The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 78
Upon ſuckers in a fruit-bearing tree.
78. Med.
FRom thoſe ſuckers before obſerved in a fruit-bearing tree, I had alſo this following meditation, for obſerving how they grew rank by the nouriſhment that ſhould have fed the tree, and loftily lift up the head above them, and ſuckt that ſap that ſhould have made other branches to bear; and as they were unprofitable themſelves, ſo they rendred the reſt almoſt uſeleſs; I thought they much reſembled ſome new upſtart opinions which ſome unwary profeſſors eſpouſe to themſelves, and becauſe they differ from others, they therefore think themſelves more holy then their neighbours, and hold their heads higher, and verily believe growing in opinion, is growing in grace: In Arragon there were ſome hereticks who called themſelves the illuminati, as if they only had been in the light, and all the world beſides had been in darkneſs, the Gnoſticks would be the only knowing men, the Manichees thought whatſoever they taught was food from heaven, and the Family of Love boaſt of their Evangelium regni, and of late the Ranters and Quakers boaſt of the infallible conduct of the ſpirit; Now thoſe opinions are ofttimes the brats of their own brain, and many times pernicious errours, or at leaſt unprofitable things; or matters of no great concernment, yet they being thus eſpouſed they ſuffer theſe opinions to ſuck all the ſap that ſhould maintain the vitalls of Religion, that the whole tree is thereby rendred uſeleſs and unprofitable: How many are there in our age that might have brought God much glory, and his Church much good, who have ſet themſelves with might and main, and ſpent their time, and their ſtrength, and laid out their zeal, and all for the promoting their own opinion, perhaps an errour, or at beſt but ſome leſſer diſputable truth; perhaps about ſome circumſtance of worſhip, when in the mean time the very fundamentals of religion are neglected, and the very vitals languiſh for want of nouriſhment, for ſeldome do you ſee a wrangling Chriſtian eminent in the power of godlineſs; Many men when they have eſpouſed an opinion, make proviſion to maintain it, they ſubject not their opinions to the rule, but bring the rule to them, and make it truckle under them, for it is victory and not truth that many ſeek, and therefore they ſpend their time and ſtrength this way, yea, ſhut their eyes againſt all that makes not for them; they are as zealous for their opinion, as if the whole of religion conſiſted in it, and as if they could hardly be Chriſtians which were not of their minde, when perhaps for ſixteen hundred years they cannot finde a man of their judgement, and all this while forgetting, that the power of godlineſs, and an holy life is the main of religion; for whatever is in the brain, if this be not in the heart, all is worth nothing; theſe mens knowledge floating in the brain, makes them top-heavy, but by reaſon of ſome obſtructions, their knowledge ſinks not down into, nor ſeaſons the heart, or the life: Many are like the two men in the fable, that contended about the ſhadow of the aſs they had found, who ſhould go in it in a hot day, till at laſt while they contended, the aſs got looſe, and eſcaped; or like the dog in the fable, that catching at the ſhadow loſt the ſubſtance; ſo theſe contend about trifles, and neglect the main; they are like children that have the rickets, the head grows too big for the body, the head thrives but the whole body pines; they ſpend ſo much of their ſtrength and zeal for externals, that they neglect the internals; they have ſo much zeal for, or againſt ceremonies, that they neglect the ſubſtance; yet miſtake me not, my deſigne is not to make men careleſs in leſſer points, but more carefull in greater: I would not have them think any ſin ſmall, or to neglect any known duty, but I would have them proportion their zeal according to the weight of the matter, and not ſpend it all upon leſſer matters, and neglect the main concerns: I would have no man neglect his little finger, yet would I have him in the firſt place ſecure his head, and heart; he may be a man, if he want his little finger, but not without his head and his heart; he may be a Chriſtian though he erre about the modes and circumſtances of worſhip, but he cannot without holineſs and ſincerity: ſome Chriſtians are like the Salamander always in the fire of contention, but theſe mens graces rather then corruptions are like to be burnt: I like not thoſe men that moddle religion in their own brain, and make their own conceptions the center of unity; and like Procruſtes make his own bed fit all comers; Let all things (ſaith the Apoſtle) be done decently and in order, 1 Cor. 14.40. a neceſſary rule, but ſo extremely wrackt, that I conceive through mens corruption, it hath produced more indecency and diſorder then any one Scripture beſides; the Papiſts and others making this the foundation of all their needleſs ceremonies: but to return to the point in hand, my deſire and deſigne is to perſwade men to maintain the vitalls of Religion, in the firſt place, and let the ſtrength of their zeal be laid out here, and for leſſer points, if diſputable, let every man be ſatisfied in his own conſcience, and grant ſome allowance to others that differ in their judgements, till they themſelves are infallibly ſure that they hold no errors: take Chriſts counſel, Mat. 7.1. judge not that you be not judged, for with what judgement ye judge, ye ſhall be judged, and with what meaſure ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you again: many men are quick-ſighted abroad, but blinde at home; reade alſo the Apoſtles counſel, Rom. 14.1, 2, 3. &c. Oh my ſoul, ſpend not thy time and ſtrength in trifles, when thou haſt other work to do, let thy greateſt zeal be laid out on matters of greateſt concernment, maintain the vitalls of religion, and that will maintain thee; do not doat upon the brats of thy own brain, neither cenſure thoſe that differ from thee in cicumſtantials; love Chriſt whereever thou ſee him, though in one of another judgement; Lord, make me upright in the main, and to employ and improve all my ſtrength for thee.