of mankinde doe not ouercome in that I flie but therefore I flie lest I shoulde bee ouercome Vigilantius reprooued his Monasticke life saying it rather behooued such a Scholler to stand in the forefront of the battell and to minister a good example to others by publike battell against sinne Hierome answereth that hee fledde lest he shoulde be ouercome Herein the good man answereth Vigilantius with as good reason as when he proueth to the same Vigilantius vnworthily of him called Dormitantius that the religious were to light Tapers at mid-day in their Deuotions because the virgins in the fiue and twentieth chapter of Matth. had lampes because in the twelfth chapter of Luke the faithfull are exhorted to haue their loynes girded and burning lights in their handes and because it is said of Iohn Baptist in the fift chapter of the Gospel after Saint Iohn he was a burning Light c. The very rehearsall of which errour is vnto this lightsome age a plaine proofe Quod aliquando dormitat bonus Homerus that a wise man sometimes is taken nodding Our Romanists make Elias and Iohn Baptist founders of this Heremetical life whereas Elias and Iohn Baptist were publique preachers to the death Somtimes as our Sauiour also they gaue place to the furie of persecutors not to the end to liue mued vp in a Cabin or Cloister for as Christ would not please himselfe Rom. 1.5.3 so the Apostle saith Let no man seek his owne but euery man anothers wealth 1. Cor. 10.24 but for a while they gaue place with the politike souldier to the end they might with more strength returne for ouercomming of the aduersarie And yet our Monastick persons are so far from being Moni our solitary persons so far from being Soli Alone as in troth they are not in the wildernes but in the Citties not liuing vpon Hippes Hawes Rootes but feeding on Dainties not lodging on the ground but couched on soft beddes not mortified to the world but liuing to the pleasures thereof So that in comparison of the ancient monks Paulus Antonius Macarius c. these are but Lies without the Life the very Name without the Thing If Ierome himself were aliue and beheld our Romish monks he would say as sometimes he writ to Heliodore Interpretare vâ—cabulum Monachi hoc est nomen tuum Quid facis in turba qui solus es c. Looke to the interpretation of the Monch which is the name of your profession And then what dost thou in peoples companie who professeth thy selfe alone Yet he would tell them that their popular life is no more answerable to his Monastick rules giuen vâ—to the Monk Rusticus then an Ape is like a man who instead of reasonable speach can do nothing but mumpe and mow We are all to smell vnto Christ crucified to mortâ—fie sin but not only in our selues but also in others not by liuing as an Owle in the desart but by keeping the Churches societie and frequentation of Sacraments seeing Christ is specially present where the faithful in his name be gathered togither For the second part of Praise touching her present sense of Christ it is borowed from a kind of growth termed in the original Copher which some turne Campher some Cyper Campher smelled vnto doth naturally keepe vnder or weaken carnall lust If that should be here intended how fitly is it then here planted amongst the vines of Engadidi that is a mendecine for bridling lust ouer-soone stirred vp by drinking the fruite of the vine Woorthie the noting is that of a certaine Auntient Vino efferuescente luxuriant ac intumescunt vbera pudenda fornicationis imaginem iam praenunciantia Wine once boyling in mankinde the breasts and bashfull partes doe thereupon luxuriate and passe ordinarie limites fore-shewing so the image of vnchastitie Will we vse the delightfull meates and drinkes of nature and not bee thereby prouoked to vnbridled lust let vs then smell to Christ as to Campher Let vs have the eye of our soule fastned on his sufferings and labour amidst our delights to sauour his bloody agonies and Camphora to the body shal not haue so strong effect as the meditation of Iesus to the soule If Cyper be here entended Copher is plainely according to Greeke and Latine Dialect turned Cyper the letter vaf into ypsilon and ph into p vnaspirat we are to consider first what it is secondly what thereby may be meant Ciper is different from Cipres as Cyprus from Cyporus which too ignorantly of some haue bene taken for the same Cyper of Cyprus it saith Nannius the Papist is not mentioned of Dioscarides nor Pliny But if he looke better into Dioscorides and Pliny Lib. 12. cap. 24. he shall not onely finde in Dioscorides that it is of a glewing nature but also in Pliny that which he rehearseth out of Hermolaus Barbarus that Cyprus hath leaues like to the Oliue tree but more greâ—ne and fatty with white seede sweete smelling Though Egesippus say that there is growing hereof about the fountaine which Helizeus cured in Ierichoes fieldes and Hermolaus in Ascalone of Iudea yet Salomon propoundeth vnto vs such Cyprus as is growing in the vines of Engaddi This place Engaddi is a Citty in the coasts of Iudea Ios. 15.62 where Dauid sometimes safeguarded himselfe from the furie of Saul as in 1. Sa. â—4 a place full of rocks and wilde goates adioyning to Mare mortuum the Dead sea First that this sauoury Cypres groweth in the wildernesse secondly in Engaddi thirdly by the dead sea That the sauoury things of Christes Kingdome are lodged rather in the Wildernesse then Citty in the field rather than in the Towne consider not only Iohns being carryed foorth into the Wildernesse when hee would vnderstand the mysteries of Antichrist Reuel 17. but also the sauing treasure to be found in the field Matt. 13.44 Not in glorious Ierushalem but in Bethleem the least of a thousand Micah 5.2 Which teacheth vs not to seek for the great things of heauen amongst the great things of the earth for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the mightie and vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things that are 1. Cor. 1.27.17.28 For Engaddi or Gnen-gedi it is a compounded word the first part whereof signifieth an Eie or Fountaine the latter part of the word signifies a Kid or whereof Leahs adopted son Gad tooke his name it may be turned A company So that the whole worde may be Englished The Eye of my Kid or the Fountaine of my Kid the eye of my company or fountaine of my company Considering the rockes and wilde Goates in the bounds of Engedi heere may bee an allusion to the yong goates who from the Rockes not onelie cast their Eye vpon the fountaines below which were their watring plots for the high minded must come downe or they
praises together with the scriptures read before meate psalmes and himnes in the time of meat before he goe to bedde as also pouring out prayers againe in the night season Neuer sung the Doue so sweete a song to her mate as the Church singeth to Messiah when her voyce at all times is so soundâ—ng Thy countenance or Aspect is comly Faith being as afore the cause of the churches countenance the countenance of the faithfull must needes be gloâ—ious for as the cause is such is the effect The wisedome of a man saith Salomon dooth make his face to shine and the strength of his face shall thereby be changed This is specially spoken of heauens-wisedome which causeth the soules face or countenance to shine causing a right strong heart to change the complexion from euil to good of deformed becomming comely Nor is this wisedome otherwise in mysterie to be vnderstoode then of the Sonne who is the wisedome of our heauenly father That Son of heauen causeth our face to shine and this onely as we become one with him by the apprehension of Faith Faith purifieth the heart causeth a change of the soule inuests vs with Messiahs righteousnesse as Iaakob was cloathed with his elder brothers garment One graine of faith remooueth mountaines of difficulties Faith apprehending Christ truly putteth away the olde corrupt man and putteth on a newe countenance euen the image of God which maketh the church to Christ right comely Christ exacted of Iairus Faith onely for curing his daughter and to him only that belieueth all things are possible Marke 9.23 Which true effectuall faith beeing in the Church only it causeth her alone to be described of Saint Iohn in forme of a Woman clothed with the Sunne all beauteous and comely Abben-ezra vnderstanding as other Iewes doe this of their olde Church comming out of Aegipt hee there inferreth that the Church then shewed her countenance to God when she belieued applying thereto that clause They belieued in the Lord. The Psalmist long after that Exode or outgate from Aegypt prophecieth of a departure forth of another Aegypt Ps. 68.31 comparing there in Vers. 13. the Church to a Doue that had lodged amongst pots or as the word Shephatheim may seeme rather to imply Killes or Furnaces and therewith blacked but then annects this promise yet shalt thou be as The wings of a Doue that is couered with siluer and whose feathers be yellow golde This comming forth of Aegypt was the Gentiles comming forth of horrible Idolatrie wherin all Nations had lodged and blacked themselues Who comming forth by obedience to Christs voyce called the obedience of Faith were therewithall not onely washed from deformitie but also couered with comelinesse compared to a Doues wings al siluerie and gâ—lded And that this is the proper point here intended by Salomon Idolatrers and Idolls lodged so in holes of Rocks in Isa. 1.20 21. as vnâ—ble to abide the glorious Law-giuer I would rather conclude if the church would think it to be more direct then the former For as the word Rocke is sometimes applied to Christ in whom the church liueth so it importeth sometimes the mansion of Idâ—latrers But let the Mansion of this Church-doue bee considered in Christ according to Election or in woods groues monkish cells secret holes in regard of her passed idolâ—trie beauteous and comely she is not made till she come forth and manifest her faith true working faith For faith is the girdle that tyeth her to Christ and all the glorious shine of Christ to her Is our voice sweete praise him is our aspect comely thanke him for as the Earth was vncomly till he said Let it budde forth and then it was presently couered with Bâ—auties carpet euen so it is the word of fâ—ith preached whereby our Owlish Idolatrous hoing was turned into a sweete Douish voyce and our Aegyptian-like blackenesse into a Douish comelinâ—sse Messiah praising this voyce for sweet and this countenance for comly for how should his gifts and graces in his owne members be otherwise it controlleth them who say in the faithfull and regenerate there is no good thing instead of saying In their flesh or vnregenerate part There is no good thing For where Isaiahs people cry out We haue all beene as an vncleâ—ne thing and all our righteousnesses haue beene as filâ—hy clâ—uts they speake first of the time past when they lay drowned in sinne secondly they censure onely the actions of their owne vnregeneâ—ate nature for somewhat in body and soule is euer heere vnrâ—generate they bring not the actions of the spirit in them vnder that iudgement not to vrge the Hebrew turned of some as a â—estmeâ—t of shreds for as the Holy ghost is such are his fruites Thirdly they censuâ—ing themselues not for vncleane but as vncleane it may import some respect had to the worke of God in them which otherwise was shadowed with the vncleane clouds of nature But much more Messiahs praise of his churches face and voyce may controll such aâ— vpon Faiths weakenesse shall conclude faith therefore filthy that because the graces of God in the regâ—nerate are weake therefore vncleane not onely a plaine error but also a blaspheming or euill speaking of the graces and heauenly effects of God his holy spirit Not to seuer the workes of the flesh and spirit that is of the regenerate and vnregenerate part it is to builde a Babel or Confusion contrary to the Apostles proceeding in Galat. 5.16 17 19 20 21 22 23. Where the Apostle maketh the fruâ—tes opposite each to other The vnregeneration of our nature soule and body for the body is acted by the soule it is vncleane and as a polluted Carrion but it can no more dâ—file the giftes and operations of the Holy-ghost in a new-man then a stinking carrion can defile the glorious rayes or beames of the Sun shining theron Dauid somtimes complained of GOD his absence not because he was indeed absent but because he felt him not present namely in mercie So the Elect regenerate sometimes cry out as all naught not because it is so indeede but because they for that present haue no feeling of the good worke of God in them As for spirituall by-standers they see God neere them and goodnesse then in them It followeth Lect. VIII 15 Take vs the Foxes the little foxes destroying the vines for our vines haue small grapes HErein the Church repeateth a speach of Messiah which concerneth his care ouer the faithful in their first manifestation of Christian obedience The parts are these two First a commaundement for apprehending the aduersarie Great and Final laid downe vnder the terme of Foxes Secondly a reason thereof And this drawne first from the nature of these foxe-like aduersaries in that they destroy vines then from the time of vines weakenesse when it is saide Our vines haue small grapes As by Foxes vnderstanding aduersaries so by vines vnderstanding the faithfull labouring to bring
for more seeing this is a commoditie of eternall nature Thirdly the Church expressing her feeling of Christs loue to be vnto her more excellent and efficatious then wine wine being that which delighteth the heart of man wee thereby are taught that euery member of this mysticall body doeth not onely liue to Christ but also die to the world and the temporaries thereof The loue of God in the vse of his word which is one principall particular of his loue it was vnto Dauid more sweete then the hony and hony-combe and of more acceptation then thoâ—sands of golde and of siluer And the loue of God in Christ it was of such value vnto the Apostle Paul as in comparison thereof he counteth Tribe Birth and al temporarie and naturall things but drosse and dung Howe the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martires and Confessors haue deemed Christs loue their continuall sufferings and patient vndergoings of the crosse for his sake they plainely doe witnesse Balaam Iudas Iscariot Demas and many in this age sauouring earth not spirit they are by this doctrine laide open for such as are not of the Church howsoeuer within the church for al these Moonish fleeting temporaries the church treades vnder her feet the vnion and sensible feeling of Christ his seuerall loues being vnto her all in all Lect. III. Verse 2. Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is an ointment powred out therefore the virgines loue thee Or vnto the sauour of c. Or at the sauour c. AS in the last clause of the former verse she gaue a reason of her petition and that was drawne from the excellencie of his loue so here shee rendreth a reason of her so louing his Loue namely because shee found in him as a boxe of aromatique ointments all redolent sauours and precious spirituall smells Which precious odors were vnto her his Church and vnto euery particular member thereof most sauorie and delightfull In which comparison shee seemeth not onely to cast her eye vnto ordinary confections in the Apothecaries shop but also and that more specially vnto the sacred Ointment and Perfume in Exod. 30.23 c. effected by Moses directed by Iehouah for annointing and perfuming his Tabernacle and Priesthoode The counterfait whereof none other vpon paine of death might make nor vppon like penalty might any other person annoynt his flesh with this ointment nor perfume himselfe with this composition for the one and the other were set apart from common vse and so dedicate to a sacred ecclesiasticall purpose All which let vs draw into some particular information and profit First in that the Church seeketh out the most excellent ointment and perfume for declaration of Messiahs sweete name it teacheth vs that all excellent things in nature they are but as tipes and shadowes of spirituall graces not much vnlike to the Cabalists position which concludeth all inferiour things to be but shapes of superiour things and the patterne which Moses saw in the Mount to be a certaine proportion in the heauens whereunto the earthly tabernacle was resemblanced And in very troth all excellent things in nature they are but as steps degrees and greeces for vs to climbe vp by vnto heauenly respects Secondly her reference to the former ceremoniall oyntment wherewithall the Iewish sanctuary and priesthood were annointed it leadeth vs to these considerations First that the new testaments Church figured by that tabernacle and the new testaments Priest euen Christ Iesus figured by the former they are interessed with the inward spirituall ointment which was shadowed forth by the former outward materiall Oyle That the Church hath it Saint Iohn recordeth it in his first Epist. 2. Chap. 20. 27. verses That Iesus Christ hath it the spirit of Prophecie plainely foresaw saying The God thy God hath annointed thee with the gladsome Oile aboue thy fellowes Psa. 45.8 Aboue all his fellow members because they receiue it by measure but he beyond measure Iohn 3.34 he is the fountaine full of grace and truth as for his members thâ—y receiue of his fulnesse grace vpon grace Iohn 1.16 The sacred oile was powred vpon Aaron our head and from him the head that soueraigne ointment commeth downe his mysticall bodie euen to the hemme of his garment the most inferiour member not exempted of reall sanctification Besides seeing the former sacred oile a figure of the spirit sanctifying it was onely with profite applied to the Priest and his Tabernacle it putteth vs in minde how Christ and his members only can haue this spirit in the worke of sanctification Nor can any haue receiued this reall sanctification in any true measure but it is vnto them a reall pledge of eternall saluation and a demonstration of their holy Election before all worlds Ephes. 1.3 c. Furthermore where it was death vnto him that should apply this oile of grace to Prophane persons it teacheth vs that which our Sauiour teacheth namely That holy things are not to be giuen to Dogges in paine of God his high displeasure the sauing promises of the Gospel are not to be applied to the open vnpenitent The ointment of sauing Grace offered in the Word and Sacraments it appertaineth onely to such persons as first haue become a spirituall house or Tabernacle to God and secondly as true Priests and Sacrificers doe offer vp a reasonable oblation out of the Sanctum or Holy-place built in their conscience For howsoeuer in Christ is the Sanctum-sanctorum Holy-of-holies yet in euery of his members is a Sanctum or sanctified conscience Lastly whereas the like penaltie hanged ouer his head that should counterfet that precious oile it putteth vs in minde what fearefull iudgement hangeth ouer the heads of counterfet hypocrites and heretikes who by painted doctrine and sheepish conuersation doe make outward shewes of the spirit and holinesse but in very deede are hollow hearted and destitute of the power of true godlinesse Thirdly that shee termeth her Beloueds Name to be as Oile powred out she would allude to the full and perfect odor of such precious confections who howsoeuer they be sauory in themselues yet are not felt sauorie vntill they be powred out and as it were pownded euen as Maries pound of Spikenard ointment is then saide to fill the house with the sauour when as she had broken vp the boxe and powred it out And herein she would teach first that the very name of her Beloued was preciously sweete being powred out Sweete in it selfe it must be from all eternitie but then manifested sweete when it was vttered to mankinde Adam lying plunged in diabolicall stench how sweete vnto him was it to heare of the blessed Seeds of woman Abram hauing beene-singed in Vr that is in the Fire of Chaldea horrible Idolatrers causing their children to passe through the fire sweete vnto him must the name be of Seede wherein he and all nations should receiue a blessing Sweâ—te was the name Shiloh in the
to whom these mysteries are vttered That the faithfull are not to sit downe vpon the enioy of meaner gifts but thus pray and practise after the best they are not only taught of the worldlings but also of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.31 chap. 14.1 c. Yea all are by the Queene of Sheba stirred vp to spare neither labor nor charges for seeing and hearing the wisedome of Him that is greater then Salomon 2. Chron. 9.1 Math. 12.42 For if they were happy that stood before Salomon the shadow ten thousand times more happy must they be that stand in the presence of Messiah the Substance And if we desire to enter into this Rest to stand in the chambers of this great King let vs with Moses and Ioshuah loose and put off our shooes I meane carnall and beastly sense and affection thereby figured Exod. 3.5 Iosh. 5.15 If with * Bathsheba the daughter of seauen wee will in the seauen ages of the Church haue assurance to sitte on our Salomons right hand on the seate of his appointment then let vs spiritually trauaile of Him and bring him forth absolute in all our workes If with the Leuites we would lodge with Aaron our high-priest in the chambers of the Temple then let vs mount by Ezekiels seauen and eight steps singing our seauen and eight Psalmes of degrees as stepping vp from Babylon for ascending to Ierushalem the seate of the great King In a world let vs pray draw vs and draw vs from the Diuel World and Flesh after thee that so wee may togither with thee enter into the Bride-chamber there to heare and see these things that naturall eare and eie can neither heare nor see So much of the fruite ensuing her feruent prayer Touching her protestation lying in these words We will exult and be glad in thee we wil remember thy Loues more then wine Righteousnesses do loue thee or haue louéd thee Itâ— containeth an enumeration of hir Faculties disposition towards her beloued And this is done first by setting downe particulars then secondly by putting downe the whole The particulars are two lying in the first two branches the first expressing her Will or affections We will reioyce and be glad in thee the second marking out the sincerity of her Mind or Senses one Sense namely the Memorie put for all We will remember c. The Whole where-vnder the partes are contained it lieth in the last words Righteousnesses that is â— whatsoeuer is right or rectified in vs it hath and doth loue thee for so thy Loue constraineth vs. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be remembred that the soule of Man is distinguished into three faculties which for learning sake otherwise a simple essence or substance admits no parts may be termed 3. partes The first is termed Minde vnder which are contained all the interiour senses as Imagination Memorie c. and this is seated properly in the bodies head The second is termed Will vnder the which is contained the affections single and mixt as Loue Hatred Zeale c. And this is seated properly in the hart From both these proceed an actiue power or working property which we terme mind wils Agent or Factor The Church in this her protestation beginneth with the second Facultie namely Will when as she saith Wee will reioyce c. euen as the holy-ghost in the Prophets as also the Apostle in bidding the Ephesians put on Righteousnes true Holines do place the duties of the second Table before them of the first As it is an easier thing to find Religion without fruits of righteousnes faith without works so is it an easier thing to find the mind illuminated then the wil sanctified to Do according to the minds light For this cause she begins with the wil and signifies how her affections stand deuoted to her beloued saying Wee will exult and reioyce in thee hereby teaching vs first to preferre sanctification before illumination because illumination may be without sanctification as in Balaam Iudas Iscariot c but Sanctification not without illumination seing none are realy sanctified for we must distinguish betwixt holines real and that which is but by imputation but so soone at least their mindes are lightned with the Gospel of Christ Iesus secondly we are hereby taught to dedicate all our affections Loue Hatred Zeale c. vnto the glorie of our Beloued euen vnto him that bringeth vs to his House-threshold yea into his Cellers Galleries and chambers of secret presence And as other affections so specially our mery and reioycing affections This the Apostle remembreth saying Reioice in the Lord alway and againe I say reioice Philip 4.4 And the Psalmist protests in this elegant phrase All my springs are in thee as if he should say what speake I of singers and players of instruments in a word all the affections that flow from me manifested in pronunciation and action they are all in thee and for thee Such were the affections of Dauid causing him to spring before the Arke but comming home and such were affections springing vpon the gospels comming home by the ministerie of our Elisha But as it befell Israel after the continuance of Manna so vs after the Gospe's coutinuaunce the multitude lothe wish them in the Romish Aegypt by their flesh-pots againe stinking onions and garlike relice better with them than milke and hony of Canaan The trumperies of Iebusiticall and Secular poperie the iugling tricks alias Aequiuocations of the two frogges Iannes and Iambres Secular-priest and Iesuite are vnto a number of base Atheists of faâ—re more excellent repute then the naked sinceritie of the Gospel Wel If we turne our reioycements from Messiah his Euangell and sweete word will turne from vs. If wee will reioice and be glad in him he will neuer loathe vs. But seeing our reioycement in euill encreaseth and our exultation in the wayes of Messiah decreaseth I know not what to expect but that the Lord by some notable iudgement should declare to all nations he loathes vs as much as euer he loued vs. Touching the next clause we wil remember thy Loues more than wine the faithfull of the Church declare therein that as the affections so the Senses are consecrated to Iesus yea more consecrate to his loue then vnto wine that delighter of Nature as if shee should say Looke how the Mind of a wordling is ready to remember wine or any delight of this body euen so and much more then so will we remember thy loues From whence we are taught first to dedicate all our senses more specially the memorie for excogitating and recordating the Loue of Christ Iesus His Loue yea his Loues that is his particular Loues not committing any of them vnto Obliuion As for example we should remember that he hath First giuen vs Being of no being Secondly created vs reasonable creatures Thirdly giuen vs to be borne vnder the light of the Gospel Fourthly giuen vs many giftes of Nature
it is naturall irrationall creatures desire both these for by theâ— they labour the conseruation of Nature but to couet so to eate and so to rest after meate as the Church doth heere it is not naturall but spirituall not an act of Nature but of Grace from aboue not from the earth For the first she coueteth to know where Christ feedeth What where he feeds himselfe alone Nay where hee feedeth with his little flocke opposed to his companions flockes after yet she speaketh of him so singularly as if he were alone because HE and the sheepe of his Pasture are One to be distinguished not seuered For God and Man in Christ are vnited and made one and therefore euery member of this body desirous to feed with this Head where this carcase Christ-crucified is thither these Eagles resort Math. 24.28 Yea to the ende they may finde this foode for themselues and their yoong-ones they make their abode vpon the toppe of the Rocke though in the earth their cogitation is aboue and from high discerne and thence repaire for soules nuriture Iob. 39.30.31 c. Besides by introducing him as a shepheard and her selfe as a sheepe an allusion ancient and in scripture frequent psal 23.1 95 7. Ezek 34.31 c. she thereby would testifie not only her place of subiection but also her readines euen euery soules readines to aberre to wander out of the way without this great shepheards direction Moses was no sooner in the mount for a few daies resiant but Israel staied in the Wildernesse Christ was no sooner brought before the Rulers but Peter looseth him himselfe and had not the Lorde by his vnder-shepheard Nathan sought vppe Dauid Dauid had starued in the pit O Lord for thy Sons sake leaue not the sheepe of thy English pasture to their owne heartes for then we should wander and loose ourselues for euer But let thy sauing grace preuent vs in our euils and glorifie thy mercies vpon vs. For Rest after soules repast she vttereth that in the next branch coueting to know where he caused his flocke to couch in the heat of the day Teaching hereby first that after the soule hath beene well fedde specially in the blessed word and sacraments it coueteth a place of rest wherein it may ruminate and chaw the cud by spirituall meditation Such Animals as vnder the Lawe did chaw the Cudde and did part the hoose Leuiticus 11.3 c. they were counted cleane but if they only chawed the cudde not parting the hoofe or parting the hoofe chawed not the cudde these were accounted pollution and vnholy As for the sheâ—pe he lacked neither This was a resemblance of the Gentiles soule-pollution till Messiah tooke away the partition wall and cleansed them by the faith of the Gospel Act. 11.4 5 6 c. with 15.7 8 9. And such is the state of euery soule as first ruminates not on spirituall gifts or ruminating thereon doe not after that parte the foote that is put a difference betweene spirit and spirite doctrine and doctrine one action and another For not to part the things which God hath parted is but to mingle and confound Christ with Belial to ioyne yron and clay togither which can neuer bee made one and yet vaine-men how many now be there among vs that sweat and fret for concluding such mongrell religion bastardly deuotion As the Lords minister would be well accepted of GOD hee must take the precious from the vile Ierem. 5.19 and as euery soule would be taken for a sheepe of Christes Pasture he must try the Spirits and trying al things by the touchstone of iudgement diuine he must retaine that is good and flie that is euill 1. Iohn 4.1.1 Thess. 5.21 22. Such meditation such partition is in some measure in euery true Christian. By the first there is a partaking with the nature diuine by the second a declaration of diuine discretion and in both for the one can no more be without the other then faith without works there is pictured forth God sitting in that Conscience as a Pilote at the shippes helme steering all to the hauen of Heauen And that she couets this ruminating place in the time of daies heate it teacheth vs not only to expect affliction and persecution as an vnseparable companion with the Gospel 2. Tim. 3.12 Reue. 7.14 figured by the Sunnes heate in Math. 13.6 21. but also to deale with God before hand by prayer that wee may in such day of tentation in peace and patience possesse our soules howsoeuer the body be conuayed through fire to heauen as Elias by the burning Chariot Such rest of soule we must in the dayes of peace and plenty labour for pray for feruently and then no doubt our eyes shall see rest and our soules finde comfort vnder the shadow of the Highest But that she saith where thou causest to lie downe it putteth vs in minde of our Natures backewardnes for couching vnder Gods wing in the day of fiery trial Shadows of our owne seeme best and safest vnto vs as it was with Demas yea with Peter but such a shadow shelters onely the body not the soule and therefore Peter can in that finde no true rest out he must of that place and weepe bitterly for hauing not couched in the right place Vnwilling wee are to lie downe with Christ pray we therefore that he may cause vs to goe where hee woulde haue vs to goe that he may cause vs to lie downe where he himselfe lieth downe that as a shepheard he would direct vs with his eye make vs subiect to his voyce specially in the day of tentation to feede and comfort vs for I thinke a day of tentation is not farre off The Reason of this Petition followeth For why should I be as she that couertly turnes her selfe to the flocks of thy companions as if she should say There is no reason why Where shee might haue affirmed plainly that there was no cause why shee shoulde turne from her Beloued to other Riuals she rather chooseth to speake by Interrogation for the more patheticall expressement first of her Beloueds desert for he deserued all her loue secondly of her owne soules sinceritie towards him in that shee concludes it an vnreasonable thing to diuert from the Substance and Truth to shadowes and falshoode From whence we may further obserue first what the nature of a Schismaticall soule is secondly what larues and vniust titles all false Christs and pseudo-prophets doe assume to themselues for procuring them flocks For Schismatikes their nature it is this not to forsake Catholike vnitie without some pretext and colour as the Church speaketh here Couering themselues As they were before but hypocrites in the churches bosome so in their departure or as Iohn cals it going out they striue to hypocrise more that is to maske their faces to couer themselues with some such attire as they may not be deemed rending wolues but simple hearted sheepe Our Sauiour in Matth. 7.15
it is an excellent Comforting nature and also repercussiue Vnder this odoriferous Nard I mystically vnderstand first the sacrifice of a faithfull penitent heart whose sighes and confessions petitions and praises are as Noahs oblations in Gen 8.21 called the odours of the Saints Reue. 8.4 and secondly they be these sauourie almes which the faithfull minister to the Saints termed by the Apostle an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant vnto God Philip. 4.18 The first of these doe specially respect God the second our Neighbour For as in Church-Communion God and Man are considered at one and in Christ made one so no soule can manifest it selfe to be of this fellowship that first persumeth not Christs head then secondly his members with this aromatike odour Christes head is the Father and his body is the church 1. Cor. 11.2 12.27 To the Father of heauen are all deuotions of the heart to be offered vpon the golden altar of Messiahs obedience for onely this Angell of the East Reuel 8.1 c. whose starre appeared in the East hath a golden censor for censing the prayers of the Saints As for the oblations of the hand the contribution of the faithfull they appertaine to the faithfull needy-ones Do good we must vnto all but specially to the houshold of faith Galat. 6.10 And this specialtie appeareth when as the speciall almes termed the Collection for the saints 1. Cor. 16.1 and sundry times called a Grace in 2. Corinthi 8. and 9. they be appropriated to the vse of the sanctified of the Gracious Not that we are to contribute onely to the visible Gratious for as God without respect to mans worke dooth good to the verie wicked so are we but specially we are to tender the gracious as God by a Speciall grace hath regarded them beyond others In both we are to be like vnto God and both of them be vnto him as the Morning and Euenings incense Thus Christ as a King feasteth with his church and the church againe feasteth with him in sauourie words and workes but made sauourie onely by his spirit Iudas Iscariot will finde fault with the effusion of this oyle not because he loueth the poore but for that he hath the bagge and studieth how to robbe the poore Let not Mary cease to offer her Deuotions to God and her Almes to Messiahs members for howsoeuer Iudas thinke all but oyle spilt vpon the ground our Iesus will say No let her alone against the day of burying she kept it There be a number of Dogges now that neither will themselves doe good to the poore nor can bee contented that others do them Good With Iudas they thinke all lost that is spent vpon Christ and his members and herevpon it is that our Ages Atheists doe robbe the Church intending with Iscariot the paunching of themselues Let them in time repent and in time make restitution lest God in his iustice do leaue them with theefe Iudas to the halter or at least to haue their portion with Hypocrites and Foxes The Brownist which now teacheth them to robbe the Church will then be farre enough from defending the play or helping Sacri-legists out of Hels-mouth that gapeth to receiue them as they gape to swallowe vp the Churches inheritance Let Iesus and his members feast together while they may for after the feast there wil be a fast a day of Crucifixion a darke and gloomie day While the Bridegroome is with vs let vs publikely bestow our odours on God and Man when the gospels sunne shall be eclipsed and Christ haue yeelded vp the ghost then with the Centurion let vs knocke our breast moorne and lament for that darkenesse is ouer all our Earth Lect. XIIII HAuing thus praised her Loue for that was past shee now commeth to that praise which toucheth the present time whereas she first compareth him to a bundle of Myrrhe secondly of Copher For Myrrhe it is an Indian tree and in taste very bitter and of the second degree hote and drie and of preseruing nature for which cause Nicodemus in Iohn 19.39 doth mix Myrrhe with Aloes for embalming the body of Iesus That Christ is to the church a nosegay of Myrrhe what meaneth it but that he doth by his Spirits heate exiccate or dry vppe the superfluitie of our degenerate nature wherby body and soule is preserued to eternall life For as it is the office of Messiahs spirite to kill or mortifie sinne in vs so likewise to viuifie and quicken vp in vs the spirit of true life The first is done by the bitternesse of the Law the second is done by the redolent doctrine of Faith or Gospel And as the church hath in the present a sense thereof so shee couenanteth for future time that this Messiah shall as a bundle of Myrrhe be couched betweene her breasts and that no doubt for these purposes first for manifesting how deare Christ crucified is vnto her with all his bitter agonies secondly for keeping her rebellious sprowting lusts vnder all her life That the bitter crosse of Christ is of great esteeme in the harts of the faithfull consider not onely in this that they desire with Paul onely to know Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 but also are baptized into his death and so with the Apostle doe die dayly 1. Cor. 17.29 30. For such as walke on in wickednesse lâ—bouring their owne particular these are not common-wealâ—s-men but common-illes-men and as Paul termeth them Enemies vnto the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.18 so farre are they from exulting with the Apostles in bitter sufferings and sharpe temptations This bundle is no Nosegay for their bosoms That the church placeth it betweene her breasts for the subduing of deceitfull lusts which are euer ready to spring out of the heart it also appeareth in this that the faithfull mâ—ditating the death and agonies of Iesus they thereby are drawne to remember their owne sinnes which lashed him goared him killed him the remembrance whereof wil easily proue a cooling carde for Philautus able to kill self-loue and to cause a loathing of fleeting deceiuable pleasures To which purpose our Lordes Supper setting forth his death till he come it is a soueraigne medicine For as the meditation of the world causeth Demas to runne backe and embrace the world euen so the meditation of Christ crucified it causeth Mary Magdalen to leaue carnall couch arise earely to repayre vnto his sepulchre And vpon this ground was builded but through a blinde zeale the ancient Monasticke solitarie life estranged from the communion of the church fitter for a Timon of Athens an hater of Mankinde then for a common-wealths man or one of christian fraternitie seeing we are not called to seeke only our selues but the common vtilitie of his church in a mortified conuersation It was prettily but vnfitly saide of Hierome to Vigilantius Ego cùmfugero non vinco in â—o quod fugio sed fugio ne vincar I in flying the societie
good cause it is now necessary that offences be but woe vnto them by whom the offences be It were better for them that a mil-stone first had beene hanged about their neckes and they throwne into the sâ—â— rather then they should grow to offend these little ones In the meane time seeing it will be no better let vs as Dauid speaketh be defensed with yron for hedging mittens and with the shaft of a speare as with an hedging bill an heroicall and patient spirit and so we may touch them till God burne them So farre Messiahs speach first touching himselfe secondly his Church Now to the Churches Speach Lect. III. Verse 3 As the Apple-tree among the trees of the Forrest so is my Welbeloued among the sonnes of men In his shadow had I delight and sate downe and his fruit was pleasant to my pallate NOw beginneth the Church her speach in this second Act of our diuine Song Much shee speaketh ere she ceaseth whereof in his place In this verse she setteth Christ out as an apple tree in the Forrest pleasantly shadowed and fruited euen beyond all the trees of the Forrest For the better vnderstanding whereof I consider first what the tree is which is here spoken of secondly the place it groweth in thirdly the person resembled by this tree fourthly the persons resembled to the place of this trees growth Which comparison first laid open then in the second place I consider the comfortable adiuncts which the Church deriueth from this tree so planted in the Forrest The tree so compared is Tappûach expounded in Greeke by Meléa in the Latine Malus I doe not thinke of Malum Euill though euill came into the world by eating of Malum an apple but of Malâ— quasimagis volo in English I had leiuer or I more will or desire bicause it is passing pleasing to nature and of many fruites nature more wills and desires it For as the Latine tongue was before Latines were acquainted with Adams maner of fall so it â—ather seemeth to haue the terme Malum for that it is a fruit which mankinde much desireth and delights in Here by the way it may be demanded nay some doe demand it how any one knowes that the fruit which Adam did eat was an Apple rather then a Peare a Lymon or a Pomegranate a Figge or such like sâ—eing the scripture onely termes it by the generall terme Fruite I answere if any one by the terme Apple doe vnderstand onely that one fruit which our English language so calleth he speaketh very vncertainely and not sufficiently probable seeing there be some other fruites farre more pleasing to the eye and Heuahs eye was notably delighted with the sight of that forbidden fruit But the Ancients haue vsed the terme indifferently for any trees fruit that was pleasing to sight and taste specially such fruites as bee of round fashion as Malum Hespericum an Orainge Malum Punicum a Pomegranate Malum limonium a Lymon c. And if the Hebrue word should happily be compounded of Tau and Piach nor see I but it may then I would thinke that Adams forbid fruit-tree was this kinde of Apple-tree Tau is a Signe â—iach is Ashes because the sight of the tree should put man in minde of becomming Ashes by eating of it Nor lets it but Iesus may vndergoe the name of that particular apple tree so well as he vndergoes the name of the Serpent But of the serpent lift vp not put downe with sting but he without sting So he may be termed the tree of knowing good and euill as by his good hee hath cured our euill knowing and feeling our euill vppon him that so by his goodnesse he mightfully abolish euill Though indeede first of all he was rather figured by the tree of life then growing in midst of the Garden This of that apple tree but as by the way for the apple tree here mentioned it appeareth by some after-circumstances that it is a tree of spreading nature bringing forth fruite not onely pleasant in taste but so strong vnto the sense of smelling as thereby a quickning power is conuaid into a feeble weakened body This of the tree For theâ—place of this peculiar apple tree his growth it is amongst the trees of the Forrest amongst wilde trees mossebegrowne trees trees that bring not forth meate for men but maste for hogges For the person assimilated to the apple-tree it is Christ Iesus the Churches Beloued from whom wee deriue life health and euery sauing grace of the spirit The persons resembled by the Forrest-trees they are here termed in the originall Sonnes not Sonnes of men Yet the matter well heeded that adiunct of men is well added in a distinct letter Shee considers her Welbeloued Iesus here not exalted but humbled not sitting in the heauens but pitching his tabernacle amongst men And therefore past all doubt that here he iâ— not compared with the Angels to whom in this state hee was somewhat inferiour Heb. 2.7 but with the sonnes of men euen as the Church before was conferred with the daughters of men These things remembred let vs see what is inferred As an Apple-tree amidst the Forrest trees so is Christ amidst the sonnes of men Wherein like first for being oppressed though not suppressed secondly for being comfortable to the poore passenger For the first it was expressed in his comparison with the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the vallies Thereto the Church subscribeth plainely affirming that it comes to passe by the sonnes of men He came to his owne and his owne receiued him not He was in the world and the world knew him not The light shone in darkenesse but the darkenesse comprehended it not Nay asmuch as in them was they laboured to quench the light The trees of the Forrest Iothams bramble and all doe inuiron him The canker-fret sonnes of Adam flocke about him These that brought forth fruites beseeming hogges that wallow in their owne filth they despise him for his good workes and take vp stones to cast at him Ioh. 5.59 whose dayly fury was such as it caused him at another time to crie out Many good workes haue I shewed you from my Father for which of these doe ye stone me Nor would they be quiet till they had pulled this tree vnder foote but it rose againe the third day and so their second error in not yet belieuing but slandering his resurrection it was worse then the former The second thing is the comfort which an apple-tree bringeth to a person voyaging through a groue and which Christ Iesus administreth vnto a wearied soule trauailing amidst these sory sonnes of Adam the wicked world And this comfort is laid downe in two particulars first in shadowing such a soule secondly in feeding it A shadowe is a kind of darknesse caused by some grose body detaining the Lights shine Some expert Naturians haue borne the world in hand that by certaine darke shaddowes collected in
Sauiour of them that trust in thee from such as resist thy right hand Ps. 17.7 wherein hee prayeth first for staying him from falling spoken of before secondly for guarding of him from the aduersaries resistance At his right hand are pleasures eternall Ps. 16.11 wherewith he cheareth the languishing soule and with his right hand he bringeth mightie things to passe for deliuerance and safetie of his beloued Ps. 108.6.13 When he looked about to see if any creature would helpe him in the work of our redemption loe there was none for onely this His owne arme sustained him the arme of his manhood was made sufficient to vnderbeare the burden of our sinne and the punishment due therto by this his right hand his al-sufficient diuine nature The Church thus resting betweene the armes of Iesus it was gloriously figured out by the temples situation betweene the hills of Benjamin Deuter. 33.12 which temple is of Moses there called The beloued of Iehouah because 〈◊〉 figured out this his Beloued and the Mountaines aâ—e there called Shoulders as if Salomons spirite casting his eye thither shoulde heere more plainely speake Hands The one and the other speach implying Armes And that place is called Ben-jamins that is The Sonne of the right hand because he figured the Sonne of God who sits at his fathers right hand til his enemies be made his footstoole there also making continuall intercession for his Beloued Is this Temple of God his beloued Church so seated is she of this Benjamin the sonne of the right hand so embraced Then â—et all the world runne on wheeles her ship is in harbour her chickens vnder the wing her soule in safetie Whether shee liue or die she liues and dies the Lords Yea in dying shee but sleepes as Steuen slept and Dauid with his fathers Her flesh rests in hope her spirit is in Messiahs hands the Lord of the resurrection wil in the appointed day awake her who meane time râ—steth in the bosome of Messiah Hauing entred this Hold taken sure Sanctuarie let vs heare her adiuration I haue sworne yee ô daughters of Ierushalem amongst the Roes and Hindes of the field that ye stirre not vp nor waken my Beloued till he please First to the version of the text secondly to the matter it vrgeth The fiâ—st word signifieth more then simply to Charge namely to charge by an oth I turne it preter-perfectly not onely because of his forme but also for that the matter it selfe seems to exact it whereof after I reade amongst the Roes rather than By the Roes first because the Letter Beth is here prefixed which signifieth in or among more properlie as was noted in the 5. verse Secondly because it were very harsh for the Church to sweare by Roes and Hindes That afterward I read till He please and so make the Church to speake it rather then Christ it is not because the Original decideth the point for there as I may terme it it is of a doubtfull Gender but because the matter whereof after seemeth rather to require iâ— Touching the matter it is an Adjuration wherein obseruable first the Parties secondly the Thing The Parties are three first the Church of Gâ—nâ—iles giuing the othe secondly the Iewish Conuerts vndergoing the Oath termed heere Daughters of Ierushalem thirdly certaine excellent persons termed Roes and Hindes who are witnesses of the Oath and serious adiuration The thing adiured is an Vndisturbance of the Beloued during some certaine time of his embracement The new Testaments church considered still as a Queene in the armes of celestiall Salomon the few faithfull of the Iewes are considered as maides attending her person as in Ps. 45.14 15 vpon whom his Gentle Queene layeth this Iuramentâ—ll charge or oath For as the ancient Synagogue may once be said to haue sworn her Proseliteâ— such of the Gentiles as were willing to make themselues Iewes Ester â— 27 Math. 23.15 so the Church of Ethnicks now hauing the prerogatiue and by Messiah made first and principall may by like rule be said to binde the Iewish Proselites by oth vnto Christian allegiance The ancient Synagogue is noted of Rabbi-Mose to haue committed their Proselites by Baptisme euen aâ— the Leuites eâ—tred the priest-hood with washing What maruell then if the Gentile-Church admitte the Iew by Baptisme as by a solemne oath seeing such washing was by our Salomon instituted for a Sacrament wherein by oath the parties baptized are deuoted to Christian allegeance By such solemne washing the Baptized do passe their faith and troth to Christ whose lieutenant the Church is in whose sole behoofe she administreth this sacramentall oth For vnto her Husband and Lord she sweareth her Virgin-Proselites whosoeuer And therefore in the Celebration saith not Into my Name but Into the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-ghost I baptize thee Which Baptisme into the Trinitie is for the Vnitie sake said of Paul to be Baptisme into Iesus Rom. 6. â— Gal. â— 27 for that the Father and Spirite is no way One vnto vs but by the Mediator Messiah who also for that he is the Churches Head hath freely communicated with her heerein by teaching that Conuerts are baptized into his Body 1. Cor. 12.13 that is into the communion of that faith whereby Hee the sauing Head and she the saued body are happily vnited While the Sinagogue stood they swore vs but since their fall we impose the Sacramentall oth on them We serued when they ruled and now in the time of our ruledome they serue In which respect we may take vp that of Salomon I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as Seruants on the ground Eccles. 10.7 Are we mounted on horseback Well through vnbelief they are bâ—oken off we stand by Faith Let vs not be high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches let vs feare lest he spare not vs. We are now vp but we may come doune nor are they so falne but they may rise Let vs therfore so raigne to day as if we should serue to morrow And let vs so compassionate them now as we would haue them to commiserate vs then As Cyrus in the top of his glory compassionated Cresus in his bonds what time the captiue cryed out O Solon Solon Solon which Philosopher before had told him that no man could be termed happy before his death Cyrus well remembring that Cresus once was as himselfe and himselfe might once come to a downfall with Cresus Lect. VII IN respect of the Oth imposed we are taught as not to sweare by anie creature for onlie the Creator can perfectly iudge so to impose an oth when therby the church may be better assured of peace If Dauid thought it a good meanes for tying his owne soule to the good-abearing Ps. 119.106 how much more are we by oth to bind others to Christian obedience as Abraham swore his seruant for prouiding an Helper for
the weake the cruel to the meeke when verily and in truth they shall be spiritually knit vnto Christ and his Church as Ionathans heart was knit to Dauid the figure Nay marke it that Saul the King breathing nothing but bloodshed against Dauid he no sooner comes neere heareth Dauids voice but loe his furie staieth he pronounceth Dauid to be more righteous then himself and smitten with some remorâ—e he lift vp his voice and wept If that mightie Bull was so againe and againe meekned by but approching neere to that annointed Fig-tree how gentle and right easie would hee haue become if once his heart could but haue beene knit vnto Dauids But passing by them forraine Bulls Beasts that be without vs of whome wee can better beware let me touch alitle a certaine vntamed Beast domestike bredde and brought vppe together with vs whome Ieremie termeth an vntamed heifer a fauage deuouring wolfe in our owne flesh What is the sin in our nature nay what is our nature it selfe in the state of vnregeneration but a beastly nature and sin a Stranger whom Salomon would not haue to medale with our ioy If this Beast be not bound to the Homes of Christs altar he wil deuoure vs. Let thy brutish nature be bound to Christs Fig-tree and the spirit of sinne will some and some die in it and Nature it self wil be tamed become subiect to the spirit of grace Bind it to the prince-fig-tree Christ first by the cord of his word secondly by the bond of sacraments thirdly by Continuall praier And for making thy nature more capable of grace by the former meanes do first beate downe thy bodie with Saint Paul and bring it into subiection by much fastings watchings hard lodgings secondly frequent the companie of holy sober mortified persons who can and do mourne for sin For Salomon hauing found by lamentable experience what bodily spirituall fornication he had bene drawne vnto by leud companie he after that cries out It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men namely to mourne crie and the liuing shal lay it to his heart With the holy we shal learne holines bind we therfore our beastly nature to his spiritual Fig-tree and so a better fruit shall spring out of nature This of the Fig-tree It followeth And the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour Grapes of them selues casting no sauour it must necessarily be vnderstoode of that time wherein there be small Grapes peeping out and the flowres falling off which flowres giue true pleasant odour The Vines and Oliues Plinie being witnesâ—e concipiunt Vergiliarum exortu do conceaue in the rising of the 7. Starres which is about the mid-spring and for putting forth their berries togither with the flowres fall the time as before was more hastie in Iudea then in the Latines contrie So that I take this berry-state of the vines to denote the spring-time as before though the perfâ—ction or finishment thereof Seeing the vine is sundry times hereafter to be spoken of I will here obserue the fewer things thereof First the Prophet Ezekiel declareth that the vine-tree is for his wood lesse regarded for building then anie tree of the forest insomuch as none wil make somuch as a pin therof for hanging anie vessell theron but rather cast it into the fire and consume it As the Lords prophet applied that to the Iewes so may I to the Gentiles What substantiall thing is there in our nature for the which we shold be depended vpon Behold we are vanitie and lighter then vanitie it selfe Cursed is he that makes flesh his arme to rest on yea that goes about to make one pinne of our naturall abillements as an article of faith to leane vpon Rather we and our pura naturalia deserue to be cast into Hell fire Secondly the wild-vines by art as by timely tonsure and yearlie clippings are brought to such perfection as Nulli est ligno aeternior natura no wood is found of more durable nature And this may wel resemble the happy immortalitie of our nature by diuine art that is by the operation of Messiahs spirit and his word euen as by the ouer-shadowing of the Holy-Ghost The Sonne of God was vnited to the first fâ—uites of our nature which in the graue neuer felt corruption An other thing for the present is this that Vines and their fruit come to nothing except they be vnderpropped and lift from the earth Such are the flowers of our sauourie wordes and the Grapes of our nourishing workes without they be sustained with the spirituall fulcres of grace Take away the vnderprops of preaching sacraments administring praier almes fasting c and all our flowers fall our fruits rot We shall fall to the earth mind earthly things and the earth will marre all In minding earthly matters we shall be but as the Serpent creepers on our belly lickers of the dust But being continually vnderpropped with the ordinances of Christs vineyard we shal by God his grace haue our conuersation in heauen seeke the things that are aboue howsoeuer the bodies root be in the earth The spring thus described first from gratious speach figured by flowers and birds singing secondly from gratious workes of faith signified by the fruits beginning in the fig-tree and vines now remaineth to speake of the exhortation subioyned Arise my Loue my faire one and come away Whereof hauing spoken largely in the tenth verse aforegoing this litle shall now be sufficient First by the iteration of this exhortatorie doctrine the Holy-ghost would not onely intimate God his free fauour offered againe and againe to his people but also the vntowardnesse of our hearts for yeelding obedience Secondly by the words Arise and come away he inferreth first an arising from euill wherein we lay captiued by sinne through the curse of the Lawe represented by winter Secondly a comming into the libertie of the Saintes for seruing Christ in word and workes represented by the ioyous Summer It followeth Lect. VI. Verse 14. My Doue thou art in the holes of the Rocke in the secret of the staires shew me thy face cause me to heare thy voice because thy voyce is sweete and thy face comely THe Church herein continueth her repeat of Messiahs speach wherein I obserue first an exhortation secondly a reason thereof The exhortation vttereth it selfe first in a description of the Church secondly in the thing exhorted The description lieth first in a louing attribute giuen by Messiah to her My doue Secondly in a manifestation of hir mansion place first in saying Thou art in the holes of the Rocke secondly in adding In the secret of the staires The thing exhorted is the manifestation of her selfe first in saying Shew me thy face secondly in subnecting cause me to heare thy voice The reason of this exhortation is drawne from her excellent qualification
in Messiah in whom we are to Rest for the Father in him Alone resteth well pleased Lect. XV. BVt besides Day and Moneth we are to obserue the Yeare which also brings with it Rest and Sabbaot And this was done euery seauenth yeare from the time of typicall Ioshua his partition of Canaan Sixe yeares they were to sowe the land the seauenth yeare they were to let it Rest and the owners with the poore were to content themselues and feede on the voluntary fruits of that Yeares-rest Whereby all were taught first to rest in the promised Messiah who is alone sufficient to our earthly natures causing them to fructifie without our naturall tillage Happy is the body and soule for that is our field and vineyard that communicates with these sabbaticall gifts for their owne good and sustentation of others Secondly it teacheth all Adams sonnes to labour the worlds sixe ages but with respect of that sabbaot in the worâ—ds end when so Christ Iesus shall be to them all in all what time happinesse shall be rich and poore Abraham and Lazarus to rest in Him for euer The poore then shall not enuie the Rich the rich then shall entertaine the poore into their bosomes without grudge for this is a Sabaoth of Rest in our God Yea before the worlds end Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Furthermore this sabbaticall seauenth yeare did forbid the Lender to aske the thing againe which he had lent and yet not to lend vnto the poore brother by reason of this seauenth yeares rest it was to haue a wicked thought and to sinne but to lend and so to giue it had the promise of blessing to accompany that lender in what-so he should put his hand to Besides as this yeare the Hebrue which for neede had sold himselfe to be a seruant hee was except himselfe willed the contrarie to be set free As the Creditor might not debarre lending because the Seauenth yeare was nigh so neither for that cause ought hee through lâ—cke of full sixe yeeres seruice to stay the poore bâ—other either from accepting him into seruice for such satisfaction or the seauenth yeare being come to retaine him longer against his will For the breach of this law Ieremiah was sent to denounce against the Iewes these three punishments Sword Pestilence and Famine All this plainely preached Mercie that mercie which the rich do owe in conscience to the poore and maisters to seruants one Christian to another The contrary God will be auenged of And herewith to the comfort of faithfull seruants and poore-ones it doth typically preach that in heauens Sabbaot they shall rest maugre the hearts of worldlings for howsoeuer they be mens seruants yet they be The Lords of free men In requie Nouitestamenti liberatus est Hee is set at libertie in the Rest of the new testament how much more in the accomplishment of that Sabbaots perfection But besides the Seauenth yeare Single there was a seauenth yeare multiplied by seuen which proclaimed the folowing yeare for a yeare of much libertie Seauen times seauen yeares were compted the last whereof is nine and fortie Then in the seauenth Moneth the great Iubile yeare was founded which was the fiftieth yeare that is the yeare after the seauenth which in progression of number is Eight but in renuall of number is the First But that here is a renuall of the Sabbatical accompt I cannot see though one of Scotland otherwise worthy much reuerence doth teach namely that the Iubile-yeare is the First of the next seauen Which if then this would follow that that seauen should be but sixe or two Rests should be held in one seauen neither of which I see any reason for This Iubile-yeare being the 50. yeare the next yeare after the last seauen it is so in progresse of accompt an Eight yeare and so withall doth secretly teach that the Time and number of Eight is sacred Further it may appeare from the time of Circumcision which euer from the Birth-tide was to be the Eight day which Auntients still didde make a Representator of Messiah his day of Resurrection which fell the day after the Iewish Sabaot or seauenth day All which we shall finde to be sanctified in the name â—ESVS where Eight is renowned in Vnits or Ones secondly in Tennes thirdly in Hundreds For in the name IESVS thou hast the iust Nomber of 888. thus I 10. E 8. S 200. O 70. V 400. S 200. that is IESOVS according to the Greeke writing in the new-Testament as if hereby were openly proclaimed that Iesus first is He to whome the beast in Reuel 13.18 with his number of 666. is opposed whereof that aduersary hath the Name of Anti-christ thâ—t is opposed to Christ. Secondly that IESOVS is the end of Circumcision and lubile all drawing to Him as the Iubile or Iobél of lábal doth naturally signifie Many take it to haue the Name of a Rams hoâ—e affirming that this Iubile was proclamed with such horne-trumpets But as such deriuation is further fetchâ— so I see not how by the scripture it can be proued that Rams hornes were then sounded Nay it semeth more probable that after Siluer trumpets were instituted togither with the lawe that they only were in these solemnities vsed Draw vnto Christ they did in 18. Iubilees the last of foure Sabbaoths or Seauens of Iubile proclaming Christ crucified by whome came euerlasting Redemption But for the better obseruance hereof let vs consider the Peculiars of this great Octonarie Rest. First in this Great yeare they were not to sowe no more then in the yeare next afore it which was the last of the seauen Seauens for the supply of which two Rests the Lord promiseth to giue sufficient the Sixt yeare for three yeares Leutt. 25.21 which secretly may teach once that such as put their confidence solely in Christ they shall finde God to be El-shaddi All-sufficient vnto them as also that Christ is an end to the ceremoniall law figured by the Seauenth day and the verie Soule of the new testament figured by the number of Eight the verification of the former Rest to the Synagogue Rest to the Church rest to the Body rest to the soulâ—â— who first was God then secondly Man for double Rest to the faithfull Secondly all the Israelites who before had sold any possession were as this yeare to returne vnto their possession A reâ—son that the land was not to be cut off from any Tribe was this The land â—aith Iehouah is Mine and ye be but strangers and soiourners with me For this cause it was his pleasure that his owne Interest should appeare in hauing his people alwayes interessed therein yea and in the yeare of Iubile to seaze on the very possession And what doth this shadow forth vnto vs This first that the Earth is the Lords and all that therein is and therefore all
for a mysticall purpose But consider the things in Christ and we shall find all in him substantially without father so was Christ in respect of his Manhood without mother so was Christ in respect of his Godhead without kindred in respect of both Natures vnited in one person for as the Father and Holy Ghost were not Hominified so to the checking our Familists Mankinde is not Goddified Hauing neither beginning of his dayes nor end of his life in respect of his eternall Godhead he had no beginning and in respect of both natures effecting one person Mediator his life is without ending On the crosse he laide downe his bodies life for a season but tooke it vp againe by the Spirit of Sanctification so that howsoeuer hee may be said then regarding the Abstract to be Aliue and Dead yet respecting the Concrete for the Person was not dissolued he may be saide euen in the Graue to be liuing Thus the Creature shadowed the Creator and that which was saide of Melchi-tsedek Kataâ—ti respectiuely is verified in Christ haplôs simply properly fully For the name it is precisely opened vnto the Hebrues first when he is said to be Melchi-tsâ—dâ—k King of Righteousnes or Iustice secondly when it said he was Melchi-salem King of Peace His Righteousnes appeareth to be such as when Amraphel Arioch Kedor-laomer and Tidal the foure Kings did make warre with fiue Kings of the plaine about iustice and iniustice then was this Melchi-tsedek vnchalenged vncharged of wrong His Peace appeareth in that he had no warre with others nor others with him euen when all the Country round about him was togither by the eares And so for his time he might well be termed a King of righteousnes a King of peace But for the perfection of these attributes it could not be applied to Salems or Ieru-salems King seing only he could properly be termed king of Righteousnes and Peace that should be the Fountaine and Originall of righteousnes and Peace And that only can be found in Messiah for which he is termed of Isaiah cha 9.6 Sar-shalôm the Prince of peace and in chap. 53.11 to be that tsaddik Righteous one that shall iustifie Many For this Righteousnesse and Peace is not as a standing poole a qualitie in himselfe for himselfe but as a fountaine springing vp in all the faith-full for their peace and iustification And for this cause the Apostle termeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our peace and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Righteousnesse Ephes. 1.14.1 Cor. 1.30 Because in no other person or thing the Churches peace and iustification is to be found not from an other then Iesus is Iustice is peace to be deriued So that Iustification by Christ only true peace of conscience in Christ only it is no new doctrine but preached long since in Melchi-tsedeks name not to mention the first preaching of it in Paradise Gen. 3.15 Further hereof in his office For his office it was double first in that he was a King secondly Preist For his Kingship it is made excellent from the place he was King of Shalem Shalem was afterwards called Iebus of the Iebusites inhabiting it and after that Ierushalem fiue miles as some take it from Hebroâ— where Abraham dwelt Shalem being Peace who should this city of peace be Not the wicked for to them saith my God there is no peace Isa. 57.35 then it must needs be the Godly who of Ezekiel 48.35 are termed Iehouah-shammah because the Lord dwelleth There represented by Ierushalems peace when Shelomoh or Salomon the Peaceable was King in it This peace is begunne here but perfected elsewhere and that only when we shall haue attained our perfection laid vp in Christ. Secondly he was Cohén a Priest enlarged by mentioning him to whom he was Priest or sacrificer namely Leél Gneleón To the most high God By which addition he is distinguished from all false Priests So that thus he was the onely open King for iustice and the Highest Sacrificer to the true God in that age If it be lawfull to diuine who of all men mentioned in the scripture then liuing this King and Priest may be me thinks he should not be any other than that Son of Noah not borne in nor much knowen to the new-world in whose tents God was to dwell till Iaphet in his Gentiles should be by the Gospel perswaded to returne and dwell therein But wherein doth he shew him a King and a Priest Hee shewes himselfe a King when as Hótsia lechem vajájin he caused to be brought forth bread and wine for refreshing Abraham and his people which very well of the Ancients was obserued to shadow forth that Soules refection which is offered to vs in the new Testament vnder sacramentall bread and wine In which respect Chrisos is bold to say protulit sacramenta he brought forth sacraments in Psal. 109. secundùm Lat. that is such sacramentall Signes as only in right appertaine to Abraham and the faithful who by faâ—â—h see and apprehend a mysterie vnder the letter Christ vnder the shadow eternall food vnder elements temporarie this offered and giuen as freely to all sucâ— are tyred with fighting against the Diuell World and Flesh as the former to Abrahams literall souldiers returning wearied from the battle Touching his Priesthood it is recorded of him Vajèbarcèhû he blessed him and the blessing was this Blessed be Abram to God most high the possessor of heauen and earth Melchi-tsedek pronounceth this blessing but Messiah could onely giue this blessing for He only had all power in heauen and earth giuen him for the good of his people Glorious was the blessing pronounced in Numb 6.24 c. by the chiefe legall Priests but the Exhibitor of these blessings was onely Christ Iesus figured by them and this Old Isaac could say to Eâ—au of Iaakob I haue blessed him and he shal be blessed but without all shadow it may be substantially pronounced of Iesus my people I haue blessed and maugre all the Gates of Hell they shal be blessed Further to speake of shadow in King and Priest I referre to some other persons vnder the Lawe Let this heere suffice for Melchi-tsedek Lect. XX. Isaac ISaac is the next I here obserue whom the Author to the Hebrues remembreth to be a Type when as he saith that Abraham receiued him fâ—om death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a parable that is in shadowing sort For the Apostle Paul he teacheth the Galatians that in Isaac another thing was meant The first pointeth at Christ who dying yet was not deadâ— the second in a secondary sense expoundeth Isaac to shadowe the church or faithfull who become that they are by God his promise not by nature How he representeth Christ might many waies be obserued onely I will obserue that part of his historie in Gen. 22. whereto the Authour to the Hebrewes relateth And heerein I will obserue first the Name secondly the Thing His name is Isaac in
purple and scarlet and fine twined linnen of broyderie vpon the twoo shoulders whereof were couched two Onix stones hauing sixe of Israels sonnes names grauen in the one and sixe in the other The Breast-plate of iudgement couched vpon the Ephod and very short it had the same stuffe as had the Ephod but coupled to with gold chaines fastned in gold rings In whose Square were couched twelue precious stones euery of these gemmes hauing engrauen one of the names of the Tribes of Israel But within this Breast-plate was put the Vrim and Thummim two things not expressed in scripture what they be nor can any Iew affirme indeed what they were Nay as onely they were of God giuen to Moses so to be inserted so is it not probable that euer any but Moses did see or know them And which is more after they were once lost and in Esraes time the Priest had them not Esr. 2.63 it neuer appeareth they were had againe The Angel bid Manoah not enquire after his name which was Secret and the scriptures concealing what Vrim and Thummim was I leaue it as a Secret The Plate for the Hie-priests miter was of pure gold tied to with a blew silke lace euen to the front of the Miter wherein according to art was grauen HOLINES TO IEHOVAH Thus was Aarons body adorned and so was his head decked all these tirings by reason of their mysterie precisely of the Lord called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bigedé Kâ—dèsh Garments of holinesse Exod. 28.2.4 garments for his consecration and yet all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shadow of good things to come namely in Christ Iesus the Hie-priest of our profession For the foure tyrings of Aaron which hee had in common with the minor-pâ—iesthood wee may behold in them the pure innocencie of Iesus more white than linnen more spiritually fine than Bâ—sse Which Righteousnesse of his imputed to his church is called Reuel 19.8 pure fine linnen and shining euen the Righteousnesse of the Saints If Salomon cast his eyes to this no maruell though he saide At all times let thy garments be white for no such occasion of triumph as to waâ—ke purely hauing the bright shining puritie of Iesus put vpon vs for that is to be cloathed with Christ as the Woman in Reuel 12. is cloathed with the Sunne More particularly the Broydered coate may represent that Iustice which he puts on as an habergeon The breeches well represent his Puritie couering the shame of our nature The Girdle of his â—oynes and reines is expounded of the Euangelicall Prophet to be Iustice and faithfulnesse The Miter cloased about below but open aboue point-wise to heauen-ward it wel might shadow that saluation which he brought from heauen for mankinde below We the Body that is saued he the Head that saueth vs. And hitherto the Apostle leadeth vs when hee wills vs to take to our selues the helmet of Saluation which is no other than our head Christ as Simeon well vrgeth when he saith Mine eyes haue seene my saluation The inferiour Priest did thus in his garments represent Christ with his graces whereby we stand and are saued But to take a little view of the other foure garnishings which were proper to the Hie-priest it shal be to survay a more plenarie shadow of all things The foure tyrings absolute to Aaron and the Greatâ—sacrificer in succession vnto him be these first the side Robe secondly the Ephod thirdly the Brestplate lastly the Golden plate For the Robe consider his heauen-blewe or hyacinth colour and what can one behold therein but glory or heauenly maiestie such as is represented to Iohn in Reuel 1.13 where our great Hie-priest standeth amidst the Churches clothed with Maiestie as with a state-garment As Iohn see him we should all see him in the spirit of our Minde namely to be clothed with Maiestie and renowne no more knowing Christ according to the flesh but according to his glorious immortalitie from the abolishment of corruption in all his mysticall members for to them it is finally appointed that dishonour corruption and immortalitie shal be put off that so they may be inuested with mortalitie vncorruption and glory For as we haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shal we beare the image of the heauenly 1. Corinthians 15 49. In the Bels and Pomegranats circuiting the skirts of this garment much may thereof be spoken and all according to the analogie of faith Whereof now onely this In the golden bells making a golden sound as Aaron went in and out not onely is represented Prayer which powerfully was offered vp of Iesus but also and that more properly Sonitus verbi the sound of the word Messiah himselfe was the Word of the Father by which Word the worlds were made But the Bels here shadow not that vncreate word but that Creature-word which our great Messiah hath sounded in the eares of his people Which word should be deare vnto vs euen as the fringe of our garment placed about our seete for directing strâ—ight steps accordingly Yea it shadow-wise preacheth that we must sound well to others for their direction also in holy duety Specially the Ministers of God must vâ—ter this golden sound Iram bene inquit Beda contra se occultiiudicis exigit si sine praeaicationis sonitu incedâ—t hee pâ—ouoketh the anger of God against him who insisteth not in the sound of preaching Nor is it sâ—fficient to pray or preach except it may be vndeâ—stood of Gods people for if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himsâ—lâ—e vnto battelâ— except â—aith the Apostle ye vâ—ter words that haue signification how shall it be vnderstood what is spoken for yee shall speake in the ayre As Christ rung this bell before vs so wee are to ring it vnto others specially that peale whereby people may take knowledge of Messiah gone into the Holy of holies euen into the very heauens to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. For the Pomeâ—granets consider their composition they were made of blew silke and purple scarlet Not to meddle with Iâ—sephus no not with some christians their elementall conceits grounded here vpon colours it is certaine that by these pomegranats a most excellent fruite is shadowed forth good workes and by these dainty colours is intimatâ—d the Beautie and comelinâ—sse of good workes It is a frequent vse of scripture to compare Mankinde to a tree and his actions to tree-fruites and as such fruitâ—s are commaunded so aâ—e they of the Holy-ghost commended for beauteous Instance it but with one particular That loue which causeth brethren to dwell together in vnitie is it not commended for Tób and Nágnim comely and amiable pâ—al 133.1 Yea good workes are the beautie of mankind Which as they abounded in Messiah so neither can be lacking in his members Was it the Leuiticall posie A Bell and a Pomeâ—granat A Bel and a Pome-granat Let it also be
and the Penner of Samsons storie Which indeed is something but howsoeuer he was of men called Nazarite and that oft in scorne as were his disciples afterwards Act. 24.5 yet so was he truly termed by the Spirit of prophecie first in respect of the Nazaren-shadow secondly in respect of his peculiar Nazarite Samson He being vnto both of them the Thing that was shadowed Touching the Ceremonies appertaining to a Nazarite they consist in Abstinencee and this first in Samsons mother secondly in himselfe The abstinence of his mother doth consist in forbearance first of strong drinks inebriating potions secondly in avoiding the touch of such things as the lawe made vncleane and both these she hath in common with the vowed Nazarite Ouer and besides which the voluntary Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and cutting of his head for a season a vowe which Saint Paul him selfe entred into Before the Lawes buriall or ceremoniall obsequies were finished but now no more then other Leuiticall rites to be practised 1 That abstinence from strong drinks together with their adiuncts did not only argue how sober the faithfull should be in their bodies for offring themselues vp to god as a resonable sacrifice a thing which drunkards can no more doe then beasts but also by this externall sobrietie they were taught and wee no lesse to learne the inward sobrietie of the soule Our Sauiour in Luke 21.34 remembreth both these thus Beware also of your selues lest at any time your hearts be burdened with surfeiting and drunkennesse and with the cares of this life by drunkennesse and surfeting vnderstanding that which burdens Body by cares of this life vnderstanding such irregular affections which burden the soule and make it spiritually drunken which Timothie the Lords warrior is not to cumber himselfe withall and that as he would please his maister Nor is surplussage of care and feeding onely forbidden to euery Christian Nazarite but also in times of speciall duties all vse of such principall diet is to be omitted and euery care to be cut off for pleasing our God Of the first good Timothie made conscience so farre as the Apostle was glad to teach him that seeing he was falne into notable weakenesse he therefore ought not any longer to drinke onely water but now for his stomacke sake to drinke a little wine 1. Tim. 5.23 for no abstinence is commanded to the destruction of the body but onely for natures humiliation Many we haue that will pleade from this to Timothie the libertie they haue to drinke strong things but they forget to take paines with Timothie till infirmitie of body require it Barnard reprooueth many oâ— his time for their ouermuch curiositie in diet Qui in totus flunijâ— Agris hortis cellarijsué reprerire vix possint quod commenderent Who in all riuers fields orchards cellars can scarse finde that which they may diet on abusing to that end the former speach to Timothie But what faith the good Father further Da mihi alterum Timotheum ego cibo â—um sivis etiam Aurâ— poto balsamâ— Giue to me such another as Timothie was and if thou wilt I will seede him with gold and giue him balâ—â— for drinke Which scripture as they abuse for vpholding a gluttonous beast-like life so for nourishing inordinate cares they abuse another place to Timothie where the Apostle â—aith thus If any one prouide not for his specially of his family he hath denied the faith 1. Tim. 5.8 but this helpes them nothing seeing prouision may be without care of the heart without disturbing the affections In which respect the Apostle vseth a word deriued of Nouâ— the Minde as if the Head and Senses rather then heart and affections were employed in such christian prouidence or prouision And because Christians specially in speciall duties are not to trouble the heart with cares of this life our Sauiour sendeth them to learne of Birds and Lillies in Math. 6. who walke on in their duties without all care and carking These that thus carelesly abuse scripture for maintaining their drunken cares wee may say of them as Isaiah said of their predecessors They are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke And therefore in such spirituall drunkennesse as vncapable of diuine instruction as Nabal in his corporeal drunkennes was vncapable of Abigails information For crosse them in these cares it may be they wil die of the pet within 10 daies after as did Nabal who liue a contrary life to the Nazarite to our Sauior Iesus who not onely in speciall cases did practise extraordinary Fasts but also in his whole life did voluntarily tie himselfe to a meruailous abstinence 2 That they were bound from touching of any such thing as the ceremoniall Law reputed vncleane that did in mysterie prohibit the faithfull of all communion hauing with Satan and his worke of death who as he is an vncleane spirit so euerie worke of his is vncleanenesse and to be reprooued Ephes. 5.11 not to be coupled with but come out from 2. Cor 6.14 c. This touching of vncleanenesse is twofold either our consent too euil in Action or in Affection which very aptly of the Apostle is expressed by drawing in one yoake with wickednesse Christ himselfe liued in a Church and Common wealth where no vncleanenesse ecclesiasticall and ciuill was lacking What then Was Christ thereby made vncleane No for neither did he Coact euill with them not yet Affect the euill which was amongst them but rather as edifying occasion was offered did publikely reproue them And not to touch their impurities neither in affection nor action but rather to reprooue them this is truely to come out from amongst them Place maybe changed and euil actions and affections yet continued and euill and vncleane manners may be changed where yet the place is continued In this abstinence from gilt of euill all the Nazarites of God are to labour but onely that Nazarite of Nazarites Christ Iesus himselfe can stand forth and say I have touched no vncleanenes Onely heere is our comfort that for clensing vs from such pollution there remaineth a satisfactorie oblation Numb 6.9 c. And that is Christ Iesus the Tuâ—tle and immaculate Lamb by the sheding of whose blood onely we are cleansed 3 The Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and poling the Head For the woman it is her praise to haue long haire because it is giuen her for a Couering and it is a womans shame to be sâ—orne or shauen but Nature it selfe teacheth that it is a shame to man to haue long haire 1. Cor. 11.6.14.15 Howsoeuer then it was a Nazarites ceremoniall duty to haue long haire yet therein is secretly preached that there was a certaine shame in such side locks euen as it is one marke of Nebuchadnetsars being a beast to haue his haire growne long like to Eagles feathers Vnto which sacred word of God if our people gaue credite then they
preached and holy discipline practised This briefly of the tree of Life Lect. XXXI Sacrifice THE next exhibitiue sacramentall shadowe shal be that of Sacrifice instituted of God vnto man in the time of his Nocencie And this I will not prosecute in all his particulars for that were to swimme through an Ocean of ceremonies but somewhat Generally and Superficially first by speaking somewhat of the Persons imployed in sacrifice secondly of the sacrifice it selfe The Persons personally employed in Sacrifice were Men. As the Apostle vnder the state of the Gospel would not at any hand permit a Woman to execute the publike ministerial function 1. Cor. 14.34 35.1 Tim. 2 12. because shee was not the first in Creation though first in transgression so from the beginning it was in the Church of God no otherwise practised then by men as for testifying their headship in that kinde so for the better shadowing forth Messiah whome in that action they were represented Now of men some haue thought that two sorts were vnto this action before the law licenced the First-borne and Prophets So to conclude they were led not by any direct Canon of Gods word but from such presidents as where they find the elder sacrificing with Kain and Noah or notwithstanding their Iunior-ship are found sacrificing with Habel and Abraham From which presidents if their reason be drawne into forme they can no otherwise than thus syllogize The Elder and Prophet did sacrifice therefore onely they two might sacrifice This word Only in the consequent more then in th' antecedent bewrayes a maime in the argument If they frame their reson thus We finde onely them two sacrificing therfore only they two might sacrifice that is so weake as this We finde in the word onely that fire came downe from heauen after the flood for consuming wicked and the belieuers sacrifice therefore onely after the flood fire came so downe This reason may be true yet not necessarily true seeing fire might come downe before as many haue thought vpon Habels sacrifice although not in scripture recorded seeing the grant of this and so of the former is nothing agâ—â—nst any Canon of faith giuen before the Lawe Secondly what warrant is there that Habel was a Prophet more than any other beleeuing Iâ—nior If any say that Habel did not sacrifice but only by the hand of Adam the same may as easily be affirmed of Kain the Elder and yet neither of them prooued first because the scripture saith not so secondly because no Canon forbade them thirdly because we neuer reade of Adams sacrificing although no doubt hee sometimes did sacrifice fourthly the text implyeth their immediate comming to Iehouah themselues with their sacrifice All which maketh me to thinke that before the law restrained it to Leuies tribe it was lawfull for any faithfull Man to sacrifice But seeing euery thing that is lawfull is not presently therefore â—xpedient nor alwayes doth edifie 1. Cor. 10.23 it is likely for order sake that the chiefest of an assembly was chosen one or moe as circumstances vrged for offering vp the oblations as Iob sometimes for his Children and kinsfolkes So honorable a thing it was to sacrifice as the infidelious people did Apishly immitate that in all ages yea pleraque sacra à solis Regibus obiri consueta the most of the sacrifices were of their Kings alone offred as being an action beseeming the princes of the people Whereto Clemens Alexandrine subscribeth saying The Aegiptians did not commit their Mysteries to euery one amongst them c. but to these only which were to come vnto the gouernâ—ment of their kingdome and of the priests to such as were most approued for education learning lineage Which obserued it causeth me to thinke they erre who in Gene. 47.22 do turne the word Cohà nim princes denying them to be Priests not only against the ordinary vse of the word but also against the hie honour which Egiptians euer gaue to their Priesthood The same errour I take to be committed by them in Exod. 2.16 for turning Cohen a prince as if Iethro were not a Priest whereas to be a Priest it was nothing derogatorie to a prince but rather an addition of diuine honour Nor is it to be maruailed at that Idolatrers of the hiest place should then be sacrificers seeing the princes of the Faithfull were then employed in that and the Idolatrous neuer came behinde the Faithfull in giuing to their Priests hie honour and hoâ—orable endowments Obiection It is not like that Moses woulde match with an Idolatrous Priest Answ. Why not so well as with an Idolatrous Prince But what need more then that in Exod. 18.12 where t is plainely said And Iethro Moses Father in law did take burnt-offrings and sacrifices to Aelohim that is he sacrificed to God To say he offred by the hand of Aaron or Moses it is not only besides scripture but also somewhat harsh he being an vncircumcised Midianite That they feasted togither with him presently after the sacrifice it is no more then Iaakob did with his Idolatrous kinred in Genes 31.54 a thing not only lawfull but expedient the circumstances considered Honorable was the Priesthood before the lawe but made more diuine vnder the lawe the former liberty to sacrifice being restrained to one particular family namely that of Aaron But thereof sufficiently before in his Shadowe So much for the Person For the Sacrifice let vs consider first the word secondly the Thing The word Sacrifice is so much as a thing made sacred or holy In the Originall it is termed Mincha Gnoláh zebach Karban It is termed Mincha because it was an oblation or gift Gnolah because it ascended namely in the flame of fire Zebach of killing And because these slainâ— creatures were laid on the altare it therfore is termed Mizbèach The sacrifice was termed Karban of drawing neere namely to God and thereof it is that the word Korban rose in Marke 7.11 The Sacrifice or sacred thing it selfe it was Animate or In-animate An animate or breathing Sacrifice was that of Habel for he Himselfe offered a Lambe contrarie to blasphemous Porphiry who saith The first Sacrificers did not at first offer Beasts but hearbs c. Whereas at first there was little other vse of beasts than for Oblation An inanimate or vnbreathing sacrifice was that of Kain for he offered some shock of corne or some such like thing and both these kinds of sacrifices were plenteous vnder the Law the quick consuming whereof into ashes was an euident signe of Gods acceptation Psalm 20.3 And what by these sacrifices was shadowed The son of Man euen as the tree of life did represent The Son of God These sacrifices and specially the Animate did represent that humane and earthly nature of ours which the Son of God was in the fulnes of time to assume for our redemption in respect of which nature the Prophets sawe him as the Son of Man long before hee
became indeed The Son of Man And thus the fall of Man brought with it the fall of Gods Son The Head is contented to stoope with his body Christ with his Church pawning himselfe for her payning himselfe for her becomming poore for making her rich giuing her libertie by his captiuitie procuring to her pleasure by his paine life by his death Nor did the Sacrifices only represent this but also exhibite and seale Christ with his benefits vnto the faithfull Communicant In which respect it is that the Author to the Hebrues saith that Habel by his Oblation obtained witnesse that he was iust that is imputed iust by Christ Iesus sealed to his conscience To whome as to all ancient Belieuers Christ was the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also for euer The Egiptian priest could say Deus vim â—fficacem imprimit Sacramentis God deeply printeth an effectuall operation in Sacraments speaking of their fantastick Sacrifices but the faithfull of God vnder and before the lawe might in deede and trueth say that a vitall power was conâ—aid vnto them by the Sacrifice no lesse then eternall life by Christ Iesus sealed vnto their Conscience by the stamp of his Spirit By which externall shadowe they were so taught and sealed till Messiahs day did breake and the Lawes shadowes fly away So much generally of Sacrifice Lect. XXXII Circumcision THe next Sacramentall exhibitiue shadow shal be Circumcision first incommended vnto Abraham in the seauenteenth of Genesis and continued in his seede till Christ putte that away for establishing Baptisme But baptisme by sufficient preaching being once established thencefoorth Christ Iesus should profite him nothing that would be circumcised Galat. 5.2 This Circumcision was nothing else but a solemne cutting away of that fore-skinne in a Manchild which appertaines to the generatiue part Which the Lord at the first institution thereof doth sometimes call his Couenant sometimes the Signe of his Couenant Why Because the thing signified was to the true Belieuer conuaâ—de with the signe euen as it is in all exhibitiue sacraments And that is it which causeth the Apostle in Rom. 4.11 to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seale of that Righteousnesse which is by-faith Which Sacrament was to Abrahams nâ—turall sâ—ed as Baptisme is vnto Christs spirituall seed an infallible signe of being receiued into the Couâ—nant of grace and holy Church of GOD. For by this signe the Hebrew Israel and Iew all Abrahams petigree were distinguished from all the world besides termed Gentiles The ancient prophane Herodot recordeth that the Colchians Aegyptians Aethiopians did circumcize themselues and of the Aegyptians he will forsooth that the Phaenicians and Syrians in Palestina these must be the Iewes they learned Circumcision Yet forsooth saith he â— cannot define whether the Egyptians learned it of the Aethiopians or they of the Egyptians Silly Greeke it is something he saith but farre from the truth He thought the Iewes had leaâ—ned it of the Aegyptians Why No doubt because hee had heard that sometimes their predecessours had beene in Aegipt Whereas it was instituted neere two hundred yeares before Iaakob went downe into that country And whereas he affirmeth so many of the Gentiles to circumcise it is nothing likely they euer hauing the Hebrewâ—s and their religion in horrible detestation Onely this may be some of Abrahams seede specially by Ismael borne of the Aegyptian Hagar might be sparsed in such places and there continuâ— this ceremony But for circumcision to be practised by naturall Egyptians it is against all probabilitie Philo Iudaeus therefore in his discourse of Circumcision making one argument of the vse thereof to the bodily cleanenesse specially in the priestes hee therewithall affirmeth of the Aegyptians that they for such purpose did 〈◊〉 their bodies For Circumcision we see how odious it was vnto the Gentiles in the time of Maccabees as diuerse Iewes for liues preseruation were glad to vncircumcize themselues by a painefull stretching and curious phisiking of the scarred skinâ—e It is sufficient that the ancient Greek hath recorded the Ceremonie though altogether ignorant to whom it appertained and to what end vsed But what is shadowed in Circumcision First If wee respect the paring away of the flesh it shadowes forth the expoliation and casting away of the olde-man with his inueterate lusts And this of the Holy Ghost is oft termed the circumcision of the * heart If we respect the shedding of blood accompanying that cutting it may wel represent the blood of Christ Iesus appointed to be poured out for our sinnes for the washing away of our lustsâ— for without blood no remission Heb. 9.22 And if with the representation we respect what therein to the faithfull is exhibited it is no other thing than Christ who of God the Father is made vnto vs Wisdome Righâ—eousnes Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Who by his spirite and word worketh in vs true mortification to sinne and true Viuification to Holinesse and trueth of Righteousnesse Nor lesse was taught to Abraham at the gift of Circumcision For being ben a Sonne of 99. yeares hee in his olde age is tauâ—ht to cut off the old man that so a Couenâ—nt may be sealed in his flesh The Couenâ—nt is exprâ—ssed when he saith I am God all sufficient walke before me and be thou vpright wherein the Lord not onely calleâ—h Abraham and his seede to vprightnesse of Obâ—dience towards him but also preacheth and promisâ—th to be God all-sufficient vnto him and his Nay lest he should thinke his obedience the Cause why God would be sufficient vnto him the Lord first pronounceth him El-shaddaj and then biddeth Abraham walke vprightly because his All-sufficiencie in the first place was cause of his integritie in the second place Which couenant standing of free-grace and promise it could not doe lesse than leade Abraham by the hand vnto the Seed of promise euen Christ Iesus by whom al the earth was to receiue a blessing Vnto the which blessed seede the Lord seemeth to will Abram and Sarai to Behold when as he turnes Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah so adding to their names the hebrewe letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in english is Behold Whereto the Angel Gabriel might haue an eye when to the Virgine Mary hee cryed Behold Which letter of hebrewes termed Heâ— of vs H is to Cabalists their character of the holy ghost By which forme of learning if Abraham euer approoued such learning that faithfull couple were taught to giue the praise of all goodnesse to that Spirite of God by whom they were sealed vnto the day of redemption Thus the Church in her infancie was taught by letters In this state of the Gospel wee should be able to put these letters together for spelling a Word euen that Word which assumed Flesh for the circumcising and sauing of Mankind So much for circumcision Lect. XXXIII Passeouer THe fourth sacramentall