pardon Now the power of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which consisteth in binding and loosing that is to say in condemning and absoluing of sin was in the person of Saint Peter the other eleuen Apostles giuen vnto the Church Mat. 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 But whereas it is said elsewhere that it pertaineth vnto God alone to remit sinnes Mar. 2.7 it is easie to be vnderstoode that there is a great difference first betweene making of Lawes and publishing or applying of them and secondly betweene power to execute absolutely and a commission limited and bounded Therefore I saie touching the spirituall kingdome concerning the conscience saluation or damnation that this power pertaineth to one onely God in the person of his sonne whom hee hath from all time established and ordained head of this Empire And as touching the execution of his Lawes according to the exigence of cases hee hath set vp and established his holy ministerie in his Church with a commission limited that is to say with a charge to iudge according vnto the tenor of his Laws and as it were representing the chiefe Lord and Lawe-giuer and not otherwise vnder paine of nullity of their sentence otherwise we must saie that Iesus Christ was iustly condemned and excommunicated with his Disciples Ioh. 9.22 and 16.2 insteede of that which the Lord himselfe said of them let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind And indeede Saint Paul speaking in generall of his whole preaching calleth it the counsaile of God Act. 20.27 And to the ende that no man should extend and stretch this to any inward and internall reuelation without the Scripture that which I ordaine saith he speaking of the institution of the holy Supper that haue I receiued of the Lord and speaking of being vnmarried hee protesteth that he wil not tie and intangle their consciences as also Saint Peter admonisheth al pastors to take heede how they vsurpe a lordlines ouer their flocks which he calleth the portion or the heritage of the Lord 1. Pet. 5.3 And therefore these words of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.12 But to the rest I speake and not the Lord speaking of mariages contracted with an vnbeleeuing partie ought not so to bee vnderstoode as if the Apostle tooke vpon him to commaund anie thing of his owne head priuate authority but he vseth this maner of speach to distinguish that for which he had the expresse and registred word of God from that which was not in plaine termes expressed but correspondent notwithstanding and agreeing with that which was written beeing a thing impossible that the Lawes could containe euerie particular case which might happily fal out as we haue at large declared and expounded the same in handling of that Epistle 7 Finallie there are which alleadge the authoritie which the Church had in the time of the Apostles to make ecclesiastical Lawes and ordinances and ring out as loud as they can this word of Apostolical traditions Act. 15.28 and 16.4 1. Cor. 11.2 and. 34. whereof they produce diuerse examples scattered and sowen heere and there throughout Saint Paules Epipistles as of the vaile of weomen of the order of speaking and vttering the word of God in the assemblie of collections and gatherings for the poore and of almes This matter would require whole sermons as we haue also often occasion to speak thereof But for this present this may thus bee aunswered in a word It is then another thing to make lawes to tie mens consciences to say looke yee this is good and pleasing vnto God this he commaundeth you to doe or beleeue or contrariwise to say looke yee this hath God forbidden and this you may not doe or beleeue And againe see these be the vocations and charges by which the sonne of God wil haue his Church to be ruled and gouerned this I say is farre another thing then to haue a respect vnto that which is requisite for the vse and practise aswell of the doctrine as also of the discipline which God the alone and onelie Law-giuer hath ordained requisite I saie according vnto the time persons and place which beeing subiect to infinit varieties yea sometimes contrarieties the Lord vnder the new couenant hath not made as I may so saie could not make certaine special perpetual ordinaunces seeing this policie is accidentall and not of the substaunce neither of doctrine nor of discipline And therefore in respect of this point hee was content to giue a generall commaundement that whatsoeuer he ordained should be executed orderly and modestly in his house which the church 1. Cor. 14.40 Yee see then the boundes which he is content to prescribe vs. And that this is so we see how these ordinaunces themselues of the Apostles which wee haue aboue specified vanished awaie by little and little the times being chaunged and the causes why they were made ceasing to be which would not haue been if they had concerned the substance of discipline and doctrine which are perpetual and inuiolablie to bee obserued vnto the end consummation of the world Contrariwise the Scribes and Pharisees not contenting themselues that they were placed in Moses chaire that is to say to declare the doctrine and discipline taught by the ministery of Moses in which case the people were to doe that which they taught and not to follow their wicked life would needes medle with making of Lawes to tie the consciences of men and so to adde somwhat of their owne vnto the seruice of God established by his Lawe where it is saide that the Lorde had rather scandalize and offend them then subiect his Disciples vnto them Mar. 7.6 shewing that he held not or accounted the vsage of such traditions for a thing indifferent but calleth them the abolishing and taking away of the commandements and ordinances of God Mar. 7.13 and a leauen which he commaundeth vs to take heede of Mat. 16.12 Now I thought good expreslie to specifie in this matter the time of the new couenant because that vnder the old the Church being enclosed within the limites of one people of one country of one holy place and for a time onely the Lord declared and set downe not onely the doctrine which he would haue to be taught both of the seruice and gouernment of his house but also specified and particularized those ordinances according to the times places and persons which he would haue to bee inuiolablie obserued without changing adding or diminishing anie thing in thē at al Deu. 4.2 Esai 1.12 29.13 But vnder the new couenant which hee contracted with all people and nations and for so long time as the world should endure it was necessarie hee should leaue it in the liberty of the Churches to appoint and establish whatsoeuer in special and particular concerneth the vse and practise of the doctrine and discipline as touching order and edification according to the variety and difference of circumstances And thus far of the soueraintie of
the true Church Behold on one side the Iewes on another side the Turkes who vaunt themselues that they haue the true religion As for the Turkes their Alcoran beeing newly forged it cannot be the track of this flock The Iewes now and since the destruction of their Temple policy haue some fayrer shewe but it is on a false title they vaunt themselues to haue on their side the God which Moses and the Prophets taught seing they acknowlege not but blaspheme him whom the Law and the Prophets lead vs vnto 12 Wee see on the other side howe they of the Romish Church do at this daie vaunt themselues make great crakes of their antiquity and succession of Bishoppes and of the Scriptures themselues the booke of the one and the other couenant Vnto whom we aunswere that the foundation of their hierarchie being in part forged vpon an humane inuention which finally degenerated into an open tyranny and their doctrine beeing directly and diametrally repugnant vnto the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles this cannot be the way trodden out by the auncient Church Apostolique what continuance of years soeuer and names of successours they alleadge Asmuch is to bee said concerning the Anabaptists and Libertines placing in steede of the Scripture their reuelations and dreames as also all both old and new or renued hereticks haue this in common that they hold not themselues within the limites and bounds of the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets perfectly comprised in the holy and canonicall Scriptures which ought to serue for the text and commentary of his wil. 13 And this is the cause why the Bridegrome addeth that the spouse to finde the tracke of the true sheep after which she is sent must seeke after the cabbins or tents of the sheepheards meaning by these woordes the true Pastours of the Church whom we must discerne from the false by their woordes and writings and by their cabbins and tentes that is to say the retyring and resting place of this true flocke For indeede there is but one catholickeflocke that is vniuersally considered bee it great or litle But there are so many cabbins for the retyring vnto and pasturing of it as there are places in the which the voice of these true sheepheards Prophets and Apostles do resound and shall resound vnto the end of the woorlde by the mouthes of their faithfull successors to gather together and to conduct vnto the onely Pastour and sheepheard which is this Bridegrome the whole number and multitude of the sheepe 14 And it may also be that Salomon had a particular respect to Abraham Isaacke and Iacob who were indeed sheepheards as the most part of the ancient Patriarckes yea Moses himselfe among the Madianites and Dauid Psal 77.20 78.72 to the doctrine and family of whom the spouse in this place is sent backe being a thing without all doubt that they were indeed true Pastours sheepheards their doctrine the true doctrine their house excepting such as behaued themselues vnworthily and which were rather in the house then of the house as Ismael and Esaw the true Church of God And we may not forget that here is expresse mentiō made of cabbins of sheepheards according vnto the purport of the history it selfe namely that these Patriarckes did indeed dwell in tents as wayfarers in this worlde Heb. 11.9 We are therefore giuen to vnderstand by this word that we may not seeke after the Church in the outward shining of Towers Steepls nor other pomps and braueries of the worlde the Church of God being rather composed of the smal contemptible things of the world Luk. 14.21 and 1. Cor 1.26 as the head also thereof would bee borne in a stable and liue poorely and slenderly If on the contrarie side any man obiect the rich ornamentes of the tabernacle the magnificence of the temple of Salomon and the riches both of it as also of the people during his kingdome in whose raigne it is said that men made no more reckoning of siluer then of stones in Ierusalem 2. Chron. 9.27 I answere as touching the ornaments of the Leuiticall Priesthoode and the riches of the Temple that al this was a figure of the spiritual riches of the true Temple of God namely of our lord Iesus Christ vnder the paedagogie and A. B. C. of the Lawe which is now ceased togither with al that which depended thereon and as for the other riches I denie not but that the Lord honoured his people when it so pleased him with the blessinges and commodities of this life Godlines hauing the promises both of the present life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 I deny not also but that God hath called vnto his Church both rich and poore such and so many as it pleaseth him as the example of Abraham who was rich in whose Bosome poore Lazarus was may declare and witnes Luk. 16.23 but I saie that in al times the hall where the banquet is kept whereof mention is made in Luk. 14.13 hath alwaies beene filled rather with impotent folcke lame and blind taken out of the midst of the street then with the rich and pompous which are in kings houses Mat. 11.8 I saie farther that albeit neither riches nor pouerty are proper and essential marks of the Church yet so is it notwithstanding that smalnes basenesse of condition according vnto the woorld yea the crosse it selfe not the crosse of golde or siluer transformed into a most detestable Idol but the crosse which burdeneth the shoulders which is an enemie vnto the flesh is the ordinarie companion thereof But I saie also that the riche which were in the church were not of the church in the quality of men rich with worldly corruptible riches but in the quality of poore in asmuch as they vsed their goods so as if they vsed them not at al according vnto the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.31 and 1. Tim. 6.17 and became leane and thinne to passe thorough the eie of the needle Mat. 19.24 laying up their treasure in heauen Mat. 6.20 according vnto the example of Dauid that good and truly rich king Psal 16.5 Finally I saie that the buildinges and vessels of the Church ought to be agreeable with the doctrine taught in the true Christian Church which condemneth all superfluity and worldlie pompes and applieth the goods of the Church to the liuing stones thereof as the practise was in the Apostles times Act. 4.35 and in those times when the Pastors were of golde and the Churches and the vessels thereof were of wood 15 This then hath been and yet is an enormous fault committed by the auncient fathers since the time of Constantine to suffer and much greater to exhort Kinges and Princes to found and build Churches with such excessiue cost seruing for no other thing but to condemne both the doners and demaunders poynting out as it were with the finger the ambition of the one and the
alwaies made stil wil make him the Iudge who shall iudge vs all by his holy word as touching their life ours wee confesse that as for vs wee haue but too great occasion to hang downe our heades as for them the heauen and the earth knoweth too well what their merites are 9 The spouse addeth that which is properly belonging vnto this matter saying that when shee found not her Bridegroome in this bed where shee sought him shee rose to seeke him whom shee so hartily loueth where euer he were Now to creepe into her bed and there to lie groueling and to rise are thinges cleane contrarie the one to the other and indeed it is not enough to condemne that which is ill but wee must like and approoue that which is good and practise it What is then to rise out of her bed It is to quit and forsake al thinges without exception togither with which we cannot enioy Iesus Christ that is to saie to renounce a mans selfe which is the A.B.C. of Christians Matth. 16.24 It is to put out one eye and to cut off one arme to enter rather one-eied maimed into the kingdom of this Bridegrome then hauing two eies two arms to be cast into hel fire Mat. 5.29.30 it is to leaue al things to folow after this Bridegrome according vnto the exāple of his true disciples Mat. 19.27 it is to follow the example of that thrise happy merchant who sold al that he had to buy the perle be found Mat. 13.46 it is to be ready in the banquetting hal and not to be hindered and kept thence either by farme or tillage or marriage Luk. 14.16 it is to to loue neither father nor mother nor country nor kindred so much or more then God Gen. 11.33 Deu. 33.9 and not to become a monk as some one of the auncient not so aduisedly said although the monkeries then were as far distant from those of our daies as the Moone is distant from the earth though they were euen then to say the truth in some poynt lunaticke and fantastical but to follow Iesus Christ that is to saie to stick vnto this Bridegroome in exercising euery man his lawfull calling in all honesty and holines To rise then out of bed is not simplie to chaunge our place but it is as I haue said to quitte and forsake all thinges which may let and hinder vs from that which concerneth the peace of our consciences so consequently our saluation to keepe on in the right waie if we be once in it and to find it out if we bee straied from it and that not onely to follow in general the vocation common vnto al Christians most excellently described among other places Phil. 2.1 but to the end that euery one in special folow his vocation as we haue an expresse commandement to that purpose 1. Cor. 7.20 and according vnto the example of Dauid who hauing this in particular charge to finde and assigne the place for the building of the Temple God punish me so and so saith he if euer I enter vnder the roofe of my house or ascend vp into my bed if I suffer mine eies to sleep or shut the lids of mine eies before I find out a place for the Eternal an habitation for the mighty one of Iacob Psal 132. 10 Let all the elect therefore of God as many I meane as he hath created in a desire of finding him whē they are asleep in this peace of the false Church learne of this spouse to say truely and indeede that there is no commoditie nor appearance of ease shal stay me but I wil leaue them and get me out of my bed to finde him on whom my heart is settled and planted And let those who haue found him take heed how they set their mindes vpon temporall blessings though godlinesse haue the promise of them also 1. Timoth. 4.6 or to make their account that things once well ordered shall so continue stil in the Church or discern the true Church from the false by an outward shew of some great estate neuer so well vnderpropped in the opinion of men but take heede betimes vnto themselues that this Bridegroome in whom consisteth the true peace Matth. 12.29 neuer leaue them but that they continue stil members of that true Church of which it is saide That happy is the people whose God the eternal is Psalm 44.15 To the attaining whereof confessing before the Lorde our too continuall negligence vnthankefulnesse and rebellion we wil craue pardon and mercy at his handes as followeth Almighty God c. THE XXIIII SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 2. and 3. verses 2 I will rise therefore saide I and will goe about the City through the streets through the greater places wil seek him whō my soul loueth I sought him but I could not find him 3 The watch which go about the city found me I said saw you him whō my soule loueth 1 That the Lord suffereth not himself to be found incontinentlie of his amidst the confusions and desolations of the Church is for no other cause but to make himselfe to be so much the more ardently and earnestly sought after 2 It is neither to the greater number nor vnto that which is most commonlie receiued that we are to keepe our selues to find the true Church 3 The certaine infallible and perpetuall mark of the true Church is the doctrine registred by the Prophets and Apostles 4 The truth continueth firme and stable in the true Catholike Church opposed vnto the Hereticall but it shineth not alwaies alike nor is alike knowen 5 The doctrine of the Apostles and the Catholique Church are vnseparable and is a testimony one vnto the other 6 The holy scripture ought to serue for text and interpretation 7 The spirit of truth was neuer tyed without any exception vnto the Leuiticall ministerie 8 Wherefore the spouse went her way farther without staying the watches answere 9 The spirit of truth is not tyed to thē without exception who sit in the chayre of the ministerie of the gospell 10 The holy scriptures are in all times irreproueable Iudges of the true Christian doctrine as it appeareth by the testimony of Iesus Christ himselfe and his Apostles 11 Bare personall succession is not to be stoode on though the outward forme bee therein obserued 12 This doctrine being well practised breedeth no confusion in the Church 13 The horrible disorder brought in confirmed in the Church by the Apostatical See of Rome that they are neither heretiques nor Schismatiques who haue seuered themselues from it by extraordinarie meanes sent of God 14 The conclusion shewing how we ought to behaue our selues in this behalfe VPON Thursday last we learned how the spouse awaked by the spirit of god who formed in her an holy desire of seeking him againe
this true Salomon as shall be told you anon But to take this more simply it is likely that this was the ordinary number of the garde who watched by night were the nearest about the bed of Salomon 13 But what are these of the gard They are first of all the Angels which pitch their campe about al those who feare God Psal 34.8 After them are all the creatures which it pleaseth him to vse for the defence of his against their enimies as we see in the storie of Pharao that the frogges the flies and the lice mainteined the quarel of this spouse and staied the rage of that tyrant And how often did the Philistines themselues rescue as it were and defend Dauid from the force of Saul But especially because our chiefest enemies are not fleshe and bloode as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 6.12 that is to say visible enemies but that great lion which seeketh to deuoure vs 1. Pet. 5.8 and so many wicked and damnable affections which are bredde and borne with vs and because we are to fight euery houre and euerie moment by the vertue of the spirit of God to come vnto this eternall rest which is heere represented vs by this bedde which we yet possesse not but by hope therefore it is against these especiallie that wee are to bee assisted and aided with our spirituall inuincible armour weapons Who are then these threescore souldiars in this respect They are truely these couragious and valiaunt rutters and olde souldiers renowmed for their infinite victories against Satan and his angels hauing all of them his sworde vpon his thighe nay alreadie drawen in his hande to frustrate and breake whatsoeuer the enemies of our saluation can enterprise or take in hande Such were Abraham Isaack and Iacob and so manie legions of braue and valiaunt souldiers whose valiaunt acts are registred and recited Heb. 11. Such were those so many faithful and trustie Captaines whom neither Satan nor any counterfeat shewe of false wisedome whatsoeuer nor any wiles nor any cruelty of all the woorlde could withstand or hinder from erecting and setting vp their trophees and signes of victory throughout the world and building this holy Citty the foundation whereof they haue laid prepared by the Prophets 1. Cor. 3.10 Ephes 2.20 But some man wil say these are dead a great while since and howe then shall they be able to defend vs at this day Exceeding well and most assuredlie not by their merites for as a good auncient father and he a verie learned Bishop of Rome hath very well saide The Saints gaue not but receiued crownes of righteousnes nor by their intercessions in heauen For wee haue there one onely mediator both of redemption and of intercession which is our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 Heb. 1.25 1. Ioh. 2.1 And al these merites and prayers whereof the false Pastors make themselues treasurers and dispensers of them for ready mony are nothing else but so manie buyinges and sellings of soules a merchandize most abominable before the Lord. But behold how these valiaunt captaines are yet at this daie our defenders First by their examples Rom. 15.4 Heb. 12.1 And therefore one among them and he of the most valiantst and trustie souldiours was bold to saie Bee yee followers of me as I am of Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 Secondly and principally we vnderstand by these threescore men of gard those whose ministery God hath vsed for the building of that arsenal and artillery house from whence we are to take al those our spiritual weapons with which the Apostle armeth his spirituall ritter Ephes 6.13 I meane the holy scriptures vttered to the penne of the Prophets by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1.21 and yet in more greater aboundance and with greater efficacy deliuered vnto the Apostles in whose writinges are to be found al these weapons set in order and prepared for euery one that wil vse thē taking them learning the vse of them from the hands of the true Pastors and dispensers of them Yee see what these gard are yea see what these weapons are with which whosoeuer armeth and aideth himselfe cannot chuse but see Satan the world the flesh and sinne cast downe and trampled vnder his feete 14 But aboue al let vs seeke after our strength and force where it is to wit in that great Salomon of whom all the rest is but an instrument who beeing come and hauing made the combate and vanquished all his enimies by his sufferinges in respect of the assault which was giuen him in as much as hee entred the combate for vs and mastring in vs from daie to day by his holy spirite these same enemies which are still stirring within vs what haue wee longer to feare to bee there with affrighted Where is then our strong hold whither wee are at al times to flie and retire our selues Verily in the strength of the Bridegroome of whom Dauid speaking In thee haue I trusted saith he I shal neuer be confoūded Psal 31. And in another place I will not feare though thousandes of enemies bee camped against mee Psal 3.7 And in another place The Eternal is my light my saluation of whom shal I be afraid Psal 27.1 This is he then which is the strong and mighty one on whose side wee must keepe vs. For euen those who die in this combat are of all others the most victorious Now it maie please the Lorde who hath drawen vs out of darcknesse into this light of his truth and hath placed and preserued vs most miraculously hitherunto in this holy rest and peace of conscience waiting for the full accomplishment of his promises to settle and engrate in our mindes this holie assurance of his mighty power in good will towards vs that we bee neuer astonied by the assaultes of Satan and of such his adherentes as hee emploieth and vseth against vs but that contrariwise we perseuere and continue in this holy profession of his truth as wel by mouth as also by an holy christian life vntill wee come vnto the real enioying of all that which he hath made vs to beleeue and hope for according to his most holy and most assured promises conformably vnto which doctrine acknowledging our ouer great negligence hitherunto and lazinesse in our duty with other infinite faults and offences of ours we wil craue mercy at his hands saying Almighty God c. THE XXVII SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 9. and 10. verses 9 King Salomon made himselfe a Coch of the wood of Libanon 10 Hee made the pillers thereof of siluer and the bottome of goolde and the couering of purple and the in-side was adorned with the dilections of the Daughters of Ierusalem 1 The Coch which is here adioined vnto Salomons bed signifieth vnto vs howe the Church hath neuer had anie place of certaine residencie and aboade on
wil say that an infinit nūber of poor people who wander without a shepheard haue the same meaning which they had but because that in effect it commeth al to one end And to proue that this is so let vs see whether they leaue vnto this king one sole point of his roialty and regality which is not violated by their doctrine First they say they haue a King Lieutenaunt Catholique and vniuersall Aske thē who this is they wil answere you he which sitteth in the See of Rome If you aske on what right they aleage that for his right possessorie there are so so many ages that they haue been in this possessiō as for their right petitorie it is that same which was granted by the Lord vnto S. Peter Now if we would but debate these allegations it were an easie matter to shew that there was neuer such impudēcie ether seen or heard to propose such thinges But though we presupposed all this that is to say that darkenes were light I demaund of thē whether a lieuetenant of a king hath more authoritie then he who sent him to keepe his place if he haue not or cannot haue I demand whether shrowding him-selfe in this lieutenauntship with all manner violence and vnlawful practise and being so desperate presumptuous that there is no manner falsifiyng of the will of his king which he cōmitteth not openly he may bee tolerated as lieutenaunt of the king or whether he ought not to be charged of high treasō against his head Now that he of whō we speake is such a one it appeareth first by this that it shall neuer be found that the degree Episcopall is of the lawe diuine but of the law positiue as we terme it besides that a mā may point out the beginning of it so far is it that Iesus Christ or his Apostles set vp an Episcopalitie vniuersall And heereof I call him whom they call the chiefe of the foure Doctors for a formall witnes after the holy scripture Secondly if wee will decide this matter by the auncient Canons which meant to bridle this degree Episcopall wee shall finde I speake it before God and men that there is neither Pope nor any conuenticle or degree of that hieraticall cleargy which is not excommunicated and degraded by their owne Canons But let vs come vnto that which is done Can any one denie me this that this lieutenant attributeth vnto himselfe this authority to bee iudged of no man though hee shoulde carry whole cart-loades of soules vnto hel If this bee denied shall not a man finde it in the verie wordes of their decrees But you who say you haue succeeded Saint Peter in his Lieuetenauntship ought you to be ignorant that hee was reprehended and reprooued by Saint Paul in Antioch and that publikely in a matter concerning his Apostolique charge Yea saith S. Paul Gal. 2.11 Because he was to be reprehended and that he walked not with an vpright foote Haue you also forgotten or do you dissemble that which the same S. Peter warneth the Pastours not to beare rule ouer their flockes because they appertaine vnto the master and not vnto the seruants whose charge is limited Passe we farder Truly he whose lieutenant this mā saith he is hath without reply to the contrarie all power both in heauen and in earth that by good right For he cannot erre neither in asmuch as he is God nor in asmuch as he is man altogether perfit And who can challenge vnto himselfe this perfit knowledge and vprightnes but he must make himselfe equall with God But passe we yet farder These two points are most notable and cleare certaine namely that the lawe moral which is nothing but a refreshing and renewing of the lawe natural which sinne coulde not vtterly destroy out of the hart of man Rom. 2.14 and likewise the new couenaunt ratified in and by our Lorde Iesus Christ ought to bee kept inuiolable vnto the end consummation of the world How then would this king establish a lieuetenant in the world vtterly to abolish both the one and the other But because this matter requireth a more ample discourse wee will refer the surplussage vntill the next weeke 16 Be wee therefore heedefull my brethren to haue alwaies this voice of the true Church in our eares Come forth ye daughters of Syon and contemplate this king Salomon and let vs consider that we are not here to rest our selues vpon these base and corruptible thinges but to this end that acknowledging this King we consecrate both soule and body vnto his seruice and tend wholy vnto this end praising him for that great grace hee hath vouchsafed vs to driue vs out of this thicke and palpable darkenes to behold him in his holy word and let vs make this grace of his auaileable vnto vs to his honor and glorie waiting for the nearer and clearer sight of him in that heauenly kingdome which he hath prepared for vs before the foundation of the world So be it THE XXX SERMON Our help be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the 11. verse 11 Daughters of Syon come forth contemplate this King Salomon with the Crowne with which his mother crowned him in the day of the fiansailes and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart 1 He who falsly saith he is Liuetenant generall of this King on earth falsifieth herein his ordinances by al kind of falsehood and first of that which is in the law moral touching the first commandement 2 Touching the second 3 The third 4 The fourth 5 The fifth 6 The sixth 7 The seuenth 8 The eighth 9 The ninth 10 The tenth 11 Another sort of abominable falsification in the Law ceremonial 12 A strange abuse by which the Law is confoūded with the gospel men sent to seeke after their saluation in that which serueth for an enditement against them 13 A exhortation to condemne this so false a doctrine WEE stoode the last thursday vpon this point namely whether hee who some ages since calleth himselfe supreme head of the vniuersal Church as Lieutenant of that king of whom mention is heere made bee not rather guilty of high treason against his diuine maiestie though we should graunt him his Liuetenant-ship hee pretendeth to haue and that because hee hath deserued to be vtterly degraded seeing it cannot be that this souerain king euer gaue any man autority to falsifie in any sort that which he ordained to be stable perpetual vnto the end and consummation of the world and this is it which wee are now againe to proue and handle I say therefore that there are three waies of falsifying an instrument namely by adding by clipping away or by chaunging in such sort that the instrument of the truth whereof the question is receiueth thereby an alteration Let vs then see now whether al these sorts of falsification haue not
if our clothes did hinder vs. Euery man foldeth wrappeth him selfe in the cares and thoughts of this woorld insteede of meditating and putting that in vre which retireth and plucketh vs from the world that we perish not with it Euery mā is cold insteede of beeing hote and feruent in zeale of knowledge To be short euerie man fatteth himselfe so grosse that it wilbe impossible hereafter to passe through the strait gate a thing lamentable and whereof I warne you in the name of God while hee yet saith Come vnto me and whiles the dore is yet open or at the least onlie halfe shut If we wil not God wil shew vs to our cost and we are verie blinde if wee perceiue not that he doth alreadie prepare himselfe thereunto that if we thinke not on it he wil think on it and when wee shall crie it shall be aunswered vs as it was them which were inuited to the banquet Matth. 22.8 as the workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 as the foolish Virgins Mat. 25.12 from the nūber of which the Lord keepe vs. In summe therefore the faithfull as straungers and wayfarers in the woorlde doe protest in this place that they labour to come vnto that Cittie whereof God is the maker and builder Heb. 11.10 not onelie to walke thither but also to runne thither with all their forces they haue receiued of him which draweth them thither 8 But we may not forget these woords After thee For it is not enough to run but wee must first run in the right way and secondlie wee must runne right without straying either to the right or to the left hand and thirdlie we must tend go forwarde vnto the mark vnto which we ought to tend if we will not haue our paines to be frustrate and lost Al these things are giuen vs in Iesus Christ solely and alone For first besides that it is of his spirit that we receiue as well the desire of running as the power to runne Phil. 2.13 He is the waie the truth and the life and for to follow him without straying and to obtaine the price at the end of our race he must alwaies run before and we must runne after him They therefore who to goe to eternall life deuise vnto thēselues new waies that is to say any seruing of God according to their owne pleasure or happilie followe the inuentions and deuises of other men whatsoeuer although these waies be neuer so common and frequented and as olde and ancient as a man can wish how euer they replie that these are not other waies but onely certaine pathes which bring them into the high way as those men dreame which make themselues beleeue that the merits of works agree verie well with grace and the inuocation of holy men departed with the office of mediation of Iesus Christ alone and his corporal and essential presence in the masse with the verity and truth of the bodie of Iesus Christ and with the ascension and second comming of him and other such conclusions necessarilie contradictorie yet notwithstanding not holding the right way after him they shal not find him at their iourneyes end and consequentlie they shall haue no other fruit of their trauaile then that which Esay speaketh of 29.13 and the Apostle Colos 2.18 Yee see then al false worshippes and religions condemned in one word of which the Apostle in that place of the Colos 2.18 handling this very matter setteth down three kindes The first is of those which are grounded vpon certaine vaine speculations hauing an appearāce of some great wisdom As whē at this day men ground the Intercessiō of Saints vpon this that men go not to kings princes but by mediators Item that if holy personages haue had credit with God being in this woorld they haue a great deale more beeing receiued with him into paradise Item that we must satisfie God in this woorlde or in the other Item that because the perfection of euerie estate consisteth in vnity there must bee one generall head in the administration and gouernment of the catholique Church or other like conclusions of theirs who forge and deuise a religion after their own fansie taking their humane discourse a very bad rule and squire to rule and squire out their building by The second kind consisteth in grosse superstitions and such as are manifest vnto all except it bee to them which are altogither blinde and so will bee Such haue beene from all time infinite maners of fancied things doings by which men haue dreamed first that their sinnes were thereby done forth and finally that God himselfe was endebted vnto them for them as are at this daie in the Church of Rome holy water holy waxe paternosters or beades going on pilgrimage certaine signes of the crosse certaine kinds of weeds attires other such bables in which there is neither sense nor reason neither with God nor with men The third sort was in the Apostles time of them which yet held and retained the Iudaical ceremonies willing to mingle them with Iesus Christ In the roume of this haue succeeded at this day the traditions of men and an infinit number of deuotions by which not only the commaundements of God are taken away and abolished and Christians brought into a most miserable seruitude and bondage but the grace also of Iesus Christ himselfe is vtterly made voyde and of none effect and there is nether doctrine nor sacramēt remaining vncorrupted Now al this is nothing els but to runne in vaine after straunge Gods although a man giue them not this name but that al this is disguised vnder these faire woords of seruing of God of the authoritie of the Church of Antiquitie and of good Meaning But in lieu of all this we are sent here vnto Iesus Christ alone and consequently to his holy and only woorde preached and wholly put in writing first by the Prophets according to the measure and dispensation of the times finally by his Apostles without being lawfull euen to the Angels themselues to chaunge any thing therein to ad or diminish the Church being founded and grounded vpon this ground-plat foundation and no other whatsoeuer Ephes 2.20 Apoc. 21.14 the whole Scripture also giuing vs most certaine witnes hereof which without this would not be sufficient for the barring and shutting out of all false doctrines and heresies which thing cannot be saide without great blasphemy Ye see then what are our listes what is our race and course and what the price is which is set for vs at the end thereof Neither doth this point concerne only the doctrine which is common to the whole true church but this aduertisemēt must also guide vs in al our particular thoughts deliberations and practises in which wee must alwaies demaund of God the addresse and direction of his holy spirit that we neuer go beyond him but alwaies walk after him hauing him and his commaundements before our eyes as we are taught at large
to forsake father and mother to retire a mans selfe into a desert for contemplations sake vnprofitable both to ones selfe and to others but according as the first table of the Law which ruleth the second teacheth vs when we are commanded to loue God with al our heart which cannot be done if the things of this woorld haue neuer so little a part of it for it is another thing so to vse this world as to referre all things thereof to the glorie of the Creator without seeking after anie thing else in it but the vse with giuing of God thanks And this is that which Salomon himselfe hath taught vs at large in that excellent booke of the Preacher in the which he hath walked vs through the whole labyrinth mizmaze of this life shewing vs the knowledge of vsing it wel without abusing of it according as the Apostle doth also warn aduertise vs 1. Cor. 7.31 and 1. Tim. 5.17 and the psalmist most amplie Psal 49. Therefore although it be here said that a man must think more vpon the dilections of the beloued thē vpon wine wee maie not so take it as if wee might giue our heart ouer to them both but more vnto the one then vnto the other but this must be taken to signifie that neither the present life nor ought at al in it should possesse the affection and mind of the spouse So whē it is said Ps 52.5 thou louest that which is euil better then that which is good and Ioh. 3.19 that the world loued dracknes better then the light we must vnderstād hereby that that which was euil was loued as also darkenesse not that the good light were lesse loued that is loued indeed but not so much loued as euill and darkenesse 11 Neither must wee marueile that this word of Wine is taken here generally rather then any other word to signify vnto vs the abuse of the good creatures of God For if there bee any thing in the world which the world hath for all time and in all places abused it is wine in such sort that for one murderer one couetous person one adulterer or such other like vitious man yea for one glutton there shalbe found a thousand drunkards or abusers otherwise of wine be it of the vine or of other natural or artificiall drinke a thing so much accustomed that men haue a long time made it a common trade yea a vertue as Esay hereof beareth vs witnes Esay 5.11 22. since which time we se to our great griefe how the most part of the world is growen to bee worse and worse in this poynt the Apostle not hauing spoken in vaine Ephes 5.18 That therein is excesse and that which an auncient writer who neuer hard Iesus Christ spoken of saith That drunkennes was the Metropolitan or capitall Cytty of all the whole prouince of vices In steede of this the Apostle in the place aboue alleaged warneth vs to be filled with the holy Ghost as before him the Lord himself doth crying so loude by Esay 55.1 Come take wine without mony or mony worth How euer it be the sentence giuen by the Lord shalbe executed to wit That drunkardes shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 6.10 Besides the horrible iudgements which God executeth dayly vpon the bodies of drunkards witnessed by that common prouerb being most true The pot sleyeth more men then the sword To returne to our purpose so to conclude this holy Queene and her companions acknowledging that al goodnes commeth from the mere grace of god drawing vs vnto himselfe protest in this place that being once admitted and let in into the secret chambers of the king they will forget whatsoeuer they haue had and receiued without him that is to say they wil not looke back to sorrowe for this or for that nor haue their minds affection any where else then on the glory and praise of this king whom they shall then enioie which shal be truly and fully accomplished in the later daie but must be happily begun cōstantly pursued after of vs here below not following the example of Lots wife Luk. 17.32 but making in veritie and truth the same protestation which Dauid maketh Psal 16.5 and the Apostle Galat. 2.20 and 6.14 to wit that God is our true foundation and that we liue not in our selues but that Iesus Christ liueth in vs and that the world is crucified vnto vs and wee crucified vnto the world According to this holie doctrine c. THE SIXTH SERMON Our helpe be in the name of God c. It is written as followeth in the first Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles the fourth and fifth verses 4 The vpright loue thee 5 I am black but comely ye daughters of Ierusalē I am such as the tabernacles of Kedar the pauillions of Salomon 1 A summarie rehersal of the sermons going before and wherefore the spouse changeth her speech casting her eies vpon the companie which followed her 2 The small number is on the Churches side 3 Euerie small number or great number is not the Church but that of the vpright 4 True vprightnes and the loue of god are things inseparablie lincked togither 5 This spouse is accōpanied with three sortes of maidens whereof some of them are indeed her companions others her enemies others are as it were betwixt both 6 Why these here are called daughters of Ierusalem and the meane to bring them to their true mother 7 In what sense this spouse faith that shee is blacke that she is of that comelie hew which is contrary to the tanned and parched colour 8 The inward beuty of the spouse is neuer taken from her but she may wel bee spoiled of her outward ornaments for a time when it pleaseth her Bridegroome 9 Examples of this poore estate of the spouse in the auncient Church 10 Examples of the same in the Christian Church 11 This spouse is sometimes so disfigured that she is not knowen of men 12 But yet shee is alwaies faire and shining before God and such as are of a cleare sight 13 That this doctrine is of all others most necessary in this our time WE haue hitherto vnderstoode the earnest and ardent desire of the spouse thinking on no other thing then on this real coniunction with hir beloued in which consisteth her whole felicitie and for this cause desiring him that either hee would come vnto her or else beeing forced as it were to make this request by an holy impatiency desiring that she may be drawen vnto him We haue examples of either of these desires in the holie Scriptures being a thing most certaine that the auncient fathers from the beginning of the Church wished for nothing more then the comming of their deliuerer as Iesus Christ witnesseth Mat. 13.17 and Saint Peter in his first chapter verse 11. and Dauid in many Psalmes singing reioycing as if he saw already this soueraigne king before
many places speake thereof alas vpon how much more iust occasion maie and ought the Christian Church to complaine of them who vnder coulour that they would deck and trimme her and make hir more faire and beutifull then her spouse had made hir haue arrayed her so ill And so hath shee indeede already made hir complaint hereof vnto her Bridegroome who hath begun in our time to heare hir and hath put it into the mindes of good Christian Princes and Magistrates to disburden her of those stincking and defiled gawdes to restore her vnto her natiue beuty in which thing God of his goodnesse inspire them farther and guide them with his fauour more and more to the ende that wee maie soone see the accomplishment of that which hath beene hereof foretold Apocal. 21. It remaineth we now speak of the second kinde of blacknesse proceeding as hath been said from the afflictions and incommodities which concerne the state of this present life This blacknesse happeneth vnto the Church according vnto the prouidence of God for diuerse reasons namely sometimes for the chastening or rather awaking of her when shee is as it were asleepe and sometimes for the proouing of her and for the glorifieng of God in the patience and constancy which hee giueth her all this notwithstanding bee it hee chastise her bee it hee exercise or prooue her as it is sayd Psalme 44. finallie turning to an happie and good ende for her Romans 8.28 But amongest all these afflictions those which are vnderstoode by the name of Crosse in the Scripture to witte the sufferinges for the name of the Bridegroome and for righteousnesse whether they proceede from within by domesticall enemies or whether they come from without by the persecutions of the open enemies of the Church are marked foorth vnto vs throughout the whole Scripture as singular deckings vp and excellent ornamentes of the Church of God and the most glittering Iewels hee giueth his spouse togither with fayth according to that which is said by the Apostle Philip. 1.14 in such sort as this is the true reioycing of the spouse Rom. 5.3 Matth. 5.12 Galat. 6.14 and elsewhere in infinite manie places of the Scripture And indeede the Church was neuer more beutifull and shining then vnder the Crosse the saying of the Apostle being verified by experience That the power of the Lord is made perfect in our infirmitie and weakenesse 2. Cor. 12.9 11 But this letteth not but that sometimes the Church in respect of the visible markes thereof and the eyes of men is as it were darckened and that so farre that it is not knowen to the most part of the woorlde for a time as if it were no more at all in the world whether a man regard the apparant beauty of it which is the publique exercise of preaching the woorde and of administring the Sacramentes or whether a man consider this goodlie order of callinges and of the discipline of the Church hindered and as it were broken off for a time by the violence of persecutions bee it within by the sway of heresies or without by the open enemies of the Church when both these kindes of blacknesse of which wee haue spoken meete together Such was the estate of the Church both by them within it and by them without vnder the horrible persecution of Pharao then when Moses was so ill knowen of his owne and afterward vnder a great part of the Iudges namely at the time of the warre against the tribe of Beniamin whē as the Scripture saith there was no gouernor nor king in Israel but euerie mā did what seemed him good in his owne eies Iudg. 21.25 as also vnder Ely the word of God being a very precious dainty thing at that time 1. Sam. 3.1 In the later time also of Saul and after his death vntil the second election of Dauid a man might see a terrible obscuring darkening of the true visible markes of the Church yea as it were a totall defacing of them in the kingdome of Israel vnder the persecution of Iesabel so farre that Elias was entered into this opinion that hee was left alone to serue God 1. King 19.10 And as for the kingdome of Iuda the state of the Church was brought there to that point that euen Iuda iustified Israel as Ezechiel vpbraideth her therewith Ezech. 16.51 And what could the seruice and worshippe of God bee vnder Achaz 2. Chron. 28. vnder Manasses 2. King 21. and 2. Chronic. 33. Finallie during the seuentie years of the captiuitie of Babylon whereunto was the name of the people of God brought And vnder the persecution of Antiochus vntil the purging again of the Temple And as for the Christian Church what was the desolation thereof in the most part of the world then when the Arrians for certain hundreds of yeares were a-flote bare sway But especially aboue the rest that desolation is to be marked which happened after the Emperors Maurice and Phocas both in the East where Mahomet and his successours haue so disfigured this spouse that yet to this present daie can shee with much adoe bee knowen and in the West by the Childe of perdition seated in the Temple of God beeing by this meanes verified and yet dailie prooued true that which the Lorde himselfe hereof hath foretolde Luk. 18.8 and the Apostle after him 2. Timot. 3.1 and 2. Thessal 2.3 and yet more clearly Apoc. 12.14 12 But notwithstanding it is to bee noted that as the Sunne beeing by the interposition of the Moone ecclipsed and darckened or rather hindered to cast his cleare beames vpon the earth by some mistes of cloudes for a time in respect of men leaueth not for all this to remaine in his owne nature full of light and of brightnes yea and it maie bee that some sharpe and cleare eies maie acknowledge and perceiue his beutie and brightnes amidst these mists euen so this spouse although such persecutions doe darken and as I may so say doe vtterly take away her natiue and ingenuous beautie yea make her to looke like a Moore or Arabian in respect of men who by this meanes know her not so is it notwithstanding that thorough this blackenesse of hers remayne certaine traces of beautie naie farther as white sheweth more white being laide neare vnto blacke so afflictions which are meant by this blacknesse cause her to shewe more bewtifull and faire both to her Bridegroome as wee shall see it in the verses following and vnto them which knowe her well as Saint Paul 2. Cor. 11.30 and Galat. 6.14 and 17. And this is the reason which mooued the spouse to say That shee is blacke and yet verie faire withall and that on one side shee is blacke as the Tabernacles of the Arabians and on the other side that shee is white and shining as the Tentes and Pauillions of Salomon Neither is it without great cause that shee speaketh in this place of Salomon opposed and contrarie matched with
retire himselfe into purer and cleaner flocks if there be any such and where he may be in lesse danger of being corrupted by the contagion and infection of others The other imperfection consisteth in doctrine In which againe there are many circumstances to be considered before we depriue any assembly be it great or small of the name of the Church And that this should be so we see by the first epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians that in the church of Corinth not only touching manners the discipline of the church was very loosly obserued and the manner of teaching the word greatly prophaned by a vaine and affected kinde of babling but which more is that the pro and the con touching the article of the resurrection of the dead was stoutly and stifly disputed an article notwithstanding of such ground foundation in the Church that without it the preaching of the gospel would become vaine 1. Cor. 15.17 And yet notwithstanding it was so called and helde of the Apostle for the true and holy Church of God Among the Galathians it was yet worse beeing for the most part of them turned aside by the false Apostles from the principal ground-plat and foundation of the Christian Church namely from the free iustification by the only satisfaction of one onely Iesus Christ and yet all this notwithstanding Saint Paul giueth them the name of Church The reason is as touching the Corinthians because they shewed not themselues incorrigible and past amendment and that though there were some but badlie instructed in the article of the resurrection of the dead notwithstanding the bodie of the Church did stil retaine and hold the truth The Galathians also had not banded themselues against the doctrin of the Apostle but were only turned somewhat aside by a light headdines and yet not al of them as is to be presupposed The like is also to bee seene by that which the Apostle writeth vnto Timothy and likewise by the second of Saint Peter and that of Saint Iude that there were already false teachers and wicked Disciples euen in the bosome of the Churches which notwithstanding for all these imperfections left not to be called true Churches as a man leaueth not to bee a man though he haue some wert or some vlcers biles in one part of his body But the case is otherwise of a body altogether rotten and corrupted in the noblest and principallest partes whereunto the Synagogues of the Iewes may bee compared after that they stubburnely resisted the preaching of the Apostle from which for this cause hee vtterly diuided and disioyned the Church of Ephesus Act. 19.9 and 28.28 and himselfe also hath giuen vs a rule hereof Philip. 3.2 Neither are we otherwise to beleeue or to doe touching such assemblies and congregations be they great or little which notoriously and stubburnly oppose themselues against the principall and fundamental articles of Christian Religion as that assembly doth at this daie which sitteth vpon the seauen hils and opposeth it selfe directlie against the kingdome of Iesus Christ whose name notwithstanding it falsely borroweth and therefore we haue it iustly in execration and hold it accursed following the doctrine of the Apostle Galat. 1.8 To come therefore to our purpose we must take heede in this case how we stand in such sort vpon the defectes and imperfections of one Church or more as therefore not to take them for Churches but we must vse those ordinarie means which God hath appointed to bear with that which is to be borne withal to remedie that which may be remedied and to take heede to our selues we bee not smutted as they saie among colliers applying all our studie and endeuour to mutual edification as the Prophets and Apostles teach vs both by their doctrine and by their example 3 It is verie true notwithstanding that the spouse speaketh here of another kind of blacknesse to wit of the outward ouerthrowe and dissipation of the Church by the vehemencie of persecutions which is the cause that many making no difference betweene the glittering beuty of the kingdomes of this world and the spirituall beuty of that kingdome which is not of this world and suffering themselues to be dazled and blinded with that which hath onely a certaine outward glosse eyther enter not at al into the Church or if happily they bee entered retire themselues afterward out of it to returne againe to their vomit 2. Pet. 2.22 For fault of hearkening vnto this warning and aduertisement not to rely or stand vpon this outward black and hideous appearance of the crosse but contrariwise to waigh and consider well the true and natiue beutie of the Church in the middest of her greatest afflictions According hereunto the Lord hauing warned vs that his kingdom commeth not with such obseruation Luk. 17.20 hath said also That he shal be happy which shal not be offended at him who notwithstanding is called a man of sorrowes and griefes and so disfigured Esaie 53.3 that hee is compared vnto a worme of the earth Psal 22.6 to whom notwithstāding the church must be made conformable to bee the true church Rom. 8.29 in such sort that so far it is that the crosse maketh the Church not to be knowen that on the contrarie it is the true mark thereof being giuen to none but to the true beleeuers to suffer for the name of God the Apostle crying out That this is it whereof he wil boast himselfe Gal. 6.14 Mat. 5.10 Phil. 1.19 and elsewhere throughout the Scripture Hereunto is referred the second point which I haue touched being contained in this that the Church which called her selfe black saith that she is Browne as if she should saie to these Daughters of Ierusalem Comparing my selfe with you who are so fresh and so faire it seemeth indeed that there is nothing more black then I but yet if your eies be good you shal find that albeit I be browne and sunneburnt by the parching of the sunne yet am I not for al my tanned hew an Arabian or Aethiopian For ouer and besides that which hath beene said of the happie end issue of the afflictions of the Church there is an exceeding difference between the most miserable estate of those who are blatched before God by his iust vengeances or which are left remaining in their naturall blacknes and betweene the confidences and assurances of the children of god afflicted for righteousnes and for the glory of the Lorde who bestoweth this great fauor and grace vpon them to be glorified in them Farther if we consider of the estate of the church in her greatest afflictions it is not so miserable as men think it is For as the Apostle teacheth vs God is faithful and neuer suffereth such as are his to bee tryed aboue that which they are able to beare 1. Cor. 10.13 And therefore verie true it is that wee are pressed in euerie sort but not crased or broken beeing in want and penurie wee are not
their particular interest others haue no great care of it others indeed set their handes vnto it but insteede of following after the tracke and footing of the true sheepe and the tentes and tabernacles of the true Pastors wel authorized folow their own inuentions to make a medly of religions and disciplines after their owne lust 3 As for the first seeing they resemble the Pharisees and Scribes naie are more out of the way then they it is no maruaile if they cannot abide to haue their profanenes discouered wherein they do their master faithful seruice who by their meanes defendeth his hold and fortresse with all the might he maie Luk. 11.22 True it is they are constrayned to auouch that there are many very great corruptions abuses in their Church and of this the preface vnto their councels alwaies ringeth yea sometimes their sermons also and thereupon also ye shal haue them make some statutes and ordinaunces of reformation But what First there is no speech to be made touching their doctrine with which they ought to begin but all the speech is of square caps of shauing of beards of their hair it may be some points shal be farther added touching the plurality of benefices and residencie of prelates yea forsooth as if they should take order that euery Church-robber should haue his part and euerie theese raunge in person in the walke of his forest Many wil saie these wordes are verie rough and too iniurious But they who like them not must reforme the Lordes speech Matt. 21.13 Yee haue made saith he of my fathers house a den of theeues And albeit their rules of reformation were the best that might be in the world yet who seeth not that it is but a meere mockerie to make them to the end their buls and dispensations may haue as manie clauses derogatorie against them For example hereof look we to the pragmatical sanction of Basel taken away by Pope Leo and parted between him and kinges more impudently a great deale then the souldiours who executed Pilates iudicial sentence against Christ parted his garments amongst them And this goodly councel of Trent such as it is hath it hitherto in our daies framed anie bill of encitement against the authors themselues and founders thereof culpable in pointes of their owne reformation 4 And what shal the true pastors and christian magistrates do hereupon They must waite saie these hick scorners vntil such time as the Pope and prelates the Apostles successours forsooth remedie the matter that is to saie vntill the whores reforme the stewes As it is an vsuall thing thoroughout the Scripture to compare spiritual fornication and whoredom vnto corporal whoredome But Iesus Christ giueth vs a contrarie lesson Let them alone saith he they are blind leaders of the blind Mat 15.14 naie which is more he tooke a whip in his hand and ouerturning the tables and monie of the chaungers draue them foorth t 〈…〉 ise out of the temple Ioh. 2.15 and Luk. 19.45 So about three hundred yeares since God hath chastised and scourged the East and the South and some part also of the North with a terrible whip of his anger and wrath I meane by the Turkes successours of the Sarracens and hath in our memorie giuen the Cittie of Rome a shrewd lash with the whip Contrariwise it is on vs that hee hath reached foorth his great mercie hauing raised vp those chiefe seruantes of God who tooke into their handes the true armes of Christians 2. Cor. 10.4 I meane the spirit of the mouth of the Lord 2. Thess 2.8 otherwise called the two edged sword of the word Psal 149.6 and Heb. 4.12 by which they cleansed the house of the Lord where we are now It is replyed hereupon that some haue also resâ—sted by way of armes They which haue beene brought to this extremity are sufficient to aunswere for themselues and behold their aunswere which al the world might vnderstand We vouch saie they the fact yea and that Satan hath thrust and shoued in some of his theeues and robbers among vs we confesse as Dauid himselfe during the time of his persecution found himselfe much encombred with those which ioyned themselues vnto him But notwithstanding for al this considering when and why and by whose meanes the matter came to handie-blowes it shall be found that they who complaine are no more to be approued in their complaint then they should be who should complaine they hapned to meete in a forest where they laie in ambush certaine passengers who armed by the authority of the Lawes hindered in some part their wicked purpose 5 Ye see then how it hath pleased god in our time to exercise his poore children and yet withall to take pitty on them in some countries But I must speake it to my great regrete that his grace appearing vnto the woorld men haue beene far from receiuing of it and making their profite thereby in such sort as they ought to haue doone For some haue yet left the high places standing others haue set vp Gedeons Ephod Iudg. 8.27 others haue ordered the rules of Ecclesiasticall gouernment not according vnto the true pattern of the ancient sheepe and cabbins of the Pastors in which we haue heard howe the Spouse is in this place commanded to feede her young kiddes but according vnto their own opinion or rather fancy so that if God of his goodnes remedie it not it cannot be but that by little and litle the later state wil come to be woorse then the first as is said Matth. 12.45 and as is already come to passe in too many Churches and countries 6 God grant theÌ„ who haue the charge hereof his grace to thinke better on it to prouide for it that this spouse maie be restored vnto her perfect bewty whereof the Bridegroome in this place speaketh saying that he compareth her vnto the mounture of horses of one of the coches of Pharao Which similitude comparison may seem very strange yet notwithstanding is very significant proper if wee consider the sense whereunto it is to be referred without wresting or drawing it any farder So is it said by a similitude to shew that the true Church keepeth herself to her head in what place soeuer he be that where a dead bodie is there doe the eagles gather themselues together And yet this wold be thought a thing very absurd if a man therfore consequently would liken the children of God vnto foule rauening birds Iesus Christ who is the holy of holies vnto a carrion Semblably if a man would make Iesus Christ like vnto a theefe vnder this colour that it is saide that he shal come as a theefe 1. Thess 5.2 or vnto a Iudge fearing neither God nor men Luk. 18.2 So likewise in this place the spirite meaneth not to compare his church vnto an horse or a mare But because one of the principall bewties of a woman is this tall and streight feature of body with a
sowed and encreased her filthy manners in al the quarters of the world others of which sort are these masse-mungers cōfessors graund amners make open profession of being baudes stewards of the house clearks of the kitchin yeomen of the horse to haue a soupe at their maisters broth brewes In the meane time the poore vicars must trudge about and watch that is to saie must barke bay daie and night at the parchment and make sale of their merchandize for the quick and the dead which they haue taken to farme to sel againe as well as they maie to bee sauers themselues how euer the poore sheepe paie for it to him that offereth most and out-biddeth the rest paying the woorld againe with Christmas-carols and prouiding especially for this that no other wolue catch their sheepe And thus you see howe the Lords sheepefolde is guided by them who cal themselues the chiefe pillers of the Catholique Church and maintainers of diuine seruice For which thinges I report me to that which heauen and the verie conscience of euery one which hath any at al can witnes to iudge whether I slaunder them in speaking thus of them or no. Others are after another sort disguized all of them hauing this one thing in common that they are nothing lesse thē that they appear without for to be I mean true Pastors but deceiue after diuerse sortes both themselues and others Some make nothing else but a mockerie of them who make reckoning of them beeing no other within then meere Atheists others are poor superstitious ones abused abusing others thinking to appease the fire of the wrath of god by their inuentions deuotions sparing neither body nor soul which they torment not of whom the Apostle speaketh Coloss 2.22.23 And this is properly of those two last sorts of gardiens that the spouse here speaketh whom a man shal find to busie from mattins to vespers a mūbling their crucifixe besides their ordinarie deuotions some of them of a meere hypocrisie others of zeale without knowledge albeit when there is any question of persecuting the Church we maie then truely saie that there is neuer a one of these asleep but they al forget for a time their ordinarie traine altogether to catch and entrap as many seely sheepe as seeke to flie and escape their talants as did the great councel of Ierusalem who watched al night long to take Iesus Christ and to frame his enditement when Saint Peter himself and his companions could not keepe themselues waking This is not al then to watch for the Diuel watcheth also as do they also whom he setteth a worke But wee must keepe watch and ward to a good end for they are of al others the most daungerous who are most diligent and expert men to doe euil 2 But let vs leaue these merchandizers of soules and such as make trafique of poore seely consciences and come wee now vnto that which the spouse here saith Which is in summe thus much that beeing past a little this watch shee found her beloued whom shee neuer left vntill shee had brought him home to her mothers house yea to her mothers owne chamber whereupon we are to reiterate that which we haue aboue already noted namely that when the Lord maketh vs to seeke him by recoiling as it were and drawing backe from vs hee doth it not therefore that hee would frustrate that desire which he first formed in the hearts of such as are his but because hee would by that meanes sharpen their diligence and cause vs to esteeme so much the more of him when wee haue found him beeing an ordinarie thing with men to contemne that which they came light by whereof we haue stil daily experience For if himselfe seeketh after the sheepe which is straied Psal 119.176 Luk. 15.4 if he ran after Adam when Adam fled Gen. 3.9 if hee cause himselfe to bee found of them which seeke him not Esai 65. how will he neglect the perseuerance of them who seeke after him 3 What excuse then shal our temporizers at this day haue who albeit they be in their consciences cōuicted expect notwithstanding some of them the resolution and determination of a general councel to bee resolued others some assurance of peace before they wil shew themselues and returne vnto the flock But if the doore bee shut in the meane time who wil open it Mat. 25.10 Esa 22.2 If the time which serued to finde him be lost who wil assure vs we shal find him againe Matth. 25.10 Ioh. 12.10 Esai 55.6 But saie these kindes of people some I am no cleark Desire therefore and labour to be one For why hath God bestowed a reasonable soule vnderstanding vpō thee Come thou therefore vnto him who hath made the eies who giueth eies vnto thē which haue none Psa 140.8 know that thou art blind thou hast already receiued a good beginning of light Ioh. 9.39 Others saie they cānot tel what to do there are so manie contrarie opinions among the Doctors and teachers themselues The like mought they haue said who followed Iesus Christ when the people were diuided into Pharisees Sadduces Essenians Nazarites Herodians Samaritanes What must we do then That which the spouse here teacheth vs. We must take a good and holy courage vnto vs and goe farther For in the end we shal meete with Iesus Christ But wil he descend visible from heauen to make himselfe to be seene No for hee hath alreadie descended and hath withdrawen himselfe vp againe into heauen vntill the latter daie in respect of his corporall presence yet notwithstanding hee continueth with his by his quickening power to the end and consummation of the world But where is he in a word Verily there whither he sendeth vs namely in his scriptures as wee declared at large the last Thursdaie which aunswere Abraham also made vnto that rich damned wretch Luk. 16.29 And we must trulie confesse that we haue herein a great aduantage aboue this spouse considering the time when she spake thus the light of the Scriptures or writings of the Apostles being farre greater without comparison then that of the Prophets as is most amply set downe vnto vs and declared in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and by the similitude of the body and of the shadowe which the Apostle vseth Coloss 2.17 But they reply again say euerie one we heare dispute alleageth the Scriptures for himselfe what shall we then doe hereupon Mary first looke diligently vnto this whether it be true that euerie one alleageth the Scriptures For if I should say that a great number of lies forgeries may be found in the writings of our aduersaries alleaging most falsely for Scripture that which is no more found in anie booke of the Bible then Paradise is in Hell I should not lie at all Secondly we must note that they are no lesse false-saiers then the rest who for proofe of their doctrine alleage any other testimonies ouer and besides
the aboue named scriptures and writings of the Prophets and Apostles vnto whom wee are no lesse forbidden to adde then to change and diminish seeing they containe the whole Counsell of God touching our saluation Ioh. 15.15 and Act. 20.27 And to the end no man reply that al was not written which the Apostles taught let vs answere this lie first with that which is said 2. Tim. 2.17 where Saint Paul requireth nothing besides the scripture to make the man of God perfect complete Secondly let these goodly vnwritten doctrines and verities forsooth be compared with the scriptures and the day wil condemne this darckenesse Thirdly alwaies and as often as there are diuerse interpretations found of one and the same place let vs know that this commeth to passe partly because euerie one hath not one and the same measure of vnderstanding and partly because the scripture is so plentifull in all trueth that of one and from one only place a man may drawe diuerse expositions which may be al of them notwithstanding conformable vnto the trueth of edification euerie of which may as occasiō serueth be profitable But whē the interpretations are so repugnant that it must needs be that one or more of them be false then if we conferre other places therewith so expound Scripture by Scripture as Iesus Christ teacheth vs by his own example Mat. 4.6.7 as the ancient Councels haue doone hauing by this only most true and most assured means conuinced al sorts of false allegations of heretickes if withal we refer the whole vnto the correspondencie of the articles of our faith which we call our Creede the summary abridgement of euery fundamentall point of Christian doctrine religion there is no man can bee deceiued no not the simplest Idiots of all except they will needs deceiue themselues I mean if so be they bring with them a docible and teacheable mind and a desire to bee taught in all humility according vnto that which is said of the writtē word of God Ps 119.8 Esa 55.1 And thus you see how folowing the exāple of the true Spouse that is searching Iesus Christ in his owne home we shal find him neuer be deceiued 4 But what is it to find him if a man seaze not on him And what is it to seaze on him if a man hold him not fast to enioie him Verily no more to purpose then if a mā should find good meat and not touch it or put it in his mouth and not swallow it or swallow it and not digest it And alas howe many such guestes are there in the woorlde For to let passe those who vouchsafe not to come vnto this banquet and those also who not only enter not them selues into it but hinder also others from entering in and that by all manner not onlie craftines but violence also letting I say these goe who are without let vs speake of them who enter in who see heare him who is both the banquet and the banquet maker I mean our Lord Iesus Christ yet notwithstanding do neither sit downe nor vouchsafe to eat nay not so much as to open their mouthes to chew the morsels already cut prouided for thē How manie contēners mockers are there How many that swallow the meate downe but are fedde neuer a whit with it therefore grow nothing at al in this inward mā shewing by the course of their whole life that they as yet haue not any sense or feeling of the spirit of him in whō all true Christians do liue as he also liueth in them Ga. 2.20 Behold the ruine of Israel Iuda which we yet see to continu before our eies behold what hath caused the Candlestickes of the Churches of Asia to be remoued according vnto the threatning contained in the Apocalyps and which in the end brought in the deluge of Mahomet of his cōpanion vpon the foure ends quarters of the world We see it with our eies who taketh it to hart Who thinketh on that which the Apostle foretelleth of the fulnesse of vs the Gentils Ro. 11.15 in such sort that it wil happē vnto vs as in the daies of Noe Mat. 24.37 Let vs look vnto our selues my brethren that we be not found asleepe Lu. 12.37 much-lesse cast out of the banquet into outwarde darkenesse Matth. 21.22 finally cast forth of the temple of God as filth and doung 5 But wee must yet better examine all the woordes of this so true and faithfull a spouse I found him saith shee whom my soule loueth yea because he made himselfe to be found and for that the true loue of the Bridegroome serued for a guide to direct this spouse whom himselfe loued first 6 I seazed or laid hold on him And with what arm Verily with that of faith for this is the only vessell to receiue him in this is the onely hande to take hold of him Rom. 9.30 But this faith must be firme stedfast to holde him without letting of him goe otherwise this is not that true faith which is the gift of god properly belonging vnto the elect irreuocable Rom. 12.29 but an opinion which vanisheth away with the first wind that bloweth which maketh vs in some sort to tast the good gift of god not to swallow it down digest it Heb. 6.5 Mat. 13.21 7 And howe is this faith and by it Iesus Christ continued mantained in vs The spouse declareth vs in one word whē she saith that she brought this Bridegrome into the house nay into the secret chamber of her mother which conceiued her Now to vnderstād this matter the better we must note that the Church is diuersly considered somteimes as being ioined vnited together making one mystical body with her head so that sometimes it is called Iesus christ himself altogether whole entire 1. Cor. 12.12 as if without her he should be an head without a body Ephes 1.23 and in this sense she hath no Mother but one heauenly father alone Somtimes she is also considered in her generality without any respect of times or places notwithstanding distinguished from Iesus Christ in which consideration she hath also no Mother but one heauenly Father alone together with a brother Bridegrome sometimes also she is considered with distinction diuersity of time for which respect S. Paul saith he hath begotten the Church of the Galathians calleth himself the father of the Corinthians in regard of his ministery Gal. 4.19 1. Cor. 4.15 In which sense a man may say that the Church of Ierusalē not that of Rome hath brought forth al the churches the word of god which is the incorruptible seed 1. Pet. 1.23 proceeding and comming from her Esa 2.3 According vnto this sense also is it that this spouse which is but one perpetual in her generality is according as the one engendreth the other vnto the Lord distinguished into an ancient church vnder