A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 1 · Subpart 4
God an Husbandman.
JOHN 15.1.
My Father is an Husbandman.
IN this Metaphor four things are implied or supposed.
1. That an Husbandman must have ground to work upon.foreign a husbandman is compounded of foreign terra earth, and foreign opus work; that is, one that works the earth. The latin Agricola signifies A tiller of the Field of Ager, and Colo.
2. A Stock to Defray the charges and expence requisite to manage it.
3. Skill and Knowledge to perform it.
4. Instruments, and whatsoever else is needful for such an Undertaking, or Employment.
In these Respects God may be said to be an Husbandman, because
1. He is a Rich Husbandman; For all the world is— the earth is the Lords, &c.
2. A great and honourable Husbandman; For all Bow before him.
3. A skilful and wise Husbandman; For none can teach him.
4. A diligent and careful Husbandman; For no neglect can be charged upon him.
5. A generous and liberal Husbandman; For all partake of his Bounty. For a further illustration take the following Parrallel.
METAPHOR.
I. A Rich Husbandman has not only fruitful Fields, Vineyards, Gardens, Orchards, &c. But also some barren Heaths, Commons, and Wildernesses.
II. A rich Husbandman has many Beasts, some of which are of a hurtful and mischievous nature, which he fetters or ties up, restraining them by some invention or other from doing injury to his other Cattle, and breaking into his Gardens or Orchards to spoil his precious flowers and tender plants.
III. A Husbandman puts some of his Cattle into fat pastures to feed and fatten them against the day of slaughter.
IV. A husbandman expects not that return and increase of precious and profitable fruit from the dry heath and barren Wilderness, as from the rich Valleys, Gardens, Fields, Vineyards, &c. which he hath bestowed much cost and labour upon in manuring, sowing, planting, watering, dressing, &c.
V. A husbandman divides and separates his land,Deu. 27.17 Pr. 22.28 (especially that which he designs for tillage and principal use) from other mens. Every one knows his own land, and to this end they have landmarks and the like, by which propriety is preserv'd.
VI. A husbandman doth not only divide and separate the land that he designs for special use, whether Orchard, Field, or Vineyard,Non minor est virtus quam querere, parta tueri. from all other; but also makes a Fence or Wall about it, especially if it be taken out of a waste Wilderness or a barren and common Heath or Field, otherwise the fruit might soon be eaten up or trod down by the Beasts of the Field.
VII. When a Husbandman hath Fenced or Walled in his ground, he digs or plows it up, in order to the manuring of it, and making it good soyl, fit for the use intended, whether for choice grain, plants, or other things.
VIII. A husbandman finds some ground more hard, stony and barren than others, and what the Plow cannot break up, the Spade and Mattock must; If it be very rocky, a Hammer is used to break it in pieces.
IX. A husbandman finds by experience that no ground till it be well manured and Planted, brings forth any thing but what naturally grows of it self. Choice plants must be set, and seed must be sowen if we will expect fruit.
X. When a Husbandman has ploughed or digged up his Field, he discovers the nature and quality of the ground; and finds much Filth, Worms, Weeds, and loathsome trash are turned up, which before lay hid; so that we many times wonder, that land so fair in appearance should prove so naught.
XI. The husbandman takes much pains and bestows great Cost to make his barren ground fruitful, and destroy those hurtful Weeds which would Choak the seed, deprive it of nourishment, and so spoil its growth— He also lays on much Dung to fertilize it and make it yield the greater Crop.
XII. Though the husbandman doth not find his ground immediately so good and fruitful, as to Answer his just expectation considering his labour and cost about it; yet for all that he gives not over, nor slacks his hand, as if it would never be good; but on the contrary pursues his endeavour, in hopes that what fails in one year, may be effectual in another.
XIII. The husbandman grudges not at the cost he is at, to make his ground fruitfull, but does it with a willing mind and very chearfully.
XIV. A husbandman sees when his field is plowed and sowed, that it must be water'd with the dew of Heaven, or it will not thrive. The Earth cannot bring forth, unless the Heavens distil their precious drops, and refreshing showers upon it— therefore he prays for rain, and if it rains not, he opens his sluices to water his Meadows and other low Ground to make it fructifie.
XV. The husbandman finds that low Grounds, Valleys and Meadows by Rivers sides are most fruitful; whereas Mountains, Heaths and Hilly grounds, how lofty soever they seem, are commonly barren and unfruitful: And though they may for a time bring forth, yet by the scorching heat of the Sun, and for want of moisture by which it should take deep root, 'tis so parched and burnt that it rarely (if at all) comes to maturity.
XVI. A husbandman takes much pains to weed his Gardens and prune his Trees, and if he finds the weeds come up thick, especially such as are of a hurtful and mischievous kind, he uses all ways and proper means to destroy them, lest they should spoil the fruit of his Garden, Field, or Vineyard, &c. Yet notwithstanding some reliques of the old roots are left, which are apt to spring up afresh, unless continually cropt off and kept short.
XVII. A husbandman, in consideration of all his labour and charge, expects fruit answerably from his husbandry.Jam. 5.7.
XVIII. A husbandman often goes to see the success of his labour and how his Corn and other Plantations thrive, and is much delighted and comforted to find a good increase and fair hopes of a great Crop; to reward his pains. How he rejoyces, when he finds every Vine full of thick Clusters, every Tree loaden with Fruit, and the Valleys covered with precious Corn?
XIX. The husbandman is exceedingly grieved, when, (on the contray,) he finds his fields barren or blasted, and his hopes of a plentiful harvest disappointed.
XX. When the husbandman finds many Trees and Branches barren, or without sap or life, after all the means he hath used, he cuts them down for fuel, because they should not cumber the ground, nor hurt others.
XXI. A husbandman hath many Servants which he employs to work in his Vineyard, or as Labourers in his Harvest.
XXII. A husbandman that hath in his house, a faithful, labourous, an experienced servant, highly prizes him, he is esteemed above any that are unskilful, slothful, or negligent in their business.
XXIII. The husbandman oftentimes finds his pleasant trees, choice plants, and fruitful fields annoyed and greatly damnified by Catter-pillars, and other hurtful Vermine.
XXIV. When the husbandman finds his Fields or Vineyards quite barren, and that no manuring will help, but thorns, briars and weeds abound, he plucks up the hedges and lets it lie fallow and common to all.
XXV. A husbandman Fans or Winnows his Corn to sever the Chaff from the Wheat.
PARALLEL.
I. GOd Almighty is a very rich husbandman— The Earth is the Lords and the fuln…ss thereof. He hath many fruitful Fields, Vineyards,Ps. 89.11. &c. where the Gospel is professed— And many barren Heaths, Mountains and Wildernesses▪ the Pagan, Heathen, an unconverted parts of the World, which yield little or no profit.
II. God lays claim to all the Beasts of the Field, the wild and devouring Beasts of the Forrest. Ps. 50.11, Ps. 13.1. Eze. 138.4.Every beast of the Forrest is mine (saith the Lord,) and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills— The Fowls of the Mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine. No man be he never so brutish, vile, and mischievous▪ but by right of Creation is the Lords, though strangely degenerate from what he was and should be; such he fetters, chains and ties up, that they cannot destroy the poor. The oppressors, persecuters and spoilers of the Earth, would soon break in and spoil Gods vineyard▪ but that the Lord puts hooks into their Jaws, Ps. 89.11.and puts bounds to them which they cannot pass.
III. God suffers the wicked to feed in fat Pastures, to wallow in plenty, Jer. 46 21 James 5.5. Ps. 17.14. Lu. 16.25.eating the fat and drinking the sweet of the Earth, but 'tis for the day of slaughter— such as have all their good things here.
IV. The Lord does not expect, that Heathens, and Infidels (who are like dry and barren ground) should bring forth or yield him so much increase and fruit of grace and holiness as those people and nations to whom he hath afforded his blessed Gospel,Lu. 12.14. Ch. 16.10. Mar. 12.42 Rev. 3.8. and those Churches that he hath planted and bestowed much cost and pains upon. Where much is given a suitable improvement is required, and where but little the improvement of a little.
V. God separates his people from all the people of the world,Deut. 7.7. 2 Cor. 6.17 Rev. 18.4. Ps. 4.3. 2 Tim. 2.19 Deu. 33.16 Hos. 7.8. Is. 27.2.3. Is. 5.2. Is. 4.5. Zech. 2.5. Ps. 18.2. Job 1.10. Ps. 125.2. Ps. 34.7. to be a peculiar inheritance unto himself. There they have bounds set them, viz. Holy laws and institutions, within which they ought always to keep that they mix not themselves with the world; to pass which bounds is a high and provoking evil.
VI. God Almighty takes special care of his Church, and of every branch and member thereof. And for their preservation hath made a hedge a fence, yea a glorious Wall round about them: This the Devil knows, and nothing troubles him more, hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about all that he hath? See more in the Metaphors of a Garden and Vineyard.
VII. The Lord doth by his word plow up the fallow ground of our hearts. When he threatned spiritual Judgments upon Israel (his ancient Vineyard) he says by the Prophet it shall not be digged, Isa. 5.6.but there shall come up briars and thorns. Luk. 13.8Before our hearts are digged up, they lie fallow: Break up your fallow ground. And sow not among thorns.Hos. 10.12
VIII. The Lord finds all our hearts naturally very hard, yet some more hard and obdurate than others. And that he may effectually break them into pieces he uses divers Instruments; some of his Ministers come with the smooth plow of the Gospel— Others with the Ma…tock of the law from Mount Sinai. Is. 7.25. Jer. 23.29Some denounce the threatnings in Gods word, like a hammer to break the Rock in pieces.
IX. The Lord shews us in his word that no Persons whatsoever can bring forth good and acceptable fruit, till by the word and spirit of grace they are wrought upon,Jo. 3.6. Cha. 1.4. Rom. 7.4. and planted or sowen by him.
X. When God hath through his word and holy spirit broken up the sinners heart by powerful convictions▪ so that the inside of the soul is (to its own sight) as it were turned outward, as in the case of the woman of Samaria who cried out, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did;John 4.29 and as 'twas with the Jews Peter preached to,Act. 2.37. Rom. 7. who cried out what shall we do? Then the filthiness of the soul and its horrid pollution appears, and the poor man cries out, I did not think there had been so much abomination in my heart, that I had been such a Rebel against God. O the pride, the lust, the blasphemy, hard heartedness, vanity, folly and unbelief I find there; who could think I had such a prodigie of wickedness?
XI. The Lord takes great pains, uses many ways, and bestowes great cost to make his People bring forth fruit unto him; he sends his word, his spirit, Isa. 5.4. Gal. 4.6.his Ministers, sets Conscience on work and if all will not do, but that weeds of Corruption still spring, and roots of bitterness remain, he sends afflictions to humble and cleanse them, and destroy the power of sin.
XII. Though the blessed God sees his people do not Answer his unwearied pains, but that abundance of earthliness▪ barrenness, and unprofitableness still remains in them, yet be gives them not over, but with much patience waits year after year, not sparing continual labour in order to their Reformation,Joh. 15.…. Hos. 11.9. that so they may bring forth more fruit unto him.
XIII. The Lord bestows his choicest mercies upon his heritage with the greatest chearfulness— I will rejoice over them to do them good, Jer. 32.41 1 Cor. 2.12 Is. 5.4.and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, &c. 'tis freely given, and without grudging he has done as much as could be done to his Vineyard.
XIV. The Lord God knows that though the Church (his spiritual Vineyard) be sowed with good seed and planted with choice plants; yet they cannot grow nor prosper unless watered from heaven with Divine showers and refreshing dew. And therefore God opens the sluices or windows of heaven, and makes the Fruits of the earth flourish and wonderfully increase; the rain, &c. watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, &c.Is. 5.7.
XV. The Lord declares in h…s word that the lowly and humble soul is the most fruitful. Christ says he went down to see the fruits of the Valley,Cant. ….11 his chief expectation is from them that lie low in their own sight. Trees planted by the water-courses thrive best and bring moist fruit. The rain glides off from Hills and Mountains, and the Valleys receive it. The lofty, proud, self-conceited person is barren and fruitless, the savour of Gods grace abides not on their hearts To this man will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit; he that sees its own emptiness, and has no confidence in the flesh, but whose trust and dependency is upon Christ, is the thriving and fruitful person, that (like the tree by the waterside spreading his roots by the River) shall not see when heat cometh; but his leaf shall be green, Jer. 17.8.and he shall not be careful in the year of Drought.
XVI. The Heavenly husbandman bestows much pains that he may destroy the weeds of indwelling sin and corruption in his people. He uses various means, as his word and holy spirit, trials, afflictions, &c. in order to that end; by these he digs up those weeds by the roots, as worldly mindedness, unbelief, and sensual lusts, which else would choak the good seed, though some remains of them are left behind (to keep us humble and watchful) such ill weeds grow apace and are ready to spring up when the least liberty is given.He. 12.15. By these also this blessed husbandman prunes and pares of suckers or superfluous branches, which …eed upon that sap which should nourish his tender plants, such are, carnal divisions, strife and unnecessary contention among Saints, busying themselves about idle and unprofitable notions, or matters of slender consequence, neglecting in the mean time those serious and practical parts of Christianity which are of absolute and undoubte… nec…ssity: these are the spiritual suckers of our time, and are the cause that so many lean and barren souls are found in this spiritual Vineyard.
XVII. The Heavenly husbandman waits for the fruit of his fields also. He looked, that it, (viz. his ancient vineyard) should bring forth grapes, Isa. 5.2.Isa. 5.2. Luk. 13.7. Mat. 21.34 Went three years? seeking fruit on the fig tree, &c. And wh…n the time of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it, &c. Where God sows plentifully he expects a sutable crop, where much is given, much is required, where we have many means of increase of grace, the Lord will expect the fruits of holiness from his people.
XVIII. The Lord loves to visit his vineyard often,Can 6.2. Cant. 4.16. Ps. 149.4. and delights to behold the flourishing graces of his people- He is gone Down into his garden, into his beds of spices, &c. He eats his pleasant fruit, he takes pleasure in his Saints, and will beautifie the meek with salvation. Let us see (says he) if the vine flourish, Cant. 7.12whether the tender grape appears▪ and the pomegranat…s bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. He rejoy…es to find his people abound with graces, which are the blessed fruits of the spirit, no Ambrosia so sweet to this heavenly husbandman, as the holy performances of his Saints, which is the effect of his own cost and labour.
XIX. The Lord expresses great grief when his people bring forth no fruit, or which is worse, wild fruit— he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grap…s. Is. 5.2. Eze. 19.10 12, 14. Hos 9.6.How he complains by the Prophet— She (viz. the vineyard Jerusalem) was plucked up in fury— the East wind dri…d up her fruit— Fire hath devoured her fruit, this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation. How it grieves the Lord to the heart, when his servants (his Ministers,) return this account we have laboured in vain, Is. 49.4.and spent our strength for nought ▪ &c.
XX. When the Lord finds any barren or withered branch in his husbandry past hope of recovery, he cuts them … ▪ Joh. 15.2.every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away. Christ cursed the fruitless f…g tre… and immediately it was dri…d up: this cutting off may be done by the immediate hand of God, …ith— in Spirituals or Temporals▪ or by the censure and excommunication of the Church.
XXI. God h…th also many workmen in his Churches, divers painf…l labourers in his harvest; Mini…ers of the Gospel are spiritual harvest men.2 Cor. 6.1. We then as Workers together with you, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
XXII. A faithful experienced and laborious Minister the Lord values above thousands of slothful,Num. 14.14. false hearted, and self seeking ones, who care not for the flock, so they have the fleece, and if they have the wages care not for the work.Num. 16.32. Moses was faithful in his house, and therefore esteemed: but Corah and h…s Company, (that fain would have been lookt upon as appointed by God like Moses) were swallowed up.
XXIII. The Church of God often suffers, and is much spoiled by those innumerable swarms of Locusts or Catterpillars that came out of the bottomless pit, by which, according to the opinion of divers eminent Writers, are meant the great swarms of Popish Priests, Friars Monks, Jesuits, and even all the whole tribe of the Romish Hierarchy, who are fitly likened to Locusts, which, as Naturalists say, are a little vile kind of vermine that spring out of smoak, flying together in vast numbers, gnawing, eating up or destroying all green things and fruits of the ea…th, being a very slothful and idle creature, resembling the Popish Clergy exactly▪ who are bred out of the smoak and darkness of hellish ignorance; they are slow bellies living upon the sweat of other mens brows. To such Kingdoms or Countries as abound with pleasant plants they flock in swarms, where they make havock and lay wast all green things in the Church of God (as this and other Nations have felt and still feel) infecting thousands with their damnable devices, superstitious practices and inventions.Rev. 9.3.
XXIV. When God finds a Church or people without the life and power of grace and religion▪ cold and lukewarm,Rev. 3.16. Rev. 2.5. Jer 7.12. having only the Carkass of external profession▪ and that no calls nor endeavours will reclaim them, he withdraws his presence, removes his Candlestick, takes away the hedge and lays it waste— Go to my place in Shilo where I set my name at first, and see what I did to it for Israel's wickedness. So Sardis, Ephesus Smirna, Philadelphia, &c. and the rest of those once famous Asiatick Churches, are become a barren and waste Wilderness.
XXV. The Lord by his word and spirit (which is as a fan in his hand) severs the chaff and refuse part of his Children,Mat. 3.12. Jer. 15.7. Amos 9.9, 10. that nothing but the pure grain and seed of grace may remain in them, and oftentimes by affliction winnows his Church, Severing the true Christian from the dross and chaff of hypocrisie— I will sift the house of Israel —as Corn it sifted in a sieve, &c.
METAPHOR.
I. SOme husbandmen hire their ground, and pay Rent for what they have.
II. A husbandman maybe dispossest of his farm and turn'd out of all his estate, by an enemy, or the injustice of a party stronger than himself.
III. The husbandman thrives or grows poor, a…cording as his husbandry gives good or bad returns.
IV. Husbandmen often faint, and grow weary of working.
V. Husbandmen know not the success and event of their labour, nor the nature of some ground till they try it.
VI. Husbandmen cannot rain to water their fields; 'tis God that gives the increase for which their dependance must be▪ upon him.
VII. The husbandman cannot make bad trees bring forth good fruit, nor barren trees bear, nor some sort of ground good let him do what he can.
VIII. Storms, Tempests, excessive Rain, Snow, Heat or Cold often force the husbandman to a cessation of his labour, and an enemy may compel him from his work.
IX. A husbandman grows old, and dies, and leaves his husbandry.
DISPARITY.
I. BUt God is the proprietor and proper owner of all the Nations and people of the Earth▪ Job 41.whatsoever is under the whole heavens (saith the Almighty) is mine.
II. God cannot be dispossest, or turned out of his inheritance; for no strength or power is able to stand before him: none can oppress him, or take his right from him, against his will—he can destroy at once all that rise up against him.
III. God, though he lays out very much to cultivate a Nation, Church, or People, is never the poorer his treasure is inexhaustible, and can receive no addition nor diminution.Job. 22.23 Ps. 16.2. Can a man be profitable to God? My Goodness (saith David) extends not to thee. All that he doth, is for his Creatures profit.
IV. God in a proper sence cannot be weary, therefore in Scripture when we read of his being weary, 'tis spoken (by the figure foreign) after the manner of men, by way of condescention to our capacities, after much patience and forbearance; and finding no fruit, he is said to be weary, not properly but as before— the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not, neither is weary.Is. 40.28.
V. But God knows all things, the hearts and spirits of all men— he knows what nation or people will prove fruitful or otherwise, before his word and spirit are employ'd to cultivate and try them.
VI. God can cause it to Rain when he pleases externally upon the earth; and spiritually upon his people: he can cause his precious dew to distil upon the tender herb, and showers of rain to fall upon the grass.
VII God can make the vilest and worst of sinners to bring forth good fruit, when his grace converts them, and the barrenest souls to be fruitful souls.
VIII. None can hinder the Almighty from his labour— I will work and who shall lett it.Isa. 43.13.
IX. God the spiritual husbandman, never grows old, and can never die, but is ever taking care of his husbandry.
COROLLARIES.
1. THis shews the wonderful condescension of the great and Almighty God in comparing himself to an husbandman, an Employment of great toyl and very hard labour, yet profitable and honest.
2. Shews the great priviledge, dignity and security of the Church of Christ, being the plantation of the great God, in which he takes delight; the rest of the world being like a barren and howling Wilderness to it— Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar.Ps. 120.5.
3. It shews the necessity of being truly grafted into this vineyard; a bare profession will not do, as in the foolish Virgins case—he has a quick eye, and will soon find out such as bear no fruit, or are rotten at heart, such he cuts down and burns.
4. Here's cause of joy to those that are truly implanted into Jesus Christ, they are under his special care and watch, they shall flourish, and bring forth fruit in old age— Walled in on every side, and so very safe.Joh. 15.2. Ps. 92.13, 14.