Englands Preservation, Part 4
Second Part. And ſow not among Thornes:
THat a breaking up of the ground muſt goe before a ſowing, and then that a ſowing muſt follow the breaking up, is no queſtion with any judicious man; For as it were a vaine thing to ſow when the ground is not broken up (the ſeed would but be a prey) ſo it were as fooliſh when the ground is broken up, not to ſow (the labour would never prove an harveſt) breaking up of the ground being in it ſelfe only (opus imperfectum & reſpectivum) a worke for another Sowing muſt follow breaking up.worke; And indeed as the Hiſtorian ſpake of the Emperor that he rather wanted vice then was vertuous, ſo it may be ſaid of a perſon and Nation if their Fallow grounds be broken up, and yet be not ſowen, they are rather not wicked, then good, For Negatives (alone) make no eſtate to be gracious; It muſt be ſome poſitive quality which gives perfection and denomination; They ſay well in Philoſophy, that whiles the motion is paſſing from the Terminus a quo It is but in Fieri, and till the terminus ad quem bee attained, it is not in facto eſſe, the worke is but on the way, it is not at the end, nor done: The ſame is a truth in Divinity, for ceſſation from evill is not ſufficient Eſay 1. 16, 17.without an operation of good; to pull downe wickedneſſe is not enough unleſſe we alſo ſet up godlineſſe; Ioſiah did pull downe Idols, but then he did likewiſe reſtore and ſet up the true worſhip of God: And our Saviour did not onelyonly correct the falſe gloſſes wherewith the Phariſees had corrupted the law, Matth. 5. 21, 22, 28, 32, &c.but alſo erected and eſtabliſhed the true ſenſe and genuine Interpretation of it: Iehu to this day lies under the tongue and cenſure of Hypocriſie, notwithſtanding all his zeale againſt Baal and the Prieſts, becauſe after all this, He tooke no care or heed to walke in the Law 2 Kings 10. 27, 28, 31.of the Lord God of Iſrael with all his heart, It is (I think) a true maxime, that all true quarrell with evill, ariſeth from the love of good: and therefore the defacings and diſplacings of the former ought to end in the advancings and ſetlings of the latter; and verily it were a weake deſigne to undoe the one, and yet not to doe the other: becauſe,
1. Morall evills will not be cured, but by contrary qualities: A ſtate (like water though for a time heated, yet will ſlip backe to coldneſſe) will warp about (after a while) to its corruptions, if care be not taken for its perfecting and preſervation too:
2. Againe, though a Nation bee ſomewhat leſſe miſerable, becauſe evill is removed, yet it will not bee happy till good bee planted; you ſhall finde, beſides this, that the ſoule of the publike ſtate will anſwer that of the perſon: To whom as the preſence of (Nocivum) what oppreſſeth him is a burden, ſo the abſence of (Honeſtum as they ſpeake) what is convenient will certainely prove a complaint: Both Religion and nature inſtruct us in this, Religion puts men on for holineſſe, as well as pulls men off from ſinfulneſſe; and nature hath ingrafted in it not onelyonly (Abyſſus) depths of diſtaſts againſt apprehended evills, but alſo (Hiatus) vaſt deſires, for all throughly apprehended good: Neither will it receive ſatisfaction in the one without the other: Yea ordinary policy can diſcerne (in a Common-wealth) as great an aptneſſe to tumult where conveniencie is with held as there is to impatience, where miſery is felt: ſhall I adde one thing more? That in all publike changes and alterations, theſe ever goe in the thoughts of the vulgar (yea of all) Confident expectations that ſome other thing muſt ſucceed in the place of any thing that is removed, (eſpecially in matter of Religion where corruption is diſcerned on all ſides) the ordination and plantation of which, if publike authority doth not take in hand, you ſhall finde that ordinary heades will preſume to doe, the which what confuſion it will make amongſt people, and future difficulties to your ſelves, I leave to your Religious wiſedomes to conſider of.
So then it is evident (de jure) that a ſowing ought to follow the breaking up; But yet any kinde of ſowing is not a ſufficient conſequent, the direction is given in the Text with a Caution, ſow, but ſow not among thornes.
Interpreters abound in their opinions concerning For the ſenſe of the words.theſe thorns: By them Chryſoſtome underſtands Idols (as entangling and piercing as the ſharpeſt of Briars and thornes) Origen and Hierom, by the thornes underſtand covetouſneſſe and the cares of the world (which likewiſe are ſcratching and wounding) others underſtand all our ſinfull corruptions', there are ſpinae in corde, ſaith Bernard, thornes in our hearts, as well as in our Fields: and ſome underſtand by the thorns, mixtures of worſhip crept into the worſhip of God amongſt the Iewes (as Sanctius and others.) But with the favour of all theſe (and yet with ſubmiſſion) I conjecture that theſe words (Sow not among Thornes) are a proverbiall ſpeech, and ſuggeſt onelyonly this unto us, That as the Iewes were to breake downe what was evill in themſelves and the Church and State, ſo they were to ſet upon the doing of all good in private and publike, In ſuch a manner and order, as that their pains and endeavours might not come to nothing, but might prove effectuall and ſucceſſefull, be to ſome good purpoſe indeed, &c. As an Husbandman who ſowes, will ſo ſow that hee may reape, and not looſe his ſeed and labour, and therefore will not ſow among Thornes; For this were an improper worke, and would prove (in the event) utterly unprofitable: It is a thouſand to one if ever his ſeed comes up (for Thorns have a ſtealing, withdrawing, and fruſtrating quality) or if it doth come up, yet it will be loſt, it cannot be gathered, there is no comming at it with ſithe or ſickle; Thornes have an hindering malignity, as well as a ſtifling power: From this expoſition, I obſerve onelyonly this propoſition, Namely.
Doct. 2 That all penitentiall and reforming worke must bee ſo managed and acted that it may not prove a vaine and fruitleſſe worke, but may come to be a ſucceſſefull and profitable work: It muſt not be a ſowing among Thorns, but ſuch a ſowing which may in the iſſue produce an harveſt: for as good never a whit, as never the better.
You read (in Scripture) of many Sowers.
1. The evill man did ſow Tares; wee have had (of Foure ſorts of ſowers.late) many ſuch Sowers, not onelyonly profeſſed Prieſts and Jeſuites, but ſome alſo amongſt ourſelves who have ſowen Popiſh, Arminian, Socinian, and ſuperſtitious Tares.
2. The cunning man, and he ſowes diviſions and diſſentions; There have been (and ſtill are) too many who ſow diviſion twixt the King and the Parliament, twixt Miniſters and Miniſters, twixt Miniſters and people, twixt people and people.
3. The fooliſh man, and hee ſowes hee cares not what (in reſpect of the ſeed) nor where (in reſpect of the ſoyle) nor when (in reſpect of the time,) and ſo all is loſt and comes to nothing.
4. The wiſe man, who in his ſowing lookes to the ſeed that it bee good and cleane; and to the ſoyle that it bee prepared and right; and to the ſeaſon that it bee fit, upon which (through Gods bleſſing) the ſeed ſowen takes roote, proſpers, and proves an harveſt.
Of this I now ſpeake in the propoſition, which whither you limit it to a Repentance, that is perſonall, or extend it to a Reformation that is Nationall holds true in both, and the Text will beare both: The one and the other muſt bee ſo diſperſed, that it may not prove vaine and loſt, but effectuall and ſucceſſefull.
Sirs! Though penitentiall workes rightly done are never without ſucceſſe and bleſſing, yet pretendingly penitentiall agents may ſo carry on theſe works (materially good) that they may never prove formally and eventually good or beneficiall: and therefore you read in Scripture, that many prayings, and faſtings, and ſolemne meetings, and teares, and other doings have found no acceptation with God, nor wrought any ſubjective alterations in perſons, nor change from miſery to mercy in a Nation; read the Prophets concerning the Jewes, and that will be teſtimony ſufficient.
In ſixe caſes they prove (in the event) to bee nothing, but onelyonly a ſowing amongſt thornes.
1. When they are but externall, not acted by any inward principles, the effects rather of art and parts then of the heart and grace: Shels, not kernells, teares of the eyes, but not teares of the heart, prayers of the lips, but not of the ſoule: Shadowes and pageants of Repentance, ſeeming to bee ſo to the eye of man, but not heart-workings which onelyonly are interpreted to be true and ſolid to the eye of God:
The Swanne in the Law was white in fethers yet reputed uncleane and unmeet for ſacrifice becauſe the skinne (under them) was black: Religious workings (you know) ſtand in Gods account according to the quality of the worke-man; the heart of whom is all in all for acceptance or rejection; God reputes nothing done, which the heart doth not: Art may take man more than nature; but with God, the more art, the leſſe acceptance: A painted Repentance (which is onelyonly externall) will doe our ſelves and the Nation as much good as a painted ſword, as a painted ſtaffe, and as painted Fire; That will not cut, this will not helpe, the other will not heate, no more will a meerely externall Repentance prevent any judgements or obtaine any mercies.
2. When they are but partiall: A putting down of ſome ſinnes, and a keeping up of other ſinnes, will bee as vaine, as to cure the Palſey and yet to neglect the plague, or as to mend the pumpe and yet to neglect the leake; Iehu's Golden Calves made an end of him, though hee made an end of Baals Images and Prieſts; And ſo in the doing of good, it will come to nothing, though ſome good bee done and yet the beſt good is neglected; The Phariſees did many acts of Righteouſneſſe, but loſt them, and themſelves, becauſe they oppoſed and rejected Chriſt who was the chiefeſt and only Righteouſneſſe.
There is (beloved) ſuch a naturall concatenation twixt all vices (and ſo there is amongſt vertues) That they (in a formall working) ever include an univerſall hatred, or an univerſall love: No man can be interpreted good, who is at defiance with any knowne particular good, nor doth hee ceaſe to bee wicked, who doth not hate and oppoſe every knowne evill: particular and excluſive actings in the one and in the other ſerve onelyonly to the diſacceptance of the workes, and to the greater condemnation of the perſons.
Though Imbecility ſhall never bee any prejudice to our works, yet ſubtiltie and partialitie ſhall.
3. When they are but circumſtantiall: though a multitude of leſſer evills bee cruſhed, if yet the greater are ſpared to ſurvive, This Reformation will prove like Sauls diſcretion with the Amalekites, Read, Ier. 48. 10.who ſpared the fatteſt and deſtroyed the pooreſt, but he loſt the kingdome by it.
Circumſtantiall reformations (I grant) are more eaſie and quicke, but thoſe which are moſt deepe, are ever moſt ſafe: a Cloath will ſtoppe up the wound as ſoone (and perhaps ſooner) then the plaiſter, but the plaiſter (which ſearcheth to the quicke) heales much better: If the Tree bee ſtarke naught (and good for no ſervice,) It is bettter to cut it downe to the Roote, then to hire men many dayes to out off the limbes.
There are three great miſchiefes in all circumſtantiall and ſlight acts. One is, The greateſt cauſes of wrath are not met with.
Note. A ſecond is, in a ſhort time all the plaſhed evills will (by a new influence from their rootes) ſprout up againe.
And the third is, That when theſe evils once feele their ſtrength and regaine their opportunity, they will become more evill and miſchievous then ever: Hiſtories and experiences witneſſe enough of this Popery was hot in former Kings times, but when it got out the bit by the death of Edward the ſixth, it burſt out with more burnings and flaming cruelty in Queen Maries dayes.
4. When they are only Coactive: I meane ſuch actings unto which there is little or no concurrence of a judicious and active will, but are rather the ſparkles which are forced out by the colliſion of flints, elicited rather by the impreſſions of appearing and urging evills: like Pharahos Obedience which was forced out of judgements, and nothing elſe.
Marriners in a ſtorme are very pious, but then in a Calme turne as wicked as before: the Iewes in their ſtraites were as pliable as could bee deſired, they would part with any thing, and do any thing for God, but when the Sunne aroſe, this vaine Cloud and dew were gone and ſcatterd; If a Cloud of wrath bee it which puts us on to be and to do good, a few beames Hoſea 6. 4.of temporall ſafety will finde us flat, and ſtrangers againe; The Acts of men doe ſpring ſometimes from feare, and ſometimes from love, thoſe of feare may bee more ſtrong and ſtirring for the preſent, (like a floud which runnes more violently then a River) but thoſe of love are moſt acceptable and conſtant: voluntary acts though ſometimes more ſlow, yet are at all times more ſucceſſefull: Iohn (in the Goſpell) ranne faſter then Peter, yet being at the Sepulcher, Peter went farther then Iohn, Iohn lookes downe, but Peter goes downe, an Arrow flies ſwifter, and a man walkes ſlower, yet a man may ſooner walke to the marke then the Arrow can hit it; Sirs! No private or publike work of Reformation will come to good, which is derived onelyonly from a feare of evill, and not from a love of good, when the circumſtances of evill are of, the evill heart will ſhew it ſelfe evill again.
5. When they are hypocriticall and vaine-glorious; done by our ſelves, and for our ſelves; It is a ſtrange thing to obſerve how the ſpirits of men are ballanced and mounted and keepe paralell with the ends which they propound unto themſelves! The Art and ſtrength and length of our workings are ever moulded in our owne aimes and reſpects: One man acts for God, another acts for himſelfe; the workes of the one are bleſt and proſper, the attempts of the other quickly languiſh and are blaſted; As vitious acts are under GODS curſe, ſo vaine-glorious acts are out of his bleſſing: Sinceritie, humble ſinceritie is that which gives life, findes acceptance, and is crowned with ſucceſſe.
If a man in his religious performances of praying and faſting, and humbling of himſelfe, ſhould ſeeke not God but himſelfe, as the Phariſees did, his vaine glory would purchaſe onelyonly the applauſe of men and rejection with God; all his workes will bee loſt and come to nothing: Verily you have your reward ſaid Chriſt: a poore reward to have breath for breath! And ſo in publike attempts if you ſhould not entirely ſeeke God, His Glory, His Truth, His Worſhip, but your ſelves, your worke will never proſper, It will reſt onelyonly on your owne parts to act it, and on your own ſtrength to conſummate and perfect it, and what bleſſed iſſue can bee expected where weak man is left alone to bee the Author and finiſher of great actions?
6. Laſtly, when they are fickle and inconſtant; begun (perhaps) with ſome fervency, but then laid aſide by as much tepidity: An aguiſh zeale, hot in attempting, but cold in effecting; One day to act like penitents, and the next day to live like ſinners, one while humbling and praying, and after a while curſing and ſwearing: Sometimes offering all our ſervice and ſtrength for CHRIST and Religion, and See Hoſea 6. 1, 4.ſuddenly intent only to our owne delights and wayes, forgetting (like them who are much in complements) all our zeale and profeſſions: What a vanity will this prove? What harveſt will inſue when the Husbandman will one houre ſow an handfull of ſeed, and a weeke after goe home and do nothing?
It is obſerved in Nature, that many remiſſe acts (which have no proportion to effects) and ſome ſtrong acts ſoone remitted, will equally come to nothing: If there be to weake a ſtrength in the root, or if all the ſtrength ſhootes out at once, little or no fruit will follow: yet this deceit cleaves much to mans heart that it wil either be conſtantly bad, or elſe inconſtantly good: It hath ſome degrees of heate to begin, but wants that prudence of patient endeavour and comming to finiſh and perfect: like him in the Goſpel who began to build, but did not make an end: Whereupon reſults a vanity and ſucceſſeleſneſſe to our workes; the ripeneſſe of which is betrayd many times more by our owne remiſſeneſſe, then by others oppoſitions: they ſticke and dye in the birth, becauſe wee continue not in our ſtrength, to helpe and bring them forth.
I ſee that the time and your wearied patience call upon mee to haſten and finiſh: Give mee leave to make ſome uſefull application of all this, and then I have done; the application ſhall bee in this as in the former part a word.
Firſt, To all of us, and then,
Secondly, To you of great employment and publike ſervice.