The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The kinde of Soyle wherin the good Seede is to be ſowen, with the manner of the manurance therof.
AS the Lord God hath not onelyonly required of his people, thoſe two noble vertues, Iustice & MercieMercy: but alſo taught them how to procure & expreſſe the ſame, by two metaphoricall words, taken from the labour of the husbandman in his field, as Sowing, and Reaping: ſo now, by two other like wordes, as Fallowed ground, & Ploughing, he declareth firſt, in what kinde of lande the Seede ſhould be ſowen: and then, by what kinde of husbandry the land is to be tilled, and prepared for the Seede.
The land lyable to this vſe,1. The land fallowed. is named in the firſt tongue Nîr, made of a verb, which ſignifieth either to till the ground, or to eradicate & caſt forth the thorns & weedes of a land, before it be ſowen with good corne: that worde vſeth the Prophet Hoſey, Hoſ: 10 1…. Ier: 4.4. Laur: Val: Seruius.the which Ieremie confirmeth in that when he had ſaid, Plough vp your Nîr or fallow ground: he added, and ſowe not among the thornes. The Latines tranſlate it Noualé, which noteth either that land which is yearly renewed with manurance & ſeede: or that which is firſt broken vp with tillage or manurance, and made fit for the ſeede: we call it the fallowed land, as namelie that, which was ſometimes ouergrowne & combred with thiſtles, bryars, weeds, and ſuch like noyſome things, and afterward by the wiſedome & labour of the good husbandman, turned vp, & ſo let lie at reſt for that yeare, to the end, that the weedes and thoſe noyſome herbs being mortified, and the ſoyle mollified, & made better, it might be fit to receiue Seede they eare following: in the which ſenſe, not onelyonly Paulus Iuriſconſultus, Varro, and Plinie, hauehave taken it; but alſo the Poet, who therof hath written;
Ʋirgil:Alterius idem tonſas ceſſare Nouales.
Et Ségnem patiere ſitu dureſcere campum. Againe
Impius haec tam culta Noualia, Miles habebit?
Hee meaneth ſuch principall grounds as had bene well curried and prepared with the great labour & toyle of the husbandman, the loſſe wherof, hee much bewailed. So by this fallowed land is vnderſtood, that which is well cultured and ſeaſoned for the Seede, & by the metaphor ot tranſlation, ſometimes places, ſometimes perſons, or any other thing which by the ſtudy, endeuour, lab out or diligence of man, is made fit and applyable to the vſe of that whereto it is deſtinated or appointed.
Next, although the worde of this Action, is Plough yee, breake yee, or turne yee vp, is in the holie tongue, generallie applied to euerie kinde of labour which the husbandman vndertaketh for the culturage and better manurance of his land: yet it chiefly ſignifieth that which is to be performed with the Plough or Soule, drawen of the Oxen, called of the Hebrewes Machreſcheth: The Iſraelites went down to the philiſtines, Machreſcheth. 1. Sam: 13.…0.to ſharpen eueryevery man his Share or Soole: which worde is made of that verbe which ſignifieth to plough the field, as with Oxen or horſes: As it is ſaid in the law: Thou ſhalt not plough thy field with an Oxe & an Aſſe yoked together. So it is ſaide, that Iobs Oxen were ploughing in the fielde: and Samſon from thence tooke that parable, If ye had not ploughed with my he offer, Iudg: 14.18.ye had not found out my riddle. But as the former word, ſo alſo this by tranſlation, ſignifieth ſometimes the malice of thē that afflict or oppreſſe others: ſometimes neceſſary corrections and puniſhmentes for the amendement and preparation of mens hearts to pietie & goodnes: ſomtimes the whole action, endeuour, & right courſe of a Chriſtian in his calling, of whom ther is daily required a renouation, by a meditation or exerciſe in Gods law, conſidering his naturall concupiſcence, and continuall ſlydings.
Of the firſt acceptation, wee heare the Pſalmiſt, in the perſon of Chriſt, thus to complaine:Malice. The Ploughers ploughed vponupon my backe and made long ſurrowes. Pſal: 129.From this kinde of labour, Salomon diſſwading men,Pro: 3. ſaith: Thou ſhalt not plough euill vponupon thy neighbour or brother: that is, thou ſhalt neither imagine nor execute anie euill thing on thy brother.Hoſ: 10. This Hoſey calleth, the Ploughing of iniquitie. The like hath Eliphaz in Iob: Iob. 4.8.they that plough iniquitie and ſowe wickednes, reape the ſame.* Of the ſecond ſignification,2. Correction. Hoſ: 10.10.11. the Lord in Hoſey ſaith: Vt is my deſire that I ſhould chastiſe them: & afterward he ſaith: Ephraim is as an Heaffer, vſed to delight in threſhing (or treading out) the corne, wherein is pleaſure, as (there is paine in ploughing:) But I will lay my yoke vponupon her faire necke: I will make Ephraim to ride, Iudah ſhall plough, and Iacob ſhall breake the cloddes, or harrowe.3. A Chriſtian mans action. The third acceptation of the word, we finde in the prophet Iſaiah: Iſay. 28.Shall the Ploughman plough all the day, that he might ſowe? and that word ſo tranſlated hath the Euangeliſt, Two men ſhall be ploughing in the fielde: Againe, hee that goeth to the Plough, and looketh backwarde, is not fit for the Kingdome of God: in the which ſpeeches are noted the office and function of the true Chriſtians, with their continuance in the labours of the ſame.
But now concerning this coniunction, and iniunction, Plough or breake vp your fallowed or prepared land: wee finde, that Salomon in a certaine proverbiall ſpeech, conioyning both the words, hath the like in effect,Pr: 24.27 Prepare thy work without, and make ready thy things in the fielde: (as who ſhould ſay) play the good husband in the manuring, dreſſing, and culturing of thy land, to auoid the inconuenience that followeth bad husbandry) for I paſſed by the fielde of the ſlouthfull, and by the vineyard of the man without vnderstanding, and loe, it was all growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face therof, & the ſtone wall thereof was broken downe. Luke: 35.S. Iohn the Baptist, endeuouring to perſwade this good Husbandrie, ſaith: EueryEvery valley ſhall be filled and euerie hill ſhalbe brought lowe: & crooked things ſhalbe made ſtraight, and the rough wayes ſhalbe made ſmoothe: all the which words are likewiſe metaphorical, & ſignifie what the Lord God required in them which ſhould be prepared for the acceptation of the holie Meſsiah. And the Lorde himſelfe hath a Parable to the like effect, of the ſower which caſt forth his ſeede into diuers kindes of earth: whereof that onelyonly receiued the ſeede to profit, which was the good ground; that is, the ſame which was by this kinde of husbandrie well manured and prepared. But whereas Salomon leaueth it in the bare metaphor,The Metaphor expounded. the others hauehave added an expoſition, as not onelyonly for them then, but alſo for vsus, to whom the Lord hath graunted to knowe the miſteries of his kingdome. Therefore Ieremie hauing taken vp this metaphor, by and by expounds it thus;Ier: 4. Be yee circumciſed to the Lorde, and take away the foreskinnes of your hearts, ye men of Iudah, and inhabiters of Ieruſalem, lest my wrath come forth like fire, and burne that none can quench it, becauſe of the wickednes of your inuentions. And herein he teacheth amongſt other, thoſe two things: firſt, what is meant by this land or ground: Next, what is the husbandrie theron required: he would that we ſhould by this groūd vnderſtand, not that naturall Element or ground, accuſtomed to the materiall ſeede: but the heart of man; yea and by the figure Zenegdoché (which vnderunder parte, comprehendeth the whole) the whole man,The groūd is mans heart. whoſe life, conuerſation, and wayes before the Lord, are commonlie iudged & diſcerned by the co…ſtitution of the heart or thought, the fountaine of all mans wordes, actions and endeuours. But the heart of man, naturallie and without this tillage or fallowing, is comparable to the thornie, barraine, and waſte ground: which neuertheleſſe beeing circumciſed,Fallowed or circumciſed. that is, fallowed and well manured, is like vntounto the good ground, & thereof called Gods hushandrie: according to Paules ſpeeches to the Corinthians, after that they had bene occupied in the ſtudie and practiſe of Pietie: yee are Gods husbandry: that is, the hearts circumciſed, the land well manured, and a people holie and well prepared for the Lord. Alſo Iohn the Baptist expoundeth the metaphor thus, Prepare ye the Lordes way: Repent, Amend your liues, and bring yee forth fruites worthie amendemēt of life. And the Lord declaring the parable of the Sower and his field: tells his Diſciples, that the good ground is, He that heareth the word, and vnderstandeth it, which alſo beareth fruite, & bringeth forth ſome thirtie, Mat. 13.ſome ſixtie, ſome an hundreth folde. Although ſomtimes by a field is meant the World, Mat. 1….and by the good ſeede, Gods children: yet here (as he ſaid) by the Seed, is meant the Word of God, and by the field, the perſons to whom the ſame is preached, by the which many be called, but fewe that is, thoſe which are comparable to the good ground) are perſwaded. So, neither hath the prophet Hoſey here left his Metaphor without his expoſition, when to the ſame hee added: It is time to ſeeke the Lord. To ſeeke the Lorde, is to ſowe for righteouſnes.In the which words hee compareth all that, whatſoeuer is before ſpoken of the good Ground, for this comprehēdeth the hearing of the word, & the vnderſtāding of the ſame, Faith, obedience, Iuſtice, MercieMercy, Vertue, Amendemēt, Repentance, & the true conuerſion of man vntounto God.
By this therfore we gather, that the Lord knoweth howe farre off the people of Iſrael were from the right practiſe of the wiſe and prouident husbandman in this point, as that in ſteede of ſowing for Righteouſnes in the fallowed Land, they ſowed among the thornes, and ploughed wickednes, whereof enſued inquitie, as pride, couetouſnes, gluttony, wrath, enuie, luxury, crueltie, and many other vngodlie fruites, whereof the wrath of God enkindled, was now ready to fall on them: he did in his great merciemercy and long ſuffering, yet endeuour by the miniſtery of his prophet to withdraw them from ſuch their ſinnes & miſeries, and to allure them to Pietie and goodneſſe, by perſwading in them that good * affection or paſſion of minde,That is, true repentance. wherewith beeing deepelie touched, in the bitter ſenſe of the diuine wrath conceiued againſt them for their ſinnes, they might be heartily ſorie, loath their ſinnes, thirſt after merciemercy, hunger after righteouſneſſe, and turne againe vntounto the Lorde, from whom they had bene eſtranged in the leaudnes of their mindes.
This is indeede the ſame, which the Greekes vnderſtood in their Metánoiá, Metánoia.but the Hebrews more fullie in their Theſcubah: noting with the former a renewing of the minde: and with the latter, a turning again into the way, from whence a man had erred: and is ſo much to ſay, as the conuerſion of a man vntounto God, not onlie in minde, but alſo in bodie, and in both: wherein beeing truely mortified, he might again be renewed and conformed vntounto the Lord in holineſſe and righteouſnes. Againſt this is directly oppoſed, that Meſchubah, Meſcubahor turning away, as from God to the Diuell, & from all good, to all euill: wherin is found wickednes and deſtruction. In a word, the prophet by this expoſition of the Metaphor, preacheth true Repentance, which hee knewe to be the onelie way to recouer thoſe wandring perſons, and therfore moſt neceſſarie, as that without it, the ſinner is not pardoned of his ſinne, and ſo profitable, as in the which hee findeth & that timely, both mercy & life: wherof alſo it is, that thoſe perſons are ſaid to ſinne vntounto death,The ſinne vntounto death which cannot repent: and they are ſaid to be borne of God & exempted from ſinne, which truely and timelie repent. To the which we hauehave not onelyonly manie Tſtimonies, as in the Prophets, Iſaiah, Ezekiel, Ieremy, & others: but alſo moſt notable examples, as of Dauid, Solomon, Manaſſes, Magdalen, Peter, Paul, and manie ſuch who hauehave not onelyonly taught, that at what time ſoeuer a ſinner doth repent him of his ſinne from the bottome of his heart, the Lord doth pardon him: but alſo hauehave ſenſiblie felt and proued the effect of the ſame. In regard wherof, the godly Fathers of the church hauehave both thought and ſpoken verie honourablie of this godlie vertue: Among others, the learned Chryſostome therof ſaith: O Repentance, which (the Lord being mercifull) doeſt remit ſinnes, openeſt the gate of Paradice, healeſt the man contrite: makeſt glad the ſorrowfull, recalleſt life from death, reſtoreſt mans eſtate, renueſt honour, giueſt boldnes, reformeſt the vertues, & filleſt man with grace more aboundant! And Cyprian Cyprian: ó poenitētia, quid de te Noutrefe ramus.hath a very excellent praiſe therof: O worthie Repentance, what excellent or ſtrange matter ſhould I report of thee? All things bound vp thou looſeſt: All things looſed, thou ſhutteſt vp: All aduerſe things thou mittigateſt, all contrite things thou healeſt, all things confuſed thou brighteneſt, & all things deſperate thou cheereſt. And this is in deed, that new life, which neceſſarilie followeth that newe birthe, wherof our Lord diſputeth with Nichodemus: Ioh: 3.the which (as the ſame Chryſostome ſaide) is more glittering then golde, brighter then the Sunne,The repentant ſinne not against the holie Ghost. & that which neither ſinne quaileth, nor defection ouercommeth, nor deſperation daunteth. Wee neuer …ead or found, that anie man hath or may fall into …hat damnable ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſt, to whom the Lorde giueth true Repentance, as wee …ightlie define it: for albeeit, that ſinne be not rightly defined, finall impenitencie, but is indeede, that Obſtinate peruicacie or ſtubbornneſſe vntill death,The ſinne-against the holy Ghoſt. Heb. 6 4. & 10.26. by the which a man not by ignorance, nor by infirmitie, nor by feare, nor by an occaſion, but by a certaine determinate malice of minde, is turned away from the doctrine of the Goſpell, and ſo perſiſting, doeth hate and perſecute the knowne trueth of the ſame: yet, becauſe the Lord hath debarred them this noble Grace which ſinne againſt the holy Sptrit, many hauehave ſo defined it, knowing that if the Lord in merciemercy, would grant them true Repentance, they could therewith be remitted & liue. Therefore the Lord hath bene willing that his people ſhould be drawne therto by many perſwaſions & arguments, as by Iſaiah, Waſh you, make you cleane. Let the vngodly man forſake his Own waies, and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations, and turne againe vntounto the Lord. And by his Sonne hee ſaith: Come vntounto mee allye which trauaile & be heauie laden, and I will refreſh you. Theſe, and manie ſuch comfortable wordes, hath the Lorde vſed to them on whom hee is willing to ſhewe merciemercy: and vntounto them onelyonly,Io. 1. & 3. he giueth that peereleſſe vertue, and therwithall grace and power to be made his children in the new birth, and to honour him as thei… beſt Father, in a righteous and honeſt life. And from hēce are rightly gathered theſe generall motiues & cauſes,1…. Motiues to repentance… perſwading men to the eſtimatio… & deſire of this thing: whereof the firſt is the conſideration of our owne condition, being great & daylie tranſgreſſours of the lawe of our heauenl… Father, wherof we ſhould be ſory, and amend our liues. The ſecond, is the remēbrance of the Lords commandement, which commandeth & admoniſheth vsus to repentāce. The third is, the goodnes & long ſuffering of God, who allureth, and daylie and hourelie wayteth for our returne vntounto him. The fourth is, the diuers kindes of Calamities of this life, wherwith (as with a rodde) our heauenly Father humbleth vsus, and aſſayeth to draw vsus vntounto him, whiles we be negligent. Fifthlie, the vncertaintie of our liues: knowing that death is certain, but the time therof vncertaine, neither after death is there place left vsus to repent, therfore we ſhould not delaye nor neglect to take the opportunitie therof. Sixtly, the ſodaine comming of the iudge in the moſt terrible and latter iudgement, againſt impenitent ſinners. Seuenthly, the paine eternall of them which liue and die without repentance. Eightlie, the conſideration of the ſweet comforts & commodities, which follow them which timelie repent. Ninthlie, the examples of them which hauehave returned vntounto the Lord, as Adam, Dauid, the Niniuites, & others, who timely obtained merciemercy, and ſaluation from the Lord, who is ſo willing to forgiue them that returne vntounto him. Tenthly, and laſtly, the fearfull exāples of the impenitent, whō the Lord hath ſhut out frō his louing mercies; as Cayn, Eſau, Saul, Iudas, & Diues in hell; who ſought for merciemercy, but obtained it not. By this we learne what is meant by Plowing and turning vp of the fallowed land, for the ſoueraine Seede.