must be taken to draw up those waters of joy. There is a golden vein in the mount of duty, but it lies deep; and because I meet not with it as soon as I expect, my lazy heart throws by the shovel, and cries, "Dig I cannot.”

3. If this be indeed the rich and thriving trade, why do I busy myself about the poor low things of the world so much, neglecting the rich trade of godliness for it? O how much of my time and strength have these things devoured! Had I employed that time in communion with God, would it not have turned to a better account? Thinkest thou in earnest, O my soul, that God has endowed thee with such excellent faculties, capable of the most divine and heavenly employments, or that Jesus Christ has shed his invaluable, precious blood, or that he has sent forth the glorious Spirit of holiness; and all this to fit men for no higher, no nobler employments, than these. Is this the end of thy wonderful creation? Does God whirl about the heavens in endless revolutions, to beget time for this? Or does he not rather expect that the weightiest work should engross thy greatest strength, and choicest hours? O that I could once consider, what a good Master Christians serve, who will not only abundantly reward them at night, but brings them their food into the fields to encourage them in their labor! What pity is it, that so good a Master should be so badly served as God has been by me!

CHAPTER III.

On the Cheerfulness of the Husbandman, Observation.-THOUGH the labors of the husbandman are very great and toilsome, yet with what cheerfulness do they go through them! It is very delightful to hear the melody they make, by whistling, as they follow the plow; yea, the very horses have their bells, which make a pleasant noise. I have been often delighted with this country music, whereby they sweeten their hard labors with an innocent pleasure.

Application. But how much greater cause have the people of God to address themselves unto his work with all cheerfulness of spirit? And, indeed, so far as the heart is spiritual, it delights in its duties. It is true, the work of a Christian is painful, and much more laborious than the husbandman's, but then it as much exceeds in the delights and pleasures that attend it. What is the Christian's work, but "with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation?" You may see what a pleasant path the path of duty is, by the cheerfulness of those who have walked in it; "I have rejoiced in the way of thy judgments, as much as in all riches;"-and by the promises that are made to such; "Yea, they sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord;" and again, "You shall have a song as in the night, when an holy solemnity is kept, and gladness of heart; as when one goeth with a pipe, to come to the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel," Isa. xxx. 29;-and by the many commands, whereby joy in the way of the Lord is made the duty of the saints; "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright." "Rejoice, and again I say, rejoice," Phil. iv. 4; here the command is doubled, yea, not only simple rejoicing, but the highest degree of that duty comes within the command. In Luke vii. 22, the disciples are bid "to leap for joy," when about the most difficult part of their work. And that you may see there is a sufficient ground for this joy, and that it is not like the mad mirth of sinners, consider, first, the nature of the work about which Christians are employed. It is the most excellent and heavenly employment that ever souls were acquainted with. O what a ravishing and delightful thing it is to walk with God! And yet by this, the whole work of a Christian is expressed, Gen. xvii. 1. Can any life compare with this, for pleasure? Can they be cold, that walk in the sunshine? or sad, that abide in the fountain of all delights; and walk with him whose name is the God of all comfort; " in whose presence is the fulness of joy?" O what an angelic life does a Christian then live!

Consider, secondly, the suitableness of this work to a regenerate soul. Is it any pain for a bird to fly, or a fish to swim? Is the eye tired with beautiful objects, or the

ear with melodious sounds? As little can a spiritual soul be wearied with spiritual and heavenly exercises. "I delight in the law of God after the inner man," Rom. vii, 22. A saint can sit from morning to night to hear discourses of the love and loveliness of Jesus Christ. The sight of your thriving flocks and florishing fields, cannot yield you that pleasure which an upright soul can find in one quarter of an hour's communion with God. "They that are after the flesh," says the apostle, " do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." But then look how much heavenly objects transcend earthly ones, and how much the soul is more capable of delight in those objects, than the gross and duller senses are in theirs? So much does the plea sure arising from duty excel all sensitive delights on earth.

Reflections. How am I cast and condemned by this, may I say, who never savored this spiritual delight in holy duties! When I am about my earthly employments, I can go on unweariedly from day to day; all the way is down+ hill to my nature, and the wheels of my affections being oiled with carnal delight, run so fast, that they have need most times of being checked. Here I need the curb

rather than the spur. O how fleet and nimble are my spirits in these their pursuits! But O what a slug am I in religious duties! Surely if my heart were renewed by grace, I should delight in the law of God. All the world is alive in their ways; every creature enjoys his proper pleasure; and is there no delight to be found in the paths of holiness? Is godliness only a dry root that bears no pleasant fruits? No, there are doubtless incomparable pleasures to be found therein; but such a carnal heart as

mine savors them not.

I cannot say, the hypocrite may tell us, but I have found delight in religious duties, but they have been only such as rather sprang from the ostentation of gifts and applauses of men than any sweet and real communion I have had with God through them; they have rather proved food and fuel to my pride, than food to my soul. Like the nightingale, I can sing sweetly, when I observe others listen to me and are affected with my music, O

false, deceitful heart, such delight as this will end in howling! Were my spirit right, it would as much delight in retirement for the enjoyment of God, as it does in those duties that are most exposed to the observation of man. Will such a spring as this maintain a stream of affections, when carnal motives fail? What wilt thou answer, O my soul! to that question in Job xxvii. 9, 10; " Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?" What wilt thou reply to this question? Deceive not thou thyself, O my soul. Thou wilt doubtless be easily persuaded to let go that thou never delightedst in, and from an hypocrite in religion, quickly become an apostate from religion.

From all this the upright heart takes advantage to rouse up its delight in God, and thus it expostulates with itself Does the plowman sing amidst his drudging labors, and whistle away his weariness in the fields? and shall I droop amidst such heavenly employment? O my soul, what wantest thou here to provoke thy delight? If there be such an affection as delight in thee, methinks such an object as the blessed face of God in ordinances should excite it. Ah, how would this ennoble all my services, and make them angel-like! How glad are those blessed creatures to be employed for God! No sooner were they created, but they sang together, and shouted for joy. How did they fill the air with heavenly melody, when sent to bring the joyful tidings of a Saviour to the world, ascribing glory to God in the highest, even to the highest of their powers. Yea, this delight would make all my duties Christ-like; and the nearer they are to that pattern, the more excellent. He delighted to do his Father's will; it was to him meat and drink.

Yea, it would not only ennoble, but facilitate all my duties, and be to me as wings to a bird in flying, or sails to a ship in motion. "Orever I was aware my soul made me like the chariots of Amminabid." O what is the reason, my God, that my delight in thee should be so little? Is it not because my unbelief is so great? Rouse up my delights, O thou fountain of pleasure! and let me swim down the stream of holy joy in duty, into the boundless

ocean of those immense delights that are in thy presence, and at thy right hand for evermore.

CHAPTER IV.

On the due Quality of Arable Land.

Observation.-HUSBANDMEN find by experience, that their arable lands may be dressed too much, as well as too little. If the soil be over-rank, the seed shoots up so much into the stalk, that it seldom ears well; and if too thin and poor, it wants its due nutriment, and comes not to perfection. Therefore their care is, to keep it in heart, but not to over-dress or under-dress it. The end of all their cost and pains about it is fruit; and therefore reason tells them, that such a state and temperament of it, as best fits it for fruit, is best both for it and them.

Application.-And does not spiritual experience teach Christians, that a mediocrity and competency of the things of this life, best fit them for the fruits of obedience, which are the end and excellency of their being? A man may be over-mercied, as well as over-afflicted. When our outward enjoyments are by Providence fitted to our condition, we cannot desire a better condition in this world. This was it that wise Agur requested of God," Give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain," Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Against both he prays equally, not absolutely; that had been his sin; he prays comparatively, and submissively to the will of God. He had rather, if God see it fit, avoid both of these extremes; but what would he have then? Food convenient; or, according to the Hebrew, his prey or statutebread; which is a metaphor from birds which fly up and down to prey for their young, and what they get they distribute among them; they bring them enough to preserve their lives, but not more than enough, to lie mouldering Div. No. XVI.

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