in respect of God called the rod of his mouth wherewithall Christ Iesus is pierced and cannot but open to the meaning of his owne Sprite euen as in the Gospel our Sauiour could not but awake and satisfie his disciples thirst when as they cryed Saue vs or we perish Moses representing the law doth leade the Israel of God to Christ for water of refreshment All sâ—biects to the Law must come to him and there with the spirit of prayer smite If our infidelitie cause that no refreshment come from his presence vpon the first call smite we must againe and the windes stormes and bâ—llowes of tentation shall giue place We oft aske and receiue not because we aske amisse namely to satisfie our owne lusts But asked wâ—e in faith without wauering we could not but receiue for in so knocking he himself hath promised to open But because wee beginne with Moses to halt in the beginning of prayer shall we not therefore persist and renew our petition God forbid for as an Ancient could well say melius est in via claudicare quam prater viam fortiter ambulare it is better to halt in the way than to walke vprightly out of the way so I conclude it farre better to persist in prayer with imperfection than desperately to leaue off prayer which is flat defection If Moses his weakenesse hindred that effect which should haue followed the first stroke a signe of a strong rising faith it was in Moses to repeate the stroke And thus this Rocke the waters rod and strokes do leade vs vnto Christ the things of Christ. So much for this shadow Lect. XXXVI Brazen Serpent THe last Sacramentall shadow which I obserue to be giuen vnto Israel for signe exhibiting Messiah to the true Beleuer it is that Brazen Serpâ—nt lift vp in the wildernes of Moses at the Lords commaundement for the sauing of Israel from thâ— stinging of Serpents Numb 21. Which Serpent so lift vp our Sauiour himselfe in Ioh. 3.14.15 12.32 doth expounde of himselfe For the better vnderstanding whereof let vs consider first Israels disease secondly the Curation of that disease Israels Disease was a mortall sting or poison smit into their bodies by fâ—ry Serpents stirred vp of God for punishing their murmuring against the Lorde This murmuring was their rebellious speach vttered against the Lords magistrate and Minister Moses and Aaron for that they lacked ordinary bread and were fed only with Manna Of which sacramentall bread they speake despitefully first when they say Our Souls lothes it secondly when they lightly terme it light bread Which dealing of theirs the Apostle calleth a tempting of Christ when by way of vse he saith to euery Christian Neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and werâ— destroyed of Serpentes Their Soules thus tempting Christ yea murmuring against Christ first in respect of their lewd language against the Personall figures of Christ Moses and Aaron secondly against the Sacramentall shadowe of Christ that is against Manna the Lord punisheth this disease of the Soule with that of the Body effected by the firy dartes of Serpents like as in 1. Cor. 11.30 he punished many Christians with bodily greiuances for abusing the Lords sacramentall supper All which teacheth vs as we would preserue the Body from temporall plagues and thâ— Soule from being stung with the fiery Serpents of hell to fly all murmuring against the good guifts of God be they Personall or Sacramentall It is said of the serpent termed Aspis that he giueth a wound to the body puncto acus simile not bigger then the pricke of a nedle But marke the effect A little blood therewith distiâ—leth and that right blacke A sodaine darknes ouer-spreadeth the eyes The whole body falles to labour thereon non sine quodam voluptatis sensu but not without a certaine tickling pleasure In a word the whole man is quickly ouerthrowne The Aspe and these fiery serpents is satan and the damned spirits who of God are stirred vp in iustice to punish our abuse of holy thinges The serpents sting is Sin 1. Cor. 15.56 and these sinnes are the fiery darts of the hellish wicked Ephese 6.56 The stroke of sin semeth so small as a pinnes point which causeth fooles to tush thereat as being a thing of nothing but heed it wel and thou shalt see blacke blood stand in it a signe of death the least sinne of his owne nature being mortall And watch the effects of this Sinne further and behold the eie of the soule darkneth more and more and when the eye is darkenesse howe great is that darkenesse The whole soule therewith falls of trauelling with sinne but with a certaine itching pleasure the fruit of which labour is a lâ—e in the right hand when so the soule awaketh This is the Aspe this is the fiery serpent that stingeth that old serpent and dragon that stung man and murthered mankinde from the beginning And this is his sting Sinne euen the peruersion of our nature that tickling foolerie wherewith we delight our selues to death and destruction This for the disease The Curation of Israels disease litterally was thus A brasen Serpent called also Sháraph and plurally Sheráphim Num. 21.9 compared with verse 6. from their fierie appearance such a serpent vpon Gods commandement was artificially made of pure sparkeling brasse and lift vp on some pole Whereto if the stung Israelite cast vp his eye loe hee was immediately cured Now vnto what mysterie did this lead Israel Namely to lift vp the eye of the soule vnto Iesus Christ who vppon the crosse was lifted vp for sauing the true belieuer This our Sauiour teacheth when he saith And as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in HIM should not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3.14 15. The lifting vp of the bodies eye vnto that led them to the lifting vp of their bodies eye a belieuing minde vnto this The falâ—ing of the body there led them to the soules saluation here Temporâ—ll life in the former did preach to them eternall life in the latter Thus that sinne which was committed by eating of the forbidd tree is here salued by the Lord of life hanged vpon the tâ—ee The Sâ—rpent with sting is here ouercome by a Serpent without sting O thâ—t in our Douish innocencie we could for auoyding â—uill be so wise as Serpents Hath Satan by the fiâ—ry darts of sin sâ—it vs Hold out the shield of faith Ephe. 6.16 and they are quenched For the faithfull are deliuâ—red from these empoysonments of sinne cùm Chrâ—â—tum in cruce eleuatum interioribus abtutibus semper aspiciunt whenas they shall continually with the inward sight behold Christ lifted vp on the crosse Et illi qui per fidem appropinquauerâ—nt saluifiunt for all such as approach to him by faith are saued Sursum corda here I may call
for more seeing this is a commoditie of eternall nature Thirdly the Church expressing her feeling of Christs loue to be vnto her more excellent and efficatious then wine wine being that which delighteth the heart of man wee thereby are taught that euery member of this mysticall body doeth not onely liue to Christ but also die to the world and the temporaries thereof The loue of God in the vse of his word which is one principall particular of his loue it was vnto Dauid more sweete then the hony and hony-combe and of more acceptation then thoâ—sands of golde and of siluer And the loue of God in Christ it was of such value vnto the Apostle Paul as in comparison thereof he counteth Tribe Birth and al temporarie and naturall things but drosse and dung Howe the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martires and Confessors haue deemed Christs loue their continuall sufferings and patient vndergoings of the crosse for his sake they plainely doe witnesse Balaam Iudas Iscariot Demas and many in this age sauouring earth not spirit they are by this doctrine laide open for such as are not of the Church howsoeuer within the church for al these Moonish fleeting temporaries the church treades vnder her feet the vnion and sensible feeling of Christ his seuerall loues being vnto her all in all Lect. III. Verse 2. Because of the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is an ointment powred out therefore the virgines loue thee Or vnto the sauour of c. Or at the sauour c. AS in the last clause of the former verse she gaue a reason of her petition and that was drawne from the excellencie of his loue so here shee rendreth a reason of her so louing his Loue namely because shee found in him as a boxe of aromatique ointments all redolent sauours and precious spirituall smells Which precious odors were vnto her his Church and vnto euery particular member thereof most sauorie and delightfull In which comparison shee seemeth not onely to cast her eye vnto ordinary confections in the Apothecaries shop but also and that more specially vnto the sacred Ointment and Perfume in Exod. 30.23 c. effected by Moses directed by Iehouah for annointing and perfuming his Tabernacle and Priesthoode The counterfait whereof none other vpon paine of death might make nor vppon like penalty might any other person annoynt his flesh with this ointment nor perfume himselfe with this composition for the one and the other were set apart from common vse and so dedicate to a sacred ecclesiasticall purpose All which let vs draw into some particular information and profit First in that the Church seeketh out the most excellent ointment and perfume for declaration of Messiahs sweete name it teacheth vs that all excellent things in nature they are but as tipes and shadowes of spirituall graces not much vnlike to the Cabalists position which concludeth all inferiour things to be but shapes of superiour things and the patterne which Moses saw in the Mount to be a certaine proportion in the heauens whereunto the earthly tabernacle was resemblanced And in very troth all excellent things in nature they are but as steps degrees and greeces for vs to climbe vp by vnto heauenly respects Secondly her reference to the former ceremoniall oyntment wherewithall the Iewish sanctuary and priesthood were annointed it leadeth vs to these considerations First that the new testaments Church figured by that tabernacle and the new testaments Priest euen Christ Iesus figured by the former they are interessed with the inward spirituall ointment which was shadowed forth by the former outward materiall Oyle That the Church hath it Saint Iohn recordeth it in his first Epist. 2. Chap. 20. 27. verses That Iesus Christ hath it the spirit of Prophecie plainely foresaw saying The God thy God hath annointed thee with the gladsome Oile aboue thy fellowes Psa. 45.8 Aboue all his fellow members because they receiue it by measure but he beyond measure Iohn 3.34 he is the fountaine full of grace and truth as for his members thâ—y receiue of his fulnesse grace vpon grace Iohn 1.16 The sacred oile was powred vpon Aaron our head and from him the head that soueraigne ointment commeth downe his mysticall bodie euen to the hemme of his garment the most inferiour member not exempted of reall sanctification Besides seeing the former sacred oile a figure of the spirit sanctifying it was onely with profite applied to the Priest and his Tabernacle it putteth vs in minde how Christ and his members only can haue this spirit in the worke of sanctification Nor can any haue receiued this reall sanctification in any true measure but it is vnto them a reall pledge of eternall saluation and a demonstration of their holy Election before all worlds Ephes. 1.3 c. Furthermore where it was death vnto him that should apply this oile of grace to Prophane persons it teacheth vs that which our Sauiour teacheth namely That holy things are not to be giuen to Dogges in paine of God his high displeasure the sauing promises of the Gospel are not to be applied to the open vnpenitent The ointment of sauing Grace offered in the Word and Sacraments it appertaineth onely to such persons as first haue become a spirituall house or Tabernacle to God and secondly as true Priests and Sacrificers doe offer vp a reasonable oblation out of the Sanctum or Holy-place built in their conscience For howsoeuer in Christ is the Sanctum-sanctorum Holy-of-holies yet in euery of his members is a Sanctum or sanctified conscience Lastly whereas the like penaltie hanged ouer his head that should counterfet that precious oile it putteth vs in minde what fearefull iudgement hangeth ouer the heads of counterfet hypocrites and heretikes who by painted doctrine and sheepish conuersation doe make outward shewes of the spirit and holinesse but in very deede are hollow hearted and destitute of the power of true godlinesse Thirdly that shee termeth her Beloueds Name to be as Oile powred out she would allude to the full and perfect odor of such precious confections who howsoeuer they be sauory in themselues yet are not felt sauorie vntill they be powred out and as it were pownded euen as Maries pound of Spikenard ointment is then saide to fill the house with the sauour when as she had broken vp the boxe and powred it out And herein she would teach first that the very name of her Beloued was preciously sweete being powred out Sweete in it selfe it must be from all eternitie but then manifested sweete when it was vttered to mankinde Adam lying plunged in diabolicall stench how sweete vnto him was it to heare of the blessed Seeds of woman Abram hauing beene-singed in Vr that is in the Fire of Chaldea horrible Idolatrers causing their children to passe through the fire sweete vnto him must the name be of Seede wherein he and all nations should receiue a blessing Sweâ—te was the name Shiloh in the
innocencie to the very death Iob 27.3 4 5 6. howsoeuer in some other things and respects our owne mouth shall condemne vs and our owne garments make vs filthy Iob 9.20.30 31. For to make euill good and good euill it is the worke of the diuel and the building of Babel a Tower of confusion Touching the comparison drawne from Kedars tents and Salomons curtaines it may well be conceiued that shee vnderstandeth both of them to be amiable and loue-some For Salomons curtaines none doubts it but else for Kedars tents diuerse take them to be a demonstration of her blackenesse as the other of her comlinesse and this is their reason the Kedarites dwelt in tents and open fieldes where all was exposed to the parching Sunne therefore more like to set forth her blackenesse True it is that they dwelt in tents pitched in the desart exposed to Sunne and all other weather Yet take this withall it was Arabiaes desart and they were very rich and glorious For this doe consider these places Ezek. 27.21 Ier. 49.28.29 Isa. 21.13.16.17 besides humane histories who largely treate of the excellent precious things of Arabia deserta and of the plenty thereof Solinus Polyhistor feareth not to say Aliena non emunt vendunt sua They buy not of others but sell to others All which weighed I rather thinke that besides blackenesse matter of desire is also vnderstood q.d. True I am blacke as Kedars tents yet is there in mee precious things for the which I am to be desired euen as Kedars tents haue beene desired not for their outward hue but for the precious gemmes gold and pleasant odours that be couched in them Arabia looked rudely yet by searching it regularly there was to be found precious stones excellent odours c. Yea in it was the Phoenix If so God created such a creature as is onely Male or onely Female or else an Hermaphrodite who because she is euer but One might also well resemble Messiahs Church who after in this Song is saide to be Alone Who may with the Phoenix be burned when she hath finished her testimonie but else out of her ashes ariseth a new seede like vnto Dauid and Christ at first A Worme and no Man which holdeth out the former testimonie through the worlds-desart worse then that of Arabia But to passe by that let vs here learne not to iudge peremptorily vpon outward appearance For if the Naturian could say truely Wisedome oftentimes is couered with a base garment wee may much more say by spirituall Canon that as Christ in outward appeerance had neither forme nor beautie Isa. 53.2 and yet were couched in him all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 euen so it befalleth his Church and members thereof namely to be oftentimes lacking in the externall appearance and yet otherwise all glorious within for which our Salomon taketh pleasure in her Psal. 45.11.13 And indeede this Kings daughter is rather glorious within then without howsoeuer Papist and Brownist would haue vs to measure it rather by outward appearance the first by player-like paintings the second by supposed Saintings Besides hir egreging the same by allusion to Salomons curtaines which in all probability must be passing worthy answereable to the rest of his glory she teacheth that the graces of Christ Iesus in his Church they exceede all ordinary glory Yea that the gifts of Messiahs spirit they are the Tabernacles curtaines the deckings of the Church the Couert ouer Salomon-Messiah represented by the Douish wings couering Iesus at his baptisme Luke 3.22 Lastly seeing neither the glory of Kedars tent nor Salomons Bed could be discerned otherwise then darkely till the curtaines and vailes were remooued it may put vs in minde of Messiah and the excellent things of his spirit which vnder sacramentall signes and shadowes lie couched darkely yet neuerthelesse by the eye of the soule a beleeuing minde are truely discerned And from hence groweth this diuine axiome The law a shadow the Gospel an Image the substance in heauen For as Ambrose could well say The Emperour being absent his Image hath authoritie but being present it hath none Lect. VII Verse 5. Respect me not because I am blacke for the Sunne hath looked vppon me The Sonnes of my mother haue fumed against me They put mee for a keeper of the Vines My Vine which was to me I haue not kept THe Church of the Gentiles vnto the Synagogue of the Iewes doth herein offer vp first a Petition and then secondly a reason of her Petition The Petition is this Regarde me not because I am blacke q.d. Let not my blacke hew be so much in your eie let not my swart colour be a cause why therfore yee should condemne me wholy and conclude me vtterly vnfitte for Messiah Where wee may obserue not onely her aduersaries forme of Argumentation which was from a parte to the whole from the Accident to the Subiect and so reason our aduersaries The Part is euill therefore the Whole is euill The Accident is discommendable therefore also the Subiect but also we may note the Churches humility euen in her innocencie Shee knoweth her cause to be good and her aduersaries to be bad yet she fretteth not railes not but in all holie meeknesse doth petitionate and humblie intreate her aduerse Sister to iudge rightly of hir Such humility was in Iob being falsly charged by his kinsfolkes such humilitie was in Abraham towardes Lot when Lot should rather haue supplicated to his vnckle his Elder the great father of the promise sealed vp to the Gentiles As Loue wil couer a multitude of transgressious specialy in zealous Brethren so the Soule that is humbled in the owne eies it will not stand vpon these tearmes I am Elder I am Better I haue the better cause c. but for edification sake where hope of edification is not barred vp it will cause a soule to vse soft words to desire reconciliation Yea for maintaining and procuring peace it will cause good Iaakob to present giftes and sweetely to salute Esau. Follow Peace we ought not it to follow vs and that with all men specially with the houshold of Faith Nor can this be followed if wee follow not the meanes Flie from meeke and soft termes flie from intreaties flie from humble gestures and then Peace will flie Vnity will not be Anger will rise Enuy will enter Wrath and Fury will set all the house on fire Thus wee see how Pride is enemy to Peace but Humilitie an appeaser of Wrath a quencher of Enuy a mother to peace and sacred vnion The reason of her Petition lieth in the other part of the Verse and that is drawen from the cause of her Blackenesse And that cause is two-folde the first is externall the second internall The externall cause of her blackenesse is first the Sunne secondly her mothers sonnes inforcing her to forraine workes The internall cause is her owne negligence in not keeping her owne
15.14 And his commaundement to the ministerie in the person of S. Peter is Feede my lambes and twice feede my sheepe Iohn 21.15.16.17 And to the whole body he commaundeth the duty of edifying communication Ephes. 4.29 of ministring the holy gift one to another as good disposers of the manifolde grace of God exhort and watch one ouer an other continualy So doing we receiue the commendation not only of frends but of felow-friends in the pasâ—orall worke of saluation Touching the Comparison and first with that which dooâ—h touch her present estate wherin she is compared to Chariot horses in 2. Kin. 2. Elisha seeing his Maister Elijah assumed and rapt in a whirle-winde of a fiery chariot and fiery horses he cryeth out my father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof as if he shoulde say In loosing of thee Oh fatherly Prophet we loose the Chariot and Horsemen of Israel the verie strength of the battell This terme it seemeth was in that age so commonly giuen to true Prophets as Ioash King of Israel affords it to Elisha on his death-bed And Zechariah long after in a vision chap. 1.8.10 seeth them to be Horsemen euen as Iohn afterwards in Reuelat. 6.2 compared with Psal. 45.4.5 doth see Messiah their Leader mounted vpon the word of truth which Messiah hee afterwards in chap. 19.14 doth see accompanied with all the warriors in heauen that is the faithfull in the church and all mounted vpon horses From which places we may perceiue the strength and speedinesse of Ministers and their faithful Hearers The true Ministers of God they are the strength of the Church as Elijah and Elisha the strength of Israel As for the faithfull people they are the strength of the worlde Where Vision failes the people doe perish as when Moses was in the Mount Israel fell to Idolatrie in the vallies When the Church is remooued the world is adiudged euen as when the eight soules were closed in the darke and Lot with his Three got forth of the Citty the world was drowned and Sodome burned As the Prophets of God are the strength of the Church so the Church it selfe is as Ailas shoulders the very pillars of the world The first must teach the Church to make much of her Teachers the second must enforme Sodome to leaue grieuing of Lot I mean it must teach the world to make much of the Church Otherwise they shall at last learne that the departure of Iaakob is the losse of Labans thrift Besides the faithfull Preachers and Hearers must learne that as they are called to be strong yea pillars for strength the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians the sixteenth Chap. and thirteenth verse Galat. the second Chapter and ninth verse so to be speedie 1. Cor. Chapter nine verse foure and twentie for cursed saith Ieremy are they that doe the worke of the Lorde negligently Secondly marke the speach of our Salomon My horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh the Palfries His the Chariot Pharaohs What is this but that the spirit of Strength and Speede it is Christs and the vntoward flesh which is to be drawne by the same druine Spirit it is of the world and the very Chariot of Satan Soule and body as wheeles and axeltree do runne which way the diuel driueth till the stronger man Iesus haue freed our Chariot-nature from that power of Hell and so with all doth ioyne himselfe by his owne spirit vnto our nature that so with Ezekiels Chariot it may goe forth and returne as his diuine Spirite instincteth Then Pharaohs Chariot Satans throne it goeth a new way and serueth a new maister As Simon the Pharise though cleansed is called Leper because once a Leper so our degenerate Nature because once the captiue of hellish Pharaoh slâ—uish Sin it may be termed Sinnes Coach Yea so much the rather as here in the strongest draught of Christs spirit Sinne is still a troubler of our Israel sin still pulleth backe and is pursuing vs as Pharaoh with his Chariots pursued Israel for leading vs captiue backe againe to the ten times plagued Aegypt But ten times happie wee who euen here haue the holy spirit of strength and celeritie to draw vs towards Canaan the Land of Rest Pharaoh and his horses shall drowne in the red sea when the Piller and Cloude shall bring the Elect into the land of promise The Churches strength and celeritie so laid downe now followeth her beauty first in respect of her cheekes secondly of her necke The Cheekes are compared with his palfries reines stretched downâ— the iawes rainged with precious stones her necke is assimilated to the collers or chaines of his steeds and such had Midians Cammels on their neckes Iudg. 8.26 Touching the first if thereby were entended only hir cheekes I would conclude that chiefly thereby were meant her spirituall complexion amiable in the eyes of Messiah but seeing the word Lèchájáik is properly Thy Iawes I take it hee rather intends the mouth bridled and kept backe from riotous speach A lesson taught by Saint Iames in Ch. 1.19 when he saith Be slow to speake And the person that can bridle his tongue is by him in Ch. 3.2 called Téleios anér a consummate or perfect man A lesson learned of Dauid in Ps. 39.1 when he writes I haue said I will keep my wayes from sinning in my tongue I will keepe my mouth bridled whiles the wicked is with me And this was the lesson that Pambo a simple vnlearned man desired to learne and to that end meditated on this speach of Dauid whole nineteene yeares as Socrates the Schooleman recordeth Nor maruell at it for if he that can bridle his speach be a Perfect man and if the gift and grace of so guiding the Iawes bee compared to rainges of precious stones it must necessarily be an hard thing to obtaine seeing excellent things are not easily attained And this grace lacking marke what the Apostle Iames saith Toú tou mátaios hê thrêskeia This Mans Religion or worship is in vaine For the second part of her comlines it is her necke chained These Chaines I take to be only the sacred laws of God legall and Euangelicall It was but one Chaine to the furnishing of Israel in Ezek. 16.11 but here vnto the new testaments church it is chaines The Sinagogues chaine is expressed by the word Rábid simply a Chaine or ornament but this churches Chaine is expressed by the woorde Chárûs which signifieth rather a Chaine of pearle or precious stone Looke how one lincke is wreathed in another so is one law clasped with the other and as many pearles are drawen vpon one threed for making of one Chaine so are many precious promises compared by our Sauiour to Pearle continued in one by the draught of one and the same diuine spirit All which vnity of law and Gospel should teach vs to be at vnitie therewith as also one with an other At vnitie with the commaundements of
it is an excellent Comforting nature and also repercussiue Vnder this odoriferous Nard I mystically vnderstand first the sacrifice of a faithfull penitent heart whose sighes and confessions petitions and praises are as Noahs oblations in Gen 8.21 called the odours of the Saints Reue. 8.4 and secondly they be these sauourie almes which the faithfull minister to the Saints termed by the Apostle an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant vnto God Philip. 4.18 The first of these doe specially respect God the second our Neighbour For as in Church-Communion God and Man are considered at one and in Christ made one so no soule can manifest it selfe to be of this fellowship that first persumeth not Christs head then secondly his members with this aromatike odour Christes head is the Father and his body is the church 1. Cor. 11.2 12.27 To the Father of heauen are all deuotions of the heart to be offered vpon the golden altar of Messiahs obedience for onely this Angell of the East Reuel 8.1 c. whose starre appeared in the East hath a golden censor for censing the prayers of the Saints As for the oblations of the hand the contribution of the faithfull they appertaine to the faithfull needy-ones Do good we must vnto all but specially to the houshold of faith Galat. 6.10 And this specialtie appeareth when as the speciall almes termed the Collection for the saints 1. Cor. 16.1 and sundry times called a Grace in 2. Corinthi 8. and 9. they be appropriated to the vse of the sanctified of the Gracious Not that we are to contribute onely to the visible Gratious for as God without respect to mans worke dooth good to the verie wicked so are we but specially we are to tender the gracious as God by a Speciall grace hath regarded them beyond others In both we are to be like vnto God and both of them be vnto him as the Morning and Euenings incense Thus Christ as a King feasteth with his church and the church againe feasteth with him in sauourie words and workes but made sauourie onely by his spirit Iudas Iscariot will finde fault with the effusion of this oyle not because he loueth the poore but for that he hath the bagge and studieth how to robbe the poore Let not Mary cease to offer her Deuotions to God and her Almes to Messiahs members for howsoeuer Iudas thinke all but oyle spilt vpon the ground our Iesus will say No let her alone against the day of burying she kept it There be a number of Dogges now that neither will themselves doe good to the poore nor can bee contented that others do them Good With Iudas they thinke all lost that is spent vpon Christ and his members and herevpon it is that our Ages Atheists doe robbe the Church intending with Iscariot the paunching of themselues Let them in time repent and in time make restitution lest God in his iustice do leaue them with theefe Iudas to the halter or at least to haue their portion with Hypocrites and Foxes The Brownist which now teacheth them to robbe the Church will then be farre enough from defending the play or helping Sacri-legists out of Hels-mouth that gapeth to receiue them as they gape to swallowe vp the Churches inheritance Let Iesus and his members feast together while they may for after the feast there wil be a fast a day of Crucifixion a darke and gloomie day While the Bridegroome is with vs let vs publikely bestow our odours on God and Man when the gospels sunne shall be eclipsed and Christ haue yeelded vp the ghost then with the Centurion let vs knocke our breast moorne and lament for that darkenesse is ouer all our Earth Lect. XIIII HAuing thus praised her Loue for that was past shee now commeth to that praise which toucheth the present time whereas she first compareth him to a bundle of Myrrhe secondly of Copher For Myrrhe it is an Indian tree and in taste very bitter and of the second degree hote and drie and of preseruing nature for which cause Nicodemus in Iohn 19.39 doth mix Myrrhe with Aloes for embalming the body of Iesus That Christ is to the church a nosegay of Myrrhe what meaneth it but that he doth by his Spirits heate exiccate or dry vppe the superfluitie of our degenerate nature wherby body and soule is preserued to eternall life For as it is the office of Messiahs spirite to kill or mortifie sinne in vs so likewise to viuifie and quicken vp in vs the spirit of true life The first is done by the bitternesse of the Law the second is done by the redolent doctrine of Faith or Gospel And as the church hath in the present a sense thereof so shee couenanteth for future time that this Messiah shall as a bundle of Myrrhe be couched betweene her breasts and that no doubt for these purposes first for manifesting how deare Christ crucified is vnto her with all his bitter agonies secondly for keeping her rebellious sprowting lusts vnder all her life That the bitter crosse of Christ is of great esteeme in the harts of the faithfull consider not onely in this that they desire with Paul onely to know Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 but also are baptized into his death and so with the Apostle doe die dayly 1. Cor. 17.29 30. For such as walke on in wickednesse lâ—bouring their owne particular these are not common-wealâ—s-men but common-illes-men and as Paul termeth them Enemies vnto the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.18 so farre are they from exulting with the Apostles in bitter sufferings and sharpe temptations This bundle is no Nosegay for their bosoms That the church placeth it betweene her breasts for the subduing of deceitfull lusts which are euer ready to spring out of the heart it also appeareth in this that the faithfull mâ—ditating the death and agonies of Iesus they thereby are drawne to remember their owne sinnes which lashed him goared him killed him the remembrance whereof wil easily proue a cooling carde for Philautus able to kill self-loue and to cause a loathing of fleeting deceiuable pleasures To which purpose our Lordes Supper setting forth his death till he come it is a soueraigne medicine For as the meditation of the world causeth Demas to runne backe and embrace the world euen so the meditation of Christ crucified it causeth Mary Magdalen to leaue carnall couch arise earely to repayre vnto his sepulchre And vpon this ground was builded but through a blinde zeale the ancient Monasticke solitarie life estranged from the communion of the church fitter for a Timon of Athens an hater of Mankinde then for a common-wealths man or one of christian fraternitie seeing we are not called to seeke only our selues but the common vtilitie of his church in a mortified conuersation It was prettily but vnfitly saide of Hierome to Vigilantius Ego cùmfugero non vinco in â—o quod fugio sed fugio ne vincar I in flying the societie
to God and man to God as it be commeth a Sacrament that is as it is taken spritually of the faithfull in the Lords supper or meere naturally as it is in common vsuages The shadow of Christ comming vppon her soule as the naturall shadow in the Gospel vpon the diseased it was vnto her a great comfort but vnder that shade to be fed with delectable fruite that caused a greater comfort but now to bee brought into her Salomons banquetting house standing in Baal-hamon as a Lord ouer the multitude this must bring a comfort farre more great to the faithfull Whence we may learne the nature of Messiahs loue namely that it is a continuall grower rising like Nylus and Iordans waters ouer their banks a well of water springing vp to eternall life Iohn 4.14 Hee that belieueth in me saith Iesus out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life vnto his Israel it is appropriate that they go from strength to strength till they appeare in Zion Ps. 84.7 Contrarie to the nature of carnall Loue which euer decayeth and lessneth with the time euen as beautie health wealth strength abateth But as Christ loues vs not first by reason of any goodnesse in vs at first so his loue begun without any cause in vs doth still enlarge it selfe in and vpon vs. Why Because whom once he loues he cannot but loue for euer That crannell must grow to a tall tree that drop become an Ocean that spark be conuerted into such a flame as shall consume all as stuble before it Besides th' encreasement of his loue hee would by this banquetting house teach vs the varietie of his Loue. Loue may bee enlarged by enlarging one and the same guift but when this loue enlargeth it selfe by distribution of sundry comfortable guifts somuch the more it is louesome He brings not the faithful into his storehouse for adding only faith to faith but also to faith patience Iames 1.3 to patience Experience to experience Hope to hope Boldnesse Rom. 5.3 4 5. The fruits of that good spirit by whome he adopteth vs are not onely these abouesaide but also Loue Ioy Peace long-suffering Gentlenes Goodnes Meekenesse Temperancie Galat. 5.22 23. In a word Messiah communicateth of all his sweet fauors to his church by faith betrothed vnto him As the Churle in the Gospel woulde neuer crie Heart be at rest till all his barnes were filled so the faithfull in their holy couetings should much more neuer be at rest till their soules with diuine graces be filled But as this fulnesse is not till we haue attained our perfection in Christ which is after this life so these that hunger and thirst after righteous giuings they are in meane time blessed because they are of the growing hand in this life But what is this wine-house whereinto the Church of the Gentiles is brought The verie same house of spirituall eating drinkinge minstrelsie wherinto the Prodigall was brought and that is the aucient Mother Zion the church of Israel mother church to the Gentiles who somtimes fed hogs in the forest with the Prodigall But there in the solitarines of spirit lighting vnder the tree of life she entred into consideration of hir present state after fell vnto holy resolution and lastly came home to the lambs supper entertained of the heauenly Father in all melodious and comfortable manner Our elder brother the Iew stands without murmuring at our good lot our heauenly Father at last will entreat him so to enter as he shall enter into Christian vnity with vs and then all Israel shal be saued In meane time while he is without and we banqueting within let vs not forget him as the Butler forgot Ioseph but somtimes amidst our spirituall banquet in holy word and sacraments let vs remember to pray for them For as they the first are now becom the last so they the last shall once againe become the First The Lord hasten this vnitie for making our corporation the greater that so the Lords banqueting house may be filled She so introduced into her Beloueds house of spirituall delites hee secondlie displaieth his Banner of Loue ouer her The spreading of this Banner or the lifting vp of this standert is mentioned of Isaiah in chap. 49.22 where the end therof is noted to be for drawing the remnant of the Gentiles vnto her yong and olde people and princes to the same vnity of faith Which Banner hath allusion to the maner of Captaines who hauing conquered some city do vpon the walls thereof display their colours of conquest first for calling togither all friends to that standert together with a memoriall of their subjection secondly for terrifying all aduersaries by these colours Friends are to repaire vnto their colors by reason of their sacramentall othe for Stringi Sacramento to be bound by a sacrament is of the church borowed from that Sacred mind which soldiers declared to their captaine by oth and now is applied to that sacred signe whereby the faithfull doe tie them selues to their Captaine Christ. The Israelites did tie themselues to God by many sacred signes or sacraments but specially by Circumcision and the Paschall supper and in the roume of these two the Church of Gentiles binds her selfe to Christ by Baptisme and the Lordes supper By the first we vow to march vnder his banner and do fight against the Diuel the world and deceiptfull flesh by the second we sweare to solemnize his bodies breaking and blodsheding till his appearance in glorie The standart of his word he liftes vp amidst his people calling them by the display thereof to returne by repentance vnto their coulours if so they be out of the way If they be not out of the way yet to remember they stand fast as Moses charged Israel lest otherwise they be drawen out of the way Of ioyning to this divine corporation S. Luke speaketh thus And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued Nor maruell for whersoever the body of Iesus is thither the eagles wil resort Thamar shakes off her incest Rahab her vncleannes Ruth her Idolatrie so haue their names entred into the Catalogue of the ancient Church Math. 1. The Eunuch of Aethiopia the Roman Centurion Publicans and sinners confesse their sinnes beleeue in Iesus are baptized and so march vnder the New Testaments colours In a word Saint Iohn seeth thousâ—ndes of Israel sealed to the Synagogue but of the Gentiles hee seeth an innumerable company of people of all tongues and kinreds standing before Messiahs throne obseruing this captaines pleasure The standart of his word displayed amongst these Cittizens it puts them still in minde of the homage due to their Lorde like as the Iewes by placing a flag with the Romanes armes vpon Ierusalems walls on their three seuerall great Feast-dayes did thereby declare themselues subiects to Romes Caesar. Besides the displaying of this banner is a terrour to all the aduersaries of
vnfolding and clearing the ceremonies to which windowes the prophet remembers Isa 60.8 that the Lords doues do flie and flocke together The wall was a stop and these windowes are a stay but much lesse impeding then the former Yea these windowes are made as the Temples windowes were for leting in light That is the sacred ministring knowledge of the ceremonies their vse and end to the Church who through them by the light of the word doth contemplate and spiritually beholde Christ Iesus as behinde them What can a man behold through a wall but by the windowes And what knowledge can be taken of Christ in sacrifice and sacrament but by the vnfolding of scripture Shut vp the scriptures as the Romanists haue in a strange tongue and all ceremonies of the law and gospel are but as a wall without windowes an house without light a body without eyes And if the eie bee shut and darkened how great is that darkenesse But let the scriptures be opened and ceremonies are seene through Christ is beholded and Antichrist disclosed The Grates and networke seeme to resemble that partition which is recorded to haue beene betweene the Temples court where the people stood and the Sanctum or Holy-place where the Priests were employed about the Altare For as the people were not to enter into the Sanctum but to continue without in prayer so the particular could not be more than grates or netteworke seeing they were to heare Aarons Ephod-bells sounding as he went too and fro in the publike ministration for whetting them vp more feruently to prayer and meditation of Christes incarnation and sufferings First the wall betweene the Church and her Beloued secondly the windowes now lastly the grates The first kept them most asunder the second lesser the third least of all What may these grates be but particular notices and neere knowledges particularly enlightning our Conscience Windowes let in a general light but grates a particular Windowes light flasheth ouer all superficiallie but these grates admit in particular lights flowing from one and the same Celestiall-sunne This latter knowledge therefore is more then that generall illumination administred before as by the large opening of the scriptures leaues namely this is a particular application of Messiah fauourable aspects declared in the word and sealed vp in the sacraments This Messiah approched from the mountaines to the hills from the hils to the Temples wall thence to the windowes lastly to the vaile of net-worke through which she might see her beloued euen the high-priest of al more clearly and paâ—ticularlie with a neerer application In the time of the old world hee was as vpon the mountaines in Abrahams time as vpon the hills in Moses his time behinde the partition wall in Daniles time as at the windowes and in the new testaments age as beholding him through the grates Which the Apostle termeth but a knowing of Christ in part and the beholding of him in a mirrour though with open face 1. Cor. 13. 2.3.18 Nor is the cause of this our imperfect sight to be imputed to God but to our apostaticall nature couered with a vaile of peeuish ignorance and fleshly vnderstanding to which infirmity of ours God hath applied himselfe in his shining The brightnesse of his glorie no flesh here can behold and liue but when our Messiah shall againe appeare in the flesh We shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is Nor could we see him as hee is were it not that hee shall first make vs like himselfe But after that Messiah hath thus satisfied her sight let vs heare how he satisfieth her hearing Lect. III. Verse 10. My Beloued spake and said vnto me arise my Louâ— my Faire-one and come away c. THe word Gnanah signifieth so to speake as is by way of Answering And therfore of Arias Montanus turned expressie Respondit My Beloued answered Rabbi Selomoh teacheth the same on this place adding besides that it signifieth a Conclamation with a cleare lifted vp voice Here then we are to obserue a beginning of Messiahs speach to his Church and continued to the end of the 15. verse and all this recounted by the mouth of his Church Before shee heard his voice but a farre off She saw her Sauiour approaching swiftlie vnto her And now being come so nere as through the grates he made himselfe knowne vnto her he answers her lowdly he speakes vnto her comfortably That she saieth He answered it not onely argueth Messiahs affabilitie and much readinesse to enforme the faithfull but also that there was some question or demaund vsed before of the Church whereto this ensuing answer is framed In the Gospel sundrie times it is written And Iesus answered and said which some terme an Hebraisme or a forme of speach vsed of Hebrues euen then when as no demaund went before I respect not what is Hebrewes speach but what is the speach of that Holy Canonicall Spirit which spake in the holy Prophets of the Hebrues for the holy men of God spake as they were mooâ—ed by the Holy-ghost and I am sure that the Spirit of GOD will not say He answered his Church but when the Church hath spoken somwhat first wherto he after frames his answer The Churches speach is Vocall or Mentall Vocall speach is that whereto the Bodies voyce is adopted and such speach we finde not here nor in the Gospel diuerse times whereto the answer may haue relation Mentall speach is that which is begotten in and brought forth of the Minde And so wee see that our Sauiour in the gospel frameth an answer very oft to the thoughts of his hearers and so he heard Moses cry when Moses vttered neuer a word Here therefore we must necessarily collect that something was said in the Churches minde whereto this answer is formed By his answer we may easily guesse at her demaund The answer as afterwards appeareth tends to the drawing her forth of an vncomfortable to a comfortable estate as it were out of winter stormes into a pleasant spring her demaund then by Analogie of Reason must be this ô Messiah how long will it be ere I be deliuered out of this calamitie Whereto he answereâ—h in effect Euen now the time is therefore arise and come away The Rabbines vnderstand this answer to be made of God to their Israel in Egipt when they cried to the Lord for deliuerance out of that bondage True it is that so they cried and also by Moses receaued an answer for present deliuerie But howsoeuer I approue Onkelos and euerie of them for their application of this song to their sinagogue it bâ—ing a figure of the new Church rather then Iohannes Halgrinus the Cardinall with some others applying all to the virgin Mary for Genebrard himselfe affirmes this not to be Germanus sensus the naturall sense of thâ— Song yet we must know that the Prophets still did specially aime at the New-church their sinagogue but a shadow
became indeed The Son of Man And thus the fall of Man brought with it the fall of Gods Son The Head is contented to stoope with his body Christ with his Church pawning himselfe for her payning himselfe for her becomming poore for making her rich giuing her libertie by his captiuitie procuring to her pleasure by his paine life by his death Nor did the Sacrifices only represent this but also exhibite and seale Christ with his benefits vnto the faithfull Communicant In which respect it is that the Author to the Hebrues saith that Habel by his Oblation obtained witnesse that he was iust that is imputed iust by Christ Iesus sealed to his conscience To whome as to all ancient Belieuers Christ was the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also for euer The Egiptian priest could say Deus vim â—fficacem imprimit Sacramentis God deeply printeth an effectuall operation in Sacraments speaking of their fantastick Sacrifices but the faithfull of God vnder and before the lawe might in deede and trueth say that a vitall power was conâ—aid vnto them by the Sacrifice no lesse then eternall life by Christ Iesus sealed vnto their Conscience by the stamp of his Spirit By which externall shadowe they were so taught and sealed till Messiahs day did breake and the Lawes shadowes fly away So much generally of Sacrifice Lect. XXXII Circumcision THe next Sacramentall exhibitiue shadow shal be Circumcision first incommended vnto Abraham in the seauenteenth of Genesis and continued in his seede till Christ putte that away for establishing Baptisme But baptisme by sufficient preaching being once established thencefoorth Christ Iesus should profite him nothing that would be circumcised Galat. 5.2 This Circumcision was nothing else but a solemne cutting away of that fore-skinne in a Manchild which appertaines to the generatiue part Which the Lord at the first institution thereof doth sometimes call his Couenant sometimes the Signe of his Couenant Why Because the thing signified was to the true Belieuer conuaâ—de with the signe euen as it is in all exhibitiue sacraments And that is it which causeth the Apostle in Rom. 4.11 to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seale of that Righteousnesse which is by-faith Which Sacrament was to Abrahams nâ—turall sâ—ed as Baptisme is vnto Christs spirituall seed an infallible signe of being receiued into the Couâ—nant of grace and holy Church of GOD. For by this signe the Hebrew Israel and Iew all Abrahams petigree were distinguished from all the world besides termed Gentiles The ancient prophane Herodot recordeth that the Colchians Aegyptians Aethiopians did circumcize themselues and of the Aegyptians he will forsooth that the Phaenicians and Syrians in Palestina these must be the Iewes they learned Circumcision Yet forsooth saith he â— cannot define whether the Egyptians learned it of the Aethiopians or they of the Egyptians Silly Greeke it is something he saith but farre from the truth He thought the Iewes had leaâ—ned it of the Aegyptians Why No doubt because hee had heard that sometimes their predecessours had beene in Aegipt Whereas it was instituted neere two hundred yeares before Iaakob went downe into that country And whereas he affirmeth so many of the Gentiles to circumcise it is nothing likely they euer hauing the Hebrewâ—s and their religion in horrible detestation Onely this may be some of Abrahams seede specially by Ismael borne of the Aegyptian Hagar might be sparsed in such places and there continuâ— this ceremony But for circumcision to be practised by naturall Egyptians it is against all probabilitie Philo Iudaeus therefore in his discourse of Circumcision making one argument of the vse thereof to the bodily cleanenesse specially in the priestes hee therewithall affirmeth of the Aegyptians that they for such purpose did 〈◊〉 their bodies For Circumcision we see how odious it was vnto the Gentiles in the time of Maccabees as diuerse Iewes for liues preseruation were glad to vncircumcize themselues by a painefull stretching and curious phisiking of the scarred skinâ—e It is sufficient that the ancient Greek hath recorded the Ceremonie though altogether ignorant to whom it appertained and to what end vsed But what is shadowed in Circumcision First If wee respect the paring away of the flesh it shadowes forth the expoliation and casting away of the olde-man with his inueterate lusts And this of the Holy Ghost is oft termed the circumcision of the * heart If we respect the shedding of blood accompanying that cutting it may wel represent the blood of Christ Iesus appointed to be poured out for our sinnes for the washing away of our lustsâ— for without blood no remission Heb. 9.22 And if with the representation we respect what therein to the faithfull is exhibited it is no other thing than Christ who of God the Father is made vnto vs Wisdome Righâ—eousnes Sanctification and Redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Who by his spirite and word worketh in vs true mortification to sinne and true Viuification to Holinesse and trueth of Righteousnesse Nor lesse was taught to Abraham at the gift of Circumcision For being ben a Sonne of 99. yeares hee in his olde age is tauâ—ht to cut off the old man that so a Couenâ—nt may be sealed in his flesh The Couenâ—nt is exprâ—ssed when he saith I am God all sufficient walke before me and be thou vpright wherein the Lord not onely calleâ—h Abraham and his seede to vprightnesse of Obâ—dience towards him but also preacheth and promisâ—th to be God all-sufficient vnto him and his Nay lest he should thinke his obedience the Cause why God would be sufficient vnto him the Lord first pronounceth him El-shaddaj and then biddeth Abraham walke vprightly because his All-sufficiencie in the first place was cause of his integritie in the second place Which couenant standing of free-grace and promise it could not doe lesse than leade Abraham by the hand vnto the Seed of promise euen Christ Iesus by whom al the earth was to receiue a blessing Vnto the which blessed seede the Lord seemeth to will Abram and Sarai to Behold when as he turnes Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah so adding to their names the hebrewe letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in english is Behold Whereto the Angel Gabriel might haue an eye when to the Virgine Mary hee cryed Behold Which letter of hebrewes termed Heâ— of vs H is to Cabalists their character of the holy ghost By which forme of learning if Abraham euer approoued such learning that faithfull couple were taught to giue the praise of all goodnesse to that Spirite of God by whom they were sealed vnto the day of redemption Thus the Church in her infancie was taught by letters In this state of the Gospel wee should be able to put these letters together for spelling a Word euen that Word which assumed Flesh for the circumcising and sauing of Mankind So much for circumcision Lect. XXXIII Passeouer THe fourth sacramentall
defect of drinke and Moses complaining thereof to God behold the Lord commaundeth Moses to take his rodde and therewith smite a certaine Rocke promising therewith the issue of waters for quenching Israels thirst Moses herevpon takâ—th his rodde doth chide the people smites the rock twise and waters issue out aboundantly Numb 20.10 11. But because Moses and Aaron belieued not rightly that promise God denieth to them the bringing of Israel into the land of promise Ibidem 12. That this Rocke-water signified yea to the belieuer exhibited Christ and the things of Christ is plaine in 1. Cor. 10.4 Where the Apostle teacheth that the fathers did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spiritual Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ. Was that Rocke the verie Christ No no more than the spirituall bread and wine in the Lords supper is the very Body and blood of Christ but so called because together with the signe the thing signified was exhibited Fide manente signa sunt mutata Ibi Petra Christus nobis Christus quod in Altari penitur The same faith saith Austin abideth still but the signes are changed There the Rocke was Christ but that which now is placed on the Altare or communion table namely the bread and wine euen that is Christ vnto vs. But for the clearer vnderstanding of this sacramentall shadow let vs consider more particularly 1. why Christ is termed Rocke 2. what is meant by the waters issuing thence 3. by the stroke wherevpon the waters issued 1. Christ is termed Rocke because as the Psalmist termes him he is the Rocke of our saluation that is euen He vpon whome if we build let the raine fall the floodes come the winds blow and beate vpon our house it yet falls not because it is founded vpon that Rocke Euen he is that Rocke vpon whom the Church the house of God is builded whereby it comes to passe that the infernall powers cannot preuaile against it Math. 16.18 Thus to the whole church he is the same that he is to Peter and euery particular Belieuer and to euerie particular member the same as to the whole Shaken they may be as was Peter but not finally remooued no more than was Peter Which caused an Antient well say The Rocke is in heauen in the same is stedfastnes and assurance And indeede where else can it be but in our Sauiour The world roareth the flesh oppresseth me the world followes and hangs vpon me And yet notwithstanding I fall not For I am founded vpon a sure Rocke 2. What is meant by the waters issuing thence Origen makes this answer Percussus enim Christus in crucem actus Noui testamenti fontes produxit Christ being smitten and hangd on the crosse out of him issued the fountaines of the New-Testament By which fountaines hee should meane nothing else but Mysteria the secrets of the Gospel as somewhat before hee had spoken Rabanus hereon hath Percussus enim Christus sitientibus lauacri gratiam donum spiritus sancti â—ffudit Christ being smitten he powred forth to the thirstie the grace of our washing and the gift of the Holy Ghost And true it is that what we draw from Christ it is to the world a Mysterie and so are all the things sealed vp in Christ Iesus reuealed onely to his members And as true it is that our new births washing and euerie gift of the spirit it floweth out of him as from the Head-fountaine As they be mysteries so our Sauiour thanketh the heauenly fâ—ther for hiding them from the world but reuealing them to his children And as they flowe from him not onely as a fountaine for washing away sinne and vncleanenesse Zechar. 13.1 but also to become in vs an eternall spring flowing vp vnto heauens Paradise so himselfe teacheth the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.14 that he was to giue these waters and soone after informeth his Disciples that none could drinke them but by Faith when as he thus saith He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Iohn 6.35 Iesus Messiah is thus The fountaine of the gardens for watering the churches the well of liuing-waters springing vp in the true belieuer vnto Eternal life Open thy filthy heâ—rt and these waters will cleanse thee Set thy mouth of faith to his mysticall side and quench thy spirituall thirst yea cease not to draw vntill thou haue drunke vppe eternall life Be nâ—t drunke with wine wherein is excesse but â—e filleâ— with the spirite Ephes. 5 18. These waters haue to Gods praise â—loted â—long through the middâ—st of Englands Paradise God graunt thâ—t our sinnes become not as coardes for bringing in Romes Philistims for stopping and filâ—ing vp our wells with Grauell In Queene Maries daies they had dammed them vp but our Isaac digged them â—new and gaue to them ancient names Sweet heauenly father for thy Sonnes sake continue them still open euen to our posteritie for euer that so thy poore Israel may neuer haue occasion to murmure 3. The strokes which Moses gaue were two Therevpon he is of God charged with infidelitie which causeth diuines to conclude the signe thereof in his smiting Some haue taken it that hee ought onely haue spoken to the Rocke and therefore his smiting though it had beene but once to be a signe of diffidence as if God would not by the word alone haue fetched out waters But such comparing to this purpose Num. 20. and vers 8. with 11. should therewithall haue remembred Exod. 17.6 where it is plainâ—ly commaunded that hee shoulde also smite the Rocke Others more generally haue deemed thâ—t his diffidence was declared in his smiting the second time whereas the Lord onely bidde him speake and smite not smite twise And indeede this is somewhat though it may be not all For to what pâ—rpose would so wise a man smite the second time but because the waters issued not vpon the first stroke How fell it out then that waters came not vpon the first blow Because he distrusted the Lords word Yea Aaron that smit not is accused of diffidence also And indeed a right hard thing it was to belieue that a rocke should send forth aboundance of water Besides which circumstance obserue also the speach of Moses to the people Heare now ye Rebels shall we bring you water out of this Rocke He saith not that they would fetch water out but asks the question shal we as if they would saue their honestie though water came not out seâ—ing they made no promise of bringing it out The not issuing of waters vpon the first stroke it taught Moses and Aaron the fruite of diffidence in Gods promise but issuing forth vppon the second blowe it taught them that God is faithfull who hath promised though his children many times be faithlesse But what doth this rod and the stroke therewithall shadowe The rodde I know not what it may better resemble than Prayer the spirit of prayer