him all power and all empire yea ouer euery temporall estate of this worlde sitting in the middest of Magistrates Psal 182. losing and girding the collar and girdle of Princes Iob. 12.18 As hee also demaundeth them an account of their gouernement Psal 58.1 But here is mention made of a kingdome which is not like vnto them of this world as the king hath himselfe declared it Ioh. 18.36 the one concerneth all men the greatest part whereof shall perish by their owne fault Math. 7.13 the other concerneth them who are especially called the house of God although there bee more which are called then chosen Math. 20.16 In the one the question is of the gouernement heere belowe which passeth no farther in the other the case is of the gouernement of the conscience reaching farther thē this life The one is temporall the other is eternall the one is sensuall the other is spirituall and if there be any thing visiblie and corporally administred it is to lead vs farther and beyond this worlde the one is administred of God by the Magistrates whom he appointeth with power authoritie to make lawes and politicke statutes according vnto that naturall equitie which he giueth them in the other which concerneth the dominion ouer soules this authoritie is more high then that it may bee communicated vnto Angels themselues This King therefore hath alwaies beene is and shalbe hee who bindeth the soules and consciences hauing reserued this onely right vnto himselfe in so much that if an Angel from heauen should say I wil haue this to be law to bind the conscience we ought to haue him in execration as attributing vnto himselfe the power of God alone seeking to raigne ouer his sonne our mediator Gal. 1.8 14 And in this point is it also that the difference of these two kingdoms consisteth For as for the affaires of this world whereas al may be vnderstood gouerned by this light of naturall vnderstāding wisedome it hath pleased God to leaue vnto mē according as it pleaseth him of his bounty to dispēse it they may ordaine lawes statutes either to command or to forbid impose temporall paines on the transgressors of thē but so that they must one day yeeld an account vnto the king of kings But as touching this spiritual regiment the officers of this king haue no other power nor autority but to declare and publish the ordinances which hee hath made adioyning vnto them the promises and threats such as he hath deliuered vnto them and left in writing with the execution either of absolution towardes the repentaunt or of condemnation towardes the incorrigible rebels but in the name of this king according vnto the tenour of the commission hee deliuered them vnder paine of Nullity Mat. 28.18 and all after a spirituall kinde of proceeding exhorting and reprouing by the woord and binding and loosing by the same and no otherwise And as touching christian magistrates they beeing also commaunded to doe homage vnto this king Psa 2.12 they are also officers truly of this spirituall kingdome yea principall ones but not to approch vnto the aultar as that proueth which happened to Vzziah otherwise a good king and zealous 2. Chron. 26.16 but to arme with their authority the spiritual ordinances of this king as did Dauid Salomon and their good successours and to represse in due sort such as not willing to order themselues vnto this king despising his spiritual officers seeke to ouerthrow the true seruice of the Lord Deut. 13. As we shal find that neither any true Prophet vsurped this autority but alwaies vsed this true preface So hath the Lord saide And when some would haue lifted vp Iohn Baptist vnto this degree he answered contrariwise and said I am not woorthy to vnloose the shoes of his feete Ioh. 1.27 Moses contented himselfe to be a faithfull seruaunt in Gods house Hebre. 3.6 hauing made all thinges according vnto the modell which was shewen him in the mount Heb. 8.3 and hauing expressely forbidden to ad or to diminish ought from that which God had ordained by him Deut. 4.2 12.32 In a word this is a thing neuer yet heard that the Prophets added any thing vnto the commandements of God or made any lawe to binde the conscience Contrariwise the lord speaking by the mouth of Esay expressely condemneth euery Doctrine inuented by men Esay 1.12 and 29.13 which Iesus christ calleth Pharisaical leauen of which he willeth vs to take heede Mat. 16.11 And if this haue place in that which concerneth the will of this King touching that which he wil haue vs doe in this life to conforme our selues vnto his will aswell towardes him as towards our neighbors what shall wee saie touching the doctrine of the Gospell that is to saie touching that which wee ought to beleeue of God vnto saluation as it is spoken Luk. 1.77 Act. 20.17 What blasphemy is this then to belie the sonne of God witnessing that he hath declared vnto his Apostles as vnto his friends whatsoeuer he receiued frō God his father And what shal we say of the Apostles That they added changed or clipped anything frō the tenor of their commission bearing these words goe teach thē to keepe all those things which I haue commaunded you Shall wee say also that touching the substance of the ecclesiasticall discipline and substantiall exercise of the holy ministery by the which the sonne of God will haue his house to be gouerned vntill his latter comming that the holie Ghost taught not the Apostles al or that they did not acquit thēselues faithfully of al without omitting of any thing At the least let vs beleeue S. Paul 1. Cor. 11.23 though it bee there especially spoken of the administration of the holy Supper Coloss 2.16 the verses folowing in which is contained whatsoeuer may be said of this matter Let vs beleeue Saint Peter also aduertising the pastours expresly vnto the companie of whom hee ioyneth himselfe not as a prelate but as a companion in the same ministery to feede euerie one his flocke not as hauing a lordship ouer the Lordes heritage but that they be ensamples to the flocke 1. Pet. 5.1 Whereunto S. Paul agreeing 1. Cor. 7.35 protesteth that he wil not ty and intangle any man And thus you see what this name of king importeth in this place ioyned also with the name of Salomon which signifieth as much as peaceable is meant of the exercise of this kingdome in regard of this spouse which is his Church ouer which himselfe alone hath power quickening iustifieng and sauing it as it is hee also alone vnto whom she yeeldeth al obedience in that which concerneth this spirituall kingdome It remaineth we consider whether this king be takē for such a one as he is among thē from whom we haue separated our selues Alas nothing lesse For he is no otherwise called King among them then he was of those who whipped him in Pilates iudgement-hal not that I
and rest not your selues on that which you heere see with your eie but hold your selues vnto him who is to come in person Which thing beeing not well considered by the hypocrites and ignorant seeking after their saluation in the altars and sacrifices wee see how sharplie and bitterlie they are for that cause reprehended thoroughout the whole Scripture Which more is this Bridegrome being arriued in person and making himselfe visible and palpable in fleshe which the Apostle iustly calleth the great secret or mystery Eph. 5.32 would not notwithstaÌ„ding haue vs to stay our selues on that corporal presence of his but contrariwise it is expedient saith he that I go my waies Ioh. 16.7 For saith he my father is greater then I. That is to saie so long as you shall see mee in this humiliation and basenes of corporal presence in such an estate as you men are you wil neuer learne and know what the authority and power is which I haue and the possession whereof I shal then receiue when I shall bee entred into celestial glorie with my father And in another place I go my waie saith he to prepare a place and lodging for you Ioh. 14.2 yea in my fathers house and where is this house seeing god is euery where It is true indeed that he is euery where because he is infinit But he dwelleth not but in his Saintes so consequentlie in his Church beeing said to no other then vnto his people I will dwel among them Yea so far is it that this Bridegroome dwelleth in the worlde that contrariwise the Apostle desireth to bee dislodged to bee with him Phil. 1.23 witnessing elsewhere that wee are wayfarers and pilgrimes here below 2. Cor. 5.1 and therefore we sigh after his returne not to soiurne here but to bee caught vp in the cloudes with him and to raigne with him for euer in that habitation whereunto he is first ascended and whence he wil one daie come to carrie vs vp aboue al the heauens 1. Thess 4.17 not to seeke or enquire farther after this glorie which surpasseth the reach of our vnderstanding Therefore when it is said that hee is with vs vnto the end and consummation of the worlde this neither maie nor ought to be vnderstoode of the presence or situation of his bodie here below seing he is trulie ascended vp into heauen and there shal remaine vntil his returning againe at the latter day Act. 1.11 and 3.21 but in asmuch as he dwelleth in our harts by his spirite and that by his diuine power hee gouerneth and and preâ—erueth his Church waiting her ful victorie Otherwise if he were here by a real presence of his body it should not be said that he is departed and gone noâ— that he wil return hither againe and we should saie with Saint Peter dazeled with the glory he saw not then knowing what he said It is good for vs to tarry here still let vs make vs tabernacles heere Luk. 9.33 And this is a wonderful thing that themselues yet maintaining and holding others in this false and blockish opinion by which the foundations of our saluation I mean the articles of the true incarnation ascension returning of Iesus Christ are notoriously ouerthrown consider not what themselues crie in their masse to wit sursum corda that is lift vp your harts which were verie absurd to saie if we must looke after him here below in the hands of him whom we see with our eies 16 In sum these few words Come thy waie ought to serue vs for a summary abridgemeÌ„t of the whole doctrine of saluation consisting in these two pointes that during this life we should coÌ„tinually aspire on high vnto a far better life that to come therunto turning our selues from al the enticements allurements which stay vs here below vsing this world so as if we were not at al in it 1. Cor. 7.31 and Gal. 6.14 euerie of vs take our way right vnto God according vnto his vocation practising and putting in vre his commanudements and not when he saith Come thy waie seeking after excuses such as are mentioned Luk. 14.18 for vnto such it shal not bee said Come yee my welbeloued but goe yee cursed the Lorde graunt vs to heare that so happie a word and preserue vs from this other so fearefull and so horrible Amen Almighty God c. THE TWENTITH SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the second Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 11.12 and 13. verses 11 For behold the winter is passed the rain is chaunged it is gone awaie 12 The flowers appeare in the earth the time of singing of the Birds is come the voice of the Turtle hath beene hearde in our countrie 13 The figge tree hath brought foorth his young figs the vines with their grapes haue cast forth their sauour 1 How the harmony of the heauens the elementes was put out of tune in the elementarie part of the woorld by the sin of man 2 The spirituall worlde which is the Church hath her foure seasons also according as the sunne draweth neare or is farther off but conducted by a secret direction of a speciall prouidence of God 3 Example of these seasons 4 After what sort the bridegroome hauing driuen awaie the parching of the sommer and the rigor and sharpnesse of the winter inuiteth leadeth his spouse vnto the spring-time 5 A description of this spring-time 6 What the fair flowers of the church are in their season 7 The Lord planteth with these flowers the ground-plat of his Church by his holy gardiners 8 A comparison of these goodly flowers with the false glosse of the false Church 9 A complaint touching the sterilitie scarcitie of these flowers in al estates of Christians in our daies 10 The sonnets and songs which ring in the true Church opposed to worldly poems and vnchast and filthy ballades 11 The song of the Bridegroome inuiting his spouse 12 The song of the spouse aunswering her Bridegroome 13 Together with the flowers are found likewise most pleasant fruits in the garden of the true spouse 14 A difference betweene the fruite of this garden husbanded and trimmed by the bridegroome and those vertues which men call morall 15 The garden of the Church is not replanted a newe after the winter is past but hath beene doth remaine planted from the beginning and how greatly they are abused who take that which is old for new and that which is new for old 16 The young figges must become perfect figges and the young sower grapes must ripen and become good raisins 17 An exhortation vpon all that which went before grounded vpon the fig-tree which was cursed by the bridegroome IF our first Parent had not gon beyond and transgrested the commandement of his Creatour and maker the temperature mutual harmonie of the heauens and the elementes had remained and continued in such compasse and measure
and deuoured the poore flocks so that they haue wonderfully skared them For this is a maxima and general rule in this matter that if these cubs be let alone to become foxes they faile not in the end to become Tygers and Lions such as Michea speaketh of Mich. 3.5 For proofe hereof we neede no other witnesse together with the poore estate of Christendome then the legends of the Popes written by their own secretaries among whō that monster Boniface the eight beareth the bel of whō themselues giue this testimony That he entred like a fox he raigned like a Lion and died like a dog And know you that when I speake thus I meddle not with their manners which are so infamous and detestable that there is not a creature which demaundeth not vengeance vp on them of god but I haue principally respect vnto their false cursed doctrine being no heresie concerning the office of our Lorde Iesus Christ without the which trueth whatsoeuer they confesse touching his person and the pointes concerning it in the Creede serueth them to no other end but to colour their lies falsehoodes which they couer with the cloke of this truth according vnto the example of satan their father whom the lord put to silence Luk. 4.34 which is not couied and afterwarde hatched stil nourished and maintained yet in the schoole of these foxes or rather these wolues which are the talants the teeth of that great monster of Rome who hath left them to deale in the doctrine wherein they haue learned to acquite themselues so wel that euerie one hath his morsel of the pray hath snatched for himselfe together with his spiritualities the scepters and crownes of Princes Such are among the rest these foure sortes of wallet-breethren declared sometimes by the Vniuersities themselues to be the locusts issuing out of the bottomlesse pit of whom mention is made in the Apocalyps But what are al these foxes which are become wolues in comparison of that treacherous carauane horde of those vermine openly polluting the holy name of Iesus and selling their filthy trash and trumperie in such sort Gratis to them that will feede themselues therewith that they haue so wel grated that in lesse then forty yeares they haue haled in and heaped vp in their borroughs greater and richer spoiles then al the foxes wolues besides could mountaine vp in fiue hundred years before though the time serued them as well as they could wishe or desire And herein I report me at the least to these other poore conuents of Monks and of Friers whom these new fresh gamesters haue left onely a poore coule to shroude their bald heades in and the taile of a white frocke to traile after them themselues being become as fat as bodie-lice by eating vp the others brewes as the natural Philosophers say of the serpents that they become in the end Dragons by eating vp other small serpents 4 But not to stand any longer on them who are nowe the firebrands bellowes of persecutions nay persecuters themselues how euer they shroud themselues vnder the mantle of deuotion and religion we ought to see and consider how the Lorde had no sooner begun in our time to take his vineyard into his owne handes but satan thrust in into it those foxes the Anabaptists and Libertines of many sorts from whom sprang those vile filthy heretickes of the family of loue who shame not notwithstanding to couer themselues in speach with a more then Angelicall perfection On the other side are crept into the world the Arrians as men zealous of the vnity of one only God others who feare least the humanity manhood of Iesus Christ should bee kept as it were in prison in heauen if wee beleeue not that it is also really in his essence in earth with the bread and the wine of the holy Supper and that the Sacrament would bee annihilated and abolished if wee eate not the verie fleshe of Iesus Christ also with our mouthes and teeth Others there are who are iealous of the humanity of Iesus Christ as they say from whom notwithstanding are crept into the world both Nestorians in seuering of the two natures and Eutichians in the confounding of the essentiall proprieties of thē In a word I know not whether ther be at al any one old heresie which satan indeuoreth not to set a broach among vs or new yet to be inuented which he hammereth not in the forge so to break in vpon this vineyard being yet yong and tender to hinder her fruit to come to maturity ripenes 5 And what haue we to do hereupon Soothlie that which the Bridegrome here saith the Lord of the vineyard willeth vs to do Take vs saith he those foxes those cubs which wast the vines But to whom speaketh he Certainely to those to whom he hath giuen in charge to husband looke vnto his vineyard who should bee watchful and diligent aswell to husband it as also to fence and keepe it from whatsoeuer maie hurt it arming themselues the better to doe this with his authority and power both in reproouing the false doctrine by the true and also in cutting off the dead and rotten members For although themselues be also members of the Church which is here generally represented in the person of the spouse yet notwithstanding in respect of their particular calling and vocation which is to prouide for the purity and suertie of the Church they are particularly distinguished from the rest of the bodie and in this regard they are heere willed and commaunded to take these foxes Such haue beene and yet are and shal be vnto the end of the woorlde those whose ministerie and mouth the Bridegroome alwaies vseth to declare his holy wil and therefore they are called his mouth because they speake beeing moued by the holie Ghost 2. Pet. 1.21 which for this cause specially are called in the holy Scriptures by diuerse names to wit Men of God Seers prophets watchmen builders of the house of God pastors doctors ambassadors of God the frinds of the Bridegrome and dealers in the marriage match betweene Iesus Christ and his Church keepers of the vineyard of the Lord dispensers of the secrets of God names and titles exceeding honourable before God but despised of men names I saie of great honor but of a maruailous yea vnsupportable charge if we take them strictly 2. Cor. 2.16 And this is the cause why the Apostle calleth not this charge a dignity as they vse to terme it who haue forged that goodlie Apostatical Hierarchy but he calleth it a work or a busines 1. Tim. 3.1 whose charge is vnderstood oftentimes generally by the woord of watching and feeding sometimes more distinctlie by attending vnto the woorde and vnto praiers Act. 6.4 sometimes by these wordes of teaching improuing correcting and instructing 2. Tim. 3.16 sometimes by these wordes of planting and watering 1. Cor. 3.6 All which are concluded in these two
hers lost the sight of her Bridegrome when shee looked so ill vnto him had referred her selfe to this goodlie watch to haue her resolution of them shee had but lost her paines this watch beeing set rather to turne aside to skare these poore affrighted sheepe then to bring them againe into the right way God therefore himselfe was aiding vnto his spouse in this that shee passed farther without staying for an aunswere from them according vnto that which the Lorde in his time speaking of such saith Let them alone for they are blinde leaders of the blind For wee shall see afterwardes that she was beaten of the watch 9 But let vs see whether this doctrine which we haue more neede of now then euer extend it selfe vnto the time of the newe couenant for behold the poynt wherein Satan at this day employeth his whole forces namely to persuade men that neither can it nor may it euer happen that they whom they cal the Church representatiue the titles whereof they afterwards either shorten or lengthen as please them calling it sometimes the Romane Church sometimes the Romane Catholique Church sometimes the Catholique Apostolicall Romane Church that this company I saie either hath or can euer be so forsaken of God that it may for the most part bee either it selfe apparantlie deceiued or deceiue others If a man aske why seeing this came notoriously to passe in the ancient Church beholde their answere is ready It was saide vnto Saint Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Now that Saint Peters faith were not at one time greatly shaken it cannot be denied And therefore they must needes confesse that if their representatiue Church haue no more force then hee whom they of a notable abuse take for their foundation it may at least for one time be so shaken as to denie Iesus Christ three times and that with an oth and execration And I would to God the like had happened to them but thrise But to let this passe what maner of conclusiō I pray you is this The Lorde by a singular grace of his raised vp and comforted his disciple in such sort that hee acknowledged his fault without drowning himselfe any farther therein which more is hee vsed him afterward to encourage and strengthen others I pray you what doth this appertaine vnto the Citty of Rome or vnto the See afterwardes erected there Saue that I confesse and I say it after one of their principall Poets whose verses themselues yet print and sing euery day that many ages ago this Papall See hauing put out and defaced the ancient Apostolique Church of Rome is become The temple of heresie in doctrine and an other Sodome in manners But what alleage they farther Iesus Christ saide thrise vnto Peter feede my sheepe The Pope therefore and that Church which acknowledgeth the Pope for their head cannot erre no though he should driue whole cartloades of soules vnto hell no man may say vnto him sir what do you O God what impudent shamelesnes is this As if Saint Peter the See of Rome and they who sit in it were al one Yet this I will wel confesse notwithstanding that since the time of many ages they who haue sate in this See and haue made a throne thereof and exalted it as much as lay in them aboue that of God himselfe in that they attribute vnto themselues the power to dispense with the Lawe of God and the autoritie not to bee iudged of any man liuing yea to haue power to commaund the Angels that they I say are not fallen from the faith which they neuer had nor neuer cared after or tooke thought for I let passe other allegations of theirs which howe friuolous and foolish they bee the very little children are able to iudge And what hath come to passe in this behalfe which was not expresly foretold by Iesus Christ and his Apostles and found true by the experience of our time Matt. 7.15 Luk. 21.8 Ioh. 5.43 Act. 20.30 Rom. 16.17 Philip. 3.2 and 2. Thess 2.4 and 1. Tim. 4.1 and 6.3 and 2. Tim. 3.1 and 2. Pet. 2.1 and 3.16 and 1. Ioh. 2.18 Now if these so expresse predictions and prophecies suffice not and that the whole ecclesiastical storie cannot serue for sufficient proofe at least let a man now open his eies and see the effectes thereof more apparant and great then great and mighty mountaines I meane the effects thereof in all the ground articles of Christian Catholique doctrine that is to say the doctrine which God hath deliuered vnto his whole Church at the beginning to remain and continue vnto the end and consummation thereof For at the least it appeareth by that we haue aboue saide and followeth vpon necessarie consequence that seeing they who ought to bee the eies of the flocke are subiect not onely to be blinde but leaders also of the blinde to fall both togither into the ditch Matt. 15.14 and that they who ought to haue the key of knowledge may keepe it back indeede haue often kept it back not onely not to enter in themselues into the kingdome of heauen but also to keepe others out Luk. 11.52 it is an ouer manifest falsehoode to conclude that without all manner of replie and gainesaying we must in matter of conscience relligion hold our selues vnto that which they who call themselues the succeeding Church of the Apostles and especially that goodly Apostle of Rome who may be iudged of no man liuing commaundeth vs to beleeue 10 Nay albeit we granted them that their originall beginning were as Apostolicall as it is Apostatical Iesus Christ who is the truth it selfe might wel haue made after Saint Iohn Baptist this conclusion for himselfe absolutelie Ioh. 3.33 and yet he notwithstanding suffered commaunded also that his doctrine should be examined by the scriptures Ioh. 5.39 The Apostles also though their doctrine were vngainsayable considering the measure of the spirite which they had yet they came vnder this examen Act. 17.11 and practised it themselues Act. 15. and recommended the same expresly vnto others For it is by the doctrine of the Apostles expounded by it selfe that wee must discerne the Apostolique Church to which we are to ioyne our selues from the false which we must turn from and auoide and therefore our aduersaries could by no meanes better shewe by what spirit they are led and that they are not successors but vsurpers vniust possessors since they refuse this examen and tryal vnto which they haue beene and yet are euery day called but in vaine except they will bee both Iudges parties but it is thou ô eternall God who shalt iudge of all this matter in conuenient time 11 Why then wil some reply what manner of Church wil this be if the prelates be not the Iudges of errors and if other keepe them not to their sentence and resolution Truly I confes that all things ought to be orderly done in the
condemne the Prophets Apostles other martyrs of the lord for madmē senseles But behold how wily satan is to diuide this body in peeces which can neuer bee ioined ynough togither vnited And indeed the end of such goodly priuate christians maketh vs at the last to know their faire domestical exercise they practise at home which wee neede not to maruell at seeing that euen those who are most diligent to frequēt the assemblies congregations where they are reproued admonished comforted taught stirred vp heated euery day leaue not for al that to be cold lazy negligent in their duety Let vs therefore note heere my bretheren in Gods name that the spouse protesteth she came with her Bridegroome not onely into the house but which is more into the Chamber of her Mother What shal we saie then of those who wil not set foote into this house and think to keep themselues without with Iesus Christ But yet it is not enough to bee in the house but we must enter into the priuy Chāber wardrob of this spouse For such a one may be in the house which is not in it and who entred not in but to come foorth straite waies againe But to enter into the chamber of this mother is to bee in the place of her rest and where she causeth her selfe to bee seene and heard nourishing there her children with the bread of life 12 Now sith our good God amiddest so manie tempestes which haue ouerwhelmed and destroied the woorld which haue within these few yeares borne and beaten downe so many goodly Churches the mother and her children beeing so cruelly driuen forth hath vouchsafed vs so great and singular a benefite to preserue vnto vs this little cabbin assaulted with so many wild cruel beasts shal we alwaies contemn so great a grace and blessing and so long a patience of his God forbid my bretheren but let vs beseech him hee woulde rather heate such as are a cold thrust forward those who recoile hasten the slow fortifie the weake and in generall giue vs the grace that his woorde may dwell plentifully among vs according vnto the exhortation of the Apostle Coloss 3.26 and that wee maie be faire and fruitfull trees in his courtes to depart from this house heere belowe vnto that euerlasting pallace where wee shall raigne eternallie with him wherein hauing hitherunto so notablie fayled let vs craue his grace and mercie as followeth Almighty God c. THE XXVI SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 5.6.7 and 8. verses 5 I charge you ye daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes by the Hinds of the field if you wake waken not my Loue vntil he please 6 Who is shee that mounteth vp out of the desert like palmes of smoke perfumed with mirrh incēse with euery sort of perfume 7 Behold his bed which is Salomons about the which are threescore valiaunt men of the prowes of Israel 8 They all handle the sword are expert in warre euery one hauing his sworde vpon his thigh for the frights by night 1 The spouse is so authorized by her Bridegroome that none euer sette on her who had not the worst 2 This authoritie pertaineth nothing at al vnto the false Church 3 Wherefore this spouse is compared vnto a cloude resembling an high and a strait piller 4 What the desert or wildernesse is from which this piller commeth 5 We must come forth out of this desert not fal out of one desert into another 6 The deserts of the auncient monkes compared with the pallaces of these goodly fathers and false religions of our time 7 Wherefore the spouse is compared vnto a palme or date tree 8 What the excellent perfumes of this spouse are and whence they come 9 The spouse insteed of resting on the praises which are attributed vnto her how tru soeuer they be imploieth her self the rather to praise the Bridegrome to make him knowen vnto euerie one 10 What this bed was of Salomon the figure of this true Salomon who is full of peace 11 Howe safe this bed is where the true repose and rest is found 14 Wherefore Salomon speaketh here of threescore men of gard about his bed 13 Who are the true gard and defenders of the saluation of the faithful especiallie against all inuisible enemies 14 A conclusion touching the vse of this doctrine THE spouse trauelling painefullie to find her Bridegroome and hauing at the length found him seazed on him and brought him home to her Mother reioiceth nowe and is exceeding merrie and gladde of this happie estate and condition of hers charging those about her not to waken her Bridegroome not that hee sleepeth for hee that keepeth Israel doth neuer slumber nor sleepe Psalm 121.4 But because his rest is the rest of his spouse holding and keeping him in the priuie Chamber of her hart Rom. 5.1 and therefore knowing that this rest quiet is neuer without such as enuy it for whom they need seek no farther then in the midst of Ierusalem that is to say of them thēselues who wil brag vaūt that they are the principal members of the Church shee chargeth them here vnder the name of daughters of Ierusalem that with menaces threates that they presume not to trouble this rest of her Bridegrome with her as if she shuld say that she is able to make thē repent it if they be so bold as to do it But touching this rest this maner of charge we haue spokē aboue at large Chap. 2. vers 7. where the Bridegrome giueth the like charge that they trouble not the repose rest of his spouse therefore wee will refer our selues vnto that which hath bin said thereof but there is notwithstanding a particular consideration offered in this place For it seemeth the spouse speaketh very boldly such a charge beseeming rather the Bridegroom who hath al autority thē the spouse who ought to refer her whole garding and safe keeping vnto the Bridegrome I confesse indeede that the spouse speaketh here very loftily gallantly And why should she not For seeing she hath for her with her yea within her this great mighty king what is he that standeth against her whom she may not and ought not to defy We haue hereof infinit examples and those also ioyned with their effects Iosua commaundeth the Sunne to stand still and hee obeyeth Iosu 10.13 And wee know what the Lord promiseth vnto his Mat. 17.20 not to establish thereby the gift of dooing of miracles as perpetual in the Church but to shew that this spouse threatneth the perturbers of this peace which the Bridegrome giueth her seeing she hath in her hand his autority power can say that her Bridegrome is hers and therefore by consequent she may boast of the effects of this fellowship and society with