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
the weake the cruel to the meeke when verily and in truth they shall be spiritually knit vnto Christ and his Church as Ionathans heart was knit to Dauid the figure Nay marke it that Saul the King breathing nothing but bloodshed against Dauid he no sooner comes neere heareth Dauids voice but loe his furie staieth he pronounceth Dauid to be more righteous then himself and smitten with some remorâ—e he lift vp his voice and wept If that mightie Bull was so againe and againe meekned by but approching neere to that annointed Fig-tree how gentle and right easie would hee haue become if once his heart could but haue beene knit vnto Dauids But passing by them forraine Bulls Beasts that be without vs of whome wee can better beware let me touch alitle a certaine vntamed Beast domestike bredde and brought vppe together with vs whome Ieremie termeth an vntamed heifer a fauage deuouring wolfe in our owne flesh What is the sin in our nature nay what is our nature it selfe in the state of vnregeneration but a beastly nature and sin a Stranger whom Salomon would not haue to medale with our ioy If this Beast be not bound to the Homes of Christs altar he wil deuoure vs. Let thy brutish nature be bound to Christs Fig-tree and the spirit of sinne will some and some die in it and Nature it self wil be tamed become subiect to the spirit of grace Bind it to the prince-fig-tree Christ first by the cord of his word secondly by the bond of sacraments thirdly by Continuall praier And for making thy nature more capable of grace by the former meanes do first beate downe thy bodie with Saint Paul and bring it into subiection by much fastings watchings hard lodgings secondly frequent the companie of holy sober mortified persons who can and do mourne for sin For Salomon hauing found by lamentable experience what bodily spirituall fornication he had bene drawne vnto by leud companie he after that cries out It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men namely to mourne crie and the liuing shal lay it to his heart With the holy we shal learne holines bind we therfore our beastly nature to his spiritual Fig-tree and so a better fruit shall spring out of nature This of the Fig-tree It followeth And the vines with their small grapes haue cast a sauour Grapes of them selues casting no sauour it must necessarily be vnderstoode of that time wherein there be small Grapes peeping out and the flowres falling off which flowres giue true pleasant odour The Vines and Oliues Plinie being witnesâ—e concipiunt Vergiliarum exortu do conceaue in the rising of the 7. Starres which is about the mid-spring and for putting forth their berries togither with the flowres fall the time as before was more hastie in Iudea then in the Latines contrie So that I take this berry-state of the vines to denote the spring-time as before though the perfâ—ction or finishment thereof Seeing the vine is sundry times hereafter to be spoken of I will here obserue the fewer things thereof First the Prophet Ezekiel declareth that the vine-tree is for his wood lesse regarded for building then anie tree of the forest insomuch as none wil make somuch as a pin therof for hanging anie vessell theron but rather cast it into the fire and consume it As the Lords prophet applied that to the Iewes so may I to the Gentiles What substantiall thing is there in our nature for the which we shold be depended vpon Behold we are vanitie and lighter then vanitie it selfe Cursed is he that makes flesh his arme to rest on yea that goes about to make one pinne of our naturall abillements as an article of faith to leane vpon Rather we and our pura naturalia deserue to be cast into Hell fire Secondly the wild-vines by art as by timely tonsure and yearlie clippings are brought to such perfection as Nulli est ligno aeternior natura no wood is found of more durable nature And this may wel resemble the happy immortalitie of our nature by diuine art that is by the operation of Messiahs spirit and his word euen as by the ouer-shadowing of the Holy-Ghost The Sonne of God was vnited to the first fâ—uites of our nature which in the graue neuer felt corruption An other thing for the present is this that Vines and their fruit come to nothing except they be vnderpropped and lift from the earth Such are the flowers of our sauourie wordes and the Grapes of our nourishing workes without they be sustained with the spirituall fulcres of grace Take away the vnderprops of preaching sacraments administring praier almes fasting c and all our flowers fall our fruits rot We shall fall to the earth mind earthly things and the earth will marre all In minding earthly matters we shall be but as the Serpent creepers on our belly lickers of the dust But being continually vnderpropped with the ordinances of Christs vineyard we shal by God his grace haue our conuersation in heauen seeke the things that are aboue howsoeuer the bodies root be in the earth The spring thus described first from gratious speach figured by flowers and birds singing secondly from gratious workes of faith signified by the fruits beginning in the fig-tree and vines now remaineth to speake of the exhortation subioyned Arise my Loue my faire one and come away Whereof hauing spoken largely in the tenth verse aforegoing this litle shall now be sufficient First by the iteration of this exhortatorie doctrine the Holy-ghost would not onely intimate God his free fauour offered againe and againe to his people but also the vntowardnesse of our hearts for yeelding obedience Secondly by the words Arise and come away he inferreth first an arising from euill wherein we lay captiued by sinne through the curse of the Lawe represented by winter Secondly a comming into the libertie of the Saintes for seruing Christ in word and workes represented by the ioyous Summer It followeth Lect. VI. Verse 14. My Doue thou art in the holes of the Rocke in the secret of the staires shew me thy face cause me to heare thy voice because thy voyce is sweete and thy face comely THe Church herein continueth her repeat of Messiahs speach wherein I obserue first an exhortation secondly a reason thereof The exhortation vttereth it selfe first in a description of the Church secondly in the thing exhorted The description lieth first in a louing attribute giuen by Messiah to her My doue Secondly in a manifestation of hir mansion place first in saying Thou art in the holes of the Rocke secondly in adding In the secret of the staires The thing exhorted is the manifestation of her selfe first in saying Shew me thy face secondly in subnecting cause me to heare thy voice The reason of this exhortation is drawne from her excellent qualification
to be amongst the Lillies In the second verse it appeared that the Church and euery soule purified by faith is represented by the Lilly euen by the fields Lilly more gloriously cloathed in her inward man then was King Salomon in all his externall royaltie This is the flower of Paradise the pleasant plant of Eden This is it for whom Christ gaue himselfe that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and blamelesse The perfection of whose beautie as it is referred to another life so as verily as in this life Christ is hers and she Christs so verily is her beautie and holinesse here begunne for the which shee is heere represented to the Milke-white Lilly as Isidâ—re termeth it As al Lillies beauteous so the white most excellent yea as Plinie obserueth most fertile yea that the droppings of the lilly will cause and bâ—gâ—t moe lillies As for the Church of the Gentiles that she not only should be passing beauteous but also very fertile Isaiah is wonderfull plenteous Before we consider his feeding let vs first consider what is to be iudged of this church and of euery her lilly-white members Christ liueth in her she liueth in him and the same mutuall inhabitation is betweene Messiah and euerie of his members Are all the actions of the Church cleane Or are they all vncleane Or are some of her actions cleane othersome vncleane or euery action mixt For the resolution hereof let vs first râ—member that double birth obserued of Prosper There is one Natiuitie of the earth another of heauen one of the flesh another of the Spirit The first of these births S. Iohn affirms to be of the blood wil of the flesh but the other to be of the will of God Iohn 1.13 And this new or second birth is taught Nicodemus in Iohn 3. to be of the spirit concluding there plainely That which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit This remembred the question is easily answered the actions deriued or flowing from the first birth they be as the nature is vncleane and filthy And this is it the Apostle Paul remembreth saying In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For the actions flowing or growing from the second birth they be as the spirit is holy and cleane nor can they be otherwise For this Saint Iohn is thus peremptorie Whosoeuer is bornâ— of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God He excepteth not against sinne in the first part but in the second where the seed of God abideth which is cause of the new-birth Which consideration causeth Saint Paul againe to say It is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Paul is not contrarie to himselfe in saying I sin not and In my flesh is no good thing Saint Iohn is not at warre with himselfe in saying He is a lyer that saith he hath not sinne and againe he that is borne of God sinneth not As both of them consider an old and a new Adam in the faithfull so they giue sinne to the first and sanctitie to the second And this is more apparant when as the Apostle placeth two lawes in these two parts calling the one The Law in my members and the other The Lawe of my minde as also considereth in one and the same man Flesh and Spirit Gal. 5.17 affirming the one of them to be contrary to the other Contrarietie doth not admit vnion for what communion is betweene Christ and Belial light and darkenesse None Irrefragable therefore bideth this Position In Electis regeneratis duo sunt homines Interior exterior Iâ— cum peccant secundum tantum hominem exteriorem id est â—a tantum parte qua non sunt regeniti peccant Secundum vero interiorem hominem nolunt peccatum detestantur peccatum condelectantur lege dei quare non toto animo aut plena voluntate peccant In the elect once Regenerate there be two men an inward and outward When these sinne it is according to the outward man that is in that parte wherein they be not regenerate But according to the inward man they nill sinne detest sinne and delight in the law of God for which cause they sin not with the whole mind or full will As it should be a notable errour to say that the old man can bring foorâ—h an holy or cleane action so as maine an errour it shal be to hold that The new man can send forth an vnholy and vncleane action As the vnregenerate part is a bitter fountaine that can send forth no sweete water so the regenerate part is as the Well of Dauid that can onely send forth that is cleane and holy As the cause is such is the effect As is the tree such is the fruite And as it shal be an intollerable errour to affirme of meere naturall giftes that They be strong therefore holy so ablasphemie though not The blasphemie against the spirit of grace to affirme of his gifts in vs as of Faith Hope Loue because they be weake therefore vncleane If these two births in vs could be mixed together as wine and water for making a third thing wee then might conclude a mongrell action But the old man dieth the new liueth The one of their Lawes is as contrarie to the other as light and darkenesse and they fight the one against the other So farre be they from communion and their actions from being mixed If the Prophet cry Woe to them that speake good of euill and euill of Good it standeth vs vpon to condemne the actions of our flesh but to iustifie the fruites of God his spirit in the regenerate As it is prowd prophanitie to giue holinesse to that dogge of our nature so it is but counterfeite humilâ—tie to charge the holy things of God with vncleanenesse For gaining the name of Humble must we spit vpon the actions and giftes of the Holighost God forbid We may not do euill that good may come thereof Besides must be obserued that not onely the regenerate are thus cleane and holy in the part of their new birth but also that in their open state of grace they are of vs to be termed Spirituall because the Spirit of God in them is principaâ—l and as in our Creed a Communion of Saints or holy-ones As they are to receiue their denomination from the Spirit of GOD and his sanctitie which in them is principall which is cause of that distinction in Augustine Aliud est non peccare aliuâ— non habere peccatum Nam in quo peccatum non regnat non peccat It is one thing not to sinne another thing not to haue sinne For hee sinneth not in whom sinne raigneth not so it pleaseth Messiah
mind it seemeth these were not that contented themselues with knowing First Repentance from dead workes Secondly Faith towardes God Thirdly Doctrine of Baptismes Fourthly Imposition of handes Firstly Resurrection from the dead and Sixtly Eternall iudgement Notwithstanding all which the Apostle calleth them forward towards perfection as they would auoyde the vnpardonable sinne against the Holy-Ghost For when people beginne to please themselues in a little Catechisme doctrine they begin to enter into a defection and backe sliding from the little which they haue already receiued Secondly there is no peece of GOD his Booke but it hath direct Collaterall or an Antitheticall relation to CHRIST if not also to his sufferings insomuch as all that is more largely and variably saide it doeth finally returne to that one foundation Iesus whereon wee are euer to be building vntill wee haue attained perfection and the fulnes of our age that is laide vp in him The family-of-Family-of-Loue doe ouerthrow all the Genealogie and Crono-logie of Scripture by turning really all the History into an Allegorie entertaining and good enough for that purpose the Apocripha-writings also By the which I cannot easily be otherwise perswaded but as first they shut vp God and Diuell Christ and Antichrist Heauen and Hell Wildernesse and Canaan good and badde Angel within mans soule as being all of them but Seâ—ses or Affections and as secondly they hold an outward vniformitie with all other religions whatsoeuer not to speake of their bawdy perfection in nakednesse so cannot I easilie be otherwise perswaded but that they be indeed Atheists or at the best but Saduces Their dotage is neuer countenanced in the truth of Scriptures Allegorie Seeing this truth lieth in establishing the Historie the Genealogie and Chronologie but their fanatike forme of Allegorizing ouerturnes it The first being practized of the Prophets and Apostles but the latter onely pursued of Hereâ—iques Which latter forme as Origen was sometimes attainted with it so it hath not onely raised this Prouerbe of him Where euil no man worse but aâ—so brought him to be next neighbour to an Atheist in his Vniuersall Saluation and finally to be held an Authour of that Heresie witnesse the Origenists as HN it may be it standeth for Haue-No-Religion is now the head of our Nicolaitans or Familists As I would haue thee to auoid this Familists error on the left hand in making Religion an Allegorie so to flie the errour on the right hand whereby some would haue Religion without all Allegorie It is of Christians generally granted that the Subiect of this Song is Loue namely that which is to be considered betweene Christ and his Church Which how can it be but by vnderstanding Christ in Salomon and the Church of the Gentiles in Pharaohs Daughter So that â—â— here as the Apostle elsewhere must be glad to say By which things an other thing is meant or as it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things are to be allegorized The Holy-Ghost could haue spoken alwayes properly and in a single-sence but so the doctrine should haue beene beyond created-conceipt or haue lesse showen the bountie and vâ—rietie of his wisedome The more wise saith God the Preacher wâ—s the more hee taught the people knowledge and caused them to heare aâ—d searched foorth and prepared mâ—ny parables And the more wise Gentle Reader thou câ—â—ets to bee doe the more hunger after euery forme of diuine knowledge embracing Moses and Christ Historie and Mysterie Shadow and Substance Signe and Thing signified To further thy knowledge in such differing kinde of doctrine and yet at vnitie in Christ I haue taken sâ—me paines in discoursing vppon this Scripture wherein as I take it the Holy Ghost hath called vs to see all the thinges of Christ and his Church mâ—ch â—uidently but yet by allusion and in a mysterie The Hebrew Rabbines do ordinarily apply the things hâ—ere spoken to their Synagogue and People Christians ordinarily to their mysticall King and People And indeede the second Sâ—nce was sealed in the former that so they without vs might not be perfect For some fewe in the church of Rome that haue in the She-beloued vnderstood onely the Virgin-Mary they were too Dominike-like and might by such a rule almost as well haue made another Lady-Psalter For knowing Christ and the things of Christ the Church and the things of the Church prepare thee to heare of sundry creatures vnder man wherein the former diuine things are sealed in one speach two things being so vttered as if in terrestrials there were some notable image of celestials the things that are here below visible being but as Letters or Characters which being put-together will spell out matters superiour and inuisible Being so prepared to conceiue I doubt not thou wilt reade the sequence to thy soules comfort If not so prepared the spider can but turne honie-iuyce into poyson except God with a preuenting-grace do fore-stall thee Farewell London At my house in Red-crosse-street April 1603. Who hath laboured for thy good He Cl. The Text. The Song of Songs which is Salomons 1 LEt him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy loues are good better then wine 2 For the sauour of thy good ointments thy name is as an oyntment powred out therefore the virgines loue thee 3 Draw me we will runne after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers wee will exult and be glad in thee we will remember thy loues more then wine Righteousnesses do loue thee 4 I am blacke ô ye daughters of Ierushalem and to be desired as the tents of Kedar as the curtaines of Salomon 5 Doe not respect mee because I am blacke for the Sunne hath loâ—ked vpon me The sonnes of my Mother haue fumed against me They put me for a keeper of the vines My vine which was to me I haue not kept 6 O thou whom my soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou causest to lie at noone for why should I be as shee that couereth her selfe to the flockes of thy companions 7 Seeing thou knowest not ô thou fairest of weomen get thee forth in the steps of the Flockes and feede thy Kids aboue the tents of the Shepheards 8 My Pastorall loue I haue compared thee to my horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh 9 Thy cheekes are comely with rewes of stones and thy necke with chaines 10 We wil make for thee borders of gold with studs of siluer 11 Whilst the King was at his repast my Spikenard gaue the smell thereof 12 My welbeloued is a bundle of Myrhe vnto me he shall lie betweene my breasts 13 My welbeloued is as a cluster of Copher in the vines of Engadi 14 My loue behold thou art faire behold thou art faire thine eyes are like the Doues 15 My Beloued behold thou art faire and pleasant yea our bed is Greene. 16 The beames of our houses be Cedars our galleries of Fyrre THE Song of Songs which is Salomons The Argument of
for speculating matters solely celestiall it further prooueth the veritie of his repentance Left hee was for a season left flesh should reioyce in Gods sight but recouered againe by repentance through God his free mercy wherof these three bookes are three infallible testimonies euen as Peters three-fold confession Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I loue thee It gaue forth a plaine euidence to his fellowe Disciples that hee had vnfainedly repented his threefold deniall This briefely touching the Penman Salomon Touching the scripture it self it is a Song A Song hath diuers names according to the manner and matters diuersitie If they containe matter of Gods praise they are termed Hymnes if it be soong by turnes of two Chorusses it is called Antiphona the Italique Responsories being much of like forme A Psalme containeth any sort of matter indifferently and is thought of som to deriue that name from the instrument termed Psaltery whereon they play with handes-motion as also specially to containe morall doctrine For the title Spirituall song it is either the generall to all diuine songs or rather A Song of exultation and spirituall reioycing specially respecting Hope of eternal blessednes Touching this Song of Salomon it containeth matter of diuine laud for the which it may be called an Hymne it containeth matter of Exultation in the hope of a better life for the which it may be called a Spirituall Song it containeth morall doctrine doctrine of all natures for the which it may be hight a Psalme As for the forme we find sundry parties singing and the one side answering to the other for which it may be nominated an Antiphonie or Responsorie And for these and like considerations it is of the holy ghost called A Song or the Song of Songs as not onely the most excellent song of all the 1005. which Salomon penned and therefore for Churches vse only reserued but also in respect of any other Song contained in diuine Canon others tending to som one particular end or few but this enwrapping in it doctrine of all sorts and that in a most sweet and deepe kind of eloquence respecting the matter as also of elegancie respecting the syllables words and phrases And I take bicause that none should compare it only with his owne Songs nor yet onely with the other Songs of the Scripture the Holy-ghost hath lest the Hebrue phrase indefinited for as the word Which with vs is indifferent for gender and number masculine or feminine singular or plurall so is the Hebrue word Asher which as also the Verbe is altogether vnderstood And hereof it is that some reade a Song of Songs which is some which are Salomons but indeede for the former respects it can neither be tied to is or are was or were Yet I take the present tense more proper then the preterim perfect because wee say This is Paules Epistle this is Iohns Reuelation these are Moses Bookes c. rather then these were Moses bookes this was Paules Epistle c. Thus we see Salomon the peaceable and exceeding rich King of Israel to be the Holy-ghosts Poet and the thing that is penned to be Poësie of passing diuine nature both in respect of Maner and Matter and therefore in an Hebraisme termed A Song of Songs that is A most excellent Song Now from the Title I passe to the Song Lect. II. Verse 1. Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth for thy loue is better than wine or thy loues are good better than Wine IN this Verse the church expresseth her affection towards her beloued first by offering vp prayer secondly by setting forth the excellencie of her beloueds Loue which may serue for a reason of her prayer Her prayer lying in the first clause it containeth her seruent desire after Messiahs presence wherin I obserue first the forme of her petition secondly the matter shee doeth petitionate The forme is Imperatiue or Optatiue If Imperatiue then she speaketh to some Riuals of her happinesse commaunding them to let her beloued come vnto her If Optatiue which I rather incline to then she offers vp properly Prayer and this must bee either to Messiah himselfe which I lesse conceiue or vnto his Father wherein I rather rest seeing the Father is said to send him foorth after the fulnesse of time and he the Sonne meane time in the glorious bosome of the Father And so her prayer Let him kisse mee it is as if she saide in moe words O Father of heauen vouchsafe to hasten the sending forth of Messiah who * hast appointed him to be a light to the Gentiles and a Glory to thy people Israel The Father so prayed vnto of the church it resteth to consider if this Church be only the faithfull of Ethnicks So manie haue vnderstood it That principally that people is intended here it may appeare by her forme of preoccupating the exceptions which Ierusalems Daughters might make in the fourth and fift verses next after but seeing Abraham and many of Iaacobs Kings Prophets did long to see Messiahs daie of appearance in the fles◠hungring for that which they sawe a farre off we so cannot exclude the faithfull of Zions Sinagogue no nor debarre any belieuer from the beginning of the world I so vnderstand the whole bodie of Belieuers from the first Adam vnto Christ Iesus the second Adam all sending vp their prayers as multitude of sweete odours vnto God the Father The faithfull in holy Scripture doe pray for Christes comming but in a twofold sense respecting two sundry times Before his Incarnation they desire his appearance in our flesh for killing sinne in our flesh and so quickning it to vnfained sanctitie after his appearance they doe with Iohn desire he may come quickly namely in his glory for the glorification of his Saints and for this appeerance do the soules vnder the Altare thirst and hunger But in this place is specially and properly intended the churches feruent desire for his appearance in the flesh which vnion of his diuine nature with our humane nature I take to be signified at least in part by the terme Kisse And principally also I here vnderstand as before the chosen of the Nations desiring after vnion with him as no doubt the Gentile Queene Pharaohs daughter had no slender affection after communion with Salomon the glorious tipe of our Messiah A kisse vnfained such a Kisse as the Apostle calleth Holie and wherewith the Saints did sometimes salute one another it is as a sacrament of Soules vnitie and onenesse such as was in Ierushalems church touching which it is affirmed that al were of one accord in the Lord. But here the terme is in the second place plural Kisses as therby intimating besides other things an vnion of Messiah with her in soule and body sense affection and all actiue powers a full vnion of God and Man This
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
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
mouth of Iaakob and in the nostrels of Iudah and no lesse redolent were these sauory names vnto Dauid and all the ensuing Prophets and tipicall Kings who longed aftâ—r the appeerance of him that was so to be a Seede and Shiloh As for Isaiah he sawe his name to be Immanuel that is God-with-vs because God so should be one with vs and wee so at vnion with God Godhead and Manhood in him making vp one Person Vnto Daniel what name could be so sweete as Messiah the terme which Gabriel gaue vnto him In a word the veâ—ie sweete consideration of him did leade the holy Prophets to vse diuerse Names for expressing the infinite store of spirituall odours couched vp in this Beloued the very fulnesse and treasurie of our heauenly Father If we come to his Name Iesus Sauiour because he saueth his people from their sinnes how delectable is that Name Besides these Names he hath termes of King Priest Prophet King for gouernment Priest for sacrifice and intercession Prophet for teaching and reuealing the Fathers secrets to his people a Trinitie of names in an Vnitie of superexcelling sweetnesse Lastly in this one Mediator is a two-fold Nature according whereto hee hath two other names God and Man but seeing vnto miserable mankinde it should be no great comfort nay rather a discomfort to heare of either of these names disioyned our heauenly Father therefore hath conioyned them and made them two one that is hath giuen him vnto vs for God-Man or Man-God a Name beyond all â—easureable sweetenesse for it propounds vnto vs an eternall vnion of God and Man No maruell then though the Church hold her Beloueds name to be redolent as also doe grieue to heare it taken in vaine and vnhallowed Furthermoâ—e if the Name of Christ be so sweete how precious should the enioy of Christ and his spirit be vnto vs seeing with him we enioy all other good things also Therefore the Virgines loue thee Hauing laid downe the cause she subioyneth the effect the sweetenesse of Mâ—ssiah caused in her Loue euen as before the Loue of Christ it caused in her prayer Thus one good gift begetteth an other euen as one euill engendreth an other euill Secondly shee changing her speech from the Whole to the Parts instead of I saying the Virgines she would first teach that the whole and euery member of Christ Iesus in his Church it is endued with sense of his gracâ—s as also with vnfained loue of his name insomuch as they exult to heare the name Iesus Secondly she would informe vs how euery true louer of Christ Iesus is a Virgine according to that of the Apostle 2. Corin. 11.2 which may serue for a faithfull exposition of Reuel 14.4 As a sober virgine abstaineth from all things that might be offensiue to her beloued so is it our duety neither if wee be of Christ can we be herein carelesse to eschew all such misdemenors as might bring agrieuance to the spirit of Iesus Lect. IIII. Verse 3. Draw me wee will runne after thee the King hath brought me into his chambers we will exult and be glad in thee we will remember thy Loues more then wine Righteousnesses doâ— loue thee IN this verse considerable first a Petition vnder Protestation secondly the Petitions effect The petition vnder Protestation lieth in these words Draw me we will runne after thee the Petitions effect lieth in the residue of the verse Draw me herein the Petition we will runne after thee and therein the protestation In moe words it may be vttered thus Oh my beloued Messiah I finde in my selfe all inabilitie to follow thee therefore vouchsafe to draw me but though the power of following thee be lacking in me and my seuerall members I finde yet a ready will a will which will runne after thee if first thoâ— wilt draw me In the Petition I obserue first the Churches confession of her insufficiencie for following Christ secondly her desire vnfained to be made partaker of his sufficiencie That the Church or body of faithfull ones is insufficient of themselues to follow Christ it not onely appeareth by this her prayer but also by other speeches in holy Writ touching the already faithfull Without me saith our Sauiour to his Disciples ye can doe nothing that is no good thing And for this cause is it that blessed Saint Paul testifieth thus of his spirituall life Thus I liue not I any more but Christ liueth in me referring so all his spirituall motion in goodnesse to Christ liuing in him by his spirit If that hold in the vnregenerate namely that in him they liue mooue and are according to the naturall life motion and being it must also follow touching spirituall life motion and being that it is fully of God so that of our selues we are vtterly vnsufficient to follow our beloued Iesus Which doctrine of our insufficiency may serue as a hammer for knocking downe the surging pride of Pelagius doctrine The Church finding and feeling her owne insuffiencie she therefore prayeth vnto her beloued desiring him to draw her Herein she teacheth vs first not to rest contented with knowledge of our inabilitie but in the next place to seeke vnto Christ for supply of such defect He that knowes himselfe to be sicke seekes to the phisition he that feeles famine doâ—h labour to haue nature relieued And hereupon it grewe that diseased-ones in the Gospel did seeke for helpe of Messiah others that were hungry did follow him for the loaues and fishes All that but leading spirituall Impotents as by the hand for seeking releasement at the hands of Messiah Wherein may be obserued how the high way vnto God is spirituall misery and beggerie If this be true in the regenerate in whom there is some holy thing how much more in the vnregenerate who yet is voide of all true holinesse Secondly from her forme of praier Draw me she would teach that the faithful see themselues plunged in some sinne as in a pit out of which they cannot depart without Christ his Spirit draw them Or to be in the case of the cripple which howsoeuer he sate at the beautifull gate of the Temple Act. 3.2 yet he cannot praise God leaping and walking till the precious name of Iesus haue pulled him out of his lamenesse Some lie plunged in vncleannes some in idlenesse some wallow in the dungeon of worldlines some in other euils not onely possessed of euill but also dispossessed of good What kinde of Prayers are these like to make Verily vncleane idle worldly and euill Prayers And the sacrifice of the wicked â—aith Salomon is abhomination to the Lord how much more â—aith hee when hee brings it with a wicked minde As for the faithfull themselues their prayers are euer in this world lame and impotent by reason of spirituall defects insomuch as their prayers finished they see they had need to pray for the forgiuenesse of their prayers defects like vnto the poore
captiued their Will vnto Euill euen as in the former place they suffered their Minde to be hood-winked of the Deuill At this time the Will hath Infirmitie vnto Euil not grace vnto Good being pressed and ouercome of euil The third time is reparation of Wil and that is done by the free grace of God in Christ Iesus for these must needes be free that Christ makes free But as the worke of regeneration howsoeuer true is euer in this life imperfect so the wils freedome vnto Good it is not in this estate perfect Hereof insueth the battaile internall betweene the Flesh and Spirit the regenerate and vnregenerate part And heereof it is that Schoolemen well say It hath infirmitie to euill but grace vnto good insomuch as it can sinne because of the libertie and infirmitie it hath and it cannot sinne vnto death because of the libertie and helping grace it hath The fourth and last time it is the state of incorruption hereafter wherein the former Infirmitie and weaknes is swallowed vp and consumed and the former grace confirmed made absolute and perfect Then not before it cannot at all be ouercome or pressed downe and then it shal be so qualified as it can no more sin But though the will of the regenerate is set free vnto good it must be conceiued that the regenerate cannot thenceforth of him self operate good And that is the cause that the Church here hath desired Christ still to draw her howsoeuer borne anew and howsoeuer willing vnto Good for in willing well and doing Good there is still some pull-backe some rebellion which causeth the Apostle to say when I would do good euill is present with mee c. Romaâ—es the seauenth chapter 21. verse c. But in this state of will repaired by grace we consider first the same grace drawing secondly our will following Not following as a logge or stone doth him that drawes it but as a childe hauing legges to mooue doth mooue after the Nurse holding and leading it by the hand which yet without the Nurses helpe could mooue to no such purpose And because of this Cooperation or together working with God it hath in the Church anciently beene saide No man vnwillingly doth good although that he doth be good because the spirite of feare profites not where the spirit of loue is not For when God willeth that we shall do good as good he maketh our will willing so to doe good So that he which made vs without vs he now leades vs not in the way of saluation without vs. He vseth our senses for iudging and our affections for willing and willing accordingly as his spirite instincteth The heart is not now created anewe for the substance but for the qualitie Affections turned out of the way by the old Adam are now set into the way by the second Adam and so it is with the senses not to the end they should act nothing but that they may cooperate with their Leader and Instincter the sauing Spirit Not hereby meriting any thing of God for it is his grace and worke that they so worke but hereby declaring the truth of their dwelling in Christ and Christ in them By which declaration such a regenerate person first gaineth therby an assurance of eternall life and secondly doeth thereby occasionate others to glorifie the Father of Heauen for his free mercie Lect. V. WE wil runne after thee A christians life is termed here a running and by Paul a Race 1. Cor. 9.2.4 Who also exhorteth euery one so to run as they may obtaine for so one may runne as they shall not obtaine That we may effectually runne the Author to the Hebrues Chap. 12.1 willeth vs first to cast off the sinne that presseth downe and hangeth faâ—t on secondly to run aâ—med with patience For sinne is compared a burden for pressing downe as also to som pitchie or flimie matter that cleaueth to the flesh from all which spirituall lets wee are to abstaine if wee meane to striue in this maisterie Hee that runnes with sin raigning in his mortall members he runnes on the loosing side The sinne wee haue must be cast away the sinne that offers it selfe by alluring prâ—fits and pleasures after we are on running that must be abstained from els as good fit stil as rise and fall Some neuer leaue off to be seruants of whom it may be said as of the diuel * he sinneth from the beginning Som begin to run as did Iscariot Demas and others but the poets golden apples trundled in the way they stoope to gather them while others take away the crowne Reuel 2.1.1 Secondly much patience is required and why bicause howrs of tentation come vpon all the world to try them that dwel one the earth Reuel 3.10 that is many persecutioâ—s and afflictions When painted alluring delights cannot drawe a soule out of the Christian race then terrors and therats of earthly power labour to beate the soule backe When Peter could not be pulled out of the way by worlds delights hee was tripped by terrors and feare of earthly power But as the righteous man falleth seauen times a day so he riseth againe by the staffe of repentance where the hollow-harted not onely fall but fall backeward at last and no more rise againe rushing into euill as the bard horse into the battle The phrase RVNNE it not only teacheth a Race but also the Speedines we are to vse in this Race S. Iames exhorteth vsâ—to be slowe to speake so were Pythagoras schollers for their first fiue yeeres during which time they were enioyned silence as also to be slow to wrath but yet to be swift to heare how much more need we learne to be swift in our obedience Our ordinary speech Delay breeds danger teacheth vs what inconuenience doth commonly fall in our ordinarie affaires by foreslowing the time greater losse in spirituall cases doth accompanie spirituall negligence Satans industrious compassing the earth it caused Iob to send spee dily for his Children and with speed to sacrifice Abraham made no lesse speede about sacrificing his Isaac And the Prophet proclaimeth him accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Euery minute of delay may breed a mountaine of danger for by such negligence first Sathan trumpeth moe impediments in our way and secondly we our selues thereby become more sleepie infirme vnapt to run the way of Messiahs commandements And hereupon it is that not Seekers but Striuers enter and the Violent by force take his kingdome Luk. 13.24 Math. 11.12 Let vs therfore not only vnto God pray Drawe me but let vs with all our minde and might adde We will runne after thee So much for the Petition and his Condition Now foloweth the Petitions effect in the residue of the verse that is to be considered first in Messiahs Graunt in these words That King hath brought me into his chambers secondly in the churches protestation We will reioyce c. Touching Messiahs Graunt first wee
Inhibition specially tendeth as is apparant in Exod. 34.12 c. Deut. 7.1.2 c. Lastly euen that which they think hindreth that very same helpeth it to be a figure For had not Salomon gone beyond the partition wall euen vnto the Gentiles for his wife it could not so aptly haue figured the Gentiles people to whom Messiah was to ioyne himselfe but not till first hee forsooke the Sinagogue of the Iewes And thus they that are ouer-precise for admitting Allegories shall sometimes cast out a censure vnworthy their places In this hir confession I am blacke the Church of Gentiles laboureth to satisfie the Sinagogue of the Iewes and that by an acknowledgem̄t of hir swart hue complexion Whence we may obserue first how readie the Iew is to except at imperfections in the Gentile yea sometimes to shut the doore of mercie vp against the Gentile himselfe notwithstanding vnwilling to enter in The crosse nature of which people our Sauior detecteth in the Scribes and Pharises Math. 23.13 The same doth S. Paul in 1. Thess. 2.14.15.16 And S. Luke registring the Apostles Acts doth diuerse times note it yea that the Lord had no small adoe to set Peter forwards for preaching to the Gentiles and S. Peter not a little adoe to satisfie his people for that action Act. 11.1 vnto vers 19. In a word that people at this day stand hardly conceited towards vs yea as appeareth in their confession of faith they dayly curse vs and as some of their words haue bin vttered heere in our Land of late they iudge vs vtterly vnworthy of GOD his loue making our spirituall blackenesse one maine reason why they cannot be well perswaded of our faith To spie and except at our imperfections it is in them poore soules a thing ordinary and naturall But in the second place what learne we Namely with all readinesse and faithfulnesse to confesse our sinnes before them yea our great vnworthinesse of so worthy a Messiah saying indeede I am blacke that is as the Apostle speaketh in Rom. 7.18 I know that in me namely in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And where no good thing dwelleth there must needes dwell blackenesse darkenesse and horrour of nature But alas wee are so farre from giuing a reuerent accompt of our faith and standing vnto Ierusalems people as rather we will curse them and spit our gall vpon them as vppon dogges Indeede their pulling of Messiahs blood vpon their heads it hath brought them into a fearefull estate yet seeing their fall was our rising their cutting off our ingraffing wee should compassionate them Nay seeing obstinacie is come vpon them in part till the Gentiles number be fulfilled and then all Israel shall be saued because God his couenant is to take away their sinnes and to regraffe them in his fauour we should pray for them and euery way practise the remoouall of such offences as wee know do hinder them from ioyning with vs. The Elder brother as yet standeth for the most part without angry and grieued at the prodigall Gentile come within Luk. 15.28 Iaphets people in Shems tent Gen. 9.27 But seeing the Father will come forth and entreate him to enter and be reconciled what are we to stand on our start-vps and not rather to humble our selues to our elder brother as Iaakob sometimes did to Esau that so happily we may become one sheepefold and no longer to be deuided We can readily accuse others of blacknesse and spirituall deformities saying Thou art wicked he is wicked they are Antichristian c. But very fewe smite themselues on the thigh saving O what haue I done Whereas euery true member of the Church must and will for glorifiing God and remoouall of offence particularly confesse I am blacke herein I am wicked as Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned And to be desired c. After the Confession she entreth into Confutation The Synagogue would reason thus What person soeuer is blacke such a one is not of Salomon to be desired but by thine owne confession thou art blacke therefore not to be desired The first propositions consequent shee denieth saying Notwithstanding my blackenesse I am to be desired And this desirable state of hers she enlargeth by comparison and drawne first from Kedars tents secondly from Salomons curtaines q. d. I am notwithstanding my blackenesse to be desired as Kedars tents Yea which more is as Salomons curtaines so farre am I because of blackenesse from being not to be desired From whence we may obserue first how Preiudice and Enuie hindreth Iudgement and true forme of Reasoning for the Synagogue thinketh she reasons passing firmely in saying Thou art blacke therefore not to be desired whenas the Holy-ghost by the church of the Gentiles doth denie such consequence affirming and concluding rather the contrary Such preiudice and enuy caused the Donatists in Affrike to conclude all Churches sauing their owne to be false Churches because of some generall euills August telleth them that it followeth not Because of many euills therefore no true Church seeing Tares will be in the Lords Catholike wheate field and chaffe in the Lords barne floore after it hath beene a while threshed The Brownists about some 20. yeares since begun and yet persist they furbish the Donatists canker-fret arguments but indeede with some aduantage For whereas Donatus granted other Churches once to haue beene true Churches the Brownists affirme the English Church neuer to haue beene a true Church As herein more vncharitable seeing themselues neuer receiued faith elsewhere so more subtile in their businesse for the subtile beast of the field hath inspired them with more craft wonne by more experience and this manifested by denying plantation of a true Church here In more auncient historie though they vse them and admit them in some other cases yet not in this and why Men are subiect to errour and though a hundred ancient Writers doe testifie this yet forsooth they know not but they may lie Where first it was no Church Because it was blacke now it is no Church because it neuer was one Thus Donatus one spirit hath taken to himselfe seauen stronger diuells For neuer is an old heresie reassumed and renouated but with aduantage of euill that so it may not againe be easily dispossessed Their frenzie I haue else-where largely confuted Onely let this forme of the Synagogues blinde reason teach vs to auoyde preiudice and enuious conceipt left in stead of reasoning For wee reason Against the truth Enuy is blinde and frameth but blinde arguments Whereas Charitie seeth reasons rightly and giueth to euery soule the due Secondly we learne from the Church of Gentiles to be careful in distinguishing betweene good and euill and to giue to either the due For as we are not to call euill good so neither to terme Good Euill vnder paine of Gods curse and as hee would not be held abhominable before the Lord Isa. 5.20 Prou. 17.15 Yea to hold fast with Iob our
Christ and his Church Hold forth the word of life and Satan stampes his Angelles frette his marked souldiers biâ—â— the bridle In it they behold Christ ascended and Satan descended the faithfull rising and themselues falling It was some glorie for the souldiers of Berke to haue liberty to departe their town with Auntients displaâ—ed with armor on their backes with their bullets in their mouthes But Michaels aduersaries were depriued of all glorie For he entred into the house and bound Satan he cast him and his Angells out of the Churches heauenly places he ascends leading captiuitie captiue and giues gifts vnto men euen to all his faithfull followers No maâ—uell now though the behold of these victorious colours do smite a coldâ—feare into them as Israels antients did appall the Kings of the Nations Nor maruel though Spains Balak fret though Romes Bâ—laam be willing to curse for if the colours of Christ his blood-shed be euer displaid for a sufficient ransome their Euphrates dries vp their Pardons may goe packe their purgatories fire is quenched and all their trumperies ouer-turned Secondly whereas shee saieth that his banner ouer her was Loue it is for that in his word preached his seuerall loues are displayed euen as in flags oft times are painted the Conquerouâ—s seuerall triumphs or instruments of victorie Daniel drawes in the Persians armes a Beare with three ribs in his mouth because of his conquest in three coasts Iudas Macabeus is said to haue in his standart these foure lines M.C.B.I. representing foure Hebrue words which are in English O Iehouah who is like to thee among the Gods Exod. 15.11 signifying thereby that none but Iehouah could deliuer in the day of battle London hath in Armes a Dagger for putting in minde that by the stab of a dagger a Maior of this cittie arrested the Traitour Iacke-Straw wherewith that disordred troupe of his was dissolued For Messiahs banner it is Loue that is in it namely his word is expressed the signes of his Loue. For in his flâ—g thou maist see a red-crosse in a white field that is the blood of Christ Iesus mâ—king the garments of our conscience white There thou maist see a crowne of thorne piercing his head for curing our senses nailes boring his hands for saluing our actions his feete smit through for sanctifying our affections water and blood issuing out of his side for washing vs wholy his body full of lashings for our sinne his face spit vpon for making vs glorious Loe his Loue the ensigne of his loue displaid ouer vs for prouoking vs to praise and faithfull obedience So farre the Narration Lect. V. THe Petition followeth in the next verse A petition I call it not because it containeth onely matter of request for Petitions to Princes seldome doe that but because her principall act in it is prayer for otherwise as the Lords praier is concluded with a reason of prayer to God For thine is the Kingdome c. so this verse containeth first matter of Request then a Reason of that request The matter supplicatorie is vttered in two branches first in saying Stay ye me with flagons then in these words Comfort me with apples the Reason of herso earnest prayer is this For I am sicke of Loue. The thing she requesteth is spirituall sustentation and strength compared with Flagons of wine and the sauour of apples How comfortable wine is to the heart and the sauour of pleasant apples to the sense such is the sense of Messiahs louesome graces to his Church The false church hath her wine of fornication and apples of idle inuentions whereafter hir idolatrons soule lufteth Vnto that idolatrous wine and windie puffing fruite this of the faithfull is opposed for as the other deriues their adulterate stuffe from Antichrists ministers termed spiritually Marchants for selling of mens soules so the true Church hath her banquet from the ministers of Christ who propine such spirituall graces for the comfortable strengthening of her soule To them she crieth Stay ye mee comfort mee for shee speakes in the plurall number because the ministers of the church are called to be pillers for supporting the weake And with the Lords spirituall delicacies are they chiefly trusted to the end they may be faithfull dispensators thereof As the wise-hearted will call for comfort at no ministers hand that is not of Christ and a Seruitour in this Banquet-house so neither will desire any other word or sacrament then her Bâ—loued Messiah hath incommended vnto them And these Ministers must also see that they deliuer no other thing to the people as did that great Steward of Iesus who thus to the Co. in thâ— saith That which I haue received of the Lord I also haue deliuered vnto you No wine will truely comfort the heart that is not of Iudahs elect vine nor any fruit reuiue the fainting soule that is not as before of this tree of life But if my iudgement may of the learned be wel taken I would with Arias Montanus turne the Hebrue according to the letter thus Vnderprop me in the Flagons comfort me in the apples that is amidst the flagons amidst the fruite for the text hath not the particle eth with but the letter Beth which fignifieth in among amidst sooner then with The sense so should be this O my Welbeloued Vouchsafe that thy ministers may cheare and strength me who am readie to faint and sound amidst this diuine banquet my senses being ouer weake to sustaine the strong odour of thy graces For as a weake person will be readie to sound in feeling the sauour of Muske and strong spicerie euen so a Neophyt or one of small experience in diuine contemplations will be quickly cast into a muse and a maze vnable to stand in their spirituall place without the assistance of Christs ministers But the sense I leaue to the Churches censure The Reason of her petition is drawne from her present sickenesse enlarged from the cause thereof namely Loue. This sickenes growing from Loue let vs consider first what Loue is It is an Affection or Motion whereby the heart is instincted with desire of some good thing after the fruition whereof it doth as it were lift vp it selfe and open the gates for receipt of that Good which to the Sonle is first propounded Of right loue I speake As for false loue more rightly lust it is in like sort stirred but by the consideration of a thing supposed good The cause of so stirring the heart is some Obiect propounded to the Sense and by the sense presented to the heart The Obiect which here so smiteth sense and delighteth her heart it is first the sight of his Loues portraicted in his Banner secondly the feeling or tasting of his banquet the varietie of his sweete graces And because her soules eye the minde could no more sustaine the glittering shine of his loue then Leahs naturall eie were enabled with stedfastnes to behold the Sunne-shine
his wayes are past finding out For if the Creature could swallow vp all the reason of the Creator God should be finite and God no God The most learned reason the most plaine and readie reason the soberest reason of God his electing reprobating or acting whatsoeuer is this God so willeth or it is because God so wil. An answer soone learned and as readily made and being put in practise it shall stay much babling and vaine iangling that destroies but the hearers As God did choose vs and freely seale vs vp in Christ the rock of our saluation before all time so in time he calls vs and comfortably speaketh vnto vs. Not entitling vs according to that we are in ourselues but as we are in him In our selues a serpentine brood but in him Doues by litle climing towards our head as doues by steps and staires do ascend the Rocke Lect. VII SHew me thy face Hauing awaked his Loue he now exhorteth to shewe her face vnto him or more neere to the hebrue shew thy countenance vnto me Quid eniim per faciem nisi fidem qua à deo cognoscimur what can we vnderstand by the face but faith seeing by it wee are knowne of God Shew me thy Faith saith GOD shew mee thy faith by workes saith man God taketh knowledge of vs face to face when we apprehend Messiah by Faith And for this cause Saint Paul teacheth iustification freely by faith seeing by that we haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 Man taketh knowledge of vs by workes and therefore Saint Iames who was but a man saith Shew me thy faith by workes The first we call internall the second externall iustification the first iustification with God the second with man If thou wouldst be iustified with man first labour thy iustification with God So did Zacheus when he said Behold Lord and so did Isaiah when standing forth with his children he cried Behold and so did the poore man in the gospel when he cried Lord I beleeue If thou canst shew thy countenance boldly to God then neuer feare the face of man And how can we shew our face to God by first being quickened in Christ and at vnion with him by faith for hee it is alone in whome the Father is well pleased Heare him shew thy face to him and he will comfortably shew vs the father for none comes to the father but by him And did we but know the benefiâ—e ensuing our standing bâ—fore his face he should not neede twise to say vnto vs Shâ—w me thy face We cannot shew our face to him but wee shall see the face of him And that which is more while we behold the Glory of Messiah with open face wee are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3.18 that is whilst by the eye of faith we contemplate Messiah we are turned not into Messiah but into his glorious Image And this conuersion not by any naturall hand but by the operation of the Lords spirit But here this question may be propounded Seeing the Elect are alwayes seene of Christ how comes it that here he craues their sight I answer He desires not her sight in regard of Election bxt of Iustification which is alone by faith as afore For though Paul was elect before time yet had he not faith but in time And that time of his iustification by faith did appeare together with the Ghospels spring-time The Church of the Gentiles had her election euer sealed vp in Christ but shee had not euer faith in Christ. He therefore here desireth his loue to shew her countenance which sometimes appeared not that is to shew the precious effect of faith which alwayes was hers in posse in regard of Gods dâ—cree but not in Esse in present habite or possession Cause me to heare thy voyce What voyce is this which he so desireth to heare Is it the voyce of blasphemie of taking God his name in vaine the voyce of vncleanenesse of haeresie of cursing No Messiah delights not in that voyce Whâ—t then is it euen that voyce which is effected in her by his owne holy spirit As the voyce of preaching his glorious workes the voice of singâ—ng Psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs But speciallie the voyce of sad-glad prayer like to the ioyous swâ—et mourning note of the Doue in the presâ—nce of her mate Sinneâ—addes â—addes this voyce but Faith glads it Sinnâ— drawes his notes downe and sin is the burden of this Song but fâ—ith in Christ carries vp the notes aloft piercing the eare of the highest With this Douelike voyce Messiah is so affected as he entreats his Church to cause him to heare her voyce quasidicat Though I should sâ—eme not to heare thee at the first or second or moe times yeâ— cease not to pray pray continually and pray feruently like to the poore widdow that stil importuned the Iudge the more we pray the more we may and the more he would like to a father who seemeth not to heare his childe because he would much heare the Child seeming to eye another thing when he will indeed not heare any other thing nor eie any other thing with delectation The reason of the one and the other followeth For thy voyce is sweet and thy countenance comely First for the voyce it must needes delight because it is sweet melodious delightsome and piercing Nor maruell seeing all such voyce is the effect of the Holy-ghost the very spirit of Messiah and there must needes be sweet and pleasant to Messiah Would the Lord haue put Dauid so much to prayer had not prayer beene sweet to the Lord Would the heauenly Father haue put his owne Sonne so much to prayer had not his prayer beene as sweet odours continually ascending And would the Holy-ghost haue taught vs Continually to pray to watch in prayer in all things to giue thanks but he knew that the Father and Son did sweetly affect prayer And as the voice of prayer so the voice of reading singing and speaking as the words of God they be all as before hath beene cleared sacrifices of sweet sauour vnto God Chrysostome hauing praised spirituall song he addeth This I speake not to the end that you should onely praise spirituall Songs but to the end you should teach your children and wiues to sing such songs not only in knitting or doing of other worke but specially at the table And of the whole Clemens Alexandrinus writes thus Vniversa eius vita speaking de homine cognit praedito est quidam celebris ac sanctus dies festus Atque ei quidem sacrificia sunt ipsae precâ—s laudes quae ante cibum fiunt scripturarum lectiones psalmi autem hymni dum cibus sumitur antequam eatur cubitum quinetiam noctu rursus orationes A man indued with knowledge his whole life is a certaine honourable and holy festiuall day His sacrifices are very prayers and
knowing it to be a tiâ—e fitter for him to fast then with the residue to feast and this was represented by the pollutions legall which made the body vncleane to the euening as also but done in part though in a greater part when the sinner is not onely put away from the sacrament of Communion but also from the prayer of Communion And this was represented vnder the Law when for certaine contagion they were expelled the hoste and were no more to conuerse with Israel till death except the Lord cleansed them And howsoeuer this excommunication be a putting forth from all communion yet it doth admit the partie some brotherly loue seeing in such estate hee is not to be counted as an enemy but admonished as a brother Though familiaritie be gaine said him yet not brotherly admonition seeing not the Spirit but the flesh was deliuered to Satan for beeing humbled and that for preseruation of the spirit in the Lords day of visitation for this power is not giuen vs for destruction but for edification Of this debarring from the Lords Table as also driuing forth and deliuerie to Satan Chrysostome is plâ—ntifull In one place how earnestly doeth he wish to know them of the assembly who the day before had bin absent from sermon and present ad iniquitatis spectacula at wicked playes To what end would he know Vt eos à sacris vestibulis arceam that I might saith he driue them forth of the Church non vt perpetuò foris maneant sed vt correcti denuò redeant not to the end they should stay without for euer but that after coâ—rection they might returne againe shewing afterwards how such dealing is oftentimes beseeming a father in his familie and a Pastor in his church In another place he exhorteth his fellow Presbyters to debarre all knowne vnworthy ones from the Lords Table and then turning as it were to one of them he thus cryeth out Quod siipsum pellere non audes mihi dicas non permittam ista fieri Animam prius tradam meam c. If thou darest not debarre the wicked tell mee for I will not suffer it I will rather lay downe my life and suffer my blood to be powred out then I wil agree to giue the Lords bodie to the vnworthie rather then I will graunt that most holy blood to any but the worthy And how zealous Ambrose was in this that his expelling of Theodosius his Emperour will stand euer for witnesse Ambrose seeing no apparance of schisme or churches harme like to ensue such expulsing a great signe that his ministerie was gracious withall he so putteth the King forth till he was willing to cleare his hands of blood by publike repentance Thinke not saith Nissenus that such segregation proceedeth of an Episcopall arrogancie Vetus est regula ecclesiae quae cepit à lege fuit confirmata in gratia This is an ancient Rule in the Church hauing his beginning from the Law and his confirmation in the Gospel The second kinde of cutting off is absolute as from all diuine communion so from humane familiaritie and all this for euer This excommunication is of the Apostle termed Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 of Mare Lord and Atha hee commeth for N. is interposed for sound sake because such a person is excommunicate to the death and left to the Lords coâ—ming who can and will take vengeaunce of them that Loue him not Such wicked-ones haue once knowen and loued Christ as Iesus their Sauiour but afterwards doe voluntarily fall away from that Loue as some Hebrews that turned backe to Indaisme and many now to meere Atheisme who doing it against the Sight and Sence they had are now held to be damned of their owne Conscience and to crucifie againe the Lord of life wherof more largely I haue written in a peculiar treatise and this kind of cutting off was represâ—nted vnder the Law by that Cherem or deuoting of things to destruction so termed in Ioshuah 7.1 and elsewhere Thus the Magistrate with his sword is to sease on the foxes the Minister also with the Word of God is to seaze on them If they cleaue like Burres to the vines we are to stay them from further euill as much as in vs is but not for dragging them away to pull the Vine downe the Church on our heads If we can loose the hold they haue we are hauing taken them to thrust them out of the vineyard that Satan who raigneth without hee may vexethem till by repentance they cease to be foxes as Nabuchad-nezzar comming to the acknowledging of the true God ceased to be a Beast Nimrod hunted and Esau hunted but the Holy-ghost hath marked both with a blacke cole as an hunting whereof they may be ashamed The Prophets hunted the Apostles hunted our ancient fathers hunted and all of them hunted the Church-foxe The same is our duetie and in dooing it it is our glorie The Magistrate and minister is now assembled in Royall honourable parliament the GOD of Heauen blesse them guide and assist them for strengthening our Vine and for hunting out all sorts of foxes the Churches and our Soueraignes aduersaries Amen Lect. X. 16 My Welbeloued is mine and I am his hee feedeth among the Lillies 17 Vntill the day breake and the shadowes flee away returnâ— c. THE Church hauing finished Messiahs speach first for calling her to obedience secondly for remoouing impediments shee now concludeth this diuine Act first with Praise secondly with Prayer The matter of Praise lyeth in this first verse Wherein is vttered the praise of Messiahs loue and feeding His loue is laid downe in the gift of himselfe to her wherby shee in the next place was made His. Hee being hers shee therewith became His. God so Loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life First the Father giues the Sonne and he is willing to be giuen for vs secondly the Father giueth vs faith as an hand to receiue his Sonne and with him eternall life So that the giuing of Christ to vs first doth constraine vs to giue our selues to him in the next place His loue causeth vs to loue We loue him because he loued vs first Yea saith our Sauiour Iohn 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And so the Apostle noteth our comprehending of Christ to grow from our being comprehended of him Philip. 3.12 Whereby it commeth to passe that wee are not onely Members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes. 5.30 but also as Saint Peter witnesseth 2. Ephes. 1.4 partakers of the diuine nature namely by qualification and vnitie with the essence it selfe God and man in Christ becomming one And thus whilst the Church praiseth Christ she preacheth her owne blessednesse giuen her by grace with Christ. After shee hath extolled his Loue shee praiseth his Feeding affirming that
purple and scarlet and fine twined linnen of broyderie vpon the twoo shoulders whereof were couched two Onix stones hauing sixe of Israels sonnes names grauen in the one and sixe in the other The Breast-plate of iudgement couched vpon the Ephod and very short it had the same stuffe as had the Ephod but coupled to with gold chaines fastned in gold rings In whose Square were couched twelue precious stones euery of these gemmes hauing engrauen one of the names of the Tribes of Israel But within this Breast-plate was put the Vrim and Thummim two things not expressed in scripture what they be nor can any Iew affirme indeed what they were Nay as onely they were of God giuen to Moses so to be inserted so is it not probable that euer any but Moses did see or know them And which is more after they were once lost and in Esraes time the Priest had them not Esr. 2.63 it neuer appeareth they were had againe The Angel bid Manoah not enquire after his name which was Secret and the scriptures concealing what Vrim and Thummim was I leaue it as a Secret The Plate for the Hie-priests miter was of pure gold tied to with a blew silke lace euen to the front of the Miter wherein according to art was grauen HOLINES TO IEHOVAH Thus was Aarons body adorned and so was his head decked all these tirings by reason of their mysterie precisely of the Lord called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bigedé Kâ—dèsh Garments of holinesse Exod. 28.2.4 garments for his consecration and yet all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shadow of good things to come namely in Christ Iesus the Hie-priest of our profession For the foure tyrings of Aaron which hee had in common with the minor-pâ—iesthood wee may behold in them the pure innocencie of Iesus more white than linnen more spiritually fine than Bâ—sse Which Righteousnesse of his imputed to his church is called Reuel 19.8 pure fine linnen and shining euen the Righteousnesse of the Saints If Salomon cast his eyes to this no maruell though he saide At all times let thy garments be white for no such occasion of triumph as to waâ—ke purely hauing the bright shining puritie of Iesus put vpon vs for that is to be cloathed with Christ as the Woman in Reuel 12. is cloathed with the Sunne More particularly the Broydered coate may represent that Iustice which he puts on as an habergeon The breeches well represent his Puritie couering the shame of our nature The Girdle of his â—oynes and reines is expounded of the Euangelicall Prophet to be Iustice and faithfulnesse The Miter cloased about below but open aboue point-wise to heauen-ward it wel might shadow that saluation which he brought from heauen for mankinde below We the Body that is saued he the Head that saueth vs. And hitherto the Apostle leadeth vs when hee wills vs to take to our selues the helmet of Saluation which is no other than our head Christ as Simeon well vrgeth when he saith Mine eyes haue seene my saluation The inferiour Priest did thus in his garments represent Christ with his graces whereby we stand and are saued But to take a little view of the other foure garnishings which were proper to the Hie-priest it shal be to survay a more plenarie shadow of all things The foure tyrings absolute to Aaron and the Greatâ—sacrificer in succession vnto him be these first the side Robe secondly the Ephod thirdly the Brestplate lastly the Golden plate For the Robe consider his heauen-blewe or hyacinth colour and what can one behold therein but glory or heauenly maiestie such as is represented to Iohn in Reuel 1.13 where our great Hie-priest standeth amidst the Churches clothed with Maiestie as with a state-garment As Iohn see him we should all see him in the spirit of our Minde namely to be clothed with Maiestie and renowne no more knowing Christ according to the flesh but according to his glorious immortalitie from the abolishment of corruption in all his mysticall members for to them it is finally appointed that dishonour corruption and immortalitie shal be put off that so they may be inuested with mortalitie vncorruption and glory For as we haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shal we beare the image of the heauenly 1. Corinthians 15 49. In the Bels and Pomegranats circuiting the skirts of this garment much may thereof be spoken and all according to the analogie of faith Whereof now onely this In the golden bells making a golden sound as Aaron went in and out not onely is represented Prayer which powerfully was offered vp of Iesus but also and that more properly Sonitus verbi the sound of the word Messiah himselfe was the Word of the Father by which Word the worlds were made But the Bels here shadow not that vncreate word but that Creature-word which our great Messiah hath sounded in the eares of his people Which word should be deare vnto vs euen as the fringe of our garment placed about our seete for directing strâ—ight steps accordingly Yea it shadow-wise preacheth that we must sound well to others for their direction also in holy duety Specially the Ministers of God must vâ—ter this golden sound Iram bene inquit Beda contra se occultiiudicis exigit si sine praeaicationis sonitu incedâ—t hee pâ—ouoketh the anger of God against him who insisteth not in the sound of preaching Nor is it sâ—fficient to pray or preach except it may be vndeâ—stood of Gods people for if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himsâ—lâ—e vnto battelâ— except â—aith the Apostle ye vâ—ter words that haue signification how shall it be vnderstood what is spoken for yee shall speake in the ayre As Christ rung this bell before vs so wee are to ring it vnto others specially that peale whereby people may take knowledge of Messiah gone into the Holy of holies euen into the very heauens to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. For the Pomeâ—granets consider their composition they were made of blew silke and purple scarlet Not to meddle with Iâ—sephus no not with some christians their elementall conceits grounded here vpon colours it is certaine that by these pomegranats a most excellent fruite is shadowed forth good workes and by these dainty colours is intimatâ—d the Beautie and comelinâ—sse of good workes It is a frequent vse of scripture to compare Mankinde to a tree and his actions to tree-fruites and as such fruitâ—s are commaunded so aâ—e they of the Holy-ghost commended for beauteous Instance it but with one particular That loue which causeth brethren to dwell together in vnitie is it not commended for Tób and Nágnim comely and amiable pâ—al 133.1 Yea good workes are the beautie of mankind Which as they abounded in Messiah so neither can be lacking in his members Was it the Leuiticall posie A Bell and a Pomeâ—granat A Bel and a Pome-granat Let it also be