The motives inducing me to this undertaking, were the Lord's owning with some success, my labours of a like nature *, together with the desire and inclination (stirred up in me, I hope by the Spirit of the Lord) to devote my vacant hours to his service in this kind. I considered, that if the Pharisees, in a blind zeal to a faction, could compass sea and land, to proselyte men to their party, though thereby they made them sevenfold more the children of the devil than be- fore ; how much more was I obliged, by true love to God, and zeal to the everlasting happiness of souls, to use my utmost endeavours both with seamensiXidi Imsbcwdvien, to win them to Christ, and thereby make them more than seventy-seven fold happier than before ? Not to mention other encouragements to this work, which I received from the earnest desires of some reverend and worthy brethren inviting thereunto j all which I hope the event will manifest to be a call from God to this work.
I confess I met with some discouragement in my first attempt, from my unacquaintedness with rural affairs ; and because I was to travel in a path (to me) untrodden ; but having once engaged in it, those dis- couragements were soon overcome : and being now brought to what you here see, I offer to your hands these first fruits of my spare hour^.
I presume you will account it no disparagement that I dedicate a
* Navigation Spiritualized.
6 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORV,
book of liusbandry to gentlemen of your quality. This is ftp\nhial liushandrij^ which here is taught you ; and yet I tell you, that great persons have accounted that civil employment (which is much in- ferior to this) no disparagement to them. *' The king himself is seized '' by the field,'' Eccles. v. 9- Or, as IVIontanus renders the Hebrew text. Rex agro fit scrvus ; The king himself is a servant to the field. And of king Uzziah it is written, 2 Chron. xxvi. 10. " That he " loved husbandry.'' And Amos vii. 1. we read of the king's mow- ings. Yea, Pliny hath observed, that corn was never so plentiful at Rome, as when the same men tilled the land that ruled the common' li-ealth. Quasi gauderet terra laureato voniere, scilicet et aratore iriumphali ; as though the earth itself rejoiced in the laurelled plow- share, and the triumphant plowman.
What pleasure you ^vill find in reading it I know not ; but to me it hath been a pleasant path from first to last ; who yet have been at far greater expence of time and pains in compiling it, than you can be in reading it. The husbandman's work, you know, is no easy work, and the spiritualizing of it hath greater difficulties attending it ; but yet the pleasure hath abundantly recompensed the pains. I have found Erasmus's observation experimentally true ; Qui Uteris addicti sumas^ animi lassitiidinem a studiis gravioribus contractam; ah iisdeni studiis, sed auwenioribus recreamus : Those that ai*e ad- dicted to study, (saith he) when they have wearied their spirits with study, can recreate them again with study, by making a diversion from that which is severe and knotty, 'to some more facile and pleasant subject.
But to hear that God hath used and honoured these papers to the good of any soul, will yield me the highest content and satisfaction imaginable.
May you but learn that lesson which is the general scope and de- sign of this book, viz. How to walk with God from day to day, and make the several objects you behold, scahv et ala?, wings and ladders to mount your souls nearer to him, who is the centre of all blessed spirits. How much will it comfort me, and confirm my hope, that it was the call of God indeed, which put me upon these endeavours !
O Sirs ! What an excellent thing would it be for you, to make such holy improvements of all these earthly objects which daily occur to your senses, and cause them to proclaim and preach to you divine and heavenly mysteries ; whilst others make them groan, by abusing them to sin, and subjecting them to their lusts. A.man may be cast into such a condition, wherein he cannot enjoy the blessing and bene- fit of a pious and powerful ministry ; but you cannot (ordinarily) fall into such a condition, wherein any thing (excepting a bad heart) can deprive you of the benefits and comforts of those excellent sermons, and divinity lectures, which the creatures here offer to preach and read to you.
Content not yourselves, I beseech you, with that natural sweetness the creatures afford ; for tliereof the beasts are capable, as much, if
THE EFISTLE DEDICATORY. 7
not more, than you ; but use them to those spiritual ends you are here directed, and they will yield you a sweetness far transcending that natural sweetness you ever relished in them ; and indeed, you never use tlie creatures as their Lord's, till you come to see your Lo7'd in and by them. I confess the discoveries of God in the word are far more excellent, clear, and powerful ; " He hath mag- *• nified liis word above all his name.'' And therein are the un- searchable riches of Christ, or rich discoveries of that grace that hath no footsteps in nature, as the apostle's expression signifies, Eph. iii. 8.
And if that which might be known of God by the creatures, leave men without excuse, as it is manifest, Rom. i, 20. how in- excusable then will those be, who have received not only the teach- ings of the creature, but also the grace of the gospel in vain ! " How " shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation .?" They that are careless in the day of grace, shall be speechless in the day of judg- ment.
I am sensible of many defects in these papers, (as well as in myself) They have doubtless, a taste of the distractions of the times wherein they were written ; nor was I willing to keep them so long under hand as the accurateness and exactness with which such a subject ought to have been handled, did require. Had I designed my own credit, I should have observed that counsel, Nomimque prematur in annum, i. e. To have kept it much longer under the file, before I had exposed it to public view ; but I rathev inclined tp Solomon's counsel, " Whatever thy hand finds out to do, do it with all thy " might : for there is no wisdom, nor knowle^lge, nor device in the " grave, whither thou art going," IIc5cl, ix. 10..
I apprehend a necessity of some such means to be used for the in- struction and conviction of country people ; who either are not capa- ble of understanding truth in another dialect, or at least are less affected with it. The preposition in every chapter consists of an observation in husbandry ; wherein, if I have failed in using any improper expression, your candour will cover it, and impute it to my unacquaintedness in rural affairs :
In magnis voluisse sat est.
The reddition or application, you will find I hope, both pertinent and close. The reflections serious, and such as (I hope) your con- sciences will fiwtlifully improve. I have shut up every chapter with a Poem, au innocent bait to catch the reader's soul.