3. Husbandmen know, though they cannot yet gather in the precious fruits of the earth, yet all this while they are ripening and preparing for the harvest ! they would not house it green, or take it before its time. And is not this also my preparation-time for glory? As God prepared heaven for his people by an eternal decree ; Mat. XXV. 34. by an act oi creation, Heb. xi. 10. by the death of Christ, which made a purchase of it, Heb. x. 19, 20. and by his ascension into it, John xiv. 2, 3. So the reason why we are kept here, is in order to our fitting for it. Heaven is ready, but we are not fully ready ; the barn is fit to receive the corn, but the corn is not fit to be gathered into it. " But for this self-same thing God is now workino- f us," 2 Cor. V. 5. he is every day at work by ordinances, and by providences, to perfect his work in us ; and as soon as that is finish- ed, we shall hear a voice like that, Rev. xi. 12. " Come up hither, ^' and immediately we shall be in the spirit ;"" for how ardentlv so- ever we long for that desirable day, Christ longs for it more than ive can do.
4. The husbandman is glad of the first-fruits, that encourages him, though the greatest j^axt be yet out : and have not you received the first fruits of that glory ? Have you not earnests, pledges, and first- fruits of it ? 'Tis your own fault, if every day you feed not upon such blessed comforts of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 23. Rom, v. 2. 1 Vet. viii. 9. O how might the interposing time, even all the days of your patience here be sweetened with such prelibations of the glory to come !
5. Husbandmen know it is best to reap when it is fit to reap ; one handful fully ripe is worth many sheaves of green corn. And you know, heaven will be sweetest to you when you are fittest for it ; the child would pluck the apple whilst it is gi'een, but he might ga- ther it easier, and taste it sweeter, by tarrying longer for it. We would fain be glorified per saltura. When we have got a taste of heaven, we are all in haste to be gone. Then, O that I had wings as a dove ! I would fly away and be at rest. Then we cry to God for ourselves, as Moses for his sister Miriam, *' Heal her [now] O " God, I beseech thee !" Numb. xii. 13. Glorify me now, O Lord, I pray thee ! But, surely, as God hath contrived thy glory in the best of ways ; so he hath appointed for thee the fittest of seasons ; and whenever thou art gathered into glory, thou shalt come as a ghock of corn in its season.
I have waited for thv salvation, O God ! Hav- rpi j
ing received thy first-fruits, my soul longs to fill %, longmg
its bosom with the fuU ripe sheaves of glory : « As ^^"^ ^ rejicctim.
108 HrSBANDRV SPilllTUALIZED ; OK,
" the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul for the^^ " O God ! O when shall I come and appear before God !" I de- sire to be dissolved and to be with Christ ! When shall I see that most lovely face ? When shall I hear his soul-transporting voice ! Some need patience to die : I need it as much to live. Thy sights,
0 God, by faith, have made this world a burden, this body a bur- den, and this soul to cry, like thirsty David, " O that one would <« give me of the waters of Bethlehem to drink !" The husband- man longs for his harvest, because it is the reward of all his toil and labour. But what is his harvest to mine ? What is a little corn to the enjoyment of God ? What is the joy of harvest to the joy of heaven ? What are the shoutings of men in the fields to the accla- mations of glorified spirits in the kingdom of God ? Lord, I have gone forth, bearing more precious seed than they ; when shall I re- turn rejoicing, bringing my sheaves with me ? Their harvest comes when they receive their corn ; mine comes when I leave it. O much desired ! O day of gladness of ray heart ! How long. Lord ! how long ! Here I wait as the poor man at Bethesda's pool, looking when jny turn will come, but every one steps into heaven before me ; yet Lord, I am content to wait till my time is fully come : I would be content to stay for my glorification till I have finished the work of my generation ; and when I have done the viiM of God, then to receive the promise. If thou have any work on earth to use me in,
1 am content to abide : behold, the husbandman waiteth, and so will I ; for thou art a God of judgment ; and blessed are all they that wait for thee.
But how doth my slothful soul sink down into the flesh, and settle itself in the love of this animal life ? How doth it The lingering hug and wrap up itself in the garment of this SOuVs reflection. mortality, not desiring to be removed hence to the more perfect and blessed state ? The hus- bandman is indeed content to stay till the appointed weeks of the harvest ; but would he be content to wait alwa3^s ? O my sensual heart ! is this life of hope as contentful to thee as the life of vision will be ? Why dost thou not groan within thyself, that this mortality might be swallowed up of life ? Doth not the scriptures describe the saints by their earnest looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.? Jude 21. " By their hastening unto the '' coming of the day of God,"" 2 Pet. iii. 12. What is the matter, that my heart hangs back ? Doth guilt lie upon my conscience .? Or, have I gotten into a pleasant condition in the world, which makes me say as Peter on the mount. It is good to he here ? Or want I the assurance of a better state ? Must God make all my earthly com- forts die, before I shall be willing to die ? Awake faith, awake my love ; beat up the drowsy desires of my soul, that I may say, " Make "^^ haste my beloved, and come away,''
tHE HEAVENLY USE OF EAUTHLY T^I^^G3. 100
1^ O prudent husbandman expects
The fruit of what he sows, 'Till every cause have its effects.
And then he reaps and mows : He works in hope the year throughout,
And counts no labour lost, If, when the season comes about.
His harvest quits his cost. His rare example justly may
Rebuke and put to shame My soul ; which sows its seed and ease
And looks to reap the same. Is cursed nature now become
So kind a soil to grace. That to perfection it should come
Within so short a space ? Grace springs not up with seed and ease,
Like mushrooms in a night ; But rather by degrees increase,
As doth the morning light. Is corn so dear to husbandmen ?
Much more is heav'n to me ; Why should not I have patience then
To wait as well as he ? To promises, appointed years,
By God"'s decrees, are set ; These once expir''d, beyond its fears
My soul shall quickly get. How small a part of hasty time.
Which quickly will expire. Doth me within this world confine.
And then comes my desire. Come, Lord, how long my soul hath gasp'd I
Faith my affections warms; O when shall my poor soul be clasp'd
In its Redeemer's arms ! The time seems long, yet here I'll lie,
'Till thou, my God, do call: It is enough, eternity
Will make amends for all.
110 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED ; OR,