experimentally true A Verse may find him that a Sermon flies And turn delight into a Sacrifice I should never have been perswaded especially in this scribling Age wherein we may complain with the Poet. Scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim To have set my dull fancy upon the Rack to extort a Poem to entertain my Reader for I cannot say with Ovid Sponte sua carmen c. but that I have been informed that many Seamen induced by the pleasure of a Verse have taken much pains to learn the Poems in their Compass by heart and I hope both the Children at home and the Servants in the fields will learn to exercise themselves this way also O how much better will it be so to do than to stuff their memories with obscene Ballads and filthy Songs which corrupt their minds and dispose them to much wickedness by irritating their natural corruption But these are purer flames you will find nothing here of such a tendency 'T is guilt not Poetry to be like those Whose wit in Verse is downright sin in Prose Whose studies are prophaneness as if then They only were good Poets when bad men I shall add no more but to beg that God who instructeth the Husbandman in his civil Calling to teach him wisdom spiritually to improve it and particularly that you may reap a crop of much spiritual benefit from that seed which is here sown by the hand of the Lords unprofitable servant and in him Your very affectionate Friend and Servant IOHN FLAVELL TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THere are three things wherein as it hath been said long before my day the exercise of Godliness doth chiefly consist Prayer Temptation Meditation Meditation is the Subject of this following Manual The Object of Meditation is twofold First The Word Secondly The Works of God The Works of God are twofold First Internal Secondly External The External Works of God are twofold First Of Creation Secondly of Providence The works of Providence are likewise twofold First In things Civil the Lord ordering and over-ruling all the affairs and motion of single Persons Families and Nations in a subserviency to his own most holy Ends Designs and Purposes Secondly In things Natural the Lord instructing the Husbandman to discretion and teaching him how to Dress and Till the Earth that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater as also how to breed up and manage the Beasts of the field both greater and lesser Cattel for the use and service of Man Meditation upon this lower part of the Works of God and his wonderful Providences about them may raise our souls very high and while we wisely consider these natural things we may grow more and more wise in and for Spirituals and Eternals The worthy and ingenious Author of the ensuing Discourse hath supplied us with an excellent help for the Spiritualizing of the providential Works of God in natural things by godly Meditation we chiefly want the help of the holy Spirit without which all other helps and helpers are altogether insufficient to frame and wind up our hearts for this both profitable and delightful duty yet the help which the Lord is pleased to give us for our direction in it by the Ministery of man is not only not to be refused but thankfully received and improved and all little enough to bring our minds to or keep them at this work The best of Saints on this side heaven have though they are not earthly minded much earth in their minds which like a heavy clog at their heels or a weight at their hearts presseth them down when they would make an Essay to mount upward in Meditation We find it no easie matter to keep off earthly thoughts when we are most seriously engaged in heavenly work how hard is it then to get in and be fixed upon heavenly thoughts while we are engaged about earthly work yea are for so is the Husbandman working the very earth and raking in the bowels of it 'T is a great part of our holiness to be spiritually minded while we are conversing with God through Iesus Christ in spiritual duties but to be spiritually minded and to mind spiritual things when we are conversing with the clods of the earth and the furrows of the field when we have to do with Corn and Grass with Trees and Plants with Sheep and Oxen when we behold the birds and fowls of the Air the worms and all that creep upon the ground then I say to be spiritually minded and thence to have our thoughts ascending and soaring up to God in heart-affecting and quickning contemplations witnesseth an high degree of holiness and of gracious attainments To make a ladder out to earthly materials for the raising of our selves in spirit up to heaven is the Art of Arts. Holy and happy indeed are they who being taught of God have learned this Art and live in the daily practise of it Earthly objects usually hinder us in our way sometimes turn us quite out of our way to heaven Many plow and sow dig and delve the earth till their hearts become as earthly as the earth it self many deal about the beasts of the field till themselves become even brutish Is it not then a blessed design which this Author aims and drives at so to spiritualize all sorts or the whole compass of earthly Husbandry that all sorts of husbandmen may become spiritual and heavenly It seems to me a taken for good that God hath an intendment of some special good to the souls of such as are by profession proper Husbandmen seeing he hath lately put it into the hearts of two faithful Ministers who with all of that profession are Husbandmen in a figure to undertake though in a different way this Subject to publish their labours in print that they may be of use not only for the present age but for posterity And that the Husbandman may be pleased as well as profited in perusing the labours of this Author he hath with singular aptness and acuteness contrived and contracted the sum or scope of every Chapter into an elegant Distich or pair of Verses placed at the head of it and concluded it with a choice melodious Poem sutable to and dilating upon the whole matter of it These the Husbandman who can but read may quickly learn and sing for his solace instead of those vain Ballads and corrupting Rimes which many of that rank are apt to buy and solace themselves withal without any benefit yea much to their hurt making their hearts more corrupt carnal and vain thereby Let me add one word more to the Reader This Book of Husbandry Spiritualized is not calculated only for the common Husbandman persons of any calling or condition may find the Author working out such searching Reflections and strong Convictions from almost every part and particular of the Husbandmans work as may prove if faithfully improved very useful to them to some for their
conclude let all doubting Christians reflect seriously upon this truth and suck marrow and fatness out of it to strengthen and establish them against all their fears your life your spiritual life hath for many years hanged in suspence before you and you have often said with David I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul Desponding trembling soul lift up thine eyes and look upon the fields the corn lives still and grows up though birds have watcht to devour it snows have covered it beasts have cropt it weeds have almost choakt it yet it 's preserved And hath not God more care of that precious seed of his own spirit in thee than any Husbandman hath of his corn hath he not said That having begun the good work in thee he will perfect it to the day of Christ Phil. 2. 6. Hath he not said I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish Iohn 12. 28. Hast thou not many times said and thought of it as thou dost now and and yet it lives O what matter of unspeakable joy and comfort is this to upright souls Well then be not discharged for thou dost not run as one uncertain nor fight as one that beats the air 1 Cor. 9. 26. but the foundation of God stands sure having this seal the Lord knows who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Though thy grace be weak thy God is strong though the stream seem sometimes to fail yet it 's fed by an ever-flowing fountain The Poem 'T Is justly wondered that an ear of corn Should come at last in safety to the Barn It runs through many hazards threatning harms Betwixt the sowers hands and reapers arms The earth no sooner takes it from the sack But you may see behind the sowers back A troop of thieves which would at once destroy That seed in which lyes hid the seed of joy This dangerous period past it soon doth fall Into a second no less critical It shooteth forth the tender blade and then The noxious weeds engender it again These clasp about it till they kindly choak The corn as flattering Ivy doth the oak Are weeds destroyed and all that danger past Lo now another comes the worst at last For when i' th ear it blow begins to kern As mildew smites it which you can't discern Nor any way prevent till all be lost The corn destroy'd with all your hopes and cost Thus saving grace that precious seed of joy Which hell and nature plot how to destroy Escapes ten thousand danger 's first and last O who can say now all the danger 's past 'T is like a crazy bark tost in a storm Or like a taper which is strangely born Without a lanthorn in a blustring night Or like to glimmering sparks whose dying light Is still preserv'd The roaring waves swell high Like moving mountains in the darkned sky On their proud back the little bark is even Mounted unto the battlements of heaven From thence dismounted to the deeps doth slide Receiving water upon every side Yet he whose voice the proudest waves obey Brings it at last into the quiet key The blustring winds strive with a fatal puff To bring the tapor to a stinking snuff Their churlish blasts extinguish it and then Our gentle breath recovers it agen The fainting sparks beneath the ashes lye Where choakt and smother'd they begin to dye But these collected we do gently blow Till from faint sparks to lively flames they grow Even thus is grace preserv'd thus kept alive By constant wonders Grace doth live and thrive CHAP. XIV Our Husbandmen for Harvest wait and stay O let not any Saint do less than they OBSERVATION THe expectation of a good Harvest at last makes the Husbandman with untired patience to digest all his labours He that plows plow in hope 1 Cor. 6. 19. and they are not so irrational to think they shall presently be partakers of their hope nor so foolish to anticipate the Harvest by cutting down their corn before it be fully ripened but are content to plow sow and weed it and when it 's fully ripe then they go forth into their fields and reap it down with joy APPLICATION CAn a little Corn cause men to digest so many difficult labours and make them wait with invincible patience till the reaping time come much more should the expectation of eternal glory steel and fortifie my spirit against all intercurrent hardships and difficulties It least of all becomes a Christian to be of a hasty and impatient spirit Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Psal. 92. 11. Behold the Husbandman waiteth c. Iam. 5. 7. Be patient therefore my Brethren for the coming of the Lord draws neer There are three great Arguments to perswade Christians to a long-suffering and patient frame under sufferings 1 The example of Christ Isa. 53. 7. to think how quietly he suffered all injuries and difficulties with invincible patience is sufficient to shame the best of Christians who are of such short Spirits I have read of one Elezarius a noble man that when his wife wondered at his exceeding great patience in bearinig njuries he thus answered her You know sometimes my heart is ready to rise with indignation against such as wrong me but I presently begin to think of the wrongs that Christ suffer'd and say thus to my self although thy servant should pluck thy beard and smite thee on thy face this were nothing to what thy Lord suffer'd he suffered more and greater things and assure your self wife I never leave off thinking on the injuries done to my Saviour till such time as my mind be still and quiet To this purpose it was well noted by Bernard speaking of Christ's humiliation was Christ the Lord of glory thus humbled and emptied of his fulness of glory and shall such a worm as I swell 2 The desert of sin Lam. 3. 39. Why doth the living man complain It was a good saying of blessed Greenham When sin lyes heavy affliction lyes light And it is a famous instance which Dr. Taylor gives us of the Duke of Condey I have read saith he when the Duke of Condia had voluntarily entred into the incommodities of a religious poverty and retirement he was one day spied and pitied by a Lord of Italy who out of tenderness wisht him to be more careful and nutritive of his person the good Duke answered Sir be not troubled and think not that I am ill provided of conveniences for I send an Harbinger before me that makes ready my lodgings and takes care that I be royally entertained The Lord asked him who was his Harbinger he answered the knowledge of my self and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins whâ—ch is eternal torments and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging how unprovided soever I find it methinks it is ever better than I deserve and as the sense of sin which
awakening to consider the state of their souls whether in grace or in nature to others for their instruction consolation and encouragement in the wayes of grace as also of their proficiency and growth in those wayes That the blessing of the Lord and the breathings of his good Spirit may go out with it for all those gracious purposes is the hearts desire and prayer of him who is Christian Reader A sincere well-wisher to thy precious and immortal soul IOSEPH CARYL To his Reverend and learned Friend Mr. Iohn Flavell on his Spiritual Navigation and Husbandry LEtters of Mart of his dear Servant given By him that fists the ruffling winds of heaven To fight and take all such as would not daign T' acknowledge him the Seas great Soveraign He lanch'd his little Pinace and began T'attaque the vassals of Leviathan Auspicious gales swelling his winged Sails Searches all creeks and every Bark he hails That scarce a Ship our Western Coasts afford Which this brave Pinace hath not laid aboard And what among our riddles some might count Was seen at once at Barwick and the Mount Yea in more Ports hath in one lustre been Than Hawkins Drake or Cavendish have seen And Prizes of more worth brought home again Than all the Plate-Fleets of the Kings of Spain But that which makes the wonder swell the more Those whom he took were Beggars all before But rests he here No no our friend doth know 'T is good to have two strings unto his Bow Our rare Amphibion loves not to be pent Within the bounds of one poor Element Besides the learned Author understood That of an idle hand there comes no good The Law to him no Pulpit doth allow And now he cannot Preach he means to Plow Though Preaching were a crime yet the foresaw Against the Plowman there could be no Law Nor stayes he on resolves but out of hand He yoaks his Teem plows up the stubborn Land Sows it with precious Seed harrows again The tougher clods takes pleasure in his pain Whilst Orph'us like which doth his Art advance Rocks Fields and Woods after his pipe do dance Industrious spirit to what a rich account With thy blest Lord will all these labours mount That every nerve of thy blest soul dost ply To further heavens Spiritual Husbandry This kind of Tillage which thou teachest us Was never dreamt of by Triptolemus Go Reader turn the leaves and me allow To pray whilst at thy work God speed the Plow NICHOLAS WATTS In Authoris OPERA LEt Paracelsius and Van-Helmonts name No more ride triumph on the wings of fame Lo here 's a Chymist whose diviner skill Doth hallowed from unhallow'd things distil Spiritualizeth Sea affairs agen Makes the rude ground turn Tutor unto men Shews Mariners as by a Compass how They may unto the Port of Glory row Teacheth the Plowmen from their work to know What duties unto God and man they ow. Rare Artist who when many tongues are mute Mak'st things that are inanimate confute The Ages sins by preaching unto eyes Truths which in other modes their ears despise Prosper his pious Labours Lord howe'r Do not forget to crown the labourer Sic raptim canit DAN CONDY To his Reverend and Invaluable Friend Mr. I. F. upon his Husbandry Spiritualized INgenious Sir what do I see what now Are you come from the Pulpit to the Plow If so then pardon me if I profess The Plow deserves to be sent to the Press 'T is not long since you went to Sea they say Compos'd a Compass which directs the way And steers the course to heaven O blest Art And bravely done that you did that impart To us who take it kindly at your hand And bless the Lord that you are come to Lord. To be an Husbandman wherein your skill With admiration doth your Readers fill One grain will yield increase it 's ten times ten When th' earth's manur'd by such Husbandmen We may expect rich harvests and full crops When heavenly dew descendeth in such drops Of spiritual rain to water every field That it full helps of grace to God may yield I must adore the wisdom of that God That makes men wise who even from a clod Of earth can raise such heavenly Meditation Unto a pitch of highest elevation Besides I mark the goodness of the Lord Performing unto us his faithful Word That all shall work for good unto the Saints Which in some measure lessens our complaints For though our Pulpit mercies be grown less We have some gracious helps yet from the Press And herein all the world may plainly see That faithful servants will not idle be We have some bricks although the straw be gone The Church at last shall be of polisht stone What ever men or Devils act or say Sion at last will have a glorious day The wretched muck-worm that from morn to night Labours as if 't were for an heavenly weight And when he hath got all he can the most Amounts to little more than a poor crust To feed his tired carkase if himself Have by his carking got a little pelf Leave it he must to one he knows not whom And then must come to eternal doom And hear his poor neglected wretched soul Tell him at last that he hath play'd the fool But here he 's taught how he before he dye May lay up treasure for eternity Wherein he may be rich yea much much more Than they that do possess whole mines of Oar. When earth 's more worth than heaven gold than grace Then let the worldling run his bruitish race But not before unless he do intend To meet with soul-destruction in the end But I must leave him and return again To gratulate the author for his pain And here I can't forbear to let my pen To tell the world of all the Husbandmen That er'e I met he he hath hit the vein To recompense the Labourers hard pain And taught him how to get the greatest gain Wherein he treads a path not trod before By which indeed his skill appears the more I might Encomiums give him great and true And yet come short of what 's his due But I must not walk in forbidden wayes For thereby I am sure I should displease His pious mind who doth and freely can Give all the praise to the great Husbandman Who will his graces in his servants own But doth expect himself to wear the Crown Farewel dear Sir In take my leave and now Will say no more but this God speed the plow EDWARD IEFFERY Reader this Emblem darkly represents The Books chief scope and principall contents Yet since these Birds Beasts Heart Stone String and Tree Doe more imply than at first glance you see Our courteous Muse which cannot be unkinde Intends more plainly to divulge her minde You see the Shadows would you see the Things She couches under them then view her Wings A gracious heart here learns the art Of soaring up on high Upon the Wings
of earthly things That Underfoot doe lye Noe Bird that flyes beneath the skies But by this holy craft will lend a feather To help it thither And give the heart a waft The string and stone shews every one When faith mounts up and sings How carnall sence can draw it hence Pinnion and clip its wings Birds beasts and trees teach mysteries If sinners be not blocks They 'l quickly mend when God doth send Teachers in droves and Flocks T Cross sculpsit THE EPISTLE TO THE Intelligent Countrey READER THOV hast here the fruit of some of my spare hours which were thus imployed when by a sad providence I was thrust from the society of many dear friends into a solitary countrey dwelling I hope none will envy me these innocent delights which I made out of my lonely walks whereby the Lord sweetned my solitudes there 'T is like thou wilt find some passages here that are harmlesly pleasant yet I assure thee I know of none that the most Cynical Reader can censure as sinfully light and vain I must acknowledge to the praise of God that I have found some of those which possibly some of my Readers will call the slightest and most trifling subjects of meditation to be the Ordinances for Instruction Caution and Consolation to my own soul yea such a degree of comfort I do profess to have found by these things as hath much endeared the countrey life to me and made me much better to understand that saying of Horace than when I learn'd it at school Novistine locum potiorem rure beato Est ubi plus tapeant hyems ubi gracior aura O rus quando te ad spiciam quandoque licebit Nunc veterum libris nunc somno inertibus hortis Ducere solicitae jucunda oblivio vitae i. e. What life can with the Country life compare Where breaths the purest and most healthful Air. Where undisturb'd my studies I pursue And when I sleep bid all my cares adieu And what I have found so beneficial to my self I cannot but think may be so to others I assure thee Reader I am not fond of any of these conceptions and yet I think I may modestly enough say that the emptiest leaf in this book may serve for more and better uses than a meer diversion when thou canst find leisure to peruse it I know your troubles and cares are many and though your condition of lif hath many innocent comforts and outward mercies to sweeten it yet I believe most of you have found that ancient saying of Anaxion experimentally true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some bitter troubles Countrey men do meet Wherewith the Lord doth intermix their sweet The cares of your minds are commonly no less than the paines of your Bodies it concerns you therefore to sweeten what you cannot avoid and I know no better way for that than what is here directed to O friends what advantages have you for a spiritual life Why may you not have two harvests every year one for your Souls another for you bodies if you could thus learn to husband your Husbandry Methinks spiritual Meditations do even put themselves upon you Husbandmen of old were generally presumed to be honest and good men what else means that saying of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Profess thy self an Husbandman And wicked too believ 't that can What you are godly or wicked is not for me that am a stranger to most of you to determine but if you are not godly it s my desire design to make you so and I could not think on a more probable means to accomplish this honest design than what I have here used Methinks it should be a pleasure to you when you come weary out of the fields from plow or any other labour to sit down in the evening and read that chapter which concerns that particulars business refresh your Souls even from that which hath wearied your bodies Were your hearts but heavenly more time allowed for spiritual husbandry your inward comforts would be much more your out ward gains not a jot less for it the success of all your civil labours and imployments depend upon the pleasure will of God as all that are not Atheists do acknowledge then certainly your business can succeed never the worse for your endeavours to please him upon whose pleasure it so intirely depends I have many times liâ—ted up my 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 my desires by them upon your souls you shall enjoy two heavens one here and another hereafter Would not that be sweet The Historian tells us that Altitius Serarius was sowing corn in the field when Q. Cincinnatus came to him bare headed with letters from the Senate signifying that he was chosen to the Dictatorship I hope the Lord will so bless and succeed these labours that many of you will be called from holding the Plow on earth to wear the Crown of glory in heaven which is the sincere desire Of Your hearty Well-wisher IOHN FLAVELL THE AUTHOR TO THE READER COme you whose listning ears do even itch To hear the way prescrib'd of growing rich I 'le shew you how to make your Tenements Ten thousand times more worth and yet your rents Not rais'd a farthing here my Reader sees A way to make his dead and barren trees Yield precious fruit his Sheep though ne're so bad Bear golden fleeces such ne're Iason had In every thing your gain shall more than double And all this had with far less toyl and trouble Methinks I hear thee say this cannot be I 'le ne're believe it well read on and see Reader hadst thou but senses exercis'd To judge aright were spiritual things but priz'd At their just value thou wouldst quickly say 'T is so indeed thou wouldst not go thy way Like one that 's disappointed and so fling The book aside I though 't was some such thing Time was when Countrey Christians did afford More hours and pains about God's holy Word Witness the man who did most gladly pay For some few leaves his whole Cart load of Hay And time shall be when heavenly truth that warms The heart â—hall be prefer'd before your Farms When HOLINESS as sacred Scripture tells Shall be engraven on the Horses bells Lord hasten on those much desired times And to that purpose bless these rural Rimes THE PROEM 1 COR. 3. 9. Ye are God's Husbandry THE scope and design of the following Chapters being the spiritual improvement of Husbandry it will be necessary by way of Proem to acquaint the Reader with the Foundation and general Rules of this Art in the Scriptures thereby to procure greater respect unto and prevent prejudice against composures of this kind To this end I shall entertain the Reader a little while upon what this Scripture affords us which will give a fair Introduction
NO such reward from man Shall others WORK and not regard Their strength TO get a small reward Whilst we TURN slugs and loyter thus Oh that THEIR zeal might quicken us Why are our HANDS and feet so slow When we UNTO our business go How can we THEN Christ's pay expect And yet the CHRISTIANS work reject If this then ALSO that embrace Them both IF not we both disgrace Some if THEY could these two divide T' would PLEASE them well with Christ to side But if they MAY not then it were As good CEASE pleading they 'l not hear Rouze up FROM sloth my soul betake Thee to thy WORK no cavils make O strive AND try Saints say that even The pain they TAKE hath much of heaven But yet THEIR best wine 's kept till last Their rest and EASE comes all so fast CHAP. II. The hardest labourers are the thriving men If you 'l have thriving souls be active then OBSERVATION INdustry and diligence is the way to thrive and grow rich in the world The earth must be manured or its increase is in vain expected Qui fugit molam fugit farinam he that refuses the mill refuses the meal saith the Proverb the diligent soul shall be made fat Solomon hath two proverbs concerning thriftiness and increase in the world In Prov. 10. 4. he saith The hand of the diligent maketh rich And v. 22. he saith The blessing of the Lord maketh rich These are not contradictory but confirmatory each of other one speaks of the principal the other of the instrumental cause Diligence without Gods blessing will not do it and that blessing cannot be expected without diligence therefore Husbandmen ply their business with unwearied pains they do even lodge in the midst of their labours as that good Husband Boaz did Ruth 2. 3. they are parsimonious of their time but prodigal of their sweat and strength because they find this to be the thriving way APPLICATION AS nature opens her treasures to none but the diligent so neither doth grace He that will be rich must be a painful Christian and whosoever will closly ply the trade of godliness shall comfortably and quickly find That in keeping Gods commands there is great reward Psal. 19. 11. God is a bountiful rewarder of such as diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. They must not indeed work for wages nor yet will God suffer their work to go unrewarded yea it sufficiently rewards it self 1 Tim. 6. 6. and its reward is twofold 1 present and in part 2 future and in full Mark 10. 29 30. Now in this time an hundred-fold even from suffering which seems the most unprofitable part of the work and in the world to come life everlasting If you ask what present advantage Christians have by their diligence I answer as much and more than the Husbandman hath from all his toyls and labours Let us compare the particulars and see what the Husbandman gets that the Christian gets not also Compare your gains and you 'l quickly see the odds You get credit and reputation by your diligence 't is a commendation and honour to you to be active and stirring men But how much more honour doth God put upon his laborious servants 'T is the highest honour of a creature to be active and useful for its God Saints are called vessels of honour as they are fitted for the Masters use 2 Tim. 2. 21. Wherein consists the honour of Angels but in this that they are ministring spirits serviceable creatures And all the Apostles gloried in the title of servants The lowest office in which a man can serve God even that of a Nethinim or door-keeper which was the lowest order or rank of officers in the house of God Ezek. 44. 10 11. is yet preferred by David before the service of the greatest Prince on earth Psal. 84. 10. 'T is no small honour to be active for God You have this benefit by your labour that thereby you avoid loose and evil company which would draw you into mischief By diligence for God the Christian also is secured from temptations God is with them while they are with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. Communion with God in the way of duty is a great preservative against temptations The School-men put the question how the Angels and glorified Saints become impeccant and resolve it thus That they are secured from sin by the beatifical vision and sure-I am that the visions of God not only in glory but now also in duty are marvellous defences against sin and they that are most active for God have the fullest and clearest visions of God Ioh. 14. 21. You have this benefit by your labour that it tends much to the health of your bodies The Christian hath this benefit by his labour that it tends to a faithful state of soul The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10. 29. As those that follow their daily labours in the field have much more health than Citizens that live idly or Scholars that live a sedentary life So the active Christian enjoys more spiritual health and is troubled with fewer complaints than others By diligence in your civil imployments you preserve your estates and are kept from running behind-hand in the world Bayliffs trouble not such mens doors they usually have the fore-foot of their neighbours And by activity and diligence for God souls are kept from backsliding and runing back in their graces and comforts Remissions and intermissions in our duties are the first steps and degrees by which a soul declines and wastes as to his spiritual estate Your pains and diligence in the fields makes your beds sweet to you at night Eccl. 5. 12. Rest is sweet to a labouring man whether he eat little or much But the diligent life of a Christian makes the clods of the valley his grave sweet unto him 2 Cor. 1. 12. 2 King 20. 3. Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee c. Think Christian how sweet it will be for thee when thou comest to dye to say then as thy Redeemer did when near his death Ioh. 17. 4 5. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do and now O Father glorifie me with thine own self The expence of your sweat fills your purses you get estates by your diligence and labour but what are your gains to the gains of Christians They can get in an hour that which they will not part with for all the gold and silver on earth Prov. 3. 14. So that compare these labourers as to all their advantages and you shall see that there is no trade like that which the diligent Christian drives REFLECTIONS Blush then O my soul at the consideration of thy laziness and sloth which is attended with so many spiritual wants and can I wonder at it when I refuse the painful way of duty in which the precious fruits of Godliness are
them in the way to the prisons or stake with their little ones in their armes and throwing themselves at their feet would thus bespeak them What shall be our estate now you are gone to Martyrdom who shall instruct these poor Babes Who shall ease our afflicted consciences Who shall lead us in the way of life recompense unto them O Lord as they have deserved who aâ—e the causes of this Lord give them sad hearts Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis And to let you see there is sufficient ground for this sorrow when God restrains the influences of the Gospel solemnly consider the following particulars That it is a dreadful token of God's great anger against that people from whom he removes the Gospel The anger of God was fearfully incensed against the Church of Ephesus when he did but threaten to come against her and remove the Candlestick out of its place Rev. 2. 5. 'T is a stroke at the soul a blow at the root usually the last and therefore the worst of judgments There is a pedigree of judgments first Gomer bears Iezreel next Loruhamah and at last brings forth Loammi Hos. 1. 4 6 8 9. There is cause of mourning if you consider the deplorable estate in which all the unregenerate souls are left after the Gospel is removed from them What will become of these or by whom shall they be gathered It made the bowels of Christ yearn within him when he looked upon the scattered multitude that had no Shepherd Mat. 9. 36. What an easie conquest doth the devil now make of them how fast doth hell fill in such times poor souls being driven thither in droves and none to rescue them Mathew Paris tells us that in the year 1072. when preaching was suppressed at Rome letters were then framed as coming from hell wherein the devil gave them thanks for the multitude of souls they had sent to him that year But truly we need not talk of letters from hell we are told from heaven how deplorable the condition of such poor souls is See Prov. 28. 19. Hos. 4. 6. Or The judgment will yet appear very heavy if you consider the loss which God 's own people sustain by the removal of the Gospel for therâ—in they lose 1 their chief glory Rom. 3. 2. the principal thing in which the peculiar glory of Israel consisted was this That unto them was committed the Oracles of Gâ—d On that account is was called the glorious Land Dan. 11. 16. This made them greater than all the Nations rouâ—â— about them Deut. 4. 7. 8. 2 By losing the Ordinances they lose their quickenings comforts and soul-refreshments for all these are sweet streams from the Gospel fountain Psal. 119. 50. Col. 4. 8. No wonder then to hear the People of God Complain of dead hearts when the Gospel is removed 3 In the loss of the Gospel they lose their defence and safety This is there is their hedge their wâ—ll of protection Isa. 5. 5. Walls and hedges saith Musculus in loc are the Ordinances of God which serve both ad se perationem munitionem to distinguish and to defend them When God plucks up this hedge and breaks down this wall all mischiefs break in upon us presently 2 Chron. 15. 3 4 5 6. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true Goâ— and without a teaching Priest and without Law And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countiries and Nations was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity How long did Ierusalem remain after that voice was heard in the Temple migremuâ— hinc Let us be gone 4 With the Gospel we lose our temporal injoyments and creature comforts These usually come and go with the Gospel When God had once written Loammi upon Israel the next news is this I will recover my wool and my flax Hos. 2. 9. 5 and lastly to come up to the very case in hand they loâ—e with it their spiritual food and soul-subsistence for the Gospel is their feast of fat things Isa 25. 6. their spiritual wells Isa. 12. 3. a dole distributed among the Lords poor Rom. 1. 11. In a word it is as the rain and dews of heaven as hath been shewed which being restrained a spirituall famine necessarily follows a famine of all the most terrible Now to shew you the analogy betwixt this and a temporal famine that therein you may see what cause you have to be deeply affected with it take it in thse six following particulars A famine is caused by the failing of bread or that which is in the stead and hath the use of bread Dâ—inties and superfluous rarities may fail and yet men may subsist comfortably As long as people have bread and water they will not famish but take away bread once and the spirit of man faileth Upon this account bread is called a staff Psal. 105. 16. because what a staff is to an aged or feeble man that bread is to the faint and feeble spirits which even so do lean upon it And look what bread is to the natural spirits that and more than that the word is to gracious spirits Iob 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food If once God break this staff the inner man that hidden man of the heart will quickly begin to fail and faulter It is not every degree of scarcity of bread that presently makes a famine but a general failing of it when no bread is to be had or that which is yields no nutriment For a famine may as well be occasioned by Gods taking away panis nutrimentum the nourishing vertue of bread that it shall signifie no more as to the end of bread than a chip Hag. 1. 6. as by taking away panem nutrientem bread it self Isa. 3. 1. And so it is in a spiritual famine which is occasioned either by Gods removing all the Ordinances and making vision utterly to â—ail or else though there be preaching prayer and other Ordinances left at least the names and shadows of them yet the presence of God is not with them There is no marrow in the bone no milk in the breast and so as to soul-subsistance 't is all one as if there were no such things In a corporeal famine mean and course things become sweet and pleasant famine raises the price and esteem of them That which before you would have thrown to your dogs now goes down pleasantly with your selves To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Prov. 27. 7 'T is the Dutch Proverb and a very true one hunger is the best Cook Iejunus stomachus raro vulgaria temnit Horat In time of famine coursest fare contents The barking stomach strains no complements 'T is storied of Artaxerxes Memor that when he was flying before his enemies he fed
hungrily upon barly bread and said Cujusmodi voluptatis hactenus in expernus fuit Oh what pleasure have I hitherto been ignorant of when grea◠Darius drank the pudled water that had been defiled with dead carcases which had been slain in that famous battel he professed he never drank more pleasant drink And famous Hunniades said he never fared more daintily than when in a like exigence he supped upon bread onions and water with a poor Shepheard in his cottage Iust so doth the famine of the Word raise the price and esteem of vulgar and despised truths O what would we give for one of those Sermons one of those Sabbaths we formerly enjoyed In those dayes the word of the Lord was precious When God calls to the enemy to take away and remove his contemned but precious dainties from his wanton Children and a spiritual famine hath a little pinched them they will then learn to prize their spiritual food at a higher rate In time of famine some persons suffer more than others It falls heaviest and pincheth hardest upon the poorer sort as long as any thing is to be had for money the rich will have it So it falls out in a spiritual famine although the most experienced and best furnished Christians will have enough to do to live in the absence of Ordinances yet they are like to subsist much better than weak ignorant and unexperienced ones Some Christians have Husbanded their time well and like Ioseph in the seven years plenty laid up for a scarcity The Word of God dwells richly in them Some such there are as Iohn calls young men who are strong and the word of God remaineth in them of whom it may be said as Ierom spake of Nepotianus that by long and assiduous meditation of the Scriptures he had made his breast the very Library of Christ. But others are babes in Christ and though God will preserve that good work which he hath begun in them yet these poor babes will soonest find and be most concerned in the loss of their spiritual Fathers and Nurses In time of famine there are pitiful cryes and heart-breaking complaints where-ever you go O the many pale faces you shall then see and the sad language that rings in your ears in every place One cryes bread bread for Christ's sake one bit of bread another faints and falls down at your door All he◠People sigh Lam. 1. 11. Yea the poor little ones are brought in v. 12. crying to their Mothers where is the Corn and wine and then pouring out their souls into their Mothers bosome Iust so it is in a famine of the Word poor Christians every-where sighing and crying O where are our godly Ministers Our sweet Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments my Fathers my Fathers the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof How beautiful were your feet upon the mountains And then weeping like the people at Pauls departure to think they shall see their faces no more Lastly in time of famine there is nothing so costly or precious but people will part with it to purchase bread They have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve their souls Lam. 1. 11. And doubt less when a spiritual famine shall pinch hard those that have been close-handed to maintain a-Gospel Ministry will account it a choice mercy to enjoy them again at any rate Though the Lord feed you with the bread of affliction and give you the watres of adversity yet it will sweeten that bread and water to you if your teachers be no more removed into corners Isa. 30. 20. REFLECTIONS Is the famine of the word such a fearful judgment then Lord pardon my unthankfulness for the plentiful and long continued injoyment of such a precious and invaluable mercy How lightly have I esteemed the great things of the Gospel O that with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven I might bless the Lord that ever I was brought forth in an age of so much light in a valley of visions in a Land flowing with Gospel-mercies Hath not God made of one bloud all the Nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth and determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation Act. 17. 26. Many of these great and populous Nations are involved in gross darkness Now that of all the several ages of the world and places in it God should espy the best place for me and bring me forth into it in such an happy nick of time as can hardly be paralleld in History for the plenty of Gospel-mercies that this age and Nation hath enjoyed that my Mother did not bring me forth in the desarts of Arabia or wastes of America but in England where God hath made the Sun of the Gospel to stand still as the natural Sun once did over Gibeon and that such a mercy should no more affect my soul let shame cover my face for this and trembling seize my heart Is the Gospel indeed departed its sweet influences restrained and a famine worse than that of bread come upon us Alas for the day for it is a great day so that none is like it it is even the day of Iacob 's trouble Wo is me that ever I should survive the Gospel and the precious liberties and mercies of it What horrid sins have been harboured amongst us for which the Lord contends by such an unparalleld judgment Lord let me justifie thee even in this severe dispensation the provocation of thy Sons and of thy daughters have been very great and amongst them none greater than mine May we not this day read our sin in our punishment O what nice and wanton appetites what curious and itching ears had thy people in the dayes of plenty Methods tones and gestures were more regarded than the excellent treasures of divine truths Ah my soul I remember my fault this day little did I then consider that Sermons work not upon hearts as they are thus elegant thus admirable but as they are instruments in the hand of God appointed to such an end Even as Austin said of the Conduits of water though one be in the shape of an Angel another of a beast yet the water refreshes as it is water and not as it comes from such a Conduit By this also O Lord thou rebukest the supiness and formality of thy people How drowsie dull and careless have they been under the most excellent and quickning means few more then I. Alas I have often presented my body before the Lord in Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but my soul hath been wandring abroad as Chrysostom speaks I should have come from under every Sermon as a sheet comes from the press with all the stamps and lively impressions of the truths I heard upon my heart But Alas If it had been demanded of me as once it was of Aristotle after a long and curious Oration how he liked it I might have answered as he did Truly I did not hear it for
ponder this great question whether those things whereon I depend as my best evidences for the life to come be the real or only the common works of the Spirit whether they be such as can now endure the test of the Word and abide a fair tryal at the bar of my own conscience Come then my soul set the Lord before thee to whom the secrets of all hearts are manifest and in the awful sence of that great day make true answer to these heart-discovering queries for though thou canst not discern the difference betwixt these things in another yet thou mayest and oughtest to discern it in thy self for what man knows the things of a man save the spirit of man that is in him First Is my obedience uniform am I the same man in all times places and companies or rather am I not exact and curious in open and publick remiss and careless in private and secret duties sincere souls are uniform souls Psal. 119. 6. the hypocrite is no closet-man Mat. 6. 5. Secondly Doth that which I call grace in me oppose and mortifie or doth it not rather quietly consist with and protect my lusts and corruptions true grace tollerates no lust Gal. 5. 17. No not the bosom darling-corruption Psa. 18. 23. Thirdly Doth that which I call my grace humble empty and abase my soul or rather doth it not puff it up with self-conceitedness all saving grace is humble grace 1 Cor. 15. 10. But the soul which is lifted up is not upright Hab. 2. 4. Lastly Canst thou my soul rejoyce and bless God for the grace imparted to others and rejoyce if any design for Christ be carried on in world by other hands or rather dost thou not envy those that excel thee and carest for no work in which thou art not seen But stay my soul it is enough If these be the substantial differences betwixt special and common grace I more than doubt I shall not endure the day of his coming Whose fan is in his hand Do not those spots appear upon me which â—re not the spots of his children Wo is me poor wretch the characters of death are upon my soul Lord add power to the form life to the name to live practise to the knowledge or I perish eternally O rather give me the Saints heart than the Angels tongue the poorest breathing of thy Spirit than the richest ornaments of common gifts let me neither deceive my self or others in matters of so deep and everlasting consequence The Poem IN Eastern Countreys as good Authors write Tares in their springing up appear to sight Not like it self a weed but real wheat Whose shape and form it counterfeits so neat Though 't would require a most judicious eye The one from t'other to diversifie Till both to some maturity be grown And then the difference is eas'ly known Even thus hypocrisie that cursed weed Springs up so like true grace that he will need More than a common insight in this case That saith this is not that is real grace Ne're did the cunning Actor though a slave Array'd in princely robes himself behave So like a King as this doth act the part Of saving grace by its deep hellish art Do gracious souls melt mourn and weep for sin The like in hypocrites observ'd hath been Have they their comforts joyes and raptures sweet With them in comforts hypocrites do meet In all religious duties they can go As far as Saints in some things farther too They speak like Angels and you 'l think within The very spirit of Christ and grace hath bin They come so neer that some like Isaac take Iacob for Esau this for that mistake And boldly call their eyes with his being dim True grace hypocrisie and duty sin Yea many also Iacob like imbrace Leah for Rachel common gifts for grace And in their bosoms hug it till the light Discover their mistake and cleer their sight And then like him confounded they will cry Alas 't is Leah curs'd hypocrisie Guide me my God that I may not in stead Of saving grace nurse up this cursed weed O let my heart by thee at last be found Sincere and all thy workings on it sound CHAP. XIII Fowls weeds and blastings do your corn annoy Even so corruptions would your grace destroy OBSERVATION THere are amongst many others three critical and dangerous periods betwixt the seed-time and Harvest The first when corn is newly committed to the earth all that lyes uncovered is quickly pickt up by the birds and much of that which is but slightly covered is stockt up as soon as it begins to sprout by Rooks and other devouring fowls Mat. 13. 4. but if it escape the fowls and gets root in the earth yet then is it hazarded by noxious weeds which purloin and suck away its nourishment whilst it is yet in the tender blade If by the care of the vigilant Husbaâ—dman it be freed from choaking weeds yet lastly as great a danger as any of the former still attends it for oftentimes whilst it is blowing in the ear blastings and mildews smite it in the stalk which cuts off the juice and sap that should ascend to nourish the ear and so shrivels and dries up the grain whilst it is yet immature whereby it becomes like those ears of corn in Pharaohs vision which were thin and blasted with the East-wind or like the ears the Psalmist speaks of upon the house top wherewith the reaper filleth not his arms APPLICATION TRue grace from the infancy to the perfection thereof conflicts with far more greater dangers amongst which it answerably meets with three dangerous periods which marvellously hazard it So that it is a much greater wonder that it ever arrives at its just perfection For 1 no sooner hath the great Husbandman disseminated these holy seeds in the regenerate heart but multitudes of impetuous corruptions immediately assault and would cetainly devour them like the fowls of the air did not the same arm that sowed them also protect them It fares with grace as with Christ its Author whom Herod sought to destroy in his very infancy The new creature is scarce warm in its seat before it must fight to defend its self This conflict is excellently set forth in that famous Text Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would By flesh here understand the corruption of nature by original sin and the sinful motions thereof by spirit not the soul or natural spirit of man but the Spirit of God in man viz. those graces in men which are the workmanship of the Spirit and therefore called by his name The opposition betwixt these two is expressed by lusting i. e. desiring the mutual ruine and destruction of each other for even when they are not acting yet then they are lusting there is an opposite
year if he plow not and sow not in the proper time he loses the harvest of that year 'T is even so as to spiritual seasons Christ neglected and grace despised in the season when God offers them are irrecoverably lost Prov. 1. 28. then that is when the season is over they shall call upon me but I will not hear O there is a great deal of time in a short opportunity that may be done or prevented in an hour rightly timed which cannot be done or prevented in a mans life-time afterwards There was one resolved to kill Iulius Caesar such a day the night before a friend sent him a letter to acquaint him with it but he being at supper and busie in discourse said to morrow is a new day and indeed it was dies novissima his last day to him whence it became a Proverb in Greece To morrow is a new day Our glass runs in heaven and we cannot see how much or little of the sand of God's patience is yet to run down but this is certain when that glass is run there is nothing to be done for our souls Luke 19. 42. O that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are bid from thine eyes Those Husbandmen that are careful and laborious in the Summer have the comfort and benefit of it in Winter he that then provides fewel shall sit warm in his habitation when others blow their fingers He that provides food for his family and fodder for his cattel in the harvest shall eat the fruit of it and enjoy the comfort of his labours when others shall be exposed to shifts and straits And he that provides for eternity and layes up for his soul a good foundation against the time to come shall eat when others are hungry and sing when others howl Isa. 65. 13. A day of death will come and that will be a day of straits to all negligent souls but then the diligent Christian shall enjoy the peace and comfort that shall flow in upon his heart from his holy care and sincere diligence in duties as 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in all sincerity and godly simplicity we have had our conversation in this world So Hezekiah 2 King 20. 3. Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart A day of judgement will come and then â—oolish virgins who neglected the season of getting oyl in their lamps will be put to their shifts then they come to the wife and say give us of your oyl Mat. 25. 8 9. but they have none to spare and the season of buying is then over No wise Husbandman will neglect a fit opportunity of gathering in his hay and corn upon a presumption of much fair weather to come he will not say the weather is setled and I need not trouble my self though my corn and hay be fit for the house yet I may get it in another time as well as now And no wise Christian will lose a present season for his soul upon the hopes of much more time yet to come but will rather say now is my time and I know not what will be hereafter hereafter I may wish to see one of the dayes of the Son of man and not see it Luke 17. 22. 'T is sad to hear how cunning some men are to dispute themselves out of heaven as if the devil had hired them to plead against their own souls sometimes urging the example of those that were called at the eleventh hour Mat. 20. 6. and sometimes that of the penitent thief But O! to how little purpose is the former pleaded they that were called at the eleventh hour were never called before as these have been no man had hired that is called or invited them to Christ and for the thief as Mr. Fenner rightly observes it was a singular and extraordinary example It was done when Christ hang'd on the Cross and was to be inaugurated then Kings manifest such bounty and pardon such crimes as are never pardoned afterwards Besides God was then in a way of working miracles then he rent the rocks open'd the graves raised the dead and converted this thief but God is now out of that way REFLECTIONS I Have indeed been a good Husband for the world with what care and providence have I looked out for my self and family to provide food to nourish them and cloaths to defend them against the asperities of Winter mean while neglecting to make provision for eternity or take care for my soul. O my destitute soul how much have I slighted and undervalued thee I have taken more care for an horse or an ox than for thee a well stored-barn but an empty soul. Will it not shortly be with me as with that careless Mother who when her house was on fire busily bestir'd her self to save the goods but forgot the child though it were saved by another hand and then minding her child ran up and down like one distracted wringing her hands and crying O my child my child I have saved my goods and lost my child such will be the case of thee my soul Mat. 16. 26. Besides how easie will my conviction be at the Bar of Christ will not my providence and care for the things of this life leave me speechless and self-condemned in that day What shall I answer when the Lord shall say Thou couldst foresee a Winter and seasonably provide for it yea thou hadst so much care of thy very beasts to provide for their necessities and why tookest thou no care for thy soul was that only not worth the caring for Is it so dangerous to neglect a present proper season of grace What then have I done who have suffered many such seasons to die away in my hand upon a groundless hope of future opportunities Ah deluded wretch what if that supposition fail where am I then I am not the Lord of time neither am I sure that he who is will ever vouchsafe an hour of grace in old age to him that hath neglected many such hours in youth neither indeed is it ordinary for God so to do 'T is storied of Caius Marius Victorius who lived about 300 years after Christ and to his old age continued a Pagan but at last being convinced of the Christian verity he came to Simplicianus and told him he would be a Christian but neither he nor the Church could believe it it being so rare an example for any to be converted at his age But at last seeing it was real there was a shouting and gladness and singing of Psalms in all Churches the people crying Caius Marius Victorius is become a Christian. This was written for a wonder and what ground have I to think that God will work such wonders for me who have neglected his ordinary means of salvation Bless the Lord O my
away and their joy ceases Earthly hearts are acquainted with no higher comforts but the people of God can joy in him and take comfort in their earthly enjoyments too and what comfort they take in these things is much more refined and sweet than yours for they enjoy all these things in God and his love in giving them puts a sweetness into them that you are unacquainted with Thus you see how far your joy falls short of theirs REFLECTIONS HOw have I rejoyced in a thing of nought and pleased my self with a vanity God hath blessed me in my fields and in my stores but not with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. My Barns are full of corn but my soul is empty of grace common bounty hath given me a fulness of the things of this life but what if the meaning of it should be to fat me for the day of slaughter what if this be the whole of my portion from the Lord what if the language of his providences to my soul should be this Lo here I have given thee with Ishmael the fatness of the earth Thou shalt not say but thou hast tasted of thy Creator's bounty but make the most of it for this is all that ever thou shalt have from me There be others in the world to whom I have denyed these things but for them I have reserved better for the most part they are poor in this world but rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom Is not this enough to damp all my carnal mirth Should my conscience give me such a memento as Abraham in the parable gave to Dives Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Ah what a cut would that be to all my comforts A man in a Fever hath a lively colour but a dying heart I have an appearance a shadow of comfort but a sad state of soul. Blessed be the God and father of my Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1. 3. Though he hath not seen fit to give me much of this world in hand yet it hath pleased him to settle a rich inheritance upon me by promise the hopes and expectations whereof yield my soul more true comfort than all the present enjoyments of this world could have done Blessed be the Lord who hath not given me my portion in this life that by keeping me from the enjoyment hath also preserved me from the snares of a prosperous estate Lord Iesus I have no bags I have no Barns but thou shalt be to me instead of all those things When others rejoyce in the fulness of their earthly comforts I will rejoyce in the fulness of my Christ they have that which though I have not I shall not want and I have that which all their riches cannot purchase Bless the Lord O my soul But Lord how am I obliged above thousands to love and praise thee to bless and admire thee who hast not only plentifully provided for my soul but for my body too who hast given me both the upper and the neather springs heaven and earth things present and things to come Thou hast not dealt so with all no not with all thine own people many of them are strangers to the mercies which I enjoy God hath done great things for me O my soul what wilt thou do for God The freer the condition is he hath placed me in the more am I both obliged and advantaged for his service and yet I doubt it will be found that many a poor Christian that labours with his hands to get his bread redeems more hours for God than I do Lord make me wise to understand and answer the double end of this gracious dispensation Let me bestow the more of my time on God and stand ready to Minister to the necessities of his people Oh what an unhappy wretch am I that have nothing either in hand or in hope am miserable here and like to be so for ever Had I but an interest in Christ as the godly poor have that would sweeten all present troubles and shew me the end of them But alas I am poor and wicked contemned of men and abhorred of God an object of contempt both to heaven and earth Lord look upon such a truly miserable object with compassion give me a portion with thy people in the world to come if thou never better my outward condition here O sanctifie this poverty bless these straits and wants that they may necessitate my soul to go to Christ make this poverty the way to glory and I shall bless thee to eternity that I was poor in this world The Poem OFt have I seen when harvest's almost in The last load coming how some men have bin Rapt up with joy as if that welcom cart Drew home the very treasure of their heart What joyful shoutings hooping hollowing noise With mingled voices both of men and boyes To carnal minds there is no greater mirth No higher joy nor greater heaven on earth He speaks pure Paradoxes that shall say These are but trifles to what Saints enjoy But they despise your sparks as much as you Contemn their Sun Some that could never shew A full stuft Barn on which you set yourt hear But glean perhaps the ears behind your cart Yet are the gleanings of their comfort more Than all your harvest and admired store Your mirth is mixt with sorrow theirs is pure Yours like a shadow fleets but theirs indure God gives to you the husk to them the pith And no heart-string sorrow adds therewith Though at the gates of death they sometimes mourn No sooner doth the Lord to them return But sorrow 's banisht from their pensive breast Ioy triumphs there and smiles their cheeks invest Have you beheld when with perfumed wings Out of the balmy East bright Phoebus springs Mounting th' Olympick hill with what a grace He views the throne of darkness and doth chase The shades of night before him having hurl'd His golden beams about this lower world How from sad Groves and solitary Cells Where horrid darkness and confusion dwells Batts Owles and doleful creatures fly away Resigning to the cheerful birds of day Who in those places now can sit and chaunt Where lately such sad creatures kept their haunt Thus grief resigns to joy sighs groans and tears To songs triumphant when the Lord appears O matchless joy O countenance divine What are those trifles to these smiles of thine May I with poor Mephibosheth be blest With these sweet smiles let Ziba take the rest My life my treasure thou shalt ne'r be sold For silver hills or rivers pav'd with gold Wer 't thou but known to worldlings they would scorn To stoop their hearts to such poor things as corn For so they do because thou art above That sphere wherein their low conceptions move CHAP. XIX More solid grain with greater
Iewish Proverb When the bricks are doubled then comes Moses And it is a Christian experience When the spirit is ready to fail then comes Iesus according to that promise Isa. 57. 16. REFLECTIONS HOw unlike am I to God in the afflicting of his people The Lord is pitiful when he smites them but I have been cruel He is kind to them when most severe but the best of my kindnesses to them may fitly enough be called severity God smites them in love I have smitten them in hatred Ah what have I done God hath used me as his hand Psal. 17. 14. or as his rod to afflict them Ier. 10. 7. but his end and mine have widely differed in that action Isa. 10. 7. I am but the Scullion or rather the wisp so Sâ—our and cleanse these vessels of glory and when I have done that dirty work those bright souls shall be set up in heaven and I cast into the fire If he shall have judgment without Mercy that shewed no mercy how can I expect mercy from the Lord whose people I have persecuted mercilesly for his sake Is the Lord's Wheat thus threshed in the floor of affliction What then shall I think of my condition who prosper and am let alone in the way of sin surely the Lord looks on me as on a weed and not as his corn and 't is too probable that I am rather reserved for burning than threshing Some there are whom God loves not so well as to spend a rod upon them but faith Let them alone Hos. 4. 17. but miserable is their condition notwithstanding their impunity for what is the interpretation but this I will come to a reckoning with them for altogether in hell Lord how much better is thy afflicting mercy than thy spaâ—ing severity Better is the condition of an afflicted child than of a rejected bastard Heb. 12. 7. O let me rather feel thy rod now as the rod of a loving father than feel thy wrath hereafter as the wrath of an omnipotent avenger Well then despond not O my soul thou hearest the Husbandman loves his corn though he thresheth it and surely the Lord loves thee not the less because he afflicts thee so much If affliction then be the way to heaven blessed be God for affliction The threshing strokes of God have come thick upon me by which I may see what a tough and stubborn heart I have if one stroke would have done the work he would not have lifted up his hand the second time I have not had a stroke more than I had need of 1 Pet. 1. 6. and by this means he will purge my sin blessed be God for that The damned have infinitely more and harder strokes than I and â—et their sin shall never be separated by their sufferings Ah sin cursed sin I am so much out of love with thee that I am willing to endure more than all this to be well rid of thee all this I suffer for thy sake but the time is coming when I shall be rid of sin and suffering together Mean while I am under my own fathers hand smite me he may but hate me he cannot The Poem THe sacred records tell us heretofore God had an Alter in a threshing floor Where threshing instruments devoted were To sacred service so you find them here I now would teach the thresher to beat forth A notion from his threshold much more worth Than all his corn and make him understand That soul-instructing engine in his hand With fewer strokes and lighter you will beat The Oats and Barley than the stubborn wheat Which will require and endure more blows Than freer grain Thus deals the Lord by those Whom he afflicts He doth not use to strike Offending children with his rod alike But on the ablest shoulders doth impose The heaviest burdens and the less on those Of weaker grace He shews himself a God Of judgment in his handling of the rod. God hath a rate book by him wherein he Keeps just accounts how rich his peopâ—e be What â—aith experience patience more or less Each one possesseth and doth them assess According to their stock Such as have not A Martyrs faith shall have no Martyrs lot The kinds degrees and the continuance Of all their sufferings to a circumstance Prescribed are by him who wisely swayes The world more than 's right on no man layes Be man or devil the apothecary God's the Physician who can then miscarry In such a hand he never did or will Suffer the least addition to his bill Nor measure nor yet mercy he observes In threshing Babilon for the deserves His heaviest strokes and in his floor she must Be beaten shortly with his flail to dust But Sion's God in measure will debate his children he may smite but cannot hate He beats them true to make their chaff to flye That they like purged golden graines may lye In one fair heap with those bless'd souls that here Once in like manner thrash'd and winnowed were CHAP. XX. The fan doth cause light chaff to fly away So shall th'ungodly in Gods winnowing day OBSERVATION WHen the Corn is threshed out in the floor where it lyes mingled with empty ears and worthless chaff the husbandman carries it out altogether into some open place where having spread his sheet for the preservation of the grain he exposes it all to the wind the good grain by reason of its solidity remains upon the sheet but the chaff being light and empty is partly carried quite away by the wind and all the rest separated from the good grain into a distinct heap which is carried away either to the fire of the dunghil as a worthless thing APPLICATION MEn have their winnowing dayes and God hath his a day to separate the chaff from the wheat the godly from the ungodly who shall both be held up to the wind but only the wicked shall be driven away by it Such a day God hath in this world wherein he winnows his wheat and separates the chaff There is a double fanning or winnowing of men here in this world one is doctrinally in which sense I understand that Scripture Mat. 3. 12. spoken of Christ when he was entring into his Ministerial work His fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner but he will brun up the chaff with unquenchable fire The preaching of the Gospel is as a fan in Christs hand and it is as much as if Iohn had thus told the Iews that though there were the many hypocrytical ones among them that had now a place and name among the people of God and gloried in their Church-priviledges yet there is a purging blast of truth coming which shall make them fly out of the Church as fast as chaff out of the floor Thus Christ winnows or fans the world doctrinally The other is judicially by bringing sore and
away you must into the land of darkness Though thou cry with Adrian O my poor soul whither art thou going die thou must thou barren Professor though it were better for thee to do any thing else than to die What a dreadful screech will thy conscience give when it sees the ax at thy root and say to thee as it is Ezek. 7. 6. An end is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come O said Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England when he perceived whereto he must wherefore must I die If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fye quoth he will not death be hired will riches do nothing No neither riches nor policy can then avail That side to which the Tree leaned most while it stood that way it will fall when it is cut down and as it falls so it lies whether to the South or North Eccles. 11. 3. So it fares with these mystical trees I mean fruitless Professors Had their hearts and affections inclined and bended heaven-ward whilst they lived that way no doubt they had fallen at their death but as their hearts inclined to sin and ever bended to the world so when God gives the fatal stroke they must fall hell-ward and wrath-ward and how dreadful will such a fall be When the dead tree is carried out of the Orchard it shall never be among the living trees of the Orchard any more many years it grew among them but now it shall never have a place there again And when the barren Professor is carried out of the world by death he shall never be associated with the Saints any more He may then say farewell all ye Saints among whom I lived and with whom I so often heard fasted prayed I shall never see your faces more Mat. 8. 11 12. I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and North and South and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of heaven but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast forth into outer darkness there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth When the dead tree is carried out of the Orchard the Husbandman cuts off his branches and rives him asunder with his wedges This also is the lot of barren Professors The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and will cut him asunder he shall be diffected or cut abroad Luke 12. 46. Now therefore consider this ye that forget God leâ—t I tear or rend you in pieces Psal. 50. 22. O direful day when the same hand which planted pruned and watered thee so long and so tenderly shall now strike mortal strokes at thee and that without pity For be that made them will not have mercy on them and be that formed them will shew them no favour Iâ—a 27. 11. For the day of mercy is over and the day of his wrath is fully come When this tree is cleav'd abroad then itsi rotten hollow inside appears which was the cause of its barrenuess it looked like a Fair and sound bodied tree but now all may see how rotten it is at the heart So will God in that day when he shall diâ—â—ect the barren Professor discover the rottenness of his heart and unâ—oundness of his principles and ends then they who never suspected him before shall see what a hollow and rotten-hearted Professor he was Lastly the fruitless tree is cast into the fire This also is the end and sad issue of formality Iohn 15. 6. He is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned This is an undouâ—tâ—d truth That there is no plant in Gods vineyard but he will have glory from it by bearing fruit or glory on it by burning in the fire In this fire shall they lye gnashing their teeth Luke 13. 38. and that both in indignation against the Saints whom they shall see in glory and against Iesus Christ who would not save them and against themselves for losing so foolishly the opportunities of salvation Do you behold when you sit by the fire the froth that boyles out of those flaming logs O think of that some and rage of these undone creatures foaming and gnashing their teeth in that fire which is not quenched Mark 9. 44. REFLECTION HOw often have I passed by such barren trees with a more barren heart as little thinking such a tree to be the emblem of my self as Nebuchadnezzâ—r did when he saw that tree in a dream which represented himself and shadowed forth to him his ensuing misery Dan. 4. 13. But Oh my conscience my drousie sleepy conscience wert thou but tender and faithful to me thou wouldst make as round and terrible an application of such a spectacle to me as the faithful Prophet did to him v. 22. And thus wouldst thou O my soul bemoan thy condition Poor wretch here I grow for a little time among the trees of righteousness the plants of renown but I am none of them I was never planted a right seed some green and flourishing leaves of profession indeed I have which deceive others but God cannot be deceived he sees I am fruitless and rotten at the heart Poor soul what will thine end be but burning Behold the axlyeth by thy root and wonder it is that there it should lye so long and I yet standing still mercy pleads for a fruitless creature Lord spare it one year longer Alas he need strike no great blow to ruine me his very breath blows to destruction Iob 4. 9. a frown of his face can blast and ruine me Psal. 80. 6. he is daily sollicited by his justice to hew me down and yet I stand Lord cure my barrenness I know thou hadst rather see fruit than fire upon me The Poem IF after pains and patience you can see No hopes of fruit down goes the barren tree You will not suffer trees that are unsound And barren too to cumber useful ground The fatal ax is laid unto the root It 's fit for fire when unfit for fruit But though this be a dead and barren tree Reader I would not have it so to thee May it to thee this serious thought suggest In all the Orchard this dead tree's the best Think on it sadly lay it close to heart This is the case in which thou wast or art If so thou wast but now dost live and grow And bring forth fruit what praise and thanks dost ow To that wise Husbandman that made thee so O think when justice listed up its hand How mercy did then interceding stand How pity did on thy behalf appear To beg reprieval for another year Stop Lord forbear him all hope is not past He can but be for fire at the last Though many
12 13. They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance they take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ they spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave The same character doth the Prophet Amos give of them Amos 6. 4 5 6. They stretch themselves upon beds of Ivory drink Wine in bowls c. and no sorrow goes to their hearts These are they that live in pleasures upon earth as a fish in the water Iam. 5. 5. These fat pastures do but the sooner hasten the death of these cattle the sooner they are fatted the sooner they are slaughtered and the prosperity of the wicked serves to the same end The prosperity of fools shall destroy them i. e. it shall be the means and instruments of heating and hightening their lusts and thereby fitting them for destruction their prosperity is â—ood and fewel to their corruptions Many wicked men had not been so soon ripe for hell had they not grown in the Sun-shine of prosperity Fatted beasts do not in the least understand the intent and meaning of the Husbandman in allowing them such large and fat pastures which he denyes to his other cattle and as little as beasts do wicked men understand the scope and end of Gods providences in casting prosperity and wealth upon them little do they think their tables are a snare a gin and a trap for their souls they only like beasts mind what is before them but do not at all understand the tendency and end of these their sensual delights Though the Husbandman keep his store cattle in short commons yet he intends to preserve them these shall remain with him when the others are driven to the slaughter Such a design of preservation is carried on in all those outward straits wants and hardships which the Lord exposes his people to I confess such dispensations for present are very stumbling and puzling things even to gracious and wise persons To see wicked men not only exempted from their troubles but even oppressed with prosperity to see a godly man in wants and straits and a wicked man have more than his heart can wish is a case that poses the wisest Christian till he consider the design and issues of both those providences and then he acquiesces in the wisdom of God so ordering it Psal. 73. 5 14 18 23. REFLECTIONS DOth my prosperity fat me up for hell and prepare me for the day of slaughter little cause have I then to glory in it and lift up my heart upon these things Indeed God hath given I cannot say-blessed me with a fulness of creature-enjoyments upon these my carnal heart seizeth greedily and securely not at all suspecting a snare lying in these things for the ruin of my soul. What are all these charming pleasures but so many rattles to quiet my soul whilst its damnation steals insensibly upon it What are all my businâ—â—â—es and imployments in the world but so many diversions from the business of life There are but two differences betwixt me and the poorest slave the devil hath on earth such are whipt on to hell by outward miseries and I am coached to hell in a little more pomp and honour these will have a less and I a greater account in the day of reckoning O that I had never known prosperity I am now trumbling in a green pasture and shortly shall be hanging up in the shambles in hell if this be the best fruit of my prosperity if I were taken capitive by cruel Canibals and fed with the richest fare but withal understood that the design of it were to â—at me up like a beast for them to feed upon how little stomack should I have to their dainties O my soul it were much better for thee to have a sanctified poverty which is the portion of many Saints than an ensnaring prosperity set as a trap to ruin thee for ever The wisdom of my God hath allotted me but short commons here his providence feeds me but from hand to mouth but I am and well may be contended with my present state that which sweetens it is that I am one of the Lords preserved How much better is a morsel of bread and a draught of water here with an expectancy of glory hereafter than a fat pasture given in and fitting for the wrath to come Well since the case stands thus blessed be God for my present lot though I have but little in hand I have much in hope my present troubles will serve to sweeten my future joyes and the sorrows of this life will give a lustre to the glory of the next that which is now hard to suffer will them be sweet to remember my songs then will be louder than my groans now The POEM THose beasts which for the shambles are design'd In fragrant flowry Meadows you shall find Where they abound with rich and plenteous fare Whilst others graze in commons thin and bare Those live a short and pleasant life but these Protract their lives in dry and shorter leas Thus live the wicked thus they do abound With earthly glory and with honour crown'd Their lofty heads unto the stars aspire And radiant beams their shining brows attire The fattest portion 's serv'd up in their dish Yea they have more than their own hearts can wish Dissolv'd in pleasures crown'd with buds of May They for a time in these fat pastures play Frisk dance and leap like full fed beasts and even Turn up their wanton heels against the heaven Not understanding that this pleasant life Serves but to fit them for the Butchers knife In fragrant Meads they tumbling are to day Tomorrow to the slaughter led away Their pleasure 's gone and vanish'd like a bubble Which makes their future torments on them double Mean while Gods little flock is poor and lean Because the Lord did ner'e intend or mean This for their portion and besides doth know Their souls prove best where shortest grass doth grow Cheer up poor flock although your fare be thin Yet here is something to take comfort in You here securely feed and need not fear Th' infernal butcher can't approach you here 'T is somewhat that but O which far transcends Your glorious Shepher'ds coming who intends To lead you hence unto that fragrant hill Where with green pastures he his flocks will fill On which he from celestial casements pours The sweetest dews and constant gracious sâ—owres Along whose banks rivers of pleasures slide There his bless'd flocks for ever shall abide O envy not the worldlings present joys Which to your future mercies are but toyes Their pasture now is green your's dry and burn'd But then the Scene is chang'd the tables turn'd CHAP. V. Good Husbands labour for posterity To after ages Saints must have an eye OBSERVATION PRovident and careful Husbandmen do not only labour to supply
upon them and squeeze them too hard they quickly wither in our hands and we lose the comfort of them and that either through the souls surfeiting upon them of the Lord 's righteous and just removal of them because of the excess of our affections to them earthly comâ—orts like pictures shew best at a due distance It was therefore a good saying of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Mihi nunquam is placet hospes Qui valde preterque modum odid vel amat I like him not who at the rate Of all his might doth love or hate 'T is a point of excellent wisdom to keep the golden bridle of moderation upon all the affections we exercise upon earthly things and never to slip those reins unless when they move towards God in whose love there is no danger of excess MEDIT. VI. Vpon the sudden withering of beautiful flowers HOw fresh and orient did these Flowers lately appear when being dash'd over with the morning dew they stood in all their pride and glory breathing out their delicious odours which perfumed the air round about them but now are daver'd and shrivelled up and have neither any desirable beauty of savour in them So vain a thing is the admired beauty of creatures which so captivates the hearts and exercises a pleasing tyranny over the affections of vain man yet is as suddenly blasted as the beauty of flower Formâ— bonum fragile est quantumque aâ—â—â—dit ad annos Fit minor spacio carpitur ipsa suo Nec semper violae nec semper lilia florent Et riget amissa spina relicta rosa Tempus erit quo vos speculum vidisse pigebit I am veniunt rugae quae tibi corpus arent c. How frail is beauty in how short a time It fades like Roses which have past their prime So wrinckled age the fairest face will plow And cast deep â—urrows on the smoothest brow Then where 's that lovely tempting face alas Your selves would blush to view it in a glass If then thou delightest in beauty O my soul chuse that which is lasting There is a beauty which never fades even the beauty of holiness upon the inner man this abides fresh and orient for ever and sparkles gloriously when thy face the seat of natural beauty is become an abhorrent and loathsome spectacle Holiness enammels and sprinkles over the face of the soul with a beauty upon which Christ himself is enammour'd even imperfect holiness on earth is a Rose that breaths sweetly in the bud in heaven it will be full blown and abide in its prime to all eternity MEDIT. VII Vpon the tenderness of some choice Flowers HOw much care is necessary to preserve the life of some Flowers They must be boxed up in the Winter others must be covered with glasses in their springing up the finest and richest mould must be sifted about the roots and assiduously watered and all this little enough and sometimes too little to preserve them whilst other common and worthless flowers grow without any help of ours yea we have no less to do to rid our gardens of them than we have to make the former grâ—w there Thus stands the case with our hearts in reference to the motions of grace and sin Holy thoughts of God must be assiduously watered by prayer earthed up by Meditation and defended by watchfulness and yet all this is sometimes too little to preserve them alive in our souls Alas the heart is a soyl that agrees not with them they are tender things and a small matter will nip and kill them To this purpose is the complaint of the divine Poet. Who would have thought a joy so coy To be offended so and go So suddenly away Hereafter I had need take heed Ioyes among other things have wings And watch their opportunities of flight Converting in a moment day to night But vain thoughts and unholy suggestions these spread themselves and root deep in the heart they naturally agree with the soyl so that it is almost impossible at any time to be rid of them 'T is hard to forget what is our sin to remember MEDIT. VIII Vpon the strange means of preserving the life of Vegetables I Observe that plants and herbs are sometimes killed by frosts and yet without frosts they would neither live nor thrive they are sometimes drowned by water and yet without water they cannot subsist they are refreshed and cheered by the heat of the Sun and yet that heat sometimes kills and scorches them up Thus lives my soul troubles and afflictions seem to kill all its comforts and yet without these its comforts could not live The Sun-blasts of prosperity sometimes refresh me and yet those Sun-blasts are the likeliest way to wither me By what seeming contradictions is the life of my spirit preserved what a mistery what a Paradox is the life of a Christian Welcome my health this sickness makes me well Med'cines adieu When with diseases I have list to dwell I 'le wish for you Welcome my strength this weakness makes me able Powers adieu When I am weary grown of standing stable I 'le wish for you Welcome my wealth this loss hath gain'd me more Riches adieu When I again grow greedy to be poor I 'le wish for you Welcome my credit this disgrace is glory Honours adieu When for renown and fame I shall be sorry I 'le wish for you Welcome content this sorrow is my joy Pleasures adieu When I desire such grief as may annoy I 'le wish for you Health strength and riches credit and content Are spared best sometimes when they are spent Sickness and weakness losse disgrace and sorrow Lend most sometimes when most they seem to borrow And if by these contrary and improbable wayes the Lord preserves our souls in life no marvel then we find such strange and seemingly contradictory motions of our hearts under the various dealings of God with us and are still restless in what condition soever he puts us which restless frame was excellently expressed in that pious Epigram of reverend Gattaker made a little before his death I thirst for thirstiness I weep for tears well pleas'd I am to be displeased thus The only thing I fear is want of fears suspecting I am not suspicious I cannot chuse but live because I dye And when I am not dead how glad am I Yet when I am thus glad for sense of pain and careful am lest I should careless be Then do I grieve for being glad again and fear lest carelessness take care for me Amidst these restless thoughts this rest I find For those that rest not here there 's rest behind Iam tetigi portum valete FINIS A TABLE of the Contents of this Treatise both Natural and Spiritual Natural Spiritual A ABuse of Cattel Page 205 206 Actions and seed resembled 147 148 Accountableness of workmen to their Masters 8 Arable Land how qualified 36 37 Altitude of the clouds 87 B Barns when
Husbandry Spiritualized OR The HEAVENLY USE OF Earthly Things Consisting of many Pleasant OBSERVATIONS Pertinent APPLICATIONS and serious REFLECTIONS and each Chapter concluded with a Divine and suitable POEM Directing HUSBAND-MEN to the most Excellent Improvements of their common Imployments Whereunto are added by way of Appendix several choice OCCASIONAL MEDITATIONS upon Birds Beasts Trees Flowers Rivers and several other Objects fitted for the help of such as desire to walk with God in all their Solitudes and Recesses from the World Hos. 12. v. 10. I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets Gen. 24 v. 63. And Issac went out to meditate in the Fields Experto crede aliquid amplius invenires in sylvis quam in angulis linga lapides decebunt te quod à Magistris audire non possis Bernard Simul jucunda idonea dicere vitae Lectorem delectando pariterque monendo Horace By IOHN FLAVELL Minister of the Gospel in Devon THE THIRD EDITION London Printed and are to be sold by Robert Boulter at the Turks-Head over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil MDCLXXIV THE Epistle Dedicatory To the Worshipful Robert Savery and William Savery of Slade Esquires Honoured Friends IT hath been long since observ'd That the world below is a Glass to discover the World above Seculum est speculum And although I am not of their opinion the say The Heathens may spell Christ out of the Sun Moon and Stars yet this I know That the irratoinal and inanimate as well as rational creatures have a Language and though not by Articulate speech yet in a Metaphorical sense they preach unto man the wisdom Power and goodness of God Rom. 1. 20. There is saith the Psalmist Psal. 19. 3. No speech nor Language where their voice is not heard Or as Iunius renders there is no Speech nor Words yet without these their voice is understood and their Line i. e. saith Deodate their writing in gross and plain draughts is gone out through all the earth As man is compounded of a fleshly and spiritual substance so God hath endowed the creatures with a spiritual as well as fleshly usefulness they have not only a natural use in Alimental and Physical respects but also a spiritual use as they bear the figures and similitudes of many sublime and heavenly mysteries Believe me saith contemplative Bernard thou shalt find more in the Woods than in a corner Stones and Trees will teach thee what thou shalt not hear from learned Doctors By a skilful and industrious improvement of the creatures saith Mr. Baxter excellently we might have a fuller taste of Christ and Heaven in every bit of Bread that we eat and in every draught of Beer that we drink than most men have in the use of the Sacrament And as the Creatures teach divine and excellent things so they teach them in a perspicuous and taking manner Duo illa nos maximè movent similitudo exemplum saith the Orator These two things similitude and example do especially move us Notions are more easily conveyed to the understanding by being first cloathed in some apt Similitude and so represented to the sense And therefore Iesus Christ the great Prophet delighted much in teaching by Parables and the Prophets were much in this way also Hos. 12. 10. I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets Those that can retain little of a Sermon yet ordinarily retain an apt Similitude I confess it is an humbling consideration That man who at first was led by the knowledge of God to the knowledge of the Creature must now by the Creatures learn to know God That the Creatures as one saith like Balaams Ass should teach their Master But though this be the unhappiness of poor man in his collapsed state yet it is now his wisdom to improve such Helps and whilst others by the abuse of Creatures are furthering their Perdition to be the spiritual improvement of them promoting our own Salvation It 's an excellent Art to discourse with Birds Beasts and Fishes about sublime and spiritual Subjects and make them answer to our Questions yet this may be done Iob 12. 7 8. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee That is saith neat and accurate Caryl the creatures teach us when we think of them They teach us though not formally yet vertually the answer and resolve the question put to them though not explicitely to the ear yet convincingly to the conscience So then we ask the creatures when we diligently consider them when we search out the perfections and virtues that God hath put into or stampt upon them To set our mind thus upon the creature is to discourse with the creature the questions which man ask of a beast are only his own Meditations Again the creatures teach us when we in Meditation make out collections and draw down a demonstration of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in making them or of the frailty of man in needing them Such Conclusions and Inferences are the teachings of the creatures Common objects saith another may be improved two ways viz. In an argumentative and in a Representative way by reasoning from them and by viewing the resemblance that is betwixt them and spiritual matters First In Meditation argue thus as in the present case and Similitude of the Apostle If an Husbandman upon the ordinary principles of reason can wait for the Harvest shall not I wait for the Coming of the Lord The day of Refreshing the Corn is precious to him and so is the coming of Christ to me Shall he be so patient and endure so much for a little Corn and not I for the Kingdom of Heaven He is willing to stay till all causes have had their operations till he hath received the former and the latter rain and shall not I till the divine decrees be accomplished Secondly in Meditation make the resemblance and discourse thus within your selves This is my Seed-time Heaven is my Harvest here I must labour and toyl and there rest I see the Husbandmans life is a great toyl no excellent thing can be obtained without labour and an obstinate patience I see the Seed must be hidden in the furrows rotten and corrupted â—re it can bring forth with any increase Our hopes are hidden light is sown for the righteous all our comforts are buried under the clods and after all this there must be long waiting we cannot sow and reap in a day effects cannot follow till all necessary causes have first wrought T is not in the power of Husbandmen to ripen fruits at pleasure our times are in the hands of God therefore 't is good to wait a long-suffering patience will reap the desired fruit Thus you have some hints of this heavenly Art of improving the Creatures
The Motives inducing me to this undertakement was the Lords owning with some success my labours of a like nature together with the desire and inclination stirr'd up in me I hope by the Spirit of the Lord to devote my vacant hours to his service in this kind I considered that if the Pharisees in a blind zeal to a faction could compass Sea and Land to Proselyte men to their party though thereby they made them sevenfold more the children of the Devil than before How much more was I obliged by true love to God and zeal to the everlasting happiness of souls to use my utmost endeavours both with Seamen Husbandmen to win them to Christ and there by make them more than seventy-seven-fold happier than before Not to mention other incouragements to this work which I received from the earnest desires of some Reverend and worthy Brethren inviting thereunto all which I hope the event will manifest to be a call from God to this work I confess I met with some discouragement in my first attempt from my unacquaintedness with rural affairs and because I was to travel in a path to me untrodden but having once engaged in it those discouragements were soon overcome and being now brought to what you here see I offer to your hands these first fruits of my spare hours I presume you will account it no disparagement that I dedicate a Book of Husbandry to Gentlemen of your quality This is Spiritual Husbandry which is here taught you and yet I must tell you that great persons have accounted that civil employment which is must inferior to this no disparagement to them The King himself is served by the field Eccl. 5. 9. Or as Montanus renders the Hebrew Text Rex agro fit servus The King himself is a servant to the field And of King Uzziah it is written 2 Chron. 26. 10. That he loved Husbandry And Amos 7. 1. we read of the Kings mowings Yea Pliny hath observed That Corn was never so plentiful at Rome as when the same men tilled the Land that rul'd the Commonwealth Quasi gauderet terra laureato vomere scilicat aratore triumphali As though the earth it self rejoyced in the Laurel Plow-share and the triumphant Plowman What pleasure you will find in reading it I know not but to me it hath been a pleasant path from first to last who yet have been at far greater expence of time and pains in compiling it than you can be in reading it The Husbandmans work you know is no easie work and the Spiritualizing of it hath greater difficulties attending it but yet the pleasure hath abundantly recompensed the pains I have found Erasmus his Observation experimentally true Qui literis addicti summus animi lassitudinem à studiis gravioribus contractam ab iisdem studiis sed amaenioribus recreamus Those that are addicted to study saith he when they have wearied their spirits with study can recreate them again with study by making a diversion from that which is severe and knotty to some more facile and pleasant Subject But to hear that God hath used and honoured these papers to the good of any soul will yield me the highest content and satisfaction imaginable May you but learn that Lesson which is the general Scope and Design of this Book viz. How to walk with God from day to day and make the several Objects you behold Scalae alae Wings and Ladders to mount your souls neerer to Him who is the Center of all blessed Spirits How much will it comfort me and confirm my hope that it was the Call of God indeed which out me upon these endeavours O Sirs What an excellent thing would it be for you to make such holy improvements of all these earthly Objects which daily incur your senses and cause them to proclaim and preach to you Divine and heavenly Mysteries whilst others make them groan by abusing them to sin and subjecting them to their lusts A man may be cast into such a condition wherein he cannot enjoy the blessing and benefit of a pious and powerful Ministry but you cannot ordinarily fall into such a condition wherein any thing except a bad heart can deprive you of the benefits and comforts of those excellent Sermâ—ns and Divinity Lectures which the creatures here offer to preach and read to you Content not your selves I beseech you with that natural sweetness the creatures afford for thereof the beasts are capable as much if not more than you but use them to those spiritual ends you are here directed and they will yield you a sweetness for transcending that natural sweetness you ever relished in them and indeed you never use the creatures as their Lord's till you come to see your Lord in and by them I confess the discoveries of God in the Word are far more excellent cleer and powerful He hath magnified his Word above all his Name And therein are the unsearchable riches of Christ or rich discoveries of that grace that hath no footsteps in nature as the Apostles expression signifies Eph. 3. 8. And if that which might be known of God by the Creatures leave men without excuse as it 's manifest Rom. 1. 20. How inexcusable then will those be who have received not only the teachings of the creature but also the grace of the Gospel in vain How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation They that are careless in the day of grace shall be speechless in the day of judgment I am sensible of many defects in these Papers as well as in my self they have doubtless a taste of the distractions of the times wherein they were written nor was I willing to keep them so long under-hand as the accurateness and exactness with which such a subject ought to be handled did require Had I designed my own credit I should have observed that counsel Nonnumque prematur in annum i. e. To have kept in much longer under the file before I had exposed it to publick view but I rather inclined to Solomons counsel Whatever thy hand finds out to do do it with all thy might for there is no wisdom nor knowledge nor device in the grave whither thou art going Eccles. 9. 10. I apprehended a necessity of some such means to be used for the instruction and conviction of countrey people who either are not capable of understanding truth in another Dialect or at least are less affected with it The Proposition in every Chapter consists of an Observation in Husbandry Wherein if I have failed in using any improper expression your candour will cover it and impute it to my unacquaintedness in rural affairs In magnis voluisse sat est The Reddition or Application you will find I hope both pertinent and close The Reflections serious and such as I hope your Consciences will faithfully improve I have shut up every Chapter with a Poem an innocent Bait to catch the Readers Soul That of Herbert is