The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 84
Upon a tree ſeemingly dead in winter.
84. Med.
WHen I obſerved in the winter-ſeaſon, thoſe trees formerly green and flouriſhing, and richly laden, not with leaves only, but good fruit, but now were ſtript of all, and had neither leaf nor fruit, but lookt withered, dead, and dry, and no difference appeared between the fruitfull, and the barren, yea, ſcarce any between the living and the dead; yet in the ſpring following, when the ſun ſhone upon them with a more direct ray, and warm beams, and the rain from heaven watered them, and refreſht them, they revived, ſprung again, budded, bloomed, and bare fruit; I thought this did lively reſemble a poor deſerted ſouls condition, in her widowhood, when her husband hath forſaken her, and ſeems to give her a bill of divorce, when the ſun of righteouſneſs is either ſet upon her, clouded, or ecclipſt, or at leaſt very remote from her ſight, then with the Marigold ſhe droops, hangs the head, and is contracted into her ſelf, it is then winter with her, and little difference appears between her and a dead ſoul, at leaſt in her own apprehenſions: when God hides his face from the ſoul, or any thing interpoſes between them that ſhe cannot ſee him, then is ſhe in a languiſhing condition, and crys out with the ſpouſe, did ye ſee him whom my ſoul loveth? Cant. 3.3. ſhe cannot hide this fire in her boſome, or conceal this love, but it will break out; then ſhe goes from one Ordinance to another, from one Miniſter to another, enquiring after her husband Chriſt, every corner of the houſe can witneſs her moan for his abſence; nothing will ſatisfie, nothing will content but him; give me Chriſt, or elſe I die, never did hungry man more earneſtly deſire meat, nor thirſty man deſire drink, or Rachel deſire children, then an hungry ſoul deſires Chriſt; But when the ſun of righteouſneſs doth ariſe with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. the ſoul that before was cold and chill, now becomes lively and active; theſe cheriſhing rays make her bud and bloom, and bring forth: what Job ſpeaks of a tree, ſeemingly dead and withered, yet (ſaith he) through the ſcent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant, Job. 14.7. &c. is really true of ſuch a ſoul, that when ſhe is in a deſerted, and as ſhe imagines, a forſaken condition, ſeems dead and withered, yet at the return of Gods pleaſed face ſeems fruitful and flouriſhing; where there is life in the root it will ſpring; when tis really dead, winter and ſummer, all is a caſe: but though the winter may be long and ſharp, yet the ſpring will come and ſhew a difference between the living trees and the dead: and though God hide his face for a ſeaſon, and abſent himſelf for a time, to ſee how his ſpouſe will bear his abſence, and to try her affections, yet this ſun of righteouſneſs will ſhine again, and then where life is in the root, it will ſhew it ſelf in the branches; for God will not forſake any really that are not dead utterly: for a little while (ſaith God) I hid my face, but with everlaſting kindneſs will I remember her, Iſay. 54.8. ſometimes the poor ſoul verily thinks ſhe is forſaken, when God doth but like a father hide himſelf for a while, to try the childes affection, and every ſigh and ſob and ſorrowful tear goes to the fathers heart, his bowels yearn, and he cannot long conceal himſelf: that it is ſo between God and his children, ſee that pregnant place, Iſay. 49.14. &c. but Zion (ſaid the Lord) hath forſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me; can a woman forget her ſucking childe, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb, yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee; behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me: never was tenderhearted father, or indulgent mother, more careful of their only childe then God is of his children; he will never forſake thoſe that do not forſake him, he will never give a bill of divorce to any, that are not willing to leave him, ſo that you ſee here, where there is life in the root, the ſpring will come when it ſhall again germinate and bud, but if it be really dead, it can never recover, but by the aſſiſtance of an omnipotent arm; no more can a dead ſoul, till it be grafted into the living vine, then that which was dead before ſhall germinate and ſpring; and when once thus tranſplanted, it ſhall never wither: though ſometimes it may be winter with it, and it make but a little ſhew, yet the root of the matter is in it, and when the ſpring returns it ſhall break forth, God will never leave them nor forſake them; See the Apoſtles confidence, Rom. 8.35, 38, 39. who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation or diſtreſs, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſs, or peril, or ſword? nay, in all theſe, we are more then conquerors through him that loveth us: for I am perſwaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord: theſe men of all others have cauſe to live merrily, yea, though it be but aſſurance of adherence; thoſe that Chriſt loves, he loves to the end: oh my ſoul, is it ſo, that grace may be hid in times of deſertion, as the ſap in the root, in the winter ſeaſon, or as fire under the aſhes, or as gold in the mine, or as a little Jewel in a great heap of aſhes, deſpair not then, neither be diſcouraged, though ſometimes thy grace be out of ſight, and thy God hide his face, and the ſun of righteouſneſs be clouded, and thy comforts ecclipſed, remember with David, the days of old, and the time when God did ſmile upon thee; and though it be now winter, the ſpring will return: whom God loveth, he loveth to the end, yea, with an everlaſting love: oh my God, clear up my evidences for heaven, and make out ſuch diſcovery of thy love to my ſoul, that I may never be willing to leave thee, and then that thou wilt never forſake me.