The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 27
Upon the difference between the various ſorts of flowers and vegetables.
27. Med.
WHen I conſidered the various forms, features, ſhapes, colours and vertues of the ſeveral ſorts of herbs, flowers, and other vegetables, and though there are perhaps many hundred ſeveral ſpecies in the world, yet every ſpecies hath a diſtinct colour, ſhape, and vertue different from the reſt, whereby they may be perfectly known, found out, and diſtinguiſht one from another by a skilfull artiſt, and all theſe together adorn the creation, and make the earth lovely, and every one hath its peculiar uſe. While I ſpent ſome thoughts on theſe things, and was admiring the creatures wiſdome, in theſe works of his hands, and his good to mankinde to give a ſalve to every ſore; for he hath made nothing in vain; it came to my minde how many thouſand millions of faces are upon the face of the earth, all alike and yet unlike, all reſembling one another, and yet ſcarce two perſons to be found out in the whole world, ſo like, but they may be differenced one from another; in one thing or another, by a diſcerning eye; this alſo raiſed my meditation from the creature to the Creator, to admire his wiſdome and skill, that hath, as before noted, thus diſtinguiſhed between the ſeveral ſort of vegetables, though many hundreds, and between ſo many hundred thouſands of faces among rational creatures, that as he gives to every ſeed his own body, ſo he gives to every peculiar ſpecies his own proper colour, ſhape, odour, and vertue, and to every individual of the ſpecies, and to every rational creature his own proper face and feature, all lovely, amiable and comely, and yet different one from another, all agreeing in the main, and yet diſagreeing in one thing or other: Oh the omnipotent power and wiſdome of the great God, how unſearchable are his counſels, and his ways paſt finding out; And as they differ in bodily ſhape, ſo alſo in the endowments of the minde; there is very great variety, and diverſity amongſt men, ſcarce two can be found in an age alike qualified; very few of the ſame minde in all things, quot homines tot ſententiae, is a ſaying not more antient then true; ſo many men ſo many mindes; for where ſhall we finde a perfect agreement between any two, how various alſo are the gifts of the ſame ſpirit to the ſons of men? God doth not intruſt any one man with all, neither is there any that have not ſome talent, 1 Cor. 12.43. now there are diverſity of gifts, but the ſame ſpirit, &c. for to one is given by the ſpirit, the word of wiſdome, to another the word of knowledge, by the ſame ſpirit; to another faith by the ſame ſpirit, to another the gift of healing by the ſame ſpirit; to another the working of miracles, to another propheſie, to another diſcerning of ſpirits, to another diverſe kindes of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues, but all theſe worketh that one and the ſelf ſame ſpirit, dividing to every man ſeverally as he will, &c. and to one is given ten talents, to another five, and to another one, according to the place, and imployment they are ſet in, and the work God requires at their hands; as the diverſe ſmells of flowers, comes from the ſame influence, and the diverſe ſounds in the organ from the ſame breath, ſo divers-operations from the ſame ſpirit; and all for the good of the whole; he that is not fit to ſerve the body, is not fit to be of the body; God gives to every man according to his place and ſtation, and will require an account of what he gives, ſome are deeply skil'd in the original tongues, and other languages, others excell in philoſophical notions, ſome ſearch natures garden from end to end, and become excellent artiſts there; ſome excell in one ſcience, ſome in another, ſome in the law, ſome in phyſick, ſome in divinity, ſome in geometry, ſome excell for deep inventions, others are good artiſts, &c. and among Chriſtians ſome excel in one grace, and ſome in another; ſome are deep in humiliation, ſome have a great meaſure of ſelf-denial, ſome excell in faith, ſome in patience, &c. among Miniſters each hath his peculiar gift, ſome are good Textuaries, and ſome criticks; ſome are good in caſe-divinity, ſome are skil'd in controverſies, and are excellent diſputants; ſome are for explication, and ſome are beſt at application; ſome for conviction, and others for comforting afflicted conſciences, and all for the common good, Ephe. 4.11, 12. and he gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the miniſtry, for the edifying the body of Chriſt. Oh my ſoul, haſt thou any one of theſe gifts, hath God lent thee any talent, why haſt thou not improved it? how comes it to paſs in all this time, that thou haſt not increaſt it? God will require it at thy hand ere long, and it is wonder it had not been taken away ere now: hadſt thou been diligent thou mighteſt (as others) with the good ſervant, Luk. 19.16. have ſaid, Lord, thy one pound hath gained ten pounds; when alas it is to be feared, thou canſt not ſay, it hath gained two: though God will not blame thee that thou haſt received no more, yet will he blame thee for improving that no better; the time is coming God will call his ſervants to an account, as well as his enemies, and reckon with them; take heed of receiving any grace in vain, nor envy thoſe that have received more; perhaps they received no more, but have better imployed what they had; let this put thee on to diligence, not to murmuring, covet grace rather then gifts, and to to pray fervently, rather then rhetorically; ſtammering Moſes ſhall be heard, as ſoon as Eloquent Aaron: had idleneſs been a lawful calling, we ſhould have had many good husbands, as well as good fellows; but God diſowns ſuch, and it is no hard matter to diſcern a wane and decay in ſuch mens gifts and parts, and that the Lord is taking away his talents from them, and giving them to ſome other that will better improve them: and is laying them aſide as broken veſſels, and ere long they ſhall be as dead men out of minde, when the diligent ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance? oh my God, lay not to my charge my former folly, my ſloth and negligence; take not away thy talent from me, but give me a heart better to improve it; let me double my diligence, and amend my pace, that thou maiſt never ſay to me, as to that unfaithful and unprofitable ſervant, Mat. 25.26. take him, binde him hand and foot, and caſt him into outer darkneſs.