Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON. Our helpe be in the name of God, &c. It is written as followeth in the firſt Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles, the third verſe.
3 Becauſe of the odor of thy excellent perfumes, thy name is poured forth as a perfume, and therefore the virgins louelove thee.
1 The conſideration of the excellency of the Bridegrome, is that which engendreth in the Bride a deſire of knowing him, as the ſauor of that which is odoriferous, maketh a man to couet after it.
2 What the ſacramentall perfume which repreſented Chriſt was, whereunto the ſpouſe hath reſpect in this place, and wherefore he ſpeaketh in the plural number.
3 Theſe odours ſauour not but to the ſpouſe, and are conſidered in Ieſus Chriſt according to both natures, notwithſtanding in diuerſe reſpectes.
4 The firſt relation and correſpondence betweene that ſacramental perfume and the perfections of Ieſus Chriſt.
5 The ſecond correſpondence.
6 The third correſpondence.
7 That it behoued that this perfume ſhuld be poured forth, firſt towards god, to appeaſe him towards vsus by his ſweet ſmel.
8 Secondlie vppon euerie member in the Church, repreſented by this ſpouſe, to bee perfumed with the wiſedome, obedience, righteouſneſſe and puritie of this Bridegroome, by imputation.
9 Another effect of this perfume in our ſanctification, & how our good works are a ſweete ſmell vntounto the Lord, not for their value, but becauſe they are perfumed therewith.
10 An exhortation to take heede of all ſtinking filthines oppoſite to this ſo ſweet ſmelling perfume.
11 In what ſenſe it is requiſite that euerie Chriſtian bee a Virgine, and the abuſe committed of old in this point.
12 The concluſion and ſummarie con… of this third verſe.
THE ende and ſcope whereunto wee ought to refer this whole Canticle, is in ſum to ſhewe vsus, that eueryevery faithfull ſoule, yea al the true Church, is in ſuch ſort in this world, that her whole heart is rauiſhed into heauen, tending onlie to the ful and perfect coniunction and enioying of him, in whom lieth al hir treaſure, which is our Lord Ieſus chriſt her beloued. And therfore this holy ſpouſe hauing opened & declared hir ſo ardent affection, addeth now, that it is not without iuſt cauſe that ſhe maketh no reckoning of whatſoeuer withholdeth men heere below, in compariſon of him, whom ſhe deſireth and longeth after, becauſe ſaith ſhe, there is nothing of ſo good and ſweete a ſmell as hee, whoſe perfume ſhee and hir companions ſmelled.
2 Whereupon we are before all other thinges to note that ſhe vſeth this woord of perfumes, hauing regard properly and ſpecially to the perfumes ordained and appointed in the Law. For albeit the vſe of theſe precious perfumes were frō al times vſuall and accuſtomable among the people of the Eaſt, which is to be ſeen aſwel by ſacred as profane hiſtories, notwithſtanding, the ſpouſe had not properly reſpect vntounto this, but to that ſacred perfume which was in ſuch ſort compoſed of earthlie ſweets, that notwithſtanding the receit & compoſition thereof came not from man, but was expreſly preſcribed of God, Exod. 30.23. with an expreſſe forbiddall of applying it to anie vſe elſe ſaue to the holy & ſacred ſeruice of God: Exod. 30.32. This perfume therefore was a ſacrament and diſtinguiſhed from other perfumes, as the water of Baptiſme is diſtinguiſhed from common water, and the Bread and Wine of the holy Supper of the Lord from common bread and wine, I meane in reſpect of the vſe: the ſignes alwaies remaining in reſpect of their natural ſubſtance and matter entirely as before. This ſacrament, I ſay, as al other ſacraments, was compoſed of a ſigne and of a thing ſignified, ſacramentallie ioyned & vnited, that is to ſay, by a ſignification tending not onlie to repreſent and bring to our minde the thing ſignified, but alſo to aſſure vsus, that that which was ſo ſignified to our external ſenſes, was certainly & truly preſented and giuen vntounto eueryevery faithful ſoule. And this is the cauſe why the name & effect of the thing ſignified are often attributed vntounto the ſigne: as whē outward Baptiſme, is called the waſhing away of our ſinnes, Act. 22.16. which is properly belonging vntounto the inwarde waſhing, which is made by the holy Ghoſt, 1. Pet. 3.2. and Mat. 3.11. as alſo the names of the body giuen for vsus, and of the bloode ſhedde for vsus, are attributed to the bread and wine of the holy Supper in the inſtitution thereof. So alſo in this place, he that was ſignified in Salomons time, by theſe holy perfumes, namely Ieſus Chriſt, is called by the name of perfume and that in the plurall number, for the reaſon which I ſhall tell you anon. It is then the Bridegroome of the Church and of eueryevery faithful ſoul, of whoſe perfumes it is here ſpoken, and not of any other: according to that which is ſaid of the Apoſtle, that he is the body and ſubſtance of al the ſhadowes of the Law. Coloſ. 2.17. the perfections of whome beeing without meaſure, and moſt excellent in the ſoueraigne degree, are ment by theſe perfumes in the plural number.
3 Now Ieſus Chriſt being true God and true man, this is a thing without all doubt, that in reſpect of his diuinity he is the fountaine of all goodneſſe, and of whatſoeuer we can imagin perfect and complet, wherewith all his creatures at the beginning were perfumed, in aſmuch as he engraued in them ſuch teſtimonies of his goodnes and beuty. But the queſtion is here of a perfume communicated vntounto his ſpouſe by this ſweete odour and ſmell, and not vntounto the worlde remaining in his vncleanneſſe and filthineſſe. And therefore wee will conſider of theſe perfumes of Ieſus Chriſt both in his diuinity and in his humanity iointly conſidered, that we ſeparate not and diuide his two natures (as certaine heretikes called Neſtorians hauehave taught) but in ſuch ſort notwithſtanding, that wee knowe that theſe excellent ſmels proceeding frō the diuinity & godhead, are powred into the humanity and manhoode by which he is vnited & ioyned vntounto his church, to make her as wel partaker of his gifts and graces, as of his glory and life euerlaſting. And this is alſo the cauſe why the Apoſtle ſaid not ſimply, that Ieſus Chriſt is the onelyonly mediatour between God and man, but alſo expreſſely named him Man; not that he is not a mediatour alſo betweene the father and vsus according to his diuine nature, agreeable with that, which was wel ſaid by an auncient father, that his diuinitie is not a mediatrix without his humanitie, nor his humanitie without his diuinitie: but becauſe it is by the interuention of his humanity by the which hee ioyneth himſelfe with vsus, that we aſcend vp vntounto God, and to eternall life▪ 1. Tim. 2.5. Heb. 2.14. The ſame then which is called by Saint Iohn the ſpirit which the ſonne hath receiued without meaſure, Ioh. 3.34. and which was repreſented by the doue in his Baptiſme, is that very ſame which the ſpouſe meaneth here by theſe Perfumes, as alſo Eſay hath thereof ſpoken, vſing the very ſame figure, beeing as it were a commentator vponupon this place, Eſay. 61.1.
4 Now in all ſacraments there muſt neceſſarily bee ſome conuenience and correſpondence betwixt the ſigne and the thing ſignified: for which cauſe vnderunder the newe couenant the Lorde minding to ſignifie the ſpirituall waſhing of our ſinnes and blots, tooke the ſigne of Water: and minding to ſhewe from whom we drawe eternal life, choſe bread and wine to ſignifie it. The ſame muſt therefore bee found in this ſacrament of Perfume. Therefore wee muſt note firſt of all, that as the receit and compoſition of this Perfume proceeded from God and not from men: ſo the graces of which it is here ſpoken, are in the humanity of Ieſus Chriſt, in aſmuch as the ſonne of God hath taken on him this humane nature of the ſubſtance of the virgin deſcended from Dauid, and conſequently from Adam, in whom this nature of man was depriued of the image of god and made the bondſlaue of ſinne, Rom. 7.14. but hee is borne according to the fleſh without any ſinne, with his graces, in as much as the corporal maſſe of his body was ſo taken from the ſubſtaunce iſſued from Adam, that notwithſtanding it was through the vertue of the holy Ghoſt, that the body of Chriſt was formed thereof, the power of the higheſt (that is to ſay the holy Ghoſt) hauing fully ſanctified it, to bee a moſt holy and ſacred pallace and perpetuall dwelling place of his moſt holie ſoul, endowed aboue eueryevery other creature with al integrity & perfection: & eſpecially that this humanitie ſhould become the true and perpetual temple of the perſon of the eternal and onelyonly ſonne of God his father, from the time it was conceiued in the womb of the Virgin, to the end that Ieſus Chriſt might become true God and true man, man I ſay moſt righteous, and iuſt, and the holy of holies.
5 Secondly as the mixtures of the diuine receit of this legal perfume were earthly creatures of themſelues, ſo by theſe gifts and graces, of which the humanity is the ſubiect, and whereof the ſpouſe ſpeaketh in this place, we muſt vnderſtand not that which is eſſentiall in the diuinity of Ieſus Chriſt, in which thing the Eutychians abuſe and deceiue themſelues, but the qualities created by this diuinitie in the humanitie of Ieſus Chriſt, of whom wee which are his members coulde not otherwiſe draw them by any maner of participation, Epheſ. 2.21. Theſe things are verie high I confeſſe and ſurpaſſe al natural knowledge: Epheſ. 5.32. but hauing heard God ſpoken of ſo long in this Church, we ſhould and ought to hauehave our ſenſes vſed & practiſed in them, Heb. 5.14. When we ſay therfore that God is wiſe, righteous, good, wee ſpeake according vntounto the capacity and conceit of our vnderſtanding: but to ſpeake more properly, and to come more nearer his nature, wee muſt ſaie that he is wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, goodnes it ſelfe, yea eſſentially, that is to ſay, conſidered in his owne eſſence and being, and not that he is ſo or ſo affected, to be ſuch or ſuch, as it is ſaid of the creatures. But by theſe perfumes wee wil vnderſtand the effectes and operations, of theſe perfections of the diuinity, poured vponupon the head of our great & perpetuall Aaron, according as it is ſpoken, Pſal. 133.
6 Thirdly the better to vnderſtand the conuenience and correſpondence of the ſigne and of this thing ſignified, we muſt conſider wherefore theſe graces, with which the diuinity perfumed his humanity, are called perfumes. It is therefore to ſhew vsus firſt of al, that as a good perfume hindereth & chaſeth away the ſtench of any thing that is ſtincking & infecteth: ſo the ſoueraigne perfection which is in the humanity of our mediatour mortifieth and putteth awaie from God all the ſtench of our corruption, and of whatſoeuer ariſeth thence, in ſuch ſort that in him, who is by good right moſt acceptable vntounto him, Mat. 3.17. we be alſo acceptable vntounto him, Ephſe. 1.6. Farder as the odoriferous fume mounteth vp on high, albeit it be powred forth, and perfumeth all which come neare it: ſo the graces of Ieſus Chriſt which are powred forth vponupon vsus to perfume vsus, as they came from aboue, ſo tend they vpward & ſerue not to holde vsus heere belowe: for which cauſe alſo Ieſus Chriſt, for either of theſe reaſons, is called the man from heauen: 1. Cor. 15.48. and wee are taught by him when wee praie and ſay Our father, to ad, which art in heauen, whither we lift vp our ſelues, as beeing already by God ſitting with him in the heauenly places, whither this ſpouſe aſpireth and contendeth, and we with her if wee bee his true children, Coloſ. 2.6. Ye ſee then what wee are to gather vponupon theſe three points, I meane, touching this ſigne, figured in the Lawe by thoſe corporall and ſenſible holy perfumes, & the thing ſignified by them, namely the perfections with which Ieſus Chriſt is endowed in all perfection, (in as much as he is our elder brother) and thirdlie touching the correſpondence, which is between this ſigne & the thing ſignified.
7 Ieſus Chriſt therefore is the only veſſel in which all theſe moſt excellent and moſt perfect odors & ſmels are contained: but this were but in vaine in reſpect of the ſpouſe, if they were ſo encloſed and ſhut vp there, that the veſſell only were perfumed with them. And this is the cauſe that the ſpouſe ſaith not, Becauſe of thy excellent perfumes, but becauſe of the odor of thy moſt excellent perfumes: & not thy name is as it were a perfume: but thy name is as it were a perfume powred out. We are therefore now to conſider of the ſweete odour of this perfume, and towardes whom it is powred forth. And that was, as we hauehave aboue touched, firſt towards God the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who hath taken ſuch a pleaſure in the ſmell thereof, that he is for euer appeaſed towards vsus, for whom (ſaith the Apoſtle Eph. 5.2.) the welbeloued ſonne hath offered vp himſelfe a ſacrifice of a ſweete ſmelling ſauour vntounto God. Fot albeit in infinite many places this very ſame thing is attributed by Moſes to the ſacrifices of the lawe: yet notwithſtanding this muſt bee ſo taken, in as much as they were the true figure hereof, & not that the blood of bulles and of goates had any ſuch force at al in themſelues, eyther in whole, or in part, Heb. 10.4. And this is the cauſe why Saint Iohn calleth him the lambe which taketh away the ſins of the world, Ioh. 1.36. and Saint Peter ſaith that he hath borne our ſins in his body vponupon the tree, 1. Pet. 2.24. to the end (ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.19.) that as by the diſobedience of one man ſinne entred into the world and by ſinne death: ſo by the obedience of an other man righteouſnes and life were giuen vsus, this obedience ſtretching it ſelfe vntounto death, euen the death of the croſſe, Philip. 2.8.
8 Secondly this odour was powred, and is powred forth from day to day, vponupon eueryevery member of his church, as al things were ſprinkled with blood vnderunder the lawe, Heb. 9.18. which is expounded of the blood of Chriſt, by S. Peter, 1. Pet. 1.2. And this is the cauſe why the Angels announcing vntounto the ſheepheards his birth, & the reall and actuall powring forth of this perfume, whereunto this ſpouſe euen in the time of Salomon aſpired, ſaith not only a Sauiour is borne to day, but a Sauiour is borne vntounto you to day, & conſequently the Angels in that excellent ſong, ſung not only Glory to God on high, but added and in earth peace, goodwill towards men, Luk. 2.11.14. This is then that ſweet odour, which only bringeth vsus that vnſpeakable peace vntounto our conſciences, which the world cannot giuegive, Ioh. 14.27. Rom. 5.1. & Philip. 4.7. & that not without cauſe, ſeeing Ieſus Chriſt is made vntounto vsus wiſdome, righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption, 1. Cor. 1.30. taking away by this meanes all that which maketh vsus ſtinking before God, and inſteede of that vncleannes, perfuming vsus with al that which may make vsus acceptable vntounto the father. For firſt of all, the whole and entire pure wiſdome of him, in whom are encloſed all the treaſures of wiſedome and vnderſtanding, Coloſſ. 2.3. beeing communicated vntounto vsus and allowed vsus by faith, our ignorance and blindenes, which infected our whole mind, are couered therewith: moreouer all our ſinnes being blotted cleane out by the ſatisfaction of him, who died, the Iuſt for the vniuſt, 1. Pet. 3.18. and which is more, the full and perfect accompliſhment of all the commaundements of God being found in him, which made himſelfe ſubiect vntounto the law, Gal. 4.4. to the end to accompliſh for vsus al righteouſnes: Mat. 3.15. all this being reckoned and allowed vsus, and applied vntounto vsus by the inſtrument of faith, we are not onelyonly deliuered from the ſtench of our vnrighteouſneſſe, but alſo clothed with the odoriferous ſmell of the entire obedience of our elder brother, not onelyonly to eſcape death, but which is more, to enter into life. Beſides this, this perfect reſtauration of our nature in his perſon, being alſo allowed vsus, and becauſe it cannot bee, that he which hath giuen vsus him, ſhuld not giuegive vsus alſo al other things with him, Rom. 8.32. it followeth, that inſteede of many moſt infected and filthy ſoylings, which the Lord being altogither holie, and altogither pure, cannot ſuffer, hee findeth vsus in the perſon of his ſonne, altogither pure and cleane without ſpot or blame, and conſequently of a moſt ſweete ſauor, as it is he in whom alone we are made acceptable, Epheſ. 1.4.6.
9 What more? Beſides this, this very ſame power which is the holy Ghoſt, by whom wee were in the beginning created vntounto the image and likenes of God, and which hath afterward fully ſanctified our nature in Ieſus Chriſt our brother: by reaſon whereof hee is alſo called our annoyntment, 1. Ioh. 2.27. powreth forth the effectes of the ſame holineſſe and vprightneſſe into the hearts of the beleeuing, aboliſhing by little and little that olde moſt ſtinking nature, and making on the contrary ſide a new & altogither another nature to be born: 1. Pet. 1.23. to wil & to do according vntounto our meaſure, thoſe things which are acceptable vntounto God, Phil. 2.13. beſides the ſpeciall and particular giftes which the ſame ſpirite diſtributeth vntounto vsus, drawing them from him which is the fountaine of them, Ioh. 16.15. 1. Cor. 12.11. as al the ſcripture witneſſeth ſpeaking of our ſecond creatiō or regeneratiō. And this is alſo the cauſe why the woorkes of Chriſtians beeing perfumed by our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who worketh in our harts by his ſpirit, Rom. 8.14. are acceptable vntounto god, Rom. 12.1. among the which the principal is the inuocation of his name, of which the prophet ſpeaking and hauing reſpect vntounto this ſacramental perfume, ſaid, Pſal. 141.2. Let my praier appeare before thee, as the perfume, and the lifting vp of my hands as the euening ſacrifice: as it is alſo ſaide Apoc. 8.4. The works of charity towards our neighbor come after in the ſecond place, aſcending vp alſo euen vntounto the lord by this perfume, Act. 10.4. & Phil. 4.18. by reaſon whereof the ſpouſe alſo compareth his name to a perfume poured foorth. For for this cauſe is he called Chriſt, that is to ſay the annoynted of the Lord, and we alſo are named Chriſtians, that is to ſay annoynted or perfumed, with this his perfume, which bringeth vsus ſaluation. This is the cauſe alſo why hee is named Ieſus, that is to ſay, he which hath deliuered vsus from all mortall vncleannes and filthines which was in vsus: Matth. 1.21. But let vsus take heede in the meane time that wee attribute no worthines of merite or deſert vntounto our woorkes, neither in quality of ſatisfaction, nor of any righteouſnes which deſerueth any wages or reward: for this were nothing elſe, but to marre and pollute this perfume with the vileſt ſtench that may bee. But let the woorthineſſe & perfume of Ieſus chriſt alone ſuffice vsus, in whom we are fully complet: Coloſ. 2.10. although of mere grace & merciemercy it pleaſeth him to accept of & to crowne the fruites of his ſpirit in vsus.
10 What are we then to do? Euen this in a word, that according vntounto the example of this ſpouſe, nothing ſauor vsus but Ieſus Chriſt, holding the reſt, as being infected by vsus▪ for doung and filthines, I ſay as being infected and polluted by vsus. and by reaſon of vsus. For when Moſes ſaieth that God curſed the earth becauſe of the ſinne of man, as hee had before made and bleſſed it for man, Gen. 3.7. he teacheth vsus in general, that there is nothing in this world which hath not ſome ſpot of the curſe of God, as experience it ſelfe doth alſo ſhewe vsus the ſame. But this is eſpecially declared by that pollution which conſiſteth in this, that men pollute and defile both themſelues and al the creatures of God, when neither they can, nor they wil, ſo long as they remaine in their owne nature, vſe them as it appertaineth, that is to ſay, in good meaſure, with an vpright conſcience, and to the honour of the Creator. I ſpeak of thoſe which are otherwiſe lawfully to bee vſed, and of which the vſe were pure, if we vſed them well: as for example, trauail for to get our lyuing, eating, drinking, clothing, louing of father, of mother, of country, & of other things, in which we ſhal euer find ſome default or exceſſe: and aboue al, this moſt infectious vice, of not referring al vntounto the glory of God. And what ſhal wee ſay of thoſe things which are directly contrarie to the wil of God, with which the world is wholy infected both within & without? The Lord of his mercy giuegive vsus grace to know throughlie indeede ſuch our filthy & ſtinking vncleannes, & contrariwiſe to ſeeke after this ſo precious and ſweete odour, with which this ſpouſe is ſaid to be perfumed, running downe from the Iuorie palaces, of which mention is made Pſal. 45.8. Learne therefore ye couetous, how infected and ſtinking this filthines of yours is before God: and inſteede of ſeeking after your pleaſure, and putting your truſt in vncertaine and tranſitorie riches, 1. Tim. 6.17. hauehave your hart & your treaſure in the true and pure & not periſhing riches. Ye ambitious, learn, what the vanity of thoſe honors & falſe great ſtates, is, with which you are bewitched. Yee drunkards and gluttons, to whom nothing ſauoureth but wine and meates, the end whereof is ſtench and rottenneſſe, learne to ſeek after the liuing water which refreſheth to eternal life, and that true bread of life, and that wine which reioyceth the hart of man, with a true and perfect ioy. Ye adulterers and vile vncleane perſons, very hogs and ſwine with two feete, how long wil you wallow in your abominable and filthy infections? Contrariwiſe my brethren let vsus harken, (if we wil hauehave any part in the true life and in theſe ſweetes whereof it is ſpoken: Pſal. 23. and 138. and 36.9. oppoſed to vaine and corruptible delites, of which it is ſpoken: Pſal. 17.14. & to that which hath been taught throughout the booke of Salomon in the Preacher)
11 Let vsus harken I ſaie, to that which the ſpouſe ſaith here in theſe woordes, And therefore the virgins louelove thee. Let vsus bee therefore, both men and women, young and old, theſe virgins, of whom it is here ſpoken, and in the Apocal. 14.4. or rather let al of vsus be this pure ſpouſe as ſhe is named by the Apoſtle: 2. Cor. 11.2. which ſpeaketh here, and warneth vsus with her ſelfe. For concerning corporal virginity, there is no ſuch matter heere meant or imported: in the which ſimplie the kingdome of God doth no more conſiſt, then in eating and drinking: 1. Cor. 7.36. and Rom. 14.17. as alſo no man is the holyer becauſe he is married: but al cōſiſteth in behauing a mans ſelfe holily, be hee married or vnmarried. This pertaineth then nothing at al, as I hauehave ſaid, vntounto corporal virginity, oppoſed both to mariage and other vncleannes forbidden by God: but ſignifieth here that chaſtitie and ſpirituall purity, oppoſed to all vncleane affections and actions of the fleſh, which the Scripture calleth the old man: which if wee renounce not, & which if we ſuffer not the ſpirit of god to deſtroy by litle & litle in vsus, but remaine in our old skin, we hauehave no part with Ieſus Chriſt, nor conſequently with the kingdome of God: 1. Cor. 6.9. Rom. 8.9. They therfore who hauehave ſo highly praiſed & cōmended virginity, as to make it the ſum of Chriſtian perfection, hauehave gone too far & exceeded in this poynt. Wherewith Sathan, contrary to their intent, hath ſo wel ſerued his turn, that binding at the laſt their poore conſciences with the vow thereof againſt the meaning of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7.35. he hath in the end made the world a Sodō & Gomorrha, both by the clergy of Rome to this day & many ages heretofore, and ſpecially by theſe ſinks of ſtewes, & brothelhouſes of men & women, the ſtench & infectiō of which, aſcendeth vp into heauē. And that this is here very much beſide the purpoſe alleadged for virginity, it appeareth at leaſt by this, that in the time of Salomon, there was no mētion at all of ſuch virginity among the people of God, but he which married not his daughter, was thought to do wrong and iniury to his tribe & family. But beſides this, if wee ſhould take the name of virgins thus in this place, wee muſt exclude out of this company, the chiefe & principal men of it: I meane, Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, the Patriarckes, and almoſt all other the renoumed Godly before the comming of Chriſt. Nay which more is, Saint Peter himſelfe, whom they make the head of their Church, muſt be ſhut out Mat. 8.14. & the other Apoſtles, and the brethren of the Lorde, 1. Cor. 9.5. yea Saint Paul himſelfe alſo, if a man will beleeue moſt of the ancient and renoumed expoſitors, vponupon the place of the Philip. 2.20. To returne to our purpoſe, the ſpouſe teacheth vsus here three moſt neceſſarie pointes: the firſt that to bee partakers of this coniunction with Ieſus Chriſt, we muſt be virgins, that is to ſay, ſin muſt not raigne in vsus any more, but as our God is holy, ſo wee muſt giuegive our ſelues vntounto all holines, mortifying our members which are vppon earth, beeing followers of Chriſt, and walking as hee hath walked, Coloſ. 3.5. Epheſ. 5.1. and 1. Iohn 2.6. Secondlie by what meanes wee paſſe from our vncleanneſſe to this puritie, to wit, beeing perfumed with the graces of the Bridegroome, by whome it is giuen vsus to beleeue: Philip. 1.29. Epheſ. 2.8. and to wil and to doe, according to his free goodwill: Philip. 2.13. And thirdlie what is the principall effect of this perfume, powred into our heartes, namelie, the louelove of God oppoſed to the louelove of the worlde, and which louelove is as it were the light of the lamp of thoſe wiſe virgins, of whom mention is made, Matt. 25. as alſo it is expreſlie reiterated by Ieſus Chriſt, in that excellent and laſt ſermon which he made vntounto his Diſciples going to his death, and by Saint Iohn almoſt throughout his firſt canonical Epiſtle.
12 Wee hauehave therefore in this third verſe an excellent abbridgement of al true Chriſtianity to diſcern it from the falſe, which leaneth to it ſelf in whole or in part, & likewiſe the moſt certain & perpetual mark of true Chriſtians: to be of the number of which, it ſufficeth not that the perſume of the goſpell bee powred vponupon vsus, but we muſt bee ſprinckled within with the blood of the Bridegroome, and with the power of the ſpirit of ſanctification, 1. Pet. 1.2. being receiued by a true & liuely faith, and witneſſed truely by good workes: to the end that that being accompliſhed in vsus which is written in the 133. Pſal. namely, that this precious perfume with which our true head Ieſus Chriſt was annointed deſcending down vntounto vsus, ſo to louelove him as hee hath loued vsus, Epheſ. 5.25. wee may be in the later day really and fully perfumed and filled with his eternall glory in heauenly places, to whom in the vnity of the father and of the holy ſpirite, be all glory for euer. Amen.