6. Lastly, In time of famine there is nothing so costly or precious, but the people will part with it to purchase bread. " They have " given their pleasant things for meat to relieve their souls," Lam. i. 11. And, doubtless, when a spiritual famine shall pinch hard, those that have been close-handed to maintain a gospel-ministry, will ac- count it a choice mercy to enjoy them again at any rate. " Though " the Lord feed you with the bread of affliction, and give you the " waters of adversity ; yet it will sweeten that bread and water to ^'youjifyour teachers be no more removed into corners,"" Isa. xxx. 20.
The ungrateful 2. Is the famine of the word such a fearful judg- SQuTs reflection. ment? Then Lord pardon my unthankfulness, for the plentiful and long-continued enjoyment of such a precious and invaluable mercy. How long lightly have I esteemed the great things of the gospel ! O that with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, I might bless the Lord that ever I was brought forth in an ao-e of so much hght, in a valley of visions, in a land flowing with gos- pel-mercies ! " Hath not God made of one blood all the nations of ^' men to dwell on the face of the earth ? And determined the times " before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation .^" Acts xvii. 26. Many of these great and populous nations are involved in gross darkness. Now that of all the several ages of the world, and places in it, God should espy the best place for me, and bring me forth in it, in such a happy nick of time, as can hardly be paralleled in histo- ry for the plenty of gospel-mercies that this age and nation hath en- joyed ; that my mother did not bring me forth in the deserts of Ara- bia, or wastes of America, but in England, where God hath made the sun of the gospel to stand still, as the natural sun once did over Gibeon ; and that such a mercy should no more affect my soul, let shame cover my face for this, and trembling seize my heart f
9.. Is the gospel indeed departed ? Its sweet The deprived Chris- influences restrained ? and a famine, worse than tiarCs reflection. that of bread, come upon us ? Alas for the day I
for it is a great day, so that none is like it ; it is even the day of Jacob's trouble ! Woe is me, that ever I sliould sur- vive the gospel, and the precious liberties and mercies of it ! What hor- rid sins have been harboured amongst us, for which the Lord contends by such an unparalleled judgment ? Lord, let me justify thee, even in
THE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS. 87
this severe dispensation ; the provocation of thy sons and of thy daughters have been very great, and amongst them none greater than mine. May we not this day read our sin in our punishment ? O what nice and wanton appetites, what curious and itching ears had thy people in the days of plenty ! Methods, tones, and gestures were more regarded than the excellent treasures of divine truths. Ah, my soul ! I remember my fault this day ; little did I then consider, that sermons work not upon hearts, as they are thus elegant, thus admirable, but as they are instruments in the handof God appointed to such an end. Even as Austin said of the conduits of water, tliough one be in the shape of an angel, another of a beast, yet the water refreshes as it is water, and not as it comes from such a con- duit : by this also O Lord, thou rebukest the supineness and forma- lity of thy people. How drowsy, dull, and careless have they been under the most excellent and quickening means ? Few more than I. Alas ! I have often pi*esented my body before the Lord in ordinances, Yi PS -^uyji^ s^w, but my soul hath been wandering abroad, as Chrysostoni speaks. I should have come from under every sermon, as a sheet comes from the press, with all the stamps and lively impressions of the truths I have heard upon my heart. But alas ! if it had been de- manded of me, as once it was of Aristotle, after a long and curious oration, how he liked \i? I might have answered, as he did, truly I did not hear it, for I was all the while minding another matter. Righteous art thou, O Lord, in all that is come upon us !
3. I am now as a spring shut up, that can yield no refreshment to thirsty souls, ready to perish. Thou hast said to me as once to Ezekiel, "Son of man, behold, I will The silent min- " make thy tongue cleave to theroof of thy mouth, isters reflection. " and thou shalt be dumb." This is a very heavy judgment ; but thou must be justified and cleared in it. Althouo-h men may not, yet God, if he please, may put a lighted candle under a bushel. And herein I must acknowledge thy righteousness. Many times have I been sinfully silent, when both thy glory and the interest of souls engaged me to speak. Most justly therefore hast thou made my tongue to cleave to its roof. Little did I consider the preciousness of souls, or the tremendous account to be given for them, at the ap- pearing of the great Shepherd. I have nov/ time enough to sit down and mourn over former miscarriages and lost opportunities. I^ord, restore me once again to a serviceable capacity, to a larger sphere of activity for thee, for I am now become as a broKen vessel. It grieves me to the heart to see thy flock scattered ; to hear the people cry to me, as once to Joseph, " Give us bread ; for why should we die in " tliy presence .?" The word is like fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing. Oh ! that thou wouldst once again open the doors of thine house, that there may be bread enough in thine house for all thy children.
88 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED ; OR,
HEN God doth make the heavens above as brass. The earth's hke iron ; flowers, herbs and grass Have lost their fragrant green, are turned yellow; The brooks are dry, the pining cattle bellow ; The fat and flow'ry meadows scorch'd and burn'd ; The country's mirth is into mourning turned ; The clefted earth her thirsty mouth sets ope Unto the empty clouds, as 'twere in hope Of some refreshing drops, that might allay Her fiery thirst : but they soon pass away ; The pensive husbandman with his own eyes Bedews his land, because he sees the skies llefuse to do it. Just so stands the case, When God from souls removes the means of grace. God's ministers are clouds, their doctrine rain, Which when the Lord in judgment sh^ll restrain, The people's souls in short time will be found In such a case as this dry parched ground. When this sad judgment fall^. on any nation, Let saints therein take up this lamentation.
O dreadful, dark, and dismal day !
How is our glory fled away ?
Our sun gone down, our stars o'ercast .'*