IT pleaseth God in speaking to men of their salvation, to use the terms of their vocation, to whom he speaketh. And there is no sort of men, but God speaketh unto them on manner. Therefore to Kings he speaketh, likening the kingdom of heaven to a King, making a marriage: to Merchants, likening the kingdom of heaven to a Pearl: and even to the baser sort, and them that are in the kitchen, when he likeneth it to Leaven, and Mustard seed: and when he speaketh to Husbandmen, he frameth his parable of the Sower; as Jerem. 4. when the Lord might have said plainly, Prepare your hearts, ye men of Judah and Jerusalem: but he rather speaketh unto them in the terms of their calling, that as ⟨p. 849⟩they are diligent and painful in matters of this life, so they might be painful in matters of their salvation, and that men might try themselves, whether their care of eternal life be answerable to their care of things concerning this life. And we must think that of what vocation he useth the terms to men, unto that vocation he specially speaketh. For example in many places of the Scripture, he speaketh of husbandry, that men by it might be drawn to think of better things. For when we go into our field, and behold our grounds, and find them that they are fruitful, and plentiful, and that even the valleys do so exceed with corn, that men sing for mirth, then every man must think thus with himself:1 Surely my Harvest is very plentiful, and my corn which I have sown yieldeth her increase with very great measure; Now am I as plentiful & fruitful an harvest unto God? Am not I rather a barren and dry ground, yielding no fruit? Surely, if our Harvest be fruitful unto us, and we which are Gods Harvest are not fruitful unto him, then our harvest shall condemn us. For the means of Husbandry, as Plough, Cart, &c. we are careful to have them, we bestow cost to repair them, and then must we thus think: See, I have all the instruments of my Harvest in very good order, have I the means of my salvation as well? If I have not, the very Harrow, and horses harness will accuse me. Thirdly, if we have a Tree, whereas we bestow cost to cut it, and to prune it, and because it bringeth forth no fruit, we say, if thou wilt not serve me for my taste, thou shalt serve me for building:
IT pleaseth God in speaking to men of their saluation, to vse the tearmes of their vocation, to whom he speaketh. And there is no sort of men, but God speaketh vnto them on manner. Therefore to Kings he speaketh, likening the kingdome of heauen to a King, making a mariage: to Merchants, likening the kingdome of heauen to a Pearle: and euen to the baser sort, and them that are in the kitchin, when he likeneth it to Leauen, and Mustard seede: and when hee speaketh to Husbandmen, he frameth his parable of the Sower; as Ierem. 4. when the Lord might haue said plainly, Prepare your hearts, yee men of Iudah and Ierusalem: but hee rather speaketh vnto them in the tearmes of their calling, that as ⟨p. 849⟩they are diligent and painfull in matters of this life, so they might be painfull in matters of their saluation, and that men might trie themselues, whether their care of eternall life bee answerable to their care of things concerning this life. And wee must thinke that of what vocation he vseth the termes to men, vnto that vocation he specially speaketh. For example in many places of the Scripture, he speaketh of husbandrie, that men by it might bee drawne to thinke of better things. For when wee goe into our fielde, and behold our grounds, and finde them that they are fruitfull, and plentifull, and that euen the vallyes doe so exceed with corne, that men sing for mirth, then euery man must think thus with himselfe:1 Surely my Haruest is very plentifull, and my corne which I haue sowne yeeldeth her increase with very great measure; Now am I as plentifull & fruitfull an haruest vnto God? Am not I rather a barren and drie ground, yeelding no fruite? Surely, if our Haruest be fruitfull vnto vs, and we which are Gods Haruest are not fruitful vnto him, then our haruest shall condemne vs. For the meanes of Husbandrie, as Plough, Cart, &c. we are carefull to haue them, wee bestow cost to repaire them, and then must we thus thinke: See, I haue all the instruments of my Haruest in very good order, haue I the meanes of my saluation as well? If I haue not, the very Harrowe, and horses harnesse will accuse mee. Thirdly, if we haue a Tree, whereas we bestow cost to cut it, and to prune it, and because it bringeth forth no fruite, we say, if thou wilt not serue me for my taste, thou shalt serue me for building:
- 1To stir up our own dry and barren hearts, considering and viewing the fruitfulness of the ground.To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts, considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground.
