Upon the plowing of corn-land,
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, With your own souls; and let it make you fear Left that's your cafe that is deſcribed here.
This is the beſt improvementyou can make Of fuch bad ground; good foul, I pray thee take
Some pains about them; though they barren be, Thou ſeeſt how they may yield ſweet fruits to thee.
CHAP.
VII.
Upon the plowing of Corn-land.
The plowman guides his plow with care andskill :
So doth the Spirit infound conviction Aill.
OBSERVATION.
IT requires not only ſtrength, batmuch killand judgment, to manage and guide the plow. The Hebrew word whichwe tanflate to plow, fignifies tobe intent, as an artificer
is about fome curious piece of work.
The plow muſt neither go too fhallow, nor toodeep inthe earth; itmust not indent the ground, bymaking crooked furrows, nor leap, and make baulks in good ground; but be guided as to a juſt depth of earth, fotocaft the furrow in a straight line, that the floor or furface ofthe field may be madeplain, as it is Iſa. xxxviii. 25.
And hence that expreffion, Luke ix. 62. " He that puts his " hand tothe plow, and looksback, is not fit for the kingdom
" of heaven."
The meaning is, that as he that plows muſt have his eyes always forward, to guide and direct his hand in cafting the furrows ſtraight and even; (for his handwill be quickly outwhenhis eye is off;) fo he thatheartily refolves for heaven, muſt addict himself wholly and intently, to the bufineſs of religion, and not have his mind entangled with the things of this world, which he hath left behind him ; whereby itappears, that the right management of the plowrequires as much ſkill as ſtrength.
APPLICATION.
THIS obfervation in nature, ferves excellently to ſhadow forth this propoſition indivinity; that the work of the Spirit in convincing and humbling the heart of a finner, is a work wherein much ofthe wisdom, as well as power ofGod, is diſcovered.
The work of repentance, and ſaving contriti on, is fet forth in fcriptureby this metaphorofplowing *, Jer .
*Gloffius Rhet . Sacra, p. 300.
TheHeavenly Use of EarthlyThings.
iv. 3.Hof.x. 12. " Plow up your fallow ground;" that is, be convinced,humbled, and broken-hearted for fin. And the reſemblance betwixt both theſe works, appears in the following particulars.
(1.) It is ahard and difficult work to plow, itis reckoned one of the painfullest manual labours; it is alſo a very hard thing toconvince sad humble theheart of a ſecure, ſtout, andproud ſinner, indutate in wickedneſs.
What Luther faith of adejectedfoul, Thatit is as eaſy to raiſe thedead, as tocomfort ſuch a one.'
The ſame Imay ſay of the ſecure, confident finner ; itis as eaſy torend the rocks, as towork ſaving contrition upon fuch a heart, Citius expumice aquam ; all the melting language, and earneſt intreaties of the goſpel, cannoturge ſuch a heart to ſhed a tear: Therefore it is called a heart ofstone, Ezek. xxxvi.
26. a firm rock, Amos vi. 12. " Shall horfes run upon the rock ?
" Will one plow there with oxen ?" Yet when the Lord comes inthe powerof his Spirit, theſe rocks do rend, and yield to the power of the word.
(2.) The plow pierces deep into the boſom of the earth, makes (as it were) adeep gaſh, or wound, in the heart of it.
So doth the Spirituponthe hearts of ſinners, he pierces their very fouls by conviction.
Acts ii. 37. " When they heard this
It they were pricked, (or * pierced pointblank) to the heart.
" Then the word divides the foul and ſpirit," Heb. iv. 12 . comesupon the confciencewith ſuch piercingdilemmas, and tilts the ſwordof conviction ſodeep into their fouls, that there is no ſtanching the blood, no healing thiswound, till Chrift himself come, and undertake the cure.
Haeret lateri lethalis arundo ; this barbed arrow cannot be pulled out of their hearts by any, but the hand that ſhot it in.
Diſcourſe with fuch a foul about his troubles, and he will tell you, that all the forrows that everhe had in this world, loss of eſtate, health, children, or whatever elſe, are but flea-bitings to this; this ſwallows up all other troubles. See how that Chriſtian Niobe, Luke vii . 38. is diffolved into tears ; " Now deep calleth untodeep
66 atthe noiſe of his water-ſpouts, when the waves and billows " ofGod go over the foul." Spiritual forrows are deep waters, in which the ſtouteſt, and moſt magnanimous foul would fink and drown, did notJeſus Chriſt, by a fecret and ſupporting hand, hold it up, and preſerve it.
(3.) The plow rends the earth inparts andpieces, which before was united, and makes thoſe parts hang looſe, which forI 2
* Κατενυγησανῥunctim cedo,pungendopenetro.
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, merlylay cloſe. Thus doth the Spirit ofconviction rend afunder the heart, and its moſtbeloved luſts.Joel ii. 13." Rentyour
" hearts, and not your garments :"
That is, rather than your garments ; for the ſenſe is comparative, though the expreſſionbe negative. Andthis renting implies notonlyacute pain, fleſh cannot be rent aſunder without anguiſh, noryet only forceandviolence; the heart is a ſtubborn, and knotty piece, andwill not eaſily yield ; but italſo implies adiſunion ofparts united: As when a garment, or the earth, or any contiguous body is rent, thoſe parts are ſeparated which formerlycleaved together.
Sin and the ſoul were glewed faſt together before, therewas no parting of them, they would as foon part with their lives, as with their lufts; but now when the heart is rent from them truly, it is alſo rent from them everlastingly, Ezek. vii. 15, to 19.
(4.) The plow turns up, anddiſcovers ſuch things as lay hid intheboſom ofthe earth before, and were covered under a fair green ſurface, from the eyes of men.
Thus when the Lord plows uptheheart ofa finner byconviction, then the fecrets of hisheart are made manifeſt, 2 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. the moſt ſecret and ſhameful ſins will then out; for " the word ofGod is quick
" and powerful, ſharper than any two-edged ſword, piercing " even to the dividing of the foul and ſpirit, the joints and " marrow, and is adifcerner of the thoughts and fecret intents
" oftheheart," Heb. iv. 12.
It makes the fire burn inwardly, ſo that the foulhath noreſt tillconfeffion give a ventto trouble.
Fainwould the ſhuffling finner conceal and hide his ſhame, but the word follows him through all his ſinful ſhifts, and brings him at laſt tobe his own, both accuſer, witneſs, andjudge.
(5.)The work of the plow is but opus ordinabile, a preparative work in order to fruit.
Should the husbandman plow his groundever ſo often, yet ifthe feedbe not caſt in, and quickened, invain isthe harvest expected.
Thus conviction alſo is but a preparative to a farther work uponthe foul of a finner ; ifit ſtick there, and go no farther, it proves but an abortive, or untimelybirth : Many have gone thus far, and there they have ſtuck ; they have been like a field plowed, but not fowed,which isa matter of trembling confideration; for hereby their fin is greatly aggravated, and their eternal miſery ſo much the more increaſed. O when a poor damned creature ſhall with horror reflect upon himself in hell, How near was I once, under ſuch
-afermon, toconverſion! my fins were fet in order before me, my confcience awakened, and terrified me with the guilt of them ; any purpoſes and reſolves Ihad then toturn toGod, which,
TheHeavenlyUse ofEarthly Things.
had theybeen perfected byanſwerable executions, I had never come to this placeof torment; butthere Iſtuck, and thatwas myeternalundoing. Many fouls have Iknown ſo terrifiedwith the guilt of fin, that theyhave come roaring under horrors of confciencetothepreacher; fothatonewould thinkſuchabreach, hadbeen made betwixt them andfin, as couldneverbe reconciled; andyet as angry as they were inthat fit with fin, they have hugged and embraced it again.
(6.) It isbeſt plowingwhentheearth is prepared, and mollified bytheſhowersofrain; thentheworkgoes on ſweetlyand easily, and never doth the heart ſo kindly melt, as when the goſpelcloudsdiſſolve, andthe free grace, and love ofJefus Chrift comes fweetly ſhoweringdownupon it; then itrelents, andmourns ingenuously, Ezek. xvi. 63. " That thou mayeft remember, and " be confounded, and never openthymouth anymore, becauſe
" of thy ſhame, whenI am pacified towards thee for all that " thou hast done."
So itwas with that poor penitent, Luke vii.38. when the LordJesus had discovered to her the fuperabounding riches of his grace, inthe pardon of her manifold abominations, her heart melted within her, ſhe waſhed the feet of Christ with tears. Andindeed, thereis as much difference betwixt the tears which are forced by the terrors of the law, and thoſe which are extracted by thegraceofthe goſpel, as there isbetwixt thoſe ofacondemned malefactor, who weeps to conſiderthe miſeryheis under, and thoſe ofa pardoned malefactor, that receives his pardon at the foot of the ladder, and is melted by the mercy and clemency of his graciousprince towards him.
(7.) The plow kills thoſe rank weeds which grow in the field, turns them up by the roots, buries and rots them. So doth ſaving conviction kill fin atthe root, makes the foul fick of it, begets indignation in the heart against it, 2 Cor. vii. 11.
The word 'Αγανακτησιν, there ſignifies the rifing of the ſtomach, and being angry even unto ſickness; religious wrath is the fierceſt wrath, now the foul cannot endure ſin, ittrembles at it.
" I find awoman more bitter than death," (faith penitent Solomon) Eccl . vii. 26.
Conviction, like a ſurfeit, makes the foul to lothe what it formerly loved, and delighted in.
(8 ) That field is not well plowed, where the plow jumps and ſkips over goodground, and makes baulks, it must runup the whole field alike; and thatheart is not favingly convicted, where any luſt is ſpared, and left untouched.
Saving conviction extends itſelf to all fins, notonlyto finin general, with this cold confeſſion, Iam afinner; but to the particulars of
Husbandry Spiritualized; or, fin, yea, tothe particular circumſtances and aggravations of time, place, manner, occafions, thus and thus have I done; to the ſinof nature, as well as practice : " Behold I was ſhapen
" in iniquity," Pfalm li. 5.
There must be nobaulking ofany fin,the ſparing of one fin, is a fure argument thou art not truly humbled for any fin.
So far is the convinced ſoul from a ſtudious concealment of abeloved fin, that it weeps over that, more than over any other actual fin.
(9.) New ground is much more easily plowed, than that which by long lying out of tillage is more conſolidated, and clung together, bydeep-rooted thorns, and brambles, which render it difficult to the plowman.
This old ground is like an old ſinner, that hath lain a long time hardening under the means of grace. O the difficulty of convincingſuchaperſon! ſinhath got ſuch rooting inhis heart, he is ſo habituated to the reproofs and calls of the word, that few ſuch arewrought upon.
Howmanyyoung perſons are called to one obdurate, inveterate ſinner ?
I do not ſaybutGod may call home ſuch a foul at the eleventh hour, but I may ſay of theſe, compared with others, as Solomon ſpeaks, Ecclef. vii. 28. " One man among a thousand
" have I found," &c. Few that have long reſiſted the goſpel, that come afterwards to feel the ſaving efficacy thereof.
REFLECTION S.
The true convert's 1. O grace, for ever to be admired ! that Godſhould fend forth his word and Spirit reflection. to plow up my hard and ſtonyheart ! yea, mine, whenhe hath left ſo many of more tender, ingenuous, fweet and melting tempers, without any culture or means of grace. O bleſſed goſpel, heart-diſſolving voice ! I have felt thine efficacy, I have experienced thy divine and irreſiſtible power; thou art, indeed, ſharper than any two-edgedſword, andwoundeſt to the heart; but thy wounds are the wounds of a friend : All the wounds thou hast made in my soul, were ſo many doors opened to let inChriſt ; all theblows thou gaveſt my confcience, were but to beat off my foul from fin, which I embraced, and had retained to my everlasting ruin, hadſt thou not ſeparatedthem and me. Owife, and merciful phyſician ! thou didſt indeedbindme with cords of conviction and forrow, but it was only to cut out that stone in my heart, which had killed me if it had continued there. O how did I ftruggle and oppoſethee, as if thouhadſt come with the ſword of anenemy, rather than the lance, and probe of a ſkilful and tender-hearted phyſician ?
Bleſſed be the day wherein my fin was diſcovered and embittered ! O happy forrows, which pre
TheHeavenlyUje ofEarthlyThings.
paredforfuch matchless joys ! O bleſſed hand, which turned my falt waters into pleaſant wine ! and after many pangs, and forrows of foul, didft, at length, bring forth deliverance and peace.
2. But, O what a rock of adamant is this heart of mine! that never yet was wounded, and ſavingly pierced for fin The ftubborn heart's reflection. by the terrors ofthe law, or melting voice of the goſpel! long have I fat under the word, butwhendid Ifeelarelentingpang?
Omy foul ! my ſtupified foul ! thou haft got an antidote againſt repentance, but haft thou any against hell ? Thou canst keep out the ſenſe of fin now, but art thou able to keep out the terrors of the Lord hereafter ?
If thou couidſt turn a deaf ear tothe ſentence of Chriſt in the day of judgment, as easily as thoudoſt tothe intreaties of Chriſt in the day ofgrace, itwere ſomewhat; but ſurely there is no defence against that. Ah ! fool that I am, toquench theſe convictions, unleſs I knew how toquench thoſe flames they warn me of.
3. And maynot I challenge the firſt place a Themiscarrying mong all the mourners inthe world, who have allloft thoſe convictionswhichatſeveral times foul's reflection. came uponme under the word ?
I have been often awakened by it, and filledwith terrors andtremblings under it; butthoſe troubles have foon worn off again, and my heart (like water removedfromthe fire) returned to its native coldneſs.
Lord! whata diſmal cafe am I in ! many convictions have I choaked, and ſtrangled, which, it may be, ſhallnever more berevived, until thou evivethem againſt me injudgment.
Ihavebeen in pangs, and brought forth nothing but wind; my troubles have wrought no deliverance, neither have my luſts fallen before them? My confcience, indeed, hath been fometimes fick with fin, yea, ſo fick as tovomitthem up byan external, partial reformation; but then, with the dog, have I turned again to my vomit, and now I doubt I am given over to an heart that cannot repent.
Oh that theſe travelling pangs could be quickened again ! but alas! they are ceaſed.
Iam like a prifoner eſcaped, and again recovered,whom thejaylor loads with double irons.
Surely, O my foul ! if thy ſpiritual troubles return not again, they are but gone back tobring eternal troubles.
It is with thee, O my soul ! as with a man whoſe bones have been broken, and not well fet ; who must, (how terrible foever it appear tohim) endure the painofbreaking and ſettingthemagain, if ever he be made a ſound man. O that I might rather chuſe tobe the object of thy wounding mercy, than of thy ſparing
Husbandry Spiritualized ; or, cruelty! if thou plow not up my heart againbycompunction,
Iknow it mustbe rent in pieces atlaſtby deſperation.
The POEM.
T HERE's ſkill in plowing, thatthe plowman knows, For if toofhallow, or toodeephe goes, The feed is either buried, or elſe may To rooks anddaws become an eaſy prey.
This, as a lively emblem, fitly may Deſcribe the bleſſed Spirit's work and way :
Whoſework on fouls, with this doth ſymbolize; Betwixt them both, thus the reſemblance lies.
Souls are the foil, conviction isthe plow, God'sworkmendraw, the Spirit thews them how.
Heguides thework, and in goodground, doth bleſs Hisworkmen's pains, with sweet and fair ſucceſs.
The heart prepar'd, he ſcatters in the feed, Which, in its ſeaſon, ſprings, no fowl nor weed
Shall pick it up, or choak this ſpringing corn, 'Till it be houſed in the heavenly barn.
Whenthus the Spirit plows up the fallowground, When with ſuch fruits his ſervants work is crown'd ;
Letallthe friends of Chriſt, and fouls ſay now, As they paſsby the fields, Godspeed theplow.
Sometimes this plow, thin ſhelfy ground doth turn, That little feed which ſprings, the fun-beams burn.
The reſt uncovered lies, which fowls devour.
Alas! their heart was touch'd, but not with pow'r.
The cares andpleaſures of this world have drown'd The feed, before it peep'dabove the ground.
•Some fpringsindeed, the Scripture faith that ſome Do taſte the powers of the world to come.
Theſe embrio's never come to timely birth, Becauſe the feed that's fown wants depth of earth.
Turn up, OGod, the bottom of my heart; And, tothe feed that's ſown, do thou impart
Thy choiceft bleſſing. Though I weep andmourn Inthis wet feed-time, if Imay return With ſheaves ofjoy; theſe fully will reward
My pains and forrows, be they ne'er ſohard.