Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations, pertinent applications, and serious reflections and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem : directing husband-men to the most excellent improvements of their common imployments : whereunto is added ... several choice occasional meditations / by John Flavell.

APPLICATION.

THe Application of this, I find made to my hands, by Christ himself in Mat. 13. 38, 39. 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 An∣gels.

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 fol∣lowing 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 hast, and houses day and night.

So doth God the great Husbandman, he hurries the Saints into their graves, when judgments are coming upon the world, Isa. 57. 1. 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. Methusalah died the year before the flood, Augustine a little before the sack∣ing of Hippo, Pareus just before the taking of Heidleberge, 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 judgement comes. How many bright and glorious stars did set almost together, within the compass of a few years to the astonish∣ment of many wise and tender hearts in England. I find some of them ranked in a Funeral Elegy.

The learned Twisse went first, (it was his right) Then holy Palmer, Burroughs, Love, Gouge, White,

Hill, Whitaker, grave Gataker and Strong, Per••e, Marshal, Robinson, all gone along. I have not nam'd them half, their only strife, Hath been (of late) who should first part with life. These few who yet survive, sick of this age Long to have done their par••s and leave the stage.

The Lord sees it better for them to be under ground than above ground; and therefore by a merciful providence sets them out of harms way.

Neither the corn▪ or tares, can possibly resist the sharp [ 2] and keen Sickle, when it's applyed to them by the re••pers hand; neither can the godly or ungodly resist the stroke of death; when God inflicts it; Ecclis. 8. 8. No man can keep alive his own soul in the day of death, and there is no discharge in that war. The frail body of man is as unable to withstand that stroke, as the weak reeds, or feeble••stalks of the corn are to resist the keen Sithe and sharp Sickle.

The reapers receive the wheat which they cut down, into [ 3] their armes and bosom. Hence that expression, by way of im∣precation upon the wicked, Psal. 129. 7. Let them be as the grass upon the house top which withers before it grows up, where∣with the mower filleth not his hand, nor be that bindeth sheaves his bosom. Such withered grass are the wicked, who are never taken into the reapers bosom; but as soon as Saints are cu•• 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, Luke 16. 22. For look, as these blessed spirits did exceedingly rejoyce at their conversion, Luke 15. 10. and thought it no dishonour to minister to them whilst they stood in the field Heb. 1. 14. So when they are cut down, by death, they will rejoyce to be their convoy to heaven.

When the corn and weeds are reap'd or mowed down [ 4] they shall never grow any more in that field; neither shall we ever return to live an animal life any more after death Iob 7. 9, 10. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away; so he that goeth 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.

Lastly, (to come home to the particular object 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 be come to a maturity of grace or wicked∣n••ss. Saints are not reap'd down till their grace be ripe, Iob. 5. 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

Not that every godly man dies in such a full old age (saith Mr. Caryl on the place) but yet in one sense it is an universal truth, and ever fulfilled; 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 (i. e.) they are ripe for death when ever they die: When ever a godly man dies, it's harvest time with him, though in a natural capacity he be cut down while he is green, and cropt in the bud or blos∣som; yet in his spiritual capacity, he never dies before he be ripe. God ripens his speedily, when he intends to taks them out of the world speedily; he can let out such warm rayes and beams of his spirit upon them, as shall soon maturate the seeds of grace into a preparedness for glo∣ry.

The wicked also have their ripening time for hell, and judgement; God doth with much long••suffering endure the vessels of wrath, prepared for destruction. Of their ripe∣ness for judgment the scripture often speaks, Gen. 15. 16. The sin of the Amorites is not yet full. And of Babilon, it's said, Ier. 51. 13. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, thine end is come and the measure of thy covetousness.

'Tis worth remarking, that the measure of the sin, and the end of the sinner come together. So Ioel 3. 13. 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. 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 alwayes ripe for wrath, and ready for hell before they die. Now as Husbandmen judge of the ripeness of their 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.