nos incipimus postea dei omnia adiuvamur Aug. in Psal 51. c. In euery good worke wee our selues doe not first begin the same and then afterward are assisted by the mercy of God but it is he that first inspireth both our faith and loue towardâ— him without any of our good deserts preceeding And seeing that this vertue as it is saide is a diuine motion inspired into mans heart I remember that Dauid praying to God for the same did first desire God Psal 51.10 to Create a newe heart within him As if he shuld say That which must steed me in this matter must come from aboue neither is there any thing in mine heart already that can be made to serue in this businesse therfore it is needfull not that my old heart be renewed but that I haue another heart not made or framed of the old but created to the which also ô Lord I beseech thee to renew within me thy spirit which I haue enioyed heretofore of thine especiall loue and fauour towards me Therefore although the Lord both commandeth and commendeth the labour and diligence of man as the meanes wherby he is willing to exhibite vs his graces yet doe all our labours and diligence nothing profit vs therin except there be both loue and grace in the Giuer that is in God who iustifieth and frameth mans heart to his Image and will for the sake of his sonne For this grace and mercy proceeding from that diuine loue doth euer preuent vs and go before our faith our loue our vertues our Iustice Yea this is the same whereby wee haue further engendred in our hearts and made able to apprehend that Iustice the which as a good Tree groweth and buddeth and beareth fruite namely all those godly vertues qualities and actions which are required of that man whom the Lord hath iustified And therefore in our iustification Two things in our Iusttification there is not onely the faith of the Belieuer but also the grace of him that iustifieth This meate our Sauiour when in his Doctrine he saide Ioh. 15. Without mee ye can doe nothing that is yee cannot bring fourth any manner fruite either healthfull or profitable neither are yee able to doe any good work acceptable to the Lord except ye belieue in me and by your faith remaine in me And hereof is it that when Saint Paul speaketh of mans iustification being very warie that nothing thereof be yeelded to mans workes or merits hee saith that we are iustified sometimes by grace sometimes by mercy sometimes by faith approaching grace for it is most certaine as Augustine saith againe that the grace is of him that calleth Ad Sympli g. 2. vocantis est Gratia c. Grace and faith and the good workes followe him which hath receiued that grace neither yet are the workes such as obtaine grace but such as proceede of grace And this he maketh plaine by a notable Simbole or similitude For the fire saith he scaldeth not that it may be hoate but therefore because it is hoate nor therefore runneth well the wheele that it may be round but for that it is already round So no man worketh well that hee may thereby receiue grace but therefore hee worketh well because hee hath already obtained it for how can he liue iustly which hath not bin iustified how can he liue holily who hath not bene sanctified So said Augustin alluding to the words of Christ First make the tree good and then the fruit will be good for a good man from the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good but on the other side yee can not gather figges of thistles the euill man from the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is euill and how can ye think or speake or do well when your selues are euill By this wee see that howsoeuer our aduersaries would that our perfect iustice should depend on our workes that no worke seeme it neuer so good before men is a perfect worke of Iustice except it be wrought by the person iustified Whereof it was saide that the very Prayers of the vngodly are turned into sin Neither may wee imagine No good worke but that which followeth grace that any work endeuour studie thought or Action is eyther acceptable to the lord or profitable for mans soule without this precedeÌ„t grace which proceedeth from the eternall loue of God in his sonne the Which we may explane by a familiar example though taken froÌ„ an heathen History without iust offence Valerius Maximus Valer. Max. Lib. 2. among his examples of memorable deeds maketh mention of one Liuius Torquatus Manlius a noble Consul of Rome and of his Son â— right valiant and couragious gentleman This gentleman saith he being of a couragious mind went forth with his men of Warre waged battaile against another Nation his fathers enemie but without his said fathers leaue fauor or knowâ—edge and thereof got the victory and a famous conquest in the iudgement of all men who at his returne home praised his valiant exployt noble action with the highest applause the which they all hoped would not onely be confirmed but also tripled by his most noble father Howbeit Torquatus contrary both to their hope and his expectation did not onely preseÌ„tly vnfold his great dislike of his son who aduentured to goe forth without his will consent and so in his disgrace but also al the action great exploit of his aduenture for he commanded him to be slaine for a sacrifice Satius iudicaus patrem forti filio quam patriam miliâ—ari disciplina carere Iudging it better that a father wanted such a valiant son then that the country should be depriued of her militarie discipline In like maner we should beware that we presume not to get credit with the Lord by any worke that we shall endeuour to doe without his grace good wil preuenting vs or to thinke that we can be righteous holy acceptable vnto him but that he first iustifie vs in his son And truly besides this memorable example the very experiment of mens dealing after the course of nature and reason informeth vs of those things The order of Noahs approbatioÌ„ Gen. 6.8.9 But passing by them let vs againe returne to those examples Testimonies of the holy Scriptures and therein first consider the method and order of the righteousnesse and approbation of holy Noah It is reported of him First that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Secondly that he was a righteous man Thirdly that he was perfect Fourthly that he walked with God In that he found grace are two things obserued First that the Lord louing him did fauour him next that hee gaue him faith wherby to finde and apprehend that diuine grace In that hee is saide to be righteous wee are taught that the Lord who had fauoured him and graunted him faith did also approue and
reioyce not that ye were sorie but that you sorrowed to repentance for ye sorrowed godly so that in nothing ye were hurt by vs for godly sorrow causeth Repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of but the worldly sorrow causeth death Wherein also distinguishing the godly sorrow that is the Christian contrition froÌ„ that which is vngodly he sheweth the ends and fruits of eyther And truly as that medicine which draweth forth from the sick mans heart the venemous humour of his disease and prepareth him for the sweete and healing potion This godly contrition draweth out of the sinners hart the poisoÌ„ of the wicked fact and mittigateth the biting and sorrow of the conscience albeit it pierceth and woundeth the same for by this shall be made euen a soueraigne medicine to heale the wound of it owne piercing comparable therein to that ointment or plaister which made of the Spider or flie that stingeth a man shall easily heale mitigate the paine therof This is a practise vsed in the cure of the body in the which that is thoght no lesse needfull that a veine bee opened when the Phisitian perceiueth the blood infected But the sinner is throghly infected both in body and minde and so inflamed therewith that he will be soone agonized and dead indeede if his veine be not soone opened euen the Cordiall veine from whence the rankour of malice and wicked imaginations may bee drawne forth Gen 6. For the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill euery day Therefore saide the Lord Circumcise your hearts Roote your hearts Let the sinner forsake his owne imaginations This commenceth the Action of mans Mortification and is the first part of Repentance so needfull as that without it men cannot repent indeede Ps 51. and 126.6.7 But hauing the same in the right constitution of minde wee are accepted with the Lorde though we sowe in teares wee reape in ioy wee enter the gate of right Repentance wee mooue the Lord GOD to pitie vs wee finde mercie with his grace and finally bee directed from hel to heauen and from eternall death to eternall life through the merits of the Sonne of God CHAP. XV. The second part of the Soole of pietie is the Shippe NExt to the Share is the Shippe 2. Humiliation of the Spirit which is that member of the Soole whereon the Share is fastened and this noteth the humiliation of the Spirite wrought by that true feare of GOD whereby mans heart being contrite the minde is also so humbled and made poore in his owne conceit as that it casteth off all boldnesse of it owne strength wisedome iustice wealth and estimation Hereof it is that a man chooseth to be an abiect in the house of God and preferreth all others before him when hee considereth his owne vilenesse as Dauid did acknowledgeth himselfe to bee but dust and ashes as Abraham did esteemeth himselfe vnworthy of Gods manifold mercies as Iacob did standeth a farre off and is afraide to looke vp to heauen as the poore Publican did dreadeth to take the holy name of God in his mouth as Solomon did desireth to be but as a seruant in Gods house as the prodigall Sonne did in the house of his father esteemeth himselfe a worme and no man as Christ did thinketh both himselfe and his house vnwoorthie of Christ as the Ruler didde and saith to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man as Peter did In a word as this humble Spirit casteth down and condemneth and contemneth himselfe as a seruant vnprofitable in thought word and deede so hath hee no desire to bee praised before God or man because hee seeth and feeleth in himselfe nothing worthie commendation but rather sinne damnation This is contrary to the humour of the worlde which hunteth after the vaine glory of the same and thinketh magnificently of her followers therein disdaining and contemning the whiles the humble and lowly men of Spirit Howbeit the Lord Iesus as hee himselfe was humble and meeke Mat. 52. and would that all his Disciples should follow him therein so hee pronounceth those persons blessed for that to them belongeth the kingdome of heauen neyther as he saith shall any be admitted into the same but such onely as be truly humbled and in the meekenesse of Spirit become as children the which Augustine considering saide that this was indeede the first the second and the third point yea the highest and cheefest point of Christianity Why humility is likened to the Shippe And worthily is this vertue compared to the Shippe in the Soole for that as the Ship is not only that peece which holdeth the Share but is placed beneath next to the earth so the humiliation of the Spirit holdeth fast the true Contrition of the heart the which without the same would soone bee abated and yet how low soeuer this be placed vnder some other parts of the Soole and next the ground with the Shippe yet as Nazianzen said ypsus arozenthe etapeinosen it goeth before exalâ—ation and honour Therfore Saint Iames counselled Be yee humble vnder Gods mighty hand that he may exalt you in the time conuenient For God resisteth the proude but giueth grace to the lowly And to strengthen all the Lord himselfe saith Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shal finde rest for your soules for he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted CHAP. XVI The third part of the Soole is the Culter THe third member of this Soole is Confession of the Mouth 3. ConfessioÌ„ of Mouth compared to the Vomere Vomer or that which we call the Culter The Culter hath his name of cutting or diuiding the Vomer is so called a Vomendo that is of vomiting or casting foorth any thing from the stomacke This Culter is that which cuts diuideth openeth that which the Share pierceth casting or separating the sound earth some on this side some on that as a man may thereby see not onely a diuision or opening of the parts but also the very bottome or ground of that earth And thereto that Confession of the Mouth beeing compared is defined the expresse manifestation of our sinnes eyther publikely or priuately eyther to God Confession to God or to men that to God is when our Consciences touched with the diuine Law we so acknowledge our sinnes before the Lord that we confesse our selues most worthy damnation both of body and soule therein we accuse not Gods Iudgements but implore his great mercies and praise his glory which iustifieth the sinner not of desert but of his diuine grace in his Sonne that to man is when hauing hurt or offended our brethren Confession to man we willingly acknowledge confesse our faultes vnto them with an humble and hearty desire of pardon And this confession is sometimes priuate as when the faultes be priuate and sometimes publike as when the faultes be publike alwaies accompanied with a promise
and your Brother and Sauiour Therefore should yee also be patient which are his children and my brethren and by me preserued Againe God is patient to you ward therefore should ye also be patient not only towards him but also one towards an other of you And surely as the Soole is imperfect without the Ground-Rise neither can a Christian be a sufficient labourer in the Lords field or meete qualified for this Spirituall Plough without patience For by this hard things are easie grieuous matters are made tollerable and sowre thinges seeme sweete The contrition of the heart the humiliation of the minde the confession of the mouth the narration of the flesh and the hope of remission is mightily confirmed and established by this Christian vertue Therefore let vs harken therein to the Lord and his holy Apostles which exhort and perswade vs to helpe on the Plough with this powerfull Ground-rise CHAP. XX. The seuenth part of the Soole is the broad Hale THe sixt member of the spiritual Soole Conuersion of mind is called Stiua and englished the Handle or Hale on the which the Plough-man holding his hand by winding and wilding the same turneth the Soole and correcteth the worke comparable therein to the Mariner who holding the Helme of his Shippe turneth about the same and correcteth the errour of his course at his pleasure And of this as hauing a double vse there be two sorts as whereon either hand of the Plough-man might leane for the better framing of the worke The one is called the Broad handle the other the Round-handle to the former is fastened that which is called the Ground-rise by the which the furrow is cast vp and fully perfected and this noteth the Conuersion of the minde as the other the correction of the action both the which are no lesse necessarie then the turning of the turfes and amendement of the faults For the turfe being thereby loosed from the ground must bee altred as that which was before downeward turned vpward and that which was vpward turned downe Againe by this kind of correction that which was old must be renewed and the spinie turse changed into a gentle soyle But first of the former By this is meant the altring of the affection and the conuersion of the minde It is well knowne that the mind in his right nature is the same by whose light all inferiour vertues are directed and gouerned and by the which beeing well qualified a man is made able to iudge betweene truth and falshood good and euill But without this as deuoide of reason which hath her seate in the minde a man is comparable to the perishing beast Here was it where the Lord imprinted the image of his nature and happy had bin our condition had not that soueraigne image bene taken from sinful man But as saith the Wise man Man sought out many inuentions yea the Serpent as a venemous Salamander infected this part of mans soule which being therby as the roote of a tree poisoned could thenceforth naturally yeeld no wholesome fruit Isa â—7 â—0 Rom. 1.18 Thus man hauing his minde surcharged in most pittifull wise fel out of his wit as one cast into a lewd minde in the vanity whereof he walked hauing his cogitation darkened and became a stranger from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him But seeing the Lorde is willing man should be restored and brought home he giueth him by his spirite an alteration of mind being chaunged from euill to good from the diuell to God And this God chiefly required in that word of the wise man My sonne giue me thine heart for hauing thine heart I shall easily haue thy body also Mans hart and mans minde We may here note that the minde and the heart of man doe often signifie one and the same thing in the Scripture as the fountaine or roote of all his cogitations words actions and endeuours Adam had turned his minde or heart from God when he listned to his wife and turned to the Serpent but then he began to turne againe when hee ackowledged his sinne and sought to the Lorde for mercie The Israelites in the Wildernesse had forgotten God that made them but then they began to remember him and to chaunge their mindes when they began to repent So the Iewes captiued in Babylon for their auersion forgetfulnes of God Psal 137. began at length to turne towardes him and remember Sion Thus also Manasses and Dauid and Salomon and Peter and Paul turned from their former wicked liues wherein they had offended the Maiestie of God and came home againe humbly acknowledging their errours And this is that which our Sauiour teacheth in the comming home of the lost Sonne to his Faher against whom he had sinned being now of another minde and constitution then he was when hee went from home Saint Paul perceiuing not only the praise but the profit of this good alteration desired the Romans by the tender mercies of God to be changed by the renewing of their mindes Rom. 12.2 1. And S. Peter Pet. 4.1 put for our example Christ Iesus to whom hee would wee should in minde bee conformed Ier. 31. And this the Prophet vnderstoode in the person of the children of Ephraim who had beene estranged from Gods grace and now desired to bee reclaimed and receiued into fauour againe saying Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God But Dauid Wee neede new harts to shew the manner of this action desired God to create in him a new heart and renew the right spirit within him Where note that this worke must bee framed not of any thing in our selues but another heart is to be created that is not made or framed of that older heart but created that is of nothing by a new worke for the word to create is to make something not ex praeiacente materia but of nothing For so indeed need we to haue new made hearts that the holy Spirit may againe be renewed to vs in the same For it is certaine that wee haue turned away from the Lord with the Prodigall Sonne and louing darknesse more then light haue thought the pleasures of sinne for the time better then the diuine graces which last for euer wherein wee must confesse with Dauid Daniel that we haue egregiously erred transgressed and offended against God and the Angells But now wee are better resolued and thinking more reuerently of the Lord in goodnes are by this readie to renew our former loue and turning our hearts againe vnto our God doe endeuour to serue him in singlenesse of minde This is that which the Prophet Ioel would perswade when hee saith Rent your hearts and not you garments Ioel. 2.13 and turne to the Lord your God Loe this is that first Plough-handle and such is the true vse thereof Now let vs consider of the second CHAP. XXI The eight part of
XXXI A briefe viewe of Impieties Husbandrie contrarie to the former and first of the Land and Seede of Impietie THat wee may not bee preuented by Sathan and the guilefulnes of his assaults the deepnesse of whose deuices is bottomelesse and his lewde purpose euer opposite to the purpose diuine let vs not omit to obserue him to know his malice yea let vs well marke the nature and manner of his ploughing sowing harrowing and working in the field of this world and so take heede of him preuent him and by our faith in Christ and true labors in the Lord conquer ouerthrow abandon and cast him out as our most deadly enemie It is certaine that the Diuell hath a Plough The Diuel hath his Plough which is of Impietie wherewith howsoeuer hee pretends in shewe his full purpose is to destroy that which the Lorde God hath built roote and cast forth the good Seede from the the Lords land wherein to sowe Tares and to plough for sinne and vnrighteousnesse that he may reape after the measure of tirannie and crueltie on the earth And surely Why many men sowe and plough iniquitie what by meanes of his sophisticall argumentes or for that the waies of Impietie seeme pleasant to mans eye and lustfull to the flesh or for that the path of true Pietie is narrowe and painefull to the men of this life many men yea mightie men of the worlde haue rather chosen to plough with Impietie then with Pietie and therein to serue rather to the Diuell then to God Therefore haue wee placed here following a viewe of the diuels husbandrie in the world opposed to the former as whereby ye might behold and consider the contrary Image and order of either with their endes and rewardes Howbeit too and for this purpose that seeseeing the good with the commoditie thereof ye might loue and ensue it and knowing also that euill with the daunger and hurt thereof ye might warily eschue it And this the better to performe wee may consider in this impious Georgy to be abandoned three general points as 1 The Land and the Seed of Impietie 2 The Plough of Impietie 3 The Harrow of Impietie Although the Diuell goeth about like a ramping and roaring Lyon euer seeking whom hee may deuoure and euery day catcheth and swalloweth vp such as appertaine to his kingdome The subtiltie of the Diuell and therefore are liable to his power and tyrannie yet is hee not so willing to appeare as hee is in his owne likenesse beeing as ashamed of his owne vgly deformitie But therefore that hee might as well satisfie himselfe therein as beguile others he mustreth forth as an Angell of Light Isa 5. and therein endeuoureth to perswade that for a vertue which is a fowle vice to commend that for good which is euill and that for sweete which is most sower Thus the Diuel willing to deface the Plough of Pietie godly Georgy would by many subtil arguments and shifts enduce men to beleeue that Impieties Plough is the best that the tares sowen by him in the field are good corne that the soyle of sinfulnesse is the most healthsome land and that to sow for wickednesse to reape after the measure of cruelty is farre preferred before that sowing and reaping which the Lorde God hath prescribed in his word for his Saints But this is his guilefull engine to circumuent the ignorant and heedlesse to aduance the power of his royaltie and to blemish the glory of the heauenly Saints as wee shall the better see and consider after that wee haue perused the particular partes before mentioned for thereby shall the legerdemane of this craftie imitator bee found out and his practises preuented to the finall confusion of him and all his vngodly impes The Land of Impietie The Land of Impiety is not fallowed or well tilled ground of the Lords field but the vnfallowed vntilled and rude earth as that which is barren naught and all vnfit for the good seede Gen. 3. and beareth thornes thistles brambles tares such as naturally spring of euill and vncultured fields all vnprofitable and combersome to the husbandman This Salomon descried in the vineyard of the foolish and slouthfull man It was all growne ouer with thornes and nettles had couered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe then he addeth Prou. 24.30 â—4 thy pouerty commeth as one that trauaileth by the way and thy necessitie like an armed man This rightly displaieth the malitious heart of olde Adam which is not apprehensiue of the things which are of the diuine Spirit nor is well cultured and prepared for the heauenly Seede and so neither for the fruit of righteousnesse The Seede sowen therein is either choked with thornes or trodden downe of men or deuoured of birds or ouer withered with the Sun and so is not fruitfull in good woâ—kes as the Lord hath taught in the Gospell and therefore as also the Apostle saith is subiect to burning Of this nature was the heart of cursed Caine of Saul of Achitophel of Iudas of Simon Magus of Herod of the High Priests of the Iewes such as being hardened were euer obstinate rebellious against God hatefull to Christ his Apostles and Ministers and finally left without timely repentance perished in their sinnes without mercy as if it were vnpossible they could be renewed into repentance The Seede of Impietie The Seede of Impiety cast into this naughty ground is neither that soueraigne worde of God nor those heauenly vertues and motions of the Spirit but the noisome tares of the enuious as wicked and vngodly thoughts suggestions imaginations conceits studies and endeuours murthers thefts blasphemies lies adulteries enuie wrath pride gluttony sloth lecherie couetousnesse and many other like of which this earth is naturally capable and whereof springeth nothing else but that which being of the like nature is fit for the fire So saith our Sauiour the wicked man hauing receiued in those Seedes from that euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which euill is for wee may not expect Grapes to spring of thornes nor figges of thistles To this belong those wicked heresies sophistries schismes erroneous doctrines deceiueable opinions and godlesse counsailes broached and divulged in the Church by Antichrist and his members Hence also is that sowing of seditions and contentions among brethren and neighbours the seedes of Impietie whereof Salomon spake Prou. 22. the sowing of vaine winde and wickednesse mentioned by the Prophet Hoseah Hos 2. 10.13 Mat. 13. Gal. 6.8 Plato de voluptate the sowing of tares whereof Christ tells and the sowing in the flesh whereof growes corruption of the which Saint Paul disputed These be euill sowers and their seede fits both their hand and the soyle as mali falsis gaudent voluptatibus CHAP. XXXII 1. Of the Plough of Impietie 2. Of the Soole THe vngodly as it is saide haue also their Plough as wherein they
as besides many testimonies of holy Scriptures wee finde it verified in that fearefull example of Nimrod the mightie Hunter Nebuchadnezar the Monarch of Babylon Herod Abimelech Antiochus Holofernes and such haughtie-hearted plowers of mischiefes For the Lorde dooth alwaies resist the proude as vnworthy both his benediction and Kingdome Therefore to his Saintes hee commends humilitie in the which as they are called blessed so haue they in the ende the Kingdome of heauen and happinesse eternall Thirdly the Culter of this Soole is that Shame Sinfull Shame which bringeth sinne as by the which the sinner denieth to acknowledge and confesse his sinnes and transgressions committed either to God or to the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ or to his euen brother whom hee hath offended contrarying or withstanding that Confession of the mouth which was semblant to the Culter whereby the earth pierced with the Share is opened and diuided Neuerthelesse as the euill man from the euill treasure of his heart brings forth that which is euill he is not any thing ashamed to belke and blatter forth heinous blasphemies against God and the King scandalles letters periuries euill wordes and to sinne openly without shame This was Sodomes abhomination imitating therein wicked Cayn who albeit hee could not but see the heinousnesse of his owne fault would yet not confesse himselfe faultie or at the least not much faultie but ieasted as it were at Gods commination As Is my sinne so great or greater then that it may bee pardoned But as those obtaine no promise of pardon so are they iustly secluded from all hope of sauing health Well therefore said S. Augustine Aug. in Psal O homo quid times confiteri c. O thou man wherefore fearest thou to confesse that which by confession I am yet more ignorant of then of that I know not at all Why shamest thou thy sinnes to confesse I am a sinner as thou art I am also a man and nothing of that which is humane is wanting in me Confesse thy sinne ô man euen before man a sinfull man to a sinfull man Choose now either part If thou conceale thy sinnes for want of Confession thou shalt be damned as vnconfest For to this ende the Lord requireth mans confession that he might pardon the man which is thereby humbled and to this end hee dammes him which confesseth not that hee might punish the person which is proud The Plough Beame of Impietie is the repletion of bread pampering of the flesh and luxurie 4. Luxury a seuere enemie to true Mortification For as that beame of Pietie is the strength of godly Repentance so is this the vtter dissolution of the same as then when men are filled and glutted with carnall lustes they are apt and readie to all impietie and wickednesse with greedines Gregor in moral in Iob. Aug. de ciu dei lib. 12. For as Gregory said afteâ— that the vice of luxurie hath assailed mans minde it scarcely permits him to thinke of any goodnesse for his desires are clibbe or clammie for of an euill suggestion springs cogitation of cogitation affection of affection delight of delight consent of consent operation of operation custome of custome dispaire of dispaire defence of sinne of defence of sinne proud boasting Ezech. 16. Gen. 6. of proud boasting death This was an other of Sodomes sinnes as witnesseth the Prophet vnder the title of their idlenesse and of the filthy sinners in the time of the generall deluge whereof it followed that they both perished the former by fire the latter by water in the Lords fearefull anger whose iustice most worthily abhorres this filthy Plough-beame The Tractory of this Aratre is a desperate minde touching any consolation or helpe from aboue or of the life to come 5. Desperation Sap. 2.22 the which the vngodly hope not for Therefore whereas the faithfull are drawen foorth and perswaded through the hope of those good things promised them these vngodly thereof both doubtfull and desperate slug on the waues of this world slumber as in the darke night erre from the right way and setting before them onely that which either their owne wisedome or power or policie or labours or studies or the fauour and the wealth of the world may suggest procute and affoord them they perish with prophane Esau and with that rich man Gen. Luk. 12. Sap. 5. Ambros super Luc. lib. 12. who lost his soule suddenly in the night For the hope of the vngodly as saith the wise man is like a drie Thiftle-flower blowne off with the winde Against the which humour of those vngodly thus counselleth Saint Ambrose Nemo diffidat c. Let no man distrust Let no man as guiltie of his former sinnes dispaire of the diuine graces The Lord knowes how to alter his sentence if thou knowest how to amend thy faults Isidor de Sum. bono lib. 2. But as to commit an euill action is the death of the Soule so to dispaire of Gods mercie and grace is the falling downe headlong of a man into hell Therefore as the godly person should be wary that he fall not through pride Aug. in lib. de sym so should the sinner take heede that hee dispaire not through malice After this followes the Ground-Rise of Impieties Soole and that is impious Impatiencie 6. Impatiencie or that malicious Anger the which in them who are not well plained but left ill hewen and rough meetes daily with those oppositions of mans nature with exceeding great murmure and vnreasonable exclamations nor indeede through the disposition of a daungerous euill humour of mans heart is the same able to sustain and perseuer in the assaults and tentations but cracketh breaketh and giueth ouer because it hath not nor can obtaine either the loue diuine or any hope of good thinges future or is willing to endure any aduerse or hard aduentures In Pastor for Pieties cause Ipsa quae mater est omnium custosque virtutum per impotientiae vitium virtus amittitur That Vertue of Charitie saith Gregorie which is the mother and keeper of all Vertues is quite ouerthrowne by the vice of impatiencie With this Ground-Rise laboured Saul though King of Israel and Demas though sometimes an hearer and follower of the blessed Apostles 1. Pet. who thereby waxing faint perished in the way to the terrour of other â— Auersion froÌ„â—od The Broad-Hale of this Aratre is Auersio the turning away from God this Saint Paul noted and reproued in them of his time which turned their eares from the truth 2 Tim 4. Deut. 9 Sap. And Moses in those Israelites whose hart was turned from the Lord their God Whereas true Conuersion hath peace and life this hath trouble and death for the Apostating of the vngodly is his owne destruction according to that comination 1. Kin. 9.6 If ye shall turne away from me saith the Lord then will I cut you off from the land which I haue giuen you This is a