John Flavel
1. Reflections for a worldly person.
How hard I have laboured for the meat that perishes! I have been up before the dawning of the day and laboured as in the very fire, and yet the Christian’s work is harder than mine! Surely then I never yet understood the work of Christianity. Alas, my sleepy prayers and formal duties, even all that I ever performed in my life, never cost me the pains that one hour at the plough has done. I have either wholly neglected religious duties, or at best performed them so lazily that I may truly say, I offer to God what cost me nothing. Woe is me, poor wretch! How is the judgement of Korah spiritually executed upon me? The earth opened its mouth and swallowed up his body, but it has opened its mouth and swallowed up my heart, my time and all my affections. How far I am from the kingdom of God!
Taken, with editing, from Flavel’s Husbandry Spiritualized, The Heavenly Use of Earthly Things, in volume 5 of his Works. He has been making a spiritual application of the industriousness of the farmer and now provides some reflections suited to various classes of people.
2. Reflections for someone with a formal religion.
How little better is my case, who have indeed professed religion but never made it my business! Will an empty (though splendid) profession save me? How many excellent ships have perished in storms, notwithstanding their fine names: The Prosperous, The Success, The Happy Return? A fine name could not protect them from the rocks, nor will it save me from hell. I have used religion, as I should have used the world: I have prayed, as if I did not pray; and heard, as if I did not hear. I have given to God but the shadow of duty and can never expect from Him a real reward.
3. Reflections for a slothful Christian.
How unlike a Christian, my soul, do you also go about your work, though upright in the main; yet how little zeal and activity do you express in your duties! Awake, love and zeal, do you not see the toil and pains men take for the world? How they get up before the dawning of the day and labour as in the very fire till night – and all this for a trifle! Should not every drop of sweat which I see trickle from their brows fetch, as it were, a drop of blood from my heart, who am thus convinced and reproved of shameful laziness by their indefatigable diligence? Do they pant after the dust of the earth (Am 2:7), and shall I not pant after God? (Ps 42:1).
Ah my soul, it was not wont to be so with you in the days of my first profession. Should I have had no more communion with God in duties then, it would have broken my heart; I should have been weary of my life. Is this a time for one to stand idle, who stands at the door of eternity? What, now slack-handed, when so near to my everlasting rest (Rom 13:11), or have you found the work of God so unpleasant to you? (Prov 3:17), or the trade of godliness so unprofitable? (Ps 19:12). Or do you not know that millions, now in hell, perished for want of serious diligence in religion? (Luke 13:34). Nor does my diligence for God answer to what Christ has done and suffered to purchase my happiness, or to the preparations He has made in heaven for me? Or do you forget that your Master’s eye is always upon you, whilst you are lazying and loitering? Or would the damned live at this rate as I do, if their day of grace might be recalled? For shame, my soul, for shame, rouse up yourself and fall to your work, with a diligence answerable to its weight; for it is no vain work for you; it is your life.