it Secondly marriage is honorable in all men it hath his chastity it is for the comfort of man the medicine of incontinence the meane to preserue the world and the seminary of the faithfull therefore in it selfe not inferiour to a single life Thirdly if single life were so holy and meritorious a state before GOD as they would make it then all vnmarried persons should be so But the examples of Absolon Adoniah Iudas c. euince the contrarye Secondly it should bee without the least taint of concupiscence Thirdly the Scriptures would auerre and auouch it Fourthly albeit virginity and single life in times of generall persecution be more to be wished and more conuenient then marriage yet then Paul rather wisheth that all men in respect of the time present were such then commandeth and inioyneth them 1. Cor. 7. 7. For he leauerh them to their liberties And this occurrence of affliction and trouble seemeth to bee a principall cause why Bishops Ministers so sparingly were married in the Primitiue church for some 200 yeares after the Apostles decease Lastly I conclude with Saint Augustine Melius est humile coniugium quà m superba virginitas Secondly in that the true Church is called by the name of Virgin in respect of her sound faith and pure affection to Christ wee are first admonished hereby to beware of and to shunne as the very plague or poison of our soules the dangerous and damnable errous and heresies of al Papists Turkes Anabaptists Schismatikes Pâ—gans â— For these like a gangrene cankar eate into corrupt our soules they put out the light of our vnderstanding and wound the vitall parts of spirituall life Mathew 6. 23. 2. Pet. 2. vers 2. 3. Apoc. 13. verse 7. and 8. 2. Thessa 2. vers 9 and 10. Secondly wee must entirely and vnfainedly loue Christ. Ioh 21. Hee must be our loue as Ignatius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that Christ his loue was crucified he alone must haue our hearts Pro. 23. ver 26. We must account al things but losse and dung in comparison of gayning him Phil. 3. 8. Hee is the pretious margarite or pearle wee must sell all that we haue to purchase it Mat. 13. 46. Finally our loue or affection to Christ his word and Sacraments must bee so feruent so fiâ—y and so vehement that no water should quench it nor the floudes drowne it and we should greatly contemne al substaÌ„ce in respect of it Cant. 8 6 7. This meeteth with those that haue a forme and shew of godlines yet they would serue God and Mammon two coÌ„trary maisters if they be worldlings or if they be licentious they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. louers of pleasures more then God Wherfore let vs auoide all hipocrisie and loue Christ sincerely for as Christ himselfe is simple sincere in his nature and in his promises loue and workes towards vs so let vs labor in some good conformity to behaue and carry our selues to him And thus much touching the first branch viz. that there is such a contract and of the vses of it 2. The second point to be considered in this spiritual coÌ„tract or vnion is the definition nature and forme of it This contract therfore is that mistical spiritual yet real substantial vnion coniunction between Christ and the Church whereby they are made one flesh and by special compact consent haue right interest one in another yea abide and dwel one in an other In the clearing and manifestation hereof three particulars are to bee handled first that this coniunction is onely spirituall not naturall or carnall Secondly that it is reall and substantiall and lastly the order and manner of it is to be touched It is mysticall and spirituall first because the persons betweene whom it is made viz. Christ as man and the Church militant are farre distant in place and therefore it cannot bee any naturall or carnall coniunction Secondly because the meanes and manner of working it are spirituall it needs must be spirituall also Now it is wrought effected not by nerues bonds â—inews as this naturall coniunction betweene the body and the soule is caused but by the spirit of Christ which he sendeth from heauen into vs and by our faith stirred vp by his spirit whereby we send it vp againe to him so that this coniunction must needs bee as spirituall so relatiue and mutuall First therefore that Christ sendeth his spirit into vs and that the same spirit that dwelleth in his manhood and filleth it with all graces aboue measure is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members raising vp and working in vs faith and strength whereby we apprehend him loue whereby wee affect him and all other graces needfull for euery mans saluation it is pregnantly prooued by these places of scripture following and the like Hee giueth vs of his spirit and hereby wee know that he dwelleth in vs and we in him Iohn 4. 14. God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba father Gal. 46. Lastly the church is the habitation of God Eph. 2. 22. and the temple of God 1. Cor. 6. 19. Secondly our faith ascendeth vp to Christ. Acts. 7. 56. doth incorporate vs into him Ephes. 3. 12. 17. and hereby wee both liue and dwell in him Galath 2. 20. But this our faith is spirituall and inuisible for wee walke by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5. 6. And faith is the ground of things that are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11. 1. 2. Obiect But some perhaps will obiect that wee feed vpon Christ in the Sacrament we indeed eate his flesh drinke his bloud Iohn 6. 55. 56. Ergo our vnion is not spirituall c. Ans. Albeit wee really corporally and substantially receiue partake of and eare the elements and outward signes namely the bread the wine according to Christs institution in memory and representation of his body broken and his bloud shed and yet wee receiue and feede vpon Christ by faith For not euery one that eateth the bread and drinketh the wine in the Lords supper doth feede vpon Christ but onely the true beleeuers who feed of him both in the SacrameÌ„t and also out the Sacrament as may appeare Ioh. 6. 17. 51. Secondly as the Fathers in the time of the Law did all eate the same spiritual meate that we do and drinke the same spirituall drinke but they did it onely by faith which apprehendeth things to come as present for Christ was not then incarnate much lesse was he dead euen so we receiue and partake of Christ that is spiritually by faith and not carnally and substantiallye as the Papists imagine 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4. Thirdly Christ is now in heauen there contayned and his body there glorified therfore cannot he be eaten carnally corporally substantially for hee is many millions of miles
senectute confectum in sempiternae beâ—titudinis portum paradisum perducat Couentriae Ian. 1. 1608. Tuae dignitatis studiosissimus Thomas Drâx The Lambes Spouse or the Heauenly Bride Math. 25. 10. And they that were ready went with him to the wedding and the gate was shut OVr Sauiour Christ the onely head Brâ—de-groome of the Church hauing in the former part of this allegorie vnder the metaphoricall borrowed termes of Wise Virgins that were inwardly called furnished with sauing faith and godlinesse and watchfully expected his comming and vnder the appellation of Foolâ—sh virgins that were hypocrites and temporizers called onely outwardly and contenting themselues with the outward profession and blaze of faith and godlinesse the pith and substance whereof they wanted described and depainted vnto vs the estate and condition of the visible Church wherein amongst the beleeuers are intermingled hypocrits and onely seeming Christians he doth in this tenth verse set downe their contrary euents and iudgements for the Wise Virgins the sincere and vndissembling Christians went with Christ to the wedding that is they were receiued into heaven vnto the immediate fellowship presence of Christ but the foolish virgins voide and destitute of iustifying faith and inward holinesse were shut out that is debarred from entring into the kingdome of heauen and consequently adiudged and cast into hell Wherevpon our Sauiour exhorteth all men to watch and carefully to waite for his comming to iudgement least being vnready at his comming they be shut out from the heauenly marriage vnto which dutie they are so much more to attend because that they know not the day nor the houre wherein hee will come Thus much of the dependance and order of the text Now according to the difference and diuersity of persons viz. the wise virgins and the foolish their diuers and different euents and iudgements are to be obserued and handled In the wise virgins three heads or points are to be considered First their contract with Christ in these words wise virgins Secondly their readinesse and fitnesse therevnto in these termes they that were ready Lastly the consummation of the marriage in these words Went with him to the wedding Of all these points I will speake in order and afterwards God assisting proceed to propound and handle the most different estate iudgment of the foolish virgins In the coÌ„tract diuers points are contained As first that there is such a contract betwixt Christ and his Church Secondly the forme nature of it Thirdly the benefits prerogatiues of it lastly the vses of the doctrin Touching the contract that there is such a contract betweene Christ and the Church it is plaine and demonstrable by sundry places of Scripture The Lord by the ministery of Esaias the Prophet whom he sent vnto Ezechies to comfort him and his people against the blasphemies and threatning speeches of railing Rabsaketh the seruant of the King of Assur thus stileth and saluteth the Church This is the word that the Lord hath against him The virgin the daughter of Syon hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne the daughter of Ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee Isay. 57. 22. The Church is distinguished and adorned with the title of Virgin Because shee was consecrated and espoused to God alone and his true worship as a virgin to her onely bridegroome or husband Likewise Psal. 45. 10. Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine eare c. So shall the King haue pleasure in thy beauty for hee is thy Lord and worship thou him Heere Solomon representeth Christ and King Pharaoes daughter that was married to him the Church of the Gentiles espoused and affianced to Christ. Thirdly the Lord by Hosea speaketh I will marry thee vnto me for euer I will marry thee vnto mee in faithfulnesse Hos. 2. 19. 20. In the Canticlâ—s the Church by force of this contract maketh claime to Christ saying My beloued is mine and I am his c. Cant. 2. 16. Paul shewing his vnfeigned affection to the Corinthians who in part missed by false Apostles began without cause to distaste him maketh this protestation I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. In the Apocalyps the Church is called Virgins that are not defiled with women Apoc. 14. 4. and the Lambes Wife or Bridâ— Chap. 19. 7. and Chap. 21. 2 All these places euince and demoâ—strate a spirituall coniunction and contract betweene Christ and the elect Lastly not to dwell long vpon authorities Saint Iohn most notably manifestly in the allegorie of the Vine and the branches Iohn 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. shadoweth and setteth out vnto vs the nature of the coniunction for as the Vine doth yeeld and communicate life and nourishment to the branches and the branches receiue and partake it from the Vine so Christ the noble Vine that hath life in himselfe and of himselfe and that is full of grace and truth doth infuse and communicate spirituall life comfort and grace vnto his seuerall members and the Church being ingrafted into him draweth and receiueth the same from him by the hand and instrument of faith Whereas therefore the true Church of God consisting aswell of marryed persons as vnmarried yea for the greatest part in all times and ages of those that bee marryed thus the holye scriptures and experience and practise of all pure and holye Churches doe testifie is in respect of their sound faith onely and firme hope in Christ and sincere loue stiled by the name of Virgins it serueth to check and condemne the error of the Church of Rome who from these and like places of Scripture taketh occasion and would needs prooue that virginitie and single life is a state in it selfe farre more holy and acceptable before God theÌ„ mariage yea that it is meritorious and a type of the perfection of eternall life and here-vpon they forbid their Bishoppes Ptiests Deacons Monkes Iesuits c. to marry tollerating notwithstanding and allowing the Stewes concubines hatlots and all manner of vncleannesse They vrge and commend Virginity with as much conscience and equity as the theefe doth truth the drunken man sobriety and the glutton abstinence For it is notoriously knowne to the world not onely what vnchaste hearts they carry and in what lusts they burne but how filthily they liue that amongst the rest would be accounted the most holy exquisite But briefly to refute their error wee thus prooue that virginity is not a state more holy in it selfe before God then marriage much lesse meritorious First God in the old Testament and Christ in the New allowed and permitted marriage to Priests Prophets Patriaâ—kes Apostles Euangelists and Ministers aswell as any others If there had beene any vnholinesse in their marriage or virginity estate for them so incomparably better or more necessary God in his wisedome would haue otherwise ordered
and is knowne to bee one of Gods Children Rom. 10. 14. 1. Cer. 1. 3 2. Tim. 1. 19. and contrariwise it is a brand of an Infidell or an Atheist neuer to pray Ieremy 10 25. Psalme 14 4. But that wee bee not deceiued herein for ignorant people may mutter ouer and say by rote certayne prayers and the hipocrite may make a goodly shew certaine rules must bee obserued and heeded First that our praiers bee made in knowledge of Gods will otherwise they are not made in â—ayth and so cannot please God Rom. 14 ver 4. Secondly that in priuate we pray not so much by prescript for me as according to the present sense feeling of our owne wants imperfections crauing the supply of them Thirdly that it doe not consist in a few words of course but bee enlarged as time and our present necessities occasion vs. 1. Sam. 1. vers 15. Fourthly that the matter and subiect of our prayers bee chiefely and in the first place the aduancement of Gods Gospell and kingdome the remission of our owne sinnes and the saluation of our soules and then in the second place to pray for temporalls and outward things but alwayes conditionally and with subiecting our wills to Gods will Math. 26. ver 39. Fistly it must not be only for a brunt vpon a sudden motion or onely in time of great trouble but daily and continually for thus are wee taught to pray incessantly and neuer to giue ouer vntill God grant our requests 1. Thes. 5 Luke 18 7 Sixtly wee must pray in humilitie and in vnfained loue to God and men for the proud mans prayer God reiecteth Luke 18. vers 14. and the malitious mans prayer and sacrifice is abhominable Lastly not to be tedious wee must not pray onely for our selues and kindred as carnall men in their manner sometimes doe but for the whole church of God vpon earth and for euery state and condition of Christians as Kings Counsellers Rulers Iudges Magistrates the reuerend Prelates Pastors Preachers Ministers commons and most earnestly and compassionately for those whom wee know afflicted hated persecuted for the truth and Gospels sake or for any good cause whatsoeuer or where-soeuer If thou finde all these signes of faith or most of them in thy selfc be thankfull to GOD for them and which of them thou feelest and perceiuest thy selfe to bee destitute of in part or whole seeke for the obtaining of it and if thou bee wholy voyde of them then it is high time whiles opportunitie serueth to labour to procure them by all holy meanes Looke therefore to the maine chance get and nourish faith and thou canst not perish but want or neglect thou it and thou canst not bee saued I am horum mauis accipe To the former notes and testimonies of faith may very well be added puritie and innocencie of life and a liuely hope of eternall glory for these are certaine and infallible notes of faith and peculiar effects of it but of these I purpose to treate distinctly and more at large in the two next points of preparation wherof these are branches And thus much of faith the foundations obiect application and notes of it The second principall head in this preparation is puritie and innocencie of life and conuersation This is a notable and peculier worke and declaration of faith and it proceedeth as naturally from it as the beames from the sunne the waters from the fountaine and the fruites in their season from the fruitfull tree herevpon faiâ—h is said to purifie the heart Acts. 15. 9. faith and repentance are both preached together and so ought to bee practised Mark 1. 15. The necessitie of this holinesse and innocencie appeareth plainely without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12. â—4 except Christ washe vs wee haue no part with him â—ohn 13. 8. except a man bee borne of water and the holye Ghost hee shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. 5. Finally no vncleane thing shall enter into the heauenly Cittie neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lyes Apoc. 21. 27. Likewise innocencie and harmlesse simplicitie is a cognizance and badge of them that are prepared for Gods kingdome for they must bee innocent as Doues Math. 10. 16. harmelesse as yong children Mat. 18. 3. without guile in their mouthes Psalm 32. 2 suffering wrong rather then offering it and dooing no man iniurye but labouring to doe good to all men and no maruaile for beeing borne a new and cast into a new molde wee must operari secundum formam renouatam according to our new nature so must be our actions and if wee bee rightly regenerate the effects that doe retaine the similitude of the cause must needs entertaine some correspondencie with it Secondly Christ Iesus the vnspotted Lambe of GOD will neuer marry with the Church vntill shee bee first washed and sanctified Ephes. 5. 26. 27. and they onely that haue not defiled their garments idest corrupted their conscience with grosse and grieuous sinnes shall walke with Christ in white Apoc. 3. vers 4. Thirdly being contracted and ingrafted into Christ that is holinesse it selfe we must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1 wee must be conformable vnto Christ his death by mortification and to his resurrection by newnesse of life or else wee are no liuely members of his body but dead and rotren flesh It is an axiome in Philosophy quo quid propinquius bonoâ—eo melius Aristo 3. Top. wherefore if we be in Christ and contracted to him wee must needs be better for wee are not onely neere him but of him and he in vs and we in him And that our holinesse and innocencie of life bee not rather in the flowre then in the fruite and in pompe more then in proofe we must sce that it be constant and encrease 〈◊〉 as wee continually partly by ordinary slips and infirmities and partly by spirituall conflicts combates receiue some losse foiles decayes so must we dayly endeuour to strengthen our selues to repaire our decayes and to mend our garments and to regaine and recouer our losses And as generatio vnius est corruptio alterius so wee must see how by the engendering of holynesse sinne doth decrease for as one kingdome cannot endure two Kings so the kingdome of Christ cannot consort with the dominion of Satan Wherefore we must not please and content ourselues with the out-ward shew of holinesse or deceiue our selues with the opinion that men may conceiue of vs out-ward shewes are like Sodome Apples goodly in colour and appearance but if a man crush and open them they are nothing but powder or ashes and as for mens opinion of vs it is no certaine euidence of our inward holines for Hipocrisie is spunne with so fine a 〈◊〉 that it can deceiue the most Godly and iudicious at least for a long time in the world thus Dauid was deceiued in Achitophell his â—amiliar and counsellor the Apostles in Iudas
the marriage and our consumation Vse If wee would bee perfect conquerers and raigne and triumph with Christ in Heauen we must in earth take his part against the mighty Iudg. 5. 23. We must vnder the conduâ—t of our generall Christ Iesus our Heauenly Michaell as his Angels and souldiers fight against the dragon and his Angells and wee shall ouercome by the bloud of the Lambe and by the worde of his testimony and by not louing our liues vnto death Apoc. 12. 7. 11. Finally wee must put on the whole armour of GOD fayth hope conscience confession and profession of the truth righteousnesse and the sworde of the Spirit which is the worde of GOD Ephesi 6. 13. And wee must pray constantly with all manner of prayer and supplications in the Spirit for our selues and for all Saints c. And by the right vse and continuall handling of these wee shall crucifie the flesh with the affectons and lustes thereof Gallathians 5. 24 wee shal be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast and wee shall ouercome sathan and all his batteries and temptations and then after all our fight contention and victory ended wee shall in the life to come eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of GOD Apoc. 2. 17. we shall eate of the hidden Manna Apoc. 2. 17. wee shall haue power ouer nations vers 26. wee shall bee cloathed with white araye and our name neuer put out of the Booke of life Chap. 35. wee shall be pillers in Gods house and goe out no more 16 12. And to conclude we shall sit with Christ in his Throne euen as he sitteth with his Father in his throne Apoc. 3. 21. which God at length fulfill and accomplish in vs for his most deerely beloued sonnes sake Iesus Christ our onely and all-sufficient redeemer and mediator Amen NOw we are briefly to consider the place where this marriage shal be solemnized and all this glory ioy and priuileges eternally possessed communicated vnto vs. The place therfore is the highest heauens the throne of GOD and the Lambe the heauenly Hierusalem the Cittie of the liuing God Paradise the seates and habitations of the saints Angels the wedding chamber and finally the new heauen the new earth This blessed heauen is a place in respect of substance subiect to no change and corruption in respect of quantity and extent farre exceeding other places and of sufficient capacitie to receiue all the elect of God in respect of qualities it is of all places most bright most glorious most pleasant finally it is such a place wherin no euill can be feared and no good can be wanting and in which GOD doth offer himselfe to bee seene of men and Angels face to face and the humanitie of CHRIST more glorious then the Sunne shall bee seene and bee beheld with vs euen with our bodily eyes Apoc. 21. the whole Chapter and Chapter 22 from the first verse to the sixt verse Hebrew 11. Iohn 14. Wherfore fat be it from vs that vainly looking for a visible Church heere without all spot or wrinckle in order and maner and seeing and finding it not proudly vnthankfully rashly and without cause to deuide and seperate our selues as is the maner of Schismatickes froÌ„ the Church of God which notwithstaÌ„ding al other defects whether in doctrine that is not fundamental or policy yet firmely and purely retaineth the scuÌ„d Preaching of Apostolicall doctrine pure inuocation of Gods name in Christ and right vse of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords supper for these notes are essentiall substantiall and of the life of the Church other things are outward accidentall and circumstantial and rather of the comelinesse well beeing and ornament then of the simple necessity and essence of the Church yet it were to be much wished that the defects were supplied abuses remoued corruptions taken away but it must bee done by theÌ„ who haue lawfull authority in order without tumult and rashnes and repugnance cause and sound ground In the meane time it is the dutie of priuate persons to take the benefit of the word and sacrameÌ„ts with thankesgiuing least God for their vnthaÌ„kefulnes in time take it away and to pray for the amendment of that which is amisse and patiently expecting it in the interim to walke in their seuerall callings with diligence and conscience Vse 2. Seeing all blisse felicitie and euer-during happinesse is onely in heauen and not in earth wee must not rest in these temporall and transitorie things of honour wealth preferment beauty buildings credit pleasure delights recreations outward peace and prosperitie neither must wee thinke that true felicitie and happinesse consisteth herein for first all these are vncertaine and transitorie as the grasse vapor flower shaddow they are like Ionas his gourde of one dayes continuance and are like Reeds or rotten posts fayling and causing them to fall that leane vpon them Secondly they are rather by reason of our corrupt nature fnares baits and traps to deceiue and hurt vs as infinite examples euince theÌ„ simply meanes and instruments of our selicity and faluation Thirdly they cannot saue our soules and make vs blessed before GOD as Solomon acknowledged when hee called them all vanity of vanities but this worke is proper onely to grace and GODS speciall mercy in Christ. Fourthly they are no especiall and proper endowments of Gods Church and Children though sometimes they in good sort enioy them and pertake of them for the wicked commonly possesse them in farre greater measure then the Godly who are rather rich in minde and in grace then in these externall and perishable profits honours and pleasures Wherefore wee must eleuate our hearts and mindes farre aboue these earthly and momentary things and seeke the things aboue wee must get vs vp into the mountaine of deuine contemplation and by the eyes of true fayth behold and view our Country the Heauenly Canaan we haue no abiding Citie here wherefore we must seeke one to come hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is GOD. And as for these worldly and outward things wee must onely vse them so farre forth as they are lawfull and are helpes vnto vs for the furthering of of our Iorney the aduancement of Godlinesse and no otherwise for els it is better that they should perish then wee and it is farre better that wee should alienate and withdrawe our mindes and affections from them then that they should seperate vs from GOD as they doe the most and depriue vs of the kingdome of Heauen and in this case if they were as deere and necessary vnto vs as our eyes handes feete yea Fathers and Mothers yet we must cut them off and hate them And thus much touching the place The fourth and the last branche is the manifold vses and applications of this doctrine of the heauenly mariage first by consideration hereof wee must be stirred vp