with others would easily shew their nature against the people of God if they had oportunitie and yet they are hatched oh pitiful danger and nouâ—ished euen in the lap of the church Thus many Cankers breede in the bowels of the church heresies fonde opinions familists Brounists and such other Thus by such meanes as lamentable it is to see the graft of godlinesse and zeale is hindred And through the neglect of officers magistrates rather then laws these beastes swarme in our Church Also drunkards swearers whores adulterers proude pecockes raylers contemners of God and his word prophanations of the Sabboth and an innumerable kindes both of sinners and sinnes which ouergrow the church as a wildernesse which because magistrates doe not laboure to roote out so carefully as they ought the Lord doth strangely consume som sinners by the fire of his wrath froÌ„ heauen Which al shold be cut off by discipline or at least way bee forced to some reformation Can it be that the Lord wil trust vs any longer with a Lease of his garden we abusing him in such maner so as we greeue the Lords soul with our vnfaithfulnes and cause his soule to hate vs. Esay 1.14 Who bestoweth such cost on vs we prosper so little as hee can gather very few Lillies amongst vs he wanteth the fruit of our hearts and lippes as faith loue feare obedience charity thankesgiuing prayse inuocation hearing his word professing his name c. But some perhaps wil say why it is in as good case as we found it the same discipline laws and doctrine are stil which was in the beginning of her maiesties raign so the Lords garden and church is not impaired and it shal bee left in as good case as it was found and better then heretofore Sure the Lorde doth not plaÌ„t a vineyard let it out to stand or be kept alwaies at a stay but to bee tilled and dressed that it maye grow and prosper to bring foorth more fruite For hee requireth that men bestowe their care labour wisedome and trauail vpon it that hee maye haue it more furnished and fenced For hee tataketh payne him selfe aboute his Churche to that ende that sinne may bee suppressed and Godlinesse aduanced But the Lorde make vs truely thankfull in Christ Iesus for those beginninges and proceedinges of his church which we haue that he hath planted his worde true religion amongst vs countenancing the same his truth with the authoritye and sworde of our gratious Princesse Elizabeth as also with many worthy learned godly and noble Councellers as also other learned Patrons of his Church without whom we should find to our great misery and the spoyle of religion howe hardly the Lordes garden should be at al kept without them But our sinnes yea our contempt and neglect of the word of God and his glory doe hinder the Lorde from blessing vs with that encrease which otherwise wee mighte enioy yea our sinnes betraye the state of our Churche and lande and deserue the losse of so Princely a Deborah and other woorthye personnages wherewith our Church is inriched yea that the Lorde shoulde take away all the walles and defences of our church and land giue vs ouer to the spoile Let vs therefore if we beare any good will to our Church or Countrye labour to purge oure selues from al corruption and to repent vs of oure sinnes that we may bring foorth good fruits such as the lord may haue pleasure in that hee may haue a delight to abide among vs. For it is the sinnes of a land that causeth the Lordes wrath to smoke against the same but our land I suppose haue exceeded the old world Sodom and Gomorrha Israell Iehuda and al landes in straunge sinnes so that if in comparison Ezec. 16.51 Iudah and the inhabitants thereof iustified Sodom for that their sinnes exceeded the sinnes of the Sodomits Then we haue iustified al Nations in comparison of our sins and therefore are in daunger to al the feareful plagues that are mentioned in the booke of God vnlesse we speedely therfore repent I feare we shal tast of such iudgementes as that the stranger that shal come from a farre land Deut. 29.22 shal saye when they see the plagues of this land and the diseases therof wherwith the Lord shal smite it because it shal be fearefully destroyed except they repent Oh wherefore hath the Lorde done thus vnto this lande and ver 24. and ver 25. how feirce is this great wrath And it shal be answered because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and haue sinned againste the Lorde Let vs al then my deare brethren be humbled with Godly sorrow that may cause repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of Being offended with our selues that we haue not sooner and more earnestly inquyred after Christ praying the Lorde to beautifie his Garden and Churche of this land with such sweet flowers as he may please him selfe in vs and we may grow and prosper in al fruites of the spirit I can not finish this chapiter to daye because of time and the matter of the conclusion though in few words yet includeth very comfortable and heuenly matter which cannot in a few words be vttered I wil therfore defer it til to morrow when by Gods grace I shal finish the whole Now the Lord our good God sanctifie our hearts to conceiue the excellencye and féele the sweetnesse of the wordes of the mouth of Christ Iesus that we being our selues purged and sanctified by his word and truth may carefully labour that others with vs may truely be affected towards him that we may ioyn togeather in seeking of Christ so as in the ende finding him in his worde and Sacramentes and feeling of him by his spirite our soules and bodies may become cleane and well tilled Gardens beautified with al heaueÌ„ly fruits of his spirite as that Christ may haue pleasure to walke in vs to dwell and make his abode in vs vnto the ende and in the ende we also may be receiued with him into his heauenly Garden of eternal ioye to dwell continue and abide with him in the company of al the glorious Angels and fellowship of the heauenly saintes in the presence of God his Father for euer and euer Amen Let vs pray c. The fift Sermon or lecture YEsterday we heard beloued a part of the description of Christ concerning his spéech and swéet thing of his mouth with the excellency of his doctrine also the second question of the maydens concerning the place where he vsed with the aunswere betweene which was interlined what fruit came by this conference and how the Godly at Ierusalem were kyndled with loue to Christ by the example of the Spouse whereby she answereth to her companions making them priuy to the place of his abode shewing how the church is his Garden and that he delighteth to be conuersant there yea the soule of euerye
lowe a course should seeme as a starie borrowing light from others and yet so as giuing light to some But because God hath his glory aswell of the interiour plances and fixed startes in their order and degree as of the Sun and the great lights in their excellencie I doubted not but was perswaded that in my calling degree measure place assigned me of God I should both do good and be helpful to the simple at least ignorant if not to the learned and also should bring some glory vnto that God from whom I haue receiued that vvhich I haue Casting mine eyes therefore of from the scornefull reproches of the worlde from the malice and enuie of the caâ—pers and from the suspitious heart of them which suspect all things and finally from the regard of mortall men my heart being directed to the Lord on whom onoly I waite mine eyes turned toward his Church whoÌ„ I dearly tender in the Lord I was forced to yeelde to this worke which I haue taken in hand yet so that after the request of many which hard these fewe Sermons that follow not with out some comfort and profite as they saide I yeelded to trie what I coulde doe in penning of them as I vttered them so neere as I could after which thing done and beeing seene of some althoâ—gh I neuer thought to haue it passe out of my hands yet had I it not onely coppied out by others but also I was exceedingly charged by them that I should dishonour God in concealing of the thing and should doe great iniurie to many soules which might reape special comfort thereby themselues being witnesses against me of that comfort and benefite which they should want by the withholding therof insomuch as it was likely to be preferred vnto publishing without my knowledge or consent if I had not yeelded For which causes I haue taken in had to prefix these few words Humbly intreating that no man misiudge of this my poore trauaile Now if any marueil at these long excuses preceeding any other matter it is therefore that I might satisfie the godly in rendring a reason of the publishing hereof being of my selfe timerous and suspicious of mine owne workes as such which I recken vnworthy the publike view of men But God grant it may profite the simple and godly at least for whose sake I haue chiefly done it Also of the otherside to staye the mutterings of the malicious enuions suspitious men Now in that I haue laboured so neere as I could to pen it downe in such maner as it was vttered by me hauing some notes of the same deliuered vnto me so as by the reason of the exhortations the matter will seeme more rarely a great deale in reading then when it is vttred with liuely voyce and godly zeale vvhereby it hath the greater force to moue being the ordinarie meanes appointed of God to saue men yet because writings do longe seede memorie then vvords spoken they vvhich wanted the vse of the first shall yet haue the benefite of the vvritten letters to their longer remembrance I am therfore humbly to craue of the christiaÌ„ reader that thou accept these first fruites of my labor in this kind of vvriting if ther be any thing vvorth the accepting as I hope and am persvvaded thou shalt finde them not altogether barin though the homlinesse of exhortation and basenesse of style may want plausibilitie to some yet the matter vvill sauour comfortably to those which are seasoned vvith grace and in whome God hath begun in deede a true Christian calling and humbled in a true sight of themselues so as they are able to surueie their owne hearts and to discry their vvants and infirmities The first part of the chapiter the calling of the chuâ—ch or faithfull and are therewithall carefull to make supply of their vvantes by thirsting after grace the means wherby the same is offered conueied into the faythfull For my labour was in the handling of this fifth Chapiter of the CANTICLES to lay forth as I could the calling vvhereby Christ calleth his Church and faythfull to the participation of his heauenly riches and the suite which he maketh to bee entertained of his Church with some reasons of waight annexed vnto his suite to make it the more forcible that men might be made priuie vnto the means of their calling which is the first part of the Chapiter in generall Then secondly I haue noted hovve the faythfull come on by degrees and in what manner they obey their Christian calling The second part the maner of their comming on or obeying of their calling what stovve proceedings they make vvhat lets they meete withal how they hang of and on a long time with the Lord or euer they conclude and make vp the match with him in their heartes Novv though these things are displayed in figures and presented to vs in darke speeches by SOLOMON yet shall vve by the grace of God see the sence meaning and vse of them by the Scriptures In these two parts of this chapter with the particulers that shal be noted out of them in the processe of the matter I doubt not but vvhosoeuer shal read with a single eye vnto the ende shall finde both instruction and much comfort to his soule and conscience therein For in the first Sermon and part of the second the suite of Christ calling his Churche to obedience and to the pertaking of his grace is handled with such reasons alledged by him as might mooue any tractable nature to yeeld vnto his suite The other three Sermons with most of the second are spent in shevving the manner how the godly come on in their calling how they obey First the lets which the saints of God meete withall And first the manifolde lets and incumbraunces both at home in themselues and abroad in others which fetter tye the children of God are discouered hovv hardly slowly they proceede in their christian course yea howe long or they enter into it till the Lord as it were force them forward and finde them out in their delayes Hauing in themselues so many pulbackes lurking in their ovvne nature First lets in our selues which make their hearts so drovvzie and vntovvard as they seeke shifts to â—oorde of the Lorde and not to aunsvvere their inwarde calling and when they are comming on they finde them selues vnfiâ—te slovve and vnapt euen to those duties vvhiche they dâ—sire heartilye to performe whereby they feele sometime this discommoditie that vvhen they seeke after Christ Iesus coueting to bee refreshed and satisfied vvith his Loue they finde him as it vvere stepped aside as thoughe the Lorde absented him selfe from them had reiected them and woulde not bee founde of them For the Cloudes of the infirmities of the Saintes of GOD are so greate sometimes in their ovvne sighte vvhen they are truely humbled and so thicke that they blem sh the sighte of Gods fauoure so
drunkerds raylers proud persons Swearers or any suche like to come vnto Christe till their corrupt nature bee caste off and their affections washed sanctified and reformed Yea and this not for a time but wee must vowe it for euer For it is impossible that they which haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy ghost hauing tasted of the good worde of God and of the powers of the world to come if they fall away should be renued againe by repentance Heb. 6.4 If the righteous scarcely bee saued 1. Pet. 4.18 where shal the vngodly and the sinner appeare Wo be then to the swinish and brutish generation the wallow stil in the myre of their own affections and wil not come out from the world vncleane things These shal howle with pitifull shrikes and shril voices when they shall bee shut out from the bridegrome Christe Iesus in his comming Then shal they lament their whoredoms gluttonies pride contempt their railings vnbeleefe and al their vnhappy wayes but too late Let vs therefore deare brethren craue Gods spirite to wash our affections and cleanse our hearts that we drasse them not in the dirt of sinne any more least our latter end be worse then our beginning But albeit this be the more receiued interpretation which I haue nowe longest stayed in namely that sith she is cleansed shee wil not defile her selfe againe Yet mee thinkes it is to be taken of the excuses which the Spouse made shewing that shee had muche a doe to renonunce her pleasures and complaineth that she is vntoward to obey her calling hauing many lets as if a man being in bed is loath to rise and diseaze himself in the night so the Spouse though desirous to arise to Christe yet her pleasures stick some what in her stomacke and she findeth many delais in her nature debateth the matter before shee can cheerefully rise vp to follow the call of Christ Iesus The reasons that mooue me to this sence are these cheefly 1. because it is an answere to the former suite of Christe desiring to be opened vnto as one knocking in the night she aunswereth she hath put of her coate and is at rest hauing washed her féete as the manner of that country was so as she was loath to rise and ray her feete discouering her vntowardnesse Now if she shold answere when Christ calleth that she is clensed and sanctified how shold she be vncleansed again and sanctified when Christ calleth to sanctification it were a weake aunswere to the request of Christ 2. The metaphor of sleep and of the night and al circumstances in a word aford this sense as moste naturall and proper to this place So then the vse of it is to teach vs howe harde beginninges wee haue in our calling howe slowly wee come forward and how many delayes our corrupt nature findeth to shift of al true obedience to Christe Iesus For we must know that our condition and estate is figured vnto vs in the person of the spouse Therefore purposely Solomon sheweth how we hang of on with Christe til the Lord hath throuhlye humbled vs and weaned vs from our selues which is a doctrin most necessary and comfortable that we maye be stirred vp to shake of all drowsines and loytering For we see how hardly we obey our calling and listen to the word of God but we aunswere a farre off and hould our selues aloofe As Samuel 1. Sam. 3.5 which ranne to Hell often before he tooke a straight course to the Lorde For we thinke that the Lorde calleth vs not because he speaketh by men so childish or babish are we in our beginnings which are poore And we scant perceiue who calleth vs. Faine wee wold follow God and come to heauen but we are loath to foyle our féete to step the way that leadeth thither Our pleasurs whispereth vs in the one ear and our profits round vs in the other the corruption of our nature the cleaueth so fast on custom of sin presseth vs so sore downe that wee can not looke vp to the heauenly calling but are inueigled carried away alas almoste at euery motion but we must bid al farwell to followe Christe Gen. 19.16 Lot lingred behinde and loytered in his departure from Sodom Ieremiah had excuses Iere. 1.6 Ionah 1.3 Ionas fled from the presence of God because of the charge inioined him Luk. 9.59.61 Peter was loath to follow a while and kept aloofe Luk. 9.59.61 The disciples made delaies one would bury his father first then hee woulde wayte on Christ Another would néeds bid his freends farwell first Thus we see how our nature is very slowe and vntoward to followe the Lorde shifting of so long as we can and we will set times our selues to wayte on him Thus we set the Lord his stent and he must daunce attendance vpon our leasure Gen. 12.4 Math. 9.9 Luk. 19.6.8 Mat. 4.28.22 Iohn 3.2 Iohn 19.38 Some are more suddenly called and obey as Abraham Mathewe Zacheus the two brethren Magdalen others Other som are longer comming on as Nicodemus Ioseph of Aramathia and others the one by night came to Christ the other secretly at the first And though the spouse here confesseth her slacknes and how she was hindered from following of Christ as she destred through her owne corruptions and worldly affections Yet after she recouereth her zeale and groweth more earnest in seeking after Christe euen then when other would haue discouraged her As verse 8. So that faith standeth not at a stay in the saintes but increaseth by degrees as we see in Nicodemus and Ioseph For Nicodemus Iohn 7.50 spake boldly in Christes cause before the Pharisyes though he receiued a checke Mar. 15.43 and both he and Ioseph Iohn 19.38.39 expressed their zeale after in a costly and honorable buriall of Christ Iesus euen then when greatest daunger was Peter also is charged after his denial that when hée is conuerted he shoulde strengthen his brethren So that we must not cocker and flatter our selues in our poore beginninges as though God required no more then we can do or to beginne and stande at a stay but we must increase in faith knowledge zeal and loue vnfained towards our brethren also in care to further others especially those of our charges and families We sée then that it is a harde thing to follow Christ it must cost vs our pleasures and profites yea euen our selues wholy Therfore Psa 45.10 The Spouse of Solomon which is a figure of the Church is taught that she can not be fit for doctrine and instruction and for her husband til she had forgot her own people and her fathers house so casting off all carnall affections to obey Christ onely Now this we do maruailously vnwillingly til the Lorde put vs forward And in déed God measureth his graces by degrees to his saintes partly to discouer our owne miseries wants vntowardnes and
vnfitnesse to heauenly thinges as also the hardnesse of repentaunce that so we may bee humbled and forced to seeke vnto God to obtaine grace to grow vnto perfection and to be thankful to God for his owne worke in vs. Partly also that we should not lift vp our selues to contemne the smal beginninges in our brethren but labour to drawe them on sith we haue found it hard in our selues So that the difficulty of the thing would stir vs vp to vse the meanes the more carefully to increase As the hearing of the word exercising our selues in it with cōtinual earnest praier This answere of the the spouse the former sléeping she cōplained of in her selfe bewrayeth our vntowardnes that wrangle with the Lorde a long time before we yéeld and haue many out Lanes to turne a side from him If therefore men will prooue themselues to belong to Christe though they feele many lets in them selues yet that shall not excuse them but they must labour against all lets and indeuour to resemble the Image of Christ Iesus in righteousnesse and holines hating sinne in them selues and in others no more intangle themselus in the pleasures of sinne But they féel the power of Christes death as I sayd before mortifiyng in them the corruptions of their nature Gal. 5.24 wherby they crucify the flesh with the lusts and desires therof And so are changed within and without in their heartes and in their maners and become holy euen as God which hath called them is holy 1. Pet. 1.15 But me thinkes I heare some reply yea taught euen now that the faithfull come very hardly on and now ye looke for great thinges at our handes and exact very precisely a great chaunge Men are but men and we can doe no more then we can do and as God will giue grace and euery man can not be a like neither can euery man shewe that which is in him nor handle his tongue but we hope to doe as well as the proudest professor of them all And a thousand such sleightes men haue to deceiue them selues and to deny christ in effect These are goodly shiftes that shal neuer stand for payment Men are but men say they I answere so long as they are but men they are not in Christ they must be more thē natural men 1. Cor. 6.11 for such know not the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 They muste bee sanctified and cleansed by Gods spirit from their corruptions for fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God but must be chaunged 1. Cor. 15.50 And where they say men can do no more then they can do and God requireth no more I aunswere God requireth more then we can doe of our selues for we haue nothing as of our selues no not to think a good thought but God worketh in his both to wil and to doe of his owne good pleasure Now God requireth holinesse faith obedience c. Phil. 2.13 which we can not doe therfore he requireth more of vs then we can doe of our selues that we by his grace may be inabled to do that which of our selues we can not do When they adde as God will giue grace they seeme to charge the Lorde priuely of iniustice and cleare them selues as faultles if they perishe for want of grace and so would blasphemously arraigne the Lord as gilty of their perishing When they see not miserable men as they are that the cause is in them selues that God with holdeth his graces from them And further how shoulde the Lorde giue grace to them which despise his word and the ministery thereof Whereby the Lorde conuayeth the graces of his spirite into the hearts of his Children and increaseth the same graces by the same meanes And yet despising grace offered like desperate and brainelesse men will blame the Lorde as cause why they want grace Oh say they euery man can not be a like nor shewe that which is in them but hope to doe as as wel as the greatest professor of thē all c. Here they think they haue stroken dead al the professors at once and haue quitted them selues like men but though all haue not graces a like yet all must striue by like meanes to come to grace and perfection by diligent hearing reading and musing of the worde by Prayer and vse of the Sacramentes and such like to grow on in holinesse But these poore wretches are neuer aunsweared but seeke euen to lull them selues yea and that their heartes a sleep that they might not heare the voyce of Christe speaking by his Ministers But let vs my deare brethren cast off al delaies and not be sluggish as they which are loath to rise to open vnto Christe But willingly leape out of our beds and renounce all worldly cares pleasures profites friendes and such other hinderances as the spouse is taught psa 45.10 That we may hasten to Christe for our liues that we may be imbraced of him which grace he grant vs. It followeth verse 4. My beloued put in his hande at the hole of the doore and my inwarde partes were moued towardes him or groned after him or were troubled for him as the same Hebrewe wordes import in Ieremy Chapiter 31.20 These speeches of the gestures of loue are not to be carnally vnderstoode but they note that Christe whome Solomon as you haue hearde presenteth to vs in the person of a Sutor vseth all tokens of spirituall iestures and shewes of loue that may be to allure his Spouse to loue him againe Not that Christe commeth downe in his owne person now to intice men to his loue But as I haue sayde he presenteth him selfe to bée seene of vs in his Gospell as in a glasse 2. Cor. 3.18 where hee appeareth in the glory of his father vnto vs. For by his worde he putteth in his hand as it were at the dore of our harts vseth his faithfull Ministers as soliciters of his cause to his Churche and faithfull who feele in deed the hand power of Christ in his worde by preaching so as they are rauished and inamored vpon him In deed some take the putting in of the hand for smiting and afflicting his Church and so trāslate the worde following And my bowels trembled at him So the sense after their meaning is that the Church beeing slacke and slow to grow in faith and obedience was afflicted rebuked and corrected of Christ whereby she was terrified and forced with feare to regarde more earnestly the call of Christ Iesus And indeed true it is that the lord calling his saintes and they being very slow of thē selues he vseth whyps and corrections to spurre them forwarde of his greate loue and we are often made more quicke and ready to obey our calling when the Lord some way afflicteth vs. For our nature is so vntamed so proud so lofty sturdy and rebellious that the Lord is faine to ioyne with his word many crosses and trials
and loose ministery I say therefore againe intreat the ministers of your parrishes and call vppon them yea charge them but reuerently in the feare of God with an humble spirite that they haue care of you to fulfil the ministery inioyned them of the high God vpon paine of his displesure and as they wil aunswere before God for you and your families in the dreadful day of iudgement when they shall giue an account for your soules Heb. 13.17 Oh it shaketh my trembling ioyntes and dissolueth my sinnewes with feare to thinke what woofull euydence shall bee brought in againste the carelesse ministery by the Soules of their charge which perishe for want of instruction when they shall stande vp in plea againste them to testifie vppon their heads saying Ah alas we neuer receiued instruction by our Pastors we maye thanke them in part of our damnable destruction which haue not sought to bring vs vnto God nor taught vs the way of truth nor laboured to turne vs from our sinnes being without knowledg themselues kept vs in ignorance and blindnes flattering vs in our sins But now wo alas Hosh â— 6 we perish because we had not the knowledge of God Me thinkes I see the woeful wringing of handes the trickling teares distilling from their eyes the condemning of themselues by speechlesse silence their heads hanging downe and the diereful dent of doleful death to cease vpon them Yea me thinkes I heare their shiftles shifts their shouting shrames crying out of their damnable estate For what shiftes can they haue before the alseeing and iust iudge of all the world Shal pretence of lawes excuse them if they can say I haue read seruice to them and the common booke of Prayer and done al that law require For herewith they thinke they haue stopped mens mouthes But they slander the lawes of our Prince which require as I suppose most of those gifts in the ministers that should be admitted which Paule mentioneth to Titus Howsoeuer it be ouerseen of those that haue admitted such but lawes of men countenance of Magistrates nor the example of others shal not bear vs out in the glorious and fearefull presence of the great God who shal sit as sole iudge ouer al persons and causes But if thou hast not fedde the Lordes people and preached the Gospel thogh to read the worde is good to read the booke of common Prayer is good yet thou shalt not be excused sith it pleased the Lorde not simply by his word but Through preaching to saue them that beleeue As the publique ordinary means in his Church Yea and the lawes of the realme require such to be admitted as are able to teach 1. Cor. 1.21 2. Tim. 4.1.2 And Paule giueth a precise charge to Timothie to preach the word But some man wil say that I wander from my text to speak thus much of the dumbe and carelesse Ministers I swerue not from it at al. For if the Spouse straitely chargeth them of Ierusalem where God was to be inquired after in his worde to further her to her loue then is it necessarie that the neglect of this duetie in the Pastors which chiefly should helpe that way shoulde be found fault with al especially where their owne daunger is greatest for we know how the Lorde hath threatned such in the law I speake not this of the ministerie that men shoulde insult vppon the same with reproch for our owne loosenesse haue made vs reprochful ynough to the worlde but rather that men shoulde praye for the state hereof the more carefully beeing so deformed Neither doe I speake to whette the tongues of men for it is their glorie to deface the ministerie neyther yet of sinister affection againste anye as the Lorde knoweth But I speake from a heart pitying the estate therof That if it might please God the loose ministerie may see their danger and so be mooued to reforme them selues with grace God grant them Amen And I speake the more of that state now because many are here present of that calling This title of Daughters as it is a Metaphorical speech borrowed from the fellowship of Virgins before their marriage and in the time of their suit as Psalm 45.14 may appeare so also this name of Virgins in the ninth Chapter of the Prouerbes signifieth the Preachers of the worde Prou. 9.2 as Prophetes Apostles c. where wisedome sendeth out her Maidens to call men to her heauenly and riche banquet so the Daughters of Ierusalem may not improperly signifie the teachers in this place For their lips shoulde preserue knowledge and the people shoulde inquire the lawe at their mouthes as the prophet Malachi saith Mal. 2.7 adding also a strong reason to mooue the people to inquire and the pastor to teach because he is the mâ—ssenger of the Lord of Hosts Now shal we think that the Lorde will send vnfit messengers blind men and babes of his ambassage or errande that shall not speake foorth their message Will Princes wisely prouide to send wise and learned men on their ambassage And shal we deny the Lord his wisdome and foresight but we thinke anye good ynough for the Lords errand But al such as they run before they are sent so the Lorde sendeth them in his iustice to punishe the sins of men as we heard before Hosh 9.7.8 Now followeth If yee finde my welbeloued tell him I am sicke of loue The like diligent inquiry after Christ the Spouse maketh Canticles 3.1.2 Read it I pray you where she maketh streight search as for a thing of high price So that she desireth after Christ so much the more how much the more she was beaten backe of others yea she euer languisheth after Christ contemning all other things in respect of him As Paule counted all thinges vile dung in comparison of Christ Iesus These are all speeches of loue she woulde haue the Godly specially the teachers to commend her in their prayers vnto God This speech I am sicke of loue is to discouer the heart and loue of the faythfull towardes Christ that they cannot tell how to loue him ynough The worldly men neuer trouble themselues with this loue neither pine of this heauenlye and spirituall loue sicknesses It is rather sicknesse to the earthly minded men to hear of this loue or to be required to loue the Lord againe But they are meruellous fain of the worlde which is an euil sicknesse as Solomon sayth Well let vs my deare brethren laboure to affect our hearts more with Christ Iesus casting of al lets to studie of his loue and require of all the Godlye and of the faithfull Pastors that they woulde further vs in this loue The Spouse seemeth to be impudent here to spread abroade her loue towardes her Sutor For our louers are ashamed to haue it knowne that they are sicke of loue so also the worlde is ashamed to be sick of loue for Christ Iesus but the Spouse openly confesseth and bewrayeth
with good thinges by the fruit of his mouth also the tongue of the wise men is health yea the instruction of a wise or Godly man is as the well spring of lyfe to turne away from the snares of death and the lyps of the wise preserue them Many such commendations are of the spirite of a Godly speech proceeding from good men Now if God hath sanctified his doctrin in the mouth of his seruaunts to be healthfull euen to the soule how sweet comfortable healthful and happy are the speeches of Christ Iesus and how shoulde we imbrace and loue the doctrine of the Gospel which he hath by his owne mouth in his owne person begun to preach and confirmeth the same vnto vs Heb. 1.2 2 3. by his ministers and faythfull teachers It standeth vs in hand therefore to examin what sweetnes we find in the word of Christ Iesus and how our soules are taken vp with the delight of it so as we set our felicity in the worde that it be not wormewood vnto vs as it is vnto most men In deed true it is the wicked reprobates worldlinges ruffians dispisers of the word preached and such others think the Gospel to be suger to them imagining they haue good tast of it Oh say they God is merciful a sweet figgy God who forgiueth sinnes freely for Christs sake he sayth Come to me al you that labour c. I will ease you and Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Math. 11.28 1. Tim. 1.15 c. These and such like sweete fragmentes prophane worldlinges and others snatche to them selues supposing and imagining that they haue greate sweetenesse by them the adulterer drunkard belly god and carnal man can saye Christe came to dye for sinners and we hope to bee saued by him c. But alas poore soules their sweetnesse shal be turned to wormewood their pleasaunt taste into gal and bitternesse It is no sweete taste of Christes doctrine when wee flatter our selues in sinne and yet hope to escape vnpunnished because Christe is merciful No no thou deceiuest thy selfe because thou delightest stil in euil which is bitter and bringeth damnable agues thou louest the spéeches of mercy and remission of sins but the iudgements of god they are very vnsauory thou hast no tast nor vse of them to humble thy self before God and to feare him forsaking thy sinnes But all doctrine that maketh against thy sinnes and pleasures thou suspectest and arte shie of as of poyson Now whosoeuer tasteth of true sweetnesse in the worde can not but like of the iudgementes of God which is a part of his word as wel as of his mercies to fear the one and loue the other For it is an essential properly in God to be a iudge to consound the wicked to correct rebuke his saints as wel as to be merciful Now to whō soeuer gods mercy seemeth swéet not his iudgements because god is author of both he is with out all question voyde of true taste of God and his worde Dauid prayed O Lorde teach me thy iudgements And surely this publique out cry of men wherby they sue al for the Gospell the Gospel giue vs the Gospel preach not the lawe to vs it bewrayeth both a maruailous ignoraunce in men as though the doctrine and ende of the lawe and Gospel were vtter contraryes and were not al one in effect though diuersly reuealed therewithall it discouereth a priuy euidence in the heartes of men against their owne soules that they neuer were truely humbled in the sight of them selues neither tasted of Christ aright how soeuer they wrangle and seeke shyftes in their owne imaginations More then this they vomite out afore they are aware a haynous reproche againste God as though they woulde set the Lorde to schoole and Catechise him a new For though they seeme to insult vppon men charging that they which preach the lawe and iudgementes are blacke preachers and blacke Rauens come from hell as I am sory that such odious wordes can bee witnessed to proceede from the mouths of such as challenge to them felues the title of learning and reuerence for theire iudgement yet notwithstāding their blows and reproches reach euen to the Lord insomuch as the Lorde framing the hearts and mouthes of his faithfull teachers dothe speake by them I will not stande to prooue the lawfulnes nay the necessity of the preaching of the lawe when our times abounde with sinne and wantonnesse is couered vnder the title of the Gospell yea when the godly themselues greatlye neede to bee humbled for I suppose that any man of wisedome or meane vnderstanding in the worde specially if he be truly humbled would blush to gainesaye this thing But let vs knowe my deare brethren that the sweetenes of Christes worde whether teaching repentance and a newe life promising eternall life to the beleeuers or threatning the curse of God to the disobedient and vnsanctified is sweete and comfortable to all that are truely in loue with Christ Iesus and worketh in them a care to apply Gods iudgements to themselues to humble their flesh by them stirring thē selues vp to reformation forsaking sin also it worketh in them a care to seale vp the assuraunce of the Lordes mercye towards them in that they feel the effect of the word conuerting their harts from sinn vnto the liuing God for the most part men estéem of the mouth of Christ as ful of sharp bitter and loath som things because they contemn or neglect the preaching of the gospel thinking it a thing superfluous so they commend not of the sweetnes of his doctrin when in the meane time the seruants of God which with a carefull conscience frequent sermons with a gréedye desire hear the word they gaine so much good receiue such swéetnesse from the mouth of Christ Iesus euen the preachers which are his mouth as they with hopping hearts return to their wiues families or neighbors so filled with the pleasāt things of his mouth that they say Oh what a sweet sermō haue we heard to day oh how my hart is ioyed in this heauenly and sweete tasting doctrine of Christe Iesus thus they make report as the Spouse doth here what comfort they haue by Christ that they may also affect others For they that truely are in loue with Christ Iesus can not but highly accounte of the wordes of his mouth But the cause why the worde is not sauouring to so many men is for that they delight in euill wherebye men growe to so grosse a contempt as they commaund in effect the prophets not to prophesy But as the Lorde replieth agaynste the contemners Mic. 2.7 Are not my words good to him that walketh vprightly So then if all the doctrine of Christ who is authour as well of the lawe as of the Gospell bee not sweete and pleasant to vs it is because we make not conscience to walke vprightly before oure God For men will not
any of his Sayntes Oh howe fayne woulde I that I were as readye and able to doe as much good in furthering of Christs Kingdome as anye of vs haue furthered the kingdome of Sathan and sinne before oure calling Oh that you all present had suche taste with mee of the excellencye of Christe Iesus as you might all saye with one voyce I will goe with you and will seeke Christe with you Oh that my sinnes and yours woulde permit the Lorde to blesse my laboures among you this day as also at all times and in other places of his Churche As some soules might bee gayned to him by my poore mynisterye that it may bee the ioy of my hearte Yea woulde to God that manye soules among you mighte bee so affected vnto Christe in trueth being turned from your owne wayes that ye might say as Dauid did to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this daye to meete vs 1. Sam. 25.32 blessed bee this day Blessed bee this sermon or counsel and blessed be thou which haste kept mee this daye from suche an euill c. and caused mee to haue a sight disliking of my former life such a tast of Christ Iesus that I vtterly abhorre my self for my sinnes hartely imbracing Christ Iesus vowing hereafter to indeuour to walke in al the wayes of God I speake grosly vnto you brethren and abase my selfe to mooue your affections to the loue of God for the loue of Christ Iesus euen constrayneth me there vnto for your good Let no man therefore abuse my homelinesse of speech in this point being to your edifying and gayning of glory vnto God But let vs I praye you beloued consent togeather in one to seeke after Christ with his Church til we haue founde him out that we may safely assure our selues of his loue to the ende as the Spouse doth afterwarde which grace God for Iesus Christ his sake graunt vnto euery one of vs Now followeth the aunswere to the second question of the maydens in this conference verse 18. My beloued is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spice to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies Some make this verse the beginning of the sixt chapiter But I read this and the verse following with the fift chapiter For that they haue most proper relation to al the matter going afore in this 5. chapiter and is alienate and vtterly impertinent to the matter following in the sixt chapiter Especially sith it is a knitting vp of al the matter of her complaintes in her beginning and comming on also a ful conclusion of her loue a fit answere likewise to the second question in the dialogue and conference had with her companions and so a ful conclusion of the whole She signifieth to her companions that her loue is descended into his garden and Church on earth being conuersaunt amongst men in his owne person sometime also by his Ministers by his worde and Sacraments finally by his spirite properly in his saintes For by these meanes Christ is sayd to be come down among his and to be resident in his Church euen to the ende of the worlde For Christ is not of the number of the non residentes but testifieth to his Church saying Feare not I am with you to the endes of the worlde Solomon vseth a figuratiue or metaphorical speech borrowed from the cituation of Ierusalem that they went down hil and discended to go to their out gardens for Sion was a great hil whereon the Citye was built In this answere also the church hath relation to her former suit made to Christ chap. 4 ver 16. that he woulde come to his garden and eat his pleasant fruit also to the aunswere which was giuen her that he had taken possession of his riches and was come into his garden so that as Christ is in heauen with all his riches so is hee also in his garden on earth solacing himselfe and gathering daily fruite in his church Ioh. 15.16 by his ministers whom he sendeth that they may bring foorth more fruite for true it is that albeit Christ hath all riches in him selfe and needeth not any yet doth he gather fruite in his church at the handes of his seruauntes In so muche as they yeelde obedience vnto him and are in this respect called the firste fruites of his creatures because they are consecrate sanctified and set apart from the worlde Sathan and sinne to serue the Lorde and are called his Portion and inheritaunce in manye places But the fruite which they yeelde is not their owne proper or naturall in them but supernaturall and from aboue springing out of the fountayn of the Lords good pleasure and will is also framed graffed nouryshed and increased in them by his worde preached For all these thinges the cause efficiente the instrumentall meanes with the effecte thereof is pithily comprysed in fewe wordes by the Apostle Iames in the firste Chapter of his Epistle at the 18. verse where he sayth Of his owne will begate hee vs by the worde of trueth that wee shoulde bee as the first fruites of his creatures Also the graces of Gods spirit are called fruites Gal. 5.22 The qualities likewise necessarily incident to repentance are caled fruits Mat. 3.8 Which metaphoricall speeches import the God looketh to reape fruite at our handes in his church that we may grow from faith to faith from strength to strength from grace to grace til we come to ful ripenesse in Christ Iesus to be gathered into his barne of eternal felicity in his comming These fruites that the Lorde gathereth and reapeth at oure handes are his owne then insomuch as he worketh them in his saints that he may receiue his owne with aduantage crowning his owne workes in vs. It were expedient therefore that we labour to be fruitful in all heauenlye knoweledge and obedience that Christe comming downe to visite his Garden or church as it is set down in the sixt Chap. ver 10. he finde vs not empty or fruitlesse that he should haue no pleasure in vs and so bee forced to cast vs vp to the spoyle Sure it is the more is the pity the Lorde should find but smal fruite among vs if he should suruey our Churche in this land Hee hath lent vs the name of his Church and giuen vs a lease of his garden 21. yeres hath added to that three yeres more from yeare to yeare but alas we haue bene il tennants to the Lord his church is little stored by vs his hedges walles are as it were pluckt down by manye lying in decay For where true discipline shold build vp the breaches of the Lords fence should keepe out the noisom beasts the lion the wolf the bear the swine doggs such hurtful cattel and beasts we ah alas haue this gardē of the Lord hindred by such Lions woolfs priuy scorpions foxlike papists swinish Athists brutish belly gods enuious dogs which al