The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 5
Ʋpon the Propenſity of the Earth to bring forth weeds.
5. Med.
VVHen I obſerved the natural propenſity of the Earth to bring forth briars, and thorns, and weeds, and thiſtles, and ſuch unprofitable traſh and rubbiſh, and that it brought forth, fed, and foſtered thoſe of its own accord, without labour or pains, or any help of man; nay, man without much labour and toil cannot deſtroy or keep them under; but choice flowers, profitable herbs, wheat and rye, and other uſefull grain, ſprings not up at ſo eaſie a rate, there muſt be pains taken, digging, plowing, harrowing, ſetting, ſowing, weeding, fencing, watering, and a great deal more, or no good crop can be expected: This Obſervation made me think, that this was the fruits of the curſe laid upon the Earth for mans ſake, Gen. 3.17. Curſed be the ground for thy ſake, In ſorrow ſhalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, thorns alſo and thiſtles ſhall it bring forth to thee, &c. In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eat bread, &c. me thoughts the earth in this reſpect, did much reſemble a ſtepmother, to the beſt ſeeds, and choiſeſt fruits; but an own Mother to weeds and rubbiſh; this ſhe brings forth, and brings up as her own, the other ſhe diſowns, but as ſhe is hired or forc't: and if ſhe be not carefully watcht, will either ſtarve, or choak them; and ſhe will ſuffer her own brats to eat the meat that ſhould nouriſh them, and ſuck her breaſts till they are dry: and they ſhall flouriſh while the other pine: This raiſed up my Meditations a little higher, and I thought the earth in this reſpect much reſembled the world, who will willingly nouriſh no children but her own, and plays the ſtepmothers part with Gods children, when the wicked which are her own brats are hug'd in her boſome; if their father look not to them they are thrown to the walls; if any be wronged it ſhall be them; and if any want be, they ſhall ſuffer: the world loves her own, Joh. 15 19. however dogs worry one another, yet all agree againſt the trembling hare: Herod and Pilate are made friends, when Chriſt is to ſuffer, and all wicked men are enemies to the power of godlineſs; This propenſity alſo of the earth to bring forth weeds, and to ſtarve the choiſeſt plants, made me think it reſembled alſo the heart of man by nature, which is a fruitful field for briars and brambles, and the weeds of ſin which grow there without planting, but 'tis barren of any thing that is good; 'tis hard to get a good motion, a good inclination, a good reſolution to proſper in that ſoil, but the heart naturally produceth evil thoughts, wicked words, and bad actions, which are the uſuall product it bringeth forth: The hearb of grace muſt be planted by the finger of God, and watered with the dew of heaven, or it will not proſper, moſt of the good ſeed ſown there by the Preachers of the Word is loſt, and comes to nothing; for either it falls among ſtones, or thorns, or by the highway-ſide, and ſo is choak't, or ſtarved, or ſtole away; and devoured, except the heart be well manured, and the nature of the ſoil changed; except it be well fenc't and guarded, yea, watch't and obſerved, nothing that is good will grow there. 'Tis not in vain that God bids us, break up the fallow ground of our hearts, and ſow not among thorns, Ier. 4.3. Hoſ. 10.12. and God is fain to plow deep furrows by affliction, before he can reach the roots of the weeds▪ Oh my ſoul! art not thou this earth that lyes under the curſe, where nothing but traſh and rubbiſh thrives and proſpers? how comes it otherwiſe to paſſe, that thou art ſo prone to ſin and ſo backward to obedience? vices naturally ſpring in thee, without help or labour, without plowing or ſowing, and are rank and flouriſhing; but grace thrives not without much ado, if at all: how comes it to paſs, that ſo much ſeed hath been ſown, and ſo little fruit appears? but that 'tis choakt by traſh and rubbiſh, or pickt up by the fowls of the air; if the devil by his temptation ſows his tares there, he need neither weed them nor look after them, they grow faſt enough of themſelves, the heart cheriſheth and nouriſheth them as her own; but the hearb of grace grows not ſo eaſily: A good thought is hardly brought to a good reſolution, nor a good reſolution to a good action; theſe are uſually ſtifled in the womb; but the product of ſin is much more eaſy: O my ſoul! ſee that the ſoil of thy heart be changed, and true grace be there planted, and the weeds of ſin rooted out, or thou art ſtill under the curſe: Oh my God! rather plow me and harrow me, and pluck and tear me in pieces by affliction, then ſuffer me to be barren or uſeleſs ground: be thou the husbandman, and my heart will be fruitful, and yield her encreaſe: blow upon thy garden, and the ſpices will ſend forth a ſweet ſmell: let the ſun of righteouſneſs ſhine upon it, and the dew of heaven water it, and let it be planted by thy own hand, and fenced about, that the wilde boar of the forreſt may not devour it, and it will be no longer barren; ſpeak the word, and the work will be done.