the true Church Behold on one side the Iewes on another side the Turkes who vaunt themselues that they haue the true religion As for the Turkes their Alcoran beeing newly forged it cannot be the track of this flock The Iewes now and since the destruction of their Temple policy haue some fayrer shewe but it is on a false title they vaunt themselues to haue on their side the God which Moses and the Prophets taught seing they acknowlege not but blaspheme him whom the Law and the Prophets lead vs vnto 12 Wee see on the other side howe they of the Romish Church do at this daie vaunt themselues make great crakes of their antiquity and succession of Bishoppes and of the Scriptures themselues the booke of the one and the other couenant Vnto whom we aunswere that the foundation of their hierarchie being in part forged vpon an humane inuention which finally degenerated into an open tyranny and their doctrine beeing directly and diametrally repugnant vnto the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles this cannot be the way trodden out by the auncient Church Apostolique what continuance of years soeuer and names of successours they alleadge Asmuch is to bee said concerning the Anabaptists and Libertines placing in steede of the Scripture their reuelations and dreames as also all both old and new or renued hereticks haue this in common that they hold not themselues within the limites and bounds of the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets perfectly comprised in the holy and canonicall Scriptures which ought to serue for the text and commentary of his wil. 13 And this is the cause why the Bridegrome addeth that the spouse to finde the tracke of the true sheep after which she is sent must seeke after the cabbins or tents of the sheepheards meaning by these woordes the true Pastours of the Church whom we must discerne from the false by their woordes and writings and by their cabbins and tentes that is to say the retyring and resting place of this true flocke For indeede there is but one catholickeflocke that is vniuersally considered bee it great or litle But there are so many cabbins for the retyring vnto and pasturing of it as there are places in the which the voice of these true sheepheards Prophets and Apostles do resound and shall resound vnto the end of the woorlde by the mouthes of their faithfull successors to gather together and to conduct vnto the onely Pastour and sheepheard which is this Bridegrome the whole number and multitude of the sheepe 14 And it may also be that Salomon had a particular respect to Abraham Isaacke and Iacob who were indeed sheepheards as the most part of the ancient Patriarckes yea Moses himselfe among the Madianites and Dauid Psal 77.20 78.72 to the doctrine and family of whom the spouse in this place is sent backe being a thing without all doubt that they were indeed true Pastours sheepheards their doctrine the true doctrine their house excepting such as behaued themselues vnworthily and which were rather in the house then of the house as Ismael and Esaw the true Church of God And we may not forget that here is expresse mentiō made of cabbins of sheepheards according vnto the purport of the history it selfe namely that these Patriarckes did indeed dwell in tents as wayfarers in this worlde Heb. 11.9 We are therefore giuen to vnderstand by this word that we may not seeke after the Church in the outward shining of Towers Steepls nor other pomps and braueries of the worlde the Church of God being rather composed of the smal contemptible things of the world Luk. 14.21 and 1. Cor 1.26 as the head also thereof would bee borne in a stable and liue poorely and slenderly If on the contrarie side any man obiect the rich ornamentes of the tabernacle the magnificence of the temple of Salomon and the riches both of it as also of the people during his kingdome in whose raigne it is said that men made no more reckoning of siluer then of stones in Ierusalem 2. Chron. 9.27 I answere as touching the ornaments of the Leuiticall Priesthoode and the riches of the Temple that al this was a figure of the spiritual riches of the true Temple of God namely of our lord Iesus Christ vnder the paedagogie and A. B. C. of the Lawe which is now ceased togither with al that which depended thereon and as for the other riches I denie not but that the Lord honoured his people when it so pleased him with the blessinges and commodities of this life Godlines hauing the promises both of the present life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 I deny not also but that God hath called vnto his Church both rich and poore such and so many as it pleaseth him as the example of Abraham who was rich in whose Bosome poore Lazarus was may declare and witnes Luk. 16.23 but I saie that in al times the hall where the banquet is kept whereof mention is made in Luk. 14.13 hath alwaies beene filled rather with impotent folcke lame and blind taken out of the midst of the street then with the rich and pompous which are in kings houses Mat. 11.8 I saie farther that albeit neither riches nor pouerty are proper and essential marks of the Church yet so is it notwithstanding that smalnes basenesse of condition according vnto the woorld yea the crosse it selfe not the crosse of golde or siluer transformed into a most detestable Idol but the crosse which burdeneth the shoulders which is an enemie vnto the flesh is the ordinarie companion thereof But I saie also that the riche which were in the church were not of the church in the quality of men rich with worldly corruptible riches but in the quality of poore in asmuch as they vsed their goods so as if they vsed them not at al according vnto the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.31 and 1. Tim. 6.17 and became leane and thinne to passe thorough the eie of the needle Mat. 19.24 laying up their treasure in heauen Mat. 6.20 according vnto the example of Dauid that good and truly rich king Psal 16.5 Finally I saie that the buildinges and vessels of the Church ought to be agreeable with the doctrine taught in the true Christian Church which condemneth all superfluity and worldlie pompes and applieth the goods of the Church to the liuing stones thereof as the practise was in the Apostles times Act. 4.35 and in those times when the Pastors were of golde and the Churches and the vessels thereof were of wood 15 This then hath been and yet is an enormous fault committed by the auncient fathers since the time of Constantine to suffer and much greater to exhort Kinges and Princes to found and build Churches with such excessiue cost seruing for no other thing but to condemne both the doners and demaunders poynting out as it were with the finger the ambition of the one and the
couetousnes of the other whereupon hath entred this notorious transformation of the spiritual beutie of the Christian Church into a vanity and pomp not simply carnal and worldly but truely Epicurian how euer it be hidde and couered vnder the cloke of deuotion Heereby appeareth the more then desperat impudencie and shamelesnes of them who by their goodly legends so false sottish as nothing can bee more in lieu of keeping themselues vnto the history and doctrine contained in the second booke of Saint Luke called the Actes of the Apostles expreslie vttered to the pen by the holy Ghost haue not shamed to chaunge and transforme the holy Apostles of the Lord into builders of Churches deuisers of crosses forgers of holy water sprinckles c. And what shall say of that most grosse and enormous an impudent boldnes of forging of Saint Peters patrimonie Of that monster crowned with three crownes caried and adored vpon mens shoulders Of such store of glittering pomps shining in euery place which are so manie spoiles of such Kings and Princes as haue beene bewitched and sacrilegious robberies of such goods as were vowed to the spirituall mainteinance of the Church of the Lord As it was so long agoe foretold yea painted out by the holy Ghost in the Apocalypse so far as to name the place and the name of such a confusion And who hath so expounded it The auncient Greeks and Latins whom the Pope himselfe liketh of and alloweth What shall wee saie of the infinity of these goodly votaries of pouerty these honest wallet brethren these good fathers besotted with the verie stones and sumptuosities of their pallaces wherein they dwell What shal wee saie of these new locustes and west Indie Popiniayes already borne to be bred specially of these lees dregs of the filth and mud of the bottomles pit open profaners of the name of Iesus disnesting the other rauening birdes and cormorantes to lay their egs where they had builded and hauing within the compasse of these fewe yeares gotten to themselues more goods and built more goodly pallaces then the rest haue done in fiue hundred yeares before Which thing calleth to my remembrance that which the Philosophers saie That the Serpentes become Dragons by eating of other little Serpentes As for vs contenting our selues with our smalnesse let vs oppose vnto al this statelie Masquâ—raâ—a with which the world â—eeâ—eth itselfe the lodgings and cabbins of the ancient true Pastors there to seâ—ke after and to finde the true church and not in this glittering and profane riches in which the prince of this world raigneth Mat. 11.8 borrowing the name of the Church preferring on the contrariside with Moses the afflictions of the people of God and the reproch of Iesus Christ before all the treasures of Aegypt Heb 11.25 let vs I saie keepe our selues vnto him who is our king and so crowned with glory on high that yet in his poore members he is crowned with thornes Col. 1.24 and not vnto them who part with others the spoile of Iesus Christ 16 Moreouer although this worde which we haue turned Cabbins or Lodges bee taken sometimes in generall for euerie place of dwelling or abiding notwithstanding this woord of Sheepheards which is added hauing as I sayd a respect vnto the manner of liuing of Abraham Isaac and Iacob as also of Moses and Aaron in the wildernes as it is spoken Psalm 77.20 sheweth that wee must so take it as wee haue saide And herevpon we ought also to bee warned that as the sheepheards abid not stil in one place but had their portatiue tents and cabbines as we see how the ancient Patriarches dwelt with their flocks here and there the Church of God chaunging his place by this meanes together with them so we must also take heed how we tie the name of the church so to any place as to think that it neuer stirreth from any nation people citie or towne But wee must beare in mind the aduertisement of Christ who warneth vs that if a man tell vs heare is Christ or there is Christ wee beleeue him not And where is hee then there where saith he the bodie is yea the carcasse of the dead bodie in which is life there are the eagles Matth. 24.23 28. that is to say there where Iesus Christ no other is preached I mean the true Iesus christ in whose only death wee finde life and of whom the Apostle saide that he thought no other thing worthie of knoâ—ledge but Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 and purely preached There must the eagles gather themselues together that is to say seeking to bee fedde with no other then with him crucified For there and no where els is the Church And where shal this true Iesus Christ be found In the cabbins and lodges of the sheepeheardes which are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles vpon which for this cause and for that they lay this only foundation which is Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3.11 it is said that this Church is founded Eph. 2.20 Apoc. 2.14 Yea but reply our aduersaries if the question be of the interpretation of a place of the Scripture drawen to a contrary sense to whom shall wee haue recourse to discerne the true sense from the false Certes againe to the cabbins of the sheepeheards and pastors the Church hauing none other true and certaine light then this written woorde whereunto we are sent backe not onely by the expresse commaundement of the Lord as we haue before saide but also by his own example who thus refuted and beat back againe the allegation of Sathan Mat. 4.7 as the weapons of the Apostles also were such and that against them who sate in the See of Ierusalem Act. 4.7 so far were they from aiding defending themselues with any vnwritten tradition or with any authoritie attributed vnto the See of Ierusalem seeing that was transformed into a denne of theeues Mat. 21.13 The like did the Iewes of Beroea found theÌ„selues in good case thereby Act. 17.11 the consent notwithstanding testimony of the true Church being not to bee reiected but greatly to bee esteemed of regarded which againe ought to be discerned from the false by the consent of their testimony with the Scriptures And this is it which all the ancient fathers lights of the olde Church haue declared protested must necessarily be doone in the reading of their writings 17 This then hath beene a very strange sleight and treachery of Satan to tie the spirite of trueth to the persons of Pastours and sheepheards without the examination of their doctrine by the scriptures nay which more is to subiect the scripture to their opinions and decrees as if the mason should order his plummet rule by the wall not frame the building to the rightnesse of his line and leuel We ought therefore to consider that the principal and chiefe stone Iesus Christ his doctrine haue beene from al times in
retire himselfe into purer and cleaner flocks if there be any such and where he may be in lesse danger of being corrupted by the contagion and infection of others The other imperfection consisteth in doctrine In which againe there are many circumstances to be considered before we depriue any assembly be it great or small of the name of the Church And that this should be so we see by the first epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians that in the church of Corinth not only touching manners the discipline of the church was very loosly obserued and the manner of teaching the word greatly prophaned by a vaine and affected kinde of babling but which more is that the pro and the con touching the article of the resurrection of the dead was stoutly and stifly disputed an article notwithstanding of such ground foundation in the Church that without it the preaching of the gospel would become vaine 1. Cor. 15.17 And yet notwithstanding it was so called and helde of the Apostle for the true and holy Church of God Among the Galathians it was yet worse beeing for the most part of them turned aside by the false Apostles from the principal ground-plat and foundation of the Christian Church namely from the free iustification by the only satisfaction of one onely Iesus Christ and yet all this notwithstanding Saint Paul giueth them the name of Church The reason is as touching the Corinthians because they shewed not themselues incorrigible and past amendment and that though there were some but badlie instructed in the article of the resurrection of the dead notwithstanding the bodie of the Church did stil retaine and hold the truth The Galathians also had not banded themselues against the doctrin of the Apostle but were only turned somewhat aside by a light headdines and yet not al of them as is to be presupposed The like is also to bee seene by that which the Apostle writeth vnto Timothy and likewise by the second of Saint Peter and that of Saint Iude that there were already false teachers and wicked Disciples euen in the bosome of the Churches which notwithstanding for all these imperfections left not to be called true Churches as a man leaueth not to bee a man though he haue some wert or some vlcers biles in one part of his body But the case is otherwise of a body altogether rotten and corrupted in the noblest and principallest partes whereunto the Synagogues of the Iewes may bee compared after that they stubburnely resisted the preaching of the Apostle from which for this cause hee vtterly diuided and disioyned the Church of Ephesus Act. 19.9 and 28.28 and himselfe also hath giuen vs a rule hereof Philip. 3.2 Neither are we otherwise to beleeue or to doe touching such assemblies and congregations be they great or little which notoriously and stubburnly oppose themselues against the principall and fundamental articles of Christian Religion as that assembly doth at this daie which sitteth vpon the seauen hils and opposeth it selfe directlie against the kingdome of Iesus Christ whose name notwithstanding it falsely borroweth and therefore we haue it iustly in execration and hold it accursed following the doctrine of the Apostle Galat. 1.8 To come therefore to our purpose we must take heede in this case how we stand in such sort vpon the defectes and imperfections of one Church or more as therefore not to take them for Churches but we must vse those ordinarie means which God hath appointed to bear with that which is to be borne withal to remedie that which may be remedied and to take heede to our selues we bee not smutted as they saie among colliers applying all our studie and endeuour to mutual edification as the Prophets and Apostles teach vs both by their doctrine and by their example 3 It is verie true notwithstanding that the spouse speaketh here of another kind of blacknesse to wit of the outward ouerthrowe and dissipation of the Church by the vehemencie of persecutions which is the cause that many making no difference betweene the glittering beuty of the kingdomes of this world and the spirituall beuty of that kingdome which is not of this world and suffering themselues to be dazled and blinded with that which hath onely a certaine outward glosse eyther enter not at al into the Church or if happily they bee entered retire themselues afterward out of it to returne againe to their vomit 2. Pet. 2.22 For fault of hearkening vnto this warning and aduertisement not to rely or stand vpon this outward black and hideous appearance of the crosse but contrariwise to waigh and consider well the true and natiue beutie of the Church in the middest of her greatest afflictions According hereunto the Lord hauing warned vs that his kingdom commeth not with such obseruation Luk. 17.20 hath said also That he shal be happy which shal not be offended at him who notwithstanding is called a man of sorrowes and griefes and so disfigured Esaie 53.3 that hee is compared vnto a worme of the earth Psal 22.6 to whom notwithstāding the church must be made conformable to bee the true church Rom. 8.29 in such sort that so far it is that the crosse maketh the Church not to be knowen that on the contrarie it is the true mark thereof being giuen to none but to the true beleeuers to suffer for the name of God the Apostle crying out That this is it whereof he wil boast himselfe Gal. 6.14 Mat. 5.10 Phil. 1.19 and elsewhere throughout the Scripture Hereunto is referred the second point which I haue touched being contained in this that the Church which called her selfe black saith that she is Browne as if she should saie to these Daughters of Ierusalem Comparing my selfe with you who are so fresh and so faire it seemeth indeed that there is nothing more black then I but yet if your eies be good you shal find that albeit I be browne and sunneburnt by the parching of the sunne yet am I not for al my tanned hew an Arabian or Aethiopian For ouer and besides that which hath beene said of the happie end issue of the afflictions of the Church there is an exceeding difference between the most miserable estate of those who are blatched before God by his iust vengeances or which are left remaining in their naturall blacknes and betweene the confidences and assurances of the children of god afflicted for righteousnes and for the glory of the Lorde who bestoweth this great fauor and grace vpon them to be glorified in them Farther if we consider of the estate of the church in her greatest afflictions it is not so miserable as men think it is For as the Apostle teacheth vs God is faithful and neuer suffereth such as are his to bee tryed aboue that which they are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 And therefore verie true it is that wee are pressed in euerie sort but not crased or broken beeing in want and penurie wee are not
pardon Now the power of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which consisteth in binding and loosing that is to say in condemning and absoluing of sin was in the person of Saint Peter the other eleuen Apostles giuen vnto the Church Mat. 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 But whereas it is said elsewhere that it pertaineth vnto God alone to remit sinnes Mar. 2.7 it is easie to be vnderstoode that there is a great difference first betweene making of Lawes and publishing or applying of them and secondly betweene power to execute absolutely and a commission limited and bounded Therefore I saie touching the spirituall kingdome concerning the conscience saluation or damnation that this power pertaineth to one onely God in the person of his sonne whom hee hath from all time established and ordained head of this Empire And as touching the execution of his Lawes according to the exigence of cases hee hath set vp and established his holy ministerie in his Church with a commission limited that is to say with a charge to iudge according vnto the tenor of his Laws and as it were representing the chiefe Lord and Lawe-giuer and not otherwise vnder paine of nullity of their sentence otherwise we must saie that Iesus Christ was iustly condemned and excommunicated with his Disciples Ioh. 9.22 and 16.2 insteede of that which the Lord himselfe said of them let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind And indeede Saint Paul speaking in generall of his whole preaching calleth it the counsaile of God Act. 20.27 And to the ende that no man should extend and stretch this to any inward and internall reuelation without the Scripture that which I ordaine saith he speaking of the institution of the holy Supper that haue I receiued of the Lord and speaking of being vnmarried hee protesteth that he wil not tie and intangle their consciences as also Saint Peter admonisheth al pastors to take heede how they vsurpe a lordlines ouer their flocks which he calleth the portion or the heritage of the Lord 1. Pet. 5.3 And therefore these words of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.12 But to the rest I speake and not the Lord speaking of mariages contracted with an vnbeleeuing partie ought not so to bee vnderstoode as if the Apostle tooke vpon him to commaund anie thing of his owne head priuate authority but he vseth this maner of speach to distinguish that for which he had the expresse and registred word of God from that which was not in plaine termes expressed but correspondent notwithstanding and agreeing with that which was written beeing a thing impossible that the Lawes could containe euerie particular case which might happily fal out as we haue at large declared and expounded the same in handling of that Epistle 7 Finallie there are which alleadge the authoritie which the Church had in the time of the Apostles to make ecclesiastical Lawes and ordinances and ring out as loud as they can this word of Apostolical traditions Act. 15.28 and 16.4 1. Cor. 11.2 and. 34. whereof they produce diuerse examples scattered and sowen heere and there throughout Saint Paules Epipistles as of the vaile of weomen of the order of speaking and vttering the word of God in the assemblie of collections and gatherings for the poore and of almes This matter would require whole sermons as we haue also often occasion to speak thereof But for this present this may thus bee aunswered in a word It is then another thing to make lawes to tie mens consciences to say looke yee this is good and pleasing vnto God this he commaundeth you to doe or beleeue or contrariwise to say looke yee this hath God forbidden and this you may not doe or beleeue And againe see these be the vocations and charges by which the sonne of God wil haue his Church to be ruled and gouerned this I say is farre another thing then to haue a respect vnto that which is requisite for the vse and practise aswell of the doctrine as also of the discipline which God the alone and onelie Law-giuer hath ordained requisite I saie according vnto the time persons and place which beeing subiect to infinit varieties yea sometimes contrarieties the Lord vnder the new couenant hath not made as I may so saie could not make certaine special perpetual ordinaunces seeing this policie is accidentall and not of the substaunce neither of doctrine nor of discipline And therefore in respect of this point hee was content to giue a generall commaundement that whatsoeuer he ordained should be executed orderly and modestly in his house which the church 1. Cor. 14.40 Yee see then the boundes which he is content to prescribe vs. And that this is so we see how these ordinaunces themselues of the Apostles which wee haue aboue specified vanished awaie by little and little the times being chaunged and the causes why they were made ceasing to be which would not haue been if they had concerned the substance of discipline and doctrine which are perpetual and inuiolablie to bee obserued vnto the end consummation of the world Contrariwise the Scribes and Pharisees not contenting themselues that they were placed in Moses chaire that is to say to declare the doctrine and discipline taught by the ministery of Moses in which case the people were to doe that which they taught and not to follow their wicked life would needes medle with making of Lawes to tie the consciences of men and so to adde somwhat of their owne vnto the seruice of God established by his Lawe where it is saide that the Lorde had rather scandalize and offend them then subiect his Disciples vnto them Mar. 7.6 shewing that he held not or accounted the vsage of such traditions for a thing indifferent but calleth them the abolishing and taking away of the commandements and ordinances of God Mar. 7.13 and a leauen which he commaundeth vs to take heede of Mat. 16.12 Now I thought good expreslie to specifie in this matter the time of the new couenant because that vnder the old the Church being enclosed within the limites of one people of one country of one holy place and for a time onely the Lord declared and set downe not onely the doctrine which he would haue to be taught both of the seruice and gouernment of his house but also specified and particularized those ordinances according to the times places and persons which he would haue to bee inuiolablie obserued without changing adding or diminishing anie thing in thē at al Deu. 4.2 Esai 1.12 29.13 But vnder the new couenant which hee contracted with all people and nations and for so long time as the world should endure it was necessarie hee should leaue it in the liberty of the Churches to appoint and establish whatsoeuer in special and particular concerneth the vse and practise of the doctrine and discipline as touching order and edification according to the variety and difference of circumstances And thus far of the soueraintie of
and incomprehensible distinctly considered and by it selfe but in as much as he is the sonne manifested that is to saie made visible true man in our bodily nature For among al the coulours of the woorld as the dy of the scarlet Rose is the most excellent that maie be found so ther is none which doth more liuely and naturally represent the coulour of mans flesh quicke and temperately coloured What is then this scarlet or damaske flesh color Rose It is the great secret of our religion namely the true sonne of God manifested in flesh iustified in spirite seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glorie 1. Tim. 3.16 this is that elder brother Rom. 8.29 the fairest of al mē Psal 45.3 this is our soueraigne high priest holy without spot of sinne separated from sinners exalted aboue the heauens Heb. 7.26 crowned with glorie and honour Heb. 2.9 who hath a name aboue al names Phil. 2.9 But how is he ascended vnto his degree By the suffering of his death euen the death of the crosse Phil. 2.8 Beholde then a gaine a Rose not onelie in part died but all red with that blood by the which our sinnes are washed Such was hee when Pilate hauing scourged him brought him forth vnto the people said behold the man Such was hee when hee was al bathed with his owne bloode on the crosse beaten for our sinnes wounded for our iniquities torne and disfigured for our transgressions Esaie 53.5 And what was then the beuty of this Rose Trulie obscured nay put out for a litle time and defaced Heb. 2.9 so farre as that this Bridegrome became to be more vile then a worme of the earth Psal 22.6 But seeing obedience is alwaies more faire and pleasant vnto God then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 and there was neuer obedience like vnto that of the crosse Phil. 2.8 it followeth that this Rose was euen then before God in his perfectest glosse and beuty albeit it was so died with bloode not which staineth and blotteth but which doth awaie the staines and blots of the woorlde Which thing maie seeme to haue been figured and represented clean contrarie to the meaning of Pilate and Herod both by the purple robe wherewith Pilate clad him being altogither bloody Ioh. 19.5 which is correspondent answering to this scarlet Rose as by the white robe which Herod put vpon him to mock him withal Luk. 23.7 which is and may be referred vnto the similitude of the Lilly Naie which more is at this daie yea and before the act of this reall and indeede bloodie oblation and in the act it selfe and since vnto the end and consummation of the woorld yea vnto all eternity if this Rose had not appeared before God the father and did not still appeare and shoulde hereafter to be seene and smelt of him there had neuer been nor should not now haue beene or at anie time hereafter anie spouse of this Bridegroome that is to saie neither Church nor eternal and euerlasting happines and felicity For in whom is it that is to saie in respect of whom is it the father hath chosen his Church from euerlasting In Iesus Christ who was to bee that which hee was made and to doe that which hee hath done for his elect in his determinated and appointed time Ephes 2.4 and Gal. 4.4 in whom was he appeased from the beginning In the Lamb who in respect of the effect was slaine since the wound sore was made Apoc. 3.12 to whom had the Lawe respect To this Bridegroome who should accomplish it and hath accomplished and fulfilled it in his time Gal. 3.23 and who is the bodie and substaunce of the figures and shadowes of the law ceremonial Col. 2.17 In a word although the act of this bloody sacrifice and of this onely oblation once for al made Heb. 10 14. be passed alreadie and that Iesus christ liueth and raigneth as a victorious Lord ouer death Rom. 6.9 hauing led his enemies captiue in triumph Ephes 6.8 yet notwithstanding before the father vnto whom there is no difference of time past present or to come the woundes of this Bridegroome wherewith this Rose is bathed do as I maie so saie alwaies bleede fresh and shal bleede for euer holding still appeasing the wrath anger of God the father And what doe we euerie day whether it be in hearing and receiuing this word and giuing him thankes or whether it be specially in the celebration of the holy supper but renew and refresh the memorie of his death and passion not to offer him vp againe in sacrifice for this were to denie his reall oblation once for all made and for euer but as it were to present him beeing yet as I may so saie euery daie sacrificed and as it were stil bloody in asmuch as we set his death passiō between god vs as the only foundatiō both of our faith as also of our hope And therfore let vs know that without wee present vnto the father this Rose throughout red this Lilly altogether white pure neither we nor our prayers can be acceptable vnto him of the which flowers if the coulor which is a witnesse of the obedience and satisfaction and innocencie of this Bridegroome be pleasing and acceptable vnto god the odour of them figured by the perfumes of the Law as we haue in our sermons going before at large declared is much more sweete pleasant vnto him And this is it which we haue to consider in this Bridegrome to be thereby stirred vp and moued to ioyne our selues euery day nearer and nearer with him 7 Let vs heare now what he saith of his spouse to the ende to make vs the more desirous to enioy her companie Like as the Lilly saith he among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters We haue alreadie spoken of this most excellent name and indeede precious of Loue or Welbe-loued vnder which is comprised al maner of blessing and the fountaine and spring from whence it floweth which is the meerelie free loue of God towards them who are by nature his enemies Ioh. 3.16 and Rom. 6.10 and therefore without farther standing hereon wee will onelie consider the causes wherefore the spouse is heere compared vnto a Lilly and wherefore these words among the thorns are added The faithful the assemblie and company of whom in one mystical bodie of Iesus Christ is called the Church are compared sometimes to goodly trees bearing fruit at al times Ps 1. sometimes vnto palm trees Cedars of Libanus Ps 92.13 sometimes vnto a fruitful vine Psal 80.9 in this place she is cōpared by her Bridegrome vnto a Lilly as himself was also called a lilly in the verse going next before to shewe vs the agreeablenesse and conuenience betweene these two Beholde therefore two Lilly plantes both of them most faire and most sweete But the first is a Lilly of himselfe and in
of this woorlde beeing turned vp a new transformed into a new terrestrial paradise was afterwardes in his time not onelie simplie checked and enameled with flowers but also enriched with the most precious treasures of that which is aboue the heauens powred downe first in al aboundance and perfection vpon the head of this Bridegroome who afterward made an admirable and infinit larges thereof on the daie of Pentecost as the Apostle maketh that goodly reckoning of them 1. Cor. 2. and especially Ephes 4.11 speaking of the vocations trulie ecclesiasticall which are the true beutie and ornament of the Church not accompanied with such temporal blessings as was the Temple kingdom of Salomon but altogether spirituall and incomprehensible and hath the crosse it selfe for her garland and as it were an especial marke that she is not of this world but hated and persecuted of the woorlde as was her head Ioh. 17.14.16 vnto whom we must by this means be made conformaâ—le in death to bee also one daie in life and in glorie Rom. 8.28 and 2. Tim. 2.1 8 The marks therefore of the true Christian Church are neither steeples nor towers nor other sumpteous costly buildings nether crosses nor miters of gold or of siluer nor clothes of gold or precious stones which had their place in the auncient teÌ„ple to serue for the rudiments principles of the world to be the figure of that whereof Iesus Christ is the body Col. 2.8.17 and Heb. 10.1 So that now all this pelfe and trash is the ornament and decking of the whore Apoc. 17.4 but the Churches true ornament and setting forth is in respect of the Lord the order of his holy ministerie seruice set vp established in respect of herselfe the certainty of vnderstanding and assured knowledge she hath of the secret of our saluation Col. 2.2 and the fruites of the spirit recited by the Apostle Gal. 5.22 flowers truly pleasant and liking the Lorde through his grace 9 But alas as we haue great occasion to magnifie our good God and father for that which proceedeth from him so what exceeding cause haue we to humble and condemne our selues before his face For where shall these flowers be found among vs And if there be any as the word of the Lord is neuer without some effect Esa 55.11 shal we yet be able to find so many as may suffice to make a nosegay to present our Bridegroome withall I dare not say it standing here in the chaire of truth shall we find any of these flowers in the marchantes shoppes No for there is nothing smelleth sweete vnto them but gaine What In the courtes and tribunals of iustice dispersed heere and there through Christendome as it is called Alas not to speake of the negligence there committed which displeaseth God so highly and the acception of persons a thing so stinking before him is it possible to find any sweete smelling violet in the desert of extortion of falshood of consciences set to sale of desire of reuenge of making a trade and liuing in setting al the woorld a pleading Goe we to men of occupation and what shall we finde Deceit and coosinage in some idlenes in others yea in such as liue by their daies iourney and especially in the best woorkmen I report me to the places hereaboutes so much vsed and haunted with their playing at keils both within without the cittie I report me to the tauerners accounts who liue by the idlenes of such people to the teares and moningâ— of wiues who carry the marks of their idle and dronken husbands and to their litle children pining and languishing away and ready to die with hunger But peraduenture you shal find some sweet flower among these great ones who liue by their â—ent Nothing lesse But what will will you giue mee is the first entrance vnto your sute I am content you haue it keapes aloofe Wade you farther in it you find nothing but double dealing and vnsatiable couetousnes If you meane to renue your lease speake to my dame for shee rules the house And yet you must say grand-mercy I thank you sir to the butcher that hath cut the purse though the poore sheepe can bleede no longer It may bee the wemen who make so much of garlandes and nosegaies wil furnish vs with some of these flowers Not a whit for they are well agreed in this poynt and Madam is as good as Mounsieur and Mounsieur as Madam maister as mistres and mistres as maister nay heere it is and among these you shall finde all stinking vanities and superfluities from the head to the feete what euer lawes the magistrates make to the contrary what warnings so euer we make them in the name of God what visitation so euer the Lord lay vpon them For what can all this do or profit 10 The Bridegroom addeth that the time of the musike of the birdes is come that the turtle hath been heard But what musike is this And what are these songes Not these vnchast and filthie poemes which men bring vs euen hither so stinking that neuer came greater infection out of the dungeons of the most infamous brothel-houses that euer were not such soundes as are cast into the ayre in a toung vnknowne both to the fingers themselues and to such as heare them sing 1. Cor. 14.15 Not these infamous hymnes or proses full of Idolatry which the Idolaters houle foorth vnto their dumbe Idoles 1. King 18.16 Not these cantels morsels of scriptures warbled quauered and crochetted to giue pleasure vnto the eares not these vaine and sottish songs and ballades which the fildes ring of al haruest and vintage time but those those songs I say which God teacheth vnto the heart putteth in the mouth of those who are his Psal 40.4 Of which sort we haue a great nomber made and vttered by the holie ghost With this harmony therefore the Bridegroome tuneth his song and inuiteth his spouse to keepe therein like time and accord with him 11 And what is this voice of the spouse but his holy worde which hath tong in the world hath in most diuine sort charmed his Church first of all by his prophets afterwardes in his time by himselfe in person then by his Apostles and yet in our daies by his faithfull Pastors and Doctors I am thy God and the God of thy posteritie sang hee to Abraham Gen. 17.7 and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 26.4 which daie of the Lord he sawe and reioyced therein Ioh. 8.56 Vp arise hath he saide to Ierusalem by Esay be bright for thy light is come and the glory of the euerliuing is risen vpon thee Esay 60.1 we bring you tidings of great ioy which shalbe vnto al people said the Angels vnto the sheepeheardes Luk. 2.10 filling and replenishing the ayre afterwardes with this diuine Canticle and song Glory bee vnto God in the highest heauens peace in
him Now the temporal gifts blessings which god bestoweth vpon his Church are a smal thing in comparison of the spiritual treasure which is proper vnto her although whosoeuer offendeth the children of God euen in these they shall haue the worst the Lorde himselfe hauing giuen this charge Touch not mine annointed Psalm 105.15 So that no sacrilegious person no not among the Paynims and worshippers of false Gods had euer his wickednesse vnreuenged and Aegypt and Babylon caried not farre the outrages they committed against the people of God In a woord it is not without cause that the head speaking of his members cryed from heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.4 But heere the matter concerneth spirituall blessinges and the proper and peculiar treasure of the Church namelie the enioying of the Bridegroome in his woord and the gouernment of his house Pharao woulde needes seeke to hinder the children of Israel from this blessing first simplie afterwarde by certaine conditions Wee see what it cost him The Assyrians and Chaldaeans who ruined the Temple and destroyed the Cittie fared no better So sped the Kinges of Persia who hindered the building of the Temple Contrariwise God blessed in carnall and woorldly things Alexander the great who bare himselfe otherwise how ambitious a Paynim so euer he were His successours the Kinges both of Syria and of AEgypt maie serue vs for example heerein both on the one side and on the other according as they fauoured with al peace and tranquillitie this mutuall repose of this Bridegroome and spouse or otherwise endeuoured to hinder it Those two Romane Captaynes Crassus and Pompee who were the first which spoyled the Temple of God although it were then most vilanouslie polluted by the gardiens and keepers of it themselues perished so exemplarilie and wretchedlie that hee is blinde who perceiueth it not The third who was Titus escaped no better And the Romane empire when God had serued himselfe with it to reuenge the vnthankfulnesse of his people making warre against this spouse neuer ceased since to bee the executioner and hang-man of itselfe vntil it fell in peeces 2 The beast mowled and fashioned vpon this Empyre against which monster wee are still in combate at this daie wil saie as much against vs putting her selfe in the place of this spouse But wee haue two peremptorie replies against them The one that all histories make contrarie proofe heereof if wee iudge thereof not by the beginning of a false prosperity but by the issue and ende of houses and families which haue fauoured this beast on whom the horrible iudgement of god hath finally bin brought The other that by the iust permission of God the prince of this world must keep some promise with his seruantes whom he telleth euery daie shewing them the kingdomes of this world Al these wil I giue you if you wil fal downe and worship me and therefore they contrarie to that which Christ aunswered him Matth. 4.9 take him at his woord and become his seruantes But such a master faileth not in the end to pay such seruants their wages And if we haue but eies to see the examples of our time which haue been shewed vpon the greatest of Christendome both in the East Weast North and South wee shall not neede to search anie auncient recordes for this matter Such is then this gallaunt and holie confidence of the spouse to braue her enemies in whose person the Apostle speaking wee see how hee dealt with Elymas Act. 13.10 howe he defieth all creatures high middle lowe Rom. 8.37 how hee beareth downe euerie high thing which presumeth to make head against God 2. Corinth 10.5 And indeede what power is there of any monarcke whatsoeuer which can vaunt of this promise Whatsoeuer you bind on earth shall bee bound in heauen Matth. 6.19 Vnderstand it not of one alone no not of Saint Peter himselfe but of the Church Matth. 18.17 and 1. Corinth 5.4 and of the true Church not exceeding the limites of her commission and established by him who is her garder and defender 3 It followeth in our text What is she that mounteth vp out of the desert like palmes of smoke Whereupon a man maie first of all demaund what personage is brought in in this place Some thinke that these are the Daughters of Ierusalem vnto whom this charge was giuen but there is no reason of this It is therefore the Bridegroome which speaketh discoursing and talking with his spouse in her Mothers Chamber and magnifieng with her the graces and blessings which himselfe had bestowed on her And this very changing of the person namely that he turneth his speech so as if he spake to a third person although hee spake to her herselfe hath a marueilous grace Neither must we take this for a question or demaund as if the Bridegroome asked and enquired after one which hee knewe not but we must take it as a kinde of admiration touching the goodly comelines and grace of this spouse He compareth her therefore vnto a pillar which is high and streight as were the palmes or date trees of that countrie a pillar Isay of a vapour or fume mounting countermount from the mountaines of the desert or wildernesse which vapour hee also saith to proceed from hence that the spouse is so perfumed with al sortes of excellent odors that the fume thereof mounteth as I may say vp vnto heauen whereof wee shal speake anon Such thē is this cōparison which seemeth to haue beene borowed from this that a multitude marching together and comming from any place resembleth as it were a clowde as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.1 For how euer this spouse be brought in speaking in this Canticle as it were one person onely it hindereth not for all that but that the whole company of the faithfull and beleeuing be vnderstood by her person ioyned together notwithstanding in one bodie and quickened by one and the same spirit as it is described vnto vs Act. 4.32 4 And if hereupon any man demaund wherefore there is here mentiō made of the desert I answere that it is in respect of the first beginning of this people which before their iourneying into the desert was but one family and began first to be a people in the wildernesse where god ordained thē a maner of policie and common-weale and gaue them a forme of a people neither are we to stay our selues on this desert of Arabia namely that of Sinay and Pharan For to speak in a more generality the Church being chosen out of the midst of the world not onely in respect of that time but from age to age according as some die and others succeede them shee was indeed drawen and is yet euery day drawen out of the most horrible hideous deserts that cā be in nature in consideration whereof Iosua warneth the people to remember that Abraham himselfe Thare were takē drawen out of the desert of Idolatry Iosu 24.2 which
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
it had indeed notoriously come to passe had not God by his grace holy spirit gouerned Isaak in the end issue of this matter And among other causes we must principally attribute the great afflictions which after befell Iacob menaced by his brother to this slie touch of hers though God drew light out of darknes Wee haue hereof also a notable example in Martha the Sister of Marie who not knowing how to gouern and rule in good sort that good and holy desire she had of receiuing and well entertaining of Christ in her house chose not the better part but that for which shee was reprehended Luk. 10.42 Let vs therefore all of vs little and great be careful not only to demand of God his graces and blessinges but also that principall grace which gouerneth all the rest as we here see that the spouse speaketh not simply of one kisse but of kisses in the plural number and addeth moreouer of his Mouth to teach vs that to come vnto this so much desired coniunction wee must demaund of God grace vpon grace which graces doe truly part from his mouth being not onely produced but also entirely gouerned by his spirit without anie mixture of our leauen As for example conformably to that which I euen now alleadged of Martha you the woorshipful the magistrates are much busied encombred in the dispatch of ciuil causes and administring of Iustice vnto euery man which is an holy vocation and calling with which the Lord hath honoured you wherein I beseech him to graunt you his grace to beare your selues wel vprightly and diligently But if you so imploy your selues herein that the desire you haue to doe iustice in ciuill causes cause these roomes to be voide which ought to be filled with your persons to heare the woord of God which should rule and direct you in your charge this is called vnder the colour of doing well to forget the chiefe principal busines Again behold a preacher which wil be diligent and painful at his study to prouide wherewith to feede his sheepe This is a most holy necessary desire but if he giue himselfe in such sort to his booke that while he is at his study Satan catcheth one of his sheep this is not to do the duty of a pastor or sheepheard who shuld not only attend vnto reading according to the admonition of Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1.13 but also to watching ouer his flock both in general in particular according to the exāple of our Apostle Act. 20.26 Behold likewise an housholder houswife who is careful to trauel according to the cōmandement of god for the maintenāce of hir family look on an honest merchāt which endeuoreth to folow his calling in a good cōscience for the profit of the cōmon weal which is a thing very rare seldom in this world these are holy honest desires but if to attēd on these things a man be then at his shoppe when hee should be at a sermon to doe better this is nothing else but to do euil when we think to do our duty And therfore I say again that we must be watchfull stand vpon our gard to desire aboue al things the kisses of the mouth of the Lord that with a pure holy ordered affection after the example of this spouse vnto whō the lord of his grace conforme vs which thing we wil demaund of him saying Almighty God c. THE THIRD SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. 2 For thy dilections are better then wine 1 That the whole contentment of the spouse or Bride proceedeth from this that the Bridegroome hath loued her first 2 The woork of creation is the first testimony of Gods loue dilection towards man 3 The worke of redēption is a more admirable testimony of this dilection but is particularly belonging vnto the spouse 4 The testimony of this loue is declared vnto vs in the holie Scriptures 5 In what sense these dilections are preferred before wine and why the spouse vseth this word in the plural number 6 The mutual and enterchaungeable dilection or loue which is dewe vnto the Bridegroome is the sum of the Law And the principall abuses which are committed in dilection or loue and in hatred 7 That God alone ought properlie to be loued 8 That knowledge must go before loue and how man before his fal knew and loued God 9 Whether Adam and Eue had the knowledge of euil thereby to haue hated it before their fal 10 Men before they be regenerate cannot nor wil not learne to loue or hate aright 11 The onlie spirit of God which created vs teacheth the spouse this lesson but yet not without resistance 12 The marueilous combate of the Bridegroome for his Bride 13 The warre of the spirite against the flesh is not by and by ended 14 How wee ought to loue one another and the other creatures 15 The hatred of vs against the diuell ought to be irreconciliable 16 How we ought to hate the wicked 17 Abuse in hating the creaturs which are made for our vse 18 A conclusion of the treatise of orderlie dilection and hatred WEE haue hearde howe the spouse forgetting all other thinges whatsoeuer without exception protested that shee desired no other thing than the kisses of the mouth of her Bridegroome Nowe to the ende that euery one of vs may knowe that shee speaketh not as a fond passionate bodie but as one which is indeed sage and sober and which knoweth to make good difference between that which she ought to desire and that she ought to shun she addeth a peremptory reason of her so ardent desire to wit the dilections of her Bridegroome Which thing because it may be taken in two sortes either of the loue of the Bridegroome towardes the Bride or of the Bride towards the Bridegrome we must first of al vnderstand that this heere is meant of the dilection wherewith the Bridegroome doth loue the Bride For otherwise the Bride should brag and boast of her selfe which the Saints of God are neuer wont to doe This therefore is the sense and meaning of this place that it is not but vpon great ground and reason that the spouse forgetting all other thinges yea euen her owne selfe desireth nothing else than to be loued of Iesus Christ her Bridegrome to enioy her wel-beloued seeing there is nothing to be compared vnto the dilection and loue of God towards vs whence it followeth reciprocally that is back againe that there is nothing which we ought to loue besides him But first wee must begin with him which hath loued vs first because that without this wee could neuer knowe him aright vnto saluation nor loue him 2 But who is able to sound this bottomles depth whereinto we now enter I mean the special dilection of God towards his church Truly our God is infinit incomprenable in al his works euen in the smallest of them
and persecutions as we haue before at large handled 4 Albeit therefore there is but one Church notwithstanding this letteth not but that it may be considered in mo parts euen in this world whereof some being disfigured by persecution seeke after other which are in peace So we see by experience at this day that the Church of God being most cruelly persecuted and depriued of the publique and pure exercise of religion in some places of the world is releeued elsewhere and comforted inioyeth by an especial grace and fauour of God hir liberty who reserueth for his poore children some place of refuge and refreshing 5 But it seemeth that yet more properly to speake more neere to the point the church being as it were vniuersally persecuted and woonderfully disfigured demaundeth here of hir Bridegroome how and by what meanes hee is accustomed to maintain and nourish his Church with this pasture against all the afflictions stormes and tempestes of this worlde And therefore is as much as if she should say that though shee bee brought into poore estate yet hath she not for all that lost any whit of her courage or changed her affection at al as it is saide Psal 44.18 and Psal 89.39 but that amiddest them amongst whom she is in so troublesom a time she hath as it were lost the footing of the right way as beeing brought into a desert wildernesse which causeth her to desire her Bridegroome it may please him to direct her and to point her out which way shee shall take to finde and to come vnto her true repose and rest In a word to vnderstand this place aright let vs set before vs the state of the church of the Lord in which it was but threescore or fourscoure years ago whē if a man had demāded what maner of booke the Bible was or the new Testament he should hardly haue found one among a thousand of them which named themselues christians which knew what it was much lesse which vnderstood what was meant by the law the Gospel Neither doe wee doubt but that such as it pleased God to vouchsafe his grace to enquire after the right way amidst such desarts to find it to teach it vs to bring vs thither by their holy labor trauel did oftē make the same praier vnto God which this spouse beeing in the like estate maketh here without which praier themselues we should haue perished with others with the rest of the world And yet at this daie what doe all the true faithfull beleeuers in those places and kingdomes where they mourne and languish but praie vnto the Lord to teach them the right waie amidst those labyrinthes in which they are and to guide them to those places where God doth feed his sheep in al abundance and in exceeding great safety 6 Behold I say what the true children of God hauing great want of that which we haue in all aboundance desire of God euery day with vnspeakable sighinges and teares whilest wee despise the bounty and liberality of the Lord and turne vpon our heads into iust iudgement the grace and mercy of the gospel by our wicked and dissolute liuing And what shal we saie of them who enioying the places of such a rest seeke after Sodome and Gomorra departing as Lot did out of Abrahams house Gen. 13.10 by reason whereof he found himselfe soone after in il case Gen. 14.12 yea with his whole family Gen. 19. which was finally cursed of God and shut out and excluded from his people I knowe what the replies of such men are that the gospel is not enclosed shut vp within the walles of one city which is verie true But notwithstanding the spouse demaundeth in this place where the place is that hee feedeth and reposeth or resteth his sheep Neither serueth the reply of such men to any purpose namely that in what place soeuer they bee they wil serue God and if they cannot haue the publique exercise of the word of God they wil read the Scripture and wil pray in their houses I answere that Lot also when hee was in Sodom afflicted his soule which they for the most keep themselues wel from 2. Pet. 2.8 and yet we see that neither he nor his Daughters learned any thing there which was ought worth Gen. 19.8.16.31 7 The first point therefore of this demand is to know whether we must retire our selues not to perish with the woorlde but to be fed to eternal life This is meant by these words where thou feedest In which we are also to note that it is not said where men feede but where thou feedest whereby it is shewed vs that we must seek for this food elsewhere then in our selues to wit in him of whom onely it is said that he hath life in himselfe Ioh. 5.26 and who is the bread of life Ioh. 6.35 and that we seeke it no where else but there where he feedeth vs I meane as Saint Peter testifieth there where his word is announced and preached when he saith Ioh. 6.68 to whom shall wee goe Thou hast the words of eternal life after that he had heard a little before of him the words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life For which cause also 1. Ioh. 1.1 he is called the word of life This is then the onely great pastor and shepheard of our soules who feedeth his sheepe hauing spoken first of al vnto the fathers in diuerse sorts and at sundry times and last of all hauing declared vnto vs in person al the will of his father Ioh. 15.15 and consequentlie hauing giuen and giuing euery daie pastours and teachers Ephes 4.11 of whom it is said As my father hath sent me so send I you Ioh. 20.21 not to ad notwithstanding or to diminish any thing from the doctrine alreadie preached by the master but according to the tenour of their commission limited to that which they haue heard and receiued Matth. 28.20 and Act. 4.20 8 From thence also flow 2. other points of most necessary doctrin First that the Church is not there where men do feed that is to say doe teach their owne inuentions whether they forge a doctrine altogither new Esay 29.13 or whether they adde change or diminish anie thing from the word first preached and afterward registred by the Prophets and Apostles which the Lord calleth the leauen of the Pharisees Mat. 16.11 whereof the Apostle distinctly and expresly speaketh Col. 2 from the 16. vers vnto the end of the Chapter Secondly that as little ought euery assembly to bee called the church in the which there is no feeding but foding of the poore people with songs and right masquerades and mummeries and that in an vnknowen language among whom euen those which vsurp the names of pastors are dumb dogs deuouring the sheep as it were bread Psal 14.4 in steed of feeding them Ioh. 10.10 and not only ignoraunt and vtterly vnable and vnfit for their calling but
diuerse sortes For there are some which refer it to the fashion which Thamar vsed to deceiue Iuda her father in Lawe Gen. 38.15 gathering from thence that the maner of harlots was to couer themselues according vnto which exposition this should bee taken as if the spouse did say that keeping companie with such kind of people she should be thought to be neuer a whit better then they as it commonly commeth to passe and doth stil fall out agreeable with the historie of the Daughters of Lot For it fareth with them who ouer familiarly and ouer long time haunt the companie of the wicked and peruerse as with them who dwel among colliers and come too neare them according vnto the lesson which the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 15.33 And this is the cause why the Lord vnder the Law was so careful to seuer his people in euerie respect yea as touching their verie attire and apparel from al other profane nations We heare also the mones which Dauid maketh during his flight Psal 42. 120. and elsewhere as also the Apostle exhorteth vs to take heede with whom wee companie 1. Cor. 5.11 And I woulde to God that many had thought better vpon this point thē they haue done who are at this day in a most wretched and miserable estate hauing throwen themselues wittingly and willingly into the pawes of the rauening and deuouring lyon This is then a most holesome and necessarie doctrine but notwithstanding such as hath no verie sure ground foundation touching this maner and forme of speech being a thing vnlikely that they who prostitute their bodies and consequently seeke nothing else but to allure men to their destruction by their beutie as such weomen are described by this same Salomon Prouerb 6.25 and 7.10 should hide their faces besides that if they should so doe it were an harde thing to discerne an honest maried wife vayled from an harlot Neither meant Moses in the historie of Thamar to say that she was therefore accounted an harlot because shee had couered her face but that therefore Iuda knew her not to bee his daughter in lawe because she was attired like a widowe and had couered her face whom notwithstanding hee thought to bee an harlot seeing her set out in that sort and sitting alone in the high way There are others therefore which expound this woord As one which wandreth out of the waie because it is sometimes taken in this sense in the toung which Salomon vseth as if the spouse saide that being among such lewde companie shee must needes bee as a poor wanderer and vagabond But it is better to take it simply in this sense that shee cannot bee among such wicked companie but to her great sorowe and griefe seeking for corners where to hide her head that she haue no felowship with them or els being constrained to hide and couer her face not to see such detestable things and to consent vnto them so much as with her countenaunce as Dauid protesteth that hee will not haue so much as in his mouth the names of straunge Gods Psal 16.4 The Apostle also warning vs to take heede not only of euil but also of euery thing that hath so much as the appearance of euill 1. Thess 5.22 as also Saint Peter witnesseth that Iust Lot who notwithstanding had doone better if hee had neuer departed from Abraham or returned againe vnto him vexed and afflicted from day to day his innocent soule hearing and seeing the wicked actes and deedes of them of Sodome God giue vs grace to make our profit of this holy doctrine necessarie for all times but especially amidst these cloudes and obscure darknesse with which wee see that Satan with such efficacie of error indeuoreth to obscure the cleare light which God hath sent vs as it were from heauen to the ende that they whose eies hee hath already opened suffer not themselues to bee blinded againe and that they who are yet in darkenesse and in the shadow of death may receiue the gift of this light and that contrariwise euery toung yeelde the Lorde God his honour and glory in his true Church by our onely mediatour our Lord Iesus Christ because we haue bin hitherto so loose in this behalfe so vnthankful so forgetful we wil demaund mercy as followeth Almighty God c. THE ELEVENTH SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the first Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the eighth verse 8 If thou knowe it not O thou the fairest among women get thee forth goe folowe the trace of the flock and feede thy kiddes by the tents or cabbins of the sheepheards 1 That Satan hath alwaies disguized the marks of the Church 2 The true Church leaueth not therefore to bee alwaies faire and precious in the sight of God 3 Wherefore the Church though shee be in such estate leaueth not for all that to bee the Church against the opinion of the Catharistes and Donatistes 4 The West Babylon is nothing lesse then the Church but how God hath drawen and yet draweth foorth his alwaies thence by awakening them with his singular mildnes and clemencie 5 We must come forth out of Babylon if wee wil not perish with it and how wee must doe it 6 The examples of Ioseph of Dauid and of Moses different and diuers in this respect applied vnto our time 7 Changing of place is not going forth of Babylon 8 To become a Monke is nothing lesse then to goe out of the world 9 An aunswere vnto them who at this daie seeke to find an agreement betweene Babylon and the Church 10 It is another thing to make a newe waie and to returne vnto the auncient and true waie and what this old and ancient waie is 11 There are two sortes of auncient fathers and manie turninges on the right hand and on the left 12 The succession of Bishops in the west Babylon is of no sure ground 13 What the true Cabbins and Tentes are vnto which this spouse is sent 14 Wherefore Salomon maketh mention of Cabbins and Sheepheardes 15 Touching the excesse committed in buildings and other pompes which haue altogither transformed the Church into a shoppe of most abominable ambition and couetousnesse 16 The Cabbins or Tents of the Church are portatiue and the meane not to bee deceiued in them 17 A great fault to stand vppon mere personal succession 18 A conclusion of the whole matter going before THE knowledge of the trueth beeing in all things the ready direction to follow the right way and nothing being more precious then saluation which leadeth vs farther then this life there is nothing more pernicious and pestilent then the obscuring and darkning of the truth touching our saluation by consequent then the disguizing of the true marks of the church of God without the which there is neither truth nor saluation This is it which the false Pastors would gladlie make men to
comely countenance as it is also specified Psal 144.12 where the daughters are compared to high straight pillers of great Pallaces the holy ghost meaning to represent vnto vs by these corporall thinges the excellency of the church of the Lord when shee keepeth herselfe to her true Pastours hath chosen this similitude in opposing it vnto the former desolation in the which the spouse went as it were hanging downe her head For as touching the mentioning of Pharao in this place there is no farder reason or allegory to be sought therof but this that among al the horses of those times they of Aegypt were accounted the brauest and the best as in manie places of the Scripture it is witnessed vnto vs and especially in the historie of Salomon 1. King 10.28 as at this daie men account of the horses of Spaine and of Turkie 7 But aboue all other things this is especially to be noted that the Bridegrome calling his spouse with his owne mouth his loue testifieth vnto vs that which the vnderstanding of man is not able to conceaue I meane the vnspeakable loue and dilection which hee beareth vnto his Church to the end wee should learn the most necessarie point of our saluation namelie that whatsoeuer she hath proceedeth from the mere liberalitie and bounty of her Bridegroome and that there is nothing in the whole world either so faire or so good to speake properlie as are those iewels wherewith hee adorneth his Church waiting for the daie of the full and perfect consummation of this marriage a doctrine so ill knowen as nothing worse whereby it is impossible that the iudgement of God should be far off frō vs. For the greatest vnthankfulnes that can be found amongest men is this to be persuaded that the friend to whom wee owe both our selues and whatsoeuer wee haue hath found I know not what in vs which hath moued him to chuse vs or happily hauing found vs so so hath preuented vs by his grace to the end that how euer it be some thing might bee found in vs which meriteth and deserueth his grace and fauor To this we must oppose this word so often reiterated repeated in this booke to wit My welbeloued or as wee saie in our common speach My loue which was after declared in his time by the Bridegroome himselfe comming in person to stipulate and couenant this marriage in more nearer maner I cal you not saith he my seruantes but I cal you my frindes namely the frinds of this Bridegroome as is spoken Ioh. 3.29 and 15.15 And wherefore frinds beloued Because saith he I haue loued you first 1. Ioh. 4.10 what shal we saie O Lord who are thus thy beloued They are thy naturall enemies yea enemies by race and kinde and from father vnto sonne And wherefore then hast thou loued them To cause mercie to abound aboue the excessiuenes of sinne Rom. 5.20 finding the cause thereof no where else but in thy meere and onely goodnes and bountie And how far hast thou loued them Euen so far as to lay downe thy life for them 1. Ioh. 3.16 Behold then a marueilous precious word and which discouereth vnto vs such a secret as none can sufficiently comprehend the length the bredth the depth thereof Eph. 3.18 and 19. Let this word therefore my brethren of welbeloued be indeed so precious vnto vs that the loue of this woorld which is enmity with God Iam. 4.4 bewitch vs not that the loue of deciueable and perishing riches possesse not our harts that the false opinion and selfe-loue of our selues make vs not to lose this goodly treasure that we depriue not our selues of our blessing for a soupe as did Esau Heb. 12.16 but that this precious sur-name of wel-beloued ring alwaies in our eares and in our heartes by the holy Ghost who soundeth the verie depths of God 1. Cor. 2.10 namely the thinges which are giuen vs of God to the end that our whole life be a reciprocall interchaungeable loue towardes him who hath loued vs so much 8 But let vs speak now of the port and comelie tall feature of this so goodly and faire a spouse When the vigor and force of the soule lighteth on a bodie wel disposed and ordered in al his members without anie either obstruction or other defect which hindereth the faculties and powers thereof from passing and spredding themselues throughout the whole body then truly the effectes thereof shew themselues most euidentlie from the verie heade vnto the feete Euen so fareth it with this spouse quickned nourished and sustained by the spirit of her Bridegrome therefore sheweth she herselfe most excellent and gallant through out lifting vp her head vnto the heauens treading vnder her feete Satan the world and sinne yea defiing death it selfe and hell Ose 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 And therefore is she compared elsewhere vnto goodly great tall trees planted along the waters from whom no stormie time or season taketh awaie either greennes or fruit Psal 1.3 and 92.12 and 13. True it is notwithstanding that this vineyard is sometimes broused and marred by the vineyarders fault and negligence as is at large declared Psal 80. nay beaten with hayle and tempest from aboue as if the bridegroome had laide it as low as hee had raised it high and al by the spouses owne fault But therefore hee beateth her downe to raise and lift her vp againe and to shew her how dearly he loueth her and is iealous in chastising of her Esai 49.21 making alwaies a great difference betweene the destruction of Sodome and the visitation of Sion Esai 1.9 And though hee correct vs some-times in his great wrath yet doth he limit his displeasure Psal 125.3 In a word the spouse is sometimes diuorced for a time as she was scarse seuenty yeares ago but is afterward receiued againe Ierem. 3.1 We are pressed on eueryside but not crazed broke in need but not distressed persecuted but not forsaken beaten downe but wee perish not 2. Cor. 4.8 9 But when was this spouse in this port and state Certainly shee was neuer more triumphant and glittering then in the time of the Apostles the doctrine of saluation beeing neuer better taught neuer better harkened vnto neuer better practised But wil some man say the Church was neuer more miserable then it was then as the Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 4.10 the whole history of the Apostles in the Acts declareth True this is the same which I meant to say namely that the crosse is the charriot of triumph in which the Church the spouse triumpheth and reioiceth in the Lorde Gal. 6.14 2. Cor. 4.10 And indeed when can we say for our own time that the word of God had his forth and course and shewed his powerfull force but during the great fires For then death it selfe was bidden defiance men went an hundred miles to haue a little crumme of this heauenly bread the world and life it selfe were
consciences but doth indeede signifie and represent vnto our outward senses that which washeth awaie our sinnes which sanctifieth vs beeing apprehended and receiued by faith I meane the spiritual and inuisible sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.2 and 3.21 So likewise in the Supper of the lord that which we see touch eate and drink is not that which feedeth and nourisheth vs vnto eternal life but that verily which is sacramentallie represented vnto our spirit and vnto our faith by the bread and wine namelie the bodie which was deliuered for vs and the blood which was shed for vs briefly Iesus christ whole and entire true God and true man from whom beeing spiritually applied vnto our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost by means of our faith we draw remission of our sinnes encrease of our sanctification and finally the iuyce of eternall life both for our soule and also for our bodie And therefore when in the old â—estament the appeasing of the wrath of God is attributed vnto the sacrifices as also in the writinges of the Apostles these woords of washing and of communicating of the bodie and of the bloode of the Lord and of putting on of Iesus Christ are attributed and giuen vnto the visible and corporal signes this is not to yeeld vnto the signes that which is incommunicably proper belonging vnto the thing signified for we know that water washeth not the soule that the soule neither eateth nor drinketh but this is to shew the difference between these things considered in the common vsage of this life and the self same things considered as sacraments that is to saie as visible signes of that which the Lord there giueth vs and which hee worketh inuisibly in our soule if the fault be not in our selues that is to say if in steede of receiuing by faith we reiect them not by our incredulity 9 What is then the spike-nard whereof the spouse speaketh in this place and the smel whereof is most liking and acceptable vnto the Bridegroome It is first an humble and contrite hart Psal 51.17 It is faith and an holy assuraunce in the grace and mercie of God by Iesus Christ alone without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 It is true charity which we vse towardes our neighbors Phil. 4.18 It is the sacrifice of giuing of thanks Col. 3.16 Gen. 8.21 In a woorde it is truly the whole life of a christian in which we seeke according vnto the measure of the spirite to please him in all things Col. 1.10 consecrating vnto him both our bodies and mindes in all our actions Rom. 12.1 and as a sweete smelling sauour vnto the Lord euerie one following his vocation 2. Cor. 2.15 Loe this is this is the odour and perfume which we must bring vnto this banquet which is also signified by the marriage garment Mat. 22.11 on paine of beeing cast handes and feete bound into vtward darknesse where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 10 These things being well considered what may I say or hope for of theÌ„ who appeare at this holy banquet at the sound of the bell and in the meane time come and depart alas not with this spike-nard but coÌ„trariwise with al maner of stinkingnesse and infection who are the cause that in steede that the world should be drawen to glorifie God seeing the fruits of his spirit in them as they bee described by the Apostle Gal. 5.22 men become stincking before God and man beeing the cause that his holy name which is called vpon of vs is blasphemed among the vnbeleeuing Rom. 2.24 I pray you who woulde not be put out of all patience that hauing called any one vnto his table the person so inuited should present himselfe before him with some vile sluttish filthines in a dish or in his hands And what other thing do they before God who in steede of a contrite humble heart crying with Dauid Create in me a new hart Psal 51.10 and with the poore Publicane Luk. 18.10 God be appeased towardes me poore sinner bring him an heart full of adulterie fornication pride an heart committing Idolatrie with the goods of this world empoisoning the beholders with wanton lookes and all manner of wicked examples full of enmitie debate wrath anger despite quarelling diuision and partiality of enuy drunkennesse and gluttony and other infamous and shameful filthines which is yet too too rife in the middest of them for whom god prepareth this banquet Now therefore in the name of God wee say vnto you we cry vnto you wee pray you wee exhort you bee yee reconciled vnto God amend your liues mortifie your members vpon the earth thinke not to deceiue God bring forth fruites worthy of repentance for the axe is alreadie laid vnto the roote of the tree and euerie dry rotten tree shalbe hewed downe cast into the fire 11 But let vs take heed of Satan my brethren aswel on the right hand as on the left being armed on the one side on th'other 2. Cor. 6.7 for the breach is made on both sides and if it bee not ramperd vp we cannot but be surprised and destroied Being assaulted on the left hand by our naturall lusts and concupiscences that if we giue grounde the fire can no sooner take the powder of the Canon but al wil down without resistance For as the water goeth naturally downward without any driuing so fareth it with vs by reason of our corruption in such sort that the most regenerat can hardly resist the least assaults This thing requireth no proofe For those who are best disposed doe know by euery daies experience that they neede a wrench and pully to drawe them to think well much more to doe well Thus you see the mighty assault of Satan which wee must withstand by which hee laboureth to induce vs not to care for being garnished and prouided of the spikenard as if wee had the mercie of God in our sleeue and as if euerlasting life were prepared for mockers and hart hardned miscreants who say Let vs sin that mercy may abound Rom. 6.1 vnder pretence of the great mercie and fauor which God hath shewed vnto whom it pleased him 12 The other assault is no lesse easie vnto our aduersarie ayding himselfe with our owne disposition by which we are naturally giuen to an opinion and ouer-weening of ourselues especially when it is made against them who haue receiued some speciall graces of God either within or without his church So we see the best wittes to come to nothing or to become the most hurtfull of all others as al histories aswel sacred as profane contain most heauy examples therof we yet see it come to passe in our time But aboue al the rest from wheÌ„ce is proceeded this most false most wicked and most diuelish doctrine of merites and satisfactions but from this cursed opinion that our nature such as it is at this day is somthing worth
them of Beroea who as it is written Act. 17.11 before they would drinke the wine which was presented them by the hande of the Apostle himselfe a faithful seruant of God would first see and know whether it agreed with the wine of the old vessels or barrels namely that which the Prophets gaged and drewe which when they had found then they receiued it and drank thereof as it is also said by the Lord Mat. 13.52 that euerie scribe and doctor which is wel taught in the kingdome of heauen is like vnto an house-holder which bringeth forth of his treasure things new and old And here we must againe take diligent heed of satans and his ministers subtilty who would beare vs in hand that al old wine is good and must be receiued which is most false For there is aswell olde wine mingled and poisoned as new wine which we must warily take heede of The receipt therefore to preserue vs there-from or if happily wee haue dronke of it to vomit it vp againe is first to consider wel whether it be drawen out of the true vessels of the Lordes sâ—ller which are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles otherwise called the old the new Testament so consequently reiect and refuse without all exception whatsoeuer wine is drawen elsewhere Againe seeing the craft and subtilty of these lewd tauerners poisoners is such that they infect corrupt eueÌ„ the pure wine drawn out of the true vessels we must in the second place consider of wel not only the colour which they can wel tell how to counterfet but especially the sauor the tast before we swallowe downe one drop of it Asmuch is meant by that which the spouse saith afterwarde not simply that they should make her a bed of apples but of those apples to wit of those which are gathered from the true apple tree which is the tree of life of which whosoeuer eareth hee shall neuer see death Ioh. 6.51 4 But yet this spouse is not so contented if the Bridegrome hold not vp her head with one hand her body with the other that for two reasons The first because the force and vigor of that wine and of those apples that is to say of the preaching of the worde of God which quicken our hart cause our spirits to come again vnto vs dependeth wholly and entirely vpon the inward power and working of God without which the woorde preached is no other thing then a sound which entreth in at the one eare and goeth forth at the other and the sacramentes are nothing els but vaine shewes and representations of thinges terrestriall and common saue that the contempt either of this woord or of these sacraments condemneth the contemner despiser of them before God For it is for sorcerers charmers and inchaunters to attribute a power of woorking vnto the bare and simple pronuntiation of wordes be they vnderstood and liked of or not as also to attribute any kind of holinesse or vertue of working in our soul vnto the signe of the Sacrament is not only superstition but execrable and damnable Idolatry For this is a thing denied vnto the Angels themselues this vertue being incommunicably proper and belonging vnto God signifieng only by his word and by his sacraments that which he doth truely woorke and effect within and in the heart and soule of euery faithful by his only powerfull woorking which I will declare and make plaine vnto you by a familiar similitude that we iut not any more and runne a-shelfe on such Idolatry and very manifest sorcery The question therefore being of corporall nourishment because God hath so ordained it from the beginning that the creatures should be sustained in their earthly and sensuall life as Saint Paul calleth it by that which the earth bringeth forth and produceth Gen. 1.29.30 It is certain that God hath withal giuen as it were enclosed in the bread that which the Prophet calleth the staffe of bread Ezech. 4.16 that is to say a natural vertue and power to maintaine the strength of body in him who eateth thereof and can digest it Likewise he hath giuen vnto the wine a naturall and inwarde vertue and property to sustaine and to cheare the heart of man which drinketh thereof competently and measurablie Psal 104.15 The like is of other creatures created for the vse of this corporall life with giuing of thankes 1. Tim. 4.3 as it commeth also to passe in many other creatures ordained for remedies of sicknesses and diseases against which wee see that god hath inserted in them a certaine proper and natural force and vertue reseruing stil notwithstanding vnto himselfe the right power of making this vertue of theirs auailable or not auailable in his creatures according vnto his good will pleasure so that it is on iust cause that we craue of him our daily bread as confessing that as hee alone hath made the bread so he hath compassed and limited the vertue and force thereof in which respect wee must auouch and confesse that himselfe is the first and true cause of our beeing and nourishment but as for the life spirituall and eternall that is in such sort resiant and abiding in the onely person of Iesus Christ the true and only bread of life that there neuer was nor is nor shalbe any creature whatsoeuer in heauen or in earth or belowe the earth which hath in it any one dram be it neuer so litle of this force vertue which truely quickneth liueth vnto eternall life For euen as himselfe alone hath doone all thinges which were requisite for our saluation so the force vertue both of disposing the soule of man to receiue apprehend that which he hath doone for vs as also of applying this saluation is no where els but in the sole person of Iesus Christ whence it must flowe and be powred vpon vs by the vertue and power of the holy ghost which is also the essential power of the father and the sonne of whom for this cause Iesus Christ hath said he shall take of mine and shall shewe it vnto you Ioh. 16.14.15 What do the Angels then touching our saluation They are ordained of God to oppose and set themselues against all aduerse and contrary powers as we see it verified in Daniel being camped about the faithfull Gen. 32.2 Psal 34.8 In a woord they are his messengers vnto the saynts Act. 10.3 Heb. 1.14 but not that they haue any vertue or power either in whole or in any part whatsoeuer to drawe vs vnto God to chaunge our heartes of stone into heartes of flesh to giue vs eares to heare to open our heart much lesse to iustifie and to sanctifie vs. For all this is properlie appertaining vnto God our father by his holy spirit in his sonne Iesus Christ And what is the power of men chosen and sent vnto this purpose To be the embassadors of God to announce and declare his wil to
the Lord the goodly clear fair wether indeed began to arise which continued as it were vnto his full noone vnder Salomon who furnished the house of the Lorde both within and without with a most triumphant magnificencie at which time God graunted so long a peace vnto his Church with aboundance and plenty of all temporall blessinges and it may be that the Bridegroome setteth before the eies of his spouse that happy change of the time inuiting bidding her to awake to haue the fruition thereof As much may we and ought we to say to haue come to passe in the time begunne about these threescore yeares since the lord hauing of his infinite bountie and mercy driuen away out of a great part of Christendome the horrible and deadly darckenesse of that Idolatry brought in by the false whore with such an efficacie of the spirite of error that the greatest part of them who attribute vnto themselues the name of great Catholickes and Christians are yet therewith vnto this day enchanted and bewitched This spring-time therfore was sent by the Lord from heauen who raised vp in our time these great and famous personages in the holy ministerie of his woorde and on the other side placed in the seates of magistrates his Ezechiasses and Iosiasses who mightily destroyed the newe Baalimes and Astarothes 4 And what did they els but call and inuite this spouse being awaked to come vnto her Bridegroome and to accompany him into those goodly gardens of true delights wherof the Prophet maketh mention Psal 22.36 And we which are succeeded after them what other thing doe we but crie in your eares in the name of this Bridegroome Arise come the winter is past the goodly weather is come the acceptable time the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 But alas what shall I say Euery one playeth the deafe mā euery one is asleep euery one is shrowded nestled in I know not what retchles securitie against the which though we haue long cried yet we crie still in vaine so that the end is wee are likely to be shortlie awaked by other maner of messengers In the meane time let vs take a viewe of the excellent description of this goodly season whereof mention is made by Dauid Psal 118.24 to the end that they who haue eares may heare what the Bridegroome here saith and reioyce in this merry good morowe of his 5 The winter saith the Bridegroome is past the raine is past it is gone away We know that the winter is nothing els but the death as it were of the woorld besides that the stormie colde and the obscuritie and darknesse of the ayre couered throughout with thicke cloudes depriue men of the vse both of the heat as also of the light of the sunne The Church on the contrarie side is the kingdome of light Ioh. 5.6 and 1. Thess 5.5 And because that Iesus Christ is the life Ioh. 11.25 nay hath life in himselfe Ioh 5.26 it followeth that the church only is in life as the worlde is in death and therefore is she also compared vnto a forrest of trees not dead and such as are ready to be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 but alwaies greene florishing and laden with fruite Psalm 1.3 yea and that when they are extreme old Psal 92.14 The reason is added in that place because they are planted by the riuers of running waters and of what waters Certainly of those which flowe forth vnto eternal life Ioh. 4.14 not of that which is in ditches and welles rising from out of the bowels of the earth but of the water saith this Bridegroome which I giue which issueth from aboue not which this sun draweth vp from the earth but sendeth down into the earth as flowing proceeding from him as it is said Psal 110.3 that the Church is borne of the dew of this morning and Matth. 5.45 beeing borne anew by the water which is from aboue which is the spirit of God Ioh. 3.15 much lesse that water which is drawne out of some standing poole or cestern but that which is most pure and most cleane Ier. 2.13 namely not the water which men haue digged in the earth but which himselfe sendeth from heauen and whereunto hee calleth and inuiteth all those who are his Esay 55.1 These things being well considered teach vs to know the true Church from the false I meane the liuing Church from the dead Apoc. 5.1 the true woord of God powred from heauen vpon the Prophets and Apostles to carry abroade and disperse it through the whole woorld Esay 2.20 Apoc. 22.2 from the false proceeding from the earth and out of mens braines Esay 29.13 and Coloss 2.22 and consequently the true christian from the superstitious and from the hypocrite 6 That which the Bridegroome addeth of flowers with which the earth is tapistred is referred vnto the same that that before beeing meant hereby the efficacie and working of the holie ghost in the Church when it pleaseth God to blesse the labour of his ministers and seruants in such sort that the whole ground of the Lord is throughout platted with flowers which cast a sweet smel euen vnto heauen being most pleasing vnto the Lord I meane in Iesus Christ saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 2.15 and not in themselues that men forge not vnto themselues merites out of the qualities of the fairest and sweetest flowers which our garden can bring though it be blessed from aboue so far is it that that ground on which the pestilent and contagious windes which come forth of the holownes of the earth doe blow can produce these flowers which are heere mentioned how euer they smel sweete vnto men who beare themselues in hand that the filth of their inuentions sauour of musk before Lorde These flowers then are such as God soweth in his ground 1. Cor. 3.9 namelie by the ministerie of such as hee hath ordained to plant and to water 1. Cor. 3.16 for which cause the Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioie and crowne Philip. 4.1 7 For who else soweth these flowers but the Lorde who sendeth them from an high by his most precious woorde dispensed and administred by the order which hee hath established Esai 5.2 namelie vnder the Lawe in that magnificent temple togither with all his furniture and prouision by that so wel ordered armie of the Priestes and Leuites in that magnificencie which is particularlie painted out vnto vs in the first of the Kings the first of the Chronicles wherunto we must adioine the wisedom of Salomō which gaue his shining brightnes vnto the ends of the world accōpanied with al other blessings of God by which his people became admirable wōderful to al the natiōs of the earth But yet were al these flowers nothing in comparison of the ministery of the gospel committed first vnto the Apostles Euangelists his most excellent and diligent planters and sowers 1. Cor. 3.9 by whom the garden-plat as it were
vnthankefulnes of others in this behalfe THE residue of this thirteenth verse which wee haue read vnto you hath beene before expounded in the tenth verse But it is not without cause here reiterated For besides that by this recitall againe of the same thing we are aduertised more neerely to consider of and more often to wey the contentes and meaning thereof for the excellency of the comfort and consolation therein comprised ordinarie and dayly experience might be able to teach vs how by nature yea and that after our regeneration we are heauie and sleepy and alwaies drowsie and lazie some of vs standing stocke still in the waie we began to take others trayling the wing insteede of flying on others turning taile and going backward And therefore it is more then necessarie that we bee daily warned and pricked forward the Lord by whose only voice and mercie we are awakened shewing herein as in all the rest his more then admirable patience in this that he ceaseth not to crie continuallie in our eares to draw vs vnto himselfe as it is said not without great reproch vnto them that hee bare forty yeares with the maners and conditions of his people Act. 13.18 and Psal 95.10 as the Lord also complaineth in Ezechiel 22.30 and is declared vnto vs at large vnder the similitude of the vineyard Mat. 21.33 And what shal we neede to goe farre for examples What hath the Lord done for the space of these threescore yeares since he began as it were a newe to open his mouth among vs And what doth he stil euerie daie but cry vp arise vp arise vp arise Eph. 5.14 but who is he that giueth eare vnto him Who is he that awaketh Where is hee that putteth himselfe in the waie Nay contrariwise see wee not that the most part make a mockerie of it Some to saie hold thy peace others to seek by all meanes of cruelty and subtill treacherie to stop the Lordes mouth See we not what swarmes of Couetous men Ambitious Adulterers Gluttons Dissolute In a word who is hee that answereth not let me alone I haue somewhat else to do Giue mee leaue to take a reckoning of my monie to seeke after my gain ease preferment to be merry passe away the time as others doe briefly to say let me be damned what need you to care you shal not answere for me And if anie man happily answere Lord I goe my waies thither is it not for the most part to doe as he did of whom it is spoken Mat. 21.30 And what wil follow of this in the end Mary euen that which is said in the same Psalme 95.11 I haue sworne in my anger if they shall euer enter into my rest and that which is said Sopho. 1.12 At that time I wil search euerie corner in Ierusalem with candels and wil visit those men which are frozen in their dregs and saie the eternall doth neither good nor harm O wretched case O miserable estate And therefore for the honour of God my brethren let vs bee more carefull for our saluation Let vs content vs with that which is past 1. Pet. 4.3 and let vs not heap vpon our heads the anger of God against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 but seeing he saith againe vp arise let vs doe as our father Abraham did who rose and departed out of his owne land assoone as the Lorde had said vnto him Get thee out of thy countrie Heb. 11.8 Gen 12.1 and as Matthew the publican who being at the receit of custom so soone as the Lord had said vnto him follow me staied not to make vp his bookes and to tel his monie but left al and followed him Mat. 9.9 Moreouer the onelie excellencie nay more then excellencie of this speech of the Bridegroomes shoulde it not suffice to make the drousiest of vs al to awake to speak to run For what a thing is it to be called the loue or beloued of this great sonne of God who hath loued vs more then himselfe by giuing his own life for vs to ransome redeem vs from death Ioh. 10.15 1. Pet. 1.19 yea to make vs coheirs with him Rom. 8.17 and what beuty is comparable vnto this glorie which waiteth for vs 2. Cor. 4.17 and 1. Cor. 2.9 of which we haue alreadie the pledges 2. Cor. 5.15 namely the knowledge of the deep things of God 1. Cor. 2.10 the worke of sanctification which he hath begunne in vs which hee will continue in vs vnto the end by his holy grace 1. Ioh. 3.10 Fie therefore on the world from out of which wee are separated fy on this soup of Esau for which he quitted and gaue ouer the blessing which hee coulde neuer recouer afterwarde Gen. 26.32 and. Heb. 12.15 Fie vpon this vaine appearance which passeth away as a dreame and coosineth vs so easily as this same Salomon hath at large taught vs in his booke of the Preacher as the Apostle sheweth vs 1. Cor. 7.31 And whither wil he that we should go Vnto him vnto him that is to say vnto this light of glorie 1. Pet. 2.9 vnto this incorruptible inheritance 1. Pet. 1.4 vnto this kingdome which he hath prepared for vs since the foundation of the worlde Mat. 25.34 And who is then so wretched vnhappy as to desire to be stil creeping here below who wil not rather say with Dauid O how long how tedious is this my abode vnto me with these inhabitantes of Kedar and of Mesech Psalm 120.5 and with Saint Paul I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Philip. 1.23 and O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death Rom. 7.24 Neither ought wee to excuse our selues hereupon that we are deaffe by nature and cannot heare For as hee calleth vs so hee presenteth vs eares to heare and bidding vs to come vnto him he offereth vs feete and commaunding vs to looke on him he giueth vs eies Psal 40.7 and 146.8 And this is the cause why hee beginneth heere with so gracious and sweete woordes my welbeloued to shewe vs that all namelie to will and to doe proceedeth from him and whatsoeuer else he demandeth of vs commeth from his mere and free good wil towardes vs who were his enemies But as our first Parent then when as yet hee was not corrupted but most sound and entire in that nature which he receiued from his Creator did voluntarily depriue and spoil himselfe of that light he had of vnderstanding and vprightnes of wil so his posterity for the most part through naturall wickednes which is now in them refuseth both the Phisition who offereth himselfe and the phisick 2 But let vs hearken vnto the residue of the Bridegroomes speach seeking after this spouse My doue saith he which keepest thy self in the cleftes of the rocke and in the secret places of the ascent therof And what are the great secrets which are comprised in these words
and deuoured the poore flocks so that they haue wonderfully skared them For this is a maxima and general rule in this matter that if these cubs be let alone to become foxes they faile not in the end to become Tygers and Lions such as Michea speaketh of Mich. 3.5 For proofe hereof we neede no other witnesse together with the poore estate of Christendome then the legends of the Popes written by their own secretaries among whō that monster Boniface the eight beareth the bel of whō themselues giue this testimony That he entred like a fox he raigned like a Lion and died like a dog And know you that when I speake thus I meddle not with their manners which are so infamous and detestable that there is not a creature which demaundeth not vengeance vp on them of god but I haue principally respect vnto their false cursed doctrine being no heresie concerning the office of our Lorde Iesus Christ without the which trueth whatsoeuer they confesse touching his person and the pointes concerning it in the Creede serueth them to no other end but to colour their lies falsehoodes which they couer with the cloke of this truth according vnto the example of satan their father whom the lord put to silence Luk. 4.34 which is not couied and afterwarde hatched stil nourished and maintained yet in the schoole of these foxes or rather these wolues which are the talants the teeth of that great monster of Rome who hath left them to deale in the doctrine wherein they haue learned to acquite themselues so wel that euerie one hath his morsel of the pray hath snatched for himselfe together with his spiritualities the scepters and crownes of Princes Such are among the rest these foure sortes of wallet-breethren declared sometimes by the Vniuersities themselues to be the locusts issuing out of the bottomlesse pit of whom mention is made in the Apocalyps But what are al these foxes which are become wolues in comparison of that treacherous carauane horde of those vermine openly polluting the holy name of Iesus and selling their filthy trash and trumperie in such sort Gratis to them that will feede themselues therewith that they haue so wel grated that in lesse then forty yeares they haue haled in and heaped vp in their borroughs greater and richer spoiles then al the foxes wolues besides could mountaine vp in fiue hundred years before though the time serued them as well as they could wishe or desire And herein I report me at the least to these other poore conuents of Monks and of Friers whom these new fresh gamesters haue left onely a poore coule to shroude their bald heades in and the taile of a white frocke to traile after them themselues being become as fat as bodie-lice by eating vp the others brewes as the natural Philosophers say of the serpents that they become in the end Dragons by eating vp other small serpents 4 But not to stand any longer on them who are nowe the firebrands bellowes of persecutions nay persecuters themselues how euer they shroud themselues vnder the mantle of deuotion and religion we ought to see and consider how the Lorde had no sooner begun in our time to take his vineyard into his owne handes but satan thrust in into it those foxes the Anabaptists and Libertines of many sorts from whom sprang those vile filthy heretickes of the family of loue who shame not notwithstanding to couer themselues in speach with a more then Angelicall perfection On the other side are crept into the world the Arrians as men zealous of the vnity of one only God others who feare least the humanity manhood of Iesus Christ should bee kept as it were in prison in heauen if wee beleeue not that it is also really in his essence in earth with the bread and the wine of the holy Supper and that the Sacrament would bee annihilated and abolished if wee eate not the verie fleshe of Iesus Christ also with our mouthes and teeth Others there are who are iealous of the humanity of Iesus Christ as they say from whom notwithstanding are crept into the world both Nestorians in seuering of the two natures and Eutichians in the confounding of the essentiall proprieties of thē In a word I know not whether ther be at al any one old heresie which satan indeuoreth not to set a broach among vs or new yet to be inuented which he hammereth not in the forge so to break in vpon this vineyard being yet yong and tender to hinder her fruit to come to maturity ripenes 5 And what haue we to do hereupon Soothlie that which the Bridegrome here saith the Lord of the vineyard willeth vs to do Take vs saith he those foxes those cubs which wast the vines But to whom speaketh he Certainely to those to whom he hath giuen in charge to husband looke vnto his vineyard who should bee watchful and diligent aswell to husband it as also to fence and keepe it from whatsoeuer maie hurt it arming themselues the better to doe this with his authority and power both in reproouing the false doctrine by the true and also in cutting off the dead and rotten members For although themselues be also members of the Church which is here generally represented in the person of the spouse yet notwithstanding in respect of their particular calling and vocation which is to prouide for the purity and suertie of the Church they are particularly distinguished from the rest of the bodie and in this regard they are heere willed and commaunded to take these foxes Such haue beene and yet are and shal be vnto the end of the woorlde those whose ministerie and mouth the Bridegroome alwaies vseth to declare his holy wil and therefore they are called his mouth because they speake beeing moued by the holie Ghost 2. Pet. 1.21 which for this cause specially are called in the holy Scriptures by diuerse names to wit Men of God Seers prophets watchmen builders of the house of God pastors doctors ambassadors of God the frinds of the Bridegrome and dealers in the marriage match betweene Iesus Christ and his Church keepers of the vineyard of the Lord dispensers of the secrets of God names and titles exceeding honourable before God but despised of men names I saie of great honor but of a maruailous yea vnsupportable charge if we take them strictly 2. Cor. 2.16 And this is the cause why the Apostle calleth not this charge a dignity as they vse to terme it who haue forged that goodlie Apostatical Hierarchy but he calleth it a work or a busines 1. Tim. 3.1 whose charge is vnderstood oftentimes generally by the woord of watching and feeding sometimes more distinctlie by attending vnto the woorde and vnto praiers Act. 6.4 sometimes by these wordes of teaching improuing correcting and instructing 2. Tim. 3.16 sometimes by these wordes of planting and watering 1. Cor. 3.6 All which are concluded in these two
nor anie Church at al. And yet the humanity and manhood of Christ began not actually to bee before then that it was conceiued by the vertu of the holy ghost in the womb of the most blessed virgine This I confesse to be most true and yet I saie with the Scripture that Iesus Christ which name importeth together with the quality of an onely mediatour that which is absolutely and necessarily required namely that he bee apprehended and considered by faith true god and true man in one only person not onely was but was also sacrificed from the beginning of the woorlde seeing that the Church beeing from al eternity elected and chosen was not saued but by him Apoc. 13.8 And these things are easily agreed and accorded if we consider diligentlie that which is said Heb. 11.1 namely that faith that is to saie this gift of God through which euery faithfull one assureth himselfe of his saluation by that onelie mediator Iesus Christ true God true man causeth that which the beleeuer hath not yet but by hope to be vnto him alreadie as it were present in beeing and sheweth him I meane vnto the spirit of the beleeuer that which he seeth not The humanity therfore and manhood of Iesus Christ without the which he should not bee our mediator nor the obiect of our faith was not in nature in Salomons time nor many ages after but yet notwithstanding was really effectually present in respect of the eies of faith whereof Saint Paul is a witnes ouer and besides that inuincible reason which I haue before alleadged who calleth Christ him whom the fathers tempted in the desert 1. Cor. 10.9 and saith that the fathers being in the desert did eat the same spiritual meate and dranke the same spiritual drinke which we doe to wit Iesus Christ Now Iesus Christ to come and Iesus Christ come which was to be borne and to accomplish whatsoeuer was absolutely requiâ—â—â—â—nto our saluation and which was borne and hath accomplished it in his time are not two Iesus Christes as also there neuer was nor euer shal be anie more then one god one faith and one Church the difference therefore consisteth in the diuerse dispensing and manifesting of Iesus Christ and not in the essence of him whereas Abraham could not see the day of this Bridegrome and Lord but he saw it by the eies of faith though Christ were not yet actually in nature Ioh. 8.56 This is it which the spouse meant in this latter verse praying this Bridegroome that hee returne vntil the wind of that daie arise and the shadowes fly awaie calling the condition in which they were shadowes namely during the time that this Bridegroome shewed not himselfe but vnder the shadowes and figures of the Lawe ceremoniall Heb. 10.1 the substaunce of which to wit Iesus Christ Col. 2.17 appeared not but afar off Heb. 11.13 not that there was not light enough through this shadow to conduct the Saints vnto the light of glory according vnto their measure seeing this light is called the bosome of Abraham Luk. 16.22 but obscure in comparison of this great day which hath brought this spouse vnto vs comming in person and declaring vnto vs clearly and particularly the whole counsell of God his father touching our saluation Ioh. 15.15 Mat. 13.17 as he did afterwards by his Apostles yet doth shal do vnto the end consummatioÌ„ of the world by his true pastors and Doctors Eph. 4.11 in such sort that wee must distinguish the shadow of this night from that which is called the shadow of death whereof mention is made Esai 9.2 wherein we are al of vs borne Eph. 2.1 11 And we must heedfully obserue this manner of speach vntill the wind of that daie arise which is taken from that which naturally hapneth and commeth to passe namely that when the daie beginneth to break some smal wind is wont to arise which proceedeth and commeth from the beames of the Sun beginning to chase and driue awaie before it the grosse and thicke vapours of the night which winde is compared to this great and incomprehensible vertue and power of the holie Ghost which stirreth and as it were bloweth on the world togither with the light of the gospell to enlighten or rather to creat the world anew Esai 65.17 I meane by that wind which was sent vnto the Apostles which shal neuer cease to blow vnto the end and consummation of the world Act. 2.2 Matt. 28.20 and Act. 20.28 So in the creation of this corruptible world it is said that it stirred and moued it selfe vpon the waters as it were warming and cherishing them to hatch as it were and breed thence the creatures which were after formed of them by the which vertue also they are yet maintained in their beeing which either faileth or is renewed by the want and presence hereof as it is said in the Psal 104.29.30 12 But what is the cause the spouse vseth here the woord of returning For this presupposeth some retire withdrawing going before And this is the reason why some haue taken this woord as if returne were as much as forsake me not But it is better we keepe the signification of the worde notwithstanding with some declaration of it For to say the tueth the Bridegroome did neuer vtterly forsake this spouse no not when she for the most part forgot herselfe her duty greatly for which reason we shall ordinarily finde in the Prophets in one the same Prophesie the wound of chastisement and the medicine of grace neuer befalling the like to Sion as vnto Sodom and Gomorrha Esa 1.9 But because he is neuer so neare at one time as at an other not onely when the drawing backe is on the spouses side Ier. 2.3 but also when it pleaseth the Bridegrome so to proue his spouse Psal 44.1 as the Lord hath thought it good to make his trueth to shine in the worlde more in one time then in an other as it is to be seene in the ancient history especially from Iosua vntil the time of Dauid this is the cause why the spouse beseecheth him to approch nearer and nearer as also how euer it be the Lorde for his part hath doon though the one halfe hath more more abused this grace fauor of his This is theÌ„ that praier which we in like maner should daylie make beseeching the Lord who iustly seemeth to draw himselfe from vs by little little hauing verily takeÌ„ out of the world within these fewe yeares so many great and excellent lightes of his Church who might yet haue continued because we were not woorthy of them that it wil please him to approch and draw nearer againe vnto vs then euer before 13 Finally this surname or name of addition which she vseth calling them craggie or cleffie Mountaines as beeing full of downe-falles hollow places in which the chamoyse and other beastes of marueilous and almost incredible agilitie are mounting and
seeing him not in the bed where shee slept was not therefore cleane out of hart but getting her selfe vp sheweth that because she found him not her desire of seeking after him was so much the more augmēted And indeed as we said the last daie this is the means by which the Lorde not suffering himselfe to bee alwaies found at the first sharpeneth the faith and hope and fortifieth the patience of his as we see it by infinit many of examples of the holy Scripture So the people serued as a straunger foure hundred yeares in the land of Chanaan and of Aegypt and fortie yeares in the desert and seuenty yeares in Babylon So did Ioseph endure much in prison and Dauid during his flight saying in the 40. Psal I waited and waited for the Lord and he heard me According therefore vnto these examples if in diuerse difficulties and distresses touching our conscience either in perils or aduersities it seemeth that the Lorde as I maie so saie flieth from vs let vs runne couragiouslie after him vntill hee suffer himselfe to bee taken of vs. But who shall continue vnto vs this vigor and courage He who for the loue which he beareth vs first formeth in vs the loue whereby wee loue him reciprocally as the spouse doth thrise heere reiterate it that is to saie not fainedly as hypocrits do nor so so as they who are neither hot nor cold nor seething but luke-warme and therefore are by and by vomited vp Apoc. 3.16 whereas they who are violent and importune catch the kingdome of heauen away by an holy importunity Matth. 11.12 Luke 18.2 2 But wee must especially consider that which the spouse saith in this place namely that she diligētly sought after her Bridegroome by the open places and went round about the Cittie and found him not For contrariwise in the parable of the banquet Luk. 14.21 the seruantes are commanded vpon the refusall which the greater sort and the rich made to go vnto the open places streets of the City to bring together those which were poore impotent lame and blind But this similitude tendeth to another purpose then this of the spouse to wit to shew vs that they are no members of the Church or if they were before leaue to bee who make more reckoning of their woorldly ease and other their commodities and affaires of this world then they doe of their conscience in whose places God doth often chuse the poore and contemptible of the world as it is saide in the Canticle of the blessed virgin Luk. 1.52.53 We read also Pro. 1.20 that Wisedom maketh her voice to ring in the streets and open places but it is not said that she was harkned vnto or receiued there yea cōtrariwise Wisedome lamenteth and bewaileth the disorders which doe there raigne There is likewise speach in the parable of the sower of seed which fel in the waie which because it pearced not into and entred the earth it was incontinently eaten vp by the birds These two places maie serue vs for the interpretation of this in which we vnderstand by the open places and the circuite of the Citty that which is cōmonly receiued beareth sway among men And to saie al in one word it is that mask which is called at this daie by the name of the Catholique Church not that Catholique Church which wee mention in our Creede but that monster which the efficacie of errour hath engendred by her who hath bewitched the kinges and nations of the earth as it hath beene before prophecied and foretold 3 To answere therefore this matter which is the last refuge of our aduersaries what is that the spouse here saith beeing so affrighted hared for that her Bridegrome is departed from her while she was asleep in her bed It is this which I say repeate againe that she thought that he whom she sought and so consequently the truth and her saluation were to be found in the religion which was commonly receiued among the people And what induced her to think so The promises made vnto that people and to no other before the comming of the Bridegroome in flesh Act. 3.25 as at this daie the Church say they cannot erre hereupon to ground al their errours Wherein then did this spouse deceiue her self Euen with that which was aunswered Ier. 18.18 and presupposing as they woulde gladly make vs to beleeue at this daie of Saint Peters steeple at Rome that religion was nayled as it were with a tennepenie naile vnto Abrahams race without distinguishing the true Israelites from the false as Saint Iohn Baptist reproched them in his time shee iudged of true religion according vnto that which was brought in when she was asleepe of a long time receiued of great smal whereas shee should haue sought after that which was proposed and commanded for a rule vnto the people that is to saie in the lawe and in the testimony as it is said Esa 8.20 For seeing that the true Church iudgeth not the the controuersies of religion but so farre as to referre her selfe wholy vnto that which the Bridegroome hath thereof determined by the mouth of his Prophets Apostles it followeth that it is neither vnto that which is commonly receiued and maintained nor vnto the greater number that wee are to refer our selues to be resolued seeing that euen in the affairs of this world there bee more fooles then wisemen and more wicked men then good but we must refer our selues vnto the Bridegrome himself who is iudge both of the one and of the other Yea but where shall a man finde him Wee must not say saith the Apostle after Moses wee will ascend vp into heauen to finde him there or passe the Sea to seeke him But the woorde is in thy mouth and in thy heart that is to saie this word of faith which wee preach Rom. 10.8 And this is it by which we must discerne the true Catholick Church from the false 4 What is then you will say this Catholicke Church in the which no where else Iesus Christ is found out of which there is no saluation It is the assembly of all the true elect and faithfull gathered out of al people and nations in vnitie of the Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine considered in her generality in which assemblie truely the light of the trueth can neuer be put out albeit in the parts and members of the bodie distinctly seuerally considered there may be some defects doubts ignorances as the history of all times declareth the same To this Church thus vniuersally considered is opposed the generality of all companies besides which are also called Christian and which keepe the marcke of Baptisme but haue forged vnto themselues a religion according vnto their owne lust and fancy whether they couer themselues with the name writings of the Prophets Apostles il interpreted or whether they inuent a doctrine altogether newe according vnto their own pleasure for which cause
together Luk. 17.37 And what is this dead body It is saith Saint Paul Iesus Christ he crucified besides which I wil knowe nothing vnderstanding by the name of Christ the person and by the word of crucified all that which he hath doone for vs euen vnto that last cry of his which shaked both the heauen and the earth saying All is finished And thus much touching the Doctrine As for the outward seruice himselfe speaking to that womā of Samaria which demanded of him whether they should worshippe in the Temple of the Samaritanes or of the Iewes confessed indeed that for a time it was the Temple of Ierusalem and no other which God had chosen there to be worshipped But saith he the time is come that men shall worship neither in this mountaine nor in Ierusalem but the true worshippers shal worship in spirit in truth Ioh. 4.21.24 that is to say without distinction of place they shall serue God with a pure spirituall seruice not with aultar or sacrifice but with a contrite and humble heart Psal 51.19 and with the fruits of righteousnesse Psa 50.23 Ro. 12.1 with the calues of their lips Ose 14.3 Moreouer if we respect the former time we shal find that it is true indeed that the couenant was residēt first in the house of Abrahā thē in the house of Isaack afterward in the house of Iacob But how was this house walked caried vp downe Go we farther we shal find that trauersing the desert it made 42. stations Nu. 33. being come into the land of Canaā the tabernacle vnto which the lord had as it were tied the seat of his couenāt both in respect of the doctrine the outward seruice changed frō place to place was in the end separated frō his Arke being taken prisoner among the Philistines on whō hauing wreked herselfe she reunited not herself vnto the tabernacle where the ordinary seruice was kept Finally behold the temple built as a permanent standing place Ierusalē the capital city both of the realme of the priesthoode But how many breaches interruptiōs were there in such sort that the temple was shut vp finally razed afterwards repaired after that most vilanously polluted defiled I demaund therefore where was then this catholick See yea whilest it stood were we to conclude as they do at this day who cal themselues Catholick Romanes the high-Priest is the successor of Aaron therefore he cānoter we must beleeue do whatsoeuer is taught cōmaunded by the catholicke church of Ierusalem I report me vnto al the Prophets whether they either made or taught others to make such a conclusion Nay did not contrariwise cry out both against the Priests against the temple it selfe for those abuses which were by thē there committed And indeed where by whom was Iesus Christ iudged worthy of death as being a blasphemer against God against the temple Where by whom was his doctrine condemned of impiety Where by whom were the Apostles forbidden to preach the gospel Where by whō for what cause was Steuen accused stoned to death It is then a meere bewitchednesse phrensie to tie the holy ghost vnto one place whatsoeuer it be or to any certaine estate of men to ground on them the rule of a mans faith without exception seeing that vnder the ancient people themselues among whom Ierusalē was the place which the Lord had chosen for his house habitation there were none more deceiued then they who without anie exception or limitatiō rested grounded themselues on that temple on the personall succession of Aaron Ierusalem being often the seate and See not of Truth but of Murdering of the Preachers of the Trueth the nest of the Baalims 5 But can it be shewen by the Scripture or by any testimony woorthy of credit that Iesus Christ hath established in the world one certaine place or catholick See that is to say where an head shuld be seated hauing autority ouer al the particular churches of the world And if it were lawful for men to constitute appoint themselues one why should Rome rather be chosen then Ierusalem the first the ancient of al the Churches Called of the Prophets the Citty of God From whence the word of God should go forth into al the world And founded notoriously by S. Peter the rest of the Apostles Or rather then Antioch where were named the first christiās where it is notorious that S. Pet. S. Paul liued But in sūme what reasonable man cā be ignorāt what is to be iudged of the See of Rome seeing that Daniel speaking clearly plainly of that God on earth calleth him by his name the God Maozzim which is as much to say in the languange of the Prophet as the God of Rome or the God of the Romanes Dan. 11.38 For it is euident that this word of Rome in the greek toung which was thē vsed in that country where this city was first built named signifieth as much as the Hebrew worde which the Prophet vseth And S. Paul speaking of him which raigned in his time I mean the Emperor of Rome saith expresly that of the destruction of him should be borne che child of perdition 2. Thess 2.7 and when Saint Iohn nameth expresly the Citie of seauen hils Apoc. 17.9 In a woorde therefore as it is the Lorde which hath of his great grace built his Coche where it pleaseth him neuer vsing the helpe of any for the inuenting the plat and model thereof but vsing indeede the ministery of certaine his faithful seruants al of them immediately chosen as was Moses after him the Apostles for the setting vp of it according vnto the forme and pattern which himselfe no other hath deuised giuing the name of Coch vnto this ecclesiastical gouernment he hath declared that hee woulde not make it abiding for euer in one place but hath vsed and doth vse shal vse it vnto the end of the world transporting it according vnto his good and holy wil pleasure 1. Cor. 12. 6 It remaineth we consider by peece-meale the building of this Coch according as the peeces thereof are set downe vnto vs in this place This discription therefore beginneth first with the matter wherewith the bodie of the Coch is built namely of the wood of Liban that is to saie of Cedar this tree hauing this property that it is as a man would say incorruptible This is it which I haue alreadie declared vpon the last verse of the first Chapter to witte that thereby thus much is declared vnto vs that this holy and sacred gouernement is inuincible both in respect of time and of men The reason is if wee consider the generalitie of the Church because the kingdome of this Bridegrome is euerlasting as the father promised him Dan. 7.14 and Luk. 1.33 reaching it selfe and as it were walking from one end
1. Ioh. 2.1 bereauing vs by consequent of all presumption of ourselues Why but say they we pray one for an other and do also craue the praiers one of an other without any derogation at al vnto the autoritie or office of Iesus Christ who is our sole mediator true wee vse the mutuall praiers of one an other as being enuironed al of vs with the like necessities to the mutual participatioÌ„ of which charitie doth bind vs which we may and ought to cause to bee vnderstoode of one an other according to the worde of God and the examples of the holy Prophets and Apostles And what is this to the inuocation and praying vnto of Saintes the spirites of whom are in heauen in their rest not able to bee conceiued of vs their bodies are in the dust waiting together with vs for the latter day Therfore wheÌ„ such as are yet liuing demauÌ„d craue the mutual praiers of their brethren this is not to make them Intercessors or to adioine them for companions vnto Iesus Christ or as subordinate mediatours between Iesus Christ and vs to ranke them and cause them to marche in procession as they doe in their Letanies But this is to ioine our selues and them together to addresse and direct our selues to one and the selfe same God and father in the name of this sole and onely mediator aswell of Intercession as also of Redemption which are two pointes altogether vnseparable as saint Iohn witnesseth calling Iesus Christ our Aduocate in the same sense that he called him our propitiation meaning to exclude all other Aduocates and all other propitiators towardes God 1. Iohn 2.1.2 beeing none besides him in whom our prayers or other workes whatsoeuer are acceptable Hereupon they replie againe that so they also adde Per Christum Dominum nostrum that is to say through Iesus Christ our Lord. Yea but this is after they haue ioined with him subordinate companions both in the merites of these and those as also in pardons and whatsoeuer else commeth into their thought which is nothing else but to derogate asmuch from the mediation of Redemption and besides in the Intercession of others towardes him yea with their motherly authority falsly attributed vnto her who neuer thought vpon any such vsurpation In a worde therefore this is nothing else but to doe as they did who in Pilates house called Iesus Christ by the name of Prophet and king but it was when they buffeted and scourged him Ioh. 19.1.2 9 Thus you see my bretheren what the Iesus Christ of this false Church is from which the mercy of God hath withdrawen vs to know and to serue the true onely Iesus Christ true God and true man hauing a name aboue euery creature high middle or low in his celestiall and eternall Empire who hath declared vnto vs all the counsell of God touching our saluation by the contents of the writinges of his faithfull Prophets Apostles being the only eternal priest by vertue of this Priesthood our sole onely mediator aswell of Redemption as also of Intercession betweene the father and vs vnto eternal life in the which faith the Lord giue vs grace to liue and die to enioy one day on high eternally with him the glorie which he hath purchased by the price of himselfe 10 It remaineth now we consider of what maner of Crowne this spouse here speaketh and who this Mother is who hath crowned him therewith Nowe then by the Crowne that Maiestie and power more then Royal is meant with which our head is crowned as it is said Psal 8.6 and is expounded Heb. 2.9 and Math. 28.18 But who may this mother be who hath crowned him therewith seeing it is of the father onely that he craueth it both in respect that his diuine maiestie was as it were abased in the infirmitie of the fleshe for a time Ioh. 17.5 as in respect of the superioritie ouer all the world promised vnto him in regard of his humanitie Psal 2.8 Psal 110.1 expounded by the Apostle 1. Cor. 15.24 Ephes 4.11 and Philipp 2.9 This place therefore hath diuerse interpretations To let passe therefore the interpretation of certaine contemplatiue or rather of dreaming and doting Doctors who haue appropriated not onely this place but almost all that is said of the Church in this Canticle vnto the person of the virgin Mary who was truly blessed among all faithfull women but not therfore as these folish superstitious haue imagined as if Iesus christ did hold of his mother the crown of his Empire whereas it is his meer gracious bounty which made her his mother inasmuch as he took our flesh in her virginall wombe who hath crowned her with such measure of glory as pleased him Others haue vnderstood by this word of mother the humanity of Iesus Christ which contrariwise is crowned in him by him who hath honored it so farre with his personall vnion It seemeth vnto mee that by this worde of Mother a man may more rightly vnderstand in this place the Citie of Ierusasalem as being the capitall City of the kingdome and so consequentlie the mother of al such as are borne there and namely in respect of Salomon who was there bâ—rne and was there crowned and so also in regard of him of whom he was the figure For albeit Iesus Christ was not borne in Hierusalem according vnto the fleshe notwithstanding he there tooke his crowne Psal 2.6 and that by the testimony of Pilate who knew not what he did Ioh. 19.19.22 as it was also said by Esa 2.3 and Mich. 4.2 that he should come foorth of Hierusalem that is to say that hee should there be borne in respect of the quality of his celestiall kingdome which consisteth in the setting vp and gouernment of his Church as it came to passe by expresse commaundement Act. 1.4.12 This exposition besides the foundation which it hath serueth vnto great edification this coronation and this Crowne beeing diuersely considered in asmuch as Hierusalem a figure of the Church in her estate here below is sometimes restricted vnto the elect and sometimes also comprehendeth all those who say they are of this coÌ„pany of which notwithstanding some of them are not knowen as S. Paul before his couersion was among the Pharisees others are like darnell among the good corne vntill such time as God threshe it out This is then the cause wherefore the true spouse desiring according as this spirituall marriage implieth it that al the worlde if it might be were ioined with her in one body vnder this head and Bridegroome inuiteth the other Daughters of Hierusalem to come in good earnest and not for fashion sake or outward appearaunce and profession onely to contemplate the true king of peace in this royal maiesty of his wherewith their common mother to wit Hierusalem had crowned him I meane so farre as that earthly Salomon was the figure of this true king and Bridegrome not that the maiesty of this