enable him for his diuine seruice whereof hee was not onely esteemed but was indeed a righteous man Thirdly hee was clad in the full habite of vertues whereof hee was perfect and esteemed as worthy to walk with God as those Saints which are esteemed by grace worthy to stand before the Sonne of man The like we finde in the holy father Abraham who being first loued and graced of God did by the diuine gifts of faith apprehend that grace by the which hee pleased the Lord God in that which he did answereable to that cōmandement of the Lord Gen. 17.1 I am God all sufficient walke before me and be thou perfect This considered the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Heb. 13.28 Let vs saith he retaine grace to what end that thereby we may serue God to to please him with reuerence and feare As if he should adde for without this grace we may neither serue nor please God as he requireth But on the other side we finde The works of the Iewish Hypocrites not onely by the testimony of the Prophets but also of the lord Iesus himselfe that albeit the Iewes did many great workes made mightie shewes of integritie and perfection offred vp many Sacrifices and oblations vsed much prayer Almes-deedes fastings and obserued many ceremonies of the Law and traditions of their Elders with wonderfull deuotion they were neuerthelesse both blamed condemned for Hypocrits with this saying Isa 1.11.12.14 Mat. 9. But Who hath required those things at your handes Goe yee and learne what this meaneth I will haue mercy and not those sacrifices For the Lord would that their harts should first bee graced and conformed to his will by faith apprehending his grace of and by the which they might be iustified and well approued in his sight Therefore 1. Sam. 15 although King Saul gaue a glorious pretence to the honour of God when hauing subdued Agag the Amalakite he reserued part of the spoile to be offred vp in a burnt Sacrifice to the Lord of heauen yet because his heart was not well qualified by grace going before whereof hee might haue taken his approbation with the Lord hee was not onely nothing commended but much blamed and threatned to bee cast off from the kingdome of Israel For had hee bene graced he would haue belieued and hauing belieued he would haue obeyed and in his obedience pleased the Lord which offreth his grace and would not that wee should receiue the same in vaine Righteousnes is the effect of Iustification These things well considered we find that righteousnes or Iustice is the very effect or fruit of that Iustification of man before God of the which we shall haue occasion to speake hereafter And thus haue we seene what it is which the Lord God requireth of vs and what we are to yeeld him vnder this word Iustice or Righteousnesses Neither may we doubt but as those persons of vertue prowes in all ages Io. 12.26 haue bene thoughe worthie of honour among the children of men◠the Lord will reward and crowne those his graces and workes in vs as if they were not his but ours as not only the holy scriptures warrant vs but the exāples of his Saints and children remembred in the same for our consolation sufficiently confirme In regard wherof they haue attributed to this noble Vertue manie princely prerogatiues as that among others she yeeldeth to her louers followers Honour life glory security goodnes peace quietnes cōstancy boldnes consolation prosperity the highest felicitie through Iesus the true king of righteousnes CHAP. IIII. Of the word Mercie the second member of the requested Subiect THe word which the Prophet Hoseyah vseth in this place is Chesed which we find diuersly trāslated so accepted according to that whervnto it is applied vsed as somtimes for good wil kindnes humanity or friendship In which sense Abraham meant it when hee said vnto his wife Sarah Gen. 12.13 20.13 This Mercie shalt thou shew me wheresoeuer I come that thou say thou art my Sister Sometimes for remission and pardon of sins clemency benignity As the Prophet Isay saith Let the vngodlie man forsake his owne wayes so shall the Lord haue mercie vpon him Isay 55.7 for he is very ready to forgiue And this as it seemeth Cicero expounded in the word Mercy when speaking in the cōmendation of Caesar as also Augustine citeth it he said Nulla de virtutibus tuis nec admirabilior nec gration Misericordia est Cicer. August in lib. de ciui dei Affectio Amoris Storge There is not any one of all thy vertues either more praise worthie or more acceptable thē Mercie Sometimes for that affection of loue wherby the parēts are naturally touched towards their children again the children towards their parents the friend towards his friend the brother towards his brother the neighbour towards his neighbour sometimes for Almes deedes such like whereof examples may bee taken from many places in the holy Scriptures Indeed the word Chesed comprehendeth al those particular vertues Chesed or Mercie being as the Species or branches thereof but yet I find not that the same which the word signifieth in his large acceptation can be either comprehēded or fullie expressed in any of those particulars no more then the whole can be cōteined within any one part therof More aptly the generall word Bonitas Bonitas or Goodnes well conteineth it for this may be extended to euerie vertue especially to Mercie by the which it is expressed Therefore the Mercie of God is often called his goodnes himself being the highest Good is called Mercifull for that by Mercy his goodnesse is worthily declared towards all his Creatures In the like sense we name them good men whose Christian loue and charitie to and for others are made apparant in the workes of Mercy But to auoide those doubts which might rise of the diuersitie of translations that shall best content vs which not onely the Septuagint haue yeelded but also that the Lord Iesus himselfe by the testimonie of the Euangelist hath confirmed saying Hose 6.6 Mat. 9.13 and 12.7 In Moral The definition of Mercy Volo misericordiam I will haue Mercy This word after Cregory accepted in his common signification is made misero corde that is of an afflicted or troubled heart which either being sorrowfull for anothers misery taketh on him cōpassion or as wretched requireth and needeth the pittie reliefe of others Basil Basil in Psal 114. amplifieth the same saying it is a certaine passion proceeding from the compassionate towards them which are vnworthily and by iust meanes afflicted But because this vertue is not perfected but in that wherby it is declared Augustine hath a definition thereof including either member with effect Mercy saith he is the affection of the minde condoling with some addition of a benefite as whereby we may both take compassion of
roote in mens hearts as the Seede in the earth secondlie in that it groweth to a blade or hearbe thirdlie in that it beareth or shutteth forth an eare and fourthlie in that it yeeldeth the full corne in the eare This our Sauiour doeth not onely confirme but addeth three other Reasons of this Analogie wherof the first is taken from the continuall growing of the Seede the second from the fructification thereof the third from the vse The first is found in that similitude of the Kingdome of heauen Marke 4.26 where a man casteth Seede in the grouÌ„d sleepeth and riseth vp night and day the Seed springeth groweth vp he not knowing how The second Matth 13.8.24 in the example of that Seed which falling into the good ground toke roote grewe vp and brought forth fruit some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred folde The third is that Parable of the good Seed which the husbandman tooke sowed in his field which in the time of haruest was gathered from the tares and brought into the barne for the vse commoditie of the husbandman Whereby is seene the wonderfull nature of the Seede in growing the great encrease the goodly commoditie therof to him rhat laboureth in the same for this is that immortall Seede Ioh 3. whereby men are engendred to life euerlasting the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue Therfore the Lord willing that his children should be drawen forth of the darkenes into the light from ignorance vnto the true knowledge of God and so preserued by Faith iâ— him thus exhorteth Search yee the Scriptures for they testifie of me hee that hath eares to heare let him heare that is the word of life he that hath an hearâ— to conceiue let him conceiue it hee that is wise let him hearken and follow it hee that wil be blessed let him meditate therein day and night neither is the holie Scripture without abundant store of those and such like exhortations admonitions and perswasions to the thankfull acceptation and right vse of this soueraine good Seede the Word of God the which therefore the true seruants of God doe beleeue embrace obey Io 8. 10. according to that saying My Sheepe heare my voyce and he that is of God heareth the word of God CHAP. XI The kinde of Soyle wherin the good Seede is to be sowen with the manner of the manurance therof AS the Lord God hath not onely required of his people those two noble vertues Iustice Mercie but also taught them how to procure expresse the same by two metaphoricall words taken from the labour of the husbandman in his field as Sowing and Reaping so now by two other like wordes as Fallowed ground Ploughing he declareth first in what kinde of lande the Seede should be sowen and then by what kinde of husbandry the land is to be tilled and prepared for the Seede The land lyable to this vse 1. The land fallowed is named in the first tongue Nîr made of a verb which signifieth either to till the ground or to eradicate cast forth the thorns weedes of a land before it be sowen with good corne that worde vseth the Prophet Hosey Hos 10 1â— Ier 4.4 Laur Val Seruius the which Ieremie confirmeth in that when he had said Plough vp your Nîr or fallow ground he added and sowe not among the thornes The Latines translate it Noualé which noteth either that land which is yearly renewed with manurance seede or that which is first broken vp with tillage or manurance and made fit for the seede we call it the fallowed land as namelie that which was sometimes ouergrowne combred with thistles bryars weeds and such like noysome things and afterward by the wisedome labour of the good husbandman turned vp so let lie at rest for that yeare to the end that the weedes and those noysome herbs being mortified and the soyle mollified made better it might be fit to receiue Seede they eare following in the which sense not onely Paulus Iurisconsultus Varro and Plinie haue taken it but also the Poet who therof hath written Virgil Alterius idem tonsas cessare Nouales Et Ségnem patiere situ durescere campum Againe Impius haec tam culta Noualia Miles habebit Hee meaneth such principall grounds as had bene well curried and prepared with the great labour toyle of the husbandman the losse wherof hee much bewailed So by this fallowed land is vnderstood that which is well cultured and seasoned for the Seede by the metaphor ot translation sometimes places sometimes persons or any other thing which by the study endeuour lab out or diligence of man is made fit and applyable to the vse of that whereto it is destinated or appointed Next although the worde of this Action is Plough yee breake yee or turne yee vp is in the holie tongue generallie applied to euerie kinde of labour which the husbandman vndertaketh for the culturage and better manurance of his land yet it chiefly signifieth that which is to be performed with the Plough or Soule drawen of the Oxen called of the Hebrewes Machrescheth The Israelites went down to the philistines Machrescheth 1. Sam 13. â—0 to sharpen euery man his Share or Soole which worde is made of that verbe which signifieth to plough the field as with Oxen or horses As it is said in the law Thou shalt not plough thy field with an Oxe an Asse yoked together So it is saide that Iobs Oxen were ploughing in the fielde and Samson from thence tooke that parable If ye had not ploughed with my he offer Iudg 14.18 ye had not found out my riddle But as the former word so also this by translation signifieth sometimes the malice of theÌ„ that afflict or oppresse others sometimes necessary corrections and punishmentes for the amendement and preparation of mens hearts to pietie goodnes somtimes the whole action endeuour right course of a Christian in his calling of whom ther is daily required a renouation by a meditation or exercise in Gods law considering his naturall concupiscence and continuall slydings Of the first acceptation wee heare the Psalmist in the person of Christ thus to complaine Malice The Ploughers ploughed vpon my backe and made long surrowes Psal 129. From this kinde of labour Salomon disswading men Pro 3. saith Thou shalt not plough euill vpon thy neighbour or brother that is thou shalt neither imagine nor execute anie euill thing on thy brother Hos 10. This Hosey calleth the Ploughing of iniquitie The like hath Eliphaz in Iob Iob. 4.8 they that plough iniquitie and sowe wickednes reape the same * Of the second signification 2. Correction Hos 10.10.11 the Lord in Hosey saith Vt is my desire that I should chastise them afterward he saith Ephraim is as an Heaffer vsed to delight in threshing
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