The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI. A briefe viewe of Impieties Husbandrie, contrarie to the former: and firſt, of the Land and Seede of Impietie.
THat wee may not bee preuented by Sathan, and the guilefulnes of his aſſaults (the deepneſſe of whoſe deuices, is bottomeleſſe, and his lewde purpoſe euer oppoſite to the purpoſe diuine) let vsus not omit to obſerue him, to know his malice: yea, let vsus well marke the nature and manner of his ploughing, ſowing, harrowing, and working in the field of this world: and ſo take heede of him, preuent him, and by our faith in Chriſt, and true labors in the Lord, conquer, ouerthrow, abandon, and caſt him out, as our moſt deadly enemie.
It is certaine, that the Diuell hath a Plough, The Diuel hath his Plough.which is of Impietie: wherewith, howſoeuer hee pretends in ſhewe, his full purpoſe is to deſtroy that which the Lorde God hath built: roote and caſt forth the good Seede from the the Lords land, wherein to ſowe Tares, and to plough for ſinne and vnrighteouſneſſe, that he may reape after the meaſure of tirannie and crueltie on the earth. And ſurely,Why many men ſowe and plough iniquitie. what by meanes of his ſophiſticall argumentes, or for that the waies of Impietie, ſeeme pleaſant to mans eye, and luſtfull to the fleſh: or for that the path of true Pietie is narrowe and painefull to the men of this life, many men, yea mightie men of the worlde, hauehave rather choſen to plough with Impietie, then with Pietie, and therein to ſerue rather to the Diuell, then to God.
Therefore hauehave wee placed here following, a viewe of the diuels husbandrie in the world, oppoſed to the former, as whereby ye might behold and conſider the contrary Image and order of either, with their endes and rewardes. Howbeit, too and for this purpoſe, that ſeeſeeing the good, with the commoditie thereof, ye might louelove and enſue it: and knowing alſo that euill, with the daunger and hurt thereof, ye might warily eſchue it. And this the better to performe, wee may conſider in this impious Georgy, to be abandoned, three general points, as:
1 The Land and the Seed of Impietie.
2 The Plough of Impietie.
3 The Harrow of Impietie.
Although the Diuell goeth about like a ramping and roaring Lyon, euer ſeeking whom hee may deuoure, and eueryevery day catcheth and ſwalloweth vp ſuch as appertaine to his kingdome,The ſubtiltie of the Diuell. and therefore are liable to his power and tyrannie: yet is hee not ſo willing to appeare as hee is, in his owne likeneſſe, beeing as aſhamed of his owne vgly deformitie. But therefore, that hee might as well ſatiſfie himſelfe therein, as beguile others, he muſtreth forth as an Angell of Light: Iſa. 5.and therein endeuoureth to perſwade, that for a vertue, which is a fowle vice: to commend that for good, which is euill: and that for ſweete, which is moſt ſower.
Thus, the Diuel willing to deface the Plough of Pietie, & godly Georgy, would by many ſubtil arguments and ſhifts, enduce men to beleeue that Impieties Plough is the beſt, that the tares ſowen by him in the field, are good corne, that the ſoyle of ſinfulneſſe is the moſt healthſome land, and that to ſow for wickedneſſe, & to reape after the meaſure of cruelty, is farre preferred before that ſowing and reaping which the Lorde God hath preſcribed in his word for his Saints. But this is his guilefull engine to circumuent the ignorant and heedleſſe, to aduance the power of his royaltie, and to blemiſh the glory of the heauenly Saints, as wee ſhall the better ſee and conſider, after that wee hauehave peruſed the particular partes before mentioned: for thereby ſhall the legerdemane of this craftie imitator bee found out, and his practiſes preuented, to the finall confuſion of him and all his vngodly impes.
The Land of Impietie, The Land of Impiety.is not fallowed or well tilled ground of the Lords field: but the vnfallowed, vntilled and rude earth, as that which is barren, naught, and all vnfit for the good ſeede,Gen. 3. and beareth thornes, thiſtles, brambles, & tares, ſuch as naturally ſpring of euill and vncultured fields, all vnprofitable and comberſome to the husbandman This Salomon deſcried in the vineyard of the fooliſh and ſlouthfull man: It was all growne ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the ſtone wall thereof was broken downe: then he addeth:Prou. 24.30.…4. thy pouerty commeth as one that trauaileth by the way, and thy neceſsitie like an armed man. This rightly diſplaieth the malitious heart of olde Adam, which is not apprehenſiue of the things which are of the diuine Spirit, nor is well cultured and prepared for the heauenly Seede, and ſo neither for the fruit of righteouſneſſe. The Seede ſowen therein, is either choked with thornes, or trodden downe of men, or deuoured of birds, or ouer withered with the Sun, and ſo is not fruitfull in good wo…kes, (as the Lord hath taught in the Goſpell) and therefore (as alſo the Apoſtle ſaith) is ſubiect to burning. Of this nature was the heart of curſed Caine, of Saul, of Achitophel, of Iudas, of Simon Magus, of Herod, of the High Prieſts of the Iewes, & ſuch as being hardened, were euer obſtinate, rebellious againſt God, hatefull to Chriſt, his Apoſtles and Miniſters: and finally, left without timely repentance, periſhed in their ſinnes, without mercy, as if it were vnpoſſible they could be renewed into repentance.
The Seede of ImpietieThe Seede of Impiety. caſt into this naughty ground, is neither that ſoueraigne worde of God, nor thoſe heauenly vertues and motions of the Spirit, but the noiſome tares of the enuious: as wicked and vngodly thoughts, ſuggeſtions, imaginations, conceits, ſtudies and endeuours, murthers, thefts, blaſphemies, lies, adulteries, enuie, wrath, pride, gluttony, ſloth, lecherie, couetouſneſſe, and many other like, of which this earth is naturally capable, and whereof ſpringeth nothing elſe, but that (which being of the like nature) is fit for the fire. So ſaith our Sauiour, the wicked man hauing receiued in thoſe Seedes, from that euill treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth that which euill is: for wee may not expect Grapes to ſpring of thornes, nor figges of thiſtles. To this belong thoſe wicked hereſies, ſophiſtries, ſchiſmes, erroneous doctrines, deceiueable opinions, and godleſſe counſailes, broached and divulged in the Church by Antichriſt and his members. Hence alſo is that ſowing of ſeditions and contentions among brethren and neighbours, the ſeedes of Impietie, whereof Salomon ſpake:Prou. 22. the ſowing of vaine winde and wickedneſſe, mentioned by the Prophet Hoſeah: Hoſ. 2. & 10.13. Mat. 13. Gal. 6.8. Plato de voluptate.the ſowing of tares, whereof Chriſt tells, and the ſowing in the fleſh, whereof growes corruption; of the which Saint Paul diſputed. Theſe be euill ſowers, and their ſeede, fits both their hand and the ſoyle, as mali falſis gaudent voluptatibus.