her languishing after him This sicknes of loue many sweet souls labour of some that long after the worde hauing it not at home doe mourne for it and are faine to seeke els where for it If many were sick of that disease there were exceeding hope of happy health for such Some poore soules lye panting after Christ and pine for his comfort and residence in them who beeing ouercharged with the sight of their infirmities and seeing them selues so farre behind hand to some worthy persons of the saintes of God also so vnapt to duties and are so feareful of the euidence of their owne sinnes desiring to grow in holinesse and obedience that they thinke euery hower manye dayes till they haue more fully tasted of Christ But to these Christe commeth willinglye and amiablye as one that will not breake a bruised reed nor quench the the smooking flaxe Now followeth vpon this charge a a conference betweene the spouse and the maidens of Ierusalem standing in two questions with their aunswears The conference in two questions with their aunsweres to the 18. verse And secondly the fruites of this conference is noted in the 17. verse as we shal see afterward The first question First questiō verse 9. O thou fayrest among women what is thy welbeloued more then other welbeloued what is thy welbeloued more then an other louer that thou doest so charge vs. Here they of Ierusalem inquire the cause why shee maketh more account of her welbeloued then of any other and what singuler thing shee saw in him more then in other For her zeale had kindled the loue of the Godly And Solomon purposely noteth herein how the Godly seeke to edyfie one the other by religious conference When they adde That thou so chargest vs or causest vs to sweare or takest an oth of vs for so the Hebrew word importeth as else where so in the 13. Chapiter of Exodus verse 19. Where Moses sayth that Ioseph had made the Children of Israel swear that they would cary his bones with thē out of Egypt For this spéeche is of great emphasis and force binding all men by a pryuye othe to helpe forwarde and edifie one another but as I haue noted afore especially the Ministers of the woorde are bounde by a solemne and doubble Othe as it were to expresse their care this way These speeches therefore are to discribe the vehemencye of loue which shoulde bee in the Sayntes towardes Christe that they shoulde neuer bee satisfied with his loue Wee therefore shoulde be still inquiring after Christe in his Church of his Seruauntes especiallye of his ministers who shoulde bee the mouth of God vnto vs till wee encrease and come to a full and perfect age in Christe Iesus Ephe. 4. And truely it can not bee but where the heart is truelye taken vp with the loue of Christe there will bee an excéeding ioye in his word and a desire to enquire of him more and more in the same The wiseman noteth the effect of the word when it is truely resident in the heart Pro 6.22 If my word be in thy hearte it shall leade thee when thou walkest it shall watch for thee when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talk with thee Meaning that when the hearte is possessed with the word then the mind thoughts tongue and members are in some practise of it So Dauid Psa 37.31 The mouth of the righteous wil speak of wisedome and his tongue wil talk of iudgement for the loue of God is in his hart and his goings shal not slide So that the slack hearing of the word the smal longing after it the little ioy to talke of it is a token of very litle loue or none at al towards Christ and they are enemies to the Spouse which being watchmen doe not comfort her shewing her the way to Christe in his word but rather discourage hold her back But let them the truly loue Christ be euer inquiring after him cōforting one another conferring meditating praying stirring vp one another so that by these meanes as the Spouse doth here with the Godlye wee may growe on in knowledge and obedience The minister shoulde alwayes bee Catechising his people inquiring what Christ is what cause they haue to loue and make much of him aboue all other where he is how he is to be found and labour to make them pryuie to all the counsel of God as Paule did Acts. 20. and that from house to house Also th◠husband shoulde be examining and furthering his wife the wife inquyring of the husband I pray you husband sith you should be the mouth of God to me at home helpe me in knowledge let vs often pray togeather let vs read the worde and heare it comforting one an other by it The parents shoulde be trayning vp their Children to know Christ the Masters the Seruauntes For such charge is giuen in diuers places Read I pray you Deut. 4.9 6.7 and 11.19 So that we shoulde by all meanes draw other on by our example And sure it is who so euer doth not helpe to further the kingdome of Christe and the saluation of men after a sort is against him And they are vnworthy to be counted in the flocke of Christe which bestow not their care on him and labour not to gather togeather For our sluggishenesse suffereth the kingdome of God to fall when yet we are all called to further the same He that is not with me is agaynst me sayth Christe and he that gathereth not scattereth abroade Mat. 12.30 But manye which wil seem to offer curtesie to the Lorde bear him good wil in worde yet neuer mooue foote nor bestowe coste nor seeke any way to preferre Gods glory or the preaching of his Gospell neither yet to redresse sinne neither loue those vnfaynedly that feare God And truely I know not howe a man can haue any true perswasion of faith in God and true loue to his neighbour or anye comforte that hee shall perseuere to the ende when hee is not prepared in some measure to suffer with Christe euen in trouble and to further him in Peace countenauncing his Saints to the vttermoste of his power and to succour them when they are any wayes molested and afflicted And when he laboureth not to stand by the ministers of the worde in the defence and confirmation of the gospel which were the effectes and fruites which caused Paul to be so well perswaded of the Philippians Phil. 17. For whē a man steppeth backe from the defence of the gospell for feare of trouble or for losse of his credite goods estimation c. and neglecteth the seruauntes of God in their distresse not vpholding to their power their credite and good estate it is a harde signe of starting aside from God to this present worlde as Demas did I speake this by occasion of the Spouse which stirreth vp other by her zeale séeking help and furtherance of the
CERTAINE VErie worthie godly and profitable Sermons vpon the fifth Chapiter of the Songs of SOLOMON Preached by BARTIMEVS ANDREAS Minister of the word of God Published at the earnest and long request of sundrie well minded Christians ESAY 62.6.7 I haue set watchmen on thy walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease yee that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence And giue him no rest till he repayre and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the worlde 2. TIM 2.19 But the foundation of God remayneth sure and hath this zeale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas man 1583. TO THE RIGHT honorable and my very good Lorde Henrie Earle of Huntington Lorde Hastings Hungerforde Botreaux Mullens Moyles of the most honorable order of the garter Knight Lord president of the Queenes Maiesties councel established in the North parts Bartimeus Andrewes wisheth increase of all true honour and the fruition of all those blessed promises which concerne this life and the life to come Amen BEING at the last ouercome right honorable by the long and earnest request of diuers Godly and wel disposed christians to yeeld my consent to the publishing of this to homly and simple a worke I forthwith was resolued in my selfe to dedicate the first fruits of my labour in this kinde of wryting vnto your honour as to a most worthy MECOENAS and conuenient Patron both of all learning and good causes And albeit at the first blush it may seeme some what straunge vnto your honour that I should presume to present you with so simple a gift being vnworthy the view of so honorable a personage and wise Yet because I do it not as one expecting anye temporall benefite or preferment at your hand as the maner of the worlde for the most part in such matters is But as a token rather of my speciall good will and duety towards you and an argument of thankfulnesse vnto God for his graces in you as also to minister some occasion of increase and going forwarde with constancy and Heroicall spirite in so good gracious and Godly wayes as you haue turned your feete to steppe in already I perswade my selfe therefore of your facile and curteous nature and good will in accepting of the same And euen this small duety of wryting is one point of the honouring and gratifying of our betters and those to whom we stand charged from the Lorde to perfourme duties of reuerence and honour Especially when we see the Image of God by the seconde creation to shine in them as it doth breake forth in your honourable and vertuous brest by many worthy and commendable graces and vertues with the plausible approbation fame and report both of the wise and Godly I speake not this as one that would fill the trompe of flattery with the winde of vaine-glorious praise to seeme to speake for your honour to the worlde for that is not my maner sith your vertuous religious and Godlye wayes speake for them selues to your great commendation and your euerlasting praise in Christe Iesus But I speake of the worke of God in you right honorable that God might haue his iust glory in his owne worke and your selfe might also be incouraged with comfort to proceede and increase in that good course so as the worke of God which is begun might be perfited in you For sure it is my very good Lord that the enemy of mankind seeketh to beset as all men so specially those whome the Lorde beginneth to frame to him selfe but chieflyest those that are as it were ouer frayghted with the aboundaunce of the troublesome affayres of this present life by reason of their great calling For they whom God calleth to so great honour riches and dignity are as one wisely wryteth set vpon the mayne sea of occasions in daunger to bee drenched and swallowed vp of the tempestuous rages and surging waues of diuers temptations if the Lorde doe not mightely by his grace support and vnderstay them But when God standeth by them and frameth their heartes to the loue of his truth then doth he reape great honour and glory at their handes VVhich he highly priseth and reckoneth off insomuch that he hath honorably spoken of such by his Prophetes that they shoulde bring much glory to his Church Esay 49.23 60.16 and be nursing fathers and nursing mothers therevnto yea the glory of LEBANON euen of great personages shal come togeather to beautify the place of my sunctuary saith the Lorde for I will glorify the place of my feete Esay 60.13 For the seruice which such shoulde doe to his Church was not a seruile condition but a beautifying of his Church as it is there called and a glory euen vnto him selfe And vndoubtedly blessed are those Princes Nobles honourable and worshipfull who them selues imbracing and obeying the truth sincerely become presidentes and examples in their owne persons to allure others to the fellowship of the church to the loue of the worde and true religion For the fall or vprising of many after a sort dependeth vpon the publique persons whom God hath lift vp in high places ouer others Insomuch as the eyes of the multitude are bene vpon the examples of publique persons Furthermore wee see from time to time howe the Church of God not without great cause accounted highly of such personages as those by whom they receiued speciall blessings from the Lorde So the church of Israel Psal 21.6 made precious account of DAVID that worthy Prince as one that was set of God as blessings for euer Meaning as a benefite and testimony of Gods fauour vpon his people EZEKIAH NEHEMIAH Neh. 1. 2. Hag. 1.14 Ier. 40. 2. Chr. 35.25 ZERVBBABEL GEDALIAH c. were great blessings to the Church who greatly lamented the losse of thē Also IOSIAH his death was lamented with a doleful lamentation of al the church of IVDA And sure it is that our Church hath great cause to magnifie the mercies of God towards vs in trusting vs with so gracious a IOSIAH as our Soueraigne Princesse ELIZABETH as by whose gouerment the church hath receiued many blessings The losse of whome if our sinns should procure which the Lord keep far from vs would yeeld no lesse occasion for vs to complayne and say then the Churche of IVDA had Lamen 5.20 at the death of IOSIAH when they sayd Our life the breath of our nostrels the annoynted of the Lorde vvas taken in their nets of vvhome we sayd vnder his shadow vve shall be preserued aliue among the heathen Herevnto god hath added further matter of ioy and thankfulnes vnto his Churche in that many nobles worthy personages of this land both learned Godly and wise among whom your honour hath not the least roome are faythfull Patrons of the cause of
Religion And therefore if the church reuerenced highly accounted of such if the godly teachers of the church commended such and gratifyed them by wryting of some such duety as the Apostle IOHN did the elect Lady and HIEROM 2. Ioh. 1. that vertuous Lady LETA GAVDENTIA to incourage them in the truth to shew their thankfulnes for them vnto God why may not we in our times likewise gratify our noble worthy personages with some such duty to shew forth our thankfulnes and reuerence towardes them as also to minister occasion by such means as we can of further proceeding in all religious and godly wayes with zeal to aduance gods glory in his church For we should all step out for the defence and aduancement of Gods gospell glory For the true honor of al men standeth in this chiefly that they imbrace the word which is the wisdome of God sith without religion there is no true honour Therfore Prou. 8 VVisdome layeth claime to all the honor kingdom of princes Pro. 8.15.16.18 as without whom they wanted al true honor Yea she challengeth to her selfe al true wisdome councel vnderstanding strength and honour c. Also els where SOLOMON a prince of greatest honoâ—â— wisdome setteth down plainly Pro 4.8 ver 14. that they which imbrace wisdome shal haue great honor they which exalt her shal be exalted theÌ„ selues For God crowneth them with honour which honour his word But strippeth al such naked of honor renoum before him which do not honor his word Therefore the gouernours of Israel were charged to be alwayes conuersant in the booke of the law day night that they might learne to feare the lord their God Deu. 17.19 adding a great reason that by such meanes they should prouide for their own safety and for the good estate of their posteritie Verse 20. Yea it was promised to DAVID as a speciall prerogatiue that so long as hee helde the Lord to be his Father and made him his God by trusting in him and imbracing the testimonies of his word Psa 89.26 ver 28.29 that the Lorde would not fayle him but establishe his couenaunt with him yea and with his seede for euermore So that such as set their delight in the word of God carry with them store of blessinges from the Lord both for them selues and for their posterity And we see that the Lorde doth not otherwise promise to prosper the affayres of men then as they are carefull to know his will in his word Hereof it was that the Lorde promised the lyke successe vnto IOSHVA For after he had incouraged him to obey his worde Iosh 1.7 ver 8. shewing that therein stoode all true prosperity he addeth this exhortation Let not this booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is wrytten therin then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe For the Lorde knew that sith IOSHVA stood in great perill of temptation euery way by the reason of the waightynesse of his calling and dignity therefore also he sheweth that hee had greatest neede of the meanes to vnderstay himselfe and to be acquainted with the Lordes priuy Councell reuealed in his worde to direct him in all his actions So DAVID made the worde of God his Councellers Psa 119.24 without whom he woulde doe nothing For he knew that it behoueth such to imploy their honour glory estimation riches and credite as handmaydes to further Gods glory And then no doubt they are to expect greate blessinges from the Lorde with immortall prayse and euerlasting honour with Christ Iesus I doubt not therefore right honourable but all these blessinges shall be accomplished vpon you as also vpon your posterity sith you loue and imbrace the religion of the true God and the truth of his worde who will not see you want that honour that he hath promised to his most excellent Saintes And now here I present vnto your Honour this poore Tallent of myne which may it please you to accept at my hand as of one that wisheth all happynesse vnto you and yours in the Lorde humbly crauing that your fauourable wisedome would supply the wants of this thing and that this so simple a gift as it is may be accepted of you rather for my good meaning in the thing and the ende wherefore I doe it then for the vallue of the thing it selfe Doing your honour to vnderstande that you are not to expect any flourishing speeches garnished with Rhetoricall flowers and figures or any cunning sleightes of mans wisedome or paynted eloquence with affected wordes but hauing an eye to the matter and not to the maner to expect a simple and plaine handling of that which is intreated off For my desire is not to be seen in the heighth and intricate questions of mans wisedome but in the basenesse and simplycity of the Gospell that it may appeare in the power thereof Thus right honourable surceasing from adding any further wordes of discourse and remayning ready to vndergoe all lawfull duetyes towardes your honour which God any maner of wayes shall inable me to doe I humbly commit your honourable Lordship with the right honourable that vertuous Lady the Countesse your wyfe euen to our good and mercifull God who euermore preserue you and yours in al blessed safety both of body and soule be present with you gouerne and guyde you by his gratious spirite and heape vpon you all heauenly blessings and shew forth the riches of his grace vppon you that you may holde out with all constancy in his truth vnto the ende so as you glorifying him in this lyfe may be receiued vnto eternal glory and felicity with him in the lyfe to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Your honors humble to command in the Lord Bartimaeus Andrewes To the Christian Reader IT was not in vaine Christian reader that the ancient fathers of the Church worthy and Godly wryters vsed alwayes preuentions in some preface or Epistle before their workes to reclaime their writinges from suspition and reproch in so much as the Church of God neuer wanted enuious malicious and captious aduersaries who with their slaunderous tongues and dispightfull lawes sought to teare in pieces or by Zoylous vpbraydings to blemishe or by reprochfull speeches and lyspings to cancell the credite of whatsoeuer was godly wisely carefully and to good purpose penned downe by them These times yeelde occasion of no lesse suspition of like intertainment to be giuen to good thinges written for the comfort and help of the simple and ignorant especially wheÌ„ they are to proceede from so vnworthy an instrument and so vnskilfull an indictor as my selfe when the writings and workes of so famous godly men haue gone before as great torchelights or as the Sunne at noone dayes and I to come after in so
come to the light because their works are euill But it will be obiected of the contemners I loue the word the sweet things of Christes doctrine are pleasant vnto me But the preachers they are verye harshe and collericke others are too too Melancholick vrging heauinesse mourning and solitarines beeing too precise they will abide no pastime c. tell vs of pleasaunt things of wine c. Isai 30.10 Micah 2.7 Surely I aunswere them as before are not the Lord his wordes good to him that walketh vprightly but you are risen vp against the Lorde he that walketh in the spirite would prophesy of new wine he shal be a prophet for this people Thus these men wold separate the word from the ministry and preaching of it or else would haue the worde limitted by their owne affections and liking to serue their owne turne and their filthy lustes But wee speake as we are taught of God 1. Iohn 4.6 Hee that knoweth God heareth vs hee that is not of God beareth vs not Also he that despiseth the ministers of God despiseth God that sent vs As for our partes we haue the euidence of our owne conscience to stand for vs that we seeke to do nothing against the truethe but with the trueth we haue the Lorde also to witnes on the one side yea our labours and the poure of our doctrine speak for vs in the hearts of those that are conuerted nay euen the conscience of the wicked themselues do afford vs som euidence insomuch as they tremble at the worde though they spurne against it being disobedient So that we stand confidentlye perswaded in oure selues through the Lord that our ministery is the ministery of the spirit of God the sweete words of Christe Iesus euen then whē we do by thretning iudgments seek to conuert the wicked to repentaunce as also to further and increase the same already begun in the godly for we are a swéet sauour of Christ vnto God in thē which are saued and in them that perish 2. Cor. 2.15 So that they which will seeme to count of the worde in it selfe as they imagine and yet contemne it and parbreake it vp as a bitter or loathsom thing when it is preached certainly they neuer tasted in truethe of the worde but remayne deadly diseased in their soules of spirituall Hellishe and damnable agues Well after this woorthye description of her Louer the Spouse vauntingly tryumpheth saying He is wholy delectable this is my beeloued this is my loue O daughters of Ierusalem This emphaticall repetition poyntinge him oute so often is forcible to mooue those whome shee talked with to the liking and allowing of her Louer Thus shee concludeth in one worde that her loue was wholye delectable wanting nothing to comlinesse and perfection For not being able by any figures metaphors or similies to discribe him fully shee in a worde shutteth vp al that hee is altogether amiable When she calleth him her welbeloued she noteth that as her Sutor bore good will to her so she also helde him as her dereling and best beloued on whome onelye shee coulde finde in her hearte to bestowe her whole loue in calling him louer Solomon noteth that Christe loued his Churche and Spouse first so as in louing of him wee shall loue suche a one as loued vs first In this conferrence of the Spouse with them of Ierusalem Solomon woulde insinuate vnto vs howe the Faythfull should often be talking of their loue Christ Iesus confessinge his Inestimable kindnesse towardes them to allure others It is one cheefe effect or token of a true calling when a man syncerely delighteth in Wisedome to bee talking of the woorde to commende the Loue of God in Christe as Dauid saythe My mouth shall bee alwayes telling of the louinge kindenesse of the Lorde and I will also tell of thy greatnesse So also the Woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. After shee was wonne by Christes Sermon contented not her selfe to bee acquaynted with Christ her selfe alone but leauing her Water pot and other necessaryes in all haste made report of the Messiah to her Neighboures to toule on them also And certaynlye when a man is truelye called his desire is kindled to make others partakers of those ioyes of the worde which himselfe dothe feele He is also greeued and sorrowfull when hee seeth it to bee contemned of men Especiallye suche couet to acquaynte theire Wife Children Seruauntes and Neyghboures or those which haue beene partners with them in the dayes of their vanities with that Heauenlye message of life For wee shoulde bee careful that whomsoeuer wee haue offended or hurte by oure example afore or they with whome wee haue had fellowshippe in euill mighte by our meanes bee broughte to a taste of Christe that wee commending the grace of God in Christe to them might by some meanes draw them if it may bee from their vanities to Christe Saying Oh that you felte the good that I feele by the woorde for where I loued sinne before now I hate that and Christ Iesus is my loue Yea let euerye one say to other it pityeth my soule and I am couered with shame blushing to thinke how I haue before times liued in vanitie when I knew not Christ aright But now Oh happy I I see the loue of Christe towardes me in his worde and I can not but loue him againe Thus we should be reporting the good that we haue by Christe seeke to make others partners with vs. If it be a duety of one Christian to another much more shoulde ministers towle on their people the husbands their wiues the parentes their children the masters their seruants c. Then who soeuer delight not to talke of God in his worde but rather enuie the forwardnes of others it is a manifest taken that they belong not to Christe What shall we saye then of them which wil not commend Christ to their people nor draw them on but rather discourage and pull back how can they haue any true loue to Christ them selues when they are afrayde men should come too neare him Thus Solomon hath allegorically set before our eyes a description of Christe Iesus Sith then we haue presented before our eyes so honorable a state so gracious a personage so peereles a Prince so worthy a Moschel wise and rich in al pretious iewels as Solomon victorious as Dauid finally who is all in all why shoulde we not highly account of him honorably entertaine him and with all submission subiect our selues vnto him as our onely head and guid who shineth in passing beauty surpasseth in al victorious courage in princely dignity in perfect purenes his habite is most seemly his comely lookes most gracious and amiable in the eies of his saints his face wholy glorious of perfect hue sweete with heauenly perfumes odoriferous with spirituall spice and ointment his garments and attire most costly and orderly man garments of vnspotted righteousnesse and most perfect holinesse whereby he
with others would easily shew their nature against the people of God if they had oportunitie and yet they are hatched oh pitiful danger and nouâ—ished euen in the lap of the church Thus many Cankers breede in the bowels of the church heresies fonde opinions familists Brounists and such other Thus by such meanes as lamentable it is to see the graft of godlinesse and zeale is hindred And through the neglect of officers magistrates rather then laws these beastes swarme in our Church Also drunkards swearers whores adulterers proude pecockes raylers contemners of God and his word prophanations of the Sabboth and an innumerable kindes both of sinners and sinnes which ouergrow the church as a wildernesse which because magistrates doe not laboure to roote out so carefully as they ought the Lord doth strangely consume som sinners by the fire of his wrath froÌ„ heauen Which al shold be cut off by discipline or at least way bee forced to some reformation Can it be that the Lord wil trust vs any longer with a Lease of his garden we abusing him in such maner so as we greeue the Lords soul with our vnfaithfulnes and cause his soule to hate vs. Esay 1.14 Who bestoweth such cost on vs we prosper so little as hee can gather very few Lillies amongst vs he wanteth the fruit of our hearts and lippes as faith loue feare obedience charity thankesgiuing prayse inuocation hearing his word professing his name c. But some perhaps wil say why it is in as good case as we found it the same discipline laws and doctrine are stil which was in the beginning of her maiesties raign so the Lords garden and church is not impaired and it shal bee left in as good case as it was found and better then heretofore Sure the Lorde doth not plaÌ„t a vineyard let it out to stand or be kept alwaies at a stay but to bee tilled and dressed that it maye grow and prosper to bring foorth more fruite For hee requireth that men bestowe their care labour wisedome and trauail vpon it that hee maye haue it more furnished and fenced For hee tataketh payne him selfe aboute his Churche to that ende that sinne may bee suppressed and Godlinesse aduanced But the Lorde make vs truely thankfull in Christ Iesus for those beginninges and proceedinges of his church which we haue that he hath planted his worde true religion amongst vs countenancing the same his truth with the authoritye and sworde of our gratious Princesse Elizabeth as also with many worthy learned godly and noble Councellers as also other learned Patrons of his Church without whom we should find to our great misery and the spoyle of religion howe hardly the Lordes garden should be at al kept without them But our sinnes yea our contempt and neglect of the word of God and his glory doe hinder the Lorde from blessing vs with that encrease which otherwise wee mighte enioy yea our sinnes betraye the state of our Churche and lande and deserue the losse of so Princely a Deborah and other woorthye personnages wherewith our Church is inriched yea that the Lorde shoulde take away all the walles and defences of our church and land giue vs ouer to the spoile Let vs therefore if we beare any good will to our Church or Countrye labour to purge oure selues from al corruption and to repent vs of oure sinnes that we may bring foorth good fruits such as the lord may haue pleasure in that hee may haue a delight to abide among vs. For it is the sinnes of a land that causeth the Lordes wrath to smoke against the same but our land I suppose haue exceeded the old world Sodom and Gomorrha Israell Iehuda and al landes in straunge sinnes so that if in comparison Ezec. 16.51 Iudah and the inhabitants thereof iustified Sodom for that their sinnes exceeded the sinnes of the Sodomits Then we haue iustified al Nations in comparison of our sins and therefore are in daunger to al the feareful plagues that are mentioned in the booke of God vnlesse we speedely therfore repent I feare we shal tast of such iudgementes as that the stranger that shal come from a farre land Deut. 29.22 shal saye when they see the plagues of this land and the diseases therof wherwith the Lord shal smite it because it shal be fearefully destroyed except they repent Oh wherefore hath the Lorde done thus vnto this lande and ver 24. and ver 25. how feirce is this great wrath And it shal be answered because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and haue sinned againste the Lorde Let vs al then my deare brethren be humbled with Godly sorrow that may cause repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of Being offended with our selues that we haue not sooner and more earnestly inquyred after Christ praying the Lorde to beautifie his Garden and Churche of this land with such sweet flowers as he may please him selfe in vs and we may grow and prosper in al fruites of the spirit I can not finish this chapiter to daye because of time and the matter of the conclusion though in few words yet includeth very comfortable and heuenly matter which cannot in a few words be vttered I wil therfore defer it til to morrow when by Gods grace I shal finish the whole Now the Lord our good God sanctifie our hearts to conceiue the excellencye and féele the sweetnesse of the wordes of the mouth of Christ Iesus that we being our selues purged and sanctified by his word and truth may carefully labour that others with vs may truely be affected towards him that we may ioyn togeather in seeking of Christ so as in the ende finding him in his worde and Sacramentes and feeling of him by his spirite our soules and bodies may become cleane and well tilled Gardens beautified with al heaueÌ„ly fruits of his spirite as that Christ may haue pleasure to walke in vs to dwell and make his abode in vs vnto the ende and in the ende we also may be receiued with him into his heauenly Garden of eternal ioye to dwell continue and abide with him in the company of al the glorious Angels and fellowship of the heauenly saintes in the presence of God his Father for euer and euer Amen Let vs pray c. The fift Sermon or lecture YEsterday we heard beloued a part of the description of Christ concerning his spéech and swéet thing of his mouth with the excellency of his doctrine also the second question of the maydens concerning the place where he vsed with the aunswere betweene which was interlined what fruit came by this conference and how the Godly at Ierusalem were kyndled with loue to Christ by the example of the Spouse whereby she answereth to her companions making them priuy to the place of his abode shewing how the church is his Garden and that he delighteth to be conuersant there yea the soule of euerye
faithful thē selues can not cut off them selues from their owne saluation nor forfait it because it is not layde vp in them selues but in God in whose custody it is True it is we giue God cause in our selues to frustrate all his graces towardes vs But God will accomplishe his worke and finishe it in his seruaunts Neither let any Libertine hereof conclude that he will liue he careth not how because if I beleeue I am sure al my sinnes cannot loose my saluation I answere faith is neuer seuered from obedience nor from a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.5 and a pure heart which spring from faith which is careful to please God so as such haue no fayth but an opinion of fayth Neuertheles I affirm it to be true that the sinns infirmities and falles of the Saintes of God can not frustrate their saluation because God looketh not on them but in Christe Shall this therefore ad courage vnto men to sinne God forbid nay they which are truelye humbled as they know that God wil not for their sins cast them away So they dare not for their liues to sinne vpon hope though they are manye times foyled sore of their infirmities So that although I herein minister comfort to the troubled soule so I must say to those that presume vpon these great and eternal riches of Gods grace making his mercies a bawde for their sinnes certainly they are without all true loue to God and must not once looke for any comfort but be assured that as yet they are voyde of the benefite of saluation and are in a damnable and Hellishe estate For beeing without the Church in that they shew foorth no fruites of obedience to the worde c. they can not looke for saluation sith without the Church there is no saluation Without Noahs Arke was no life All perished in Iericho that were not in Rachabs house so in the Church onely is saluation without nothing but hell and damnation Euery man therefore must labour to be a member of the church of Christ yeelding obedience to the calling of God by the preaching of his word that they maye bee flocked into his folde and Church For men must know that election must not be seuered from an effectuall calling which worketh in time in the true beleeuers It is a blessednesse in deed that we are elected but if our election be not ratified by the spirite of sanctification and that we haue not good euidence of it in our owne conscience what shal it boot vs Therefore the Psalme 65.4 After they of the Church had complayned of their sinnes as le ts to their Prayers before God so as they beganne to suspect their owne estate because of sinne they conclude to the comforte of their conscience that their blessednesse stood not in them selues but in the election of God Blessed is be whom thou choosest and causest to come vnto thee So as these two are ioyned togeather namely election and calling or vocation in the passiue sense that is that God causeth his to come for none come of them selues Now therefore it is expedient that we make our election sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1.10 Yet muste we not measure our election by our good workes or the perfection of them For we see when the seruants of God suruey their hearts to gather comfort by their calling or by those graces which they haue tasted off to looke on their faith hope obedience loue towards God or their neighbours alasse when they ouerlook al their best works that they can reckon vp yet they can not haue comfort in them if they shall onely stay in them but they must from the effectes of theire calling which if they be in trueth are good euidences and argumentes of comfort looke into this originall of their happinesse Blessed is be whom thou chusest c. For this is the fountaine of blessed es vnto vs. Then in the second place we may say blessed is hee whome God causeth to come to him and he the feareth God louing and obeying his worde carefully and vnfeinedly c. Which al fruits of our calling are not causes of oure happinesse but testimonies and warrantes through the earnest of the spirite that we are happy But it may seeme somewhat nakedly affirmed of the Spouse without proofe when she professeth her selfe to be her beloueds and that her beloued is hers when she addeth no reason of it For albeit many grant that they which are truely in Christ and in the fauour of God they are happy they can not but doe wel and are of the sure grounde But here standeth the question and difficulty of the cause howe euery man may knowe that hee hath part in that vnity of Christe and how a man maye bee sure of saluation in this life To come to this point wee must first consider that that which is spoken in the scriptures concerning the saluation of the Church or elect in general with the causes effects therof is spoken also of euery member of the Church and is true in both As for example if it bee true that the Churche or Elect were loued and elected of God before the beginninges of the Worlde then this is true euerye faythfull beleeuer was elected before al times Agayne if the Churche bee called to the participation of the graces of God then euery faithful beleeuer is Also if the Churche bee holye then euery one of the Churche is also in time called to bee holy If the church be redeemed and the sinnes therof pardoned that it be sanctified iustified saued and glorified in the ende then euerye beleeuer which is of the church is redeemed his sinnes pardoned is iustified sanctified in time saued and glorified in the ende If the Church or elect in general can not perish but is permanent induring and sure of saluation then neither any one member of the church can perish nor be lost but is permanent and sure of saluation Nowe this wee must consider when I speake of the assurance of the Children of God I vnderstande not such a certantye as is not mingled at all with any doubtfulnesse For the best assured is not alwayes alyke perswaded of his saluation neyther haue all men a like feeling of the comfort and assurance of eternall health For sometime it is in the Ecclipse and the comfort of Gods fauour is intercepted from vs by the cloudes of our infirmities so as the eyes of our faith are dazeled But at sometimes at least the Children of God haue some good assuraunce of their saluation though for the most part they seeme to hang in a mammering Also othersome haue not so full a sight of it as others haue Partly because of manye corruptions in their nature which they labour not so earnestly to purge as they ought Partly also because the proportion of faith or the knowledge of God is not a like in al but some more some lesse But we shall in vayne speake of
the assuraunce of the grace of perseueraunce or certaintie of saluation vnlesse we looke vpon the head spring of Gods mercyes in Christe Iesus with the eyes of faith and sobernesse also vnlesse we haue the testimony and earnest peny of the spirite of God whereby we are sealed against the day of redemption For if any man haue not the spirite of Christ he is not his Rom. 8 verse 9. Ephes 1.13.14 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 Of the other side They that are led by the spirite they are the sonnes of God sith God hath sent foorth the spirite of his sonne into their heartes which cryeth Abba Father Which as Paule sayth in the eight of the Romans beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 if we bee children then heirs also of God and annexed heirs with Christe Hitherto agreeth that sentence of Iohn in his first epistle chapter 4.13 1. Ioh. 4.13 Hereby we knowe that wee dwel in God and God in vs in that he hath giuen vs of his spirit Yet it may be some man wil reply how shal I know that I haue the spirite of God and Christ I aunswere that by the fruites of the spirite of sanctification wee may haue good comfort and perswasion that wee haue the spirite of God Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 8. If Christ be in you the body is dead concerning sinn Rom. 8.10.11 but the spirite is life for righteousnes sake If the spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you be that raysed vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies for his spirite that dwelleâ—h in you Where the Apostle sheweth that Gods spirite worketh mortification in his saints renuing them to a new life purging dayly the corruptions of sinne and remnant of iniquity which by degrees diminish in the saints Whosoeuer therefore tasteth of true mortification and sanctification hating sinne in truth labouring to reforme the same desiring to growe in holinesse and a new life applying his heart to be gouerned by the worde in obedience though he taste of the remnauntes of sinne which wil neuer be fully purged in the saints til they are restored fully in the appearing of Christ Iesus in that person vndoubtedly the spirite of God beginneth to haue a worke and to incorporate that person into himselfe that he may be one with Christe and may put on Christ Many circumstaunces there are which time wil not suffer me to note vnto you concerning this matter But sure it is that these are generall and infallible notes which I haue mentioned whereby a man may be perswaded these being in him in trueth though vnperfect that hee shal neuer fal vtterly away labouring to shew forth the fruite of faith hope patience obedience loue to the worde towardes his brethren a care to keepe the worde beeing prepared or vnfainedly desiring to â—e prepared to be parteners with the saintes of God in affliction and in the confirmation of the Gospell â—â—m 8.17 suffering with Christ that we may also be glorified with him for these fruits caused Paule to affirme as I noted before that he was perswaded of the Phillipians that God woulde perfite that good worke that he had begun in them euen to the daye of Iesus Christe Now if this worke of perseuerance were our own we might iustly suspect that we could neuer be saued or if God hauing begun in vs should after leaue vs to our selues to finishe vp our owne saluation then wee might well doubt of lyfe But sith God which is a perfect workeman beginneth who leaueth nothing that he taketh in hand vnfinished to worke grace faith sanctification obedience loue and mortification in vs though they are not perfect and absolute in vs he can not but finish his owne worke and perfite his saints Hereof Dauid boldly confidently and comfortably insulting vpon and triumphing against all troubles and afflictions Psa 138.8 concludeth with full assurance That the Lord will performe his worke towards him Adding a reasoÌ„ because His mercies endured for euer And yet he ascribeth the worke of perseuerance vnto God ending with this suite O Lord forsake not the worke of thy handes Charging the Lorde that he was his worke in that he had framed him a new by his spirite therefore it could not stand with the Lordes mercy to cast him off Oh valiant faith in the seruant of God Thus God euer perfiteth his worke in anye one that belong vnto him but the time of his working and the mesure he reserueth to him selfe to appoint at his pleasure So that though we feele not his quickning grace when we desire it nay sometime it seemeth to be furthest off when we craue it and neede it most also though wee haue not that measure of his grace which we woulde haue yet let vs not faynt but waite on the Lorde with Patience and prayer for certainelye except the Lorde will deny him selfe I speake with reuerence of his glorious maiesty he can not but giue to him that hath â—â—th 13.12 and he shal haue aboundantly yet he can not but make an ende in his seruaunts when he hath once begun Not that God is tyed to vs at our commaundement But ipsemet sibi est necessitas He is a necessity to him selfe for his mercies are eternal But this I haue sufficiently prooued afore Yet in a worde note this that God hath tyed his power to his will and promise that whatsoeuer he willeth and promiseth in his worde hee can not chuse but doe it Whatsoeuer he hath denyed that he doth not In this sense God sayth Gen. 19.22 That be can doe nothing to Sodom before Lot was departed But to returne to the Spouse againe though shee doth not fully in this speech set downe the reasons that might perswade her of this certainty yet if we consider all the former circumstaunces of her comming on or obaying of her calling we shal finde worthye fruites which she felt in her selfe and expressed that might yeeld some argument of this certaine perswasion As this her heart lying after Christe in the beginning of her calling thogh many lets mette with her also the complayning of her vntowardnesse which bewrayed a sight of her wants Furthermore her trembling at his displeasure or fearing at his word being affectioned towardes him Finally her seeking and inquyring after him euen when daunger was her zeale in following him not onely when others forsooke her but euen when many sought to hinder and molest her Thus recouering her zeale she procured others by conferring of the excellency of Christ to be parteners with her in seeking after him Which al were worthy fruits of faith that might giue her comforte to conclude that shee was her welbeloueds Thus euery man must labour to come to some assuraunce of his future estate that we may not liue alwayes to doubt but that we may bee ready to passe in peace at our
latter daye hauing assuraunce that we shal dye happely and well yea that we may haue the eyes of faith to looke into our saluation so farre as wee maye saye with Simeon Lorde now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy worde â—uk 2.29.30 for myne eyes haue seene thy saluation Also that we may with Iob stand perswaded through saith that our redeemer lyueth and that we shall See God not with other but with these same eyes â—ob 19.25.27 In the meane time let vs labour to glorifie oure God by oure obedience fayth loue and newnesse of life that we maye shewe how we are one with Christe by this that he maye liue in vs and we maye dye so our selues that so we may in this lyfe bee sure of saluation afterwarde For what myserye is it to lyue and in the ende not to bee sure of saluation To this purpose Iohn in his first Epistle chapiter 3. verse 2. sheweth that the loue of God is great in that he hath admitted vs to be his sons after he addeth That we are euen now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shal be that is we see not now fully what glory the Lord hath layd vp for vs. But we are assured that we shal be like to the sonne of God So then the faithfull haue their comfort and assuraunce in this lyfe of obtayning life after Also Paule affirmeth vnto Timothy 2. Tim. â— That he was sure from hence forth there was layd vp for him the crowne of righteousnesse which the lord the righteous iudge should giue him at the last day And because we shoulde not make exception and saye yea Paule was a notable instrument of God I easly beléeue he might be sure of life but I am nothing to Paule c. therefore he addeth That crowne is not layd vp onely for me but for al them also that loue his comming or appearing For sure it is God hath committed vs to the custody of him that wil neuer see vs perish and he againe moste carefully committeth vs to his father Ouerlooke I pray you with all diligence that heauenly prayer of our Sauiour Iesus Christe in the 17. Chapiter of Iohn especially from the sixth verse to the ende Which is full of moste Heauenlye and wonderful comfort if the Lorde giue vs eyes and hearts to see and vnderstand it aright Christe there noteth these qualities chiefly in his saints After the fountayn of their election discouered which issueth out of the free loue of God he saith of them that they kéep his worde 2. They acknowledge all good thinges to come from God thorough Christ receiuing them thankfully as from him also they receiue his wordes and are assured that hee came from God And because he was to leaue his Disciples and to departe concerning his corporal presence hee therfore committeth them in this sort to his father saying Verse 11. I am now no more in the worlde these are in the world and I come to thee O holy father keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are This vnitie he prayeth for in al that shold after beleeue that they may be one in God and Christ as be and his Father was one O wonderfull care of so gracious a Patron In these wordes Christe sheweth that as the father and the somâ— are one so as they can not be seuered so also they which are in Christ in whome these foresayde effectes are to bee founde in trueth in some measure are one with God and Christ so as nothing can deuide nor seperate them asuÌ„der Which is a wonderful comfort to the Saints of God that their happy life and eternal being is necessarilye after a sorte ioined with the life and eternal being of God and Christe He meaneth not that the saints are so one with God as he shoulde bee hominified with man and man deified with God For this foolish and doltishe blasphemye of the Family of loue is so absurd as it were a folly to spende any speech in the confutation thereof But as the godly are in Christe and so sure of saluation so they must not loyter in hope and neglect their calling now because men are subiect to this sliding our Sauioure Christ in that 17. of Ioh. Iohn 17. ver 15. prayeth that his father woulde keepe them from euil sanctifying them in his trueth which is his worde For that is the ordinary means and instrument whereby God vpholdeth his children and we abide in him and hee in vs so long as we abide in his doctrin 2. Iohn 9. which is easily seene in this that Sathan séeketh nothing more then to weaken our fayth in the worde raysing vp so many opinions sects and heresies therefore this should stirre vs vp to watchfulnesse Thus we see the Spouse might lawfully conclude of the certaintie of her vnity and perseuerance with her husbande Yea al of vs by her example should labour to haue the like perswasion of our selues affiancing our selues also vnto Christ praying for the fruits of the spirit of adoption in vs that we being careful to keepe the word to beleeue and receiue it that being assured that Christ was sent of God a sauiour vnto vs maye imbrace him heartely with al his heauenly riches stryuing to ouerstride al lets that might hinder vs from coÌ„ming to him being zealous of his glory truth stirring vp others by our example professing his name boldly exercising all godly exercises hearing his word praying oft heartly vnto him ioyning in the company of the godly beeing humbly thankfull vnto God for his greate mercyes in Christe so as euery one of vs may be bolde in truth and feeling to say I am Christs and Christ is mine O let vs indeuour our selues my deare brethren that we may haue a liuely tast assurance of this heauenly and spirituall communion vnity coniunction society and felowship with Christ Iesus that we may stande perswaded of his eternal loue towards vs and of our owne saluation in him For alas it maketh me tremble to think what a miserable state the doubtful vnbeléeuers which labour not to haue any assuraunce of life shall come vnto Who as they neuer were in Christ nor tasted not in truth of the effects before mentioned so shall they be without christ in eternal paine banished from the presence of God of his glorious angels without the fauor of God without life it selfe But let not those be dismaied which doubting sometime yet in the middest of their doubt desire to be sure of Gods fauour for the vnbeleeuing doubters haue no suche desire in truth resting vpon the word and waiting for further grace and assurance I know our nature wil neuer make an end of replying against the certainty of our saluation because of the imperfections and infirmities of the Children of God beeing ful of distrust many times For when we consider
our estate in our selues howe wee are short of all duties vnfitte to serue our God in al true obedience finding many treasons and rebellions in our selues being ignorant in his truth also when we profite not by the word by praier neyther preuayle as we would agaynst our imperfections infirmities and corruptions then we doubt of the Lordes loue towards vs suspecting of his work in vs fearing least al our former profession be in vain and can see nothing that should giue vs comfort of the fauour of God towardes vs. Thus we suppose the loue of God and his fauour to be inconstant measuring them by our infirme and weake faith or by the scant measure of our obedience But what shoulde such a one doubt of the grace of God who seeing his wants loathing his sinnes stryuing against them louing the word vnfaynedly desiring to haue a heart to pray without hypocrisie labouring for a new life beeing angry with him selfe for sinne and that he can no more profite by the worde in knowledge true zeale humility loue patience and desiring hartely that he may neuer start from the obedience of God and his word Can it be that when the Lorde loued vs before we were ye when we were his enemies before our calling of his free mercye that he wil now loath vs leaue and forsake vs vtterly when he hath begun his owne worke in vs Could he loue vs when we were in our sinnes without remorse of conscience and can he now hate vs when we indeuour to leaue our sinnes and are vexed that we can no more grow in godlinesse and obedience Could he loue vs when we were voyde of his grace and vnsanctified and can hee abhorre vs when hee hath begun sanctification in vs by his worde and spirite shall wee measure the loue of God by our infyrmities or shall wee thinke that his loue lasteth no longer then wee stande in full obedience In deede wee must continue grounded in the trueth and Paule after the mention of the constant estate of the faythfull prayeth still for the increase of grace because wee can not bee perfecte in this earth But God who beginneth and calleth vs is faythfull The. 5.24 Thes 3.3 which will also doe it yea hee is faythfull whiche will stablishe vs and keepe vs from euill Furthermore what moued the Lord to beginne any beginning of grace in vs did not his owne free mercie and loue and the same cause also mooueth the Lorde to continue and holde out his mercies begunne to his saintes vnto the ende So Gen. 18. Gen. 18.18 God reasoneth and taketh occasion from his owne mercies to bee still mercifull vnto Abraham So that God doth not measure his mercy by our faith or obedience but by his owne loue and nature that as his loue is eternall so his mercyes haue no ende Oh dâ—uinity vnspeakable Oh infinite loue Oh gracious mercye Oh the wonderfull goodnesse constancye truth and faithfulnesse of so louing and kynde a God towardes vs poore miserable vyle wretches and crauling Wormes But as for the contemners of grace and they which herevpon shal presume of their good estate without good testimonye of the Lordes worke in them not louing his worde not hearing nor obeying the same nor beeing carefull to mortifie seuerall sinnes in them not caring but neglecting to refourme them selues and their familyes by the worde nor exercising Prayer a necessarye fruite of faith c. Let suche bee assured that the Lorde hath not begunne his woorke in them yet nor made them priuye to his eternall and free loue But they are voyde of the earnest peny of the spirite of God and in danger to be damned from the presence of God For he shall come in flaming fire â— The. 1.8.9 rendring vengeaunce to them that know not God nor obey vnto the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power This might make the contemners and neglecters of the word to tremble if their heartes were not closed vp to destruction Therefore if we want the effectes a fore say e or haue them but in a shew or in hipâ—â—â—â—sie let vs feare for the hypocrites may goe very far so as in outward apperaunce there appeareth no difference betwéen them and the children of God Let vs then beware that our harts deceiue vs not For hypocrites may confesse their sinnes and that to the seruants of God may also craue forgiuenesse desiring the prayers of the Godly but more for the escaping of the punishment of sin Exo. 10.16.17 Acts. 8.24 then the hatred of the sinne it felfe as Pharao did and Simon Magus Hypocrites may seeme to haue a great tast and ioy in the happy estate of the righteous and a desire to haue part of their felicity as Balaam Num. 23. â— 24.4.5 excelling in some gifts of knowledge yea they are forced to blesse and fauour the righteous but al this as men in a traunce 1. Kin. 21.2 27. They may repent after a sorte with Achab who yet was solde to do wickedly and as Iudas who hung himselfe For the repentance of hypocrites is not ioyned with a hatred of their sinne nor a desire of change and amendment neither yet with the hope of Gods fauour but either they are ouercharged altogether with the horror of the punishment of sinne but not of the sinne it selfe and so dispayre or else they harden their heartes agayne in their sinnes and so purpose not vnfeyned amendment of life therefore though they seeme to rerepent often yet are neuer the better But the godly as they tremble shook at the horror of the punishment of sinne so they also hate sinne it selfe desiring and longing for a new change in them selues and a through amendment panting thirsting breathing and vnfaynedly longing to taste more and more of the fauour of God Furthermore hypocrites maye striue for the defence of religion inferre scriptures for their purpose may finde fault with the ignorant and dumbe ministery maye boast them selues to be of God as Abilah did Chr. 13.4 vers 9.10 Yea they may be hot against papistry and idolatry and yet faint from the true faith in God and bee hurtfull and mercilesse towardes the saintes of God as Asâ— the king was Chr 15 9.6 16.10.2 Yea hypocrites may after a sort reuerence the ministers of God and doe good thinges whilest the preachers are with them furthering religion and countenancing after a sort good things for the time â— Chro. 24. â— 6 Mark 6.20 as Ioash did in the dayes of Iehoiada the priest And as Herod in the dayes of Iohn the Baptist And yet in the ende turne againe to idolatry and slea those that rebuke them as Ioash did 2. Chr. 24.21 Hipocrites may assemble with the saints of God to holy exercises and frequent the same as Achitophell did with Dauid Psa 55.13.14 They
desires chast vnto him not intangled with the loue of the world our owne pleasures and filthy lustes For Christ loueth not to match with the soule that is set in the loue of this worlde or where vncleannesse is resident Oh therefore I pray you let vs ioyne handes and heartes with him let vs euen this day make a new couenaunt with him yea let euery one of vs in our souls mourn lament that we haue let out our lusts thoughts affections and members to Sathan heretofore and plaied the harlots with him I say let this day be a witnesse with vs that we haue affianced our heartes vnto Christ O let me not speake or intreat in vaine it wil be your own hurt deare brethren We can except nothing againste this heauenly sutor neither in his person parentage riches loue nor in the couenaunts which he maketh with vs. He may except many thinges against vs but passing ouer al occasions he freely loued vs when we were his enemies he chose vs before we were and visited vs when we were miserable harlots and outcastes redeemed vs when we were captiued of Sathan washed vs and bathed vs in his owne precious bloud when we were grieuously defiled and desperately forlorne he trymmed vs with his owne beauty and righteousnesse when we were vglesome in our selues cloathed vs in his owne garmentes when we were naked Finally he decked vs that hee might loue his owne goods in vs and came in the time of wooing in his own fleshe pitched the field against sathan and sinne who had taken vs captiue and to whom we had giuen our selues as slaues and so as a valiant champion fought for his spouse iustled with all the powres of hell Math. 16. and shooke the foundations of it brake the yron gates thereof that they shall not preuaile against his spouse and brought vs out from thence restoring vs most wonderfully euen by his paineful death and blouddy passion Also he hath left vs pledges and pawnes of his loue and that he wil returne in his time to take vs home to his own heauēly pallace For his sacramentes are as rings and regal giftes tokens and remembraunces of his loue to bind vs to him againe who hath so dearely redeemed and purchased vs by a costly and bloody price so as he hath left worthy remembrances of his valiant acts and noble exploites yea his Royal Stratagemes and princely pollicies and skilfulnesse to shift off all the fiery dartes of the aduersary haue easely bewrayed them selues who in that spiritual battaile hath foyled nay cleane destroyed and triumphed ouer al his and our enemies hauing gotten a ful conquest and victory for his church and spouse Thus this noble and ventrous Knight hath dearely purchased a Spouse to him selfe O wonderful loue O mercy vnspeakable O inuincible courage of an Heroicall spirite But ah alas our wilful and damnable frowardnesse that yeeldeth not to this heauenly and louing Sutor If this wil not mooue vs what wil moue vs If this causeth not our heartes to melt nothing can Oh stony heartes harder then the flint that are not broken at this and colder then the stone Chalazias which the fier can not heat if this kindle not feruent loue in our heartes againe vnto Christ For who can deny loue to such a stedfast louer or can say nay to such a paineful Sutor Now therefore if there be anie Bowels of loue in vs deare Christians let vs bee mooued at this and sith he tooke such payne to winne vs most vyle and vnworthy of his loue what if it coste vs oure pleasures commodities our credite our friends yea or our lyfe it selfe to followe him Let vs not strayne courtesie at these thinges to loose so incomparable a Iewel It may be here wil be reply made the I spend many wordes in vaine sith no man denieth this suite but all men plaucibly entertaine Christ and come to the banquet of his word and Sacraments c. The worldly couetous man running headlong after his profites maketh great account of Christ that he shal stande him in steed the meere ciuill men also haue this hope they here his worde sometime at their leasure they looke for saluation in Christ onely and so they diet them selues with Christ thinking they make merrie with him So the adulterers murtherers deceiuers iesters swearers lyers railers contemners drunkerds proud men belly Gods Epicures Athists and such others they are content to aforde Christe a roome in their mouths and many admit of his word to lye on their deskes and scattered in their parlours desiring to be married and ioyned vnto him hoping to haue life with him So that there is no man but wil bid Christ welcome if it please him to math with them But I aunswere al that talke of Christe all that kisse him al that smile on him al that bid him welcome and wold haue a good tourne at his handes are not Christes For so long as we remaine worldlinges couetous méer ciuil men adulterers murtherers deceiuers iesters swearers liers raylers contemners drunkerds proud men belly Gods epicures Athists c. 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Ephe. 5.5 Gal. 5.19.20 We haue no inheritaunce in the kingdome of God and Christ And therfore nothing to do with him For what agreement hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse What concord hath Christ with Belial 2. Cor. 6.14.15 Or the beleeuer with the infidel c We must therfore flie from at appearaunce of euil If we wil haue felowship with Christ Iesus For so long as we are companions with euill men delighting in their cōpany suffering euil vnrebuked in others or nourishing euil in our selues we haue not truely yeelded vnto this suite Be not therefore companions with such Ephe. 5.6 vers 11. yea haue nothing to doe with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but euen reprooue them rather Let no man therefore deceaue him selfe with vayne hope and speeches for for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vppon the Children of disobedience Ephe. 5.6 Let vs then haue fellowship with Christe Iesus eating and drinking of his heauenly banquets and making merry with him that we may ioy in the strength of our saluation This we see two of the reasons which Solomon vseth both as arguments of perswasion and also as part of the suite which Christe maketh to his Spouse Now in this 2. verse before Solomon doth not set downe any more reasons or go on forward in the suite he interlaceth one circumstance of the lets which hindred the spouse in her comming on For I wil not precisely draw euery circumstance to his owne proper place in the diuision made but note them as the text most fitly giueth occasion and yet not altogether confusedly nor improper to the diuision it selfe which I set down before I sleepe saith she but my heart waketh c. As if she should say These amorous speeches and friendly offers of my loue do much
affect me so as I am forced to listen but yet as a far off as one in a dreame or drouzie hauing mine eyes heauy but my faith is not vtterly extinguished for that my heart is pricked and mooued at him but I am so fettred with the things of this life and my corrupt nature lingereth about these earthly vanities so that I am as in a sléepe and slumber when my loue speaketh For the spouse complayneth of her vntowardnes finding fault with her selfe and accusing her selfe of her flacknes Solomon therfore here in the person of the spouse discouereth the estate of the faithful noting how hardly they are throughly brought on vnto Christe and how long it is or euer we yéelde to his suite so as he hath much a do to get any aduauntage at our heartes they are so inuironed with the loue of the thinges of this life For the worlde holdeth her owne in vs so long as it can and we naturally wedded therevnto securely sléeping in the inticing deceiuable pleasures therof do suffer the vanities of this life to seke too too deeply into our bowels for horor promotions dignities titles credite riches possessions and the company of those that we haue pleasured in before our calling doe make sore assaults vpon men that the lord cannot easily vndermind them a long tyme. And what is the reason that men sleepe in these earthly pleasures and profites euen then when their heartes are by many priuie motions of the spirite affectioned or moued towards Christ after a sort Or why are men so hindred from yeelding wholy vnto christ by these transitory things For sooth because Sathan abuseth the lawfull thinges of this life to poyson man withall For vnder the title of lawfulnes sathan beguileth and bewitcheth the heartes of men to breake foorth into al intemperate vse of profites and pleasures as thus to eate drinke to bye sell to exchaunge to labour in a trade to marry to prouide necessaries of this life to be in honor to be rich to vse profits and pleasures to weare apparell and such like are thinges in themselues lawful now sathan inueigleeh men closely rounding them in the eare perswadeth them that sith they are lawful men may vse them at their pleasure and satisfy their destres in thē to the full thus he stealeth the greatest part of mens heartes to the world crouding vp the Lord but in a corner of their heartes yea thrusteth him altogeather out sometimes taking their pennyworthos of the worlde but letting the Lorde and his kingdome fal to the ground Howbeit Christe teacheth vs to take another course Math. 6.33 First to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then all other things shall be cast vnto vs. Also Paul teacheth vs to vse these thinges as though we vsed them not hauing our affections remoued and freed from them least they become incombrances to fetter and cloy vs that we fayle in heauenly duties Lo then how the saints of God also are many times holden a loufe from following of Christ and listening to the voyce of his worde euen then when their heartes linger after him Thus haue they lets in them selues and vntowardnes to keep them from a choerful following of Christ But we must valiantly striue against these lets and ouerstryde al stumbling blocks to hasten towards him whom we loue For we shal be sure to be holden backe ynough yea euen our selues finde delaies to driue off the time in following our God calling vs. For the pleasures and profites of this life do so ceaze vppon our affections to take them vp into the seruice of the world sathan and sinne that we haue smal lust to serue God as is required Any of all the saintes of God can easely testifie with me that euen when Christ hath by the preaching of his worde somewhat drawne our heartes towardes him yet we make stay at euery smal let vnlesse we are marueilous watchful ouer our selues For how hath the Lorde made suite to vs and presented it to our heartes by many priuy motions of his spirite which we quench againe sometimes hauing our heartes possessed againe with filthy lusts We make many beginninges and commings on But alas if sathan make neuer so little suit to vs in the behalfe of our own lustes pleasures or profits how soone are we a sleepe at Christes suit but marueilous waking vnto the suit of Sathan though sometime the heart goeth against it Some are loath to be weaned from their vaine companie when they haue yet some lingring in their hearts after Christe Some haue much a doe to renounce speciall sinnes that haue deepely rooted and strongly ruled in their nature afore their calling Othersome loath to yeelde vp their pleasures gaminges profites riches estimation honor promotions c. I meane not that they shoulde vtterly cast off their honor or calling but renounce the ouermuch loue of thē which holdeth them frō following of God sincerely or furthering of religiō carefully Othersome are holden a sléep in the cares of this life some ouercharged with the troubles of a family and crosse thinges in their housholde become drowzie and slacke to listen vnto Christe so as many step backe againe If God cal some ruffian or famous wicked man or one that hath beene a companion of vaine persons then this commeth into his head if I take this course and follow the hearing of his word and keepe company with the Godly sure the worlde wil point me out I shall be laughed at of my companions and so shall become a signe to nod the head at amongst men Thus shame disputeth with many men when God beginneth to turne their heartes and to worke in them a disliking of their former life so as men aunsweare their inward calling but as men in a sleepe and halfe amazed til God worke further in them Also when God beginneth to frame the heart of some honorable or worshipful man to the obedience of his Gospel to here it and preferre the preaching of it then these replies are made of the worlde which hold them in a slumber for the time Syr say they you shall loose your estimation in the court and among the great men you shall not be so regarded as you haue beene such grauitie and melancholike passions of sadnes as the Gospell bringeth beseemeth not your honorable and worshipful estate These are the engines of sathan yea these are his charmes wherby he laboureth to lull euen the Godly a sleepe that they might not cheerfully waight vppon their calling But the saints of God though in their beginninges these thinges may somewhat weigh with them for a time yet certainely if their heartes doe truely lye after Christe they striue exceedingly with them selues by prayer vnto God till they haue gotten the mastery in these things My selfe most miserable and wretched man that I am haue had good experience of the daungerous pulbackes and lets which lye hid in our nature to lull men a
sleepe and make them drouzie For when my heart in the beginning of my calling began to yeelde towards the Lord and to be somewhat wakened then the pleasures of sinnes past the shame of reproches which I saw to be vttered of the world against the Godly the basenes of the Gospell the daungers of trials in the professing of christ Iesus the glittering and deceiuable pleasures of this life the holding of friendship with the worlde and worldly friends but especially the manifolde daungers and intollerable waightines of this high calling of the preaching of the word to deale with it purely and sincerely as in the sight of God from God through Christ these thinges helde tacke with me a long time and a thousand other thinges amazed me so as I aunsweared my calling at the first but as one a stammed or in a sleepe or dreame Let euery man therefore among you in good earnest deale with his owne heart for it is full of deceitfulnesse Euery moouing of the hearte and hopping for ioye after Christ is not a right moouing For so he that receiued the seede with ioye Math. 13.20 might haue beene in Christ who yet vannished againe Thou mayest thinke that thy heart is maruailous affectioned after Christe and that thou ioyest in him when as thy affection truely tryed is altogeather carnal and filthy Yea many no doubt perswade them selues that they haue Christ sure in their heartes that they are in his fauour that they are euen hugged in his armes and that they shall bee saued by him as well as the best which yet neuer so much as truely knew Christ nor tasted of him and are furthest off from being saued by him A man would think beloued that there could not be any such deceitfulnsse in mans hearte that when they are most sure they should be most deceiued The reason is because they perswade themselues to be of Christ if they do but speak of him though the fruictes and effectes of Christs residence are not to be seen in them For when Christ truely taketh possession of men occupieth the roome of their harts there his death is strōg to expell Sathan the worlde sinne euil thoughtes yea to destroy and pull downe sathans kingdome Also his resurrection is not idle in his saints but sanctifieth the heart thoughts minde will affections and vnderstanding yea reformeth the whole man within and without that he is chaunged and becommeth a new creature his words lookes gestures and all his members bewray a holy and spiritual chaunge which although it be not wrought all at once but by degrees yet men must not loyter and flacke their pace to aspire to perfection I haue marked by experience within these fewe yeares that many whom the Lord hath called to the loue of his Gospell from their former euil and ciuill life that they haue bene very diligent and painefull in hearing the worde at the first neglecting their callings and trades yea more then was expedient sometimes yet after a while when they had somewhat waded in the worde that they haue come to some knowledge or some other gift haue againe much neglected the worde prayer and other holy exercises both in publick and also in their priuate families and so againe somewhat sleeping in their pleasures and profites Thus men sleepe and are easly drawne to it but let them take héed that their hearts sleepe not It standeth Christians in hand to looke to them selues sith they haue so daungerous a nature and deceauable as also so hurtful enemies of Sathan and the world Many a man and woman when God calleth them and their hearts begin to ayme after the Lorde and they are forced to acknowledge the power of his word and to condemne and find fault with their corruptions yet they sleepe One deferreth of the Lord with this excuse Oh I haue a trade and I must follow it I could find in my hart to heare the worde and to doe as other do but I must liue and I please God as wel sayth another in my trade c. as in going to Sermons Here is a sleepe that falleth vpon men that they might not wake at the Lords call and suit Why God promiseth not to blesse any man in his calling though he prospereth the contemners to their condemnation somtime to make them inexcusable vnlesse they are carefull to obey his word and wil. And it is a greater worke to worship God and to heare his worde is a part of his worship then to labour in our trade I bind no man from following his calling but to bee diligent in it yet so that the Lorde haue his part at our handes and that wee serue not oure owne turnes and the worlds and so neglect the Lordes worship yea and our owne saluation which is brought vnto vs by the preaching of the gospell Others there are whose heartes somewhat melt at the word praier and good things would fain haue part in thē but eyther some seueral sinnes which they do not thoroughly set them selues against and vse means to mortify but they breake forth at euery occasion so as they are a sléep againe and yet the heart may haue some waking after Christ These do hinder them make their heart almost a sléep and faint vnto any duties or els wanting the means to stir them vp being of themselues lubbrish to seek the means hauing their minds too much occupied in the world or els shame deteining them or feare of laws taking holde of them of the wicked spying them out c. they neglect all good meanes that may do them good Thus euery man may complain and say I am asleepe but few see the daunger of their sleepe and so labor to stirre vp themselues from sleep as the spouse doth here but it is to be feared that many men are a sleepe euen in their hearts which hope better of themselues and that is a dangerous sleepe Awake therfore truely out of sleeep and sinne not Let vs therfore good christians in the loue of Christ Iesus and of our own soules searche and suruey all the corners of our harts that there lie hid nothing in vs that may holde vs back frō following of Christ yea let euery one of vs say here Lord we are at hād to wait vpon thée our souls body doth delight in the liuing God That we may thus shake of al sleepy drowzy worldly cares affections and watch to wayt vpon the Lordes call that we may be ready willingly at a beck to imbrace him heartely in our soules which grace God graunt vs. Amen Thus we see in this circumstance of the lets that is interlaced here in a word what lets are with in vs which make our hearts heauy to looke vp to Christ Iesus Yet we must note that the spouse laboured to waken herself and giueth not place to sleeping but museth and calleth to minde her louers voyce making suit to be intertained Oh sayth shee This is
the voyce of my beloued knocking c. We should thus learne to rouze vp our selues from worldly sleepes by musing of that which we haue heard out of the word and when sathan would bring vs a sléep in these sweete pleasures of this life and profites we shoulde thus make vse of this doctrine and reply vpon all temptations saying Oh I heare the voice of my beloued Christ Iesus by the preaching of his worde calling out vpon me that I should beware of such sleepes I may not be wooed from him In euery tentation a man maye make vse of this reply Let not sathan or sinne or the world so soone whisper in our ears to allure vs to any vncleannes but let vs straight way answere Oh I heare the voice of Christe calling me another way I must waight vppon him and obey his word c. But I cannot go forward with this matter any further at this time because the time cutteth me off you shal heare the rest of the suite and reasons in the after noone by the grace of God And the Lord our God giue vs al the true vse of this doctrin that we may make gaine of it in our hearts to the Lord so as these reasons of our heauenly suter Christe Iesus may mooue vs in truth that we seeing his greate riches and spirituall treasures with the eyes of faith and also hauing the offer of them made vnto vs by the preaching of his word may cast off al lets and incumbraÌ„ces what so euer and willingly imbrace Christ with all his riches that we may communicate with him and may be fruitfull in all obedience towardes him all our life Which grace God graunt for Iesus Christe his sake both to vs and to all Nations and his whole church c. Amen To the which Christ with the Father and the holye Ghost be all honor glory maiesty dominion and power now and for euer Amen Let vs pray c. The second Sermon After Prayer as is before mentioned following thus IN the former part of this day beloued in the Lorde we haue hearde of two reasons which were vsed of the husband to mooue his spouse to participate with him in his riches and to imbrace him The one drawne from his excellent dignitie and eternall riches and possessions which he had already receiued The other taken of his kindnesse and liberall offers to participate the same his riches to his Spouse which as I sayde included in it a part of the suite it selfe Also we haue hearde of one circumstaunce of the second part of the chapiter concerning the maner of the spouses comming on and namely of the lets in her selfe which somewhat tyed her at the firste Yet so as she stirreth vp her selfe notwithstanding with the meditation of the suite and voyce of her husband or sutor All these circumstances with the vse of them we haue already handled Now it followeth in the 2. verse wherein the suit is stil continued Open vnto me my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled c. This second suite as it were is noted by Solomon to be mentioned by the spouse her selfe making report of the exceding loue of her sutor Christ Iesus who spak to her so amiably gratiously honorably ye so carefully as he was loath for her owne good to lose his labor Therfore christ is brought in as one renuing his suite again again and continuing it as hee doth euen to this day by the preachers of his word Yea he hath long come a wooing vnto vs. Wherefore I pray you my brethren let him now come a speeding open your heartes vnto him enlarge your bowels towardes him imbrace and hugge him thorough faith yea set your whole loue on him The like speeche of knocking and opening we haue in other places as namely in the 3. chapter of the Reuelation verse 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I wil come in vnto him and wil sup with him c. Which speeches import the Christ is alwayes calling vpon meÌ„ and vouchsafeth to come to them by the preaching of his word crauing entertainment God â—â—ocketh diuers wayes Yea he knocketh aloud at euery mans hearte and that sundry wayes First by his word First by his word as by an ordinary meanes to awaken men And howe long hath the Lorde continued knocking to vs by his word And yet alas few open vnto him None can deny but the Lordes voyce hath shaken euen the foundation of their heartes ye euen the most vngodly ones though they refuse to heare the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely So he knocked earely and late to the people of Israel by his Prophetes but because they refused to heare his voice the Lord forsooke them gaue them ouer in the end to be a dispersed people Secondly Secondly by his spirite the lord knocketh by his spirit for meÌ„ caÌ„not deny but many instincts motions of Gods spirite haue knocked at their heartes though they haue rebounded again men haue queÌ„ched the spirit so as the Lord hath punished them with the spirite of slumber that they shoulde haue eares to heare and should not vnderstand eyes to see and not perceiue hearts to know should not beleeue least they shold be conuerted I should heal them saith Christ Math. 13.15 Thirdly Thirdly by his iudgementes Christ knocketh by his iudgements works by signes in the heauens aboue tokens in th earth beneath The constellations of the heauens threaten strange alterations exchaÌ„ges great calamities the strange wonders haue their lowd voices as vntimely thuÌ„ders fiery appearances vnknown commets Also beneath vniuersal earthquaks practised conspiracies reports of warrs the Romish Antichrist seeking to subuert the trueth dangers at home daÌ„gers abroad Which al are forewarnings knocking 's for our good to waken vs cause vs to trim vp our selues for our bridegroms comming to entertaine him in our hearts here below that we may be entertained with him at his comming into the heaueÌ„s Fourthly Fourthly by his mercies he knocketh by his mercies benefits as a most gentle and friendly knocking so that the heauens the earth sonne moone starres foules beasts fishes fruits the daily kindnes of God are arguments of his suite to mooue vs to open vnto Christ But of al these the knocking of his word is vehement and mighty for our good if wee can sée it or had hearts to open vnto it Open vnto me c. When such speeches exhortatioÌ„s ar vsed in the scripture that is not left to the power wil of maÌ„ to open as els where 2. Tim. 2.21 If any man purge him self froÌ„ these he shal be a vessel of the Lorde vnto honor sanctified and prepared to euery good worke So Heb. 4.7 To day if you wil hear his voice c. Also Io. 3.3 He that hath this hope in himselfe purgeth himselfe euen
welcome See then I pray you this suite and calling of Christe desiring vs to open vnto him and to giue him entertainement in our heartes which friendly offer of his to vouchsafe to abase him selfe to dwell in our sinneful bodyes and soules should me thinkes greatly mooue vs sith it is not for his owne benefite but for our eternall good But let vs now go on to consider the other two reasons which are set downe after his suite For the calling of Christe or his suite to his Church is interplaced betweene the foure reasons which I noted before The 3. reason My sister my loue my Doue my vndefiled These titles and all those before named as Spouse Friendes beloued c. they include in them selues a nother reason to mooue the Spouse with all drawne from the loue of Christe in making choyce of the faithfull to bee as his Wyfe and Spouse As if he shoulde saie sith I haue vouchsafed to cast my loue vpon you and to choose you for my Wyfe and haue reckoned of you as of my dearest friendes hauing sanctified you to my selfe thinke it not much to graunt me this curtisie againe to open vnto me and entertaine my person submitting your selues to my good will and pleasure which can not but wishe your good and welfare euen as myne owne This is the reason why hee vseth suche titles of loue to bewray what good will hee beareth to the faythful and therefore adorneth thē with these Epithets The title of Sister noteth the spiritual kindred which we haue with Christ as him selfe calleth the beléeuers which do the wil of his heauenly father Mat. 12.50 His mother sister brother This shoulde be a maruailous meane to mooue vs to loue him againe sith he vouchsafeth such friendly and familiar names to vs which are of our selues meere harlots and of kin to Sathan But they are all borrowed titles of Christ and special prerogatiues to the faithful Especially this that he intiteleth vs his Spouse and Loue as also Iohn calleth the Church the Bryde Ioh. 3.29 Also Paule Ephes 5.28.32 calleth the Church the wife and spouse of Christ The title of Doue as it is a word of loue so it doth not vnfitly note vnto vs the innocencye simplicity comelines and chastity which should be in the saints As we find also that the Gentiles which should flock to the Church vnder the Gospel Esay 60.8 are compared to Doues which flocke to their windowes Christ also teacheth his Disciples to be innocent as Doues The title of Friendes and beloued is the same which he gaue to his Disciples to be his friendes for so by imputation hee accounteth vs which before were his enemies Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.21 My vndefiled or perfect one This title is wholy borrowed from Christ as the other in whom we that are filthy and loathsome in our selues are yet in him purged from all vnclennes as Ephe. 5.26.27 He hath sanctified cleansed his Church by the washing of water through the worde that he might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church not hauing spotte or wrinckle but that it should be holy and without blame Thus he amiably inticeth and allureth vs to tast of his spirituall graces which he hath brought from heauen indignifiing vs with honorable and gratious titles in Christe not that we are such of our selues but Christ by imputation applieth that vnto vs which is not ours but his owne proper imputeth that vnto him selfe for our cause which is not his owne but ours namely sin so that by imputation Christe was counted and made sinn for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 Yea in the similitude of sinful fleshe and for sin he hath condemned sin in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Rom. 8.3.4 So then Christe hath giuen sinne the foyl and bounde Sathan to the good abearing that there is no condemnation to those which are in Christe Iesus but they stand as pure holy and vndefiled in Christ Iesus before God his father which before were most vile and filthy in themselues This is the happy benefite which we haue by Christe to be flocked into the heauenly society of our spirituall husband which were without Christe before and aliants from the common weal of Israel strangers from the couenaunt of promise and were without hope and without God in the worlde Ephe. 2.12 Then sith now wee are made one with Christe and he hath chosen vs to be his Spouse and wife making so high account of vs preferring and commending vs with so honorable and gratious titles let vs labour to bee ioined with him imbracing him and solacing our selues in his loue repenting vs of our former liues howsoeuer Aungel-like they haue seemed to be in the eies of men and let vs become his friends in deed and of kinne to him that we may re-resemble his Image in all holinesse purenesse innocencye and righteousnesse that wee may prooue to the comforte of our owne consciences by an inwarde and effectuall feeling of his grace in vs that wee are in deede his loue Syster Spouse and vndefiled which thing euerye man muste labour to seale vp to his owne conscience The 4. reason Nowe followeth the fourth and last reason of his suite drawne from his patience and long suffering that hee hath taryed long for vs and ventred himselfe to manye hurtes hauing vndergone manye discommodities and refused no laboure to pleasure vs and obteine our loue For sayth hee my heade is full of dewe and my lockes with the droppes of the night It is a metaphoriall or borrowed speeche from such as watch long and that in the night season noting the long sufferance and patience of Christ Iesus towardes his Church that had so long wayted for an answeare and borne so many discommodities As if he shoulde say O my Spouse or you people to whom I speake by the ministery of my worde euen as hee which watcheth many nights bare headded is bedewed with the myst of the nightes and not with the dewe of the morning so I haue long wayted to be receiued and imbraced of you in my word I haue sustayned infinite daungers and paineful labors to pleasure you but you haue foorded me off from time to time that I am as one weary fainting and discouraged therfore open vnto me least I depart and cast you off A maruailous speech but we must take vse of it to our selues For hath not Christe made intreatie vnto vs and tarryed for vs not one night or many but euen whole yeares he hath continued his suite without intermission to vs in this lande and hath beene a Sutor this 24. yeares by the preaching of his word And yet alas poore Christe he may stande and starue abroade for any entertainment he hath with the most Can we heare that Christ tooke such great paine for vs as
vnfitnesse to heauenly thinges as also the hardnesse of repentaunce that so we may bee humbled and forced to seeke vnto God to obtaine grace to grow vnto perfection and to be thankful to God for his owne worke in vs. Partly also that we should not lift vp our selues to contemne the smal beginninges in our brethren but labour to drawe them on sith we haue found it hard in our selues So that the difficulty of the thing would stir vs vp to vse the meanes the more carefully to increase As the hearing of the word exercising our selues in it with cōtinual earnest praier This answere of the the spouse the former sléeping she cōplained of in her selfe bewrayeth our vntowardnes that wrangle with the Lorde a long time before we yéeld and haue many out Lanes to turne a side from him If therefore men will prooue themselues to belong to Christe though they feele many lets in them selues yet that shall not excuse them but they must labour against all lets and indeuour to resemble the Image of Christ Iesus in righteousnesse and holines hating sinne in them selues and in others no more intangle themselus in the pleasures of sinne But they féel the power of Christes death as I sayd before mortifiyng in them the corruptions of their nature Gal. 5.24 wherby they crucify the flesh with the lusts and desires therof And so are changed within and without in their heartes and in their maners and become holy euen as God which hath called them is holy 1. Pet. 1.15 But me thinkes I heare some reply yea taught euen now that the faithfull come very hardly on and now ye looke for great thinges at our handes and exact very precisely a great chaunge Men are but men and we can doe no more then we can do and as God will giue grace and euery man can not be a like neither can euery man shewe that which is in him nor handle his tongue but we hope to doe as well as the proudest professor of them all And a thousand such sleightes men haue to deceiue them selues and to deny christ in effect These are goodly shiftes that shal neuer stand for payment Men are but men say they I answere so long as they are but men they are not in Christ they must be more thē natural men 1. Cor. 6.11 for such know not the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 They muste bee sanctified and cleansed by Gods spirit from their corruptions for fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God but must be chaunged 1. Cor. 15.50 And where they say men can do no more then they can do and God requireth no more I aunswere God requireth more then we can doe of our selues for we haue nothing as of our selues no not to think a good thought but God worketh in his both to wil and to doe of his owne good pleasure Now God requireth holinesse faith obedience c. Phil. 2.13 which we can not doe therfore he requireth more of vs then we can doe of our selues that we by his grace may be inabled to do that which of our selues we can not do When they adde as God will giue grace they seeme to charge the Lorde priuely of iniustice and cleare them selues as faultles if they perishe for want of grace and so would blasphemously arraigne the Lord as gilty of their perishing When they see not miserable men as they are that the cause is in them selues that God with holdeth his graces from them And further how shoulde the Lorde giue grace to them which despise his word and the ministery thereof Whereby the Lorde conuayeth the graces of his spirite into the hearts of his Children and increaseth the same graces by the same meanes And yet despising grace offered like desperate and brainelesse men will blame the Lorde as cause why they want grace Oh say they euery man can not be a like nor shewe that which is in them but hope to doe as as wel as the greatest professor of thē all c. Here they think they haue stroken dead al the professors at once and haue quitted them selues like men but though all haue not graces a like yet all must striue by like meanes to come to grace and perfection by diligent hearing reading and musing of the worde by Prayer and vse of the Sacramentes and such like to grow on in holinesse But these poore wretches are neuer aunsweared but seeke euen to lull them selues yea and that their heartes a sleep that they might not heare the voyce of Christe speaking by his Ministers But let vs my deare brethren cast off al delaies and not be sluggish as they which are loath to rise to open vnto Christe But willingly leape out of our beds and renounce all worldly cares pleasures profites friendes and such other hinderances as the spouse is taught psa 45.10 That we may hasten to Christe for our liues that we may be imbraced of him which grace he grant vs. It followeth verse 4. My beloued put in his hande at the hole of the doore and my inwarde partes were moued towardes him or groned after him or were troubled for him as the same Hebrewe wordes import in Ieremy Chapiter 31.20 These speeches of the gestures of loue are not to be carnally vnderstoode but they note that Christe whome Solomon as you haue hearde presenteth to vs in the person of a Sutor vseth all tokens of spirituall iestures and shewes of loue that may be to allure his Spouse to loue him againe Not that Christe commeth downe in his owne person now to intice men to his loue But as I haue sayde he presenteth him selfe to bée seene of vs in his Gospell as in a glasse 2. Cor. 3.18 where hee appeareth in the glory of his father vnto vs. For by his worde he putteth in his hand as it were at the dore of our harts vseth his faithfull Ministers as soliciters of his cause to his Churche and faithfull who feele in deed the hand power of Christ in his worde by preaching so as they are rauished and inamored vpon him In deed some take the putting in of the hand for smiting and afflicting his Church and so trāslate the worde following And my bowels trembled at him So the sense after their meaning is that the Church beeing slacke and slow to grow in faith and obedience was afflicted rebuked and corrected of Christ whereby she was terrified and forced with feare to regarde more earnestly the call of Christ Iesus And indeed true it is that the lord calling his saintes and they being very slow of thē selues he vseth whyps and corrections to spurre them forwarde of his greate loue and we are often made more quicke and ready to obey our calling when the Lord some way afflicteth vs. For our nature is so vntamed so proud so lofty sturdy and rebellious that the Lord is faine to ioyne with his word many crosses and trials
either of sicknesse pouerty reproch losse of friends losse of goods crosses in wise in Children in families in affaires hauing enemies stirred vp againste vs and such like that his worde and admonitions might sincke the more deepely into our heartes Which fruite Dauid felt by afflictions when he sayd Before I was afflicted I went wrong but nowe I keepe thy word Psal 119.67 So then the Lorde is fayne to vrge vs to obey often times Furthermore some sinnes which wee see not a long time in oure selues by the worde yet thorough our owne blindenesse the Lorde by some rod traceth out in vs and haleth vs foorth before his iudgement seat causing vs to bring in euidence againste our selues that conuicted in our owne conscience at the bar of his iudgement seat we might confesse our selues and humbly sue for pardon And this fruit we haue not simply by the affliction it self in so much as the wicked also are afflicted oftentimes and yet profit not by it but being taught the vse of it by the word the doctrine of the word sincketh the deeper when some triall is annexed as the souls that are truly humbled can beare good witnesse with me by their owne experience but if wee are still blockish and sullen that wee murmure and bristle vp oure affections against Gods corrections secretly in our hearts though our mouthes are silent and so not stirred vp to profite in repentaunce by them then wée loose the vse of them But the Spouse she trembled at the Lordes hande and rose to open It is a good signe when with reuerence men tremble at the word ioining with that fear a purpose to keepe the woorde and obey it in our heart Otherwise the wicked are forced spite of their teeth sometime to tremble at the worde as Foelix did Act. 24.25 but they seeke shiftes to cast of the handes of the Lords obedience without purposing to obey But as I saide this place may be vnderstood of the louing iesture of Christ who by his worde allureth the godly so as the spouse testifieth she was affectioned towardes him For this effect the worde worketh in the faythfull that their heartes doe melt at Gods threates 2. Kin. 22.11 19. repenting them of their backwardnesse as Iosiah did and ioy in the sweete comfort of his worde and promises reckoning of them aboue all riches and pleasures as Dauid did Psal 119.111 and else where Other some vnderstand this place as though Christ left off knocking and departed when hee had receiued so churlish an aunswere of his Spouse whereby her hearte was smitten with sorrowe repenting her of her slacknesse which may well agree to that which followeth where shee findeth her loue departed when shee had opened The Doctrine of which sense wee shall haue fitter occasion to note afterwarde verse 5. I rose vp to open to my welbeloued and my handes did drop down myrrh and my fingers pure myrrh vppon the handles of the barre Here the spouse beginneth somewhat to rowze vp her selfe seeking at the call of Christe to be reconciled vnto him And first shee sheweth that all her purest naturalities or ciuil sobernes which she highly thought of at the first or her good workes or whatsoeuer shee coulde present Christe with all of her owne were nothing to procure his fauour or draw his loue towardes her For he is not to be founde by them neither needeth he oure Myrrh to annointe him withall So then we must not come in our owne garmentes but away with al beauty of nature and flesh and blood and on with a pure fayth and a good conscience in which Christe hath delight The Romish Church therefore and al the iustitiaries they preparing themselues with their owne workes annoyntinge and trimming themselues with their owne ciuility naturalities and morall coniectures are but as painted Harlottes that driue Christe farre from them though they seeme to carry him in their bosomes But he wil not be takē in their beauty for it is but as a menstruous cloth vnto him It may also be that the Myrrb may be vnderstood of the blessing sweet sauour of the gospel which Christ powreth by the preaching therof into the harts of the faythfull so as they are annointed with it and made swéete yea are also brought to repentance and to seck after God in his word As the spouse heere perfumed with the sweet odours and moistened with the smelling ointment which is spiritually to bee vnderstood of the graces of Gods spirite which her loue had left behinde him she ariseth to open and séeke after him ver 6. I opened to my beloued but hee was gone and past my heart was gone when he did speake I sought him but I coulde not finde him I called but be aunswered mee not Secondly lets without Here the spouse beginneth to complaine of the lets she founde without and first the absence of her husbande whereby after she found some discommoditie in that others afflicted her vers 7. For she sheweth that shee got some courage and gathered vp her spirites so as she openeth vnto him desyring to imbrace him yet she found le ts abroade also which partly dismayed her as the absence of her louer and partly tyed or hindred her though in the end she preuayleth For finding her loue slipt aside shee fainted and hearing his voyce which so affected her and wroght vpon her that she swounded for sorrow and her heart failed her Which yet caused her to seeke the more earnestly after him but he wōld not be found nor answere So that Solomon inferreth Christ taking displeasure that he was not graunted vnto at the first and therfore turneth a side also the faithful mourning after him and repenting that they imbraced him not at the first Wherin we sée the state of a fainting soule that longeth sore after Christe such a one as Dauid bewrayeth in him selfe Psalm 42.1 whose heart thirsted after God as the weary and chased heart doth after the water brooks And after he sayth verse 6. Why hast thou forgotten me Why go I mourning so heauily c. For the thirstie soule that longeth after Christe Iesus in trueth and would fayne yeelde obedience vnto him and haue assuraunce and full pledge of his loue making haste to Christe inquyring after him in his worde groning sighing and calling after him by Prayer Sathan the enuious and malicious man enemie of our soules seeketh to stirre vp our incredulity to steppe betweene vs and Christe presenting to our eies oure sinnes past oure present infirmites our sinnes before oure calling and since our calling oure wantes lacke of zeale our litle profiting by the woord and a thousande other bye thoughtes that wee should seeme not to bee neere Christe but as though hee had turned his backe vppon vs had cast vs of agayne and helde scorne of vs and as though all our former beginnings had beene in vayne So we wee beginne to languish the Lorde also sometime leaueth vs in oure
dumpes a while that after in his good time hee might the more recouer our zeale loue fayth hope patience and waiting on the Lorde that wee may say with Dauid Psal 77.7.10 I sawe it was but mine owne infirmitye In which Psalme Dauid speaketh of greate tryalles and so causeth his Sayntes to make so muche the more of his mercy and fauour howe much the more Sathan and our incredulitie seeketh to hide it from vs. And this hyding of Christ is described here of Solomon by the figure of louers which sometime by shewing of strangnes one to the other mak one the more faine on the other Likewise Christ by his strangenes somtimes kindleth the desire of his saints the more towards him So Christ shewed himself strange to the woman of Cananea was of a verie grown countenance not vouchsafing to answere her a while Math. 15.22 and when hee answered it was as a man would thinck a verie churlish answere but al was to stir vp and trie her faith Somtime also Christ séemeth to leaue his church afflicting it so that when it séeketh after him he séemeth to be awaie Which somtime dismaieth the Godly they thinck that the Lord neglecteth them as Dauid complaineth Why hidest thou thy face in the needfull time of trouble and againe Why art thou so far from my health from the teares of my complaint The like complaints he maketh Psalm 89.46 to the ende and Psalm 69.17.18 And this last manner of Christes holding off by afflicting his Sayntes doth amaze them when they see the Churche of God left in the Bryars and the wicked tryumphing For wee thinke that the Lord put vp too many iniuries at the handes of his enemies I sought him but I coulde not finde him c. See how the Spouse though in a maze and mammering at the absence of her loue yet lingreth after him and seeketh out for him but as yet she findeth him not neyther will hee aunswere when shee calleth This should not discourage vs or put vs off from inquiring after God though he seem to absente him selfe for a time and though wee haue not out of hande the knowledge fayth zeale loue obedience or that measure of repentaunce which wee woulde fayne haue yea though we haue often craued for some grace at the hande of God wayting long for it and yet he seemeth to denye it vnto vs in not graunting that grace which wee pray for yet let vs not giue ouer but still pray and euen wrastle with the Lorde till wee obtayne the blessing For God deferreth off long sometime before hee will heare that hee might trye oure Faithe for hee will bee tyed neyther to time meanes nor measure so as wee muste not prescribe him neither when how or how farre he shall graunte oure requestes onelye lette vs still bee inquiring after him and calling vppon him seeking him whereas hee is to be founde euen in his word and when hee is to be found which is so long as hee maketh offer of his grace by his worde This inquiring after God is a part of his worshippe as wee may gather from the contrary Zephany 1.5 where God threatneth to cut of al that sought not after God nor inquyred for him So then wee see what a damnable state all those are in what so euer they are which doe not seeke after God aright in his word and are not daily inquiring after his will to do it but rather turn themselues away wilfully when the Lorde seeketh to finde them As they doe which contemne the woorde will not heare it or hearing it are not mooued with Zeale to followe after God and walke in his wayes increasinge in the knoweledge of his will but thinke it euen a drudgerye to bee compelled or called on to heare the woorde or at leaste waye counte it a needelesse thing But let vs bee stirred vp beeloued to vse all meanes wherebye wee maye shake off all suche lettes as hinder vs that wee maye open vnto Christe and seeke after him euen then when hee seemeth as it were to bee turned asyde that we maye neuer let him slippe vtterlye from vs nor giue him cause by our scornefull behauiour to departe from vs leaste wee after seeke him with teares when hee will not be founde Thus at this time we haue seene some of the letts of the spouse too morrow if God will we shall see the rest so far as time shall permit The Lord our good God make all this fruitefull vnto our Soules that wee by his grace may ouerstride all lettes to imbrace Christe and seeke after him so as hee maye abide with vs for euer by his grace here and we abide with him in his Heauenlye Kingdome for euer and euer Amen Let vs pray c. The third Sermon IT followeth in the seuenth verse The watchmen that went about the Citie found me they smote and wounded mee the watchmen of the wals tooke away my vaile from me We heard yesterday concerning the lets in nature which hindred the Spouse in her comming on and how many stayes men meet with al in their Christian calling Also we haue seene that the spouse for slowing the time had some what to do afterward when she would faine haue found her loue that he with drew him selfe for a time which was some trouble to her And sure it is when men driue off long or they come to the obedience of the Gospel it is a corzie to them when they are called to see how they driue off the time with the lord God correcteth such slackinges in his saints by many means Well here the spouse inquiring after Christe her husband and hauing ouer stryded al lets in her selfe maketh report what lets shee found abroad in others And how the malice of the false and enuious teachers burst out aganst her that they abused her greatly Some vnderstand this of the Godly teachers that they found the Spouse and smote her with reprehensions of the worde and tooke away the vaile of her ignoraunce from her But because she still inquireth for her husband and louer and that of others of Ierusalem after for that she could not be satisfied by the watchmen which rather hindred her I take it therfore without question to be ment of the wicked teachers which are so farre from helping forwarde of the Godly that they pine at the zeale and diligence of Gods children labouring to disgrace them and hazard their profession to discredite among the wicked pulling off their vaile dealing roughly as roynishe rufflers to boysterous to handle or louingly intreat the tender Spouse of Christe Iesus Yea some are not ashamed to saye none are worse then those great professours and these that talke moste thus they strengthen the hands of the wicked and raylers opening the mouthes of the enemies to blaspheme euen the Gospell it selfe discountenauncing the true seruauntes of God causing them to mourne whome the Lorde hath not caused to mourne Ezek. 13.
as they doe or to serue the presēt time but zealously inquireth the more after her make euē in the midst of the contempt of men not being satisfied of the euil watchmē turneth to the godly in Ierusalem saying vers 8. I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if you finde my welbeloued that you report to him that I am sick of loue shee now rowzeth vp her selfe and is rered vp an end after the pushes of the enuious watchmen yea she ouerstrideth these perils that albeit shee saw some hang behinde and othersome to let what they could yet she recouereth her zeale and becommeth of an inuincible corage The second part of the manner of her comming on Heere therefore is the second part of the manner of the spouses comming on namely the recouering of her zeale and inquiring more busily after Christ when she saw what lets were in the waie and contemning all lets she boldoly chargeth the godly of Ierusalem for that shee knewe saluation should come from Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem that they would direct her and further her vnto Christ praying for her and commending her to the Lord signifiing her earnest affection constant loue towards Christ Iesus Thus the godly should not cease to inquire after God stil and not be hindred by the wicked but continue in confessing Christ imbracing his worde with carefulnes musing conferring and reading of it which prayer and calling vppon God that so others also should be stirred vp by their example As after followeth vers 17. For it is not enough to shake handes with Christe when all other plausibly entertaine him when princes countenance his Gospel and in a calms and sunshine day But we must also when troubles arise when fals teachers shal seeme to depraue the trueth yea when princes shal gage batel against Christ Otherwise we shall prooue our selues to be but timeseruers In déed it is somwhat and that which fewe come vnto to countenaunce the gospel to speake ride and go in the behalf of the preachers and godly men and to further the preaching of the worde euen nowe in the time of our Halcion daies But this is not al. Wee must prepare and adresse our selues for foule weather and stormy trials and to be forward though al other shoulde flip backe We must not alone then confesse Christ Iesus with others and perfourme the exercises of Religion when others doe onely but also apart by our selues as Zach. 12.13 They should mourne euery family apart and their wines apart by themselues for a man may pray when others pray or with his familie and heare the worde or conferre of it when others doe and yet bee a verye hypocryte For it is a daungerous signe of Hypocrisie if a man haue a delighte to praye to heare the woorde or to talk of it or to be occupied in any godly exercise onelye when others are occupied in them or when hee is in company or may bee seene or harde and hath not a ioye and delighte also to bée occupied in suche holy exercises euen alone and apart by him selfe thoughe none bee with him heare him nor see him Wee see that often times men hardlye come to this to bee zealous when other are zealous to praye when other praye to confesse when other confesse and to exercise the worship of God when other doe but also be zealous and forwarde in Religion when others hang backe or become enemyes this is rare and seldome amongst men It were good therefore if men woulde goe many times aside by themselues and in the closet of their owne harts deale with God humbling themselues praying earnestlye fasting apart by themselues that they might bee the more fit to doe good to themselues and others So then we see the zeale of the faythfull must breake oute more and more though it be insulted vppon by men and sought to be vndermined yea we shoulde study to procure and stirre vp our housbandes wiues housholde kindred neighbours and friendes As we read they of the church should shew their zeale not only in being forward themselues but calling vppon others as Esay 2.3 Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde c. Also Iosshua in the 24. Iosh 14 15. Chapter of his booke exhorting the people to serue God in truth bad◠them consider what they would doe But I sayth he and my houshold wil serue the Lorde If then this be the duties of Christians one to further another as they can not tarrying one for another as men straint curtesie in this point how much more should the Minister bee forwarde in Godlinesse knowledge and zeale notwithstanding all lets to towle on the people with them vnto God Yea this is required of all magistrates rulers richmen headboroughes of parishes that they should be forwardest stirring vp others by their example But for the most part they are flowest in the lords causes but let not vs tarry vppon others the more we haue forslowed the time the more we are bound to redéem it The spouse rescueth her selfe from the abuse of the euill watchmen and turneth to them of Ierusalem wher the Lorde was then onely resident by his ministery in his temple inquiring of the Lorde in his lawfull and ordinary meanes euen the ministerye of his word whereby both he instructeth his Church and the Church and faithfull againe consult with the Lorde We shoulde therefore make our recourse to the lawfull ministery of the word and cal vpon yea and charge our Pastors and ministers if they are slow to the execution of their charge that they reueale and discouer Iesus Christ vnto vs. And because this wil séeme somewhat saucely mallepertly done that the people should cal vpon and charge their ministers to be careful c. I must be faine to vndershore my exhortation in this point by some example For I speake no other thing then that which Paule exhorteth the Collossians vnto in his Epistle to them chapter 4. ver 17. Say vnto Archippus looke vnto thy ministery which thou hast receiued in the lord that thou fulfill it So that Paule woulde haue the congregation by admonition to stirre him vp And sure Paule coulde haue admonished him him selfe in his owne person but he layeth that charge on the Collossians that they ought them selues to spurre forward their Pastor if he waxe colde and the Pastor him selfe shoulde not refuse to be admonished by his church or people but it must be done of them with reuerence If Archippus was to be stirred vp to his duety by the people who yet laboured in some measure in the Church what shall be sayed to those that laboure not at all neyther can a way with admonition but are deafe at suche doctrine as concerne their duety Or what shal be sayde of those Archministers which are appointed to ouer see the rest yet some of them are so farre from charging them to teach as they doe after a sort maintaine a dumbe
daughters of Ierusalem to prefer her cause to her louer so as it is matter not altogether alienate from my text or impertinent to my purpose but necessarily incident to the matter subiect Nowe followeth the aunswere to the first question The answer to the first question concerning the personne of her louer what hee is or what excellente thing is in his personne aboue others verse 10. My welbeloued is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand c. Here followeth an allegoricall description of her husband or louer Christ Iesus which me thinkes standeth generally in three pointes First she describeth him from his liuely colour and sanguine complexion in this 10. verse The description of the husband Secondly she describeth him by the ennumeration of his parts or members from the eleuenth verse to the 16. verse First his colour or complexion Thirdly by his spéech in the 16. verse But first in this verse she commendeth and prayseth his colour and complexion that he is white and ruâ—â—y I will not stand curiously to descant vpon the allegorical sense of these figuratiue speeches But briefly note the sense and meaning as I can neareliest gather and after wee will make vse generally of the vniuersall description This whitenesse and ruddinesse importeth a perfect and sound complexion neare approaching to the sanguine noting the perfection courage and spiritual beauty of Christe Iesus This qualitie of whitenes is a colour sometime ascribed to God the Father Daniel 7.9.10 Also it is applyed to Christ Apoc. 1.14 noting his eternity wisedome and deitie with his father so whitenesse is ascribed to him in his transfiguration on the mount Also sometimes the heauenly saintes are sayde to be white and cloathed with whitenesse because of their glorious estate But if I shoulde set down reasons of al these appellations titles or Epithets I should but open away to many questions vnnecessary to my purpose I may not pursue these things after such sort but here the perfection holinesse spiritual beauty and comelines of Christ is noted For so Solomon bearing his personne for the time is commended for his fayrenesse aboue others Psal 45.2 Ruddy This colour of ruddinesse is commended in Dauid 1. Sam. 16.12 It importeth courage and healthfulnesse Some woulde haue this to bee the reason of this colour in Christ for that he washed sinners in his bloud And albeit I dare not say that this should be precisely ment of his bloudshedding Yet we see somtime he is described bloudy and of a red colour in the respect of his death and passion for our sinnes But here the purpose of Solomon is to speak worthely and honorably of Christ as of a most comely and amiable personage in whom nothing wanteth to a perfect and spiritual beauty The cheef among ten thousande The spouse here séemeth to amplifie the beauty of Christ from the excellency of it that hee was such a one as a man shoulde scant find againe among ten thousand but was as the onelye Diamonde one picked out and shoaled from al other hauing also the préeminence ouer infinite numbers beeing also as one that had don many feats of warre and was famous for his noble exploites worthy to weare a royal and princely Diadem For the simile or Metaphor is taken from the affaires of warr as though he were a valiant personage comly and sturdy yea euen a standart bearer for a mightye Host And sure it is that Christe as he is aboue all beutiful and of a perfect temperature so is he also head of men and Angels whereby he bringeth great credite and honour to his spouse assuring vs of his valiant courage and inuincible strength who is ready to sauegarde and protect all that trust in him most worthy therefore to bee sought after We shoulde learne then to register in our hearts al excellent things of christ that we might know both him as also the honour and benefites which we enioy by him And so be able to describe him vnto others and to make reports to our families wiues children and seruauntes of the greate felicitie we haue in Christ by his word and spirit to draw them on also to seeke Christs with vs in his word Where he is described vnto vs most worthely and perfectly neither is he to be knowne els where For the spouse becommeth a very blab if I may speake so grosly to blaze abroade to al men the secretes of her loue but this blabbing is such a qualitie as wil be seen in those which truely loue Christ as we heard afore For such as are affected truly to christ Iesus louing him vnfainedly they are euer talking of him of his word of his great riches and of the princely dowrie of his heauenly inheritance which he inricheth his Church withal Also by discreet and religious conference labour to towle on others When they which neuer or seldom speak of Christ with ioy are so modest if it be worth that title as they blushe to be seene or heard talking of the scriptures or of Christe Iesus Especially if any wicked person be in presence or scorners they are then ashamed of Christ and so bewray that they are not affected with him Now secondly followeth the description of Christ from the enumeration of his parts Secondly the enumeration of his parts verse 11. His head is as fine gould his lockes curled and blacke as a rauen When the spouse saith that his head is as fine strong or perfect gould shee meaneth that his head is most precious splendent and shining for beauty For it seemeth to me to be spoken by translatioÌ„ as thus his head is gould that is perfect and pure as gould is For it is not vnwonted to the Hebrews somtime to vse both the word Cethem that is set down here as also Zabab which both signifie gold by translation for any thing that is pure of excellent And so some do inteâ—pâ—eat that worde in the insâ—â—iption or firste verse of the 56. Psal Also Psal 16.1 and psal 57.1 taking Mâ—cthâ—m in this sense that the psalm was precious to Dauid as golde But howsoeuer it be these corporal and earthly spéeches are vsed by Solomon to bewraye and set out the spirituall beauty and personage of Christe Iesus noting by golde his perfection soundnes puritie and precious excellency For looke of what account these precious thinges are to the outwarde man of the same account and greater are the glorious things of Christ Iesus to the saints of God Also the ceremony of gold precious stones and iewels was in much vse in the olde lawe to figure vnto vs heauenly riches Therefore the Priest had a brest plate of golde and of most costly pretious iewels The Temple was wholy gilt the Altar of beaten gold the vessels also for the lords worship both to import the purenes that should be in them which come neare to the Lorde for he wil be sanctified in them that come neare him as also
with good thinges by the fruit of his mouth also the tongue of the wise men is health yea the instruction of a wise or Godly man is as the well spring of lyfe to turne away from the snares of death and the lyps of the wise preserue them Many such commendations are of the spirite of a Godly speech proceeding from good men Now if God hath sanctified his doctrin in the mouth of his seruaunts to be healthfull euen to the soule how sweet comfortable healthful and happy are the speeches of Christ Iesus and how shoulde we imbrace and loue the doctrine of the Gospel which he hath by his owne mouth in his owne person begun to preach and confirmeth the same vnto vs Heb. 1.2 2 3. by his ministers and faythfull teachers It standeth vs in hand therefore to examin what sweetnes we find in the word of Christ Iesus and how our soules are taken vp with the delight of it so as we set our felicity in the worde that it be not wormewood vnto vs as it is vnto most men In deed true it is the wicked reprobates worldlinges ruffians dispisers of the word preached and such others think the Gospel to be suger to them imagining they haue good tast of it Oh say they God is merciful a sweet figgy God who forgiueth sinnes freely for Christs sake he sayth Come to me al you that labour c. I will ease you and Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Math. 11.28 1. Tim. 1.15 c. These and such like sweete fragmentes prophane worldlinges and others snatche to them selues supposing and imagining that they haue greate sweetenesse by them the adulterer drunkard belly god and carnal man can saye Christe came to dye for sinners and we hope to bee saued by him c. But alas poore soules their sweetnesse shal be turned to wormewood their pleasaunt taste into gal and bitternesse It is no sweete taste of Christes doctrine when wee flatter our selues in sinne and yet hope to escape vnpunnished because Christe is merciful No no thou deceiuest thy selfe because thou delightest stil in euil which is bitter and bringeth damnable agues thou louest the spéeches of mercy and remission of sins but the iudgements of god they are very vnsauory thou hast no tast nor vse of them to humble thy self before God and to feare him forsaking thy sinnes But all doctrine that maketh against thy sinnes and pleasures thou suspectest and arte shie of as of poyson Now whosoeuer tasteth of true sweetnesse in the worde can not but like of the iudgementes of God which is a part of his word as wel as of his mercies to fear the one and loue the other For it is an essential properly in God to be a iudge to consound the wicked to correct rebuke his saints as wel as to be merciful Now to whō soeuer gods mercy seemeth swéet not his iudgements because god is author of both he is with out all question voyde of true taste of God and his worde Dauid prayed O Lorde teach me thy iudgements And surely this publique out cry of men wherby they sue al for the Gospell the Gospel giue vs the Gospel preach not the lawe to vs it bewrayeth both a maruailous ignoraunce in men as though the doctrine and ende of the lawe and Gospel were vtter contraryes and were not al one in effect though diuersly reuealed therewithall it discouereth a priuy euidence in the heartes of men against their owne soules that they neuer were truely humbled in the sight of them selues neither tasted of Christ aright how soeuer they wrangle and seeke shyftes in their owne imaginations More then this they vomite out afore they are aware a haynous reproche againste God as though they woulde set the Lorde to schoole and Catechise him a new For though they seeme to insult vppon men charging that they which preach the lawe and iudgementes are blacke preachers and blacke Rauens come from hell as I am sory that such odious wordes can bee witnessed to proceede from the mouths of such as challenge to them felues the title of learning and reuerence for theire iudgement yet notwithstāding their blows and reproches reach euen to the Lord insomuch as the Lorde framing the hearts and mouthes of his faithfull teachers dothe speake by them I will not stande to prooue the lawfulnes nay the necessity of the preaching of the lawe when our times abounde with sinne and wantonnesse is couered vnder the title of the Gospell yea when the godly themselues greatlye neede to bee humbled for I suppose that any man of wisedome or meane vnderstanding in the worde specially if he be truly humbled would blush to gainesaye this thing But let vs knowe my deare brethren that the sweetenes of Christes worde whether teaching repentance and a newe life promising eternall life to the beleeuers or threatning the curse of God to the disobedient and vnsanctified is sweete and comfortable to all that are truely in loue with Christ Iesus and worketh in them a care to apply Gods iudgements to themselues to humble their flesh by them stirring thē selues vp to reformation forsaking sin also it worketh in them a care to seale vp the assuraunce of the Lordes mercye towards them in that they feel the effect of the word conuerting their harts from sinn vnto the liuing God for the most part men estéem of the mouth of Christ as ful of sharp bitter and loath som things because they contemn or neglect the preaching of the gospel thinking it a thing superfluous so they commend not of the sweetnes of his doctrin when in the meane time the seruants of God which with a carefull conscience frequent sermons with a gréedye desire hear the word they gaine so much good receiue such swéetnesse from the mouth of Christ Iesus euen the preachers which are his mouth as they with hopping hearts return to their wiues families or neighbors so filled with the pleasāt things of his mouth that they say Oh what a sweet sermō haue we heard to day oh how my hart is ioyed in this heauenly and sweete tasting doctrine of Christe Iesus thus they make report as the Spouse doth here what comfort they haue by Christ that they may also affect others For they that truely are in loue with Christ Iesus can not but highly accounte of the wordes of his mouth But the cause why the worde is not sauouring to so many men is for that they delight in euill wherebye men growe to so grosse a contempt as they commaund in effect the prophets not to prophesy But as the Lorde replieth agaynste the contemners Mic. 2.7 Are not my words good to him that walketh vprightly So then if all the doctrine of Christ who is authour as well of the lawe as of the Gospell bee not sweete and pleasant to vs it is because we make not conscience to walke vprightly before oure God For men will not
any of his Sayntes Oh howe fayne woulde I that I were as readye and able to doe as much good in furthering of Christs Kingdome as anye of vs haue furthered the kingdome of Sathan and sinne before oure calling Oh that you all present had suche taste with mee of the excellencye of Christe Iesus as you might all saye with one voyce I will goe with you and will seeke Christe with you Oh that my sinnes and yours woulde permit the Lorde to blesse my laboures among you this day as also at all times and in other places of his Churche As some soules might bee gayned to him by my poore mynisterye that it may bee the ioy of my hearte Yea woulde to God that manye soules among you mighte bee so affected vnto Christe in trueth being turned from your owne wayes that ye might say as Dauid did to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this daye to meete vs 1. Sam. 25.32 blessed bee this day Blessed bee this sermon or counsel and blessed be thou which haste kept mee this daye from suche an euill c. and caused mee to haue a sight disliking of my former life such a tast of Christ Iesus that I vtterly abhorre my self for my sinnes hartely imbracing Christ Iesus vowing hereafter to indeuour to walke in al the wayes of God I speake grosly vnto you brethren and abase my selfe to mooue your affections to the loue of God for the loue of Christ Iesus euen constrayneth me there vnto for your good Let no man therefore abuse my homelinesse of speech in this point being to your edifying and gayning of glory vnto God But let vs I praye you beloued consent togeather in one to seeke after Christ with his Church til we haue founde him out that we may safely assure our selues of his loue to the ende as the Spouse doth afterwarde which grace God for Iesus Christ his sake graunt vnto euery one of vs Now followeth the aunswere to the second question of the maydens in this conference verse 18. My beloued is gone downe into his garden to the beds of spice to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies Some make this verse the beginning of the sixt chapiter But I read this and the verse following with the fift chapiter For that they haue most proper relation to al the matter going afore in this 5. chapiter and is alienate and vtterly impertinent to the matter following in the sixt chapiter Especially sith it is a knitting vp of al the matter of her complaintes in her beginning and comming on also a ful conclusion of her loue a fit answere likewise to the second question in the dialogue and conference had with her companions and so a ful conclusion of the whole She signifieth to her companions that her loue is descended into his garden and Church on earth being conuersaunt amongst men in his owne person sometime also by his Ministers by his worde and Sacraments finally by his spirite properly in his saintes For by these meanes Christ is sayd to be come down among his and to be resident in his Church euen to the ende of the worlde For Christ is not of the number of the non residentes but testifieth to his Church saying Feare not I am with you to the endes of the worlde Solomon vseth a figuratiue or metaphorical speech borrowed from the cituation of Ierusalem that they went down hil and discended to go to their out gardens for Sion was a great hil whereon the Citye was built In this answere also the church hath relation to her former suit made to Christ chap. 4 ver 16. that he woulde come to his garden and eat his pleasant fruit also to the aunswere which was giuen her that he had taken possession of his riches and was come into his garden so that as Christ is in heauen with all his riches so is hee also in his garden on earth solacing himselfe and gathering daily fruite in his church Ioh. 15.16 by his ministers whom he sendeth that they may bring foorth more fruite for true it is that albeit Christ hath all riches in him selfe and needeth not any yet doth he gather fruite in his church at the handes of his seruauntes In so muche as they yeelde obedience vnto him and are in this respect called the firste fruites of his creatures because they are consecrate sanctified and set apart from the worlde Sathan and sinne to serue the Lorde and are called his Portion and inheritaunce in manye places But the fruite which they yeelde is not their owne proper or naturall in them but supernaturall and from aboue springing out of the fountayn of the Lords good pleasure and will is also framed graffed nouryshed and increased in them by his worde preached For all these thinges the cause efficiente the instrumentall meanes with the effecte thereof is pithily comprysed in fewe wordes by the Apostle Iames in the firste Chapter of his Epistle at the 18. verse where he sayth Of his owne will begate hee vs by the worde of trueth that wee shoulde bee as the first fruites of his creatures Also the graces of Gods spirit are called fruites Gal. 5.22 The qualities likewise necessarily incident to repentance are caled fruits Mat. 3.8 Which metaphoricall speeches import the God looketh to reape fruite at our handes in his church that we may grow from faith to faith from strength to strength from grace to grace til we come to ful ripenesse in Christ Iesus to be gathered into his barne of eternal felicity in his comming These fruites that the Lorde gathereth and reapeth at oure handes are his owne then insomuch as he worketh them in his saints that he may receiue his owne with aduantage crowning his owne workes in vs. It were expedient therefore that we labour to be fruitful in all heauenlye knoweledge and obedience that Christe comming downe to visite his Garden or church as it is set down in the sixt Chap. ver 10. he finde vs not empty or fruitlesse that he should haue no pleasure in vs and so bee forced to cast vs vp to the spoyle Sure it is the more is the pity the Lorde should find but smal fruite among vs if he should suruey our Churche in this land Hee hath lent vs the name of his Church and giuen vs a lease of his garden 21. yeres hath added to that three yeres more from yeare to yeare but alas we haue bene il tennants to the Lord his church is little stored by vs his hedges walles are as it were pluckt down by manye lying in decay For where true discipline shold build vp the breaches of the Lords fence should keepe out the noisom beasts the lion the wolf the bear the swine doggs such hurtful cattel and beasts we ah alas haue this gardē of the Lord hindred by such Lions woolfs priuy scorpions foxlike papists swinish Athists brutish belly gods enuious dogs which al
and loose ministery I say therefore againe intreat the ministers of your parrishes and call vppon them yea charge them but reuerently in the feare of God with an humble spirite that they haue care of you to fulfil the ministery inioyned them of the high God vpon paine of his displesure and as they wil aunswere before God for you and your families in the dreadful day of iudgement when they shall giue an account for your soules Heb. 13.17 Oh it shaketh my trembling ioyntes and dissolueth my sinnewes with feare to thinke what woofull euydence shall bee brought in againste the carelesse ministery by the Soules of their charge which perishe for want of instruction when they shall stande vp in plea againste them to testifie vppon their heads saying Ah alas we neuer receiued instruction by our Pastors we maye thanke them in part of our damnable destruction which haue not sought to bring vs vnto God nor taught vs the way of truth nor laboured to turne vs from our sinnes being without knowledg themselues kept vs in ignorance and blindnes flattering vs in our sins But now wo alas Hosh â— 6 we perish because we had not the knowledge of God Me thinkes I see the woeful wringing of handes the trickling teares distilling from their eyes the condemning of themselues by speechlesse silence their heads hanging downe and the diereful dent of doleful death to cease vpon them Yea me thinkes I heare their shiftles shifts their shouting shrames crying out of their damnable estate For what shiftes can they haue before the alseeing and iust iudge of all the world Shal pretence of lawes excuse them if they can say I haue read seruice to them and the common booke of Prayer and done al that law require For herewith they thinke they haue stopped mens mouthes But they slander the lawes of our Prince which require as I suppose most of those gifts in the ministers that should be admitted which Paule mentioneth to Titus Howsoeuer it be ouerseen of those that haue admitted such but lawes of men countenance of Magistrates nor the example of others shal not bear vs out in the glorious and fearefull presence of the great God who shal sit as sole iudge ouer al persons and causes But if thou hast not fedde the Lordes people and preached the Gospel thogh to read the worde is good to read the booke of common Prayer is good yet thou shalt not be excused sith it pleased the Lorde not simply by his word but Through preaching to saue them that beleeue As the publique ordinary means in his Church Yea and the lawes of the realme require such to be admitted as are able to teach 1. Cor. 1.21 2. Tim. 4.1.2 And Paule giueth a precise charge to Timothie to preach the word But some man wil say that I wander from my text to speak thus much of the dumbe and carelesse Ministers I swerue not from it at al. For if the Spouse straitely chargeth them of Ierusalem where God was to be inquired after in his worde to further her to her loue then is it necessarie that the neglect of this duetie in the Pastors which chiefly should helpe that way shoulde be found fault with al especially where their owne daunger is greatest for we know how the Lorde hath threatned such in the law I speake not this of the ministerie that men shoulde insult vppon the same with reproch for our owne loosenesse haue made vs reprochful ynough to the worlde but rather that men shoulde praye for the state hereof the more carefully beeing so deformed Neither doe I speake to whette the tongues of men for it is their glorie to deface the ministerie neyther yet of sinister affection againste anye as the Lorde knoweth But I speake from a heart pitying the estate therof That if it might please God the loose ministerie may see their danger and so be mooued to reforme them selues with grace God grant them Amen And I speake the more of that state now because many are here present of that calling This title of Daughters as it is a Metaphorical speech borrowed from the fellowship of Virgins before their marriage and in the time of their suit as Psalm 45.14 may appeare so also this name of Virgins in the ninth Chapter of the Prouerbes signifieth the Preachers of the worde Prou. 9.2 as Prophetes Apostles c. where wisedome sendeth out her Maidens to call men to her heauenly and riche banquet so the Daughters of Ierusalem may not improperly signifie the teachers in this place For their lips shoulde preserue knowledge and the people shoulde inquire the lawe at their mouthes as the prophet Malachi saith Mal. 2.7 adding also a strong reason to mooue the people to inquire and the pastor to teach because he is the mâ—ssenger of the Lord of Hosts Now shal we think that the Lorde will send vnfit messengers blind men and babes of his ambassage or errande that shall not speake foorth their message Will Princes wisely prouide to send wise and learned men on their ambassage And shal we deny the Lord his wisdome and foresight but we thinke anye good ynough for the Lords errand But al such as they run before they are sent so the Lorde sendeth them in his iustice to punishe the sins of men as we heard before Hosh 9.7.8 Now followeth If yee finde my welbeloued tell him I am sicke of loue The like diligent inquiry after Christ the Spouse maketh Canticles 3.1.2 Read it I pray you where she maketh streight search as for a thing of high price So that she desireth after Christ so much the more how much the more she was beaten backe of others yea she euer languisheth after Christ contemning all other things in respect of him As Paule counted all thinges vile dung in comparison of Christ Iesus These are all speeches of loue she woulde haue the Godly specially the teachers to commend her in their prayers vnto God This speech I am sicke of loue is to discouer the heart and loue of the faythfull towardes Christ that they cannot tell how to loue him ynough The worldly men neuer trouble themselues with this loue neither pine of this heauenlye and spirituall loue sicknesses It is rather sicknesse to the earthly minded men to hear of this loue or to be required to loue the Lord againe But they are meruellous fain of the worlde which is an euil sicknesse as Solomon sayth Well let vs my deare brethren laboure to affect our hearts more with Christ Iesus casting of al lets to studie of his loue and require of all the Godlye and of the faithfull Pastors that they woulde further vs in this loue The Spouse seemeth to be impudent here to spread abroade her loue towardes her Sutor For our louers are ashamed to haue it knowne that they are sicke of loue so also the worlde is ashamed to be sick of loue for Christ Iesus but the Spouse openly confesseth and bewrayeth