754 Chap. 31. An .lixpofition upon the Booke of J o a. Verf.38¡ Fourthly Whereas thevery land and the furrows ofit pre here brought in crying and complaining. Note. The finofman it a burden to thefenceleffe creature,. As the finofman hath defiled the whole Creation, and made it Iub eft co vanity (That's the Apoftles (Whine, Rom: 8.20. ) fo it is a vexationand griefe to the creature, as the fame Apoftie tells us (v. 22, 23.) For wee know that the whole Creation groan- eth and travaileeb ( like a childbearing woman) inpaint toge- ther untili now, andnot only they but our (elves alfo, who have the firfifruitsofthe Spiritgroane within ourfelvee. They groane and we groane, the wholeCreation groaneth, being_fubjc& to vani- ty (as abufed and burdened by the hit of men) and therefore waitetlofor the omanifeftation ofthe Sons of Clod ; that is,for that li. berry which(according to their meafure and capasity)they hope for and expcet when the full priviledges and d gnities ofthe Sons of God (hall be manifefted ; For then no mans lardThall cry any snore at all, nor (ball the furrows of it cotnplaine; as lob here profeffed his did not by any fpeciall unworthy carriage or deal- ing ofhis with it, or with men about it. There are foute things which may caufe the land to cry, and the furrows ofit to complaint. Fist, when it hath been gotten unjufily ; Secondly, when fervants are over wrought in plowing and drefïìng it ; Thirdly, when the labourer is denyed or delayed his wages : Fourthly,(which Tome infift muchupon ia this place) when the land is over-touch plowed and (as we fpeake) haraffed, never beingCoffered to reft or ly fallow, but put continually or every yeare to the bearing of a crop, till the very heart of it be worne our. And therefore the Lord commanded the Jewes ( Levit: 25.4, 5. ) In thefeventhyeare(ballbe a Sabbath ofref# unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord; them halt neither tow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. As the Sabbath day was a refi from rhofe labours whichGod layd upon man for fin ( Gen: 3.19. ) fo the Sabbath yore was a ret for the ground,whichGod had cur - led for the fin ofroan : in whichGod feemes to intimate a ter. dernefie to the veryground. We may coneeave ?obdifclaiming a- ny or all thefe wrongs done to or about his land, while he fayd ; Ifmy land cryagainft me,or thefurrows likewife thereofcomplain; as it follows. Verf
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=