BX 8915 .F58 1820 v. 5 Flavel, John, 16307-1691 ine whole works of John Flavel
REV. MR. JOHN FLAVEL,
LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT DARTMOUTH, DEVON.
AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE
OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE WHOLE.
PRINTED FOR W. BAYNES AND SON, 23 & 54, PATERNOSTER-ROWj WAUGH AND INNES, EDINBURGH, AND M. KEENE, DUBLIN.
H U S B A N D/ft YSI^CETOH'
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS.
Consisting of many -i^eas^nt ohservations, pertinent appHcaticms^ and serious reflections ; and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem. Directing hushandmen to the most excellent im- provements of their common employments. Whereunto are ad- ded, by way of Appendix, several choice occasional meditations^ upon birds, beasts, trees, Jloivers, rivers, and several other ob- jects ; fitted for tlie help of such as desire to walk with God ia all their solitudes, and recesses from the world.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
To the Worshipful Robert Savery, and WiLLrA:M Savery, of
JLT hath been long since observed, that the world below is a glass to discover the world above ; Seculum est speculum : and although I am not of their opinion, that say, the Heathens may spell Christ out of the sun, moon, and stars ; yet this I know, that the irrational and inanimate, as well as rational creatures, have a language ; and though not by articulate speech, yet in a metaphorical sense, they preach unto man the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, Rom. i. 20. " There is (saith the Psalmist, Psalm xix. 3.) no speech, nor language, *' where their voice is not heard."''' Or (as Junius renders it) there is no speech, nor words, yet without these, their voice is understood, and their line (i. e. saith Diodate) their writing in gross and plain draughts, is gone out through all the earth.
As man is compounded of a fleshly and spiritual substance, so God hath endowed the creatures with a spiritual, as well as fleshly useful- ness, they have not only a natural use in alimental and physical res- pects, but also a spiritual use, as they bear the figures and similitudes of many sublime and heavenly mysteries. Believe me (saith contem- plative Bernard) thou shalt find more in the woods, than in a comer ; stones and trees will teach thee what thou shalt not hear from learn- ed doctors. By a skill ul and industrious improvement of the crea-
4 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
tures (saith Mr. Baxter excellently) we niiglit have a fuller taste of Christ and heaven, in every bit of bread that we eat, and in every draught of beer that we drink, than most men have in the use of the sacrament.
And as the creatures teach divine and excellent things, so they teach them in a perspicuous and taking manner : Dilo ilia nos muoc- ime movent, simiritudo et exemplum, saith the orator *. These two things, similitude, and example, do especially move us. Notions are more easily conveyed to the understanding, by being first clothed in some apt similitude, and so represented to the sense. And therefore Jesus Christ the gTeat Prophet, delighted much in teaching by para- bles : and the prophets were much in this way also, Hos. xii. 10. "I " have used simihtudes by the ministry of the prophets." Those that can retain little of a sermon, yet ordinarily retain an apt similitude.
I confess it is an humbling consideration, That man, who at first was led by the knowledge of God to the knowledge of the creature, must now bv the creatures learn to know God. That the creatures, (as one saith) like Balaam''s ass, should teach their master. But though this be the unhappiness of poor man in his collapsed state^ yet it is now his wisdom to improve such helps : and whilst others, by the abuse of the creatures, are furthering their perdition, to be, by the spiritual improvement of them, promoting his own salvation.
It is an excellent art to discourse with birds, beasts, and fishes, about sublime and spiritual subjects, and make them answer to your questions ; and this may be done, Job xii. 7, 8. " Ask now the " beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fo^^'ls of the air, and " they shall tell thee ; or speak to the earth, and.it shall teach thee, '' and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee."" That is (saith neat and accurate -f- Cai'j^l) the creatures teach us when we think of them : ' They teach us, though not formally, yet virtually ; they an- ' swer and resolve the question put to them, though not explicitly ' to the ear, yet convincingly to the conscience. So then, we ask ' the creatures, when we diligently consider them, when we search ' out the perfections and virtues that God hath put into, or stampt ' upon them. To set our mind thus upon the creature, is to discourse ' with the creature ; the questions which man asks of a beast, are ' only his own meditations. Again, the creatures teach us, when * we in meditation make our collections and draw down a demon- ' stration of the power, wisdom, and goodness of God in making ' them, or the frailty of man in needing them : such conclusions and ' inferences are the teachings of the creatures.'
Common objects (saith + another) may be improved two ways ; viz. In an argumentative, and in a representative way ; by reasoning from them, and by viewing the resemblance that is betwixt them and spiritual matters.
* Cicero. f Caryl, in loc. \ Dr. Manton.
THE EPlSTtE DEDICATdltY. S
Firsts In meditation argue thus, as in the present case and simili- tude of the apostle. If an husbandman upon the ordinary principles of reason can wait for the harvest, shall not I wait for the coming of the Lord, the day of refreshing ? the corn is precious to him, and so is the coming of Christ to me. Shall he be so patient, and en- dure so much for a little corn? and shall not I for the kingdom of heaven ! He is willing to stay till all causes have had their opera- tions, till he hath received the former and the latter rain ; and shall not I, till the Divine decrees be accomplished.
Secondlfj^ In meditation, make the resemblance, and discourse thus within yourselves : This is my seed-time, heaven is my harvest ; here I must labour and toil and there rest. I see the husbandman's life is a great toil : no excellent thing can be obtained without labour, and an obstinate patience. I see the seed must be hidden in the furrows, rotten and corrupted, ere it can sjn-ing forth with any in- crease. Our hopes are hidden, light is sown for the righteous ; all our comforts are buried under the clods, and after all this there must be long waiting, we cannot sow and reap in a day ; effects cannot follow till all necessary causes have first wrought. It is not in the power of husbandmen to ripen fruits at pleasure, our times are in the hands of God, therefore it is good to wait ; a long-suffering patience will reap the desired fruit. Thus you have some hints of this hea- venly art of improving the creatures.