The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. God ſpeede the Plough.
HE that well beginneth (for the moſt part) well ſucceedeth,A good beginning hath the like end. as that Builder which beſt plotteth, beſt proſpereth: And truly, wel he beginneth,Eales. 12. 1. and ſoundly he plotteth, who, remembring his Creator the ſooner in his youth, beholdeth his face, and ſeeketh in all his endeuours to glorifie his bleſſed name.
This method hath our heauenly and moſt learned Schoolemaiſter taught and preſcribed vsus in his doctrine: Firſt ſeeke yee the kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe, and rightly obſerued the ſame in his life and actions for our imitation, when (according to the propheſie of the ſweet PſalmiſtsPſal. 16.8. of Iſrael (He ſet Iehouah before his face, who therefore ſtoode at his right hand to the ioy of his ſoule, and ſtabilitie of his glory, when others fell. And heere is both ſtanding and falling, for where this rule is not holden, the waight of the walls (as laide on a ſandie foundation) is with Nimrods Babel ſubiect to a ſodaine downe fall.Gen. 11.9. The very ſweete Spowſeſſe (whom King Saloman bringeth in reporting her aduentures) ſeeking for her Soueraigne,Cant. 1.3. found him not, becauſe ſhe obſerued neither the due time, nor the true maner thereof: For ſhee ſought him in her bed by the nights: that is, in voluptuouſneſſe and ſecuritie, ſignified by the bed, and by ignorance and errors, noted by the nights.
Ioh. 21.6.In like maner (as the Euangeliſt tels it) the Apoſtles of our Lord (not yet fully confirmed) went forth to fiſh, and caught iuſt nothing, for that they laboured in the night, neither regarded to caſt forth their nets on the right ſide of the Shippe. But that the holy Spowſeſſe might beſt finde him whom her ſoule loued, ſhe is taught by the watchmen, how, where, and to what ende to ſeeke him: and that thoſe vnfortunate Fiſhers might catch, they are aduiſed by their Maiſter, both to labour in the bright morning, and to caſt out their nets on the right ſide of the Shippe: that is, to labour with knowledge and integritie, as ſuch as are beautified with Vrim and Thummim.
The Lord GOD, willing that wee ſhould take this courſe without feare or fainting, as well for the obtaining of things neceſſarie,God will that we ſho…d pray vnt… him at the beginning of our labours. as for the comfort of our ſoules and glorie of his name, commandeth vsus to call vponupon him: to aske, to ſeeke, to knocke, yea, and to continue this exerciſe.
Next, to encourage and animate our ſpirits, he hath promiſed to heare vsus, and to grant that whatſoeuer wee ſhall aske or deſire of him in the name of Ieſus.
Thirdly, the Lord, being as good as his word, granteth and giueth, vntounto ſuch as cal vponupon him, euen his holy Spirit, and all things needfull, as well for their bodies as for their ſoules. Fourthly, as the neceſſitie of man prouoketh it, ſo is the exerciſe of holy prayer moſt ſweete and comfortable. Therefore the godly in all ages hauehave beene in this much delighted, and felt the greateſt ſolace in the middeſt of their greateſt afflictions, perſwading, that as they ſet the Lord before their eyes, hee was to them as their father, both willing to bleſſe, and declaring his power to preſerue them: and therefore praying vntounto him, they call him their father in the heauens.
Noah, the eight Preacher of righteouſneſſe, as he before faithfully depended on the Lord his God, from whoſe grace he had both cōmenced and proceeded in that great work of the Arke, wherin Gods glory and Noahs faith did appeare:Gen. 8.20. So comming foorth thereof, hee aduentured not his husbandry vntill he had built an Altar to the Lord, and laide thereon his oblations, to the honour of his name.
Abraham, being called out of his owne countrie by the Lord, euer placed him in his eyes, offred Sacrifices vntounto his Grace,Ge…. 12.7. &. 24.14. &. 28.20. and thence proceeded to the performance of his word. Alſo his ſeruant Eleazar, being ſent from him with a charge in the Diuine feare, firſt inuocated the Lord, deſiring him to proſper his iourney. The ſame rule obſerued Moſes, Dauid, Saloman, and other the godly of thoſe times. In the new Teſtament, we hauehave the bleſſed examples, not onelyonly of our Lord Ieſus praying to his father; but alſo of his holy Apoſtles and Diſciples, who gladly learned and followed him therein.Act. 1.14. In the firſt of the Acts, when they had aſſembled about the choyce of Matthias in Iudas place, they had not onelyonly Preaching, an orderly choyce of perſons, and caſting of Lottes; but alſo (and that chiefely) prayers, as whereby they might moue the Lord to ſupply and to effect that, which neither themſelues, nor any other (without his holy hand) was able to performe for his glory.
All the which was purpoſed and done, not onelyonly for them then,An example for vsus to ſeek the Lord before all things. but alſo for vsus now, and chiefely for the Teachers and Miniſters of the word, that they might not onelyonly bee willing to beſtowe their ſtudies and endeuours to Preach and divulgate the word, and the ſame to confirme by their owne godly examples: but alſo both to prefixe and affixe mette prayers to the ſame, thereby to deſire the Diuine ayde, by whoſe grace and bleſsings thoſe labours of theires in his Vineyarde and husbandry, might bee made fruitfull: yea, and that wee might knowe, whether they either teach others, or heare others teaching them, there is no fruite or encreaſe to be preſumed or expected from the power or practiſe of man, but from the Lord, who onelyonly giueth both to the ſpeaker, and alſo to the hearer, not onelyonly a tongue to ſpeake, and an eare to heare, but alſo that fruit and profit of either, as whereby his name might bee glorified, and themſelues edified and comforted for eternall life.
Moreouer, the very heathenThe heathen how they began. Poets, and wiſemen of the Gentiles, hauehave not neglected, but moſt carefully regarded to begin their workes with the Inuocation of thoſe diuine powers which they moſt affected & worſhipped, as frō whoſe graces (they were perſwaded) their labours and ſtudies might enioy the happier fine: whereof followed this Diſtich. A… louelove fit orfum, ne Serpe…s det tibi morſum.
And therein, howſoeuer ſome hauehave vainely hunted after the praiſe of worldly men, the better ſort (as Philemon, Socrates, Plato, and ſuch) did euer ayme at the Glorie of the higheſt power, the which they placed for the chiefe ſcope of their labours, and therefore from thence expected ayde, and continuall aſsiſtance.
But by how much greater the worke in action was of eſtimatiō, ſo much the more regard they euer had of this ground-plot: knowing, that as the weakeneſſe of humane abilitie and ſlenderneſſe of mans witte, coulde neuer of it ſelfe effect any thing of the meaneſt requeſt,The beſt commencements. much leſſe that which is of the nobleſt regard: ſo alſo (as wiſdome, reaſon and experience teach) things well begun hauehave commonlie like ſucceſſes: and that the good beginnings are taken from the diuine grace, wherein the greateſt actions hauehave bene enabled with the ſemblable regard.
This when I alſo well weighed, I thought it a matter moſt vnſeemelie and noleſſe ſinful to aduenture, this preſent worke, without holy inuocation: yea, much I doubted, leſt that without this one thing, I ſhould not only tranſgreſſe in manie things: but alſo ſetting the building, not on the Rock, with the wiſe man, but with the foole on the ſand, the waight of the walles would hauehave fallen to the ground: and ſo much the ſooner, for that the worke now endeuoured is both exceeding great, and the degree therof excellent high:The waight of the matter in hand. vz, Pietie. for behold, this is that which aptly concerneth the ſupreme magnificency of the moſt princely Ladie Pietie, of whoſe right nobilitie I perſwade, eueryevery man who hath been ſchooled either in the knowledge of God, or of himſelfe hath happilie heard, and with whoſe laudable graces, whoſoeuer is truely adorned, is both honored with God, & well commended of all good men. And this I am ſure ye will confeſſe together with me, when yee ſhall aright vnderſtand both the nature and vtilitie of this Soueraigne Princeſſe by her plaine deſcription, but the more when ye ſhall be moued to entertaine and embrace the ſweete influences of her glorious vertues.
Now,Pietie. Cicer. in Re. tue. li. 2. Aug. epiſt. 22. ad Macedo. if ye aske mee what I vnderſtand by this word: I anſwere, not only that Philoſtorge, or louing affection, whereby a man loueth, honoureth, r…uerenceth, gratifieth, and dutifully regardeth his father, mother, brethren, kindred, Country, and ſuch as hauehave thereby well deſerued (according to the definition of the Philoſophers) but alſo, & that chiefly, that moſt reuerend, holy and true worſhip of the moſt high God,Chriſ. in ſer. De fide & de lege. and the true louelove and right regard of dutie towards all men; whoſe originall and fountaine the whole ſcriptures diuinely inſpired, hauehave drawne not from the nature, wit, abilitie, or policie of ſinfull man: but from the verie ſpirit of truth, as an influence of the higheſt heauens, comprehended in the feare of God, expreſſed in Faith, Hope, and Charitie, & hath his Myſterie exceeding great: for vnderunder the ſame, not onelyonly God is manifeſted in the fleſh (as Paul the holie Apoſtle affirmeth):1. Tim. 3. but alſo there lye couched great ſafetie, great wealth, great vtilitie, great glorie. Thereof the auncient Hermes knowing the ſafetie, proteſted that,Lactan. li. 2. de Origine Erro. cap. 16. Mia Phylake, Euſebeia, &c. Pietie is that onelyonly keeper or preſer. matrix of men: for neither hath the wicked diuel, nor yet Fate, any maner power ouer the godly man: for God deliuereth him from all euil: therefore is Pietie (or Godlines) that one and onelyonly good thing among men.
Next, wee heare the Apoſtle to affirme, that Pietie is great riches to them which are content with that which they hauehave: thirdly, he ſaith, that this vertue is profitable to all things: & laſtly, that it hath for her end euerlaſting life. For in the true tenure of Pietie, not only all the Creatures of God in the world, but alſo all the treaſures and rights of the kingdome of heauen are ours. Therefore this is the ſame, which beyond all other things he boldly commendeth, as not only the beſt and moſt acceptable to God, but the verie ſcope of all the holy Scriptures, which are giuen to this end, that men might belieue, and in belieuing, might hauehave eternall life in the name of the Sonne of God.
Loe, ſuch a thing hauehave I aduentured to hauehave at this time, whoſe reuerence although I eſteeme farre beyond mine abilitie and worthineſſe: yet vnderunder the feare of him, who hath called me with an holy calling, graunted me to knowe the ſecretes of this vertue, and enabled me to declare his glorie in the middeſt of his congregation, hauehave I ſo farre forth preſumed: yet not I, but that diuine grace which worketh in mee.
Therefore, let vsus now with meeke heartes and due reuerence, fall downe before his footſtoole, and faithfully lift vp our humble mindes vntounto that heauenly Father, frō whom this grace deſendeth. Let vsus ſeeke him in a true faith; and deſire his gratious goodnes, that in his diuine fauour, mercy and louing affection towards vsus, through his ſweete ſonne our Sauiour, he would reſpect our condition, ſpeede well our Plough, and proſper all our godly endeuours: that thereof plowing and ſowing, not to the fleſh, but to the ſpirit, we may reape, not of the fleſh corruption, but of the ſpirit, life euerlaſting, for the high glory of his maieſtie, the ſoueraign benefit of his Church, the perfect diſcharge of Chriſtian dutie, and the proſperitie of the elected Saints.
O moſt bleſſed father, the God of glory,A prayer for the good ſpeed of Pieties Plough. and king of all conſolation, we thy poore children oppreſſed with the intollerable burthen of ſinne, and ſcourged with miſeries rod, the guard of tranſgreſsions, doe now here proſtrate both our bodies and ſoules before thy foote-ſtoole. Thou haſt commanded vsus to ſowe for Righteouſneſſe, Hoſ. 10.12.and to reape according to Mercies meaſure, to plough vp our fallow ground, to ſeeke after thee in the happie time, and to apply Pieties Plough in the true obſeruation of godly dutie. But (alas, ô father) wee be ſo witleſſe and weake, as wee neither knowe how to vſe the one, nor are able to labour in the other: nor can we be drawne from the idle market place, into the happie field of the ſpirituall huſbandry, but by thy wiſdome, thy merciemercy, and thy louing and gracious calling, through thy moſt holy Meſsias our Sauiour. For as no man commeth vntounto thee but by thy Sonne: ſo neither commeth any man to thy Sonne, but whom thou draweſt, and thou draweſt them (no doubt) by thy merciemercy,Ier. 31.3. whom thou haſt embraced with thine euerlaſting louelove.Gen. 9.27. Therefore (with righteous Noah) wee beſeech thee to perſwade vsus in thy mercies to enter Sichems Tabernacles,Cant. 1.3. and heartily deſire thee (with thy holy Spowſeſſe) to drawe vsus forth after thee, with a promiſe of our parts (but aſsiſted by thee) that then wee will runne. Call vsus (ô father effectually, manure our worke without, and prepare our mindes within: Let it pleaſe thy good ſpirit to inſpire our hearts, thy power to enable our bodies, thy grace to confirme our whole man to to thy holy will and pleaſure, and thy louing mercies to make vsus meete for thy ſeruice: that, ſtanding no longer ydle, we may henceforth labour in thy field, follow Pieties Plough, and be wholy emploied in the heauenly husbandry, whereof wee may timely reape, and gladſomely vſe and enioy the ripe and ſoueraigne fruits in all peace and quietneſſe, through Ieſus Chriſt our true happineſſe. Amen.