The Eye and Wheel of Providence, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. That Providence is viſible in Herbs, Plants and Trees growing in the Earth. Of the variety of Herbs and Plants brought forth in every MonethMonth. Of the Lillies of the field.
IT will not now be unneceſſary to ſhew how the Providence of God diſcovereth it ſelf in Herbs,Zanch. de operibus Dei. and Plants, and Trees, which grow in the Earth. Some Herbs comfort and help the brain; ſome the eyes; ſome the liver; ſome the heart; ſome one part,Babingt. in Exod. ſome another with moſt rare and ſoveraign qualities given them of God for this end; which conſideration made many worthy perſons to ſpeak and write of them with delight; yea they ſpared not to climb up to the top of high Mountains,Herbs and Trees ſpring in ſuch places as are agreeable with their natures, and where they cannot eaſily wither, as long as nature is able to preſerve them; for ſome ſpring in the plain fields, ſome grow on Rocks, ſome on high Mountains, ſome in barren ſand, which in better ground would wither away. Boetius de conſol. lib. 3. and to Rocks unacceſſible, to travel through unpeopled Deſerts, to ſearch every vein and corner of the earth, and all to find and know the vertues of Herbs. Mithridates King of Pontus for his great skill in Herbs, and his Antidote againſt all poiſon, (called after his name Mithridate) is become famous in all Books of Learning. Marcus Valerius Corvinus a famous Roman did ſo delight in the ſtudy of Herbs, that he withdrew himſelf into the Countrey, where he might wholly (as it were) dwell in his Garden: But I need not ſpeak of theſe, whenas the Scripture ſpeaketh of Solomon, how he wrote of all Trees from the Cedar which is in Lebanon to the Hyſſop that ſpringeth out of the wall, that is from the chiefeſt to the meaneſt plant.
And here the wiſdome of divine Providence doth further appear, in that the earth brings forth ſeveral ſorts of Herbs and Plants, as it were every MonethMonth,Franz. Animal. Hiſtor. ſacr. as the Learned doe obſerve. In January, Black-Ellebore, or Bears-foot ſpringeth forth. In February, the Herb Chamaelea, an Herb having leaves like Olives, and Tuſſilage or Coughwort. In March, the Herb Hyacinthus, or Croweſtoe, and the yellow-Lilly and the Violet. In April, Gooſeberries and Crowgarlick. In May, Cinquefoil, Sorrel, Celandine, Thiſtles, Fumitory, Plantane, the Tulip and the Flower-deluce. In June, Marſhmallows, Garden-mallows and Holyhocks, Endive, Fennel and Cammomill. In July, Elicampane, Faenegreek, the Gourd, Heart-wort, Wild-marjoram, and Vervin. In Auguſt, Heath, or ſweet-Broom, Southern-wood and Wild-betony. In September, the Ivy. In October, Saffron. All theſe are great ſigns of the moſt ſingular providence of God; whence it is that David praiſeth God in theſe words, Thou makeſt the earth ſoft with ſhowrs, thou bleſſeſt the springing thereof, thou crowneſt the year with thy goodneſs, and thy paths drop fatneſs, Pſal. 65.10, 11.St ruth. obſerv. C ent. 2. The earth (ſaith a judicious Divine) ſendeth her juyce to her ſurface to be our nouriſhment; If a man would eat earth, or ſuck the ſap of it, it would not feed him; but God changeth that ſap to be our convenient food; Herbs, Trees and Seeds caſt into the earth, draw it out, and turn it to our Nature.
Our Saviour having diſſwaded his Diſciples from carking care for food, forbids the ſame for apparel, Mat. 6.28. Aſſuring them, that if their heavenly Father did extend his fatherly care even to the graſſe of the earth and Lillies of the field, much more will he have regard to them which are much better than thoſe things: The words be very emphatical: Conſider the Lillies of the field how they grow, they toil not, The Lilly is called of the Hebrews Soſhan, the flower of ſix, becauſe of his ſix leaves. Aben-Ezra. in Shirhaſh.nor do they spin, and yet I ſay unto you, that Solomon in all his royalty was not like one of theſe, verſ. 29, 30. He bids us conſider the Lillies, yea the field-Lillies, which no body medleth with, (for the Garden-Lillies perhaps might be watered and helped by the Art and induſtry of man) but even the Lillies of the field which ſeem dead in the Winter, and are in the Spring quickned, and ſo decked in ſuch freſh colours, although neither themſelves, nor any body elſe conferre or beſtow any labour hereabout, as that they ſurpaſſe King Solomon, who ſurpaſſed all other Kings; yea, even when he would ſhew himſelf in his greateſt bravery. For queſtionleſſe; there's no Cambrick or Lawn ſo white as the Lilly, nor any Purple ſo fair as the Violet, nor any Scarlet and Crimſon like the Gilli-flower.
There are Trees alſo as well as Herbs and Plants,Significantur cae, quae proveniunt abſque cultura hominum, ut ſunt abies, Cedrus, Pinaſter, & fimiles, quae nòn ſolum ſponte proveniunt, ſed ne cultum quidem patiuntur, cultuque deteriora redduntur. Heidfeld. Sphynx. Philoſoph. cap. 8. Certo tempore, viz. verno ſuccus redit in arbores tempore hyberno fermè enactas; Annon hinc colligis miram providentiae rationem? Alſted. Theol. Natur. part. 2. that are demonſtrations of Gods Providence; the Scripture ſpeaketh of the Trees of Jehovah that are full of ſap, Pſal. 104.16. The Trees take but a little room in the earth, but ſpread their branches in the air to take influence from Heaven and Air to bring forth fruit unto man. Some think that thoſe Trees of the Lord mentioned by the Pſalmiſt, are the Firre-tree, the Cedar, a wild Pine-tree, and the like, which grow without the Husbandry of man, and will not endure any trimming and manuring from the hand of man, but are the worſe for it. And here the Providence of God is admirable, that in Spring time the ſap returneth into the Trees that were almoſt dead in the Winter time, out of which ſpring both leaves and fruits; the ſap whereof is both given, nouriſhed and boiled by the Sunne. There are likewiſe Trees to be found which having venemous roots on one ſide, yeeld a remedy on the other. Hiſtor. Sinarum. part. 4.