168 Chap, 39. 4n.Fxpofrtion upon the Bookof jo.s. Verf.ir plow up the Fallow ground of your hearts ; read alto (Hofea. ro.rse) Further, Harrowing comes after Plowing, and either before or immediatly after {owing ( there is force variety as tohus- bandry in this point) that the feed fawn may be preferved from beingdevoured by the Fowls of the air, it muff (unlefs fowed under Furrows) be Harrowed. Harrowing helps the feed to {p-ing more freely, and growmore thrivingly. And thus it is, alfo in fpiritual husbandry; when the feedof theWord is Sown, the heart ,muff be Harrowed, elfe the Seed will mifcarry. In that Parable of the Sower:( dlat. 13. ) Tome feed fell upon the high.. way, whichwas neither Plowed nor Harrowed. ThisHigh-way ground,fignifieth thole carelefs hearers who receive the Word in a formalityonly ; the Fowls of the air (evil fpirits ) quickly picked up that, becaufe it was not coveredby Harrowing. Now there are two Harrows, by which the Seed of the Word cal+ into the Vallies and Furrows of our Hearts, is covered and fecured , that it may bring forth fruit to perfeókion ; there are meditation and prayer. Bymeditation we hide the word in our hearts, and byprayer we obtain a bleffing upon it fromGod, both for the fecuringof it, and our fruit-bearing according to it. There are two refemblances in Scripture, faring forth the ufe of meditation and prayer about the word received ; The one, is chewing of thecud the other, is Harrowing. Clean beafis un- der the Law chewed the cud ; and wife men, both under Law and Gofpel, Harrow their land ; a godly man doth bath ina fpi- ritual way, while he meditates in the Word, and prays for a bief- fiog upon it. Thus husbandry for our daily bread, teachethus what courte the Lord expetas we fhould take for our fouls, that we may bring forth fruir, and anfwer the end of receiving his Word. The. Unicorn will not be brought to either of thefe . parts of the Husband-mans labour, and his refufal is aggravated z r the next Verfe, by theability which he bath for both. Verf. r r. wilt thou trait in him becaufe his ftrength fs great ? or wilt thou leave thy labour untohim? The rnicorn bathfrengtbfrftcient ; he is a bee} fironger (fay Naturalifis) than either the Ox or the Harfe; but, Wilt thou twill hive 6ecaufehi/firengtb is gre.t ? . The word notes trufiing with
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=