she desireth and feruently desireth and this in the appointed time he fully performeth That which she then breathed after we are possessed of God prouiding a better thing for vs namely that they without vs should not be perfect Touching the reason of her Petition For thy loue is or Loues are good and better than wine it is as if she saide O heauenly Father I haue prayed that thou wouldst send thy Sonne to his poore Church that he might vnite himselfe corporallie with her the Godhead inhabiting the Manhoode essentially Now after this my petition vouchsafe I may debate the matter with my beloued Then by an Apostrophe she turneth aside and after such sort reasons with him Sweete Messiah Shiloh Zecharies Branch and Iaaâ—obs Starre I long after thy presence yea thou hast set my soule on fire after thee for thy Loues are beauteous and farre more effectuall then wine Beauties there are many but all inferiour to thine There is pleasure and strength in wine but thy loue and pleasant amours doe more inflame and rauish the senses O heauenly Father if I be bold thy Sonnes loue hath constrained me oh glorious Messiah if I call for thee thy Fathers promise in Paradice it causeth mee and the beginnings of Loue which by thy spirite thou hast giuen me feeling of as wine in the first taste they comfort mee as wine in the second place they delight mee as wine in the third place they embolden mee as wine in the last place they cause mee bee ready to fall in a Loue-trance Oh therefore come speedily and embrace me and by the spirit of thy mouth ouershadowe the Virgin and make vs members of thy bodie of thy flesh and of thy bones Besides other ordinary notes I obserue hence first howe Time in Paradise Gen. 3.15 conceiued of the promised seed that time grew as it were more big-bellied in the renuall of the promise to Abraham Dauid and others and that in the fulnesse of time That blessed seed was to be brought foorth for the exceeding comfort of mankind The faithfull conceiuing this doctrine they are therefore here introduced sighing after the performance of the promise If they but tasting the promise and seeing it but a farre off for the time of this Songs penning was about 900. years before Shiloh came how ardent and earnest shoulde our affections bee in the possession thereof The taste and possession of wines are of more value than the bare sight and taste thereof and such should our loue be in the reall enioying of Messiah Examine therfore we ourselues and looke into our soules for if Christ Iesus liue in vs we cannot but with feruencie embrace him and loue all the fruits of his spirit Secondly her manner of speach Kisse me c. it implieth the meanes wherby the Virgin should conceiue namely by the spirit of Christ ouershadowing her that spirit being as Agent to her seede Patient Spirit and Breath is one and the same both in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine which is cause that sometimes our men in the Prophets do turne it by the spirit of his mouth otherwhiles by the breath of his mouth c. This Conception and Generation is so exempted from that ordinary encreasement of mankinde And therefore though Leui payed tithes in Abrahams loynes to Melchizedek and all wee haue sinned in the loynes of Adam yet this second Adam can be said to do neither Woman sinned first but no speech of spirituall nakednesse till Man also sinned Then it is sayde their eyes were opened and they saw themselues naked as if sinne were imperfect and vnable to bring forth death on the seed of their loynes till Man in whome lay the Actiue power of generation he had sinned Though blessed Mary sinned and had sinne in her nature yet it could act nothing to Conception As all Naturians will graunt womans seede onely passiue and for because not Actiue some haue concluded women to be seedelesse so neyther is sinne any creature or anie substance but an action transgressing causing God his curse vpon mankinde by mortalitie and corruption And because the Virgins seede patient was by the spirit of God quickened euen as the clayish nature of man viuified by the breathing of god hir betrothed Ioseph is taught by Gabriel how that which was conceiued in her it was of the holy spirit This one doctrine so ouerturneth the doctrine and obiections of our ages Anabaptists Who thinke of sinne as of a Substance it being indeed an Accident and seuered in Christs conception by the Actiue power of the holy-ghost Thirdly by speech Kisses of his mouth is further although in a second sense intimated the operation of God his word and spirit for incorporating vs into Christ. By his word the Worlde was created and by the breath of his mouth the foundation thereof was laide That naturall worlde was to leade vs to consider a spiâ—ituall world which Philosophers haue termed Micro-cosmos a little world namely man which second and new creature is begot by the immortal seede of God his word the holy spirit quicknâ—ng that word in the wombe of their conscience for by the ministry of his word sacraments he kisseth his creature breathing by that his ordinance his owne good spirit into them And because no hereticall doctrine can do this the Church in her prayer desireth the kisses of His mouth to whome shee prayeth Nay for herâ—ticall doctrine it is so farre from effecting a new world in vs as it is indeed the seede of the serpent wherby he begets a damned body of infidels and false beleeuers to himselfe For the reason of her prayer in this verse wherby she wold insinuate her petition into the Lord his cares as crauing nothing but Promise and that whereof shee had a pleasant foretaste to the kindling in her such praier besides other things I note these First that the sauing promises of God who in Christ are Yea and Amen they are with all holy boldnesse to hee called for For as he is faithfull that hath promised so he expects we pray for the speedy performance thereof seeing the promises are the churches life and glory Secondly her speech Thy loues it argueth the loue of God in Christ to be infinite and of a growing nature Election before all time begetteth an effectuall Vocation in time that Vocation brings with it in the one hand assurance of Iustification in the other hand reall Sanctification These beget other diuine Loues causing in vs a fountaine springing vp vnto Eternall life If the church in her pedagogie and non-age could haue such deepe feeling of diuine Loues what should we feele who are come to inherit that Canaan We should be able as the Apostle prayeth to comprehend with all Saintes what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the Fathers Loue in Christ Iesus If Marchants finding a Commoditie sweete they sue for more let vs in the least sense of God his loue pray
God we are taught in Deut. 6.6 c. where we are commaunded to haue them in our heart to binde them for a signe on our hand and as frontlets betweene our eies Not to write them in a scrole as Romanists do Iohns gospel tying it about their necke for externall preseruations and as the Pharises did the Decalogue betwixt their browes and the Babylonians if not now yet in Rabanus time for externall signe of holinesse but as the same learned father well expoundeth precepta mea sint in manu tua vt opere compleantur sint ante oculostuos vt die ac nocle mediteris in eis Let my precepts be in thine hand that is be fulfilled in action and bee placed before thine cies that is Day and night let them be thy meditation Which lesson learned what shall the holy Doctrines bee vnto vs Salomon thus answereth They shal be a comely ornament on thine head and as chaines for thy necke prouerbs 1.9 and we in the vnitie we haue therewith shall be assured of our vnitie with God whose word it is As also being at one with another as God is one with his word and his word with it selfe we farther encrease that Onenesse with God and Christ which Iesus prayeth so much for in 17. of Iohns Gospel Which Vnity had and held what maruell though we be beauteous in Messiahs eies for his owne beautie is so vpon vs Ezech. 16.14 So much for her present happinesse for strength and comelinesse Her future happinesse consisteth in this that golden borders studded or as some turne it embrodered with siluer they should be made for her Where first obserue the Maker secondly the Worke made The Maker is laid downe in these words We will make What we Euen Father Son and Holyghost that sacred Trinitie who in the sixt day of Creation said Let vs make man in our Image In personall respect three but for essence and substance One and therefore affording but one Image not sundry Images Messiah thus introducing Father and Holighost togither with himselfe for making this new worke he would theâ—by noâ— onely intimate that there is no worke of Grace that is not deriued from the whole Trinitie termed throughout Genesis 1. Chap. by the plurall word Aelohim but also he would hereby signifie the excellencie of the worke that was to be acted by such Actors The worke is considered in two degrees first in borders of Gold secondly in embroyderie of siluer For the borders made excellent from their matter Gold it implieth an addition and enlargement of Grace through the obseruance of his word a word refined seauen times in the fire and more to be desired then gold yea then much fine golde psal 19.10 For by this golden word the Laodiceans were to be made Rich and by the repreaching of this word the Apostle would adde vnto the Thessalonians faith Reuelat. 3.18.1 Thess. 3.10 Nor maruell at such enlargement of one and the same diuine grace more hammered by the same spirite for Golde the shadow of such substantiall grace by the mallet will be woonderfully enlarged Experience saieth One teacheth that the third part of one graine will circumuest a threed of 134. feete long A fit mettle for denoting the multiplication of grace which in the faithfull is as a fountaine springing vp vnto eternall life The second degree of this worke is the studding or embrodering of the borders with siluer It may be that Salomon alludeth to that his prouerb A word spoken in his place is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer and the rather if we respect the Greeke translation which readeth We will make likenesses or Images for thee with prints of siluer Once we are sure that hereby is meant the garnishing and polishing of the former borders for Messiah is not contented onely with this that there be a golden ground-worke but also will haue it embroydered and so grow vp vnto perfection of knowledge whereto the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrewes in chap. 6. ve 1. who before had laide the foundation of Christianitie And worthily is the foundation compared vnto golde and the building there vpon compared but to siluer because we are to be saued by the foundation not by that is edified thereon 1. Cor. 3.10 c. The first is our Iustification the second is but as fruits growing from thence that is actions of sanctification Thus out of her naturall imperfection God that called light out of darknesse doth worke vpon and in his church perfection Forget we therefore as did the Apostle the way we haue already runne and presse we forward to the marke of perfection placed before vs. Her disease of blackenesse he thus hath cured by putting his beautie vpon her Her languishment in lacke of his presence this he promiseth to cure in after season Thus he Praiseth and thus he Promiseth to what end Vt laudando promittendo virtus crescat That by such praise and promise vertue in her may be enlarged Lect. XIII Verse 11. Whiles the King was at his Repast my Spikenard gaue the smell thereof 12. My Welbeloued is as a bundle of Mirrhe vnto mee hee shall lie betweene my breasts 13. My Welbeloued is as a cluster of Cópher in the vines of Gnengedj IN the three verses last handled Christ sette forth his Churches excellencie in respect of time present and to come In these three verses the church againe on the other hand setteth forth Christs excellencie first in respect of time past in the first verse then in respect of time present in the other two verses His excellencie for time past it propoundeth vnto vs Messiah feeding at table like a King hauing the rowme perfumed with Spikenarde Wherein obserue first his Kingly feeding secondly the roomes aromatique sauour His repast or feeding is not expressed in the text but necessarily vnderstood for word to word it is thus to be turned Whiles the King was in his circle or in his compasse alluding to the Iewish forme of sitting at Table which was round about Now seeing this sitting round it cannot entend the Kings sitting alone but a session with others it is to be gathered That as the glory of a King consisteth in the multiâ—xde of people so this King-like Session is the rather because of the faithfull and many faithfull guests that together with this King doe enuirone this Table The King is Messiah Christ Iâ—sus the head of the Church they that associate him are the faithfull gathered from East and West to sit down with Abraham the chamber wherin they be gathered is the kingdome of heauen The table they sit at is to be considered according to the place The kingdome of heauen is two-folde the kingdome of Grace and the kingdome of Glory If this table be considered in the latter then it denoteth onely that Catholike Vnitie and One-nesse in perfection which our Messiah prayeth for in the 17. of Saints Iohns Gospel Which thing
would be so farre from taking their long Medusaes shagges for a glorie as they would therein shame and know themselues worthy to be counted for that amongst the number of beasts To whom that ancient adage of ours is adopted Bush-naturall more haire than wit If they would herein be Nazarites then let them as before abstaine from wine from all strong drinks from other dainties and from hauing communion with any vncleanenes And yet if they were minded so to do they should but Iudaize and after a sort preach that Christ is not come in the flesh seeing his so comming is the abolishment of legall shadowes Our Messiah fulfilled this abstinence from Glorie in the roome thereof clothing himselfe with shame not so much in wearing long haire for I know not whether the painter deale rightly therin as in bearing our beastly shamefull Sinnes vpon him aâ— a burden Which sinnes of ours grew and multiplied in length vppon him who is the Churches head and he vnder them mourned till the time of his voluntarie vow was expired And that vow was then fulfilled when vpon the crosse he cryed Tetelestai It is finished 4. Whereas not onelie Samâ—on was tied to these legall obseruances what time he should be borne bâ—t also his Mother is of the Angel enâ—oyned such abstinence before after conception she herein might well resemble the blessed Virgine Marie to whom the Angell Gabriel related the extraordinarie forme of Messiahs conception by the Holy Ghost his ouershadowing Which blessed Virgin no doubt vpon such intelligence would right willingly abstaine from whâ—tsoeuer might vnbâ—seeme such a Glorious generation as also endeuour aftâ—r euery obedience by the which she might be the fitter Temple of the holy-ghost the fitter Mansion for the mightie God of Iaakob With the angell she conferred at Nazaret Luke 1.26 c. and therewithall might secretly obserue that the Holy thing which was to be borne of her he should be some new Samson and extrâ—ordinarie Nazarite Euen hee by whose abstinence Adams Gluttony was to be cured Euen he that should touch no vncleane thing for clensing his mystâ—call bodie and yet should vndergoe our Sin and Shame for a season that so at last he might shaue and sheare it quite off for our Redemption So much as Samson was a Nazarite Lect. XXVII TOuching his Morall or Iudiciall calling I wil obserue first his Preparation thereto secondly his Practise For the Preparation Rúach Iehóuah Iepagnâ—móh the Spirit of Iehouah by turnes acted him or smit him like as a Musitians fingers smit an instrument for effecting melodious harmony which without such stroke would sound nothing Wherein is secretly intimated that not Samson alone but euerie man also is as an instrument strong with the cords of â—eâ—â—e and affection but giuâ—ng forth no true sound otherwise then they be smit and instincted by the sauing Spirit of Iehouah And for such respect it is that the Apostle willeâ—h the Ephesians to make melodie to the Lord iâ— their hearts chap. 5.19 Could Samson not set vpon his Iudiciâ—ll calling tiâ—l this diuine Musicall Spirâ—t camâ— vpon him and acted Nor did our Messiah-Samson attempt such publique calling for deliuering his Israel till the same spirit came vpon hiâ— in the forme of a Doue which spirit else was alwâ—yes with him but quasi latenter as it were in a more hidde manner Samson till he was growen to mans sâ—â—te iâ— scarslie heard of but then the Spirit coms vpon him and driues him forth to skirmish So our great Nazarite conceales himselfe much till he was growen to be about 30. yeares â—ged then he steps forth to Baptisme within the diuine tents of his father where the Holy Ghost commeth vpon him and acts him thence into the wildernes wher he was to begin his skirmish Thus fitted he goes forward and this for the preparation His Practise I will consider first as he hath to doe with a Beast secondy with men mannered like beasts The Beast is a yong cruel Lion which comes roaring vpon Samson whome the Nazarite seizeth on and teareth in fitters By the carcasse of which Lion Samson afterwards comming behold Bees had couched hony therin whereupon he framed that Riddle Out of the Eater came meate and out of the sharpe came sweete Samson hauing a calling to skirmish with vnreasonable men the Lord dealeth with him as sometimes with Dauid he casts a Lion in his way that so conquering that beast he might with more strength of faith lift vp his hand against the vncircumcised And such rude copings as this eueâ—y Nazarite of God meeteth with But in ouercomming such temptations lâ—t them not say that flesh and blood hath deliuered them but that their conquest is by the Spirite of God whose grace is sufficient for them But for the further mysterie I will relate vnto you first the application of a certaine Antient secondly what I conceaue with some other further Augustine by this Lion doth vnderstand such brutish Kings and princes as at the Gospells first out-gate did rore against our Samson Christ Iesus whome finally he did spiritually conquer and bring vnder Who being once subdued to Iesus did afterwards as Isaiah foretolde become nource-fathers and mother-fosterers and feeders of the Lords people And true it is that the earths Gouernours were first such Lions and secondly such profitable Bees in feeding the faithfull with the hony-combes and sweete of their Kingdome Nor neede it be a wonder when as Saul a great Maister of Israel did at first rage and roare against Iesus who afterwarwards being knockt downe and his heart contrited or rent did become of a Saul a Paul of a Persecutor a Professor of a Lion a Lambe of an eater a feeder of many with that foode of the word which Dauid affirmeth to be sweeter then the hony and the hony-combe Psal. 19.10 This age affordeth many such Sauls but few Pauls many Hornets but few Bees much gall and aloës fewe hony-combs Nay which is more the hony-combs which others left to the Church a number doe spoile the Church of them Fight the Lords battailes they may that shall but hony few of them shall catch nor yet a poore hiue to put their heâ—ds in But inough of that lest the wasps sting me In a neerer sence for the head is neerer then the members I doe with some other vnderstâ—nd Satan by this Lion As Saint Peter doth resemble the Diâ—el to a roaring Lion walking about seeking who he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 nor know I but the Apostle may allude to the foâ—mer â—o it welâ— fitteth the time of our Samsons outgate into the wildernesse What time not only he was acted of the holy spirit but also did there meete with hells hungry Lion coâ—e forâ—h against him roaring and bellowing his horrible tâ—ntations But our Samson in the power of his owne word and spiâ—it did cope with that Lion and as Dauid somâ—times did tooâ—e hold of his beard
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
to walke in it is the old tract padded forth by his Flocke before her The place she is directed to for feeding her yong Goates it is Aboue or Ouer-against the Shepheards tents For the way she is to follow it is the steps of the Flocke or obseruing the Article of that Flocke Some reade Flockes which sometimes my selfe did follow and indeede the word Tsón it lacketh the plurall number in forme of declension though not in sense or signification by reason whereof the number is taken for sense singularly or plurally euen as Interpreters vnderstand of the holy-ghosts meaning But seeing the new Testaments Church is here directed to the way of the old Testaments Church which Church as One is opposed to the Many Churches of Heretiques and false Companions I rather condiscend to the singular number although but here not so necessarily the plurall Flockes it may also intend that one church considered according to her sundry times and variable outward estate or which here I take not to be so proper if this direction should be giuen not so much to the whole body of Gentiles as to any one particular distressed soule then the plurall number implieth sundry particular Churches as of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus c. whose vniforme steps are the way which here is propounded And so the difference of Numbers may cause a Diuersitie but not Contradictorie doctrine The faithfull of the Gentiles entreated to knowe the place of Christs feeding and couching of his flocke at mid-day here she is told how she may come to that place and that is first by Getting forth secondly by walking in the steps of his flocke Getting forth it implieth either a Motion from one place to another like as Israels going out of Aegipt into the Wildernesse and out of that into Canaan or a Motion from one qualitie to another as when one goeth out of Euill vnto Good so did the prodigall leauing his by wayes and betaking himselfe homeward so did the Apostle when he left his persecuting Christ and fell to preach Christ or else it importeth a going from one good quality to another not by leauing the first but by addition thereto And so Israel went from strength to strength Psal. 48. and the first Romans from faith to faith Rom. 1. The first Motion so is Locall the second qualificatine and this latter either by Desertion or Addition The first motion is naturall the second is spirituall Motion from place to place as the Iewes going out of Babilon with their faces towards Zion that was a figure but for the Elect to go out of the confusion of Nature into the orderly way of God his spirit leading vnto heauens rest that was figured thereby And for this cause Babylon Aegypt and Sodome are of Saint Iohn spiritually propounded in Reuela 11.8 and 18.2.4.21 Which conuinceth our Factious of notable blindenesse who more call people from Place then from Qualitie from the figure rather then that was figured For if the Church be no more one sort of people as Israel in Egypt the Iewes in Babylon but a catholike people consisting of all tongues and stretched forth from sea to sea how shal the Church goe out of Locall Babylon seeing the wheate-field is the whole earth or world and the Tares of Babylon are sparsed ouer the whole field How can we make a Locall departure out of Babylon except we go out of the world that is transgresse the limits of the earth Spirituall motion figured by the former wee can here in this world make God his spirit assisting And that is it which here the Church of the Gentiles is taught when shee is bid to get her forth and this also in both the spirituall senses first for going out of her former euill vnto good that is from her former confessed blacknes and ignorance vnto puritie and sauing knowledge Secondly from the already confessed measure of grace vnto a greater measure The first is taught in such scripture Heb. 12.12.13 Rom. 12.9 The second in such Iohn 1.16.1 Thess. 3.10 Ephes 2.21 And this conuinceth our age notably of euill where we finde most of the better sort contented with the bare beginnings of Christ with a slender portion of knowledge and lesse holinesse although it is an argument onely of a sound soule euer to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse more holinesse more knowledge more faith more obedience darkely represented by going vp to the Temple and by * Ezekiels seauen and eight steps and the fifteene Psalmes of degrees Act. 3.1 Luke 17.10 Ezek. 40.22.26.31.34.37 Psal. 120. c. Whereas a declining from good to euill is tiped by Israels going downe into Aegypt the Mans going downe from Ierushalem to Iericho with such like As for standing at one stay there is no figure of that because no soule can liue at one stay of good or euill for hee that goeth not towards God hee goeth towards the diuell For such respect where the wicked oft are called the sonnes of Belial in the old Testament some take the word Belial in English wicked to be deriued of Beli in English Not and Iagnal in English He ascends because the seede of Satan Ascend not but contrariwise Descend and goe downe from the liuing God as he that went downe from Ierushalem to Iericho Lect. X. THe Good she is to goe into is the steps of the Flocke The Flocke as before is the people and sheepe of his pasture the antient Church so tearmed in Psal. 95.7 and 100.3 So that the paths or steps of this flocke they are nothing else but the waies of his faithfull people the holy examples they left for direction to successors For we are his workemanship saith the Apostle created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them To which purpose hee saith to the Corinths Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ Giuing further to vnderstand by the word he there vseth Mimetáj that they were to shape and fashion themselues euery way to him as he did to Christ for the word Mimos signifieth such a person as can â—iuely expresse the Gesture and Action of an other Whence we learne that the holy words and holy works they are left behinde as sheepe leaue their straight padde behinde first for directing right steppes to our feete secondly for leauing to our successors an example of good as others haue to vs. It is a mightie Question at this day To what Christian Church â— soule should adde it selfe To such as are agnominized Protestants or to Romanists or to Anabaptists or to Arrians or to Brownists c. Answere from this text is made Get thee foorth into the steppes of the Flocke into the way of the Faithfull gone before thee But here the doubt is renewed for which is that way the narrow way that leadeth vnto true rest The Protestants say Ours is the way the Romanists say theirs is the way
added taken away altered For their Popes voyce reade their Platina and other their owne writers and it shall appeare to be the voyce somtimes of an heretike many times of an Atheist the Dragons mouth of blasphemie opened against the heauenly places and the Saints therein To seeke for the olde way at the mouths of these who frame new deuises euery day it should prooue but folly and frenzie Some here will demaund if so the old way be not to be found amongst the ancient fathers Greeke and Latine I answere yes the old way at least for the substance thereof it is by GOD his watchfull prouidence preserued amongest them For as we were to belieue that they were holy lampes in their age so we are to belieue and these which are conuersant in their writings can proue that howsoeuer with themselues somtimes one with another they dissented yet in the Foundation and Substance of Religion they consented But seeing this substantiall truth as the lillie among the thornes it is not onely too vneasie of many Christians to bee selected but is also knowne to be truth by some other example patterne before them it remaineth wee examine which is the old and perfect way In one word it is the very Word of God contained in the Canonicall scriptures A word and will so perfect as Iohn sealeth it vp in Reuel 22. with a curse to him that addeth to it or taketh from it Yea it is so perfect a word as Perfection was in it before Christes Incarnation which causeth Peter to say We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heed as vnto a Light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and arise in your hearts Nor was it other scripture then the Old Testament which is commended to Timâ—thie for able to make the man of God absolute and perfect vnto all good workes Nay which more is it was so perfect in Salomons time as nothing was to be put vnto it Prou. 30.6 But which dooth more magnifie the scriptures sufficiency it was perfect in Moses his time that is the perfect rule of fâ—ith is contained in the fiue bookes of Moses Deut. 12.32 This word of God so perfect in Moses perfect in Salomon perfect in the Prophets as I may say by way of resemblance perfect in Father perfect in Sonne perfect in Holy-ghost sacred Trinitie in Vnitie It then will be demaunded what vse is there so of the new testament I answere vnspeakable much As Salomon did comment on Moses and the Prophets on both so the newe Testament is a commentarie on all Such paines the holy-ghost hath taken for causing the way of truth to be easie as indeede it is easie Pro9 8.9 to such as will vnderstand That causeth Isaiah to send his people To the law and testimonie Chap. 8.20 and this caused Christ to send the people to the olde Testament which saith Search the scriptures in Iohn 5.39 and this for their further conuiction for he knew that they had not the will to come vnto him Some late Romanists vrge the word Indicatiuely thus You doe search c. because they would debarre lay-people from reading the Scriptures and for the Indicatiue sence they produce Cyrill Against which one I oppose Tertullian Origen Chrysostome Augustine c. Rupertus Aquinas Gerson Albertus Magnus and who not Christ saith Chrysostome sent not the Iews backe to the simple and bare reading of the scriptures but to the very diligent search thereof He saide not Reade the scriptures but Search He commaundeth to digge more deepely that so we may finde the things which are hidde in profunditie And for such profound search it is that S. Luke so highly praiseth the Beraeans To leaue Gods Rule for Mans Rule it is to forsake triple perfection for more imperfection and to vse Ieremies speech it is a forsaking of him that is the fountaine of liuing waters for digging to mens selues pits broken pits that can hold no water Chap. 2.13 When Augustine dealeth with the Donatists he saith Let vs not heare I say this thou saist that but let vs heare haec dicit dominus this saith the Lord. The Lordes bookes are certaine to the authoritie whereof we both consent Ibi quaeramus ecclesiam therein let vs seeke the Church by them let vs examine our cause I will not that the Church be shewen by humane documents but by the diuine oracles Herevpon it was that Chrysostomes Riual considering the church all in confusion from Mat. 24. he cryeth These that be in Iudaea Let them flie to the mountaines namely such as are in Christianitie Conferant se ad scripturas let them betake themselues to the Scriptures Because from the time that Heresie inuadeth the churches there can bee no probation of true Christianitie nor for such as are willing to know the truth of faith can there be any other refuge but the sacred scriptures Before such time by many meanes it might haue beene manifested which was the Church of Christ and which was Gentilisme but now to such as are willing to know which is the true Church of Christ there is no way but tantummodo per scripturas only by the Scriptures Thus together with the ancient Church of God I conclude from Scripture that in the word of God is contained the Old way wherein the faithfull are to walke Of the Prophets and Apostles therefore we are to learne with them to consult But here the Romanists do obiect thus the Scriptures are a a waxen Nose a shipmans Hose which euerie heretike can turne to his purpose the Scriptures therefore how perfect soeuer to saluation yet not sufficient for Instruction I answere first let them graunt vs saluation and let them take the destruction to themselues Secondly how it is possible they should be sufficient for saluation but not for instruction seeing howsoeuer instruction may be without saluation yet saluation cannot be without instruction Thirdly if the word of the Creator be insufficient what Diuell is that dare say the worde of any creature can bee sufficient Fourthly no Heretike can turne the scripture to his heretical purpose He may labour so to turne it he may contend to make it a Pandor but such it neuer can be for as an Ancient well saieth it is not the Scripture but their collection or sense of scripture that maketh the heresie Fiftly I answere that though the Old way be manifest in the scriptures yet onely seene of these that haue the eyes of the scriptures Colours cease not to be colours though the blinde cannot iudge of them Men are Men though the halfe blinde in the Gospel saw them a farre off to be but as trees The insufficiencie is not in the word but in our vnderstandings and therefore stand need with the Emmauites in Luke 24. to haue our vnderstandings and cies opened of Iesus When we are come to the scriptures wee are come to
drinke the Fountaine which in the faithfull springeth vp into eternall life but also would from aboue cast an eie to vineyards belowe wherein grew this Copher as the tree of life amidst Paradise which mystically is Iesus in the midst of his church But as the owners of the vines would wall the Orchard from the Goates not onely from the old but also from the yong so that howsoeuer they see and bleated after the pleasant plants yet they could not come to spoile them euen so the wicked of the world they may see and crie after Iesus as also hunger for the destruction of his people but the owner of this church hath set such a hedge about Iob as Satan cannot touch his soule and he is as Zechary saw a wall of fire about his church In safetie such people must needes be notwithstanding all the attempts of the wicked Besides whosoeuer enter into couenant with Christ the best floure of their garden they must know that the Eie of their company is vppon them not onely the eye of the Cananite for Cananites will still be in Abrahams land which must teach professors to walke the more warily but also the eye of their owne company that is of the faithfull it will be vpon them Vnto which little ones who so shall administer offence they thereby shall heape vpon themselues a woe and cause their holy angels that stand still in the presence of God continually to list after and speedily to execute the heauenly Fathers indignation vpon such Scandalizers Who otherwise letting their good workes shine out they thereby shall reioyce the heartes of these little ones and also occasion them for such good workes to glorifie the heauenly Father That these vines and Cyper amidst them were so neere bordering the Dead sea so called because nothing woulde liue in it it may represent vnto vs Baptisme wherein wee professe a dying from sinne euen as in the Red sea Israel is said to be baptised to Christ. Which Baptisme should euer be in our eies for causing vs to remember the couenaunt wee there smitte for mortifying the flesh and his deceiuable lusts Which dead-sea called also Lacus Asphalti may further preach to vs the neerenesse of GODS iudgement to the wicked seeing it is so neere to the faithfull For if iudgement saith Peter begin at vs what shal be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God Thus the Trumpet of Christ hath caused his church to Eccho backe praise If first he praise vs we then can praise him For except he draw we shall not follow so that to him may fittely bee said I prae sequar Go thou sweete Iesus before and we by thy grace shall follow To the end therefore wee may euer bee able and ready to praise him according to his owne desert let vs alway haue an eare to the praise which he giueth the church beyond her owne desert It followeth Lect. XV. Verse 14. My Loue behold thou art faire beholde thou art faire thine eyes are like the Doues 15 My Beloued Behold thou art faire and pleasant yea our Bedde is greene 16 The Beames of our houses be Cedars our Galleries of Fyrre CHrist and his church haue once mutually commended each other now againe they doe that yet more succinctly adding withall a conclusion of praise ioyntly For the Commendations Christ againe beginneth then the Church followeth His Eulogie is laid downe first in an assertion simple but repeated Thou art faire thou art faire prefaced first with his Loue-title My Loue then by this word of attention Behold secondly it is laid downe in a comparison where the churches eies are likened to Doues First to the preface My loue Behold the first word manifests his vndying sweete affection by the which he is one and the same to his church for euer the second argueth his care for her serious attention The first teacheth vs neuer to doubt of his loue whose gifts and calling are without repentance Rom 11.29 for whom once he loues he loues for euer The second teacheth how dull we are at the best for hearkning as we ought and therefore alwayes neede that with Timothie wee stirre vppe the gift of God that is in vs 2. Tim. 16. where the word Anazôpureîn signifying to stirre vp fire or to giue life to fire namely by stirring vp doth put vs in minde of the spirituall ashes in our nature which are readie to couer and choke the zeale of godlinesse in vs without stirring and casting off deceiueable affection For the proposition Thou art faire or good or gratious it teacheth what the church is in Gods sight namely most amiable vnto him when first she hath passed all praise from her selfe vnto Christ who of God the father is made to her wisedome righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Wisedome for couering her ignorance Righteousnesse for hiding her iniquitie Sanctification for making her holy Redemption for her ful and absolute saluation The doubling of the assertion it declareth how the word of God is not Yea and Nay that is an vnconstant word as prophane men would make it but yea and in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs 2. Cor. 1.18 c. And so the ancient Scriptures are termed of Saint Peter a most sure propheticall word to which we doe well to take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Touching the comparison betweene the Churches eyes and Doues it offereth to our consideration first to enquire what thâ—se eyes be secondly wherein they be compared to Doues Eyes of the faithfull they be Corporeall or Mentall or Personall Corporeall or bodily eyes be externall instruments seated in the head as the windowes of nature hauing liddes as Port-cluses for drawing vp or letting downe according as inward sense instincteth The sense of vnbridled conceipt in Lot it caused him Gen. 13.10 to draw his Port-cluse vppe for better discerning what grounds might make for his most aduantage The inward sense of holy conceipt or chaste thought in Iob cap. 30.1 it caused him to let his eye-casements downe lest hee should first see a maid as Dauid saw Bathsheba and so consequently his thought should adulterate for eyes vnbridled are said of Peter in 2. Ep. 2.14 to be eyes filled with adultery The Family of Loue do take themselues to become vnto such perfection as with the Hereticall Adamites they not onely can but also must in their Paradise-assemblie behold not onely the face but all the body bared as their * H. N teacheth not to touch the consequent Iob Dauid Paul could neuer attaine here such perfection which if they had yet neuer would they haue turned such grace into wantonnesse but haue fled as the Apostle teacheth in 1. Thess. 5. the very appearance or shew of euill much more the euill it selfe But these Atheists are perfecter and wiser then any Patriarch or Apostle I doubt not but these fellowes are perfecter and
it were with lowd tuned Cimballs The end of the first part THE SECOND PART of Salomon his Song of Songs Expounded and Applied By Henoch Clapham Esaiah 5.1 I will now sing to my Beloued the Song of my Beloued touching his Vine-yard Printed at London by Valentine Sims for Edmund Mutton dwelling in Pater-noster-Row at the signe of the Huntes-man 1603. Reuerendissimis Magistro ac Socijs Immanuel Colleg. in celeberrima Cantabrigiae Academia Henoch Claphamus Salutem DOctissimi Viri nimis forsan audaculus ista nobis qualiacunque offerre videar Mouet autem officium quo Collegio nostro ego nam olim illius Arboris surculus imo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac in-primis Tutori mihi charissimo Doctori Guliel Ionesio lubens obstringor Pro particulari primam istius Operis Ministri nostrae Ecclesiae secundum autem vos habitote partem Non est quidem quod volo velle enim mihi largum penè infinitum sed quod quidem possum Hoc siteneatis habeo quod opto vos mihi calcar reliqua percurrendi dabitis Valete Post-scriptum DIxi Valete Hac Epistola finita venit mihi in visum Libellus famosus per nostrae Academiae Typographum excusus in quo non solum publicè mentitur de Epistola quadam quam nunquam scripsi sed etiam vt omninò me ignorans de Vita Professione mea in genere conquestus est grauiter Qualis vita iudicet Ecclesia Professio autem nulla est mihi nisi publica diuini Verbi praedicatio Sed vt ne Calumniatori respondeam Ecclesiastica hic authoritaes illius Libellationem condemnauit ac è libris legitimè rasit Hoc vos intelligatis ac vos de Albo scriptorum Perkinsicorum remoueatis humiliter flagito Et sic iterum valete The Text. 1 I Am the Rose of Sharôn the lilly of the vallyes 2 As a Lilly amongst the thornes so is my Loue amongst the Daughters 3 As the apple-tree amongst the trees of the Forrest so is my Welbeloued among the Sons of men In his shadowe had I delight and sate downe and his fruite was pleasant to my palate 4 He brought me into the house of Wine and Loue was his banner ouer me 5 Stay me with Fiagous comfort me with Apples for I am sicke of Loue. 6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doth embrace me 7 I adiure yee ô Daughters of Ierusalem amongest the Roes and Hindes of the Field that yee stirre not vppe nor waken my Beloued till HE please THE Second Parte The Argument of this second Part. Messiah prouoketh his Spousesse the Church to due thankefulnesse And this she doth by speaking glorious things of him with due charge that He of none be molested Lect. I. Verse 1 I am the Rose of the Field the Lilly of the Vallies Verse 2 As a Lilly amongst the Thornes so is my Loue amongst the Daughters IN the last Act of diuine dilections we left Christ and his Church in the Galeries of Contemplation In that part the Church begunne the Song and both Christ and she ioyntly conclude it In this chapter are two parts the first vttered in the first seauen verses the other in the residue This next part is begunne by Christ but finished by his Church In the two first verses Messiahs speech lieth who in the first verse singeth his owne state and in the second the condition of the faithfull and his members The speech of himselfe is a declaration of his lotte in his first comming namely his humiliation in the flesh And this is done by way of comparison by setting forth his condition vnder the the Rose of a certaine peculiar Feild which from the originall appeareth to be Sharôn secondly he doth assimilate himselfe to the precious Lilly of the vallyes And both of these applied to his owne praise To his owne praiset Yea. But how can one with praise praise himselfe It is lawful for a man to commend his owne things when the praise thereof is giuen to God specially being forced thereto by way of Iustification through the calumniations of wicked people And so the Apostle Paul commended his guiftes and worke the false Apostles labouring to disgrace the same when otherwise himselfe acknowledgeth it to be but the fashion of a foole But for Messiah to praise himselfe it is without question euer lawfull and good first for that he is God and therefore cannot sinne secondly for that he is Man filled with the holy Ghost beyond all measure and therefore his actions holy and all of them infinitely praise-worthy His commendations are conueied vnder naturall resemblance and this first to a certaine kind of Rose as here it is turned the Rose of the fielde The Hebrewes expresse the worde Field by Shádeh as in Gen. 3.1 with his compound as also in the word Bà rá as in Dan. 4.9 an ordinary and vsuall proceeding in the scriptures But here is the word Sharôn which expresseth not any field but one particular field so called Of which field Sharôn wee reade in 1. Chron. â— 16 confining at least on Gods inheritance The fertilitie of this field speciallie for grazing of cattle it may appeare in 1. Chron. 27.29 Isa. 35.2 And Bâ—n-Gorion repeating the bountie of the first great Herod for augmenting the Iewish temple doth remember withall that to the works dedication he sent for 300. yong Bullocks and too-too many sheep out of Sharôns fieldes A fat fielde and therefore employed in fatting of cattell Vnto the Rose growing in this Pasture our Sauiour compares himselfe The terme of Rose exalâ—s him but the place of groth obscures him First to the Rose secondly to Sharôn A Rose delighteth in shadowy places orient of hew colde of complexion but passing redolent and of comfortable condition Such a flower is Iesus most delighted in temperate places for hew the chiefest of tenne thousand a cooler to the conscience but passing sauory and comfortable to the distressed Patient That he delights in temperate places no maruell for as ouer-aboundance of heate scorcheth so too much cold sterueth the plant That is as aboundance of scorching persecution doeth burne the Churches Head so freezing affections doe nippe the life of his members The bitter heat of his fathers hand forcing him to sweate clotted blood it caused him to cry out Let this cup passe away from me The withdrawing of the Godhead did so freeze and nippe the Manhood as it caused him on the other side to cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Heat burnt him cold starued him nor maruaile For howsoeuer in himselfe hee was worthie of a temperate place in the earth yet because of vs his members euen for our redemption he was to passe through hot fire and cold water euen through the extreames of his fathers indignation And as the Prophet foresawe it so he did it But otherwise seeing no affliction is pleasant for
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
in the Church of the Gentiles euen before she was This falleth out by reason of the certaine execution of his decree as also by reason things past and to come are all present vnto him and his Spirite And heereof it is that his spirit very ordinarily in the prophets doth speake offuture things as already existing Nor but for such cause coulde Messiah and his church be introduced mutually parling in Salomons time about a thousand yeeres before Messiahs substance put away the shadowes that so the partition wall broke downe he might espouse the Gentile Which by the way must teach vs to thinke of things to come Gods word hauing taught that such things shall come as if they were already acting nay as if they were already acted Hath God threatned to destroy the impenitent If Noah Iob Daniel yea if Moses and Samuel should rise vp in their behoose they could not turne away the iudgement Hath God promised mercie to the contrite saluation to the faithfull victorie to his Church It is as good as done hell gates cannot preuaile against it For the time of Messiâ—hs absence it lieth in these two points first it should be till the day breake secondly till the shadowes flee away For the day-breake it implieth to the Gentiles onely that time of Messiâ—hs incarnâ—tion whereby the Day-starre from an high did visite vs or as the Greeke readeth wherein the Rising or East from an high did visite vs. Which implieth not so much the Day-starre called Phósphér and Lucifer growne into euill report because of their application to Satan and Nebuchadnetsar as the Sunne it selfe arising in the East True it is that Messiahs starre appeared in the East but that was not an ordinary but extraordinary starre fore-prophecied of by Balaam Iaakobs starre whereby the Easterne Sophies had intelligence of Messiahs birth The last writing Prophet of Israels Church hee prophecying of this Day breake doeth say The Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise c. This light came amongst his owne but they louing darkenesse more then light laboured by false accusations to darken this Sunne as sackecloth they therefore kill him But the firmaments Sunne pulled in his head as ashamed to shine when the Sonne of God might not shine Hereupon the day did plainely breake for the vaile of the Temple brake asunder and as at his birth hee was highly honoured of the Gentiles so here at his death Pilate a Gentile did honour him with a Kingly inscription against the heart of the Iewes The heathen Centurian and his comâ—any seeing the euents They feared greatly saying Surely this was the Sonne of God With his birth the day did breake with his death the Sunne rose higher but with the Temples ouerthrow by the army abhominable of Romans which was about fortie yeares after his death the Gentiles had the Sunne of righteousnesse further risen vpon their Hemisphere whereof more hereafter Christ being thus as Simeon Iustus termes him a light to Gentiles and a glorious light to Israel it teacheth vs all to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruelous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Lect. XII MEssiahs absence is secondly laide downe in thâ—se words Tâ—ll the shadowes flâ—e away q.d. retire my Wel-beloued till the nights darkenesse be put to flight till the ecclesiasticall shadowes be chased away by the Sunnes bright rising As Christ was this Sun comming gloriously forth as a Bridegroome so the Law was but a shadow of good things to come the body whereof was Christ Heb. 10.1 Coloss. 2.17 wherein the Apostle may well allude to the shadow accompanying a mans body which sometimes is before sometimes behinde as occasion is ministred by the Sunnes course euen as some shadowes went before Messiahs incarnation some againe followed behinde not vnlike to the two spies of Israel carrying betweene them the cluster of grapes for the Churches comfoâ—â— As the Apostle calleth all a shadow so Salomon here vseth the plurall shadowes because the whole body of tipes would be considered in the particular members For the better effecting whereof I will giue a taste thereof by diuiding all ecclesiasticall shadowes into these three classes or heads Chronologicall Personall Sacramentall By Chronologicall shadowes I vnderstand such as consist in Number By Personall shadowes I intend such as rest specially in some Persons By Sacramentall shadowes I conceiue onely such as consist specially in typicall elements for externall signes for which they haue of ancients beene termed principally Sacraments For Chronologicall shadowes they be I doubt not so many as there be numbers in the old testament the handling whereof would make a large booke yea many bookes But as I am vnable to wade deepe in any part of this argument so for the present I wil obserue some few times or numbers and these also of such nature as this ages sluggard who despiseth this wisedome may be least able to spuâ—ne at The first shadowing number shall be â—ixe which I terme the number of creation In sixe dayes God begunne and finished his workes of creation not because it was of absolute necessitie for God to vse such time but for our instruction for whome both times and creatures were formed One is no number but as the seede of number because all number ariseth from it And for that cause it may well be giuen to God who as he is in esâ—â—nce One so all number hath his being flowing from hâ—m and returning backe againe into him like the Hierogliphick serpent which turneth his taile round about into his mouth And that is cause why Christ God doth terme himself Alpha and Omega the first and last of the Greeke letters the beginning and endâ—ng Two is the first number three the second and this Three is not onely made glorious in the first three dayes worke with a glorious light before Sunne Moone and Starres were created but also is closely inferred in the third word of the Bible Where after Breshâ—th Bara in the beginning created there followeth Aeloâ—im God but informe plurall together with the third place secretly teaching a pluralitie of persons that is a sacred Trinitie in Vnitie In three dayes moe heauens and earth are with their whole host perfected and therefore the number 6. well tâ—rmed of Diuines The perfect number or number of perfection But what may 6. in the naturall creation figure or shadow forth Beda Rabanus and others shall in effect answere for me These sixe dayes do insinuate the sixe ages of the world wherein a mysticall worke shal be finished represented by the former naturall worke The first age is from Adam to Noe the second from Noah to Abraham the third from thence to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the transmigration to Babel the fift from thence to Christ the sixt from Christ to the worlds ending Some others doe also diuide the world into sixe ages but with some difference from the former ancients in
of seauen to be without Mother and off-spring So sacred is the number of seauen as ancient Gentiles gaue place to the seauenth day for rest as also for perfecting the Creature And to this end the former Greeke Antient introduceth Homer Hesiod and Callimachus their Antient Poets Nor proceeded it but from a deepe conceit in Balaam the Easterne Gentile Prophet when as he builded seauen Altars and offered vp seauen Bullockes But passing by such notes let me come to the right sacred booke of God and there shall plainely appeare how renowned this Sabbaticall number is And this shal be briefly obserued in God his sanctifying the seauenth day the seauenth moneth the seauenth yeare and the seauen times seauenth yeare in the old testament then afterwards by renewing a memoriall of the number so oft in the new testament Sixe dayes hauing finished the naturall worke of Creation the Seauenth day God rested and sanctified it to diuine contemplation Gen. 2.2 Exod. 20.11 Which resting from bodily trauels for giuing full scope to the spirit for meditating in the mercies of God did fore shadow a world of businesses in the world till the Seede promised in Paradise should come in whom alone the Church was to haue her soules rest And this was it which was shadowed by al other Sabatical or rest daies as plainely affirmeth the Apostle thus Holy-dayes new moones Sabaoths were but a shadow of things to come but the body is in Christ. On which ground the new testaments Church hath abolished these Sabaoths weekely and festiuall lest otherwise shee should Iudaize as if Christ were not come in the flesh Obiection then in abolishing of the day we abolish the fourth commandement Answere no we reserue the morall duetie which is as the life and substance of that precept in so resting and meditating the next day after onely we put away the seauenth day which in regard of his number was a shadow Which next day after the eight after a sorte the Ancients still vnderstood by the eight day alotted to circumcision but in nature being the first day it was of Origen vnderstoode to be the day wherein Manna first came downe from heauen representing Messiah the true bread of life to the faithfull As the Sabaot day God rested from creating any new worke so Messiah on that day wholy did rest in the Sepulchre Hauing on the crosse when he cried It is finished put an end to the worke of redemption They that afterwardes haue inuented new workes for redemption they doe with Anah but find out the generation of Mules and with the cursed earth but bring forth thorns thistles degenerate vermine When he was come in whom the father did rest and the church was to rest the shadow was to giue place to the substance the typicall seauen to Messiah thereby typed and forefigured Lect. XIIII Sabbaoth of Moneths AS sixe dayes brought with them a sabbaticall seauenth day so the time of sixe moneths brought with it his Sabbaticall seauenth moneth The first was the Sabbaot of dayes this second as an Ancient well termeth it is Sabbathum Mensium the Sabbaot of Moneths Not so termed because the seauenth moneth was wholy but because a great parte of it was to be rested The first day of this seauenth moneth called Tisri was the feast of Trumpets The tenth day was the feast of Reconciliation The fifteenth day was the feast of Tabernacles and that continued seauen dayes after euery which day had his peculiar sacrifice The feast of Trumpets was a solemne memoriall of the benefites which they had receiued by the vse of that kinde of instrument By the trumpets of Rammes hornes a simple meane it pleased God to shutter downe Ierichoes walls Iosh. 6. By the two legall siluer trumpets the congregation was enformed of the times of assembly and departure secondly of warre thirdly of festiuall solemnities Numb 10.1 c. Wherein were represented these two spirituall things the Word of God preached and holy faithfull Prayer By that blessed word sounded as Isaiah was commanded in chap. 58.1 it pleasâ—th to shutter downe the walls of the false church to contrite the hard heart to ouer â—hrow the mightie imaginations of mankinde The sounding of an instrument was but a weake meanes for ruinating wal's chasing of the aduersarie but the arme of Iehouah did accompany such meanes so the preaching of Christ crucified and that by such meane instruments as the Apostles of it selfe was vnable to conquer one soule but it being the ordinance of God and so accompanied with the powerfull operation of his spirit it so hath cast downe the Oracle-walls of Idolatrie broken downe the high imaginations of flesh and blood expulsed the Romish familiar Hobgoblins dispelled the clowdes of golden legendarie lies By the sounding of this word we are also taught how to assemble and how to depart about our seuerall affâ—ires the word of God is to be our delight and counsailour Yea this same word is to be sounded ouer all our sacrifices and spirituall exultations as one sacred ordinance for hallowing all our worship The trumpets also did represent Prayer when it is saide that vppon their sound in warre-time they should thereby be remembred before their God And hereupon it is that we are enioyned to Call vpon him in time of trouble euen as Salomon in his dedication of the temple did interceede with the Lord for hearing Israel when they should stretch forth their voice vnto God in the time of their straits And so Hezekiah stretching the aduersaries letter before him Isa. 37. did lift vp his complaint to God whereupon Iehouahs Angel issued out and â—lue of his enemies an hundred foure score and fiue thousand The feast of reconciliation was an act of humbling the soule before God to whom they could not be reconciled without him that was preached in their sacrifice The feast of tabernacles or boothes put them in minde of their flitting estate while they were in the wildernesse and is to vs a representation of our mooueable state in this wildernesse of the world All these things accompany this sabbaticall moneth the first moneth according to Hebrues ciuill accompt but from the time of their comming from Aegypt it became their Seauenth For then the moneth Abib called also Nisan it was made the First Exod. 12.2 13.4 The Ciuil reckning thus 1 Tishri 2 Marchesuan 3 Cisleu 4 Tebet 5 Shebet 6 Adar 7 Abib 8 Ijar 9 Siuan 10 Tamuz 11 Ab 12 Aelúl The Ecclesiasticall thus 1 Abib 2 Ijar 3 Siuan 4 Tamuz 5 Ab 6 Aelúl 7 Tishri 8 Marches 9 Cisleu 10 Teb 11 Sheb 12 Adar The Ciuill First became thus the ecclesiasticall Seauenth for teaching vs that All is become anew to the faithfull who are to rest in him who was figured by the High-priest entring into the Temples Sanctum sanctorum this very seauenth moneth and in no other This seauenth day and seauenth moneth doe both leade vs to rest
his calculation before Christ hee teacheth that the generall resurrection of all flesh shall fall in the 34. Iubile euen as Christ himselfe rose from the dead in his 34. yeare as if these yeares of Christs age were a mysticall shadow of so many Iubilees Now 34. Iubiles being so many hundreds they so do make 1700. yeares and these to be compted in the state of the new Testament This number but by another Methode is obserued and so vrged by a learned nobleman in Scotland That the Iubile shadowes forth that great day of rest a day like to the first Sabaoth which introduceth speach of Day but none of Night because Day and Rest were to be Iehouahs last act in creation that the Iubile I say figured forth that great day of our Redemption it is plaine and vngaine-sayable But what number of time shal finish al the worlds worke introduce that Iubile of soules I thinke that number concealed from vs euen as it is hid from the Angels yea from the Sonne of man in regard of his manhood Obiection Not the Day nor Houre but yet the yeare may Answ. If the Yeare then I would belieue also that the very Day if not also the Houre it might be knowen The Flood comming vpon the world in the 1656. which was the sixt yeare after 33. full Iubilees the Arke resting in the seauenth Noah was foretolde of the yeare yea of the very day Genesis 6.3 and 7.4 The Angel Gabriel telling Daniel of the 70. Sabaoths of yeers which should be cut out for declaring Messiah in our nature suffering for abolishing transgression he giues him therewith intelligence of the houre namely that he the Lambe of the world should be offered vp that houre wherein he came to Daniel namely at the time of Euening sacrifice which was the third houre after noone for from the time he preached that Gospel Daniel was to rectifie his accompt But because no more the Yeare then the Day and Houre can be knowne I take it the Holy Ghost also vseth the word Time when as in the person of the Apostles he saith of al the faithful their knowlege ye know not when the time is Marke 13.33 and therfore watch and pray continually Another thing might seeme more necessarie our knowledge namely When the Kingdome shal be restored to Israel Act. 1.6.7 and neyther that in respect of his precise time is fit for vs to know That the Kingdome of Christ shal be restored to the naturall Israel it is largely prooued by the Apostle in Rom. 11. but for the precise time of houre day or yeare it is not for vs Why Because the Father hath put it in his owne power Euen so our Sauiour touching the former saith Onely the Father knowes it Many haue bin bold to prescribe the yeare and some the day but still haue lied About some 540. yeares after Christ a rumor was spread abroad Quod MVNDVS esset cum prole periturus that the world with his issue was then to be destroyed And it came so to passe for a certaine captaine of Iustinians going into Italy for warring against the Gothes his name being Mundus in english WORLD he then with his children was slaine In such a second intent or secondary sense a man may haue guessed right but this not according to his Owne but the Diuels meaning Isidore hauing drawen out the worlds age first to Christ then from thence to his owne time he saith of the new testaments age as I do Residuum sextae Aetatis tempus soli Deo est cognitum the Remainder of the worldes sixt age is knowen to God Alone To the heauenly Father therfore leaue that and for vs let vs labor in watchfulnes fasting and prayer that so whensoeuer that day commeth we may lift vp our heads in the assurednes of our full Redemption Lect. XVII Personall Shadowes Adam Hauing thus giuen a taste of the sad wisdome of God couched in number by hauing somewhat suruaied the Numbers of Sixe Seauen and Eight I will now turne from figures of Number and time called Chronologicall or Arithmeticall tipes vnto such shadowes as concurre with Persons whome before I termed Personall shadowes And this God willing shal be done by examining some Persons before the lawe some vnder the lawe And of these before the lawe I will elect first two before the Flood Adam and Henoch secondly two after the flood Melchitsedech and Isaac For Adam the first man he is a shadowe of Christ called of the Apostle in 1. Cor. 15. the second Man or Adam But Adam being a man of such state as none of his sonnes after him for first he was excellently good secondly passing Euill thirdly good and euill it thereby commeth to passe that he is a shadowe dâ—uersly In regâ—rd of his first estate he figured Messiah à Simili in some sort of likelihood In his second estate hee shadowed forth Iesus ex obliquo ouer-thwartly In his last estate he was a type ex Renouato in respect of Renouation For the first behold the First man in his glorious Creation is made to the likenes of Aelohim God-triune secondly proclaimed Lord ouer the common creature thirdly giuing titles to Airie fowles and earthly Beasts fourthly the Woman built out of his side fiftly his Regall seate in Paradise In all these points the first Adam shadowed forth the second à Simili in some due congruitie First for the likenesse of God whereto hee was made it is no doubt according to the letter the character of Righteousnesse and truth of holinesse stamped in his reasonable soule Ephes. 4.23 24. Coloss. 3.3.10 but according to typicall mysterie This Image as one well writeth it is our Sauiour the first begotten of euery creature of whom it is written Heb. 1.3 that he is the splendor of light and the expresse figure or forme of his Fathers substance Well might hee shadow forth Messiah that Righteous and Holy-one when he himselfe was truely Righteous and Holy while he himselfe was more then a shadow euen after a sorte the liuely image of Aelohim O Adam thou then mightest but cast thy sight into thy selfe and there as in a glasse or pure fountaine thou might behold Heauens Trinitie in Vnitie as face to face the receptacle of Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost If thou hadst there abouts spent thy contemplation thou hadst beene changed into the same image from glory to glory by the spirit proceeding from Father and Sonne But contemplating the creature without for the Creator within thou lost Vnitie with Veritie and became One with Vanity After the which thou in this respect didst loose the shadow of so diuine a substance and therewith rather became a shadow of Satan in Apostacie darkenesse confusion of Spirit Secondly being proclaimed Lord ouer the Creatures he herein liuelily shadowed forth the Son of God who of the Father hath all things put in subiection vnto him Which consideration I take it
then the Quintessence of the sauing Gospel and euery of these 490. yeares are as so many golden linkes of Time beginning with the Shadowe and ending with the thing shadowed Great pity but we should fasten them aright For in them lieth open matter for stopping the Iewes mouth for abolishing Mahomatisme for conuincing of Papisme for settling a true Christian Daniel in English The Iudgement of God to him was this Oracle deliuered for light and saluation to all such as rest not in humane fancies but in the Iudgement of God But to the question When and by whom this Word or Edict should goe out it is of many called into question The cause of which contrâ—rietie ariseth first from certaine parts of Gabriels speech secondly from the prophane Greekes their Olympique computation From Gabriels speach some take the 490. yeares should finish with his assuming our nature in respect of which extraordinary conception they thinke that phrase the shewing or The annointing of the holy of Holies is vsed Some thinke by that speach is entended his Baptisme for that the Holy-Ghost then openly ouershadowed him Others cast the period of these 490. yeares vpon Christs death because of these words After the threescore and two sannets Messiah shall be pierced thorough Others vnderstanding by Messiah or Annointed not Iesus the Christ but the Iewish annointed shadowing Gouernours doe fasten the end of Gabriels seauens vpon Ierushalems destruction first because the Annointed Gouernement then ceased to be secondly for that Gabriel in the end of this Oration doeth speake of Ierushalems desolation which fell forth about some fortie yeares after Christs ascention Foure sundry opinions thus arise from three speeches of this sacred Prophecie As for them that thinke howe by a certaine number of yeares an vncertaine is meant they make the Angel to come about an idle message He professeth verse 22. that he came to giue knowledge and vnderstanding to Daniel but if by seauenty seauens he meant eightie seauens or some other number then the Angel taught him nothing for Daniel knew before that Messiah should come and finish our redemption So certaine an vncertaintie is this as it is vnworthy to be numbred with the worst of the former foure For all the former hold the number of 490. yeares proper and certaine onely they call into question first when these yeares begunne secondly when they finished And hereunto some of the former haue beene drawne from a certaine computation of the Greekes called Olympique of the hill Olympus where Gallants from all parts came and stroue for the victorious Garland These Olympiqâ—e maisteries were as some haue taught euery fift yeare but against them Onuphrius opposeth many others that conclude them to haue beene held euery fourth yeare Such vncertaintie there is in this Gentilique computation As the famous Plutarch could say of the Olympiades beginning Tempora igitur diligentius exequi per difficile est ea maxime quae ex victoribus Olympiae ducuntur quoruâ— descriptionem aiunt serò Hippiam Eliensem aedidisse nullo subnixum necessario ad fidem Argumento in effect There is no trust to be giuen vnto Olympiad reckonings so I may say of their Endings little assurance can be had whether euery fourth yeare or not also sometimes the fift yeare as the Romans held their Lustrum or not whether sometimes euery other yeare seeing greedinesse of Gaming will not alwayes be held in like compasse Now forsooth some affirming that Cyrus victory fell in such an Olympiade and our Sauiours birth baptisme Death in respect of Augustus and Tyberius Caesar vnder whome they fâ—ll to fall in such an Olympiade betweene which Olympiades moe yeares arise then these 490. of Gabriel they hereupon conclude that the Angels seauens must begin later then Cyrus Edict Some labor to proue that the Greeks accompt may be reconciled with our Sauiours baptisme at least with his death Others mighâ—â—ly resist that who to make Daniels seauens finish Ierushalems last desolation by the vncircumcised Romanes doe beginne the accompt from Darius Nothus said to be He in Ezra 6. what time a renuall of Cyrus his edict went forth And this must be about some hundred yeares after Cyrus Some other taking this Darius in Ezra for another then Nothus namely for an Artaxerxes seuered sirnamed Long-hand doe beginne the compt about some six and thirtie sooner but for that are forced to prosecute the after-time as they may And no maruell for if the Gentile-writers confound one Gouernor with and for another no maruel though their yeares reckonings be as confused in this as about Great Homers time of life where some of them cannot come within two or three hundred yeareâ— one of another As for the booke intituled A plaine and perfect Method it herein doth answere the selfe For speaking of these yeares in three places each place as forgetting the other doth oppose to the other And that which teacheth the Persians gouernment to haue beene but 130. yeares doth hew off the other two legs seeing these which follow the Greekes doe aâ—gment the Persians gouernment an hundred yeares or thereabouts For the difference is not about yeares in the following Gouernements but onely in this Such ill-happe haue men medling with Gabriels Oration when as they flie the Scriptures simplicity and betake themselues to corrupt historie Another opinion lately come out of the North doth ioyne the beginning of Gabriels yeares without all question to the first yeare of Cyrus his Monarchie wherein hee returned the Iewes and the ending of Gabriels halfe seauen he fastneth vpon our Sauiours death But marke with all that as the Angell parted the seauenty seauens first into 7. seauens secondly into 62. seauens thirdly into one seauen so betweene the first number of seauen sennets and the second number of 62. hee interiects 63. yeares for making good the Computaion of prophane Chronicles Which in very troth with that of putting downe of a certaine number for an vncertaine is to teach Daniel one thing when himselfe meanes another and so to make Daniel nothing wiser than before yea which is more it is the putting in of a leather thong to Gabriels golden chaine the sowing of Daniels ground with miscellaine the yoking of an Oxe and Asse together And all these inconueniences grow from laboring that the Bible may conforme it selfe to Gentiles vncircumcized Chronicles where religion teacheth vs to draw them to the Bible And if they will not thereto be drawen then to cashire them specially Graecians for falsifiers deceiuers For as the Apostle could say of the Cretians They were alwayes liers so more Generally we may with Iamblicus and the Aegyptian priest in Platoes Timaeo hold these generally for Children lying and vnconstant And how vnconstant they be it wel enough appeareth in the great varietie of Computation introduced by writers on this scripture Seeing some of them still serue for confirming the absurdest iudgemâ—nt But to passe from Fables to faith from Prophane
to diuine Writers let vs from scriptures of our God labour to finde out the beginning continuance and ending of Gabriels seauens of yeares The Angell commeth to Daniel for giuing him vnderstanding as of the Thing in particular so of the grosse time and his partes When the Angel came vnto him it is noted in Dan. 9.1 namely in the first yeare of that Darius the Mede which before diuided the Kingdome with Cyrus vppon the present surprizing of Babel Which also in 2. Chron. 36.22 and Ezra 1.1 is termed the first yeare of Cyrus From this time the computation was to haue his beginning Which may appeare first from Cyrus Edict then going out wherto the Lord long before had made him his annointed secondly from the other Darius in Ezra 6. who there groundeth his proclamation vpon the Memorandum of Cyrus his established-canon For as the Lawes of Medes and Persians were not to be altered Dan. 5.8 15. so this King fastens his commaundement vpon the decree of Cyrus And vnto this Word of Cyrus the Iewes did leane in their answer to the Aduersarie nor durst the Aduersarie but appeale thereto if so such a decree was extant Ezra 5.7 8 9 10 c. Thirdly it appeareth from the Angels mouth who saith that the 70 seauens were to begin with the Edicts out-gate for returning the people to build Which returne was then made in the first yeare of Cyrus and his Darius Fourthly if the words outgate must be that of the other Darius which in their computations must be some hundred or 64 or moe yeares after Cyrus then the age of diuerse of the Returned would arise to an incredible number For as there were diuerse beholders of the New-Temple who before had seene the first Temple Ezra 3.12 and that with such iudgement as they wept at the inferioritie of the second so giue them but 30. yeares at the time of their captiuitie then the seauentie of captiuitie then a hundred or sixtie foure after thâ—ir Returne and so they must be aged then two hundred yeeres or 164. yea and so much the more aged as the temples worke endured after that second authorized onset But that many cohabitants should then be so aged it is not easily credible It was a faire age to be 149. and within 49 years of the returne the work was to be finished as the Angell telleth in saying From the out-gate of the Word to cause a Returne and build Ierushalem shal be 7. seauens that is 49. Whereto it is like the Iewes cast their eye in Iohn 2.20 Where they say the Temple was 46. yeares a building not compting the first three yeares when â—he foundation had beene laide and staide Obiection So in Iohn 8.57 they say that Iesus was not yet fiftie yeare-old doth it follow therefore he was neere fiftie Answer I answer first they were more expert in such monuments as the Temple wherein they had a deepe superstition than in our Sauiours age which nothing they regarded Secondly they were to determine not what our Sauiour was but what hee was not namely that he was not so aged as Abraham And to this purpose they had spoken well inough if they had saide thou art not yet a 1000. yeares old where as Abraham died aboue 1770. yeares since Object Gabriel saith not alone that there should be seauen seauens to that building but also to the Annointed and your selues grant that Iesus the annointed then came not Answere I answer the words And to the Messiah or Annointed they are ioyned to the 62. seauens following secondly they that would by Messiah vnderstand the Iewish body of gouernement they neither can deny but that they had a Messiah shadowing Gouerner Zorobabel the Lords signet in their first returne With the Ancient Clemens whom infinite troopes haue followed I conclude this thus Quod in septem bebdomadib aedificatum sit Templum hoc clarum est It is as cleare as the Sunne that the Temple was aedified in the seauen seauens of yeares that is in the first 49. yeares following the Edict of Cyrus And so doth Dauid Chytreus conclude from Metasthenes the Persians accompt as of all most probable For the 62. seauens that is 434. yeares they stand as an intervallum of time betweene the materiall temple which was the shadow and that holy of Holies Christ Iesus the Temple shadowed who after to the Iewes thus saide Destroy this Temple pointing at himselfe and in three daies I will raise it vp againe For the last 7. of yeares therein our Sauiour was baptized publiquely preached and died And that his death put an end to this seauen and so to the 490. yeares I see no otherwise from the Angels speach For howsoeuer he speak of their Citties finall desolation by Vespasians army yet he brings it not within the compasse of the former Seauens but precisely placeth it after Messiahs death it being a iudgement vpon them and their Children for preferring the Murderer Barabas to the Lord of life Iesus And as hee precisely affirmes that Messiah in the halfe of that last Seauen shold cause sacrifice and oblation to cease and that was by this death he himselfe preaching that in his last speach it is finished so the Angel in his first speach saith that 70. seauens were cut out c. for consuming iniquity making reconciliation for bringing in eternall iustice for sealing vp vision and Prophet and for annointing the Holy of Holies The Epoche or period of all which most probably can be fastned to our Sauiours death euen that time of offring vp himselfe vpon the crosse the time of Euening sacrifice wherein Gabriel came first to Daniel for enforming him of these Seauens If any of these yeares should ouer-reach his death I would then thinke with diuerse ancient and moderne writers holy Christians that it should be three yeares and an halfe giuen vnto the Apostles for full conuincing the Iewes by the Gospel And hereto the Text seemeth to lend a looke when as the hebrew readeth Halfe the seauen shall cause oblation and sacrifice to â—ease Where the word chatsi signifying Halfe or Middle and it is generally held that our Sauiour preached halfe seauen yeares it hath caused some to thinke it to be the first halfe rather than the second But the former is to me most probable Notwithstanding if any in this or the former parts of number be otherwise minded I meane not thereabouts to be contentious Only herein let vs at least accord that the Angell hath spoken properly and plainely but our sinnes hinder vs from conceiuing many things rightly And this so briefely and plainely as I can in so intricate a question 1. Did Cyrus the annointed Shadow send forth that Edict or word whereby Ierushalem and the Temple were builded O but the annointed Substance Christ Iesus sent forth a Worde for building his Church and framing Temples to the Holy ghost things greater than that of Ierushalem and the Temple in
Iudea All the commaundements comming forth from Princes for furthering the Churches worke they must receiue their Authoriâ—â—e and haue their due reference to the word of our Cyrus the substantial Annointed For of his word much more than that of Medes and Persians it may be said It admitteth no alteration As Princes would not be thought to alter the word of our great Monarch let them bridle the enemies beyond the Riuer that so the foundation of Religion and Church long since laide and by Idolatrers staid it may goe forward be built vpon and rise vp towards perfection Yet when we haue done what we can the Temple will come short of the first the state of the Church in this age nothing comparable to that of the first age Cyrus the vncircumcised must giue place to Salomon the Circumcised and the one worke to the other euen as Salomon was of Christ Iesus a more perfect Shadowe and the first Temple more excellent than the second Though yong-heads will admire the latter while more Ancient spirited weepe at the remembrance of the former 2. Did Cyrus subdue Nations purchase their riches set Captiues at libertie O our great Monarch receiued of his father All authoritie in heauen and in earth for arming his spirituall captaines whereby their ministerie became so effectuall as hie and strong imaginations were brought downe the Nations were subdued to his word Kings of the Nations offer to him their hid treasure as sometimes the Easterne Sophies did to his owne person offer Gold Mirrhâ— and Frankensence For setting such at libertie as before were captiued of satan and chained vnder the power of darkenesse he therein hath beene no lesse glorious O it remaineth that as he hath set vs free so we doe no more entangle ourselues but that setting our faces towards Heauens Zion we labour to be as He-goates before the Flocke drawers of others by our holy example And this we see Quod Cyrus Rex Dominum Saluatorem Nomine designanit factis that King Cyrus both in his Name and Acts doth shadow forth our Lord and Sauiour So much shall suffice for a taste of Personall shadows Lect. XXX Tree of Life Shadowes Sacramentall HAuing thus giuen a taste of shadowes Arithmetical and Personal it now remaineth that I speake something of Sacramentall shadowes The word Sacrament is of right large vse in Ecclesiasticall writings Insomuch as whatsoeuer the Greekes call Mysterion a Mysterie the Latines often terme Sacramentum a Sacrament Which more particularly may appeare in the Olde Latine translation of the new Testament who in Ephes. 5.32 Reuel 17.1 turneth Mysterion by Sacramentum for that in such large sense euery Ecclesiastike secret is a sacrament But after-age hath called it to straiter sence defining that to be onely a sacrament which is Sacri rei signum a Signe of some holy thing Which externall signe is of God appointed for he alone can institute such a signe who can giue the grace thereby signified for assuring his church of some necessarie grace In a word Sacraments as some haue noted are of two sorts the first onely Representatiue the second also Exhibitiue Representatiue sacraments are such-signes as onely represent some grace and that is commonly some common grace And so the Raigne-bow was and is a signe of God his grace or fauor touching the no more destroying of the world by water Paradise and Canaan Representatours of Heauen Noahs Arke the Tabernacle and Temple shadowers of the church Exhibitiue Sacraments are such signes as not onely represent but also doe exhibite vnto the Belieuer the very grace signified and such be the signes of Bread and Wine in the Lords supper of water in Christian Baptisme Of which kinde of sacrament I meane here to insist giuing vnto you an assay thereof first from such sacramentall exhibitiue shadowes as went before the Lawe secondly vnder the Law Before the Law I will propound fiâ—st somewhat of Paradise in the state of Mans innocencie secondly some such shadow as fell out of Paradise in the time of mans nocencie In the Garden I note a certaine peculiar tree placed in the midst therof called The tree of life vnto which tree there is due allusion in Reuel 22.2 which was Simbolum Sacramentum vitae a pledge and Sacrament of life termed of Rabanus sacramentum visibile invisibilis sapientiae a visible sacrament of inuisible wisedome The tree termed The knowledge of good and euil excepted it was permitted Adam to eate of all the other trees therefore also to eat of this sacramentall shadowing tree And hereto it is the Holighost alludeth in Reuelation 2.7 when he saith To hâ—m that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Yet betweene the eating of this and the common trees there was great difference For on the common fruites he was to eate for bodies sustentation but on this peculiar tree for his soules instruction Which caused an Ancient well say in eo erat sacramentum in caeteris lignis â—â—â—â—entum in the tree of life there was a sacrament but in the other trees nourishment And what was this internall sacrament or grace signified Rabanus shall answere Sanctus Sanctorum vâ—ique est Christus it is no other than Christ the Holy of Holies So Haymo on Apoc. 22. Lignum quippe vitae Christus est sapientia dei patris de qua Salomon in Pro. 3.18 dicit Lignum vitae est bis qui apprehenderint â—am qui tenuerit eam beatus He is the Churches life for without feeding on him by faith we with Adam fall vnder the power of Death He indeede is the tree of life planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth forth his fruite in due season whose leafe fadeth not and whatsoeuer hee dooth it shall prosper The best tree he is in the Churches Garden and in the midst of the Court of Conscience he is to be planted But if we flie him for tasting of Antichrists tree a tree of knowledge for good and euill the good of that religion being a cloke of the euill then we deserue to be driuen from the Lord of life euen as Adam was forced from the sacramentall shadow Was Adam then taught that life was the free guift of God How much more now hauing sinned is it the gift of God freely without all demerit Stood Adam then in neede of a sacrament for sustaining his faith How cursed are they then with the Suenkfeldians that pretend such a perfection in this life as needeth no preaching no sacrament When Adam had by reason of his sin cut himselfe voluntarily from the Lord of life was he therevpon driuen from the externall signe of life Yea for teaching the gouernors of the Church to seclude such from sacramentall signes as first haue openly and impenitently cast behind them the thing signified And thus in Paradise vnder shadowes the Gospel was