Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A26231
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A dialogue (or familiar discourse) and conference betweene the husbandman and fruit-trees in his nurseries, orchards, and gardens wherein are discovered many usefull and profitable observations and experriments [sic] in nature, in the ordering fruit-trees for temporall profitt ... / by Ra. Austen ...
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Austen, Ralph, d. 1676.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing A4233; ESTC R5888
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40,239
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128
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We grow in a gooâ—… and fresh soyle and are large in bulk anâ— substance as other Trees and we beaâ—… Fruits according to our Natures but wâ— were never ingrafted as some other Treeâ— are which grow by us so that we growing still upon our own naturall wild stocke and Roote we bring forth Fruit accordingly And so are like to do untill we have an alteration by ingrafting No workes pleasing to God without sincerity HVSBANDMAN Herein yee beare the likenesse and resemblance of hypocrites in the Visible Church who live amongst true beleevers and make a faire shew with an outward forme and Profession of Religion in all externall Duties but because they are not sincere and upright have not the truth of grace nor were ever really ingrafted into Christ but grow still upon the old stocke of corrupt Nature thence it is that their Fruits are nought and unpleasant to God the Husbandman thoâ—gh they are never so faire and beautifull on the outside yet wanting a good Tast that is they have no good Ends in any thing they do they make not the glory of God the chiefe and maine End of that they do for all men by Nature make themselves their End and not the glory of God and therefore they are not accepted of God such had need to consider their state whilst it is called to day and see that they rest not on this side an interest in Christ Section 12. Mulberry-trees called Sapientissima Arborum HVSBANDMAN Here are a certaine Number of Mulberri-trees in a row by themselves which are a kind of Trees in great esteeme among men in severall respects your Leaves are the best foode for Silke-wormes And your Fruits are exceeding good to make Syrups for divers uses which Apothecaries and others do make yearely And yee are called by some auncient Authors who write of Fruit-trees Sapientissima Arborum How come yee to be wiser then other Trees How are any Trees said to be wise what say yee of your selves FRVIT-TREES We owne no such Epithite as wise we are no wiser then other Trees but some men are pleased so to say of us because we keepe in and shew not our Buds nor spring till late in the yeare about the beginning of May when all the cold frosty weather is gone and past But this is according to the course of Nature the Law of our Creation which we and all other Trees do constantly observe And in this is seehe the wisdome of our Creator who doth all things wisely and hath made us so to do Mulberry-trees bud late because of a tender Nature For we are of a more weake and tender Nature then many other Fruit-trees are which bud and spring it may be 6 weeks or two Months before us as Cherrytrees Plumtrees and other Trees do But if we should dare to peepe out and appeare so soone we should not be able to beare it HVSBANDMAN It is very certaine that there are diversities of Natures and properties among Fruit-trees as all other Creatures and therefore they must be planted and ordered accordingly some are so tender that they will not thrive nor beare Fruits but against a wall and that upon the South-Sun too and carefully and tenderly ordered others will grow and beare well in the open Fields notwithstanding all cold frosts storms and winds that they meete with some Christians are more valiant for Christ then others But this may be transferred to a higher use And gives us to understand That this is even so among spirituall Fruit-trees Professing Christians some are more hardy Souldiers and more valiant then others And can stand out against and encounter with more and greater difficulties then others though true beleevers can do some have a great and strong faith Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy faith others have but a weake faith O yee of little faith Mat. 6 30. Some have great measures of the Spirit of God light wisdome and knowledge others are but Babes and Children in understanding and grace some Christians have much love to Christ and zeale for him as having the manifestations of his love more cleare and evident to them then some others have some others Love but little and all is weake in them and so they can do but little nor suffer for Christ the moving Cause being but weake in them the Effects are Answerable Section 13. Fruits ripen successively upon the same Tree others altogether HVSBANDMAN I observe That some kinds of these Fruit-trees do bring forth their ripe fruits gradually and successively upon the same Tree some of the Fruits are ripe and ready to be gathered severall weekes before the rest as amongst Aprecotts Peaches Cherrys and Plums and such like Sommer Fruits we find some Fruits ripe whilst others on the same Tree and same Bough are yet hard and greene But some other kinds of Trees bring forth their Fruits ripe and ready together all at one time upon the same Tree as Pippins Peremains and all Winter Fruits What is the Reason of this variation in the ripening of the Fruits of Trees The Wisdome and bounty of God in ripening of Fruits FRVITTREES Thou maist herein see and observe the Wisdome bounty and goodnesse of our Creator For if we that are Cherrytrees Plumtrees and such like sommer Fruits should bring forth our Fruits all at once there would be a glutt of Fruits And we should do more hurt then good amongst People for we are no lasting Fruits we cannot keepe as thou knowest but should in a few daies rott upon thy hand Therefore God gives our Fruits to thee successively some one day and some another as thou and others may make use of them for health and Profitt And as for hard Winter Fruits they are ripe all of them together on the same Trees that so they 〈…〉 gathered altogether and laid up in â—…ore for use all the yeare long And is thâ—… not the like Wisdome bounty and goodnesse from God shewed to all people in this as in the former though each of them in different respects as hath been said Section 14. HVSBANDMAN Here are a sort of Trees that do not thrive nor prosper as other Trees do what 's the reason seeing yee are as well planted and preserved as other Trees which grow neere unto you FRVIT-TREES South Country trees pâ—…per not in England We are forreners this is not our Native Country we were brought from beyond the Seas from a warme Clymate where we had a strong heate and influence of the Sun but we are here in a cold Country and it agrees not with us we shall never grow nor prosper nor bring forth Fruits to please thee or for thy Profit Plant Fruit-trees fitt for the Countrey HVSBANDMAN I beleeve what ye say to be true Many Gentlemen of great estates to please their minds have sent for and bought many rare Plants and Trees from forraine parts out of the South-Countries of France Spaine Italie and other Southerne Clymates and
and Experience set forth at large in a little Booke intituled a Treatise of Fruit-trees by a Practiser in the Art of Planting Fruit-trees pag. 191. 192. c. As for Leaves of Trees falling in Autumne and Rootes being better then at that time which some attribute to the descending of Sap the Cause is grosely mistaked other Causes for those Effects are easily assign'd Leaves fall off because Sap at that time hath done ascending and Rootes are best then because no sap ascends from them they are then fed and will first be served The Poet thought it an Excellent thing to find out the true Causes of things when he said felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere Causas The spirit aâ—d Nature of true Christians tend upwards But besides the Temporall Profitts and advantages that may arise from the knowledge of these things we learne some lessons and instructions for spirituall advantages If the innate spirit and Sap in Fruit-trees is still aspiring and ascending upwards and never downwards unlesse forced contrary to its Naturall propensity This teacheth us That so it should be with all Christians Nay so it is with such as are not nominally only but Christians indeed and in truth Their spirituall Nature aspires and ascends upwards the Divine Nature whereof all beleevers are pertakers more or lesse does as Naturally ascend and raise and draw the soule in it's desires affections and operations upwards Heavenwards towards Christ the life strength and Treasure of true beleevers as corrupt Nature tends downwards Earthwards and towards the Creatures so that by this Professors may try themselves and come to know what Nature or Principle dwells and prevailes in them The Tree is knowne hy it's Fruits Causes are knowne by their Effects so also in this Case Section 10. Fruit-trees prepared in Nurseries to be transplanted HVSBANDMAN Here is a very large Nursery of Fruit-trees some very young lately sping up some of a middle size and others very large faire Trees and of all these some are grafted and some ungrafted Methinks these that are of the biggest and eldest sort being now prepared and grown large Trees should be transplanted and removed out of the Nursery somewhere abroad into severall Countries in Orchards Gardens and Fields that so they might have roome to spread and enlarge themselves and beare store of good Fruits for the profit of many Elder Trees transplanted make roome for the Younger FRVIT-TREES Iâ—s true These that are faire large goodly Trees should be removed from the rest of the younger sort else we that are young and comming up are like to be oppressed by them for we shall not have roome to grow and enlarge And besides these great large Trees will reach and in tangle one with another and crosse fret and gall one another And therefore it is very fit and necessary that they should be removed hence for to that end they were planted here And then others will come up in their roomes and increase as they have donne and so successively be removed where they may grow and enlarge and be profitable in their Fruits for many yeares Some of the best kinds are to grow still in the Nursery HVSBANDMAN I know that the end of Planting a Nursery of Fruit-trees is to prepare them for transplanting elsewhere But yet it is very convenient and necessary too that some of the best Trees such as have the best properties in all respects should remaine still in the Nursery whereof to gather Grafts and bring forth Fruits in order to the preparation of the young ungrafted Trees that they also may be fitted for transplantation in due time Nurseries of Materiall Fruit-trees are apt similitudes of Misticall Fruit-trees in Vniversities And this if it be well considered is a very apposite Similitude of Vniversities and societies of Learning being Nurseries of Misticall Fruit-trees designed on purpose for instruction and preparation of youth that they may be Fruitfull Trees of the Lords Planting and Grafting to bring forth much good Fruit to the Husbandman that he may be glorified Isay 61.3 And to this great end every one concern'd should labour earnestly to be fitted and prepared with Gifts and Graces Learning and all endowments and qualifications of the Mind And having received Talents then to improve and imploy them for their Masters use that so they may receive a reward It is necessary as was said there should some of the chiefe and Principall Fruit-trees remaine in the Nursery for Governors and Tutors in every society to prepare the younger sort for transplantation into severall parts for publique imployment in the Church and Common-wealth The spirit and Grace of God is to be preferred before all Naturall and acquired abilities Now the maine and chiefe thing to be laboured for and most necessary to be obtayned is the Spirit and Grace â—f God humane Learning and Naturall parts and Abilities improved by Study and industrie are of singuler use and advantage and all indeavors are diligently to be used for attainment thereof but these alone are toâ— short to ayme at or attaine the highest end the glory of God For Man by Nature caâ— have no higher End then himselfe his owâ— intrests As water in its current can rise no higher of it selfe then the spring head every thing acts according to its Nature and can do no otherwise Therefore a Principle of grace is absolutely necessary This is spiritually the Philosophers Stone that turnes all Naturall attainments into Gold it uses and improves all to spirituall Ends and uses in order to the glory of God so that we must get this or we get * Si Christum discis satis est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis nothing Every one should be of such a spirit as Luther who protested Earnestly that God should not put him off with worldly things or Naturall Gifts herein we should be earnest with God and take no nay no denyall Though we should aske temporall things conditionally if it be the will of God to give them yet we may and ought to aske spirituall things which are â—…olutely necessary without condition The Kingdâ—me of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11.12 Section 11. Some Fruits seeme good to the Eye but are bad to the Tast. HVSBANDMAN I observe many Trees in this Garden which are faire large Trees to looke upon they flourish yearely with broad greene Leaves and beautifull blossomes and spring up with large shootes but they bring forth no good Fruits some Fruits they bring forth which are large in bulk and substance and have a faire and beautifull colour but their tast and relish is nought the Husbandman likes not their Tast they are of a sower sharpe bitter relish very unpleasant If yee bring forth no better Fruit hereafter yee shall be cut down and madâ— fuell for the fire 〈◊〉 should yee cumbeâ— the ground Fruit-trees improved by ingrafting FRVIT-TREES