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.

CHAP. III.

The plowman sings and whistles though he sweat,* 1.1 Shall Christians droop, because their work is great?

OBSERVATION.

THough the labours of Husbandmen are very great and toylsom, yet with what cheerfulness do they go through them? It is very delightful to hear the melody they make by whistling, as they follow the Plow; yea, the very horses have their Bells, which make a pleasant noise. Horses (saith Mr. Fuller) will do more for a whistle, than a whip; and their Bells do as it were, gingle away their weariness. I have been often delighted with this Country musick, whereby they sweeten their hard labours with an innocent pleasure, and verifie the saying of the Poet:

Ovid.

Tempus in agrorum cultu confumere dulce est. Although they plow from morning until night. Time steals away with pleasure and delight.

APPLICATION.

BUt how much greater cause have the people of God to address themselves unto his work, with all cheerfulness of spirit? And indeed, so far as the heart is spiritual, it de∣lights

in its duties. 'Tis true, the work of a Christian is painful, and much more spending than the Husbandmans (as was opened Chap. 1.) but then it as much exceeds in the de∣lights and pleasures that attend it. What is the Christians work, but with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation? Isa. 12. 3. You may see what a pleasant path the path of du∣ty is, by the cheerfulness of those that have walked in them, Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoyced in the way of thy judgment, as much as in all riches. And by the promises that are made to such, Psal. 13 8. 5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. And again, You shall have a song as in the night, when an holy solemnity is kept, and glad∣ness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe, to come to the moun∣tain of the Lord, to the mighty one of Israel, Isa. 30. 29.

And lastly, by the many commands, whereby joy in the wayes of the Lord is made the duty of the Saints. Rejoyce in the Lord, ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright, Psa. 97. 12. Rejoyce, and again I say rejoyce. Phil. 4. 4. Where the command is doubled; yea, not only simple rejoycing, but the highest degree of that duty comes within the com∣mand, Psal. 132. 9, 16. Shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. And Luke 6. 22, 23. they are bid, to leap for joy, when about the difficult'st part of their work, and that you may see there is sufficient ground for it, and that it is not like the mad mirth of sinners, be pleased to consider,

[ 1] The nature of the work about which they are employed; it is the most excellent and heavenly employment that ever souls were acquainted with. O what a ravishing and delight∣some thing it is, to walk with God! and yet by this, the whole work of a Christian is expressed, Gen. 17. 1. Can any life compare with this for pleasure? Can they be chill, that walk in the Sun-shine? or sad, that abide in the foun∣tain of all delights? and walk with him whose name is the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. In whose presence is the ful∣ness of joy, Psal. 16. 11. O what an Angelical life doth a Christian then live!

[ 2] Or (2ly.) If we consider the variety of spiritual imploy∣ments, varietas delectat. Change of employment, takes off

the tediousness of Labour. Variety of voices please the ear: variety of colours delight the eye; the same meat prepared several wayes, pleases the palate more, and clogs it less. B••t O the variety of choice dishes wherewith God entertains his people in a S••bbath! as the Word, Prayer, Sacraments, &c. Isa. 58. 13. If thou call the Sabbath thy delights; or as Tremelius renders it. thy delicate things. My soul (saith David) shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, Psal. 63. 5.

Or, lastly, if we consider the suitableness of this work, to a regenerate soul. Is it any pain for a bird to flye? or a fish to swim? Is the eye tired with beautiful objects? or the [ 3] ear with melodious sounds? As little can a spiritual soul be wearied with spiritual and heavenly exercises, Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God, after the inner man. Gravia non gra∣vitant in eor••m loco (saith the Philosopher) weighty things are not heavy in their own element, or center. And surely, God is the center of all gracious spirits. A Saint can sit from morning to night to hear discourses of the love and loveli∣ness of Iesus Christ. The fight of your thriving flocks and flourishing fields, cannot yield you that pleasure which an up∣right soul can find in one quarter of an hours communion with God. They that are after the flesh (saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 5.) do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. But then, look how much heaven∣ly objects transcend earththly ones, and how much the soul is more capable of delight in those objects, than the gross and duller senses are in theirs; so much doth the pleasure arising from the duty, excel all sensitive delights on earth.

REFLECTIONS.

How am I cast and condemned by this,* 1.2 may I say; who never favoured this spiritual delight in holy duties. When I am about my earthly employments; I can go on unweariedly, from day to day; all the way is down hill to my nature: and the wheels of my affections being oyled with carnal delight, run so fast, that they have need most times of trigging. Here I rather need the curb, than the spur. O, how fleet and nim∣ble

are my spirits, in these their pursuits! But O, what a slug am I in religious duties! Sure if my heart were renewed by grace, I should delight in the law of God, Rom. 7. 22. All the world is alive in their wayes, every creature injoyes his proper pleasure; and is there no delight to be found in the paths of holiness? Is godliness only a dry root, that bears no pleasant fruits? No, no, there are doubtless incom∣parable pleasures to be found therein: but such a carnal heart as mine favours them not.

I cannot say, but I have found delight in Religious duties but they have been only such as rather sprang from the ostentation of gifts and applauses of men,* 1.3 than any sweet and real communion I have had with God through them; they have rather proved food and fewel to my pride, than food to my soul. Like the Nightingale I can sing sweetly, when I ob∣serve others to listen to me, and be affected with my mu∣sick. O, ••alse deceitful heart, such delight as this will end in howling! were my spirit right, it would as much delight in retirements for the enjoyment of God, as it doth in those duties that are most exposed to the observation of man. Wilt such a spring as this maintain a stream of affections; when carnal motives fail? What wilt thou answer (O my soul) to that question, Io•• 27. 9, 10. Will God hear his cry when trou∣ble comes upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he alwayes call upon God? What wilt thou reply to this question? Deceive not thou thy self, O my soul! thou wilt doubtless be easily perswaded to let go that thou never de∣lightedst in; and from an hypocrite in Religion, quickly be∣come an Apostate from Religion.

From all this,* 1.4 the upright heart takes advantage to rouze up its delight in God, and thus it expostulateth with it self: Doth the Plowman sing amidst his drudging labours, and whistle away his weariness in the fields, and shall I droop amidst such heavenly imployment? O my soul, what want'st thou here, to provoke thy delight? if there be such an affe∣ction as delight in thee, methinks, such an object, as the bles∣sed face of God in Ordinances should excite it. Ah, how would this ennoble all my services, and make them Angel∣like!

how glad are those blessed creatures to be imployed for God? No sooner were they created, but they sang to∣gether, and shouted for joy, Iob 38. 7. How did they fil the Aire with heavenly melody, when sent to bring the joyful tydings of a Saviour to the world? Ascribing glory to God in the highest, even to the highest of their powers: yea, this delight would make all my duties Christ-like; and the nearer that pattern, the more excellent. He delighted to do his Fathers will, it was to him meat and drink, Psal. 40. 7 Iohn 4. 32, 34.

Yea, it would not only ennoble, but facilitate all my duties, and be to me as wings to a bird flying, or failes to a a ship in motion, Non tardat uncta rota; oyled wheels run freely; Or ever I was aware, my soulmade me like the chariots of Aminadab. O, what is the reason (my God) my delight in thee should be so little? Is it not, because my unbelief is so great? Rouze up my delights, O thou fountain of pleasure! and let me swim down the stream of holy joyes in duty, into the boundless Ocean of those immense delights that are in thy presence, and at thy right hand for evermore.

The Poem.

O What a1 1.5 dull, despondent heart is mine? That takes no more2 1.6 delight in things divine, When all the Creatures both in heaven and earth: Enjoy their3 1.7 pleasures, and are big with mirth. 4 1.8 Angels and Saints that are before the Throne; In extasies, and raptures every one. Perpetually is heled: Each blessed spirit The purest5 1.9 highest joyes; doth there inherit. The Saints on earth, in their imperfect state; Those Peerless joyes by6 1.10 faith do antedate. To natural men, who favour not this pleasure; Yet bounteous nature doth unlock her treasure Of7 1.11 sensitive delights, Yea, strange to tell; Bold sinners8 1.12 rant it all the way to hell.

Like fifh that play in Iordans silver stream; So these in sensual lusts: and never dream Of that dead Sea, to which the stream doth tend: And to their pleasures puts a9 1.13 fatal end. Yea1 1.14 birds, and2 1.15 beasts as well as men, enjoy Their innocent delights. These Chirp and play; The cheerful birds among the branches sing▪ And make the neighboring groves with musick ring. With various warbling notes they all invite, Our ravisht ears, with pleasure and delight. The new faln Lambs3 1.16 will in a Sun-shine day, About their feeeding dams jump up and play Are4 1.17 Cisterns sweet? and is the fountain bitter? Or can the Sun be dark, when glow-worms glitter? Have5 1.18 instruments, their sweet melodious airs? All creatures their delights, and Saints not theirs? Yea, theirs6 1.19 transcend these sensual ones, as far; As noon day Phebus doth a twinkling star, Why droop I then, may any creature have A Life like mine for pleasure? Who ere gave The like7 1.20 encouragement that Christ hath given, To do his will on earth, as 'tis in heaven?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Upon the cheerfulness of the Husband∣man.
• * 1.2

  The carnal hearts Refle∣ction.
• * 1.3

  The hypo∣crites. Reflection.
• * 1.4

  The upright hearts Refle∣ction.
• 1 1.5

  Isa. 68. 7.
• 2 1.6

  Ps. 94. 19.
• 3 1.7

  Ps. 145. 10.
• 4 1.8

  Rev. 5. 11, 12, 13.
• 5 1.9

  Mat. 25. 21.
• 6 1.10

  1 Pe••. 1. 8, 9.
• 7 1.11

  Act. 14. 17.
• 8 1.12

  Iob. 2••. 11.
• 9 1.13

  Iam. 5. 18.
• 1 1.14

  Ps. 10. 4. 12.
• 2 1.15

  Ps. 104 11.
• 3 1.16

  Ps. 11. 4. 6.
• 4 1.17

  Ier. 2. ••3.
• 5 1.18

  Isa. 30. 29.
• 6 1.19

  Psal. 4. 7.
• 7 1.20

  Ioh. 15. 11.