The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 14
Upon Stones in the Garden.
14. Med.
OBſerving in the garden many ſtones mixt with other ſoil, and conſidering how uſeleſs, fruitleſs, and unprofitable they were, yea though they had the ſame husbandry beſtowed upon them, the ſame ſun to ſhine upon them, and watered with the ſame ſhowers, though they had the ſame ſeed and labour, the ſame mucking and manuring, the ſame tilling and weeding, as the other ſoil had, yet were never the better, never the ſofter, or more pliable; they remained ſtones, ſtill fruitleſs and unprofitable; yea, though I broke them in pieces: I could neither mollify them, nor make them fruitfull, nor profitable, but they were hurtfull and pernicious to the place they were in; neither axe nor hammer, fire nor water could change their nature; neither fair means nor foul, the ſummers ſun, nor winters froſt could not change them, they were ſtill the ſame: hereupon I cauſed them to be gathered together and caſt out of the garden; to mend a foul way; and by this means that which before was a detriment now became a benefit; This Obſervation helpt me to this Meditation, it brought to my minde the nature of a ſtony heart; oh how lively do theſe ſtones repreſent this to us; the ſtony heart is of the nature of a ſtone, mercyes cannot melt it, judgements cannot break it; ſee this in Pharaoh, his heart after all the judgements continues ſtone ſtill, good ſeed ſown in a ſtony heart brings nothing to perfection, neither can it take any deep root, as we ſee in the parable of the ſtony grounds, they receive the word with joy, but have not root, and therefore ſoon wither; they only taſte of the good word of God, Heb. 6.45. as cooks do of their ſauces (ſaith one) they let nothing down, they digeſt it not; this ground though never ſo carefully husbanded, even by Chriſt himſelf, the wiſeſt husbandman, yet brings no fruit to maturity; I have ſometimes wondred how wicked men could ſit under the powerful means of grace, and Miniſtry of the Word, and have hell-fire flaſht in their faces, and yet never ſtartle at it, though the ſame ſins which their conſciences know they are deeply guilty of, are again and again condemned to hell, and it be proved that thoſe that live in ſuch ſins ſhall never go to heaven; and the Chapters and verſes alledged where God doth ſentence ſuch ſinners to hell, and exclude them out of heaven, yet they remain as inſenſible as blocks, or ſtocks, or the ſtones they tread upon, or the ſeats they ſit upon, or the pillars they lean againſt; and what wonder is it that one ſtone ſhould be as inſenſible as another? And on the other ſide, when the melting promiſes of the Goſpel are preſt; and God, and Chriſt, and heaven, and happineſs, everlaſting pleaſures, and treaſures, glory and happineſs is offered, this makes not ſo deep an impreſſion, as the offer of one ſhilling, nay, of one penny, will from a man: Doth not this plainly prove, that theſe mens hearts are ſenceleſs ſtones? Now it is the nature of ſome ſtones, fire will not melt them, water will not ſoften them, nothing will mollifie them; ſo it is of wicked men, neither mercies, nor judgements will work upon them; Pharaoh was ſuch a ſtone, nothing would work upon him, though he was broken to ſhivers, each piece retains its naturall hardneſs, it is ſtone ſtill, but ſuch ſtones that will not be fitted for Gods building; he will employ them otherwiſe, and make ſtepping-ſtones of them, God will not loſe by them; if they will not ſerve for one uſe, they ſhall for another. 'Tis true he hath a furnace, that can melt them, and happy is he that is caſt into it, if they miſs of that they ſhall be reſerved for the infernal furnace; where they ſhall always burn but never be conſumed, neither ſhall any of their droſs ever waſte; in the mean while as God made uſe of thorns (as before was noted) ſo can he of theſe ſtones, for the good of his Church; oh my ſoul, this was thy caſe, this was thy condition by nature, out of the ſame rock waſt thou hewn, and out of the ſame hole of the pit waſt thou digged; thy heart was as hard as the nether millſtone, and reſembled the flinty rock, that would neither bend nor bow, and was as inſenſible of ſpirituall things, as the ſtones in the ſtreet, much water was ſpilt upon this rock, which could not be gotten up again; much waſhing was beſtowed to make this blackamore white, but all in vain; many a melting Sermon thou haſt heard, and didſt remain ſtone ſtill; how is the caſe at preſent with thee? what is thy preſent condition? hath God melted thee in his furnace? hath he changed thy nature? hath he faſhioned thee anew, and moulded thee into a better ſhape, and given thee a better form? hath he taken away the heart of ſtone, and given thee a heart of fleſh? hath he fitted thee for his own work? and hewn, and ſquared thee for his own building, to be united to Jeſus Chriſt the chief corner-ſtone? if ſo, bleſs God for it, for it was his own work, thou waſt not able to fit thy ſelf, nor all the Miniſters in England to help thee, had not God put his hand to the work; but if thou retain ſtill thy old inflexible nature, as hard and ſenſeleſs as ever, if thou be unpolliſhed, rough and craggy, notwithſtanding all the pains God hath beſtowed upon thee, after ſo much melting, and ſo much hewing, well maiſt thou fear thou wilt be caſt out amongſt the rubbiſh, as unfit for Gods uſe, and reſerved for the fire of hell, which will neither refine thee, nor yet conſume thee; Oh my God, great pains and coſt thou haſt been at with me, but I have not anſwered thy pains, nor quit thy coſt; I remain ſtill rough and hard, notwithſtanding all the blows of thy workmen: but Lord, if thou wouldſt blow the fire, I ſhould melt, if thou wouldſt lay thy hand upon the workmans axe, I ſhould be ſquared and ſitted for the work: Lord, rather lay great blows upon me, then ſuffer me to be unpoliſht, or caſt out into the rubbiſh; take away the heart of ſtone, give me a heart of fleſh, that I may melt at thy mercies, and tremble at thy judgements.