CHAPTER 9. Upon Springing Weather after Seed-time.

 

By heaven's kind influence,

 

corn and plants do spring;

 

God's showers of grace do make his valleys sing.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 THE earth, after it is ploughed and sowed, must be watered and warmed with the dews and influences of heaven, or no fruit can be expected. If GOD do not open to you his good treasure, the heavens to give rain unto the land in its season, and bless all the work of your hands, the earth cannot -yield her increase. The order and dependence of natural causes in the productions of fruit, is excellently described:’1 I will bear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and wine, and oil, and they shall hear JEZREEL." (Hosea 2: 22.) JEZREEL must have corn, and wine, and oil, or they cannot live; they cannot have it, unless the earth bring it forth; the earth cannot bring it forth without the heavens; the heavens cannot yield a drop unless GOD hear them; that is, unlock and open them. Nature and natural causes are nothing else but the order in which GOD works. This some Heathens acknowledged, and therefore when they went to plough in the. morning, they did lay one hand upon the plough (to speak their own part to be painfulness) and hold up the other hand to CERES the goddess of corn, to show,. that their expectation of plenty was from their supposed deity. I fear many Christians lay both hands to the plough, and seldom lift up heart or hand to GOD, when about that work. There was an husbandman (says Mr. SMITH) that always sowed good seed, but never had good corn; at last, a neighbor came to him, and said,’ I will tell you what probably may be the cause of it; it may be (said he) you do not steep your seed.'‘ No truly,' said the other,' nor ever did I hear that seed must be steeped.'‘ Yes, surely,' said his neighbor,’ and I will tell you bow: It must be steeped in prayer.' When the party heard this, he thanked him for his counsel, reformed his fault, and had as good corn as any man whatsoever. Surely, it is not the husbandman's, but Gon's steps that drop fatness. The earth indeed is a fruitful mother, but the rain which fertilizes it, has no other Father-but GOD.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 As impossible it is (in an ordinary way) for souls to be made fruitful in grace and holiness, without the dews and, influences of ordinances, and the blessing of GOD upon them, as for the earth to yield her fruit without the natural influences of heaven; for what dews, showers, and clear shinings after rain are to the fields, that the word and ordinances of GOD are to the souls of men. " My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." (Deut. xxxii. 2.) " For as the rain and snow cometh down from heaven, and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud so shall my word be that go forth out of my mouth." (Isaiah 4: 1O, 11.) And as the doctrine of the Gospel is rain, so Gospel Ministers are the clouds in which those heavenly vapours are bound up. The resemblance lies in the following particulars.

 

 1. The rain comes from heaven: " He gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons." (Acts 14: 17.) The doctrine of the Gospel is also of an heavenly extraction, they are heavenly truths which are brought to you in earthen vessels, things that were hid in GOD, and come from his bosom. What NICODEMUS said of CHRIST, is in a proportion true of every faithful dispenser of the Gospel: " You art a Teacher come from GOD." You are not to look upon the truths which Ministers deliver, as the mere fruits of their inventions; they are but the conduits through. which those celestial waters are conveyed to you. It is all heavenly, the officers are from heaven.. (Eph. 4: 12.) Their doctrine is from heaven. (Eph. 3: 8, 9.) The efficacy and success of it are from heaven. (1 Cor: 3: 3.) " What I received of the LORD, (says PAUL,) that have I delivered unto you." (1 Cor. 11: 23.) The same may every Gospel Minister say too.

 

 2. There is a great deal of difference in the showers of rain that fall upon the earth. Sometimes you have an hasty shower, which makes the streets run, but it is gone presently, the earth has but little benefit by it; and sometimes you have a sweet, gentle rain, that moderately soaks to the root, and refreshes the earth abundantly. This is called the small rain, and the former, " the great rain of

 

THE HEAVENLY. USE OF EARTHLY THINGS. 199

 

his strength." So it is in these spiritual showers; the effects of some sermons (like a sudden spout of rain) are transient, that touch the heart a little for the present, by way of conviction or comfort, but it fleets away immediately. At other times the Gospel, like a settled moderate rain, soaks to the root, to the very heart. So did that sweet shower which fell, Acts 2: 37. It searched the root, it went to the heart; the influences of it are sometimes abiding, and longer remain in and refresh the heart, than the rain does the earth. There be effects left in some hearts, by some sermons and duties, that will never be out of it as long as they live.

 

 The rain is most beneficial to the earth, when there come sweet, warm sun-blasts with, or after it. This the Scripture calls, " a clear shining after rain," by which the’ seminal virtue of the earth is drawn forth; and then the herbs, and flowers, and corn sprout abundantly. So it is with- Gospelshowers, when the Sun of Righteousness opens upon poor souls under the word, darting down the beams of grace and love upon them, whilst they are attending on, it, just as you sometimes see a sweet shower fall while the sun shines out. O how comfortable is this, and effectual to melt the heart! And as the warm rain is most refreshing, so when the word comes warmly, from the "melting affections of the Preacher, who imparts not only the Gospel, but his own soul with it, (1 Thess. 2: 8,) this does abundantly more good than that which drops coldly from the lips of the unaffected speaker.

 

 3. Rain is necessary at seed-time, to make ready the earth, to receive the seed: " You visitest the earth, and waterest it;' you greatly enrichest it with the river of GOD, which is full of water; you preparest them corn, when you has so provided for it; you waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, you settest the furrows thereof, you makest it soft with showers, you blessest the springing thereof." (Psalm lxv. 9, 1O.) And this the Scripture calls "the former rain." And as this is necessary about seed-time, so the latter rain is as needful about caring-time, to disclose

 

the ear, and to bring it to perfection; both these are great blessings to the earth, and conduce to a plentiful harvest. u Be glad then, ye children of Sion, and rejoice in the LORD your GOD, for be has given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former and the latter rain in the first month, and the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fat shall overflow

 

with wine and oil," (Joel 2: 23.24.)

 

 Thus the Gospel has a double use and benefit also. It is necessary as the former rain at seed-time; it causes the first spring of grace in the heart; and there could be (in an ordinary way) no spring of grace without it. And as this former rain is necessary to cause the first spring of grace, so also it has the use of the latter rain to ripen those precious fruits of the SPIRIT in the souls of believers. " He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of CHRIST, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of GOD, to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST. (Ephes. 4: 11-13.)

 

 4. To conclude. The prayers of the saints are the keys that open and shut the natural clouds, and cause them either to give out or withhold their influences. " ELIAS was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months; and he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth fruit." (James 5: 18.) GOD has subjected the works of his hands to the prayers of his saints. (Isaiah xlv. 11.)

 

Prayer is also the golden key which opens these mystical Gospel-clouds, and dissolves them into gracious showers. GOD will have the whole work of the ministry carried on by the prayers of his people; they first obtain their Ministers by prayer: " Pray ye _the. LORD of the harvest, to send forth laborers into the vineyard." (Luke 10: 2.) It is by the help of prayer, that they are carried on, and enabled to exercise their ministry. They may tell their people, as a General once told his soldiers, That he flew upon their wings. " Pray for me, (says the great Apostle,) that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mysteries of the Gospel." (Eph. 6: 19.) - Yea, by the saints' prayers it is, that Ministers obtain the success and fruits of their labors. " Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.,, (2 Thess. 3: 1.)

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. Am I then a cloud, may the Gospel Minister say. And is my doctrine as rain to water the LORD's inheritance And yet do I think it much to be tossed up and down by the furious winds and storms of persecution Do I not see the clouds above me in continual motions and agitations And shall I dream of a fixed settled state No; false teachers, who are clouds without rain, are more likely to enjoy that than 1: Which of all the Prophets have not been tossed and hurried worse than I (Acts 7: 52.) - He that will not let men alone to be quiet in their lusts, must expect but little quiet in this life. But it is enough, LORD, that a rest remaineth for thy servant; let me be so wise to secure a rest to come, and not so vain to expect it on earth.

 

 2. And, O that I might study those instructing clouds, from which, as from the bottles of heaven, GOD pours down refreshing showers to satisfy the thirsty earth! In this may I resemble them, and come amongst the people of the LORD, "in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of CHRIST." (ROM. 15: 29.) O let not those thirsty souls, " that wait for me as for the rain, return like the troops of Tema, ashamed, with their heads covered!" (Job 6: 19 O that my lips may refresh many! Let me never be like those empty clouds, which deceive the hopes of thirsty

 

souls; but let my doctrine descend as the rain, and distil: as the dew, and let that plot of thine inheritance which you has assigned to me, be as a field which the LORD has blessed.

 

 3. Once more, lift up thine eyes to the clouds, and behold to how great an height the sun has mounted them, for by reason of their sublimity it is that they are called the clouds of heaven. LORD, let me be a cloud of heaven too! Let my heart and conversation be both there! Who is more advantaged for a heavenly life than I Heavenly t`1,ith1,gP *h&-Jrhi,prta •if_,a~; staub -, anILsball earthly, things be the objects of my delight and love GOD forbid that ever my earthly conversation should contradict my heavenly calling and profession. Shine forth, you glorious Sun of righteousness, and my heart shall quickly mount above these visible clouds, yea, and above the aspect able heavens.

 

 (1.) Is the Gospel rain, and its Ministers clouds, may those that want a Gospel ministry say. Woe is me then, that my habitation is upon the mountains of Gilboa, where there are no dews! Ah, sad lot, that I should be like GIDEoN's dry fleece, whilst the ground round about me is wet with the dew of heaven! O You that commandest the clouds above, and openest the windows of heaven, remember and refresh this parched wilderness wherein I live,. with showers of grace, that we may not be as the heath in the desert, which seeth not when good cometh, nor inhabit the parched places of the wilderness.

 

 (2.) O LORD, you has caused the heavens above me to be black with clouds, may those that enjoy a Gospel ministry say: You openest the celestial casements from above, and daily sendest down showers of Gospel blessings. O that I might be as the parched earth under them! not for barrenness, but for thirstiness. Let me say, " My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD." Does the spungy earth so greedily suck up the showers, and open as many mouths as there are clefts in it, to receive what the clouds dispense And shall those pre

 

cious soul-enriching showers fleet away unprofitably from me If so, then,

 

 (3.) What an account have I to make for all those Gospel blessings that I have enjoyed! For all those Gospel dews and showers wherewith I have been watered! Should I be found fruitless at last, it will fare better with the barren and uncultivated wilderness than with me; more tolerable for Indians and Barbarians that never heard the Gospel, than for me that have been so plenteously watered by it. Lord, what a difference wilt you put in the great day, -between simple and perfinacious -barrenness! Surely, if my root be not rottenness, such heavenly waterings and influences as these will make it sprout into fruits of obedience.

 

CHAPTER 10

 

Upon a Dearth through want of Rain.

 

If God restrain the showers, you mourn and cry;

 

Shall Saints not mourn when spiritual clouds are dry

 

OBSERVATION

 

 IT is deservedly accounted a sad judgment, when God shuts up the heavens over our heads, and makes the earth as brass under our feet. Then the husbandmen are called to mourning; all the fields languish, and the bellowing cattle are pined with thirst. Such a sad state the Prophet rhetorically describes: " The nobles have sent their little ones to the waters; they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty, they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads; because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the ploughmen were ashamed, they covered their heads." (Jer. 14: 3-6.) And that which makes the want of rain so terrible a judgment, is the famine of bread which necessarily follows these extraordinary droughts, and is one of the sorest temporal judgments which GOD inflicts upon the world.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 AND surely, as much cause have they to weep and tremble, over whose souls God shuts up the spiritual clouds of the Gospel, thereby sending a spiritual famine upon their souls. Such a judgment the LORD threatens in Amos viii. 11: " Behold the days come, says the LORD, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the LORD." The meaning is, I will send a more fearful judgment, than that of the famine of bread. Parallel to which is that text, "I will lay it waste, (says GOD, of the fruitless church,) it shall not be pruned nor digged, but there shall come up briars and thorns; I will also command the clouds, that they rain not upon it." (Isa. 5: 6.)

 

And we find both in human and sacred histories, that when GOD has shut up the spiritual clouds, removing or silencing his Ministers, sensible Christians have ever been deeply affected with it, and reckoned it a most tremendous judgment. Thus the Christians of Antioch, when CHRYSOSTOM, their Minister, was banished, judged it better to lose the sun out of the firmament, than lose their Minister. When the ark of GOD (which was the symbol of the Divine presence among the Jews) was taken, " all the city cried out." (1 Sam. 4: 13.) The loss of a Gospel ministry is an’ inestimable loss; not to be repaired but by its own return, or by heaven.

 

To let you see there is sufficient ground for sorrow, when GOD restrains the influences of the Gospel, solemnly consider the following particulars

 

 (1.) That it is a dreadful token of GOD'S' great anger against that people from whom he removes the Gospel. The anger of GOD was fearfully incensed against the church of Ephesus, when He did but threaten to come against her, and remove her candlestick out of its place.

 

(Rev. 2: 5.) It is a stroke at the soul, a blow at the root; usually the last, and therefore the worst of judgments. 2. The judgment will appear very heavy, if you consider the loss which GOD's own people sustain by the removal of the Gospel; for therein they lose,

 

 (1.) Their chief glory. (Rom. 3: 2.) The principal thing in which the peculiar glory of. Israel consisted, was this, " that unto them were committed the oracles of God." On that account it was called the. "glorious land." (Dan. 11: 16.) This made them greater than all the na

 

tions round about them. (Deut. 4: 7, 8.)

 

 (2.) By losing the ordinances, they lose their quickenings, comforts, and refreshments; for all these are sweet streams from the Gospel fountain. (Psalm cxix. 5O.) No wonder then to hear the people of God complain of dead hearts, when the Gospel is removed.

 

 (3.) In the loss of the Gospel they lose their defense and safety. This is their hedge, their wall of protection. (Isa. 5: 5.) Walls and hedges (says MUSCULUS in loc.) are the ordinances of GOD, which serve both to distinguish and to defend them. When GOD plucks up this hedge, and breaks down this wall, all mischiefs break in upon us presently. " Now for a long season Israel has been without, the true GOD, and without a teaching Priest, and without law.-And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries, and nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city; for God did vex. them with all adversity." (2 Chron. 15: 3, 4, 5, 6.) How long did Jerusalem remain, -after that voice was heard in the temple, Migremus hint:’ Let us be gone'

 

 (4.) With the Gospel, we lose our temporal enjoyments and comforts. These usually come and go with the Gospel. When GOD had once written LOAMMI upon Israel, the next news is this, " I will recover my wool and my flax." (Hosea 2: 9.)

 

 (5.) And lastly, To come up to the very case in hand, they lose with it their spiritual food and subsistence; for the Gospel is their " feast of fat things," (Isa. 25: 6,) their spiritual " wells,' (Isa. 12: 3,) a dole distributed among the LORD's poor. (Rom. 1: 11.) In a word; it is as the rain and dews of heaven, which being restrained, a spiritual famine necessarily follows; a famine of all the most terrible. Now, to show you the analogy between this and a temporal famine, take it in the following particulars:

 

 [1.] A famine is caused by the failing of bread, or that which is in the stead, and has the use of bread. Dainties and rarities may fail, and yet men may subsist comfortably. As long as people have bread and water, they will not famish; but take away bread once, and the spirit of man faileth. Upon this account bread is called a staff, (Psalm cv. 16,) because what a staff is to an aged or feeble man, that bread is to the faint and feeble spirits. And look what bread is to the natural spirits, that, and more than that, the word is to the gracious spirits. " I have esteemed the words of thy mouth, more than my necessary food." (Job 23: 12.) If once GOD break this staff, the inner man, that hidden man of the heart, will quickly begin to fail and faulter.

 

 [2.] It is not every scarcity of bread that makes a famine, but a general failing of it; when no bread is to be had, or that which is, yields no nutriment. For a famine may as well be occasioned by GOD's taking away the nourishing virtue of bread, as by taking away bread itself. (Isa. 3: 1.) And so it is in a spiritual famine, which is occasioned either by GOD's removing all the ordinances, and making vision utterly fail; or else, though there be preaching, prayer, and other ordinances left, yet the presence of GOD is not with them. There is no marrow in the bone, no milk in the breast; and so it is all one, as if there were no such things.

 

 [3.] In a corporeal famine, mean and coarse things become sweet and pleasant. That which before you would have thrown to your dogs, now goes down pleasantly with yourselves. " To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." (Prov. 27: 7.) It is the Dutch proverb, and a very true one,’ Hunger is the best cook.'

 

 It is storied of ARTAXERXES, that when he was flying before his enemies, he fed hungrily upon barley-bread, and said, O what pleasure have I hitherto been ignorant of! When great DARius drank the puddledwater, that had been defiled with dead carcases, he professed he never drank more pleasant drink. And famous HuNNIADES said, he never fared more daintily, than when (in a like exigence) he supped upon bread, onions, and water, with a poor shepherd in his cottage.

 

 Just so does the famine of the word raise the esteem of vulgar and despised truths. O what would we give for one of those sermons, one of those Sabbaths, we formerly enjoyed! " In those days the word of the LORD was precious." When GOD calls to the enemy to take away his contemned, but precious dainties, from his wanton children, and a spiritual famine has a little pinched them, they will then learn to prize their spiritual food at a higher rate.

 

 [4] Lastly, In time of famine there is nothing so costly or precious, but people will part with it to purchase bread. -" They have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve their souls." (Lam. 1: 11.) And doubtless when a spiritual famine shall pinch hard, those that have been close-handed to maintain a Gospel-ministry, will account it a choice mercy to enjoy them again at any rate. " Though the LORD feed you with the bread of adversity, and give you the waters of affliction, yet" it will sweeten that bread and water to you, if " your teachers be no more removed into corners." (Isaiah 30: 2O.)

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. Is the famine of the word such a fearful judgment, may the ungrateful soul say. Then LORD pardon my unthankfulness, for the plentiful and long-continued enjoyment of Such an invaluable mercy. How lightly have I esteemed the great things of the Gospel! O that with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, I might bless the LORD that ever I was brought forth in an age of so much light! In a valley of visions! In a land flowing with Gospel-mercies!’ has not GOD made of one blood all the nations of men, to dwell on the face of the earth And determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17: 26.) Many of these great and populous nations are involved in gross darkness. Now that of all the several ages of the world, and places in it, GOD should espy the best place for me, and bring me forth into it, in such a happy time as can hardly be paralleled in history, for the plenty of Gospel-mercies; that my mother did not bring me forth in the deserts of Arabia, or the wastes of America, but in England, where GOD has made the Sun of the Gospel to stand still, as the natural sun did over Gibeon; and that such a mercy should no more affect my soul; let shame cover my face for this, and trembling seize my heart!

 

 2. But is the Gospel indeed' departed, may the deprived Christian say.. Its sweet influences restrained And a famine worse than that of bread come upon us “Alas! for the day; for it is a great day, so that none is like it; it is even the day of JACOB'S trouble." Woe is me, that ever I should survive the Gospel, and the precious liberties and mercies of it! What horrid sins have been harboured amongst us, for which the LORD contends by such an unparalleled judgment! LORD, let me justify thee even in this severe dispensation. The provocations of thy sons and of thy daughters have been very great; and amongst them none greater than mine. May we not this day read our sin in our punishment O what nice and wanton appetites, what curious and itching ears had thy people in the days of plenty! Methods, tones, and gestures, were more regarded than the excellent treasures of divine truths. Ah, my soul! I remember my fault this day. Little did I then consider, that sermons work not upon hearts, as they are elegant, but as they are instruments in the hand of GOD appointed to such an end. Even as AUGUSTINE said of the conduits of water, though one be in the shape of an angel, another of a beast, the water refreshes as it is water, and not as it comes from such a conduit.

 

But this also, O LORD, you rebukest the supineness and formality of thy people. How drowsy, dull and careless have they been under the most excellent and quickening means! Few more than I. Alas! I have often presented my body before the LORD in ordinances; but my soul has been wandering abroad. I should have come from under every sermon, as a sheet comes from the press, with all the lively impressions of the truths I heard upon my heart: But alas, if it had been demanded of me, as once it was of ARISTOTLE, after a long and curious oration, how he liked it, I might have answered as he did, Truly I did not, hear it; for I was all the while minding another matter. Righteous art You, O LORD, in all that is come upon us.

 

CHAPTER 11

 

Upon the Corruption of the Seed before it spring.

 

Seeds die and rot, and then most fresh appear;

 

Saints' bodies rise more orient than they were.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 AFTER the seed is committed to the earth, it seems to perish and die, as our SAVIOR speaks: " Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit." (John 12: 24.) The death of the corn in the earth is not a total death, but only the alteration of it: For if once the seminal life and virtue’ of it were quite extinguished, it could never put forth blade or ear without a miracle: Yet, because that alteration is a kind of death, therefore CHRIST uses it as a fit illustration of the resurrection. And indeed there is nothing in nature more apt to illustrate that great mystery. What a fragrant, green and beautiful blade do we see spring up, from a corrupted seed! How black and mouldy is that! How beautiful and verdant is this!

 

APPLICATION.

 

 EVEN thus shall the bodies of the saints arise in beauty and glory at the resurrection. " They are sown in dishonor, they are raised in glory; they are sown natural bodies, they are raised spiritual bodies." The husbandman knows, that though the seed rot in the earth, yet it will rise again. And the believer knows, " that though after his skin worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh he shall see GOD." And the resemblance between the seed sown, and springing up; and the bodies of the saints dying, and rising again, lies in these particulars:

 

 1. The seed is committed to the earth from whence it came; so is the body of a saint: Earth it was, and to earth it is again resolved. Grace exempts not the body of the best man from seeing corruption. Though CHRIST be in him, yet OO the body is dead," that is, sentenced to death, " because of sin. It is appointed for all men once to die."

 

 2. When the time is come for shooting up, the earth that covered it can hide it no longer, it cannot keep it down a day more; it will find or make a way through the clods: So in that day when the great trump shall sound, bone shall come to his bone, and the graves shall not be able to hold them a minute longer. Both sea and earth must render the dead that are in them.

 

 3. When the seed appears above ground again, it appears much more fresh than when it was cast into the earth. GOD clothes it with such beauty, that it is not like what it was before. Thus rise the bodies of the saints, marvelously improved, beautified, and perfected with spiritual qualities and rich endowments; in- respect whereof they are called spiritual bodies (1 Cor. 15: 43:) For as spirits subsist without food, raiment, sleep, know no weariness or pain so our bodies after the resurrection shall be above those necessities and distempers; for we shall be as the angels of GOD. Yea, u our vile bodies shall be changed, and made like unto CHRIST'S glorious body;" which is the highest pitch and ascent of glory and honor, that a human body is capable of. Indeed the glory of the soul shall be the greatest glory: That is, the invaluable gem; but GOD will bestow a distinct glory upon the body, and richly enamel the very case in which that precious jewel shall be kept. In that glorious morning of the resurrection, the saints shall put on their new fresh suits of flesh, richly laid and trimmed with glory. Those bodies which in the grave were but dust and rottenness, when it delivers them back again, shall be shining and excellent, everlastingly freed,

 

 (1.) From all natural infirmities and distempers: Death is their good Physician, which at once frees them of all diseases. It is a great affliction now to many of the LORD'S people, to be clogged with so many bodily infirmities. " The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." A crazy body retorts and shoots back its distempers upon the soul, with which,it is so closely conjoined; but though now the soul (as THEOPHRASTUS speaks) pays a dear rent for the tabernacle in which it dwells, yet when death dissolves that tabernacle, all the diseases and pains under which it groaned, shall be -buried in the rubbish of its mortality; and when they come to be re-united, GOD will bestow rich gifts and dowries, even upon the body, in the day of its re-espousals.

 

 (2.) It shall be freed from all deformities; there are no breaches, flaws, monstrosities in glorified bodies; but of them it may much rather be said, what was once said of ABSALOM, "That from the crown of his head, to the sole of his foot, there was no blemish in him." (2 Sam. 14: 25.)

 

 (3.) It shall be freed from all natural necessities, to which it is now subjected in this its animal state. How is the soul now disquieted with cares and troubles, to provide for a perishing body! " But meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; GOD shall destroy both it and them:" (1 Cor. 6: 13:) That is, as to their present office.

 

 (4.) They shall be freed from death, to which henceforth they can be subject no more; that formidable adversary of nature shall assault it no more. 4' For they that shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more: For they shall be equal to the angels, and are the children of GOD, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 20: 35, 36.) Mark it, (equal to the angels,) not that they shall be single spirits, without bodies; but equal to them in the way and manner of their living and acting. We shall then live upon GOD, and act freely, purely, and delightfully for GOD; for all kinds of living upon the creatures, seem in that text to be excluded. Nothing but GOD shall enamour and fill the soul, and the body shall be perfectly subdued to the spirit. LORD, what has you prepared for them that love thee!

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. IF I shall receive my body again’o so dignified and improved in the world to come, then, LORD, let me never be unwilling to use it now for thy glory, or for my own salvation. Now, O my GOD, it grieves me to think how many precious opportunities of serving and honoring thee, I have lost under pretence of endangering my health.

 

 I have been more solicitous to live long and healthfully, than to live usefully and fruitfully; and like enough my life had been more serviceable to thee, if it had not been so fondly over-valued.

 

 Foolish soul, has GOD given thee a body for a living instrument And art you afraid to use it Wherein is the mercy of having a body, if not in spending it in the service of GOD To have an active vigorous body, and not to employ it for GOD, for fear of endangering its health, is as if one should give thee a handsome and sprightly horse, upon condition you should not ride or work him. If some had enjoyed the blessing of such an healthy active body as mine, what excellent services would they have performed to GOD in it!

 

 Again, 2. If Iny body shall as surely rise again in glory,

 

as the seed I sow doth, why should not this comfort me over all the pains, weaknesses, and dullness with which my soul is clogged You knows, my GOD, what a grief it has been to my soul, to be fettered and entangled with the distempers of this vile body. It has made me sigh and say, with holy ANSELM, when he saw the mountain bird weighed down by the stone hanging at her leg, LORD, thus it fares with the soul of thy servant! Fain would I serve, glorify, and enjoy thee; but a distempered body will not let me. However, it is reviving to think, that though I am now forced to crawl like a worm in the discharge of my duties, I shall shortly fly like a seraph in the execution of thy will. Cheer up, drooping soul, the time is at hand, when you shall be made more willing than you art, and thy flesh not weak as it is now.

 

 3. And is it so indeed Then let the dying saint, like JACOB, rouse up himself upon his bed, and encourage himself against the fears of death by this refreshing consideration. Let him say, with holy dying MUSCULUS, Why tremblest You, O my soul, to go forth of this tabernacle, to the land of rest has thy body been such a pleasant habitation to thee, that you should be loath to part with it; and with assurance of receiving it again with such a glorious, improvement- I know, O my soul! that you have a natural inclination to this body, resulting from the dear and strict union which GOD himself has made between thee and it; but beware you love it not immoderately; it is but a creature, yea, a fading creature, and that which now stands in thy way to the full enjoyment of GOD. But say, why are the thoughts of parting with it so burdensome to thee Why so loath to take death by its cold hand Is this body thy old and dear friend True, but yet thou partest not with it upon such sad terms, as should deserve a tear at parting. For may you not say of this departure, as St. PAUL at the departure of ONESINIUS, " It therefore departeth for a season, that you may receive it forever" (Philemon 15.) The day of re-espousals will quickly come; and in the mean time, as thy body shall not be sensible of--the tedious length of interposing time, so neither shall you be solicitous about thine absent friend For the fruition of GOD in that thine unbodied state, shall fill the with infinite satisfaction.

 

 Or is it not so much simply for parting with it, as for the manner of thy parting, either by the slow and lingering approaches of a natural, or the quick and terrible approaches of a violent death Why, trouble not thyself about that; for if GOD lead thee through the long dark lane of a tedious sickness, yet at the end of it is thy Father's house. And for a violent death it is not so material, whether friends or enemies stand weeping or triumphing over thy dead body. When thy soul shall be in heaven, it will not be sensible how the body is used on earth.

 

CHAPTER 12

 

Upon the Dangers incident to

 

Corn from Seed-time to Harvest.

 

Fowls, weeds, and blastings do your corn annoy,

 

Even so corruptions would your grace destroy.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 THERE, are (amongst many others) three dangerous periods between the seed-time and harvest. The first, when corn is newly committed to the earth, all that lies uncovered is quickly picked up by the birds; and much of that which is but slightly covered, is destroyed as soon as it begins to sprout, by rooks and other devouring fowls; but if it escapes the fowls and gets root in the earth, yet then it is hazarded by noxious weeds, which suck away its nourishment, whilst it is yet in the tender blade. -If by the care of the vigilant husbandman, it be freed from choking weeds; yet lastly, as great a danger as any of the former still attends it; for often, whilst it is blowing in the ear, blastings and mildews smite it in the stalk, which cut off the juice and sap that should ascend to nourish the ear; and so shrivels and dries up the grain whilst it is yet immature, whereby it becomes like those ears of corn in PHARAOH'S vision, which were thin and blasted with the East wind: or like the ears the Psalmist speaks of upon the house-top, "wherewith the reaper filleth not his arms."

 

APPLICATION.

 

 TRUE grace from the infancy to the perfection thereof, conflicts with far greater dangers, amongst which it meets with three dangerous periods which marvelously hazard it So that it is a much greater wonder that it ever arrives at perfection. For,

 

 1. No sooner has the great Husbandman disseminated these holy seeds in the regenerate heart, but multitudes of impetuous corruptions immediately assault, and would certainly devour them like the fowls of the air, did not the same arm that sowed them, also protect them. It fares with grace, as with CHRIST its Author, whom HEROD sought to destroy in his very infancy.

 

As things are in their natures and principles, so they are in their operations and effects; fire and water are of contrary qualities, and when they meet, they effectively oppose each other. Sin and grace are so opposite, that if sin should cease to oppose grace, it would cease to be sin; and if grace should not oppose sin, it would cease to be grace. And this does much more endanger the work than any other enemy it has;. because it works against it more inwardly, constantly, and advantageously, than any thing else can do.

 

 (1.) More inwardly, for it has its being in the same soul where grace dwells; yea, in the self-same faculties, so that it not only sets one faculty against another, but the same faculty against itself, the understanding against the understanding, and the will against the will; if it cannot totally hinder the performance of a duty, yet it lames the soul upon the working hand, whereby the performance is not so spiritual, free, and composed, as it desires. (p) It opposes it more constantly; it is like a continual dropping; a man can no more fly from this enemy, than from himself. There is a time when the Devil leaves tempting; but no time when corruption ceases from working. And lastly, it opposes grace more advantageously than any other enemy can do, for it is not only always in the same soul with it, but it is there naturally; it has the advantage of the soil, which suits with it. And yet, O the wonder of free grace! it is not swallowed up in victory, it escapes this hazard. But, 2. It soon meets with another, though it escape this; even by temptations which strike at the very life of it; for these, like the weeds,, with seemingly loving embraces, clasp about it; and did not the faithful GOD now make a way to escape, instead of an harvest, we should have an heap. For, alas, what are we, to wrestle with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places

 

 Lastly, Sad relapses like blasts and rustings often fade, and greatly endanger it, when it is even ready for the harvest.

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 AND are the corruptions of my heart to grace, may the careless soul say, what fowls, weeds; and mildews are to the corn O what need have I then to watch my heart, arid keep it with all diligence; for in the life of that grace is wrapt up the life of, my soul. He that carries a candle in his hand in a stormy night, had need to cover it close, lest it be blown out, and he left in darkness. O let me never say, GOD has promised it shall persevere, and therefore I need not be so solicitous to preserve it; for as this inference is quite opposite to the nature of true grace and assurance, which never encourage carelessness, but provoke the soul to an industrious use of means to preserve it: So it is in itself an irrational and senseless conclusion, which will never follow from any Scripture premise.

 

 Let all doubting Christians reflect seriously upon this truth, and suck marrow and fatness out of it to strengthen them against all their fears; your life, your spiritual life, has for many years hanged in suspense before you; and you have often said with DAVID, " I shall one day fall by the hand of SAUL." Desponding, trembling soul, lift up thine eyes and look upon the fields, the corn lives still, and grows u[); though birds have watched to devour it, snows have covered it, beasts have cropped it, weeds have almost choked it, yet it is preserved. And has not GOD more care of that precious seed of his own SPIRIT in thee, than any husbandman has of his corn Have you not many times said, and thought of it, as you dost now, and yet it lives O what matter of unspeakable joy and comfort is this to upright souls! Well then, be not discouraged, for you dost not run as uncertainly, nor fight as one that beats the air. Though thy grace be weak, thy GOD is strong; though the stream seem sometimes to fail, yet it is fed by an ever-flowing fountain.

 

CHAPTER 13 Upon the Patience of the Husbandman far the Harvest.

 

Our husbandmen for harvest wait and stay,

 

O let not any saint do less than they

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 THE expectation of a good harvest at last, makes the husbandman with patience digest all his labors. He that ploughs, ploughs in hope; and they are not so irrational as td think, they shall presently be partakers of their hope, nor so foolish as to anticipate the harvest by cutting down the corn before it be fully ripened, but are content to plough, SOW, and weed it; and when it is fully ripe, then they go forth into the fields, and reap it down with joy.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 CAN a little corn cause men to digest so many labors, and make them wait with patience till the reaping come Much more should the expectation of eternal glory fortify my spirit against all difficulties. It least of all becomes a Christian to be of an hasty and impatient spirit. " Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright." (Psalm xcii. 11.) "Behold the husbandman waiteth. Be patient therefore, my brethren, for the coming of the Lord draws near." There are three great arguments to persuade Christians to a long-suffering and patient frame under sufferings.

 

 1. The example of CHRIST: To think how quietly he suffered all injuries and difficulties with invincible patience, is

 

sufficient to shame the best of Christians, who are of such

 

short spirits. To this purpose it was well noted by BERNARD, Was the LORD of glory thus emptied of his fulness And shall such a worm as I swell

 

 2. The desert of sin: " Why does a living man complain" (Lam. 3: 29.) It was a good saying of blessed GREENHAM: When sin lies heavy, affliction lies light. And it is a famous instance which DR. TAYLOR gives of the DUKE of CONDE; when the DUKE of CONDE had voluntarily entered into the incommodities of a religious poverty, he was one day spied and pitied by a Lord of Italy, who out of tenderness wished him to be more careful of his person; the good Duke answered,’ Sir, be not troubled, and think not that I am ill provided of conveniences, for I send a harbinger before me that makes ready my lodgings, and takes care that I be royally entertained.' The Lord asked him, who was his harbinger He answered,’The knowledge of myself, and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins; and when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodgings, bow unprovided soever I find it, methinks it is ever better than I deserve.' And as the sense of sin which merits hell, sweetens present difficulties; so (to come home to the present similitude) do the hopes of a blessed harvest and reward in heaven. This made ABRAHAM willing to wander up and down as a stranger in the world; for he looked for a city that has foundations, whose Builder and Maker is GOD. The hope of such a harvest is encouragement to work hard and wait long; yet some Christians are so impatient of it, that they would fain be reaping before the tine; but as GOD has by an unalterable law of nature, appointed both the seasons of seed-time and harvest; and when we have done all we can on our part, we must wait till GOD send the former and the latter rain, and give every natural cause its effect. So in reference to our spiritual harvest; we are appointed to use all GOD's appointments, and when we have- done all, must patiently wait till the time of the promise be fully come: " In due time we shall reap, if we faint not." To which. patient expectation, and quiet waiting for glory, the following considerations are of excellent use.

 

 1. As the husbandman knows when the seed-time is past, it will not be long to the harvest; and the longer he waits, the nearer still it is: So the Christian knows, " It is but yet a little while, -and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. And that now his salvation is nearer than when he first believed." (Rom. 13: 11.) What a small point of time is our waiting time, compared with eternity! Yet a few days more, and then comes the long-expected and welcome harvest.

 

 2. The husbandman can find other work to do, before the reaping time come; he need not stand idle, though he cannot yet reap: And cannot a Christian find any work to do for GOD, till he come to heaven O, there is much work to do, and such work as is only proper to this season. You may now reprove sin, exhort to duty, succor the distressed; this is good work, and this is your only time for such work; the whole of eternity will be taken up in other employments. " I think it meet [says Peter] as long as I am in this tabernacle,'to stir up your minds, knowing shortly that I must put off this tabernacle;" (2 Pet. 1: 13, 14;) as if he had said, I know I have but a little time to work among you, I am almost at heaven; and therefore am willing to husband this present moment as well as I can for you. O Christians! you need not stand idle; look round about you upon the multitude of forlorn sinners; speak now to them for GOD; speak now to GOD for them; for shortly you shall so speak no more, you shall see them no more till you see them at CHRIST's bar; GOD leaves you here for their sakes, up and be doing If you had done all you were to do for yourselves and them, he would have you to heaven immediately, you should not wait a moment longer for glory.._

 

 3. Husbandmen know, though they cannot yet gather in the precious fruits of the earth, yet all this while they are ripening for the harvest; they would not house it green, or take it before its time. And is not this also my preparation time for glory As GOD prepared heaven for his people, by an act of creation, by the death of CHRIST, which made a purchase of it, and by his ascension into it: So the reason why we are kept here, is in order to our fitting for it. Heaven is ready, but we are not fully ready; the barn is fit to receive the corn, but the corn is not fit to be gathered into it., " But for this self-same thing GOD is now working in us." (2 Cor. 5: 5.) He is every day at work, by ordinance and by providences, to perfect his work in us; and as. soon as that is finished, we shall hear a voice like that, " Come up hither," and immediately we shall be " in the SPIRIT;" (Rev. 11: 12;) for how ardently soever we long for that day, CHRIST longs for it more than we can do.

 

 4. The husbandman is glad of the first-fruits of that glory. Have you no earnests, pledges, and first-fruits of it It is your own fault, if every day you feed not upon such blessed comforts of the SPIRIT. (Rom. viii. 23; 5: 2; 1 Pet. viii. 9.) O' how might the interposing time, even all the days of your patience here, be sweetened with such prelibations of the glory to come!

 

 5. Husbandmen know it is best to reap, when it is fit to reap; one handful fully ripe is worth many sheaves of green corn. And you know, heaven will be sweetest to you, when you are fittest for it the child would pluck the apple while it is green; but he might gather it easier, and taste it sweeter, by tarrying longer for it. When we have got a taste of heaven, we are all in haste to be gone. Then, " O that I had wings as a dove! I would flee away and be at rest." Then we cry to GOD for ourselves, as MOSES did for his sister MIRIAM, " Heal her now, O GOD, I beseech thee." (Num. 12: 13.) Glorify me now, O LORD, I pray thee! But surely, as GOD has contrived thy glory in the best of ways, so he has appointed for thee the fittest of seasons and whenever you art gathered unto it, you shall come as a shock of corn in its season.

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 I HAVE waited for thy salvation, O GOD! Having received thy first-fruits, my soul longs to fill its bosom with the sheaves of glory. " As the hart panteth for the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul for thee, O GOD! O, when shall I come and appear before GOD I desire to be dissolved, and to be with CHRIST." When shall I, see that lovely face When shall I hear his transporting voice Some need patience to die, I need it to live! Thy sights,

 

 O GOD, by faith, have made this world a burden, this body a burden, and this -soul to cry like thirsty DAVID, " O that one would give me of the waters of Bethlehem to drink!" The husbandman longs for his harvest, because it is the reward of his toil and labor; but what is his harvest to mine What is a little corn to the enjoyment of GOD What is the joy of harvest to the joy of heaven What are the shoutings of men in the fields, to the acclamations of glorified spirits in the kingdom of GOD LORD, I have gone forth bearing more precious seed than they; when,shall I return rejoicing, bringing my sheaves with me Their harvest comes when they receive their corn, mine comes when I leave it. O much desired harvest! O day of the gladness of my heart! How long, LORD! How long'! Here I wait as the poor man at the pool, looking when my turn will come, but every one steps into heaven before me; yet Lord, I am content to wait till my time be fully'come. I would be content to stay for my glorification, till I have finished the work of my generation; and when I have done the will of GOD, then to receive the promise. If you has any work on earth to use me in, I am content to abide: Behold the husbandman waiteth, and so will I; for you art a GOD of judgment, and blessed are they that wait for thee.

 

 But how does my slothful soul sink down in the flesh, (may some say,) and settle in the love of this animal life! How does it hug and wrap up itself in the garment of this mortality, not desiring to be removed hence, to the more perfect and blessed state! The husbandman indeed is content to stay till the appointed weeks of the harvest; but would he be content to wait always O my sensual heart! Is this life of hope as contentful to thee as the life of vision will be Why dost you not groan within thyself, that this mortality might be swallowed up of life Does not the Scripture describe the saints by their "earnest looking for the mercy, of our LORD JESUS unto eternal life" (Jude 21.) " By their hastening unto the coming of the day of GOD" (2 Pet. 3: 13.) What is the matter that my heart hangs back Does guilt he upon my conscience Or have I gotten into a pleasant condition in the world, which makes me say as PETER on the mount, "It is good to be here" Must GOD make all my earthly comforts die, before I shall be willing to die Awake, faith, awake, my love; beat up the drowsy desires of my soul, that I may say, Make haste, my Beloved, and come away!

 

CHAPTER 14 Upon the Harvest Season.

 

Corn fully ripe is reaped and gathered in;

 

So must your souls, when ripe in grace or sin.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 WHEN the fields are white to harvest, then the husbandmen walk through them; and finding the grain full and solid, they presently prepare their sickles, send for their harvest-men, who quickly reap them down, and after these follow the binders, who tie it up; from the field where it grew it is carried to the barn, where it is thrashed out; the good grain gathered into an heap, the chaff separated and burnt, or thrown to the dunghill. How bare and naked do the fields look after harvest, which before were pleasant to behold! When the harvest-men enter into the field, it is (to allude to that of Joel 2: 3) " before them like the Garden of Eden, and behind them a desolate wilderness;" and in some places it is usual to set fire to the dry stubble, when the corn is housed, which rages furiously, and covers all with ashes.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 THE application of this I find made to my hands by CHRIST himself. " The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the Devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels." (Matt. 13: 38, 39.)

 

 The field is the world; there both the godly and ungodly live and grow together, till they be both ripe, and then they shall both be reaped down by death; death is the sickle that reaps down both. I will open this allegory in the following particulars

 

 1. In a catching harvest, when the husbandman sees the clouds begin to-gather and grow black, he hurries in his corn with all possible haste, and houses day and night. So does GOD the great Husbandman: He hurries believers into their graves, when judgments are coming upon the world. " The righteous perish, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." (Isa. Mi. 1.) METHUSELAH died the year before the flood; AucusTINE, a little before the sacking of Hippo; PARAUS, just before the taking of Heidelberg; LUTHER, a little before the wars brake out in Germany; but what speak I of single saints Sometimes the LORD houses great numbers together, before some sweeping judgment comes. How many bright and glorious stars did set almost together, within the compass of a few years, to the astonishment of many wise and tender hearts in England! The LORD sees it better for them to be under ground than above ground, and therefore by a merciful Providence sets them out of harm's way.

 

 2. Neither the corn, or tares, can possibly resist the keen sickle, when it is applied to them by the reaper's hand; neither can the godly or ungodly resist the stroke of death when GOD inflicts it. " No man can keep alive his own soul in the day of death, and there is no discharge in that war." (Eccles. viii. 8.) The frail body of man is as unable to withstand that stroke, as the feeble stalks of the corn are to resist the sharp sickle.

 

 3. The reapers receive the wheat which they cut down into their arms and bosom. Hence that expression by way of imprecation upon the wicked: " Let them be as the grass upon the house-top, which withers before it grows up, wherewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth the sheaves his bosom." (Psalm cxxix. 7.) Such withered grass are the wicked, who are never taken into the reaper's bosom; but as soon as believers are cut down by death, they fall into the hands and bosoms of the angels of GOD, who bear them in their arms and bosoms to GOD their FATHER. For as these blessed spirits did exceedingly rejoice at their conversion, and thought it no dishonor to minister to them whilst they stood in the field, so when they are cut down by death, they will rejoice to be their convoy to heaven.

 

 4. When the corn and weeds are reaped or mowed down, they shall never grow any more in that field; neither shall we ever return{ to live an animal life any more after death. " As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that go down to the grave shall come up no more; he shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more." (Job 7: 9, 1O.)

 

Lastly, (to come home to the particular subject of this chapter,) the reapers are never sent to cut down the harvest till it be fully ripe; neither will GOD reap down saints or sinners, till they are come to a maturity of grace or wickedness. Saints are not reaped down till their grace be ripe. " You shall come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in its season." (Job 5: 26.)’ Not that every godly man dies in such a full old age, (says MR. CARYL on the place,) but yet in one sense it is an universal truth; for whensoever they die, they die in a good age; yea, though they die in the spring and flower of their youth, they die in a good old age; that is, they are ripe for death whenever they die. Whenever the godly man dies, it is harvest time with him; though in a natural capacity he be cut down while he is green, and cropped in the bud or bloom, yet in his spiritual capacity he never dies before he be ripe. GOD ripens his speedily, when he intends to take them out of the world speedily: He can let out such warm rays and beams of his SPIRIT upon them, as shall soon, mature the seeds of grace for glory.'

 

 The wicked also have their ripening-time for hell: " GOD does with much long-suffering endure the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction." Of their ripeness for judgment the Scripture often speaks. " The sin of the Amorites is not yet full." (Gen. 15: 16.) And of Babylon it is said, " O you that dwellest upon many waters, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness." (Jer. li. 13.)

 

It is worth remarking, that the measure of the sin, and the end of the sinner, come together. So, " Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest of the earth is ripe, for the press is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great." (Joel 3: 13.) Where note, sinners are not cut down till they be ripe and ready. Indeed, they are never ripe for death, nor ready for the grave; that is, fit to die: Yet they are always ripe for wrath, and ready for hell before they die. Now as husbandmen judge of the ripeness of the harvest, by the colour and hardness of the grain; so may we judge of the ripeness both of saints and sinners, for heaven or hell, by these following signs:

 

Three Signs of the Maturity of Grace.

 

 1. WHEN the corn is near ripe, it bows the head, and stoops lower than when it was green. When the people of GOD are near ripe for heaven, they grow more humble and self-denying than in the days of their profession. The longer a saint grows in this world, the better he is still acquainted with his own heart, and his obligations to GOD; both which are very humbling things.. PAUL had one foot in heaven, when he called himself the chief of sinners, and least of saints. (1 Tim. 1: 15; Eph. 3: 8.) A Christian, in the progress of his knowledge and grace, is like a vessel cast into the sea, the more it fills, the deeper it sinks. Those that went to study at Athens, (says PLUTAItcH;) at first coming, seemed to themselves to be wise men; afterwards, only lovers of wisdom; and after that, only rhetoricians, such as could speak of wisdom, but knew little of it; and last of all, idiots in their own apprehensions; still with the increase of learning, laying aside their pride and arrogancy.

 

 2. When harvest is nigh, the grain is more solid and pithy than ever it was before; green corn is soft and spungy, but ripe corn is substantial and weighty: So it" is with Christians; the affections of a young Christian perhaps are more sprightly, but those of a grown Christian are more judicious and solid; their "-love to CHRIST abounds more and more in all judgment." (Phil. 1: 9.) The limbs of a child are more pliable, but as he grows up to a more perfect state, the parts are more consolidated and firmly knit.

 

 3. When corn is dead ripe, it is apt to fall of its own accord to the ground, whereby it does as it were anticipate the harvestman, and calls upon him to put in the sickle. Not unlike unto which are the lookings and longings, the groanings and hastenings of ready Christians to their expected glory; they hasten to the coming of the LORD, or as MONTANUS more fitly renders it, they hasten the coming of the Lord; that is, they are urgent and instant in their desires and cries to hasten his coming; their desires sally forth to meet the LORD, they willingly take death by the hand; as the corn bends to the earth, so does these souls to heaven. This shows their harvest to be near.

 

Six Signs of the Maturity of Sin.

 

 WHEN sinners are even dead ripe for hell, these signs appear upon them, or by these at least, you may conclude those souls -not to be far from wrath.

 

 1. When conscience is wasted and grown past feeling, having no remorse for sin; when it’ceases to reprove and smite for sin any more, the day of that sinner is at hand, his harvest is even come. The greatest violation of conscience is the greatest of sins; this was the case of the forlorn Gentiles, among whom SATAN had such a plentiful harvest; the patience of GOD suffered them to grow till their consciences were grown seared and past feeling. (Eph. 4: 19.) When a member is so mortified, that if you lance and cut it never so much, no fresh blood or quick flesh appears, nor does the man feel any pain in all this, then it is high time to cut it off.

 

 2. When men give themselves over to the satisfaction of their lusts, to commit sin with greediness, then are they grown to a maturity of sin; when men have slipped the reins of conscience, and rush headlong, into all impiety, then the last sands of Gon's patience are running down. Thus Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner gave themselves over to wickedness, and then justice quickly made them an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

 

 3. That man is even ripe for hell, that is become a contriver of sin, a designer, a student in wickedness; one would think it strange, that any man should set his invention on work upon such a subject as sin is; that any should study to become a dexterous artist this way, and yet the Scripture frequently speaks of such whose bellies prepare deceit; (Job 15: 35;) “who travail in pain to bring forth" this deformed birth; (verse 2O;)’1 who wink with their eyes" whilst plotting wickedness, as men use to do when they are most intent upon any knotty problem. (Prov. 6: 13.) These have so much of hell already in them, that they are more than half in hell already.

 

 4. He that of a forward professor is turned a bitter persecutor, is also within a few rounds of the top of the ladder; the contempt of their light the LORD has already punish. ed upon them, in their obduracy and madness against the light. Reader, if you be gone thus far, you art almost gone beyond all hope of recovery. Towards other sinners GOD usually exercises more patience, but with such He makes short work. When JUDAS turns traitor to his Lonny he is quickly sent to his own place. Such as are again entangled and overcome of those lusts they once had clean escaped, bring upon themselves swift damnation, and their judgment lingers not.

 

 5. He that can endure no reproof or controul in the way of his -sin, but derides all counsel, and like a strong current sweeps' away all obstacles in his way, will quickly fall into the dead lake. " He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." This is a death-spot, a hell-spot, wherever it appears. From this very symptom the Prophet plainly predicted the approaching ruin of AMAZIAH. " I know that GOD has determined to destroy thee, because you has done this, and has not hearkened to my voice. (2 Chron. 25: 16.) He that will not be timely counselled, shall be quickly destroyed.

 

 6. When a man comes to glory in his sin, and boast of his wickedness, then it is time to cut him down; "whose end is destruction, whose glory is in their shame." (Phil. 3: 19.) This is a braving, a daring of GOD to his face.

 

You see now what are the signs of a full ripe sinner; and when it comes to this, either with a nation, or with a single person, then ruin is near. It is in the filling up the measure of sin, as in the filling of a vessel cast into the sea, which rolls from side to side, taking in the water by little and little, till it be full, and then sinks to the bottom. Meanwhile, admirable is Divine patience, which bears with these vessels of wrath whilst fitting for destruction.

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. CHEER thyself,’O my soul'! with the strengthening bread of this divine meditation. Let faith turn every drop of this truth into a soul-reviving cordial. GOD has sown the precious seed of grace upon my soul; and though my heart has been an unkind soil, which has kept it back and much hindered its growth, yet, blessed be the LORD, it still grows on, though by slow degrees; and from the springing of the seed, and shootings forth of those gracious habits, I may conclude an approaching harvest. O that every day I were more active for the GOD of my salvation! Grow on, my soul, and add to thy faith virtue, to thy virtue knowledge: Grow on, from faith to faith; keep thyself under the ripening influences of heavenly ordinances; the faster you growest in grace, the sooner you shall be reaped in mercy, and "bound up in the bundle of life." (1 Sam. 25: 29.) I have not yet attained the measure of grace assigned to me, neither am I already perfect, but am reaching forth to the things before me, and pressing towards the mark for the prize of my heavenly calling. O mercy to be admired! that I who lately had one foot in hell, stand now with one foot in heaven!

 

 l. But the case is far different with me, may a decaying Christian say; whilst others are ripening apace for heaven, I am withering; many a soul ploughed up by conviction, and sown by sanctification long after me, has quite outgrown me; my sweet and early blossoms are nipped and blown off, my bright morning overcast; had I kept on according to my first growth, I had now been in heaven, or at least in the suburbs of it on earth; but my graces wither and languish, my heart cools to heavenly things, the sun and rain of ordinances and providences improve not my

 

graces;, how sad therefore is my soul!

 

CHAPTER 15 Upon the care of Husbandmen to provide for Winter.

 

Your winter store in summer you provide: To Christian prudence this must be applied.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 GOOD husbandmen are careful in summer to provide for winter: Then they gather in’ their winter store; food and fuel for themselves, and fodder for their cattle.’= He that gathers in summer is a wise son; but he that sleeps in harvest is a son of shame:' (Prov. 10: 5.) A well-chosen season is the greatest advantage of any to action, which as it is seldom found in haste, so it is often lost by delay. It is a good proverb which the frugal Dutch have among them’ A good saver will make a good benefactor:' And it is a good proverb of our own:’ He that neglects the occasion, the occasion will neglect him.' Husbandmen know that summer will not last all the year, neither will trust to a mild winter, but in season provide for the worst.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 WHAT excellent Christians should we be, were we but as provident for our souls! It is doubtless a singular point of Christian wisdom to foresee a day of spiritual necessities, and during the day of grace to make provision for it. This great Gospel truth is excellently shadowed forth in this natural observation, which I shall branch out into these particulars:

 

 1. Husbandmen know there is a change of seasons and weather; though it be pleasant weather now, yet winter will tread upon the heels of summer: Frosts, snows, and great falls of rain must be expected. This alternate course of seasons in nature is settled by a firm law of the GOD of nature, to the end- of the world. "Whilst the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night shall not cease." (Gen. viii. 22.)

 

 And Christians know, that there are changes in the right band of the Most High, in reference to their spiritual seasons. If there be a spring-time of the Gospel, there may also be an autumn; if a day of prosperity, it may set in a night of adversity; "for GOD has set the one over against the other." (Eccles. 7: 14.) In heaven there is a day of everlasting serenity, in hell a night of perfect horror and darkness; on earth light and darkness. take their turns; prosperity and adversity, even to souls as well as -bodies, succeed each other. If there be a Gospel-day, a day of grace now current, it will have its period and determination.

 

 2. The end of GOD's ordaining a summer season, and sending warm and pleasant weather, is to ripen the fruits of the earth, and give the husbandman fit opportunity to gather them in.

 

And GOD's design in giving men a day of grace, is to furnish them with an opportunity for everlasting happiness. " I gave her a space to repent." (Rev. 2: 21.) It is not a mere reprieve of the soul, or only a delay of the execution of wrath, though there be much mercy in that; but the peculiar aim of this patience of GOD is to open` for them a way to escape the wrath too come.

 

 3. A proper season neglected and lost is irrecoverable. Many things in husbandry must be done in their season, or cannot be done at all; if he plough not, and sow not in the proper time, he loses the harvest of that year. It is even so as to spiritual seasons. Grace despised in the season when GOD offers it, is irrecoverably lost: " Then (that is, when the season is over) they shall call upon me, but I will not hear." (Prov. 1: 28.) O, there is a great deal of tiuic in a short opportunity! that may be done, or prevented, in an hour rightly timed, which cannot be done or prevented in a man's life-time. Our glass runs in heaven, and we cannot see how much or little of the sand of GOD's patience is yet to run down; but this is certain, when that glass is run, there is nothing to be done for our souls. " O that you hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace!" (Luke xix. 42.)

 

 4. Those husbandmen that are careful and laborious in the summer, have the comfort and benefit of it in winter; he that then provides fuel, shall sit warm in his habitation, when others blow their fingers. He that provides food for his family, and fodder for his cattle in the harvest, shall eat the fruit of it, and enjoy the comfort of his labors, when others shall be exposed to straits: And he that lays up for his soul a good foundation against the time to come, shall eat when others are hungry. A day of death shall come, and that will be a day of straits to all negligent souls; but then the diligent Christian shall enjoy the peace and comfort that shall flow in upon his heart, from his holy care and diligence in duties: " This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in all sincerity and godly simplicity, we have had our conversation in this world." (2 Cor. 1: 12.)

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. I HAVE indeed been a good husband for the world, may the careless soul say; with what care have I looked out for myself and family, to provide food to nourish them, and clothes to defend them from the asperities of winter! Meanwhile neglecting to make provision for eternity, or take care for my soul. O my destitute soul! how much have I slighted and undervalued thee! I have taken more care for an horse or an ox, than for thee; a well-stored barn, but an empty soul. Will it not shortly be with me, as with that careless mother, who, when her house was on fire, busily bestirred herself to save the goods, but forgot the child and then minding her child, ran up and down like one distracted, and crying,’ O my child, my child! I have saved my goods, and lost my child.' Besides, how easy will my conviction beat the bar of CHRIST! Will not my care for the things of this life leave me speechless and self-condemned in that day What shall I answer when the LORD shall say, You couldest foresee a winter, and seasonably provide for it Yea, you hadst so much care of the very beasts, to provide for their necessities, and why

 

tookest you no care for thy soul - Was that only not worth the caring for

 

 2. Is it so dangerous to neglect a present season of grace What then have I done, may the presumptuous soul say, who have suffered many such seasons to die away in my hand, upon a groundless hope of future opportunities! Ah, deluded wretch I what, if that supposition fail Where am I then I am not the LORD of time, neither am I sure that He who is, will ever vouchsafe an hour of grace in old age, to him that has neglected many such hours in his youth.

 

CHAPTER 16

 

Upon Reaping the same we sow.

 

When from tare seeds you see choice wheat to grow,

 

Then from your lusts may joy and comfort flow.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 GOD gives to every seed its own body. (1 Cor. 15: 38.) At first He created every tree and herb of the field, having its seed in itself, for the conservation of the species, and they all inviolably observe the law of their creation. All fruits naturally rise out of the seeds and roots proper to them. " Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles." Such productions would be monstrous in nature; -and although the juice or sap of the earth be the common matter of all kinds of fruits, yet it is specificated according to the different sorts of plants and seeds it nourishes. Where wheat is sown, it is turned into wheat; in an apple-tree, it becomes an apple; and so in every sort of plants or seeds, it is concocted into fruit proper to the kind.

 

APPLICATION.

 

TRANSLATE this into spiritual, and the proposition shadowed forth by it,

 

is fully expressed by the Apostle

 

 " What a man sows, that shall he reap; they that sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and they that sow to the SPIRIT, shall of the SPIRIT reap life everlasting." (Gal. 6: 7.) And as sure as the harvest follows the seed-time, so sure shall such fruits result from the seed of such actions. "He that soweth iniquity, shall reap vanity." (Prov. 22: 8.) "And they that now go forth weeping, and bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them." (Psalm cxxvi. 5.) The sum of all is this, our present actions have the same relation to future rewards and punishments, as the seed we sow in our fields, has to the harvest we reap from it. Every gracious action is the seed of joy, and every sinful action the seed of sorrow. Two things are sensibly presented to us in this similitude.

 

 1. That as the seed sown is presently covered from our sight under the clods, and for some time after we see no more of it, and yet at last it appears again, by which it is evident to us that it is not finally lost: So our present actions, though transient, and perhaps forgotten, yet are not lost, but after a time shall appear again, in order to a retribution. If this were not so, all good and holy actions would be to the loss of him that performed them. All the self-denial, spending duties, and sharp sufferings of the people of GOD, would turn to their damage; and then also, what difference would there be between the actions of a man and a beast, with respect to future good or evil Yea, man would then be more feared and obeyed than GOD, and souls -be swayed in all their motions, only by the influence of present things; and where then would religion be found in the world It is an excellent note of DREXELLIUS:’ Our works (says he) do not pass away as soon as they are done, but, as seed sown, shall after a time rise up to all eternity; whatever we think, speak, or do, once spoken, thought, or done, is eternal, and abides for ever.'

 

What ZEUXES, the famous limner, said of his work, may truly be said of all our works: Eternitati pingo, I paint for eternity. O, how careful should men be of what they speak and do, whilst they are commanded so to speak, and so to do, as those that shall be judged by the perfect law of liberty! What is more transient than a vain word And yet, -for such words, men shall give an account in the day of judgment. That is the first thing; actions, like seed, shall rise and appear again in order to a retribution.

 

 2. The other thing held forth in this similitude-is, that according to the nature of our actions now, will be the fruit of them. Though the fruit of holy actions, for the present, may seem bitter, and the fruit of sinful actions sweet and pleasant, yet there is nothing more certain, than that their future fruits shall be according to their present nature. Then DioNysius shall retract that saying,’ Behold how GOD favors our sacrileges.' Sometimes also GOD causes sinners to reap in this world, the same that they have sown; as has been their sin, so is their punishment. It was openly confessed by ADONIBEZER, " As I have done, so has GOD requited me." (Judges 1: 7.)

 

It is not always so in this world, but so it shall be in that to come; the table shall then be turned, and the scene altered; " for shall not the Judge of all the world do righteously" DIOGENEs was tempted to think, that God had' cast off the government of the world, when he saw the wicked prosper in their wickedness. On the same ground many have been tempted to Atheism; but then the world shall see justice shine out in its glory. " Tribulation, anguish, and wrath, to every soul of man that does evil; but glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good." (Rom. 2: 9, 1O.) Then it will appear what seed we sowed, what lives we lived: " For GOD shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil."

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. THIS meditation may be to me (may the profane person say) what the hand-writing upon the wall was to that profane Prince. (Dan. 5: 5, 6.) For if all the actions of this life be seed sown for the next, LORD, what a dreadful harvest am I likely to have! How many oaths and curses;, lies and vain words, have I sown with my tongue! How have I wronged, oppressed, and over-reached in my dealings! Rushed into all profaneness, drunkenness, uncleanness, " as the horse rusheth into the battle;" and what shall I reap from such seed as this, but vengeance These sins seemed pleasant in the commission, but how bitter will they be in their account! " What shall I do when GOD riseth up and when He visiteth, what shall I answer Him" (Job xxxi. 14.) Is it not reasonable and just, O my soul, that you should eat the fruit of thin own planting, and reap what you have sown I thought nothing but profit and pleasure would spring from my lusts, but now I see it is a root bearing gall and wormwood. Wretched soul, what shall I do Surely I am undone. I have been the author of mine own ruin. Let me rather taste the bitterness of sin, by repentance now, than enjoy its present pleasures, which betray the soul to endless wrath!

 

 2. Meanwhile, bless the LORD, O my soul, who enabled thee to sow better seed! Who kept thee watching, humbling thyself, and praying, whilst others have been swearing, drinking, and blaspheming. This will yield thee fruit of joy in the world to come; yea, it already yields peace to thy conscience. These revenues are better than gold, sweeter than the honey, and the honey-comb; not that such fruits are meritoriously contained in these actions: I sow to myself in righteousness, but I reap in mercy. (Hosea 10: 12.) This is the way in which GOD will save and glorify me. O then let me be ever abounding in the work of the LORD! knowing that my labor shall not be in vain in the LORD.

 

CHAPTER 17

 

Upon the Joy of Harvest-men.

 

Great is the joy of harvest-men, yet less

 

Than theirs, whom GOD does with his favor bless.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

AMONG all earthly joys, these four sorts are noted in Scripture, as the most excellent and remarkable

 

 1. Nuptial joys;’the day of espousals is the day of the gladness of man's heart. (Cant. 3:’Ti.)

 

 2. The joy of children. Though now it seem but a common mercy to most, and a burden to some; yet the people of’GOD were wont to esteem it a choice mercy, and rejoiced greatly in it.

 

 3. The joy of conquest, when men divide the spoil. And,

 

 4. The joy of harvest. These two we-find put together. " They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil." (Isa. 9: 3.)

 

APPLICATION.

 

 THUS, and unspeakably more than thus, do saints rejoice and shout for joy, when they reap the favor and love of GOD, for which they labored in so many a weary duty. This joy of harvest, as great as it is, and as much as carnal hearts are lifted up with it, is but a trifle, a thing of nought, compared with theirs; after they have sown to themselves in righteousness, and waited for the returns of their duties with patience, and at last come to reap in mercy, either the full harvest in heaven, or but the first fruits of it on earth, they rejoice "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Pet. 1: 8.) " This puts more gladness into their hearts, than when corn and wine increase." (Psalm 4: 7.) There is a great difference between the unnatural inflammations of a feverish body which waste the spirits, and drink up the radical moisture, and that kindly, well-tempered heat of a healthy body; and as much between the sweet, serene, and heavenly joys, which flow from the bosom of CHRIST into the hearts of believers, and those earthly delights which carnal hearts in a sensual way suck out of creature-enjoyments. I will show you the transcendency of spiritual joys, above the joy in harvest, in the particulars following.

 

 1. You that joy with the joy of harvest, are glad, because now you have food for yourselves and families to live upon all the year; but the Christian rejoiceth, because he has bread to eat that the world knows not of. CHRIST is the food of his soul, and his flesh is meat indeed, his blood drink indeed; that is, -the most real and excellent food. You read, (Psalm lxxviii. 25,) that man did eat angels' food; that is, manna, which was such excellent bread, that if angels did live upon material food, this would be chosen for them; and yet this is but a type and dark shadow of JESUS CHRIST, the food of believers.

 

 2. You rejoice when you have gotten in your harvest, because now you can pay those debts which you have contracted. It is a comfort to be out of debt, and you may lawfully rejoice that GOD gives you wherewith to quit your engagements, that you may owe no man any thing but love But still the joy of harvest falls short of the joy of saints; for you rejoice that you are, or have wherewith to help yourselves out of men's debts. But they rejoice that they are out of Goes debt; that his book is cancelled, and their sins pardoned. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST IST JESUS." O, what matter of joy

 

is this!

 

 3. Your joy will have an end; the time is coming, that when you have reaped down your harvests, yourselves must be reaped down by death, and then you shall rejoice in these things no more; but when your. joy is ended, then is the joy of saints perfected; they reap their harvest, when you leave your harvest; their consolation is everlasting.

 

 4. GOD can separate your joy from these enjoyments, even while you have them, as well as when you leave them. It is one thing for a man to have riches and full barns, and another thing to have comfort in them. (Eccles. 5: 19, 2O.) But the joy of Christians is a thing inseparable from their enjoyment of CHRIST.

 

 The joy of harvest-men, for the most part, is only in their harvest, and in such earthly things; take that away, and their joy ceases. Earthly hearts are acquainted with no higher comforts; but the people of GOD can enjoy Him, and take comfort in their earthly enjoyments too. And what comfort they take in these things, is much more refined and sweet than yours; for they enjoy all these things in GOD, and his love in giving them puts a sweetness into them, that you are unacquainted with. Thus you see, bow far your joy falls short of theirs.

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. How have I rejoiced in a thing of nought, may many a one then say! GOD llath blessed me in my fields, and in. my stores; but not with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in CHRIST. My barns are, full of corn, but my soul is empty of grace; GOD has given me afulness of the things of this life, but what if this be the whole of my portion For the most part they are poor in this world, who are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom! Is not this enough to damp all my mirth A man in a fever has a lively colour, but a dying heart. I have an appearance, a shadow of comfort, but a sad state of soul.

 

 2. "Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of my LORD JESUS CHRIST," may a believer say, "who. has, blessed me with all spiritual blessings in CHRIST." Though he has not seen fit to give me much of this world, yet it has pleased him to settle a rich inheritance upon me, the hopes whereof yield my soul more true comfort than all the present enjoyments of this world. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given me my portion in this life, that by _ keeping me from the enjoyment, has also preserved me from the snares of a prosperous estate.

 

LORD JESUS, I have no bags, I have no barns; but thou rejoice shall be to me instead of all those things. When others rejoice in the fullness of their earthly comforts, I will rein the fullness of CHRIST; they have that which I shall not want; and I have that which all their riches can-' not purchase. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

 

 3. But Lord, how am I obliged, above thousands, to love and praise thee; to bless and admire thee, who has not only plentifully provided for my soul, but for my body too! Who has given me both the upper and the nether springs, heaven and earth, things present and things to come: You has not dealt so with all, no, not with all thy own people; many of them are strangers to the mercies which I enjoy. God has done great things for me, O my soul! What wilt you do for GOD The freer the condition is he has placed me in, the more am I both obliged and advantaged for his service; and yet I doubt it will be found that many a poor Christian that labors to get his bread, redeems more hours for GOD than I do. LORD, make me wise to understand, and answer the double end of this gracious dispensation! Let me bestow the more of my time on GOD, and stand ready to administer to the necessities of his people.

 

CHAPTER 18: Upon the Thrashing out of Corn.

 

 More solid grain with greater strength you thrash; The ablest Christians have the hardest lash.

 

OBSERVATION.

 

 HUSBANDMEN having to do with divers sorts of grain, some more tough and stubborn, others more free and tender, do not beat all alike in the thrashing-floors; but as they have threshals of several sizes, so they bestow on some grain more, on others fewer strokes, according to the different qualities of the grain.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 God having to do in a way of correction with divers sorts of offenders, does not use the like severity with all, but proportions his correction to their abilities: “I will not make a full end of thee, but will- correct thee in measure, and' will not leave thee altogether unpunished; (Jer. 30: 11;) as if he had said, Afflicted you must be, my respect to my glory and thy good puts a necessity upon that; but yet I will do it moderately,:not without measure or mercy, as I intend to do upon the enemies; but will mete out your sufferings in a due proportion, even as a careful physician in prescribing potions to his patients, has regard as well to the ability of the patient, as to the nature and quality of the disease; even so thy GOD, O Israel, will not afflict thee according to the greatness of his power, and his wrath answerable thereunto; that would break thee in pieces; nor yet will he afflict thee according to the demerit of thy sin. I that have instructed the husbandman to proportion his instruments to the quality of the grain before him, will exercise the like wisdom and mildness towards thee. And the similitude between the husbandman's thrashing his corn, and the LORD's afflicting his people, stands in these particulars:

 

 1. The husbandman's end in thrashing the corn, is to separate it from the husks and chaff; and GOD's end in afflicting his people, is to separate them from their sins. GOD uses afflictions, as we use soap, to cleanse away filthiness, and fetch out spots: He aims not at the destruction of their persons, but of their lusts.

 

 2. If the husbandman has cockle, darnel, or tares before him in the floor among his corn, he little regards whether it be bruised and battered to pieces or no; it is a worthless thing, and he spares it not. Such cockle and tares are the enemies of GOD; and when these come under his flail, be strikes them without mercy; for these the LORD prepares a new sharp thrashing instrument, having teeth, which shall beat them to dust. And when that time is come, then (in allusion to the beast that was to tread out the corn) -Zion's horn shall be of iron, and her hoofs brass." (Mic. 4: 13.) He smites not his people, according to the stroke of them that smote them; the meaning is, his strokes on them shall be deadly strokes. They showed no mercy to Zion, and GOD will skew no mercy to them.

 

 3. When the husks and chaff are perfectly separated from the grain, then the husbandman beats it no more. When GOD has perfectly purged and separated the sins of his people, then afflictions shall come to a perpetual end; there is no noise of the thrashing instrument: He that beat them with his flail on earth, will put them into his bosom in heaven.

 

 4. Though the husbandman thrash and beat the corn, yet he will not bruise or hurt it; though some require more and harder strokes, yet none shall have more than it can endure. And though the LORD afflict his servant, yet he will do them no hurt. Some need more rods than others, but none shall have more than they can bear: The LORD knows the measures and degrees of his servants' faith and patience, and accordingly shall their trials be. " Like as a father pities his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him; for he knows their frame, he remembers they are but dust." (Psalms ciii. 13, 14.) " He makes a way to escape, that they may be able to bear." (1 Cor. 10: 13.) This care and tenderness of GOD over his. afflicted, is eminently discovered in three particulars:

 

 (1.) In not exposing them to, till he has prepared them for, their trials. " Tarry ye at Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24: 49.) He gives them sometimes eminent discoveries of his love immediately before, and as a preparative to their sufferings; in the strength whereof they are carried through all.

 

 (2.) Or if not so, then he intermixeth supporting comfort with their troubles, as you sometimes see the sun shine out while the rain falls. It was so with ST. PAUL: " This night [and it was a sad night indeed] there stood by me the angel of the LORD, whose I am." (Acts 27: 23.)

 

 (3.) In taking off the affliction, when they can bear it no longer. " He makes a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it. The rod is taken off, when the righteous is even ready to put forth his hand to iniquity." It is a Jewish proverb, When the bricks are doubled, then comes MpsEs. And it is a Christian experience, When the spirit is ready to, fail, then comes Jesus.

 

REFLECTIONS.

 

 1. Is the LORD'S wheat thus thrashed in the floor of affliction What then shall I think of my condition, who prosper, and am let alone in the way of sin Surely, the LORD looks on me as on a weed, and not as his corn; and it is too probable, that I am rather reserved for burning than thrashing. Miserable is their condition, notwithstanding their impunity; for what is the interpretation but this I will come to a reckoning with them for all together in hell. LORD, how much better is thy afflicting mercy, than thy sparing severity! Better is the condition of an afflicted child, than of a rejected bastard. O let me rather feel thy rod now, as the rod of a loving father, than feel thy wrath hereafter, as the wrath, of an omnipotent avenger.

 

 2. Well then, despond not, O my soul, may an afflicted Christian say. You Nearest, the husbandman loves his corn, though he thrasheth it; and surely the LORD loves thee not the less, because he, afflicts thee so much. If affliction then, be the way to heaven, blessed be GOD for affliction. The thrashing strokes of GOD come thick upon me, by which I may see what a stubborn heart I have; if one stroke would have done the work, he would not have lifted up his hand the second time. I have not had a stroke more than I had need of; and by this means he will purge my sin; blessed be GOD for that. The damned have infinitely more and harder strokes than I, and yet their sin shall never be separated by their sufferings. Ah, sin, cursed sin, I am willing to endure more than all this to be well rid of thee; all. this I suffer for thy sake, but the time is coming when I shall be rid of sin and suffering together.

 

CHAPTER 19.

 

Upon the Winnowing of Corn.

 

The fan does cause light chaff to fly away;

 

So shall the ungodly in God's winnowing day.

 

OBSERVA'T'ION.

 

 WHEN the corn is thrashed out in the floor, where it lies mingled with empty ears, and worthless chaff, the husbandman carries it out all into some open place, where having spread his sheet for the preservation of the grain, he exposes it all to the wind; the good grain, by reason of its solidity, remains upon the sheet, but the chaff being light and empty, is partly carried quite away by the wind, and all the rest separated from the good grain into a distinct heap, which is carried away, either to the fire or to the dung-hill, as a worthless thing.

 

APPLICATION.

 

 MEN have their winnowing days, and GOD has his; a day to separate the chaff from the wheat, the godly from the ungodly, who shall both be held up to the wind, but only the wicked shall be driven away by it. Such a day GOD has in this world, wherein he winnows his wheat, and separates the chaff. There is a double fanning or winnowing of men here in this world; one is doctrinally, in which sense I understand that Scripture spoken of CHRIST, when he was entering upon his ministerial work: " His fan is in his hand, and he shall throughly purge his floor, -and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matt. 3: 12.) The preaching of the Gospel is as a fan in CHRIST's band; and it is as much as if JOHN had told the Jews, that though there were many hypocritical ones among them, that had now a name among the people of GOD, and gloried in their church privileges, yet there was a purging blast of truth coming, which should make them fly out of the church, as fast as chaff out of the floor. Thus CHRIST winnows or fans the world doctrinally. The other is judicially, by bringing grievous trials and sufferings upon the churches, for this very end, That those who are but chaff, that is, empty and vain, may by such winds be separated from his people..

 

 The church increases two ways, and by two divers means, in breadth and numbers, and in vigour and power; peace and prosperity cause the first, sufferings and adversity the last; and well may a day of persecution be called a winnowing day, for then are the people of GOD tossed to purpose, as corn in the sieve, though nothing but chaff be lost thereby. Of such a winnowing day the Prophet speaks, " I will sift the house of, Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth; all the sinners of my people shall die." (Amos 9: 9, 1O.) As if he had said, I will cause great agitations and tossings among you by the hands of the Assyrians and. Babylonians, into whose countries you shall be scattered; yet I will so govern those your dispersions by my providence, that not one,good grain, one upright soul, shall perish; but the sinners of my people, the refuse shall perish.

 

 To the same purpose speaks another Prophet: " Gather yourselves together," or as some read, fan yourselves, yea, fan yourselves, "before the decree bring forth, and the day pass as the chaff." (Zeph. 1: 1, 2.) He does not mean, that the time shall pass as the chaff, but there is a day of affliction coming, in which the wicked shall pass as the chaff before the wind; and yet, notwithstanding all these winnowings upon earth, much chaff -will still abide among the corn; therefore GOD has appointed another day for. the winnowing of the world, even the day of judgment, in reference to which it is said, " The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away; therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;" (Psalm 1: 4, 5;) that is, God has a day wherein he will sift the world, like corn in a sieve; and then the wicked shall appear to be but chaff, which GOD will eternally separate from his wheat. I will not strain the similitude, but fairly display it in these particulars:

 

 1. The chaff and the wheat grow together in the same field, and upon the same.root and stalk. In this, wicked men are like chaff, who not only associate with the people of GOD, but often spring up with them in the same families, and from the same root, or immediate parents,

 

 2. The chaff is a very worthless thing; the husbandman cares not what becomes of it: And of as little worth are wicked men:’1 The heart of the wicked is little worth." (Prov. 10: 2O.) The heart is the principal part of the man, and yet that is but chaff, no worth in it; his lands, his clothes are worth somewhat, but his heart is worth nothing.

 

 3. Though’chaff in itself be nothing worth, yet it is of some use to the corn while it is standing in the field; the stalk bears up the ear, and the chaff covers the grain, and defends it from the injury of the weather. Thus God makes wicked men of use to his people, in outward society; they help to support and protect them in this world: " The earth helped the woman;" (Rev. 12: 16;) that is, worldly men, for carnal ends, helped the church, when a flood of persecution was poured out. The church often helps the world, it receives many benefits from the people of GOD and sometimes GOD over-rules the world to help his church.

 

 4. When the chaff and wheat are both brought forth and held up in one, sieve, they fall two ways; the wheat falls down upon the floor or sheet, the chaff is carried quite away: So although for a time the godly and ungodly abide together, yet when this winnowing time comes, GOD’s wheat shall be gathered into his garner in heaven, the chaff shall go the other way. (Malt. 3: 12.)

 

 Is there such a fanning time coming Why do not I then sift my heart every day by serious self-examination No work more important to me, and yet how much have I neglected it! O my soul! you hadst been better employed, in searching thine own estate in reference to that day, than in prying into the hearts, and censuring the conditions of other men: Judge thyself, and you shall not be condemned with the world: • The work indeed is difficult, but the neglect dangerous. Were I within a few days to stand at man's bar, there to be tried for my life, how busy should I be every hour of the day in writing to any that I thought could befriend me, and studying every advantage to myself! And yet, what a vast difference is there between man's bar and GOD's! Between a trial for my life, and for my soul! LORD, rouse up my sluggish heart by awful and solicitous thoughts of that day, lest I be found among that chaff which shall be burnt up with unquenchable fire!