the Law and haue neede to be reformed and conformed by to the same Also I am to think on the Articles of my beliefe of the holy petitions in the Lords praier with the ten Commandements reading them on my ten fingers also of the wickednes of the world the vanity of the flesh the malignitie of Sathan the miserie and mortality of man the certainty of death the vncertainty of his comming the last iudgement the paines of the damned and the great felicity of the Lords elected Saints To be briefe I am to harken to Saint Paul in this matter who writing to the Philippians thus exhorteth Phil 4 8. Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any thing praise-worthy meditate on these things chiefly in this how yee may obtaine and performe them and the God of peace shall be with you All these and such like thinges are to bee ruminated in a circularie meditation as wherof may be framed an healthfull Rownd or Wheele whereof is made a very vehement motiue to true Mortification CHAP. XXIIII The eleuenth part of the Soole is the neere Wheele THe second Wheele of this Plough 10. The secoÌ„d wheele noting perseuerance is Continuatio Actionis the continuance of the action which is the constant stable and perpetuall perseuerance in the reason or way well considered of and not vnaptly likened to the Wheele in this that as the Wheele in his winding beginneth to winde againe there where it lastly ended and the circle or compasse thereof is without end so should the end of one good meditation bee the entrance into another one good word should bring in an other and one charitable action performed we must begin an other chiefly euery good action study or endeuour once begunne must not be giuen ouer or delaied but holden on and continued to the end This doubtlesse was intimated by that mysterie in the Lawe where the tailes of the beastes were commanded to bee offered vp in sacrifice together with their bodies The same meant the Prophet Hoseah when he commanded the people to seek the Lord vntill he came to raine righteousnes vpoÌ„ them Hos 10. that entended Salomon wheÌ„ he said that the end of a thing was better then the beginning as from whence the censure of either good or euil is best taken The wilde Asse ouercommeth the Lyon and the Wolfe not by strength but by continuance of course Neither without perseuerance is the battaile wonne by the fight the crowne gotten by the victor or the goale archieued by the runner So saith our Sauiour He that goeth to the Plough and looketh backward is nothing fit for the kingdome of heauen But If ye continue in my words then are yee my very Disciples and yee shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free yea hee that continueth to the end the same shall be saued Loe this is that Wheele by the which Pieties Plough ougâ—t to proceede without feare or fainting vntill the action in hand bee fully effected for the praise of God and benefite of man Saul the king of Israel wanted this Wheele so did Iudas the traitour Demas and such other Apostataes execrable to God and odious before men but Abraham Dauid Daniel Paul Iohn the Baptist and Iohn the Euangelist continued their course and calling beeing therefore blessed with the Lord and commended of all good men Thus hauing perused the two Wheeles we are next to consider of the Axel-tree whereon those Wheeles are carried in Pieties Plough CHAP. XXV The twelfth part is the Axell AS the two Wheeles of the Plough are combined and carried by the Axell-tree 11. Wholsome praier so is that Christian meditation and godly Perseuerance in the good action mightily combined and supported by godly inuocation therefore worthily resembled in the same This is that true vertue which commeth of that true Good of his Son Iesus and of the Holy ghost and desireth the good things not onely of this life but also of the life to come This is that which fighting against all doubtfulnesse dooth promise vs to be heard that we shall thereby obtaine the good things desired for the sake of the Mediator Therefore as the Lorde in the olde Testament hath commanded men to call vpon him in troubles with a promise to heare and helpe so the holy men of that time haue duly obserued it Againe as in the newe Testament our Sauiour hath both taught and commanded his Apostles to pray in his name to the Father for daily foode necessaries of nature for pardon of trespasses for their defence against the diuell and such so they thinking it needefull and finding the benefite thereof haue not onely duly obserued it but in their doctrines and good counsailes taught and exhorteth all others to doe the like not onely for themselues Ephes 6. but for all estates and conditions of men Surely this is that spirituall Axell-tree which holdeth together the Wheeles and beareth vppe the Beame and that very vertue of the Spirite whereby it pieaseth God hearing our prayers to helpe our weakenesse and to direct vs to the effecting and perfecting of all other vertues For this is as Augustine said Locutio ad Deum quando legis Deus tibi loquiter quando oras cum Deoloqueris A speaking to God when thou readest God speaketh to thee when thou praiest thou talkest with God An other calleth it an humble conuersion to God Hugo with the mouth of the minde assisted with fath hope and charitie and touching the good operation and effects thereof saith an other It cleareth the heart withdraweth it from terrene affections cleanseth it from vices lifteth it vp to heauenly things yeeldeth him more capable and worthy to conceiue the spirituall good thinges This dooth our Sauiour Christ worthily confirme when he saith that his Father giueth the holy Spirite to them that aske the same of him in his name by the which Spirite he meaneth all the graces and blessings of the holy Ghost Therefore he saith againe to his Disciples Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee full Wherfore when wee haue assayed to frame the Soole of all the former members and knowe that yet there remaineth in vs many desertes let vs deuoutly conuert our selues to GOD our heauenly Father in hearty and humble prayer that it woulde vouchsafe him of his power and goodnesse in Christ to supply all those our defects and feeling the sweetnesse thereof not forget to glorifie him with the Psalmist saying Praised bee GOD which hath not put backe my prayers from him nor his mercies from mee CHAP. XXVI The thirteenth part of the Soole is the Key IN the twelfth place it is required 12. Faith wholsome that wee consider of the Keye or Pinne whereby the Beame is fastened to the Tawe and the Soole set eyther higher or lower deeper
true Christian The Voices Voices are the preachings of the Prophets Preachers Euangelists and Ministers of the holy word who like Saint Iohn the Baptist the Criers voyce in the world prepares the Lordes way among men The Songs Songs or whistlings are the sweete promises of God in Christ who by many comfortable metaphors and arguments of loue allures men vnto him The Shaking of the Goade Shaking of the Goade is the comination or threat of punishment and heauie iudgements to fall on them which are either negligent or vnfaithfull in this seruice As thou Sonne of man saith the Lord if thou tell them not of their sinnes but permit them that they die therein I will require their blood from thine hand Againe Cursed is hee who dooth the Lords worke negligently The Pricks of the Goade Prickes of the Goade are corrections afflictions crosses anguishes and sorrowes whereby the lazie is stirred vp the idler prouoked the sinner punished Ion. 2. By this Goade was Ionas pierced when hee was found faulty in his Ministerie by the same was Peter perswaded to acknowledge and confesse him thrise whom hee had thrise denied Iob. 20. Saul by the same became a Paul most redie to runne his course in this Plough and those Angells in the Ephesian Churches Apoc. 2. which were sometime tepidous and backeward were well warned and set forward And truly this is Gods wisedome to deale with his seruants as for his owne glory and the good of his Church so for their good whom he warneth threatneth punisheth not to destroy them but as a good Father to his prodigall child as a prudent Schoolemaister to his negligent schollers as a cunning Phisitian to his insolent patients Chrysost ad Bab. Martyr and as the wise husbandman to his lazie Oxen but yet with some seueritie on them that disobey his knowne will and abuse with presumption his gratious long suffering Thus haue wee perused Pieties Plough in all parts members performed Now hee that takes hold of this Plough Hee that takes the Plough in hand but continue it and continueth not to the end but lookes backward with Demas is not fit for the kingdome of God Let vs therefore pray to the Lord to encrease our faith to helpe on our labours to confirme our ministerie and strengthen vs in him both to the end and in the end by the strong influence and power of his Spirit the agitator and driuer of this potent Plough CHAP. XXX The harrowing of the Lords Land after the Seede sowen therein PIeties Plough beeing thus compleat wee are next to consider of the harrowing of the Lords Land The good husbandman for the breaking and bruising of the rough cloddes of earth and better couering of the Seede cast into his field hath an instrument framed to that vse which he calls the Harrow or Dragge and this containes diuers orders or rewes of manie sharpe tines or nailes the which by how much more keene and tender pointed they bee the better by so much they serue to this vse Now in this spirituall Georgie there is likewise a spirituall Harrow without the which there rest in the heart of man many stubborne cloddes of concupiscence and sinne as whereby the soueraigne seede of the heauenly word may not well take roote and bring forth fruit of encrease This Harrow is that tentation whereby the Lord God bruiseth the corruption of mans nature The Harrow or Dragge and trieth them that appertaine to his Kingdome for their good And therefore as the Harrow hath in it many sharpe tines or prickes for that vse this Tentation hath his Contents of diuers kindes of affliction applicable and that profitable for the spirituall Lande Amongst many others of this kinde the Apostle to the Hebrewes The harrow tines chap 11. hath numbred these particulars as namely mockings scourgings bands prisonments stonings piercings woundings burnings wandrings tormentings afflictions death And those and such like vexations hath the Lord appointed and permitteth to fall on his Saints as whereby in this life they might be tried and in their triall purged as corne and purified as gold in the fire that so through many tribulations incident to mans nature they might bee framed liable to this vse and finally being redeemed from the earth and washed in the blood of the Lambe and abandoning the world they might effect and enter the heauenly Ierusâ—lem Greg. in Iob. li. â—6 ca. 9. the place of their rest Neguitia reproborum triturae more electorum vitam quasi grana à paleis seperans premit purgat The naughtinesse of the Reprobates saith Gregorie after the manner of a triture or threshing doth bruise and purge the life of the elect as seperating the corne from the chaffe for the euill when they afflict the good The cause wherefore God suffereth the godly to be afflicted in this life doe the sooner thereby driue them from the desires of this world for whiles they lay on them many violent pressures they compel them to hasten to things heauenly the which is well noted in the example of the Israelites when Moses called them from the oppression of Pharaoh And this is the cause that the Lord permittes the righteous to bee troubled by the vnrighteous that when they heare tell of the good thinges future which they desire they may sustaine for a time the affliction of those euill thinges which they abhor and such their crosses may enforce them to an happy ende while loue allures them to the same Neither indeed may the nature of men be otherwise framed applicable to the Lords vse as thus by praue concupiscence subdued to sinne But by this as by the rough Harrow the clods of his nature being bruised and that good corne couered in the earth howsoeuer the wicked imagine the seede of Gods word therein dieth the fruite of Righteousnesse in time is seene to recompence the husbands toyle Therefore when the Prophet Dauid obserued the necessitie and conuenience thereof he confessed that good it was for him that hee had bene troubled that is harrowed though by the persecution of Gods enemies 1 We are not afflicted by God vniustly But if at any time we seek for the cause of this our trouble and can hardly finde the same yet let this suffice to perswade that wee suffer none of these trialles vniustly for if by the goodnesse of God we be now made somewhat who before were not there is no doubt but that the same God bearing rule ouer all will not permit vs which now are made to be vniustly afflicted he will not neglect the worke of his owne hand but preserue that himselfe hath created Greg. ibi i. cap. 10. and constraine all those hard aduentures betiding vs to further the same preseruation for his glory and our endlesse consolation Next let vs endeuour in this case to resemble the good ground which first simplie obeyeth yeldeth to the hand of
that as the weakenesse of humane abilitie and slendernesse of mans witte coulde neuer of it selfe effect any thing of the meanest request The best commencements much lesse that which is of the noblest regard so also as wisdome reason and experience teach things well begun haue commonlie like successes and that the good beginnings are taken from the diuine grace wherein the greatest actions haue bene enabled with the semblable regard This when I also well weighed I thought it a matter most vnseemelie and nolesse sinful to aduenture this present worke without holy inuocation yea much I doubted lest that without this one thing I should not only transgresse in manie things but also setting the building not on the Rock with the wise man but with the foole on the sand the waight of the walles would haue fallen to the ground and so much the sooner for that the worke now endeuoured is both exceeding great and the degree therof excellent high The waight of the matter in hand vz Pietie for behold this is that which aptly concerneth the supreme magnificency of the most princely Ladie Pietie of whose right nobilitie I perswade euery man who hath been schooled either in the knowledge of God or of himselfe hath happilie heard and with whose laudable graces whosoeuer is truely adorned is both honored with God well commended of all good men And this I am sure ye will confesse together with me when yee shall aright vnderstand both the nature and vtilitie of this Soueraigne Princesse by her plaine description but the more when ye shall be moued to entertaine and embrace the sweete influences of her glorious vertues Now Pietie Cicer. in Re. tue li. 2. Aug. epist 22. ad Macedo if ye aske mee what I vnderstand by this word I answere not only that Philostorge or louing affection whereby a man loueth honoureth râ—uerenceth gratifieth and dutifully regardeth his father mother brethren kindred Country and such as haue thereby well deserued according to the definition of the Philosophers but also that chiefly that most reuerend holy and true worship of the most high God Chris in ser De fide de lege and the true loue and right regard of dutie towards all men whose originall and fountaine the whole scriptures diuinely inspired haue drawne not from the nature wit abilitie or policie of sinfull man but from the verie spirit of truth as an influence of the highest heauens comprehended in the feare of God expressed in Faith Hope and Charitie hath his Mysterie exceeding great for vnder the same not onely God is manifested in the flesh as Paul the holie Apostle affirmeth 1. Tim. 3. but also there lye couched great safetie great wealth great vtilitie great glorie Thereof the auncient Hermes knowing the safetie protested that Lactan. li. 2. de Origine Erro cap. 16. Mia Phylake Eusebeia c. Pietie is that onely keeper or preser matrix of men for neither hath the wicked diuel nor yet Fate any maner power ouer the godly man for God deliuereth him from all euil therefore is Pietie or Godlines that one and onely good thing among men Next wee heare the Apostle to affirme that Pietie is great riches to them which are content with that which they haue thirdly he saith that this vertue is profitable to all things lastly that it hath for her end euerlasting life For in the true tenure of Pietie not only all the Creatures of God in the world but also all the treasures and rights of the kingdome of heauen are ours Therefore this is the same which beyond all other things he boldly commendeth as not only the best and most acceptable to God but the verie scope of all the holy Scriptures which are giuen to this end that men might belieue and in belieuing might haue eternall life in the name of the Sonne of God Loe such a thing haue I aduentured to haue at this time whose reuerence although I esteeme farre beyond mine abilitie and worthinesse yet vnder the feare of him who hath called me with an holy calling graunted me to knowe the secretes of this vertue and enabled me to declare his glorie in the middest of his congregation haue I so farre forth presumed yet not I but that diuine grace which worketh in mee Therefore let vs now with meeke heartes and due reuerence fall downe before his footstoole and faithfully lift vp our humble mindes vnto that heauenly Father froÌ„ whom this grace desendeth Let vs seeke him in a true faith and desire his gratious goodnes that in his diuine fauour mercy and louing affection towards vs through his sweete sonne our Sauiour he would respect our condition speede well our Plough and prosper all our godly endeuours that thereof plowing and sowing not to the flesh but to the spirit we may reape not of the flesh corruption but of the spirit life euerlasting for the high glory of his maiestie the soueraign benefit of his Church the perfect discharge of Christian dutie and the prosperitie of the elected Saints O most blessed father the God of glory A prayer for the good speed of Pieties Plough and king of all consolation we thy poore children oppressed with the intollerable burthen of sinne and scourged with miseries rod the guard of transgressions doe now here prostrate both our bodies and soules before thy foote-stoole Thou hast commanded vs to sowe for Righteousnesse Hos 10.12 and to reape according to Mercies measure to plough vp our fallow ground to seeke after thee in the happie time and to apply Pieties Plough in the true obseruation of godly dutie But alas ô father wee be so witlesse and weake as wee neither knowe how to vse the one nor are able to labour in the other nor can we be drawne from the idle market place into the happie field of the spirituall husbandry but by thy wisdome thy mercie and thy louing and gracious calling through thy most holy Messias our Sauiour For as no man commeth vnto thee but by thy Sonne so neither commeth any man to thy Sonne but whom thou drawest and thou drawest them no doubt by thy mercie Ier. 31.3 whom thou hast embraced with thine euerlasting loue Gen. 9.27 Therefore with righteous Noah wee beseech thee to perswade vs in thy mercies to enter Sichems Tabernacles Cant. 1.3 and heartily desire thee with thy holy Spowsesse to drawe vs forth after thee with a promise of our parts but assisted by thee that then wee will runne Call vs ô father effectually manure our worke without and prepare our mindes within Let it please thy good spirit to inspire our hearts thy power to enable our bodies thy grace to confirme our whole man to to thy holy will and pleasure and thy louing mercies to make vs meete for thy seruice that standing no longer ydle we may henceforth labour in thy field follow Pieties Plough and be wholy emploied in the heauenly
is not yet made meete to rule the Church Labour in the word doctrine By Labouring in the Word the Apostle meaneth his exercise in the holy Mysteries but chiefly diligent studie and meditation in the feare of God whereby being that way furnished he may be able to draw forth of his full vessell measurably vnto his flocke in the Church the which is meant by the labour in doctrine It is therefore required that the Minister be of good gouernment for himselfe his family and flocke and that hee bee a diligent student and painefull feeder of the sheepe of Christ thereby to expresse his loue to his maister and to discharge his dutie in his place And that this may be done with more cheerfulnesse The yoke of the oxen Act. 1.15 they forget not the nature of their yoke and combinations This is not that seruile yoke of the lawe tied to circumcision ceremonies and such like the which except they did in those times obserue they were cursed but that easie yoke which our Sauiour willeth vs to take vp that is the sweete doctrine and most wholesome discipline of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ by faith in whom wee are saued and whom to serue is perfect freedome for he is our sanctification and redemption To take vp this yoke is to submit our selues to the doctrine rule and discipline of Christ to doe him homage to embrace him to harken to him and to honour serue and follow him as our Maister our teacher our king and the authour of our health he saith not cast off the yoke of the Lawe but take mine for it is not enough to abandon other yokes except wee also take vp this yoke and follow him in the field as his loue-labouring Oxen vnder this yoke wherein although some sower things are mixed with sweete things yet hath it both great comfort and like vtilitie And this The manner of the combination in the yoke that we may also the better enioy the manner of the combination labor and proceeding of those Oxen it may be considered and by comparison duly applied Therefore heere first let vs note the agreement as of two Oxen vnder the same yoke so the meete concorde of them all together in the same labour Secondly their faithfulnesse in the worke wherein drawing proportionably one deceiueth not another Thirdly their strength which is not lither or weake buâ— forcible to the purpose Fourthly their willingnes to the furtherance of the worke Fiftly their mutuall comfort wherein one encourageth an other in ther labour In like manner for the better speede of this Plough the spirituall Oxen haue and retaine first loue and concord in and among themselues for hereby saith Christ shall all men know that ye are my Disciples secondly faithfulnesse in their function which as the Apostle saith is required of the disposers of the mysterries of God thirdly fortitude assisted by godly patience as hee saith Possesse your soules in patience and be strong in the Lord fourthly goodwill as the Angells proclaimed Goodwill vnto men fiftly it is required that those good Oxen should animate and prouoke one an other of them in this good worke in such sort as did the vigilant Pastours who hearing of the birth of Christ saide one to an other Luk. 2.15 Heb. 8.10 Rom. 3.27 1. Tim. 1.19 1. Cor. 1.24 1. Pet. 1.5 Come let vs goe to Beth-lem and see this thing And as also did Saint Peter and Iohn Paul and Barnabas Philippe and Nathanael taking and vsing for their better furnishing of those yokes the Lawe of the Spirit and of a sound conscience for necke-bowes the wisedome and power of the Highest for the kayes and the lawful disposition of their senses internall externall for the ropes or chaines as whereby they see heare taste sauour feele the things which appertaine as wel to the soule as to the body for the the glory of God the benefit of the church and discharge of proper duties All the which is not a little fortified by that faithfull Hope which looketh not onely to the expected fruits of their labours in others but to a meete remuneration on themselues albeit they haue an especiall regard as wel to their owne duty binding them as to the glory diuine emboldning them 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5. For as the labouring Oxe by the rule of the law might not be defrauded of his due fodder so hee that tilleth the ground should till the same in hope And this is spoken not only to perswade the spirituall land to yeeld fit food to the spirituall Oxen as of right Grego in Iob. lib. 1. c. 16. but to encourage those Oxen to to labour the land as of dutie without fainting When therefore the Apostle wisheth that the Ministers of the Gospel should liue of the Gospell his meaning is that they should bee well maintained as whereby the better able to performe the worke And this hee likewise vnderstandeth by that double honour Double honour which they deserue that rule wel and labour in the word and doctrine first they are to be esteemed with due reuerence and maintained with like beneuolence Neither is their reward only with men but with the Lorde who is not forgetfull of their good works God promised to AbrahaÌ„ 1. Cor. 15. that he would be his exceeding great reward which doubtlesse was entended not of that only which should be enioyed in this life but of that wherein those Saints are and shall be as the heauens light Dan. 12.13 How the true Labourers are rewarâ—ded with men and shine as the stars in the firmament for euer It is too often obserued in the maligne world that the best labourers want their condigne honour yea their most worthy studies and godly endeuouors are rewarded with hatreds emulations displeasures and ingratitudes as sometime the laborious Oxe findes at the vnthriftie husbands handes tedious toiles sorie fare and bad vsage that farre inferiour touching this dutie to the heathen who as Plato Plato de Leg. dial 6. de sacer disputed in his lawes euer regarded the honour of their Priests Howbeit it is most true for their endlesse comfort that those their labours in the Lorde are not in vaine but euermore recompenced with a double reward of the Lords bountie and grace In regard whereof not onely Moses the Propheâ—s and Apostles haue beene well pleased to beare Onus aestum Diei the burthen of the day in this seruice but also the Martyrs of the Primitiue Church with the Ministers and all other faithfull workemen in this field haue exposed themselues to the wood rage of bloody Tyrants resoluing not onely with Iob and Paul If thou wouldest kil me yet wuld I trust in thee And in this cause death is to me an aduaÌ„tage but also with those Martyrs of the Greek church Gordius Gordius Martyr Ignatius saying Ego ou monon hapax apothanein eitotmos echo huper tou onomatos