Husbandry Spiritualized — Chapter 3
The plowman sings and whistles though he sweat,
Shall Christians droop, because their work is great?
OBSERVATION.
Though the labors of husbandmen are very great and toilsome, 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; indeed, the very horses have their bells, which make a pleasant noise. Horses (says Mr. Fuller) will do more for a whistle, than a whip; and their bells do as it were, jingle away their weariness. I have been often delighted with this country music, whereby they sweeten their hard labors with an innocent pleasure, and verify the saying of the Poet:
Ovid.: Tempus in agrorum cultu consumere 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 to his work, with all cheerfulness of spirit? And indeed, so far as the heart is spiritual, it delights in its duties. It is true, the work of a Christian is painful, and much more spending than the husbandman's (as was opened in Chapter 1.) but then it as much exceeds in the delights and pleasures that attend it. What is the Christian's work, but with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)? You may see what a pleasant path the path of duty is, by the cheerfulness of those that have walked in them (Psalm 119:14): I have rejoiced in the way of your judgment, as much as in all riches. And by the promises that are made to such (Psalm 138:5): Indeed, 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 a holy solemnity is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one goes with a pipe, to come to the mountain of the Lord, to the mighty one of Israel (Isaiah 30:29).
And lastly, by the many commands, whereby joy in the ways of the Lord is made the duty of the saints. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, for praise is fitting for the upright (Psalm 97:12). Rejoice, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4). Where the command is doubled; indeed, not only simple rejoicing, but the highest degree of that duty comes within the command (Psalm 132:9, 16): Shout for joy, all you that are upright in heart. And (Luke 6:22-23) they are bid, to leap for joy, when about the most difficult 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,
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 delightsome thing it is, to walk with God! And yet by this, the whole work of a Christian is expressed (Genesis 17:1). Can any life compare with this for pleasure? Can they be chill, that walk in the sunshine? Or sad, that abide in the fountain of all delights, and walk with him whose name is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3), in whose presence is the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)? O what an angelic life does a Christian then live!
Or (second,) if we consider the variety of spiritual employments, varietas delectat. Change of employment, takes off the tediousness of labor. Variety of voices please the ear: variety of colors delight the eye; the same meat prepared several ways, pleases the palate more, and clogs it less. [reconstructed: But] O the variety of choice dishes with which God entertains his people in a [reconstructed: Sabbath]! as the Word, Prayer, Sacraments, etc. (Isaiah 58:13). If you call the Sabbath your delights; or as Tremelius renders it, your delicate things. My soul (says David) shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness (Psalm 63:5).
Or, lastly, if we consider the suitableness of this work, to a regenerate soul. Is it any pain for a bird to fly? Or a fish to swim? Is the eye tired with beautiful objects? Or the ear with melodious sounds? As little can a spiritual soul be wearied with spiritual and heavenly exercises (Romans 7:22): I delight in the Law of God, after the inner man. Gravia non gravitant in eorum loco (says 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 loveliness of Jesus Christ. The sight of your thriving flocks and flourishing fields, cannot yield you that pleasure which an upright soul can find in one quarter of an hour's communion with God. They that are after the flesh (says the Apostle, Romans 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 heavenly objects transcend earthly 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 does the pleasure arising from the duty, excel all sensitive delights on earth.
REFLECTIONS.
How am I cast and condemned by this, may I say; who never favored 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 oiled 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 nimble 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 (Romans 7:22). All the world is alive in their ways, every creature enjoys 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 incomparable pleasures to be found therein: but such a carnal heart as mine favors 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, than any sweet and real communion I have had with God through them; they have rather proved food and fuel to my pride, than food to my soul. Like the Nightingale I can sing sweetly, when I observe others to listen to me, and be affected with my music. O, false 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 does in those duties that are most exposed to the observation of man. Will such a spring as this maintain a stream of affections; when carnal motives fail? What will you answer (O my soul) to that question, (Job 27:9-10): Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God? What will you reply to this question? Deceive not yourself, O my soul! You will doubtless be easily persuaded to let go that you never delighted in; and from a hypocrite in religion, quickly become an apostate from religion.
From all this, the upright heart takes advantage to rouse up its delight in God, and thus it expostulates with itself: Does the plowman sing amidst his drudging labors, and whistle away his weariness in the fields, and shall I droop amidst such heavenly employment? O my soul, what do you want here, to provoke your delight? If there be such an affection as delight in you, methinks, such an object, as the blessed 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 employed for God? No sooner were they created, but they sang together, and shouted for joy (Job 38:7). How did they fill the air with heavenly melody, when sent to bring the joyful tidings of a Saviour to the world? Ascribing glory to God in the highest, even to the highest of their powers: indeed, this delight would make all my duties Christ-like; and the nearer that pattern, the more excellent. He delighted to do his Father's will, it was to him meat and drink (Psalm 40:7; John 4:32, 34).
Indeed, it would not only ennoble, but facilitate all my duties, and be to me as wings to a bird flying, or sails to a ship in motion. Non tardat uncta rota; oiled wheels run freely; or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Aminadab. O, what is the reason (my God) my delight in you should be so little? Is it not, because my unbelief is so great? Rouse up my delights, O you fountain of pleasure! and let me swim down the stream of holy joys in duty, into the boundless ocean of those immense delights that are in your presence, and at your right hand for evermore.
The Poem.
O what a dull, despondent heart is mine?
That takes no more delight in things divine,
When all the creatures both in heaven and earth:
Enjoy their pleasures, and are big with mirth.
Angels and saints that are before the Throne;
In ecstasies, and raptures every one.
Perpetually is [reconstructed: held]: each blessed spirit
The purest highest joys; does there inherit.
The saints on earth, in their imperfect state;
Those peerless joys by faith do antedate.
To natural men, who favor not this pleasure;
Yet bounteous nature does unlock her treasure
Of sensitive delights, indeed, strange to tell;
Bold sinners rant it all the way to hell.
Like fish that play in Jordan's silver stream;
So these in sensual lusts: and never dream
Of that dead sea, to which the stream does tend:
And to their pleasures puts a fatal end.
Indeed, birds, and 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 music ring.
With various warbling notes they all invite,
Our ravished ears, with pleasure and delight.
The new fallen lambs will in a sunshine day,
About their feeding dams jump up and play
Are cisterns sweet? and is the fountain bitter?
Or can the sun be dark, when glow-worms glitter?
Have instruments, their sweet melodious airs?
All creatures their delights, and saints not theirs?
Indeed, theirs transcend these sensual ones, as far;
As noon day Phoebus does a twinkling star,
Why droop I then, may any creature have
A life like mine for pleasure? Who ever gave
The like encouragement that Christ has given,
To do his will on earth, as 'tis in heaven?
