The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 12
Upon a neglected Garden.
12. Med.
WHen I ſaw by experience how ſoon a neglected garden grows out of form and faſhion, and in a ſhort time comes to be a rude and indigeſted heap, grown over with weeds and nettles, traſh and rubbiſh, deſtroyed with moles, inhabited with toads, ſerpents, or other vermine, the wall broken down, the fence decayed, beaſts and ſwine making a prey of it, the one tearing off the tops, the other digging up the roots of the tender plants, the hearbs and flowers dying, withering or decaying, choaked by the weeds, or ſtarved for want of nouriſhment, nothing flouriſheth but weeds, and nothing appears but confuſion, and the whole appearing more like a wilderneſs, then a garden; This ſight brought to my minde the ſtate of the poor ſoul, when it is neglected, and not heedfully obſerved, then all run to ruine, and tends to confuſion, nothing that good is, proſpers; nothing that is bad, but flouriſheth; corruption and ſin get the upper hand, and grace is kept under; the fence is let down, the watch is neglected, and the devil, that wilde boar of the forreſt, deſtroys the tender vines, roots up every good inclination, ſpoils every good motion, intention and reſolution, and lays all waſte; how many have I known, who when they have been under good Maſters, good parents, good Miniſters, have been very hopeful, and towardly, and were likely to have made good inſtruments in the Church, for Gods glory, if not pillars in the houſe of God; while their graces, and good inclinations were well watered and they received encouragement in their religious courſes; then the flowers of grace ſeemed to flouriſh, and good deſires, holy intentions, and reſolutions, to bud forth, and hopeful beginnings ſhewed themſelves, and promiſing parts gave hopes of future encreaſe; But when theſe fire-ſticks, not well kindled, were once removed from thoſe that ſet them a burning, they were ſoon extinguiſhed; when they had changed their habitations, their company, when they were left to themſelves, or to thoſe that were careleſs of them, they went out of themſelves, and vaniſhed in a ſmoak, or in a ſnuff; then their corruptions ſoon gathered head, and their graces were at an under; they ſoon grew rude, and bruitiſh, and given to ſenſuality, and the hearb of grace for want of rain and nouriſhment, watering, and weeding, was ſoon ſuffocated by vice, and in ſhort time theſe men loſt that which they ſeemed to have, and their ſouls looked no more like a watered garden, but a barren wilderneſs, or a dunghill covered with noyſome weeds, and the dam which religious education had erected, being broken down, the ſtream ran more violently; and it is not unuſual to ſee vice ſo much prevailing, that they turn perſecutors of what before they profeſt: oh my ſoul, is not this in part thy caſe? are there not ſenſible decays of love in thee? is not thy zeal for God abated, and thy courage in his cauſe decayed? are not thy graces choaked with weeds, and the wheat overrun with tares? where is the kindeneſs of thy youth, and the love of thy eſpouſalls, when thou wentſt after God in the wilderneſs? haſt thou not with the Church of Epheſus, loſt thy firſt love? doſt thou not grow more ſtrange with thy God, and doth not God grow more ſtrange with thee? where is that heart and fervour which did appear in thee? that life and activity in his ſervice? hath not the cooling winde of the world abated this? and thou beginneſt to be (as the world calls it) more moderate, or (as God calls it) more lukewarm, the weeds of ſin begin to overtop the hearb of grace; do not theſe grow rank and flouriſhing, when grace grows weak and feeble? grace like the houſe of Saul grows weaker and weaker, when ſin like the houſe of David gathers ſtrength; well, beware betimes; if thou grow lukewarm, God will ſpew thee out of his mouth: if thou bear wilde grapes, he will pluck down thy fence, and lay thee waſte; if thou art barren, he will cut thee down; and caſt thee into the fire; oh my God, without thy aſſiſtance I ſhall bring forth no fruit, or worſe then none, wilde grapes, grapes of ſin and diſobedience; my ſins like a bloud-hound will dog me at the heels, and finde me out, the weeds of ſins and the thorns of cares will ſuffer no good herb nor flower to flouriſh, if God weed them not out: Oh, pluck up thoſe weeds, keep under thoſe thorns, and make up thoſe decays in this thy garden, let the north-winde and the ſouth, blow upon my garden, that the ſpices thereof may flow out, Cant. 4.16. that I may be ſerviceable to thee, and profitable to man; let my fruits be ripened, my graces greatned, by the breathing of the Holy Ghoſt, then ſhall I ſerve thee with thy own, and give thee of thy own; 1 Chron. 29.14.