The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 32
Upon ſome deſpicable weeds, yet uſefull.
32. Med.
WHen I ſaw ſome poor contemptible, deſpicable weeds, that uſually grow in the fields, without labour, pains or care of man, or are thrown out of the garden with contempt, as not fit to have a being there, but to be trod upon and deſpiſed, as not being, neither ſweet for ſavour, nor beautifull to the eye; and yet when I beheld theſe very weeds gathered, and ſucceſsfully uſed, by the greateſt artiſts in phyſick and ſurgery, for the curing of great diſtempers, when the more glorious, gorgeous, and more eſteemed vegetables were diſregarded, this made me conſider, how deceitfull a thing it is to judge by the outward appearance, and that beauty and vertue are not alway linkt together, neither go they hand in hand; many have been deceived when they have pleaſed their eyes by beauty; the devil many times baits his hook with a fair woman, and many have been undone by ſwallowing ſuch a hook: many that have made beauty their aim, have been matcht with foul conditions: Samuel that man of God, was deceived by his eye, when he thought Eliab, Davids elder brother, had been the Lords annointed, becauſe he had a comely countenance, 1 Sam. 16.6. and it came to paſs after they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and ſaid, ſurely the Lords anointed is before him; but the Lord ſaid to Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the heighth of his ſtature, becauſe I have refuſed him; for the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Many a man under a ruſſet coat carries more real worth, more true gentillity, yea, nobillity, then others do under their ſilks and ſattins, velvets, and ſcarlets; many a worthleſs piece is dreſt puppet-like, with paint, and plaiſter, and ridiculous gewgaws, but could we but ſee the ſoul through the gayiſh dreſs of the body, it would appear leprous and deformed, nay, perhaps in the body it ſelf there would appear viſible marks of deformity, as well as of infirmity; paint and plaiſter better become a mud-wall, then a marble pillar; true beauty needs no varniſh; nor a diamond needs no painting; ſpotted faces often cover ſpotted ſouls; and their ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods people: there are many that like the Cinamon-tree, have the bark better then the body; but it is a fool that buys a horſe by the trappings, or chooſeth a wife by her gaudy dreſs; or that eſteems the better of himſelf, or imagines that any wiſe man eſteems the better of him, for a fine ſuit of cloathes; yet there was a diſeaſe amongſt Chriſtians in the Apoſtles time, and it is almoſt epidemical in our days, to reſpect the cloathes or outward ornaments of a man, more then his conditions and qualifications, Jam. 2.2, 3. if there come into your aſſemblies a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in alſo a poor man in vile rayment, and ye have reſpect to him that weareth the gay cloathing, and ſay unto him, fit thou here, in a good place, and ſay to the poor man, ſtand thou here, or ſit here under my footſtool; are you not then partial in your ſelves? &c. but however man may diſreſpect them, God hath choſen the poor, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom: A poor man though wiſe, yea, though by his wiſdome he ſave the city, yet is not remembred, Eccl. 9.15. this is merces mundi, the worlds wages, many deal by ſuch as men do by a fruit-tree, to which they run in a ſtorm, and when it is done, beat him, and rob him of his fruit: many wiſe Miniſters are heard with ſcorn, or at leaſt with diſregard, till men lie upon their death-bed, and then they are ſent unto for counſel, or rather comfort. It is not always thoſe that can ſpeak loudeſt, that ſpeaks beſt, but he that ſpeaks wiſeſt; the empty barrel makes the greateſt ſound: that Sermon … not always beſt that hath moſt gaudy notions, and rhetorical flouriſhes, but that which ſavours moſt of Chriſt, and the divine Eloquence of his holy ſpirit: he is the beſt preacher that woos for Chriſt, and not for himſelf, and would ſet the crown upon his head, and not his own, it is not the beſt phyſitian that ſpeaks moſt latine, greek, and hebrew, but he that gives the ſureſt and ſafeſt directions to recover health: it is not the tickling of the fancy, a preacher ſhould ſo much minde, as to ſpeak convincingly to the conſcience: oh my ſoul, judge not by the outward but the inward qualification, neither cover hypocriſy by a mask of ſeeming ſincerity, for God will ere long pluck off ſuch vizors; ſlight no man meerly upon the account of poverty, for God thinks never the worſe of them; admire no man meerly for his riches, for God thinks never the better of him; this is but to worſhip a golden calf: the time is coming, that the king muſt leave his robes behinde him, and the beggar his rags, and it is the inward qualifications that muſt diſtinguiſh between the one and the other: Dives and Lazarus when they come to ſtand on even ground, ſhall by theſe be tried, and ſo muſt all, by what means or titles ſoever they have been dignifyed, diſtinguiſhed or called: it is our works and worth, not our wealth will follow us; whereever t…ou ſeeſt Chriſt in any, own him; for God will own him; eſteem grace in the ſoul more then money in the purſe, and the robes of righteouſneſs above the moſt coſtly jewels, a drachm of grace is worth thouſands of gold and ſilver; for thy councellors take the wiſeſt not the wealthieſt; for wiſdom and wealth many times dwell not together in the ſame houſe; eſteem that preacher beſt that ſpeaks home to the heart, and conſcience, not him that ſeeks to tickle the ear and pleaſe the fancy, he that woos for Chriſt and not for himſelf, and ſeeks to put the crown upon his head and not his own: eſteem that Sermon beſt where thou findeſt moſt of Chriſt, and not that which is dreſt with gaudy notions, and rhetorical flouriſhes, which ſerve to darken and not illuſtrate the matter, and are as king James was wont to ſay, like red and blew flowers, fine to look upon, good for little, but peſter the corn: a diſeaſed man had rather have medicum ſanantem quam eloquentem, one that will rather do well then ſpeak well: oh my God, ſhould I cover my prophanneſs or hypocriſy with the vizor of ſeeming holineſs, thou wilt ſoon diſcover it, and unmask me, for thou ſearcheſt the heart, and trieſt the reins, and all things are open and apparent to thee: Lord, give me ſincerity, and truth in the inward part, for this is thy gift; make me ſuch as thy own ſoul delights in; let me not be deceived by my own deceitful heart, nor think to deceive others, for I cannot deceive thy all-ſeeing eye.