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.

The Poem.

HE that with spiritual eyes in Autumn sees The heaps of fruit which fall from shaken trees, Like storms of hailstones; and can hardly find One of a thousand that remains behind. Methinks this Meditation should awake His soul; and make it like those trees to shake. Of all the clusters which so lately grew Upon these trees, how few can they now shew? Here one1 1.1 and there another; two or three Upon the outmost branches of the tree. The greatest numbers to the pound are born, Squeez'd in the trough; and all to pieces torn:

This little handful's left, to shadow forth To me Gods2 1.2 remnant in this peopl'd earth. If o're the whole terrestrial globe I look, The Gospel visits but3 1.3 a little nook. The rest with horrid4 1.4 darkness overspread, Are fast asleep; yea, in transgressions dead, Whole droves to hell, the devil daily drives; Not one amongst them once5 1.5 resists or strives. And in this little heaven-inlightned spot, How vast an interest hath Satan got? But few of holiness profession make, And if from those that do prosess I take The self-deluding hypocrites, I fear To think how few6 1.6 remain that are sincere. O tax not mercy that it saves so few, But rather wonder that the Lord should shew Mercy to any;7 1.7 quarrel not with grace, But for they self Gods gracious terms embrace. When all were8 1.8 Shipwrackt, thou shouldst wonder more To find thy self so strangely cast ashore And there to meet with any that can tell How narrowly they also9 1.9 scap'd from hell. The smaller numbers mercy saves, the higher Ingagements lye on thee1 1.10 still to admire. Had the whole species perish'd in their sin, And not one individual saved bin; Yet every2 1.11 tongue before him must be mute, Confess his righteousness; but not dispute. Or had the hand of mercy which is3 1.12 free Taken another, and pass'd over me; I still must justifie him, and my tongue Confess my maker had done me no wrong. But if my4 1.13 name he please to let me see Enroll'd among those few that saved be, What admiration should such mercy move! What thanks, and5 1.14 praise, and everlasting love!

Notes

• 1 1.1

  Isa. 17. 6.
• 2 1.2

  Rom. 9. 27.
• 3 1.3

  1 Ioh. 5. 19. Psal. 147. 20.
• 4 1.4

  Psal. 74. 20.
• 5 1.5

  2 Tim. 2. 2••
• 6 1.6

  Mat. 7. 14.
• 7 1.7

  Rom. 9. 2Z.
• 8 1.8

  Rom. 5. 16.
• 9 1.9

  1 Pet. 4. 18.
• 1 1.10

  Ioh. 14. 22.
• 2 1.11

  Rom. 9. 18.
• 3 1.12

  Rom. 5. 15.
• 4 1.13

  Heb. 12. 23.
• 5 1.14

  Rev. 1. 5, 6.