that as the weakenesse of humane abilitie and slendernesse of mans witte coulde neuer of it selfe effect any thing of the meanest request The best commencements much lesse that which is of the noblest regard so also as wisdome reason and experience teach things well begun haue commonlie like successes and that the good beginnings are taken from the diuine grace wherein the greatest actions haue bene enabled with the semblable regard This when I also well weighed I thought it a matter most vnseemelie and nolesse sinful to aduenture this present worke without holy inuocation yea much I doubted lest that without this one thing I should not only transgresse in manie things but also setting the building not on the Rock with the wise man but with the foole on the sand the waight of the walles would haue fallen to the ground and so much the sooner for that the worke now endeuoured is both exceeding great and the degree therof excellent high The waight of the matter in hand vz Pietie for behold this is that which aptly concerneth the supreme magnificency of the most princely Ladie Pietie of whose right nobilitie I perswade euery man who hath been schooled either in the knowledge of God or of himselfe hath happilie heard and with whose laudable graces whosoeuer is truely adorned is both honored with God well commended of all good men And this I am sure ye will confesse together with me when yee shall aright vnderstand both the nature and vtilitie of this Soueraigne Princesse by her plaine description but the more when ye shall be moued to entertaine and embrace the sweete influences of her glorious vertues Now Pietie Cicer. in Re. tue li. 2. Aug. epist 22. ad Macedo if ye aske mee what I vnderstand by this word I answere not only that Philostorge or louing affection whereby a man loueth honoureth râ—uerenceth gratifieth and dutifully regardeth his father mother brethren kindred Country and such as haue thereby well deserued according to the definition of the Philosophers but also that chiefly that most reuerend holy and true worship of the most high God Chris in ser De fide de lege and the true loue and right regard of dutie towards all men whose originall and fountaine the whole scriptures diuinely inspired haue drawne not from the nature wit abilitie or policie of sinfull man but from the verie spirit of truth as an influence of the highest heauens comprehended in the feare of God expressed in Faith Hope and Charitie hath his Mysterie exceeding great for vnder the same not onely God is manifested in the flesh as Paul the holie Apostle affirmeth 1. Tim. 3. but also there lye couched great safetie great wealth great vtilitie great glorie Thereof the auncient Hermes knowing the safetie protested that Lactan. li. 2. de Origine Erro cap. 16. Mia Phylake Eusebeia c. Pietie is that onely keeper or preser matrix of men for neither hath the wicked diuel nor yet Fate any maner power ouer the godly man for God deliuereth him from all euil therefore is Pietie or Godlines that one and onely good thing among men Next wee heare the Apostle to affirme that Pietie is great riches to them which are content with that which they haue thirdly he saith that this vertue is profitable to all things lastly that it hath for her end euerlasting life For in the true tenure of Pietie not only all the Creatures of God in the world but also all the treasures and rights of the kingdome of heauen are ours Therefore this is the same which beyond all other things he boldly commendeth as not only the best and most acceptable to God but the verie scope of all the holy Scriptures which are giuen to this end that men might belieue and in belieuing might haue eternall life in the name of the Sonne of God Loe such a thing haue I aduentured to haue at this time whose reuerence although I esteeme farre beyond mine abilitie and worthinesse yet vnder the feare of him who hath called me with an holy calling graunted me to knowe the secretes of this vertue and enabled me to declare his glorie in the middest of his congregation haue I so farre forth presumed yet not I but that diuine grace which worketh in mee Therefore let vs now with meeke heartes and due reuerence fall downe before his footstoole and faithfully lift vp our humble mindes vnto that heauenly Father froÌ„ whom this grace desendeth Let vs seeke him in a true faith and desire his gratious goodnes that in his diuine fauour mercy and louing affection towards vs through his sweete sonne our Sauiour he would respect our condition speede well our Plough and prosper all our godly endeuours that thereof plowing and sowing not to the flesh but to the spirit we may reape not of the flesh corruption but of the spirit life euerlasting for the high glory of his maiestie the soueraign benefit of his Church the perfect discharge of Christian dutie and the prosperitie of the elected Saints O most blessed father the God of glory A prayer for the good speed of Pieties Plough and king of all consolation we thy poore children oppressed with the intollerable burthen of sinne and scourged with miseries rod the guard of transgressions doe now here prostrate both our bodies and soules before thy foote-stoole Thou hast commanded vs to sowe for Righteousnesse Hos 10.12 and to reape according to Mercies measure to plough vp our fallow ground to seeke after thee in the happie time and to apply Pieties Plough in the true obseruation of godly dutie But alas ô father wee be so witlesse and weake as wee neither knowe how to vse the one nor are able to labour in the other nor can we be drawne from the idle market place into the happie field of the spirituall husbandry but by thy wisdome thy mercie and thy louing and gracious calling through thy most holy Messias our Sauiour For as no man commeth vnto thee but by thy Sonne so neither commeth any man to thy Sonne but whom thou drawest and thou drawest them no doubt by thy mercie Ier. 31.3 whom thou hast embraced with thine euerlasting loue Gen. 9.27 Therefore with righteous Noah wee beseech thee to perswade vs in thy mercies to enter Sichems Tabernacles Cant. 1.3 and heartily desire thee with thy holy Spowsesse to drawe vs forth after thee with a promise of our parts but assisted by thee that then wee will runne Call vs ô father effectually manure our worke without and prepare our mindes within Let it please thy good spirit to inspire our hearts thy power to enable our bodies thy grace to confirme our whole man to to thy holy will and pleasure and thy louing mercies to make vs meete for thy seruice that standing no longer ydle we may henceforth labour in thy field follow Pieties Plough and be wholy emploied in the heauenly
and good workes ye studie and learne to be employed in the Spirituall husbandrie and therin consider well what ye ought to sow and what ye ought to reape For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape Gal 6. so that whosoeuer soweth in in the flesh shall thence reape corruption but he that soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting CHAP. X. Of the Seede the Sowers and the manner of the fructification thereof THere be two kind of Seedes the one is of Impietie the other of Pietie betweene the which as also betweene the seuerall Sowers thereof there is as great a difference as betweene the East and the West The former is a seede of the wicked a seede of corruption and sinne taken from three dangerous enemies whereof the 1. is priuy the 2. domestical the 3. familiar whereof beeing by them sowen spring the pride of life the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye wherof it is in meet place hereafter plainely spoken by the which the good Seede is oftentimes annoyed in the Lords field But from hence wee are right happily disswaded by the true consideration of the true Seede of Pietie The seede of Pietie which is to be sowen for the increase of Iustice and Mercie as also by them by whom the same is to be sowen and cast forth for as much lieth in the nature of the seed so not a little in the wisedome of the Sower for as men may not gather grapes of thornes so neither finde we commonly good successe to follow the foolish or idle husbandman Semin Sunt quadam Semi◠na vtilia quaedā sterilia c. for the Seed one saith which in this I gladlie remember there be Seedes some profitable and some barraine Those barraine or vnprofitable are the words of vaine preachers as also the words of the Philosophers But those are right profitable Seedes which are neither withered nor consumed with anie vaine glory or fond curiositie And this good Seede is the Word of GOD The word of God being indeed the manifestation and expression of the Diuine Will as well touching his essence as touching his purpose and workes past present and future in the breathing of the holie Ghost by the Prophets by Iesus Christ and by his Apostles and Euangelistes powred forth from the bosome of the euerlasting Father and by his commandement not onely described in the bookes of the olde and newe Testaments but also preached and taught through the same Spirit by the ministery of his Seruāts to this end that God might be made knowne vnto men and that the man of God might be instructed and made apte for euery good worke This is that soueraigne Seed the which according to his diuers effects respects is called knowne by so manie sundry names in the holie Scriptures especiallie in the hundred nineteene Psal Psal 119. wherof there is not any one verse of an hundred threescore sixteene wherein the same is not mentioned with some praise of the sweetnes vtilitie puritie dignitie glorie eternitie and goodnes thereof It is called the Word of the Lord for that thereby the mind and will of God is expressed the speech of God in that it is pronounced and written to be heard or read to mens vnderstanding the Lawe of the Lord because the Lord hath both prouided giuen it vnto men as wherewith they be obliged and kept in the obseruance of certaine duties the Precepts of the Lord in that it forbiddeth terrifieth men from euill the Cōmandements of the Lord in that it admonisheth and perswadeth men to do good the Testimonies of the Lord because hee by his Prophets testifie the same vnto men the will of God for that thereby his will is declared his Testament in that it is confirmed commended vnto vs by the death of his Sonne the Testator his Iustice because the obseruers thereof by faith are iustified his iustifications for that the works thereof are correspondent to Iustice his Iudgementes because the contribution therof are extended by Iustice his wayes because hee dealeth and directeth men according to the same his Truthe in that all the sacred Scriptures doe aime to Christ the perfect truth and in the same are performed c. Now this word of God aswell by Christ as by the Prophets and Apostles is well likened to the Seede which the husbandman soweth in his field especiallie for two causes First in respect of the Sower The word of God likened to the Seede The sower God and his endeuour and practise theron Secondly in regard of the nature order manner of fructification of the seede being sowen There be diuers Sowers of this Seede in the Spirituall field The first most principal is the Lord God himselfe whom in regard therof Christ calleth an Husbandman For this is the same which giueth Seede to the Sower fruit therof vnto him that truely laboureth He giueth the word euen the word of life that immortall seede this he soweth this hee distributeth this hee increaseth with prosperous effect to the vse benefit of his Saints as the Prophet Dauid and Isaiah Psal Isa 55. testifie This indeed is the same without whose help whosoeuer planteth or whosoeuer watereth whether Paul or Apollo he is iust nothing profitable the which Saint Paul considering praied for the Corinthians 2. Cor 9 10. that hee which ministred Seede to the Sower would also minister bread for foode and multiplie their Seede and encrease the fruites of their Righteousnes that in all things they might be made rich vnto all bountifulnes which caused through him and other his fellow labourers in the Lords field ioy thankesgiuing to the Lord. Next although the Lord God be most able of himselfe through the Spirit to sowe this Seede in his fielde The Prophets Christ and his ministers are Sowers nor vseth at all times the meanes and ministerie of men hauing thousand thousandes of Angells readie to serue him at all times and in all places yet in his profound wisedome hath he thought good to exhibit vnto men such meanes thereto as best fitted mans nature capacitie And therfore as the good housholder or husbandman appointeth calleth and sendeth forth his seruants to labour in his field the Lord God hath chosen called and sent forth into his Church not only his holy Prophets with this soueraine Seed in the spirituall seed-lappe that is their mouthes but also his onely begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus who came forth from his Fathers bosome and in his Ministrie was named the Crier in the wildernesse who cried out saying Hearken to this ô Israel and all yee that haue eares to heare nowe heare Then after him came forth his holy Apostles and Disciples into the world who also faithfullie distributed that Seede which they had receiued beeing in the execution of their charge well likened to the voice of that Crier as was also Iohn the
tou Kuriou Iesou alla kai muriakis ean iaie I am ready said Gordius not onely to labour but to die for the name of the Lord Iesus not onely once but a thousand times if it might so bee Ignat. in apost ad Trattia acts Epest 10. ad Ephes And I said Ignatius haue setled my hope in him who died for mee that is Christ For there is no guile founde in him Againe I am for Gods cause deliuered into the hands of murtherers as from the bloud of Abell the iust vnto the bloud of Ignatius the least Againe writing to the Romanes Suffer mee saith he to be made meate for the beastes appointed to deuour me Epist 11 that I may be made worthy of God For I am the wheate or corne of God and I shall be grinded with the teeth of beasts that I may become cleane bread for the Lord and therto ye may perswade those beasts that their wombes become my Sepulchre and that they leaue no part of my body whereby after my death the same may not remaine loathsome vnto any of them which liue Loe this is that which faithfull hope perswades and such are the Oxen such is their labour in this field and such is their remuneration with the Lorde and his Saints CHAP. XXIX 1 The Holder 2 The Leader 3 The Driuer of Pieties Plough WE knowe right well The working of God in the regeneration of man Dionys Areo in Caiest hierarchiae ca. 1. that no man commeth to the Father but by the Sonne that no man commeth to the Son but he whom the Father draweth and that no man commeth either to the one or to the other but by the power and motion of the holy Ghost So that in this worke the whole Trinitie of the diuine Deitie hath his action and perfect working therefore it is Cant. 1. that the most holy Spowsesse â—s Salomon testifieth prayeth to her most peerlesse head saying Draw me forth after thee and then will we runne Ier. 31. Ephraim implores as the Prophet Ieremie saith O Lorde conuert vs and wee shall bee conuerted The Apostles desire O Lorde encrease our faith And the Lorde Iesus himselfe sending forth his Apostles commaundes them to preach the Gospell and to Baptise the beleeuers in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Therefore as the Plough is by the Holder thereof directed by the Leader allured and by the Driuer prouoked so is this spirituall Plough directed by God the Father allured by God the Sonne and prouoked by God the holy Ghost for God himselfe holdeth Christ Iesus leadeth and the holy Spirite prouoketh the Plough in this husbandrie and field of the Lord. Gen. 1.1 Thus in the great work of the Creation these three persons had not onely their seuerall but their ioynt operations as Moses testifieth Thus in the conception and birth of Christ God the Father begets Mat. 1. Luk 2. God the holy Ghost workes in the conception and God the Sonne is begotten and borne which three also worke in the begetting regeneration and new birth of the elected Saints albeit they are not three but one eternall God The Holder My Father saith Christ is an Husbandman and so called in regard of his wisedome prouidence and good endeuours had God is as a Husbandman Secund. Philoso and daily employed by him on the soyle of mans heart wherein semblant to the Husbandman whom the Philosopher Secundus in the presence of Adrian defined he is a Minister of labours an improuer of the desart a Phisitian of the earth a Planter of trees and a Measurer or Proportioner of monethes In this person we may here remember beyond many others two principall attributes or diuine vertues namely Gods iustice and mercie his Iustice and his Mercie both the which in the holding of this Plough hee aptly applieth as his two handes to those two Hales or handles of the Soole In the former we finde him euer vpright and seuere against presumptious sinners in the latter louing and cheerful to penitents The first is strengthened by the vigour of the Lawe the latter beautified by the comforts of the Gospel and therein both these are so tempted by the meditation of Messias his merite Gregor mor. in Iob. 35 lib. 26. cap. 10. that neither presumption hurteth nor desperation killeth him that truly repents For as God is a good Father so in his goodnesse he respects not only his naturall Sonne God and man but all such as haue their adoptioÌ„ by grace in him with a right fatherly loue and affection The Leader as it is said before is Christ Iesus 2 Christ is the Leader of the Plough who indeede goeth forth before all those his Oxen as their Head and Captaine and willing to bring man from errours to the truth and especially his Ministers to the right method and order of their vocation Aug. in Ioan. tract 22. he saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life As if he would say Falli non vis Ego sum veritas Mori non vis Ego sum vita Errare non vis Ego sum via Non est qua eas nisi ad me non est quà cas nisi per me Wilt thou not be deceiued I am the Truth Wilt thou not die I am the Life Wilt thou not erre I am the Way Thou hast not whither to goe but vnto me neither maist thou walke safely sauing by me This is the same to whom the Lawe directs the Prophets point the Figures ayme and whom the Father would that all men should heare and hee hath not onely shewed the way vnto the kingdome but louingly allures men to walke in the same Therefore he faith Mat. 11.29 Learne of me Come vnto me Neither hath he at any time required that of his followers in this worke which himselfe had not first vndertaken in his owne person In regard whereof Apo. 14.1 those hundred fortie and foure thousand redeemed soules which stand with the Lambe on Mount Sion followe him wheresoeuer he goeth and therefore as for him they are crossed they shall be with him also crowned finding that all the afflictions of this life for him Ro. 8. are not worthy that glory which shall be reuealed in him 3 The Driuer The holy Ghost prouokes the good Oxe The Driuer of this Plough is the diuine Spirite through whose instigation the goade is agitated the Oxen prouoked and the Plough furthered too and for the which it pleaseth him semblant to the Goad inch or driuer of Oxen to vse and apply sometimes Words sometimes Voices sometimes Songs or whistlings sometimes prickes and stripes The Words Words are the examples testimonies sentences and Parables of the holy Scriptures Eccle. 12. the which as saith Salomon as are goades and nailes fastened by the maisters of the Assemblies which are giuen by one Pastor goades to prouoke and nailes to confirme the working
who only supplieth all our wantes helpeth the imperfections of thē that beleeue obey him in truth CHAP. VIII 2. The wayes and meanes prescribed for the obtaining of Righteousnes Mercie in a Metaphor AS wee haue found in the holie Scriptures manie duties enioyned man This is the 2. member of the 2. diuision to be performed as well towards God as towards his neighbour so hath the Lord not onely charged enioyned but also hath prouided and exhibited vnto man the wayes and meanes whereby hee may obserue performe those things after his will the which wayes and meanes wee should neither contemne nor neglect if we will not hinder our owne saluation nor declare our selues ingratefull and rebellious against the Lord our God The means are to be vsed for as Noah was not preserued in the deluge without the meanes of the Arke nor Lot deliuered from the fire of Sodom but by the meanes of the Angells which brought him forth and his obedience therin nor Salomon perfectly wise without that studie industrie and meanes wherby he prospered in fauour wisedome and stature both with God and men because God would it should so bee so neither may we imagine that the excellent things can be atchieued or gotten by idlenes and slouth but by the blessing of the Lord which he vseth to powre forth on the studious and diligent in his feare To the which purpose belong those cōmandements Six dayes shalt thou labour Aske and ye shall haue seeke and yee shalt finde heare the word of the Lord watche and pray be diligent c. Now the wayes and means here prescribed vs to obtaine righteousnes to be mercifull is contained and taught vs in foure seuerall words noting foure seuerall actions which we are to endeuour applie on this obiect or matter commended to vs. The first word is Sowe yee The second is Reape yee The third is Plough yee The fourth is Seeke yee As 1. Sowe ye to your selues for Righteousnes 2. Reape ye after the measure of mercie 3. Plough vp your fallow ground 4. Seeke yee the Lord. The first second third words are metaphoricall the fourth doth briefly expound the metaphor Indeed the prophet tn this chapter before these words tooke vp a Parable A parable or a similitude drawen from the truth against the house of Israel wherin Hos 1◠hauing an excellent Metaphor hee yet continueth the same Iudah saith he shal plough God teacheth men by naturall things and Iakob shall breake the cloddes Neither was this deuised by the Prophet without the wisedome and direction of the diuine Spirite who would that euen by the consideration of those natural and terrene things men should be taught to learne their duties according to the which ye may heare St. Paul to acknowledge that he spake after the maner of men that is grosly because of the infirmitie of the Romanes Rom 6. to whom he wrote for he disputed of the things diuine by arguments taken from the members of the body of man and things terrene And although the wise Salomon said right well Eccle. 1.8 Col haddaber Euerie word or thing is harde a man is not able to expresse it whereby some haue taken occasion to reiect the search of those hidden things of nature as if that Salomon had in those his wordes vtterly condemned it as too deep to be searched and their presumption too high that attempt it The knowledge of Nature yet we knowe that as Salomon hath not intended any such thing nor bin willing to discourage any man from the lawfull search of Natures secretes so also that the science is right excellent so necessarie as without the which no man shall easilie either vnderstād or expound the holy Scriptures Luth in Eccl ca. 1. which haue from hence such a beautie as whosoeuer shall depriue them of those parables and metaphors taken from the right nature and vse of natural things shal take from the same an exceeding great light and like glorie When Zophar had hardly charged holy Iob with high presumption in the search of Gods secrets the things Diuine Iob Iob. 11.7.8 ca. 12.7 answered him thus Aske now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowles of heauen and they shall tell thee or speake to the earth and it shall shewe thee or the fishes of the Sea and they shall declare vnto thee who is ignorant of all these but that the hand of the Lord hath made them all As if the Lord should send wise Zophar to be instructed by those naturall things as thus It is not needefull that wee should pearce through the height of the heauens the breadth of the Sea the length of the earth in the inquisition of the ordinarie wisdome as thou Zophar hast argued when euen those small beasts which are here conuersant with vs on the earth the birds and the fishes and such things doe instruct vs of the incomparable wisedome of the Almightie God Therfore as Moses Moses the prophets and Christ vsed naturall similitudes Dauid the prophets haue bin plentifullie stored with those things thereby the sooner not onely to teach informe the people but also to condemne the rebellions of that time for their great abominations inferior to the bruit beasts so in the new Testamēt both Christ and his Apostles haue both worthilie obserued commended the same vnto vs. Thereof it is that Christ is called a Rock a dore a Serpent a priest a King a Prophet a Pastor a Bridegroome a husband a captaine a calfe a lamb a vine a worme a flower bread and the Apostles and disciples of Christ are called the Salt of the earth the light of the world fishers of men pastors builders fighters watchmen workers branches of the vine such in and by the which are set forth and signified the diuers actions offices degrees dignities functions vertues of Christ Iesus his Saints Here the Prophet taketh his Metaphore from the labour of the husband men whose terms Sowe yee and words he boroweth and to this purpose applieth whereby he would intimate those three things 1. First that there is required a worke or labour 2. Next that the labour is of husbandrie 3. Thirdly that the kinde of labour is plowing sowing reaping And surely as by this A labour is inioyned to men hee would inculcate into their minds the true knowledge of Gods will so would hee that they should consider that to men liuing in this world there is enioyned a labour with the which they are to be exercised and not fed with ydle conceits nor their eyes dazeled with vaine shewes We reade that Adam in Paradize was not ydle Gen. 2. Gen. 3. but was busied in dressing of the gardein that after he fell he had this enioyned that bee should liue on the earth with sweat and hard labour And thenceforth as this was commanded
of amendement and ready satisfaction in such measure as hability opportunitie and occasion can extend be ministred to answer the proportion of the iniury or fault To this aimed Dauid when hauing sinned not only against the Lord but against man hee did not alone say that hee would confesse his sinnes vnto the Lord but also declared the performance of either openly before the congregation Psal 51. Such a matter importeth Solomons Preacher wherein hee confesseth among the vanities of the sonnes of men his owne abhominations and errors Eccl. 1 2. Solomons confession yea as the Hebrewes report in the bitter sense of his sinnes griefe of conscience hee exposed himselfe ready to confesse his faults throughout the City of Ierusalem wherein he raigned king before the eies of all the inhabitors of the same A rare example of such a personage Thus King Manasses being imprisoned in Babylon by the diuine iudgement for his great abhominations confessed openly that his sins were more then the stars of the heauens and the sand by the sea shore in multitude without number Daniel also in the behalf of the captiue Iewes for their sins confesseth Lord Dan. 9.9.10 vnto vs belongeth shame and confusion for wee haue gone away from thee many other like examples besides testimonies do the holy Scriptures exhibite vnto vs of the vse of this spirituall Culter vnto the which we may aptly affix that confession of the Ghristian Emperour Theodosius Theodosius who being reproued by Ambrose the Bishop of Millane for some heinous fault and excluded the Church did not onely humbly acknowledge his offence with teares but confessing the same openly saide that the Church doores which were set wide open to receiue in the poore folke and beggars were shut that worthily against him who was made a Lord ouer his brethren Whereby as with a Culter or knife this Emperour with those other of like estate ripped vp and laide wide open their committed sinnes Neyther is this vertue vnaptly compared to that Vomer The Vomer and vse thereof being indeed a spirituall vomiting or casting foorth of that which is noysome from the stomacke The stomacke is mans heart As the stomacke is oppressed with repletion so is mans heart annoyed with sinne And as the wringing of the stomacke prouoketh vomit so the contrition of the heart and true humiliation of a man yeeldeth a good Confession Againe as the stomacke is not eased ere it be discharged no more is the heart vntill wicked imaginations bee cast out For it is certaine that no sinner hath any ease or comfort before hee finde the gratious couÌ„tenance of God turn towards him but vntil the sinner in the sorrow of his heart coÌ„fesseth his sinne God sheweth him no fauourable countenance and because hee is willing in his louing mercies to recouer his children hee neuer leaueth off to strike beat and chastise them with afflictions vntill they acknowledge and confesse their sinnes in all humilitie seeke vnto him for mercie Num. 21.7 Le. 16.18.22 This to teach and perswade vnto the Israelites hee commanded the High Priest to confesse openly both his and the peoples sinnes vpon the scapte goate And this surely as the godly vsed they euer found the mercy of God ready to pardon and to forgiue them according to that saying of Solomon the which he had before seene in his Father Dauid and by good experience tryed on himselfe Pro. 28 13 To confesse and forsake sinne obtaineth mercy 1. Ioh. 1.9 but hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper To the which we heare the Apostle to accord If we confesse our sinnes saith hee God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes Loe heere is Mercie heere is prosperitie heere is pardon heere is cleansing Therfore let vs well vse this spirituall Culter and therein answere to the admonition of S. Iames where hee saith vnto sinners replete with manie noysome and daungerous humours of heart Iam. 4.48 Cleanse your hearts yee sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded And if this Share this Culter be waxen so blunt The sharpening of the Culter and therewith the ground of Mans heart can neither be torne vp nor diuided in good sort the Lord will cause the enemy to blow the fire of affliction to beate on with the hammers of persecutions troubles for the sharpening thereof the which was signified by that example of the Israelites 1. Sam 13.20 who hauing no Smith in Israel were forced to repaire to the Philistines to sharpen euerie man his Share and his Culter for the better tillage of their Land Thus the poore prodigall childe Luk 16. after hee had felt the smart of affliction miserie vnder a cruell maister in a strange country was moued to acknowledge his disobedience and sinne saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and I am not worthie to bee called thy Sonne CHAP. XVII The 4. part of the Soole is the Beame The manuring of the flâ—sh THe Fourth parte of this sacred Soole is Temo that is the Beame which stronglie beareth and holdeth all the other partes together and noteth Macerationem carnis the Macerating of the flesh that is the extenuating chastising and humbling of the body as that voluptuousnes and wanton lusts beeing allayed the spirit may haue the more freedome libertie in the true vse of the senses of the Soule and made the apter to euerie vertue 1. Cor 9.7 the which therefore is esteemed the strength of the Soole This vertue Paul exercised in himselfe when hee saide I beate downe my body and bring it into subiection least by any meanes after that I haue preached to others I my selfe should be reprooued the meaning is that hee kept a straite dyer and abstained from such things as might distemper his bodie This hee saw to be needfull for that hee perceiued the lawe of sinne raigning in his members prouoking him to insolencie pride wicked lustes and naughtines And lest that Paul as a man should haue bene negligent in this necessary dutie hee testified againe that the Lord permitted the messenger of Satan to buffet him that is God layd on him crosses afflictions many troubles whereby as vnder the rod or yoke of correction hee might be humbled and kept within the bowndes of his dutie The pampring of the proude flesh bringeth manie enormities to the soule and destruction to both body and soule Euery man saith S. Iames is tempted when hee is drawen away of his owne concupiscence and is entised then Iam. 1.14.15 Gen. 6. Gen. 19. Ezec. 16. Deut 3â— 1. Cor 10. when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth fourth death The olde worlde giuen to this sinne swayed therin were drowned Sodom and Gomorra for the same were burned to cinders the Israelites beeing full forgot God
and were plagued in the wildernes Baltazar in his gluttonous feast could not repent though he saw the handwriting on the wall but he was destroyed those two rich men mentioned in the Gospell by S. Luke Luke 12 16. beeing full would neither pitie the pore nor amend their liues and so they were taken away in their sinnes Moreouer the verie godlie haue by this enemy as domesticall bene annoyed and endangered Gen 9.19 Noah being full of wine lay shamefully vncouered Lot beeing drunken with wine committed incest with his owne daughters Dauid in his fulnes and pompe doated on Bethsabe Vrias wife and committed murther and adulterie whereof followed many plagues troubles And surely they which are Somno vinoque Sepulti ouercome with ydlenes and wine haue not onely their cogitations blinded but are fed as Oxen fatted for the slaughter CHRIST therfore to disswade men froÌ„ this sin to perswade them to the true vse of the Plough-beam being the very strength of Mortification and the way to safety thus exhorteth Take heed that your hearts be not ouercome with surfeitting and dronkennes and so the day of the Lord come vpoÌ„ you vnawares Again Watch pray test yee enter into temptation for the spirite is willing but the flesh is weake meaning that the flesh hauing his will is an hinderance to the good motions desires of the Spirite and therefore wee should not pamper such an enemy Againe there is a Diuell which possessing the hearts of the voluptuous persons goeth not out but by fasting and prayer S. Paul condemneth pampering of the flesh as a worke of darknes in the which the Diuell dominiers to destroye and therefore Saint Peter disswading men from this danger exhorteth them to be Sober and Watch. In and by the which as wee see the daunger of voluptuousnes and carnall lustes so are wee taught the true vse of Pieties Beame and perswaded to the same for our owne good The Phisitians when they be willing to extenuate men after repletions or corrupt humors of body The order of extenuation of sinnes Phisitian prescribe somtimes sweatings sometimes vomits sometimes diets sometimes vnctions somtimes minutions sometimes cauterizings sometimes glysters sometimes exercises somtimes watchings somtimes potions In like sort the sinner which is spiritually distempered with the repletion corruption of sinne requireth all these pointes of spirituall medicine as whereby he may be macerated and prepared for health The sweatings are Agonies sorowes and teares the vomits are confessions the dyets are abstinences and fastinges the vnctions are prayers the minutions are Almes-deedes the Cauterizings are persecutions and troubles the glysteres are the remission of many iniuries the exercises are lawfull labours and workes of our vocation the watchings are waking to vertues and the withstanding of carnall lusts the potions are the worde of God and the Crosse of Christ which are called the water of life and the cuppe whereof Christ himselfe drancke with his Apostles Thus hath the Physitian taught vs to macerate the flesh The good wife teacheth sinners the order of Mortification The like Simbole is taken from the good wife in the allaying of her potte which beeing on the fire beginneth to boyle ouer First shee vncouereth the pot Next if that help not she in all the hast bloweth on the liquor Thirdly she casteth in Salt Fourthly shee allayeth it with colde water Fiftly shee stirreth it with the Ladle Sixtly shee with-draweth the fire and lastly when no waye else serueth shee remooueth the pot from the fire In like sorte the sinner swelling in repletion and ready to break out into the effects of voluptuousnes is aduised First to acknowledge and confesse his sinnes 2. To pray to God for assistance 3. To hearken to the worde of God and to feare his Iudgements 4. Applye that which is contrarie to the humour or cause of the sinne 5. To bee diligent in some honest labour of exercise 6. To abstaine from the voluptuousnesse of meates and drinkes and 7. To withdrawe our selues from all those occasions of our sicknesse and daunger All these things require a meet amplification from the which I am restrained through my desire of breuity to auoide tediousnes Surely this is that strong Beame without the which the best man on the earth often falleth and is annoyed as king Dauid and king Salomon yea as Noah and Lot did being replenished with wine and fleshly securitie Therefore as we should hearken to the good counsaile of our SAVIOVR and his Apostles so should we pray to the LORD with Agur Lord giue me not Pouertie nor Riches feede me with foode conuenient for me lest I be full and denie thee and say Who is the Lorde CHAP. XVIII The 5. part of the Soole is the Tractorie THe first member of the Spirituall Soole is the Hope of Remission The hope of Remission signified by the Tractorie or Lamb as som call it which necessarily must be fastened to the former foure lest whiles by terrifying the sinner with continuall threates of Gods Iudgementes and Spirituall corasiues to cast him downe and to drawe him from proude presumption hee should for want of comforts and reliefe be drench't in vtter despaire yet not so that being a greeuous offender â—ee might be occasioned to presume on Mercie but that knowing both his sinnes with the danger and horrour thereof repenting he should not be ouerwhelmed in feare but hope for mercie This rule Paul obserued wryting to the Corinthians who hauing terrified them by laying before their eyes the terrible examples of Gods Iudgements on the auntient Iewes in the wildernes to breede in them true contrition humility confession and mortification of the flesh by and by he addeth for their consolation stay There is no tentation hath taken you but such as belongeth to the Nature of man and God is Righteous who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power And this hath bene the custome of the holy Prophets to mixe sweeet things with sower to this ende that whilest they sought to plaister one wounde they might not make another but rather one thing coÌ„sidered with another they might heale the one and withstand the other Therefore haue wee also thought good soone after those fower harde Corasines before going to minister this godlie Comfortatiue the Hope of Remission which animateth the sinner to followe Pieties Plough for Hope is Tò en ToiÌ„s Senois Phà rmacon a Remedie in all hard aduentures as said Gregory Nazianzen Naz ad ciues Naz Aug in Psal 104. to his citizeÌ„s And as another said truly Qui gaudet in Spetenebit rem c He that reioyceth in Hope shall also enioy the thing hoped for but hee that is without Hope cannot obtaine the thing In regard whereof this vertue is called the Mother of all endeuours and studies Hope is the Mother of endeuours Mater conatuuÌ„ engendring not onely the will but also the endeuour of studying working