Chapter 1: Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly… by John Flavel | AskReformation

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:289p. 18

Behold here the life of a serious Christian, shadowed forth to the life. As the life of a Husbandman, so the life of a Christian is no idle, or easy life. They that take up Religion for ostentation, and not for an occupation; and those that place the business of it in notions, and idle speculations, in forms, gestures, and external observances, may think, and call it so: but such as devote themselves unto it, and make Religion their business, will find it no easy work to exercise themselves to godliness. Many there are, that affect the reputation and sweet of it, who cannot endure the labour, and sweat of it. If men might be indulged to divide their hearts betwixt God and the World, or to cull out the cheap and easy duties of it, and neglect the more difficult and costly ones, it were an easy thing to be a Christian: but surely to have respect to all God's commandments, to live the life, as well as speak, the language of a Christian: to be holy in all manner of conversation, is not so easy. This will be evident, by comparing the life of a Christian, with the life of a Husbandman, in these five particulars: Wherein it▪ will appear that the work of a Christian, is by much the hardest work of the two.

BEhold here the life of a serious Christian, shadowed forth to the life. As the life of a Husbandman, so the life of a Christian is no idle, or easie life. They that take up Religion for ostentation, and not for an occupation; and those that place the business of it in notions, and idle speculations, in forms, gestures, and external observances, may think, and call it so: but such as devote themselves unto it, and make Religion their business, will find it no easie work to exercise themselves to godliness. Many there are, that affect the reputation and sweet of it, who cannot endure the labour, and sweat of it. If men might be indulged to divide their hearts betwixt God and the World, or to cull out the cheap and easie duties of it, and neglect the more difficult and costly ones, it were an easie thing to be a Christian: but surely to have respect to all God's commandments, to live the life, as well as speak, the language of a Christian: to be holy in all manner of conversation, is not so easie. This will be evident, by comparing the life of a Christian, with the life of a Husbandman, in these five particulars: Wherein it▪ will appear that the work of a Christian, is by much the hardest work of the two.

:291p. 19§1

You find in the Word, a world of work cut out for Christians; there's hearing work, praying work, reading, meditating, and self-examining work; it puts him also upon a constant watch over all the corruptions of his heart. Oh, what a world of work hath a Christian about them? For of them he may say, as the Historian doth of Hannibal, They are never quiet, whether conquering, or conquered. How many weak languishing graces hath he to recover, improve, and strengthen? There is a weak faith, a languishing love, dull and faint desires to be quickened and invigorated. And when all this is done, what a multitude of work do his several relations exact from him? he hath a world of business incumbent on him, as a parent, child, husband, wife, master, servant, or friend; yea, not only to friends, but enemies. And beside all this, how many difficult things are there to be born and suffered for Christ? and yet will not God allow his people in the neglect of any one of them: neither can he be a Christian that hath not respect to every command, and is not holy, in all manner of conversation, Psal. 119. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 11. every one of these duties, like the several spokes in a wheel come to bear in the whole round of a Christians conversation: so that he hath more work upon his hands than the Husbandman.

You find in the Word, a world of work cut out for Christians; there's hearing work, praying work, reading, meditating, and self-examining work; it puts him also upon a constant watch over all the corruptions of his heart. Oh, what a world of work hath a Christian about them? For of them he may say, as the Historian doth of Hannibal, They are never quiet, whether conquering, or conquered. How many weak languishing graces hath he to recover, improve, and strengthen? There is a weak faith, a languishing love, dull and faint desires to be quickned and invigorated. And when all this is done, what a multitude of work do his several relations exact from him? he hath a world of business incumbent on him, as a parent, child, husband, wife, master, servant, or friend; yea, not only to friends, but enemies. And beside all this, how many difficult things are there to be born and suffered for Christ? and yet will not God allow his people in the neglect of any one of them: neither can he be a Christian that hath not respect to every command, and is not holy, in all manner of conversation, Psal. 119. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 11. every one of these duties, like the several spokes in a wheel come to bear in the whole round of a Christians conversation: so that he hath more work upon his hands than the Husbandman.

:299p. 20–21§4

The Husbandman hath some resting days, when he throws aside all his work, and takes his recreation; but the Christian hath no resting day, till his dying day; and then he shall rest from his labours. Religion allows no idle days, but requires him to be always abounding in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58. When one duty is done, another calls for him; the Lord's day is a day of rest to the Husbandman; but no day in the week so laborious to the Christian. O 'tis a spending day to him. When he hath gathered in the crop of ⟨p. 21⟩one duty; he is not to sit down satisfied therewith, or say as that rich worldling did, Luke 12. 19. Soul take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years, but must to plough again, and count it well if the Vintage reach to the seed-time, Lev. 26. 5. I mean, if the strength, influence, and comforts of one duty, hold out to another duty; and that it may be so, and there be no room left for idleness, God hath appointed ejaculatory prayer, to fill up the intervals, betwixt stated and the more solemn duties. These are to keep in the fire, which kindled the morning, sacrifice, to kindle the evening sacrifice. When can the Christian sit down and say, now all my work is ended, I have nothing to do, without doors, or within?

The Husbandman hath some resting days, when he throws aside all his work, and takes his recreation; but the Christian hath no resting day, till his dying day; and then he shall rest from his labours. Religion allows no idle dayes, but requires him to be always abounding in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58. When one duty is done, another calls for him; the Lord's day is a day of rest to the Husbandman; but no day in the week so laborious to the Christian. O 'tis a spending day to him. When he hath gathered in the crop of ⟨p. 21⟩one duty; he is not to sit down satisfied therewith, or say as that rich worldling did, Luke 12. 19. Soul take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years, but must to plow again, and count it well if the Vintage reach to the seed-time, Lev. 26. 5. I mean, if the strength, influence, and comforts of one duty, hold out to another duty; and that it may be so, and there be no room left for idleness, God hath appointed ejaculatory prayer, to fill up the intervals, betwixt stated and the more solemn duties. These are to keep in the fire, which kindled the morning, sacrifice, to kindle the evening sacrifice. When can the Christian sit down and say, now all my work is ended, I have nothing to do, without doors, or within?

:304p. 22–23§3

How unlike a Christian dost thou also (O my soul) go about thy work;¹ though upright in the main, yet how little zeal and activity dost thou express in thy duties? Awake love and zeal, feest thou not the toil and pains men take for the world? how do they prevent the dawning of the day? and labour as in the very fire till night; and all this for a trifle! should not every drop of sweat which I see trickle from their brows, fetch (as it were) a drop of blood from my heart? who am thus convinced and reproved of shameful laziness, by their indefatigable diligence. Do they pant after the dust of the earth? Amos 2. 7. and shall not I pant after God? Psal. 42. 1. Ah, my soul! It was not wont to be so with thee, in the days of my first profession. Should I have had no more communion with God in duties then, it would have broken my heart: I should have been weary of my life. Is this a time for one to stand idle, who stands at the door of eternity? What, now slack-handed, when so near to my everlasting rest! Rom. 13. 11. or hast thou found the work of God so unpleasant to thee? Prov. 3. 17. or the trade of godliness so unprofitable? Psal. 19. 11. Or knowest thou not, that millions now in hell perished for want of serious diligence in Religion? Luke 13. 34. or doth my diligence for God, answer to that which Christ hath done and suffered, to purchase my happiness? or to the preparations he hath made in heaven for me? or dost thou forget that thy ⟨p. 23⟩Masters eye is always upon thee, whilst thou art lazing and loitering? or would the damned live at this rate, as I do, if their day of grace might be recalled? for shame (my soul) for shame! rouse up thy self, and fall to thy work, with a diligence answerable to the weight thereof: for it is no vain work concerning thee, it is thy life.

How unlike a Christian dost thou also (O my soul) go about thy work;¹ though upright in the main, yet how little zeal and activity dost thou express in thy duties? Awake love and zeal, feest thou not the toyl and pains men take for the world? how do they prevent the dawning of the day? and labour as in the very fire till night; and all this for a trifle! should not every drop of sweat which I see trickle from their brows, fetch (as it were) a drop of blood from my heart? who am thus convinced and reproved of shameful laziness, by their indefatigable diligence. Do they pant after the dust of the earth? Amos 2. 7. and shall not I pant after God? Psal. 42. 1. Ah, my soul! It was not wont to be so with thee, in the dayes of my first profession. Should I have had no more communion with God in duties then, it would have broken my heart: I should have been weary of my life. Is this a time for one to stand idle, who stands at the door of eternity? What, now slack-handed, when so neer to my everlasting rest! Rom. 13. 11. or hast thou found the work of God so unpleasant to thee? Prov. 3. 17. or the trade of godliness so unprofitable? Psal. 19. 11. Or knowest thou not, that millions now in hell perished for want of serious diligence in Religion? Luke 13. 34. or doth my diligence for God, answer to that which Christ hath done and suffered, to purchase my happiness? or to the preparations he hath made in heaven for me? or dost thou forget that thy ⟨p. 23⟩Masters eye is alwayes upon thee, whilst thou art lazing and loytering? or would the damned live at this rate, as I do, if their day of grace might be recalled? for shame (my soul) for shame! rouze up thy self, and fall to thy work, with a diligence answerable to the weight thereof: for it is no vain work concerning thee, it is thy life.

1The Reflection of a slothful Christian.