Chapter 18
Great is the joy of Harvest men, yet less
Than theirs, whom God does with his favour bless.
OBSERVATION.
AMong all earthly joyes, these four sorts are noted in Scripture, as the most excellent and remarkable, (1) Nuptial joyes, the day of Espousals is the day of the gladness of a mans heart, Cant. 3. 11. (2) The joy of children. Though now it seem but a common mercy to most, and a den to some; yet the people of God were wont to esteem it a choice mercy, and rejoyced greatly in it. Iohn. 16. 21. there's joy that a man is born into the world. (3) The joy of conquests and victories, when men divide the spoyl. And lastly, The joy of Harvest; these two we find put together as principal matters of joy, Isa. 9. 3. They joy before you, according to the joy in Harvest, and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoyl. The joy of Harvest is no small joy; Gaudium messis, est messis gaudii, the joy of harvest, is the harvest of their joy. 'Tis usual with men, when they have reaped down their harvest, (or cut the neck, as they call it) to demonstrate their joy by shoutings, and loud acclamations.
APPLICATION.
THus, and unspeakably more than thus, do Saints rejoyce and shout for joy, when they reap the favour and love of God, for which they laboured in many a weary duty. This joy of harvest, as great as it is, and as much as carnal hearts are lifted up with it, is but a trifle, a thing of nought, compared with yours; after they have sown to themselves in righteousness, and waited for the effects and returns of their duties with patience, and at last come to reap in mercy, either the full harvest in heaven, or but the first fruits of it on earth, yet rejoyce, with joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. This puts more gladness into their hearts, than when corn and wine increases, Psal. 4. 7. Carnal joyes are but soul-Fevers, the Agues of the inner-man; there is as great difference between the unnatural inflamations of a feverish body which wastes their spirits, and drinks up the radical moisture, and that kindly well-tempered heat of an healthy body; and as much between the sweet, serene and heavenly joyes, which flow from the bosom of Christ into the hearts of believers, and those earthly delights which carnal hearts in a sensual way suck out of creature-enjoyments. I will shew you the transcendency of spiritual joyes, above the joy of harvest, in these eight particulars following.
You that joy with the joy of harvest, are glad, because now you have food for your selves and families to live upon all the year; but the Christian rejoyceth, because he has bread to eat, that the world knows not of, Rev. 2. 17. Christ is the food of his soul, and his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed, Iohn 5. 55. (i. e.) the most real and excellent food You read, Psal. 78. 25. that man did eat angels food (i. e.) Manna, which was such excellent bread, that if Angels did live upon material food, this would be chosen for them; and yet this is but a type and dark shadow of Iesus Christ, the food of believers.
You rejoyce when your harvest is in, because corn is virtually many other things besides food; you can turn it into cloaths to keep you warm, and many other necessaries may be purchased by it: but yet it is not like Christ, the object of a Saints joy; though it answers many things it does not answer all things as Christ does; turn it into what you will, it has but a limited and respective usefulness: but Iesus Christ is all in all to believers, and out of him their faith can fetch all supplies; he is their health in sickness, their strength in weakness, their ease in pain, their honour in reproach, their wealth in poverty, their friend in friendlessness, their habitation when harbourless, their enlargement in bonds, the strength of their hearts, and life of their life. O he is a full Christ, and what ever excellencies are scattered among all the creatures, do meet all in him, and much more.
You rejoyce when you have gotten in your harvest, because now you can free those engagements, and pay those debts which you have contracted. 'Tis a comfort to be out of debt, and you may lawfully rejoyce that God gives you wherewith to quit your engagements, that you may owe to man any thing but love: but still the joy of harvest falls short of the joy of Saints; for you rejoyce that you are, or have wherewith to help your selves out of mens debts: but they rejoyce that they are out of God'd debt, that his book is cancelled, and their sins pardoned; that by reason of the imputed righteousness, of Christ, the Law can demand nothing from them, Rom. 8. 1. O, what matter of joy is this!
You rejoyce, because now your corn is out of danger, all the while it was abroad it was in hazard, but now it's housed you fear not the rain. But Christians rejoyce, not because their corn is safe, but because their souls are so. All the while they abode in an unregenerate state, they were every moment in danger of the storms of wrath; but now being in Christ, that danger is over; and what compare is there between the safety of a little corn, and the security of an immortal soul?
Your joy is but in a gift of common providence. Turks and Heathens can rejoyce with your joy, but the joy of a Christian is a peculiar favour and gift of God. Corn is given to all Nations, even the most barbarous and wicked have store of it; but Christ is the portion but of a few, and those the dearly beloved of God. Luther said of the whole Turkish Empire (where is the best and greatest store of corn) that it is but a crumb which the Master of the Family throws to the dogs. He that had more corn than his Barns could hold, now wants a drop of water to cool his tongue. Christ is a gift bestowed only upon God's Elect.
Your joy will have an end; the time is coming, that when you have reaped down your harvests, your selves must be reaped down by death, and then you shall rejoyce in these things no more; but when your joy is ended, then is the joy of Saints perfected; they reap their harvest, when you leave your harvest: their consolation is everlasting.
God an separate your joy from these ejoyments, even while you have them, as well as when you leave them. 'Tis one thing for a man to have riches and full Barns, and another thing to have comfort in them, Eccles. 5. 19, 20. But now the joy of Christians is a thing inseparable from their enjoyment of Christ: Indeed the sense of their interest may be lost, and so the acts of their joy intermitted; but they alwayes have it in the seed, if not in the fruit, Psal. 97. 11. Ioy is sown for the upright; he has it still in the principle, and in the promise.
The joy of Harvest-men, for the most part, is only in their harvest, and in such earthly things; take that away, and their joy ceases. Earthly hearts are acquainted with no higher comforts; but the people of God can joy in him, and take comfort in their earthly enjoyments too; and what comfort they take in these things, is much more refined and sweet than yours; for they enjoy all these things in God, and his love in giving them, puts a sweetness into them, that you are unacquainted with. Thus you see, how far your joy falls short of theirs.
REFLECTIONS.
HOw have I rejoyced in a thing of nought, and pleased my self with a vanity? God has blessed me in my fields, and in my stores; but not with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. My Barns are full of corn, but my soul is empty of grace; common bounty has given me a fulness of the things of this life, but what if the meaning of it should be to fat me for the day of slaughter? what if this be the whole of my portion from the Lord? what if the language of his providences to my soul should be this? Lo, here I have given you (with Ishmael) the fatness of the earth: You shalt not say, but you hast tasted of your Creator's bounty; but make the most of it, for this is all that ever you shalt have from me: There be others in the world, to whom I have denyed these things, but for them I have reserved better; for the most part they are poor in this world, but rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom? Is not this enough to damp all my carnal mirth? Should my conscience give me such a memento, as Abraham in the parable gave to Dives; Remember that you in your life time receivedst your good things. Ah, what a cut would that be to all my comforts? A man in a Fever has a lively colour, but a dying heart. I have an appearance, a shadow of comfort, but a sad state of soul.
Blessed be the God and father of my Lord Iesus Christ,who has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Eph. 1. 3. Though he has not seen fit to give me much of this world in hand, yet it has pleased him to settle a rich inheritance upon me by promise; the hopes and expectations whereof, yield my soul more true comfort than all the present enjoyments of this world could have done. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given me my portion in this life, that by keeping me from the enjoyment, has also preserved me from the snares of a prosperous estate.
Lord Iesus, I have no bags, I have no Barns; but you shalt be to me instead of all those things. When others rejoyce in the fulness of their earthly comforts, I will rejoyce in the fulness of my Christ; they have that which (though I have not) I shall not want; and I have that which all their riches cannot purchase. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
But Lord, how am I obliged, above thousands, to love and praise you! to bless and admire you, who hast not only plentifully provided for my soul, but for my body too! who hast given me both the upper and the neather springs, heaven and earth, things present, and things to come: You hast not dealt so with all, no, not with all your own people; many of them are strangers to the mercies which I enjoy. God has done great things for me; O my soul! what wilt you do for God? The freer the condition is, he has placed me in, the more am I both obliged and advantaged for his service; and yet I doubt it will be found, that many a poor Christian that labours with his hands to get his bread, redeems more hours for God than I do. Lord, make me wise to understand, and answer the double end of this gracious dispensation! Let me bestow the more of my time on God, and stand ready to Minister to the necessities of his people.
Oh, what an unhappy wretch am I! that have nothing either in hand, or in hope; am miserable here, and like to be so for ever: Had I but an interest in Christ, as the godly poor have, that would sweeten all present troubles, and shew me the end of them. But alas! I am poor and wicked, contemned of men, and abhorred of God; an object of contempt, both to heaven and earth. Lord, look upon such a truly miserable object with compassion, give me a portion with your people in the world to come, if you never better my outward condition here! O sanctifie this poverty! bless these straits and wants, that they may necessitate my soul to go to Christ; make this poverty the way to glory, and I shall bless you to eternity, that I was poor in this world.
The Poem.
OFt have I seen when harvest's almost in,
The last load coming; how some men have bin
Rapt up with joy, as if that welcom cart
Drew home the very treasure of their heart.
What joyful shoutings! hooping! hollowing noise,
With mingled voices both of men and boyes?
To carnal minds there is no greater mirth,
No higher joy; nor greater heaven on earth.
He speaks pure Paradoxes, that shall say
These are but trifles; to what Saints enjoy.
But they despise your sparks, as much as you
Contemn their Sun. Some that could never shew
A full stuft Barn, on which you set yourt hear;
But glean perhaps the ears behind your cart;
Yet are the gleanings of their comfort more;
Than all your harvest, and admired store.
Your mirth is mixt with sorrow, theirs, is pure
Yours like a shadow fleets, but theirs indure.
God gives to you the husk, to them the pith;
And no heart-string sorrow adds therewith.
Though at the gates of death they sometimes mourn,
No sooner does the Lord to them return;
But sorrow's banisht from their pensive breast;
Ioy triumphs there, and smiles their cheeks invest.
Have you beheld when with perfumed wings,
Out of the balmy East bright Phoebus springs;
Mounting th'Olympick hill, with what a grace
He views the throne of darkness; and does chase
The shades of night before him? having hurl'd
His golden beams about this lower world,
How from sad Groves, and solitary Cells
Where horrid darkness and confusion dwells,
Batts, Owles, and doleful creatures fly away,
Resigning to the cheerful birds of day,
Who in those places now can sit and chaunt,
Where lately such sad creatures kept their haunt.
Thus grief resigns to joy, sighs, groans and tears,
To songs triumphant when the Lord appears.
O matchless joy! O countenance divine!
What are those trifles, to these smiles of your!
May I with poor Mephibosheth be blest
With these sweet smiles, let Ziba take the rest.
My life, my treasure, you shalt ne'r be sold
For silver hills, or rivers pav'd with gold.
Wer't you but known to worldlings, they would scorn,
To stoop their hearts to such poor things as corn.
For so they do, because you art above
That sphere wherein their low conceptions move.
