Husbandry Spiritualized, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Our Husbandmen for Harvest wait and stay,Upon the parience of the Husbandman for the harvest
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 Dr. Taylors great Exemplar, p. 103.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, wh…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 merits hell, sweetens present difficulties: So, (to come home to the present similitude) do the expectations, and hopes of a blessed harvest, and reward in heaven. This made Abraham willing to wander up and down many years as a stranger in the world; for he looked for a City that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The hopes of such a harvest is incouragement enough to work hard, and wait long; yet some Christians are so impatient of it, that they would fain be reaping before the time; but as God hath by an unalterable law of nature, appointed both the seasons of seed time and harvest (which are therefore called the appointed we…ks of the harvest) Ier. 5. 24. and these cannot be hasten'd; but when we have done all that we can on our part, must wait till God send the former and latter rain, and given every natural cause its effect. So is it in reference to our spiritual harvest; we are appointed to sweat in the use of all God's appointments, and when we have done all, must patiently wait till the divine decrees be accomplished, and the time of the promise be fully come; In due time we shall reap, if we faint not. To which patient expectation, and quiet waiting for the glory to come, these following considerations are of excellent use.
As the Husbandman knows when the Seed-time is past, it will not be long to the harvest; and the longer he waits, the neerer still it is. So the Christian knows, It is but yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10. 37. And that now his salvation is nearer than when he first believed, Rom. 13. 11. What a small point of time is our waiting time, compared with eternity? yet a few dayes more, and then comes the long expected and welcome harvest.
The Husbandman can find other work to do, before the reaping time come; he need not stand idle, though he cannot yet reap. And cannot a Christian find any work to do for God, till be come to heaven? O, there is much work to do and such work as is only proper to this season. You may now reprove sin, exhort to duty, succour the distressed, this is good work, and this is your only time for such work; the whole of eternity will be taken up in other imployments, I think it meet (saith Peter) as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir up your minds, knowing shortly, that I must put off this tabernacle, 2 Pet. 1. 13, 14. q. d. I know I have but a little time to work among you, I am almost at heaven; and therefore am willing to husband this present moment as well as I can for you. O Christians! you need not stand idle, look round about you upon the multitude of forlorn sinners, speak now to them for God, speak now to God for them; for shortly you shall so speak more, you shall see them no more till you see them at Christ…s Bar; God leaves you here for their sakes, up and be doing: If you had done all you were to do for your selves and them, he would have you to heaven immediately, you should not wait a moment longer for your glory.
Husbandmen know, though they cannot yet gather in the precious fruits of the earth, yet all this while they are ripening and preparing for the harvest; they would not house it green or take it before its time. And is not this also my preparation time for glory? As God prepared heaven for his people, by an eternal decree, Mat. 25. 34. by an act of creation, Heb. 11. 10. by the death of Christ, which made a purchase of it, Heb. 10. 19, 20. and by his ascension into it, Ioh. 14. 2, 3. So the reason why we are kept here, is in order to our sitting for it. Heaven is ready, but we are not fully ready; the Barn is fit to receive the corn, but the corn is not yet fit to be gathered into it. But for this self same thing God is now working us, 2 Cor. 5. 5. he is every day at work, by Ordinances, and by providences, to perfect his work in us; and as soon as that is finished, we shall hear a voice like that, Rev. 11. 12 Come up hither, and immediately we shall be in the spirit: for how ardently soever we long for that desirable day, Christ longs for it more than we can do.
The Husbandman is glad of the first fruits, that incourages him, though the greatest part be yet out; and have not you received the first fruits of that glory? have you no earnests, pledges, and first fruits of it? 'Tis your own fault, if every day you feed not upon such blessed comforts of the spirit, Rom. 8. 23. Rom. 5. 2. 1 Pet. 8. 9. O how might the interposing time, even all the dayes of your patience here, be sweetned with such prelibations of the glory to come!
Husbandmen know 'tis best to reap, when 'tis fit to reap; one handful fuly ripe, is worth many sheaves of green corn. And you know, heaven will be sweetest to you, when you are fittest for it, the child would pluck the apple while it's green, but he might gather it easier, and taste it sweeter, by tarrying longer for it. We would fain be glorified per saltum. When we have got a taste of heaven, we are all in hast to be gone. Then, O that I had wings as a dove! I would flie away, and be at rest. Then we cry to God for our selves, as Moses for his sister Miriam, Heal her [now] O God, I beseech thee, Num. 12. 13. Clorifie me now, O Lord, I pray thee! But surely, as God hath contrived thy glory in the best of wayes, so he hath appointed for thee the fittest of seasons; and when ever thou art gathered into glory, thou shalt come as a shock of corn in its season.
REFLECTIONS.
I Have waited for thy salvation, O God! Having received thy first fruits, my soul longs to fill its besome with the full ripe sheaves of Glory. As the Hart panteth for the water brooks, The longing …ouls reflectionso panteth my soul for thee, O God! O, when shall I come and appear before God? I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. When shall I see that most lovely face? When shall I hear his soul-transporting voice? Some need patience to dye, I need it as much to live! Thy sights, O God, by faith, have made this world a burden, this body a burden, and this soul to cry like thirsty David, O that one would give me of the waters of Bethlehem to drink! The Husbandman longs for his Harvest, because it is the reward of all his toyl and labour; but what is his harvest to mine? what is a little corn to the enjoyment of God? What is the joy of harvest, to the joy of heaven? what are the shoutings of men in the fields, to the acclamations of glorified spirits in the kingdome of God? Lord, I have gone forth bearing more precious …eed that they; when shall I return rejoyceing, bringing my sheaves with me? Their harvest comes when they receive their corn, mine comes when I leave it. O much desired harvest! O day of the gladness of my heart! How long Lord! How long! Here I wait as the poor man Bethesda's pool, looking when my turn will come, but every one steps into heaven before me; yet Lord, I am content to wait till my time be fully come. I would be content to stay for my glorification, till I have finisht the work of my generation; and when I have done the will of God, then to receive the promise. If thou have any work on earth to use me in, I am content to abide: Behold, the Husbandman waiteth, and so will I; for thou art a God of judgement, and blessed are are all they that wait for thee.
But how doth my sloathful soul sink down into the flesh, and settle it self in the love of this animal life?The lingring souls reflection How doth it hug, and wrap up it self in the garment of this mortality, not desiring to be removed hence, to the more perfect and blessed state? The Husbandman indeed is content to stay till the appointed weeks of the Harvest; but would he be content to wait alwayes? O my sensual heart! is this life of hope as contentful to thee, as the life of vision will be? Why dost thou not groan within thy self, that this mortality might be swallowed up of life? Doth not the scripture describe the Saints by their earnest looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus unto eternal life? Iude 21. By their hastening unto the coming of the day of God, 2 Pet. 3. 12. What is the matter that my heart hangs back? doth guilt lye upon my conscience? Or have I gotten into a pleasant condition in the world which makes me say as Peter on the Mount, It's good to be here? Or want I the assurance of a better state? Must God make all my earthly comforts die, before I shall be willing to die? Awake Faith, awake my Love; heat up the drowzy desires of my soul, that I may say, make hast my Beloved, and come away.
The Poem.
NO prudent Husbandman expects
the fruit of what he sows,
Till every cause have its effects;
and1Iohn 4. 35. then he reaps and mows.
He works in21 Cor. 9. 10 hope the year throughout,
and counts no labour lost;
If when the season comes about
His harvest31 Cor. 9. 10. quits his cost.
This rare4Iam. 5. 7. example justly may
rebuke, and put to shame;
My soul which sows its seed one day,
and looks to reap the same.
Is cursed5Gal. 5. 17. nature now become
so kind a soyl to grace,
That to perfection it should come
within so short a space.
Grace springs not up with speed and61 Pet. 4. 18. ease
like mushrooms in a night
But rather by7Rom. 1. 7. degrees increase
as doth the8Prov. 4. 18. morning light.
Is corn so dear to Husbandmen?
much more is9Psal. 4. 6, 47. heaven to me,
Why should not I have patience then?
to wait as well as he.
To promises1Acts 7. 17. appointed years,
by God's decrees are set;
These once expir'd beyond its fears
my soul shall quickly get.
How2Heb. 13. 14. small a part of hasty time
Which3Heb. 17. 710. quickly will expire,
Doth me within this world confine,
and then comes my desire.
Come Lord,4Rev. 22. 17. how long! my soul hath gasp'd
faith my affections5Heb. 11. 13. warms.
O when shall my poor …oul be clasp'd,
in its redeemers arms.
The time seems6Rom. 8. 23. long, yet here I'le lye
till thou my God do call,
It is enough, eternity
will make7Rom. 8. 18. amends for all.