Husbandry Spiritualized — Chapter 2
The hardest laborers, are the thriving men.
If you'll have thriving souls, be active then.
Observation.
Industry and diligence is the way to thrive and grow rich in the world. The earth must be manured, or its increase is in vain expected; Qui fugit molam, fugit farinam; he that refuses the mill, refuses the meal, (says the Proverb) the diligent soul shall be made fat. Solomon has two proverbs concerning thriftiness and increase in the world. In (Proverbs 10:4) he says, The hand of the diligent makes rich. And (Proverbs 10:22) he says, The blessing of the Lord makes rich. These are not contradictory, but confirmatory each of other; one speaks of the principal, the other of the instrumental cause. Diligence without God's blessing will not do it; and that blessing cannot be expected without diligence; therefore husbandmen ply their business with unwearied pains, they do even lodge in the midst of their labors, as that good husband Boaz did (Ruth 2:3). They are parsimonious of their time, but prodigal of their sweat and strength, because they find this to be the thriving way.
Application.
As nature opens her treasures to none but the diligent, so neither does grace. He that will be rich, must be a painful Christian; and whoever will closely ply the trade of godliness, shall comfortably and quickly find, That in keeping God's commands there is great reward (Psalm 19:11). God is a bountiful rewarder of such as diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). They must not indeed work for wages, nor yet will God suffer their work to go unrewarded; indeed, it sufficiently rewards itself (1 Timothy 6:6). And its reward is twofold, (1) present, and in part; (2) future and in full (Mark 10:29-30). Now in this time a hundredfold, even from suffering, which seems the most unprofitable part of the work, and in the world to come, life everlasting. If you ask what present advantage Christians have by their diligence? I answer, as much and more than the husbandman has from all his toils and labors. Let us compare the particulars, and see what the husbandman gets, that the Christian gets not also. Compare your gains, and you'll quickly see the odds.
You get credit and reputation by your diligence; it is a commendation and honor to you, to be active and stirring men: But how much more honor does God put upon his laborious servants? It is the highest honor of a creature, to be active and useful for its God. Saints are called vessels of honor, as they are fitted for the Master's use (2 Timothy 2:21). Wherein consists the honor of angels, but in this; that they are ministering spirits, serviceable creatures? And all the Apostles gloried in the title of servants. The lowest office in which a man can serve God, even that of a Nethinim, or door-keeper, which was the lowest order or rank of officers in the house of God (Ezekiel 44:10-11), is yet preferred by David before the service of the greatest prince on earth (Psalm 84:10). It is no small honor to be active for God.
You have this benefit by your labor, that thereby you avoid loose and evil company, which would draw you into mischief. By diligence for God, the Christian also is secured from temptations; God is with them, while they are with him (2 Chronicles 15:2). Communion with God in the way of duty, is a great preservative against temptations. The schoolmen put the question, how the angels and glorified saints become impeccant? And resolve it thus: That they are secured from sin, by the beatific vision; and sure I am, that the visions of God, not only in glory, but now also in duty, are marvellous defences against sin; and they that are most active for God, have the fullest and clearest visions of God (John 14:21).
You have this benefit by your labor, that it tends much to the health of your bodies. The Christian has this benefit by his labor, that it tends to a faithful state of soul; The way of the Lord is strength to the upright (Proverbs 10:29). As those that follow their daily labors in the field, have much more health than citizens that live idly, or scholars that live a sedentary life. So the active Christian enjoys more spiritual health, and is troubled with fewer complaints than others.
By diligence in your civil employments, you preserve your estates, and are kept from running behind-hand in the world. Bailiffs trouble not such men's doors; they usually have the fore-foot of their neighbors. And by activity and diligence for God, souls are kept from backsliding, and running back in their graces and comforts. Remissions and intermissions in our duties, are the first steps and degrees by which a soul declines and wastes, as to his spiritual estate.
Your pains and diligence in the fields, makes your beds sweet to you at night (Ecclesiastes 5:12). Rest is sweet to a laboring man, whether he eat little or much. But the diligent life of a Christian makes the clods of the valley, his grave sweet to him (2 Corinthians 1:12). Remember now, O Lord, how I have walked before you, etc. (2 Kings 20:3). Think Christian, how sweet it will be for you when you come to die; to say then as your Redeemer did, when near his death (John 17:4-5). I have finished the work you gave me to do; and now, O Father, glorify me with your own self.
The expense of your sweat fills your purses, you get estates by your diligence and labor; but what are your gains to the gains of Christians? They can get in an hour, that which they will not part with for all the gold and silver on earth (Proverbs 3:14).
So that compare these laborers as to all their advantages, and you shall see, that there is no trade like that which the diligent Christian drives.
Reflections.
Blush then, O my soul, at the consideration of your laziness and sloth, which is attended with so many spiritual wants! And can I wonder at it, when I refuse the painful way of duty, in which the precious fruits of godliness are only to be found? If these fruits lay upon the surface of duty, or could be had with wishes, I should not want them; but to dig deep and take pains I cannot. My desires, like those of the slothful man, kill me, because my hands refuse to labor (Proverbs 21:25). If every duty were to be rewarded presently with gold, would I not have been more assiduous in them than I have been? And yet I know that a heart full of the grace and comfort of the Holy Ghost is better than a house full of gold and silver. O what a composition of stupidity and sloth am I! I have been all for the short cut to comfort, when constant experience teaches that the farther way about, by painful duty, is the nearest way to it. What pains do husbandmen take? What perils do seamen run, for a little gain? O sluggish heart! will you do nothing for eternal treasures?
Secondly, if there be such great rewards attending diligence in duty, then why are you so apt (O my soul) to cast off duty, because you find not present comfort in it? How quickly am I discouraged, if I presently find not what I expect in duty? Whereas, the well is deep, and much pains must be taken to draw up those waters of joy (Isaiah 12:3). There is a golden vein in the mount of duty, but it lies deep; and because I meet not with it as soon as I expect, my lazy heart throws by the shovel, and cries, Dig I cannot.
Thirdly, if this be indeed the rich and thriving trade, why do I peddle about the poor low things of the world so much, neglecting the rich trade of godliness for it? O, how much of my time and strength have these things devoured? Had I employed that time in communion with God, would it not have turned to a better account? Do you think in earnest, O my soul, that God has endowed you with such excellent faculties, capable of the most divine and heavenly employments, or that Jesus Christ has shed his invaluably precious blood, or that he has sent forth the glorious spirit of holiness, and all this to fit men for no higher or nobler employments than these?
Is this the end of your wonderful creation? Does God whirl about the heavens in endless revolutions, to beget time for this? Or does he not rather expect that the weightiest work should engross your greatest strength, and choicest hours? O, that I could once consider, what a good Master Christians serve, who will not only abundantly reward them at night; but brings them their food into the field to encourage them in their labor! What pity is it, that so good a Master should be so badly served as he has been by me! Hark, how he pleads to gain my heart.
The Poem, by way of Dialogue between Christ and the world.
CHRIST.: O why so free of sweat and time? For what ever long will not be yours. Or if it might, you sell to loss, a precious soul for lasting dross. Those weary hands, and toiling brains, might be employed for better gains. Would you but work as hard for me, as for the world, which deceives you? Your gains should be a thousandfold: for my revenues more than gold.
WORLD.: Soul, I have always found you willing; rather by me to earn a shilling; than trust uncertain things which lie, beyond you in eternity. Shall things unseen now tempt you? Tush, a bird in hand's worth two in the bush: I pay your wages down in hand, this you can feel, taste, understand. O let not such a vain pretense, prevail against your very sense.
CHRIST.: Thus beasts are led, thus birds are snared, thus souls for ruin are prepared. What? Trust no farther than you see, you'll trust a thief as far as me. Deluded wretch, will nothing but fight and sense convince you? O how right, how just is God? Whose direful scourge such arguments in hell shall urge.
WORLD.: Christ threatens wrath to come, but I do threaten you with poverty. And why will you yourself, and those that are so dear, to want expose? Come, [reconstructed: see] the Saints; for all their brags: how well they thrive, they're clothed with rags.
CHRIST.: If my dear Saints in rags do go, it is not religion clothes them so; but by such wants the Lord prepares their souls, against your killing snares. They all are heirs, though under age; expectants of their heritage. Kept short for present, yet contemn a change with those that scoff at them.
WORLD.: It is in vain to plead, for I with present things charm powerfully. Whatever you offer, they'll despise; I hold them prisoners by their eyes.
CHRIST.: If they will serve no other Lord, then let it stand upon record against their souls that they refused my wages, and my grace abused. Remember this when they shall see all turned to ashes that's in you.
ANOTHER.: None will deny, but those are blessed pains, which are attended with the richest gains. Grant this, and then most clearly it is inferred, soul-work to all deserves to be preferred. This is an unknown trade, oh, who can count, to what the gains of godliness amount? For one poor shilling, O, what risks some run? Some toiling as in the fire, from sun to sun! Whereas one hour spent with God brings in such heavenly treasures, that poor souls have been enriched for ever. Even as you see a Prince's favourite upon the knee, can in an hour's time more wealth obtain, than all your lives by labor you can gain. Prayer gains are great, and quick returns are made, sure then the Christian drives the richest trade. It is true, the hypocrite that never drove a serious trade for heaven may prove bankrupt; but holy souls which mind, and closely ply their business, greatly are enriched thereby. The difference between the one, and the other's best by such a simile as this expressed. As in a summer's day you often see, the wanton butterfly and painful bee; on fragrant flowers fix, where one does strive to bear his precious burden to the hive: the other's pains no profit with it brings, his time is spent in painting of his wings. When winter comes, the bee has full supplies, the other creeps into a hole and dies. Like different events shall be between the painful saint, and lazy Notionist.
