Chapter 17
When from tare seeds, you see choice wheat to grow,
Then from your lusts, may joy and comfort flow.
OBSERVATION.
God gives to every seed its own body (1 Corinthians 15:38). At first he created every tree and herb of the field, having its seed in itself, for the conservation of the species; and they all inviolably observe the law of their creation. All fruits naturally rise out of the seeds, and roots proper to them. Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. Such productions would be monstrous in nature and although the juice or sap of the earth be the common matter of all kind of fruits, yet it is specified according to the different sorts of plants and seeds it nourishes. Where wheat is sown, it's turned into wheat; in an apple tree, it becomes an apple; and so in every sort of plants or seeds, it's concocted into fruit proper to the kind.
APPLICATION.
Translate this into spirituals, and the proposition shadowed forth by it, is fully expressed by the Apostle (Galatians 6:7). What a man sows, that shall he reap; they that sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and they that sow to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. And as sure as the harvest follows the seed-time, so sure shall such fruits and effects result from the seeds of such actions. He that sows iniquity, shall reap vanity (Proverbs 22:8). And they that now go forth weeping, and bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them (Psalms 126:5). The sum of all is this, that our present actions have the same respect and relation to future rewards and punishments, as the seed we sow in our fields, has to the harvest we reap from it. Every gracious action is the seed of joy, and every sinful action the seed of anguish and sorrow, to the soul that sowed it. Two things are sensibly presented to us in this [reconstructed: similitude].
That as the seed sown, is presently covered from our sight under the clods, and for some time after we see no more of it, and yet at last it appears again, by which it's evident to us that it is not finally lost: so our present actions, though physically transient, and perhaps forgotten, yet are not lost, but after a time shall appear again in order to a retribution.
If this were not so, all good and holy actions would be to the loss of him that performed them. All the self-denial, spending duties, and sharp sufferings of the people of God, would turn to their damage, though not in point of honesty, yet in point of personal utility; and then also, what difference would there be between the actions of a man and a beast, with respect to future good or evil? Indeed, man would then be more feared and obeyed than God, and souls be swayed in all their motions, only by the influence of present things; and where then would religion be found in the world? It is an excellent note of Drexellius: Our works (says he) do not pass away as soon as they are done, but as seed sown, shall after a time rise up to all eternity; whatever we think, speak or do, once spoken, thought or done, is eternal, and abides for ever.
What Zeuxes the famous limner said of his work, may be truly said of all our works; Aeternitati pingo, I paint for eternity. O, how careful should men be of what they speak and do, while they are commanded so to speak, and so to do, as those that shall be judged by the perfect law of liberty (James 2:12). What more transient than a vain word? And yet for such words, men shall give an account in the day of judgment (Matthew 12:36). That's the first thing; actions like seed, shall rise and appear again in order to a retribution.
The other thing held forth in this similitude is, that according to the nature of our actions now, will be the fruit and reward of them then. Though the fruit or consequence of holy actions, for the present may seem bitter, and the fruit of sinful actions sweet and pleasant, yet there is nothing more certain, than that their future fruits shall be according to their present nature and quality (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then Dionisius shall retract that saying, Ecce quam prospera navigatio a Deo datur sacrilegis; Behold how God favors our sacrilege. Sometimes indeed (though but rarely) God causes sinners to reap in this world, the same that they have sown; as has been their sin, such has been their punishment. It was openly confessed by Adonibezek (Judges 1:7): as I have done, so has God requited me.
Socrates in his Church History furnishes us with a pertinent passage to this purpose, concerning Valens the Emperor, who was an Arrian, and a bitter persecutor of the Christians: this man, when eighty of the Orthodox Christians sailed from Constantinople to Nicomedia, to treat with him about the points of Arrianism, and to settle the matter by way of dispute; the Emperor hearing of their arrival, while they were yet in the harbor, and not a man landed, caused the ships to be fired wherein they were, and so consumed them all. Not long after, in his wars against the Goths, he was overthrown; and hiding himself in a little cottage, the enemy coming by, burnt it and him together. Thus this wretch reaped what he sowed, burning for burning, the very same in kind paid him again; it is not always so in this world, but so it shall be in that to come; the table shall then be turned, and the scene altered; for shall not the Judge of all the world do righteously? Diogenes was tempted to think, that God had cast off the government of the world, when he saw the wicked prosper in their wickedness. On the same ground, many have been tempted to Atheism; but then the world shall see distributive justice shining out in its glory. Tribulation, anguish and wrath, to every soul of man that does evil; but glory, honor and peace, to every man that works good (Romans 2:9-10). Then it will appear what seed we sowed, what lives we lived; for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
REFLECTIONS.
THis Meditation may be to me what the hand-writing upon the wall was to that profane Prince,Dan. 5. 5, 6. and a like effect it should have upon me; for if all the actions of this life be seed sown for the next, Lord, what a crop, what a dreadful harvest am I like to have? how many oaths and curses, lyes and vain words, have I sown with my tongue, how have I wronged, oppressed, and over-reached in my dealings? rushed into all profaneness, drunkenness, uncleanness, Sabbath-breaking, &c. as the horse rusheth into the battel; and what shall I reap from such seed as this, but vengeance and fury? These sins seemed pleasant in the commission, but O, how bitter will they be in their account? What shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Iob 31. 14. It is not reasonable and just, (O my soul) that you shouldest eat the fruit of your own planting, and reap what you hast sown? I thought nothing but profit, and pleasure would spring from my lusts, but now I see 'tis a root bearing gall and wormwood, Deut. 29. 18. Wretched soul, what shall I do? if these actions be not, then am I undone. I have been the author of mine own ruin, 'twisted an halter with mine own fingers, for the execution of mine own soul! O, let me rather taste the bitterness of sin, by repentance now, that enjoy its present pleasures, which betray the soul to endless wrath!
How have I also been deceived in this matter? I verily thought that glory and immortality would have been the fruit and product of my moral honesty and righteousness, that joy and peace had been seminally contained in those actions; but now I see such fruit can spring from no other root but special grace. Glory is disclosed from no other bud but holiness. Alas! all my planting and sowing was to little purpose, because I sowed not the right kind of seed; the best fruit I can expect from this, is but a lesser degree of damnation.
Deluded soul, your seed is no better than what the moral Heathens sowed; and do I expect better fruit than what they reaped? Civility without Christ, is but a freer slavery; and Satan holds me as fast in captivity by this, as he does the prophane by the pleasure of their lusts; either I must sow better seed, or look to reap bitter fruit.
Mean while, bless the Lord (O my soul) who inabled you to sow better seed! who kept you watching, humbling your self and praying, while others have been swearing, drinking and blaspheming. This will yield you the fruit of joy in the world to come; yea, it already yields present peace to your conscience. These revenues are better than gold, sweeter than the honey, and the honey-comb; not that such fruits are meritoriously contained in these actions, I sow to my self in righteousness, but I reap in mercy, Hos. 10. 12. This is the way in which God will save and glorifie me. O then, let me be ever abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that my labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
The Poem.
'TWould be a strange and monstrous thing the see
Cherries, or Plums grow on an apple Tree.
Who ever gather'd from the thistle Figs?
Or fruitful Grapes from off the worthless twigs
Of pricking thorns? in nature still we find
All its productions answering to their kind.
As are the Plants we set, or seeds we sow;
Such is the fruit we shake, and corn we mow.
And canst you think that from corruptions root,
Your soul shall pluck the sweet and pleasant fruit
Of spiritual peace? who ever that was wise,
Abus'd himself with such absurdities?
Look what you sow, the very same you'l reap.
The fruit of what you plant, be sure you'l eat.
How are they baffled by a subtil devil?
That hope for heaven, while their wayes are evil.
Such reasonings here their credulous souls beguil,
At which in other things, themselves would smile.
Our present acts though slightly passed by,
Are so much seed, sown for eternity.
The seeds of prayers, secret groans and tears;
Will shoot at last into the full blown ears,
Of peace and joy. Blessed are they that sow
Beside these waters, yea, three times blest that go
Bearing such precious seed; though now they mourn,
With joyful sheaves, they shortly shall return.
Needs must the full ripe fruits in heaven be good,
When as the seed was glory in the bud.
But O, the bitter, baneful fruits of sin!
When all the pleasure sinners have therein
Like faded blossoms to the ground shall fall,
Then they will taste the wormwood and the gall.
What God and conscience now of sin report,
You slight, and with their dreadful threatnings sport.
But he'l convince you then, your wayes were naught,
As Gideon the men ofSuccoth taught.
If Sermons cannot, fire and brimstone must
Teach men how good it is to pamper lust.
When conscience takes you by the throat and cryes
Now wretch, now sinner, you that didst despise
My warnings; learn, and ever learning be
That Lesson, which you ne're wouldst learn of me.
The stoutest sinner then will howl and roar,
O sin! I never saw your face before.
Is this the fruit of sin? is this the place
Where I must lye? is this indeed the case
Of my poor soul! must I be bound in chains
With these companions? Oh, is this the gains
I get by sin! poor wretch, I that would never
See this before, am now undone for ever.
