both God's bleſſing uponhis own inſtitution, and a feal ſet to his promiſe atonce, Pfal. lxvi. 16, 17.
Doubtleſs Hannah found more comfort inherSamuel, and Rachel in herNaphtali, the one being asked of God, andthe other wreſtled for withGod, (as their names import) than mothers ordinarily do in their children .REFLECTIONS .
Dothe people of God defire only ſo much of the creature as may fit them for the fervice ofGod ? What wretch then am I that The reflection of the design. ing hypocrite.
+Epiftle to theEarl ofBedford; anteultima.
Husbandry Spiritualized; or,
have defired onlyſo much of religion as may fitme to gain the creature ! As God's people have fubjected all their creature-enjoyments to religion, ſo oppofitely, O my foul, thou haſt ſubjected religion to thy wordly interest and deſigns,
Inftead of eating anddrinking to ſerveGod, Ihave fervedGod thatI might eat and drink ; yea, I have not only acted below religion, but below reaſon alfo ; for reaſon dictates plainly, thatthe means must never be more excellent than the end.
Wretch that I am, to make religion a flave to my luſt, a ſtirrup to advancement, an artifice to carryon my carnal deſigns ; verilyI have my reward ; andthis is allthegood I am ever like togetby it.
And noleſsſhould the worldling tremble, toconfiderhowhe hath caft offthe duties of The worldling's reflection. religion, made them ſtand aſide, and give place to the world.
Instead of defiring fo much only as might make him ſerviceable toGod, he thrufts afide the fervice ofGod to get as much ofthe world as he can, who is fo far from making godliness the end of his creaturecomforts, that he rather looks upon it as an obſtacle, andhindrance tothem.
Maynot the very heathens make me blush ?
CouldAriftotle deliver this as a true rule to pofterity, to make religion our firſt, and chief care ? Could Ariftippus ſay, He would rather neglect his means than his mind ! his farm than his foul ? Will the veryMahometans, how urgent foever their buſineſs be, lay it all aſide five times intheday to pray ? Yea, is it common to a proverb among the very Papifts, that maſs and meat hinders no man ; and yet I, that profeſs myſelfa
Chriſtian, thrust out duty for every trifle ! O wretched foul ! how hath the god ofthis world blinded mine eyes ? Can the world indeed do that for me, that Chrift can do: Hath it ever proved true to them that trusted it, and doated on it ? Hath it not at last turned them off, as men turn off a fumpter-horſe at night, that hath been a drudge to carry their gold and ſilver for them all day, and at laſt isturned out with an emptybelly, and a galled back ? O how righteous will that fentence of Godbe ? Go cryto the godswhom thou haſt ſerved.
Andmay not manygracious hearts turn Thegraciousfoul's inuponthemselves withshame andforrow, reflection. to confider how unſatisfied they have been inthatcondition, thatothershave preferred and eſteemed as the greatest of all outward mercies ? I have indeedbeen fed with food convenient, but not contented ? howhath mineheartbeen tortured fromdaytodaywith anxi-
The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things.
ous thoughts, what I shall eat anddrink, andwherewith I and mine ſhallbe clothed? I pretend indeed that I care but for a competencyofthe world, butfure Iam, mycares about ithave beenincompetent.
Come my diftruſtful earthly heart, letme. propound a few questions to thee about this matter, and anſwer
truly to what I shalldemand ofthee.
Quest. 1. Haſt thou here a continuing city? Art thou at home, or uponthyjourney, that thou artfo folicitous about the world?Thyprofeffion indeed ſpeaks thee a ſtrangerupon earth, butthy converfation a home-dweller.
Eraſmus faidhe defired honours and riches no more than a wearyhorſe doth a heavy cloak-bag.
Wouldit thou not account him a fool thatwould victual his ſhip as much to croſs the channel to France,as ifthe werebound for the East Indies ? Alas ! it will be but a little while,andthen therewill be no more need of any of theſe
: things.
It is ſad, that a foul which ſtands atthedoor ofeternity, ſhould be perplexing itſelfabout food and raiment.
Quest. 2. Which ofallthe faints haft thou known tobe the better for much of the world ? It hath been ſome mens utter ruin.
Seldom doth God fuffermen to be theirown carvers, but they cuttheir own fingers.
To give riches andpleaſure ⚫to anevil man(faithArlitotle) isbut to give wine to one that hath a fever.'
Where there is no want, there is usually much wartonness.
What a ſad ſtory is that ofPius Quintus ; When Iwas ina low condition, ſaidhe, Ihadfome comfortablehopesofmyfalvation; but when I came to be a Cardinal,
Igreatlydoubted ofit: But ſince Icame to the Popedom, I havenohope at all.
Though thispoor, undone wretch, ſpake it out, and others keep it in; yet, doubtless, he hath many thouſandfellows in the world,that might ſay as much,would theybutſpeak the truth.
And even God's own people, though the world hath notexcluded them out ofheaven,yet ithath forely clogged them in theway thither.
Manythathave beenveryhumble, holy, and heavenly, inalow condition, have ſuffered aſad ebb inafull condition.
What a cold blaſthave they felt coming from the cares anddelights of this life, to chill both theirgraces, and comforts! Ithad been well for fome ofGod's people, if they had never knownwhat profperitymeant.
Quest. 3. Is not this a ſad ſymptom of adeclining ſtate of foul, to be ſo hot, eager, and anxious about the fuperfluous trifles of this life ? Thinkeſtthou, O my foul! that onewho walks in the views of thatglory above, and maintains aconVOL. VI.
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or , Verſation inheaven, can be much taken with theſe vanities
Do not the viſions of God veil the tempting ſplendor of the creature ! Itwas theopinion ofsome of the Schoolmen, that the reasonwhyAdam in paradife was not ſenſible of hisnakedneſs, was becauſe he was wholly taken up in converfing withGod.
Butthis is certain, lively and ſweet communion with God,blunts anddulls the edge ofthe affections to earthlythings; and canft thoube fatisfied, myfoul,with fuchgains as are attended with ſuch ſpiritual loſſes ?
Quest. 4. To conclude,is itnot dishonourable to God, and a juftification of thewayofthe world,for me,thatprofeſsmyſelf a Chriſtian, to be as eager after riches as othermen ?
" After all theſe things do the nations ſeek," Matth. vi. 32.
IfIhadnoFatherinheaven,nor promife in the world, itwere another matter ; but fince myheavenly Father knows what I have need of, andhath charged me to be careful innothing, butonly to tellhim my wants, Phil. iv. 6. how unbecoming aththing is it in me to live and act as I have done ! Let me henceforth learn to meaſure, and estimate my condition, rather by its usefulneſs toGod,than its contentandeaſe tomy fleſh.
The POEM.
F frwit and ſervicebe, indeed, the end I Towhich mybeing and redemption tend, Reaſon concludes, that ſtate, ofall the reſt,
Which is moſt ſerviceable, tobe beſt.
And fuch a ſtate experience ſhews to lie "Twixt fulneſs, and apinching poverty.
This goldenmean is worth agolden mine; Hethathath this, ſhould be asham'd to whine.
The full-fed Chriſtian, like the ox i' th' ſtall, Is noway fit to work, or plow withal.
And penury, likePharaoh's leanerkine, Devours the fatteſt portions ofourtime.
Thatmanwithwhom this earthlypleaſure'sfound, Or inwhoſe heartthoſe anxious cares abound ;
And yetcanwalkby fcripture-rule,and line, Will need a better head and heart than mine ;
A fingle ſtaff the traveller may find, Ofuſeandfervice; but ifyou shouldbind Abundle ofthem to his back, they'll make
Him flack his pace, andcry my shoulders ake -Iam a traveller, this world's myway, Afingle ſtaffmay be of uſe to ſtay