The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 40
Upon the beating out of the ſeed.
40. Med.
WHen I had gathered in the ſeed, and the fruits of the earth, my next work was to make a ſeparation, the good from the bad, for though ſome ſeparation was already made, and the weeds, and other traſh, were caſt out, and left behinde, yet ſtill there were ſtalks, and husks, and chaff adhering to it; to this end I threſhed, rubbed, pounded or beat it out, according as I ſaw occaſion; for I ſaw it would not out without ſome violence, and that which was moſt ſtubborn, and gave moſt reſiſtance, received moſt blows, till at length my end was obtained, and the ſeparation made; this put me in minde of the neceſſity of affliction, how needful it was for the ſoul, which is peſtered more with chaff and rubbiſh, then any corn can be; though now (ſaith the Apoſtle) for a ſeaſon, if need be, ye are in heavineſs, through manifold temptations, &c. 1 Pet. 1.6. when the heart grows too light, God makes it heavy with manifold temptations, phyſick ſometimes is as neceſſary as food, and conduceth more to our health, the ſoul hath as much need of threſhing and winnowing as the corn; Solomon tels us Pro. 22.15. fooliſhneſs is bound up in the heart of a childe, but the rod of correction will fetch it away: old Ely, for want of this brought up his ſons, to bring down his houſe; a leſſon ſet on with whipping, is beſt remembred: now this is true of men, as well as children, for corruption, and folly remains in them alſo, till God fetch it out; ſanctified affliction is the way to conſume it: It was good for me (ſaith David) that I was afflicted, before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now I learn to keep thy Commandments: Gods rod as well as his ſtaff, comforted him, Pſal. 23.4. as corn muſt be threſhed, winnowed, ground, and baked, before it is fit for uſe, or good for food, ſo by affliction men are fitted for Gods ſervice here, and for glory hereafter, yet as ſome corn requires not ſo much threſhing as others doth, yet all muſt have ſome, ſo ſome men need not ſo much affliction as others, though ſome be neceſſary, but he that gives man underſtanding in the one, beſt knows what is neceſſary for the other, Iſay. 28.24. doth the plowman plow all day to ſow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground, when he hath made plain the face thereof? doth he not caſt abroad the fetches, and ſcatter the cummin, and the appointed barly and rye in their place? for his God doth inſtruct him to diſcretion, and doth teach him, for the fetches are not threſhed with a threſhing-inſtrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin, but the fetches are beaten out with a ſtaff, and the cummin with a rod, bread-corn is bruiſed, &c. he that gives man wiſdom, ſhall not he underſtand? the great husbandman that inſtructs others, will not lay on more ſtroaks, or heavier, then needs muſt; the goldſmith ſuffers not his gold to lie in the furnace one hour longer then is requiſite; God obſerves when his work is done upon Mount-Zion, and then will puniſh the ſtout heart of the King of Aſſiria, Eſay. 10.12. we are apt to be playing in the duſt, and minde not our fathers houſe, and till we are frightned, or beaten, we ſhall not return home, but minde our ſport: the prodigal mindes not his father, while he had any thing left to eat: oh death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives at eaſe in his poſſeſſion, and hath nothing to vex him, but hath proſperity in all things, Eccluſ. 41.1. phyſick (as I ſaid) is ſometimes as neceſſary as food, and ſickneſs as health, and poverty as plenty, we are apt to ſurfet on ſweet-meats; our heavenly father who is the beſt phyſitian, knows beſt what is beſt for us; were we to chooſe our food, and our phyſick, we ſhould kill our ſelves; ſometimes he prepares a diet-drink for us, and mixeth it with our tears, Pſal. 42.3. my tears have been my meat day and night, Pſal. 80.4, 5. O Lord God of hoſts, how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people, thou feedeſt them with the bread of tears, and giveſt them tears to drink in great meaſure; he alſo ſeaſoneth it with their groans, to many, he preſcribes alſo a ſpare diet, for every man cannot bear a proſperous eſtate, no more then every mans head can bear much wine; oh my ſoul, matter not though thou be threſht, and winnowed, and ground, and bak't, ſo thou maiſt be made bread for thy Maſters table; all Gods people have taſted of the cup of affliction, and canſt thou expect to go free: Abel began the round, and drank a health to all his followers, which hitherto they have all pledged, and ſome of them have drunk very deep, and Chriſt himſelf drunk up the very dregs; If God preſerve thee, no matter whether it be in ſalt or ſugar: If thou ſuffer for him, thou ſhalt reign with him, and theſe light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. it is but winking (ſaid the Martyr) and we ſhall be in heaven preſently; though thou maiſt loſe ſomething for Chriſt, thou wilt loſe nothing by him, for every handful of muck thou parteſt with for his ſake, thou ſhalt have a handful of angels: afflictions when once paſt, are ſoon forgotten as a womans pangs in childe-bearing, when a man-childe is born into the world, John 16.21. to which a Chriſtians ſufferings are oft reſembled, Eſay. 26.17. Jer. 6.24. but many Chriſtians mourn, and overmourn for their loſſes, and become like Mary Magdalen blear-eyed, and cannot ſee Chriſt for their tears, and think God cannot love them, becauſe he beats them; ſee how theſe are miſtaken, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon that he receiveth; if you endure chaſtening, God dealeth with you as with ſons, for what ſon is he that the father chaſteneth not; but if you be without chaſtizements, whereof all are partakers, then are ye baſtards and not ſons; he hath learned little in Chriſtianity that hath not learnt to ſuffer, corrections are pledges of our adoption, and badges of our ſonſhip, one ſon God had without ſin, but none without ſorrow; Luther thought the Pope was not Gods ſon, quod ſine cruce regnat; oh my God, whatever affliction lies upon me, never let me have a revolting heart, and if I ſuffer let it be for thee, and not as an evil-doer, if thou haſt appointed ſuffering times for me, Lord, fit me for them with ſuffering graces, and a ſuffering ſpirit: fit the back before thou lay on the burthen; Lord, give me ſtrength to bear it, and then lay on what thou wilt, and while thou wilt.