himselfe yea so perfect a one as hath no fault or blemish in it But this second beeing of it selfe a dead plant and infected is made a Lillie by drawing of the nature and iuyce of the true Lillie whereunto it is incorporated cleane contrary vnto that which falleth out in graffes of mens planting in which the graffe remaining still in his owne nature the wild stock on which he was grafted is altered and chaunged Such are the faithful called goodly fruitful trees but it is by vertue of the water which is alwaies at the foote of their roote Psal 1.3 who are called Palmes and Cedars but it is because they are planted in the house of the Lord Psal 9.13 who are a fruitful vine but transported and brought out of Aegypt and planted and husbanded by the hand of God Psal 80 9. whose field and husbandrie it is called 1. Cor. 3.9 Neither maie wee maruaile that the name of Lilly is giuen and communicated vnto the Church seeing shee is sometimes called by the name of Christ her husband 1. Cor. 12.12 in asmuch as shee is made one with him And indeed why should she not be called a Lilly aswel as her husband seeing shee is holy and righteous with the proper holinesse righteousnesse of him 1. Cor. 1.30 and consequently of a most sweete sauour in him 2. Cor. 2.15 Such then is the true Church through the onelie grace of god in him who beeing made true man in al and through al sinne onelie excepted maketh her conformable vnto himselfe by consequent euerie of the faithful chaunging the flesh into spirite that they maie bee al made one spirit in him 1. Cor. 6.17 this is I saie this true Lilly and therefore it followeth that wee must hold her for a false and bastard plant which sauoreth not but of her wild and stinking nature or happilie thinketh to muske and perfume her selfe with that which she falsly calleth her merites or the merites of Saintes Phil. 3.9 much lesse are they this Church who by their wicked and detestable life are abominable before God and men 1. Cor. 6.10 vnto whom the Gospel is turned into the sauour of death 2. Cor. 2.16 8 But that which is after saide namelie that this Lilly is among thorns giueth vs to vnderstand what the condition of the Church here below is to wit a lamp shining amidst the darkenes of this world Phil. 2.15 or as a sheepe among the wolues Mat. 10.16 in a woord as a florishing plant in the desertes full of millions of croked bryars and thornes beeing notwithstanding of a most sweet smel amongst al stinking and venemous plantes Neither are these thorns onelie round about this faire Lilly but thrust themselues into her and seeke to choke the Lilly and her flowers Naie which more is these thornes shal not be rooted vp vntill the latter daie as is declared by the parable of the tares Matt. 13.24 yea besides this euerie one carrieth in his hart the remnant of these thornes as incredulitie which seeketh to chooke faith distrust sighting against hope in a woord the flesh resisting the spirit in which combate we feele many great and greeuous pricks Matt. 13.22 Gal. 5 17. Rom. 8.23 Such therefore is the condition of the Church and of euerie member thereof as continuall experience witnesseth whereof it was necessarie we should bee put in minde and warned to the end wee should not thinke that we can bee the Lilly which is liking and smelleth sweete vnto the men of this world but contrariwise that we should make our account betimes that the more we be changed into true Lillies by the grace of God the more wee shal displease the hogs and dogs of this woorlde to whom nothing is sweete but that which is filthie and vncleane the enmity of God and the world being perpetual 9 Hereon ought amongst all others those sages and politique wise especially to thinke who imagine they can finde a means to agree light and darknes together No no a man cannot faithfully serue two contrarie masters If thou wilt bee this sweete Lilly thou must be assaulted with thornes and neuer agreed and become one with them except thou wilt bee burned togither with them But what The mistes cannot hinder the sunne from rising to make a distinction betweene day and night Darknes cannot let the moone and the stars to continue such as they are although sometimes the vapours be so thicke so grosse that they who are below are depriued of the sight of their clearnes and brightnes euen so must we bee children of the light in the middest of the darknes of this woorld as the land of Gosen enioyed the light of the daie when the greatest part of Aegypt was couered with thick and palpable darknes Exod. 10.13 Wee must bee children of the light to force the most wicked to acknowledge in vs the father of light Mat. 5.16 and to conuict the froward and wicked woorld Phil. 2.15 Let the world therefore continue remaine as long as it will a cursed ground for which Christ praieth not Ioh. 17.9 ful of bryers and thornes whereof wee must take good heede that we be not pricked But cōtrariwise though we are in the midst of it let vs not stand to communicate with his vnfruitful works 1. Cor. 5.9 and Ephes 5.11 but let vs bee and continue fruitfull trees strong Palmes fragrant Cedars smelling sweete and pleasing the Lord encreasing and florishing from daie to daie vnto the glorie of God Let vs praie our good God and father of his great grace and mercie to perfect in vs his holie work hee hath begunne to the end wee maie seeke for and finde in him our whole repose and contentment without beeing deceiued and seduced by the vaine shew and appearance of this world but that rather following the example of Moses the faithfull seruant of God the reproch it selfe of Christ be more precious vnto vs then al the riches and treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.24 that in the middest of this stinking and contagious world wee maie bring foorth fruites of a good and sweete smel vnto him who hath transplanted vs out of the world in his holy house And because that hitherto contrarie vnto our dutie wee haue beene and yet are negligent forgetfull and vnthankfull in this behalfe let vs craue at his hands mercy and forgiuenesse as followeth Almighty God c. THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the second Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 3. and 4. verses 3 As is the Apple tree among the trees of the forrest so is my Welbe-loued among the young men I haue earnestly desired his shade I sate downe and his fruite was sweete vnto my mouth 4 He brought me into the place of the banquet and his banner ouer me was Dilection or Loue. 1 Wherefore the Bridegroome is likewise compared vnto a tree which beareth fruite 2 What the forrest of this
and persecutions as we haue before at large handled 4 Albeit therefore there is but one Church notwithstanding this letteth not but that it may be considered in mo parts euen in this world whereof some being disfigured by persecution seeke after other which are in peace So we see by experience at this day that the Church of God being most cruelly persecuted and depriued of the publique and pure exercise of religion in some places of the world is releeued elsewhere and comforted inioyeth by an especial grace and fauour of God hir liberty who reserueth for his poore children some place of refuge and refreshing 5 But it seemeth that yet more properly to speake more neere to the point the church being as it were vniuersally persecuted and woonderfully disfigured demaundeth here of hir Bridegroome how and by what meanes hee is accustomed to maintain and nourish his Church with this pasture against all the afflictions stormes and tempestes of this worlde And therefore is as much as if she should say that though shee bee brought into poore estate yet hath she not for all that lost any whit of her courage or changed her affection at al as it is saide Psal 44.18 and Psal 89.39 but that amiddest them amongst whom she is in so troublesom a time she hath as it were lost the footing of the right way as beeing brought into a desert wildernesse which causeth her to desire her Bridegroome it may please him to direct her and to point her out which way shee shall take to finde and to come vnto her true repose and rest In a word to vnderstand this place aright let vs set before vs the state of the church of the Lord in which it was but threescore or fourscoure years ago whē if a man had demāded what maner of booke the Bible was or the new Testament he should hardly haue found one among a thousand of them which named themselues christians which knew what it was much lesse which vnderstood what was meant by the law the Gospel Neither doe wee doubt but that such as it pleased God to vouchsafe his grace to enquire after the right way amidst such desarts to find it to teach it vs to bring vs thither by their holy labor trauel did oftē make the same praier vnto God which this spouse beeing in the like estate maketh here without which praier themselues we should haue perished with others with the rest of the world And yet at this daie what doe all the true faithfull beleeuers in those places and kingdomes where they mourne and languish but praie vnto the Lord to teach them the right waie amidst those labyrinthes in which they are and to guide them to those places where God doth feed his sheep in al abundance and in exceeding great safety 6 Behold I say what the true children of God hauing great want of that which we haue in all aboundance desire of God euery day with vnspeakable sighinges and teares whilest wee despise the bounty and liberality of the Lord and turne vpon our heads into iust iudgement the grace and mercy of the gospel by our wicked and dissolute liuing And what shal we saie of them who enioying the places of such a rest seeke after Sodome and Gomorra departing as Lot did out of Abrahams house Gen. 13.10 by reason whereof he found himselfe soone after in il case Gen. 14.12 yea with his whole family Gen. 19. which was finally cursed of God and shut out and excluded from his people I knowe what the replies of such men are that the gospel is not enclosed shut vp within the walles of one city which is verie true But notwithstanding the spouse demaundeth in this place where the place is that hee feedeth and reposeth or resteth his sheep Neither serueth the reply of such men to any purpose namely that in what place soeuer they bee they wil serue God and if they cannot haue the publique exercise of the word of God they wil read the Scripture and wil pray in their houses I answere that Lot also when hee was in Sodom afflicted his soule which they for the most keep themselues wel from 2. Pet. 2.8 and yet we see that neither he nor his Daughters learned any thing there which was ought worth Gen. 19.8.16.31 7 The first point therefore of this demand is to know whether we must retire our selues not to perish with the woorlde but to be fed to eternal life This is meant by these words where thou feedest In which we are also to note that it is not said where men feede but where thou feedest whereby it is shewed vs that we must seek for this food elsewhere then in our selues to wit in him of whom onely it is said that he hath life in himselfe Ioh. 5.26 and who is the bread of life Ioh. 6.35 and that we seeke it no where else but there where he feedeth vs I meane as Saint Peter testifieth there where his word is announced and preached when he saith Ioh. 6.68 to whom shall wee goe Thou hast the words of eternal life after that he had heard a little before of him the words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life For which cause also 1. Ioh. 1.1 he is called the word of life This is then the onely great pastor and shepheard of our soules who feedeth his sheepe hauing spoken first of al vnto the fathers in diuerse sorts and at sundry times and last of all hauing declared vnto vs in person al the will of his father Ioh. 15.15 and consequentlie hauing giuen and giuing euery daie pastours and teachers Ephes 4.11 of whom it is said As my father hath sent me so send I you Ioh. 20.21 not to ad notwithstanding or to diminish any thing from the doctrine alreadie preached by the master but according to the tenour of their commission limited to that which they haue heard and receiued Matth. 28.20 and Act. 4.20 8 From thence also flow 2. other points of most necessary doctrin First that the Church is not there where men do feed that is to say doe teach their owne inuentions whether they forge a doctrine altogither new Esay 29.13 or whether they adde change or diminish anie thing from the word first preached and afterward registred by the Prophets and Apostles which the Lord calleth the leauen of the Pharisees Mat. 16.11 whereof the Apostle distinctly and expresly speaketh Col. 2 from the 16. vers vnto the end of the Chapter Secondly that as little ought euery assembly to bee called the church in the which there is no feeding but foding of the poore people with songs and right masquerades and mummeries and that in an vnknowen language among whom euen those which vsurp the names of pastors are dumb dogs deuouring the sheep as it were bread Psal 14.4 in steed of feeding them Ioh. 10.10 and not only ignoraunt and vtterly vnable and vnfit for their calling but
beleeue can neuer come to passe to the end to drawe men vnto themselues when it pleaseth God so to chasten and punish the contempt of his truth Now that the marks of the Church bee not alwaies bright-shining and cleare it is apparant and manifest not onely by the menaces and threats which the Lord hath made in this behalf both by the Prophets in infinite many places as Psal 44. and 79 80. throughout and Psal 89.39 Esay 28.14 else-where as also vnder the new couenant the Lord foretold the same expresly Mat. 24.24 and after him the Apostle Act. 20.29 and 2. Tim. 3.12 and 2. Thess 2.6 and 1. Ioh. 2.18 as it hath also beene confirmed by manie and sundry experiences in al times as before we haue declared This is then the state in which the poore Church is proposed vnto vs to be in the verse going before not knowing in a maner on which side to turne it selfe in such an vtter confusion 2 And therefore our duty is wel and narrowly to consider the aunswere made vnto the spouse by him himselfe who alone to speake properly speaketh in verity truth seeing it is he who is truth it selfe and who neuer forsaketh those who are his in their neede After a preface therefore first made to encourage and to comfort her calling her the fayrest among women hee aunswereth his spouse in this sense It is true indeede that thou art a poore wandring stray and therefore black and sunne-burnt but yet thou leauest not for all that to be fayr and beutifull in mine eye yea adorned with such a beuty as none besides thy selfe can vaunt and boast of This is the verie stile which the Lord himself vseth by his Prophets adding alwaies a consolation and comfort after his threats and iudgementes as is expreslie spoken and in the same sense by the Prophet Esaie saying Come my people enter into thy chambers and shutte the doores after thee and hide thy selfe a little while vntil my anger bee passed ouer Esay 26.20 the Church hauing said before vnto him in the eight verse ô Eternal we wait for thee in the way of thy iudgementes Nowe the foundation of this comfort and consolation consisteth in two pointes both of them grounded vpon the singular mercie of God The first is that the Lord neuer suffereth the ground Articles and points of true religion to be abolished in his Church though they be in diuers sorts both within and without disguised and bastardized and that sometimes this truth remaine but among a few as we see it came to passe in Israel in the time of Elias in Iuda in the time of the captiuity of Babylon in Ierusalem it selfe then when the Lord came in person The other point is that the Lord considereth not his Church simply according vnto his graces and blessings which shine in her which are sometimes most darke and obscure in the eies of men but respecteth her alwaies in the truth of his couenant and in him in whom shee is indeede not onely without spot or wrinckle Coloss 1.22 but which is more clothed with the perfect righteousnesse of the reconciler Phil. 3.9 3 Let vs therefore know that the church leaueth not to be a church though the true doctrine touching certaine articles bee therein debated yea though it bee touching the principall articles by some as the weaknesse of some and the wickednesse of others is great whereof the church of Corinth may be a witnesse in which the article of the resurrection was called by some into controuersie and the church of the Galathians so shaken that in respect of the greatest part of the members thereof it was vtterly reuolted as the Apostle himselfe witnesseth Gal. 1.6 who notwithstanding leaueth not to cal them churches of Iesus Christ which he also reformed restored according vnto that lessō which he taught others Rom. 14.1 And therefore these fantasticall Catharistes and Donatistes of olde and those of our time of the sect of the Anabaptists who seeke after such a church in this world as should haue no fault nor any thing amisse in it are vtterlie to bee reiected 4 But it is far an other thing to dispute and make a question of that which a man knoweth not with a will and desire to learne and know it and stubburnly to oppose a mans selfe against the truth and finally to maintaine and authorise a doctrine directly contrarie vnto the articles of our faith And thus is it at length come to passe in the Romish church at this day which for this cause doth no more deserue the name of a church then the kingdome of the ten tribes reuolting with Ieroboam the sonne of Nabath deserued the name of the people of God albeit there were for a long time some of Gods elect among those reuolters whom the Lorde according vnto his good pleasure did miraculously preserue vntill the daie of the vtter dissipation of them which shall befall this West Babylon in his time And therefore we protest that in the times of our fathers there was a Church that is to say a number of the children of God as it were secret and shut vp as may be proued by writinges from age to age that there were alwaies some who opposed themselues against those superstitions and idolatries which by little and litle gotte the vpper hand in this Babylon called three hundred yeares agoe by one of their owne Poets a Temple of heresie in the which the Lorde for this suffered not that Baptism should be vtterly taken away and abolished but not that this Sea or any affected thereunto being directlie opposed vnto the Church of God was at any time the Church We protest confesse farther that euen in our time in which it hath pleased God to display the banner of his truth there doe stil remaine some of the elect buried as it were in the middest of this Babylon who in respect of the eternal purpose and counsel of God appertain at this present vnto the true church but by little and little as it pleaseth God to drawe them out of this gulf are actually made the members of this true Church of which thing you to whom we speak and our selues who are by Gods mercie come forth thereof are good witnesses This is then the comfort and consolation whereof mention is made in this place and that which we must learne to answere them who so impudently and shameleslie begin our churches from those great personages the faithful seruants of God raysed vp of his great mercy and grace about seuentie yeares agoe not to build a new Church as they falsely cal it but to gather togither the poore seelie sheepe which were strayed among the wolues which the spouse calleth here false companions of Iesus Christ as wee haue aboue expounded the same the Bridegroome therefore passing farther addeth If thou knowest it not as if hee said is it possible my spouse that thou hast vtterly forgotten that which thou askest of
consciences but doth indeede signifie and represent vnto our outward senses that which washeth awaie our sinnes which sanctifieth vs beeing apprehended and receiued by faith I meane the spiritual and inuisible sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.2 and 3.21 So likewise in the Supper of the lord that which we see touch eate and drink is not that which feedeth and nourisheth vs vnto eternal life but that verily which is sacramentallie represented vnto our spirit and vnto our faith by the bread and wine namelie the bodie which was deliuered for vs and the blood which was shed for vs briefly Iesus christ whole and entire true God and true man from whom beeing spiritually applied vnto our soule by the vertue of the holie Ghost by means of our faith we draw remission of our sinnes encrease of our sanctification and finally the iuyce of eternall life both for our soule and also for our bodie And therefore when in the old â—estament the appeasing of the wrath of God is attributed vnto the sacrifices as also in the writinges of the Apostles these woords of washing and of communicating of the bodie and of the bloode of the Lord and of putting on of Iesus Christ are attributed and giuen vnto the visible and corporal signes this is not to yeeld vnto the signes that which is incommunicably proper belonging vnto the thing signified for we know that water washeth not the soule that the soule neither eateth nor drinketh but this is to shew the difference between these things considered in the common vsage of this life and the self same things considered as sacraments that is to saie as visible signes of that which the Lord there giueth vs and which hee worketh inuisibly in our soule if the fault be not in our selues that is to say if in steede of receiuing by faith we reiect them not by our incredulity 9 What is then the spike-nard whereof the spouse speaketh in this place and the smel whereof is most liking and acceptable vnto the Bridegroome It is first an humble and contrite hart Psal 51.17 It is faith and an holy assuraunce in the grace and mercie of God by Iesus Christ alone without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 It is true charity which we vse towardes our neighbors Phil. 4.18 It is the sacrifice of giuing of thanks Col. 3.16 Gen. 8.21 In a woorde it is truly the whole life of a christian in which we seeke according vnto the measure of the spirite to please him in all things Col. 1.10 consecrating vnto him both our bodies and mindes in all our actions Rom. 12.1 and as a sweete smelling sauour vnto the Lord euerie one following his vocation 2. Cor. 2.15 Loe this is this is the odour and perfume which we must bring vnto this banquet which is also signified by the marriage garment Mat. 22.11 on paine of beeing cast handes and feete bound into vtward darknesse where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 10 These things being well considered what may I say or hope for of theÌ„ who appeare at this holy banquet at the sound of the bell and in the meane time come and depart alas not with this spike-nard but coÌ„trariwise with al maner of stinkingnesse and infection who are the cause that in steede that the world should be drawen to glorifie God seeing the fruits of his spirit in them as they bee described by the Apostle Gal. 5.22 men become stincking before God and man beeing the cause that his holy name which is called vpon of vs is blasphemed among the vnbeleeuing Rom. 2.24 I pray you who woulde not be put out of all patience that hauing called any one vnto his table the person so inuited should present himselfe before him with some vile sluttish filthines in a dish or in his hands And what other thing do they before God who in steede of a contrite humble heart crying with Dauid Create in me a new hart Psal 51.10 and with the poore Publicane Luk. 18.10 God be appeased towardes me poore sinner bring him an heart full of adulterie fornication pride an heart committing Idolatrie with the goods of this world empoisoning the beholders with wanton lookes and all manner of wicked examples full of enmitie debate wrath anger despite quarelling diuision and partiality of enuy drunkennesse and gluttony and other infamous and shameful filthines which is yet too too rife in the middest of them for whom god prepareth this banquet Now therefore in the name of God wee say vnto you we cry vnto you wee pray you wee exhort you bee yee reconciled vnto God amend your liues mortifie your members vpon the earth thinke not to deceiue God bring forth fruites worthy of repentance for the axe is alreadie laid vnto the roote of the tree and euerie dry rotten tree shalbe hewed downe cast into the fire 11 But let vs take heed of Satan my brethren aswel on the right hand as on the left being armed on the one side on th'other 2. Cor. 6.7 for the breach is made on both sides and if it bee not ramperd vp we cannot but be surprised and destroied Being assaulted on the left hand by our naturall lusts and concupiscences that if we giue grounde the fire can no sooner take the powder of the Canon but al wil down without resistance For as the water goeth naturally downward without any driuing so fareth it with vs by reason of our corruption in such sort that the most regenerat can hardly resist the least assaults This thing requireth no proofe For those who are best disposed doe know by euery daies experience that they neede a wrench and pully to drawe them to think well much more to doe well Thus you see the mighty assault of Satan which wee must withstand by which hee laboureth to induce vs not to care for being garnished and prouided of the spikenard as if wee had the mercie of God in our sleeue and as if euerlasting life were prepared for mockers and hart hardned miscreants who say Let vs sin that mercy may abound Rom. 6.1 vnder pretence of the great mercie and fauor which God hath shewed vnto whom it pleased him 12 The other assault is no lesse easie vnto our aduersarie ayding himselfe with our owne disposition by which we are naturally giuen to an opinion and ouer-weening of ourselues especially when it is made against them who haue receiued some speciall graces of God either within or without his church So we see the best wittes to come to nothing or to become the most hurtfull of all others as al histories aswel sacred as profane contain most heauy examples therof we yet see it come to passe in our time But aboue al the rest from wheÌ„ce is proceeded this most false most wicked and most diuelish doctrine of merites and satisfactions but from this cursed opinion that our nature such as it is at this day is somthing worth
which is cleane and neate and so much bad among the good such as it is that not onely it is without al value to be able to moue the Lord to crown vs with his glorie but contrariewise being nothing else but a polluting and defiling of his graces deserueth nothing but condemnation if he iudge of it according vnto the merit thereof 14 And this is the cause why the spouse resteth not on her own spike-nard but on her Bridegrome whom she compareth vnto two sweete plantes or young trees for these names are not very welknown vnto vs bearing a gum of most excellent sweete odour namely to the Myrrhe and vnto that which is called Copher bearing a certaine fruite or a flowre in forme of a cluster whereof was great aboundance in the vineplattes of Engaddi a place renowned in sacred historie by reason of his plenty and fertility Let vs therefore note in this place first the manner of speech which sheweth that the spouse and her spike-nard are two distinct thinges But the Bridegroome is himselfe this Myrrhe and this Copher For touching the graces which we haue and concerning the fruites of them which are good works all these are qualities not borne in vs nor with vs but are come on vs of the liberality of him who createth and formeth in vs both to wil and to doe so that to speak properly it is not we that smel sweet but the giftes and graces of God wherewith he hath endued vs cause vs to smel sweet But it is the Bridegroome which hath al of himselfe in as much as he is God and giueth al vnto himselfe in asmuch as he is man In a word it is hee that is all perfection and that hath it in him without meane or measure but to impart and communicate it howe and to whom it pleaseth him as the fragrant flowre keepeth not his sweete smel to it selfe but poureth it forth and causeth it to be sauored and smelt of them which approch and come neare it And this is the cause why it is saide elsewhere not onely that this Bridegroome hath life in him but that he is the life it selfe and the resurrection and that hee hath life in himselfe yea saith he the spirit taketh of mine Ioh. 16.14 as elsewhere hee saith that he hath power to lay downe his soul and to take it to himselfe againe Ioh. 10.18 15 And this is the reason also why he is not compared simplie to one graine but to an handfull or bundell of Myrrhe nor to one graine alone of Copher but to a cluster of Copher because that indeede hee giueth of his spirit by measure but hee hath al in himselfe without measure But alas it is not vpon the woorld that he hath powred this odour For neither doth this smel wel vnto it nether doth it smel wel vnto the Bridegrome Who is then quickned with this odour of life 2. Cor 2.16 It is she who hath this bundel of Myrrhe and cluster of Copher in her bosome namely they who according vnto the example of the blessed virgine Marie lay vp and keepe the wordes of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 in their heart Luk. 2.15 Who heare this woorde of the Lorde and keepe it Luk. 11.28 and meditate therein daie and night Psal 1.2 in whose hearts this word dwelleth plentifully Col. 3.16 and by consequent Iesus Christ together with his father Ioh. 14.23 as also the holy Ghost Gal. 4.6 to the end that our bodies also be his Temple 1. Cor. 6.19 Let vs therefore learne to discerne the painted shew of the world from the true beuty and bounty and let vs pray our good God it maie please him to change vs throughly driuing out of our vnderstanding al filthinesse of falsehoode and ignorance and al infection of our affections in lieu whereof hauing perfumed vs within and without with the odour and sweete smell of his integrity and obedience it will please him to reforme vs also in all purenesse and holinesse to bee vnto him a sweete smelling sauour by his holy grace and singular mercie And because that hitherto wee haue abused these his graces notwithstanding his so great patience wee wil demaund and craue mercy at his hands as followeth Almighty God c. THE FIFTEENTH SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the first Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 15.16 and 17. verses 15 My Loue beholde thou art faire beholde thou art faire thy eies are like Pigions eies 16 My welbeeloued beeholde thou art goodlie and pleasant our bedde is of greene leaues 17 The beames of our houses are of Cedars and the galeries of Cypers 1 By the discourse at this banquet betweene the Bridegroome and the spouse we maie vnderstand and gather the vnspeakeable ioie and pleasure which the faithfull soule receiueth hearing that which Iesus Christ testifieth vnto it 2 The exceeding beuty of the church and wherein it consisteth 3 What is meant by the eies of a Pigeon 4 What conueniencie and what inequality there is between the dilection loue of this Bridegroome towardes his spouse that of this spouse towards her Bridegroome 5 This spouse findeth her selfe no otherwise beutifull then by the beames of her Bridegroomes beuty contrarie vnto her who pleaseth her selfe in her selfe 6 This spouse neither seeketh after nor findeth anie repose and rest but in the bed of her Bridegroome 7 What this bedde is which is alwaies greene and what the pillers thereof are which are of perpetual cōtinuance opposed vnto those which are of rotten wood WE haue hitherto as it were accōpanied the Bridegrome the spouse vnto the feast banquet of the fiansailes now their holy discoursing talking together full of vnspeakeable comfort and consolation is here set downe and declared For who is he that can comprehend either the loue which the bridegrome by inward effects testifieth vnto his spouse yea to euery faithful beleeuing soul or the ioy contentment which the spouse thereby receiueth considering aright and esteeming the price and valewe of that shee receiueth the excellency of him who voutchsafeth her so great honor Now seing the consideration of so great a benefit constraineth such as are most ignorant to wish and desire it and such as are most wicked to condemn themselues for despising and contemning of it we must bee so much the more diligent and attentiue in heedful marking of these discourses of theirs that so we may haue our part therein 2 The Bridegroome therefore hauing called this spouse his loue or welbeloued testifieth vnto her twise together that shee is faire that shee is faire Let vs therefore first consider the excellency of him who speaketh in this place It is the euerlasting son of God who is not deceiued to take that for faire which is foule being abused with the forme and fashion of this world 1. Cor. 7 31. and who speaketh fainedly or dissemblingly Mat. 22.16 Therfore we
the Lord the goodly clear fair wether indeed began to arise which continued as it were vnto his full noone vnder Salomon who furnished the house of the Lorde both within and without with a most triumphant magnificencie at which time God graunted so long a peace vnto his Church with aboundance and plenty of all temporall blessinges and it may be that the Bridegroome setteth before the eies of his spouse that happy change of the time inuiting bidding her to awake to haue the fruition thereof As much may we and ought we to say to haue come to passe in the time begunne about these threescore yeares since the lord hauing of his infinite bountie and mercy driuen away out of a great part of Christendome the horrible and deadly darckenesse of that Idolatry brought in by the false whore with such an efficacie of the spirite of error that the greatest part of them who attribute vnto themselues the name of great Catholickes and Christians are yet therewith vnto this day enchanted and bewitched This spring-time therfore was sent by the Lord from heauen who raised vp in our time these great and famous personages in the holy ministerie of his woorde and on the other side placed in the seates of magistrates his Ezechiasses and Iosiasses who mightily destroyed the newe Baalimes and Astarothes 4 And what did they els but call and inuite this spouse being awaked to come vnto her Bridegroome and to accompany him into those goodly gardens of true delights wherof the Prophet maketh mention Psal 22.36 And we which are succeeded after them what other thing doe we but crie in your eares in the name of this Bridegroome Arise come the winter is past the goodly weather is come the acceptable time the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 But alas what shall I say Euery one playeth the deafe mā euery one is asleep euery one is shrowded nestled in I know not what retchles securitie against the which though we haue long cried yet we crie still in vaine so that the end is wee are likely to be shortlie awaked by other maner of messengers In the meane time let vs take a viewe of the excellent description of this goodly season whereof mention is made by Dauid Psal 118.24 to the end that they who haue eares may heare what the Bridegroome here saith and reioyce in this merry good morowe of his 5 The winter saith the Bridegroome is past the raine is past it is gone away We know that the winter is nothing els but the death as it were of the woorld besides that the stormie colde and the obscuritie and darknesse of the ayre couered throughout with thicke cloudes depriue men of the vse both of the heat as also of the light of the sunne The Church on the contrarie side is the kingdome of light Ioh. 5.6 and 1. Thess 5.5 And because that Iesus Christ is the life Ioh. 11.25 nay hath life in himselfe Ioh 5.26 it followeth that the church only is in life as the worlde is in death and therefore is she also compared vnto a forrest of trees not dead and such as are ready to be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 but alwaies greene florishing and laden with fruite Psalm 1.3 yea and that when they are extreme old Psal 92.14 The reason is added in that place because they are planted by the riuers of running waters and of what waters Certainly of those which flowe forth vnto eternal life Ioh. 4.14 not of that which is in ditches and welles rising from out of the bowels of the earth but of the water saith this Bridegroome which I giue which issueth from aboue not which this sun draweth vp from the earth but sendeth down into the earth as flowing proceeding from him as it is said Psal 110.3 that the Church is borne of the dew of this morning and Matth. 5.45 beeing borne anew by the water which is from aboue which is the spirit of God Ioh. 3.15 much lesse that water which is drawne out of some standing poole or cestern but that which is most pure and most cleane Ier. 2.13 namely not the water which men haue digged in the earth but which himselfe sendeth from heauen and whereunto hee calleth and inuiteth all those who are his Esay 55.1 These things being well considered teach vs to know the true Church from the false I meane the liuing Church from the dead Apoc. 5.1 the true woord of God powred from heauen vpon the Prophets and Apostles to carry abroade and disperse it through the whole woorld Esay 2.20 Apoc. 22.2 from the false proceeding from the earth and out of mens braines Esay 29.13 and Coloss 2.22 and consequently the true christian from the superstitious and from the hypocrite 6 That which the Bridegroome addeth of flowers with which the earth is tapistred is referred vnto the same that that before beeing meant hereby the efficacie and working of the holie ghost in the Church when it pleaseth God to blesse the labour of his ministers and seruants in such sort that the whole ground of the Lord is throughout platted with flowers which cast a sweet smel euen vnto heauen being most pleasing vnto the Lord I meane in Iesus Christ saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 2.15 and not in themselues that men forge not vnto themselues merites out of the qualities of the fairest and sweetest flowers which our garden can bring though it be blessed from aboue so far is it that that ground on which the pestilent and contagious windes which come forth of the holownes of the earth doe blow can produce these flowers which are heere mentioned how euer they smel sweete vnto men who beare themselues in hand that the filth of their inuentions sauour of musk before Lorde These flowers then are such as God soweth in his ground 1. Cor. 3.9 namelie by the ministerie of such as hee hath ordained to plant and to water 1. Cor. 3.16 for which cause the Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioie and crowne Philip. 4.1 7 For who else soweth these flowers but the Lorde who sendeth them from an high by his most precious woorde dispensed and administred by the order which hee hath established Esai 5.2 namelie vnder the Lawe in that magnificent temple togither with all his furniture and prouision by that so wel ordered armie of the Priestes and Leuites in that magnificencie which is particularlie painted out vnto vs in the first of the Kings the first of the Chronicles wherunto we must adioine the wisedom of Salomō which gaue his shining brightnes vnto the ends of the world accōpanied with al other blessings of God by which his people became admirable wōderful to al the natiōs of the earth But yet were al these flowers nothing in comparison of the ministery of the gospel committed first vnto the Apostles Euangelists his most excellent and diligent planters and sowers 1. Cor. 3.9 by whom the garden-plat as it were
earth towards men Luk. 2.14 and his song or charge what is it Come vnto mee all yee that are heauy laden and oppressed and I will ease you Math. 11.28 And what is that of the Apostle Reioyce alwaies saith he and againe I say vnto you reioyce Philip. 4.4 And to the end we should not think that the crosse which is an inseparable companion of the gospell hindreth any whit at all this ioy In asmuch saith he by the mouth of Saint Peter as you are partakers of Christes sufferinges reioyce yee 1. Pet. 4.13 which lesson himselfe had learned of his maister Math. 5.12 12 Behold then the time whereof the Bridegroome heere speaketh beholde the songs of this turtle which calleth her mate vnto her which faileth not to answere her with the like as we see the examples thereof in the songes and Canticles of the Saintes whereunto the yong birdes also inuite vs knowing the time of their chast mating coupling for which cause we are to our great reproch that iustly sent back vnto them by the Prophet to learne our duty Ierem. 8.7 And let vs note that when wee speake of songs which ought to ring in the Church the question is not so much of the voice albeit the mouth must confesse that which the heart beleeueth Rom. 10.10 but the heart within and the mouth without must accord that we be not touched with that reproch This people honoreth mee with their lyps but their heart is far from me Esay 29.13 And in an other place what hast thou to do to recite my ordinaunces and to make mention of my Law within thy mouth Psal 50.16 And therefore the Prophet saith not onlie that we must praise God but that his praises are sitting vnto them who walke vprightly Psal 33.1 Secōdly the true faithful mā is composed altogether of mouthes and of tonges neither thinking nor saying nor doing anie thing nor in a word hauing ought in himselfe but that which declareth testifieth the glory of him whose newe creature hee is created for his glorie Ephe. 1.12 and 1. Cor. 10 13. otherwise wee know not what this spring-time meaneth For how euer it be the land of the Lord is of songs and thankesgiuings Psalm 118.15 13 And this is cause why the spouse addeth for other marks of the spring-time that the figg-tree hath yeelded foorth her yong figges that the vines are shooting out their young grapes to shew vs that in the Church of God grace is giuen vs not onelie to will which is as it were the flower but also to do which is the fruit to wit the effect of our will Philip. 2.13 Eph. 2.2 14 And let vs note that he speaketh of two kinds of fruit the most delicate that bee to shew vs the difference which is betweene the appearaunces of vertues ordinarilie called Morall vertues such as they are which a man may meet withall in them who are not regenerat in whom god doth in some sort represse that naturall wickednes which is in all whose woorkes notwithstanding are without either tast or sauour according vnto that which is saide that whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and that without Iesus Christ there is nothing which can please God vnto saluation and the works of the children of God gouerned by the spirit of regeneration Rom. 8.9 For which cause it is also saide that faith which is without workes is but a dead thing Iames. 2.26 15 Farther let vs note that he speaketh in this place of the Church not as of a ground planted altogither newe but as an ancient possessiō heritage which being for a time laid wast or fallow hath been husbanded anew and manured For as for the true Church of God shee shalbe alwaies found to be more old and auncient then the false seeing that truth is before lying and that which is sound and entire before that which is false and corrupted So was Adam created after the Image of God before he was deformed by sinne and after sinne was entred Adam and Eue beleeuing the promise of saluation for otherwise there should haue been no Church in the world the Church which is the citty of God had her beginning before the citty of Satan which began from Caine his But seeing that men haue time without mind accustomed to set foorth and commend themselues vnder the name of Antiquitie especially vnto them who are ignorant whose ignorance they abuse who liue by this abuse behold how it commeth to passe that they which will not suffer themselues to be better taught take often times that which is newe for olde and that which is olde for newe Such are they of whome Saint Peter speaketh who saide of that time when a man spake vnto them of the second comming of the sonne of God to iudge the world which wee yet wait for that al things were as they are now since the first fathers which thing is false saith hee For they should knowe that the world was not created in such sort in the beginning as now it is and that God hath already executed an horrible iudgement on the corruption thereof In this sort after the captiuitie they reproched Ieremie that he had marred all and that then and before he mealed with preaching vnto them they and their fathers found themselues in good case by calling vpon the Queene of heauen and burning incense vnto her Ierem 44.17 nay which more is when they heard Iesus Christ himselfe to speake they saide What kinde of new doctrine is this Mar. 1.27 But Iesus Christ answered them Search the scriptures for they speak of mee Ioh. 5.39 Now this Queen of heauen was the sunne as the phrase of the Hebrue toung doth import and in my time what other difference hath there been but this that by the Queen of heauen is ment not the sunne but the Virgin Mary as if there were a Queene mother in heauen For it is certaine that there is a Queen the spouse of this Bridegroome which is already partly in heauen and partlie yet languishing here on earth to wit the Church being coheire with Iesus Christ as shee is also called by this name of Queene Psal 45.10 but this is not because shee should be adored Not the whole church I say so farre is that the blessed virgin euer required or yet requireth that which is properly belonging vnto her sonne or that she allowed of to admit that shee coulde vnderstand them these titles ful of most horrible and most execrable blasphemy to be called a Mediatrix mother of mercy our life our hope hauing power to commaund her son And yet to find fault with al this were a point of greater impiety in the opiniō of them who call themselues chiefe Christians then if a man had denied God an hundred thousand times For behold say they there was neuer yet any since Christes time that called not vpon this Queene of heauen al the Saintes yea who gaue not credit
vnthankefulnes of others in this behalfe THE residue of this thirteenth verse which wee haue read vnto you hath beene before expounded in the tenth verse But it is not without cause here reiterated For besides that by this recitall againe of the same thing we are aduertised more neerely to consider of and more often to wey the contentes and meaning thereof for the excellency of the comfort and consolation therein comprised ordinarie and dayly experience might be able to teach vs how by nature yea and that after our regeneration we are heauie and sleepy and alwaies drowsie and lazie some of vs standing stocke still in the waie we began to take others trayling the wing insteede of flying on others turning taile and going backward And therefore it is more then necessarie that we bee daily warned and pricked forward the Lord by whose only voice and mercie we are awakened shewing herein as in all the rest his more then admirable patience in this that he ceaseth not to crie continuallie in our eares to draw vs vnto himselfe as it is said not without great reproch vnto them that hee bare forty yeares with the maners and conditions of his people Act. 13.18 and Psal 95.10 as the Lord also complaineth in Ezechiel 22.30 and is declared vnto vs at large vnder the similitude of the vineyard Mat. 21.33 And what shal we neede to goe farre for examples What hath the Lord done for the space of these threescore yeares since he began as it were a newe to open his mouth among vs And what doth he stil euerie daie but cry vp arise vp arise vp arise Eph. 5.14 but who is he that giueth eare vnto him Who is he that awaketh Where is hee that putteth himselfe in the waie Nay contrariwise see wee not that the most part make a mockerie of it Some to saie hold thy peace others to seek by all meanes of cruelty and subtill treacherie to stop the Lordes mouth See we not what swarmes of Couetous men Ambitious Adulterers Gluttons Dissolute In a word who is hee that answereth not let me alone I haue somewhat else to do Giue mee leaue to take a reckoning of my monie to seeke after my gain ease preferment to be merry passe away the time as others doe briefly to say let me be damned what need you to care you shal not answere for me And if anie man happily answere Lord I goe my waies thither is it not for the most part to doe as he did of whom it is spoken Mat. 21.30 And what wil follow of this in the end Mary euen that which is said in the same Psalme 95.11 I haue sworne in my anger if they shall euer enter into my rest and that which is said Sopho. 1.12 At that time I wil search euerie corner in Ierusalem with candels and wil visit those men which are frozen in their dregs and saie the eternall doth neither good nor harm O wretched case O miserable estate And therefore for the honour of God my brethren let vs bee more carefull for our saluation Let vs content vs with that which is past 1. Pet. 4.3 and let vs not heap vpon our heads the anger of God against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 but seeing he saith againe vp arise let vs doe as our father Abraham did who rose and departed out of his owne land assoone as the Lorde had said vnto him Get thee out of thy countrie Heb. 11.8 Gen 12.1 and as Matthew the publican who being at the receit of custom so soone as the Lord had said vnto him follow me staied not to make vp his bookes and to tel his monie but left al and followed him Mat. 9.9 Moreouer the onelie excellencie nay more then excellencie of this speech of the Bridegroomes shoulde it not suffice to make the drousiest of vs al to awake to speak to run For what a thing is it to be called the loue or beloued of this great sonne of God who hath loued vs more then himselfe by giuing his own life for vs to ransome redeem vs from death Ioh. 10.15 1. Pet. 1.19 yea to make vs coheirs with him Rom. 8.17 and what beuty is comparable vnto this glorie which waiteth for vs 2. Cor. 4.17 and 1. Cor. 2.9 of which we haue alreadie the pledges 2. Cor. 5.15 namely the knowledge of the deep things of God 1. Cor. 2.10 the worke of sanctification which he hath begunne in vs which hee will continue in vs vnto the end by his holy grace 1. Ioh. 3.10 Fie therefore on the world from out of which wee are separated fy on this soup of Esau for which he quitted and gaue ouer the blessing which hee coulde neuer recouer afterwarde Gen. 26.32 and. Heb. 12.15 Fie vpon this vaine appearance which passeth away as a dreame and coosineth vs so easily as this same Salomon hath at large taught vs in his booke of the Preacher as the Apostle sheweth vs 1. Cor. 7.31 And whither wil he that we should go Vnto him vnto him that is to say vnto this light of glorie 1. Pet. 2.9 vnto this incorruptible inheritance 1. Pet. 1.4 vnto this kingdome which he hath prepared for vs since the foundation of the worlde Mat. 25.34 And who is then so wretched vnhappy as to desire to be stil creeping here below who wil not rather say with Dauid O how long how tedious is this my abode vnto me with these inhabitantes of Kedar and of Mesech Psalm 120.5 and with Saint Paul I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Philip. 1.23 and O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death Rom. 7.24 Neither ought wee to excuse our selues hereupon that we are deaffe by nature and cannot heare For as hee calleth vs so hee presenteth vs eares to heare and bidding vs to come vnto him he offereth vs feete and commaunding vs to looke on him he giueth vs eies Psal 40.7 and 146.8 And this is the cause why hee beginneth heere with so gracious and sweete woordes my welbeloued to shewe vs that all namelie to will and to doe proceedeth from him and whatsoeuer else he demandeth of vs commeth from his mere and free good wil towardes vs who were his enemies But as our first Parent then when as yet hee was not corrupted but most sound and entire in that nature which he receiued from his Creator did voluntarily depriue and spoil himselfe of that light he had of vnderstanding and vprightnes of wil so his posterity for the most part through naturall wickednes which is now in them refuseth both the Phisition who offereth himselfe and the phisick 2 But let vs hearken vnto the residue of the Bridegroomes speach seeking after this spouse My doue saith he which keepest thy self in the cleftes of the rocke and in the secret places of the ascent therof And what are the great secrets which are comprised in these words
Where was he brought vp and nourished In a poore Carpenters house Mar. 6.3 in the cittie of Nazareth built also vpon a rock Luk. 4.29 a cittie of so small reckoning and account that it is demaunded whether any good thing can come from thence Ioh. 1.4 driuen thence whither must hee retire himselfe Vnto the rocke of Capernaum Luk. 4.31 and 10.15 not hauing a place where to rest his heade Luk. 9.58 finally whither was he caried to be crucified Vnto the mount of sculs otherwise called Caluarie And where was hee laid after his death In a caue hewen out of a rocke Luk. 23.53 Thus you see how the Bridegroome himselfe during the time of his life here belowe did nothing els but fly as a man would say from rocke to rocke vntill he were flowne againe into heauen This is also the way which all the Apostles haue walked and the whole Church truely Apostolicke being in this world as wayfarers and wanderers hither and thither 2. Cor. 6.5 and Heb. 11.38 the same being foretold euen vnto the last time Apoc. 12.14 5 Such was the condition of the ancient Church namely of that of Rome vntil the time of Syluester vnder Constantine the Great since which time this doue which kept herselfe before vntil this time in holes and corners finding afterwarde the spring of the meddowe so pleasant and sweete and so falling there asleepe the rauening and vnclean birds are come nestled in her place and disguising themselues at first into Doues and pigeons haue so flattered and enchaunted the Romane Eagle that finally the great puttocke of Rome hath seased on the Eagles crowne and charged himselfe with three decking himselfe with the Eagles feathers and namely with the capitall citty of the Empire so that at this day the rest must doe homage vnto this beast And this is the reason why this Image of the Romane Empire which is the whore sitting vpon the seuen hilles of Rome succeeding this beast whose Image she is called being of the same nature tendeth vnto the same end vsing stil the same trade of ruining the doue-houses and driuing away the poore feareful doues of the Lorde with fire sword yea thrusting the fire into their smal culuer holes as shee hath alwaies doone and yet doth vnto this day But what The Lord hath limited the seasons of the winter as wee see he hath doone by continual experience yea breaketh off suddenly the course of the stormes and tempestes as it is saide Psal 65.8 and as he practised the same sensiblie Matth. 8.26 I speake this especially for vs in this place which a man maie truely call a small nest placed in these cragges and mountains which hath serued and yet serueth for an harbour of poore fugitiue doues which hath beene by a singuler and more then admirable goodnes and mercy of God preserued and that by euident apparant miracles against al the enterprises which satan and his complices could hitherto deuise for which so great a benefit of his God giue vs grace to be thankefull both in word and deede 6 But to goe on let vs note that this Bridegrome saith not that this Doue is retired into the holes of the rocks but of the rocke as of a certaine rocke and no other For it is for them of this woorld to retire themselues heere and there at euerie iut they haue in time of aduersity keeping neither waie nor foot-path as we see how the superstitious haue euery one his saint and euerie one his deuotion apart but the children of God haue but one rock and refuge to which they wholie betake themselues according vnto the stile which Dauid customarily vseth in his Psalmes and therefore faile not at anie time to bee in safety Contrarie the vnfaithful ones and enemies of God find themselues deceiued of their imagined helps when the iudgement of God falleth on them and pursueth them and therefore cry in the daie of wrath vnto the hils and saie Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the face of him which sitteth vpon the throne Apocal. 6.15 So did the fiue kings of Canaā hide themselues in a caue but it was to haue their reward which they deserued Iosua 10.16 the Lord therefore who is on high in the heauens is the refuge hiding place of his this spouse euen here below on earth where she is yet a pilgrime wanderer findeth alwaies some place of retire harbor in the hardest times in the assembly of saints whersoeuer they keep though they be but two or three Mat. 18.20 Luk. 17. 37. how euer men seek to bring her low yet shee alwaies lifteth vp her head on high not of pride as did the Pharisee Luk. 18.14 but of an assuraunce which is giuen her by the meanes of that grace which is shewed her whereby shee taketh courage and defieth all her aduersaries and whatsoeuer incomberaunces are laid before her Rom. 8.30 and Heb 4 16. naie which is more shee taketh occasion by those assaultes which are giuen her to raise her selfe vp vnto God to make her profit by them Rom. 5.3 which the Bridegroomes wordes doe also shew vs when he saith that his Doue keepeth her selfe in the corners not of the descent but of the ascent and staires of the rocke although that in diuerse respectes the side of a mountaine hath his pitchings mounting and descending 7 But let vs heare what the Bridegroome doth farther demaund Shew me heere saith he thy face and let me heare thy voice that is to saie let me heare thee and see thee And what meaneth this The Lorde who seeth all thinges and knoweth the verie thoughtes and that before they are conceiued and who heareth the wordes before they be pronounced Psal 139.4 the onely searcher of the heart Ier. 10. and whose eies are specially vpon this Doue Psal 34.6 is hee absent from her No in no wise but the Lord doth as a good woorkeman who hauing made some goodlie and curious peece of worke although he that made it hath no neede to enquire of what or how it is made taketh a pleasure notwithstanding to viewe and contemplat yea to praise and admire it And therefore it is also said in the historie of the creation of the woorld that the Creatour tooke a viewe of his work finding it to be good blessed it Now is there a more goodlie peece of woorke heere below after him who hath receiued the spirite without measure and who is the head of his spouse then is the Church regenerated and reformed and as it were fashioned anew vpon the patterne it selfe the sonne of God into which shee is incorporated to be altogether spiritual in him not to be a peece of worke without sense or motion but Iesus Christ putting into her heart that which shee ought to beleeue and in her mouth that which she ought to speake Phil. 1.19 Psal 40.4 Esai 57.19 and Psal 51.17 as this high mysterie is most amply declared
vnto vs by the Apostle in his Epistles and namely Rom. 6. and 7. and 8. Ephes 5.30 Col. 3. and elsewhere 8 Euery faithful soule therefore in the person of the spouse by whom is vnderstood al the company of the faithfull beeing yet here belowe hauing receiued the power to will to do is heere inuited to shew himselfe to speake vnto his Bridegroome that is to say to make the effects of his grace which hee hath receiued of his regenerator to appear both within without This is that which was figured vnder the Lawe by that commaundement of God that euery male childe should present himselfe before the Lord thrise a year at the least in the tabernacle and afterwarde in the temple as if God who is euerie where and seeth all had said vnto them you are dispersed here and there throughout the country and in your synagogues therefore are as it were absent from me who haue chosen this place as it were for mine house and habitation Now I would see you and heare you and therefore you shall come and visit me and doe me homage thrise a year to the end that you may reioice in my presence and I with you And whom would not the consideration of such kindnesse and bounty rauish astonish cause him to say O Lord thou art not contēted to haue shewen me so great fauor vnto me I say altogether vnworthy thereof nay worthy of thy curse and malediction but which more is knowing my heauinesse and lazinesse and that if by adding grace vpon grace thou shouldest not forme in mee a desire and power to be thankfull vnto thee therefore and to honour thee I would continue groueling stil on the ground burie the memorie of thy benefits thou prickest mee forward and inuitest mee to present my selfe before thee and to cause thee to see by effect what thou hast wrought in me voutsafeing of a third grace of thine to like and accept of my woorkes considering them not as they come from me who am yet soiled with sinne but in asmuch as thou acknowledgest in me thy worke and new creation That then which the Bridegroome saith in this place is the same which is said Psal 50.23 And in deede as Dauid saith Psal 116.12 What can we render vnto the Lord for so great benefits of his but this reknowledgemēt presenting our selues before his face with the confession of the mouth speaking of the abundance of the heart Neither are we now to trot vp and downe hither thither as these holy pilgrimes of Ierusalem who go yet at this day to seeke after Iesus Christ in his sepulcher For euery land and country is now sanctified vnto him 1. Cor. 10.26 and he is neere vnto vs in euery place and we must cause our selues to be seene and heard lifting vp of pure hands 1. Tim. 3.8 in al places wheresoeuer it pleaseth him to lift vp his banner For the question is heere of a publike appearance inuocation in respect whereof the Bridegrome leadeth his spouse down from the rock out of the desert into the plain whē he wil haue the faire weather return againe as hee hath specially doone since about these threescore years ago But what doe we all this while The Lord hath proclaimed by so many trompets the yeare of acceptation and our true Iubile renewing and as it were sending againe into the worlde that which is said Esaie 61.2 and Luk. 4.18 euerie day he still calleth vnto vs in this place My doue come out of the desert shew me thy face and let me heare thy voice and I will take pleasure in it 9 But what There was indeed at the beginning some zeale shewed and many came running from farre to do their duty as it is said of those which entered into Canaan with Iosua the gouernours of that time Ios 24.3 But these are nowe departed in peace and seem to haue caried away all the zeale whatsoeuer good thing els was among vs. The Bridegrome crieth by his seruants Come see me and let me heare your voice Yet for al this some haue no cares others heare but they hearken not vnto it Others especially on those daies which are specially ordained for this appearance and inuocation of the name of God had rather be a walking playing tipling gathering in their debtes toying and sporting in the streetes and before their doores Others there are who will appeare in the place where the Lorde is but is it to cause their voice to bee heard that is hauing diligently hearkened vnto the voice of the Bridegroom the praier of their pastour to answere with heart with mouth the Amē of Christians 1. Cor. 14.16 that is to say to make a true and perpetuall acknowledgement towards God by true amendment of life Alas no. For were it so the effects thereof would appeare whereas nowe you shall haue some sing the Psalmes in deed but their heart shall be far from that which they sing Esay 29.13 Others come to the Church to sleep others wil not voutsafe to open their mouth or eares If any mā demaund how we know this I answer that wee see part of it with our owne eies the rest is made knowen and discouered by all the fruites of the flesh which are quoted numbred vp Gal. 5.19 And thither it is I must send you you hypocrites contēners adding for the reward which is reserued for you if you change not your selues become new mē that which the eternal saith Esa 57.12 I wil declare thy goodly righteousnes thy deeds which shal not help thee Ps 50.21 these things thou hast don because I made as if I heard not thou thoughtst that I was like vnto thee But I will reproue thee will set all these things before thine eies ô what a terrible thing it is to fal into the hands of the liuing god whē he is angry And therfore for the honor of god let euery one amend himselfe while it is time let vs consider of this great and endlesse bountie of our God who hath retired and gathered together his poore doues out of the holes of the desert out of the powers of those cruell beasts out of the iawes of the rauening Lion inuiting vs still at this day to present our selues before him with a true repentance that pleasant acceptable sacrifice vnto him of a contrite hart and of thankesgiuing Psal 51.19 and 19.32 to the end that receiuing vs to mercy and finding vs fruitefull trees indeed in his house he may heape on vs his blessings according vnto his holy promises THE XXII SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the second Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 15.16 and 17. verses 15 Take vs these foxes these yong cubs which destroie the vines while our vines bud forth 16 My beloued is mine and I am his hee feedeth among
to make satan iudge of the truth But he saith Search the scriptures Ioh. 5.39 credit the testimonie of Iohn or shew wherin it is false Mat. 21.25 which thing we haue done and counsailed others to doe at this day not to erect and set vp aultar against aultar as they falsly slaunder vs but to set vp the aultar of the Lord that is his holy ministery against the aultar of Damascus for the perfourmance whereof the Lord hauing aided with his grace many princes and potentates to follow the example of that good and holy king Ezechias the Lord hauing likewise raised vp in our time Eliasses and Eliseusses what should they else do but separate themselues from such pollutions and betake themselues vnder couert who are not among the pharisaical leauen simply but in the faire midst of the confusion of Babylon as this name was giuen the City of Rome in Saint Peters time if we wil beleeue the auncient expositors on that of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 5.13 and which name manie of the ancients after Saint Iohn haue most clearely applied vnto the Church of Rome in their time For I pray you if the Prophetical scriptures were sufficient in the time of Iesus Christ to make him throughly to be known and to cause al contrary doctrine to fal and vanish away the Apostolical writinges and scriptures haue they empayred and diminished this clearnes or haue they not rather bin as the sun rising after day break If the Baptisme of Iohn which was nothing else but the daies morning was sufficient to direct them whom Christ sent back thither Mat. 21.25 and Act. 19.30 ought we now to seek any other text or glosse then so authentick a testimonie sealed by so manie miracles and so faithfully registred in those writinges which wee call the newe Testament 14 In a word therefore in a time of such horrible darknes it is not vnto these false leaders that hee must seeke who will not be deceiued but he must goe farther and seek being destitute as it were of al ordinarie meanes vnto the Lord himselfe to bee nourished as it were in a desert And this we are taught in the historie of Elias who was nourished all the time of the first yeare of droughts by a Rauen 1. King 17.4 and afterward by a poor Sydonian widdow 1. King 17.8 and who afterwards by the strength of one meale walked fortie daies and fortie nights 1. King 19.8 By which example it is shewn vs that the Lord in such and so lamentable a time nourisheth those who are his though they be sometimes so scattered here and there that they cannot know one another 1. King 18.13 and 19.10.18 that is to saie he nourisheth his Church in that litle harbor of his vntill the time of his indignation be ouerpast Esaie 26.20 when the ordinarie minister is cut off as it came to passe in the time of our fathers in the East and West Church vntill such time as it pleased the Lorde to awake his spouse and to shew what difference there is between the vtter exterminatiō of Sodome and the visitation of Sion Esa 1.9 pittying the ruines thereof building it vp againe Ps 102.14 Which thing our time might haue taught vs and doth yet teach vs euery day to the end we acknowlege the great wōderful miracles of God which haue hapned since within these 60. yeares onelie and to pray vnto him daie and night to perfect this deliuerance of his people for the loue of his holy name to whom be al honor and glory for euer According vnto this holy doctrin we wil demaund of him grace and mercy as followeth saying Almighty God c. THE XXV SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the fourth verse 4 When I had past a little from them then I found him whom my soul loueth I tooke hold of him and left him not till I had brought him into my mothers house into the chamber of her that conceiued me 1 They who cal themselues the watch and watch are not good watchmen for al that 2 The Bridegroome causeth himselfe to be the better sought after by not suffering himselfe to be found at the first 3 An aunswere vnto diuerse temporisers or time-seruers opposed vnto the diligence of this spouse and what we ought to answere them who obiect the different opinions and diuerse interpretations of the Scripture 4 It is not enough to find that we seek after but we sease and laie hold on it hold it fast wherein haue beene diuerse faults heretofore and yet are committed 5 The loue of the Bridegrome guideth the spouse to seeke after him and to finde him 6 True faith is the onelie hand which reacheth after the spouse and seaseth on him 7 In what sense it is saide that the spouse hath a mother vnto whose house shee retireth her selfe with her Bridegrome 8 An application of this doctrine to the controuersies of our time 9 In what sort the Bridgroom is found of the spouse out of this house 10 In what sense it is saide that the spouse brought in her Bridegroome into the house of her mother 11 Howe wee must first necessarilie enter into the house and afterwarde into the Chamber of this Mother 12 An exhortation for the thorough practising of this doctrine IT hath bin shewed in the Sermon before what diligence the spouse vsed in seeking after this Bridegrome of hers who seemed for her to bee lost and how shee found him not in the open places nor could heare anie tidinges at al of him of the watch whereof we haue largelie entreated There remaineth notwithstanding one difficultie more in that wee said that by this watch were meant the false Pastors of the Citty of God which is the house of this spouse namelie the Church whereunto it seemeth that this which is here said is directly contrarie to wit that this watch was not asleepe in their priuate houses for had it been so the spouse had not met with them as neither would shee haue made this demaund vnto those which had been asleepe but that she found it where it should be to gard defend the Citty round about which thing the false Pastors are not wont to doe whome a man shal find rather in their beds or at table or in the stewes or anie where else then in their corps degard I aunswere that there are in general two sortes of these false Pastors for some of them are more shameful and detestable in their whole life and making their vices the onely trade of their life they shew themselues publickely and openly for such as they bee others there be to wit such are of the richest and wealthiest sort who are Church-robbers haukers and hunters dronkards fornicatours adulterers hauing no other god but their belly brieflie such as Bernard describeth the court of Pope Eugenius which is since nothing mended but hath
as distinguisheth this daie from other in respect of the principall vse as in the time of the Apostles themselues this daie was celebrated by a more speciall assemblie of the faithful But that the Christians should otherwise abstain from their woorke without it were for that time which was requisite for their assemblie this was neuer commanded nor obserued vntil that Christian Emperours made an ordinance for it indeed most commendable to the end we should not bee otherwise distracted to giue our selues ouer the more to all holie things But what Al this is now become with them a verie Iudaisme in such sort that to open a shop window or to giue one blowe with the hammer is such a sinne as should raise an whole city in a commotion but not to game to go to the tauerne to plaie the whoremaster For this is now growen into a custome And as if the exercise of a Christian were to doe nothing vnder a coulour of deuotion they could not content themselues with two and fiftie sundaies but they must haue so manie holidaies added that almost the third part of the yeare is passed awaie in such idle festiual daies And though wee graunt them al this time to sanctifie the name of God bee it on the sundaie or on other holydaies or to celebrate the memorie of great and holie personages not to speake anie thing of a great part of them which are in their calenders what is it else with them but to blaspheme and to commit Idolatry as all their diuine seruice is notably patched vp and clouted therewith 5 As for the commaundement of honoring of father and mother vnder the name of whom is comprised al lawful superiority dare they deny that the pharisaical traditions by which the Lord declareth that this commaundement was so shamelesly brokē is not the fetch they haue vsed to snare within their net Duchies Earledomes other Lordships The foundation of their great towrs steeples the pretence of the destruction of families by milliōs If a man wil not seek far after Antiquity at least let the Gratis of these last commers who attribute vnto themselues the name of Iesus common vnto al tru Christians open the eies of such as are blindest who haue gotten by their seruiceable gratuities more goods and reuenues then a good part of al the hospitals in France haue And what shal we say of their exemptions from ordinary iustice of the superiority vsurped by Bishops Abbottes Priors Curates ouer the Iustice of kings especially by that goodly vniuersal Bishop ouer Emperors Kings Princes so far is it that he paieth tribute vnto whō tribute is due according vnto the example of Iesus Christ himselfe of him whose successor notwithstanding he saith he is not shaming to cal a good part of Italy and the Capitall Citty of the Romane Empire the patrimony of him who testifieth of himselfe that he had neither gold nor siluer Act. 3.6 6 Now if we speak of the sixth cōmandemēt touching murders how can it be more euidently transgressed thē by their liberties priuileges of granting mercy to the greatest Criminals that horrible abuse of Clergy Moreouer let a man but consider the taxes of the Chancery of Rome he shall finde at how many thousand ducats the murther of father mother is taxed Demaund the reason of all this it is that which they taught thē who constrained Pilat to crucifie this King of whō we speake as they yet at this daie persuade Kings and Potentates to crucifie him in his poore members namely this Nobis non licet interficere quenquam that is to saie It is not lawful for vs to put any man to death And indeed I confesse that neither ciuil nor criminal iustice pertaineth vnto them beeing as it is distinguished from the ministery of the word Lu. 12.14 22.25 and Iohn 8.10 and 2. Timot. 2.4 7 As for the seuenth cōmandement concerning the obseruatiō of holy mariage I wil not stay in this horrible filthy stēch which neither the sunne can abide to see nor the darkenes of the night couer nor the earth beare and endure al of these demaunding vengeance at Gods hands who shall heare them in his time But they will replie against mee that their doctrine doth not approoue this But who knoweth not who seeth not who acknowledgeth not who feeleth not all that stinking filthinesse the like whereof neither was nor euer coulde bee in the worlde which entered in floodwise into the Church by the gate of that goodly vowe of single life called not without cause by the Apostle a doctrine of diuels 1. Tim. 4.2 I knowe well their replies But ô heauen ô earth ô hundred thousand millions of rapes fornications adulteries incests ouerthrowinges of Gods and mans lawe testified before God and men and demaunding vengeance of such desperate so long a time cōtinued enormities But farther though all this were nothing what is this abhomination so shamelesly practised in our time of dispensing with the marriage of Vncles and Nieces in degree of consanguinitie A thing not onely condemned by Gods lawe in the case it selfe of affinitie onely Leuit. 18.14 but detested so expresly by the poore Paynims themselues who haue blushed at such a case as the Roman histories cā witnes And yet for al this when it so pleaseth them mariage is forbidden vnto the seuenth degree of such as be collaterall Alas ô Lord how long 8 As for the commaundement which concerneth theftes it were wonder a man woulde say it might bee maintained by them who liue not but by sacrilege to wit with the goods belonging vnto the poore of which they make themselues the receiuers without yeelding any account 9 I say the like of the last commaundement saue one speaking of false witnes being in no point more damnably violated then in the ouerthrowing of the witnessings and testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles irreproueable witnesses Finally the last commaundement passing euen vnto the roote of the euill which is in vs and without the which the Apostle witnesseth that he had neuer known in deed what sin meant Rom. 7.7 is it not asmuch or more openly violated then any of the rest by their doctrin whē they teach that neither the vnderstanding nor the wil of man are wholy and entierly subiected vnto sin and death by original sin but that there still remaineth a certain disposition and inclination vnto that which is true and good whence they drawe their merites of congruity preparation Afterwards when they teach that by the very action of baptisme yea by the vertue of the water original sin is if not altogether yet in part so done away that the child of a Turke or Iew being baptized dying before the age of discretion goeth into paradise and as for those who come vnto age that that corruption which resteth in them is not sinne but onely a litle sparke of fire vnder the hote ashes to exercise vs. 10
vnited by faith with him we should bee found in him with that vprightnesse which the Lawe requireth of man Rom. 8.4 I meane by meerely free Imputation Secondly this same Iesus Christ drawing vs vnto himselfe by his holy spirite formeth in vs both to will and to doe Philip. 2.13 being made and created anew in him vnto good works which he hath prepared to the end that we should walk in them Ephes 2.10 It is then this only Priest apprehended by faith in whom wee find such and so perfect a cleansing of this original staine the same being imputed vnto vs that the mortifying of this same corruption in vs and the spiritual vertue power fighting in vs are at a combate within vs against the relicks of our pollution whilest we wait for our ful incorruption glorie in bodie and in soule vntil the latter comming of the lord Rom. 1.24 Gal. 5.17 1. Cor. 15.28 whē he shal crown of his grace mercy his works in vs 1. Cor. 15.58 2. Tim. 4.8 This is then the summe of the Article of our Sanctification whereof we haue the seale in holy Baptisme in which the water representeth vnto vs the blood which was shed for the remission of al our sins together with the vertue of the holy ghost abolishing burying the old man corrupted and forming in vs that new man to increase in vs from day to day Rom. 3.4 Gal. 3.27 Coloss 2.12 1. Cor. 3.21 Cleane contrary vnto all this our aduersaries teach vs first of all the merits of preparation saie grace must preuent the remnant of our nature not altogether slaued vnto sin but only feebled and yet still in some sort free so that there is a concurrence of this nature of grace and thence they drawe an heape of those goodly merites whereof they haue a store-house full to sell to euery one that will buy Farther they say that originall sinne is really abolished by the water of outwarde Baptisme and by the vertue of the wordes pronounced together with their Chrisme and other ceremonies Asmuch say they of all actuall sinnes going before Baptisme in those which are baptised at yeares of discretion whether hee which is baptised beleeue or vnderstand what baptisme meaneth or not prouided onely they be not in mortall sinne as they call it And thus you see how these braue doctors faile most absurdly blockishly in this so necessarie an article first in beeing ignorant how great and deadly our originall maladie and sicknesse is secondly sophisticating corrupting the sole and only remedy against it both in blending with it that which is naturally in man and in attributing vnto the water to the sound of wordes and finally to their own inuentions that which cannot be giuen vnto the Angels themselues but we must substitute and place them in the seate and roome of this only high-priest 8 There remaineth the point of Intercession which is asmuch to say as Interuention or a comming betweene to put himselfe between God his father them who cal vpon him in spirit and in trueth which these goodly doctors doe so expound as if Iesus Christ were vpon his knees before his father receiuing our requests and supplications according vnto the manner fashion of the princes of this world who haue their Referendaries or masters of Request contrarying herein themselues who in their Letany say not vnto Iesus Christ Pray for vs as they craue of their saintes departed this mortality but haue mercy vpon vs. And that vpon great right For Iesus christ hauing in the execution of his priesthoode here belowe prayed so earnestly and feruently for vs and for the whole Church vnto the end of the world as wee see him to haue done especially Ioh. 17. and hauing beene without doubt heard for euer mediating the oblation once made afterward by him for the full abolishing of that which put a diuision between God and vs hath no neede any more to make new praiers for vs seeing he hath now all power of the father to gouerne vs to grant vs all things we require but it is said that he maketh stil Intercession for vs because the vertue and force of his oblation is alwaies present before God as also because all the praiers of the Church which is yet here belowe are made in his name in whom alone also they bee receiued and sanctified by his mediation and Interuention betweene the father and vs. Nowe in lieu of this Doctrine testified and verified throughout the Scripture hauing made notwithstanding a Referendary and master of Requestes turning themselues suddainly cleane backward and considering of his maiesty glory they teach that it were marueilous presumption to goe directly vnto so great a Lord of Lordes and King of Kinges and therefore say they wee must first speake vnto others to haue accesse vnto him as a man that will haue accesse vnto a King will speake first with the Vshers of his presence or with the groome of his chamber or other his fauorits And who are they Here nowe euery man according vnto his priuate deuotion hath power to chuse himselfe a particular patrone beside the generall amongest which they attribute the soueraigne place vnto the blessed virgin that by her motherly autority to commaund And here euerie ones merits are proposed and their particular commissions of healing this or that disease And whereupon I pray you are all these Intercessions grounded Not vpon any word of God not vpon any example of the Prophets or Apostles or any other of their time not vpon reason seeing this cannot be done but we must attribute vnto these Intercessors that which is entirely proper and belonging vnto the diuinitie and Godhead alone without which Iesus Christ himselfe should be il in vaine called vpon as we haue before shewed al this notwithstanding this hath by little and little slipped into the Church by the efficacy of that spirit of error which they vsed who resisted Ieremy keeping themselues to their queene of heauen Ier. 44.17 as they of whom wee now speake holde themselues to theirs And what I praie you hath brought in this cursed ouerthrowe of the true inuocation of God in Christendome but the distrustfulnes of the fauour and good will of our Mediator towardes vs And yet what shall wee find either in heauen or in earth which hath giuen vs or coulde euer giue vs such assured testimonies of his loue and dilection For wee cannot so much as praie as we ought without he doe first preuent vs by his holy spirit Rom. 8.25 so far is it that there can be anie more prompt and readie then he to help vs. Now no praier proceeding from distrust or from our only imagination bee it forged anew or retained by an euil custome can bee acceptable vnto God Iam. 1.6 and Ioh. 4.22 and therefore aboue all thinges is this holie assuraunce vpon the onely truth loue and power of the only mediator recōmended vnto vs Heb. 10.19
Salomon proceedeth frō his spouse but from the eternal father as also by a correspondence the coronation of the terrestriall Salomon celebrated by those of Ierusalem proceeded not of them of the City but from the ordinance and commandement of Dauid which the city accepted of But it may be together with this that the holy ghost speaking by the mouth of the spouse to the disloyal of Ierusalem in particular would in this place vpbraid them the same with which S. Peter did Act. 2.23.24 3.13.14 Saint Stephen Act. 7.52 conformably vnto that which was foretolde Zach. 12.10 and Mat. 26.64 as if shee said Beholde indeede the true king of peace accepted and crowned with all maiestie of Ierusalem Come and see him you who desire your owne welfare and saluation as for you the contemners and persecuters of him looke vpon him hardly vnto your confusion You haue bought him of a traitor and condemned him by false suborned witnesses It was through your cryinges that Pilate scourged him that hee crowned him with thornes that he crucified him You haue denied him to bee your king and haue sought to put forth the title of his royalty yea you mocked him on his crosse you shut vp and sealed his sepulcher to hinder his victorie and yet lo he is a king maugre your despite hauing vanquished all his enemies vpon the Crosse euen vnto Satan sinne and death Behold how he sitteth aboue euerie creature at the right hand of the father and thence it is he shal come to condemne all his enemies and to absolue those who are his for euer There it is you shal see him vnto your condemnation Yea the sufferinges which you caused him to endure were the waie by which hee is entred into his glorie Luc. 24.46 Behold I saie in what sort this spouse might by a Prophetical spirit reproch the Daughters of Ierusalem But besides al this to expresse yet more clearely this name of Mother I saie that this which is heere saide of this coronation of Salomon by his Mother may be also referred vnto that which is in his history namelie vnto that that the crowning of him came to passe by his Mother in asmuch as she by the suggestion of Nathan put Dauid in minde in good time of his promise which hee had made of leauing the crowne vnto Salomon and not vnto Adonias Which being referred vnto the true Salomon we must attribute the crowning of him vnto the heauenly father which is some-what referred vnto the Mother in respect of him which was the figure of him seeing in similitudes it is not necessarie that all the partes thereof agree throughout 11 It remaineth yet we expound what this daie of the espousailes is and of the great ioie of this king Whereupon we must cal to remembraunce that which I haue alreadie more then once reiterated vpon this Canticle namelie that in this spirituall marriage which is heere mentioned there are so manie degrees to be considered as there be approchings of the Messias neare his Church by the manifestation of his will Vntil the time of the Lawe therefore there was the treatie as it were of these fiansailes and the time after the Law which was as it were the chalking forth of this Bridegroome shal be accounted as it were the solemnizing of the fiansailes especially in the building of the Temple in that so magnificent establishing of the Leuitical priesthoode Afterward at the comming of the Lorde in flesh this marriage was really contracted by wordes of the present according vnto that which the Apostle expressely teacheth vs Ephes 5.25.29 the contract of the new couenant beeing ratified and confirmed by the newe seale of the holie Supper as appeareth by the tenour of the institution of it and by the scope and end whereunto it tendeth namelie to the communion of bodie and goods with this Bridegrome 1. Cor. 1.30 and 10.16 in such sort notwithstanding that the ful and perfectly real consummation of this marriage appertaining vnto the enioying of eternal life 1. Cor. 15.28.54 is differred vnto the daie of his glorious appearaunce 1. Thess 4.16.17 and elsewhere in manie places As this is also the ende and hope of this spouse waiting for now with no lesse deuotion this second comming whereof she hath the pledges then she did sometimes vpon other pledges expect his first Vnto what time therefore shal we referre these espousailes and this ioy and gladnesse Salomon the sonne of Dauid beeing set before vs in this place as a figure of the true Salomon and his coronation in Ierusalem here below beeing represented vnto vs as no vaine figure of the real taking of possession of the true Salomon in the heauenly Ierusalem it seemeth that it is not to bee doubted but that according vnto the ordinarie stile of the Prophets the time of the solēnising of the fiansailes vnder the which this Canticle was written is properly mentioned in this place but yet so that it is ioyned with that which is figured that is with the solemnising of the espousailes as if it were one and the same time And indeede this hath bin alwaies the right maner of speaking of the figures shadowes of the Lawe ceremoniall that the people was alwaies ledde vnto the substance bodie of them which is our Lorde Iesus Christ Col. 2.17 throughout the whole Ep. to the Hebrues in such sort that for want of obseruing of this methode those abuses haue bin engendred which are reproued Psal 50. so oft by al the Prophets finally the pharisaisme reprehended by our Lord Iesus Christ afterwards by the Apostls And yet at this day the selfesame fault is still committed by them in the Sacramentes ordained by Iesus Christ in others forged by men Briefly Salomō hath in this place declared by this diuine medly of himselfe crowned in his fiansailes in his Ierusalem with the espousailes of the true Salomon in his celestial Ierusalem which was to be gathered out of al nations of the world that he had not forgotten that the promise made concerning him to Dauid his father had in such sort lincked him with the other sonne of Dauid of which himselfe was only the figure shadow that it might seem at first sight that the Lord spake of one onely person and of one onely eternall kingdome 2. Sam. 7.14 1. Chron. 17.13 12 Nowe that it is not without great cause that the spouse calleth this day the day of the gladnes of the heart of this bridegrome appeareth by the more thē maruelous effects For if this bridegrome had not taken an vnspeakeable pleasure to make his very enimies his spouse how would he haue giuen his life for the winning of her Ioh. 15.13 and Rom. 5.8 How would hee haue obiected him selfe vnto the horrible wrath of God for vs Gal. 3.13 How going vnto death woulde hee haue prayed so feruently for vs Ioh. 17.20 How woulde hee haue protested that he desired nothing more then this oblation of himselfe to carry our sinnes vpon the tree which is the principall article of the contract of this marriadge Luke 12.50 How would he haue protested of that singular desire he had to celebrate that last supper with his disciples Luk. 22.15 How in the anguishes of death which were more horrible a great deale in his soule then in his body as that frightfull cry of his which obscured the sunne shooke the earth claue the stones namely that My God my God why hast thou forsaken me declareth would he haue praied for thē who crucified him Lu. 23.30 on whom also afterwardes he shewed mercie Act. 3.17 which he yet continueth to doe at this day towardes vs so vnworthy of so great and incomprehensible fauour 13 Go too then my brethren vnto whom in our time this king is as it were again appeared to cause vs to see the brightnes of his crowne buried as it were before in such thicke darknes of ignorance and superstition which were couered with the name of Christianitie and true deuotion let vs pray him with al our hart that this infinite loue charitie of his which sheweth vs from on high the flowers of his crowne to cause the glory of that kingdome which was prepared for vs before the foundation of the world Math. 25.34 to be poured down vpon vs Let these thinges I say pearce our hartes to cause vs to goe forth of our selues to the ende that wee may throughly contemplate this king there where he causeth himselfe to bee seene of vs let vs know him loue him followe him through all the path-waies it shall please him to conduct vs vntill wee arriue vnto the full consummation of this most holy coniunction in the which he shalbee all in all in his Amen And because that hauing hitherto done the cleane contrary we haue so oft and so greatly offended him let vs craue grace mercy at his hands as foloweth Almighty God c. THE END OF THE SERMONS VPON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE CANTICLE OF CANTICLES