The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

First, That he finds all people of themselves like a barren wilderness, and fruitless desert. The Curse upon the ground, is fulfilled in them, to bring forth nothing but briers and thorns. All the things of grace and godliness, are not only above our natures, but contrary to them: Even as if a man should see a piece of ground like the very rocks, that no Husbandry could ever do any good on it: The same are all people, when the Word comes at first to them. In other expressions it's called raising up Children to Abraham out of stones. And as wild beasts delight to be in the wilderness, that is their habitation: Thus are all men till converted by the Word, so many wild beasts carried away with brutish lusts, in the wilderness of the world; which makes the Scripture compare them so often to such things. Oh then, bewail the roughness and obstinacy in thy heart to what is godly.

First, That he finds all people of themselves like a barren wilderness, and fruitless desert. The Curse upon the ground, is fulfilled in them, to bring forth nothing but briers and thornes. All the things of grace and godliness, are not only above our natures, but contrary to them: Even as if a man should see a piece of ground like the very rocks, that no Husbandry could ever do any good on it: The same are all people, when the Word comes at first to them. In other expressions it's called raising up Children to Abraham out of stones. And as wild beasts delight to be in the wilderness, that is their habitation: Thus are all men till converted by the Word, so many wild beasts carried away with bruitish lusts, in the wilderness of the world; which makes the Scripture compare them so often to such things. Oh then, bewail the roughness and obstinacy in thy heart to what is godly.

Secondly, It supposeth that grace and godliness is wholly planted by God in their souls; for this floweth from the other. Seeing we are such a barren wilderness, what fruit can ever be expected from us? All the fruit then, of righteousness and godliness doth come wholly from him: We of our selves stand like so many rotten fruitless trees, to be cursed by God, and cut down for the fire; but it's the grace of God, that works the beginnings and increase of all godliness in them. Marvell not then, if you see a people under the sweetest and best seasons of grace, to be yet barren and unprofitable; for this fruitfulness is only of God. Oh, we would wonder, that a people who know so much, who hear so much, that have clouds so often raining on them, should yet be like so many stones and rocks! Oh, this is the wrath and judgment of God to be trembled under it! For he makes one to grow and not another; He causeth grace to spring up in one, and not another.