The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. The ſeuenth part of the Soole, is the broad Hale.
THe ſixt member of the ſpiritual Soole, Conuerſion of mind.is called Stiua, and engliſhed the Handle, or Hale, on the which the Plough-man holding his hand by winding and wilding the ſame, turneth the Soole, and correcteth the worke, comparable therein to the Mariner, who holding the Helme of his Shippe, turneth about the ſame, and correcteth the errour of his courſe at his pleaſure. And of this (as hauing a double vſe) there be two ſorts, as whereon either hand of the Plough-man might leane for the better framing of the worke. The one is called the Broad handle, the other the Round-handle: to the former is faſtened that which is called the Ground-riſe, by the which the furrow is caſt vp and fully perfected: and this noteth the Conuerſion of the minde: as the other the correction of the action: both the which are no leſſe neceſſarie, then the turning of the turfes, and amendement of the faults. For the turfe being thereby looſed from the ground, muſt bee altred, as that which was before downeward, turned vpward, and that which was vpward turned downe. Againe, by this kind of correction, that which was old, muſt be renewed, and the ſpinie turſe changed into a gentle ſoyle. But firſt of the former.
By this is meant the altring of the affection, and the conuerſion of the minde. It is well knowne, that the mind in his right nature is the ſame by whoſe light all inferiour vertues are directed and gouerned, and by the which (beeing well qualified) a man is made able to iudge betweene truth and falſhood, good and euill. But without this (as deuoide of reaſon, which hath her ſeate in the minde) a man is comparable to the periſhing beaſt. Here was it where the Lord imprinted the image of his nature, and happy had bin our condition, had not that ſoueraigne image bene taken from ſinful man. But (as ſaith the Wiſe man) Man ſought out many inuentions: yea, the Serpent as a venemous Salamander infected this part of mans ſoule, which being therby as the roote of a tree poiſoned, could thenceforth naturally yeeld no wholeſome fruit.Iſa. …7.…0 Rom. 1.18 Thus man hauing his minde ſurcharged in moſt pittifull wiſe, fel out of his wit, as one caſt into a lewd minde, in the vanity whereof he walked, hauing his cogitation darkened, and became a ſtranger from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in him. But ſeeing the Lorde is willing man ſhould be reſtored and brought home, he giueth him by his ſpirite, an alteration of mind, being chaunged from euill to good: from the diuell to God. And this God chiefly required in that word of the wiſe man; My ſonne, giuegive me thine heart: for hauing thine heart, I ſhall eaſily hauehave thy body alſo.Mans hart and mans minde. We may here note, that the minde, and the heart of man, doe often ſignifie one and the ſame thing in the Scripture, as the fountaine or roote of all his cogitations, words, actions and endeuours. Adam had turned his minde or heart from God, when he liſtned to his wife, and turned to the Serpent: but then he began to turne againe, when hee ackowledged his ſinne, and ſought to the Lorde for merciemercy. The Iſraelites in the Wilderneſſe had forgotten God that made them: but then they began to remember him, and to chaunge their mindes, when they began to repent. So the Iewes captiued in Babylon for their auerſion & forgetfulnes of God,Pſal. 137. began at length to turne towardes him, and remember Sion. Thus alſo Manaſſes, and Dauid, and Salomon, and Peter, and Paul, turned from their former wicked liues, wherein they had offended the Maieſtie of God, and came home againe, humbly acknowledging their errours. And this is that which our Sauiour teacheth in the comming home of the loſt Sonne to his Faher, againſt whom he had ſinned, being now of another minde and conſtitution then he was when hee went from home. Saint Paul perceiuing not only the praiſe but the profit of this good alteration, deſired the Romans by the tender mercies of God, to be changed by the renewing of their mindes. Rom. 12.2 1.And S. Peter Pet. 4.1put for our example Chriſt Ieſus, to whom hee would wee ſhould in minde bee conformed.Ier. 31. And this the Prophet vnderſtoode in the perſon of the children of Ephraim, who had beene eſtranged from Gods grace, and now deſired to bee reclaimed and receiued into fauour againe, ſaying: Conuert thou me, and I ſhall be conuerted, for thou art the Lord my God. But Dauid, Wee neede new harts.to ſhew the manner of this action, deſired God to create in him a new heart, and renew the right ſpirit within him. Where note, that this worke muſt bee framed not of any thing in our ſelues, but another heart is to be created, that is, not made or framed of that older heart, but created, that is, of nothing by a new worke: for the word to create, is to make ſomething (not, ex praeiacente materia, but) of nothing. For ſo indeed need we to hauehave new made hearts, that the holy Spirit may againe be renewed to vsus in the ſame. For it is certaine, that wee hauehave turned away from the Lord, with the Prodigall Sonne, and louing darkneſſe more then light, hauehave thought the pleaſures of ſinne for the time, better then the diuine graces which laſt for euer: wherein wee muſt confeſſe with Dauid & Daniel, that we hauehave egregiouſly erred, tranſgreſſed, and offended againſt God and the Angells. But now wee are better reſolued, and thinking more reuerently of the Lord in goodnes, are by this, readie to renew our former louelove, and turning our hearts againe vntounto our God, doe endeuour to ſerue him in ſingleneſſe of minde. This is that which the Prophet Ioel would perſwade, when hee ſaith; Rent your hearts and not you garments, Ioel. 2.13.and turne to the Lord your God. Loe this is that firſt Plough-handle, and ſuch is the true vſe thereof. Now let vsus conſider of the ſecond.