she desireth and feruently desireth and this in the appointed time he fully performeth That which she then breathed after we are possessed of God prouiding a better thing for vs namely that they without vs should not be perfect Touching the reason of her Petition For thy loue is or Loues are good and better than wine it is as if she saide O heauenly Father I haue prayed that thou wouldst send thy Sonne to his poore Church that he might vnite himselfe corporallie with her the Godhead inhabiting the Manhoode essentially Now after this my petition vouchsafe I may debate the matter with my beloued Then by an Apostrophe she turneth aside and after such sort reasons with him Sweete Messiah Shiloh Zecharies Branch and Iaaâ—obs Starre I long after thy presence yea thou hast set my soule on fire after thee for thy Loues are beauteous and farre more effectuall then wine Beauties there are many but all inferiour to thine There is pleasure and strength in wine but thy loue and pleasant amours doe more inflame and rauish the senses O heauenly Father if I be bold thy Sonnes loue hath constrained me oh glorious Messiah if I call for thee thy Fathers promise in Paradice it causeth mee and the beginnings of Loue which by thy spirite thou hast giuen me feeling of as wine in the first taste they comfort mee as wine in the second place they delight mee as wine in the third place they embolden mee as wine in the last place they cause mee bee ready to fall in a Loue-trance Oh therefore come speedily and embrace me and by the spirit of thy mouth ouershadowe the Virgin and make vs members of thy bodie of thy flesh and of thy bones Besides other ordinary notes I obserue hence first howe Time in Paradise Gen. 3.15 conceiued of the promised seed that time grew as it were more big-bellied in the renuall of the promise to Abraham Dauid and others and that in the fulnesse of time That blessed seed was to be brought foorth for the exceeding comfort of mankind The faithfull conceiuing this doctrine they are therefore here introduced sighing after the performance of the promise If they but tasting the promise and seeing it but a farre off for the time of this Songs penning was about 900. years before Shiloh came how ardent and earnest shoulde our affections bee in the possession thereof The taste and possession of wines are of more value than the bare sight and taste thereof and such should our loue be in the reall enioying of Messiah Examine therfore we ourselues and looke into our soules for if Christ Iesus liue in vs we cannot but with feruencie embrace him and loue all the fruits of his spirit Secondly her manner of speach Kisse me c. it implieth the meanes wherby the Virgin should conceiue namely by the spirit of Christ ouershadowing her that spirit being as Agent to her seede Patient Spirit and Breath is one and the same both in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine which is cause that sometimes our men in the Prophets do turne it by the spirit of his mouth otherwhiles by the breath of his mouth c. This Conception and Generation is so exempted from that ordinary encreasement of mankinde And therefore though Leui payed tithes in Abrahams loynes to Melchizedek and all wee haue sinned in the loynes of Adam yet this second Adam can be said to do neither Woman sinned first but no speech of spirituall nakednesse till Man also sinned Then it is sayde their eyes were opened and they saw themselues naked as if sinne were imperfect and vnable to bring forth death on the seed of their loynes till Man in whome lay the Actiue power of generation he had sinned Though blessed Mary sinned and had sinne in her nature yet it could act nothing to Conception As all Naturians will graunt womans seede onely passiue and for because not Actiue some haue concluded women to be seedelesse so neyther is sinne any creature or anie substance but an action transgressing causing God his curse vpon mankinde by mortalitie and corruption And because the Virgins seede patient was by the spirit of God quickened euen as the clayish nature of man viuified by the breathing of god hir betrothed Ioseph is taught by Gabriel how that which was conceiued in her it was of the holy spirit This one doctrine so ouerturneth the doctrine and obiections of our ages Anabaptists Who thinke of sinne as of a Substance it being indeed an Accident and seuered in Christs conception by the Actiue power of the holy-ghost Thirdly by speech Kisses of his mouth is further although in a second sense intimated the operation of God his word and spirit for incorporating vs into Christ. By his word the Worlde was created and by the breath of his mouth the foundation thereof was laide That naturall worlde was to leade vs to consider a spiâ—ituall world which Philosophers haue termed Micro-cosmos a little world namely man which second and new creature is begot by the immortal seede of God his word the holy spirit quicknâ—ng that word in the wombe of their conscience for by the ministry of his word sacraments he kisseth his creature breathing by that his ordinance his owne good spirit into them And because no hereticall doctrine can do this the Church in her prayer desireth the kisses of His mouth to whome shee prayeth Nay for herâ—ticall doctrine it is so farre from effecting a new world in vs as it is indeed the seede of the serpent wherby he begets a damned body of infidels and false beleeuers to himselfe For the reason of her prayer in this verse wherby she wold insinuate her petition into the Lord his cares as crauing nothing but Promise and that whereof shee had a pleasant foretaste to the kindling in her such praier besides other things I note these First that the sauing promises of God who in Christ are Yea and Amen they are with all holy boldnesse to hee called for For as he is faithfull that hath promised so he expects we pray for the speedy performance thereof seeing the promises are the churches life and glory Secondly her speech Thy loues it argueth the loue of God in Christ to be infinite and of a growing nature Election before all time begetteth an effectuall Vocation in time that Vocation brings with it in the one hand assurance of Iustification in the other hand reall Sanctification These beget other diuine Loues causing in vs a fountaine springing vp vnto Eternall life If the church in her pedagogie and non-age could haue such deepe feeling of diuine Loues what should we feele who are come to inherit that Canaan We should be able as the Apostle prayeth to comprehend with all Saintes what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the Fathers Loue in Christ Iesus If Marchants finding a Commoditie sweete they sue for more let vs in the least sense of God his loue pray
man in the Gospel Marke 9.24 who hauing said I beleeue doth with teares subioyne Lord help that my vnbeliefe Yet howsoeuer their praiers be lame they be true as a lâ—me man though imperfect yet is a true man and therefore no cause of desperation Nay because they are true prayer true sacrifice therefore with all faithfull boldnesse they may offer them vp for were it not there is imperfection at all times in our actions there should not be occasion of alwayes praying Forgiue vs our trespasses c. The trueth of holinesse is begunne in vs but the perfection thereof is laid vp in Christ and therefore still occasioned to desire the perpetuall presence of Christ in whom our perfect happinesse abideth These little beginnings in vs must drawe vnto Christ yea we must feruently begge of him to Draw vs vnto him because our happines lieth not so much in our apprehending of him as in his comprehending of vs. And if the Regenerate haue occasion to cry Draw me the vnregenerate haue ten thousand times more cause to cry roare Drag me pull me c. for none as our Sauior testifieth in Iohn 6.44 can come to Messiah except the Father drawe him So much of the Petition The condition adioyned to the Petition is this We will run after thee Wherein we may obserue first the Persons in the condition secondly the thing it self The persons are two and lie in these two words We and The. The thing it selfe is A willingnesse to runne Touching the persons the smiter of the couenant is the Church the partie with whome the couenant is smit is Christ as if she should say Oh sweete Messiah vouchsafe to draw me neerer vnto thee by the draught of thy spirit and I thy poore Church will follow thee Yea sheâ— changeth the number though not the person saying We will insteede of I will teaching heereby that the whole and euery particular member of the Church is to smite this couenant of obedience A thing vsuall with Dauid specially in the 119 Psal. insomuch as he cannot sometimes be contented with this simple protestation I will but he must adde an oath and sweare verse 106. the keeping of God his righteous iudgements In this forme of speach she seemeth to allude vnto the legall forme of stipulation or couenant smiting where the chiefe of Tribes and â—amiles did seale or subscribe vnto the couenant writing not only for themselues and their Families but also for and in the behoofe of euery particular subiect Nehem. 9.38 and 10.1 the principall of Church and Common-wealth as is the laudable custome of our Parliament so standing for the whole Which further teacheth that in all actions of obedience the heads of the people are to goe before and inferiours are to follow Nay if the heads of the people leade as captaines the feete are not like to stay behinde When Hamor and Shechem his sonne were contented to bee circumcised the cittizens subscribe Gen. 34. When Ierushalem the mother Citie went out to Iohns baptisme then all Iudea and the region round about Iorden did follow And this is as God would haue it But if Ieroboam apostate and runne into euill the multitude of Israel is like to fall after as the diuel would haue it In the next place therefore the Church teacheth that all couenant ought be smit with Christ Iesus The Church and Iesus are Relatiues yea as it is saide of Hippocrates twins the one suffering both suffers the one reioycing both reioyce The Church and Christ are man and woman betrothed and therefore whom will he eye but her and whom can she followe but him The Church and Christ are as King and Subiect Vpon whome will the Kings heart be cast but vpon his Subiect and whom can the Subiect follow but his liege Soueraigne These twoo are as shephâ—ard and sheepe and whome will the shepheard looke after if not after his flocke and whose voice wil the sheep acknowledge but their Shepheards This couple is as Vine and Braunch the first respects the second the second the first In a word Christ and his Church are as Head and Body and for whom liues the Head but for the Bodies good And to whom can or wil the Body liue but to their own proper head This couenant is of heauen hath eternall life thereto entailed al other couenants are of hel draw at their taile condemnation and the second death Touching the couenant it selfe it is a willing running Wherein I now obserue first that the regenerate haue a wil to follow Christ or that their Wil is free to good secondly that the life of a Christian is a running race That the will of the Regenerate is freed to good euen then when the power to performe good is lacking the apostle speaking in the person of the regenerate he testifieth thus To will is present with me but I finde not the meanes to perfect that good that is to worke good as I would And presently after he addeth how this freedome commeth for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the lawe of sinne and death as if in moe words he had said thus In former time I was wholy captiued by the law of the members but now by a better lawe eâ—â—n by the law of that spirit which liueth in Christ yea and now also in me being ingraffed into Christ I am freed from the tyranny or raigning power of sinne and death So that as the regenerate and true faithfâ—ll ones are in their will and affections freed for to that end appeared Christ namely to loose the works of the diuell 1 Iohn 3.8 so this freedome from euill vnto good it is onely in these that so haue receiued the spirite of Iesus The Infidell the vnregenerate haue Will and that Will euer works Freely but as it can onely act euill for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne so it is not onely euill which it works freely The freedome therefore from sin and miserie it is by grace but the freedome that ariseth from necessitiâ— that is which it necessarily hath as it is will it is by Nature For the better vnderstanding hereof do consider that this motion of the minde Will vnder which the Affections are contained it is diuersly considered according to diuerse times The first time is the state of mans Innocencie in paradise before his transgression then Good and Bad was propounded to Mans will and the Will stood inclinable to that which the Mind or Senses first assented vnto For the Mind conceiueth and determineth of things before the Will subscribe freely And the Minde or Senses then were enabled to iudge and determine rightly So that there was in Man Help vnto Good not Infirmitie to Euill In the second place mankinde sinning freely and vnconstrainâ—dly first in neglecting their place and calling secondly in opening eare freely vnto lewd counsell thirdly in eating of the forbidden fruite hereby they
wiser then Christ in our nature who neither befoâ—e others nor yet his disciples did euer walke naked But let these Mach-les-villaines goe for though they seeme to be of an Allegoricall Religion for they destroy all diuine hystorie yet in their outward carriage to others they will be of any religion And so while they talke of bearing the crosse they will neuer suffer for any deuotion For the crosse they talke of it is onely allegoricall and inward and that also they onely beare till they be come to their Land of peace that is the perfect vnderstanding of their church For Mentall eyes they be the inward senses of nature as Imagination Phantasie Conceipt c. who haue chiefly their seate in the head commaunding the externall senses as Kings commaund their subiects All which senses are included in the word Minde Which minde as it naturally mindeth damnable earthly things Phillip 3.19 so the Apostle enioyneth all the faithfull to be renewed in the spirit of their minde Epâ—es 4.23 according to the creation that is in righteousnesse and truth of holinesse For Personall eyes they be such Persons as who for their office sake are reputed eyes And these be of two kindes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Ciuill are such as direct the common-wealth Ecclesiasticall are such as direct the church both of them called to be vnto their charges the same that the eye is to the body the minde vnto the soule And that they be personally to be vnderstood here I take it to be most proper as in 1. Cor. 12.12.17 because here is an assimilation of ecclesiastike members with them of the Doue But if the Light that is in the church and common-wealth be darkenes how great is that darkenesse The Eye considered it resteth we now examine what Doues be to whome these â—ies be resembled They be tame Birdes well knowne amongest vs and therefore neede no personall description A Bird of right simple carriage a feeder of the best graine whose Song is mourning very fertile and as Ambrose reporteth vsed in Syria and Aegipt for carying Letters betwixt partie and partie For as the Birdes nature is be she neuer so farre from her natiue and naturall home to returne vnto her accustomed place so when A.B. shall haue committed some of his doues to C.D. and C.D. haue committed some of his vnto A.B. whether of these soeuer shall tie his Letter vnder the Doues wing committed vnto him and so set her free she will flie homewardes with this Letter where obserued of her first Maister the Letter is taken and viewed But sometimes it falleth out Spies suspecting such forme of intelligence they doe ayme at al Doues roming alone for otherwise they flie ordinarily togither and so such a poore Doue shotte thorow and slaine for Letters sake These things considered let vs come to applie them The corporeall eye must labour to bee like the Doue for simplicitie and chastitie Otherwise it is no Doâ—es eye but a Buckegoates eye who is saide to bee termed of the Latines Hircus of the corners of the eye called Hirci because his eyes looke thwarte ouer vnto carnalitie Such a continent eye Dauid prayeth for Psa. 119.37 and such a stayed eye had Abram who woulde not let his eye looke vp after externall things but as the Lord should bid him lift vppe his eye Genes 13.14 And so much the more must these eyes be watched ouer by how much the more all sortes of vanitie enter oft in by them as thieues in at the windows for polluting the heart and sacking the conscience The Minde which is the soules eye it must labour to assimilate the doue in all simplicitie not simplicitie ignorant but simplicitie subtile according to that in Mathew the tenth chapter and sixteenth verse Be wise as Serpents but simple as Doues and so much the rather must the minde be simple innocent chaste because it sitteth at the Soules helme stering all the outward senses according as it selfe conceiteth Let the eye of the body shutte vp it selfe within her casements yea let the naturall eye be quite pulled out and the minde will stil shewe it selfe to be as an vnruly King in his pallace who it being vnregenerate and so his imaginations and thoughts only euill continually Gen. 6.5 wil set al the Family al the affections in a flame of vnlawful desires This eye therfore is then like the Doue when so it is washed purged made chaste and shall minde celestiall things for where the treasure is there will the hart be also The personall eyes Magistrate and Minister they are appointed of God for meanes of good to both the former eies The Magistrate his corporall sworde regardeth the bodies eye The Minister his spirituall sword respecteth the spirituall eie Moses and Aaron must herein ioyne together for causing continencie in the whole man If the Magistrates sword cannot feare from outward act of vncleanenesse then it must be drawne out and cut adulterie from the Land All vncleannesse is to be punished but adulterie and the degrees of vncleanenesse beyond that Moses condemneth to the death Deut. 22.13 c. Leuit. 20. Lawes ceremoniall they were not and therefore not abolished but haue their equitie continuing for euer As the Ministers prepare the Church 2. Cor. 11.2 for one husband euen to present it as a pure Virgine vnto Christ so it is the Magistrates duety to ioine his Sword with Gods word for keeping the Church chaste in body and minde Question But what if the Lawe put not the adulterating party to death not to frame any question of other sortes of vncleanenesse shall it not be lawfull for the Innocent partie to liue with the Nocent Answere That it is lawfull prouided the offendor shew due penitence it hath beene the Churcheâ— iudgement in all ages Some haue thought that Ierome and Chrysostome were other wâ—se minded but Peter Martir in his common places the seauenth class 2. sect 41. doth answere that they spake of an Adultresse Quae poenitentiam non egerit which had not satisfied by repentance and indeede for a man to ioyne with such a woman it is as the Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 6.16 to make himselfe one body with an harlot But if shee be washed by repentance as no doubt Michal was before Dauid would become one body with hir who before was Concubine to Phalti then holy men of God haue still concluded the lawfulnesse of retaining her An tu pollutam existimas saith August quam Baptismus poenitentia purgauit quam deus emendauit Ea tibi non debet viderâ— polluta Et si clauibus ecclesiae iam est reconciliata admissa in regnum coelorum quo iure tupotes à te repellere That is dost thou esteeme her polluted whom baptisme and repentance hath purged whom God hath amended She ought not of thee to be esteemed polluted And if by the churches keyes she be now reconciled and admitted into the Kingdome of heauen by what right canst
knowing it to be a tiâ—e fitter for him to fast then with the residue to feast and this was represented by the pollutions legall which made the body vncleane to the euening as also but done in part though in a greater part when the sinner is not onely put away from the sacrament of Communion but also from the prayer of Communion And this was represented vnder the Law when for certaine contagion they were expelled the hoste and were no more to conuerse with Israel till death except the Lord cleansed them And howsoeuer this excommunication be a putting forth from all communion yet it doth admit the partie some brotherly loue seeing in such estate hee is not to be counted as an enemy but admonished as a brother Though familiaritie be gaine said him yet not brotherly admonition seeing not the Spirit but the flesh was deliuered to Satan for beeing humbled and that for preseruation of the spirit in the Lords day of visitation for this power is not giuen vs for destruction but for edification Of this debarring from the Lords Table as also driuing forth and deliuerie to Satan Chrysostome is plâ—ntifull In one place how earnestly doeth he wish to know them of the assembly who the day before had bin absent from sermon and present ad iniquitatis spectacula at wicked playes To what end would he know Vt eos à sacris vestibulis arceam that I might saith he driue them forth of the Church non vt perpetuò foris maneant sed vt correcti denuò redeant not to the end they should stay without for euer but that after coâ—rection they might returne againe shewing afterwards how such dealing is oftentimes beseeming a father in his familie and a Pastor in his church In another place he exhorteth his fellow Presbyters to debarre all knowne vnworthy ones from the Lords Table and then turning as it were to one of them he thus cryeth out Quod siipsum pellere non audes mihi dicas non permittam ista fieri Animam prius tradam meam c. If thou darest not debarre the wicked tell mee for I will not suffer it I will rather lay downe my life and suffer my blood to be powred out then I wil agree to giue the Lords bodie to the vnworthie rather then I will graunt that most holy blood to any but the worthy And how zealous Ambrose was in this that his expelling of Theodosius his Emperour will stand euer for witnesse Ambrose seeing no apparance of schisme or churches harme like to ensue such expulsing a great signe that his ministerie was gracious withall he so putteth the King forth till he was willing to cleare his hands of blood by publike repentance Thinke not saith Nissenus that such segregation proceedeth of an Episcopall arrogancie Vetus est regula ecclesiae quae cepit à lege fuit confirmata in gratia This is an ancient Rule in the Church hauing his beginning from the Law and his confirmation in the Gospel The second kinde of cutting off is absolute as from all diuine communion so from humane familiaritie and all this for euer This excommunication is of the Apostle termed Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 of Mare Lord and Atha hee commeth for N. is interposed for sound sake because such a person is excommunicate to the death and left to the Lords coâ—ming who can and will take vengeaunce of them that Loue him not Such wicked-ones haue once knowen and loued Christ as Iesus their Sauiour but afterwards doe voluntarily fall away from that Loue as some Hebrews that turned backe to Indaisme and many now to meere Atheisme who doing it against the Sight and Sence they had are now held to be damned of their owne Conscience and to crucifie againe the Lord of life wherof more largely I haue written in a peculiar treatise and this kind of cutting off was represâ—nted vnder the Law by that Cherem or deuoting of things to destruction so termed in Ioshuah 7.1 and elsewhere Thus the Magistrate with his sword is to sease on the foxes the Minister also with the Word of God is to seaze on them If they cleaue like Burres to the vines we are to stay them from further euill as much as in vs is but not for dragging them away to pull the Vine downe the Church on our heads If we can loose the hold they haue we are hauing taken them to thrust them out of the vineyard that Satan who raigneth without hee may vexethem till by repentance they cease to be foxes as Nabuchad-nezzar comming to the acknowledging of the true God ceased to be a Beast Nimrod hunted and Esau hunted but the Holy-ghost hath marked both with a blacke cole as an hunting whereof they may be ashamed The Prophets hunted the Apostles hunted our ancient fathers hunted and all of them hunted the Church-foxe The same is our duetie and in dooing it it is our glorie The Magistrate and minister is now assembled in Royall honourable parliament the GOD of Heauen blesse them guide and assist them for strengthening our Vine and for hunting out all sorts of foxes the Churches and our Soueraignes aduersaries Amen Lect. X. 16 My Welbeloued is mine and I am his hee feedeth among the Lillies 17 Vntill the day breake and the shadowes flee away returnâ— c. THE Church hauing finished Messiahs speach first for calling her to obedience secondly for remoouing impediments shee now concludeth this diuine Act first with Praise secondly with Prayer The matter of Praise lyeth in this first verse Wherein is vttered the praise of Messiahs loue and feeding His loue is laid downe in the gift of himselfe to her wherby shee in the next place was made His. Hee being hers shee therewith became His. God so Loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life First the Father giues the Sonne and he is willing to be giuen for vs secondly the Father giueth vs faith as an hand to receiue his Sonne and with him eternall life So that the giuing of Christ to vs first doth constraine vs to giue our selues to him in the next place His loue causeth vs to loue We loue him because he loued vs first Yea saith our Sauiour Iohn 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And so the Apostle noteth our comprehending of Christ to grow from our being comprehended of him Philip. 3.12 Whereby it commeth to passe that wee are not onely Members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes. 5.30 but also as Saint Peter witnesseth 2. Ephes. 1.4 partakers of the diuine nature namely by qualification and vnitie with the essence it selfe God and man in Christ becomming one And thus whilst the Church praiseth Christ she preacheth her owne blessednesse giuen her by grace with Christ. After shee hath extolled his Loue shee praiseth his Feeding affirming that
for a mysticall purpose But consider the things in Christ and we shall find all in him substantially without father so was Christ in respect of his Manhood without mother so was Christ in respect of his Godhead without kindred in respect of both Natures vnited in one person for as the Father and Holy Ghost were not Hominified so to the checking our Familists Mankinde is not Goddified Hauing neither beginning of his dayes nor end of his life in respect of his eternall Godhead he had no beginning and in respect of both natures effecting one person Mediator his life is without ending On the crosse he laide downe his bodies life for a season but tooke it vp againe by the Spirit of Sanctification so that howsoeuer hee may be said then regarding the Abstract to be Aliue and Dead yet respecting the Concrete for the Person was not dissolued he may be saide euen in the Graue to be liuing Thus the Creature shadowed the Creator and that which was saide of Melchi-tsedek Kataâ—ti respectiuely is verified in Christ haplôs simply properly fully For the name it is precisely opened vnto the Hebrues first when he is said to be Melchi-tsâ—dâ—k King of Righteousnes or Iustice secondly when it said he was Melchi-salem King of Peace His Righteousnes appeareth to be such as when Amraphel Arioch Kedor-laomer and Tidal the foure Kings did make warre with fiue Kings of the plaine about iustice and iniustice then was this Melchi-tsedek vnchalenged vncharged of wrong His Peace appeareth in that he had no warre with others nor others with him euen when all the Country round about him was togither by the eares And so for his time he might well be termed a King of righteousnes a King of peace But for the perfection of these attributes it could not be applied to Salems or Ieru-salems King seing only he could properly be termed king of Righteousnes and Peace that should be the Fountaine and Originall of righteousnes and Peace And that only can be found in Messiah for which he is termed of Isaiah cha 9.6 Sar-shalôm the Prince of peace and in chap. 53.11 to be that tsaddik Righteous one that shall iustifie Many For this Righteousnesse and Peace is not as a standing poole a qualitie in himselfe for himselfe but as a fountaine springing vp in all the faith-full for their peace and iustification And for this cause the Apostle termeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our peace and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Righteousnesse Ephes. 1.14.1 Cor. 1.30 Because in no other person or thing the Churches peace and iustification is to be found not from an other then Iesus is Iustice is peace to be deriued So that Iustification by Christ only true peace of conscience in Christ only it is no new doctrine but preached long since in Melchi-tsedeks name not to mention the first preaching of it in Paradise Gen. 3.15 Further hereof in his office For his office it was double first in that he was a King secondly Preist For his Kingship it is made excellent from the place he was King of Shalem Shalem was afterwards called Iebus of the Iebusites inhabiting it and after that Ierushalem fiue miles as some take it from Hebroâ— where Abraham dwelt Shalem being Peace who should this city of peace be Not the wicked for to them saith my God there is no peace Isa. 57.35 then it must needs be the Godly who of Ezekiel 48.35 are termed Iehouah-shammah because the Lord dwelleth There represented by Ierushalems peace when Shelomoh or Salomon the Peaceable was King in it This peace is begunne here but perfected elsewhere and that only when we shall haue attained our perfection laid vp in Christ. Secondly he was Cohén a Priest enlarged by mentioning him to whom he was Priest or sacrificer namely Leél Gneleón To the most high God By which addition he is distinguished from all false Priests So that thus he was the onely open King for iustice and the Highest Sacrificer to the true God in that age If it be lawfull to diuine who of all men mentioned in the scripture then liuing this King and Priest may be me thinks he should not be any other than that Son of Noah not borne in nor much knowen to the new-world in whose tents God was to dwell till Iaphet in his Gentiles should be by the Gospel perswaded to returne and dwell therein But wherein doth he shew him a King and a Priest Hee shewes himselfe a King when as Hótsia lechem vajájin he caused to be brought forth bread and wine for refreshing Abraham and his people which very well of the Ancients was obserued to shadow forth that Soules refection which is offered to vs in the new Testament vnder sacramentall bread and wine In which respect Chrisos is bold to say protulit sacramenta he brought forth sacraments in Psal. 109. secundùm Lat. that is such sacramentall Signes as only in right appertaine to Abraham and the faithful who by faâ—â—h see and apprehend a mysterie vnder the letter Christ vnder the shadow eternall food vnder elements temporarie this offered and giuen as freely to all sucâ— are tyred with fighting against the Diuell World and Flesh as the former to Abrahams literall souldiers returning wearied from the battle Touching his Priesthood it is recorded of him Vajèbarcèhû he blessed him and the blessing was this Blessed be Abram to God most high the possessor of heauen and earth Melchi-tsedek pronounceth this blessing but Messiah could onely giue this blessing for He only had all power in heauen and earth giuen him for the good of his people Glorious was the blessing pronounced in Numb 6.24 c. by the chiefe legall Priests but the Exhibitor of these blessings was onely Christ Iesus figured by them and this Old Isaac could say to Eâ—au of Iaakob I haue blessed him and he shal be blessed but without all shadow it may be substantially pronounced of Iesus my people I haue blessed and maugre all the Gates of Hell they shal be blessed Further to speake of shadow in King and Priest I referre to some other persons vnder the Lawe Let this heere suffice for Melchi-tsedek Lect. XX. Isaac ISaac is the next I here obserue whom the Author to the Hebrues remembreth to be a Type when as he saith that Abraham receiued him fâ—om death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a parable that is in shadowing sort For the Apostle Paul he teacheth the Galatians that in Isaac another thing was meant The first pointeth at Christ who dying yet was not deadâ— the second in a secondary sense expoundeth Isaac to shadowe the church or faithfull who become that they are by God his promise not by nature How he representeth Christ might many waies be obserued onely I will obserue that part of his historie in Gen. 22. whereto the Authour to the Hebrewes relateth And heerein I will obserue first the Name secondly the Thing His name is Isaac in
and the Penner of Samsons storie Which indeed is something but howsoeuer he was of men called Nazarite and that oft in scorne as were his disciples afterwards Act. 24.5 yet so was he truly termed by the Spirit of prophecie first in respect of the Nazaren-shadow secondly in respect of his peculiar Nazarite Samson He being vnto both of them the Thing that was shadowed Touching the Ceremonies appertaining to a Nazarite they consist in Abstinencee and this first in Samsons mother secondly in himselfe The abstinence of his mother doth consist in forbearance first of strong drinks inebriating potions secondly in avoiding the touch of such things as the lawe made vncleane and both these she hath in common with the vowed Nazarite Ouer and besides which the voluntary Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and cutting of his head for a season a vowe which Saint Paul him selfe entred into Before the Lawes buriall or ceremoniall obsequies were finished but now no more then other Leuiticall rites to be practised 1 That abstinence from strong drinks together with their adiuncts did not only argue how sober the faithfull should be in their bodies for offring themselues vp to god as a resonable sacrifice a thing which drunkards can no more doe then beasts but also by this externall sobrietie they were taught and wee no lesse to learne the inward sobrietie of the soule Our Sauiour in Luke 21.34 remembreth both these thus Beware also of your selues lest at any time your hearts be burdened with surfeiting and drunkennesse and with the cares of this life by drunkennesse and surfeting vnderstanding that which burdens Body by cares of this life vnderstanding such irregular affections which burden the soule and make it spiritually drunken which Timothie the Lords warrior is not to cumber himselfe withall and that as he would please his maister Nor is surplussage of care and feeding onely forbidden to euery Christian Nazarite but also in times of speciall duties all vse of such principall diet is to be omitted and euery care to be cut off for pleasing our God Of the first good Timothie made conscience so farre as the Apostle was glad to teach him that seeing he was falne into notable weakenesse he therefore ought not any longer to drinke onely water but now for his stomacke sake to drinke a little wine 1. Tim. 5.23 for no abstinence is commanded to the destruction of the body but onely for natures humiliation Many we haue that will pleade from this to Timothie the libertie they haue to drinke strong things but they forget to take paines with Timothie till infirmitie of body require it Barnard reprooueth many oâ— his time for their ouermuch curiositie in diet Qui in totus flunijâ— Agris hortis cellarijsué reprerire vix possint quod commenderent Who in all riuers fields orchards cellars can scarse finde that which they may diet on abusing to that end the former speach to Timothie But what faith the good Father further Da mihi alterum Timotheum ego cibo â—um sivis etiam Aurâ— poto balsamâ— Giue to me such another as Timothie was and if thou wilt I will seede him with gold and giue him balâ—â— for drinke Which scripture as they abuse for vpholding a gluttonous beast-like life so for nourishing inordinate cares they abuse another place to Timothie where the Apostle â—aith thus If any one prouide not for his specially of his family he hath denied the faith 1. Tim. 5.8 but this helpes them nothing seeing prouision may be without care of the heart without disturbing the affections In which respect the Apostle vseth a word deriued of Nouâ— the Minde as if the Head and Senses rather then heart and affections were employed in such christian prouidence or prouision And because Christians specially in speciall duties are not to trouble the heart with cares of this life our Sauiour sendeth them to learne of Birds and Lillies in Math. 6. who walke on in their duties without all care and carking These that thus carelesly abuse scripture for maintaining their drunken cares wee may say of them as Isaiah said of their predecessors They are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke And therefore in such spirituall drunkennesse as vncapable of diuine instruction as Nabal in his corporeal drunkennes was vncapable of Abigails information For crosse them in these cares it may be they wil die of the pet within 10 daies after as did Nabal who liue a contrary life to the Nazarite to our Sauior Iesus who not onely in speciall cases did practise extraordinary Fasts but also in his whole life did voluntarily tie himselfe to a meruailous abstinence 2 That they were bound from touching of any such thing as the ceremoniall Law reputed vncleane that did in mysterie prohibit the faithfull of all communion hauing with Satan and his worke of death who as he is an vncleane spirit so euerie worke of his is vncleanenesse and to be reprooued Ephes. 5.11 not to be coupled with but come out from 2. Cor 6.14 c. This touching of vncleanenesse is twofold either our consent too euil in Action or in Affection which very aptly of the Apostle is expressed by drawing in one yoake with wickednesse Christ himselfe liued in a Church and Common wealth where no vncleanenesse ecclesiasticall and ciuill was lacking What then Was Christ thereby made vncleane No for neither did he Coact euill with them not yet Affect the euill which was amongst them but rather as edifying occasion was offered did publikely reproue them And not to touch their impurities neither in affection nor action but rather to reprooue them this is truely to come out from amongst them Place maybe changed and euil actions and affections yet continued and euill and vncleane manners may be changed where yet the place is continued In this abstinence from gilt of euill all the Nazarites of God are to labour but onely that Nazarite of Nazarites Christ Iesus himselfe can stand forth and say I have touched no vncleanenes Onely heere is our comfort that for clensing vs from such pollution there remaineth a satisfactorie oblation Numb 6.9 c. And that is Christ Iesus the Tuâ—tle and immaculate Lamb by the sheding of whose blood onely we are cleansed 3 The Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and poling the Head For the woman it is her praise to haue long haire because it is giuen her for a Couering and it is a womans shame to be sâ—orne or shauen but Nature it selfe teacheth that it is a shame to man to haue long haire 1. Cor. 11.6.14.15 Howsoeuer then it was a Nazarites ceremoniall duty to haue long haire yet therein is secretly preached that there was a certaine shame in such side locks euen as it is one marke of Nebuchadnetsars being a beast to haue his haire growne long like to Eagles feathers Vnto which sacred word of God if our people gaue credite then they