that notwithstanding wee shall soon fall to the ground if Christ put not to both his hands to keep us up Wee stand in need of whole Christ and having him to support us wee cannot fall finally because fall wee never so low wee shall arise for the Lord puts under his hand Psal 37.24 his goodness is lower than wee can fall hee circleth his Saints with amiable embracements and none can pull them out of his hands Jacob under-bare Rachel till shee died upon him died on his hand Gen. 48.7 The good Shunamite held her Son till hee died on her lap But the love-sick Church Rom. 14.8 whether shee lives or dies shee is the Lords and who so liveth and beleeveth on him cannot die eternally But as when Christ himself died though soul and body were sundred for a season yet neither of them were sundred from the Godhead whereunto they were personally united So is it here death may separate soul and body but cannot separate either of them from Christ And as Christ being raised from the dead dies no more Rom. 6.9 Col. 3.1 so neither doth any one that is risen with him Christ may as easily die at the right hand of his heavenly Father as in the heart of a true Beleever Vers 7. I charge you O yee daughters of Jerusalem A vehement obtestation or rather an adjuration I charge you and that by an Oath taken from the manner of Country-speech For in this whole Chapter the Allegory is so set as if the feast or meeting were made and represented in a Country-house or Village These Daughters of Jerusalem therefore the particular Congregations and all faithful men and women as Luk. 23.28 are straightly charged and as it were in conscience bound by the Church the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 not to disease or offend much or little her Well-beloved Spouse that resteth in her love Zeph. 3.17 and taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants Psal 35.27 until hee please that is not at all for hee is not a God that taketh pleasure in wickedness Psal 5.4 his holy Spirit is grieved by it Ephes 4.30 Or until hee please that is till hee waken of his own accord bee not over-hasty with him for help but hold out faith and patience let him take his own time For hee is a God of Judgement Isa 30.18 and waiteth to bee gracious If through impatience and unbeleef you set him a day or send for him by a Post hee will first chide you before hee chide the waves that afflict you as hee dealt by his Disciples that wakened him ere hee was willing Mark 4.37.40 Those that are suddenly roused out of a deep and sweet sleep are apt to bee angry with those that have done it Great heed must bee taken by our selves and Gods charge laid upon others that nothing be spoken or done amiss against the God of Heaven Dan. 3.39 Their sorrows shall bee multiplied that hasten after another God Psal 16.4 The Lord shall trouble thee thou troubler of Israel 1 Cor. 10.22 Josh 7.25 Do yee provoke the Lord to wrath are yee stronger than hee will yee needs try a fall with him Psal 18.26 Hath ever any yet waxed fierce against God and prospered Job 9.4 Surely as Ulysses his companions told him when hee would needs provoke Polydamas so may wee say much more to those that incense the Lord to displeasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. Had men the feet of Roes and Hindes of the field they could not out-run his wrath witness Jonah Or if they could yet the Roes and Hindes those loving creatures Prov. 5.19 would bee swift witnesses against them for their baseness and disloyalty sith they do such things as those poor creatures would not see Deut. 30.19 Isa 1.2 Bee thou instructed therefore Oh Jerusalem lest Christs soul bee dis-joynted from thee lest as well as hee loves thee now hee make thee desolate a land not inhabited Jer. 6.8 Let him bee that Love of thine as shee here emphatically calls him that taketh up thy whole heart soul and strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a love not onely of Desire but of Complacency with a God-like love True it is that wee cannot neither are wee bound to love God in quantum est diligibilis so much as hee is loveable for so God onely can love himself but wee must love nihil supra aeque or contra nothing more or so well or against God Other persons wee may love with his allowance but it must bee in him and for him as our friends in the Lord our foes for the Lord Other things wee may also love but no otherwise than as they convey love to us from Christ and may bee means of drawing up our affections unto Christ This true love will keep us from doing any thing wilfully that may disease or displease him it will also constrain the Daughters of Jerusalem to abide with the Roes and with the Hindes of the field so some read this Text as Rachel did by her Fathers Herds to glorifie Christ in some honest and lawful vocation and not to vex him by idleness and unprofitableness sith as punishment hath an impulsive so love hath a compulsive faculty 2 Cor. 5.14 Vers 8. The voice of my Beloved Behold An abrupt passage proceeding from a pang of love whereof shee was even sick and now lay languishing as it were at Hopes Hospital lingering and listening hankering and kearkening after her beloved Of the ear wee use to say that it is first awake in a morning Call one that is asleep by his name and hee will soon hear and start up Christ calls all his sheep by their name John 10.3 and they know his voice vers 4. so well are they versed in his Word and so habitually are their senses exercised Heb. 5.14 yea they know his pase for Behold hee cometh viz. to make his abode with mee according to his promise John 14.23 to fulfil with his hand what hee had spoken with his mouth as Solomon phraseth it in his prayer 1 King 8.15 Christ sends his voice as another John Baptist a forerunner and this no sooner sounds in the ear and sinks into the heart than himself is at hand to speak comfort to the conscience Psal 51.8 Hee thinks long of the time till it were done as the Mothers breast akes when it is time the childe had suck Hee comes leaping upon the Mountains skipping upon the Hills Look how the jealous Eagle when shee flieth highest of all from her nest and seems to seat her self among the clouds yet still she casts an eye to her nest where are her young ones and if shee see any come near to offend presently shee speeds to their help and rescue So doth the Lord Christ deal by his beloved Spouse Neither mountains nor hills shall hinder his coming neither the sins of his people
way of truth and holiness The Papists propose rewards to such as shall relinquish the Protestant religion and turn to theirs as in Ausborough where they say there is a known price for it of ten Florens a year In France Spec. Europ where the Clergy have made contributions for the maintenance of runagate Ministers Stratagema nunc est Pontificum ditare multos ut pii esse desinant saith one that was no stranger to them Joh. Bapt. Gell. dial 5. It is a cunning trick that the Popes have taken up to enrich men that they may rob them of their religion And though Luther would not swallow that hook yet there are those that will not a few Tell men a tale of Utile promise them preferment and you may perswade them to any thing Fac me Pontificem ero Christianus said one Pammachius an Heathen once to the Pope Make mee a Bishop and I 'le turn Christian But as one said of Papists that they must have two conversions ere they come to heaven one from Popery and another from prophaneness like as corn must be first threshed and then winnowed so this money-merchant this preferment-proselyte might have been a Christian at large had hee had his desired Bishoprick but Christ never favoured any such self-seeking followers See Mat. 8.20 John 6.26 their love hee knows to be no better than meretricious and mercenary It is a sad thing that any Augustine should have cause to complain Vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum that scarce any man loves Christ but for his rewards like the mixt multitude that came up with Israel out of Egypt for a better fortune Or those Persians that in Mordecai's daies for self-respects became Jews All Gods people should bee like those Medes in Isaiah that regarded not silver and as for gold they delighted not in it chap. 13.17 Christs love should bee better to them than wine Cant. 1.2 and when in exchange for it the devill doth offer them this worlds good they should answer him as the witch of Endor did Saul 1 Sam. 28.9 Judg. 9.11 Wherefore laiest thou a snare for my soul to cause mee to dye or as the vine and fig-tree in Jonathans Parable answered the rest of the trees Should I leave my fatness and sweetness derived unto mee from Christ and so go out of Gods blessing into the worlds warm Sunne God forbid that I should part with my patrimony as Naboth said take an apple for paradise as Adam did lose the love of Christ for the worlds blandishments c. Vers 8. Wee have a little sister Thou Lord and I have such a sister sc the Church of the Gentiles known to thee and fore-appointed to conversion as James speaketh in that first Christian counsell Act. 15.18 from the beginning of the world unknown to mee more than by hear-say from the holy Prophets 1 Pet. 1.10 who prophecied of the grace that should come unto her but not unloved or undesired Now therefore as a fruit of my true love unto thee such as no floods of troubles can quench or drench no earthly commodity can compass or buy off I desire not onely to deliberate with thee about the enlargement of thy Kingdome by the accession of the elect Gentiles thereunto but also by making as I may say large and liberal offers set forth my care and study for their eternal salvation See the like affection in St. Paul toward his country-men the Jews proceeding from that full assurance that hee found in himself Rom. 8.38 39. with chap. 9.1 And learn wee to pray as earnestly for their conversion as they have done for ours longing after them from the very heart-root in Jesus Christ as Philipp 1.8 and turning to the Lord that they may the sooner finde compassion It is Hezekiah's reason and a very remarkable one 2 Chron. 30.9 And shee hath no breasts i. e. Shee is not yet Nubilis apta viro marriageable and fit for Christ to bee presented as a chaste Virgin unto him shee wanted such paranymphs as Paul was to do it for her 2 Cor. 11.2 Shee had not a stablished Ministry to nurse up her children withall And at this same pass was the old Church at first not onely small but unshapen Ezek. 16.7 8. A society of men without the preaching of the Word is like a mother of children without breasts All the Churches children must suck and bee satisfied Isa 66.11 they must desire the sincere milk of the Word and grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 not like the changeling Luther speaks of ever sucking never batling Such shall be made to know that their mother hath verbera as well as ubera rods as well as dugges Their father will also repent him as once David did of his kindness to Nabal and take up his old complaint Isai 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The ox knoweth his owner c. the most salvage creatures will bee at the beck and check of those that feed them disobedience therefore under means of grace especially is against the principles of nature It is to bee like the horse and mule yea like the young mulet which hath no sooner done sucking her dammes teats but shee turns up her heels and kicks her What shall wee do for our sister Love is not more cogitative than operative and delights to bee doing for the beloved I love the Lord c. What shall I render unto him I will pay my vows c. Psal 116. Jonathan will disrobe and strip himself even to his sword and girdle for David because hee loved him as his own soul 1 Sam. 18.3 4. Shechem will do all that can be done for his beloved Dinah The Macedonians will over-do for their poor brethren Pauls love to the Jews was like the Ivy which if it cleave to a stone or an old wall will rather die than forsake it Rom. 9.3 He tells his Hebrews of their labour of love Heb. 6. all love is laborious In the day when shee shall bee spoken for Or wherein speech shall he had concerning her viz. for an husband for her how wee may best prefer her in marriage The care of disposing young people to fit yoke-fellows lay upon their parents and other kindred The Church as an elder-sister shews her self solicitous and propounds the matter to Christ as the onely best husband for her the partition-wall being broken down Vers 9. If shee be a wall wee will build upon her c. Christ answers If she be as she ought to be strong and well-grounded in the faith able to bear a good weight laid upon her as a wall pillar and ground of truth not sinking or fainting under the heaviest burden of these light afflictions which are but for a moment but patient and perseverant in the faith unto the death then will I do all for her that may bee done to make her happy This speech is somewhat like that of Solomon concerning Adonijah
and sith they think us not worthy to breath in the common aire whom thou hast made heires of the world together with faithful Abraham our Progenitour destroy them from under these heavens of thine in the compass and cope whereof thou raignest and rulest all From under the heavens of the Lord Do thou O Christ to whom the Father hath committed all judgment root them out from under the heavens of thy heavenly Father Thus some Paraphrase the words and observe therehence the mystery of the Trinity like as they do from Gen. 19.24 CHAP. IV. Pet. à Figueir Ver. 1. HOw is the gold become dim How by way of wonderment again as chap. 1.2 q. d. Quo tanto scelere hominum qua tanta indignatione Dei What have men done and how hath God been provoked that there are such strange alterations here all on the sudden By gold and fine gold here understand the Temple overlaid by Solomon with choice gold or Gods people his spiritual Temple who had now lost their lustre and dignity The stones of the Sanctuary are poured out Come tumbling down from the demolished Temple Ver. 2. The precious sons of Zion Those Porphyrogeniti as the Greek Emperours children were called Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because born and bred up in a room made up of precious stones Understand it of the Jews in general Gods peculiar people precious in his sight and therefore honourable Isa 43.4 of Zedekiahs sons in particular who as did also the rest of the Jewish Nobility if Josephus may be beleeved poudered their hair with gold dust Antiq. l. 8. c. 7. to the end that they might glister and sparkle against the beams of the Sun The precious children of the Church are all glorious within by means of the graces of the Spirit that golden oyle Zach. 4.12 and the blessings of God out of Zion Psal 134.3 which are far beyond all other the blessings of heaven and of earth As earthen pitchers Weak and worthlesse Ver. 3. Even the sea-monsters Heb. Whales or Seales which being Amphibii have both a willingnesse Vulg. Lamiae and a place convenient to suckle their whelps The daughter of my people is become cruel She is so perforce being destitute of milk for want of food but much more by feeding upon them ver 10. and chap. 2.20 Oh what a mercy is it to have meat and how inexcusable are those unnatural mothers that neglect to nurse their children not out of want but wantonnesse Surely as there is a blessing of the womb to bring forth so of the brests to give suck Gen. 49.25 and the dry breasts and barren womb have been taken for a curse Hos 9.14 as some interpret that text Ver. 4. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth For want of suck That was a miracle which is recorded of the old woman of Bolton in Lancashire who took up a poor child that lay crying at the breasts of her dead mother slain among many others by Prince Ruperts party and laying it to her own dry breasts that had not yeelded suck for above twenty years before on purpose to still it had milk came to nourish it to the admiration and astonishment of all beholders This and another like example of Gods good providence for the releif of little ones whom their mothers could not relieve may be read of in Mr. Clarks Mirror for Saints and Sinners Edit 3. fol. 495 507. And no man breaketh it unto them The parents either not having it for them or not having an heart to part with it to them Ver. 5. They that did feed delicately Such uncertainty there is of outward affluence Our Richad the second was famished to death Speed Lib. 3. c. 4. Henry Holland Duke of Excester grand-child to John of Gaunt was seen to run on foot bare-legged after the Duke of Burgundy's train begging his bread for Gods sake This I saw saith Philip de Comines This Henry was brother in law to King Edward the fourth from whom he fled They that were brought up in scarlet Qui nutriebantur in croceis sen cocceis In fimetis victum quaeritant prae inopia Jun. that were gorgeously arrayed or that rolling on their rich beds wrapped themselves in costly coverlets Embrace dunghils There take up their lodgings and there also are glad to find any thing to feed on though never so course and homely The Lapwing is made an Hieroglyphick of infelicity because he hath as a coronet upon the head and yet feedeth upon the worst of excrements It is pitty that any child of God washt in Christ's blood should bedabble his scarlet robe in the stinking guzzle of the worlds dunghill that any one who hath heretofore soared as an Eagle should now creep on the ground as a bettle or wallow as a swine in the mire of sensuality Ver. 6. For the punishment of the iniquity of Zion is greater For Sodom was destroyed by Angels Zion by malicious men The enemies were not enriched by Sodom as they were by Zion Sodom was destroyed in an instant not so Zion for she had her punishment piecemeal first a long seige and then the loss of all after a world of miseries sustained in the seige Julius Caesar was wont to say It is better once to fall then alwaies to hang in suspence Augustus wished that he might dye suddenly His life he called a Comedy and said that he thought he had acted his part therein pretty handsomly Now if he might soon passe through death he would hold it an happinesse Souldiers wish is thus set forth by the Poet quid enim concurritur horae Momento aut cita mors venit aut victoria laeta It is the ancient and manful fashion of the English who are naturally most impatient of lingering mischiefs to put their quarrels to the trial of the sword Speed 963. as the Chronicler observeth Ver. 7. Her Nazarites Who served God in a singular way of abstinence above other men These had their rules given them Num. 6. which whiles they observed They were purer then snow whiter then milk Temperance is the mother of beauty as luxury is of deformity This is nothing to the Popish Votaryes those Epicures and Abby-lubbers Quorum luxuriae totus non sufficit orbis Some by Nazarites here understand their Nobles and such as wore coronets on their heads Nezar is a crown 2 Sam. 1.10 2 Kings 11.12 thus Joseph was a Nazarite Gen. 49.26 So Daniel and his three Associates in whom that was verified Gratior est pulchro veniens in corpore virtus Ver. 8. Their visage is blacker then a coal Heb. their visage is more darkned then blacknesse sc With famine fear grief and car those vultures have so fed upon them that all sightlinesse and lovelinesse is lost Think the same of Apostates God may complain of such as Mic. 2.8 Ver. 9. They that be slain with the sword are better They suffer lesse pain in dying
Vers 17. A friend loveth at all times Such a friend was Jonathan Hushai the Archite Ittai the Gittite who stuck close to David when hee was at his greatest under B. Morton But such faithful friends are in this age all for the most part gone in Pilgrimage as hee once said and their return is uncertain David met with others besides those above mentioned that would bee the causes but not the companions of his calamity that would fawn upon him in his flourish but forsake him in his trouble My lovers and friends stand aloof c. The Antients pictured Friendship in the shape of a fair young man bare-headed meanly apparelled having on the out-side of his garment written To live and to dye with you and on his forehead Summer and Winter His breast was open so that his heart might bee seen and with his finger bee pointed to his heart where was written Longè Propè Far and near Humphrey Duke of Glocester being wounded and overthrown by the Duke of Alenzon at the battel of Agincourt was rescued by his brother King Henry the fifth who bestriding him delivered him from danger c. Speed And a Brother is born for adversity Birth binds him to it and although at other times fratrum concordia rara brethren may jar and jangle yet at a straight and in a stresse good nature will work and good blood will not belie it self And as in the natural so in the spiritual brotherhood Misery breeds unity Ridley and Hooper that when they were both Bishops differed so much about Ceremonies could agree well enough and bee mutual comforts one to another when they were both prisoners Esther concealed her kindred in hard times but Gods people cannot Moses must rescue his beaten brother out of the hand of the Egyptian though hee venture his life by it Vers 18. A man void of understanding striketh hands Of the folly and misery of rash suretyship See Chap. 6.1 2 c. with the Notes there In the presence of his friend Or before his friend that is before his friend do it who was better able and more obliged Thus like a Woodcock hee puts his neck into the ginne his foot into the stocks as the Drunkard and then hath time enough to come in with the fools had I wist and to say as the Lion did when taken in the toil Si praescivissem If I had foreseen this But why should there bee amongst men any such Epimetheus such a Post-master an after-wit Vers 19. Hee loveth transgression that loveth strife It s strange that any should love strife that Hell-hag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet some like Trouts love to swim against the stream like Salamanders they live in the fire of contention like Phocion they hold it a goodly thing to dissent from others like Pyrrhus they are a people that delight in war Psal 68.30 Like Davids enemies I am for peace saith hee that was his Motto but when I speak of it Psal 120.7 they are for war These unquiet spirits are of the Devil doubtlesse that turbulent creature that troubler of Gods Israel Hee knows that where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work James 3.16 and that hee loveth transgression that loveth strife hee taketh pleasure in sin which is the cause of his unquietnesse Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the counsel of the Psalmist Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil Psal 37.8 Hee that frets much will soon bee drawn to do evil An angry man stirs up strife and a furious man aboundeth in transgression Prov. 29.22 Hence our Saviour bids Have salt within your selves that is mortifie your corruptions and then bee at Peace one with another Mark 9.50 Hence also Saint James saith that the wisdome from above is first pure and then peaceable And Saint Paul oft joyns faith and love together there can bee no true love to and good agreement with men till the heart bee purified by faith from the love of sin And hee that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction Eventually hee seeketh it though not intentionally that exalteth his gate that is his whole house a part being put for the whole which hee that builds over-sumptuously is in the ready rode to beggery the begger will soon have him by the back as they say quaerit rupturam hee will shortly break Others read the words thus And hee enlargeth his gate that seeketh a breach that is say they hee that picketh quarrels and is contentious setteth open a wide door to let in many mischiefs Vers 20. Hee that hath a froward heart findeth no good Who this is that hath a froward heart and a perverse tongue Solomon shews Prov. 11.20 viz. the hypocrite the double-minded man Jam. 1.8 that hath an heart and a heart Psal 12.2 One for God and another for him that would have it as that desperate Neapolitan boasted of himself And as hee hath two hearts so two tongues too 1 Tim. 3.8 wherewith hee can both bless and curse talk religiously or prophanely according to the company James 3.10 11. speak Hebrew and Ashdod the language of Canaan and the language of Hell like those in an Island beyond Arabia of whom Diodorus Siculus saith that they have cleven tongues Antiq. l. 3. so that therewith they can alter their speech at their pleasure and perfectly speak to two persons and to two purposes at once Now how can these Monsters of men expect either to finde good or not to fall into mischief How can they escape the damnation of Hell whereof hypocrites are the chief inhabitants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 24.31 yea the free-holders as it were for other sinners shall have their part with the Devil and hypocrites Vers 21. Hee that begetteth a fool doth it to his sorrow Solomon might speak this by experience and wish as Augustus did Utinam coelebs vixissem aut orbus periissem Hof 4 O that I had either lived a batchelour or died childlesse to bring forth children to the murtherer children to the Devil that old man-slayer Oh what a grief is this to a pious Parent how much better were a miscarrying womb and dry breasts What heavy moan made David for his Absolom dying in his sin How doth many a miserable Mother weep and warble out that mournful ditty of hers in Plutarch over her deceased children Quo pueri estis profecti poor souls what 's become of you And the Father of a fool hath no joy No more than Oedipus had who cursed his children when hee died and breathed out his last with Per coacervatâ—â— percat domus impia luctus No more than William the Conquerour had in his ungracious children or Henry the second who finding that his sons had conspired against him with the King of France Daniel fol. 112 fell into a grievous passion cursing both his sons and the day wherein himself was born and in
Contrariwise the godly in the fulness of his want is in an All-sufficiency because hee is in Christ Col. 3. who hath filled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neuter gender not onely all the hearts of his people but All things hee hath filled up that emptiness that was before in the creature and made it satisfactory I sate down under his shadow with great delight Heb. I delighted and sate down The Church being scortcht with troubles without and terrours within ran to Christ for shelter and found singular comfort Psal 91.1 Isa 25.4 Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit saith an Antient Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charls the fifth was demanded what upheld him all that time Respondit divinas Martyrum consolationes se sensisse hee answered that Christ came in to him with such cordials as kept up his spirits above beleef There bee divine comforts that are felt by the suffering Saints that others taste not of nor themselves neither at other times When the childe is sick out come the conserves and sweet-meats Never sits hee so much on his Mothers lap and in her bosome as then And his fruit was sweet to my taste i. e. His word and promises which I rolled as Sugar under my tongue and sucked therehence more sweetness than Sampson did from his hony-comb Psal 19.10 119.103 Jer. 15.16 Luther said hee would not live in paradise Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. if hee might without the Word at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere saith hee but with the Word hee could live even in Hell it self True it is that those that have not the Spouses palate finde no such sweetness in Christ or his promises Most men are so full gorged with the Devils dainties so surfeited with sins sweet-meats that they finde no more relish in the good Word of God Multi in terris manducant quod apud inferos digerunt Aug. than in the white of an Egge or in a dry chip These feed upon that now that they must without repentance digest in Hell there will bee bitterness in the end Whereas they that by sucking those full-strutting breasts of consolation the promises have tasted and seen how good the Lord Christ is as their souls are satisfied with fat things full of marrow with the very best of the best Isa 25.6 so hee shall make them to drink abundantly of the river of his pleasures Psal 36.9 hee shall take them into his Wine-â—eller and fill them with gladness Vers 4. Hee brought mee to the banquetting-house Heb. to the house of Wine where hee giveth mee that which is better than Apple-drink as vers 3. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 The lower that ebb the higher this tide as is to bee seen in the Martyrs who went as merrily to die as ever they did to dine sang in the flames and felt no more pain than if they had lain upon beds of Roses This their persecutors counted stupidity and vain-glory but they knew not the power of the Spirit and the force of Faith as Mr. Philpot told scoffing Morgan who coming to confer with him asked him How know you that you have the Spirit of God Mr. Philpot answered By the Faith of Christ which is in mee All by Faith quoth Morgan do yee so I ween it bee the spirit of the buttery which your fellows have had that have been burned before you who were drunk the night before they went to their death Act. and Mon. fol. 1653. and I ween went drunk unto it Whereunto Philpot replied It appears by your communication that you are better acquainted with the spirit of the buttery than of God Meethink you are liker a scoffer in a Play than a reasonable Doctor to instruct one Thou hast the spirit of illusion and sophistry which is not able to countervail the Spirit of truth Thou art but an Ass in the things of God c. God shall surely rain fire and brimstone upon such scorners of his Word and blasphemers of his people as thou art The like sensure was passed upon Nicholas Burton Martyr in Spain who because hee went chearfully to the stake and embraced death with all gladness and patience Ibid. 1866. his tormentours and enemies said that the Devil had his soul before hee came to the fire and therefore his sense of feeling was past These carnal creatures meddle not with the true Christians joy neither know they the privy armour of proof the joy of Faith that hee hath as an aes triplex about his heart making him insuperable and more than a Conquerour Rom. 8.35 True grace hath a fortifying comforting virtue which the world knows not of like as true gold comforts and strengthens the heart that Alchymy gold doth not And as a man that by good fare and plenty of the best Wines hath his bones filled with marrow and his veins with good blood and a fresh spring of spirits can endure to go with less cloathes than another because hee is well liâ—ed within So it is with a heart that by oft feasting with Christ in his Ordinances and by much reading and ruminating upon the Scriptures called here the Banquetting-house or Wine-celler as most are of opinion hath got a great deal of joy and peace such an one will go thorow troubles and make nothing of them yea though outward comforts utterly fail Hab. 3.17 Rom. 5.15 And his banner over mee was love As a Standard erected as a banner displayed so was the love of Christ shed abroad in her heart by the Holy Ghost who had also as a fruit of his love set up a Standard in her against strong temptations and corruptions Isa 59.19 and thereby assured her of his special presence like as where the colours are there is the Captain where the Standard there the King The wicked also have their banners of lust covetousness ambition malice under which they fight as the Dragon and his viperous brood Rev. 12.7 against Christ and his people but they may read their destiny Isa 8.9 10. Associate your selves O yee people stand to your arms repair to your colours c. yet yee shall bee broken in peeces gird your selves and yee shall bee broken in peeces c. Take counsel together and it shall come to nought c. for God is with us Immanuel is our General And how many do you reckon him for as Antigonus once said to his souldiers that feared their enemies numbers Surely if Christ bee for us and hee is never from us Matth. 28.20 but as Xerxes was wont to do hee pitcheth his tent and sets up his Standard in the midst of his people as once in the wilderness who can bee against us Rom. 8.31 And though many bee yet No weapon that is formed against the Church shall prosper how should it fith shee hath such a
15 16. All weapons of mighty men Meet for such and not for mean men and all to bee fetcht out of the Armoury of the Scriptures by our Saviours own example Mat. 4.4 The Word of God hath a Power in it to quail and quell all our spiritual enemies far better than that wooden dagger that leaden sword of the Papists their holy waters crossings Medals Reliques c. This the Devil knows and therefore sets his Antichristian instruments on work to take away this Armoury from the common people as the Philistims took away all weapons from the Israelites and to give this wicked advice as Bristow did to get Hereticks out of their weak and false Tower of holy Scriptures Motive 48. into the plain field of Councils and Fathers c. Which if they should do as wee trust they never shall Whitak in Campian yet wee dare bee bold to say with learned Whitaker Patres in maximis sunt nostri in multis varii in minimis vestri The Fathers in most material points are for us and not them As for the Papists wee know how disdainfully they reject the Fathers De Christo lib. 1. cap. 9. when they make against them Bellarmine saith to Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and Luther I answer Omnes manifesti haretici sunt They are all manifest Hereticks When any thing in Gregory or other Antients pleaseth them not the Gloss upon that saith Hoc non credo or sets Palea upon it or Hoc antiquum est and happened in illo tempore And Cornelius Mus on Rom. 3. speaks out the sense of the whole rabble of them Plus uni Pontifici crederem quam mille Augustinis I would sooner beleeve one Pope Quaest An Papa sit sup concil than a thousand Augustines How much better that learned Picus Mirandula a Papist too Simplici potius rustico infanti aniculae magis quam Pontifici Maximo millâ— Episcopis credendum est si isti contra Evangelium ilâ—i pro Evangelio faciant wee should sooner and rather beleeve a plain Country-man an infant or an old wife than the Pope and a thousand Bishops if the former speak or do according to the Scripture the latter against it And what a strong neck had Luther scorning to stoop to Antichrists yoke when hee professeth that if the Pope as Pope should command him to receive the communion in both kinds hee would but receive in one kind though hee were otherwise very earnest to have it administred in both according to the Gospel lest hee should seem to receive the mark of the beast Vers 5. Thy two Breasts are like two young Roes c. From the neck hee descendeth to the breasts and by these descriptions of beauty in all parts for the rest are to bee understood though not here specified is signified that the Spirit of Regeneration worketh upon the whole man in all manner of virtue Holiness in the heart as the Candle in the Lanthorn appears in the body 1 Thes 5.23 and every member thereof Spirit soul and body are sanctified throughout like as the most holy place the Sanctuary and the outer Court of Solomons Temple were filled with the cloud The Churches breasts here are said to bee fair full and equally matcht Hereby some understand the two Testaments those breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 fair and full strutting with sincere milk that her children may all suck and bee satisfied viz. batten grow up and increase with the increase of God to a full stature in Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 These breasts are also suitable and equal as twins the two Testaments are so in sundry respects For as the Old Testament hath four sorts of Books viz. Legal Historical Sapiential Prophetical so hath the New in a due proportion Answerable to the Legal are the Evangelical to the Historical are the Acts of the Apostles to the Sapiential or Dogmatical are the Epistles wherein as St. Paul principally presseth Faith so St. Peter Hope and St. John Charity and to the Prophetical Apocalyps ut sic mira sit conformitas saith Bonaventure non solum in continentia sensuum sed in quadriformitate partium so that there is a wondrous conformity of one Testament to another not onely in the sameness of sense but in the quadriformity also of parts And this was mystically set forth saith hee by Ezekiel in his Vision of the wheel with four faces and this wheel within a wheel implying the Old Testament in the New and the New Testament in the Old Vers 6. Until the day break and the shadows flee away i. e. Till that last and great day of the Lord dawn that day of refreshing Bemichaâ—a Isa 35.10 Act. 3.19 that day of Consolation as the Syriack hath it John 11.24 When everlasting joy shall bee upon the heads of all beleevers they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Till that blessed time Christ in answer to his Spouses request chap. 2.17 promiseth to get him to the mountains of myrrhe that is not to Heaven as some sense it but to his Church Militant frequently called Gods Holy Mountain and here Mountains of Myrrhe and Hills of Incense as in allusion to Mount Moriah whereon the Temple was builded so especially in reference to the prayers and good works of the Saints those Evangelical Sacrifices wherewith God is well pleased Some there are that comparing this with chap. 2.17 make these to bee the Churches words that as there shee requested speedy help of Christ in the time of her sorrow so here in like temptation shee fleeth for refuge to the mount of myrrhe and hell of frankincense to the holy Ordinances where shee hopeth for comfort Vers 7. Thou art all fair my Love Christ having graciously answered his Spouses Petition with a Promise of his gracious presence with her and providence over her proceeds in her commendation A perfection of parts hee here grants her though not of degrees a comparative perfection also in regard of the wicked whose spot is not the spot of his children Deut. 31.5 Hee calls her his Spouse in the next verse Calab of Calol to profit the Hebrew word imports that being dressed in all her Bride attire shee is all fair and hath perfection of beauty Jer. 2.32 and is all glorious within and without not having spot wrinckle or any such thing but holy and spotless Ephes 5.26 27. Fair hee called her before vers 1. but now All fair And therefore the fairest among women a meet Mate for him who is fairer than all the children of men Psal 45.2 Not but that shee hath whiles here her infirmities and deformities as the Moon hath her blots and blemishes but these are ut naevi in vultu Veneris these serve as foils to set off her superexcellent beauty or rather the superaboundant grace of Christ who seeth no sin in Jacob that is imputeth none but freely accepteth of his own work in his people and
Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 See the Notes on chap. 4.14 6.11 Neither can she be long kept under by any pressure of persecution or heavy affliction Premi potest opprimi non potest As Paul when stoned started up with Sic petitur coelum Sic Sic oportet intrare Tyrants might curse the Saints as hee did that cryed out to those ancient Confessours O miseri num vobis desunt restes rupes O wretches cannot you hang or drown your selves but that I must bee thus troubled with you to put you to death but crush them they never could The valour of the patients the savageness of the persecutors have striven together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers Hence Trajan forbade Pliny to seek after Christians But if any were brought to him to punish them Antoninus Pius set forth an Edict in Asia that no Christian should bee persecuted For said hee it is their joy to dye they are conquerours and do overcome you c. Trucidabantur multiplicabantur saith Augustine of the ancient Martyrs they were Martyred and yet they were multiplied Plures efficimur quoties metimur saith Tertullian the more we are cropt the more we are increased as the Lilly is increased by its own juyce that flows from it Plin. Hence Rev. 7.9 the Saints that by their victorious faith overcame the world are brought in with palm-branches in their hands in token of victory Plutarch tells us that the Babylonians made three hundred and sixty commodities of the palm-tree and did therefore very highly honour it The world hath a great deal of benefit by the Church could they but see it For Absque stationibus non staret mandus were it not for the Saints a short work would the Lord make upon the earth and cut it short in righteousness Rom. 9.28 And great is the gain of godliness even an hundred fold here and life eternal hereafter Who would not then turn spiritual merchant who would not pass from strength to strength and flourish in Gods house like a palm-tree Psal 29.12 till hee attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 And thy breasts to clusters of grapes Not well-fashioned onely as Ezek. 16.7 but full-strutting with milk yea with wine plenty and dainty to lay hunger and slake thirst to nourish and cherish her children even as the Lord doth the Church Eph. 5.29 See the Note on chap. 4.5 Vers 8. I said I will go up to the palm-tree c. I said it and I will do it for Christi dicere est facere together with Christs word there goes forth a power as it did Luk. 5.17 David said hee would confess his sins and take heed to his waies Psal 32.5 39.1 and accordingly hee did it Shall Christ purpose and promise mercy to his people and not perform it Is hee yea and nay 2 Cor. 1.19 can hee say and unsay doth not the constant experience of all ages fully confute any such fond conceit of him The Saints will not lye Isa 63.8 Christ cannot Tit. 1.2 Hee will not suffer his faithfulness to fail nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 89.33 All his sayings are the issue of a most faithful and right will void of all insincerity and falshood Now when Christ promiseth to climb his palm-tree and to take hold of the boughes thereof hee meaneth that hee will dwell most familiarly with his Church even in the branches thereof pruning and trimming it and accepting the fruits of his Spirit in his Spouse Or thus Hee will so joyn himself unto his Church as hee may cause her to bee fruitful hee will lay hold on her boughes which are very fit and apt to climb so covertly and elegantly noting the work of spiritual generation The effect follows Now also thy breasts shall bee as clusters of the vine Whatsoever they have been heretofore now at this time and for ever hereafter they shall be delightful to mee and nourishable to thy children who shall suck and be satisfied Isa 66.11 Albeit some Interpreters of good note conceive that all this is nothing else but a figurative description of Christs perfect conjunction with his Church in the Kingdom of heaven and of the unspeakable pleasure which Christ will take in her for ever And the smell of thy nose like apples i. e. The breath that comes out of thy nostrils is sweet as spice-apples The breath that the Church draweth into her lungs and sends out again is the spirit of grace without which shee can as little live as wee can without ayr This sweet Spirit is the joy of her heart and the breath of her nostrils and thereby shee draws many into her company If that bee true that one here noteth that the fruit of the palm partaketh of the nature both of the grape having a sweet and pleasant juyce and of the apple for pleasant meat it may well signifie that the Word of God is both meat and drink to the soul Vers 9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best vine Her word and doctrine for the palate is an instrument of speech often before commended by Christ Instrumenta novem c. and here again like as shee comes over it in him the second time chap. 3.13.16 See the Note there This hee resembleth to the best and most generous wine Such the Word of Gods grace is to those that have Spiritual palates that do not carry fel in aure their galles in their ears as some creatures are said to do that have their ears healed as Demosthenes said of his Athenians and their inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evill The doctrine of the Church seems to some bitter and grievous it goeth down like the waters of Marah Pausanias Aristot or that water that caused the curse in case of jealousie Numb 5. It becomes a savour of death unto him as the viper is killed with palm-branches and vultures with oyl of roses But this is meerly their own fault For doth not my Word do good to them that are good saith the Lord Micah 2.6 Excellently St. Austin Adversarius est nobis quamdin sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Dei Gods Word is an enemy to none but to such as are enemies to themselves and sinners against their own souls This holy word in the mouths of Gods Ministers is like Moses his rod which while held in his hand flourished and brought forth almonds but being cast to the ground it became a serpent The application is easie See the Note on chap. 1.2 For my Beloved These are Christs words but hee speaks as if the Church spake to shew her great affection that had dedicated all her good things to him Some read it thus which goeth straight to my
de re rust or a countrey be brought forth in one day a Nation be born at once Cardinal Pool abused this Scripture in a letter to Pope Julius 3. applying it to the bringing in of Popery again here so universally and suddainly in Queen Maryes dayes So he did also another when at his first return hither from beyond sea he blasphemously saluted the same Queen Mary with those words of the Angel Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth i. e. Shall I set upon a work and not go through with it God began and finished his work of Creation Christ is both Authour and finisher of his peoples faith Heb. 12.2 The holy Ghost will sanctifie the Elect wholly and keep them blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.23 Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia saith Ambrose Otherwise his power and mercy would not equally appear to his people in regeneration as the power and mercy of the Father and the Son in Creation and Redemption Ver. 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem As friends use to do with her that is newly made a mother Luk. 1.58 Rejoyce for joy with her Out of the Church there is no solid joy See Hos 9.1 with the Note Others may revel the godly only rejoyce their joy is not that of the mouth but of the heart nec in labris nascitur sed fibris it doth not only smooth the brow but fills the breast wet the mouth but warm the heart c. Ver. 11. That ye may suck and be satisfied with the brests of her consolations Zion is not only a fruitful mother but a joyful nurse God giveth her the blessings both of the belly and of the brests and these brests of hers are full-strutting with the sincere milk of the Word that rational milk 1 Pet. 2.2 the sweet and precious promises of the Gospel These brests of consolation we must suck as the babe doth the mothers dug as long as he can get a drop out of it and then sucks still till more cometh Let us suck the blood of the Promises saith one as a dog that hath got the blood of the bear he hangs on and will hardly be beaten off Let us extort and oppress the Promises saith another descanting upon this text as a rich man oppresseth a poor man and getteth out of him all that he hath so deale thou with the Promises for they are rich there is a price in them consider it to the utmost wring it out The world layeth forth her two breasts or botches rather of Profit and Pleasure and hath enow to suck them though they can never thereby be satisfied And shall almamater Ecclesia want those that shall milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Ver. 12. Behold I will extend peace to her This and the following Promises are the delicious milk spoken of before sc pax copiosa pâ—rennis peace as a river as the waters cover the sea joy unspeakable and full of glory Gods fatherly care motherly affection c. all that heart can wish or need require Like a river As Euphrates saith the Chaldee Like a flowing stream Or overflowing as Nilus Claudian Qui cunctis amnibus extat Vtilior Ye shall be born upon her side Humanissime suavissime traÌ„ctabimini ye shall be born in the Churches armes laid to her brests set in her lap dandled on her knees c. Hac Similitudine nihil fierà potest suavius See Num. 11.12 Ver. 13. And as one whom his mother comforteth Her darling and dandling especially when she perceiveth it to make a lip and to be displeased mothers also are very kind to and careful of their children when they are grown to be men A Lapide in Isai 56.20 as Monica was to Austin and as Matres Hollandicae the mothers in Holland of whom it is reported quod prae aliis matribus mirè filios suos etiam grandaevos ament ideóque eos vocant tractant ut pueros See Isa 46.4 with the Note Ver. 14. And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce Videbitis gaudebitis you shall see that I do not give you good words only but that I am in good earnest ye shall know it within your selves in the workings of your own hearts as Heb. 10.34 And your bones shall flourish like an herb i. e. They shall be filled again with moisture and marrow See Ezek. 37.10 11. you shall be fair-liking and reflourish And the hand of the Lord i. e. His infinite power tantorum beneficiorum in piis operatrix the efficient cause of all these comforts Ver. 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire With hell-fire say the Rabbines here with the fire of the last day say we whereof his particular judgements are as pledges and preludes And with his charrets like a whirlwind As he did when he sent forth his armies the Romans and destroyed those murtherers the Jews and burnt up their City Mat. 22.7 And when they would have reedified their City and Temple under Julian the Apostate who in hatred to Christians animated them thereunto balls of fire broke forth of the earth which marred their work and destroyed many thousands of them Ver. 16. For with fire Then which nothing is more formidable And with his sword Which is no ordinary one chap. 27.1 Ver. 17. In the gardens Where these Idolaters had set up Altars offered sacrifices Donec me flumine vivo Abluero Virg. Qui noctem in flumine purgas Pers i. e. nocturnam Venerem and had their ponds wherein when they were about to sacrifice heathen-like they washed and purified themselves one after another and not together which they held to be the best way of purifying This they did also not apart and in private but in the midst ut hoc modo oculos in nudis lavantium praesertim muliercularum corporibus pascerent that they might feed their eyes with the sight of those parts which nature would have hid for your Pagan superstitions were oft-times contrary to natural honesty Behind one tree in the midst Or as others render it after or behind Ahad which was the name of a Syrian Idol Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 23. representing the Sun as Macrobius telleth us calling him Adad Ver. 18. For I know or I will punish their works and their thoughts Or yea their thoughts which they may think to be free See Jer. 6.19 It shall come to passe that I will gather It is easie to observe that this Chapter consisteth of various passages interwoven the one within the other of judgments to the wicked of mercyes and comforts to the godly c. All Nations and tongues A plain Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the Kingdom of Christ for which purpose the miraculous gift of tongues was bestowed upon the Apostles And they shall come and see
It is reported of a worthy Divine of Scotland Zacheus convert preface that hee did even eat and drink and sleep eternal life This is to walk with God this is to live by Faith this is to see him that is invisible Moses his optick this is to go the upper way even that way of life that is above to the wise that hee may depart from Hell beneath Prov. 15.24 See the Note there And hee shall direct thy paths As hee carefully chose out the Israelites way in the wilderness not the shortest but yet the safest for them So will God do for all that make him their guide The Athenians had a conceit that their Goddesse Minerva turned all their evil counsels into good unto them The Romans thought that their Vibilia another heathenish Deity set them again in their right way when at any time they were out All this and more than this is undoubtedly done by the true God for all that commit their waies unto him and depend upon him for direction and success Loe this God is our God for ever and ever hee will bee our guide even unto death Psal 4â— 14 Vers 7. Bee not wise in thine own eyes Bis desipit qui sibi sâ—pit Hee is two fools that is wise in his own eyes This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marres all Socrates his Hoc scio quod nihil scio gat him the name of the wisest among men Arachuâ— apud Ovid. Metamor lib. 6. Consilii satiâ— in me mihi is the proud mans posiâ— Hec that would bee wise must bee a fool that hee may bee wise 1 Cor. 3.18 Intus existens prohibet alienum A conceit of wisdome bars out wisdome Fear the Lord This makes a modest opinion of a mans self Joseph a man famous for the fear of God when Pharaoh expected from him an interpretation of his dream as having heard much of his skill It is not in mâ—â— said hee Gen. 41.16 God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Loe hee extenuates his own gifts and ascribes all to God Wherefore suddenly after as Joseph had said to Pharaoh Without mee shall God make answer to Pharaoh so Pharaoh is heard say to Joseph Without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the Land of Egypt vers 44. So that here was exemplified that holy Proverbâ— Prov. 22.4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life The Original runs thus By humility the fear of the Lord are riches c. There is no And in the Hebrew Humility and the fear of the Lord are so near akin this being the Mother of that as if the one were predicated of the other as if they were one and the same grace And depart from evil Another effect of this clean fear of God as David calleth it Psal 19.9 Cave spectat Caâ—o was a watch word among the Romans A reverend and religious man had these words following written before him in his study Noli peccare Nam Deus videt Angeli astant Diabolus accusabit Conscientia testabitur Infernus cruciabit Take heed of sin for God seeth thee Angels stand by thee the Devil will accuse thee thy Conscience will testifie against thee and Hell will torture thee Psal 134.4 Hos 3.5 But besides all this there is mercy with God that hee may bee feared and the children of Israel shall fear the Lord and his goodness Vers 8. It shall bee health to thy navel That is Thou shalt bee in good plight both for the outward and inward man Thy bones full of marrow thy breasts full of milk thy spirit also lively and lifted up in the waies of the Lord. And as it is with children in the womb for to these is the allusion here that by the navil nourishment is ministred unto them yea even to the strengthening of the inward parts So the godly in the Church are â—ed and bred by the Faith and fear of God And as without marrow in the bones Munster Mercer T. W and others in loc no part of man no not that which is of greatest value and force is able to do any thing So the strength that they have from God is as the marrow which strengtheneth the bones and maketh them apt to do good things And as a man that hath his bones filled with marrow and hath abundance of good blood and fresh spirits in his body hee can indure to go with less cloaths than another because hee is well lined within So it is with a heart that hath a great deal of grace and peace hee will go through difficulties and troubles though outward comforts fail him Act. Mon. fol. 1358. It is recorded of Mr. Saunders Martyr that himself should tell the party that lay in the same bed with him in prison that even in the time of his examination before Steven Gardiner hee was wonderfully comforted not onely in spirit but also in body hee received a certain taste of that holy Communion of Saints whilest a most pleasant refreshing did issue from every part and member of the body to the seat and place of the heart and from thence did ebbe and flow to and fro unto all the parts again Vers 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance Freely expending it in pious and charitable uses Exod. 25.19 Deut. 26.2 See the Notes there See also my common place of Almes Vers 10. So shall thy Barus bee filled The Jews at this day though not in their own Country Godw. Heb. Antiq. 277. Thegualer â—ischilshe the guasher nor have a Levitical Priest-hood yet those who will bee reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase unto the poor being perswaded that God doth bless their increase the more for their usual Proverb is Decima ut dives fias Pay thy Tythes that thou mayest bee rich See the Note on Mat. 5.7 Vers 11. Despise not the chastening of the Lord Slight it not but sit alone Lam. 3.28 and consider Eccles 7.14 Some think it a goodly thing to bear out a cross by head and shoulders and wear it out as they may never improving it As a Dog that getting out of the water into which hee is cast shakes his cars or as a man that coming out of a shower of rain dryes again and all is as before Perdidistis fructum afflictionis saith Austin of such Scapethrifts Thus the proud Greeks having lost two Castles in Chersonesus Miserrimi facti estis pessimi permansistis Aug. de civit Dei l. 1. c. 33. Turk Hist fol. 185. taken from them by the Turks commonly said that there was but an Hogsty lost alluding to the name of that Country Whereas that was the first footing that the Turks got in Europe and afterwards possessed themselves of the Imperial City of Constantinople Shortly after Anno 1358. Callipolis also being lost the mad Greeks to extenuate the matter when they had any talk thereof in
those six Martyrs burnt by Harpsfield Archdeacon of Canterbury when Queen Mary lay a dying One of those six that were then burnt and those were the last John Cornford stirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated pronounced sentence of excommunication against all Papists in these words In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of his holy Spirit and authority of his holy Catholick and Apostolick Church wee do give here into the hands of Satan to bee destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers and hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word Act. Mon. fol. 1862. or do condemn his most holy truth for heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or feigned religion so that by this thy most just judgement O most mighty God against thine adversaries thy true religion may bee known to thy great glory and our comfort and the edifying of all our Nation Good Lord so bee it Vers 8. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem Being evill intreated by her enemies shee turns her to her friends those damsels or daughters of Jerusalem See chap. 2.7 3.5 so the Lord Christ being tired out with the untractableness of his untoward hearers turns him to his Father Mat. 11.25 26. Kings as they have their cares and cumbers above other men so they had of old their friends by a specialty as Hushai was Davids friend 2 Sam. 15.37 to whom they might ease themselves and take sweet counsell Psal 55.14 The servants of God are Princes in all lands Psal 45. and as they have their crosses not a few so their comforts in and by the communion of Saints The very opening of their grievances one to another doth many times ease them as the very opening of a vein cools the blood Their mutual prayers one with and for another prevail much if they bee fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.26 Prov. 27.17 or thorough-well wrought as in this case they likely will be for as Iron wheâ—s Iron so doth the face of a man his friend And as ferrum potest quod anrum non potest Iron can do that sometimes that Gold cannot An Iron-key may open a chest wherein Gold is laid up so a meaner mans prayer may bee more effectual sometimes than a better mans for himself His own key may be rusty or out of order and another mans do it better Hence the Church is so importunate with the daughters of Jerusalem who were far behinde her in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as appears by that which follows to commend her and her misery to Christ to tell him where ever they meet with him Behold shee whom thou lovest is sick thy Church in whom thy love is concentrate as it were and gathered to an head doth even languish with love and is in ill case Tell him saith shee What shall yee tell him as the Hebrew hath it An earnest and passionate kinde of speech somewhat like that in Hosea Give them O Lord Hos 9.14 What wilt thou give them as if shee should say would you know what you should tell him even that which followeth that I am sick of love See chap. 2.5 Vers 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved This capital question is here doubled for the more vehemency as also for the strangeness of the matter wherein they desire much to bee better informed and the rather because shee so straightly chargeth or rather sweareth them Something they must needs think was in it more than ordinary sith good people do not use to bee hot in a cold matter But as in the Revelation whensoever heaven opened some singular thing ensued So when the Saints bee so serious in a business sure it is of very great concernment Great matters are carried with great movings as for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart Judg 5.15 16 great impressions great searchings It is a common saying Admiratio peperit Philosophiam Wonderment at the works of God set men a work to enquire into the natural causes of them Semblably these damsells of Jerusalem friends to the Church little knowing the love of the Spouse to Christ which passed their knowledge and yet willing to comprehend with all Saints the several dimensions thereof Eph. 3.18 19 first they acknowledge her amidst all her miseries to be the fairest among women See chap. 1.8 as gold is gold though found in the dirt or cast into the furnace and stars have their glory though we see them sometimes in a puddle in the bottom of a well nay in a stinking ditch Secondly they propound to her two most profitable questions The one concerning his person Whereof wee have here a very lively and lofty description both generally and in his parts The other concerning the place of his abode and where hee may be had chap. 6.1 to the which she makes answer vers 2. and so her faith begins to revive vers 3. which was the blessed effect of this their gracious communication Conference in all arts and sciences is a course of incredible profiting Est aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias the very sight Prov. 31.26 Prov. 20.5 nay thought of a good man oft doth good how much more when hee openeth his mouth with wisdome and in his tongue is the Law of kindness And surely it is a fine art to bee able to pierce a man that is like a vessell full of wine and to set him a running Elihu would speak that hee might bee refresht Job 32. It would bee an ease to him it would bee a great benefit to others as the mother is in pain till the childe hath suckt and the childe not at quiet till hee hath done so Foolish and unlearned questions about those things whereof wee can neither have proof nor profit wee are bound to avoid 2 Tim. 2.23 knowing that they do gender strifes and breed crudities fill men with winde and make them question-sick 1 Tim. 6.4 But profitable questions are frequently to bee propounded with a desire to learn and resolution to practice as the Virgin Mary demanded of the Angel Luk. 1.34 the Disciples of our Saviour John 16.17 19. c. and hee resolved them which hee refused to do for the Jews that asked him the same question John 7.35 36. because not with the same mind and desire So that frollick self-seeker with his fair offer of following Christ was rejected when those that had more honest aims and ends heard Come and see Mat. 8.19 20. John 1.46 These daughters of Jerusalem do not therefore ask because they were utterly ignorant of Christ but 1 That they might hear the Church what shee had to say of him as they that love Christ love to hear talk of him his very name is melâ—in ore melos in aure c. 2 That by her discourse they might better their knowledge for
he drew all men unto him John 12.32 He rode upon his white-horse the Apostles conquering the world and to conquer Rev. 6.2 And hence that sincere Joy in the hearts of his servants far exceeding that of Harvest which is not without great toil or that of Souldiers dividing the spoil which is not atchieved without confused noise and garments rolled in blood ver 2.3 5. By the way of the sea The sea of Tiberias John 21.1 or lake of Genesareth Luke 5.1 Beyond Jordan Or beside Jordan In Galilee of the Gentiles See the Note on Matth. 4.15 Ver. 2. The people that walked in darkness Liberationis lucem promittit See the Note on Matth. 4.16 Ver. 3. Thou hast multiplyed the Nation Or Never since thou multiplyedst this people didst thou give them such joy i e. such matter of joy as now Thou intendest to do Or thus Thou wilt multiply this Nation thou wilt encrease their joy especially by sending thy Son who is called the Gift John 4.10 the Benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 such as wherein all discontents are soon swallowed up Everlasting Joy shall be upon the Heads of the Lords Ransomed ones they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Isa 35.10 They joy before thee Pleasure there must be in the wayes of God because therein men let out their souls into God the Fountain of all good Christs Chariot is paved with Love Cant. 3.9 10. According to the joy in Harvest and a great deal more Psalm 4.7 They do over-abound exceedingly with joy 2 Cor. 7.4 Joyes they have unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 And as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil Wherein the pleasure is usually more then the profit Psal 119.162 and yet the profit oft very great too as 2 Chron. 20.25 and as at the sack of Constantinople at the wealth whereof the Turks themselves wondered and derided their folly that possessing so much they would bestow so little in the defence of themselves and their Countrey Turk Hist fol. 345. Ver. 4. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burthen i. e. Thou hast disenthralled and delivered thy people from the burthenous yokes of their enemies both corporal and spiritual that taking thine easie yoke thy light burthen upon them they might serve thee without fear in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of their lives Luke 1.74 The Jew-Doctors expound all this of Senacheribs Tyranny and their deliverance therefrom But the Prophet intendeth a further matter ver 6.7 And the staffe of his shoulder Wherewith he was beaten and bastinado'd See chap. 14.5 The Rod of his oppressour Metaphora ab agasonibus a Metaphor from Horse-drivers who lay on without mercy Whipping among the Turks hath been usually inflicted even upon the greatest Bashaws of the Court upon the least displeasure of the Tyrant Ib. 361. especially if they be not natural Turks born The poor Captives met with hard measure this way at Babylon but Satans slaves with much harder Christ fitly noteth here that the Rod wherewith the Devil whippeth sinners is their own lusts and passions yea herewith they punish themselves by his instigation as the Lion beateth himself with his own tail As in the day of Midian beaten by Gideon Judg. 7.22 So the day of Gibea Hos 9.9 The day of Jerusalem Psalm 137.7 The battel of Agin court The Sicilian vespers c. Gideon by the sound of Trumpet and shining of Lamps out of earthen broken vessels overcame those Midianites so by the Trumpet of his Word and light of the Gospel carried through the world by weak Instruments hath Christ confounded his Adversaries 1 John 2.14 as One fitly maketh the comparison See it largely prosecuted in sixteen particulars in Cornelius à Lapide upon the Text. Ver. 5. For every battle of the Warriour c. Great is the wo of war when Death heweth its way through a wood of men in a minute of time from the mouth of a murdering piece when fire and sword waste at pleasure The birth of Christ comforteth against all the miseries of War whereunto therefore it is opposed both here and Mic. 5.1 2. See the Note there Now then as the Israelites frighted and flighted the Midianites with saying Hic Gideon Here 's Gideon so may we our spiritual enemies by crying Hic Jesus Hoc in signo vincemus Here 's Jesus we are more then Conquerers through him that loved us But this shall be with burning i. e. with the fire of the holy Ghost saith Oecolampadius burning up our corruptions as chap. 4.4 and moulding us into a new man Diodate senseth it thus The world shall be filled with blood and wars and at last shall be consumed with fire at the day of Judgement Ver. 6. For unto us a child is born That Child foretold of chap. 7.14 Christ shall be born in the fulness of time as sure as if he were born already This was good tidings of great joy to all people Luke 2.10 The Hebrew Besher for good tidings cometh of Bashar for Flesh because say some Criticks there shauld be a taking of Flesh God manifested in the flesh which should be the best tidings Angels first brought it and were glad of such an Errand Still they pry into this Mysterie prono capite propenso collo 1 Pet. 1.12 and can never sufficiently wonder to see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great God a little child regens sidera sugens ubera that He who Ruleth the stars should be sucking at the breast that the Eternal Word should not be able to speak a word that He that should come in the Clouds should appear in clouts Luke 2.12 in vilibus veteribus indumentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Induit sordes nostras He condescended to our rags saith Ladolphus in old tattered rags in such clouts as we cover wounds and beggars sores with all say others Well might Synesius call Christ viscerum ingentium partum the birth of huge Bowels For the time of his birth Christ living just thirty two years and an half saith One and dying at Easter it must needs follow that he was born about the middle of the moneth Tisri which answereth to part of our September at the Feast of Tabernacles c. to which Feast the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.14 probably alludeth Vnto us a son is given That only begotten Son of God John 3.16 begotten of the substance of his Father before all beginnings after an unspeakable manner The Scripture speaketh of it usually by way of circumlocution Col. 1.15 Rev. 19.12 or giveth us only some glimpse by way of similitude as Heb. 1.3 This Eternal Son of God the second Person in Trinity assumed our Nature Heb. 2.17 He overtook it as the Greek word signifieth as the Shepherd doth his sheep that 's run astray A Shepherd with a sheep upon his shoulder engraved upon the Communion-Cup in the Primitive
himself and his ancestors and boasteth how with a wet finger as we say he had taken in all the country betwixt Niniveh and Jerusalem Of the destruction of Calno and Hamath see Am. 6.2 Is not Hamath Afterwards called Antiochia As Arpad Hear how this proud Braggadâ—chio Projicit ampullas sesquipedalia verba Is not Samaria as Damascus Have not I subdued them both pari fortitudine felicitate Ver. 10. As my hand hath found Nota fastum tyranni Note the arrogancy of this tyrant saith A Lapide It was his hand did all and not Gods like as afterwards Timothaus the victorious Athenian into whose toyles cities were said to fall even as he was sleeping telling his Countrymen of his great successes inserted ever and anon these words Herein Fortune did nothing and then His hand only found those Kingdomes as an obvious prey which he did no more but meet and it was taken Vâ—g Dextra mihi Deus telum quod missile libro The Kingdomes of the idols In despite of their Tutelary deities which indeed were but deunculi petty-gods as the word here used Elil signifieth And whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem Os ferreum vah scelus Prodigious blasphemy this absurd collation and prelation of dumb and dunghill idols before the true and living God is omnium mortalium execratione dignissima Ver. 11. Shall I not as I have done God is not in all this mans thoughts himself doth all that 's done So do to Jerusalem Why no for their Rock is not as our Rock might Gods people have replyed our enemies themselves being judges Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum said a certain Pagan truly The God of the Christians is a great God above all gods But the Devil doth all he can to drive us to despair Ver. 12. Wherefore Heb. And. A close connection where pride is in the saddle there destruction is on the crupper When the scum is at highest it falls in the fire When the Lord hath performed When he hath sufficiently chastised his children by this rod of his wrath he will cast it into the fire So Jer. 25. when other Nations have drunk deep of the cup of the divine displeasure Babylon shall suck up the dreggs What became of the Primitive Persecutors and of such as were most active here in those dog-dayes of Q. Mary See the Acts and Monuments of the Church Vpon mount Sion For there he usually beginneth Jer. 25.18 1 Pet. 4.17 his own he least of all spareth Am. 3.2 I will punish the fruit of the stout heart His arrogant words and lofty looks proceeding from the pride of his heart But let himself tell what those fruits are Ver. 13. For he saith By the strength of my hand c. Viva haec est istius Vejovis Latialis hoc est Pontificis pictura saith Scultetus i. e. Here we have a lively picture of Antichrist who speaketh great things and blasphemies Rev. 13.5 arrogateth to himself all power and wisdome disposeth of Kingdoms at his pleasure robbeth their treasures c. Ver. 14. And my hand had found See ver 10. As a nest Or as in a nest where a man need but only put in his hand and take out the birds or eggs and hath none to withstand him Thrasonica Allegoria The riches of the people Whereon they sat abrood as it were but I have unnested and despoiled them They meanwhile as silly doves saved themselves by flight not fight or else sitting in their dove-coats saw their nests destroyed yong ones taken away and killed before their eyes never offering to rescue or revenge Ver. 15. Shall the ax boast it self Is not God the Architect and chief Agent the Assyrian only the Instrument in his hand What a madness then is it for him thus to vaunt and vapour Is the man in his right mind trow ye How much better that victorious Emperour Charles 5. who instead of Caesars Veni Vidi Vici wrote Veni Vidi sed Christus vicit Christ is the only Corquerour As if the staffe should lift up it self Or When the rod is lift up is it not wood lignum inanime sorry wood Ver. 16. Therefore shall the Lord send among his fat ones i e. Pingues torosos validos milites his lusty and mastive souldiers in whom he confided Leanness i. e. Luem a plague to tame them and take them down See this fullfilled chap. 37.36 And under his glory i.e. His huge army wherein he glorieth Turk hist fol. 206. What need we to fear the Turks said Sigismund the yong King of Hungary who need not at all to fear the falling of the Heavens which if they should fall yet were we able with our spears and halberds to hold them up for falling upon us He will kindle a burning A plague parching up their vitals The Hebrews say that the bodies of Sennacheribs souldiers were by the stroke of an Angel so consumed and burnt up as that their garments and weapons were not burnt at all Ver. 17. And the light of Israel shall be for a fire To Israel he shall be a comfortable Light to their enemies a consuming fire as Exod. 14.24 Assyrios quibus ut sentibus vepribusque cohorrebat terra Jun. Ecce idem justis fidelibus suavis impiis autem gravis His thorns and his briars His army which is so troublesome and vexatious to Israel God will go thorough them he will burn them together Isai 27.4 In one day i. e. In one night being part of the natural day So the Spanish Armada was quickly dispersed which had been so many years in rigging and setting forward Ver. 18. And he shall consume the glory of his forrest i. e. Of his army cutting his way thorough a wood of men and felling the very glory of his glory even his best souldiers All this God shall do to his stout Warriers and stately Princes Both soul and body i. e. full and whole both here and in hell Ecce hic habes animam ardere Oecolamp And they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth Heb. Melteth i.e. through fear casting away his colours soon after which the whole regiment is routed and cannot he rallied Ver. 19. And the rest of the trees shall be few Heb. a number methe mispar a poor few and inconsiderable company that may soon be told That a child may write them The Hebrews say that Sennacherib escaped home with ten only in his company Sculter Ver. 20. And it shall come to pass in that day Meras consolationes hic loquitur Deus saith Scultetus Here God beginneth to speak pure comforts to his poor people Here he setteth forth how he will be a lively light to Israel like as he had been a devouring fire to the Assyrians Shall no more again stay upon him that smote them Piscator ictus sapiet they had paid for their learning smarted for their creature confidence and now they would be better advised viz. under
in religionis professores tanquam in adversarios hatred upon professours of religion looking upon them as their adversaries Ver. 15. And wondred The vulgar hath it Aporiatus est That there was no Intercessour No Interposer as Job 36.32 that would stickle for truth and right as did Nehemiah Athanasius Luther c. Therefore his arm brought salvation and his righteousnesse i. e. Christ the power of God Jun. and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 30. Ver. 17. For he put on righteousnesse as a brest-plate i. e. Christ did and so must every Christian Eph. 6.14 where the Apostle Paul soundeth the Alarm and describeth his weapons as here defensive and offensive alluding likely to this text Ver. 18. Fury to his adversaries Viz. The Devil and his Agents his peoples adversaries Ver. 19. So they shall fear the Name of the Lord Christ shall get him a great Name as a renowned Conquerour When the enemy shall come in like a flood When they shall pour out a deluge of evils upon the Church Rev. 12.15 The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him i. e. Against strong temptations corruptions persecutions the Motto shall be as once Christus nobiscum state Ver. 20. And the Redeemer Shall come to the Israel of God That turn from transgression See Rom. 11.26 with the Note Ver. 21. My spirit which is upon thee and my words The efficacy of the Word is by the Spirit the expression of the Spirit by the Word both are here promised to the Church as her true goods Isa 30.20 21. Joh. 14.16 26. It is with the Word and Spirit as with the veines and arteries in the body as the veines carry the blood so the arteries carry the spirits to quicken the blood CHAP. LX. Ver. 1. A Rise Thou O my Church that now lyest in pulvere vastitatis as a forlorn captive rouze up thy self change both thy countenance and condition tanquam libera ac laeta ad novum nuncium up and look up I have joyful tydings for thee For thy light is come Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light essential Joh. 12.48 And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The glorious Gospel of grace 2 Cor. 3.7 and 4.4 Ver. 2. For behold the darknesse shall cover the earth As once it did Egypt Exod. 10.21 when there was light in the land of Goshen so is there in the Church when all the world besides lyeth buried in a fog of ignorance Semper in sole sita est Rhodos and a bog of wickednesse The separation of the Saints in light is a wonderful separation Exod. 33.16 But the Lord shall arise upon thee The Lord Christ who is the true light Joh. 1.9 the light of the world Joh. 8.12 the Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 See the Note there Ver. 3. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light The Apostles those shining Luminaries were Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holding forth the light of life to all people as Simeon said Luk. 2. And we may well say as our Saviour did Luk. 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in our ears and made good to our hearts praised be his holy Name throughout all eternity And Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising As did our King Lucius who is reckoned to be the first Christian King Our Constantine the first Christian Emperour our Edward 6. the first reforming Prince Scultet and many others Facit hoc contra Anabaptistas qui exclusos putant Reges ab Ecclesia Ver. 4. Lift up thine eyes As from a watchtower for so Zion signifieth All they gather themselves together c. See chap. 49.18 Thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side Like sucking children they shall suck and be satisfied chap. 66.11 The vulgar version here hath surgent for sugent as it hath unus de similibus for unus è millibus Job 33.23 and evertit for everrit Luk. 15.8 with other such grosse mistakes not a few Ver. 5. Then thou sha't see and flow together Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam de lumine quam de stumâ—e dicitur thou shalt break forth as a river or thou shalt shine And thy heart shall fear At first at least to see such a confluence of people unto thee And be enlarged With joy upon better consideration Because the abundance of the sea i. e. The multitude of the Islanders and such as dwell by the sea-side which are noted for the worst of men whence the Proverb Maritimi mores Such are we Britones Ver. 6. The multitude of camels shall cover thee i. e. Of such peoples as usually ride upon Camels viz. the Arabians and the adjacent Countries these shall come flocking and flowing to the Church with their precious and pleasant riches The Dromedaries A lesser and lower kind of camels commended for their swiftnesse Jer. 2.23 we call slow people Dromâ—daries by Antiphrasis and for this that they can travel four dayes together without water Bajazet beaten by Tamberlan fled for his life and might have escaped had he not stayed to water his mare by the way which thereupon went the more heavily and was overtaken by the Tartars They shall bring gold and incense This the ancients interpret of those wise men from the East Mat. 2.11 which was indeed a small essay of this Prophecy But why should the Papists call them the three Kings of Cullen And they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord Gratanti animo This is more than all their rich gifts A thankful man is worth his weight in the gold of Ophir Ver. 7. All the flocks of Kedar i. e. The Kedarens and Nebateans with their flocks whereof they had abundance Refrixit proh dolor ardor isle and they now had hearts to honour the Lord with their substance and with the best of their increase See chap. 23.17 18. Ver. 8. What are these that fly as a cloud Which flyeth more swiftly than any bird and covereth the sky far and near Deus bone Confertis agmâ—nibâ— quam multi catervatim accurrunt saith the Church here wonderful what trooping and treading upon the heeles one of another is here And as the doves to their windows To their columbaries Columba Radit iter liquidum celeâ—es neque comm vet auras whereinto they scour and rush gregatim mira pernicitate especially if they have young ones there or else are driven by some hauke or tempest Gods people are free-hearted Psal 110.3 they serve the Lord with cheerfulness Psal 100.2 Amor enim alas addit and well might Plato descant upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom men call Love the Immortal call winged Ver. 9. Surely the Isles shall wait for me They shall come off freely Huic admirationi Messias ipse respondet non quasi angariati ad auditum verbi Sacramentorum usum And this is taken to be Gods answer declaring the cause of that wonderful concourse