Cp. 39. An Expoftion upon the Book of J o B. Verf.io. by confequence what ever elfe is food for man. Adeern was com- manded to drefs the Garden, and to keep it, (Gen. 2, is. ) Adana was not put into that pleafant Garden, only to take his pleafure and to eat the fruit of it ;, but he was put into the Garden to drefs it, and to keep it. Even «dam'was to eat upon his la- bour, though not fuch labour as man now eateth upon; that carne in by fin after the fall; labour was impo:ed upon man, not only as a, duty,but as a penalty. It was impofed uponmanbefore the fall as a duty,but it was impofed upon man after the fall as a penalty, (Gen. 3. 17, 18, 19.) Curfed is the ground for thy fake ; in forrosv fhalc then eat of it all the days óf thy life, in the fiveat of thy face (halt then eat bread, till thou returnunto the gròund. Our ordinary bread is not eafily come by ; remember the Husband - mans labour. Hence the Apofile, when he would iheeev what pains God taketh, either immediately by the work of his "Spirit, or mediately by the labour of his Mintllcrs, to convert and build Up fouls in the faith , he tells us (t Cor. 3. 9.) That we are Gods husbandry, andGods building. As if he had laid, great pains bath been or mull be bellowed upon you , that your fouls may be faved, and that ye may bring forth fruits of righteoufnek unto . eternal life. TheLord bath his fpirirual Plow- men, his Labour- ers, his Oxen ; by thefe the faithful and induflrious Minitiers of the Gofpel are emblem'd, and fet fo; th in the holy Scriptures, ('aCor.9 To. Rev,47.) Note, Secondly There is no Sowing without Plowing. You mull flit up and break the ground, before you call the feed into it ; 'cis not elfe fit to receive the feed, and improve it for a harvefl. The Scripture (peaks firfl of Plowing, then of Sowing (dfa. 28. 24, &c.) The Plow- mm opens the earth, and breaks the clods before he calls in his feed, the cumin; the finches, and theprincipal wheat. He loth nor Plow for Plowing fake, but for Sowing ; and when he hash Plo;ved he leaverh not his work, till he bath Sowed what he Plowed. This method doh the Lord ufe in his fpirirual husbandry ; the Plow of repenranee mull break up the Fallow ground of the hearty and the Harrow mull fmooth the face of the foul, before it be fit to bring forth.. TheSpirit makes frequent ufe of there Metaphors (fen,. 4, 6. ) Plow 367
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=