G d b AN H u s B A N D M A N. Book !I. M E T A P I-I 0 R. P A R A L L E L. and how his Corn and other PlanGraces ofhis People-Heisgone down into his Gar. tations thrive, and is much delight· den, into his Beds of Spices, &c. Cant. vi. 2. and ed and .omforred to find a good IV. 16. He eats his pleafant Fruit, he takes Pleafure lncreafe and fair Hopes of a great t1t hts Satnts, and wzlt beautify the Meek with Sal– Crop, to reward his Pains. How vation. Let us fee (fays he) Cant. vti. 12. if he rejoices, when he finds every the Vzne jlourijh, whether the tender Grape appears Vine full of thick Clufters, every and the Pomegranates bud forth: There wilt I giv; Tree loaden with l''ruit, and the thee my Loves. He rej?ices to find his People a– Valleys covered with precious bound With Graces, which are the blelfed Fruits Corn? of the Spirit. No Ambrofia fo fwect to this heavenly Hufbandman, as the holy Performances of his Saints, which is the Effect of his own Coft and Laoor. XIX. The Hufbandman is ex- . XIX. The Lord exprelfes great Grief when ceedingly grieved, when, (on the hiS People bring forth no Fruit, or which is worfe contrary,) he finds his Field; barwild Fruit-He looked that it jhould bring forth ren or b[afted, and his Hopes of a Grapes, and it brougbt forth wild Grapes. !fa. v. plentiful Harveft d1fappomted. 2. How he complams by the Prophet-She(viz. the Vineyard, Jerufalem) was plucked up in Fury– Ezek. xix. ro, 11, 14. the Eaft Wind dried up her Fruit- Fire bath devoured her Fruit, this is a Lamentation and jhall be for a Lamentation. Hof ix. 6. How it grieves the Lord to the Heart, when his Servants (his Minifters,) return this Account, We have labored in vain, and ;pent our Strength for nought, &c. lfa. xlix. 4· XX. When the Hufbandman XX. When theLord finds any barren or witherfinds many Trees and Branches ed Branch in his Hufbandry paft Hope of Reco– barren,or withoutSaporLife,after very, he cuts them ofE Every Branch in me that all the Means he hath ufed, he cuts beareth notFruit he taketh away. John. xv. 2. Chrift them down tor Fuel, becaure they curfed the fruit lefs Fig-tree, and immediately it was fhould not cumber the Ground, dried up: This cutting off may be done by the im– nor hurt others. mediate Hand of God, either in Spirituals or Tern-. XX!. A Hufbandman hath many Servants which he employs to work in his Vineyard, or as La– borers in his Harveft. XXII. A Hufbandman that hath in his Houfe, a faithful, la– borious, and experienced Servant, highly prizes him, he is efteemed above any that are unfkilful, floth– ful, or negligent in their Bufinefs. porals, or by the Cenfure and Excommunication of the Church. XXI. God hath alfo many Workmen in his Churches, divers painful L aborers in his Harveft; Minifters of the Gofpel are fpiritual Harveft-Men. We then as Workers together with you, befeech you alfo that ye rueive not the Grace of God in vain. 2 Cor. vi. J. XXII. A faithful experienced and laborious Minifter the Lord values above thoufands of floth– ful, falfe hearted, and felf-feeking Ones, who care not tor the Flock, fo they have the Fleece, and if they have the Wages care not for the Work. Mofes was faithful in his Houfe, and therefore efteemed: But Corah and his Company, (that fain would have been looked upon as appointed by God like Mofes) were fwallowed up. Numb. -xvi. 32. XXIII. The Hufbandman of– tentimes finds his pleafant Trees, choice Plants, and fruitful Fields annoyed and greatly damaged by Catterpillars, and other hurtful Vermin. XXIII. The Church of God often fuffers, and is much fpoiled by thofe innumerable Swarms of Locufts or Catterpillars that came out ot the bot– tomlefs Pit, by which, according to the Opinion of divers eminent VVriters, are meant th~,; great Swarms ofPopifh Priefts, Friars, Monks, Jefuits, and even all the whole Tribe of the Romifh Hie– rarchy, who are fitly likened to Locufts, Rev. ix. 3· which, as Naturalifts fay, are a little vile Kind of Vermin that fpring out of Smoke, flying together in vaft Numbers, gnawing, eating up or deftoying allgreen Things and Fruits of the E arth, being a very flothful and idle Creature, refembhng the Popifh Clergy exactly, who are bred out of the Smoke and Darknefs of hellifh Ignorance; they are flow Bellies living upon the Sweat of other Men's Brows. To fuch Kingdoms or Countries as .abound with plea– fant Plants they flock in Swarms, where they make havock and lay wafte all green Things
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