first in this assertion for thy voice is sweete Secondly in that conclusion and thy face is comely Now to the Exhortation and his parts My Dove In chap. 1.15 I haue obserued certaine properties of the Doue and hererafter shall haue occasion to adde some other things Heere onely I note Messiahs amiable conceipt of his Church who euen before she appeareth openly is no lesse his Loue then after For as the word Doue expresseth Loue so the word of application My argueth neere loue Which as it ministreth comfort to the Elect euen when their innocencie and simplicitie of spirit is hid in the Rockes cliffes from the eye of men so it further may cause vs to re-eccho Saith Christ to thy soule My loue let thy soule turne backe as by Eccho the same note My loue as Mary hauing hold of Christes feete cryed Rabboni my Lord and Thomas hauing grapled the woundes of Iesus did cry My Lord and my God For the place of this doues mansion here it is The holes of the Rocke c. Some take that here is intended the Churches station or biding plot in the day of persecution who then hideth hir selfe from the sword as a Doue hideth her selfe in the Rockes But that cannot be the proper doctrine here intended all the former ground of this Act remembred A certaine Rabbine vnderstands it of the straits before and behind whereinto the church is driuen hauing the enemie before and behinde the seas before Israel and Pharaohs chariots behinde like to the Doues estate who flying the cruell hawke doth put her body into some Rocks slifter not daring to looke out because of her aduersary without nor daring to creepe much inwards because of the serpent within who lieth hissing against her And this is a double persecution persecution without persecution within Into such straits the faithfull are often driuen and the Lord deliuereth them out of these tentations Othersome as Barnard doe vnderstand this Rocke mystically to imply Christ and the holes to signifie the wounds of Iesus That Christ is the Churches rocke of saluation the Psalmist many times expresseth and is of Saint Paul in 1. Cor. 10.4 plainely expounded But for the holes or caâ—ernes in the Rockes wherein the Elect doe lodge before the Gospels spring euen all the time of the Legall winter they by apt proportion doe rather insinuate the secret councels of God sealed vp in Christ touching the Gentiles eternall election and calling As the Gentiles after their calling are said to be in Christ 1. Cor. 3.1 Ephes. 1.1 and their life hid in Christ Coloss. 3.2 so their election in him according to that of the Apostle Hee namely the Father hath elected vs in him that is in Christ last before mentioned and this before the foundation of the world And saith the same Apostle to the Galatians chap. 3.23 Before faith came that is before the gospels spring We euen Iew and Gentile after a sort were kept vnder the Lawe and shut vp vnto the faith which should afterward be reuealed namely what time the gentiles secretly elected in Christ should publikely be called by the ministerie of Faith Thus the church elected in Christ had hir abode euen before hir caling in Christ yea within the secret stairs lodging pâ—aces of Christ. Euery elect soule there had her place like to a simple innocent Doue in the secret cabines of a Rocke What is the cause of finall glorification present Iustfication What the cause of iustification our effectuall calling What the cause of that calling Election termed also praedestination Whom God hath predestinate them also he called whom hee called them also he iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified And so Election is cause of our calling of our iustification glorification But what is the cause of such Election The Rhemists answere good workes Bellarmine maketh a flatte contrary answere lib. 2. cap. 10. de grat saying Electos esse Gratis ante omnem operum praeuisionem Men are elected Gratis that is freely before all foresight of workes Whether of these factions conclude rightly Let vs examine that The Rhemists will haue God to elect man in respect of good workes which hee foresees shall be in that man that is he elects before all time in respect of good workes which shal be in time An opinion voide of common sense that the effect of Election should be the cause of Election that the latter should be the cause of the former That Election is the cause of good workes the Apostle witnesseth saying He hath elected vs in him c. that we should be holy election so the cause of holynesse as the tree going before is cause of the good fruite which commeth after not contrariwise And for this cause the Apostle in Rom. 9.11 calleth it Election not by workes that is without respects of workes introducing to that purpose the electing of Iaakob before hee had done any good Bellarmine so hath the better in concluding that God electeth freely without respect of anie foreseene workes But wil we haue a direct answere from scripture touching the cause of Election The Apostle saith it is The good pleasure of his will who worketh all things after the councell of his owne will Ephe. 15.11 Who will haue mercy on whome he will shew mercy Rom. 9.15.18 So that there is the hiest cause of our election his owne will And therfore well said of Lombard Elegit â—os quos Voluit gratuita misericordia non quia sideles futuri erant sed vt fideles essent God elected those whome he would of his free mercie not because they were to become faithfull but to the end they might become faithfull Ait enim Apostolus misericordiam consecutus sum vt fidelis essem non ait quia fidelis eram for the Apostle saith I haue obtained mercy to the end I might be faithfull hee saieth not because I was faithfull Nor can the nature of God be knowen for onely Actiue and God in all things Agent but it straight teacheth vs to belieue that he dooth all things without all outward respect If any thing in the creature should simply moue or bend his Will then God should bee Passiue hee should suffer man to worke on him which were to make the Creator a Creature and the Creature therein greater than God But the curiositie of mans bottomelesse pitte will somtimes inquire the cause why God so will specially will reprobate Thereto I may thus answere with Austin If I could find out the cause of his will wouldst thou not then enquire for the cause of that cause And so when shoulde there be an end of enquiring But for staying of mans curiositie in such a profound mysterie I thus say with S. Paul in Rom. 9.20 Oh man who art thou which pleads against God Shall the Pot rise vp and demaund why the Potter so willeth Rather with the Apostle in another place conclude admiring O the deepenesse
suffer persecution and hard entreatie of the wicked galling world euen as her Lilly-like Sauiour did before her it is euident in such places Luke 21.12 17. Iohn 15.18 19. 16 3â— at large depainted in the Apocalyps visions and found of the churches part true by dayly experience And this is it which causeth a Sympathie or fâ—llow-like feeling betwixt Christ the head and his Church the members Nor is there any reason that the greene branch should be beaten and the dry spared that the scholer should be aboue the Maister and the saued better than the Sauiour This doctrine may seeme here to be directly concluded but because I remember no writers specially ancient thatso vnderstandeth of this place I leaue it to the churches iudgement will come vnto the second sense That this verse entendeth directly a comparison between the church and such a Lilly as groweth amongst thorns not respecting Christ to be this Lilly it is an vsuall iudgement but a dissent betweene Ancients and some our moderne writers about the doctrine which may be properly intended Ancients vnderstand hereby the churches affliction in this world as the lot of Bonj inter malos accompanying the good inhabiting amongst the euill Latter writers some of them do too confidently conclude only an extolâ—ing of the Churches beautie as if the Lillie heere were only praysed for beautie before the Thorne To me it seemeth that both their doctrines flowe vnconstraynedly from hence and therefore not to be restrained to one of them alone For the better declaration wherof leâ— vs consider first what and who is this Lilly secondly the Thorne thirdly the Loue fourthly the Daughters What the Lilly is we haue before heard Who this Lilly is it necessarily may be concluded if not Christ as before then his church Nor is it vnvsuall in scripture for an attribute to be translated from Christ to his church in Iohn 1.7.8 Christ is called the Light in Matth. 5.14 the church her selfe is so called Christ throughout the new Testament is proclaimed the Messiah in hebrew the Christos in greeke the Vncted in latine-english and in the old Testament Kings ouer the church haue the same title as also the Iudges called Sauiours But all this with a difference they as shadowes he as the substance thâ—y as instruments vnder him for some temporarie good he in himselfe the cause from for all â—ternitie So the nâ—me of God is giuen to some man not for essence sake as was Christ but for office sake as were the Iudges of Iudah Thus the same names in common betweene God and man Christ and his Church but for a diuerse regarde and a secondarie consideration So in the former verse Messiah is termed a Lillie which for a new consideration may be here giuen to his Church yea for a like respect and like consideration whether we respect sauour or beauty But he then as of himselfe she by communion with him and his spirit What and who this thorne is is easily decided The naturall thorne is no tender herbe or flowre but a sturdie hard tree not smoothe as the Lilly but knobby and full of dangerous prickes Who these mysticall thornes be let Dauid in his last words and last words be most authenticke let him declare that The wicked saith he be euery one thornes Where the word Wicked is in the originall expressed by the word Belial which well declareth the nature of the wicked for that they be as Ierome expounds it Beli-gnôl without yoke that is such as will not come vnder the yoke of obedience crying out as in the second Psalme let vs breake their bands and cast their coards from vs. Kimchi deriues it of Beli and Gnalah not-ascending because their matters prospered not But mee thinkes the latter might be applied to them for not-ascending to the templâ— not ascending to mount Zion the Tabernacle of the saued Such base earthly spirits such beastly rude Libertines they be these thornes whose laughter and merriment is compared by Salomon to the crackling of thornes vnder a pot saying a thousand times more then they will or can doe and making a thousand times more shew of ioy then there is cause why A happinesse no sooner in then out like the beast Ephemeron that dieth the day it is borne The Loue here spoken of it is the Church as euer before who loueth Christ because he loued her first 1. Ioh. 4.19 whose loue is but patient in respect of his loue agent for otherwise wee follow not then as the first drawes vs. The loue of Christ is as a Lilly among the Thornes why The daughters amongst whom she conuerseth they be but as thornes false sisters hard-hearted knurry-conditioned full of pricking and stinging words and works These wicked-ones be compared in the feminine kind because his Church is considered as a woman notwithstanding it consisteth also of men Now let vs consider this Lilly-like Church continuing in this world amidst these thorny-daughters First as vaine Poets but to some reasonable purpose affirm that Venus neuer appeared so beauteous as when she sate by blacke Vulcanes side so this Lilly the faithfull neuer shine more cleare then when they be besâ—tte with persecuting people blacke conditioned mankind Stephens face neuer shind so Angel-like in the church where all were vertuous as it did before the councell whereall to speake of were vitious tyrannous Light a candle at noone-day and it shines little because of other light but in the darkest place that light is glorious Some faithfull shine not so amongst other faithfull as amongst faithlesse but when a meane Belieuer is compared with a Barbarian then we behold white and blacke light and darkenesse And this puts me in minde of two men strong Brownists while they continued in our Christian parts but comparing people with people their consciences accused them for charging our English Church to be no true Church The one to the other shewed their minds change praised God for that meane returned again to the vnity they before despised No other arguments euer so preuailed as the consideration of English faith and forraigne idolatrie Beauteous is the whole visible Church in comparison of the thornie world and surpassing beauteous be the wheat-children of this kingdome in comparison of the visible tares the troublers of Israel As the Lilly is passing orient amidst thornes and the Church glorious amidst the wicked Libertines euen so a Lilly amongst thornes cannot escape all euil nor the Church amidst the wicked can be free from persecution Dauid shal be afflicted in Israel and Christ bored on the Crosse in Iudea Enemies without and false brethren within they shall doe but their nature that is pricke sâ—ing and nettle the faithfull The Lilly giueth no cause of vexation to the thorne for it was a flowre of Gods making before the other was borne but the thorne a creature that came but in by the curse it vexeth the Lillies soule Well for some
with a Diuells speach crying out in a Consistorie Papa pater patrum Papissae pandito partum For authoritie of which Historie we haue writers many against whom they cannot without blushing except as Polycronicon Caxton Volateran Nauclerus Marianus Scotus Martinus Polonus Functius Sabellicus Sigibertus Gemblacens Laonicus Chalcondila Platina Mare Historiarum Chronica compendiosa c. This standing so their Succession will prooue but doubtfull schismaticall whorish This they know well inough but with the simple they must equiuocate and iuggle for aduantage They will tell the simple how all translations of the Bible excepting their Latine-one are false and intollerable Whereas what knowledge soeuer they haue of ours their schollers know how our learned-men can produce many hundreds of grose errours from their Dunsticall latine-one fasly termed Ieroms To giue an vngainesayable touch in Ezra 9.8 for paxillus they reade paxillius In Prou. 16.11 they reade lapides seculi for sacculi In Psal. 133.16 they reade viduam ejus benedicam for victum and in Luke 15.8 euertit domum she ouerthrew the house for euerrit she swept the house with many such Quid for Quos If Bellarmine and such say that this hath come to passe through drowsinesse or ignorance of their Monks who first writte them nam Monacho quis indoctior how comes it to passe that they haue printed them estsoones without correction Is iâ— because they would be constant although God knowes in euill But not to speake of such Monkish errours how haps there is such warre betweene two of their Popes Sixtus quintus and Clemens octauus either of them hauing their Edition with â— know not how many thousand variations and whether of the Popes copies will they follow Arias Montanus in his preface to the Interlinear Bible will tell them how the latine translation faede corrumpitur is filthily corrupted Hereupon it is that not onely the two Popes laboured to mende it but also that Pagnin leaueth the old latine for following the Hebrue and Greeke as Arias after him doth also thousand of times leaue him for following the originall more nerely And vnto the Originall hee teacheth vs to runne in all difficultie as was of yore the sacred aduise of Ierome and Augustine In the meane time I dare say that God his prouidence hath so ouerwatched this Bible held in his right hand Reuelat. chapt 5. as vnworthy he is of any Pastorall place that from the corruptest translation is not able to hold our Christian doctrine against all Romish Pagan-inuentions With these Equiuocatours I sometimes in the succeeding Treatise so well as in the former doe conflict maintaining the ancient doctrine of Faith against their Romish innouations Against this I doubt not some of that Faction will kicke in my natiue country which somewhat more then a yeare since coulde like of a violent hand in secret for bastonadoing the Authour For a Religion it is that cannot be defended so well with words as swords nor so easly by open plaine dealing as by secret treatcheries and publike Equiuocations Which considerations had I the rather haue in this particular Dedication fled to him that Can and for holy respect I feare not Will â—oth accept and patronize qualiacunque sunt these my poore labours Wherewith I rest Your Honors wherein I may Henoch Clapham The Text. 8 IT is the voyce of my Beloued Behold he commeth leaping ouer the mountaines and skipping ouer the hills My Welbeloued is like a Roe or yong Hynde 9 Behold he standeth behinde our wall looking forth of the windowe shewing himselfe through the grates 10 My Beloued spake and said vnto me Arise my Loue my Faire-one and come away 11 For behold winter is past the raine is changed and gone away 12 The flowers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land 13 The Fig-tree hath brought forth her yong figs and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour Arise my Loue my Faire one and come away 14 My Doue thou art in the holes of the Rocke in the sâ—cret places of the staires Shew me thy face cause me to heare thy voyce because thy voyce is sweete and thy face comely 15 Take vs the Foxes the little foxes destroying the vines for our vines haue small grapes 16 My Welbeloued is mine and I am his hee feedeth among the Lillies 17 Vntill the day breake and the shadowes flee away returne my Welbeloued and be like a Râ—â— or yong Hart vpon the mountaines of Bether The third Part. The Argument of this third Part. The Church solaceth her soule in remembring the words feature and presence of her beloued Messiah protesting withall her dutifull allegiance euen to the subscribing vnto his determined absence before incarnation so well as to his continuance in the heauens now till the time all shadowes whether Naturall Legall or Euangelicall be to be abolished to the full restauration of all things CHAP. 2. Lect. 1. Verse 8. It is the voyce of my Beloued Behold he commeth leaping ouer the mountaines and skipping ouer the hills My beloued is like a Roe or yong Hinde THis verse and the rest of this Chapter beginneth and continueth a new Act of Messiahs loue to his Church specially to this of the Gentiles As Daniel and other of the Prophets haue sundry visions of one and the same thing but the latter visions ordinarily the clearer so in this song are sundry Acts expressing Christ and his churches mutuall Loues but euerie latter Act compared with the precedent is a clearer of some former point and a perfecter of the former In this Act we haue the Church still speaking eyther declaring her owne sense or the actions of her Beloued All tending to expresse their mutual affections one towards another in respect of Christes comming in the flesh and the new churches glory accompanying the same In this verse is vttered the churches sense and feeling of Messiahs approaching in the flesh laid downe first from the knowledge she hath of his voice secondly of his pace The voyce is made excellent by the subiect when she saith It is the voyce of my Beloued The Pase is made excellent first from a word of attention Behold secondly from the speedinesse thereof once by saying he commeth leaping ouer the mountaines and hills afterwards by comparing him for that to the Roe or yong Hinde The Church of the Gentiles figuratiuely considered as a seed in the loynes of the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets doth listen after and quickely in the spirit obserue Messiahs voyce Because our God calleth things that are not as if they were for that cause the new Church is introduced hearing and seeing before she was Like as Isaiah foreseeing the New Churches glorie doth cal vpon her to Reioyce saying Reioyce thou barreâ— that bearest no children c. which by the Apostle is plainely applied to the church of the Gentiles which then
for a perfect Iudge thus he shall not Iudge after the sight of his eyes neither reproue by the hearing of his eare that is he would not iudge by vncertaine coniectures shadowes and glimpsies These that in cases of vndoing a person will be peremptory and resolute vpon vnsufficient triall for the lawe forbiddeth such indgement vpon one witnes the receipt of an accusation against an Elder vnder two or three witnesses they therein shew themselues rather foxes then imitators of Iesus The foxes will not aduenture their owne life but where they thinke all sure but eâ—sily they will determine the spoile of others vpon a glimpse of the first eare without first lending the second eare to the Accused The last thing I note more particularly fitting the present text is this Vulpes amare vineas that Foxes loues grapes Ironically we say of a man the foxe loueth no grapes when we meane hee seemeth not to loue a thing which he cannot get like to a subtile foxe which passeth by the grapes vntouching them whom hee seeth to be vnderpropped beyond his reach but yet by learing one may know he loues them The vine as before and afterward oft doth mystically implie the Church and here the church of the Gentiles The vine considered here in her first grape doth intimate the spring of tender Christians bringing forth their fiâ—st fruites to the glory of God the planter And these foxes doe so affect the Churches fruites as it is meate and drinke to them to chop them vp and deuour them These foxes forsooth haue no purpose to teare the Lords vine to deuoure the blossomes but by their learing aside wee knowe well their nature They couâ—t the spoile of Zion that so as foxes they may runne vpon it that there they foxes may haue holes where the Sonne of man may not haue whereon to lodge his head Of which two lâ—gged foxes some be Ciuil some Ecclesiasticall some Mixt. A Ciuil fox was Herod and all the Ciuil gouernors and people represented by that Satannicall dragon in Reuel 12. who watched to crop vp the womans fruite at the first appearance For the diuell did that by his mysticall body died with red as thirsting after blood Ecclesiasticall foxes be such Church-men and lewde Prophets as Balaam who for pleasing a great man did teach how Israel might sinne for prouoking their God to destroy them And such were Shemajah and Noaajah who were contented to be hired of Tobiah and Sanballat for fearing good Nehemiah from the worke of the Lord. And such were the Priests and Scribes of Iudeah who laboured to choke the Gospel in the first seeding The Mixt foxe is such a one as is both Ciuil and Ecclesiasticall and of this nature is euery apostaticall Pope vsurping both swords the temporall sword ouer all Princes the spirituall sword ouer all Churches In the Clementine Constitutions hee is called Stupor Mundi The Astonishment of the world and indeede he long time astonished the world and benummed their senses Then after in the same place hee turneth himselfe aside to the Pope and saith Nec deus es nec Homo quâ—si Neuter es inter vtrumque Thou art neither God nor Man what then a Beast but a Neuter Betweene both Seeing themselues will haue him to be a Neuter let it be And seeing they themselues will haue him to be neither God nor Man let him be a Beast euen Reinard the great foxe whose den and earth almost vndermined the whole earth What a friend he is to the vines let it be iudged by the carriage of his Cubs in all countries studying and practising the ruine of Princes the massacre of true belieuers the ouerthrow of parents friends and naturall country No foxe so hungers after grapes as they after firing the vines and spilling the blood of our mysticall grape The foxes so found out it remaineth they be hunted For this cause the Lord of the vineyard is of the Church thus introduced crying Take vs the foxes the little foxes Lect. IX THe Mysticall foxes and their properties vnderstood as before it now remaineth wee entreate of the Lords huntsmen who here are charged to apprehend these foxes The huntsmen are two the Magistrate and Minister The Magistrate is appointed to seize vpon the bodies of these craftie aduersaries and to that end the sword is put into his hand Hee beareth not the sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Such an huntsman was Ioshuah who chased the Cananite foxes and slue them Such an huntsman was Dauid in seizing on the flowting foxes inhabiting Iebus Such an huntsman was Iosiah in puâ—suing to death the foxe-like priests of Baalim and such an huntsman was Iebu in Israel when hauing got the idolatrous foxes into their house of Baal he put them to the sword And lest it should be thought that such ciuil pursuite of the Churchesfoes did appertaine only to that anciâ—nt Church of Israel let vs remember not onely that Saint Paul as before doth teach that the sword is still put into their hand for such purpose but also how our Sauiour with a ciuil whip did expell the Temples choppers and changers giuing therein a taste of that ciuill authoritie which he naturally deriued from Dauid And thereby teaching ciuill Magistrates the true vse of the sword and lash incommended vnto them That prophecie of Isaiah namely that Kings should be nursing fathers and Queenes should be nurces it cannot otherwise be verified to the newe testaments Church then as is recorded first by submitting themselues and all their glory to the church secondly by licking vp the dust from before the churches feete that is remoouing scandalous and offensiue things which vnremooued might hinder the Church might danger the vines and murder the Gospel in the birth-time Are the Magistrates appointed to hunt the Foxes then are they not called to be Foxes to be Romish Reinards spoilers of our Church O that we had not cause to complaine of some subtile companions amongst vs that by crouching and creeping too oft do vsurpe the place of ciuill huntsmen but in troth either subtile Atheists making aduantage of all religions or else Popish Sanballats that bend all their wit wealth and might to the ruine of the Gospel and introducing of Romish tyranny Our Gratious Queene hath appointed them to assist her in keeping of Christs vine but these subtile Iehues howsoeuer zealous for the Lord til they were established and fast seated in their roomes doe afterwards turne their zeale to the defence of Baal Such foxe-friends wee not onely finde heere in our land but we heare sometimes of such Captaine Foxes in Ireland who being sent forth by our Soueraigne to hunt the Fox do betray her vineyard to the Fox Yea when her Maiestie hath appointed some to hunt the sea-foxe at sea we heare sometimes how they vpholde the Foxe in his rauine at least they winke
at the sea-foxe while he teares our sheepe fleeces them of their wooll causeth the marchant sheepe to keepe at home in their fold when for the good of our land they should be pasturing abroade Take vs these Foxes saith God to our Queene Alas she knoweth not sometimes of these traiterous huntsmen and sometimes when she knoweth them she cannot apprehend them For seldome time are such foxes destitute of a Fauourite in or about the Court Well walke on sweetest Elizabeth in caring for this vineyards safetie and if men faile to take them God himselfe will looke downe from heauen and take them in their owne snare The Minister that is the Preacher of Gods word he is called also to hunt the fox out of Christes vineyard And if the cause be such as he cannot be driuen out yet at least the Minister is to take him to apprehend him to endite him and condemne him if he cease not in time to be a Fox an enemy to the vineyard As the Mgaistrate is to draw forth the corporall sword so the Minister is to pull out the spirituall sword And this is done two ways first by the word including secondly by the word expulsing The word including is such an application of the word as it includeth the fox or subtile aduersarie within the outward league of the Church Such an aduersarie is in Math. 13. compared to a tare in the midst of the wheat Though a tare be visible and the word of the Churches Ministers doth condemne it yet that word of God in the Ministers mouth doth consider that subtile â—are within the Church and in such respect not to be expulsed the Church Nor is he not expulsed in respect of himselfe but in respect of the wheat which otherwise were like to be torne vp with the Tare And for this respect it was that Saint Iohn did take and condemne Diotrephes for a prowd vsurper neither doing good nor suffring others to doe good but yet wold not command the Fox to be excluded the vineyard And for this tarish respect a tare cannot be pulled vp but with the tearing vp of wheat wherewith it is closed Saint Paul wisheth certaine cut of from the Galatians whome otherwise he durst not commaund to be expelled the Church And in such tarish respect for these foxes haue such hold of simple soules as for these soules sake they be permitted to stay within the Church it was that the same Apostle condemned some in the Church of Corinth for vncleannes fornication and wantonnes already acted whome notwithstanding he wold not command to be excommunicate as Austen wel observeth As Tares represent not all ill but only such weeds as cannot be extirpate without wheats detriment so these tares that haue such cleauing and nere communion with the faithfull are commonly subtile Foxes hauing such perilous hold of the vines as drawen they cannot be therefrom but with the vines destruction Such clinging tares fast cliuing foxes such as Ioab and Shimei were whome Dauid for his time permitted but not approued the Ministers are to take them by their preaching to apprehend them but cannot adiudge them otherwise then as tares in the wheat field diseases in the body which can more easily be discouered and condemned then with the churches peace and good be seuered And this was the practise of the Sinagogues Prophets who continually cried out against the intestine aduersaries by legall menaces hunting them as foxes which aduersaries they cold not expulse the Church by anie ordinance of Moses The Magistrate could onely correct or take life away from the transgressors of the morall lawe for the Priests could only deale in the Tabernacles ceremonies and in the magistrates neglect of censuring the breach of the ten commaundements the Prophets were to shoote out the Lawes dartes as also in case of abusing the Tabernacles ceremonies The Magistrate ought to seaze on the Churches aduersaries by the sword the ministers by the word As the man and beast that touched the mount what time Iehouah did promulgate his law were to be smitten through with darts so these subtile vine-foes approaching the publike place of Gods presence are to besmit thorough with the lawes mysticall-iaueling And as the word including doth so take and sease vpon them in the publike diuiding of the word so the same word doâ—th take them in a grinne and snaâ—le them in ordinary discourse This appeareth againe and againe in the Ghospel when our Sauiour answered the high priests and Scribes after the Herodians and lastly the Sadduces by demanding them another question These seuerall foxes framed Dilemmaes or two-forked arguments wherewithall to endanger Iesus Hee teaching so his ministers yea all his members doth not answere directly with either yea or no for if he had so answered he had falne into the one danger but thereupon he propounds another question no lesse dangerous for them to answere Which perceiued of the subtill foxes they depart vnurging him to answere them because they could not without danger make answer to him If Christ could not vtterly auoide the temptings of such foxes neither can we his members Labour wee therefore to take them in a grinne as the Apostle sometimes did take the Corinths with guile and as God himselfe taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse The word expulsing it is that vse of Gods word whereby such foxes are hunted fooâ—th and expelled the Church like as the Incestuous was expelled of the Corinths 1. Cor. 3. and 1. Cor. 2. as Hymenâ—us and Alexander 1. Tim. 1.20 were expelled of Paul and as Timothie is charged of the Apostle to bridle such cancred Teachers as Hymeneus and Philetus 2. Tim. 2.16.17 And this is done by putting them forth of the Churches communion lest otherwise they should leauen the whole fellowshippe or canker-fret the faithfull Tunc antem hoc sine labe pacis vnitatis sinâ— laesione frumentorum fieri potest cum congregationis ecclesiae Multitudo ab eo crimine quod Anathematizatur aliena est And then this Expulsion may best be done without blot of peace and vnitie as also without harming the wheate whenas the whole multitude of the Church shall be free from â—ll partaking with the sinne that is to be anathematized Yea as Austin in the same place haâ—h when the crime shall be so cleare to all and of all held execrable so that the sinner hath either no defenders at all at least no such proctors as whereby a Schisme may fall out in the church then let not the sword of discipline any longer sleepe in the scaberd Then it is fit time to cut such workers of iniquitie from the cittie of our God for no beast that can be seuered with the Churches peace ought longer to abide in the mountaine of God his holinesse This cutting off is done partly or absolutely It is done in part when either the sinner is but debarred the Lords supper the Lords steward
to iudge of them throughout this song as of incense trees for sauour and as of beauteous flowers for fauour A soule seeing it selfe in it selfe hath cause to cry out of it selfe all vncleane all red as scarlet but if it haue the sight and sense of being in Christ it is to belieue that crimson sins are all washed so white as wooll and that by the blood of that Lambe their garments are made white And with boldnesse such a soule may presse into the diuine presence knowing that the giftes of his owne spirite cannot but to him be acceptable Nor is such perswasion and boldnes the worke of pride but the fruite of Faith euen of faith wherby we haue peace with God The place of Messiahs feeding is amongst these Lillies so that these lillies are properly the place of his food not as some haue taken it the food it selfe Rabbi Selomoh doth thus reade it who feeds his sheep amongst the lillies that is saith he in a fit quiet and beauteous Pasture-plâ—t not vnlike to that of Dauid in ps 23.2 True it is that Christ hath prepared a pleasant spirituall place for the sheepe of his pasture to graze in but here I take it she intends directly the refreshing place which Messiah had chosen to himselfe and that is her selfe chosen to be a Templâ— to the holy ghost an habitation to the mightie God of Iaakob comparing her selfe to a field of Lillies her seuerall sanctified members considered And hereunto Abben-ezra is drawne when not only he saith that the Lord is drawen suaui odore floris iâ—tius by the sweet odour of this flower but also in liliâ—s designantur iusti that by Lillies are vnderstood Righteous persons Our Sauiour by Saint Iohns Ministrie laboured to open the hearts of the Laodiceans Reuel 3.20 to what end That hee might enter and sup with them And is there all Nay that they likewise might suppe with him The same mutuall and ioynt pasturing may be here entended according to that which was in the 1. ch and 9. verse and blessed be they which be inuited to this supper Reuel 19.9 Messiah feedeth amongest these Lillies and the Lillies againe receaue nouriture from him and his spirit represented by the watrie bankes in psa 1.3 He liueth with vs not of vs but we liue both with him and of him Liue with him we doe because the members cannot be seuered from such â—n head Liue also of him we do because not only the earth is the Lords and the fullnesse therof and so all liue of him but also in respect of his body and blood called in the Gospell a slaine carcase whereon as eagles by faith we tire and foster And so the faithfull only feed of him For his feeding with vs it is plaine from the vnion he hath with vs both in body and soule And that is cause that in Matt. 25. he accompteth that which was giuen to his poore members to haue beene giuen vnto him Not because his owne particular body was in them for the heauens retaine that till he come to iudge both the quick and dead nor since his owne particular nature was glorified could it hunger or thirst after bodily refection but in respect of commâ—nion and fellowship with such spiritually through faith his spirit so chaining him and vs togither by the bonds of faith And in such respect he taketh hard fare also with them going downe with Iaakob into Aegipt with Ioseph into prison suffring with the Saints in Damascus Thus hee feedeth vs and with vs He feedeth vs as a father but feedeth with vs as a brother yea as an husband and amiable louer Now to her Prayer Lect. XI Vntill the day breake and Shadowes flee away Returne my Welbeloued and be like a Roe or young Hart vpon the Mountaines of Bether IN this prayer I obserue generally the Churches will conformed to Messiahs wil. That it was his wil to remoue from hir in some fort for a certaine season she had learned from his owne Canonicall word and for that cause she prayes him to retire for the word Sób here and Bèrà ch in ch 8.18 I take to be as synonimies or to haste away according to the fathers decree till the time of darkenesse were ouer-shot assimilating himselfe herein to the yoong Hart on the mountaines of Bether To lack his presence no doubt a corasiue vnto hir but hauing learned that God had so decreed shee desireth him to accomplish his will herein referring her will to his reuealed will A doctrine taught by Messiah when he taught his disciples to pray Thy will be donâ— practised by himselfe when he prayed to his father Not as I will but as thou wilt and a rule whereby euery one that hath a portion in Christ must be contented to walke As a childe ought to referre his will to the Father and a scholler to his Maister euâ—n so and much more then so ought wee to referre our will which is alwayes weake and oft bad vnto God his will which is strong to preuaile and is alwayes goâ—d If loue cannot preuaiâ—e with vs for subiecting our will to his will in all things Then let the feare of his power force it Follie it is to resist him that is stronger Hath he said it quoth Balaam and shall he not doe it And hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it As if he should say all the world is not able to resist his will to fruâ—â—rate his word for if they wil not ioyn with it for partaking with his mercy they shall be subdued of it for partaking with his iustice As we would be knowne to be of God Christ Iesu let vs be euer found subiecters of our will to his will yea it is a badge of the Church here and therfore cannot in the faithfull be altogether wanting More particularlie here is to be obserued first the time of decreed absence and that is Till the day breake and shadowes flie away secondly The manner of his absence and that is Like a yong Roe on the mountaines of Bether The breaking of the day and departure of the shadowes for Night which is the earths shadow doth depart with the daies breaking it is vnderstoode of some to be the time of the Lawe preceeding Christs incarnation which lawe was nothing else but a shadow of good things to come some others vnderstand it to be the time of the church in this darke miserable worlde specially after Christs ascension Not to meddle with other vnapt collections I meane here if God permit to insist on both these times as both well suting to our former exposition But heere some will aske how can the church of the Gentiles will Messiah to retire vnto the time that Legall ceremonies vanish seeing the Gentiles were no people or church till that lawe was ended I answer God that calleth things that be not as if they were hee by Salomon bringeth
then the Quintessence of the sauing Gospel and euery of these 490. yeares are as so many golden linkes of Time beginning with the Shadowe and ending with the thing shadowed Great pity but we should fasten them aright For in them lieth open matter for stopping the Iewes mouth for abolishing Mahomatisme for conuincing of Papisme for settling a true Christian Daniel in English The Iudgement of God to him was this Oracle deliuered for light and saluation to all such as rest not in humane fancies but in the Iudgement of God But to the question When and by whom this Word or Edict should goe out it is of many called into question The cause of which contrâ—rietie ariseth first from certaine parts of Gabriels speech secondly from the prophane Greekes their Olympique computation From Gabriels speach some take the 490. yeares should finish with his assuming our nature in respect of which extraordinary conception they thinke that phrase the shewing or The annointing of the holy of Holies is vsed Some thinke by that speach is entended his Baptisme for that the Holy-Ghost then openly ouershadowed him Others cast the period of these 490. yeares vpon Christs death because of these words After the threescore and two sannets Messiah shall be pierced thorough Others vnderstanding by Messiah or Annointed not Iesus the Christ but the Iewish annointed shadowing Gouernours doe fasten the end of Gabriels seauens vpon Ierushalems destruction first because the Annointed Gouernement then ceased to be secondly for that Gabriel in the end of this Oration doeth speake of Ierushalems desolation which fell forth about some fortie yeares after Christs ascention Foure sundry opinions thus arise from three speeches of this sacred Prophecie As for them that thinke howe by a certaine number of yeares an vncertaine is meant they make the Angel to come about an idle message He professeth verse 22. that he came to giue knowledge and vnderstanding to Daniel but if by seauenty seauens he meant eightie seauens or some other number then the Angel taught him nothing for Daniel knew before that Messiah should come and finish our redemption So certaine an vncertaintie is this as it is vnworthy to be numbred with the worst of the former foure For all the former hold the number of 490. yeares proper and certaine onely they call into question first when these yeares begunne secondly when they finished And hereunto some of the former haue beene drawne from a certaine computation of the Greekes called Olympique of the hill Olympus where Gallants from all parts came and stroue for the victorious Garland These Olympiqâ—e maisteries were as some haue taught euery fift yeare but against them Onuphrius opposeth many others that conclude them to haue beene held euery fourth yeare Such vncertaintie there is in this Gentilique computation As the famous Plutarch could say of the Olympiades beginning Tempora igitur diligentius exequi per difficile est ea maxime quae ex victoribus Olympiae ducuntur quoruâ— descriptionem aiunt serò Hippiam Eliensem aedidisse nullo subnixum necessario ad fidem Argumento in effect There is no trust to be giuen vnto Olympiad reckonings so I may say of their Endings little assurance can be had whether euery fourth yeare or not also sometimes the fift yeare as the Romans held their Lustrum or not whether sometimes euery other yeare seeing greedinesse of Gaming will not alwayes be held in like compasse Now forsooth some affirming that Cyrus victory fell in such an Olympiade and our Sauiours birth baptisme Death in respect of Augustus and Tyberius Caesar vnder whome they fâ—ll to fall in such an Olympiade betweene which Olympiades moe yeares arise then these 490. of Gabriel they hereupon conclude that the Angels seauens must begin later then Cyrus Edict Some labor to proue that the Greeks accompt may be reconciled with our Sauiours baptisme at least with his death Others mighâ—â—ly resist that who to make Daniels seauens finish Ierushalems last desolation by the vncircumcised Romanes doe beginne the accompt from Darius Nothus said to be He in Ezra 6. what time a renuall of Cyrus his edict went forth And this must be about some hundred yeares after Cyrus Some other taking this Darius in Ezra for another then Nothus namely for an Artaxerxes seuered sirnamed Long-hand doe beginne the compt about some six and thirtie sooner but for that are forced to prosecute the after-time as they may And no maruell for if the Gentile-writers confound one Gouernor with and for another no maruel though their yeares reckonings be as confused in this as about Great Homers time of life where some of them cannot come within two or three hundred yeareâ— one of another As for the booke intituled A plaine and perfect Method it herein doth answere the selfe For speaking of these yeares in three places each place as forgetting the other doth oppose to the other And that which teacheth the Persians gouernment to haue beene but 130. yeares doth hew off the other two legs seeing these which follow the Greekes doe aâ—gment the Persians gouernment an hundred yeares or thereabouts For the difference is not about yeares in the following Gouernements but onely in this Such ill-happe haue men medling with Gabriels Oration when as they flie the Scriptures simplicity and betake themselues to corrupt historie Another opinion lately come out of the North doth ioyne the beginning of Gabriels yeares without all question to the first yeare of Cyrus his Monarchie wherein hee returned the Iewes and the ending of Gabriels halfe seauen he fastneth vpon our Sauiours death But marke with all that as the Angell parted the seauenty seauens first into 7. seauens secondly into 62. seauens thirdly into one seauen so betweene the first number of seauen sennets and the second number of 62. hee interiects 63. yeares for making good the Computaion of prophane Chronicles Which in very troth with that of putting downe of a certaine number for an vncertaine is to teach Daniel one thing when himselfe meanes another and so to make Daniel nothing wiser than before yea which is more it is the putting in of a leather thong to Gabriels golden chaine the sowing of Daniels ground with miscellaine the yoking of an Oxe and Asse together And all these inconueniences grow from laboring that the Bible may conforme it selfe to Gentiles vncircumcized Chronicles where religion teacheth vs to draw them to the Bible And if they will not thereto be drawen then to cashire them specially Graecians for falsifiers deceiuers For as the Apostle could say of the Cretians They were alwayes liers so more Generally we may with Iamblicus and the Aegyptian priest in Platoes Timaeo hold these generally for Children lying and vnconstant And how vnconstant they be it wel enough appeareth in the great varietie of Computation introduced by writers on this scripture Seeing some of them still serue for confirming the absurdest iudgemâ—nt But to passe from Fables to faith from Prophane
became indeed The Son of Man And thus the fall of Man brought with it the fall of Gods Son The Head is contented to stoope with his body Christ with his Church pawning himselfe for her payning himselfe for her becomming poore for making her rich giuing her libertie by his captiuitie procuring to her pleasure by his paine life by his death Nor did the Sacrifices only represent this but also exhibite and seale Christ with his benefits vnto the faithfull Communicant In which respect it is that the Author to the Hebrues saith that Habel by his Oblation obtained witnesse that he was iust that is imputed iust by Christ Iesus sealed to his conscience To whome as to all ancient Belieuers Christ was the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also for euer The Egiptian priest could say Deus vim â—fficacem imprimit Sacramentis God deeply printeth an effectuall operation in Sacraments speaking of their fantastick Sacrifices but the faithfull of God vnder and before the lawe might in deede and trueth say that a vitall power was conâ—aid vnto them by the Sacrifice no lesse then eternall life by Christ Iesus sealed vnto their Conscience by the stamp of his Spirit By which externall shadowe they were so taught and sealed till Messiahs day did breake and the Lawes shadowes fly away So much generally of Sacrifice Lect. XXXII Circumcision THe next Sacramentall exhibitiue shadow shal be Circumcision first incommended vnto Abraham in the seauenteenth of Genesis and continued in his seede till Christ putte that away for establishing Baptisme But baptisme by sufficient preaching being once established thencefoorth Christ Iesus should profite him nothing that would be circumcised Galat. 5.2 This Circumcision was nothing else but a solemne cutting away of that fore-skinne in a Manchild which appertaines to the generatiue part Which the Lord at the first institution thereof doth sometimes call his Couenant sometimes the Signe of his Couenant Why Because the thing signified was to the true Belieuer conuaâ—de with the signe euen as it is in all exhibitiue sacraments And that is it which causeth the Apostle in Rom. 4.11 to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seale of that Righteousnesse which is by-faith Which Sacrament was to Abrahams nâ—turall sâ—ed as Baptisme is vnto Christs spirituall seed an infallible signe of being receiued into the Couâ—nant of grace and holy Church of GOD. For by this signe the Hebrew Israel and Iew all Abrahams petigree were distinguished from all the world besides termed Gentiles The ancient prophane Herodot recordeth that the Colchians Aegyptians Aethiopians did circumcize themselues and of the Aegyptians he will forsooth that the Phaenicians and Syrians in Palestina these must be the Iewes they learned Circumcision Yet forsooth saith he â— cannot define whether the Egyptians learned it of the Aethiopians or they of the Egyptians Silly Greeke it is something he saith but farre from the truth He thought the Iewes had leaâ—ned it of the Aegyptians Why No doubt because hee had heard that sometimes their predecessours had beene in Aegipt Whereas it was instituted neere two hundred yeares before Iaakob went downe into that country And whereas he affirmeth so many of the Gentiles to circumcise it is nothing likely they euer hauing the Hebrewâ—s and their religion in horrible detestation Onely this may be some of Abrahams seede specially by Ismael borne of the Aegyptian Hagar might be sparsed in such places and there continuâ— this ceremony But for circumcision to be practised by naturall Egyptians it is against all probabilitie Philo Iudaeus therefore in his discourse of Circumcision making one argument of the vse thereof to the bodily cleanenesse specially in the priestes hee therewithall affirmeth of the Aegyptians that they for such purpose did 〈◊〉 their bodies For Circumcision we see how odious it was vnto the Gentiles in the time of Maccabees as diuerse Iewes for liues preseruation were glad to vncircumcize themselues by a painefull stretching and curious phisiking of the scarred skinâ—e It is sufficient that the ancient Greek hath recorded the Ceremonie though altogether ignorant to whom it appertained and to what end vsed But what is shadowed in Circumcision First If wee respect the paring away of the flesh it shadowes forth the expoliation and casting away of the olde-man with his inueterate lusts And this of the Holy Ghost is oft termed the circumcision of the * heart If we respect the shedding of blood accompanying that cutting it may wel represent the blood of Christ Iesus appointed to be poured out for our sinnes for the washing away of our lustsâ— for without blood no remission Heb. 9.22 And if with the representation we respect what therein to the faithfull is exhibited it is no other thing than Christ who of God the Father is made vnto vs Wisdome Righâ—eousnes Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Who by his spirite and word worketh in vs true mortification to sinne and true Viuification to Holinesse and trueth of Righteousnesse Nor lesse was taught to Abraham at the gift of Circumcision For being ben a Sonne of 99. yeares hee in his olde age is tauâ—ht to cut off the old man that so a Couenâ—nt may be sealed in his flesh The Couenâ—nt is exprâ—ssed when he saith I am God all sufficient walke before me and be thou vpright wherein the Lord not onely calleâ—h Abraham and his seede to vprightnesse of Obâ—dience towards him but also preacheth and promisâ—th to be God all-sufficient vnto him and his Nay lest he should thinke his obedience the Cause why God would be sufficient vnto him the Lord first pronounceth him El-shaddaj and then biddeth Abraham walke vprightly because his All-sufficiencie in the first place was cause of his integritie in the second place Which couenant standing of free-grace and promise it could not doe lesse than leade Abraham by the hand vnto the Seed of promise euen Christ Iesus by whom al the earth was to receiue a blessing Vnto the which blessed seede the Lord seemeth to will Abram and Sarai to Behold when as he turnes Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah so adding to their names the hebrewe letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in english is Behold Whereto the Angel Gabriel might haue an eye when to the Virgine Mary hee cryed Behold Which letter of hebrewes termed Heâ— of vs H is to Cabalists their character of the holy ghost By which forme of learning if Abraham euer approoued such learning that faithfull couple were taught to giue the praise of all goodnesse to that Spirite of God by whom they were sealed vnto the day of redemption Thus the Church in her infancie was taught by letters In this state of the Gospel wee should be able to put these letters together for spelling a Word euen that Word which assumed Flesh for the circumcising and sauing of Mankind So much for circumcision Lect. XXXIII Passeouer THe fourth sacramentall