CERTAINE VErie worthie godly and profitable Sermons vpon the fifth Chapiter of the Songs of SOLOMON Preached by BARTIMEVS ANDREAS Minister of the word of God Published at the earnest and long request of sundrie well minded Christians ESAY 62.6.7 I haue set watchmen on thy walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease yee that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence And giue him no rest till he repayre and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the worlde 2. TIM 2.19 But the foundation of God remayneth sure and hath this zeale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas man 1583. TO THE RIGHT honorable and my very good Lorde Henrie Earle of Huntington Lorde Hastings Hungerforde Botreaux Mullens Moyles of the most honorable order of the garter Knight Lord president of the Queenes Maiesties councel established in the North parts Bartimeus Andrewes wisheth increase of all true honour and the fruition of all those blessed promises which concerne this life and the life to come Amen BEING at the last ouercome right honorable by the long and earnest request of diuers Godly and wel disposed christians to yeeld my consent to the publishing of this to homly and simple a worke I forthwith was resolued in my selfe to dedicate the first fruits of my labour in this kinde of wryting vnto your honour as to a most worthy MECOENAS and conuenient Patron both of all learning and good causes And albeit at the first blush it may seeme some what straunge vnto your honour that I should presume to present you with so simple a gift being vnworthy the view of so honorable a personage and wise Yet because I do it not as one expecting anye temporall benefite or preferment at your hand as the maner of the worlde for the most part in such matters is But as a token rather of my speciall good will and duety towards you and an argument of thankfulnesse vnto God for his graces in you as also to minister some occasion of increase and going forwarde with constancy and Heroicall spirite in so good gracious and Godly wayes as you haue turned your feete to steppe in already I perswade my selfe therefore of your facile and curteous nature and good will in accepting of the same And euen this small duety of wryting is one point of the honouring and gratifying of our betters and those to whom we stand charged from the Lorde to perfourme duties of reuerence and honour Especially when we see the Image of God by the seconde creation to shine in them as it doth breake forth in your honourable and vertuous brest by many worthy and commendable graces and vertues with the plausible approbation fame and report both of the wise and Godly I speake not this as one that would fill the trompe of flattery with the winde of vaine-glorious praise to seeme to speake for your honour to the worlde for that is not my maner sith your vertuous religious and Godlye wayes speake for them selues to your great commendation and your euerlasting praise in Christe Iesus But I speake of the worke of God in you right honorable that God might haue his iust glory in his owne worke and your selfe might also be incouraged with comfort to proceede and increase in that good course so as the worke of God which is begun might be perfited in you For sure it is my very good Lord that the enemy of mankind seeketh to beset as all men so specially those whome the Lorde beginneth to frame to him selfe but chieflyest those that are as it were ouer frayghted with the aboundaunce of the troublesome affayres of this present life by reason of their great calling For they whom God calleth to so great honour riches and dignity are as one wisely wryteth set vpon the mayne sea of occasions in daunger to bee drenched and swallowed vp of the tempestuous rages and surging waues of diuers temptations if the Lorde doe not mightely by his grace support and vnderstay them But when God standeth by them and frameth their heartes to the loue of his truth then doth he reape great honour and glory at their handes VVhich he highly priseth and reckoneth off insomuch that he hath honorably spoken of such by his Prophetes that they shoulde bring much glory to his Church Esay 49.23 60.16 and be nursing fathers and nursing mothers therevnto yea the glory of LEBANON euen of great personages shal come togeather to beautify the place of my sunctuary saith the Lorde for I will glorify the place of my feete Esay 60.13 For the seruice which such shoulde doe to his Church was not a seruile condition but a beautifying of his Church as it is there called and a glory euen vnto him selfe And vndoubtedly blessed are those Princes Nobles honourable and worshipfull who them selues imbracing and obeying the truth sincerely become presidentes and examples in their owne persons to allure others to the fellowship of the church to the loue of the worde and true religion For the fall or vprising of many after a sort dependeth vpon the publique persons whom God hath lift vp in high places ouer others Insomuch as the eyes of the multitude are bene vpon the examples of publique persons Furthermore wee see from time to time howe the Church of God not without great cause accounted highly of such personages as those by whom they receiued speciall blessings from the Lorde So the church of Israel Psal 21.6 made precious account of DAVID that worthy Prince as one that was set of God as blessings for euer Meaning as a benefite and testimony of Gods fauour vpon his people EZEKIAH NEHEMIAH Neh. 1. 2. Hag. 1.14 Ier. 40. 2. Chr. 35.25 ZERVBBABEL GEDALIAH c. were great blessings to the Church who greatly lamented the losse of thē Also IOSIAH his death was lamented with a doleful lamentation of al the church of IVDA And sure it is that our Church hath great cause to magnifie the mercies of God towards vs in trusting vs with so gracious a IOSIAH as our Soueraigne Princesse ELIZABETH as by whose gouerment the church hath receiued many blessings The losse of whome if our sinns should procure which the Lord keep far from vs would yeeld no lesse occasion for vs to complayne and say then the Churche of IVDA had Lamen 5.20 at the death of IOSIAH when they sayd Our life the breath of our nostrels the annoynted of the Lorde vvas taken in their nets of vvhome we sayd vnder his shadow vve shall be preserued aliue among the heathen Herevnto god hath added further matter of ioy and thankfulnes vnto his Churche in that many nobles worthy personages of this land both learned Godly and wise among whom your honour hath not the least roome are faythfull Patrons of the cause of
sleepe and make them drouzie For when my heart in the beginning of my calling began to yeelde towards the Lord and to be somewhat wakened then the pleasures of sinnes past the shame of reproches which I saw to be vttered of the world against the Godly the basenes of the Gospell the daungers of trials in the professing of christ Iesus the glittering and deceiuable pleasures of this life the holding of friendship with the worlde and worldly friends but especially the manifolde daungers and intollerable waightines of this high calling of the preaching of the word to deale with it purely and sincerely as in the sight of God from God through Christ these thinges helde tacke with me a long time and a thousand other thinges amazed me so as I aunsweared my calling at the first but as one a stammed or in a sleepe or dreame Let euery man therefore among you in good earnest deale with his owne heart for it is full of deceitfulnesse Euery moouing of the hearte and hopping for ioye after Christ is not a right moouing For so he that receiued the seede with ioye Math. 13.20 might haue beene in Christ who yet vannished againe Thou mayest thinke that thy heart is maruailous affectioned after Christe and that thou ioyest in him when as thy affection truely tryed is altogeather carnal and filthy Yea many no doubt perswade them selues that they haue Christ sure in their heartes that they are in his fauour that they are euen hugged in his armes and that they shall bee saued by him as well as the best which yet neuer so much as truely knew Christ nor tasted of him and are furthest off from being saued by him A man would think beloued that there could not be any such deceitfulnsse in mans hearte that when they are most sure they should be most deceiued The reason is because they perswade themselues to be of Christ if they do but speak of him though the fruictes and effectes of Christs residence are not to be seen in them For when Christ truely taketh possession of men occupieth the roome of their harts there his death is strōg to expell Sathan the worlde sinne euil thoughtes yea to destroy and pull downe sathans kingdome Also his resurrection is not idle in his saints but sanctifieth the heart thoughts minde will affections and vnderstanding yea reformeth the whole man within and without that he is chaunged and becommeth a new creature his words lookes gestures and all his members bewray a holy and spiritual chaunge which although it be not wrought all at once but by degrees yet men must not loyter and flacke their pace to aspire to perfection I haue marked by experience within these fewe yeares that many whom the Lord hath called to the loue of his Gospell from their former euil and ciuill life that they haue bene very diligent and painefull in hearing the worde at the first neglecting their callings and trades yea more then was expedient sometimes yet after a while when they had somewhat waded in the worde that they haue come to some knowledge or some other gift haue againe much neglected the worde prayer and other holy exercises both in publick and also in their priuate families and so againe somewhat sleeping in their pleasures and profites Thus men sleepe and are easly drawne to it but let them take héed that their hearts sleepe not It standeth Christians in hand to looke to them selues sith they haue so daungerous a nature and deceauable as also so hurtful enemies of Sathan and the world Many a man and woman when God calleth them and their hearts begin to ayme after the Lorde and they are forced to acknowledge the power of his word and to condemne and find fault with their corruptions yet they sleepe One deferreth of the Lord with this excuse Oh I haue a trade and I must follow it I could find in my hart to heare the worde and to doe as other do but I must liue and I please God as wel sayth another in my trade c. as in going to Sermons Here is a sleepe that falleth vpon men that they might not wake at the Lords call and suit Why God promiseth not to blesse any man in his calling though he prospereth the contemners to their condemnation somtime to make them inexcusable vnlesse they are carefull to obey his word and wil. And it is a greater worke to worship God and to heare his worde is a part of his worship then to labour in our trade I bind no man from following his calling but to bee diligent in it yet so that the Lorde haue his part at our handes and that wee serue not oure owne turnes and the worlds and so neglect the Lordes worship yea and our owne saluation which is brought vnto vs by the preaching of the gospell Others there are whose heartes somewhat melt at the word praier and good things would fain haue part in thē but eyther some seueral sinnes which they do not thoroughly set them selues against and vse means to mortify but they breake forth at euery occasion so as they are a sléep againe and yet the heart may haue some waking after Christ These do hinder them make their heart almost a sléep and faint vnto any duties or els wanting the means to stir them vp being of themselues lubbrish to seek the means hauing their minds too much occupied in the world or els shame deteining them or feare of laws taking holde of them of the wicked spying them out c. they neglect all good meanes that may do them good Thus euery man may complain and say I am asleepe but few see the daunger of their sleepe and so labor to stirre vp themselues from sleep as the spouse doth here but it is to be feared that many men are a sleepe euen in their hearts which hope better of themselues and that is a dangerous sleepe Awake therfore truely out of sleeep and sinne not Let vs therfore good christians in the loue of Christ Iesus and of our own soules searche and suruey all the corners of our harts that there lie hid nothing in vs that may holde vs back frō following of Christ yea let euery one of vs say here Lord we are at hād to wait vpon thée our souls body doth delight in the liuing God That we may thus shake of al sleepy drowzy worldly cares affections and watch to wayt vpon the Lordes call that we may be ready willingly at a beck to imbrace him heartely in our soules which grace God graunt vs. Amen Thus we see in this circumstance of the lets that is interlaced here in a word what lets are with in vs which make our hearts heauy to looke vp to Christ Iesus Yet we must note that the spouse laboured to waken herself and giueth not place to sleeping but museth and calleth to minde her louers voyce making suit to be intertained Oh sayth shee This is
lowe a course should seeme as a starie borrowing light from others and yet so as giuing light to some But because God hath his glory aswell of the interiour plances and fixed startes in their order and degree as of the Sun and the great lights in their excellencie I doubted not but was perswaded that in my calling degree measure place assigned me of God I should both do good and be helpful to the simple at least ignorant if not to the learned and also should bring some glory vnto that God from whom I haue receiued that vvhich I haue Casting mine eyes therefore of from the scornefull reproches of the worlde from the malice and enuie of the caâ—pers and from the suspitious heart of them which suspect all things and finally from the regard of mortall men my heart being directed to the Lord on whom onoly I waite mine eyes turned toward his Church whoÌ„ I dearly tender in the Lord I was forced to yeelde to this worke which I haue taken in hand yet so that after the request of many which hard these fewe Sermons that follow not with out some comfort and profite as they saide I yeelded to trie what I coulde doe in penning of them as I vttered them so neere as I could after which thing done and beeing seene of some althoâ—gh I neuer thought to haue it passe out of my hands yet had I it not onely coppied out by others but also I was exceedingly charged by them that I should dishonour God in concealing of the thing and should doe great iniurie to many soules which might reape special comfort thereby themselues being witnesses against me of that comfort and benefite which they should want by the withholding therof insomuch as it was likely to be preferred vnto publishing without my knowledge or consent if I had not yeelded For which causes I haue taken in had to prefix these few words Humbly intreating that no man misiudge of this my poore trauaile Now if any marueil at these long excuses preceeding any other matter it is therefore that I might satisfie the godly in rendring a reason of the publishing hereof being of my selfe timerous and suspicious of mine owne workes as such which I recken vnworthy the publike view of men But God grant it may profite the simple and godly at least for whose sake I haue chiefly done it Also of the otherside to staye the mutterings of the malicious enuions suspitious men Now in that I haue laboured so neere as I could to pen it downe in such maner as it was vttered by me hauing some notes of the same deliuered vnto me so as by the reason of the exhortations the matter will seeme more rarely a great deale in reading then when it is vttred with liuely voyce and godly zeale vvhereby it hath the greater force to moue being the ordinarie meanes appointed of God to saue men yet because writings do longe seede memorie then vvords spoken they vvhich wanted the vse of the first shall yet haue the benefite of the vvritten letters to their longer remembrance I am therfore humbly to craue of the christiaÌ„ reader that thou accept these first fruites of my labor in this kind of vvriting if ther be any thing vvorth the accepting as I hope and am persvvaded thou shalt finde them not altogether barin though the homlinesse of exhortation and basenesse of style may want plausibilitie to some yet the matter vvill sauour comfortably to those which are seasoned vvith grace and in whome God hath begun in deede a true Christian calling and humbled in a true sight of themselues so as they are able to surueie their owne hearts and to discry their vvants and infirmities The first part of the chapiter the calling of the chuâ—ch or faithfull and are therewithall carefull to make supply of their vvantes by thirsting after grace the means wherby the same is offered conueied into the faythfull For my labour was in the handling of this fifth Chapiter of the CANTICLES to lay forth as I could the calling vvhereby Christ calleth his Church and faythfull to the participation of his heauenly riches and the suite which he maketh to bee entertained of his Church with some reasons of waight annexed vnto his suite to make it the more forcible that men might be made priuie vnto the means of their calling which is the first part of the Chapiter in generall Then secondly I haue noted hovve the faythfull come on by degrees and in what manner they obey their Christian calling The second part the maner of their comming on or obeying of their calling what stovve proceedings they make vvhat lets they meete withal how they hang of and on a long time with the Lord or euer they conclude and make vp the match with him in their heartes Novv though these things are displayed in figures and presented to vs in darke speeches by SOLOMON yet shall vve by the grace of God see the sence meaning and vse of them by the Scriptures In these two parts of this chapter with the particulers that shal be noted out of them in the processe of the matter I doubt not but vvhosoeuer shal read with a single eye vnto the ende shall finde both instruction and much comfort to his soule and conscience therein For in the first Sermon and part of the second the suite of Christ calling his Churche to obedience and to the pertaking of his grace is handled with such reasons alledged by him as might mooue any tractable nature to yeeld vnto his suite The other three Sermons with most of the second are spent in shevving the manner how the godly come on in their calling how they obey First the lets which the saints of God meete withall And first the manifolde lets and incumbraunces both at home in themselues and abroad in others which fetter tye the children of God are discouered hovv hardly slowly they proceede in their christian course yea howe long or they enter into it till the Lord as it were force them forward and finde them out in their delayes Hauing in themselues so many pulbackes lurking in their ovvne nature First lets in our selues which make their hearts so drovvzie and vntovvard as they seeke shifts to â—oorde of the Lorde and not to aunsvvere their inwarde calling and when they are comming on they finde them selues vnfiâ—te slovve and vnapt euen to those duties vvhiche they dâ—sire heartilye to performe whereby they feele sometime this discommoditie that vvhen they seeke after Christ Iesus coueting to bee refreshed and satisfied vvith his Loue they finde him as it vvere stepped aside as thoughe the Lorde absented him selfe from them had reiected them and woulde not bee founde of them For the Cloudes of the infirmities of the Saintes of GOD are so greate sometimes in their ovvne sighte vvhen they are truely humbled and so thicke that they blem sh the sighte of Gods fauoure so
as they can not discrye the brightnesse thereof at times when they couet moste to feele it Yea when they groane in the secretes of their heartes for it vnto God calling after him by Prayer beeing Sutors for it a long time betweene hope and dispayre not feelinge the comforte of his fauoure but suspecting rather vvhen yet they are in best state yea in best assuraunce of his grace though they feele it not for the time Sith they retayne a true heartye and vnfeyned desire to taste of that fauoure which for the time they can not feele For tâ—at desire after his fauoure vvith a loathing of oure selues for sinne is an infallible argument of the interest which the Spirite of God hath in the beleeuers Especially when that desire inforceth them to vse the meanes wherebye God offereth himselfe vnto vs. Namely to heare the word preached vvhere God is residente vvith his perver and to praye often and heartilye Math. 18. â—0 for to suche God promiseth him se fe to bee presente Thus it pleaseth the Lorde to exercise his Sayntes by holding aloofe from them sometime that they mighte bee made priuye to their ovvne infirmityes and mighte see the lettes that lye hidde in them selues which hinder them and so laboure to shunne them VVhich things the second Sermon cheefly doth handle The thirde Sermon spendeth it selfe partly in laying foorth the lette 2. Le ts abroaâ—e in others vvhich the faythfull finde abroade in others vvhereby sathan seeketh to discourage them by the reproche of the vvicked by the contempte of the vvorlde and enuye of the malicious and spightfull aduersaries VVhich albeit they shrewdly dismay the Saintes of God for a time yet in the end they shal see by the example of the spouse how to ouerstride all stumbling blocks For God causeth the fayth of his children to breake out so much the more how much the more it is impugned A second circumstance of the maner of the comming on of the faâ—thful is also ther noted namely how they recouer their zeal and stir vp themselues to a more diligent inquiring after Christ wheÌ„ they see what lets ther are in themselues in other 2. The recouering of the zeal of the faythfull notwithstanding lets which would defeat them of the benefit of Christe Iesus their eternall louer VVherby they break out into a famous descrâ—ption of Christ Iesus alluring others thereby to h ue part with them in him And in the fourth sermon is set down the great fruit and Senesit that commeth to the church faithfull by the mutuall profession conference and commending of the graces of God one to another How other by that meanes are dravvne on to the Lorde Zac. 8.22.23 as vvas prophesied of the Churche of the Gentiles that they shoulde flocke to the Iewes and associate themselues to the Church when they shoulde here that God was with them The fifth and last sermon sheweth the conclusion of the whole hovve the church spouse of Christ Iesus namely the true beleeuers doth assure her selfe of the loue of Christe tovvardes her 3. The conclusion of the match 1. The vnity between Christ the faithful when thee feeleth the Testimonies of his residence in her in which conclusion is matter of moste singuler comfort First the vnity wherby Christ and the faythfull become one so as they can neuer be seuered is comfortably I hope though plainly handled where the godly may see how to be assured that they are one with Christ euen in this life so coÌ„sequeÌ„tly after a sort one with God himself that the faithful caÌ„nnot be cut of or vtterly seuered froÌ„ him so long as God himself Christ remaineth Secondly the certainty of perseuerance 2. The certainty of the saluation of the beleeuers and their perseuerance of the saluatioÌ„ of the saints of God wherby they may in som measure assure theÌ„selues of their saluation euen in this life is at large proued against the assertioÌ„ of the Papistes against al the replies that our nature maketh to desâ—aâ—â—â—s of the comfort of that assurance VVhâ—ch last sermon let me desire thee to read good christian with the spirit of sobernes and iudgement VVhich I haue only written for the comfort of the afflicted conscience Yet so that the enemies of grace the Libertines I hope shal haue smal aduauntage therby to soâ—th them selues in their loose Libertye but rather matter to humble them selues yea euen to condemne themselues if God smyte them with the Spirite of iudgement Thus haue I breefly giuen thee a taste christian reader of the pryncipal matters handled in larger circumstances in this litle volume perswading my selfe both of thy diligence in perusing them to the end and of thy accepting in good worth and fauourable construing of this worke as also of thy moderation equity of mind in casting away all sinister affections in reading thereof fith I commit my selfe to the iudgement of those that are neyther ignorant nor malitious And now to conclude commending thee vnto God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further and to giue thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified I humbly beseech the Lorde our God euen the God of peace that hee will make thee perfect in all good works to do his will working in thee that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christe To whome be prayse for euer and euer Amen Thine in the Lorde B. Andrewes Certaine very worthy Godly and profitable Sermons vpon the songs of Solomon FOR somuch as right dearely beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christ by the prouidence of God I am come among you at this time where I am likely to stay a few dayes I thought good as my maner is to spend the time in bestowing on you some portion of such Talentes as the Lorde in some measure hath enriched me with all My purpose is therfore the Lord ayding me with his holy spirite in this so holy and weighty a worke as the preaching of his sacred worde is to handle vnto you for some good considerations the fifth Chapter of the excellent songs of Solomon with the two firste verses of the sixth Chapter as it is read in the common translation but I reade them with the fifth chapter for the causes that shall be alleaged when I come to the handling of them the Chapter followeth to this effect Canticles 5. 1 I Am come into my garden my Sister my spouse I gathered my myrrhe with my spice I ate mine honye combe with mine bony I dranke my wine with my milke eate O friendes drinke and make you mery O welbeloued 2 I sleep but mine heart waketh it is the voyce of my welbeloued that knocketh saying Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled for mine head is full of dewe and my locks with the droppes of the night 3 I haue put of my coate how shall I put it on I haue
Sathan and sinne the worlde and our owne selues to match with Christ Iesus and bee gouerned vnder him hee will vouchsafe to embrace vs and receiue vs to fauour Oh therefore good people as you loue your owne souls let me intreate and in intreating let me obtaine that you will vnfeignedly loue Christ Iesus againe I maye not leaue you til I obtaine at your handes O that I coulde so vndermine your hearts and vse my speech so as I might preuaile with you and speede for so gracious a sutor and louer Alas my deare brethren we haue serued our owne lustes too too long already For is it not sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lustes drunkennesse pride selfeloue couetousnes gluttony drinkings and such other abhominations 1. Pet. 4.3 Let the rest of our life be consecrate vnto God for we haue played the filthy harlots too much and haue mocked with the Lord a long time We haue made many fayer promises and shewes of loue but in vaine some of vs for we haue turned to our owne filthines againe and not liued chaste in our soules before the Lorde so as it is wonder that he hath not giuen vs a bil of diuorcement al this time and turned vs out of doores Let vs therefore humble our selues before the bill of diuorcement be published against vs. Alas let not the loue of this world though it séeme neuer so gorgious rich and precious in our eyes deceiue vs so that our loue shoulde be set vpon that and Christe shoulde be gainesayd who hath beene at great cost with vs. Some refuse to ioyne with Christ because they are wedded to their pleasures and profits and are loth to be weaned from them Some thinke Christe to homely and plaine for them and not gallant ynough to maintayne them in their pride in their great ruffes gorbellies broadred heare and a thousande such vanities which hinder them from matching with Christ The courtlike minions drowned in their pleasures are ashamed of the playnes of Christ for they that are in kinges housen weare soft apparell but Christe is without such pompe Othersome refuse him because he is deformed and worne with afflictions being loath to vndergo the crosse with him Othersome imbrace him willingly so farre as their pleasures and commodities reache and as they may liue easely but when Christ looketh to haue their loue in trouble in pouerty in shame in dishonor then they leaue him as most faithlesse and shamelesse strompetes Other some vse Christ as a band to couer their vnchast and filthy life and as a cloake to couer their vncleannesse when in professing of him they thinke to set a good face on the matter countenance themselues by him though they priuily nourish pamper most vile beastly affections yea vglesome monsters at home as a harlot which taketh a husband is bear his name as an outward honesty and yet let out her body most shamelesly to other men who cutteth off her selfe by her vnfaithfulnesse from her husband So shal al such haue a bill of diuorcement and bee vtterly caste off from Christe Iesus vnlesse they repent Christ I say is come into his Garden by his ministers and ouerlooketh his Church labouring by his worde to draw men more neere vnto him for his word is his errande or suite which he maketh to vs and the free deed of feofment which hee maketh to his Spouse of his inheritaunce so as we must by faith set our hand to it doing all seruices and loyalties due to the Lorde who holdeth the prerogatiue ouer vs. Yet we refuse to make sure this our estate vnto vs or to match with Christe affiauncing our selues wholy vnto him both body and soule to be sanctified to the vse of holinesse and righteousnesse Surely there is iust cause that we should yeeld to this suite to eat of his pleasures with him to make merry with Christ in this his roial banquet and to match our selues to him In deed there is a great inequalitie in the match that the sonne of God should come downe from heauen indued in our â—â—â—she to espouse him self to mans soul which was forfeited into the hand of sathan and hel so as modesty might seeme to be an excuse to hold vs backe but it is not that which hindreth vs but euen pride selfeloue contempt ignorance worldly mindednesse and such like Cast off therefore al lets and yeeld ouer your selues to the Lorde sith he hauing all riches offereth to participate the same with vs and intreateth vs so to doe by his seruantes If we seeke for a rich match Lo he is most rich If for honor and dignity he is most honorable and king of al kings If for pomp he hath al the glory of his father If for beauty and person he is most beautifull and personable If for pleasure he hath all true pleasures If for ease he offereth true rest and ease euen to our soules If we seeke to match with an honest stock who is more honest gratious louing and holy then the sonne of God Who loketh not to our person beauty riches stock or pareÌ„tage for we come al off the rotten poore beggerly deformed Psal 44.3 and defiled race of Adam but beholdeth vs in him selfe and as the Hebrwes speake pleaseth him selfe in vs and so sanctifieth vs in him self to become a noble generation and kingly priesthood 1. Pet. 2.9.10 yea he hath mercy on her that was not pittied Hosh 2.23 Thus we see that Christ in whom all riches are without measure is not a niggarde to kéep theÌ„ to himself but most frankly frely he imparteth theÌ„ al to his church and participateth euen his own glory with his saintes so as he hath giuen charge to his angels to becom the princely gard of his quéen which is the company of the beléeuers whom the Lord sanctifieth to be holy without spot and wrinckle For we must not looke to be at our owne wil and follow our owne minds but must be at the commandement of our spiritual husband Christe Iesus to doe his will renouncing our owne will and corrupt affections and become new creatures For they that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the lusts desires thereof Gal. 5.24 and let him that is in Christ become a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 And this is it that frayeth men from Christ because they are loath to vnder go his burthen and yoke to cast of the world leuing theÌ„selues behind theÌ„ to follow Christ And true it is vntil we are truely won vnto christ affianced to him by faith forsaking our own selues we are in the state of damnation Let vs therfore vpon paine of damnation forsake our selues the world Sathan sinne and our owne worthines and stand to the Lords curtesie yea let vs wed our selues to him seruing him with obedient heartes preseruing our thoughtes affections and
affect me so as I am forced to listen but yet as a far off as one in a dreame or drouzie hauing mine eyes heauy but my faith is not vtterly extinguished for that my heart is pricked and mooued at him but I am so fettred with the things of this life and my corrupt nature lingereth about these earthly vanities so that I am as in a sléepe and slumber when my loue speaketh For the spouse complayneth of her vntowardnes finding fault with her selfe and accusing her selfe of her flacknes Solomon therfore here in the person of the spouse discouereth the estate of the faithful noting how hardly they are throughly brought on vnto Christe and how long it is or euer we yéelde to his suite so as he hath much a do to get any aduauntage at our heartes they are so inuironed with the loue of the thinges of this life For the worlde holdeth her owne in vs so long as it can and we naturally wedded therevnto securely sléeping in the inticing deceiuable pleasures therof do suffer the vanities of this life to seke too too deeply into our bowels for horor promotions dignities titles credite riches possessions and the company of those that we haue pleasured in before our calling doe make sore assaults vpon men that the lord cannot easily vndermind them a long tyme. And what is the reason that men sleepe in these earthly pleasures and profites euen then when their heartes are by many priuie motions of the spirite affectioned or moued towards Christ after a sort Or why are men so hindred from yeelding wholy vnto christ by these transitory things For sooth because Sathan abuseth the lawfull thinges of this life to poyson man withall For vnder the title of lawfulnes sathan beguileth and bewitcheth the heartes of men to breake foorth into al intemperate vse of profites and pleasures as thus to eate drinke to bye sell to exchaunge to labour in a trade to marry to prouide necessaries of this life to be in honor to be rich to vse profits and pleasures to weare apparell and such like are thinges in themselues lawful now sathan inueigleeh men closely rounding them in the eare perswadeth them that sith they are lawful men may vse them at their pleasure and satisfy their destres in thē to the full thus he stealeth the greatest part of mens heartes to the world crouding vp the Lord but in a corner of their heartes yea thrusteth him altogeather out sometimes taking their pennyworthos of the worlde but letting the Lorde and his kingdome fal to the ground Howbeit Christe teacheth vs to take another course Math. 6.33 First to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all other things shall be cast vnto vs. Also Paul teacheth vs to vse these thinges as though we vsed them not hauing our affections remoued and freed from them least they become incombrances to fetter and cloy vs that we fayle in heauenly duties Lo then how the saints of God also are many times holden a loufe from following of Christ and listening to the voyce of his worde euen then when their heartes linger after him Thus haue they lets in them selues and vntowardnes to keep them from a choerful following of Christ But we must valiantly striue against these lets and ouerstryde al stumbling blocks to hasten towards him whom we loue For we shal be sure to be holden backe ynough yea euen our selues finde delaies to driue off the time in following our God calling vs. For the pleasures and profites of this life do so ceaze vppon our affections to take them vp into the seruice of the world sathan and sinne that we haue smal lust to serue God as is required Any of all the saintes of God can easely testifie with me that euen when Christ hath by the preaching of his worde somewhat drawne our heartes towardes him yet we make stay at euery smal let vnlesse we are marueilous watchful ouer our selues For how hath the Lorde made suite to vs and presented it to our heartes by many priuy motions of his spirite which we quench againe sometimes hauing our heartes possessed againe with filthy lusts We make many beginninges and commings on But alas if sathan make neuer so little suit to vs in the behalfe of our own lustes pleasures or profits how soone are we a sleepe at Christes suit but marueilous waking vnto the suit of Sathan though sometime the heart goeth against it Some are loath to be weaned from their vaine companie when they haue yet some lingring in their hearts after Christe Some haue much a doe to renounce speciall sinnes that haue deepely rooted and strongly ruled in their nature afore their calling Othersome loath to yeelde vp their pleasures gaminges profites riches estimation honor promotions c. I meane not that they shoulde vtterly cast off their honor or calling but renounce the ouermuch loue of thē which holdeth them frō following of God sincerely or furthering of religiō carefully Othersome are holden a sléep in the cares of this life some ouercharged with the troubles of a family and crosse thinges in their housholde become drowzie and slacke to listen vnto Christe so as many step backe againe If God cal some ruffian or famous wicked man or one that hath beene a companion of vaine persons then this commeth into his head if I take this course and follow the hearing of his word and keepe company with the Godly sure the worlde wil point me out I shall be laughed at of my companions and so shall become a signe to nod the head at amongst men Thus shame disputeth with many men when God beginneth to turne their heartes and to worke in them a disliking of their former life so as men aunsweare their inward calling but as men in a sleepe and halfe amazed til God worke further in them Also when God beginneth to frame the heart of some honorable or worshipful man to the obedience of his Gospel to here it and preferre the preaching of it then these replies are made of the worlde which hold them in a slumber for the time Syr say they you shall loose your estimation in the court and among the great men you shall not be so regarded as you haue beene such grauitie and melancholike passions of sadnes as the Gospell bringeth beseemeth not your honorable and worshipful estate These are the engines of sathan yea these are his charmes wherby he laboureth to lull euen the Godly a sleepe that they might not cheerfully waight vppon their calling But the saints of God though in their beginninges these thinges may somewhat weigh with them for a time yet certainely if their heartes doe truely lye after Christe they striue exceedingly with them selues by prayer vnto God till they haue gotten the mastery in these things My selfe most miserable and wretched man that I am haue had good experience of the daungerous pulbackes and lets which lye hid in our nature to lull men a
as hee is pure These spéeches attribute not to man any thing of him selfe For albeit God requireth vs to open to come to him to purge our selues and to heare c. yet all these are borrowed from the lord who worketh them in his saints by his spirite and God requireth obedience at our handes Iohn 6.44 Christ saith no man cōmeth vnto me vnles my heuenly father draweth him Also the means of our purging is in the word for Ioh. 15.3 Christ affirmeth that his Disciples were cleane by his worde Yea God worketh both the will and the déed of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Notwithstanding here arise disputations in the fleshe Either we wil challenge too much to our selues or els wilfully set against the Lordes grace offered and so cease doing wel saying if I be chosen then whatsoeuer I do I shal be saued if I be a reprobate then what soeuer good I do I shal perishe Thus men murmure againste God and woulde bring him to account of his owne workes sitting like proud men in the seate of the Lordes iudgement arreigning him as though they would compel God to hold vp his hand at the barre O intollerable pride Oh damnable blasphemy If thou art chosen then shalt thou in time feele of the fruite of thy election in Christ by holinesse and sanctimonie For therfore hath God elected his that in time they may be called to be saintes Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 Yea he hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world that we shuld be holy and without blame before him Ephes 1.4 So then this is the euidence of our election and so of our saluation if we labour for holinesse and a new life For so God sanctifieth his vnto a new life and refourmeth them to haue their hearts open that so being renued they open vnto Christ So that it followeth not that if thou art elect what soeuer thou dost thou shalt be saued But if thou art elect then God calleth thée in time vnto sanctification to renounce sin and thine owne lusts and so causeth thee to make sure thy election by good fruits as are mentioned Col. 3.12 As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnes humblenes meekenes c. with al the furniture of the new man And read I pray you the first Chapter of the second Epistle of Peter verses 5.6.7.8.9.10.11 So then who soeuer is in Christ must become a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 And who so euer neuer tasteth of true mortification holinesse and newnes of life forsaking sin and vngodlines can neuer haue euidence of saluation but remaine still in damnation and the wrath of God abideth vpon him And as for the other obiection where they say that if they be reprobates c. what so euer good they do yet they shal be damned This followeth not neither so as they take it For although the purpose of God in the reprobate can not be altered yet they must know that the cause of their destruction is of them selues who beeing left of God to them selues in the matter of their condemnation do perish of them selues and wilfully despise the sacred meanes of life hardning their heartes and shutting them vp againste Christe by that malice which is resident in their own nature Then how soeuer man murmureth against God calling them to obedience as thogh God required some vnlawful or vnresonable thing at their handes Yet let them know that howsoeuer the wicked perish in their contempt not shewing the fruits of election so shut vp the gate against christ it is the iust iudgement of God On the other side the children of God being sanctified and their harts renued by his spirit they opē vnto Christ For the regenerate as god worketh in them by his spirit wherby the praise of their regeneration belongeth vnto God so their actions are both actiue passiue Actiue in the God hauing reformed altered their wils nature by his second creation they will good things desiring the lords wil to be accōplished in them And passiue in that though they are reformed yet by the reason of the remnāts of sin which remaine in the saints not fully purged they still haue néed of the lords aide to go through in their calling As Paule doth insinuate whē praying that God wold make thē worthy of their calling 2. The. 1.11 fulfil the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power He sheweth that the Godly must stil be continued and holden vp of God to the ende But they neglect not the hearing of the worde prayer and all the soueraigne meanes of their saluation For they know that as God worketh all in all so he hath appointed ordinary meanes to cause his graces to be effectual in his saints as the preaching of his word 1. Cor. 1. the vse of the Sacraments and prayer c. And sure it is who soeuer is in the way of life delighteth in these meanes But he that contemneth or neglecteth these meanes neglecteth his owne saluation hauing no true taste of Christ and so open not vnto him in so much as the doore of vtterance is closed vp in them their heartes not beeing opened by the keyes of the worde which beeing committed to Peter and the Apostles haue successiuely beene deliuered to the ministers of the word In deed the Lord must first open our heartes booring through our ears as Dauid speaketh by his spirite yet this hindreth not but that the worde openeth them also by preaching conueying as it were the spirite into the hearts of the faithful and therfore is called the ministry of the spirite 2. Cor. 3.8 I will not stand to confute the Maniches nor the Minium spirituales which deuide the spirite from the worde when the worke togeather in the faithfull neither wil I trifle with the Scholiastes and Papistes affirming that freewil though it be holpen by grace Yet is it in vs to deserue righteousnes c. they may easely be confuted by the former places alleaged I need not delay time to frame any seuerall conclusions against them in any Syllogistical forme I conclude therefore generally that they which open vnto Christ doe open by the grace of God clensing and preparing their hearts thervnto through his worde and so as a fruitful cause bringeth foorth necessary effectes of faith obedience And they which do not open being left in their own sins by the iust iudgement of God through their owne fault open not and not through any defect or fault in God or in the meanes whereby hee offereth grace but they refuse it Let vs therefore craue that God would vouchsafe to opē our eies that we sleep not in death Also to open our eares hearts minds and souls and forbeare them by his spirite that his worde may enter and Christ may haue place in vs that we may open vnto him at his suite and request and so we may heartely byd him
vnfitnesse to heauenly thinges as also the hardnesse of repentaunce that so we may bee humbled and forced to seeke vnto God to obtaine grace to grow vnto perfection and to be thankful to God for his owne worke in vs. Partly also that we should not lift vp our selues to contemne the smal beginninges in our brethren but labour to drawe them on sith we haue found it hard in our selues So that the difficulty of the thing would stir vs vp to vse the meanes the more carefully to increase As the hearing of the word exercising our selues in it with cōtinual earnest praier This answere of the the spouse the former sléeping she cōplained of in her selfe bewrayeth our vntowardnes that wrangle with the Lorde a long time before we yéeld and haue many out Lanes to turne a side from him If therefore men will prooue themselues to belong to Christe though they feele many lets in them selues yet that shall not excuse them but they must labour against all lets and indeuour to resemble the Image of Christ Iesus in righteousnesse and holines hating sinne in them selues and in others no more intangle themselus in the pleasures of sinne But they féel the power of Christes death as I sayd before mortifiyng in them the corruptions of their nature Gal. 5.24 wherby they crucify the flesh with the lusts and desires therof And so are changed within and without in their heartes and in their maners and become holy euen as God which hath called them is holy 1. Pet. 1.15 But me thinkes I heare some reply yea taught euen now that the faithfull come very hardly on and now ye looke for great thinges at our handes and exact very precisely a great chaunge Men are but men and we can doe no more then we can do and as God will giue grace and euery man can not be a like neither can euery man shewe that which is in him nor handle his tongue but we hope to doe as well as the proudest professor of them all And a thousand such sleightes men haue to deceiue them selues and to deny christ in effect These are goodly shiftes that shal neuer stand for payment Men are but men say they I answere so long as they are but men they are not in Christ they must be more thē natural men 1. Cor. 6.11 for such know not the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 They muste bee sanctified and cleansed by Gods spirit from their corruptions for fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God but must be chaunged 1. Cor. 15.50 And where they say men can do no more then they can do and God requireth no more I aunswere God requireth more then we can doe of our selues for we haue nothing as of our selues no not to think a good thought but God worketh in his both to wil and to doe of his owne good pleasure Now God requireth holinesse faith obedience c. Phil. 2.13 which we can not doe therfore he requireth more of vs then we can doe of our selues that we by his grace may be inabled to do that which of our selues we can not do When they adde as God will giue grace they seeme to charge the Lorde priuely of iniustice and cleare them selues as faultles if they perishe for want of grace and so would blasphemously arraigne the Lord as gilty of their perishing When they see not miserable men as they are that the cause is in them selues that God with holdeth his graces from them And further how shoulde the Lorde giue grace to them which despise his word and the ministery thereof Whereby the Lorde conuayeth the graces of his spirite into the hearts of his Children and increaseth the same graces by the same meanes And yet despising grace offered like desperate and brainelesse men will blame the Lorde as cause why they want grace Oh say they euery man can not be a like nor shewe that which is in them but hope to doe as as wel as the greatest professor of thē all c. Here they think they haue stroken dead al the professors at once and haue quitted them selues like men but though all haue not graces a like yet all must striue by like meanes to come to grace and perfection by diligent hearing reading and musing of the worde by Prayer and vse of the Sacramentes and such like to grow on in holinesse But these poore wretches are neuer aunsweared but seeke euen to lull them selues yea and that their heartes a sleep that they might not heare the voyce of Christe speaking by his Ministers But let vs my deare brethren cast off al delaies and not be sluggish as they which are loath to rise to open vnto Christe But willingly leape out of our beds and renounce all worldly cares pleasures profites friendes and such other hinderances as the spouse is taught psa 45.10 That we may hasten to Christe for our liues that we may be imbraced of him which grace he grant vs. It followeth verse 4. My beloued put in his hande at the hole of the doore and my inwarde partes were moued towardes him or groned after him or were troubled for him as the same Hebrewe wordes import in Ieremy Chapiter 31.20 These speeches of the gestures of loue are not to be carnally vnderstoode but they note that Christe whome Solomon as you haue hearde presenteth to vs in the person of a Sutor vseth all tokens of spirituall iestures and shewes of loue that may be to allure his Spouse to loue him againe Not that Christe commeth downe in his owne person now to intice men to his loue But as I haue sayde he presenteth him selfe to bée seene of vs in his Gospell as in a glasse 2. Cor. 3.18 where hee appeareth in the glory of his father vnto vs. For by his worde he putteth in his hand as it were at the dore of our harts vseth his faithfull Ministers as soliciters of his cause to his Churche and faithfull who feele in deed the hand power of Christ in his worde by preaching so as they are rauished and inamored vpon him In deed some take the putting in of the hand for smiting and afflicting his Church and so trāslate the worde following And my bowels trembled at him So the sense after their meaning is that the Church beeing slacke and slow to grow in faith and obedience was afflicted rebuked and corrected of Christ whereby she was terrified and forced with feare to regarde more earnestly the call of Christ Iesus And indeed true it is that the lord calling his saintes and they being very slow of thē selues he vseth whyps and corrections to spurre them forwarde of his greate loue and we are often made more quicke and ready to obey our calling when the Lord some way afflicteth vs. For our nature is so vntamed so proud so lofty sturdy and rebellious that the Lord is faine to ioyne with his word many crosses and trials
God in hearing his worde frequenting Sermons resorting to the companye of the Godly perswading others also to seeke God with them such a man is counted O intollerable contempt euen a monster among men or as an owl in the day time among the birds And as Isaiah saith he that refrayneth from euill maketh himselfe a pray Isai 59.15 Oh say the scorning raylers now this holy man will goe to heauen in a Hey barne now these Puritans flocke together and I cannot tell what scornfull reproches they hurl out against those which would fayne profite by hearing of the worde Yea I tremble to thinke vpon their damnable speeches which they spewe oute of theire poysoned mouths and the mischiefs which they conceiue in their viperous heartes against the seruaunts of God Thus our times ah alas in stéede of inquiring one of another seeking after God together do despise their brethrē casting the Lord behinde them But let not vs be dismaid at these reproches taunts of the wicked so that we shoulde cease to stir vp all that we can to seek Christ Iesus with vs. Let the minister exhort perswade earnestly cal on his people to ioin in this christian society Let the husband say to his wife children and seruants come I pray you wife let vs go to the sermon childrē and seruants hasten and make speede that we maye together séek after the Lord of hostes let euery man ad this I wil go with you also So one neighbour should say to another I pray you neighbor let vs goe together to such a sermō or such a godly exercise I wil go with you So let vs perswade not only in word but in exāple also to do our selues that which we require of others For manye there are that can say to others goe which goe not themselues Some husbande can bee content his wife goe or his childe of which there are but fewe but hee will not mooue him selfe which is a lamentable and doleful estate for though we shoulde bee willing that al men shoulde goe to God hearing his worde vsing his Sacramentes praying vnto him carefullye and continually if we our selues ioin not with the Godly in these holy exercises and in this holy Communion vnity and fellowship what shal it boote vs What shal it pleasure a man to see his Wyfe goe to Heauen and him self go to hel or what shal it benefite a Wyfe to see her Housbande carefull to serue God and so goe to lyfe but her selfe refusing the ordinarye meanes of Saluation to taste of eternal Death For whosoeuer ioyneth not himselfe in Christian society with the church of God cutteth of him selfe from God and dismembreth him selfe from Christe Iesus Neyther can any man be of God which heareth not his word Iohn 8.47 yea and that by his seruants and ministers For hee that is of God hearetth vs saith S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4.6 but hee that is not of God heareth vs not Also no man can haue fellowship or acquaintance with the father or the sonne vnlesse hee abide in the word for whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christe hath not God 2. Iohn 9. c. Alas my deare brethren let there not bee found a froward heart in any of you to be so proude or ashamed that you shoulde bee loath to bee drawne forward of your brethren to seeke after God in his worde where onely hee is truely to bee founde Oh let vs ioyne hands and hearts together good christians to seeke our God whilste hee may bee founde let vs say one to another neyghbour if you wil goe to anye sermon or Godlye exercise I wil goe with you and beare you company I speake grosly vnto you but for your good and yet no otherwise then the spirite of God spake by Zacharye Now as there are some that can bee content others go and themselues tarry at home so ther are of the other side some that can afforde themselues leasure and can beteem to be saued themselues but are verye Nigardes and churles towarde their wife children seruauntes or neighboures Neuer caring to further them or to vse means to drawe them on being vntoward of them selues which is a haynous iniurye againste the Soules of those that belong to vs sith we stande charged from the Lord vpon the penalty of his high displeasure and forfaiture of his fauour to teach our houshold children and seruaunts acquainting them with the Lordes will making them priuy to his heauenly councel enacted in the parliament house of the heauens and proclaymed to men by the preaching of his worde Looke I pray you vpon such places perusing them with reuerence as lay this charge vppon vs from the Lorde to teach our housholde and children yea euen our childrens children Deu. 4.9.10 Deu. 6.7 11.19 But our times thinke this a precisenes or at least a duetye that standeth at our owne curtesy to doe or not to doe As though God made Lawes or drewe out statutes vnauthorized and sent them downe to men leauing them to their wil wisdome to be interlined altered or confirmed at their pleasure No we must not ad nor take from his word Apoc. 22.18.19 vpon paine of damnation and danger of al the curses that are written in Gods book Let vs therefore in Gods name my brethren be forwarde our selues therewithall likewise carefull ouer others A third sorte of people there is which neither themselues wil enquire after Christ as much as lie in them do also wilfully hinder others with scorning rayling at them end speaking taunting disouraging disswading putting in the heades of suche as they dare bewray them selues t◠saying what meane you to bee thus zealous in Religion and to bee so precise You see wise men and they of countenance and some graue Fathers like not of this way you will be laughed at if you gadde thus to sermons And you shal be slouted behind your backe you wil also indaunger your selfe to trouble and a thousand other such poysoned charmes the subtle Adder setteth a worke to discourage the saintes of God and to carry many soules vnto Hell Some wil adde this complaint that many vndo them selues with going to sermons and poore men can not liue for them Thus as Pharaoh they seeke to set the poore so a worke as they might loyter in matters of saluation Other some they aske what neede these sermons on the working dayes is not the sunday or Lordes day ynough and I can not tel what But thus they enuye the worke of God in sauing men euerye waye Not knowing that wee had neede to bee occupied in the worde of God day and night And some are loath that on the Sabboth daye eyther there should be continually Sermons c. As the rulers of the Synagogue which checked the people for that they came to Christe to bee healed on the Sabboth Luk. 13.14 But a fourth sort of people they goe them selues to
any of his Sayntes Oh howe fayne woulde I that I were as readye and able to doe as much good in furthering of Christs Kingdome as anye of vs haue furthered the kingdome of Sathan and sinne before oure calling Oh that you all present had suche taste with mee of the excellencye of Christe Iesus as you might all saye with one voyce I will goe with you and will seeke Christe with you Oh that my sinnes and yours woulde permit the Lorde to blesse my laboures among you this day as also at all times and in other places of his Churche As some soules might bee gayned to him by my poore mynisterye that it may bee the ioy of my hearte Yea woulde to God that manye soules among you mighte bee so affected vnto Christe in trueth being turned from your owne wayes that ye might say as Dauid did to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this daye to meete vs 1. Sam. 25.32 blessed bee this day Blessed bee this sermon or counsel and blessed be thou which haste kept mee this daye from suche an euill c. and caused mee to haue a sight disliking of my former life such a tast of Christ Iesus that I vtterly abhorre my self for my sinnes hartely imbracing Christ Iesus vowing hereafter to indeuour to walke in al the wayes of God I speake grosly vnto you brethren and abase my selfe to mooue your affections to the loue of God for the loue of Christ Iesus euen constrayneth me there vnto for your good Let no man therefore abuse my homelinesse of speech in this point being to your edifying and gayning of glory vnto God But let vs I praye you beloued consent togeather in one to seeke after Christ with his Church til we haue founde him out that we may safely assure our selues of his loue to the ende as the Spouse doth afterwarde which grace God for Iesus Christ his sake graunt vnto euery one of vs Now followeth the aunswere to the second question of the maydens in this conference verse 18. My beloued is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spice to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies Some make this verse the beginning of the sixt chapiter But I read this and the verse following with the fift chapiter For that they haue most proper relation to al the matter going afore in this 5. chapiter and is alienate and vtterly impertinent to the matter following in the sixt chapiter Especially sith it is a knitting vp of al the matter of her complaintes in her beginning and comming on also a ful conclusion of her loue a fit answere likewise to the second question in the dialogue and conference had with her companions and so a ful conclusion of the whole She signifieth to her companions that her loue is descended into his garden and Church on earth being conuersaunt amongst men in his owne person sometime also by his Ministers by his worde and Sacraments finally by his spirite properly in his saintes For by these meanes Christ is sayd to be come down among his and to be resident in his Church euen to the ende of the worlde For Christ is not of the number of the non residentes but testifieth to his Church saying Feare not I am with you to the endes of the worlde Solomon vseth a figuratiue or metaphorical speech borrowed from the cituation of Ierusalem that they went down hil and discended to go to their out gardens for Sion was a great hil whereon the Citye was built In this answere also the church hath relation to her former suit made to Christ chap. 4 ver 16. that he woulde come to his garden and eat his pleasant fruit also to the aunswere which was giuen her that he had taken possession of his riches and was come into his garden so that as Christ is in heauen with all his riches so is hee also in his garden on earth solacing himselfe and gathering daily fruite in his church Ioh. 15.16 by his ministers whom he sendeth that they may bring foorth more fruite for true it is that albeit Christ hath all riches in him selfe and needeth not any yet doth he gather fruite in his church at the handes of his seruauntes In so muche as they yeelde obedience vnto him and are in this respect called the firste fruites of his creatures because they are consecrate sanctified and set apart from the worlde Sathan and sinne to serue the Lorde and are called his Portion and inheritaunce in manye places But the fruite which they yeelde is not their owne proper or naturall in them but supernaturall and from aboue springing out of the fountayn of the Lords good pleasure and will is also framed graffed nouryshed and increased in them by his worde preached For all these thinges the cause efficiente the instrumentall meanes with the effecte thereof is pithily comprysed in fewe wordes by the Apostle Iames in the firste Chapter of his Epistle at the 18. verse where he sayth Of his owne will begate hee vs by the worde of trueth that wee shoulde bee as the first fruites of his creatures Also the graces of Gods spirit are called fruites Gal. 5.22 The qualities likewise necessarily incident to repentance are caled fruits Mat. 3.8 Which metaphoricall speeches import the God looketh to reape fruite at our handes in his church that we may grow from faith to faith from strength to strength from grace to grace til we come to ful ripenesse in Christ Iesus to be gathered into his barne of eternal felicity in his comming These fruites that the Lorde gathereth and reapeth at oure handes are his owne then insomuch as he worketh them in his saints that he may receiue his owne with aduantage crowning his owne workes in vs. It were expedient therefore that we labour to be fruitful in all heauenlye knoweledge and obedience that Christe comming downe to visite his Garden or church as it is set down in the sixt Chap. ver 10. he finde vs not empty or fruitlesse that he should haue no pleasure in vs and so bee forced to cast vs vp to the spoyle Sure it is the more is the pity the Lorde should find but smal fruite among vs if he should suruey our Churche in this land Hee hath lent vs the name of his Church and giuen vs a lease of his garden 21. yeres hath added to that three yeres more from yeare to yeare but alas we haue bene il tennants to the Lord his church is little stored by vs his hedges walles are as it were pluckt down by manye lying in decay For where true discipline shold build vp the breaches of the Lords fence should keepe out the noisom beasts the lion the wolf the bear the swine doggs such hurtful cattel and beasts we ah alas haue this gardē of the Lord hindred by such Lions woolfs priuy scorpions foxlike papists swinish Athists brutish belly gods enuious dogs which al
the assuraunce of the grace of perseueraunce or certaintie of saluation vnlesse we looke vpon the head spring of Gods mercyes in Christe Iesus with the eyes of faith and sobernesse also vnlesse we haue the testimony and earnest peny of the spirite of God whereby we are sealed against the day of redemption For if any man haue not the spirite of Christ he is not his Rom. 8 verse 9. Ephes 1.13.14 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 Of the other side They that are led by the spirite they are the sonnes of God sith God hath sent foorth the spirite of his sonne into their heartes which cryeth Abba Father Which as Paule sayth in the eight of the Romans beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 if we bee children then heirs also of God and annexed heirs with Christe Hitherto agreeth that sentence of Iohn in his first epistle chapter 4.13 1. Ioh. 4.13 Hereby we knowe that wee dwel in God and God in vs in that he hath giuen vs of his spirit Yet it may be some man wil reply how shal I know that I haue the spirite of God and Christ I aunswere that by the fruites of the spirite of sanctification wee may haue good comfort and perswasion that wee haue the spirite of God Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 8. If Christ be in you the body is dead concerning sinn Rom. 8.10.11 but the spirite is life for righteousnes sake If the spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you be that raysed vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies for his spirite that dwelleâ—h in you Where the Apostle sheweth that Gods spirite worketh mortification in his saints renuing them to a new life purging dayly the corruptions of sinne and remnant of iniquity which by degrees diminish in the saints Whosoeuer therefore tasteth of true mortification and sanctification hating sinne in truth labouring to reforme the same desiring to growe in holinesse and a new life applying his heart to be gouerned by the worde in obedience though he taste of the remnauntes of sinne which wil neuer be fully purged in the saints til they are restored fully in the appearing of Christ Iesus in that person vndoubtedly the spirite of God beginneth to haue a worke and to incorporate that person into himselfe that he may be one with Christe and may put on Christ Many circumstaunces there are which time wil not suffer me to note vnto you concerning this matter But sure it is that these are generall and infallible notes which I haue mentioned whereby a man may be perswaded these being in him in trueth though vnperfect that hee shal neuer fal vtterly away labouring to shew forth the fruite of faith hope patience obedience loue to the worde towardes his brethren a care to keepe the worde beeing prepared or vnfainedly desiring to â—e prepared to be parteners with the saintes of God in affliction and in the confirmation of the Gospell â—â—m 8.17 suffering with Christ that we may also be glorified with him for these fruits caused Paule to affirme as I noted before that he was perswaded of the Phillipians that God woulde perfite that good worke that he had begun in them euen to the daye of Iesus Christe Now if this worke of perseuerance were our own we might iustly suspect that we could neuer be saued or if God hauing begun in vs should after leaue vs to our selues to finishe vp our owne saluation then wee might well doubt of lyfe But sith God which is a perfect workeman beginneth who leaueth nothing that he taketh in hand vnfinished to worke grace faith sanctification obedience loue and mortification in vs though they are not perfect and absolute in vs he can not but finish his owne worke and perfite his saints Hereof Dauid boldly confidently and comfortably insulting vpon and triumphing against all troubles and afflictions Psa 138.8 concludeth with full assurance That the Lord will performe his worke towards him Adding a reasoÌ„ because His mercies endured for euer And yet he ascribeth the worke of perseuerance vnto God ending with this suite O Lord forsake not the worke of thy handes Charging the Lorde that he was his worke in that he had framed him a new by his spirite therefore it could not stand with the Lordes mercy to cast him off Oh valiant faith in the seruant of God Thus God euer perfiteth his worke in anye one that belong vnto him but the time of his working and the mesure he reserueth to him selfe to appoint at his pleasure So that though we feele not his quickning grace when we desire it nay sometime it seemeth to be furthest off when we craue it and neede it most also though wee haue not that measure of his grace which we woulde haue yet let vs not faynt but waite on the Lorde with Patience and prayer for certainelye except the Lorde will deny him selfe I speake with reuerence of his glorious maiesty he can not but giue to him that hath â—â—th 13.12 and he shal haue aboundantly yet he can not but make an ende in his seruaunts when he hath once begun Not that God is tyed to vs at our commaundement But ipsemet sibi est necessitas He is a necessity to him selfe for his mercies are eternal But this I haue sufficiently prooued afore Yet in a worde note this that God hath tyed his power to his will and promise that whatsoeuer he willeth and promiseth in his worde hee can not chuse but doe it Whatsoeuer he hath denyed that he doth not In this sense God sayth Gen. 19.22 That be can doe nothing to Sodom before Lot was departed But to returne to the Spouse againe though shee doth not fully in this speech set downe the reasons that might perswade her of this certainty yet if we consider all the former circumstaunces of her comming on or obaying of her calling we shal finde worthye fruites which she felt in her selfe and expressed that might yeeld some argument of this certaine perswasion As this her heart lying after Christe in the beginning of her calling thogh many lets mette with her also the complayning of her vntowardnesse which bewrayed a sight of her wants Furthermore her trembling at his displeasure or fearing at his word being affectioned towardes him Finally her seeking and inquyring after him euen when daunger was her zeale in following him not onely when others forsooke her but euen when many sought to hinder and molest her Thus recouering her zeale she procured others by conferring of the excellency of Christ to be parteners with her in seeking after him Which al were worthy fruits of faith that might giue her comforte to conclude that shee was her welbeloueds Thus euery man must labour to come to some assuraunce of his future estate that we may not liue alwayes to doubt but that we may bee ready to passe in peace at our