Iudea All the commaundements comming forth from Princes for furthering the Churches worke they must receiue their Authoriâ—â—e and haue their due reference to the word of our Cyrus the substantial Annointed For of his word much more than that of Medes and Persians it may be said It admitteth no alteration As Princes would not be thought to alter the word of our great Monarch let them bridle the enemies beyond the Riuer that so the foundation of Religion and Church long since laide and by Idolatrers staid it may goe forward be built vpon and rise vp towards perfection Yet when we haue done what we can the Temple will come short of the first the state of the Church in this age nothing comparable to that of the first age Cyrus the vncircumcised must giue place to Salomon the Circumcised and the one worke to the other euen as Salomon was of Christ Iesus a more perfect Shadowe and the first Temple more excellent than the second Though yong-heads will admire the latter while more Ancient spirited weepe at the remembrance of the former 2. Did Cyrus subdue Nations purchase their riches set Captiues at libertie O our great Monarch receiued of his father All authoritie in heauen and in earth for arming his spirituall captaines whereby their ministerie became so effectuall as hie and strong imaginations were brought downe the Nations were subdued to his word Kings of the Nations offer to him their hid treasure as sometimes the Easterne Sophies did to his owne person offer Gold Mirrhâ— and Frankensence For setting such at libertie as before were captiued of satan and chained vnder the power of darkenesse he therein hath beene no lesse glorious O it remaineth that as he hath set vs free so we doe no more entangle ourselues but that setting our faces towards Heauens Zion we labour to be as He-goates before the Flocke drawers of others by our holy example And this we see Quod Cyrus Rex Dominum Saluatorem Nomine designanit factis that King Cyrus both in his Name and Acts doth shadow forth our Lord and Sauiour So much shall suffice for a taste of Personall shadows Lect. XXX Tree of Life Shadowes Sacramentall HAuing thus giuen a taste of shadowes Arithmetical and Personal it now remaineth that I speake something of Sacramentall shadowes The word Sacrament is of right large vse in Ecclesiasticall writings Insomuch as whatsoeuer the Greekes call Mysterion a Mysterie the Latines often terme Sacramentum a Sacrament Which more particularly may appeare in the Olde Latine translation of the new Testament who in Ephes. 5.32 Reuel 17.1 turneth Mysterion by Sacramentum for that in such large sense euery Ecclesiastike secret is a sacrament But after-age hath called it to straiter sence defining that to be onely a sacrament which is Sacri rei signum a Signe of some holy thing Which externall signe is of God appointed for he alone can institute such a signe who can giue the grace thereby signified for assuring his church of some necessarie grace In a word Sacraments as some haue noted are of two sorts the first onely Representatiue the second also Exhibitiue Representatiue sacraments are such-signes as onely represent some grace and that is commonly some common grace And so the Raigne-bow was and is a signe of God his grace or fauor touching the no more destroying of the world by water Paradise and Canaan Representatours of Heauen Noahs Arke the Tabernacle and Temple shadowers of the church Exhibitiue Sacraments are such signes as not onely represent but also doe exhibite vnto the Belieuer the very grace signified and such be the signes of Bread and Wine in the Lords supper of water in Christian Baptisme Of which kinde of sacrament I meane here to insist giuing vnto you an assay thereof first from such sacramentall exhibitiue shadowes as went before the Lawe secondly vnder the Law Before the Law I will propound fiâ—st somewhat of Paradise in the state of Mans innocencie secondly some such shadow as fell out of Paradise in the time of mans nocencie In the Garden I note a certaine peculiar tree placed in the midst therof called The tree of life vnto which tree there is due allusion in Reuel 22.2 which was Simbolum Sacramentum vitae a pledge and Sacrament of life termed of Rabanus sacramentum visibile invisibilis sapientiae a visible sacrament of inuisible wisedome The tree termed The knowledge of good and euil excepted it was permitted Adam to eate of all the other trees therefore also to eat of this sacramentall shadowing tree And hereto it is the Holighost alludeth in Reuelation 2.7 when he saith To hâ—m that ouercommeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Yet betweene the eating of this and the common trees there was great difference For on the common fruites he was to eate for bodies sustentation but on this peculiar tree for his soules instruction Which caused an Ancient well say in eo erat sacramentum in caeteris lignis â—â—â—â—entum in the tree of life there was a sacrament but in the other trees nourishment And what was this internall sacrament or grace signified Rabanus shall answere Sanctus Sanctorum vâ—ique est Christus it is no other than Christ the Holy of Holies So Haymo on Apoc. 22. Lignum quippe vitae Christus est sapientia dei patris de qua Salomon in Pro. 3.18 dicit Lignum vitae est bis qui apprehenderint â—am qui tenuerit eam beatus He is the Churches life for without feeding on him by faith we with Adam fall vnder the power of Death He indeede is the tree of life planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth forth his fruite in due season whose leafe fadeth not and whatsoeuer hee dooth it shall prosper The best tree he is in the Churches Garden and in the midst of the Court of Conscience he is to be planted But if we flie him for tasting of Antichrists tree a tree of knowledge for good and euill the good of that religion being a cloke of the euill then we deserue to be driuen from the Lord of life euen as Adam was forced from the sacramentall shadow Was Adam then taught that life was the free guift of God How much more now hauing sinned is it the gift of God freely without all demerit Stood Adam then in neede of a sacrament for sustaining his faith How cursed are they then with the Suenkfeldians that pretend such a perfection in this life as needeth no preaching no sacrament When Adam had by reason of his sin cut himselfe voluntarily from the Lord of life was he therevpon driuen from the externall signe of life Yea for teaching the gouernors of the Church to seclude such from sacramentall signes as first haue openly and impenitently cast behind them the thing signified And thus in Paradise vnder shadowes the Gospel was
in respect of God called the rod of his mouth wherewithall Christ Iesus is pierced and cannot but open to the meaning of his owne Sprite euen as in the Gospel our Sauiour could not but awake and satisfie his disciples thirst when as they cryed Saue vs or we perish Moses representing the law doth leade the Israel of God to Christ for water of refreshment All sâ—biects to the Law must come to him and there with the spirit of prayer smite If our infidelitie cause that no refreshment come from his presence vpon the first call smite we must againe and the windes stormes and bâ—llowes of tentation shall giue place We oft aske and receiue not because we aske amisse namely to satisfie our owne lusts But asked wâ—e in faith without wauering we could not but receiue for in so knocking he himself hath promised to open But because wee beginne with Moses to halt in the beginning of prayer shall we not therefore persist and renew our petition God forbid for as an Ancient could well say melius est in via claudicare quam prater viam fortiter ambulare it is better to halt in the way than to walke vprightly out of the way so I conclude it farre better to persist in prayer with imperfection than desperately to leaue off prayer which is flat defection If Moses his weakenesse hindred that effect which should haue followed the first stroke a signe of a strong rising faith it was in Moses to repeate the stroke And thus this Rocke the waters rod and strokes do leade vs vnto Christ the things of Christ. So much for this shadow Lect. XXXVI Brazen Serpent THe last Sacramentall shadow which I obserue to be giuen vnto Israel for signe exhibiting Messiah to the true Beleuer it is that Brazen Serpâ—nt lift vp in the wildernes of Moses at the Lords commaundement for the sauing of Israel from thâ— stinging of Serpents Numb 21. Which Serpent so lift vp our Sauiour himselfe in Ioh. 3.14.15 12.32 doth expounde of himselfe For the better vnderstanding whereof let vs consider first Israels disease secondly the Curation of that disease Israels Disease was a mortall sting or poison smit into their bodies by fâ—ry Serpents stirred vp of God for punishing their murmuring against the Lorde This murmuring was their rebellious speach vttered against the Lords magistrate and Minister Moses and Aaron for that they lacked ordinary bread and were fed only with Manna Of which sacramentall bread they speake despitefully first when they say Our Souls lothes it secondly when they lightly terme it light bread Which dealing of theirs the Apostle calleth a tempting of Christ when by way of vse he saith to euery Christian Neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and werâ— destroyed of Serpentes Their Soules thus tempting Christ yea murmuring against Christ first in respect of their lewd language against the Personall figures of Christ Moses and Aaron secondly against the Sacramentall shadowe of Christ that is against Manna the Lord punisheth this disease of the Soule with that of the Body effected by the firy dartes of Serpents like as in 1. Cor. 11.30 he punished many Christians with bodily greiuances for abusing the Lords sacramentall supper All which teacheth vs as we would preserue the Body from temporall plagues and thâ— Soule from being stung with the fiery Serpents of hell to fly all murmuring against the good guifts of God be they Personall or Sacramentall It is said of the serpent termed Aspis that he giueth a wound to the body puncto acus simile not bigger then the pricke of a nedle But marke the effect A little blood therewith distiâ—leth and that right blacke A sodaine darknes ouer-spreadeth the eyes The whole body falles to labour thereon non sine quodam voluptatis sensu but not without a certaine tickling pleasure In a word the whole man is quickly ouerthrowne The Aspe and these fiery serpents is satan and the damned spirits who of God are stirred vp in iustice to punish our abuse of holy thinges The serpents sting is Sin 1. Cor. 15.56 and these sinnes are the fiery darts of the hellish wicked Ephese 6.56 The stroke of sin semeth so small as a pinnes point which causeth fooles to tush thereat as being a thing of nothing but heed it wel and thou shalt see blacke blood stand in it a signe of death the least sinne of his owne nature being mortall And watch the effects of this Sinne further and behold the eie of the soule darkneth more and more and when the eye is darkenesse howe great is that darkenesse The whole soule therewith falls of trauelling with sinne but with a certaine itching pleasure the fruit of which labour is a lâ—e in the right hand when so the soule awaketh This is the Aspe this is the fiery serpent that stingeth that old serpent and dragon that stung man and murthered mankinde from the beginning And this is his sting Sinne euen the peruersion of our nature that tickling foolerie wherewith we delight our selues to death and destruction This for the disease The Curation of Israels disease litterally was thus A brasen Serpent called also Sháraph and plurally Sheráphim Num. 21.9 compared with verse 6. from their fierie appearance such a serpent vpon Gods commandement was artificially made of pure sparkeling brasse and lift vp on some pole Whereto if the stung Israelite cast vp his eye loe hee was immediately cured Now vnto what mysterie did this lead Israel Namely to lift vp the eye of the soule vnto Iesus Christ who vppon the crosse was lifted vp for sauing the true belieuer This our Sauiour teacheth when he saith And as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in HIM should not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3.14 15. The lifting vp of the bodies eye vnto that led them to the lifting vp of their bodies eye a belieuing minde vnto this The falâ—ing of the body there led them to the soules saluation here Temporâ—ll life in the former did preach to them eternall life in the latter Thus that sinne which was committed by eating of the forbidd tree is here salued by the Lord of life hanged vpon the tâ—ee The Sâ—rpent with sting is here ouercome by a Serpent without sting O thâ—t in our Douish innocencie we could for auoyding â—uill be so wise as Serpents Hath Satan by the fiâ—ry darts of sin sâ—it vs Hold out the shield of faith Ephe. 6.16 and they are quenched For the faithfull are deliuâ—red from these empoysonments of sinne cùm Chrâ—â—tum in cruce eleuatum interioribus abtutibus semper aspiciunt whenas they shall continually with the inward sight behold Christ lifted vp on the crosse Et illi qui per fidem appropinquauerâ—nt saluifiunt for all such as approach to him by faith are saued Sursum corda here I may call
it is an excellent Comforting nature and also repercussiue Vnder this odoriferous Nard I mystically vnderstand first the sacrifice of a faithfull penitent heart whose sighes and confessions petitions and praises are as Noahs oblations in Gen 8.21 called the odours of the Saints Reue. 8.4 and secondly they be these sauourie almes which the faithfull minister to the Saints termed by the Apostle an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant vnto God Philip. 4.18 The first of these doe specially respect God the second our Neighbour For as in Church-Communion God and Man are considered at one and in Christ made one so no soule can manifest it selfe to be of this fellowship that first persumeth not Christs head then secondly his members with this aromatike odour Christes head is the Father and his body is the church 1. Cor. 11.2 12.27 To the Father of heauen are all deuotions of the heart to be offered vpon the golden altar of Messiahs obedience for onely this Angell of the East Reuel 8.1 c. whose starre appeared in the East hath a golden censor for censing the prayers of the Saints As for the oblations of the hand the contribution of the faithfull they appertaine to the faithfull needy-ones Do good we must vnto all but specially to the houshold of faith Galat. 6.10 And this specialtie appeareth when as the speciall almes termed the Collection for the saints 1. Cor. 16.1 and sundry times called a Grace in 2. Corinthi 8. and 9. they be appropriated to the vse of the sanctified of the Gracious Not that we are to contribute onely to the visible Gratious for as God without respect to mans worke dooth good to the verie wicked so are we but specially we are to tender the gracious as God by a Speciall grace hath regarded them beyond others In both we are to be like vnto God and both of them be vnto him as the Morning and Euenings incense Thus Christ as a King feasteth with his church and the church againe feasteth with him in sauourie words and workes but made sauourie onely by his spirit Iudas Iscariot will finde fault with the effusion of this oyle not because he loueth the poore but for that he hath the bagge and studieth how to robbe the poore Let not Mary cease to offer her Deuotions to God and her Almes to Messiahs members for howsoeuer Iudas thinke all but oyle spilt vpon the ground our Iesus will say No let her alone against the day of burying she kept it There be a number of Dogges now that neither will themselves doe good to the poore nor can bee contented that others do them Good With Iudas they thinke all lost that is spent vpon Christ and his members and herevpon it is that our Ages Atheists doe robbe the Church intending with Iscariot the paunching of themselues Let them in time repent and in time make restitution lest God in his iustice do leaue them with theefe Iudas to the halter or at least to haue their portion with Hypocrites and Foxes The Brownist which now teacheth them to robbe the Church will then be farre enough from defending the play or helping Sacri-legists out of Hels-mouth that gapeth to receiue them as they gape to swallowe vp the Churches inheritance Let Iesus and his members feast together while they may for after the feast there wil be a fast a day of Crucifixion a darke and gloomie day While the Bridegroome is with vs let vs publikely bestow our odours on God and Man when the gospels sunne shall be eclipsed and Christ haue yeelded vp the ghost then with the Centurion let vs knocke our breast moorne and lament for that darkenesse is ouer all our Earth Lect. XIIII HAuing thus praised her Loue for that was past shee now commeth to that praise which toucheth the present time whereas she first compareth him to a bundle of Myrrhe secondly of Copher For Myrrhe it is an Indian tree and in taste very bitter and of the second degree hote and drie and of preseruing nature for which cause Nicodemus in Iohn 19.39 doth mix Myrrhe with Aloes for embalming the body of Iesus That Christ is to the church a nosegay of Myrrhe what meaneth it but that he doth by his Spirits heate exiccate or dry vppe the superfluitie of our degenerate nature wherby body and soule is preserued to eternall life For as it is the office of Messiahs spirite to kill or mortifie sinne in vs so likewise to viuifie and quicken vp in vs the spirit of true life The first is done by the bitternesse of the Law the second is done by the redolent doctrine of Faith or Gospel And as the church hath in the present a sense thereof so shee couenanteth for future time that this Messiah shall as a bundle of Myrrhe be couched betweene her breasts and that no doubt for these purposes first for manifesting how deare Christ crucified is vnto her with all his bitter agonies secondly for keeping her rebellious sprowting lusts vnder all her life That the bitter crosse of Christ is of great esteeme in the harts of the faithfull consider not onely in this that they desire with Paul onely to know Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 but also are baptized into his death and so with the Apostle doe die dayly 1. Cor. 17.29 30. For such as walke on in wickednesse lâ—bouring their owne particular these are not common-wealâ—s-men but common-illes-men and as Paul termeth them Enemies vnto the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.18 so farre are they from exulting with the Apostles in bitter sufferings and sharpe temptations This bundle is no Nosegay for their bosoms That the church placeth it betweene her breasts for the subduing of deceitfull lusts which are euer ready to spring out of the heart it also appeareth in this that the faithfull mâ—ditating the death and agonies of Iesus they thereby are drawne to remember their owne sinnes which lashed him goared him killed him the remembrance whereof wil easily proue a cooling carde for Philautus able to kill self-loue and to cause a loathing of fleeting deceiuable pleasures To which purpose our Lordes Supper setting forth his death till he come it is a soueraigne medicine For as the meditation of the world causeth Demas to runne backe and embrace the world euen so the meditation of Christ crucified it causeth Mary Magdalen to leaue carnall couch arise earely to repayre vnto his sepulchre And vpon this ground was builded but through a blinde zeale the ancient Monasticke solitarie life estranged from the communion of the church fitter for a Timon of Athens an hater of Mankinde then for a common-wealths man or one of christian fraternitie seeing we are not called to seeke only our selues but the common vtilitie of his church in a mortified conuersation It was prettily but vnfitly saide of Hierome to Vigilantius Ego cùmfugero non vinco in â—o quod fugio sed fugio ne vincar I in flying the societie
forth fruite vnto Iesus By Foxes Diuines haue a double sense Either they take them for Sinnes or for Persons seeing both of them bring detriment to the church Eâ—â—ry sinne may well be compared to a Foxe great sinnes to great foxes small sinnes to small foxes whether we respect the subtiltie of sinne or the harme and corruption accompanying sinne And in such sense all sinne great and small is here to be apprehended and staide as a capitall aduersarie to the Churches good More commonly and therein I am willing to insist by foxes are vnderstood subtill destroying persons laboring the ruine of the Church And in such sense our Sauiour himselfe calleth Herode a Foxe and in such sense Rabbâ— Shelomoh calleth the Aegyptians foxâ—s for labouring to destroy their males in the birth And Abben-ezra termeth the Israelites themselues these foxes for destroying the Lords vine in the flower or first fruites by worshipping the calfe in the wildernesse For the better vnderstanding whereof let vs consider what bee the properties of the Foxe First in his running he rolleth in and out with turnings and windings and therfore of the Latines is termed Vulpes quasi volupes Which well resembleth the turnings and windings of the wicked Qui nunquam rectis itineribus sed tâ—rtuosis an fractib currant who runne crookedly in all their wayes Against whome Dauid thus prayeth But these that turn aside by their crooked waies them O Lord leade forth with the workers of iniquitie so peace shal be on Israel Psal. 125.5 Such by-wayes Iscariot ranne when he slunke aside to indent with the rulers for betraying of his Maister and as foule an end did beâ—ide him Achitophel was a subtill winding Foxe but the snare caught him and hanged him for conspiring against his Maister For all their crookings and turnings do but tend to the seducing and harming of others Secondly the Foxe lacking meate he faineth himselfe dead and so the birds hasting downe as to his carcase Volucres rapit deuorat he seizeth on the birds and deuoures them Such cloked ones David speaketh of thus Hee lyeth in waite in the villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent hee lieth in waite to spoile the poore hee dooth spoile the poore when hee drawes them into his nette Hee croucheth and boweth therefore heapes of the poore doe fall by his might Whose might is prefaced by wicked slight Ioab so bowed till Amasa fell into his pawes and Absalom so crooched till aboundance of people fell into his snare Wherewith let me put you in minde of Henry Philips an english Fox who at Antwerp did first with al cunning seeme dead to the world and Idolatrie in the eyes of our diuine Tyndall but afterwards Maister Tindall hauing lent him 40. shillings and carried him forth to dinner did betray the Holy-man into the hands of two Catchpoles whom Philips had placed at the doore going out for that deuouring purpose Who finally for the faith sake being brought to the place of execution was first at the stake strangled with an halter and then consumed with fire Hereto let me adde another History Iohn Diazius by birth a Spaniard by doctrine a Sorbonist conuerted from his idolatrie accompanying good men amongst whom Martine Bucer he finally was of Bucer sent to Nurneburge to ouersee the printing of a booke there A brother of his Alphonsus by name a Lawyer and iudge à latere to the Inquisition hee comming to Nurnburge did trauell with the saide Iohn for his reducement to Poperie But not preuailing Alphonsus himselfe at last O craftie foxe he feined himselfe to be conuerted from Poperie also Who then laboured that Iohn would accompany him into Italy but not preuailing the Fox Alphonsus departeth exhorting his brother to constancie About three Dayes after hee returneth againe with a bloody Butcher hired of purpose who whilst Iohn Diazius was reading a letter his brother gaue him did with an axe cleaue his head in peeces The fact done they fledde and yet were apprehended but by the Popes iustice were acquited Yea these lesser foxes I warrant you they were of Reinard the great fox of Rome held little inferiour to Saintes Our Sauiour bids vs beware of woolues clad in sheepe-skinnes and we from experience may also cry one to another Take heede both of great and small foxes who vnder a Frierly ducking humilitie doe subtilly catch hold and deuoure the Lords people Some by crooching doe insnare the bodies life some by counterfeite humilitie doe steale away the soules life All of them subtile and destroyers of the church Nay by somuch the more their malice is to be bewared as it is approoued to be as vehement as fire they thinking which our Sauiour noteth that in so doing they doe to God passing good seruice A zealous ignorance and yet right beastly foxes What shal we then conclude of such as in the boyling maâ—icâ— of their soules could be content and sometimes do put in practise to take away the â—ues of these who in their owne conscience doe bring more vantage to Christes vineyard in one day then themselues in 7 yeares shall not these be much more held for foxes yea for witting and wilfull murderers But when such subtil Machiuils haue laid their snares for others we see timely repentance not interueening that themselues are caught and strangled The Thracian Foxe is noted in the frost time aure ad glaciem apposita conjectare crassiâ—udinem gelus by laying the eare vnto the yce to take knowledge of the frosts thicknes who finding so the yâ—e strong inough do run ouer for pasture Such foxes there be of mankinde who by the harkning of the eare and the application of senses do see if the plots and grounds whereon they meane to worke for profit be strong inough which if they find then they run to and froe for aduantage And to walke vpon sure grounds it is the whole scope of our meere Humanists Such a fox beyond the riuer was Sanballat such a fox was Tobiah the Amonite who mocking the Iewes worke did say That if a fox went vp he should euen breake downe their stony wall thinking the frost had made al their own pâ—ot-forme strong inough who in their letters to Artashast pleaded the Kings tribute honor but God sent a thawe that melted their yce their ground work came to nothing Though our politiâ—ians ordinarily do walke on such grounds yet somtimes a sodaine thawe or storme quasheth that yce so they fall in and be drownd Take heed therfore how thou aduenture thy life by the iâ—dgemeÌ„t of thine eare by the application of thine natural senses The eye somtimes iudgeth of meÌ„ as of trees the eare of Hienaes noise as of some Sheapheards voice and yet plus valet â—culatus testis vnus quam auriti decem one eye witnes is better then tenne that report but by the eare Our Sauior therfore is of I say set forth
and the Penner of Samsons storie Which indeed is something but howsoeuer he was of men called Nazarite and that oft in scorne as were his disciples afterwards Act. 24.5 yet so was he truly termed by the Spirit of prophecie first in respect of the Nazaren-shadow secondly in respect of his peculiar Nazarite Samson He being vnto both of them the Thing that was shadowed Touching the Ceremonies appertaining to a Nazarite they consist in Abstinencee and this first in Samsons mother secondly in himselfe The abstinence of his mother doth consist in forbearance first of strong drinks inebriating potions secondly in avoiding the touch of such things as the lawe made vncleane and both these she hath in common with the vowed Nazarite Ouer and besides which the voluntary Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and cutting of his head for a season a vowe which Saint Paul him selfe entred into Before the Lawes buriall or ceremoniall obsequies were finished but now no more then other Leuiticall rites to be practised 1 That abstinence from strong drinks together with their adiuncts did not only argue how sober the faithfull should be in their bodies for offring themselues vp to god as a resonable sacrifice a thing which drunkards can no more doe then beasts but also by this externall sobrietie they were taught and wee no lesse to learne the inward sobrietie of the soule Our Sauiour in Luke 21.34 remembreth both these thus Beware also of your selues lest at any time your hearts be burdened with surfeiting and drunkennesse and with the cares of this life by drunkennesse and surfeting vnderstanding that which burdens Body by cares of this life vnderstanding such irregular affections which burden the soule and make it spiritually drunken which Timothie the Lords warrior is not to cumber himselfe withall and that as he would please his maister Nor is surplussage of care and feeding onely forbidden to euery Christian Nazarite but also in times of speciall duties all vse of such principall diet is to be omitted and euery care to be cut off for pleasing our God Of the first good Timothie made conscience so farre as the Apostle was glad to teach him that seeing he was falne into notable weakenesse he therefore ought not any longer to drinke onely water but now for his stomacke sake to drinke a little wine 1. Tim. 5.23 for no abstinence is commanded to the destruction of the body but onely for natures humiliation Many we haue that will pleade from this to Timothie the libertie they haue to drinke strong things but they forget to take paines with Timothie till infirmitie of body require it Barnard reprooueth many oâ— his time for their ouermuch curiositie in diet Qui in totus flunijâ— Agris hortis cellarijsué reprerire vix possint quod commenderent Who in all riuers fields orchards cellars can scarse finde that which they may diet on abusing to that end the former speach to Timothie But what faith the good Father further Da mihi alterum Timotheum ego cibo â—um sivis etiam Aurâ— poto balsamâ— Giue to me such another as Timothie was and if thou wilt I will seede him with gold and giue him balâ—â— for drinke Which scripture as they abuse for vpholding a gluttonous beast-like life so for nourishing inordinate cares they abuse another place to Timothie where the Apostle â—aith thus If any one prouide not for his specially of his family he hath denied the faith 1. Tim. 5.8 but this helpes them nothing seeing prouision may be without care of the heart without disturbing the affections In which respect the Apostle vseth a word deriued of Nouâ— the Minde as if the Head and Senses rather then heart and affections were employed in such christian prouidence or prouision And because Christians specially in speciall duties are not to trouble the heart with cares of this life our Sauiour sendeth them to learne of Birds and Lillies in Math. 6. who walke on in their duties without all care and carking These that thus carelesly abuse scripture for maintaining their drunken cares wee may say of them as Isaiah said of their predecessors They are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke And therefore in such spirituall drunkennesse as vncapable of diuine instruction as Nabal in his corporeal drunkennes was vncapable of Abigails information For crosse them in these cares it may be they wil die of the pet within 10 daies after as did Nabal who liue a contrary life to the Nazarite to our Sauior Iesus who not onely in speciall cases did practise extraordinary Fasts but also in his whole life did voluntarily tie himselfe to a meruailous abstinence 2 That they were bound from touching of any such thing as the ceremoniall Law reputed vncleane that did in mysterie prohibit the faithfull of all communion hauing with Satan and his worke of death who as he is an vncleane spirit so euerie worke of his is vncleanenesse and to be reprooued Ephes. 5.11 not to be coupled with but come out from 2. Cor 6.14 c. This touching of vncleanenesse is twofold either our consent too euil in Action or in Affection which very aptly of the Apostle is expressed by drawing in one yoake with wickednesse Christ himselfe liued in a Church and Common wealth where no vncleanenesse ecclesiasticall and ciuill was lacking What then Was Christ thereby made vncleane No for neither did he Coact euill with them not yet Affect the euill which was amongst them but rather as edifying occasion was offered did publikely reproue them And not to touch their impurities neither in affection nor action but rather to reprooue them this is truely to come out from amongst them Place maybe changed and euil actions and affections yet continued and euill and vncleane manners may be changed where yet the place is continued In this abstinence from gilt of euill all the Nazarites of God are to labour but onely that Nazarite of Nazarites Christ Iesus himselfe can stand forth and say I have touched no vncleanenes Onely heere is our comfort that for clensing vs from such pollution there remaineth a satisfactorie oblation Numb 6.9 c. And that is Christ Iesus the Tuâ—tle and immaculate Lamb by the sheding of whose blood onely we are cleansed 3 The Nazarite was to abstaine from shauing and poling the Head For the woman it is her praise to haue long haire because it is giuen her for a Couering and it is a womans shame to be sâ—orne or shauen but Nature it selfe teacheth that it is a shame to man to haue long haire 1. Cor. 11.6.14.15 Howsoeuer then it was a Nazarites ceremoniall duty to haue long haire yet therein is secretly preached that there was a certaine shame in such side locks euen as it is one marke of Nebuchadnetsars being a beast to haue his haire growne long like to Eagles feathers Vnto which sacred word of God if our people gaue credite then they
by reason of my former ouersight to betake my selfe to some other soâ—t of study But then receiuing from some of chiefe place some meanes of incoragement in my Ministeriall function I since that haue laboured as I might and as my giftes could aâ—fooâ—de in repairing the walles of Ierushalem the praise of the whole earth But as neuer yet I could want a crosse so not Angustines tria cappa cáâ—â—sta three wicked Kaes but Pipurè tumens some prowde swelling Pees they haue labored to make mee my Sermons and writings nothing amongst their fantasticke and bewitched disciples For they haue iudged that if I were held for somewhat then their ouer-much sparsed coppâ—r would be called in and their fancies made plaine vnto all men Indeede for a man to speake of experience it woundeth right deep but let the truth cut me and cut them forwards it must fantasticke Dagons must fall and disciples must be brought from man to God from Iâ—hn Baptist to Iesus for Beholde hee is the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world Some part of my latter labours I heere present the substance of certaine Sermons vpon Salomon his Song of Songs preached in our honourable cittie of London A Scripture extreamely flowted of Machles-villaines I might say Machiuillaines blinde Heretiques and fleshly Humorists that sauor not the things of God and therefore the rather haue I handled it and now offer to publish it that so any one running by specially staying by and surueying it he may as in great capitall Letters see and reade the sâ—d wisdome of God The very light that enters here through my little casemenâ—s will put to chase the creking Bats and staring Owles that abhorre day light how much more should they be chased and crushed if some of you to whom God hath concredited much varietie of learning shoulde open the eie-lids of this morning set this Temples great doores patent and fil euery chinke with Iehouahs glorie Censura est magistra vitae modestiae Correction saith Pomponius is the Mistris of life and modesty and lacke of due censure is cause of many an immodest life of the life of Atheisme Licinius is said to haue held learning the commonwealths rats-bane and were not many amongst vs so minded they would not labor the ouerthrowe of Vniuersities the impouerishing of the Ministerie for the lifting vp of Iacke Straw It remaineth that all of vs do vse our strengths seuerally and ioyntly for the vphold of good literature literature the sinowes of our commonwealth the lamp of our Church the life of our soule Salomon so iudged when he begd Wisdom before Wealth before long life before power to auenge From them I turne my quill and vnto him let vs tune and turne our eares who rauished in spirite doth first entitle aud then sing forth his Song of Songs But to the learned I must first insert a Praeface Valete A Praeface for directing the simple Reader touching this forme of Writing and Teaching AS a number do please themselues with so little diuine knowledge as may be so can they not but oftentimes maledict good things they vnderstand not as hauing too necre affinitie with the Spirits which Saint Iude condemneth It is sufficient say they that we know Christ Iesus and him crucified and that say they further we haue learned seeing we vnderstand the Rudiments of Faith I answer there is no Booke in the whole Bible that teacheth not Christ Iesus and him crucified Nay more there is no one Chapter or open head of Scripture but it setteth forth Christ if not directly also his sufferings The first and second of Genesis setteth out Christ seeing hee was that Word whereby all was created as also that Word which beareth vp al the creature The 3. Chap. in his 15. vers doth teach the stooping downe of that Word for assuming womans seede and the Genealogy of Adam by Sheth doth teach that till hee came that was promised Else Mathew and Luke had drawen the Genealogie to no purpose For the doctrine of Chrono-logie it is no more but Speach-of-time treating of this diuine businesse And without Speach-of-generation and Speach-of-time there can be no Story no Bible As for the Genealogies spoke against in 1. Tim. 1.4 2.2.16.23 Tit. 3.9 they be none of these which be diuine for the holy-ghost must not be brought against himselfe but as the Apostle there testifieth they be Prophane foolish and fabulous-ones which without blasphemie cannot be affirmed of any Scripture but well inough of diuerse Iewish Traditions tending rather to the subuersion than edification of Belieuers This doctrine of Christ and his Crosse wâ—s pressed not only to the eare by voyce but also to the eie by sensible signes Before the Lawe giuen by Moses they had oblations and lastlie Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb but vnder the Lawe they had moe oblations with more frequencie In all which they were to see Christ and in many of them his crucifixion and effusion of blood also And who could with knowledge beholde the Priest-hood and therein not see Christ Or who could contemplate the Tabernacle and Temple and therein not first see Iesus in whome the Godhead should dwell essentially and then in a secondarie sence his mysticall members In all these the Church was led to Christ euen as we by baptisme and the Lords Supper But bicause Christ could neuer haue beene crucified but for sinne and therefore in himselfe and in his memâ—â—rs to suffer by the hands of sinners as indeede he did finally by the hands of Iewes and Romans a Genealogie therefore of such sinners are set downe and a Chronologie vttering the times of Christ and his Crosse whether before in or since his Incarnation the finishment of all which is vnsealed in the booke of Reuelation The enemies to Christ and his Crosse they are often-times branded out by names of wilde beastes serpents vncleane birds c. that so in them may be expected but brutish affections and actions as also termed thornes brambles and what not vile The friends to Christ and his Crucifixion are on th' other side represented by creatures also Vegetatiue and Sensitiue but in respect of some commendable qualification and in no Scripture so much as in this Song of Songs So that for vnderstanding some excellent things in this good people we are appoynted first to consider some other creatures whereby as by steppes and staires wee may ascend to the diâ—ine qualifications of the Church Said I of the Church Yea of Christ himselfe also who heere as also oft in the New-Testament hath vouchsafed to be sacramentally set forth vnder names of inferiour creatures This remembred I further make answere to our Nouices which delight themselues in I know not what measure of knowledge and supposed principles First whatsoeuer thinges are written afore-time are written for our learning Otherwise to thinke were to conceiue groslie of God as hauing written somewhat that is vnnecessarie Far from such a
Vine As before I vnderstoode literally Pharaohs daughter so heere by the Sunne I vnderstand the hote Clime of Aegipt where shâ—e was borne and brought vp q.d. True I am blacke and that not so much to be faulted seeing it befalleth me naturally through the Sunnes hote piercing rayes in Aegipt Further by the same proportion I vnderstand the Priests and Prophets of Aegipt vnder the terme Mother-sonnes q.d. Besides that my natiue country is a scorching soile I haue bin drawne many times abroade into the heate from one vineyard to an other from one greene tree and groue to another and this by the Prophets of mine owne natiue soile by the Sacrificers of Osiris Mitzraims Bacchus whose spirituall menaces drew me to pilgrimage in the sultring seasons This double consideration she propounds for mitigation of the Iewish censure From whence we learne first that forraine and externall lettes and hindrances they excuse man to man many times à toto wholy and they excuse vs before God though somtimes not a à toto wholie yet à tanto in part the sinne being so much the lesse Secondly seeing cases heere are shadowes of spirituall cases wee are to obserue first that naturall light and heate represented by the Sunne in themselues the good creatures of God they are by reason of the Soules disease means of making vs more blacke The heate of concupiscence spotteth our thoughts words and workes and the light of our minde termed Conscience it bewraieth our blackenesse the first acteth our blot the second declareeth it but the light of Ierusalem the pure law of God it more reveales it for the testimony of God is greater then the witnesse of our heartes 1. Iohn 3.20 Secondly these that are brethren borne and nourished in the same Church with vs they many times that should be leaders of the people shall prooue such as cause people to go astray a generall complaint of the Prophets and I wish that our Churches stomake had not cause to abhorre many for teaching people Machiauels pollicies and Romish traditions rather then doctrine which is according to godlinesse and many times shall thrust poore soules out of liuing out of calling yea out of the Synagogues and somtimes which is Romes Catholike practise out of their liues thinking such shall be their blinde zeale as our Sauiour â—aith that in so doing they doe to God an acceptable seruice And all this shall betide them if their Hearers Proselites Disciples will not keepe the vines of their Pastors lewd plantation of the diuel the false prophets deuising whereas euery vine our heauenly father hath not planted shal be pulld vp by the roots Thirdly that her pastoral brethren cracked in the nose against her for the word Nicharû so signifieth it putteth vs in minde not only of false teachers their impetuositie snuffing and cracking in the nose as Prouender-prickt Stallions but also how the elect of God are oftentimes not so ready to satisfie imperious bad commaunds as be the reprobate For as God hath chosen them before the worlds foundation vnto holinesse so that seed of Election is not alwayes so on sleepe but it somewhat feeleth disliketh and opposeth to actions of reprobation insomuch as thereby their idolatrous Chemarims are forced such stirres in Romes Church do argue a remnant of holy seede to threaten thunder curse with Bel Booke and Candlelight The second part of her petitions reason it is gathered from an internall cause of her blackenesse and that is her owne inherent negligence in looking to her owne vine her owne particular calling and proper duty wherein wee see an opposition betweene that shee omitted and committed She omitteth her owne taske and vndergoeth an other that is leaueth good and taketh euill And this was the lot of Iâ—phets people to leaue their fathers house as did the prodigall and to consume their beautie and strâ—ngth in the house of a stranger euen in the vineyards of Sodom and Gomorrha Zeboim and Admah sometimes haled therevnto by Sin and Sinners forcings and violent courses sometimes voluntarily and freely without all remorse and feeling Secondly which was Barnards meditation we are many times ready to vndergo the keeping of other mens vines when wee are vnfitted to watch ouer our owne busied about great things when we cannot discharge the lesse Ego loci huius occasione meipsum reprehenderâ— soleo quod animarum susceperim curam qui meam non sufficerem custodire by the occâ—sion of this scripture saith Bernard I have vsually reprâ—hended my selfe because I haue vndergon the charge of others before I was â—nabled to keâ—pe mine owne An holy reprehension and that whereof we all more or lesse stand indicted in our conscience If the Apostle could say in 1. Tim. 3.5 If any cannot rule his owne house how shall hee vndergoe the cure of God his Church We may well say If we be not faithful keepers of our owne soule how shall we keepe others Oh Lord be mercifull vnto vs and make vs more faithfull towardes our selues and others Lect. VIII Verse 6. O thou whom my Soule loueth shew me where thou feedest where thou causest to lie downe at No one For why shoulde I bee as she that couereth her selfe to the flocks of thy companions THE Church of the Gentiles hauing finished hir by speach with the Iewish Sinagogue she now returneth to her Beloued and shutteth vp her former Supplication First by adding a new Petition Show me c. Secondly giuing a reason thereof thus For why should I be c. In the Petition I obserue First the amiable forme she vseth Secondly the matter it selfe The forme is this O thou whome my Soule loueth a forme passing amiable amorous piercing for by it she expresseth the Character or print of her Soules affection towards Messiah And hereby she teacheth first howe God in Christ Iesus is beloued of the whole Church namely with the very Soule Externall ceremonies are without this but a dead carcase a stinking and abhominable sacrifice This loue of the soule is the Generall of these particulars in Deut. 6.5 Luke 10 27. Soule being put for all the faculties and powers of nature Secondly euery member of this church is enabled of GOD in due time particularly to say Thou whom my soule loueth As Thomas by way of application My Lord and my God Iohn 20.28 and Dauid Oh Lord my portion Psal. 119.57 For all knowledge without habilitie to apply Christ and his benefites to this poore soule it is but Speculation not Practise a generall Surueyance no particular Possession The first in Deuils and Reprobate but this peculiar to God his chosen For the matter of this Petition it is Refection or Comfort this laide downe in two braunches first in desiring to knowe of Christ the place of his feeding secondly the place of lying downe in the daies heate euen then when the Sun was come to the Meridional point To desire Repast and to desire Rest after repast
it is naturall irrationall creatures desire both these for by theâ— they labour the conseruation of Nature but to couet so to eate and so to rest after meate as the Church doth heere it is not naturall but spirituall not an act of Nature but of Grace from aboue not from the earth For the first she coueteth to know where Christ feedeth What where he feeds himselfe alone Nay where hee feedeth with his little flocke opposed to his companions flockes after yet she speaketh of him so singularly as if he were alone because HE and the sheepe of his Pasture are One to be distinguished not seuered For God and Man in Christ are vnited and made one and therefore euery member of this body desirous to feed with this Head where this carcase Christ-crucified is thither these Eagles resort Math. 24.28 Yea to the ende they may finde this foode for themselues and their yoong-ones they make their abode vpon the toppe of the Rocke though in the earth their cogitation is aboue and from high discerne and thence repaire for soules nuriture Iob. 39.30.31 c. Besides by introducing him as a shepheard and her selfe as a sheepe an allusion ancient and in scripture frequent psal 23.1 95 7. Ezek 34.31 c. she thereby would testifie not only her place of subiection but also her readines euen euery soules readines to aberre to wander out of the way without this great shepheards direction Moses was no sooner in the mount for a few daies resiant but Israel staied in the Wildernesse Christ was no sooner brought before the Rulers but Peter looseth him himselfe and had not the Lorde by his vnder-shepheard Nathan sought vppe Dauid Dauid had starued in the pit O Lord for thy Sons sake leaue not the sheepe of thy English pasture to their owne heartes for then we should wander and loose ourselues for euer But let thy sauing grace preuent vs in our euils and glorifie thy mercies vpon vs. For Rest after soules repast she vttereth that in the next branch coueting to know where he caused his flocke to couch in the heat of the day Teaching hereby first that after the soule hath beene well fedde specially in the blessed word and sacraments it coueteth a place of rest wherein it may ruminate and chaw the cud by spirituall meditation Such Animals as vnder the Lawe did chaw the Cudde and did part the hoose Leuiticus 11.3 c. they were counted cleane but if they only chawed the cudde not parting the hoofe or parting the hoofe chawed not the cudde these were accounted pollution and vnholy As for the sheâ—pe he lacked neither This was a resemblance of the Gentiles soule-pollution till Messiah tooke away the partition wall and cleansed them by the faith of the Gospel Act. 11.4 5 6 c. with 15.7 8 9. And such is the state of euery soule as first ruminates not on spirituall gifts or ruminating thereon doe not after that parte the foote that is put a difference betweene spirit and spirite doctrine and doctrine one action and another For not to part the things which God hath parted is but to mingle and confound Christ with Belial to ioyne yron and clay togither which can neuer bee made one and yet vaine-men how many now be there among vs that sweat and fret for concluding such mongrell religion bastardly deuotion As the Lords minister would be well accepted of GOD hee must take the precious from the vile Ierem. 5.19 and as euery soule would be taken for a sheepe of Christes Pasture he must try the Spirits and trying al things by the touchstone of iudgement diuine he must retaine that is good and flie that is euill 1. Iohn 4.1.1 Thess. 5.21 22. Such meditation such partition is in some measure in euery true Christian. By the first there is a partaking with the nature diuine by the second a declaration of diuine discretion and in both for the one can no more be without the other then faith without works there is pictured forth God sitting in that Conscience as a Pilote at the shippes helme steering all to the hauen of Heauen And that she couets this ruminating place in the time of daies heate it teacheth vs not only to expect affliction and persecution as an vnseparable companion with the Gospel 2. Tim. 3.12 Reue. 7.14 figured by the Sunnes heate in Math. 13.6 21. but also to deale with God before hand by prayer that wee may in such day of tentation in peace and patience possesse our soules howsoeuer the body be conuayed through fire to heauen as Elias by the burning Chariot Such rest of soule we must in the dayes of peace and plenty labour for pray for feruently and then no doubt our eyes shall see rest and our soules finde comfort vnder the shadow of the Highest But that she saith where thou causest to lie downe it putteth vs in minde of our Natures backewardnes for couching vnder Gods wing in the day of fiery trial Shadows of our owne seeme best and safest vnto vs as it was with Demas yea with Peter but such a shadow shelters onely the body not the soule and therefore Peter can in that finde no true rest out he must of that place and weepe bitterly for hauing not couched in the right place Vnwilling wee are to lie downe with Christ pray we therefore that he may cause vs to goe where hee woulde haue vs to goe that he may cause vs to lie downe where he himselfe lieth downe that as a shepheard he would direct vs with his eye make vs subiect to his voyce specially in the day of tentation to feede and comfort vs for I thinke a day of tentation is not farre off The Reason of this Petition followeth For why should I be as she that couertly turnes her selfe to the flocks of thy companions as if she should say There is no reason why Where shee might haue affirmed plainly that there was no cause why shee shoulde turne from her Beloued to other Riuals she rather chooseth to speake by Interrogation for the more patheticall expressement first of her Beloueds desert for he deserued all her loue secondly of her owne soules sinceritie towards him in that shee concludes it an vnreasonable thing to diuert from the Substance and Truth to shadowes and falshoode From whence we may further obserue first what the nature of a Schismaticall soule is secondly what larues and vniust titles all false Christs and pseudo-prophets doe assume to themselues for procuring them flocks For Schismatikes their nature it is this not to forsake Catholike vnitie without some pretext and colour as the Church speaketh here Couering themselues As they were before but hypocrites in the churches bosome so in their departure or as Iohn cals it going out they striue to hypocrise more that is to maske their faces to couer themselues with some such attire as they may not be deemed rending wolues but simple hearted sheepe Our Sauiour in Matth. 7.15
to walke in it is the old tract padded forth by his Flocke before her The place she is directed to for feeding her yong Goates it is Aboue or Ouer-against the Shepheards tents For the way she is to follow it is the steps of the Flocke or obseruing the Article of that Flocke Some reade Flockes which sometimes my selfe did follow and indeede the word Tsón it lacketh the plurall number in forme of declension though not in sense or signification by reason whereof the number is taken for sense singularly or plurally euen as Interpreters vnderstand of the holy-ghosts meaning But seeing the new Testaments Church is here directed to the way of the old Testaments Church which Church as One is opposed to the Many Churches of Heretiques and false Companions I rather condiscend to the singular number although but here not so necessarily the plurall Flockes it may also intend that one church considered according to her sundry times and variable outward estate or which here I take not to be so proper if this direction should be giuen not so much to the whole body of Gentiles as to any one particular distressed soule then the plurall number implieth sundry particular Churches as of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus c. whose vniforme steps are the way which here is propounded And so the difference of Numbers may cause a Diuersitie but not Contradictorie doctrine The faithfull of the Gentiles entreated to knowe the place of Christs feeding and couching of his flocke at mid-day here she is told how she may come to that place and that is first by Getting forth secondly by walking in the steps of his flocke Getting forth it implieth either a Motion from one place to another like as Israels going out of Aegipt into the Wildernesse and out of that into Canaan or a Motion from one qualitie to another as when one goeth out of Euill vnto Good so did the prodigall leauing his by wayes and betaking himselfe homeward so did the Apostle when he left his persecuting Christ and fell to preach Christ or else it importeth a going from one good quality to another not by leauing the first but by addition thereto And so Israel went from strength to strength Psal. 48. and the first Romans from faith to faith Rom. 1. The first Motion so is Locall the second qualificatine and this latter either by Desertion or Addition The first motion is naturall the second is spirituall Motion from place to place as the Iewes going out of Babilon with their faces towards Zion that was a figure but for the Elect to go out of the confusion of Nature into the orderly way of God his spirit leading vnto heauens rest that was figured thereby And for this cause Babylon Aegypt and Sodome are of Saint Iohn spiritually propounded in Reuela 11.8 and 18.2.4.21 Which conuinceth our Factious of notable blindenesse who more call people from Place then from Qualitie from the figure rather then that was figured For if the Church be no more one sort of people as Israel in Egypt the Iewes in Babylon but a catholike people consisting of all tongues and stretched forth from sea to sea how shal the Church goe out of Locall Babylon seeing the wheate-field is the whole earth or world and the Tares of Babylon are sparsed ouer the whole field How can we make a Locall departure out of Babylon except we go out of the world that is transgresse the limits of the earth Spirituall motion figured by the former wee can here in this world make God his spirit assisting And that is it which here the Church of the Gentiles is taught when shee is bid to get her forth and this also in both the spirituall senses first for going out of her former euill vnto good that is from her former confessed blacknes and ignorance vnto puritie and sauing knowledge Secondly from the already confessed measure of grace vnto a greater measure The first is taught in such scripture Heb. 12.12.13 Rom. 12.9 The second in such Iohn 1.16.1 Thess. 3.10 Ephes 2.21 And this conuinceth our age notably of euill where we finde most of the better sort contented with the bare beginnings of Christ with a slender portion of knowledge and lesse holinesse although it is an argument onely of a sound soule euer to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse more holinesse more knowledge more faith more obedience darkely represented by going vp to the Temple and by * Ezekiels seauen and eight steps and the fifteene Psalmes of degrees Act. 3.1 Luke 17.10 Ezek. 40.22.26.31.34.37 Psal. 120. c. Whereas a declining from good to euill is tiped by Israels going downe into Aegypt the Mans going downe from Ierushalem to Iericho with such like As for standing at one stay there is no figure of that because no soule can liue at one stay of good or euill for hee that goeth not towards God hee goeth towards the diuell For such respect where the wicked oft are called the sonnes of Belial in the old Testament some take the word Belial in English wicked to be deriued of Beli in English Not and Iagnal in English He ascends because the seede of Satan Ascend not but contrariwise Descend and goe downe from the liuing God as he that went downe from Ierushalem to Iericho Lect. X. THe Good she is to goe into is the steps of the Flocke The Flocke as before is the people and sheepe of his pasture the antient Church so tearmed in Psal. 95.7 and 100.3 So that the paths or steps of this flocke they are nothing else but the waies of his faithfull people the holy examples they left for direction to successors For we are his workemanship saith the Apostle created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them To which purpose hee saith to the Corinths Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ Giuing further to vnderstand by the word he there vseth Mimetáj that they were to shape and fashion themselues euery way to him as he did to Christ for the word Mimos signifieth such a person as can â—iuely expresse the Gesture and Action of an other Whence we learne that the holy words and holy works they are left behinde as sheepe leaue their straight padde behinde first for directing right steppes to our feete secondly for leauing to our successors an example of good as others haue to vs. It is a mightie Question at this day To what Christian Church â— soule should adde it selfe To such as are agnominized Protestants or to Romanists or to Anabaptists or to Arrians or to Brownists c. Answere from this text is made Get thee foorth into the steppes of the Flocke into the way of the Faithfull gone before thee But here the doubt is renewed for which is that way the narrow way that leadeth vnto true rest The Protestants say Ours is the way the Romanists say theirs is the way
termed Holy not actually holy for Dauid was borne and conceiued in iniquitie Psal. 51.5 but by imputation iâ— respect of our birth vpon the Churches lappe for as whatsoeuer is dedicated to Idols is vncleane euen so whatsoeuer is vnder the profession of God is holy And that grace this way hath rather abounded then diminished marke that Females also are in this newe Church so well as Males baptized Before they were receiued in and by the Males seeing woman was builded out of man but now also in themselues Which augmentation of grace I take here to be entended seeing the word here is not Gedaym He-yong-ones but Gedijóth She-yong-ones Iaakob returning home he takes all his Animals with him yong and old so Israel comming out of Aegypt brings euery Hoofe away The chosen of the Gentiles comming out of Labans Idolatrous house and Pharaohs mansion of bondage must leaue nothing in the house of the stranger Old and yong all must come The old must bring the yong Kids by the first Adam but Lambs by the second Adam vncleane by nature cleansed by grace and to be held holy in respect of God his promise rather then for actuall holines in themselues these yong-ones Isaiah foreseeth in his 49. Chapter Verse 22. to be brought vnder the standart and colours of Iesus the sonnes brought in the armes and the daughters carried vppon the shoulders of their Elders arguing not onely the tender loue of Messiah in calling them but also the holy care and endeuour of parents in bringing them Secondly they are commaunded hauing so brought them to feede them Hauing bodies and soules vnder their charge they must feede both To feede the body they oftentimes care saying otherwise they were worse then Infidels should deny the faith but no care or very small for the soule as though in not feeding of this they should not also be Infidels and deniers of the faith Yes and I say more as much as in them lieth makers of Infidels and murderers of the faith Abraham beleeuing this hee taught his family the feare of God So did the Emperour Ioshua so did Dauid so did Captaine Cornelius So did the faithfull Women Queene Hester Lois Eunike Lady Electa For if there be a conscience for feeding the earthly part of man his body with bodily foode how much more a conscience for feeding of the Heauenly part of man his soule with celestiall foode If the Magistrate which made neither will punish thy abuse of the body how much more will the King of Kings which made both plague thee for abuzing the body but specially torment thee for murdering of both He that is not minded to teach a Child must not presume to vse the place of a father Hee that will not teach a seruant must be maister and man himselfe and not presume to sit in a Maisters chaire Otherwise it shall be iust with God to leaue their children to leaue their Seruants to such notorious euils as may be the vndoing and killing of parents and masters For if thou haue no care to bring them vp for God howe canst thou exspect that God shoulde bring them vp for thee Grieue God with them and see if he will not grieue thee in them The fall of Hophni and Phineas may in iust iudgement bee the breake-neâ—ke of Eli. Thirdly this feeding of the yong-ones is enlarged from the place where they were to be fedde The worde Gnà l signifying sometimes Against sometimes Neere sometimes Oppositiuely somtimes With it causeth sundry here to vnderstand diuersly I vnderstand it as properly and at first hand it ordinarily importeth namely for Aboue As if in plaine speach the Holy-Ghost had sâ—id thou Church of Gentiles must pitch thy Tent Aboue the Tents of the Sinagogue by my appearance grace hath abounded and therefore greater things required at thy hands Vppon this ground our Sauiour saith Iohn Baptist was greater then anie Prophet before him but then touching the state of such as should minister in the new Kingdome or Church he saith that the least of them is greater than Iohn Matthew 11.11 The Sinagogue liued vnder shadows Iohn saw the day breaking and the Apostles with their successors haue seene the abolishing of these dark tipes and the brightnesse of the day of grace The Patriarchs and Prophets saw but it was a farre off Moses vaile now to vs is remoued and we behold the glory of the Law present and as it were face to face In the rudiments of the sinagogue we are not to stick but to ascend and clime higher towards perfection As grace is enlarged so obedience must be enlarged Our Kids by nature but Lambs by grace they are to be fedde aboue they are to be taught the mysterie of this Kingdome A mysterie kept secret from the worlds beginning but now is opened and published among all Nations by the scriptures of the Prophets at the commandement of the euerlasting God for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25.26 Fourthly by the phrase Tents we are taught which Hezekiah had learned in Isa. 28.12 that our life and continuance here is but a Shepheards Tent now pitched downe by and by raised vp Now spred forth abrode anone rould vp in a bundle Now faire and strong soone after wether-beaten rent rotten cast aside into a coâ—ner Abrahams Tent on his backe taught him this Israels Tents pitched and pulled vp in the Wildernesse for fortie yeares together that also taught them that here was no continuing cittie And all this also for causing vs to die to these transitâ—ries for vnder the Sunne nothing but vanity of vanities Lect. XII Verse 8 My Pastorall-loue I haue compared thee to my horses in the Chariots of Pharaoh 9 Thy Cheekes are comelie with rewes of stones and thy Necke with chaines 10 Wee will make for thee Borders of golde with Studdes of siluer CHrist measuring the Churches temptation hee herein laboureth her comfort The temptation hath beene two-fold first in that she was possessed with blackenesse secondly in that shee lacked his sauing presence The first he cureth in the two first verses which containe a narration of the beauteous good she was already possessed of the second he cureth in the last verse which vtters the good she shal afterwardes be possessed of And all these excellent giftes and graces present and to come they are laide downe by comparison with Charriot Horses furnished with all complements beseeming King Salomon in the middest of his Royaltie First to the Epithete hee giueth the Church then to the Comparison The Epithete is My Pastoral loue or Shepheardesse-companion A sweete terme not onely to make her his Loue or Felow but also his friendly Associate in friendly office that is in the function of spirituall feeding He feedeth vs wee feede each other He is the Arch-Shepheard of our soules we are Shepheards subordinate tied to walke by his Table-rules and written commandements we are his friends if we doe whatsoeuer he commands vs Iohn
of mankinde doe not ouercome in that I flie but therefore I flie lest I shoulde bee ouercome Vigilantius reprooued his Monasticke life saying it rather behooued such a Scholler to stand in the forefront of the battell and to minister a good example to others by publike battell against sinne Hierome answereth that hee fledde lest he shoulde be ouercome Herein the good man answereth Vigilantius with as good reason as when he proueth to the same Vigilantius vnworthily of him called Dormitantius that the religious were to light Tapers at mid-day in their Deuotions because the virgins in the fiue and twentieth chapter of Matth. had lampes because in the twelfth chapter of Luke the faithfull are exhorted to haue their loynes girded and burning lights in their handes and because it is said of Iohn Baptist in the fift chapter of the Gospel after Saint Iohn he was a burning Light c. The very rehearsall of which errour is vnto this lightsome age a plaine proofe Quod aliquando dormitat bonus Homerus that a wise man sometimes is taken nodding Our Romanists make Elias and Iohn Baptist founders of this Heremetical life whereas Elias and Iohn Baptist were publique preachers to the death Somtimes as our Sauiour also they gaue place to the furie of persecutors not to the end to liue mued vp in a Cabin or Cloister for as Christ would not please himselfe Rom. 1.5.3 so the Apostle saith Let no man seek his owne but euery man anothers wealth 1. Cor. 10.24 but for a while they gaue place with the politike souldier to the end they might with more strength returne for ouercomming of the aduersarie And yet our Monastick persons are so far from being Moni our solitary persons so far from being Soli Alone as in troth they are not in the wildernes but in the Citties not liuing vpon Hippes Hawes Rootes but feeding on Dainties not lodging on the ground but couched on soft beddes not mortified to the world but liuing to the pleasures thereof So that in comparison of the ancient monks Paulus Antonius Macarius c. these are but Lies without the Life the very Name without the Thing If Ierome himself were aliue and beheld our Romish monks he would say as sometimes he writ to Heliodore Interpretare vâ—cabulum Monachi hoc est nomen tuum Quid facis in turba qui solus es c. Looke to the interpretation of the Monch which is the name of your profession And then what dost thou in peoples companie who professeth thy selfe alone Yet he would tell them that their popular life is no more answerable to his Monastick rules giuen vâ—to the Monk Rusticus then an Ape is like a man who instead of reasonable speach can do nothing but mumpe and mow We are all to smell vnto Christ crucified to mortâ—fie sin but not only in our selues but also in others not by liuing as an Owle in the desart but by keeping the Churches societie and frequentation of Sacraments seeing Christ is specially present where the faithful in his name be gathered togither For the second part of Praise touching her present sense of Christ it is borowed from a kind of growth termed in the original Copher which some turne Campher some Cyper Campher smelled vnto doth naturally keepe vnder or weaken carnall lust If that should be here intended how fitly is it then here planted amongst the vines of Engadidi that is a mendecine for bridling lust ouer-soone stirred vp by drinking the fruite of the vine Woorthie the noting is that of a certaine Auntient Vino efferuescente luxuriant ac intumescunt vbera pudenda fornicationis imaginem iam praenunciantia Wine once boyling in mankinde the breasts and bashfull partes doe thereupon luxuriate and passe ordinarie limites fore-shewing so the image of vnchastitie Will we vse the delightfull meates and drinkes of nature and not bee thereby prouoked to vnbridled lust let vs then smell to Christ as to Campher Let vs have the eye of our soule fastned on his sufferings and labour amidst our delights to sauour his bloody agonies and Camphora to the body shal not haue so strong effect as the meditation of Iesus to the soule If Cyper be here entended Copher is plainely according to Greeke and Latine Dialect turned Cyper the letter vaf into ypsilon and ph into p vnaspirat we are to consider first what it is secondly what thereby may be meant Ciper is different from Cipres as Cyprus from Cyporus which too ignorantly of some haue bene taken for the same Cyper of Cyprus it saith Nannius the Papist is not mentioned of Dioscarides nor Pliny But if he looke better into Dioscorides and Pliny Lib. 12. cap. 24. he shall not onely finde in Dioscorides that it is of a glewing nature but also in Pliny that which he rehearseth out of Hermolaus Barbarus that Cyprus hath leaues like to the Oliue tree but more greâ—ne and fatty with white seede sweete smelling Though Egesippus say that there is growing hereof about the fountaine which Helizeus cured in Ierichoes fieldes and Hermolaus in Ascalone of Iudea yet Salomon propoundeth vnto vs such Cyprus as is growing in the vines of Engaddi This place Engaddi is a Citty in the coasts of Iudea Ios. 15.62 where Dauid sometimes safeguarded himselfe from the furie of Saul as in 1. Sa. â—4 a place full of rocks and wilde goates adioyning to Mare mortuum the Dead sea First that this sauoury Cypres groweth in the wildernesse secondly in Engaddi thirdly by the dead sea That the sauoury things of Christes Kingdome are lodged rather in the Wildernesse then Citty in the field rather than in the Towne consider not only Iohns being carryed foorth into the Wildernesse when hee would vnderstand the mysteries of Antichrist Reuel 17. but also the sauing treasure to be found in the field Matt. 13.44 Not in glorious Ierushalem but in Bethleem the least of a thousand Micah 5.2 Which teacheth vs not to seek for the great things of heauen amongst the great things of the earth for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the mightie and vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things that are 1. Cor. 1.27.17.28 For Engaddi or Gnen-gedi it is a compounded word the first part whereof signifieth an Eie or Fountaine the latter part of the word signifies a Kid or whereof Leahs adopted son Gad tooke his name it may be turned A company So that the whole worde may be Englished The Eye of my Kid or the Fountaine of my Kid the eye of my company or fountaine of my company Considering the rockes and wilde Goates in the bounds of Engedi heere may bee an allusion to the yong goates who from the Rockes not onelie cast their Eye vpon the fountaines below which were their watring plots for the high minded must come downe or they
wiser then Christ in our nature who neither befoâ—e others nor yet his disciples did euer walke naked But let these Mach-les-villaines goe for though they seeme to be of an Allegoricall Religion for they destroy all diuine hystorie yet in their outward carriage to others they will be of any religion And so while they talke of bearing the crosse they will neuer suffer for any deuotion For the crosse they talke of it is onely allegoricall and inward and that also they onely beare till they be come to their Land of peace that is the perfect vnderstanding of their church For Mentall eyes they be the inward senses of nature as Imagination Phantasie Conceipt c. who haue chiefly their seate in the head commaunding the externall senses as Kings commaund their subiects All which senses are included in the word Minde Which minde as it naturally mindeth damnable earthly things Phillip 3.19 so the Apostle enioyneth all the faithfull to be renewed in the spirit of their minde Epâ—es 4.23 according to the creation that is in righteousnesse and truth of holinesse For Personall eyes they be such Persons as who for their office sake are reputed eyes And these be of two kindes Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Ciuill are such as direct the common-wealth Ecclesiasticall are such as direct the church both of them called to be vnto their charges the same that the eye is to the body the minde vnto the soule And that they be personally to be vnderstood here I take it to be most proper as in 1. Cor. 12.12.17 because here is an assimilation of ecclesiastike members with them of the Doue But if the Light that is in the church and common-wealth be darkenes how great is that darkenesse The Eye considered it resteth we now examine what Doues be to whome these â—ies be resembled They be tame Birdes well knowne amongest vs and therefore neede no personall description A Bird of right simple carriage a feeder of the best graine whose Song is mourning very fertile and as Ambrose reporteth vsed in Syria and Aegipt for carying Letters betwixt partie and partie For as the Birdes nature is be she neuer so farre from her natiue and naturall home to returne vnto her accustomed place so when A.B. shall haue committed some of his doues to C.D. and C.D. haue committed some of his vnto A.B. whether of these soeuer shall tie his Letter vnder the Doues wing committed vnto him and so set her free she will flie homewardes with this Letter where obserued of her first Maister the Letter is taken and viewed But sometimes it falleth out Spies suspecting such forme of intelligence they doe ayme at al Doues roming alone for otherwise they flie ordinarily togither and so such a poore Doue shotte thorow and slaine for Letters sake These things considered let vs come to applie them The corporeall eye must labour to bee like the Doue for simplicitie and chastitie Otherwise it is no Doâ—es eye but a Buckegoates eye who is saide to bee termed of the Latines Hircus of the corners of the eye called Hirci because his eyes looke thwarte ouer vnto carnalitie Such a continent eye Dauid prayeth for Psa. 119.37 and such a stayed eye had Abram who woulde not let his eye looke vp after externall things but as the Lord should bid him lift vppe his eye Genes 13.14 And so much the more must these eyes be watched ouer by how much the more all sortes of vanitie enter oft in by them as thieues in at the windows for polluting the heart and sacking the conscience The Minde which is the soules eye it must labour to assimilate the doue in all simplicitie not simplicitie ignorant but simplicitie subtile according to that in Mathew the tenth chapter and sixteenth verse Be wise as Serpents but simple as Doues and so much the rather must the minde be simple innocent chaste because it sitteth at the Soules helme stering all the outward senses according as it selfe conceiteth Let the eye of the body shutte vp it selfe within her casements yea let the naturall eye be quite pulled out and the minde will stil shewe it selfe to be as an vnruly King in his pallace who it being vnregenerate and so his imaginations and thoughts only euill continually Gen. 6.5 wil set al the Family al the affections in a flame of vnlawful desires This eye therfore is then like the Doue when so it is washed purged made chaste and shall minde celestiall things for where the treasure is there will the hart be also The personall eyes Magistrate and Minister they are appointed of God for meanes of good to both the former eies The Magistrate his corporall sworde regardeth the bodies eye The Minister his spirituall sword respecteth the spirituall eie Moses and Aaron must herein ioyne together for causing continencie in the whole man If the Magistrates sword cannot feare from outward act of vncleanenesse then it must be drawne out and cut adulterie from the Land All vncleannesse is to be punished but adulterie and the degrees of vncleanenesse beyond that Moses condemneth to the death Deut. 22.13 c. Leuit. 20. Lawes ceremoniall they were not and therefore not abolished but haue their equitie continuing for euer As the Ministers prepare the Church 2. Cor. 11.2 for one husband euen to present it as a pure Virgine vnto Christ so it is the Magistrates duety to ioine his Sword with Gods word for keeping the Church chaste in body and minde Question But what if the Lawe put not the adulterating party to death not to frame any question of other sortes of vncleanenesse shall it not be lawfull for the Innocent partie to liue with the Nocent Answere That it is lawfull prouided the offendor shew due penitence it hath beene the Churcheâ— iudgement in all ages Some haue thought that Ierome and Chrysostome were other wâ—se minded but Peter Martir in his common places the seauenth class 2. sect 41. doth answere that they spake of an Adultresse Quae poenitentiam non egerit which had not satisfied by repentance and indeede for a man to ioyne with such a woman it is as the Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 6.16 to make himselfe one body with an harlot But if shee be washed by repentance as no doubt Michal was before Dauid would become one body with hir who before was Concubine to Phalti then holy men of God haue still concluded the lawfulnesse of retaining her An tu pollutam existimas saith August quam Baptismus poenitentia purgauit quam deus emendauit Ea tibi non debet viderâ— polluta Et si clauibus ecclesiae iam est reconciliata admissa in regnum coelorum quo iure tupotes à te repellere That is dost thou esteeme her polluted whom baptisme and repentance hath purged whom God hath amended She ought not of thee to be esteemed polluted And if by the churches keyes she be now reconciled and admitted into the Kingdome of heauen by what right canst
the ayre resembling mens words and works Pithagoras yea Abbot Tritemius and Bartholomeus Glanduile could declare what was done a farre off so the same word and deede were not aged aboue 24. houres But if knowledge be held miraculous in the Prophet Eliseus bewraying the King of Aram his councell 2. King 6.8 c. then cannot I but beleeue there is no such naturall knowledge That Frier Bartholmew teacheth how by certaine artificiall glasses there might be caused abroad very shapes of bodies which simple beholders would imagine to be ghostes or spirits I will easily beleeue the Frier in that for it may be he had learned it of his Church-priests who by such deceiuable shewes made people beleeue that mens soules walked who well paied for their paines could coniure these shadows at their pleasure Let Edmonds the Iesuite with his Priests make that cleare who haue caused people to belieue themselues to bee possessed with Diuels specially after they had giuen them Potions and Brimstony fumigations able to traunce an horse Which Brimstony-Diuel they could dispossesse by ceasing to possesse their bodies any longer with such Hors-drinkes and Helhsh smoakings But let al such sorts of shadows very effects of Aegyptian darknes go by and let vs come to the shadow of our Appletree and what is that in mysterie The Psalmist thus answereth He that dwelleth in the secret of the most high shal abide in the shadow of the Almightie which at large after is expounded by termes of protection euen as an Henne vnder her wings protecteth her yong-ones This comfortable shadow this shield of protection in the times of Suns heate and Sins heat in the time of bodies persecution and soules persecution this shadow the faithfull desire crying Hide â—ee from the conspiracie of the wicked and from the rage of the workers of iniquitie Hither they flie as doues vnto their culuer-house as the Childe into Mothers lappe To Idols to the shadow of Iothams bramble or any other creature they fly not and why All power in heauen and in earth is giuen to Christ and he will not giue his Glorie to another Call vppon him in the day of affliction and he will heare thee come vnto him and hee will ease thee And because hee woulde haue thee finde him euen when thou dost not seeke him loe he cast himselfe into the forest where the site most fitte for him is paradise Though he be remooued in his body he is present in the spirite present in his word present in his sacraments Whole Christ though not the whole of Christ is euery where Rudely though he be handled in his ordinance yet present he is If his word if his disciple be hardly entreated he counts himselfe persecuted and when Satan woulde dart them through with fierie darts of sinne he takes the shot into his owne wings his protection as a shadow reviues and comforts them There is no saluation saith Peter Act. 4.12 in any other for amongst men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Hic ergo requiescamus ruminemus let vs therefore solely repose our comfort in his shadow for euer The second comfort deriued from him to all that rest vnder him it is his fruite for thereof the Church thus speaketh his fruite was pleasant to my palate What fruites be these In one worde his words and workes For his words Dauid thus pathetically cries out How sweete are thy speeches to my palate beyond hony vnto my mouth Let the Iews pursiuants deliuer their iudgement heerein Neuer say they Did man speake after this maner As for Simon Peter he cryeth out Thou hast the wordes of eternall life to whom should we goe As if he should say it is not for any man to seeke for words that bring eternall life in any one but thee therfore wee will not depart from thee for running after any other This caused Gregorie to conclude well Ipse est quippe lignum vitae c. For he is the tree of that life which he giueth to vs. If in other mens words we finde any refreshment wee receiue it not as theirs but as that which is Christs because whatsoeuer is in them besides God without doubt we finde to be poyson for vs. Ouer against which words the Ancient Annotatour puts in the Margine Salutis verbum in solo Christo inuenitur the word of saluation is onely to be found in Christ. Then of the other side followeth for a soule to build his faith on the meere word of man howsoeuer it carry with it a name of the Churches decree it is to build not on the Rocke but on a sandie foundation For his works what one action can be remembred that is not delectable His worke of incarnation taking our nature vppon him his worke of warfare in our nature to the killing of sinne vpon the crosse and his conquest of death by an happy resurrection his glorious ascention in our nature leading captiuitie captiue and giuing spirituall gifts vnto men his sitting at the right hand of maiestie in our nature making continuall intercession for his people and from thence sending foorth the Angels for ministring vnto the good of the heires of saluation His affoording word and sacraments for our dayly instruction his gift of naturall life with all necessary temporaries accompanying his people His protections in time of calamitie his spirits delightfull presence amiddest persecution his sweete care of vs in life and in death No one particular action can be remembred that is not pleasant and pleasure it selfe Eate of these apples in Faith digest them with Meditation and thou findes in them another maner of delight then carnall Israel did in Manna That quickly did rot this neuer felt corruption Tagnamû vrèaû kj tóbh Iehóuah Taste ye and see ye how good the Lord is psal 34.8 Euery action an apple of life and not a leafe of this tree but it serueth to heale the nations with Reuel 22.2 Lect. IIII. Verse 4. He brought me into the house of wine and Loue was his banner ouer me Verse 5. Stay me with Flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of Loue. THE Church continueth her speach and in these two verses she vâ—ters two things first a Narration of Messiahs loue vnto her secondly a petition offered vp vnto her soules Phisition For the Narration it vttâ—reth Christes loue in two glorious fauours first in conuaying his spousesse into a banquetting house termed by reason of a speciall adiunct the house of wine secondly in spreading his banner ouer her termed from the effect Dilection or Loue. First of this narration then after to her Petition In the verse before she sate in Messiahs comfortable shadow and ate of his pleasant fruite Nowe the welbeloued bâ—ingeth her into his house of wine that there she might be further cheared and quickened vp vnto spirituall duties Wine as I obserued in the first chapter bringeth a delight
to God and man to God as it be commeth a Sacrament that is as it is taken spritually of the faithfull in the Lords supper or meere naturally as it is in common vsuages The shadow of Christ comming vppon her soule as the naturall shadow in the Gospel vpon the diseased it was vnto her a great comfort but vnder that shade to be fed with delectable fruite that caused a greater comfort but now to bee brought into her Salomons banquetting house standing in Baal-hamon as a Lord ouer the multitude this must bring a comfort farre more great to the faithfull Whence we may learne the nature of Messiahs loue namely that it is a continuall grower rising like Nylus and Iordans waters ouer their banks a well of water springing vp to eternall life Iohn 4.14 Hee that belieueth in me saith Iesus out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life vnto his Israel it is appropriate that they go from strength to strength till they appeare in Zion Ps. 84.7 Contrarie to the nature of carnall Loue which euer decayeth and lessneth with the time euen as beautie health wealth strength abateth But as Christ loues vs not first by reason of any goodnesse in vs at first so his loue begun without any cause in vs doth still enlarge it selfe in and vpon vs. Why Because whom once he loues he cannot but loue for euer That crannell must grow to a tall tree that drop become an Ocean that spark be conuerted into such a flame as shall consume all as stuble before it Besides th' encreasement of his loue hee would by this banquetting house teach vs the varietie of his Loue. Loue may bee enlarged by enlarging one and the same guift but when this loue enlargeth it selfe by distribution of sundry comfortable guifts somuch the more it is louesome He brings not the faithful into his storehouse for adding only faith to faith but also to faith patience Iames 1.3 to patience Experience to experience Hope to hope Boldnesse Rom. 5.3 4 5. The fruits of that good spirit by whome he adopteth vs are not onely these abouesaide but also Loue Ioy Peace long-suffering Gentlenes Goodnes Meekenesse Temperancie Galat. 5.22 23. In a word Messiah communicateth of all his sweet fauors to his church by faith betrothed vnto him As the Churle in the Gospel woulde neuer crie Heart be at rest till all his barnes were filled so the faithfull in their holy couetings should much more neuer be at rest till their soules with diuine graces be filled But as this fulnesse is not till we haue attained our perfection in Christ which is after this life so these that hunger and thirst after righteous giuings they are in meane time blessed because they are of the growing hand in this life But what is this wine-house whereinto the Church of the Gentiles is brought The verie same house of spirituall eating drinkinge minstrelsie wherinto the Prodigall was brought and that is the aucient Mother Zion the church of Israel mother church to the Gentiles who somtimes fed hogs in the forest with the Prodigall But there in the solitarines of spirit lighting vnder the tree of life she entred into consideration of hir present state after fell vnto holy resolution and lastly came home to the lambs supper entertained of the heauenly Father in all melodious and comfortable manner Our elder brother the Iew stands without murmuring at our good lot our heauenly Father at last will entreat him so to enter as he shall enter into Christian vnity with vs and then all Israel shal be saued In meane time while he is without and we banqueting within let vs not forget him as the Butler forgot Ioseph but somtimes amidst our spirituall banquet in holy word and sacraments let vs remember to pray for them For as they the first are now becom the last so they the last shall once againe become the First The Lord hasten this vnitie for making our corporation the greater that so the Lords banqueting house may be filled She so introduced into her Beloueds house of spirituall delites hee secondlie displaieth his Banner of Loue ouer her The spreading of this Banner or the lifting vp of this standert is mentioned of Isaiah in chap. 49.22 where the end therof is noted to be for drawing the remnant of the Gentiles vnto her yong and olde people and princes to the same vnity of faith Which Banner hath allusion to the maner of Captaines who hauing conquered some city do vpon the walls thereof display their colours of conquest first for calling togither all friends to that standert together with a memoriall of their subjection secondly for terrifying all aduersaries by these colours Friends are to repaire vnto their colors by reason of their sacramentall othe for Stringi Sacramento to be bound by a sacrament is of the church borowed from that Sacred mind which soldiers declared to their captaine by oth and now is applied to that sacred signe whereby the faithfull doe tie them selues to their Captaine Christ. The Israelites did tie themselues to God by many sacred signes or sacraments but specially by Circumcision and the Paschall supper and in the roume of these two the Church of Gentiles binds her selfe to Christ by Baptisme and the Lordes supper By the first we vow to march vnder his banner and do fight against the Diuel the world and deceiptfull flesh by the second we sweare to solemnize his bodies breaking and blodsheding till his appearance in glorie The standart of his word he liftes vp amidst his people calling them by the display thereof to returne by repentance vnto their coulours if so they be out of the way If they be not out of the way yet to remember they stand fast as Moses charged Israel lest otherwise they be drawen out of the way Of ioyning to this divine corporation S. Luke speaketh thus And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued Nor maruell for whersoever the body of Iesus is thither the eagles wil resort Thamar shakes off her incest Rahab her vncleannes Ruth her Idolatrie so haue their names entred into the Catalogue of the ancient Church Math. 1. The Eunuch of Aethiopia the Roman Centurion Publicans and sinners confesse their sinnes beleeue in Iesus are baptized and so march vnder the New Testaments colours In a word Saint Iohn seeth thousâ—ndes of Israel sealed to the Synagogue but of the Gentiles hee seeth an innumerable company of people of all tongues and kinreds standing before Messiahs throne obseruing this captaines pleasure The standart of his word displayed amongst these Cittizens it puts them still in minde of the homage due to their Lorde like as the Iewes by placing a flag with the Romanes armes vpon Ierusalems walls on their three seuerall great Feast-dayes did thereby declare themselues subiects to Romes Caesar. Besides the displaying of this banner is a terrour to all the aduersaries of
Christ and his Church Hold forth the word of life and Satan stampes his Angelles frette his marked souldiers biâ—â— the bridle In it they behold Christ ascended and Satan descended the faithfull rising and themselues falling It was some glorie for the souldiers of Berke to haue liberty to departe their town with Auntients displaâ—ed with armor on their backes with their bullets in their mouthes But Michaels aduersaries were depriued of all glorie For he entred into the house and bound Satan he cast him and his Angells out of the Churches heauenly places he ascends leading captiuitie captiue and giues gifts vnto men euen to all his faithfull followers No maâ—uell now though the behold of these victorious colours do smite a coldâ—feare into them as Israels antients did appall the Kings of the Nations Nor maruel though Spains Balak fret though Romes Bâ—laam be willing to curse for if the colours of Christ his blood-shed be euer displaid for a sufficient ransome their Euphrates dries vp their Pardons may goe packe their purgatories fire is quenched and all their trumperies ouer-turned Secondly whereas shee saieth that his banner ouer her was Loue it is for that in his word preached his seuerall loues are displayed euen as in flags oft times are painted the Conquerouâ—s seuerall triumphs or instruments of victorie Daniel drawes in the Persians armes a Beare with three ribs in his mouth because of his conquest in three coasts Iudas Macabeus is said to haue in his standart these foure lines M.C.B.I. representing foure Hebrue words which are in English O Iehouah who is like to thee among the Gods Exod. 15.11 signifying thereby that none but Iehouah could deliuer in the day of battle London hath in Armes a Dagger for putting in minde that by the stab of a dagger a Maior of this cittie arrested the Traitour Iacke-Straw wherewith that disordred troupe of his was dissolued For Messiahs banner it is Loue that is in it namely his word is expressed the signes of his Loue. For in his flâ—g thou maist see a red-crosse in a white field that is the blood of Christ Iesus mâ—king the garments of our conscience white There thou maist see a crowne of thorne piercing his head for curing our senses nailes boring his hands for saluing our actions his feete smit through for sanctifying our affections water and blood issuing out of his side for washing vs wholy his body full of lashings for our sinne his face spit vpon for making vs glorious Loe his Loue the ensigne of his loue displaid ouer vs for prouoking vs to praise and faithfull obedience So farre the Narration Lect. V. THe Petition followeth in the next verse A petition I call it not because it containeth onely matter of request for Petitions to Princes seldome doe that but because her principall act in it is prayer for otherwise as the Lords praier is concluded with a reason of prayer to God For thine is the Kingdome c. so this verse containeth first matter of Request then a Reason of that request The matter supplicatorie is vttered in two branches first in saying Stay ye me with flagons then in these words Comfort me with apples the Reason of herso earnest prayer is this For I am sicke of Loue. The thing she requesteth is spirituall sustentation and strength compared with Flagons of wine and the sauour of apples How comfortable wine is to the heart and the sauour of pleasant apples to the sense such is the sense of Messiahs louesome graces to his Church The false church hath her wine of fornication and apples of idle inuentions whereafter hir idolatrons soule lufteth Vnto that idolatrous wine and windie puffing fruite this of the faithfull is opposed for as the other deriues their adulterate stuffe from Antichrists ministers termed spiritually Marchants for selling of mens soules so the true Church hath her banquet from the ministers of Christ who propine such spirituall graces for the comfortable strengthening of her soule To them she crieth Stay ye mee comfort mee for shee speakes in the plurall number because the ministers of the church are called to be pillers for supporting the weake And with the Lords spirituall delicacies are they chiefly trusted to the end they may be faithfull dispensators thereof As the wise-hearted will call for comfort at no ministers hand that is not of Christ and a Seruitour in this Banquet-house so neither will desire any other word or sacrament then her Bâ—loued Messiah hath incommended vnto them And these Ministers must also see that they deliuer no other thing to the people as did that great Steward of Iesus who thus to the Co. in thâ— saith That which I haue received of the Lord I also haue deliuered vnto you No wine will truely comfort the heart that is not of Iudahs elect vine nor any fruit reuiue the fainting soule that is not as before of this tree of life But if my iudgement may of the learned be wel taken I would with Arias Montanus turne the Hebrue according to the letter thus Vnderprop me in the Flagons comfort me in the apples that is amidst the flagons amidst the fruite for the text hath not the particle eth with but the letter Beth which fignifieth in among amidst sooner then with The sense so should be this O my Welbeloued Vouchsafe that thy ministers may cheare and strength me who am readie to faint and sound amidst this diuine banquet my senses being ouer weake to sustaine the strong odour of thy graces For as a weake person will be readie to sound in feeling the sauour of Muske and strong spicerie euen so a Neophyt or one of small experience in diuine contemplations will be quickly cast into a muse and a maze vnable to stand in their spirituall place without the assistance of Christs ministers But the sense I leaue to the Churches censure The Reason of her petition is drawne from her present sickenesse enlarged from the cause thereof namely Loue. This sickenes growing from Loue let vs consider first what Loue is It is an Affection or Motion whereby the heart is instincted with desire of some good thing after the fruition whereof it doth as it were lift vp it selfe and open the gates for receipt of that Good which to the Sonle is first propounded Of right loue I speake As for false loue more rightly lust it is in like sort stirred but by the consideration of a thing supposed good The cause of so stirring the heart is some Obiect propounded to the Sense and by the sense presented to the heart The Obiect which here so smiteth sense and delighteth her heart it is first the sight of his Loues portraicted in his Banner secondly the feeling or tasting of his banquet the varietie of his sweete graces And because her soules eye the minde could no more sustaine the glittering shine of his loue then Leahs naturall eie were enabled with stedfastnes to behold the Sunne-shine
in his strength as also for that the Churches heart was no more able to entertaine the fulnesse of his sweete Grace thâ—n Iob could shut vp the sea with dores or Agur close vp the windes in his fist hereof it commeth that shee soundeth as surcharged with a burthen Like the Queene of Sheba by the Aegyptian Cronicle termâ—d Makedah who comming to Salomons court and there seeing and hearing excellent things farre beyond her expectation she presently thereupon as the Hebrues reade it had no spirite more in her that is she became astonied as one that had no life nor motion in her Such forme of speach may well allude to a strong amorous passion surprizing an honest virgine vnawares meeting her loue and enioying him in the fulnesse of ioy I speake not of the Comedians Wanton who crieth to others conuay this woman away for she sucketh out the very blood of me her miserable Louer but of such an amourous loue-qualme as it seemeth Mary was in when shee claue fast to the feete of Iesus her best Beloued vnawares and much so dainely met with There is also a loue-sickenesse after the good thing lacking so Dauids soule longed and fainted after the Courts of the Lord I would we could be sicke of thâ—t disease but I see not how that can wel be here concluded seeing she was already in the court yea in the house of wine banqueting with her Beloued Her trance here I take to grow as before from the fulnesse of diuine dilections presented vnto her the greatnesse and infinitie whereof ouerwhelmeth her comprehension A disease too farre from vs who heare we and see we dayly neuer so many loues of God accruing and growing vpon vs do neuer stirre more then stockes Why because as Isaiah well noteth our hearts are fatted insomuch as in hearing we vnderstand not and in seeing we perceiue not Like to fishes for deafnesse and to moles for blindenesse Shebahs Queene could astonish at Salomons naturall wisedome but let Christ Iesus a greater then Salomon speake to vs by his owne word and our spirites mooâ—e not stirre not specially by way of holy admiration Could our spirits be thus rapt our soules thus rauished with the â—acred infinite loues of our Sauiour O how he would delight in vs and ioy in our loue Insteade of sickendsse growing from sacred loue most of vs sooner aâ—e sicke of the splene sicke of enuy sicke for anger our lusts are crossed This sickenesse is from hell as the other from heauen And therefore leauing that to the diuell termed the Enuious man I turne me to the faithful in their holy loue-sickenes and now will hearken what ensueth her reasonable petition Lect. VI. Verse 6 His left hand is vnder mine head and his right hand doeth embrace me 7 I adiure ye c. THis followeth her petition first a declaration of Messiahs loue towards her in the time of her louetraunce secondly an Adiuration or an Oth taken by the Church of Ierushalems daughters for not disturbing her Beloued For Messiahs loue it appeareth in one general act of fauour namely in his amorous embracement That embracements argued loue consider it not onely in the practise of all nations but also in the solemne obseruance thereof in scripture By such embracement old Israel prefaced his blessing powred forth on Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 48.10 and by such embracement the old father entertaines his repentant prodigall in Luke 15.20 Not to Ioabs embracing of Amasa with the one hand till he stab him with the other nor to Iscariots embracing of Iesus doth the holy ghost here allude but to the sacred embracement that passeth betweene friend and friend yea betweene such a couple as by passing of troth haue made themselues one flesh hauing that sympathie of affection as is said of Hippocrates his Twinnes who both laught or both wept both liued or both died Yet no such embracement is vnto this any neerer then the shadowe is to the substance For as in heauen there shall be no marrying nor being married so there all these corporeall embracements shall be remooued The shadowe then ceaseth because the substance is come Which substance is our full vnitie in body and soule first with Christ then secondly one with another which spirituall embracement is here begun in the soâ—le and represented by our amiable honest embracings euen as the vnity of the reprobate is here begunne first with Satan secondly with themselues whose blacke perfection is in their resurrection to be substantially reuealed For this holy embracement it is laid downe in twoo particulars First in his left hand conuaide vnder her head Secondly in his right hand amiably embracing her Seeing these things are spirituâ—ll what may these hands and these their actions be For the resolution of this mysterie it is vnapt to bring in the consideration of his left and right hand in Matth. 25 seeing there the left hand is turned to the wicked but both hands here doe circle the godly Both hands here considered with the church we are to collect onely two such instruments as whereby two notable actions are effected for benefiting the faithfull For any thing I yet see otherwise I can by these two hands most properly vnderstand the two natures of Christ. Vnder his Left-hand I conceiue his Manhood by his Right hand I vnderstand his Godhead The manhood of Christ may well be signified by his left hand for these two causes first as the left hand is lesse agile and lesse strong than the right such was his manhoods heauinesse and weakenesse in comparison of the godhead for so our infirmities were vpon him Isa. 53.5 Secondly as the left hand is patient and suffers when the right hand in al businesse is agent and worketh so the Manhood of Messiah was to suffer whereas the Godhead was impassible cold and did worke but was not wrought vppon For such an high Priest it beseemed vs to haue as in our nature might feele our miserie that so in our nature he might with more feeling offer vp his sacrifice And this feeling is declared by putting his arme vnder the churches crazie head bearing the burden of her infirmitie yea bearing the punishment on that his humane arme that was due for our sinnes Iaakobs loue is registred to be very great who vnder-propped or vnder-bare Rahel Gen. 48.7 till she dyed vpon him and as we haue it well turned died on his hand But Messiahs loue was greater for he to sustaine and procure life to his Church hath put vnder his hand laid downe his owne life Thus euery way his humane weake nature went vnto the worst til he had aduanced his Church to the best His diuine Nature may well be likened to the right hand of a louer embracing his weake spowsesse first for cherishing the church so fainting Secondly for propulsing all aduersarie accidents Both these graces Dauid praieth for in this one speach Shew thy maruailous mercies who art the
same place Whereto against the heart of Romanists I will adde that of Eckius Nor verely thinke I saith he that Christ speaketh here in Math. 7.25 of prophets telling future things by the holy spirit but rather that by Prophet he vnderstands an Expositour of holy scripture which whoso doe well vnfold they are termed good prophets but handling them badly and falsely are denominate Pseudo-prophets And that such expositours of scripture are termed Prophets it is sufficiently plâ—ine vnto vs from Paul who witnesseth that Christ gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets c. confirming the terme also from the 1. Cor. 14. Which well remembred how can they falt vs for terming Luther Tindall Husse Sauanarolâ— and all such the true Prophets of God sent of God not of their Church for calling forth people to the building vp of Ierushalems walls Whersom say of such that they were extraordinarie ministers I answer first there was nothing extraordinary in their ministrie seing it was expreslie to be proued by the written word Secondly it is no more to be held extraordinarie in the new church then it was in the old sinagogue In Mother Zion were vnlimited Ministers namely Prophets so to the new Testaments Prophets are giuing They had a standing minstry to their Temple and Tabernacle these were priests and Leuites so our churches of Christ their peculiar ministry of Presbyters Deacons The Presbyters and Deacons proceed in the worke established the Apostolicall Euangelicall Propheticall ministrie doth call people into order and recall the straiers vnto the first pattern And these new testaments Prophets for that semeth to me the aptest title they haue their calling as they of the old testament had Some stirrd vp immediatlie of God acknowleged to be such for their work sake some trained vp in the schools of Prophets and sent there-out by the voyce of the faithfull The first sent of God in times more desperate the other sent of the Church when her schooles of prophecie are rightly settled The more fully I haue spoken hereof because of fantastick spirits amongst vs who cannot abide to heare of anie ministrie but only of Parsons Vicars tied to their particular congregations or as they terme themselues Pastors and Doctors of particular Churches Would they but looke with a single eye into this point they should see that in the worst times it is liklyer to find that ministrie which for matter and maner do rather succeede the Apostles then occupie the place of Pastors that rather are appointed with Paul to haue the care of manie Churches then but one congregation laied vpon them This ministry so vnderstood let vs see how Apostles and their successors may be compared to Roes and Hinds of the field Lect VIII FIrst to the Roe It is a Beast right swifte coueting the height of mountaines and from the top thereof in time of Hunters strait pursuite will cast it self downe headlong in safetie by casting the bodie within the compasse of the hornes Hereto the Apostolicall ministrie may haue resemblance spiritually first for spirituall spedines through the fields of the catholike Church For in how few yeares after Christs ascention was the Gospel caried through the earth by the Head Apostles and their concomitants When Saint Paul writ his epistle to the Romans beholde their sound was gone through the earth and their words into the ends of the worlde They that were not tied to till one oxgang of land but to breake vp the whole earth before them it required speed Necessitie was laid vpon them and a woe vnto them in not doing the Lords woâ—ke spedily For their successors no such miraculous ministers how swiftlie haue they run through the Churches field Their speed from Church to Church from one land to another will teâ—tifie that No one of the Miraculous Apostles did runne through the whole earth for the ecclesiasticall writers declare in what contries each of them conuersed and the booke said to be written by Prochoruâ— the Deacon of Ierushalem saith they cast lots for seuerall portions but euery one in som parts more principally As for the Apostle Paul he was in his labours more aboundant then they all and for that cause Saint Luke hath speciallie drawne his jornall in the Acts. So it hath fared with such as haue succeeded in that worke Some haue labored more and some lesse Some haue cared for moe churches some for fewer No one with the Papall prelate tooke charge of all though with S. Paule he might care and thirst after the good of all Secondly this large ministerie hath with the Roe still affectioned the hiest places a propertie also giuen by Habakkuk to the Hinds when he saith The Lord will make my feet like the hindes and he will make me to walke vpon mine his places These hie places are not the earths-mountaines if we walke by a deeper mysterie but the heauens the hill of Gods holines and our happines whereto Paul ascended in the vision of his soule and wherto Stephens hart eye was lift vp in the end of his Apologie because his Defence was in the heauens Not from the mountaines of flesh and blood but from the heauens commeth our helpe But in a more literall sense considering the persons we speak of these Mountaines are also the Cities and chief townes of countries as Ierushalem Samaria Antioch Corinth Ephesuâ— Sâ—yrna Rome c. Whether this kind of ministerie still ascended with the Gospell As Sathan stil commaunded the pages or contrie-hamlets by the Idolatry planted in the Citties as heads of the countrie so the Lord euer by this Prophetical ministrie hath first smit these heads of the Nations that the Cittie 's wonne they might commaund the inferiour places The country-hamlets were called Pagiâ— and very probable it is that the terme Pagan was deriued thence because of the heathenisme in them when the Gospel was begunne in the Citty And hereupon it is that the Apostles direct their Epistles not to the Saints or church of such pagies or villages but of such such citties as mountaines and heades to the country as the head of Aram was Damascus and Samaria the head of Ephraims people Isa. 7 8 9. Thirdly in straite pursuite these ministeriall Roes haue cast their bodies and soules for safegard betweene their Heades auntlers Who is their Head Christ who also is called the Horne of our saluation Into his handes as into diuine antlers the prophet Dauid commended his Spirit nor did the faithfull euer find safetie in the mountaines offlesh and blood And therefore cast themselues thence into the mercifull handes of Iesus who hath giuen charge to his Angelles to vpholde them in all their wayes lest they dash their soules foote against a stone When Israels spies were let downe by Rahab ouer Ierichoes walles and the Apostle escaping the Damascenes by being let downe at a windowe in a basket by the side of the wall Act. 9.24 What didde they
praises together with the scriptures read before meate psalmes and himnes in the time of meat before he goe to bedde as also pouring out prayers againe in the night season Neuer sung the Doue so sweete a song to her mate as the Church singeth to Messiah when her voyce at all times is so soundâ—ng Thy countenance or Aspect is comly Faith being as afore the cause of the churches countenance the countenance of the faithfull must needes be gloâ—ious for as the cause is such is the effect The wisedome of a man saith Salomon dooth make his face to shine and the strength of his face shall thereby be changed This is specially spoken of heauens-wisedome which causeth the soules face or countenance to shine causing a right strong heart to change the complexion from euil to good of deformed becomming comely Nor is this wisedome otherwise in mysterie to be vnderstoode then of the Sonne who is the wisedome of our heauenly father That Son of heauen causeth our face to shine and this onely as we become one with him by the apprehension of Faith Faith purifieth the heart causeth a change of the soule inuests vs with Messiahs righteousnesse as Iaakob was cloathed with his elder brothers garment One graine of faith remooueth mountaines of difficulties Faith apprehending Christ truly putteth away the olde corrupt man and putteth on a newe countenance euen the image of God which maketh the church to Christ right comely Christ exacted of Iairus Faith onely for curing his daughter and to him only that belieueth all things are possible Marke 9.23 Which true effectuall faith beeing in the Church only it causeth her alone to be described of Saint Iohn in forme of a Woman clothed with the Sunne all beauteous and comely Abben-ezra vnderstanding as other Iewes doe this of their olde Church comming out of Aegipt hee there inferreth that the Church then shewed her countenance to God when she belieued applying thereto that clause They belieued in the Lord. The Psalmist long after that Exode or outgate from Aegypt prophecieth of a departure forth of another Aegypt Ps. 68.31 comparing there in Vers. 13. the Church to a Doue that had lodged amongst pots or as the word Shephatheim may seeme rather to imply Killes or Furnaces and therewith blacked but then annects this promise yet shalt thou be as The wings of a Doue that is couered with siluer and whose feathers be yellow golde This comming forth of Aegypt was the Gentiles comming forth of horrible Idolatrie wherin all Nations had lodged and blacked themselues Who comming forth by obedience to Christs voyce called the obedience of Faith were therewithall not onely washed from deformitie but also couered with comelinesse compared to a Doues wings al siluerie and gâ—lded And that this is the proper point here intended by Salomon Idolatrers and Idolls lodged so in holes of Rocks in Isa. 1.20 21. as vnâ—ble to abide the glorious Law-giuer I would rather conclude if the church would think it to be more direct then the former For as the word Rocke is sometimes applied to Christ in whom the church liueth so it importeth sometimes the mansion of Idâ—latrers But let the Mansion of this Church-doue bee considered in Christ according to Election or in woods groues monkish cells secret holes in regard of her passed idolâ—trie beauteous and comely she is not made till she come forth and manifest her faith true working faith For faith is the girdle that tyeth her to Christ and all the glorious shine of Christ to her Is our voice sweete praise him is our aspect comely thanke him for as the Earth was vncomly till he said Let it budde forth and then it was presently couered with Bâ—auties carpet euen so it is the word of fâ—ith preached whereby our Owlish Idolatrous hoing was turned into a sweete Douish voyce and our Aegyptian-like blackenesse into a Douish comelinâ—sse Messiah praising this voyce for sweet and this countenance for comly for how should his gifts and graces in his owne members be otherwise it controlleth them who say in the faithfull and regenerate there is no good thing instead of saying In their flesh or vnregenerate part There is no good thing For where Isaiahs people cry out We haue all beene as an vncleâ—ne thing and all our righteousnesses haue beene as filâ—hy clâ—uts they speake first of the time past when they lay drowned in sinne secondly they censure onely the actions of their owne vnregeneâ—ate nature for somewhat in body and soule is euer heere vnrâ—generate they bring not the actions of the spirit in them vnder that iudgement not to vrge the Hebrew turned of some as a â—estmeâ—t of shreds for as the Holy ghost is such are his fruites Thirdly they censuâ—ing themselues not for vncleane but as vncleane it may import some respect had to the worke of God in them which otherwise was shadowed with the vncleane clouds of nature But much more Messiahs praise of his churches face and voyce may controll such aâ— vpon Faiths weakenesse shall conclude faith therefore filthy that because the graces of God in the regâ—nerate are weake therefore vncleane not onely a plaine error but also a blaspheming or euill speaking of the graces and heauenly effects of God his holy spirit Not to seuer the workes of the flesh and spirit that is of the regenerate and vnregenerate part it is to builde a Babel or Confusion contrary to the Apostles proceeding in Galat. 5.16 17 19 20 21 22 23. Where the Apostle maketh the fruâ—tes opposite each to other The vnregeneration of our nature soule and body for the body is acted by the soule it is vncleane and as a polluted Carrion but it can no more dâ—file the giftes and operations of the Holy-ghost in a new-man then a stinking carrion can defile the glorious rayes or beames of the Sun shining theron Dauid somtimes complained of GOD his absence not because he was indeed absent but because he felt him not present namely in mercie So the Elect regenerate sometimes cry out as all naught not because it is so indeede but because they for that present haue no feeling of the good worke of God in them As for spirituall by-standers they see God neere them and goodnesse then in them It followeth Lect. VIII 15 Take vs the Foxes the little foxes destroying the vines for our vines haue small grapes HErein the Church repeateth a speach of Messiah which concerneth his care ouer the faithful in their first manifestation of Christian obedience The parts are these two First a commaundement for apprehending the aduersarie Great and Final laid downe vnder the terme of Foxes Secondly a reason thereof And this drawne first from the nature of these foxe-like aduersaries in that they destroy vines then from the time of vines weakenesse when it is saide Our vines haue small grapes As by Foxes vnderstanding aduersaries so by vines vnderstanding the faithfull labouring to bring
to iudge of them throughout this song as of incense trees for sauour and as of beauteous flowers for fauour A soule seeing it selfe in it selfe hath cause to cry out of it selfe all vncleane all red as scarlet but if it haue the sight and sense of being in Christ it is to belieue that crimson sins are all washed so white as wooll and that by the blood of that Lambe their garments are made white And with boldnesse such a soule may presse into the diuine presence knowing that the giftes of his owne spirite cannot but to him be acceptable Nor is such perswasion and boldnes the worke of pride but the fruite of Faith euen of faith wherby we haue peace with God The place of Messiahs feeding is amongst these Lillies so that these lillies are properly the place of his food not as some haue taken it the food it selfe Rabbi Selomoh doth thus reade it who feeds his sheep amongst the lillies that is saith he in a fit quiet and beauteous Pasture-plâ—t not vnlike to that of Dauid in ps 23.2 True it is that Christ hath prepared a pleasant spirituall place for the sheepe of his pasture to graze in but here I take it she intends directly the refreshing place which Messiah had chosen to himselfe and that is her selfe chosen to be a Templâ— to the holy ghost an habitation to the mightie God of Iaakob comparing her selfe to a field of Lillies her seuerall sanctified members considered And hereunto Abben-ezra is drawne when not only he saith that the Lord is drawen suaui odore floris iâ—tius by the sweet odour of this flower but also in liliâ—s designantur iusti that by Lillies are vnderstood Righteous persons Our Sauiour by Saint Iohns Ministrie laboured to open the hearts of the Laodiceans Reuel 3.20 to what end That hee might enter and sup with them And is there all Nay that they likewise might suppe with him The same mutuall and ioynt pasturing may be here entended according to that which was in the 1. ch and 9. verse and blessed be they which be inuited to this supper Reuel 19.9 Messiah feedeth amongest these Lillies and the Lillies againe receaue nouriture from him and his spirit represented by the watrie bankes in psa 1.3 He liueth with vs not of vs but we liue both with him and of him Liue with him we doe because the members cannot be seuered from such â—n head Liue also of him we do because not only the earth is the Lords and the fullnesse therof and so all liue of him but also in respect of his body and blood called in the Gospell a slaine carcase whereon as eagles by faith we tire and foster And so the faithfull only feed of him For his feeding with vs it is plaine from the vnion he hath with vs both in body and soule And that is cause that in Matt. 25. he accompteth that which was giuen to his poore members to haue beene giuen vnto him Not because his owne particular body was in them for the heauens retaine that till he come to iudge both the quick and dead nor since his owne particular nature was glorified could it hunger or thirst after bodily refection but in respect of commâ—nion and fellowship with such spiritually through faith his spirit so chaining him and vs togither by the bonds of faith And in such respect he taketh hard fare also with them going downe with Iaakob into Aegipt with Ioseph into prison suffring with the Saints in Damascus Thus hee feedeth vs and with vs He feedeth vs as a father but feedeth with vs as a brother yea as an husband and amiable louer Now to her Prayer Lect. XI Vntill the day breake and Shadowes flee away Returne my Welbeloued and be like a Roe or young Hart vpon the Mountaines of Bether IN this prayer I obserue generally the Churches will conformed to Messiahs wil. That it was his wil to remoue from hir in some fort for a certaine season she had learned from his owne Canonicall word and for that cause she prayes him to retire for the word Sób here and Bèrà ch in ch 8.18 I take to be as synonimies or to haste away according to the fathers decree till the time of darkenesse were ouer-shot assimilating himselfe herein to the yoong Hart on the mountaines of Bether To lack his presence no doubt a corasiue vnto hir but hauing learned that God had so decreed shee desireth him to accomplish his will herein referring her will to his reuealed will A doctrine taught by Messiah when he taught his disciples to pray Thy will be donâ— practised by himselfe when he prayed to his father Not as I will but as thou wilt and a rule whereby euery one that hath a portion in Christ must be contented to walke As a childe ought to referre his will to the Father and a scholler to his Maister euâ—n so and much more then so ought wee to referre our will which is alwayes weake and oft bad vnto God his will which is strong to preuaile and is alwayes goâ—d If loue cannot preuaiâ—e with vs for subiecting our will to his will in all things Then let the feare of his power force it Follie it is to resist him that is stronger Hath he said it quoth Balaam and shall he not doe it And hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it As if he should say all the world is not able to resist his will to fruâ—â—rate his word for if they wil not ioyn with it for partaking with his mercy they shall be subdued of it for partaking with his iustice As we would be knowne to be of God Christ Iesu let vs be euer found subiecters of our will to his will yea it is a badge of the Church here and therfore cannot in the faithfull be altogether wanting More particularlie here is to be obserued first the time of decreed absence and that is Till the day breake and shadowes flie away secondly The manner of his absence and that is Like a yong Roe on the mountaines of Bether The breaking of the day and departure of the shadowes for Night which is the earths shadow doth depart with the daies breaking it is vnderstoode of some to be the time of the Lawe preceeding Christs incarnation which lawe was nothing else but a shadow of good things to come some others vnderstand it to be the time of the church in this darke miserable worlde specially after Christs ascension Not to meddle with other vnapt collections I meane here if God permit to insist on both these times as both well suting to our former exposition But heere some will aske how can the church of the Gentiles will Messiah to retire vnto the time that Legall ceremonies vanish seeing the Gentiles were no people or church till that lawe was ended I answer God that calleth things that be not as if they were hee by Salomon bringeth
the middle ages But heere I will content my selfe with that ancient distinction because thereto I may adde their application of the 6. ages to the sixe dayes and the rather for brideling such as thinke such kinde of doctrine to be but of yesterday nothing at all white headed In the first age of the world say they man was made and was in Paradise tanquam lux shining as the Light In which age God diuided the Sonnes of God vnder the name of light from the Sonnes of men as from darkenesse itselfe and the euening of this day was the flood In the second age fell out as it were a firmament betweene water and water when as the Arke did swimme betweene the Raine and the Seas and the euening of this age was the confusion of tongs The third age fell out when God separated his people from the Gentiles by Abraham seuering them like as hee did the drie land from the inferiour waters And heerewith was brought forth the branch or budde of herbs and trees that is this age brought forth the Saints and the fruite of holy Scriptures The euening of this age was the sinne of wicked Saul setled in euiâ—l The fourth age begunne with Dauid whenas God established lights in the firmament of heauen that is the splendor of his Kingdome as the Sunnes excellencie the Synagogue and his Princes as Moone and Starres obaying therto The euening of this age consisted in the sinnes of the king whereby that people deserued to be carried captiue into Babilon In the fift age that is in the captiuitie of Babilon there appeare as it were animalia in aquis volatilia câ—li fishes in the waters and birds in the ayre because the Iewes then begun to liue amongst the Gentiles as in a Sea nor had they any stable or set place more than flickering birds The euening of this day was the multiplication of sinnes in the Iewish people who became so blinde as they could not know the Lord Iesus Now the sixt age begunne with the Aduent of our Lord Iesus Christ. For as in the sixt day the first man Adam was of the slime of the earth formed vnto the image of God so in the sixt age of the world the second Adam that is Christ in the flesh is borne of the Virgine Mary he in a liuing soule this in a quickening spirit And as in that day a liuing soule was made so in this age they desire eternall life And as in that sixt day the earth brought forth the kinds of creeping creatures and beasts so in this sixt age of the world the Church brought forth the Gentiles appetiting eternall life The which in sense was manifested to Peter in Act. 10. by a sheete of creatures And as in that day man and woman were created so in this age of the world Christ and his Church is manifested And as Man in that day was set ouer the Beastes creeping creatures and birds of the aire so Christ in this age was set ouer the Gentiles people and Nations that they might be gouerned of him who were as Beastes giuen to carnall concupiscence or as serpents obscured with earthly curiositie or as birds lift vp with pride And as in that day man and beasts with him are fedde with the herbe that seedeth and the wood that bringeth fruite and greene grasse so in this age the spirituall man which is the good minister of Iesus Christ hee with the people are fedde with the nourishment of the holy scriptures and with the diuine Law as with seeding herbs for conceiuing reason and speach fertily partly for the vtilitie of maners and conuersation beseeming mankind as resemblanced by trees bearing fruit partly for the vigor of faith hope and charitie vnto eternall life as it were with greene hearbs which wither not with any heat of tribulation c. And I could wish that the Lord might not finde vs as it were in the euening of this age The euening of this age is thus spoken of by our Lord Thinkest thou that when the Sonne of man shall come he shall finde faith on the earth After this euening shal be a morning namely when our Lord shall come in his glorie Then the Saints shall rest from all their works or businesses with Christ. As the workes of the sixe dayes were thus sealed vp with a seauenth dayes rest so the Ancients not to touch any moderne writers could apply all to the worlds sixe distinct ages finishing them with the glorious Sabaoth of Sabaoths the rest of rests And this was clearely insinuated by the Holy-ghost to the Hebrewes writ to this effect If Ioshuah had giuen Israel rest then would not Dauid after that day haue spoken of another Rest But Dauid hath spoken of another Rest Therefore there remaineth another rest to the people of God for he that is entred into His rest hath also ceased from his owne works as God did from his From which scripture as also from others of like validitie hath analogically beene well concluded how the sixe dayes did resemble typically the sixe ages of the world aswel as the seauenth day did represent eternitie hereafter wherein the sonnes and daughters of God should rest from all their labours no more troubled with worlds garboyles contrarie to the Chiliasts assertion who dreamed from a misvnderstanding of Reuel 20.7 c. that after the Saints had rested a thousand yeares Satan should anew assaile and trouble them And besides that the number of Sixe is made sacred sundry wayes in the old Testament we shall finde the new testaments Reuelation to make it a number of perfection to the Churches workes when as Reuel 10.7 the mightie Angel sweareth That in the dayes of the Seauenth Angel when he shall beginne to found the trumpet the mystery of God shall be finished as if he should say the sixe trumpets referred to the new testaments six ages shall found to the end of the Churches businesse for when the Seauenth beginneth to found euen then the mystery is at an end and finished But I will spare to speake more of this number here as also what I further thinke of the distinction of ages That which is spoken according to the Ancients their obseruance may serue to stop the mouths of such as crie for antiquity Which summarily I shut vp with that of Isidore Senarius namque qui partibus suis perfectus est perfectionem mundi quadam numeri sui significatione declarat Etymol l. 3. cap. 4. Lect. XIII Sabaoth of Dayes THe next chronologicall shadow shall be Seauen a number of Rest sanctified by God himselfe as was the number of Sixe The number Seauen in regard of his Rest is termed Sabbaticall and because in the great Sabaot of God they shal neither giue nor take in marriage Clemens Alexandrine saith Merito ergo numerum â—epâ—enarium existimant esse sine matre sine prole They worthily therefore doe thinke the number
in Messiah in whom we are to Rest for the Father in him Alone resteth well pleased Lect. XV. BVt besides Day and Moneth we are to obserue the Yeare which also brings with it Rest and Sabbaot And this was done euery seauenth yeare from the time of typicall Ioshua his partition of Canaan Sixe yeares they were to sowe the land the seauenth yeare they were to let it Rest and the owners with the poore were to content themselues and feede on the voluntary fruits of that Yeares-rest Whereby all were taught first to rest in the promised Messiah who is alone sufficient to our earthly natures causing them to fructifie without our naturall tillage Happy is the body and soule for that is our field and vineyard that communicates with these sabbaticall gifts for their owne good and sustentation of others Secondly it teacheth all Adams sonnes to labour the worlds sixe ages but with respect of that sabbaot in the worâ—ds end when so Christ Iesus shall be to them all in all what time happinesse shall be rich and poore Abraham and Lazarus to rest in Him for euer The poore then shall not enuie the Rich the rich then shall entertaine the poore into their bosomes without grudge for this is a Sabaoth of Rest in our God Yea before the worlds end Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Furthermore this sabbaticall seauenth yeare did forbid the Lender to aske the thing againe which he had lent and yet not to lend vnto the poore brother by reason of this seauenth yeares rest it was to haue a wicked thought and to sinne but to lend and so to giue it had the promise of blessing to accompany that lender in what-so he should put his hand to Besides as this yeare the Hebrue which for neede had sold himselfe to be a seruant hee was except himselfe willed the contrarie to be set free As the Creditor might not debarre lending because the Seauenth yeare was nigh so neither for that cause ought hee through lâ—cke of full sixe yeeres seruice to stay the poore bâ—other either from accepting him into seruice for such satisfaction or the seauenth yeare being come to retaine him longer against his will For the breach of this law Ieremiah was sent to denounce against the Iewes these three punishments Sword Pestilence and Famine All this plainely preached Mercie that mercie which the rich do owe in conscience to the poore and maisters to seruants one Christian to another The contrary God will be auenged of And herewith to the comfort of faithfull seruants and poore-ones it doth typically preach that in heauens Sabbaot they shall rest maugre the hearts of worldlings for howsoeuer they be mens seruants yet they be The Lords of free men In requie Nouitestamenti liberatus est Hee is set at libertie in the Rest of the new testament how much more in the accomplishment of that Sabbaots perfection But besides the Seauenth yeare Single there was a seauenth yeare multiplied by seuen which proclaimed the folowing yeare for a yeare of much libertie Seauen times seauen yeares were compted the last whereof is nine and fortie Then in the seauenth Moneth the great Iubile yeare was founded which was the fiftieth yeare that is the yeare after the seauenth which in progression of number is Eight but in renuall of number is the First But that here is a renuall of the Sabbatical accompt I cannot see though one of Scotland otherwise worthy much reuerence doth teach namely that the Iubile-yeare is the First of the next seauen Which if then this would follow that that seauen should be but sixe or two Rests should be held in one seauen neither of which I see any reason for This Iubile-yeare being the 50. yeare the next yeare after the last seauen it is so in progresse of accompt an Eight yeare and so withall doth secretly teach that the Time and number of Eight is sacred Further it may appeare from the time of Circumcision which euer from the Birth-tide was to be the Eight day which Auntients still didde make a Representator of Messiah his day of Resurrection which fell the day after the Iewish Sabaot or seauenth day All which we shall finde to be sanctified in the name â—ESVS where Eight is renowned in Vnits or Ones secondly in Tennes thirdly in Hundreds For in the name IESVS thou hast the iust Nomber of 888. thus I 10. E 8. S 200. O 70. V 400. S 200. that is IESOVS according to the Greeke writing in the new-Testament as if hereby were openly proclaimed that Iesus first is He to whome the beast in Reuel 13.18 with his number of 666. is opposed whereof that aduersary hath the Name of Anti-christ thâ—t is opposed to Christ. Secondly that IESOVS is the end of Circumcision and lubile all drawing to Him as the Iubile or Iobél of lábal doth naturally signifie Many take it to haue the Name of a Rams hoâ—e affirming that this Iubile was proclamed with such horne-trumpets But as such deriuation is further fetchâ— so I see not how by the scripture it can be proued that Rams hornes were then sounded Nay it semeth more probable that after Siluer trumpets were instituted togither with the lawe that they only were in these solemnities vsed Draw vnto Christ they did in 18. Iubilees the last of foure Sabbaoths or Seauens of Iubile proclaming Christ crucified by whome came euerlasting Redemption But for the better obseruance hereof let vs consider the Peculiars of this great Octonarie Rest. First in this Great yeare they were not to sowe no more then in the yeare next afore it which was the last of the seauen Seauens for the supply of which two Rests the Lord promiseth to giue sufficient the Sixt yeare for three yeares Leutt. 25.21 which secretly may teach once that such as put their confidence solely in Christ they shall finde God to be El-shaddi All-sufficient vnto them as also that Christ is an end to the ceremoniall law figured by the Seauenth day and the verie Soule of the new testament figured by the number of Eight the verification of the former Rest to the Synagogue Rest to the Church rest to the Body rest to the soulâ—â— who first was God then secondly Man for double Rest to the faithfull Secondly all the Israelites who before had sold any possession were as this yeare to returne vnto their possession A reâ—son that the land was not to be cut off from any Tribe was this The land â—aith Iehouah is Mine and ye be but strangers and soiourners with me For this cause it was his pleasure that his owne Interest should appeare in hauing his people alwayes interessed therein yea and in the yeare of Iubile to seaze on the very possession And what doth this shadow forth vnto vs This first that the Earth is the Lords and all that therein is and therefore all
the faithfull Israel of God truly interessed therein They may for a season be out of the possession thereof but in the meane time they haue a true Title therein euen in all the good creatures of God for whose vse indeede they were created as who being onely the persons that can to God his glory sanctifie them by the Word of God and Prayer Secondly though here in this present world they may be out of possession yet so verily as they be Meeke and Patient in time of such lacke they shall inherite the Earth as our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth in Math. 5.5 Where the word Clero-nomesousi import th a Distribution by Lot resemblanced by the seuerall lots in Canaan distributed to typicall Israel by the ministrie of Iehoshuah the figure of Iesus And hereof Saint Peter in his second Epistle the third chapter speaketh thus But we looke for New heauens and new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth Righteousnes as if he had said though al be dissolued and by fire finally melted yet there is promised besides nâ—w heauens a new earth which wee with all the Righteous do looke for While the earth is filled with Iniquitie we may be out of possession but when the earth shal be resined and brought to his perfection then we euen the faithfull shall haue it onely in possession Nor maruaile that the Elect-ones expect this great Iubile for euery inferior creature in his kind doth groane after this day of Deliuerie as resting in hope then to be freed together with the Sonnes of God Rom. 8.18 c. This day of deliuerie this day of Redemption this time of Rest it is not there but there not now but then fully acquired Nam si altius repetaemus quae vera sint Sabbatha intra hunc mundum non est veri sabbathi obseruatio The third thing of the Iubile is this that euerie maner of Seruant was to be set at libertie For whereas the Voluntarie-seruant in Exod. 21. is saide from thenceforth to be a Seruant for euer Verse 6. it is to be restrained vnto the yeare of Iubile Leuit. 25.40 for seruants of other nature were to be set free euery seauenth yeare And that the terme Legnólám is not to ouer reach the yeare of Iubile the Heebrewes Midrash on 1. Samuel 1.22 teacheth And that it signifieth not properly For euer but a Long time Rabbi Kimcht teacheth in his Radâ—cals alledging to that purpose Prou. 22.28 Where Gnólam cannot signifie for euer no more than a seruant could serue for euer seeing hee was not to liue for euer If we turne it and vnderstand it for euer in this or any other ceremoniall speach it must be Ratione figurati in respect of the thing figured thereby And indeede this mystically implied first a releasement of such as had beene seruâ—nts to sinne secondly a releasement at last from all slauerie as well of body as soule From sinne that was first sounded by the Trumpet of Messiah in his publike ministration of the word for which cause Isaiah introduceth him thus speaking The spirit of the Lord vpon me therefore Iehouah hath appointed me to preach the Goâ—pel to the Meeke He hath sent me to loose the bands of contrite in heart to preach libertie to the captiue and to the fettered the opening of the prison to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord Isa 61.1.2 And most probable it seemeth vnto me that our Sauiour must fulfill the Iubile eyther in hir Birth which is termed The fulnesse of time Gal. 4.4 or in his Baptisme what time from heauen was preached that this was the Accepted-one who therewith entered into his publike ministerie or which is yet most probable in the yeare of his suffering then vpon the crosse he proclaming It is finished the Temples vaile then rending and therewith preaching an end of legall ceremonies the dead then arising and walking as hauing their bonds loosed and the dores of Sinnes prison set open The ecclesiasticall yeare so begunne for he died in Abib what a glorious yeare of spirituall libertie was that in the Ministrie of his Apostles But together with this proclamation came not the full libertie of the Saints That remaineth hereafter to be fulfilled in the next appearance of Iesus who then shall restore store all things There remaineth therefore a Rest to the people of God and he that enters into that Rest shall cease from his works as God did from his Let vs study therefore to enter into that Rest and in the meane time groning vnder the burden of sinne let vs with the Apostle Rom. 7.24 cry out Who shall set mee free from the body of this death Whereto let a good conscience reply I thanke God it wil be through Christ Iesus for when he againe appeares lift we vp our heads for that is the time of our Redemption Lect. XVI Against Romes Iubile CHrist hauing put an end vnto this Iudaicall Inbile how comes it about that Rome the last yeare kept a Iubile as also for some other times in the three hundred yeares next backeward It is because Rome by that as by other things must Iudaize and shew themselues Antichristian that is Opposite to Christ. They may aswell reuiue all the ceremoniall Law which were to reare vp againe the Partition wall of ceremonies and to preach actually that Christ is not come in the Flesh. For 1300. yeares or thereabouts the Church obserued no such inuention nay neuer dreamed of it But about that time Boniface or if you wil Male face the Eight he decreed there should be a Iubile solemnâ—zed euerie hundred yeare But Clemens the sixt as besides the Extrauagants appeareth in his Bull he from Moâ—es rule doth institute the 50. yeare For some wiser consideration Vrbanus the sixt brought it to 33. yeares Sâ—xtus the fourth to 25. and Iulius the second to euerie tenth yeare for all which consult with a right profitable writer of our owne Wherein first obserue the Spirit of giddâ—nesse wherewith these Apostaticall Popes were smitten euene of them changing his predecessors decree Secondly obserue that all of them agree in one for â—earing vp Iudaisme And which in the third place must not be forgotten all this Inuention was for setting asale their Buls of leaden pardons If the second Pope thoght an hundred yeares too long for catching of soules-money and so did draw it to the fifâ—eth yeare neuer blame him much lesse his successors to fewer yeare euen now to tenne Who would haue his Bul 's to lie longer on his hands Onely this I lastly obserue to be the mâ—ine difference betweene the Iewish and Romish Iubilees The Iewes therein did Giue these Receiue the Iewes forgaue freely but the Pope for Mony and for mony he will as the Spirit speaketh in Reuel 18. sell the very soules of men Nor would it here be forgotten how the great Romist Cusanus doth diuide the worlds whole time into Iubilees And not to meddle with
spiritualem manducauerunt whosoeuer in Manna did vnderstand Christ euen they did eate the same spirituall meate which wee doe 2 Which Manna is made excelent respecting the Place from whence it came namely from Heauen And therefore in psal 78.24.25 it is called the wheate of heauen and Lecheâ— abbirim turned of the Septuaginta bread of Angels but according to the Originall Bread of the strong-ones And them I take to be no other then Aelóhim Father Sonne and Holy Ghost the very strength of Israel Thus the strong God from heauen shewd his might for feeding his people But here a contradiction may seme to arise seeing our Sauiour in Ioh. 6.32 faith that Moses gaue them not bread from heauen Which indeed is no contradiction seeing our Sauiour speaketh not Simply of Bread but of true-bread which also is of him called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread of life or of that life which is eternall That which Moses gaue was temporary bread bread of death seeing the eating thereof would not preserue from death but Christ who thereby was represented and to the true belieuer exhibited is the true and very bread whereon who so feedeth shall liue to God for euer The first was heauenly bread in respect of being rained from aboue but comming into ballance with Christs flesh it must giue place as earthly The shadow must stoope to the substance the sacramentall signe to the thing signified The Signe considered apart from the Thing it is earthly and corporeall but ioyntly considered with the thing of the sacrament as in psal 78.24.1 Cor. 10.3 it is heauenly and spiritually And such is the nature of euery exhibitiue sacrament Which Ambrose well obserued when he said non iste panis est qui vadit in corpus sed panis vitae aeternae qui animae nostrae substantiam fulcit it is not this bread speaking of the Eucharist which goes into the body but the bread of eternall life that vnderproppeth the substance of our Soule Nor lesse excellent is that of Barnard hìc pereat physicale nutrimentum Cibus iste non est ventris sed Mentis here let the naturall nourishment perish for this is not meat for the belly but for the mind As our Sauiour almost abolisheth the signe for establishing the Thing signified so haue many auntient Greeks and Latines almost in speach destroyed the Eucharists bread and wine for establishing the body and blood therby signified But as our Sauiour did that not simply but comparatiuely so the Auntients must be vnderstood charitably 3 For th' externall resemblance it was in quantity like to Coriander seede in colour white like to hory frost Coriander seed is of the Naturian helde to be semen firmum a firme and a fast seede The principall whereof he ascribes to Aegipt Israel being but lately come out of Aegipt they might in this resemblance to Coriander be led to the Seed of the woman which as by the stooping of the Godhead to earth was to be assumed in the earth A litle seede and as slenderly valued when he was in the earth but finally become so tall a tree as it ouer-peereth Nebuchadnetzars and all the trees of the field And by the Mannaes whitenesse they might be led to such a seede of the woman as should be sinlesse vnspotted exempted from humane generation Thus from the Signe they might passe to the diuine guift signified feeding by faith on the seede promised to Abraham a seede more pure and sweet then all the Mosaicall Manna 4 The time of gathering it was the whole week in the mornings the Saboth day only excepted The sixe days might as Auncients obserue well represent the worlds sixe ages wherein the Israel of God is to seeke vp Christ and the things of Christ. As for the day of Gods great Sabaoth and eternall rest it administreth nothing vnto these foolish virgins that then thinke to acquire oyle to obtaine Manna In that great Rest we are to liue by the Graces of Messiah here obtained The collection euery day teacheth euery day to seeke the thinges that are from aboue and the gathering of it in the mornings doth well enforme vs first to seeke the kingdome and his righteousnes not doubting but in so doing all other things shal be cast vpon vs after For the Day wherein Manna first rained it is most probable to be the first day of the weeke Why Because the Lord at first telleth them that sixe days they should gather it and the seuenth day rest secondly as they thus gathered the six days so some went out in the seauenth which was Sabaoth but found none The first day of the weeke it so raining downe Manna as Origen collected and others from him obserued what day was that but Lords day the day of our Lords resurrection that very day wherin not only natural but also â—hat supernaturall light burst out of darknes That day therfore let vs arise early go out of our houses to the publike assembly of God to seeke gather the bread of life In the Lords day one well writes the Lord continually showreth downe Manna from heauen Them that that day through lazines neglect to goe forth GOD iustly may faâ—ish and vnto them denie the bread of eternall life Our Sauior rising that day he preached therein 5. or 6. times The Apostles conuened duely together in that day establishing it to the churches The Churches haue in all ages vniformly maintaind it Go forth this day to seeke and gather true Manna and the whole weeke after shall be the rather blessed vnto thee But sleepe slug gut and gull at home this day and the whole weeke after is like to be accused vnto thee As thou loues God heare his word in the publike places there fill the Omer and returne home therewith for feeding thy family 5 The measure which euery one was to gather full is termed Gnomer or Omer in quantity the tenth part of an Epha An Epha containeth the quantitie of 432. Hens-egs the value of euery-ones gathering amounted so to a competent measure And yet so as he that gathered much had nothing ouer and he that gathered little had no lacke Exod. 16.17 When Manna representeth Christ then this Omer doth well represent the Belieuers Capacity whereby he is enabled to receiue the things of Christ. And thereto the Apostle may allude in Rom. 12.3 when hee admonisheth to vnderstand no further then God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith To euery one God hath giuen a measure of faith as an Omer whereby hee is made capable of grace in that measure For the filling of which sanctified capacity euery belieuer must â—oorth with the assembly to gather heauens-food before the Sunne of persecution arise and cause it to melt from the face of the earth O how many mornings haue we slept away our thirst hauing gathered no knowledge of Christ by the which we may be relieued in the heate of
â—hould be visited the wall of ceremonies pulled downe and the shadowes vanished But the two people once made One by the Gospel the Church so here may be introduced subscribing to Messiahs continuance in the high Heauens vntil the great Sabbaticall day begin to breake what time not only the Churches sacramental shadowes shall vanish but also the Night of sin the workes of darkenesse the shadow of death shall flie away and be no more seene As a Roe and Hynde he sometimes fed in the height of Iuda but now resteth in the height of Heauen solacing at the right hand of glorie There O thou whom my soule loueth be as a Roe or yong-Hart lately chased and bloodily entreated in our valley of death there rest and solace thy selfe maugre the Dragons gaping Antichrists warring the Atheists yealping against the Moone Thou didst promise being once lift vp to draw all thy members vnto thee O my soules Ioy thou was first lifted vp betweene earth and heauen for thy Churches redemption and now thou art exalted hier then the heauens for thy peoples glorification Draw vs O sweete Hynde of the Morning drawe vs after thee that howsoeuer the body conuerse here awhile below yet our soules conuersation may be aloft with thee So be it And so an end of the third Part. Faults to be corrected IN the last line of the â—pistle to the Ministers reade vnlearned p. 3. last line reade he was not onely â— Prophet p. 17. in the margine reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 23. l. 3. reâ—de threats pa. 24. line 25. reade Blessednesses pag. 35. line 10. blot oâ—t in pag. 42. l. 37. reade straiâ—d p. 63. line 29 30. in some bookes blot out where vision world line 33. reade arke p. 66. line 27. reade sâ—ndry Images pâ— â—8 in the marg reade Bimâ—sibbo p. 73. l. 9. reade plâ—a p. 76. li. 1. reade the word Monch l. 17. reade medicinâ— pa. 84. l. 7. reade it signifieth p. 113. for lines reade letters pa. 116. last line but one reade sickâ—nâ—s pa. 120. last line for coâ—mitted reade receiued pag. 127. l. 11. reade sunctions pa. 131. last line reade testament p. 132. l. 1. reade giuen p. 137. l. 26. reâ—de sufficiencie p. 156. l. 10. for lute reade but. pag. 173. lin 28. reade great and small pag. 203. l. 17. put out of pâ—g 208. l. 18. reade many halfe hundr pa. 215. l. 9. reade which is to the Hebr. 10.5 parapâ—rased thus pa. 252. l. 23. reade sâ—ut out pa. 257 l. 8. reade other than the Sonne l. 19. reade mediation pag. 283. l. 22. reade spirituall pag. 285. l. 30 reade thâ—ist Other faults I desire the gentle Reader to correct as hee findeâ— them Bibles Briefe Sommon to Domes day Sinners sleepe ResurrectioÌ„ Tables of Houshold gouernment Bern. serm 30. in Cantic Ambr. offic lib. 1. cap. 1 By my Lord Andersons suite to his Grace of Canterbury Aug. de grammatica libr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speaking of Kornelius Sâ—lla Korneâ—ius Cinna and Kornelius Lentulus Pomponius Laetus de legib Iude 10. Iohn 1.1 and hebr 1.3 Their Talmud lâ—ckes no such stuâ—fe Rom. 15.4 Hebr. 6.1 c. As their spirituall lanâ— of peace Enterlude of Mindes doe shew For this see somewhat in Lect. xv Vbi maâ—è neâ—o peius Gâ—lâ—t 4 24. Eccles 12.9 Hebr. 11 40. The argument of this Song * R. Sal. Iarchi hereon * R. Abr. Abben-ezra on this chapter The time when this Song was penned * Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 5. 2. Sa. 7.14 15. 2. Chro. 11. â—17 Ioh. 20 15. c. Isidor de eccles lib. 1. ea 6. 7 Bruno in Eph. 5 Ephes. 5.19 Tho. Aquin. on Ephes. 5. * So doth Tremelius turne it the hebrew is Cj tobim dodejca mijaijn Galat. 4.4 Iohn 1.18 compared with cha 17.5 Heb. 11.40 * Heb. rúach Gr. pneuma Lat. Spiritus Matth. 1.20 Ephes. 3.14 15 16 17.18 Psal. 19.10 * Lerâ—iach Aelôhim Aelohâ—ka Procul à phano * Shemen is indifferently Oyle or Oyntment * The heb Vr is in English Fire Dodâ—ica as before * Meishárim Iohn 15.5 Gal 2 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actcs 17.28 Prou. 21.27 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Lâ—mb dist 25 lib. 2. Q. Libertas ergo à peccato â— miseria per gratiam est libertas vera à â—ecessitaâ—e per naturam * Adiutorium in bonum non infirmitas in malum * Lomb. lib. 2. distinct 25. G. * Synergói 1. cor 3.9 Synergóuntes 2. cor 6.1 Prosper in sentent 172. Nemo inuitus bonum facit c. * Hammelec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ashrês Adam mâ—phachéd támidh Hebianj of Boâ— * It is in Hithpagnel Greg. in â—antic 1. Quid per huius sponsi qui Rex est cellariâ— intellegimus nisi sanct scriptur archana quae rimamur nisi sanctae contemplationis mysteriaiquorum delicijsâ—i refic mur m.x conualescimur In illa proculdubio quisque introducitur omnia temporalia mox conâ—emnit quia aeternis ditatur * Ahâ—bûkâ— * Omnes fontes mei in te Psal. 87.7 * Gen. 1â— 20 * Vâ—nauah * Reu. 11.8 14.8 * See this at large in part 3 Lect. 19. * Actes 13.45.50 and 14.2 and 17.5.13 c. * Ro. 11.25 26. * In my Antidoton and new Ierushalem * Abbenezra in his Dramatique expos * Sol. Polyh in cap. 46. * They write that this bird is euer but one and onlie resiant in Arabia And that in her fulnesse of yeeres she â—lickers in her drie neast against the sun and so is fired into ashes that out of these ashes ariseth a little worme which afterwards becommeth the Phoenix * Saepe est sub palliolo sordido sapientia * Whereof in cap. 3.7 * Ambros. on Coloss. 2. Imperatore absente Imago habet authoritatem absente autem Non. * So doâ—h Raâ— Selomeh and Abben-ezra but then apply it to their own churches estate spoken of in Ezech. 20.5 c. * Nicharû * Barn serm 30 in Cantic * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Tarebits * Cegnótjah so expounded of Rab. Selom Iarchi * It is in the coniugation Hiphil which signifieth a double action * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Chamudoth and Machomed of Chamad * Im doth so signifie when the matter requirâ—th it * Prou. 30.1 2 * Ezech. 16 6. c. * Eph. 5.25 c * Gnà l * The old Latine others but our Tremelius and the Romists Arrias Montanus do reade it singular * Antidoton prooueth that at large * Ephes. 2.10 â— Cor. 11.1 Ierem. 6.16 Prou. 14.12 Ibid. 15. 1 Kings 3. * The word Zóâ—óth signifieth women setting to sale But whether victualles or their bodies or both it is a question In Latine therefore it is well turned Meritoriae * Matth. 1.5 * Occlamant illi attendite ad vias videte interrogate c. * Called Index librorum prohibitorum cum regulis