Hebrue forme Iitscak in English Laughter And who is the Churches laughter The Psalmist saith that when Israel was freed from Babels capituity their mouths were filled with laughter As that deliuerance shadowed the faithfull their freedome from satan and sinnes captiuitie so their deliuerer is Christ whereof after and He is it onely that filleth our hearts with laughter For which the Apostle saith Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce And indeede all laughter and ioy out of Christ is but a Diabolicall grinning Abraham hearing that hee should haue a sonne in his old age hee for ioy laughed and the world in his old age bringing forth Christ Iesus according to the ancient promise hath occasion much more of laughter and holy reioycing God giue vs hearts to reioyce in this Isaac For the thing Isaac was freely offred vp of Abraham and yet not He but the Ramme died The Ancients here haue obserued and applied much I onely here doe vrge these particulars Sicut Isaac ipse sibi ligna portauit ita Christus in humeris portauit lignum crucis as Isaac himselfe carried wood for himselfe so did Christ Iesus carry the wodden crosse Because with the wood that is the fruite of the tree we were wounded in Adam wee are againe by the mysterie of wood healed namely by Christ his death vpon the legall tree accursed For he became a curse for vs that we might become a blessing to his Father Furthermore when all came to all the onely begotten of Abraham died not but the Ramme entangled in the briers died So not the onely begotten of our heauenly father died in the nature whereby he was his onely begotten but in his sheepish nature by which he set free the sheepe of his pasture Died he not Significat domini diuinitatem dum non fuit occisus in that he was not slaine that representeth his diuine nature He so died for vs in his humanity as notwithstanding he remained immortall in his diuinitie The Godhead being impassible it was by the Scape-goate in Leuiticus 16. that went from the sight of men al-arets gezérah into the land of sequestration As for his Humane nature that was the Ramme entangled in the briers and thickets of our sinnes for if worldly cares be thornes Math. 13.22 then well may the sinnes of the world be the thickets that held Christ Iesus to death So I vnderstand it of sinnes rather then with some other of sinners And yet it is true that abhominable sinners compared to thornes 2. Sam. 23.6 they apprehended and bound him as a Malefactor Others vnderstand it of Christ crowned by the Iewes with thorne and so indeede he was crowned and abused But properly and next hand it was our sinnes put vpon him that captiued his humanity during the occultation of his diuinitie O cruell crowne of thorne deserving nothing at all to be worshipped but much more cruell sinners that bound him as a Malefactor and notorious pricking sinnes that plagued him to the death The snares of death tooke hold of him when our snare thereby was broken and wee as a Bird deliuered Well may the mountaine where he suffered be called Iehouah-ijreh The Lord will prouide for as it was promised to Abraham it hath beene performed to vs God hath prouided what a Sauiour for his people The Lord make vs thankefull That secondary sense whereby Isaac shadowed the Church I here omitte And this shall suffice for a â—aste of Personall shadowes before the Law Now I will as God shall enable beginne with such personall types as were vnder the times of the Lawe and hereof also but a taste of some fewe And this is it to be done first by producing some circumcised secondly some vncircumcised and yet both sortes figures of Messiah and glorious things accompanying him For circumcised vnder the Lawe I first will propound Aharôn the great sonne of Leui the high-priest first ordained to Israels tabernacle Lect. XXI Aharon IN Aharon I will not obserue whatsoeuer might be obserued for that were to exceede much the proportion I haue kept before in other shadowes but onely these particulars first his Name secondly his Office or function And in that function first his forme of Instalment secondly his garments thereto consecrated thirdly the official Action First to his Name Aharon is a Mountaine or as Ancients vsually expound it a mountaine of height or high mountaine And how well in this Name Messiah and his Kingdome is shadowed let vs consider specially in two scriptures The first shall be that in Isaiah 2.2 the second that in Dan. 2.44 45. Isaiah saith that in the latest of Dayes Beacharith haiamim The mountaine euen the house of the Lord should be prepared in the height of the mountaines and that it should Lift vp it selfe aboue the Hills and whereto all Nations should flowe c. that is In the latest or last of the worlds dayes that is in the worlds sixt age God will effect this glorious worke namely hee will Lift vp his Sonne and he shall draw all faithfull of the Gentiles so well as of Iewes vnto him A standart shall be lift vp and from farre they shall bring their sonnes and daughters to march vnder it to become subiects of this kingdome called typically sometimes The mountaine of his holinesse As for Daniel he telleth Nebuchadnetsar plainely how in the last times God would set vp a Kingdome which should neuer be destroyed yea such a Kingdome as should abolish humane vaine Regiments for making roome to it selfe because of a little stone cut from the mountaine it should grow to be a great mountaine filling the whole earth Which Stone is that Petra where of Petrus tooke name the corner stone and Rocke of our Saluation who howsoeuer small at first yet finally is growne as a mighty mountaine his Christian Kingdome filling the earth which is indeede the Reall mountaine of Gods Holinesse He the Stone and Head but his mysticall body and Church iâ— the Kingdome and large spread mountaine for such is the vnion of Christ and his members that what is first said of him is often againe in the second place applied vnto them specially in their ioynt-communion And thus in the name of Aharón is shadowed forth that Messiah in his mysticall body is as a Mountaine first so Eminency and height ouer all the earth He ouer the People his people ouer the earthly Abiects secondly for Vniuersalitie seeing in tract of due time his Church should no more be paled in Iudea but should flowe through the earth with such successe as it should neuer be destroyed The breadth the length and depth and height of our heauenly Father his loue in Christ it secretly is couched in this litle Name O thou great man of God Aharon For his Office it was Kehunnáh that of Priesthood incommended to Israel till Messiah came who was to be a Priâ—st after an other order euen
for more seeing this is a commoditie of eternall nature Thirdly the Church expressing her feeling of Christs loue to be vnto her more excellent and efficatious then wine wine being that which delighteth the heart of man wee thereby are taught that euery member of this mysticall body doeth not onely liue to Christ but also die to the world and the temporaries thereof The loue of God in the vse of his word which is one principall particular of his loue it was vnto Dauid more sweete then the hony and hony-combe and of more acceptation then thoâ—sands of golde and of siluer And the loue of God in Christ it was of such value vnto the Apostle Paul as in comparison thereof he counteth Tribe Birth and al temporarie and naturall things but drosse and dung Howe the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martires and Confessors haue deemed Christs loue their continuall sufferings and patient vndergoings of the crosse for his sake they plainely doe witnesse Balaam Iudas Iscariot Demas and many in this age sauouring earth not spirit they are by this doctrine laide open for such as are not of the Church howsoeuer within the church for al these Moonish fleeting temporaries the church treades vnder her feet the vnion and sensible feeling of Christ his seuerall loues being vnto her all in all Lect. III. Verse 2. Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is an ointment powred out therefore the virgines loue thee Or vnto the sauour of c. Or at the sauour c. AS in the last clause of the former verse she gaue a reason of her petition and that was drawne from the excellencie of his loue so here shee rendreth a reason of her so louing his Loue namely because shee found in him as a boxe of aromatique ointments all redolent sauours and precious spirituall smells Which precious odors were vnto her his Church and vnto euery particular member thereof most sauorie and delightfull In which comparison shee seemeth not onely to cast her eye vnto ordinary confections in the Apothecaries shop but also and that more specially vnto the sacred Ointment and Perfume in Exod. 30.23 c. effected by Moses directed by Iehouah for annointing and perfuming his Tabernacle and Priesthoode The counterfait whereof none other vpon paine of death might make nor vppon like penalty might any other person annoynt his flesh with this ointment nor perfume himselfe with this composition for the one and the other were set apart from common vse and so dedicate to a sacred ecclesiasticall purpose All which let vs draw into some particular information and profit First in that the Church seeketh out the most excellent ointment and perfume for declaration of Messiahs sweete name it teacheth vs that all excellent things in nature they are but as tipes and shadowes of spirituall graces not much vnlike to the Cabalists position which concludeth all inferiour things to be but shapes of superiour things and the patterne which Moses saw in the Mount to be a certaine proportion in the heauens whereunto the earthly tabernacle was resemblanced And in very troth all excellent things in nature they are but as steps degrees and greeces for vs to climbe vp by vnto heauenly respects Secondly her reference to the former ceremoniall oyntment wherewithall the Iewish sanctuary and priesthood were annointed it leadeth vs to these considerations First that the new testaments Church figured by that tabernacle and the new testaments Priest euen Christ Iesus figured by the former they are interessed with the inward spirituall ointment which was shadowed forth by the former outward materiall Oyle That the Church hath it Saint Iohn recordeth it in his first Epist. 2. Chap. 20. 27. verses That Iesus Christ hath it the spirit of Prophecie plainely foresaw saying The God thy God hath annointed thee with the gladsome Oile aboue thy fellowes Psa. 45.8 Aboue all his fellow members because they receiue it by measure but he beyond measure Iohn 3.34 he is the fountaine full of grace and truth as for his members thâ—y receiue of his fulnesse grace vpon grace Iohn 1.16 The sacred oile was powred vpon Aaron our head and from him the head that soueraigne ointment commeth downe his mysticall bodie euen to the hemme of his garment the most inferiour member not exempted of reall sanctification Besides seeing the former sacred oile a figure of the spirit sanctifying it was onely with profite applied to the Priest and his Tabernacle it putteth vs in minde how Christ and his members only can haue this spirit in the worke of sanctification Nor can any haue receiued this reall sanctification in any true measure but it is vnto them a reall pledge of eternall saluation and a demonstration of their holy Election before all worlds Ephes. 1.3 c. Furthermore where it was death vnto him that should apply this oile of grace to Prophane persons it teacheth vs that which our Sauiour teacheth namely That holy things are not to be giuen to Dogges in paine of God his high displeasure the sauing promises of the Gospel are not to be applied to the open vnpenitent The ointment of sauing Grace offered in the Word and Sacraments it appertaineth onely to such persons as first haue become a spirituall house or Tabernacle to God and secondly as true Priests and Sacrificers doe offer vp a reasonable oblation out of the Sanctum or Holy-place built in their conscience For howsoeuer in Christ is the Sanctum-sanctorum Holy-of-holies yet in euery of his members is a Sanctum or sanctified conscience Lastly whereas the like penaltie hanged ouer his head that should counterfet that precious oile it putteth vs in minde what fearefull iudgement hangeth ouer the heads of counterfet hypocrites and heretikes who by painted doctrine and sheepish conuersation doe make outward shewes of the spirit and holinesse but in very deede are hollow hearted and destitute of the power of true godlinesse Thirdly that shee termeth her Beloueds Name to be as Oile powred out she would allude to the full and perfect odor of such precious confections who howsoeuer they be sauory in themselues yet are not felt sauorie vntill they be powred out and as it were pownded euen as Maries pound of Spikenard ointment is then saide to fill the house with the sauour when as she had broken vp the boxe and powred it out And herein she would teach first that the very name of her Beloued was preciously sweete being powred out Sweete in it selfe it must be from all eternitie but then manifested sweete when it was vttered to mankinde Adam lying plunged in diabolicall stench how sweete vnto him was it to heare of the blessed Seeds of woman Abram hauing beene-singed in Vr that is in the Fire of Chaldea horrible Idolatrers causing their children to passe through the fire sweete vnto him must the name be of Seede wherein he and all nations should receiue a blessing Sweâ—te was the name Shiloh in the
in the Church of the Gentiles euen before she was This falleth out by reason of the certaine execution of his decree as also by reason things past and to come are all present vnto him and his Spirite And heereof it is that his spirit very ordinarily in the prophets doth speake offuture things as already existing Nor but for such cause coulde Messiah and his church be introduced mutually parling in Salomons time about a thousand yeeres before Messiahs substance put away the shadowes that so the partition wall broke downe he might espouse the Gentile Which by the way must teach vs to thinke of things to come Gods word hauing taught that such things shall come as if they were already acting nay as if they were already acted Hath God threatned to destroy the impenitent If Noah Iob Daniel yea if Moses and Samuel should rise vp in their behoose they could not turne away the iudgement Hath God promised mercie to the contrite saluation to the faithfull victorie to his Church It is as good as done hell gates cannot preuaile against it For the time of Messiâ—hs absence it lieth in these two points first it should be till the day breake secondly till the shadowes flee away For the day-breake it implieth to the Gentiles onely that time of Messiâ—hs incarnâ—tion whereby the Day-starre from an high did visite vs or as the Greeke readeth wherein the Rising or East from an high did visite vs. Which implieth not so much the Day-starre called Phósphér and Lucifer growne into euill report because of their application to Satan and Nebuchadnetsar as the Sunne it selfe arising in the East True it is that Messiahs starre appeared in the East but that was not an ordinary but extraordinary starre fore-prophecied of by Balaam Iaakobs starre whereby the Easterne Sophies had intelligence of Messiahs birth The last writing Prophet of Israels Church hee prophecying of this Day breake doeth say The Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise c. This light came amongst his owne but they louing darkenesse more then light laboured by false accusations to darken this Sunne as sackecloth they therefore kill him But the firmaments Sunne pulled in his head as ashamed to shine when the Sonne of God might not shine Hereupon the day did plainely breake for the vaile of the Temple brake asunder and as at his birth hee was highly honoured of the Gentiles so here at his death Pilate a Gentile did honour him with a Kingly inscription against the heart of the Iewes The heathen Centurian and his comâ—any seeing the euents They feared greatly saying Surely this was the Sonne of God With his birth the day did breake with his death the Sunne rose higher but with the Temples ouerthrow by the army abhominable of Romans which was about fortie yeares after his death the Gentiles had the Sunne of righteousnesse further risen vpon their Hemisphere whereof more hereafter Christ being thus as Simeon Iustus termes him a light to Gentiles and a glorious light to Israel it teacheth vs all to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruelous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Lect. XII MEssiahs absence is secondly laide downe in thâ—se words Tâ—ll the shadowes flâ—e away q.d. retire my Wel-beloued till the nights darkenesse be put to flight till the ecclesiasticall shadowes be chased away by the Sunnes bright rising As Christ was this Sun comming gloriously forth as a Bridegroome so the Law was but a shadow of good things to come the body whereof was Christ Heb. 10.1 Coloss. 2.17 wherein the Apostle may well allude to the shadow accompanying a mans body which sometimes is before sometimes behinde as occasion is ministred by the Sunnes course euen as some shadowes went before Messiahs incarnation some againe followed behinde not vnlike to the two spies of Israel carrying betweene them the cluster of grapes for the Churches comfoâ—â— As the Apostle calleth all a shadow so Salomon here vseth the plurall shadowes because the whole body of tipes would be considered in the particular members For the better effecting whereof I will giue a taste thereof by diuiding all ecclesiasticall shadowes into these three classes or heads Chronologicall Personall Sacramentall By Chronologicall shadowes I vnderstand such as consist in Number By Personall shadowes I intend such as rest specially in some Persons By Sacramentall shadowes I conceiue onely such as consist specially in typicall elements for externall signes for which they haue of ancients beene termed principally Sacraments For Chronologicall shadowes they be I doubt not so many as there be numbers in the old testament the handling whereof would make a large booke yea many bookes But as I am vnable to wade deepe in any part of this argument so for the present I wil obserue some few times or numbers and these also of such nature as this ages sluggard who despiseth this wisedome may be least able to spuâ—ne at The first shadowing number shall be â—ixe which I terme the number of creation In sixe dayes God begunne and finished his workes of creation not because it was of absolute necessitie for God to vse such time but for our instruction for whome both times and creatures were formed One is no number but as the seede of number because all number ariseth from it And for that cause it may well be giuen to God who as he is in esâ—â—nce One so all number hath his being flowing from hâ—m and returning backe againe into him like the Hierogliphick serpent which turneth his taile round about into his mouth And that is cause why Christ God doth terme himself Alpha and Omega the first and last of the Greeke letters the beginning and endâ—ng Two is the first number three the second and this Three is not onely made glorious in the first three dayes worke with a glorious light before Sunne Moone and Starres were created but also is closely inferred in the third word of the Bible Where after Breshâ—th Bara in the beginning created there followeth Aeloâ—im God but informe plurall together with the third place secretly teaching a pluralitie of persons that is a sacred Trinitie in Vnitie In three dayes moe heauens and earth are with their whole host perfected and therefore the number 6. well tâ—rmed of Diuines The perfect number or number of perfection But what may 6. in the naturall creation figure or shadow forth Beda Rabanus and others shall in effect answere for me These sixe dayes do insinuate the sixe ages of the world wherein a mysticall worke shal be finished represented by the former naturall worke The first age is from Adam to Noe the second from Noah to Abraham the third from thence to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the transmigration to Babel the fift from thence to Christ the sixt from Christ to the worlds ending Some others doe also diuide the world into sixe ages but with some difference from the former ancients in
more methodicall vnderstanding whereof I will note first his Name secondly his Country thirdly his Office His name is Cyrus which diuerse doe diuersly english some cleauing to one language some to an other But to me it seemeth reasonable to cleaue to two languages the Hebrew and Persian for so in Isaiahs Hebrew hee is of the Holy-Ghost termed an hundred yeares at least before he was borne and by that name of sheepheard in Persiâ— after his biâ—th hee is said to be named And so as I noted before in Samsons Nazarisme the holy-ghost theâ—eby intending one thing but men meaning anoâ—her In the Hebâ—ew I see nothing more probable then that is compounded of the letter Caph and the word Rosh in English As-an head And was not hee as an head to his people Israel a ciuil Politicall head for the weale of Gods people An Head he is not termâ—d it may befor that he was vncircumcised for Princes of the Circumcision are oft termed Heads of the People but As an head because hee was of God mysticâ—lly annointed to the welfare of his people The Persians calling him Cyrus what should they therâ— by signifie I rest in that which ancient Hisychius concluded namely that in it they had respect to the Sunne which in their language they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyro as being a Sun ouer-shining all the shepherds chiâ—dren with whome as humane antiquity recordeth he was trained vp Vnto which his first shepheard like estate I doubt not the Spirit of prophecy alluded when he faith Cirus my shepherd Isa. 44.28 And this their King-Like shepheard they might the rather call Suane for that they worshipped the Sunne Whereto the spirit of proâ—hecie may well allude when as by Isaiah cap. 44.5.6 he saieâ—h Though thou hast not knowne me I haue girded thee that they may know from the rising of the Sun to the fall that there is none besides me For the application of all this to Christ there shall here need no discourse For as in Samson wee learned that Christ Iesus is the Churches Sunne imparting shine vnto all so in him and others hath beene obserued that he is to his Church not only As an head but an head yea that supreame mysticall Head to which all Politicall heads are subordinate 2 Cyrus by country is a Persian It was termed Persia of Paras which signifieth to part or diuide And so Daniel expoundeth the verb peres in his chap. 5.28 with due allusion to the King of Paras then encompassing the Cittie who togither with his vnckle Darius did soone after parte and diuide the Kingdome of Babel diuiding Gods people from the Gentiles by pasporting the Iewes backe againe to their owne country When Babel was first a building Genes 11.1 c. the sacred Trinitie in vnity said come let vs go downe and there confound their tongue which confusion did presently diuide and part the people Nor till our Sunne-like Cyrus come downe with glory will the present Babel of the world be ouerthrowne Some thing was doone in his first comming whereof in the next place but an absolute parting of the wheate from tares an absolute diuision of Heauens sheep from Hellish goats of the circumcised from the vncircumcised that awaiteth his comming as King for the first was as a seruant shepheard such as Cyrus his state at first was but in the second place a Kingly Diuider 3. For the calling whereto the Lord annoynted this Persian Isaiah in the former places depaints it in many golden phâ—ases but in the first place in a generall terme called of the Lord My shepheard and afterwards the Accomplisher of all my desire which desire he accomplished 1. in subduing Nations wherby he became Monarch of the Easterne world 2. in gaining the riches and treasures that before were couched in Darknes 3. in deliuering Iudah out of captiuity and 4. in putting downe a lawe for Ierushalem and the temple saying to Ierushalem Thou shalt be built and to the Temple Thy foundation shal be surely laide That he so subdued nations and therewith got their treasure humane writers witnesse that and the sacred scriptures conceale it nâ—t That he sent Gods people back againe the blessed word neither conceales that 2. Chron. 36.22.23 Ezra 1.1 c. enriching them in their returne with some of his gained Hidden-treasure But whether the Citty and Temples building is to be counted from this Cyrus many doe make it a right great question For the better conceipt whereof it shall be necessary to lay downe the Angels speach in Dan. the ninth from whence ariseth this question and more then this The Angel Gabriel he that afterwardes brought word to the Virgine Mary touching Messiahs conception his wordes to Daniel be these Seauenty seauens are cut out vpon thy people and vpon the citie of thy holinesse for consuming wickedâ—esse and to seale sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquitie and to bring Righteousnesse euerlasting and to seale vision and Prophet And to annoynt the Holy of Holies These seauentie seauens being seauens of yeeres according to that Propheticall proportion in Numb 14.34 and Ezech. 4.5.6 they doe amount to 490. yeeres and so of the Church it hath still beene numbred Now for the partes of this grosse summe this Angel Gabriel in English Man-god for bringing newes of Messiah which should be Man-god he afterwards diuideth into parcells with speciall charge that it be heeded and learned for thus hee proceedeth And know thou and vnderstand From the out-gate of the Word To cause the Returne and to build Ierushalem and vnto Messiah the PRINCE shal be seauen-seauens then Sixty-two-seauens it shal be builded againe streete and wall in the straitnesse of Times And after these sixtie-two-seauens shall Messiah be pierced through and not for himselfe And the People of a future Captaine shall destroy the Citie and Sanctuarie and the end thereof shal be with an inundation and to the end of the warre are desolations cut out And he shall strengthen a Couenant to Many in one-seauen And in halfe of that seauen he shal cause sacrifice and oblation to cease And vpon the wing of Abbominations he shall make desolate and that to the end powring it also vpon the cut-forth destroyed So farre Gabriels golden Oration Now to the present purpose Herein besides other things he hath taught Daniel that from the Out-gate of thâ—t Word or Edict whereby the people were to returne from Babel to Iâ—dea for building Ierushalem there should be seauentie Seauens to that following time wherein Messiah should come for consuming sinne that is sacrifice for sinne besides the killing of sinne in our nature bringing in withall eternall righteousnes c. Which glorious effects seeing they accompany none but Iesus Messiah of him Alone and of no other Annoynted one or moe can this be spoken A golden prophecie for his matter the matter is no lesse
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
hee plainely termeth these Induments of sheepe that is all externall simplicitie humilitie sincere behauior that were it not for particular fruite whereby they are distinguished from other beleeuers namely their false faith false prophecie the Elect themselues should be seduced by them And as they will maske in the skins which in right appertaine to Christs sheepe so they will say they goe out from vs onely because we are wolues vncleane birds c. that is in truth because their diuell hath silched away some of our garments while wee haue slept and therewithall hath put his seruants induments vpon vs that so wolues may seeme sheepe and sheepe may seeme wolues A fruite well beseeming Satan who transformes himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cori. 11.14 and a fruite well enough beseeming his Ministers and people who must conforme themselues to him that was a murderer lier from the beginning What titles false-Christs and false-Prophets assume to themselues it appeares in this that they terme themselues Christs companions If they were his Companions indeede she would not abhorre Communion with them but hauing the name and not the thing painted Sepulchers the inside corruption she therefore loathes them and by an holy derision disgraceth them Such a Companion is Mahomet a terme stole from Daniel who of Gabriel indeed was pronounced Chamudoth the Concupiscences of God who makes himselfe a fellow with Iesus yea to whom Iesus shall send his people at last Such a companion is the bodie of Apostatical Popes who make themselues to be openers of heauen shutters of hell c. the flat contrary is rather true and of this stampe be all Ministers who terme themselues Apostles Euangelistes Prophets Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons but being examined by the Angel of Ephesuâ— Reuel 2.2 they are found onely to haue the Name not the Thing As to haue a sheepish conuersation it nothing helpeth a wolfe so to haue Christ his shepheards names it nothing helpeth hypocriticall Ministers Lastly marke how all these paintings tend to the winning of Flocks that is of many Congregations but in very troth to make them onely Sinagogues of Sathan hunting by Sea and Land to make Proselites and loe they make them twofold more the children of hell Reuel 2.9 Math. 23.15 Christs Church but a flocke as for these they be many for it is a broade way that leades to destruction and their flocks are many not so much as they be found all of one Religion as for that they be diuided by the head howsoeuer ioyned by the tailes in carrying fire-brands for consuming the Lords wheate-field like Samsons foxes And hereupon it is that one Faction is of Rome another of Arrius an other of Donatus c. all agreeing in one as the factious in Ierusalem did against Christ and the seditious afterwards against Titus Vespatian but then diuided amongst themselues as the sundry Schismes amongst Brownists and Anabaptists betweene Romish schoole-men not to speak of the late diuision betweene Seculars and Iebusites and that in some head-points at least so imagined of their heades as therefore they will not ioyne one with another in any spirituall seruice specially not in the sacrament of holy communion These euils considered what maruell is it that the faithful not onely desire to attaine the presence of Christ and his flocke more and more but also conclude peremptorily by God his help not to turne aside to such deceiptfull companions Thus farre her Supplication Now her Beloued returneth his answere Lect. IX Verse 7 Seeing thou knowest not O thou fairest of women get thee forth in the steps of the Flocke and feede thy Kids aboue the tents of the Shepheards HEerein obserue Messiahs Assumption Seeing thou knowest not c. then his Direction Get thee forth c. The Assumption is a taking of the Church at her word She before pleaded Ignorance hee assumeth her Graunt and therefore in the next place granteth her Petition Hence I obserue first the Churches Ignorance in this life although come as before into Messiahs chambers of presence Which not onely is plaine from that practise of Mother Zion in Leuit. 4. Where Priest Magistrate People The whole Congregation haue sacrifices peculiar appointed for their Ignorances but also from the Apostles expresse testimonie saying We but know in part c. Yea if any were so wise as Agur who for his prudencie had his sayings ioyned vnto Salomons prouerbs yet if he compare the knowledge that is in him with that which ought to be in him he may say to Ithiell and Vcall For I am brutish in comparison of a man and there is not the vnderstanding of Adam in me and I haue not learned wisedome nor know the knowledge of holy things Which base estimate Dauid had of himselfe or else he would not in euery other verse of the 119. Psal. desired direction begged knowledge and vnderstanding Secondly where with vs it is a prouerbe Confesse and be hangd we may learne how confession of our wants before God in humilitie it is so farre from condemning vs as in troth it is our beautification and bringeth with it iustification For marke Messiahs speach O fairest of women The Synagogue said she was blacke she confessed herselfe to be blacke and ignorant and loe vnto hir beloued she is most beauteous How commeth this about By confession of wants the old Adam was put off and by desire of graces supply the new man is put on The condemning and killing of the first is the iustifying and quickning of the new In ourselues wee lie sprawling in our owne wombs-blood but by God his grace we are washed and by bracelets and beauty put vpon vs we become the fairest amongst the Heathen Thirdly by making his Church a Woman amongst women he would teach vs that as Wife to her Husband euen such wee should be to Christ who gaue himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto Himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and blamelesse And to this purpose see how the Church is in Reuel 12. brought in as a woman crowned with twelue starres cloathed with the Sunne standing on the Moone The false Church is also compared to a woman in Reuel 17. but an Harlot drunken and beastly and the seuerall parts thereof to Aholah and Aholibah in Ezek. 23. whose breasts are pressed and the teats of whose virginitie are bruised No maruell then though he pronounce his Church the fairest of women nor maruell considering this fairenesse is from him that hee expects our holy loue and constant faithfulnesse towards him Direction it is laid downe in two parts first in that he directeth his Elect of the Gentiles into the high way of the Saints Secondly appointeth this Gentile Church the place where she was to feede her Kids The way she is
drinke the Fountaine which in the faithfull springeth vp into eternall life but also would from aboue cast an eie to vineyards belowe wherein grew this Copher as the tree of life amidst Paradise which mystically is Iesus in the midst of his church But as the owners of the vines would wall the Orchard from the Goates not onely from the old but also from the yong so that howsoeuer they see and bleated after the pleasant plants yet they could not come to spoile them euen so the wicked of the world they may see and crie after Iesus as also hunger for the destruction of his people but the owner of this church hath set such a hedge about Iob as Satan cannot touch his soule and he is as Zechary saw a wall of fire about his church In safetie such people must needes be notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked Besides whosoeuer enter into couenant with Christ the best floure of their garden they must know that the Eie of their company is vppon them not onely the eye of the Cananite for Cananites will still be in Abrahams land which must teach professors to walke the more warily but also the eye of their owne company that is of the faithfull it will be vpon them Vnto which little ones who so shall administer offence they thereby shall heape vpon themselues a woe and cause their holy angels that stand still in the presence of God continually to list after and speedily to execute the heauenly Fathers indignation vpon such Scandalizers Who otherwise letting their good workes shine out they thereby shall reioyce the heartes of these little ones and also occasion them for such good workes to glorifie the heauenly Father That these vines and Cyper amidst them were so neere bordering the Dead sea so called because nothing woulde liue in it it may represent vnto vs Baptisme wherein wee professe a dying from sinne euen as in the Red sea Israel is said to be baptised to Christ. Which Baptisme should euer be in our eies for causing vs to remember the couenaunt wee there smitte for mortifying the flesh and his deceiuable lusts Which dead-sea called also Lacus Asphalti may further preach to vs the neerenesse of GODS iudgement to the wicked seeing it is so neere to the faithfull For if iudgement saith Peter begin at vs what shal be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God Thus the Trumpet of Christ hath caused his church to Eccho backe praise If first he praise vs we then can praise him For except he draw we shall not follow so that to him may fittely bee said I prae sequar Go thou sweete Iesus before and we by thy grace shall follow To the end therefore wee may euer bee able and ready to praise him according to his owne desert let vs alway haue an eare to the praise which he giueth the church beyond her owne desert It followeth Lect. XV. Verse 14. My Loue behold thou art faire beholde thou art faire thine eyes are like the Doues 15 My Beloued Behold thou art faire and pleasant yea our Bedde is greene 16 The Beames of our houses be Cedars our Galleries of Fyrre CHrist and his church haue once mutually commended each other now againe they doe that yet more succinctly adding withall a conclusion of praise ioyntly For the Commendations Christ againe beginneth then the Church followeth His Eulogie is laid downe first in an assertion simple but repeated Thou art faire thou art faire prefaced first with his Loue-title My Loue then by this word of attention Behold secondly it is laid downe in a comparison where the churches eies are likened to Doues First to the preface My loue Behold the first word manifests his vndying sweete affection by the which he is one and the same to his church for euer the second argueth his care for her serious attention The first teacheth vs neuer to doubt of his loue whose gifts and calling are without repentance Rom 11.29 for whom once he loues he loues for euer The second teacheth how dull we are at the best for hearkning as we ought and therefore alwayes neede that with Timothie wee stirre vppe the gift of God that is in vs 2. Tim. 16. where the word Anazôpureîn signifying to stirre vp fire or to giue life to fire namely by stirring vp doth put vs in minde of the spirituall ashes in our nature which are readie to couer and choke the zeale of godlinesse in vs without stirring and casting off deceiueable affection For the proposition Thou art faire or good or gratious it teacheth what the church is in Gods sight namely most amiable vnto him when first she hath passed all praise from her selfe vnto Christ who of God the father is made to her wisedome righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Wisedome for couering her ignorance Righteousnesse for hiding her iniquitie Sanctification for making her holy Redemption for her ful and absolute saluation The doubling of the assertion it declareth how the word of God is not Yea and Nay that is an vnconstant word as prophane men would make it but yea and in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs 2. Cor. 1.18 c. And so the ancient Scriptures are termed of Saint Peter a most sure propheticall word to which we doe well to take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Touching the comparison betweene the Churches eyes and Doues it offereth to our consideration first to enquire what thâ—se eyes be secondly wherein they be compared to Doues Eyes of the faithfull they be Corporeall or Mentall or Personall Corporeall or bodily eyes be externall instruments seated in the head as the windowes of nature hauing liddes as Port-cluses for drawing vp or letting downe according as inward sense instincteth The sense of vnbridled conceipt in Lot it caused him Gen. 13.10 to draw his Port-cluse vppe for better discerning what grounds might make for his most aduantage The inward sense of holy conceipt or chaste thought in Iob cap. 30.1 it caused him to let his eye-casements downe lest hee should first see a maid as Dauid saw Bathsheba and so consequently his thought should adulterate for eyes vnbridled are said of Peter in 2. Ep. 2.14 to be eyes filled with adultery The Family of Loue do take themselues to become vnto such perfection as with the Hereticall Adamites they not onely can but also must in their Paradise-assemblie behold not onely the face but all the body bared as their * H. N teacheth not to touch the consequent Iob Dauid Paul could neuer attaine here such perfection which if they had yet neuer would they haue turned such grace into wantonnesse but haue fled as the Apostle teacheth in 1. Thess. 5. the very appearance or shew of euill much more the euill it selfe But these Atheists are perfecter and wiser then any Patriarch or Apostle I doubt not but these fellowes are perfecter and
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
it were with lowd tuned Cimballs The end of the first part THE SECOND PART of Salomon his Song of Songs Expounded and Applied By Henoch Clapham Esaiah 5.1 I will now sing to my Beloued the Song of my Beloued touching his Vine-yard Printed at London by Valentine Sims for Edmund Mutton dwelling in Pater-noster-Row at the signe of the Huntes-man 1603. Reuerendissimis Magistro ac Socijs Immanuel Colleg. in celeberrima Cantabrigiae Academia Henoch Claphamus Salutem DOctissimi Viri nimis forsan audaculus ista nobis qualiacunque offerre videar Mouet autem officium quo Collegio nostro ego nam olim illius Arboris surculus imo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac in-primis Tutori mihi charissimo Doctori Guliel Ionesio lubens obstringor Pro particulari primam istius Operis Ministri nostrae Ecclesiae secundum autem vos habitote partem Non est quidem quod volo velle enim mihi largum penè infinitum sed quod quidem possum Hoc siteneatis habeo quod opto vos mihi calcar reliqua percurrendi dabitis Valete Post-scriptum DIxi Valete Hac Epistola finita venit mihi in visum Libellus famosus per nostrae Academiae Typographum excusus in quo non solum publicè mentitur de Epistola quadam quam nunquam scripsi sed etiam vt omninò me ignorans de Vita Professione mea in genere conquestus est grauiter Qualis vita iudicet Ecclesia Professio autem nulla est mihi nisi publica diuini Verbi praedicatio Sed vt ne Calumniatori respondeam Ecclesiastica hic authoritaes illius Libellationem condemnauit ac è libris legitimè rasit Hoc vos intelligatis ac vos de Albo scriptorum Perkinsicorum remoueatis humiliter flagito Et sic iterum valete The Text. 1 I Am the Rose of Sharôn the lilly of the vallyes 2 As a Lilly amongst the thornes so is my Loue amongst the Daughters 3 As the apple-tree amongst the trees of the Forrest so is my Welbeloued among the Sons of men In his shadowe had I delight and sate downe and his fruite was pleasant to my palate 4 He brought me into the house of Wine and Loue was his banner ouer me 5 Stay me with Fiagous comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of Loue. 6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doth embrace me 7 I adiure yee ô Daughters of Ierusalem amongest the Roes and Hindes of the Field that yee stirre not vppe nor waken my Beloued till HE please THE Second Parte The Argument of this second Part. Messiah prouoketh his Spousesse the Church to due thankefulnesse And this she doth by speaking glorious things of him with due charge that He of none be molested Lect. I. Verse 1 I am the Rose of the Field the Lilly of the Vallies Verse 2 As a Lilly amongst the Thornes so is my Loue amongst the Daughters IN the last Act of diuine dilections we left Christ and his Church in the Galeries of Contemplation In that part the Church begunne the Song and both Christ and she ioyntly conclude it In this chapter are two parts the first vttered in the first seauen verses the other in the residue This next part is begunne by Christ but finished by his Church In the two first verses Messiahs speech lieth who in the first verse singeth his owne state and in the second the condition of the faithfull and his members The speech of himselfe is a declaration of his lotte in his first comming namely his humiliation in the flesh And this is done by way of comparison by setting forth his condition vnder the the Rose of a certaine peculiar Feild which from the originall appeareth to be Sharôn secondly he doth assimilate himselfe to the precious Lilly of the vallyes And both of these applied to his owne praise To his owne praiset Yea. But how can one with praise praise himselfe It is lawful for a man to commend his owne things when the praise thereof is giuen to God specially being forced thereto by way of Iustification through the calumniations of wicked people And so the Apostle Paul commended his guiftes and worke the false Apostles labouring to disgrace the same when otherwise himselfe acknowledgeth it to be but the fashion of a foole But for Messiah to praise himselfe it is without question euer lawfull and good first for that he is God and therefore cannot sinne secondly for that he is Man filled with the holy Ghost beyond all measure and therefore his actions holy and all of them infinitely praise-worthy His commendations are conueied vnder naturall resemblance and this first to a certaine kind of Rose as here it is turned the Rose of the fielde The Hebrewes expresse the worde Field by Shádeh as in Gen. 3.1 with his compound as also in the word Bà rá as in Dan. 4.9 an ordinary and vsuall proceeding in the scriptures But here is the word Sharôn which expresseth not any field but one particular field so called Of which field Sharôn wee reade in 1. Chron. â— 16 confining at least on Gods inheritance The fertilitie of this field speciallie for grazing of cattle it may appeare in 1. Chron. 27.29 Isa. 35.2 And Bâ—n-Gorion repeating the bountie of the first great Herod for augmenting the Iewish temple doth remember withall that to the works dedication he sent for 300. yong Bullocks and too-too many sheep out of Sharôns fieldes A fat fielde and therefore employed in fatting of cattell Vnto the Rose growing in this Pasture our Sauiour compares himselfe The terme of Rose exalâ—s him but the place of groth obscures him First to the Rose secondly to Sharôn A Rose delighteth in shadowy places orient of hew colde of complexion but passing redolent and of comfortable condition Such a flower is Iesus most delighted in temperate places for hew the chiefest of tenne thousand a cooler to the conscience but passing sauory and comfortable to the distressed Patient That he delights in temperate places no maruell for as ouer-aboundance of heate scorcheth so too much cold sterueth the plant That is as aboundance of scorching persecution doeth burne the Churches Head so freezing affections doe nippe the life of his members The bitter heat of his fathers hand forcing him to sweate clotted blood it caused him to cry out Let this cup passe away from me The withdrawing of the Godhead did so freeze and nippe the Manhood as it caused him on the other side to cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Heat burnt him cold starued him nor maruaile For howsoeuer in himselfe hee was worthie of a temperate place in the earth yet because of vs his members euen for our redemption he was to passe through hot fire and cold water euen through the extreames of his fathers indignation And as the Prophet foresawe it so he did it But otherwise seeing no affliction is pleasant for
suffer persecution and hard entreatie of the wicked galling world euen as her Lilly-like Sauiour did before her it is euident in such places Luke 21.12 17. Iohn 15.18 19. 16 3â— at large depainted in the Apocalyps visions and found of the churches part true by dayly experience And this is it which causeth a Sympathie or fâ—llow-like feeling betwixt Christ the head and his Church the members Nor is there any reason that the greene branch should be beaten and the dry spared that the scholer should be aboue the Maister and the saued better than the Sauiour This doctrine may seeme here to be directly concluded but because I remember no writers specially ancient thatso vnderstandeth of this place I leaue it to the churches iudgement will come vnto the second sense That this verse entendeth directly a comparison between the church and such a Lilly as groweth amongst thorns not respecting Christ to be this Lilly it is an vsuall iudgement but a dissent betweene Ancients and some our moderne writers about the doctrine which may be properly intended Ancients vnderstand hereby the churches affliction in this world as the lot of Bonj inter malos accompanying the good inhabiting amongst the euill Latter writers some of them do too confidently conclude only an extolâ—ing of the Churches beautie as if the Lillie heere were only praysed for beautie before the Thorne To me it seemeth that both their doctrines flowe vnconstraynedly from hence and therefore not to be restrained to one of them alone For the better declaration wherof leâ— vs consider first what and who is this Lilly secondly the Thorne thirdly the Loue fourthly the Daughters What the Lilly is we haue before heard Who this Lilly is it necessarily may be concluded if not Christ as before then his church Nor is it vnvsuall in scripture for an attribute to be translated from Christ to his church in Iohn 1.7.8 Christ is called the Light in Matth. 5.14 the church her selfe is so called Christ throughout the new Testament is proclaimed the Messiah in hebrew the Christos in greeke the Vncted in latine-english and in the old Testament Kings ouer the church haue the same title as also the Iudges called Sauiours But all this with a difference they as shadowes he as the substance thâ—y as instruments vnder him for some temporarie good he in himselfe the cause from for all â—ternitie So the nâ—me of God is giuen to some man not for essence sake as was Christ but for office sake as were the Iudges of Iudah Thus the same names in common betweene God and man Christ and his Church but for a diuerse regarde and a secondarie consideration So in the former verse Messiah is termed a Lillie which for a new consideration may be here giuen to his Church yea for a like respect and like consideration whether we respect sauour or beauty But he then as of himselfe she by communion with him and his spirit What and who this thorne is is easily decided The naturall thorne is no tender herbe or flowre but a sturdie hard tree not smoothe as the Lilly but knobby and full of dangerous prickes Who these mysticall thornes be let Dauid in his last words and last words be most authenticke let him declare that The wicked saith he be euery one thornes Where the word Wicked is in the originall expressed by the word Belial which well declareth the nature of the wicked for that they be as Ierome expounds it Beli-gnôl without yoke that is such as will not come vnder the yoke of obedience crying out as in the second Psalme let vs breake their bands and cast their coards from vs. Kimchi deriues it of Beli and Gnalah not-ascending because their matters prospered not But mee thinkes the latter might be applied to them for not-ascending to the templâ— not ascending to mount Zion the Tabernacle of the saued Such base earthly spirits such beastly rude Libertines they be these thornes whose laughter and merriment is compared by Salomon to the crackling of thornes vnder a pot saying a thousand times more then they will or can doe and making a thousand times more shew of ioy then there is cause why A happinesse no sooner in then out like the beast Ephemeron that dieth the day it is borne The Loue here spoken of it is the Church as euer before who loueth Christ because he loued her first 1. Ioh. 4.19 whose loue is but patient in respect of his loue agent for otherwise wee follow not then as the first drawes vs. The loue of Christ is as a Lilly among the Thornes why The daughters amongst whom she conuerseth they be but as thornes false sisters hard-hearted knurry-conditioned full of pricking and stinging words and works These wicked-ones be compared in the feminine kind because his Church is considered as a woman notwithstanding it consisteth also of men Now let vs consider this Lilly-like Church continuing in this world amidst these thorny-daughters First as vaine Poets but to some reasonable purpose affirm that Venus neuer appeared so beauteous as when she sate by blacke Vulcanes side so this Lilly the faithfull neuer shine more cleare then when they be besâ—tte with persecuting people blacke conditioned mankind Stephens face neuer shind so Angel-like in the church where all were vertuous as it did before the councell whereall to speake of were vitious tyrannous Light a candle at noone-day and it shines little because of other light but in the darkest place that light is glorious Some faithfull shine not so amongst other faithfull as amongst faithlesse but when a meane Belieuer is compared with a Barbarian then we behold white and blacke light and darkenesse And this puts me in minde of two men strong Brownists while they continued in our Christian parts but comparing people with people their consciences accused them for charging our English Church to be no true Church The one to the other shewed their minds change praised God for that meane returned again to the vnity they before despised No other arguments euer so preuailed as the consideration of English faith and forraigne idolatrie Beauteous is the whole visible Church in comparison of the thornie world and surpassing beauteous be the wheat-children of this kingdome in comparison of the visible tares the troublers of Israel As the Lilly is passing orient amidst thornes and the Church glorious amidst the wicked Libertines euen so a Lilly amongst thornes cannot escape all euil nor the Church amidst the wicked can be free from persecution Dauid shal be afflicted in Israel and Christ bored on the Crosse in Iudea Enemies without and false brethren within they shall doe but their nature that is pricke sâ—ing and nettle the faithfull The Lilly giueth no cause of vexation to the thorne for it was a flowre of Gods making before the other was borne but the thorne a creature that came but in by the curse it vexeth the Lillies soule Well for some
in his strength as also for that the Churches heart was no more able to entertaine the fulnesse of his sweete Grace thâ—n Iob could shut vp the sea with dores or Agur close vp the windes in his fist hereof it commeth that shee soundeth as surcharged with a burthen Like the Queene of Sheba by the Aegyptian Cronicle termâ—d Makedah who comming to Salomons court and there seeing and hearing excellent things farre beyond her expectation she presently thereupon as the Hebrues reade it had no spirite more in her that is she became astonied as one that had no life nor motion in her Such forme of speach may well allude to a strong amorous passion surprizing an honest virgine vnawares meeting her loue and enioying him in the fulnesse of ioy I speake not of the Comedians Wanton who crieth to others conuay this woman away for she sucketh out the very blood of me her miserable Louer but of such an amourous loue-qualme as it seemeth Mary was in when shee claue fast to the feete of Iesus her best Beloued vnawares and much so dainely met with There is also a loue-sickenesse after the good thing lacking so Dauids soule longed and fainted after the Courts of the Lord I would we could be sicke of thâ—t disease but I see not how that can wel be here concluded seeing she was already in the court yea in the house of wine banqueting with her Beloued Her trance here I take to grow as before from the fulnesse of diuine dilections presented vnto her the greatnesse and infinitie whereof ouerwhelmeth her comprehension A disease too farre from vs who heare we and see we dayly neuer so many loues of God accruing and growing vpon vs do neuer stirre more then stockes Why because as Isaiah well noteth our hearts are fatted insomuch as in hearing we vnderstand not and in seeing we perceiue not Like to fishes for deafnesse and to moles for blindenesse Shebahs Queene could astonish at Salomons naturall wisedome but let Christ Iesus a greater then Salomon speake to vs by his owne word and our spirites mooâ—e not stirre not specially by way of holy admiration Could our spirits be thus rapt our soules thus rauished with the â—acred infinite loues of our Sauiour O how he would delight in vs and ioy in our loue Insteade of sickendsse growing from sacred loue most of vs sooner aâ—e sicke of the splene sicke of enuy sicke for anger our lusts are crossed This sickenesse is from hell as the other from heauen And therefore leauing that to the diuell termed the Enuious man I turne me to the faithful in their holy loue-sickenes and now will hearken what ensueth her reasonable petition Lect. VI. Verse 6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doeth embrace me 7 I adiure ye c. THis followeth her petition first a declaration of Messiahs loue towards her in the time of her louetraunce secondly an Adiuration or an Oth taken by the Church of Ierushalems daughters for not disturbing her Beloued For Messiahs loue it appeareth in one general act of fauour namely in his amorous embracement That embracements argued loue consider it not onely in the practise of all nations but also in the solemne obseruance thereof in scripture By such embracement old Israel prefaced his blessing powred forth on Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 48.10 and by such embracement the old father entertaines his repentant prodigall in Luke 15.20 Not to Ioabs embracing of Amasa with the one hand till he stab him with the other nor to Iscariots embracing of Iesus doth the holy ghost here allude but to the sacred embracement that passeth betweene friend and friend yea betweene such a couple as by passing of troth haue made themselues one flesh hauing that sympathie of affection as is said of Hippocrates his Twinnes who both laught or both wept both liued or both died Yet no such embracement is vnto this any neerer then the shadowe is to the substance For as in heauen there shall be no marrying nor being married so there all these corporeall embracements shall be remooued The shadowe then ceaseth because the substance is come Which substance is our full vnitie in body and soule first with Christ then secondly one with another which spirituall embracement is here begun in the soâ—le and represented by our amiable honest embracings euen as the vnity of the reprobate is here begunne first with Satan secondly with themselues whose blacke perfection is in their resurrection to be substantially reuealed For this holy embracement it is laid downe in twoo particulars First in his left hand conuaide vnder her head Secondly in his right hand amiably embracing her Seeing these things are spirituâ—ll what may these hands and these their actions be For the resolution of this mysterie it is vnapt to bring in the consideration of his left and right hand in Matth. 25 seeing there the left hand is turned to the wicked but both hands here doe circle the godly Both hands here considered with the church we are to collect onely two such instruments as whereby two notable actions are effected for benefiting the faithfull For any thing I yet see otherwise I can by these two hands most properly vnderstand the two natures of Christ. Vnder his Left-hand I conceiue his Manhood by his Right hand I vnderstand his Godhead The manhood of Christ may well be signified by his left hand for these two causes first as the left hand is lesse agile and lesse strong than the right such was his manhoods heauinesse and weakenesse in comparison of the godhead for so our infirmities were vpon him Isa. 53.5 Secondly as the left hand is patient and suffers when the right hand in al businesse is agent and worketh so the Manhood of Messiah was to suffer whereas the Godhead was impassible cold and did worke but was not wrought vppon For such an high Priest it beseemed vs to haue as in our nature might feele our miserie that so in our nature he might with more feeling offer vp his sacrifice And this feeling is declared by putting his arme vnder the churches crazie head bearing the burden of her infirmitie yea bearing the punishment on that his humane arme that was due for our sinnes Iaakobs loue is registred to be very great who vnder-propped or vnder-bare Rahel Gen. 48.7 till she dyed vpon him and as we haue it well turned died on his hand But Messiahs loue was greater for he to sustaine and procure life to his Church hath put vnder his hand laid downe his owne life Thus euery way his humane weake nature went vnto the worst til he had aduanced his Church to the best His diuine Nature may well be likened to the right hand of a louer embracing his weake spowsesse first for cherishing the church so fainting Secondly for propulsing all aduersarie accidents Both these graces Dauid praieth for in this one speach Shew thy maruailous mercies who art the
Sauiour of them that trust in thee from such as resist thy right hand Ps. 17.7 wherein hee prayeth first for staying him from falling spoken of before secondly for guarding of him from the aduersaries resistance At his right hand are pleasures eternall Ps. 16.11 wherewith he cheareth the languishing soule and with his right hand he bringeth mightie things to passe for deliuerance and safetie of his beloued Ps. 108.6.13 When he looked about to see if any creature would helpe him in the work of our redemption loe there was none for onely this His owne arme sustained him the arme of his manhood was made sufficient to vnderbeare the burden of our sinne and the punishment due therto by this his right hand his al-sufficient diuine nature The Church thus resting betweene the armes of Iesus it was gloriously figured out by the temples situation betweene the hills of Benjamin Deuter. 33.12 which temple is of Moses there called The beloued of Iehouah because 〈◊〉 figured out this his Beloued and the Mountaines aâ—e there called Shoulders as if Salomons spirite casting his eye thither shoulde heere more plainely speake Hands The one and the other speach implying Armes And that place is called Ben-jamins that is The Sonne of the right hand because he figured the Sonne of God who sits at his fathers right hand til his enemies be made his footstoole there also making continuall intercession for his Beloued Is this Temple of God his beloued Church so seated is she of this Benjamin the sonne of the right hand so embraced Then â—et all the world runne on wheeles her ship is in harbour her chickens vnder the wing her soule in safetie Whether shee liue or die she liues and dies the Lords Yea in dying shee but sleepes as Steuen slept and Dauid with his fathers Her flesh rests in hope her spirit is in Messiahs hands the Lord of the resurrection wil in the appointed day awake her who meane time râ—steth in the bosome of Messiah Hauing entred this Hold taken sure Sanctuarie let vs heare her adiuration I haue sworne yee ô daughters of Ierushalem amongst the Roes and Hindes of the field that ye stirre not vp nor waken my Beloued till he please First to the version of the text secondly to the matter it vrgeth The fiâ—st word signifieth more then simply to Charge namely to charge by an oth I turne it preter-perfectly not onely because of his forme but also for that the matter it selfe seems to exact it whereof after I reade amongst the Roes rather than By the Roes first because the Letter Beth is here prefixed which signifieth in or among more properlie as was noted in the 5. verse Secondly because it were very harsh for the Church to sweare by Roes and Hindes That afterward I read till He please and so make the Church to speake it rather then Christ it is not because the Original decideth the point for there as I may terme it it is of a doubtfull Gender but because the matter whereof after seemeth rather to require iâ— Touching the matter it is an Adjuration wherein obseruable first the Parties secondly the Thing The Parties are three first the Church of Gâ—nâ—iles giuing the othe secondly the Iewish Conuerts vndergoing the Oath termed heere Daughters of Ierushalem thirdly certaine excellent persons termed Roes and Hindes who are witnesses of the Oath and serious adiuration The thing adiured is an Vndisturbance of the Beloued during some certaine time of his embracement The new Testaments church considered still as a Queene in the armes of celestiall Salomon the few faithfull of the Iewes are considered as maides attending her person as in Ps. 45.14 15 vpon whom his Gentle Queene layeth this Iuramentâ—ll charge or oath For as the ancient Synagogue may once be said to haue sworn her Proseliteâ— such of the Gentiles as were willing to make themselues Iewes Ester â— 27 Math. 23.15 so the Church of Ethnicks now hauing the prerogatiue and by Messiah made first and principall may by like rule be said to binde the Iewish Proselites by oth vnto Christian allegiance The ancient Synagogue is noted of Rabbi-Mose to haue committed their Proselites by Baptisme euen aâ— the Leuites eâ—tred the priest-hood with washing What maruell then if the Gentile-Church admitte the Iew by Baptisme as by a solemne oath seeing such washing was by our Salomon instituted for a Sacrament wherein by oath the parties baptized are deuoted to Christian allegeance By such solemne washing the Baptized do passe their faith and troth to Christ whose lieutenant the Church is in whose sole behoofe she administreth this sacramentall oth For vnto her Husband and Lord she sweareth her Virgin-Proselites whosoeuer And therefore in the Celebration saith not Into my Name but Into the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-ghost I baptize thee Which Baptisme into the Trinitie is for the Vnitie sake said of Paul to be Baptisme into Iesus Rom. 6. â— Gal. â— 27 for that the Father and Spirite is no way One vnto vs but by the Mediator Messiah who also for that he is the Churches Head hath freely communicated with her heerein by teaching that Conuerts are baptized into his Body 1. Cor. 12.13 that is into the communion of that faith whereby Hee the sauing Head and she the saued body are happily vnited While the Sinagogue stood they swore vs but since their fall we impose the Sacramentall oth on them We serued when they ruled and now in the time of our ruledome they serue In which respect we may take vp that of Salomon I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as Seruants on the ground Eccles. 10.7 Are we mounted on horseback Well through vnbelief they are bâ—oken off we stand by Faith Let vs not be high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches let vs feare lest he spare not vs. We are now vp but we may come doune nor are they so falne but they may rise Let vs therfore so raigne to day as if we should serue to morrow And let vs so compassionate them now as we would haue them to commiserate vs then As Cyrus in the top of his glory compassionated Cresus in his bonds what time the captiue cryed out O Solon Solon Solon which Philosopher before had told him that no man could be termed happy before his death Cyrus well remembring that Cresus once was as himselfe and himselfe might once come to a downfall with Cresus Lect. VII IN respect of the Oth imposed we are taught as not to sweare by anie creature for onlie the Creator can perfectly iudge so to impose an oth when therby the church may be better assured of peace If Dauid thought it a good meanes for tying his owne soule to the good-abearing Ps. 119.106 how much more are we by oth to bind others to Christian obedience as Abraham swore his seruant for prouiding an Helper for
same place Whereto against the heart of Romanists I will adde that of Eckius Nor verely thinke I saith he that Christ speaketh here in Math. 7.25 of prophets telling future things by the holy spirit but rather that by Prophet he vnderstands an Expositour of holy scripture which whoso doe well vnfold they are termed good prophets but handling them badly and falsely are denominate Pseudo-prophets And that such expositours of scripture are termed Prophets it is sufficiently plâ—ine vnto vs from Paul who witnesseth that Christ gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets c. confirming the terme also from the 1. Cor. 14. Which well remembred how can they falt vs for terming Luther Tindall Husse Sauanarolâ— and all such the true Prophets of God sent of God not of their Church for calling forth people to the building vp of Ierushalems walls Whersom say of such that they were extraordinarie ministers I answer first there was nothing extraordinary in their ministrie seing it was expreslie to be proued by the written word Secondly it is no more to be held extraordinarie in the new church then it was in the old sinagogue In Mother Zion were vnlimited Ministers namely Prophets so to the new Testaments Prophets are giuing They had a standing minstry to their Temple and Tabernacle these were priests and Leuites so our churches of Christ their peculiar ministry of Presbyters Deacons The Presbyters and Deacons proceed in the worke established the Apostolicall Euangelicall Propheticall ministrie doth call people into order and recall the straiers vnto the first pattern And these new testaments Prophets for that semeth to me the aptest title they haue their calling as they of the old testament had Some stirrd vp immediatlie of God acknowleged to be such for their work sake some trained vp in the schools of Prophets and sent there-out by the voyce of the faithfull The first sent of God in times more desperate the other sent of the Church when her schooles of prophecie are rightly settled The more fully I haue spoken hereof because of fantastick spirits amongst vs who cannot abide to heare of anie ministrie but only of Parsons Vicars tied to their particular congregations or as they terme themselues Pastors and Doctors of particular Churches Would they but looke with a single eye into this point they should see that in the worst times it is liklyer to find that ministrie which for matter and maner do rather succeede the Apostles then occupie the place of Pastors that rather are appointed with Paul to haue the care of manie Churches then but one congregation laied vpon them This ministry so vnderstood let vs see how Apostles and their successors may be compared to Roes and Hinds of the field Lect VIII FIrst to the Roe It is a Beast right swifte coueting the height of mountaines and from the top thereof in time of Hunters strait pursuite will cast it self downe headlong in safetie by casting the bodie within the compasse of the hornes Hereto the Apostolicall ministrie may haue resemblance spiritually first for spirituall spedines through the fields of the catholike Church For in how few yeares after Christs ascention was the Gospel caried through the earth by the Head Apostles and their concomitants When Saint Paul writ his epistle to the Romans beholde their sound was gone through the earth and their words into the ends of the worlde They that were not tied to till one oxgang of land but to breake vp the whole earth before them it required speed Necessitie was laid vpon them and a woe vnto them in not doing the Lords woâ—ke spedily For their successors no such miraculous ministers how swiftlie haue they run through the Churches field Their speed from Church to Church from one land to another will teâ—tifie that No one of the Miraculous Apostles did runne through the whole earth for the ecclesiasticall writers declare in what contries each of them conuersed and the booke said to be written by Prochoruâ— the Deacon of Ierushalem saith they cast lots for seuerall portions but euery one in som parts more principally As for the Apostle Paul he was in his labours more aboundant then they all and for that cause Saint Luke hath speciallie drawne his jornall in the Acts. So it hath fared with such as haue succeeded in that worke Some haue labored more and some lesse Some haue cared for moe churches some for fewer No one with the Papall prelate tooke charge of all though with S. Paule he might care and thirst after the good of all Secondly this large ministerie hath with the Roe still affectioned the hiest places a propertie also giuen by Habakkuk to the Hinds when he saith The Lord will make my feet like the hindes and he will make me to walke vpon mine his places These hie places are not the earths-mountaines if we walke by a deeper mysterie but the heauens the hill of Gods holines and our happines whereto Paul ascended in the vision of his soule and wherto Stephens hart eye was lift vp in the end of his Apologie because his Defence was in the heauens Not from the mountaines of flesh and blood but from the heauens commeth our helpe But in a more literall sense considering the persons we speak of these Mountaines are also the Cities and chief townes of countries as Ierushalem Samaria Antioch Corinth Ephesuâ— Sâ—yrna Rome c. Whether this kind of ministerie still ascended with the Gospell As Sathan stil commaunded the pages or contrie-hamlets by the Idolatry planted in the Citties as heads of the countrie so the Lord euer by this Prophetical ministrie hath first smit these heads of the Nations that the Cittie 's wonne they might commaund the inferiour places The country-hamlets were called Pagiâ— and very probable it is that the terme Pagan was deriued thence because of the heathenisme in them when the Gospel was begunne in the Citty And hereupon it is that the Apostles direct their Epistles not to the Saints or church of such pagies or villages but of such such citties as mountaines and heades to the country as the head of Aram was Damascus and Samaria the head of Ephraims people Isa. 7 8 9. Thirdly in straite pursuite these ministeriall Roes haue cast their bodies and soules for safegard betweene their Heades auntlers Who is their Head Christ who also is called the Horne of our saluation Into his handes as into diuine antlers the prophet Dauid commended his Spirit nor did the faithfull euer find safetie in the mountaines offlesh and blood And therefore cast themselues thence into the mercifull handes of Iesus who hath giuen charge to his Angelles to vpholde them in all their wayes lest they dash their soules foote against a stone When Israels spies were let downe by Rahab ouer Ierichoes walles and the Apostle escaping the Damascenes by being let downe at a windowe in a basket by the side of the wall Act. 9.24 What didde they
and the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour Arise my Loue my fayre-one and come away Wherein we may obserue first a reason of his former exhortation secondly the former exhortation repeated The reason is drawne from the oportunitie and fitnesse of time for comming vnto him first because Winter was passed secondly because the Spring was come Winter was passed because his showres were gone Spring time was come because the earth afforded her pleasant fruites and the birds specially the Turtle sent out their pleasing tunes That the church of the Gentiles may with more boldnes step forth Messiah tels her that the stormie weather is ouer the dashing wintry showres quite gone Quid per hyemem nisi legis austâ—ritas intelligenda est What is to be vnderstood by Winter but the Lawes austeriâ—ie That question of the Ancient one may answere thus yes by Winâ—ers weather may be meant two other things Persecution for Righteousnesse and Bondage in sin The soule that is persecuted and hardly entreated of the world is glad with the doue of an hole in the rocke of some shelter from Sauls breathing threatnings and murther more terâ—ible then Winters face Nor will such a soule willingly steppe abroad till that winter be ouerpast This we see not onely in Dauid Elijah and sundry of the faithfull in Heb. 11 but also in our Sauiour Iesus his oft auoydance of such sharpe weather till hee saw the last houre was come For Bondage in sinne it may well be compared to winter for destroying the beauteous visibilitie and face of Christianitie like as nipping winter deflowreâ—h the beauteous face of a garden and Orchard The church of Israel was so nipped and vnbeautified in Aegypt by Idolatrie what time Moses came vnto them And by his manquelling Idolatrie the Church of the Gentiles captiued in Romes Aegypt was till of late yeares almost dead all ouer with Iob vlcerated almost no face nor appearance of a Christian Vineyard But thankes be to God both these Winters are in good measure passed and the nipping showres gone ouer our heads whether we regard that vniuersall persecution or this generall Idolatrie wherewith our people sometimes were ouer-runne But neither of these I take to bee the winter here entended That the Law with his showring mâ—naces are this winter I rather vnderstand euen as by the subsequent Spring I vnderstand to be mystically meant the Gospel What Winter is to the earth and the fruites of her wombe euen that is the Law of Moses to earthly man and the fruites of his Nature Doeth winternippe the earths fâ—uites in the head dooth it plucke his plumes and doth it cause the sappe to recule backe to the root and rests it there vnseene till the spring-time The Law of Moses dooth all this for his stormie threats and cursing showres applied truly and powerfully to the conscience it nippes my Gallant in the head it cooles his courage is pulleth his high lookes downe to the earth seeing himselfe to be but a lumpe of earth And thus the Law as a sharpe Tutor and ierting schoole-mâ—ister was appointed to whippe the Synagogue the Church in her infancie vnto Christ. And for this cause Messiah calleth his Church heereforth as out of an hole where through feare shee had lurked The Law was promulgate with ensignes of feâ—re namely with burning fire blackenesse darkenesse tempest yea so terrible was the sighâ— â—s Moses saide I feare and quake Heb. 12.18.21 how much more must the breach thereof cause the sinner to feare for whome all the terrours of God are ordained This stormie Winter begunne with the Law in mount Sinaej but when the vocation of the Gentiles was to appeare with Messiahs comming then the winter ceased the showrs of iudgement ended or rather the showres were changed from wintry showres to showres beseeming the spring The Gentile Church before vnseene was now to shew her selfe She that before sate in darknesse was now to be brought into his maruailous light Had she heard no other agument for mouing her to arise and goe vnto Messiah saue this namely that the Winter was passed the partition wall broken downe the ceremoniall nipping impediments remooued it had noted a soueraigne loue in Iesus but when he secondly addeth that the spring was come recounting the springs particular beauties this argued a larger loue But when she was to remember that Messiahs comming was the abolishment of the first and the stablishment of the second how might the remembrance of that double loue rauish sense and affection with loue But let vs consider the particulars whereby this Spring is described First The flowers appeare in the Earth By flowers who are appointed rather to sauour vnto then to feed vpon are vnderstood the first fruites of the spirit whereby the Elect giue a pleasant smell and therein lieth sweetenesse of speach and words going before workes euen as flowers before fruites For the which cause as the Apostle exhoâ—teth that Our speach bee gracious alwayes for bringing edification to the hearers to be exercised in diuine thankesgiuing answerable to that sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour offered vp to God the father by Messiah our Beloued so the Prophet Zephaniah in ch 3.9 calleth it a pure language which the Lord would giue to his people in their conuersion As wee are called to bring forth sauoury words before man for euil words corrupt good manners so more specially before our God in our priuate and publike spirituall seruice Otherwise the Rose Lilly and other flowers of the earth will condemne vs who in their kinde smell sweet and are sauourie to God and man Otherwise the nosegay in our hands shall iustifie the Earth when our vnsauourie stinking words and writings shall damne our nature For by our words we shal be iustified and by our words condeâ—nâ—d saith the Rose of Sharon our Beloued Lilly of the Vallies The second part of this Spirituall Springs description lieth in this The time of singing by Birds is come The clause by Birds is not in the originall but necessarily vnderstood seeing not any singing but such singing of birds as afterwards namely of the Turtle is here vnderstood that being one glorious effect accompanying the Spring The old Latine turnes it Tempus putationis the time of lopping or pruning the vines The word indeede sometimes so signifieth but as it signifieth also a singing so here it can onely so be taken not for a cutting For helping the Latine translation Genebrard saieth Old vines are cutte in the Spring But here we see the vines brought in with their fruite after and therefore not to be considered in the lopping time besides that Genebrard obserued not sufficiently that the Spring is here brought in with many fruites for so forward was the earth in Palestina insomuch as our March with them the first moneth it affoorded eares of corne for oblation Nay Genebrard himselfe presently after obserueth that the word signifieth also Cantillatio a
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
Daniel 7.8.20 c. â—ermed Rógni háaeâ—l my vaine shepheard a fugitiue from thâ— flocke vpon whose right hand and eie the sword of Gods iudgement is By reason whereof neither can his hand hold the sheep-crooke nor his eie discerne the true sheepefold This briefely of the Pectorall The fourth and last differencing tyre is a Plate made of pure golde put vppon a blew silke tape wherewithall it was tied to the fore front of the Miter in which was curiously engrauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holines to Iehouah And this was Aaron to beare on his head for taking away such sins of the people as were mingled with the sacrifices that so God might be well pleased with sacrificer and sacrifice All which shadoweth a necessitie of Messiah â—uen in our best actions First Our Aaron and Aarons head is Christ Iesus Coloss. 1.18 and That Sauiour is the head of his church who hath for signe of his regall empery Pileus capiti impositus that Bonet on his head Secondly for the sâ—cred Superscription it plainely preacheth that all Sanctitie is to be ascribed to the Lord. And that Isaiahs Seraphim in chap. 6. do testifie when as out of fierie flames thâ—y cry holy holy holy Lord God of hostes All holy art thou O sacred trinitie and vnitie and with thee dwells nothing but holinesse Thiâ—dly and whereas Aaron must by intercession remooue the Israelites staines in sacrifice it teacheth first that in all our spirituall oblâ—tions prayers preâ—chings almes c. there be blots and imperfections Not that such blots or staines be the works of â—aith or effects of God his grace in vs for that were to blaspheme God and his grace whose â—ffects are all holy as be their Cause but they be cankered blossomes of the vnregenerate part who neuer can be but filthy like th' old Adam they flow from In which respect so long as the old Adam is our crooked neighbour which will be all our life-time here we all are euer to pray for the remission of our trespasses Secondly it teacheth vs to offer no word nor worke to God but by his sonne our Mediatour and Hie-priest Christ. And this is by vision signified to S. Iohn in Reuel 8 where the prayers of the Saints are offered vp in the golden censor of the great Angell of Couenant that is Christ Iesus And S. Peter in his 1. ep 2. chap. expresseth it plainely when hee termes the faithfull an holy priesthood for offering vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ â—esus a doctrine right frequent in scripture For this is the Maleác habbèrith the Angel of that couenant who shall sit downe to try and fine the siluer he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold and siluer that they may bring to the Lord in Righteousnâ—sse Thus Christ our Aaron hath perfectly put vpon him all the Iudgement iustice truth and holinesse that was shadowed in Aaron and euerie of Israels hie-priests It remaineth that we by truth of faith doe put on the Lord Iesus Christ as a garment for our able standing before God in his glorious day of iudgement Lect. XXIIII THE Instalments and Garments thus spoken of it now resteth I say something of Arons Action in respect of his sacrificehood and yet thereof but a little It consisteth first in Oblation secondly in Benediction or blessing Oblation is the offering vp of some ceremoniall creature vnto God in the behoofe of the church And this is to be considered first in his offerings presented in the Holy-place or Sanctum secondly in the things which he presented in the most holy or Sanctum Sanctorum The thingâ— offred vp in the Sanctum for the Tabernacle was diuided into the Court Sanctum and Sanctum-sanctorum this Hie-priest had in common with the Minor priests but the Hie-priest still superior in such oblations And these kind of offâ—ings were Daily But an other kind of oblation peculiar to the hie-priest appertained to the sanctum-sanctorum or Most-holy into the which none might enter but the Arch-sacrificer and this only once in the yeare namely in the tenth day of their seauenth month Tishri answering to the most part of our September termed the feast of expiation Leuit. 16. In his daily sacrifice was shadowed forth that Lambe which with God was slain froÌ„ the beginning of the world euen Christ Iesus shadowed in the sacrifices of Adam Abel Sheth and so forward to the time of the lawe And from that time shadowed as in other things so specially in the Legall lambe offered euery morning and night first in the Tabernacle then afterwards in the Temple So that it may well be said of him that hee was killed all the day long yea all the worlds yeares along The Minor-priests that is the Heads of faithful families did ply the shadowing Altare with such types but Christ our Aaron he was the Head-priest and Gouernour of his holy Family who being better then the figure did not offer for his owne sinnes in that he was sinlesse but for the sinnes of his people And this in mysterie he did and doth euer for which he is termed as afore a priest according to the Order of Melâ—hi-tsedek that is an Eternall priest more perfect than that of Aaron But for offering vp himselfe Actually in that our Nature which Really is to satisfie for transgression it was to fall out in the end of the world hebrews 9.26 that is in the last Age or mysticall Day Which oblation as it was himselfe so but One and Once represented by that one day of Expiation wherein the hie-priest was to enter the Most-holy Then the which what can be saide more fully for abolishment of Romish Reall flesh-sacrifice which daily their blasphemous Priests would be thought to offer vp after that by muttering charming breathing they haue made to them the body of a false Christ begotten of Bakeâ—s bread In the generation of which false Christ the Bread is Patient in roome of the Virgin and their vnholy breath is Agent insteade of the Holy-Ghost ouer-shadowing The very repetition of which Stage-play is a sufficient confâ—tation So much briefely of Aarons oblation Aarons Benediction or Blessing it is eyther that which hee powred out vpon inferiour officers or else vpon all the people The inferiour officers were first Minorit-priests secondly Seruiceable Leuites for every Priest vnder the Law was a Leuite but not euery Leuite a priest For these officers ecclesiasâ—â—ke they were blessed of the Hie-priest in their entrance into such function together with other peculiar ceremonies For blessing the people that specially was done at the time of their publike worship as in Leuit. 9.22.23 Numb 6.22 c. the equitie of both lying in that Antient Canon Without all Contradiction the Lesser is to be blessed of the Greater By all which is liuely shadowed that Christ our high-priest is onely hee by whom Minister and people become blessed The heauenly father
would be so farre from taking their long Medusaes shagges for a glorie as they would therein shame and know themselues worthy to be counted for that amongst the number of beasts To whom that ancient adage of ours is adopted Bush-naturall more haire than wit If they would herein be Nazarites then let them as before abstaine from wine from all strong drinks from other dainties and from hauing communion with any vncleanenes And yet if they were minded so to do they should but Iudaize and after a sort preach that Christ is not come in the flesh seeing his so comming is the abolishment of legall shadowes Our Messiah fulfilled this abstinence from Glorie in the roome thereof clothing himselfe with shame not so much in wearing long haire for I know not whether the painter deale rightly therin as in bearing our beastly shamefull Sinnes vpon him aâ— a burden Which sinnes of ours grew and multiplied in length vppon him who is the Churches head and he vnder them mourned till the time of his voluntarie vow was expired And that vow was then fulfilled when vpon the crosse he cryed Tetelestai It is finished 4. Whereas not onelie Samâ—on was tied to these legall obseruances what time he should be borne bâ—t also his Mother is of the Angel enâ—oyned such abstinence before after conception she herein might well resemble the blessed Virgine Marie to whom the Angell Gabriel related the extraordinarie forme of Messiahs conception by the Holy Ghost his ouershadowing Which blessed Virgin no doubt vpon such intelligence would right willingly abstaine from whâ—tsoeuer might vnbâ—seeme such a Glorious generation as also endeuour aftâ—r euery obedience by the which she might be the fitter Temple of the holy-ghost the fitter Mansion for the mightie God of Iaakob With the angell she conferred at Nazaret Luke 1.26 c. and therewithall might secretly obserue that the Holy thing which was to be borne of her he should be some new Samson and extrâ—ordinarie Nazarite Euen hee by whose abstinence Adams Gluttony was to be cured Euen he that should touch no vncleane thing for clensing his mystâ—call bodie and yet should vndergoe our Sin and Shame for a season that so at last he might shaue and sheare it quite off for our Redemption So much as Samson was a Nazarite Lect. XXVII TOuching his Morall or Iudiciall calling I wil obserue first his Preparation thereto secondly his Practise For the Preparation Rúach Iehóuah Iepagnâ—móh the Spirit of Iehouah by turnes acted him or smit him like as a Musitians fingers smit an instrument for effecting melodious harmony which without such stroke would sound nothing Wherein is secretly intimated that not Samson alone but euerie man also is as an instrument strong with the cords of â—eâ—â—e and affection but giuâ—ng forth no true sound otherwise then they be smit and instincted by the sauing Spirit of Iehouah And for such respect it is that the Apostle willeâ—h the Ephesians to make melodie to the Lord iâ— their hearts chap. 5.19 Could Samson not set vpon his Iudiciâ—ll calling tiâ—l this diuine Musicall Spirâ—t camâ— vpon him and acted Nor did our Messiah-Samson attempt such publique calling for deliuering his Israel till the same spirit came vpon hiâ— in the forme of a Doue which spirit else was alwâ—yes with him but quasi latenter as it were in a more hidde manner Samson till he was growen to mans sâ—â—te iâ— scarslie heard of but then the Spirit coms vpon him and driues him forth to skirmish So our great Nazarite conceales himselfe much till he was growen to be about 30. yeares â—ged then he steps forth to Baptisme within the diuine tents of his father where the Holy Ghost commeth vpon him and acts him thence into the wildernes wher he was to begin his skirmish Thus fitted he goes forward and this for the preparation His Practise I will consider first as he hath to doe with a Beast secondy with men mannered like beasts The Beast is a yong cruel Lion which comes roaring vpon Samson whome the Nazarite seizeth on and teareth in fitters By the carcasse of which Lion Samson afterwards comming behold Bees had couched hony therin whereupon he framed that Riddle Out of the Eater came meate and out of the sharpe came sweete Samson hauing a calling to skirmish with vnreasonable men the Lord dealeth with him as sometimes with Dauid he casts a Lion in his way that so conquering that beast he might with more strength of faith lift vp his hand against the vncircumcised And such rude copings as this eueâ—y Nazarite of God meeteth with But in ouercomming such temptations lâ—t them not say that flesh and blood hath deliuered them but that their conquest is by the Spirite of God whose grace is sufficient for them But for the further mysterie I will relate vnto you first the application of a certaine Antient secondly what I conceaue with some other further Augustine by this Lion doth vnderstand such brutish Kings and princes as at the Gospells first out-gate did rore against our Samson Christ Iesus whome finally he did spiritually conquer and bring vnder Who being once subdued to Iesus did afterwards as Isaiah foretolde become nource-fathers and mother-fosterers and feeders of the Lords people And true it is that the earths Gouernours were first such Lions and secondly such profitable Bees in feeding the faithfull with the hony-combes and sweete of their Kingdome Nor neede it be a wonder when as Saul a great Maister of Israel did at first rage and roare against Iesus who afterwarwards being knockt downe and his heart contrited or rent did become of a Saul a Paul of a Persecutor a Professor of a Lion a Lambe of an eater a feeder of many with that foode of the word which Dauid affirmeth to be sweeter then the hony and the hony-combe Psal. 19.10 This age affordeth many such Sauls but few Pauls many Hornets but few Bees much gall and aloës fewe hony-combs Nay which is more the hony-combs which others left to the Church a number doe spoile the Church of them Fight the Lords battailes they may that shall but hony few of them shall catch nor yet a poore hiue to put their heâ—ds in But inough of that lest the wasps sting me In a neerer sence for the head is neerer then the members I doe with some other vnderstâ—nd Satan by this Lion As Saint Peter doth resemble the Diâ—el to a roaring Lion walking about seeking who he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 nor know I but the Apostle may allude to the foâ—mer â—o it welâ— fitteth the time of our Samsons outgate into the wildernesse What time not only he was acted of the holy spirit but also did there meete with hells hungry Lion coâ—e forâ—h against him roaring and bellowing his horrible tâ—ntations But our Samson in the power of his owne word and spiâ—it did cope with that Lion and as Dauid somâ—times did tooâ—e hold of his beard
Iudea All the commaundements comming forth from Princes for furthering the Churches worke they must receiue their Authoriâ—â—e and haue their due reference to the word of our Cyrus the substantial Annointed For of his word much more than that of Medes and Persians it may be said It admitteth no alteration As Princes would not be thought to alter the word of our great Monarch let them bridle the enemies beyond the Riuer that so the foundation of Religion and Church long since laide and by Idolatrers staid it may goe forward be built vpon and rise vp towards perfection Yet when we haue done what we can the Temple will come short of the first the state of the Church in this age nothing comparable to that of the first age Cyrus the vncircumcised must giue place to Salomon the Circumcised and the one worke to the other euen as Salomon was of Christ Iesus a more perfect Shadowe and the first Temple more excellent than the second Though yong-yong-heads will admire the latter while more Ancient spirited weepe at the remembrance of the former 2. Did Cyrus subdue Nations purchase their riches set Captiues at libertie O our great Monarch receiued of his father All authoritie in heauen and in earth for arming his spirituall captaines whereby their ministerie became so effectuall as hie and strong imaginations were brought downe the Nations were subdued to his word Kings of the Nations offer to him their hid treasure as sometimes the Easterne Sophies did to his owne person offer Gold Mirrhâ— and Frankensence For setting such at libertie as before were captiued of satan and chained vnder the power of darkenesse he therein hath beene no lesse glorious O it remaineth that as he hath set vs free so we doe no more entangle ourselues but that setting our faces towards Heauens Zion we labour to be as He-goates before the Flocke drawers of others by our holy example And this we see Quod Cyrus Rex Dominum Saluatorem Nomine designanit factis that King Cyrus both in his Name and Acts doth shadow forth our Lord and Sauiour So much shall suffice for a taste of Personall shadows Lect. XXX Tree of Life Shadowes Sacramentall HAuing thus giuen a taste of shadowes Arithmetical and Personal it now remaineth that I speake something of Sacramentall shadowes The word Sacrament is of right large vse in Ecclesiasticall writings Insomuch as whatsoeuer the Greekes call Mysterion a Mysterie the Latines often terme Sacramentum a Sacrament Which more particularly may appeare in the Olde Latine translation of the new Testament who in Ephes. 5.32 Reuel 17.1 turneth Mysterion by Sacramentum for that in such large sense euery Ecclesiastike secret is a sacrament But after-age hath called it to straiter sence defining that to be onely a sacrament which is Sacri rei signum a Signe of some holy thing Which externall signe is of God appointed for he alone can institute such a signe who can giue the grace thereby signified for assuring his church of some necessarie grace In a word Sacraments as some haue noted are of two sorts the first onely Representatiue the second also Exhibitiue Representatiue sacraments are such-signes as onely represent some grace and that is commonly some common grace And so the Raigne-bow was and is a signe of God his grace or fauor touching the no more destroying of the world by water Paradise and Canaan Representatours of Heauen Noahs Arke the Tabernacle and Temple shadowers of the church Exhibitiue Sacraments are such signes as not onely represent but also doe exhibite vnto the Belieuer the very grace signified and such be the signes of Bread and Wine in the Lords supper of water in Christian Baptisme Of which kinde of sacrament I meane here to insist giuing vnto you an assay thereof first from such sacramentall exhibitiue shadowes as went before the Lawe secondly vnder the Law Before the Law I will propound fiâ—st somewhat of Paradise in the state of Mans innocencie secondly some such shadow as fell out of Paradise in the time of mans nocencie In the Garden I note a certaine peculiar tree placed in the midst therof called The tree of life vnto which tree there is due allusion in Reuel 22.2 which was Simbolum Sacramentum vitae a pledge and Sacrament of life termed of Rabanus sacramentum visibile invisibilis sapientiae a visible sacrament of inuisible wisedome The tree termed The knowledge of good and euil excepted it was permitted Adam to eate of all the other trees therefore also to eat of this sacramentall shadowing tree And hereto it is the Holighost alludeth in Reuelation 2.7 when he saith To hâ—m that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Yet betweene the eating of this and the common trees there was great difference For on the common fruites he was to eate for bodies sustentation but on this peculiar tree for his soules instruction Which caused an Ancient well say in eo erat sacramentum in caeteris lignis â—â—â—â—entum in the tree of life there was a sacrament but in the other trees nourishment And what was this internall sacrament or grace signified Rabanus shall answere Sanctus Sanctorum vâ—ique est Christus it is no other than Christ the Holy of Holies So Haymo on Apoc. 22. Lignum quippe vitae Christus est sapientia dei patris de qua Salomon in Pro. 3.18 dicit Lignum vitae est bis qui apprehenderint â—am qui tenuerit eam beatus He is the Churches life for without feeding on him by faith we with Adam fall vnder the power of Death He indeede is the tree of life planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth forth his fruite in due season whose leafe fadeth not and whatsoeuer hee dooth it shall prosper The best tree he is in the Churches Garden and in the midst of the Court of Conscience he is to be planted But if we flie him for tasting of Antichrists tree a tree of knowledge for good and euill the good of that religion being a cloke of the euill then we deserue to be driuen from the Lord of life euen as Adam was forced from the sacramentall shadow Was Adam then taught that life was the free guift of God How much more now hauing sinned is it the gift of God freely without all demerit Stood Adam then in neede of a sacrament for sustaining his faith How cursed are they then with the Suenkfeldians that pretend such a perfection in this life as needeth no preaching no sacrament When Adam had by reason of his sin cut himselfe voluntarily from the Lord of life was he therevpon driuen from the externall signe of life Yea for teaching the gouernors of the Church to seclude such from sacramentall signes as first haue openly and impenitently cast behind them the thing signified And thus in Paradise vnder shadowes the Gospel was
shadow exhibitiue shall be the Passeouer The Passeouer is a certaine sacred feast instituted to Israel of Iehouah what time they were presently to depart out of Aegipt that ancient house of Bondage For the better vnderstanding whereof I will first obserue the Name secondly the Thing it selfe The name in the Originall is Pesach from whence the New Testaments language hath Pascha and in our old language Pase it signifieth no other than a Trans-ition or Passing-ouer Which terme of Passeouer is giuen to this feast from the Angel his Passing-ouer the Houses of such as kept this feast when in other houses hee slew the first-borne of Man and Beast Exod. 12.12 For the Feast it selfe it offers to our considerations first the Time when Secondly the Meate what Thirdly the manner How it was then to be applied The time offers to vs first the Moneth secondly the Day thirdly the Houre The Moneth is termed Abib in English a stalke of corne with the eare so termed for that Israel in it was to offer the first fruites of corne to Iehouah Iosh. 5.11 Leuit. 23.14 and not onely because in that moneth the greene eares of corne appeared Which month is made excellent otherwise for where before they held onely a Ciuill accompt of the yeare beginning with Tishri answerable to the greater part of our September for the worlds creation they held to beginne with the Autumnes Equinoctiall seeing Adam had at first a ripe haruest this Abib was so the seauenth answering with the beginning of the Springs Equinoctiall entring in March But now by a new accompt called the Ecclesiastike reckoning the Ciuill seauenth is made the Churches first and Head-month Which in regard of the shadowing feast doth not onely leade vs to Christ as he is the head of the Church from whose raigne in their hearts the faithfull are to take their accompt but also to Christ rising fresh and greene in that moneth the first fruites of our bodies Resurrection rising vp to heauens glorie And that he was this corne remember his owne speach verily verily I say vnto you Except the wheate-corne fall into the ground and die it bideth alone But if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Iohn 12.24 When saint Peter therefore of a blind good meaning did labour to stay his Maister from so dying our Sauiour termes him Satan or Aduersarie To what To the much fruite which would arise by his dying And this the Spirite foretolde long before in Salomons psalme saying Pissath-bar c. An handfull of corne or a particle or moytie of corne shal be in the head of the Mountaines The fruite thereof ijrgnash shal burst out as that of Lebanon And they shall flourish from the Cittie as the hearb of the Earth psal 72.16 Plainely did the spirite so fore-tell what great abundance of faithfull people should arise from that one blessed graine of wheate sowne and dying The very word Bar not onely signifying Corne but also and that more vsually a Sonne Yea where Ben implieth an ordinary sonne Bar importeth a Sonne of excellencie and so it is giuen to the Sonne of God in Psal. 2.12 A graine of him namely his humane body it was sowne in the earth this month of Abib But the third day after it rose it needed not three months with shadowing corne and with it rose the bodies of many Matthew 27.52 53. shewing himselfe thereby the Lord of life and resurrection O let vs sanctifie the first fruites of our nature vnto him who in the first fruites of our nature hath dyed for our redemption risen for our Iustification and ascended for our Glory The month so considered the Day followes The Day is twofold first the tenth day wherein the Animall was prepared secondly the fourteenth day wherein it was slaughtered For the tenth day Rabanus well obserueth that Christ Iesus represented by the paschall Lambe he publiquely preached in Ierushalem so long before the feast day setting himselfe so apart to be crucified the fourteenth Nor is it vnlike that so many dayes before the Iudas Iscariot had concluded in his heart the betraying of Iesus Which length of time doeth make his sinne more egregious namely a considerate sinne in an hâ—rd heart not all that while relenting Some other scruples touching our Sauiours time of eating the passe-ouer and his crucifixion I here passe by For the Houre of this feast it was béin hâ—ágnarbaijm betweene the two euenings What time is that Interuallum oblationis occasus it is saith one that time which passeth betweene the euenings oblation and the Sunne sette But with Beza and our marginall translation I take it to be the Twy-light and the rather because Gâ—èâ—èb implieth a mingling Of what of light and darkenâ—sse being deriued of Gnárab to betroth for that it is the betrothâ—ng or coupling together of two dayes And in this feast it was the coupling together of the fourteene and fifteene day about the Sunnes setting which mixture of time wee terme Twilight and the Hebrewes gnarbaijm Thus the tenth day of the first moneth the Animall was deputed to death the fourteenth day iâ— died And like inough about the third houre of the after noone in the dayes twelue houres it being the ninth the Animall died the very time that Messiah yeelded vp the ghost And in the twilight after the Paschall feast begunne as a sanctification of light and darkenesse and of all times to the faithfull feeders of Iesus So much of the Feasters time not medling at all with the feast of vnleauened bread his time adioyned This Paschall feasts-meate was a yeareling of the sheepe or the Goates that is a lambe or kidde being a yeare old The perfection of age did argue the fulnesse of Christ Iesus who also is termed our Passouer and paschall Lambe 1. Cor. 5.7.1 Pet. 1.19 for the creature lambe or kidde in the one of them was represented Innocency in the other Nocency The Lambe an innocent thing not opening the mouth against the shearer the yoong goate a nocent harmefull creature The lust therefore compared to sheepe and placed on Christ the great-shepheard his right hand the wicked therefore compared to Goates and put apart on Christs left hand as is the Diuel and his Angels But how could Christ be represented in either For the Lambe none doubteth seeing that hee onely was without blemish and no guile was found in his mouth For being a yoong-goat it was for that he was not onely hostia pro peccato an oblation for sinne but also because he was of God made sinne for vs who otherwise knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 In taking a Lambe for the feast they were to see the innocency in Christ but in taking a yoong-goat they might see our nocency and damnable guilt vpon him This briefly of the meate Now to the maner How it was to be applied first before the eating secondly in the eating thirdly