6. Those husbandmen that are careful and laborious in the summer, Jiave the comfort and benefit of it in winter : he that then provides fuel, shall sit warm in his habitation, when others blow their fingers. He that provides food for his family, and fodder for his cattle, in the harvest, shall eat the fruit of it, and enjoy the comfort of his labours, when others shall be exposed to shifts and straits. And he that pro- vides for eternity, and lays up for his soul a good foundation against the time to come, shall eat when others are hungry, and sing when others howl, Isa. Ixv. 13. A day of death will come, and that will be a day of straits to all negligent souls ; but then the diligent Chris- tian shall enjoy the peace and comfort that shall flow in upon his heart, from his holy care and sincere diligence in duties ; as 2 Cor. i. 12. " This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in " sincerity and godly simplicity, we have had our conversation in this *' world." So Hezekiah, 2 Kings xx. 3. " Remember now, O ♦' Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect *' heart." A day of judgment will come, and then foolish virgins, who neglected the season of getting oil in their lamps, will be put to their shifts ; then they come to the wise, and say. Give us of your oil, Matth. XXV. 8, 9. but they have none to spare, and the season of buying is then over.
7. No wise husbandman will neglect a fit opportunity of gathering in his hay and corn, upon a presumption of much fair weather to come ; he will not say, The weather is settled, and I need not trouble myself; though my corn and hay be fit for the house, yet I may get it in another time as well as now.
And no wise Christian will lose a present season for his soul, upon the hopes of much more time, yet to come ; but will rather say, Now is my time, and I know not what will be hereafter : hereafter I may wish to see one of the days of the Son of man, and not see it, Luke xvii. 22. It is sad to hear how cunning some men are to dis- pute themselves out of heaven, as if the devil had hired them to plead against their own souls ; sometimes urging the example of tliose that were called at the eleventh hour. Mat. xx. 6. and sometimes that of the penitent thief: but, oh! to how little purpose is the former pleaded ? they that were called at the eleventh hour were never cal- led before, as these have been ; no man had hired, that is, called or invited them to Christ ; and for the thief (as Mr. Fenner rightly ob- serves) it was a singular and extraordinary example. It was done
IStO HCSBANDIIY SVIRITITALIZED ; Oil,
when Christ hanged on the cross, and was to be inaugurated ; theii kings manifest such bounty, and pardon such crimes as are never pardoned afterwards. Besides, God was then in a way of working miracles ; then he rent the rocks, opened the graves, raised the dead, and converted this thief; but God is now out of that way.
nij 7 -p 1- I have indeed been a good husband for
The careless souPs ,, u -.i i ^ ° j -j
J, .. the world : with what care and providence
•^ ' have I looked out for myself and family to pro-
vide food to nourish them, and clothes to defend them against the aspe- rities of winter ? mean while, neglecting to make provision for eternity, or take care for my soul. O my destitute soul ! how much have I slighted and undervalued thee ? I have taken more care for an horse, or an ox, than for thee : a well-stored barn, but an empty soul. Will it not shortly be with me, as with that careless mother, who when her house was on fire, busily bestirred herself to save the goods, but forgot the child (though it were saved by another hand) ? and then minding her child, ran up and down like one distracted, wring- ing her hands, and crying, O my child ! my child ! I have saved my goods, and lost my child ! Such will be the case of thee my soul, Matth. xvi. 26. Besides, how easy will my conviction be at the bar of Christ .'* Will not my providence and care for the things of this life, leave me speechless and self-condemned in that day ? What shall 1 answer, when the Lord shall say. Thou couldest foresee a "winter, and seasonably provide for it; yea, thou hadst so much care of thy very beasts, to pi'ovide for their necessities : and why tookest thou no care for thy soul ^ Was that only not worth the caring for ?
mi . 2. Is it so dangerous to nefflect a present pro-
The presumptuous c r^ ixn r.i i t j
r, ^ jy .' per season or grace.'' What then have I done,
SOULS renection. ^ u w \ r, . j-
'^ who have suftered many such seasons to die away
in my hand, upon a groundless hope of future opportunities .? Ah de- luded wretch ! what if that supposition fail "^ Where am I then "^ I am not the lord of time, neither am I sure, that he who is, will ever vouchsafe an hour of grace in old age, to him that hath neglected many such hours in youth ; neither indeed is it ordinary for God so to do. It is storied of Caius Marius Victorius, who lived about three hundred years after Christ, and to his old age continued a Pa- gan ; but at last being convinced of the Christian verity, he came to Simplicianus, and told him he would be a Christian ; but neither he nor the church could believe it, it being so rare an example for any to be converted at his age ; but at last seeing it was real, there was a shouting and gladness, and singing of psalms in all churches ; the people crying, Caius Marius Victorius. is become a Christian ! This was written for a wonder : and what ground have I to think, that God will work such wonders for me, who have neglected his ordinary means of salvation "^
^HE HEAVENLY USE OF EARTHLY THINGS. 121
5. Bless the Lord, O.my soul ! who gave thee a mi • j ^ • season, a day for eternal life, which is more than he Tke^dustriom hath afforded for thousands; yea, bless the Lord ^^^^ reflection, for giving thee an heart to understand and improve that season. I confess I have not improved it as I ought ; yet this I can (through mercy) say, that however it fare in future times with my outward man, though I have no treasures or stores laid up on earth, or if I have, they are but corruptible, yet I have a blessed hope laid up in heaven. Col. i. 5, I have bags that wax not old. Whilst worldlings rejoice in their stores and heaps, I rejoice in these eternal treasures.
X-f BSERVE in summer's sultry heat,
How in the hottest day The husbandman doth toil and sweat
About his corn and hay : If then he should not reap and mow.
And gather in his stores. How should he live, when, for the snow,
He can't move out of doors ? The little ants, and painful bees,
By nature's instinct led. These have their summer granaries
For winter furnished. But thou, my soul, whose summer's day
Is almost past and gone ; What soul-provision dost thou lay
In stock to spend upon ? If nature teaches to prepare
For temporal life, much rather Grace should provoke to greater care,