Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 10
Miniſters compared to Planters.
1 Cor. 3.6. I have planted, and Apollo watered, &c.
Verſe 8. Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one.
GOD is the chief ſpiritual Planter, Iſa. 5.7. & 60.21. & 61.3. Mat. 15.13. None but he can implant a Principle of Grace in the Sinner's Heart; 'tis his proper Work to take us out of the old Stock and Root, and plant us into the new. But foraſmuch as theſe Things are aſſerted by the Preaching of the Word, Miniſters are called Planters: I have planted, &c.1 Cor. 3.6 They are but under or ſubordinate Planters and Waterers, to foreign, him that gives the Increaſe, viz. Jehovah.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| A Skilful Planter is a curious Artiſt, one that knows the Nature of Trees, Plants, and Seeds. He is skilled in Setting, Ingrafting, Innoculation, or Grafting with the Scucheon, as they call it, &c. | SO an experienced and able Miniſter of the Goſpel is a very skilful Perſon, one that hath knowledg of great Myſteries, both of Nature and Grace: He knows the State of Man in the firſt Adam, that old Stock; and alſo the Nature of Planting, or Grafting into Jeſus Chriſt, how and which way it is, and muſt be done. |
| II. A Planter hath fit Tools or Inſtruments to do his Work withal, viz. a Spade, a Knife, &c. without which he can do nothing. | II. So Miniſters of Chriſt have fit Inſtruments to work with, viz. the Goſpel, which is called the engrafted Word, i. e an Inſtrument or Means by which Souls are planted, or grafted into Chriſt, by the help of the Holy-Ghoſt, without which they can do nothing. |
| III. A Planter knows, that until the Ground he is to plant, be dug up, and well prepared, 'tis not meet to be ſowed or planted. | III. So Miniſters know, unleſs the Hearts of Sinners are dug by the powerful Convictions of the Word and Spirit of God, they are not fit to receive the Seed of Grace, nor to be planted in God's Vineyard. |
| IV. Planters, as Naturaliſts obſerve, find by experience, that a wild ungrafted Tree never bears good Fruit, nor can, till it be removed out of its natural Soil, into a good Soil, and grafted with a better Kind. The Root that bears this wild Fruit is a degenerate Root, and that is the Cauſe the Fruit is ſo unpleaſant, ſowre, and naught. | IV. So Miniſters alſo know, that unregenerate Men, who grow upon the natural Root of old Adam, unleſs they are removed, and planted into Jeſus Chriſt, cannot bring forth acceptable Fruit to God; until removed by the Power of the Word and Spirit, and tranſplanted into Jeſus Chriſt by a lively Faith. Mankind naturally are the Off-ſpring of a corrupt and degenerate Root, viz. the firſt Adam; for as is the Root and Tree, ſuch are the Branches, and the Fruit thereof: A corrupt Tree cannot bring good Fruit. Mat. 7.18. |
| V. A Planter, who hath Skill in Grafting, knows the Stock muſt be cut off, before the Sienes (as ſome call them, or after Pliny, Sions) be grafted in. | V. So a Miniſter knows, that until the new Stock, viz. Jeſus Chriſt, was cut off, that is to ſay, crucified, no Men, as ſpiritual Syenes, can be grafted into him by a lively Faith: Tho there is in this a great Diſparity (as applied to Miniſters) for Planters cut off or cleave the Stock themſelves, before they graft the Siene; but Chriſt was cut off by another hand. |
| VI. A Planter knows, a Twig that is to be grafted, or a Bud inoculated, muſt firſt be cut off with a Knife that is keen or ſharp, or an Inſtrument, from the Tree on which it naturally grew: And when the Grafts are cut off, in order to this Work, 'tis a critical Seaſon with them (ſaith worthy Mr. Flavel) if they lie too long before they are engrafted, or take not with the Stock, they die, and are never more recovered; they may ſtand in the Stock a while, but are no part of the Tree. | VI. So a Miniſter knows, before a Soul can be grafted into Chriſt, he muſt be cut off of the old Stock, viz. old Adam, and taken off of his own Righteouſneſs. The firſt Work upon a Chriſtian is cutting Work: They were cut or pricked in their Hearts,Acts 2.37. Heb. 4. while Peter preached to them. The Word of God is ſharper than a two-edged Sword. As no Siene is engrafted without cutting; ſo no Soul is united to Chriſt,Joh. 16.8, 9. without a true and cutting Senſe of Sin, and of its own Miſery. And when Souls are under a Work of Converſion, 'tis a critical Time with them; many have miſcarried then, and never recovered again: They have indeed for a time remained like dead Grafts in the Stock, by an external, lifeleſs Profeſſion, but never come to any thing; for ſuch dead Grafts in a little time fall off from the Stock, Chriſt, and periſh. But this I muſt needs ſay, it is principally for want of being quite cut off, or becauſe they were never throughly cut or wounded at Heart; Convictions upon their Hearts were never deep enough, or not kind Convictions, rather Legal than Evangelical; they were not cut by a fit Inſtrument, &c. |
| VII. A Planter, when Grafts are cut off, and prepared to be engrafted, makes all convenient ſpeed he can to cloſe them with the new Stock; the ſooner (ſaith one) that is done, the better. The Graft is intimately united, and cloſely conjoined with the Stock; the Conjunction is ſo cloſe, that they become one Tree. | VII. So a Miniſter, when he ſees poor Sinners are fitted, and every way prepared by powerful Convictions, ought to make what ſpeed he can to apply the Plaiſter, and direct them to a Cloſure with Chriſt, that is to ſay,Act. 16.30, 31. to believe on the Lord Jeſus. And when this is done, there is an intimate Union betwixt Chriſt and the Souls that believe in him: He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit. 'Tis the neareſt, cloſeſt, and ſtricteſt Union; they are ſo glewed one to the other, ſo that look as the Graft is really in the Stock, and the Sap of the Stock is really in the Graft: So a Believer is really, tho myſtically, in Chriſt, and the Spirit of Chriſt is communicated to a Believer: He that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God. 1 Joh. 4 16 And as the Graft is bound to the Stock ſo ſteadily, that the Wind cannot loſe it; ſo the believing Soul is faſtened to Chriſt by ſuch Bonds,Flavel. as will ſecure it from all danger of being looſed from him any more. This doth the Soul's Ʋnion with Jeſus ſhow, And where and how theſe heavenly Plants do grow. |
| VIII. A Planter ſometimes plants a whole Vineyard, with the help and aſſiſtance he hath from others. | VIII. So a painful Miniſter may, nay, and has planted a whole Church by the help and aſſiſtance of the Spirit of God, yea, ſeveral Churches, as St. Paul, and others we read of, &c. |
| IX. A Planter's Work (like other Labourers) is very hard; they ofttimes ſweat at it, ſpend and waſte themſelves; they find ſome Ground very rocky, and difficult to dig up, and to manure. | IX. So is the Miniſter's Work a very hard and laborious Work; no Digger nor Planter works harder, or takes more pains, than ſome faithful Planters, or Preachers of the Goſpel; they frequently ſweat at their Work (as we have elſewhere ſhewed) and by their Study and great Labour, waſte their frail Bodies. Some Sinners have rocky Hearts. |
| X. A Planter doth not only plant, but alſo water his Plants, that they may grow and thrive the better. | X. So godly Miniſters do not only preach, whereby Souls are planted by the heavenly Doctrine; but alſo pray for Encreaſe, whereby their Plants are watered: I have planted, and Apollo watered. What Paul plants, Apollo comes after and waters with his Doctrine, that dropp'd like Dew. Neither is he that planteth, any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the Encreaſe. |
| XI. He that plants a Vineyard with his own Labour, ought to be allowed to eat of the Fruit thereof; and it would be accounted a ſtrange thing, ſhould he be denied it. | XI. So a faithful Miniſter, or ſpiritual Planter, ought to eat of the Fruit of that Church or Vineyard he hath planted, or doth keep, prune, and manure; that is to ſay, to be fed and comfortably maintained by them. Who goeth a Warfare at his own Charge at any time? Who planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not of the Fruit thereof? 1 Cor. 9.7 Or who feedeth a Flock, and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock? Say I theſe things as a Man, or ſaith the Law the ſame alſo? &c. If we have ſowed unto you ſpiritual Things, is it a great thing we ſhould reap your carnal Things? [Read Labourer.] |
| XII. Planters greatly rejoyce to ſee their Plants thrive and grow, and their Labour proſper. | XII. So Miniſters rejoyce to ſee Saints or ſpiritual Plants grow and thrive in Grace, and true Holineſs: I have no greater Joy, than to ſee my Father's Children walk in the Truth. |
| XIII. Planters do not only take delight in planting, in the Spring, and other fit Seaſons; but do alſo take care of the Plants at ſuch times when it is Winter, leſt the Froſt and Cold ſhould ſpoil their Growth. | XIII. So ſpiritual Planters, Chriſt's faithful Miniſters, do not only take delight to labour in Chriſt's Vineyard, to plant and graft when the Sun or Spring-Seaſon of Providence ſhines upon them, but endure the ſharpeſt Storms of Perſecution, in the taking care of thoſe tender Plants, who by reaſon of the ſharpeſt Winter, may be in greateſt Danger. |
| XIV. Planters have been, and are greatly inſtrumental for the Benefit and Advantage of the Place or Country where they dwell, by the Vineyards, Orchards, and Gardens they have planted. | XIV. So Miniſters have been, and are great Inſtruments of much Good and Benefit to the Place or Country where God hath bleſt their Labours, by planting Churches, who have ſent forth ſuch Fruit, that many thereby have been made fruitful in Grace and Holineſs. What ſpiritual Profit have theſe after-Ages reaped by the Labours of thoſe that were at firſt, and thoſe that followed after, as Planters in God's Vineyard! of which the holy Scripture, and other Hiſtories give a full Account. So that Word is fulfilled, Others have laboured, and you are entred into their Labours; i. e. We reap the Benefit of thoſe that were Planters before us, as others may reap the Benefit of the Labours of ſuch as are now entered into the ſame Work, that the Generation that is to come may praiſe the Lord. |
Inferences.
WHat Grace and Glory is this, O Saint, that God hath conferred on thee, in taking thee out of that wild, dead, and barren Stock, and planting thee into that precious, living, and fruitful One, Chriſt Jeſus! Canſt thou enough admire and prize this Grace and Favour!
II. It ſhews what wonderful Union, and bleſſed Nearneſs there is between Chriſt and every ſincere Chriſtian!
III. It ſhews us, that all our good Fruit is from Jeſus Chriſt, and by means of that bleſſed, myſterious, and glorious Union with him.
IV. Miniſters ought to be Men of Wiſdom, ſuch as are faithful, able, and willing to labour, Men that are not idle.
V. It reproves not only ſuch Saints, that take up with the Name of Plants in God's Vineyard, and bring not forth Fruit; but alſo Churches, that ſee not, or will not ſee, nor learn their Duty to their painful and faithful Miniſters.
VI. It ſhews the Folly and Madneſs of all thoſe that go about to hinder or ſpoil the Work of thoſe ſpiritual Planters, God's Miniſters: For what would Men think of ſuch, that ſhould ſuffer none to plant, nor any Plant or Tree to grow, nay, deſtroy (in as much as in them lieth) all the Vineyards, Orchards, and Gardens in the Place or Country where they dwell? Such like Work do all thoſe that perſecute God's faithful Miniſters and People.