The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 82
Upon a leavy yet barren tree.
82. Med.
FInding a tree that at a diſtance ſhew'd fair, but at hand produced nothing but leaves, when I expected better fruit, it minded me of the fruitleſs figtree, mentioned Mar. 11.12. &c. that deceived even Chriſt himſelf, for he being hungry, and ſeeing a figtree a far off, having leaves he came, if haply he might finde any thing thereon, and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet, probably the time of ripe figs was not yet, but in his neceſſity he would have contented himſelf with thoſe that were green, and being thus diſappointed, he ſaid, never fruit grow more upon thee, and the figtree withered and dyed, and his Diſciples marvelled, and well they might, for no conjurer with all his skill could have done the like; me thinks this barren tree reſembles many in our times, that have a form of godlineſs, but deny the power of it, 2 Tim. 3.5. they have leaves but no fruit, a ſhadow but no ſubſtance; thoſe hollow profeſſors are like an old tree, tall but pithleſs, ſapleſs, and unſound; theſe men do as players in a Comedy, in voice and geſture act divine duties, but in heart deny them; formality (as one ſaith) is like a bull-ruſh, the colour freſh, the skin ſmooth, but within nothing but a ſpungeous ſubſtance; they have a name to live, but are dead, Rev. 3.1. they cry, the temple of the Lord, when they matter not the Lord of the temple; they content themſelves with a bare name without the nature of Chriſtians, they draw near to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, when their heart is far from him; Mat. 15.8. all their holineſs is in externals, and nothing elſe but a brainleſs head, and ſoulleſs body; they have leaves to ſhew, but no fruit; words but no works; a ſhew, but no ſubſtance; their religion lies in the tongue and brain, but never reaches the heart, nor ſeaſons the life, they are moſt in externals, little in internals; they regulate their words and actions, but the heart is not reſtrained or purified; the heat of their zeal appears chiefly, if not only, in their words, but the heart is cold enough; they take up the eaſie, cheap, and ſafeſt part of duty, but the difficult, dangerous, or coſtly part they meddle not with; they make a ſhew of what they are not, and brag of what they have not, and then they laugh in their ſleeves to think, how they have couzened and put a cheat upon the world, they worſhip that God in the Church, that they matter not in the cloſet, they do no religious duty without witneſs, haply for fear God ſhould deny what he hath received from them; they are like rotten wood, they ſhine in the night, but look upon them in the day, and you will finde the cheat; they are like the red and blew flowers in the cornfield, fine to look upon, good for little, but to peſter the corn: they are like candles they uſually go out in an offenſive ſnuff; they are Saints abroad, and devils at home, and uſually more dangerous when they appear like Saints, then when they ſhew themſelves in their colours, and act the devils part barefaced, but doubtleſs theſe are not the men that God will accept, nor this is not the ſervice he requires, he is a ſpirit, and will be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth, yea, the father ſeeketh ſuch to worſhip him, John 4.23.24. he calls for the heart, my ſon (ſaith he) give me thy heart, not thy tongue, or hands, but the heart; for if he have that, the reſt will follow, Pro. 23.26. as the heart is by nature, God will have none of it, till the heart be renewed and given to the Lord, he will accept of nothing that comes from us; he calls for the heart, and ſays of it, as Joſeph did of Benjamin, Gen. 43.3. ye ſhall not ſee my face without it, or as David did of Michal, 2 Sam. 3.13. thou ſhalt not ſee my face except thou bringeſt Michal, Sauls daughter when thou comeſt; Theſe men would give the Lord any thing but the heart, and he will own nothing without it; theſe profeſſors are like men in a boat, they look one way, and row another, or like the kite that ſoares aloft, towrs on high, as if they were all for heaven, and made light of all terreſtriall things, when ſtill her eye is upon her prey, and her heart glued to the ground, and rooted in the earth; they are like unto the peacock, they have fine feathers, but yet is but a dunghill-bird; but theſe ſhews will not always ſerve turn, God ſees through their thin masks, and will ere long pluck off their vizour, be not deceived God is not mocked; there are none can ſteal to heaven in a diſguiſe, God will know him well that ſhall enter there; there is a ſure guard, and without this ticket of holineſs none will be admitted; this is Chriſt ſheep-mark, and thoſe, and thoſe alone that have it, ſhall ſtand upon his right hand, at judgment: when he comes to ſeek fruit and findes none, he will take up his axe; he hath long, and may for a while ſpare the tree for the vine-dreſſers ſake, but his patience will not always laſt; he will ſay, pray not for this people, for they are ripe for deſtruction; when the ſins of the Amorites were full, their deſtruction drew neer; when theſe borrowed robes are pluckt from the ſtageplayers backs (for ſo the word hypocrite ſignifies) then thoſe that acted the parts of Kings will be found but peaſants, and thoſe that acted the parts of honeſt men, will be found but cheats; indeed God hath many fans, and much of this chaff is blown away in this life; we have ſeen many that appeared to be ſomething, proved juſt nothing; but when Chriſt comes with refiners fire, and fullers ſoap, who can ſtand before this burning? the lamps of profeſſion may light a man to death, near to heaven; oh my ſoul, thou haſt made profeſſion of Religion a long time, what fruit doſt thou bring forth? if thou haſt nothing but tears thou, maiſt expect that Chriſt ſhall ſay to thee, as to the fruitleſs figtree, never fruit grow more on thee for ever; or if thy fruit be bad, it will not be long but thou wilt be cut down; what cauſe haſt thou to fear that art ſo ſenſible of ſo much unſavory, and rotten fruit, and of ſo little that is good? up then and be doing, that thy laſt days may be thy beſt days, and thy beſt wine laſt; oh my good God, though hypocriſy lodge in me, let it not reign in me; give me truth in the inward parts, keep my heart ſound in thy teſtimonies, and I ſhall be ſafe.