A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 3 · Part 4 · Subpart 13
Professing the Gospel compared to the Plough.
Luke 9.26.
He that puts his hand to the Plow, and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.
HE that puts his hand to the Plough, &c. Our Saviour means, Preaching, owning, or professing the Gospel.
The professing the Gospel may in divers respects be compared to a Plough.
Methapor.
A Plough is an Instrument made fit for the Husband-man, to break up and till his Ground.
II. The Plough cannot break up the Ground of it self; it must be held and drawn, or nothing can be done by it.
III. It is a hard and difficult thing to plow up some Ground, especially that which is rocky, full of Roots, or hath long lain fallow.
IV. The Plough pierces deep into the Earth, makes (as it were) deep Gashes or Wounds in the Heart of it, discovering what sort of Earth it is.
V. The Work of the Pluogh is but Opus ordinabile, a preparative Work in order to sowing the Seed.
VI. It is best Plowing, when the Earth is prepared and mollified by the Showers of Heaven, then the Work goes on sweetly.
VII. The Plough turns up by the Roots, and kills those rank Weeds that grow in the Field.
VIII. That Field is not well plowed up, where the Plough jumps and skips over some part of it, making Baulks; it must turn up all the whole Field alike.
IX. New Ground is much more easily plowed, than that which hath lain a long time untilled.
X. In the last place, and more directly to the main Drift and Scope of the Text, the Plough must be held throughout the whole Journey; a Man must not put his hand to it, and presently grow weary, and look back.
Parallel.
THe Gospel is an Instrument, prepared and made fit by the Almighty, to break or plow up the fallow Ground of our Hearts.Jer. 43. Hos. 10.12
II. The Gospel must be believed and professed by us; we must lay our hand to it, and by the Power of the Spirit it must (as it were) be drawn upon our Hearts, or it can do nothing.
III. So it is a very difficult thing to convince and humble the hard and obdurate Heart of a Sinner, which is compared to a Stone, and as firm as a Rock:Ezek. 36.26. Amos 6.12 Shall Horses run upon the Rocks? Will one plow there with Oxen?
IV. The Gospel pierces the Heart of a Sinner by powerful Convictions:Acts 2.37. When they heard this, they were pricked (foreign, punctim cedo, pungendo penetro, or pierced point-black,) to the Heart. Then the Word divided (as it were) between the Soul and Spirit, laid the Heart open, made a discovery of what was hid within.
V. So the Gospel and Word of God (as a Plough) by its powerful Convictions upon the Conscience, is but a preparative Work,Hos. 10.12, 13. in order to the sowing the Seed of Grace in the Heart.
VI. Never doth the Word of God so kindly work in plowing up the fallow Ground of the Heart, as when the Gospel-Clouds dissolve, and the true Grace and Love of Jesus Christ comes sweetly showering down upon it.
VII. So the Word of God, by its powerful Convictions and Operations upon the Heart, kills Sin at the Root, causing the Soul to loath what it formerly loved.
VIII. That Heart is not savingly wrought upon, where one Lust is spared, and left untouched, or when it reacheth not to the changing the evil Qualities of every Faculty. The Word must no… reach the Conscience only, but the Judgment, Will, and Affections also.
IX. So Youth, before evil Habits, or a Custom and Course of Sin, be taken, and more abundantly cleave to them, are (as 'tis found by experience) sooner wrought upon by the Word of God, than old Sinners, when Sin hath got Root in their Hearts.
X. So the Gospel, and the Profession thereof, must be held, owned, acknowledged, and profess'd, in Truth, and in Uprightness of Heart, constantly, to the end, even through the whole Journey, Length, and Race of our Lives; we must not grow weary, Gal. 6.9.nor faint in our Minds. He that sets his hand to the Plough, (i. e. professes the Gospel) and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Inferences.
THis may convince all Persons, what need there is of the Spirit to join in, and work with the Word: For our Gospel came not to you in Word only, but also in Power, 1 Thess. 1.5and in the Holy-Ghost, and in much Assurance.
2. See that your whole Soul is wrought upon, that there is a Work upon every Faculty thereof.
3. Take heed of a long continuance in a Course of Sin. Let the old Sinner tremble, but if wrought upon in his old Age, admire the infinite Grace of God.
4. From hence you may perceive the hardning Nature of Sin.
5. Tremble at the Thoughts of Apostacy, and take heed you do not shrink your hands off in the Day of Trial, or refuse to plow, because it is cold, or because the Sun shines hot, &c.
Mr. John Flavel's Poem upon the Plough.
THere's Skill in Plowing; that the Plowman, knows:
For if too shallow, or too deep he goes,
The Seed is either buried, or else may
To Crows and Rooks become an easy Prey.
This, as a lively Emblem, fitly may
Describe the Blessed Spirit's Work and Way,
Whose Work on Souls with this doth symbolize;
Betwixt them both thus the Resemblance lies:
Souls are the Soil, the Gospel is the Plow;
God's Workmen hold, the Spirit shews them how.
The Spirit draws, and in good Ground doth bless
His Workmens Pains with sweet and fair Success.
In Hearts prepar'd God scatters in the Seed,
Which in its season springs. No Fowl or Weed
Shall pick it up, or choak this springing Corn,
Till it be housed in the heavenly Barn.
When thus the Word plows up the fallow Ground,
VVhen with such Fruits his Servants VVork is crown'd,
Let all the Friends of Christ, and Souls say now,
As they pass by these Fields, God speed the Plow.