Chap. 39. an E&poftionupo» theBaolt,of Jo s. Verf. 12, the barn. Some may thinkwhen they fee theHusbandman call his feed into the ground, that he cafts it away ; but by the labour of theOx, by the skill of the Husbandman, and the bleff ng of Cod upon all, the feed cometh home again. Thus theApoflle fake in , a fpiritual fenfe ; He thatplayed', fhould plow in hope ; and he that tbrefhetb in hope,(hold be partaker of hie hope (t Cor. 9. t o.) It fhould be fo according to the ordination of God, as to the faith- ful Miniflers of God (ofwhofe labour in plowing up fouls by the word, and forting thole fouls with the word, the Apoftlé there treats) And it is fo through the beneditìion of God, as to labo- rious Husband-men and their cartel, in plowing and (owing the foyl of the earth. Yea, thus it is in all we do, our ac ions (good or bad) are as feed form, which will certainly come again, they will not be loft. Good done, will affuredly turn togood ; and evil done (and not undoneby repentance) will as furely turn ro evil. The Apofile gives us this double affurance (Gala 6. 7, 8.) Whatfoever aman /meth, that (not numerically, but fpeciñcaily) ¡hall he alto reap r For, He that foweth to his flefh, fhall of theflcfh reap corruption ; but he thatfoweth to thefpirit, (hall of thefpirit reap life everlafttng. And thus infpecial, works of charity, or our difa.ributions to the neceflities of others, are more fignificantly calledCowing (Pfal. 511.9.) He bath difperfed, hebath given to the poor (That is, he hath Cowed his alms abundantly; what then It followeth) Hts righteoufnefo endureth for ever, his horn ¡ball be exalted withhonor.To give to the poor,efpecially toGods poor,to the godly poor, or to chofe that are made poor for Gods fake, is fowing good feed ; and he that foweth thus, {hall receive a fruit- ful crop. Grain Jawed in thefield, mayyield agood increafe; but that which is rightly Jawedin the bowelsof thepoor, 'hall certainly yielda better. What wegive, is like feed (owed in the field, which inereafeth thirty, fixty, an hundred fold ; What we keep by us, is like corn ffored up in the garner, which we bring forth and fpend, and there's an end of it. Here's great encouragement Et) dogood, yea toabound in doing good to others. What we lb part with, is not loft, but rowed ; rt will come back to the barn, it will come home again, and that with a great increafe. And doubtlefs where there hath been aplowing up cf theheart by a work of grace, there will be a free rowing in every good work. And though we are not to dogood works, meerly eyinga return, CCC 2 or 379
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