together Luk. 17.37 And what is this dead body It is saith Saint Paul Iesus Christ he crucified besides which I wil knowe nothing vnderstanding by the name of Christ the person and by the word of crucified all that which he hath doone for vs euen vnto that last cry of his which shaked both the heauen and the earth saying All is finished And thus much touching the Doctrine As for the outward seruice himselfe speaking to that womā of Samaria which demanded of him whether they should worshippe in the Temple of the Samaritanes or of the Iewes confessed indeed that for a time it was the Temple of Ierusalem and no other which God had chosen there to be worshipped But saith he the time is come that men shall worship neither in this mountaine nor in Ierusalem but the true worshippers shal worship in spirit in truth Ioh. 4.21.24 that is to say without distinction of place they shall serue God with a pure spirituall seruice not with aultar or sacrifice but with a contrite and humble heart Psal 51.19 and with the fruits of righteousnesse Psa 50.23 Ro. 12.1 with the calues of their lips Ose 14.3 Moreouer if we respect the former time we shal find that it is true indeed that the couenant was residēt first in the house of Abrahā thē in the house of Isaack afterward in the house of Iacob But how was this house walked caried vp downe Go we farther we shal find that trauersing the desert it made 42. stations Nu. 33. being come into the land of Canaā the tabernacle vnto which the lord had as it were tied the seat of his couenāt both in respect of the doctrine the outward seruice changed frō place to place was in the end separated frō his Arke being taken prisoner among the Philistines on whō hauing wreked herselfe she reunited not herself vnto the tabernacle where the ordinary seruice was kept Finally behold the temple built as a permanent standing place Ierusalē the capital city both of the realme of the priesthoode But how many breaches interruptiōs were there in such sort that the temple was shut vp finally razed afterwards repaired after that most vilanously polluted defiled I demaund therefore where was then this catholick See yea whilest it stood were we to conclude as they do at this day who cal themselues Catholick Romanes the high-Priest is the successor of Aaron therefore he cānoter we must beleeue do whatsoeuer is taught cōmaunded by the catholicke church of Ierusalem I report me vnto al the Prophets whether they either made or taught others to make such a conclusion Nay did not contrariwise cry out both against the Priests against the temple it selfe for those abuses which were by thē there committed And indeed where by whom was Iesus Christ iudged worthy of death as being a blasphemer against God against the temple Where by whom was his doctrine condemned of impiety Where by whom were the Apostles forbidden to preach the gospel Where by whō for what cause was Steuen accused stoned to death It is then a meere bewitchednesse phrensie to tie the holy ghost vnto one place whatsoeuer it be or to any certaine estate of men to ground on them the rule of a mans faith without exception seeing that vnder the ancient people themselues among whom Ierusalē was the place which the Lord had chosen for his house habitation there were none more deceiued then they who without anie exception or limitatiō rested grounded themselues on that temple on the personall succession of Aaron Ierusalem being often the seate and See not of Truth but of Murdering of the Preachers of the Trueth the nest of the Baalims 5 But can it be shewen by the Scripture or by any testimony woorthy of credit that Iesus Christ hath established in the world one certaine place or catholick See that is to say where an head shuld be seated hauing autority ouer al the particular churches of the world And if it were lawful for men to constitute appoint themselues one why should Rome rather be chosen then Ierusalem the first the ancient of al the Churches Called of the Prophets the Citty of God From whence the word of God should go forth into al the world And founded notoriously by S. Peter the rest of the Apostles Or rather then Antioch where were named the first christiās where it is notorious that S. Pet. S. Paul liued But in sūme what reasonable man cā be ignorāt what is to be iudged of the See of Rome seeing that Daniel speaking clearly plainly of that God on earth calleth him by his name the God Maozzim which is as much to say in the languange of the Prophet as the God of Rome or the God of the Romanes Dan. 11.38 For it is euident that this word of Rome in the greek toung which was thē vsed in that country where this city was first built named signifieth as much as the Hebrew worde which the Prophet vseth And S. Paul speaking of him which raigned in his time I mean the Emperor of Rome saith expresly that of the destruction of him should be borne che child of perdition 2. Thess 2.7 and when Saint Iohn nameth expresly the Citie of seauen hils Apoc. 17.9 In a woorde therefore as it is the Lorde which hath of his great grace built his Coche where it pleaseth him neuer vsing the helpe of any for the inuenting the plat and model thereof but vsing indeede the ministery of certaine his faithful seruants al of them immediately chosen as was Moses after him the Apostles for the setting vp of it according vnto the forme and pattern which himselfe no other hath deuised giuing the name of Coch vnto this ecclesiastical gouernment he hath declared that hee woulde not make it abiding for euer in one place but hath vsed and doth vse shal vse it vnto the end of the world transporting it according vnto his good and holy wil pleasure 1. Cor. 12. 6 It remaineth we consider by peece-meale the building of this Coch according as the peeces thereof are set downe vnto vs in this place This discription therefore beginneth first with the matter wherewith the bodie of the Coch is built namely of the wood of Liban that is to saie of Cedar this tree hauing this property that it is as a man would say incorruptible This is it which I haue alreadie declared vpon the last verse of the first Chapter to witte that thereby thus much is declared vnto vs that this holy and sacred gouernement is inuincible both in respect of time and of men The reason is if wee consider the generalitie of the Church because the kingdome of this Bridegrome is euerlasting as the father promised him Dan. 7.14 and Luk. 1.33 reaching it selfe and as it were walking from one end
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
beastes which were sacrificed which could not bee of it selfe but stinking was made to be of a most sweet odor by the precious perfume which was made vpon the golden altar so the best motions and the most excellent actions which can part proceed froÌ„ vs how sanctified so euer we be by the holy ghost in this life being considered according vnto their valew there is found nothing in them which is ought worth or which deserueth any blessing whatsoeuer yet they leaue not to be liking acceptable vnto the Lorde are finally crowned by him with a crowne of Glorie in as much as it pleaseth God to consider of vs our actions vnto which hee hath fashioned prepared vs not in vs but in him in whom alone he accepteth of vs Eph. 1.9 who hath giuen himselfe for vs in oblation and sacrifice vnto God an odour of a sweete smell Eph. 5.2 9 The spouse hereupon insteed of standing on those praises which are attributed vnto her describeth vnto vs the estate effects of him in the gouernment of his first vnder the similitude of a bedde afterward of a coch turning her speech vnto the daughters of Ierusalem as it is set downe in the last verse of this chapter that is to say vnto the nation which God had chosen to haue a part in his couenant who had yet good neede to bee bâ—tter instructed in the knowledge of the trueth amiddest the corruptions from which the church is neuer so freed but there hath beene stil some defect or other on the behalfe of many as the histories writings of the Prophets doe testifie declare the same besides that how euer it be to be a true meÌ„ber of the church it sufficeth not when a maÌ„ is come vnto age to be born in the church but he must be instructed there learn giue himself wholy to the doctrin of truth which is there preached 10 The spouse therefore speaking vnto these proposeth vnto them first an allegorical description of the magnificent bed of this king which is as it were the Bride-bed prepared for this king and this queene which here speaketh By this bed therefore we wil vnderstand generally first of al the whole countrie of Chanaan where it then pleased God to make as it were his residence and abode hauing as it were abandoned and giuen ouer the rest of the woorlde for a time vnto perdition destruction Act. 14.16 and particularly we wil here vnderstand the temple the city of Ierusalem the synagogues cities townes of the whole territorie country yea euery one of the faithful in asmuch as the Lord dwelleth in them by his spirit on the other side by Salomon is meant not onely this name which is as much to say as peaceable but also the promise made vnto Dauid of this son an eternall successour couched in such terms that it comprehendeth all in one both the figure which is this sonne of Dauid as also the trueth and reality figured by him which is Iesus Christ 2. Sam. 7.13 1. Chron. 17.12 Salomon therefore in this place representeth vnto vs this Bridegroome the true and only peace-maker between god his beloued as he is expresly called the prince of peace Esa 9.6 his bed at this day is the whole vniuersal world wheresoeuer he is knowen acknowleged of the elect gathered out of the four corners of world as the same was declared vnto S. Pet. by that sheet which descended from heauen and was tied at the foure ends Act. 10.11 11 The spouse after this to shewe vs that it is there and no where else that we must seeke after and find the true repose rest as it is declared vnto vs Matth. 11.29 that there is nothing more safe assured then this rest addeth that this bed is enuironed compassed with 60. valiant men of Israel and who besides their prowes and courage haue also experience to hinder that nothing fal out by night which may hinder the fruite of this rest Now that which we try experience euerie day sheweth vs howe not only profitable but altogether necessary this doctrine is For what is one of the chiefe and principall causes of this that so few men giue themselues vnto this rest and that so few continue in it Is it not because that this bed seemeth to be but sorily garded and badly defended therefore they feare least they should be easily surpressed haue their throates cut But let vs know that these carnall caitiues doe as the foolish birdes doe who so soon as they see the cat insteed of keeping themselues on their pearch throw theÌ„selues into the talants of the enimy For hee that goeth foorth of the Church casteth himselfe vndoubtedly into the pawes of the rauening lion 1. Pet. 5.8 The fault therefore hereof proceedeth froÌ„ hence that men hauing no other eies then those of their head not those of faith beleeue only that which they see perswade themselues of that which cannot be seene but by the eies of the spirite which see that which is inuisible Heb. 11.27 and Ephes 2.18 except it be when God bestoweth some speciall priuilege vpon some as he did on Iacob Gen. 32.2 and on the seruant of the Prophet 2. King 6.17 But what saith the Lord Thomas because thou hast seene thou hast beleeued but blessed are they who haue not seene and yet haue beleeued Ioh. 20.29 In the meane while we do al confesse that God alone is almightie yea that none hath any power but of him as himselfe said vnto Pilate Ioh. 19.11 But why doe we not ad that it is in his Church that hee truely displaieth and sheweth forth indeede and most mightily this power of his Because there are very few which haue learned throughly to beleeue that God is almighty a friende and preseruer of such as bee his and that it cannot be that the Bridegrome suffer any one of them to perish whom the father hath giuen him Ioh. 8.9 12 Now touching this nuÌ„ber of 60. we are not scrupulously to stand vpon it albeit that they who haue written of numbers obserue in this nuÌ„ber a special perfection for which cause the Astrologers did especially chuse it for the easier readier calculating their degrees minutes seeing a man may find in it without any fraction or broken nuÌ„ber a moity or halfe which is thirty a third which is twenty a fourth which is fifteene a fifth which is twelue a sixth which is ten all which numbers are found quoted in that materiall Temple built by Salomon except the fifth which is the number of twelue Besides this if wee recken in particular al the Canonicall bookes aswell of the olde as of the newe testament excluding the two latter Epistles attributed vnto S. Iohn which are indeed as it were priuate letters we shal find they make iustly the number of 60. those are in truth as it were the true gard of
house of God Cor. 14.4 but what is this order Euē that which the Lord of the house hath established by his Apostles Let vs then first of all keepe and obserue this and hold all that for disorder which shalbee farther added diminished or chaunged I meane in the substāce of doctrine so that whosoeuer opposeth himself against this disorder whensoeuer it slideth into the Church may not be iustly held for author of confusion but ought rather to bee praised harkned vnto as the setter vp againe reestablisher of that order which the sonne of God established in his house Secondly although the forme of outwarde order be obserued yet we may not tie the holy spirit to persons without exceptiō for those reasons which I haue proued because that in many those things wherein they offend goe not before but followe their vocation as the Apostle warneth vs 1. Tim. 5.24 in whom the Church findeth afterward that shee hath beene deceiued as all the auncient heretiques and the greatest part of them of our time may sufficiently witnes But we are to follow the rule which the Lord gaue and which he also confirmed by his owne example The Scribes and Pharisees saith he sit in Moses Chaire do yee that which they say but do not that which they doe that is to say so farre as according vnto the order of God established by the ministery of Moses they preach the truth in the Synagogues their hypocrisie and wicked life otherwise maie not hinder you from receiuing and practising that which they teach for the truth dependeth not on the person of him which teacheth either in doctrine or in the sacramentes But what saith Christ in an other place Matth. 16.6 Take heede of the leauen of the Pharisees and in an other place Let them alone they are blinde and leaders of the blinde Mat. 15.14 And indeed himself openly condemned their false interpretations of the Law Matth. 5.6 and Mark 7.8 and cared as little for their excommunications Ioh. 12.42.44 What are we to doe then in such a case Wee must saith the beloued disciple proue the spirits whether they be of God 1 Ioh. 4.1 and Saint Paul we must trie all thinges and keepe that which is good 1. Thess 5.21 vnto whō is this said Vnto euery Christian who wil not willingly and wittingly be deceiued as well young as olde men as wemen Gal. 3.28 12 Neither doth there ensue hereupon any disorder or confusion at all for it is an other thing not to suffer a mans selfe to bee deceiued and to take vpon him the office and charge of teaching in the Church pretending that all are Prophetes or Apostles or Doctors and teachers a thing vtterly false and intolerable as appeareth 1. Cor. 12.29 For the sonne of God himselfe in as much as he was the minister of God his father for the preaching of his wil vnto the nation of the Iewes Rom. 11.18 he thrust not himselfe in into this charge Heb. 5.5 Such is then the duty of euery faithfull man in all times and principally in such a time as there is a medlie made of al things and when the light is smothered and darkned neither to beleeue euerie thing vpon the credit of an other neither also to set vp a new religion vnto himselfe apart 13 But what shall we say of thē among whom there is not only no order but which is worse though al things be turned vp-side-down notwithstanding with a desperate impudencie they attribute all this while vnto thēselues the precious name of the catholicke church Among whom the vocations ordained by the sonne of God for the seruice of his house are al of them mowled vpon the Image of the beast the auncient Romane Empire Where to bee called is nothing else but to haue posted best and to be first in dated Where there remaine nothing saue the simple bare names of charges and vocations of the holie sacred ministery Where the entrance into the house of god I mean the scripture in which he hath placed his truth is interdicted forbidden the people Where the house of praier is not only turned into an harbor of them who make marchandise of souls but is changed into a shop of al falshood and Idolatrie yea of more abominable Idolatry then all the Idols of the Paynims and heathen Where Iesus Christ is changed into a dead and senselesse thing which hath neither head nor feete naie which cannot keepe himselfe from the talantes of theeues nor the teeth of rattes and of mise and which perisheth of himselfe if he bee not the sooner deuoured In such a case should the poore famished sheepe I pray you goe vnto the wolues and saie cut our throates and deuoure vs Shoulde the consciences of men goe vnto them to bee resolued who maintaine themselues by deuouring of them quick and dead Should they to purge cleanse themselues shoue themselues farther and farther into such dirty myrie places Should men expect and waite vntill the hogges resolue themselues to liue neetely and cleanely or vntil the whore-maisters and whores take order for the stewes Naie contrariwise the whole church warneth enioyneth vs as touching doctrine to take heed of false Prophets to flie not only Idolaters but Idols also 1. Ioh. 5.21 So did the Leuites and the Priests retire themselues out of the kingdome of Israel when al thinges were there in vtter ouerthrow and confusion There continued notwithstanding an assemblie of Prophets which communicated not at al with the Baalims nor with such as assembled themselues there 2. Chr. 11.14 2. King 4.38.42 And the Lord himselfe saith Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind Matth. 15.14 but saie our aduersaries hee went vnto Ierusalem hee came into the Temple as others did yea into the Synagogues also I graunt but I aunswere that first there was but one Ierusalem where the publique outward seruice was administred according vnto the word of God the priesthood was yet on foote Moses the Prophetes were al of them in the Synagogues and albeit the doctrine was mingled with much leauē yet the true dowe remained still notwithstanding and the ceremoniall seruice continued in his entire estate Secondly it was to driue out of the Temple with the whip the buyers and sellers whome hee found in the Temple crying out ful loude and ful shrill against the leauen of the Pharisees Sadduces Herodians and others as likewise hee did in the Synagogues But if the Temple had beene brought to that passe as it was at that time when the aultar was made in al pointes like vnto that which Achas the king sent from Damascus 2. King 16.11 and 2. Chronic. 28.23 who wil persuade vs he would haue entred in thither to communicate there with them And when he was demaunded by what authority he did these thinges did he alleage vnto them Cayphas or the great counsel of Ierusalem Nothing lesse for this had bin nothing else but
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