Husbandry Spiritualized, Author to the reader 1 – Author to the reader 2
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. 'Tis 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?Hor. Sat 6.
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, foreign.
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, foreign.
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, its 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 li…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
'Tis so indeed; thou wouldst not go thy way
Like one that's disappointed, and so fling
The book aside, I though 'twas 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 …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.