Chapter 9
By heaven's influence, corn and plants do spring,
God's showers of grace do make his valleys sing.
OBSERVATION.
The earth after that it is plowed and sowed, must be watered and warmed with the dews and influences of heaven, or no fruit can be expected. If God does not open to you his good treasure, the heavens to give rain to the land in its season, and bless all the work of your hands, as it is, (Deuteronomy 28:12), the earth cannot yield her increase. The order and dependence of natural causes in the productions of fruit, is excellently described, (Hosea 2:21-22): I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and wine, and oil, and they shall hear Jezreel. Jezreel must have corn, and wine, and oil, or they cannot live; they cannot have it, unless the earth bring it forth; the earth cannot bring it forth without the heavens; the heavens cannot yield a drop unless God hear them; that is, unlock and open them. Nature and natural causes are nothing else but the order in which God works. This some Heathens by the light of nature acknowledged, and therefore when they went to plow in the morning, they did lay one hand upon the plow (to speak their own part to be painfulness) and hold up the other hand to Ceres the Goddess of Corn, to show that their expectation of plenty was from their supposed deity. I fear many Christians lay both hands to the plow, and seldom lift up heart or hand to God, when about that work. There was a husbandman (says Mr. Smith) that always sowed good seed, but never had good corn; at last a neighbor came to him, and said, I will tell you what probably may be the [reconstructed: cause] of it? It may be (said he) you do not steep your seed; no truly said the other, nor ever did I hear that seed must be steeped; yes surely, said his neighbor, and I will tell you how, it must be steeped in prayer. When the party heard this, he thanked him for his counsel, reformed his fault, and had as good corn as any man whatever. Surely, it is not the husbandman's, but God's steps that drop fatness. Alma Mater terra, the earth indeed is a fruitful mother, but the rain which fecundates and fertilizes it, has no other father but God (Job 38:28).
APPLICATION.
As impossible it is (in an ordinary way) for souls to be made fruitful in grace and holiness, without the dews and influences of ordinances and the blessing of God upon them, as for the earth to yield her fruit without the natural influences of heaven; for look, what dews, showers, and clear shinings after rain are to the fields, that the word and ordinances of God are to the souls of men. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the [reconstructed: small] rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass (Deuteronomy 32:2). For as the rain and snow comes down from heaven and waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud; so shall my word be that goes forth of my mouth (Isaiah 55:10-11). And as the doctrine of the Gospel is rain, so Gospel ministers are the clouds in which those heavenly vapors are bound up. The resemblance lies in the following particulars.
The rain comes from heaven (Acts 14:17): He gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, etc. The doctrine of the Gospel is also of a heavenly extraction and descent; they are heavenly truths which are brought to you in earthen vessels, things that were hid in God, and come from his bosom (Ephesians 3:9). What Nicodemus said of Christ, is in a proportion true of every faithful dispenser of the Gospel, You are a teacher come from God (John 3:2). You are not to look upon the truths which ministers deliver, as the mere effects and fruits of their inventions and parts; they are but the conduits through which those celestial waters are conveyed to you. It is all heavenly: the officers from heaven (Ephesians 4:12), their doctrine from heaven (Ephesians 3:8-9), the efficacy and success of it from heaven (1 Corinthians 3:3). What I received of the Lord (says Paul) that have I delivered to you (1 Corinthians 11:23). The same may every Gospel minister say too. That's the first.
And then, second, the rain falls by divine direction and appointment; He causes it to rain upon one city and not upon another (Amos 4:7). You shall often see a cloud dissolve and spend itself upon one place, when there is not a drop within a few miles of it. Thus is the Gospel sent to shed its rich influences upon one place, and not upon another; it pours down showers of blessings upon one town or parish, while others are dry like the ground which lay near to Gideon's wet fleece. To you is the word of this salvation sent (Acts 13:26). Sent — it comes not by chance, but by commission and appointment, and it is sent to you by special direction. Ministers can no more go where they please, than the [reconstructed: sailing] clouds can move against the wind. Paul and Timothy, two fruitful clouds (that sent down many sweet refreshing showers upon every place where they came) the Lord sent them through Phrygia and Galatia but forbade them to preach the word in Asia (Acts 16:6). And when they attempted to go into Bithynia, the Spirit suffered them not (verse 7). But a man of Macedonia appears to Paul in a vision, and prayed him, saying, come over to Macedonia and help us (verse 9). Thus you see, how the mystical, as well as the natural clouds, are moved according to divine counsel; and though ministers are not now disposed to their respective places, in such an extraordinary way, yet there is still a special hand of the Spirit guiding their motions, which is seen partly in qualifying them for such a people, and partly in drawing out their hearts to elect and call them, and inclining their hearts to accept the call.
There is a great deal of difference in showers of rain that fall upon the earth. Sometimes you have a hasty shower, which makes the ways fleet, and the streets run, but it's gone presently, the earth has but little benefit by it; and sometimes you have a sweet, gentle, soaking rain, that moderately soaks to the root and refreshes the earth abundantly. This is called the small rain, and the former, the great rain of his strength (Job 37:6). So it is in these spiritual showers, the effects of some sermons, (like a sudden spout of rain) are very transient; that touch the heart a little for present by way of conviction or comfort, but it fleets away immediately (James 1:23). At other times the Gospel like a settled moderate rain, soaks to the root, to the very heart. So did that sweet shower which fell (Acts 2:37). It searches the root, it went to the heart; the influences of it are sometimes abiding, and do much longer remain in, and refresh the heart, than the rain does the earth. There be effects left in some hearts, by some sermons and duties, that will never out of it so long as they live. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have quickened me (Psalm 119:92).
The rain is most beneficial to the earth, when there come sweet, warm sun-blasts with it, or after it. This the scripture calls, a clear shining after rain (2 Samuel 23:4), by which the seminal virtue of the earth is drawn forth, and then the herbs and flowers, and corn sprout abundantly. So it is with Gospel showers, when the Sun of righteousness opens upon poor souls under the word, darting down the beams of grace and love upon them, while they are attending on it, (just as you sometimes see a sweet shower fall while the sun shines out) O how comfortable is this! And effectual to melt the heart! And as the warm rain is most refreshing, so when the word comes warmly, from the melting affections of the preacher, who imparts not only the Gospel, but his own soul with it (1 Thessalonians 2:8), this does abundantly more good than that which drops coldly from the lips of the unaffected speaker.
Showers of rain do exceedingly refresh the earth, as a man is refreshed by a draught of water, when his spirits are even spent. O how welcome is a shower to the thirsty ground! Hence the little hills are said to rejoice on every side, indeed to shout for joy, and sing when a shower comes (Psalm 65:12-13); but never was shower of rain so sweetly refreshing to the thirsty earth, as Gospel-showers are to gracious hearts (Colossians 4:8). It comforts their very hearts. What joy was there in Samaria, when the Gospel came to that place? (Acts 8:8). It revives the soul, its mel in ore, melos in aure, jubilum in corde, honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, and a very Jubilee in the heart.
Rain is necessary at seed-time, to make ready the earth, to receive the seed (Psalm 65:9-10). You visit the earth, and water it; you greatly enrich it with the river of God, which is full of water; you prepare them corn, when you have so provided for it; you water the ridges thereof abundantly, you set the furrows thereof, you make it soft with showers, you bless the springing thereof. And this the Scripture calls the former rain. And as this is necessary about seed-time, so the latter rain is as needful about harvesting time, to disclose the ear, and to bring it to perfection; both these are great blessings to the earth, and conduce to a plentiful harvest (Joel 2:23-24). Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former and the latter rain in the first month, and the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. Thus the Gospel has a double use and benefit also. It's necessary as the former rain at seed-time, it causes the first spring of grace in the heart (Psalm 19:7). And there could be, (in an ordinary way) no spring of grace without it (Proverbs 29:18). And as this former rain is necessary to cause the first spring of grace, so also it has the use of the latter rain to ripen those precious fruits of the Spirit in the souls of believers (Ephesians 4:11-13). He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Were all the elect converted to God, yet still there would be a necessity of a Gospel ministry.
After a great glut of rain, usually there comes a drought; 'tis a common country proverb, Wet and dry pay one another. And truly when a people are glutted with a fullness of Gospel-mercies, it's usual with God to shut up and restrain the Gospel-clouds, that for a time (at least) there be no dews upon them, and thereby teach them to prize their despised (because common) mercies at a higher rate. For as a good man once said, mercies are best known by the back, and most prized when most wanted. In those days the word of the Lord was precious, there was no open vision (1 Samuel 3:1). It is with spiritual as with temporal food, slighted when plenteous, but if a famine once come, then every bit of bread is precious. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her misery, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old (Lamentations 1:7). 'Tis both a sinful and dangerous thing to wanton with Gospel-mercies, and despise the plainest (if faithful) ministers of the Gospel. The time may come when you may be glad of the plainest sermon, from the mouth of the meanest ambassador of Christ.
To conclude, the prayers of saints are the keys that open and shut the natural clouds, and cause them either to give out, or withhold their influences (James 5:18). Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth, by the space of three years and six months; and he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth fruit. God has subjected the works of his hands, to the prayers of his saints (Isaiah 45:11).
Prayer is also the golden key which opens these mystical Gospel clouds, and dissolves them into sweet gracious showers. God will have the whole work of the Ministry carried on by the prayers of his people, they first obtain their Ministers by prayer (Luke 10:2). Pray you the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into the vineyard. It is by the help of prayer, that they are carried on, and enabled to exercise their Ministry. They may tell their people as a great General once told his Soldiers, that he flew upon their wings. Pray for me (says the great Apostle) that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the Mysteries of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:19). Indeed, by the saints' prayers it is, that Ministers obtain the success and fruits of their labors (1 Thessalonians 3:1). Finally brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. And thus you have the Metaphor opened. Now, oh! that these truths might come down in sweet showers upon the hearts both of Ministers and people, in the following Reflections.
REFLECTIONS.
Am I then a cloud? and is my doctrine as rain to water the Lord's inheritance? and yet do I think it much to be tossed up and down by the furious winds and storms of persecution? Do I not see the clouds above me in continual motions and agitations? and shall I dream of a fixed settled state? No — false teachers, who are clouds without rain, are more likely to enjoy that, than I. Which of all the Prophets have not been tossed and hurried worse than I (Acts 7:52)? He that will not let men alone to be quiet in their lusts, must expect but little quiet from men in this life. But it is enough Lord, that a rest remains for your servant, let me be so wise to secure a rest to come, and not so vain to expect it on earth.
And, oh that I might study those instructing clouds, from which, as from the bottles of heaven, God pours down refreshing showers to quench and satisfy the thirsty earth! In this may I resemble them, and come among the people of the Lord, in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ (Romans 15:29). Oh let not those thirsty souls that wait for me as for the rain (Job 29:23), return like the Troops of Tema, ashamed with their heads covered (Job 6:19). Oh that my lips might refresh many! Let me never be like those empty clouds, which deceive the hopes of thirsty souls; but let my doctrine descend as the rain and distil as the dew, and let that plot of your inheritance which you have assigned to me, be as the field which the Lord has blessed.
Once more, lift up your eyes to the clouds, and behold, to how great a height the Sun has mounted them, for by reason of their sublimity it is that they are called the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30). Lord, let me be a cloud of heaven too! Let my heart and conversation be both there! Who is more advantaged for a heavenly life than I? Heavenly truths are the subjects of my daily study, and shall earthly things be the objects of my daily delights and loves? God forbid, that ever my earthly conversation should contradict and shame my heavenly calling and profession. Shine forth you glorious Sun of righteousness, and my heart shall quickly be attracted and mounted above these visible clouds, yes, and above the visible heavens.
Is the Gospel rain, and its Ministers clouds? Woe is me then, that my habitation is upon the mountains of Gilboa, where there are no dews! Ah sad lot, that I should be like Gideon's dry fleece, while the ground round about me is wet with the dew of heaven! Oh you that command the clouds above, and open the windows of heaven; remember, and refresh this parched wilderness, wherein I live, with showers of grace, that we may not be as the heath in the desert, which sees not when good comes, nor inhabit the parched places of the wilderness.
Oh Lord, you have caused the heavens above me to be black with clouds, you open the celestial casements from above, and daily send down showers of Gospel blessings; oh that I might be as the parched earth under them! Not for barrenness, but for thirstiness. Let me say, My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord: that I might there see the beauty of the Lord. Does the spongy earth so greedily suck up the showers, and open as many mouths as there are clefts in it, to receive what the clouds dispense? and shall those precious soul-enriching showers fleet away unprofitably from me? If so, then,
What an account have I to make for all those Gospel-blessings that I have enjoyed? for all those Gospel-dews and showers with which I have been watered! Should I be found fruitless at last, it will [reconstructed: fare] better with the barren and uncultivated wilderness, than with me, more tolerable for Indians and Barbarians, that never heard the Gospel, than for me that have been so assiduously and plenteously watered by it. Lord, what a difference will you put in the great day, between simple and pertinacious barrenness! Surely, if my root be not rottenness, such heavenly waterings and influences as these, will make it sprout forth into fruits of obedience.
The Poem.
The vegetables here below depend,
Upon those treasures which the heavens do spend
Most bounteously upon them: to preserve
Their being, and their beauty. This may serve
To shadow forth a heavenly mystery,
Which thus presents itself before your eye.
As when the Sun draws near us in the spring,
All creatures do rejoice, birds, chirp and sing.
The face of nature smiles, the fields adorn
Themselves, with rich embroideries. The corn
Revives, and shoots up, the warm sweet rain
Makes trees, and herbs sprout forth and spring amain,
Walk but the fields in such a fragrant morn,
How do the birds your ears with music charm!
The flowers, their flaming beauties do present
To your captivated eyes: and for their scent,
The sweet Arabian gums cannot compare;
Which thus perfume, the circumambient air.
So, when the Gospel sheds its cheering beams,
On gracious souls; like those sweet warming gleams,
Which God ordains in nature; to draw forth
The virtue seminal that's in the earth:
It warms their hearts, their languid graces cheers;
And on such souls, a spring-like face appears.
The gracious showers these spiritual clouds do yield,
Enriches them with sweetness; like a field
Which God has blest. Oh! 'tis exceeding sweet,
When gracious hearts, and heavenly truths do meet.
How should the hearts of saints within them spring,
When they behold the messengers that bring
These gladsome tidings? Indeed, their very feet
Are beautiful; because their message sweet.
Oh what a mercy do those souls enjoy
On whom such Gospel-dews fall day by day!
Three times happy land which in this pleasant spring,
Can hear these turtles, in her hedges [reconstructed: singing].
O prize such mercies, if you ask me why?
Read on, you'll see, there's reason by and by.
