Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations,…

CHAP. IV.

Spent barren Land you can restore and nourish.¹

1. 1Upon the improvement of bad ground.

Decayed Christians God can cause to flourish.

OBSERVATION.

When Land is spent out by •illage, or for want of manuring, the careful husbandman hath many ways to recover and bring it in heart again. He lets it lye follow to give it rest, and time to recover it self, carries out his sand, lime and compost, to refresh and quicken it again, and in pasture and meadow ground, will wash it (if possible) with a current of water, or the float of the ways after a fall of rain, which is to the earth as a spring of new blood to a consumptive body. He cuts down and kills the weeds that suck it out, and cause them to make restitution of what they have purloined from it, by rotting upon the place where they grew. As careful are they to recover it when it is spent, as an honest Physician is of his patient in a languishing condition, for the knows his field will be as grateful to him, and fully requite his care and cast.

WHen Land is spent out by •illage, or for want of manuring, the careful husbandman hath many wayes to recover and bring it in heart again. He lets it lye follow to give it rest, and time to recover it self, carries out his sand, lime and compost, to refresh and quicken it again, and in pasture and medow ground, will wash it (if possible) with a current of water, or the float of the wayes after a fall of rain, which is to the earth as a spring of new blood to a consumptive body. He cuts down and kills the weeds that suck it out, and cause them to make restitution of what they have purloined from it, by rotting upon the place where they grew. As careful are they to recover it when it is spent, as an honest Physician is of his patient in a languishing condition, for the knows his field will be as grateful to him, and fully requite his care and cast.

APPLICATION.

AS man's, so God's Husbandry is sometimes out of case, not by yielding too many crops, but too few. The mystical Husbandman hath some fields (I mean particular societies and persons) who were once fragrant and fruitful like a field which God had blessed, but are now decayed and grown barren; whose gleanings formerly, were more than their vintage now; the things that are in them are ready to dye, Rev. 3. 3. 'Tis possible, yea, too common for gracious souls to be reduced to a very low ebb, both of graces and comforts; how low I will not say: Our British Divines tell us, That grace indeed cannot be totally intermitted;¹ nor finally lost; but there may be an omission of the act, though not an amission of the habit: the act may be perverted, though the faith cannot be subverted; it may be shaken in, though not shaken out; its fruits may fall, but its sap lies hid in its root; they demerit the loss of the kingdom, but lose it not effectively; the effect of justification may be suspended, but the state of the justified cannot be dissolved.

AS man's, so God's Husbandry is sometimes out of case, not by yielding too many crops, but too few. The mystical Husbandman hath some fields (I mean particular societies and persons) who were once fragrant and fruitful like a field which God had blessed, but are now decayed and grown barren; whose gleanings formerly, were more than their vintage now; the things that are in them are ready to dye, Rev. 3. 3. 'Tispossible, yea, too common for gracious souls to be reduced to a very low ebb, both of graces and comforts; how low I will not say: Our Brittish Divines tell us, That grace indeed cannot be totally intermitted;¹ nor finally lost; but there may be an omission of the act, though not an amission of the habit: the act may be perverted, though the faith cannot be subverted; it may be shaken in, though not shaken out; its fruits may fall, but its sap lyes hid in its root; they demerit the loss of the kingdom, but lose it not effectively; the effect of justification may be suspended, but the state of the justified cannot be dissloved.

1. 1Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur, nec finalitur amittit•r. How far true grace in a believer may fail. Actus omittitur, habit•s non amittitur. Actio pervertitur, sides non subvertitur. Concutitur, non excutitur. De•luit fructus, latet succus. Jus ad regnum amittunt demeritorie, non effective. Effectus justificationis suspenditur, at status justificati non dissolvitur,. Suff. Britt.Gratia nec totaliter intermittitur, nec finalitur amittit•r. How far true grace in a believer may fail. Actus omittitur, habit•s non amittitur. Actio pervertitur, sides non subvertitur. Concutitur, non excutitur. De•luit fructus, latet succus. Ius ad regnum amittunt demeritorie, non effective. Effectus justificationis suspenditur, at status justificati non dissolvitur,. Suff. Britt.

Certain it is, one that like Paul hath been rapt up with joy, even to the third heavens, and cried, I am more than a conqueror, who can separate me from the love of God? May at another time lye mourning as at the gates of death, crying, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? One that hath walked in sweet communion with God, sunning himself in the light of his countenance, may afterwards walk in darkness, and see no light, Isa. 50. 10. He that hath cast anchor within the veil, and rode securely in the peaceful harbour of assurance, may seem to feel his anchor ⟨p. 47⟩of hope come home to him, and go adrift into the stormy Ocean again, crying with the Church, Lam. 3. 18. My hope is perished from the Lord. His calm and clear Air may be overcast and clouded, yea filled with storms and tempests, lightnings and thunders; his graces, like under-ground flowers in the Winter, may all disappear, and hide their beautiful heads.

Certain it is, one that like Paul hath been rapt up with joy, even to the third heavens, and cryed, I am more than a conqueror, who can separate me from the love of God? May at another time lye mourning as at the gates of death, crying, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? One that hath walked in sweet communion with God, sunning himself in the light of his countenance, may afterwards walk in dark ness, and see no light, Isa. 50. 10. He that hath cast anchor within the vail, and rode securely in the peaceful harbour of assurance, may seem to feel his anchor ⟨p. 47⟩of hope come home to him, and go adrift into the stormy Ocean again, crying with the Church, Lam. 3. 18. My hope is perished from the Lord. His calm and clear Air may be overcast and clouded, yea filled with storms and tempests, lightnings and thunders; his graces, like under-ground flowers in the Winter, may all disappear, and hide their beautiful heads.

To God he may say, I am cast out of thy sight; I know thou canst do much, but wilt thou show wonders to the dead?

To God he may say, I am cast out of thy sight; I know thou canst do much, but wilt thou shew wonders to the dead?

To the Promises he may say, you are sweet things indeed, but what have I to do with you? I could once indeed rejoice in you, as my portion; but now I doubt I grasped a shadow, a fancy instead of you. To Saints he may say, turn away from me, labour not to comfort me, O do not spill your precious ointment of consolation upon my head, for what have I to do with comfort? to former experiences, he may say in his haft, you are all liars. To the light of God's countenance, he may say, farewell sweet light, I shall behold thee no more. To Sa•an, he may say, O mine enemy, thou ha•t at last prevailed against me, thou art stronger than I, and haft overcome, To duties and ordinances, he may say, where is the sweetness I once found in you? you were once sweeter to me than the honey comb; but now as tasteless, as the white of an egg. O sad relapse? deplored change! quantum mutatus ab illo?

To the Promises he may say, you are sweet things indeed, but what have I to do with you? I could once indeed rejoyce in you, as my portion; but now I doubt I grasped a shadow, a fancy instead of you. To Saints he may say, turn away from me, labour not to comfort me, O do not spill your precious ointment of consolation upon my head, for what have I to do with comfort? to former experiences, he may say in his haft, you are all lyars. To the light of God's countenance, he may say, farewell sweet light, I shall behold thee no more. To Sa•an, he may say, O mine enemy, thou ha•t at last prevailed against me, thou art stronger than I, and haft overcome, To duties and ordinances, he may say, where is the sweetness I once found in you? you were once sweeter to me than the hony comb; but now as tastless, as the white of an egg. O sad relaspe? deplored change! quantum mutatus ab illo?

But will God leave his poor creatures helpless in such a case as this? Shall their leaf fall, their branches wither, their joy, their life, their heart depart? will he see their graces fainting, their hopes gasping, the new creature panting, the things that are in them ready to dye, and will he not regard it? yes, yes, There is hope of a tree if it be cut down, and the root thereof wax old in the earth, yet by the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs, like a plant, Job 14. 89. This poor declined soul, as sad as it sits at the gates of hell, may rouse up it self at last, and say to Satan that stands triumphing over him, Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy, for though I fall, yet I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a ⟨p. 48⟩light unto me, Mich. 7. 8. He may raise up himself upon his bed of languishing for all this, and say to God, though thou hast chastened me sore, yet hast thou not given me over unto death. He may turn about to the Saints, that have mourned for him and with a lightsome countenance say, I shall not dye but live, and declare the works of the Lord. He may say to the Promises, you are the true and faithful sayings of God, my unbelief did belly you; I said in my hast you were liars, but I eat my words, I am ashamed of my folly. Surely, O Soul, there is yet hope in thine end, thou mayst be restored, Psal. 23. 3. Thou mayst yet recover thy verdure, and thy dew be as the dew of herbs. For,

But will God leave his poor creatures helpless in such a case as this? Shall their leaf fall, their branches wither, their joy, their life, their heart depart? will he see their graces fainting, their hopes gasping, the new creature panting, the things that are in them ready to dye, and will he not regard it? yes, yes, There is hope of a tree if it be cut down, and the root thereof wax old in the earth, yet by the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs, like a plant, Iob 14. 89. This poor declined soul, as sad as it sits at the gates of hell, may rouze up it self at last, and say to Satan that stands triumphing over him, Rejoyce not over me, O mine enemy, for though I fall, yet I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a ⟨p. 48⟩light unto me, Mich. 7. 8. He may raise up himself upon his bed of languishing for all this, and say to God, though thou hast chastened me sore, yet hast thou not given me over unto death. He may turn about to the Saints, that have mourned for him and with a lightsome countenance say, I shall not dye but live, and declare the works of the Lord. He may say to the Promises, you are the true and faithful sayings of God, my unbelief did bely you; I said in my hast you were lyars, but I eat my words, I am ashamed of my folly. Surely, O Soul, there is yet hope in thine end, thou mayst be restored, Psal. 23. 3. Thou mayst yet recover thy verdure, and thy dew be as the dew of herbs. For,

Is he not thy father, and a father •ull of compassions and bowels? And can a father stand by his dying Child, see his fainting fits, hear his melting groans, and pity begging looks; and not help him; especially having restoratives by him that can do it? Surely, as a father pities his own Children, so will thy God pity thee, Psal. 103. 12, 13. He Will spare thee, as a father spareth his own son that serves him, Mal. 3. 17. Hark, how his bowels yearn? I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, it not Ephraim my dear son? is he not a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, I will surely have mercy on him, Jer. 31. 20.

Is he not thy father, and a father •ull of compassions and bowels? And can a father stand by his dying Child, see his fainting fits, hear his melting groans, and pitty begging looks; and not help him; especially having restoratives by him that can do it? Surely, as a father pities his own Children, so will thy God pitty thee, Psal. 103. 12, 13. He Will spare thee, as a father spareth his own son that serves him, Mal. 3. 17. Heark, how his bowels yearn? I have surely heard Ephraim bem•aning himself, it not Ephraim my dear son? is he not a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, I will surely have mercy on him, Ier. 31. 20.

Doth he not know thy life would be altogether useless to him, if he should not restore thee? what service art thou fit to perform to him, in such a condition? Thy days will consume like smoke, whilst thy heart is smitten and withered like grass, Psal. 102. 3, 4. Thy months will be months of vanity, they will fly away and see no good, Job 7. 3. If he will but quicken thee again, then thou must call upon his name, Psal. 80. 18. but in a dead and languishing condition, thou art no more fit for any work of God, than a sick man is for manual labours; and surely he hath not put those precious and excellent graces of his Spirit within thee for nothing; they were planted there for fruit and service, and therefore doubtless he will revive thee again.

Doth he not know thy life would be altogether useless to him, if he should not restore thee? what service art thou fit to perform to him, in such a condition? Thy dayes will consume like smoak, whilst thy heart is smitten and withered like grass, Psal. 102. 3, 4. Thy months will be months of vanity, they will fly away and see no good, Iob 7. 3. If he will but quicken thee again, then thou must call upon his name, Psal. 80. 18. but in a dead and languishing condition, thou art no more fit for any work of God, than a sick man is for manual labours; and surely he hath not put those precious and excellent graces of his Spirit within thee for nothing; they were planted there for fruit and service, and therefore doubtless he will revive thee again.