by this little Creature Deus maximus in minimis God is seen in the least of his Creatures yea go to the Oxe and the Asse thou brutish sensual man or woman consider and learn of them They know and own serve and obey their Master him that feedeth them Isay 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel hath not known Me saith the Lord. but thou as thou wantest grace so also thou wantest the good Nature that these poor Creatures have and shew forth to him that keeps them Thou art fed and clothed dayly and hast all things convenient for life from the hand of God and yet thou ownest him not but servest thy self and rebellest against God therefore these dull Beasts shall condemn thee Let not men make light of these things of learning from Fruit-trees and other Creatures they shall find one day and that shortly too they shall be called to an Account and be judged by the Creatures as well as by the word Therefore it concernes every one to learn their speech and language and to be instructed thereby in order to their own Duty and the glory of God O the loud cry and voyce of Naâ—ure from these very Creatures of â—he infinite wisdome Power and bounty â—f God towards Man how is it heard plainly and distinctly not only in the infinite number and kinds of Fruit-trees Flowers and vegetables in Orchards and Gardens but also in every individuall and particular Tree Consider only but one large Appleâ—ree some of them bearing many Bushels of Fruits in one year Every â—articular Fruit hath severall seeds or â—ernels in it and every seed though â—any thousands from one Tree hath â—…e Nature of the whole Tree in it â—…lf and that exacty Potentially the whole tree in that small substance many of them lesse then a graine of Wheat it hath in it the innate intrinsicall forme and vertue of the VVhole Tree that huge and vast body that we see above ground and will if sowen produce the same in kind And not only so but likewise every small Twigg of the Tree yea the least bud of the least twigg hath also virtually the whole tree in it self and produceth the same if inoculated according to Art St Austen takes notice of these things and admires God in them Gen ad lit ch 15. and exhorts all men to study them and learn from them Ex ipsis operibus dei indagare conemur consideremus ergo cujuslibet Arboris pulcritudinem in robore ramis frondibus Pomis c. illud germen ex semine in semine ergo illa omnia fuerunt primitus non mole corporeae magnitudinis sed vipotentiaque causaliter in exiguo grano mirabilior prostantior que vis est quia valuit adiacens humor commixtus terrae quid enim ex arbore illâ surgit aut pendet quod non ex quodam occulto Thesauro seminis illius extractum atque depromptum est Job exhorts us to learn from these and all Creatures Chap. 12.7 8.9 c. Aske now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Foules of the Air and they shall tell thee Or speake to the earth and it shall teach thee or as it is translated speake to every Twigg or Tree that growes upon the Earth and it shall teach thee And the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Here we see are many Masters and Teachers for the instruction of Man in his duty to God Christians that have not only Reason but grace may learn from Creatures that have neither Reason nor sence Grace in the heart of a Christian improves common earthly Objects to spiritual uses and holy Ends it is spiritually the Phylosophers stone that turnes Earth into Heaven Naturall Objects into Spiritual As faith sees him that is invisible and things that are not seen so sence shewes us him that is inisible i. e. God in his workes Being as a prospective Glasse through which we may see the lively species of infinit excellencies in God First All Creatures yeild ready Obedience to God for they obey the Law of their Creation Fire and Haile Snow and vapors Stormy winds and Tempests fulfilling his word Ps 148.8 Secondly And as Creatures teach us Obedience to God in observing the Law of their Creation so also they teach us dependance upon God as we see Hose 2.21 God having betrothed Israel his people in righteousnesse in judgment in loving kindnesse in mercies in Faithfulnesse and that for ever from that time all the Creatures do strive to do them good but yet in a Chain of dependance Every one confessing their inability without help from God Israel had need of the Creatures to nourish them They cry to God for Corne VVine and Oyle These are ready and willing to nourish Israel but then the Earth must bring them forth therefore these cry to the Earth to give them rooting and nourishment the Earth would do this willingly for Israels sake but cannot except the Heavens do water it with Rain and Dewes therefore the Earth cryes to the Heavens but the Heavens though willing can give no Rain nor refreshing until God command them to do it therefore the Heavens cry unto God that he would give them Commission to water the Earth As we see Hose 2.2 I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corne and the VVine and the Oyle and they shall heare Israel So God commanding the heavens the heavens feed the Earth and the Earth feeds the Corn VVine and Oyl and these feed Israel The eyes of all Creatures waite upon God and he giveth them their meate in due season Ps 145.15 he feedeth the young Ravens that call upon Him Ps 147.9 The Lyons roaring after their Prey do seeke their Meate of God So they all teach us the same Lesson of dependance upon God for all necessaries The Apostle Paul shewes us That there is somewhat even in inanimate Creatures that puts forth an Act of Expectation yea of Earnest Expectation for deliveraâ—ce from the bondage that the sin of man hath brought them under Rom. 8.19 The earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God and ver 22. The whole Creation growneth and travelleth in pain together until now Thirdly We may also learn this Lesson from the Creatures even from irrationall and lifelesse Creatures not only as was said 1 Obedience to God and 2 dependance upon him but likewise 3ly to desire and long for a full freedome and deliverance from the bondage of Corruption and to attain the Glorious liberty of the sons of God for shall inanimate Creatures do this and shall not Rational and Spiritual Christians do it much more Now if any one ask this Question how may we speake to Fruit-trees or any other Creatures that are without Reason or sence that we may receive Instructions from them This Question long
A DIALOGVâ— OR FAMILIAR DISCOURSâ— and conference betweene the HVSBANDMAN and FRVIT-TREES in his Nurseries Orchards and Gardens Wherein are discovered many usefull and profitable Observations and Experriments in Nature in the Ordering of FRVIT-TREES for temporall profitt Improving also the same to higher ends and uses in Spirituall things for the Good and profitt of all both in the Church and of the World Whereby the Wisdome Power Bounty and goodnesse of God to his Glory are clearely seen and read in this Volume of the Creatures And all men instructed by thâ—m in their Duty towards God in order to their Comfort Edification and Salvation By RA AVSTEN Practiser 50 years in the Art of Planting FRVIT-TREES Cant. 2.3 As the Appletree among the Trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sonnes I sate downe under his shaddow with great delight And his Fruit was sweete to my tast Hose 12.10 I have used similitudes by the Ministrie of the Prophets Aquin. Tunc homo creaturas interrogat quando â—…s dilgenter considerat sed tunc interrogatae respondent cum â—…mo perspicit quod tanta ordinatio esse non possit nisi ab â—…qua superiore sapientia dispensante OXFORD Printed by Hen Hall for Thomas Bowman 167â— THE EPISTLE to the READER GOD hath given to man two great Books to read and study viz His workes and his word whereby we may come to know God and learn our Duty to him The Creatures of God do all of them speake out the Praises of God and are not only Examples to us of Obedience but also do call aloude unto Man and instruct and teach him what he ought to do And that as plainly and convincingly to the mind and conscience as words do to the eare The Prophet saith Ps 19.1 2. c. The heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke ver 2. Day unto Day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge ver 3. There is no speech nor Language Where their voice is not heard ver 4. Their line is gon out through all the Earth and their words to the Ends of the world The Apostle Paul recites words to the same purpose Rom 10 18 shewing that all men have instructions to know God even by his works Have they not heard saith he Yes verily their sound went into all the Earth and their words to the Ends of the world We see here inanimate creatures can speake to the praise of God and instruction of man The excellencies and infinite perfections of God are plainly seen and read perspeculum creaturarum even in the Creatures which he hath made And men that are illiterate and cannot read a line in any printed Book may yet read distinctly and plainly in this Book of the Creatures if they will but set their Reason and understanding on work and learn their Language and the manner of Discourse with them Inanimate creatures such as are but bare And naked substances without life or sence as the heavens the Sun Moon and Starrs yet even these do declare knowledge and wisdome to Man they have a speech a voice their words go the ends of the world to every Nation and Language And men who have not the Scriptures nor any other Books or writings of men they shall not be excused in their ignorance of God and of their dutie to him if they learne not from his creatures if they understand not their speech and Language and learn not from them And this is plain from Rom 1 20. St Paul speaking of the heathen reproving them for their ignorance and disobedience he tells them much of God may be seen and known in and by the Creatures The invisible things of God from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternall Power and Godhead so that they are left without excuse The Attributes of God his wisdom Power goodnesse love and bounty towards mankind are clearly seene read and understood by the things that he hath made And let not men think that because they are not Learned in any School Learning therefore they shall be excused Though they are ignorant of God and of their duty to him for the Prophet tells such what they shall find if they are of the number of those sottish children that have no understanding he that made them will not have Mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no Favour Isay 27 11 So that it highly concernes every one to learn the Language of the Creatures and how to conferre and discourse with them for their profitt and edification And among the Creatures with Fruit-trees the subject of the Ensuing Dialogue Shall men plant Orchards and Gardens of Fruit-trees and only take their Pleasures and Profits from them from year to year This is no more than the Beasts and the Birds do They sitt under their shade in the heate of Sommer and eat of their Fruits The Swine gathers and eates the Fruits that fall under the Trees and goes his way but understands not whence they are but men that are endued with Reason and understanding especially if a Principle of supernaturall grace and the Spirit of God be dwelling and ruling in them must look higher and make another use of Fruit-trees than meerly for temporall Profit and Pleasures Men must discourse with Fruit-trees having learned to understand their Language which though it be nor Articulate and distinct to the outward sence of hearing in the sound of words yet they speake plainly and distinctly to the inward sence the understanding The soul hath its sences as well as the body the soul doth really hear see c. as well as the body so that we may learn from Fruit-trees many good lessons and usefull instructions they being Creatures that are alwaies speaking and alwaies speake the truth both for the glory of God and the good of men Every Creature speakes this aloude to every man qui fecit me propter te fecit te propter se he that made me for thee made thee for himselfe Mr Caryl in his exposition upon Job Chap. 12. speakes much to this purpose All Creatures as he there saies have a teaching voyce they read us divinity Lectures of Divine Providence Seculum est Speculum The world below is a Glass wherein we may see the world above they who cannot read other Books may yet run and read this Book of the Creatures written in great and plain Letters and Characters Non est ullum animalculum tam exiguum in quo non plus discere possimus quam in omnibus sculptis pictis aut simulachris Lauac The idle slothfull man is sent to the Pismire to learn and be instructed Pro 6.6 Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise she getteth her meat in the Summer c such as provide not in summer for Winter in youth for old age in this life for the next are condemned
not in to God so soone We see instances of this in Scripture in Samuel the Prophet who was called of a child 1. Sam. 3. so the Prophet Jer Ch 1.6 who was sanctified from the wombe Joseph who for bringing forth good Fruit when he was but 17. yeares of age was sold into Egipt by his brethren what remarkable favours did he receive from God all his daies Gen. 37.2 Obadiah feared God from his youth 1. Kings 18.12 a singular person in his time The Prophet Daniell began to feare God in his youth Dan. 1. And God shewed him miracles of his care and Love he had Learning and wisdome in all Visions and dreames Dan. 1 17. besides the immediate comforts of the spirit of God an Angell was sent with a spetiall message to him to tell him he was greatly belov'd of God And God wrought a Miracle in preserving him from the Lyons The Prophet David of a Young Twigg was ingrafted into Christ Psal 71.5 Taught of God from his youth ver 17. And who ever had a greater testimony from God then he a Man after Gods own Heart And who ever had clearer evidences of the love of God and consequently communion with God than he How great a Prophet was John the Baptist who was filled with the Holy Ghost and sanctified in the wombe Luke 1.15 The Apostle John called the beloved disciple began to follow Christ in his youth and had intimations of Christs love more then the rest of the Disciples he leaned on his brest and lay in his bosome he had full assurance of the love of God to him 1 Jo 4.13.14 and Ch 5.19.20 1. Jo 3.14.24 We know we are of God We know we are in him We know we are translated from Death to Life c. And besides all this such as are Engrafted into Christ whilst they are young and tender twiggs they attaine unto large growths and measures of grace If one have but a small measure of grace but as a graine of Mursterdseed if he begin with it betime in his childhood and youth it will improve and grow in many yeares to a large measure and degree their Brooke will become a River and their River will become a Sea Every Act of Grace will add to the habite of grace They shall proceede from strength to strength from Glory to Glory by the Spiritt of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 Section 21. HVSBANDMAN Yee have many Visitors frequently have you this familiar discourse with every one as we have at present and as often as we are disposed Grosse ignorance reproved FRVIT-TREES Many people of all sorts come from time to time and walk among us and look upon us and commend us for brave handsome Trees lovely and beautifull especially when we are in our Gallantrie full of beautifull blossoms and pleasant wholsome Fruits and some greedily pluck us and tear us and sometimes breake off some of our Branches to get our Fruits and so go their waies But speake never a word to us neither do they understand what we say to them though we are continually speaking to men and are never weary of instructing and teaching man his Duty towards God our Creator and also praising and setting forth his glory according to the Law of our Creation as thou knowest and hast often witnessed the same on our behalfe Most people are ignorant both of Gods word and Works HVSBANDMAN I believe what yee say to be true People for the greatest part of the world are ignorant of God of themselves and of all his Creatures as well as ignorant of the Scriptures Though God hath given us two great Volumes or Books to read and study his word and his Workes yet people generally are ignorant of both sottish children as the Prophet calls them who have no understanding wherefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Isay 27.11 Tremble at this word yee ignorant sottish people there is not any mercy for you whilst yee remain ignorant of God of your selves of his word and of his workes Therefore learn and be instructed else ye shall surely Perish the very Trees of the Garden and all the Creatures of God will witnesse against you Vnlearned men may read in the Booke of the Creatures The illitterate man that knowes not a word or a letter in the Book and thinks to be excused because he is not learned yet he shall find it otherwise one day For this Book of the Creatures is open and legible by all men As St Paul said of the ignorant heathen Rom. 1. They shall be left without excuse Because the invisible things of God his Attributes his Wisdom Power and Goodnesse his Love Bounty and Kindnesse to all are clearly seen in the things that he hath made Therefore it concerns men to learn the voice and Language of the Creatures of God and among them the voice and language of Fruit-trees as well as of his Word and to observe their Lessons and instructions for the mind and things of God are seen clearly in them though not so clearly as in his word But being joyned and considered together we may learn our Duty to God And in the doing thereof We shall be blessed of him Section 22. An invitation and incouragement to a conference with Fruit-trees HVSBANDMAN Come my Friends let us walke into this pleasant Garden and have some further Discourse with those innocent harmlesse Companions the Fruit-trees they will bid us welcome and are still ready and at leasure to conferre with us and will be sure to teach us one good Lesson or other But We must not forget what hath been often said concerning the way and manner of their Discourse with Men That it is not audible to the outward sence of hearing in the sound of words but alwaies to the inward sence the mind and understanding And thus they will Discourse with us as long as we please And they always speake Rationally and Religiously in every thing taking Gods part speaking to his praise and glory and for the instruction of all men both for our Temporall and Spirituall Profitt Here is a very large Garden full of Faire and beautifull Fruit-trees whereby we have both Profitt and Pleasure but I have heard also there are many things amongst you occasioning admiration in men what things are they that may occasion admiration what say yee of your selves Many things in Fruit-trees occasion admiration FRVIT-TREES Thou maiest see many things in the course of our Natures that may occasion admiration of the Wisdome Power and goodnesse of God 1 if thou do but take Notice of our Originall and first springing up we then lying wrapt up in small seeds each one no biger then a graine of Wheate yet out of those came these huge and vast bodies that thou seest here above Ground each one according to its own Nature every seed keeping exactly it s own kind and Nature though many sorts