to be amongst the Lillies In the second verse it appeared that the Church and euery soule purified by faith is represented by the Lilly euen by the fields Lilly more gloriously cloathed in her inward man then was King Salomon in all his externall royaltie This is the flower of Paradise the pleasant plant of Eden This is it for whom Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it 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 The perfection of whose beautie as it is referred to another life so as verily as in this life Christ is hers and she Christs so verily is her beautie and holinesse here begunne for the which shee is heere represented to the Milke-white Lilly as Isidâ—re termeth it As al Lillies beauteous so the white most excellent yea as Plinie obserueth most fertile yea that the droppings of the lilly will cause and bâ—gâ—t moe lillies As for the Church of the Gentiles that she not only should be passing beauteous but also very fertile Isaiah is wonderfull plenteous Before we consider his feeding let vs first consider what is to be iudged of this church and of euery her lilly-white members Christ liueth in her she liueth in him and the same mutuall inhabitation is betweene Messiah and euerie of his members Are all the actions of the Church cleane Or are they all vncleane Or are some of her actions cleane othersome vncleane or euery action mixt For the resolution hereof let vs first râ—member that double birth obserued of Prosper There is one Natiuitie of the earth another of heauen one of the flesh another of the Spirit The first of these births S. Iohn affirms to be of the blood wil of the flesh but the other to be of the will of God Iohn 1.13 And this new or second birth is taught Nicodemus in Iohn 3. to be of the spirit concluding there plainely That which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit This remembred the question is easily answered the actions deriued or flowing from the first birth they be as the nature is vncleane and filthy And this is it the Apostle Paul remembreth saying In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For the actions flowing or growing from the second birth they be as the spirit is holy and cleane nor can they be otherwise For this Saint Iohn is thus peremptorie Whosoeuer is bornâ— of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God He excepteth not against sinne in the first part but in the second where the seed of God abideth which is cause of the new-birth Which consideration causeth Saint Paul againe to say It is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Paul is not contrarie to himselfe in saying I sin not and In my flesh is no good thing Saint Iohn is not at warre with himselfe in saying He is a lyer that saith he hath not sinne and againe he that is borne of God sinneth not As both of them consider an old and a new Adam in the faithfull so they giue sinne to the first and sanctitie to the second And this is more apparant when as the Apostle placeth two lawes in these two parts calling the one The Law in my members and the other The Lawe of my minde as also considereth in one and the same man Flesh and Spirit Gal. 5.17 affirming the one of them to be contrary to the other Contrarietie doth not admit vnion for what communion is betweene Christ and Belial light and darkenesse None Irrefragable therefore bideth this Position In Electis regeneratis duo sunt homines Interior exterior Iâ— cum peccant secundum tantum hominem exteriorem id est â—a tantum parte qua non sunt regeniti peccant Secundum vero interiorem hominem nolunt peccatum detestantur peccatum condelectantur lege dei quare non toto animo aut plena voluntate peccant In the elect once Regenerate there be two men an inward and outward When these sinne it is according to the outward man that is in that parte wherein they be not regenerate But according to the inward man they nill sinne detest sinne and delight in the law of God for which cause they sin not with the whole mind or full will As it should be a notable errour to say that the old man can bring foorâ—h an holy or cleane action so as maine an errour it shal be to hold that The new man can send forth an vnholy and vncleane action As the vnregenerate part is a bitter fountaine that can send forth no sweete water so the regenerate part is as the Well of Dauid that can onely send forth that is cleane and holy As the cause is such is the effect As is the tree such is the fruite And as it shal be an intollerable errour to affirme of meere naturall giftes that They be strong therefore holy so ablasphemie though not The blasphemie against the spirit of grace to affirme of his gifts in vs as of Faith Hope Loue because they be weake therefore vncleane If these two births in vs could be mixed together as wine and water for making a third thing wee then might conclude a mongrell action But the old man dieth the new liueth The one of their Lawes is as contrarie to the other as light and darkenesse and they fight the one against the other So farre be they from communion and their actions from being mixed If the Prophet cry Woe to them that speake good of euill and euill of Good it standeth vs vpon to condemne the actions of our flesh but to iustifie the fruites of God his spirit in the regenerate As it is prowd prophanitie to giue holinesse to that dogge of our nature so it is but counterfeite humilâ—tie to charge the holy things of God with vncleanenesse For gaining the name of Humble must we spit vpon the actions and giftes of the Holighost God forbid We may not do euill that good may come thereof Besides must be obserued that not onely the regenerate are thus cleane and holy in the part of their new birth but also that in their open state of grace they are of vs to be termed Spirituall because the Spirit of God in them is principaâ—l and as in our Creed a Communion of Saints or holy-ones As they are to receiue their denomination from the Spirit of GOD and his sanctitie which in them is principall which is cause of that distinction in Augustine Aliud est non peccare aliuâ— non habere peccatum Nam in quo peccatum non regnat non peccat It is one thing not to sinne another thing not to haue sinne For hee sinneth not in whom sinne raigneth not so it pleaseth Messiah
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
mind it seemeth these were not that contented themselues with knowing First Repentance from dead workes Secondly Faith towardes God Thirdly Doctrine of Baptismes Fourthly Imposition of handes Firstly Resurrection from the dead and Sixtly Eternall iudgement Notwithstanding all which the Apostle calleth them forward towards perfection as they would auoyde the vnpardonable sinne against the Holy-Ghost For when people beginne to please themselues in a little Catechisme doctrine they begin to enter into a defection and backe sliding from the little which they haue already receiued Secondly there is no peece of GOD his Booke but it hath direct Collaterall or an Antitheticall relation to CHRIST if not also to his sufferings insomuch as all that is more largely and variably saide it doeth finally returne to that one foundation Iesus whereon wee are euer to be building vntill wee haue attained perfection and the fulnes of our age that is laide vp in him The Family-of-Loue doe ouerthrow all the Genealogie and Crono-logie of Scripture by turning really all the History into an Allegorie entertaining and good enough for that purpose the Apocripha-writings also By the which I cannot easily be otherwise perswaded but as first they shut vp God and Diuell Christ and Antichrist Heauen and Hell Wildernesse and Canaan good and badde Angel within mans soule as being all of them but Seâ—ses or Affections and as secondly they hold an outward vniformitie with all other religions whatsoeuer not to speake of their bawdy perfection in nakednesse so cannot I easilie be otherwise perswaded but that they be indeed Atheists or at the best but Saduces Their dotage is neuer countenanced in the truth of Scriptures Allegorie Seeing this truth lieth in establishing the Historie the Genealogie and Chronologie but their fanatike forme of Allegorizing ouerturnes it The first being practized of the Prophets and Apostles but the latter onely pursued of Hereâ—iques Which latter forme as Origen was sometimes attainted with it so it hath not onely raised this Prouerbe of him Where euil no man worse but aâ—so brought him to be next neighbour to an Atheist in his Vniuersall Saluation and finally to be held an Authour of that Heresie witnesse the Origenists as HN it may be it standeth for Haue-No-Religion is now the head of our Nicolaitans or Familists As I would haue thee to auoid this Familists error on the left hand in making Religion an Allegorie so to flie the errour on the right hand whereby some would haue Religion without all Allegorie It is of Christians generally granted that the Subiect of this Song is Loue namely that which is to be considered betweene Christ and his Church Which how can it be but by vnderstanding Christ in Salomon and the Church of the Gentiles in Pharaohs Daughter So that â—â— here as the Apostle elsewhere must be glad to say By which things an other thing is meant or as it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things are to be allegorized The Holy-Ghost could haue spoken alwayes properly and in a single-sence but so the doctrine should haue beene beyond created-conceipt or haue lesse showen the bountie and vâ—rietie of his wisedome The more wise saith God the Preacher wâ—s the more hee taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare aâ—d searched foorth and prepared mâ—ny parables And the more wise Gentle Reader thou câ—â—ets to bee doe the more hunger after euery forme of diuine knowledge embracing Moses and Christ Historie and Mysterie Shadow and Substance Signe and Thing signified To further thy knowledge in such differing kinde of doctrine and yet at vnitie in Christ I haue taken sâ—me paines in discoursing vppon this Scripture wherein as I take it the Holy Ghost hath called vs to see all the thinges of Christ and his Church mâ—ch â—uidently but yet by allusion and in a mysterie The Hebrew Rabbines do ordinarily apply the things hâ—ere spoken to their Synagogue and People Christians ordinarily to their mysticall King and People And indeede the second Sâ—nce was sealed in the former that so they without vs might not be perfect For some fewe in the church of Rome that haue in the She-beloued vnderstood onely the Virgin-Mary they were too Dominike-like and might by such a rule almost as well haue made another Lady-Psalter For knowing Christ and the things of Christ the Church and the things of the Church prepare thee to heare of sundry creatures vnder man wherein the former diuine things are sealed in one speach two things being so vttered as if in terrestrials there were some notable image of celestials the things that are here below visible being but as Letters or Characters which being put-together will spell out matters superiour and inuisible Being so prepared to conceiue I doubt not thou wilt reade the sequence to thy soules comfort If not so prepared the spider can but turne honie-iuyce into poyson except God with a preuenting-grace do fore-stall thee Farewell London At my house in Red-crosse-street April 1603. Who hath laboured for thy good He Cl. The Text. The Song of Songs which is Salomons 1 LEt him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy loues are good better then wine 2 For the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an oyntment powred out therefore the virgines loue thee 3 Draw me we will runne after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers wee will exult and be glad in thee we will remember thy loues more then wine Righteousnesses do loue thee 4 I am blacke ô ye daughters of Ierushalem and to be desired as the tents of Kedar as the curtaines of Salomon 5 Doe not respect mee because I am blacke for the Sunne hath loâ—ked vpon me The sonnes of my Mother haue fumed against me They put me for a keeper of the vines My vine which was to me I haue not kept 6 O thou whom my soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou causest to lie at noone for why should I be as shee that couereth her selfe to the flockes of thy companions 7 Seeing thou knowest not ô thou fairest of weomen get thee forth in the steps of the Flockes and feede thy Kids aboue the tents of the Shepheards 8 My Pastorall loue I haue compared thee to my horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh 9 Thy cheekes are comely with rewes of stones and thy necke with chaines 10 We wil make for thee borders of gold with studs of siluer 11 Whilst the King was at his repast my Spikenard gaue the smell thereof 12 My welbeloued is a bundle of Myrhe vnto me he shall lie betweene my breasts 13 My welbeloued is as a cluster of Copher in the vines of Engadi 14 My loue behold thou art faire behold thou art faire thine eyes are like the Doues 15 My Beloued behold thou art faire and pleasant yea our bed is Greene. 16 The beames of our houses be Cedars our galleries of Fyrre THE Song of Songs which is Salomons The Argument of
for speculating matters solely celestiall it further prooueth the veritie of his repentance Left hee was for a season left flesh should reioyce in Gods sight but recouered againe by repentance through God his free mercy wherof these three bookes are three infallible testimonies euen as Peters three-fold confession Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I loue thee It gaue forth a plaine euidence to his fellowe Disciples that hee had vnfainedly repented his threefold deniall This briefely touching the Penman Salomon Touching the scripture it self it is a Song A Song hath diuers names according to the manner and matters diuersitie If they containe matter of Gods praise they are termed Hymnes if it be soong by turnes of two Chorusses it is called Antiphona the Italique Responsories being much of like forme A Psalme containeth any sort of matter indifferently and is thought of som to deriue that name from the instrument termed Psaltery whereon they play with handes-motion as also specially to containe morall doctrine For the title Spirituall song it is either the generall to all diuine songs or rather A Song of exultation and spirituall reioycing specially respecting Hope of eternal blessednes Touching this Song of Salomon it containeth matter of diuine laud for the which it may be called an Hymne it containeth matter of Exultation in the hope of a better life for the which it may be called a Spirituall Song it containeth morall doctrine doctrine of all natures for the which it may be hight a Psalme As for the forme we find sundry parties singing and the one side answering to the other for which it may be nominated an Antiphonie or Responsorie And for these and like considerations it is of the holy ghost called A Song or the Song of Songs as not onely the most excellent song of all the 1005. which Salomon penned and therefore for Churches vse only reserued but also in respect of any other Song contained in diuine Canon others tending to som one particular end or few but this enwrapping in it doctrine of all sorts and that in a most sweet and deepe kind of eloquence respecting the matter as also of elegancie respecting the syllables words and phrases And I take bicause that none should compare it only with his owne Songs nor yet onely with the other Songs of the Scripture the Holy-ghost hath lest the Hebrue phrase indefinited for as the word Which with vs is indifferent for gender and number masculine or feminine singular or plurall so is the Hebrue word Asher which as also the Verbe is altogether vnderstood And hereof it is that some reade a Song of Songs which is some which are Salomons but indeede for the former respects it can neither be tied to is or are was or were Yet I take the present tense more proper then the preterim perfect because wee say This is Paules Epistle this is Iohns Reuelation these are Moses Bookes c. rather then these were Moses bookes this was Paules Epistle c. Thus we see Salomon the peaceable and exceeding rich King of Israel to be the Holy-ghosts Poet and the thing that is penned to be Poësie of passing diuine nature both in respect of Maner and Matter and therefore in an Hebraisme termed A Song of Songs that is A most excellent Song Now from the Title I passe to the Song Lect. II. Verse 1. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is better than wine or thy loues are good better than Wine IN this Verse the church expresseth her affection towards her beloued first by offering vp prayer secondly by setting forth the excellencie of her beloueds Loue which may serue for a reason of her prayer Her prayer lying in the first clause it containeth her seruent desire after Messiahs presence wherin I obserue first the forme of her petition secondly the matter shee doeth petitionate The forme is Imperatiue or Optatiue If Imperatiue then she speaketh to some Riuals of her happinesse commaunding them to let her beloued come vnto her If Optatiue which I rather incline to then she offers vp properly Prayer and this must bee either to Messiah himselfe which I lesse conceiue or vnto his Father wherein I rather rest seeing the Father is said to send him foorth after the fulnesse of time and he the Sonne meane time in the glorious bosome of the Father And so her prayer Let him kisse mee it is as if she saide in moe words O Father of heauen vouchsafe to hasten the sending forth of Messiah who * hast appointed him to be a light to the Gentiles and a Glory to thy people Israel The Father so prayed vnto of the church it resteth to consider if this Church be only the faithfull of Ethnicks So manie haue vnderstood it That principally that people is intended here it may appeare by her forme of preoccupating the exceptions which Ierusalems Daughters might make in the fourth and fift verses next after but seeing Abraham and many of Iaacobs Kings Prophets did long to see Messiahs daie of appearance in the fles◠hungring for that which they sawe a farre off we so cannot exclude the faithfull of Zions Sinagogue no nor debarre any belieuer from the beginning of the world I so vnderstand the whole bodie of Belieuers from the first Adam vnto Christ Iesus the second Adam all sending vp their prayers as multitude of sweete odours vnto God the Father The faithfull in holy Scripture doe pray for Christes comming but in a twofold sense respecting two sundry times Before his Incarnation they desire his appearance in our flesh for killing sinne in our flesh and so quickning it to vnfained sanctitie after his appearance they doe with Iohn desire he may come quickly namely in his glory for the glorification of his Saints and for this appeerance do the soules vnder the Altare thirst and hunger But in this place is specially and properly intended the churches feruent desire for his appearance in the flesh which vnion of his diuine nature with our humane nature I take to be signified at least in part by the terme Kisse And principally also I here vnderstand as before the chosen of the Nations desiring after vnion with him as no doubt the Gentile Queene Pharaohs daughter had no slender affection after communion with Salomon the glorious tipe of our Messiah A kisse vnfained such a Kisse as the Apostle calleth Holie and wherewith the Saints did sometimes salute one another it is as a sacrament of Soules vnitie and onenesse such as was in Ierushalems church touching which it is affirmed that al were of one accord in the Lord. But here the terme is in the second place plural Kisses as therby intimating besides other things an vnion of Messiah with her in soule and body sense affection and all actiue powers a full vnion of God and Man This
she desireth and feruently desireth and this in the appointed time he fully performeth That which she then breathed after we are possessed of God prouiding a better thing for vs namely that they without vs should not be perfect Touching the reason of her Petition For thy loue is or Loues are good and better than wine it is as if she saide O heauenly Father I haue prayed that thou wouldst send thy Sonne to his poore Church that he might vnite himselfe corporallie with her the Godhead inhabiting the Manhoode essentially Now after this my petition vouchsafe I may debate the matter with my beloued Then by an Apostrophe she turneth aside and after such sort reasons with him Sweete Messiah Shiloh Zecharies Branch and Iaaâ—obs Starre I long after thy presence yea thou hast set my soule on fire after thee for thy Loues are beauteous and farre more effectuall then wine Beauties there are many but all inferiour to thine There is pleasure and strength in wine but thy loue and pleasant amours doe more inflame and rauish the senses O heauenly Father if I be bold thy Sonnes loue hath constrained me oh glorious Messiah if I call for thee thy Fathers promise in Paradice it causeth mee and the beginnings of Loue which by thy spirite thou hast giuen me feeling of as wine in the first taste they comfort mee as wine in the second place they delight mee as wine in the third place they embolden mee as wine in the last place they cause mee bee ready to fall in a Loue-trance Oh therefore come speedily and embrace me and by the spirit of thy mouth ouershadowe the Virgin and make vs members of thy bodie of thy flesh and of thy bones Besides other ordinary notes I obserue hence first howe Time in Paradise Gen. 3.15 conceiued of the promised seed that time grew as it were more big-bellied in the renuall of the promise to Abraham Dauid and others and that in the fulnesse of time That blessed seed was to be brought foorth for the exceeding comfort of mankind The faithfull conceiuing this doctrine they are therefore here introduced sighing after the performance of the promise If they but tasting the promise and seeing it but a farre off for the time of this Songs penning was about 900. years before Shiloh came how ardent and earnest shoulde our affections bee in the possession thereof The taste and possession of wines are of more value than the bare sight and taste thereof and such should our loue be in the reall enioying of Messiah Examine therfore we ourselues and looke into our soules for if Christ Iesus liue in vs we cannot but with feruencie embrace him and loue all the fruits of his spirit Secondly her manner of speach Kisse me c. it implieth the meanes wherby the Virgin should conceiue namely by the spirit of Christ ouershadowing her that spirit being as Agent to her seede Patient Spirit and Breath is one and the same both in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine which is cause that sometimes our men in the Prophets do turne it by the spirit of his mouth otherwhiles by the breath of his mouth c. This Conception and Generation is so exempted from that ordinary encreasement of mankinde And therefore though Leui payed tithes in Abrahams loynes to Melchizedek and all wee haue sinned in the loynes of Adam yet this second Adam can be said to do neither Woman sinned first but no speech of spirituall nakednesse till Man also sinned Then it is sayde their eyes were opened and they saw themselues naked as if sinne were imperfect and vnable to bring forth death on the seed of their loynes till Man in whome lay the Actiue power of generation he had sinned Though blessed Mary sinned and had sinne in her nature yet it could act nothing to Conception As all Naturians will graunt womans seede onely passiue and for because not Actiue some haue concluded women to be seedelesse so neyther is sinne any creature or anie substance but an action transgressing causing God his curse vpon mankinde by mortalitie and corruption And because the Virgins seede patient was by the spirit of God quickened euen as the clayish nature of man viuified by the breathing of god hir betrothed Ioseph is taught by Gabriel how that which was conceiued in her it was of the holy spirit This one doctrine so ouerturneth the doctrine and obiections of our ages Anabaptists Who thinke of sinne as of a Substance it being indeed an Accident and seuered in Christs conception by the Actiue power of the holy-ghost Thirdly by speech Kisses of his mouth is further although in a second sense intimated the operation of God his word and spirit for incorporating vs into Christ. By his word the Worlde was created and by the breath of his mouth the foundation thereof was laide That naturall worlde was to leade vs to consider a spiâ—ituall world which Philosophers haue termed Micro-cosmos a little world namely man which second and new creature is begot by the immortal seede of God his word the holy spirit quicknâ—ng that word in the wombe of their conscience for by the ministry of his word sacraments he kisseth his creature breathing by that his ordinance his owne good spirit into them And because no hereticall doctrine can do this the Church in her prayer desireth the kisses of His mouth to whome shee prayeth Nay for herâ—ticall doctrine it is so farre from effecting a new world in vs as it is indeed the seede of the serpent wherby he begets a damned body of infidels and false beleeuers to himselfe For the reason of her prayer in this verse wherby she wold insinuate her petition into the Lord his cares as crauing nothing but Promise and that whereof shee had a pleasant foretaste to the kindling in her such praier besides other things I note these First that the sauing promises of God who in Christ are Yea and Amen they are with all holy boldnesse to hee called for For as he is faithfull that hath promised so he expects we pray for the speedy performance thereof seeing the promises are the churches life and glory Secondly her speech Thy loues it argueth the loue of God in Christ to be infinite and of a growing nature Election before all time begetteth an effectuall Vocation in time that Vocation brings with it in the one hand assurance of Iustification in the other hand reall Sanctification These beget other diuine Loues causing in vs a fountaine springing vp vnto Eternall life If the church in her pedagogie and non-age could haue such deepe feeling of diuine Loues what should we feele who are come to inherit that Canaan We should be able as the Apostle prayeth to comprehend with all Saintes what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the Fathers Loue in Christ Iesus If Marchants finding a Commoditie sweete they sue for more let vs in the least sense of God his loue pray
mouth of Iaakob and in the nostrels of Iudah and no lesse redolent were these sauory names vnto Dauid and all the ensuing Prophets and tipicall Kings who longed aftâ—r the appeerance of him that was so to be a Seede and Shiloh As for Isaiah he sawe his name to be Immanuel that is God-with-vs because God so should be one with vs and wee so at vnion with God Godhead and Manhood in him making vp one Person Vnto Daniel what name could be so sweete as Messiah the terme which Gabriel gaue vnto him In a word the veâ—ie sweete consideration of him did leade the holy Prophets to vse diuerse Names for expressing the infinite store of spirituall odours couched vp in this Beloued the very fulnesse and treasurie of our heauenly Father If we come to his Name Iesus Sauiour because he saueth his people from their sinnes how delectable is that Name Besides these Names he hath termes of King Priest Prophet King for gouernment Priest for sacrifice and intercession Prophet for teaching and reuealing the Fathers secrets to his people a Trinitie of names in an Vnitie of superexcelling sweetnesse Lastly in this one Mediator is a two-fold Nature according whereto hee hath two other names God and Man but seeing vnto miserable mankinde it should be no great comfort nay rather a discomfort to heare of either of these names disioyned our heauenly Father therefore hath conioyned them and made them two one that is hath giuen him vnto vs for God-Man or Man-God a Name beyond all â—easureable sweetenesse for it propounds vnto vs an eternall vnion of God and Man No maruell then though the Church hold her Beloueds name to be redolent as also doe grieue to heare it taken in vaine and vnhallowed Furthermoâ—e if the Name of Christ be so sweete how precious should the enioy of Christ and his spirit be vnto vs seeing with him we enioy all other good things also Therefore the Virgines loue thee Hauing laid downe the cause she subioyneth the effect the sweetenesse of Mâ—ssiah caused in her Loue euen as before the Loue of Christ it caused in her prayer Thus one good gift begetteth an other euen as one euill engendreth an other euill Secondly shee changing her speech from the Whole to the Parts instead of I saying the Virgines she would first teach that the whole and euery member of Christ Iesus in his Church it is endued with sense of his gracâ—s as also with vnfained loue of his name insomuch as they exult to heare the name Iesus Secondly she would informe vs how euery true louer of Christ Iesus is a Virgine according to that of the Apostle 2. Corin. 11.2 which may serue for a faithfull exposition of Reuel 14.4 As a sober virgine abstaineth from all things that might be offensiue to her beloued so is it our duety neither if wee be of Christ can we be herein carelesse to eschew all such misdemenors as might bring agrieuance to the spirit of Iesus Lect. IIII. Verse 3. Draw me wee will runne after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will exult and be glad in thee we will remember thy Loues more then wine Righteousnesses doâ— loue thee IN this verse considerable first a Petition vnder Protestation secondly the Petitions effect The petition vnder Protestation lieth in these words Draw me we will runne after thee the Petitions effect lieth in the residue of the verse Draw me herein the Petition we will runne after thee and therein the protestation In moe words it may be vttered thus Oh my beloued Messiah I finde in my selfe all inabilitie to follow thee therefore vouchsafe to draw me but though the power of following thee be lacking in me and my seuerall members I finde yet a ready will a will which will runne after thee if first thoâ— wilt draw me In the Petition I obserue first the Churches confession of her insufficiencie for following Christ secondly her desire vnfained to be made partaker of his sufficiencie That the Church or body of faithfull ones is insufficient of themselues to follow Christ it not onely appeareth by this her prayer but also by other speeches in holy Writ touching the already faithfull Without me saith our Sauiour to his Disciples ye can doe nothing that is no good thing And for this cause is it that blessed Saint Paul testifieth thus of his spirituall life Thus I liue not I any more but Christ liueth in me referring so all his spirituall motion in goodnesse to Christ liuing in him by his spirit If that hold in the vnregenerate namely that in him they liue mooue and are according to the naturall life motion and being it must also follow touching spirituall life motion and being that it is fully of God so that of our selues we are vtterly vnsufficient to follow our beloued Iesus Which doctrine of our insufficiency may serue as a hammer for knocking downe the surging pride of Pelagius doctrine The Church finding and feeling her owne insuffiencie she therefore prayeth vnto her beloued desiring him to draw her Herein she teacheth vs first not to rest contented with knowledge of our inabilitie but in the next place to seeke vnto Christ for supply of such defect He that knowes himselfe to be sicke seekes to the phisition he that feeles famine doâ—h labour to haue nature relieued And hereupon it grewe that diseased-ones in the Gospel did seeke for helpe of Messiah others that were hungry did follow him for the loaues and fishes All that but leading spirituall Impotents as by the hand for seeking releasement at the hands of Messiah Wherein may be obserued how the high way vnto God is spirituall misery and beggerie If this be true in the regenerate in whom there is some holy thing how much more in the vnregenerate who yet is voide of all true holinesse Secondly from her forme of praier Draw me she would teach that the faithful see themselues plunged in some sinne as in a pit out of which they cannot depart without Christ his Spirit draw them Or to be in the case of the cripple which howsoeuer he sate at the beautifull gate of the Temple Act. 3.2 yet he cannot praise God leaping and walking till the precious name of Iesus haue pulled him out of his lamenesse Some lie plunged in vncleannes some in idlenesse some wallow in the dungeon of worldlines some in other euils not onely possessed of euill but also dispossessed of good What kinde of Prayers are these like to make Verily vncleane idle worldly and euill Prayers And the sacrifice of the wicked â—aith Salomon is abhomination to the Lord how much more â—aith hee when hee brings it with a wicked minde As for the faithfull themselues their prayers are euer in this world lame and impotent by reason of spirituall defects insomuch as their prayers finished they see they had need to pray for the forgiuenesse of their prayers defects like vnto the poore
to whom these mysteries are vttered That the faithfull are not to sit downe vpon the enioy of meaner gifts but thus pray and practise after the best they are not only taught of the worldlings but also of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.31 chap. 14.1 c. Yea all are by the Queene of Sheba stirred vp to spare neither labor nor charges for seeing and hearing the wisedome of Him that is greater then Salomon 2. Chron. 9.1 Math. 12.42 For if they were happy that stood before Salomon the shadow ten thousand times more happy must they be that stand in the presence of Messiah the Substance And if we desire to enter into this Rest to stand in the chambers of this great King let vs with Moses and Ioshuah loose and put off our shooes I meane carnall and beastly sense and affection thereby figured Exod. 3.5 Iosh. 5.15 If with * Bathsheba the daughter of seauen wee will in the seauen ages of the Church haue assurance to sitte on our Salomons right hand on the seate of his appointment then let vs spiritually trauaile of Him and bring him forth absolute in all our workes If with the Leuites we would lodge with Aaron our high-priest in the chambers of the Temple then let vs mount by Ezekiels seauen and eight steps singing our seauen and eight Psalmes of degrees as stepping vp from Babylon for ascending to Ierushalem the seate of the great King In a world let vs pray draw vs and draw vs from the Diuel World and Flesh after thee that so wee may togither with thee enter into the Bride-chamber there to heare and see these things that naturall eare and eie can neither heare nor see So much of the fruite ensuing her feruent prayer Touching her protestation lying in these words We will exult and be glad in thee we wil remember thy Loues more then wine Righteousnesses do loue thee or haue louéd thee Itâ— containeth an enumeration of hir Faculties disposition towards her beloued And this is done first by setting downe particulars then secondly by putting downe the whole The particulars are two lying in the first two branches the first expressing her Will or affections We will reioyce and be glad in thee the second marking out the sincerity of her Mind or Senses one Sense namely the Memorie put for all We will remember c. The Whole where-vnder the partes are contained it lieth in the last words Righteousnesses that is â— whatsoeuer is right or rectified in vs it hath and doth loue thee for so thy Loue constraineth vs. For the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be remembred that the soule of Man is distinguished into three faculties which for learning sake otherwise a simple essence or substance admits no parts may be termed 3. partes The first is termed Minde vnder which are contained all the interiour senses as Imagination Memorie c. and this is seated properly in the bodies head The second is termed Will vnder the which is contained the affections single and mixt as Loue Hatred Zeale c. And this is seated properly in the hart From both these proceed an actiue power or working property which we terme mind wils Agent or Factor The Church in this her protestation beginneth with the second Facultie namely Will when as she saith Wee will reioyce c. euen as the holy-ghost in the Prophets as also the Apostle in bidding the Ephesians put on Righteousnes true Holines do place the duties of the second Table before them of the first As it is an easier thing to find Religion without fruits of righteousnes faith without works so is it an easier thing to find the mind illuminated then the wil sanctified to Do according to the minds light For this cause she begins with the wil and signifies how her affections stand deuoted to her beloued saying Wee will exult and reioyce in thee hereby teaching vs first to preferre sanctification before illumination because illumination may be without sanctification as in Balaam Iudas Iscariot c but Sanctification not without illumination seing none are realy sanctified for we must distinguish betwixt holines real and that which is but by imputation but so soone at least their mindes are lightned with the Gospel of Christ Iesus secondly we are hereby taught to dedicate all our affections Loue Hatred Zeale c. vnto the glorie of our Beloued euen vnto him that bringeth vs to his House-threshold yea into his Cellers Galleries and chambers of secret presence And as other affections so specially our mery and reioycing affections This the Apostle remembreth saying Reioice in the Lord alway and againe I say reioice Philip 4.4 And the Psalmist protests in this elegant phrase All my springs are in thee as if he should say what speake I of singers and players of instruments in a word all the affections that flow from me manifested in pronunciation and action they are all in thee and for thee Such were the affections of Dauid causing him to spring before the Arke but comming home and such were affections springing vpon the gospels comming home by the ministerie of our Elisha But as it befell Israel after the continuance of Manna so vs after the Gospe's coutinuaunce the multitude lothe wish them in the Romish Aegypt by their flesh-pots againe stinking onions and garlike relice better with them than milke and hony of Canaan The trumperies of Iebusiticall and Secular poperie the iugling tricks alias Aequiuocations of the two frogges Iannes and Iambres Secular-priest and Iesuite are vnto a number of base Atheists of faâ—re more excellent repute then the naked sinceritie of the Gospel Wel If we turne our reioycements from Messiah his Euangell and sweete word will turne from vs. If wee will reioice and be glad in him he will neuer loathe vs. But seeing our reioycement in euill encreaseth and our exultation in the wayes of Messiah decreaseth I know not what to expect but that the Lord by some notable iudgement should declare to all nations he loathes vs as much as euer he loued vs. Touching the next clause we wil remember thy Loues more than wine the faithfull of the Church declare therein that as the affections so the Senses are consecrated to Iesus yea more consecrate to his loue then vnto wine that delighter of Nature as if shee should say Looke how the Mind of a wordling is ready to remember wine or any delight of this body euen so and much more then so will we remember thy loues From whence we are taught first to dedicate all our senses more specially the memorie for excogitating and recordating the Loue of Christ Iesus His Loue yea his Loues that is his particular Loues not committing any of them vnto Obliuion As for example we should remember that he hath First giuen vs Being of no being Secondly created vs reasonable creatures Thirdly giuen vs to be borne vnder the light of the Gospel Fourthly giuen vs many giftes of Nature
beyond some others fiftly called vs sanctified vs assured vs of a better state Not one particular loue but we should remember for whetting vp our loues againe towards him who first loued vs. As the recordating of oile wheate wine is not only solatious to the Merchant but also causeth him to labour thereafter so would the remembrance of God his seueral loues stirre vs vp with Dauid much more to delight Psal. 4.6 and to labour the more for possessing thereof as the worldling for the enioyment of gold and siluer Pro. 2.3.4.5 But alas wee receiue manie loues and forget them all from which ariseth our cold affection and vntoward deuotion Remember we therefore from whence we are falne and doe we our first workes before the golden candlesticke be taken away by captiuitie as sometimes was Iudah or at best be turned vpside downe and the light of God his worde out out Secondly we may see whence it springeth that peoples memories are so apt to euil but very slippery for retaining good namely because they doe not with the faithfull here dedicate them vnto good but rather vnto things euil euil simply or at best euil in some respect For as a mans hand is readiest in that worke it ordinarily exerciseth euen so is the memory fittest to receiue and recordate such stuffe as it hath beene enured with be it good or bad Wo therefore to such as make their memorie a table-booke of the diuels reckonings for he must pay such their wages wheras it was created for the finger of God to write in as sometimes he did in stony tables Now followeth the whole Righteousnesses do loue thee as if she should say whatsoeuer is righteous in my Minde righteous in my wil Yea whatsoeuer flâ—weth from both as an action of Righteousnesse all loueth thee and thou art beloued of all that Whence followeth first that there is no Righteous sense no righteous affection no righteous action but it is a louer of GOD and Gods friend For as Christ testifieth himselfe to be Trueth because man is enlightned with no truth that is not from Christ who lightens euery man that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 so the Apostle S. Iohn is bold to say Euery spirit confessing that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God Now we know that reprobates yea that men really infested with the diuel they can in such fearefull estate say That Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh therefore the diuell or reprobate in such an estate is ouer-ruled and acted by the spirite of Christ Iesus the causer of such truth For if in God we liue mooue and haue our being Acts. 17.28 then no tongue for speaking nor hand for working doeth mooue but it moues in God and in mouing rightly it moueth in Gods mercy but moouing otherwise it mooueth in iudgement Boldely therefore may all faithfull-ones conclude that all Righteousnesse is of God and therefore all Right things must loue him Nay they cannot but loue him seeing they are al sparkles of that infinit light and effects of that most blessed Cause of Causes which is Himselfe Secondly it followeth that all Vnrighteousnesses euen euerie particular braunch thereof it is an Enemie to God And no maruell because it is not of God but of the diuel Iohn 8.44.1 Iohn 3.8 who was a lier from the beginning and an opposer vnto Iustice. Whatsoeuer therefore is an error in sense an error in affection an errour in action it is of the diuel and an enemie to God The consideration whereof should mooue all first to nourish euery part of Iustice because it is our Kings friend but secondly to mortifie and kill euery particular vnrighteousnes because it is a Traitour to our King yea a snake in our bosome bred otherwise for our owne destruction calling for fire and brimstone as somtimes vpon the Pentapole-citties Sodome Gomorrha Zeboim Admah and Zoar bleating in the eares of our righteous Iudge as Sauls fatlings in the â—ares of Samuel calling for fire vpon the new world as of erst it cryed for waters to the drowning of the olde world Howsoeuer we cannot chuse but Iniquity will as an vnseperable accident in this life dwell in vs yet let vs labour that sinne Rom. 6.12 doe not raigne in vs yea let vs endeuour with all our soule with all our minde and with all our might that the spirite of righteousnesse may sit in the chaire of our conscience who quickely shall enable vs to treade Satan vnder Lect. VI. Verse 4. I am blacke and to be desired O daughters of Ierushalem as the Tents of Kedar as the curtaines of Salomon Verse 5. Do not respect me c. NOw we see an Apostrophe or auersion of speech from the beloued and an heedelesse care of preoccupating a notable obiection which the Daughters of Ierushalem might frame here thus how darest thou being but a blacke hued Virgine to suite and supplicate to such a beauteous sweete King as is Messiah c. Hereto she answereth first by Concession I am blacke secondly by Refutation but to bee desired c. For the better vnderstanding wherof it must be ay remembred that as vnder the person Salomon Christ is intended so vnder the person of Pharaohs daughter matched with Salomon is the Church of Gentiles figured And so the controuersie heere to be betweene the Sinagogue of the Iews and the faithful of the Gentiles alluding vnto that which the Inhabitants of Ierushalem might somtimes obiect against the Aegyptian Lady brought out of that hote Clime vnto Iudeah and Salomons court I am not ignorant that some otherwise worthy much reuerence haue herein contradicted the Ancients and peremptorily affirme that that marriage of Salomon with Pharaohs daughter it could not be a figure and why Because say they Salomon sinned in so marrying and to this end they alleadge Exod. 34.16 I answere first it followeth not that because it is euill therefore no figure Hagar and her Ismael were but an euill couple yet saint Paul maketh them a figure in their generation Galat. 4.22 c. Sodome Aegipt Babylon accursed places yet figures Obiect Euil things may be figure of euill things but not of good Answer Yes of good Hagar figured the old Testament and his workes and both good Galat. 4.24 Rom. 7.7.12 Cyrus was an vncircumcised Gouernour and yet Meshicho his euen Iebouahs annoynted and a figure of Messiah in conquering the aduersary and freeing his people Isa. 44.18 45.1 c. Secondly the Iewes were not forbidden simply all marriage with the Gentiles but to beware of al such marriage as might draw them to Idolatry Idolatrie preuented and this was done when any were contented to make themselues Israelites or Iewes Exod. 12.28 Deut. 21.12.13 Hester 8.17 And like enough that Pharaohs Daughter learned that lesson Psal. 45.10.11 then marriage might lawfully be attempted Thirdly they were forbid marriage with no other Gentiles so much as with these that Canaan euomited And vnto them the
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
the ayre resembling mens words and works Pithagoras yea Abbot Tritemius and Bartholomeus Glanduile could declare what was done a farre off so the same word and deede were not aged aboue 24. houres But if knowledge be held miraculous in the Prophet Eliseus bewraying the King of Aram his councell 2. King 6.8 c. then cannot I but beleeue there is no such naturall knowledge That Frier Bartholmew teacheth how by certaine artificiall glasses there might be caused abroad very shapes of bodies which simple beholders would imagine to be ghostes or spirits I will easily beleeue the Frier in that for it may be he had learned it of his Church-priests who by such deceiuable shewes made people beleeue that mens soules walked who well paied for their paines could coniure these shadows at their pleasure Let Edmonds the Iesuite with his Priests make that cleare who haue caused people to belieue themselues to bee possessed with Diuels specially after they had giuen them Potions and Brimstony fumigations able to traunce an horse Which Brimstony-Diuel they could dispossesse by ceasing to possesse their bodies any longer with such Hors-drinkes and Helhsh smoakings But let al such sorts of shadows very effects of Aegyptian darknes go by and let vs come to the shadow of our Appletree and what is that in mysterie The Psalmist thus answereth He that dwelleth in the secret of the most high shal abide in the shadow of the Almightie which at large after is expounded by termes of protection euen as an Henne vnder her wings protecteth her yong-ones This comfortable shadow this shield of protection in the times of Suns heate and Sins heat in the time of bodies persecution and soules persecution this shadow the faithfull desire crying Hide â—ee from the conspiracie of the wicked and from the rage of the workers of iniquitie Hither they flie as doues vnto their culuer-house as the Childe into Mothers lappe To Idols to the shadow of Iothams bramble or any other creature they fly not and why All power in heauen and in earth is giuen to Christ and he will not giue his Glorie to another Call vppon him in the day of affliction and he will heare thee come vnto him and hee will ease thee And because hee woulde haue thee finde him euen when thou dost not seeke him loe he cast himselfe into the forest where the site most fitte for him is paradise Though he be remooued in his body he is present in the spirite present in his word present in his sacraments Whole Christ though not the whole of Christ is euery where Rudely though he be handled in his ordinance yet present he is If his word if his disciple be hardly entreated he counts himselfe persecuted and when Satan woulde dart them through with fierie darts of sinne he takes the shot into his owne wings his protection as a shadow reviues and comforts them There is no saluation saith Peter Act. 4.12 in any other for amongst men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Hic ergo requiescamus ruminemus let vs therefore solely repose our comfort in his shadow for euer The second comfort deriued from him to all that rest vnder him it is his fruite for thereof the Church thus speaketh his fruite was pleasant to my palate What fruites be these In one worde his words and workes For his words Dauid thus pathetically cries out How sweete are thy speeches to my palate beyond hony vnto my mouth Let the Iews pursiuants deliuer their iudgement heerein Neuer say they Did man speake after this maner As for Simon Peter he cryeth out Thou hast the wordes of eternall life to whom should we goe As if he should say it is not for any man to seeke for words that bring eternall life in any one but thee therfore wee will not depart from thee for running after any other This caused Gregorie to conclude well Ipse est quippe lignum vitae c. For he is the tree of that life which he giueth to vs. If in other mens words we finde any refreshment wee receiue it not as theirs but as that which is Christs because whatsoeuer is in them besides God without doubt we finde to be poyson for vs. Ouer against which words the Ancient Annotatour puts in the Margine Salutis verbum in solo Christo inuenitur the word of saluation is onely to be found in Christ. Then of the other side followeth for a soule to build his faith on the meere word of man howsoeuer it carry with it a name of the Churches decree it is to build not on the Rocke but on a sandie foundation For his works what one action can be remembred that is not delectable His worke of incarnation taking our nature vppon him his worke of warfare in our nature to the killing of sinne vpon the crosse and his conquest of death by an happy resurrection his glorious ascention in our nature leading captiuitie captiue and giuing spirituall gifts vnto men his sitting at the right hand of maiestie in our nature making continuall intercession for his people and from thence sending foorth the Angels for ministring vnto the good of the heires of saluation His affoording word and sacraments for our dayly instruction his gift of naturall life with all necessary temporaries accompanying his people His protections in time of calamitie his spirits delightfull presence amiddest persecution his sweete care of vs in life and in death No one particular action can be remembred that is not pleasant and pleasure it selfe Eate of these apples in Faith digest them with Meditation and thou findes in them another maner of delight then carnall Israel did in Manna That quickly did rot this neuer felt corruption Tagnamû vrèaû kj tóbh Iehóuah Taste ye and see ye how good the Lord is psal 34.8 Euery action an apple of life and not a leafe of this tree but it serueth to heale the nations with Reuel 22.2 Lect. IIII. Verse 4. He brought me into the house of wine and Loue was his banner ouer me Verse 5. Stay me with Flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of Loue. THE Church continueth her speach and in these two verses she vâ—ters two things first a Narration of Messiahs loue vnto her secondly a petition offered vp vnto her soules Phisition For the Narration it vttâ—reth Christes loue in two glorious fauours first in conuaying his spousesse into a banquetting house termed by reason of a speciall adiunct the house of wine secondly in spreading his banner ouer her termed from the effect Dilection or Loue. First of this narration then after to her Petition In the verse before she sate in Messiahs comfortable shadow and ate of his pleasant fruite Nowe the welbeloued bâ—ingeth her into his house of wine that there she might be further cheared and quickened vp vnto spirituall duties Wine as I obserued in the first chapter bringeth a delight
Isaac Gen. 25.2 c. By whose oth taken by the Lord God of heauen the seruants hand meane time put vnder Abrahams thigh old Augustine well vnderstandeth Christ Iesus who was to come out of that thigh of Abraham But as no oth is to be taken in vaine so no oth is to be giuen or taken but when it may bring glorie to God aduantage to the Church As for oths taken for practise of euill like to thâ—t of the Iewes for killing Paul before they should eate it is euill to make them and double euill to keep them Non est repertum insiurandum vt sit vinculâ—m iniquitatis sed ad stabilienda iusta An oth is not found to be a bond of iniquitie but appointed for establishing good things as the Decretmaister well obserueth Who also there allegeth this from Isidore In mala causa rescinde fidem in turpivâ—to muta decretum quod incautè promisisti né feceris Breake thy promise in an euill matter change thy purpose in a dishonest vowe nor doe that which heedlesly thou hast promised For the thing adiured here to leaue the othes-witnesses to the last place it is this namely such a cariage of Ierushalems conuerts as whereby Messiah might not be cumbred nor molested for the time he shold lodge with hir Wherin she alludes to a royal Spousesse embraced of her more royall Loue. Who for his quiet and her owne ioy should charge the virgin-attendants to be quiet husht during the time of their wished rest Wherin I do obserue first Messiahs loue to his Church in vouchsafing to humble himselfe to her weaknes willing to rest with her amidst her infirmity This kind of Loue the apostle remembreth saying Christ would not please himself but for his Churches sake was contented that the rebukes of them that rebuked her should fall on himselfe If this his Loue which still liueth in the application of his ministry by whome he entreateth vs in all humility were well pondred of vs we would not onlie humble our selues to him but also make it an argument as the Apostle doth of bearing the infirmities of the weak not stil to please our selues not sâ—il seeking our owne but euery man anothers wealth as members sutable to such an head Secondly it teacheth how sweet the presence of Christ is vnto the soule ouer-caried with infirmities amazed at the sight and sense of diuine giuings Salomon saith that good newes from a farre contry are as coldwaters to a weary soule prou 25.25 To a soule distressed with sinne O how comfortable are the glad tidings of Iesus brought from heauen a right farre contry The faithfull meting with this Loue embraced with this spirit they count all earthlie delites but dung in comparison therof In this Loue they would liue and in this Loue they couet to die because so liuing and dying they liue and die Christs Thirdly we are taught to see that Christ be not disquieted whilst he seeke our quiet As the Apostle commandeth vs to auoid the grieuance of his holy spirit adding this reason because by it we are sealed vnto the day of redemption so we are of the other hand to please the spirit as we wold not turne away the seale of saluation Nor can this be but when we vse all the authoritie we haue to preuent and appease euils The Gentiles during the time of their superioritie are to binde the Iewes vnto Christian peace Princes must sweare their subjects Ministers by their sacramentall othe must binde their people Parents and Maisters must exercise their authoritie on their children and seruants As the sword is not borne of the Magistrate for nothing so neither the word nor rodde is commended to Ministers and Ciuill superiours for nothing If they may be vsed for procuring dutie vnto man how much more for causing obedience of soule and body to God Fourthly that the adiuration is limited to the Beloueds wil and good pleasure it not onely argueth that this is spoken by the church of Christ to whoâ—e wiâ—l the refeâ—res her will for Messiah referres not the doing oâ— not doing of diuine duâ—ies to his peoples will But also it inferreth a knowledge which the new Testaments church hath of Christs arising fâ—om the bed of the Geâ—tiles for conuersing againe with his ancient naturâ—ll Israel This caused Paul to write thus For I would not brethren that yee should be ignorant of this secret lest yee should bee arrogant in your selues that partly obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles come in As if he should say Hardnesse of heart shall raigne in the ancient Israel till the infinite multitude of the Gentiles be accomplished but their fulnesse once come then the ancient people shal be saued by vertue of faith in the same Deliuerer that came out of Zion This doctrine hath againe and againe beene taught in this song whether for further knowledge I referre thee Onely here ariseth this question Shall the generall calling of the Iewes be the falling of the Gentiles I answerâ— yea as the calling of the Gentiles was the fall of the Iewes For in that their generall calling shall not be till the fulnesse of Gentiles be come in what can be implied but that their fertilitie shal be our barrennes But as the Ethnicks vocation and graffing in was the casting away of the multitude of Isrâ—el not of euery particular member so their receiuing againe in aboundance shal be the riches of the Gentiles yea the very roote whereon the fewe of Gentiles shall growe Now we labour of many sores which then by their leaueâ— vnfolding shal be healed Reuel 22.2 New Ierushalem from heauen is builded amongst vs but her terrene perfection abideth thâ—ir generall addition that so they without vs and we without them may not be perfect That their calling is not farre off I meane the addition of their muâ—titude to the fewe of their brethren daily abroad receiuing the faith I verâ—ly beleeue Why because the Gentiles fulnes appeareth almost come in How appeareth that Euen as the neerenesse of the Iewes vniâ—ersâ—ll reiection appâ—ared That is by a generall neglect and contempt of religion and the daily broching of new fancies with all greedinesse receiued When the Iewes were generallie come to that hight then they fall and the Gentiles rise Nowe the Gentile church is generally come to the top of al iniquitie what then remaineth but to cutte them generallie off and to graffe in the naturalâ— Oliue into his owne stocke The parties adiuring and adiured and the thing it selfe wherto they are adiured thus remembred it now resteth we examine who be witnesses to this adiuration They be the Roes and Hindes of the fielde that is in mystery such excellent members and Ministers of Christ as for very good cause may be resemblanced to the Roe and Hinde not tied to any particular parke or congregation but liuing abroad in the worlds field that