CHAP. XIII.

Upon the Dangers incident to corn from Seed-time to Harvest.

TH

Fowls, weeds, and blaftings do your corn annoy,
Even focorruptions would your grace deftroy.

OBSERVATION.

HERE are, amongst many others, three critical and dangerous periods between the feed-time and harveft. The firft, when corn is newly committed to the earth, all that lies uncovered is quickly picked up by the birds; and much of that which is but flightly covered, is plucked up as foon as it begins to fprout, by rooks, and other devouring fowls, Matth. xiii. 4. But if it efcape the fowls, and gets root in the earth, yet then it is hazarded by noxious weeds, which purloin and fuck away its nourishment, whilft it is yet in the tender blade. If by the care of the vigilant hufbandman it be freed from choaking weeds; yet, laftly, as great a danger as any of the former ftill attends it; for oftentimes, whilft it is blowing in the ear, blaftings and mildews fmite it in the, ftalk, and cuts. off the juice and fap that fhould afcend to nourish the ear, and fo fhrivels and dries up the grain whilst it is yet, immaturate; whereby it becomes like those ears of corn in Pharaoh's vision, which were thin and blafted with the east-wind; or like the ears the Pfalmift fpeaks of upon the houfe top, wherewith the reaper filleth not his arms.

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APPLICATION.

RUE grace, from the infancy to the perfection thereof, conflicts with far greater dangers, amongst which it answerably meets with three dangerous periods which marvellously hazard it: So that it is a much greater wonder that it ever arrives at its just perfection. For, (1.) No fooner hath the great Hufbandman diffeminated thefe holy feeds in the regenerate heart, but multitudes of impetuous corruptions immediately affault, and would certainly devour them, like the fowls of the air, did not the fame arm that fowed them alfo protect them. It fares with grace, as with Chrift its Author, whom Herod fought to deftroy in his very infancy. The new creature is scarce warm in its feat, before it muft fight to defend itfelf. This conflict is excellently fet forth in that famous text, Gal. V. 17. "The flesh lufteth against the fpirit, and the fpirit against the "flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, fo that ye can"not do the things that ye would."

By flesh here understand the corruption of nature by original fin, and the finful motions thereof;-by Spirit, not the foul, or natural fpirit of man, but the Spirit of God in man, viz. thofe graces in man which are the workmanship of the Spirit, and therefore called by his name. The oppofition betwixt thefe two is expreffed by lufting, i, e.

defiring the mutual ruin and destruction of each other; for even when they are not acting, yet then they are lufting; there is an oppofite difpofition against each other; which oppofition is both a for mal and an effective oppofition. There are two contrary forms; two men in every faint, Col. iii. 9, 10. From hence an effective oppofition muft needs follow; for as things are in their natures and principles, fo they are in their operations and effects; workings always follow beings; fire and water are of contrary qualities, and when they meet, they effectually oppofe each other. Sin and grace are fo oppofite, that if fin fhould cease to oppofe grace, it would cease to be fin; and if grace should cease to oppofe fin, it would ceafe to be grace. And this doth much more endanger the work of grace than any other enemy it hath; because it works againft it more inwardly, conftantly, and advantageously, than any thing elfe can do. (1.) More inwardly, for it hath its being and working in the fame foul where grace dwells; yea, in the felf-fame faculties; fo that it not only fers one faculty against another, but the fame faculty against itself; the understanding against the understanding, and the will against the will; fo that ye cannot do the good, nor yet the evil that ye would; not the good that ye would, because when the fpirit moveth to good, and beats upon the heart by Divine pulfations, exciting it to duty, the flesh crof fes and opposes it there; and if it cannot totally hinder the performance of a duty, yet it lames the foul upon the working-hand, whereby the performance is not fo fpiritual, free and compofed, as it defires; nor yet the evil that you would commit, if grace were not there; becaufe when luft ftirs, in its firft motions, grace puts a rub in its way. "How can I do this great wickedness, and fin against God?" Gen. xxxix. 9. And if it cannot (which for the most part it doth) hinder the acting of fin, yet it fo engages the will against it, that it is not committed with complacency and full confent, Rom. vii. 15. « What I "do, I allow not." (2.) It opposes it more constantly, it is like a continual dropping; a man can no more fly from this enemy than from himfelf. There is a time when the devil leaves tempting, Mat. iv. 11. but no time when corruption ceafes from working. And, laftly, It oppofes grace more advantageously than any other enemy can do, for it is not only always in the fame foul with it, but it is there naturally; it hath the advantage of the foil which fuits with it. And yet, oh the wonder of free grace! it is not swallowed up in victory, but it escapes this hazard.

But (2.) It foon meets with another, though it escapes this, even by temptations, which strike desperately at the very life of it; for thefe, like the weeds, with feemingly-loving embraces, clasp about it; and did not the faithful God now make a way to escape, instead of an harvest, we should have an heap? For, alas, what are we! to wrestle with principalities and powers, and fpiritual wickedneffes in high places?

Laftly, Sad relapfes, like blafts and ruftings, do often fade, and

greatly endanger it, when it is even ready for the harveft. Thus it fell out with David, whofe laft ways were not like his firft; and yet by this thefe holy fruits were not utterly deftroyed, because it is the feed of God, and fo is immortal, 1 John v. 4, 5. And also because the promises of perfeverance and victory made to it, cannot be fruftrated; amongst which these are excellent, Ifa. liv. 10. Jer. xxxiv. 40. 1 Cor. i. 8. Pfal. i 3. cxxv. 1. John iv. 15. So that here is matter of unfpeakable comfort; though the flesh fay, Ego deficiam, I will fail thee; though the world fay, Ego decipiam, I will deceive thee; though the devil fay, Ego eripiam, I will fnatch thee away; yet as long as Chrift faith, I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee, thy graces are fecure in the midft of all thefe enemies.

REFLECTIONS.

1. This foul of mine was once plowed up by conThe apoftate's viction, and fown (as I thought) with the feed of God. reflection. In thofe days many purpofes and good refolutions began to chink and bud forth, promifing a bleffed harveft: but oh! (with what confternation and horror fhould I speak it) the cares and pleafures of this life, the lufts and corruptions of my bafe heart fpringing up, have quite destroyed and choaked it; by which it appears it was not the feed of God, as I then imagined it to be; and now my expected harvest shall be an heap in the day of grief and defperate forrow, Ifa. xvii. 11. I had convictions, but they are gone; troubles for fin, confcience of duties, but all is blafted, and my foul is now as a barren field, which God hath curfed.

Woe is me! I have revolted from God, and now that dreadful word, Jer. xvii. 5, 6. is evidently fulfilled upon me; " for I am like "the heath in the defart, that feeth not when good cometh; my "foul inhabits the parched places of the wilderness." Alas! all my formal and heartlefs duties were but as fo many fcare-crows in the field, which could not defend thefe flight workings from being devoured by the infernal fowls. Had thefe principles been the feed of God, no doubt they would have continued and overcome the world, 1 John ii. 19. Wretched foul! thy cafe is fad; it will be better with the uncultivated wilderness, than with fuch a miscarrying foul, unless the great Husbandman plow thee up the fecond time, and fow thy heart with better feed.

The careless foul's reflection.

2. And are the corruptions of my heart to grace, what fowls, weeds, and mildews are to the corn? O what need have I then to watch my heart, and keep it with all diligence; for in the life of that grace is wrapt up the life of my foul. He that carries a candle in his hand, in a bluftering, ftormy night, had need to cover it close, left it be blown out, and he left in darkness. O let me never fay, God hath promifed it fhall perfevere, and therefore I need not be to folicitous to preferve it; for as this inference is quite oppofite to the nature of true grace and affurance, which never encourage to

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carelesness, but provoke the foul to an industrious use of means to preferve it; fo it is in itself an irrational and fenfelefs conclufion, which will never follow from any scripture-promise: for although it is readily granted, that God hath made many comfortable and sweet promifes to the grace of his people, yet we must expect to enjoy the benefits and bleffings of all thofe promises, in that way and order in which God hath promifed them; and that is in the careful and diligent use of those means which he hath prefcribed, Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37. For promifes do not exclude, but imply the use of means, Acts xxvii. 31. I know my life is determined to a day, to an hour, and I fhall live out every minute God hath appointed; but yet, I am bound to provide food, raiment, and phyfic to preserve it. To conclude, let all doubting Christians reflect The doubting feriously upon this truth, and fuck marrow and foul's reflection. fatnefs out of it to ftrengthen and establish them

against all their fears: your life, your fpiritual life hath for many years hung in fufpence before you; and you have often faid with David, I fhall one day fall by the hand of Saul. Defponding, trembling foul! lift up thine eyes, and look upon the fields; the corn lives ftill, and grows up, though birds have watched to devour it ; fnows have covered it, beafts have cropped it, weeds have almoft choaked it, yet it is preserved. And hath not God more care of that precious feed of his own Spirit in thee, than any husbandman hath of his corn? Hath he not faid, "That having begun the good "work in thee, he will perfect it to the day of Chrift?" Phil. i. 6. Hath he not faid, I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall never perish, John x. 28. Haft thou not many times faid, and thought of it, as thou dost now, and yet it lives? O what matter of unspeakable joy and comfort is this to upright fouls! Well then, be not discouraged, for thou doft not run as one uncertain, nor fight as one that beats the air, 1 Cor. ix. 26. But the foundation of God stands fure, having this feal, the Lord knows who are his, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Though thy grace be weak, thy God is ftrong; though the ftream feem fometimes to fail, yet it is fed by an ever-flowing fountain.

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THE POEM.

IS juftly wondered that an ear of corn

Should come at last in fafety to the barn:
It runs through many hazards, threat'ning harms,
Betwixt the fower's hands and reaper's arms.
The earth no fooner takes it from the fack,
But you may fee behind the fower's back
A troop of thieves which would at once destroy
That feed in which lies hid the feed of joy.
This dangerous period past, it foon doth fall
Into a fecond, no lefs critical.

It shooteth forth the tender blade, and then...
The noxious weeds endanger it again.
Thefe clafp about it till they kindly choak
The corn, as flattering ivy doth the oak.
Are weeds deftroy'd, and all that danger paft?
Lo, now another comes, the worst at last :
For when i' th' car it blows, begins to kern,
A mildew fmites it, which you can't difcern,
Nor any way prevent till all be loft,

The corn deftroy'd, with all your hopes and coft.
Thus faving grace, that precious feed of joy,
Which hell and nature plot how to destroy,
Escapes ten thousand dangers, first and last,
O who can fay, now all the danger's paft?
'Tis like a crazy bark tofs'd in a ftorm,
Or like a taper which is ftrangely born
Without a lanthorn in a bluft'ring night,
Or like to glimmering sparks, whose dying light
is ftill preferv'd: the roaring waves fwell high,
Like moving mountains in the darken'd sky:
On their proud backs the little bark is even
Mounted unto the battlements of heaven;
From thence difmounted, to the deeps doth flide
Receiving water upon every fide;

Yet he whofe voice the proudest waves obey,
Brings it at laft unto the quiet quay:
The bluft'ring winds ftrive with a fatal puff,
To bring the taper to a stinking snuff:
Their churlish blafts extinguish it, and then
Our gentle breath recovers it again:
The fainting fparks beneath the afhes lie,
Where, choak'd and smother'd, they begin to die;
But thefe collected, we do gently blow,
Till from faint fparks to lively flames they grow.
Ev'n thus is grace preferv'd, thus kept alive;
By conftant wonders grace doth live and thrive.

CHAP. XIV.

Upon the Patience of the Hufbandman for the Harveft.

Our bufbandmen for harvest wait and flay:

O let not any faint do less than they!

OBSERVATION.

HE expectation of a good harveft at laft, makes the husband

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man, with untired patience, to digest all his labours. He that