The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 29
Upon the ſpringing of herbs in the ſpring time.
29. Med.
AFter a ſharp winter when the ſpring approached and the Sun began to look more chearfully upon the earth, and to ſhine upon it with a more direct ray, I beheld the herbs and flowers which before ſeemed dead and withered, began now to bud and germinate, and to ſpring forth, and to look lively, lovely, and amiable; the graſs waxed green and the face of the earth was changed, from what it was a few weeks ago; trees leaved, and all ſeemed to rejoyce at the ſuns approach, and to anſwer the ſpringing ſhowers which kindely fell upon them, and thoſe flowers that even now hid their heads, and were buried in the earth, now crept out of their cells, and in their kinde returned praiſe to their great benefactour, and the winter which ſeemed to have kil'd them, did but prepare them for their future encreaſe; this made me conſider, if it be thus with poor vegetables, that are ſoon ſenſible of the approaching ſpring, and ſoon anſwer the ſun beams darting upon them, and the refreſhing ſhowers wherewith they are watered, ſurely it ſhould be ſo with the ſoul, when it comes from under the clouds of affliction, and when the ſun of righteouſneſs ariſeth with healing in his wings; this made me conſider mine own condition, whether I had anſwered the pains and coſt which God had beſtowed upon me, whether my affliction which God had laid upon me, the ſharp winter, that I had undergone, and the ſharp ſhowers I had felt, had wrought ſuch an effect upon me, as the winter and the influences of heaven, had done upon theſe poor vegetables, viz. made my graces germinate, and break forth, bud and bloom, and bring forth fruit; for I ſaw whereever life is in the root, it will ſhew forth it ſelf in the branches: oh my ſoul, thou haſt had a long and ſharp winter, what effect hath in wrought in thee? thou haſt lain in the furnace of affliction, is thy droſs conſumed; or is it not? I have been under pining ſickneſs, brought to the gates of death, yet hath God ſaid to me, live: I have been threatned with pinching wants, yet more frightned then hurt; and when ſtript of all, God let me ſee, that he could make proviſion, and was able to provide and furniſh a table in the wilderneſs; the barrel of meal waſted not, and the cruſe of oyl did not fail; God bleſſed a little, and it ſufficeth; when I was driven from friends and relations, he raiſed me up friends more true, then many of my relations; and in due time he ſaid to me, as ſometime to Jacob, Gen. …2.9. return into thy own countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: ſometimes I have been under a cloud, and then again the cloud hath been ſcattered, and the ſun hath broke out again; many have been the diſpenſations of providences, I have been under: oh my ſoul, how doſt thou anſwer Gods expectations in theſe providences? affliction ſprings not out of the duſt, neither doth trouble riſe out of the ground, is there evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? whoever is the inſtrument God hath a hand in the work, whoever be the rod, it is he that layes it on; it hath a voice and we ſhould hear it? he hath an end, and that is thy reformation; doſt thou anſwer his end? if the rod be removed before the childe be reformed, either he intends to get a bigger rod, or leaves thee off as incorrigible, which is the ſoreſt judgement. The winter now is paſt, and the ſinging of birds is come, the earth and all things therein look lovely; and each vegetable where life is, diſcovers it: and is it only winter with thee? and doth no fruit appear? God juſtly may ſay to thee, as of the fruitleſs fig-tree, never fruit grow more on thee for ever; if all his labour be loſt, and all his expectations fruſtrated, and all his plowing, ſowing, and manuring vain, he will ſay of thee, as ſometimes of his vineyard, what could I have done more for him then I have done? wherefore then when I expected fruit doth he bring forth wilde grapes? canſt imagine God will always bear with a barren fruitleſs tree in his orchard, or an unprofitable, unfaithfull ſervant in his houſe, or a hard and ſtony heart that neither ſummers ſun, nor winters froſt can work upon, neither judgements nor mercies mollify? many a year he hath been ſeeking fruit and findeth none, and yet hath been prevailed with to try thee one year more, but his patience will not long bear with thee: if reformation prevent not, the ſentence will ere long be paſt, cut him down why cumbers he the ground? many a time the ſun hath ſhone with a favourable aſpect upon thee, and many a time the dew of heaven hath been ſhowred down, many a faithfull skilfull husbandman hath been ſent to dreſs thee, and manure thee, and muſt Chriſt when he ſeeks fruit ſtill meet with diſapointments? art thou ſo hard and rocky, that no furnace will melt thee, nor hammer break thee, or bring the into form meet for his building? then muſt thou be thrown out amongſt the rubbiſh: Oh my God, this is my condition by nature, but thou canſt change my nature, thou haſt a furnace will melt me, and bring me into any form, thou haſt a hammer can break me, and fit me for thy work: thou canſt ſoften me, and make me pliable, thou canſt take away the ſtony heart, and give me a heart of fleſh: Lord, is it not thy promiſe? make it good to me, blow upon my ſoul and the graces of thy ſpirit will bud and break forth; ſpeak the word and my ſoul ſhall live; Lord, teach me thy ſelf, and leave me not to the teaching of man, there is no other can reach the heart, they ſpeak only to the ear.