doth not alwaies come between god vs that the father should not be called vpon in the name of this mediator in whō alone our praiers are acceptable vnto him Now by all this it appeareth that Iesus Christ touching his priesthood hath no more a companiō then in respect of his state roial state prophetical wherof the Apostle hath giuen the resolution in expresse terms saying that there is but one mediator between god man the mā Iesus christ 1. Tim. 2.5 6 Such thē is the verity of god neither is ther any other foūdation of our hope But better yet to vnderstād this matter being so necessary we must mark 2. certain points which seeme to cōtrary it to the end that this being finally cleared made plaine wee maie the better know and vnderstand what these companions are of whom the Church here complaineth and who are the true destroiers of it First of al therefore vnto al this aboue said may bee opposed that which is written touching this verie matter and by the selfe same allegory Psalm 45.7 where it is said that this king is perfumed aboue al his fellow companions named by the selfe same name which Salomon in this place vseth as also in this verie book Chap. 8.13 Touching the first of these two places it is not in the worser part or sense as in this place which we now handle it is but in very good part that mention is made of fellowes and companions of Iesus Christ being verie clearly and plainly declared vnto vs in what sense Iesus Christ hath fellowes and companions Heb. 2.11.14 to witte in this respect that hauing taken vpon him our nature howbeit without sinne hee hath made vs his brethren But notwithstanding saith the Psalmist perfumed aboue his fellowes and not like to like He calleth vs his brethren but he is the elder Rom. 8.29 and so consequently lord of the house Gen. 27.39 he is the onelie natural sonne of God in asmuch as the humanity subsisteth in the person of the onlie sonne coeternal with God and we are sonnes in him by adoption Ioh. 1.12 he is onlie in his degree the heire and vniuersall Lorde of all these thinges Heb. 1.2 and notwithstanding by grace he wil make vs coheirs in this glorie with himselfe without clipping or rebating any thing thereof in himselfe Ioh. 17.22 and Rom. 8.17 Nowe as touching the second place drawen out of this booke Chap. 8.13 it is not there spoken of men as companions of Iesus christ but because all the faithfull are vnited and ioyned together by vnity of faith and of hope Ephes 4.4 and by the bond of charitie Act. 4.32 as shal be spoken in his dew place A man might also alleadge that he called his Disciples frinds and not saith he his seruants But this is in a certain respect namelie as himselfe expoundeth it because he would in familiar sort declare vnto them the whole secrets of the Gospel Ioh 15.15 keeping notwithstanding vnto himselfe the title of lord of the house as pertaining onelie vnto himselfe Ioh. 13.13 and Heb. 3.6 There is greater difficultie touching the soueraigne royalty which we attributed to the sole person of Iesus Christ whereas it is said that hee hath made vs kings Apoc. 5.10 that we are a royall priesthood 1. Pet. 2.9 or a priestly kingdome Exod. 9.6 that a crowne is prepared for vs in heauen 2. Tim. 4.8 which is more then al this wheras it is said I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed disposed it vnto me Lu. 22.29 but god forbid we should vnderstand these things as if this monarchy of Christs were diuided or parted for al this for contrariwise there is no other thing meant by this royal dignity of ours then first the vertue power of the holy ghost in vs to ouercome the diuel the flesh the world our selues secondly the participation of eternal glory And as touching the Apostles of whō it is said that as the father hath agreed with him of a kingdome so hee disposeth it couenanteth it with thē that they shall sit vpon thrones iudge the twelue tribes of Israel this is spoken in respect of this that they haue a measure of spirit frō him particular autority to found the christiā church according to that which is written Apoc. 21.14 But S. Paul expoundeth in what sense this is to be taken and vnderstood 1. Cor. 3.10 namelie in asmuch as the Apostles were as it were the hand of God laying the foundation of the Church which is but one to witte Iesus Christ In respect of which doctrine and not that this authority appertaineth to anie saue vnto Iesus Christ alone the onely sonne of God adored by the Angels themselues Heb. 2.6 it is said of al the true faithful beleeuers that in the latter day they shall iudge the Angels that is the Diuel and his Angels 1. Cor. 6.2 shal sit on his right hand Psal 45.9 and Ephes 2.6 A man might also alleadge touching this power and authority of making Lawes to bind the conscience of the spiritual gouernment that it is said that the Law was giuen and deliuered by the Angels Gal. 3.19 and by Moses Ioh. 1.17 and Act. 7.38 But this difficulty or obiection is easily answered both by that formall text where it is said that Iesus Christ is the onely Law-giuer Iam. 4.12 as also by that which is written of the autority of the Angels that which Moses other faithfull seruaunts of the Lord haue alwaies done and practised It is therefore said touching the Angels that they are not masters but ministring spirits Psal 103.21 Heb. 1.14 And as touching Moses it was at the request of the people that hee was not a Law-giuer but a messenger to referre and report what was giuen him in commaundement without adding to or diminishing of any thing from it Exod. 20.19 and Deut. 4. As himself also sheweth how carefull he was in taking heede of doing anie thing at al vpon his owne head in that himselfe would set downe no Law concerning the punishment of blasphemers and touching those which brake and violated the sabboth but made his recourse for these causes vnto the Lord Leuit. 24.11 and Numb 15.34 although the question was but of a ciuill punishment so far it is that Moses or Aaron would take vpon them to make anie rules for the seruice of God or impose a Law on the consciences of the people contrarie to that commaundement which Moses had of doing and making all thinges according to the model and patterne of that which he had seene in the mountaine Exod. 25.40 And therefore vnder Dauid also and Salomon the whole state of the Temple was set vp and perfected not by the aduise of man but according vnto propheticall reuelations 2. Chron. 22.11 But yet a man might hereupon replie that one of the principallest rights of regalitie and royaltie is to shewe mercie and to
from whence also he causeth these blessings graces of his to flow downe vpon vs yea his owne selfe as we may so say after a spiritual maner fashiō such as is vtterly incōprehensible vnto vs. This king and Bridegrome being thus described vnto vs the condition and estate of the Church his spouse and of their whole marriage is most amply set downe and handled vers 9. Nowe in the discourse and handling heereof there are adioyned vnto the Israelites and faithfull Iewes which properly represent this spouse certaine others which are the kinges Daughters also to be her companions al which notwithstanding appertaining but to one husband represent vnto vs by this meanes the person of one onely Church truely Catholicke that is to saie vniuersal but yet in such sort that they are as it were placed after this principal spouse of the people of Israel because the first right appertaineth first of al vnto the holie Prophets Apostles of the nation of the Iewes and to al the other which the Apostle calleth the natural braunches by whose ministerie also we haue been led and conducted into the chamber of this king with whose gold and glittering shining we are made bright and shining Wee are farther to note touching the ornamentes of these Queens which are the body of the Church that it is not said that they tooke them out of their own cabinets and ward-robes but they receiued thē of the king himselfe to the end it should be acknowledged that whatsoeuer is faire goodly proceedeth not as it is most true but from his mere grace fauor who hath couered our pouerty nakednes Wherupon it foloweth that she ought properly to be held taken for the true Catholicke Church whom wee see to come foorth in this place with her companions in al humilitie with that rich crowne of the onely righteousnes of Christ her king and sauiour embraced by faith and freely imputed allowed her although together with this righteousnes of faith there must appeare besides in the faithfull an actuall righteousnes but neuer perfect and entire but onely begun and delineated forth by little and little by which notwithstanding a man maie alwaies distinguish the children of light from the children of darkenes as it seemeth our Lorde Iesus Christ had also respect thereunto Math. 22.11 Al these things being thus handled in which almost all the secretes of our saluation are comprised the Prophet addresseth his speache vnto the Church or rather vnto euery member thereof ver 10.11 exhorting to study to please this Bridegroome who cherisheth and fauoureth her so much shewing withal how she shall doe it namely if in hearkening diligently vnto him according as faith proceedeth of that which a man heareth of God himselfe and without which a man cannot please God and ordering her selfe altogether vnto him which is done if shee take narrow heede vnto his wil which is seene in the glasse of the Lawe shee beginneth to rid her selfe in the whole traine and tenour of her life from al wicked spots and defilements of corruption which she hath in herselfe imprinted in her both from the originall and beginning of her nature being and from the nouriture of her Parents as also of al such as after by custome cōtinuance are growen according vnto the flesh deeply rooted in her that so shee maie learne the better to obey this onelie Bridegroome of hers as her true head and Lord for euer Afterward there is adioined an exhortation which is vsed in respect of the small beginninges of the Christian Church such as it was when it began to take her first beginning in Ierusalem ver 12.13 For it is easie to bee seene by the Actes of the Apostles what the Church might bee according vnto the flesh when there were in the first assembly but threescore persons and those poore people and of no countenance or appearaunce and therefore hee comforteth her and foretelleth that it shal come to passe that they euen of Tyre it selfe vnder whom he comprehendeth the strange nations the very mightiest of the world should ioine themselues vnto her And yet for al this he warneth her in good time that al this goodly beutiful shew and setting forth whereof he maketh mentiō which he saith is to be priced aboue al the gold in the world without cōparison whatsoeuer ornament the greatest Queens of this world might haue ought to be within in the hart not without to be apparant only vnto the eies according vnto the fashion maner of the world ver 13.14.15 that yet a daie shoulde come when it shoulde appeare so high and magnificent in this Queene and in her Daughters that it should surmount and exceede all the magnificency the mind of man were able to conceiue namely then when we shal meet Christ as the Apostle speaketh and when beeing entred with him into his pallace we shall be and abide with him for euer Now to conclude if any man demand what this Bride shal doe while she waiteth expecteth the last accōplishment of this souerain blisse happines which this blisfull Bridegroome shal in the end bestow vpon the church his true spouse it is said that this spouse for the time she waiteth for shal not cease to bear or bring forth children vnto this husband ver 16. yea those excellent good children such as shal resemble proue like vnto their true ancestors I meane the ancient Prophets Patriarches such as shal be kings to rule ouer al the coasts quarters of the world hauing therein by the vertue of the spirit of this great king subdued and ouercome satan sin death and themselues Whence it foloweth that then here shal be in euery respect a most perfect mariage and such a one as shal endure for euer THE FIRST SERMON VPON THE 1. CHAPTER It is written as followeth in the title of the third booke of Salomon The Canticle of Canticles or Song of Songs of Salomon The principal points handled in the first Sermon 1 That this booke is canonicall but ought to be red and expounded in the church with great discretion 2 That nothing conteyned in holy writ ought to be concealed or hid in the church and wherefore God hath not alwayes spoken so playnly at one time as at another 3 Wherfore the holy ghost hath chosen and prosecuted so farre the allegory of mariage both in this Canticle or Sōg as also elsewhere 4 Three manners of Gods ioyning him selfe with his creature the one general the other particular in the person of Christ Iesus the third of the sonne of God with his church 5 Of the persons which are introduced and brought in in this Canticle in maner of a dialogue or mutuall speach with the summe and scope thereof 6 Wherefore this Canticle or Song is called the Canticle of Canticles or Song of songs and who was the penman thereof 7 A speciall obseruation touching
the order of the three bookes of Salomon 8 An enhortation for euery one to make his profit by the exposition of this Canticle THIS booke albeit it hath bin as well in the auncient church of the Israelites as also in the Christian church by one common consent not only reckned amongst the number of those which the holy Ghost hath spoken and vttered to the pen and which ought to be the rule and canon of our fayth but also held for one of the most excellent and spirituall of all the rest yet hath it not bin handled or red in the church as euery of the other but reserued to be proposed vnto them who were farther aduaunced and growne vp in the knowledge of God and were of a more stable and constant iudgement The causes whereof were first because the stile and phrase thereof is altogether allegoricall and enigmatical that is to say deliuereth to our vnderstāding thinges heauenly and spirituall by a similitude and figure of things naturall and corporall which euery man neyther of himselfe can nor by the help of an other is able so to conceiue and vnderstand as thereby throughly to be profited and instructed Secondly because this allegory is wholy grounded vpon the coniunction and coupling of man and wife in marriadge in the which being humanely and carnally considered we shall finde euen from the beginning thereof vnto the end many great wantes and imperfections on mens behalfes which defaultes as they haue bene euer rife since the entrance of sinne into the world so we know how they haue bin dayly encreased sithence men haue for so long a time giuen themselues ouer to all this vncleannes and wantonnes which is no other thing then a polluting and defiling of the honest and chast caresses dilections and embrasementes in marriadge The which notwithstanding it hath in it many defectes and blemishes which the Lord of his great goodnes must support and couer hindereth not but that according to the saying of the Apostle Heb. 15.4 Marriadge is honorable amongst all and the bed thereof vndefiled And thus you see how some considering the mischieuous maners of this world and be cause there are in this Canticle many kinds of speaches according to the simplicity of that time in which this booke was writtē which the world might easily abuse haue bene hardly induced to interprete it in the church fearing least it should bring more harme thereunto then profit and edification Others there haue bene which haue gone farther and haue beene so bold and hardy or rather so ouerweening and headdy as to go about to rase this booke out of the canonicall scriptures as being a writing altogeather profane and compiled by Solomon in the middest of his wanton and licencious dissolutiōs As touching the first sort of these men they are herein to bee greatly commended that they thinke it not good that euery one should rashly vnaduisedly be carried or led to the hādling of this booke according vnto the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 3.2 that we must begin with milke so proceed come to hard solid meate Which thing hath bin carefully diligently obserued both in this church and in others by the faythfull pastors and ministers But as for those which presume to condemne this booke they are no more to be harkened vnto or regarded then those who desperatly and arrogantly addresse and oppose themselues agaynst the spirit of God For besides that the old and newe church hath from all times iudged the contrary this booke being diligently expounded by the auncient Doctors both greeke and latin yea euen in monasteries amongst the monkes vsed and handled as a booke altogeather contemplatiue more then any besides albeit they then made solemne profession of being farre from all thought of women and marriage this very allegory of marriadge is very amplie to the same end and purpose prosecuted in other bookes which by a perpetual and common consent haue bin alwayes held for holy diuine as in the Psalme 45 which is as it were a summe and abridgement of this whole Canticle and in Esay 62.1.6 Ierem. 3. Ezech. 16. and 23. Oseas 1.2 Math. 25. Ioh. 3.29 Rom. 7.1.2 Cor. 11.2 and especially Ephe. 5. where the Apostle vseth the very same words which Adam vsed in the first institution of marriadge to wit that the church is made flesh of the flesh of Iesus Christ and bone of his bones which is saith he a great secret and mystery to be short the holy Ghost in the Apocal. 17. is the expounder and interpreter of the beginning of this booke Neyther is that to be regarded which some bring for an argument why this booke is not Canonicall because that no place of it is alleaged in the newe testament For first beside that which I haue sayd of the 45. Psalme that it is an abridgment of this booke the similitudes which are taken from marriage in Saynt Paul and in the last chapter of the Apocalyps are drawen from hence and by the same reason we may condemne other bookes of the old testament which are receiued without contradiction or gainsaying 2 We must therfore vse obserue a mean in the exposition of this booke handling it then and in such wise as it appertaineth in the church of God For God will not that any thing which he teacheth vs by his Prophets and Apostles should be hidden or kept secret in such sort as to content our selues to haue it enregistred onely in his word without farther regarding and considering what it is as the Paynimes were woont to deal in their false religions worships who feared their abuses should be discouered if their mysteries were knowen or as we yet to this day see it practised in the false church where the reading of the scriptures in the vulgar and common tong is forbidden whereas the Apostles and Prophets since the beginning haue spoken and written in a common and intelligible language to the end they might be vnderstoode of all men And yet is it very true that the holy Ghost hath not vsed throughout the same stile and manner of writing but hath spoken somtimes very plainly sometimes obscurely in such sort notwithstanding that as one of the auncient fathers hath heretofore well obserued obscurity and darknes is tempered and mixed with plainnes and clearnes to the end to sharpen and quicken our desire to search after that which we vnderstoode not at the first and to cause vs to esteeme more higher of the secrets of his wisdom after that he hath bestowed on vs the gift of knowledge and vnderstanding of them vpon our carefull diligence of reading and conferring together the places of scripture And this is that which we hope to doe by Gods good assistaunce obtayned by your prayers in the expounding of this booke seing it is now about fifty years that God hath set vp as it were anew his holy Iubile amongst vs causing the holy light of his gospell to shine
meete with it as indeede alas he met it with a mischiefe when Satan which remaining not in his first estate had made himselfe most fowle and most wicked discouered himselfe inough vnto him for such a one as he was and most worthy to be hated and reiected when in tempting of him he accused the creator of enuy and lying And behold here wherein Eue and after her Adam did faile inexcusably to wit that in steede of vsing that addresse and helpe which they had to know well enough and to hate this deceiuer they suffered themselues to be perswaded of him so enthralled and captiuated themselues with all their posterity in this corruption Rom. 7.14 which maketh that he is now most blinde and most bad together in louing and in hating 10 For if we examine the whole course and traine of the worlde what shall wee finde els but some deceiued in the difference betweene good and faire and euill and foule others wittingly louing that which is worthy of hatred and hating that which they ought to loue For example if the question bee touching that which directly concerneth the loue and seruice of God behold the superstitious and Idolaters so bewitched that not only they cānot nor wil not know loue the truth but they stop their cares that they may not heare their eyes that they may not see and which more is they persecute it with fire and sword Behold on the other side the Atheists and mockers of all religion with which the whole world at this day stinketh the earth it selfe demaunding vengeance of God If we speake of the life of men towardes men and consider whereunto all apply and giue themselues great and small from morning to euening we shall finde that some burst with the plenty and abundance they haue and would sel paradise out of hand for a lickerous morsel others trauaile not to serue God by their life but only to maintaine this life fearing they should die for famine and will not stick so they may saue a farthing to loose their soul the word of their saluation others possesse not their goods but are possessed of thē in body in soul others welter and walowe like hogs in their wanton lustes others are insatiable in swallowing downe of honour to fil themselues with wind others giue themselues to ten thousand vanities as this wise king Salomon himselfe hath at large declared in his booke of the Preacher In a word see how by not louing and hating as they ought euery man departeth out of this life without knowing or without well thinking thereon what he came hither to do 11 You see thē what this euil is what is the original cause therof But what remedy is there To haue recourse vnto him which hath made vs who alone can make vs anew by the same power which is his holy spirite enlightening the eies of our vnderstanding Ephes 1.18 Act. 26.18 framing a clean heart within vs Psal 51.12 creating in vs both to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 in a woorde making vs from the head to the feete new creatures 2. Cor. 5.17 that is to say such as this spouse is set before vs here to bee which is at large described vnto vs by Ezechiel both in her first estate and condition and also in this whereunto she is exalted Ezech. 16. in such sort that rightly the Apostle calleth the Church the woorkemanshippe of God 1. Cor. 9.1 yea of him alone in respect of the effect 1. Cor. 3.7 and a woorke so long and so hard and difficult because of our rebellion that the spirite of God cannot as I may so say come to the end thereof but with time and by plucking vs vp as it were by a pully Which seeing it is so let vs consider what this perfect loue and charitie of ours ought to be towardes God and our neighbour the portraiture whereof is set down in the two tables of the Lawe and hath too in some sort beene knowen marked by a Painim saying in speaking of the mutuall frindship of men that true and perfect loue and frindship is shewn in this that the one desireth that which the other desireth and wil not that which the other wil not which is as much to say that hee loueth that which the other loueth and hateth that which the other hateth This is an excellent rule to direct our whole life by if we take the Lawe of God for the ground and foundation of that which wee ought to loue and to hate and by consequent presuppose that the will of the Bridegroome which is the head whose wil is declared in his Lawe giueth a Law vnto the wil of the spouse witnes that which we craue euery day in our praier saying Thy will be done 12 And to shew how necessary this patern is behold Iesus Christ that is to say the Bridegrome himself who being come into the world to cōquer win this Bride to kisse hir as hir selfe desired with his own mouth being in cōbate with him which held her frō him vttereth this strange speech Notwithstanding not that which I wil but which thou wilt Mat. 26.39 And what meaneth this Was there a strife and rebellion betweene the wil of Iesus Christ and the wil of God his Father None at all For were it so hee coulde not haue beene either God or so much as a good man much lesse our Sauiour as indeede and truth he is For as much then as the person of the father and of the holy Ghost and his are one and the same God his wil also is one the same wil with the father the holy ghost And in asmuch as he is man he had another wil as it were another nature but without all repugnancy notwithstanding against his diuine wil. Who is it thē which speaketh thus Iesus christ God mā but according to his humanity against which distinctly this combat was addressed because it was in it that he should make his combat and ouercome as it were himselfe in asmuch as he is God the iudge and reuenger of sinne in such sort that in one person alone he is assailed and assaulted and is alwaies conquerour And what caused him so to speak Not any rebellion of his humane wil against his diuine wil but only a diuersity proceeding from the apprehension of that most frightfull and most horrible feeling of the curse malediction of God against al the sinnes of the elect which he had vpon himselfe although he had no blemish at al in himselfe an apprehension notwithstanding entirely subiecting it selfe vnto the will of God and in euery point wel ordered and gouerned And if the Bridegroome speake thus beeing altogither perfect what must the Bride and spouse doe in whom this orderlinesse and good regiment of wil is scarcely begun 13 Behold therefore I say why this change by which it is giuen vnto this Bride to loue that which her Bridegroome loueth
As for the other kinde of the lawe concerning the outward diuine seruice the spirite of errour hath done the cleane contrary tending notwithstanding vnto the same end For hauing abolished the Lawe morall which should notwithstanding be perpetual he hath cleane contrarie found the meanes to establish the Lawe ceremonial knowing that Iesus Christ had imposed an end vnto it and this dessein of his hath he executed by a marueilous sleight which hath deceaued those of the better sort For if he would haue persuaded them that hee woulde set Iudaisme vp againe or retained Paganisme men would haue openly withstood him And therfore he obiected that the great simplicity of the outwarde seruice of God both in the ministerie of the word in the administration of the sacramentes would breede a contempt and therefore it would bee good to haue some petite matters beside not that this should be of the substance of the doctrin or of the sacraments but to make the thinges more commendable and men more attentiue and deuout This being once thought to be good by an efficacie of errour hee added that vsing withal some ceremonies of the Lawe not to Iudaize but to turne them vnto a a good vse doing the same soberly in certaine points like others without superstition or Idolatry would be a meane to winne the Iewes and the Idolaters the easier vnto the true religion Thence came holy-Water square-Caps Surplisses hoodes bald crownes chaunting of prick-song altars distinction of daies and of meates with the rest of the furniture of al that goodlie ceremonial seruice as if God had imposed an end vnto the legall ceremonies of which himselfe was the author to giue authority not vnto the Apostles who neuer ordained nor practised such thinges naie contrariwise established and recommended the true and pure simplicity aswel of doctrine as of ecclesiastical gouernement but vnto them who shoulde come after them to cut and clip off al at their pleasure If anie man will denie this the sight thereof discouereth the fact if wee conferre their inuentions with Moses and with profane histories True it is that touching this point they want no allegations of certaine bookes forged at pleasure but so doltishlie written that a man need go no farther for proofe of such forgeries And thus you see how the spirit of error by a iust iudgement of God hath serued his turne with the holie Lawe of God for the destruction of men and al vnder the shadow of establishing of it and teaching the right vse thereof a thing most miraculous and wonderfull how men could become so brutish as not to suffer a man to touch their sore so far are they from seeking after or desiring to finde or receiue a remedy 12 But touching the law morall the abuse there of appeareth most straunge in this that there is no one speciall commandement which hath not beene more openly ouerturned in Christendome then euer it happened in the synagogue of the Iewes as the reprehension which the lawe-giuer himselfe maketh doth witnes of them from point to point in saint Mathew chap. 5.6.7 But the fault is yet more daungerous in that that the vse and scope there of is turned vpside downe Which thing hath beene so much handled by saint Paul especially in the epistle to the Romans and to the Galathians that it cannot be but an inexcusable reproch vnto them who call themselues Christians to dispute of this point any more In summe the law sheweth vs will we or nil we what we owe vnto God and neighbour and that no man neither dischargeth nor is able to discharge his debt in this behalfe being vtterly vndone and made vnpayable by the naturall corruption of mankinde which thing notwithstanding neither exempteth him out of debt nor from the penalty adioyned vnto the contract which is euerlasting death For to thinke that God renounceth his debt without entire paiment made is to transforme God into man This is then an inexcusable follie to seeke after the saluation of the soule by the obligation of death that is to say in the lawe morall which argueth our condemnation and which can vse no other language vnto vs then his tenor importeth And yet notwithstanding this is the foundation of the hope giuen of finding in a mans owne merits or those of an other whereof a man may furnishe himselfe for ready money vnto the distributer that which is found as we will anon declare in Iesus Christ alone hauing satisfied for vs in carying our sinnes vpon the tree 1. Pet. 2.24 and accomplished al righteousnes for vs Mat. 3.15 Gal. 3.13 and 4.4 and yet notwithstanding behold the matter behold the end and whole substance of the Church of Romes diuinity at this day touching our saluation 13 It remaineth to declare the falsification committed in the other part of the word of God which is our soueraign happinesse I mean the couenant of saluation in Iesus Christ alone promised vnto the Fathers and finally sent into the worlde namely into Iudea in proper person and after vnto all nations by the ministery of the Apostles and others sent hither and thither by them which is that which we call the Gospell Tit. 1.2.3 that is to say the good true healthfull newes But we will differ this point vnto an other time thāking in the meane time our good God and Father that it hath pleased him of his singular mercy and grace to haue opened our eies to knowe and detest such abuses desiring him to giue vs farther grace so to vse his truth that we witnesse by our good life and conuersation that his spirit hath not onely wrought in our vnderstanding but also formed our affections vnto his obedience that wee bee not the more inexcusable before him the more graces and blessings we haue receiued Amen And because we haue beene hitherunto so vnthankefull for so great a benefite let vs demaunde of him fauor mercy with heart with mouth as foloweth Almighty God c. THE XXXI SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 11. verse 11 Daughters of Syon come forth contemplate the King Salomon with the Crowne with which his mother crowned him in the day of his espousailes and the gladnesse of his heart 1 How this King is degraded of all his degrees in the Apostaticall Church of Rome at this daie 2 First of his dignitie Royall 3 Secondly of his state Propheticall 4 Thirdly of his Priesthood 5 A false distinction betweene venial and mortall sinnes 6 An other false Doctrine touching the guilt of sinne the punishment of the sinnes committed before and after Baptisme 7 Howe our sanctification is by their Doctrine falsified 8 How the Intercession of one mediator alone is taken-awaie abolished 9 A conclusion of all this matter 10 Who the mother is who hath crowned this King 11 What the time of his fiansailes