Vine As before I vnderstoode literally Pharaohs daughter so heere by the Sunne I vnderstand the hote Clime of Aegipt where shâ—e was borne and brought vp q.d. True I am blacke and that not so much to be faulted seeing it befalleth me naturally through the Sunnes hote piercing rayes in Aegipt Further by the same proportion I vnderstand the Priests and Prophets of Aegipt vnder the terme Mother-sonnes q.d. Besides that my natiue country is a scorching soile I haue bin drawne many times abroade into the heate from one vineyard to an other from one greene tree and groue to another and this by the Prophets of mine owne natiue soile by the Sacrificers of Osiris Mitzraims Bacchus whose spirituall menaces drew me to pilgrimage in the sultring seasons This double consideration she propounds for mitigation of the Iewish censure From whence we learne first that forraine and externall lettes and hindrances they excuse man to man many times à toto wholy and they excuse vs before God though somtimes not a à toto wholie yet à tanto in part the sinne being so much the lesse Secondly seeing cases heere are shadowes of spirituall cases wee are to obserue first that naturall light and heate represented by the Sunne in themselues the good creatures of God they are by reason of the Soules disease means of making vs more blacke The heate of concupiscence spotteth our thoughts words and workes and the light of our minde termed Conscience it bewraieth our blackenesse the first acteth our blot the second declareeth it but the light of Ierusalem the pure law of God it more reveales it for the testimony of God is greater then the witnesse of our heartes 1. Iohn 3.20 Secondly these that are brethren borne and nourished in the same Church with vs they many times that should be leaders of the people shall prooue such as cause people to go astray a generall complaint of the Prophets and I wish that our Churches stomake had not cause to abhorre many for teaching people Machiauels pollicies and Romish traditions rather then doctrine which is according to godlinesse and many times shall thrust poore soules out of liuing out of calling yea out of the Synagogues and somtimes which is Romes Catholike practise out of their liues thinking such shall be their blinde zeale as our Sauiour â—aith that in so doing they doe to God an acceptable seruice And all this shall betide them if their Hearers Proselites Disciples will not keepe the vines of their Pastors lewd plantation of the diuel the false prophets deuising whereas euery vine our heauenly father hath not planted shal be pulld vp by the roots Thirdly that her pastoral brethren cracked in the nose against her for the word Nicharû so signifieth it putteth vs in minde not only of false teachers their impetuositie snuffing and cracking in the nose as Prouender-prickt Stallions but also how the elect of God are oftentimes not so ready to satisfie imperious bad commaunds as be the reprobate For as God hath chosen them before the worlds foundation vnto holinesse so that seed of Election is not alwayes so on sleepe but it somewhat feeleth disliketh and opposeth to actions of reprobation insomuch as thereby their idolatrous Chemarims are forced such stirres in Romes Church do argue a remnant of holy seede to threaten thunder curse with Bel Booke and Candlelight The second part of her petitions reason it is gathered from an internall cause of her blackenesse and that is her owne inherent negligence in looking to her owne vine her owne particular calling and proper duty wherein wee see an opposition betweene that shee omitted and committed She omitteth her owne taske and vndergoeth an other that is leaueth good and taketh euill And this was the lot of Iâ—phets people to leaue their fathers house as did the prodigall and to consume their beautie and strâ—ngth in the house of a stranger euen in the vineyards of Sodom and Gomorrha Zeboim and Admah sometimes haled therevnto by Sin and Sinners forcings and violent courses sometimes voluntarily and freely without all remorse and feeling Secondly which was Barnards meditation we are many times ready to vndergo the keeping of other mens vines when wee are vnfitted to watch ouer our owne busied about great things when we cannot discharge the lesse Ego loci huius occasione meipsum reprehenderâ— soleo quod animarum susceperim curam qui meam non sufficerem custodire by the occâ—sion of this scripture saith Bernard I have vsually reprâ—hended my selfe because I haue vndergon the charge of others before I was â—nabled to keâ—pe mine owne An holy reprehension and that whereof we all more or lesse stand indicted in our conscience If the Apostle could say in 1. Tim. 3.5 If any cannot rule his owne house how shall hee vndergoe the cure of God his Church We may well say If we be not faithful keepers of our owne soule how shall we keepe others Oh Lord be mercifull vnto vs and make vs more faithfull towardes our selues and others Lect. VIII Verse 6. O thou whom my Soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou causest to lie downe at No one For why shoulde I bee as she that couereth her selfe to the flocks of thy companions THE Church of the Gentiles hauing finished hir by speach with the Iewish Sinagogue she now returneth to her Beloued and shutteth vp her former Supplication First by adding a new Petition Show me c. Secondly giuing a reason thereof thus For why should I be c. In the Petition I obserue First the amiable forme she vseth Secondly the matter it selfe The forme is this O thou whome my Soule loueth a forme passing amiable amorous piercing for by it she expresseth the Character or print of her Soules affection towards Messiah And hereby she teacheth first howe God in Christ Iesus is beloued of the whole Church namely with the very Soule Externall ceremonies are without this but a dead carcase a stinking and abhominable sacrifice This loue of the soule is the Generall of these particulars in Deut. 6.5 Luke 10 27. Soule being put for all the faculties and powers of nature Secondly euery member of this church is enabled of GOD in due time particularly to say Thou whom my soule loueth As Thomas by way of application My Lord and my God Iohn 20.28 and Dauid Oh Lord my portion Psal. 119.57 For all knowledge without habilitie to apply Christ and his benefites to this poore soule it is but Speculation not Practise a generall Surueyance no particular Possession The first in Deuils and Reprobate but this peculiar to God his chosen For the matter of this Petition it is Refection or Comfort this laide downe in two braunches first in desiring to knowe of Christ the place of his feeding secondly the place of lying downe in the daies heate euen then when the Sun was come to the Meridional point To desire Repast and to desire Rest after repast
to whom these mysteries are vttered That the faithfull are not to sit downe vpon the enioy of meaner gifts but thus pray and practise after the best they are not only taught of the worldlings but also of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.31 chap. 14.1 c. Yea all are by the Queene of Sheba stirred vp to spare neither labor nor charges for seeing and hearing the wisedome of Him that is greater then Salomon 2. Chron. 9.1 Math. 12.42 For if they were happy that stood before Salomon the shadow ten thousand times more happy must they be that stand in the presence of Messiah the Substance And if we desire to enter into this Rest to stand in the chambers of this great King let vs with Moses and Ioshuah loose and put off our shooes I meane carnall and beastly sense and affection thereby figured Exod. 3.5 Iosh. 5.15 If with * Bathsheba the daughter of seauen wee will in the seauen ages of the Church haue assurance to sitte on our Salomons right hand on the seate of his appointment then let vs spiritually trauaile of Him and bring him forth absolute in all our workes If with the Leuites we would lodge with Aaron our high-priest in the chambers of the Temple then let vs mount by Ezekiels seauen and eight steps singing our seauen and eight Psalmes of degrees as stepping vp from Babylon for ascending to Ierushalem the seate of the great King In a world let vs pray draw vs and draw vs from the Diuel World and Flesh after thee that so wee may togither with thee enter into the Bride-chamber there to heare and see these things that naturall eare and eie can neither heare nor see So much of the fruite ensuing her feruent prayer Touching her protestation lying in these words We will exult and be glad in thee we wil remember thy Loues more then wine Righteousnesses do loue thee or haue louéd thee Itâ— containeth an enumeration of hir Faculties disposition towards her beloued And this is done first by setting downe particulars then secondly by putting downe the whole The particulars are two lying in the first two branches the first expressing her Will or affections We will reioyce and be glad in thee the second marking out the sincerity of her Mind or Senses one Sense namely the Memorie put for all We will remember c. The Whole where-vnder the partes are contained it lieth in the last words Righteousnesses that is â— whatsoeuer is right or rectified in vs it hath and doth loue thee for so thy Loue constraineth vs. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be remembred that the soule of Man is distinguished into three faculties which for learning sake otherwise a simple essence or substance admits no parts may be termed 3. partes The first is termed Minde vnder which are contained all the interiour senses as Imagination Memorie c. and this is seated properly in the bodies head The second is termed Will vnder the which is contained the affections single and mixt as Loue Hatred Zeale c. And this is seated properly in the hart From both these proceed an actiue power or working property which we terme mind wils Agent or Factor The Church in this her protestation beginneth with the second Facultie namely Will when as she saith Wee will reioyce c. euen as the holy-ghost in the Prophets as also the Apostle in bidding the Ephesians put on Righteousnes true Holines do place the duties of the second Table before them of the first As it is an easier thing to find Religion without fruits of righteousnes faith without works so is it an easier thing to find the mind illuminated then the wil sanctified to Do according to the minds light For this cause she begins with the wil and signifies how her affections stand deuoted to her beloued saying Wee will exult and reioyce in thee hereby teaching vs first to preferre sanctification before illumination because illumination may be without sanctification as in Balaam Iudas Iscariot c but Sanctification not without illumination seing none are realy sanctified for we must distinguish betwixt holines real and that which is but by imputation but so soone at least their mindes are lightned with the Gospel of Christ Iesus secondly we are hereby taught to dedicate all our affections Loue Hatred Zeale c. vnto the glorie of our Beloued euen vnto him that bringeth vs to his House-threshold yea into his Cellers Galleries and chambers of secret presence And as other affections so specially our mery and reioycing affections This the Apostle remembreth saying Reioice in the Lord alway and againe I say reioice Philip 4.4 And the Psalmist protests in this elegant phrase All my springs are in thee as if he should say what speake I of singers and players of instruments in a word all the affections that flow from me manifested in pronunciation and action they are all in thee and for thee Such were the affections of Dauid causing him to spring before the Arke but comming home and such were affections springing vpon the gospels comming home by the ministerie of our Elisha But as it befell Israel after the continuance of Manna so vs after the Gospe's coutinuaunce the multitude lothe wish them in the Romish Aegypt by their flesh-pots againe stinking onions and garlike relice better with them than milke and hony of Canaan The trumperies of Iebusiticall and Secular poperie the iugling tricks alias Aequiuocations of the two frogges Iannes and Iambres Secular-priest and Iesuite are vnto a number of base Atheists of faâ—re more excellent repute then the naked sinceritie of the Gospel Wel If we turne our reioycements from Messiah his Euangell and sweete word will turne from vs. If wee will reioice and be glad in him he will neuer loathe vs. But seeing our reioycement in euill encreaseth and our exultation in the wayes of Messiah decreaseth I know not what to expect but that the Lord by some notable iudgement should declare to all nations he loathes vs as much as euer he loued vs. Touching the next clause we wil remember thy Loues more than wine the faithfull of the Church declare therein that as the affections so the Senses are consecrated to Iesus yea more consecrate to his loue then vnto wine that delighter of Nature as if shee should say Looke how the Mind of a wordling is ready to remember wine or any delight of this body euen so and much more then so will we remember thy loues From whence we are taught first to dedicate all our senses more specially the memorie for excogitating and recordating the Loue of Christ Iesus His Loue yea his Loues that is his particular Loues not committing any of them vnto Obliuion As for example we should remember that he hath First giuen vs Being of no being Secondly created vs reasonable creatures Thirdly giuen vs to be borne vnder the light of the Gospel Fourthly giuen vs many giftes of Nature
innocencie to the very death Iob 27.3 4 5 6. howsoeuer in some other things and respects our owne mouth shall condemne vs and our owne garments make vs filthy Iob 9.20.30 31. For to make euill good and good euill it is the worke of the diuel and the building of Babel a Tower of confusion Touching the comparison drawne from Kedars tents and Salomons curtaines it may well be conceiued that shee vnderstandeth both of them to be amiable and loue-some For Salomons curtaines none doubts it but else for Kedars tents diuerse take them to be a demonstration of her blackenesse as the other of her comlinesse and this is their reason the Kedarites dwelt in tents and open fieldes where all was exposed to the parching Sunne therefore more like to set forth her blackenesse True it is that they dwelt in tents pitched in the desart exposed to Sunne and all other weather Yet take this withall it was Arabiaes desart and they were very rich and glorious For this doe consider these places Ezek. 27.21 Ier. 49.28.29 Isa. 21.13.16.17 besides humane histories who largely treate of the excellent precious things of Arabia deserta and of the plenty thereof Solinus Polyhistor feareth not to say Aliena non emunt vendunt sua They buy not of others but sell to others All which weighed I rather thinke that besides blackenesse matter of desire is also vnderstood q.d. True I am blacke as Kedars tents yet is there in mee precious things for the which I am to be desired euen as Kedars tents haue beene desired not for their outward hue but for the precious gemmes gold and pleasant odours that be couched in them Arabia looked rudely yet by searching it regularly there was to be found precious stones excellent odours c. Yea in it was the Phoenix If so God created such a creature as is onely Male or onely Female or else an Hermaphrodite who because she is euer but One might also well resemble Messiahs Church who after in this Song is saide to be Alone Who may with the Phoenix be burned when she hath finished her testimonie but else out of her ashes ariseth a new seede like vnto Dauid and Christ at first A Worme and no Man which holdeth out the former testimonie through the worlds-desart worse then that of Arabia But to passe by that let vs here learne not to iudge peremptorily vpon outward appearance For if the Naturian could say truely Wisedome oftentimes is couered with a base garment wee may much more say by spirituall Canon that as Christ in outward appeerance had neither forme nor beautie Isa. 53.2 and yet were couched in him all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 euen so it befalleth his Church and members thereof namely to be oftentimes lacking in the externall appearance and yet otherwise all glorious within for which our Salomon taketh pleasure in her Psal. 45.11.13 And indeede this Kings daughter is rather glorious within then without howsoeuer Papist and Brownist would haue vs to measure it rather by outward appearance the first by player-like paintings the second by supposed Saintings Besides hir egreging the same by allusion to Salomons curtaines which in all probability must be passing worthy answereable to the rest of his glory she teacheth that the graces of Christ Iesus in his Church they exceede all ordinary glory Yea that the gifts of Messiahs spirit they are the Tabernacles curtaines the deckings of the Church the Couert ouer Salomon-Messiah represented by the Douish wings couering Iesus at his baptisme Luke 3.22 Lastly seeing neither the glory of Kedars tent nor Salomons Bed could be discerned otherwise then darkely till the curtaines and vailes were remooued it may put vs in minde of Messiah and the excellent things of his spirit which vnder sacramentall signes and shadowes lie couched darkely yet neuerthelesse by the eye of the soule a beleeuing minde are truely discerned And from hence groweth this diuine axiome The law a shadow the Gospel an Image the substance in heauen For as Ambrose could well say The Emperour being absent his Image hath authoritie but being present it hath none Lect. VII Verse 5. Respect me not because I am blacke for the Sunne hath looked vppon me The Sonnes of my mother haue fumed against me They put mee for a keeper of the Vines My Vine which was to me I haue not kept THe Church of the Gentiles vnto the Synagogue of the Iewes doth herein offer vp first a Petition and then secondly a reason of her Petition The Petition is this Regarde me not because I am blacke q.d. Let not my blacke hew be so much in your eie let not my swart colour be a cause why therfore yee should condemne me wholy and conclude me vtterly vnfitte for Messiah Where wee may obserue not onely her aduersaries forme of Argumentation which was from a parte to the whole from the Accident to the Subiect and so reason our aduersaries The Part is euill therefore the Whole is euill The Accident is discommendable therefore also the Subiect but also we may note the Churches humility euen in her innocencie Shee knoweth her cause to be good and her aduersaries to be bad yet she fretteth not railes not but in all holie meeknesse doth petitionate and humblie intreate her aduerse Sister to iudge rightly of hir Such humility was in Iob being falsly charged by his kinsfolkes such humilitie was in Abraham towardes Lot when Lot should rather haue supplicated to his vnckle his Elder the great father of the promise sealed vp to the Gentiles As Loue wil couer a multitude of transgressious specialy in zealous Brethren so the Soule that is humbled in the owne eies it will not stand vpon these tearmes I am Elder I am Better I haue the better cause c. but for edification sake where hope of edification is not barred vp it will cause a soule to vse soft words to desire reconciliation Yea for maintaining and procuring peace it will cause good Iaakob to present giftes and sweetely to salute Esau. Follow Peace we ought not it to follow vs and that with all men specially with the houshold of Faith Nor can this be followed if wee follow not the meanes Flie from meeke and soft termes flie from intreaties flie from humble gestures and then Peace will flie Vnity will not be Anger will rise Enuy will enter Wrath and Fury will set all the house on fire Thus wee see how Pride is enemy to Peace but Humilitie an appeaser of Wrath a quencher of Enuy a mother to peace and sacred vnion The reason of her Petition lieth in the other part of the Verse and that is drawen from the cause of her Blackenesse And that cause is two-folde the first is externall the second internall The externall cause of her blackenesse is first the Sunne secondly her mothers sonnes inforcing her to forraine workes The internall cause is her owne negligence in not keeping her owne
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
his wayes are past finding out For if the Creature could swallow vp all the reason of the Creator God should be finite and God no God The most learned reason the most plaine and readie reason the soberest reason of God his electing reprobating or acting whatsoeuer is this God so willeth or it is because God so wil. An answer soone learned and as readily made and being put in practise it shall stay much babling and vaine iangling that destroies but the hearers As God did choose vs and freely seale vs vp in Christ the rock of our saluation before all time so in time he calls vs and comfortably speaketh vnto vs. Not entitling vs according to that we are in ourselues but as we are in him In our selues a serpentine brood but in him Doues by litle climing towards our head as doues by steps and staires do ascend the Rocke Lect. VII SHew me thy face Hauing awaked his Loue he now exhorteth to shewe her face vnto him or more neere to the hebrue shew thy countenance vnto me Quid eniim per faciem nisi fidem qua à deo cognoscimur what can we vnderstand by the face but faith seeing by it wee are knowne of God Shew me thy Faith saith GOD shew mee thy faith by workes saith man God taketh knowledge of vs face to face when we apprehend Messiah by Faith And for this cause Saint Paul teacheth iustification freely by faith seeing by that we haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 Man taketh knowledge of vs by workes and therefore Saint Iames who was but a man saith Shew me thy faith by workes The first we call internall the second externall iustification the first iustification with God the second with man If thou wouldst be iustified with man first labour thy iustification with God So did Zacheus when he said Behold Lord and so did Isaiah when standing forth with his children he cried Behold and so did the poore man in the gospel when he cried Lord I beleeue If thou canst shew thy countenance boldly to God then neuer feare the face of man And how can we shew our face to God by first being quickened in Christ and at vnion with him by faith for hee it is alone in whome the Father is well pleased Heare him shew thy face to him and he will comfortably shew vs the father for none comes to the father but by him And did we but know the benefiâ—e ensuing our standing bâ—fore his face he should not neede twise to say vnto vs Shâ—w me thy face We cannot shew our face to him but wee shall see the face of him And that which is more while we behold the Glory of Messiah with open face wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3.18 that is whilst by the eye of faith we contemplate Messiah we are turned not into Messiah but into his glorious Image And this conuersion not by any naturall hand but by the operation of the Lords spirit But here this question may be propounded Seeing the Elect are alwayes seene of Christ how comes it that here he craues their sight I answer He desires not her sight in regard of Election bxt of Iustification which is alone by faith as afore For though Paul was elect before time yet had he not faith but in time And that time of his iustification by faith did appeare together with the Ghospels spring-time The Church of the Gentiles had her election euer sealed vp in Christ but shee had not euer faith in Christ. He therefore here desireth his loue to shew her countenance which sometimes appeared not that is to shew the precious effect of faith which alwayes was hers in posse in regard of Gods dâ—cree but not in Esse in present habite or possession Cause me to heare thy voyce What voyce is this which he so desireth to heare Is it the voyce of blasphemie of taking God his name in vaine the voyce of vncleanenesse of haeresie of cursing No Messiah delights not in that voyce Whâ—t then is it euen that voyce which is effected in her by his owne holy spirit As the voyce of preaching his glorious workes the voice of singâ—ng Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs But speciallie the voyce of sad-glad prayer like to the ioyous swâ—et mourning note of the Doue in the presâ—nce of her mate Sinneâ—addes â—addes this voyce but Faith glads it Sinnâ— drawes his notes downe and sin is the burden of this Song but fâ—ith in Christ carries vp the notes aloft piercing the eare of the highest With this Douelike voyce Messiah is so affected as he entreats his Church to cause him to heare her voyce quasidicat Though I should sâ—eme not to heare thee at the first or second or moe times yeâ— cease not to pray pray continually and pray feruently like to the poore widdow that stil importuned the Iudge the more we pray the more we may and the more he would like to a father who seemeth not to heare his childe because he would much heare the Child seeming to eye another thing when he will indeed not heare any other thing nor eie any other thing with delectation The reason of the one and the other followeth For thy voyce is sweet and thy countenance comely First for the voyce it must needes delight because it is sweet melodious delightsome and piercing Nor maruell seeing all such voyce is the effect of the Holy-ghost the very spirit of Messiah and there must needes be sweet and pleasant to Messiah Would the Lord haue put Dauid so much to prayer had not prayer beene sweet to the Lord Would the heauenly Father haue put his owne Sonne so much to prayer had not his prayer beene as sweet odours continually ascending And would the Holy-ghost haue taught vs Continually to pray to watch in prayer in all things to giue thanks but he knew that the Father and Son did sweetly affect prayer And as the voice of prayer so the voice of reading singing and speaking as the words of God they be all as before hath beene cleared sacrifices of sweet sauour vnto God Chrysostome hauing praised spirituall song he addeth This I speake not to the end that you should onely praise spirituall Songs but to the end you should teach your children and wiues to sing such songs not only in knitting or doing of other worke but specially at the table And of the whole Clemens Alexandrinus writes thus Vniversa eius vita speaking de homine cognit praedito est quidam celebris ac sanctus dies festus Atque ei quidem sacrificia sunt ipsae precâ—s laudes quae ante cibum fiunt scripturarum lectiones psalmi autem hymni dum cibus sumitur antequam eatur cubitum quinetiam noctu rursus orationes A man indued with knowledge his whole life is a certaine honourable and holy festiuall day His sacrifices are very prayers and
Samson THe next shadow I select from many is Samson or according to Hebrew forme Shimshôn In whom wee will consider first his names signification secondly his calling His name being deriued of Shèmesh it is Sol-eius as much to say in English as his-sunne Amongst the Iudges stirred vp to saue Israel Samson shined as a Sunne in that Churches firmament All of them starres but this Deliuerer a Sunne among the starres casting his glorious lightsome beames through Canaan and Palestina But if we make transition from this shadow to his substance we shall finde Messiah to be that glorious bright Sunne wherewith the Church is environed in Reuel 12.1 c. out of whose Goshen there is nothing but Aegyptian darkenesse This in mystery is that Sunne in Psal. 19.6 Who is like a Bridegroome comming forth of his nuptiall chamber for hee that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome Ioh. 3.29 and he is that Gibbôt mightie strong-man that runneth his couâ—se and none can resist him When the Iewes and Gentiles by nailing him to the crosse and sealing him in a tomb did labour to stay his course they yet preuailed not for his sound went forth to the ends of the earth right quickely Rom. 10.18 Meane time as they abused him on the crosse the very firmamentall Sunne did preach to all the world that the diuine Sonne of heauen was suffering an eclipse in his course At the eclipsing of whose Glory that sphericall Sunne did blush did turne away his light as abashed at mankinde that shamed not to doe violence to the Authour of Nature the beginner and finisher of our saluation In comparison of this Sunne Samson was but a starre for from this Sunne all Churches starres doe mutuate their glittering shine doe deriue their Glory Which Sunne as it hath these fortie yeares together and vpward giuen a large shine in our land by the beames of his Gospel so God grant that our sinnes doe not cause this Sunne to set that wee naile him not in his members on the crosse lest spirituall darkenesse couer all our earâ—h at noone-tide For Samsons Calling it is twofold first Ceremoniall and secondly Morall His Ceremoniall Calling is that whereby hee was immeâ—iately sepâ—rate from the wombe for which hee was called Nazarite His Morall vocation is that whereby in ripe yeares he became a Martiall Iudge ouer Israel For his Ceremoniall title we wiâ—l first consider the Word then secondly his Ceremonie The worde Nazarite of Názar dooth signifie One seperated or exempted from common things to the end a certaine vowe may be performed to the Lord as in Numb 6.2 And indeede our sacred vowes to God will not be performed otherwise then with Henoch and the Nazarite wee seperate our selues from the common courses of Men that so we may walke with God And such perfect seperation was in Christ for which he is so oft of the Holy Ghost termed Nazarite I am not ignorant that many from Math. 2.23 doe affirme that Iesus is termed Nazarite not in respect of the ceremoniall terme but of the Citty Nazaret wherein hee sometimes dwelled And their reason is two-fold first because Saint Mathew saith that his dwelling in that Citty gaue cause why he should be called Nazarite secondly because the Syriak text reades Natsareth with tsadi not Nazareth with zaijn For the Syriaks forme of writing it is not much materiall seeing Translators vse much libertie in proper Names as in the Gospel one and the same word is written diuersly as Gersene Math. 8.28 is Gaderene Luke 8.26 Mark 5.1 so Simson in Hebrew if wee aspirate not Shin is Sampson in Greeke and Samson in Latine Which ouer much respect to the Syriake hath not onely led many to thinke that our Sauiour had the name Nazarite onely from that Citty but also that the towne Nazareth had allusion to Isaiah 11.1 where Christ being prophecied of the Prophet saieth And there shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Ishaj Venétser and a graffe out of his roote or as some will a goodly spring out of his rootes though indeede I cannot see how Netser can signifie a spring except by spring they meane a sprout twigge or â—prig But passing by the Syriaks tsâ— it is sufficient that the originall Greeke in the New testament doth neuer write it otherwise then with z because the Greekes zâ—ia doeth naturally expresse the Hebrewes zaijn not tsadi Nor would it be vnheeded that the Holy Ghost still readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus the or that Nazarite rather than of Nazareth Touching Saint Mathew it is true that the people tooke occasion of so terming him in regard of that Citie but doth it therfore follow that the Holy-Ghost made the same to be his Only reason When as Caiphas prophecied that It was expedient one should die for the people vnderstode he as the Spirit of prophecy vnderstood No such matter The souldier percing our Sauiours side he therein fulfilled a prophesie in Zech. 12.10 and yet with no purpose to fulfil that prophesie But in this point the scripture is right copious nor vnto vs should it be strange that Man oft fulfilleth the scripture vnknowing and in aiming at one end dooth accomplish that which the Holy-Ghost applieth to another But to presse the point a litle furder Saint Mathew saying He went and dwelt in a Citty called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken according to the Prophets that he should be called a Nazarite in what Prophets is it so said Find that and â—he knot is vnloosed Reade the 4. great prophets and the 12. lâ—sser prophets and thou neuer finds it once In a word the prophecie appeareth in Iudges 13.5 where it is said of Samâ—on the figure Nezir Aelohimijhièh hannagnar and that boy shal be called a Nazarite Which howsoeuer found in this place alone may be said to be according or by the prophets first for that this booke containing an historie of so many yeares must be pend by moe thâ—n any one Prophet secondly it may be so said in respect of the Iewish diuision of the Bible who part the old testament into three bookes or seuerall volumes thus Genesis Exodus Leuit. Numb Deut. do make one booke Ioshua Iudges Samuel Kings Isaiah Ieremiah Ezekiel and the 12. small prophets all they make the second booke Iob Psalmes Prouerbs Preacher Canticles Daniel Chronicles Ezra and Hester make the third booke The booke of Iudges so con-ioyned in the second Volume may wel be numbred within the prophets specially seeing historie includeth propheticall mysterie And that S. Peter plainly intimates in Act. 3.24 when he saith All the Prophets from Samuel and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes Some vnderstanding Ioseph to be Nazarite from Gen. 49.26 where the worde Seperate is Nazir remembred also of Moses in Deut. 33.16 do therfore vnderstand the prophets Mathew speaks of to be Iaakob Moses