936 THE LIFE OF MAN coMPARED TO A SWIFT POST. Book IV. there are good and evil Men, Saints and Sinners, which God would have grow to– gether, like the Wheat and Tares, until the Ha1·vell:. Ill. What is fet or fo'wed, or comes up naturally in a Field, ripens for Harvell:: So the Godly and the Ungodly, whilll: they remain in the common Field of this World, ripen for the fpiritual Harvefl. , . IV. In a Field, Flowers, and other precious Things, oft-times receive much Detri– ment from Enemies, evil Beafls, and many other Ways: So the Godly, whil!l: they remain in this World, receive great Hurt from Satan, wicked Men, and from the Corruptions and Evils of their own Hearts. V. Part of a Field an Hulbandman feparates fometimes from the reft, to make a Garden, Orchard, or Vineyard of: So God, the good Hulbandman, hath taken a little Part or Parcel of the Sons of Men from the rell:l to be a peculiar People to himfelf. THE END OF THE WORLD COMPARED TO HARVEST. '.fhe Harveft is the End of the World, Matt. xiii. 39· I. WHEN the Harvefl is ripe, it is cut down; the Hulbandman fends Reapers into the Field : So when all the Ele<'l: are ripe for Heaven, and Wickednefs is grown to full Maturity, fo that ungodly Ones are all ripe for Hell, the End of the World will come, and then God will fend Reapers into the Field, which are the holy · Angels ; and they will cut down, and gather out of the Field, all Things that offend, and them that do Iniquity. IJ. At the Harvefl, the Reapers divide between the good and evil Grain; they bind up the Wheat by itfelf, and the Tares by themfelves, &c. So lhall thefe fpiritual Reapers do, they !ball gather all the Ele<'l:, like Wheat, into God's Garner, and bind up the Tares into Bundles to be burned. III. The Hulbandman waits with much Patience for the Harvefl : So God Almighty patiently waits, bearing and forbearing with wicked Men, until the End of the World. D I S P A R I T Y. WHEN Harveft is all houfed, the Hulbandman prefently tills and prepares hisGround again, deligning to fow more Seed : But when this Harvefl is all come home, and houfed, God, the good Hulbandman, will not till, plow, or fow the Field of the World any more; no more Gofpel to be preached, nor Graces or Gifts to be diflri– buted, when this Harvefl is end~d. THE LIFE OF MAN COMPARED TO A SWIFT POST. Now my Days are fwifter than a Poft, &c. Job ix. 25. P A R A L L E L ~ I. A Poft rides fwiftly, he makes hafle: So the Life of Man, or Time of a Man's Life, fwiftly paffes away. · . II. A Pofl ought to make no fray: So the Days of Man's Life fray not; the Hour– glafs of Time runs continually, and never flands frill. A Pofl, fays Mr. Caryl, is an excellent Emblem of Time. There are many Con– liderations in Pofl-riding, which /hews how exceeding fpeedy Time mufl be, to whic!l it is here compared. ' 1. A Poll: rides upon fleet or fpeedy Horfes. 2. He ndes h1s • Horfes upon their Speed. A Man may have fpeedy Horfes, and go foftly; bm a Pofl • fpurs on. 3· A Pofl has Change of Horfes at every Stage; fo that he may keep • upon the Speed. 4· He hath Horfes flanding ready for change; th~y are not to • fetch out of the Field, or to be made ready, when he comes to h1s Stage; 11 ts • but leaping into the Saddle, and away.. 5· He that ride~ pofl makes no long Meals, • much lefs Feafts; he takes a B1t, •nd 1s gone. 6. He hes not long m bed, he fcarce • goes to bed till he comes to his_Way's End. 7· A ·Poll: has extraordin~ry Pay • for his Service, and that to calJfe lum to make the more Speed, 8. Somenmes he rides
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