The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 8
Upon Birds picking up the ſeed.
8. Med.
WHen I had ſown my ſeed in the garden, I perceived that which lay uncovered was made a prey to the fowls of the air who pickt it up, and devoured it, this brought to my minde our Saviours parable of the ſower and the ſeed, wherein he diſcovers the reaſon why though ſo much ſeed be ſown ſo little fruit appears, the fault is not in the ſeed, for that is good, the good word of God, though ſometimes the envious man may mix tares with it; Neither is the fault always in the ſower, though ſometimes it may; for many of them are faithfull, and painfull, but for the moſt part it lyes in the ground, in the heart, where the ſeed ſhould be entertained; we finde here there was but one fourth part good, and oh that the one tenth part of thoſe that hear the word were really ſuch; ſome of the ground was high-way ground, not fitted and prepared for a crop, never plowed deep enough, the ſeed indeed was ſown upon it, never in it, it was never covered or harrowed by Meditation, nor ſet out by conſideration, and therefore lyes liable to be pickt up by the wicked one, who will be one at Church, whoever is abſent; he makes a path-way over the heart, and hardens it againſt the word, this makes many ſo Sermon-trodden that they receive no impreſſion; ſome we finde was ſown in ſtony places, where it had little earth, and leſs root, theſe rejoice to hear it at preſent; theſe have ſome meltings, and ſome ſudden pangs of joy, but they are too violent to hold out, and like a haſty rain ſlide away, and ſoak not in, and leave but a dew behinde them; they are inlightned by a flaſh of lightning, and not by the ſun beams; they are moved by ſome external principle as clocks or watches, or other engines, but the root of the matter is not in them, and therefore withers away, and comes to nothing, like corn on the houſe-top, for when perſecution ariſeth, they are ſoon offended, and Chriſt may take heaven to himſelf for them, if this be his rate of it: ſome ſeed was ſown among thorns, and theſe ſprung up, and choaked it, the cares of the world, and the deceitfulneſs of riches choak it; few rich men can handle theſe thorns, and not prick their fingers; moſt overload themſelves with earth, and ſo loſe heaven, they ſet their hearts with Saul upon the aſſes, when a kingdome is before them: theſe like diſſembling hoſts, welcome us into Innes, and at laſt cut our throats; and there is but a little good ground, and that alſo brought forth variouſly, ſome an hundred, ſome ſixty, and ſome thirty-fold; every man cannot excell, we ſhould ſtrive after the higheſt pitch of godlineſs, and content our ſelves with a low frame of ſpirit, but not diſpair, though we fall ſhort of it; God accounts it good ground that brings forth any good fruit to maturity: This conſideration made me reflect upon my own condition, and call my ſelf to an account what ſort of ground my heart was, ſince ſo much ſeed hath been ſown, and ſo little fruit appears; Oh my ſoul! how comes it thus to paſs, that thou art barren and unfruitfull, how comes it to paſs, the ſeed is loſt after ſo much labour, pains and care, ſo much manuring and cultivating? what could God have done more for thee by the way of means, then he hath done? why then bringeſt thou forth wilde grapes? art not thou the high-way-ground? and hath not the devil hardned thy heart, that it is become ſermon-proof, and Ordinance-proof, and doth he not pick up the ſeed which lies loſe upon it, and is not covered by meditation? art not thou a forgetful hearer? and how can that fructifie that is thus ſtole away? or was it not ſown among ſtones? no wonder then if fruit appear not, where a root cannot be had: truſt not to all ſtirring of the affections: Herod heard John Baptiſt gladly, and reformed many things, but if the ſtone of the heart be not removed, and a heart of fl…ſh given thee, how can corn be expected upon a rock that was never ſoftned, mortified, or made fruitfull? or was it not ſown among thorns? didſt thou not ſuffer the thoughts, the cares, the fears of the world, or the love, deſire of, or delight in riches, to choak it? when the heart brings forth ſuch fruits, the word cannot proſper; when the veſſel is full of water, it can receive no other liquor: O my ſoul! if this be thy caſe, beware of it, and prepare thy heart to receive the ſeed, and harrow it in by Meditation: what good will meat do, if not eaten and digeſted? or what good can phyſick do if not taken? or a plaiſter if not applied? or the word if not ſet home to the conſcience, and reduced into practice? empty thy heart of all diſtruſtfull cares and fears, break up the fallow ground of thy heart, and ſow not among thorns. Oh my God! if thou be not the husbandman, there will be no good crop; If thou direct not the plow, there will be no good furrow; If thou bleſs not the ſeed and the labour, all is in vain; Paul may plant and Apollo water, but God gives the encreaſe: If God ſet not a hand to the work, old Adam will be too hard for young Melancthon, and the devils tares will thrive better then the good ſeed; Man can but ſpeak to the ear, God can ſpeak to the heart; no plaiſter can heal if God be not the Surgeon; no food can nouriſh, if God be not the nurſe; Lord reach my heart, cure my wounds, remove nay diſtempers, empty my ſoul of froth and vanity, that the water of life may be received: Say to my ears, Ephphatha, be opened, and they will hear; and to my heart, be ſoft, and it will be done; Say to theſe dry bones, live; take my ſtony heart into thy furnace, or what good will it do to preach to a ſtone? all the water that falls upon it, will be ſpilt, and all the means of grace loſt: Lord, ſpeak the word, and it will be done; command my heart, and it will obey.