The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 80
Upon a great tree ſpoiling others under it.
80. Med.
WHen I conſidered the forementioned tree, that made ſuch a pompous and promiſing ſhew, and was grown top-heavy, and yet fruitleſs and worthleſs, when many ſmaller ſhrubs yielded a plentiful encreaſe: I conſidered it further, and obſerved this was not all, for I plainly ſaw that it was an enemy to all that grew near it, and none proſpered about it; for in overſhaddowing them or dropping upon them, it rendred all that were within the reach of it either barren or at leaſt not ſo fruitful, as thoſe that grew at a greater diſtance: This Obſervation helpt me to the following Meditation: I thought this tree did much reſemble many great men, which make a pompous ſhew, and make a great coil, and keep a great ſtir, and buſtle in the world, and yet bear little or no good fruit, but it is bitter, ſowr or unſavory; they ſpread abroad their branches far wide, fill a countrey, have many under them, that might bear much fruit, but they drop ſuch a poyſonful influence upon them, that they neither bear no fruit, or worſe then none, bad fruit; for they can ſeldome proſper, or bring any good fruit to maturity, neither is there any good tree or flower can live near them; we may ſay of them, and commonly of thoſe that live under them, as God doth of the like, Deu. 32.32. &c. their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrha; their grapes are grapes of gall, and their cluſters are bitter, their wine is the poyſon of Dragons, and the cruel venom of aſps: for what can you obſerve from many great ones, and thoſe that depend upon them, but ſwearing, drinking, gluttony, adultery, Sabbath-breaking, oppreſſing, perſecuting, and an enmity of the power of godlineſs, and there ſhall not a godly man live under them, nor within their reach, if they can help it, and they do ſo poyſon all about them, that the very earth it ſelf is curſed for their ſakes, and by their means toads and ſerpents, brambles and briars, thoſe fruits of the curſe, can only proſper near them, and harbour under their ſhadow; and yet alaſs, ſtill they are but men, though great men, and ſignify no more then men, and like men they ſhall die, and death will level them with the meaneſt of men: great men are indeed like capital Letters, they bear a great bulk, and poſſeſs a great room, and have a more pompous dreſs, and people are apt more to look upon them, and children to admire them, and yet in ſignification they are but the ſame with the reſt, and the other have the ſame ſound, though theſe commonly have the precedence and leading, yet they are but letters, and ſo are the reſt, and ſtript out of their dreſs are called by the ſame name; theſe are but letters, and great ones are but men, they are indeed like the fore-man on the Jury, they have liberty to ſpeak firſt, but their vote is but a vote, they make a great buſtle in the world for a time, and act ſome great mans part, but when the play is done, and they are diſrobed, alaſs, it is but poor man ſtill, and when the Lord of the vineyard comes and findes them barren, he never regards their bulk or beauty, but bids, cut them down, why cumber they the ground? Luk. 13.7.9: thoſe that are not for fruit are for the fire; the herb of grace cannot grow near them, nor within their reach, they caſt forth a poyſonfull influence round about, a godly man cannot live by them, but he is poyſoned by them, or by perſecution driven from them, but their damnation ſleepeth not, 2 Pet. 2.3. I know ſome great trees are good trees, trees of righteouſneſs that bear abundantly, and theſe are to be prized, theſe are a ſhelter, a ſhelter from the ſtorm, and to theſe the godly fly for refuge; ſuch was David, Joſiah, Hezekiah, and ſeveral others; Abraham, Job, and good Obadiah, but theſe are like black ſwans, ſeldome ſeen, yet ſome ſuch we have in our days: the moſt of our great ones bear poyſonous fruit, that infects thoſe that taſte of it, ſome more moderate bear only leaves, and it is well they bear no worſe; a bare fruitleſs profeſſion they make, but as they do no good, ſo they do little hurt; ſome bear a little fruit, and a little makes a great ſhew in a great perſon, but the moſt bear none or worſe then none, but prove like a blazing ſtar, and threaten ruine to the beholders: thoſe that have moſt, oftentimes do leaſt, but it is pitty Gods good gifts ſhould be thus abuſed, an account of thoſe talents ſhall one day be required; as the Phariſees had their learning hanged in their light, which of the Scribes and Phariſees have believed on him? Joh, 7.48. ſapientes ſapienter in infernum deſcendunt: there are none ſo deep in hell as knowing men; ſo rich men have too great a clog at their heels to run the ways of Gods commandements; Chriſt tells us how hard a thing it is to be great and good, for it is eaſier (ſaith he) for a Camel to go through a needles eye, then for a rich man to enter heaven, Mat. 19.24. Shimei ſeeking his ſervant loſt himſelf, and moſt men ſeeking riches, pleaſures, and honours which ſhould be their ſervants, loſe their ſouls: Let ſuch reade that flaming text, James 5.1, 2. &c. go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miſery that ſhall come upon you, your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moath-eaten; your gold and your ſilver is cankred, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt you, and ſhall eat your fleſh as it were fire: ye have heaped treaſure together for the laſt day: ye have lived in pleaſure on the earth, and been wanton, ye have nouriſhed your hearts as in a day of ſlaughter, ye have condemned and killed the juſt, and he could not reſiſt you: did men but conſider the temptation that riches expoſes them to, and the dangerous events that often follow, they would not ſo eagerly purſue them, nor ſo greedily gape after them, oh my ſoul, bleſs God thou art freed in a good meaſure from thoſe temptations that many others lie under, and think thy own condition beſt; hadſt thou enjoyed more, it might have been thy portion, hadſt thou had ſtronger temptation and more baits, thou mighteſt have ſwallowed the hook as others have done, thou haſt leſs to anſwer for: oh my God, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient, give me food and rayment, and let me be content, but let not theſe things be my portion.