The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 76
Ʋpon a crab-tree afterwards grafted.
76. Med.
OBſerving one tree in the orchard wilde by nature, which though it had the ſame husbandry with the reſt, dreſt, and pruned by the ſame hand, digged and dunged as the others were, though it grew in as fat a ſoil, and was refreſht with the ſame ſun, and watered with the ſame ſhowers, yet ſtill it brought forth ſowr and unpleaſant fruit; and neither art, nor labour could alter it, till I cauſed it to be grafted, and ſo changed the nature of it, and then the ſame means uſed made it anſwer our expectation; this made me to conſider that this was the very reaſon why there was ſo much difference between perſons that live under the ſame means of grace, under the ſame Miniſtry, enjoying the ſame Ordinances, ſit in the ſame ſear, live in the ſame houſe; yea, he in the ſame bed, yet ſome bare good fruits, ſome bad, ſome ſweet and ſome ſowr, ſure the fault is not in the means but in the men; I have read of Melancthon, that when he came to preach the goſpel, he preacht with ſuch convincing arguments, and ſo much Scripture light, that he was perſwaded that he could have convinc't any man, but after long trial he found the contrary, and was fain to confeſs that the old devil was too cunning for young Melancthon: I have often wondred how drunkards, ſwearers, adulterers, or other debauch't ſinners could ſit under the powerfull means of grace, and have hell-fire flaſht in their faces, and never ſtartle at it, when both the Scripture and verſe hath been quoted, where they were excluded heaven, and yet they ſit as unconcerned; but when I conſidered, Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is God that gives the encreaſe, my wonder ceaſt: man can but ſpeak to the ear, but God ſpeaks to the heart, the ſame fun when it ſhines upon a garden of herbs, makes it ſmell more oderiferouſly, but when it ſhines upon a dunghill it maks it ſmell more fulſomly, the fault is not in the ſun, but in the dunghill, the ſame ſun ſoftens wax, and hardens clay; when the ſun ſhines, and the rain fals upon a fruitful paſture, it makes it more fruitfull, but when upon the heath in the deſart, it is little the better; The reaſon why one bears good fruit, and another bad, under the ſame enjoyment, is, the one is ingrafted into Chriſt another not, but grows upon the ſtock of nature; all the watering, dunging, and manuring in the world will not make a thorn bring forth grapes, or a thiſtle figs, Mat. 7.16. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor a bad tree good, ſo that the tree is known by his fruit; I am the vine, (ſaith Chriſt) and ye are the branches, he that abideth in me, and I in him, ſhall bring forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing; John. 15.5. A Chriſtian that is grafted into Chriſt, is like the Aegyptian fig-tree, that is ſaid to bear fruit ſeven times in the year, or like the lemmon-tree, that ever and anon ſendeth forth new lemmons: When a man abides in the ſtock of nature, he can bring forth no ſavoury fruit to God; if the fountain be polluted, the ſtreams cannot be clear; if the heart be bad, the life cannot be good; if the lungs be infected, the breath will ſtink; of ſuch as theſe, God ſaith, their vine is the vine of Sodom and of the field of Gomorrha, their grapes are grapes of gall and their cluſters are bitter, Deut. 32.32. vitis non vinifera (ſaith one) ſed vene infera: the vine is the evil nature, and the grapes are the wicked works; they hatch cockatrice-eggs, and weave ſpiders webs, Iſa. 59.5. But when they are ingrafted in the true vine, they have ſap and nouriſhment from the root, then the buds of good deſires and the bloſſomes of good reſolutions ſpring forth, and after that the fruit of good works; other profeſſors are but like the Ivy that adheres to, and hath ſome ſhelter and ſupport from the oak, but they ſtand upon their own root, and bear their own fruit; unregenerate men are hammering out their own happineſs, and like the ſpider, are climbing by a thread of their own ſpinning; they live upon themſelves, trade for themſelves, and attribute all to themſelves, and have no higher end then themſelves; for water can aſcend no higher then the fountain head, but all this will fail them, for it is not Chriſt but a gracious ſoul, as it receives ſap and vigour from Chriſt, ſo it bears fruit to Chriſt, and as it receives all from Chriſt, ſo it will draw out all for him, heart, and hand and tongue, and all ſhall be ſet a work for him; whatever they do or whatever they ſuffer, they can ſay, propter te propter te Domine, when others ſacrifice to their own nets, and burn incenſe to their drags, becauſe by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous, Hab. 1.16. a Chriſtian crys out with the Church, not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to thy name be the praiſe: oh my ſoul, what fruit doſt thou bear? is it good or bad, ſweet or ſowr, ſound or rotten? haſt thou thy nouriſhment from Chriſt, or from the ſtock of nature? by their fruits (ſaith Chriſt) you ſhall know them; and thus maiſt thou know thy ſelf, whether thou be in the true, or the wilde vine: are thy grapes ſweet or ſowr? or art not thou barren after all this manuring? if thou be barren expect the ſentence, cut him down, why cumbers he the ground? Luk. 13.7. trees that are not for fruit are for fire; and if thy fruit be not good, thou maiſt expect the like doom, Mat. 3.10. it muſt be good, quoad fontem, proceeding from the ſpirit of God, and quoad finem, as aiming at the glory of God: ſee what God intends to do with his vineyard, that he had hedged in, and manured, when it brought forth wilde grapes, Iſay. 5.2. &c. he reſolved to make it a deſolation; if thou bring not forth good fruit to maturity, it will not be long before he will lay down his basket, and take up his axe, thou wilt be condemned as well for not uſing, as for abuſing thy talent; oh my God, am I implanted into Chriſt or no? I may well fear I am yet upon the ſtock of nature, I bear ſo little fruit, and ſo bad: Lord, ingraft me into Chriſt, if I be not; if I be, Lord, purge me that I may bring forth more fruit.