Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
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A18014
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The plaine ma[ns] spirituall plough Containing the godly and spirituall husbandrie. Wherein euery Christian ought to be exercised, for the happie encrease of fruite, to eternall life. By I.C. preacher of the word.
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Carpenter, John, d. 1621.
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1607
(1607)
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STC 4663; ESTC S118755
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136,138
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254
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pretend to imitate the godly in their husbandry howbeit as they are of an other mind and constitution The end of Impieties Plough so is their Plough quite contrary to the Plough of Pietie hauing therein this chiefe purpose not onely to broach thereby their inueterate mischiefes but to greeue and gall the Lord Iesus at the heart and all his blessed members and to ouerthrow and roote out all celestiall grace and diuine vertues from the hearts of men Of this the Prophet wofully complained in the person of Christ and his Saints Isa 44. The Plowers plowed vpon my backe and made long furrowes thus said the Lord of such plowers Thou hast laden mee with thine iniquities and pained mee with thy transgressions And of the same it is said The sinner considereth the righteous and seeketh occasion to slay him Psal 37. For these wicked and peruerse Plowers are euer most hard-hearted The nature of the euill Plowers cruell enuious malitious irefull and seuere against the Saints of the most holy they pierce and wound the righteous by tyrannies blasphemies persecutions torments and horrible mischiefes Howbeit we finde them not alwaies so prosperous in their actions and studies but that they are often galled grieued and condemned by that gnawing and fretting worme of Conscience which torments their sinfful soules day and night with pains intollerable and lastly they are destroyed for euer from the presence of God his blessed Angells In this Plough are considered as in the Plough of Pietie 1. The Aratre or Soole of the Plough 2. The Oxen of the Plough 3. The Holder of the Plough 4. The Leader of the Plough 5. The Driuer of the Plough But not the same before mentioned in that Plough nor the like in either nature or condition for as Pietie and Impietie are meere contraries as vertues and vices so also are their seuerall actions fruits and effects First touching the Aratre or Soole The Soole of Impiety 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 9. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. wee finde therein the same number of parts and points as in the Soole of Piety As first the Share secondly the Ship thirdly the Culter fourthly the Beame fiftly the Tractory sixtly the Ground-rise seuenthly the Broad-Hale eightly the Round-hale ninthly the Chaine tenthly the Farther Wheele eleuenthly the Neerer Wheele twelfthly the Axell thirteenthly the Kay fourteenthly the Taw. The first of the which noteth hardnesse of heart An hard heart Bern. li. 5. de coÌ„sider the second pride the third sinfull shame the fourth impenitency the fift pampering of the flesh the sixt dispaire of remission the seuenth a turning away from God the eight an abiding or dwelling in sin the ninth a noysome combination of vices the tenth a thriftlesse meditation the eleuenth a continuance of vngodly actions the twelfth a blasphemie the thirteenth infidelitie and the fourteenth malicious crueltie First the Share of Impieties Soole is hardnesse of heart which euer withstands godly contrition Quid est Cor durum ipsum est quod nec compunctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur ingratum est ad beneficia c What is the hard heart said Baruard It is the same which is neither pierced with compunctioÌ„ nor mollified with piety nor moued with praiers nor yeeldeth to threats is hardened with scourges for benefits ingratefuâ—l for counsailes vnfaithfull for iudgements cruell for vices shamelesse for dangers desperate for humane things brutish for diuine matters rash of things past forgetfull for things present negligent for things â—uture improuident the same who forgets all things before passed sauing iniuries and respects nothing that is to come sauing how to be reuenged Ioh. 41. Eph. 4 18. Loe here is the display of an indurate heart which being past feeling strange from the life of God giuen to all kind of wantonnes worketh all kind of wickednesse With this instrument laboured Pharaoh the Egiptian King Exod. 7. whose heart being hardened he would by no meanes be perswaded to let the people of Israel to go out of his land the end whereof was his own destruction Wel therefore the Lord admonished his people by Moses Deut. 10.16 Psal 91. to circumcise the fore-skinnes of their hearts and by Dauid not to harden their hearts as in the time of prouocation in the Wildernesse For this sinne hath nothing profitable for mans health but many things as whereby man is vtterly annoyed and finally confounded Next to this followes the Shippe of Impietie and that is a Proud Spirit 2. A Proud Spirit which possessing an inordinate loue of it proper excellencie and an ambitious desire of that celsitude which euermore contrarieth godly humility causeth men without all feare of God and the acknowledgement of their owne infirmities either for some wisedome or some strength or some beautie or some fauour or some holinesse or some laudable qualities which they either finde or conceit to bee in themselues to extoll themselues in regard whereof they disdainefully contemne others howbeit feeling the least touch of aduersitie they begin to murmour against God as if hee were most vniust in dealing towardes them Secondly as the Shippe is the lowest member of the Soole so is pride deepely rooted in the heart of man yet so as from thence it euer aspireth and by diuellish ambition croppeth the head thereof and gettes the victorie Thirdly the Shippe beareth the Share which pierceth and maketh way for the rest of this swelling humour though in a man miserable and poore for the poore man is proud also as well as the rich looketh euer vpward thirsterh after soueraignty and ministreth cause and occasions to pertinacie and hardnesse of heart neither is there any sinne or wickednesse which is not accompanied or prouoked of this for euery sinne committed argueth a proud contempt of the diuine Law Elatum cor durum expers est pietatis ignarum compunctionis In li 5 de considerat siccum ab omni rore gratia spiritualis An high or haughty heart saide Bernard is hard and deuoid of all pietie ignorant of compunction and arie from all the dewe of spirituall grace Aug. tract 25. in Ioan. This Saint Augustine after the wise Syracides considering for an admonition to the godly to flie that destruction thus saith Quid superbis homo filius Dei propter te humilis factus est c. Wherefore art thou proud ô man the Sonne of God was made humble for thee Albeit thou maiest bee ashamed to imitate an humble man yet at the least be thou nothing ashamed to imitate humble God The Sonne of God came in man and was humbled that God was made man thou ô man know thy selfe for thou art a man Thy whole humility is that thou know thy selfe But this vertue is either quenched out or withstoode by this impious Shippe of Pride to the perdition of them that follow this pestilent Plough
day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your harts And Christ saith Whiles ye haue the light walke in the light Moreouer the Lord speaking of an especiall time saith Isai 49.8 I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee The which S. Paul applying to this gratious opportunity wherein the Lord did not only declare but offer vnto the Corinthians others the effects of his loue hee saith Now is that acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. now is that day of saluatioÌ„ And this is that which the Lord gratiously extendeth to his Saints the which hee wold they should accept without delaies for their good This therfore obserued righteous Noah when according to Gods commandement he did not onely preach of Gods mercies 120. yeares to the olde world but entred the Arke in the opportune time The like obserued AbrahaÌ„ wheÌ„ he went forth of his own Country Lot when he departed froÌ„ Sodome Moses when with the Israelites he went out of Egypt and Matthew Peter Iames Andrew Paul and Iohn when they were called they answered not wee will first goe and burie our fathers or bid them farewell which are at home or goe see the farmes we haue purchased or prooue the oxen wee haue bought but they presently accepted the diuine grace without lingering or excuses Thus the fiue wise Virgins waited and in the due time entred in with the Bride when the foolish neglecting the opportunitie were shut out with this saying I know you not And this should teach vs to accept of the precious good opportunity the rather for that as in the same we shall finde rest to our soules and bee blessed So in the neglect thereof there is coÌ„monly found affliction and woe Chry. in Babil conâ—ra gentes For as Saint Chrysostome saide Tâ—iaute gar esti tou thiâ—â—macrothamia tois oule eis deon chromenois auteÌ„ peer ateran eo ageitendiken Such is the long suffering or goodnesse of God that hee greeuously punisheth them which abuse it and as to them which repent the same is euer found profitable so to the obstinate stubborne persons it offereth an occasion of more greeuous punishment and is according to that coniunction on the Israelites saying As the Lord reioyced ouer you to doe you good Deut. 28.63 and tomultiâ—ly you so be will reioyce ouer you to bring you to nought and ye shal be rooted out of the Land whither thou goest to enioy it if thou wilt not feare the Lord thy God This being well considered by the Prophet and willing that the Lords children well aduised should obserue the due time with her oppertunitie he said It is time to seeke the Lord whiles he commeth as if hee should say to serue him to feare him and to apprehend and accept his louing graces then whiles he offereth the same 3. The Lords fatherly affection Dyonis Areo pag in Caelest hierarchia cap. 1. The third Reason is drawne from the consideration of that Storge or most louing affection of a naturall father to his dâ—are sonne Wherein the Lord declares himselfe as a Father to his people and therein as wee see howe parents in many thinges preuent their children and are willing and ready to pardon them before that euer they aske or seeke for pardon vppon their faultes committed beeing sorie that by their slidings they offer occasion of anger or correction euen so as the Prophet saith The Lord is very readie to forgiue and commeth forth vnto them Isa 5.5 Hos 10. Luk 15. to raine Righteousnes vpon them This hath Christ expressed in the Parable of the good Father and his prodigall Sonne Where the good father seeing his poore sonne comming towards him yet a great way off ranne forth to meete him and yet before his sonne could open his mouth to aske mercie he preuented him with the tokens of his goodnes and fatherly loue Of this grace and mercie of our heauenly Father comming neare vnto vs and so ready to helpe and embrace vs with the armes of his loue Saint Augustine in his holy Cofessions could meditate in this sort Gratia misericordia Dei semper praueniebâ—â—t 〈◊〉 c. The grace and mercie of God did alway preuert me from many daungers it deliuered me when I was sicke it salued me when I erred it reduced me when I fell downe it vpraised me when I was sorrowfull it consolated me c. Thus as the Lord seemeth very sorrowfull that we should sinne to offend him and endanger ourselues so is he glad of our returne vnto him as whereby we may be recured for our safetie And knowing our necessities at all times he doth often minister vnto vs that whereof we haue need albeit bee haue neither the knowledge nor the readinesse of our selues to a ke or require the same at his hands The fourth Reason is taken from the excellencie of the benefite or thing promised for he saith 4. The excâ—lâ—encie of the benefit that the Lord will come and raine downe Righteousnesse vpon them that sowe for righteousnesse and reape after mercies measure which indeed is a great and excellent blessing of the Lorde on his Saints as wherby they shall not onely haue a good reward but with great abundance The second thing promised is as the wise man hath said Righteousnesse Righteousnesse that is the fruites effects and reward of Righteousnesse by the figure Metonomia Now as we should perswade that the promises of God are Yea and Amen so his will is that such as heare his word and obey him therein shall obtaine and retaine that which they faithfully desire for his owne glory and their benefite Therefore he saith Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shalt be opened vnto you Heb. 11. And Blessed are they which hunger and th rst after Righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Therefore was it as the Apostle saith that the holy Fathers staggered not in faith but stedfastly beleeued that God would euer be as good as his promise So ploughing for Righteousnesse and seeking after goodnesse we shall no doubt timely reape and enioy the fruites thereof Secondly by this word the Prophet pointeth to that encrease of vertues which should ensue our labours in the Lorde by the same we are encouraged to diligence and therein to regard how we may bee augmented as that the fiue talents committed vnto vs should by our godly exercises bee made tenne and those tenne talents twentie neuer doubting of the rich bountie of the Lord who as he vseth not to quench the smoking Flaxe nor to breake the bruised Reede hee will accept that which we haue and not condemne vs for want of quantitie when wee endeuour in his feare to expresse the qualitie and he will of his goodnesse giue a plentifull encrease vnto our labours To this aymed Saint Iohn Ioh 1. â— when he said that from his fulnesse we all receiue