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
that right worshipfull and vertuous Matron Mistris Cotton and al yours to the heauenly Landlord who be blessed for euer Norleigh in Deuon this first of Ianuary Anno salutis 1606. Your good Lordships to be commanded in all dutie IOHN CARPENTER THE PLAINE mans spirituall Plough CHAP. I. God speede the Plough HE that well beginneth for the most part well succeedeth A good beginning hath the like end as that Builder which best plotteth best prospereth And truly wel he beginneth Eales 12. 1. and soundly he plotteth who remembring his Creator the sooner in his youth beholdeth his face and seeketh in all his endeuours to glorifie his blessed name This method hath our heauenly and most learned Schoolemaister taught and prescribed vs in his doctrine First seeke yee the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and rightly obserued the same in his life and actions for our imitation when according to the prophesie of the sweet Psalmists Psal 16.8 of Israel He set Iehouah before his face who therefore stoode at his right hand to the ioy of his soule and stabilitie of his glory when others fell And heere is both standing and falling for where this rule is not holden the waight of the walls as laide on a sandie foundation is with Nimrods Babel subiect to a sodaine downe fall Gen. 11.9 The very sweete Spowsesse whom King Saloman bringeth in reporting her aduentures seeking for her Soueraigne Cant. 1.3 found him not because she obserued neither the due time nor the true maner thereof For shee sought him in her bed by the nights that is in voluptuousnesse and securitie signified by the bed and by ignorance and errors noted by the nights Ioh. 21.6 In like maner as the Euangelist tels it the Apostles of our Lord not yet fully confirmed went forth to fish and caught iust nothing for that they laboured in the night neither regarded to cast forth their nets on the right side of the Shippe But that the holy Spowsesse might best finde him whom her soule loued she is taught by the watchmen how where and to what ende to seeke him and that those vnfortunate Fishers might catch they are aduised by their Maister both to labour in the bright morning and to cast out their nets on the right side of the Shippe that is to labour with knowledge and integritie as such as are beautified with Vrim and Thummim The Lord GOD willing that wee should take this course without feare or fainting as well for the obtaining of things necessarie God will that we shoâ—d pray vntâ— him at the beginning of our labours as for the comfort of our soules and glorie of his name commandeth vs to call vpon him to aske to seeke to knocke yea and to continue this exercise Next to encourage and animate our spirits he hath promised to heare vs and to grant that whatsoeuer wee shall aske or desire of him in the name of Iesus Thirdly the Lord being as good as his word granteth and giueth vnto such as cal vpon him euen his holy Spirit and all things needfull as well for their bodies as for their soules Fourthly as the necessitie of man prouoketh it so is the exercise of holy prayer most sweete and comfortable Therefore the godly in all ages haue beene in this much delighted and felt the greatest solace in the middest of their greatest afflictions perswading that as they set the Lord before their eyes hee was to them as their father both willing to blesse and declaring his power to preserue them and therefore praying vnto him they call him their father in the heauens Noah the eight Preacher of righteousnesse as he before faithfully depended on the Lord his God from whose grace he had both coÌ„menced and proceeded in that great work of the Arke wherin Gods glory and Noahs faith did appeare Gen. 8.20 So comming foorth thereof hee aduentured not his husbandry vntill he had built an Altar to the Lord and laide thereon his oblations to the honour of his name Abraham being called out of his owne countrie by the Lord euer placed him in his eyes offred Sacrifices vnto his Grace Geâ— 12.7 24.14 28.20 and thence proceeded to the performance of his word Also his seruant Eleazar being sent from him with a charge in the Diuine feare first inuocated the Lord desiring him to prosper his iourney The same rule obserued Moses Dauid Saloman and other the godly of those times In the new Testament we haue the blessed examples not onely of our Lord Iesus praying to his father but also of his holy Apostles and Disciples who gladly learned and followed him therein Act. 1.14 In the first of the Acts when they had assembled about the choyce of Matthias in Iudas place they had not onely Preaching an orderly choyce of persons and casting of Lottes but also and that chiefely prayers as whereby they might moue the Lord to supply and to effect that which neither themselues nor any other without his holy hand was able to performe for his glory All the which was purposed and done not onely for them then An example for vs to seek the Lord before all things but also for vs now and chiefely for the Teachers and Ministers of the word that they might not onely bee willing to bestowe their studies and endeuours to Preach and divulgate the word and the same to confirme by their owne godly examples but also both to prefixe and affixe mette prayers to the same thereby to desire the Diuine ayde by whose grace and blessings those labours of theires in his Vineyarde and husbandry might bee made fruitfull yea and that wee might knowe whether they either teach others or heare others teaching them there is no fruite or encrease to be presumed or expected from the power or practise of man but from the Lord who onely giueth both to the speaker and also to the hearer not onely a tongue to speake and an eare to heare but also that fruit and profit of either as whereby his name might bee glorified and themselues edified and comforted for eternall life Moreouer the very heathen The heathen how they began Poets and wisemen of the Gentiles haue not neglected but most carefully regarded to begin their workes with the Inuocation of those diuine powers which they most affected worshipped as froÌ„ whose graces they were perswaded their labours and studies might enioy the happier fine whereof followed this Distich Aâ— loue fit orfum ne Serpeâ—s det tibi morsum And therein howsoeuer some haue vainely hunted after the praise of worldly men the better sort as Philemon Socrates Plato and such did euer ayme at the Glorie of the highest power the which they placed for the chiefe scope of their labours and therefore from thence expected ayde and continuall assistance But by how much greater the worke in action was of estimatioÌ„ so much the more regard they euer had of this ground-plot knowing
or shallower as occasion requireth according to the nature of the ground and discretion of the Plough-man By this Keye is signified that true faith in Christ before spoken of whereby Righteousnesse is apprehended and wee iustified and approoued before God For after the proportion of our faith and quality of our beliefe all those excellent graces and vertues are eyther lifted vp or letten downe strengthened or weakened neither is it possible that those former parts of true repentance shall be profitable to the sinner without this by the which whatsoeuer is done is acceptable to the Lord and whatsoeuer is wrought without it is sinful and vile for whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne by the testimonie of the Apostle therefore it is impossible without faith to please God He that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath life Aug. de verbis apostoli petr serm 27. Et lib. 1. de pecca iuait remiss c. â—0 de Ciuit. Dei li. 13. ca. 4. because that faith is the beginning of a good life to the which also belongeth eternall life As this is that foundation of things hoped for and the assurance of that which is not seene tunc est fides quando expectatur in spe quod in renondum videtur so is it made the very hand of the soule wherby we take hold on Iesus Christ and apply vnto our selues by his grace all his iustice merits and vertues whereof we be said to be iustified by faith because it pleaseth the Lorde to impute his proper Righteousnesse and vertues to such as apprehend the same by faith By this Abel offered vppe vnto God a more acceptable sacrifice then Caine Heb. 11. by this Henoch was reported of that hee pleased God by this Noah moued with reuerence prepared the Ark by this Abraham being called of God gladly obeyed him by this Sarah being well nigh a hundred yeares of age had strength to conceiue seed by this Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come to be briefe by this Moses and Iosuah and Rahab and Gideon and Barach and Iepthe and Sampson and Samuel and Dauid and the Prophets obtained a good report subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obeyed the promises stopped Lions mouthes quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battaile turned to flight the armie of the enemies c. For this is the very key euen the key of the sonne of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and which shutteth no man openeth And as without this no man pleaseth God but being iudged sinners are shut out from his fauour and abandoned so by this vertue of the Spirit and power of grace are offered and performed vnto vs that eternall happinesse and peace and all those heauenly treasures which our faithfull hope expecteth Worthily therefore said our Lord to such whom he was willing to helpe and preserue Haue faith in God For he that beleeueth is made holy by the diuine grace to remoue mountaines yea all things are made possible vnto him Finally this is the faiâ—hfull promise of him that is the very truth cannot lie that God louing the world Ioh. 3.16 hath giuen his only begotten Sonne to this end that all they which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life and that the righteous man shall liue not by any his owne workes wisedome ability or merits but by his saith Hab. â— 4. This is that faith which commeth to a man by hearing of gods word which is brought vnto vs by his seruants the Preachers Ioh. 20. who are sent vnto vs from the Lord to preach the same To this end that men might beleeue that in beleeuing they might haue life throgh the name of Iesus And as the Pinne in the Soole is fitly placed in the very middest of the same so is faith mightily peazed betweene all other vertues as the very strength by the which they are fortified and tied together CHAP. XXVII The fourteenth and last part is the Tawe Spirituall Loue. THere nowe remaineth one other thing in this Soole no lesse necessarie then any of the former yea and that without the which all the former members of the same are nothing auaileable to this spirituall husbandry That is the Tawe or that yron Rope which embracing the Beame assureth it to the Tractory or Lambe By this is meant that Spirituall Loue which is so often commended and commaunded vnto the brethren of Christ as whereby not onely the mortification of the flesh is fastened to the faithfull hope and so the former is the better susteined and performed by the latter but also the whole Soole with his parts holden together by the helpe of the Key of Christian faith This is that sweete delight of a mans heart towardes something for the sake of some what August which runneth through desire and surceaseth in hope by a desire in lusting for and by a ioy in hauing it Neither if mans heart be good can it be good of any other occasion then by louing that well which is good nor can the same be euill if euer it be of any thing else sauing in not louing well that thing which is good As this Taw is made of three or foure yron rings or lincks of yron fastened one wtihin an other in the order of a chaine the greatest wherof compasseth or embraceth the Beame the second lincked to the first the third to the second and the fourth to the third which is also assured to the Tractory or Lambe So in the spirituall Taw which is Loue there bee foure kindes or branches 4. Branches of Loue. The first which is the highest greatest is the Loue of God the Father the second is the loue of God the Sonne the third is the loue of God the holy Ghost the fourth is the loue of man of God the Father as our Creator and maker of the Sonne as our redeemer and Sauiour of the holy Ghost as our sanctifier and consolator of man as our neighbour and brother Therefore it is commanded that we loue God the Father with all our heartes strength soule minde and whatsoeuer else we haue Loue him for he loued thee first loue him for hee sent his onely Sonne into the world that thou shouldest liue through him loue him for he is thy Father thy King thy God and best good for euer This is well resembled by the great Ring in the Taw which embraceth the Beame and pulleth on those other partes which follow it by which Beame as is before said is signified the Maceration or mortification of the flesh For as this Ring of the Taw compasseth the Beam so Loue compasseth or embraceth true maceration of the flesh in the godly who after the example of Christ being perswaded through Loue to take our flesh therin to be macerated mortified we are well pleased for the loue good affection they haue
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
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