many severall Churches To feed in the gardens In processe of time these severall beds of spices companies of Christians grew up to the fashion of just and full Churches in Zurich Stranburgh Brassel Berne Geneva besides those in Hassia and Prussia To feede First both himselfe with his peoples prayers and other worship and obedience Secondly his people with his word and sacraments and other ordinances And to gather lillies that is to gather and call more more faithfull Christians out of a wild field of worldly people into the fellowship of his Church as it were to gather lilies into his garden They are called lillies First for their fairnesse Secondly for excellency or eminency Thirdly for Gods care in providing for them beyond their owne labour and industry I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine he feedeth among the lillies I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Which words imply foure things First that the Church had familiar fellowship with Christ in his holy publike ordinances especially in the maine doctrine of pardon of sins by Christs bloud alone and of justification by faith Secondly that shee enioyed this fellowship with him before the time of her deliverance out of a Babylonish or Romish captivity for the same words are used upon the deliverance out of Babel and enjoying Gods ordinances in their owne country but with this difference there the Church saith My beloved is mine and I am his because first he delivered her out of Babel before hee gave her the free use of his ordinances but here the Church saith I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine because shee first found Christ in his ordinances before shee enjoyed deliverance from subjection to Rome for Luther preached against the Popes pardons before he rejected the supremacy of the Pope Thirdly their open profession of their fellowship with Christ when the Princes of Germany openly protested against the Masse other corruptions in the Church and avowed the defence of the reformation begun whence they were afterward called Protestants 4 ly Christs gracious protection of those Churches specially in their first beginnings for how should Luther a poor Frier have attempted and gone through with so great a work against such great and generall opposition and in the end die quietly in his bed if Christ had not held him as it were in his armes He feedeth among the lilies Hee refresheth himselfe and strengtheneth his people conversing amongst them who strove for whitenesse and purity and reformation Thou art beautifull O my love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners Thou art beautifull as Tirzah Tirzah was the chiefe City of the Kingdome of Israel after they had separated themselves from Judah untill Samaria was afterward builded The Citie and Governers of it the people having recourse to it for judgement rather then to Jerusalem were at first in disgrace and obloquie with the Jewes for their schisme and separation from the house of David at Jerusalem and for her rebellion against the King of Judah but this did not diminish her beauty because this separation was from God Afterward Tirzah lost her beauty by erecting the golden Calves and falling off not onely from the idolatry of Solomon wherein they did well but from the true worship of God restored and continued in the Temple of Jerusalem But Solomon here speaketh of Tirzah while shee reteined her beauty And indeed the reformed Churches were in this like unto Tirzah at first in disgrace and obloquie for their separation from Rome and rebellion against the Emperour and other Princes and yet never the lesse beautifull because this separation was from God in regard of Idolatries of the Church of Rome greater then those of Solomon Thus the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hassia were proscribed as rebels against the Emperour and yet their cause was beautifull and good The faithfull at that time in England were burned in King Henry the eighth's dayes as Hereticks and refractory Subjects or Rebels yet beautifull in Gods sight Comely as Jerusalem In processe of time the Church wore out the suspition and disgrace of heresie and separation and rebellion and was countenanced and adorned by Royall Lawes in the daies of King Edward the sixth and by Lawes of the Empire tolerating the Protestant Princes so that the Church seemed as Jerusalem the state of Princes the true Church of God at unity also within it selfe wherein the comelinesse consisted for as Jerusalem had been three Cities Zion Salem Millo and all three were knit together into one Jerusalem so the three differences between Lutherans Calvinists in doctrine and discipline at Geneva were all compacted together in brotherly love in their harmony of confessions Terrible as an army with banners The Church was beautifull as Tirzah in King Henry the eighths time comely as Jerusalem in King Edward the sixths time terrible as an army with banners in Queen Elisabeths time when the Protestant Princes grew formidable to the Emperour England and the low Countries to the Spaniard Pope How terrible was that overthrow which the Spaniard in 88. receiv'd Turn away thine eies c. The eies as above of the Church assembled are the ministers or the members considered apart as first knowledge secondly faith In both respects the eies of the Church were wonderfull amiable so that Christ speaketh affectionatly to the Church after the manner of Lovers ravished with the beauty of their Spouses Turne away thine eyes for they have overcome me What worthy Ministers did that first age of the Reformed Churches yeeld as Luther Calvin Martin Bucer Cranmer Hooper Ridley Latymer c. What a wonderfull measure of heavenly light did they of a sudden bring into the Church and that out of the middest of darknesse and Popery from whence it was that the knowledge and faith of the Faithfull then was wonderfully enlarged far beyond the ignorance of former times The eyes of the Faithfull in Christs time lay under their locks as hindered from cleere sight by many errors but the eyes of the Faithfull now seeing the truth much more plainly are not hindered by such locks hanging over them How cleere was their faith that having seene him which was invisible feared not the fiercenesse of their Kings and Princes but endured patiently fiery Persecutions and bloody Massacres Thy haire is like a flock of Goats Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep which goe up from washing As a piece of Pomgranat are thy temples within thy locks The estate of common Christians set out by the haire and of the Ministers set out by the teeth and of the Church Governours set forth by the piece of Pomgranat was the same in the Church reformed as in the Primitive Church where the description of these parts is used and here repeated onely with this difference The teeth are not so even cut in reformed
their suburbs and possessions Christ calleth those the fairest among women who here enquire after him and sell all to follow him so these that want means of salvation at home are desirous to seeke after them and where they finde them there they goe and part with any thing to enjoy the purity of Gods worship and ordinances these in Gods account are the worthiest Christians Use 8 Eighthly here is shewed two marks of the true Chruch of God doe any doubt whether God be God or Baal and doe halt betweene two opinions not knowing whether to joyne with Rome or England Goe then out by the footsteps of the flocks where the faithfull hearing Christs voice resort and will not heare any voyce but Christs follow those now times are such blessed be God as every one may finde out where the Church is but in the case of blacknesse and darknesse enquire then First for such as will heare no voyce but Christs and follow then the footsteps of the flocke see where they feed there joyne your selves Secondly where you finde faithfull ministers Priests as Aarons sonnes and Levites anointed with heavenly graces Thither carry your kids there plant your families to bee fed under such shepheards Use 9 Lastly wee may see here when the Church neglects Gods service God gives her up to the service of forraine Princes to draw as horses in Pharaoh chariots And yet being humbled for this God will have mercy on her and so dispose of it that her service shall not be base for God will make them to draw his yoke though they draw it in the yoke of forraine Princes as Rehoboam and his people did Thy cheeks are comely with rowes of jewels the estate of the Church is here described as it was in the dayes of Abijam in these words Thy cheeks are comely with Jewels and as it was in the dayes of Asa both in the same words and in the words following to the end of the eleventh verse Thy cheeks that is the outward face of the Church are comely with rowes of Jewels that is with keeping their right place and order and manner of Gods owne ordinances This Abijam proclaimeth himselfe to all the house of Israel But as for us saith he the Lord is our God wee have not for saken him the Priests which minister unto the Lord are the sonnes of Aaron and the Levites wait upon that businesse and they burne unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense the Shew bread also they set in order upon the pure table It was not so with the House of Israel * though Abijahs heart was not so upright as Davids yet the outward face of the Church her cheeks as it were were comely with the orderly keeping and observing the ordinances of God yea and comely also was the face of the Church looking up to God in distresse which moved him to deliver you from Jeroboam Thy necke with chaines of Gold Chaines of gold are wholsome lawes binding like chaines to keep the worship of God and true Religion pure as gold such Lawes are called chaines This was done in the dayes of Asa when hee removed the Altars of the strange gods pulling downe the high places breaking the Images and cutting downe the groves commanded Judah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and the people willingly submitted themselves to enter into a covenant or law that upon paine of death all the people should seeke the Lord onely Wee will make thee This sheweth the forwardnesse of the people to joyne with Asa in reforming Religion and adorning the Church as is recorded Borders of gold That is the borders of the kingdome pure as gold by clensing and putting away all the Idols out of all quarters of Judah yea and of Benjamin also and mount Ephraim the very skirts and frontiers and borders of the kingdome Studs of silver In works of gold are such eminent knobs as adorne the works with variety of colours and metall and workmanship Such like eminent works which did adorn Asahs reformation of the Church even to the very borders were these three First his renewing of the Altars of the Lord before the Porch Secondly the deposing of his mother from her Regency for her Idolatrie sake and defacing her Idoll Thirdly the consecrating and bringing into Gods house his fathers and his owne dedicated Vessels of gold and silver While the King sitteth at his table That is whiles Jehosaphat sits at rest and peace refreshing himselfe at home God establishing his kingdome in his hand and giving him riches and honours in abundance My spikenard An ointment of all others most precious of all other spices spikenard is of greatest estimation This the Apostle John calleth very costly wherewith our Saviour Christ was annointed by Mary By spikenard is here meant the preaching of the word which is of all savours the most precious even the savour of life unto life When Jehosaphat was established in rest and peace he sent forth the Priests and Levites to carrie the sweet savour of the word throughout all the cities of Judah A bundle of Myrrhe Myrrhe is an odoriferous tree that sweateth out a sweete gumme called Stacte which is preferred before all others This gumme is also called from the tree Myrrhe his smell is strong and fragrant and fit to preserve from putrefaction and it is of much use in embalming and God himselfe recounteth it amongst the principall spices Betweene my breasts The breasts are those that give milke The sincere milke of the word to the Churches children to wit the Priests and Levites These when Jehosaphat sent forth to give milk to the cities of Judah hee sent with them a company of Noble men Religious Princes who added the more authority to the Priests and Levites and are therefore themselves said to teach in the cities of Judah Thus these Princes were as a bundle of Myrrhe amongst the Priests and the Levites to decide all controversies amongst the people both in matters concerning God and the King to preserve the people and one another free from corruption in all matters whether of Religion or civil Justice Yea and Jehoshaphat himselfe representing Christ the Churches wellbeloved upon earth he rested in the bosome of the Church as a bundle of Myrrhe sweet and strongly preserving the people from corruption from Beersheba to mount Ephraim hee went about throughout all the people to bring them backe againe to the purity of Gods worship As a cluster of Camphire Camphire is a shrub for smell like unto Spikenard wasting the obstruction of the spleene and by the very smell of it making men vegestiores and firmiores more lively and more strong yea and available also against the biteing of serpents such was Christ to his Church when
these foure respects First for the readinesse and flowingnesse of it it dropped forth of it selfe it needed not to be prest and constrained as an honey-combe Secondly for the sweetnesse of it as the honey or the honey-combe Thirdly for the wholesomnesse of it as milke The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon Lebanon is full of sweet trees of spices growing in it which yeeld a fragrant smell even a farre off Garments are First partly the wedding garments of Christs righteousnesse Secondly partly the gracious carriage wherewith they cloathed themselves in their outward conversation They cloathed and decked themselves with Christ not onely to their Justification but with his Spirit to their Sanctification which shewes forth it selfe in their humility meekenes patience honesty faithfulness diligence serviceableness of their outward carriage so farre forth as that the Heathen smelled a sweet favour in their whole course yea even in Trajans time when the smell of garments was not so strong yet what a sweet testimony doth Pliny himselfe though a persecutor give of them when hee said hee could finde no fault with them but that they rose early and went into the woods to sing Hymnes to one Jesus Use 1 This first is to reforme their judgements who speake of the Apostolicall Church as an infant and rude Church whereas Christ whose eyes were as a flame of fire and who best knew it commends it for perfection of beauty and saith it was faire So that if a Church were such Christ might imbrace it with both his armes This is the Church excellent for her Ministers excellent for common Christians which had pure eyes of knowledge and faith so that by how much neerer any Church comes to this by so much the fairer it is and by how much any Church comes short of it by so much the fouler it is Use 2 Secondly this doth teach us that not abuses but the toleration of them doth blemish a Church and detract from the perfect beauty of it for otherwise in the Primitive Churches were found Schisms Heresies a denying the Resurrection uncharitable going to Law Incest love-feasts in the Lords Supper strange tongues in the publicke worship and yet because the Apostles stood out against these and reformed them the Church still retaines her perfect beauty In the Church of Ephesus there were false Apostles yet it was a Church so it is corruptions not cut off defile a Church As we then desire the Church should be pure leave we all our sinnes and corruptions which may any way blemish the beauty of the Church Use 3 Thirdly this teaches us to be ready to extoll and acknowledge as occasion serveth other mens labours above our owne Christ gathered a Church in his owne time which hee called Faire but this Church gathered by his Apostles he calleth All faire It grieveth him not to ascribe thousands to himselfe and ten thousands to them yea he foretold it and promised it freely aforehand How farre was he from a Spirit of envie and emulation though indeed all their successe was by his grace and blessing as Paul said By the grace of God I am that I am The contrary Spirit of emulation hindereth Churches from taking that which is their owne from one another Use 4 Fourthly hence wee learne in what cases one Church may step from another to wit First when Christ leaveth a Church and goeth away with us from it Come with me from Lebanon my spouse with me So when Christ leaves and forsakes a Church wee may leave it and goe out with him Secondly when a Church is become an universall spotted Leopard and a cruell Lion blaspheming and persecuting the Gospell of Christ as These things were found in Rome from whence wee departed not in England blessed be the Lord from whom the Separatists would have us to depart But Christ still vouchsafes to be with us converting soules feeding his lambes hearing our prayers We may also worship Christ in truth without feare of lawes yea with acceptance When Christ goes let all his faithfull spouses goe with him when there are dens of Lions and men cannot keepe the profession of Christ but fall into their mouthes then it is time to goe But are there these causes now doth not Christ dwell here in the simplicity of his ordinances As long as Christ is here in England let us not goe away but say as Peter and John Lord to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life As long as Christ is pleased to feed us to drop milke and honey into our soules let us not depart Use 5 Fifthly this may teach us how to knit the heart of Christ to us in ravishing affection by cleaving to Christ with setled purpose by abounding in helpfulnesse to the Saints by procuring and keeping faithfull shepherds by burthening the Church not with many chains of lawes but onely with few and those necessary all these are formerly mentioned in the Church of Antioch As ever we desire to have the Lord Jesus Christ to love us let us grow in knowledge faith and all saving graces of his Spirit and hereby shew our love to him and then we shall finde Christ ravished with our love Use 6 Sixthly this doth teach us what kind of love Christ acknowledgeth and embraceth to wit faire strong sweet cheerefull in an enlarging our selves to the reliefe of his poore Saints Use 7 Seventhly this doth teach Ministers how to make their Ministry amiable to Christ not to preach once a moneth or quarterly by the preaching of the Law but to be full as the honey-combe dropping out of it selfe to preach sweet doctrine as honey and wholesome as milk for the nourishment of Christs lambs The Pastors and Ministers of the Primitive Church did this without help of Universities what a shame then is this for us to come short of them in such abundance of outward helpes and means Would'st thou be a faithfull Minister let thy doctrine drop as honey preach willingly freely sweetly comfortably Use 8 Lastly this may learne and stirre up Christians so to walke and so to furnish our selves with inward graces and with outward commendable carriage as may yeeld a sweet savour and smel to God and man that it may be like the smell of Lebanon that men may smell a sweet savour that come neere them let our hearts be inwardly furnished with the graces of God as with sweet oyntments and our outward garments our outward conversation so directed with honesty integrity humility meekenesse and love c. that our names be not dishonoured much lesse God by our meanes Cast we aside stinking drunkennesse whoredome malice covetousnesse c. And thus doing wee shall take away all offence so doing Christ shall looke at us as his faire spouse and say Thou art all faire my love verse 7. A garden inclosed is my sister my spouse