The Husbandmans Calling, Chapter 6

The Husbandmans Calling · Chapter 6

p. 132CHAP. VI. Cap. 4. The Huss bandman Lessons in his Calling.The Husbandmans Lessons in his Calling.

SECT. I.

ANd now I proceed to the Sixth Point to be handled, which is the excellent Lessons that God teacheth the poor Husbandman, who perhaps cannot skill of one Letter in the Book; For his God doth instruct unto discretion, and doth teach him; as you had it out of Isa. 28.26. And that's a dull Schollar that such a Master cannot teach. There is hardly any thing that the Husbandman hath to deal with, but he may learn somthing of God out of it, when God doth prompt him thereunto. Yea God hath translated the world into the Scripture, that we may translate and think of the Scripture in the World. This (as was observed) is one end of Similes and Comparisons, so frequent in the Bible, not only that God may come down by them unto p. 133us, but that we may by them ascend unto him, As our Lord Christ (excellently) by occasion of a Vine in his way, (as the Learned conclude) raiseth up his and his hearers minds to learn this Lesson, That every branch that §. 1. Lessons from his Ground.beareth not fruit, shall be taken away; and the branch that doth bear fruit shall be purged to bring forth more fruit, Joh. 15.1, 2. A profitable Lesson taught out of a Tree. Having therefore such a Copy, let us endeavour to shew, what Learning the Husbandman may and ought to get. And, I. Out of his Ground. And here

1. He looks on it, and thinks Whence he came. He reads his Pedigree in the Dust; and remembers his Paternal Coat is blazon'd, Gen. 3.19. Out of the Ground wast thou taken. And having much business with it, he is often minded what he is, For Dust thou art. And there is but a remove between the Dust that lies, and the Dust that's walking on it. And therefore the Husbandman ought to look down, and learn humility; and then to look up, and beg it of God. And hence it was (as some judge) that God gave to our Father Adam his name from the ground or earth (for so his name signifies) that whensoever he heard his name Adam call'd, he might think of his original and be humble.

The Husbandman therefore hath many Items of his frailty, and must lay it to heart. Here is my Ground, and alas what am I but earth sifted and purified, and molded up by p. 134the hand of God? And what cause hath white and red clay to be proud! Come down O my vain heart, and know thy place; when clay ascends, it is against the Laws of the Creation.

2. From his ground; the Husbandman learnes his mortality; and may be oft minded of his change. For unto dust thou shalt return: There is the end of his Line. Poor man creeps out of the dust, keeps a coile in the world a while, and then r…turnes unto dust again. Every day the Husbandman may learn this lesson. His imployment lyes as it were in his grave; when he is digging or plowing in the ground, he breakes out in these thoughts. Poor peice of creeping dust, whither art thou going? Art thou ready to return to thy mother Earth again? Hast thou glorified God? Hast thou finisht the work which he gave thee to do? What sticks it at? Thy passing Bell may be rung to morrow, and then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto G d who gave it, Eccles. 12.7. Prepare thy self therefore, to lye down in the Earth, which thou art now manuring: Get dying thoughts, for thou art but dying dust.

3. From the quality of his ground, he must learn his lesson. When you walk over a fruitful Field, the sight of it pleaseth you: And a fruitful heart and life would please God much more. This shower of rain hath made my field better? Did the last shower from Heaven make p. 135my heart better? Hebr. 6.7. For the Earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. Shall my ground be blessed, and not my heart? Is a fruitful field a pleasant sight? O how muc h more blessed sight is a serious growing and holy heart? Awake therefore O my soul, lest thy ground do shame thee, and lest the Earth rise up in Judgement against him that tills it.

Again when the Husbandman is in his barren ground, there he learns the danger of unfruitfulness. For saith the Scripture, Heb. 6.8. that which beareth thorns and bryars is rejected, and nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Doe I turn that ground to Commons, that will bring neither Corn nor Grass after all Ex terra ferlili producetur … … venenosa; et ex terra … pretiosum aurum. Pint. in … zek.my cost? What then will become of me if I be unfruitful? Is it intollerable in the ground, and is it not much more in earth refined? A wake my barreu heart and fall to work. I'le ghome and mend my pace, & bring forth fruitso meet for repentance, lest while I seem blessed on earth, I prove to be accursed from Heaven. And thus the barren ground reads a fruitful lecture to the observing Husbandman.

4. His fourth lesson is from the improving of his ground. He finds that the dirty manure is necessary to make his ground fertile, Luke 13.8. Not only the fig-tree, but the vineyard must be dig'd and dung'd, else it wil grow weedy, gather moss and be fruitless… p. 136And here our Husbandman learns the necessity and benefit of affliction. Here's a piece of ground; alas without much paine, I shall reap no profit. And here's an Heart, that will bring forth little, without much pains and cost. Afflictions are profitable, but not pleasant at all: They fall upon us by a necessity, (If need be) ye are in manifola temptations. 1 Pet. 1.6. Let a man live two or three yeares without affliction, and he is almost good for nothing; he cannot pray, nor meditate, nor deny himself, he gathers abundance of moss and rust; but let God smite him in his child, or estate, or health, now he… can find his tongue, he is awake, and is in good earnest, now he is humble and mortified, and quite another man; O! affliction is the growing soyl. God hath now as much honour again from him, as he had before. Hereupon many good Husbands think, that improving is better than purchasing: the Lord hath such a large improvement from one of his servants after affliction, that it brings in as much, as if he had converted a man out of the rough. And now thinks the Husbandman; my pains and cost is well bestowed; this crop rewards me: And so sayes God, This amendment pleaseth me; This rod was well bestowed. And thus doth God chide himself friends with his poor children, and heales them by his stripes: and this the Husbandman learnes from the improving of his Ground.

p. 1375. The Husbandmans fifth lesson is, from fencing of his Ground. He observes that after all his cost and labour in his field, one gap or breach is able to ruine all his hopes, and therefore concludes the necessity of a fence, for the receiving of his deserved profit. Here my Corn is sown, but my labour's lost without care to preserve it; up Sirs, let us be doing, this field must be fenced, or all is lost. And hence the Husbandman learnes the duty of watchfulness, and concludes that without it an everlasting soul is lost. When God himself hath sown the precious seed of Gospeltruth in the heart, and plac'd many orient Graces in the soul, there is no small need of a serious and constant watch, else Satan and his instruments, will quickly lay them wast. Let the field of your heart be never so richly laden with knowledge, love, zeal; yet if one gap be left open for the Boar out of the Wood, or the Foxes of the field, to any one conscience-wasting corruption, open or secret, all will be destroyed, Prov. 24.30. I went by the field of the man void of understanding, and loe—the stone wall thereof was broken down. Here was a field without a fence; but did the passenger gather nothing hence? Yes vers. 32. Then I saw, and considered it well, [I was thinking what I might learn from it] I looked upon it, and received instruction. My neighbours folly taught me wisdome, I was instructed by it; this outward object, taught me an inward lesson. So should the Husbandman p. 138by the breaches in his neighbours wall: be taught to repair the neglects of his ow… watch. How soon is a pair of Flood-Gates … the fenne-Countries drawn up? How hard… can we draw out the waters again? Ah so i… is (you may beleive sighing experience) so i… is with a poor soul; you may a thousand time… more carefully keep out a sin, and cru… a Cockatrice in the egg, than rid th… soul of its woful chains and fetters afterwards. It's watchfulness and prayer, that only ca… keep temptation out.

6. The Husbandmans fixth lesson is, from the Grass of his ground. Thus he hath daily a pleasant view of, and now and then makes a Book of it, and every Grass is a Letter, ye… … word, yea a Sermon to him? A Sermon sometimes of his own frailty: For how doth it flourish in the morning, and the many coloured weeds therein …ile and dance? and at night they are cut down and withered, their beauty gone in a few dayes, and then he reme… bers what is said Isa. 40.6, 7. All flesh is Grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the Grass: The Grass withereth, the flower fadeth: Sure the people is Grass. And so he goes his way with an heart mortifyed, and weaned to the world, and all things in it, seeing there is so little difference between his Grass and him. The Grass sprung lately out of the ground, and so did he, only he is the Senior Grass; and the Grass is resolv'd into the earth again, and so must he; onelyonly he lives p. 139a while longer. And more particularly, the Husbandman learnes hence the short-liv'd happiness of wicked men, that rise up sudd…ly in the world, and rage as they were woo'd, but like the Grass they perish out of hand, and their places forget them. God lets them alone a while, as the Husbandman doth his Meadow, eates them not down by afflictions, but hedges them by his providence, as if he had more care of them then of all his de…esne besides; but mowes them down at length, and cuts them off in a moment, Psal. 92.7. When the wicked spring as the Grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.

And then again, the Grass Preaches to the Husbandman, Relyance upon the providence of God. Thinkes he, here I have a great family, and many Children, and certain provision for them I have none, but Math. 6.30. If God thus cloath the Grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the Oven, shall be not much more cloath me and mine, if I have any faith? Hath common providence such care of Grass, and not much more on men and women? Away distrust, be silent all my fears, God will provide for me and mine. What if I leave a shiftless wife, and unable children behind me: This poor Grass cannot shift for it self, and yet its supported, and fed, and fenced, till I think it fit to cut it down: And so shall they be fed, and fenced, till God think fit to have them home.

p. 1407. The Seventh lesson that our Husbandman learnes is from the Thorns in his ground It is said, Judg. 8.16. That Gideon took … Elders, and thorns of the Wilderness, and b…, and with them he taught the men of S…. Hebr. He threshed them, he taught them what it was to affront God and his instruments. And much may a good Husband, an holy man learn out of a Theme, God being the teacher. And here 1. The Husbandman … taught to remember his fall in Adam. One of the Fathers would weep at the sight of the Rose, because before Adam fell, he thought the Rose had no prickles, but the Fall bred them: certain it is, the curse of Thorns began at the Fall, Gen. 3.18. Thorns also and This…les shall it bring forth to thee. So that every prick with the Thorn, may wound thy heart with the remembrance, of that woful Shipwrack in thy Father Adam. Thy Rebellion against God breeds their Rebellion against thee; every Bryar bending its sting against their Creators Enemy, or at least giving thee a sharp memento of that Apostacy. And 2. By them he learns the nature, use, and end of wickedmen, whom the Lord accounts but as a brake of thorns, Ezek. 2.6. Son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee. The Husbandman is not afraid of a Bush of Thorns: The knows the Thorns original is but from the curse; though their use may be to fence the Field, their end is to be cast into the Fire. And hereby he p. 141…earns, that wicked men are no wonder… Since the curse there have been thorns in the Wood, as sure as Corn in the Field, but he is content to suffer by them, foreseeing their end to be lamentable. And at present their joyes, are but like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot. A great noyse, but little heat, and less continuance: especially considering, that God makes divers of them fences and safeguards to the good, against their own wills, and that God stops a gap somtimes with a wicked man, whereby his godly neighbour is preserved: And so he is kept from envy at them, seeing he knows the thorns grow green but till the Husbandman hath need to use them for the Hedge, and then lye there only till they be rotten and ripe for the Fire.

8. The Eighth Lesson the Husbandman learns in his Ground is, from the Stones of his Ground: And these, though they do somtimes bring into his mind Jesus Christ, that living stone; and occasion otherwhiles thoughts of that White stone of Absolution he hath so long panted after, (as an industrious Christian can get profit out of a …int) yet from them he is most effectually taught, the misery of an hard heart. The Plough goes through them, and yet they are stones, nay it's somtimes broken by them, and they no softer: The Rain falls oft on them, but they are hard still: The Sun warms them, but they relent not. At the end of his Lease, the Husbandman leaves them as he finds them, not a grain of fruit from p. 142them in an age: Some of the biggest it ma… be he throws out of his ground, but leaves the lesser in it, till the end of the World. And this teaches him much; he looks upon them, and receives instruction. He is ill troubled with these stones under his feet, but he is worse troubled with the stone in his heart; he thinks on his sins, and cannot weep for them; he looks at him whom he hath pierced, and cannot mourn over him; he hears of the calamities of the godly, and sees the wickedness of the ungodly, and cannot break his heart for them. He knows not what to do with this stone within: He puts in the Plough of mortification, he tears up his heart by convincing aggravations of his sin; he puts it under the dropping of holy Ordinances as oft as he can, remembering that—Gutta cavat, lapidem, non vi sed saepe cad…ndo. He fasts and prayes time after time, yet all would not work, but that God comes in (that of a stone can make a Son of Abraham) and quite takes away this heart of stone, and gives instead thereof an heart of flesh. And O that every Husbandman would take this course, ply the means, plead the Promises, get the heart dissolved, least it be destroyed. You get th… Stones out of the ground, O get them out of your hearts, lest for the Sin of hardness, God give you up to the Curse of hardness, and forsake you for ever.

9. The Ninth Lesson the Husbandman learns, is from the Wormes of his Ground: p. 143These he converses with every day, and draws acquaintance to them, because they are of kin. And the Lesson he learns from them is, his own mean and low condition, and a potent argument against pride. If a worm should take on, lift up it self, and be proud, then any thing may be proud, Job 25.6. How much less man that is a worm, and the Son of man that is a worm. Here is a worm, this is a mean creature in comparison of me; but I am a meaner creature in comparison of God. How easily can I crush this worm with my foot? and more easily can the great God crush me into pieces. If the Lord had no more mercy on m…, than I have of this worm, O what would become of me? O what reason have I to be humble, seeing these very wormes, if God did say the word, could easily vanquish and devour me: that were not afraid to set upon a King in his greatest Pomp, when the great God did clap them on the back, and set them on, Acts 12.23. And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten up with Wormes, and gave up the Ghost. The Angel gave the first blow, to give the worms hold of him; and then every one had a morsel of his flesh, and sucked up that blood wherein the glory of God did not swim; an host of Maggots overthrew him, and kil'd him dead. What a low opinion must he have of himself, that must say to the worm, Job 17.14. Thou art my mother, and my sister? Thou art a reasonable worm, and that's all.

p. 14410. The tenth Lesson the Husbandm… learns, is, from the poor Ant or Pismire. A… to her, God himself sends him to School Prov. 6.6. Go to the Ant thou sluggard, c… der her wayes, and be wise: which having … guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth b… meat in the summer, and gathereth b… food in the harvest. Set thy self by a mole hill, and there stand, and behold those small creatures, how busie they are; they stand no… still, nor go at an idle rate, but run every foot, they carry a burden, as bigg as themselves, every day they work, and this with incredible cheerfulness; they murmure not, they quarrel not, but know their place and business, and that is to provide for winter. And now what learnes the studious Husbandman from this Book! Why, here he learnes Indust…y and diligence; a cheerful industry in his place. Shall Nature teach this Ant, more then Reason teaches me? Shall a blind instinct make her provident, and shall the Bible suffer me to be profuse? See how she runs in her duty, and shall I sleep or creep in mine? Nay will not this poor pismire rise up to condemn me, for my neglect of treasuring up for Eternity? my winter is drawing on, there's no providing in the Grave, and yet where's my provision for another world? I open this hillock and see the Ants provision: But I open my soul, and there find little or no provision. Awake, Osluggard, up and be doing, run for thy life, work for ete…ity, treasure up that which a so u p. 145may live on in another world; lest thy Harvest be past, thy summer ended, and thou be not saved. Here's a little creature, and yet a great Politician. Well, I am convinced, I am resolved, I'le trifle no more; these Pismires are at my mercy, and I am at Gods; and therefore I will do what I can with all my might, though I am poor in this world, that I may be rich in the next.

These and such like Lessons, may the careful Husbandman learn out of his ground, whereby it yields him double profit: food for his body, and a feast for his soul.

SECT. II.§. 2.

II. THe Second Book of the Husbandman Lessons from his Corn. A word foreign or Ear of Corn.wherein he may read something of God, is, His Corn. The same word in the Hebrew that is used for an Ear of Corn, signifies also a Word. As if every field of Corn were the Husbandmans Book, every Land or Butt a Leafe, every Sheafe a Verse of praise, every Ear a Word, every Corn of wheat a Letter to express the praise of God, and d…ty of man. In the same meal one man feeds his Lusts, and another his Graces; and in the same field one man fills his Barn, and another man fills his Heart: So that a good Husband hath two Crops in one year, the one keeps his body, the other helps to keep his soul alive.

And here,

p. 1461. The Husbandman learns something from his Plowing for Corn. And this teaches him the use of Godly Sorrow, Jer. 4.3. Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. What is fallow good for? put in the Plough, sayes God to some spiritual Husbandman, I shall have no Rent hence untill the plough go here; plow me a long furrow here: O Lord, cryes the soul, I can sorrow for my sin, I am broken; plow deeper, sayes God, fetch up these weeds by the roots; now he cryes, An undone sinner; The Law hath quite undone me; my heart is rent and torn within me: All the world for one smile of Christ. Now, sayes God, thou shalt have it. I meant thee no more hurt than the Husbandman means his field. Plowing is hard work, but it brings sweet profit. So compunction is hard work indeed, letting one blood in the heart, this goes near; but it's profitable, the peaceable fruits of Righteousness pay for all: the plough makes one sweat, but the crop makes one sing; and without this plowing in tears, we should never reap in joy, Amos 6.12. Shall Horses run upon the Rock? will one plow there with Oxen? no man will do it; and yet, sayes God, there I must plow, or no where: I must squeeze water out of a slint, and make a rocky heart mourn, or never cure it. Thus our Husbandman learns Humiliation at his plough, and studies a broken heart while he is breaking up his ground.

p. 147And then his plough teaches him the need of a Watchfull Perseverance, Luk. 9.62. No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God. He finds the careless eye makes many a balk, and it must be a staid and constant observation, that makes an even furrow, wherein if he fail, he goes home with shame. And he knows the plough will do good no longer than it's followed, and there's no leaving it, if he mean to live. And this helps him to consider, of the constant need he hath to observe his ways, to cleave an hair, and draw an even furrow in all his courses: to beware of extreams in being over-righteous, or over-wicked; knowing that one broad furrow will require another to make it smooth, or else require a narrow one to drive it even. And therefore he concludes, there's no sleeping at Plough; no throwing up his worthy work of Religion for any difficulty in it, till his Harvest come in Heaven, where he shall rest from his labours, and his works shall follow him.

2. The Second Lesson which the Husbandman may learn from his Corn, is, from the Sowing of it. And hence he may learn,

1. How to hear: For so hath our Lord Jesus taught him hence, Mat. 13. who there takes the Husbandman upon himself, and reckons his and his Ministers preaching, like the sowing of Seed. Where he finds four sorts of ground, and but one sort sound and good. It is three to one in a Congregation, that the p. 148hearers miscarry in hearing. Here I have precious Seed, sayes the Husbandman, but if I should cast it in this high-way, or among yonder thorns, or else on the rocks, what crop could I expect? It would be cast away: and what is my Earthly Seed, to the Heavenly Seed of my Lord and God? who not only scatters Seed, but offers Pearls, yea Blood, the precious blood of Christ, and it's cast away, if I bring an hard or worldly heart to the Word of God. O then what need have I to prepare before; and to watch in the hearing thereof, lest I receive that Grace of God in vain. How fruitless would that seed be, that is sown on the green-sod, before the ground be plowed? I would not venture one handfull of Seed upon it. I'le therefore plow up my heart by Godly sorrow for my former negligences, that the Lord may now Sow in Righteousness, and that I may reap in mercy: for I know as I sow so shall I reap; when I sow Fitches, I look not to reap Wheat; no more must I expect to sow dead duties, and reap lively returns. I must not look to reap any thing but corruption, if I sow to the flesh: If I expect clean corn, I must sow clean seed; and if I look for life everlasting, I must sow to the Spirit. And herein also,

2. The Husbandman is taught Bountiful Almes-giving, for as much as he finds by experience, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully. He observes the Increase p. 149is treble to the laying out, and the thicker he sows, (observing rules of prudence,) the thicker it comes up, and pays him fully, both for his labour, and his forbearance. And he that can trust his Seed in the bosome of the Earth, can trust his Charity in the hands of God; and therefore of that little he hath, his poor Neighbours shall have part. Heaven will repay it all, Eccles. 11.4.

3. The Third Lesson which the Husbandman learns from his Corn, is from the Springing of it; and hence he learns the Nature, both of the first and second Resurrection. First, he perceives hence the strange working of Grace in his soul, Mark 4.26. So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up he knoweth not how. There he throws his seed into the cold ground, and goes his way, and behold e're long it comes up, but he knows not how. Just thus, cryes he, was it with my heart; I feel some supernatural work in me, but I know not how 'twas wrought. Seed I remember was cast upon me, but how this sorrow, this faith, this love is wrought in me, I know not. What a blessed change is here? a field of thorns, into a field of corn? Sure Lord thy hand has been here; And 'tis thou must perfect the work of thy own hands. This green corn must have many a shower, before it be ripe; this must have the former and the latter rain: and so must I. And this p. 150minds the Husbandman of frequenting all the means of Grace he can, and there he layes his soul under the droppings of heaven with unspeakable delight, and goes away from every Ordinance more green and fresh than he was before.

Hence again, he learns something of the last Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.35. But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickned, except it dy…,—It is sown in Corruption, it is raised in incorruption. The Husbandman remembers, he sowed his Corn white and withered, but it comes up fresh and green: it lay in the ground, till it seem'd lost and perish't, but that dying was to give it life; and that corn, which to his sence was dead and gone, e're long to his sense is revived, and in greater glory than before. And is it thus, saith the Husbandman? Why, then this withered body of mine, is but sown in the grave, to spring up again without these imperfections. It is to be sown deeper, because it must spring up higher, than my corn: what though I dye, consume and perish to the eye of sen…, yet though worms destroy this body, in my flesh shall I see God, and though I live and dye in dishonour, yet I shall rise again in honour. He that raises up my corn, can raise up me. He can effect one Resurrection at last, that causes a Resurrection in my field every year. How many thousands of men and women, shall spring up then out of this one Church Yard? p. 151You shall see no less, I believe, than fifty or threescore thousand come up, at the spring of the Resurrection in this one Church Yard. How dreadful then will the whole appearance be at that great day?

4. The Fourth Lesson that the Husbandman may learn from his Corn, is from the Reaping and In-gathering of it. And this effectually minds him of the End of the world, Mat. 13.39. The Harvest is the end of the World, and the Reapers are the Angels. Beloved, the world hath grown a long while; it hath grown longer than the Old world by two thousand years; so that now the fields are white to the harvest, and I doubt if it grow longer, it will grow worse every day then other. Now when the Husbandman sees his field is ripe, then he puts in his sickle, sets in his reapers, and down it goes: The weeds that have escaped till then, go down, and are bundled toge…hrr, and cast away. And so, when the holy and wise God sees his Elect ripe for glory, and the Reprobates for ruine; then he calls to his Angels, as Joel 3.13. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe, come, get you down, for the Press is full, for their wickedness is great. What a brave sight will it be, to see the Angels reaping? And then those hypocrites, that have grown in Gods field with the corn, and had their part in the showers above, and fatness beneath with the corn it self, shall be gathered into bundles; a bundle of proud creatures, a bundle of p. 152worldly creatures, a bundle of wanton wretches, and cast into hell fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And then shall true Holiness be richly rewarded, which also the Husbandman hath occasion to think of in his harvest. What pains had he in sowing? how did he sweat at plow, but now he is richly paid. The Vallies are covered with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing, they make the Husbandman to sing. He went forth weeping, bearing precious Seed, Psal. 126. ult. But now he comes again rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him. And he learns by this, that his fasting and prayers, and self-denial, though sharp and difficult, yet will quit the cost at the long run. He hath a natural faith to believe his pains for the Earth will pay his charge, and make him merry once in the year, and he hath a spiritual faith, to believe his pains for Heaven, will bring much greater, surer and sweeter gains. Drudging at the harrow, that's sharp; but sweeping down the wheat, that's sweet. Prayers and tears he finds to cost him dear: but grace and glory pay him home. The Sluggard, Prov. 20.4. will not plow by reason of cold, therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. The idle hand shall have an empty Barn; he shall beg and have nothing, when harvest comes. Here, the idle poor glean at harvest, and get something; but O what millions of Beggars will there be at that great harvest, crying, Give us of your Oyl? but they shall have nothing: the Godly p. 153Father shall not spare the Ungodly Child, one drop of Oyl; nor the religious wife, to the graceless husband. They who would now spare a drop of their hearts blood to save their Relations; then will not, cannot, must not spare them one drop of Oyl, to save their souls, Mat. 25.9.

And from the In-gathering of his corn he learns this Lesson, That when his Soul is ripe and ready, God will leave him no longer in the field below, but will house him in heaven above, and will bring him into his grave in a full age, like as a shock of Corn cometh in in his season. And if he see a storm coming, he will make some haste to secure him before it falls; as the Husbandman hurries in his corn, when he sees danger of the rain. Thou long'st till thy corn be in the barn; And Christ longs till thou be in heaven. He is not compleat without thee, John 17.24. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, be with me, where I am: haste home my Children unto me. And at last, welcome O Sons of God, you have been long in coming in, but out ye shall never go again.

5. The Fifth Lesson the Husbandman learns from his Corn, is, From the Threshing of his Corn. And this teaches him the necessity of affliction. He sees that Corn in the Eare will do him no good, it must be beaten out by the Flaile; though this work be painful, yet it is needfull: Threshing must be had. Grace is in the husk, while prosperity lasts, appears little, p. 154works little, is little: but the flaile of Affliction beats it out, makes it sensible, and lively. How weak are we in faith, till God thresh us by some disaster or other? God's flaile comes and cryes, Come forth thou grain of Faith! and when the heart is tough, he is inforced to lay on the more and greater blows, Isa. 21.10. O my threshing, and the corn of my floore. At length, that Grace that lay hid in the husk, comes forth; and then O the faith, the humility, the patience, the goodness that appears, even where little was dream't of before! How mellow and sweet doth a fit of sickness, the loss of a child, or a prison make the soul, to whom it is blessed? The sweetest Spices enjoy their own sweetness, till they be bruised; then they diffuse it, and all the room perceive their odour: and the most precious Saints are oftentimes hid, till they be bruised by the Cross of Christ. Believe every creature that afflicts thee, to be Gods flaile; and answer his designs therein. Fly not in his face like the chaffe, but fall down at his feet like the good corn, Isa. 10.5. O Assyrian, the Rod of mine anger, and the staffe in their hand is my indignation. And God knows when it's time to thresh thee, and how many strokes to give, Jer. 51.33. The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor: It is time to thresh her. Let him alone when & how long to thresh his corn. An hard heart will not be cured with a little labour. How many work-men hath God tired out upon thy p. 155heart? Repent betimes, lest thou be thresht for ever.

6. The Sixth Lesson the Husbandman learns from his Corn, is, From the Winnowing it; And therefore he learns the reason of temptation, Luk. 22.31. Simon, Simon, Behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. What, an heap of grain seems to lie in the Barn? but when a strong wind comes, it parts it, and leaves the corn in a little room. Just so the number of religious persons looks great sometimes. Then God suffers Satan to raise a wind of persecution, and that doth so sift and fan them, that they prove but few, that are faithful to the death: the greater half was chaff, too light for the tryal, and they are blown away. O Sirs, God will have clean wheat for Heaven; not a tare that must come there.

Yea, in the hearts of Gods own people there is a great heap, but it's grace and sin together. When they are tryed, the grace will be found but little, and the sin great. As in that case of Peter above. There appeared a fair show on the floor, but it was wheat and chaff together; and upon the winnowing of Peter, his faith and courage went into a little room, and there was much chaff in him. But the stronger is the wind, the cleaner is the corn; and so the sharper the tryal is, the purer it leaves them that are upright in heart. This temptation made Peter the healthier, and the better while he lived: and you may observe p. 156his future courage, made signal amends for his former cowardize. And usually one time or other, Jesus Christ comes with his fan in his hand, and doth throughly purge his floor, and then gathers his wheat into the garner, and burns the chaff with fire unquenchable. And such Lessons as these the Husbandman learns from his Corn.

SECT. III.§. 3.

III. THe Third Book wherein the Husbandman Lessons from his …locks.may learn something of God, is, from his Flocks. The dullest of Cattel may teach their Master somewhat. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Ass his Masters crib, but my people doth not know: See the misery of poor man, that must go to School to the Oxe and Ass; yet behold the felicity, man that learns somewhat from the meanest creatures. It's sad, that we have need to learn of them; It's well, we have the Art to learn of them. The greatest of men may learn from t…e least of creatures; and the silly Ass may reprove a Próphet, when God sets in with it.

1. The First Lesson the Husbandman may learn, is, from his Oxen. And there he learns,

1. Patient industry. He observes his Oxe, that's ignorant of the will of God, or the reward of Heaven; yet day by day works, till he be weary, keeps his place and furrow, p. 157though it toyle him every step; carries his yoke without grieving at it, and suffers the sharp visits of the Goad without renitency or opposition; and expects nothing but food for his labour. And this instructs and quiets the Husbandman in his painful Calling. He knows he hath as much reason to work for God, as his Oxe hath to work for him; and that he expects a far greater reward, and therefore he is content to weary himself day by day; he keeps in his place and furrow, though his idle neighbour would tempt him out to vain company. His yoke is somewhat heavy, but he knows it will grow lighter by bearing it in his youth: and though he feel the goad of domestick afflictions, sometimes in his side, yet he frets not, but mends his pace: a night will come at length, when the weary are at rest.

2. He learns hence Justice to his painful Minister, 1 Cor. 9.9. It is written in the Law …f Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe, that treadeth out the Corn. Doth God take care for Oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written, That he that ploweth, should plow in hope.—The Oxe gets thy corn, and thou givest him some of the straw at least. And thy careful Minister, whose charge is weighty, and whose pains are great, hath as good a right to thy Earthly things, as thou hast to his Spirituals. The Husbandman therefore that fodders his Oxe, will not starve his Minister; p. 158and therefore what the Law allows, or his own heart hath purposed besides, he supplies him with all possible speed and alacrity. He knows in feeding his Oxe he feeds his own body and children; and in supporting his Minister, he feeds his own soul, and the souls of his.

2. The Second Lesson the Husbandman may learn, is, from his Kine; from whom he learns daily fruitfulness. He sees they pay their tribute every day, yea… twice a day to him: And therefore will he every day pay his tribute unto God. The better pasture he brings them to, the more milk they bring him home; whereby he learns, that the greater stock or estate he hath, as he payes more rent to man, so he ought to pay more thanks and fruits unto God. He trembles, lest his soul should prove like Pharaoh's lean Kine, Gen. 41.19. That devoured the fat, and continued lean. It is leanness that makes them ill favoured, and there's no uncomliness like unproficiency. A lean soul under fatting means, is an ill favoured sight. He considers, that if once his Kine grow fat and not fruitful, the next Range will be the Shambles: and thence he concludes, that outward fulness, with leanness in the soul, is the surest preface to destruction; and therefore he earnestly deprecates the sin of barrenness, and strives in his place, to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. O how many may God bespeak, as he did those, Amos 4.1. Hear the word ye p. 159Kine of Bashan? fat estates, and fat at heart; whom Gods bounty feeds a while, and whom his Justice will cut off for ever. Better for such they had been in the place of their poorest Tenants, yea, in the condition of their very beasts that perish.

3. The Third Lesson the Husbandman learns from his Flocks, is, From the Horse, and that is the misery and danger of ignorance, Psal. 32.9. Be ye not as the Horse or Mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth …st be held in with bit and bridle. The ignorant Horse is ridden any whither: and the Devil may ride the ignorant soul to hell, and …e not know whither he is going. O let the husbandman therefore make a stop oftentimes, and examine, whither am I going? A… I in the way to heaven or hell? Alas, the …ster I go, the sooner I shall be at my jour…es end; and what if that be hell? Well therefore, I will seek Knowledge as silver, and …y after it as for hidden treasure, and especially of my self, and of my eternal estate; that while I know my house, and grounds, and …ttel, I may not be ignorant of my own self. Alas, if this horse knew his own strength, he would never be used as he is; neither wouldst …hou be ridden at the devils pleasure, if thou …dst understand thy self: unhorse Satan then …uickly from off thy soul, and let Christ and …is holy Spirit have the guidance of thee; so …all every step thou takest be towards hea…n, and though thy load be heavy, yet death …ll ease thee of it.

p. 160Nay, the Husbandman that's apt to learn learns something from all his furniture. H…s bridle teaches him the need he hath of temperance and wisdome. The spur shews him him the need he hath of afflictions now and then. The shaking of his whip preaches to him the benefit of divine threatnings. And the ease and use he hath with this creature, shewes the care and goodness of his Creatour to him.

4. The Fourth Lesson the Husbandman learns from his Flocks, is, from the Sheep. And from them,

1. He learns Meekness. He sees the meekness of his Saviour, and may learn meekness for himself. For Christ, Isa. 53.7. As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not … mouth. You see how patiently the sheep Part… with her fleece, when you call for it: Christ's life was his fleece, and as meekly did he part therewith. You see the innocency, mildness, and usefulness of your Lambs: Behold, the Lamb of God, he was far more. The Lamb hath no armour but patience in the midst of Wolves, and so was Christ brought as a Lamb to the slaughter: yet he was a Lamb without blemish, 1 Pet. 1.19. fair without, and sound within. What more useful and profitable? every part of the sheep is good for something; poor men cannot live without them. Jesus Christ is an useful commodity. They that know themselves, cannot live without Jesus Christ. And here the Husbandman hath occasion p. 161to contemplate the death of his Saviour. He submitted to i… without resistance: You raise not the Town to kill a Lamb.

2. Without desert. The Lamb dyes for no fault of his own, but for others good: So did our dear Redeemer. Behold, the Wolf is in fault, and the Lamb must dye.

3. Without repining. The Lamb looks chearfully on the slaughterer. Christ Jesus was torn like a Lamb, that could have torn them like a Lion; but instead thereof he prayes and excuses for them; Father, forgive them, they know not what th…y do. And all this the Husbandman should as he is able, apply to himself, to teach him meekness both from that Lamb of God above, and from his own below.

And 2. He is minded here of the dangerons strayings of an unregenerate condition, Luk. 15. What man having an hundred sheep, whereof one strayed, &c. Isa. 53.6. All we like Sheep foreign of foreign to go forth foreign of subduing, because they are easily subdued. foreign to erre. 'foreign hence foreign to deny for sear. Mr. Pa…erhave gone astray. He finds that his Sheep by straying, looseth …asture, fleece, and life at last; that there is no safety out of his field, and flock; and then he wonders that ever he was sought, and found: and in lew of that mercy, he makes after the child, servant, or kinsman that is run from God, and uses all his art to reduce him. And it is observable, that the word for Sheep, both in Hebrew and Greek, signifies meekness and straying, the Lessons that the Husbandman would learn from them. But this is but a small part of what Jacob and David learned, and the Husbandman p. 162might and would learn from his Sheep, but that the Shepheard hath taken them out of his hand, who having no other Book to learn in, surely, learns the more in this.

5. The fifth lcsson the Husbandman doth learn is, from his very Swine; In whom he beholds the filthiness of a sinner, whom Christ himself calls no less Math. 7.7. Cast not Pearls before Swine. The Husbandman observes, that all the stndy and care the Swine takes, is for his belly, to satisfie his brutish appetite: He works not as the Ox, brings no fleece as the Sheep, nor milk as the kine; All he does is to fill his belly. And this teaches him to dislike that disposition of sensual sinners, whose only study is to eat, and drink, and feed their lusts. If it be a hateful quality in the Swine, it cannot be lovely in any man, but much more hateful: And therefore he resolves to eat that he may live, and that for God; and not to live, that he may eat. And more particularly, he learns from the Swine the danger of relapse into a course of sin, and the difficulty of leaving sin, till the nature be changed. The Proverb is known, 2 Pet. 2.22. The Sow that was washed is turned to her wallowing in the mire. How sadly and truely doth this set out the unregenerate sinner. He comes to the means of grace, and those showers do wash him; he comes among good company, (the Swine may get into the Parlour,) and that smooths him again. Restraining grace pins him up; but after all, his filthy p. 163Swinish nature remains, and the next puddle he comes to, he wallows in it again. O the endless labour that out God hath with us, before we be clean! And alas the worst filth is sweet, in comparison of sin, for that's the Devils excrements, and so most abominable; if our spiritual senses were exercised to discern good and evil. It were better to tumble in the sink, than in thy filthy sins. A Swine is a cleanly creature to a filthy sinner. Admire then the grace and goodness of God that hath chang'd thy nature: And of a Swine made thee a son. And beware thou come no more into the mire, lest instead of being cleansing in the blood of Christ, thou perish in thine own.

SECT. IV.§. 4.

IV. THe fourth Book wherein the Husbandman Lessons from his Orchard.may learn something for his soul, is from his Orchard. The word in the Hebrew for a Grove of Trees signifies also contemplation, foreign a Grove, of foreign to behold or contemplate. Mr. Pag.as if a man should never go among his Trees without some contemplation. And here in general, when he comes into his Orchard, he remembers Paradise, where he in Adam did once enjoy God, and where by eating the forbidden fruit he lost him! And this comes in well to qualifie that delight, he takes among his Trees. It is said that our Father Adam did never look towards Eden, p. 164the Paradise whence he was cast, without a tear; to think of the happiness he had lost, and the evil he had committed. However, the Husbandman hath many an aking heart here, upon the sad remembrance of his sin and fall, and thereupon he examines, whether the guilt of that sin be pardoned to him, and whether the heart and strength of it be broken in him. But the more particular Lessons he learns in his Orchard are.

1. From the variety and kinds of Trees and the fruits thereof. He observes the diversity, and choice of Christians, and of their graces shadow'd out in that Cant. 4.13. Thy plants are an Orchard of Pomgranates, with pleasant fruits, Camphire with Spikenard, Spikenard and Saffron, Calamus and Cynamon, with all Trecs of Frankincense, Myrrh and Aloes., with all the cheif spices. Here's Christs Orchard; every Tree a Saint, and every Saint variety of sweet tasting and sweet smelling graces. Ah Lord, sayes the Husbandman, what plenty is here for me, but what scarcity have I for thee? What a brave sight is a fair Orchard with well-ordered Trees, and each filled with fruit? How much fairer a sight is a congregation of fruit-bearing Saints, that bear the fruits and Spices that God loves? What delight doth the Husbandman take in his Orchard; and O what delight would your God take, to walk with you in your houses, and to walk among us here in this house, if every Seat here were filled with a row of fruitfull p. 165Trees! he would pluck our ripe fruits and graces, and take them to Heaven with him: he would prune and purge us, that we might bring forth more fruit. And what, must young Trees and others, that bear nothing, be cast into the fire? Nay the Husbandman waits upon them with patience, and suffers many a Tree that beares nothing grow in hopes; but if no industry or patience will cure them, then up they go, and to the fire. And so doth God bear with young ones in hopes, and looks for little service from little ones, and fences and waters many a Tree, that yet brings no fruit; but this is in hope, that their after-diligence will pay for all. But if a man promise little, he comes as Luk. 13.7. Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none, cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? How near thou hast been to stocking up, none knows but God and Christ, who hath diverted the blow many a long day. But if no course will make them fruitful, then the ax is laid to the root of the Tree, and every Tree that bringeth not forth fruit, shall be hewn, down and cast into the fire. They which are not good for fruit, shall be good for fuell. By the leaning of the Tree, he knowes which way it will fall; and by the leaning of his own heart towards Heaven, he trusts it will fall thither.

But especially the Husbandman in his Orchard thinkes of Christ and his sweetness, Cant. 2.3. As the Apple Tree among the Trees of the p. 166Wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my tast. All the Trees of the Wood must give place to the Apple: And all creatures must stand aloof from Christ. His shade and fruit are both sweet. O what a treasure, thinks the Husbandman, have I of my Saviour! and thereupon he tasts this Apple of Paradise; and as by an Apple, death came into the world, so by this Celestial Apple, he recovers life again. O the solace the poor Husbandman hath under Christ's shadow in an Ordinance! O the sweetness he tastes from his spirit! And so he returns into his house full of Christ, and earnestly pressing him upon others.

2. The second lesson the Husbandman learns in his Orchard, is from the Planting of his Trees, and hereby he understands the Nature af regeneration, Rom. 6.5. For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death. He sees the Crab-Tree stock must be cut off, and then into it, must the Scion be ingraffed and inoculated, before it can be an Apple in his Orchard: Whereby the Husbandman learns, that the old man in him, though it cannot be stockt up by the rootes in this life, yet it must be cut off by compunction, humiliation, and mortification; and the new man ingraffed into his heart by vivification, faith, and renovation: Whereby he concludes, I must live in another, if I would live for ever, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified p. 167with Christ: Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ that lives in me. As if the Crab-Tree stock should cry out, I am cut off; yet I live, but not I, but the Scion that is planted in me. Old Adam cryes, I am wounded and killed, nevertheless I live; yet not I now, but Jesus Christ, the second Adam, lives in me. And he sees, that till this work of ingraffing be over, no fruits are to be seen but Crabs. And thence he gathers, that till that change be wrought within, no man can bring forth fruit acceptable unto God: All his best works are but meer Crabs; or the fruit cannot be better then the Tree; and therefore he is restless, till this work be done in him; He reads, he inquires, he prayes, he hears, he is never quiet, until he also be renewed in the spirit of his mind, and be made like that Tree, Jerem. 17.8. planted by the waters, whose leaf shall be green, neither shall it cease from yielding fruit.

3. The third Lesson the Husbandman learnes in his Orchard is, from the Pruning of the Trees; And there he learns the danger of prosperity, and the Mercy of crosses. He sees that when there are too many branches, there is too little fruit; and where the top is too big for the root, there's danger of being wind-fallen. And this he considers well, and receives instruction. He likewise hath found, that the pruning of the Tree hath usually made it better, and that which seemed to hurt it, hath helped afterward. And the Lord p. 168hereby teacheth him the danger of abundance, and the blessing of the Cross. He learns that an high estate is more dangerous, and less fruitful than a mean; That i… God had suffered him to grow bulky, it would have been worse for his soul. He sees that pruning is as needful as fencing, and therefore can bless God, when he takes away a Cow, as well as when he sends him a Calf. When Flesh and Blood cryes, O I am cut, I bleed, I am undone, Faith sings, Blessed be the name of the Lord. Any man can say, when the Lord gives, blessed be God; but to say from the very heart, Blessed be God, when he takes away; that a good man only can say: yea one that feels real benefit in his soul by his losses, he knowes his Heavenly Physician takes no blood from him, but what was pu…rid, and did him hurt; lop'd off no branches, but what were suckers, and did run away with that sap, which would have produced fruit: and thereupon he is, in cold blood, humbly content, and thankful, for that which others fret at, and get nothing. Nay, if God prune off a child, that lay nearer his heart than Christ, or than it ought, he is dumb, he opens not his mouth, knowing, that God hath done nothing without reason, which he hath done: And concludes, All's for good, first or last. He hath read that Isa. 5.6. and considered it well, where God threatens his vineyard, it shall not he prun'd nor, dig'd; and the next news is, thereshall come up bryars and thorns, p. 169…nd the cloudes shall rain no more upon it. Therefore our wise Husbandman is afraid of …rosperity, as others are of troubles; and welcomes crosses as kindly as others do benefits.

4. The fourth lesson the Husbandman …arns in his Orchard is, from the harmless Choristers there; I mean the Birds, that are singing there. And from thence he learns.

1. Chearful dependance on God. For he sees the poor Birds of the Aire, Aves canoros garrulae fundunt sonos Et semper aures cantibus mulcent su….when they have broke their fast, know not where they shall sup, and yet they sing, and fly abroad without a carking thought, and find meat in due season at the hand of God, Math. 6.26. Behold the Fowles of the Aire, for they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into Barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better then they? How merry are they with a little! and why should I be sad that have much more? Are these so sweetly provided for, that neither sow nor reap? Much more may I trust in God, that both sow and reap: Can they sing and rely on providence, that have no Barns of their own? How much more may I rest in the Lord, and bless his name, that have Barns, and something in them? Shall they sing among the branches, Psal. 104.12. And shall I pule and pine among my children? They can take a time p. 170to provide, and a time to sing; should not I finda time then, to praise God each day, as well as a time to provide for my self? Yea,

2. The Husbandman hence takes incouragement to prayer. He observes, that the eyes of all wart upon God, and he satisfies the desire of every living thing, Psal. 145.16. And thereupon he grounds some hopes, that God will satisfie his desire, especially when he perceives that God gives an ear to the Ravens, when they cry, Psal. 147.9. Now sayes he, will God hear the Fowles of the Aire, when they cry, yea, even the Raven, that is an unreason… nable creature, an ††Levit. 11.13, 15.Lev 11:13Lev 11:15unclean creature, an unmerciful creature to other Birds, an inauspicate creature, a **Isa. 34.11.Isa 34:11very embleme of Gods, curse, that hath an hoarse voice, unapt of all others to move pity, nay, that cryes but implicitely, and not directly to God: Then why may not my Gracious God hear me, though I be ignorant, unclean, unable to pray, and want an heart to desire grace as I ought? Why may not God hear my implicite desires, when I can produce no better? I will beleive, I will pray, though I can but chatter like a Crane, though I can but cry like the Raven.

p. 171SECT. V.§. 5.

V. THe Fifth Book wherein the Husbandman Lessons from his Garden.may learn something for his Soul, is, from his Garden. And here let us consider what our Father Adam learn't there, no doubt Gardens are the purest of humane pleasures, the greatest refreshments of the spirits of man without which, building & Palaces are but gross handiworks. Bac. Essays. p. 266. foreign an herb, or a trumpet.a deal: Divines say, his knowledge of God was Natural, Revealed, and Acquired. He read God in the Creature: but the Husbandman hath the Text with an happy Comment, God in Christ. So that a Christian Husbandman may now converse with God, with great perspicuity, and advantage, and see him in every flower, in every herb in his garden. It is observed, that the word for an Herb in Hebrew, signifies a Trumpet; because the praise of God is sounded out to us by them. O what work may a good garden, and a good heart make! It's said, the reason wherefore Joseph of Arimathea, and others, made their Sepulchres in their Gardens, was, because there was their place of delectation, and there should be their place of meditation, and the same garden should be the comfort of this life, and the preparative to a better. In special:

1. The First Lesson the Husbandman learns in his Garden, is, from the Flowers thereof, I cannot say with that **Pagets Primmer. p. 28.Reverend Authour, that we may learn a whole Creed out of the 1Lilly but this I am sure, that in some one p. 172flower that's chequer'd with white and red the Husbandman may meet with the Obedience, Sufferings, and Sweetness of Christ al… together, who is that Rose of Sharon, and tha… Lilly of the Vallies, Cant. 2.1. If this sweetness be in these flowers, O what is there i… him, that infus'd it into them? And if a Garden be so ravishing, O what is Heaven! Th… Paradise of God, where the Tree of Life is … the midst of the Garden. And then, as the B… sucks somewhat out of every flower, so th… Husbandman squeezes some spiritual lesso… out of each flower into his soul. The Ros… teaches him the fading of his Beauty, that smiles one day, and withers the next, Psal. 103.15. The Lilly perswades him to Innocency, and to drop, by his gracious words, sweet smelling Myrrhe, Cant. 5.13. The Cammomil tells him, the more he is prest down with tryals and oppositions, he must grow the more. The Marigold guides him to open his heart, in compliance with the presence of Christ; and the Hysop minds him of Remission by his blood: Purge me with Hysop, and I shall be clean. And thus he gathers a blessed posie of heavenly thoughts, and puts them in his bosome, and both feeds his senses, and feasts his Soul by the same Creature.

2. The Second Lesson the Husbandman learns in his Garden, is, from the watering of his Garden. And thence he learns the benefit of Ordinances. He finds that his choicest flowers must have water, either by the hand p. 173of man, or from the hand of God, or else they wither. When the bottles of heaven fail, the flowers on the earth hang their head. And this clears it to him, That inherent Grace without auxiliary grace, will be green but a while. That the Soul lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. And this he finds by his constant Experience, that the work-dayes are the spreading time for his Grace, and the Lords day his storing time; and therefore he thinks the week long, and the Sabbath short, and in his heart cryes out, O when shall I come and appear before God? Alas! he knows, that a Garden without a fountain, or showers, will have beauty or fragrancy but a while: And even so, he feels his …bul to hunger for supplies from heaven, and the disappointment of an Ordinance, is a sensible want to him; and the enjoyment therefore doth manifest it self quickly, in his renewed beauty and vigour, Isa. 58.11. The Lord shall satisfie thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a water'd Garden. Here I have set my flowers, but they must have water: Here my gracious God hath planted the sweet flowers of his grace, and now I must see them watered. And though he be weary with his hard labour, yet up he rises early, and labours hard on the Sabbath, in the heavenly trade of Religion, and comes home at night glad and merry in heart, for the goodness of the Lord. His Garden is watered, and his Graces are revived.

p. 1743. The Third Lesson the Husbandman learns in his Garden, is, from the Weeds therein. He finds a little Garden hath many weeds; many kinds, and many of every kind; and they come up without planting, and spring much faster then herb or flower. He sees if care be not taken, they will over-top the flowers and herbs; and that it will co… both observation, and industry to pluck them up; and when at length, the Garden is rid of them, and is clean and fair, yet they will peep up, and spring again, and renew his trouble over again; and this endless business he hath with it, onelyonly the winter helps him, and pinches these weeds at the roots: but yet in the spring they revive again, and give him the same trouble he had the year before. And this teaches him the Difficulty of a clean heart, and the industrious life of a serious Christian. He finds his Garden within, as bad as his Garden without. What variety of sinful motions and affections are rising there? Divers, that he knows not whence, nor how they come. How speedily have some Lusts got a head? His pride hath sprung faster, than his Humility, by the half. His passion is at a great height, in comparison of his Patience. He wonders at the strange growth of his Corruptions, he concludes that without a speedy and effectual course, his Garden will be a Wilderness: and therefore, he awakens watchfulness, and falls to serious mortification, repentance, and reformation of his spiritual p. 175estate; he gets to his Knees, prayes, and weepes over his evil desires, pursues them into every corner, and at length hath a clean heart created in him, & hopes now all is well: The old man is dead and gone; but ere long he descryes that he was but asleep; his corruption returns and exercisesh im in the same trade, he was at before: Till some happy affliction comes, and that with Gods blessing, doth break its heart, and Death at length puts an end to this weary life. Faith is a Rose, that growes between two nettles, Presumption and Despair. And so Humility and Patience. Every Flower hath two weeds, two extreams about it, which are like to grow with them, but must not grow over them. And this is the good Husbandmans task. His Garden findes him work to weed as long as he lives.

4. The fourth Lesson that the Husbandman learnes in his Garden is, From his Bees. He sits down by his Bees, and sees their carriage. He observes, they are ever busie either fetching materials without, or working them within; they hate a droan: they seem to delight in their work, they grudg not to fulfil their place, they are most industrious in getting, most curious in keeping, and most provident in spending their wealth and provision. And hence again he learns Diligence in his calling, and so away he goes and imployes his strength most willingly therein; and repines no more at his lot: He is loth to p. 176be idle any time; if he be not lab…g wit… his hand, he is travelling in hi… …d; an… indeavours to be ever doing o… receivin… good. He invents, …nd finds imployment for every one in his family; and except infant that make work, he will have all the rest … some work or other, that there may be honey in the hive in winter, for them to li… upon. And this he doth in obedience unt… God. He resorts to his Bees at the next l… sure, and falls to his Book again. And there he takes notice, that the Bee gets somethi… out of every Flower, visits them for a litt… while, but dwells upon none; yea, the ve… weeds afford her something: but she re… no where, till she return to her Hive, the… is her place. And thence he learns the u… satisfaction of the creature, and that God an… Heaven are the only rest of the soul. It m… sometimes fly abroad in the world, but the… it extracts what spiritual sweetness will b… gotten from both Flowers and Weeds; but … cannot rest, till it return to the Ark, t… The Bee sucks honey from the blossoms, even of bitter Almonds: So should we suck sweet experience out of bitter afflictions.God alone, who is the Center and refuge … the soul.

The Husbandman is angry at himself, th… he cannot, as well as the Bee, suck some advantage out of the weeds of others evil example and actions, which he daily sees; but he … far from sucking poyson fron the objects … goodness. In a word, his Bees do feed hi… more and more constantly with sweet lesso… and instructions, than with their sweetest ho… ney.

p. 177SECT. VI.

VI. THe sixth Book wherein the Husbandman §. 6. Lessons from his House.learns something of God is, his House. And though he studies to be cheerful at home, and be too weary to learn much; yet he steals some notes, and gathers instructions now and then in his habitation, though he have no Study but the Fire-side. From the loving obedience of his Wife, he learns the like carriage to Jesus Christ, his heavenly Head and Husband. By the disobedience of his Children, he is minded of his own unto God his heavenly Father, and laments them with grief. The frowardness and follies he sees in them, do bring him to remember his own at their age, which otherwise he had forgotten; but their easie reconciliation after falling out, convinces and perswades him to be a child in Malice, though he would be a man in Understanding: nay, he admires at the Providence of God, that ties their infant tongues till they have some understanding, else many a foolish word would they speak. And by seeing their full dependance upon him for meat and clothes, and his readiness to give them what they want, he learns the like dependance upon God his heavenly Father for all, and trusts that he will much more give spiritual things to him, that humbly craves them of him.

p. 178By the readiness of his Servants, he is convinced into the like, to the commands of God; and often hath occasion to consider how much Gods service is beyond his. The heat of the Fire often preaches to him the intollerableness of that Fire that is never quenched. And being so comfortable in the Chimney, which would be dangerous in his Thatch, teaches him the excellency of true zeal in its place, and the danger of zeal when it is out. He observes few meats are good and wholesome without some heat from the fire; and thence gathers, that no duty or work is right good without some zeal therein. The fowlness of his Rooms do shew him what need his heart hath of cleansing; and each part of his furniture doth furnish him with some celestial lessons, each one worth all the estate he hath. But more especially,

1. From the Inconveniencies of his House he learns, the misery of his estate on earth. Here is my house, sayes he, but alas the room is strait, the air cold, the structure rotten, dirty without, and empty within. Thus all that is in this World is lame and imperfect; no profit without pain, no pleasure without sting, no honour without peril: vanity, and vexation of spirit, I find to be written, yea, intail'd on all sublunary things; now who would be fond on such a life! who would choose such a portion? If this be the World, give me Christ. One Christ is worth many Worlds. p. 179But then with these add the consideration of …in, that every day besets me; such an house, …nd such an heart; such miseries without, and …uch wickedness within; and then, who would live in such a World, that could get …irly out of it; or fall in love with Dirt and …weat that believes an Heaven, and hath any …itle to it? Thus all the Husbandmans In…onveniencies are mortifying; and make him …ery indifferent to live in a World that is so much his Stepmother; and he still looks up …nd cries, O when shall I come unto thee! He comes home weary, but this bears up his …pirit, That there remains a rest for the People …f God.

2. From the Conveniencies of his House he …earns, the blessedness of his estate in Heaven. Here is my comfortable habitation, neat …ooms, handsome furniture, healthful air, …leasant situation, my lines are fallen in plea…nt places, Praised be the Lord: but this is …ut a Tabernacle, not my setled place; an …arthly tabernacle, this house was made with …ands, but yonder above I have an house …ade without hands. These my Convenien…es are mixt, but there they are abstract and …ithout mixture. That house I am going to Great without Coldness, High without …anger, Full without Thronging, Rich with…ut Vanity, Ancient without Decay: no need … repairs, no danger of fire, no fear of being …t out. There shall I have my Children a…out me without crying, my Wife without p. 180sickness, my Servants without trouble, whe… there is eternal musick, eternal feasting, et… happiness. O that my work were do… that I might go yonder! This is but … Winter house, O yonder above is my Su… Parlour: yet a little while and I sh… inhabit (though most unworthy of it) as g… an house as my Landlord. My fine is paid … my Saviours blood, Possession is taken in … name by a sure Attourney; and the Rent … be nothing but blessing and praising the Go… of Heaven to eternity. Thousands are wai… ing to welcome me to house, Christ himse… will let me in; and but one life between … and a Palace. And now, what though I … and sweat here a while, when my Reversio… falls I shall live like an Angel; and then farewell my Plough and Cart, I shall sowe … thresh no more, my weary dayes and carefu… nights farewel: there's no husbandry … Heaven, there's the harvest of all my prayers where Christ shall be All in All. And the poo… Husbandman doth much comfort himself wil… these hopes. And we cannot better leave … than here, whither this Lesson hath brough… him. And this is the sixth point, to wit, … Lessons which the Husbandman may learn … his Calling.

Object. Perhaps you'l say, I can never léar… these things, I am weak and ignorant, how should I acquire these things?

Answ. Though thou art no Scholar, y… thou art Christs Scholar: and if there be …in p. 181a willing mind, thy work is half done. A dull Scholar with a skilful Master may make shift, Psal. 32.8. I will instruct and teach thee, I will guide thee with mine eye: nay, God hath particularly professed to help the Husbandman, …sa. 28.26. For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. Do but your best, keep open the eye of Faith to see things unseen, pray for skill, and fall to practise, and it will come. The sweetness will pay for the difficulty: he that turns Earth into Heaven, …hath an Heaven upon Earth. And so you have the sixth Head.