The first is concerning the persons whom it doth respect The second is concerning the matter whereof it doth consist The persons whom it doth respect are of two sorts namely the person that teacheth and the person that is taught The person that teacheth is Iesus Christ himselfe her best beloued Howsoeuer he doth vse man as an instrument in this worke yet hee himselfe is the principall agent therein It is he chiefely that doth instruct and teach his people The person that is taught is the Church her selfe Her welbeloued spake and directed his words vnto her and not to others Others indeed may haue the crummes and bones that fall from his table like dogges but the bread and good flesh that is vpon the table it selfe is prouided only for her and her children The matter whereof the Gospell doth consist brancheth it selfe into two parts The first noteth out how well Christ is affected towards his Church in that he calls her his loue and his faire one The second setteth down what dutie the Church doth owe to Christ in that he wills her to Arise and come away both are brought in by the figure Prosopopeia For the Church doth bring in Christ himselfe speaking vttering also in effect as it were these words vnto her O deare welbeloued Virgin whom I haue chosen among al the daughters of men to be my Spouse and whom I haue made faire and amiable euen white and ruddie with the water and bloud which I shed for thy sake and with my Spirit whom I haue bestowed vpon thee for thy good doe not now lie weltring in thy sinnes nor continue any longer in the bed of thy carnall delights but arise and leaue the same and consider that I haue done so much for thee and doe make such an account of thee delay not the time but make hast and come away forsake all the base affaires of this life and the sweet delights of the flesh and addresse thy selfe vnto the consummation of our most ioyfull mariage thou being euer there where I am and alwayes endeuouring to doe as I doe This Verse then in summe Summe comprehendeth in it nothing else but the Churches report of that which Christ spake to her when he beheld her by his Gospell through the cagement Wherein I pray remember with me these two points Part. first her words to him then secondly his words to her Her words of him spend themselues in two things the first is an Appellation the second is a Declaration The Appellation in the first word My beloued The Declaration in the next words spake and said to me containing in it first his teaching vnder these words spake and said then secondly the person whom he taught in this word to me Now of these by Gods grace in order My welbeloued This Appellation or title the Church might well giue vnto Christ in a twofold respect First actiuely because she did loue him well then passiuely because shee was beloued of him well For there was a singular loue betwixt them the one towards the other But yet this doth not note out the full or whole reason of this Appellation or title which is often vsed in this booke sometimes by the Church to Christ and sometimes againe by Christ to the Church Doubtlesse the reason of it is twofold The one is in regard of their mutuall loue the other of their intended marriage For Christ and his Church are brought in in this Canticle as two Paramours who are in loue one with the other and who in time conuenient doe purpose to marry together Of their loues afterwards a word or two of their marriage by the way As the same is oftentimes spoken of in the Word and most liuely shadowed out vnto vs in the 45. Psalme vnder the type and figure of Salomons marriage with King Pharaâ—hs daughter of Egypt so you must know it is not yet finished but deferred till the day of Iudgement as may well bee collected out of Reuelat. 19.7 where these words are set downe to bee spoken in the end of the world Let vs be glad and resoyce and giue glorie to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready Here in this world is the Contract alone the marriage is kept for the world to come As heere men and women first haue their contracts or espousals then afterwards their solemne and reall marriages as Ioseph and Mary were first espoused before they came together Muth 1.11 So would the Lord obserue the same order of proceeding in the vnion of these two great and Princely States of his Sonne on the one side being the glory and ornament of heauen and of the Church on the otherside being the praise and beautie of the earth They must first be contracted then after they must be married This Contract of theirs must be considered two wayes One way as it is made with the whole Church in generall another way as it is made with the particular members thereof As it is made with the whole Church in generall it was from the beginning of the world euen immediately vpon Adams fall when God did promise him that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 For then was this marriage in question and it was concluded vpon betweene God and Adam for the holy posteritie to come But now as it is made with the particular members of the Church it is at all times for there are some daily vnited vnto Christ And this their Contract is made two manner of wayes The one is sacramentally and that is when they are baptised into the name of Christ The other is really and that is when they are regenerated and doe beginne to beleeue in Christ and depend vpon him solely and wholely for their saluation Now Christ and the faithfull being thus contracted together do loue each other most entirely as contracted persons ought to doe and long still for the day of their marriage that so they may enioy one the other in full perfection In regard whereof I say they giue this title or appellation of Welbeloued one vnto the other often in this booke which is wholely spent in a manner in describing out such loue tokens as passe betwixt them to wit from the day of their espousals vnto the day of their marriage But passing thus their marriage let vs come vnto their loues the first is of the Church towards Christ in this word My welbeloued the next is of Christ towards his Church in the other word my loue the which I will referre to his due place and handle it then when I come vnto it For the former of these Doct. in that the Church doth call Christ her welbeloued as for other causes so for this because she did loue him well we are taught this Doctrine that euery member of the Church must truely and vnfainedly loue the Lord Iesus So did Peter the Apostle his loue was so
FOVRE SERMONS The two first OF GODLY FEARE On Hebrewes 4. Verse 1. By Robert Cleauer The two last Of Christian Loue and Life On Canticles 2. Verse 10. By Richard Webb 2 Chronicles 15.2 The Lord is with you while you be with him LONDON Printed by THO. SNODHAM for ROGER IACKSON and are to be sould at his shop neere to Fleetstreet Conduit 1613. THE FIRST SERMON OF GODLY FEARE HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1. Let vs feare therefore least at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be depriued THese wordes doe depend vpon the former Chapter where the writer of this Epistle proposeth vnto the HEBREVVES the example of their forefathers shewing how they rebelled in the wildernesse and hardned their hearts and refused to yeeld obedience vnto the word of the Lord for which cause he swore that they should not enter into his rest viz. into the land of Canaan and therein vvas as good as his word for they all perished in the wildernesse The like hee declareth to haue fallen out in the time of Dauid to wit that they refused to hearken vnto Gods voyce and therefore were excluded from the heauenly rest albeit they inhabited the land of CANAAN which was a Type thereof Herevpon the Apostle enforceth an exhortation by way of application wherein we may obserue 1 First the duties which they ought to looke vnto which are these two 1 First to the intent they may not be like the rebellious Israelites they must get an holy feare into their hearts 2 Secondly they must lay holde of the promise and not forsake or reiect the same 2 Secondly the reasons to moue them therevnto which are also two 1 The first whereof is taken from the miserable successe of them that were formerly disobedient to wit that their carkasses fell in the wildernesse Chapter 3.17 Let vs feare therefore that is considering what sinnes they committed and what fearefull iudgements they incurred let vs looke better to our selues 2 The second is drawen from the danger that would ensue vnto themselues if they did not follow his exhortation they might seeme to be depriued of that rest which God promised vnto his people Let vs c. Here we may note whom he doth admonish in this word vs which importeth thus much let vs Hebrewes let me that am the writer of this Epistle let all that are in CHRIST IESVS euen euery one of vs feare c. Now in that hee ioynes himselfe with those to whom hee giues this caueat the Doctrine is that Hee that doth faithfully instruct others Doct. 1 will also instruct himselfe with his owne precepts Faithfull Teachers will teach themselues Rom. 1.23 The neglect of this is greatly condemned by the Apostle Paule who speaketh vnto the Iewes in this manner Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe and thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale c. In which place he sheweth that it is a fearefull and inexcuseable sinne for a man to take vpon him to be an informer of others and in the meane time to be vtterly vntaught himselfe in respect of any working and sauing instruction neither was this holy Apostle more ready to censure the omission of this duty in others than he was carefull to practise it himselfe for 2 Cor. 7.1 hee saith Let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God where wee see that hee maketh himselfe one of the number So also Rom. 7. when hee dilates at large of the corruption that is inherent in mans nature he still layes load vpon himselfe and speakes as if no body were in such case as he was What I would saith he that doe I not Rom. 7.15 but what I hate that doe I and Ver. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing and Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And as in the matter of humiliation so likewise in the matter of consolation hee speaketh in his owne person seeking to apply the comfort to himselfe as well as to offer it vnto others I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord v. 25. q.d. He it is that must deliuer me and all his elect from the bondage of sinne and that by Iesus Christ for which I render humble and heartie praises vnto his Diuine Maiestie And againe Phil. 1.21 he saith Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage So that in matters of exhortation and of instruction of humiliation and of consolation hee includeth himselfe within the number of those with whom hee hath to deale And it stands with reason that Ministers and Gouernors and all such as are to admonish others should take this course First because their need requireth it Reasons 1 for haue not they as well as others corruption in them that needs to be repressed haue not they many failings that ought to be reformed haue not they much diffidence and distrust in them against which they must be strengthned If it fare thus with them as none can deny meet it is that they should take their part with others when they eyther reproue or exhort or comfort or the like and indeed the Lord allots them a portion together with the rest of his seruants euen as good householders doe allow their Baker and Bruer and Cooke and other officers that makes prouision for the whole family their stint of vittailes as farre foorth as any other for whom they prepare the foode Secondly this is a great incouragement and singular motiue vnto them that are instructed or exhorted c. to cause them to make vse of that which is spoken when they see men to take vp the like burdens themselues as they lay vpon their shoulders and that they doe not deale hypocritically as the Pharises did who imposed heauy burdens vpon others when as they themselues would not so much as touch them with one of their fingers This I say makes mens words to be regarded and followed when they require no more of others then they labour to doe themselues when they minister no medicines vnto others but they will first take them themselues and on the contrary part this causeth men to be esteemed Physitians of no worth when they will take vpon them to cure others of those faults which they neuer seeke any redresse or reformation of in themselues He that will make boast that he hath a soueraigne remedie against the Stone or the Gowre or any the like maladie and yet in the meane time be miserably tormented with the same himselfe shall cause both himselfe and his skill to be little set by Thirdly it is dangerous and burdenous for mens soules not to ioyne themselues with those whom they doe instruct for the things which they deliuer are eyther true or false If false how dare they
first place they are heere reprehended who care little or nothing at all for the Lord Iesus Certainly whether they be Iewes or Gentiles bond or free male or female their estate is most lamentable we may quake euen to thinke of it for no lesse then dampation it selfe as was intimated before is their portion and inheritance for euermore They will perhaps consesse that Murther Adultery Idolatry Witchcraft and such notorious crimes are sinnes indeede and that they doe deserue euerlasting punishments but let them now at the last both see and confesse that this is indeede a great sinne not to loue the Lord Iesus Christ and such an one as will damne them for euer vnlesse they doe repent for it in time and therefore let them leaue it and amend it mourning and lamenting as bitterly for this fault as for any other sinne whatsoeuer In the second place they are here comforted who haue made choise of Iesus Christ to be their husband and haue set their whole heart soule vpon him In this they haue performed a worthie duty and such as may bring vnto them consolation at all times For now will Christ respect them most gratiously for euermore and alwayes doe them good as who is much delighted in their loue according to his owne words vnto the Church in Cant. 4.10 When hesaith My sister my Spouse how faire is thy loue How much better is thy loue then wine And the sauour of thine ointments then all spices In the third and last place all of vs are here admonished to doe that which the spouse did namely to loue Christ well wee must take him for our onely bridegrome and accept of none but him I doubt not but that you shall haue many suitors to the contrary For the world and the flesh and the deuill will be labouring still to draw you vnto them and send vnto you as it were many solicitors for that end and purpose time after time but beware I pray giue not your consents vnto them neither harken vnto their voyces though they sing as sweetly as the Sirens or Mermaides are reported to doe O stop your eares against them as Vlisses is feigned by some to doe in this point be like to the deafe adder who will not heare the charmer though hee charme neuer sosweetly Giue entertainement I beseech you to the Lord of glory and let him be your welbeloued For this end and purpose remember the reasons before going What Shall hee beginne to loue vs and shall not wee loue him againe What Is hee rich and bountifull to all such as doe loue him bestowing large benefits dayly vpon them And shall not wee our selues loue him What is he most worthy of the loue of all persons as being most faire and beautifull as being most rich and wealthy as being most noble and honourable as being most wise and prudent as being lastly most louing and kinde and yet shall not vvee loue him What in the last place Will he destroy all those that shall not loue him and bring them to a perpetuali desolation and yet for all that shall not we loue him Oh my brethren let vs remember our selues and be vvise at the last for our owne good let vs not wilfully cast away our selues but saue our soules from the euils to come My suite vnto you at this time is for your loues for Christ my Maister If he were that I may so speake without offence to any a deformed person like to Thersites I would not wish you to loue him if hee vvere a poore man like to Lazarus I would not wish you to affect him if he were a base brat like to Abimilick I would not wish you to follow him if hee vvere a foolish fellow like to Nabal I would not wish you to respect him finally if hee were a cruell beast like to Nero I would not wish you to embrace him But now seeing hee is beautifull rich honourable wise and louely aboue all comparison with mortall men I would wish you yea most humbly intreat you that you vvould loue him affect him follow him respect him and embrace him and that for euer and euer Euery wise man in choosing a Maister to himselfe doth refuse three sorts of persons namely his enemy his fellow and his seruant Hee that serueth the deuill serueth his enemy he that serueth his flesh serueth his fellow and he that serueth the vvorld serueth his seruant Because the former of these doe argue foolishnesse and want of wits and the latter two basenesse and want of courage I hope that none of you who are wise and couragious vvill now serue any of them but that from henceforth Iesus Christ shall be your Lord and Maister alone But here that I may not loose my labour and so fish in vaine but bring you all rather vvithin the compasse of my ner and so take many fishes giue me leaue to giue an answere to three sorts of persons The first is of those that make exceptions against the state of such as loue Christ The second is of those that boast of their loue towards Christ and yet doe want it The third is of those that would be informed what manner of loue it is that is pleasing to CHRIST For the first of these many are vnwilling as dayly experience doth teach vs to ioyne themselues in a true knot of marriage loue because they thinke that their estate is most miserable vvho are so ioyned to him in loue and that first because the deuill doth persue them Reu. 12.13 Secondly because the world doth hate them Iohn 15.19 Thirdly because Christ himselfe doth correct them Reu. 3.19 But let none of vs be deceiued Answere The condition of the CHVRCH is farre better then the world doth take it to be Hearken vvhat Dauid doth say of it Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord euen the people saith hee that hee hath chosen for his inheritance Psal 33.12 For this cause did he make this request vnto the Almighty saying Remember me O Lord with the fauour of thy people visit mee with thy saluation that I may see the filicitie of thy chosen and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance Psal 106. 4 5. Surely I dare here pawne my soule and life that there is no estate in the vvhole vvorld so good as the estate of Gods people and of such as doe loue Christ the vvhich I will make euident vnto you by Gods good grace in a few words We account as you know those to be maruellous happy persons and their estates to he the best of all First who are out of debt Secondly who fare vvell Thirdly who goe fine Fourthly who are attended vpon by many seruants Fiftly who are able to giue to others Sixtly who are out of law and trouble hauing peace within and without Seuenthly who inioy their health Eightly who are in authority of high place to command or rule Finally who haue great lands