The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the Seede, the Sowers, and the manner of the fructification thereof.
THere be two kind of Seedes: the one is of Impietie: the other of Pietie: betweene the which (as alſo betweene the ſeuerall Sowers thereof,) there is as great a difference, as betweene the Eaſt and the Weſt. The former is a ſeede of the wicked, a ſeede of corruption and ſinne, taken from three dangerous enemies: whereof the 1. is priuy, the 2. domeſtical, the 3. familiar: whereof beeing by them ſowen, ſpring the pride of life: the luſt of the fleſh, & the luſt of the eye, wherof it is in meet place hereafter plainely ſpoken, by the which the good Seede is oftentimes annoyed in the Lords field. But from hence wee are right happily diſſwaded by the true conſideration of the true Seede of Pietie,The ſeede of Pietie. which is to be ſowen for the increaſe of Iuſtice and MercieMercy: as alſo by them by whom the ſame is to be ſowen and caſt forth: for, as much lieth in the nature of the ſeed: ſo not a little in the wiſedome of the Sower: for as men may not gather grapes of thornes: ſo neither finde we commonly good ſucceſſe to follow the fooliſh or idle husbandman,Semin. Sunt quadam Semi… na vtilia, quaedā ſterilia. &c. for the Seed, one ſaith (which in this I gladlie remember) there be Seedes, ſome profitable, and ſome barraine: Thoſe barraine or vnprofitable, are the words of vaine preachers, as alſo the words of the Philoſophers: But thoſe are right profitable Seedes, which are neither withered nor conſumed with anie vaine glory or fond curioſitie. And this good Seede is the Word of GOD, The word of God.being indeed the manifeſtation and expreſſion of the Diuine Will, as well touching his eſſence, as touching his purpoſe and workes paſt, preſent, and future, in the breathing of the holie Ghoſt, by the Prophets, by Ieſus Chriſt, and by his Apoſtles and Euangeliſtes, powred forth from the boſome of the euerlaſting Father; and by his commandement, not onelyonly deſcribed in the bookes of the olde and newe Teſtaments: but alſo preached and taught through the ſame Spirit, by the miniſtery of his Seruāts: to this end, that God might be made knowne vntounto men, and that the man of God might be inſtructed, and made apte for eueryevery good worke. This is that ſoueraigne Seed, the which according to his diuers effects & reſpects is called & knowne, by ſo manie ſundry names in the holie Scriptures, eſpeciallie in the hundred & nineteene Pſal:Pſal: 119. wherof there is not any one verſe of an hundred threeſcore & ſixteene, wherein the ſame is not mentioned, with ſome praiſe of the ſweetnes, vtilitie, puritie, dignitie, glorie, eternitie, and goodnes thereof.
It is called the Word of the Lord, for that thereby the mind and will of God is expreſſed: the ſpeech of God, in that it is pronounced and written to be heard or read to mens vnderſtanding: the Lawe of the Lord, becauſe the Lord hath both prouided & giuen it vntounto men, as wherewith they be obliged and kept in the obſeruance of certaine duties: the Precepts of the Lord, in that it forbiddeth & terrifieth men from euill: the Cōmandements of the Lord, in that it admoniſheth and perſwadeth men to do good: the Testimonies of the Lord, becauſe hee by his Prophets teſtifie the ſame vntounto men: the will of God, for that thereby his will is declared: his Teſtament, in that it is confirmed & commended vntounto vsus by the death of his Sonne the Teſtator: his Iuſtice, becauſe the obſeruers thereof by faith are iuſtified: his iustifications, for that the works thereof, are correſpondent to Iuſtice: his Iudgementes, becauſe the contribution therof are extended by Iuſtice: his wayes, becauſe hee dealeth and directeth men according to the ſame: his Truthe, in that all the ſacred Scriptures doe aime to Chriſt, the perfect truth, and in the ſame are performed, &c.
Now this word of God, aſwell by Chriſt, as by the Prophets and Apoſtles, is well likened to the Seede which the husbandman ſoweth in his field, eſpeciallie for two cauſes; Firſt, in reſpect of the Sower, The word of God likened to the Seede. The ſower God.and his endeuour and practiſe theron.
Secondly, in regard of the nature, order, & manner of fructification of the ſeede being ſowen.
There be diuers Sowers of this Seede in the Spirituall field. The firſt, & moſt principal, is the Lord God himſelfe, whom in regard therof, Chriſt calleth an Husbandman. For this is the ſame, which giueth Seede to the Sower, & fruit therof vntounto him that truely laboureth. He giueth the word, euen the word of life, that immortall ſeede, this he ſoweth, this hee diſtributeth, this hee increaſeth with proſperous effect, to the vſe & benefit of his Saints, as the Prophet Dauid and Iſaiah Pſal. Iſa. 55.teſtifie. This indeed is the ſame, without whoſe help, whoſoeuer planteth, or whoſoeuer watereth, (whether Paul, or Apollo) he is iuſt nothing profitable; the which Saint Paul conſidering, praied for the Corinthians, 2. Cor: 9 10.that hee which miniſtred Seede to the Sower, would alſo miniſter bread for foode, and multiplie their Seede, and encreaſe the fruites of their Righteouſnes, that in all things they might be made rich vntounto all bountifulnes; which cauſed (through him and other his fellow labourers in the Lords field) ioy & thankeſgiuing to the Lord. Next, although the Lord God be moſt able of himſelfe, through the Spirit to ſowe this Seede in his fielde,The Prophets. Christ and his miniſters are Sowers. nor vſeth at all times the meanes and miniſterie of men, hauing thouſand thouſandes of Angells, readie to ſerue him at all times and in all places: yet in his profound wiſedome, hath he thought good to exhibit vntounto men ſuch meanes thereto as beſt fitted mans nature & capacitie. And therfore as the good houſholder or husbandman appointeth, calleth, and ſendeth forth his ſeruants to labour in his field, the Lord God hath choſen, called, and ſent forth into his Church, not only his holy Prophets with this ſoueraine Seed in the ſpirituall ſeed-lappe, that is, their mouthes, but alſo his onelyonly begotten Sonne, the Lord Ieſus, who came forth from his Fathers boſome, and in his Miniſtrie, was named the Crier in the wilderneſſe: who cried out ſaying; Hearken to this ô Iſrael: and all yee that hauehave eares to heare, nowe heare. Then, after him came forth his holy Apoſtles and Diſciples into the world, who alſo faithfullie diſtributed that Seede which they had receiued beeing in the execution of their charge, well likened to the voice of that Crier, as was alſo Iohn the Baptist, who named himſelfe not the Crier, but the voice of the Crier in the wildernes: for Chriſt himſelfe was that Crier or true preacher of Righteouſnes vntounto men, & the miniſters of his grace, are the voice of this Crier, by whom the worde of the Crier is brought vntounto vsus. At this time the Lord ſoweth this ſeede, by the preachers and miniſters thereof, who are alſo compared to the ſame Criers voice, whoſe mouthes & hands he filleth for this worke, with his hi…den treaſures, as wherby they are furniſhed and made able miniſters of Chriſt, & faithfull diſpoſers of his ſecrets. And in this are they the Lords Embaſſadors or Meſſengers,Gregor: August: ep: 1. ad Iub. to bring …nto men from his high Grace, his letters of Au…horitie. For the word of God & the holy Scrip…ures (which they preach and produce for the inſtruction and edification of the people) are as cer…aine Epiſtles of the Almightie, written or ſent to his Creature: the which a certaine learned Father well weighing: thus ſaid, Ecce de coelo coelorum Rex Regum, &c. Beholde, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, yea, our Redeemer hath vouchſafed to direct his letters vntounto vsus from the highest heauen, by the miniſterie of his Prophets and Apostles, that thereby wee might knowe that which is neceſſarie to be knowne for our ſaluation and glorie.
The Ministers of the worde likened to the Sower.And theſe perſons are likened to the Sower, eſpecially in ſix points.
Firſt, in that he obſerueth the qualitie of the land or place: Secondlie, the congruitie of the time.
Thirdlie, the quantitie of the Seede.
Fourthlie, the qualitie thereof.
Fifthlie, his owne treadinges. And ſixtlie, his yearely regard & operation, in & about the ſame.
1. the LandThus the Sower of the ſpirituall Seed, conſidering that the ſame is to be ſowen and diſtributed either thicker or thinner, according to the qualiry of the place or ſoyle, that is, the perſons and their conſtitutions to whom the ſame is to be miniſtred, he meaſureth forth the word of God proportionallie, according to that rule, whereof Father Gregorie ſometimes ſaid (In praedicatione ſecundum qualitate… Auditorum formari debet Sermo Doctorum) that the word of the Teachers in their preachings, ought to be framed according to the qualitie of the hearers For all men are not of the like capacitie, of the ſame diet, and diſpoſition: nor is it meete, that the holy things ſhould be giuen to doggs, or the pretious pearles caſt before the ſwine. Again, it is no… profitable for the ſicke perſon to hauehave ſweet potions, where neede purges, nor pleaſant plaiſter where hard coraſiues ought to be applied. Therefore conſidering what the Lord hath done by his Prophets and Apoſtles, the Miniſter & Preacher is to vſe & applie ſometimes threats & iudgemēts, ſometimes promiſes & mercies: now the law with the rigour thereof, and then the Goſpel with the comforts of the ſame. Againe, doctrines, exhortations, inſtructions, refutations, and ſuch, nowe more, then leſſe, as he ſhall thinke it beſt, for the qualitie and nature of his hearers.
Secondlie, in this he alſo obſerueth the congruitie of the time and ſeaſon.2. The congruitie of the time. For as in ſome places are required rather ſowing, in other places late ſowing, as in moyſte places, they muſt ſowe ſooner, and with more ſpeede, leſt the ſeede putrifie with the moyſture of winter before it take roote: & in drie places latter, that when the weather commeth on it, it vaniſh not away: In like ſort there be ſome like moyſt ground, namely thoſe which are filled with fleſhlie humors & luſtes, and they need to be preuēted: they which reſemble the drier ground, are thoſe which are more religiouſlie minded, which therfore will more gladly receiue and nouriſh the ſeede: and theſe muſt not be neglected in the due time. Touching the dutie of the Sower,Eccl: 11. to either of theſe thus ſaith the wiſe man. Sowe thy Seede in the Morning, and alſo in the euening: Let not thine hand reſt … for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall proſper this or that, or whether both ſhall be alike good.
Thirdlie, the Sower regardeth the quantitie of …his Seede,3. The quā ti…ie of the Seede. caſting leſſe therof into the fat & moyſt earth, then into the lighter and drier earth: for in the fatter it ſhall more multiplie, fall downe, and waſte: but in the other it may be, all will not proſper: euen ſo the preacher caſteth the See…e of the word more fullie vntounto the groſſe ſinner, & leſſe on the perſon better qualified: for ſuch a ſinner needeth more labour and teaching then the godly, & yet the godly muſt be ſuſtained by the ſame, as the foode of his ſoule, wherof his faith firſt came, and his vertues enabled. Fourthlie, the Sower conſidereth the qualitie of the Seed: 4. Quality of the Seedfor there be ſeeds which fit not all kindes of earth: and againe, ſome not ſo good or ſtrong of nature, as others: therefore as he fitteth the ſeedes to the ſoyle; ſo hee taketh the beſt, and refuſeth that which is weake and vaine. Euen ſo the preacher of the word (as it is before ſaid in the nature of ſoiles) chooſeth & applieth ſeuerall doctrines & matters for eueryevery part: & again, abandoning & refuſing all vaine babling & vnprofitable reeds of fooles, the legends of the Monks, the curious opinions of the vaineglorious the diſcourſes of profane philoſophers, the amorous conceits of peeuiſh Poets, and all ſuch like noyſome tares, he onelyonly taketh, vſeth, & diſpoſeth the true word of God, of the which the holie Ghoſt hath made him a Miniſter. Thus, In omni quod dicitur, Gregor:neceſſe eſt vt Cauſa, tempus, & perſona penſetur, &c. In eueryevery thing that is ſpoken, needfull it is that the matter, the time, and the perſon, be weighed: As, whether the words of the ſentēce be ratified with truth. Whether the ſame be anſwereable to the time, and whether the qualitie of the perſon nothing impugneth the truth of the ſentence, & the congruitie of the time: for hee caſteth forth his dartes againſt the enemie with commendation, Who firſt doth, ſee and well obſerue the enemie: but hee is nothing praiſe worthie, who for want of good obſeruation ſtriketh a faithfull citizen in ſteede of his enemie.
Fifthly, the Sower regardeth his own treadings,5. The Sower treadeth well. that whiles hee ſoweth in one place, hee may not conculcate and treade downe that which is caſt in ſome other place: and therefore he keepeth a due order & meaſure in his ſteppes: euen ſo the ſowers of the ſpirituall Seedes ought to be not only well qualified in learning, life, and behauiour, as made fit for this labour, as were Chriſt and his Apoſtles: but alſo to be circumſpect in the diſpoſition of the word, & carefull in the manner of …heir dealings. They muſt take heed, that whiles they ſeeke to recouer the penitēt ſinners by the promiſes of ſweet Mercies, they encourage not the obſtinate in high preſumption on Gods mercies: and whiles they would beat downe ſinne, they doe not diſcourage the godly minds from their duties: In a word, they muſt beware, that whiles they endeuour to build in one place meet to be repaired, they deſtroy not in another place, not meet to be deſtroyed. And to this purpoſe the life & behauiour of the Sower much auaileth. Gregorie Gregor: Ille vbere… fructus praedicationis colligit. &cwho himſelfe was a Byſhop, and knew how of them in this place, before all others, was required a Sowing for Iuſtice, and reaping after mercies meaſure, wrote therof thus: Hee reapeth the plentifull fruite of his Preaching, which first ſendeth forth the good Seede of workes. For, as of good tillage of the fields foloweth the great abundance of fruit: ſo of the good life going before (in the Preacher) there is miniſtred vntounto him the worthie fruite of profitable words. Neither doth the word at any time more good to the hearers, then when the ſame hath the honeſt life of the preacher going before it.Praedicatores qui dicuat, & non faciūt. But on the other ſide: The Preachers which ſay well & doe not the ſame, are comparable to thoſe Butchers which ſell away the beſt fleſh of their ſlaine bullocks, and feed themſelues on their tailes: or to thoſe Mariners, which tranſporting goodly Apples in their ſhippes, hauehave only the ſmell, but may not feed on them. But of theſe things we may better heare the Apoſtle Paul in his Eipſtles to Timothy & Titus, to whom, & by whom to all other Biſhops and miniſters of the word, he hath prouidentlie preſcribed.
6. Yearelie operation.Sixtlie, and laſtlie, the Sower conſidering the ſtrength of his ſoyle, and how many yeres he may conueniently manure the ſame with this kinde of tillage and ſeede, vntill hee giuegive it reſt, employeth himſelfe, his labours, and his ſeede thereon accordinglie. So the ſpirituall Sower looking on the law of the Lord,Ex: 23.10 findeth this charge thereof: Six yeares thou ſhalt ſowe thy land, and gather the fruites thereof: but the ſeuenth yeare thou ſhalt let it rest and lye ſtill. And in LeuiticusLeuit: 25.3.4. it is added: The ſeuenth yeare ſhall be a Sabboth of rest vntounto the land, the Lordes Sabboth thou ſhalt neither ſowe thy fielde, nor cut thy vineyard, &c. Thus in euerie of the ſixe Ages of the world, there is a time limited for the ſowing: Likewiſe, in euerie age of the vi. ages of mans life, vntill the ſeuenth age, wherein there ſhall be a generall reſt vntounto the people of God, and wherein euerie man ſhall enioye his Saboth. The Paſtor muſt be diligent in his dutie, as long as he liueth: and he may not neglect the ſoyle of him that yet liueth: EueryEvery man muſt be a labourer for himſelfe in his life, and for others in their liues. After this time hee muſt ceaſſe, & the land muſt enioy the Saboth, neither may a man recouer that for himſelfe,Eccl. …. or for any other in the graue or in hell, the which hee ſhould hauehave performed, and hath neglected in his life. Therefore the Miniſter in the Church muſt be regardfull of this dutie, and truely obſerue the limited times, as ſuch as ſtand not ydle in the market place, but are called, and gladly ſhould come into the Lordes fielde to ſowe, to reape, and to labour faithfully in the ſame.This belongs to eueryevery one. Neither (indeede ſhould Kings, Princes, Magiſtrats, Parents, Maiſters and all others in their lawfull places, think themſelues exempted of this charge: for indeed, it generally apparteineth to all the children of God, who (in this caſe) are required to be ſowers, reapers, and labourers in the Lord, partly for others, but chieflie for themſelues, according to that he ſaid: Sowe to yourſelues for Righteouſnes. Hoſ: 10.And this is not to be neglected for as by ſowing for others we expreſſe charitie: ſo ſowing for our ſelues wee appeare to be wiſe. But that we may be indeed charitable in ſowing & reaping for others: we muſt firſt by wiſdome ſowe for our ſelues: for neither can wee be rightlie called charitable perſons, except wee declare our ſelues the ſame by that which is our owne, or in that which wee hauehave before lawfully gathered to our ſelues: for it is not charitie in vsus to giuegive vntounto others, that which is not our owne of other mens goods, the which wee hauehave taken from them vniuſtly. In this kinde of ſpeach, the Prophet pointed to the Iewes, To whom the Prophet pointed. Ier: 5.5.yea euen the chiefeſt among them, of whom Ieremy ſpake when he ſaid, Ib… ad optimates: I will go to the Princes, or great ones, whom he had found breachers of the yoke, and of whom the Lord ſpake in the parable of the prowde Phariſie, who was ſo farre exalted in his proper conceyt beyond other men.Luke 18. There be ſome Preachers which acknowledge not that this toucheth them, as if it were required onelyonly of the people, and not of them alſo to ſow and labour in the Lords field. Again, ſome othes of them dread to ſpeake thus vntounto others, eſpecially to the rich & wealthy in the world: yea rather they flatter them in their ignorance and ſinne, whereby thinking themſelues ſufficiently well ſpedde alreadie, they neither hunger nor thirſt after Righteouſnes. Alſo the Princes of this world, & the Magiſtrats, which ſhould much regard this commandement, hauehave little care either to perforne, or to conſider of the ſame. To be ſhort: the Parents the Maiſters, & other perſons in their ſeuerall functions imagine, (for the moſt parte the like, who the whiles are comparable to the ſhip wrights of Noahs Ark, who labouring for the ſafety of others, were c…releſſe of themſelues, & periſhed in the floud. And what gaine theſe (after the iudgement of S. Paul) when they ſow & preach vntounto others, & themſelues remaine caſt-awayes, wracking in the depth of hell? therefore that is well worthy to be noted that the Lord ſaith, Sowe yee for your ſelues: Thus the righteous ſhall liue, (not by an others,) but by his owne faith.
Secondlie, touching the nature, order, & manner of the fructification of this Seed,The nature, order & manner of fructification of the Seede. as it holdeth proportton with the Seede of the husbandman: I gladly remember that pretie Compariſon of father Gregory, where hee ſaid, Quum Deſideria bona, When wee conceiue good deſires or motions in the heart, (vponupon the hearing of the word) then as good ground we receiue the Seede: when we begin good workes, then are we as the hearb or blade growing: when wee are proceeded to ſome perfection in thoſe workes, then are wee made as the eare fitte for the corne: and when wee be eſtabliſhed or confirmed therein, then hauehave wee the full corne in the eare. In this we find the Word comparable to that Seede, in fower points, beſides the ſowing thereof, (as it is referred to the Action of the Sower.) As firſt, in that it taketh roote in mens hearts, as the Seede in the earth: ſecondlie; in that it groweth to a blade or hearbe: thirdlie, in that it beareth or ſhutteth forth an eare, and fourthlie, in that it yeeldeth the full corne in the eare. This our Sauiour doeth not onelyonly confirme, but addeth three other Reaſons of this Analogie, wherof the firſt is taken from the continuall growing of the Seede; the ſecond, from the fructification thereof, the third from the vſe. The firſt is found in that ſimilitude of the Kingdome of heauen,Marke: 4.26. where a man caſteth Seede in the groūd, & ſleepeth, and riſeth vp night and day, & the Seed ſpringeth & groweth vp, he not knowing how. The ſecond,Matth: 13.8.24. in the example of that Seed, which falling into the good ground, toke roote, grewe vp, and brought forth fruit, ſome thirtie, ſome ſixtie, ſome an hundred folde. The third, is that Parable of the good Seed, which the husbandman tooke & ſowed in his field, which in the time of harueſt was gathered from the tares, and brought into the barne, for the vſe & commoditie of the husbandman. Whereby is ſeene the wonderfull nature of the Seede in growing, the great encreaſe, & the goodly commoditie therof, to him rhat laboureth in the ſame: for this is that immortall Seede, Ioh: 3.whereby men are engendred to life euerlaſting, & the power of God to ſaluation, to all that beleeue: Therfore the Lord willing that his children ſhould be drawen forth of the darkenes into the light, & from ignorance vntounto the true knowledge of God, and ſo preſerued by Faith i… him, thus exhorteth: Search yee the Scriptures, for they teſtifie of me: hee that hath eares to heare, let him heare: that is, the word of life: he that hath an hear… to conceiue, let him conceiue it: hee that is wiſe let him hearken and follow it: hee that wilbe bleſſed, let him meditate therein day and night: neither is the holie Scripture without abundant ſtore, of thoſe and ſuch like exhortations, admonitions, and perſwaſions to the thankfull acceptation and right vſe of this ſoueraine good Seede, the Word of God, the which therefore the true ſeruants of God doe beleeue, embrace & obey:Io: 8. & 10. according to that ſaying: My Sheepe heare my voyce: and he that is of God, heareth the word of God.