The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 10
Upon the plucking off the tops of weeds.
10. Med.
IN a dry ſeaſon, when the bottles of heaven were ſtopped, and the clouds were bound up, the rain reſtrained, and the ſhowers withheld from the earth, ſo that it was parched hard and dry, and gaped in vain for cooling, moiſtning, refreſhing, ſoftning ſhowers; I obſerved ſome perſons when they could not get up the weeds by the roots, tare off their heads, which when they had done, the garden ſeemed pleaſant to the beholders, and gave content for a while to the ſpectators; who imagined there had been a through-reformation; but not long after, when a ſhower of rain diſtilled upon it, the cheat appeared, the weeds ſprung up as freſh and flouriſhing as before, yea, like hydra, with more heads then at firſt, ſo this partiall reformation was diſcovered: This obſervation afforded this Meditation, I thought it much reſembled a partiall reformation in the ſoul, when men begin their reformation at the wrong end, or take a wrong courſe to kill the tree of ſin, as many do, they crop and lop off ſome branches, and let the root alone, this is not the way to deſtroy it; many tear off ſome of the tops of the weeds but let the root remain in the ſoul, which when it is watered with the devils temptations, and the worlds allurements, and animated with fit occaſions and ſuitable opportunities, they ſpring forth afreſh (it may be) with more heads then before, and then the cheat appears, that thoſe ſins were not kil'd but laid aſide: An evident example we have of this in Herod, who convinced by Iohn Baptiſts preaching, that his courſes were not good, ſets upon a reformation, falls out with many of his ſins, lops off here one bough, and there another, but lets the root remain firm, which afterwards ſpring forth and ſhew themſelves: It is ſaid, he reformed many things, but he left much work behinde undone, to the undoing of his ſoul: The ſore was only skinned over, and was not ſound at the bottom, and after broke out with more violence and greater anguiſh, like a torrent of water dam'd up; when the dam breaks, it runs more furiouſly; So did Herods corruption, even to the taking away of Iohn Baptiſts head, who before had ſet ſome ſtop to it: And thus it is with many ſeeming Converts, that after prove wicked apoſtates, and perſecute the truth that they did formerly profeſs, the root of the matter was not in them. Hazael did not believe ſo much wickedneſs to lodge in his heart, as the Prophet ſpake of, and afterwards appeared: An apple rotten at the heart may have a fair outſide, but the rottenneſs within will in time rot the outſide alſo; when the fountain is corrupted, it is impoſſible to purge the ſtream: If the heart be rotten, all that thence proceeds will have an ill ſavour: This half reformation hath been the undoing of many forward Profeſſors in our days; they reformed their lives but not their hearts; they lopt off ſome boughs, but medled not with the root; they went to clenſe the ſtream, but not the fountain; and in a little time the corruption within, breaks forth into the life and converſation without; and the unclean ſpirit that was caſt out, takes to himſelf ſeven more worſe then himſelf, and enters in, and the laſt end of that man is worſe then the beginning, Mat. 12.45. The devil deals by ſuch when he hath reduced them, as a Jaylour with one that hath broke priſon, lays on more bolts: Runagate Chriſtians are the devils greateſt devotes, and ſuch apoſtates very hardly (if ever) are reduced: O my ſoul! how ſtands the caſe with thee? haſt thou not weeded thy own garden thus, and rather tore off the lops of the weeds then pluckt them up by the root? how comes it elſe to paſs that upon every ſhowr of temptation they are ſo apt to ſpring up again? look about thee if thou wilt not kill ſin, ſin will kill thee; and if thou wilt kill the curſed tree, ſtub it up by the roots, and not lop off here one branch, and there another, for if the root be dead, the branches will ſoon wither; but if the root live, the branches will revive: The way to cleanſe the ſtream, is to purge the fountain; for ſweet water cannot proceed from a ſtinking puddle: if the tree be good, the fruit will be good alſo; if the ſpring be not dried up, it will ſooner or later overflow the dam: the way to cure the ſore is to heal it at the bottome; and heart-reformation is the beſt way to life-reformation: hypocriſie within will like a botch at length break forth, and a rotten heart will ere long rot the life alſo: O my God without thy aſſiſtance all my endeavours will prove vain: the devil, the world, and my own deceitful heart will beguile me, let me not ſtrive in my own ſtrength, nor fail of thine aſſiſting grace; rather caſt me into the furnace, then ſuffer my corruption and droſs to remain in me; and rather plow deeper furrows by affliction, then ſuffer the roots of the weeds to remain in my heart: turn me, O Lord, and I ſhall be turned; convert me, and I ſhall be converted; let me not take up with a partial reformation, and let nothing leſs then the death of ſin give me content.