the Soole is the round-Hale BY the former handle of the Soole called also the Broade Hale is signified the turning about 7 Correction of the words and works c. and correction of the heart minde and inwarde affection of the Soule Now by this second called the Round-hale there is noted also a correction of mans words workes actions conditions and endeuours that therein the conuersion might be not onely in the minde or inward man but also without in the members so in the whole man is a perfect conuersion answerable not onely to the Greeke Metonoiah but also to the Hebrue Teschubah the altring or renewing not onely of the minde but of the whole man That is the meaning of the Prophet when hee saith Turne againe vnto the Lord Conuert thou vs and we shall be conuerted The order thereof wee may learne from the practise of the cunning Phisitian who endeuouring to alter the constitution of his sicke Patient applieth to cold causes hotte medicines and to hotte humours colde things as that with the cause of euery maladie The order of conuersion might with his contrary be best maistred and suppressed the like we may take from the vsage of the husbandman who into his hungry fields brings the fattest soyle into snapy and wet places hotte lime ashes and sand into high earth the sound marrle and into stony ground the cleanest worthe Euen so in this conuersion it is required that against wicked vices there be opposed all godly vertues Thus taught our Sauiour Christ who came into the world to saue sinners and thereto as Simeon prophecied to be the downe-falling Luk. ◠and the vprising of many in Israel which is meant not onely of sundrie persons diuersly affected to whom he allots a contrary retribution but also of one and the same singular person or persons in whom he destroyeth the kingdome of sinne that in the same he might set vp and establish the kingdome of righteousnesse And in this hee wrought the ruine of pride by his humility the ruine of auarice by his liberalitie the ruine of luxury by his chastitie the ruine of enuie by his charitie the ruine of gluttony by his sobrietie the ruine of wrath by his patience the ruine of sloath by his diligence in a word the ruine of all wickednesse by his righteousnesse A certaine man endeuouring to perswade to this patterne counselled as thus translated Vnto the sicknesse of the Soule the contraries apply Giue Niggard of thine owne thou wanton bend to chastitie Turne Enuie into loue and Pride to good humilitie Yeeld Glutton to Sobrietie thou wrathfull patience loue In fine to bridle youthfull flesh the Rodde of Nurture proue Luk. 3.5 This rule taught Iohn the Baptist in his preaching of Repentance Let euery hill bee brought lowe let euery valley bee filled vp let thinges which are crooked be made straight and that which is rough be made plaine The same Ezechiel hath without a metaphor saying Ezec. 18.21 Let the vngodly man turne away from his vngodlinesse and doe the thing that is right And Daniel counsailing Nabuchadnezar thus Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse Dan. 4. and thine iniquitie by mercie The meaning is that men should cast away the deedes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light that the errour of their liues might bee redressed and themselues turned to the truth and brought from the power of Sathan vnto the Lord their God This is the enkindling of the blacke cole which hauing fire in it shineth bright yea this is the well culturing of mans vntrimmed land wherby the face and forme thereof being changed renewed and all things perfected hee is made liable both in body and minde to the heauenly and soueraigne seede Howbeit we must neuer forget this that both the beginning the proceeding and the effecting of this holy worke of mans Conuersion is not of mans owne will or abilitie but that which belongeth onely to his grace who hath created him and by his Spirite in his Sonne renueth them which belong vnto his kingdome The necessitie and manner of the Lords diuine worke therein hee declareth in his disputation with Nichodemus concerning the same saying Verily verily I say vnto thee Io. 3.5 except that a man be borne of water and of the Spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Where he meaneth the Spirituall water whereby wee are baptized by the holy Ghost into newnesse of life The which being an especial worke of God not onely aboue mans abilitie but farre beyond his wisedome to conceiue he is bound to ascribe the praise thereof vnto the Lorde and with continuall inuocations and praiers desires of his goodnesse that as hee is most willing to worke this conuersion in vs by his Spirite we may not any way refuse the good motions of the same but euermore yeeld our selues readie both in minde and members to suppresse vices by the exercises of holy vertues and to turne away from all euill to follow and encline vnto all that is good by the helpe and grace of God in his sonne Iesus CHAP. XXII The ninth part of the Soole is the Chaine 8 The combination of Vertue AFter the two Hales or Handles wee regard the Chaine or Iron-Rope the which being fastned to the Tractorie and grapled to the yokes the whole Soole is pulled forth by the Oxen This Chaine or Rope is made of many Rings or linckes fastened one within an other so as one of thē being drawn forth all the other must of necessitie follow To such a matter aymed those auncient The three Graces wise and gratefull men who framed their three Xarisetes or Graces so as Xaris charin pherei One grace held supported or prouoked an other By this is fitly depainted the true combination prouocation of those motions which are agreeable to the lawe of God inspired and kindled by his diuine Spirite yea those very heauenly vertues and graces which are deriued vnto vs by a measure from the fulnesse of Christ and are appointed to sustaine and followe one an other in these persons regenerate Of this spake Saint Iohn when he saide that From his fulnesse we all receiue Grace Ioh. 1. vpon Grace or one vertue following an other And no doubt of the same spake Paul when hee would that such as beleeued should thereto adde not onely vertue but Proceede from vertue to vertue that is to adde one vertue to an other vntill they were made perfect in Christ But Saint Peter iumpeth iust to the Graces 1. Pet. 15. and numbreth vp sixe particular Linckes for this Chaine saying Giue yee all heede that yee minister in your faith vertue in your vertue knowledge in your knowledge temperance in your temperance godlinesse in your godlinesse brotherly kindenesse in your brotherly kindenesse loue Whereas hee saith Giue ye all heede that ye minister in your faith vertue c. He meaneth not that the power of the action or
or treading out the corne wherein is pleasure as there is paine in ploughing But I will lay my yoke vpon her faire necke I will make Ephraim to ride Iudah shall plough and Iacob shall breake the cloddes or harrowe 3. A Christian mans action The third acceptation of the word we finde in the prophet Isaiah Isay 28. Shall the Ploughman plough all the day that he might sowe and that word so translated hath the Euangelist Two men shall be ploughing in the fielde Againe hee that goeth to the Plough and looketh backwarde is not fit for the Kingdome of God in the which speeches are noted the office and function of the true Christians with their continuance in the labours of the same But now concerning this coniunction and iniunction Plough or breake vp your fallowed or prepared land wee finde that Salomon in a certaine proverbiall speech conioyning both the words hath the like in effect Pr 24.27 Prepare thy work without and make ready thy things in the fielde as who should say play the good husband in the manuring dressing and culturing of thy land to auoid the inconuenience that followeth bad husbandry for I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull and by the vineyard of the man without vnderstanding and loe it was all growen ouer with thornes and nettles had couered the face therof the stone wall thereof was broken downe Luke 35. S. Iohn the Baptist endeuouring to perswade this good Husbandrie saith Euery valley shall be filled and euerie hill shal be brought lowe crooked things shal be made straight and the rough wayes shal be made smoothe all the which words are likewise metaphorical signifie what the Lord God required in them which should be prepared for the acceptation of the holie Messiah And the Lorde himselfe hath a Parable to the like effect of the sower which cast forth his seede into diuers kindes of earth whereof that onely receiued the seede to profit which was the good ground that is the same which was by this kinde of husbandrie well manured and prepared But whereas Salomon leaueth it in the bare metaphor The Metaphor expounded the others haue added an exposition as not onely for them then but also for vs to whom the Lord hath graunted to knowe the misteries of his kingdome Therefore Ieremie hauing taken vp this metaphor by and by expounds it thus Ier 4. Be yee circumcised to the Lorde and take away the foreskinnes of your hearts ye men of Iudah and inhabiters of Ierusalem lest my wrath come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the wickednes of your inuentions And herein he teacheth amongst other those two things first what is meant by this land or ground Next what is the husbandrie theron required he would that we should by this grouÌ„d vnderstand not that naturall Element or ground accustomed to the materiall seede but the heart of man yea and by the figure Zenegdoché which vnder parte comprehendeth the whole the whole man The grouÌ„d is mans heart whose life conuersation and wayes before the Lord are commonlie iudged discerned by the coâ—stitution of the heart or thought the fountaine of all mans wordes actions and endeuours But the heart of man naturallie and without this tillage or fallowing is comparable to the thornie barraine and waste ground which neuerthelesse beeing circumcised Fallowed or circumcised that is fallowed and well manured is like vnto the good ground thereof called Gods hushandrie according to Paules speeches to the Corinthians after that they had bene occupied in the studie and practise of Pietie yee are Gods husbandry that is the hearts circumcised the land well manured and a people holie and well prepared for the Lord. Also Iohn the Baptist expoundeth the metaphor thus Prepare ye the Lordes way Repent Amend your liues and bring yee forth fruites worthie amendemeÌ„t of life And the Lord declaring the parable of the Sower and his field tells his Disciples that the good ground is He that heareth the word and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite bringeth forth some thirtie Mat. 13. some sixtie some an hundreth folde Although somtimes by a field is meant the World Mat. 1â— and by the good seede Gods children yet here as he said by the Seed is meant the Word of God and by the field the persons to whom the same is preached by the which many be called but fewe that is those which are comparable to the good ground are perswaded So neither hath the prophet Hosey here left his Metaphor without his exposition when to the same hee added It is time to seeke the Lord. To seeke the Lorde is to sowe for righteousnes In the which words hee compareth all that whatsoeuer is before spoken of the good Ground for this compreheÌ„deth the hearing of the word the vnderstaÌ„ding of the same Faith obedience Iustice Mercie Vertue AmendemeÌ„t Repentance the true conuersion of man vnto God By this therfore we gather that the Lord knoweth howe farre off the people of Israel were from the right practise of the wise and prouident husbandman in this point as that in steede of sowing for Righteousnes in the fallowed Land they sowed among the thornes and ploughed wickednes whereof ensued inquitie as pride couetousnes gluttony wrath enuie luxury crueltie and many other vngodlie fruites whereof the wrath of God enkindled was now ready to fall on them he did in his great mercie and long suffering yet endeuour by the ministery of his prophet to withdraw them from such their sinnes miseries and to allure them to Pietie and goodnesse by perswading in them that good * affection or passion of minde That is true repentance wherewith beeing deepelie touched in the bitter sense of the diuine wrath conceiued against them for their sinnes they might be heartily sorie loath their sinnes thirst after mercie hunger after righteousnesse and turne againe vnto the Lorde from whom they had bene estranged in the leaudnes of their mindes This is indeede the same which the Greekes vnderstood in their Metánoiá Metánoia but the Hebrews more fullie in their Thescubah noting with the former a renewing of the minde and with the latter a turning again into the way from whence a man had erred and is so much to say as the conuersion of a man vnto God not onlie in minde but also in bodie and in both wherein beeing truely mortified he might again be renewed and conformed vnto the Lord in holinesse and righteousnes Against this is directly opposed that Meschubah Mescubah or turning away as from God to the Diuell from all good to all euill wherin is found wickednes and destruction In a word the prophet by this exposition of the Metaphor preacheth true Repentance which hee knewe to be the onelie way to recouer those wandring persons and therfore most necessarie as that without it the sinner is not
else-where inviteth the Lords people not onely to the former but also to the latter in both the which conioyned and enioyned to man consisteth Omnis summa Christiana Disciplinae Religionis the summe of all Christian discipline and Religion Now therfore we may first gather consider of the most pregnant testimonies then of the examples in practise thirdly the signification of the words so conioyned as which beeing knowen we may the better vnderstand obserue the true meaning of the Prophet and the Diuine will in this his exhortation Iustice and Mercie Isay 57.1 The Prophet Isaiah conioyneth the words thus The righteous man perisheth and no man regardeth it in his heart The men of Mercy are taken away Pro. 21.21 and no man considereth it Salomon hath this combination Who so loueth Righteousnesse and Mercie findeth Life Righteousnesse and Honour Daniel in his good Counsaile to Nebucadnezar Dan. 4.27 maketh this conjunction Breake off thy sinnes by Righteousnesse and thine iniquities by Mercie to the poore Micheas the Prophet in his Chaine lincketh them together thus Hee hath shewed thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Mich. 6. namely to doe Iustice and to loue Mercie The like hath Zacharie saying in the Name of the Lord They shal be my people Zach. 8.8 and â— wil be their God in Righteousnes and Mercie To â—e short Christ Iesus in the newe Testament Mat. 5. haâ—ing pronounced them happie that hunger and â—hirst after Righteousnes by by added Blessed â—e the Mercifull In this and many other places wee finde not onely the apte coniunction commendation of those two vertues so placed but â—lso the glorious rewarde of the same annexed â—hereto as that which orderly followeth the peerâ—esse plough of Pietie in the true vse And truely as wee haue found for the former 2 Examples of practise â—s Iustice and Mercie disioyned and set apart for â—ither of them besides the testimonies many noâ—able exaÌ„ples of practise so also haue wee for those â—oth conioyned as wherin the Saints of yore deâ—laring themselues as the children of the highest Righteous Mercifull Heb. 11. haue in their times bene wel reported of as the Apostle saith writing to the Hebrews left behind them not only a perpetuall memory of their Pietie but also the like instruâ—tion and example thereof to all others in posteriâ—ie who seeing and considering well of those verâ—ues holie perfection might be thereby occasioned to follow them therein to the high praise of God their owne soules health Gen 6. It is therefore â—eported of Noah that hee was not onely a righâ—eous man but also that he was perfect walked with God Abraham being a righteous man Gen. 18 declared himselfe mercifull in his kindnes to the Sodomites to Lot Gen. 18. to the Angels to Strangers and in a word in many such workes of Mercy Iob. 1 8. Epoc. 32 3â—.32 The like may be easily found and approued in the holy man Iob in Moses the seruant of God in Dauid the King in the noble Captaine Nehemias Neh. 1.4 and 58.10 11.16 in good Tobiah Tob 1. Luk. 1. Mat. 1. in the Priest Zachary and his wife In Symeon theâ— iust and godly man in Ioseph the husband of Mary and to passe by many others beyond all the Iustice of the Lord hath bene mixed with mercy in the admirable redemption of mankind in and by the meanes and merite of his sonne Iesus in whom also these vertues as in the image of the father haue and doe euer shine and declare themselues to the glory of God and eternall benefit of his elected Saints 3 A double Iustice Thirdly finding these wordes with semblable examples thus conioyned and of such affinitie we may well perceiue how the Propheâ— aymeth to that double Iustice required of man that is not onely to that contained and commanded in the second but also in the first Tabie of the diuine law by the which men might obserue that word of Christ Pelican in Prou. 21. Gual in Hos 10. To make not onely the fruite good but first the Tree and then the fruite wherby the Tree is known and approued For except the Tree be first good there commeth thereof no good fruite Whereby we see this matter likened to a Tree with her fruit The Tree is our Iustice * The Tree of Iustice the fruite is our Mercy in the former is respected Iustification in the latter Sanctification And this necessarily followeth the former as the fruit the Tree if the Tree be good Wherof I may say that the former produceth Iustification the latter Opera Iustficati the works of the person iustified For the former which is the Tree whereof mercie springeth it is doubtles that Righteousnes of God Iustice is approued which being perfect blamelesse holy and sound in it selfe was yet neuer reprehended or reprooued by the wisedome of God nor iustlie condemned by the children of of meÌ„ but hath bin and is shal be by â—he â—a raÌ„t of holy Scripture worthelie iustified approued and commended by God and his Saints and not denyed but rather acknowledged and confessed euen by the verie Diuels and vngodlie persons though against their willes by the constrainte of the spirite of trueth to the glorie of God and the consolation of the godlie But Christ hath said Obiect that the holy Ghost comming into the worlde reproueth the worlde not onely of sinne but also of Righteousnes Iob. 16.8.9 because they beleeue not in him This indeede is true neither may the word of Christ be thought to contrarie â—he worde of the Prophet in this place for wee must vnderstand that our Lord distinguisheth of â—he word Righteousnes or Iustice and as a learned â—ather writeth Nisi esset institia falsa Iustitia Dei â—on diceretur vera were there not a false Iustice the â—ustice of God should not be called the true Iuâ—â—ice But the Iustice of God is called as it is indeede the true Iustice therfore there is some oâ—her Iustice which is the false Iustice and lyable to â—hat reprehension of the holy Ghost neither as the case now standeth is there any Righteousnes either naturall morall legall pharisaicall or politicall in man which may be iustly exeÌ„pted from the same No Iustice approued but that which is of God 1. Cor. 1.19 For the naturall Iustice was lost in Adams fall the morall wanting faith by mans concupiscence is sinfull the legall is abandoned by transgression the pharisaicall reprobated by hypocrisie and the politicall is by lewd foolishneâ— opposed to the Iustice wisedome of God The maine reason of this reprobation of mans iustice is the want of saith as Christ witnesseth because they beleeue not in mee without the which whatsoeuer is done Iob. 16 1â— is condemned for a sinne seeme the same neuer so goodlie to the eyes and iudgement
Infidelitie which retaining a prophane doubtfulnesse of Gods word of the Articles of faith and of the promises of grace and saluation in the holy Messias cannot apply to it selfe any of Christs merits nor apprehend hope of remission or iustification not bring forth or effect any of those good fruites which belong to true repentance but rather lifteth vp the Beame of Luxurie and turneth the ridges of impiety whereof spring those noisome tares which the enuious man soweth in the field of his heart Chrysost in Mat. 13. For this is right semblant to that sandie ground the which is made neuer the more fruitfull for the raine that falles therein but remaines barren touching all good fruites This Key therefore is nothing profiâ—able as is the Key of Pietie but alwaies noisome as by the which no man of what estate soeuer hee be can or may please God Gen. 3. Mat. 25. 1. Cor. 10. Mat. 22.11 who by our onely faith in his Sonne is well pleased This sinne spewed Adam and Henah out of Paradise caused the Isralites to fall in Wildernesse the fiue foolish Virgins to bee barred out from the Brides chamber and the dissembling Hypocrite to be expelled the mariage Table Therefore as our Lorde often commended vnto his followers Faith so also hee reprooued them for their vnbeliefe from the which hee much laboured to withdraw them lest whiles they continued infidelious with the maligne world they perished with the same The last member of this Soole Aratre is Malitious Crueltie 14. Malitious Crueltie likened to the Taw which dooth not onely compasse the Beame but holdeth the Tractory by the helpe of the Key This vice fastened to Dispaire by the Key of Impietie embraceth the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life with that wisedome which is earthly sensuall and diuellish The Taw of Pietie which is true Charitie loueth God and hateth the diuell this haâ—eth God and loues the Diuell that likes well the worde of God and abhorreth the worlde this loatheth the word of God and affecteth the worlde that honoureth the Spirit and suppresseth the flesh this honoureth the flesh and grieues the Spirit of God that embraceth the true brethren in Christ and consolateth them in their afflictions this disdaines them and addes paines to their troubles for this vice is most cruell to the true members of Christ but fauourable and obsequious to the Ministers of Antichrist finally the former perfects all vertues this replenisheth the dole of all vices For as Charitie is the fulfilling of the Lawe so is this the transgression of the same and as euery vertue is comprehended within loue so are all vices vnder vncharitable crueltie and therefore vnto such an one appertaines punishment as to the iust belongs honour as saide Philo Iudaus Philo in officio Iudieis seeing that hee who of his maligne minde perpetrateth cruell actions is not onely vnhappy but vniust Wherefore as in the old time the Lord plagued the Giants for their crueltie so afterward Gen 6. hee both reprooued and reprobated the Iewes and their sacrifices for the same saying I will haue mercie and not sacrifices for your hands are full of blood in regard whereof all your sacrifices oblations yea your praiers are sinfull before mee Lo such is the Soole of Impietie so opposite and contrary to that of true Pietie spoken of before CHAP. XXXIII Of the Oxen which labour and draw on the Soole of Impietie THe Aratre or Soole of Impietie is drawne forth with ten impious * Gregor moral in Iob. li. 1. c. 16. Nomine boum â—liquando habetudo fatuorum disignatur c. Oxen which allude in number nature and quality to those fiue yoke of Oxen with the which he ploughed who being called to the mariage feast of the Kings son refused to come and would bee excused and these are so many kindes of wicked and euill disposed persons which being coupled together consent and agree to plough iniquitie vngodlinesse and being ten they compleat and furnish fiue yokes or couples as a perfect number of maligne diuelish works in the field of this world In this for the first yoke is placed the prophane Atheist and the beastly Epicure In the second the maleuolent Heretike the Romish Iesuite In the third the factious Schismatike and the contentious Seditionary In the fourth the recoiling Apostate and the thriftlesse idle labourer In the fift the carnal Protestant and the Hypocrite The first denieth the eternal essence and being of God which was which is and shall be euer the same as such which said in Iob 1. Atheists Iob. 21.7 Who is the Almightie and in the Psalme Psal 14.1 There is no God or God is not Iob calleth them vngodly and Dauid calleth them fooles for they be neither of any religion towards God nor wise for themselues nor profitable to the Church And of the next affinity to these are the Cyclopicall Epicures 2 Epicures which diriding all discipline especially the doctrine of the resurrection and defying the Lord Iesus they make their bellies their gods consolating their hearts with this loathsome loare Let vs eate and drink and be merry here whiles we liue for we may die to morrow and then shalt haue no pleasure neither in this world nor any where else Sap. 2. Mat. Of this kind were those vngodly sinners in the dais of SalomoÌ„ those saduces in the time of Christ those grunting swine which when St. Paul met at Ephesus fought with them 1. Cor. 15. Ignat. epist 3. though in quality beasts after the manner of men The former Oxe in the second yoke The secoÌ„d yoke 1. Heretikes is he which doth not only inuent and broach a diuelish error and damnable opinion in the Church to the seduction hurt of the people but labours most eagerly by all arguments waies meanes to maintaine defend the same against the manifest approued truth of Gods word Of this kinde was Arrius Eutichius Manichaeus Sabellianus Valenteneanus and such others in the time of those bloody persecutions of the Church by the Roman Emperors before after the raigne of blessed Constantine by whose impiety both the Tyrants were much prouoked against the Christians and the Saints much offended To these are combined in the same yoke those impropriate Catholicks â— Romish Catholikes which depending on the Bishop of Rome haue with his impiety not only swallowed vp into their caniculare wombes all the Satanicall heresies broached and defended by those auncient Heretickes in the Church but also haue vomited and cast forth the same on the poore people of this time to the seducing of many simple soules laden with sinne and the great disturbance of the Christian peace And therein they are not contented Cassiod in Psal either through the desire of riches and an odious boasting of pride and vaine-glorie to persecute others which consent not
Greg. in Iob. li. 21. cc. 19. They are very fooles base persons whom thraldome of their minds hath alienated from the company of the eternall inheritance Moreouer these Oxen for their furniture in this businesse haue also as answerable to Pieties Plough their Yokes 1. The yoke of Impiety their Necke-bowes their Keyes and their Chaines or Ropes Their yoke is not that which the true christians beare with great courage comfort nor only that seruile yoke of the Law whereto the Iewes were constrained to bow their neckes but the heauy yoke of preuarication sin to the which they are in euery ranke prostituted constrained by the law of their members a cankred conscience wherein they haue a consuming worm euer gnawing their soules which are as the Neck-bowes 2. Necke-bowes of this yoke strengthened or holden in by the Keyes 3. The Keyes of Satans suggestion policie and finally they are tied together with fiue chaines or yron ropes 4. The Ropes which are the fiue chiefe senses as wel of soule as of bodie vnder natures corruption and their sinfull abuse as whereby neither seeing nor hearing nor tasting nor smelling nor feeling perfectly they put light for darknesse and darknes for light sweete for so wer and sower for sweete good for euill and euill for good therefore worthily reproued by the holy Prophet threatned with a terrible woe Isa 5. CHAP. XXXIIII 1. The Holder 2. The Leader 3. The Driuer of this impious Plough THis Plough hath also an Holder a Leader and a Driuer First the Holder thereof is the Diuell 1. The Holder is the Diuel which apostating from the glory of holy Angells opposeth himselfe and his actions to God to his Saints and to all goodnesse Hee is the principall Tiller of this field Io. 8.44 in the which he sets forth those his Oxen not onely for the sowing of iniquity to their destruction but for the terror feare trouble of others both in the Church and in the commonwealth in such sort as hee tumbled forth rhe heard of Swine into the waterrs Mark 5.13 whereon not only the swine perished but all the Country stoode in dread what thereof would ensue if the Lord Iesus had remained there among them The Leader of the Oxen is Antichrist 1. The Leader is Antichrist Aug. de ciuit dei c. 19. l. 20. that is not onely the kingdome of the false Doctors Teachers in the succession of the Roman Bishops that Sea which obscure the bright beames of the Gospell persecute Christ in his members and maintaine a worldly kingdome in the pride and ambition of their minds but he which is gone forth of the Church and contrarieth Iesus Christ in studie doctrine life as I haue more plainely taught in my Preparation to Contentation Chap â— 4.5 The Driuer of this Plough is the Spirit of Error 3. The Driuer is the Spirit of Error in the false Prophets which yoketh on these deceiued soules to follow their deceiuer sometimes by flatteries sometimes by sophistries sometimes by policies sometimes by tyrannies sometimes by herisies and by a thousand hypocrisies guilfull vanities in and by all the which hee euer crosseth contrarieth the holy Ghost by whom the oxen of Pietie are iustly mooued to draw on the Soole And herein the diuell seeking to deceiue men he first sounds their natures and knowing to what sin they are most profane Isul le 3. de summe bono Pet. Rauen in meerk 2. applies his tentations thereunto For he is the author of euill the originall of iniquity the enemie of things the corruptor of the world the aduersary of man he laies snares causeth falls digges pits prepares ruines prickes on the bodies pierceth the soules suggesteth the cogitations prouokes angers giues powers to hatreds addes vices to loue planteth errors nourisheth discordes disturbeth peace dissipates affections violateth humane things tempteth diuine thinges strikes at the beginning of good things captiues the rudiment of vertue hasteneth to extinguish that which is holy euen at the beginning knowing that hee shall be all vnable to subuert that which is once well grounded To and with whom conioyne those others who after Gregorie Greg. in Iob. 35. li. 26. ca. â— we may call Calumniatores being such indeed as do not onely rob dispoile men of their externall substance but by their erroneous doctrines euill manners and examples of a reprobate life contend and endeuour to dissipate their internall vertues and therefore are more to bee feared and abandoned then those theeues and robbers for they assay to inuade our externall good these spoile vs within they for the desire of our riches temporall these cease not to rage in the hatred of our vertues spirituall they enuie the things we enioy these enuie our life they study to take away our externall goods which please them these to destroy the internall treasures which displeaseth them therefore by how much the life of good manners differs from the substance of this world by so much the more greeuous are those wicked which either by diuellish suggestion an euill doctrine or vngodly life assaults or good manners then they which violently oppressing inuade on our goods For by such the quiet spirits led into tentation are subiected to damnable perdition CHAP. XXXV The Harrow or Drag and the Horses of Impietie with the fruits and ends thereof MOreouer to this Plough and Land of Impietie there is fitted by the Diuell a certaine Harrow or Dragge with two ill fauoured Iades to draw the same 1. The Harrow of Impietie The Harrow is that Adulation and flatterie of that false Prophet which may rather be called a Rolier or Smoother such as vsed the Prophets of Israel who when they should haue reproued the people for their abhominations Isa 2â— 1 5â— 11 Iere. 6.14 8.11 and terrified them with iudgments healed their wounds with faire wordes and dawbed their sinnes with vntempered morter Furthermore whereas in Pieties Harrow were found many sharpe pinnes oâ— tynes of bitter affliction to teare abroade the hard cloddes of mans peruerse and stubborne nature In this Roll or Dragge are fixed those tynes which are of a contrary nature and operation as namely the sinfull Solaces and fancies of fooles by the which as with precious balmes mans head is broken as Dauid saith To this purpose the maleuolent Temptor proposeth to the eyes of men the glory pleasure wealth and pompe of the worlde to bee desired to the eares the songs of fooles Pro. 1. Cor. 15. resembled to the cracking of thornes vnder the pot in the fire and such wordes which as Saint Paul saith corrupt good manners To the taste Luk 16. meates and liquors of deliciousnes wherewith men are glutted to their paine To the sent of smelling oderiferous gummes hearbs and sweete perfumes To the feeling soft apparrell easie beds quiet sleepes long rest idlenesse and wished
grace vpon grace as the following of one vertue after an other in great abundance And this is that which the Spirite alludeth vnto in Apo 22. Let him which is righteous be yet more righteous and let him which is holy be yet more holy And this tendes to the perfection of them which proceede from vertue to vertue vntill they come to bee perfect men in Christ This was obserued well in Noah the Righteous Gen. 6. who as it is testified by Moses was Righteous in perfections for so the words signifie to the which the holy Spowsesse alludeth in her shining garments Apo. 22. being interpreted by Saint Iohn to bee the Iustifications or Perfections of the Saints The second thing promised is Riches not of this worlde but of God The holy Apostle as alluding to Salomon saith that Godlinesse is great Riches Riches of Godlinesse Here is not onely Riches but great Riches and indeed Great is that Mysterie of Godlinesse hauing all the promises both of this life and of the life to come as the Apostle witnesseth The riches of this world is transitorie and vaine but this is that which being obteined is of more value then all worldly treasures the which they easily contemne that haue this Iewell in possession Therefore as worldly men seeke after the riches of the world the godly are incited and perswaded to lay vp their treasures in heauen in the which they haue and shall enioy with all Societie life light rest peace abundance of all good things securitie and eternitie Thirdly although in the former the fruite of Righteousnesse and reward of Pietie is plainely expressed yet Salomon addeth one other word to ratifie and strengthen the same Pro. 21.21 saying They which follow after Righteousnesse and mercie shall finde Honour Honour By the which he meaneth not onely that ioynt commendation of good men for some laudable vertues the fauour of God in this world honouring them which honour him Ro. 8. but also the Glory which shall be reuealed of the which as all the glorie of this world so all the afflictions of this time are not worthy as S. Paul saith neither the thing beeing of that high excellencie can we eyther speake thereof as it is nor comprehend the same in thought passing indeede as dooth that peace of God all mans vnderstanding But as the glory of Christ Iesus was extolled in that the Father manifested him in the flesh by the operation of his Spirite in his mightie workes and merits for mans saluation and as the glory of the Father appeared in those his louing mercies declared towards men in his deare sonne Iesus so doth the glory of man appeare first in this world by that it pleaseth God to declare him by his grace iustified sanctified adopted called elected and honoured in his Sonne Iesus Next in the resurrection exaltation and glorification of Iesus who hath taken on him mans nature and the same preserued and glorified hath taken seise and possession for man in the kingdome of his Father Thirdly it shall be most apparant when being set and placed on the right hand of Christ in the great iudgement wee shall not onely be commended in our labours done by faith before both Angells and men yea in the presence of the most High God but being pronounced iust and the blessed Saints of the Father we shall receiue the honour of that his most glorious kingdome prepared for vs from the beginning The fift Reason is taken from the apt comparison with the Raine 5. The comparison with the Raine by the which the former arguments are not onely confirmed but amplified The Lorde commeth to raine downe Righteousnes here Righteousnesse is likened to the Raine which commeth downe from heauen and that as for many so chiefly for these causes First for that the Raine cleanseth the aire from the corrupt vapours which rise of the earth 2. The Raine of all other waters is the sweetest in taste 3. It is more subtile and light then any other water 4. It is pure without mixtures 5. It watereth the barren earth to make it fertile 6. It giueth nourishment and comfort to the fishes in the Sea and other waters 7. It qualifieth the force of fiers 8. It makes the land tractable to the labour of the Husbandman 9. It washeth cleane the waies wherein men trauell 10. It commeth downe from aboue and not from beneath In semblable manner Righteousnesse is of that nature that it cleanseth the cogitations of men from noysome affections and studies It is the sweetest solace of a godly mans minde it easeth their consciences which thereby discharged of the burthen of sinne aspire to the heauens It is not contaminated with the fantasies of vaine persons nor the doctrines of deceiueable Heretickes It giueth moysture to our barren natures whereby wee yeeld forth fruite acceptable to the Lord. It asswageth the ardencie of mans concupiscence It perswadeth both our bodies soules to yeeld obedience both to the will and word of God It cleanseth our conuersations as whereby we may the better trauel to the harbour of health And comming downe from the Lord is of his Highnesse made vnto vs an influence of his grace and goodnesse as whereby wee be so seasoned and tempered as we remaine acceptable vnto his glory 6. The manner of bestowing it Sixtly the manner of powring downe these Graces as Raine on the Earth puts vs in minde of three principall Vertues in the Lord which bestowes them as first his large bountie secondly his fine liberalitie thirdly his exquisite wisdome His bountie is apparant in his gift his liberalitie in the abundant largenesse thereof and his wisedome in an orderly disposition The gift is of his loue his liberalitie of his abundant riches and his wisedome of his eternall prouidence He giueth and that freely without respect of any reward or any thing in man mouing him therevnto In his liberalitie hee giueth to euery man abundantly yea the very wicked are not left without the sense of his goodnesse in that he sendeth forth his Raine to fall as well on them as on his Saints The Prophets are full of Metaphors to set forth this the Lords liberalitie to men Although therfore there was a time when the Prophet Ioel threatned the disobedient with warres and troubles in the which they should bee constrained to breake vp their Plough Shares into Swordes Ioel. 3.10 whereon should follow famine and ruine in the Lords anger Yet the Prophet Isay to declare this large liberalitie of the Lord at an other time prophesied that the people should conuert their Swordes into Plough Shares and their Speares into Sythes Isa 2.4 for he would send them great plentie of fruites in the time of peace Thirdly as the Lord powres downe the Raine with an orderly dispositiō on the earth so powres he forth the effects and fruites of righteousnesse on his people after his diuine will in wisedome as